Forced Assertion or Transparent Conversion?

No scholar, no sect, no Islamic organization has ever advocated ‘forced conversions’ nor does any page in Islamic history allows such tactic that could have easily wiped out every non-Muslim in Subcontinent, Most of Europe, Africa, Middle East and Jerusalem during the time when reins of power were in Muslim hands; Since nothing of that sort happened is a clear evidence that this practice has never existed in Islam in fact Qur’an clearly states,

“La Ikaraha fi’deen” – There is no Compulsion in Deen.

In fact history does tell us about the benevolent conduct of Muslims with other faiths contrary to wrong assertions of forcing people into Islam.

It was shocking for me to learn that a ‘Hindu Girl’ had been forcefully converted to Islam after being kidnapped by Influential people in Mirpur Mathelo District of Sindh. There was a vortex of information on national and international media, flowing around unverified. Some were addressing their concerns over, “rising sense of insecurity” and some demanded “Suo Moto Action” from Supreme Court, resolution was moved in Sindh Assembly against forced conversions, tirade of this significant incident and more of such alleged ‘conversions’ ensued and gripped social networks, international media, human right activists and government quarters as well.  PPP’s MPA Pitanber Sawami, went to the extent of saying that Hindus in Pakistan should not be forced to wage a war against the state in a similar way to what Baluch Nationalists are doing.

There were protests registered by the Hindu-community against these alleged post-marriage ‘forced-conversions’ and even Human Rights Commission (HRCP) jumped in condemning the incident seeking a judicial probe. Our ‘Free-thinking’ and ‘Liberal Society’ including some journalists’ were busy ‘tweeting their fingers out’ on this gruesome incident further demonizing Pakistani society as if ‘Gujrat’ kind of riots had broken out (reviewing their timelines will reveal that they might have never condemned genocidal atrocities against Muslims anywhere in the world) forsaking the basic ethics of journalism and information sharing only to prove their bias towards unverified news that easily taints a horrendous picture of Islam in Pakistan. Good for their liking.

Believing in to the news that has been reported since the incident, the micro-blogging networks and weeping around left no doubt that this case is exactly as being presented and indeed minorities are being forced on gun-point for conversions throughout Pakistan’s nook and corner.

But again, few questions that were constantly striking my mind, or would have popped up in any impartial and sane human being’s mind that came across this ‘disturbing’ news were; Where is the girl? And what’s her say?

There was a ray of hope, maybe this hatred is unjustified, and maybe this incident is similar to usual disgust that we see against Islam in our own “Islamic Republic”. And Yes, Finally the news broke out, Rinkal Kumari was proud of being ‘Faryal Shah’ now.

The alleged kidnapped girl appeared before the media on Thursday and clearly stated that she was NOT KIDNAPPED! And had NOT been forced to convert to Islam and marry Naveed Shah. She claimed to have taken both decisions of accepting Islam and marrying Naveed Shah in accordance of her FREE-WILL and that NOBODY has pressurized her into this. She read out the Kalima Tayyaba, in front of the media and reiterated that she is now a MUSLIM GIRL and had nothing to do with her parents.

The couple was produced before the Sindh High Court in front of Sukkur bench in strict security; scorted on their way to court by SSP Ghotki Pir Muhammad Shah. The PPP-MPA Mian Muhammad Haq and his son Mian Muhammad Aslam who were alleged for being complicit and involved in the kidnapping were also present at the court.

Advocate Murad luund representing Faryal’s Grandfather Manohar Lal kept asserting that the girl is under pressure and things will become “Crystal Clear” in Karachi in a tension free atmosphere. Whereas Mian Mohammad Aslam of Bharchoondi Sharif responded by saying that everyone (including the media) has seen that Faryal was not under any pressure, not even saying anything against Pirs.

On the allegation by Luund, Aslam said,

“Rather she gave a statement against her own maternal uncle who is threatening to kill her.” he further said his father PPP-MNA Mian Abdul Haq had come to the court only because the parents of the girl requested they wanted to meet their daughter, unfortunately they did not come.

Aslam told the court that Faryal had spoken to her family on his instructions on 24th February the day she came to Dargah Bharchoondi Sharif telling them about her pressure-free conversion and decision to marry Naveed Shah.

“I personally requested them to come over and meet their daughter to see for themselves that she was not under pressure, but they didn’t’ come,” Said Mian Aslam.

