The First Presidential Debate Between Donlad and Hillary

September 28, 2016

By Saeed Qureshi

The first presidential debate between the Republican nominee Donlad Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton was held on September 26,2016 at New York’s Hofstra University. It was moderated by NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt. It lasted for 90 minutes.

The second debate is scheduled for October 9,2016 at Washington University in St. Louis. The third and the last would come off on October 19, 2016 at University of Nevada Las Vegas. The American presidential election would be held on November 8, 2016.

Altogether, six main questions were asked by the moderator from both the presidential nominees. The questions were about immigration, economy, trade, jobs, racism, law and order, the foreign affairs and the security of the United States.

There were also peripheral, additional questions by way of explanation of the main questions. Most subsidiary questions were addressed to Donlad Trump. The questions asked in the first debate are already known to the Americans public.

Prior to the debate, Hillary in her emails to her supporters hinted at her being nervous.  Yet she looked steady and relaxed.  There was a flair and freshness in her answers with a smile and occasional grin on her face.

Despite recent health setback, Hillary seemed physically strong with a voice resonating with vibrancy and assertion. She kept her cool and didn’t retaliate or respond with a matching accusative temperament and raising her voice as her contender did many a time.

She portrayed herself with a reservoir of information and abundance of statistics to beef up her former policies and actions taken as the 67^th secretary of state from 2009 t0 2013. During this period, as she disclosed in her rebuttal, she toured 102 countries and inked several scores of agreements. She gracefully accepted her mistake of using her private computer for emailing of thousands of emails both classified and unclassified.

Donald Trump raised the issue of inept handling by Hillary as secretary of State during the anti-Qaddafi revolution in Libya. He held her responsible for the attack on Ben-Ghazi American Mission and the death of the American ambassador along with three other colleagues at the hands of the hooligans.

In the hindsight one may reckon that the attack could not be prevented even by the best of the strategists. Obviously it was a spontaneous outburst. The Qaddafi government was itself in the eye of the colossal upheaval resulting in the humiliating death of president Qaddafi and takeover of power by the divergent groups.

Her long tenure in the government started from being the first lady during her husband Bill Clinton’s presidency (January 1993- 2001). She was a senator for 8 years (2001-2009). During the first presidential term of President Obama, she was Secretary of State for four years (2009-2013).

 All this invaluable experience brought her a favorable outcome of the first debate. The visible victory in the first debate might give her more confidence to be vigorous and assertive in the coming two debates.

She might display more eloquence and articulation to splash her policies and objectives. If elected as the president of the United States, she would make history as being the first female president of the United States.  Thereafter, she would be able to implement her vision and goals.

During the debate, Donald Trump seemed to be rowdy, evasive and sarcastic, occasionally making faces and twisting his lips and eyes. He would even interject his remarks while Hillary was speaking. All these gestures were reflective of his nervousness and paucity of logical finesse and adequate trail of international affairs as well as of the United states.

The main emphasis of Donald Trump was to put a stop to the jobs being given to or filled by the foreign workers. But its indeed a dilemma because what mechanics could be invented to stop offshore jobs and working from the home when technology provides such facilities and options.

The jobs and businesses being transferred to other countries or non-Americans coming to United States are not at the cost of the local manpower. A huge number of overseas or offshore industries and enterprises are owned by the American businessmen and investors and not by the Chinese for instance. 

It should be expected of Donlad Trump that in the coming debates, he would be better prepared and equipped with adequate knowledge about the political history of the United States as well as the world at large. He should harness his debating skills, sharpen his style and heighten his deftness in such highly crucial debates to prove who was the most suitable candidate to preside over the United States

Of late Donald Trump has announced to disclose president Clinton’s sex pursuits which he refrained from in the first debate taking the plea that he didn’t do so as Clinton’s daughter Chelsea was also present among the audience. That was indeed a commendable gesture and   must be admired.

But the somersault on this tricky issue shows how mercurial and slippery he tends to be about his pledges and promises.  It is to be seen how Hillary is going to counter that distasteful situation and to beat off the attempt of her unpredictable rival aiming at washing the dirty linen about Clinton in the public. That might bring considerable damage to the current upbeat standing of Hillary Clinton.

India and Pakistan on warpath once Again!

September 23, 2016

By Saeed Qureshi

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s speech at the 71^st Session of UN General Assembly on 21 September instant was resounding and historic by all standards. It exemplified a robust and unconditional advocacy of the right of self-determination of the Kashmiris.

He called upon the UN to hold the plebiscite in Kashmir in compliance with the UN Security Council Resolution 47 passed on 21 April 1948. He vociferously highlighted the grave atrocities being committed by the Indian army in the Indian held Kashmir.

At the same time, he offered full cooperation to the international community in resolving the outstanding Kashmir issue as well as to uproot the terrorism in all forms. He even pleaded with India for a constructive bilateral interaction to resolve all the outstanding issues including Kashmir between the two neighboring countries in an amicable and peaceful manner. Prime minister Sharif has certainly made a mark and pushed the burden of positive response on India now heavily banking upon brute use of force to silence Kashmiris.

India and Pakistan are perennial adversaries and there are several reasons for that animosity. Pakistan is an Islamic state. It came into existence for the Muslims of the sub-continent. India is known as a Hindu majority state although it professes secularism. Democracy has always been there in India barring state of emergency declared by prime minister Indira Gandhi from 1966-1977.

Out of Pakistan’s existences of 69 years thus far, it remained under the army and semi-army rule for 31 years. India and Pakistan fought four wars. These were in 1947(first Kashmir war), in 1965(all-out war on Kashmir), 1971(Bangladesh) and 1999(Kargil war). Unfortunately, in all these military confrontations, Pakistan suffered more harm than India.

The 1971 conflict was most devastating for Pakistani that resulted in the separation of East Pakistan and surrender of 90,000 Pakistani military cadres and civilians before the Indian army.  Following the recent anti-Indian upsurge in Indian occupied part of Kashmir there is a possibility of another military flare-up as well as unleashing of diplomatic tussle between the two inveterate neighbors.

The Line of Control(LOC) between India and Pakistan is a temporary arrangement. It means the control of the respective governments in their under control areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit and Baltistan.  Both countries are obliged under the above-mentioned Security Council Resolution to hold the plebiscite for eliciting the will of the people of Kashmir either to join India or Pakistan.

