Jang Group's Sectarian Rhetoric in Editorial.

Beneath the hot air and theatrics there lies a darker layer – sectarianism, and the schism between the Barelvi and Deobandi schools of thought. Kazmi is of the Barelvi school and Swati of the Deoband. Kazmi is said to have complained to the PM that a JUI-F senator had accused him of corruption and that the JUI-F leadership had ‘ganged-up’ on him because of his scholastic adherence. Jealousy comes onstage as it is said that, after it joined the coalition government at the centre, the JUI-F had tried to gain the religious affairs ministry – but it went to Kazmi of the PPP instead and there has been bad blood ever since. The religious affairs ministry is the plum that many seek because of the powerful patronage it confers on them and their close associates and their constituency. Sectarianism aside, the entire affair has left a nasty taste and smell in the mouths of those who sought to perform their religious duty. Politics and sectarianism – and the murk of political sectarianism as a separate element – have made the experience bitter for many. Nobody involved in the affair emerges with honour intact. And in a just world heads would roll. REFERENCE: No honour Wednesday, November 24, 2010 http://www.thenews.com.pk/24-11-2010/editorial/16886.htm

Daily Jang/GEO/The News International: quoted UK Newspaper The Guardian Tuesday, October 19, 2010, Zi Qad 10, 1431 A.H http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/oct2010-daily/19-10-2010/u49869.htm which predicted the End of Democracy in Pakistan and also quoted British News agency: Tuesday, October 19, 2010, Zi Qad 10, 1431 A.H http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/oct2010-daily/19-10-2010/u49880.htm that MQM's separation from the Federal and Provincial Government is on the Card - But Jang has completely forgotten as to what the same Guardian has written on Jang/GEO TV anti Minorities Role regarding massacre of Ahmedis in Lahore and this Anti Minority Frenzy is promoted by a Jang Group/Geo TV Employee, Aamir Liaquat Hussain and Jang also forgotten as to what the same Guardian has written on MQM? Aamir Liaquat Hussain also use "Blasphemous Language against the Companions [May Allah be pleased with all of them] of Prophet Mohammad [PBUH] - Watch his insulting comment on Sahaba Kiram after Guardian's Story.

GEO TV Anchor incites Sectarianism and Killing

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CSZ4_LF3e0

Presenting... the Real Spirit of Aamir Liaquat (GEO TV/ARY NEWS/Daily Express) Real face of Amir Liaqat Hussain - WARNING strong use of Explicit Language

Same Guardian on JANG GROUP/GEO TV/THE NEWS INTERNATIONAL'S SECTARIANISM:

Candles were lit by members of a civil society for victims of the attack on the Ahmadiyya sect in Lahore. Photograph: KM Chaudary/AP - I often find myself defending Pakistan against the unbidden prejudices of the outside world. No, Islam is not the cause of terrorism. Yes, the Taliban is a complex phenomenon. No, Imran Khan is not a major political figure. This past week, though, I am silent. The massacre of 94 members of the minority Ahmadiyya community on May 28 has exposed something ugly at the heart of Pakistan – its laws, its rulers, its society. It's not the violence that disturbs most, gut-churning as it was. During Friday prayers two teams of attackers stormed Ahmadiyya mosques in the eastern city of Lahore. They fired Kalashnikovs from minarets, chucked grenades into the crowds, exploded their suicide vests. As the massacre unfolded, a friend called – his father-in-law, a devout Ahmadi, was inside one of the besieged mosques. The family, glued to live television coverage, were sick with worry. Two hours later, my friend's relative emerged alive. But many of his friends – old men, including a retired general and former judge – were dead. The killers were quickly identified as "Punjabi Taliban" – a loose collective of local extremists with ties to the tribal belt. This was unsurprising. More dispiriting, however, was the wider reaction. Human rights groups reacted with pre-programmed outrage; otherwise there was a virtual conspiracy of silence. A dribble of protesters attended street protests against the attack in Lahore and Karachi; eleven people showed up in Islamabad.

The normally vociferous media were unusually reticent. Commentators expressed dismay at the violence, but few dared voice support for the Ahmadiyya community itself. Politicians turned yellow. Few visited the bereaved; still today, the chief minister of Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif, has not visited the bullet-pocked mosques or offered compensation to the injured. In the national parliament, three brave female MPs crossed party lines to propose a resolution condemning the attacks, in the face of massive indifference. The motion passed, just. The reticence is rooted in law and history. Ahmadis believe that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, a 19th century Punjabi cleric, was the messiah sent by God – a notion that deeply offends orthodox Muslims for whom Muhammad, who lived in 7th-century Arabia, is the final prophet.