He also said that neither Islam nor the law of the land allowed forced conversions how could it be possible for us to force someone on accepting Islam?

Well! What moral ground does the “Liberal Machine” hold now; after the enthralling revelation by the ‘kidnapped’ and ‘forcefully converted’ lady?

The fundamental reason I find the notion of ‘forced-conversions’ to Islam nearly impossible is simply because Islam in its core beliefs does not adhere to lip-service, yes, reciting the kalimah does gets a person in the folds of Islam but the acceptance of heart is necessary and the main fundamental which cannot be manoeuvred or forced.

On the contrary, there remains no doubt that intimidation, threats, tortures and social-boycotts massively prevail for innocent converts who choose to become Muslims after they get close to the religion’s teachings by any inspiration; Let it be love of a person, magnetic character of a follower or perhaps studying the comparison and insight by research. Unfortunately, No ‘Liberal’ or ‘Pseudo-Journalist’ bothers to fight their case by exposing the ‘hate-mongers’ and ‘vengeance-seekers’ present in minorities destined only to bring a bad name to peaceful minorities that do believe in co-existence and are largely accepted by all Pakistanis.

Hence, the case of once Rinkal Kumari has proved to be yet another case of ‘Forced-Assertion’ of a fair, true, transparent and rightful conversion of ‘Faryal Shah’ the proud bride of Mirpur Mathelo. May ALLAH protect her and many others threatened against their ‘free-will’ to decide the most important elements of one’s life – his/her faith and belief.

Women’s empowerment or cultural overhaul

Twinkle, twinkle little star how, I wonder what you are?

I remember reciting this nursery rhyme as a kid at school. Today, my astonishment lies with little and big ‘stars’ being stud in my country by fairly large number of mushroomed foreign funded NGOs. One of my bewilderment which makes me ponder repeatedly is most popular slogan of today i.e. women’s emancipation and empowerment. These NGOs have sprung up in our country since over a decade, driving an agenda to liberate our women. I ask, liberate from what or whom?

Pakistani women work shoulder to shoulder with the opposite gender in every walk of life, be it private or public sector, government offices, armed forces, judiciary, medical and nursing field, science and technology, media organisations, education and even as elected legislators of provincial and national assemblies, even the office of the Prime Minister at least twice. It wouldn’t be impertinent to wonder how come the United States of America, a country which is most advanced and highly developed, never had a female as head of the state.

If viewed in light of the above, there appears to be a fallacy that our women are not into decision making processes in the country and are oppressed and majority are still in the kitchen. And what is so unusual about women being in the kitchen? Same is the case in the west. Who do you suppose, takes care of the kitchen and domestic chores out in the western family? Here, at least due to labour being cheap most of the middle class upwards, women folks are blessed with domestic help, whether it is kitchen, laundry, house cleaning and even many with chauffeurs to drive them around. How many of those in the west can afford that luxury? The upbringing of children begins from home and none better than mother can do that in the best manner. The old adage truly states that “behind every successful man is a woman’’ is absolutely right from the childhood till becoming a spouse!

Thus the lingering question “Where is the empowerment and emancipation lacking?” which the foreign aid agency, are so generously funding to promote in Pakistan?

Wait, just a moment, on a second thought probably, they could be right, our women are oppressed! Let’s take a closer look and observe. Yes, they adhere to cultural norms, values and religious sentiments and belief. On top of that they are proudly and willingly wearing a Hijab (head scarf) or covering themselves from head to toe with a Burka to protect their modesty!

That definitely is a mark of ”oppression’ in  world’s eye. However, if they abandon the norms of culture and religion and dress immodestly and attended gatherings of dance and booze, they would surely become liberated, wouldn’t they?  I was just wondering why do the Nuns cover themselves from head to toe and abstain from ‘evil’?

Our women can be further be empowered and liberated if the parents would allow their young daughters to develop ‘relationships’ with boys and go hang out with them whenever they wish and wherever they desire. What’s wrong with having a boyfriend? What is the worst that could happen, apart from a rare possibility of being molested or raped or teenage pregnancies?

Wow! now that is called real liberation and empowerment. How silly of me not to have understood such simple difference between oppressed and liberated when such crystal clear examples were present right under my nose! Thanks to all funds arriving in Pakistan in the name of women empowerment and humanitarian grounds actually giving rise to an overhaul of our ‘ancient’ society’s culture, traditions and moral values. Finally, our women folks would be liberated, Yippee Yea!

