THE OTHER COLUMN: Up shitcreek —Ejaz Haider
Apropos the faith -reviving video from Swat: let me congratulate, not necessarily in the same order, various people — Mr Imran Khan, the Jama’at-e Islami leadership, Lt-Gen Hameed Napoleon Gul, the ANP government in the NWFP, the majority of Urdu-language columnists, some English ones who write poetic prose, and yes, tv anchors and my fellow Pakistanis.Finally, we have something to emulate, straight from the pure times of the rightly-guided caliphs. Islam, ladies and gentlemen, is here. General Zia’s dream has been fulfilled. Allah be praised.Since yesterday I have this strange sensation coursing through my veins, the feeling one gets after reading about the brave Muslims of yore in a Naseem Hijazi novel. I can’t forget the sight of three specimens of Islam’s purity, two of them pinning down a fallen young woman and one flogging her backside for having allegedly committed zina while the girl, may she be damned, cried and repented.This is Islamic justice at its most effective. It is simple, straight, speedy, effective, earthy and devoid of the meanderings and trappings of modern existence, historical accretions and bid’a-infested innovations. That’s the stuff the satanic West is made of.Okay, sure. I am bullshitting. But really? How far from the truth am I? Let me recount.Columnist upon columnist has been writing about the brave Taliban in Afghanistan; how Taliban rule had recreated khilafat-e rashida; how there was peace in that country; how everyone was secure and so on.Mr Khan has been hell-bent on reversing all his great contributions to this country, both as a scintillating cricketer and a remarkable philanthropist, by misguiding this nation on issues of politics and inter-state relations — about which his knowledge rivals only that of a kindergarten student. He has been talking incessantly about ghairat, how this is not our war and how our sovereignty is under attack from outside etc etc.The Napoleon, Lt-Gen Gul — or shall I say Hans Guderian, since Gen Gul is an armoured corps officer and not a gunner — has been mouthing his conceptions of grand strategies even as he carries the weight on his shoulders of the shameful defeat in Jalababad, a veritable fiasco.The religious parties, especially JI, have been fudging issues and telling lies about everything under the sun.C’mon folks. Go back and focus on the discourse in this country. From news anchors and tv hosts to columnists and experts and politicians. Revisit the days of the extraction operation against Lal Masjid and how we dealt with that. Recall how we have done everything possible to pull down the state in our enthusiasm to voice dissent on the basis of democracy which, incidentally, will be the first concept to lick the dust when the warriors come knocking on the doors.I had a hard time deciding how to deal with this issue of the flogging of a girl in Swat: express my deep resentment at the obscenity I saw or congratulate fellow Pakistanis for having successfully brought the state to this. Listen carefully to what people say on tv; deconstruct the discourse; discover the lies; the dissembling; the fudging and you would know why the flogging happened in Swat.I carried an article some weeks ago in these pages by Nasir Abbas Mirza (“How we lost Swat”, Daily Times, March 9). Go and reread it to see how and why Swat has been lost and how and why we are likely to lose the rest of Pakistan. I see outrage now. Why? Was everyone sleeping?The Urdu-language tv channels, for the most part, should be ashamed of the role they have played in giving airtime to the likes of Mr Khan, our various Napoleons and moronic politicians; for asking leading questions; for allowing them the opportunity to mouth crap; for supporting extremists in the name of jihad; for giving these thugs an aura of respectability and acceptability.So what the hell are we shocked about? Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. It’s as simple as that. We are still unclear and confused about the threat. Every outrage begets a standard response: “Muslims can’t do this; this is a conspiracy”. In which case, we deserve what happened in Swat; in fact, far from expressing any outrage, we should celebrate the incident.The truth, however, is that Muslims can do this and more. They are doing it and will continue to do it. Listen to Haji Muslim Khan on tv channels. What kind of system and society would have him, with his pathetic knowledge of almost everything, including Islam for which he supposedly stands up, as a public figure?Listen to his fudging and his threats. Listen to what ANP minister Zahid Khan had to say about this being the tip of the iceberg. The question is not about when this incident was filmed but the fact that it did happen; also, that the Taliban, according to their admission, have been giving these punishments and will continue to do so since this is what shariat calls for.Well, how about telling them to stuff it; that we do not accept such barbaric and medieval practices in today’s world; that Pakistani society is sophisticated enough to reject, in categorical terms, the obscenity the Taliban stand for.Are we prepared to do it; or will we remain confused about the nature, direction and extent of this threat?Finally, hello Pakistan Army. Are you guys there? I remember the in-camera briefing given to a select group of analysts back in November 2007. We were told that come March 2008, Swat would be reclaimed. Whatever the hell happened to that? Would someone tell me?But before I sign off, let me make a confession. Insert in all spaces whatever expletives you can think of because they are all there. That’s the kind of column I wanted to write. Who gives a f*** about niceties, intellectual and of other varieties, in the face of an existential threat that a collection of people has brought upon itself simply because they have some morbid notion of religion coursing through the body politic. I don’t.So, fellow Pakistanis, here you are: up shitcreek without a paddle. Enjoy!
