THE

CRUSADES
OF
21ST CENTURY

BY RIAZ AMIN
Vol-XVII

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 CONTENTS
DANGEROUS TIMES ……………………………………………………4
AN ERA ENDS – BUT ……………………………………………………7
APPLY TO DISCERN - PART ONE …………………………………...42
KILL A TURK AND ……………………………………………………106

ELEPHANTS OF PORIS……………………………………………….152
APPLY TO DISCERN - PART TWO …………………………………196
TERRORISTS IN TIRAH ……………………………………………...221
DASHED AND DUMPED………………………………………………254

SYRIAN SLAUGHTER ………………………………………………..303

APPLY TO DISCERN - PART THREE ………………………………346
BAIL TO JAIL…………………………………………………………..415

CHANCE FOR CHANGE ……………………………………………..463

APPLY TO DISCERN - PART FOUR ..………………………………499
REVENGEFUL INDIA ………………………………………………...560

BEGINNING OF CHANGE……………………………………………598
SURRENDER OR NRO ………………………………………………. 635
INQILAB: LEADERS - PART ONE …………………………………. 679
SECTARIAN WAR …………………………………………………… 723

ON YOUR MARKS ………………………………………………….....756

INQILAB: LEADERS - PART TWO ………………………………….801
NEW ARRANGEMENTS ……………………………………………..837
ESCALATING WAR …………………………………………………..871

GET SET, GO …………………………………………………………..902

GUJRAT TRGEDY ……………………………………………………939
INQILAB: LEADERS - PART THREE ……………………………...944
TAMING NEW REGIME ……………………………………………1025

PAKISTAN BUDGETED …………………………………………….1063

INQILAB: LEADERS - PART FOUR ……………………………….1097
SAUDIS AND SYRIA …………………………………………………1128
SOFTENING SPEEDED UP …………………………………………1153

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COFFERS AND KASHKOL …………………………………………1203
INQILAB: CALLING MILLAT - PART ONE ……………………...1243
MURSI WEEDED OUT ………………………………………………1278
MISSING PAGE ………………………………………………………1315

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 DANGEROUS TIMES
The Global War on Terror or the Crusades against Islamic ‘fascists’
around the world is in the middle of 12th year. Not a day passed when
Muslim blood was not spilled somewhere in the world. No legal or moral
justification was needed for performing this holy ritual for the peace of
‘civilized world’.

Muslim minorities seeking end to the tyranny of the majority,

demanding autonomous rule, fighting for freedom, or for liberation of an
occupied country were all treated as terrorists and a potent threat to the
peace. Muslim rulers showing dislike for the hegemonic designs of the West
were also considered a threat and merited regime change.

The operations against Muslims in the south of Philippines and

Thailand were intensified with the support and guidance of the Crusaders.
Buddhist and secular regimes in Myanmar and Bangladesh got encouraged
to launch crackdowns against Muslims and religious ‘extremists’
respectively. India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran fall in the Af-Pak region
and the war therein is discussed separately.

China and Russia also did their best to eradicate the problem of
Islamic militancy, of course, with the use of military means. Shia-Sunni
militancy in Iraq is placed on auto slaughter mode and is working
effectively. Syria and its neighbouring countries – Lebanon, Palestine,
Turkey and Jordan – is one of the hottest front of the Crusades, of course,
Syria is bearing the brunt.

Turkey is fighting Kurds and Bahrain and Gulf countries against

Shias. Yemen and Somalia on either side of the Gulf of Aden have been in
turmoil since much earlier than the beginning of the Bush’s holy war. Sudan
has been cut to size and still bleeding.

In North Africa, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco have been

baptized; only Egypt’s Mohammed Morsi is resisting the holy dip. Nigeria
has become a new hub of ‘Islamic militants’ and in view of that France has
invaded neighbouring Mali to protect its energy interests, especially the
supply of uranium for power generation. Meanwhile, ‘homeland security’ in
Europe and America has been kept very tight.

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 In the Af-Pak region the ‘holy war’, as of today, has always been
unholy. Right from the beginning the United States had decided to establish
India as regional bully and relegate Pakistan to a client state. At present they
have decided to downplay the projection of India as regional power to secure
Pakistan’s support for the post-2014 arrangements. The original plan has
been frozen temporarily, but certainly not abandoned.

India, however, has availed the opportunity to the optimum to crush

freedom movement of Kashmiris and would certainly continue exerting
itself on this count while avoiding creation of an impression that it is doing
that with the consent of the Crusaders. The latest developments regarding
Gwadar Port and Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project could result in reverting
back to overt Indo-American collaboration in the region.

In Afghanistan, the United States and its NATO allies have planned to
cut economic cost of occupation and reduce casualties of soldiers from the
‘civilized world’ by the Year 2014. Presently, they are finding it difficult to
arrange long-term occupation with minimum of cost, but with Karzai and
Zardari around they would certainly find or buy a solution.

Iran is perhaps the only country in Islamic world that has withstood
multiple pressures from the Crusaders. Tehran is likely to continue to remain
steadfast and keep causing irritation to the West at a point where it hurts the
most according to American slang.

The war within Pakistan has taken a dangerous turn. It is no more a

war against terror, but a terror war against Pakistan. Its enemies have been
working overtime to trigger an armed conflict between Shia and Sunni
communities and for that Shias have been persistently targeted from Gilgit
to Karachi.

Shia-Sunni hostilities fit well in the scheme of the Crusaders; it’s

through this that they have placed Iraq on auto-slaughter mode. The same is
happening in Syria, Bahrain and Yemen. This also suits others who want to
destabilize Pakistan. They are the ones who try to give it yet another
dangerous turn by blaming the Punjab government for providing safe
heavens to terrorists of who target Shias.

Contrary to expectations of the masses justice has become non-

existent to the utter disappointment of those who took part in the movement
for reinstatement of the incumbent Chief Justice. His pro-active approach of

5
taking suo moto notices has served no ends of justice. Most of such notices
have served the cause of corrupt and incompetent Executive, the exclusive
proprietor of ‘democratic’ system.

Firstly, the initiation of legal proceedings have instantly defused the

fury of the masses; the jamhoor, and thus shielded the Executive. The legal
proceedings ended up issuing court orders which were never implemented,
but it was assumed that appropriate legal action has been taken and the
matter is closed if not settled.

The government of the corrupt that was installed by the Crusaders

through NRO deal has completed its five-year tenure giving the people a
hope against hopes that the forthcoming general election would mark the end
of democratic revenge. Holding of fair and free polls is the only light that
Pakistanis see at the end of the tunnel.

25th March, 2013

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 AN ERA ENDS - BUT
All the ‘legislative’ assemblies were dissolved during the period under
review and so were the federal and provincial governments. The
governments availed every second of the tenure they were entitled to plunder
the public money, especially the federal government. In the last 72 hours
billions of hard cash was dished out to ‘electables’ to facilitate their come-
back.
With the dissolution of assemblies the process of appointing
caretaking governments started. The politicians of KPK showed political
maturity by promptly announcing a consensus chief minister. In Sindh and
Balochistan it was done through political ‘manoeuvring’. In Punjab and the
Centre the two ‘stake-holders’ failed in choosing the caretakers leaving that
for the ECP.
The ECP chose Justice (Retired) Mir Hazar Khan Khoso as caretaker
prime minister. He is the weakest and the least expected nominee, perhaps
chosen by the Election Commission to provide Fakhru Bhai a playmate
rather than a right person to help in holding free and fair polls. This,
however, will be seen as yet another victory of the Scoundrel over Turnip
Brothers from Jati Omra.
The ECP drafted a nomination form for netting the corrupt politicians,
but left a big hole in the net to let them escape. They could take part in the
general elections by obtaining a stay order from a court on the charges
against them. So the old man Fakhru will find himself fishing in troubled
high sea with a torn net.
The ECP announced election schedule and also the implementation of
orders of the Supreme Court regarding verification of voters and
delimitation of constituencies in Karachi. Altaf retaliated by accusing the
ECP of tempering with his party’s mandate, but the opposition parties
blamed the ECP for not implementing the court orders in full.

NEWS
Power politics: On 11th March, faced with resistance from
government and a general apathy of the lawmakers to its demands for certain
changes in nomination papers for the sake of greater transparency in
elections, the election commission finally dug its heals and announced to
‘exercise its authority’. The ECP said it is going to print the amended

7
nomination papers sans the president’s approval, following calls from
different quarters that the commission must assert itself and opinion of many
jurists that the electoral body can go ahead with its plan of better scrutiny of
candidates without any authorization from the parliament and the president.
‘Today it is 11-3-2013 and as the printing of the nomination forms has
to start, therefore, the commission cannot wait for the president’s approval
any longer’, the ECP said in a statement, upon the expiry of the three-day
deadline it gave to the government. The statement also cited constitutional
instances to justify its decision.
Majority of the political parties supported the ECP on the new format
of the nomination papers, seeking additional information from candidates
regarding the amounts of paid taxes, foreign visits and the loans they and
their immediate dependents have obtained. The Law Ministry discarded the
contents while challenging the authority of the ECP to incorporate these
columns in the nomination papers. Farooq H Naek said they had forwarded
to the president the Law Ministry’s objections to the changes proposed in the
nomination papers and now it was his prerogative to grant its approval.
Next day, the Supreme Court took notice of the controversy between
the ECP and the federal government over nomination papers for candidates
and said the ECP should act strong as the apex court of the country stands by
it. The SC said the executive authority in terms of Article 190 should not
hesitate to implement the SC judgment in letter and spirit in the Workers
Party case. The judgment had stated in clear terms that the ECP must
exercise independence and use its powers to ensure free and transparent
elections, while not letting any ill spoil fairness of polls.
Article 190 reads: ‘All executive and judicial authorities throughout
Pakistan shall act in aid of the Supreme Court.’ In its written order, the SC
bench ordered the federation and the ECP to submit a comprehensive report
on the steps taken for the implementation of its verdict. The deputy attorney
general was directed to seek instructions from the quarters concerned with
reference to the implementation of the judgment, while the counsel for ECP
was asked to place before the court the amendments suggested and the steps
taken for the implementation of its judgment.
Last year in the judgment on Workers Party’s petition regarding
election reforms, the court had directed the ECP to frame rules, issue
instructions to provide legal sanction to these measures and implement the
same to achieve the ultimate objective of fair, free, just and impartial
elections. The chief justice remarked that the ECP was empowered to frame

8
rules to ensure just, fair and transparent elections in accordance with the law,
besides preventing corrupt practices.
In a seemingly politically motivated move, one of the top officials of
the Election Commission of Pakistan has opposed the commission’s
decision on printing of the amended nomination papers without obtaining
the president’s approval. The development surfaced a day after the ECP in a
milestone decision announced printing of the nomination papers amended by
it last month for the general polls after the Ministry of Law and Justice had
objected to the ECP-made amendments regarding the details of tax and
assets of the general polls’ candidates.
The ECP came under criticism in the Senate from PPP lawmakers
stating that the Commission was overstepping its mandate and it would be
responsible if some of its actions caused delay in the next general elections.
PPP legislators said that ECP was becoming a cause of confrontation
between the State institutions after it took the decision to have the amended
nomination forms printed without seeking the approval of President Zardari.
On 13th March, heading a three-member bench hearing
implementation matter of SC judgment in Workers Party case, Chief Justice
said reiterated that they would not allow delay of general election at any
cost. The court observed that real representative government in the country
could only be formed when the elections are held in free and fair manner.
Appearing on behalf of federation, Deputy Attorney General said that
all hurdles would be removed for holding fair elections, but added that he
received court orders late therefore he could not seek instructions from the
law secretary and sought time to file the federation’s reply. ECP counsel
furnished details of all the steps being taken for arranging free and fair
election. He informed that a request has been made to the federal
government for legislation, including amendment in Section 104 of the
Representation of the People Act, 1996 (ROPA), by insertion of Section
104B, but the government has shown reservations on it.
Bilal Hassan Minto, counsel for petitioner, pointed out that the ECP
proposed amendment relates to one of the observations of the apex court in
Workers Party case. He said according to it, the ECP ‘is empowered to
check not just illegal actions relating to the election (violating the limits set
for campaign finance, etc.) or corrupt practices (bribery, etc.), but is also
empowered to review all election activities, including Jalsas, Jaloos, use of
loudspeakers, etc. for their effects on the standards of fairness, justness and
honesty.’

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 Hamid Khan, counsel for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supporting Mr
Bilal’s point of view contended that under Article 218(3) of constitution, the
commission is charged with making arrangements as are necessary to ensure
that the election is conducted honestly, justly, freely and in accordance with
law and that corrupt practices are guarded against.
The court observed that the amendment being sought is already part of
the judgment and it has a binding force on all concerned, including the
candidates, voters and the citizens who all are interested in ensuring that the
country is governed by the chosen representatives. The court directed ECP
counsel to obtain further instructions from the commission. He was also
directed to bifurcate these details, one part showing the steps which are to be
implemented in pursuance of the court judgment for which no legislation is
called for, while a separate portion should carry those directions,
observations and improvements that the commission wants on its own to
achieve the objective under Article 218(3) of the constitution. The case was
adjourned until March 14.
The Upper House of the Parliament unanimously passed the Election
Laws (Amendment) Act that struck off the Musharraf era amendment in the
election laws. The National Assembly has already passed the bill and it
would be sent to the President for his ceremonial signature to become law.
The Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2013 was moved by Leader of the
Opposition Senator Ishaq Dar as a private member bill.
A delegation of the Senate Special Committee on Election Issues was
to call on Chief Election Commissioner Justice (r) Fakhruddin G Ebrahim
with the request to review the ECP decision on printing the amended
nomination papers for the general elections. The delegation was to be
‘informally’ led by Law Minister Farooq H Naek. The CEC regretted to
meet the delegation, so the meeting has reportedly been postponed till March
18. By March 18, Naek would not remain the law minister, but the existing
nomenclature of the Senate Special Committee on Election Issues would
remain unchanged.
Next day, the Supreme Court observed that the new nomination form
prepared by the ECP is in accordance with the constitution and the law. The
court also made the contents of the additions in the nomination form part of
its Thursday’s (March 14) order, saying it the commission made these
additions as per its constitutional mandate.
Chief Justice reiterated that ‘not a single day’s delay’ would be
permitted in the general elections. He said that the national assembly, which

10
adopted five bills recently, that could have also worked on electoral reforms.
Attorney General Irfan Qadri said that ECP-proposed amendments were
examined by the law ministry and a Senate special committee. The ministry
sent back the draft with some objections to the ECP, but no reply was
received from the commission, he added. 
The ECP counsel placed before the bench sample of the new
nomination paper printed by ECP recently. The attorney general said that the
president was yet to approve ECP request, therefore the commission could
not print the amended forms by its own, as the government had certain
reservations. But Paracha contended that ECP has to arrange free and fair
elections in terms of Article 218(3), therefore the electors have the right to
know about the credentials of their candidates whom they wanted to vote.
Directing the ECP to submit comprehensive report on purposed
amendments, the court adjourned hearing until tomorrow.
The federal government formally proposed three names for the slot of
caretaker prime minister. Prime Minister in a letter to the Opposition Leader
in the National Assembly proposed the names of three potential candidates,
Dr Ishrat Hussain, Mir Hazar Khan Khoso and Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh,
from the Pakistan People’s Party.
Federal Minister and PML-Q leader Sheikh Waqas Akram called on
Chief Minister Punjab Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif at his Model Town
residence and announced to join PML-N along with his family members and
companions. Shahbaz Sharif welcomed Sheikh Waqas Akram and said that
it is the right of everyone to join whichever party he likes after giving
resignation.
At the eleventh hour of the completion of its tenure the Sindh
Assembly regularized the services of over 0.1 million employees working on
adhoc and contract basis in different departments. Besides, another bill was
passed into law through which legal cover given to the absorption and
promotion of officers as well allowing the government to appoint the
services of retired officers amid opposition of PML-F and NPP MPAs.
A cultural event was held in Central Secretariat of Pakistan Muslim
League-Q had special arrangements for the audience including the dance
performance of a woman along with regional dance performances. A woman
dance performer grabbed the attention of audience and subsequently the
whole nation as the show was going live on TV. Chaudhary Shujaat praised
the arrangements made by the cultural wing in charge of PML-Q.

11
 On 15th March, after Leader of Opposition conveyed his party’s
refusal, the Prime Minister postponed his farewell address to the nation so
he could avail another chance for evolving consensus on caretaker PM when
he meets the chief ministers of all the four provinces at a farewell lunch
tomorrow. Nisar said the three names proposed by the PM were rejected as
Abdul Hafiz Sheikh had remained finance minister until just some 15 days
back; Justice (r) Mir Hazar Khan Khosa was too aged while he also had been
close to slain PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto; and impartiality of Dr Ishrat
Hussain, who served as State Bank governor during Musharraf regime, was
also under question.
The deadlock at federal level would definitely reflect in Punjab as
well where the PPP led opposition is yet to accept any of the two names
proposed by CM Shahbaz Sharif. Nisar in his media talk said they would not
strike any underhand deal on the selection of caretaker prime minister and
caretaker chief ministers in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan. He warned that if
a transparent caretaker setup is not brought in Sindh, the Punjab Assembly
(PA) will be dissolved on April 9 (when its constitutional term expires) and
not along with National Assembly and other provincial assemblies.
The government and the opposition in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
announced the name of Justice (r) Tariq Pervez Khan, a former judge of the
Supreme Court, as the caretaker chief minister. The announcement was
made at a press conference jointly addressed by Chief Minister Ameer
Haider Khan Hoti and Leader of the Opposition in provincial assembly,
Akram Khan Durrani.
ECP Member Shehzad Akbar said that articles 62 and 63 of the
constitution were not binding on the caretaker prime minister. According to
Akbar, articles 62 and 63 are only binding on individuals contesting for
parliament. He added there were no restrictions in the constitution regarding
a dual national being appointed caretaker prime minister.
For the first-time in the country’s political history, a young politician
planning to try his luck in the next general elections to be held this year from
PTI platform, publicly challenged Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for a live debate
over the issues being faced by the people at large. Deputy Secretary
Information of PTI Faisal Javed Khan made it clear and loud that new
generation of the elites of the country had no comprehension of the problems
being faced by the common man and so they could not resolve those. Imran
Khan has thrown similar challenge to Nawaz Sharif.

12
 The Supreme Court directed the election commission to devise a
mechanism to facilitate over 4.4 million overseas Pakistanis so they could
exercise their right to vote in the upcoming general polls. The bench also
directed the attorney general to evolve a mechanism, with the assistance of
Information Technology ministry, for casting of votes by millions of
Pakistanis living abroad.
Next day, in pursuance of Article 52 of the Constitution the National
Assembly was dissolved on the expiration of its term of five years. This was
the first-ever democratically elected National Assembly of Pakistan that
completed its five years tenure successfully. Outgoing prime minister Raja
Pervaiz termed their government’s completion of term in face of a ‘negative
propaganda’ and ‘self-concocted allegations’ a historic achievement.
On 17th March, Nabeel Gabol switched to the MQM apparently over
differences with his party government’s policies. An announcement by
Gabol about his new political affiliation came during a news conference at
Nine-Zero. ‘I am quitting and joining the MQM now’, he said complaining
his constituency of Lyari had been ignored all these five years by the PPP-
led government. ‘Time and again I took stand, warned the party that Lyari is
like a time-bomb that would affect the entire Karachi in the future. No one
listened or considered my views, nor did they resolve the issues facing
Lyari.’ 
Dr Tahirul Qadri declared his party, Pakistan Awami Tehrik, would
not take part in the elections to be held in May and insisted the composition
of the ECP was not constitutional. Addressing a well-attended public
meeting at Liaquat Bagh, he said his party would hold sit-ins at the polling
stations on the day of the general elections. He criticized the apex court for
dismissing his petition against the composition of the ECP. 
Next day, Balochistan Governor dissolved the Balochistan Assembly
on the advice of Chief Minister Aslam Raisani. The Balochistan Assembly’s
tenure was to be completed on April 6 this year, but the decision for its
dissolution came after the four provincial CMs met and agreed unanimously
to dissolve the provincial assemblies before or on March 19.
Meanwhile, the Balochistan High Court annulled the notification
issued by Speaker Matiullah Agha nominating JUI-F leader Maulana Abdul
Wasay as the opposition leader in the Balochistan Assembly. Allowing
Nawabzada Tariq Magsi to continue as the opposition leader, the BHC
summoned the deputy attorney general and the advocate general on
tomorrow.

13
 Altaf Hussain vowed that he would return to country in no time when
the nation will be in trouble. He was addressing the party workers and
supporters on the 29th foundation day of MQM at Lal Qilla Ground,
Azizabad. He promised to make free health services and education up to
matriculation if his party wins.
Sindh Minister for Local Government Agha Siraj Durrani along with
his guards allegedly tortured an 18-grade officer of the same department at
Sindh Secretariat office. Agha Siraj Durrani and his guards manhandled and
thrashed him for not signing the recruitment orders of at least 150 persons in
back dates as Election Commission has banned the recruitment from January
22.
Imran Khan held an exclusive meeting with Egyptian President
Mohmmad Morsi and exchanged with him views on the matters pertaining
to the bilateral relations between both the brotherly nations. During the
meeting, both the leaders agreed in principle to further strengthen the
relations between both the countries. Imran Khan, on the occasion, said that
Muslim Ummah was facing a crisis while the western powers were labeling
the Muslims as extremists, which was a part of a well-conceived conspiracy.
He called upon the Egyptian President to play his role in deescalating
the situation in Syria and the tensions between the Muslim Ummah, which
were mainly due to gulf between the leadership of brotherly Muslim states.
Egyptian President praised the efforts of Imran Khan for raising voice
against corruption. He said that PTI wants to bring change in Pakistan
similar to that once which his party had brought in Egypt. President
Mohmmad expressed hope that after coming into power Imran Khan would
work for the welfare of Pakistan.
On 19th March, the consultation process between leader of the house
and leader of the opposition proved fruitless, now, the eight-member
parliamentary committee, notified by the speaker of the dissolved National
Assembly, would seek to name the most suitable person out of the total four
names (two each proposed by the prime minister and the leader of the
opposition) for the slot of caretaker prime minister. Given the composition
of parliamentary committee, comprising 4 members each from the
government and the opposition, emergence of a consensus caretaker PM
appears out of the question.
The PML-N leadership held a marathon meeting on Tuesday and
discussed the situation after rejection of nominees by either side. Ch Nisar
said the PPP was inclined to bargaining on the caretaker premier and the

14
CMs instead of following the constitutional requirements. He said the way
the Constitution had been violated in Balochistan and Sindh for caretaker
CMs found no example in the world. Nisar said the MQM enjoyed power
over the last five years and just days before the end of the tenure, it switched
over to the Opposition.
The Balochistan High Court restored Nawabzada Tariq Magsi as the
opposition leader in the provincial assembly, canceling the notification from
the Speaker for the appointment of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUl-F) leader
Maulana Abdul Wasay. The court termed the appointment of Abdul Wasay
unconstitutional. Tariq Magsi had challenged the decision of Speaker
Balochistan Assembly to appoint JUT-F leader as the opposition leader.
Next day, President Zardari announced that general elections for the
National Assembly will be held on May 11. The polls for four provincial
assembles are also likely to be held the same day. The election commission
has finalized the election schedule but details were not immediately released.
A parliamentary committee has yet to select a candidate to head a caretaker
administration.
Nawaz Sharif said the PPP is seeking to make the general elections
controversial by appointing caretaker setups of its choice in Sindh and trying
to do so in Balochistan. He urged the ECP and the judiciary to take notice of
the ‘foul play’ by which the PPP and its allies are having interim setups of
their liking. The PML-N would not let the elections become controversial
and every method would be pursued to protest against such attempts, Nawaz
told the media after presiding over a consultative meeting of the party at
Raiwind.
Qamar Zaman Kaira said if the ECP chooses Justice Nasir Aslam
Zahid as caretaker prime minister, then PPP will go for other options.
Talking to media persons outside the Parliament, he said if PML-N wants to
make Justice (r) Nasir Aslam Zahid prime minister, then it should give him
party ticket to contest elections but PPP would not accept him on the slot of
caretaker PM in any case.
The former minister said Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan is an undemocratic
person who wants to fasten the institutions. His inflexibility on the issue of
caretaker prime minister has put even ECP to a test. He said PPP has never
done injustice to any other party. There were some differences with PML-Q
but both the parties would resolve their matters amicably. Seat adjustments
would be carried out with PML-Q in upcoming polls, he added.

15
 Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and Opposition leader of MQM in the
Sindh Assembly reached on accord, appointing the former judge of Sindh
High Court justice (r) Zahid Qurban Alvi as caretaker chief minister of
Sindh unanimously. PML-N, PML-F, NPP, PML-Likeminded and other
opposition parties rejected nomination of Justice (r) Zahid Qurban Alvi,
alleging that Alvi is supporter of the ruling PPP and his nomination as CM is
a pre-poll rigging.
Justice (r) Tariq Pervez Khan took oath as the caretaker chief minister
of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Hailing from Peshawar, Tariq Pervez Khan
became the fifth caretaker chief minister of the province. Tariq Pervez Khan,
former Peshawar High Court chief justice and a retired judge of the Supreme
Court of Pakistan, has professional career of over 40 years at his credit.
Besides, he has also served as caretaker governor of the province in the past.
The Punjab Governor dissolved the Punjab Assembly on the advice of
the Punjab Chief Minister. Earlier in the day, PML-N chief Mian Nawaz
Sharif had advised his younger brother Shahbaz Sharif to send an advice to
the Governor for Assembly’s dissolution. With the dissolution of Punjab
legislature, the process of dissolution of all Provincial Assemblies has been
completed.
Balochistan Governor signed a summary for holding general elections
in the province on May 11. Through another notification, the government
has banned all appointments and transfers in the province till completion of
elections. Meanwhile, the deadlock between Chief Minister and Opposition
leader Tariq Magsi over appointing caretaker Chief Minister did not end.
On 21st March, the eight members parliamentary committee formed
for choosing a caretaker prime minister could not reach a consensus on the
second day, but it expressed the hope to finalize a name by tomorrow. In
Balochistan, government and opposition nominated Nawab Ghous Bakhsh
Barozai as consensus interim CM of the province.
Voicing concern over the regularization of contractual employees by
the federal and provincial governments, an electoral watchdog has likened
the move to ‘pre-poll rigging’ while demanding the Election Commission to
declare the initiative as ‘null and void.’ On the other hand, a top ECP boss
has asserted that the populist measures that serve the public interest of
lower-middle class cannot be reversed on the mere recommendations of
‘certain quarters.’ During their last days in power, the provincial
governments of Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan regularized over 300,000

16
provincial governments’ employees, over 100,000 each in the respective
provinces. 
Next day, the ECP finalized the schedule for this year’s general
elections, apparently without exercising its authority to make the desired
increase in the period for scrutiny of nomination papers. As per the schedule,
the candidates can file nomination papers with the returning officer in six
days from March 24-29. Scrutiny of the candidates will be done in seven
days (from March 30 to April 5), as was the previous practice. From April 6
to 9, the candidates and their opponents can file appeals, which will be
reviewed by the tribunals until April 16. Any candidate can be disqualified
from contesting the elections until April 17 and final list of candidates will
be issued on April 18.
As expected, the politicians failed to give the country a consensus
caretaker prime minister, after completion of ‘historic’ full terms of an
elected assembly and a civilian government. Now the ball is in the court of
election commission which has two days to finalize the name of the
caretaker PM from among the four nominees of the outgoing prime minister
and leader of opposition.
PPP’s newly elected Secretary General Sardar Latif Khan Khosa said
that PPP has elected its new office bearers and it would now be registered
with the ECP. Giving details about party’s intra-party elections, he said that
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has been elected as Patron-in-Chief of the PPP and
the office of chairman has been abolished. Though he would not say that
president has quit the political office, but he confirmed that there is no office
of a co-chairman in the new organization. He said Bilawal Bhutto would
remain Patron-in-Chief till he attains the age of 25, and after that he would
be chairman of the PPP.
The Supreme Court and Lahore High Court have already asked the
president to shun political activities. A case regarding president’s dual office
is still pending in the Lahore High Court for decision. Khosa further said he
would file an application with the Election Commission of Pakistan on
March 25 to establish his claim over the PPP vis-à-vis those of Ghinwa
Bhutto and Nahid Khan who have approached the ECP to get their parties
registered as PPP also seeking the electoral symbol of arrow.
Musharraf was granted protective bail in a series of legal cases,
paving the way for his return from exile without the risk of immediate arrest.
Musharraf has vowed to return on March 24 to contest the May 11 general

17
election, but is wanted in Pakistan for conspiracy to murder and illegally
arresting judges.
To preclude the prospect of his arrest on arrival, his daughter, Ayla
Raza, petitioned a court in Karachi on his behalf for protective bail in three
cases, including the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir
Bhutto. Judge Sajjad Ali Shah posted bail at 300,000 rupees ($3,000) over
the 2007 sacking of judges, the 2006 death of Akbar Bugti, and the murder
of Benazir Bhutto in a gun and suicide attack.
On 23rd March, Imran Khan made six promises to the nation to bring a
real change in the country setting to motion Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s
election campaign formally with his address to a gathering of tens of
thousands of followers at the historic Iqbal Park in Lahore. Khan called for
four undertakings from the Pakistani people, but could not present his party
manifesto as the meeting was wrapped up by a heavy downpour later in the
evening.
Striking a personal chord with his followers, the PTI chief even
offered to be removed by the masses and office-bearers of his party if he
failed to fulfill his promises after coming to power. ‘I promise I will always
speak the truth; I promise the PTI manifesto will be implemented in letter
and spirit’, Khan added. In his second promise, the PTI chief covenanted to
wage a jihad to end oppression and oppressive forces in Pakistan.
Making his third promise, Khan said, ‘All my assets will be in
Pakistan and open for accountability to my party men and the masses.’ ‘I
will never take any benefit while in power, and will also not to be taken
advantage of by my relatives, party men and any officer of the government,
nor will I follow dynastic politics’, Khan added.
His fifth promise said, ‘I will protect the taxes of the people, never try
to write off loans, and ensure usage of tax money for the welfare of the
masses.’ ‘I along with the entire nation stand by the overseas Pakistanis in
time of any injustice against them and press the country of their residence
for provision of prompt justice’, the PTI chairman said in his last promise.
Calling for four undertakings from the nation, the PTI chairman said,
‘They should stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him to wage a jihad on all
kinds of injustices in the country’. Demanding another undertaking from the
masses, he said, ‘Being a nation, we should always speak the truth and
restore the lost identity of the country.’ In another undertaking from the
nation, he demanded, ‘All the people should become volunteers of change to
counter the influence of money-barons.’ In the fourth undertaking, he called

18
for a promise from them to convert the country into a real Islamic welfare
state.
The PPP leadership wrote a letter to the ECP, showing reservations
over the two candidates proposed for caretaker prime minister by the
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. The PML-N leaders expressed concern
over the move and said that PPP leadership was trying to influence the ECP
and CEC Justice (r) Fakhruddin G Ibrahim should take notice of it.
Altaf Hussain expressed no-confidence in ECP, terming it a
conspiracy to divide his party’s vote bank. Talking to the MQM
coordination committee at Nine Zero, he said that an unconstitutional step
was taken by the EC just before the general election while ignored the whole
country and announced delimitation only in Karachi. 
Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Karachi Chief said that Election Commission’s
delimitation process in three of national and 8 of provincial constituencies of
Karachi were not as per the Supreme Court verdict. He said that the SC
verdict formally stated that the voters’ verification process would be done in
presence of the army personal. The delimitation should also be done in all
the constituencies of Karachi but the EC ignored all the instructions and
without consulting the political parties had delimited 11 of the
constituencies.
Former speaker of the National Assembly Syed Fakhar Imam
announced to join the PML-N after meeting Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz
Sharif. Nawaz Sharif welcomed Fakhar Imam in the party and said his
decision will give a political boost to the party. Nawaz said that the PML-N
is a national party which presented a revolutionary manifesto for the
forthcoming general elections.
Next day, the ECP finally chose the government’s nominee, Justice (r)
Mir Hazar Khan Khoso, as caretaker premier with a majority vote of four-
one. Justice (r) Riaz Kayani from Punjab was the lone Election Commission
member who opposed Khoso’s nomination and gave a dissenting note. The
unexpected decision came against the probable selection of Dr Ishrat
Hussain or Nasir Aslam Zahid, the two hot favourites from the government
and the opposition sides respectively.
In separate letters written to ECP Secretary Ishtiak Ahmed Khan, the
members of the parliamentary committee from the government and the
opposition had voiced reservations against Zahid and Ishrat. The ECP’s
decision on Mir Hazar Khan Khoso is seen against the backdrop of this
scenario.

19
 Caretaker Prime Minister-designate said that holding of free, fair and
transparent elections would be his top priority and he would try to come up
to the expectations of the people of Pakistan. In his maiden chat with media
persons here at Balochistan House, Khoso said God willing, polls would be
held on time. Khoso minced no words in saying that in case of failure to
hold elections on time he would leave the office and go back to his home.
Khoso, around 84, was quite active and responsive to the media men
queries. To a question about the alarming law and order situation in parts of
the country, particularly his home province, he said that definitely he would
take measures in this connection and would take up the matter with the
provincial governments for maintenance of law and order situation.
Jamhoori Watan Party president Nawabzada Talal Akbar Bugti once
again announced Rs1 billion as head money for killing APML leader Pervez
Musharraf who has landed in Karachi after a self-exile of four years. He said
he has no confidence in the ECP, saying the government took no step for
settling the internally displaced Bugtis to their homes which was a matter of
serious concern.
The slogans of ‘we won’t accept injustices against Karachi, we won’t
accept unlawful act of the ECP’ reverberated in City streets, where scores of
people protested the redrawing of the various constituencies by the Election
Commission of Pakistan. They demanded the ECP to withdraw its decision,
and termed it an unfair and anti-Karachi move.
Four cameramen of different news channels were attacked and injured
while covering the public meeting of a religious party in Hyderabad. They
all were shifted to Civil Hospital in ambulance in unconscious condition.
According to doctors, they have sustained internal injuries caused by hitting
with sticks, kicks and punches. 
Rule of law: On 11th March, NAB decided to investigate the Metro
Bus, Lahore and Ring Road projects completed by the Punjab Government.
According to NAB spokesman, this was decided after taking cognizance of
various reports relating to major violations of Punjab Government on the
two mega projects contract's award to various parties including NLC,
without processing the case as per rules.
The Chief Justice applied breaks to the award of a multi-billion dollar
liquefied natural gas (LNG) contract by the departing government,
understandably with the rental power projects (RPPs) scam and unfair award
of a previous LNG contract in mind. The court issued stay order against all

20
the proceeding at all the forums for awarding LNG contracts until a final
judgment of the Supreme Court.
On 18th March, Accountability Court Rawalpindi declared former
OGRA chairman Tauqeer Sadiq a proclaimed offender and ordered to
confiscate his property. NAB prosecutor had requested for punishment under
31A due to continuous absence of Sadiq from the court proceedings. The
case hearing was adjourned till April 18.
Defiance of judiciary: On 11th March, the Supreme Court granted
‘the last opportunity’ to Hussain Haqqani to appear before the court, saying
coercive measures permissible under the law, including cancellation of his
Pakistani passport, could be taken against him. Attorney General told the
court that it had been decided at a meeting, also attended by the interior
secretary and Asma Jehnagir, counsel for Hussain Haqqani, that a VVIP
security would be provided to Hussain Haqqani on his return to the country.
He added that Haqqani could be brought in a helicopter from the airport and
his stay could be managed in a five-star hotel near the apex court. Asma
Jehangir told the court that she had conveyed her client about the security
arrangements, but he did not trust the state authorities.
On 13th March, the Supreme Court directed former prime minister
Yousuf Raza Gilani to file a review of the conviction awarded to him by a
seven-judge bench in April last year. Instead of engaging the services of
Aitzaz Ahsan, who had contested his contempt case and disqualification
matter, Gilani appeared before the three-judge bench, stating the conviction
awarded to him was in civil contempt case and did not entail his
disqualification.
Next day, the Punjab forensic department presented its report
regarding the death of NAB investigator Kamran Faisal in the Supreme
Court. The forensic report was presented in a sealed envelope. Justice
Khawaja remarked that further proceedings would be held after the report
was evaluated following which the hearing of the case was adjourned till 26
March.
On 18th March, rejecting his unconditional apology the Supreme Court
decided to indict former interior minister Malik on March 25 for committing
contempt of court by interfering in the investigation of the Steel Mills scam.
The court issued a notice to the attorney general to act as prosecutor general
in Malik’s contempt case.

21
 Earlier, the former interior minister, through a civil miscellaneous
application on February 28, tendered unconditional apology and placed
himself at the mercy of the court. Malik was issued a show-cause notice for
interfering in the investigation of the Pakistan Steel Mills corruption case on
May 16, 2012 by transferring former FIA DG Tariq Khosa in December
2009.
Next day, expressing grave concern over the attempt to constitute a
Commission by the Ministry of Law to probe the contents of letter written
by NAB Chairman to President Zardari, the court observed that ‘efforts were
made to sabotage the system at the highest level.’ The Chief Justice said that
the Prime Minister did not order to form the Commission, but only had
sought the advice.
He further stated the Law Ministry withdrew the notification for
establishing the Commission, as the PM did not approve the summary for
that purpose. Senior Joint Secretary told the court that the notification for the
formation of the Commission, comprising former Supreme Court judges
Mukhtar Junejo and Nawaz Abbasi, was issued following the Presidential
reference, adding, that the notification had been withdrawn.
The Chief Justice remarked that the authorities dealt the matter in a
way as if judiciary is under the administration and warned that no attempts
should be made to demean the judiciary. He questioned if any attempt
would be made in the future to constitute any such Commission. The case is
adjourned till Wednesday (today).
On 20th March, a three-member bench heard the matter of an
interfering letter written by NAB Chairman Admiral (r) Fasih Bokhari to
President Zardari. NAB chief’s counsel repeatedly asked the Chief Justice to
recuse from the bench or transfer the case to some other bench of the apex
court, but the CJ rejected his objections.
The bench noted that in the letter contempt was committed not only
against a particular judge but an attempt had also been made to involve the
whole institution. Hence, the NAB chairman had committed both criminal
and judicial contempt. Justice Azmat Saeed pointed out to the counsel that
the NAB chairman had used the word of ‘Supreme Court’ 10 times in the
letter. ‘If the Supreme Court would not hear this case, should it be heard by
apex court of Delhi or Kabul’, he raised the question.
Law Ministry Joint Secretary stated that the commission to probe the
contents of NAB chairman’s letter was constituted in pursuance of a letter
received from President’s Secretariat. He placed on record the letter for ‘eye

22
only’. After examining the letter, the bench said that prima facie the
secretary’s stance was incorrect. The court directed him to submit the
document in SC office and directed the office to keep it in a sealed envelope.
The bench directed the secretary to remain in attendance of the hearings and
adjourned the case until April 2.
Taming the military: On 12th March, the counsel for ISI and
Military Intelligence informed the Supreme Court that the internment order
is being withdrawn and now the seven men detained in FATA would be tried
under the Regulations Action in Aid of Civil Powers 2011. He said that as
the men allegedly went missing from Adiala Jail in 2010 would be tried
under the relevant laws as they were arrested from the restive area of FATA
for attacking the army convoys, adding the detained men were not innocent
and had been involved in different acts of terrorism.
Recessing economy: On 14th March, the National Electric Power
Regulatory Authority approved a hike of Rs1.55/unit in electricity tariff on
account of monthly fuel price adjustment for the month of January, upon the
request of the Central Power Purchasing Agency. The fresh hike was
approved during a hearing held under the vice-chairman. The Nepra believes
this raise is due to the upward trend in price of gas and decreased hydel
power generation in the country.
On 21st March, hundreds of farmers blocked Quetta-Taftan and
Quetta-Karachi highways for all traffic to protest prolonged load-shedding in
the province saying the chronic power cuts had completely destroyed the
agriculture. Protesters pelted stones at vehicles and torched many of them on
Quetta-Taftan Highway and several people were also injured due to firing.
Baloch militancy: On 12th March, unidentified armed assailants
gunned down the district election commissioner (DEC) Quetta. DEC
Ziaullah Qasmi was heading towards his residence in an auto-rickshaw after
discharging his duty when armed men chased him and opened indiscriminate
fire on him near Chandni Chowk of Satellite Town.
Two bullet-riddled bodies were found dumped in Aab-i-Gum area of
Machh, , while two people were shot dead in Quetta and Khuzdar.
Identification of the bodies was made through a chit found in the pocket of
the one of the deceased. Banned outfit Baloch Liberation Army through the
chit claimed responsibility of their killing.
Next day, eleven teenagers suspected of being used to plant bombs for
the banned United Baloch Army were apprehended in raids on the provincial

23
capital, the Quetta police chief said. The arrested operatives, aged between
10 and 17 years, confessed to having carried out Meezan Chowk bombing
earlier this year and other subversive acts. Seven others who hired them for
UBA commander Abdul Nabi Bangulzai managed to escape.
The federal government did not seek extension in the Governor Rule
in Balochistan from the parliament and now, on completion of 60 days
period, it stands automatically lifted and provincial government is restored.
According to the new political arrangement, the Balochistan MPAs of
Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl would now sit on opposition benches and their
Parliamentary Leader Abdul Wasay would be notified as Leader of
Opposition. Balochistan National Party-Awami MPAs have also decided to
sit on opposition benches, ostensibly to have their say in the formation of the
caretaker setup.
At least four people, including a woman were killed in separate
incidents of firing and different parts of Balochistan. One person killed in
Quetta and two in Khuzdar. The assailants escaped from the crime scene
after both the attacks. Two Czech Republic female tourists were kidnapped
from the district of Chaghi.
On 14th March, two settlers from Rahimyar Khan were gunned down
in Gwadar when unidentified armed men riding a motorbike opened
indiscriminate firing at a shop. In another incident, FC carried out a raid near
Quetta and arrested three accused persons including a wanted accused
Akthar Bangulzai.
On 17th March, Balochistan government once again plunged into crisis
as 18 trusted Ministers and Advisers in Chief Minister Nawab Aslam
Raisani’s Cabinet tendered their resignations to Governor Nawab Zulfiqar
Ali Magsi, who has accepted them. Earlier, the Cabinet meeting called by
Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani could not be held owing to rift in
government as a good number of the members joined the Opposition.
On 22nd March, at least 13 people were killed and 32 others injured in
two separate incidents of bomb blast and firing in Jaffarabad and Kalat
districts. In Jaffarabad, unidentified people had planted explosives in an
auto-rickshaw parked on National Highway at Dera Allahyar that killed nine
people and left over 30 others injured. In another incident, four people were
gunned down in main RCD Highway area of Kalat district. On 24 th March,
two people, including a Levies personnel were killed and three others
sustained injuries in two separate incidents of firing in Gwadar and Quetta.

24
 Turf war in Karachi: On 11th March, at least two people were
killed and seven others injured in a bomb blast in Landhi Town, Karachi. In
Orangi Town, three security guards of a private cash company were killed in
firing by dacoits during robbery bid. Next day, ten persons, including four
policemen and a political activist were gunned down in various incidents of
violence. Meanwhile, Pakistan Rangers claimed to have apprehended at least
896 suspects and recovered above 782 weapons of different calibers. It also
detained 104 target killers and 39 extortionists during the current year in
Karachi.
On 13th March, renowned social worker and Director of Slum
Rehabilitation Project known as Orangi Pilot Project Parveen Rehman, was
gunned down in an incident of target killing within the precincts of Pirabad
police station. The gunmen riding a motorbike targeted her near Abdullah
College and assailants managed to flee. In other incidents five more people
were gunned down and thirty suspects were held in targeted operations.
Next day, six people were killed in separate acts of violence in the
city. Head of the investigation team revealed the arrest of six alleged
militants involved in the Abbas Town blast. He informed that the arrests
were made following the information provided by intelligence agency. On
15th March, four people were killed in separate acts of violence in the
metropolis.
On 16th March, Interior Minister Malik said that law and order
situation had improved in the country as the security plan devised by him
had remained successful during the past five years in foiling the threats
posed by terrorist elements. To a question, he said the recent incidents of
bombing in Quetta and Karachi were part of the conspiracy to destabilize
Pakistan. He said only targeted operation was being done in Karachi against
the miscreants and there was no need for a grand operation.
Next day, five people, including two cops, were gunned down in
separate acts of violence in the city. Law enforcers recovered bodies of three
most wanted gangsters from Lyari area. Arshad alias Papu, his brother and
an associate were killed in a shootout on yesterday in clash with rival gang,
headed by Baba Ladla. 
Rangers claimed to have arrest a former commander of the banned
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ). Qari Abdul Hai aka Asadullah was arrested in a
targeted raid on Gulshan-e-Iqbal area. He was involved in various cases of
terrorism. Meanwhile, three workers of the MQM were shot dead by

25
unidentified armed men in Hyderabad and one MQM worker was injured in
the attack.
On 18th March, six persons, including a government college principal
were killed in separate acts of violence, including the principal of the
Government Degree Science College who was gunned down on sectarian
grounds. Law enforcers claimed to have killed an alleged militant of the TTP
and detained several others during various operations. 
The Supreme Court directed the FIA to complete its investigation and
take action against its ten officials, who helped Shahrukh Jatoi escape from
the country, and disposed of the case. During the course of proceedings, the
FIA’s counsel presented a report appraising the court about the action taken
by the agency.
On 19th March, a Karachi Electric Supply Company official was killed
in a mysterious car bomb blast while in another incident a senior doctor
along with his police guard was shot dead in a targeted attack. In all nine
people were reported killed during the day.
Next day, Chief Justice of Pakistan will head a larger bench
tomorrow, regarding Abbas Town tragedy case at Branch Registry Karachi.
The five-judge bench will conduct proceedings on the case till March 22.
Notices to the respondents including Chief Secretary, Advocate General and
Inspector General of Police Sindh have also been issued. Meanwhile, ten
persons, including two MQM workers, were gunned down in separate
incidents of violence.
On 21st March, as Supreme Court resumed hearing of Karachi law and
order case on Thursday, the Inspector General of Sindh Police presented a
detailed report over incidents of target killings and extortion in the city. The
report included a list of 224 arrested target killers, having affiliation with
different political parties and banned outfits. These arrests were made after
2011.
It was mentioned in the report that 81 arrested target killers were
affiliated with MQM, 38 Sunni Tehreek, 9 Tehreek-e-Insaaf and 13 others
belonged to Awami National Party. The list also included names of 27
members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Lyari gang war’s 17 criminals,
People Aman Committee’s 6, LeJ 2 and Jandullah’ five members involved
in target killings and extortion.
Next day, the Supreme Court gave 15 days to Sindh government to
improve law and order situation in Karachi. The court directed the Sindh

26
chief secretary, Rangers and police to produce a joint report over no-go areas
in the city. The bench said: the court wants immediate peace in the city. The
peace could be restored by implementing the court October 6, 2011 order.
The CJ said Rangers’ chief had not accepted responsibility for the
worsening law and order situation. ‘If you go to Lyari, Shershah, Lines area
and Jamshed Quarters, you will find no-go areas there. Girls are being lifted
in the presence of police and Rangers in defence’, said the CJ. He further
said, ‘One of you says no-go areas exist while the other negates it. You are
making a mockery of courts.’
On 23rd March, at least 11 people including two political workers were
gunned down in different parts of the metropolis. Next day, three people
were killed in separate acts of violence, while police claimed to have
arrested two operatives of a banned outfit.
Miscellaneous Militancy: On 11th March, the Supreme Court
observed that apparently it was a land grabbing bid instead of any
blasphemy instance that led to burning of helpless Christians’ homes and
directed the Punjab government to file reply tomorrow so the court could
pass punitive orders against the negligent police officers. The court also
asked the provincial government that why Justice Iqbal Hameed ur Rehman
report on Gojra incident was not made public and why the government did
not implement the recommendations of the commission. The court asked
why the government constitutes commissions on various matters, if it was
not interesting in their recommendations.
The National Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution demanding
the government to form a judicial commission to probe and fix the
responsibility of the recent riots in Badami Bagh Lahore, besides expediting
the payment of compensation to the victims' families. The resolution was
moved by Minister for Interfaith Harmony Akram Masih Gill that was later
adopted unanimously.
Punjab Governor wrote a letter to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif
showing concern over ransacking of Christians’ homes in Badami Bagh and
asking him to take measures to forestall such incidents in future. While
reminding the chief minister of his obligations, the governor said that
protection of life, property and honour of the citizens is the foremost
constitutional obligation of the government. 
The United Nations condemned the targeting of religious and ethnic
minorities in Pakistan. The UN system in Pakistan joins the secretary-

27
general to convey heartfelt condolences to the families of all the victims and
to the people of Pakistan, a press release said. The UN urges the government
and all political parties to accelerate efforts to build harmony and peace
among different sections of society and take concrete measures to protect the
existence and identity of ethnic, cultural and religious minorities.
On 18th March, the Supreme Court said that the Christians must not be
frightened after the Joseph Colony incident as the courts were there to
ensure their protection and help them get their rights. About the role of
senior police officers of Lahore, the AG told the bench that CCPO had been
transferred for failing to assess the situation and take proper steps for
security.
Lahore SSP (Investigation) said Shahid Imran, the complainant in the
blasphemy case, had obtained bail and after he was questioned, it had been
established that an act of blasphemy did take place. The bench adjourned
hearing until March 25 after newly appointed Lahore CCPO Muhammad
Hamlesh sought time for thorough and honest investigations.

VIEWS
Power politics
The need of the time: ‘The decision of the Election Commission of
Pakistan (ECP) to go ahead with the printing of the revised nomination
papers for the general elections due within a couple of months despite
objections of the PPP-led government to the amendments was both
courageous and the need of the hour… It should be absolutely clear that the
nation is not merely interested in the change of political guard through
elections, but is eager to see only those who have a clean record of personal
life come into power. For that reason, the people want names of the bad eggs
to be excised at the initial stage of the filing of nomination papers; for once
in the field, they are liable to exercise influence on the strength of money or
biradari (clan) to get elected. Therefore, the ECP’s announcement that in
exercise of its constitutional powers it would have the nomination papers
with proposed revisions printed came as a great relief to them. It explained
the legal basis for this decision: “it is the mandate of the ECP to conduct
free, fair and transparent election under (i) article 218 of the constitution; (ii)
the approval of the President under section 107 of the Representation of the
People Act is merely a formality; and (iii) the honourable Supreme Court of
Pakistan has stated in the Worker’s Party case judgment that the ECP ‘is

28
empowered and independent to do all that is necessary to fulfill its
constitutional mandate and instruct that it do so.’
By doing so, the ECP has gone some way towards helping sustain the
confidence of the people in its being aboveboard. The doubts and suspicions
of those who were of the view that, constituted as it is, the ECP would find it
hard to make meaningful moves free from the political parties’
manipulations have not entirely been removed. In fact, the dissenting note of
Election Commissioner Roshan Isani, a nominee of the Sindh government,
on the ECP’s decision to print nomination papers in revised form has kept
their apprehensions alive. In the socio-political scenario prevailing in the
country, it falls on the judiciary as well as the media to keep a watchful eye
on every move that the ECP makes to ensure that the nation’s aspirations are
fulfilled.’ (Editorial, TheNation 13th March)
Reassuring ECP: ‘It was another good day for the lovers of sound
democratic values when the Supreme Court put its weight behind the
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which is at odds with the present
political setup in power at the centre over the issue of amendments in the
existing nomination papers for the coming general elections… The revised
nomination papers make it obligatory for candidates, who consider
themselves worthy enough to represent the people, to declare their assets, tax
details, etc. And anyone aware of the culture of the influential rich in
Pakistan would have no hesitation in appreciating the ECP’s move to
eliminate the dishonest and fraudsters from the electoral process. In truth,
the current era of loot and plunder that has beaten all previous records makes
such precautions all the more necessary, if free, fair and transparent elections
are to be aimed at. Any attempt at shielding the dirty lot against such steps
should be condemned as most reprehensible and damaging to national
interests and be opposed with full forces.
The Supreme Court, in support of its observations, recalled its
judgment of last year in which it had interpreted different constitutional
provisions, particularly article 218(3) that made it clear that the ECP was
fully authorized, without anyone trying to impede it, to remove any flaw in
the electoral process or introduce any measure in it so that the polls could be
free and fair. Issuing a written order on Tuesday, the court directed both the
ECP and the government to submit a comprehensive report on the steps
taken to implement the judgment. One hopes that the President would now
gracefully give his consent to the amendments introduced by the ECP.
Frankly, he has no other choice!’ (Editorial, TheNation 14th March)

29
 The dictatorship of the ‘electables’: ‘Note to the Readers: Several
people sent me their comments on my last week’s article titled ‘The March
23rd Outswinger’ (TheNation, March 6). Although the majority of writers
wish to see a revolutionary change in Pakistan’s future politics, they are
sceptical given the reality of the contemporary political culture in the
country – namely the decades-long dictatorship of the ‘electables’.
Contrary to this common impression (expressed by many
commentators), it is my absolute conviction that the youth’s participation in
the political process of Pakistan (mind it, on a massive scale) is going to
transform its political discourse in future. (You will see a demonstration of
this rising phenomenon on March 23 at Minar-i-Pakistan in Lahore.)
Added to this is the flawed impression shared by many overseas and
urban Pakistanis that people in the rural areas of the country are politically
illiterate, conceptually uneducated, de-politicalized and politically apathetic.
This is a wrong impression – indeed, they have been powerless and
oppressed for decades and victims of the oppression of the political culture
that has survived for the last 60 years. But now they are aware about the
importance of their democratic rights: they understand the underlying
reasons for their deprivations, their poverty and their sufferings, and are now
poised to fight back. And they will fight their historical enemies with
tremendous spirit, determination and political will. History is in the process
of making a revolutionary Pakistan in the near future – one way or the other
- whatever it may be.
My political support for Imran Khan’s revolutionary politics of
change (as well as of Dr Tahirul Qadri’s) is not based on the usual precepts
of a personality cult (as suggested by some commentators) so common in
our cultural norms. The fact of the matter is that Imran’s Pakistan Tehrik-i-
Insaaf (PTI) has been instrumental in giving the nation an awareness and
political consciousness of an anti-status quo political movement. That in
itself is not a small accomplishment. It is a monumental achievement that is
going to insure the political empowerment of its people, its future dignity,
self-reliance and self-determination, prosperity and survival.
Added to this is Imran’s personal history of matchless self-discipline,
self-achievement, and limitless determined pursuance of set objectives with
incredible and legendary personal investment and hard work in attaining
those goals. Indeed, that puts him (as well as Dr Qadri) in the category of
leadership that the nation needs at this critical stage of its crucial ‘history in
the making’.

30
 The most common question asked these days is: why would an anti-
status quo/anti-‘electables’ political revolution take place in Pakistan? I will
explain my perspective on the subject in today’s article.
The front page headlines of the daily TheNation of March 6, 2013,
reads as follows: ‘PML-N pockets Balochistan political gurus.’ A carefully
reflective, analytical and in-depth scrutiny of the social-psychological
mindset and the intrinsic political beliefs of the PML-N leadership, and its
election campaign strategic management doctrine, reveals the fundamental
parameters of its political ideology.
It is obvious that the PML-N leadership is absolutely convinced that
inducting traditional political ‘electables’ into the party is the only way to
ensure victory in the forthcoming general elections. This strategic political
view also underlines its conviction that the common citizens’ increased
political consciousness of national economic-political and social issues will
have no bearing on the polls.
In other words, the PML-N leaders consider the rising political,
economic and democratic aspirations of the common citizens of Pakistan as
inconsequential in affecting the outcome of election results. Or at best, the
leaders believe that they can counter the anti-status quo and anti-‘electables’
movement by the sheer force of massive propaganda campaigns, political
rhetoric of a symbolic democracy and the mantra of saving democracy over
the last five years. Added to this is their huge investment in public
diplomacy in the form of the recently announced PML-N political manifesto
and hurried completion of several public sector projects at massive cost.
But there are serious public apprehensions of its leadership’s role in
the last five years of a sham democracy. The public perception of the PPP-
PML-N leaders is that they have, behind closed doors, manipulated and
collaborated on a number of national issues, including quick passing of
National Assembly amendments. The urban-rural divide in developmental
schemes is also a bone of contention.
Then there are questions that are naturally valid and appropriate on
the issue of national priorities: the PML-N’s absolute inaction on drone
attacks, its lack of policy direction on the American-centric foreign policy,
the war on terror, the relationship with Afghanistan and the Taliban issue,
and so on and so forth. But the most serious public threat to the PML-N
leadership comes from its colonial-times lifestyle, imperialist protocols and
absolute adherence to a right-wing capitalist economic system and political
democracy…

31
 The point that I am making here is that in a world of the 21 st century
when humanity’s needs are paramount, when technology and natural
resources are in abundance, and when revolutionary political and economic
systems can facilitate and deliver the fulfillment of general public welfare on
a massive scale, the outdated political system and ideology of the ‘haves’
and ‘have-nots’ (where the ‘haves’ consider it to be their inherent privilege
to rule the ‘have-nots’) will simply not work. Ironically, the PML-N and
PPP leadership have been and still are wedded to this ‘farsooda’ political
and economic dogma…
Will someone explain to the PML-N and PPP leadership that the time
for the political strategy and dogma of ‘electables’ is now over! We must
continue the process of making a fresh political history in Pakistan.’ (Dr
Haider Mehdi, TheNation 14th March)
What the President did not tell: ‘Those of us who have been
involved academically and diligently studying political behaviour of the
traditional Pakistani political actors know quite well that what these
politicians say and what they do in actuality are altogether two different
things. Rhetoric, public statements, speeches, slogans and symbolic
nationalist sentimental narratives are solely for public consumption and for
the purpose of public diplomacy.
There are always contradictions between what is politically said by
those politicians and what is meant to be achieved. Motives are generally
concealed and real intentions are camouflaged and masqueraded. It is now
an established fact that the main objective of the contemporary ruling elite in
Pakistan has always been to seek political power and use it for their vested
interests - both politically and economically.
Asif Ali Zardari ascended to the presidency some five years ago by
skilful manipulative trajectory of the political system that was in itself the
creation of a massive culmination and coming together of vested interest
entities that of Benazir’s quest for power and Musharraf’s lust for the
continuation of his dictatorial rule over this nation. The NRO, the foundation
of this so-called democratic regime, was the product of this mindset and the
so-called project for democracy has been a charade jointly organized by
those decadent minds, who do not have the slightest idea of what democracy
is all about.
Added to this entire impersonation of democracy has been the
President’s personal talent of ‘muk-muka’ capabilities and skilful

32
manipulation of the existing political system. Indeed, the Pakistani nation
has painfully and tragically experienced five years of this sham democracy.
The latest bad news is that President Zardari is wholeheartedly
pursuing his manipulative skills to trick the nation once again. Today’s
article sheds some light on what is happening and how he is forming his
future political game plan.
Let us start with a simple yet vital and pertinent question: why was
not the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline accord signed let us say, four or five
years ago? Would that have been contrary to Pakistan’s national interests in
some way? And why has this agreement been made now when the tenure of
this government is completed?
The PPP-led government’s apologists will tell you that signing a gas
pipeline agreement with Tehran four years ago would have certainly invoked
US economic and political sanctions against Pakistan. Hence, it was
politically justified not to irk the US and face sanctions.
But has the American political stand on the IP gas pipeline project
changed in the last four weeks? The fact of the matter is that the US stance
on this issue has not changed one bit, neither will it change in the
foreseeable future. Then on what foreign policy considerations has the
President made the recent accord with Iran? (Iran’s position on this accord is
simply honest, honourable and in Pakistan’s national interests – that is not
the issue.)
The rational and logical answer to this question is simple: it is a set-up
to ensure that any future government in Pakistan, caretaker, elected or not,
fails. The President is fully aware of the US and its allies’ hostile, aggressive
and non-compromising stance on the IP gas pipeline issue, and any future
government in Pakistan will have to face US sanctions immediately leading
to a major financial and political crisis.
Not only that, it is common knowledge that the President is
Washington-London’s “man” in Islamabad. He might be calculating in
foresight that once the future government in Islamabad collapses, the
President’s patrons in Washington might once again organize his comeback
to political power, or at least arrange a Bilawal Bhutto-led PPP government
to take over in the country.
The same scenario is applicable to the Gwadar Port accord with a
Chinese company. The President is fully aware of the expected US reaction
and how the agreement can and will cause political instability in the country,

33
most specifically in Balochistan. And yet, he has not hesitated in going
ahead with these agreements at the end of the tenure of the government (both
of these agreements should have been made four years ago when the PPP
came into power). Meaning that, it is a set-up to make sure that any future
government in Islamabad faces immediate and critical hurdles in putting the
country back on track to political and economic stability…
It is obvious that populist and far-right parties, the PPP and PML-N
under its traditional political leadership with little commitment to
democratic norms, gained popularity after Musharraf’s rule. However, in
the last five years, they have made a mockery of democratic ideals.
Imagine the pre-poll rigging and other atrocious political conduct of
the ruling parties: just days ahead of the end of its tenure, the ruling PPP in
Sindh Assembly ‘passed several laws raising the perks and privileges even
for outgoing parliamentarians…effective retrospectively from July 2001’,
reported the national media.
In Islamabad, the banks and central government offices remained
open on Saturday (a day ahead of the dissolution of the National Assembly
and the PPP’s central government) distributing perks and benefits to the
government’s favourites and members of all parties.
The media has reported the following: MNAs and MPAs had crores
of rupees backdated medical bills (mostly fake) reimbursed, unused funds
meant to be used for development work in their constituencies were released
to MNAs and MPAs in cash; in Sindh, there were scores of promotions for
bureaucrats backdated to 2009, thousands of contractual staff were made
permanent, 17,000 employees were to be inducted into LESCO, and so on
and so forth.
In Punjab province, the PML-N-led government has hurriedly
completed several projects at massive public expense. Urban-rural divide
and public priorities have been ignored. Added to this is the PML-N
leadership’s drive to infuse fresh life in promoting traditional political
culture and exacerbating the excesses of the contemporary political system
by adopting a strategy of ‘electables’ to win the forthcoming general
elections. It seems that the PML-N leadership is politically committed and
content with the status quo to prevail.
This nation is being set up for a modern authoritarian rule of the few
‘haves’ over the majority of impoverished ‘have-nots’. The sad and
troubling attempt at maintaining and perpetuating a regressive democratic

34
system in Pakistan is not something that someone else can fix – it is you
who have to do it.
Wake up! Join with passionate determination of those who are leading
the political movement for a fundamental change in this country. Your
existence and that of future generations is at stake. The choice is yours. The
President did not tell you this, or did he?’ (Dr Haider Mehdi, TheNation 21 st
March)
Dragging in the caretakers: ‘One of the main functions a federal
caretaker government fulfills, is providing the legal framework governing
the election by the use of the power of promulgating ordinances. However,
as this may be reviewed by the Supreme Court, which has shown that it
relies on the constitution, even this power remains in doubt.
As the provincial government actually posts the federal employees it
has been assigned, but its own employees, usually at the lower echelons of
the general administration, the police and the revenue department, its
caretakers are also of great importance. Some would argue that they are,
probably, of more importance than the federal government. The importance
of the provinces was shown in these elections, and it was perhaps not a
defined idea among the federal legislators who drafted the caretaker
provision, that the provinces would play such an important role.
One thing giving them so much importance was the insistence, which
still continues, that the election to both national and provincial legislatures
be held on the same day – May 11 in this case. While this is an idea that has
much to recommend it, not least the ground of administrative convenience,
there is nothing in the constitution mandating it. India tried to follow this,
but went for different election dates, because of the multiplicity of federal
units. With four, Pakistan can continue to follow one date. However, there
has to be coordination between the federal and provincial governments to get
the timing right.
Another interesting development was the stand-off between the PPP
and the PML-N. Whereas one controlled the federal government while
forming the opposition in the largest province, the other was in a mirror-
image position. As a result, the negotiations about the caretaker head of one
government had a material effect on the negotiations about the other.
Another phenomenon was to be noted in Sindh and Balochistan,
where parties which had remained in government for almost the full five
years, suddenly went into the opposition, thereby making the agreement
between the leaders of the house and opposition one between people, who

35
had until recently been Cabinet colleagues. That no one likes being in the
opposition is a truism of electoral politics, which means that Pakistani
politicians try to avoid it. The governments see, thereby, an opportunity to
have the consultation as with someone friendly, rather than a diehard
opponent (not that any can be found).
One of the most interesting things that has happened in this whole
process is that the process has opened up. No longer is the caretaker head of
government someone whose track record may well be unknown. It was
quickly noted that both the treasury and opposition had nominated ‘IMF’
candidates in Dr Ishrat Hussain and Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh. However, one
of the problems of an open nomination process, the embarrassment of
unsuccessful candidates, remained. Not just dropped candidates, but even
those not nominated, were named, and not everyone had the excuse of
wanting to contest the polls.
Even as the PML-N chief, Mian Nawaz Sharif, said that the caretakers
in Sindh and Balochistan were not acceptable, the country is heading
inexorably to the polls, both national and provincial. Whatever the results of
the polls, the hope of the Pakistani people is that they will lead to a
government which do better at solving its problems than those whose tenure
has expired.’ (M A Niazi, TheNation 22nd March)
The President acquiesces: ‘President Asif Ali Zardari has said
‘goodbye’ to his political office after remaining co-chairman of the PPP
since his election as head of state in September 2008. He stubbornly stuck to
the dual role, ignoring both counsel and warning that it was in clear violation
of the constitution and that he should quit either of the two offices. It is also
interesting that the Supreme Court had questioned the dual role nearly two
years ago. And now that the Lahore High Court's deadline for debarring him
from doing so unless a report to the contrary is submitted to it is approaching
and the general elections are less than two months away, it was expected that
he should comply with judicial wishes. Meanwhile, ministers and party men
were pooh-poohing the highest court in the country on this score and vainly
trying to establish that holding the dual office did not go against the
country’s basic document. However, while Mr Zardari was reluctant to give
up either office, he finally settled on maintaining the Presidential office,
relinquishing his party co-chairmanship. The handing over of all executive
powers to the Prime Minister, as required under the 18 th amendment of the
constitution, was another commendable move, but still convenient as a cover
against the charge that the legacy of ‘one-man power’ and in favour of a
basic imperative of democracy that was been installed to replace

36
Musharraf’s rule. Mr Zardari continued to manage the show without much
difficulty.
To determine his or, for that matter, the PPP government’s attitude to
the judiciary, one must not lose sight of the fact that they were disinclined to
restore the deposed judiciary in the first instance. It was only after coming
under intense pressure from the main opposition and other political parties as
well as the armed forces that Prime Minister Gilani came on air in the small
hours of the morning to agree to the restoration. What followed – persistent
power struggle with a judiciary hoping to reassert itself – is yet fresh in the
mind of the public.
Thus, this ‘last-minute’ gesture of quitting the political office will not
entirely remove these recent memories. In fact, Mr Zardari is only
forestalling a more damaging verdict. However, strictly within the rules, for
whatever motivation, this is a step in the right direction.’ (Editorial,
TheNation 24th March)
Miscellaneous Militancy
Minority in flames: ‘While the Badami Bagh tragedy has highlighted
the plight of a community more usually ignored, it has also shown the
devotion of the ordinary Muslim to the Holy Prophet (PBUH). While there
have been allegations of the involvement of real estate interests, it is worth
noting that no party stands accused. Even the mafia is supposed to have used
the sentiment of ordinary Muslims for the Holy Prophet (PBUH) to allow
the arson…
It cannot be ignored that the incident occurred at the time that
elections are upon the nation. While the incident itself throws the spotlight
upon the Punjab government, it is noticeable that it makes the PML-N
government in Punjab look as bad as all three other governments, which
have had a senior Minister killed (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), and blasts killing
Hazara Shias (Balochistan) and other Shias (Sindh).
With the whole country apparently in the grip of lawlessness, it is,
perhaps, not the best of times for the federal government to engage with the
Election Commission of Pakistan over the nomination forms, as well as the
opposition over the name of the caretaker Prime Minister. It is, perhaps,
positive that this incident is not being seen as an effort to delay the elections.
It is almost as if the long march by Dr Tahirul Qadri was a last-ditch effort.
However, the Badami Bagh incident throws a garish light on the killings of

37
Shias in Quetta and Karachi: have we become a society intolerant of
difference.
One symptom is the lumping of Shias with other minorities, even
though they are Muslims. Then there are the massacres. True the latest
incident, according to the Supreme Court’s suo motu hearing, appears to be
about land grabbing, even though the real estate market has bottomed out,
but there is a strong element of intolerance. But it must not be forgotten that
the tolerance Muslims showed was from a position of superiority, based on
the fear of the Almighty, not of foreign-funded NGOs.
Though the incident occurred at the tail-end of the tenure of the
elected government, when attention was more on elections than the actual
functions of government, and though the initial handling will be by an
elected government about to go to the polls, and the follow-up by the
caretaker government, the only real solution will be if the culprits are
brought to justice.
The government has got 54 ready for trial, and the court will be asked
to carry out a day-to-day hearing, so that this crime can be put behind
everyone as fast as possible. Unlike in some cases, it is not possible to see
any party benefiting from legal delays, except perhaps the guilty.
However, even with the guilty getting the punishment prescribed for
them by law, the problems faced by the community, of discrimination, will
remain. And they will stay so long as Hindu values prevail among peoples
whose ancestors long converted to Islam or Christianity.’ (M A Niazi,
TheNation 15th March)
The Badami Bagh fiasco: ‘The questions, however, remain: why was
the whole community targeted despite the fact that the alleged blasphemer
was immediately arrested by the police? Why did the police allow a mob of
3,000 people to burn houses in Joseph Colony and made no serious efforts to
stop them? Who is responsible for forcing the residents to vacate their
houses before the attack? Further, there are reports that some of the cheques
given to the people of Joseph Colony by the provincial government have
bounced. If that is true, nothing could be a worse. Analysts suggest that the
Badami Bagh incident may greatly harm the PML-N’s prospects in the
coming elections. However, this does not imply that the rest of the country is
moving on comfortably. There have been many incidents of sectarian
violence in other cities, most notably in Karachi.
Such incidences call for urgent measures and also demand that politics
should not be played at the cost of innocent people. The political leaders

38
must jointly make efforts to create conditions that will discourage
occurrences resulting in chaos and lawlessness. However, all indicators that
have emerged after the tragedy point to a sense of paralysis that has gripped
the political leadership, which has shown no urgency to move on and initiate
measures to contain violence in future.
Hopefully, the religious political parties, along with mainstream
parties, too will work to find the right solution. Otherwise, such incidents of
tactical gravity will continue to destroy Pakistan’s image beyond repair.’
(Azam Khalil, TheNation 15th March)

REVIEW
On 16th March, five-year tenure of White House installed NRO regime
in Islamabad ended. Just as the rulers availed every second of their tenure to
take democratic revenge, the ruled counted those seconds even more keenly
with the hope that one day this shall end.
The PPP and the PML-N celebrated the completion of their tenure by
dishing out billions of ‘development funds’ to the outgoing parliamentarians
and regularized hundreds of thousands of adhoc government employees.
Some observers with tunnel-vision equated this ‘noble gesture’ with pre-poll
rigging.
These analysts opined that there existed no criterion for assessing their
performance because not a single employee was refused regularization.
Despite the observation, it was rather unfair to accuse the democratic rulers
of pre-poll rigging for such a great display of tactfulness. For five years they
kept these thousands of employees on the hook of adhocism to keep them on
their toes to serve the people, of course through their representatives.
If some of these beneficiaries and their families reciprocate by casting
their votes in favour of two political parties it should not be dubbed as
rigging; this is beauty of the democratic system wherein distribution of
‘raiwarriy’an’ always follows a set pattern. Only the Chief Election
Commissioner and the Chief Justice of Pakistan will correctly appreciate this
aspect of democratic beauty by not taking notice of these allegations of pre-
poll rigging.
Some analysts, however, praised Zardari ‘for lasting the course’
despite ‘chronic mismanagement, worse kind of corruption, economic
decline and worsening security’. They credited his full term to ‘his wheeler-

39
dealer talents’, but they overlooked that the politics in this part of the world
is an occupation moneyed-mafias. The secret of his ‘success’ was in
peaceful co-existence for loot and let loot.
Politics is not an ancestral occupation or a family business in Pakistan
as widely pointed out by observers. It is the pass time of the people who
have accumulated money through corrupt practices. Had the family been a
criterion, the sister of Quaid-e-Azam and son of Allamah Iqbal would not
have been defeated by Ayub Khan and Bhutto respectively.
The Election Commission attempted to transform politics into a
gentlemen’s game by introducing a revised nomination form for the
candidates. Obviously, that attempt was vehemently resisted by the
politicians on either side of the divide. The ECP succumbed to the pressure
and added a ridding clause of ‘stay order’.
The party led by cousins from Gujrat celebrated the completion five-
year tenure – in fact second tenure – by organizing a ‘cultural’ show in
which a woman danced right in front of the stage on which the senior
Chaudhry and his ‘sentence completer’ sat with portraits of the Quaid and
Allamah Iqbal displayed in the background. After having been caught by the
TV cameras red-handed, Shujaat clarified that the dancer was not a woman
but a khhosra (eunuch)
The ugliness of politics in Pakistan was reflected by few other events
during the period. Altaf Hussain condemned ECP for implementing the court
orders. Zardari ‘relinquished’ chairmanship of the party to pre-empt a court
verdict. Musharraf returned to ‘save Pakistan’ and PPP and PML-N were
told not to create any hurdles.
One that requires a special mention was an attempt by the outgoing
Punjab government of PML-N to oblige the Americans by bringing in
changes in syllabus of Matric classes. In pursuance of American policy of
‘de-Islamization’ the PML-N deleted chapters of Islamic history and
Allamah Iqbal’s poetry.
The events of the period indicated that the ordeal of democratic
revenge was not yet over; it has been only halted temporarily. The
democracy will soon be on the rampage as polls to elect new band of
‘revengeful’ politicians are less than seven weeks away. The end to
‘democratic revenge’ lies in the hands of the people provided they rise above
personal and communal interests while exercising their right to vote.

40
 At the end a few words about the methodology for selecting the
caretakers. The outgoing Law Minister rightly felt the need for change
though for reasons different from the one mentioned here. Once the
Parliamentary Committee fails to select one, it should lose the right to
propose names. The ECP should make a choice on its own or at best the
committee should propose two names other than those which had been
deliberated upon and thus made controversial by raising objections against
each.
25th March, 2013

41
 APPLY TO DISCERN
PART ONE
The enunciation of La and Illa does not mean rejection of all gods and
affirming the God by mere words of mouth. It is a simple statement of
doctrine for bringing change for the betterment of humanity. It is not likely
to produce the positive results unless applied to ‘regulate’ all domains of
human activity.
The application has to be wholesome as well as systematic. It must
begin with discerning right from wrong; true from false, real from fake,
good from evil. It implies rejecting all that has been evolved in the name of
ghair-Allah and is in conflict with Divine revelations.
After having finished the sifting process; the reality, the truth, and the
good has to be acknowledged and affirmed without speck of any doubt. This
is the choosing of right path in the light of all that has been revealed upon
Mankind through prophets. These are the preliminaries for embarking upon
the Path prescribed by Allah.
The setting upon the journey towards Allah, which is never ending,
has to continue under all circumstances irrespective of difficulties
encountered and worldly losses suffered. This is what means embracing and
practicing Divine revelations; and this is the only path that leads the Man to
his rightful place in this universe
In the first half of the last Volume Allamah Iqbal’s doctrine of
revolution was stated and explained. In the second half his views about the
tussle that ensues between intellect and intuition, reason and revelations
were enumerated. This tussle is also never ending, but essential for
discerning the right path.
Like all those who want to tread the right path Allamah Iqbal also
went through this phenomenon. As result of that Allamah rejects all
concepts and systems, traditions and values evolved and imposed upon
humanity, which are in conflict with Divine revelations. At the same time he
accepts all that has been proved useful for the Mankind. Iqbal terms that as
the lost treasure of the true believers which should be taken back and owned
as such.
This basic tenet of the Faith has to be so manifested that its reflection
could be seen in every individual as well as collective activity in a society.
Each individual must strive for applying it in his private and public life and
at the same time the society as a whole should regulate itself accordingly.

42
 When Allamah applied this principle to his contemporary society and
the state, he found a lot that was drastically wrong. While advising the need
for change he criticized those responsible for the degeneration and he never
minced his words in doing that. Often it was the West that came in the line
of fire; so he was labeled as anti-West by some of his critics.
This is a gross misperception about him. The fact is that he criticized
all that was in conflict with Islamic teachings, whether it belonged to West
or East. It so happened that during his times most of the world was ruled by
the Western powers, so they had to bear the onus of all the political
economic and social ills that were in vogue.
Allamah cannot be accused of discrimination. He rejects only that
Western political thought which relegated religion to a lower priority;
irrespective what religion was followed by the people. This political thought
in which the religion was relegated, was imposed in most countries under
colonial rule of the West.
The concept of secularism or prohibiting the Church from
‘interfering’ in affairs of the State resulted in promotion of materialism or
worldly gains taking priority over spiritual piety and advancement.
Resultantly, the religion was taken out of the charter of duties of the State
and governance.
Putting the materialistic concepts into practice nourished the animal
instincts in the Mankind and suppressed humane faculties both in the rulers
and the ruled. Rulers’ oppression ‘flourished’ with all its negative effects
and majority of the humanity was shackled in the curse of slavery.
Nevertheless, Iqbal was not always critical of the West. He
commended many things of Western civilization as shall be seen from his
poetical works in the succeeding pages. He also appreciated the motivation
behind moves aimed at bringing change though he did not approve of the
solutions prescribed by the initiators.
Allamah expressed his views on wide range of subjects, including
politics, international relations, economics, social values, fine arts, literature,
architecture, education and so on in addition to religion. This chapter,
however, comprises of poetical works taken from Bang-e-Dara and subjects
reviewed in those. Most of these have been translated into English by
M.A.K. Khalil; reproduced in the same order in which the poet had placed
them in his book.

43
 The subject discussed in the first poem relates to political ideology of
Allamah. Dr Khalil while summarizing Iqbal’s thoughts about Watan
(homeland) and Qawm (nationality) wrote: ‘Allamah Iqbal has expressed his
love for India and its past and present heroes, and has shown frustration at
the constant strained relations between the Muslims and the Hindus, who
formed the two major nations in India. These poems have created some
misunderstanding about his political ideology. Opinion has been expressed
by some responsible persons that he was initially an Indian nationalist and
was only swept away by the ‘separatist politics of the Muslim League’ into
what the Indian Hindus call ‘communalism’. The fallacy of this erroneous
judgment reflects complete ignorance of his works and thought as well as
the basics of Islam.
Allamah Iqbal was a patriot with great admiration for India, its
landscapes and its great personalities, both past and present. He sincerely
desired not only political independence for India from Britain, but also its
freedom from the economic, cultural and value systems of the West… In
spite of Allamah Iqbal's desire for an independent India, unlike his Hindu
compatriots, he was fully alive to the reality that India's independence would
always remain a mirage without Hindu-Muslim amity and presentation of an
agreed upon united front to Britain.
It was also obvious to him that India's independence would be
meaningless to the Muslims if they were held as slaves and untouchables in
their own land… He also realized that the under-privileged position of the
Indian Muslims in their own country, and the intransigence of the Hindus in
coming to an amenable solution with them, was in no small way due to the
schisms among Muslims themselves. Consequently, he spent all his poetic
and political skills and efforts in reconstructing and consolidating the
Muslim political thought and effort and left no stone unturned for uniting
Indian Muslims into one solid body by assembling them on the platform of
the Muslim League under its banner.
As early as 1911 ‘The Report on the Census of India 1911’ includes
reference to a lecture by Allamah Iqbal on Indian Muslims in which he had
urged the creation of a separate Muslim homeland in India as the only
guarantee for the preservation of Islam in the subcontinent. At that time he
had declared, ‘All men, and not Muslims alone, are meant for the ‘Kingdom
of God on Earth’, provided they say good-bye to the idols of race and
nationality, and treat one another as personalities’. This sentence has the
rudiments of his thought that the basis for a nation and State could not be
geographical boundaries but ideology.

44
 He also realized that before the Muslims could accomplish this task in
the present day world the religious thought in the Muslim world itself
needed to be reconstructed. He endeavoured to do this in his famous
book The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam (1930). This book,
consisting of six lectures delivered by him in Madras and at Aligarh about
1930, was an attempt to reconstruct Muslim religious philosophy with due
regard to the philosophical traditions of Islam and the recent developments
in human knowledge. This book embodies his mature formulation of moral,
social and political philosophy. The important pillars of this thought are:
 Dynamism in thought and action.
 Re-shaping the teachings of the Sufis on the role of Intuition in the
process of acquiring knowledge.
 Enunciation of the concept of the Fard-i-Kamil or ‘The Perfect Man’.
 Condemnation of the ascetic Sufism of the kind which preached
renunciation of the world as necessary for salvation.
 Ijtihad which had to be collective Ijtihad so as to reflect the feelings
of the whole Muslim Ummah and safeguard its interests.
In a way this book constitutes the basis of his social and political
philosophy and mission. Simultaneously, Allamah Iqbal transcended the
bounds of political and religious theory and played an active role in the
politics of the Indian subcontinent. He was also very active in the politics of
his native province of Punjab as well as in the national field. The landmark
contribution of Allamah Iqbal to the cause of the Muslims and Islam was the
first formal presentation of the Pakistan plan in his presidential address to
the All-India Muslim League at Allahabad in 1930.
In the very beginning of the twentieth century he realized that the
secular nationalism of the West as a political thought was contrary to the
spirit of Islam. This concept started in Europe as a protest against the
combined atrocities of the autocratic ‘Holy Roman Empire (962-1806)’ and
the theocracy of the Roman Catholic Church. …this movement had resulted
from the general awakening in Central Europe during the Reformation and
Renaissance, which in its turn had been sparked by the creed of freedom
started by the Muslim society in Islamic Spain. It was kept alive later by the
British pursuing their policy of ‘Balance of Power’ which was directed
against the Napolean's Empire and later the Austro-Hungarian Empire
(1867-1918) in Europe.

45
 Feelings of secular and geographical nationalism were also nurtured
and supported in the Christian dominated provinces of the
Ottoman Khilafah to break it up. All these efforts succeeded in Europe. In
India, however, the situation was very different… During his stay in
England and Germany in 1905-08 Allamah Iqbal realized the evils of secular
nationalism and the machinations of Europeans against Muslims and Islam.
This, coupled with his vast and deep study of Islam, convinced him of the
urgent need for propagating the super-national ideal of Islam. He devoted
the rest of his life to achieve this goal…
Thus, Allamah Iqbal was a patriot but he never accepted secular
nationalism as a political philosophy for Muslims. Far from being swayed by
the ‘separatism of the Muslim League’ he guided the Muslim intelligentsia
and the Muslim League towards the goal of Muslim homeland in the Indian
subcontinent. In this homeland an Islamic State was to be established which
would be the nucleus for the ultimate creation of a super-national Islamic
State or a ‘League of Islamic Nations’. Clearly, his aim was Hindu-Muslim
amity to speed up India's independence which would be the precursor of the
independence of the Muslim world.’

AN ODE TO INDIA
Allamah Iqbal rejects secular nationalism as practiced in the West.
His political philosophy is based on the Islam's concept of nationalism on
the basis of ideology and not geographical boundaries. Love of the
homeland, however, is in the nature of Man and this is acknowledged as a
quality in Islam yet it cannot be made the basis of the nationhood.
‫ترانہء ہندي‬
Taranah-e-Hindi
‫سارے‬ ‫جہاں سے اچھا ہندوستاں ہمارا‬
‫ہم‬ ‫ يہ گلستاں ہمارا‬،‫بلبليں ہيں اس کي‬
Saarey jah’an sey achha Hidustan hamara; hum bulbulein hein iss ki, yeh
gulist’an hamara.
Better than the whole world is this India of ours. We are its nightingales; it is
the garden of ours.

46
 ‫غربت‬ ‫ رہتا ہے دل وطن ميں‬،‫ميں ہوں اگر ہم‬
‫سمجھو‬ ‫ دل ہو جہاں ہمارا‬،‫وہيں ہميں بھي‬
Ghorbat mein h’on agar hum, rehta hai dil watan mein; samjho waheen
humein bhi, dil ho jah’an hamara.
[Ghorbat mein: Safar mein.]
If we are in foreign lands our hearts think of the homeland; consider us
present where this heart of ours is present.
‫پربت‬ ‫ ہمسايہ آسماں کا‬،‫وہ سب سے اونچا‬ 
‫وہ‬ ‫ وہ پاسباں ہمارا‬،‫سنتري ہمارا‬ 
Parbat woh sabb sey o’ncha, humsayah asm’an ka; woh santari hamara,
woh pasb’an hamara.
[Parbat: Paharr. Santari: Chowkidar.)
The highest mountain, touching the sky; it is our sentinel, it is our
watchman.*
(*Allusion to the Himalayan Range.)
‫گودي‬ ‫ميں کھيلتي ہيں اس کي ہزاروں ندياں‬ 
‫گلشن‬ ‫ہے جن کے دم سے رشک جناں ہمارا‬ 
Goudi mein khheilti hein iss ki hazar’on nadiy’an; gulshan hai jinn kay dum
sey rashk-e-jann’an hamara.
(Rashk-e-jan’an: Jannat sey barrh kar khoobsurat.)
Thousands of rivers are playing in its lap are playing which make this garden
of ours to be the world’s envy.
‫اے‬ ‫ وہ دن ہيں ياد تجھ کو؟‬،‫آب رود گنگا‬ 
‫اترا‬ ‫ترے کنارے جب کارواں ہمارا‬
Ay aab-e-rood-e-Ganga, woh dinn hein yaad tojh ko? Otra teyrey kinarey
jabb carav’an hamara.
(Aab-e-rood-e-Ganga: Darya-e-Ganga ka pani.)
O, The River Ganga’s waters! Do you remember the day when our caravan
landed at your banks.*
(*Allusion to the arrival of Muslims in India: Unlike the British the Muslims
settled in the Indian sub-continent and made it their homeland, which

47
establishes their claim to settle the political problems of India with due
regard to their interests.)
‫مذہب‬ ‫نہيں سکھاتا آپس ميں بير رکھنا‬ 
‫ہندي‬ ‫ہيں ہم وطن ہے ہندوستاں ہمارا‬ 
Mazhab naheen seikhhata aapas mein bair rakhhna; Hindi hein hum watan
hai Hindustan hamara.
Religion does not teach hostility with each other, We are Indians, India is
our homeland.
‫يونان‬ ‫و مصر و روما سب مٹ گئے جہاں سے‬ 
‫اب‬ ‫تک مگر ہے باقي نام و نشاں ہمارا‬
Yonaan-o-Misr-o-Roma sabb mitt ga’ey jah’an sey; abb takk magar hai baqi
naam-o-nish’an hamara.
Greece, Egypt, Rome are all extinct from the world, but our renown and
fame have continued so far.
‫کچھ‬ ‫بات ہے کہ ہستي مٹتي نہيں ہماري‬ 
‫صديوں‬ ‫رہا ہے دشمن دور زماں ہمارا‬ 
Kochh baat hai keh husti mit-tei naheen hamari; saddiyu’on raha hai
doshman dour-e-zam’an hamara.
(Dour-e-zam’an: Zamaney ki gardash.)
There is some secret that our existence is not effaced; for centuries time's
vicissitudes have been our foe.
 ‫اقبال‬ ‫کوئي محرم اپنا نہيں جہاں ميں‬
‫معلوم‬ ‫کيا کسي کو درد نہاں ہمارا‬ 
Iqbal koeyi mehram apna naheen jah’an mein; ma’aloom kaya kissi ko
dard-e-neh’an hamara.
(Dard-e-neh’an: Chhopa ho’a dard.)
Iqbal! In the world there is no confidante of ours: How would anyone know
the hidden pathos of ours.*
(*Allusion to the callousness of the world community to the calamity of the
people of the Indian sub-continent resulting from their political subjugation
by the British.)
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

48
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM FOR THE INDIAN CHILDREN
Allamah not only loved his country, but also strived to inculcate that
love in young minds. This poem, however does not in any way contradicts
his political philosophy of State on ideological basis.
Hindustani bach’on ka quomi geet ‫ہندوستاني‬ ‫بچوں کا قومي گيت‬
‫چشتي‬ ‫نے جس زميں ميں پيغام حق سنايا‬ 
‫نانک‬ ‫نے جس چمن ميں وحدت کا گيت گايا‬ 
‫تاتاريوں‬ ‫نے جس کو اپنا وطن بنايا‬ 
‫جس‬ ‫نے حجازيوں سے دشت عرب چھڑايا‬ 
‫ميرا‬ ‫ ميرا وطن وہي ہے‬، ‫وطن وہي ہے‬ 
Chishti ney jiss zam’in mein paigham-e-Haq sonaya; Nanak ney jiss chaman
mein wahdat ka geet gaaiya; Tatariyu’on ney jiss ko apna watan banaya;
jiss ney Hijaziyu’on sey dasht-e-Arab chhorraya; meyra watan wohi hai,
meyra watan wohi hai.
(Chishti: Hazrat Khwajah Moeen-ud-Din Chishti Ajmairi. Nanak: Sikh
mazhab kay bani Guru Baba Nanak.)
The land in which Chishti delivered the message of God; the garden in
which Nanak sang the song of Tawhid of God; the land which the
Tatars adopted as their homeland; for which people of Hijaz abandoned the
Arabian wilderness; that same is my homeland, that same is my homeland.
‫يونانيوں‬ ‫کو جس نے حيران کر ديا تھا‬ 
‫سارے‬ ‫جہاں کو جس نے علم و ہنر ديا تھا‬ 
‫مٹي‬ ‫کو جس کي حق نے زر کا اثر ديا تھا‬ 
‫ترکوں‬ ‫کا جس نے دامن ہيروں سے بھر ديا تھا‬ 
‫ميرا‬ ‫ ميرا وطن وہي ہے‬،‫وطن وہي ہے‬ 
Yunaniyu’on ko jiss ney hairan kar diya thha; saarey jah’an ko jiss ney ilm-
o-honar diya thha; matti ko jiss ki Haq ney zar ka asar diya thha; Turk’on
ka jiss ney daman hir’on sey bhar diya thha; meyra watan wohi hai, meyra
watan wohi hai.
Whose wisdom had left the Greeks bewildered; which gave knowledge and
skill to the entire world; whose soil had been endowed by God with the
elixir's effect; which had filled the pocket of the Turks with diamonds; that
same is my homeland, that same is my homeland.