I’m A Liberal Fun-damentalist!

Extremism in any shape or form is wrong, be it religious or secular. Unfortunately, most of the critics tend to focus only on the extreme part of Islam and the people exploiting it for their own interest. They either do not know or deliberately hide the fact that Islam as a liberating religion; something that it actually is! Islam doesn’t stop us from living or enjoying ourselves. It only stresses on acknowledging the fact that I’ve been created by the one and only God-Allah and I am only His slave and answerable to Him only and should try my best to avoid His disobedience. People have rights over me and serving humanity should always be my first priority. Is that too much to ask for?

Our beloved Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is a great example who made smiling a Sunnah! It’s a virtue in itself. He has asked us to gather as much knowledge as possible. What could be more beautiful than that? I’m thankful to Allah that I was born a Muslim and follow a religion that gave women their rights 1400 years ago and made me a princess where a man is responsible to earn for me. Yes, I am free to work too and wow, my man has no right over my money. Doesn’t that sound great?

Yes, I’m free to be educated, free to choose my own groom and no, I cannot be forced to marry someone I dislike. No, my religion does not oppress me. I like hanging out with my friends, dining outside, attending family events/weddings and love sports and gym. I like following latest trends and like every other girl I love cosmetics! And someday I would love to go scuba diving too! Did I mention swimming? I love adventures, hiking and travelling! My all time dream is to travel the entire world before dying!

I’m liberal but thankfully not like the ones you see these days who believe in mocking others religion and beliefs. No, I don’t believe in bigotry and I don’t abuse people or call them “fundo” when they don’t agree with me. No, I don’t make cartoons of other’s religion’s holy personalities and call it “freedom of expression”. There’s something so wicked about freedom of expression, it’s barely used where it should be and actually used and abused, where it’s not really required. If you ask me, it’s a way of creating rifts between people. And no, I don’t blast out whatever comes into my mind without thinking about its repercussions and cover it up with my “right to speak up”. I believe if I’ve got the power to express myself I would rather do it in a more educated manner and when someone tries to defend their opinion, I don’t call them intolerant or fanatic.

I’m liberal but it doesn’t mean I look at everything as a rebel. What is wrong remains wrong and I have no authority to change the rules of the Creator. I’ve seen Pakistan’s English press lately trying to promote things forbidden in Islam by somehow turning it all into legal and permitted. Oh no, don’t mistake me as a liberal who prays five times a day but believes that homosexuality should be legalized. Nor do I stop praying when a brainless person does something dumb in the name of religion. Yes you’ll find  200 blogs for gay and lesbian rights but when it comes to burning the Quran they would rather call it “freedom of expression”. They are willing to write a thousand blogs on Veena Malik’s “boldness” and praise her guts for standing up to a mullah but will not speak a word when it comes to Aafia Siddqui. They are for women rights but Aafia siddiqui deserves no rights. Let her be raped every day, let her be sexually harassed and it is none of our concerns. Sadly, you would be considered a hate monger or a bigot if your opinions are different from theirs and more towards religion. Funnily, you’re likely to be called a modern version of Taliban if you say you’re liberal but want Islam at the same time.

Why isn’t it possible? Why is the world bent upon portraying that we can’t afford to take religion and this world together? Religion is not how some people have defined it to be, it’s actually a way of living. I am not a scholar, but what I have learnt till today is that Islam is the most beautiful change you can bring into your lives if you decide to follow it properly. I’ll try my best to stick to my religion and call a spade a spade and ready to be called a fun-damentalist!

Zofia and Władysław Turowicz – Pakistanis By Choice

I, the author of this memorial, am a 31 years old urban female who lives in a big developed capital city of the 18th wealthiest economy in the world and every single day I am fed with stories of blasts and bombings and picture of hostile Muslim world, especially Pakistan.

However I am an orientalist focused on East Asia and a traveller. So my mind embraces the core of the matter and not just the media image. Yet I humbly admit that I was always reluctant and afraid to go to Karachi or Islamabad having impression that I will be either abducted or killed in an ambush as a foreigner.

