Time for our Non-cooperation movement

Time for our Non-cooperation movement

In early twenties of the twentieth century when erstwhile hindustan was fighting for its independence from the British occupation two leaders were arrested in Punjab. People assembled at Jalianwalla Bagh to protest against their arrest on which Generel Dyer ordered his men in uniform to fire resulting in few hundred deaths. I am reminded of Hunter Committee which was constituted to probe into the issue, result, Hunter Committee cleared General Dyer and his men, reason, India was colony of British. Two young girls were raped and killed in Shopian. Two post mortems were conducted by the Government doctors in Srinagar who confirmed rape. All the family members of these two girls confirmed the same. Not only witnesses but even doctors came in open to vouch it.

Now Central Bereau of Investigation a premier investigating agency of independent India which was assigned a job to probe shopian rape and murder case reports that neither rape nor murder has taken place. Women are said to have died of drowning (in a waterless nallah), what a big joke. Isn’t it enough to prove that we are treated as a colony worst than what British treated Indians. As it was not enough the colonial bureau of investigation implicated not only lawyers and doctors but even to the meanest of all the family members of the victims, the thing which even british did not dare to do with indians. This shows how discriminatory and callous the attitude of Government of India is towards the people of Kashmir.

Why Police hesitated to lodge FIR if it was simple drowning case? Why DNA was fudged? Why the men from police tried to implicate some relatives of the victims in their murder? What benefit will a brother or a father or a husband get by publishing rape and murder of their beloved ones? Wherefrom the imaginary flood like situation arised in the nallah wherein both the girls are being told to have supposedly drowned when there was no such flood like situation? What about the doubts raised by Dr. Sudhir K. Gupta casting doubt about the integrity of AIIMS team and its report (Daily Hindustan Times, 16/12/2009).

It seems India is not worth talking for we people. Our leaders should quit this sham quite diplomacy. What is Government of India’s approach towards these talks? 8000 unnamed graves have come to surface in only three districts when quit diplomacy is under way. In place of vacating 1200 kanals of land at Tato Ground Batamaloo 2000 kanals are to be given back to security people while we are talking of quite diplomacy. Now we people who are the rape and murder victims have been implicated in the mid of quite talks. These quite talks should go as they carry no meaning to we people rather than giving legitimacy to the indian despotism here. There is no alternative left with us but to agitate in a peaceful manner. Leaders and people should get together to fight this colonial injustice and despotism. We cannot hope for any justice anymore from the colonial power. We have a history of sixty years, commissions made, inquiries done but never in the history anyone has been prosecuted. There are one lakh killings, thousands of custodial disappearances and killings besides rape, all along the perpatrators have been saved wilfully.

Now the time has come for our Non-cooperation movement to be given shape instantly demanding within a stipulated time frame for:

01. complete withdrawl of security forces from the disputed State of Jammu and Kashmir.
02. impartial investigation by independent international agencies in Shopian case or by High Court Bar Association Kashmir and Doctors Association of Kashmir.
03. Plebscite under UN auspices as provided under Security Council resolutions.

Leaders including both the Hurriyat’s and Majlis e Mashawarat have a role to lead the masses in this direction at this crucial juncture. Our media both print and audio visual too must show their sense of patriotism and counter the colonial media in exposing the truth. May Allah help us.

By Hamid Nilnagi

haamidi2003@yahoo.co.in

Let us give peace a chance

Three young boys namely Abdullah Ahmad Ali 28, Assad Sarwar 29 and Tanvir Hussain 28 all british muslims who were convicted few days before have now been awarded imprisonment for 40 years , 36 years and 32 years respectively. They have been alleged to have plotted to blow transatlantic passenger jets bound for North America using highly sophisticated liquid explosives. It is said that if this plot would have succeeded thousands of people would have been killed, as per the verbatim of the judge of the case, stand alongside the events of September 11, 2001, in history.

Most of times it is said that extremism is bred in those areas which are poverty ridden, education less, ill or un-governed states for which Afghanistan, Somalia and certain areas of Pakistan are given as an instance. This argument is mostly put forward by US and its western allies, often to justify their actions in all these aforementioned areas, However, it is not mostly true, it is not the people of these areas only which are instrumental in progression of hate against US and its allies. Many young people even from US, Canadian and other western nations have been seen fighting in Afghanistan against western forces few of whom were captured even. The point of stress is that extremism has little to do with poverty, illiteracy and ill /un-governed areas, contrary to this, the main sources of this hate are the people with good education, better economic conditions and the areas which are well governed. One big instance is of the people who were alleged to have been involved in September 11, 2001 incident and these young British boys too attest to this premise.