At the time of the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, the Kashmir valley was under the Sikh ruler Maharaj Hari Singh. On his own accord he acceded to India and thus depriving the Kashmiri people to exercise their right of self-determination to join either India or Pakistan.

This is the bane of contention between India and Pakistan, each having claim on Kashmir. But India has been avoiding such a plebiscite because the majority of the population in Jammu and Kashmir and Northern areas is Muslim by faith. India’s fear is that by consenting to the plebiscite, Jammu and Kashmir as well as the Northern areas would opt for Pakistan. That is why three out of four wars have been fought over the issue of Kashmir and not through the ballot as was the case in other states and regions.

In the aftermath of the 18 Indian soldiers killed in Uri on September 19, in the Indian Administered part of Kashmir(IAK) there have been inflammatory and coercive statements from the India leadership of revenge and retaliation. Pakistan COAS (Chief of Army Staff) General Raheel’s statement that Pakistan would go to any limit for defense of the country against the foreign aggression, should serve as a clarion call for India to heed. It is clear that the incumbent government of PMNL and the armed forces of Pakistan are on the same page as far as the issue of Kashmir and defense of Pakistan are concerned.

Prime minister Narendra Modi is known as a fanatic Hindu. He has the infamous backlog of killing thousands of Muslims in the state of Gujrat when he was the chief minster then. He has been having whirl-wind tours of the globe for winning international support and goodwill for India and boosting trade relations. He has succeeded in inking several important economic and bilateral trade agreements in favor of India. He has yet to come up with his stance on the continuing protests of the Kashmiris against the brutalities of the Indian army killing and maiming scores of local population.

It is hoped that sensing the changing scenario in the backdrop of the Indian brutal measures in Indian held Kashmir, he may desist from a military adventure. If he goes for a military option, it might be a rerun of the 1971 episode but may cause irreparable setbacks to both Pakistan and India militarily and economically.

In this extremely volatile and complex situation the reaction and role of the United States is quite crucial. Of late America has been tilting towards India and abandoning its age old ally Pakistan by connecting her with terrorism. The fact is that Pakistan is not sponsoring terrorism but a strong bulwark in stopping it. There is clear-cut leaning of USA towards India as evidence by crucial multifarious agreements one of which is known as U.S.–India Civil Nuclear Agreement. America is the second largest trade partner of India.

In case of Kashmir it is not Pakistan alone but the world community that supports the legitimate cause of Kashmiris and the inhuman treatment by India. How long half a million Indian army would keep the Kashmiris at bay and silence them by bullets and barrel of gun.

It is to be hoped that America would prefer to play the role of a neutral mediator and use her influence in prevailing upon India to desist from use of army to subdue the Kashmiris but agree to a plebiscite for permanent solution of this thorny issue hanging fire for the last 69 years.

It is time for both the neighbors to desist from wasting their resources and manpower on mutual destruction and annihilation. With the resolution of Kashmir dispute both the countries can enter into a phase exemplary peace, friendship and leading partners in trade and tourism. Let them convert the sub-continent into an abode of peace and fraternity.

Both India and Pakistan are beset with serious problems such as grinding poverty, corruption degradation of life, poor governance etc. The money saved from wars can be diverted to improve the lives of the citizens on both sides of the divide. India in comparison to Pakistan has another grave problem of huge population estimated to be 1.20 billion. It is one billion or six time more than that of 200 million of Pakistan. Its area of 3.3 million sq. km is three fold more than that of Pakistan’s 881000 sq. km.

Despite “impressive economic growth during recent decades, India continues to face socio-economic challenges. India contains the largest concentration of people living below the World Bank's international poverty line of US$1.25 per day. 30.7% of India's children under the age of five are underweight. 15% of Indian population is undernourished. ^[ In comparison 21.04% of the population of Pakistan lives below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day.

Sacrifice and Brutality to the Animals

September 20, 2016

By Saeed Qureshi

I was immensely appalled by the gleeful cruelty and willful sadism exhibited by the Muslims faithful in slaughtering the animals in order to fulfill one of the cardinal religious obligations ascribed to Prophet Ibrahim.  The poor, helpless, dumb animal is surrounded by a few sturdy strong muscled individuals.

They knock the animal down by twisting and pulling his tail, while the others tie up his legs. Yet the others hold him fast by horns and the rest give the animal a push to fall down on the ground. The animal is tied down to the earth by several people while one of them slits its throat and jugular vein with a saber like knife.

The gory scene gives an impression as if they are dealing with a bloodthirsty enemy and to avenge on him for the heinous murders that he had committed or defiled the females of the avenging persons. With bloodshot eyes and with a definitive resolve as if they to kill the enemy by inflicting on him the maximum possible torture.

Watching the blood flowing out of the body of the animal is also considered as part of the sacred ritual and it gives a kind of satisfaction to the person offering sacrifice in the name of God. No one has the faintest idea how much pain the helpless animals must be undergoing. Unfortunately, the animals can neither speak nor have a lawyer to protest or plead against this barbarity.

In modern societies where animal flesh is voraciously consumed and is an integral part of the food, the animals are not subjected to the agony and callousness that is shown in the Muslim societies. In Europe and elsewhere the companies dealing with the bulk supply of meat stun the animal with a gun or some instrument and then the body is dissected which is not at all painful to the animals for being unconscious.

When we dig out the history of sacrifice, we know that invariably, the humans have been offering sacrifice of either animals or the humans. In Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Hindu civilizations, the human sacrifice to the deities and idols has been in vogue from time immemorial. The Aztecs used to pluck the throbbing heart of their victims and hold it up to the Sun god.

However, the ritual or the religious obligation of sacrifice was first started by Hazrat Abraham (PBUH), the father of the so known Semitic or Abrahamic religions as well as the forerunner of islam. Prophet Abraham (in Islam it is Ibrahim) made a covenant with God that he would slay his own son after he received the divine commandment to do so.

 While he was about to fulfill the divine will, the archangel Gabriel saved the young lad Ismail (Jews and Christians believe it was Isaac or Ishaq) by replacing him with a ram at the nick of the moment. Since this legend is narrated to have happened in the vicinity of Mecca, the Arabs even before the advent of Islam were observing the tradition of Prophet Abraham by sacrificing the animals.

