Showing posts with label Maulana Sufi Muhammad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maulana Sufi Muhammad. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Enforcement of TTP Sharia Law in Pakistan.


ISLAMABAD: Negotiators representing Pakistani Taliban insurgents said Wednesday there was no chance of peace in Pakistan until the government embraces Islamic Sharia law and US-led forces withdraw completely from neighbouring Afghanistan. The tough conditions appear to deal a blow to hopes that peace talks with the Pakistani government could end the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) insurgency that has rocked the country since 2007. Maulana Samiul Haq, the head of the TTP's three-man talks team, told news agency AFP there could be “no peace” in the region while there were still US troops across the border. His comments were echoed by his fellow TTP negotiator Maulana Abdul Aziz, who also said the TTP's long-held commitment to imposing sharia law across Pakistan was not open to debate. “Without sharia law, the Taliban won't accept (the talks) even one per cent,” he said. “If some factions accept it, then the others won't accept it.” “Their real agenda is sharia,” Aziz said, suggesting that all Pakistan's secular courts based on the common law system be abolished. “I don't think the government will accept this but they should, because war isn't the way forward.” On Afghanistan, Aziz said an endorsement of the security pact with Washington would scupper hopes for regional peace. “We think these (Afghanistan and Pakistan) are two brotherly countries. Peace in Pakistan means peace in Afghanistan and vice versa,” he said. If Afghanistan signs the agreement, he said, “war will continue, and the clash between Muslims and the US will continue.” “If the agreement goes ahead, then the losses they (US) have experienced before, they will experience once again,” he added. “If Americans remain in Afghanistan, there will be no peace in the region, it will be same, it will be unsafe,” said Samiul Haq. REFERENCE: ‘Without sharia, TTP won't accept talks’ 2014-02-05 19:50:57 http://www.dawn.com/news/1085105/without-sharia-ttp-wont-accept-talks


Ugly Role of Pakistani Media, Pervez Musharraf & Lal Masjid (2007)

 
Ugly Role of Pakistani Media, Pervez Musharraf... by SalimJanMazari


Thursday, May 31, 2007 Lal Masjid has 10,000 suicide bombers: Abdul Aziz ISLAMABAD: The Lal Masjid administration has more than 10,000 suicide bombers on the mosque premises and more than one lakh across Pakistan, claimed Khateeb of Lal Masjid, Maulana Abdul Aziz. “The suicide attackers are ready to operate anywhere/anytime in Pakistan,” he said at a press briefing at the Lal Masjid on Wednesday evening. “We consider suicide attacks are right in Pakistan in few circumstances, while we consider them as absolutely justified in the context of Afghanistan and Iraq,” he said. “Our students enjoy the moments when a police or Rangers operation looms, and they get bored when the situation normalises,” he said of the situation inside Lal Masjid. He said, “We favoured the Taliban not only in the past, we favour them even today.” Responding to a question that the strategy adopted by the Lal Masjid administration to solve different problems was helping Musharraf’s agenda to bring liberalism in the country and that analysts think that the clerics were operating on the direction of agencies and basically helping the regime to achieve its agenda, he said it was totally wrong. “We are not operating under the command of some agency, and I am ready for ‘Mubahela’ in this regard,” he added. He said the Musharraf government was not taking any advantage to fulfil its agendas from the actions of the Lal Masjid. However, at this moment Aziz’s younger brother Maulana Abdul Rasheed Ghazi took the mike from him and further elaborated the answer saying, “Sometimes it happens. Someone takes advantage from some action, which is actually not aimed to support him.” He said: “When we were fighting against the USSR, the US had taken advantage of the situation. Our struggle against the USSR was not aimed to benefit the US, but they took an indirect advantage of our struggle.” He also cited the example of the war of Muslims against Persia which indirectly benefited the Romans. Aziz also disclosed that Gen (retd) Hamid Gul had told him during a conversation that according to the Constitution, any citizen of Pakistan can play the role of a ‘law officer’ if he observes some illegal activity somewhere and not find law-enforcement authorities there. The Lal Masjid cleric said that not a single finger was cut during their peaceful movement. Asked why the administration did not do something for the poor and depressed class of society and confined its version of Islam to CD shops and brothels, the cleric said they could not do anything for improving the condition of the poor with their resources. However, they could stop people from doing wrong. “We are doing what we can do,” he added. REFERENCE: Lal Masjid has 10,000 suicide bombers: Abdul Aziz BY our correspondent Thursday, May 31, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=8218&Cat=13&dt=5/31/2007


2009-04-14 Sharia for other parts of Pakistan also: TNSM BATHKELA The Tehrik Nifaz-i-Shariat Muhammadi (TNSM) said Tuesday that after Swat and Malakand, Sharia will be implemented in other parts of the country as well. While talking to the media in Batkhela, the TNSM chief Sufi Mohammad said that the Taliban and TNSM will work alongside the government for the implementation of Sharia and will maintain peace in the region. Sufi Mohammad also said he will not abolish the peace camp he established in Malakand and will continue the peace process in the Swat valley. The TNSM chief added that once Sharia is implemented in Swat and Malakand it would soon after be extended to other parts of the country. He also urged all TNSM loyalists to work towards furthering the peace process. Earlier, Sufi Mohammad had welcomed the signing of Sharia bill as a positive sign. REFERENCE: Sharia for other parts of Pakistan also: TNSM http://www.dawn.com/news/457279/sharia-for-other-parts-of-pakistan-also-tnsm

Ansar Abbasi & GEO TV & Swat Girl Flogging


Ansar Abbasi & GEO TV & Swat Girl Flogging by SalimJanMazari


(2009) Sharia law enforced in Malakand  PESHAWAR, April 15 The NWFP governor promulgated on Wednesday the Sharia Nizam-i-Adl Regulation of 2009, providing for appointment of Qazis and restoration of the executive magistracy system in the Malakand division and Kohistan. The regulation replaces the Sharia Nizam-i-Adl Regulation of 1999, which had been in force in Malakand and some other Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (Pata). The new law will apply to Pata, except for the tribal area adjoining Mansehra district and the former state of Amb. Regular courts have not been functioning in Swat since March 17 when they were stopped from taking up cases by Tehrik Nifaz Shariat-i-Muhammadi chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad. The regulation defines Sharia as injunctions of Islam as laid down in the Holy Quran, Sunnah, Ijma (consensus view) and Qias (analogy) and requires a Qazi or an executive magistrate to seek guidance from the same sources. According to the new law, the conduct and character of a judicial officer and executive magistrate should conform to Islamic principles and he should decide all cases in accordance with Sharia. The regulation envisages two appellate forums Darul-Darul Qaza and Darul Qaza, which would operate in Malakand region. Darul-Darul Qaza would be equivalent to the Supreme Court and Darul Qaza would have appellate jurisdiction similar to that of a high court. The Darul Qaza would be constituted under Article 198(4) of the Constitution which deals with the appellate jurisdiction of high courts, and the Darul-Darul Qaza would function under Article 183(2) of the Constitution, dealing with the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. An Ilaqa Qazi should be a duly appointed judicial officer in the province but preference should be given to judicial officers who have completed Sharia courses from a recognised institution. The Sharia Nizam-i-Adl Regulation also repeals the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Ordinance of 2001 and revives the executive magistracy, including the district magistrate, additional district magistrate, sub-divisional magistrate and other executive magistrates. The system was abolished on Aug 14, 2001. An executive magistrate would be empowered to deal with cases which carry a jail term of up to three years under the Pakistan Penal Code, like breach of peace and public nuisance and cases relating to deviation of licences and permits. The law also abolishes the offices of Muavin-i-Qazi (assistant to qazi) and Aalim Wakeel, provided in the 1999 regulation. Both officials used to guide the Qazi courts in Malakand on Shariah issues. The regulation also focuses on speedy disposal of cases. Qazis would now be bound to decide a civil case within six months and a criminal case within four months. Any Qazi who fails to comply with the schedule would be censured and adverse remarks will be entered in his service record if he receives three letters in a year. According to the new law, the number of pending cases before Zila Qazi, Izafi Zila Qazi and district magistrate should not exceed 150. The maximum number of cases pending before Aala Ilaqa Qazis (senior civil judge), Ilaqa Qazis and executive magistrates should be 200. If pending cases exceed the court`s capacity, the provincial government will be required to set up new courts. The First Schedule of the Regulation enlists 94 laws which will apply to the Malakand region and Kohistan. Apart from the appellate courts, there will be five categories of courts the court of zila Qazi (district and sessions judge); Izafi Zila Qazi (additional district and sessions judge); Aala Ilaqa Qazi (senior civil judge); Ilaqa Qazi (civil judge) and executive magistrate. The regulation also provides a mediation mechanism. Subject to mutual consent of the parties concerned, any civil or criminal case may be referred by a court to a Musleh (mediator) or Musleheen (mediators) before recording evidence. However, cases under the Hudood laws or those against the state cannot be referred to mediators.Malakand division includes seven districts - Swat, Buner, Shangla, Chitral, Malakand, Upper Dir and Lower Dir. The promulgation of the regulation had been due since last year when its first draft was prepared by the caretaker government and further steps were taken when the coalition government of the ANP and PPP was set up in the province after last year`s general elections. REFERENCE: Sharia law enforced in Malakand WASEEM AHMAD SHAH 2009-04-16 00:00:00 http://www.dawn.com/news/457662/sharia-law-enforced-in-malakand