49
 ‫ٹوٹے‬ ‫تھے جو ستارے فارس کے آسماں سے‬ 
‫پھر‬ ‫تاب دے کے جس نے چمکائے کہکشاں سے‬ 
‫وحدت‬ ‫کي لے سني تھي دنيا نے جس مکاں سے‬ 
‫مير‬ ‫عرب کو آئي ٹھنڈي ہوا جہاں سے‬ 
‫ميرا‬ ‫ ميرا وطن وہي ہے‬،‫وطن وہي ہے‬ 
Tootey thhey jo sitarey Faras kay aasman sey; pher taab dey kay jiss ney
chamka’ey kehkash’an sey; wahdat ki la’y soni thhi dunya ney jiss mak’an
sey; Mir-e-Arab ko aaeyi thhandi hawa jah’an sey; meyra watan wohi hai,
meyra watan wohi hai.
(Tootey thhey jo sitarey: Morad hai Parsi quom.)
Which illuminated and established in the milky way again; the stars which
had fallen from the sky of Persia; the House from which the world had heard
Tawhid's tune; from where the Holy Prophet had felt cool breeze; that same
is my homeland, that same is my homeland.
‫بندے‬ ‫ پربت جہاں کے سينا‬، ‫کليم جس کے‬ 
‫نوح‬ ‫نبي کا آ کر ٹھہرا جہاں سفينا‬ 
‫رفعت‬ ‫ہے جس زميں کي بام فلک کا زينا‬ 
‫جنت‬ ‫کي زندگي ہے جس کي فضا ميں جينا‬ 
‫ميرا‬ ‫ ميرا وطن وہي ہے‬،‫وطن وہي ہے‬ 
Banday Kalim jiss kay, parbat jah’an kay Seina; Noah Nabi ka aa-kar
thhera jah’an safina; rifa’at hai jiss zam’in ki baam-e-falak ka zeina; jannat
ki zindagi hai jiss ki faza mein jeina; meyra watan wohi hai, meyra watan
wohi hai.
(Safina: Kashti.)
Whose denizens are Kalims*, whose mountains the Sinais* are; where the
Prophet Nuh's boat and its occupants had landed;** the land whose elegance
is the stairway to the sky; living in whose environment is like living in
Paradise; that same is my homeland, that same is my homeland.
(*This is an allusion to the inspiring beauty and tranquility of the India's
mountains, specially the Himalayas, which inspired the sages to write the
holy books of the Hindus, such as the Vedas. All their existing religious
books, except some parts of the Vedas, which were written in Central Asia,
were inscribed in the peace and tranquility of India to which this hemistich
refers.)

50
(**According to the Old Testament the Ark of Nuh A.S. landed in the
‘mountains of the Ararat Range’ in Turkey. According to the Holy Qur’an it
rested on the Mount Jodi, which is a peak of the Ararat Range… According
to Encyclopedia Britannic the tradition of the Deluge exists in many peoples
practically all over the world. This can be interpreted as referring to one
world-wide Deluge whose tradition has persisted even among people living
in different periods of history…
As regards the Deluge in India there are three stories, which differ in form.
The earliest tradition is related in ‘Satapatha Brahmana’, a Hindu epic. It is
related that Manu was the first Man and was the son of the sun god ‘Vivasat’
who found a small fish, while bathing. The fish requested him for help
which was given by Manu. When the fish grew it was carried to the sea,
where it revealed to Manu the time of the Deluge and advised him to
construct a ship for deliverance from it. When the Deluge occurred Manu
embarked the ship alone which was towed by the fish through the water to
the ‘summit beyond the northern mountains’, where Manu tied his ship to a
tree on the advice of the fish. Manu descended from the mountain after the
Deluge had subsided, offered a sacrifice and prayer. In a year's time his
prayer was granted. A woman appeared who called herself ‘Ida’ (the
goddess of fertility). The Deluge is not stated to be a retribution for sins as is
stated in the Old Testament and the Holy Qur'an.
The second story is mentioned in another Hindu epic Mahabharata, where
the additional information is given that Manu disembarked from the ship
with seven rishis, or saints. The fish announced itself to be God (Brahama),
and empowered Manu to create the whole world, gods as well as human
beings after his marriage with ‘Ida’. Thus, Manu combines the attributes of
Adam A.S. and Nuh A.S.
The third story occurs in another Hindu epic, Bhagvata Purana. It gives the
details of the announcement of the Deluge seven days before hand and of
advice to Manu to take pairs of all animals as well as seeds of all plants…
Critical examination shows that these stories of the Deluge in India lack
credibility.)
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

WATANIYAT
(Nation as a political concept)
In this poem Allamah Iqbal enunciates the political theory of Islam.

51
 ‫وطنيت‬
( ‫)بحيثيت ايک سياسي تصور کے يعني وطن‬
(Ya’ani watan behaisiyat eik siyasi tasawwar kay)
‫اس‬ ‫ جام اور ہے جم اور‬، ‫دور ميں مے اور ہے‬
‫ساقي‬ ‫نے بنا کي روش لطف و ستم اور‬
Iss dour mein maey aur hai, jaam aur hai Jam aur; saqi ney bana ki rawash-
e-lotf-o-sitam aur.
In this age the wine, the cup, even Jam is different. The cup-bearer started
different ways of grace and tyranny.
‫مسلم‬ ‫نے بھي تعمير کيا اپنا حرم اور‬
‫تہذيب‬ ‫کے آزر نے ترشوائے صنم اور‬
Muslim ney bhi ta’amir kiya apna Haram aur; tehzeeb kay Azar ney
tarashwa’ey sanam aur.
The Muslim also constructed a different Haram of his own; the Azar of
civilization made different idols of his own.
‫ان‬ ‫تازہ خداؤں ميں بڑا سب سے وطن ہے‬
‫جو‬ ‫ وہ مذہب کا کفن ہے‬، ‫پيرہن اس کا ہے‬
Inn tazah khoda’on mein barra sabb sey watan hai; jo pairhan iss ka hai,
woh mazhab ka kafan hai.
(Pairhan: Labas.)
Country is the biggest among these new gods! What is its shirt is the shroud
of Din.
‫يہ‬  ‫بت کہ تراشيدہء تہذيب نوي ہے‬
‫غارت‬ ‫گر کاشانہء دين نبوي ہے‬
Yeh bott keh trashidah-e-tehzeeb-e-nawi hai; gharatgar-e-kashanah-e-Deen-
e-Nabvi (S.A.W.) hai.
(Trashidah-e-tehzeeb-e-nawi: Naeyi tehzeeb ka tarasha hoa.)
This idol which is the product of the new civilization is the plunderer of the
structure of the Holy Prophet’s (S.A.W.) Deen.

52
 ‫بازو‬ ‫ترا توحيد کي قوت سے قوي ہے‬
‫اسالم‬ ‫ تو مصطفوي ہے‬، ‫ترا ديس ہے‬
Bazoo tera Towhid ki qowwat sey qawi hai; Islam tera deis hai, tou
Mostafavi hai.
Your arm is enforced with the strength of the Divine Unity. You are the
followers of Mustafa (S.A.W.), your country is Islam.
‫نظارہ‬ ‫ديرينہ زمانے کو دکھا دے‬
‫اے‬ ‫مصطفوي خاک ميں اس بت کو مال دے‬
Nazarah-e-deirinah zamaney ko dikhhla dey; ay Mostafavi khak mein iss
bott ko mila dey.
(Nazarah-e-deirinah: Porana nazarah.)
You should show the old panorama to the world, O Mustafa’s follower! You
should destroy this idol.
‫ہو‬ ‫قيد مقامي تو نتيجہ ہے تباہي‬
‫رہ‬ ‫بحر ميں آزاد وطن صورت ماہي‬
Ho qiad-e-moqami tuo nateijah hai tabahi; reh behar mein azad-e-watan
surat-e-mahi.
(Qiad-e-moqami: Zamin kay chhotey chhotey hiss’on mein qiad.)
The limitation to country results in destruction; live like the fish in the ocean
free from country.
‫ہے‬ ‫ترک وطن سنت محبوب الہي‬
‫دے‬ ‫تو بھي نبوت کي صداقت پہ گواہي‬
Hai tark-e-watan sunnat Mehboob-e-Elahi (S.A.W.); dey tou bhi nabawwat
ki sadaqat peh gawahi.
Renouncing the country is the way of the God’s Beloved;* you should also
testify to the Prophethood’s Truth by similar action.
(*Allusion to the emigration of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) to Madinah.)
‫گفتار‬ ‫سياست ميں وطن اور ہي کچھ ہے‬
‫ارشاد‬ ‫نبوت ميں وطن اور ہي کچھ ہے‬
Goftar-e-siyasat mein watan aur he kochh hai; arshad-e-nabawwat mein
watan aur he kochh hai.

53
In political parlance country is something different. In Prophet’s command
country is something different.
‫اقوام‬ ‫جہاں ميں ہے رقابت تو اسي سے‬
‫تسخير‬ ‫ہے مقصود تجارت تو اسي سے‬
Aqwam-e-jah’an mein hai raqabat tuo issi sey; taskhir hai maqsood-e-
tajarat tuo issi sey.
(Raqabat: Doshmani.)
The antagonism among world’s nations is created by this alone; subjugation
as the goal of commerce is created by this alone.
‫خالي‬ ‫ہے صداقت سے سياست تو اسي سے‬
‫کمزور‬ ‫کا گھر ہوتا ہے غارت تو اسي سے‬
Khali hai sadaqat sey siyasat tuo issi sey; kumzor ka ghhar hota hai gharat
tuo issi sey.
Politics have become bereft of sincerity is by this alone; the destruction of
the home of the weak is by this alone.
‫اقوام‬ ‫ميں مخلوق خدا بٹتي ہے اس سے‬
‫قوميت‬ ‫اسالم کي جڑ کٹتي ہے اس سے‬
Aqwam mein makhlooq-e-Khoda but’ti hai iss sey; quomiyat-e-Islam ki jarr
kat’ti hai iss sey.
God’s creation is unjustly divided among nations by it; the Islamic concept
of nationality is uprooted by it.
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

ADVICE
‘This poem is a sarcastic commentary’ on the political leaders of
Allamah’s time the type of which we have in plenty even today. Dr Khalil
writes: ‘Outwardly these leaders have all the attributes of leadership and
virtue but inwardly they pay only lip service to the values which they profess
to defend and enforce.’
Nasihat ‫نصيحت‬

54
 ‫ميں‬ ‫نے اقبال سے از راہ نصيحت يہ کہا‬
‫عامل‬ ‫روزہ ہے تو اور نہ پابند نماز‬
Mien ney Iqbal sey az rah-e-nasihat yeh kaha; aamal-e-rozah hai tou aur
nah paband-e-namaz.
One day by way of advice I said to Iqbal: Neither you fast nor are regular in
prayers.
‫تو‬ ‫بھي ہے شيوہ ارباب ريا ميں کامل‬
‫دل‬ ‫ لب پہ ترے ذکر حجاز‬، ‫ميں لندن کي ہوس‬
Tou bhi hai shiwah-e-arbab-e-riya mein kamil; dil mein London ki hawus,
labb peh terey zikr-e-Hijaz.
(Arbab-e-riya: Riya kaar loug.)
You are also perfect in the ways of hypocritical people; you pine for London
in the heart but you talk of Hijaz.
‫جھوٹ‬ ‫بھي مصلحت آميز ترا ہوتا ہے‬
‫تيرا‬ ‫انداز تملق بھي سراپا اعجاز‬
Jhhot bhi muslihat amaiz tera hota hai; teyra andaz-e-tamaluq bhi sara-pa
eijaz.
(Tamaluq: Khoshamad.)
Your lies are also based on what is expediency; the manner of your flattery
also is fully miraculous.
‫ختم‬ ‫تقرير تري مدحت سرکار پہ ہے‬
‫فکر‬ ‫روشن ہے ترا موجد آئين نياز‬
Khatam taqrir teri midhat-e-sarkar peh hai; fikr roshan hai tera moujad-e-
a’ein-e-niaz.
(Midhat: Khoshamdi ta’arif. Moujad: Eijad karney wala.)
Your lecture ends on glorification of the government; your bright thought is
the inventor of methods of entreating.
‫در‬ ‫حکام بھي ہے تجھ کو مقام محمود‬
‫پالسي‬ ‫بھي تري پيچيدہ تر از زلف اياز‬
Dar-e-hokkam bhi hai tojh ko moqam-e-Mehmood; palisi bhi teri paichidah-
ter az zulf-e-Ayaz.

55
(Moqam-e-Mehmood: Pasandeidah moqam.)
Officials’ doors are also like Maqam-i-Mahmud* to you; your designs are
more interlocked than locks of Ayaz’ hair.
(*Maqam-i-Mahmëd – This is the elevated place and the elegant status of
the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) on the Day of Judgment from where he will
request God for forgiveness for his Ummah.)
‫اور‬ ‫لوگوں کي طرح تو بھي چھپا سکتا ہے‬
‫پردہ‬ ‫خدمت ديں ميں ہوس جاہ کا راز‬
Aur loug’on ki tarah tou bhi chhopa sakta hai; pardah-e-khidmat-e-Deen
mein hawus-e-jaah ka raaz.
(Hawus-e-jaah: Dunyavi jaah-o-jalal ki khwahish.)
Like other people you can also conceal secrets of self aggrandizement in
your cloak of din’s service.
‫نظر‬ ‫آجاتا ہے مسجد ميں بھي تو عيد کے دن‬
‫اثر‬  ‫وعظ سے ہوتي ہے طبيعت بھي گداز‬
Nazar aa-jata hai Masjid mein bhi tou Eid kay dinn; asar-e-wa’iz sey hoti
hai tabiyyat bhi godaaz.
You are seen in the mosque also on the Eid day; your heart is also softened
by the sermon’s effect.
‫دست‬ ‫پرورد ترے ملک کے اخبار بھي ہيں‬
‫چھيڑنا‬ ‫فرض ہے جن پر تري تشہير کا ساز‬
Dast pervardah terey molk kay akhbar bhi hein; chhairrna farz hai jinn per
teri tash’hir ka saaz.
(Tash’hir: Shohrat.)
You practice reading country’s newspapers also which are obligated to sing
your repute’s songs.
‫اس‬ ‫پہ طرہ ہے کہ تو شعر بھي کہہ سکتا ہے‬
‫تيري‬ ‫مينائے سخن ميں ہے شراب شيراز‬
Iss peh tor’rah hai keh tou she’ar bhi keh sakta hai; teyri meina’ey sakhon
mein hai sharab-e-Shiraz.
(Tor’rah: Iss sey bharrh kar.)

56
On top of all this you can also write verse; your poetry’s goblets are full of
the wine of Shiraz.
‫جتنے‬ ‫ وہ ہيں تجھ ميں سبھي‬، ‫اوصاف ہيں ليڈر کے‬
‫تجھ‬ ‫کو الزم ہے کہ ہو اٹھ کے شريک تگ و تاز‬
Jitney ausaaf hein leader kay, woh hein saarey tojh mein sabbhi; tojh ko
lazam hai keh ho otth kay sharik-e-tug-o-taaz.
Whatever are the attributes of leaders, you have them all incumbent on you
is rising and joining the struggle.
‫غم‬ ‫ اور پر و بال بھي ہيں‬، ‫صياد نہيں‬
‫پھر‬ ‫ نہيں تجھ کو دماغ پرواز‬، ‫سبب کيا ہے‬
Ghum-e-siyaad naheen, aur per-o-baal bhi hein; pher sabab kaya hai,
naheen tojh ko damagh-e-pervaaz.
You are not afraid of hunters, as you have wings also then why are you not
inclined for flight?
‫عاقبت‬ ‫منزل ما وادي خاموشان است‬
‫غلغلہ در گنبد افالک انداز حاليا‬
Aaqbat manzil-e-ma wadi-e-khamoshan ast; Haliya gholgholah der
gonbad-e-aflaak andaaz.
[Akhar sabb ko murna hai aur mordah loug’on ki wadi mein po’nhchna hai
lehaza iss gonbad-e-aflaak kay neichey kochh tuo hungamah karna
chahi’ay. (Altaf Hussain Hali)]
‘The end of our life is the cemetery; presently raise tumult in the sky’s
vault.’ (Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

RAMA
Dr Khalil in introductory lines wrote: ‘Rama, Ramachandra, is a
legendary hero of the Hindu period of Indian history. His father was
Dashratha who was the king of Ayodhiyah. He had three wives, of which
Rama’s mother was Kausalyah. The king exiled Rama for fourteen years to
placate his other wife Kaikeyah and gave the throne to her son Bharat. Rama
and his wife Seta obeyed the father’s command and went into exile. During
this period they roamed about the length and breadth of the Indian sub-
continent and faced the ignominy of the abduction of Sita by Ravana who

57
was a demon and ruled Lanka (now Sri Lanka). Rama fought for a long time
against Ravana and ultimately succeeded in freeing Seta from him. After this
they returned to Ayodhiyah and Rama was crowned king there.
This story is related by Valmiki, an Indian ascetic and poet of the fifth
century B.C. He has eulogized Rama and Sita in his well known book in
Sanskrit verse, known as Ramayana. This book is part of the Hindu
mythology. Valmiki in this book has deified Rama into being the seventh
incarnation of Vishnoo whom Hindus regard as the god of grace and who
forms part of the trinity of Hindu mythology, comprised of Brahamah (the
Creator), Vishnoo (the preserver) and Shiva (the destroyer). The belief in the
divinity of Rama was stated again by another Hindu poet named Tulsi Das
(1532-1623) who wrote a simpler version of Ramayana, also in verse in
1575 in the then vernacular of Sanskrit, known as Hindi.
It is interesting to know that recently a historical commission
appointed by the Government of India, in connection with the controversy
whether the Babri Mosque in Ayodhiyah is really on the site of Rama’s
temple, has reported that there is no evidence that any man with the name of
Rama ever lived in Ayodhiyah. The whole story is a myth created by the
Ramayana of Valmiki and perpetuated by that of Tulsi Das.
Irrespective of this mythology Allamah Iqbal considers him as a
famous man of Indian folk lore and praises him in this poem for that reason.’
This shows the respect Allamah had for religious beliefs of Hindus knowing
well that most of these are based on myths and fiction. This show of
tolerance should put modern day ‘secular’ Hindus to shame.
‫رام‬
‫لبريز‬ ‫ہے شراب حقيقت سے جام ہند‬
‫سب‬  ‫فلسفي ہيں خطہء مغرب کے رام ہند‬
Labbraiz hai sharab-e-haqiqat sey Jaam-e-Hind; sabb falsafi hein khitah-e-
Maghrab kay Raam-e-Hind.
Overflowing with the wine of Truth is the cup of India. All philosophers of
the Western world have acknowledged India.
‫يہ‬  ‫ہنديوں کے فکر فلک رس کا ہے اثر‬
  ‫رفعت ميں آسماں سے بھي اونچا ہے بام ہند‬
Yeh Hindiyu’on kay fikr-e-falk-rus ka hai asar; rifa’at mien asm’an sey bhi
ooncha hai baam-e-Hind.

58
(Fikr-e-falk-rus: Asman per po’nhchney wala khiyal. Baam-e-Hind: Hind ki
chhat; morad hai Hamaliah Paharr.)
It is the result of the elegant thinking of Indians that higher than the sky is
the position of India.
‫اس‬  ‫ديس ميں ہوئے ہيں ہزاروں ملک سرشت‬
  ‫مشہور جن کے دم سے ہے دنيا ميں نام ہند‬
Iss deis mein ho’ay hein hazar’on malak sarisht; mush’hoor jinn kay dum
sey hai dunya mein naam-e-Hind.
(Malak sarisht: Farishtah khaslat.)
This country has had many people of angelic disposition; on whose account
world renowned is the name of India.
‫ہے‬  ‫رام کے وجود پہ ہندوستاں کو ناز‬
  ‫اہل نظر سمجھتے ہيں اس کو امام ہند‬
Hai Raam kay wajood peh Hindust’an ko naaz; ehl-e-nazar samajhtey hein
oss ko imam-e-Hind.
India is proud of the existence of Rama. Spiritual people consider him
prelate of India.
‫اعجاز‬  ‫اس چراغ ہدايت کا ہے يہي‬ 
‫روشن تر از سحر ہے زمانے ميں شام ہند‬ 
Eijaz oss chiragh-e-hidayat ka hai yehi; roshan-ter az sahar hai zamaney
mein shaam-e-Hind.
(Roshan-ter az sahar: Sobh sey ziyadah roshan.)
This alone is the miracle of this light of righteousness that brighter than
world’s morning is the evening of India.
‫تلوار‬ ‫ شجاعت ميں فرد تھا‬، ‫کا دھني تھا‬ 
 ‫پاکيزگي‬ ‫ جوش محبت ميں فرد تھا‬، ‫ميں‬
Talwar ka dhanni thha, shuja’at mein fard thha; pakeezgi mein, josh-e-
mohabat mein fard* thha. (*Bi-misaal.)
He was expert in sword craft, was unique in bravery; was matchless in piety
and in the enthusiasm of love.
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

59
NANAK
Allamah was aware of the class based Brahmanic Hindu society and
expressed his revulsion for it in this poem, observed Dr Khalil. He added:
‘In this poem he has shown great respect for Gautam Buddha and Guru
Nanak for their revolt against the Brahmanic Hindu society, which divides
humanity into superior and inferior classes on the basis of birth and
lineage… Out of the many differences between Islam and Hinduism the two
most important ones in the view of Allamah Iqbal are Unity of God and
Unity of mankind. These two religions are diametrically opposed to each
other in these two respects. In the Allamah’s view the second emanates from
the first and is more important. Hinduism is an amalgam of traditions and
rituals, of devotional and philosophical systems, built over the past 4500
years, arising from the indigenous Dravidian cults and successive invasions
from outside, especially those of Aryans (2000-1500 B.C.). The oldest
existing religious book of Hindus is the Vedas (Ca. 500 B.C.).
In the context of this poem the Hindu society is traditionally divided
into four classes or castes. viz. (i) Brahman (priests) (ii) Khashtrya (noble
warriors) (iii) Vaishya (merchants and farmers) and (iv) Shudra (workers).
The last mentioned are also untouchables. This abominable system of
dividing humanity into four separate and completely immiscible classes is
against the teachings of Islam (The Holy Qur’an 49:13) and this forms the
subject matter of this poem. Its evils are described in the poem.
However, the Allamah also pays tribute to two other religious
reformers of the Indian sub-continent, viz. Gautam Buddha and Nanak. The
first protest against the caste system came from Siddharta Gautam Buddha.
Buddha’s rejection of the caste system and declaration that all humanity is
one is dealt with in this poem. The second reform came in the 16 th century in
the form of Sikhism founded by Guru Nanak. This religion was a movement
for reformation of Hinduism under the strong influence of Islam.
Renunciation of the caste system is among the strongest pillars of the Sikh
religion (See the last two verses of the poem).’ This poem is yet another
proof of the respect Allamah had for other religious beliefs.
‫نانک‬
‫قوم‬ ‫نے پيغام گوتم کي ذرا پروا نہ کي‬
‫قدر‬ ‫پہچاني نہ اپنے گوہر يک دانہ کي‬
Quom ney paigham-e-Gautam ki zara pervah nah ki; qadar pehchani nah
apney gohar yakk danah ki.

60
(Gohar yakk danah: Bi-misaal moti.)
The nation did not care for the message of Gautam at all; the value of its
own single pearl* it did not appreciate at all.
(*In the Urdu and Persian literary works a belief is expressed that pearls are
formed in the oyster shell by the spring rain drops. If the shell is contented
with one drop only one pearl is formed. Such a pearl is larger in size and
superior in brightness than those of the shells with many pearls.)
 ‫آہ‬ ‫بد قسمت رہے آواز حق سے بے خبر‬
‫غافل‬ ‫اپنے پھل کي شيريني سے ہوتا ہے شجر‬
Ah! Budqismat rehey awaz-e-Haq sey bikhabar; ghafil apney phhal ki
shirini sey hota hai shajar.
Ah! The unfortunate nation remained unaware of the call of the Truth; the
tree is unaware of the sweetness of its own fruit.
‫آشکار‬ ‫اس نے کيا جو زندگي کا راز تھا‬
‫ہند‬  ‫کو ليکن خيالي فلسفے پر ناز تھا‬
Ashkar oss ney kiya jo zindagi ka raaz thha; Hind ko laikan khayali falsafey
per naaz thha.
He exhibited whatever the secret of life was, but India proud of its visionary
philosophy was.
‫شمع‬ ‫حق سے جو منور ہو يہ وہ محفل نہ تھي‬
‫بارش‬ ‫رحمت ہوئي ليکن زميں قابل نہ تھي‬
Shama-e-Haq sey jo munawwar ho yeh woh mehfil nah thhi; baarish-e-
rehmat hoeyi laikan zam’in qabil nah thhi.
The assembly which could be illuminated by Truth’s light was not this; the
rain of mercy did come but the soil was not suitable!
 ‫آہ‬ ‫شودر کے ليے ہندوستاں غم خانہ ہے‬
‫درد‬ ‫انساني سے اس بستي کا دل بيگانہ ہے‬
Ah! Shoodar kay leay Hindust’an ghum khanah hai; dard-e-insani sey iss
basti ka dil biganah hai.
Ah! India is a place of sorrow for the Shudra; this habitation’s heart is
unaware of human sympathy.

61
 ‫برہمن‬ ‫سرشار ہے اب تک مےء پندار ميں‬
‫شمع‬ ‫گو تم جل رہي ہے محفل اغيار ميں‬
Brahman sarshar hai abb takk maey pindaar mein; shama’a-e-Gautam jall
rehi hai mehfil-e-aghiyar mein.
(Shama’a-e-Gautam: Morad hai Buddhmat.)
The Brahman is still intoxicated with the wine of arrogance; Gautam’s
candle is alight in the assembly of strangers.*
(*Allusion to the fact that on account of the atrocities perpetrated by Hindus
on the Buddhists in the Indian Sub-continent. Buddhism all but disappeared
from that region by about the commencement of the Christian era. However,
the Buddhists migrated to the neighboring countries of Ceylon (present day
Sri Lanka), Burma, Malaya, China and Japan, where it flourished and still
exists.)
‫بت‬ ‫کدہ پھر بعد مدت کے مگر روشن ہوا‬
‫نور‬ ‫ابراہيم سے آزر کا گھر روشن ہوا‬
Bott kadah pher ba’ad moddat kay magar roshan hoa; noor-e-Ibrahim sey
Azar ka ghhar roshan hoa.
However, the temple again became lighted after eons; the house of Azar
became lighted with Ibrahim’s light.
‫پھر‬ ‫اٹھي آخر صدا توحيد کي پنجاب سے‬
‫ہند‬   ‫کو اک مرد کامل نے جگايا خواب سے‬ 
Pher othhi akhar sada Towhid ki Punjab sey; Hind ko ekk mard-e-kamil ney
jagaya khwab say.
(Mard-e-kamil: Morad hai Guru Nanak.)
At last the call of Tawhid rose from the Punjab again! A perfect man roused
India from its slumber again!
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

THE MUSLIMS AND MODERN EDUCATION
(Includes a Verse of Malik Qumi)
Mullah Muhammad Malik Qumi was one of the eminent Persian poets
of his time. In this poem Allamah expresses his viewpoint on Western

62
education. Dr Khalil write: ‘Though the educational philosophy of
Allamah Iqbal is a vast subject and much has been written about it, its
essence is that education should produce Khudi and the desire as well as the
ability to struggle in the cause of God and Truth…
Western education may be beneficial to the Western people and may
have been necessary for the material advancement of Indian Muslims in their
special circumstances created by the British rule in the sub-continent it is
detrimental to the ideals and goals of Islam as set out in the Holy Qur’an.
Establishment of the ‘Kingdom of God on earth’ in the form of the super-
national Islamic State, with all its details and accompaniments, is the
purpose of the mission of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.), which was entrusted
by him to his Ummah at the time of the last pilgrimage.
The Holy Qur’an is replete with commands to this effect… When
viewed against this background Western education not only falls short of the
needs of Muslims but is contrary to them. Being secular and materialistic it
is in fact detrimental to Muslims’ aspirations and objectives…
It appears necessary to explain here that Allamah Iqbal was not
opposed to all Western education. When Sir Saiyyid Ahmad Khan and his
colleagues started their campaign to persuade Indian sub-continent’s
Muslims to acquire Western education they had scientific and technical
education foremost in mind. Allamah Iqbal had the same opinion and has
repeatedly emphasized the importance of science and technology for
material betterment.
The deleterious effects of Western education have resulted mainly
from the philosophy of science and from humanities. The former has created
a disbelief in the existence of a non-tangible spiritual universe, and has
created belief in the mechanistic and a-rational concept of creation and
operation of the material universe. This is opposed to the Qur’anic concept
according to which the material universe has been created by God instead of
coming into existence by accident. It has been created with a purpose and
not whimsically or in sport.
It also states that the material universe in not eternal and will also end
in its present form… The Holy Qur’an also teaches us that God has not
rested or retired after creating the universe but is actively directing its
affairs. Denial of this concept deprives Man of faith in the life Hereafter and
the accountability for one’s deeds on earth. This deprivation leads to the
cardinal vice of materialism according to which this world and life in it is
the be-all and end-all of existence.

63
This inculcates jealousy and greed for acquiring material wealth and
arrogance when it has been acquired. This triple-headed monster of jealousy,
greed and arrogance brings out a plethora of vices out of the Pandora’s Box.
One has to look around himself in the present day world to appreciate the
truth of this. The whole of the modern world has been plunged into the
vortex of a moral and spiritual storm which has destroyed all humane values.
The cure lies in reverting to the spiritual values taught by the Holy Qur’an.’
Mosilman aur Ta’alim-e-Jadid   ‫مسلمان اور‬ ‫تعليم جديد‬
Tazmin ber she’ar malik Qumi ‫تضمين بر‬  ‫شعر ملک قمي‬
‫مرشد‬ ‫کي يہ تعليم تھي اے مسلم شوريدہ سر‬
‫الزم‬ ‫ہے رہرو کے ليے دنيا ميں سامان سفر‬
Morshid ki yeh ta’alim thhi ay Moslim-e-shoridah sar; laazim hai rehro kay
leay dunya mein saman-e-safar. (Shoridah sar: Devanah.)
The preceptor’s teaching was, O foolish Muslim! ‘Necessary preparations
are incumbent on the traveler.
‫بدلي‬ ‫ ايسا تغير آگيا‬، ‫زمانے کي ہوا‬
‫تھے‬ ‫ اب ہيں متاع کس مخر‬،‫جو گراں قميت کبھي‬
Badli zamaney ki hawa, aisa taghiyar aa-gaya; thhey jo gar’an qiymat
kabhi, abb hein mata’a-e-kas makhar.
(Mata’a-e-kas makhar: Aisa maal jissey koeyi nah khariday.)
The world’s ways have changed, such changes have come that those who
were invaluable once are not even saleable now.
‫وہ‬ ‫شعلہ روشن ترا ظلمت گريزاں جس سے تھي‬
‫گھٹ‬ ‫کر ہوا مثل شرر تارے سے بھي کم نور تر‬
Woh sho’alah-e-roshan tera zulmat garaiz’an jiss sey thhi; ghhut kar hoa
misl-e-sharar taarey sey bhi kum noor-ter.
That bright flame of yours from which darkness escaped now is reduced to a
spark, less bright than stars.
‫شيدائي‬ ‫ ديوانہء موجود ہو‬،‫غائب نہ رہ‬
‫غالب‬ ‫ہے اب اقوام پر معبود حاضر کا اثر‬
Shaidaeyi gha’ib nah reh, devanah-e-moujood ho; ghalib hai abb aqwam
per ma’abood-e-hazir ka asar.

64
(Devanah-e-moujood: Moujood cheez ka devanah.)
Cease to be the Invisible’s Lover, be the visible’s lover; now influence of the
visible God is triumphant over nations.
‫ممکن‬ ‫نہيں اس باغ ميں کوشش ہو بار آور تري‬
‫فرسودہ‬ ‫ زيرک ہے مرغ تيز پر‬،‫ہے پھندا ترا‬
Momkin naheen iss bagh mein koshash ho bar-awar teri; farsoodah hai
phhanda tera, zeerak hai morgh-e-taiz per.
(Farsoodah: Porana. Zeerak: Hoshiyar, chalak.)
In this garden success for your efforts is not possible; your snare is worn out
and the fast-flying bird is clever.
‫اس‬ ‫دور ميں تعليم ہے امراض ملت کي دوا‬
‫ہے‬ ‫خون فاسد کے ليے تعليم مثل نيشتر‬
Iss dour mein ta’alim hai imraaz-e-millat ki dawa; hai khoon-e-faasud kay
leay ta’alim misl-e-naishtar.(Khoon-e-faasud: Gandah khoon.)
In this age education is the cure for nations’ maladies: Education is like a
lancet for the diseased blood.’
‫رہبر‬ ‫کے ايما سے ہوا تعليم کا سودا مجھے‬
‫واجب‬ ‫ہے صحرا گرد پر تعميل فرمان خضر‬
Rehbar kay ayma sey hoa ta’alim ka souda mojhey; wajab hai sehra-gard
per ta’amil-e-farman-e-Khizer.
By the leader’s suggestions love of education developed in me. Obeying the
command of Khizar is incumbent on the wanderer of the wilderness.
‫ليکن‬ ‫نگاہ نکتہ بيں ديکھے زبوں بختي مري‬
‫ رفتم‬ ‫محمل نہاں شد از نظر‬، ‫کہ خار از پا کشم‬
‫يک‬ ‫لحظ غافل گشتم و صد سالہ را ہم دور شد‬
Laikan nigah-e-noktah bein deikhhey zab’on bakhti meri: Raftam keh khaar
az pa kasham, mehmal neh’an shod az nazar; yakk lehaz ghafil gushtam-
e-sadd salah ra hum door shod.
[Mien apney pa’on sey kanta nikaalney laga aur itni deir mein mehmal nazar
sey ojhal ho gaya; eik lamah ki ghuflat mein mien sainkarr’on saal peichhey
reh gaya.]

65
But the discerning eye should see my misfortune: ‘Went to pull thorn from
foot, the litter disappeared from the sight; I was negligent for a moment it
moved by a hundered years.’
(This is the climax and the raison d`etre of this poem. It means that the
apparently slight error of the Muslim Ummah in obtaining and accepting
Western education uncritically has resulted in its doom.)
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

RELIGION
In this poem too Allamah has criticized Western education and norms
using verse of Bedil as bottom line.
Mazhab: Tazmin ber she’ar Mirza Bedil. ‫ہب‬ ‫تضمين بر شعر ميرزابيدل مذ‬
‫تعليم‬ ‫پير فلسفہء مغربي ہے يہ‬
‫ناداں‬ ‫ہيں جن کو ہستي غائب کي ہے تالش‬
Ta’alim pir-e-falsafah-e-maghrabi hai yeh; nad’an hein jinn ko husti-e-
gha’ib ki hai talash.
(Pir: Alam. Husti-e-gha’ib: Morad hai Zaat-e-Khodavandi.)
The teaching of the sage of Western philosophy is: ‘Those seeking the
Invisible Existence are ignorant.
‫پيکر‬ ‫اگر نظر سے نہ ہو آشنا تو کيا‬
‫ہے‬ ‫شيخ بھي مثال برہمن صنم تراش‬
Paikar agar nazar sey nah ho ashna tuo kaya; hai Sheikh bhi misaal-e-
Brahman sanam tarash.
(Sanam tarash: Bott tarash.)
If the form is unfamiliar to sight; would the Shaikh also be an idol-maker
like Brahman?
‫محسوس‬ ‫پر بنا ہے علوم جديد کي‬
‫اس‬ ‫دور ميں ہے شيشہ عقائد کا پاش پاش‬
Mehsoos per bana hai aloom-e-jadid ki; iss dour mein hai shishah aqa’id ka
paash paash.

66
The foundation of modern knowledge is on the tangible; in this age the
wine-bottle of Faith is shattered.
‫مذہب‬ ‫ وہ ہے اک جنون خام‬،‫ہے جس کا نام‬
‫ہے‬ ‫جس سے آدمي کے تخيل کو انتعاش‬
Mazhab hai jiss ka naam, woh hai ekk janoon-e-khaam; hai jiss sey Adami
kay takhiyal ko inta’ash.
(Janoon-e-khaam: Janoon ki ibtidaeyi halat. Inta’ash: Boland hona.)
What is known as din is an immature frenzy, which is repulsive to human
imagination.’
‫کہتا‬  ‫مگر ہے فلسفہء زندگي کچھ اور‬
‫مجھ‬ ‫پر کيا يہ مرشد کامل نے راز فاش‬
Kehta magar hai falsafah-e-zindagi kochh aur; mojh per kiya yeh morshad-
e-kamil* ney raaz fash. (*Mirza Bedil ki taraf asharah hai.)
But the philosophy of life is saying something else: This secret has been
divulged to me by the Perfect Preceptor.* (*Allusion to Mirza Bedil)
‫ با‬ ‫ہر کمال اند کے آشفتگي خوش است‬
‫ہر‬ ‫چند عقل کل شدہ اي بے جنوں مباش‬
Ba her kamal a’ndkay aashoftagi khosh ast; her chund aql-e-koll shodah-
eyi bey jan’on mabash.
[Her mokamal shodah cheez mein thhorri kharabi khosh a’ien hai; her
kamil aql kay leay thhorra jan’on (mohabat) achha hai.]
‘With every perfection a little distress is welcome; however, perfect the
Intellect, it is not good without Love.’ (Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

RELIGION
In this poem Iqbal expresses views on secularism.
‫مذ ہب‬
‫اپني‬ ‫ملت پر قياس اقوام مغرب سے نہ کر‬
‫خاص‬ ‫ہے ترکيب ميں قوم رسول ہاشمي‬
Apni millat per qiyas aqwam-e-Maghrab sey nah kar; khas hai tarkib mein
quom-e-Rasool-e-Hashimi (S.A.W.)

67
(Aqwam-e-Maghrab: Europi quomein.)
Judge not your nation on the criteria of Western nations; special in
composition is the Hashimi Prophet’s (S.A.W.) nation.
‫ان‬ ‫کي جمعيت کا ہے ملک و نسب پر انحصار‬
‫قوت‬ ‫مذہب سے مستحکم ہے جمعيت تري‬
Onn ki jamiyat ka hai molk-o-nasub per inhisar; qowwat-e-mazhab sey
mostahkim hai jamiyat teri.
Based on country and race is their organization; the force of din stabilizes
your organization.
‫دامن‬ ‫ديں ہاتھ سے چھوٹا تو جمعيت کہاں‬
‫اور‬ ‫جمعيت ہوئي رخصت تو ملت بھي گئي‬
Daman-e-Deen haath sey chhoota tuo jamiyat kah’an; aur jamiyat hoeyi
rokhsat tuo millat bhi gaeyi.
If the din’s skirt is lost, disappears the organization; and if organization
departs also disappears the nation! (Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

SHAKESPEARE
This poem belies the misperception about Allamah’s prejudices about
West. His appreciation of genius transcends race, nationality and fields of
excellence, according to Dr Khalil.
‫شيکسپير‬
‫شفق‬ ‫صبح کو دريا کا خرام آئينہ‬
‫نغمہ‬ ‫شام کو خاموشي شام آئينہ‬
Shafaq-e-sobh ko darya ka kharam a’einah; naghmah-e-shaam ko
khamoshi-e-shaam a’einah.
To the dawn’s twilight the river’s graceful flow is a mirror! To the evening’s
song the evening’s silence is a mirror.
‫برگ‬ ‫گل آئينہ عارض زبيائے بہار‬
‫شاہد‬ ‫مے کے ليے حجلہ جام آئينہ‬
Burg-e-gul a’einah aaraz-e-ziba’ey bahar; shahid-e-maey kay leay hojlah-e-
jaam a’einah. (Hojlah-e-jaam: Piyalay ki jalwah gah.)

68
To the spring’s beautiful cheek flower petal is a mirror! To the lover of wine
the cup’s cavity is mirror.
‫حسن‬ ‫آئينہ حق اور دل آئينہ حسن‬
‫دل‬ ‫انساں کو ترا حسن کالم آئينہ‬
Hosn a’einah-e-Haq aur dil a’einah-e-Hosn; dil-e-ins’an ko tera hosn-e-
kalam a’einah.
Beauty is God’s mirror and heart is Beauty’s mirror! To the human heart the
beauty of your marks is a mirror.
‫ہے‬ ‫ترے فکر فلک رس سے کمال ہستي‬
‫کيا‬ ‫تري فطرت روشن تھي مآل ہستي‬
Hai terey fikr-e-falak rus sey kamal-e-husti; kaya teri fitrat-e-roshan thhi
ma’al-e-husti?
(Fikr-e-falak rus: Asman takk po’nhchney waali soch.)
By your heaven-embracing thought is the perfection of existence. Was your
bright nature the aim of existence?
‫تجھ‬ ‫کو جب ديدئہ ديدار طلب نے ڈھونڈا‬
‫تاب‬ ‫خورشيد ميں خورشيد کو پنہاں ديکھا‬
Tojh ko jabb deidah-e-deidar talab ney dhondha; taab-e-khurshid mein
khurshid ko penh’an deikhha.
When the eye searching for your sight sought you; it saw the sun veiled in
the brightness of the sun.
‫چشم‬ ‫عالم سے تو ہستي رہي مستور تري‬
‫اور‬  ‫عالم کو تري آنکھ نے عرياں ديکھا‬
Chashm-e-alam sey tuo husti rehi mastoor teri; aur alam ko teri a’nkhh ney
oriy’an deikhha. (Mastoor: Chhopa hoa)
Your existence surely remained veiled from the world’s eye and your eye
saw the world completely unveiled.
‫حفظ‬ ‫اسرار کا فطرت کو ہے سودا ايسا‬
‫رازداں‬ ‫پھر نہ کرے گي کوئي پيدا ايسا‬
Hifz-e-asrar ka fitrat ko hai sauda aisa; raazd’an pher nah karey gi koeyi
paida aisa. (Hifz-e-asrar: Bhaid chhopana. Sauda: Janoon.)

69
Nature has such a strong desire for guarding secrets that another confidante
like you it will never create!
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

THE TRAVELERS’ GUIDE
This long poem conveys Allamah Iqbal’s philosophy on several
social, economic and political problems facing the world in general and the
Muslim world in particular, observed Dr Khalil. he added: ‘It is based on an
imaginary conversation with Khizar A.S. on the model of that described in
the Holy Qur’an 18:60-82. The artistic perfection of the poet has made the
parallel perfect.’
He explained the difference of opinion over the meeting place of
Mosa A.S. and Khizar A.S. referred to in Holy Qur’an as Majma al-
Bahrain and then concluded: ‘However, irrespective of the meeting place the
poem describes the questions posed by Allamah Iqbal in the first part and
the answers he received in subsequent parts. These are clear and self
contained in the poem. It is also a commentary on World War I and its
influence on the Western as well as the Muslim world.’
Khizar-e-rah ‫خضرراہ‬
Sha’er ‫شاعر‬
‫ساحل‬ ‫دريا پہ ميں اک رات تھا محو نظر‬
‫گوشہ‬ ‫دل ميں چھپائے اک جہان اضطراب‬
Sahal-e-darya peh mien ekk raat thha mehaw-e-nazar; goshah-e-dil mein
chhopa’ey ekk jahan-e-iztirab.
One night at the river-bank I was absorbed in contemplation with a world of
restlessness concealed in the heart’s recesses.
‫شب‬ ‫ دريا نرم سير‬،‫ ہوا آسودہ‬،‫سکوت افزا‬
‫تھي‬ ‫نظر حيراں کہ يہ دريا ہے يا تصوير آب‬
Shabb sakoot afza, hawa asoodah, darya-e-naram sair; thhi nazar hair’an
keh yeh darya hai ya taswir-e-aab.
(Sakoot afza: Khamoshi ko bharraney wali.)
The night was tranquil, air calm, river gently flowing was; my eye was
amazed whether the river or a picture of water it was!

70
 ‫جيسے‬ ‫گہوارے ميں سو جاتا ہے طفل شير خوار‬
‫موج‬ ‫مضطر تھي کہيں گہرائيوں ميں مست خواب‬
Jaisey gehwaray mein sou jata hai tifal-e-shirkhwar; mouj mozter thhi
kaheen gehraiyu’on mein must-e-khwab. (Gehwara: Pungorra.)
As the suckling baby falls asleep in the cradle; the restless wave had fallen
asleep somewhere else!
‫رات‬ ‫کے افسوں سے طائر آشيانوں ميں اسير‬
‫انجم‬ ‫کم ضو گرفتار طلسم ماہتاب‬
Raat kay afs’on sey ta’er ashiyan’on mein aseer; anjam-e-kum zou gariftar-
e-talism-e-mahtab.
(Afs’on: Jadoo. Anjam-e-kum zou: Kum roshni waaley sitarey. Talism:
Jadoo.)
With the spell of night the birds were confined in nests. The twinkling stars
were caught in the moon’s spell!
‫ديکھتا‬ ‫کيا ہوں کہ وہ پيک جہاں پيما خضر‬
‫جس‬ ‫کي پيري ميں ہے مانند سحر رنگ شباب‬
Deikhhta kaya h’on keh woh paik-e-jah’an paima Khizar; jiss ki piri mein
hai manind-e-sahar rung-e-shabab.
(Paik-e-jah’an paima: Dunya ki sair karney wala qasid.)
Suddenly I saw that the globe-trotting Khizar, whose old age contained
youth’s colour like dawn.
‫کہہ‬ ‫ اے جويائے اسرار ازل‬،‫رہا ہے مجھ سے‬
‫چشم‬ Ð‫دل وا ہو تو ہے تقدير عالم بے حجاب‬
Keh raha hai mojh sey, ay jo’iyaey asrar azal; chashm-e-dil waa ho tuo hai
taqdir-e-alam behijab. (Jo’iyaey asrar: Raaz ka motlashi.)
Was saying to me: ‘O seeker of the eternal secrets, if the inner eye be open
world’s destiny would be unveiled’!
‫دل‬ ‫ميں يہ سن کر بپا ہنگامہ محشر ہوا‬
‫ميں‬ ‫ يوں سخن گستر ہوا‬،‫شہيد جستجو تھا‬
Dil mein yeh sonn kar bapa hungamah-e-mehshar hoa; mein shaheed-e-
jostajoo thha, yu’on sakhon gustar hoa.

71
On hearing this; an uproaring tumult rose in my heart, being devoted to
seeking the Truth I started talking thus:
‫اے‬ ‫تري چشم جہاں بيں پر وہ طوفاں آشکار‬
‫جن‬ ‫کے ہنگامے ابھي دريا ميں سوتے ہيں خموش‬
‘Ay teri chashm-e-jah’an bein pey woh toofan aashkar; jinn kay hungamey
abhi darya mein soutey hein khamosh.
(Chashm-e-jah’an bein: Dunya ko deikhhney wali a’nkhh.)
‘O you whose world-encompassing eye sees those storms, whose tumults are
still sleeping quietly in the river.
‫کشتي‬ '‫'مسکين' و 'جان پاک' و 'ديوار يتيم‬
‫علم‬ ‫موسي بھي ہے تيرے سامنے حيرت فروش‬
Kashti-e-maskin O jan-e-pak O diwaar-e-yatim; ilm-e-Mosa bhi hai teyrey
saamney hairat farosh.
(Kashti-e-maskin, Jan-e-pak, Diwaar-e-yatim: Yeh teen’on talmihaat hein.)
The ‘indigent’s boat’* the chaste soul*, the ‘orphan’s wall’,* even the
knowledge of Mosa (A.S.) before you is in amazement.
(*All allusions to the Holy Qur’an.)
‫چھوڑ‬ ‫کر آبادياں رہتا ہے تو صحرا نورد‬
‫زندگي‬ ‫تيري ہے بے روز و شب و فردا و دوش‬
Chhorr kar aabadiy’an rehta hai tou sehra navard; zindagi teyri hai biroz-
o-shabb-o-farda-o-dosh.
Leaving habitations you remain wandering in wilderness; no day and night,
no yesterday and tomorrow is in your life.
‫زندگي‬ ‫ سلطنت کيا چيز ہے‬،‫کا راز کيا ہے‬
‫اور‬ ‫يہ سرمايہ و محنت ميں ہے کيسا خروش‬
Zindagi ka raaz kaya hai, sultanat kaya cheez hai; aur yeh sarmayah-o-
mehnat mein hai kaisa kharosh.
What is the secret of life? What is imperialism? And what is this struggle
between labour and capital?

72
 ‫ہو‬ ‫رہا ہے ايشيا کا خرقہ ديرينہ چاک‬
‫نوجواں‬ ‫اقوام نو دولت کے ہيں پيرايہ پوش‬
Ho raha hai Aishia ka khirqah chaak; naujaw’an aqwam-e-nau doulat kay
hein pairayah posh.
The ancient patched garment of Asia is being torn! The youth of parvenu
nations are adorned with ornaments!
(Allusion to the conditions after World War I in which the imperialist hold
of Western countries over the rest of the world had become stronger and
more secure than before the war. In India itself promises of gradual self rule
were made during the war. However, on termination of the war and victory
of the Allies Britain’s hold over India became tighter as is evidenced by the
repressive legislation and suppressive actions of the British Government in
the post-war period. In the Muslim countries the conditions were even worse.)
‫گرچہ‬ ‫اسکندر رہا محروم آب زندگي‬
‫فطرت‬ ‫اسکندري اب تک ہے گرم نائونوش‬
Garchih Iskandar raha mehroom aab-e-zindagi; fitrat-e-Iskandari abb takk
hai garm-e-naa’o nosh.
(Garm-e-naa’o nosh: Khhaney peiney mein masroof.)
Though Alexander remained deprived of eternity’s water; the nature of
Alexander is busy still in merry-making!
‫بيچتا‬ ‫ہے ہاشمي ناموس دين مصطفي‬
‫خاک‬ ‫و خوں ميں مل رہا ہے ترکمان سخت کوش‬
Baichta hai Hashmi namoos-e-Deen-e-Mostafavi; khak-o-kh’on mein mil
raha hai Turkoman-e-sakht kosh.
The Holy Prophet’s progeny is selling his din’s honour and the struggling
Turk is smeared in dust and blood *!
(This refers to the behaviour of the Arab countries during and after World
War I in staging what is known as ‘Arab Revolt’, and the courageous
handling of events by the Turks during and after that War. During the War
Arabs sided with the British and undermined the strength of Uthmaniya
Khilafah by waging war and sabotage. This is not only a general reference to
all Arabs but also a specific reference to King Faisal I who was made the
first king of the Hashimite Kingdom of Iraq by the British as a reward for his
betrayal of the Uthmaniya Khilafah during the War. As he claimed descent

73
from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) he is referred to as the ‘Hashimite’.  Abd al-
Aziz ibn Saud (1880-1953), in his desire to rule the whole of Arabian
Peninsula, managed to get British help. He used this help not only for
establishing his own rule throughout the Arabian Peninsula by subduing all
the tribes, which could only be done after wholesale bloodshed. He also used
it for ousting Sharif Hussain, Sherif of Makkah Mu‘azzamah (1908-1924).
By this stratagem he succeeded in getting control over what is now known
as Saudi Arabia, including the custody of the two biggest shrines of the
Islamic world in Makkah Mu‘zzamah and Madina Munawwarah. This also
could only be achieved after much bloodshed and inestimable damage to the
glory of the Holy City and the Ka’bah. The Arab revolt was the most painful
event of this war. It established complete British control over the heartland
of Islam which continues till now. As the British have now ceased to be a
superpower the control has passed to the United States. In contrast with all
this, under the leadership of Mustafa Kamal Pasha and Enver Pasha, the
Turks continued fighting the enemies of Islam, viz. the Greeks and the
British who were helping them, even after the official termination of the
War. As the Turkish armies were then extremely poor in war material and
other requisites this War was very hard on them. This verse alludes to those
conditions.
This behaviour of the Arabs was a severe heart-ache to Allamah Iqbal and he
has not been able to conceal his feelings. He has expressed his disgust in
many poems and individual verses…)
‫آگ‬  ‫ نمرود ہے‬،‫ اوالد ابراہيم ہے‬،‫ہے‬
‫کيا‬ ‫کسي کو پھر کسي کا امتحاں مقصود ہے‬
Aag hai, aulad-e-Ibrahim hai, Namrud hai; kaya kissi kop her kissi ka
imtih’an maqsood hai.
There is fire, there is Ibrahim’s progeny; there is Namrud! Does someone
desire someone’s test again.*
[Aulad-e-Ibrahim: Morad hai Mosilman.]
(Reference to the world-wide calamities for the Asian and African countries
resulting from the victories of the Western countries to which reference has
been made in pervious notes; of special concern to Allamah Iqbal was the
plight of the Muslim world to which special reference is made in this verse.)

74
 ‫جواب خضر‬
‫صحرا‬ ‫نوردي‬
Jawab-e-Khizar - Sehra-navardi
The response of Khizar (wandering in deserts)
‫کيوں‬ ‫تعجب ہے مري صحرا نوردي پر تجھے‬
‫يہ‬ ‫تگا پوئے دمادم زندگي کي ہے دليل‬
Kiyu’on ta’ajub hai meri sehra navardi per tojhey; yeh tuga-poo’ey
damadum zindagi ki hai dalil.
[Tuga-poo’ey: Dourr dhoop. Damadum: Mosalsal.]
Why are you amazed at my wandering in the deserts? This incessant toil is
demonstration of life.
‫اے‬ ‫رہين خانہ تو نے وہ سماں ديکھا نہيں‬
‫گونجتي‬ ‫ہے جب فضائے دشت ميں بانگ رحيل‬
Ay rahein-e-khanah tou ney woh Mosilm’an deikhha naheen; goonjti hai
jabb faza’ey dasht mein bang-e-raheel.
[Rahein-e-khanah: Khanah nashin. Bang-e-raheel: Qaaflay kay rawangi ki
sada deyney wala.)
O the one confined to home, you have not seen that sight when the call for
battle march resounds in the desert air!
‫ريت‬ ‫کے ٹيلے پہ وہ آہو کا بے پروا خرام‬
‫وہ‬ ‫ وہ سفر بے سنگ و ميل‬،‫حضر بے برگ و ساماں‬
Rait kay teilay peh woh aahoo ka biperwa kharam; woh hazar biburg-o-
sam’an, woh safar-e-bisung-o-meil.
[Aahoo: Hiran. Hazar: Qiyam, parra’o. Sung-o-meil: Rastah kay nishan.)
That care-free stroll of the deer on the mound of sand; that home without
chattel, that journey without distance and destination!
‫وہ‬  ‫نمود اختر سيماب پا ہنگام صبح‬
‫يا‬ ‫نماياں بام گردوں سے جبين جبرئيل‬
Woh namood-e-akhtar-e-seimab pa hungam-e-sobh; ya nomay’an baam-e-
gard’on sey jabin-e-Jibril.
(Namood-e-akhtar-e-seimab: Taiz rafter sitarah.)

75
That appearance of the fast-moving star at the dawn; or the forehead of
Jibrail manifest from the sky!
(This is a message of hope for the Muslim Ummah in the hour of their trial.)
‫وہ‬ ‫سکوت شام صحرا ميں غروب آفتاب‬
‫جس‬ ‫سے روشن تر ہوئي چشم جہاں بين خليل‬
Woh sakoot-e-shaam-e-sehra mein gharoob-e-aftab; jiss sey roshan-ter
hoeyi chashm-e-jah’an bein-e-Khalil.
(Sakoot-e-shaam-e-sehra: Sehra mein shaam kay waqt ka sakoon. Chashm-
e-jah’an bein: Door-rus nigah.)
That setting of the sun in the silence of the desert air by which increased the
insight of Khalil’s universe-envisaging eye!
(Reference to the Holy Qur’an 6:75-79: This whole stanza emphasizes the
evils of inaction and need for activism by Muslims. It also shows the value
of studying the physical world as a means of understanding the Existence
and nature of God, as is repeatedly emphasized by the Holy Qur’an. This
verse is the climax of this message and shows how the world of stars, moon
and sun led Ibrahim A.S. towards recognizing the Unity, Uniqueness and
Superiority of God.)
‫اور‬ ‫وہ پاني کے چشمے پر مقام کارواں‬
‫اہل‬ ‫ايماں جس طرح جنت ميں گرد سلسبيل‬
Aur woh pani kay chashmey per moqam-e-carav’an; ehl-e-aim’an jiss tarah
jannat mein gird-e-salsabil.
(Salsabil: Jannat ki eik nehar.)
And that halting of the caravan at the stream bank; as the believers’
gathering round the Salsabil!
(Salsabil: This is a spring in the Paradise and the stream ensuing from it.)
‫تازہ‬ ‫ويرانے کي سودائے محبت کو تالش‬
‫اور‬ ‫آبادي ميں تو زنجيري کشت و نخيل‬
Tazah veraney ki souda’ey mohabat ko talash; aur abadi mein zinjiri-e-
kisht-o-nakhil.
(Zinjiri-e-kisht-o-nakhil: Khhait aur baghaat kay kaam’on mein masroof.)

76
The ardent Love is in search of an ever new wild land and in city your effort
is in farming and horticulture.
‫پختہ‬ ‫تر ہے گردش پہيم سے جام زندگي‬
‫ہے‬ ‫يہي اے بے خبر راز دوام زندگي‬
Pokhtah-ter hai gardash-e-pehum sey jaam-e-zindagi; hai yehi ay bikhabar
raaz-e-dawam-e-zindagi.
(Gardash-e-pehum: Mosalsal chaltey jana. Raaz-e-dawam-e-zindagi:
Hamaishah ki zindagi ka raaz.)
The cup of life becomes more mature by revolving; O negligent one, this
alone is the secret of life’s permanence!
Zindagi   (Life) ‫زندگي‬
‫برتر‬ ‫از انديشہء سود و زياں ہے زندگي‬
‫ہے‬ ‫کبھي جاں اور کبھي تسليم جاں ہے زندگي‬
Berter az andaishah-e-sood-o-ziy’an hai zindagi; hai kabhi j’an aur kabhi
taslim-e-j’an hai zindagi.
(Andaishah-e-sood-o-ziy’an: Nafa’a-o-noqsan ka khouf. Taslim-e-j’an: Jaan
qurban karna.)
Much above the fear of profit and loss is life! Now the soul now the
surrender of soul is life!
‫تو‬ ‫اسے پيمانہ امروز و فردا سے نہ ناپ‬
‫جاوداں‬ ‫ ہر دم جواں ہے زندگي‬،‫پيہم دواں‬
Tou issey paimanah-e-imroz-o-farda sey nah naap; javid’an pehum daw’an,
her dum raw’an hai zindagi. (Imroz-o-farda: Aaj aur kall.)
Do not measure it on the scale of today and tomorrow! Eternal, incessantly
struggling, ever young is life!
‫اپني‬ ‫دنيا آپ پيدا کر اگر زندوں ميں ہے‬
‫سر‬ ‫ ضمير کن فکاں ہے زندگي‬،‫آدم ہے‬
Apni dunya aap paida kar agar zind’on mein hai; sirr-e-Adam hai, zamir-e-
Kun fak’an hai zindagi. (Sirr-e-Adam: Insan ki takhliq ka raaz.)
Create your own world if you claim to be among the living; the secret of
Adam and the object of ‘Kun fikoon’* is life.

77
(Reference to the Holy Qur’an 6:73 in which God describes the creation of
the universe as His Will and Command. As the Holy Qur’an has repeatedly
said the creation of the universe is purposeful. That purpose was the eventual
creation of Man as the master-piece of His creation and Man’s subsequent
perfection into ‘perfect man’ (Allamah Iqbal’s Mard-i-Kamil) in the
personality of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.). This is supported by a Hadith to
the effect that ‘God would not have created the universe if He had not
created me’. God also created the Holy Qur’an for the guidance of Man with
which every person can be perfected…)
‫زندگاني‬ ‫کي حقيقت کوہکن کے دل سے پوچھ‬
‫جوئے‬ ‫شير و تيشہ و سنگ گراں ہے زندگي‬
Zindagani ki haqiqat kohkan kay dil sey pooch; joo’ey shir-o-taishah-o-
sung-e-gar’an hai zindagi.
(Kohkan: Paharr khhodney wala; morad hai Farhad. Joo’ey shir: Doodh ki
nehar. Sung-e-gar’an: Bhhari pathhar.)
Ask the mountain digger for the reality of life; the canal of milk, the axe, the
heavy rock is life.*
(Heavy rock: Reference to Farhad in the epic of love known as ‘Shirin O
Farhad’. Farhad is known as ‘mountain digger’ because he successfully dug
a canal through a mountain and filled it with milk in compliance with a
requirement for getting the hand of Shirin, his beloved.)
‫بندگي‬ ‫ميں گھٹ کے رہ جاتي ہے اک جوئے کم آب‬
‫اور‬ ‫آزادي ميں بحر بے کراں ہے زندگي‬
Bandagi mein ghhot kay reh jaati hai ekk joo’ey kum aab; aur azadi mein
behar-e-bikar’an hai zindagi.
(Bandagi: Ghulami. Joo’ey kum aab: Kum pani wali nadi. Behar-e-bikar’an:
La-mehdood samandar.)
In slavery it is choked to a mere trickling brook and in freedom like the
boundless ocean is life.
‫آشکارا‬ ‫ہے يہ اپني قوت تسخير سے‬
‫گرچہ‬ ‫اک مٹي کے پيکر ميں نہاں ہے زندگي‬
Aashkara hai yeh apni qowwat-e-taskhir sey; garchih ekk matti kay paikar
mein neh’an hai zindagi.
(Qowwat-e-taskhir: Fatah karney ki taqat.)

78
It is manifested by its power of subduing; though concealed in a body of
dust is life.
‫قلزم‬ ‫ہستي سے تو ابھرا ہے مانند حباب‬
‫اس‬ ‫زياں خانے ميں تيرا امتحاں ہے زندگي‬
Qolzam-e-husti sey tou obhra hai manind-e-hobab; iss ziy’an khaney mein
teyra imtih’an hai zindagi.
(Qolzam: Samandar. Hobab: Bolbolah.)
You have emerged from the existence’ ocean like a bubble; in this losing
battle your examination is life.
‫خام‬ ‫ہے جب تک تو ہے مٹي کا اک انبار تو‬
‫پختہ‬ ‫ہو جائے تو ہے شمشير بے زنہار تو‬
Khaam hai tou jabb takk, hai matti ka ekk anbaar tou; pokhtah ho jaa’ey tuo
hai shamshir-e-bizunhar tou.
(Shamshir-e-bizunhar: Panah nah deyney waali talwar.)
While you are immature only a heap of dust you are; on attaining maturity a
merciless sword you are!
‫ہو‬ ‫صداقت کے ليے جس دل ميں مرنے کي تڑپ‬
‫پہلے‬ ‫اپنے پيکر خاکي ميں جاں پيدا کرے‬
Ho sadaqat kay leay jiss dil mein murney ki tarrap; pehley apney paikar-e-
khaki mein j’an paida karey.
The heart which is restless for death in defense of Truth should first life in
his own body must create.
(This stanza is a description of the pre-requisites to be acquired by a person
who is prepared to struggle in the cause of God and Islam.
‫پھونک‬ ‫ڈالے يہ زمين و آسمان مستعار‬
‫اور‬ ‫خاکستر سے آپ اپنا جہاں پيدا کرے‬
Phhonk daaley yeh zamin-o-asman-e-mosta’ar; aur khakistar sey aap apna
jah’an paida karey.
(Mosta’ar: Maangay ho’ay. Khakistar: Rakhh.)
Should burn down this borrowed universe and from the ashes his own
universe should create.

79
 ‫زندگي‬ ‫کي قوت پنہاں کو کر دے آشکار‬
‫تا‬ ‫يہ چنگاري فروغ جاوداں پيدا کرے‬
Zindagi ki qowwat-e-penh’an ko kar dey ashkaar; ta yeh chingari frogh-e-
javid’an paida karey.
Should demonstrate the potential power of life; so that this spark may the
eternal light create.
‫خاک‬ ‫مشرق پر چمک جائے مثال آفتاب‬
‫تا‬ ‫بدخشاں پھر وہي لعل گراں پيدا کرے‬
Khak-e-Mashriq per chamak jaa’ey misal-e-aftab; ta Badakhsh’an wohi
la’al-e-gar’an paida karey.
(La’al-e-gar’an: Qimati pathar.)
Should shine like the sun over the lands of the East; so that Badakhshan the
same invaluable rubies may again create!
(Badakhshan: This is a region in the present day Afghanistan which is
famous for rubies and other precious stones.)
‫سوئے‬ ‫گردوں نالہ شب گير کا بھيجے سفير‬
‫رات‬ ‫کے تارں ميں اپنے رازداں پيدا کرے‬
Soo’ey gard’on nalah-e-shabb gir ka bhaijey safeer; raat kay taar’on mein
apney raazd’an paida karey.
(Nalah-e-shabb gir: Raat ko apney ghhairey mein leyney waali fariyad.)
Should send heaven-ward the emissary of nightly wailing and in the night’s
stars its confidantes should create.
‫يہ‬ ‫ تو عرصہء محشر ميں ہے‬، ‫گھڑي محشر کي ہے‬
‫پيش‬ ‫ عمل کوئي اگر دفتر ميں ہے‬، ‫کر غافل‬
Yeh ghharri mehshar ki hai, tou arsah-e-mehshar mein hai; paish kar ghafil,
amal koeyi agar daftar mein hai.
(Arsah-e-mehshar: Mehshar ka maidan.)
This is the hour of Judgment you in the Judgment’s field are O negligent
one, present actions if some in your treasure are!

80
Saltanat (Imperialism) ‫سلطنت‬
 ‫تجھ کو رمز آيہء ان الملوک آبتائوں‬
‫سلطنت‬ ‫اقوام غالب کي ہے اک جادوگري‬
Aa-bata’on tojh ko ramz-e-ayah-e-Inn al-mulook*; sultanat-e-aqwam-e-
ghalib ki hai ekk jadoogari.
(* Quran ki Surah Namal ki oss ayah ki taraf asharah hai jabb badshah kissi
basti mein dakhal hotay he fasad barpa kar deytey hein.)
Come, I shall tell you the secret of the verse ‘Inn al-mulook’;* imperialism
is an enchantment of the victorious nations.
(This alludes to The Holy Qur’an 27:34 in which the Queen of Saba (Shiba),
on receiving the letter of Sulaiman A.S. inviting her to accept Islam,
addressed her courtiers thus: ‘Kings, when they enter a country despoil it,
and make the noblest of its people its meanest. Thus do they behave’. This
verse is a clear condemnation of imperialism in Islam.)
‫خواب‬ ‫سے بيدار ہوتا ہے ذرا محکوم اگر‬
‫پھر‬ ‫سال ديتي ہے اس کو حکمراں کي ساحري‬
Khwab sey bidar hota hai zara mehkoom agar; pher sola deyti hai oss ko
hokmar’an ki saaheri.
(Saaheri: Jadoogari, morad hai dhokabazi.)
If the ruled from his stupor slightly wakes up; the ruler’s spell lulls him back
to sleep again.
‫جادوئے‬ ‫محمود کي تاثير سے چشم اياز‬ 
‫ديکھتي‬ ‫ہے حلقہء گردن ميں ساز دلبري‬ 
Jadoo’ey Mehmood ki tasir sey chashm-e-Ayaz; deikhhti hai halqah-e-
gardan mein saaz-e-dilbari.
From the effect of the spell of Mahmood the eye of Ayaz, sees the
accouterments of loveliness round his neck.
‫خون‬ ‫اسرائيل آجاتا ہے آخر جوش ميں‬ 
‫توڑ‬ ‫ديتا ہے کوئي موسي طلسم سامري‬ 
Khoon-e-Israel aa-jata hai akhar josh mein; torr deyta hai koeyi Mosa
talism-e-Samiri.
(Talism-e-Samiri: Samiri ka jadoo.)

81
At last the blood of Israel boils up with anger; the spell of Samiri is smashed
up by some Musa.
(The blood of Israel: This verse refers to the magic of the sorcerer Samiri.
During the period between the prophethood of Musa A.S. and Isa A.S. the
people of Israel were the inheritors of the vice-regency of God and they are
treated like ‘Muslims’ in the Holy Qur’an. Samiri: This is an allusion to
Holy Qur’an 20: 85, 95-97.)
‫سروري‬ ‫زيبا فقط اس ذات بے ہمتا کو ہے‬ 
‫حکمراں‬ ‫ باقي بتان آزري‬،‫ہے اک وہي‬ 
Sarwari ziba faqat oss zaat-e-bihimta ko hai; hokmar’an hai ekk wohi, baqi
bottaan-e-Azari.
(Sarwari: Sardari. Zaat-e-bihimta: Aisi zaat jiss ki koeyi misal nah ho.
Bottan-e-Azari: Azar kay bana’ey ho’ay bott.)
Sovereignty befits only that Peerless Essence; only He is the sovereign, the
rest are Azar’s idols.
(Peerless Essence: Reference to God.)
 ‫غالمي فطرت آزاد را رسوا مکن از‬
‫تا‬ ‫تراشي خواجہ از برہمن کافر تري‬ 
Az ghulami fitrat-e-azad ra roswa makon; ta trashi khwajah az Brahman
kafir-teri.
[Tou apni azad fitrat ko ghulami mein phh’ansa kar zalil nah kar; agar tou
kissi ko aqa bana’y ga aur yeh bott trashey ga tuo tou samajh ley keh tou
Brahman sey bhi barra kafir hai.]
Do not disgrace your independent disposition with slavery; so that you do
not mold yourself into the master who would be a worse infidel than the
Brahman.
‫ہے‬ ‫وہي ساز کہن مغرب کا جمہوري نظام‬ 
‫جس‬  ‫کے پردوں ميں نہيں غير از نوائے قيصري‬ 
Hai wohi saaz-e-kohan maghrab ka jamhoori nizam; jiss kay pard’on mein
naheen ghair az nawa’ey Qaisari.
(Nawa’ey Qaisari: Shahinshah ki sada.)
The Western democratic system is the same old orchestra in whose frets is
nothing different from the Qaisar’s tune.

82
(Qaiser’s tune: Reference to the imperialism of the Roman Empire which is
famous for its atrocities.)
 ‫ديو‬ ‫استبداد جمہوري قبا ميں پاے کوب‬
‫تو‬ ‫سمجھتا ہے يہ آزادي کي ہے نيلم پري‬ 
Deiv-e-istabdad jamhoori qaba mein paa’ey kob; tou samajhta hai yeh azadi
ki hai neilum pari.
(Istabdad: Zulm. Paa’ey kob: Nachney wala.)
The monster of despotism is treading in democracy’s robe; you consider it as
the beautiful ferry of independence!
‫مجلس‬ ‫آئين و اصالح و رعايات و حقوق‬ 
‫طب‬ ‫ اثر خواب آوري‬،‫مغرب ميں مزے ميٹھے‬ 
Majlis-e-a’ein-o-islah-o-ra’aiyat-o-haqooq; tibb-e-Maghrab mein mazay
meithhey, asar khwab awari.
The legislative assembly, the reforms, the rights and concessions: In
Western medicine the tastes are sweet, the effect is soporific!
‫ االماں گرمي‬،‫گفتار اعضائے مجالس‬  
‫يہ‬ ‫بھي اک سرمايہ داروں کي ہے جنگ زرگري‬ 
Garmi-e-goftar aaza’ey majalis, al-am’an; yeh bhi ekk sarmayah-dar’on ki
hai jung-e-zargari.
(Aaza’ey majalis: Qanoon-saaz assambliyu’on kay aiwan. Al-am’an: Khoda
mehfooz rakkhey.)
May God protect us from the fervor of speeches of members of assemblies;
this also is the capitalists’ sham quarreling to deceive the poor!
‫اس‬ ‫سراب رنگ و بو کو گلستاں سمجھا ہے تو‬ 
 ‫آہ‬ ‫اے ناداں! قفس کو آشياں سمجھا ہے تو‬
Iss sorab-e-rung-o-boo ko gulist’an samjha hai tou; aah ay nad’an! Qafas
ko ashiy’an samjha hai tou.
(Sorab: Dhoukah.)
You have taken this apparent beauty’s mirage as a garden! Ah! O ignorant
one! You have taken the cage to be the nest!

83
Sarmayah-O-Mehnat (Capital and Labour) ‫سرمايہ‬ ‫ومحنت‬
‫بندئہ‬  ‫مزدور کو جا کر مرا پيغام دے‬
‫خضر‬ ‫ ہے يہ پيام کائنات‬،‫کا پيغام کيا‬
Bandah-e-mazdoor ko jaa kar mera paigham dey; Khizar ka paigham kaya,
hai yeh payam-e-kainat.
(Payam-e-kainat: Kainat kay dil ki awaz.)
Go and deliver my message to the labouring person: ‘Not only Khizar’s
message, this is the universal message!
‫اے‬ ‫کہ تجھ کو کھا گيا سرمايہ دار حيلہ گر‬
‫شاخ‬ ‫آہو پر رہي صديوں تلک تيري برات‬
Ay keh tojh ko khha gaya sarmaya-dar heelah-gir; shakh-e-ahoo per rehi
sadiyu’on talak teyri baraat.
(Shakh-e-ahoo: Hiran ka seing. Barat: Hissah, morad hai rizq.)
O whom the fraudulent capitalist has destroyed! Your destiny has remained
a fugitive for centuries.
‫دست‬ ‫دولت آفريں کو مزد يوں ملتي رہي‬
‫اہل‬ ‫ثروت جيسے ديتے ہيں غريبوں کو زکات‬
Dast-e-doulat aafr’in ko muzd yu’on milti rehi; ehl-e-sarwat jaisey deytey
hein gharib’on ko zakat.
(Dast-e-doulat aafr’in: Doulat paida karney waley haath. Muzd: Mazdoori.
Ehl-e-sarwat: Ameer loug.)
The wealth-creating hand had been paid wages as the rich pay charity to the
poor!
‫ساحر‬ ‫الموط نے تجھ کو ديا برگ حشيش‬
‫اور‬ ‫تو اے بے خبر سمجھا اسے شاخ نبات‬
Sahar-al-mowt ney tojh ko diya burg-e-hashish; aur tou ay bi-khabar
samjha ossey shakh-e-nabat.
(Sahar-al-mowt: Mowt ka jadoo-gar, morad hai sarmayadar. Burg-e-
hashish: Bhung.)
The magician of Alamut gave you the hashish leaves and you, O negligent
one, took it as a tuft of candy!

84
(Magician of Alamut: Reference to the Hasan Bin Öabbat (d. 1138) who was
a wizard of his age. He lived in Iran in the eleventh century C.E. He built a
fort at Alamut, between Qazwain and Jilan. He furnished its interior with the
state of the art furnishings and accouterment of comfort and luxury,
including the most beautiful girls available. He designated this fort
‘Paradise’, and laid claims to prophet-hood. He had a body of followers who
enticed unwary people in cities with administration of hemp and transported
them to the Alamut Fort when they became intoxicated with hemp. On
gaining consciousness they found themselves in strange surroundings which
were the ultimate in luxury, including ‘houri’s’. When they thus became
convinced of being in ‘paradise’ they accepted Hasan Bin Öabbat as their
prophet. He had built formidable strength which the State could not subdue
with mere force. He was a contemporary of Ghias al-Din Abu al-Faté Qamar
Bin Ibrahim al-Khayyam, the famous ‘Umar Khayyam’:  who was a
mathematician, astronomer and poet (ca. 1050-1123). The latter ultimately
subdued Hasan Bin Öabbat with better wisdom, based on righteousness
instead of wizardry. Later this organization was destroyed by the Mongols
about the middle of the 13th century.)
 ‫نسل‬ ‫ رنگ‬،‫ تہذيب‬،‫ سلطنت‬،‫ کليسا‬،‫قوميت‬
‫خواجگي‬ ‫نے خوب چن چن کے بنائے مسکرات‬
Nasal, qomiyat, Kalisa, sultanat, tehzeeb, rung; khwajgi ney khoob chon
chon kay bana’ey maskarat.
(Maskarat: Woh cheezein jo nashah paida karti hein.)
Race, nation, church, empire, civilization, colour: This assortment of
intoxicants is made by ‘imperialism’.
‫کٹ‬ ‫مرا ناداں خيالي ديوتائوں کے ليے‬
‫سکرکي‬ ‫لذت ميں تو لٹوا گيا نقد حيات‬
Kut mara nad’an khayali devata’on kay leay; sokar ki lazzat mein tou lotwa
gaya naqd-e-hayat. (Sokar: Nashah.)
The ignorant one gave up his life for mythical gods; you destroyed your
life’s capital under intoxicants’ love.
‫مکر‬ ‫کي چالوں سے بازي لے گيا سرمايہ دار‬
‫انتہائے‬ ‫سادگي سے کھا گيا مزدور مات‬
Makar ki chal’on sey baazi ley gaya sarmayah-dar; intiha’ey saadgi sey
khha gaya mazdoor maat.

85
The capitalist has won with deceitful stratagems due to extreme naivete the
laborer is checkmated.
‫اٹھ‬ ‫کہ اب بزم جہاں کا اور ہي اندازہے‬
‫مشرق‬ ‫و مغرب ميں تيرے دور کا آغاز ہے‬
Othh keh abb bazm-e-jah’an ka aur he andaz hai; Mashriq-o-Maghrab mein
teyrey dour ka aghaz hai.
Rise, as the world’s assembly has adopted different ways; in the East and the
West is the beginning of your age.
(Allusion to the labour movements all over the world starting at that time:
These movements are usually credited to communism and general
awakening in the West. However, in reality they owe their origin to the
awakening kindled by Islam and Muslim scholars in Spain and Iraq in the
middle ages which brought about Reformation and Renaissance in Europe
and which is an on-going movement of human liberation from the forces of
undue domination.)
‫ہمت‬ ‫عالي تو دريا بھي نہيں کرتي قبول‬
‫غنچہ‬ ‫ساں غافل ترے دامن ميں شبنم کب تلک‬
Himmat-e-a’ali tuo darya bhi naheen karti qabool; ghonchah-s’an ghafil
terey, daman mein shabnam kabb talak.
Those with elegant courage do not accept even the ocean O negligent one,
how long would you hold dew in your skirt like the flower bud?
‫نغمہ‬ ‫بيداري جمہور ہے سامان عيش‬
‫قصہ‬ ‫خواب آور اسکندر و جم کب تلک‬
Naghmah-e-bidari-e-jamhoor hai saaman-e-aish; qissah-e-khwab awar
Askandar-o-Jam kabb talak.
Music of masses’ renaissance is a means of pleasure; the soporific tale of
Alexander and Jam how long?
‫آفتاب‬ ‫تازہ پيدا بطن گيتي سے ہوا‬
 ‫آسمان‬ ‫ڈوبے ہوئے تاروں کا ماتم کب تلک‬
Aftab-e-tazah paida batan-e-geiti sey hoa; asman doobay hoay taar’on ka
matam kabb talak.
A new sun has arisen from the bowels of the earth O Sky! Mourning of stars
which have set how long?

86
 ‫توڑ‬ ‫ڈاليں فطرت انساں نے زنجيريں تمام‬
‫دوري‬ ‫جنت سے روتي چشم آدم کب تلک‬
Torr daalein fitrat-e-ins’an ney zinjirein tamam; doori-e-jannat sey routi
chashm-e-Adam kabb talak.
Human nature has broken down all the chains! Man’s eye would weep for
the lost Paradise how long?
‫باغبان‬ ‫چارہ فرما سے يہ کہتي ہے بہار‬
‫زخم‬ ‫گل کے واسطے تدبير مرہم کب تلک‬
Baghban charah farma sey yeh kehti hai bahar; zakham-e-gul kay wastay
tadbir-e-marham kabb talak.
The spring says this to the helping gardener: You would apply ointment to
the rose’ wounded heart how long?
‫کرمک‬ ‫ناداں! طواف شمع سے آزاد ہو‬
‫اپني‬ ‫فطرت کے تجلي زار ميں آباد ہو‬
Kirmak-e-nad’an! Tawaf-e-shama’a sey azad ho; apni fitrat kay tajali-e-
zaar mein abad ho.
(Kirmak-e-nad’an: Bh’anwra.)
O simple fire-fly, be free of revolving round the candle and be living in the
illuminated place of your own nature!
Dunya-i-Islam (The World of Islam) ‫دنيائے‬ ‫اسالم‬
‫کيا‬ ‫سناتا ہے مجھے ترک و عرب کي داستاں‬
‫مجھ‬ ‫سے کچھ پنہاں نہيں اسالميوں کا سوز و ساز‬
Kaya sonata hai mojhey Turk-o-Arab ki dast’an; mojh sey kochh penh’an
naheen Islamiyu’on ka soz-o-saaz.
(Penh’an: Chhopa hoa.)
Why are you relating to me the story of Turks and Arabs! Nothing of the
grief and joys of Muslims is hidden from me.*
(This means that the whole history of the Muslim Ummah was known to
Khizar A.S.  It also refers to the history of secession of the Arab world from
the fold of the Uthmaniya Khilafah and its aftermath.)

87
 ‫لے‬ ‫گئے تثليث کے فرزند ميراث خليل‬
‫خشت‬ ‫بنياد کليسا بن گئي خاک حجاز‬
Ley ga’ey taslees kay farzand miras-e-Khalil; khisht boniyad-e-Kalisa bun
gaeyi khak-e-Hijaz.
(Taslees: Morad hai Issaeyi. Miras-e-Khalil: Morad hai Mosilman’on ka
versah. Khisht: Eint.)
The sons of the Cross have taken away the heritage of Khalil; the soil of
Hijaz has become the brick of the church’s foundation!
(Reference to the upper hand of Christians in Islamic countries, particularly
those with Muslim majorities and Muslim governments.)
‫ہوگئي‬ ‫رسوا زمانے ميں کالہ اللہ رنگ‬
‫جو‬ ‫ ہيں آج مجبور نياز‬،‫سراپا ناز تھے‬
Ho gaeyi roswa zamaney mein kullah-e-lal rung; jo sarapa naaz thhey, hein
aaj majboor-e-niaz.
(Kullah-e-lal rung: Sorkh topi; Turki topi.)
The red cap* has become disgraced in the world! Those who were formerly
proud are in need of others!
(*This refers to the Turkish cap which was red in colour and had a black
frill. It was used as a national cap by Muslims in greater part of the world. It
lasted till the beginning of World War II.)
‫لے‬ ‫رہا ہے مے فروشان فرنگستاں سے پارس‬
‫وہ‬ ‫مےء سرکش حرارت جس کي ہے مينا گداز‬
Ley raha hai maey froshan-e-Frangist’an sey Paras; woh maey-e-sarkash
hararat jiss ki hai meina godaz.
(Sarkash: Tond-o-taiz. Meina godaz: Surahi ko pighla deyney wali.)
From the wine sellers of Europe Iran is purchasing that strong wine by
whose heat the decanter is melted.*
(Reference to the inordinate Western influence in the politics and, still
worse, in social life of the people in the Muslim world.)

88
 ‫حکمت‬ ‫مغرب سے ملت کي يہ کيفيت ہوئي‬
‫ٹکڑے‬ ‫ٹکڑے جس طرح سونے کو کر ديتا ہے گاز‬
Hikmat-e-Maghrab sey millat ki yeh kafiat hoeyi; tokrray tokrray jiss tarah
sonay ko kar deyta hai gauz.
(Gauz: Sonay ko katney ki qainchi.)
The politics of the West has reduced the nation such as gold is rendered to
pieces by scissors.*
(Reference to the division of the Muslim world into a large number of
secular nation states after World War I. However, our misfortune is that, in
spite of the efforts of `Allamah Iqbal and a large number of other reformers
all over the Muslim world, the trend towards fragmentation of
theUmmah is continuing un-abated.)
‫ہوگيا‬ ‫مانند آب ارزاں مسلماں کا لہو‬
‫مضطرب‬ ‫ہے تو کہ تيرا دل نہيں دانائے راز‬
Ho gaya manind-e-aab arz’an Mosilm’an ka lahoo; Moztarib hai tou keh
teyra dil naheen dana’ey raaz. (Arz’an: Sasta.)
The blood of the Muslim has become cheap like water; you are restless as
your heart is unaware of their fate.
‫گفت‬  ‫رومي ہر بناے کہنہ کآ باداں کنند‬
‫مي‬  ‫نداني اول آں بنياد را ويراں کنند‬
Goft Rumi her bana’ey kohna ka’a bad’an konand; mi nadani awwal a’an
buniyad ra ver’an konand.
[Rumi ney kaha keh her porani amarat ko dobarah bananey sey pehley, kaya
tou naheen janta, pehley oss ko girana parrta hai.]
Rumi said that every old building that is to be rebuilt! Do you not know that
the building is first demolished?
‫ہاتھوں سے گيا ملت کي آنکھيں کھل گئيں ملک‬
‫حق‬ ‫ترا چشمے عطا کردست غافل در نگر‬
Molak haath’on sey gaya, Millat ki a’nkhhein khhul ga’ein; Haq tera
chashmey atta kard’st ghafil der nigar. [Allah ney tojhey ankhhein atta kein
hein ghafil (ankhhein khhol) aur deikhh.]