Until the advent of prophet Muhammad and bestowal of Prohethood on him, the people of those times believed in the Old testament(Torah) version that it was not Ismael but Ishaq who was taken for sacrifice on the command of god. Even during the time when prophet was not yet given the Prohethood, the people would simply go around the Khana Kaaba for prayers like in any shrine.

This story goes like this that Ibrahim at the behest of his first wife Sara expels Hagar(Hajira) and his son Ismael. By raveling a long distance, they reached the wilderness of Beersheba. The water given to them by Ibrahim finished and the child started rolling on the ground with the thirst. She cast the child under a shrub not to see him dying. She wept in sheer desperation. The angle of god helped them by creating well of water which is now called the well of Zam Zam. The two hillocks between which Hagar ran seven times for water are also there. The place where Ibrahim wanted to sacrifice his son is also near.

Nevertheless, another version is given in Genesis chapter of the Old Testament that God directed Ibrahim to take his son Isaac for burnt offering upon a mountain to be pointed out later. Ibrahim reached that place after three days of journey with his ass and two servants.

When Ibrahim put the wood on the altar and was about to slaughter to be followed by burning the angel produced a ram caught in the thicket. Thus he sacrificed ram instead of Isaac. This place was named by Ibrahim JehovahJireh. Now this place is different from where Hajira(Hagar) and her son Ismail were about to die because of thirst and where the God’s sent angel created well.

One can see the difference in the places of Ismail and Isaac, where they were to be sacrificed in accordance with the command of god. Ismael went to the place where the present Khan Kaaba, Safa and Marva hillocks, the places where Satan tried to dissuade Ibrahim from offering sacrifice are situated.

There is another account in which it is stated that Khana Kaaba was first built by Adam and later rebuilt by Ibrahim.  It is evident that the place of sacrifice was also near the Khana Kaaba and not which Bible narrates to be JehovahJireh where Ibrahim took his younger son Ishaq for sacrifice.   

In 610 AD or CE when Hazrat Muhammad was chosen by God as his prophet, he proclaimed Hajj (pilgrimage)as one of the five pillars of the edifice of Islam. Sacrificing of animals is performed on the day of performance of Hajj in Mecca in the 12th month of Islamic calendar called Ziljhaj. This obligation is reminiscent of the sacrifice of Ismail.

I did not find any reference if the people performed Hajj before the advent of Islam. Although due to water well and an altar or temple, the caravans would sojourn here, not for religious purpose but to break the journey in the desert. It might be possible that the well of Zam Zam was always there from the ancient times and later became stopover for the travelers. When the episode of Hajira and Ismael happened it was elevated to a sacred place.

The Muslims around the world also follow this obligation along with the other four obligations. The time difference between prophet Abraham and prophet Muhammad is 2500 years. It is not known if during this period how the people performed Hajj or they would believe in Abraham as the prophet of God. This is however evident that the city of Mecca with its water and old shrine was used as a stopover for the caravans who traveled along the Red Sea between the North and South of Saudi Arabian Peninsula.

I am curious to know if God’s covenant or conditions to Prophet Abraham to sacrifice the animals was exclusive to him only or was later ordained and decreed for everyone. As far, we know the full-blown complexion, clear-cut and vivid contours, or features of Islam had not been laid out until the proclamation of Islam by Prophet Muhammad.

Did during the intervening period that comes around to over 2510 years (between prophet Abraham and prophet Muhammad), the successive generations perform this ritual of Abrahamic legacy? During these three millenniums, only Jewish or Christian faiths were practiced.

Coming back to the methods of scarifying the animals, here in America the Muslims do offer sacrifice of the animals mostly cows, goats and lambs. Yet the slaughtering is assigned to the professional meat sellers or certified butchers who buy the animals themselves on the uniformly fixed prices.

These professionals slaughter the animals far away from the city in closely watched slaughterhouses or abattoirs. The meat in properly cut into pieces, put in the polythene bags and given to the faithful. All this process is done in a very neat, clean, and organized manner.

This system or procedure can be practiced in Islamic countries also that otherwise make a mess of this very fundamental religious obligation. In every lane and street, park, public place and road the sacrificial animals are tethered for days on end. There is massive disruption of traffic and horrendous pollution of air with all kind of pervading fodder, animal droppings, refuse, and smell.

This unhygienic environment phenomenally aggravates and rather assumes unbearable fifthly proportions when after the slaughtering the heaps of offal, intestines, dried blood pools, entrails and other wasted portions of the slaughtered animals are seen scattered everywhere for days together.

The nauseating stench fills the air that does not go soon. These repugnant spectacles present a sheer contrast with unislamic societies where the pristine Islamic ritual is carried out scientifically, so hygienically and in such an organized manner.

If we refuse to learn salutary and positive lessons and useful models from the advanced and civically vigilant societies in other spheres such as good governance, then we should at least follow the systems by which they manage their municipal affairs and keep the environment clean and pollution-free.

In America, the people are so much conscious of clean environment that they do not smoke within their houses even at midnight. I am a witness and a part of this commendable behavior as I live here. They go out of the house and offices for smoking. This also shows the citizens’ respect for the law, which ordains to smoke within the public places and offices.

Advisors on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz and Fatemi are Dummies