Mr. Barrack Obama had given a hope by a speech of reconciliation few months back in Cairo. There was optimism among the Muslim masses that there will be policy shift in US due to Mr. Obama good gestures. The root causes of the extremism will be addressed and world will move towards a better future. However, what appears as of now, no substantial policy shift is seen in Obama administration and at many fronts it seems they have marched over to Bush administration.

United States appear to have failed in dealing with Israel. Israel recently defied US by not accepting barrage upon construction of 455 housing compounds in western bank on the Palestinian land. Many experts believe that Israel can never defy US it is just a whitewash to befool world in general and Muslims in particular. US interventions have increased manifold under Obama rather than as it used to be in the time of Mr. Bush. Troops surge has been done in Afghanistan. Pakistan’s north-western tribal areas are receiving frequent drone attacks. Even US forces have recently killed one Mr. Salih in Somalia in a helicopter attack. Even it is reported that US has been supplying weapons to the warring factions in Somalia, the path which even Bush presidency did not tread.

Killing the opponents all over the Muslim world has not and will not help US and its allies to have more friends rather it is earning enemies. The un-denting relationship with Israel is one of the biggest sores and reason of hatred which Muslims bore against US. One will be living in a fool’s paradise to believe that the people will love those who actively support the illegal state which killed 1300 innocent people of Gaza which included hundreds of infants and women whose blood was seen sprinkling on the TV screens. Let US and its allies believe that cannot make any inroads into Muslims whether literate or illiterate, rich or poor etc until and unless Palestinian issue is not solved as per the wishes of Palestinian people in particular and Muslims in general. Further, there is a need of reconciliation in Afghanistan; you are nowhere even after eight years except common Afghan Muslims are dying. Come out of Iraq and let Iraqis decide their own future. Similarly there is no need to burn your fingers in Somalia again. Few years back when the same person who is President of Somalia whom US supports now was leading Islamic Courts. That time he was in better position to control all the groups who are fighting Government there, US opposed him. Iran and Syria need to be dealt with peace and parleys rather than viewing them through the goggles of Israel. Stop supporting despotic regimes in Muslim world. Lastly, help in solving the problem of Kashmir created by strong ally of US, i.e. England.

Come let us change this world from hatred to love but love can come only by visiting to root causes and by solving them. Muslims are humans like other humans believe me they have no horns on their heads. We hope, in future, no more guys like these young lovely guys turned extremists will have to face prosecution for 32 to 40 years, and will live their life to its fullest as all others live.

By Hamidnilnagi

Let us give peace a chance

Three young boys namely Abdullah Ahmad Ali 28, Assad Sarwar 29 and Tanvir Hussain 28 all british muslims who were convicted few days before have now been awarded imprisonment for 40 years , 36 years and 32 years respectively. They have been alleged to have plotted to blow transatlantic passenger jets bound for North America using highly sophisticated liquid explosives. It is said that if this plot would have succeeded thousands of people would have been killed, as per the verbatim of the judge of the case, stand alongside the events of September 11, 2001, in history.

Most of times it is said that extremism is bred in those areas which are poverty ridden, education less, ill or un-governed states for which Afghanistan, Somalia and certain areas of Pakistan are given as an instance. This argument is mostly put forward by US and its western allies, often to justify their actions in all these aforementioned areas, However, it is not mostly true, it is not the people of these areas only which are instrumental in progression of hate against US and its allies. Many young people even from US, Canadian and other western nations have been seen fighting in Afghanistan against western forces few of whom were captured even. The point of stress is that extremism has little to do with poverty, illiteracy and ill /un-governed areas, contrary to this, the main sources of this hate are the people with good education, better economic conditions and the areas which are well governed. One big instance is of the people who were alleged to have been involved in September 11, 2001 incident and these young British boys too attest to this premise.

Mr. Barrack Obama had given a hope by a speech of reconciliation few months back in Cairo. There was optimism among the Muslim masses that there will be policy shift in US due to Mr. Obama good gestures. The root causes of the extremism will be addressed and world will move towards a better future. However, what appears as of now, no substantial policy shift is seen in Obama administration and at many fronts it seems they have marched over to Bush administration.