89
‘The homeland has been lost; the nation has been jolted O negligent one,
look deep as God has granted you insight!
‫موميائي‬ ‫کي گدائي سے تو بہتر ہے شکست‬
‫مور‬ ‫بے پر! حاجتے پيش سليمانے مبر‬
Momiyai* ki gadaeyi sey tuo behtar hai shakast; moor-e-biper! Haajatey
paish-e-Sulaimaney ma-ber. (*Dawa)
Defeat is better than helplessly begging for momiyai O helpless ant! Do not
take your requests to a Sulaiman.
‫ربط‬ ‫و ضبط ملت بيضا ہے مشرق کي نجات‬
‫ايشيا‬ ‫والے ہيں اس نکتے سے اب تک بے خبر‬
Rabt-o-zabt-e-Millat-e-Baiza hai Mashriq ki nijat; Aisia waaley hein iss
noktay sey abb takk bikhabar.
The salvation of the East is in organization of the Muslim nations; the
people of Asia are still unaware of this mystery.
‫پھر‬ ‫سياست چھوڑ کر داخل حصار ديں ميں ہو‬
‫ملک‬ ‫و دولت ہے فقط حفظ حرم کا اک ثمر‬
Pher siyasat chhorr kar dakhal hissar-e-Deen mein ho; molk-o-doulat hai
faqat hifz-e-Haram ka ekk samar.
(Hissar-e-Deen: Mazhab ka qila.)
Relinquishing ‘politics’ enter the fort of din again; country and wealth is
only a reward for Haram’s defense.
(This verse does not teach Muslims to withdraw from politics. It preaches
only refraining from God-less Western politics, on the vices of which he is
very emphatic.)
‫ايک‬ ‫ہوں مسلم حرم کي پاسباني کے ليے‬
‫نيل‬ ‫کے ساحل سے لے کر تا بخاک کاشغر‬
Eik h’on Moslim Haram ki pasbani kay leay; Neil kay sahal sey ley kar ta
bakhak-e-Kashghar.
The Muslims should unite into one body for Haram’s defense from the
banks of the Nile to the City of Kashghar!
(Kashghar is a large and important city in Chinese Turkistan. The second
hemstitch of this verse means the entire Islamic world. Though neither the

90
Nile River forms the western boundary nor is Kashghar on the eastern
boundary of the Islamic world these names are used as an exigency of
poetry.)
‫جو‬ ‫ مٹ جائے گا‬، ‫کرے گا امتياز رنگ و خوں‬
‫ترک‬ ‫خرگاہي ہو يا اعرابي واال گہر‬
Jo karey ga imtiaz-e-rung-o-kh’on, mitt ja’ey ga; Turk-e-khurgahi ho ya
A’arabi wala gohar.
(Turk-e-khurgahi: Khaimah mein rehney wala Turki bashindah. A’arabi
wala gohar: A’ala mansab Arab.)
Whoever would discriminate for colour and race would perish; whether he
be the tent-dwelling Turk or the high ranking Arab!
(This emphasizes the super-national nature of the Islamic State.)
‫نسل‬ ‫اگر مسلم کي مذہب پر مقدم ہوگئي‬
‫اڑ‬ ‫گيا دنيا سے تو مانند خاک رہ گزر‬
Nasal agar Moslim ki mazhab per moqadam ho gaeyi; orr gaya dunya sey
tou manind-e-khak-e-rahgozar.
If race would become more important than din to the Muslim; he would be
blown away from the world like the dust of the road!
‫تا‬ ‫خالفت کي بنا دنيا ميں ہو پھر استور‬
‫ال‬ ‫کہيں سے ڈھونڈ کر اسالف کا قلب و جگر‬
Taa khalafat ki bana dunya mein ho pher ostawar; laa kaheen sey dh’ondh
kar aslaaf ka qalb-o-jigar.
To establish the Khilafah’s foundations in the world again; the need is to
bring from somewhere the ancestors’ mettle.
‫اے‬ ‫کہ نشناسي خفي را از جلي ہشيار باش‬
‫اے‬ ‫گرفتار ابوبکر و علي ہشيار باش‬
Ay keh nashanasi khufi ra az jalli hoshiyar baash; ay gariftar-e-Abu
Bakar-o-Ali hoshiyar baash.
[Hoshiyar, ay woh jo poshidah aur zahar mein farq naheen pehchanta!
Hoshiyar ay Abu Bakar aur Ali ki barraiy’an biyan karney waaley (Shia-
Sunni tafarqah ki taraf asharah hai).]

91
O You who do not distinguish between the tangible and the intangible,
beware; O the captive of Abu Bakr and Ali, beware.
(This is a stern warning to Muslims to refrain from Shi‘a-Sunni
controversies and quarrels which are sapping the strength of the
Muslim society and the Muslim world.)
‫عشق‬ ‫کو فرياد الزم تھي سو وہ بھي ہو چکي‬
‫اب‬ ‫ذرا دل تھام کر فرياد کي تاثير ديکھ‬
Ishq ko fariyad lazam thhi so woh bhi ho choki; abb zara dil thham kar
fariyad ki taseer deikhh.
(Taseer: Asar.)
Complaint was incumbent on Love and it has been lodged with a cool heart
now watch the effect of the complaint!
‫تو‬ ‫نے ديکھا سطوت رفتار دريا کا عروج‬
‫موج‬ ‫مضطر کس طرح بنتي ہے اب زنجير ديکھ‬
Tou ney deikhha sitwat-e-raftar-e-darya ka arooj; mouj-e-mozter kis tarah
banti hai abb zinjir deikhh.
(Sitwat-e-raftar-e-darya: Daya ki raftar ki taizi ki haibat.)
You have witnessed the zenith of the majesty of the river’s flow; now watch
how the restless wave becomes a chain in which it gets entangled.
‫عام‬ ‫حريت کا جو ديکھا تھا خواب اسالم نے‬
‫اے‬ ‫مسلماں آج تو اس خواب کي تعبير ديکھ‬
A’am hurriyat ka jo deikhha thha khwab Islam ney; ay Mosilm’an! Aaj tou
oss khwab ki ta’abir deikhh.
The dream of universal freedom which was seen by Islam O Muslim, you
should watch the interpretation of that dream today!
‫اپني‬ ‫خاکستر سمندر کو ہے سامان وجود‬
‫مر‬ ‫ ديکھ‬،‫کے پھر ہوتا ہے پيدا يہ جہان پير‬
Apni khakistar samandar ko hai saman-e-wajood; mur kay pher hota hai
paida yeh jahan-e-pir, deikhh.
(Khakistar: Rakhh.)
Its own ashes are a means of existence to salamander; you should watch the
resurrection of this world after death!

92
(Salamander: This is a legendary animal which lives and flourishes in fire.
This verse is a repetition of Allamah Iqbal’s message on Islam’s
renaissance.)
‫کھول‬ ‫کر آنکھيں مرے آئينہء گفتار ميں‬
‫آنے‬ ‫والے دور کي دھندلي سي اک تصوير ديکھ‬
Khhol kar ankhhein merey a’einah-e-goftar mein; aaney wqaley dour ki
dhundli sei tasweer deikhh.
With open eyes in the mirror or my discourses; you should watch a faint
image of the coming age.
‫آزمودہ‬ ‫فتنہ ہے اک اور بھي گردوں کے پاس‬
‫سامنے‬ ‫تقدير کے رسوائي تدبير ديکھ‬
Aazmoodah fitnah hai ekk aur bhi gard’on kay pass; saamney taqdir kay
roswaeyi-e-tadbir deikhh.
The sky has one more tested trick preserved in its store; watch the disgrace
of planning in face of destiny’s strength.
(This is a message of hope to Muslims. It reminds us of the promise of God
that Divine planning and Help will be with us if we are steadfast in our
mission. There are many verses in the Holy Qur’an to this effect, e.g. 3:54
and 27:50.)
‫مسلم‬ ‫استي سينہ را از آرزو آباد دار‬
‫ہر‬ ‫ 'اليخلف الميعاد' دار‬،‫زماں پيش نظر‬
Moslim asti seinah ra az aarzoo abad daar; her zam’an paish-e-nazar ‘La
yukhlif-ul-Mi’ad’ daar.
[Mosilman honay ki hasiyat sey (Allah ki rehmat sey mayuos nah ho aur)
ommeid sey apna dil abad rakhh; her waqt madd-e-nazar rehey keh Allah
Ta’alla apney wa’adah kay khalaf naheen karta.]
You are a Muslim keep your breast happy with Longing; every moment
keep your eye on ‘La yukhlif-ul-Mi’ad’.*
(Allusion to the Holy Qur’an 3:9 which ends in ‘God never fails in His
promise’.)
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

93
HUMOUROUS POEMS ‫یفا نہ‬ ‫ظر‬
The last chapter of Bang-e-Dara includes short poems on various
issues about which Dr Khalil wrote: Allamah Iqbal is reported to have been
of a pleasant and amiable temperament when in social circles and his letters
reveal a fair amount of humor. However, his serious views on the matters
contained in these humorous poems prevailed over his pleasant nature and in
some poems he has not been able to avoid passing into serious discourse.’
Some of the poems on materialism in the West, education, politics and
economics are reproduced.

***** (1) *****

‫مشرق‬  ‫ميں اصول دين بن جاتے ہيں‬ 
‫مغرب‬ ‫ميں مگر مشين بن جاتے ہيں‬ 
‫رہتا‬ ‫نہيں ايک بھي ہمارے پلے‬ 
‫واں‬ ‫ايک کے تين تين بن جاتے ہيں‬ 
Mashriq mein asool Deen bun jaatey hein; Maghrab mein magar machine
bun jaatey hein.
Rehta naheen eik bhi hamarey pally; w’an eik kay teen teen bun jaatey hein.
In the East principles are changed to religion, but in the West they are
changed into machines.
We do not retain even one of them; there one is changed into three.
(Reference to the doctrine of Trinity)
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

***** (2) *****

‫لڑکياں‬ ‫پڑھ رہي ہيں انگريزي‬
‫ڈھونڈلي‬ ‫قوم نے فالح کي راہ‬
Larrkiy’an parrh rehi hein angraizi; dh’ondh-li quom ney falah ki rah.
The girls are learning English; the nation prosperity’s way has found.

94
 ‫روش‬ ‫مغربي ہے مدنظر‬
‫وضع‬ ‫مشرق کو جانتے ہيں گناہ‬
Rawash-e-Maghrabi hai madd-e-nazar; waza’a-e-Mashriq ko jaantey hein
gonah.
The ways of the West are in view; Eastern ways sinful are found.
‫يہ‬ ‫ڈراما دکھائے گا کيا سين‬
‫پردہ‬ ‫اٹھنے کي منتظر ہے نگاہ‬
Yeh drama dikhha’ey ga kaya scene; pardah othhney ki montazir hai nigah.
What scenes will this drama produce? On curtain’s rising this will be found.
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

***** (5) *****

‫تعليم‬ ‫مغربي ہے بہت جرات آفريں‬
‫پہال‬ ‫ بيٹھ کے کالج ميں مار ڈينگ‬،‫سبق ہے‬
Ta’alim-e-Maghrabi hai bohat jura’at aafr’in; pehla sabaq hai, baithh kay
college mein maar dheing.
Western education is very encouraging; its first lesson is to brag sitting in
the college.
‫بستے‬ ‫ہيں ہند ميں جو خريدار ہي فقط‬
‫آغا‬ ‫بھي لے کے آتے ہيں اپنے وطن سے ہينگ‬
Bastey hein Hind mein jo kharidar he faqat; Agha bhi ley kay aatey hein
apney watan sey heing.
(Agha: Morad hai Afghan.)
As only the purchasers inhabit India; Afghans also bring assafoetida from
their country.
‫ميرا‬ ‫ بوٹ کي ٹو چاٹتا ہوں ميں‬Ð،‫يہ حال‬
‫ان‬ ‫ ديکھ! مرے فرش پر نہ رينگ‬،‫کا يہ حکم‬
Meyra yeh haal, boot ki toe chaat-ta h’on mein; onn ka yeh hokam, deikhh!
Merey farash per nah reing.

95
My condition is that I lick the toe of the boot; she says, ‘Beware do not be
crawling on my carpet.’
‫کہنے‬ ‫لگے کہ اونٹ ہے بھدا سا جانور‬
‫اچھي‬ ‫ رکھتي ہے کيا نوک دار سينگ‬،‫ہے گائے‬
Kehney lagay keh oont hai bhudda sa janwar; achhi hai gaa’ey, rakhhti hai
kaya nok-dar seing.
The camel is said to be a somewhat clumsy animal; the cow is good as she
has slender horns.
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

***** (7) *****

‫تہذيب‬ ‫کے مريض کو گولي سے فائدہ‬
‫دفع‬ ‫مرض کے واسطے پل پيش کيجيے‬
Tehzeeb kay mariz ko goli sey fa’idah; dafa’a-e-marz kay wastay pill paish
kiji’ay.
The patient of civilization will not be cured by the goli; for curing of the
malady you should present him with pill.
‫تھے‬ ‫وہ بھي دن کہ خدمت استاد کے عوض‬
‫دل‬ ‫چاہتا تھا ہديہء دل پيش کيجيے‬
Thhey woh bhi dinn keh khidmat-e-ostad kay ewaz; dil chaheta thha
hadiyah-e-dil paish kiji’ay.
There was a time when in exchange for the teacher’s services one wanted
that the gift of the heart he should present!
‫بدال‬ ‫زمانہ ايسا کہ لڑکا پس از سبق‬
‫کہتا‬ ‫ہے ماسٹر سے کہ بل پيش کيجيے‬
Badla zamanah aisa keh larrka pus az sabaq kehta hai master sey bill paish
kiji’ay.
Times have changed so much that the pupil after the lesson says to the
teacher: ‘You should present the bill’.
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

96
 ***** (14) *****
‫ہندوستاں‬ ‫ميں جزو حکومت ہيں کونسليں‬
‫آغاز‬ ‫ہے ہمارے سياسي کمال کا‬
‫ہم‬ ‫ ہمارا تو کام تھا‬،‫تو فقير تھے ہي‬
‫سيکھيں‬ ‫سليقہ اب امرا بھي 'سوال' کا‬
Hindust’an mein jozv-e-hakomat hein councilein; aaghaz hai hamarey siyasi
kamal ka.
Hum tuo faqir thhey he, hamara tuo kaam thha; seikhh’in saliqah abb
omraa bhi sawal ka.
In India councils are a part of the government; this is the start of our political
perfection.
We were always beggars, begging* was our way; the rich should now
acquire the skill of ‘begging’.
(*Refers to the ‘begging’ for votes by the rich people. Adult suffrage did not
come into the Indian sub-continent till the Government of India Act 1935.
Till then suffrage was restricted to persons above a certain annual income.)
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

***** (15) *****

‫ممبري‬ ‫امپيريل کونسل کي کچھ مشکل نہيں‬
‫ووٹ‬ ‫ پيسے بھي دلوائيں گے کيا؟‬، ‫تو مل جائيں گے‬
‫ميرزا‬ ‫ بجا فرما گئے‬، ‫غالب خدا بخشے‬
‫ کھائيں گے کيا؟ ہم‬،‫نے يہ ماناکہ دلي ميں رہيں‬ 
Memberi Imperial Council ki kochh moshkal naheen; vote tuo mil jaa’in
gey, paisay bhi dilwa’in gey kaya?
Mirza Ghalib Khoda bakhshay, baja farma ga’ey; hum ney yeh mana keh
Dilli mein rehein, khha’in gey kaya?
Membership of the Imperial council is not at all difficult; votes will be
available.  Will we be paid money also?
May God bless Mirza Ghalib, who has rightly said ‘We are prepared to live
in Delhi, how shall we subsist?’
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

97
 ***** (16) *****
‫دليل‬ ‫مہر و وفا اس سے بڑھ کے کيا ہوگي‬ 
‫نہ‬ ‫ہو حضور سے الفت تو يہ ستم نہ سہيں‬ 
Dalil-e-mehr-o-wafa iss sey barrh kay kaya ho-gi; nah ho hazoor sey olfat
tuo yeh sitam nah sehein.
(Dalil: Saboot.)
What will be a better proof of affection and fidelity with no love for you
how intolerable will this cruelty be.
‫مصر‬ ‫کميٹي ميں کچھ کہيں ہم بھي‬، ‫ہے حلقہ‬ 
‫مگر‬ ‫رضائے کلکٹر کو بھانپ ليں تو کہيں‬ 
Mosir hai halqa, committee mein kochh kehein hum bhi; magar raza’ey
Collector ko bh’anp lein tuo kehein. (Mosir: Bazid, asrar karney wala.)
Insistence is that in the ward committee I should also speak, but I shall speak
after guessing if the Collector agreeable with me will be.
(Collector – also known as Deputy Commissioner – is the highest
administrative officer at the district level in the Indian sub-continent. He was
so powerful during the British rule that the service to which he belonged was
said to be the ‘steel frame of the British Empire’. This verse is sarcasm on
the state of affairs in which nothing could happen in the district without the
implicit or explicit concurrence of the Collector.)
‫سند‬ ‫ لڑکوں کے کام آئے گي‬،‫تو ليجيے‬ 
‫وہ‬ ‫ رہيں نہ رہيں‬،‫ پھر رہيں‬،‫مہربان ہيں اب‬ 
Sanad tuo liji’ay, larrk’on kay kaam aa’ey gi; woh meharban hein abb, pher
rehein, rehein nah rehein.
Obtain the testimonial, it will be of use for sons; he is favorable now, later
he may or may not be.
‫زمين‬ ‫پر تو نہيں ہنديوں کو جا ملتي‬ 
‫مگر‬ ‫جہاں ميں ہيں خالي سمندروں کي تہيں‬ 
Zamin per tuo naheen Hindiyu’on ko jaa milti; magar jah’an mein hein
khali samandr’on ki tehein.
Indians cannot find a place on the earth, but the oceans’ bottom available
may be.

98
 ‫مثال‬ ‫کشتي بے حسي مطيع فرماں ہيں‬ 
‫کہو‬ ‫ کہو تو بہيں‬، ‫تو بستہ ساحل رہيں‬
Misal-e-kishti bi-hissi moti’a-e-farm’an hein; kaho tuo bostah-e-sahal
rehein, kaho tuo behein.
(Kishti bi-hisi: Bi-hiss kishti. Moti’a-e-farm’an: Farm’anbardar. Bostah-e-
sahal: Sahal sey chimtay rehna.)
Like the insensitive boat we are subservient to orders; we are bound to the
bank or float as your desire may be.
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

***** (18) *****

‫ديکھيے‬ ‫چلتي ہے مشرق کي تجارت کب تک‬
‫شيشہ‬ ‫ديں کے عوض جام و سبو ليتا ہے‬
‫ہے‬ ‫مداوائے جنون نشتر تعليم جديد‬
‫ميرا‬ ‫سے لہو ليتا ہے‬ ‫ملت‬ ‫سرجن رگ‬
Deikhhi’ay chalti hai Mashriq ki tajarat kabb takk; shishah-e-Deen kay
ewaz jaam-o-saboo leyta hai.
Hai madawa’ey janoon nishtar-e-ta’alim-e-jadid; meyra surgeon rug-e-
millat sey lahoo leyta hai.
Let us see how long this   business of the East lasts; people are buying cups
and jars instead of din’s goblets.
The cure of Love is the new education’s lancet; my surgeon is drawing
blood from the Millat’svein.
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

***** (20) *****

‫رات‬  ‫مچھر نے کہہ ديا مجھ سے‬
‫اپني ناتمامي کا ماجرا‬
Raat machhar ney keh diya mojh sey; majra apni na-tamami* ka (*nakami).
Last night the mosquito related to me the whole story of his failures.

99
 ‫مجھ‬ ‫کو ديتے ہيں ايک بوند لہو‬
‫شب بھر کي تشنہ کامي کا‬ ‫صلہ‬
Mojh ko deytey hein eik boond lahoo shabb bhar ki tishnah kami ka sillah.
‘They give me only one drop of blood in return for the whole night’s labour.
‫اور‬ ‫ بے زحمت‬،‫يہ بسوہ دار‬
‫پي‬ ‫گيا سب لہو اسامي کا‬
Aur yeh biswah-dar, bi-zehmat pe gaya sabb lahoo asami ka.
(Biswah-dar: Morad hai zamindar. Asami: Kastkar.)
And this land owner without any effort sucked all the blood of the
cultivator.’
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

***** (22) *****

‫جان‬ ‫جائے ہاتھ سے جائے نہ ست‬
‫ہے‬ ‫يہي اک بات ہر مذہب کا تت‬
‫چٹے‬ ‫بٹے ايک ہي تھيلي کے ہيں‬
‫ساہو‬ ‫ سلطنت‬،‫ بسوہ داري‬،‫کاري‬
Jan jaa’ey haath sey jaa’ey nah sut; hai yehi ekk baat her mazhab ka tut.
Chuttay buttay eik he theili kay hein; sahokari, biswahdari, sultanat. (Sut:
Such. Tut: Rooh.)
Life may be lost but truth should not be lost: This one principle is the core of
all religions.
They are the birds of the same feather; banking, landlordship, monarchy.
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

***** (23) *****

‫محنت‬ ‫و سرمايہ دنيا ميں صف آرا ہو گئے‬
‫ديکھيے‬ ‫ہوتا ہے کس کس کي تمنائوں کا خون‬
Mehnat-o-sarmayah dunya mein saff a’ra ho ga’ey; deikhhi’ay hota hai kis
kis ki tamana’on ka khoon

100
(Saff a’ra: Saffein bandh kar khharrey ho ga’ey; asharah hai sarmayadari
aur ishtiraki nazam ki taraf.)
Capital and labour are in confrontation with each other: Let us see how
many people’s expectations are destroyed.
‫حکمت‬ ‫و تدبير سے يہ فتنہ آشوب خيز‬
‫ٹل‬  ‫ وقد کنتم بہ تستعجلون‬، ‫نہيں سکتا‬
Hikmat-o-tadbir sey yeh fitnah-e-ashoob khaiz; tull naheen sakta, ‘Wa qad
kuntum behi tasta‘ajiloon’*.
(*Iqbal Qurani ayah sey yeh mafhoom paida kartey hein keh iss ka tuo ilm
naheen keh inn duon’on kay mabain jo jung ho-gi oss mein kon jeitey ga aur
kon haarey ga albatah yeh ta’ey hai keh iss jung mein duon’on taqat’on ki
bohat se tamana’on ka khoon ho jaa’ey ga.)
With cleverness and prudence this mischief cannot be delayed
Because ‘Wa qad kuntum behi tasta‘ajiloon’.
(*Allusion to the Holy Qur’an 10: 51.)
‫کھل‬ ‫ ياجوج اور ماجوج کے لشکر تمام‬،‫گئے‬ 
‫چشم‬  ‫مسلم ديکھ لے تفسير حرف ينسلون‬ 
Khhol ga’ey Yajooj aur Majooj kay lashkar tamam; chashm-e-Moslim
deikhh ley tafsir-e-harf-e-‘Yansiloon’.
Gog and Magog all have been released; the Muslim eye will see the meaning
of Yansiloon.* (*Allusion to the Holy Qur’an 21: 96.)
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

***** (24) *****

‫شام‬ ‫کي سرحد سے رخصت ہے وہ رند لم يزل‬
‫رکھ‬ ‫کے ميخانے کے سارے قاعدے باالئے طاق‬
Sham ki sarhad sey rokhsat hai woh rind-e-lum yazal*; rakhh kay maey-
khaney kay saarey qa’iday bala’ey taaq.
(*Asharah hai France ki afwaaj (jo hamaishah nashah mein rehti thhein) ka
Shaam ki sarhad sey wapsi ki taraf.)
That eternal rind has departed from the border of Sham* shelving away all
the rules and etiquette of the tavern.

101
(Arabic name of the region now included in Syria and Lebanon)
‫يہ‬ ‫اگر سچ ہے تو ہے کس درجہ عبرت کا مقام‬
‫رنگ‬ ‫اک پل ميں بدل جاتا ہے يہ نيلي رواق‬
Yeh agar such hai tuo hai kis darjah ibrat ka moqam; rung ekk pall mein
badal jata hai yeh neili rawaaq.
If so, how much is this the occasion for admonition; the blue sky changes its
colours in a moment.
‫حضرت‬ ‫کرزن کو اب فکر مداوا ہے ضرور‬
‫حکم‬ ‫برداري کے معدے ميں ہے درد اليطاق‬
Hazrat Curzon ko abb madawa hai zaroor; hokam berdari kay me’aday
mein hai dard-e-la’yataq.
(Dard-e-la’yataq: Shadid dard.)
Curzon certainly would be concerned with remedial measures; in the belly of
obedience has started unequaled convulsion.
(Curzon: He was the British Foreign Secretary during the period 1920-25
when an effort was made to settle the Middle East problem to the detriment
of the Arabs and advantage of Jews. The part played by Sir Agha Khan III is
referred to in the last verse.)
‫وفد‬ ‫ہندستاں سے کرتے ہيں سرآغا خاں طلب‬
‫کيا‬ ‫يہ چورن ہے پےء ہضم فلسطين و عراق؟‬
Wafad Hindustan sey kartey hein Sir Agha Kh’an talab; kaya yeh choorun
hai pey-e-hazam Falastin-o-Iraq?
Sir Agha Khan * is demanding the delegation from India: Is this the
digestive for devouring Iraq and Palestine.
(*Reference to Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah the Agha Khan III who was a
veteran statesman of the Indian sub-continent and played an important role
in the politics of India, particularly that of Muslims, including the settlement
of the Middle East problem, to which reference is made in the last line of the
poem.)
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

102
 ***** (25) *****
‫تکرار‬ ‫تھي مزارع و مالک ميں ايک روز‬ 
‫دونوں‬ ‫ مرا مال ہے زميں‬،‫يہ کہہ رہے تھے‬ 
Takrar thhi mozara-o-malik mein eik roz; duon’on yeh keh rehey thhey,
mera maal hai zamin.
One day a dispute arose between the farmer and the owner; each of them
was saying that the land belonged to him.
‫کہتا‬ ‫ کرے جو زراعت اسي کا کھيت‬،‫تھا وہ‬ 
‫کہتا‬ ‫تھا يہ کہ عقل ٹھکانے تري نہيں‬ 
Kehta thha woh, karey jo zira’at ossi ka khheit; kehta thha yeh keh aql
thhakaney teri naheen.
The farmer said that the field belonged to the cultivator; the owner said that
the farmer had become demented.
‫پوچھا‬ ‫زميں سے ميں نے کہ ہے کس کا مال تو‬ 
‫بولي‬ ‫مجھے تو ہے فقط اس بات کا يقيں‬ 
Pochha zam’in sey mein ney keh hai kis ka maal tou; boli mojhey tuo hai
faqat iss baat ka yaq’in.
I asked the land as to whose property it was; it replied that it was believing
only this:
‫مالک‬ ‫ہے يا مزارع شوريدہ حال ہے‬ 
‫جو‬ ‫ وہ دھرتي کا مال ہے‬، ‫زير آسماں ہے‬ 
Malik hai ya mozara’a-e-shoridah haal hai; jo zir-e-asm’an hai, woh dharti
ka maal hai. (Mozara’a-e-shoridah haal: Badhaal kashtkar.)
Whether it be the owner or the wretched farmer; whatever is under the sky is
property of the land. (Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

***** (26) *****

‫اٹھا‬ ‫کر پھينک دو باہر گلي ميں‬
‫نئي‬ ‫تہذيب کے انڈے ہيں گندے‬
Othha kar phaink duo bahar gali mein; naeyi tehzeeb kay anday hein
ganday.

103
Throw them out in the alley; the new civilization’s eggs are rotten.
، ‫الکشن‬ ‫ صدارت‬،‫ کونسل‬،‫ممبري‬
‫بنائے‬ ‫خوب آزادي نے پھندے‬
Election, memberi, council, sadarat; bana’ey khoob Azari ney phhanday.
Election, membership, council, presidency; the nooses of independence are
very strange.
‫مياں‬ ‫نجار بھي چھيلے گئے ساتھ‬
‫نہايت‬ ‫تيز ہيں يورپ کے رندے‬
Mian najjar bhi chheilay ga’ey saath; nehayat taiz hein Europe kay runday.
The carpenter has also been pared; the Europe’s planes are very sharp.
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

***** (27) *****

‫کارخانے‬ ‫کا ہے مالک مردک ناکردہ کار‬ 
‫عيش‬ ‫ محنت ہے اسے ناسازگار‬،‫کا پتال ہے‬ 
‫حکم‬ ‫حق ہے ليس لال نسان اال ماسعي‬ 
‫کھائے‬ ‫کيوں مزدور کي محنت کا پھل سرمايہ دار‬ 
Karkhaney ka hai malik mardak-e-nakardah kaar; aish ka potla hai, mehnat
hai ossey nasaazgar.
Hokam-e-Haq hai ‘Laisa lil Insani Illa Ma Sa‘a’; khha’ey kiyu’on mazdoor
ki mehnat ka phhal sarmayah-dar.
(Laisa lil Insani Illa Ma Sa‘a: Insan ossi cheez ka haqdar hai jiss kay leay
woh koshash karta hai.)
The owner of the factory is a useless man; he is very pleasure loving, hard
work does not suit him.
God’s command is ‘Laisa lil Insani Illa Ma Sa‘a’*: Fruit of laborer’s work
should not be usurped by the capitalist.
(*This is an illusion to The Holy Qur’an 53:39 which means ‘That Man can
have nothing but what he strives for’.
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)

104
 ***** (28) *****
‫سنا‬ ‫ کل يہ گفتگو تھي کارخانے ميں‬،‫ہے ميں نے‬ 
‫پرانے‬ ‫جھونپڑوں ميں ہے ٹھکانا دست کاروں کا‬ 
‫مگر‬ ‫سرکار نے کيا خوب کونسل ہال بنوايا‬ 
‫کوئي‬ ‫اس شہر ميں تکيہ نہ تھا سرمايہ داروں کا‬ 
Sona hai mein ney kall yeh goftago thhi karkhaney mein; poraney
jhonparr’on mein hai thhikana dast-e-caravan ka.
Magar sarkar ney kaya khoob Council Hall banwaya; koeyi iss shehar mein
takiyah nah thha sarmaya-dar’on ka.
I have heard this was the talk in the factory yesterday: ‘The artisans only in
old huts have their abode.
But what a good council hall the government has made in this city the
capitalists did not have any abode.’
(Translated by M.A.K. Khalil)
27th March, 2013

105
 KILL A TURK AND
The West armed Syrian rebels clandestinely right from the beginning,
but has now shown desire to do that openly; however the opposition from
within European Union has kept the enthusiasts like France and the UK in
check so far. Notwithstanding the differences over arming the rebels, the
‘fighters’ and weapons from the European countries have been continuously
trickling into Syria.
Sunnis from Syria’s neighbouring countries have been supporting the
rebels and of late, Israeli forces have been itching to join the action inside
the war-torn country just as Turkey has done since beginning of the fighting.
It is to this end that the US arranged a patch-up between Turkey and Israel as
result of which the latter apologized to the former over killing of Turk peace
activists.
Iraq has been bleeding primarily because of the sectarian violence,
which had been engineered and escalated by the great US warrior general by
employing the death squads formed by Special Forces and the mercenaries
called ‘contractors’. Amid this bloodshed, Kerry found time to cut a joke of
Yankee-style; he visited Baghdad to lecture Maliki about benefits of
sectarian harmony and peaceful coexistence.
Elsewhere, the Budhists in Sri Lanka picked up clues from their
brothers-in-faith in Myanmar and ransacked property of Muslims. In Egypt,
President Mursi was kept busy in tight-rope walking. In North-West Africa,
Nigeria and Mali kept experiencing death and destruction because of the
hunt for ‘Islamic fascists’.

NEWS
Far East
Thailand: On 5th April, a bomb blast killed two top provincial
officials in Thailand’s insurgency-plagued south. Authorities blamed the
attack on rebel fighters seeking to derail peace talks. The deputy governor of
Yala province, Issara Thongthawat, was killed along with Yala permanent
secretary responsible for security, after a roadside bomb struck their vehicle.
Myanmar: On 21st March, at least 10 people were killed in riots in the
town of Meiktila in central Myanmar, prompting international concern at the
country’s worst communal unrest since a wave of Buddhist-Muslim clashes
last year. The unrest came amid heightened tensions between Muslims and

106
Buddhists in Myanmar. The United States said it was ‘deeply concerned’ by
the unrest.
Next day, Myanmar declared a state of emergency for a riot-hit town
where 20 people have been killed in Buddhist-Muslim violence that has
sparked fears of spreading unrest. Swathes of Meiktila have been reduced to
ashes as the authorities struggle to establish control after three days of
clashes and arson. The situation was extremely tense with groups of men –
including Buddhist monks – armed with knives and sticks prowling the
streets. Many of the town’s Muslim residents have fled their homes.
A local police officer said an order had been given to shoot rioters
below the waist if needed to quell the violence, which apparently began with
a row in a Muslim-owned gold shop that turned into a mass street brawl.
Since violence broke out there last year, thousands of Muslim Rohingya –
including women and children – have fled the conflict in rickety boats, many
heading for Malaysia.
On 23rd March, troops patrolled the streets of a central Myanmar town
after Buddhist-Muslim unrest tore through the area leaving at least 20 dead
and spurring the government to declare emergency rule. Around 50 military
trucks were deployed in Meiktila, where homes and mosques have been
torched by mobs.
Next day, dozens of houses and a mosque were torched as communal
violence spread in central Myanmar, defying authorities’ efforts to quell
deadly clashes between Buddhists and Muslims. Fresh violence left 40
houses and the mosque in ruins in Yamethin Township near the capital
Naypyidaw, while unrest was also reported in three other villages in the
area.
On 26th March, communal riots in Myanmar spread closer to the main
city Yangon as the United States warned against traveling to parts of the
country in the wake of unrest that has left 40 dead. Fresh Buddhist-Muslim
violence broke out in villages in the Bago region roughly 150 kilometres
north of Yangon, with several mosques and dozens of homes reported to
have been destroyed.
The clashes are a stark reminder of the challenge that Muslim-
Buddhist tensions pose to Myanmar’s government as it tries to reform the
country after decades of iron-fisted military rule ended two years ago.
Witnesses said the violence appeared to be organized. Kyaw Thet, a member
of the ‘88 Generation’ pro-democracy movement in Sittwin in Bago region,

107
said dozens of strangers on motorcycles arrived late on Monday and
destroyed the town’s mosque.
On 28th March, the Human Rights Watch accused the Myanmar’s
government of systematically restricting humanitarian aid and imposing
discriminatory policies on Rohingya Muslims in Arakan State. The body
asked the government to permit unfettered access to humanitarian agencies
to provide assistance to Muslim populations, end segregated areas, and put
forward a plan for those displaced to return to their homes.
Next day, Myanmar strongly rejected comments by a senior United
Nations official linking the state with recent anti-Muslim riots that have left
at least 40 people dead and seen mosques razed in several towns. Myanmar's
presidential spokesman said: ‘It is regrettable that Mr Quintana has
commented on the situation, based on second hand information without
correctly studying the situation on the ground.’
On 30th March, the head of the OIC said that ministers from OIC
states will meet on April 14 in Saudi Arabia to discuss deadly violence
against Muslims in Myanmar. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said that a contact
committee of OIC foreign ministers would gather in the Red Sea port of
Jeddah. Myanmar state media reported that the death toll from communal
violence in the country over the past 10 days has risen to 43 with more than
1,300 homes and other buildings destroyed.
On 1st April, Human Rights Watch urged Myanmar to investigate the
failure of police to stop a recent wave of Buddhist-Muslim killing and arson
attacks. The watchdog released satellite images which it said showed more
than 800 buildings were totally destroyed in the central town of Meiktila,
leaving several charred areas where homes and properties once stood.
Next day, a fire blamed on an electrical fault killed 13 teenage boys at
a Muslim school in Myanmar’s main city, raising fears of a further eruption
of tensions after a wave of religious unrest. Police and soldiers flanked the
scorched blue mosque and religious school in central Yangon, where dozens
of children had been sleeping when the blaze broke out.
Bangladesh: On 21st March, Bangladeshi police shot dead an Islamist
supporter as they tried to fend off a mob attack by some 2,000 opposition
activists angered by the ongoing war crimes trials of their leaders. Police
said supporters of the country’s largest Islamic party, Jamaat-e-Islami,
attacked a group of officers at a village in the Jhenidah district after they
tried to arrest some Jamaat activists.

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 Next day, Bangladeshi police shot dead a protester in clashes with
thousands of supporters of the nation’s biggest Islamic party angered by the
ongoing war crimes trials of their leaders. The incident occurred at
Monirampur village in western Bangladesh when a mob of 3,000 people
made a vain attempt to block police from arresting four activists of the
Jamaat-e-Islami party. The latest killing brought the death toll from clashes
stemming from the trials to 89.
On 29th March, clashes in Bangladesh between police and supporters
of the country’s biggest Islamic party left five dead during protests linked to
ongoing war crimes trials. Friday’s first incident occurred when lawmakers
entered a village in northwestern Chapainawabganj district to arrest party
activists accused of torching a power plant in such a protest last month.
About 6,000 villagers gathered to try and prevent the arrests, leading police
to open fire.
Sri Lanka: On 29th March, Sri Lanka boosted security for Muslim-
owned businesses across the country after a clothing store was torched by
hundreds of Buddhist hardliners, scaling up religious tensions. Police said
commandos of the elite Special Task Force were deployed in the Colombo
suburb of Pepiliyana where mobs from the ethnic Sinhalese majority stoned
and later set fire to a store and warehouse owned by Muslims yesterday.
Next day, Sri Lanka’s police arrested four people and were looking
for more suspects over the smashing of a Muslim-owned clothing store that
raised religious tensions in the country. Police Superintendent Buddhika
Siriwardena said a search was under way for those who torched a section of
the three-storey clothing store and warehouse in the Papiliyana suburb of
Colombo.
On 31st March, Sri Lanka's main Tamil party accused a pro-
government mob of attacking them in the island's north as racial tensions
rose after Buddhist extremists smashed a Muslim-owned business. The
opposition Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said their meeting in the town of
Kilinochchi was disrupted by a stone-throwing mob which had also attacked
their vehicles and damaged a building while police looked on.
Mainland Asia
DPRK: On 29th March, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un ordered
missile units to prepare to strike US mainland and military bases, vowing to
‘settle accounts’ after US stealth bombers flew over South Korea. The order
came after US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Washington would not

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be cowed by Pyongyang’s bellicose threats and stood ready to respond to
‘any eventuality’.
Next day, North Korea declared it was in a ‘state of war’ with South
Korea and warned Seoul and Washington that any provocation would
swiftly escalate into an all-out nuclear conflict. The United States said it
took the announcement ‘seriously’, but noted it followed a familiar pattern,
while South Korea largely dismissed it as an old threat dressed in new
clothing. It was the latest in a string of dire-sounding pronouncements from
Pyongyang that have been matched by tough warnings from Seoul and
Washington, fuelling international concern that the situation might spiral out
of control.
On 31st March, North Korea vowed to strengthen its nuclear weapons
and said it would never trade its atomic deterrent for aid. A meeting of the
central committee of the ruling Workers' Party, chaired by leader Kim Jong-
Un, decided that the country's possession of nuclear weapons ‘should be
fixed by law’, the official KCNA news agency reported without elaborating.
Next day, South Korea’s new president promised a strong military
response to any North Korean provocation after Pyongyang announced that
the two countries were now in a state of war. President Park Geun-Hye’s
warning came as North Korea’s parliament formalized the country’s status
as a nuclear weapons state and appointed a sacked economic reformer for a
fresh term as prime minister. It also coincided with a US announcement that
it had deployed stealth fighters to South Korea as part of an ongoing joint
military exercise.
On 2nd April, UN chief Ban Ki-moon warned that the Korean
Peninsula crisis could spiral out of control, after North Korea announced it
would restart a nuclear reactor to feed its atomic weapons programme.
‘Nuclear threats are not a game’, Ban said, responding to a series of
aggressive statements by Pyongyang that prompted the deployment of
nuclear-capable US B-52s, B-2 stealth bombers and a US destroyer to South
Korea.
Next day, North Korean army said it had final approval to launch
‘merciless’ military strikes on the United States, involving the possible use
of ‘cutting-edge’ nuclear weapons. In a statement published by the official
KCNA news agency, the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army (KPA)
said it was formally informing Washington that reckless US threats would
be ‘smashed by...cutting-edge smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear strike
means’.

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 Hagel called America’s responses so far ‘measured, responsible,
serious’ and also said the United States was working with allies to lower
tensions. ‘We are doing everything we can, working with the Chinese, others
to defuse that situation on the peninsula’, he said. In Beijing, China’s deputy
foreign minister met ambassadors from the United States and both Koreas to
express ‘serious concern’ about the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea blocked access to a key joint industrial zone with South
Korea – a sharp escalation in a military crisis that Washington blamed on
Pyongyang’s ‘reckless’ behaviour. North Korea informed Seoul that it was
stopping the daily movement of South Koreans into the Seoul-funded
Kaesong complex – 10 kilometres inside the North side of the border.
However, it added that the 861 South Koreans currently in the zone were at
liberty to leave.
Neither of the Koreas has allowed previous crises to significantly
affect the complex, which is the only surviving example of inter-Korean
cooperation and seen as a bellwether for stability on the Korean peninsula.
South Korea’s defence ministry said it had contingency plans that included
‘military action’ in case the safety of its citizens working there was
threatened.
China appealed for ‘calm’ from all sides, repeating Beijing’s oft-
declared position. ‘Under the current circumstances China believes that all
parties should exercise calm and restraint’, foreign ministry spokesman said.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister said he was worried by the ‘explosive’
situation, saying even a simple human error could cause the crisis to spiral
out of control.
On 4th April, South Korea said that North Korea has moved a
medium-range missile to its east coast, as the United States strengthened its
Pacific missile defences amid intensifying threats from Pyongyang. Seoul's
defence minister said the missile could reach a ‘considerable distance’ but
not the US mainland. ‘It could be aimed at test-firing or military drills’, he
told lawmakers.
Early North Korea military had said that it had received final approval
for military action against the United States, possibly involving nuclear
weapons. ‘The moment of explosion is approaching fast’, the general staff
said, responding to what it called the provocative US use of nuclear-capable
B-52 and B-2 stealth bombers in war games with South Korea.
Next day, North Korea warned foreign embassies in Pyongyang that it
was unable to guarantee their safety after April 10 and they should consider

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evacuating their missions amid soaring nuclear tensions. Russian FM said
Moscow was consulting with China over the warning, as well as the United
States and other members of the stalled six-party talks on North Korea.
There were ‘many factors’ that needed clarification, Lavrov said.
North Korea has no choice but to ‘confront’ the United States which is
to blame for tensions in the Korean Peninsula, a top Iranian commander was
quoted by Fars news agency. ‘Tensions in the region are due to excessive
demands by the United States...and its tightening of the noose on North
Korea’, said armed forces deputy chief Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri.
China: On 27th March, China sentenced 20 men to terms of up to life
imprisonment for involvement in terrorism and ‘inciting secession’ in the
country’s ethnically-divided western region of Xinjiang, state media said.
The men were convicted of a series of crimes, including circulating religious
extremist material and attempting to set up an Internet chat room to promote
‘ethnic separatism’. The men were accused of spreading information about
the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, which is considered a terrorist
organization by Beijing, the United States and the United Nations.
Middle East
Iraq: On 17th March, a car bomb exploded near the outskirts of the
city of Basra, killing 10 people and wounding 16. The bombing at a bus
station came soon after another went off in the centre of Basra. No group
claimed responsibility, but militants including those linked to al-Qaeda
target civilians, security forces and government employees in a bid to reduce
confidence in the government.
On 19th March, a wave of attacks in Iraq killed 50 people and officials
delayed provincial polls, highlighting security concerns on the eve of the
10th anniversary of the US-led invasion. At least 20 explosions and multiple
shootings also left more than 170 people wounded, reflecting the brutal
unrest and endless political crises that were sparked by an invasion that had
aimed to build a democratic ally in the heart of the Middle East.
Most of Tuesday’s attacks struck in Shia neighbourhoods in Baghdad
during morning rush hour, with security forces stepping up searches at
checkpoints and closing off key roads, worsening the capital’s gridlock. In
all, at least 15 car bombs were set off, including two by suicide attackers,
along with multiple roadside bombs and gun attacks, officials said.
It could have been much worse, however, as security forces claimed
to have arrested 26 militants with dozens of bombs and missiles that they

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apparently planned to set off in Baghdad. No group immediately claimed
responsibility for the violence. Authorities later announced that provincial
polls scheduled for April 20, were delayed in Anbar and Nineveh provinces.
The American ambassador to Baghdad said the US mission in Iraq –
the biggest in the world – will slash its numbers by two-thirds by the end of
this year from its peak figure of over 16,000. Overall staffing levels at the
US's embassy in Baghdad and its consulates in the southern port city of
Basra, the Kurdish regional capital of Arbil and the disputed northern city of
Kirkuk, will drop to around 5,500, including contractors, by the end of the
year.
On 24th March, the one-day visit, the first to Iraq by a US secretary of
state since 2009, focused on American concerns that months of protests in
the country’s Sunni-majority provinces will give militant groups including
al-Qaeda room to manoeuvre. It came just days after the 10 th anniversary of
the US-led invasion of Iraq. Kerry pushed for Iraq’s Shia-led government to
better engage with its Sunni Arab minority.
On 26th March, a blast in the town of Tuz Khurmatu killed two
election candidates and badly hurt a town mayor, weeks before Iraq’s first
vote since 2010; bringing to 11 the number of candidates in the provincial
council elections who have been killed. The blast also killed a bodyguard
and wounded another.
Next day, a series of attacks near Baghdad and north of the capital
killed four people. Separate bombings south of Baghdad – one inside a
restaurant and the other a car bombing near a police checkpoint – killed two
people and left 26 others wounded. Three gun and bomb attacks in restive
cities north of the capital killed two more people and wounded two others.
On 29th March, a series of car bombs near Shia mosques targeting
worshippers attending prayers killed at least 18 people. The blasts, which
also wounded more than 100 people, struck within an hour of each other in
the Baghdad neighbourhoods of Binook, Qahira, Zafraniyah and Jihad, as
well as in an area of southern Kirkuk city. No group immediately claimed
responsibility for the attacks.
On 31st March, attacks mostly targeting security forces in and around
Baghdad and in northern Iraq, one of them a suicide bombing, killed four
people. The suicide bomber blew up a car at a military checkpoint in Abu
Ghraib, just west of the capital, killing two people and wounding 11. Among
the victims were one soldier killed and four wounded. On the capital's
outskirts, a magnetic bomb attached to a car detonated near a checkpoint,

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killing the vehicle's driver. Five shootings and bombings in Kirkuk and
Mosul killed one person and wounded six.
On 1st April, a suicide truck bomber killed nine people at a police
headquarters, raising fears of a surge in violence leading up to elections. The
latest attack, in Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit, came as Iraq marked
10 years since the US-led invasion of the country that intended to oust
Saddam and install a stable, democratic ally in the Middle East but instead
unleashed brutal violence and endless political disputes.
On 6th April, a coordinated attack involving a suicide bomber at an
open-air election campaign meeting in central Iraq killed 25 people and
wounded 60 others. The assault raised questions over the credibility of the
election. Diyala province, of which Baquba is the capital, is among Iraq’s
most violent.
Palestine: On 20th March, Barack Obama arrived in Israel for the first
time as president, vowing an ‘eternal’ alliance with the Jewish state as it
faces Iran’s nuclear threat and perilous change in the Middle East. Obama
strove for reassurance as he faces scepticism over his strategy for
confronting Iran and his personal commitment to Israel, following sharp
public disagreements with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
For all the rhetoric, officials downplayed expectations for Obama’s
long-awaited visit, and there are few hopes his arrival will overcome the
deadlock in Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. Obama will tell the Palestinians
that initiatives like seeking statehood recognition at the United Nations are
counterproductive, while warning Israel that settlement building undercuts
the chances of resuming peace talks.
Meanwhile, Palestinian fighters pitched a protest camp on the site of a
contested Jewish settlement; in an act of defiance as US President Barack
Obama began an historic visit. Around 200 Palestinians erected some 15
tents on the controversial site to send a ‘message to Obama to tell him:
Obama – enough with bias and support for Israel’, said one of the
organizers.
Next day, Barack Obama insisted a two-state solution was still viable,
but disappointed his Palestinian hosts by failing to take a clear stance on
freezing settlement activity. On the second day of his visit to Israel and the
Palestinian territories, Obama traveled to the West Bank’s political capital to
face an audience disappointed by his failure to meet expectations that he
could help deliver them a state. He held a long meeting with Palestinian
President Mahmud Abbas who told him there would be no return to

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negotiations while Israel continues to build on land the Palestinians want for
a future state.
On 22nd March, Israel apologized to Turkey for killing nine Turkish
citizens in a 2010 naval raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla and the two feuding
US allies agreed to normalize relations in a surprise breakthrough announced
by US President Barack Obama. The rapprochement could help regional
coordination to contain spillover from the Syrian civil war and ease Israel’s
diplomatic isolation in the Middle East as it faces challenges posed by Iran’s
nuclear program.
In a statement released by the White House only minutes before
Obama ended a visit to Israel, the president said Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan had spoken by
telephone. ‘The United States deeply values our close partnerships with both
Turkey and Israel, and we attach great importance to the restoration of
positive relations between them in order to advance regional peace and
security’, Obama said.
A source in Netanyahu’s bureau said opening a new chapter with
Turkey ‘can be very, very important for the future, regarding what happens
with Syria but not just what happens with Syria’. Before the diplomatic
breakdown, Israel and Turkey shared intelligence information and carried
out joint military exercises. Israeli pilots trained in Turkish skies, improving
their capability to carry out long-range missions such as possible strikes
against Iran’s nuclear facilities. Erdogan’s success in obtaining an Israeli
apology was viewed as a diplomatic coup.
On 29th March, Palestinians and Israeli forces clashed in the West
Bank city Hebron as Israel deployed significant security reinforcements
ahead of a day of demonstrations. Palestinian security forces in Hebron said
that hundreds of people took part in two demonstrations, one inside the city
and one south of it, and threw stones at Israeli security forces who responded
with tear gas and dyed water.
On 2nd April, Khaled Meshaal’s re-election as head of the Hamas
movement was officially confirmed, drawing a cautious welcome from the
rival Fatah movement which rules the West Bank. ‘The Shura Council held a
meeting in Cairo to elect a leader and members of the political bureau’, a
Hamas statement said. His reelection, however, was welcomed as a positive
step by a senior member of Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas’s Fatah
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 Next day, Palestinians across the West Bank and Gaza observed a
general strike, with prisoners refusing food to mourn the death of a fellow
inmate in an Israeli jail. The death of Maisara Abu Hamdiyeh yesterday,
suffering from throat cancer, sparked outrage across the territories with the
Palestinian leadership accusing Israel of medical negligence.
Syria: On 17th March, Syrian rebels seized several weapons depots in
the village of Khan Toman in Aleppo province after days of fierce clashes.
The stores contained ‘a small number of ammunition boxes remaining after
the main stock was transferred over a period of more than four months’ the
government official said. But activists said the opposition had taken control
of ‘huge reserves’.
In Damascus, regime forces were shelling the southern district of Al-
Hajar al-Aswad and fighting continued in the northern Barzeh
neighbourhood, which residents began fleeing a day earlier under heavy fire.
The group also reported shelling of the border village of Qusayr in central
Homs province.
Next day, Syrian warplanes bombed the border area with Lebanon for
the first time. Attack targeted the town of Arsal, in east Lebanon, close to the
Syrian border, where many residents back the uprising against Syrian
President Assad. The mountainous, desert area is also ideal for the
smuggling of arms and the flow of fighters across the border.
Meanwhile, Syria's rebel chief said in Istanbul that the mainstream
rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) wants an interim government to administer
the whole of Syria and not just the areas freed from regime forces.
Responding to Western countries' fears that any weapons shipped to rebels
may end up in the hands of extremists, Selim Idriss said he could guarantee
that ‘these weapons will not fall into the wrong hands’.
On 19th March, government and rebel forces accused each other of
using chemical weapons for the first time. ‘Terrorists fired rockets
containing chemical materials on Khan al-Assal in Aleppo province’, the
state television reported; 25 people were killed and around 100 injured in the
incident. Mainstream rebel Free Syrian Army spokesman said ‘we
understand the army targeted Khan al-Assal using a long-range missile, and
our initial information says it may have contained chemical weapons’.
The rebels' new premier, Ghassan Hitto, used his inaugural speech in
Istanbul to reiterate there would be no dialogue with Assad's regime. ‘We
confirm to the great Syrian people that there will be no dialogue with the

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Assad regime’, said Hitto, who is now tasked with setting up an interim
government to administer rebel-held areas in the strife-torn country.
Next day, both sides in Syria's conflict demanded an international
inquiry into a deadly attack they each cite as evidence that the other has used
chemical weapons. Whereas, the United Nations said that Syria has made no
formal request for a UN investigation into government claims. The United
States and Russia, which back opposing sides in Syria, took contrasting
views of the strike on Khan al-Assal, near Aleppo, which, if confirmed,
would be the first use of chemical weapons in the conflict and could step up
pressure for foreign military intervention.
Iran, Assad's closest ally, summoned the Swiss ambassador – who
represents US interests in the Islamic Republic – to voice suspicions that the
United States might be responsible if the rebels obtain chemical weapons.
The World Health Organization said it would send medical supplies to
Aleppo but could not verify if chemical agents had been used.
On the battleground, at least three shells and several missiles fired in
fighting in Syria landed inside Lebanon, but there were no reports of damage
or injuries. Embattled President Bashar al-Assad paid an unexpected visit to
an educational centre in the capital Damascus. The visit appeared to be
Assad's first public appearance since he attended prayers at a mosque in
Damascus on Jan 24.
On 21st March, Ban Ki moon announced that the United Nations will
launch an investigation into the ‘possible use of chemical weapons in Syria’.
The secretary-general said the investigation will focus on ‘the specific
incident brought to my attention by the Syrian government.’ He said that his
top advisers are still trying to determine the scope of the mission, the
composition of the team and the steps required to guarantee the safety of UN
personnel during their probe.
Meanwhile, a suicide bomber targeted a mosque in central Damascus,
killing a senior pro-regime Sunni cleric and at least 15 other people. Rebels
gained ground in the Golan Heights, which is partly occupied by Israel,
launching coordinated attacks in the area and in nearby Daraa province. The
offensive came after some 2,500 trained and equipped rebels had entered the
Daraa region in recent weeks. Earlier this month, the German magazine Der
Spiegel reported rebels were being trained in Jordan by American
specialists; US officials refused to comment on.
The Observatory said at least 43 people had been killed throughout
the country, including at least three people killed when a car bomb exploded

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in Homs province. Human Rights Watch urged US President Barack Obama
on the eve of his Jordan visit to press King Abdullah II to accept Palestinian
refugees and other asylum seekers at the Syrian border.
Next day, President Assad vowed to ‘cleanse’ his country of
extremism, a day after a suicide bomber killed more than 45 people in a
mosque including a key pro-regime Sunni cleric. The attack was condemned
by the opposition, who raised the possibility that the regime was behind the
deadly blast at the Iman Mosque in Damascus. The UNSC and Ban Ki-moon
also condemned the attack.
Stepping into two days of talks between EU foreign ministers,
Germany’s Guido Westerwelle said Berlin remained ‘very reluctant’ about
weapons deliveries. Austria’s Michael Spindelegger too voiced strong
opposition, adding that it was shared by the Czech Republic, Finland,
Luxembourg and Sweden. ‘We don’t need more weapons in Syria’, he said.
‘We need a political solution.’
Fighting continued throughout the country, with the Observatory
reporting clashes and regime shelling in southern neighbourhoods of the
capital and heavy fighting in southern Daraa province. A preliminary
Observatory toll said at least 38 people had been killed nationwide, with the
death toll for yesterday at 236.
On 23rd March, The Wall Street Journal reported that the US Central
Intelligence Agency has been feeding information to select rebel fighters in
Syria to try to make them more effective against government troops. Citing
unnamed current and former US officials, the newspaper said the new CIA
effort reflected a change in the administration’s approach that aims to
strengthen secular rebel fighters. The CIA has sent officers to Turkey to help
vet rebels who receive arms shipments from Gulf allies.
In Iraq, the CIA has been directed by the White House to work with
elite counterterrorism units to help the Iraqis counter the flow of al Qaeda-
linked fighters across the border with Syria. The West favours fighters
aligned with the Free Syrian Army, which supports the Syrian Opposition
Coalition political group. Syrian opposition commanders said the CIA had
been working with British, French and Jordanian intelligence services to
train rebels in the use of various kinds of weapons. The move comes as the
al Nusra Front, the main al Qaeda-linked group operating in Syria, is
deepening its ties to the terrorist organization’s central leadership in
Pakistan.

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 Meanwhile, in Damascus’s ancient Umayyad mosque, thousands of
Assad supporters attended the funeral of pro-regime Sunni cleric Mohamed
Saeed al-Bouti and his grandson, who died in a suicide bombing. Rebels
loyal to Al-Nusra Front, Al-Yarmuk Brigade and other groups seized air
defence Base 38 on the road linking Damascus to Amman. At least seven
rebels were killed in their final assault on the base. Dozens of prisoners were
freed from the base’s headquarters.
Next day, opposition chief Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib announced his
resignation from the National Coalition, throwing Syria's divided opposition
into disarray ahead of an Arab summit. The Syrian National Coalition has
refused the resignation of its leader, the opposition bloc said in a statement
released hours after he announced he was quitting.
He reportedly objected to the election of an interim premiership. The
Arab League on March 6 called on the coalition ‘to form an executive body
to take up Syria's seat’ and attend the summit, although Iraq and Algeria
expressed reservations, while Lebanon distanced itself from the decision.
US Secretary of State John Kerry pressed Iraq to stop allowing Iranian
flights apparently carrying military equipment through its airspace headed to
Syria, on a surprise visit to Baghdad. Kerry warned Nuri al-Maliki that
Washington was ‘watching what Iraq is doing’, the highest-level criticism
yet of Baghdad for not inspecting flights which Tehran insists are carrying
humanitarian supplies.
On 25th March, rebels won Syria's long-vacant seat at the Arab
League, on the eve of the organization’s summit in Doha, despite rifts within
the opposition that have marred their political gains. A high-ranking League
official said that the opposition National Council ‘has been invited to the
Arab summit and will occupy Syria's seat’ at the 22-member Arab League.
Damascus reacted with fury at the announcement.
Meanwhile, rebel Free Syrian Army commander in eastern Syria was
wounded overnight in a blast that hit his car in eastern Syria. He lost a leg in
the attack and was rushed across the Syrian border into Turkey for treatment.
Asaad was one of the first officers to defect from the Syrian state military to
the rebel forces, joining their ranks in 2011. Rebels fighting to oust Assad's
regime had sealed off the country's only two border posts with Jordan.
The CIA-backed secret airlift of arms and equipment from Arab
governments for Syrian rebels attempting to bring down the government of
President Bashar al-Assad has been ‘expanded’, The New York Times
reported. Citing air traffic data, interviews with officials in several countries

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and the accounts of rebel commanders, the newspaper said the airlift, which
began on a small scale in early 2012 and continued intermittently through
last fall, expanded into a steady and much heavier flow late last year.
Next day, the Arab summit in Doha gave member states the ‘right’ to
offer Syrians all means of self-defence including arms, in a resolution on
Syria. Syrian opposition chief Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib said he had asked that
NATO’s Patriot missile system be extended to protect rebel zones inside the
war-torn country, as he took up Syria’s seat in the Arab League for the first
time. In his speech, Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi described the
Coalition as ‘the sole and legitimate representative of the Syrian people after
it succeeded in forming an interim government.’
The United Nations named a Swedish scientist to lead an inquiry into
the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria, but has barred experts from
the major powers from taking part. UN leader Ban Ki-Moon appointed Ake
Sellstrom of Sweden, a veteran of 1990s arms investigations in Iraq, to head
the inquiry. No definitive mandate for the inquiry has been announced,
although the UN said the aim is not to find who staged the alleged attacks.
Meanwhile, a suicide bombing in northern Damascus killed three
people and wounded several others, hours after a girl was killed in a mortar
attack in the city. Earlier, state television reported a mortar attack on the
same district by ‘terrorists’ which left three civilians dead. Elsewhere,
regime troops seized Baba Amr in the central city of Homs, two weeks after
fighting erupted in the flashpoint district. In Quneitra district, located on
Syria’s ceasefire line with Israel, rebels seized an air defence base.
On 27th March, leaders from emerging powers expressed ‘deep
concern’ over the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in Syria,
while tacitly opposing Western calls for Bashar al-Assad to be ousted. The
leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) called
for a ‘Syrian-led political process’ to achieve peace through dialogue ‘that
meets the legitimate aspirations of all sections of Syrian society and respect
for Syrian independence.’
The group also expressed its ‘opposition to any further militarization
of the conflict.’ But in an apparent about-face for Russia and China, the
BRICS also called for humanitarian workers to be allowed to have
unimpeded access to the country. Syrian President urged the BRICS nations
to help ‘stop the violence’ in his country and put an end to the suffering of
his people he said is caused by international sanctions.

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 The Syria’s opposition chief was ‘surprised’ by a US decision to
reject his demand for NATO to provide Patriot missile protection for rebel
bastions in the country’s north. Meanwhile, the opposition opened in Qatar
its first ‘embassy’. Opposition chief Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib and Qatari State
Minister for Foreign Affairs inaugurated the representative office dubbed the
‘Embassy of the Syrian National Coalition’.
Iran and Russia strongly criticized as a ‘dangerous precedent’ the
Arab League’s decision to allocate Syria’s long-vacant seat to the Syrian
opposition. Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi was quoted as saying
that continuation of ‘such mistakes will only add to the problems’. Russia
termed the move ‘illegal and indefensible’.
On the battlefront, Syrian warplanes launched two strikes on Qaboon
in northeastern Damascus, as rebels seized three army posts near the
ceasefire line with Israel in Quneitra province near the Israeli-occupied
Golan Heights. In the central city of Homs, the army pressed its campaign
against rebel enclaves, pounding the district of Khaldiyeh in the heart of the
city. At least 127 people were killed in violence across Syria during the day.
Next day, rebels’ mortar fire killed at least 15 students in Damascus.
The University attack came as battles raged between insurgents and loyalist
troops in districts on the edges of the city, and as warplanes targeted rebel
enclaves in Irbin and other towns east of the capital. At least 148 people
were killed across the country during the day.
On 29th March, Russia’s UN Ambassador said his country will
strongly oppose any attempt to give Syria’s UN seat to the rebel coalition
fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad, warning that such a
development would undercut the world body’s standing as an
intergovernmental body. He was responding to a question about a possible
move the Arab League might make to give Syria’s seat at the United Nations
to the opposition. Earlier in the day, the Arab League recognized the Syrian
opposition as the sole representative of Syria.
Syrian rebels seized a key town on a main highway between
Damascus and the south in their latest advance in Daraa province on the
border with Jordan. A child was among 10 civilians killed in the fighting for
the town over the past 24 hours. At least 15 rebels and a media activist
working with them were also killed, as were 12 loyalist troops.
Elsewhere fighting raged in the northern city of Aleppo and clashes
erupted on the outskirts of Damascus, mostly in the districts of Qaboon and
Yarmuk. At least 14 pro-regime fighters were killed in Aleppo where

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shelling left eight people dead, including two children, and wounded 60.
Farther west of the city a missile slammed into the village of Hreitan killing
at least nine civilians, including two children and four women. At least 150
people were killed in violence nationwide.
Next day, rebel forces killed a pro-regime Sunni cleric in the city of
Aleppo, with some reports suggesting he was beheaded, and then dragged
his body through the streets. Sheikh Hassan Seifeddin, imam of a mosque in
the northern Aleppo neighbourhood of Sheikh Maqsud, was killed overnight
by rebel fighters. Sheikh Maqsud is a majority Kurdish district of Aleppo.
The ulema had called on the Syrian army to ‘liberate Syria from the criminal
mercenaries with obscurantist ideas’, in an apparent reference to hardline
jihadist groups amongst the armed opposition. At least 157 people were
killed country-wide.
Iraq said it will step up searches of Iranian flights via its airspace to
Syria, after US Secretary of State John Kerry publicly criticized Baghdad for
turning a blind eye to them. But while Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s
spokesman spoke of newly tightened restrictions on Iranian flights to Syria,
the head of Iraq’s civil aviation authority acknowledged that no planes had
been searched since October.
On 31st March, Syrian regime and rebel opposition forces traded
accusations of a ‘massacre’ of at least 10 people in the town of Tal Kalakh in
the south. Terrorists stormed the Burj neighbourhood and killed a number of
citizens, including women and children. Rebels pointed the finger at
government forces.
Violence also engulfed areas in and around Damascus, where children
were among eight civilians killed in shelling of Kafar Batna village, while a
missile slammed into Yarmuk Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus
causing more casualties. At least 62 people, half of them civilians, were
killed nationwide.
Battles have been raging in the strategic, predominantly Kurdish
neighbourhood since March 29, as regime troops try to prevent rebels from
advancing into the district. Armed terrorists groups set fire three oil wells in
the province of Deir Ezzor. The battles have killed so far at least 43 people,
including 15 civilians, 19 soldiers/pro-regime fighters as well as nine rebels.
Next day, fresh battles broke out in a flashpoint district of Aleppo,
while violence raged on the road linking the Syrian city to its international
airport. Clashes raged in the east of Sheikh Maqsud district and regime tanks
fired shells at other parts of the neighbourhood. Clashes also broke out near

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the city's international airport, which has been closed since January. Aleppo
city has been scene of some of Syria's fiercest violence since battles first
broke out in the northern city in July last year.
To the west of the city, an air strike on rebel-held the town of Maaret
al-Numan killed at least one child. Elsewhere, a blast caused by an explosive
device hit the Rokn Eddin district in northern Damascus and shelling by
government troops was also reported on rebel-held districts in the central
city of Homs. At least 181 people were killed across Syria, among them 57
rebels, 67 civilians and 57 loyalist troops.
On 2nd April, fighting between rebels and loyalist forces raged in two
Damascus neighbourhoods while shelling of a village near the Syrian capital
left four members of a family dead. Violence has escalated in Damascus in
recent weeks as the army battles to push back insurgents seeking to penetrate
the capital from enclaves on its outskirts. Shelling on Al-Hajar Al-Aswad in
southern Damascus killed at least three men and wounded more than 20
civilians. At least 78 people were killed across the country.
AFP reported that for millions of Syrians displaced by fighting, every
day is a struggle to survive, and for those in Kherbet al-Khaldiye, that means
eating and drinking whatever they can forage. ‘We eat herbs and collect
stagnant rainwater to drink and wash in’, says 24-year-old Hisham, his head
covered in a red and white chequered keffiyeh scarf.
Meanwhile, Syrian President offered an amnesty deal to kidnappers,
giving them 15 days to hand over victims or face a life of hard labour.
Kidnappers will be ‘executed if the crime led to the (victim’s) death or
permanent disability, as well as in case of sexual assault’, the decree added.
‘The kidnapping that has appeared in Syria in the past two years is an
imported crime alien to the values of Syrian society’, Justice Minister said.
Next day, Syria’s air force staged new strikes on several rebel-held
areas across the country, including Raqa in the north, Homs in the centre and
Damascus province, a monitoring group said. Rebel forces captured an air
defence base in the southern province of Daraa. Meanwhile, clashes raged in
Joussiyeh, in a restive area near the Lebanese border. And in Damascus
province, warplanes carried out three air strikes on Ziabiyeh and another on
Mleiha. Fresh battles were also reported on the outskirts of the capital. At
least 88 people were killed in violence across the country.
A Syrian helicopter fired on an area on the outskirts of a Lebanese
town of Arsal. The area lies several hundred metres away from a Lebanese
army checkpoint. Arsal is a majority Sunni town in northeastern Lebanon,

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many of whose residents support the revolt against President Bashar al-
Assad. Scores of Syrians injured in the violence have been brought into
Arsal for medical treatment in recent months.
Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon warned that Israel would
respond to any attacks on its territory and not allow its people to come under
fire ‘in any form’. His warning was issued after militants in Gaza fired a
rocket at southern Israel, and as a Syrian mortar round and small arms fire
hit the Israeli-occupied sector of the Golan Heights.
A Syrian regime newspaper on Wednesday slammed Palestinian
movement Hamas and its leader Khaled Meshaal for breaking with
Damascus, accusing them of giving up on resistance against Israel. The
report comes two days after Meshaal’s re-election as head of Hamas’s
politburo for another four-year term.
According to a British study, as many as 600 Europeans have joined
the rebels fighting government forces in Syria. Militants from 14 European
countries including France, Germany, Britain and the Netherlands are among
those to enter the conflict, according to research published by the
International Centre for the Study of Radicalization (ICSR) at King’s
College London.
On 4th April, the UN is hiking its estimates of people trapped in Syria
after fleeing their homes. UNHCR regional public information officer Reem
Alsalem acknowledged the initial figures laid out in the Syria humanitarian
assistance plan earlier this year ‘no longer reflect the quickly evolving
situation’. Aid workers have struggled to reach those in most need, braving
dangerous situations to get shelter, food and help to the needy.
The United States has so far provided some $385 million for
humanitarian aid. Donors who gathered at a conference in Kuwait in January
pledged some $1.5 billion in aid for the Syrian people – of which $520
million was specifically to help people trapped inside the country. But to
date only about 30 percent of the funds pledged have actually been received.
Lebanese President Michel Sleiman on Thursday called for an
international conference to discuss establishing UN-protected camps inside
Syria, as his country struggles with a wave of refugees from the conflict. In a
statement, Sleiman suggested that the camps be created ‘inside Syrian
territory, far from conflict zones, be protected by United Nations forces, and
located near the Lebanese, Jordanian, Turkish and Iraqi borders.’ He also
suggested that Syrians taking refuge in Lebanon in the future could ‘be
distributed to neighbouring and friendly countries.’

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 Next day, the UN said that the number of Syrian refugees in Jordan is
expected to triple to 1.2 million by the end of the year. The UN estimates
that around 385,500 Syrians have already sought refuge in Jordan, including
nearly a quarter of a million children. UNHCR lamented that agency’s
operations connected to the Syrian crisis were severely under funded.
Rebels seized a government checkpoint on a key highway from
Damascus to the border with Jordan, as fighting intensified on the outskirts
of the capital. Fierce fighting raged between troops and rebels in Daraya,
southwest of the capital. In Aleppo, fighting continued for the strategic
Sheikh Maqsud neighbourhood. Rebel forces also fired on both Aleppo
International Airport and Neirab military airbase. Nationwide, violence
killed at least 36 people.
On 6th April, nine children were among at least 15 people killed in an
air strike on a majority Kurdish district in the Syrian city of Aleppo. The
area targeted by the air strike is under the control Democratic Union Party
(PYD). Elsewhere in Syria, the air force targeted Al-Hajar al-Aswad in
southern Damascus and Qadam in the southwest. Warplanes also raided
Yabrud near Damascus and Qusayr in the central province of Homs, as tanks
shelled rebel enclaves in Homs city. In Damascus, mortar rounds hit
Baramkeh in the heart of the city. At least 94 people were killed across the
country during the day.
Turkey: On 28th March, Turkish forces fired artillery shells into north
Iraq, in a bid to intimidate Kurdish rebels with whom Ankara is in peace
talks. The shelling, which caused no casualties, came days after jailed
Kurdish rebel chief Abdullah Ocalan made a ceasefire call in a move that
raised hopes of an end to a three-decade conflict that has cost some 45,000
lives, most of them Kurdish. Turkish army has not launched any operations
against Kurdistan Workers’ Party rebels since Ocalan’s ceasefire call.

Africa
Mali: On 17th March, a French corporal was killed tracking down
jihadist fighters in their northern Mali mountain bastions, bringing to five
the number of French deaths since the January 11 military intervention.
France's Defence Minister said the 24-year-old soldier was killed and three
of his comrades wounded when their vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb
blast in the Ifoghas Mountains.

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 On 23rd March, France confirmed that one of the key leaders of al-
Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, had been
killed in fighting with French-led forces in northern Mali. Considered one of
the most radical leaders in al-Qaeda’s North African branch, the 46-year-old
is credited with having significantly expanded the terrorist group’s field of
operation to Tunisia and Niger, and for kidnapping activities across the
region.
Next day, clashes between the Malian army and Islamists killed seven
people including a soldier and two civilians in northern Mali's largest city, as
al-Qaeda's North African branch threatened to kill its French hostages. The
fighting in Gao took place as the Malian army carried out what it called a
‘clean-up’ operation in Gao after Islamist militants from the Movement for
Oneness and Jihad in West Africa infiltrated the northeastern city and
opened fire on an army camp overnight.
On 31st March, Malian troops backed by French forces clashed with
fighters who had infiltrated the northern city of Timbuktu, leaving three
militants and one Malian soldier dead. Yesterday, a suicide bomber blew
himself up when he tried to force his way through a military barricade at the
western entrance to Timbuktu, wounding a soldier manning the checkpoint.
The fighters who had controlled the fabled Saharan city before French
and Malian soldiers recaptured it in January have been able to blend into the
population to launch attacks, infiltrating it by foot or bicycle. The officer
said fighting began when the Islamist rebels opened fire on two sides of the
centre of the city, targeting a hotel serving as the temporary residence for the
region's governor as well as a Malian military base.
Next day, Malian troops swept Timbuktu for remaining extremist
fighters after a weekend battle that left seven dead and forced France to
dispatch reinforcements and fighter jets to help Mali’s army. ‘For the
moment it’s calm in Timbuktu. We have the situation under control’, a
Malian officer said.
Nigeria: On 18th March, a series of blasts targeting three buses full of
passengers in Nigeria's second city of Kano killed at least 20 people. Kano,
the largest city in Nigeria's mainly Muslim north, has been repeatedly
targeted by the group Boko Haram, blamed for killing hundreds in the region
since 2009. 
On 24th March, twenty-five people were killed in eastern Nigeria
when attackers blasted a jail, a police station and a bank with bombs,
machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades. Adamawa prison chief

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Andrew Barka confirmed the attack on the prison but declined to give
details. Although the Islamist Boko Harm are blamed for such attacks, yet
criminal gangs are also known to have carried out similar attacks.
On 2nd April, attacks on three communities in volatile and ethnically
divided central Nigeria left 19 people dead and displaced some 4,500 others.
The attacks were believed to be reprisals in a dispute involving mainly
Muslim Fulanis and the mostly Christian Atakar ethnic group. Fulanis in the
area tend to be nomadic herdsmen, while Atakar are mainly farmers. Land
disputes often flare up between the two groups.
Libya: On 29th March, two British activists of Pakistani origin with a
humanitarian convoy destined for the Gaza Strip were subjected to a brutal
gang rape by five men in Libya’s eastern city of Benghazi. The women,
accompanied by their father, were with the convoy destined for the
Palestinian coastal enclave blockaded by Israel when it was blocked from
leaving Libya and entering Egypt. The two women of Pakistani origin ‘were
brutally raped in front of their father’.
The three decided to return to Benghazi accompanied by two more
Britons, with the aim of getting a flight home. But when they arrived in
Libya’s second city they were abducted by five unidentified men. A Western
diplomatic source speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed the group
had been abducted, but was unable to say the women had been sexually
assaulted or raped, pending medical reports.
Egypt: On 22nd March, opposition protesters clashed with Islamists
near Muslim Brotherhood headquarters in Cairo after activists marched to
the building guarded by police and members of Egypt’s ruling movement.
Gunshots were heard as hundreds of opposition activists and the Islamists
battled in the streets. Protesters captured and beat three Brotherhood
members. They also smashed up an ambulance evacuating a wounded
Brotherhood supporter and detained him. In Manial, an island on the Nile,
men ransacked an office belonging to the Islamists.
The Brotherhood has seen about 30 of its offices across the country
attacked in widespread protests against President Mohamed Mursi, the
Islamists’ successful candidate in last June’s election. The Brotherhood,
well-organized despite decades of persecution under former strongman
Hosni Mubarak and his predecessors, was the main winner of parliamentary
and senate elections last year. But its critics accuse it and Mursi of mirroring
the tactics used by Mubarak.

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 On 4th April, Egypt’s President Mohamed Mursi arrived in Sudan to
push economic and other ties on a visit Khartoum calls ‘historic’ but which
comes nearly a year after Mursi’s election. Mursi’s office said the visit has
‘particular importance because it is the first of its kind since the president
took office, and is aimed at stressing the special and strong strategic
relationship between Egypt and Sudan.’ Cairo is keen to establish ‘a real
economic partnership with Sudan, to meet the ambitions and goals of growth
and prosperity for both peoples’, Egyptian statement said ahead of the visit.
Next day, President Mohamed Mursi said as he ended his first visit to
Khartoum that Egypt and Sudan have planned to double their trade and
investment, stepping up cooperation in sectors ranging from manufacturing
to tourism. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir’s office called the visit
‘historic’ but observers questioned why Mursi had not come sooner.
Sudan: On 1st April, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir said that he
will release all political detainees, a move welcomed by the opposition as
tensions ease with South Sudan. Farouk Abu Issa, who heads the opposition
alliance of more than 20 parties, said Bashir's announcement was ‘a step
toward genuine dialogue’. A diplomatic source called Bashir's statements
positive but said it is too early to know where they are leading. Bashir's
regime had long rejected negotiations with the insurgents.
Somalia: On 17th March, Islamist fighters retook the key southern
town of Hudur, in the first territorial fight-back by the al-Qaeda-linked
Shebab for several months. Heavily armed Shebab fighters swept into the
regional capital of the Bakool region, taking the town peacefully just hours
after Ethiopian troops who had held it since late 2011 left.
On 18th March, at least ten people were killed and 15 wounded by a
car bomb in central Mogadishu in one of the bloodiest attacks in the war-
ravaged capital in recent months. A top intelligence official was the target
and he was wounded in of the attack. On 25th March, Somali gunmen killed
a female radio journalist in Mogadishu, in a string of reporters murdered in
the war-ravaged capital. Two men shot dead Rahmo Abdukadir, who
worked for the private Radio Abduwaq station.
Europe: On 27th March, the British government vowed not to give
up its fight to deport ‘radical’ cleric Abu Qatada to Jordan after losing its
latest court challenge to have him expelled. Three judges at the Court of
Appeal acknowledged that ministers believed Abu Qatada to be an
‘exceptionally high risk terrorist’ but said this was not relevant to their
considerations.

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 America: On 26th March, a 34-year-old Muslim convert who
planned to attack a US military recruiting centre with grenades and machine
guns in revenge for alleged US war crimes was jailed for 18 years. Abu
Khalid Abdul-Latif, a US citizen, was also sentenced to 10 years of
supervised release following his prison term for the 2011 plot, which
officials said was foiled due to help from the local Muslim community.
A US national was convicted by a New York jury for hiding
information from the federal authorities that he traveled to Pakistan to join a
terrorist group. Abdel Hameed Shehadeh faces a maximum sentence of 21
years imprisonment. Shehadeh traveled to Pakistan from New York on June
13, 2008 to join terrorist groups in FATA, but was denied entry into the
country by Pakistani authorities.
On 30th March, a California woman was sentenced to five years in
prison for wiring money to Pakistan to help fund terrorist attacks against US
military personnel. Oytun Ayse Mihalik was sentenced in federal court in
Santa Ana. Mihalik, who worked as a pharmacist, has been in federal
custody since she was arrested in August after she attempted to board a
flight to her native Turkey.

VIEWS
Myanmar
Plight of Muslims: ‘The slaughter of Muslims in Myanmar had
barely evoked a response from Pakistan that reports came in of the slaughter
of Muslims in Sri Lanka by Buddhists of the majority Sinhalese ethnicity.
Though Myanmar is supposed to be tolerant, the slaughter of Rohingyas has
meant that Buddhists have learnt to be violent, just like all other politically
organized religions. This has demonstrated the link between the violence
shown in Sri Lanka and that in Burma, even though they are not apparently
related. It has also been shown that it is not just Christianity, Judaism or
Hinduism have followers offering Muslims violence, but even a religion
supposedly as nonviolent as Buddhism too. Pakistani President Asif Zardari
has written to Myanmarese President U Thein Senn calling for better
security to stop the killing of the Rohingyas, whose slaughter has a long
history, and which recurred recently in the Yangon area. Pakistan was forced
to take this step after the international organizations which should have
acted, have maintained silence. Foremost would be the UN and the OIC. The

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OIC had set up a Contact Group after the massacres last year, but the UN
had not taken even this action.
Even though other problems involving Muslims have not been solved,
it seems that new ones are emerging, and joining them, refusing to be
solved. The international community has failed to solve the Kashmir and
Palestinian problems, even though both were brought to the notice of the UN
back in 1948. These occupations of Muslim lands contrast with the way that
East Timor and South Sudan were created. In both cases, new Christian
states were created, and Muslim states lost territory.
One of the lessons driven home has been how ineffectual international
organizations are, even those set up by Muslim states. Pakistan, if it could
achieve any believable certainty in its own, could lead the charge in standing
up for Muslims. Without a demonstration of the ability to defend Muslims,
Muslim states will have to depend on the states in which they live to protect
them. As events have shown, neither Myanmar nor Sri Lanka are
particularly good at this task. It should not be ignored that the security forces
of both countries have majorities of the Buddhist co-religionists of those
committing the slaughter. The Muslim countries must be wary of the fate of
Muslim minorities in other countries, not just because this might agitate their
own peoples, but because they must protect their own minorities from such
barbarous atrocities.’ (Editorial, TheNation 31st March)
Muslims vanish as Buddhist attacks escalate in Myanmar: ‘The
Muslims of Sit Kwin were always a small group who numbered no more
than 100 of the village’s 2,000 people. But as sectarian violence led by
Buddhist mobs spreads across central Myanmar, they and many other
Muslims are disappearing.
Their homes, shops and mosques destroyed, some end up in refugee
camps or hide in the homes of friends or relatives. Dozens have been
killed… Soldiers and police sometimes stood by ‘while atrocities have been
committed before their very eyes, including by well-organized ultra-
nationalist Buddhist mobs’, said the rapporteur, Tomas Ojea Quintana. ‘This
may indicate direct involvement by some sections of the state or implicit
collusion and support for such actions.’ (Jason Szep for Reuters, printed in
TheNation 31st March)
Religious ‘radicals' driving Myanmar unrest: ‘A wave of hate has
swept across social media websites targeting the Rohingya, who have long
been denied citizenship by Myanmar's government, which – like many
Burmese – refers to them as ‘Bengalis’.

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 Recently, however, the violence has also targeted Muslims with
Myanmar citizenship, some of whose families came to the country more
than a century ago from India, Bangladesh or China.
Speaking to AFP, monk Wirathu denied that he was against all
Muslims, and said the ‘969’ movement was unrelated to the recent unrest.
‘We just targeted Bengalis who are terrorizing ethnic Rakhine (Buddhists)’,
the 45-year-old said. We are just preaching to prevent Bengalis entering the
country and to stop them insulting our nationalities, language and religion’,
he added.
In an effort to stem the violence, the government has declared a state of
emergency and deployed troops in the worst-hit areas.
The United Nations' human rights envoy to the country, Tomas Ojea
Quintana, has said the reluctance of security forces to crack down on the
unrest suggests a possible state link to the fighting – comments rejected by
Myanmar.
On Thursday, President Thein Sein appeared on national television to
address the nation, warning unidentified ‘political opportunists and religious
extremists’ that their actions ‘will not be tolerated.’
It was a ‘courageous’ speech, according to independent analyst Mael
Raynaud. ‘A Myanmar president addressing the nation directly and talking
about religious extremism clearly aimed at Buddhist monks – that's never
been seen before’, he said.
In contrast, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who many believe has
her sights set firmly on the next election in 2015, has not yet spoken publicly
about the recent clashes. ‘Now is the time for political leaders to rise to the
challenge of shaping public opinion, rather than just following it’, Della-
Giacomo said. Suu Kyi ‘must be prepared to vocally and unambiguously
take the side of peace and tolerance’, he added.’ (Didier Lauras for AFP,
printed in TheNation 31st March)
Bangladesh
‘Friends of Bangladesh’: ‘Thirteen ‘Friends of Bangladesh’ were
recently honoured in Dacca for raising their voice against the launch of
military operations by Pakistan in March 71. An account published by one
of the participants, a leading anchor who received the posthumous award
conferred on his father, a veritable journalism icon, poignantly reflects the
anti-Pakistan narrative that the Hasina Wajid government has taken upon
itself as a mission to proliferate. The honour was bestowed for leading a

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delegation of Punjab University Students Union to Dacca in Oct 71 followed
by holding of a press conference to castigate the military action that was
launched in March 71 to foil the Indian sponsored secessionist movement
led by Bengali nationalists at the forefront of Mukti Bahini. The award
receiving visit coincided with a charged political environment which has
taken hold of Bangladesh amidst bloody street violence triggered by
conviction of Jama'at-e-Islami leadership for perpetrating the ‘crime’ of
resisting the breakaway of East Pakistan. It is manifest that the Bangladeshi
Prime Minister wants to consolidate the discredited legacy of his father and
the questions which the honoured guests were most frequently asked, as
reported by the scribe, help comprehend the zeitgeist obtaining in the host
capital.
According to the anchor two questions topped the list of inquisitive
Bangladeshi journalists; first regarding his validation for the ongoing trial of
supporters of Pak Army’s military operation of March 71 by the incumbent
government and second, whether he thought that there was reason enough
for the Jama'at-e-Islami to be banned in Bangladesh for its pro-Pakistan bent
in 1971. He sheepishly accommodated answers to these manifestly anti-
Pakistan questions, obviously made under the compromising shadow of an
obliging guest trying to humour his overbearing hosts. That could be
justifiable from perhaps the perspective of a cornered diplomat, yet for a
media man of some repute, it only served to bare his inadequate command
and comprehension of facts related to the 1971 breakup of Pakistan, during
which worst kind of human rights excesses were committed by the Bengali
nationalists under the camouflage of a ‘liberation war’. Though he doesn’t
mention it in his piece yet he must have also been aware, if not specifically
confronted with, unrelenting propaganda concerning the myths of genocide
of three million Bengalis and rape of one hundred thousand ‘heroines of
Bengal’ by Pakistani troops, which the vested Bangladeshi quarters keep
projecting from time to time without even making a passing reference to any
supporting proof or reference…
Army action, launched on 25 March 1971 came after a violent spell of
three weeks of blood lust against non-Bengalis and unrestrained mayhem in
rural and urban population centres following the postponement of national
assembly session on 1March 1971. The announcement had forced a paralysis
of the federal government leading to an open revolt in which armed Awami
League cadres lynched non-Bengalis, particularly Biharis with an
unrestrained abandon. The murder of the army officers caught in ones or two
became a routine during this period even as the army remained under orders

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not to use force on violations of curfew, which became rampant. As all this
was happening Bengali renegade officers were freely passing sensitive
information to Sheikh Mujib. It speaks volumes for the discipline of the
Pakistan Army that its officers were able to keep the soldiers in check during
what was to them a nightmare of 25 days.
While looking at the pain and trauma of secession, Pakistan as well as
Bangladesh suffer from a crippling denial syndrome which has become a
serious hindrance to objectively looking at the painful events and
ascertaining the truth. While in Pakistan there is an appeasing silence, the
Bangladeshi bitter narrative plays melodramatically on the themes of
Bengali victimhood and Pakistani villains, genocide, rape and mass graves
‘with scant regard for factual accuracy or analytical sophistication’. In
Bangladesh there is a stunning silence on the widespread reign of terror and
brutalities which were unleashed by Bengalis against West Pakistanis (all
dubbed Punjabis), Biharis and others who were not willing enough to join
the maelstrom of hatred to rent asunder Quaid’s Pakistan.
he accusations of atrocities come thick and fast in a spate of
propaganda castigating Pakistan, yet despite all rancour Bangladesh has
failed to produce a single well researched, documented and investigative
history of the 1971 climactic events which should lend credence to their
blood chilling claims in convincing the world of their victimhood. There
have been no credible investigations during the last four decades. The
alleged massacre on the premises of the Dacca University, which was visited
by Professor Waris Mir in Oct 1971 to show solidarity with East Pakistanis
students and the presence of a mass grave presumed to be containing a large
number of students killed during the army action in March 71, under
international scrutiny, should be an appropriate place to start an objective
search for truth. This till now happens to be the most prominent casualty of
the 1971 tragedy.’ (Momin Iftikhar, TheNation 2nd April)

DPRK
Risk of war rises: ‘North Korea has repeatedly threatened to flatten
parts of South Korea’s capitol, Seoul, using 11,000 heavy guns and rocket
batteries hidden in caves along the DMZ. The North Korean commandos
and missile batteries are tasked with attacking all US airbases and command
headquarters in South Korea. The 28,500 US troops based in South Korea
will also be a primary target.