Introduction of the Deobandi Scholars by Mullah Muhammad Shafi Okarvi http://www.scribd.com/doc/188158859/Introduction-of-the-Deobandi-Scholars-by-Mullah-Muhammad-Shafi-Okarvi

Ahl-e-Hadith Mullah say that Deobandis & Barelvis are Kaafir



 
Ahl-e-Hadith Mullah say that Deobandis... by SalimJanMazari


(2009) Taliban to take `struggle` to new areas ISLAMABAD, April 15 Pakistani Taliban will not lay down their arms in a northwestern valley as part of a deal that included the introduction of sharia law but will take their “struggle” to new areas, a militant spokesman said on Wednesday. Details of the deal have not been made public but government officials backing the pact have said part of it was that militants would give up their arms. However, a Pakistani Taliban spokesman in the Swat valley said they would be keeping their guns. “Sharia doesn`t permit us to lay down arms,” Muslim Khan said by telephone. “If a government, either in Pakistan or Afghanistan, continues anti-Muslim policies, it`s out of the question that Taliban lay down their arms.” The government has struggled to come up with an effective strategy to counter terrorism, alternating in different areas between military offensives and peace deals. Some Taliban fighters last week moved out of Swat and into Buner district, only 100km from Islamabad, and Mr Khan said his men would push into new areas. “When we achieve our goal at one place, there are other areas where we need to struggle for it,” he said. Militants infiltrated into Swat in 2007 from strongholds on the Afghan border to the west to support a radical cleric. Mr Khan said militants would go to Afghanistan to fight US-led forces if Afghan Taliban called for help. “Our struggle is for a cause and that`s to enforce Allah`s rule on Allah`s land. We will send mujahideen to Afghanistan if they demand them,” he said. One security analyst, retired Brigadier Syed Mehmood Shah, said peace could be found if the government disarmed the militants “The agreement should be given a chance.” But another said the Swat militants were part of an expanding network.—Reuters REFERENCE: Taliban to take `struggle` to new areas 2009-04-16 http://www.dawn.com/news/457661/taliban-to-take-ae%CB%9Cstruggleae-to-new-areas

History of the Scholars of Deoband by Hakeem Mehmood Ahmed Salafi http://www.scribd.com/doc/188154296/History-of-the-Scholars-of-Deoband-by-Hakeem-Mehmood-Ahmed-Salafi




Barelvi Mullah says that Dobandis & Wahabis are Kaafir




Barelvi Mullah says that Dobandis & Wahabis are... by SalimJanMazari


2009-04-19 00:00:00 What the Taliban ideology means THE footage recently made public showing the flogging of a girl in Swat and the execution of a man and woman in their 40s reportedly in the Hangu district must have sickened anyone with respect for human rights and dignity. As such, these videos constitute a graphic reminder of the fact that behind the rhetoric of religion, the real face of the Taliban is one of unmixed brutality and murderousness. This should come as no surprise. Since the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan during the 1990s and in Pakistan more recently, there has been ample evidence that the otherwise harmless moniker — which means `students` — is a mask worn by an ideologically united group that uses tactics of violence, fear and gross coercion to get its way. Given this, it is alarming that Pakistan`s state and society continue to bury their heads in the sand and resort to denial of either specific acts of brutality or the threat in general posed by the Taliban. The most recent example of this approach is an investigation team`s conclusion that the video depicting the whipping of the young woman in Swat was “fake and false”, as indicated by Interior Secretary Kamal Shah. He quoted the final report as saying that that no such incident took place since the girl in question denied it and the area`s residents also expressed their ignorance. Yet anyone who has suffered such an act of barbarity, and who continues to live under the shadow of his or her persecutors, is unlikely to risk inducing their ire further. More dangerous, however, is the reduction of the issue to a debate over whether or not the video was `real` and when exactly the incident took place. This constitutes yet another example of the manner in which the Pakistani state and its citizenry live in denial of the clear and present danger to their personal freedoms. It is precisely this attitude that has allowed the Taliban and others of their ilk to make such deep inroads. Even if this particular video was faked, there is ample evidence otherwise of the Taliban`s brutality. Reports of beheadings, shootings and the coercion of people — who are citizens of Pakistan and residents of Swat — are made public practically everyday. For the survival of values pertaining to freedom, democracy and citizens` rights, the threat posed by the Taliban must be combated not only militarily but also by taking up positions on the ideological battleground from where they fire the salvos. For this to happen, the grotesqueness of the Taliban worldview must first be recognised and then rejected wholesale. The Swati girl`s ordeal sparked outrage across the country; but such graphic footage ought not to be necessary to convince the citizenry of the Taliban`s real face. Living in denial is a luxury that is no longer available to us. REFERENCE: What the Taliban ideology means 2009-04-19 http://www.dawn.com/news/458386/what-the-taliban-ideology-means

Saudi Wahabi Fatwa Against Takfir (Apostasy) of Muslim Rulers http://www.scribd.com/doc/100422997/Saudi-Wahabi-Fatwa-Against-Takfir-Apostasy-of-Muslim-Rulers