September 17, 2016

By Saeed Qureshi

Woefully there is no full-fledged Foreign Minister of Pakistan. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has two advisers to deal with the foreign affairs but not a full time foreign minister. The portfolio of this prestigious and delicate office is kept by the prime minister himself. And patently he is not deft in such sensitive domain as dealing with Pakistan’s external affairs. For that, one has to be knowledgeable and eloquent. Although he is an excellent businessman but truthfully he lacks the gift of articulation.
There are two glaring flaws in the demeanor of honorable Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that make him inept for such a gubernatorial undertaking. What we have perceived from his postures and meetings is that he seldom speaks but listens most of the time.
First, genetically, he is not fluent or communicative particularly in English language that is the Lingo-Franca and is indispensable in international arenas. We have seen Mian Sahib sitting like a lame duck in his meeting with American president Barrack Obama. He had a sheet of paper in his hand caught from one corner and simply listening to a highly articulate president Obama.
If someone lacks the ability to effectively and forcefully communicate one’s mind and point of view then how other countries would be convinced of the veracity or import of our perceptions, policies, needs and goals. Ironically on top of this, he had appointed spent-up dummies as his assistants and advisers to spearhead the bulwark of the foreign office.
I have no personal rapport nor any grudge with these two guys but let me express myself candidly that they are good for nothing as they are simply mouthpieces of the prime minister and convey what he has in his mind. Or else the prime minister spews out what they brief him then it makes the whole exercise of running foreign office as frivolously ludicrous.
Pakistan does not need the retired and spent-up government servants to run the foreign office nor should this delicate office be dealt with by the prime minister himself. It is a full time job that needs acumen, intelligence, physical vibrancy a vast knowledge and highly persuasive and eloquent tongue to put one views across with emphasis.
These gentlemen looking like proxies for a genuine foreign minister may not be the befitting match and counterparts to the international diplomats and seasoned politicians. The basic and potent question that intrigues the mind is why the prime minister is not having a full time, competent, energetic and an elected member of assembly or Senate as the foreign minister.
My hunch is that the prime minister. fears a kind of opposition or contradiction from a politically elected person as was the case between Asif Zardari as the president and Shah Mahmood Qureshi as the foreign minister. The bane of contention was Raymond Davis, a CIA contractor who killed two Pakistanis on January 27, 2011 in broad day light. Shah Sahib turned down the request of Mr. Zardari to accord diplomatic indemnity to the heinous culprit.
Unlike the dummy or caretaker advisers, Pakistan must have a full-time foreign minister who ought to be shrewd, persuasive and an expert in foreign affairs. Between these two guys there could be a personality clash on policy matters and also on what to convey to the prime minister and who should convey in order to keep him in good humor.
If at all there should be an adviser (Sartaj Aziz) or special assistant (Tariq Fatemi), there should be only one and not two with divergent backgrounds. If there is a conflict of opinion between these highly senior individuals, then it can negatively impinge upon Pakistan’s relations with both friendly and non-friendly countries.
The Pakistan Foreign Office must have also been flabbergasted and rather averse to having two gentlemen hovering on their heads who may not be having an insight into the intricacies of bilateral relations between Pakistan and the rest of the world. It is not known who goes through of files from the foreign office sent to the prime minister secretariat.
Understandably the prime minster has neither time nor stamina and even inclination to read all those files and issue orders as ZAB used to do (while working myself in the foreign office I have seen the comments of prime ZAB almost on each file).
But ZAB was a wizard as far as the foreign affairs were concerned. No one can beat him in that domain. But presently at least Pakistan can have a full time person with a title of foreign minister who is aware of the art of diplomacy and the vision to run the External Affairs with confidence, authority and foresight.

 

 

 

General Raheel Sharif Ought to Be Given Two Years’ Extension

September 14, 2016
By Saeed Qureshi

General Raheel Sharif has emerged to be the most popular Chief of Staff (COAS) of Pakistan army. There is a resounding public clamor that he should continue with his service in the present capacity for a few years more.

General Raheel Sharif was appointed as the 15th Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army on 27 November 2013by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He is due for retirement from his prestigious post in November this year. It means he is left with only two more months to work in his current capacity.
General Raheel himself is not interested in the extension of his existing tenure of service. In this regard he has publicly expressed his resolve to retire by the due date. Prime minister Nawaz Sharif reportedly is not in favor of giving extension to General Raheel Sharif.   The rumor that General Raheel was being elevated to the rank of a Field Marshal has been quashed by the government circles. 
   
The main political parties are vigorously opposing the operation clean-up now underway in Karachi by the army because their top notches are in the eye of the storm. To hell with a democratic system that spawns and sustains corruption and terrorism and that is what these two parties and their foo-soldiers have been doing in the largest metropolis of Pakistan. Karachi has been the target of terrorists and outlaws for Kidnappings target killings for money or for sectarian, political, racial and similar odious grounds.

 The religious hooligans and casual street thugs apart, those nabbed both for Himalayan size corruption, Mega plunder of national assets and sharp shooters and terrorists are abetted and protected by the politicians and people in high positions. The stalwarts of these parties demand wrap-up of the anti-crime and anti-terrorism drive of Rangers and the army.  They want provincial governments to restore law and order. There cannot be a more ridiculous and untenable call than this demand.

The entire country and specifically Karachi has been plagued by an incessant wave and unremitting epidemic of lawlessness for several years. The criminals of all shades have been brazenly killing the people for grabbing money, land, dwellings, cars, and other belongings. The entire business community has been at the mercy of the extortionists. Those who refused to oblige were targeted, killed or kidnapped by the bounty hunters.

Karachi is paralyzed for several years now. Countless people have become victims of violence and killing sprees. The people would come out with fear of being kidnapped, maimed or killed. Karachi has been virtually ruled by the mafias and cartels of outlaws. The state machinery both provincial and federal during the PPP government and initially the PMLN had been viewing this entire gory phenomenon with utter helplessness or indifference and rather connivance.

The most sickening dimension of this unbridled disorder and rampant lawlessness was that behind this ruthless mayhem were mostly the ministers and highly placed bureaucrats and government functionaries. The booty thus collected by the criminal gangs would be shared with the ministers and powerful high ranking executives.

The outburst of Zardari first against the army and lately against Nawaz Sharif and PMLN government uncovers the agony of these power holders. Earlier it was Altaf Hussain the warlord of MQM who threw the same challenge to the army and the central government. One of the poignant manifestations of their protest, in the beginning, was to withdraw their national assembly members through en-bloc resignations.

Of late Altaf Hussain has crossed all permissible limits and even a minimum modicum of restraint by denouncing Pakistan and inciting his party to raise slogans again Pakistan which they did. As a result, the police and the Rangers had to come down upon their network with a heavy hand. While a sizable number of their undercover and open criminals and militant cadres have been arrested, the onslaught again the MQM is still going on.

It is tragic and treacherous that the partners running provincial government in Sindh, instead of serving the people have been engaged in villainous and diabolical pursuits to wreck Karachi and to rob the people of the peace. The involvement of their ministers and members of parties has been unearthed in stealing and sale of water to buying state lands for peanuts and selling those at exorbitant prices.

It can be termed as divine intervention that first the Rangers and later the army stepped in to stop this mayhem of loot, plunder, murders and kidnappings. Karachi is gradually returning to normalcy and peaceful life. The people are picking up the courage to move around with a feeling of safety.