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 North Korea’s medium-ranged missiles are aimed at US bases on
mainland Japan, Okinawa and Guam. Its tough 1.1-million man army is
poised to attack the South. Massive US airpower would eventually blunt
such an advance, but that would mean moving American warplanes from the
Gulf and Afghanistan. The US air force’s stocks of bombs and missiles are
perilously low and its equipment showing heavy wear and tear.
The US has become accustomed to waging war against small nations
whose ‘threat’ has been wildly overblown: Grenada, Somalia, Iraq and
Libya. The last real war fought by the US, against Vietnam, was an epic
defeat for American arms. North Korea is not an Iraq or Libya. 
North Korea’s air force and navy would be quickly destroyed by the
US and South Korean air power within days of the war. But taking on its
hard as nails army will be a serious challenge if it fights on the defensive. 
Pentagon studies show that invading North Korea could cost the US
up to 250,000 casualties. So it would be clearly tempted to use tactical
nuclear weapons. But North Korea vows to nuke Japan if the US goes
nuclear. And there is the threat of Chinese intervention.
The US would be wise to back off from this confrontation and lower
tensions with North Korea. America’s empty treasury cannot afford yet
another war, having already blown $2 trillion on the lost wars in Afghanistan
and Iraq. Its armed forces, bogged down in the Mideast and Afghanistan, are
in no shape to fight a real war in Korea. Just moving heavy armour and guns
there would take months.
Now might be a good time for Washington to ease, rather than keep
tightening sanctions on North Korea. Pyongyang’s real objectives are to gain
a non-aggression treaty with the US and direct normal relations. Washington
won’t hear of this, though it deals with other repellent regimes. American
neocons are determined to overthrow North Korea’s regime, fearing it will
send advanced arms to Israel’s Mideast foes.
Military forces on the Korean Peninsula are on hair-trigger alert. Flying
B-2’s near the North is almost daring it to attack. Diplomats, not air force
generals, should be running this largely manufactured crisis.’ (Eric S.
Margolis, TheNation 31st March)
Iraq
Decade on, Iraq grappling with attacks and deadlock: ‘Grappling
with a spike in violence and a worsening political situation, Iraq on

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Wednesday marked 10 years since a US-led invasion that sought to establish
a stable, democratic ally in the Middle East.
The event was met with little fanfare in Baghdad, though, a day after a
wave of bombings and gun attacks killed 56 people across the country, as
some ministers began a cabinet boycott and officials delayed provincial
polls.
Al-Qaeda front group the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) claimed
responsibility for the violence in statements posted on jihadist forums, while
another car bomb in east Baghdad on Wednesday killed two people…
An average of 10 people died in attacks each day so far this month,
according to AFP’s figures. Launched a decade ago with the stated goal of
wiping out Saddam’s stores of weapons of mass destruction, which were
never found, the focus of the divisive war quickly shifted to solidifying Iraq
as a Western ally in an unstable region.
Though the war itself was relatively brief – it began on March 20,
2003, Baghdad fell weeks later, and then-US president George W Bush
infamously declared the mission accomplished on May 1 – its aftermath was
violent and bloody. Separate reports by Britain-based Iraq Body Count and
researchers at The Lancet put the overall death toll from the decade of
bloodshed at more than 112,000 civilians.
The fatalities peaked in 2006 and 2007, when thousands were being
killed on a monthly basis, with the violence only being brought under some
semblance of control from 2008 onwards, as the American troop ‘surge’
coincided with Sunni tribal militias deciding to side with US forces. But
political reconciliation, the strategic goal of the surge, was never fully
achieved.
From territorial disputes in the north to questions over the
apportioning of the country’s vast energy revenues, a number of high-level
problems remain unresolved, and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has locked
horns with his erstwhile government partners essentially non-stop for
months.
On Tuesday, powerful Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr suspended his
bloc’s participation in sessions of Iraq’s national unity cabinet in response to
Maliki challenging parliamentary decisions in court. It means five ministers
loyal to the Sadrist movement will not attend weekly cabinet meetings until
further notice.

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 Authorities, meanwhile, announced provincial polls scheduled for
April 20, Iraq’s first vote in three years, would be delayed in Anbar and
Nineveh provinces, citing security concerns including threats to candidates.’
(Prashant Rao for AFP, printed in TheNation 21st March)
A strategic defeat for US and its allies: ‘If anyone doubted what
kind of Iraq has been bequeathed by a decade of US-sponsored occupation
and war, Tuesday’s deadly bomb attacks around Baghdad on bus queues and
markets should have set them straight. Ten years to the day after American
and British troops launched an unprovoked attack on a false pretext - and
more than a year since the last combat troops were withdrawn - the conflict
they unleashed shows no sign of winding down.
Civilians are still being killed at a rate of at least 4,000 a year - and
police at about 1,000. As in the days when the US and British forces directly
ran the country, torture is rampant, thousands are imprisoned without trial
and disappearances and state killings are routine…
Ten years on, the US still has a powerful presence in Iraq – now
starting to resemble a sort of American-Iranian condominium – with
thousands of military contractors, security and intelligence leverage and
long-term oil contracts. However, it is a long way from the archipelago of
bases and control its leaders had in mind.
Iraqi success in preventing a permanent occupation is down to
resistance, armed and civil, Sunni and Shia. 
However, that achievement was undermined by the eruption of
sectarianism in the aftermath of the invasion, fostered by the occupying
forces in the classic imperial divide-and-rule mould.
The evidence is now indisputable that this went far beyond the
promotion of a sectarian political carve-up. As the Guardian had reported
earlier this month, US forces led by General David Petraeus himself were
directly involved not only in overseeing torture centres, but also in
sponsoring an El Salvador-style dirty war of sectarian death squads (known
as ‘police commando units’) to undermine the resistance.
One outcome is the authoritarian Shia elite-dominated state run by
Nouri Al Maliki today. His Sunni vice-president until last year, Tariq Al
Hashemi – forced to leave the country and sentenced to death in absentia for
allegedly ordering killings – was one of those who in his own words
‘collaborated’ with the occupation, encouraging former resistance leaders to
join Petraeus’s ‘awakening councils’ and now bitterly regrets it. ‘If I knew

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the result would be like this, I would never have done it’, he told me over
last weekend. ‘I made a grave mistake.’
The sectarian virus incubated in the occupation has now spread
beyond Iraq’s borders and threatens the future of states across the eastern
Arab world. However, the war has not only been a disaster for Iraq and the
region. 
By demonstrating the limits of US power and its inability to impose
its will on people prepared to fight back, Iraq proved a strategic defeat for
the US and its closest allies. For the British state, the retreat of its armed
forces from Basra under cover of darkness, with their own record of torture
and killings, was a humiliation.
There is little prospect, given the balance of power, of those most
responsible for torture and atrocities in Iraq – let alone ordering the original
aggression – of facing justice or of the reparations Iraqis deserve, but there
should be a greater chance of preventing more western military intervention
in the Middle East, as Blair and his friends are now pressing for in Syria and
Iran.
‘Damn us for what we did’, a British Iraq veteran wrote the other day.
Far better would be to make it impossible for the politicians who sent them
there to unleash such barbarism again.’ (Seumas Milne for Gulf News,
reprinted in TheNation 22nd March)
Bush-Blair barbarism: ‘Jessica Stern, a fellow at the FBX Centre in
Harvard University, in a recent article in the International Herald Tribune,
hit the nail on the head when she wrote: ‘President George W. Bush said in
2003, (the attack) was the ‘central front’ in the war on terrorism. He was
wrong but prescient. Iraq has (since) become a front for militant extremism –
a front that the US created… Following the invasion of Iraq, terrorism
within the country’s borders began to rise precipitously. There were 78
terrorist attacks against civilians in Iraq in the first 12 months; in the second
12, the number nearly quadrupled to 203. In the year of the invasion, 19
vehicle-borne bomb attacks were reported. The number rose to 54 in 2004,
82 in 2005, 101 in 2006 and 204 in 2007.’ (Till today such horrendous
violence has not come to a stop.)
This is how Jessica concludes her article: ‘We Americans left behind
after seven bloody years not only a shattered nation, but also an international
school for terrorists whose alumni are spreading throughout the region. The
staggering costs (in trillions) of our willful blunders include the

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strengthening of terrorism that our leaders cited, in dragging us to an
unnecessary war that left us morally and financially bankrupt.’
Even Paul Wolfowitz, former Deputy Pentagon Chief and one of the
architects of the policy on Iraq has admitted in an interview with the London
Sunday Times that the Bush Administration ‘plunged Iraq into a cycle of
violence that spiraled out of control.’
David R. Ingnatius, a well known New York Times columnist, rightly
wrote in his latest contribution that invading Iraq to topple Saddam Husain a
decade ago was ‘one of the biggest strategic errors in modern America
history...all our might could not turn on electricity in Baghdad or frighten
Sunnis and Shiites to cooperate with each other.’
The New York Times editorial of March 21 aptly says: ‘They
promised a fine and peaceful Iraq’...(what they have done) has made the
country fragile with grave tensions between Sunnis and Shiites, Arabs and
Kurds that could yet erupt into a civil war or tear the state apart.’ It sums up
by saying that the Iraq war was unnecessary, costly and damaging on every
level. It was based on ‘faulty intelligence manipulated for ideological
reasons.’
Both Bush and Blair remain unrepentant. They, probably, are gratified
that they have almost destroyed an important Muslim country, which could
have posed a threat to Israel. And that American companies got a profitable
access to Iraqi oil.
It needs to be noted that there have been calls both in USA and UK to
haul up these two leaders in a court of law for the crimes committed by
them. Al-Jazeera has highlighted a Citizens’ Campaign in UK to arrest Tony
Blair. The organizers of the campaign have laid down a guide for the
citizens, in this behalf: The method we recommend is calmly to approach Mr
Blair and in a gentle fashion to lay a hand on his shoulder or elbow in such a
way that he cannot have any cause to complain of being hurt or trapped by
you, and announce loudly: ‘Mr Blair, this is a citizens' arrest for a crime
against peace, namely your decision to launch an unprovoked war against
Iraq. I am inviting you to accompany me to a police station to answer the
charge.’ If any police officers are accompanying Mr Blair, you should
explain the charge to them, and encourage them to support you by arresting
him. You are advised not to put yourself at risk of charges of assault or false
imprisonment. In other words, do not cling onto Blair or attempt to drag him
anywhere.

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 According to a recent opinion poll in UK, 53 percent said that the
invasion was wrong, while half of them were of the view that he (Blair)
deliberately misled the people and 23 percent believe that he should be tried
as a war criminal.
Both Bush and Blair appear to have followed in the footsteps of
Hulagu Khan…’ (Inayatullah, TheNation 23rd March)
Israel
Will Israeli settlers receive Obama’s blessing? ‘Those who hoped
that Barack Obama would be arriving in Israel to bang Israeli and
Palestinian heads together, after four years of impasse in the peace process,
will be sorely disappointed. The US president’s trip beginning today may be
historic – the first of his presidency to Israel and the Palestinian territories –
but he has been doing everything possible beforehand to lower expectations.
At the weekend, Arab-American leaders revealed that Obama had
made it clear he would not present a peace plan, because Israel has indicated
it is not interested in an agreement with the Palestinians. Any lingering
doubts about Israel’s intentions were removed by the announcement of a
new cabinet, hurriedly sworn in before the president’s visit. This
government makes Benjamin Netanyahu’s last one, itself widely considered
the most hardline in Israel’s history, look almost moderate.
Ynet, Israel’s popular news website, reported that settler leaders
hailed this as their ‘wet dream’ cabinet. Zahava Gal-On, leader of the
opposition Meretz party, concurred, observing that it would ‘do a lot for the
settlers and not much at all for the rest of Israeli society’.
The settlers’ dedicated party, Jewish Home, has been awarded three
key ministries – trade and industry, Jerusalem, and housing – as well as
control of the parliamentary finance committee, that will ensure that the
settlements flourish during this government’s term.
There is no chance Jewish Home will agree to a settlement freeze
similar to the one Obama insisted on in his first term. Rather, the party will
accelerate both house-building and industrial development over the Green
Line, to make the settlements even more attractive places to live…
The unspoken message of Obama’s visit is that the Netanyahu
government is free to pursue its hardline agenda with little danger of
anything more than symbolic protest from Washington.

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 The new Israeli cabinet lost no time setting out its legislative
priorities. The first bill announced is a ‘basic law’ to change the state’s
official definition, so that its ‘Jewish’ aspects trump the ‘democratic’
elements, a move the Haaretz newspaper termed ‘insane’. Among the main
provisions is one to restrict state funding to new Jewish communities only.
This points to a cynical solution Netanyahu may adopt to placate the
simmering social protest movement in Tel Aviv, which has been demanding
above all more affordable housing.
By freeing up even more cheap land in the West Bank and East
Jerusalem, he can expand the settlements, further eat away at Palestinian
territory, silence the protests, and wrong-foot the opposition. All he needs is
Obama’s blessing.’ (Jonathan Cook for AFP, printed in TheNation 21 st
March)
Obama in ME: Yet again, the tail wags the dog: ‘Palestinians have
long since learned that no matter how low their expectations are of an
American president addressing their historical rights in Palestine, they are
not low enough.
In this instance, Barack Obama began his visit to Israel by laying a
wreath at the grave of Theodore Herzl, the colonial theoretician of the
Zionist experiment in Palestine, visiting the Israel Museum to view the Dead
Sea Scrolls and inspecting Israel’s US-funded Patriot missile system.
All three sojourns were intended to be – and no American official is
prevaricating about the fact – pregnant with obvious symbolism, clear about
the statement they intended to make: Zionism (an ethnic cleansing
movement that the entire population of the twin cities of Lydda and
Ramallah, who were expelled en masse in 1948, will have stories to tell you
about) is a noble endeavour; Jews have an ancestral right to colonize
Palestine, ignoring in this case how many countries, absurdly, would have to
be shuffled and reshuffled if a claim as old as these folks have is to be
redeemed; and that Washington will continue its massive arming of Israel,
thus buying into this entity’s disingenuous argument that more and better
weapons would permit it ‘to take bigger chances for peace’.
And out of the window with that billet-doux that the then newly
elected American president delivered to the Arab people in Cairo in 2008 –
where he pledged that his administration would henceforth show even-
handedness and compassion, not to mention moral probity, in its Middle
East foreign policy.

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 It is obvious that neither were Palestinians holding their breath nor
Arabs stifling their yawns at the prospect of this 48-hour visit that the
American chief executive undertook in the region. President Obama had
already shown his colours. He is no different from any of his predecessors,
whose sundry utterances about their country’s ‘unshakable commitment to
the Jewish people’s security and well-being’ were no mere platitudes, but
earnest pledges, even where these pledges came at the cost of the insecurity
and hellish-being of the Palestinians.
American presidents, from Harry S. Truman to George W Bush, have
come and gone, and nothing changed… Every American president, whether
trolling for Jewish votes or not, has succumbed to the bluster of the Israel
lobby, for we all recall what even Jimmy Carter (yes, even him, the man
who had made human rights the centrepiece of his administration) contritely
had to say when taken to task by the same lobby for his less-than-ardent
support for Tel Aviv: ‘I would rather commit political suicide than harm
Israel.’ And soon after Lyndon Johnson inherited the presidency, following
the assassination of John F. Kennedy, he told the Israeli ambassador that no
other president would do more for Israel. ‘Hey, I’ve got three Cohns in my
cabinet’, boasted the feisty Texan.
As for Israeli leaders themselves, the issue is not whether American
presidents kow-tow to them (that is expected as a norm), but how much
kow-towing should be proffered. Regardless of the excesses they engage in,
or how far they go in embarrassing American officials, and even the
American president himself, they know they are the tail that wags the dog. It
did not faze them, for example, that they humiliated Joe Biden, a very pro-
Israel Vice-President, by announcing a new colonization project in occupied
Jerusalem during his trip to Israel in 2010, or having the American people
watch their president in the Oval Office lectured to (complete with finger-
wagging) by Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to Washington in 2011.
I will bet the family jewellery that this same Netanyahu would have
similarly lectured the American president before the latter left to return
home. The thrust of the lecture would have been this: We will colonize all
we darn well please, wherever we darn well please, and there ain’t nothing
you can do about it! And America’s Commander in Chief will eat humble
pie and take it all on the chin. A sure bet, no?
Now the question, really, is not what Americans, but what Arabs will
do here. It is about time, is it not, that Arabs devise a strategy that will see
them as the only determining force in Palestine’s destiny? That should be

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one of the major challenges facing Arabs in the new order that proceeds
from the Arab Spring, wouldn’t you agree? Surely we are not that helpless,
that dependent a people, are we?’ (Fawaz Turk for Gulf News, reprinted in
TheNation 23rd March)
Israeli idiocracy: ‘So, finally our Prime Minister has apologized to
Turkey for ‘operational mistakes’ that ‘might have’ led to the death of nine
Turks during the attack on MV Mavi Marmara, the ship which tried to break
the Israeli blockade on Gaza. It took him two years and ten months to do so.
Hallelujah.
But the real apology should not have been addressed to the Turks, but
to the Israelis. And not just for the mistakes committed by the soldiers. The
entire affair was an act of pure idiocy, from beginning to end. Right from its
inception.
It is easy to say so with hindsight. But my friends and I pointed to the
stupidity of the action publicly, before it all started.
As we said at the time, the damage inherent in stopping the Turkish
ship was much more serious than the damage – if any – that would have
been caused by letting it sail to its destination.
After all, what is the worst that could have happened? The ship would
have anchored opposite the shore of Gaza, the international activists on
board would have received a tumultuous welcome, Hamas would have
celebrated a small victory, and that’s that. A week later, nobody would have
cared or remembered.
Officially, the blockade was imposed by the Israeli navy for the sole
purpose of preventing arms reaching the Hamas-governed Gaza Strip. If this
had been a serious concern, the Mavi Marmara could have been stopped on
the high seas, searched for arms and released. This was not even considered.
From then on, it became solely a matter of prestige. Of childish
political or personal ego. In short, of idiocy.
In a military action, one never knows what can happen. Things never
proceed as planned. Casualties must be expected. And, as has been said, the
plan itself is the first casualty in any war.
So the plan went awry. Instead of meekly submitting to the attack in
international waters, the Turks had the incredible impudence of attacking the
soldiers with sticks and such. The poor soldiers had no choice but to shoot
them dead.

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 The reasonable thing would have been to apologize immediately to
the victims’ families, pay generous compensation and let the whole affair
simmer down. But no, not we Israelis. Because We Were In The Right. We
always are. It’s in our nature. We can’t help it.
(I remember a driving school of the British army in Palestine. In the
center there stood the remnants of a crashed car with the inscription: ‘But He
Was In The Right!’)
So we mistreated the passengers, stole their cameras and other
belongings, and let them go only after a thorough humiliation. We accused
them of being dangerous terrorists. We came near to demanding indemnities
for our soldiers, who were, after all, the real victims.
The sheer stupidity of all this was illustrated by the fact that Turkey
was our closest ally in the region. The two militaries had established very
close relations. The intelligence services of the two countries were Siamese
twins. We sold them huge amounts of military equipment and services. We
held joint military maneuvers.
Between the two peoples, relations were even more cordial. Every
year, half a million Israelis spent their vacation on the Turkish Riviera. The
Turkish terms for tourists, “everything included”, became a byword in Israel.
The Turkish-Israeli honeymoon started right from the beginning,
when David Ben-Gurion created the “strategy of the periphery” - alliances
with non-Arab countries surrounding the Arab world. Turkey was to play an
important role in it, together with the Shah’s Iran, Ethiopia, Chad and others.
What went wrong? Apologists of the idiocrats assert that relations
would have deteriorated even without the Mavi Marmara. Having been
rebuffed and humiliated by the European Union, Turkey was turning
towards the Arab world. Also, a religious party had taken power from the
secular heirs of the great Ataturk, and especially from the army. But in view
of these developments, would it not have been wise to be even more careful
than before in our dealings with Turkey?
Instead, our Deputy Foreign Minister, one Danny Ayalon, did
something so colossally idiotic that it should be taught in diplomacy school.
He summoned the Turkish ambassador to deliver a rebuke, offered him a
seat markedly lower than his own and publicized the humiliation.
What actually happened was that Ayalon held the meeting in his
Knesset room. In all these rooms - including mine, long ago - there is one
standard chair, and a low sofa. The Turkish diplomat felt quite comfortable

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and did not feel insulted. But when Ayalon asked the journalists in and told
them to notice the humiliation, they published it and caused the Turkish
public to explode in anger.
The text of the apology was already formulated more than two years
ago. The Israeli army begged the government to accept it. But our then
Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, put all his considerable weight on the
scales and vetoed the move. We are a proud nation with a proud army,
consisting of proud soldiers.
Israelis don’t apologize. Ever.
Fearing Lieberman, Binyamin Netanyahu had to be very circumspect.
Lieberman is now a minister-on-hold. He cannot regain his ministerial office
until after - and if - he is acquitted of the bribery charges for which he has
been indicted. But he is still the chief of a party on which Netanyahu has to
depend for parliamentary support.
So an elaborate maneuver had to be enacted. The apology was agreed
upon with the Turks long ago. President Obama’s visit to Israel was to be
the occasion, giving the president the aura of a successful mediator. But the
deal was to be announced only during the very last minutes of the visit.
Why? Simply to allow Netanyahu to pretend that it was all done on
the spur of the moment, in a telephone conversation initiated by Obama.
This being so, he could not possibly have consulted with his cabinet and
with Lieberman, could he?
Childish? Infantile? Indeed.
Only in Israel? I doubt it. I am afraid that in most countries, large and
small, that’s how crucial affairs of state are managed. And not only
nowadays.
It is a frightening thought, and therefore unacceptable to most people.
They like to believe that their fate rests in the hands of responsible leaders
endowed with superior intelligence. Much as they refuse to believe that the
sky is empty, and no almighty Super-Father with unlimited compassion is
waiting there to answer their prayers.
The first historical example of utter incompetence that springs to my
mind is the outbreak of World War I. A group of nationalist Serbs killed the
Austrian heir to the throne. A deplorable incident, but certainly no reason for
a war in which several million human beings perish miserably. But the
nincompoops surrounding the 84-year old emperor in Vienna thought that

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this was an opportunity to win an easy victory, and delivered an ultimatum
to the Serbs. The Russian Czar, surrounded by dukes and archdukes, wanted
to help his fellow Slavs and mobilized his army. They probably did not
know that according to a military plan prepared long in advance, in this case
the German army had to attack and conquer France, before the cumbersome
Russian army could complete its mobilization and reach the German border.
The German Kaiser, a disturbed child who never grew up, acted accordingly.
The British, who never liked to be governed by people who were too clever,
rushed to the aid of poor France. And so it went.
Could all these leaders have been complete fools? Was Europe
governed by an all-pervading idiocracy? Perhaps. But perhaps there were
reasonably intelligent people among them. Is it just that power not only
corrupts, as Lord Acton famously pronounced, but also stupefies (in the
sense of making people stupid)?
In any case, I have known in my life so many normal people who,
upon assuming power, did so many utterly stupid things, that the latter must
be the case.
I wish I had the will-power to resist telling again the classic Jewish
joke about the Turks, which I quoted immediately after the Mavi Marmara
incident.
It’s about the Jewish mother in 19 th century Russia, whose son was
called up to serve in the Czar’s army in the war against Ottoman Turkey.
‘Don’t overdo things’ she entreats him, ‘Kill a Turk and rest. Kill another
Turk and rest again, kill…’ ‘But what if the Turk kills me?’ the boy
interjects.
‘Kill you?’ responds the mother in horrified surprise, ‘But Why?
What have you done to him?!’
Kill a Turk and apologize…’ (Uri Avenery for Counterpunch,
reprinted in TheNation 30th March)

Syria
Syrian crisis halts Persia’s influence: ‘Lately, Iran has made
headline news in a variety of ways. The Jewish entity regards Iran as an
existential threat, the West continues to fret over its nuclear programme, the
Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) bitterly complains about Tehran's
interference in Bahrain and Yemen, and Syrians blame Iranian forces for the

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slaughter of civilians. Yet, there is one piece of news that has only attracted
a cursory mention and that is Iran's influence in the region is waning.
The Levant and Iraq is where Iran's influence is diminishing at a
spectacular speed and eroding its ability to influence regional politics. The
pivot for this transition is Syria. At the beginning of the revolution, Iran
staunchly stood by its ally Assad. Tehran bolstered Syria's economy with
enormous amounts of aid and strengthened Assad's forces with the elite
Iranian commandoes to brutally suppress the uprising. 
On October 1, 2012, The ‘Times’ newspaper reported that Tehran had
given $10 billion to prop up Assad and his floundering regime. The
revelation clearly demonstrates the value Tehran places on supporting
Assad, despite the huge economic toll of international sanctions against the
Iranian people. 
In the summer of 2012, Tehran struggled to keep a lid on its
clandestine military activities in Syria, and eventually the activities of the
Quds Force became so pronounced and widespread that Tehran finally
acknowledged its military operations in the country. 
In September 2012, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander,
Brigadier General Mohammad Ali Jafari, said: ‘A number of Quds Force
members are present in Syria and Lebanon....we provide (these countries)
with counsel and advice, and transfer experience to them.’
As the Syrian jihadists draw near towards surrounding Damascus,
Iran's billions of dollars and military assistance in propping up Assad
appears insignificant – a wasted effort. Amongst Sunni jihadist, Iran has
negligible influence and this is worrying the Iranian leadership, as it
struggles to grapple with the situation. It is faced with a strategic choice
whether to continue to embrace the Alawite faction and their militia, the
Shabiha, after falling from power or to embrace the Sunni jihadists, who
deeply despise the Iranian regime…
Between 2004 to 2008, the Iranian influence and power in Iraq was at
its apex. It evoked King Abdullah to comment on the reach and magnitude
of Iranian power by using the term Shia Crescent, which described Iranian
influence stretching from Damascus to Tehran passing through Baghdad.
The other side of the crescent passes through Bahrain, Eastern Saudi Arabia
and Yemen. Today, the long reach of Iran is facing an existential threat in
Syria, which surely spells the end of the Iranian efforts to create the Shia
crescent and ends its ambitions to dominate the Middle East and its supplies
of hydrocarbons.

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 Nonetheless, Iran is not the only loser in the political reconfiguration
that will ensue in the aftermath of Assad's demise. The real loser is America.
For the past four decades, America has secretly collaborated with Iran in a
desperate bid to create a Shia Crescent that would eventually place oil away
from the hands of Sunni despots into the hands of the Shia autocrats and
mullahs, who, in turn, would be more loyal subjects to America than Sunnis.
This also explains why America has been so reluctant to punish Iran over its
interference in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria, even though Washington has had
ample opportunity to chastise Tehran.
Similarly, America has gone out of it way to assuage Israeli concerns
over Iran's nuclear programme… Hence, America has little choice but to use
Tehran to prop up Assad and hope that its long-term plan of using Iran to
control the hydrocarbons of the Middle East via the Shia crescent remains
intact.’ (Abid Mustafa, TheNation 27th March)
In Syria, the only way out is a political deal: ‘In Syria, even if the
opposition forces manage to ‘remove’ President Bashar al-Assad from the
scene, there is no guarantee that this will end hostilities. The upper-echelons
of Mr Assad’s regime, fearing their persecution, would likely stay on and
fight, prolonging the war and risking the de facto split of the country. Hence,
the paradox of the Syrian conflict is that military gains on the ground are not
necessarily translatable to the political table.
And even if the opposition manages to decisively defeat Assad and his
regime on the battlefield (and that will be nearly impossible without
significant outside help), it is extremely unlikely that the opposition would
be able to restore calm and stability without striking a deal with both the
remnants of the ancient regime and the Alawite community it claims to
represent.
The sectarian nature that the conflict has acquired makes this even
more true. In its early days, the anti-Assad protests did not have a markedly
sectarian quality. But the dynamics on the ground have subsequently shifted,
thanks partly to Assad’s strategy of ‘divide and rule’ that also portrays his
regime as the champion of Syria’s minorities.
Thus, the Syrian opposition cannot be expected to rise to power and
obtain internal stability without integrating Syria’s minorities into the new
political system. In turn, this will require them to shift from armed
confrontation to national reconciliation. To prevent the revolutionary war
from becoming a sectarian war between different ethic and religious groups,
as well as to save the country from breaking up, there needs to be a

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negotiated political transition. The Syrian opposition can use its bayonets to
change the status quo, but in the end, it will not be able to sit on them and
rule – to paraphrase the French diplomat Talleyrand, who navigated through
the tumultuous French Revolution.
As for the international community, it needs to think long and hard
about ‘the day after’ in Syria. It must now use all the political and diplomatic
influence and leverage that it has to urgently push for serious political
negotiations among the players. This is both a humanitarian and a strategic
interest to relieve suffering and increase the chance of post-conflict
reconciliation.
Ideally, this effort would require countries like Russia to give up their
support for Assad and persuade him to step down in exchange for guarantees
that the political transition will be agreed to by all sides once the dictator is
gone.
Countries such as the United States, that support the Syrian opposition
through the Syrian National Coalition, should make clear that any assistance
will be conditional on the opposition refraining from reprisals and
committing to integrate all the different parts of Syrian society into the post-
Assad political system.
Unfortunately, a political, inclusive solution to the Syrian conflict
seems as needed as it is unlikely, causing one to hope that the warring
parties there will be faster learners than in Northern Ireland.’ (Benedetta
Berti for Christian Science Monitor, reprinted in TheNation 6th April)
Muslims
How to write about Muslims: ‘The Western press and social media
often seem to exercise two options for dealing with the Muslim population
of the world: overt, unabashed Islamophobia or slightly subtler
Islamophobia.
As Georgetown University’s John L Esposito writes in the foreword
to Nathan Lean’s The Islamophobia Industry: How the Right Manufactures
Fear of Muslims, 9/11 and other terror attacks ‘have exacerbated the growth
of Islamophobia exponentially’ and resulted in a situation in which ‘Islam
and the Middle East often dominate the negative headlines’, thanks in part to
the calculated machinations of ‘a number of journalists and scholars’.
Needless to say, the aftermath of 9/11 did not yield much thoughtful
consideration on the part of the mainstream punditry as to the context for

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such events. According to one prominent narrative, 9/11 was simply
evidence of an inherent and unfounded Muslim hatred of the West. 
A notable exception was veteran British journalist Robert Fisk. In an
article published in The Nation immediately following the attacks, Fisk
issued the following prescient warning: ‘[T]his is not really the war of
democracy versus terror that the world will be asked to believe in the
coming days. It is also about US missiles smashing into Palestinian homes
and US helicopters firing missiles into a Lebanese ambulance in 1996 and
American shells crashing into a village called Qana and about a Lebanese
militia – paid and uniformed by America’s Israeli ally – hacking and raping
and murdering their way through refugee camps.’
The sale of the ‘war on terror’, Fisk stressed, depended on the
obscuration of all details regarding past and continuing devastation of Arab
lands and lives – including US State Department-applauded sanctions that
eliminated half a million children in Iraq – ‘lest they provide the smallest
fractional reason for the mass savagery on September 11’. 
Outlets such as Fox News took advantage of the opportunity to impute
mass savagery to select Arab populations via de-contextualized post-9/11
headlines like, ‘Arafat Horrified by Attacks, but Thousands of Palestinians
Celebrate; Rest of World Outraged’. 
The demonization of Muslims by certified sociopaths such as Pamela
Geller comes, of course, as no surprise. However, the subtler dissemination
of similar sentiments in Western mainstream discourse underscores the
fundamental utility of the sociopathic sector in making institutionalized
prejudice appear more rationally benign.
For example, according to Dr Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed, executive
director of the Institute for Policy Research and Development in the UK: ‘[a]
study commissioned by the Greater London Authority of 352 articles over a
randomly selected one week period in 2007, found that 91 per cent of
articles about Muslims were negative.’
As it turns out, a little journalistic trick called ‘the invention of
information’ may come in handy in the proliferation of negativity… In the
end, media characterizations of Muslims kill two birds with one stone,
justifying oppression at home and imperial devastation abroad.’ (Belen
Fernandez for Aljazeera, reprinted in TheNation 3rd April)

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REVIEW
Over the decade since invasion and occupation of Iraq by the
Crusaders, the analysts have been observing its anniversary by writing
articles about the human tragedy caused by the ‘civilized holy warriors’; the
kind of which even the Devil would be ashamed. They criticize the Bush-
Blair war on Iraq but avoid speaking the plain truth.
They generally condemn them for invading Iraq on a pretext that was
based on lies. By consuming page after a page to harp about the Bush lies
they reveal no secret to make the world better informed than it already is.
The readers avoid reading their discourses that begin with familiar lines
about ‘lies’.
Their reviews culminate in listing the miscalculations of Bush-Blair
duo, which spoiling of peace and harmony of the country and pushing it into
perpetual turmoil. The wording of conclusions betrays their intellectual
dishonesty. They lack the courage to say that this was exactly the sinister
aim of the West – to destabilize the region and ensure that it keeps bleeding
perpetually.
Today the ‘civilized world’ is bent upon repeating the same ‘lies’,
‘mistakes’ and ‘miscalculations’ in Syria, which it told or committed ten
years ago at the time of Iraq war. The only difference is that it is avoiding
‘direct’ military involvement so that the blood spilled – no matter by which
warring side –belongs to Muslims.
In history, the Muslim Ummah has never been as leaderless as it has
been since the middle of the last century. For the last six decades or more,
Muslims have been ruled by bunch of cowards and idiots, who shivered out
of fear of Americans and their western allies.
The have been devoid of any ideas of their own; subserviently treading
the path shown by the Western rulers, whom they had accepted as their
masters, but for the Muslim masses they have been ruthless rulers. They
trusted whatever pleasant words their foreign masters uttered just to keep
their faithfulness in place, while ignoring all that the West did to the
contrary. Unfortunately, the intellectuals fared no better than the rulers
The solution to the sufferings of Muslim masses lies in ‘rescuing’ their
rulers from the shackles of the West. The first step in this context should be
a mass movement for getting out of the trap called organization of United
Nations and for strengthening the organization of Islamic State.

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 They must become self-reliant; politically, economically and militarily.
To this end, they must be prepared to face the hardships which may not be as
many as apprehended. Those hardships won’t be more humiliating and
disgraceful than the treatment that has been meted out to them for the last six
decades.
But, this is a dream without any prospects of its realization in
foreseeable future. Muslim rulers will remain cognizant of the ‘ground
realities’ and continue preferring subservience of their foreign masters. It is
because of this that even Turks feel satisfied over an ‘apology’.
Turkish rulers know it well that this apology has been ‘rendered’ so that
the two allies close their ranks to tackle Syrian crises. It is a mere pretension
to satisfy the ego of Turks that was hurt about two years ago. The world
knows that the word ‘apology’ is not in the dictionary of self-righteous
Zionist regime in Israel.
Uri Avnery, a Jewish intellectual elaborated this in his article
reproduced above. He concluded his article writing: ‘I wish I had the will-
power to resist telling again the classic Jewish joke about the Turks, which I
quoted immediately after the Mavi Marmara incident.
It’s about the Jewish mother in 19th century Russia, whose son was
called up to serve in the Czar’s army in the war against Ottoman Turkey.
‘Don’t overdo things’ she entreats him, ‘Kill a Turk and rest. Kill another
Turk and rest again, kill…’ ‘But what if the Turk kills me?’ the boy
interjects.
‘Kill you?’ responds the mother in horrified surprise, ‘But Why? What
have you done to him?!’
Kill a Turk and apologize…’
Turks are the best of the lot; otherwise there are many Muslim rulers
who do not seek an apology for massacre of their people as it does not
‘bother’ them. Therefore, Muslims will continue harvesting the bitter fruits
of various kinds of ‘springs’ from Myanmar to Mali. Their women would be
abducted and raped, even those involved in humanitarian pursuits, like those
in Benghazi.
7th April, 2013

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 ELEPHANTS OF PORIS
Soon after the completion of the process of forming caretaking
governments at the Centre and provinces, the electoral process began with
filing of nomination papers by the candidates aspiring to become lawmakers.
During this the differences, brawls and defections over party-tickets took
place in all the three major political parties; the PPP, the PML-N and the
PTI.
The ECP and the Supreme Court launched convergent pincers against
fake degrees and double citizenship holders and against those not believing
in the Islamic ideology. During interviews with the candidates, the
Returning Officers asked certain questions which were not liked by the
politicians. Altaf Hussain retaliated by asking Fakhru Bhai to appear on TV
and recite Namaz Janazah.
But, both the CEC and CJP, shied away from catching the big fish –
the plunderers of public money – perhaps, being conscious of the fragility of
their fishing nets. The Chief Justice, however, surprised many by fixing the
hearing of a petition against Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution.

NEWS
Power politics: On 25th March, President Zardari administered the
oath to Mir Hazar Khan Khoso at a special ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadr.
He became the sixth caretaker PM to hold free and fair elections. Later, the
caretaker PM was introduced to the officers and staff of the PM House.
Meanwhile, the ECP swapped the positions of provincial election
commissioners of Sindh and Punjab.
The Sindh High Court issued notices to the ECP, the federation and
the attorney general on separate petitions filed by PPP and MQM against
delimitations in Karachi. MQM Deputy Convener Farooq Sattar, in its
petition, called the delimitations illegal, unconstitutional and a deep
conspiracy. Earlier, PPP also moved the SHC, challenging delimitation of
constituencies in the Karachi city. The delimitations were not only against
the order of the Supreme Court but also against the law, PPP said in its
petition.
The election commission allotted the 'arrow' symbol to the Pakistan
People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), the major faction of PPP brand,
after its members had clumsy clashes with members of two other smaller

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groups. The ECP however withheld the decision over the very name of
Pakistan People's Party as Ghinwa Bhutto and Naheed Khan also demanded
registering their groups with this name.
Ghinwa Bhutto, chairperson of the Pakistan People's Party-Shaheed
Bhutto (PPP-SB), had requested the ECP to register her party as the PPP and
for the allotment of 'sword' as the election symbol for her party. On the other
hand, estranged People's Party leaders Naheed Khan and her husband Safdar
Abbasi had also filed a request for the registration of a new party called the
PPP and had also requested for 'arrow' as the election symbol.
The frontrunner in Pakistan’s election race, opposition leader Nawaz
Sharif, kicked off his party’s election campaign from Mansehra, attracting
tens of thousands to a rally at which he promised development and economic
success. ‘Last time we carried out nuclear explosions. Now we will carry out
economic explosion’, he told the crowd.
The Supreme Court was moved for registration of a treason case
against former president Pervez Musharraf and putting him on the exit
control list (ECL). Maulana Abdul Aziz, the chief cleric of Lal Masjid,
where an operation in July 2007 killed several innocent people and students,
filed the petition.
Ansar Abbasi reported that the ECP has adopted a hands-off policy in
regard to the 173 MPs/ex-MPs, who in violation of the Supreme Court order
and in disregard to the ECP’s repeated directions have not got their degrees
verified. Two members of the Commission had said that they could not even
stop a person with fake degree unless the court stops him. They said that
their hands were tied, and as per the Supreme Court’s order, the Commission
could only refer the case of fake degree holder to the respective session
judge
Next day, PML-N finally agreed to the name of senior journalist
Najam Sethi for the slot of Punjab caretaker chief minister. The
parliamentary committee had announced that it had failed to agree to one
name and that now the matter would go to the ECP for decision. Nawaz
Sharif intervened into the matter and approved the name of Sethi, host of TV
current affairs programme ‘Aapas ki Baat’.
The ECP banned postings and transfers of all government officials
across the country. According to a notification issued by the electoral body,
the president, caretaker prime minister, chairman, deputy chairman Senate,
federal ministers, ministers of state, governors, chief ministers, provincial
ministers and advisor to the prime minister and the chief ministers and other

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public office-bearers, after the issuance of elections’ schedule, will not visit
the area of any constituency. Legal action will be taken against all violators,
the ECP stated.
The ECP informed the Supreme Court a plan has been devised to
place details about the nomination papers of all the candidates for the
upcoming general elections on the commission’s official website. Election
commission Secretary was responding to an observation of a three-judge
bench that it was the right of the voters to know the personal details that
their candidates had furnished along with their nomination papers. The apex
court bench was conducting a hearing regarding the implementation of its
directions for initiating an action against the candidates who submitted
bogus degrees at the time of filing the nomination papers to contest the
general elections in 2008.
The court directed the registrars of the high courts to gather the details
of the pending criminal cases before the district and sessions judges against
the fake degree holders, and submit a report within two days. It also directed
the Inter Board Committee Chairman, HEC, and the Wifaqul Madras to
speed up probe into the matter. The court instructed the ECP to collect the
information from the police about the fate of the pending criminal
proceedings against the fake degree holders.
The court asked Jamshaid Dasti to come when his petition against the
earlier decision of the court would be heard. Dasti had informed the court
that he was being victimized after he announced to contest elections as an
independent candidate after resigning from the PPP against former foreign
minister Hina Rabbani Khar. The case was adjourned till 28th of March.
Addressing a press conference that was actually held to announce seat
adjustment with Nawab of Bahawalpur Salahuddin Abbasi who was also
present there, Imran asserted that he would not take oath from President
Zardari if voted as the prime minister, claiming that Zardari was a creation
of NRO which was unconstitutional and the Constitution did not allow him
to take oath from a person of a criminal background. He also said that PTI
and Bahawalpur Awami National Party (BANP) led by Nawab of
Bahawalpur Salahuddin Abbasi had agreed to forge electoral alliance as both
the parties were opposed to the status-quo and no one could raise finger at
the leadership of both parties.
Former MNA from NA-21 Mansehra Nawabzada Salahuddin Saeed
called on Chief Imran Khan and announced to join the PTI along with
thousands of followers. He expressed full confidence in the policies and

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ideology of PTI. Welcoming Nawabzada Salahuddin, Imran Khan said that
the joining of people like Salahuddin Saeed would greatly support the cause
of public service adopted by the PTI.
Following a news story published in an Indian newspaper about
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s departure for Dubai allegedly after a spat with his
father, the PPP has rejected the reports as malicious campaign orchestrated
to damage the party ahead of elections. Though Bilawal has security
concerns, but he would definitely return back and lead party’s election
campaign, PPP’s spokesperson Qamar Zaman Kaira said.
Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) President and former
chief minister Sardar Akhtar Mengal made a formal announcement to take
part in the elections to be held on May 11 this year. Mengal, after ending his
self-imposed exile, returned and chaired a meeting of the party’s central
executive committee which discussed the situation of the province and the
upcoming elections. After lengthy deliberations which continued for about
10 hours, the party came up with the decision to take part in the elections.
On 27th March, the Supreme Court directed the ECP to remove all
bottlenecks and ensure that overseas Pakistanis vote in the forthcoming
elections. The ECP had taken the stance that their focusing on right of vote
to overseas Pakistanis at this stage, when only 45 days are left for the
general elections, could jeopardize the whole polls process. But the court
ordered the commission to hold meetings with the Foreign Office, Nadra and
IT Ministry to overcome the difficulties and submit report on March 29.
Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Najam Sethi, immediately after
taking oath of his office at the governor’s house, warned bureaucracy against
corruption and inefficiency. ‘I have a message for the Punjab administration
that no officer would take undue advantage of his official position, nor
would he let anyone else do this’, he said, while talking to media people
after the oath-taking ceremony.
He made it clear that he would not tolerate corruption, favouritism and
inefficiency in any case. ‘If I receive any complaint against any officer, I
won’t spare him’, he warned. Najam also told reporters about the intended
reshuffle in the Punjab bureaucracy within a week, adding it was essential
for fair conduct of elections. Sethi said he would hold a meeting with the
chief election commissioner and fully implement his instructions.
Replying to a question about the caretaker cabinet, Najam Sethi said it
would be small and have no political figures. He said the existing policies
were a sacred trust and would only be reviewed by the elected

155
representatives. He warned that stern action would be taken against those
trying to take undue advantage by using his name. Answering another
question, he said his sparrow was still free and anyone could catch it if he
tried.
Next day, Chief Election Commissioner called upon Baloch
nationalist leaders to participate in the general elections for bringing change
through ballot. He made the call at a meeting in Quetta with leaders of
different political and religious parties who apprised him about their
reservations and demands in connection with the forthcoming polls.
The leaders expressed their reservations over security and other issues
and presented their recommendations for making the general elections a
success in the restive province. The chief election commissioner assured
them that all efforts would be made to address their issues. He said that the
key purpose of his visit was to hear to them and address their problems. He
urged all the political parties and groups to take active part in the general
elections, saying that future of Pakistan was linked with fair and transparent
elections.
The ECP revised the election schedule by extending the submission of
nomination papers date to March 31. According to the revised schedule, the
scrutiny of nomination papers of the candidates will be carried out from
April 1 to 7, while the appeals can be filed against the candidates from April
8 to 10 and will be processed from April 11 to 16. The election date remains
May 11.
The Supreme Court issued notices to 20 parliamentarians, who had
resigned from the national/provincial assemblies and senate for holding dual
nationality, to explain why they should not be declared ineligible under
Article 63(1)(c) for forthcoming elections. Chief Justice asked the ECP why
it had not initiated proceedings against them as they gave false declaration
and concealed the fact of holding dual nationality in their nomination papers
for elections.
ECP representative Abdul Rehman told the bench that they have sent
the list of these MPs to Returning Officers so they could inquire from these
persons for the violation of Article 63(1)(c). The court directed the Election
Commission to furnish complete addresses of these MPs to SC Registrar
Office and issued them notice. The case was adjourned until April 1.
In another case, the Supreme Court directed the IGPs to take action
against all policemen who failed to submit challans in those cases sent by
the ECP against the parliamentarians holding fake degrees. The bench also

156
directed the registrars of the high courts to place the names of sessions
judges before the respective chief justices so that appropriate order could be
issued against them for not disposing of the cases expeditiously. The bench
ordered the HC registrars and the IGPs to send report to the ECP before 4 th
April.
The court turned down Jamshaid Dasti’s request that direction be
issued to the ECP for not proceeding against him. However, the court
directed the Sessions Judge Muzaffargarh to decide his case before 4 th April
2013. The chief justice asked Jamshed Dasti to demonstrate his qualification
to contest polls in the forthcoming elections. The case was adjourned till
April 4.
Caretaker Prime Minister held important consultations with political
stakeholders before choosing his cabinet. The nomination list of caretaker
ministers recommended by country's key political parties was received by
the office of the premier. Constitutionally, the formation of caretaker cabinet
is the discretion of the prime minister but political circles in the capital say
all stakeholders, including the former PPP-led coalition government and the
PML-N as well as the military, were being taken into confidence on this
matter.
European Union Ambassador to Pakistan said that the EU had
provided an assistance of 10 million Euros to Pakistan for elections and
would be sending 110 observers for the general elections. Ambassador
Gunnar Wigemark said holding of elections was a welcome development
and would strengthen democracy.
On 29th March, the Supreme Court ordered for evolving a foolproof
mechanism until April 1 for granting right to vote to overseas Pakistanis,
warning that relevant officers will be sent packing if this is not done. The
chief justice said a GHQ team could be asked to develop an e-voting
software through the defence secretary. He also remarked that Nadra chief
should quit if he fails to provide voting facility to Pakistanis abroad.
Pervez Musharraf was barred from leaving the country by Sindh High
Court where an angry lawyer hurled a shoe at him. A single member bench
of the SHC, however, accepted his request for extension of bail for 15 days
in a series of cases, which was granted before he arrived back in the country.
The pre-arrest bail serves to prevent his arrest for past charges. Angry scenes
were witnessed and people, including groups of lawyers, shouted slogans
against him.

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 Gearing up his efforts to participate in general elections with
maximum number of candidates, Musharraf contacted a number of people in
Punjab to convince them to contest election under the banner of his party All
Pakistan Muslim League (APML). Contrary to the fact that major political
parties in the country are accepting huge amounts from candidates for the
party’s funds in reward of issuing tickets, the APML has offered some
candidates a large amount of money to run the election campaign only with
the condition of contesting polls on the APML’s ticket. 
Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Najam Sethi said that directions of
the ECP would be implemented in letter and spirit. To a question, he said
that US had played no role in his appointment as the caretaker CM and he
never held one-on-one meeting with US envoy Richard Olson. The CM said
that in past when the governments’ of Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto
were dismissed, allegations were hurled against him of making 'conspiracy'
against them.
Sardar Assef Ahmed Ali has decided to contest elections as an
independent candidate after the party awarded ticket from the Kasur
constituency to another stalwart Khurshid Kasuri. Speaking to the media, the
PTI leader said that Imran Khan did not fulfill his promise of giving him the
ticket from Kasur.
Next day, The ECP asked relevant departments of the federal
government and private utility organizations to provide the list of utility bills
defaulter politicians, to stop them from contesting the general elections. The
commission on also directed all Returning Officers to disqualify candidates
displaying lethal weapons and carrying out aerial firing while submitting the
nomination papers. The officials have been asked to ensure complete
compliance to the elections Code of Conduct.
Cyber attack on the website of the Election Commission of Pakistan
was foiled, but the website itself has been shutdown deliberately to avoid
further attacks. IT Director General said Asian and Russian hackers
launched attacks on the website but these were foiled, adding all the data of
the Election Commission, posted on the website, is safe.
Former independent MPA Sardar Ali from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was
sentenced to three-year imprisonment and fined Rs 5,000 by a local court for
giving false information about his BA degree. On January 21, the Election
Commission officials had got a case registered against him in tehsil Chhota
Lahore police station under sections 78 (3-B), 82 and 94 of Representation

158
of People Act 1976 and sections 199, 200 and 471 of PPC on the charge of
contesting election on the basis of a fake academic credential.
The MQM approached the United Nations with the request that the
world body play a role to ensure free and fair elections in Pakistan. MQM’s
US Chapter central organizer Junaid Fahmi submitted to the UN a
memorandum against the Election Commission’s decision for delimitation
of some constituencies in Karachi. It’s a move to steal the MQM’s mandate,
the memorandum said.
Dr Fauzia Siddiqui, sister of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, filed nomination
papers for NA-250 to contest polls against former president Pervez
Musharraf. Talking to media, Dr Fauzia said by challenging dictator
Musharraf she is reviving the tradition of Madar-i-Millat. She said Fatima
Jinnah had boldly contested polls against Gen Ayub.
In compliance with the directives of the superior judiciary, the FIA
swung into action and proceeded to stop former president General (r) Pervez
Musharraf from leaving the country. The FIA Headquarters has asked its
immigration staff deputed at all the airports of the country that former
military ruler Pervez Musharraf cannot leave the country until any further
order of the courts in this connection.
An 18-member caretaker cabinet of the Sindh province was sworn in
which is largely dominated by industrialists and agriculturists having close
links with two former coalition partners – the PPP and the MQM. Governor
Dr Ishratul Ebad administered the oath to 16 ministers and two advisors in a
ceremony which would be considered neutral.
Asif Ali Zardari embarked on a two-day visit to Dubai amidst reports
that the trip was aimed at persuading his son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, to
return to the country and lead the Pakistan People’s Party’s election
campaign. Bilawal had left over a week ago after a tiff with his father over
affairs of PPP, which the party denied. Many in the PPP believe the son of
the late Benazir Bhutto alone can mobilize voters in favour of PPP.
On 31st March, JUI-F staged a show of political force, the first of its
kind by the religious party in Lahore where it has no significant ground
presence. Addressing the participants, Fazlur Rehman claimed that only his
party can rid the poor of the slavery of the elite, end power shortages, uphold
the Islamic identity of Pakistan, protect its sovereignty and serve the very
purpose of its creation.

159
 Overall, the JUI-F leaders who spoke on the occasion displayed a
particularly soft corner for Nawaz Sharif, but they breathed fire at Imran
Khan. Criticizing Imran Khan, the speakers said his party’s culture was
based on ‘dances and vulgarity’. They said Islamic system would not be
enforced by the PTI even if it got an opportunity to come to power. The
Islamic system, they said, would be enforced only by the JUI-F.
Fazlur Rehman in his speech also claimed that Pakistan does not need
to import gas from Iran or Tajikistan, as the country has sufficient gas
reserves to meet the energy needs for 20 to 25 years. In his opinion, to
exploit these resources the country needed proper management. He is the
second important political figure who opposed the $1.5 billion Pak-Iran gas
pipeline. Two weeks ago, Nawaz Sharif called it a ‘drama’.
Imran Khan vowed to establish peace in KPK and the tribal region,
besides introducing reforms in the education, health and police system.
Addressing an impressive rally in Swat, Imran Khan said that he had made
all his dreams come true and that his next dream is to get Pakistan Tehreek-
e-Insaaf a sweeping win the upcoming elections, which would also be
fulfilled soon.
A bomb attack claimed by the Taliban near an ANP election rally in
Bannu killed two people and injured six others, including a candidate. The
roadside bomb exploded in Bannu where Adnan Wazir, a former legislator
from the ANP, was heading a convoy of dozens of vehicles to address the
rally in Wali Noor area.
PPP’s efforts to convince Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to return to country
and kick start the election campaign on the death anniversary of party’s
founder chairman Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on April 4 have so far failed to bear
the fruit. Apart from President Zardari, several key PPP leaders were now in
Dubai to prevail upon Bilawal to capitalize on April 4 which many PPP
leaders believed would have a greater impact on party’s election campaign.
Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Syed Munawwar Hassan said that the journey
of change is unstoppable and the old oppression-based political system of
the country is taking last breathes. Addressing a Youth Convention, he said
the Pakistani youth have put their weight for bringing a revolutionary change
in the country and no one could dare giving support to the dying obsolete
political system. He said the wave of change is sweeping whole Muslim
Ummah and Pakistani people have also awakened to greet the coming
revolution.

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 Next day, the Supreme Court said that lawmakers holding fake
degrees could face criminal cases and it gave 189 ex-lawmakers time until
April 5 to submit their educational certificates for verification. Chief Justice
asked the ECP to inform the Returning Officers where these
parliamentarians have filed nominations for elections 2013, so they could be
disqualified in case of non-compliance.
The court took up the case after the HEC wrote to the apex court that
degrees of 54 former parliamentarians have been found to be forged while
189 MPs degrees were yet to be verified. ECP Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed told
the court that by now the number of cases of confirmed fake degrees of
former parliamentarians has risen to 69. He said they have already filed
references against 13 persons, 21 cases have been referred for registration of
FIRs, 27 cases stand closed while eight cases are under process at the
commission.
The court said the ECP in respect of 27 former parliamentarians,
whose cases have been closed, could draw inference that they gave wrong
declarations at the time of submitting nomination papers for Elections 2008
in view of Article 62 and 63; therefore, the commission could initiate
criminal proceeding against them.
The chief justice said that once a candidate submits a declaration that
he or she is qualified under Article 62 and that he or she faces no
disqualification under Article 63 of constitution and later on it is proved that
the person concerned had given a false declaration then he or she stands
disqualified for future elections even if the person in question had resigned
from his legislative post.
The CJ added that the ECP can de-notify such persons and can also
proceed against them. The chief justice went on to say, ‘There should be
ruthless scrutiny of candidates’ papers, as each candidate is going to
represent more than 50,000 voters. We need true representatives.’ Though an
illiterate person can contest the election now but one who deceived the
authorities through false statement would become ineligible for the
forthcoming general elections as the parliamentarians are to decide the fate
of the country, he added.
Counsel for Chaudhry Nisar of PML-N, Akram Sheikh argued before
the bench that his client has done O-Level and A-Level from Cambridge
University and he has provided the documents to the HEC. Justice Azmat
Saeed remarked that when according to him his client ‘passed’ Cambridge

161
exams there was no O-Level or A-Level. The case was adjourned until April
8, 2013.
The Supreme Court refused to delete the names of former
Parliamentarians holding dual nationality from disqualified members list and
directed them to resort to respective forum. Wasim Sajjad and some other
lawyers appeared in the court on behalf of petitioner Mehmood Akhtar
Naqvi and some other former law makers. The dual nationality holding
former Parliamentarians from MQM were not present in the court nor any
counsel represented them.
Petitioner Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi said that dual nationality holders
were not entitled to contest elections under Article 62 and 63 of the
Constitution. Four former Parliamentarians including Sabin Rizvi, Araish
Kumar, Arif Aziz and Donia Aziz admitted before the court that they hold
dual citizenship and they filed their replies. The court issued notices to
former 11 members of Parliament for appearing before the court and
adjourned the hearing till April 11.
MQM conveyed the vision of prosperous Pakistan under the slogan of
Ba-Ikhtiar Awam (empowered people). Farooq Sattar expressed these views
while declaring the party manifesto with 14-point agenda during a press
conference at Lal Qila Ground. He stated that party was working for
empowering the poor people at grass root level and keeping in view of this
objective the MQM is giving the slogan of ‘Empowered People’ for its
manifesto drawn for Elections 2013.
MQM has focused on social, economic and individual growth while
the manifesto with 14 points agenda, includes education, health, economy,
urban development, agriculture, governance, terrorism, rights of women and
minority, energy, local bodies system, youth, overseas Pakistanis, and
welfare state.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the chairman of the PPP, agreed to return to
Pakistan after a long meeting with his father President Zardari in Dubai.
Reportedly, he had left the country after developing differences with his
father and aunt, Faryal Talpur, over the issue of awarding party tickets.
A four-member caretaker cabinet of Punjab took oath at a ceremony
held at Darbar Hall of the Governor’s House Lahore. Punjab Governor
administered the oath to Tariq Pervaiz, former IGP, Saleema Hashmi,
daughter of legendary poet Faiza Ahmad, Shams Mehmood Mirza, a noted
lawyer and Arif Ejaz, an industrialist. Erric Massey was also supposed to
take oath but, according to officials, he was not in the city.

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 On 2nd April, a 14-member caretaker federal cabinet, including a
woman minister, consisting of apolitical people, was sworn in, which
completed the constitutional process for free, fair and transparent elections
in the country. Dr Mushtaq Khan from Sindh who was supposed to take oath
as 15th caretaker minister, was not included in the ceremony.
The ECP ordered reshuffling the federal and provincial secretaries
across the country ahead of the general elections. The preemptive decision
was taken to avert the misuse of state machinery for fair general elections. A
notification issued by the ECP said that all federal and provincial secretaries
need to be transferred barring such cases where the caretaker government
considers a federal or provincial secretary needs not to be transferred.
However, it said, all such cases need to be intimated to the Election
Commission. 
In another development, the Election Commission appears to have
swept under the carpet its high-sounding drive against the politicians
involved in the tax evasion of billions of rupees as the electoral body has
declined the FBR’s request to make crucial changes in the software designed
to net tax dodgers. The said request was made to the ECP in a letter by
Director Intelligence and Investigation Inland Revenue to Additional
Secretary ECP Afzal Khan. In his reply dated March 24, Afzal Khan termed
it ‘inappropriate to change software at this stage’.
Requesting anonymity, an FBR official said FBR, Nadra and ECP had
decided earlier last month when the mechanism to net the tax evaders was
formulated that the addresses of tax defaulter politicians would be provided
in the prescribed proformas. Later the ECP not only overlooked this crucial
proposal but also declined the FBR’s requests in this regard. Reacting to this
development, former ECP secretary Kanwar Dilshad came down hard on the
electoral body.
The intelligence agencies played the role of silent spectators when the
PPP-led coalition was destroying all state institutions one by one. People
from all walks cried hoarse that the rulers were like a bull in china shop, but
the institutions which are supposed to be watchful all the time kept mum.
Now while the previous rulers are preparing for the next elections and
claiming that they will be back to power, one of these agencies has prepared
a report on their bad performance, detailing the damage they caused and
problems they created for the country and its people.
The report, prepared for the caretaker prime minister, says the
outgoing setup raised the burden of foreign loans to $70 billion. It also

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alleged that most of the office bearers of the previous government were
involved in corruption and money laundering. It says articles 62 and 63
should be strictly applied to all those involved in corruption cases. The
secret agencies and NAB will provide details of all corruption cases to the
Election Commission to enable it to keep such people out of the electoral
arena.
Chief Justice observed that the deployment of judicial officers in the
election process was in the best national interest. He, in a letter addressed to
the District and Sessions Judges, Additional District and Sessions Judges
and Senior Civil Judges/Civil Judges, who have been appointed as District
Returning Officers, Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers,
said that it was their moral and legal duty to prove their worth and credibility
by conducting elections in a free, fair and transparent manner.
The Chief Justice, in his letter, further asked the officers that due to
his preoccupation in the judicial work, it would not be possible for him to
reach each and every judicial officer engaged in the election process, so he
was sending a letter with a pledge that all must strive together to strengthen
the democratic order and enrich the judicial norms.
Waqar Gilani, the PML-N ticket-holder from Punjab Assembly
constituency PP-110 Lahore, has withdrawn his nomination to contest
general elections in favour of PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi. Talking to media
persons, Moonis Elahi said voters would vote him to victory for starting
Rescue 1122 and developing Lahore Ring Road as well as setting up
universities in Punjab.
The MQM candidate from NA-95 (Gujranwala) was arrested by the
police on the order of a returning officer over the suspicion of being under
the influence of alcohol or drugs during scrutiny of his nomination papers.
The medical samples have been sent to Lahore for analysis. However, the
MQM candidate said that he was ill.
As many as four fake degree holders were imprisoned by lower courts
in line with the orders of the Supreme Court, while arrest warrants were
issued against two others. A special team of the Police raided the house
PML-N MNA Mudassar Qayyum Nahra in Gujranwala to arrest him in a
case of fake degree, but he managed to escape.
Next day, the decision to include the ‘none of the above’ option in
ballot papers was made at a meeting of the ECP chaired by Chief Election
Commissioner. A blank slot will be included in ballots along with the names
of candidates in every constituency, ECP officials told the media. If 51 per

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cent of voters of any constituency opt for the blank slot, a re-election will be
held there.
The commission said that the president has two weeks to approve this
motion. Last month the election commission exercised its authority in the
light of Article 218 (3) to have the amended nomination papers for the
general elections printed without seeking approval from the president, but
the electoral body now says it requires a Presidential Ordinance for the
inclusion of the column in the ballot papers.
The meeting chaired by the Chief Election Commissioner also
discussed proposals for monitoring of sensitive polling stations through
satellite surveillance with the help of SUPARCO and maintaining
computerized record of sensitive polling stations with technical assistance
from Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and Ministry of Information
Technology.
In another move, the election commission has summoned the 24 fake
degree holding ex-lawmakers it had once cleared despite their degrees been
declared as bogus by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), of the total
54. The commission has also asked 189 former parliamentarians holding
unverified degrees to have their educational certificates verified in two days.
The ECP suggested a ‘code of ethics’ for media for the coverage of
the general elections. The code of ethics is prepared following creation of a
Media Accountability Commission by the Supreme Court that gave its
recommendations to the ECP. The code is prepared in the wake of severe
and categorical criticism the ECP faces in media due to its apparent
negligence and inability to deal with several key electoral issues.
It appears to have raised the question whether the ECP would attempt
to ‘deter’ the media on the eve of and during the general elections by
introducing and applying seemingly unnecessary rules that are already being
followed in a large section of mainstream Pakistani media, while the
electoral body receives commendation and condemnation from journalists,
politicians and civil society depending on the kind of decisions it takes on
given pretexts.
PTI Women Wing Peshawar President Farzana Zain resigned from
party basic membership and announced joining PML-N along with friends
and family members. The announcement she made during a news
conference. She said that Imran Khan had merely raised a slogan for
provision of justice to poor masses, and eradication of corruption, but didn’t
take even a practical step in this regard at party level.

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 Raja Pervez may not contest the polls, as the Islamabad High Court
suspected him being not 'sagacious, righteous, honest and ameen' in a
contract-awarding case. The one-judge bench issued detailed judgment in a
contract-awarding case related to a development scheme worth Rs3.5 billion
in Gujjar Khan. The ruling termed the contract awarded to the NLC as
unconstitutional, illegal and violation of Public Procurement Regulatory
Authority Rules 2004.
On 4th April, two more of the former MPs were sent to jail over fake
degrees. The ‘men of the day’ were all-popular Jamshed Dasti of
Muzaffargarh, sentenced to three years in jail, and ANP’s Syed Aqil Shah of
Peshawar, sentenced to a year and a Rs3,000 fine. After the judgment, Dasti
was seen crying, something the people of Pakistan have long been doing
owing to the deeds of manipulators like him in the assemblies. Cry they all
should now.
Thursday was a long day for several former parliamentarians as
different local courts across the country took the cheaters to task. PML-N
ex-MNA Syed Salman Mohsin Gilani of Pakpattan and Malik Muhammad
Iqbal Langrial, ex-MPA from Sahiwal, were declared proclaimed offenders.
A non-bailable arrest warrant was issued for former PML-N MPA Mir
Badhshah Qaisrani of Dera Ghazi Khan. Local courts reserved verdicts in
fake degree cases against PPP’s former Balochistan minister Ali Madad
Jatak and Javaid Hasnain Shah.
There was also a bad news for former PML-Q federal minister Shaikh
Waqas Akram, in whose defence the outgoing National Assembly even went
to the extent of passing a resolution condemning a journalist who had
questioned his degree. The Cambridge University has declared the A-Levels
certificate submitted by Shaikh as fake. The former MNA had recently quit
the PML-Q along with 25 local leaders and joined PML-N.
The NAB informed the ECP that former Punjab chief minister
Shahbaz Sharif is a bank defaulter and has to pay around four billion rupees.
in connection with Hudabia Paper Mills. Similarly, the Bureau has also
informed the Commission that election contestants – Zafar Baig Betini,
Mohammad Makhdoom Gilani and Sardar Abdur Rehman Khetran – are
bank defaulters. Spokesman of the PML-N said information given by NAB
to ECP was misleading and based on mala fide intention.
The ECP nominated 22 judges of the High Courts to head tribunals for
disposal of appeals against the decisions of Returning Officers on the
nomination papers for general elections. The scrutiny of the nomination

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papers of the candidates for the general elections would be completed by
coming 7th April, following which, the electoral candidates would be given
three days to file appeals in the election tribunals, to be headed by the HCs
judges, against the decisions of the ROs.
Army Chief visited Quetta and held meetings with Balochistan
Governor and caretaker Chief Minister Nawab Ghous Baksh Barozai. The
security situation was discussed during these meetings. Kayani reiterated
Pakistan Army’s ‘commitment’ to extend all possible assistance to the
Election Commission for holding fair and peaceful elections. The provincial
leadership was assured by COAS that the Army will wholeheartedly
welcome an all inclusive elections. The COAS emphasized the need for
participation by all political parties in elections.
Sheikh Rashid Ahmed Imran Khan and discussed the prevalent
political situation, seat adjustments and joint political campaign in
Rawalpindi. PTI Secretary General Pervez Khattak and others were also
present on the occasion. Both agreed that the PTI would assist Sheikh
Rashid in NA-55 in the upcoming general elections while Sheikh Rashid
will support Imran Khan in NA-56.
President Zardari rang up the PML-N leader Ayyaz Mir and expressed
solidarity with him over rejection of his nomination papers by the Returning
Officer. In the 30-minute long conversation, the two exchanged views over
the implications of Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution for the political
parties and their candidates.
The role of Election Commission and the apex court in the run-up to
the elections also came under discussion. As per sources, both were
unanimous on the point that efforts were being made by certain forces to
jeopardize the coming elections through disqualification of greater number
of candidates by strict application of the two articles in question.
Next day, Army Chief met Chief Election Commissioner apparently
to discuss security arrangements ahead of the general elections. The meeting
was held somewhere outside the ECP. The sudden conduct of the meeting
coincided with the ECP's reported decision taken to 'defer' its decision
regarding inclusion of a column in the ballot paper to 'facilitate' those voters
who were not to cast their vote in favour of any candidate in the general
elections. 
Fakhruddin denied the meeting had any other agenda other than
discussing security matters. ‘General Kayani assured the CEC that army
fully supports the efforts being made by the election commission to hold

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free, fair and credible elections in the country and that all possible assistance
will be extended to create an environment conducive to achieve this laudable
objective’, press release said.
Expressing strong concerns over the questions being asked by
returning officers (ROs) from election candidates, Altaf Hussain said the
ROs were humiliating the politicians and demanded the electoral body to
delay elections by 15 to 30 days to make a thorough scrutiny of the
nomination papers and creation of an environment suitable for holding
elections in the country. Altaf expressed these views while addressing a
telephonic press conference at Lal Qila Ground.
The Lahore High Court directed all the District Returning Officers
(DROs) and Returning Officers (ROs) to immediately refrain from asking
random, intrusive and inquisitive questions from the candidates for May 11
elections.
The court also put a ban on electronic media from the coverage of candidates
interviews being conducted by the ROs. However, the print media has been
exempted from this ban.
Musharraf first served got his nomination papers for the National
Assembly seat from Kasur rejected by a returning officer and then the
Supreme Court decided to hear petitions seeking his trial for treason under
Article 6 of the Constitution for declaring an emergency in 2007. Former
president LHC Bar Association, Rawalpindi Bench, had filed a petition
praying the Supreme Court to direct the Federation to prosecute against
Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution.
However, this does not necessarily mean an end to Musharraf's
ambitions to enter parliament as he has also filed his nomination papers from
three other constituencies: Islamabad, Karachi and Chitral. In a related
development, a petition was filed before the ECP on behalf of PML-N leader
Ahsan Iqbal seeking Musharraf's disqualification because of his involvement
in several cases including the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
Shahbaz Sharif challenged the NAB to prove the charges of loans’
default against the Sharif family within 24 hours or be ready to face the
defamation law. He also sought an apology from the NAB in case he fails to
establish the charges. ‘Seeing victory of the PML-N and Muhammad Nawaz
Sharif in the next elections, a negative and malicious propaganda has been
unleashed against them’, Shahbaz told the media.
Imran Khan announced recruiting one million volunteers for bringing
about a change (Tabdili Razakar) for deploying at polling stations to prevent

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rigging and local influences, and ensure polling of votes for party
candidates. He took oath from an assembly of volunteers at their convention
where he unveiled a huge cricket bat, party’s election symbol, amidst
dancing workers on the beats of loud music. He announced giving 35-40 per
cent tickets for coming elections to youth and challenged that no other party
could match this policy. 
The ROs in Rawalpindi, during scrutiny, rejected the nomination
papers of MQM Syed Ijaz Hussain and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F)
Maulana Abdul Majeed Hazarvi for not having the signatures of proposers
and seconders. Objections were also raised on the nomination papers of
many politicians, including Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Hanif Abbasi and
Imran Khan.
The deadline given by the Supreme Court to parliamentarians to get
their academic credentials verified ended at midnight. As many as 77 out of
the total 183 lawmakers got their academic certificates verified by the given
time. HEC Chairman, however, said that more parliamentarians could be
cleared, as the fresh data from the provincial offices of HEC is yet to come.
Courts in different parts of the country continued punishing former
lawmakers holding fake degrees with additional sessions judge Quetta
sentenced a former PPP provincial minister Ali Madad Jattak for two years
in jail and imposed Rs 10,000 fine for possessing a fake degree. In another
case, BHC Sibi Circuit nullified the punishment awarded to former PPP
federal minister Mir Humayun Aziz Kurd in fake degree case and issued
notices to both parties.
Two former members of Punjab Assembly Amna Butter of PPP and
Nasim Sabir Khawaja of PML-Q were declared proclaimed offenders in the
fake degree cases. A Lahore district sessions judge directed the authorities to
arrest Butter and present her in the court. Lahore sessions court also declared
Nasim Sabir Khawaja as proclaimed offender and issued arrest warrants
against him.
On 6th April, caretaker Interior Minister Malik Habib disclosed after a
meeting with DGMO that Nawaz Sharif, Imran Khan and some other top
leaders are under serious threat and special security plan has been chalked
out in this regard. He did not specify the source of the threat, but added that
the interim government would take all possible measures and provide
security cover to all high profile political leaders irrespective of their
political association.

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 The Mullah Nazir Group of Taliban assured aspiring candidates that
the insurgents would not interfere with the election process in the South
Waziristan tribal region. The assurance was made by Mullah Nazir Group
chief Salahuddin Ayubi, locally known as Bahwal Khan, in a meeting with
over 50 candidates contesting the NA-41 (Tribal Area-VI, South Waziristan)
or their representatives in Wana, the headquarters of South Waziristan
Agency.
Armed men attacked the Election Commission Office with hand
grenade in Nushki district. According to Police, the armed men riding a
motorcycle tossed a hand grenade at the house which landed inside the
boundary wall of the office as a result, a vehicle of ECP office was
damaged.
The ECP could not make public its anxiously awaited decision on the
fate of 14 ex-lawmakers suspected to be fake degree-holders, apparently due
to the ‘complexities’ involved in the matter. Yesterday, the commission had
reserved judgment against those former Members of Parliament (MPs) the
veracity of whose degrees was not confirmed by the HEC.
The HEC informed the ECP that the Bachelor’s degrees of former
Federal Minister Sheikh Waqas Akram and former Punjab Assembly
member Yasir Raza are fake. In a letter to ECP, the HEC stated that the A-
Level certificate of former Federal Minister for Education and Training
Sheikh Waqas was declared by the Cambridge University as forged and the
equivalency certificate was also not genuine as conveyed by the Inter-Board
Chairman Committee (IBCC).
Pir Pagara announced his party and Hur community’s support to Shah
Mehmood Qureshi, PTI’s election candidate for the constituency of Thar
district, before the media, recalling that his late father Pir Pagara had always
wanted cooperation between the Ghausia and Hur communities in Sindh. He
also said that his followers and party workers in Tharparkar would vote
Qureshi.
Next day, the final day of initial scrutiny of nomination papers, some
prominent politicians had to face embarrassment when returning officers
rejected their nominations, though most of them got clean chit for other
constituencies. Chaudhry Nisar’s nomination papers were rejected for NA-
53 and PP-7; however, his papers for NA-52 were accepted. Musharraf’s
papers for NA-250 were rejected but accepted for NA-32.
Raja Rental’s papers for NA-51 were rejected over accusations of
misappropriating funds and indulging in nepotism. Others who have

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eventually failed to get through in the first stage include Jamshaid Dasti,
Imtiaz Safdar Warraich and Ayaz Amir. A good chunk of the former MPs
were forced out on fake degree issue. Around 100 former MPs had not got
their degrees verified from the HEC while over a dozen MPs degrees were
declared fake.
During the week-long scrutiny process across the country the
returning officers scrutinized a record 24,094 nomination papers of
candidates for general seats of both the national and provincial assemblies.
After the completion of this process, the ECP has directed the State Bank,
NAB and FBR to post all details of the candidates on their websites within
48 hours.
Sardar Akhtar Mengal urged disgruntled ‘friends’ to shun the path of
militancy and come down from the mountains. He threatened to boycott the
elections midway if the ground realities were not changed in Balochistan.
Addressing a mammoth gathering in Quetta, the BNP president claimed that
the enemy had faced a defeat and failed to subdue the Baloch people with
the use of ruthless force.
The election candidates who have passed the initial scrutiny test must
not be overjoyed. The process of scrutiny of candidates’ papers would
continue after the elections and those found to have deceived the
commission would be declared disqualified even after winning the elections,
ECP Additional Secretary said.
Sardar Mengal renewed his demand to withdraw all the government-
sponsored death squads and pull back all official terrorists harassing the
people even during the election campaign. Mengal said he and his party had
taken the decision of contesting the elections in the interest of the Baloch
people and their well being, adding the decision should not be treated as a
weakness of a power-hungry politician.
Rule of law: On 28th March, the NAB announced countrywide
arrests of power defaulters who owe a total of Rs166 billion to the electric
supply companies. Talking to select journalists in his office, NAB Chairman
said the hunt would start from April 20. Out of the total outstanding amount,
Rs110 billion were payable by such defaulters as have to pay more than
Rs0.1 million each, Bokhari said while admitting that there was worst kind
of corruption in power sector.
Next day, full bench of the Lahore High Court disposed of contempt
case against President Zardari when it was informed he had resigned from

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the political office of PPP co-chairman. The bench has also been assured by
the federal government the Presidency will also not be used for political
activities in future.
The chief justice observed that the highest state functionary had taken
steps to comply with the judgment which established the supremacy of law.
These were things which were expected from men and women of such
stature, he remarked. The court expressed the hope that the president would
be non-partisan in future. Replying to apprehensions expressed by the
petitioner’s counsel regarding the statement of the federation, the bench
noted that he could approach the court again if the order was not
implemented.
On 1st April, Anti-Terrorism Court judge Sana Ullah Gauri issued
arrest warrants for ex-federal minister Amin Fahim, ex-commerce secretary
Salman Ghani, Amin Qasim Dada, Javed Syed, Khalid Anwer and Amin
Hussain for allegedly being involved in NICL corruption case. The court
also ordered the officials concerned to produce the accused in the court on
April 12.
Scions of powerful political families are implicated in the case. The
highest court in the land is in dogged pursuit. Protection to some of the
alleged culprits is being extended allegedly by top officials. Junior law-
enforcement officers are being ordered by the court to take action against
their superiors if they are prevented from carrying out their duties.
The National Insurance Company Ltd (NICL) scandal which has
swirled around the son of former Punjab chief minister Pervaiz Elahi
continues to be an odd spectacle. Moonis Elahi has apparently decamped,
first to Dubai and now London, while FIA DG Waseem Ahmed is now
being investigated for allegedly blocking the arrest of another suspect, an
NICL director.
At the heart of the scandal lies a couple of sweetheart property deals
involving the NICL which were facilitated allegedly by Moonis Elahi during
his father`s rule as the all-powerful Punjab chief minister. The cost to the
public exchequer is believed to be in the range of Rs 3.5 billion and Elahi`s
share was allegedly Rs 220 million.
The Supreme Court has issued notices to Dr Mubashar Hassan and
other parties to NRO on intra court appeal filed by former Prime Minister
Gilani against his disqualification. The notices have been served to seek the
arguments from parties concerned on the maintainability of the appeal being
the same time barred.

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 Gilani appeared in the court in person and took the plea that he held
the same stance on NRO which was later adopted by former Prime Minister
Raja Pervaiz and the court had accepted the latter's stance. Earlier I filed
plea seeking review of the decision and then I filed intra court appeal under
certain circumstances, he argued. CJP remarked ‘you have filed intra court
appeal after 204 days while it should have been filed within 30 days.’
Justice Jawad S Khawaja remarked ‘you will have to make clear it on
your own otherwise people will say relief was given to Yousuf Raza Gilani.’
Gilani said he was fully ready to advance arguments and he had mentioned
all the reasons which led to delay in filing the intra court appeal. The court
adjourned the hearing for 3 weeks besides issuing notices to the parties
concerned.
The Islamabad High Court declared former premier Raja Pervaiz
Ashraf’s son-in-law Shahnawaz Mehmood’s appointment in Pak-China
Investment Company Limited (PCICL) illegal and directed the authorities
concerned to revoke the appointment. The government of Pakistan had
appointed Shahnawaz as the deputy managing director of the company on
March 4.
Next day, the Sindh High Court granted 10-day protective bail against
Rs0.5 million to former minister for commerce Amin Fahim in NICL scam
case. The anti-corruption court had issued the arrest warrants of the former
minister along with six other accused. In his plea to the SHC maintained that
he was abroad and could not come to the court.
On 3rd April, the Supreme Court directed a trial court in Karachi to
proceed against Makhdoom Amin Fahim in NICL land scam as per law and
without being influenced by the hearings at the apex court. Disposing of the
proceedings in NICL case regarding land scam in Karachi, a bench directed
FIA director general to consider taking action against the investigators
responsible for delaying the investigations.
FIA had submitted charge sheet against Amin Fahim and former
commerce secretary Salman Ghani for appointing Muhammad Ayaz Khan
Niazi as NICL chairman, the man who purchased 10 acre land in Korangi at
exorbitant price, FIA Director (Legal) Azam Khan told the bench. The
official said almost all money of NICL had been recovered in Karachi
episode of the scam as the land was purchased at the cost of Rs900 million
whereas the market price was Rs482 million while Rs41 million was
credited to the account of Amin Fahim.

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 On 5th April, Anti-Narcotics Court initiated the process to declare the
two accused as Proclaimed Offenders (POs) in ephedrine quota case as after
they could not be arrested by the ANF. Special Judge Arshad Mehmood
Tabbasum directed his process server to advertise in national and
international media that former Secretary Health Khushnod Khan Lashari
and Anjum Shah, the alleged man of Makhdoom Shihabuddin, wanted in the
illegal allotment of ephedrine quota case. The court had issued non-bailable
arrest warrants of the two accused on March 22.
Defiance of judiciary: On 26th March, the Supreme Court while
hearing the case of mysterious death of Kamran Faisal, accepted the plea of
his father to become party in the instant case. During the hearing Aftab
Bajwa, counsel for Abdul Hameed, father of Kamran Faisal submitted
before the court that his client wanted to become a party in the instant case
as he has sufficient information about the death of his son. The counsel also
submitted that his client has no access to the record so for, filed by the
concern authorities regarding the death of Kamran Faisal. The court directed
the office to supply the copies of documents related to case except the
forensic report.
Next day, the Supreme Court fixed for hearing on March 29 an intra-
court appeal of former interior minister Rehman Malik before a larger bench
against its order of March 18 in a contempt case against him for replacing an
investigating team probing the Pakistan Steel Mills corruption case in 2009.
On the last hearing, Malik had tendered unconditional apology before the
court in the contempt case.
The Supreme Court observed that former prime minister Raja Pervaiz
Ashraf had tried to influence the court by writing a letter to Chief Justice for
constituting a commission to investigate the Rental Power Projects scam.
The chief justice noted that the former premier had already accepted the
court’s decision in the rental power projects case. He added the SC verdict
was final and there was no need to re-examine it and form a commission to
probe the case. The court directed Wasim Sajjad, counsel for Raja Pervaiz,
to ask him if he was going to withdraw his letter. The court sought reply by
tomorrow, and adjourned the hearing.
On 28th March, the Supreme Court of Pakistan issued a contempt of
court notice to former prime minister Raja Pervaiz for trying to influence the
apex court proceedings in Rental Power Project scam. Ashraf in the capacity
of the PM had dispatched a letter to Chief Justice, requesting for formation

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of an independent commission to probe RPPs scam, in which he was the
principal accused.
Wasim Sajjad, counsel for Ashraf, said the letter was not written to
influence the court. He said: ‘Why undue sensitivity was raised in the case.
If the bench was not satisfied with the request of the former PM, it should
reject the plea.’ The chief justice remarked: ‘Letter written by the PM on his
official letter pad with the signatures of his personal secretary and addressed
to the CJP is not a request rather an attempt to influence the proceedings in
RPP scam.’
The bench noted in its order: ‘If accepted the demand of the former
PM, it will result in a historic precedent, encouraging other high officials to
write directly to the CJP for getting relief.’ The court said the former PM
should have appeared in the court or filed a petition to seek appointment of
an independent commission of inquiry.
Wasim Sajjad said that it was a simple request for a commission as
the SC had already made such commission. The request was made after the
office of the PM was being criticized for allegedly influencing NAB
investigations especially after the death of Kamran Faisal. NAB Prosecutor
General K K Agha said that NAB had no objection over the appointment of
any commission, if SC orders it. The CJP observed that the letter was made
public through media before it reached to the office of SC registrar that
implied that he was trying to influence the court.
Next day, Chairman NAB again expressed mistrust over the Chief
Justice, saying that he was attacked in his personal capacity by the CJP and
his son in the past; therefore he should recuse himself to hear his case.
Chairman NAB has filed intra-court appeal under section 19 (1) of the
contempt of court ordinance 2003 though his counsel Sardar Latif Khosa in
the Supreme Court against its March 20 order to indict him on April 2.
On 1st April, a five-member bench, hearing intra-court appeal of NAB
Chairman, directed the SC office to produce the complete record of the case
before the court tomorrow. Latif Khosa, counsel for the NAB chairman, said
it would have been better to first determine how the confidential letter was
publicized by the media before issuance of contempt of court notice to his
client. He contended that the contempt notice, issued on March 20, 2013,
was not in line with relevant law as Bukhari had asked for recusal of CJP
from the bench for being biased.
On 4th April, Member Finance OGRA Mir Kamal Farid Bajarani fled
from Lahore High Court (LHC), Rawalpindi bench, after his interim bail

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was canceled in mega 84 billion corruption case. However, no effort was
made by police or NAB authorities to arrest the fleeing accused on the way
to gate of the high court. Bajarani is co-accused with Tauqir Sadiq, former
chairman. 
Next day, Former Prime Minister Raja Pervez filed an Intra-Court
Appeal (ICA) before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the March 28
verdict of the court which put a question regarding his qualification to
become a member of the parliament of Pakistan. In the ICA, former premier
has contended before the court that the court issued directions against him
without hearing him.
Baloch militancy: On 25th March, a Balochistan National Party-
Mengal worker was shot dead in Khuzdar just after the arrival of BNP-M
President Sardar Akthar Mengal, who returned to Pakistan from Dubai after
ending his self-exile. Akthar Mengal said that situation in Balochistan was
graver than ever. ‘Decomposed dead bodies of Baloch missing persons are
increasing and situation is worse than the last year when I appeared before
the Supreme Court in missing persons case.’
On 27th March, a bullet-riddled body was found in Khuzdar district.
On the call of Baloch National Front (BNF), a shutter down strike was
observed in different towns of Balochistan against what it said ‘enforced
annexation of Balochistan with Pakistan.’
On 31st March, at least four power pylons of National Transmission
and Despatch Company (NTDC) were blown up by unknown persons in
Chattar and Bakhtiarabad areas of Dera Murad Jamali last night as a result of
which 17 districts of Balochistan, including Quetta, plunged into darkness.
Frontier Corps foiled an attempt to destroy a gas pipeline in the restive Dera
Bugti district by timely recovering and defusing a device planted with a
pipeline supplying gas to purification plant.
Meanwhile, two personnel of Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan
sustained serious injuries in a remote-controlled bomb attack on the outskirts
of Quetta. Separately, FC along with police carried out a joint operation in
Niabaad area of Gwadar, Port City and winter capital of Balochistan and
rounded up seven accused besides seizing weapons from their possession.
On 1st April, armed gunmen attacked the vehicle of Deputy
Commissioner Mastung in Nasirabad area of Turbat. Gunmen opened fire on
motorcade after which one of the assailants was killed when his security

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guards retaliated. The deputy commissioner was not harmed during the
attack.
Next day, Balochistan High Court issued order of canceling interim
bail of former MPA Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind in his alleged involvement
in a case of kidnapping for ransom. Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind has been
accused of kidnapping some people and the relatives of kidnapped people
had submitted a petition in Balochistan High Court.
On 3rd April, unknown gunmen kidnapped former Advocate General
Balochistan Mir Salahuddin Mengal. Mengal, who joined PML-N after his
retirement, was coming from Balochistan High Court along with his brother
when five armed men surrounded his vehicle outside his home at Sariab
Road. They pulled him out, bundled him and took him away.
On 7th April, a main gas pipeline of 18-inch diameter was blown up by
miscreants in Naseerabad district. As a result, gas supply from the damaged
pipeline to Uch Power Plant was suspended. Owing to the damage of main
gas pipeline supply to Uch Power Plant, around 525 megawatts shortfall was
caused to the national grid, increasing electricity shortfall in the country to
6000 megawatts.
Turf war in Karachi: On 25th March, the new investigation
officer produced the desired results as two witnesses refused to identify
Shahrukh Jatoi in Shahzeb murder case. The investigation officer presented
two witnesses including Shahr Yar and Aamir in the court and the two
deviated from their earlier statements and refused to identify Shahrukh Jatoi.
They took the plea that they were not present on the scene at the time when
the murder took place and they did not see what had happened
therein. Meanwhile, three people were killed in different acts of violence in
the city.
On 28th March, the Federal Investigation Agency arrested Wasi, a
protocol officer of Bilawal House, from Karachi Airport, while trying to
leave the country. The protocol officer had allegedly helped prime accused
in Shahzeb murder case, Shahrukh Jatoi in escaping from Karachi to Dubai.
Law enforcers arrested three operatives of TTP.
Next day, at least eight people including a police sub inspector were
killed and five others wounded in separate incidents of violence in the city.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court was informed that the police force was
frightened and demoralized as a number of cops had been killed in Karachi
and their killers were not being pursued efficiently.