Barelvi Scholar Kaukab Noorani Okarvi says Deobandis are Kaafir

 
Barelvi Scholar Kaukab Noorani Okarvi says... by SalimJanMazari



(2009) There are no indications that the Taliban are doing anything to uphold their end of the deal. Sufi Mohammad has declared that the high courts and the Supreme Court of Pakistan should no longer have appellate power over judgments handed down by the so-called Sharia courts established under the Nizam-i-Adl agreement. Arguing that the judicial system laid out in the country`s constitution is `un-Islamic`, he has demanded that the regular court system be replaced with the Darul Qazas as the only forum for filing appeals that will then be decided in line with what Sufi Mohammad vaguely calls `Islamic principles`. The demand constitutes cause for the gravest concern since, if accepted, it will remove the existing courts from the jurisdiction of the country`s judicial system. Appellate power will go to Darul Qazas headed by qazis with no legal training and appointed by Sufi Mohammad himself. In attempting to decide cases in line with `Islamic injunctions` that have never been defined in full, the qazis will effectively be not only making their own laws but making them according to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and Sufi Mohammad`s own skewed version of the Sharia. Not only does this put paid to any chance of transparency or justice in Swat and Malakand, it bodes ill for the rest of the country as well, given the Taliban`s expansionist tendencies. Sufi Mohammad`s latest demand is a potent example of the fallout that can be expected since the government cut a shadowy deal with the Taliban, the full details of which remain unclear. On available evidence, the militants make ever-increasing demands under the banner of the Nizam-i-Adl, and the government, after some dragging of the heels, capitulates. But there are no indications that the Taliban are doing anything to uphold their end of the deal — which was to bring an end to terrorist activities and allow the government to regain administrative control of the area. Far from laying down arms, at the very time the deal was being brokered the Taliban were expanding their operations to Buner and Mansehra. Meanwhile, Sufi Mohammad has claimed that criminals accused of murder, extortion and terrorism cannot be brought to book. Furthermore, the demand illustrates how Sufi Mohammad has used his position as peace-broker to manoeuvre greater power and relevance towards the extreme right-wing agenda. It underscores the danger inherent in depending for peace on the man who heads the TNSM, an organisation banned for its militant and subversive activities, and whose credentials in terms of respecting the jurisdiction of the lawful government are extremely suspect. REFERENCE: Fallout of the deal 2009-04-21 00:00:00 http://www.dawn.com/news/937949/fallout-of-the-deal


Hakimullah Mehsud's Views on Pakistan Army, Pakistanis & Democracy



Hakimullah Mehsud's Views on Pakistan Army... by SalimJanMazari


2005-09-01 Hasba bill infringes personal freedom: SC ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the state cannot enforce any religious obligation stipulated by Islam, except Sallat (prayers) and Zakat. Authored by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, a 106-page detailed judgment, said that Islamic jurists were unanimous on a point that though zakat was seriously enforced by Hazrat Abu Bakar but for sallat, the only way was through “Taleem” (education), “Tableegh” (preaching) and “Targheeb” (persuasion). The court agreed that private life, personal thoughts and individual beliefs of citizens could not be allowed to be interfered with and held that under the Hasba Bill, the NWFP Assembly had conferred judicial powers on “Mohtasib” (ombudsman) not only to inquire into cases of maladministration of government agencies but also religious and personal affairs of individuals and blocking powers of judicial review by civil and criminal courts. On August 4, a nine-member Supreme Court bench had declared several clauses of the Hasba bill relating to powers of the mohtasib as contrary to the constitution and had advised the NWFP governor not to give his assent to the controversial law. The unanimous short-order was announced after four-day hearing on a reference filed by President General Musharraf against the bill under the advisory jurisdiction of the court. Instead of showing haste, the NWFP government should have studied in depth all the reports of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) before moving the Hasba bill in the assembly, under which discretionary powers have been conferred on mohtasib to create a new offence in consultation with the provincial advisory council, the CJ observed in the detailed judgment. About mohtasib’s powers to remove causes of dereliction in performance and proper arrangements of Eidain and Friday prayers, the CJ observed that offering of prayer was a personal obligation on an individual being the Haqooq Allah. Religiously, mohtasib is not authorized to check negligence or disregard of a person who abandons sallat. Allowing such interference by mohtasib would deny an individual’s right of freedom to profess religion, the CJ said. It is therefore not correct to suggest that the Hasba bill is in accordance with Islam and if the legislation is accepted and made into law, then a citizen who is held responsible for dereliction will be liable to six-month punishment on the hukumnama (order) of the mohtasib when Sharia does not mandate imposition of penalties on vague offences. The only objective behind making available Hasba police to mohtasib is to strengthen the arms of mohtasib, to implement his hukumnama by force, if need be, the CJ said. Under the law, mohtasib would also have direct interference/access in the family functions in the garb of discouraging extravagance at the time of marriages and other family functions, thus interfering in personal life, freedom of assembly, liberty, dignity and privacy, which is strictly prohibited in Islam. Tracing the history, the CJ recalled that the institution of the office of Hasba did not exist at the time of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the Khulfa-e-Rashideen. Initially the office of “Amil-al-suk” was created by “Ummayyads” to regulate markets, but later it was expanded into the office of the mohtasib by the “Abbasids.” History reveals that the term mohtasib was used during the Khilafat of Qazi Mamoon-ur-Rashid when mohtasib used to look after the market business in addition to his religious duties like to reform social life. During the period, the duties of the mohtasib was to inspect instruments of the scales of weights and measures, which were so complicated that the people could be easily deceived. In addition, their duties include keeping vigilant eye over shortcomings and dishonesty that could be committed during preparation and sale of commodities. The judgment also explained that by declaring some sections of the bill as unconstitutional does not mean that leftover sections have been declared in accordance with the constitution. Their constitutionality remains open to be questioned, which can be upheld or struck down as or when challenged before a competent forum. Meanwhile Justice Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan in his separate note expressed reservations on the definition of Aalim (scholar) in the Hasba bill and held that the definition was discriminatory and restricted to only one school of thought. REFERENCE: Hasba bill infringes personal freedom: SC 2005-09-01 http://www.dawn.com/news/154829/hasba-bill-infringes-personal-freedom-sc Top MMA Leader Tries to Convince Pentagon, NSC on Hardline Islamic Law WASHINGTON DC, July 19, 2005 | ISSN: 1684-2057 | http://antisystemic.org/satribune/www.satribune.com/archives/200507/P1_durr.htm


Sufi Muhammad & Takfiri Ideology (Salim Safi 3 May 2009 GEO TV)

 
Sufi Muhammad & Takfiri Ideology (Salim Safi 3... by SalimJanMazari


(2005) Hasba restricts basic rights: SC * ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC), in its detailed reasons for rejecting the Hasba Bill of the NWFP government, has ruled that no legislation could be made to interfere with the private life, personal thoughts and individual beliefs of citizens. In its 106-page detailed unanimous judgement, the SC has laid the onus on the rationale that Hasba was a discriminatory and unconstitutional legislation which gave discretionary powers to the newly envisaged office of 'mohtasib', leading to interference in the personal life of citizens and establishing parallel offices of executive and judiciary. "It is observed that private life, personal thoughts and the individual beliefs of citizens cannot be allowed to be interfered with. Islamic jurists are unanimous on the point that except salat (prayer) and zakat (alms) no other religious obligation stipulated by Islam can be enforced by the state," states the detailed judgement. The NWFP Assembly passed the Hasba Bill on July 14 with a majority of 68 votes against 34 opposition votes. The bill envisaged an office of mohtasib with special powers to implement Islamic laws in the province. However, President Pervez Musharraf filed a reference the next day seeking the SC's opinion on the Hasba Bill under its advisory jurisdiction. A nine-member SC bench consisting of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and Justices Javed Iqbal, Abdul Hameed Dogar, Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan, Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi, Faqir Muhammad Khokhar, Mian Shakirullah Jan, Javed Buttar and Sayed Saeed Ashhad heard the presidential reference pleaded by Attorney General Makhdoom Ali Khan while Advocate Khalid Anwar appeared on behalf of the NWFP government. The SC bench conducted the reference's hearing for four consecutive days and pronounced its short judgement on August 4. The SC judgement declared that Section 10 (sub sections b, c and d); Section 12 (1) (sub section a, b and c); Section 23 (sub sections 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 12, 14 and 27); Section 25 (1 and 2) and Section 28 of the Hasba Bill 2005 passed by the NWFP Assembly were ultra vires to the Constitution. The SC also ruled that the NWFP governor may not assent to the bill in its present form. The sections declared unconstitutional by the SC relate to the powers and duties of the mohtasib, the implementation of his orders, his special powers to implement the Islamic code, restriction on other courts to proceed against the mohtasib's orders and the punishment prescribed for violation of the mohtasib's orders. In the detailed reasons, the SC rejected the mohtasib's office with the contention that "a mohtasib would have direct interference in the family functions in the garb of discouraging extravagance at the time of marriages and other family functions. Such exercise of powers would not only interfere in the citizens personal life, freedom of assembly, liberty, dignity and privacy which is strictly prohibited in Islam". REFERENCE: Detailed judgement on Hasba Bill: Hasba restricts basic rights: SC * State can't enforce religious obligation except salat and zakat BY Mohammad Kamran , September 01, 2005 http://archives.dailytimes.com.pk/main/01-Sep-2005/detailed-judgement-on-hasba-bill-hasba-restricts-basic-rights-sc Top MMA Leader Tries to Convince Pentagon, NSC on Hardline Islamic Law WASHINGTON DC, July 19, 2005 | ISSN: 1684-2057 | http://antisystemic.org/satribune/www.satribune.com/archives/200507/P1_durr.htm