United States appear to have failed in dealing with Israel. Israel recently defied US by not accepting barrage upon construction of 455 housing compounds in western bank on the Palestinian land. Many experts believe that Israel can never defy US it is just a whitewash to befool world in general and Muslims in particular. US interventions have increased manifold under Obama rather than as it used to be in the time of Mr. Bush. Troops surge has been done in Afghanistan. Pakistan’s north-western tribal areas are receiving frequent drone attacks. Even US forces have recently killed one Mr. Salih in Somalia in a helicopter attack. Even it is reported that US has been supplying weapons to the warring factions in Somalia, the path which even Bush presidency did not tread.

Killing the opponents all over the Muslim world has not and will not help US and its allies to have more friends rather it is earning enemies. The un-denting relationship with Israel is one of the biggest sores and reason of hatred which Muslims bore against US. One will be living in a fool’s paradise to believe that the people will love those who actively support the illegal state which killed 1300 innocent people of Gaza which included hundreds of infants and women whose blood was seen sprinkling on the TV screens. Let US and its allies believe that cannot make any inroads into Muslims whether literate or illiterate, rich or poor etc until and unless Palestinian issue is not solved as per the wishes of Palestinian people in particular and Muslims in general. Further, there is a need of reconciliation in Afghanistan; you are nowhere even after eight years except common Afghan Muslims are dying. Come out of Iraq and let Iraqis decide their own future. Similarly there is no need to burn your fingers in Somalia again. Few years back when the same person who is President of Somalia whom US supports now was leading Islamic Courts. That time he was in better position to control all the groups who are fighting Government there, US opposed him. Iran and Syria need to be dealt with peace and parleys rather than viewing them through the goggles of Israel. Stop supporting despotic regimes in Muslim world. Lastly, help in solving the problem of Kashmir created by strong ally of US, i.e. England.

Come let us change this world from hatred to love but love can come only by visiting to root causes and by solving them. Muslims are humans like other humans believe me they have no horns on their heads. We hope, in future, no more guys like these young lovely guys turned extremists will have to face prosecution for 32 to 40 years, and will live their life to its fullest as all others live.

Character certificate from Police for admission in Madrasah

Character certificate from Police for admission in Madarasah

On 07/09/2009 edition of daily Greater Kashmir there was an advertisement published by one of the city Madrasah inviting students for admission in the institution for religious studies. The Madrasah had published its affiliation with one of the leading Darul Aloom of India . There is all good in the advertisement but while specifying the conditions of eligibility it has said that the students should have police character certificate for the purpose of admission. It is worthwhile to mention that till now this certificate was sought in Jammu and Kashmir at the time of appointment in Government Service, Passport etc. It is impossible for a person to get appointed in Government service or receive Passport with clearance from the Police in shape of a certificate known here as Character Antecedent certificate. Now the Madrasah seeking such certificate from the students here means that if not denying the admission to the poor hapless children of Jammu and Kashmir but have definitely put into a difficult task of obtaining this certificate who for all these years have been rendered bad charactered in Police records due to political reasons. This is a well known fact that right from 1947, the people who did not subscribe to the official interpretation of the Kashmir issue are booked by the police and security agencies. This process gained momentum after the alliance of Muslim Mutahida Mahaz was made to lose elections which most of analysts here believe were won by them. Right from 1989 after this manipulated election and the commencement of armed struggle against Indian rule, the process of arrests and illegal confinement by the state police reached to the highest pedestal. At one time it is believed that it touching one lakh people from all ages were in jails. State jails got so much overfilled with detainees that arrested people were shifted to Jails outside Valley in Jammu and other Indian States . Some of the infamous jails which most of the people here remember tip of tongue are Kotbalwal, Hiranagar, Samba, Kathua, Central jail all in Jammu , Sangrur in Punjab, Tihar in Delhi , Rajashtan etc etc.

In these two decades it will not be an exaggeration to state there will be no family whose atleast one member living in the Greater Valley of Kashmir (including erstwhile Doda, Rajouri and Poonch) who would have not faced detention by the security agencies. Only those who were outside Valley (many of them too were arrested) or the near and dear ones of the people who were close to the establishment escaped from the detentions. Thus by this measure the whole lot of a crore people are without any character, i.e., they will not have Character Certificate from the security agencies for either of being themselves detained or any of their close relatives. Time and again we listen someone has not been issued Passport because one of his relative has been rendered Characterless by the Police or eligible candidates were denied employment by the Government agencies on this account. It may be pertinent to mention that not all people arrested here were militants, most of them used to be common people and some at the most who believed in Kashmir being disputed territory. There are thousands of instances to quote, I personally remember a person totally innocent and having nothing to do with politics who lived in my immediate neighbourhood in early nineties was arrested and was made to confess to be an Area Commander besides being Pak trained. Another neighbour of mine being a specialist doctor in his own field was got arrested by his foe by the security forces for a mere service benefit and still after so many years his pension case is unsettled.

