People’s Movements in Pakistan by Aslam Khwaja

“This book is stuffed with facts regarding people’s movements in the history of Pakistan. It is important because the book has been published at a time when alternative facts have struck the world,” said Haris Gazdar, a leading researcher, while speaking at the launch of People’s Movements in Pakistan, authored by Aslam Khwaja at the Arts Council of Pakistan (ACP). The event was organised by Kitab Publishers and ACP Karachi. Mr Gazdar hinted at the recent controversial phrase of ‘alternative facts’ used by counsellor to President Trump Kellyanne Conway in which she defended the White House press secretary’s statement about the attendance at Donald Trump’s inauguration as President of the United States. “At present, writing on religion, terrorism and ethnicity-related issues inspires most researchers, they sell good, thus the topic that the author of this book has chosen is a rarity in this age, but it is hugely important for the new generations who have little or no knowledge about it,” he added. Dr Riaz Shaikh of the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology said the book was written with a political commitment. He said the book inspired questions about the importance of mass movements and how they impacted the society and the future of societies. He said most movements were against the state. “Women are still struggling for their rights, but religious bigotry is getting stronger and oppressing them more.” Labour rights campaigner Karamat Ali said Mohammad Ali Jinnah was among the first icons who fought for the rights of workers. He said the Quaid fought to get the landmark legislation passed during the British rule in 1926, which gave the right of association to workers of all kinds, including those employees working in the armed forces who were not in uniform. Anis Haroon, eminent women’s rights campaigner, said the book gave deserving space to women’s movement generally denied by the rest. Author Aslam Khwaja said he wrote the book to put together all facts and left it to the readers to analyse them. Reference: Book on people’s movements launched by Hasan Mansoor (Dawn February 04, 2017) People's Movements in Pakistan by Aslam Khwaja (Author),‎ Ms. Zhila Shah (Photographer) https://www.amazon.in/Peoples-Movements-Pakistan-Aslam-Khwaja/dp/8193561678

Book Launch: People's Movements in Pakistan by Aslam Khwaja

URL : https://youtu.be/rkY1qf3KGT8

Aslam Khwaja’s People’s Movements in Pakistan historically locates, and explains, the mass movements in Pakistan in the age of ‘alternative facts’. Traversing a broad timeline that charts the democratic struggles against successive dictatorships, the book also revisits the trials and tribulations of artists and poets part of the Progressive Writer’s Association, as well as discusses the origins of the feminist movement in Pakistan. Aslam Khwaja was born in Hyderabad in 1962, and remained a prominent figure on the leftist political landscape of Pakistan in the late 1970s. He worked as a reporter and sub-editor with leading Sindhi newspapers of his time, has translated over two dozen books from Sindhi into English, and is the author of ‘1857 kī jang-i-azādī’. He has been working with The Eidhi Foundation since 1986, and was an active part of the India-Pakistan peace initiative, including the New Delhi-Multan Peace March of 2005. People’s Movements in Pakistan is his most recent book. Reference: Book Launch: People’s Movements in Pakistan by Aslam Khwaja Friday, 21st April 2017 http://www.t2f.biz/book-launch-peoples-movements-in-pakistan-by-aslam-khwaja/

Panel discussion on People's Movements in Pakistan

People’s Movements in Pakistan by Khwaja is narrated in English, unlike the other two books being discussed which are in Urdu. Not only is it by far the most comprehensive collection of information on significant political and social movements waged in West Pakistan — which became Pakistan after 1971 — it offers a fresh description of old events that continue to shape the choices Pakistan makes as a state, and the radicalisation that has firmly rooted itself in our society and body politic. Khwaja is primarily a journalist and while this fact makes his rendition more accessible, his work can also be considered as providing basic material for further academic inquiry into each of the movements and the role of individuals that he discusses — from peasants’ uprisings to women’s movements. Reference: NARRATIVE ARC: In the shadow of defeat by Harris Khalique March 12, 2017 https://www.dawn.com/news/1319970

People's Movements in Pakistan

Aslam Khwaja’s book People’s Movements in Pakistan uncovers Pakistan’s peoples’ movements which very rarely find mention in the news in India despite the fact that there are common threads between resistance movements on both sides of the divide. Speaking at the launch of the book, Siddharth Varadarajan, a founding editor of The Wire, said the book is not a linear narrative, but a layered and even tough read. In fact, that’s precisely where the merit of Khwaja’s book lies. With separate chapters on the struggles of civil society for democracy against the military, workers and trades unions, peasants, Pakistan’s ethnic groups like the Baloch, student movements and of course, the women’s movement, he opens up a part of Pakistan that is mostly non-existent for Indians. There is also an excellent chapter on art, culture and literature as a site of resistance. The book’s origin lies in an invitation the Delhi-based writer and activist Noor Zaheer extended Khwaja, ‘a Left political activist from Sind’, to attend a conference in Amritsar where he spoke about the way democratic forces were struggling for survival in Pakistan and how causes were being upheld and kept alive against the onslaught of insecure and power hungry regimes. ‘Learn to differentiate between the people and the state,’ Noor recalled her father, Sajjad Zaheer – or ‘Banney bhai’ as he was lovingly called by all his friends and admirers – telling her when she was a young girl of 12. For her, those words became the raison d’être of the book. Meticulous work with newspaper archives and historical records went into the book, which was published in Pakistan to much acclaim. It is now available in India thanks to the Wardha-based publishers, The Marginalised. For 70 years, with a few exceptions, both the Pakistani and Indian states have stoked hatred for each other through unrelenting propaganda. Regimes on either side have relied on the bogey of an overarching enemy to garner votes, or simply whenever the going got tough on the domestic front. In this respect, both countries are mirror images. The poet Fehmida Reyaz, who lived in India for seven years of self imposed exile during the military rule of General Zia, immortalised this mirror imaging in these lines: (You turned out just like us/Where were you hiding all these years?/The same foolishness, the same thick-headedness/With which we wasted an era/Finally has reached your doors too/Congratulations, my brother, congratulations). Reference: Uncovering People’s Movements in Pakistan BY SYEDA HAMEED ON 14/02/2018 https://thewire.in/223811/peoples-movements-pakistan/

Deep Analysis on Middle East In connection with Pakistan and India.

(February 16, 2018) Taking a major decision, the army on Thursday announced that it is deploying troops in Saudi Arabia under an existing bilateral security pact. “In continuation of ongoing Pak-KSA bilateral security cooperation, a Pakistan Army contingent is being sent to KSA on training and advice mission,” the Inter-Services Public Relations announced after a meeting between Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa and Saudi Ambassador Nawaf Saeed Al-Maliki at the General Headquarters, which was said to be about “regional security situation”. Gen Bajwa had earlier this month quietly visited Saudi Arabia, where he stayed for nearly three days and his only known meetings were with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Commander of Ground Forces Lt Gen Prince Fahd bin Turki bin Abdulaziz. This was his second visit to the kingdom in two months. Disclosing the size of the deployment for the first time since the decision was announced, Dastagir said a total of 1,000 Pakistani troops are being sent to the Kingdom on a training mission. He said 1,600 Pakistani soldiers are already stationed in Saudi Arabia. February 19, 2018 The defence minister attempted to assure Senate that the troops will not be deployed outside the Kingdom's territory, but Chairman Rabbani expressed a lack of confidence in the assurance, saying this information was already known. "The House is not satisfied with your response," he told Dastagir, while Senator Farhatullah Babar stressed that "all concerns remain despite the defence minister's statement". "Has a decision been taken to deploy troops at the border of [the southern Saudi province of] Sharura," he asked. The Senate chairman told the defence minister that he could not hide any information from parliament, and even offered him the option of briefing the Senate on the issue in detail in an in-camera session."[But] don't give us a lollipop... we are not children," Rabbani told him. However, the defence minister turned down the offer, stressing that he could not divulge operational details of the mission. References : Army says troops being sent to Saudi Arabia by Baqir Sajjad Syed (Dawn February 16, 2018) Govt refuses to divulge 'operational details' of Pakistani troops' deployment to Saudi Arabia by Nadir Guramani (Dawn February 19, 2018)