(Daily Times)
Apropos the faith -reviving video from Swat: let me congratulate, not necessarily in the same order, various people — Mr Imran Khan, the Jama’at-e Islami leadership, Lt-Gen Hameed Napoleon Gul, the ANP government in the NWFP, the majority of Urdu-language columnists, some English ones who write poetic prose, and yes, tv anchors and my fellow Pakistanis.Finally, we have something to emulate, straight from the pure times of the rightly-guided caliphs. Islam, ladies and gentlemen, is here. General Zia’s dream has been fulfilled. Allah be praised.Since yesterday I have this strange sensation coursing through my veins, the feeling one gets after reading about the brave Muslims of yore in a Naseem Hijazi novel. I can’t forget the sight of three specimens of Islam’s purity, two of them pinning down a fallen young woman and one flogging her backside for having allegedly committed zina while the girl, may she be damned, cried and repented.This is Islamic justice at its most effective. It is simple, straight, speedy, effective, earthy and devoid of the meanderings and trappings of modern existence, historical accretions and bid’a-infested innovations. That’s the stuff the satanic West is made of.Okay, sure. I am bullshitting. But really? How far from the truth am I? Let me recount.Columnist upon columnist has been writing about the brave Taliban in Afghanistan; how Taliban rule had recreated khilafat-e rashida; how there was peace in that country; how everyone was secure and so on.Mr Khan has been hell-bent on reversing all his great contributions to this country, both as a scintillating cricketer and a remarkable philanthropist, by misguiding this nation on issues of politics and inter-state relations — about which his knowledge rivals only that of a kindergarten student. He has been talking incessantly about ghairat, how this is not our war and how our sovereignty is under attack from outside etc etc.The Napoleon, Lt-Gen Gul — or shall I say Hans Guderian, since Gen Gul is an armoured corps officer and not a gunner — has been mouthing his conceptions of grand strategies even as he carries the weight on his shoulders of the shameful defeat in Jalababad, a veritable fiasco.The religious parties, especially JI, have been fudging issues and telling lies about everything under the sun.C’mon folks. Go back and focus on the discourse in this country. From news anchors and tv hosts to columnists and experts and politicians. Revisit the days of the extraction operation against Lal Masjid and how we dealt with that. Recall how we have done everything possible to pull down the state in our enthusiasm to voice dissent on the basis of democracy which, incidentally, will be the first concept to lick the dust when the warriors come knocking on the doors.I had a hard time deciding how to deal with this issue of the flogging of a girl in Swat: express my deep resentment at the obscenity I saw or congratulate fellow Pakistanis for having successfully brought the state to this. Listen carefully to what people say on tv; deconstruct the discourse; discover the lies; the dissembling; the fudging and you would know why the flogging happened in Swat.I carried an article some weeks ago in these pages by Nasir Abbas Mirza (“How we lost Swat”, Daily Times, March 9). Go and reread it to see how and why Swat has been lost and how and why we are likely to lose the rest of Pakistan. I see outrage now. Why? Was everyone sleeping?The Urdu-language tv channels, for the most part, should be ashamed of the role they have played in giving airtime to the likes of Mr Khan, our various Napoleons and moronic politicians; for asking leading questions; for allowing them the opportunity to mouth crap; for supporting extremists in the name of jihad; for giving these thugs an aura of respectability and acceptability.So what the hell are we shocked about? Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. It’s as simple as that. We are still unclear and confused about the threat. Every outrage begets a standard response: “Muslims can’t do this; this is a conspiracy”. In which case, we deserve what happened in Swat; in fact, far from expressing any outrage, we should celebrate the incident.The truth, however, is that Muslims can do this and more. They are doing it and will continue to do it. Listen to Haji Muslim Khan on tv channels. What kind of system and society would have him, with his pathetic knowledge of almost everything, including Islam for which he supposedly stands up, as a public figure?Listen to his fudging and his threats. Listen to what ANP minister Zahid Khan had to say about this being the tip of the iceberg. The question is not about when this incident was filmed but the fact that it did happen; also, that the Taliban, according to their admission, have been giving these punishments and will continue to do so since this is what shariat calls for.Well, how about telling them to stuff it; that we do not accept such barbaric and medieval practices in today’s world; that Pakistani society is sophisticated enough to reject, in categorical terms, the obscenity the Taliban stand for.Are we prepared to do it; or will we remain confused about the nature, direction and extent of this threat?Finally, hello Pakistan Army. Are you guys there? I remember the in-camera briefing given to a select group of analysts back in November 2007. We were told that come March 2008, Swat would be reclaimed. Whatever the hell happened to that? Would someone tell me?But before I sign off, let me make a confession. Insert in all spaces whatever expletives you can think of because they are all there. That’s the kind of column I wanted to write. Who gives a f*** about niceties, intellectual and of other varieties, in the face of an existential threat that a collection of people has brought upon itself simply because they have some morbid notion of religion coursing through the body politic. I don’t.So, fellow Pakistanis, here you are: up shitcreek without a paddle. Enjoy!
(Daily Times)
15 comments:
Ansar Abbasi strikes again:
Swat girl denies flogging by Taliban By Rahimullah Yusufzai Monday, April 06, 2009
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=21357
==============================================
Rahimullah Yusufzai say that flogging didn't take place but read the heading of another news report from the same newspaper, this news like Mr Ansar Abbasi is itself confusing, headline say it happened, text say id is fake, CM Says it happened in the past.
Zardari to sign deal despite flogging: Hoti By Ansar Abbasi Monday, April 06, 2009
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=21362
ISLAMABAD: NWFP Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti says there may be a delay but no deadlock on the issue of President Asif Zardari signing the Nizam Adl law in Swat.
When asked on Sunday whether the case of Swat flogging derail the process and whether President Zardari would now give his mandatory sanction for the enforcement of Niazme Adal, he said, “There are delays but there would not be a deadlock.”
But the chief minister insisted the video clip shown on various TV channels, showing a young girl being lashed, is fake, has nothing to do with Swat and is a conspiracy to sabotage the peace process there.
Talking to The News from Peshawar, Hoti said it seems to be a conspiracy to derail the Swat peace process. Admitting the video has caused a setback to the Swat peace process, Amir Haider Khan Hoti expressed his optimism that things would proceed smoothly as soon as the dust caused by the fake video settles down.
Hoti disclosed he has already directed his chief secretary to apprise the Supreme Court about the facts of the case as the apex court would hear the case on Monday. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had taken suo motu notice of the video clips shown by television channels, and directed the provincial authorities to bring the girl before the court. A large bench of the apex court to be headed by the chief justice himself was also constituted to hear the case.The NWFP chief minister smelled a rat over the timing of the release of the video and argued, “The timing says it all and proves that some forces were bent upon derailing the Swat peace process.”