The process to receive this Character Antecedent Certificate is itself too complex and cumbersome at times people give up the hope of getting it at all. The papers related to this character antecedent certificate had to go through tens of offices and number of departments including Police, CID etc. It takes months together to get this precious certificate of character from the authorities.

Irony of the fact is that people charged with heinous crimes of murder, sexual exploitation and corruption are sitting in the power corridors and the common people most of them innocent and some them for their political views are made to suffer. Limit is that they cannot seek employment in their own homeland and if they would like to leave the State for earning bread and butter they are denied Passport. It seems to be deliberate attempt to impoverish the common Kashmir Muslim. One fails to understand the policy of the Government the big baboos against whom cases of heinous crimes are lying with the Police and whose character antecedents are worst are allowed to sit in the highest offices. Even the big leaders who openly denounce Government’s position on Kashmir are given Passports, their kiths and kins appointed in Government services and donot face any problem. However, common man here is made to suffer. If detention by the Police / Security forces makes a man with bad character antecedents then a question arises what about the founder of the dynasty who is ruling us this time. I think a time has come to raise this issue strongly through whichever it is possible and people at the helm affairs should wave off this certificate so that people could not subjected to perpetual punishment as it is an established law that for one crime done (if ever done) there should one punishment only.

Coming back to the Madrasah, I think, these were the institutions where our childrens particularly from downtrodden families used to go for getting acquaintance with Islam besides having their bellies filled without having any prior Character Certificate from the Police, now if the Maulana Sahib wants us to first visit Police everyone one knows what will be fate of these children. I would like to request the Maulana Sahib to take back this condition of eligibility so that we could take benefits of the institution which has been affiliated with a prestigious Islamic Institute of India with a reminder that Prophet (SAW) did not stop to convey Islam to even Abu Jahl, the worst enemy of Islam and the most un-charactered man on this earth. Molvi Sahib we who seek admission are only those who love Islam.

On 07/09/2009 edition of daily Greater Kashmir there was an advertisement published by one of the city Madrasah inviting students for admission in the institution for religious studies. The Madrasah had published its affiliation with one of the leading Darul Aloom of India . There is all good in the advertisement but while specifying the conditions of eligibility it has said that the students should have police character certificate for the purpose of admission. It is worthwhile to mention that till now this certificate was sought in Jammu and Kashmir at the time of appointment in Government Service, Passport etc. It is impossible for a person to get appointed in Government service or receive Passport with clearance from the Police in shape of a certificate known here as Character Antecedent certificate. Now the Madrasah seeking such certificate from the students here means that if not denying the admission to the poor hapless children of Jammu and Kashmir but have definitely put into a difficult task of obtaining this certificate who for all these years have been rendered bad charactered in Police records due to political reasons. This is a well known fact that right from 1947, the people who did not subscribe to the official interpretation of the Kashmir issue are booked by the police and security agencies. This process gained momentum after the alliance of Muslim Mutahida Mahaz was made to lose elections which most of analysts here believe were won by them. Right from 1989 after this manipulated election and the commencement of armed struggle against Indian rule, the process of arrests and illegal confinement by the state police reached to the highest pedestal. At one time it is believed that it touching one lakh people from all ages were in jails. State jails got so much overfilled with detainees that arrested people were shifted to Jails outside Valley in Jammu and other Indian States . Some of the infamous jails which most of the people here remember tip of tongue are Kotbalwal, Hiranagar, Samba, Kathua, Central jail all in Jammu , Sangrur in Punjab, Tihar in Delhi , Rajashtan etc etc.