Pakistan army clarifies on sending troops to Saudi Arabia

Extremist organisations are of two types. There are organisations which have been killing Pakistanis and fighting against the state of Pakistan and other type includes those organisations which have not indulged in any act of terrorism but are blamed by India and US for terrorism in neighbouring countries. Although the Pakistan army is fighting against all those terrorist groups who are fighting against Pakistan yet in order to choke their reinforcements by preventing the ordinary civilians from falling into the hands of terrorists, we do require a counter narrative. For this purpose, certain measures have already been included in our National Action Plan. On the other hand there are certain proscribed organisations who are blamed for sending volunteers to fight against the Indian forces in Kashmir. We know that after 2004, when Pakistan had signed a US brokered agreement with India to keep the LOC calm, these organisations have not indulged in any jihadi activity. In fact most of the militant elements within these groups either formed Punjabi Taliban or joined hands with TTP to fight against Pakistan. The saner elements within these groups, under their erstwhile leadership, changed the name and started participating in relief and welfare activities within Pakistan. To the best of our knowledge these people are not involved in any violent activity but after having been included in the list of UN designated terrorist groups the international perception about these groups is creating problems for Pakistan. Our critics should realise that we neither have any cases against them in Pakistan nor India or US have provided any evidence to prove their allegations against these groups in any court of Law. These people cannot be hanged or thrown into prisons just to please India or US. They are Pakistani citizens and it is our responsibility to divert their energies towards productive and more transparent activities. Hence certain proposals for the de-radicalisation and mainstreaming of these groups were floated which I think are still under consideration with NACTA. Reference: In conversation with Lt Gen Amjad Shoaib: ‘Shouldn’t put all eggs in China basket’ (Pakistan Today SEPTEMBER 24, 2017 BY MIAN ABRAR)

 Swinging Pendulum of Amjad Shoaib on Saudi Arabia (Hum Sub - 12th Apr 2015)

A senior American diplomat who served many years in Saudi Arabia recalled his foreboding upon attending a training exercise at the kingdom's most prestigious military academy, in Riyadh: "It was hot, and I watched the cadets doing drills. The officers were lounging inside a suradiq"_—_a large pavilion—"with cold drinks, calling out orders on loudspeakers. I thought to myself, How many of these young men would follow and die for these officers?" The diplomat said he came away from his most recent tour in Saudi Arabia convinced that "it wouldn't take too much for a group of twenty or thirty fundamentalist enlisted men to take charge. How would the kingdom deal with the shock of something ruthless, small, highly motivated, and of great velocity?" There is little that the United States can do now, the diplomat said. "The Saudis have been indulged for so many decades.They are so spoiled. They've always had it their way. There's hardly anything we could say that would impede the 'majestic instancy' of their progress. We're their janissaries." He was referring to the captives who became élite troops of the Ottoman Empire. "The policy dilemma is this," a senior general told me. "How do we help the Saudis make a transition without throwing them over the side?" Referring to young fundamentalists who have been demonstrating in the Saudi streets, he said, "The kids are bigger than the Daddy." ♦ Reference: King’s Ransom How vulnerable are the Saudi royals? By Seymour M. Hersh Annals of National Security October 22, 2001 Issue The New Yorker, October 22, 2001 P. 35 https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2001/10/22/kings-ransom

Curious Case of Lt General Retd Amjad Shoaib's Memory Loss (DNA 25th Oct 2016 Channel 24)

Commenting over Quetta incident, one needs to keep in mind the geographical location of the city in general and Baluchistan in particular. There are external and internal factors for the incidents of terrorism in and around Quetta which is close to the porous Pak-Afghan border. Since Afghanistan is a hotbed of terrorism and enemy agents are active there for sabotage, it makes Quetta vulnerable for terrorism. The Afghan regime is also not willing to shoulder its responsibility in making the border secure. This adds to the responsibility of the government of Pakistan to be cautious and take as much measures as necessary to secure its bordering areas. However, lack of cooperation from the civilian government is adding to our woes. For instance, the military has requisitioned raising of 100 battalions of Frontier Corps for security of the bordering areas. However, the federal government has been dragging its feet for provision of funds for the same and to date only 20 battalions have been raised which are inadequate for the gigantic task of securing our borders. With this implementation speed, we would need another five years to get these battalions raised. Moreover, other border management measures including construction of gates at border postings, erecting of fence along the border and installation of electronic gadgets would take more time. On the diplomatic front, we are losing the narrative too. The civilian leadership has been reluctant to raise Pakistan’s case at international fora. While Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been publicly threatening Pakistan of dire consequences, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been reluctant to fight Pakistan’s case. Modi has delivered so many loose balls to Pakistan but we have failed to benefit. Modi has openly admitted Indian role in raising Mukti Bahini for separation of East Pakistan but we did not raise this issue at any international forum. On 15 AugustModi threatened Pakistan of Indian interference in Baluchistan and Gilgit Baltistan but our prime minister has been shying away from pinning him down. Pakistan has strong evidence in many issues from Kulbhushan Yadev to Raw’s role in subversive activities in Pakistan but the same was never raised by our prime minister at any forum. The second factor is the local sleeper cells and facilitators who help the foreigners carry terrorist attacks in Pakistan. The foreigner terrorists mostly come from Afghanistan and have no knowledge of Pakistani areas. Definitely, local facilitators provide them with shelter, weapons and information about the target. As you know, terrorists of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al Almi carried out the attack at Police training center in Quetta. Now this banned outfit has origins in South Punjab and interior Sindh. In South Punjab, areas like Jhang, Muzaffar Garh, DG Khan and Bahawalpur are hotbeds of LeJ terrorists while the same banned outfit has also facilitators and supporters in interior Sindh where many terrorist attacks have been conducted. However, Punjab’s chief minister has been refusing to allow Rangers to carry out operations in South Punjab while Sindh chief minister is reluctant to permit Rangers operation in interior Sindh. On the other hand, the international community blames Pakistan for terrorism but they never care how we are targeted by terrorist organisations. Our foreign ministry and civilian leadership have failed in presenting out case to the world. Despite the fact that India has been hurling open threats to Pakistan, we have not been able to hold India accountable. India is openly claiming to provide citizenship to Barhamdagh Bugti, the man responsible for so many terrorist attacks in Baluchistan. But our leadership is silent. Reference: “Our leaders have failed us” – An interview with Lt. Gen (R) Amjad Shoaib (Pakistan Today OCTOBER 30, 2016 BY MIAN ABRAR)