And the moot question of this article is that how this miracle happened. We all know it is the army Chief General Raheel Sharif who turned the tables on miscreants, thugs, killers, abductors, enemy agents and a whole range of dangerous mafias and terrifying gangs. He and the army under him have saved Pakistan from being broken and disintegrated. They deserve nation’s overwhelming gratitude.

The Pakistan army is engaged in a monumental mission of saving Pakistan from a civil war and keeping intact its territorial integrity. Therefore, we the people of Pakistan are wholeheartedly with General Raheel Sharif and the army in their sublime mission of fully securing our beloved country Pakistan from the conspiracies and encroachments of both internal and external enemies.

In due course Zardari and Altaf Hussain should be arraigned for their respective outbursts against Pakistan and the armed forces.  Altaf Hussain should be tried for seeking Indian and NATO help to what he called saving the MQM and immigrant community. Zardari has amassed mammoth wealth throughout his career by foul means which needs thorough and unstinted probe.

It is heartwarming that NAB, FIA and other institutions of accountability are on the move to catch the heavy-weight culprits like Dr. Asim. This anti-crime drive must continue until all the robber barons of national wealth and culprits of misuse of power for personal or party gains are unearthed.
Pakistan has to strengthen and fortify the judiciary with quick award of sentences to the proven culprits.  The judges and the lawyers should be protected at all costs.

The courts should be guarded with police or rangers force. The quick dispensation of justice to the public enemies can restore the confidence of the people and social stability in the country which is inevitable for the economic progress and prosperity of Pakistan.

Since General Raheel is already pursing the noble mission of saving Pakistan from internal disintegration and disorder his continuation in the present position is indispensable. It would not cost the government anything.  Yet by such a momentous decision, the country can be saved from the miscreants and thugs who on their own volition want to wreck the order and social peace or at the behest of the foreign countries and forces inimical to Pakistan.

It would bring laurels of applause and honor to prime minister Nawaz Sharif if he allows General Raheel Sharif to carry on the onslaught to cleanse the country of the people with diabolic intentions. One may ensure Nawaz Sharif and his government that General Raheel is not going to be another Pervez Musharraf to take over the reins of the government and assume power. Had he wanted to do so, he could have done much earlier and the people would have enthusiastically welcomed him with warm cheers and open hands.

But what one strongly feels is that a vital task or mission which is to save Pakistan from internal breakup, disintegration and pervading chaos must be taken to its logical conclusion. General Raheel is not power hungry. He is a true son of the soil and brave and patriotic soldier whose services to wipe off anti-state elements and merciless outlaws are not only indispensable but would be written in history of Pakistan in golden words.

A Tribute to Prophet Muhammad(pbuh)

September 9, 2016

By Saeed Qureshi

All the known religions and their founders of the past do not have clear-cut chronological and historical facts and figures about their lives and missions. It is only the prophet of Islam Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) who has the unique distinction of his life properly chronicled and recorded. All the phases encompassing his birth to his final departure from the transitory earthly abode have been meticulously and distinctly preserved.

The times, periods and years relating to the ancient apostles starting from Adam to Solomon and afterward are ambiguous and lack credibility. Those years are simply approximate, which in a roundabout manner, describe the periods in which these apostles of God existed. This assertion in no way negates their divinity or their being the messengers of God in various eras.

The Biblical or history-based religions are three i.e., Judaism, Christianity and Islam. From among the litany of the mythical religions, the Hinduism, Buddhism, Shinto, Taoism, Confucianism, stand on top. The ancient mythical religions and their dogmas came to be known from one generation to another by word of mouth or from writing on the stone tablets or columns. As such these religions suffered from distortions, exaggerations and a kind of mythical stuff that mostly is hard to believe.

The principal reason for such a lacuna was the absence of a workable or credible system for recording the chronological data and securing the utterances, sayings and sermons of the sages, saints and prophets of the bygone ages delivered to their respective communities. As such these religions belong to an age when the techniques of preserving the history of the world or religions were yet not discovered.

The New Testament was historically written by different authors at different times after the ascension of Jesus Christ to the heavens. The period of writing the New Testament is reckoned to be between 35 to 85 CE. or AD after Jesus’ ascension to heaven. With regard to the contents of the Bible both in the old and the New Testament, there are grave variations in the editions published in various stages and times. The authors of the four gospels, Mathew, Johan, Luke and Mark differ with each other on a whole range of episodes and events concerning Jesus Christ. Jesus did not dictate his speeches, sermons and conversations, nor were there scribes who took notes to secure his utterances and messages.

The myriad of different texts of the Bible and the variation in narration by authors bear the testimony that the gospels lacked the actual utterances of the Jesus. It could at best be described the life account of an apostle or prophet of God with broader events but not in the actual sequence as he lived and delivered his divine discourses According to a research scholar on religions, Dr. Abdul Hye, there were 103 clear contractions in the Bible.

From the primitive manuscripts of the Bible to the latest one known as “King James Version” (KJV) compiled and published in 1611CE, a staggering number of fifty thousand grammatical and descriptive errors have been corrected or redrafted. The KJV has dropped 7 books that were part of the Bible for roughly almost three thousand years. The Protestants do not believe in these 7 discarded books. If such a hug number of books are excluded as apocrypha, then one can imagine how fictitious this stuff could have been that was believed by the Christians for almost 16 hundred years.

As we all know that there is a total of 66 books that constitute the two parts of the Bible commonly known as the old and the New Testament. The Hebrew or the old treatment consists of 39 chapters or books and the New Testament comprises 27 chapters. These two sections were written by some 40 men in the course of 1600 years that is from 1513 BC (before Christ) to 98 CE (common era) or AD (after death of Christ).

There are only fables and narrations concerning kings, rulers, battles or the messages of the apostles covering several centuries written by a diversity of authors who were not even present during the occurrence of those incidents. These writings are devoid of clear-cut chronological order.

 The Hindu religion does not have a founder, definite creed, priestly hierarchy or governing agency” (Mankind’s Search for God) It historically starts from the writing of the Vedas some 900 years BC. The Vedas were later augmented and supplemented by Brahmanas, Upanishads and Puranas. It would be utterly impossible to justify or figure out if the 330 million gods in the Hindu mythology actually exist or not? It is also difficult to apportion definite periods or times during which these volumes were written and by whom these were written.