But he was determined to pursuing the peace agreement that his government had struck with Maulana Sufi Muhammad on January 26. When asked about the inquiry conducted by the provincial administration to ascertain facts as shown in the video clip, Hoti categorically said, “Our probe clearly shows that the incident as shown in the video clip has nothing to do with Swat.”
He revealed the provincial government would apprise the apex court that in the past Swat had perhaps witnessed much gory scenes, including butchering and slaughtering of human beings and there were also a few incidents of women flogging in the past but what was shown to have happened in Swat on the television screens all over the world was simply untrue.
He also pointed out the thing that needs to be noticed is that despite being flogged 35 lashes, the supposedly 17-year-old girl immediately stood up and easily went into a house without showing any sign of pain.
Living in a self denial
Read another article of the same News International after the text below:
During July 2000 General Musharraf [Imran Khan supported that Grunt Musharraf in his Sham Referendum] was the biggest Taliban Supporter before 911 and Musharraf also denied. Reporter below is Pakistani and another Intellectual Pervert and Dishonest who now supports Talibans
everybodys favourite Tariq Ali
The Pakistan Maelstrom By Tariq Ali October 10, 2001
http://www.counterpunch.org/tariq6.html
Relations between Pakistan and the Taliban leadership have been tense this year. Last year, in an effort to cement Pak-Afghan friendship, Pakistan dispatched a football team to play a friendly against Afghanistan. As the two teams faced each other in the stadium at Kabul with the referee about to blow the opening whistle, bearded security forces entered and announced that the Pakistani footballers were indecently attired. They were wearing normal football shorts, whereas the Afghans were dressed in surreal long shorts which came down well below the knees. Perhaps it was felt that the rippling thighs of the Pakistanis might cause upheavals in the all-male audience. Who knows? The Pakistani players were arrested, their heads were shaved and they were all flogged in public while the stadium audience was forced to chant verses from the Koran. This was Mullah Omar's friendly warning shot to the Pakistani military to assert the independence of his leadership
and his loyalty to Bin Laden.
No complaints -- Pak soccer body KAMAL SIDDIQI
http://www.indianexpress.com/ie/daily/20000719/isp19064.html
Taliban raided the third match between the players from Pakistan and their Afghan competitors in the religious capital of Afghanistan, Kandahar, and accused the Pakistani players of ``spreading obscenity and inciting passions'' by wearing shorts.The Taliban had earlier decreed that men could wear only shalwars (baggy trousers) when playing football. The game, which has a passionate following in Afghanistan, was reluctantly allowed by the Taliban, alongwith male wrestling, after most sport activities were banned for being a waste of time. Abdul Qayuum, captain of the young Afghan Club, Chaman (Pakistan) told a Pakistani newspaper said the players were released on Sunday last and were deported to Pakistan.The Pakistani players who escaped sought refuge in the local Pakistani consulate. But the Pakistan Football Federation said that it would not condemn the incident since the punishment was ``not that severe'' and that the match was not an official
engagement between the two countries.
Same newspaper:
On Friday a video aired about the Taliban “administering justice” to a 17-year-old girl accused of having illicit relations with a man. One man held her face down and held her arms, while the other flogged her buttocks with a stick. So, it’s not okay for women to be touched by male doctors, or male companions, but male executioners can hold hands and slap bottoms in front of milling crowds? The Taliban, it seems, have a thing for kink.
Apparently, one of the Taliban spokesmen said the girl had received a “lenient” sentence. Last time I checked, it took two, at least, to have illicit relations. If the girl’s sentence was lenient, one has to wonder what must have happened to the poor boy! Oh, wait – there is no boy in the video. Apparently, only girls must be punished for their libido. Boys, after all, become men when they can “tap that.” Take that for a specimen of modern thinking that gangs from Brooklyn can be proud of. Needless to say, unless one is a glutton for punishment – one should not ask for “leniency” from the Taliban.
The enemy within Sameer Khosa Monday, April 06, 2009
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=170982
Bajaur women barred from acquiring NICs By our correspondent
Monday, April 06, 2009
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=21365
KHAR: The outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Bajaur Agency has barred women from acquiring computerised national identity cards (CNICs) and receiving financial assistance under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) as, according to them, it was against Islamic teachings.
This was declared by Maulvi Faqir Muhammad, chief of Bajaur chapter of the outlawed TTP, in his address through his illegal FM radio channel late Sunday night. He warned the women of the agency of dire consequences for acquisition of CNICs and receiving monetary assistance under the BISP.
Maulvi Faqir told the people to stop their women from going to the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) office as women mixed with men there. He also termed the financial assistance under the Benazir Income Support Programme against the Shariah and told the people not to receive the assistance.
Editorial of any newspaper is the best criteria to learn about the stand and policy of newspaper. Following is the News International's Editorial [I wonder what Ansar Abbasi has to say because he has that Islamic Itch]. Or was it just convenient to exploit Islam's Holy Name to gain some cheap political point at the cost of polluting the atmosphere. ANP is considered Left Wing Political Party and before this Alleged Incident of Flogging in Swat the mouthpiece of Jamat-e-Islami i.e. Jasarat [earlier published very explicit photos of Irman Khan in late 90s and now Imran is Jasarat's Hero] was quoting everything bad about ANP but suddenly after the alleged incident of Swat these Rascals of Jamat-e-Islami suddenly become fans of Bacha Khan [the same Jasarat during the Martial Law of General Zia (Maternal Son-In-Law of Mian Tufai - Former Ameer of JI) used to term Khan Abdul Ghaffar - A Gandhi of NWFP]. What a tragedy for these Islamists like Ansar Abbasi....
Before this incident the Minallah family was the Knight in the shining Armour even for Islamic Perverts like JI but suddenly for the JI this very family has become the family of Lucifer.