In these two decades it will not be an exaggeration to state there will be no family whose atleast one member living in the Greater Valley of Kashmir (including erstwhile Doda, Rajouri and Poonch) who would have not faced detention by the security agencies. Only those who were outside Valley (many of them too were arrested) or the near and dear ones of the people who were close to the establishment escaped from the detentions. Thus by this measure the whole lot of a crore people are without any character, i.e., they will not have Character Certificate from the security agencies for either of being themselves detained or any of their close relatives. Time and again we listen someone has not been issued Passport because one of his relative has been rendered Characterless by the Police or eligible candidates were denied employment by the Government agencies on this account. It may be pertinent to mention that not all people arrested here were militants, most of them used to be common people and some at the most who believed in Kashmir being disputed territory. There are thousands of instances to quote, I personally remember a person totally innocent and having nothing to do with politics who lived in my immediate neighbourhood in early nineties was arrested and was made to confess to be an Area Commander besides being Pak trained. Another neighbour of mine being a specialist doctor in his own field was got arrested by his foe by the security forces for a mere service benefit and still after so many years his pension case is unsettled.

The process to receive this Character Antecedent Certificate is itself too complex and cumbersome at times people give up the hope of getting it at all. The papers related to this character antecedent certificate had to go through tens of offices and number of departments including Police, CID etc. It takes months together to get this precious certificate of character from the authorities.

Irony of the fact is that people charged with heinous crimes of murder, sexual exploitation and corruption are sitting in the power corridors and the common people most of them innocent and some them for their political views are made to suffer. Limit is that they cannot seek employment in their own homeland and if they would like to leave the State for earning bread and butter they are denied Passport. It seems to be deliberate attempt to impoverish the common Kashmir Muslim. One fails to understand the policy of the Government the big baboos against whom cases of heinous crimes are lying with the Police and whose character antecedents are worst are allowed to sit in the highest offices. Even the big leaders who openly denounce Government’s position on Kashmir are given Passports, their kiths and kins appointed in Government services and donot face any problem. However, common man here is made to suffer. If detention by the Police / Security forces makes a man with bad character antecedents then a question arises what about the founder of the dynasty who is ruling us this time. I think a time has come to raise this issue strongly through whichever it is possible and people at the helm affairs should wave off this certificate so that people could not subjected to perpetual punishment as it is an established law that for one crime done (if ever done) there should one punishment only.

Coming back to the Madrasah, I think, these were the institutions where our childrens particularly from downtrodden families used to go for getting acquaintance with Islam besides having their bellies filled without having any prior Character Certificate from the Police, now if the Maulana Sahib wants us to first visit Police everyone one knows what will be fate of these children. I would like to request the Maulana Sahib to take back this condition of eligibility so that we could take benefits of the institution which has been affiliated with a prestigious Islamic Institute of India with a reminder that Prophet (SAW) did not stop to convey Islam to even Abu Jahl, the worst enemy of Islam and the most un-charactered man on this earth. Molvi Sahib we who seek admission are only those who love Islam.

Agriculture sector and its role in nation building

Most of the people in our State are aspiring for lasting solution of this killing dispute between the two south asian nuclear powers. Yes, there are people who claim to be nationalists seek independent Kashmir whileas there are others mostly with Islamic ideological background tend to align with Pakistan. It is now for last more than 60 years that the people of Jammu and Kashmir State have been fighting for self-determination using all methods including non-violence and jihad but till date due to adamant nature of Indian Government, erratic leaders and our follies nothing has happened. Many people who oppose independent Kashmir idea other than on religious or security aspects oppose it on the ground that it cannot sustain because of non-availability of resources. Similarly while aligning with Pakistan in a position that we are, will put this country's economy on a more downward trend.

Jammu and Kashmir has mostly an agrarian economy except a few industrial houses in Jammu city. In recent reports published by the state government it appears that growth in Agricultural sector has been stagnant for last so many years even when there is substantial growth in horticulture and related segments. It is implied that this is because of low / stagnant growth in main agriculture sector that is putting the growth of whole Agriculture sector on downward trend. There is no need to be statistician; even a common eye can attest that how brutally the agricultural land particularly under paddy / wheat has been misused for construction of houses and shopping complexes. If we are going to travel from Srinagar on any of the routes whether it is national highway going to Islamabad, Srinagar - Budgam, Srinagar - Char Sharief, Srinagar - Bandipora, Srinagar - Baramulla route etc whichever side we visit, we will see that those fields which were mostly seen golden this time with blooming paddy crop are replaced by houses, shops, business establishments etc. Similar situation can be seen when we travel on inter district routes. I have learnt from my mother that a time was there when scented rice called mushke budug in local parlance was cooked in marriage parties and normally in well to do families, is almost obsolete now, a time seems to come when the kashmiri species of rice will find their way in red book. Despite laws there providing for non utilization of agricultural land for other purposes no one is bothered to think.