My surprise however was big when today on the radio I heard about the death and burial of Zofia Turowicz. Both she and her husband left Poland in 1939 to join the battlefield of the Second World War. The political changes on the map of Europe never allowed them to go back because Stalinist regime hunted down intellectuals and officers of pre-war independent Poland.  Mrs Turowicz or Turowiczowa how her last name is gendered in old-style Polish, was one of the first ever Pakistani gliding teachers who created gliding training programme, the basis for later military pilots, as early as in 1950. She stopped military career in 1957 and later worked at the American School and the University of Karachi where she taught applied mathematics and other core subjects.

Her husband Władysław Turowicz died in 1980 after long term career in Pakistani military aviation industry and forces. He came to Pakistan in 1948 and his wife joined soon after for the three-year contract with Pakistan Air Force which aimed to transform Pakistan Air Force into permanent and effective Air Force of the region. Turowicz set up technical institutes in Karachi. He taught and revitalized Pakistan Air Force Academy as its chief scientist. He initially led the technical training in the airbase and a part of the Polish specialists in the technical section in Karachi. However, they were transferred and accommodated in Peshawar.

In 1952, Turowicz, along with several Polish fighters, were promoted to the rank of Wing Commander. He was also promoted to the rank Lieutenant Commander when he became an Air Force Commander of Pakistan Air Force’s Chaklala Airbase. Promoted several times again along with other Polish Air Force general, became an Air Commodore and a Deputy Chief of Air Staff, in charge of Pakistan Air Force Training Department.

Turowicz was involved in building the face of what is called modern Pakistan. His service added to the pride of the new nation and likely added Polish sense of being statesman to the military and scientific personnel he trained over the years.

During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Turowicz along with other Polish pilots rose to prominence and fame as they helped in successfully defending Lahore and Pakistan. Turowicz, Squadron Leader Anotnii Zbigniew Jedryszek, and other Polish pilots were awarded the Sitara-e-Pakistan. Honorary Pakistani citizenship was also bestowed upon Turowicz, as well as, some other Polish pilots by the President of Pakistan, Ayub Khan.

Turowicz was actively and heavily involved in Pakistan’s space program. According to his close sources, Turowicz was passionate and fascinated with the Russian and American space program.  In 1966, the Government of Pakistan transferred him to SUPARCO, Pakistan’s national space agency, where he worked as a chief scientist and an aeronautical engineer. Together with noted Pakistani theoretical physicist, Dr. Abdus Salam, who later won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1979 convinced president Khan to launch space program for peaceful purposes. He was sure that Pakistan will develop rocket technology and launch its first satelite due course of time. He insisted on sufficient funds for research and development of this sector. His prediction came true, when 10 years after the death of Air. Mar. Gen. Władysław Turowicz, Pakistan launched its first indigenously developed experimental digital communication satellite from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People’s Republic of China aboard a Long March 2E. His vision did come true but unfortunately, he wasn’t there to see it.

He successfully convinced the United States Government to invest and train Pakistan’s scientists in the field of rocket technology. He is widely credited with setting up the rocket fuel factories and rocket technology laboratories and research institutes in Pakistan. He was one of the chief designers  of Sonmiani Satellite Launch Centre.

He did not stop with Space Programme though. Turowicz initiated himself Nuclear weapons programme in 1970 and laid foundation of research and production that led to Pakistani independent source of Nuclear military potential.

His entire family lived in Pakistan ever since they have entered the country in 1948. His three daughters live in Pakistan and two of them married Pakistanis.

Zofia and Władysław Turowicz were partners both on the ground and in the air where she often joined him as a navigator during his flights. They both had independent military aviation careers before arrival to Pakistan and had been multiawarded and internationally recognised gliders and para shooters.

They are both buried at the catholic cemetery in Karachi in Pakistan and both had been awarded Pakistani citizenship.

Their story reminded me to watch the world with my own eyes and be even more curious and even more brave and less cuffed in the ready stereotypes I am being fed everyday by media and society.

Time’s running out

 

Time’s running out

My dooms day is near,

My interrogation started,

In front of everyone,

I’m unable to endure.

A sack full of sins

Being carried to the Lord

Upsurges my fear.

The whole world’s watching

Those huge and trivial ones

I committed with arrogance

Or were unknowingly done.

 

The book of my life,

Has nothing to rejoice

Or please the Lord,

And the black words in bold

I wish could be scrubbed

Before they were told.