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Orya Maqbool Jan Negotiates with Orya Maqbool Jan.



TTP considering Ansar Abbasi, Orya Maqbool Jan as negotiators February 03, 2014 PESHAWAR: Spokesman of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Monday said two more names are likely to be finalized soon for its committee tasked to hold talks with the four-member government-appointed panel. He said the names of senior journalist Orya Maqbool Jan and Investigation Editor, The News International, Ansar Abbasi which were being considered for the Taliban committee in the past are still being reviewed for nomination. The TTP spokesman regretted the decision of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) of choosing not to be a part of the dialogue process, saying Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman does not even have confidence in his own self. Reacting to the Taliban’s claim, Ansar Abbasi talking to Geo News said he had never had any contact with the Taliban over his becoming part of the talks process. However, he said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had sought his advice in connection with the dialogue and also offered him to join the government-appointed panel. “I expressed my willingness to offer my cooperation as a journalist but I don’t want to join in as committee member,” said Abbasi, adding, he can be part of such a committee that points out mistakes on the part of the government and the Taliban. He said if the Taliban and government accept an impartial committee he could join the same. REFERENCE: TTP considering Ansar Abbasi, Orya Maqbool Jan as negotiators February 03, 2014 - Updated 2115 PKT http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-136547-TTP-considering-Ansar-Abbasi,-Orya-Maqbool-Jan-as-negotiators




ISLAMABAD, July 8: Eminent historian and thinker Dr Mubarak Ali says the history written in Pakistan had been “dictated” by the ruling Establishment and represents its wilful perversion of facts “to accord with a fabricated ideology”. “No authentic history has yet been written about Pakistan and its independence. There is a lot of confusion among the so-called pro-Establishment historians and educationists. Whatever has been written so far is distortion of history and entirely unbalanced,” Unless the distortions were removed and facts told as they existed, the nation could not hope to make any real progress, he said, adding: “This is the lesson history has taught us”. Dr Ali, who was interviewed over the weekend after he gave a lecture on the subject at Safma Media Centre the other day, said writing history in an ideological state was a problem. “We project the deeds of our leaders out of proportion and ignore their crimes and blunders. Our modern history is also in a quagmire of confusion as our historians do not know the direction their work should take. They were unmindful of society’s need for truth and confused whether Pakistan’s history begins from the Indus civilization, or from Mohammad bin Qasim’s attack on Sindh or from 1947 the year it was born. “Historians like Dr Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi, S.M. Ikram and Moinul Haq wrote history, as dictated by dictators like Gen Ayub Khan, on two premises: the two-nation theory and greater national unity. There writings are more anti-Hindu than about British colonialism. “Some historians negated our ancient Indian and South Asian roots and tried to establish our links with Central Asia or with the Middle East which was historical and intellectual dishonesty,” said Dr Ali. Fanciful novels written by Maulana Abdul Haleem Sharar, Naseem Hijazi and the likes were taken for history. REFERENCE: History is different from farce: Dr Mubarak 2008-07-09 00:00:00 http://www.dawn.com/news/310892/history-is-different-from-farce-dr-mubarak


Importance of Sex Education, Orya Maqbool Jan & Ansar Abbasi.

 
Importance of Sex Education, Orya Maqbool Jan... by SalimJanMazari


On the eve of Eid-ul-Azha, I was asked by some of our rationalist society friends to do a gentle surgery of the claims made by Orya Maqbool Jan in one of his Urdu writings. The rebuttal from our respected friend came swiftly with a tinge of venom. I was declared "Jahalat ki faseel mein qaid daanishwar" (an intellectual imprisoned in the fortress of ignorance). I have no qualms about accepting the charge up to "imprisonment in ignorance" bit but the burden of being a "daanishwar" is too heavy and better be left in the exclusive domain of Jan and his tribe. Like my fellow rationalist members, from Socrates I have learnt to ask questions of the knowledgeable ones, and from Julius Fuchik acquired an inspiration to paint life on the walls of the gallows. We never claim to know it all but we are never afraid of asking questions when they crop up in our minds. It is our belief that stating a half-truth is more dangerous than a blatant lie and hence must be properly scrutinised. Jan repeated the same references that due to obscurity are not readily available to a common reader. While extolling the virtues of the Mughal rulers, especially Aurangzeb and the rulers of Bengal, he conveniently ignores well-researched and highly respected works, e.g. of Sheikh Muhammad Ikram on the rise and fall of the Mughal Empire. I do not want to become an advocate for the British colonists. The East India Company (EIC) was a business venture of London-based merchants and the British traders had come to the East Indies in search of corporate profits and not for charity. Just like any other nation, they had many self-enriching crooks and some thrill-seeking adventurists. My problem, however, is viewing history as pure black and white, as we need to be objective in our reading of past events. An important fact must not be missed that the European nations were then often at war in Europe, which had a spillover effect in the Indian subcontinent as well. They, therefore, fortified their trading positions and gradually got involved in the local wars of succession that were frequently happening among Indian rulers and were supported by rival European traders. A dispassionate analysis of history would help us learn why the British were able to conquer the whole of India with just a few thousand soldiers. Jan fondly uses some references to build a thesis that prior to the arrival of the EIC, India was teeming with knowledge and that there were thousands of educational institutions. The chief references that Jan relies upon for this bold assertion are quotes from Will Durant's Story of Civilisation and Major Basu's use of Max Muller's quotation in his book on Indian history. Using Durant and Muller for establishing the claim of a highly developed educational system in medieval India is just like using a quote from Charles Darwin to support the Intelligent Design theory of creationists. While Durant views Muslim rulers as a bunch of barbarians who did not miss a chance of looting the treasures of an advanced civilisation of those times, Muller, a German philologist, was a popular critic of the Hindu belief system and advocated its cleansing by Christian reformers. When they mention village schools, they refer to the elaborate system of Brahmin-led theology teaching in ancient India. Alexander Hamilton is also quoted as a main reference by Jan. Hamilton, a merchant and a ship's captain in the Far East, covers the period of 1688-1723 in his travelogue A New Account of the East Indies. He mainly narrates the local weather and other cultural traits of various inhabitants. There is only one mention of educational institutions when he discusses Hindu theology and its teaching in village schools of Thatta. Hamilton mentions meeting a professor of Indian history who tells him that Alexander the Great had attacked India with magical beasts due to which Porus was unable to defeat him. Perhaps Jan has taken too much inspiration from this type of interpretation of history, and hence, has translated Hamilton's account as an elaborate arrangement for teaching of 'uloom-o-funoon' in India. Perhaps the readers can judge for themselves if half-baked truths should be taken as accounts of history. REFERENCE: OVER A COFFEE : History telling the Nasim Hijazi way by— Dr Haider Shah December 01, 2012 http://archives.dailytimes.com.pk/editorial/01-Dec-2012/over-a-coffee-history-telling-the-nasim-hijazi-way-dr-haider-shah