Let us move to other side i.e. livestock like buffaloes, cows, goats, sheep etc. Buffalo nowadays can only be seen in some areas of Jammu, in Kashmir Buffalo seems to be non-existent. In most of the villages, families have abandoned raring cows, sheep, goats etc. Most of the villages which used to be self-sufficient in milk and its related products are now purchasing milk from milk vendors who mostly manufacture it from the milk powder procured from outside state. May God wish the figures of Pulwama district given by the government be true, but what is seen in villages doesn’t match with the figures.

I still remember in young old days we used to have reddish white shelled kashmiri eggs but now you cannot find a single egg not to speak of beautiful kashir kukar (kashmiri hen).

There has been good progress in the horticulture and vegetables sector but mostly at the cost of paddy land. However, everything is not good in these sectors too, there are no cold storage facilities available which doesn’t allow the growers to store the fruit for longer time so that they could be sold at a better rate. Further lot of wastage takes place besides there is no proper system of grading and packing which fetches 1/3rd or even lower the price it could fetch in the market. Vegetables too mostly rot because of non-availability of cold storage facilities. Leaving aside the Government figures, at ground the production of nuts and almonds is also seen to be dwindling.

Successive governments are believed to be responsible for this destruction of our strong agricultural economy but as most of the governments are rootless and mostly installed ones therefore it is natural that they will not have the necessary will. However, we people seem to be more responsible for this mayhem which has brought this sector to the position that it is said if Jawahar tunnel is closed the whole Valley will come to halt and people will die of hunger. We are responsible for the misuse of agricultural land, idleness, fraudy showbiz etc. We need to act more responsibly. The people in our villages and outskirts of cities and towns need to understand that coming under service sector alone cannot help us alone. Even in developed countries which are not only industrialized but also digitized such things never happen because even then human need food to live on. US is believed to be the biggest producers of potato, wheat etc. Australian economy depends to the big extent on its sheep. Similarly, Denmark for its food particularly diary products. Villagers should revert back to farming so that there is enough food available with them so that they had not to procure from outside. City people even can cultivate vegetables and rear poultry as they used to. There is no fun of keeping lawns wasting thousands of kanals of land sparing not a few marlas for kitchen garden, the trend which has now catched on in villages also. Our Agriculture, Animal and Sheep husbandry etc experts should come out to help the people in this endeavor. Our officials at the helm of affairs need to prevent misusing the agricultural land for other purposes. This sector needs our hardwork and will and doesnot need so much of investment as is needed for tapping our other resources like water resources, mineral etc. This acts of ours will help us in long way in our nation building and will make us self reliant.

We need to act and understand that great nations come into formation with the people who have will and power of nation building besides other virtues otherwise our aspiration of nation building and freedom will be just a mirage.

A humble request from a Kashmiri Musalman to Ms Nousheen Abass, columnist, DAWN.com

To

MS. Nosheen Abbass,
Columnist,
Dawn Newspaper.

I occassionally not regularly visit Dawn.com for news and analysis. Few days back, while checking out what is under Columnists tab, i had a chance to go through your writeup wherein you had laid stress upon the Civil Society with youth to come to secure Pakistan of all its evils extremism, terrorism etc etc. It is apparent that you are holding Late President General Zia-ul-Haq responsible for the every evil present this time in your Pakistan. There has been reference to Hudood ordinance, lashings, forcing women to wear headover on TV etc etc.

I am resident of Srinagar city in Indian administered Kashmir. I had a chance to have good reading of the Holy Quran and Sunnah. Believe me, i have been a student of Hindu Missionary School known as Dayanand Anglo Vedic School (English medium) and not a madrassah students and in Kashmir Gen. Zia never ruled. I wish to share few words with you. If we go through Surah Nur (lights) in Quran you will face a verse in Quran which ordains 100 lashes for an unmarried adulterous man or woman. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) practised stoning of married man or woman which has been reported in number of Hadiths, famous one which i too has read is of Haz. Magiz bin Malik (RA). Then there is a Quranic verse which ordains for Qisas and blood money which is in the 2nd surah of Quran i.e. Al Baqarah (Cow). Lastly, cutting of hand for theft is also ordained in Quran. These are the four Hadood ordained by Allah almighty in Quran and Prophet Mohammed (SAW) as per Hadith. Coming to wearing of headcover, there are two places in Holy Quran one in Surah Nur and other in Surah Ahazab besides there are numerous Hadith on this issue. Yes, there has been a difference of opinion over the interpretation whether the woman has to cover the whole head including face or face is excluded but there is no difference upon the issue that a woman has to cover her head. The practice of the Prophet's wives (RA) after these verses have been to cover themselves. Quite simply, Holy Quran and Hadith are explicit upon it.