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 Assuring the court about better law and order situation, the DIG said
that after removal of political umbrella, the police was in a better position to
take on the criminal as undue influence would no longer hinder their actions.
The bench directed Rangers’ Director General and Sindh IG to submit their
report on whether the details given by the newspaper about no go areas was
right or not. The court adjourned the hearing until April 4.
On 30th March, an eyewitness identified prime suspect Shahrukh Jatoi
and Siraj Talpur as alleged killers in the Shahzeb Khan murder case during
the hearing. According to the eyewitness, an argument took place between
Shahzeb Khan and Shahrukh Jatoi after which the alleged killers followed
Shahzeb Khan and fired at his car.
Attempts were made to stall the case; however the court remained
adamant on hearing the eye witnesses present. Shahrukh Jatoi’s father,
Sikander Jatoi was also present at the hearing. There were reports of the case
falling to pieces as witnesses retracted their statements earlier however
today’s identification has strengthened the case.
A notorious Lyari gangster was gunned down; eight others picked up
in an alleged encounter took place in Lyari. Aqeel aka Commando was a
closed aid of Rashid alias Rekha gunned down couple of weeks ago in
another mysterious encounter with rangers in Kharader area. Both the victim
gangsters were shifted their loyalties form Arshad Papu gang to Baba Ladla
gang.
Next day, Rangers arrested more than 250 suspects during their
targeted operation in Baldia Town locality of Karachi. In the same area, a
school principal was killed and scores others were injured when a low-
intensity blast hit a private school yesterday. Rangers claimed to have seized
a large quantity of illegal arms during their action. At least five persons,
including a woman were killed in different incidents of violence. 
On 1st April, Anti-Extremist Cell of the CID claimed to have arrested
three alleged members of outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan from
Shireen Jinnah Colony, Clifton. The alleged TTP men were identified as
Abdul Majeed aka Talib aka Jan, Hafiz Mairajuddin, Bakhtiar Mehsud and
Imran Wahab. Meanwhile, four persons, including two policemen were
killed in separate acts of violence.
Next day, six persons, including three political workers, were killed in
separate acts of target killings and violence in the city. On 3 rd April, four
Rangers personnel were killed and five people wounded when a planted
device exploded outside Rangers Headquarters in Korangi area. A vehicle

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carrying a dozen soldiers was targeted by a roadside explosive device when
it was patrolling near Rangers Headquarters. Two passer-byes are also
reported injured in the incident.
CID of Sindh Police claimed to have arrested two alleged militants
affiliated with outlawed Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. During initial interrogation
culprits confessed to have killed several people on political and sectarian
basis, including the target killing of principal of the Government Degree
College, Syed Sibte Hassan.
Accused were also in a close contact with Qasim Rasheed aka Ganja
who was arrested few months ago by CID police and had been planned to
carry out major terror activities during upcoming elections by targeting the
political leaders, workers, polling stations, processions, rallies and central
jail Karachi. Meanwhile, police claimed to have arrested two more suspects
nominated in kidnapping and murder cases of Lyari notorious gangster
Arshad Pappu.
On 4th April, the Supreme Court rejected the law enforcement
agencies’ reports regarding the state of peace in Karachi saying it was ‘like
throwing dust into the eyes of judiciary’. The court extended its deadline to
the law enforcer for another week so that they could come back with the
concrete results of liberating the areas which were under the control of non-
state actors and gangs.
Miscellaneous Militancy: On 25th March, the Supreme Court
granted another seven days to the chief city police officer Lahore to
thoroughly investigate the Joseph Colony ablaze. The court also directed the
Establishment Division secretary to appoint the Punjab inspector general of
police with the consultation of the chief secretary of the province. CCPO
Muhammad Amlesh Khan submitted a report admitting that the instigators
in both the groups – Aman and Ittehad – were responsible for the incident.
On 3rd April, a trivial clash between some Christian youth and local
Muslims over playing of religious hymns conflagrated into a battle between
the two communities when Muslims raided a Christian colony in
Gujranwala. Reportedly some Christian youngsters of Francis Abad colony
were going home on a motorcycle rickshaw, playing aloud religious hymns
on the tape recorder. As the rickshaw approached near a local mosque, the
prayer leader of the mosque along with some other Muslims demanded the
youth to lower the voice. An argument over the issue was followed by a
brawl between the two sides.

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 Youngsters from the adjoining Naroki locality raided Francis Abad,
sparking clashes between the Muslims and Christians. The Muslim raiders
reportedly also hurled stones at the local Church. The Christians later staged
violent protests at Francis Abad Chowk, injuring three police officers. Two
passersby were injured by firing by the enraged Christian youth, while heavy
damage was also done to over a hundred shops, several motorcycles and
cars.

VIEWS
Power politics
ECP precautions: ‘The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has
notified a ban on caretakers and other public officials from visiting the
constituencies. Whereas the caretakers are only there for the elections, and
not only do they not contest the polls they supervise, but also their relatives
cannot contest. However, to make sure that they are the honest brokers they
are supposed to be, the ECP has notified thus.
According to an ECP notification issued on Tuesday, the president,
caretaker prime minister, chairman, deputy chairman Senate, federal
ministers, ministers of state, governors, chief ministers, provincial ministers
and advisor to the prime minister and the chief ministers and other public
office-bearers, after the issuance of the election schedule, will not visit the
area of any constituency. The ECP has also threatened legal action against
all violators. The notification also says the executive authorities in the
federation and in the provinces shall not use state resources anywhere in
Pakistan for unfair advantage of a particular candidate or political party nor
exercise undue influence.
It should be noted that the notification was issued after the caretaker
Prime Minister and all four chief ministers were decided, but before the
process of forming all the Cabinets was completed. It is also to be noted that
the Speakers, who continue in office, have not been included, because some,
and perhaps all, will again be candidates, none having indicated a desire to
retire. The notification is thus considerate of the genuine requirements of the
function of these officials, and if it is objected that the President and the
governors are not caretakers, but are political persons, if any desires to take
part in what is admittedly a major political event, they are free to resign. An
example immediately apparent is that of the Punjab Governor, whose sons
are likely to be candidates. He cannot campaign for them in their

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constituencies, where they are likely to be PPP candidates. It also applies to
the President, who cannot lead the PPP campaign, which might explain why
the outgoing Information Minister announced that the PPP campaign would
be led by Mr Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
The ECP notification must be observed in letter and in spirit by all
stakeholders. The purpose is to have free and fair elections, and not to ensure
the victory of any party or individual. The caretakers must make sure that
not only do they follow the regulations, but that others do too.’ (Editorial,
TheNation 28th March)
Default-degree dilemmas: ‘Alarming, though not so surprising,
information that has come to public knowledge about the default the
hundreds of the outgoing people’s representatives have committed in
clearing their dues for the use of electricity and telephone facilities would
have remained hidden had the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) not
made their candidature for the general elections contingent upon their
clearance. It is most unfortunate that the list also includes the names of
former Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, several of his cabinet
colleagues, some party heads and top ranking leaders of political parties. The
total amount of default runs into tens of millions of rupees that they have to
clear by April 4, just a day before the scrutiny of nomination papers is due to
be completed. No further comments are, perhaps, called for to describe the
pathetic situation of the polity – the disregard of law and sheer bad
governance by these democratically elected lawmakers – after the Chief
Election Commissioner (CEC), Justice (r) Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim, has
politely but so succinctly remarked, ‘I really wonder if they deserve to be
part of the Parliament with this kind of conduct.’
The question of the disqualification of fake degree holders, the grant
of voting rights to the expatriates and several other election-related matters
are also heating up in the current state of election frenzy and form part of the
everyday fare of the media. The Supreme Court has reportedly issued
guidelines about some of these issues for the benefit of the ECP. It has, for
example, asked the ECP to dispose of the cases of fake degree holders by
April 4. Obviously, the question of fake degrees is no longer relevant for the
coming elections because of the change in law, but those who have cheated
the ECP in the past when graduation was a prerequisite to contesting the
polls must be taken to task. To recall, when the issue of the fake degrees of
parliamentarians came to light and they began to be unseated, almost all
political parties found that they were losing electable members and, thus,

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rushed into passing legislation to remove the condition of graduation in the
future.
Similarly, in the case of expatriates, Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry
directed that the government can issue an ordinance to sort out the hitches in
letting them exercise their right to vote. He was perturbed at the ECP’s plea
that in case the matter of their voting was now decided it might jeopardize
the electoral prospects and maintained that the court orders to that effect
were passed as far back as 2011. The ECP could get help from other official
agencies, Foreign Office, Nadra, etc.
No doubt, the task appears to be stupendous, made more daunting by
the outgoing political setup that cared little for judicial verdicts.
Nevertheless, the whole nation expects that the combined efforts of the ECP,
the judiciary and the guarantors of security like the police and the army that
would be providing 50,000 of its men to keep peace during the polls would
bear fruit. And free and fair general elections carrying the stamp of articles
62 and 63 are held.’ (Editorial, TheNation 29th March)
A dream come true: ‘The caretaker PM, immediately after his
nomination, told the media that his first and foremost priority would be to
help the ECP ensure the holding of free and fair elections and that he would
treat all the political parties equally. That, indeed, is very reassuring… He is
right because the elections will be held by the ECP with the support of the
Chief Executive and the President does not figure in the scheme of things in
this regard.
With a neutral and honest man heading the Executive, assertive ECP,
pro-active judiciary and the ever vigilant media, it would almost be
impossible for any entity or individual to influence the outcome of the
elections in any unconstitutional manner taking advantage of his position.
Much will also depend on the way the political parties conduct
themselves, in regard to the efforts of the ECP and the caretaker setup in the
holding of elections in a transparent manner.
They need to behave in a responsible manner and focus more on their
election campaigns, instead of mudslinging and launching personal attacks
on their rivals because ultimately it is on the basis of their performance or
the programmes for the future, that the people have to make their choices.
For the polls to be free, fair and transparent, it is essential that they are
held in a convivial atmosphere, and traditional hostility and animosity

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among the political parties gives way to a healthy and productive
competition.
Now that all is set to translate the dream of transition of power and
consolidate the gains of democracy, all stakeholders, especially the political
parties, owe it to the masses not to do anything that shatters their faith in the
democratic process or provides any excuse to the forces inimical to the
democratic dispensation to make their move and drag once again the country
back into the dark alley.
The political parties and their leaders must also desist from statements
or actions that could make the role of ECP or the caretaker government
controversial.
They should keep faith in the impartiality and the capability of these
institutions to make the 2013 elections a significant milestone in our march
towards a political polity envisioned by the Founding Father.
Another very important factor in this respect would be the acceptance
of election results with an open heart, the lack of which has been the bane of
democracy in this country.
The nation has suffered the consequences of this kind of behaviour
and we surely need a break from this dreadful experience of the past. Merely
paying lip service and making tall claims about their love for democracy is
not enough.
Political parties will have to show their commitment through their
actions. That is the only way forward. Any digression from this path may
produce negative results.
The media and intelligentsia also have a great responsibility in
guiding the people to understand what is at stake, and reporting the
unfolding events in an objective and impartial manner to play their
contributory role in strengthening democracy.’ (Malik Muhammad Ashraf,
TheNation 29th March)
Que Sera Sera: ‘Whatever will be, will be. The future's not ours, to
see.
Que Sera, Sera. What will be, will be.’ Jay Livingston and Ray Evans.
Pakistan’s electoral scene has complicated beyond conventional
soothsayers and clairvoyants… More than appeal to the electorate, the
contours of this plan harbour on prolonging the status quo and gratify and
groom goons, rather than the true representatives of the people. This is

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something that has put all incumbents in a fix and widened cracks within
PPP, PML-N and PML-Q. 
First, both camps floated names for the caretaker Prime Minister,
followed by a slandering and malicious campaign against each other.
Ultimately, the ball was thrown into the court of the Election Commission,
who selected the least controversial as the caretaker Prime Minister. 
Unfortunately, the man chosen is divorced from political realities,
lacks insight into Pakistan’s pressing problems and is taking his own time in
choosing his cabinet. It is still uncertain how the new government will tackle
the issues of debt, energy, corruption and violence overshadowing the
elections. This itself puts a question mark on the efficacy of the electoral
process.
This was followed by the high drama of selecting a ‘love and hate’
Najam Sethi as the Chief Minister of Punjab. What happens in Punjab will
decide the post-election course of politics. Najam with his ability to analyze
and suggest is likely to emerge as the most influential member of the federal
cabinet who would overshadow the Prime Minister. He will be the man to
watch. The intriguing delay in selection of rest of the caretaker team does
not auger well for the prospects of the country.
Secondly, as written in ‘Pakistan’s Stinking Black Hole’ on February
9, 2013, the elections will also be overshadowed by Pakistan’s debt trap,
corruption, energy shortages and violence. Logically, the caretakers have no
option from shying away in order to pass the buck to the new government.
Yet in Pakistan where anything is possible, the caretakers are most likely to
go through the motions of conducting elections and nothing else. This will
throw the onus of accountability on the Election Commission and occasional
directions of the Supreme Court. As a result, all ex-rulers, who ought to be
held accountable, will be relieved of many pressures to go their traditional
style of electoral politics with the hope of coming back to power. Whoever
wins will be handed a country in serious crises. 
It is against this backdrop that political parties are in a race against
time to finalize their candidate list. Those who enjoyed their days in power
are rushing to clear defaults. They are also haunted by their misdeeds of
incumbency, Articles 62 and 63 of the constitution and fake degrees. To
compound matters, the sweeping popularity of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf jeer
at them. To compound their vulnerability, Musharraf and Qadri stare down
their throats. 

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 I still believe that Musharraf had a chance in 1999, but erred in
redeeming himself. Within a year, he fell prey and developed an ear to the
clutter of fly by night reformers, sycophants and concentric circles of
advisers. The international actors played on his self-assessed invincibility as
vulnerability and nudged him into indispensability. I hope General
Musharraf has had sufficient time for introspection about his logical role in
future politics. If he thinks himself a messiah, he is once again on a false
trajectory. Within the short time divided between party management,
electoral politics and visits to the courts, it may not be possible for him to
build a constituency of his own. However, nothing stops him to put his
leadership skills, experience and prowess to best use in acting as a voice of
reason and change for his countrymen. The best role he can carve for
himself is to build synergy that naturally pours into the dream of a ‘Naya
Pakistan’. That puts Imran Khan firmly on the deck of the ship that promises
change for Pakistan.
The crises of federation and negative socio-economic conditions put
2013 at par with 1970. The elections will be overshadowed by divisive
agendas, hate, violence and lawlessness. The ability of the law enforcement
agencies and Election Commission will be tested to the last sinew. Parties
with little electoral experience will be treading into unfamiliar territory.
They will have no option but to fight to the finish.
Sick and tired of the moth-eaten system, all Pakistanis ask a question;
would the 2013 elections be a game changer or will they sink Pakistan yet
again into the proverbial black hole of Pakistan’s politics? The answer is,
come out and vote.’ (Samson Simon Sharaf, TheNation 30th March)
Forward to a new beginning: ‘Some would lead us to believe that all
politicians, bureaucrats and people in authority are corrupt, incompetent and
ill intentioned. If it were so, our country would have ceased to exist many
moons ago. On the contrary, we have a huge reservoir of patriotic and
talented men and women in all fields waiting to be tapped. The gruelling last
five years have been a learning (sine) curve that has traversed its downward
trajectory and is now on the rise after hitting the bottom. The country and
our people have emerged from this training session wiser and fully
conscious of their rights and the power of their vote.
The youth are into the third generation since the inception of Pakistan
and constitutes over 60 percent of our population. They are moulded into the
high technology of mobile phones, computers, internet and easy access to
information. They are free of the tremors of 1947 that their ancestors faced

185
and are gradually freeing themselves from the shackles of tribalism and
feudalism. The independence of thinking that democracy introduces will
galvanize them into a force that will claim their rights and will resist
injustice. The government alone cannot accomplish much without the
support, involvement and watch of the people. The vibrant youth must come
forward and play an active role to set a new path to glory.’ (Khurshid Akhtar
Khan, TheNation 31st March)
Electoral hopes and fears: ‘For anyone aware of the depth of
people’s feelings against the corrupt, the dishonest and the fraudsters who
have led the country to the sorry state it is in, the stories about fake degree
holders and defaulters of dues appearing in the media these days would
signal that their hopes are well on the way to fulfillment. That is, If the
combined efforts of the Supreme Court, the Election Commission of
Pakistan (ECP) and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) bear fruit
despite the powerful forces’ resistance. A strict and proper application of
articles 62 and 63 of the constitution would throw out of the ring the dirty
and the despicable that are always eager to get into the corridors of powers
by hook or by crook to serve their own ends. The hope is that the coming
general elections bring to the legislative chambers of the country cleaner
persons who have the vision and the capacity to reverse the situation and, of
course, realize the urgency of attending to the people’s needs.
The Supreme Court has summoned the ECP Secretary and the HEC
Chairman to appear before it today, after taking suo moto notice of the
HEC’s letter to the ECP complaining that it was taking a lenient view of the
cases of 54 parliamentarians whose degrees have been established to be
fake. And then there is the issue of 189 others who, according to reports
attributed to the HEC, have not bothered to provide certificates to the HEC
or the ECP despite several reminders. As the timeframe is very short, it
appears, a large number of skeletons would soon be out of the cupboard.
Only two days back, ex-MPA KPK Sardar Ali Khan was sentenced to three
years’ imprisonment in a fake degree case. But the question here is how the
affected political parties – and it is hard to imagine any party escaping
unscathed – would react if their stalwarts and all are debarred. Violent
protests and a chaotic situation are not ruled out threatening the holding of
timely elections! After all, minus these hopefuls, their standing in the
National and Provincial Assemblies would lose significance. The ECP has
also asked Wapda, PTCL and gas companies to furnish particulars of
outgoing defaulting parliamentarians within 48 hours. Obviously, not a
happy tiding is in store for a number of them.

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 Relevant to the polls are two other developments: the ECP’s sharp
reaction to the aerial firing done after some candidates had filed their
nomination papers and other incidents tantamount to the show of power in
Punjab and Sindh. Taking serious notice of the firing, the show of arms and
the candidates submitting their papers with a huge crowd in tow, the ECP
has warned that not only would the administration be responsible for any
untoward incidents, but also the nomination papers of these candidates
would be rejected for this violation of the ECP’s announced electoral code
of conduct.
Apart from his involvement in the rental power projects case, former
Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf faces another predicament. The
Amnesty International has charged that even after the expiry of his
constitutional stint in power, he authorized the expenditure of as high an
amount as Rs961 million against advertisements. Certainly, interesting times
lie ahead for us Pakistanis.’ (Editorial, TheNation 31st March)
Caretakers set for trial: ‘For the first time in Pakistan the electoral
process has swung into motion in a peaceful and constitutional manner as a
result. This is a remarkable achievement on which all the stakeholders and
the nation deserve to be congratulated. This momentum must be maintained.
Let me point to some recent indicators to prove that this nation can meet any
challenge in a moment of crisis…
While the nation has reasons to hope that the general elections will
take place on schedule, there is lurking fear that unforeseen an unpredictable
events may upset the election plan.
We are in a state of covert war in which internal and external forces
are set to pursue their unholy agenda. The threat is, indeed, alarming. Hence,
the need for extra-vigilance by all of us Pakistanis!
I close this column by warning the nation that it is passing through a
defining period in history and, thus, we cannot afford to falter.’ (Ikramullah,
TheNation 31st March)
Fake degrees: ‘The Supreme Court, while hearing the fake degrees
case, has ordered that 189 ex-parliamentarians to submit their degrees to the
Higher Education Commission for verification by April 5, and asked the
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to inform the Returning Officers
where these ex-parliamentarians have filed nomination forms for the coming
election, so that they could be disqualified in case of noncompliance.
Whereas it is quite true that anyone who has presented a fake degree in the
previous two elections, cannot be judged to qualify under Articles 62 and 63,

187
it must not be forgotten that the graduation condition, that a parliamentarian
be a graduate, no longer applies…
It is true that these elections are supposed to yield assemblies free of
the defects of previous assemblies, but that does not mean that candidates
are to be held hostage to a condition for candidature that is no longer
applicable. However, it is likewise true that people guilty of fraud and
deception cannot be allowed to stand for public office. The Returning
Officers must remember this, and also that it is incumbent upon them to
conduct the election in their constituency in so free, fair and transparent a
manner, that all, including not just candidates and voters, but those not
allowed to be either, will accept the result wholeheartedly. This includes the
question of who is qualified to be a candidate for election, and thus the best
guide for Returning Officers is the law, and if they strictly adhere to it, they
cannot go wrong. In this case, they cannot afford to either.’ (Editorial,
TheNation 3rd April)
Sitting on the fence is no option: ‘In 1959, Professor Arnold J.
Toynbee was invited by the Peshawar University to spend a month on the
campus to deliver a series of lectures on a subject of his own choice. I was
Deputy Commissioner, Peshawar. Once a week, thanks to my friend, Abu
Kureshi, who was his guide and constant companion, Professor Toynbee
would do me the honour of coming to my official residence on Fort Road…
Election, Professor Toynbee said, is not the answer. The idea that you
can just hold elections while everything remains colonial, feudal and
medieval, means you won’t get democracy, but some perversion of it.
Elections are necessary, but not sufficient; they alone do not make a
democracy. Creating a democracy requires a free and independent country,
an inviolable constitution, a sustained commitment of time and money to
develop all the necessary elements: a transparent executive branch
accountable to Parliament, a powerful and competent legislature answerable
to the electorate, a strong neutral judiciary, and a free press.
To assume that a popular vote will automatically bring about a
democratic metamorphosis would be to condemn the country to a repeat of
the cycle seen so often in Pakistan: a short-lived period of corrupt, civilian
rule, a descent into chaos and then army intervention.
Perhaps no form of government, Toynbee said, needs great leaders so
much as democracy. It is our misfortune that at a time when leadership is
desperately needed to cope with matters of vital importance and put the
country back on the democratic path, Pakistan is ruled by a corrupt, criminal

188
syndicate. To no nation has fate been more malignant than to Pakistan. With
few exceptions, it has long been saddled with poor, even malevolent,
leadership: predatory kleptocrats, military dictators, political illiterates and
carpet-baggers. No wonder, Pakistan is today no more than a poor, broken
toy floating on an ocean of uncertainty.
The corrupt leadership ruling Pakistan has proved unable to govern a
country rent by political, ethnic, economic, and social conflicts. Today,
Pakistan is a nightmare of despair and despondency, and in doubt about its
future. The rich are getting richer, while the poor, well, they are still dirt
poor and are sinking deeper and deeper into a black hole of abject poverty.
The country appears to be adrift, lacking confidence about its future.
Disaster and frustration roam the political landscape. Look into the eyes of a
Pakistani today and you will see a smouldering rage…
Today, Pakistan stands in twilight, awaiting the seemingly inevitable
descent of darkness. Is the dark long night about to end? And has the time
come for us to leave the valley of despair and climb the mountain so that we
can see the glory of another dawn? The darkest hour is just before the dawn
and as generally happens in history, it is at the darkest hour that a bright star
arises when you had almost given up hope. When a crisis comes, a kind of
tidal wave sweeps the man of character to the forefront. Cometh the hour,
cometh the man. Today, we have both. The hour has struck. And the man
has appeared. The hour has found the man, who has the will and the power
to restore the Pakistan dream.
Today, Imran Khan incarnates all our hopes. He epitomizes the
national struggle. He embodies the nation’s romantic dream of itself. He
presents himself before the nation as a glowing beacon against the forces of
darkness. It seems that, as in the case of Churchill in 1940, the last 15 years
or so he spent in political wilderness had been but a preparation for this hour
and for this trial. A window of hope has opened for Pakistan. All the men of
yesterday and all the men of day before yesterday, who have ganged up
against Imran, are destined for the dustbin.
Imran is the only truly national figure in the bleak, fragmented
Pakistani landscape. In this atmosphere of gloom and doom, destiny is
beckoning him. He is the right man, at the right time and the right place to
shake up this stagnant nation’s sclerotic status quo and dislodge the corrupt
leaders catapulted to the summit of power in tragic circumstances. It is our
good fortune to have found the right leader whose character, integrity,
credibility and ability fit the tide of history. He has courage, stamina,

189
patriotism, idealism and habit of hard work that have become part of his
being.
Now that the election schedule has been announced, a sense of high
intensity chaos prevails in the capital. Pakistan is preparing for a showdown.
It will be no ordinary election. It will be the defining moment for the destiny
of the people and the country. The political parties will face an influx of
young, angry, unpredictable voters. The stage is set for a collision between
those who belong to the future and those who represent the forces of
darkness and the dead past. In this Manichean struggle, you have to choose
sides. Neutrality is immoral and is not an option.
We live in a profoundly precarious country; it is in deep, deep trouble.
Sitting on the fence is no option. Attentists (those who wait or fence sitters)
must make up their minds. The moment has come to join the battle for
Pakistan. Now that young people, men and women, in particular, have come
out in support of Imran, the winds of change have begun to blow. Things
will change. The status quo will shift, the corrupt regime will crumble. The
long nightmare will be over. It will be morning once again in Pakistan. This
is the last chance. The last battle.’ (Roedad Khan, TheNation 3rd April)
Caretakers, elections and beyond: ‘In 1977, the election results
were challenged with such intensity that the country was subjected to
military takeover, which lasted for almost a decade. The military rulers’
alliance with the US continues to cast its dark shadows till today.
Thus, a similar political disorder can be planned that will disrupt or
delay the formation of a representative government in the country. This
arrangement will immensely suit the vested domestic and the US interests. It
may even result in another military takeover, if the events take a serious
turn.
The current political scenario is quite confusing; political leadership is
not showing any political maturity and sagacity. In fact by their belligerence,
they are enhancing this confusion that gives the sceptics reason to put
forward conspiracy theories.
Pakistan has suffered politically, economically and diplomatically due
to uncalled for confusion that our leadership projects for personal and party
interests. They should sort out their differences with political maturity for
the sake of national integrity. It is, indeed, too weak to withstand the
political confusion and disorder any longer.’ (A. R. Jerral, TheNation 3 rd
April)

190
 Beyond the mandate: ‘It is not only beyond the mandate of the
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to dictate the presence of a blank
column, or just as the ECP calls it ‘none of the above’ column, to signify
that not a single candidate listed on the ballot papers of a particular
constituency is acceptable to the voter, but it is also against plain common
sense. If the special column is supposed to serve the purpose of ascertaining,
as the ECP has given out, whether 51 percent of the electorate in the
constituency does not wish any of the candidates to represent them in the
legislative assembly, it could easily be calculated from the number of votes
cast. If they happen to be less than 50 percent of the total numbers the
intended result would be known. One might ask the ECP that in case none of
the candidates appeals to a voter to be good enough to represent him, why at
all should he bother about queuing up at the polling booth?
In fact, there was no need for such an innovative practice that is
hardly in vogue anywhere else in the world. Article 218(3) of the
constitution that enjoins upon the ECP to hold free and fair elections reads:
‘It shall be the duty of the election commission to organize and conduct the
election and to make such arrangements as are necessary to ensure that the
election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with law and
that corrupt practices are guarded against.’ We believe that the issue has not
been thought through and suggest that the idea of making a reference to the
caretaker Prime Minister to advise the President to issue an ordinance in
order to give the concept legal cover should be dropped. Candidates have
been complaining against returning officers asking uncalled for personal and
religious questions.
The ECP that met under the chairmanship of Chief Election
Commissioner Fakhruddin Ebrahim on Wednesday also discussed two
important proposals: satellite surveillance of sensitive polling stations… We
sincerely hope and wish that the high-pitched activity that one witnesses
today pays off and the country finally succeeds in holding elections on time
that are, at the same time, free, fair and transparent. But the precedents being
set are not legally sound and are not indicative if long term benefit to the
country.’ (Editorial, TheNation 5th April)
The election conundrum: ‘The methods of scrutiny through Articles
62 and 63 have opened a Pandora’s Box of contradictions in Pakistan’s
politic body… It appears that in this game fiercely contested by President
Asif Ali Zardari, judiciary, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the
establishment, the die has been cast and the familiar narrative of regime
change has morphed to a new methodology. Odds now are against the

191
President and his NRO allies. The high attrition of mainstream politicians
presents two scenarios. 
First, the parties may still go ahead by trusting reins in the hand of
second and third tier leadership. Secondly, the casualties may force some
parties to boycott the elections. 
The rider clause is that all disqualified candidates will be
automatically debarred from holding party positions under the Political
Parties Act and lose it forever. This may lead these parties into agitation and
lawlessness on the streets that may run berserk. The logical outcomes thence
are elections on schedule or extension in the caretakers morphing into a
technocrat interim government for a fixed period under orders of the
Supreme Court of Pakistan. 
Alternatively, if elections go as scheduled, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf
with a major part of its top leadership intact could turn out to be the most
winnable group to contest and lead a future coalition. However, its lack of
homework in Sindh, Southern Punjab and Balochistan may deprive it of a
ruling majority…
Yet, all political parties are focused on electoral issues, rather than
what lies in wait for them. Though constitutionalists would wish that the
democratic process should continue, the anathema lies in the very
transparent term of free, fair and credible elections. The process of
qualifications under the constitution would invalid at many old and familiar
faces with the possibility of violent reactions. 
To get over this hill and continue with the evolution of democratic
norms should be the concern of all political leaders. Once in power, they can
debate and bring changes to Articles 62 and 63 that give sweeping powers to
the ECP. 
It is also in the interests of Pakistanis across all divides to continue the
debate between the Lahore Resolution and ideology of Pakistan in line with
the dynamics of Pakistan Movement. The key to restoring democratic
stability is, therefore, in the hands of those who are most likely to be
penalized under the qualification clauses. ‘Que Sera Sera!’ What will be,
will be!’ (Samson Simon Sharaf, TheNation 6th April)
The ECP and elections: ‘Another very important step is the issuance
of a code of conduct by the ECP for the media concerning the issues
pertaining to election coverage. While the Pakistani media enjoys unfettered
freedom of expression, a section of it is neglectful of its responsibility

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towards the society. It, like the political parties, is polarized and afflicted
with biases against their supposed rivals, propagating views of the parties
they have affiliations with. Undoubtedly, the media is a defining
characteristic of a country’s political system. Therefore, these guidelines
were utmost necessary.
A pluralist media disseminating correct information about the events
to the society and acting as a forum for free, unbiased and non-partisan
debate on issues of national importance is an indispensable entity in a
democratic dispensation. So any digression from the accepted norms of
social responsibility by it justifies intervention by the government or other
state organs such as the ECP.
The media needs to be mindful of the fact that there is no concept of
unbridled freedom of expression anywhere in the world. Resorting to
falsehood, misreporting, distorting facts and dishing out speculative stuff, as
well as propagating partisan views, do not fall in the domain of freedom of
expression. This kind of behaviour is not tolerated even in the societies,
which boast of freedom of media as the hallmark of their polity. The media
has a greater role to play in consolidating the gains of democracy. It has to
use its power to change perceptions and help people make good choices
during the election. It is, indeed, obligatory on the media to rise above all
considerations, except national interest.
The ensuing elections are being billed as a defining moment in the
history of Pakistan and a milestone that will determine the direction the
country will take in the future. The media has to make sure that it keeps
itself away from taking sides, playing favourites or presenting an unbalanced
picture of the election campaign.
Moreover, it has to inform and educate people about the challenges
ahead, discuss the manifestoes of all political parties in an objective manner
and curb the propensities to scandalize events or portraying issues tinged
with biases of any kind.’ (Malik Muhammad Ashraf, TheNation 6th April)
Electoral process and caretakers: ‘What can the caretakers do,
given the short time and their limited mandate? They certainly can introduce
improvements in the performance of some of the institutions and set good
examples of personal behaviour. If they remain easily accessible and make it
a point to be helpful, they, even in a short span of time, can do a lot of good,
especially to the deprived and the disadvantaged.
Another desirable approach on their part would be to find time to meet
representatives of the outstanding NGOs. Such contacts will bring in

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excellent suggestions on how pro-people projects and activities could be
undertaken and bureaucratic inertia broken for achieving results. Many
NGOs have done a remarkable job and government may, with advantage,
learn from the good practices evolved by them.’ (Inayatullah, TheNation 6 th
April)

REVIEW
According to the Constitution, the general elections have to be held
every five years under impartial Election Commission and neutral caretaking
interim governments at the Centre and provinces. But these are installed
with consensus of the politicians going out of power corridors.
The politicians in Pakistan are shrewd enough to know that while the
above mentioned institutions organize ‘free and fair’ polls, they should not
cause any serious damage to their interests. To this end, they chose two
retired judges for the slots of Chairman CEC and interim Prime Minister,
both in their eighties. Men with at least one leg in the grave, if not both,
could not think of harming any one.
The outgoing rulers had also to be mindful of the likes and dislikes of
their foreign masters. Appointment of Najam Sethi as Chief Minister of
Punjab reflected that they were fully aware of this ground reality. His
appointment was reportedly sponsored through real estate tycoon Malik
Riaz.
Malik is affectionately referred to as chiriya (sparrow) by Sethi in his
TV programme Apas ki Baat, which brings him all the information from
corridors of power. Sethi co-related his relationship with his chiriya with
King Solomon and his Hudhud, but a sparrow manoeuvring the appointment
of its pet-keeper was just like a tail wagging the dog.
Sethi is an Uncle Sam’s man just like Hussain Haqqani, because he
too is an enlightened secular that is critical of armed forces and strongly
supports peace with India at all costs. This was reflected in his choice of his
four-member cabinet and an immediate decision to celebrate Basant, though
already delayed by a month.
With the nomination of Najam Sethi, Zardari made a clean sweep in
the first stage of forthcoming polls. His prediction made while joking with
media men some days ago came true. However, the choice of caretakers
indicated that even politicians do not trust any fellow politician for
organizing anything free and fair.

194
 The Election Commission granted two more days for filing of
nomination papers, though Altaf Hussain had demanded an extra week for
that. The mere collection of nomination papers warranted extension of the
period allocated, but for scrutiny, which is more laborious and time
consuming task, not a single extra day was demanded by any ‘stakeholder’
or its need felt by the ECP on its own.
The ECP coaxed by the Supreme Court showed lot of interest in
clearance of outstanding utility bills by the outgoing parliamentarians, but
nothing was done about those who had plundered billions in last five years.
The Supreme Court pressed upon lower courts to punish the fake degree
holders who had remained at large for the last five years.
One of the convicts, former PPP provincial minister Ali Madad Jattak
of Balochistan, after having been sentenced to imprisonment, made a victory
sign while mounting a prisoners’ van. Copies of his picture printed on the
front page of TheNation on 6th April should be distributed to all media
wizards who say that politicians feel embarrassed over questions asked by
the Returning Officers.
The breed of politicians who feel embarrassed over a wrong doing has
virtually become extinct. Those who justify their ‘sins’, like the Devil, are in
plenty. Ayaz Amir, projected as an intellectual by fellow media men, did not
regret writing articles that negated Islamic Ideology, the basis of creation of
Pakistan. Instead, he was cheeky enough to demand the document or law in
which definition of Islamic ideology is given.
The nomination papers of this enlightened intellectual were
challenged by a lawyer and he was disqualified by an obscurantist Returning
Officer. This was enough for Ayaz to win the sympathies of Zardari who
happens to be the President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Zardari
telephoned Ayaz Amir and expressed solidarity with him.
To the bad luck of the lovers of democracy the ‘democratic revenge’
turn-about, like an elephant of Poris and stampeded over ranks and files of
friendly forces. Had such scrutiny been carried out during the rule of a
military dictator, there would have been lot of hue and cry, especially from
the ‘intellectuals’ like Ayaz Amir. Nevertheless, successive military
dictators owe it to the nation for not carrying out ‘ruthless scrutiny’ when
they could and instead preferred to become politicians themselves.
8th April, 2013

195
 APPLY TO DISCERN
PART TWO
In Bal-e-Jibril, Allamah Iqbal has relatively said less in reference to
this context. The subjects that have been covered include politics, especially
the state and religion and economics. He has also commented on Western
civilization and western thinkers and leaders.
He has been quite blunt in pointing out the faults in the systems of his
time, but the criticism has never been for the sake of criticism. He has given
his candid views on whatever issue he chose to talk about and those have
always been based on Islamic teachings.
The poetical works selected for this chapter have been mostly
translated into English by Syed Akbar Ali Shah.

GHAZALEIN
***** (17) *****
In this ghazal Allamah sees no difference between democracy and
imperialism when statecraft is divorced from religion.
(Written in Europe) ‫يورپ ميں‬ ‫لکھے گئے‬
‫زمستاني‬ ‫ہوا ميں گرچہ تھي شمشير کي تيزي‬
 ‫نہ‬  ‫چھوٹے مجھ سے لندن ميں بھي آداب سحر خيزي‬
Zamastani hawa mein garchih thhi shamshir ki taizi; nah chhotey mojh sey
London mein bhi aadab-e-sehar gahi.
(Zamastani hawa: Sardiyu’on ki thhandi hawa. Sehar gahi: Sobh sawairey
otthna.)
At London, winter wind, like sword, was biting though, my wont to rise at
early morn I didn’t forego.
‫کہيں‬ ‫سرمايہ محفل تھي ميري گرم گفتاري‬
‫کہيں‬ ‫سب کو پريشاں کر گئي ميري کم آميزي‬
Kaheen sarmayah-e-mehfil thhi meyri garam goftari; kaheen sabb ko
parish’an kar gaeyi meyri kum amaizi.
At times my heated talk to gathering pleasure lent; my holding ’loof at times
perplexed them all, I trow.

196
 ‫زمام‬ ‫کار اگر مزدور کے ہاتھوں ميں ہو پھر کيا‬
‫طريق‬ ‫کوہکن ميں بھي وہي حيلے ہيں پرويزي‬
Zamam-e-kaar agar muzdoor kay haath’on mein ho tuo pher kaya; tariq-e-
kohkon mein bhi wohi heilay hein Pervaizi.
(Zamam-e-kaar: (Hakoomat ka) karobar.)
No hope for change is there, if workers rule the land, for those who hew the
rocks, like Parvez tricks do know.
‫جالل‬ ‫پادشاہي ہو کہ جمہوري تماشا ہو‬
‫جدا‬ ‫ہو ديں سياست سے تو رہ جاتي ہے چنگيزي‬
Jalal-e-padshahi ho keh jamhoori tamasha ho; joda ho Deen siyasat sey tuo
reh jaati hai Changaizi.
Statecraft divorced from Faith to reign of terror leads, though it be a
monarch’s rule or Commoners’ show.
‫سواد‬ ‫رومة الکبرے ميں دلي ياد آتي ہے‬
‫وہي‬ ‫ وہي شان دل آويزي‬، ‫ وہي عظمت‬، ‫عبرت‬
Sawad-e-Roma-tul-Kobra mein Dilli yaad a’ati hai; wohi ibrat, wohi azmat,
wohi shan-e-dil awaizi.
(Sawad: Maholi kaifiyat. Dil awaizi: Dil kashi.)
The streets of Rome remind of Delhi’s glorious past, the lesson same and
charm are writ upon its brow.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

***** (46) *****

In this ghazal Allamah has listed some shortcomings in the socities of
the East and West and all of them are attributable to severing of the link with
the religion.
‫ہوا‬ ‫نہ زور سے اس کے کوئي گريباں چاک‬
‫اگرچہ‬ ‫مغربيوں کا جنوں بھي تھا چاالک‬
Ho’a nah zor sey oss kay koeyi garib’an chaak; agarchih Maghrabiyu’on ka
jan’on bhi thha chalaak.
Intuition in the West was clever in its power, but had not the plenitude for
absolute abandon.

197
  ‫مے يقيں سے ضمير حيات ہے پرسوز‬
‫نصيب‬ ‫مدرسہ يا رب يہ آب آتش ناک‬
Maey yaq’in sey zamir-e-hayat hai porsoz; nasib-e-madrassah ya-Rabb yeh
aab-e-atash naak. (Aab-e-atash naak: Aag bhara pani.)
The quintessence of life is the force of faith supreme: It is a force denied to
all our seats of learning.
‫عروج‬ ‫آدم خاکي کے منتظر ہيں تمام‬
‫يہ‬ ‫ يہ نيلگوں افالک‬، ‫ يہ ستارے‬، ‫کہکشاں‬
Arooj-e-Adam-e-khaki kay montazir hein tamam; yeh kehkash’an, yeh
sitarey, yeh neilg’on aflaak.
The galaxies, the planets, the firmament, are all waiting for man’s rise, like a
star in heaven.
‫يہي‬ ‫زمانہ حاضر کي کائنات ہے کيا‬
‫دماغ‬ ‫روشن و دل تيرہ و نگہ بے باک‬
Yehi zamanah-e-hazir ki kainat hai kaya; damagh roshan O dil teirah O
nigah bibaak. (Dil-e-teirah: Dil kay andar ka andhaira.)
Brains are bright and hearts are dark and eyes are bold, is this the sum and
substance of what our age has gained?
‫تو‬ ‫بے بصر ہو تو يہ مانع نگاہ بھي ہے‬
‫وگرنہ‬ ‫ جہاں خس و خاشاک‬، ‫آگ ہے مومن‬
Tou bibasar ho tuo yeh maan’a-e-nigah bhi hai; wagarnah aag hai Momin,
jah’an khas-o-khashak.
(Bibasar: Beinaeyi sey mehroom. Khas-o-khashak: Ghhas phoos.)
The world is a haystack forthe fire of theMuslim soul, but if thou art eyeless,
thou canst not find thy way.
‫زمانہ‬ ‫عقل کو سمجھا ہوا ہے مشعل راہ‬
‫کسے‬ ‫ ادراک‬Ð‫خبر کہ جنوں بھي ہے صاحب‬
Zamanah aql ko samjha ho’a hai masha’al-e-rah; kissey khabar keh jan’on
bhi hai sahib-e-idraak. (Sahib-e-idraak: Aql-o-feham wala.)
To a multitude of men, reason is the guide; they know not that frenzy has a
wisdom of its own.

198
 ‫جہاں‬ ‫تمام ہے ميراث مرد مومن کي‬
‫ميرے‬ ‫کالم پہ حجت ہے نکتہ لوالک‬
Jah’an tamam hai miraas mard-e-Momin ki; meyrey kalam peh hujjat hai
noktah-e-lolaak.
(Lolaak: Morad hai Muhammad (S.A.W.) jinn ko Sahib-e-Lolaak bhi kehtey
hein.)
The world entire is a legacy of the Man of Faith: I say it on the authority of
We would not have created it.
(Translated by Naim Siddiqui)

QUATRAIN
*****(7)*****
‫عرب‬ ‫کے سوز ميں ساز عجم ہے‬
‫حرم‬ ‫کا راز توحيد امم ہے‬
‫تہي‬ ‫وحدت سے ہے انديشہ غرب‬
‫کہ‬ ‫تہذيب فرنگي بے حرم ہے‬
Arab kay soz mein saaz-e-Ajam hai; Haram ka raaz Towhid-e-ommam hai.
Tehi-e-wahdat sey hai andaishah-e-gharb; keh tehzeeb-e-Farangi bi-Haram
hai.
Arabian fervour has within it the Persian melodies; the hidden purpose of the
Sanctuary is to unify all nations.
Western thought is bereft of the idea of Oneness, because the Western
civilization has no Ka‘bah.
(Translated by M. Munawwar Mirza)

LENIN BEFORE GOD

In this poem Allamah rejects western economic and political
practices, especiaaly the capitalism.
‫لينن‬ 
‫حضور ميں خدا کے‬
Lenin Khoda kay hazoor mein

199
 ‫اے‬ ‫انفس و آفاق ميں پيدا ترے آيات‬
‫حق‬ ‫يہ ہے کہ ہے زندہ و پائندہ تري ذات‬
Ay anfos-o-aafaq mein paida Terey aayat; haq yeh hai keh hai zindah-o-
paindah Teri Zaat.
(Anfos: Nafas ki jama’a; morad hai alam-e-arwah sey. Aafaq: Ofaq ki
jama’a; morad hai alam-e-ajsaam sey.)
All space and all that breathes bear witness; truth it is indeed; Thou art, and
dost remain.
‫ميں‬ ‫کيسے سمجھتا کہ تو ہے يا کہ نہيں ہے‬
‫ہر‬ ‫دم متغير تھے خرد کے نظريات‬
Mein kaisay samajhta keh Tou hai ya keh naheen hai; her dum motaghiyar
thhey khird kay nazariyaat. (Motaghiyar: Badalney wala.)
How could I know that God was or was not, where Reason's reckonings
shifted hour by hour?
‫محرم‬ ‫نہيں فطرت کے سرود ازلي سے‬
‫بينائے‬ ‫کواکب ہو کہ دانائے نباتات‬
Mehram naheen fitrat kay sarood-e-azli sey; beina’ey kawakab ho keh
dana’ey nabataat.
(Beina’ey kawakab: Sitar’on ka ilm rakhhney wala. Dana’ey nabatat:
Nabatat ka ilm rakhhney wala.)
The peerer at planets, the counter-up of plants, heard nothing there of
Nature's infinite music.
‫آج‬ ‫آنکھ نے ديکھا تو وہ عالم ہوا ثابت‬
‫ميں‬ ‫جس کو سمجھتا تھا کليسا کے خرافات‬
Aaj ankh ney deikhha tuo woh alam ho’a saabat; mein jiss ko samajhta thha
Kalisa kay khorafaat. (Khorafat: Mun ghharrat baat’in.)
To-day I witnessing acknowledge realms that I once thought the mummery
of the Church.
‫ہم‬ ‫بند شب و روز ميں جکڑے ہوئے بندے‬
‫تو‬ ‫خالق اعصار و نگارندہ آنات‬

200
Hum bund-e-shabb-o-roz mein jakarraey ho’ay banday; tou khaliq-e-a’asar-
o-nigarindah-i-anaat.
(A’asar: Asar ki jama’a; ya’ani zamaney. Nigarindah: Likhhney wala.
Anaat: Aan ki jama’a, ya’ani auqat.)
We, manacled in the chains of day and night! Thou, moulder of all time's
atoms, builder of aeons.
‫اک‬ ‫ ہو تو پوچھوں‬Ð‫بات اگر مجھ کو اجازت‬
‫حل‬ ‫کر نہ سکے جس کو حکيموں کے مقاالت‬
Ekk baat agar mojh ko ajazat ho tuo pochh’on; hul kar nah sakkey jiss ko
hakim’on kay moqalaat.
Let me have leave to ask this question, one not answered by the subtleties of
the schools.
‫جب‬ ‫تک ميں جيا خيمہ افالک کے نيچے‬
‫کانٹے‬ ‫کي طرح دل ميں کھٹکتي رہي يہ بات‬
Jabb takk mein jiya khaimah-e-aflaak kay neichey; kantey ki tarah dil mein
khhatakti rehi yeh baat.
That while I lived under the sky-tent's roof like a thorn rankled in my heart,
and made:
‫گفتار‬ ‫کے اسلوب پہ قابو نہيں رہتا‬
‫جب‬ ‫روح کے اندر متالطم ہوں خياالت‬
Goftar kay asloob peh qaboo naheen rehta; jabb rooh kay andar motlatam
h’on khiyalaat. (Motlatam: Lehreim leyney waaley.)
Such chaos in my soul of all its thoughts I could not keep my tumbling
words in bounds.
‫وہ‬ ‫کون سا آدم ہے کہ تو جس کا ہے معبود‬
‫وہ‬ ‫آدم خاکي کہ جو ہے زير سماوات؟‬
Woh kon saa Adam hai keh tuo jiss ka hai ma’abood; woh Adam-e-khaki keh
jo hai zir-e-samawaat?
(Samawat: Sama ki jama’a; ya’ani asman’on.)
Oh, of what mortal race art Thou the God? Those creatures formed of dust
beneath these heavens?

201
 ‫مشرق‬ ‫کے خداوند سفيدان فرنگي‬
‫مغرب‬ ‫کے خداوند درخشندہ فلزات‬
Mashriq kay khodwand safidaan Farangi; Maghrab kay khodawand
darikhshindah folzaat.
(Folzaat: Dhatein.)
Europe's pale checks are Asia's pantheon, and Europe's pantheon her
glittering metals.
‫يورپ‬ ‫ميں بہت روشني علم و ہنر ہے‬
‫حق‬ ‫يہ ہے کہ بے چشمہ حيواں ہے يہ ظلمات‬
Europe mein bohat roshni-e-ilm-o-honar hai; haq yeh hai keh bi-chashmah-
e-haiw’an hai yeh zolmaat. (Zolmaat: Andhairey.)
A blaze of art and science lights the West with darkness that no Fountain of
Life dispels;
‫رعنائي‬ ‫ صفا ميں‬، ‫ رونق ميں‬، ‫تعمير ميں‬
‫گرجوں‬ ‫سے کہيں بڑھ کے ہيں بنکوں کي عمارات‬
Ra’anaeyi-e-ta’amir mein, rounaq mein, safa mein; girj’on sey barrh kay
hein bank’on ki amaraat.
In high-reared grace, in glory and in grandeur, the towering Bank out-tops
the cathedral roof.
‫ظاہر‬ ‫ حقيقت ميں جوا ہے‬، ‫ميں تجارت ہے‬
‫سود‬ ‫ايک کا الکھوں کے ليے مرگ مفاجات‬
Zahar mein tajarat hai, haqiqat mein jo’a hai; sood eik ka lakhh’on kay leay
marg-e-mafajaat. (Marg-e-mafajaat: Naghaani mout.)
What they call commerce is a game of dice for one, profit, for millions
swooping death.
‫يہ‬ ‫ يہ حکومت‬، ‫ يہ تدبر‬، ‫ يہ حکمت‬، ‫علم‬
‫پيتے‬ ‫ ديتے ہيں تعليم مساوات‬، ‫ہيں لہو‬
Yeh ilm, yeh hikmat, yeh tadabbar, yeh hakoomat; peitay hein lahoo. deytey
hein ta’alim-e-masawaat.
There science, philosophy, scholarship, government preach man's equality
and drink men's blood.

202
 ‫بے‬ ‫کاري و عرياني و مے خواري و افالس‬
‫کيا‬ ‫کم ہيں فرنگي مدنيت کے فتوحات‬
Bi-kaari-o-oriyani-o-maey khwari-o-aflaas; kaya kum hein Farangi
madniyat kay fatohaat. (Madniyat: Tamaddan.)
Naked debauch, and want, and unemployment are these mean triumphs of
the Frankish arts.
‫وہ‬ ‫قوم کہ فيضان سماوي سے ہو محروم‬
‫حد‬ ‫اس کے کماالت کي ہے برق و بخارات‬
Woh quom keh faizan-e-samawi sey ho mehroom; hud oss kay kamalat ki hai
barq-o-bokharaat.
Denied celestial grace a nation goes no further than electricity or steam.
‫ہے‬ ‫دل کے ليے موت مشينوں کي حکومت‬
‫احساس‬ ‫مروت کو کچل ديتے ہيں آالت‬
Hai dil kay leay mout mashin’on ki hakoomat; ehsas-e-marawwat ko kochal
deytey hein alaat.
Death to the heart, machines stand sovereign; engines that crush all sense of
human kindness.
‫آثار‬ ‫تو کچھ کچھ نظر آتے ہيں کہ آخر‬
‫تدبير‬ ‫کو تقدير کے شاطر نے کيا مات‬
Asaar tuo kochh kochh nazar aatey hein keh akhar; tadbir ko taqdir kay
shaater ney kiya maat.
(Shaater: Shatrunj ka khhalarri, morad hai bohat chalak.)
Yet signs are counted here and there that Fate, the chess-player has check-
mated all their cunning.
‫ميخانے‬ ‫کي بنياد ميں آيا ہے تزلزل‬
‫بيٹھے‬ ‫ہيں اسي فکر ميں پيران خرابات‬
Maey khaney ki boniyad mein aiya hai tazalzal; baithhey hein issi fikr mein
piraan-e-Kharabaat.
(Tazalzal: Zalzalah, bh’onchal. Piraan-e-Kharabaat: Maey khaney kay
montazim.)

203
The Tavern shakes, its warped foundations crack, the Old Men of Europe sit
there numb with fear.
‫چہروں‬ ‫پہ جو سرخي نظر آتي ہے سر شام‬
‫يا‬ ‫غازہ ہے يا ساغر و مينا کي کرامات‬
Chehr’on peh jo sorkhi nazar aati hai sar-e-shaam; ya ghazah hai ya
saghar-o-meina ki karamaat.
What twilight flush is left those faces now is paint and powder, or lent by
flask and cup.
‫تو‬ ‫قادر و عادل ہے مگر تيرے جہاں ميں‬
‫ہيں‬ ‫تلخ بہت بندہ مزدور کے اوقات‬
Tou qadir-o-aadil hai magar Teyrey jah’am mein; hein talakh bohat
bandah-e-mazdoor kay auqaat.
Omnipotent, righteous, Thou; but bitter the hours, bitter the labourer's
chained hours in Thy world!
‫کب‬ ‫ڈوبے گا سرمايہ پرستي کا سفينہ؟‬
‫دنيا‬ Ð‫ہے تري منتظر روز مکافات‬
Kabb doobay ga sarmayah parasti ka safinah? Dunya hai Teri montazir-e-
roz-e-makafaat. (Makafaat: Badlah.)
When shall this galley of gold's dominion founder? Thy world Thy day of
wrath, Lord, stands and waits.
(Translated by V G Kiernan)

SONG OF THE ANGLES

This poem is in continuation of the above.
Farisht’on ka geet‫فرشتوں‬  ‫کاگيت‬
‫عقل‬  ‫ عشق ہے بے مقام ابھي‬، ‫ہے بے زمام ابھي‬
‫نقش‬  ‫گر ازل! ترا نقش ہے نا تمام ابھي‬
Aql hai bi-zamam abhi, ishq hai bi-moqam abhi; naqsh-gar-e-azal! Tera
naqsh hai natamam abhi.
(Zamam: Lagam, Nakail.)

204
Reason is unbridled yet, love is still a dream; thy work remains unfinished
still, O Craftsman of Eternity!
‫خلق‬ ‫خدا کي گھات ميں رند و فقيہ و مير و پير‬
‫تيرے‬ ‫جہاں ميں ہے وہي گردش صبح و شام ابھي‬
Khalq-e-Khoda ki ghhat mein rind-o-faqih-o-mir-o-pir; teyrey jah’an mein
hai wohi gardish-e-sobh-o-shaam abhi.
The days and nights revolve, unfolding evils new; the rulers of body and
soul are ruthless tyrants, all.
‫تيرے‬  ‫ تيرے فقير حال مست‬، ‫امير مال مست‬
‫بندہ‬  ‫ خواجہ بلند بام ابھي‬، ‫ہے کوچہ گرد ابھي‬
Teyrey amir maal must, teyrey faqir haal must; bandah hai koochah gard
abhi, khwajah boland baam abhi.
The rich are drunk with wealth; the pious are drunk with piety; the homeless
wander in the streets, the lords of palaces are Olympian.
‫دانش‬ ‫و دين و علم و فن بندگي ہوس تمام‬
‫عشق‬ ‫گرہ کشاے کا فيض نہيں ہے عام ابھي‬
Danish-o-deen-o-ilm-o-fun bandagi-e-hawus tamam; ishq girah kosha’ey ka
faiz naheen hai aam abhi.
Learning, religion, art and science, are all slaves of greed; thy love that
solves all riddles, has yet to shower its blessings.
‫جوہر‬  ‫ جوہر عشق ہے خودي‬، ‫زندگي ہے عشق‬
‫کہ ہے يہ تيغ تيز پردگي نيام ابھي! آہ‬
Johar-e-zindagi hai ishq, johar-e-ishq hai khodi; ah! Keh hai yeh taigh-e-
taiz pardagi-e-niyam abhi.
(Pardagi-e-niyam: Miyan kay andar chhopi hoeyi.)
The essence of Life is Love, the essence of Love is the self; Alas! This
cutting sword as yet rests in the sheath!

GOD’S COMMAND

205
To His angels
‫فرمان خدا‬
(‫)فرشتوں سے‬
Farman-e-Khoda: Farisht’on sey
‫اٹھو‬ ‫مري دنيا کے غريبوں کو جگا دو‬
‫کاخ‬ ‫امرا کے در و ديوار ہال دو‬
Othho meri dunya kay gharib’on ko jaga duo; kaakh-e-omra kay dar-o-
diwar hila duo.
(Kaakh-e-omra: Amir’on kay mehal.)
Rise, and from their slumber wake the poor ones of My world shake the
walls and windows of the mansions of the great!
‫گرماؤ‬ ‫غالموں کا لہو سوز يقيں سے‬
‫کنجشک‬ ‫فرومايہ کو شاہيں سے لڑا دو‬
Garmao ghulam’on ka lahoo soz-e-yaq’in sey; kunjashk-e-fromayah ko
shaheen sey larra duo.
(Kunjashk: Chirriya. Fromayah: Bi-haqiqat, bi-haisiyat. nacheez.)
Kindle with the fire of faith the slow blood of the slaves; make the fearful
sparrow bold to meet the falcon's hate! 
‫سلطاني‬ ‫جمہور کا آتا ہے زمانہ‬
‫جو‬ ‫ مٹا دو‬، ‫نقش کہن تم کو نظر آئے‬
Sultani-e-jamhoor ka ata hai zamanah; jo naqsh-e-kohan tum ko nazar
aa’ey, mita duo.
Close the hour approaches of the kingdom of the poor: Every imprint of the
past find and annihilate!
‫جس‬ ‫کھيت سے دہقاں کو ميسر نہيں روزي‬
‫اس‬ ‫کھيت کے ہر خوشہ گندم کو جال دو‬
Jiss khheit sey dehq’an ko mayassar naheen rozi; oss khheit kay her
khoshah-e-gandam ko jala duo.
Find the field whose harvest is no peasant's daily bread: Garner in the
furnace every ripening ear of wheat!

206
 ‫کيوں‬ ‫خالق و مخلوق ميں حائل رہيں پردے‬
‫پيران‬ ‫کليسا کو کليسا سے اٹھا دو‬
Kiyu’on khaaliq-o-makhlooq mein ha’eyl rehein pardey; piraan-e-Kalisa ko
Kalisa sey othha duo.
Banish from the house of God the mumbling priest whose prayers like a veil
creation from Creator separate!
‫حق‬ ‫ صنماں را بطوافے‬، ‫را بسجودے‬
‫بہتر‬ ‫ہے چراغ حرم و دير بجھا دو‬
Haq ra basajoodey, sanam’an ra batawwafey; behtar hai chiragh-e-Haram-
o-Deir bojha duo.
Haq ra basajooday, sanam’an ra batawwafay: Khoda ko sajday aur bott’on
ka tawwaf.)
God by mm's prostrations, by man's vows are idols cheated: Quench at once
in My shrine and their fane the sacred light!
‫ميں‬ ‫ناخوش و بيزار ہوں مرمر کي سلوں سے‬
‫ميرے‬ ‫ليے مٹي کا حرم اور بنا دو‬
Mein nakhosh-o-bizaar h’on murmur ki sill’on sey; meyrey leay matti ka
Haram aur bana duo.
Rear for me another temple, build its walls with mud: Wearied of their
columned marbles, sickened is My sight!
‫تہذيب‬ ‫نوي کارگہ شيشہ گراں ہے‬
‫جنوں شاعر مشرق کو سکھا دو آداب‬
Tehzeeb-e-navi kargeh-e-shishah gar’an hai, Adaab-e-jan’on sha’er
Mashriq ko seikhha duo.
(Tehzeeb-e-navi: Naeyi tehzeeb. Shishah gar’an: Shishah bananey waley.)
All their fine new world a workshop filled with brittle glass: Go! My poet of
the East to madness dedicate.
(Translated by Naim Siddiqui) 

207
MENDICANCY
This poem is just a glimpse of Allama Iqbal’s views about
imperialism or malookiyat.
Gadaeyi ‫گدائي‬
‫مے‬ ‫کدے ميں ايک دن اک رند زيرک نے کہا‬ 
‫ہے‬ ‫ہمارے شہر کا والي گدائے بے حيا‬ 
Maey kadey mein eik dinn ekk rind-e-zirak ney kaha; hai hamarey shehar ka
waali gadaey bihaya.
(Rind-e-zirak: Dana sharabi.)
A witty man in a tavern spoke with a tongue untamed: ‘The ruler of our state
is a beggar unashamed;
‫تاج‬ ‫پہنايا ہے کس کي بے کالہي نے اسے‬ 
‫کس‬ ‫کي عرياني نے بخشي ہے اسے زريں قبا‬ 
Taj pehnaya hai kis ki bikullahi ney ossey; kis ki oriyani ney bakhshi hai
ossey zar’in qaba.
(Bikullahi: Nangey sar.)
How many go bare-headed to deck him with a crown? How many go naked
to supply his golden gown?
‫اس‬ ‫کے آب اللہ گوں کي خون دہقاں سے کشيد‬ 
‫تيرے‬ ‫ميرے کھيت کي مٹي ہے اس کي کيميا‬ 
Oss kay aab-e-lalah-g’on ki khoon-e-dehq’an sey kashid; teyrey meyrey
khheit ki matti hai oss ki kimiya.
(Aab-e-lalah-g’on: Rang’in mashroob, sharab.)
The blood of the poor turns into his red wine; and they starve so that he may
in luxury dine.
‫اس‬ ‫کے نعمت خانے کي ہر چيز ہے مانگي ہوئي‬ 
‫دينے‬ ‫ مرد غريب و بے نوا‬، ‫واال کون ہے‬ 
Oss kay ni’mat khaney ki her cheez hai ma’ngi hoeyi; deyney wala kon hai,
mard-e-gharib-o-binawa.
The epicure’s table is loaded with delights, stolen from the needy, stripped
of all their rights.

208
 ‫مانگنے‬ ‫ صدقہ مانگے يا خراج‬، ‫واال گدا ہے‬ 
‫ ميرو سلطاں سب گدا کوئي‬، ‫مانے يا نہ مانے‬ 
( ‫ماخوذ‬ ‫)از انوري‬
Ma’ngney wala gada hai, sadqah ma’ngey ya kharaj; koeyi maaney ya nah
maaney, mir-o-sult’an sabb gada. (makhoz az Anwari)
He is a beggar who begs money, be it large or small, Kings with royal pomp
and pride, in fact, are beggars all.’
(Translated by Naim Siddiqui) 

CHURCH AND STATE

Deen-o-Siyasat ‫دين وسياست‬
‫کليسا‬ ‫کي بنياد رہبانيت تھي‬
‫سماتي‬ ‫کہاں اس فقيري ميں ميري‬
Kalisa ki boniyad rahbaniyat thhi; samati kah’an iss faqiri mein miri.
(Rahbaniyat: Tark-e-dunya.)
Monasticism was the church’s base; its austere living had no room for
wealth.
‫خصومت‬ ‫تھي سلطاني و راہبي ميں‬
‫کہ‬ ‫وہ سربلندي ہے يہ سربزيري‬
Khasomat thhi sultani-o-rahabi mein; keh woh sarbolandi hai yeh sarbiziri.
(Khasomat: Doshmani. Sarbiziri: Sar neichey rakhhna, sarnagooni.)
The anchorite and the king have ever been hostile; one has humility; the
other an exalted power.
‫سياست‬ ‫نے مذہب سے پيچھا چھٹرايا‬
‫چلي‬ ‫کچھ نہ پير کليسا کي پيري‬
Siyasat ney mazhab sey pichha chhorraya; chali kochh nah pir-e-Kalisa ki
piri.
Church and state were separated at last; the revered priest was rendered
powerless.

209
 ‫ہوئي‬ ‫دين و دولت ميں جس دم جدائي‬
‫ہوس‬ ‫ ہوس کي وزيري‬، ‫کي اميري‬
Hoeyi deen-o-doulat mein jiss dum jodaeyi; hawus ki amiri, hawus ki waziri.
When church and state parted the ways for ever, it set in the rule of avarice
and greed.
‫دوئي‬ ‫ملک و ديں کے ليے نامرادي‬
‫دوئي‬ ‫چشم تہذيب کي نابصيري‬
Doeyi molk-o-deen kay leay namoradi; doeyi chashm-e-tehzeeb ki
nabaseeri. (Nabaseeri: Andha-pun.)
This split is a disaster both for country and faith, and shows the culture’s
blind lack of vision.
‫يہ‬ ‫اعجاز ہے ايک صحرا نشيں کا‬
‫بشيري‬ ‫ہے آئينہ دار نذيري‬
Yeh ijaz hai eik sehra nash’in ka; bashiri hai a’einah-dar-e-naziri.
(Bashiri: Khoshkhabri deyna. Naziri: Dra’ney ki ehliyat.)
It is the miracle of a desert-dweller to make the grace a mirror to power.
‫اسي‬ ‫ميں حفاظت ہے انسانيت کي‬
‫کہ‬ ‫ہوں ايک جنيدي و اردشيري‬
Issi mein hifazat hai insaniyat ki; keh h’on eik Junaidi-o-Urdsheri.
(Junaidi-o-Urdsheri: Morad hai deen-dari aur badshahat.)
Mankind’s deliverance lies in the unity of those who rule the body and those
who rule the soul.
(Translated by Naim Siddiqui) 

THE EARTH IS GOD'S

‫االرض‬ ‫ہلل‬
‫پالتا‬ ‫ہے بيج کو مٹي کو تاريکي ميں کون‬
‫کون‬ ‫درياؤں کي موجوں سے اٹھاتا ہے سحاب؟‬
Palta hai beij ko matti ko tariki mein kon; kon dariya’on ki mouj’on sey
othhata hai sahaab? (Sahaab: Bhhap.)

210
Who rears the seed in the darkness of the ground? Who lifts the cloud up
from the ocean wave?
‫کون‬ ‫اليا کھينچ کر پچھم سے باد سازگار‬
‫خاک‬  ‫ کس کا ہے يہ نور آفتاب؟‬، ‫يہ کس کي ہے‬
Kon laya khhainch kar pachham sey baad-e-sazgar; khak yeh kis ki hai, kis
ka hai yeh noor-e-aftab? (Baad-e-sazgar: Mowafiq hawa.)
Who drew here from the west the fruitful wind? Who made this soil or who
that light of the sun?
‫کس‬ ‫نے بھردي موتيوں سے خوشہء گندم کي جيب‬
‫موسموں‬ ‫کو کس نے سکھالئي ہے خوئے انقالب؟‬
Kis ney bhar di motiyu’on sey khoshah-e-gandam ki jeib? Mosam’on ko kis
ney sikhhlaeyi hai khoo-e-inqilab?
Who filled with pearls of grain the tasselled wheat? Who taught the months
by instinct to revolve?
‫دہ‬ ‫ تيري نہيں‬، ‫خدايا! يہ زميں تيري نہيں‬
‫تيرے‬   ‫ ميري نہيں‬، ‫ تيري نہيں‬، ‫آبا کي نہيں‬
Deh khodaya! Yeh zam’in teyri naheen, teyri naheen; teyrey aaba ki naheen,
teyri naheen, meyri naheen. (Deh khodaya: Ga’on ka malik, zamindar.
Aaba: Baap dada.)
Landlord! This earth is not thine, is not thine, nor yet thy fathers'; no, not
thine, nor mine. (Translated by Naim Siddiqui) 

AT NAPOLEON’S TOMB
As said earlier, Allamah has not always criticized the West and its
leaders. In this poem he praises Napoleon because his character trait of
striving tirelessly.
Napoleon kay mazar per ‫نپولين کے‬  ‫مزار پر‬
‫راز‬ ‫ راز ہے تقدير جہان تگ و تاز‬، ‫ہے‬
‫جوش‬ ‫کردار سے کھل جاتے ہيں تقدير کے راز‬
Raaz hai, raaz hai taqdir-e-jahan-e-tug-o-taaz; josh-e-kirdar sey khhol
jaatey hein taqdir kay raaz.

211
(Jahan-e-tug-o-taaz: Woh dunya jiss mein dhorr dhoop lazam hai; morad
yeh dunya.)
The destiny of the world is a mystery unknown; it is the force of character
that unlocks its heart.
‫جوش‬ ‫کردار سے شمشير سکندر کا طلوع‬
‫کوہ‬ ‫الوند ہوا جس کي حرارت سے گداز‬
Josh-e-kirdar sey shamshir-e-Sikandar ka talo’o; Koh-e-Alwand ho’a jiss ki
hararat sey godaaz.
(Koh-e-Alwand: Iran ka eik mash’hoor paharr.)
It was the force that powered Alexander’s mighty sword: The sword that
shattered all that came in its way.
‫جوش‬ ‫کردار سے تيمور کا سيل ہمہ گير‬
‫سيل‬ ‫کے سامنے کيا شے ہے نشيب اور فراز‬
Josh-e-kirdar sey Taimoor ka sayel hama-gir; sayel kay saamney kaya
sha’ey hai nashib aur faraaz.
It was the force that launched Tamburlaine’s conquering hordes: The hordes
that swept through rivers and hills and dales.
‫صف‬ ‫جنگاہ ميں مردان خدا کي تکبير‬
‫جوش‬ ‫کردار سے بنتي ہے خدا کي آواز‬
Saff-e-jung-gah mein mardan-e-Khoda ki takbir; josh-e-kirdar sey banti hai
Khoda ki Awaaz.
The call to prayer by men of God in the battle front, through the power of
character becomes the voice of God.
‫ہے‬ ‫مگر فرصت کردار نفس يا دو نفس‬
‫يک دو نفس قبر کي شب ہائے دراز عوض‬
Hai magar forsat-e-kirdar nafas ya duo nafas; ewaz-e-yakk duo nafas qabar
ki shabb-ha’ey daraaz.
But the body’s valour and the power of will, after a moment’s pause, are
swallowed up by the grave.

212
 ‫عاقبت‬ ‫منزل ما وادي خاموشان است‬
‫حاليا‬ ‫غلغلہ در گنبد افالک انداز‬
Aaqbat manzil-e-ma wadi-e-khamosh’an ast; Haliya gholgholah der
gonbad-e-aflaak andaz.
[Akhar hamari manzil qabaristan hai, jah’an khamoshi he ka dour dourah
hai aur koeyi awaz, koeyi sada wah’an sey naheen othh sakti. Jabb halat yeh
hai tuo kiyu’on zindagi kay auqat asman’on kay gonbad mein gholgholah
aur hungamah bapa karney kay leay waqf nah kar di’ay jaa’in.)
‘The vale of silence is the final goal of our journey; raise a tumult, when
alive, under the starlit dome.’ (Translated by Naim Siddiqui)

MUSSOLINI
In this poem Allamah has commended Mussolini for his ability to
rally the youth of his country; though after the death of Allamah the Italian
dictator proved to be a ruthless ruler.
‫مسوليني‬
‫ندرت‬ ‫ ذوق انقالب‬، ‫فکر و عمل کيا شے ہے‬
‫ندرت‬ ‫ ملت کا شباب‬، ‫فکر و عمل کيا شے ہے‬
Nodrat-e-fikr-o-amal kaya sha’ey hai, zouq-e-inqilab; nodrat-e-fikr-o-amal
kaya sha’ey hai, millat ka shabab. (Nodrat: Taazgi, anokhha-pun.)
What is the originality of thought and action? A taste for revolution. What is
the originality of thought and action? The age of youth for a nation.
‫ندرت‬ ‫فکر و عمل سے معجزات زندگي‬
‫ندرت‬ ‫فکر و عمل سے سنگ خارا لعل ناب‬
Nodrat-e-fikr-o-amal sey mo’jzaat-e-zindagi; nodrat-e-fikr-o-amal sey sung-
e-khara la’al-e-naab.
Originality of thought and action creates miracles of life: It turns pebbles
into ruby stones.
‫رومتہ‬ ‫الکبرے! دگرگوں ہوگيا تيرا ضمير‬
‫اينکہ‬ ‫مي بينم بہ بيدار يست يارب يا بہ خواب‬
Roma-tul-Kobra! Digarg’on ho gaya teyra zamir; einkeh mi-beinam beh
bidar’eist Ya Rabb ya beh khwab.

213
[Yeh bidari kay alam mein deikhh raha h’on ya yeh khwab ki dunya kay
nazarey hein.]
O Great Rome! Your conscience has changed altogether: Is this a dream I
see or is this for real!
‫چشم‬ ‫پيران کہن ميں زندگاني کا فروغ‬
‫نوجواں‬ ‫تيرے ہيں سوز آرزو سے سينہ تاب‬
Chashm-piraan-e-kohan mein zindagi ka farogh; naujaw’an teyrey hein soz-
e-arzoo sey seinah-taab.
(Seinah-taab: Jinn kay seiney garam h’on.)
Your old have the gleam of life in their eyes; the flame of desire warms up
the hearts of your young.
‫يہ‬ ‫ يہ نمود‬، ‫ يہ تمنا‬، ‫محبت کي حرارت‬
‫فصل‬ Ð‫گل ميں پھول رہ سکتے نہيں زير حجاب‬
Yeh mohabat ki hararat, yeh tamana, yeh namood; fasal-e-gul mein phool
reh saktey naheen zir-e-hijab.
[Zir-e-hijab: Pardey mein. chhopay ho’ay.)
This warmth of love, this longing and this self-expression: Flowers cannot
hide themselves in the season of spring.
‫نغمہ‬ ‫ہائے شوق سے تيري فضا معمور ہے‬
‫زخمہ‬ ‫ور کا منتظر تھا تيري فطرت کا رباب‬
Naghmah-ha’ey shouq sey teyri faza ma’amoor hai; zakhmah-wer ka
montazir thha teyri fitrat ka rabab.
(Zakhmah-wer: Saaz bajane wala. Ma’amoor: Bhara ho’a.)
Songs of passion fill your air now: The instrument of your nature was
awaiting someone to play on it!
‫فيض‬ ‫ کرامت کس کي ہے؟‬، ‫يہ کس کي نظر کا ہے‬
‫وہ‬ ‫کہ ہے جس کي نگہ مثل شعاع آفتاب‬
Faiz yeh kis ki nazar ka hai, karamat kis ki hai? Woh keh hai jiss ki nigah
misl-e-sho’a-e-aftab.
Whose benevolent eye has graced this miracle upon you? He whose vision is
like the light of the Sun! (Translated by Naim Siddiqui)

214
A QUESTION
Sawal ‫سوال‬
‫اک‬ ‫مفلس خود دار يہ کہتا تھا خدا سے‬
‫ميں‬ ‫کر نہيں سکتا گلہء درد فقيري‬
Ekk moflis-e-khod-dar yeh kehta thha Khoda sey; mein kar naheen sakta
gilah-e-dard-e-faqiri.
A self-respecting tramp was saying to the Almighty: I dare not complain for
my woes of poverty;
‫ليکن‬ ‫ تيري اجازت سے فرشتے‬، ‫يہ بتا‬
‫کرتے‬ ‫ہيں عطا مرد فرومايہ کو ميري ؟‬
Laikan yeh bata, teyri ajazat sey farishtey kartey hein atta mard-e-
froumayah ko miri?(Froumayah: Bihaqiqat.)
But pray tell me if it is by Your permission that the angels bestow riches
upon the worthless ones?
(Translated by Naim Siddiqui)

TO THE PUNJAB PEASANT

‫پنچاب کے دہقان سے‬
Punjab kay dehqan sey
‫بتا‬ ‫کيا تري زندگي کا ہے راز‬
‫ہزاروں‬ ‫برس سے ہے تو خاک باز‬
Bata kaya teri zindagi ka hai raaz; hazar’on baras sey hai tou khak baaz.
What is this life of yours, tell me its mystery: Trampled in dust is your ages-
old history!
‫اسي‬ ‫خاک ميں دب گئي تيري آگ‬
‫ اب تو جاگ سحر‬، ‫کي اذاں ہوگئي‬
Issi khak mein dub gaeyi teyri aag; sehar ki az’an ho-gaeyi, abb tou jaag.
Deep in that dust has been smothered your flame: Wake, and hear dawn its
high summons proclaim.

215
 ‫زميں‬ ‫ميں ہے گو خاکيوں کي برات‬
‫نہيں‬ ‫اس اندھيرے ميں آب حيات‬
Zam’in mein hai go khakiyu’on ki barat; naheen iss andhairey mein aab-e-
hayat. (Barat: Qismat, nasib.)
Creatures of dust from the soil may draw bread: Not in that darkness is Life's
river fed!
‫زمانے‬ ‫ميں جھوٹا ہے اس کا نگيں‬
‫جو‬ ‫اپني خودي کو پرکھتا نہيں‬
Zamaney mein jhota hai oss ka nag’in; jo apni khodi ko parkhhta naheen.
Base will his metal be held, who on earth puts not to trial his innermost
worth!
‫بتان‬ ‫شعوب و قبائل کو توڑ‬
 ‫رسوم‬ ‫کہن کے سالسل کو توڑ‬
Bottaan-e-sha’ob-o-qaba’eyl ko torr; rasoom-e-kohan kay salasal ko torr.
(Sha’ob: Barrey qabilay. Salasal: Zinjirein.)
Break all the idols of tribe and of caste; break the old customs that fetter men
fast.
‫يہي‬ ‫ يہي فتح باب‬، ‫دين محکم‬
‫کہ‬ ‫دنيا ميں توحيد ہو بے حجاب‬
Yehi Deen-e-Mohkam, yehi Fatah-e-Baab; keh dunya mein Towhid ho bi-
hijab.
Here is true victory, here is faith's crown: One creed and one world, division
thrown down.
‫بخاک‬ ‫بدن دانہء دل فشاں‬
‫کہ‬ ‫ايں دانہ دارد ز حاصل نشاں‬
Bakhak-e-badan danah-e-dil fish’an; keh ein danah daarad ’z-hasil
nish’an.
[Tou apney badan ki matti mein dil ka danah bou dey kiyu’onkeh issi daney
sey woh paidawar mil sakti hai jo insan kay leay sharaf ka ba’is hai.]
Cast on the soil of your clay the heart's seed; promise of harvest to come, is
that seed. (Translate by V G Kiernan)

216
CINEMA
‫سنيما‬
‫وہي‬ ‫ وہي بت گري ہے‬، ‫بت فروشي‬
‫سنيما‬ ‫ہے يا صنعت آزري ہے‬
Wohi bott faroshi, wohi bott gari hai; cenima hai ya san’at-e-Azari hai?
Cinema or new fetish-fashioning, idol-making and mongering still?
‫وہ‬ ‫ شيوئہ کافري تھا‬، ‫صنعت نہ تھي‬
‫يہ‬ ‫ شيوئہ ساحري ہے‬، ‫صنعت نہيں‬
Woh san’at nah thhi, shaiwah-e-kafiri thha; yeh san’at naheen, shaiwah-e-
saheri hai.
Art, men called that olden voodoo: Art, they call this mumbo-jumbo.
‫وہ‬ ‫مذہب تھا اقوام عہد کہن کا‬
‫يہ‬ ‫تہذيب حاضر کي سوداگري ہے‬
Woh mazhab thha aqwam-e-kohan ka; yeh tehzeeb-e-hazir ki soudagri hai.
That-antiquity’s poor religion:  This-modernity's pigeon-plucking. 
‫وہ‬ ‫ يہ دوزخ کي مٹي‬، ‫دنيا کي مٹي‬
‫وہ‬ ‫ يہ خاکستري ہے‬، ‫بت خانہ خاکي‬
Woh dunya ki matti, yeh douzakh ki matti; woh bott khanah-e-khaki, yeh
khakistari hai.
That-earth's soil: this-soil of Hades; dust, their temple; ashes, ours.
(Translate by V G Kiernan)

POLITICS
Siyasat ‫سياست‬
‫اس‬ ‫کھيل ميں تعيين مراتب ہے ضروري‬
‫شاطر‬ ‫ ميں پيادہ‬، ‫کي عنايت سے تو فرزيں‬
‫بيچارہ‬ ‫پيادہ تو ہے اک مہرئہ ناچيز‬
‫فرزيں‬ ‫سے بھي پوشيدہ ہے شاطر کا ارادہ‬

217
Iss khhail mein ta’ayyan-e-maratab hai zaroori; shaater ki inayat sey tou
farzein, mien piyadah.
Bicharah piyadah tuo hai ekk mohrah-e-nacheez; farzein sey bhi poshidah
hai shaater ka aradah.
(Ta’ayyan: Moqarar karna. Maratab: Martabah ki jama’a. Farzein: Wazir;
shatranj kay khhail mein woh mohrah jiss ka darjah badshah kay ba’ad hota
hai. Piyadah: Shatranj ka sabb sey chhota mohrah.)
Ranks must be determined for this game; let you be the firzine and I the
pawn by the grace of the chess-player.
The pawn, indeed, is an insignificant token; even the farzine is not privy to
the chess-player’s strategy.
(Translated by Naim Siddiqui)

EUROPE
‫يورپ‬
‫تاک‬ ‫ميں بيٹھے ہيں مدت سے يہودي سودخوار‬
‫جن‬ ‫کي روباہي کے آگے ہيچ ہے زور پلنگ‬
‫خود‬ ‫بخود گرنے کو ہے پکے ہوئے پھل کي طرح‬
‫ديکھيے پڑتا ہے آخر کس کي جھولي ميں فرنگ‬
(‫) ماخوذاز نطشہ‬
Taak mein baithhey hein moddat sey Yahoodi sood-khwaar; jinn ki roobahi
kay agay haich hai zor-e-palang.
Khod bakhod girnay ko hai pukkay ho’ay phal ki tarah; deikhhi’ay parrta
hai akhar kis ki jholi mein Farang. (Makhoz az Nietzsche)
(Roobahi: Loomarri jaisi khaslat, ya’ani chalaki. Palang: Cheitah.)
The Jewish money-lenders, whose cunning beats the lion’s prowess, have
been waiting hopefully for long.
Europe is ready to drop like a ripe fruit, let’s see in whose bag it goes. –
Adapted from Nietzsche.
(Translated by Naim Siddiqui)

218
FREEDOM OF THOUGHT
‫آزادي افکار‬
Azadi-e-Afkar
‫جو‬ ‫دوني فطرت سے نہيں الئق پرواز‬
‫اس‬ ‫مرغک بيچارہ کا انجام ہے افتاد‬
Jo douni-e-fitrat sey naheen laiq-e-pervaaz; oss morghak-e-bicharah ka
anjaam hai aftaad.
(Douni-e-fitrat: Fitrat ki pasti. Morghak: Parindah.)
Falling down is the destiny of that bird whose duality of nature renders him
unable to fly.
‫ہر‬ ‫سينہ نشيمن نہيں جبريل اميں کا‬
‫ہر‬ ‫فکر نہيں طائر فردوس کا صياد‬
Her seinah nashiman naheen Jibril-e-Am’in ka; her fikr naheen ta’er-e-
Firdous ka siyyad.
(Ta’er-e-Firdous: Jannat ka parindah.)
Not every heart is an abode to the trusty Gabriel, nor can every thought
ensnare the Paradise like a bird.
‫اس‬ ‫قوم ميں ہے شوخي انديشہ خطرناک‬
‫جس‬ ‫قوم کے افراد ہوں ہر بند سے آزاد‬
Oss quom mein hai shokhi-e-andaishah khatarnak; jiss quom kay afraad
h’on her bund sey azad.
The ecstasy of thought is dangerous in a nation where the individuals
observe no rule.
‫گو‬ ‫فکر خدا داد سے روشن ہے زمانہ‬
‫آزادي‬ ‫افکار ہے ابليس کي ايجاد‬
Go fikr-e-Khodadad sey roshan hai zamanah; azadi-e-afkaar hai Iblis ki
eijad.
Though God-gifted intellect is the lamp of an age, the freedom of thought is
a Satanic concept.
(Translated by Naim Siddiqui)

219
STANZA
‫قطعہ‬ 
‫کل‬ ‫اپنے مريدوں سے کہا پير مغاں نے‬ 
‫قيمت‬ ‫ميں يہ معني ہے درناب سے دہ چند‬ 
‫زہراب‬ ‫ہے اس قوم کے حق ميں مےء افرنگ‬ 
‫جس‬ ‫قوم کے بچے نہيں خوددار و ہنرمند‬ 
Kall apney Morid’on sey kaha pir-e-mogh’an ney; qimat mein yeh ma’ani
hai durr-e-naab sey deh chund.
Zehar abb hai iss quom kay haq mein maey-e-Afrang; jiss quom kay bachay
naheen khod-dar-e-honarmand.
The mentor exhorted his disciples once: Listen to my words, in value greater
than gold:
The Western wine is poison for the people, when the offspring knows
neither pride nor skill.
(Translated by Naim Siddiqui)
10th April, 2013

220
 TERRORISTS IN TIRAH
Khyber Agency, the last of the large tribal agencies in FATA, has now
become the hub of ‘our’ war on terror. The ‘terrorists’, as result of have
military operations against them in Bajaur and Mohmand agencies in the
north and two Waziristans in the south and of late in Kurram and Orakzai
agencies, had gradually concentrated into the Tirah Valley of the Khyber
Agency.
The presence of a ‘safe heaven’ of TTP fighters in the valley posed
double threat. They could disrupt the movement of logistic supplies of the
US/NATO/ISAF troops deployed in Afghanistan. They could also launch
forays in and around Peshawar; thus a large scale military operation in Tirah
Valley had become unavoidable.
War and the ‘peace process’ in Afghanistan continued side by side,
but none of the two seemed making any headway. Meanwhile, after two
days of talks in Almaty on Iran’s nuclear programme, chief negotiator
Catherine Ashton, the European Union's top diplomat, said that the two sides
were still ‘far apart’. John Kerry hurried to warn that ‘you can't just talk for
the sake of talking’.

NEWS
Pakistan: On 18th March, at least 12 militants were killed and six
sustained injuries when military jets pounded their positions in Chappar
locality in Mamozai tehsil of Orakzai Agency. The military and paramilitary
forces have been fighting in Orakzai for last some years and they have killed
insurgents in large numbers.
At least four persons were killed and 30 others including lawyers
seriously injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a Judicial
Complex in Peshawar. While another suicide bomber was killed in exchange
of firing with the security forces, when he tried to reach the first floor of the
Judicial Complex.
Pakistan's Taliban deferred their offer of peace talks with the
government over its lack of ‘seriousness’, urging voters to boycott upcoming
elections. TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan, in a video posted on
Facebook, warned people to stay away from the rallies of the parties that
made up the coalition government, criticizing the democratic system for
inflation and unrest in Pakistan.

221
 Next day, the army’s top brass reviewed the national security situation
and resolved that the armed forces would follow a comprehensive strategy to
combat terrorist threat being faced by the country. The resolve was made at
the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) meeting. The participants of the
meeting expressed satisfaction over the standard of preparedness of the
armed forces to take on the upcoming challenges.
On 20th March, Ihsanullah Ihsan, main spokesman for TTP, said that
no civilian was targeted during the fighting in Tirah Valley in Khyber
Agency. However, he said, those who became part of the war against the
Taliban will not be spared. He claimed TTP had controlled 95 percent area
of Tirah Valley. He conceded that 15 TTP men were killed while 20 others
injured during the fighting.
Hussain Haqqani advised Washington and Islamabad to give up the
fiction of being allies and acknowledge that their interests simply do not
converge enough to make them strong partners. Washington should leave
Pakistan to its own devices so that it can discover for itself how weak it is
without American aid and support, eventually enabling it to return to the
mainstream suitably chastened about its limitations.
Next day, at least 17 people were killed and 42 others injured in a car
bomb blast as they waited for food at Jalozai Refugee Camp in Nowshera
district. The explosive device was planted in an Alto car BRC-8607 outside
a distribution point. Majority of the IDPs of Bara Khyber Agency have been
shifted to this camp.
On 22nd March, US drones fired two missiles at a vehicle in North
Waziristan Agency in the wee hours killing four suspected militants. It was a
double-cabin vehicle in which three to four suspected persons were present
at the time of the attack. The vehicle exploded after it was hit by two
missiles, leaving the charred bodies beyond recognition.
A NATO driver was shot dead and his two colleagues sustained bullet
injuries when unknown militants opened firing on NATO supply tankers in
Wazirdand area of tehsil Jamrud. Search action was launched in the area
while 15 suspects have been arrested and sent to Jamrud lock-up for
investigations.
Next day, a suicide bomber rammed a water tanker bomb at a military
check post, killing eight soldiers near Miranshah, North Waziristan. More
than 20 other people, mostly soldiers, were wounded in the bombing. Half of
the check post building was destroyed in the blast. A security official said
the dead included an army officer.