Taliban Journalists of Bolta Pakistan (10 January 2011)

 
Taliban Journalists of Bolta Pakistan (10... by SalimJanMazari



The conclusion of our analysis is that OMJ cites various historical sources in a sweeping way to substantiate his argument. Known as what is called 'cherry picking' in research, he selectively picked up sentences from a number of sources to create an impression for an unwary reader that India had an elaborate scheme of education under the Muslim rulers and that the British in a very cunning way destroyed all institutions as part of some deep-rooted conspiracy. Due to paucity of space, it is not possible to discuss all the references OMJ quoted in his piece. I would restrict it to only one main source to illustrate that intellectual honesty was wanting in his piece of writing. For sake of clarity a full paragraph from Will Durant's voluminous Story of Civilization is reproduced here from which OMJ picked up a quotation: "Writing continued, even to the nineteenth century, to play a very small part in Indian education. Perhaps it was not to the interest of the priests that the sacred or scholastic texts should become an open secret to all. As far as we can trace Indian history, we find a system of education, always in the hands of the clergy, open at first only to the sons of Brahmans, then spreading its privileges from caste to caste until in our time it excludes only the Untouchables. Every Hindu village had its schoolmaster, supported out of the public funds; in Bengal alone, before the coming of the British, there were some 80,000 native schools — one to every four hundred population. The percentage of literacy under Ashoka was apparently higher than in India today." Will Durant in this section was discussing the education system in ancient India but OMJ picked up a Bengal-related sentence and forcibly linked it with the Mughal period to create a misleading impression. Intellectual honesty demanded that OMJ should have also told his readers what Will Durant wrote in the same book about the Muslim rulers in India. For instance, Durant writes about our hero idol-smasher: "Each winter Mahmud descended into India, filled his treasure chest with spoils, and amused his men with full freedom to pillage and kill; each spring he returned to his capital richer than before." We are told that the idol breaker would sometimes spare the population of the ravaged cities and "took them home to be sold as slaves; but so great was the number of such captives that after some years no one could be found to offer more than a few shillings for a slave." Similarly referring to other rulers of the pre-Mughal era, Durant writes, "There was constantly in front of his royal pavilion and his Civil Court a mound of dead bodies and a heap of corpses, while the sweepers and executioners were wearied out by their work of dragging the victims and putting them to death in crowds." OMJ fondly mentions Firoz Shah about whom Durant writes, "Firoz Shah invaded Bengal, offered a reward for every Hindu head, paid for 180,000 of them, raided Hindu villages for slaves." Similarly, Sultan Ahmad Shah is said to have feasted for three days whenever the number of defenceless Hindus slain in his territories in one day reached 20,000. Based on such numerous examples, Durant says, "The Mohammedan Conquest of India is probably the bloodiest story in history. It is a discouraging tale, for its evident moral is that civilisation is a precarious thing, whose delicate complex of order and liberty, culture and peace may at any time be overthrown by barbarians invading from without or multiplying within." Durant in his work appreciates the art and sculpture of India. However, he laments, "We shall never be able to do justice to Indian art, for ignorance and fanaticism have destroyed its greatest achievements, and have half ruined the rest." OMJ in his concluding lines makes a passing reference to Lord Cornwallis, accusing him of establishing a religious seminary in 1781 to destroy educational system of Muslim rulers. Interestingly, in 1781, Major General Cornwallis was in America with a mixed record against rebel colonists culminating in the capitulation of his force at Yorktown and came to India in 1786. Cornwallis, however, is credited with establishing an institution that OMJ never found detestable: the Indian Civil Service. Hope our former deputy commissioner would be more careful with both dates and facts of history. REFERENCE: OVER A COFFEE : Postcard for Orya Maqbool Jan BY— Dr Haider Shah October 27, 2012 http://archives.dailytimes.com.pk/editorial/27-Oct-2012/over-a-coffee-postcard-for-orya-maqbool-jan-dr-haider-shah


Meher Bukhari, Orya Maqbool Jan & Saleem Bukhari Justify Salman Taseer Murder (AAJ TV 2011)





Meher Bukhari, Orya Maqbool Jan & Saleem... by SalimJanMazari







2009 Islam does not allow democracy or elections MINGORA: Tehrik Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad has warned the government to wind up its judicial system within four days and establish the appellate court of Darul Qaza for the Malakand division, or he will re-launch his protest campaign. Addressing a mammoth public meeting at Grassy Ground here on Sunday, he made it clear that the government must set up Darul Qaza before lower Qazi courts, which, he said, was the first step towards the implementation of the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation in letter and spirit. TNSM’s Nazim-e-Aala Maulana Safiullah, Sheikh Waliullah Kabalgrami, Maulana Salar Khan, Maulana Samiullah, Maulana Abdul Haq, Maulana Badshah Zeb and Maulana Fayyaz also addressed the meeting. Unprecedented security arrangements were made for the rally as 300 armed volunteers guarded the venue. In Mingora city, all shops, markets and business centres remained closed, as the TNSM had earlier made an appeal to traders and shopkeepers to keep their business shut to facilitate the participants during the rally. Maulana Sufi Muhammad urged the government to appoint Tehsil and district Qazis in the seven districts of the Malakand division and Kohistan district of Hazara division within a month. Failure to do so, he warned, would bring his followers on the streets. He said a system of justice based on Shariah was the only way out of the present unrest. “If our demands were not met within the set deadline, then we will not be held responsible for any violence in the area,” the TNSM chief warned. He said all the criminal and civil cases would be heard and decided in the Qazi courts. He added that the judgment given by the Qazi courts could not be challenged in the provincial high courts or the Supreme Court. “I consider Western democracy as a system imposed on us by the infidels. Islam does not allow democracy or elections,” he opined, adding that he would never accept the system of justice of the non-Muslims. Sufi Mohammad said the implementation of the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation would restore peace in the Malakand division, particularly Swat. He said the Taliban militants had promised to lay down arms after the enforcement of the Nizam-e-Adl. REFERENCE: End judicial system by April 23, demands Sufi Claims Islam does not allow democracy or elections BY Essa Khankhel Monday, April 20, 2009 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=21615&Cat=13&dt=4/20/2009