I donot want to discuss here the benefits of these Hudood and Purdah as for a researcher there are thousands of books which delve deep on this issue. I just want to convey a faithful on the plank of faithfulness. Now, whether Late Zia implemented it or someone else doesnot matter, these Hadood are in the Book of Allah and Last Messenger's Hadith. Head cover of women too has its roots in Quran and Hadith. Now, i have a question for you, hope you will answer like a good human, do you oppose Hudood and other matters referred herein above in their essence which has its roots in Quran and Hadith or you just oppose Late Zia's way of imposing it?. I know there are many people who want to change Quran who (God forbid) donot find Quran relevant for present times, are you among them, as rightly said by Iqbal "Khud badalte nahin quran ko badal dalte hain". Or you are still in a belief of defeated / dead ideology of communists?

Ms. Nousheen if you are among who hate the implementor of these Quranic deeds, i personally donot have any problem because Islam doesnot bother whether you love or hate a person because human can err, but hating Quran or its injunction is matter of siren and when the words are posted out through a muslimah. However, if you have idea number two and three, then why donot you preach it openly and face the faithful in full light. I mean you should not be hypocrite. You should not try to kill men by putting dagger in their back. A hypocrite can never be anyone's friend and cannot be faithful to any cause, not to speak of bringing glory to Pakistan. Hope you will revisit your thoughts and see what you are writing. This is a request from a person who loves Islam and feels very much disturbed when a person who appears to profess the religion of intellect, peace and righteousness and opposes it. Moreso, when a person is from Pakistan the place which was created on the toil and blood of lacs of men and women who did not sacrifice for a secular nation they were living in but for an Ideal nation of Islam. In kashmir too these days, the small boys who laid down their lives, laid them not for independent secular kashmir or this time secular Pakistan but for the greater islamic Pakistan, as a Hadith of Prophet, says a martyr is the only one who gets killed while fighting to have kalima of Allah at the highest pedestal. Nationalism, valourism and tribalism has been denouced by Prophet and per this hadith whosoever lays down his life on these causes is not fighting in the path of Allah implying is not a martyr. It has becoming a practice everywhere the men of islam lay lives and hypocrites like so called secularists, nationalists, communists then take the benefit on their sacrifices. This seems to be trend now which is seen in Pakistan and believe me here in Kashmir some people want to take advantage of this.

Ms. Nousheen, i request you to read Quran and Hadith directly of your own and see you will find a light. Allah has given you capabilities and youthfulness which can be great help for you to earn rewards here and in hereafter. When i write to you, i remember, the man from my land and your father of nation Dr. Iqbal (RA), see when our ancestors were under slavehood in all the world how he gave them strength and courage to fight back, he used to weep nights while reading Quran and we oppose it unknowingly.This quran is same which carried hudood and purdah gave strength to the lacs of muslims to get up on the call of Iqbal (RA).

Come back to Quran and Prophet (saw) but if you donot, remember, you will never be successful to build Pakistan with ideas you mentioned in your write-up. It will always be corrupt, oppressive, racist, cateist, fuedalist etc etc. It is only selfless practice of Islam which demolishes all those elements which are this time killing Pakistan. I remember, few decades back there was a Prime Minister in Britain I think in early twentieth century who said you cannot bring Muslim into submission until Quran is in them. I think he was right, you have to kill every single muslim in the world only then the western / secular thoughts and ideas can be put into place and i know the day when it will happen will be doomsday when neither a secular not an Allah walla will subsist on the back of this earth.

Come our way, the way of, Prophet Mohammed (saw), Haz Khatija (RA), Haz Aisha (RA), all Prophets companions and present day Dr. Iqbal, Dr. Deedat, Dr. Jamal Badawi, Mr. Yosuf -ul-Islam, Ab. Rahman Gree, Madam Marium Jameela, Dr. Naik, your Dr. Israr, Sayeed Anwar and lately your Waqar bhai etc etc. I love to see Waqar supporting beard he looks so beautiful. May god bless them all. Nausheen they are not all mad, then turned from the way of darkness and came to the light of Islam. Come to the light which has been covered, in your case, by the prejudices (Nafs Amara).