As for the founder of Buddhism Goutam Buddha, there is no evidence or account of his life and religious doctrine that was written during his life time. All that we know about him are the canonical texts that have no historical evidence about their time of writings and their authors.

There is a mention of the convening of council by 500 monks after the death of Buddha to deliberate about the authentic teachings of the master i.e., Siddhartha Gautama. So the Buddhist canonical material as uttered from the mouth of Gautama was not recorded in his life time but was compiled much later by others.

The Shinto, Tao and Confucianism religions too are embodiments of obscurity and are unclear about the exact time and periods of their apostles. Taoism is believed to be founded by philosopher Lao-Tzu some six centuries before the Jesus Christ. Little is known about him except that after his retirement from the royal service, he wrote a brief treatise of 5000 words at the request of some custom officer of those primitive times.

After writing the book he departed and was seen or heard no more. The researchers however are skeptical about this story. But one thing is quite clear that Lao-Tzu has been obscure and least known among the founders of religious or faith based creeds. The gist of the Taoism is to “shun the society and return to the nature”

The life story of the great philosopher of the East Confucius is more elaborate as compared to Lao. Both these sages belonged to the same period of Chou dynasty; torn and weakened by a long period of wars and chaos. A part of the life account of Confucius looks to be more mythical than reality. He is described to be a great teacher.

His lectures and sayings are saved in nine books by his disciples who travelled with him during his tours. This is one sage or the founder of creed and a moral code, whose writings are preserved but still not in a chronological format and without mention of any specific time periods.

Let us now turn our attention to the prophet of Islam Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). He is the most watched, observed, revered, adored and chronicled prophet in the history.  He was born in 570 CE or AD and passed away in 632 CE. In between this period his birth, travelling, marriages, revelations sayings, commandments, decrees, decisions, tenets and accounts of battles, were recorded and memorized by those who observed and remained with him in praying, during hardships, preaching, in battles, social interaction or in traveling. Those companions included his pious wives also.

As stated in the foregoing, the scriptures and holy books of the other leading religions such as Bible were written over a time frame of several centuries by other authors after the death of Jesus Christ. However, the holy book of the Muslims, Qur’an was preserved by prophet Muhammad himself for all the 23 years during which he was receiving the divine revelations.

Since he himself was unlettered, his method of preserving the divine messages and directions were to recite them before the Muslim faithful, compatriots, family members and followers who would commit these to memory and keep it alive by repeated recitations. Later these would be written on shoulder blades of camel or sheep, palm leaves, wood, parchments and dried skins. 

Apart from his revelations his social utterances, normal conversations, sermons and decisions are composed in the form of Hadith. Every period of his life starting from the childhood, to his upbringing, his adolescence, his youth, his marriages, his business tours, his meditations in the cave Hira, migration to Madina and the divine mission to preach Islam are meticulously preserved, arranged and tabulated in a chronological order.

It was during the first Caliph Hazrat Abu Bakr's tenure that Qur’an was collected from written and memorized sources and the task of their collection in shape of a book was initiated. However, it was during the caliphate of the third caliph Hazrat Usman (Othman) that it was compiled in the form of a proper book.  A good number of copies of this original edition of Quran were made and sent to various destinations within the Muslim territories.

When Hazrat Usman was murdered in 656 CE, he was reading the same edition of Qur’an that was compiled under his guidance and circulated to other places. The copy of that specific Qur’an is preserved in the Topkapi museum in Istanbul (Turkey) and in Tashkent (Uzbekistan). The Qur’an from that period to the present is the exact copy of that original edition formulated during the third caliph Hazrat Osman's period.

From his birth in 570 CE to his first marriage with Hazrat Khadija in 595 CE to his fist revelation in 610 CE preaching in public from 613 CE onwards, to sending of persecuted Muslims to Abyssinia in 615 CE are the events that are indelible facts of history. His crusades, his meeting during the Hajj with a batch of Medina pilgrims in 620 CE, migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE are succinctly recorded in history. His stay in Medina and the “Battle of Trenches in 627 CE, conquering Mecca in 630 CE, his demise in 632 CE, are various phases of his glorious life that were witnessed by countless Muslims and non-Muslims alike of those times and are clearly narrated in history with the dates and months and even timings.

When he passed away he was buried in the same room where he lived after migrating to Medina. The tomb erected on his grave stands from day one and is visited round the year by countless Muslims from all over the world. That is a continuous evidence of his presence till death in Medina and therefore is irrefutable.

The graves or tombs of other ancient prophets do not denote any period and did not survive in their original shape during the course of time. The floods, natural disasters and ravages of invaders did not leave the original structures intact of their resting places in holy cities like Baghdad, Damascus Mosul, Basra and Cairo, among others. During his invasion of Baghdad in 1258 CE, the Mongol invader Hilaku Khan demolished every building and inundated that city by diverting Euphrates river.

In contrast, the loving and caring way, the tomb of Hazrat Muhammad(pbuh) with its shining green minaret has been kept intact and well maintained for fifteen centuries speaks for the imperishable glory of a prophet who is as immortally and fondly adored after his death as he was held in extreme love and unbounded reverence by Muslims during his life time. As a model of personal piety and immaculate moral character, his life is shining like a diamond and serves ever as a beacon of divine light for the humanity.

The sustained revelations of the Muslims’ holy book Quran for 23 years and later its compilation done by prophet himself and later by his two noble successors also undeniably testify to the fact that it was not the work of latter day scribes or writers. It is a truthful, genuine and authentic chronological production by prophet himself and by those who were witnesses to its being revealed, memorized, written and distributed.

Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) appeared as God’s messenger in an era that was not as primitive as compared to those eras of early messengers and apostles. The time period of Prophet Muhammad was considerably advanced and developed. The time distance between Jesus Christ and Hazrat Muhammad(pbuh) is 570 years. In between there was no prophet that could lay claim of prophet-hood. In these 570 years the world had progressed considerably.

The two main Biblical religions namely Judaism and Christianity are in fact the forerunners of Islam. Islam acknowledges and owns these religions as its precursors.  However, with the advent of Islam, the outdated, obsolete teachings or unwarranted dogmas contained in those scriptures were edited, updated and refined by the founder of Islam.