Sufi’s public meeting lifts climate of fear in Swat BY Rahimullah Yusufzai Monday, April 20, 2009 PESHAWAR: By holding a big public meeting in Mingora in the restive Swat district on Sunday, Maulana Sufi Muhammad contributed to overcoming the climate of fear still prevailing among the people and inspiring them with hope. However, he added to the uncertainty by reverting to his familiar tactic of setting deadlines for his demands to be met. Two deadlines were set, April 23 for doing away with the existing courts manned by civil judges and May 19 for setting up Qazi courts under the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation in all seven districts of Malakand division and Kohistan district of Hazara region. In addition, May 19 would also serve as the one-month deadline for establishing Darul Qaza, or appellate court, for Swat and rest of Malakand division. Having brought peace to Swat and obliged the government, Sufi Muhammad now feels justified in demanding Shariah-based system of justice. This has been his goal for almost three decades and he is convinced that there can be no better opportunity for pushing his agenda. The government once again has little choice but to accept his demands and that too within the stipulated time. Journalists at the Grassy Ground, the venue for the Tehrik Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) public meeting, estimated the crowd at 20,000 to 25,000. The TNSM members and supporters claimed a much higher attendance. But all agreed that it was an impressive show of strength by Maulana Sufi Muhammad, who returned to the central town of Mingora after having packed up his “peace camp” there and left Swat along with hundreds of his followers on April 9 in protest against the delay by President Asif Ali Zardari and the federal government in signing the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation. It was a triumphant return for the maverick Maulana who eventually forced the president to sign the law. Maulana Sufi Muhammad has held bigger gatherings at the Grassy Ground, which is used by young men from the twin towns of Mingora and Saidu Sharif for sports activities. His 1994 public meeting, held prior to an armed uprising for enforcement of Shariah in Swat and other parts of Malakand division, at the Grassy Ground was much bigger. But the one held on Sunday had greater importance as it was organized at a time when Swat is slowly recovering from two years’ of violence and bloodshed. For so many Swatis and participants from other adjoining districts, particularly from Upper Dir and Lower Dir, to gather at one place despite the fear of suicide bombing was truly remarkable. Political parties, which due to insecurity in the NWFP now hold gatherings in closed premises, would surely envy Sufi Muhammad’s fearlessness and his crowd-pulling capability. Sufi Muhammad, ageing and in poor health, spoke inarticulately for about 45 minutes in Pashto and reporters faced difficulty in understanding his words. As expected, he repeated his assertions about democracy and existing courts in Pakistan being un-Islamic. It wasn’t the first time that the cleric from Maidan in Lower Dir district generated controversy. He manages to do so whenever he speaks. Maulana Sufi Muhammad has his own simplistic vision of Shariah. If he had his way, he would force the judges, or Qazis as they are known in Malakand division, to sit on the floor and hear cases brought to them by litigants. Lawyers have no business in his scheme of things and Qazis ought to be made accountable if they delay judgements in cases pending in their courts. Shariah for him revolves round dispensation of justice. Education, health, socio-economic issues hold secondary importance for him. The Qazi courts that are being set up under the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation might start delivering speedy justice but this isn’t the only demand and expectation of the people of Swat and elsewhere in Malakand division. They expect a lot more from the Shariah that Sufi Muhammad is insisting would henceforth be the supreme law in the area. REFERENCE: Sufi’s public meeting lifts climate of fear in Swat BY Rahimullah Yusufzai Monday, April 20, 2009 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=21616&Cat=13&dt=4/20/2009

Jihad Movement of Maulvi Ismail & Maulvi Syed Ahmed in NWFP http://www.scribd.com/doc/187741825/Jihad-Movement-of-Maulvi-Ismail-Maulvi-Syed-Ahmed-in-NWFP





Jang Group on the Death of Osama Bin Laden (Capital Talk 02 May 2011)



Jang Group on the Death of Osama Bin Laden... by SalimJanMazari






‘Swat Taliban to welcome Osama’ Wednesday, April 22, 2009 MINGORA: The spokesman for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which controls the valley, told The Associated Press he would welcome militants bent on battling the US troops and their Arab allies if they want to settle there. “Osama bin Laden can come here. Sure, like a brother they can stay anywhere they want,” TTP spokesman Muslim Khan said in a two-hour interview on Friday, his first with a foreign journalist since the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation was imposed. “Yes, we will help them and protect them,” he added. The Taliban spokesman counted among his allies several groups on the UN and the US terrorist lists. “If we need, we can call them and if they need, they can call us,” Muslim Khan said. He said his forces would go to help the Taliban in Afghanistan if the United States and Nato continued to fight there. “You must tell (the Americans) if they want peace ... to withdraw their forces, keep them on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean,” he added. Pakistan reacted with alarm to his comments, saying it would never let him shelter the likes of bin Laden. “We would have to go for the military operation. We would have to apply force again,” said Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira. “We simply condemn this. We are fighting this war against al-Qaida and the Taliban,” he added. Meanwhile, Afrasiab Khattak, a leader of the Awami National Party, conceded: “We lost the war. We negotiated from a position of weakness.î He said the region’s police force was too underpaid, under trained and under equipped to take on the militants. US officials said they would work with Pakistan to make sure militants were not safe anywhere. “With regard to Mulla Omar and Osama bin Laden, this is not a place where they should be welcome. We believe ... that violent extremists need to be confronted,î State Department spokesman Robert Wood said. Reiterating America’s viewpoint on this, Wood said, “Violent extremism needs to be confronted not just by Pakistan, but the entire international community.” Asserting that the US would continue to work with the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan to try to help root out these violent extremists, Wood said they were a threat to democracy and stability in the region. “We call on all those who are interested in bringing about stability to that region to work with us to root out violent extremism,” Wood said. REFERENCE: ‘Swat Taliban to welcome Osama’ Wednesday, April 22, 2009 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=21662&Cat=13&dt=4/22/2009

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Peace Talks with Militants and Return of the `Midnight Jackal.


2014 ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday announced that his government would pursue peace talks with Taliban militants despite a recent spate of attacks, naming a four-member committee to facilitate the talks. Addressing a session of the National Assembly after a span of six months, Sharif said the government wanted to give peace another chance. The premier announced the constitution of a four-member team – comprising his Advisor on National Affairs Irfan Siddique, veteran journalist Rahimullah Yusufzai, former ambassador and expert on Afghanistan affairs Rustam Shah Mohmand and former ISI official Major (Retd) Amir Shah – to holds talks with the militants. He said that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan would assist the committee. Sharif also called on the militants to observe a ceasefire in the televised speech. He said that he would personally supervise the performance of the committee, adding that he was sincerely trying to restore peace in the country and expressed his hope that the other side would reciprocate in a similar manner. The announcement came the same day Taliban militants targeted paramilitary soldiers, killing at least three Rangers personnel in separate bomb attacks in Karachi. Speaking to Dawn.com from an undisclosed location, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Shahidullah Shahid claimed responsibility for the attacks. Shahid said the Taliban have convened a meeting of the Shura (council) to “assess the committee formed by the federal government for peace talks.” “Taliban are united under Fazlullah and rumours about rifts are baseless,” he said. REFERENCE: PM Sharif announces another push for Taliban peace talks http://www.dawn.com/news/1083531/pm-sharif-announces-another-push-for-taliban-peace-talks & Page 271 from Talibanistan: Negotiating the Borders Between Terror, Politics, and Religion by Peter Bergen (Editor) , Katherine Tiedemann (Editor) http://www.amazon.com/Talibanistan-Negotiating-Borders-Politics-Religion/dp/0199893098



May 19, 2009 Nawaz Sharif told the conference the Swat operation must continue until the elimination of the Taliban. LAHORE: PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif, expressing concern about a controversial peace deal with militants, has said militants in Swat were trying to export their particularly harsh version of Sharia. “How do we deal with the situation in Swat?” Nawaz asked in an hour-long interview with USA TODAY at his home on the outskirts of the city. “They are now threatening to get out of Swat and take other areas into their custody. So we’ve got to avoid that situation.” Nawaz said he opposed attacks by US drones on militant hideouts as “counterproductive” and wanted to see dialogue with more moderate groups. Nawaz downplayed fears that the country could be taken over by the Taliban militants. He said the insurgency in Swat and border areas could be defused in just two years if sufficient economic development took place. Any deal with militants should include commitments that “democracy will not be allowed to deteriorate and the writ of the government will be honoured,” Nawaz said, adding that women’s schools and universities must be allowed to stay open. REFERENCES: Nawaz voices concern over Swat deal News Desk Wednesday, April 22, 2009 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=21661&Cat=13&dt=4/22/2009 Nawaz voices concern over Swat deal http://www.paktribune.com/news/print.php?id=213937 APC wants end to terror Irfan Ghauri May 19, 2009 http://archives.dailytimes.com.pk/main/19-May-2009/apc-wants-end-to-terror