Screams and silence Sunday, April 05, 2009
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=170874
The agonizing screams of the 17-year-old girl, whose public flogging in Swat was captured on video and played out before a shocked nation, still echoes through homes. This in itself is unusual in a country where reaction to almost any outrage is now virtually non-existent; we seem to live our lives in a kind of drugged stupor, almost oblivious to what goes on around us. Perhaps this is the only way to survive in so brutalized a society. The initial attempt by the NWFP government to downplay the incident and then to term it a conspiracy is a symptom of this malaise. We would pretend we simply do not see things rather than attempt to address them. It is for this reason that those who killed a widowed school teacher for refusing to give up work or flogged at least 25 other people in Swat have never been punished.
The SC's suo motu notice of the incident and its call to the victim to appear before it is of course welcome. The CJ is clearly determined to keep up his tradition of seeking out the most vulnerable and doing what he can to ease their suffering.
But is this enough? The answer is an unequivocal 'no' – of course it is not enough. When women were buried alive in Balochistan our government appointed a man who defended that act of barbarity as a minister; when another woman was thrown, quite literally, to dogs in Sindh we seem to have witnessed a cover-up of events. And now that an act of extraordinary evil has been played out on television screens we hear nothing but silence from official quarters.
It is all very well for people to act; as we have seen before the atrocious act of brutality will be protested by activists. But is this enough? The fact is that we need the state to move in as a player. To do what it is intended to in regulating the lives of people. The fact that a teenager was beaten to near death in the streets of Swat while bearded men pinned her to the ground demonstrates that the so called 'Nizam-e-Adl' enforced in the province means nothing at all. What kind of justice would allow people – in this case let us not forget a mere child – to be treated in this fashion? It is shameful that the provincial government made an effort to deny an outrage had even been committed; that it has entered into deals with extremists who openly defended the flogging on the grounds that the girl had acted immorally.
This silence is all the more appalling given that the ANP was elected on a manifesto in which it emphasized its opposition to extremism, maintained it stood for secular liberal values and was determined to defend the rights of people who had suffered long and very badly under the militants. Instead, it has completely betrayed these people – opting instead to stand by maddened, blood-thirsty militants who have the audacity to defend what happened and justify the terrible punishment meted out. There is now no doubt at all that the party of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan is dead; so too is the party of Zulfikar Bhutto. Instead we are ruled by fumbling idiots who clearly do not have the backbone to take a stand against the militants and rescue us from the depravity into which we have been plunged.
There is still time for the government – in the province and in the centre -- to act. It must take a stand against militants; it must end the acts of insanity we see in the streets and it must demonstrate a real commitment to rescuing people from the reign of these men who have unleashed their wrath on innocent people. We wait to see if they will act. If they cannot, or are unwilling to, do so, the only honourable path left open is for the ANP government in the Frontier to step down. If people cannot be saved from extremists, if young girls are to be beaten nearly to death on roads while people look helplessly on, we can say safely that we have bid farewell to civilization. Only a government willing to make an attempt to restore it has any right to run affairs – otherwise it can have no justification for remaining in office as barbarians operate freely across the province and subject its people to their crazed notion of what religion is all about.
Ansar Abbasi filed a news quoting Hoti the CM of NWFP he belongs to ANP and Ansar Abbasi's wish is to somehow deny the flogging but the same Mullah type Journalist particularly the Rascal Jamat-e-Islami had in the past had raised hell against the same ANP which is being praised by Jamat-e-Islami nowadays in Jasarat. The case was a killing of one Saima Sarwar and ANP Senator , Ilyas Bilour was involved in that Honour Killing, now read the details:
Honour Killings of Women Seeking Divorce
Several women who have sought divorce through the courts have been injured, killed or never been heard of again. Seeking divorce gives a strong signal of public defiance which calls for punitive action against such women to restore male honour within the traditional honour scheme.
One of the most recent honour killings of a woman seeking divorce occurred in the afternoon of 6 April 1999, when 29-year-old Samia Sarwar, a mother of two young sons, was shot dead in her lawyer's office in Lahore. Her lawyer Hina Jilani was also threatened but not injured. A para-legal trainer, Shahtaj Qisalbash was abducted by the killers but eventually released.
The apparent reason for the killing, threats and abduction was that Samia Sarwar's family felt their honour defiled by her disobedience to their wishes and her persisting in seeking a divorce from her abusive husband. They had allowed Samia to return home and had accepted the incompatibility of the spouses, but would not allow her to divorce. The case shows that some prosperous city dwellers -- Samia's father is a prominent business man, her mother a doctor while Samia studied law, her sister medicine -- follow the same traditional norms of what constitutes shameful behaviour in a woman and advocate the same punishments as rural populations.
Samia Sarwar was married to her cousin in 1989 in Peshawar, North West Frontier Province (NWFP). In the 10 years of her marriage, Samia was subjected to high levels of domestic violence, beating, kicking and other physical abuse which she was not willing to bear. In April 1995, she returned to her family home after her husband had thrown her down the stairs of their home when she was pregnant with their second child. When she expressed her intention of seeking a divorce, both her parents refused to help and instead allegedly threatened to kill her. Her mother and her husband's mother are sisters and it was considered shameful for the family that the marriage had broken down. Hina Jilani, Samia's lawyer said after her death: "On the two or three occasions that I met her personally to discuss her case, she repeatedly expressed the fear of death at the hands of her family. ... She seemed well-educated. However, I had the impression that she lacked
confidence. I was surprised that a timid woman like her had resolved to take on the enmity of her family by resorting to legal action for divorce which, according to her, the family was opposed to even after five years of separation from her husband. ... Samia was a frightened, unhappy woman who felt very alone in a predicament that she couldn't deal with confidently. "
Grasping the opportunity of her parents' absence from Peshawar during their pilgrimage to Mecca, Samia fled to Lahore on 26 March 1999 and sought help in the law firm AGHS33 and refuge in the AGHS-run shelter Dastak. Acutely aware of her family's threats to her life, Samia refused to see male relatives but agreed to meet her mother who was to hand over papers needed for the divorce settlement.