WikiLeaks: Saudi Arabia and UAE funding Terrorism in Pakistan

While the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) takes seriously the threat of terrorism within Saudi Arabia, it has been an ongoing challenge to persuade Saudi officials to treat terrorist financing emanating from Saudi Arabia as a strategic priority. Due in part to intense focus by the USG over the last several years, Saudi Arabia has begun to make important progress on this front and has responded to terrorist financing concerns raised by the United States through proactively investigating and detaining financial facilitators of concern. Still, donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide. Continued senior-level USG engagement is needed to build on initial efforts and encourage the Saudi government to take more steps to stem the flow of funds from Saudi Arabia-based sources to terrorists and extremists worldwide. The USG engages regularly with the Saudi Government on terrorist financing. The establishment in 2008 of a Treasury attache office presence in Riyadh contributes to robust interaction and information sharing on the issue. Despite this presence, however, more needs to be done since Saudi Arabia remains a critical financial support base for al-Qa'ida, the Taliban, LeT, and other terrorist groups, including Hamas, which probably raise millions of dollars annually from Saudi sources, often during Hajj and Ramadan. In contrast to its increasingly aggressive efforts to disrupt al-Qa'ida's access to funding from Saudi sources, Riyadh has taken only limited action to disrupt fundraising for the UN 1267-listed Taliban and LeT-groups that are also aligned with al-Qa'ida and focused on undermining stability in Afghanistan and Pakistan. UAE-based donors have provided financial support to a variety of terrorist groups, including al-Qa'ida, the Taliban, LeT and other terrorist groups, including Hamas. Washington agencies note, however, that they have limited information on the identity of Taliban and LeT donors and facilitators in the UAE. Hence there is limited information to be shared with local interlocutors. Nonetheless, the point can be emphasized that the UAE's role as a growing global financial center, coupled with weak regulatory oversight, makes it vulnerable to abuse by terrorist financiers and facilitation networks. Reference: Terrorist Finance: Action Request For Senior Level Engagement On Terrorism Finance Date:2009 December 30, 13:28 Canonical ID:09STATE131801_a https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09STATE131801_a.html

Saudi Arabia and India (Kamran Bukhari Stratfor)

Saudi-Indian ties have reached a new high with the arrival of an Indian Air Force (IAF) flying contingent at the King Fahd Air Base in Taif. The mission, comprising more than 100 high-ranking IAF officers and airmen onboard Sukhoi MKI fighter aircraft, C-17 Globe Masters, C-130 Super Hercules and IL-78 aircraft, landed in Taif on Sunday on the way back from the UK where they had taken part in a multinational exercise. “This is for first time that fighter aircraft from India have landed in Saudi Arabia,” said senior Indian diplomat Hemant Kotalwar at a press conference in Jeddah. “We want to express our thanks to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the support and cooperation that was extended to us during the visit,” said Kotalwar. According to Kotalwar, there have been frequent goodwill visits by the Indian Navy ships to the ports of Jeddah and Jubail. “We have also had transport aircraft transiting Saudi Arabia in the past,” he said. The significance of this particular event is that fighter aircraft from India have landed in Saudi Arabia for the first time. “This indicates the depth of our ties which have been on the upswing for quite some time and which have gained new momentum following King Salman’s visit to India in February 2014 when he was crown prince,” said Kotalwar. “It was during that visit that a bilateral cooperation agreement was signed lending a new thrust to the relationship.” The visit underscored the close defense ties between Saudi Arabia and India. Both countries regularly exchange high level delegations aimed at furthering cooperation between the two armed forces. Officers from both countries have been attending courses in their pursuit of shared learning. In recent months, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly acknowledged and thanked King Salman for helping with the evacuation of Indian nationals from Yemen. “This is a robust testimony to the strength of our bilateral relations,” said Kotalwar. Wing Commander S. Joardar, who also addressed the press conference in Jeddah, said: “In our view, this is called the staging visit. We could have chosen to do this in any country in the region but we chose Saudi Arabia. That indicates the significance we attach to the country.” The contingent was led by Group Capt. A. Srivastava. “We had a wonderful time in Saudi Arabia and we were made to feel at home,” he said. Reference: SAUDI ARABIA Saudi-Indian defense ties soar SIRAJ WAHAB | Published — Tuesday 4 August 2015 http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/786251

Narendra Modi, India, Saudi Arabia and Israel - 1

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Saudi King Salman on Sunday during his first official visit to the kingdom, home to a large number of Indian workers and a major trade partner that supplies around 19 per cent of India’s crude oil imports. Modi’s visit underscored the major business ties between the two countries, despite Saudi Arabia’s historically close relationship with Pakistan. Saudi Arabia is traditionally India’s largest supplier of crude oil, and India is one of the world’s largest consumers of crude. Trade between the two countries reached $39 billion in 2014, according to a joint statement released after Modi’s meeting with King Salman. Two sides pledge to cooperate in intelligence sharing on terror financing and money laundering and to promote investments. Reference: Saudi Arabia, India sign five agreements (Dawn April 04, 2016) India and Iran on Saturday signed agreements, including Tehran leasing to New Delhi operational control of part of the Iranian east coast port of Chabahar for 18 months. The $85 million project, just 90km from Gwadar port, creates a transit route between India, Iran and Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan. India is trying to develop Chabahar as a way to gain access to the markets of Central Asia countries as well as Afghanistan. New Delhi, Tehran sign agreements; Modi, Rouhani discuss peace in Afghanistan. Reference: India to get operational control of Iran’s Chabahar port (Dawn / Agencies Updated February 18, 2018) When Narendra Modi visited Abu Dhabi and Dubai last summer, the Pakistani daily Dawn wondered if the Indian prime minister had “stepped into the recent breach between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates over Islamabad’s refusal to actively join the Yemen war?” The need for the question-mark was removed this week, with the announcement that Abu Dhabi’s crown prince, Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan, will be the guest of honour at India’s next Republic Day celebrations. There are plenty of reasons for Modi to make Sheikh Mohamed his chief guest, not least the $60 billion in Indo-UAE trade, and the 2.3 million Indians who live and work in the Emirates. But the timing of the announcement made it especially piquant for Pakistan, for it came in the middle of New Delhi’s campaign to isolate Islamabad diplomatically in the aftermath of the Uri attacks. Reference: Come Republic Day and Pakistan will be squirming uncomfortably (Oct 05, 2016 by Bobby Ghosh Hindustan Times)


Narendra Modi, India, Saudi Arabia and Israel - 2

US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi embraced each other as friends and partners Monday, vowing to work more closely on combating terrorism, the war on Afghanistan and defence cooperation. The two leaders called on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries, a statement from the White House said. Trump and Modi also “called on all nations to resolve territorial and maritime disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law,” the statement said. Addressing a small audience at the White House following a bilateral meeting with senior members of their administrations, Trump said both the US and India have been affected by the “evils of terrorism” and the “radical ideology that drives them.” Reference: Trump, Modi call on Pakistan to stem terrorist attacks (Dawn AFP | AP | Reuters June 27, 2017) India-Israel ties Bilateral trade between the countries has skyrocketed from $200 million in 1992, when India and Israel established diplomatic ties, to $4.16 billion in 2016. But that remains far below Israel's nearly $40bn in annual trade with its largest partners, the United States and the European Union. Still there are irritants in the growing relationship. The build up to Netanyahu's visit was soured this month when India called off a deal to buy 8,000 anti-tank guided missiles from Israel's state-owned defence contractor Rafael. The Indian army and the government are discussing ways to revive the $500 million order, which was scrapped when the country's own state-run defence contractor offered to build similar missiles locally. Israel is a major weapons supplier to India, exporting an average of $1bn of military equipment each year, but Modi wants to end India's status as the world's top defence importer. Reference: 'Modi is a close friend of Israel': Netanyahu kicks off historic India tour in Delhi (Dawn AFP | AP January 14, 2018)