In fact, Islam, as the legend goes, starts from Prophet Adam and assumes finality with Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) as the last prophet of Islam as declared by him in Mecca in 630 CE, in his last sermon during the pilgrimage. On that occasion he declared before a mammoth assemblage of pilgrims that the religion Islam stood completed today.

The prophets and apostles mentioned in the Old Testament (the Hebrew Scriptures) and the New Testament (the Greek scriptures) are also the prophets of Islam. Yet Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) enjoys the exclusive distinction of being the final messenger of God in the line of prophets that came before him from time to time.

It is therefore, foregone that the life of Prophet Muhammad is not mired in obscurity, mythical ambiguity and hollow projections. It has been candidly self–revealing, carefully and diligently chronicled by his colleagues, contemporary historians and by those who came in subsequent times. As such it is truthful and pristine.

What is Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri up-to?

September 5, 2016

By Saeed Qureshi

Allama Tahirul Qadri has been coming to Pakistan with a mandate of eradication of corruption and removing the incumbent PMNL government and its stalwarts out of power. He is joined in his latest adventure by Imran Khan, Sheikh Rashid (Awami Muslim League) and Chaudhry Pervez Ilahi(PMLQ), besides a sizeable number of his religious followers. 

In his recent fiery sermons both at Lahore and Rawalpindi Allama Sahib demanded Qisas (monetary compensation) for those people who were killed in front of his Model Town residence more than two years ago. He announced to unfurl his future plans in the near future. He reminded General Raheel Sharif to fulfil his promise to provide justice for the victims of the Model Town incident and their families.

It would be rather pertinent to ponder as to why a Pakistani citizen who opted for Canadian citizenship dashes each time to Pakistan to create an upheaval. The current odyssey of Allama Qadri is the fifth one during the past three years to Pakistan for heralding a revolution. A demagogue in his right and excelling in rhetorical outbursts, Allama Sahib has sizable backing mainly from the sections believing in the Sufi or ascetic branch of Islam.

The veneration of saints, tombs and direct communication with God through contemplation are some of the features of this cult of Islam. As long as the Sufism remains confined to communion with God and introversion for seeking truth, it is the best. But when it overlaps to the political realm it comes to a naught, loses its glare as it doesn’t offer any workable format for state running or governance.

Allama Qadri has focused his attention and directed his assault on corruption and corrupt rulers of Pakistan. Three year or so back, he was focused on removing the PPP government while being lodged in containers. A farcical accord was signed between him and the PPP delegation. The matter ended on a written compromise. Now he is braced against PMNL government which is the successor of PPP.

He is embarked upon the same track and harping the same tunes. He has already failed and is bound to fail again. His movement is aided and abetted by those political figures whose own credibility is tarnished and who are pushing Allama Sahib to lash out at PMN and the prime minister Nawaz Sharif not for the sake of country and people but for their removal through undemocratic and loud sloganeering and street riots. Along with Imran Khan all these shadowy political outfits accuse Nawaz Sharif and his family members for money laundering and stashing money abroad.

I am not an advocate of the existing political set-up in Pakistan. However, I am of the opinion that democratic order no matter how faulty, should be allowed to proceed on its track. The change of the government should be brought about via elections and based upon people’s mandate. The change through street agitation and undercutting a sitting democratically elected government is invariably counterproductive and damaging to peace and stability. We have seen that in the past such upheavals led to more chaos and intervention by the non-political forces to the detriment of Pakistan.

The movement launched by opposition partners including Allama Qadri, for a corruption- free Pakistan, revival of the state of Madina and removal of the incumbent governing are hollow and myopic recipes for Pakistan. Pakistan has to function as a modern nation state with openness, civil and equal rights and opportunities for all sections of the society irrespective of their social status. Pakistan should be a state with freedom of religion, life, liberty and pursuit of happiness (American constitution). It should be an abode of modern civic order, fundamental rights, equality of socio-economic blessings for all the citizens.

During the past four years, Allama Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri has staged three large rallies in Pakistan. One was in Lahore on December 23, 2012. The second mammoth rally was in Islamabad on January 14, 2013, where his party workers and devotees staged a four-day sit- in agitation that culminated in an agreement between the then PPP government and Dr. Qadri. This agreement titled “Islamabad Long March Declaration” promised electoral reforms and increased political transparency. It was in fact a convenient face saving way- out for both the sides.

The third rally was held on June 17 2014 at Model Town neighborhood in Lahore in front of the Dr. Qadir’s residence cum PAT (Pakistan Awami Tehrik) secretariat. Tragically it turned into a bloody clash between charged members of PAT and Minhajul Quran on one side and the riot police on the other. This clash resulted in at least 8 deaths and scores wounded. In comparison the previous rallies were rather peaceful.

However, this ugly encounter had turned immensely instrumental, though by default, in advancing Dr. Qadri’s mission against the incumbent PMNL federal government and Punjab province government. The Punjab government of PMNL had come under burgeoning pressure and looks like a culprit, although seemingly the chief minister had no role to play in the police firing that was not intentional but spontaneous.

After that bloody incident, Dr. Qadri had spurned all government offers for a dialogue and rejected the formation of a judicial commission to probe the gruesome incident. On the contrary he alleged that the Prime Minister, Chief Minister of Punjab, IG Punjab Police, and certain ministers were behind what he termed as the ‘premeditated murder’.

The PMLQ stalwarts Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain have been whole-hearted supporters of Dr. Tahir Qadri in his opposition solely to the federal and Punjab government run respectively by Mian Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif. The deep seated political animosity between these two groups is a public knowledge.

Imran Khan too has taken an unequivocal stand in favor of Allama Tahirul Qadri and even demanded resignation of the chief minister of Punjab and his law minister. His overtures seem to be merely fortifying the bulwark against Sharif brothers. One may recall that some years ago, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Ch. Pervez Ilahi had a special meeting and even holding press conference with Allama Dr. Tahir Qadri in London. Their blind support for Qadri’s mission is not a secret as Chaudhry brothers are sworn enemies of Sharif brothers.

As far Imran Khan, he is adept in blowing hot and cold in the same breath while demonstrating a semblance of political acumen or restraint least expected of a politician. The antagonism for the sake of antagonism speaks for the immature or myopic attitude of Imran Khan even debunking military action against Taliban in Waziristan.