On 6 April, Samia Sarwar consulted lawyer Hina Jilani in her office when her mother arrived, accompanied by Samia's uncle, Yunus Sarwar and Habibur Rehman, a driver employed in the NWFP Directorate of Education in Peshawar. When Hina Jilani told the men to leave the room, Samia's mother declared that she could not walk and needed her driver's assistance. Habibur Rehman then pulled out a gun and shot at Samia's head; she died instantly. He also fired at Hina Jilani who narrowly escaped injury. In the ensuing confusion, the driver threatened a security guard and was shot dead. Meanwhile Yunus Sarwar who had waited in the antechamber, took hold of AGHS paralegal coordinator Shahtaj Qisalbash and, using her as a shield, escaped with Samia's mother. According to Shahtaj Qisalbash's account, they drove to a local hotel where Samia's father awaited them, asking if "the job was done". They released her soon afterwards.
The fact that the killing was carried out in the lawyer's office during a busy afternoon, in the presence of well-known Supreme Court lawyer Hina Jilani suggests that the perpetrators were convinced they were doing the right thing, were not afraid of publicity as they could count on widespread support and not inclined to hide their identity. They were possibly convinced that the state would not take measures to hold them to account. They were right. Despite a First Information Report (FIR, the complaint registered with police obliging them to investigate the alleged offence) filed on the same day, nominating Samia's father, mother and uncle for murder, to date no one has been arrested. Low ranking police officers were on 20 April sent to Peshawar with arrest warrants, but were "shooed away"as a human rights activist put it. On 29 April, the accused obtained bail. In the first week of May, Hina Jilani petitioned the Lahore High Court against police
failure to investigate and to submit their investigation report; an interim report was subsequently submitted. At a second hearing, on 15 June, a written note of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) explained the delay saying that the case was complicated and that a second FIR had been registered (see below).
Newspapers reported that the public response to the killing of Samia Sarwar in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) overwhelmingly sided with the murderers. Many Pashtun commentators argued that since it was in accordance with tradition it could not be a crime. Some argued, however, that the parents should have obtained a jirga verdict before undertaking the honour killing to lend it legitimacy.34 A similar attitude was also manifest in the Senate of Pakistan. When opposition Pakistan People's Party Senator Iqbal Haider presented a resolution condemning the killing of Samia Sarwar, Senator Ilyas Bilour referring to Asma Jahangir and Hina Jilani said: "We have fought for human rights and civil liberties all our lives but wonder what sort of human rights are being claimed by these girls in jeans." Other senators shouted abuse and threats against the two women lawyers. An amended resolution was being debated in the Senate in July and rejected on 2
August.35
The Sarhad Chamber of Commerce of which Samia's father is president and several religious organizations on 8 and 9 April demanded that Hina Jilani and Asma Jahangir be dealt with in accordance with "tribal and Islamic law" and be arrested for "misleading women in Pakistan and contributing to the country's bad image abroad". Several people belonging to religious organizations issued fatwas [religious edicts] against both women and promised to pay rewards to anyone who would kill them. In late April 1999, Asma Jahangir lodged a First Information Report with police against 16 people, including prominent businessmen in Peshawar, for issuing death threats against her and her sister. She also called on the government to set up a judicial inquiry headed by a Supreme Court judge to investigate almost 300 cases of honour killings reported last year in Pakistan. No action is known to have been taken on either issue.
On 11 May, Ghulam Sarwar Mohmand filed a complaint with Peshawar police accusing Hina Jilani, Asma Jahangir and two others with abducting and murdering his daughter. The accused obtained bail before arrest and on 15 June the Peshawar High Court admitted their petition to quash the case and ordered police not to take any adverse action on the basis of the later complaint. The case is pending.
References
1 - An acronym composed of the first letters of the first names of the four women lawyers who founded it; they include Hina Jilani and her sister Asma Jahangir, the current UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Arbitrary and Summary Executions and then chairperson of the non-governmental HRCP.
2 - M. Ziauddin, "The legitimacy of honour killings", in: Dawn, 8 May 1999.
3 - Farzana Bari, representing 15 human rights groups commented: "It is highly unfortunate that the so-called custodians of the constitutional rights of the citizens are violating the constitution by upholding and reinforcing archaic tribal value systems, chauvinism, fanaticism and political expediency." Financial Times, 5 August 1999.
Did Ansar Abbasi check before filing the
Zardari to sign deal despite flogging: Hoti By Ansar Abbasi Monday, April 06, 2009 that the Video was distributed by the sister of Mr Ather Minallah. Why didn't Ansar Abbasi file a news report on Ms. Samar Minallah? Why this double standard, read the news on Ansar Abbasi from the same newspaper where he works [The News International/Jang] and read it is same crowd who circulated the video of Flogging with whom Ansar Abbasi was very chummy. Protestors are very those people who were with Ansar Abbasi in his time of distress. Ansar Abbasi never flinched to file reports on honour killing but now he is asking twenty questions giving the references of Quran and Hadith. Stop using Religion for petty politics.
Journalists protest threats to Ansar Abbasi Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Our correspondent Islamabad
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=156056
The protests against the vilification campaign and death threats to the Editor Investigations The News continued in the New Year as well, as the journalist community also backed their profession fellow by protesting in front of the Press Club.
Dozens of common people also gathered in front of Geo building to show solidarity with Ansar Abbasi.
A sit-in led by President Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalist (RIUJ) Afzal Butt was staged to condemn death threats to a senior journalist because of his daring reports against the government allies and top judicial officer-bearer of the country. The RIUJ president said the threats to Ansar Abbasi were in fact threats given to the whole journalist community. “We all stand by Ansar Abbasi and urge the government to take serious notice of the threats,” Butt said.