 Seymour Hersh- US is funding Al-Qaeda to counter Iran - 1

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

A strategy of using ethnic minorities to undermine Iran is flawed, according to Vali Nasr, who teaches international politics at Tufts University and is also a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. “Just because Lebanon, Iraq, and Pakistan have ethnic problems, it does not mean that Iran is suffering from the same issue,” Nasr told me. “Iran is an old country—like France and Germany—and its citizens are just as nationalistic. The U.S. is overestimating ethnic tension in Iran.” The minority groups that the U.S. is reaching out to are either well integrated or small and marginal, without much influence on the government or much ability to present a political challenge, Nasr said. “You can always find some activist groups that will go and kill a policeman, but working with the minorities will backfire, and alienate the majority of the population.” The Administration may have been willing to rely on dissident organizations in Iran even when there was reason to believe that the groups had operated against American interests in the past. The use of Baluchi elements, for example, is problematic, Robert Baer, a former C.I.A. clandestine officer who worked for nearly two decades in South Asia and the Middle East, told me. “The Baluchis are Sunni fundamentalists who hate the regime in Tehran, but you can also describe them as Al Qaeda,” Baer told me. “These are guys who cut off the heads of nonbelievers—in this case, it’s Shiite Iranians. The irony is that we’re once again working with Sunni fundamentalists, just as we did in Afghanistan in the nineteen-eighties.” Ramzi Yousef, who was convicted for his role in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who is considered one of the leading planners of the September 11th attacks, are Baluchi Sunni fundamentalists. One of the most active and violent anti-regime groups in Iran today is the Jundallah, also known as the Iranian People’s Resistance Movement, which describes itself as a resistance force fighting for the rights of Sunnis in Iran. “This is a vicious Salafi organization whose followers attended the same madrassas as the Taliban and Pakistani extremists,” Nasr told me. “They are suspected of having links to Al Qaeda and they are also thought to be tied to the drug culture.” The Jundallah took responsibility for the bombing of a busload of Revolutionary Guard soldiers in February, 2007. At least eleven Guard members were killed. According to Baer and to press reports, the Jundallah is among the groups in Iran that are benefitting from U.S. support. The C.I.A. and Special Operations communities also have long-standing ties to two other dissident groups in Iran: the Mujahideen-e-Khalq, known in the West as the M.E.K., and a Kurdish separatist group, the Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan, or pjak. The M.E.K. has been on the State Department’s terrorist list for more than a decade, yet in recent years the group has received arms and intelligence, directly or indirectly, from the United States. Some of the newly authorized covert funds, the Pentagon consultant told me, may well end up in M.E.K. coffers. “The new task force will work with the M.E.K. The Administration is desperate for results.” He added, “The M.E.K. has no C.P.A. auditing the books, and its leaders are thought to have been lining their pockets for years. If people only knew what the M.E.K. is getting, and how much is going to its bank accounts—and yet it is almost useless for the purposes the Administration intends.” REFERENCE: Preparing the Battlefield The Bush Administration steps up its secret moves against Iran. By Seymour M. Hersh Annals of National Security July 7, 2008 Issue (The New Yorker)

Seymour Hersh- US is funding Al-Qaeda to counter Iran - 2

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmk9FbGZC7U&feature=related

ISLAMABAD Arrest of Jundallah leader Abdolmalek Rigi and his deputy Hamza during a flight from Dubai to Kyrgyzstan marks a lucky break for Pakistan, which has been long accused by Iran of hosting the terror group's ringleader, and offers an opportunity to ease the tense relations between Tehran and Islamabad. Iran, despite repeated denials by Islamabad, always alleged that the group operated from Pakistan's soil and that its leader Rigi was based there and carried Pakistan's national identity card by the name of Saeed Ahmed, son of Ghulam Haider. The militant leader had been educated at Karachi's Binnori Town seminary, which was school to many of the Taliban leaders. Rigi is believed to have camouflaged his nationalist movement in a sectarian colour to curry favour with Pakistani sectarian groups. Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar, who visited Pakistan in October following an attack on elite Revolutionary Guards in south-western Sistan-Balochistan province along Pakistan's border, is said to have handed over proofs of Rigi's travel to Pakistan. “We have documents that show (Abdolmalek) Rigi travels readily to Pakistan ... we are here to ask Pakistan to hand over Rigi to Iran,” Mr Najjar had said in a statement. Reference: Rigi`s arrest a godsend for Pakistan (Dawn February 24, 2010)

Seymour Hersh- US is funding Al-Qaeda to counter Iran - 3

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD6pyqtV9lc&feature=related

The recovery of a Pakistani Computerised National Identity Card from the possession of Abdolmalek Rigi, an Iranian terrorist and head of Jundallah group, has put a question mark on the Nadra's “self-proclaimed secure” registration system. The card was recovered by Iranian security personnel when Rigi was arrested while travelling on a flight heading to an Arab country via Pakistan on Feb 23. The interior ministry claimed that it was a fake card, and not issued by the National Database Registration Authority. Iranian authorities are reported to have informed Pakistan about the recovery of the CNIC carrying photograph of Abdolmalek Rigi and sought an investigation into the matter, but the government did not make it public. However, the interior ministry had to issue its point of view only when a TV channel telecast the news about Rigi's identity card. The recovery of CNIC from the terrorist leader has thrown a challenge to security of Nadra's database and its official slogan “deception no more”. Reference: CNIC on Rigi lands Nadra into trouble (Dawn March 04, 2010)

Seymour Hersh- US is funding Al-Qaeda to counter Iran - 4

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwkrsenuEl0&feature=related

ISLAMABAD Tehran ramped up pressure on Islamabad on Friday to crack down on Jundallah, an Iranian terrorist group alleged to be operating from Pakistan, and hand over its leader Abdolmalek Rigi, claiming that Iran had documentary evidence of his travel to and from Pakistan. Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar, who arrived here on Friday at the head of a security delegation and with a clear demand from Tehran for cooperation against Jundallah, met his Pakistani counterpart Rehman Malik to discuss ways for jointly fighting the terror group. 'We have documents that show Rigi travels readily to Pakistan...we are here to ask Pakistan to hand over Rigi to Iran,' Mr Najjar said in a statement. Not much was revealed by either side about the outcome of the talks focussed on Jundallah -- an issue that has strained ties between the two countries after the weekend attack on the Revolutionary Guards in Sistan-Baluchestan province. Insiders said the Pakistani side had reiterated its desire to help Iran in the wake of the terror strike. However, it was made clear that the government could do little because of its limitations and its security forces having been overstretched by the operation in South Waziristan. The only help Mr Malik could offer was increased intelligence sharing and intensified border patrol. 'Pakistan is committed to eliminating terrorism and it is imperative that Pakistan and Iran work in harmony for peace in the region,' he said. Mr Najjar was reportedly very categorical at the meeting, telling Mr Malik that a row over Rigi was 'not in the interest of the two countries' good neighbourly relations'. According to sources, Iran proposed coordinated operations in the border areas to eliminate the group. But Pakistan did not appear to be amenable to the proposal. Reference: Iran asks Pakistan to hand over Jundallah chief Rigi (Dawn October 24, 2009)