The problem is that the state has taken sides in this religious argument. Since the 1970s, civilian and military governments have passed laws enshrining the discrimination against Ahmadis, today thought to number about 4 million in Pakistan. And so they live in the shadows of society. Under the law, Ahmadis may not call themselves Muslims and may not refer to their places of worship as "mosques". Orthodox Muslims applying for a passport must sign a statement deriding Ahmad as an "imposter". Any Ahmadi who defies these edicts can be sentenced to death; in 2009, 37 were charged under the blasphemy laws and 57 under Ahmadi-specific laws.

This state-directed discrimination has caused prejudice to soak into the bones of even well-educated Pakistanis. It is acceptable to denigrate Ahmadis as "agents of foreign powers" such as the CIA and Raw, India's intelligence service. In 2008 a prominent preacher on Geo, the country's largest channel, suggested that right-minded Muslims should kill Ahmadis. Within 48 hours two Ahmadis had been lynched. The television presenter has prospered. REFERENCE OF AHRC: A report from Asian Human Rights Commission on GEO TV: PAKISTAN: Two persons murdered after an anchor person proposed the widespread lynching of Ahmadi sect followers ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-203-2008 http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2008/2999/ PAKISTAN: No action taken against Geo TV presenter who incited Muslims to murder members of Pakistan minority on air FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-STM-244-2008 September 18, 2008 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission – PAKISTAN: No action taken against Geo TV presenter who incited Muslims to murder members of Pakistan minority on air http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2008statements/1694/

Last year a banner appeared outside the high court in Lahore, declaring "Jews, Christians and Ahmadis are enemies of Islam". Few complained. The silence that followed the Ahmadi killings was broken last week by a tsunami of outrage at the Israeli commando raids on boats headed for Gaza. Commentators and politicians fulminated at the treatment of the Palestinians – a minority that suffers state-sanctioned, religiously driven discrimination. Nobody got the irony. It makes one realise how small the constituency of true liberals is in Pakistan – not Pervez Musharraf-style liberals, who drink whisky and attend fashion shows, but people who believe the state should cherish all citizens equally. That, after all, was the publicly expressed desire of Pakistan's founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, 63 years ago. Today it lies in tatters. REFERENCE: Ahmadi massacre silence is dispiriting – The virtual conspiracy of silence after the murder of 94 Ahmadis in Pakistan exposes the oppression suffered by the sect Declan Walsh guardian.co.uk, Monday 7 June 2010 14.59 BST http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/jun/07/ahmadi-massacre-silence-pakistan?showallcomments=true#end-of-comments

Aamir Liaquat is lecturing but one wonders if he even know about the Funds Jang/GEO TV Group generate through Gillette Advertisement [A big portion of the salaries of Aamir and many other "Islamic Lecturers" on these TV Channles is generated through advertisements from MNCs] . Why don’t they quit to protect the honour of Sunnah or did Aamir Liaquat ever advised GEO TV Newscasters to grow beard. What I am trying to say that those [likes of Aamir Liaquat] who cannot even say the Truth within their organization [GEO/JANG] have no right to lecture and placed themselves on higher pedestal acting like Sanctimonious Preachers: GEO TV violates Blasphemy Law of Islam. بے خبری میں آپ کیسے “جی“ رہے ہیں ۔۔ کیا دیکھہ رہے ہیں ۔۔ کس سے لطف اندوز ہو رہے ہیں ۔۔۔ ذرا سوچئیے ؟؟

http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2009/11/geo-tv-violates-blasphemy-law-of-islam.html

GEO TV raise hue and cry over almost everything whereas their very own key "Religious Scholar - Mr. Aamir Liaquat Hussain" is indulged in “Tabbarra Against the Companions of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)” (Insulting Comments against the Companions of Prophet Mohammad - PBUH). Had Daily Jang quoted Quran and Hadith on Beard then it wouldn’t have been a problem but lecture on Islam from a TV Anchor who doesn’t even know about the “Status” of Companions [Sahaba Kiram] would not be acceptable to any sane person. Watch and lament.