Earlier, the Executive Committee of RIUJ also unanimously passed a resolution condemning the death threats to Ansar Abbasi.
Meanwhile, the civil society, traders and common citizens, who have been protesting in the twin cities and Murree to show solidarity with Ansar Abbasi, once again staged a protest demo in front of the Geo TV Building.
The participants of the Monday’s sit-in were holding placards favouring the daring journalist of Jang Group. Arshad Abbasi, Jamil Abbasi, Aziz Satti, Sawar Satti, Ather Minallah, Tahira Abdullah and Jahangir Akhtar were prominent among the participants.
Addressing the participants, Arshad Abbasi paid rich tributes o the editor investigations, The News, and said media was not a governing authority anywhere in the world but it was the duty of media to highlight the malpractices, and this was what Ansar Abbasi was doing.
He said Pakistanis were proud of Ansar Abbasi because of his daring reports.
Ather Minallah said the current government was a continuation of Musharraf regime and media was not let to perform its duties freely. He said it was unfortunate that the poor people of Pakistan were being suppressed at the hands of elites, but now it was the time to change. He said the inhabitants of the capital would not tolerate any harassment of Ansar Abbasi and would tackle every attack directed towards him.
Tahira Abdullah said Ansar Abbasi was a representative of 160 million Pakistanis. She said the whole credit goes to Ansar and the Jang Group for practicing daring and upright journalism.
Speakers were of the view that media in Pakistan was the only tool which exposes the wrongdoings of the politicians and top officials, and it was not let to work. They said the whole nation was behind the Jang Group and its daring journalist Ansar Abbasi because of practicing transparent and factual journalism.
Using comment I written in Teeth's blog.
Video is fake. Shariah doesn't allow flogging of married women, it allows stoning after four witnesses who haven't lied in their life testify as they have seen the incident in detail. Also woman cannot be touched by person who she can marry(Na-mehrum). Making video is also prohibited. All evidence is against this video being legitimate.
I looked at the this and other Pakistani blogs with hope of change in investigative journalism. I think Mr. Teeth is more on the media bandwagon than on uncovering truth.
Western world is afraid of Shariah and use propaganda such as this to defame Shariah.
Suppose this Shariah of Deviant Deobandis is up to the mark and women as per them should remain inside their houses. On one hand they demand this that only women Doctors would be allowed to treat women in NWFP's Islamic Shariah Prone Area whereas they fail to explain that if they wouldn't allow their girls to go to school to become a doctor then how would it be possible for their daughters and sisters to become a Doctor for their own 'Islamic Shariah Prone Area". There are so many complicated Female Medical problems which cannot be treated without consulting a proper Doctor and in the case of NWFP's Islamic Shariah Prone Area' Lady Doctors. Nurse-Midwives in our Rural Areas lack latest training in view of rising pregnancy complications in view on unheigenic living conditions and I wonder if these Rascal Deobandis even know about Medical Complications. They are opening doors for Quacks and Exorcist in this day and age. I hope they dont start doing what
their great Deobandi Spiritual Godfathers used to do in such situations of Medical Complications [I hope Ansar Abbasi is reading this instead of cashing the miseries of the people of Islamic Shariah Prone Areas of NWFP]. I hope he should explain the following in the light of Qurand and Hadith which he earlier exploited in the name of Islamic Punishments.
See and read yourself as to how Sufi Muhammad will solve Women's Medical Complications in the absence of Lady Doctors. I wonder if Mr Ansar Abbasi and that newly elected Ameer of Jamat-e-Islami Munawar Hasan is even aware of these complication or even aware of Pregnancy related deaths in NWFP.
It is mentioned in Aamaal-e-Qur'aani, p. 134 by Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi [published by Jasim Book Depot, Urdu Bazaar, Jama Masjid, Delhi] that if a woman has excessive menstrual bleeding, the verse (Surah Al-'Imran: 3:144) should be written on three different pieces of paper, one tied on her right and the other on her left and the third piece of paper with the Qur'ânic verse to be hung below the naval. This verse of the Qur'aan, "Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) is no more than a Messenger, and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels (as disbelievers)? And he who turns back on his
heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah, and Allah will give reward to those who are grateful." [Surah Al-'Imran: 3:144]
When Shah Waliullah was in his mother’s womb, she said a prayer. Two tiny hands (too) appeared for prayer. She was frightened. Her husband said, "You have Qutubul-Aqtab (Wali of Walis) in your womb (Hikayat-e-Awlia, p. 17 Ashraf Ali Thanwi) What a break-through!
The prophet laid the foundation of Darul-Uloom, Deoband, India (in the 19th century) He comes to check accounts of the school. He has learnt the Urdu language. (Mubasshirat-e-Darul Uloom, and Deoband Number of the Darul-Uloom)
Risala Tazkara of Darul-uloom Deoband of 1965 claims: Anyone suffering from malaria who took dust from the grave of “Maulana” Yaqoob Nanotwi and tied this dust to his body, found instant relief.