Allama Tahir Ashrai, Foreign NGO and Saudi Arabia

In a wide-ranging discussion with visiting SCA Assistant Secretary Boucher, President Zardari expressed complete satisfaction with his just concluded visit to China, reviewed planning for the Friends of Pakistan, and reiterated his determination to press the fight against extremism and the militancy in the tribal areas. He linked his ability to sustain the counter-insurgency fight to progress on addressing Pakistan,s economic woes, however, and chastised the IMF for only wanting to &take away8 in its negotiations. Zardari alerted Boucher to Iran's offer of concessional oil for Pakistan, an offer he did not believe he could refuse. Boucher reminded him of the Deputy Secretary's recent caution not to allow Iran to gain a toehold in Pakistan. In an aside, Zardari mentioned that Iran has offered to provide Pakistan with concessional oil. How could he go to the National Assembly and tell them Iran had offered the assistance and Pakistan had turned it down, he asked rhetorically. Boucher reminded him of Ambassador Haqqani's recent conversation on this issue with Deputy Secretary Negroponte in which the Deputy cautioned against providing Iran with a toehold in Pakistan. Reference: 2008: Do not to allow Iran toehold in Pakistan: US (Dawn May 23, 2011) https://www.dawn.com/news/631189/2008-do-not-to-allow-iran-toehold-in-pakistan-us -----> WikiLeaks on Saudi Pakistan Ties (Read Saudi Arabia's Influence in Pakistan's Internal Matters) "We in Saudi Arabia are not observers in Pakistan, we are participants." He asserted that the Saudi government (SAG) had offered Sharif a pledge of protection and asylum in the Kingdom after his ouster by Musharraf in return for a promise that he would refrain from political activity for ten years. He added that Sharif had begun to attempt to test the limits of this promise five or six years in his exile. "Sharif broke his promise by conducting political activity while in the Kingdom," al-Jubeir charged. He added that when the SAG had permitted Sharif to travel to London, he first promised the Saudis not to engage in political activity or return to Pakistan, but he then flew to Pakistan from London in a direct violation of his commitment. Al-Jubeir expressed considerable "disappointment" in Sharif's broken pledges to the SAG. He stated very clearly that the SAG has worked directly with Musharraf to have Sharif arrested on his return to Pakistan and immediately deported to the Kingdom. "We told Musharraf that we would receive him back and then keep him here as an 'honored guest'," al-Jubeir said. He added that Prince Muqrin had been the SAG's point man in restraining Sharif. Prince Muqrin was allowed to reveal the terms of Sharif's asylum agreement, he noted. Al-Jubeir made it very clear that the SAG would seek to control Sharif's movements in he future, even suggesting that he would be kept in a state only a little less severe than house arrest. Al-Jubeir added that he sees neither Sharif nor former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto as a viable replacement for Musharraf. "With all his flaws," he said of Musharraf, "he is the only person that you or we have to work with now." He claimed that Sharif would be unable to control the Pushtun-dominated Islamic insurgency in the tribal region near Afghanistan, while Bhutto would prove to be too divisive a figure to rule the country, which he characterized as "very tribal, much like our own country." Al-Jubeir added that for the SAG, stability in Pakistan is an essential strategic matter. Since Pakistan possesses both nuclear weapons and delivery vehicles, from the Saudi point of view, the policy choice to be made there boils down to a drastic choice: "We can either support Musharraf and stability, or we can allow bin Laden to get the bomb, "he told the Charge'. Reference: US embassy cables: Saudi influence in Pakistan Wed 1 Dec 2010 https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/130876 WikiLeaks cables: Saudi Arabia wants military rule in Pakistan by Declan Walsh in Islamabad Wed 1 Dec 2010 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/01/saudis-distrust-pakistan-embassy-cables

Geo economics of Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project

URL: https://youtu.be/FE63syd6OSI

The ambitious Saudi NEOM project on the Red Sea near the Gulf of Aqaba worth nearly $500 billion will involve linking Saudi with Egypt. In exchange for billions of dollars of aid, Egypt recognised Saudi sovereignty on the disputed Tiran island in Gulf of Aqaba that will allow road-rail connections between not only the two countries but also with Jordan. That being said, since Israel's southern port of Eilat on Gulf of Aqaba is guaranteed open access to Red Sea since 1974 Camp David Peace Accord with Egypt, Saudi NEOM project will involve Israel in major capacity in order to avoid tensions. This project can then normalise Saudi recognition of Israel if it works. References: CaspianReport is creating reports https://www.patreon.com/CaspianReport Introducing NEOM, The 500 Million-Dollar, ultra-high tech future mega-city of Saudi Arabia https://newatlas.com/neom-saudi-arabia-future-megacity/51893/#p488188 

Funeral of Asma Jahangir and Death of Mashal Khan

Ansar Abbasi, Ahmad Noorani , Jang Group, Jamaat-e-Islami and MQM Spewed venom against Late Ms Asma Jahangir & How did she reciprocate ? (Watch Zara Hat Kay Dawn Dated 12 Feb 2018) Shahzeb Khanzada, the upstart News anchor of GEO paid rich tribute to Asma Jahangir while conveniently forgetting the Filthy, Venomous, Life Threatening campaign launched against Late. Ms Asma Jahangir by the Jang Group, The News, Ahmad Noorani (Asma’s tirade against Army - Viewpoint BY Ahmad Noorani Saturday, May 28, 2011 The News) and Ansar Abbasi (Excuse me, madam From whom we seek justice BY Ansar Abbasi Tuesday, November 09, 2010 The News , Daily Jang Wednesday, January 12, 2011, Safar 07, 1432 A.H, Jang Group & Ansar Abbasi Justify Salmaan Taseer Murder Friday, January 07, 2011, Safar 02, 1432 A.H ) ! If that was not enough then the same Jang Group promoted fascists like Zaid Hamid and Ahmed Quraishi from their platforms GEO, Aag TV rather Ahmed Quraishi was a regular Columnist for The News. Don't complain that Mullahs are spewing venom against Asma Jahangir because Mullahs and their Narrative were harboured by snakes like Hamid Mir (We need a ‘made-in-Pakistan’ solution for fighting terrorism - Liberal extremism vs religious extremism — both are wrong BY Hamid Mir Tuesday, January 11, 2011 The News, Hamid Mir on Asia Bibi & Blasphemy Law & Salmaan Taseer Thursday, November 25, 2010 in Jang Group, The News and GEO TV as well Thursday, October 13, 2011, Ziqad 14, 1432 A.H., Liberal fascism? Hamid Mir Tuesday, November 03, 2009 & Hamid Mir Daily Jang Thursday, January 20, 2011 Daily Jang & Thursday November 01 2012 Daily Jang) Absar Alam, yes who can forget Absar Alam's Fascistic Rhetoric against Democracy, Secularism and Progressive Parliamentary Pakistan between 2008 to 2013 when Asma Jahangir was fiercely opposing the Judicial Dictatorship of the then Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaundhry.

There is no limit to the shamelessness of Jang Group, GEO TV, The News International because now they are discussing False Allegation of Traitor after declaring Apostate and Traitor every moving thing around the globe who differ with them . Jang Group woke up when the same lunatic Zaid Hamid filed a petition against several leading Human Rights activists & Journalists in Pakistan and some of them are associated with the Jang Group but what an irony Zaid Hamid who filed this Treason petition *(Reference : SC to hear treason case against journalists The News May 7, 2014) was the same Lunatic who was discovering Allama Iqbal's Pakistan from the platform of the Jang Group with Lunatics like Imran Khan, Ali Azmat and Ahmed Quraishi (The News Discover the Iqbal’s Pakistan on AAG Friday, September 18, 2009). TV Channels in Pakistan without any fear of accountability, checks and balance hurl worse kinds of insults, allegations, religious edicts for paving the way for anybody's murder in the name of Blasphemy, invite leaders of banned sectarian outfits, 24/7 TV tickers loaded with Ethnic, Sectarian, Religious, Ideological bias in a worse possible way and at worse possible occasion to score some cheap points. And Jang Group was the first TV Channel in Pakistan who set the notorious and dangerous trend of inciting masses to commit murder of those who belong to the most marginalized community "Ahmadis" in Pakistan (no matter what anyone say or rant, Ahmadis are still Pakistanis and they have every right on this country and if anyone disagree then he/she must drag Muhammad Ali Jinnah for appointing Chaudhry Sir Muhammad Zafarullah Khan as Pakistan's 1st Foreign Minister) and lest I forget Hamid Mir and Dr Aamir Liaquat Hussain (Two persons murdered after an anchor person proposed the widespread lynching of Ahmadi sect followers September 10, 2008 Asian Human Rights Commission No action taken against Geo TV presenter who incited Muslims to murder members of Pakistan minority on air September 18, 2008 Asian Human Rights Commission, & 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 in The Guardian Monday 7 June 2010, The rise of Pakistan's televangelists By Mobeen Azhar BBC World Service, Karachi 14 July 2012 & Pakistan.“ 2008: US criticised major media group for irresponsible reporting DAWN.COM | 1st June, 2011) are very fond of spreading hate against Minorities , they even invite Pakistan Nuclear Scientist Dr A Q Khan to spread more hate in an already hate filled Pakistan. Yet this group has the audacity to take a quick somersault whenever they are in hot waters. Pakistani Liberals and Secular are even more shameful than all the Fascists mentioned above because these very Liberals and Secular support the above mentioned Fascists Off and On.