 

I face my Lord with utter shame and disgrace,

He refuses to look at me,

And turns away His face.

That’s my disgrace.

The world sees it all

With dread and jaws dropped

I wish I could flee

Or my book of deeds swapped.

 

It’s too late for now

I already missed my chance.

I helplessly run around

but no way’s to be found.

Wishing He could caste an eye

of mercy at me, for once.

But this bag is too heavy

for Him to discount.

 

I suddenly wake up trembling

Drenched in sweat.

But what a joyful moment,

it was to get

Another life, another chance

to counter the effect.

 

It’s like I’ve been gifted with another interval

To gather some pearls to adorn my chronicle

some erasers to gather to undo the mess

to forgive, to forget, and sins to confess

 

The last breath is near, I see it very close.

As the pages of an album,

with a flick, a beautiful pose,

Another flick you depart,

As once-beautiful, withered rose.


You are what you SPEAK

“I sent my brother a text message asking if he has a particular novel I was after and he replied in affirmation. I texted back with a wink and the words ‘I’ll be highly obliged if you could bring it”. He later smiled meaningfully and commented that my “highly obliged” reflected the mentality of a slave. I shrugged my shoulders and remarked, “As if taking a degree in English literature was  not a reflection enough !”

A few weeks ago, a cousin of mine was asking about some symbol on orkut and her brother pretended as if he doesn’t know. And as I was standing nearby I shouted out ‘that word’ loud and clear. And her brother looked at me, shocked. The word is commonly used amongst youth these days without shame and has vulgar connotations. And with this, the realisation dawned upon me that I’m getting accustomed to all those words which are not a part of my culture, slowly and unknowingly.

In the book ‘Doing English’, the author has clearly stated that with every word of a foreign language comes the whole cultural package. And this the fear took over me. Am I falling through the bottomless pit of a foreign culture?! From then onwards I became conscious of every word that I use and am trying still to shun every word that does not reflect decency.

But how many of us actually realise that?  Last year while attending one of the presentations of the research group in our department, the professor said that not every word can be translated. In Arabic we use words which have no direct one word in English or any other language. It’s true for Urdu, English and other languages as well. The words become terminologies! Once attending the lecture of philosophy, a professor said that we should avoid using words like “enlightenment” and “modern” because these are not words with simple meanings, for Occidentals these are terminologies that have derived from their history and culture. These words date back from the 16th and 17th Centuries, the age that Europe called The Age of Enlightenment; the shift from homo-centric to the ego-centric culture, when man became more important. And these all are not part of our culture.

In ‘Notes Towards the definition of Culture’, T.S. Eliot says that Europe’s culture is deeply seated in the religious history of Europe. Muhammad Asad in his book The Road to Makkah says that he has come to the theory that the European prejudice and hatred towards Islam and Muslims is dated as back as the first Crusades. It has become part of the culture. And it was T.S.Eliot who said that culture is derived from religion and faith (with it or the lack of it). And as writers cannot write in a vacuum, and they incorporate their mind-set into the whole experience of writing, we see the reflection of their beliefs, culture and thoughts. So, when I am reading Chaucer, Spenser, Shakespeare, Dickens, Bronte or James, I am actually exposing myself to their culture and beliefs. I remember a fellow student saying that it seems as if we know more than the average European about their sects and religion and history. It’s incorporated in their literature.

The first ever department of English was established in the colony of Subcontinent. The English believed that literature would incorporate certain values in the Indians without them realising it. And this would help them make better slaves. And they would not realise the religious moulding through literature. So, literature became a tool of making us more “civilized” in the eyes of West to serve their own purposes. Literature, if read passively, works subtly yet moves your insides violently. Your mind would accept things subconsciously or unconsciously and may affect your whole way of thinking. And I realised that you need to be active when reading literature, alert all the time, in order to keep different beliefs and metaphysics at bay.

The recent writers of Pakistan, who chose English to be their medium of communicating their ideas, do not reflect the embedded culture of the East. And when I’m talking about Muslim writers, I’m talking about the culture of Islam. The writers have not only chosen English but they have incorporated the ideas of Europe, their culture in those writings reflecting their own “slave-ish mentality”. The embedded idea in our minds that ‘doing English’, eating with forks and spoons and sitting on a dining table reflects the marks of civilization, without realising that in our culture, eating with your hands and sitting on the floor are the marks of being “civilized”.