Take the right arm of a goat after Friday prayers. Be completely naked. Write Sura Yasin and the name of the person you want, then put the meat in the cooking pot. That person will fall in love with you. (Monthly "Khalid" Deoband Darul Uloom)
If you want to kill your enemy write A to T on a piece of bread. Recite Surah "RA'AD.” Break the bread into five pieces and feed them to five dogs. Say to dogs, 'Eat the flesh of my enemy'. By the will of Allaah your enemy will have huge boils on his body. (Darul uloom Deoband "Khalid")
Say "Fazabooha" before you cut a melon, or any thing else (for that matter), you will find it sweet. (Aamale-Qurani, Ashraf Ali Thanwi)
Recite the verse "When the heaven will split.” Write it (on a piece of paper) and tie to the left thigh of any woman in labor, child birth will become easy. Cut the hair of that woman and burn them between her thighs, childbirth will be easier still. (Aamal-e-Qurani, Ashraf Ali Thanwi)
During labor pains let the woman hold Mawatta Imam Malik for instant delivery. (Aamal-e-Qurani, Ashraf Ali Thanwi)
See what “Hakeemul Ummat” Thanwi says! Keep reciting "Al Mughni" during sex and the woman will love you. (same book, Ashraf Ali Thanwi)
In my humble view Problem with activist type of Muslim is this that they think that Islam exist in punishment whereas punishments are just a minor part of Islam to maintain order in society. Mullahs’ are possessed by the Genie of Piety - Yaani in Maulviyon par Taqway ka Bhoot Sawar Hai. Similarly veil and beard etc.etc in Islam but Islami is not just the name of Punishments, Beards, Veil, and Mullahs having Bad Breath but a way of life which in my humble opinion can only be spread in society gradually and systematically to create an environment for a healthy, clean and pious society.
Ansari Abbasi and DUNYA NEWS CHANNEL
Read, what is being said about Ansar Abbasi by a Judge and this was also said on Dunya News Channel.
CJ IHC strongly refutes all allegations against himself
http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=143513
ISLAMABAD: The CJ of IHC (Islamabad High Court), Muhammad Bilal Khan has strongly refuted all allegations against himself regarding having any connections with notorious criminal Nannu Gawaria.
In a letter dispatched to the SJC (Supreme Judicial Council), the CJ, IHC has taken notice of certain allegations leveled against his person by secretary SJC, on 28th March 2008, as made public through newspapers and videotapes, terming the move as an endeavor to malign his career and reputation, alongwith move against Supreme Judiciary. He has alleged that, since he was a member of the Lahore High Court Bench, which had declared Mian Nawaz Sharif as disqualified, his brother Mian Shahbaz Sharif had used derogatory remarks against him (Justice Bilal Khan) in public gatherings and TV channel interviews.
Mian Nawaz Sharif had even gone to the extent of expressing his desire of " thrashing me (Justice Bilal Khan) in the Arabian Sea" he contended, adding that CPO Gujranwala Zulfiqar Cheema was bent on proving his die-hard loyalties to Mian Nawaz Sharif for the sake of his police career. In his 16-point letter, the CJ, IHC has also accused journalist Ansar Abbassi of mud slinging and stern remarks against Supreme Judiciary, citing his earlier derogatory and highly inflammatory report against former CJ, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in 2007, which perpetuated the reference against CJ (Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry). Again it was Ansar Abbasi, who launched media campaign against the outgoing Chief Justice of Pakistan, Abdul Hameed Dogar, he added. He further said that it was yet again none else than Ansar Abbasi, who tried to malign Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan, Justice Fakir Muhammad Khokhar, Justice Shakir Ullah Jan and Justice Tassadaq Hussain Jilani,
accusing them of being involved in the so-called plot scandal.
This accusation was false, and no action was taken against them. It may be recalled that when the appointment of Justice of Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan as Chief Justice of Pakistan was being talked about, Ansar Abbasi published a write up aimed at raising a controversy about the judge. He said that it is in the same vein that when his predecessor was due to superannuate on 8th of March 2009 and his (Bilal Khan’s) name was being considered as his successor, Ansar Abbasi’s devil instinct once again precipitated. "There is not even an iota of truth in what has been written by Ansar Abbasi, he said, adding that "the material provided to me is deficient in many ways i.e it does not indicate as to when was this person (Faiz Rasool alias Nannu Goraya) present in Dubai, and to which night club I had accompanied them and to which hotel I was taken for the "purpose". He said that during his last visit to Dubai, his wife and daughter-in-law accompanied him and
throughout they stayed together.
"It is so interesting that Zulfiqar Cheema used his imagination regarding purchase of a diamond necklace for the marriage of my daughter, although she got married in January 2007 and by the grace of God was blessed with a son in December 2007. "Zulfiqar Cheema even went to the extent of illegally detaining father of Ashfaq Bajwa, who was in such adverse circumstances, approached through Syed Ali Mohsin Naqvi, SP (CIA) to make a statement regarding my alleged links with Nannu Goraya" he said. It was on account of this foreknowledge that the Chief Justice, Lahore High Court, did not deem it appropriate to take any further steps in the matter on the press clippings.
It goes without saying that in the entire fake story was cooked up by Zulfiqar Cheema, and the only legal document in the field is the statement of Ashfaq Bajwa made before a Court of law, in the face of which penal action merits to be taken against Zulfiqar Cheema and other concerned police officials. A bare look at the video footage, worthless as it is, leaves no room for doubt that it has been extracted under extreme pressure, influence and indubitably in a state of total disorientation. He said that the video footage is of no consequence as there is no mechanism to satisfy a judicial mind that the voice recorded is that of the so-called Nanu Goraya nor it is ascertainable that the person shown to have been making the statement was, in fact, the person named Nannu Goraya. A 13-member Bench of the Apex Court had expressed as recently as in the year 2007, it scorn, displeasure and disdain for such like material.
The advocate-on-Record attempting to produce such material was not only reprimanded and burdened with fine of Rs. One lac but also had his license suspended. He said that Zulfiqar Cheema was a crafty Police officials, who had also failed to disclose the name of "Sitting MPA (PPP) from Gujranwala city who had allegedly laid information before him and had also withheld the names of the so called dozens of other well informed persons including some journalists. He said that he must state with conviction and faith as a Muslim that the allegations against him were totally false and intended to damage his personal reputation and standing as a judge. "Speaking for myself, if these allegations had an air of truth, I would loath to hang on to the office that I hold, "he held.
IHC CJ replies to SJC dispatch Tuesday, April 07, 2009 By our correspondent
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=21373
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice M Bilal Khan Monday submitted his reply to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to the allegations levelled against his alleged links with the underworld mafia.