222
 On 24th March, the death toll from yesterday’s suicide attack on a
security check post in North Waziristan’s Miramshah area reached 17. There
was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. The deaths were a
reminder of the serious security threat in the country, just hours before
former military ruler Pervez Musharraf returned to Pakistan after more than
four years in exile.
Next day, two security forces personnel were killed in a remote
controlled bomb blast in Dama Dola village of Bajaur. The personnel of the
security forces were on routine patrolling in the remote parts of the region
when a remote controlled explosive device planted by unidentified militants
went off. Calling democracy un-Islamic, the TTP planned multiple suicide
attacks to target key politicians and public rallies ahead of general
elections. The banned outfit has also launched propaganda campaign against
democracy, warning the masses against the electoral process.
On 26th March, the intelligence agencies told the Supreme Court that
Pakistan suffered around 49,000 casualties, including both civilian and
military, while fighting terrorism in KPK and FATA. A bench heard a
petition filed by former senator Prof Muhammad Ibrahim Khan. The report
said, ‘No country has suffered more than Pakistan on account of the strife in
Afghanistan. The most serious fallout has been the overflow of the
turbulence across the Pak-Afghan border and consequent destabilization of
the sensitive border region of FATA/PATA.’
The report revealed that 1,479 soldiers were killed and 5,745 injured
from 2008 to 2013. It further revealed that 675 FC men were killed and
1,978 injured during this period. According to the report, 5,152 civilians
were killed and 5,678 injured during the period. The report further stated
that from 2008 to 2013, 3,051 miscreants were killed and 1,228 injured.
The report said that from 2008 to 2013, there were a total of 235
suicide attacks, 9,257 rocket attacks and 4,256 bomb attacks. Giving details
of target killings, the report revealed that 243 people were killed and 275
injured from 2010 to 2013, adding 1,030 schools and colleges were
destroyed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from 2009 to 2013. The court directed
the counsel for the petitioner to get the copy of the report, filed by the
counsel for the intelligence agencies and submit reply tomorrow.
Pakistan declined Secretary of State John Kerry's request to visit
Islamabad at this point in time when Pakistan has been passing through a
democratic transition. Pakistan proposed to the top US diplomat to
undertake his visit after the assumption of power by a new government

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instead. The State secretary, who is currently on a trip to Afghanistan and
other regional countries, has to put off his plan to include Pakistan on his
tour until a new government is chosen.
Former Khateeb Lal Masjid Maulana Abdul Aziz demanded of the
government for the immediate arrest of former President General (retd)
Pervez Musharraf to try him in a number of cases including as a prime
suspect of 2007 Lal Masjid military operation. He alleged that Musharraf
was involved in a number of heinous crimes including killing of innocent
students of the Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa during a military operation in
2007 and he should be punished otherwise a serious reaction could not be
ruled out in the country.
While addressing a press conference along with his Advocate Tariq
Asad on the premises of Lal Mosque and showing the desecrated copies of
the Holy Quran during the Lal Masjid Operation, he said though they were
disappointed with the present legal system yet they were raising their voice
as a mark of protest.
On 28th March, Pakistan expressed the hope that Afghan security
forces would take on elements of TTP who are using Kunar and Nooristan
provinces as havens to destabilize Pakistan. ‘These elements are carrying out
undesirable activities against Pakistan. And Islamabad has raised its
concerns with Afghan authorities and the United States over continued
presence of TTP’s safe havens (in Afghanistan)’, Foreign Office spokesman
said during his weekly briefing.
Next day, ten militants were killed and eight others sustained injuries
when fighter jets targeted militants’ hideouts in Orakzai Agency. According
to details, fighters jets pounded militants' hideouts in Chappar area of Upper
Orakzai Agency as result of which four hideouts were also destroyed. The
security forces are conducting an operation against militants in the area.
A suicide bomber targeted Frontier Constabulary (FC) top
commander, killing 12 people and injuring 28 others near the US consulate
in Peshawar. FC Commandant Abdul Majeed Marwat survived the attack
and was taken to a military hospital with ‘only scratches’. The bomber was
on foot and struck when the convoy stopped at a military check post in the
cantonment area.
A remote controlled bomb went off at Besham area of Shangla,
leaving six policemen, including a DSP, injured critically. DSP Riaz Khan
along with his five policemen was patrolling in the area, where the remote

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controlled device exploded near the police van. Three of the critically
injured cops, including the DSP, were referred to Peshawar.
Foreign Office spokesperson said that Pakistan, commenting on a
statement attributed to the spokesman of the President of Afghanistan that
Pakistan has imposed ‘pre-conditions’ for the peace process, has not laid
down any pre-conditions for the peace process. The spokesperson said that
the proposal for a Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) between Pakistan
and Afghanistan had emanated from President Karzai himself. The
Government of Pakistan had welcomed the proposal. 
On 30th March, an assistant sub inspector and two suicide bombers
were killed while two civilians also injured when the militants hurled a hand
grenade on a police patrolling party in Katlang Bazaar, district Mardan. Two
bombers wanted to target a police mobile party which was on its routine
patrolling in the Bazaar.
On 1st April, gunmen set ablaze five trucks carrying NATO equipment
out of Afghanistan as the international military alliance winds down its
combat mission there. Four masked gunmen on two motorbikes opened fire
at the vehicles, forcing them to stop and then doused them in petrol to set
them on fire near Sibi. All five trucks were completely destroyed and one
driver was slightly injured in the attack.
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Commander ISAF, General
Joseph F Dunford met in Rawalpindi and discussed a variety of issues
related to strengthening cooperation and pressuring militants threatening
security along the Pak-Afghan border. This was General Dunford’s first visit
to Pakistan. During the session, General Kayani urged ISAF to help Pakistan
check cross-border attacks launched from Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the contemplated training to Afghan soldiers by Pakistan
Army appears to have landed in doldrums following the deteriorating Pak-
Afghan military ties in the wake of last week’s cross-border shelling incident
in Afghanistan’s Kunar province. ISAF Commander arrived in Pakistan
reportedly on a ‘damage control’ mission.
The Supreme Court, accepting the plea to keep the judicial
commission report on the Lal Masjid incident confidential, adjourned the
hearing for two weeks. The chief justice, during the hearing, counsel for Lal
Masjid administration, told Tariq Asad advocate, that the report probing the
Lal Masjid incident is complete and ‘we want to analyze the report in our
chambers as the commission has requested that the report be kept
confidential.’

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 Next day, at least eight people were killed and four others abducted,
when dozens of gunmen attacked Sheikh Mohammadi Grid Station at
Peshawar superb in the wee hours, inflicting a loss of Rupees one billion and
disrupting power to 100,000 people overnight. Militants attacked with
rockets and sophisticated weapons and instantly killed three people
including Wapda personnel and kidnapped nine others. However, later the
militants killed five of the hostages and threw their dead bodies a few meters
away from the grid station.
The four missing persons in militants’ custody were SDO Fahim
Khan, STO Shoaib Rabbani, SOS Faisal Bari and SSO Zeeshan. They also
set ablaze seven vehicles including a vehicle of a private school. The Tirah
Valley has offered Pakistan’s umbrella Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) a new base
in the tribal district of Khyber, beyond the reach of ground troops and posing
a heightened threat to Peshawar. Taliban, who are close to Al-Qaeda, have
threatened to escalate violence ahead of the polls, including attacks on
political rallies.
On 4th April, at least two soldiers were injured and five militants killed
when a group of Afghan assailants stormed forces check post in a pre-dawn
attack in Kurram Agency. A group of militants, armed with sophisticated
weapons, attacked a border check post located in Ali Zai area of Lower
Kurram Agency. The security forces repulsed the attack.
Next day, at least fourteen militants were killed and five troopers
martyred in air strikes and skirmishes between security forces and militants
in different areas of Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency. In the first operation
held in Dwa Toai, Sarai Morcha, Narai Baba, Takhtakai and Stori Khel
areas, the forces jets and choppers impounded suspected positions of
militants, killing four militants and leaving scores of them wounded. In
another incident, a battle broke out between forces and militants in Aka
Khel. Ten militants and five troopers were killed in the combat. Five army
personnel also sustained bullets injuries.
On 7th April, New York Times reported that a new book claimed that
the CIA made a deal with Pakistan that allowed the US to begin its drone
assassination programme in exchange for the murder of an enemy of
Pakistan. Mark Mazzetti outlined how Pakistan, which was resistant to
allowing the CIA to begin killing targets within its borders, asked the CIA in
2004 to kill Taliban-ally Nek Muhammad, in exchange for allowing the CIA
to begin its drone strike assassination programme in the country.

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 Pakistan would take responsibility for the death of Nek Muhammad,
and the CIA would never be mentioned in official accounts of his death,
Mazzetti said. According to the book ‘The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a
Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth’, Pakistani officials were
growing increasingly frustrated by Nek Muhammad, who led a string of
successful attacks against Pakistan’s military in the country’s tribal areas
over the years. Their attempts to kill Nek on their own had failed, as had a
brief truce with him.
Next day, the battle for key heights in Tirah Valley intensified as Jet
fighters and gunship helicopters pounded militant positions. Reportedly, 30
security forces personnel have so far been killed along with 97 militants.
Security forces also claimed that LI and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
posts in Maidan, Akakhel and Bagh have been overrun but a fierce battle is
still continuing.
At least four rockets, fired from an unknown location in the direction
of Peshawar’s Bacha Khan international airport, landed on Canal Road,
close to the runway of the provincial capital’s main air strip. One of the four
rockets landed into a canal close to the house of popular Pakistani cricketer
Umar Gul, however, no causality was reported.
On 9th April, heavy fighting between troops and militants killed 23
soldiers and more than 110 militants at a flashpoint near the Afghan border
in the Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency, where the military has been targeting
Taliban and Lashkar-e-Islam fighters who threaten the nearby Peshawar.
Khyber Agency also straddles the NATO supply line into Afghanistan, used
by US-led troops to evacuate military equipment.
At least 12 persons were injured when militants fired five rockets
from Khyber Agency into Hayatabad Phase 6 area of Peshawar. Police said
that out of the total six rockets, two of the rockets fell near houses in a street
and two landed in an empty plot. The rockets also hit a house in sector nine
which resulted in injuries to seven persons including a woman.
Next day, one policeman was killed while other got seriously injured
in an attack on an anti-polio vaccination team in Mosam Koroona of
Mardan. No one has claimed responsibility for the killing, but the Taliban
last year banned polio vaccinations in the tribal region of Waziristan.
On 11th April, fifteen militants and one soldier were killed when the
Pakistani military mounted another operation in a week of fighting designed
to seize control of the Tirah Valley. The military has faced fierce resistance
from the Taliban and its allies in the Khyber region since troops set out to

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dislodge insurgents from strategically important heights above the valley six
days ago.
The US assistance to Pakistan has helped in reducing the conditions
that foment extremism in the country, US Secretary of State John Kerry said
as the State Department in its annual budget sought USD 1.3 billion in
economic and military assistance for Pakistan. The budgetary provisions for
Pakistan include programmes that increase stability, strengthens democratic
institutions and helps in countering violent extremism. It also invests in
energy, economic growth, stabilization of border areas, education, health and
counter insurgency and counter terrorism capabilities.
Next day, in the first public admission, Pervez Musharraf said his
government had secretly cleared US drone strikes on the country's tribal
areas. At the same time, he told CNN in Islamabad that the government
signed off on the strikes ‘only on a few occasions, when a target was
absolutely isolated and no chance of collateral damage’. He said that
Pakistani leaders would OK US drone strikes after discussions involving
military and intelligence units and only if ‘there was no time for our
own...military to act’. The former president insisted that there was no
blanket agreement with the US on the controversial drone campaign.
On 13th April, at least 10 people were killed and 10 more injured when
a bomb planted on a flying-coach exploded at Matani area in the outskirts of
Peshawar. The Matani Bazaar was closed down soon after the explosion.
Meanwhile, former ISI chief Gen Hameed Gul said the US wants Pakistan to
play a role in Afghanistan and help it get out of the landlocked state where
the Taliban inflicted a humiliating defeat on the invading forces. However,
he advised the relevant Pakistan authorities to not interfere in the affairs of
its neighbouring state and let the US taste the consequences of its invasion
of Afghanistan, ostensibly on the pretext of 9/11 but actually to prevent
enforcement of an Islamic system there.
Next day, at least five militants were killed by a US drone strike in
Datta Khel town of North Waziristan. Six US drones flew over the area
when one of them fired two missiles at a compound in the Manzarkhel area
of the town. In Khyber Agency, a helper of a NATO container was killed
and another was injured by unknown militants in the Tedi Bazaar near
Jamrud.
Afghanistan: On 19th March, Afghanistan’s presidential spokesman
described the NATO -led military operation in the country as ‘aimless and
unwise’. He hit out after NATO Chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen rejected

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Karzai’s recent allegations that it was working in collusion with Taliban
militants. Meanwhile, the UNSC extended the mandate of the UN mission in
Afghanistan for another year.
Next day, Ban Ki-moon suggested a dialogue between the UN and the
Taliban on reducing civilian casualties in Afghanistan. According to a recent
UN report, 2,754 Afghan civilians were killed in 2012, down 12 per cent
from 3,131 in 2011, but the number killed in the second half of last year
rose, suggesting that Afghanistan is likely to face continued violence as the
Taliban and other militants fight for control following the withdrawal of US
and allied combat forces in 2014.
On 24th March, the United States and Afghanistan agreed to transfer
control of Bagram Prison near Kabul to the Afghan government. US
Defence Secretary Chuck Hagl and Afghan President Hamid Karzai reached
the deal, Pentagon spokesman said in a statement. The transfer of power will
take place on March 25.
Afghan President will travel to Qatar within days to discuss peace
negotiations with the Taliban, as efforts intensified to find a negotiated
solution to the twelve year war. Karzai's trip to Qatar would represent for the
first time that Afghan president has discussed the Taliban peace process in
Qatar. The tour also comes after years of stalled discussions with the US,
Pakistan and the Taliban.
Next day, the United States ceded full control of the Bagram prison to
Afghan forces one day after US Secretary of State John Kerry met with
Pakistan’s Army chief General Ashfaq Parvaiz Kayani and discussed
reconciliation process in Afghanistan. John Kerry, after his Mideast tour,
landed in Afghanistan for an unannounced visit, with relations badly frayed
by Kabul's recent hostility to US-led military efforts in the country.
‘US control of Bagram was a rallying cry for the Taliban and an
important issue for much of the Afghan public’, said Kate Clark of the
Afghanistan Analysts Network. ‘This looks like a victory for Karzai as he
has got what he wanted. Bagram was a huge stumbling block before they get
onto a long list of other issues to sort out – and time is of the essence.’
General Joseph Dunford, commander of the international coalition, and
Defence Minister Bismillah Mohammadi signed a deal guaranteeing the
treatment of detainees and ‘to protect the people of Afghanistan and
coalition forces’.
On 26th March, a group of seven suicide bombers attacked a police
base in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, killing five officers. One

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bomber set off a large explosion at the entrance of the quick reaction police
headquarters before two bombers blew themselves up inside the facility and
four others died in a gun fight with police. The Taliban militants
immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, claiming that it had
targeted ‘foreigners and Israeli teachers’ training Afghan police at the base
in Jalalabad.
Australia’s main base in Afghanistan will close and most of its troops
will be home by the end of the year, Defence Minister Stephen Smith said.
The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), the NATO-led force in
Afghanistan, has decided to shut the base in Tarin Kot in Uruzgan province
and this meant an end to Australia’s main mission.
Next day, the dead bodies of 15 Pakistanis who were allegedly killed
in fighting with NATO and Afghan forces in Helmand Province of
Afghanistan were brought to Balochistan via Chagai district. Fierce clashes
took place between Taliban and NATO forces near Pakistan border in which
more than 15 Pakistanis hailing from various parts of Balochistan were
killed.
Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister said his country is shocked by
Pakistan’s ‘complacency’ in the nascent Afghan peace process and is ready
to work without Islamabad’s help on reconciliation. He also said the
government would look to senior Taliban figures recently handed over by
the United States in Bagram prison to urge militants to pursue peace. It was
the first time Afghanistan has suggested the possibility of going it alone
without its neighbour.
Afghanistan expressed its concern about what it called Pakistan’s
attempt to sideline President Hamid Karzai’s government to US Secretary of
State John Kerry during his visit to Kabul this week. Meanwhile, British
Prime Minister telephoned President Zardari and exchanged views on
Afghan peace process and bilateral relations. Cameron also held a telephonic
conversation with President Karzai to follow up on the London talks and
discussed Afghanistan’s relations with Pakistan.
Afghanistan canceled a planned army visit to Pakistan to protest
against alleged cross border shelling, the latest sign of deteriorating relations
between the troubled neighbours. The Pakistani army invited 11 Afghan
officers to take part in a military exercise and drill in Quetta, the Afghan
foreign ministry said. ‘This visit will no longer take place due to the
resumption of unacceptable Pakistani artillery shelling against different parts
of Kunar province’, it said.

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 On 28th March, the Afghan government accused Pakistan of wrecking
efforts to end the Taliban’s bloody 11-year insurgency, in the latest sign of
worsening cross-border relations. President Hamid Karzai’s spokesman said
that Pakistan had now abandoned the peace process and imposed
‘impossible’ pre-conditions on any further discussions that would encourage
the Taliban to lay down their weapons.
On 30th March, a NATO helicopter strike killed two children in
southern Afghanistan in the latest civilian casualties to beset the coalition’s
war against Taliban militants. The operation close to Ghazni city was
conducted after local people complained of a Taliban post targeting traffic
convoys in the area. A spokesman said NATO was aware of the reported
civilian casualties and was seeking further information.
President Karzai was in Qatar to discuss Taliban militants opening an
office in the Gulf state for peace negotiations that could end more than a
decade of war. Until earlier this year, Karzai was opposed to the extremists
having a meeting venue in Doha as he feared that his government would be
frozen out of any negotiations. The militants refuse to have direct contact
with Karzai, saying he is a puppet of the United States.
The US military pulled out of a strategic district in eastern
Afghanistan as part of a deal with President Karzai, who alleged that soldiers
had mistreated locals. Karzai had at first accused Afghan militia working
with elite US units of torturing and murdering civilians, but later changed
his allegations to focus on unproven claims of ’harassment’ by American
troops. The president had issued an ultimatum that US commandos leave the
province of Wardak.
Next day, President Karzai held talks with the emir of Qatar during a
visit to discuss opening a Taliban office in the Gulf state, in preparation for a
possible peace deal with the militants. Karzai discussed ‘issues of mutual
interest’ with Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani and examined ‘the
perspectives for peace in Afghanistan’. Any future peace talks still face
numerous hurdles before they begin, including confusion over who would
represent the Taliban and Karzai's insistence that his appointees should be at
the centre of negotiations.
On 1st April, an Afghan teenager killed an American soldier in eastern
Afghanistan by stabbing him in the neck while he played with a group of
local children. The killing comes as the monthly US death toll rose sharply
in March to 14 with the start of the spring fighting season when the Taliban
and other insurgents take advantage of improved weather to step up attacks.

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Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the young man was acting
independently when he killed the soldier but had joined the militant
movement since fleeing the scene.
The number of American troops killed in Afghanistan has dropped
sharply as international forces increasingly take a back seat while preparing
to end their combat mission by the end of 2014. But they continue to face
dangers ranging from roadside bombs to attacks by their Afghan
counterparts or insurgents disguised as government forces.
Next day, President Karzai told a German newspaper that the Afghan
constitution is valid for all Afghans and ‘the Taliban also should benefit
from it’. Asked whether Mullah Omar should seek the presidency, Karzai
was quoted as saying: ‘He can become a candidate for the presidency and
give Afghans the opportunity to vote for or against him.’
In an unprecedented move, Mullah Mohammad Omar admitted that
some of Taliban’s area commanders were involved in the business of
kidnapping for ransom, bringing bad name to the Taliban movement. Mullah
Omer advised important commanders, including Hafiz Gull Bahader,
Hakimullah Mehsood and all others who are working with the TTP to follow
his instructions strictly or get ready to face the music.
Taliban chief commander, through the same audio message,
congratulated his commanders for triumph in the war against US-led troops
and directed his allied groups to accomplish the jihad on right paths, besides
preventing them from disturbing life of the common man. Attempting to
counter its reputation for the brutal suppression of the common man’s rights
during the routine killings in tribal areas, Omar said: ‘Taliban will give all
legitimate rights to all the accused in the light of the Islamic principles and
our noble cause.’
On 3rd April, Taliban militants stormed an Afghan court in the western
town of Farah, killing at least 44 people and 91 wounded in a bid to free
insurgents standing trial. All nine attackers were killed in the assault, which
started with a huge car bomb at the entrance to the court and continued for at
least seven hours as security forces hunted down one final surviving
assailant. Taliban claimed escape of prisoners, but a hospital doctor said one
prisoner was among those being treated for injuries.
Taliban militants fighting the US-backed central government claimed
responsibility for the attack, describing it as a carefully-planned operation
that used a vehicle belonging to the Afghan security forces. ‘The attack
started when it was known through intelligence that the puppet provincial

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officials were bringing some prisoners including some Taliban for an unjust
trial’, spokesman Yusuf Ahmadi said in a statement on their website.
Next day, a NATO air strike killed four Afghan police and two
civilians. The attack happened after Taliban insurgents attacked a local
police post in eastern Ghazni province before dawn and NATO planes were
called in to support the officers under attack. A spokesman for the US-led
force in Kabul told AFP that the military was checking the information.
On 5th April, a bomb strapped to the back of a donkey killed one
policeman and wounded three civilians in eastern Afghanistan. The
explosives were set off when the animal walked close to a police post in the
district of Alingar in Laghman province early in the morning. The officials
blamed the attack on Taliban militants.
Next day, a female American diplomat and six NATO personnel were
killed in two separate attacks in Afghanistan. In the southern province of
Zabul, a Taliban car bomb struck a NATO convoy killing three US soldiers
and two civilian workers. The convoy was near a hospital and a NATO base
at the time of the explosion. In a separate attack in Afghanistan’s east, an
American civilian working with the US government was killed during an
insurgent attack. Meanwhile, General Martin Dempsey arrived in
Afghanistan on an unannounced visit to assess the level of training the US
will need to provide Afghan forces after NATO withdraws in 2014.
On 7th April, eleven children and a woman were killed by an air strike
during a NATO operation targeting Taliban commanders in eastern
Afghanistan. Six insurgents – two of them senior Taliban leaders – were
killed during the operation in a village in Shigal district in Kunar province,
which is on the Pakistani border. The Interior Ministry did not mention any
civilian casualties but Wasefullah Wasefi, a spokesman for the provincial
governor, said civilian homes had been hit during an air attack.
Next day, a roadside bomb exploded under an Afghan bus in the
province of Wardak, killing nine people and wounding at least 22 others in
an attack blamed on Taliban militants. A woman was among the dead and
children among the wounded. The bus was a government service making
daily trips between the capital Kabul and Ghazni.
The United States accepted that a diminished but resilient Taliban is
likely to remain a military threat in some parts of Afghanistan long after US
troops complete their combat mission next year. This was reported by a
private TV channel quoting US Army Gen. Martin Dempsey in an interview
with an American news agency. Dempsey spent two days talking to senior

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Afghan officials, including his counterpart, Gen Sher Mohammad Karimi, as
well as top US and allied commanders. On 9 th April, a helicopter crash in
eastern killed two American members of the NATO-led force. The
helicopter went down in Pachir Agam district of Nangarhar province.
Military spokesman said both the dead were from the United States.
Iran: On 29th March, a global treaty regulating the $70 billion
worldwide arms trade was sidetracked after failing to get the unanimous
support needed for adoption among more than 193 countries taking part in a
conference on the treaty at the United Nations. Iran, DPRK and Syria
blocked passage of the proposed principles and rules to regulate exports of
conventional weapons – from small arms and missile launchers to tanks,
warships and attack helicopters, saying the sweeping draft treaty was flawed
as it failed to ban weapons sales to rebel groups.
On 7th April, Secretary of State John Kerry Iran that time is running
out on nuclear negotiations between the Islamic republic and world powers.
‘This is not an endless process... You can't just talk for the sake of talking’,
he told a news conference in Istanbul. After two days of talks in Almaty,
chief negotiator Catherine Ashton, the European Union's top diplomat, had
said that the two sides were still ‘far apart’. And no new date was agreed for
the resumption of talks. John Kerry also called on Turkey and Israel to fully
normalize their ties.
On 9th April, Iran unveiled a new uranium production facility and two
extraction mines, just days after talks with world powers on its disputed
nuclear programme which had ended in deadlock. President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad lauded the advances and boasted of mastery over ‘the entire
chain of nuclear energy’, while demanding that the work be accelerated.
Reportedly, the US Navy was deploying a solid-state laser weapon to
the Persian Gulf to deter Iran from using small boats to attack American
warships. Unveiling the plans to place the laser cannon aboard a US ship in
the Persian Gulf, Admiral Jonathan Greenert, the US chief of naval
operations, pointed out that Iranian attack boats have posed a worrisome
challenge for the American military.
India: On 19th March, Pakistan rejected Indian allegations that last
week’s attack in Srinagar was linked to Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Taiba. The
foreign ministry rejected what it called ‘baseless accusations’ but said India
should officially share any concrete evidence.

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 Next day, a complete strike was observed in IHK to press further the
demand for return of mortal remains of Kashmiri leaders, Maqbool Butt and
Afzal Guru, buried inside Delhi's Tihar jail. Call for the strike had been
given by Muttahida Majlis-e-Mushawrat that was also aimed at protesting
the continued detention and house arrest of APHC Chairman Mirwaiz Umar
Farooq, Syed Ali Geelani, Yasin Malik, Shabbir Ahmad Shah and other
Hurriyet leaders and activists .as well as reign of terror unleashed by Indian
forces in the territory.
On 21st March, gunmen shot dead an Indian paramilitary and wounded
two others when they ambushed their patrol vehicle in Srinagar. On 5 th
April, India started visa on arrival facility for senior citizens of Pakistan. The
facility, which was supposed to start on January 15 as part of the new
liberalized visa pact between the neighbours, was suspended following the
killing of two Indian soldiers along the LoC and subsequent heightened
tensions in bilateral relations.
On 7th April, India test-fired its nuclear capable Agni-II strategic
ballistic missile from a military base in Odisha. The test was conducted from
Wheeler’s Island in Bhadrak district. The medium-range surface-to-surface
missile with a range of over 2,000 km has already been inducted into the
army and is part of the Strategic Forces arsenal for nuclear deterrence. On
10th April, Pakistan successfully test fired Hatf IV Shaheen-1; a medium
range ballistic missile. It is capable of carrying nuclear and conventional
warheads to 900 kms.

VIEWS
Pakistan
A case to answer: ‘The US could and should have chosen alternative
solutions to the problem. It could and should have prevented the dastardly
‘collateral damage’. It chose to do neither. ‘It has a case to answer’.
The Pakistani rulers of those times were, perhaps, the worst of the lot.
They were complicit in waging a war against their own people.
It did not matter whether it was the dictatorship of General Pervez
Musharraf or the democratic government of PPP’s Zardari and Gilani; they
all displayed a criminal and disdainful disregard for Pakistani lives – lives,
they were honour and duty bound to secure. Their servile attitude towards
the US was shameless, unbecoming and undignified. They showed a

235
despicable eagerness to serve US interests, even ‘beyond the call of duty.’
National interests were blatantly ignored. They obviously had other selfish
priorities. Their spineless appeasement of the US literally endorsed the
‘collateral damage’.
Wikileaks laid bare their diabolical betrayals of the luckless Pakistanis
they led. The lack of a political will to save Pakistani lives, the (ab)use of
Shamsi Airbase, the absence of a military response to the drones and the
abject acquiescence of Pakistani leadership to US pressures contributed in
no small measure to the ‘collateral damage’.
What else would have ever made them angry, if not the deaths of
innocent Pakistani men, women and children?
Though the desired end states of the US and Pakistan in the GWOT
were similar, yet the Pakistanis in power could have insisted upon other
ways and means to achieve them. They could have saved Pakistani lives.
They chose not to do so.
‘These Pakistanis have a case to answer’; in particular in this election
season.
Does the human issue of the ‘collateral damage’ warrant a suo motu
action by the Supreme Court of Pakistan? Does it feel too that it might have
a…!’ (Editorial, TheNation 24th March)
What got Raymond Davis freed? ‘CIA operative Raymond Davis’
2011 killing of two Pakistanis in Lahore not only led to a sharp deterioration
in US-Pakistan political and security relations but also sparked off shouting
matches between American government official working in different
directions to secure his release, according to a new book.
‘After Davis was picked up by the Lahore police, the (American)
Embassy (in Islamabad) became a house divided by more than mere
geography’, journalist Mark Mazzetti wrote in ‘The Way of the Knife: The
CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth’, an article based on
the book appeared in The New York Times on Tuesday.
‘Just days before the shootings, the CIA sent a new station chief to
Islamabad. Old-school and stubborn, the new chief did not come to Pakistan
to be friendly with the ISI Instead, he wanted to recruit more Pakistani
agents to work for the CIA under the ISI’s nose, expand electronic
surveillance of ISI offices and share little information with Pakistani
intelligence officers’, the author said.

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 ‘That hard-nosed attitude inevitably put him at odds with the American
ambassador in Islamabad, Cameron Munter. A bookish career diplomat with
a PhD in history, Munter had ascended the ranks of the State Department’s
bureaucracy and accepted several postings in Iraq before ultimately taking
over the American mission in Islamabad, in late 2010…’
‘With Davis sitting in prison, Munter argued that it was essential to go
immediately to the head of the ISI at the time, Lt Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha,
to cut a deal. The US would admit that Davis was working for the CIA, and
Davis would quietly be spirited out of the country, never to return again. But
the CIA objected. Davis had been spying on a militant group with extensive
ties to the ISI, and the CIA didn’t want to own up to it. Top CIA officials
worried that appealing for mercy from the ISI might doom Davis. He could
be killed in prison before the Obama Administration could pressure
Islamabad to release him on the grounds that he was a foreign diplomat with
immunity from local laws – even those prohibiting murder. On the day of
Davis’s arrest, the CIA station chief told Munter that a decision had been
made to stonewall the Pakistanis. Don’t cut a deal, he warned, adding,
Pakistan is the enemy.
‘Some experts in the State Department warned that expanding the CIA
war in Pakistan would further stoke anti-American anger on the streets and
could push the country into chaos. But officials inside the CIA’s
Counterterrorism Center argued for escalating the drone campaign without
the ISI’s blessing. Since the first CIA drone strike in Pakistan in 2004, only
a small number of militants on the CIA’s list of ‘high-value targets’ had
been killed by drone strikes, and other potential strikes were scuttled at the
last minute because of delays in getting Pakistani approval, or because the
targets seemed to have been tipped off and had fled. ‘The strategy meant that
American officials, from top to bottom, had to dissemble both in public and
in private about what exactly Davis had been doing in the country…’
‘Was Davis working for the CIA? Pasha asked. No, he’s not one of
ours, Panetta replied. Panetta went on to say that the matter was out of his
hands, and that the issue was being handled inside State Department
channels. Pasha was furious, and he decided to leave Davis’ fate in the hands
of the judges in Lahore. The United States had just lost its chance, he told
others, to quickly end the dispute. ‘That the CIA director would be
overseeing a large clandestine network of American spies in Pakistan and
then lie to the ISI director about the extent of America’s secret war in the
country showed just how much the relationship had unraveled since the days

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in 2002, when the ISI teamed with the CIA in Peshawar to hunt for Osama
bin Laden. Where had it gone so wrong?’
‘While the spy agencies had had a fraught relationship since the
beginning of the Afghan war, the first major breach came in July 2008, when
CIA officers in Islamabad paid a visit to Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani to tell
him that President Bush had signed off on a set of secret orders authorizing a
new strategy in the drone wars. No longer would the CIA give Pakistan
advance warning before launching missiles from Predator or Reaper drones
in the tribal areas. From that point on, the CIA officers told Kayani, the
CIA’s killing campaign in Pakistan would be a unilateral war.
It was therefore more than a bit inconvenient that one of its undercover
officers was sitting in a jail in Lahore facing a double murder charge.
Pakistan’s Islamist parties organized street protests and threatened violent
riots if Raymond Davis was not tried and hanged for his crimes. American
diplomats in Lahore regularly visited Davis, but the Obama Administration
continued to stonewall Pakistan’s government about the nature of Davis’s
work in the country...’
‘The furor over the Davis incident was quickly escalating, threatening
to shut down most CIA operations in the country and derail the intelligence-
gathering operation in Abbottabad. But the CIA stood firm and sent top
officials to Islamabad, who told Ambassador Munter to stick to the strategy.
‘By then, though, Munter had decided that the CIA’s strategy wasn’t
working, and eventually even high-level officials in the agency began to
realize that stonewalling the Pakistanis was only causing the ISI to dig in.
After discussions among White House, State Department and CIA officials
in Washington, Munter approached General Pasha, the ISI chief, and came
clean. Davis was with the CIA, he said, and the United States needed to get
him out of the country as quickly as possible. Pasha was fuming that Leon
Panetta had lied to him, and he was going to make the Americans squirm by
letting Davis sit in jail while he considered – on his own timetable – the best
way to resolve the situation.
‘Back in Washington, Ambassador Haqqani was summoned to CIA
headquarters on Feb 21 and taken into Panetta’s spacious office overlooking
the agency’s campus in Langley, Va. Sitting around a large conference table,
Panetta asked Haqqani for his help securing Davis’s release. ‘If you’re going
to send a Jason Bourne character to Pakistan, he should have the skills of a
Jason Bourne to get away,’ Haqqani shot back, according to one person who
attended the meeting.

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 ‘More than a week later, General Pasha came back to Ambassador
Munter to discuss a new strategy. It was a solution based on an ancient
tradition that would allow the matter to be settled outside the unpredictable
court system. The issue had already been discussed among a number of
Pakistani and American officials, including Ambassador Haqqani in
Washington. The reckoning for Davis’s actions would come in the form of
‘blood money’, or diyat, a custom under Shariah law that compensates the
families of victims for their dead relatives. The matter would be handled
quietly, and Davis would be released from jail.’
‘Pasha ordered ISI operatives in Lahore to meet the families of the three
men killed during the January episode and negotiate a settlement. Some of
the relatives initially resisted, but the ISI negotiators were not about to let
the talks collapse. After weeks of discussions, the parties agreed on a total of
200 million Pakistani rupees, approximately $2.34 million, to offer
‘forgiveness’ to the jailed CIA officer.
‘The move had been choreographed to get Davis out of the country as
quickly as possible. American officials, including Munter, were waiting for
Davis at the airport, and some began to worry. Davis had, after all, already
shot dead two men he believed were threatening him. If he thought he was
being taken away to be killed, he might try to make an escape, even try to
kill the ISI operatives inside the car. When the car arrived at the airport and
pulled up to the plane ready to take Davis out of Pakistan, the CIA operative
was in a daze. It appeared to the Americans waiting for him that Davis
realized only then that he was safe.’ (Special Correspondent, TheNation 11 th
April)
Clashes in the Tirah Valley: ‘The fighting in the Tirah Valley
claimed nine more brave Pakistani soldiers during the recent clashes. Seven
extremists were also killed during the same clash. The geo-strategic location
of Valley makes it an ideal launching pad for the Taliban to stage attacks on
Peshawar as well as providing them with a safe passage into Orakzai agency.
Since it is near Landi Kotal, which is close to the route used by the NATO
supplies’ containers, it further adds to the importance of the valley. But all
these factors are secondary before Pakistan’s security and peace. The valley
is dangerous because in it the militants have found a hideout. They must be
stamped out at all costs. The military that was earlier relying on air power is
now using ground forces to drive out the militants but is facing considerable
resistance.

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 Despite the terrain, the ground forces of the army have been able to
move forward and capture some of the crucial posts under the control of
Taliban. Complicating the matter is the fact that the Taliban are reportedly
equipped with advanced weapons. Obviously, unless and until there is
sustained funding, any such campaign of violence and that too against a state
army cannot be prolonged. The sources of funding, from the most benign
seeming mosque and madrasahs to the most obvious campaigners for ill
conceived concepts of violence in the name of religion, must be caught and
presented to the courts to be made an example of for aiding and encouraging
terrorism and anti state propaganda in Pakistan. It is also necessary for the
army to maintain hold of the captured areas; vacating them means allowing
the miscreants to reclaim their turf.’ (Editorial, TheNation 14th April)
Afghanistan
Post-2014 Afghanistan? ‘The announcement of military withdrawal
has raised the fear that the flow of foreign aid to Afghanistan would reduce;
hence, jeopardizing the fragile gains in the areas of security, development
and state-building. The data from the USAID reveals that despite
international commitments and pledges, the withdrawal of foreign troops
invariably leads to a considerable decrease in aid such as 60 percent in
Bosnia between 1996 and 2001; 43 percent in Haiti between 1998 and 2002;
and 69 percent in Iraq between 2003 and 2009.
To alleviate these fears, the Tokyo Conference was convened in July
2012; it was held to reassure that the planned military withdrawal did not
mean total disengagement… In fact, as of now, no concrete plans have been
formulated for the post-transition period. The World Bank warned last year
about the risk of a rapid decline in aid that ‘could lead to major
macroeconomic instability and serious socioeconomic consequences.’ The
country, nevertheless, is likely to remain highly aid dependent for at least a
decade after 2014 with a fiscal gap hovering around $7 to $8 billion.
The World Bank’s 2012 ‘Doing Business’ report ranks Afghanistan at
160th out of 183 economies for the ease of doing business, a decline of six
positions from last year’s ranking. It indicates the deteriorating business
environment during the previous year, which is attributed to factors like
corruption and poor law enforcement mechanisms. The trust of local and
international investors is slowly fading. It is clear that many reforms need to
be implemented before the Afghan government can tackle the economic and
security challenges effectively. Both the transition and post-transition
periods pose a series of great challenges.

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 While a hasty and insecure transition is in progress in Afghanistan, the
neighbouring countries are concerned about the profile and trajectory of the
post-2014 Afghanistan. The question is: as the US-NATO troops move out,
will insecurity move in?
The withdrawal of international troops seems to have set in motion a
stampede whose impact can only be speculated, and that too wildly. A
speedy withdrawal is a welcome action, provided all necessary assets, funds
and support are in place to fill the vacuum left by the international forces.
As a final word, the allies remain concerned that Washington may
ignore its commitments regarding Afghanistan. The ongoing process of
transition from the US-led Nato troops to ANSF has resurrected the ghost of
the 1989 Soviet pullout, which is fuelling the fear of growing instability or a
civil war after 2014.’ (Iqbal Khan, TheNation 25th March)
Afghanistan’s problem: ‘The Afghan society should take the
initiative and should focus on realignment, readjustments and reconciliation
of the opposing tendencies and conflicting ideologies. It should reach at
some compromise for national integration and social solidarity. The ethnic
groups should learn peaceful co existence. The liberals should understand
the ground realities and the Afghan traditional social and cultural set up in
which there is a little room for the western style modernity and liberalism at
this stage. 
The religious conservatives should realize the needs and requirements
of the 21st century. The world community should play the role of mediator,
facilitator and honest broker in the Afghans reconciliation process. Change
is desirable and it must come, but it should come by the consent of the
people instead of coercion. Afghanistan has suffered a lot, and Pakistan has
also suffered greatly. The people of both the countries deserve peace and a
prosperous life and they should have it.’ (Ahmad Noor Waziri, TheNation
2nd April)
Afghanistan: land of transitions: ‘Kabul and Doha have come to an
agreement on the political office for the Taliban in Qatar after President
Karzai’s visit there. ‘One of the details of this agreement was that the
opposition should use this office only for peace talks and not any other
political purpose’, said Afghanistan’s High Peace Council member Maulvi
Shafiullah Noorestani. “Another part of the agreement is that those Taliban
members, who are ready for the peace talks, should be granted immunity and
any suspension should be removed…the office will be opened by the High
Peace Council’, he added. However, analysts doubt whether the Doha office

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would make any difference. National Coalition leader Abdullah Abdullah
said that he did not believe anything was really achieved by Karzai’s visit to
Qatar.
Moreover, the Taliban refused to have direct contact with him. ‘The
opening of the Taliban office in Qatar is not related to Karzai; it is a matter
between the Taliban and the Qatar government’, Taliban spokesman
Zabihullah Mujahid stated. Pakistan has all along expressed its support for
the establishment of a Taliban political office in Doha and has proposed that
they should be encouraged to launch their political platforms. The UN has
welcomed Karzai’s visit to Qatar and called upon the Taliban to come to the
negotiating table.
On the economic front, President Karzai met with Qatari investors and
encouraged them to invest in the country… Against this backdrop, a major
operation to airlift thousands of tonnes of military equipment from
Afghanistan has begun. The British troops’ presence will be almost halved
by the end of this year – from 8,000 to 5,200. At Camp Bastion, the main
operating base in Helmand that had grown to the size of a town, there are
now expanses of dust where canvas villages once stood.
Lieutenant General Nick Carter, Deputy Chief of NATO/ISAF, said:
‘The transition to Afghan control is going well...Afghan confidence is our
centre of gravity at every level. If the Afghans can look back over the
summer and say 'we managed that' with only limited help from the ISAF,
then I think that will give them a really good platform for managing the
political transition that has to follow in 2014.’ However, of the 26 ANSF
brigades, only five have reached the standard of being fully independent.
In addition, the UK's acting Ambassador in Kabul, Nic Hailey, said:
‘We all talk about 2014 as the flagship date. But actually by end of 2013, we
will know quite a lot about what 2014 will look like. We will know how the
ANSF has coped through a fighting season in which they are in the lead.’
As a final word, not even one of the Taliban leaders worth his salt is
likely to agree to an open-ended stay of the foreign troops in Afghanistan
and, that too, with blanket immunity. They are weighing their options and
would prefer not to disrupt the process. They would rather negotiate with the
new President in Kabul once the occupation forces have left. In all
probability, there would be residual insurgency in the post-2014 timeframe
and the large area of Afghanistan will continue to be outside the ANSF
control for an indefinite period of time.’ (Iqbal Khan, TheNation 8th April)

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 US retrograde from Afghanistan: ‘After 9/11, the USA convinced
itself to pulverize Afghanistan into the Stone Age. The conscientious
decision was based on intelligence reports that were tailored to suit the
declaration of war. The US policy planners failed to factorize the primordial
tribal culture, proliferation of private armies and propensity of Afghan
economy to thrive in conflicts. Mostly, they ignored the lessons of history in
which all occupation armies in Afghanistan failed to achieve their objectives
in the region. The British with their experience of Afghan wars and
deployments against imperial Russia disregarded their own experiences to
plan and execute an ill conceived military operation culminating in a dismal
retrograde, meaning disengagement, scorched-earth policy and withdrawal.
In contrast, the Afghan Taliban and resistance see this from a different
perspective. For them, it means the defeat of USA. Therefore, they in typical
tribal fashion will wait patiently for the time of their own choosing and
move in for the kill. To assume that relative peace in southern Afghanistan is
a victory of the US-led ISAF operations leaves lot to doubt.
The USA wasted over a decade, lost more than 1,679 combaters,
1,173 US civilians working for US contractors and over $641.7 billion in a
mission to eliminate only a few hundred of al-Qaeda militants. However, the
leaks on the efficacy of drone strikes against al-Qaeda and other targets
indicate the lack of focus on the declared mission. With huge collateral
damage and creation of anti-US sentiment, the disadvantages and hate
thereof, far outweigh minor gains.
Once the operation control is completely handed over to the Afghan
National Security Forces (ANSF), and the US-led forces thin out with stay
behind parties and imbedded contractors, the futility of following the wrong
policy will finally dawn.
The entire exercise of using private contractors to train and arm tribal
lashkars will backfire against both Afghanistan and Pakistan. That is when
the fury of militants, hidden in the densely forested and difficult regions of
Kunar and Nuristan, will debouch and unleash their wrath on the ANSF –
high on desertions and low on professionalism and morale. This will most
likely be a new spate of militancy that may also flow into the TTP-led
activities in Pakistan.
For many decades to come Pakistan may have to pay for the US folly
of debouching on Herat and Kabul from the north and pushing the entire
muck through the porous and pervious Durand Line into Pakistan; despite its
support in a war, few in Pakistan had the courage to own.

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 As the dates of US withdrawal edges closer, Pakistan’s policymakers
need to make a realistic appraisal of the situation and how best to deal with
the most dangerous hypothesis described above. The issues below need an
incisive analysis and discussion.
First, what were the factors that prevented Pakistan from capitalizing
on the US presence in Afghanistan for 10 years and why it failed to control
militancy in its tribal regions and urban centres?
Secondly, is there a linkage between the sudden collapse of a growing
and dynamic economy in 2007, its continued downslide and the WOT?
Thirdly, is the failure and collapse of state institutions linked to the
economy with the ultimate objective of making Pakistan a failed and
discredited state, or is this development being used to make it pliant?
Fourthly, will the Pakistani establishment, future governments and the
judiciary, have the resolve and determination to affix blame on those
responsible and punish them?
Fifthly, will the armed forces and law enforcement agencies of
Pakistan get the necessary backing and support from future governments to
become part of a national counterterrorism policy to play the role assigned to
them in bringing stability to the country, while the US-led coalition is still in
Afghanistan?
The next 12 months are critical for Pakistan to decide the fate of non-
state actor conflicts in the region. The Pakistan Army on its part has made a
good beginning in Tirah Valley and must seal, contain and eliminate
terrorists in the area with military precision.’ (Samson Simon Sharaf,
TheNation 13th April)
Civil war is price Afghans will pay for criminals west installed:
‘There can never be true reconciliation in Afghan society until the past is
dealt with and those who have committed crimes are made accountable.
By the start of 2001, a famous commander of the 1980s anti-Soviet
war, the Pashtun Abdul Haq, had spent two years devising a peace plan
aimed at toppling the Taliban. The former king was to be the glue to unify
different groups, and Haq engaged Ahmed Shah Massoud – the Northern
Alliance leader assassinated in 2001 – tribal leaders and Taliban within the
regime’s military who were willing to defect. They had held meetings in
Bonn and Istanbul. People were willing to work with him because of his
history as a guerrilla leader and his record of bridging the ethnic divide.
However, in Whitehall and Washington DC, his plan was dismissed.

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 Today the politicians are hoping that the ‘bad guy’ Taliban will
somehow reconcile with the western-backed regime of Hamid Karzai. 
But the reality is that in Afghanistan many people continue supporting
the Taliban because they know they will soon be back. 
They have already filled a vacuum in providing justice and security in
rural Afghanistan, where the government has been corrupt, incompetent or
hampered by the US military strategy, which has bred insecurity and chaos.
In reality, the west is using the talks to give itself a chance both to get
out of Afghanistan and to claim that the state is stable. For both reasons,
Pakistan’s co-operation is needed, and Islamabad is driving a hard bargain
with the US, even suggesting that Afghan military officers must be trained
in Islamabad. 
At that stage, we will have gone full circle in Afghanistan since 2001,
with Pakistan once again back in the driving seat and civil war the only
realistic outlook.’ (Lucy Morgan Edwards for Guardian, reprinted in
TheNation 13th April)
Iran
Iran nuclear talks at impasse but not seen over yet: ‘Talks between
world powers and Iran to find a solution to end tensions over the Iranian
nuclear drive have once again hit an impasse, even if the diplomatic process
is not yet seen to be at risk of collapsing.
Negotiators from world powers came to the snow-peaked city of
Almaty for the latest round of talks with cautious optimism that they could
make some progress following an encouraging February meeting at the same
venue. But the talks ended with both sides – according to EU foreign policy
chief Catherine Ashton – ‘far apart’ amid dogged insistence from Iran that
its nuclear ‘rights’ be recognized...
With stakes so high, neither the P5+1 nor Iran want the negotiations to
collapse. But Iran's negotiating position is complicated by presidential
elections in June in which Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad must
step down after the maximum two terms. While it is Khamenei who sets
Iran's line in the nuclear talks, the elections are bolstering rigidity on the
issue from loyalist officials vying to succeed Ahmadinejad.
Ashton said that, despite her disappointment, she would call Jalili
within days to find a way to move beyond Almaty and agree on a new
meeting. ‘The important thing is that the negotiations have not fallen

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through, there is no apparent acrimony, and the process will probably
survive until Iran's presidential election’, said Shashank Joshi, an analyst
with the London-based Royal United Services Institute. ‘Both sides are
eager to keep the overall diplomatic process alive’, he said.
Western officials said some aspects of the latest talks were
encouraging because there was genuine discussion instead of just a reading
out of rehearsed ‘set piece’ positions as in the past. ‘But you still have to get
to the substance. The substance is not there yet’, said the US official.
Another motivation for world powers is the standoff on North Korea –
an isolated, nuclear-armed country allied to Iran whose bellicose threats
have alarmed its neighbour South Korea and the United States in the last few
days.
‘The P5+1 will be even more mindful of the need to resolve the
Iranian nuclear crisis before it gets to the stage of North Korea and
possessing a nuclear weapon, which would make the situation in Iran ever so
much more complicated and dangerous’, said Mark Fitzpatrick of the
London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.’ (Dmitry Zaks,
TheNation 8th April)
Can US strike a deal with Iran? ‘US President Barack Obama has
adopted a cooler tone, arguing that it will take at least a year, if not longer,
for Iran to build a nuclear weapon. However, it is by no means clear how far
he can depart from Israel’s more pressing agenda. In the circumstances, the
negotiations behind the scenes between the US and Israel may well be as
important as those between Iran and the P5+1 – if not more so.
Iran has always insisted on international recognition of its ‘right’ to
enrich uranium for peaceful purposes on its home soil. From the start, this
has been its position of principle. ‘What we are insisting on is our right to
enrich’, Jalili told the press. ‘This is equally true for 5 per cent or 20 per
cent. You know well that 20 per cent enriched uranium is used for medical
purposes. One million Iranian patients are using those isotopes... Today, the
fuel is exclusively used for humanitarian matters, medical purposes,
exclusively peaceful purposes.’ Jalili explained that Iran’s proposals
required recognizing ‘our right to enrich and ending behaviours which have
every indication of enmity towards the Iranian people... In consideration of
our new proposals, it is now up to the P5+1 to demonstrate its willingness
and sincerity to take appropriate confidence-building steps in the future’.
Nevertheless, at Almaty, the Iranian delegation showed some flexibility
in suggesting that, as a ‘confidence-building’ measure, Iran may be prepared

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to freeze production of some of its enriched uranium if, in return, the West
were to lift its economic sanctions. Iran, however, seems unlikely to agree to
close its enrichment plant at Fordo, buried deep in a mountain, unless its
legal right to nuclear power under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is
acknowledged.
Does this indicate that Iran and the P5+1 are at a dangerous stalemate?
It is to be hoped that the departure from office next June of Iran’s
pugnacious President Ahmadinejad will ease the way to an international
agreement, which will spare the region the horrors of war.’ (Patrick Seale,
TheNation 12th April)
India
India’s vicious plan: ‘There should be little doubt by now that, for all
the protests that Islamabad has been making against New Delhi’s water
terrorism committed with the aim of depriving Pakistan of its legitimate
share of this life-giving nature’s gift to humanity, it is bent upon building
projects in the upper reaches of rivers flowing into Pakistan that would turn
them dry. Numerous water diversion schemes have either been completed or
are being carried out on rivers that have been designated for exclusive use by
Pakistan under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). Consequently, once the
granary of the entire subcontinent, it would become a barren land, ruining its
agriculture, the very base of its economy. Already, their impact is being
strongly felt. The Baglihar and Kishanganga projects are two of these big
projects.
India's attitude towards us since then is a standing indictment of the
partiality of its apologists. And plans like raising hydel power projects like
Ratal, Kanai and Mayar are sufficient proof of India’s bad intentions.
According to a press report, a meeting of Indus Waters Commissioners of
Pakistan and India was held in Lahore on Saturday and Sunday where the
Indian representative presented the designs of these three projects for
scrutiny by Pakistan. The Pakistan commissioner, however, rejected all of
them after thoroughly scrutinizing them since they would seriously impinge
upon the country’s right to its due share of water, as assigned to it under the
IWT. While New Delhi would give the impression that they are run-of-the-
river electricity-generating schemes that would not curtail the water flowing
downstream, the engineers acquainted with their details would know the
exact logic behind their rejection. The report does not enlighten the reader of
the reasons for not agreeing to the designs. However, considering the
practice India has been following in the past in the case of such hydel

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projects, the new projects could be another case of creating reservoirs
upstream of them to be utilized for irrigation purposes as well. Thus, it is
inconceivable that the water flow downstream would not markedly come
down.
The point now is that the rejection of these designs ought not to be the
end of the exercise. Pakistan must prepare a strong case, built on facts and
figures and actively pursue the matter, first with the Indians to have either
the designs suitably amended or the projects altogether abandoned. No
delaying tactics should be accepted. In case of failure, we should have
recourse to the appropriate international forum for redress. At the same time,
Pakistan should not waste time and build water reservoir projects like
Kalabagh and Diamir-Bhasha and any other, big or small, that could prove
feasible, both for the generation of cheap power and for irrigation purposes.’
(Editorial, TheNation 26th March)
No NOC from India, Mr Chairman? ‘It was reported by the press
on March 4, 2013, that in early February 2013 Dr Nadeem-ul-Haq, Deputy
Chairman of Pakistan’s Planning Commission, while chairing a meeting of
major donors in Islamabad, has advised them not to dictate Pakistan. He said
it was Pakistan’s prerogative to identify and prioritize projects. The donors
present, reportedly, included World Bank, ADB and USAID officials. They
were, in fact, accused of having an ‘agenda’ under which Diamer-Bhasha
Dam (DBD) on the Indus main was not being funded, while the downstream
Dasu HEP was being favoured by them. Undoubtedly, Dr Haq’s position is
correct.
The DBD is planned as a large reservoir, multi-purpose “mega-dam”,
while Dasu HEP is merely a power generation project whose first phase that
will generate 1,000 MW is to be funded by the World Bank. The Dasu HEP
has provision for future expansion to generate a total of 4,000 MW using
additional tunnels. In fact, the absence of DBD reservoir upstream will be a
constraint on achieving the desired energy output of Dasu HEP, as it needs
the regulation capability of an upstream reservoir to attain its maximum
design capacity. These technical details one could discuss separately. But
before that let us give credit where it is due. Bravo Dr Haq, the nation can be
rightly proud of your position with the donors.
However, it was a pleasant surprise to know that Mr Shakeel Durrani,
former WAPDA Chairman, who also attended the February meeting as an
Adviser to the Ministry of Water and Power, reportedly, had gone on record
with his position that the World Bank under Indian influence did not want

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any “big project” in Pakistan. He accused it of ‘sabotaging and wrecking the
DBD project.’ Nevertheless, he has stated this a little late in the day.
During his tenure (2007-2012), he was an open opponent of the
Kalabagh Dam (KBD). This reservoir ‘mega-dam’ project on the Indus main
downstream of DBD, Dasu HEP and the existing Tarbela Dam was
unanimously proposed by the world’s leading hydrologists and engineers
over five decades ago and its design completed in the early 1980s. However,
in April 2008, within some six months of Mr Durrani’s chairmanship, the
infamous declaration ‘of an official closure’ of the KBD was made by the
Minister of Water and Power, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, during a press briefing at
the WAPDA House, Lahore.
The Pakistani nation blissfully asleep since some 30 years on the
critical issue of the KBD barely noticed and continued its deep slumber. The
bureaucracy always happy to import more oil, oblivious of the fact that it is
unsustainable for the national economy (and its infrastructure), looked the
other way. Obviously, the Indians were jubilant.
Mr Durrani’s lobbying for Diamir-Bhasha dam was always suspect.
He is on record having blocked every mega-dam on the Indus main and he
succeeded. This was also the position of the President Asif Ali Zardari, who
repeated the mantra ‘build small dams’. But Mr Durrani now has the gall to
blame the World Bank and the ‘Indian influence’.
Returning to Mr Durrani’s tenure as WAPDA Chairman, it was
unfortunate that his mission had been chalked out for him. Not once did the
nation hear him rebut the Indian position that the northern areas of Pakistan
(Gilgit-Baltistan or GB) are historically part of ‘Greater Kashmir’ and hence,
the World Bank and other multilaterals may not finance any project there.
He now attacks the World Bank.
Every senior hydrologist and civil engineer, who served in WAPDA
since its formation in 1958, has supported the KBD project and declared it as
a ‘survival issue’ for the national economy. It is, indeed, the point of
maximum flow of the Indus main. It is the location from where the poverty-
stricken Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province can finally receive Indus
waters through gravity flow canals. The Pehur high level non-perennial
canal from Tarbela Dam is insignificant. The KPK needs and must receive
its share of Indus waters to fight the scourge of poverty and the resultant
extremism that has engulfed its brave people. It was re-assuring to hear on
December 12, 2012, the venerable Mr Shamsul Mulk, in the presence of two
other eminent senior engineers from KPK, Mr Khalid Mohtadullah and

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Sardar Tariq, restate his position on KBD. It was the third and final meeting
of Pakistan Business Council’s ‘Committee on Water’ and the venue was Mr
Mulk’s office in Islamabad.
One wonders what happened to COAS General Pervez Musharraf’s
clear position on KBD as reaffirmed by him on April 29, 1999, in front of at
least 80 of us in a GHQ meeting room. In less than a year after he had
become the Chief Executive of Pakistan, the KBD project was again made
controversial. In June 2001, the dam received a low ranking in the ‘Vision
2025’ WAPDA report as announced.
Later Senator Nisar Memon’s committee managed to convince
President Musharraf that the 260ft high KBD could be built on the 660ft
high DBD and a combined height of 920ft at Diamer could be a two-in-one
solution. This suited some Sindh lobbyists, who did not want any additional
canal withdrawals from the Indus main. Surely, the DBD has now been
designed as a very dangerous structure due to its excessive height (and
location). A tragic trust deficit in Sindh (against Punjab) has been cynically
manoeuvred by the incessant ANP propaganda. Senator Nisar Memon then
wanted a ‘seal of approval’ and constituted in 2003 the Technical Committee
under Mr A.N.G Abbasi. This was an absolutely unwarranted exercise in
view of the existing World Bank financial reports on KBD, including the
ISO-14000 compliance certification (1987). The March 1991 Water
Apportionment Accord signed by all four Provincial Chief Ministers had
later sanctioned the building of several reservoirs on the Indus.
After 2003, the WAPDA management took keen interest in the
Neelum-Jhelum HEP (Tunnel project). The flow of the Western rivers are
perpetually a Pak endowment and for the ‘uninterrupted use’ of Pakistan.
The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) 1960 Annexure ‘D’ para 15 (iii) states:
‘Where a plant is located on a tributary of the Jhelum on which Pakistan has
any agricultural use or hydro-electric use, the water released below the plant
may be delivered, if necessary, into another tributary, but only to the extent
that the then existing agricultural use or hydro-electric use by Pakistan on
the former tributary would not be adversely affected.’
From the onset, it is clear that once the intention of using the waters of
the Neelum have been shown, the Indians had to stop the Kishenganga HEP
as it involves the transfer of Neelum waters to another tributary of the
Jhelum inside IHK. Kashmir was always the jugular vein of the Pakistani
nation. A false pretext was used to induct two Tunnel Boring Machines
(TBMs), in spite of the fact that no independent consultant had

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recommended them due to soil and seismic factors. If there truly was a race
between India and Pakistan, the first design option with less than 60 percent
total tunnel length should have been chosen. The second design option (969
MW) requires the deepest hydraulic tunnel in the world (under the Jhelum
upper limb). The first option could help generate 550 MW at the head of 220
meters and cost about $1 billion in half the construction time. Surprisingly,
the contract for the second option was signed for $1.4 billion in 2008 (a clear
bluff). Estimates crossed $3.3 billion in 2010 and project estimated to cost
$5 billion by 2025 when it can hope to be commissioned. Therefore, for an
additional 400 MW, the nation will spend at least $4 billion.
KBD is blocked politically by the ANP, while DBD is blocked
financially by a combination of errors at the Kashmir Ministry and a
deafening silence of the WAPDA management. The nation bleeds.
The water endowment with a hydel potential of +80,000 MW as well
as the irrigation component remain seriously under utilized, and that is a loss
of at least $60 billion annually. Instead of WAPDA being the prime mover
of the economy, the corrupt rulers forced the nation to depend on imported
energy resources from 1994 onwards. Its dreadful consequences are before
us. Today, it is furnace oil worth over $15 billion per year for power
generation and tomorrow, it will be piped gas or liquefied natural gas (LNG)
all for failing to use our own power generation potential.
Let me now reiterate our position of 1994: Pakistan’s economy can
never prosper on imported energy. Natural gas imports will be a complicated
issue. The ‘influentials’ will keep the bulk of it for the domestic sector to
please their constituents. Due to the abject failure of our energy policy, we
now must import coal and mix with it the local variety for replacing the
furnace oil for power plants. Coal will be a cheaper thermal resource, but
there is no comparison to low cost hydropower. WAPDA was tasked
repeatedly to ensure +70 percent hydel energy within the energy mix. The
thermal sector (public and private) was desired at less than 30 percent in this
energy mix. Pakistan can sustainably meet +90 percent of its primary energy
needs (presently 70mn tons). With top officials against mega-dams at the
instance of anti-dam lobby, the economy reached this terminal stage.
During a visit to India in July 2010 for the ‘Closed Door Conference
on Water’, it was clear how deadly serious the Indians take the business of
water in absolute contrast to our attitude. It is a subject strictly controlled by
their Foreign Ministry; a strategic subject considered vital by their nation.
They have created all the conditions to renegotiate the IWT 1960. The defeat

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of the Pak cases on Baghliar-I HEP and Kishenganga HEP are actually in
absolute contradiction to the tenets of the IWT 1960. Let me add, our
nominee was not qualified to represent Pakistan. WAPDA has a major role
in the IWT 1960 implementation. The Pakistani Commissioner for Indus
Waters had to take the advice of WAPDA in all technical matters. Is it not a
calamity that such national issues are handled by unqualified and
incompetent individuals?
The adversary has a huge resource base of hydrologists, scientists and
engineers with ICIW and ICID. The WAPDA Chairmen and Members
during the last 10 years must share major responsibility for these lapses. The
fact that India builds +173 HEP projects in IHK (mostly in violation of IWT
1960) and blocks financing of Pak projects in the northern areas/GB
province using the World Bank Kashmir Policy was known to WAPDA top
managers since many years. In spite of this, there have been two
inaugurations of the DBD project in 2006 and 2011. It is a failure of the
Federal Ministry and the WAPDA management, compounded doubly by
those who duped the nation with false promises.’ (Solo Khan, TheNation
26th March)

REVIEW
Journalist Mark Mazzetti in his article titled ‘The Way of the Knife:
The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth’, based on a
new book on Raymond Davis Episode, has left little for guessing about the
nature of Pak-US relations. The excerpts from the article are reproduced
above, in which the author has quoted US officials making no secret of their
hostility towards Pakistan.
At one instance the CIA station chief in Islamabad told Munter not to
show any flexibility for arranging the release of CIA operative, Raymond
Davis. He ‘warned’ US Ambassador saying that a decision had been made to
stonewall the Pakistanis. Don’t cut a deal, he warned, adding, Pakistan is the
enemy.
If some ‘intellectuals’ still keep harping about Pak-US friendship or
alliance of any kind, one thing is certain that they have been ‘embedded’.
Their intellect is for sale; so their vision can be moulded or ‘distorted’ in
whatever shape the purchaser wants. It is not a simple case of blurred vision
because of the shine of Green-backs.

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 They would find nothing wrong in the sacks found from the grid station
near Peshawar in which the attackers carried the explosives to cause damage
worth billions. So what if these flour-sacks were bearing writings in Darri
language. These ‘analysts’ would also not find anything wrong with the
increase in attacks on such installations since the induction of the US aid
workers in power projects.
The concentration of ‘TTP’ fighters in Tirah Valley is yet another
indicator that Pakistan is being treated as an enemy by the US and militias it
controls in the region. The have established a stronghold in the Valley from
where they can choke the logistic supplies of the foreign occupation forces
in Afghanistan and strike vital installations and other targets in Peshawar.
They have opted for the second choice. Undoubtedly, they have lot of
scores to settle with the secular leadership of the ANP. And it is also true
that an attack in and around Peshawar draws the much sought after attention
of the world community. These realities should not sway ones rational
thinking. The fact remains that destabilizing ‘enemy’ Pakistan is more
important for them; why? The answer is too obvious.
15th April, 2013

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 DASHED AND DUMPED
The scrutiny of nomination papers began with great hustle raising the
hopes of the people of Pakistan. They expected disqualification of the
corrupt candidates and hoped that only the honest people would make to the
assemblies and thus ending the status quo. They saw relief in their five-year
ordeal.
It just took one week for their expectations to evaporate in the thin air.
The three-tier scrutiny dashed and dumped their optimism about change as
all the corrupt were allowed to contest forthcoming polls. The acceptance of
their nomination papers implied that those who plundered 18 billion rupees
in five years were sadiq and amin and fit to resume plundering after May.
As the nation moved towards the polls, only Taliban seemed to have
so far stood by their words. They had warned well in advance to attack
secular political parties and leaders of MQM and ANP were slain by them
accordingly. Both the parties cried loud and blamed the ECP and Caretakers
for not providing them the security.

NEWS
Power politics: On 8th April, Caretaker Prime Minister said his
government would extend every sort of assistance to the election
commission in order to have free and fair polls conducted in the country. It
was the first time in the history of Pakistan that a transition would take place
from one civilian democratic government to the other, Khoso told European
Union chief election observer Michael Gahler.
Officials however said the monitors would not observe the polls in the
tribal zone because of security fears. None of the EU’s 110 observers will be
posted in the tribal areas or Balochistan to keep a watch on the May 11
general elections. But Gahler said he was confident his team would still be
able to work effectively to observe the landmark polls. 
The ECP submitted to the Supreme Court opposing e-voting for the
overseas Pakistanis through an ‘uncertified and untested’ computer system,
saying it would be too ‘risky’ and could even prove ‘disastrous’ for the
overall election exercise. The ECP suggested that initially the system should
be used on a limited scale and this too would require legislation. The
commission maintained that without a proper mechanism in place, enabling

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non-resident Pakistanis to vote would compromise the transparency of the
election process.
The State Bank of Pakistan did not provide information about any
candidate who got their loans written off prior to 2008, saying the matter
was subjudice. The Supreme Court is yet to decide about Rs256 billion loans
to hundreds of people including politicians who got their loans written off
between 1971 and 2009.
The PTI, PPP, MQM, ANP and PML-Q demanded the resignation of
the Caretaker Interior Minister Malik Habib Khan. The caretaker interior
minister had made a statement in favour of Nawaz Sharif, in which he had
said that the PML-N leader was the only real leader in Pakistan.
Next day, the CEC urged all the political parties to firmly adhere to
the code of conduct for candidates to ensure free, fair and impartial
elections. In a letter addressed to the leaders of all the major political parties,
the CEC hoped they would help the commission in providing peaceful
atmosphere during the election campaigns and on the polling day to stall any
move to subvert or sabotage the elections in any manner.
Meanwhile, the ECP has also taken notice of the statement of
Caretaker Interior Minister Malik Habib about PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif
and has sought the related record from its PR wing. Earlier, all major
political parties, including PPP, PTI, PML-Q and MQM, expressed their
annoyance over his statement and demanded his resignation.
Interior Minister Malik Habib backtracked from his statement and
said he was not affiliated with any political party. Briefing the media after
chairing a meeting about the security arrangements for elections in
Islamabad, the minister said he had left his past affiliations behind and was
an impartial caretaker minister. Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)
Additional Secretary Afzal Khan and the interior secretary were also present
on the occasion.
The CEC strictly directed all the ECP officials not to issue any
statement to electronic or print media. In this connection, the CEC issued a
special notification making it clear that he had earlier issued the direction
that only the secretary was authorized to issue a statement in media.
‘Unfortunately, this order seems to have been violated and other officers of
the ECP are giving statements in the media, some of which even
contradictory’, he added.

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 The ECP admitted before the Lahore High Court that it didn’t prepare
any list of the candidates found defaulters by the FBR, NAB and SBP. The
court was hearing a constitutional petition seeking implementation of Article
62 and 63 to stop ineligible candidates from contesting election and poor
scrutiny of their credentials conducted by the returning officers in Punjab. It
was said that due to large number of candidates, the preparation of such list
was taking time.
Taking notice of the violation of elections code of conduct, ECP
directed Chief Secretary Sindh to stop former Chief Minister from using
official protocol for his political meetings. The said letter read that the
former Chief Minister was attending political meetings with official protocol
in violation of the laws and rules. ‘It has also been reported that Deputy
Commissioner and District Police Officer (DPO) Khairpur were previously
working as Secretary and Security in-charge at the residence of former Chief
Minister at Khairpur’.
Imran Khan unveiled his party's 12-point election manifesto. He made
it clear that his party, once voted into power, would relentlessly work to
ensure, free primary healthcare, uniformed education system for all, equal
opportunities, social justice and safety net for unemployed. Imran announced
support to local body polls and vowed to restore the local body
system. Imran Khan said that PTI would wipe out corruption within 90 days
after coming into power.
Akhtar Mengal said that he had not appealed the disgruntled Balochs
to throw away their weapons and come down from the mountains. ‘I am not
sure of the security of my own party activists, then how I can guarantee the
security of disgruntled Balochs’, he said this while talking to media at his
residence in Quetta.
On 10th April, the election tribunals approved candidature of PML-Q’s
Faisal Saleh Hayat, Abid Imam, Ayaz Amir, Mukhdoom Amin Fahim, Abid
Imam and Jahangir Ali Kharl. Jamshaid Dasti was also freed by LHC. At
least 100 out of 243 candidates have filed appeals in the High Court
tribunals, including Raja Pervaiz and Pervez Musharraf.
The ECP expressed its displeasure over caretaker Interior Minister
Malik Habib’s media statement favouring Nawaz Sharif. ECP Secretary
Ishtiaq Ahmed has written a letter to the caretaker prime minister, telling
him that such statements could compromise the transparency of the
upcoming polls. He requested the premier to ensure impartiality of the
ministers.

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 The Supreme Court hearing petitions of two senior anchors regarding
the accountability of media was surprised to know that gifts worth millions
of rupees had been distributed among journalists by the Ministry of
Information and Broadcasting from its secret fund in 2011-2012. The court
questioned whether gifts of millions of rupees had been distributed among
journalists on the basis of national security.
In another case, the Supreme Court directed Balochistan government
to furnish the details of the money received through National Finance
Commission (NFC) from 2008 to 2013 and where these funds were spent.
Observing that the practice of allowing special grants to the elected
representatives should end now, the court directed Balochistan chief
secretary to also submit a clear statement about receipts of funds from other
means and their expenditures.
Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party leader Abdul Qahar Khan Waddan
in his petition filed last year alleged mass corruption and misappropriation
by the elected members of the assembly and the government officials and
had prayed the court to direct the government to recover the money. Iftikhar
Gilani, representing the petitioner, argued that the last government allocated
Rs250 million to everyone in the 60-member Balochistan Assembly for their
development schemes but most of the money was misappropriated and the
schemes had not been completed yet.
Next day, a full bench of the Lahore High Court expressed dismay
over the ECP for not producing lists of defaulters, adverse reports about
candidates issued by the SBP, FBR and NAB despite court’s repeated
orders. Admonishing the ECP officials, the bench asked the ECP: ‘Do you
want this court to stop the election process’. The bench was hearing a
constitutional petition seeking implementation of Articles 62 and 63 of the
Constitution to stop ineligible candidates from contesting election and
against the poor scrutiny of their credentials conducted by the returning
officers in Punjab.
The petitioner contended that the scrutiny of candidates was not held
correctly and the defaulters would again rule the country if their nomination
papers couldn’t be set aside. He pointed out 1,000 appeals had been filed out
of more than 37,000 nomination papers. He requested the court to postpone
elections for two months so that a strict scrutiny of the candidates could be
held. The Deputy Attorney General argued that the petitioner wanted to
derail the democratic system.

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 Justice Mansoor Ali Shah observed how transparency in the elections
could be maintained if no objection had been filed against a loan or tax
defaulter contestant. The bench summoned FBR Director Intelligence and
also issued notice to Attorney General to assist the court on the matter. In a
related matter of accepting the nomination paper of a contestant who has
cleared his defaulted amount, the bench sought reply from ECP on April 12.
Taking exception to the presence of ‘partisan’ babus in Sindh
including Chief Secretary Raja Abbas, the electoral body directed the
provincial government to remove 65 senior officials of the province’s
administrative machinery from their present posts and report to the election
commission within a week. The commission has recently received a number
of complaints alleging that several officials in the Sindh administration are
partisan and favouring former ruling parties.
At the federal level, Islamabad Inspector General Police (IGP) Bani
Amin Khan is alleged to have close connections with the former ruling elites
but he is yet to be replaced despite the interior minister’s announcement to
send him packing. Earlier this month, the ECP had got appointed the
Planning Commission Secretary Javed Iqbal as Punjab Chief Secretary after
Education and Training Secretary Qamar Zaman Chaudhry had refused to
accept this responsibility.
Two Taliban assailants on a motorcycle gunned down an MQM
election candidate in Hyderabad, underscoring threats to the former ruling
party and other secular and political groups. A grocer by profession, Fakhrul
Islam was Muttahida’s candidate for Sindh assembly seat (PS-47,
Qasimabad). He was attacked near his home at Halla Naka in Hatri Police
precincts, after he left the shop he owned with his father.
Hours later, TTP spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan claimed responsibility
and vowed to continue such attacks in future. The Taliban have threatened to
attack members of the MQM because of its statements. The President and
Prime Minister took serious notice of the murder and directed the authorities
to submit a report within 24 hours.
Senior ANP leader and former KPK agriculture minister Arbab Ayub
Jan escaped a remote-controlled bomb attack in Peshawar late night. He was
returning back from an election rally when his car was targeted near Tarnab
Farms. His driver was injured in the attack. The bomb was planted on a
bicycle.
Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri unveiled the manifesto of JUI-F in a
Press conference at Quetta Press Club. He said that they would make

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Pakistan an Islamic State and the State religion would be Islam, adding, that
Quran and Sunnah would be the basic law of the land. Reflecting upon the
foreign policy, he said that they would establish relations with all the
countries on the basis of equality.
District and Sessions Judge ordered police to register a case against
former Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah, his daughter and others on
behalf of a lawyer who was brutally tortured yesterday. Khairpur District
Bar President Manzoor Hussain Ansari was beaten up by some lawyers
apparently due to his objection over Qaim Ali Shah's nomination papers.
The Supreme Court ordered Secretary Interior to provide security to
former Interior Minister Rehman Malik. Malik had moved the top court for
the provision of security, stating, he has life threats. During the hearing,
Malik said that intelligence agencies had warned him of security threat like
former President Pervez Musharraf.
On 12th April, the ECP voiced concern over retaining the 'partisan'
bureaucrats in KPK and Balochistan and ordered immediate removal of
Balochistan chief secretary and inspector generals and other top officials of
both these provinces. The ECP also sought explanation from the caretaker
governments in the KP and Balochistan on their non-compliance with the
earlier instructions regarding administrative reshuffle.
The ECP ordered to withdraw the additional protocol facilities
provided to the Sharif brothers with immediate effect. In its direction issued
to the Punjab caretaker government, the electoral body has said that Nawaz
Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif are using additional protocol including huge
brigade of vehicles and guards which is not entitled to them. Earlier this
week, the ECP had directed withdrawal of protocol facility to former Sindh
CM Qaim Ali Shah who was also known to have misused his official
position at the cost of national kitty.
In compliance with the orders of the ECP, the caretaker Sindh
government shuffled the provincial bureaucracy. On the complaints of the
opposition candidates in Sindh, the ECP had two days ago sent a list of the
65 bureaucrats to be replaced. However, the education secretary, husband of
President Zardari’s sister Dr Azra Pechoho, has not been transferred. The
secretary to the CM and other officials, who were supposed to close to the
bigwigs of last government of PPP and MQM, are still holding their posts.
A full bench of the LHC heard petitions against loopholes in scrutiny
of candidates and strict implementation of articles 62 and 63 of the
Constitution. The bench directed the FBR to complete this task within three

259
weeks and also inform the ECP of the status of 1,010 candidates whose
candidature is pending before the tribunals of the Lahore High Court by
April 17.
Election Tribunal in Rawalpindi wondered on seeing the educational
certificates of a PML-N candidate for PP-31 (Sargodha) Malik Javed Awan
who got degree in FA in 1972 but got registered for B.A exams in 1971 one
year before he cleared his intermediate. The ET summoned his educational
record on April 15, 2013. The ET also dismissed the appeal of PML-N
former MNA Chaudhry Riaz, the opponent of Raja Pervaiz in Gujar Khan.
The tribunal while taking up other appeals allowed PTI Chief Imran
Khan, vice president Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, PPP Faisal Sakhi Butt,
Ubaid Ullah Shadi Kheil an opponent of Imran Khan, PML-N Chaudhry
Nisar Ali Khan to contest elections in their constituencies concerned while
rejecting the objections on their candidatures.
Shahbaz Sharif said that the rivals of the PML-N are spending the
secret funds, granted by the last government of the PPP, on maligning the
PML-N and to carry out character assassination of its leaders. Shahbaz said
that ‘certain mercenaries’ of the front line political parties were indulged in
posting slanderous and malicious material on social media against the PML-
N and its leaders for petty interests.
Former Deputy Chairman Senate and ex-Chief Minister Balochistan,
Mir Jan Muhammad Jamali after quitting PML-Q announced to join PML-N
by reposing complete confidence in the leadership of Mian Nawaz Sharif.
He made this announcement while addressing a Press conference at his
residence in the presence of Sardar Sanaullah Zehri and PML-N leader
Abdul Qadir Baloch, former Corps Commander Quetta.
Next day, the ECP ordered printing 180 million copies of ballot
papers for the next months’ general elections. The approved ballot papers
entails sophisticated security features to counter fake or bogus voting. Some
of the techniques used include introduction of magnetic ink, watermark
paper, thumb impression and other biometric features. Army personnel will
man the offices of the two printing houses during the ballot papers printing.
Caretaker Prime Minister sought clarification from Interior Minister
Malik Habib about his recent statement showing his tilt towards a major
political party of the country. The prime minister asked the caretaker
government, its ministers and the machinery to remain impartial and avoid
giving such statements.

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 As many as 14 candidates of different political parties, whose
candidatures had been rejected by Returning Officers on various grounds,
got clearance from the Election Tribunal to contest general elections.
Meanwhile, ET rejected the nomination papers of eight candidates while
issued notice to one candidate.
The PML-N took strong exception to ECP’s order to the Punjab
Police of withdrawing security for PML-N top brass, former premier Nawaz
Sharif and former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif. The party has
termed the commission’s decision unilateral and unjust. It says the order will
put lives of the PML-N leaders in jeopardy. If any harm comes to the
Sharifs, the responsibility for that will lie on the ECP, president and
caretaker prime minister, it added.
Altaf Hussain said conspiracies were being hatched to exterminate the
party. Addressing the MQM office bearers and election cell members at
Nine Zero, he said the state stratagem should be stopped against MQM,
adding those who wanted to end the MQM would end themselves. Such
tactics could lead Pakistan to the path of destruction, the MQM chief
warned.
On 14th April, the ECP election issued new directions to candidates
and political parties that campaigns cannot be run on sectarian basis and
seeking votes in the name of any religious creed is a crime. The Commission
said that provision of free transport, including boats and vehicles, to voters,
and forced eviction of voters from a polling station will also be considered
as crimes. No voter can take ballot paper out of polling station and
candidates cannot establish polling camps within 400 yards of polling
stations.
Feeling heat of election commission’s decision to ban using religion’s
name for securing votes, JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman sought to criticize the
commission’s policies. He alleged that the ECP was representing a ‘secular
mindset’ by banning the ‘name of Islam’ in the election campaign. He said
the ban on using the name of Islam during election campaign was also
against the ideology of Pakistan.
The observers noted 16 instances of campaign materials on the front
walls of government buildings and 10 instances of campaign materials inside
various government properties in 15 NA constituencies. Eight cases were in
Punjab, four in Sindh, two in KP and one in FATA. The materials of JUI-F
and independent candidates were seen outside state property most

261
frequently, while PPPP had campaign material inside government buildings
most frequently.
Three new development schemes were announced by a representative
of PPPP in a KP constituency and by PML-Q representatives in two Punjab
constituencies. In Kamber Shahdadkot (NA-206), an official of Polytechnic
College was seeking vote for an independent candidate, while a Health
Department official was seen seeking votes for an MQM candidate in the
same area.
Roadside bombs killed Awami National Party election candidate
Mukarram Shah and injured another aspirant Syed Masoom Shah in Swat
and Charsadda respectively. Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan claimed
responsibility for both the attacks. Mukaraam, in the past, had been
associated with Qaumi Watan Party, but later he joined ANP along with his
thousands of supporters. He was also an active member of anti-Taliban
village defence committee.
Asfandyar Wali said he will bring a lawsuit against the ECP if any of
his party members or activists is killed now. In an interview with BBC, the
ANP chief said security had been withdrawn from him and his party
members on orders from the election commission and that he did take up the
issue with the chief election commissioner through a letter. He however
added his party would never retreat from the battleground since it
understood its responsibility.
The office of Chief Election Commissioner Fakhurddin G Ebrahim’s
son was attacked and ransacked by unknown persons at Clifton. The
attackers ransacked the office of the CEC’s son, vandalizing and breaking
the doors and windows, and took away a laptop, and other material.
Fakhruddin G Ebrahim usually sits in the office of his son at Clifton in
Karachi.
Unknown men fired rocket on a building housing the office of
Election Commission Kalat. Police said that armed men fired rocket from an
unknown destination that landed and exploded near the office premises. The
prime minister expressed his concern over the incident of an attack on the
office of ECP in Kalat and asked the Balochistan government to submit a
report in this regard.
The ECP disqualified eleven former parliamentarians for having fake
degrees. Five former provincial assemblies’ members from Punjab, two from
Sindh, one from Balochistan and three ex-senators have been disqualified by

262
the commission. The commission de-notified all of them and directed them
to return all perks and benefits they had received during their tenures.
Bilawal Bhutto said the PPP would sweep the upcoming general
elections with the support of the people of Pakistan and form the next
government once again to develop the country in accordance with the vision
of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. He promised
that after returning to power, the PPP would expand Benazir Income Support
Programme (BISP) to complete its second phase during next five years. The
PPP government would double the monthly stipend from Rs1,000 per month
to Rs2,000.
Cricket all-rounder Shahid Afridi called on PML-N chief Mian Nawaz
Sharif to condole the death of Mian Abbas Sharif. His meeting with the elder
Sharif gave rise to media speculation that he has joined the PML-N. Afridi,
later, clarified that he had not joined the party. He said that it was not
essential to join politics to serve the people.
The PPP and the PML-N seemed to have struck a covert deal over
seat adjustment in respect of at least two constituencies of D G Khan where
the competition appears to be within the Khosa family. The PML-N
finalized its candidates for DG Khan, but did not announce any candidate for
NA-173, a constituency from where Saifuddin Khosa, son of senior PML-N
leader Zulfiqar Khosa, is a candidate on PPP ticket.
Next day, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf’s nomination papers for NA 51, Gujjar
Khan, were turned down on account of ‘him not being righteous and
sagacious’. A two-member tribunal comprising Justice Rauf Ahmed Sheikh
and Justice Mahmoon Ahmed Sheikh of the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi
bench rejected the nomination papers of Raja. Another Election Tribunal
dismissed all appeals against Nawaz and Shahbaz and cleared them for
contesting elections from Lahore.
The ongoing scrutiny by FBR to catch tax defaulters from amongst
the candidates has got Faisal Saleh Hayat as the first target with his wife
allegedly having found to be a tax defaulter. The FBR formally informed the
ECP and the concerned Returning Officer that the wife of Faisal Saleh
Hayat, who is contesting elections from NA-87 Jhang, owes an amount of
Rs55.8 million (Sales Tax and penalty) to the FBR as Sales Tax against M/S
Shah Jewana Textile Mills.
The FBR sources said that this top priority information would
immediately be provided to the Election Commission of Pakistan for
necessary action against the concerned candidates. About the complete

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scrutiny of the taxation matters of all around 14,000 NTN (National Tax
Number) holders, the FBR sources said that this job would be completed
before the Election Day.
Meanwhile, a war of words and a blame game has started between the
ECP and the FBR over the process of scrutiny and how the matter was being
handled by either side. The Federal Board of Revenue says 70 percent of the
data it received from ECP was untraceable as wrong particulars of
candidates and incomplete information was given and thus FBR was unable
to trace and confirm whether any defaulters existed.
A total of 1,017 cases were sent to FBR after the Lahore High Court
gave deadline to share details of tax default till April 17 for scrutiny
purposes, currently pending before Election Tribunals, it is learnt. Tax
authorities sent out a desperate SOS to ECP and also sent a copy to LHC for
information that despite repeated reminders the Commission authorities had
not so far shared details of candidates in a traceable manner making harder
for the FBR to share information in terms of tax default outstanding against
contesting candidates.
On the other hand an ECP spokesperson said that the ECP’s Punjab
Director Information Technology (IT) had given its response by sharing the
required details. He said that LHC ordered the FBR to prepare defaulters and
non-defaulters list of contesting candidates. But when again the FBR’s
official was contacted he said that the ECP responded by only sending
numbers of constituencies in 200 cases that would not resolve the problem
of FBR to determine tax defaults.
Top officials, who were closely identified with key projects of the
previous Punjab administration, have either been surrendered to the federal
government or transferred by the dozen. While Punjab recently saw a
massive bureaucratic reshuffle on the orders of Caretaker Chief Minister
Najam Sethi to ensure what he said fair and free elections, there have been
no such movements in the federal government and three other provinces
despite the orders of the ECP.
According to insiders, with the posting of the new chief secretary,
who has not a day of experience in Punjab, the Civil Secretariat Lahore is
being ruled by three DMG (district management officers) officials, who
came from the Economic Affairs Division. The lists of massive reshuffle
were prepared by them, and were endorsed by the authorities concerned.
However, all the three officers were removed or not accepted in Punjab by
the former administration for poor performance. One officer was sent back

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to the federal government for failing to deliver as food secretary, but he
managed to stage a comeback during the 2009 governor’s rule as home
secretary.
Information Secretary said the major reshuffle in the provincial
bureaucracy was carried out on the orders of the ECP. He said it was strange
to assert by some that those officers, who were working very well, have also
been transferred, but they did not realize that only the ECP directive was
followed and the reshuffle was done. He explained this by elaborating his
own case. He said there was allegation against him that he worked in the
media team of former Chief Minister Pervez Elahi and that’s why has been
given the position of acting secretary information.
The caretaker government of Punjab is set to face the wrath of the
ECP for its failure to execute the April 13 directives of the CEC to
immediately withdraw the extraordinary official security cover of 761
policemen being provided to the Sharif family at state expense. The
caretaker administration in Punjab is clearly hesitant to implement the orders
and report back to the EC for unknown reasons.
The IGP wanted to withdraw 700 out of the 761 policemen but the
highest government figure in the caretaker set-up of Punjab asked him to
adopt a wait and see policy for the time being, mainly because of the serious
security concerns expressed by the Sharif family. However, a Punjab
government spokesman said that 30 percent of policemen from four different
sections of the police who were guarding the Sharifs and their family have
already been withdrawn by IG Punjab.
The caretakers, led by the federal government, made politicized
appointments and carrying out whimsical postings and transfers in disregard
to merit, in violation of the Supreme Court’s order and without following the
prescribed procedure for the appointment of the right person for the right
job. Highly reputed former Chief Secretary Punjab Nasir Khosa, who was
appointed as Secretary Finance only a fortnight back has now been posted
out to the Textile Division in clear violation of the SC’s recent order in
Anita Turab case. The officer has been changed without assigning any
reason and within 15 days of his appointment in the finance ministry.
Like the federal government, the provincial governments have also
resorted to institution-free politicized appointments on the whims and
wishes of a few. In Punjab the situation has gone worse during the caretaker
regime. During Shahbaz Sharif government a panel of best available three
choices against each post was made; input of ISI, special branch and CID on

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each officer was taken; the profile of the officers was cross checked from
areas/departments they had served in the recent years; and finally against
every key posts the nominees were interviewed by the Chief Minister, Chief
Secretary and the Inspector General of Police. In the present Punjab
caretaker set-up everything is left to a group of three officers, generally
dubbed as ‘Three Musketeers’ in the Punjab calling the shots.
While the reputed Punjab Inspector General Police Aftab Sultan has
refused to transfer any police officer out of the province, the Chief Secretary
Javed Iqbal left it to the group of three to push out anyone from the
province. Owing to the missing institutional input, officers known for their
extra-ordinary work, repute and competence are forced out of the provinces
because of the personal liking and disliking of the trio.
Imran Khan claimed over 35 per cent of candidates of his party for the
general elections are young (below 40) and 80 per cent of all candidates
have never been elected to the assemblies before. He said 60 per cent of the
party candidates are new faces. Imran said old faces could never bring about
a change the masses desperately looked for. He asserted that the PTI had
changed the culture of what he called musical chairs between the PPP and
PML-N.
He challenged both parties to name a single state entity that they had
been pulled out of crisis during their repeated tenures in power. The PTI
chief said it was high time for the masses to vote for a change. Speaking at a
news conference, Imran flanked by some young nervous-looking faces, said
the nation was going for the most interesting ‘match’ of its history on May
11. Using cricket terms, he claimed to be the best at team selection and that
he was fielding a blend of experienced and young candidates in the
upcoming elections.
On 16th April, terrorists attacked election campaign of two major
political parties – PML-N and ANP – killing at least 20 people. In the first
strike during the day, four people, including the son, brother and nephew of
PML-N Balochistan President Nawab Sanaullah Zehri were killed and seven
others injured when his election convoy was targeted by a roadside bombing
in Khuzdar district. The Baloch Liberation Army’s spokesman, calling from
unspecified location, claimed the responsibility for the attack Separately,
Dhoda Khan Zehri, nephew of Sanaullah Zehri, escaped a remote-controlled
blast in Mangochar area of Kalat.
The ANP was targeted later in the evening when a suicide bomber
detonated himself near a party corner meeting, leaving at least 16 people

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including six policemen dead while 45 others injured. ANP leader Ghulam
Ahmed Bilour suffered minor injuries in the attack. Police said that it was a
suicide blast which aimed at Ghulam Ahmad Bilour and his nephew. Up to
six kilograms of explosives along with splinters and ball bearings were used
in the bombing.
With the latest strikes, election security has emerged as the biggest
challenge the caretaker government faces. Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that
terrorists wanted to delay the upcoming elections but the ANP would not
allow them to succeed. He said that the ECP and federal government must
take serious notice of repeated attacks against the ANP leadership. 
Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf’s nomination papers were also rejected
from NA-32 Chitral, after being earlier disqualified from three other
constituencies. Musharraf’s lawyer Muhammad Saad Shibli said ‘they
would contest the decision in the high court’. An election tribunal in
Peshawar, after a lengthy debate on the objections raised to the acceptance
of Musharraf’s nomination papers, barred the former president from
contesting the polls.
Nawaz Sharif has pledged that his party, on coming to power, will
steer the country out of the prevalent crises as it is capable of eliminating
terrorism, unemployment, load shedding and hunger. Addressing a public
gathering in Hafizabad, he said he would continue to struggle against
corruption and lawlessness.
Next day, more political players were finally kicked out of the May 11
election match after they failed to establish their electoral fitness. Among
those who lost appeals against rejection of their nomination papers were
PML-Q leader Ch Wajahat Hussain, ex-PPP MPA from Sargodha, Aslam
Midhyana, and five ex-provincial ministers from Balochistan. Raja Pervaiz
Ashraf, Yousaf Raza Gilani and Pervaiz Musharraf have already been
disqualified.
The pending appeals against the decisions of the returning officers
regarding scrutiny of the nomination papers for the general elections would
be deemed as dismissed due to the constitutional constraints as the election
tribunals (ETs) set up to hear those appeals met their term at midnight.
Former Secretary ECP Kanwar Dilshad smelled foul play on part of the ECP
for not constituting greater number of the ET tribunals to hear the appeals.
Haji Ghulam Bilour warned to nominate the army chief, chief justice,
president, and chief election commissioner if any attack was carried out
against his family and ANP leadership in the future. ‘Security is not an

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issue, but the situation should be tackled through coordinated and joint
efforts. Attacks cannot deter our resolve to fight terrorists at any level’,
Bilour said.
A local leader of the Awami National Party, Farooq Khan sustained
minor injuries when his car was targeted with a remote controlled bomb in
Sardheri area of Charsadda. The ANP leader was on his way for election
campaigning in Sardheri area when an improvised explosive device (IED)
exploded near his car.
Rule of law: On 8th April, Islamabad High Court barred Chairman
FBR Ali Arshad Hakeem from performing duties by suspending the
notification of his appointment issued by the establishment division on July
10 last year. IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui issued these directions
through an interim order in a petition challenging Hakeem’s appointment as
chairman FBR. Petitioner told the court that appointment of Hakeem was not
in accordance with the intent of Section 3 of the Federal Board of Revenue
Act, 2007 as he lacked experience, required educational qualification for due
performance of the functions of the said office.
On 12th April, a bench, headed by CJP, heard the suo motu case
concerning approval of the CNG stations during the tenure of former prime
ministers, Gilani and Raja, subsequent to a note filed by the apex court’s
registrar. The court ordered the FIA to take into possession the Oil and Gas
Regulatory Authority’s documents and files regarding grant of 525 licences
to set up CNG stations.
The FIA DG was directed to prepare the reply with the help of the
Ogra DG and depute an officer to supervise the process and ensure that the
documents taken out of the files were placed back after getting their
photocopies. The FIA DG was asked to complete the exercise on or before
April 13 and submit the three complete sets of the documents for the judges
so that they could go through them before the next date of hearing.
The bench deferred the action against Ogra DG Moazzam Hussain for
not complying with the order. In the last hearing, the bench had asked the
ministry and Ogra to submit attested copies of the document regarding
issuance of 1,471 CNG station licences along with terms and conditions with
details of the authorities that issued the licences during the period from 2008
to the date on which the ban was imposed on new CNG licences in 2013.
The court directed the secretary to provide copies of summaries
approved for CNG stations by the then caretaker PM Muhammadmian

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Soomro on January 13, 2008, ex-prime minister Gilani on September 22,
2011, and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on March 12, 2013. The secretary, however,
sought some time to place on record the LCs and the importers who were
given the benefit of relaxation in policy. The court issued a notice to Ogra
and adjourned the hearing till April 15.
In another case, the Supreme Court annulled the appointment of
Muhammad Ali Ghulam Muhammad as commissioner and chairman of
Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). The judgment
authored by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja declared that the selection and
appointment of Ali on these posts do not meet the requirements of the SECP
Act 1997.
Another accused Tauqeer Ali Khan, who is known to be the front man
of PPP MNA Syed Ali Musa Gilani, agreed to become approver against
Syed Ali Musa Gilani son of former Prime Minister Gilani in ephedrine
smuggling case. Tauqeer appeared before Court of Narcotics Substances
Control (CNSC) Special Judge Arshad Mehmood Tabassum and prayed to
the court that he wanted to become an approver in the illegal allotment of
Ephedrine quota against Syed Ali Musa Gilani.
IHC declared appointment of Managing Director (MD) Pakistan
Television Yousaf Baig Mirza as illegal. The court announced the decision
over a petition submitted by former MD PTV Ashraf Azeem against the
appointment of the incumbent MD. Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui also
directed the government to adopt competitive process to appoint new MD
PTV within 30 days.
Next day, Chief Justice took notice of unprecedented post-retirement
security protocol and privileges to former and future prime ministers,
interior ministers; former speakers and deputy speakers of Sindh Assembly;
and the ex-CMs and provincial ministers. Taking a suo moto notice on
Registrar’s note, based on press clippings of different newspapers, the chief
justice directed AGP, and Sindh Advocate General and IGP to file para-wise
comments on April 16.
Just a day before the end of the national assembly’s term, ex-PM Raja
Pervaiz Ashraf had reportedly issued an order for an ‘unprecedented security
protocol’ for himself and his predecessor Yousuf Raza Gilani. The Registrar
note also cited a report stating that just hours before the constitutional tenure
of the parliament came to an end; the interior ministry issued a notification
on 14-3-2013 declaring unlimited perks and privileges for the former federal
minister Rehman Malik and his predecessors.