It’s high time for us to realise that our culture, literature and everything else have a centre, and that centre is Islam. And the unification in things comes from that one centre. We may be able to institutionalise every “branch” of knowledge, but the centre would allow a Muslim to see things in totality and not in fractions. And we see all that in the works of Muslim poets from Rumi to Iqbal. So, even if we are to read the Western authors, we need to counter the effect by reading our own literature in the languages of the East, mainly Urdu, Arabic or Persian. It’s high time to stand facing the current and yet not lose our grounds. And we can only do that by standing in our own cultural grounds and not borrowed ones. We have far more better examples than those of Aristotle, Plato and Socrates.”

Balochistan – The Most of Pakistan

The hue and cry of our Baloch brethren is strategically taken into account by the internationally recognized invaders and forces best known for occupying sovereign lands in the name self-defiance against national interests of the respective countries. However the hidden truth is contrary to the public reliance. These forces have their eyes on the undiscovered mineral treasures of Balochistan and tremendous potential for the natural shores of Arabian Sea touching Gawadar, the can-be energizer for the future of geo-political environment and economics of the region to safe guard the long haul interests of the super power.

The role of Pakistan’s conventional rival India, to destabilize the country is obvious with testimonies. It is in the interest of India to disintegrate the largest province from the federation of Pakistan to actualise its selfish dreams while compromising the humane right of every individual to live free, the atrocities of hers are well known in Kashmir. Those who relate the struggle of Kashmiris for rights of self-determination, chartered by the UN resolutions and a declared disputed territory with a separatist movement within recognized International borders of Pakistan are certainly not just.

On the other hand, Pakistan’s security forces hold the mandate duly vested by the constitution of Pakistan to curb any separatist movement arising in any part of the country to guard the Federation of our homeland. However, if the security forces and separatists are involved in extra judicial killings, abductions and torture cannot be condoned and are certainly condemnable to every possible extent. Such acts are undoubtedly crimes against humanity and the ultimate beneficiary is the enemy of the federation of Pakistan.

We, as a nation, should understand the dilemma of Balochistan and undertake the responsibility to help our brothers recover from the wounds. It is a fact the Baloch were deprived of basic necessities by all regimes who were in power since inception of Pakistan.  The role of Sardars as the hegemonistic benefactors of the wealth of Balochistan have led the commoners of the province to raise their voice to such an extent.

Iqbal narrates in one of his Urdu compilation Budhey Baloch ki nasihat apnay betay ko. (The advice of an old Baloch to his son) that is still relevant to the current times. He says

 

Ho teray bayaban ki havaa tujh ko gawara,

iss dasht se behtar hae na delhi na Bukhara

Winds of these wastelands be your love, Bokhara, Delhi are worth no more,

Afraad k haathon mae hae aqwam ki taqdeer,

Har fard hae millat kay muqaddar ka sitara

Fortunes of states through individuals prowess ripen, Each man one star of their ascendant,

Dunya ko hae phir Ma’arka e rooh o badan paish,

Tahzeeb nay phr apnay darindon ko ubhara

In our world when once more civilization looses its wild beasts,

in one more encounter spirit and flesh meet,

Taqdeer e Umam Kiya hae, Koi keh nai sakta,

Momin ki farasat ho tou kaafi hae ishara

Who knows the nations fates?, But signs abound, If Muslims are wakeful

 

We still have time to encounter the shortcomings and give whatever credit is due to them, even if we have to compromise our basic necessities to give the Baloch a message that we all love you for Allah, you make the largest part of Pakistan. Without you there is no existence. We, as a nation, should submit our apologies to heal their pain and make them equal and above partners in our national pursuit towards prosperity.

The vital lessons from Khader Adnan story

Khader Adnan was no stranger to “administrative detention” or rather imprisonment without trial by the Israelis. On this occasion however, the Israeli legal system may have regretted taking such a step. After all, how could they anticipate the up and coming, heroic and very long 66 day hunger strike that Adnan embarked upon? Israel was caught between the daily Palestinian driven demonstrations and the every growing media coverage that resulted from Khader Adnan struggle itself.