In his eight-page reply, he confirmed that the SJC secretary had sent him press clippings along with audio and video CDs of the allegations levelled against him. He said the publications were false and a crude and abhorrent attempt to malign him and scandalise the superior judiciary at a time when he was being considered for appointment as IHC chief justice.
He said the backdrop of events in which the publications came into being had to be kept in view, as he was the member of the Lahore High Court (LHC) bench which had disqualified Sharif brothers from electoral politics on June 23, 2008.
Just after the decision, he said, the Sharif brothers made speeches against him at public gatherings as well as on the television channels in which they maligned him. On different occasions, he said, Nawaz Sharif said that he would throw Justice Bilal in the ocean, whereas Shahbaz Sharif hurled abuses at him (Bilal) during his public meetings in Gujranwala and also in TV interviews.
He said Zulfiqar Cheema played the role of henchman of Sharif brothers who would go any length to please his bosses and as a reward he was given the coveted assignment of Regional Police Officer (RPO) and City Police Officer of Gujranwala simultaneously although he was not qualified to hold the office of RPO under Police Order 2002.
He said he was heading a full bench of the LHC on the issue of law and order situation, which had held that many police officers including Zulfiqar Cheema had been posted in the Punjab province to the positions for which they did not qualify.
He said the allegations levelled against him by Mr Cheema that he had links with underworld mafia and was protecting them were highly malicious and a bundle of lie. Justice Bilal also termed all the news published and screened by media against him as baseless and malicious.
The third in line, Justice Bilal said, is journalist Ansar Abbasi, who has always spat venom against the superior judiciary and got away with it. It seems he is thriving professionally on this modus operandi, he said and added that it was this Ansar Abbasi, who initiated the vilification campaign against the Chief Justice of Pakistan in 2007 and his utterances in the media ultimately metamorphosed into a scandalous reference and got away with it.
He further said that the audio CD provided to him comprising three telephonic conversations of Ansar abbasi, i.e. with the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court and one with his wife is shocking to say the least.
“I am afraid that this journalist has the cheek to violate the privacy of the Chief Justice of LHC as also of his home”, Justice Bilal said, adding that this indeed is a flagrant violation of his basic and fundamental rights as enshrined in the Constitution and also against all canons of journalistic ethics and decency. “I cannot adequately condemn this atrocious act”, he said.
He said the audio CD has been sent to the Supreme Judicial Council under orders of the Chief Justice it is therefore for his lordship now to take cognisance of this violation for appropriate action.
He further said that allegations against him are totally false and intended to damage his personal reputation and standing as a Judge. “Speaking for myself, if these allegations had an air of truth, I would loath to hang on the office that I hold”, Justice Bilal concluded.
It is pertinent to mention here that Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry took notice on two stories, which appeared in The News on February 10 and 11, wherein it was revealed that a sitting senior judge of the Lahore High Court (LHC) had links with the underworld.
It was revealed that the LHC chief justice has been formally informed by the Punjab police of extremely serious allegations made in his recorded statement against the judge by a notorious wanted don, Faiz Rasool alias Nanno Goraya, who was killed in a police encounter on Jan 17, 2009.
His death was celebrated by the people of Gujranwala, who showered flowers on the police for eliminating a hardened criminal.
According to the news report Goraya carried head money of Rs2 million and was arrested a few days ago when the Shahbaz Sharif government sent special police teams to the Gulf and later to Malaysia to nab him in collaboration with Interpol. He was arrested in Malaysia and brought back to Pakistan and then recorded his statements in which he implicated the LHC judge.
Later, when the don tried to escape from police custody an encounter ensued and he was shot dead, the report revealed. The report mentioned how the sitting judge of the LHC offered Goraya to quash all his cases in one go. But Goraya, who claimed he did not remember how many persons he had murdered, replied that he had to kill many more and would approach the judge only when he had killed all of them.
Gujranwala Regional Police Officer Zulfikar Cheema when contacted confirmed to this correspondent that Nanno Goraya’s statement regarding the sitting LHC judge was sent to the chief justice. Lahore High Court Chief Justice Sayed Zahid Hussain had described as ‘extremely serious’ the police report about a senior sitting LHC judge’s links with Nanno Goraya.
Ansar Abassi and his Taliban supporters should himself be flogged for justifying the atrocious treatment of this poor girl.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=109XWRm3-1o
What the devil! An apologist for sharia penning his comments as 'Anonymous' in the land of pure. Has the country turned on its head? What has he got to be afraid of?
And what a simplistic arguement?
"The video is doctored."
Has it ever struck this guy that the Talibs are all what they potray? Ignorant lumpen with nary an idea about anything remotely worthwhile that make up what is a normal human being. And he doesn't seem to be any different.
I have more these type of funny videos, who related to american sociaty, idian sociaty, russian sociaty. If i publish and say, that is his real face. Then can you beleive it......i know u don't beleive.....Then why you have bad thinking about our land after watching one fake video.
@ Zain Arif
To hell with Talibani Shariat !
To hell with the Shariat which allows beheadings of innocent people !
To hell with the Shariat which allows destructions of school !
To hell with the Shariat which allows suicide bombings in mosques, funeral prayers and in public places !
To hell with the Shariat which allows public flogging of women !
To hell with the Shariat which allows hypocrisy !
To hell with the Shariat which allows violence !
To hell with the Shariat which allows destruction of sufis' shrines !
Murdabad Talibans & their supporters!!!
&
Murdabad Talibani/Shaetani Shariat !!!
THESE CREATE THIS HYPE , WHICH WAS NOT TRUE, THEY COLLECTING FUNDS FROM RICH COUNTRIES,for the name of women right, they did not pay a single penny on the women , and spending there money on their luxuries , i think these people are defame our society & culture, they thinking are so poor, that they do not accept what islam offer a women, they say civilized society to only those where women are wear jeans and bikni, and this is his cutter communisim and the name of fail capaitalism
http://www.pakistantoday.tv/
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