Mr. Zauq Dehlvi said,

Bade Mouzi ko mara gar Nafse Amara ko mara,
Nehang o Isdah o Shaire Nar ko mara to kai mara.

Hope i have been polite all along, still if at any place in my email, i have written anything which is not on the plane of politness, i regret. Eagerly, looking for your reply.

Salam.

Brother in Islam
Hamid Nilnagi,

Afghan elections - peace only through reconciliation

Afghanistan is all set to have election on Thursday 20th of August 2009 amid rising tension and violence all over the country. This is second election since US and NATO toppled Taliban Government in 2001. Under 2001 Bonn agreement Afghan Presidential elections were to be held in the 2004 but were held in the middle of September 2005 in which the current incumbent Mr. Hamid Karzai was elected President overwhelmingly. This time Mr. Karzai has a tough time in the elections though observers consider him favourite with Mr. Abdullah Abdullah Ex-Foreign Minister of Afghanistan following him.

The things in Afghanistan have turned bad to worst rather than showing any improvement. The incidents of killings, sucide bombings, landmines are not now localized in the Kandhar area but the areas which were considered highly secure due to heavy deployment of foreign and afghan troops like Kabul have repeatedly been brought under suicide bombings. There was a myth that Mr. Karzai rule extends only upto Kabul but this myth too has been turned untrue due repeated attack of Taliban bombers last of which was few days on Nato headquarters which has shaken the security apparatus. The extent of violence has expanded even to the areas like Herat.

Mr. Karzai has failed to gain anything after being incharge for last more than eight years. Law and order situation is at the lowest level. Afghan civilians are dying in greater numbers in the violence committed by both Taliban and coalition forces. The casualities of foreign troops have also risen to the highest level with July 2009 taking the highest toll of all these years. Corruption is ruling the roost. The production level of drugs including heroine has reached all time high. The rule of Afghan Government is within the circumference of Kabul rest Khuda hafiz ho tera ghalib. No considerable achievement has been made on the development front. Unrest is growing among the Afghan people against foreign occupation due to excessive human rights violation which includes indiscrimate bombings on civilian targets including marriage parties and funerals. Besides, night searches, disrespectful frisking and other issues have badly marred the position of coalition forces and Afghan Government. There have been no fruitful efforts to end the political deadlock between Government, Coalition forces and Taliban. There were reports of meetings with the moderate elements of Taliban in Saudi Arabia which bore no fruits because those who are commanding and controlling the Taliban in the battle field were not invited. Though Mr. Obama, US President and Mr. Miliband, British Foreign Minister both have recently urged to talk with the moderate Taliban but nothing substantial appears on the ground. Gravest failure on the part of coalition forces has been that they have not been able to harm any top leader either of Al Qaeda or Taliban during this whole eight year bloody war. The latest operation of coalition troops in Taliban stronghold also seems to have gone into thin air. There are fears the elections seem to be more gruesome because Taliban have threatened to disrupt the elections and have warned more violence. They have urged Afghan people to boycott the elections.

Mr. Karzai had promised a lot in the previous elections and now too in a recent debate with his opponents he has promised to make coalition troops answerable to the Afghan Government. They will not be authorized to carry on any night searches and any operations carried out by them will have to have prior sanction of Afghan Government. He has also promised to reach out to Taliban to find a lasting peace in Afghanistan. This has to be seen whether the promises made by Mr. Karzai will be adhered to, whether he will be able to impress US and its allies on the mission to reconciliation and operativibility of forces has yet to be seen, if elected for a second term.

The people of Afghanistan are desperate for peace and in view of its history, wars have never been successful in Afghanistan, reconciliation seems to be the only way, out of this quagmire. There is a need to engage Taliban, not so called moderate fellows who have no say in the command and control mechanism of Taliban, Mr. Mullah Omar and Taliban Shoura (leadership council) needs to be reined in for talks. They being the natives of Afghanistan have a role and right to decide the future of Afghanistan. Hope Mr. Karzai and others contenders would have learnt lot of lessons from the past failure and whosoever is elected will chose the path of peace and reconciliation.

By Hamid Nilnagi