Twitter played an invaluable role. During Adnan’s hunger strike, Palestinians and their worldwide supporters tweeted their hastags up to the top 3 worldwide trending terms on a daily basis. Eventually headlines were made by the mainstream media in various parts all over the world. For Israel, this just would not do. Like a rabbit in the headlights, Israel could only do one thing to save it own interests and that is to get out of the way. It has now become in Israel’s interest to keep Adnan alive.

Adnan is currently in a Israeli hospital, taking in food upon the agreement of his release in April. The Israeli courts have ordered a review of the case for Adnan’s detention and whilst there is still some suspicion that Israel will simply put him back into the detention, we know that the Palestinians will never give up on him. They never give up on one of their own.

This is, in itself, an important lesson for the rest of the Muslims worldwide. Especially for those in the UK. Injustice and oppression of Muslims is rife in the forms of physical oppression from puppet regimes and terrorist nations or the political and ideological oppression through Islamophobia and teachings of a diluted Islam. Yet this is what we all have in common and, at the same time, have not only found it extraordinary hard and even refused to unite upon this issue over the past number of decades.

There is of course the exception of the Palestinians and others who face dire degree of persecution.  The people of Kashmir are another apt example. They find time to help those worse off than themselves, such as Aafia Siddiqi, despite going through their own hell.

So, whats stopping us? Its more than just sectarianism. We no longer see it as our duty to help the oppressed, despite the fact it is Fardh for a Muslim. To make it even worse, we very rarely hear of such an obligation or leadership from our religious figures. Whilst there is a void of understanding and leadership on these issues, surely it comes to us as the Muslim mass to rise up for those who need us most.

If we are ever to unite and overcome the difficulties, we as an Ummah, face and help our oppressed brothers and sisters, our current attitude to them and to Islam has to change. Social media, especially twitter, a space without boarders or social divisions, is the best place to continue that movement. It is in this space we can directly impact the lives of others through our Islamically obligated driven activism hundreds of miles away.

 

Waheeda Shah offers democracy’s best revenge

In what seems to be a hapless event for the victims is but an outrageous and a preposterous one for the local community and women of Pakistan, who have long striven for their empowerment in the supposed imperious patriarchal society, but it also seems our attention to grotesque events against the self-hood and dignity of women is selective. Had it been in yester night’s live broadcast a man extending such vigorous assault to an unarmed and a defenceless presiding officer (and that too a lady), sans a scintilla of doubt, the public hue and cry along with Media (print and electronic broadcast) coverage would be unparalleled to what we have just witnessed. Certainly this corroborates our retained biases for pivotal social issues, particularly over violence against women.

Waheeda Shah, a PPP-Elect from the constituency PS- 53 Tando Muhammad Khan decided to lay wrath over a couple of female public officers (appointed by the Election Commission to oversee the election proceedings) when she in a fit of rage accused them of rigging the polls despite the fact, that she could have filed a complaint with the law enforcement agencies about the alleged rigging, Waheeda Shah hastened with the display of her reflexes to assume the role of Judge, Jury and the Executioner.

The purge of impulse from the pugnacious candidate (none other than Waheeda Shah) did not just manifest in form of slaps or jabs to the helpless officers (including Shagufta Memon, serving assistant presiding officer and a Teacher at the Government College Primary School Mulakatiyar) but also included the vigour of verbal aggression presenting an immaculate impression, as if these public officials (women) were her inherited slaves from the medieval times. Such is the mental-cultivation or maturity or for least the law abidance of our legislators, who transcend their existence above the Rule of Law or any notions of justice (rather the proverb ‘rule of law’ doesn’t exist in their code book).

So it be, and thus saw today Pakistan, despite the coverage of Waheeda Shah’s Physical assault Live on news channels and hourly news headlines, the power greedy PPP-Elect didn’t waste an opportunity to coerce the assistant presiding officer (Shagufta Memon who is also feared not to be the same person as shown in the assault video, due to concealment of identity through the use of veil) to appear with her before a press-conference and break the ice, before any stumbling blocks could be laid in her way and the formal membership of Sindh Provincial Assembly by the Election Commission, local Police and the Media. The unquestioned servile compliance and conformity of the presiding public officer is a reflection of Pakistan’s middle-class and vulnerable women, that long for empowerment in the empire of fiefs (either feudal Men or the likes of Waheeda Shah), who defy all bounds of law to retain their power over the not-so-privileged masses. Thus, to the imperious elite of remote and urban localities of Pakistan, Laws, Rights and Values are but out-dated and obsolete clichés of past, which holds no relevance to them and doesn’t apply to their existence on any committed deviance. Hence, people like Waheeda Shah are above the Law, and the law is for rest of us.