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 The press clippings further mentioned that the Sindh Assembly on 14-
3-2013, the last day of its tenure, passed two private bills moved by Pakistan
People’s Party legislators Ghulam Mujadid Isran and Dr Sikander Mandhro
respectively to grant lifetime monetary and other benefits to the outgoing
chief minister, the speaker and the deputy speaker. The note of the Registrar
stated that the above-mentioned benefits and privileges are unique and
unprecedented.
It said the benefits and privileges bestowed would be a huge burden
on the public exchequer. The security protocol would further deplete the
strength of security agencies, which otherwise do not have adequate force to
maintain peace and security and protect the rights and freedoms of citizens
including the right to life, security, liberty and property. The measures seem
to be in violation of articles 4, 9, 24 and 25 of the constitution, the Registrar
noted.
On 15th April, Tauqir Ali Khan told the Special Narcotics Court
(SNC) that he had given Rs10.2 million to Ali Musa Gilani, son of former
Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, for taking illegal quota of ephedrine for
different persons. He recorded this statement in his capacity as third
approver in the ephedrine case before SNC Judge Arshad Mehmood
Tabasum. The challan said Khan was a frequent visitor to the office of the
secretary health and was behind all the alleged illegal dealings.
The ANF arrested Khan on March 20 and on 12th April submitted an
application to the Control of Narcotics Substances (CNS) court for recording
his approver’s statement. Advocate Faisal Hussain, the counsel for Musa
Gilani, however said that the ANF had no material evidence against the
accused persons; therefore they were convincing some of the accusers to
become approvers against politicians.
On 17th April, the Supreme Court suspended interior ministry’s March
14 notification, which granted unlimited perks and privileges to former
ministers, especially the interior ministers. Regarding the matter related to
the unprecedented security protocol to ex-prime ministers, the court asked
the AGP to file para-wise comments tomorrow.
The bench, headed by Chief Justice, also summoned interior secretary
for issuing notification regarding the security protocol to the former
ministers. The court observed that prima facie the notification was issued
without lawful authority. According to the notification, former federal
ministers, excluding the caretaker ministers, can benefit from the facilities
like protocol coverage to be provided by Federal Investigation Agency to the

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ministers, their spouses and children at all airports of the country; and
Service of a Personal Staff Officer/Assistant Private Secretary/Personal
Assistant, a driver, and an orderly, all to be appointed by the National Data
Base Regulatory Authority.
During the hearing, Advocate on Record, appearing on behalf of
Rehman Malik, stated that his client was facing severe security threats from
Taliban, therefore he needed security. Upon this, the bench observed that it
was the responsibility of state to secure life and property of all citizens
without any discrimination in view of Article 9 of the constitution but in this
case, a notification was issued for giving protocol service to a certain
minister, just before he was to leave the office.
Meanwhile, Sindh Advocate General submitted para-wise comments
over Sindh Assembly’ passing of two private bills on March 14 granting
lifetime monetary and other benefits to the outgoing chief ministers,
speakers and deputy speakers. He submitted that subject matter of salaries
and privileges of the chief minister and speaker falls within the domain of
the provincial legislature, which is competent under clause (c) of the Article
142 of the constitution.
Justice Azmat Saeed observed that passing such bills by the assembly
did not close the chapter. The CJP also asked that who would bear the
burden for extending of lifetime protocol to chief minister, speaker and
deputy speaker. The counsel for provincial law ministry Khalid Javed Khan
requested the bench to give sometime for giving legal justifications of this
Sindh Assembly’s legislation. Attorney General for Pakistan could not
furnish par-wise comments about the former PM’s order as he was busy with
another court hearing. The hearing of the case was adjourned for tomorrow.
Defiance of judiciary: On 16th April, the Abu Dhabi Federal Court
heard a petition filed by the former Ogra chairman who had escaped to Abu
Dhabi after his alleged embezzlement of Rs80 billion was exposed. The
court accepting the bail of Tauqeer Sadiq on personal security, ordered him
not to leave the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The court seized his passport
as security before adjourning the hearing until May 20.
Taming the military: On 8th April, Pervez Musharraf was put on
the ECL and barred from leaving the country until the Supreme Court takes
a final decision on five petitions seeking action against him for ‘subverting’
the constitution, which amounts to treason. The former army chief, who
forced out the civilian government and then ruled the country for nine years,

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was also directed to appear before the apex court either in person or through
his counsel tomorrow.
A two-judge bench issued the federation a notice to tell why, despite
clear findings in Sindh High Court Bar Association judgment and a
unanimous resolution of the Senate, it did not take action against the former
dictator on his return to the country on March 25, after some four years of
self-imposed exile, and why he was given a VIP protocol. Islamabad
Inspector General of Police (IGP) was ordered by the court to serve the
notice on Musharraf if he is in federal capital; otherwise, the IGP in whose
province he is presently living will do the job.
Next day, Ahmed Raza Kasuri, appearing on behalf of Pervez
Musharraf, pleaded that the court notice was received late last night. He
argued a sufficient time was required to contest this case as very significant
questions of law were involved and a lot of files would have to be examined.
Kasuri argued Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani was also
a member of the team that issued the PCO, but the apex court did not issue a
notice to him in this case. Justice Jawwad said they had issued notices to the
respondents.
The counsel contended that if the case was heard, a Pandora box
would open and names of some bigwigs would come into limelight. Justice
Jawwad said: ‘Let these things happen. We will ensure that justice is not
only done, but it is seen to be done.’ Kasuri contended that all tactics were
being employed to prevent Musharraf from reaching the people of Pakistan,
so the court should adjourn the case for six weeks. The court said: ‘The
matter looks straightforward enough, but to meet the ends of justice, the
hearing is adjourned till April 15.’
A section officer from the Ministry of Interior submitted a report
regarding placing Musharraf’s name on ECL. No one appeared on behalf of
the federation and the Sindh government which are parties to the SHCBA
case. Ibrahim Satti represented Sharifud Din Pirzada and Barrister Ahmed
Qayyum appeared on behalf of former attorney general Malik Qayyum.
The written order stated: ‘During the hearing on Monday (yesterday) a
request was made to take Musharraf into custody, but the prayer was
rejected to give him an opportunity in accordance with the law.’ The court
further said Musharraf landed in Pakistan on March 24 and during these 15
days no order preventing the former president from engaging in political
activities was passed.

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 On 11th April, the Supreme Court hearing the Adiala Jail missing
prisoners case observed that unnecessarily the matter was mishandled,
saying the ISI and MI counsel are playing hide and seek with the court.
During the proceedings, the chief justice asked the counsel that you
yourselves had said in this case that the Adiala Jail missing prisoners were
allegedly picked up outside the jail and then were taken to FATA. Raja
Irshad denying this maintained that he had said that missing prisoners were
arrested from the operational area in FATA when they had attacked the army
convoy.
The chief justice said that first the agencies got Adiala Jail prisoners
tried at the Anti-Terrorism Court. When they were released, as there was no
concrete evidence against them then they were taken to Tribal Areas. The
chief justice asked the learned counsel that they had opportunity to get them
convicted. Raja Irshad said in the whole country the ATC never awarded
sentence to any criminal so far. The chief justice remarked that there are
number of cases, in which accused were convicted.
The chief justice said that they have the statement of Judge Advocate
General (JAG) in which he took a stand that if there will be no evidence
against the Adiala Jail prisoners for their involvement in terrorist attacks
then they would be released. The chief justice said that Judge Advocate
General (JAG) has to honour or dishonour his statement, given to the Court.
The court noted that Raja Irshad also had given a statement that
Adiala Jail prisoners are no more missing persons and now they would be
tried under Army Act 1952. ‘First they were in your (agencies) custody and
you had handed them over to FATA Administration Orakzai.’ Raja Irshad
said that the trial is in progress and if there would be no evidence against
them then they would be released.
Earlier, Attorney General Irfan Qadir informed the that Article 247
allows the issuance of Regulation, and according to 247(4) President of
Pakistan and the Governors of the Provinces are competent to issue this law,
while Article 245 is for to call the army in aid of civil power. He quoted
examples of many countries were special laws have framed to combat the
militancy or the terrorist activities, saying special laws exist in Israel, in
India Terrorist and Destructive Act (TADA) 1987, in Australia Border and
Migration Amendment 2009 and South Africa Immigration Act 2002. The
hearing was adjourned till April 15.
Next day, Islamabad High Court granted six-day interim bail to
former President Pervez Musharraf in judges' detention case. The court

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directed General (r) Musharraf, who personally appeared before the bench,
to submit two surety bonds of Rs500,000 each. He was also directed to again
personally appear in the court on the next hearing on April 18.
On 13th April, the Supreme Court returned a plea of former dictator
president Pervez Musharraf seeking formation of a CJP-minus full court
bench to hear his treason and claiming that only the federal government
could initiate such a case and the apex court cannot order its initiation. A
two-member bench, is hearing five identical petitions against the former
army chief for subverting the constitution and holding it in abeyance.
A trial court ordered FIA to produce Pervez Musharraf, the accused
and proclaimed offender in PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto (BB) murder
case, along with other accused before the court on April 23, 2013.Anti-
Terrorist Court (ATC) Rawalpindi Number 1. The court had issued arrest
warrants for General (Retd) Pervez Muharraf, besides declaring him as PO
in the case.
On 15th April, the Supreme Court asked the Attorney General of
Pakistan to explain if the Article 6 of the Constitution applied to former
President General (retd) Pervez Musharraf for high treason and come up
with a reply of the federal government in writing in the matter through a
concise statement by April 17.
During the hearing, the apex court observed that it was for the
Federation to prosecute a person and said that the federal government had
not taken any action either in pursuance of its July 31, 2009 judgment or in
accordance with a unanimous resolution passed by the Senate for
prosecuting a person under high treason for subverting and abrogating the
Constitution.
At the outset of the hearing, the Attorney General of Pakistan
submitted that he had a number of preliminary objections to the proceedings
of the court but not against the petitions. Referring to the court’s earlier
observation in the instant case that ‘justice not only be done but seems to be
done’, the attorney general said he was of opinion that justice does not seem
to be done.
Irfan Qadir contended that there were judges sitting in the court who
had taken oath under the PCO, therefore, how could the court proceed in a
matter which revolved round the unconstitutional acts of the respondent
(Pervez Musharraf). The court, however, asked the attorney general to
inform it about the stance of the government if it had taken any step after the
July 31, 2009 judgment of the court and in pursuance of the Senate

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resolution passed unanimously and after the return of the respondent, Pervez
Musharraf, on March 24, 2013.
Ahmed Raza Kasuri contended that before entering into any
controversy, his prayer be considered for constituting a larger bench minus
the Chief Justice of Pakistan. The court however told the learned counsel
that it would be considered after the reply of the federal government. The
court also ordered that another identical petition, filed by Engineer Jameel
Ahmed, would also be taken up with the instant petitions from April 17.
On 17th April, the Supreme Court observed that the interim
government has apparently not taken any action against former dictator
president Pervez Musharraf and summoned details from the interior
secretary about it. At the onset of the hearing, federation’s representative,
the AGP wanted to make oral submission but the court stopped him and
directed him to file reply at 12am. After the court break, he submitted
federation’s written stance.
The reply raised questions about interim government’s mandate and
its priorities regarding the constitutional and legal obligations. It asked:
‘Whether it has a mandate in view of the paucity of time in terms of its
priorities according to which the foremost priority is to ensure free and fair
elections in the country’. ‘Whether preparation for a case of high treason in
the present circumstances would in any way adversely affect the impartiality
of the caretakers as viewed by people of Pakistani in general and political
parties in particular’.
And; ‘Whether it would be proper to initiate any such proceedings
after the holding of elections or before that, since Ministry of Interior is
presently preoccupied in providing security to thousands of candidates of all
over Pakistan and their entire focus is presently on forthcoming elections’.
The court observed that the federation prima facie appeared not to have
taken any step for constituting a special court in compliance of the bench’s
April 15 order, and to-date it has not authorized anyone to make a written
complaint under Section 3 of High Treason (Punishment) Act 1973 against
Musharraf.
Justice Jawad S Khawaja said: ‘We have common objective and that
is to respect rule of law and to protect the constitution.’ Justice Khilji
remarked that previously the court’s orders were not given much
importance, but they hoped the interim setup would not ignore their orders.
Apparently it is the responsibility of the federation to register a lawsuit in
this case, he said. Acting law secretary Sohail Qadeer Siddiqui informed the

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court his ministry did not contain any documents indicating initiation of any
process against Pervez Musharaf under Article 6.
Petitioner Taufiq Asif said there were news that there was a difference
between the stance of the federal government and that of the attorney
general. He demanded that attorney general, like the Punjab advocate
general, should resign as he has mandate of some party. Another petitioner,
Ahsanud Din Sheikh contended that the interim government had also taken
oath to defend and protect the constitution, adding if the caretaker setup
could perform other functions, why it could it not proceed against Musharraf
who subverted the constitution.
PPP Senator Aitzaz Ahsan demanded formation of a full-court bench
to hear petitions leveling high treasons charges on former president Gen
(retired) Pervez Musharraf. Aitzaz said if the Supreme Court had formed a
full-court bench to hear National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), nullified
later, then there should be the same to hear the Musharraf issue.
Pervez Musharraf obtained interim pre-arrest bail in Benazir Bhutto
assassination case. The two-member division bench of Lahore High Court
(LHC) granted Musharraf interim pre-arrest bail for seven days. The court
directed him to submit two surety bonds each worth Rs500,000. The bench
also ordered FIA the produce the relevant record in the case on the next date
of hearing.
Recessing economy: On 8th April, power shortfall reached 4,000-
MW affecting normal life to a great extent. Energy experts say since there is
no respite in sight for power consumers from long hours of power cuts and
fluctuations coupled with unannounced outages, the crisis is likely to deepen
further with a gradual rise in the mercury.
Protesters broke into Mepco complex in Rahim Yar Khan and
rampaged through the building against the unscheduled electricity load
shedding. The irate protesters ransacked office record, broke doors,
windows, flower pots and furniture. Residents of Shahiwala Manthar raided
Mepco Complex to vent off anger against 17 to 20 hours load shedding on
daily basis.
Next day, while announcing two holidays a week to conserve energy,
the Punjab cabinet demanded the federal government call an immediate
meeting of the Council of Common Interests to discuss equal load shedding
in all the provinces and other issues. The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister

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Najam Sethi, while expressing serious concern over the long-hour power
outages in the Punjab, also called for ending the same without any delay.
Taking notice of the excessive load shedding across the country,
caretaker Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Water and Power to take
immediate measures to bridge the widening gap between the electricity
demand and supply. The premier gave these directions while chairing a
high-level meeting called to review the power generation plants in the
country. 
Provincial disharmony: On 17th April, the trade and industry
refused to accept the government load management plan of electricity and
gas from next week onwards, saying that the industry will register FIRs
against the government if it tried to close the textile mills by force in Punjab.
Moreover, the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry said that
unannounced and unscheduled power outages had left the industrialists with
no other option but to stop productions. Central Chairman APTMA Ahsan
Bashir and Group Leader APTMA Gohar Ejaz held an emergent press
conference at the APTMA Punjab office.
According to him, the industry has never witnessed such an abnormal
load management and it is simply a sign of inefficiency of the caretaker set
up. Further, he said, it also suggests a clear discrimination against Punjab-
based industry. He said the industrialists would approach to the courts of law
for relief in case the government denied gas and electricity supply in Punjab.
‘We will not tolerate any discrimination against the industry in Punjab, as
the industry in Punjab is the industry of Pakistan’, he said.
Baloch militancy: On 8th April, a deputy superintendent of police
was gunned down along-with his official guard in a target killing incident in
Quetta. At least four people were injured in a hand grenade attack on Nadra
office in Kharan while Quetta-Taftan railway track was blown up in Chagai
district. Unidentified attackers, riding a motorbike, hurled a hand grenade on
the office of Nadra, causing injuries to four people.
On 10th April, two boys were killed in a hand grenade attack in Pasni.
No group has claimed responsibility of the attack so far. Next day, Sardar
Akhtar Mengal urged the European Union (EU) to send its observers not
only to monitor the elections but to review the situation in Balochistan.
Talking to the media, the BNP-Mengal leader said that establishment would
not want EU observers visit Balochistan. ‘EU observers even have visited
such countries where they inspected the situation in armoured vehicles but

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not visiting Balochistan is a matter of great concerned’, he remarked and
urged the EU to send its observers.
The European Union Election Observation Mission Pakistan is keen
to see that will of the people is duly reflected in 2013 elections as result of
the changes incorporated in the 18th Constitutional Amendment. Hannah
Theresa Roberts, Deputy Chief of the EU Election Observation Mission
stated that security remains the major challenge to observe the elections in
FATA as well as in Balochistan. She added that our mission would be
meeting people from these areas instead of observing election on the ground.
Turf war in Karachi: On 9th April, four people were in incidents
of violence in the city. Next day, at least eight people, including two cops
and three political activists, were killed in various incidents of violence in
the city. On 11th April, eight persons, including an MQM activist, were
gunned down in various incidents of violence.
On 12th April, a cleric among three people was gunned down in
different violent incidents. Law-enforcement agencies claimed detaining
about 101 suspects during the targeted raids in various parts of the City.
Meanwhile, cops having association with defunct Tehreek-e-Taliban
Pakistan were arrested by Anti Violent and Crime Cell. Assistant Sub
Inspector Rana Ishrat deployed in AVCC was found involved in the murder
of ASI Ashraf and was also providing assistance to the TTP in Karachi.
Next day, a man and his son were among six people killed in the city.
Meanwhile, Rangers and Police arrested at least 30 suspects during the drive
of targeted operation. On 14th April, five people, including a woman, were
gunned down in separates acts of violence in the metropolis. CIA’s Anti
Extremist Cell killed mastermind of Abbas Town’s blast in a raid on a slum
area in Surjani Town but failed to catch four other suspects. It claimed it has
prevented a possible terrorist attack on leaders of political parties.
On 16th April, four persons, including a policeman, were shot dead in
various incidents of violence. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court gave 24 hours
to Sindh law enforcement agencies to arrest those persons whose names
have been divulged in the JIT and registered FIRs, and submit its report by
tomorrow. The bench directed the police to clear all ‘no-go areas’ and
remove the fearful influence of the criminals from different areas of the city.
During the proceedings, Sindh police report related to the no-go areas
in Karachi was submitted. It was mentioned in the report that there are a
total of 106 police stations in the city out of which partial no-go areas still

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exist in the premises of seven police stations. On this, the CJ questioned if
police are accepting the presence of no-go areas in the premises of seven
police stations. The report mentions that localities with partial no-go areas
are ‘PIB Colony, East Police Station Sachal Police Malir, Sohrab Goth, Kala
Kot, Chakiwara, South Karachi and Pirabad.’ The hearing is adjourned till
April 17. Next day, two people lost their lives in different incidents of
violence in the city.

VIEWS
Power politics
Doubts over Sethi’s politburo: ‘Though, apparently, a neutral
caretaker set up has been put in place in Punjab, there are questions over the
neutrality of top bureaucrats selected by the new chief minister. Sethi’s
‘politburo’ consists of Chief Secretary Javid Iqbal, Principal Secretary,
Shahid Mehmood, Additional Chief Secretary, Rao Iftikhar and Secretary
Services, Afzal Latif. Certain quarters in the PML-N view the bureaucrats’
selected by Sethi as having a partisan character because most of them had
served former Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi and slain Governor
Salman Taseer. They have alleged that Sethi has handpicked his team on the
advice of a former Chairman P&D, Suleman Ghani who worked under
Pervaiz Elahi.  His Principal Secretary Shahid Mehmood has personal
equation with Najam Sethi and has also served as Secretary P&D when
Suleman Ghani was the chairman. As per sources, Suleman Ghani had
recommended the name of Javid Iqbal for the slot of chief secretary.
Before his present posting, Iqbal was serving in the Economic
Division and has no previous experience of working with Punjab
bureaucracy. Javid, in turn, reportedly asked his close friend, Rao Iftikhar
who was Additional Secretary (ACS) in the Economic Division working
under him to suggest names of able officers for posting in different
departments. It was he who recommended the names of Afzal Latif and Ali
Murtaza Bhutta. Latif has been appointed as Secretary Services while Bhutta
has been posted as Secretary Local Government. Roa Iftikhar served as
Home Secretary Punjab during the brief Governor Rule in Punjab in 2009.
He was then a confidant of slain Punjab Governor Salman Taseer. Being a
close associate of present Chief Secretary, Javed Iqbal, Rao is said to have
played a key role in the selection of new administrative secretaries, DCOs
and the Commissioners. 

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 Ironically, both the PPP and the PML-N are upset with Najam Sethi
over the issue of placement of senior bureaucrats.  The PPP is unhappy
because Sethi has not removed the officers re-hired by the former Chief
Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The PML-N, on the other hand, has reservations
over new postings of some of the top bureaucrats including the chief
secretary, the ACS and secretary services. It may be pointed out that the PPP
had nominated him while the PML-N had accepted it, though with a pinch of
salt.’ (Report by Mubashir Hassan, TheNation 9th April)
Our revengeful democracy: ‘Now if we look at the sequence of
events since after the ‘prodigal’ sons of our politics returned to the political
centre-stage through the last elections, it is a dismal scenario. Our corrupt
rulers seem to be masters in circumventing democratic and constitutional
norms. As one links the loose ends in the recent caretaker selection drama,
the last three constitutional amendments seem to have been ingeniously
designed with the sole purpose of influencing the forthcoming election
outcome. With no one trusting the outgoing regime, a unique but highly
questionable process was devised for selecting the interim Prime Minister
and provincial Chief Ministers to supervise the elections.
This whole process was deceitfully engineered to ensure their political
power and incumbency of the high public offices remained intact. Nowhere
in the world are governments appointed by an arbitrarily appointed group of
five individuals most of whom are known to carry partisan affiliations.
There couldn’t even be a bigger farce of democracy. This is the worst form
of kleptocracy in which the government exists only to aggrandize the
personal wealth and political power of the privileged few. 
A petition has already been moved in the Supreme Court challenging
the authority given under 20th Amendment to the Election Commission of
Pakistan (ECP) to nominate the federal and provincial caretaker setups in the
event of Assemblies failing to do so. This authority under Article 9(3) of
Article 224-A of the constitution is repugnant to the constitution itself
because the National Assembly has neither the jurisdiction to abdicate or
delegate its authority to the ECP. The petition also makes serious allegations
of ‘partiality’ against the ECP. 
Initial handling of the scrutiny, the most important element of
ensuring implementation of Articles 62 and 63, has been far from
satisfactory. It exposed serious planning and decision-making deficiencies in
the Commission. With adequately briefed and trained returning officers, the
scrutiny process could have made more meaningful and all the hullabaloo

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and comic scenes could have been avoided. The need for non-selective
enforcement of the constitutional eligibility criteria is indispensable. Instead
of testing the candidate’s general knowledge, the real scrutiny should have
focused on the known and proven cases of constitutional ineligibility. 
Apparently, the vacillating ECP did take one good decision. On a
suggestion received from the civil society, it announced the addition of a
blank box marked ‘None of the Above’ on the ballot paper giving voters a
democratic free choice to reject the entire slate of candidates in his or her
constituency. This democratic provision known as NOTA would, indeed,
have been a big revolutionary step in freeing the country by ballot of the
same old tried and tested corrupt politicians and their rotten ‘status quo’.
Regrettably, the ECP did not have the courage to stand by its decision and
promptly withdrew it when some ill-advised media persons attacked it. 
As for our caretakers, they know their only mandate is to oversee the
holding of a free, fair and transparent election. They are not there to take
major decisions or even to reverse previous government’s policies and
projects. At this stage, they shouldn’t even be talking of personal hang-ups
like Basant or other cultural festivals. These matters would be best left to the
new elected governments. The caretakers should be focusing on providing
interim relief to the people suffering worst hardship in terms of security, law
and order, price control, regular supply of food and fuel and curtailing of
load shedding hours. They shouldn’t also be seen moving around in official
motorcades fulfilling their social chores or attending ribbon-cutting
functions and wedding ceremonies. 
In this chaos and confusion, we also find a recycled dictator abruptly
floated back in our turbulent political waters. Everyone knows who launched
him and with what purpose. If anything, the judiciary should take notice of
the increasing interference from outside in Pakistan’s domestic affairs.
Having ruled NRO as an illegality, the Supreme Court must issue a ruling
against any fresh similar attempts involving foreign powers, including our
neighbourly kingdoms, sheikhdoms and sultanates playing as their Trojan
horses. One of these ‘brotherly’ states is also a permanent sanctuary for our
high-profile fugitive absconders. Already, two of them, a former Federal
Minister and an Ogra Chief, in defiance of judicial orders, are enjoying its
regal hospitality.’ (Shamshad Ahmad, TheNation 9th April)
In the name of democracy: ‘In the name of democracy the stage is
being set for the 2013 elections. Karl Marx’s defined it as a process in which
"the oppressed are allowed once every few years to decide which particular

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representatives of the oppressing class are to represent and repress them.” If
the people of Pakistan want to prove Marx wrong and if they want to stop
the recurrence of dictatorship and sham democracy, then they have to select
the right person for the right job.
Indeed, this could be the only opportunity; if the people avail it with
sound judgment and bold decisions, then spring is not far away. But if they
fail this time, then, perhaps, there will be an eternal democratic winter that
will do them immense harm. The ball is in the people’s court; wake up and
change the destiny of the country by voting for the right candidates.’
(Ahmad Noor Waziri, TheNation 9th April)
The questions???: ‘ Please do not ask me the absurd question, as to
what has been happening to this country called Pakistan for the last six
decades or so.
Obviously, this nation has been colonized by its own native military
and civilian rulers to an extent that today it stands on the brink of a political
abyss and economic disaster. The inescapable facts are that our ruling elite
have been ruthlessly looting the nation, its political management has been
designed for organized robberies, and vested interest political leadership has
had a field day all along.
Whereas this newly-independent nation needed immense political
imagination and healthy ethical leadership, what it has gotten so far has been
a bunch of unethical, unimaginative, self-seeking and status quo committed
rulers bent on preserving their political and economic control over this
nation at all cost.
The fact of the matter is that humanity at large in Pakistan is facing the
significant prospect of severe national calamities, as a result of deliberate
political and economic mismanagement by its ruling elite. TheNation of
April 3 reported that past rulers committed corruption to the tune of $10
billion…
The questions are: can Pakistan sustain and survive yet another five
years of the kind of democracy it has experienced since 2008? Will the
status quo forces prevail again in the May 11 national elections? Will the
same traditional political actors resurface as power elite, powerbrokers and
power holders in the next general elections? Will the loan defaulters, loan
write-offs and tax evaders survive the ECP’s scrutiny? Will the failed and
politically-incorrect leadership stage a comeback in May?

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 Today’s Pakistan is faced with immense political, economic and social
crises. What it needs is a philosophical, conceptual and ethical-moral
leadership and a systemic approach to problem-solving and political
management.
Without fundamental and revolutionary transformation of its
contemporary political structure, traditional political culture and the
overthrow of present-day vested interest leadership, the task of nation-
building and moving forward to a truly democratic society, seems like an
absolutely impossible mission to accomplish.
Let us be clear-minded. There is no way Pakistan can have a stable and
prosperous future if its economy remains as chronically ill as it has been in
the last five years of the so-called democratic dispensation and if the
confidence of common citizens in the country’s leadership continues to
deteriorate, as it has been deteriorating specifically since 2008 (and for
nearly five decades before).
I believe that unless things change dramatically, Pakistan will not be
able to maintain the national cohesion that is needed urgently to move
forward. I think we need quantum leaps in economic planning and
technological advancements, which is impossible without an ideologically-
driven doctrine of a people’s welfare state.
I contend that state intervention in the vitally important sectors of
nation-building is the need of the hour, which is not possible without the
creditworthiness of a political leadership that is nationalistic, morally-bound
and ethically committed to the politics of empowering people at the base
levels of society and bringing them into wider participation of political
decision-making.
My question is: having known the political behaviour of the traditional
ruling elite, can the nation still put its trust in their creditworthiness, personal
integrity, political management capabilities and competence in handling the
nation’s affairs? The problem is that vested interests are always in conflict
with national interests. One can opt for one or the other, but not for both at
the same time.
Pakistan’s political history has taught us that this country’s leadership
that is traditional status quo committed and foreign nations patronized and
promoted, has always preferred its personal vested interests over national
interests. Do you still wish to give them another chance on May 11? What
are your concerns and questions to date?’ (Dr Haider Mehdi, TheNation 11 th
April)

283
 Unnecessary doubts: ‘Stopping the elections seems to have become an
election issue in itself, to judge by the recent pronouncements of PML
President Mian Nawaz Sharif and PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. While
talking to a private news channel on Tuesday, Mian Nawaz said that the new
Parliament could decide on articles 62 and 63 of the constitution and that the
forces wanting a postponement of the election still wanted it. Bilawal, while
speaking to former Prime Ministers Gilani and Raja Ashraf and PPP Punjab
President Manzoor Wattoo said that those who had hijacked the 1990
election wanted the polls postponed, but the PPP would not allow it. The
best reply to these fears was given by President Zardari when he told the
Punjab caretaker Governor and Chief Minister to take necessary steps for the
polls. He also identified the reason for doing so, and by implication the
result of any postponement: it would violate the people’s confidence. His
telling them is a reminder that polls need a government which can conduct
them. That is there, so all that is needed is to make sure that the elections are
fair.
It should not be forgotten that the country is rearing to have the
election. The popular expectation, already at fever pitch because, for the
second time in a row, the elections are taking place upon the end of
assemblies’ tenures, cannot be ignored, and as each passing day brings the
polling day, May 11, that much closer, the chances of a postponement go
down correspondingly, with the corollary that any postponement will require
an increase in exertion, an increase too great for any organization to
undertake.
It would be in the interest of the political parties to stop casting doubts
where there should be none. More specifically, there should be no attempt to
cast doubts on one another on this score. Instead, they should concentrate
their energies on contesting the election, and winning it. True, the MQM and
the PTI have both hinted at the possibility of putting it off, but the need to
ensure the application of articles 62 and 63 should not imply any
postponement of polls for which the preparations are well under way, not
just within the government, but also within the parties and the masses.’
(Editorial, TheNation 12th April)
Akhtar Mengal is right: ‘Mengal has expressed some apprehensions
about the holding of free and fair elections. Going by the past experience,
the expression of such reservations cannot be dismissed. But there are
encouraging signs that elections this time will be held sans the usual forces
playing their hand. The Supreme Court has repeatedly reiterated its resolve
to ensure impartial polls in the country. The Election Commission of

284
Pakistan (ECP) and the interim governments as well seem determined to
change the course of history.
The Mengals have a pivotal position in the political landscape of the
province and Akhtar Mengal can certainly persuade the militants to give up
weapons and join the reconciliation process. That is the only way they can
have their grievances redressed and the sense of deprivation can be
dissipated.
Balochistan needs peace and amity among all sections of the
population; the Punjabi settlers, Hazaras, Pashtuns and members of other
communities that have been living there for decades. Their target killing
deserve to be condemned in strong terms. It must stop forthwith if the
process of reconciliation is to succeed. One would have welcomed if Mengal
had condemned the murder of settlers at the hands of Baloch insurgents,
when he was castigating the agencies for being responsible for the
disappearance and assassination of Baloch activists.
To make a new beginning, bitterness of the past and the blood-letting
that has gone on for years will have to be stopped. The future of Balochistan
in particular and Pakistan in general is inextricably linked to each other;
those thinking otherwise must revisit their skewed notions.’ (Malik
Muhammad Ashraf, TheNation 12th April)
Cosmetic changes: ‘According to reports, one of the Provincial Chief
Ministers in his farewell address categorically stated that he was going on
“leave for 60 days” and would return after it is over. It seems this message
was directed at the bureaucracy and the police of that province. That in case
they failed to meet his party’s expectations, there would be severe
consequences for them after his party is power again. 
While it is true that the caretaker setups are not authorized to make any
major policy decisions, there is no denying that they are fully empowered, in
fact duty-bound, to ensure that the polls are conducted in an impartial
environment. To achieve this objective, they must use their authority and
demonstrate that there has been a real change and not the cosmetic pruning
that has been done so far.
Further, it would be better if controversial and biased officers or those
who are challenging the caretakers’ authority are replaced after thorough
investigation. 
One hopes that the caretakers at the centre and in the provinces would
give diligent thought to this issue and come up with a solution as quickly as

285
possible. Otherwise, there would be serious complaints after the elections
are held by those who fall victim to bureaucratic machinations in an
attempt to support one political party or the other.’ (Azam Khalil, TheNation
12th April)
Pakistan in election mode: ‘Pakistan’s impending national and
provincial elections in May 2013 are arguably its most important ever. For
the first time a democratically-elected government has been able to complete
its term to hand over power to a similar dispensation…
Some internal challenges and options, as, for instance, gas pipelines
from Iran and from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan, impact Pakistan’s
foreign relations, particularly with the USA, Afghanistan and India. With
India it is at least clear which category to place it in: not friendly and
potentially hostile. Hence, where Pakistan stands and where India is coming
from, articulation of policy and response to Indian moves are clear.
With America such clarity is lacking. In many important respects, the
US is a friend and ally and the objective should be to build on that consistent
with national interest. In other dimensions of interaction, there prevails a
grey, occasionally adversarial relationship. After 9/11, the USA perceived
Pakistan through the major prism of its concerns with counterterrorism and
the Afghan war, and the auxiliary prism of its deepening and expanding
strategic relationship with India – an important fulcrum and part of its pivot
to contain China.
How to enhance its relevance to the USA will be a major priority for
the next government, particularly as the long occupation of Afghanistan
winds down. While the American ‘Pakistan must do more’ mantra has
modulated this last year, there is much to make up. For instance, the bilateral
strategic dialogue with the USA needs upgrading. Though the common Pak
or US objective of fostering peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan shall
remain central, the challenge for Pakistan is to find other avenues of
engagement.
As for the elections, several aspects stand out. First, it is so far a
remarkably open race due partly to the new third force, Imran Khan’s PTI.
There is no indication as to which party will prevail. All that can be said is
that the ruling PPP is entering the hosting without any key leader so far
heading its campaign. Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N seems ascendant in Punjab,
the largest province, having controlled it for the past five years, but if the
voter turnout goes significantly beyond the usual 40-46 percent, Imran’s
party with his impressive youth support may become a force to reckon with.

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 Secondly, for the first time candidates are not getting free passes.
Electoral reforms and public awareness, sparked off by the quixotic Dr
Tahirul Qadri and a vibrant media and supported by the judiciary, have led
to long-awaited and sustained questioning of tax records, educational
eligibility and other qualifications. Not enough, perhaps, but it is a start
given that democratic traditions are built up by accretion, by trial and error,
not overnight.
Thirdly, significantly the elections are an inclusive process bringing in
all parties, including nationalist ones from Balochistan and Sindh, sectarian
groups and even banned organizations canvassing directly or indirectly.
Fourthly, there is a strong prospect of this resulting in a hung
Parliament, requiring a coalition government even broader than in the last
five years. The downside would be the need to accommodate diverse parties
and interests, the compromises required, resulting in weaker governance and
delivery when the opposite is required.
Fifthly, while Musharraf has returned, commando-like, displaying
personal courage and against general expectation, his overall record in
office: unquestioning acquiescence to American demands following 9/11,
mishandling of the judiciary, inability to tackle the energy crisis; and
unwillingness to enforce law and order, have left him without a viable
constituency, vulnerable to extremist forces and facing charges, including
high treason. He is likely to be a footnote in the elections.
Sixthly, whatever the result, there will be unfortunately no new faces
apart from Imran himself, who has been well known for quite some time but
not in this electoral context. But this is not exclusive to Pakistan. In India,
the Congress Party’s hold has weakened showcasing the blatantly sectarian
Modi. In the Western world, no statesperson stands out since Thatcher and
Reagan. The invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan have thrown the entire
region into an arc of instability. This dramatic backdrop to the elections
makes it imperative that the outcome enables Pakistan to better address the
internal and external challenges it faces. The people of Pakistan deserve no
less.’ (Tariq Osman Hyder, TheNation 13th April)
Are we ready for change? ‘All previous elections in our country
have been manipulated one way or the other by the establishment that is the
army and the bureaucracy – aided by the judiciary. This time, however, the
roles are reversed. It is the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) fully
supported by the judiciary that is calling the shots with the establishment
quietly following the events. The outgoing government accomplished its last

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minute objectives (that their opponents term as pre-poll rigging) by doling
out undeserved funds to their favourite constituents till the last moment of its
rule. The caretaker governments installed in the centre and four provinces
have all been nominated by them.
The caretakers have too much administrative work on their plates for
which they had not done much homework. In the present scenario, it is
unlikely that they will be able to influence the results in any way. If nothing
untoward happens, the elections are expected to be the fairest in our history.
The cleansing process during the scrutiny of nomination papers of the
candidates has almost fallen flat. The overzealous returning officers, who
were neither issued clear and unambiguous directions, nor any uniform
guidelines by the ECP, embarked on a disqualification spree. Most of the
decisions taken by them amidst a great deal of confusion have already been
reversed by higher tribunals. The credibility of the interim setup, particularly
the ECP that commenced on a high moral ground, is thus already slipping.
The clear indication is that the nation is desirous of change, but is not ready
for it.’ (Khurshid Akhtar Khan, TheNation 14th April)
Creating perks: ‘The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr Justice Iftikhar
Muhammad Chaudhry, has taken suo motu notice of the grant of
extraordinary privileges to former Prime Ministers and Interior Ministers, as
well as the passage by the Sindh Assembly in its last session of an act
granting monetary benefits to outgoing chief ministers, speakers and deputy
speakers. The Supreme Court has ordered issuance of notice to the Attorney
General of Pakistan, and the federal interior and law secretaries, asking them
to specify the competence under the Constitution of the Prime Minister’s
order to extend lifetime benefits to himself as well as former and future
prime ministers at the cost of the public exchequer. The interior ministry was
also told to explain the legal basis of its notification extending security and
protocol to the former interior ministers. These last-minute orders and
legislation apparently occurred because the Prime Minister, the Interior
Minister and the Sindh Chief Minister were reluctant to give up the
privileges accruing to their positions once they lost them, their tenures
having expired.
One of the things highlighted by the notice is the almost routine
misuse of security details as providers of protocol. This actually leaves the
subject of protection actually more unsafe than if he was to exercise a
private citizen’s prudence, but that is seemingly a small price to pay for the
ostentation practiced at taxpayer’s expense. Another is the ability of the

288
executive, as well as the legislative, to give itself privileges extending
beyond their tenures, not to mention how large these perks and privileges
loom for them. This would not go down well with the public at any time, but
nowadays, with an emphasis on accountability never seen before, it is
particularly inappropriate. The cavalier attitude of the political class has
never been so harshly delineated, as in this attempt to claim lifelong
privileges in return for a few years of presiding over crippling energy
shortages, a shortsighted and unpopular foreign policy, and perilous law and
order.
The federal as well as the Sindh representatives must get the fair
hearing they deserve, and there must be no compromising the security of
former officials, lest its lack lead to the right sort refusing to serve. At the
same time, the excuse of security must not be used to engage in the sort of
waste of taxpayers’ money that has been resented so strongly, and has led to
a heightened scrutiny of candidates that has upset the same class that was so
busy at the last minute granting itself the kind of privileges that obliged the
Supreme Court to take notice. Whether or not the privileges survive the
challenge to their constitutionality, they have been highlighted at the bar of
public opinion just before it is due to express itself in a general election. If
the Court does not take action, the people will.’ (Editorial, TheNation 15 th
April)
Beyond elections: national priorities: ‘The challenges facing
Pakistan are: the war (on terror) fatigue, weak economy, disdainful law and
order situation, poor governance and gross negligence in the areas of social
security and low quality services. While the contributing factors are: the
energy crisis, spill over effects of the occupation of Afghanistan, rampant
financial corruption, dysfunctional lower judiciary and political
appointments against professional slots.
Terrorism is a threat that has to be tackled in a prudent manner;
focusing upon its causes and not merely its manifestations. It is, indeed, a
political problem and there can be no military solution to it.
The so-called war on terror has exacted a huge toll on our nationhood,
both in tangible and intangible ways. It has seriously eroded public
confidence in the ruling classes. A large number of people think that their
leadership is not making decisions on the basis of national interest.
Pakistan surely needs to extricate itself from this unfortunate situation
through a consensus-based multidimensional strategy. It is a task easier said

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than done. The deterioration of law and order is directly related to our
involvement in this futile and open-ended war.
Extremely bad governance, wrought with corruption and
compromises, in the name of the continuity of democracy, have driven the
country to an unenviable reputation. This has given rise to several crises
having long-term implications like the erosion of our sovereignty, downslide
in economic growth, unhealthy wrangling between state institutions and
haziness in our identity as a nation. There is a need for robust governance
reforms covering domains like rightsizing, transparency of information and
merit-based recruitment.
There are serious public level apprehensions, some real some
imaginary, about the role of intelligence agencies in civil, political and
regional affairs. The detractors have been able to portray a sustained
negative image of the armed forces in the context of Balochistan, especially
on the issue of missing persons. Consequently, the trust deficit between the
military and people has increased over the years.
Though the civil-military relationship has survived numerous jerks
over the past five years, this does not mean that it does not require a
structural review. Our higher defence organization is based on a dated
model; it certainly needs a major revamping or reworking.
Furthermore, the executive-judiciary tussle for turfs has occupied the
centre stage of public focus since the Musharraf era. Judicial activism
became necessary because of the executive’s failure to function within
acceptable norms and traditions. This surely contributed towards
strengthening the rule of law. Yet, most of the judiciary’s landmark
decisions remained unimplemented. The executive outmanoeuvred judicial
verdicts, especially the anti-climax of Swiss accounts case has not gone
down well with the public.
Also, structural and other limitations of the lower judiciary continue
to haunt the provision of speedy justice to the common man. There is a need
to take a fresh look at the judicial structures and make it accessible,
affordable and time bound.
Besides this, the global financial crisis is likely to continue for an
indefinite period. Pakistan needs to build necessary firewalls to contain the
impact. The broadening of tax base, transparency and meaningful austerity
measures could provide some protection against the negative fallouts
emanating out of the global crisis. Thus, it is important to reorient our
economic strategy to benefit from the emerging economic giants like China,

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Japan, Brazil and Turkey. The volume of domestic and international debt has
increased from Rs6 trillion in 2008 to over Rs15 trillion in 2012.
Debt servicing has become the largest consumer of national budget.
There is need to cap the domestic and international borrowing
commensurate with our debt servicing capacity. More so, the principles of
fiscal responsibility have to be strengthened through structural economic
reforms.
In addition, the energy crisis has virtually disrupted Pakistan’s
economy and has adversely impacted the living conditions of the masses. As
of today, ironically, the electricity generation capacity far exceeds the peak
summer demand. The core issue is that the consumers cannot pay for the
actual generation cost, while the government does not have the financial
capacity to foot the cost of requisite subsidy. There is a need to look for
ways and means for generating electricity through cheaper means.
The province-local government relationship is another sore area,
which has effectively blocked the grassroots level devolution of democracy.
It goes to the discredit of the national political leadership that no civilian
government has ever conducted local bodies’ elections. Consequently,
municipal services have degenerated over the years. Sustainable resurrection
of this tier of democracy is long overdue.
Media freedom is essential for the promotion of free thinking and
intellectual honesty. Unfortunately, the pendulum has swung to the other
extreme – unlimited freedom. Our media has become excessively
corporatized, whereby even core national interests take a second priority. An
effective non-government media regulator is now a necessity.
As a final word, those who finally qualify to form the next
government would essentially have to face daunting challenges. Obviously,
their homework should be solid, precise and professional, churning out
practicable and sustainable remedies to deal with these challenges.’ (Iqbal
Khan, TheNation 15th April)
The caretakers: ‘In the current administrative setup, four trends are
visible. First, almost all the members of the federal and provincial cabinets,
with the exception of very few, have direct or indirect links with key figures
of the previous regime. The arbitrary selection process of the cabinets has
created doubts about a fair and free electoral process, with those in caretaker
authority perceived to be favouring their own people.

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 We have seen how a key minister in Punjab has behaved knowing
perhaps that that the political bigwigs of Punjab never forget those who
show open allegiance. Similarly, many others are also trying to pay back
their selectors by yielding to their demands. The protocol machinery is being
abused in Sindh but the caretakers are unable to take any action.
Second, only fear-free elections are fair elections. All national leaders,
including Ataullah Mengal and even the federal interior minister have
categorically said that security is the key challenge in these elections…
However, political violence in the shape of electoral violence is more
rampant in Karachi and Balochistan, where little is being done to mitigate
the threat. Everyday there are killings in Karachi but the matter has been left
to a home minister who has no expertise in internal security issues. This is
not only creating insecurity but also strengthening conspiracy theories.
Third, it is only Punjab where there has been a huge change in the
local administration and the provincial machinery… Nawaz Sharif has
pointed out that this fairness and impartiality should be shared by the other
provinces where, even on the last day of the outgoing governments, bank
accounts were still running and postings and transfers were being made. No
action was taken by any institution to undo the pre-electoral manoeuvres to
influence the election outcomes. In Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and
Balochistan the same bureaucracy – connected to the previous regime – is
calling the shots.
Committed and professional internal security experts should be
included as advisers in the teams of the caretaker setups in Balochistan and
Sindh. Meaningful steps are needed to build trust in the genuineness of the
forthcoming elections. It has been said many times that detailed rules and
duties should be assigned to relevant offices to ensure implementation of the
code of conduct.
Rather than ignoring violations, the ECP should assign tasks to the
police that should monitor implementation and report to the ECP. If tasks
are not clear and responsibilities are not given to institutions and active
agents within these institutions, then it will be very difficult to attain the goal
of a free, fair, transparent and peaceful election.’ (Akbar Nasir Khan, The
News 17th April)
Rule of law
OGRA record seized: ‘In order to discover the truth pertaining to the
case of CNG licences, the Supreme Court has rightly ordered the FIA to

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seize all documentary record of OGRA. These are apparently harsh
measures but they have been taken only after the reluctance of the
authorities concerned to cooperate with the apex court. The court was
annoyed when it was told by the officials of OGRA that only 250 of 1,471
files could be produced owing to procedural difficulties. As we can see,
these tactics meant to prevent the court from reaching at a solid conclusion
have been futile.
The court’s worry is justified since these illegal licences were issued
during the tenure of former OGRA chief Tauqir Sadiq, who is already facing
charges over minting many billions of rupees. What is even further alarming
is that he issued these licences at the behest of former Prime Minister
Yousuf Raza Gilani, while the same sordid affair continued during the reign
of Raja Ashraf. How come these licences were issued when there was a ban
on opening new CNG pumps and also when there was an acute shortage of
the gas? The swindled money is close to a trillion rupee; without
exaggeration the fiscal damage is too much for a country knocking
desperately at the doors of the IMF or for that matter, it could have been
sufficient to resurrect the country’s ailing power sector. It is of utmost
importance that the case reaches its logical conclusion and the culprits are
punished.’ (Editorial, TheNation 14th April)
Taming the military
Commando in trouble: ‘The swashbuckling, somewhat maverick
General Musharraf still has that swagger about him even as he goes about
facing the Supreme Court for treason charges. On Monday he seemed far
from afraid at the prospect of appearing in a court; during a press
conference, the same day, he stated it loud and clear that he would fight all
the charges leveled against him. Though for the entertainment starved
audiences of the country the case offers a nail biting thriller, its significance
cannot be under-rated.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry is not on the bench hearing his case,
which bodes well as far as the impartiality of the judiciary is concerned.
That is justice in its pristine form and should be appreciated. The court has
meanwhile ordered the authorities to put the Musharraf’s name on the ECL.
The legal fight, however, is to be fought in the court of law with sound
arguments. No one knows whether he would step out of the courtroom
crestfallen or with a self-congratulatory smile. The stakes are high, since the
charges are as serious as subversion of constitution and hence it is unclear if
he could have a narrow escape as his lawyers are hoping to get. But the

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pretence of defiance manifest in his intent not to appear personally in the
court would make matters worse. (Editorial, TheNation 10th April)
Pervez Musharraf’s troubles: ‘Many believe that he deliberately let
extremism to take root; perhaps, to the send a clear message to the US that it
had no other choice, and it was in its interest to keep him in power. It is a
different story that, in the process, he allowed and enabled it to develop into
a full-blown insurgency and an existential threat for Pakistan, where the
militants are openly killing prospective candidates of the political parties
they dislike, also endangering the electoral process. Indeed, a timely action
by Musharraf would have saved the country from the menace of terrorism…
Musharraf has many cases against him. There is the treason case in the
Supreme Court with possible capital punishment. There is the Taliban threat
on account of the Lal Masjid incident. Baloch leader Talal Bugti’s has also
announced Rs100 million reward for person who will kill him. With all this,
the perception that he has returned after very strong guarantees from some
equally influential countries seem to be correct. Otherwise, why would he
expose himself to so many grave dangers.’ (Dr Ijaz Ahsan, TheNation 16 th
April)
Treason trial: ‘Article 6 of the constitution has reared its head once
again. The latest instance involves Pervez Musharraf – dictator and former
president – who is accused of violating the law of the land, violating basic
rights and acting against the judiciary in an illegal and vindictive fashion. He
now faces this same judiciary to answer for his crimes. The hearings in the
case promise to be fascinating, with anger against the dictator still high in
many parts of the country. Certainly, his acts of November 2007 were highly
damaging in more ways than one. The technicalities of treason are now
being laid out before us – all rather informative and educational. The two-
member Supreme Court bench hearing the identical petitions filed against
Musharraf has in the first place asked Attorney General Irfan Qadir to clarify
a few facts. The court has asked if a charge of treason can be brought by
anyone other than the federation. In the precedents cited, it is the federal
government that acts. Strangely, in this case, it has played no role in the
proceedings. Qadir has been asked to present the federation’s stand before
the court.
We will need to wait and see how the case unfolds. Amidst all this,
the dictator’s rather shaky electoral quest is also afoot. The trial will
undoubtedly highlight his wrongdoings and remind people of them. For the
retired general this cannot possibly be good news. The SC bench has also

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asked the AG to elaborate on whether Article 6 applies to Musharraf at all,
and no doubt expert opinion will be called on to determine precisely what
constitutes treason and the various definitions of this rather emotive word.
All this having been said, the Musharraf’s trial is significant in more ways
than one. It sets a precedent we have not seen before in Pakistan. In our
history military men – especially dictators – do not generally answer to
anyone. The fact that this pattern is being broken is significant, and the
sequence of events we are seeing now could shape our future history. Others
may just be deterred from doing what Musharraf did, with the idea that
autocratic rule is acceptable beginning to fade away. It is important to note
that this is a chance for our civilian leaders to show that they have been
serious about pursuing military actors who violate the constitution.
Obstacles, however, are also significant. We are in the thick of an election
and a weak, confused caretaker setup cannot be expected to take a
monumental decision like trying a former military general who could spill
beans that no one would like. Why can’t this trial be left to a new elected
government with a fresh mandate? Why can’t this trial be a question on
which people should vote in the polls? Given our past, we badly need this to
happen for the sake of a stable future for a nation that is still struggling to
hold on to democracy.’ (Editorial, The News 17th April)
Pakistani democracy and idealism: ‘Those media persons who
criticize Musharraf now can be best judged through what they wrote after
the October 1999 military takeover – columns full of evidence against
Nawaz Sharif, proving him a traitor. The same people also put forth
convincing arguments for the legality of Musharraf’s coup. Even the
Supreme Court of Pakistan not only validated the illegal move but
authorized the dictator to amend the constitution. Would civil institutions
support such military takeovers in seasoned and mature democracies?
Anyone responsible for such an action would be convicted as a traitor.
In our fury against military persons like Musharraf, Aslam Baig or
Asad Durrani perhaps we are missing the real point and, instead, targeting
the whole institution. The Pakistani media today does and says things at
times that might be unethical – to please or obey their media houses. But if
any one dares to blame the whole media for the actions of a few journalists,
we rise against them and make it a question of dignity and honour. Why do
we forget to give the same treatment to the military? And, likewise, for a
few judges like Irshad Hassan Khan and Dogar we cannot label the whole
institution of the judiciary as corrupt.

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 While everyone in this country is asking to be forgiven for past sins,
no one seems to accept the same standard for others. The media wants its
past role forgotten, as does the judiciary. Imran Khan says that since he
openly admitted that his support for Musharraf was a mistake, he must not
be held responsible for that. Nawaz Sharif speaks about his transformation
after October 1999, and how now he must not be considered as Zia’s
protégé. If we all want our dark past cleansed, why not accord the same
leeway to the military?
As a staunch believer in the supremacy of the constitution, I am of the
opinion that the military should distance itself from politics. And it should
be made clear that anyone who tries to abrogate the constitution in the future
will have to face punishment for treason. To this day, the military in
Pakistan has not ended its involvement in the country’s political affairs. All
major decisions of foreign affairs and national security must be taken by the
civilian leadership.
I am proud to say that I started writing my column just after October
1999 – by challenging Musharraf’s authority. My aim in writing this column
is not to argue in favour of the political role of the military. I just feel that
the idealistic notion of converting Pakistan’s fragile and weak democracy
overnight into a mature and strong democracy could seriously backfire.
We have witnessed only extreme shifts and changes in our political
system. It is time we try an evolutionary approach. Once our civil
institutions achieve the moral and professional standards that other
democracies practice, we will be able to push the military back into its
constitutional role. But again, who will cast the first stone? Is there anyone
who can claim completely ethical and aboveboard conduct and then bring
former military leaders to the court and end this process according to the
constitution?
Unfortunately there are those who wish to transform Pakistan into
Madina through lawmaking, and those who wish to transform it into the UK
through the judiciary. The reality is that Pakistan is neither Madina nor the
UK. With all its peculiarities, it is Pakistan. We do not have to follow
Afghanistan but perhaps we can look towards Turkey for inspiration.’
(Saleem Safi, The News 17th April)
Recessing economy
Load shedding: reality bites hard: ‘Dilapidated as the ancient and
inadequate power supply system is, breakdowns are a regular part of life in

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this the so-called ‘land of the pure’ where, increasingly, everyone is out
solely for themselves – the government, at all levels, being afflicted by this
potentially terminal malaise too, but load shedding simply because of
governmental default – and this by a government screaming for economic
improvements – is way beyond the pale.
In the face of ground realities and government ineptitudes, grand
announcements such as those made upon signing an agreement with Iran
about the long-awaited gas pipeline are utterly meaningless as, unless
whatever government happens to hold the reins of power clears its massive
outstanding debts, then load shedding, will not, however tall claims to the
contrary happen to be, come to an end in any foreseeable future or, will end
only for the wealthy minority who can afford to go off-grid by installing,
currently ludicrously priced, forms of alternative energy of the type which
should, if manufacturers and purveyors were honest and upfront, be a cost-
effective solution for all.
Concerns, as already voiced by the Punjab government, that power
riots could disrupt the elections next month, are certainly well founded -
relatively small scale rioting has already occurred for this very reason in
places, including Bahawalpur, Kasur and Toba Tek Singh – as, with
temperatures on the rise then tempers, already shortened due to economic
worries, hunger and up to 18 hours out of 24 without power in rural areas of
the province, are definitely on a very short fuse and burning. Unless the
central government coughs up payment to PSO and gas suppliers, the
impending explosion is bound to be huge.’ (Zahrah Nasir, TheNation 15 th
April)
Provincial disharmony
Victim of unethical politics: ‘A few large dams built in the 20th
century for the generation of cheap electricity and even cheaper supply of
irrigation water became the subject of public debate as did the proposed
Kalabagh Dam on the Indus River. The reasons were not far to seek. With
the development of the Indus Basin Project, the government of Pakistan had
laid down the rule stating that whichever province helps to set up a power
station to produce hydroelectricity on its soil shall be entitled to receive a
certain amount of royalty from it. Under this arrangement, the Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) government has been receiving royalty on Tarbela
Dam and are expected to receive the same kind of dole from another dam,
Kalabagh, proposed to be built on the Indus.

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 Many outstanding features of the Kalabagh are located on the soil of
KPK, but not the power station. If and when the construction of Kalabagh is
undertaken, the site of the dam demands that the power station be installed
on the soil of Punjab. The flow of the river leaves no other choice. However,
the various governments of KPK consider the project of no use to them if the
powerhouse is not placed under their command. Since then, an engineering
theory has come to surface declaring Kalabagh unfeasible. It is argued that
the embankment perceived would be so high (more than 100 feet from the
storage level) that every Monsoon there will be disastrous floods in the
agriculturally-rich area of Mardan and Peshawar valley. 
Another reason given by the KPK officials to oppose the dam is that
the water released from the reservoir will waterlog a large segment of the
rich Mardan area. The bottom line of the KPK government’s stand is that its
construction will destroy the province’s highly-productive farmland and a
large part of the residential units. Punjab is suspected not to stand by the
agreements on water sharing. 
The objection raised by Sindh is equally unreasonable. Government
officials handling the question are highly critical of the dam’s supporters,
such as people and politicians of Punjab. It is said that their share of the
Indus water will be curtailed, as water from Kalabagh will go to irrigate
farmlands in Punjab. It is also pleaded by the Sindh government that coastal
regions of the province require a constant flow of water down the Indus into
the Arabian Sea, so that the flowing water can keep the seawater from
intruding inland. Such seawater intrusion would literally turn the waste areas
of Sindh’s coastal land into arid dust. Poor flow from the river to the ocean
will also destroy its coastal mangroves. 
The ‘No-Dam’ crowd was challenged by the federal government
whose engineers argued that since the height of embankment was going to
be much higher than the storage level, the claim of anti-dam elements was
totally unfounded. The government sources also deemed the KPK allegation
about water logging of the rich Mardan land incorrect. The study conducted
of the dam-affected area by both national and foreign experts have found no
scientific truth in the stand taken by the KPK authorities. Supporting early
construction of Kalabagh Dam, Mr Bashir A. Malik, former Chief Technical
Advisor to the UN and World Bank, says: “If Kalabagh Dam is not
constructed, Sindh and KPK will become drought areas in the years to
come.” An equally strong pro-dam statement was made by former Chief
Minister of KPK, Shamsul Mulk, stated: “The Kalabagh Dam would be
helpful in erasing poverty from KPK, as it will facilitate irrigation of more

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than 700,000 acres of cultivable land. Currently, this land is lying barren
yielding almost nothing.” Additionally, the dam would help generate 3,800
MW of electricity. To protect the main dam infrastructure, all installations
would be placed 100 to 150 feet above the level of River Indus. It should be
noted that the dam construction experts, who supported Kalabagh, were
drawn from all the provinces of Pakistan. Their integrity is beyond question.
More names are listed here to enhance credibility. These are Abdul Majid
Khan, TECH Society President; Shafqat Masood, former IRSA Chairman;
Mansoor Ahmed, former MD of Pakistan Atomic Commission and members
of ‘Save Water, Save Pakistan’ forum.
The opponents of the proposed dam are many, but they are shy of
basing their case on scientific grounds. It does not take much to feel that
they are long on rhetoric and short on rational argument. Consequently, they
have to return to politics. The strongest political opposition comes from
Sindh where the politicians shamelessly lie to the people, as they recount the
vices of non-Sindhi governments. A significant theme of their public
speeches is laced with criticism of Punjab. You hear the Punjabis being
accused of stealing their share of Indus water. Sindh is a downstream
riparian and kind of stuck with the fear that one day the Punjabis will divert
the Indus and, thereby, deprive it of every single drop of water and starve the
Sindhis to death. The main points of Sindh stand are given below:
 Their share of the Indus water will be curtailed, as water from the
Kalabagh will go to irrigate farmlands in Punjab. 
 Constant flow of water from the Indus is required to stop any intrusion
from the Arabian Sea into Sindh’s coastal area.
 With the construction of Mangla and Tarbela Dams, the mainstream
of Indus has significantly shrunk – far less water now moves down the
stream than what it used to be.
 Silt deposited in the proposed dam would further curtail the water
storage capacity of the Manchar Lake and other lakes fed by the
Indus.
 It is not possible to accept the iron clad constitutional guarantee to
secure Indus flow. Guarantees were offered by Musharraf.
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, the last Prime Minister of Pakistan took no stand
on the project, and instead of debating the issue at least at the Cabinet level,
he abruptly cancelled it by saying that the dam will not be constructed.
Apparently, he did it to help his Sindh cronies. He made no secret of his

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plans. He said that he was doing this because of opposition to the project
from Sindh, KPK and other stakeholders. How about Punjab? Is it not a
stakeholder? Punjab is currently using more Indus water than any other
province.  Mr Ashraf broke all the records of cronyism when he declared
that Kalabagh Dam is no longer feasible. It is implied in the statement that
there have been times when it was feasible. The PM, however, failed to
disclose at what point in history was it ever feasible.
Another Prime Minister of the PPP, Yousuf Raza Gilani, a Punjabi,
had a different point of view. He did not cancel the project, but instead
pleaded for democratic solutions. In a public statement, he declared: ‘The
fate of the project will be determined by a plebiscite.’ Gilani’s statement
coincided with extreme power crisis and acute water shortage. However, no
action was taken by him to hold plebiscite. 
International observers of world economy have spoken more than
once and at various forums that the next world war is likely to be fought on
the sharing of water resources. People can live without many things, but not
water. In countries like Pakistan, we can live almost without anything. In
fact, with scarcity of water, one has to give up almost every element of
human consumption and live in a perpetual state of starvation. But even such
a state has limitations and one cannot live forever with the shortage of water.
It is a pity that we, in Pakistan, who have been blessed with natural
resources, have never given priority to the availability of water. The
multitude continue to live without the realization that the day is not far away
when a shower will turn off before an individual has completed his bath. Not
much wisdom is required to understand the dependability on water. To meet
the needs of our agricultural and human consumption, we must not waste
any time to develop our natural resources. If what is flowing down the Indus,
and available to the onlooker today, may not be there tomorrow. There is no
guarantee that even the bed of the mighty river will not dry up sooner or
later if no development is undertaken today. It is worth evaluating Bhasha
Dam. This is not the time to seek fun from our misery, as General Musharraf
almost advised us to do during his tenure of office. We cannot afford to play
with dams or rivers when time itself is running out.’ (Hamid Alvi,
TheNation 18th April)

REVIEW
In the previous article of the series, while commenting on the process
of scrutiny, the elephant of democratic revenge was equated with elephants

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of Raja Poris. This observation was a case of being carried away by a fit of
optimism that was caused by the manner in which the process of scrutiny
had taken off.
The moment the phase of appeals began the same elephant turned on
to the observers who had shown undue optimism about the positive change
in the political scenario after polls in May. Dr Shahid Masood promptly said
that the rejection of papers during the scrutiny is eyewash and he predicted
that most of the rejected candidates will stage a comeback as their appeals
would be upheld.
Ayaz Amir, whose nomination papers were rejected on the basis of his
confession in his published articles about drinking alcohol, displayed
complete lack of moral courage. His counsel took the plea that he had talked
of drinking as poetic expression and the honorable judge was appreciative
his poetic esthetics and he was cleared.
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf alias Raja Rental, for whom the Supreme Court
had once issued orders of arrest for corruption in RPPs, was also declared
‘sadiq’ and ‘amin’ by Lahore High Court and allowed to contest election. He
too, like Ayaz Amir, was considered as the right person to be a lawmaker in
the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
It was because of such instances, that men like Ansar Abbasi and
Shahid Masood felt their hopes about change dashed and dumped. The
change is likely to remain elusive for Pakistanis. It is apprehended that the
things will continue after May polls as hither-to-fore.
Their misfortune is reflected in slogans like ‘kall bhi Bhutto zindah
thha, aaj bhi Bhutto zindah hai’. To their bad luck Allamah Iqbal is dead
and buried, the Quaid is dead and buried, but Bhutto was convicted and
hanged and somehow he is still alive. There will be no change unless or until
Bhutto and his likes are buried and the Quaid and Allamah are revived by a
Messiah.
The security risk during election campaign was anticipated well in
advance. The main threat was expected from TTP fighters, who had made it
known that they would attack the secular forces, especially MQM, ANP and
others. It was in anticipation of this threat that ANP had floated the idea of
dialogue with the ‘militants’.
The first blood was drawn in Hyderabad when an MQM candidate
was ambushed and slain. A few days later an ANP candidate was killed in
Swat and another was wounded in a separate incident. The PPP leaders were

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shrewd in avoiding exposing themselves by not indulging in conventional
election campaign.
Both MQM and ANP reacted to the incidents rather irrationally.
MQM blamed Rangers for not meeting the security requirements and also
for harassing its workers. The Rangers has been once the most favourite of
the MQM. The stance of Asfandyar was quite eccentric.
Once anti-American, Khan preferred to pounce upon Election
Commission. He threatened to sue the Commission in a court of law if there
was one more attack of ANP leaders. The great Khan forgot that revenge is
the way of life of Pushtoons. The people against whom his party had waged
war on the behest of his foreign masters have not forgotten what the red-
cappers had done to them.
He also forgot that many of ANP leaders and activists were slain
when the party was in power in KPK and was a coalition partner at the
Centre. They had complete control over protocol and security apparatus, yet
the revengeful militants could not be stopped from striking at will. His tirade
against ECP was unjustified, though ECP reacted promptly to enhance the
security of the great Khan.
The PPP has escaped any harm from militants, primarily because it
has preferred to use money over risking going to public places. It is
campaigning by spending lavishly through electronic and print media. This
aspect reflects on the shameless of the PPP’s election campaign managers.
The shortage of electricity has been the major failing during its five-
year rule. Its top leadership was also involved in corruption in Rental Power
Projects. These factors have not deterred its leadership from using it winning
public support by shifting blame on to PML-N for something it did about
two decades ago.
The brilliant offspring of Bhutto and Zardari, Bilawal resorted to
offering bribe directly to the votes. He announced doubling the price of vote
if his party is voted into power – he said the monthly ‘stipend’ under BISP
will be increased from one to two thousand.
18th April, 2013

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 SYRIAN SLAUGHTER
The news from Myanmar, after OIC requested for allowing a visit of
its delegation, was that some people, Muslims not Buddhists, were jailed in
the aftermath of unrest. In Bangladesh, Hasina Wajid went on suppressing
the ‘Islamist forces’ ruthlessly.
Meanwhile, the howling and growling over defiance of DPRK
continued. In Xinjiang China dealt with Muslim Uighurs sternly hand killing
ten of them. A Baku court jailed eight Muslim activists for five to six years
who were arrested last year after they had clashed with police in a protest
against a ban on the Islamic Hijab for schoolgirls.
Hundreds of Muslims were killed in series of bomb blasts and attacks
almost on daily basis as parliamentary polls were held in Iraq. John Kerry’s
noble advice about sectarian harmony and peaceful co-existence appeared to
have fallen on deaf ears’ which had been deafened by design during invasion
of the country.
The neighbouring Syria that has been bleeding for the last two years
saw no respite. The ‘civilized’ Western world has been working over time to
place the country on auto-slaughter like Iraq. The rulers of Islamic countries
of the region have been ‘cooperating’ with their foreign masters in this
context.
Rest of the Middle East and North Africa experienced no significant
respite. Drone attacks in Yemen kept killing al-Qaeda’s ‘top’ commanders.
Britain sentenced some Islamic militants. The US hunted two Chechen
brothers after Boston bomb blasts and Canada claimed foiling a terror attack
bid.

NEWS
Far East
Philippines: On 26th April, gunmen killed 13 people in an ambush on
a Philippine mayor in the deadliest of a string of violent incidents that have
marred campaigning for May elections. A daughter of the mayor was also
among the people killed in the attack on the main southern island of
Mindanao. Police blamed the attack on long-running clan disputes by
Muslim families in the country’s troubled south.

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 Myanmar: On 12th April, a Muslim businessman, his wife and an
employee were sentenced to prison after an altercation at their gold shop led
to anti-Muslim riots in which at least 43 people were killed in Myanmar last
month. Shop owner Tun Tun Oo, his wife Myint Myint Aye and an
employee, Nyi Nyi, were each jailed for 14 years for assault after an
argument with a customer turned violent.
These convictions were the first in cases related to the trouble. The
lawyer, who declined to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the
trials, said about 50 people were still being detained, including two or three
monks. Charges including murder, arson and robbery had been filed in 21
cases.
Meanwhile, Indonesia’s navy detained 82 asylum seekers including
scores of Muslim Rohingya from Myanmar when their boat ran aground as
they headed to Australia. The 51 Rohingya, 24 Iranians and seven Somalis
had been heading from Sulawesi Island, in the east of the country, to East
Nusa Tenggara, one of the closest Indonesian provinces to Australia.
On 14th April, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation urged
authorities in Myanmar to allow a ministerial delegation to visit the country
to discuss deadly violence against Muslims. The OIC also urged the UN
Human Rights Commission to dispatch a fact-finding mission to Myanmar.
The unrest has instilled fear in the country's Muslims, some of whose
families had lived peacefully alongside Buddhists for generations.
On 22nd April, New York-based Human Rights Watch said that the
Rohingya, who are denied citizenship have faced crimes against humanity
including murder, persecution, deportation and forced transfer. Myanmar
officials, community leaders and Buddhist monks organized and encouraged
mobs, backed by state security forces, to conduct coordinated attacks on
Muslim villages in October in the western state of Rakhine. ‘The Burmese
government engaged in a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya
that continues today through the denial of aid and restrictions on movement’,
said HRW deputy Asia director Phil Robertson.
Bangladesh: On 8th April, Bangladesh’s prime minister ruled out a
new blasphemy law despite a mass campaign by Islamists to introduce the
death penalty for bloggers whom they accuse of insulting the Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH). As part of their push for a change in the law, the
Hefajat-e-Islam group forced the closure of schools and businesses and
barricaded inter-city motorways and railways across the country in a general
strike.

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 Police said at least 30 people were injured in clashes between pro-
government activists and Islamists, already infuriated by the recent
convictions of leading opposition figures for war crimes. But Sheikh Hasina,
who has been leading a secular government in the Muslim-majority country
since 2009, said existing laws were adequate to prosecute anyone accused of
insulting a religion.
Next day, a truck driver died in a northern Bangladesh city as clashes
erupted during a nationwide strike called by the opposition to protest against
the arrests of their senior leaders. The unrest is the latest to hit Bangladesh
stemming from an on-going war crimes tribunal at which opposition leaders
are on trial for crimes committed during the country’s 1971 war.
On 11th April, Bangladesh police arrested the editor of an influential
pro-opposition newspaper after he was accused of sedition and inciting
religious tension in the Muslim-majority nation. The arrests follow a
nationwide crackdown on the opposition including the detention of more
than 200 senior officials of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the
entire leadership of the largest Islamic party, Jamaat-e-Islami.
Police said Mahmudur Rehman, 59, the editor of Bengali daily Amar
Desh, was arrested at his newspaper office and was remanded for 13 days in
police custody for interrogation. ‘We have arrested him in a case filed
against him in December’, Dhaka police spokesman said, adding he was also
accused of publishing false and derogatory information that incited religious
tension. The December case against Masud was related to hacking and the
publishing of leaked calls between a judge from the country’s controversial
war crimes tribunal and an expatriate legal expert, he added.
The BNP, its Islamist allies and journalist unions condemned the
arrest and demanded Rehman’s immediate release. About 50 journalists
demonstrated in front of the national press club. Showkat Mahmood,
secretary general of the Federal Union of Journalists, said the arrest ‘is due
to a political vendetta’. Masud, who had been living in his office for months
fearing arrest, was jailed for six months in 2010 for contempt of court. The
publication of Amar Desh was also shut down for 47 days.
On 13th April, unidentified people hurled three crude bombs
apparently targeting a parked car being used by Indian High Commissioner
in Bangladesh during a visit to southwestern Khulna district, injuring three
people including his driver. ‘The High Commissioner (Pankaj Saran) is
completely unhurt and there is nothing to be worried about...he will return to

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Dhaka in line with his visit schedule’, an Indian high commission
spokesman said.
Police said: ‘We suspect that activists of Jamaat-e-Islami exploded the
bombs ahead of their planned general strike in the (Khulna) district to create
fear among public so their programme could be enforced...we think it is a
stray incident’. A local journalist who was covering the envoy's programme
said the explosions came as Saran was about to complete his address at
Chamber of Commerce and Industries building.
Mainland Asia
DPRK: On 8th April, North Korea said it was withdrawing all workers
and suspending operations at a lucrative joint industrial zone with South
Korea, blaming foreign ‘warmongers’ at a time of acute tensions. The
announcement came amid reports of heightened activity at the North’s
nuclear test site, and at a missile battery, although the South Korean
government denied suggestions that a fourth nuclear test was imminent.
Pyongyang will also ‘temporarily suspend the operations in the zone and
examine the issue of whether it will allow its existence or close it’, Kim said
of Kaesong, which sits 10 kilometres inside North Korea.
Next day, North Korea said the Korean Peninsula was headed for
‘thermo-nuclear’ war and advised foreigners to consider leaving South
Korea, as the UN chief warned of a potentially ‘uncontrollable’ situation. the
advisory – greeted largely with indifference – followed a similar one last
week to foreign embassies in Pyongyang, to consider evacuating by April 10
on the grounds war may break out.
On 10th April, South Korean and US forces raised their alert status to
‘vital threat’ before an expected North Korean missile test. Any launch
could coincide with visits by US Secretary of State John Kerry and NATO
chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who will both be in Seoul on April 12. South
Korean Foreign Minister told parliament the launch could take place
‘anytime’ and warned Pyongyang it risked triggering a fresh round of UN
sanctions.
On 12th April, Barack Obama urged the DPRK to end its ‘belligerent
approach’, amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula. ‘We both
agree that now is the time for North Korea to end the kind of belligerent
approach that they’ve been taking and to try to lower temperatures. Nobody
wants to see a conflict on the Korean Peninsula’, Obama told reporters at the

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White House after holding talks with United Nations Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon.
Secretary of State John Kerry gave qualified US blessing to peace
overtures from South to North Korea, even as he slammed Pyongyang’s
incendiary rhetoric and demanded it abandon an expected missile test. With
a US intelligence report offering a chilling new evaluation of Pyongyang’s
offensive ability as it aimed nuclear threats at Japan, Kerry urged China to
step in and said the North would never be accepted as a nuclear power.
Next day, the United States and China decided to establish a joint
working group on climate change. The two countries ‘recognize that the
increasing dangers presented by climate change measured against the
inadequacy of the global response requires a more focused and urgent
initiative’. The initiative came as John Kerry visited Beijing for talks with
top Chinese leaders focused largely on the nuclear crisis on the Korean
Peninsula. 
On 14th April, US Secretary of State John Kerry called on Pyongyang
to go back to the negotiating table as he told Japan the United States would
protect it from North Korea’s threats. Following a meeting with Japanese
Foreign Minister in Tokyo, where Patriot missiles have been deployed in
anticipation of a missile launch by the North, Kerry pledged the US would
backstop its ally.
Meanwhile, North Korea dismissed the South’s offer for dialogue on
the future of the Kaesong joint industrial zone, calling the offer an ‘empty’
political gesture. The North announced the withdrawal of its 53,000 workers
and the suspension of operations at Kaesong at the beginning of the week, as
military tensions on the Korean peninsula soared.
On 16th April, North Korea threatened the South with ‘sledge-
hammer’ military action over anti-Pyongyang protests in Seoul and rejected
the idea of entering into a ‘humiliating’ dialogue with the United States.
Both statements came a day after US Secretary of State John Kerry wrapped
up a Northeast Asian tour aimed at defusing soaring military tensions on the
Korean Peninsula and getting China to help rein in a belligerent Pyongyang.
Next day, North Korea barred a delivery of supplies to South Koreans
in the closed Kaesong industrial zone, as the South's president said it was
time to stop rewarding Pyongyang's provocations. A delegation of 10
businessmen representing the 123 South Korean firms in Kaesong had
applied to travel to the zone to bring food and other daily necessities to their
staff and to inspect their facilities.

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 North Korea has blocked access to Kaesong since April 3 amid
soaring military tensions on the Korean Peninsula. South Koreans in
Kaesong at the time were told they could leave when they wanted, but there
were still 200 remaining. The North withdrew all its 53,000 workers and
suspended operations in the zone on April 8. Meanwhile, South Korea said it
had agreed to buy a fleet of US Apache attack helicopters in a deal with
reported to be worth $1.5 billion. The Defence Acquisition Programme
Administration said it would acquire 36 of the AH-64E Apache Guardian
choppers from Boeing over a three-year period from 2016.
On 18th April, North Korea offered talks with South Korea and the
United States, but laid out pre-conditions that Seoul dismissed as ‘absurd’.
The demands laid out by the North’s main military body included the
withdrawal of UN sanctions and a permanent end to South Korea-US joint
military drills. Some analysts see the North’s engagement in a debate over
dialogue – no matter how unrealistic the conditions – as a welcome shift
from the apocalyptic threats that have been pouring out of Pyongyang.
On 20th April, North Korea reiterated that it would not give up its
nuclear weapons, rejecting a US condition for talks although it said it was
willing to discuss disarmament. But the United States said it was awaiting
‘clear signals’ that North Korea would halt its nuclear weapons activities.
Meanwhile, US Vice President assured Japan that the United States is
committed to the defence of Japan against the threat posed by North Korea.
Next day, North Korea moved two more missile launchers to its east
coast, where preparations are apparently under way for a missile test.
Expectations had been high that Pyongyang would carry out a test to
coincide with celebrations marking the birth of North Korea's late founding
leader Kim Il-Sung on April 15 but it did not materialize. The North Korea
last week moved two launchers believed to be for Scud missiles to the
northeast province of South Hamgyong.
On 27th April, South Korean started evacuating workers from jointly
run Factory Park in North Korea. The move plunged into doubt the future of
the Kaesong complex – once a symbol of cooperation across the world’s
most heavily militarized border. The workers’ return came on the same day
that the North announced it would put a Korean-American arrested in
November on trial for trying to overthrow the communist regime.
China: On 24th April, twenty-one people, including police officers
and social workers, were killed in violent clashes in China's ethnically
divided western region of Xinjiang. Gun fights broke out in Barchuk County

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in the west of the province after police went to search the home of locals
suspected of possessing illegal knives.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman said 15 police and social workers
were killed in the violence, among them 10 from China's mostly Muslim
Uighur ethnic minority, two other Uighurs were injured. Xinjiang, a region
about twice the size of Turkey, is home to around nine million ethnic
Uighurs. The region is regularly hit by unrest.
Next day, China urged the United States, to condemn what Beijing
has called terrorist attacks in its western Xinjiang region instead of lecturing
the country on human rights. But the US State Department said it merely
expressed regret at the loss of life and urged China to ‘provide all Chinese
citizens, including Uighurs, the due process protections to which they’re
entitled’.
Azerbaijan: On 22nd April, a Baku court jailed eight Muslim activists
arrested last year after they clashed with police in a protest against a ban on
the Islamic Hijab for schoolgirls. The activists were sentenced for five to six
years in prison ‘for resisting and using violence against police, and
disrupting public order’, the court said in a statement. The eight men were
among 40 protesters arrested last October in the mainly Shia Muslim
country's capital, Baku, in clashes with police.
Middle East
Iraq: On 8th April, Iraq executed seven people convicted of terror-
related offences, despite widespread calls for the country to declare a
moratorium on its use of the death penalty. All of those executed were Iraqi
men, and brought to 29 the number of times Iraq has carried out the death
penalty so far this year. Baghdad executed 129 people in 2012, among the
highest such figures in the world.
Next day, Iraq quietly marked a decade since US-led forces took
control of Baghdad, as the country remains plagued by attacks and mired in
crises. Remembered the world over for the iconic images of Iraqis pulling
down a statue of Saddam in central Baghdad’s Firdos Square – helped in no
small part by an American military unit – the fall of the capital is a far more
emotive day in Iraq than the anniversary of the invasion itself weeks earlier.
Though the war itself was relatively brief – six weeks after foreign
troops invaded, then US president George W. Bush infamously declared the
mission accomplished – its aftermath was bloody and fractious. Caught
between Shiite militia groups and Sunni insurgents, US and coalition forces

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paid a heavy price: some 4,800 foreign troops died in Iraq, more than 90 per
cent of them American. Iraqis suffered even more.
On 12th April, in the deadliest single blast, a roadside bomb struck
after prayers at the Omar bin Abdul Aziz Mosque, in the town of Kanaan in
Diyala Province. Overall, 12 people were killed and 30 others wounded.
Two more bombings, in Baghdad and another town in Diyala, one near a
Sunni mosque and the other as Sunni worshippers were returning from
prayers, wounded seven.
On 15th April, dozens of attacks across Iraq, including a brazen car
bombing on the way to Baghdad Airport, killed 50 people, just days before
the country's first elections since US troops withdrew. The violence, which
mostly struck during morning rush hour amid tightened security ahead of the
polls, also wounded nearly 300 people. More than 30 bombings and a
shooting hit 12 different areas of Iraq. No group immediately claimed
responsibility for the attacks.
The deadliest attacks were in Baghdad, where eight bombings struck
in seven neighbourhoods across the capital despite tougher checkpoint
searches and heightened security. Among them was a car bomb in a parking
area used by vehicles making their way to Baghdad's heavily-guarded
airport. In all, 30 people were killed and 92 wounded in the capital. Other
deadly attacks were in Tuz Khurmatu and Kirkuk. A total of 14 election
hopefuls have already been murdered and just 12 of the country's 18
provinces will be taking part in the vote.
Next day, bombings in Iraq, including one against a governor's
convoy, killed eight people. A car bomb killed four people and wounded 15
in Aziziyah, while a roadside bomb killed a soldier and wounded two near
Mussayib, both south of the Iraqi capital. Two separate blasts north of
Baghdad killed two people and wounded eight others, while a roadside
bomb exploded near a convoy carrying Nineveh province's Governor near
the main northern city of Mosul.
On 19th April, Iraq ramped up security on the eve of its first polls as a
bombing at a Baghdad billiards cafe and earlier in Khales and Kirkuk killed
35 people. The vote is seen as a key test of Iraq's stability and security, and
will provide a crucial gauge of Prime Minister Maliki's popularity ahead of
general elections next year.
An estimated 13.8 million Iraqis are eligible to vote on Saturday for
more than 8,000 candidates, with 378 seats being contested. Meanwhile six
of Iraq's 18 provinces will not be taking part, including two where

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authorities say security cannot be ensured. Iraqi forces will be responsible
for security on polling day, the first time they will be in charge without
support from American.
Next day, a dozen small bombs exploded and mortar rounds landed
near polling centres in Iraq, wounding at least four people during voting in
the country's first provincial elections since the departure of US troops. Two
mortar rounds landed at a school used as a voting centre in Latifiya, south of
Baghdad and bombs exploded in the northern towns of Tuz Khurmato, Tikrit
and Samarra.
On 23rd April, a wave of clashes and attacks involving Iraqi security
forces, protesters and their supporters left 53 people dead and prompted two
Sunni ministers to quit. The unrest, which also included the kidnapping of a
soldier by armed protesters, was the deadliest so far linked to demonstrations
in Sunni areas that erupted more than four months ago. The protesters have
been demanding the resignation of Maliki and railing against the alleged
targeting of their community by the authorities.
The violence broke out before dawn when security forces entered an
area where demonstrations have been held since January near Hawijah. A
brigadier general from the army division responsible for the area said the
operation was aimed at militants from a group, and that security forces only
opened fire after they were fired upon. Two soldiers were killed and seven
wounded in the operation.
Thirteen gunmen were killed carrying out attacks on army
checkpoints in the Al-Rashad and Al-Riyadh areas of Kirkuk Province.
Armed protesters later killed six Iraqi soldiers and kidnapped a seventh near
Ramadi, west of Baghdad, burned two armoured personnel carriers and held
the soldier at the site of their sit-in on the highway. And gunmen attacked
checkpoints in the Sulaiman Bek area in Salaheddin province, sparking
clashes in which five Iraqi soldiers and one gunman were killed, and six
other gunmen wounded.
Meanwhile, late on Tuesday bomb attacks on mosques killed 13
people and wounded dozens of other people. Two rounds of mortar fire hit a
mosque in Muqdadiyah, northeast of Baghdad, killing nine people and
wounding 25, police and a doctor said, revising an earlier casualty toll.
Earlier, two roadside bombs exploded as Sunni worshippers were leaving
dawn prayers in south Baghdad, killing at least four people and wounding
14.