Go through the "efforts (Jirga 3 March 2011)" of Jang Group and GEO TV to further distort the Recent History of Afghan War and Pakistan's Cooperation with US CIA during General Zia's period (1979 - 1988), the Anchor, Mr. Salim Safi in the start of the Program "Jirga" mentioned Unnamed CIA Officials and showed the cover of a Steve Coll's book on Afghanistan -- Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan and bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to 10 September 2001) and shamelessly declared Steve Coll, a Former US CIA Employee whereas he is is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist and writer. Coll is currently president and CEO of the New America Foundation. Prior to assuming that post on September 17, 2007, Coll was a staff writer for The New Yorker, and served as managing editor of The Washington Post from 1998 to 2004. Coll was also an associate editor for The Post from late 2004 to August 2005. Coll used to maintain a blog on The New Yorker website entitled Think Tank, where he wrote primarily on issues of foreign and public policy, and American national security. June 1, 2010 What I Learned About Blogging Posted by Steve Coll http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/stevecoll 


The facts which were conveniently forgotten by the host and guests as well during that programs are as under:



Toasts of President Reagan and President Mobammad Zia-ul-Haq of Pakistan at the State Dinner December 7, 1982 - In the last few years, in particular, your country has come to the forefront of the struggle to construct a framework for peace in your region, an undertaking which includes your strenuous efforts to bring peaceful resolution to the crisis in Afghanistan—a resolution which will enable the millions of refugees currently seeking shelter in Pakistan to go home in peace and honor. Further, you've worked to ensure that progress continues toward improving the relationship between Pakistan and India. And in all these efforts the United States has supported your objectives and will applaud your success. And, Mr. President, unfortunately, a new and menacing turbulence has arisen in our region. More than a fifth of the entire population of Afghanistan has been compelled to seek shelter in Pakistan as a result of the armed intervention in that country by a foreign power. We are bending our effort to resolve this tragic situation through a peaceful political settlement, in accordance with the principles enunciated by the international community. The latest manifestation of this was the Resolution of Afghanistan adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, once again with the overwhelming support of the member states. Spread this America, Mr. President, to areas other than the United States of America. Let America be the torchbearer of peace, peace not only on the American continent but peace in Afghanistan, peace in Vietnam, peace in Somalia, and above all, peace in Palestine. We wish you, sir, all the best in your endeavors. And you will never find Pakistanis faltering. We'll be there right behind you to give you the helping hand, if we can, at the moment that you wish us to do so. REFERENCE: Toasts of President Reagan and President Mobammad Zia-ul-Haq of Pakistan at the State Dinner December 7, 1982 http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=42083


The demolition of the temples in Buner was initiated by Maulana Dua Noor, a cleric who belonged to the Panjpiri sect of Wahabism. After the death of Maulana Muhammad Tahir, his son Maulana Tayyab became the chief of this organization who also manages a huge religious seminary in the town of Panjpir. Muhammad Amir, another brother of Maulana Tayyab was a major in Pakistan Army and worked for Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), the country’s spy agency in 1980s. Major Amir allegedly conspired and collaborated with others to topple the democratically elected government of the then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in 1989.






Here comes the Lies and Blatant Distortion by the Jang Group of Newspapers and GEO TV: CIA and ISI: friends or foes? ---> Watch debate on ‘Jirga’ tonight - KARACHI: CIA and ISI: Friends or Foes? Watch a conversation among ISI officials, who had close links with the CIA, in ‘Jirga’. Guests are Brigadier (R) Mohammad Aslam Ghumman (Former Station Chief ISI, Lahore), Brigadier (R) Asad Munir (Former Station Chief ISI, Peshawar), Colonel (R) Bashir Wali (Former Station Chief ISI, Peshawar), Major (R) Mohammad Aamir (Former Station Chief ISI, Islamabad) with host Salim Safi. ‘Jirga’ will go on air tonight at 7 pm. Geo glimpses Thursday, March 03, 2011 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=34105&Cat=2&dt=3/3/2011


ISI and US CIA : Adversary or Allies (Jirga 3rd March 2011)

 
ISI and US CIA : Adversary or Allies (Jirga 3rd... by SalimJanMazari

Swat Taliban welcome Osama bin Laden 2009-04-21 00:00:00 http://www.dawn.com/news/955474/swat-taliban-welcome-osama-bin-laden‘Swat Taliban to welcome Osama’ Wednesday, April 22, 2009 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=21662&Cat=13&dt=4/22/2009

Afghan Jihad & Emergence of Transnational Networks by CRSS Afghan Jihad & Emergence of Transnational Networks by CRSS





2003: A new book, “Charlie Wilson’s War” by George Crile on the life and good times of a former US congressman is a frank pastiche of a lawmaker who helped Pakistan’s military ruler Gen. Ziaul Haq in procuring American money and weapons for the “holy war” against the Soviet Union in the 1980s. From humble beginnings in Lufkin, Texas, Congressman Charlie Wilson became an Israeli lobbyist and beneficiary of largesse bestowed upon him by the Jewish lobby in the United States and went on to become Ziaul Haq’s personal friend and confidant as they plotted to drive the Soviets out of Afghanistan at times using Israeli supplied arms. Charlie Wilson still works as a lobbyist for Pakistan on Capitol Hill and he was spotted at every reception that former Pakistani ambassador Maleeha Lodhi hosted. Wilson, an avowed anti-Communist and anti-Indian, sat on the powerful US House Appropriations Committee. He managed to procure millions of dollars for America’s largest covert operation ever. He has been investigated several times by the FBI for using covert money to support his lifestyle. Wilson reveals in the book that he was introduced to Gen Ziaul Haq by the Houston socialite Joanne Herring who was appointed honorary Pakistani consul-general by the then ambassador of Pakistan, soon to become foreign minister, Sahibzada Yaqub Ali Khan, when Mr Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was prime minister. Joanne Herring, described as the “Texas Bombshell” in addition to her role as “a social lioness and hostess to the powerful”, was credited with “setting in motion a process that would profoundly impact the outcome of the Afghan war”. “In the pivotal years of the Jihad, she (Herring) became both matchmaker and muse to Pakistan’s Muslim fundamentalist military dictator Ziaul Haq as well as scandal prone Charlie Wilson,” writes Crile. “Herring set the stage. She had called Zia from Houston on his private line and told him not to be put off by Wilson’s flamboyant appearance and not to pay attention to any stories of decadence that his diplomats might relate. She was adamant he win over US Congressman from Texas: he could become Pakistan’s most important ally.” Crile quotes Wilson in the book as saying that “Zia would leave cabinet meetings just to take Joanne’s calls”. When Zia made his maiden visit to the United States during the Reagan administration, he was much reviled by most Americans having hung Mr Bhutto. Ms Herring hosted a most lavish dinner for Zia at a Houston hotel where she defended Zia’s hanging of Bhutto, saying “Zia did not hang Bhutto. He was found guilty. President Zia did not commute the sentence because the Pakistani constitution based on the Quran did not allow it”. At that dinner, Crile writes, “Zia had dangerous decisions to make in the coming months about the CIA’s involvement in his inflamed North-West Frontier, and all of them centred on whether he could trust the United States. Joanne’s startling toast was strangely therapeutic for the much-maligned leader, who remembered how quickly Jimmy Carter had turned on him. In Houston that night, Joanne Herring saw to it that a host of powerful Americans actually honoured him. And that same night, Charlie Wilson provided yet another dimension to Zia’s growing partnership with the United States when he took the general into a side room for a private talk. The congressman had a novel proposition for the Muslim dictator. Would Zia be willing to deal with the Israelis? “This was not the sort of proposal just anyone could have made. But by now, the Pakistanis believed that Charlie Wilson had been decisive in getting them the disputed F-16 radar systems. As he saw it, Wilson had pulled off the impossible. Now the congressman, in his tuxedo, began to take Zia into the forbidden world where the Israelis were prepared to make deals no one need hear about.
REFERENCE: Charlie Wilson’s war by Masood Haider DAWN - Features; July 23, 2003 http://www.dawn.com/news/1064817  Pakistan got Israeli weapons during Afghan war http://archives.dailytimes.com.pk/main/20-Jul-2003/pakistan-got-israeli-weapons-during-afghan-war