Presenting... the Real Spirit of Aamir Liaquat (GEO TV/ARY NEWS/Daily Express) Real face of Amir Liaqat Hussain - WARNING strong use of Explicit Language

GEO TV [JANG GROUP] Incites Killing & Sectarianism - Part 1

GEO TV [JANG GROUP] Incites Killing & Sectarianism - Part 2

GEO TV [JANG GROUP] Incites Killing & Sectarianism - Part 3

GEO TV [JANG GROUP] Incites Killing & Sectarianism - Part 4

Mr. Ansar Abbasi must be appreciated and praised for his services to Islam and I hope Jang Group/GEO TV Executives would sack all those Female Announcer/News Casters/ANCHOR and Host who wear "indecent" clothes while working for the Jang Group. How dare they wear such nasty clothes in the presence of Mr. Ansar Abbasi. GEO Entertainment and particularly Dr Shaista and women appear on GEO TV should be requested to either wear shuttle cock or you are no more required. Its an old trick to get popularity in Pakistan by exploiting the Holy Name of Islam in which Mr Ansar Abbasi is indulged to show the world that Ansar Abbasi is ACTUALLY A SAINT IN THE GUISE OF A JOURNALIST. The same Jang Group of Newspapers/GEO TV and The News International violate Quranic and Hadith commandments on daily basis e.g. in Sunday Magazine pictures of Unveiled Women are published on regular basis [where is the Shairah of Ansar Abbasi] why don't Ansar Abbasi file news against the Female Journalists working in the News International/GEO TV/Jang Group of Newspaper without observing a proper veil.

One wonders as to where had gone the so-called Shariah which Ansar Abbasi was trying to defend while defending Sufi Muhammad, Flogging and Taliban while reciting Quranic Verses of Surah-e-Nur[AL-NOOR (THE LIGHT) Chapter 24 from Quran] as if there is only Flogging in Quran particularly in Surah-e-Nur[AL-NOOR (THE LIGHT) Chapter 24 from Quran] and what a fun Ansar Abbasi was reciting Surah Nur Verses to an Unveiled [BAYPARDAH] GEOTV News READER [I wonder where have gone all the verses of Quran regarding Veil in the same Chapter 24 of Quran and some part of the same Chapter 24 was recited by Ansar Abbasi to exploit the issue] - Talibani and Pro Jamat-e-Islami Journalist - Ansar Abbasi of GEO TV/THE NEWS INTERNATIONAL/JANG Group defended the flogging in a worse possible way in the guise of Quranic Verse of Chapter 24 - AL-NOOR (THE LIGHT) as if there is only flogging in Quran whereas the same newspaper and its TV Channel [GEO TV/THE NEWS INTERNATIONAL/JANG Group] violate every verse of Quran in their every news report and we haven't seen Ansar Abbasi objecting on these violations.

Reaction of Ansar Abbasi about Swat girl flogging

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=109XWRm3-1o&feature=player_embedded

Noted Blogger "Cafe Pyala" has observed,

"QUOTE"

Oh wow. We've all become so used to the hyperbole of the Western and local language English press aroundPakistan Fashion Weeks, that it is sometimes easy to forget how a significant section of society in Pakistan views them. And who better to represent that view than our intrepid Khalifa-ul-Waqt, Ansar Abbasi, who can and will hold forth on anything.

The guardian of Pakistan's values: Ansar Abbasi

Below is a translation of his Urdu op-ed piece published in today's Jang (thanks to @tazeen for drawing my attention to it). It is worth a read, not only because it provides a window to the mindset of Abbasi and possibly many, many others. But also because it draws attention, once again, to the linguistic divide that separates the English reading public and non-English reading public, a divide that is not only tolerated but pandered to. (It is extremely unlikely you would ever read anything like this article in the Jang group's English paper The News or any other English-language paper for that matter.) This article serves to remind you, if anything, that all those post-modernist assumptions about progress in how the role of women in society is discussed, are merely hollow assumptions. Or at least that all those debates have passed Abbasi by without disturbing even a hair in his beard.

I have also yet to understand the mindset of the Jang Group, which launches Amn Ki Asha with great fanfare on the one hand, and has no qualms on the other in making petty-minded jabs about Gandhi and India on Geo on the other (see their coverage of US President Obama's visit to Gandhi's samadi). It will willingly tone down the anti-West moral brigade in The News or on Geo, but allow them free rein in Jang. It will make Geo a media partner of the Fashion Week and provide it wide publicity and, at the same time, run such incendiary pieces about it in its publications (and make no mistake, this article is a call to disruptive action)... Do they really think this is what is meant by 'letting a thousand flowers bloom'?