 How Conveniently Pakistani Journalists forget while showering praise on Asma Jahangir

“It was much before Geo and other channels came along,” she recalls during an interlude. “Jang Lahore newspaper had launched one of their hate campaigns against me, the usual one that Asma is an Ahmadi. I woke up and read the paper and it was right there on the front page. Idiots. What do I do? I had young children, I also had a busy schedule for the day, office, court hearings. I knew where Jang’s owner Mir Shakilur Rehman lived in Lahore. I put my kids in the car, drove to his house and barged in. I said, ‘Look I have work to do, I have to go to court. I am leaving these kids with you. You have put my life in danger. If anything happens to me, you are responsible. And if something happens to me these kids will be your responsibility.’” Reference: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ASMA For a couple of years, Mohammed Hanif followed Asma Jahangir on her annual fact-finding missions to Balochistan. by Mohammed Hanif | Hasan Zaidi https://www.dawn.com/news/1390063/the-importance-of-being-asma

Zaid Hamid objected the way Islam was violated during Asma Jahangir's Funeral & says that entire Deobandi School of Thought Support Terrorism in Pakistan including Imran Khan ally Maulana Samiul Haq & Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Maulana Tariq Jamil and Last but not the least the Lal Masjid Clerics

Religious scholar Tahir Ashrafi discussed the complicated religious side of Zaid Hamid. He said that Zaid Hamid was a follower of Yousaf Kazzab, who was once convicted under blasphemy charges. He also cited a book written by Yousaf Kazzab in which he mentioned Zaid Hamid as his companion. Ashrafi said that he has proofs that Zaid Hamid called Yousaf Kazzab (God forbid) Abu Bakar Siddique. He said that after Tousaf Kazzab saga this man disappeared and then again appeared as Zaid Hamid instead of his previous name Zaid Zaman. He claimed that he invited Zaid Hamid many times for a debate on his beliefs, but every time Zaid Hamid never turned up. The views of Mufti Ghulam Sarwar Qadri and Mufti Muhammad Naeem about Zaid Hamid were also aired. Both declared him a liar and Gustakhe Rasool (blasphemer). Reference: (Zaid Hamid is liar, blasphemer, say Mufti Qadri, Mufti Naeem July 23, 2013 The News) Allama Tahir Ashrafi (Deobandi) Mufti Naeem (Deobandi) and Mufti Ghulam Sarwar Qadri are also one of those Mullahs who interfere in anybody's day to day life but least bothered to discuss how these very Mullahs declare each other Apostate, Death Deserving, Infernal and Blasphemers , just going through their Fatwas (religious edicts) against each other would be enough to give anybody a shiver and jolt of their lifetime, particularly Mufti Naeem and his Jamia Binoria, just glance through his website and read his Takfiri Fatwas (Excommunication Edicts)  against Shias, Barelvis, Jamaat-e-Islami, Dr Israr Ahmed, Mawdudi etc etc) and this is not the end, Mufti Naeem and Allama Tahir Ashrafi off and on supported MQM (London)'s head-honcho Altaf Hussain rather Mufti Naeem was an Electoral ally of Altaf Hussain (Reference: Jamia Binoria to support Muttahida in elections December 02, 2007) and that too after Altaf Hussain and MQM gave bloodbath to Karachi in connivance with General Pervez Musharraf on 12 May 2007 and that is not the end, Daily Ummat, Karachi is often quoted on Islamic matters but the same Daily Ummat carried news of Mufti Naeem's connivance in Multi Billion Rupees Modaraba scam. Salafi or Ahl-e-Hadith Clerics are also not far behind, read any of their book on Salat (Namaz) and in particular read the prerequisite they suggest for a Prayer Leader (Imam) and you would know that they dont even consider Non-Ahl-e-Hadith Prayer Leaders (read Deobandi and Barelvis) fit to lead  prayers rather the Ahl-e-Hadith Clerics and their edicts encourage their followers to desist offering prayers behind a Deobandi and Barelvi Imam and some Ultra Orthodox Ahl-e-Hadith compare Deobandis and Barelivs (basically both are the followers of Hanafi School of thought and follow Imam Abu Hanifa) with Ahmadis (Read Qadianis or Qadiyanis).

What Asma Jahangir had said on Lal Masjid Operation

Curious Case of Lt General (R) Amjad Shoaib's Memory Loss (DNA 25th October 2016 Channel 24)

Saudi Arabia and Gulf Countries Financial Aid to the Pakistani Religious Extremists is not a secret rather it was widely published in Wikileaks Cables. References: WikiLeaks cables portray Saudi Arabia as a cash machine for terrorists - Hillary Clinton memo highlights Gulf states' failure to block funding for groups like al-Qaida, Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba by Declan Walsh in Islamabad Sun 5 Dec 2010 https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/242073 https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/220186 https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/209234 https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/242756 Saudi Arabia, UAE financing extremism in south Punjab May 21, 2011 https://www.dawn.com/news/630656/2008-extremist-recruitment-on-the-rise-in-south-punjab-madrassahs  2009: Was Qaddafi funding Sipahe Sahaba? https://www.dawn.com/news/631599 May 25, 2011

 WikiLeaks Saudi Arabia and UAE funding Terrorism in Pakistan (Dawn News)

1 - MAINSTREAMING THE MILITANTS https://www.dawn.com/news/1366753 (by Zahid Hussain Dawn October 29, 2017) 2 - Surrendering to mob rule https://www.dawn.com/news/1373442 (by Zahid Hussain, Dawn November 29, 2017) 3 - The flames of bigotry https://www.dawn.com/news/1372094 (by Zahid Hussain Dawn November 22, 2017) 4 - The capital under siege https://www.dawn.com/news/1370547 (by Zahid Hussain Dawn November 15, 2017) Pakistan army pushed political role for militant-linked groups (in Reuters by Asif Shahzad SEPTEMBER 21, 2017) 5 - US moves to put Pakistan on terror-financing watchlist https://www.dawn.com/news/1389224 (Dawn February 14, 2018) 6 - Anti-terror law amended to ban UN-listed groups, individuals https://www.dawn.com/news/1389042 (Dawn Baqir Sajjad Syed February 13, 2018) 7 - US underlines Pakistan’s ‘deficiencies’ in countering terrorism https://www.dawn.com/news/1389956 (by Anwar Iqbal Dawn 17 February 2018) 8 - Army says troops being sent to Saudi Arabia https://www.dawn.com/news/1389722 (Dawn February 16, 2018) 10 - Air India allowed to use Saudi airspace for Israel flights, says magazine https://www.dawn.com/news/1388046 (Dawn February 08, 2018)