Declassified - The Taliban (Documentary)
Declassified - The Taliban (Documentary) by SalimJanMazari


 “He told Zia about his experience the previous year when the Israelis had shown him the vast stores of Soviet weapons they had captured from the PLO in Lebanon. The weapons were perfect for the mujahideen, he told Zia. If Wilson could persuade the CIA to buy them, would Zia have any problems passing them on to the Afghans? “Zia, ever the pragmatist, smiled on the proposal, adding, ‘Just don’t put any Stars of David on the boxes.” With that encouragement, Wilson pushed on. “Pakistan did not have diplomatic relations with Israel, and Wilson certainly had no authority to serve as a quasi secretary of state. In fact, with this kind of talk, the congressman was walking dangerously close to violating the Logan Act, which prohibits anyone other than the (US) president or his representatives from conducting foreign policy. But as the two rejoined Joanne’s party, Zia left the congressman with an understanding that he was authorized to begin secret negotiations to open back channels between Islamabad and Jerusalem. Wilson would leave for Israel in March and travel on to Pakistan to brief Zia immediately afterward. Crile says that the CIA man in Islamabad, Howard Hart, when asked years later, if he knew about Wilson’s efforts to bring the Israelis into the Afghan war, dismissed the story out of hand, insisting that the Pakistanis would never have permitted it. “I would have burst into hysterical laughter and locked myself in the bathroom before proposing such a thing,” he said. “It was bad enough for Zia to be dealing with the Americans, even secretly. But the Israelis were so beyond the pale that it would have been impossible. You have to understand that the Pakistanis were counting on maintaining the image of holding the high moral ground — of a religious brother helping a religious brother. It is beyond comprehension to have tried to bring the Israelis into it.” “Yet right under Hart’s nose,” Crile writes, “Wilson had proposed just such an arrangement, and Zia and his high command had signed on to implement it. Seven years later, Hart still knew nothing about it.” Charlie Wilson’s strategy called for introducing a new weapon into the battle every three months or so, in order to bluff the Red Army into thinking their enemy was better armed and supported than it was, “The Spanish mortar, for example, with its satellite-guided charge, was rarely deployed and may only have succeeded because the Pakistani ISI advisers were along to direct the fire. But the Soviets didn’t know that. When the weapon was first used it wiped out an entire Spetsnaz outpost with a volley of perfect strikes.” But ultimately it was the Reagan administration’s decision to covertly supply the mujahideen with Stinger missiles which changed the course of war. President Zia, Wilson is quoted as saying in the book, was unwilling to deploy Stingers in the war fearing that the Soviets would react harshly. As it is at Leonid Brezhnev’s funeral Soviet leader, Yuri Andropov, had threatened “to destroy Zia if he didn’t cut off the Afghan bandits.” In his bid to persuade Zia to allow mujahideen to deploy Stingers, Wilson says that he told the general “that he should consider an important benefit beyond weapon’s battlefield value to mujahideen. The Stinger, he told Zia would become symbol of the special relationship that had been forged between United States and Pakistan.” Crile says Wilson’s importance to Zia and Pakistan went beyond money. “Every year the appropriations sub-committee members fought a battle royal over charges that Pakistan was actively pursuing an Islamic Bomb. And every year Wilson, sometimes single-handedly, beat back those accusations. The fact is, Pakistan was working on the bomb, as Wilson, the CIA and almost everyone knew. Furthermore it was not about to stop. The one thing all serious Pakistani politicians agreed on was the need for a nuclear deterrent. It was the only way, they believed, they could survive against militarily superior India, which had already overrun the country in three previous wars.” Thus, Crile says, “Zia knew that as long as Pakistan was backing the mujahideen, Charlie Wilson would be with them, whether they had the bomb or not.” Hence the crucial decision to deploy the Stingers was made by Zia. REFERENCE: Charlie Wilson’s war by Masood Haider DAWN - Features; July 23, 2003 http://www.dawn.com/news/1064817  Pakistan got Israeli weapons during Afghan war http://archives.dailytimes.com.pk/main/20-Jul-2003/pakistan-got-israeli-weapons-during-afghan-war


Dawn News on Operation Midnight Jackal (2009)

 
Dawn News on Operation Midnight Jackal (2009) by SalimJanMazari



2009:  Return of the `Midnight Jackal`? ISLAMABAD, April 7 Major Amir, who allegedly conspired and collaborated with others to topple the first Benazir Bhutto government, is said to have developed close relations with the Pakistan People`s Party top leadership. Party sources told Dawn that Major Amir, a former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) operative, had held a few meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari. However, what was discussed in the meetings remains unclear. The sources said that Major Amir was part of the president`s entourage that accompanied him on his visit to Saudi Arabia in November 2008. They added that some PPP leaders were quite surprised to see him around. Major Amir confirmed the recent thaw in relationship between himself and the PPP top leadership. “Let it be no surprise that I have had a cordial relationship with the PPP leadership for the past few years,” he asserted. Asked what he discussed during his meetings with the president, he said, obliquely, that they had exchanged views on the issues of mutual interest. However, the presidential spokesman, Farhatullah Babar, denied reports of meetings between Major Amir and President Zardari. “I have never seen Major Amir in the Presidency during my stay. Moreover, I have not seen his name in any of the scheduled meetings of the president,” he said. But Mr Babar could not explain why Major Amir had been included in President Zardari`s entourage to Saudi Arabia. Major Amir and Brigadier Imtiaz were the two main characters of “Operation Midnight Jackal” that was reportedly launched to topple the first Benazir Bhutto government in 1989. The ISI had reportedly launched the operation to make Pakistan People`s Party MNAs support a no-confidence motion against their own prime minister. According to the then director-general of the Intelligence Bureau, Masood Sharif Khattak, Major Amir and Brigadier Imtiaz were caught on video and audiotapes influencing some PPP parliamentarians. But in an earlier interview with DawnNews, Major Amir and Brig Imtiaz had contradicted the reports of their involvement in the conspiracy. Major Amir claimed he was acting on the specific directives of the then ISI director-general, Shamsur Rehman Kallue, who was an appointee of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. He claimed that he was acting to identify the black sheep within the ranks of the PPP. He offered the same version of events to the board in the GHQ which heard his case during court martial proceedings. The former ISI operative conceded that he kept a watchful eye on the treasury MNAs who were expected to support the no-confidence motion against the then prime minister, Benazir Bhutto. Sources said Major Amir would never have been able to find a place close to Benazir Bhutto. They added that some close aides of President Zardari helped Major Amir make his acquaintance. The former ISI operative used to be a special adviser to former NWFP chief minister Sardar Mehtab Abbasi, a close aide of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. By then, Major Amir was said to be in the good books of the PML-N top leader. But this is not what the PML-N spokesman thought. “He was just an adviser to Sardar Mehtab. But he did not have any close contact with Mian Nawaz Sharif,” PML-N spokesman Siddiqul Farooq claimed. A political pundit, who has access to some important drawing rooms in Islamabad, did not rule out the possibility of the former ISI operative being given an important political assignment to deal with right-wing media or fundos or both. Return of the `Midnight Jackal`? 2009-04-08 00:00:00 by Shahzad Raza http://www.dawn.com/news/849385/return-of-the-midnight-jackal