 Thus by his mindless statements he had rebuffed military’s anti-Taliban blitz. He doesn't realize Taliban are the enemies of the people of Pakistan. They have been busy in destroying Pakistan’s assets and killed and maimed thousands of Pakistanis through incessant wave of blatant suicide attacks for almost a decade now.

On May 25, 1989 Dr. Qadri founded a political cum religious party under the name of Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT). The manifesto of this party broadly is to introduce the culture of democracy, promote economic stability, and improve the state of human rights, justice, and women's roles in Pakistan and to remove corruption from Pakistani politics.

His other organization that promotes and propels his objective of bringing revolution in Pakistan is “Minhajul Quran” a kind of religious forum. The professed objective and charter of this outlet is to “promote religious moderation, impart effective and sound education, advance inter-faith dialogue and harmony, and a moderate interpretation of Islam employing methods of Sufism”

The manifestos of both PAT and Minhajul Quran put together, as Maulana Dr. Qadri claims is to unfold a green revolution in Pakistan. The green revolution also stipulates the revival of the “Charter of Medina “The Charter of Medina also known as the Meesaq-e- Medina, was a formal agreement between the prophet of Islam Hazrat Muhammad and all of the significant tribes and families of Yathrib or Medina including Muslims, Jews, Christians and pagans. This constitution formed the basis of the first Islamic state.

Its main objective was to end the bitter inter-tribal fighting between the prominent clans of the Aus and Khazraj within Medina. The historic “Medina Accord” brought Muslim, Jewish, Christian and pagan communities in Medina under the fold of one fraternity named Ummah for the first time.

Allama Sahib asserts that while the “Constitution of Medina” lays down the foundations of an   "indivisible composition of the Muslim Ummah or nation, it also guaranteed fundamental human rights to the entire community irrespective of their religious or racial orientations. Qadri envisions an “Islamic state as a Muslim-majority country which respects freedom, the rule of law, global human rights (including religious freedom), social welfare, women's rights and the rights of minorities”

The redeeming feature of Maulana’s mission is his resolute stand against terrorism which in regards to Pakistan is the religious terrorism of Taliban. It connotes that Maulana is a liberal and progressive reformer that shuns religious fanaticism propelled by the perpetrators through brutal means and terrorizing the people and by killing them.

In March 2010, Dr. Qadri issued a 600-page Fatwa(decree) on Terrorism, in which he scholarly dismantled and categorically condemned terrorism without any ifs and buts.

He argued that terrorism and violence has no place in Islamic teachings and therefore, no justification can be provided for it. Dr. Qadri can be portrayed as a religious moderate and a steadfast follower of gentle Sufi tradition. This aspect of Allama Qadir’s mission therefore, can be acceptable for the proponents of a modern liberal state and society.

Dr. Qadri aspires and struggles also for a Democratic revolution through electoral reforms in order to elects people of integrity who will be subjected to a “pre-clearance process to qualify for contesting elections to ensure that the candidates had paid their taxes and they had not defaulted on loans or got the loans written off”.

However, Allama Sahib should understand that the modern day societies are not like that of Medina when the society was in the process of making. The complexion of the current respective societies and system are welfare oriented, mostly democratic and responsive to the people’s needs and aspirations. The political systems, by and large, are stable and accountable and the governments come into being with popular franchise. The world community as a whole is prosperous and fraternal.

The international community is connected through fast and all encompassing internet technology. People are not drastically divided along religious lines barring a few Islamic countries. The people enjoy countless privileges and rights that are enshrined in the constitutions of the respective countries even of the authoritarian regimes.

The power tussle is rife in several societies but people socially and economically are more liberated and contented. The countries in the present time are huge and vast than the city of Medina 14 centuries ago. Even the present day Medina is a modern city, hugely populated and bustling with a galore of modern comforts and amenities.  The Medina Accord offers an explicit and shining moral and human guidelines and its theme is literally prevalent in better part of the world.

For example, the “Bill of Rights” in the American constitution offers inalienable rights to all the citizens such as right of life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, freedom of speech, religion, assembly and petitioning the government. People are no more slaves of the kings, and elite classes to the extent as was prevalent in the past. The rulers in many countries are elected by the people.

In majority of the societies social morality prevails, the judicial systems dispense justice and media is strident and powerful to spread information of what was happening every moment. Because of an integrated world, every society and leader is under an unremitting accountability and watch. The world despite deficiencies acts jointly in case of crisis, calamity, war or disaster. The Medina Pact was solemnized in a primitive and limited society under very peculiar circumstances. Its revival is not needed as it is already being practiced on a much wider scale.

  Allama Qadri Sahib would look more credible and rather acceptable if he pursues his moral and political ambitions within the framework of the constitution and law. To bank upon aggression and mobilizing people with powerful rhetorical speeches and show of self-righteousness is meaningless. Such a strategy would backfire because it leads to chaos and commotion. If Maulana doesn’t revise his reformatory mission and reconstruction approach, his dream of turning Pakistan into an ideal Islamic state would never come true.

Directing and monitoring an aimless movement while living a comfortable life in a distant secular and Unislamic land of Canada, looks hypocritical and contentious. Let him live in the slums of Pakistan and spearhead the movement and thus transform the destiny of the people of Pakistan. Example is better than fiery orations or hollow precepts. Occasionally he talks of Egyptian Tehrir Square that uprooted a might dictator. But Pakistan is not Egypt. Pakistan is now a democratic country.

My hunch is that Dr. Qadri in somehow being used by the forces that are inimical to the incumbent government for one reason or the other. Dr. Qadri seems to be playing in the hands of some political figures who want to have short cut to power corridors. Mercifully the democratically PPP elected government completed its 5 years in power.

Let the present government stay at the helm for its constitutional mandate. It would be up to the people to re-elect or reject it in the next elections. That is how the democratic tradition would be firmly rooted and flourish and that is what Pakistan is in need of.

Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri is blessed with enormous gift of public speaking and forceful articulation. He has a huge and growing bulk of followers and also unlimited financial resources and a safe haven of Canada.

He can utilize all these precious assets by entering the political arena of Pakistan like other leaders, contest elections and attain power to transform Pakistan into an abode of his liking and lookout. That would be the best and decidedly a rational way to implement his envisaged programs and plans.