Sami Abraham and Hamza Ali Abbasi have both attacked the way Asma Jahangir's funeral was tackled and they off and on raise finger on everyone's faith, loyalty and integrity , fine, but they should also highlight what does the Islam says about Mix Gathering of Men and Women, Veil

Sami Abraham and Hamza Ali Abbasi have both attacked the way Asma Jahangir's funeral was tackled and they off and on raise finger on everyone's faith, loyalty and integrity , fine, but they should also highlight what does the Islam says about Mix Gathering of Men and Women, Veil

Sami Abraham and Hamza Ali Abbasi have both attacked the way Asma Jahangir's funeral was tackled and they off and on raise finger on everyone's faith, loyalty and integrity , fine, but they should also highlight what does the Islam says about Mix Gathering of Men and Women, Veil

Sami Abraham and Hamza Ali Abbasi have both attacked the way Asma Jahangir's funeral was tackled and they off and on raise finger on everyone's faith, loyalty and integrity , fine, but they should also highlight what does the Islam says about Mix Gathering of Men and Women, Veil

Recently religious parties JUI-F, JUI-S, Jamaat-e-Islami welcomed the acquittal of those 26 persons who were involved in Mashal Khan's tragic and brutal murder and these are the same parties who are allies of Imran Khan's PTI and Nawaz Sharif's PML-N and off and on accommodated by Pakistan Peoples Party and even by Altaf Hussain and MQM (London)  these are the same religious parties who not only supported General Pervez Musharraf's LFO but also allowed their own Chief Minister of the then NWFP (now KPK) to visit USA and tour US Pentagon and Defence Department and that too when USA was bombing the Taliban Regime in Afghanistan (References: 2007: Fazlur Rehman’s votes were “up for sale” May 31, 2011 https://www.dawn.com/news/633241 Durrani meets US senator July 16, 2005 https://www.dawn.com/news/148041 Qazi, Musharraf talk for 3 hours August 14, 2002 https://www.dawn.com/news/52617 )

Brief History of Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi TNSM : To fully comprehend the genesis of TNSM, the politics and economics of the Malakand region (which is TNSM’s primary base) deserve some attention. In northwest Pakistan, three semi-autonomous states—Dir, Swat and Chitral—were amalgamated to form the Malakand Division of the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) in 1970. The laws of Pakistan were extended to the area, sweeping aside old legal systems such as Sharia law in Swat. A legal battle erupted in 1975, however, when a dispute arose between the government and timber merchants about forest royalties in the area. A new judicial order was soon introduced to resolve the problems. This change, however, was incorporated after violent street protests were orchestrated by powerful landowners who had a monopoly on forestlands and wanted to pursue their vested interests. Getting the attention of the state through violence and armed conflict became an unhealthy precedent. Failure of the Pakistani state to tackle these issues in a timely manner created political confusion and religious groups found an opening for their agendas. Sufi Mohammad, an activist of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), followed the situation closely. After returning from the successful Afghan jihad in the late 1980s, he was more convinced of his religious ideals. His exuberance, according to Pakistani journalist Amir Rana, led him to create TNSM on May 10, 1989. The very name of the organization framed its manifesto and agenda in unmistakable terms. His networking and experience in Afghanistan meant that on top of his battleground experience, he had no dearth of resources or religious motivation. Reference: The Black-Turbaned Brigade: The Rise of TNSM in Pakistan Publication: Terrorism Monitor Volume: 4 Issue: 23 By: Hassan Abbas November 30, 2006 10:15 https://jamestown.org/program/the-black-turbaned-brigade-the-rise-of-tnsm-in-pakistan/

People Like Osama Bin Laden and Imran Khan Never Die

Khan argued that such operations were radicalizing Pakistani youth, not just among the poor but also among the educated, middle classes. Dialogue, policing, and intelligence gathering should be the cornerstone of anti-militancy efforts in the tribal areas instead of the use of military force, Khan contended. Noting that he was recently in Swat, he went on to accuse the Pakistan Army of extrajudicial killings, summary executions, and "sexual humiliation" of residents in some villages. Khan urged the USG to seek "alternative points of views" about what is happening in the tribal areas of Pakistan, and he recommended speaking with General Orakzai, former NWFP Govenor, for starters. Khan charged that the GOP is "blinded by dollars," and consequently lacks an accurate view of what is happening on the ground. He further claimed that the GOP "whips up the threat of the Taliban" in order to get more money from the U.S. He claimed last year's Swat operation, which he termed a "debacle," was one such exaggeration that was "stage managed" in order to gain U.S. funds; there was no imminent threat of militants marching on Islamabad, he said. Khan also claimed that the Lal Masjid operation was similarly stage managed by Musharraf. He called for an end to Pakistan's "insane military action" in the tribal areas, adding that the Army has failed to secure any significant areas of South Waziristan despite GOP statements to the contrary. Reference : CODEL LYNCH'S MEETING WITH PAKISTAN TEHREEK-E-INSAF (PTI) PARTY LEADER IMRAN KHAN Date:2010 February 6, 11:26 (Saturday) https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/10ISLAMABAD301_a.html



Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani Deobandi Fatwa against Asma Jahangir's Funeral and Taqi Usmani's Haram (Unlawful/Forbidden) Islamic Banking

ISLAMABAD, June 11: Maulana Taqi Usmani, who remained ad hoc judge of the Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court for two decades, was removed from the bench because of his financial interest in holding that all interest-based banking was un-Islamic. A federal government official told Dawn that Maulana Taqi Usmani, a renowned figure in the field of Shariah, particularly in Islamic finance, held advisory positions in over a dozen financial institutions practising Islamic banking and finance. The fact that he had financial interest in holding that “all interest-based banking is un-Islamic,” disqualified him from sitting on the bench. The official said that allowing Maulana Taqi Usmani to sit on the bench was a violation of the well-known principle that “no person can be judge in his own cause.” The official said that Justice Taqi Usmani currently held the following positions: Chairman, Shariah Board, Citi Islamic Investment Bank, Bahrain; Chairman, Shariah Board, Amana Investments Ltd, Sri Lanka; Vice-Chairman, Shariah Board, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Abu Dhabi; Member, Shariah Board, Dow Jones Islamic Market Index; Chairman, Shariah Board, Al-Meezan Commercial Bank Ltd; Vice President, Darul-Uloom Karachi; Deputy Chairman/ Permanent Member of Islamic Fiqh Academy, Jeddah; Chairman, Centre for Islamic Economics, Pakistan, since 1991; Chairman, Shariah Council AAOIFI; Chairman, Shariah Board, IslamiQ.com; Chairman, Shariah Board, Saudi American Bank, Jeddah; Chairman, Shariah Board, HSBC, Global Islamic Finance, London; Chairman, Shariah Board, Robert Fleming Oasis Fund, Luxembourg. He was also a member of Shariah Board, Faisal Bank, till recently. When approached to get his version, Maulana Usmani said that since he had no grievance at all against his removal from the Shariat Appellate Bench, he would not like to probe into the reasons. He further said that he would not indulge in the controversy whether or not those reasons were correct. Reference: Usmani’s monetary interest led to his removal June 12, 2002 https://www.dawn.com/news/42482 ------> RAWALPINDI: Describing the existing Islamic banking by any name as against the Shariah and forbidden, religious scholars belonging to Fiqhi Majlis, Karachi, have decreed that banks working in the name of Islamic banking are not different from other banks and dealing with them is illegitimate. The decree was issued in a meeting at the Jamia Farooqia in Shah Faisal Colony chaired by Maulana Salimullah Jan, President of Tanzeematul Madaris and Wafaqul Madaris, and attended by reputed religious scholars from all over the country. The meeting also discussed in detail the status of Islamic television channels in accordance with the Shariah and described their research and experiences in the light of questions and problems received at their respective centres. Some scholars also presented their research papers in this regard. On the occasion, Maulana Salimullah Jan said that the religious scholars were contacting banks that had been claiming to practice Islamic banking and did research on the prevailing banking practices in the light of the Holy Quran and Sunnah.