Further a few surprising and bemusing observations, which remain worth sharing in the outfall of this event, are;

1) Why the Local Police did not file a complaint against Waheeda Shah, who had repeatedly assaulted the various lady public officers (since these women were serving as public officers on behalf of the Election Commission). Hence, even if some adjustment had to take place (without any coercion) should it not have been done before a judge and in a court of law?

2) Why has the Supreme Court not taken any action against the alleged candidate and disqualify (if proven) for the vehement display of physical assault and violence against the respective officers?

3) Famous and renowned voices that take pride in strengthening women empowerment and dissing violence against women through criticism, it seems that they have gone apathetic and indifferent in “debating” over this event of blatant violence against female public officers.

Therefore, it is imperative for the institutions of the state including the Election Commission, Honourable Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan to undertake the required legal action in this concern (especially when helpless and vulnerable public officers are subject of physical assault) and the media to instil awareness among public about the rule of law, so that a withering sanity is rescued to prevail.

 

Plight of Pakistani students

Being an International student can be very stressful especially if you have to go it alone. Naive Pakistani students leave home in high spirits to acquire the ‘waliyati’ education because it offers bright prospects and opens doors to plenty of dough encompassed with a life changing experience. I do vouch for all that and I cannot deny the fact that the curriculum, instructors and facilities that can be found in most institutions of higher learning in countries like the United States, Canada, UK and Australia are unparallel to the ones found back home but does that imply that the few who do get the opportunity to study in fancy schools are living a life of envy? As much as they would like to say ‘yes’, deep down inside they will only hear a resonating ‘no’.

It is not easy being an international student, living in an alien environment, being a part of a microcosm of multiculturalism and dealing with harrowing situations. Sure, the idea of studying abroad is riveting, until you actually do it. Everything associated with the ‘waliyati’ education comes at a hefty cost and by that I don’t just mean in monetary terms but also in terms of physical and mental wellbeing.  More often than not it takes leaving home to realize that we are truly blessed with a lifestyle that is probably out of reach for the average Joe Smith studying at London School of Economics.

Most students belonging to upper middle class families have at their disposition fine dining, housekeeping, clean laundry amidst other things that they take for granted. It is only when they have to do all that on their own do they begin to appreciate things back home.  Not that I think that there is anything wrong with doing all those chores, it’s just that no level of mental preparedness helps one to keep up with all these cumbersome duties. Self sufficiency is a hard feat to conquer and only the strong willed can make it. Life as an international student means balancing work, studies and house chores contrary to partying, sightseeing and relaxing.  If anything it means your workload is tripled and your nerves are always on edge. Matters are only made worse when the family back home decides to cut down your allowance forcing you to fend for yourself. By the end of the educational sojourn many are exhilarated about going back to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan only to find a dismal and bleak state of affairs.

If only Pakistan had institutes of high caliber devoted to different schools of learning many would comfortably stay home without having to slave all day in an alien country. Of course it’s a different scenario if the entire family is settled but that is just the ideal situation. It is very common for most of the student Diaspora to share small apartments surviving the minimalistic way. Fact of the matter is many individuals sacrifice the good life back home in return for quality acquisition of knowledge. Worse yet, many who come back as graduates from top universities find that there is little opportunity in Pakistan’s job market especially if they want to make it big. As much as they want to stay home they are forced to go back in search for a better living because the government just doesn’t give two tarts about improving the social, economic and educational prospects of the country. Consequently Pakistan has been facing acute brain drain and more so in the recent years  but apparently this grave problem has been conveniently sidelined.

If our country continues to spend less than 3% of its GDP on education and instead chooses to consistently increase its defence budget to RS.495 billion for a threat that may just be more perceived than real then one shouldn’t even bother anticipating change.

It is so unfortunate that a country that has a rich endowment of resources and young people brimming with talent is not doing anything to hone it. Pakistani students are blessed with great intellect and they deserve much better than struggling to get the quality of education that is so easily accessible to their white counterparts. If only the leaders of our country had even a foresight to acknowledge the importance of knowledge based society!