In any case, here's the article in translation (and here I thought I'd leave the Fashion Week alone):

If Modesty Does Not Remain…

By Ansar Abbasi

"The racket of spreading obscenity and immodesty through fashion shows and catwalks that is fast gaining strength in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the name of “enlightened thought”, if immediate action is not taken to stop it, this fire of obscenity will soon engulf civilized households as well. We too will soon cross the extremes of uncivilized behavior and ignorance which have led to the destruction of moral values in Western societies, and where animalistic values have reached such heights that children often do not know their father’s name. Men and women prefer to live together without marriage, whereas the trend of men marrying men and women marrying women is gaining ground. Obscenity and vulgarity have lost their meaning altogether in these societies and have become part of their rituals and tradition which now have legal and moral sanction. For such uncivilized behaviour and ignorance to exist in an un-Islamic and heathen society is not surprising. But for such sort of trends to be nurtured in an Islamic society and in a country founded in the name of Islam is indeed worthy of giving pause for thought.

Hazrat Mohammad (PBUH) decreed that each religion has its own defining value and Islam’s defining value is modesty. In Surah-e-Nur and Surah-e-Ahzab, Allah instructs believers to guard their gaze and their reputations, while women believers have been told in clear terms what their dress code should be and in what state of dress they should leave their homes. In Surah-e-Ahzab, the lack of purdah has been likened to the time of Jahiliyya [ignorance] when women used to dress up and make up to go outside their homes. But it is the height of sadness, that despite Allah’s and his Prophet (PBUH)’s clear directions regarding modesty and the lack of purdah, in Karachi, the largest city of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the first ten days of the sacred month of Zilhaj were chosen to celebrate a fashion week.

Much like the month of Ramzan is known as springtime for good deeds, so are the first ten days of Zilhaj also very important, compared to normal days, in accruing the blessings of piety. But we chose these days to spread obscenity and vulgarity in the name of fashion. This transformation of a time specially designated for the worship of Allah and doing good deeds, into a Fashion Week in the Islamic homeland of Pakistan, invited action neither from any government organization nor from any other responsible person. And that too, a Fashion Week that seemed like a competition about shedding clothes.

Seeing the highlights of this contest of immodesty and vulgarity on the television screen, I began to doubt my own Muslim-ness and the reason for the creation of Pakistan became blurred in my mind. The women that God had ordered to be in purdah while leaving their houses, could be seen participating half-nude in the fashion show. And those men who had been ordered to lower their gazes, were playing the role of spectators in these displays of immodesty. This show of immodesty was considered very successful and those participating in it expressed the hope that this vulgarity would continue and also that Pakistan can earn a lot of money from the success of the fashion industry. May God protect us from such success and such wealth. Amen.

The grief is not over how a small Westernized minority is out to destroy our religious and social values in this way. But the real sadness is over how, despite the clear instructions of Allah and His Prophet (PBUH), and despite the promise of the Constitution of Pakistan that an environment based on religious values and Islamic teachings will be created in Pakistan so that Muslims can live their lives according to the Quran and Sunnah, there is no one to stop those making fun of Islamic values. I don’t know who allowed such a fashion show to be held. This trend of fashion shows and catwalks began in Pakistan a few years ago and because of a lack of any controls, has gone, as in the West and India, towards obscenity.

Despite seeing this vulgarity on television screens, nobody condemned it and neither was there any protest. No ruler spoke about it and neither did any opposition leader. The Islamic [sic] parties and their leaders also remained silent, and parliament remained as insensate as the administration. If President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani are unable to see all this, what reasons have compelled Mian Nawaz Sharif, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Imran Khan, Syed Munawwar Hassan and Maulana Fazlur Rehman to keep silent? Why is the higher judiciary not taking suo moto notice of this vulgarity? Why is Pakistan’s media unable to fathom this evil as evil? At least I don’t have the answers to these questions.

What I am really amazed at is that in a city such as Karachi, where most of the population is educated and politically aware, not even one person came on to the streets in peaceful protest against this vulgarity. If our politicians, parliament, government, judiciary, media and masses are so insensate, we will definitely touch the extremes of moral degeneration like the West. In any case, we don’t have anything left other than shame and modesty and moral and social values. These are the values that raise us above the West. If today we do not guard them and give ourselves to the wind to take us wherever it chooses, we will be completely destroyed.

The current silence and insensitivity is very painful. I wish that we would realize that if today we remain silent about this obscenity and vulgarity because the girls and women performing in fashion shows and abhorrent TV commercials are not our own daughters, then remember that tomorrow, the place of these girls and women could be taken by the daughter, sister, wife or mother of one of today’s spectators or other members of an insensate society and its responsible people. And they will be doing the catwalk half-naked in front of thousands of people."

Don't forget to send Jang and Abbasi some words of appreciation for safeguarding our values.

REFERENCE: Fashioning Moral Outrage MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2010 http://cafepyala.blogspot.com/2010/11/fashioning-moral-outrage.html