He said they also held meetings with modern economic experts. He said after detailed consideration, the scholars unanimously declared the Islamic banking and television channels as illegitimate. The scholar also said the kinds of pictures of a living being so far introduced were liable to be dealt with in accordance with the religious commandments. He said the launching of any type of television channel or participation in any television programme declaring it was needed for preaching had also been declared illegitimate. He said the scholars appealed to the Muslims to avoid television like other deeds forbidden by the Shariah. The participants of the meeting included Mufti Abdul Hameed Deenpuri (Jamia-al-Aloom Islamia, Banori Town), Mufti Habibullah Sheikh (Jamia Islamia, Clifton), Mufti Rafiq Ahmed and Mufti Saif Alam (Banori Town), Mufti Abdullah (Khairul Madaris, Multan), Mufti Ghulam Qadir (Darul Aloom Haqqani, Akora Khattak), Mufti Ahmed Mumtaz (Jamia Khulafa-e-Rashdeen, Karachi), Mufti Zarwali Khan (Jamia Ahsan-al-Aloom), Mufti Ehteshamul Haq (Jamia Rasheedia, Turbat, Mekran), Maulana Saeed Ahmed Jalalpuri (Alami Majlis Khatam-e-Nabuwwat), Maulana Dr Manzoor Ahmed Mengal (Jamia Farooqia), Mufti Hamid Hassan (Darul Aloom, Kabirwala), Mufti Abdul Ghaffar (Jamia Ashrafia, Sukkur), Mufti Saaduddin (Jamia Ilmia, Lakki Marwat), Mufti Gul Hassan (Jamia Rehmia, Sarki Road, Quetta), Mufti Rozi Khan (Darul Afta Rahania, Quetta), Mufti Qazi Salimullah (Darul Huda, Khairpur), Nazir Ahmed Shah (Jamia Farooq-e-Azam, Faisalabad), Mufti Saeedullah (Jamia Arabia Naeemul Islam, Quetta), Mufti Samiullah (Jamia Farooqia), Mufti Ahmed Khan and others. Reference: Islamic banking, TV channels against Shariah, declare religious scholars (Saturday, August 30, 2008 News Desk The News)

Jamat-e-Islami (JI) founder Abul A’la Maududi’s son, Syed Haider Farooq Maududi led the Funeral Prayers of Asma Jahangir (Bol Network 15 February 2018)

 Like Chaudhry Sir Muhammad Zafarullah Khan, Maulana Mawdudi also didn't participate in Jinnah's Funeral prayers and this is not the end, Mawdudi didn't even offer the Funeral Prayers of his own benefactor Allama Iqbal (Reference: Allama Iqbal, Quaid-e-Azam, Perwez, Mawdudi and Tehreek-e-Pakistan by Chauhdry Habib Ahmed, page 736, Published in 1981 Faisalabad , Punjab Pakistan) and according to Khaled Ahmed "Given the prestige of Miss Jinnah, she was allowed to dispose of all the property of her brother (as a Sunni she would have title to only one-half) and continued to do so till her death. After her death her sister Shirin Bai arrived in Karachi from Bombay, converted from Ismailism to Twelver Shiism, and laid claim to Jinnah’s property. It is at this point that the rest of Jinnah’s clan, still following the Ismaili faith, decided to challenge the authenticity of Jinnah’s Shia faith. The High Court, which had earlier accepted Miss Jinnah’s petition, now balked at the prospect of declaring the Father of the Nation a Shia. Needless to say, the case is still pending in Karachi. But Miss Jinnah’s conduct showed that she was an observing Shia and took her brother’s conversion to Twelver Shiism seriously. Why had Jinnah converted? It develops that he did it on his secular principle of freedom of religion. According to court’s witness, Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, Jinnah broke from the Ismaili faith in 1901 after his two sisters, Rehmat Bai and Maryam Bai, were married into Sunni Muslim families. It appears that this happened because the Ismaili community objected to these marriages. It also appears that the conversion to Isna-Ashari (Twelver) Shiism happened in Jinnah’s immediate family, and not in the families of his two paternal uncles, Walji and Nathoo. 

The court proceedings bear evidence of the last rites observed by Miss Jinnah immediately after her brother’s death. Witness Syed Anisul Hasnain, a Shia scholar, deposed that he had arranged the ghusl (last bath) of Jinnah on the instructions of Miss Jinnah. He led his namaz-e janaza (funeral prayer) in a room of the GovernorGeneral’s House at which such Shia luminaries as Yusuf Haroon, Hashim Raza and Aftab Hatim Alavi were present, while Liaquat Ali Khan, a Sunni, waited outside the room. After the Shia ritual, the body was handed over to the state, and Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani, a breakaway alim of the Deobandi school of thought who supported Jinnah’s Pakistan Movement but had recently apostatised the Shias, led his janaza (funeral) according to the Sunni ritual at the ground where a grand mausoleum was later constructed. Other witnesses confirmed that after the demise of Miss Fatima Jinnah, clam and panja (two Shia symbols) were discovered at Mohatta Palace, her residence. Witnesses appearing at the Sindh High Court in 1968 to affirm Jinnah’s sect were Mr I.H. Ispahani, a family friend of Jinnah and his honorary secretary in 1936, and Mr Matloobul Hassan Syed, the Quaid’s private secretary from 1940 to 1944. Mr Ispahani revealed that Jinnah had himself told him in 1936 that he and his family had converted to Shiism after his return from England in 1894. He said that Jinnah had married Ruttie Bai, the daughter of a Parsi businessman according to the Shia ritual during which she was represented by a Shia scholar of Bombay, and Jinnah was represented by his Shia friend, Raja Sahib of Mahmudabad. (Raja Sahib was a close friend of Jinnah but differed completely from him in his belief. He was a devout follower of the Twelver Shia faith and ultimately chose to migrate from an independent India to Najaf in Iraq. His friendship with Jinnah has puzzled many. Apparently, the only bond they had was of the Shia faith.) He, however, conceded that Jinnah was opposed in the Bombay elections by a Shia Conference candidate. Ispahani was present when Miss Fatima Jinnah died in Karachi in 1967. He himself arranged the ghusl and janaza for her at Mohatta Palace according to the Shia ritual before handing over the body to the state. Her Sunni namaz-e janaza was held later at the Polo Ground, after which she was buried next to her brother at a spot chosen by Ispahani inside the mausoleum. Ritualistic Shia talgin (last advice to the deceased) was done after her body was lowered into the grave. (Jinnah had arranged for talgin for Ruttie Bai too when she died in 1929). Reference: Sectarian War: Pakistan’s Sunni- Shia Violence and its Links to the Middle East; published by Oxford University Press, Karachi (Review was Published in The Friday Times December 24-30, 2010 - Vol. XXII, No. 45) and Pakistan: Behind the Ideological Mask : Facts about Great Men We Don't Want to Know by Khaled Ahmed (Published in 2001 by Vanguard Press, Lahore Pakistan