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 A US soldier pleaded guilty to killing five of his colleagues in Iraq
four years ago, in a plea deal to escape a death sentence. Army Sergeant
John Russell was accused of the May 2009 murders at a clinic for soldiers
suffering from war-related stress at Camp Liberty, the largest US base in
Iraq.
By next day, 118 people were left dead in Iraq, with 99 of them killed
in clashes and attacks involving security forces, protesters and their
supporters. More than 240 people were wounded in the same period, most of
them in protest-related unrest. The violence, which began with clashes at a
protest site in northern Iraq after security forces moved in.
In the deadliest violence of the day, five soldiers and seven gunmen
were killed and 63 people, including 20 soldiers, wounded in fighting in the
Sulaiman Bek area north of Baghdad. MP Ashwaq al-Jaf said dozens of
people were wounded in air attacks by the Iraqi military in the area, and a
high-ranking army officer confirmed helicopters were used in the fighting.
On 26th April, the United Nations warned that Iraq is at a ‘crossroads’
and appealed for restraint, as a bloody four-day wave of violence, including
multiple attacks at mosques. The call came a day after Prime Minister Nuri
al-Maliki warned of a return to ‘sectarian civil war’. Bombs exploded at four
Sunni mosques in the Baghdad area after Friday prayers, killing four people
and raising the death toll from a four-day wave of violence in Iraq to 195.
Gunmen, meanwhile, pulled out of Sulaiman Bek under a deal worked
out by tribal leaders and government officials. The gunmen had swarmed
into the Sunni Turkmen town two days ago after deadly clashes with the
security forces, who pulled back as residents fled. Helicopter fire wounded
six people on the roof of a house in the town early on Friday.
Seven gunmen died carrying out three separate attacks on security
forces south of the northern city of Kirkuk. Gunmen also killed a soldier and
wounded two police in an attack on a checkpoint in Al-Sharqat, north of the
capital, late last night. And three hours of fighting in Fallujah killed three
federal police and wounded. Attacks in Tikrit wounded eight police, while
an attack by gunmen on a checkpoint in Samarra killed a civilian and
wounded two others.
Next day, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki pointed a finger at the civil
war in neighbouring Syria for the return of sectarian strife to Iraq, as a five-
day wave of violence has killed 215 people. And the head of the Sahwa anti-
Qaeda militia forces threatened war on militants if those who have killed
Iraqi soldiers are not turned over.

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 Palestine: On 12th April, scores of Palestinian youths clashed with
Israeli soldiers for a second day in the occupied West Bank, after locals
accused Jewish settlers of beating a man with steel pipes in the Israeli
settlement of Ofra. An Israeli army spokesperson described the alleged
beating that led to the disturbances as a ‘clash between Israeli and
Palestinian civilians’ and said it was investigating. Israelis from an outpost
of cabins between the Ofra settlement and the Palestinian village of Silwad
beat 60-year-old former judge Ahmad al-Zir as he was tending his land.
On 14th April, the Palestinians mulled the prospect of a new prime
minister after the US-educated economist, Salam Fayyad resigned following
months of tension with president Mahmud Abbas. Speaking in Tokyo, Kerry
expressed regret over Fayyad's resignation and urged Abbas to find the right
person to take on the tough job and work with Washington. Although there
was no comment from Israel, Haaretz newspaper said senior political figures
"expressed much regret" over Fayyad's departure.
Next day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would not
give in to ‘subhuman’ terrorists, as the Jewish state honoured its slain
soldiers and civilians killed in militant attacks. Netanyahu, at a ceremony at
the Mount Herzl national cemetery, cited the case of Israeli toddler Adele
Biton, still in critical condition after being hurt in a stone-throwing attack on
her mother’s car in the West Bank a month ago.
On 21st April, John Kerry discussed US efforts to revive the Middle
East peace process with the Palestinian leader. Kerry and Palestinian
president Mahmud Abbas, who have met several times recently, talked for
an hour-and-a-half to ‘continue the conversation that they've been having for
several weeks now about how to get both sides (the Palestinians and the
Israelis) back to the table’.
Next day, Israeli and Turkish officials began talks on compensation
over an Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound aid ship. This first meeting is part of
what Turkish officials said would be a several-step diplomatic process that
will seek an agreement on the amount to be paid out to ‘meet the needs of
the victims' families’. The Israeli Embassy in Ankara refused to comment on
the closed door talks.
On 25th April, an Israeli fighter plane shot down a drone from
Lebanon over the Mediterranean Sea as it was approaching the Israeli coast,
the military claimed. The military said the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
was detected in Lebanese skies and intercepted by F-16 fighter jet some five
nautical miles (9 km) from the Israeli port city of Haifa.

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 Syria: On 7th April, al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri urged rebels to
fight to establish an Islamic state in Syria, in an online audio message in
which he also warned France against its military intervention in Mali. ‘Let
your fight be with the aim of establishing sharia (law) as the ruling system’,
he said in his first message posted on the Internet. ‘Do all that you can so
that your war yields an Islamic state’, said Zawahiri, adding that such a state
would help to re-establish the ‘caliphate’ system of rule.
The Syrian opposition said that a siege of Syria’s central city of Homs
entered its 300th day, as troops loyal to President Bashar wage a campaign to
oust rebel groups holed up there. Daily battles rage on the edges of the
insurgent neighbourhoods and the army pounded the districts of Khaldiyeh,
Qarabis, Qussour and Juret al-Shiyah.
Next day, a massive suicide car bomb ripped through the heart of
Damascus, killing at least 15 people and injuring 53 more. Terrorists
detonated car bomb between Sabaa Bahrat Square and Shahbander Street,
state television reported, adding that initial information suggested it was a
suicide attack. Meanwhile, UN Secretary General said that a UN inspection
team was in Cyprus and ready to deploy to Syria to probe the alleged use of
chemical weapons in the conflict.
Iraq grounded and searched an Iranian plane bound for Syria through
its airspace, with inspectors finding only first aid and medical equipment.
The inspection was the first since Baghdad said last month it would step up
such searches, after US Secretary of State John Kerry publicly accused Iraq
of turning a blind eye to Iranian flights which Washington says carry
military equipment for the Damascus regime.
On 9th April, al-Qaeda in Iraq admitted to long-held suspicions it is
behind jihadists fighting Syrian President, as Washington said it was mulling
new ways to drive him from power. The mainstream rebel Free Syrian Army
kept its distance from the jihadists, insisting its alliance with the key
opposition fighting force was purely tactical and that its goal was a
democratic Syria. Describing Al-Nusra leader Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani as
‘one of our soldiers’, he said the two groups would merge under the banner
of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.
Baghdadi’s comments came a day after an Al-Nusra-style suicide
bombing in the heart of Damascus and Ayman al-Zawahiri urged rebels to
fight to establish an Islamic state in Syria. Al-Nusra, which announced its
creation in a January 2012 video, is a magnet for foreign fighters seeking to

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take part in the insurgency against Assad’s regime. Washington has
blacklisted Al-Nusra as a terrorist organization.
Asked on Tuesday if the United States was stepping up its military
options in Syria, US Secretary of State John Kerry said such moves would
be ‘part of our discussions this week in Washington’. Kerry also said he
would meet with the Syrian opposition in London, in remarks to journalists
shortly before he left Israel for the British capital.
Meanwhile, the United Nations said that aid operations for hundreds
of thousands of Syrian refugees had reached breaking point in the face of a
massive funding shortfall, amid fears the numbers fleeing the conflict could
triple. And a UN team of inspectors charged with investigating two alleged
incidents of the use of chemical weapons in Syria were blocked in nearby
Cyprus after Damascus withdrew permission for it to deploy.
Next day, the head of Syria’s rebel Al-Nusra Front pledged allegiance
to al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, but distanced his group from claims it
has merged with al-Qaeda in Iraq. Al-Nusra's announcement is likely to
bolster assertions by President Assad's regime that it is fighting ‘terrorists’
who want to impose an ‘Islamic state’.
Al-Nusra is among the most prominent organizations involved in
Syria's conflict, which erupted in March 2011 with peaceful protests against
Assad's regime but has evolved into a war that has killed tens of thousands.
It is blamed for suicide bombings but has won admiration from some
insurgents for its reputation as a formidable fighting force leading attacks on
battle fronts across Syria.
The West has been wary, and the announcements this week are likely
to complicate any attempt to arm the rebels. The US and EU are now
providing non-lethal aid to the rebels, but Britain and France want an EU
arms embargo on Syria lifted so they can supply the rebels with weapons.
Despite the announcements, a group of pro-opposition government
representatives, including US Secretary of State John Kerry, would meet
next week in Istanbul to discuss Syria.
On ground, Kurdish fighters expelled regime troops from part of the
majority Kurdish city of Hasake. As violence raged across the country, at
least 98 people were killed. Jordan, meanwhile, opened a second camp for
Syrian refugees after the United Nations said the number seeking shelter in
the kingdom is expected to triple by the end of the year.

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 On 11th April, Syria demanded that the UN slap sanctions on a rebel
group after it pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda. The demand by Damascus that
the UN class Al-Nusra Front as an al-Qaeda-linked group came as G8
foreign ministers meeting in London said they were ‘appalled’ at the
spiraling violence but made no mention of supplying arms to the rebels. A
sanctions regime was introduced by the UN to punish individuals and
entities linked to al-Qaeda, freezing their financial assets, banning them
from traveling and imposing an embargo on arms destined for al-Qaeda.
There are currently 64 entities and 227 individuals on the list.
On the battlefield, details emerged of fierce fighting for two towns in
the southern Syrian province of Daraa in which dozens of people were
killed. At least six children, seven women, 16 rebel fighters, 16 other
unidentified men and 12 army troops were killed, in fighting, shelling and
summary executions waged after the army launched an assault on Al-
Sanamein and Ghabagheb.
The group accused the army of ‘taking civilians hostage as human
shields, vandalism, looting and theft, slaughter, burning (victims) to death,
and murder with firearms’. The Local Coordination Committees, a
grassroots network of activists, also condemned the assault. It said the army
shelled Al-Sanamein for seven hours before storming the town.
With the death toll rising and no end in sight to the violence, the G8
foreign ministers urged greater ‘humanitarian’ assistance for those caught up
in a conflict that is now in its third year. In a statement issued by the
ministers after wrapping up two days of talks, they ‘expressed deep concerns
about the increasing human tragedy of the conflict in Syria’.
Next day, after pushing for weeks to lift a European embargo so arms
could be supplied to the rebels, France and Britain backed away from the
initiative amid fears weapons could fall into the wrong hands. The militant
element of the Syrian conflict poses a quandary for Western powers and
their Arab allies, which favour the overthrow of President Assad but are
alarmed by fighters whose fiercely anti-Shia ideology has fuelled sectarian
tensions in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the UN's refugee agency said that more Syrian refugees
are opting to return home from Jordan, with around 300 now crossing back
into the war-ravaged country each day. UNHCR said it had seen an increase
in the past 10 days in the number of people crossing from Jordan into Syria,
although it stressed that a far larger number of Syrians continued to flood
across the border in the opposite direction.

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 On the battlefront, at least seven people were killed in fierce regime
shelling of the eastern Damascus district of Jubar, as warplanes also
bombarded rebel enclaves near the capital. In northeastern Syria's Qamishli,
battles broke out pitting Al-Nusra Front against the army both at the
majority Kurdish city's entrance and near its airport. Elsewhere, regime
troops pounded Tawq Melh and Tal Hamis in the majority province of
Hasakeh.
Israel's army night fired artillery into Syria after gunshots and shells
were directed at soldiers on the Israeli-occupied sector of the Golan Heights,
the military said. No soldiers were injured and no damage was caused. The
statement said ‘a direct hit was identified’ and that the army had informed
UN about the incident.
On 13th April, it was reported that analysts felt that the public pledge
of allegiance to al-Qaeda by Syria's fiercest rebel group, Al-Nusra Front,
serves the interests of President Assad's regime. Meanwhile, British military
scientists found forensic evidence that chemical weapons have been used in
the conflict in Syria. The tests were carried out at the Ministry of Defence's
chemical and biological research establishment at Porton Down on a soil
sample thought to have been taken from an area.
In the hostage crisis, four Italian journalists who had been held
hostage in Syria for more than a week have been freed. On the battlefront, at
least 18 civilians were killed, including two children and two women, in a
Syrian air raid on a rebel-held town in Idlib. Elsewhere in the province, at
least 12 rebels were killed in shelling and heavy fighting near the village of
Babolin. Air strikes around the Damascus area and the central province of
Homs were also reported. At least 54 people were killed in violence across
Syria.
Next day, air strikes by warplanes killed at least 12 children in two
incidents, one targeting a Kurdish village in northeast Syria and the other a
district of Damascus. Sixteen people were martyred when a warplane
targeted the village of Haddad, which is majority Kurdish, including at least
three children and two women. In the second incident, at least nine more
children were killed in an air strike on the Qabun neighbourhood of
northeastern Damascus.
In the south, activists accused the regime of destroying the minaret of
the historic Omari mosque in Daraa, the so-called cradle of the uprising.
Meanwhile, Syrian troops broke a months-long rebel siege on two key
military bases in the northwestern province of Idlib, killing at least 21

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opposition fighters. At least 21 rebels were killed in the attack, which
focussed on the village of Babulin.
Meanwhile, artillery fire from Syria killed two people and injured at
least four others in northeastern Lebanon. Army units were deployed widely
across the area and took measures in the field necessary to protect people
and respond to the source of the attack as appropriate. There was no
indication that the Lebanese army was gearing to return fire in response to
the latest spillover of the conflict.
On 15th April, Syria’s air force carried out several air strikes on rebel
enclaves in and around Damascus, while fresh clashes between troops and
rebels raged to the east of the capital. The regime also used warplanes to
bombard the rebel-held towns of Yabroud, Douma and Harasta east of
Damascus, as well as Sbeineh southwest of the capital.
In coastal Syria, the army launched a massive operation in the north of
Latakia province, near the Turkish border, attacking rebel-held villages. And
in the northwest, fierce clashes were reported pitting rebels against troops in
Idlib while the army tried to send in supplies to soldiers holed up in besieged
Wadi Deif and Hamidiyeh bases. In the same province, the army took
control of two hills overlooking insurgent-held villages. Later in the day,
fierce clashes broke out near key the Idlib town of Maaret al-Numan, which
rebels seized last October. At least 22 people were killed in violence across
Syria.
Meanwhile, Lebanon condemned the spill over of fire from Syrian
rebel and regime forces onto its territory and said it would protest to the
Arab League after artillery fire killed two people on April 14. ‘The safety of
every Lebanese citizen and village is the responsibility of the Lebanese state,
and any attack from any side is unacceptable’, Social Affairs Minister said
after a ministerial meeting.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Hague also said Britain and
France would continue to press for a lifting of the EU embargo blocking the
delivery of weapons to the Syrian opposition despite one rebel group's
pledge of allegiance to al-Qaeda. ‘The UK is increasingly concerned that
there is evidence of the use of chemical weapons in Syria. These allegations
must be fully and urgently investigated’, Hague told lawmakers.
Next day, President Bashar al-Assad declared a general amnesty.
Under the latest decree, troops who deserted but did not fight against the
regime may be pardoned if they surrender within a month, state news agency
SANA reported. President issued decree, granting a general amnesty for

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crimes committed before April 16. But there were important exceptions to
the types of crime it covers. The amnesty is applicable to just one crime
classified under the Terrorism Act, namely failing to inform the authorities
about rebel activity. Acts like possessing leaflets that encourage ‘terrorism’
and taking up arms against the regime are not covered.
Qatar's prime minister called on the international community to
support efforts to end the conflict after meeting German Chancellor Angela
Merkel who warned that the whole region faced destabilization. And Beirut
said it will ask for an urgent meeting of the UNSC to ask for aid to help it
cope with the influx of refugees from Syria.
On 17th April, Syrian President warned Western states that they will
pay a heavy price at home for their alleged support of militants in the Syrian
conflict and said defeat of his regime was not an option. ‘The West has paid
heavily for funding al-Qaeda in its early stages. Today it is doing the same in
Syria, Libya and other places, and will pay a heavy price in the heart of
Europe and the United States’, Assad said.
The embattled Syrian president also warned that a defeat of his
government would spell the demise of Syria, and vowed that he will not
‘surrender’. ‘There is no option but victory, otherwise it will be the end of
Syria and I don’t think that the Syrian people will accept such an option’, he
said. ‘The truth is there is a war and I repeat: no to surrender, no to
submission’, Assad said in the interview.
The European Union was considering a case-by-case easing of its oil
embargo against Syria in order to help the opposition. If formally agreed by
EU foreign ministers at talks on April 22 in Luxembourg, the decision
would enable EU companies to import oil from areas under opposition
control. It would also allow EU firms to resume investments and export of
equipment intended for the oil and gas sector. Meanwhile, violence across
Syria killed at least 67 people.
Next day, John Kerry warned that the conflict in Syria could cleave it
into rival enclaves, as he prepared for weekend talks on the crisis. The aim
of the next Friends of Syria talks in Istanbul on April 20 is ‘to get
everybody on the same page with respect to what post-Assad’ Syria will
look like, Kerry told US senators, highlighting the need to ensure that
‘Qataris, Saudis, Emirates, Turks, Europeans’ all have the same goals in
mind.
Washington wants to see a pluralistic and democratic post-Assad
Syria, in which all sides are ‘open to the negotiating process to a political

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settlement’, Kerry told the Senate foreign relations committee. ‘The hope is
that that will then create a confidence level about who's getting what kind of
aid from whom.’ But the top US diplomat warned ‘that time is not on the
side of a political solution. It's on the side of more violence, more
extremism, an enclave breakup of Syria.’
The United States plans to deploy 200 troops in Jordan because of ‘the
deteriorating situation’ in war-torn Syria, Jordanian Information Minister
said. ‘The deployment of the troops is part of US-Jordanian military
cooperation to boost Jordanian armed forces in light of deteriorating
situation in Syria’, he added.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu had urged caution over international
calls to arm Syrian rebels and reserved the right for Israel to block the
supply of weapons that could be turned against it. In an interview with the
BBC broadcast, the Israeli prime minister said if advanced arms fell into the
hands of Islamist militants it could redefine regional security threats.
On ground, Syrian troops captured a strategic village in central Homs
province, putting pressure on rebel forces in the area. The village is just four
kilometres from the main route that runs between Homs, Damascus and the
northern province of Aleppo. Meanwhile, rebels in the area captured the
abandoned Dabaa military airport, seizing munitions left behind by the
retreating regime forces. At least 22 people were killed across Syria..
On 19th April, top UN humanitarian officials urged the UNSC, which
has been deadlocked over how to deal with the crisis in Syria. A quarter of
Syria’s 22 million people are displaced within the country and 1.3 million
have fled to other states in the Middle East and North Africa, UN aid chief
Valerie Amos and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres
said.
Syria’s UN Ambassador Bashar Ja’afari blamed terrorism and
sanctions imposed by the European Union, the US and others for the plight
of its people and accused neighbouring countries of preventing refugees
from returning to Syria. Russia and Egypt called for a ceasefire in Syria ‘as
quickly as possible’, President Vladimir Putin said, after a meeting with his
Egyptian counterpart Mohamed Mursi. ‘Russia and Egypt support a
ceasefire in Syria as soon as possible and the launch of negotiations’,
between the regime and rebels, the Russian president said.
A Syrian civil servant was gunned down in an upscale Damascus
neighbourhood and six people, including four children, were killed in
shelling on a district of Aleppo. Ali Ballane. Meanwhile, clashes continued

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between troops and rebels in Daraya, southwest of the capital, where soldiers
have been trying for weeks to dislodge opposition fighters. At least 24
people were killed in violence throughout the country.
Next day, after arriving in Istanbul, John Kerry met first with the head
of the main opposition Syrian National Coalition, Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib.
Top diplomats from the 11 countries – including the US, European nations
and Arab countries – then began their meeting. Ahead of the talks, a senior
US official said Kerry would discuss increasing assistance to ‘moderate
opposition groups’ including the Coalition and the rebel Supreme Military
Council. The opposition Coalition made clear it wanted support beyond
humanitarian assistance.
In Syria, fierce battles raged in flashpoint areas of Syria’s central
province of Homs near the Lebanese border and six shells fell across the
border in Lebanon. Elsewhere, battles raged near Damascus, where at least
90 people, many of them rebels, were killed in four days of fighting against
government forces.
On 21st April, a Syrian government daily accused the United States of
having ‘thrown oil on the fire’ of the country's conflict by doubling its aid to
the opposition. German Foreign Minister said Berlin will have no choice but
to accept the lifting of an EU arms embargo on Syria if other European
countries push for it. Syrian troops made new advances on the rebel
stronghold town of Qusayr near the border with Lebanon.
Next day, Syria's opposition warned that Hezbollah's role in fighting
in Homs Province amounts to a ‘declaration of war’, but Hezbollah said it is
merely protecting Lebanese people. The comments came after reports that
the Lebanese Shiite group was leading the battle in the Qusayr area of
Homs, which Syrian President termed ‘the main battle’ his troops are
currently fighting.
George Sabra, the interim chief of the opposition National Coalition,
said in Istanbul: ‘The Lebanese president and the Lebanese government
should realize the danger that it poses to the lives of Syrians and the future
relations between the two peoples and countries’. ‘We hope that the
brotherly Lebanese people will raise their voices against the murder of free
Syrians’, said Sabra.
Fighting has raged in the Qusayr area of the central province of Homs
for days, with regime troops winning control of a series of strategic villages
in the area during the weekend. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights

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watchdog said: ‘It's Hezbollah that is leading the battle in Qusayr, with its
elite forces’.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon confirmed Israel was
behind a January strike on an arms convoy in Syria, saying it had ‘acted’ to
stop advanced weaponry reaching ‘Hezbollah or other rogue elements’. He
made the remarks at a joint news conference in Tel Aviv with visiting US
Defence Secretary Hagel.
The European Union offered fresh aid to Syria's opposition, easing an
EU oil embargo in favour of the rebels, but stopped short of supplying
‘offensive’ weapons. Yet worries persist across the 27-nation bloc about the
ability of the divided opposition to prevent assistance of any kind from
falling into the wrong hands. Meanwhile, violence across Syria killed at
least 95 people, including 29 civilians, 33 rebel fighters and 33 regime
soldiers.
On 23rd April, US Secretary of State John Kerry told foreign ministers
from the 28 NATO nations in Brussels that the alliance must stand prepared
for threats from Syria, including the possible use of chemical weapons.
Kerry said ‘we should...carefully and collectively consider how NATO is
prepared to respond to protect its members from a Syrian threat, including
any potential chemical weapons threat’.
On the battle-front, Hezbollah was fighting alongside Syrian troops in
the Qusayr area of the central province of Homs. A Syrian military source
insisted, meanwhile, that the capture of the rebel stronghold town of Qusayr
was ‘just days away, at most’. Lebanon's Salafist Sunni Sheikh Ahmed al-
Assir has urged his followers to join the fight against Syrian regime and
Hezbollah forces in Qusayr, calling it ‘a religious duty’.
On 25th April, a US Defence official said that the United States was
not on the brink of military action despite an assessment from US spy
agencies that the Syrian regime likely used chemical agents. The US military
has prepared contingency plans for the Syrian conflict, but officials traveling
with Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel in the Middle East suggested military
action was not a certainty – at least for the moment.
The Pentagon has already sent more than 200 troops to Jordan,
including a US Army headquarters element, to prepare for a possible joint
operation with allies to secure chemical weapons. US intervention no longer
appeared as a remote possibility after Hagel and the White House said that
American spy agencies had concluded President Bashar al-Assad's regime
probably had fired deadly sarin gas against rebel forces on a ‘small scale’.

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 Syrian warplanes launched air strikes on rebel enclaves across the
country, with at least 10 people killed in one raid on flashpoint town Qusayr
near the Lebanon border. Areas of Damascus province, the northwestern
province of Idlib, rebel-controlled Raqa in the north, Hasakeh in the
northeast and Daraa in the south were also targeted. At least 49 people were
killed in violence across Syria.
Next day, fighting erupted on the outskirts of Damascus in Barzeh
district, pitting rebels against troops and members of the pro-regime popular
committees. A district in northern Damascus also came under tank fire by
the army. In its third year, the conflict has taken on an increasingly sectarian
nature, as Assad’s regime has armed militias among the Alawites and other
minority groups.
The Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmuk, mostly controlled by rebels,
saw new fighting. In the east of the capital, fresh fighting erupted in Jubar
district, where rebels hold a number of enclaves. Warplanes, meanwhile,
bombarded Ain Terma, east of Damascus and Daraa to the southwest.
Elsewhere, jihadist rebels planted explosives targeting troops on a strategic
road in eastern Aleppo. At least 130 people had died in violence across Syria
yesterday.
On 27th April, Syria dismissed as a ‘barefaced lie’ American and
British claims it may have used chemical arms and Russia warned against
using such fears to launch a military intervention in the strife-torn country.
Ban Ki-Moon called on Syria to approve a UN mission of inspectors to
probe the alleged use of chemical weapons, but Syrian Information Minister
said Damascus could not trust UN inspectors from Britain and the United
States.
The fighting in Syria showed no signs of abating. At least 10 people
were killed in shelling on the town of Douma. Nearby, in Moadamiyet al-
Sham, the group reported air raids and tank fire, as well as shelling of the
Barzeh district of the capital, which has been under fire for three straight
days. Elsewhere, troops carried out air raids against parts of Damascus and
Aleppo Province and strikes were also reported in western Latakia and
southern Daraa. Yesterday, at least 127 people were killed in violence
throughout the country.
Turkey: On 12th April, Turkish police uncovered and foiled an
alleged plot by al-Qaeda to bomb the US embassy in Ankara, as well as a
synagogue and other targets in Istanbul. This was as result of a February raid
in Istanbul and the northeastern city of Corlu, in which police had arrested

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12 people, including eight Turks, two Azeris and two Chechens, and seized
22 kgs of explosives.
Bahrain: On 15th April, a Bahraini youth opposition group said it
blew up a car in Manama overnight in an incident the authorities blamed on
a ‘terrorist group’ just days ahead of the country's Formula One Grand Prix.
There were no casualties in the blast and no damage other than to the car.
UAE: On 18th April, authorities in the United Arab Emirates claimed
to have broken up an al-Qaeda cell comprising seven Arabs who were
plotting attacks in the Gulf state. The cell was .plotting acts that would have
harmed the security of the country, its citizens and foreign residents’, said
the statement carried by state news agency. The group was also involved in
‘recruiting people’ for al-Qaeda and providing the jihadist organization with
‘money and logistic support’.
Yemen: On 18th April, a suspected US drone strike in western Yemen
killed five al-Qaeda militants, including a local chief. The raid that took
place late yesterday in Dhamar province, killed Hamid Radman al-Manea,
known as al-Radmi, and four of his guards. Two rockets had hit the vehicle
transporting them.
On 20th April, suspected al-Qaeda militants shot dead a Yemeni
intelligence officer in Mukalla, capital of the southeastern Hadramawt
Province. Al-Qaeda gunmen on a motorbike opened fire on the officer
Ibrahim Bameshel as he was on his way back home; the assailants fled after
killing him.
Next day, an apparent US drone strike and ensuing ground clashes in
Yemen killed three suspected al-Qaeda militants and two soldiers. The strike
targeted a house in Wadi Abida, in the eastern province of Marib, and killed
two suspected militants, but did not identify the suspects killed. The strike
was followed by ground clashes in which two Yemeni soldiers and a militant
were killed.
Africa
Mali: On 8th April, a French force of 1,000 soldiers began a sweep of
a valley thought to be a logistics base for al-Qaeda-linked Islamists near the
Malian city of Gao. Operation Gustav, one of France's largest actions since
its intervention in its former colony, will involve dozens of tanks,
helicopters and aircraft, said commander of the French land forces in Mali.
On 23rd April, the French army handed over its security operation in
the Malian desert city of Timbuktu to Burkina Faso troops, as part of a

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phased withdrawal from its troubled former colony. Al Qaeda-linked
militants controlled Timbuktu along with other key northern Mali cities for
nearly 10 months until being driven out by the French-led Operation.
Nigeria: On 22nd April, heavy fighting between Nigerian troops and
suspected insurgents in the remote northeastern town of Baga killed 187
people and injured 77 others, with massive blazes that raged after the clashes
leaving nearly half the town destroyed. It was the single deadliest event in
the insurgency being waged by Boko Haram, the radical group blamed for
scores of attacks in northern and central Nigeria since 2009.
Reports suggested that the fighting started when soldiers surrounded a
mosque allegedly housing the insurgents. More than 300 houses in the
fishing town on the shores of Lake Chad were burnt down. The extremists
have used the state capital Maiduguri as their base, but scores of militants
have reportedly fled to more remote corners of the state following a
crackdown by security forces in the city.
On 26th April, an attack in the town of Yobe in restive northern
Nigeria where suspected militants stormed a police station and stole nearly
$60,000 from a bank killed 20 insurgents and five police officers. Boko
Haram, a group that says it is fighting to create an Islamic state in the north,
has carried out scores of attacks in Nigeria's northeast.
Libya: On 23rd April, a car bomb hit the France embassy in Tripoli,
Libya, wounding two French guards and causing extensive damage in the
first attack on a foreign mission since militants stormed the US Consulate in
Benghazi in September. Libyan Foreign Minister branded the act a ‘terrorist’
incident and French President Francois Hollande said Tripoli must act
quickly to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
The attack comes as Libya continues to suffer from a lack of security
following the 2011 ouster of long-time dictator Moammar Gaddafi and as
French forces are engaged in a battle against extremists in Mali. France,
under president Nicolas Sarkozy, had led NATO air raids against Gaddafi's
forces under a UN resolution aimed at protecting civilians.
Egypt: On 8th April, President Mursi promised to launch an
immediate investigation after a night of sporadic violence outside Cairo’s
main cathedral following the death of seven people in clashes between
Christians and Muslims. The death toll from the clashes outside the
cathedral rose to two, while four Copts were killed in sectarian clashes in a
town north of Cairo. One Muslim was also killed in clashes.

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 On 11th April, Egypt’s parliament approved a revised election law
setting the rules for lower house parliamentary polls due to be held later this
year, but critics are concerned the new statute will not guarantee a fair vote.
The Islamist-led upper house will now send the lower house election law,
along with a revised political rights law, to the Supreme Constitutional Court
to check the legality of the bills that will govern the vote.
President Mursi ordered the withdrawal of complaints filed against
journalists for publishing rumours about him. State news agency MENA
said the decision had been taken ‘out of respect for freedom of speech’. One
case in which the presidency took legal action was against television
presenter Mahmoud Saad.
On 13th April, the judge in ousted president Hosni Mubarak's retrial
stepped aside, in a chaotic opening hearing that lasted just seconds and saw a
proud and combative Mubarak smile and wave in the dock. Head judge
Mostafa Hassan Abdallah told the court he would recuse himself and send
the case to the Court of Appeal, which will then refer the trial to a new
circuit, sending the case of the ex-strongman back to square one. As the
judges filed out of the courtroom, uproar erupted with people shouting and
waving their arms. Civil society lawyers attending the trial chanted: ‘The
people want the execution of the president.’
On 15th April, an Egyptian court ordered the release of ousted
president Hosni Mubarak over the deaths of protesters but he will remain in
custody over fraud charges. He has been under arrest since April 2011
charged with complicity in the murder and attempted murder of hundreds of
peaceful protesters. He is also facing several charges of corruption.
Sudan: On 9th April, the Indian foreign ministry announced that five
Indian peacekeepers escorting a United Nations convoy in South Sudan were
killed in an ambush by rebels in Jonglei area. Jonglei has been the scene of
widespread ethnic conflict since South Sudan became independent in July
2011. Much of the trouble has been in Pibor County.
On 19th April, a peacekeeper was shot dead in an attack on an African
Union-UN base in Sudan’s Darfur, two days after the government
announced it regained control of the area from rebels. ‘UNAMID is
investigating the events surrounding the incident and working in
coordination with (the) government of Sudan to ensure that the perpetrators
are brought to justice, as any attack on international peacekeepers is a crime
under international law’, a spokesman said.

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 Somalia: On 14th April, a nine-man suicide commando blasted its way
into Mogadishu's main court complex, some blowing up their explosives
vests while others sprayed gunfire in a rampage that left 29 civilians dead,
while a separate bomb attack killed five more. The al-Qaeda-linked Shebab
militant group claimed responsibility for the courthouse attack, which the
country's chief justice escaped unharmed. All the attackers were killed in the
courthouse raid.
Shebab spokesman Sheikh Ali Mohamed Rage claimed only five
suicide attackers died in the fighting at the court complex, and vowed there
would be fresh attacks. ‘This was a holy action which targeted non-believers
who were in a meeting within the court complex. We will continue until
Somalia is liberated from invaders’, he told AFP.
Europe: On 15th April, The death of a Pakistani asylum seeker
forced the Home Office to launch an investigation into the circumstances
which led to this tragedy on March 30 in Manchester in suspicious
circumstances. It is believed that Pakistani national Khalid Shahzad, 52, died
after hours being released from Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre
where he may have been subjected to emotional stress and torture. Shahzad
was released after spending three months in detention because he was so ill
that doctors declared him unfit for travel and detention. 
On 18th April, two men were jailed for up to 16 years in Britain for
planning acts of terrorism including an al-Qaeda-inspired plot to send a
remote-controlled toy car into an army reservist centre. Zahid Iqbal, 31, and
Mohammed Sharfaraz, 25, had discussed building an explosive device using
a manual entitled ‘Make a bomb in the kitchen of your mom – by the al-
Qaeda chef’, prosecutors said.
Two other men were also jailed. Umar Arshad, 24, was given a
sentence of six years and nine months and Syed Farhan Hussain, 22, was
jailed for five years and three months for their roles in preparing for a
terrorist attack. The four men had admitted to a charge of preparing for acts
of terrorism in 2011 and 2012.
On 25th April, three British Muslims including a convert to Islam were
jailed for planning acts of terror. White Muslim convert Richard Dart, 30, a
former security guard for the BBC, was sentenced to six years imprisonment
at England’s Old Bailey central criminal court in London. Imran Mahmood,
22, was jailed for nine years and nine months and 26-year-old Jahangir
Alom for four-and-a-half years. Dart and Alom had admitted seeking terror

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training in Pakistan while Mahmood, who had already received terror
training, gave them advice.
America: On 15th April, at least four people were killed and over
100 wounded when three explosions went off in Boston. Two explosions
struck near the finish line of Boston Marathon followed by a third one near
the John F Kennedy Presidential Library while police sources said two other
bombs were found in the marathon area before they went off. Police said it
was a controlled detonation as they had found it in advance. Attorney
General Eric Holder instructed the Justice Department to deploy its “full
resources” to the investigation into the blasts. He spoke to the head of the
FBI, Robert Mueller, and to the US Attorney for the District of
Massachusetts, Carmen Ortiz. 
Next day, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan denied anything to do with
explosions that killed three people and wounded more than 100 in Boston.
‘We believe in attacking US and its allies but we are not involved in this
attack’, TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told AFP. ‘We have no
connection to this bombing but we will continue to target them wherever
possible’, Ehsan added.
On 17th April, investigators identified and arrested a suspect in the
Boston Marathon bombings. The suspect, described as a ‘dark-skinned
male’, was picked up on security camera video from a department store
along the marathon route, very close to the second explosion. Additional
video from a Boston TV station was also helpful.
On 19th April, one suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings was shot
dead, with the other – his brother – on the run. Authorities warned people in
Watertown not to leave their homes and not to answer the door as they
appeared on television to make their appeals. During the night a university
police officer was killed, a transit police officer was wounded and the
suspects carjacked a vehicle before leading police on a chase.
A man identified as Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, died after an overnight
shootout with police. He's the man described by the FBI as black-capped
Suspect No 1. His brother, Dzhokar Tsarnaev, apparently escaped – leading
police to throw a huge dragnet around the region. In photos released by the
FBI of the bombing suspects, the younger brother is seen wearing a white
cap. The agency called him Suspect No 2. Two men were of Chechen origin.
Next day, the second suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings was
taken into custody in Watertown, Massachusetts, after intense searching that

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shut down daily life across a large swath of greater Boston. Meanwhile,
American Muslims braced for a backlash after the alleged perpetrators of
Monday’s attack on the landmark sporting event were identified as
Chechens who shared their faith. According to reports, Muslims are
experiencing anew harassment and anxiety which took place after 9/11
attacks.
Russian television cited the men’s mother as saying her older son had
previously been interviewed by the FBI because of his interest in radical
Islamic teachings. The FBI confirmed that agents in Boston had interviewed
the elder Tsarnaev in 2011, on behalf of an unspecified foreign government
that suspected he had ties to a terrorist organization. But the FBI found
nothing warranting further investigation.
Once captured, Tsarnaev was rushed to a hospital, where he was in
serious condition. ‘We will determine what happened. We will investigate
any associations that these terrorists may have had. And we’ll continue to do
whatever we have to do to keep our people safe’, President Barack Obama
said after the capture. ‘Obviously, there are still many unanswered
questions’, Obama said.
On 21st April, more than half of the 166 detainees held at the US-run
Guantanamo military prison had joined a rapidly growing hunger strike to
protest their indefinite detention. There are 84 inmates who are refusing
food, including 16 on feeding tubes; five are hospitalized, but none had ‘life-
threatening conditions’.
Next day, Canada thwarted a terrorist plot on its homeland with the
help of US authorities and arrested several suspects. Canada’s public
broadcaster said federal police and intelligence agents, as well as their US
counterparts, were involved in the year-long investigation that led to arrests
in Toronto and Montreal.
On 23rd April, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the Boston bombing suspect, told
that the plot was self-contained, involving only he and his brother and did
not enlist the aid of terrorists or groups overseas. Tsarnaev, 19, who was
arraigned in his hospital bed on charges of using and conspiring to use a
weapon of mass destruction resulting in death, has responded to some
questions by interrogators.
He identified Tamerlan as the driving force behind the plot and said
that they were motivated by religious fervor. Tsarnaev told them they
learned how to make bombs on the Internet. US officials said that evidence

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suggested the two brothers were motivated by an anti-American, radical
version of Islam.
Meanwhile, the mother of the suspects said on an American television
channel that her sons were only guilty of being Muslims. Zubeidat
Tsarnaeva left her house accompanied by her brother-in-law and tried to
evade the crowd of television cameras that followed her. She ignored
questions from reporters, but when asked ‘What did your son do?’
Tsarnaeva turned and shouted ‘My son just was Muslim. My son was
Muslim, that's it.’

VIEWS
Myanmar
Myanmar’s extremist Buddhists get free rein: ‘Burma/Myanmar’s
radical ‘969 movement’ has been central in the recent brutal pogroms
against minority Muslims that have left at least 40 dead and 12,000
displaced. The Buddhist monk-led group, however, cannot be understood
outside of the interface between President Thein Sein’s government and the
country’s racist society at large.
Nor can it be explained without examining the respective roles of a) the
State, which in effect offers the country’s neo-Nazi Buddhists impunity, b)
Thein Sein’s inaction, even amid indications of ethnic cleansing against
minority Muslims, and c) the Aung San Suu Kyi-led opposition’s moral
bankruptcy throughout the crisis. The orgy of violence has raised several
important questions about the country’s direction and hopes for reform.
How popular and widespread is the 969 movement and how likely is it
to spread throughout the country?
As a new nationalist movement with a clear message of ‘racial and
religious purity’, a false sense of Buddhist victimhood and cultural and
economic nationalism – not dissimilar to Germany’s Nazism in the 1930s –
969 is gaining popularity for three main reasons.
First, some of the militant Buddhist preachers from nationally well-
connected Buddhist teaching colleges (such as 969 leader Wirathu)
effectively scapegoat the country’s Muslims for the general economic
hardships and cultural decay in society, portraying the ethnic Burmese as
victims at the hands of organized Muslim commercial leeches and parasites.
Second, 969 preys on the historical and popular anti-Muslim racism among

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the majority Buddhists. Last but not least, virtually all state institutions at all
levels – including the police, intelligence agencies, the army, local civil
administration and even fire departments – under Thein Sein’s management
have offered this Buddhist neo-Nazi movement both impunity and passive
cooperation.
What is the Naypyidaw government doing to crackdown on the radical
movement?
Thein Sein’s official report to parliament on the anti-Muslim violence
against ethnic Rohingyas last year in western Burma/Myanmar’s Rakhine
State blamed political parties and Buddhist monks for spreading ‘ethnic
hatred’. Yet his administration has not taken a single action against anyone
who openly incited anti-Muslim hatred or ethnic hatred towards the
Rohingyas. Nor has his government detained or even deterred a single
Buddhist preacher of hate for acts of spreading anti-Muslim hatred in society
and inciting blatant calls for phase-by-phase elimination of Muslims and
their influence in society…
Unless Thein Sein’s government systematically cracks down on those
who promote and organize Islamophobic violence and hate speech and
effectively ends its long-standing policy of impunity for those who commit
crimes against Muslims (and other ethnic minorities), it will run the risk of
969 morphing into a full-blown genocidal movement. Despite its pretensions
towards democracy, Thein Sein’s military-propped regime has over 50 years
of proven experience in suppressing organized opposition movements. For
decades, the military was effectively able to censor and stop any news or
messages it didn’t want disseminated in society.
What is Aung San Suu Kyi, the global icon of non-violence, doing to
stem the tide of violent racism among her main Buddhist supporters?
Incomprehensibly, Suu Kyi herself is complicit in the spread of
Islamophobic hatred and fear, both by her silence over the violence
perpetuated against Muslims and by spreading moral responsibility for the
death and destruction across both Muslim and Buddhist communities. For
whatever reason, she has ignored blatant facts, including: 1) the violence and
hate campaigns are one-directional in that they target only Muslims and are
organized by Buddhist mobs which are made up of both out-of-towners and
local community members; 2) the Muslims (and other minorities such as the
Kachins) bear the brunt of the violence, death and devastation; and 3) the
military and security forces have 50 years of experience in crowd control…

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 Will recent rumours and violence persuade more people to participate
in anti-Muslim actions? And from where do these rumours claiming
expansionary designs of Islam in Burma/Myanmar originate?
Rumours have been the lifeblood of cultural and political life in
Burma/Myanmar for the past half-century, ever since the generals came to
power in the absence of elections and without a free and professional press.
The Burmese/Myanmar public soaks up rumours, slander and racist
narratives perpetuated by the military like a sponge. Even in the new
’reformist’ age, the free media is often jingoistic and has played a key role in
fomenting anti-Muslim hatred and nationalist fears.
Frighteningly for the country’s Muslims – who make up about 4% of
the total 60 million population – one of President Thein Sein’s own
spokespersons, ex-Major Zaw Htay, or Hmu Zaw, has served as a major
source of anti-Muslim rumours and slanders… The state media, meanwhile,
has published several articles with anti-Muslim slants and used the word
‘kalar’, the Burmese language equivalent of ‘nigger’, in referring to Muslims
and people of Indian subcontinental origin. With state security and
propaganda agencies, as well as culturally and ideologically influential
figures, working in unison to stoke anti-Muslim hatred and fear, public
opinion naturally follows.
Culturally, Buddhist monks are very influential in Burmese society –
more so than dissidents and generals. Ideologically, the racist public tends to
swallow the government’s anti-Muslim rumours and narratives, in spite of
the fact that in most other cases they distrust government-issued news and
narratives.
In recent interviews, Buddhist monk and 969 movement leader Wirathu
has seemed to condemn the violence and even claimed in cases he had
stopped rampaging, anti-Muslim rioters. Does this indicate he is toning
down his movement’s rhetoric, or is the 969 movement still calling for the
elimination of Muslim influence in Burma/Myanmar?
In his Burmese language Facebook pages, Wirathu has posted several
irreconcilable messages. On certain mornings, he has posted messages of
religious tolerance and compassion, while in the afternoon of the same day
he has written provocatively anti-Muslim statements, including warnings
against the ‘forced conversion of Burmese women who marry into Muslim
families’ and are coerced into changing their names from Burmese to
Muslim and Indian ones.

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 It seems unlikely that a preacher like Wirathu, who was jailed for his
public incitement which resulted in the death of an entire Muslim family in
an arson attack in the small town called Kyauk Hse in 2003, would suddenly
feel repentance for his inflammatory rhetoric. To date he has shown no sign
of remorse or regret about his role in recent anti-Muslim violence.’ (Maung
Zarni for Asia Times Online, reprinted in TheNation 10th April)
Myanmar’s Muslims fear toxic fallout of reform: ‘After
generations as part of one of Asia’s most ethnically diverse societies,
Myanmar’s Muslims fear they are becoming “scapegoats” of its reform
process following a wave of religious violence…
Myanmar’s Muslims officially account for an estimated four per cent
of the population of roughly 60 million, although the country has not
conducted a census in three decades.
But local Muslim organizations believe the real figure is at least
double that – and the proportion is possibly even higher in Yangon, the
former capital and main commercial city, which is home to several Muslim
neighbourhoods.
In Meiktila an estimated 30 per cent of the population is Muslim,
including many who came from China decades ago as merchants. Others
hail from Bangladesh, although the majority came from India during British
colonial rule.
Whatever their heritage, Muslims are widely considered as foreigners,
said Alexandra de Marsan, an anthropologist with the Paris-based National
Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations.
‘There have been very few conversions” to Islam in Myanmar, she
explained. ‘Most Muslims are descendants of foreigners from India or other
countries.’
The recent violence triggered international alarm and brought calls for
Thein Sein’s government to take swift action to quell the bloodshed.
Rights groups have also accused police of failing to stop the violence,
which has calmed since the former general appeared on national television
on March 28 and vowed a tough response against those behind the attacks.
Even so in cities such as Yangon – which has so far remained largely
peaceful – Muslims are still living in fear. A fire that killed 13 teenagers at a
Muslim school in early April added to the tensions, although the authorities
insisted the blaze was accidental.

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 ‘Everyone is scared, even me’, said Kyaw Nyein. ‘Every night there
are rumours. We are under pressure.’ (Didier Lauras for AFP, printed in
TheNation 15th April)
Ethnic cleansing of Muslims: ‘For long the world community,
Islamic organizations and human rights bodies have been watching the worst
example of state terrorism unleashed against the innocent Rohingyan
Muslims. Not one step has been taken to stop the ruthless killing of hundreds
of Muslims and burning of their mosques, houses and business places.
Buddhist monks are on the rampage unchecked. The Myanmar government
is watching this crime against humanity from the sidelines. Nobel Laureate
Aug San Suu Kyi is conspicuously silent, only once saying that she felt sad
at the reported incidents. In fact, the government is itself sponsoring this
inhuman ethnic cleansing. Witnesses say government functionaries, security
forces, community leaders and monks instigate local population to conduct
coordinated raids on Muslim villages.
According to New York-based Human Rights Watch, these Muslims
living in Myanmar for centuries have been forced to live under inhuman
conditions. Its Deputy Asia Director Phil Robertson has released a report
containing details of crimes committed by the government and its security
forces to coincide with the lifting of all remaining sanctions by the EU,
except the arms embargo. In Robertson’s view the EU move was premature
and unfortunate and would diminish its leverage with the criminal Myanmar
regime. More than 125,000 Muslims have been forcibly displaced, denied
access to humanitarian aid and are unable to return home. The government
only admits that 211 Rohingyan have been killed but HRW believes the
figure is much higher. The plight of the Rohingyan Muslims is not restricted
to Myanmar. Bangladesh and some other countries are treating them as
second class citizens also. First, they are refused entry and secondly, they are
forced to live in camps away from the populated areas where they remain
deprived of even food. A large number of Rohingyans who have migrated to
Karachi have formed an association which is being supported by the
Jama’at-i-Islami and are appealing to the world conscience for help.’
(Editorial, TheNation 24th April)
Bangladesh
Bangladesh on the brink: ‘The Awami League-led government
created the War Crimes Tribunal in 2010, basing it loosely on tribunals like
Nuremberg. The government rejected suggestions from the international
community of the necessity for transparency, strict adherence to legal

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precedent and involvement of unbiased outsiders. The government wrote its
own rules. Charges were brought against 11 suspects out of an estimated
total of 1,600. Each defendant held leadership roles in the opposition party
Jamaat-e-Islami. In the history of Bangladesh, elected governments have
rotated between Awami and BNP led coalitions. Historically, each time BNP
held power, its majority relied on a Jamaat coalition seat. Without its votes,
the BNP is unlikely to regain power.
Early procedural actions by the tribunal raised concerns among
bodies, including the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. Foreign
lawyers, including myself, were prohibited from participating in the defence
team, prosecutors were given great latitude and defence lawyers limited in
the ability to cross-examine and present evidence.
Last year, a series of tapes and emails surfaced that seemed to suggest
collusion between the chief judge of the tribunal, the prosecutors, outside
pro-government consultants and indications of direct instructions from the
cabinet for quick convictions and death sentences.
The evidence seemed to confirm the international community’s
concerns and led to the resignation of the judge. But his replacement stuck to
the original playbook and the convictions are now coming down.
Demonstrations followed the first conviction, with pro-government
mobs demanding the tribunal forego appeals and move straight to the
gallows. A second conviction with a life imprisonment sentence roused the
mobs and demonstrations turned to riots. But with the recent conviction of
Jamaat leader Maulana Delwar Hossain Sayedee, the country is exploding.
And, while there are indications the police took a policy of turning a blind
eye toward pro-government rioters, they now seem to have lost control.
As someone who prosecuted war crimes in Bosnia, I understand the
need for justice. However, I do not believe that there can be justice under the
current tribunal, which is at best suspect, at worst a tool of a government
looking to execute politicians for electoral gain.
What is required now is immediate and effective action to ensure that
the trials of the accused before the tribunal are suspended pending an
independent, international investigation into the serious allegations of gross
misconduct against members of the tribunal, including judges and
prosecutors, as well as senior members of the Bangladeshi government and
undeclared third parties. It is unclear what steps, punitive or otherwise, the
UN Human Rights Council will take in Geneva over the coming weeks. It
will also be deliberating on Syria, Burma and Sri Lanka. Arguably, two

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weeks ago, Bangladesh paled in comparison to these, but the events of the
past several days paints an entirely different picture.
Bangladesh is descending into sectarian conflict every bit as serious as
its competitors for attention and has now matured into a fully-grown
problem for the UN. Failure to find a resolution could see the country
descend into civil war.’ (Toby M. Cadman for CNN, reprinted in TheNation
9th April)
Sri Lanka
Tears of Muslims in divided Sri Lanka: ‘The undercurrent of racial
tensions sweeping through Sri Lanka is gaining momentum. Unchecked and
unrestrained by a government appearing to give in to their divisive demands,
the terrorist Buddhist group, the Bodu Bala Sena (Buddhist Power Force), is
threatening to turn the island into a bloody battlefield.
The Muslims targeted by this fanatical element are not the only
minority being subjected to acts of violence. Christians on the island are also
under attack.
The authorities are turning a blind eye and the mainstream media
chooses to ignore this rising peril. Recently, two churches were attacked by
the radical elements of the BBS, and two others forced to shut down due to
pressure from these fanatics.
On March 9 in Batticaloa, BBS rogues burned down a church in the
middle of the night. On March 17, a mob led by Buddhist monks barged into
the Brethren Church in Agalawatte and threatened them into stopping the
services.
On the same day, in another part of the country, four monks along
with a cameraman went to the Margaya Fellowship Church at Sevanapitiya
in Polonnaruwa. They accused the pastor of converting Buddhists and
ordered him to shut down the ministry. The police arrived not long after and
‘advised’ the pastor to pay heed to their demands…
The government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa is playing a
dangerous game by not forcefully putting an end to this tide of racial
tensions. Sri Lanka is becoming an unsafe place to visit for business or
pleasure as any moment now, the island could become engulfed in another
chapter of bloody racial violence. Arab and Muslim countries must take
decisive measures for the protection of all of the island’s minorities from
these radical elements. It is increasingly apparent that the Sri Lankan

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government is unwilling to do so.’ (Tariq A al-Maeena for Gulf News,
reprinted in TheNation 14th April)
DPRK
US is rogue state in Iran, Korea nuclear standoff: ‘By coincidence,
two clashes over nuclear issues are hitting the headlines together. North
Korea and Iran have both had sanctions imposed by foreign governments
and when they refuse to ‘behave properly’, they are subjected to ‘isolation’
and put in the corner until they are ready to say sorry and change their
conduct. If not, corporal punishment will be administered, since they have
been given fair warning by the enforcers that ‘all options are on the table’.
It is a bizarre way to run international relations – one that we continue
to follow at our peril. For one thing, it is riddled with hypocrisy and not just
because states that have hundreds of nuclear weapons are bullying states that
have few or none.
The hypocrisy is worse than that. If it is offensive for North Korea to
talk of launching a nuclear strike at the US (a threat that is empty because
the country has no system to deliver the few nuclear weapons that it has),
how is it less offensive for the US to warn Iran that it will be bombed if it
fails to stop its nuclear research?
Both states will be resorting to force when dialogue is a long way from
being exhausted.
They will also be acting against international law. That is patently clear
if North Korea ever manages to launch a nuclear strike against South Korea
or the US, but the same is true of an altogether more feasible attack on Iran.
There is no conceivable scenario under which the United Nations
Security Council will authorize the US, let alone Israel, to take military
action, even if Iran is to tear up its long-standing statement, that nuclear
bombs are un-Islamic, and produce one. So why does Washington go on
with its illegal threats?
The underlying cause of most international tension is the unwillingness
of powerful states to recognize that we live in a multipolar world. The idea
of hegemony, often sanitized as ‘leadership’, is unacceptable.
In a post-colonial era, there are multiple centres of authority,
international influence and soft power and we should rejoice when new or
old states, individually or collectively, have the courage and ability to
challenge another state’s ambition to be a superpower. States will always

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make common cause or ‘coalitions of the willing’ on specific issues, but
interests fluctuate and priorities change – and we should junk the cold war-
style system of military alliances and ideological or sectarian camps.’
(Jonathan Steele for Gulf News, reprinted in TheNation 11th April)
Israel
‘Around us the storm is raging...’: ‘Around us the storm is raging.
But our head will not be bowed…we sang when we were young, before the
State of Israel was born. On the eve of Israel’s 65 th birthday, this coming
Monday, we could sing this rousing song again. And not just out of
nostalgia.
Around us, many storms are raging. In Syria, a terrible civil war is
tearing the country apart. In Egypt, after the victory of the Arab Spring, the
country is still in turmoil. The Lebanese state is still unable to impose its
authority on the various armed sects, and the same is true for Iraq. Iran is
busy advancing its nuclear program, all the while muttering dark threats.
Israel sees itself as an island in the stormy sea, threatened on all sides,
ready for the tsunami to hit any minute. There is something ironic about all
this.
The Zionist adventure started with the promise to create a safe haven
for the Jews, after centuries of helplessness. Indeed, stripped of all
ideological decorations, that was the central theme of the endeavour.
Everywhere, Jews were defenceless, dependent on the mercies of others.
Here, in a state of our own, we would be able to defend ourselves, head
unbowed.
In other words, for ages we were the object of history, now we were
taking our destiny in our own hands, an actor on the stage of history, a
nation among the nations. Before that, Jews were some kind of ethnic-
religious entity. With Zionism, the Jews - or a part of them - constituted
themselves as a modern nation, able to defend itself against any enemy.
In this sense, Zionism was indeed a roaring success. Its creation, the
State of Israel, is now strong and secure. Or is it? Listening to many of our
leaders, the opposite seems to be true.
Years ago, Professor Yeshayahu Leibowitz, the caustic critic of the
Zionist establishment, famously asserted that Israel was the only place in the
world where the lives of Jews were in mortal danger. As it turned out, that
was not entirely exact.

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 A few days ago, on Holocaust Day, our Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, declared that we are threatened by a second Holocaust,
perpetrated by a nuclear-armed Iran. The next day, a group of international
hackers, animated by pro-Palestinian sentiments, declared a cyber-war on
Israel…
No one who has been in Israel on Holocaust Day can have the
slightest doubt about the huge impact that the Holocaust continues to have
on our minds. Most of us (myself included) have relatives who perished in
the Shoah. The profound sense of victimhood, the fears and apprehensions
are deeply ingrained in us. It would be almost impossible to eradicate them
in a few years.
Yet we must overcome them, because they have no relation with
current reality and prevent us from rational behaviour. The Arab Spring has
at least temporarily removed several military menaces. That is true also for
the real or imagined nuclear threat from Iran. No Iranian leader would ever
risk the total destruction of his country, with its thousands of years of
civilization, in order to destroy poor us.
But a strong military is only one component of security. There are
many others.
In 65 years we have built a solid and strong economy, more resilient
than much bigger and stronger economies around the world. In several areas,
such as high-tech, science, medicine, agriculture and the arts, we belong to
the premier world league. Israel’s intimate relations with the No. 1 world
power seem safe for a long time to come and of huge advantage in many
fields, even given the gradual decline of US power.
The only real dangers facing Israel come from within. Mad policies,
the continued occupation, the permanent war, the encroachment of
fundamentalist religion – these are the real causes for worry.
I am pointing this out not in order to inflame a sense of triumphalism,
but on the contrary. In Israel, it is the Right which thrives on fear and
constantly invents new threats, in order to deny peace and promote a sense
of ‘the whole world against us.’ They depict our state as just another
beleaguered ghetto, facing a perpetual danger of annihilation.
The Israeli peace camp must resolutely stand up against this
worldview. Israel is strong, and because it is strong it can take risks, make
peace with the Palestinian people and the entire Arab and Muslim world.’
(Uri Avnery for Arab News, reprinted in TheNation 14th April)

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Syria
Syria: Working out a compromise formula: Most objective
observers of the Syrian conflict now realize that neither President Bashar Al
Assad nor his enemies can hope to win an outright victory. By continuing to
fight, they are simply exhausting themselves and ruining their country. The
war has torn Syria apart, caused vast loss of life, displaced a large part of its
population, inflicted great physical damage and even threatened the
country’s future as a state within recognized borders.
President Al Assad’s enemies have seized control of large parts of the
north and east of the country, as well as of several border crossings with
Turkey. About half of Aleppo – the country’s second city – is in rebel hands.
However, the regime is fighting back and has recently scored some
successes, although at great cost to the civilian population.
Well over a million panic-stricken Syrians have fled the country and
taken refuge in Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and even further afield – in Egypt.
The number is increasing by the day. Another ten million people – about 40
per cent of Syria’s population – survive as best they can in rebel-controlled
territory. Most rebel fighters remain encamped in their home areas, which
they hope to defend against regime troops. However, as they lack anti-
aircraft weapons, they are unable to protect their civilian populations from
bombardment by government planes.
Created when Britain and France divided the Middle East between
them after the First World War, the Syrian republic is now in danger of
falling apart… Do the western powers, and also Turkey, Saudi Arabia and
some Gulf States; have the will to overthrow Al Assad? There is beginning
to be some hesitation in helping the opposition destroy the Syrian regime if
it means putting al-Qaeda in power in its place. It is clearly in no country’s
interest – whether in the East or the West – for this violent movement to
entrench itself in Syria and further destabilize an important but already
fragile region.
Appalled by the widespread turmoil, many Syrians are anxious to
spare their country further destruction. One organization which, from the
very start, refused to take part in armed conflict and which has pressed for
negotiations with the regime without preconditions is the so-called National
Coordination Committee for Democratic Change. Its main spokesman,
Haytham Manna, has, from the beginning, opposed foreign intervention in
Syria. He has repeatedly appealed for a negotiated solution to the Syrian
war. He has bitterly opposed the recent decision taken in Istanbul to form a

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Syrian government in exile, as well as the move, driven by Qatar, to give
Syria’s seat in the Arab League to the opposition. For long, Manna was
virtually ignored. However, as casualties have mounted in Syria and as a
cruel stalemate seems to be taking hold, the National Coordination
Committee has gained ground and is at last beginning to be heard.
It is surely time for Syrians to unite to save their country from further
senseless destruction.’ (Patrick Seale for Gulf News, reprinted in TheNation
27th April)
America
Supreme emergency at Guantanamo Bay: ‘Since its inception in
February, a hunger strike has gained momentum in the US detention facility
at Guantanamo Bay, now involving between 40 and 130 prisoners, out of a
population of 166. Only three detainees have ever been convicted of any
crime. In fact, more than half of the detainees have been cleared for release,
yet they remain in chains.
As the New York Times pointed out: ‘The numbers matter less than
the nature of the protests, however: this is a collective act of despair.’ The
condition of these desperate men, most of whom were held for years without
trial under the George W Bush administration, was once described by the
Italian political philosopher, Giorgio Agamben as ‘homo sacer’: creatures
legally dead while biologically still alive. Subject only to raw power, they
have no legal existence.
The existential absurdity of Guantanamo, as well as its attendant
moral calamity, is well illustrated by the force-feeding of at least 11
protesters. The US authorities have met a pacific political commentary on a
crisis of being with the default policy of raw power. Yet the attempt to
coerce the human spirit through its bodily vessel cannot be an adequate
response to the enormous legal, political and moral challenges thrown up by
the fact of Guantanamo.
It is widely recognized, even in the US media, that the extralegal
detention of Muslims has become an important resource for extremist
recruiters, as well as a source of America's diminished moral standing in the
world. Osama bin Laden was quick off the mark, arguing in 2002 that ‘what
happens in Guantanamo is a historical embarrassment to America and its
values, and it screams in your hypocritical faces: what is the value of your
signature on any agreement or treaty?" Just a few days ago, Kuwaiti
politician Mohammed Hayef al-Mutairi suggested that Kuwaitis might

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consider abducting two American soldiers to force the US government to
release two Kuwaiti detainees who have languished at Guantanamo for over
a decade.
Beyond the issue of indefinite detention, since its establishment by
George W Bush in 2002, Guantanamo Bay has been associated with the
abrogation of the Geneva Conventions as well as aggressive interrogation
practices. The Bush administration offered a number of defences for
Guantanamo Bay, but, not without irony, its over-arching argument rested
on the idea that the US was acting to defend civilization itself…
Certainly, the stakes in Bush's ‘war on terror’ were said to be
existential. America's triumph was depicted as imperative for civilization.
The aim was to rid the world of evil-doers, in a battle between good and evil.
Explicit comparisons were made between al-Qaeda and the Nazis
(Wolfowitz, July 10, 2004; Bush, August 30, 2005). The US was justified in
its policies, because it was ‘the greatest force for good on this earth’ (Bush,
September 2, 2004).
The doctrine of ‘supreme emergency’ is highly controversial among
moral philosophers and just war theorists. According to Alex Bellamy,
supreme emergency makes fundamental rights conditional. It turns universal
human rights into privileges, conferred by the opposing party so long as
such rights are not inconvenient to their victory.
However, even if appeals to supreme emergency could be valid in
exceptional cases, it was never clear that al-Qaeda posed an existential threat
to the US. Brian Orend pointed out that the US was a hyper-power whose
military defeat was not close or imminent. The threat in a supreme
emergency must imply genocide or the destruction of an entire civilizational
structure, yet the danger from al-Qaeda never came close to that qualitative
severity.
President Obama has, of course, attempted to break with these
illegitimate arguments and this dark past. Shortly after taking office in 2009,
he deemed Common Article 3 applicable to all persons in US custody,
anywhere in the world, and signed an executive order to close Guantanamo
Bay. His efforts to that end have been repeatedly blocked by Congress,
making it ‘nearly impossible to transfer captives anywhere’. Some Senators,
too, have sought to expand the government's authority to detain indefinitely
without charge, and to short-circuit other legal procedures.

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 Obama has his work cut out for him, on this and other issues, but
Guantanamo must become a priority because it speaks to our own crisis of
being.
Guantanamo was established in the name of civilization. The Bush
administration claimed it was the custodian of civilization against the forces
of barbarism; its spurious arguments maintained that we were allowed to
break civilized rules because we are the good guys defending civilization.
Just as the closure of Guantanamo will set free 166 souls from the cruelty of
this irony, so will it liberate the US from the strains of moral hypocrisy, and
enable us to lay claim to being civilized once more.’ (Alia Brahimi for
Aljazeera, reprinted in TheNation 19th April)
Dirty secrets of the ‘war on terror: ‘More than four years after
Barack Obama pledged to close the US internment camp at Guantanamo,
over half of its 166 inmates are on hunger strike – 16 are being violently
force fed and soldiers last week used rubber bullets against ‘noncompliant’
prisoners. Guantanamo, along with Abu Ghraib, long ago became a symbol
of the lawless brutality of George W. Bush’s ‘war on terror’.
Set up on US-occupied Cuban territory, it was filled with supposed
“enemy combatants” seized in post-invasion Afghanistan, the vast majority
of whom were then held without charge or trial, brutalized and tortured. All
that was supposed to have come to an end after Obama’s election. However,
instead of shutting this monstrosity, the camp is being rebuilt. Congress has
played a central role in keeping Guantanamo open, but the president only
tried to move it to Illinois, not end the scandal of indefinite detention
without trial. And he has personally blocked the release of dozens of
prisoners, even when they have been cleared.
That is at the heart of why the detainees are striking. Among them is
Shaker Aamer, a Saudi-born British resident held without charge for 11
years, much of it in solitary confinement. As with half of the rest of the
prisoners, the US authorities now accept that there is no case against him
and he was cleared for release six years ago…
The scale of torture, kidnapping and detention without trial unleashed
by the US government after 9/11 is, as the US Constitution Project report
found last week, was ‘indisputable’. At least 54 states, including Britain and
24 others in Europe, took part in the CIA’s secret ‘extraordinary rendition’
programme, it has now emerged. And British forces have carried out plenty
of beatings and torture in Afghanistan and Iraq themselves, either on their

343
own or in cahoots with US and local forces, as multiple reports and inquiries
have made clear.
It is hardly surprising in the wake of such a saga that western claims
to be the champions of human rights and humanitarian intervention are
treated with derision across much of the world. However, as its dirty secrets
are seeping out, the ‘war on terror’ itself has already mutated.
Obama has not closed Guantanamo or held those who authorized
these barbarities to account, but US torture camps and boots on the ground
are on the way out. Their place has been taken by air and proxy campaigns,
such as in Libya and Syria, and drone wars that have killed thousands in
Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia.
We do not yet know the motivations of the two men accused of
carrying out the Boston bombings, which killed three people and seriously
injured many more. But we do know that 61 were killed the same day in
bomb attacks in Iraq that were blamed on al-Qaeda, brought to the country
by the US-British invasion. And 16 were killed in Pakistan the following
day in a suicide attack claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, which mushroomed
as a result of the invasion of Afghanistan.
What is certain is that so long as the US and its allies intervene,
occupy and wage war across the Arab and Muslim world, such outrages will
continue. It has the logic of a ‘war of terror’ without end.’ (Seumas Milne
for Gulf News, reprinted in TheNation 26th April)

REVIEW
The Myanmar rulers were requested by OIC to allow a visit of its
delegation to coordinate with Rohingya Muslims for supply of humanitarian
aid. The response of Yangoon was not reported in the media, but it came in
the form of a court verdict wherein a Muslim couple and their employee
were sentenced for 14 years imprisonment on charges of having an argument
with a customer that had turned violent.
The treatment meted out to Rohingya in not much worse than how the
Muslim minorities are treated elsewhere around the globe. Muslims are
looked upon disdainfully everywhere since waging of the holy war by the
US; however, the ironic difference in case of Myanmar is that they are being
killed by Buddhist monks, who avoid killing even a moth.

344
 But are the Muslims in their own countries safe? The answer is Big
No. They under the rule of their own Muslim brothers are no better than
those in minorities in non-Muslim states. In Myanmar, the massacre of
Muslims happened only occasionally, but in Iraq it is a daily ritual and so is
the case in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and so on.
Iraq has been on auto-slaughter mode and efforts are now ‘in hand’ to
place Syria on the same mode. These are not the hidden hands but
conspicuously visible hands of anti-Islam powers of the West which are
‘ably’ aided by their touts ruling the Islamic world. In Iraq, Shias were used
for toppling a Sunni ruler and in Syria; Sunnis are being used to overthrow
Alawite Shia ruler. Sunni ‘rebels’ are supported by the West, Turkey and
Arab rulers. Shia ruler has the support of Iran and Hezbollah. Third factor of
al-Qaeda has also become a force to be reckoned with.
The emergence of al-Qaeda-backed Al-Nusra Front, projected as
‘wrong hands’, has not caused so much worries to the West as hyped by its
media. In fact, it suits their long-term plan in two ways. Presence of al-
Qaeda would ensure lingering of the bloodshed even after toppling of
present regime. Post-Assad era would see the bloodletting between
‘enlightened’ Sunni rebels and ‘fascist’ Sunnis of al-Qaeda.
Secondly, the presence of Al-Nusra Front provides a ready-made
pretext for foreign intervention. Israel and Hezbollah have already
intervened and they could do it more openly in future. The US too has
placed a nucleus command structure of 200 Americans in Jordan in addition
to deployment of Patriot missiles in Turkey. All is set for direct intervention
if so needed.
28th April, 2013

345
 APPLY TO DISCERN
PART THREE
This part contains three chapters of Zarb-e-Kalim, the last book
published in lifetime of Allamah Iqbal. These chapters pertain to the subjects
of woman; literature and fine arts and the last about politics – East and West.
However, in addition to the chapter about woman a quatrain from
Armaghan-i-Hijaz is included. All poems are translated into English by Syed
Akbar Ali Shah, except where indicated otherwise.
In the introductory note about the chapter about woman the translator
wrote that the poems of Akbar Allahabadi ‘about the fair sex are humorous,
though reformative, whereas the poems of Iqbal on the 'Fair Sex' are
composed in a very serious vein. He pays the highest tribute to the 'Fair Sex'
and adds that though a woman is unable to declaim or write philosophic
discourses, yet she is the procreator of all Prophets and eminent persons. He
is of opinion that procreation is her first and foremost duty and the
acquisition of knowledge, religious as well as worldly, is essential for her as
for men.’

THE FRANKISH MAN

Allamah Iqbal starts with an observation that the men of the West
have failed to understand the respect and the position a woman deserves in
the society.
Mard-e-Farang ‫مرد فرنگ‬
 ‫ہزار‬ ‫بار حکيموں نے اس کو سلجھايا‬
‫مگر‬ ‫يہ مسئلہ زن رہا وہيں کا وہيں‬
Hazar baar hakim’on ney iss ko soljhaya; magar yeh mas’alah-e-zun raha
waheen ka waheen.
To solve this riddle thinkers have much tried, their efforts all so far it has
defied. 
‫قصور‬ ‫زن کا نہيں ہے کچھ اس خرابي ميں‬
‫گواہ‬ ‫اس کي شرافت پہ ہيں مہ و پرويں‬
Qasoor zun ka naheen hai kochh iss kharabi mein; gawah oss ki sharaft peh
hein meh-o-parv’in.

346
No doubt, to woman's faith and conduct clear, the Pleiades and moon do
witness bear. 
‫فساد‬ ‫کا ہے فرنگي معاشرت ميں ظہور‬
‫کہ‬ ‫مرد سادہ ہے بيچارہ زن شناس نہيں‬
Fasaad ka hai Farangi ma’ashrat mein zahoor; keh mard sadah hai
baicharah zun shanas naheen.
This vice in Frankish way of life we find, men fools and blind, can't read a
woman's mind.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

QUESTION
Eik Sawal ‫ايک سوال‬
‫کوئي‬ ‫پوچھے حکيم يورپ سے‬
‫ہند‬ ‫و يوناں ہيں جس کے حلقہ بگوش‬
‫کيا‬ ‫يہي ہے معاشرت کا کمال‬
‫بے کار و زن تہي آغوش مرد‬
Koeyi pochhey hakim-e-Europe sey; Hind-o-Yuon’an hein jiss kay halqah
bagosh.
Kaya yehi hai ma’ashrat ka kamal; mard bikaar O zun tehi aghosh.
Let some one ask this question from the wise of West, whom Greece and
India, as their guide and master hold:
Is it the highest social mode by them evolved, the males unemployed, fair
sex to procreation cold? (Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

VEIL
Pardah ‫پردہ‬
‫بہت‬ ‫رنگ بدلے سپہر بريں نے‬
‫خدايا‬ ‫ وہيں ہے‬، ‫يہ دنيا جہاں تھي‬
Bohat rung badlay sapehr-e-barein ney; Khodaya yeh dunya jah’an thhi,
waheen hai. (Sepahr-e-barein: Asman.)

347
Great change the lofty spheres have met, O God! The world his not budged
as yet. 
‫تفاوت‬ ‫نہ ديکھا زن و شو ميں ميں نے‬
‫وہ‬ ‫ يہ خلوت نشيں ہے‬، ‫خلوت نشيں ہے‬
Tafawat nah deikhha zun-o-shou mein mien ney; woh khalwat nash’in hai,
yeh khalwat nash’in hai.
(Tafawat: Farq. Zun-o-shou: Biwi aur shohar.)
In man and wife is no contrast, they like seclusion and hold it fast. 
‫ابھي‬ ‫تک ہے پردے ميں اوالد آدم‬
‫کسي‬ ‫کي خودي آشکارا نہيں ہے‬
Abhi takk hai parday mein aulad-e-Adam; kissi ki khodi aashkara naheen
hai. (Aashkara: Zahar.)
The sons of Adam still wear the mask, but self hasn't peeped out of the
casque.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

SOLITUDE
Khalwat ‫خلوت‬
‫رسوا‬ ‫کيا اس دور کو جلوت کي ہوس نے‬
‫روشن‬ ‫ آئنہ دل ہے مکدر‬، ‫ہے نگہ‬
Roswa kaya iss dour ko jalwat ki hawus ney; roshan hai nigah, a’einah-e-dil
hai makdar. (Makdar: Maila.)
Much greed for show and fame has put this age to shame: The glance is
bright and clear, heart's mirror, but is blear.
‫بڑھ‬ ‫جاتا ہے جب ذوق نظر اپني حدوں سے‬
‫ہو‬ ‫جاتے ہيں افکار پراگندہ و ابتر‬
Barrh jata hai jabb zouq-e-nazar apni hud’on sey; ho jaatey hein afkaar
pragandah-o-abtar. (Pragandah-o-abtar: Parishan aur montashir.)
When zeal and zest for sight exceed their greatest height, thoughts soar to
highest point and soon are out of joint.

348
 ‫آغوش‬ ‫صدف جس کے نصيبوں ميں نہيں ہے‬
‫وہ‬ ‫قطرہ نيساں کبھي بنتا نہيں گوہر‬
Aghosh-e-sadaf jiss kay nasib’on mein naheen hai; woh qatrah-e-neis’an
kabhi banta naheen gohar.
(Qatrah-e-neis’an: Mosam-e-bahar ki barish ka qatrah.)
That vernal drop of rain the state of pearl can't gain, if destined not to
dwell, in lap of mother shell.
‫خلوت‬ ‫ و ليکن‬، ‫ميں خودي ہوتي ہے خودگير‬
‫خلوت‬ ‫نہيں اب دير و حرم ميں بھي ميسر‬
Khalwat mein khodi hoti hai khodgir, w’laikan; khalwat naheen abb Deir-o-
Haram mein bhi mayassar.
Retreat is blessed state 'bout Self gives knowledge-great Alas! This state
divine, isn't found in fane or shrine.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

WOMAN
Aurat ‫عورت‬
‫وجود‬ ‫زن سے ہے تصوير کائنات ميں رنگ‬
‫اسي‬ ‫کے ساز سے ہے زندگي کا سوز دروں‬
Wajood-e-zun sey hai taswir-e-kainat mein rung; issi kay saaz sey hai
zindagi ka soz-e-dar’on.
The picture that this world presents from woman gets its tints and
scents'; she is the lyre that can impart pathos and warmth to human heart.
‫شرف‬ ‫ميں بڑھ کے ثريا سے مشت خاک اس کي‬
‫کہ‬ ‫ہر شرف ہے اسي درج کا در مکنوں‬
Sharaf mein barrh kay suriya sey mosht-e-khak issi ki; keh sharaf hai issi
darj ka durr-e-makn’on.
(Darj: Dubba. Makn’on: Poshidah, chhopa ho’a.)
Her handful clay is superior far to Pleiades that so higher are for every man
with knowledge vast, like gem out of her cask is cast.

349
 Ð‫مکالمات‬ ‫ ليکن‬، ‫فالطوں نہ لکھ سکي‬
‫اسي‬ ‫کے شعلے سے ٹوٹا شرار افالطوں‬
Mokalmat-e-Aflatoon nah likhh sakki, laikan issi kay sho’aley sey toota
sharar-e-Aflatoon.
Like Plato cannot hold discourse, nor can with thunderous voice declaim but
Plato was a spark that broke from her fire that blazed like flame.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

EMANCIPATION OF WOMEN
Azadi-e-Nisw’an ‫آزادي نسواں‬
‫اس‬ ‫بحث کا کچھ فيصلہ ميں کر نہيں سکتا‬
‫گو‬ ‫ وہ قند‬، ‫خوب سمجھتا ہوں کہ يہ زہر ہے‬
Iss behus ka kochh faisalah mien kar naheen sakta; go khoob samajhta h’on
keh yeh zehar hai, woh qund. (Qund: Mitthi cheez.)
I know quite well that one despoils, while other is like candy sweet; I can
not give a verdict true, which needs of quest can fully meet.
‫کيا‬ ‫ کچھ کہہ کے بنوں اور بھي معتوب‬، ‫فائدہ‬
‫پہلے‬ ‫ہي خفا مجھ سے ہيں تہذيب کے فرزند‬
Kaya fa’idah, kochh keh kay ban’on aur bhi ma’atoob; pehlay he khafa
mojh sey hein tehzeeb kay farzand.
(Ma’atoob: Narazi ka nishanah.)
I like to make no more remark and earn the wrath of present age; already the
sons of modern cult 'gainst me are full of ire and rage.
‫اس‬ ‫راز کو عورت کي بصيرت ہي کرے فاش‬
‫مجبور‬ ‫ مردان خرد مند‬، ‫ معذور ہيں‬، ‫ہيں‬
Iss raaz ko aurat ki basirat he karey faash; majboor hein, ma’azoor hein,
mardan-e-khirdmand.
The insight owned by woman can this subtle point with ease reveal;
constrained and helpless, wise and sage with knotty point they can not deal.

350
 ‫کيا‬ ‫چيز ہے آرائش و قيمت ميں زيادہ‬
‫آزادي‬ ‫نسواں کہ زمرد کا گلوبند‬
Kaya cheez hai ara’ish-o-qimat mein ziyadah; azadi-e-nisw’an keh zamorad
ka goloband.
It is an uphill task to judge what is more precious lends much grace;
emancipation for fair sex or aught or emerald-wrought superb neck-lace.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

PROTECTION OF THE WEAKER VESSEL

Aurat ki Hifazat   ‫عورت کي حفاظت‬
‫اک‬ ‫زندہ حقيقت مرے سينے ميں ہے مستور‬
‫کيا‬ ‫سمجھے گا وہ جس کي رگوں ميں ہے لہو سرد‬
Ekk zindah haqiqat merey seiney mein hai mastoor; kaya samjhey ga woh
jiss ki rug’on mein hai lahoo sard.
(Mastoor: Chhopi hoeyi.)
A fact alive is in my breast concealed, he can behold whose blood is not
congealed. 
‫نے‬ ‫ نئي ہو کہ پراني‬، ‫ نہ تعليم‬، ‫پردہ‬
‫نسوانيت‬ ‫زن کا نگہباں ہے فقط مرد‬
Ney pardah, nah ta’alim, naeyi ho keh porani; niswaniyat-e-zun ka
nigahban hai faqat mard.
To wear a veil and learn new lore or old can't guard fair sex except a person
bold.
‫جس‬ ‫قوم نے اس زندہ حقيقت کو نہ پايا‬
‫اس‬ ‫قوم کا خورشيد بہت جلد ہوا زرد‬
Jiss quom ney iss zindah haqiqat ko nah paya; iss quom ka khorshid bohat
jald ho’a zard.
A nation which can't see this truth divine, pale grows its son and soon begins
decline.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

351
EDUCATION AND WOMEN
Aurat aur Ta’alim ‫عورت اور تعليم‬
‫تہذيب‬ ‫فرنگي ہے اگر مرگ امومت‬
‫ہے‬ ‫حضرت انساں کے ليے اس کا ثمر موت‬
Tehzeeb-e-Farangi hai agar marg-e-amomat; hai hazrat-e-insan kay leay iss
ka samar mout. (Amomat: M’an hona.)
If Frankish culture blights the motherly urge, for human race it means a
funeral dirge.
‫جس‬ ‫علم کي تاثير سے زن ہوتي ہے نا زن‬
‫کہتے‬ ‫ہيں اسي علم کو ارباب نظر موت‬
Jiss ilm ki taseer sey zun hoti hai na-zun; kehtey hein issi ilm ko arbab-e-
nazar mout.
The lore that makes a woman lose her rank is naught, but death in eyes of
wise and frank.
‫بيگانہ‬ ‫رہے ديں سے اگر مدرسہ زن‬
‫ہے‬ ‫عشق و محبت کے ليے علم و ہنر موت‬
Biganah rehey Deen sey agar madrassah-e-zun; hai ishq-o-mohabat kay
leay ilm-o-honar mout.
If schools for girls no lore impart on creed, then lore and crafts for Love are
death indeed.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

WOMAN
‫عورت‬
‫جوہر‬ ‫مرد عياں ہوتا ہے بے منت غير‬
‫غير‬ ‫کے ہاتھ ميں ہے جوہرعورت کي نمود‬
Johar-e-mard ay’an hota hai bi-mannat-e-ghair; ghair kay haath mein hai
johar-e-aurat ki namood.
Man's worth is brought to light without aid from the rest, but woman's worth
depends on others at its best.

352
 ‫راز‬ ‫ہے اس کے تپ غم کا يہي نکتہ شوق‬
‫آتشيں‬ ‫لذت تخليق سے ہے اس کا وجود‬
Raaz hai iss tapp-e-ghum ka yehi noktah-e-shouq; atsh’in lazzat-e-takhliq
sey hai iss ka wajood.
Her pain and fret for breed this joyful fact proclaims that procreation is her
first and foremost aim.
‫کھلتے‬ ‫جاتے ہيں اسي آگ سے اسرار حيات‬
‫گرم‬ ‫اسي آگ سے ہے معرکہ بود و نبود‬
Khholtey jaatey hein issi aag sey asrar-e-hayat; garm issi aag sey hai
ma’arkah-e-bood-o-nabood.
(Ma’arkah-e-bood-o-nabood: Wajood aur adum ka maidan-e-jung, ya’ani
dunya.)
The self-same fire reveals hid secrets of this life; this fire keeps aflame life
and death's deadly strife.
‫ميں‬ ‫بھي مظلومي نسواں سے ہوں غم ناک بہت‬
‫نہيں‬ ‫ممکن مگر اس عقدہ مشکل کي کشود‬
Mien bhi muzloomu-e-nisw’an sey h’on ghum-naak bohat; naheen momkin
magar iss oqdah-e-moshkil ki kashood.
(Oqdah-e-moshkil ki kashood: Moshkil girah ko khholna.)
ki kashood The oppression of fair sex has cast me down a lot: I can not think
of means that can resolve this knot.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

QUATRAIN
*****(9)*****
This quatrain is from the book Armaghan-e-Hijaz.
‫تميز‬ ‫خار و گل سے آشکارا‬
‫نسيم‬ ‫صبح کي روشن ضميري‬
‫حفاظت‬ ‫پھول کي ممکن نہيں ہے‬
‫اگر‬ ‫کانٹے ميں ہو خوئے حريري‬
Tamiz-e-khaar-o-gul sey ashkara nasim-e-sobh ki roshan zamiri.

353
Hifazat phoolki momkin naheen hai; agar kantey mein ho khoo’ey hariri.
(Hariri: Raishami.)
From knowledge of thorns and buds which shoot, the conscience of breeze at
dawn is cute.
It is possible not to guard the blooms, if the thorns have got a silken broom.
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

The second chapter reproduced herein is from the book Zarb-e-Kalim

relates to literature and fine arts, but some of the poems of this chapter have
been included in earlier volumes. This was done, not for the reason that
those poems were out of place in this chapter, but to facilitate understanding
the points mentioned therein.
The poetical works are translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah, except
where indicated otherwise, who in introductory lines explained that when
Allamah Iqbal ‘started writing poetry seriously two theories of ‘Art’ were in
vogue… He opposes both these theories and prefers Functionalism.
According to him the main purpose of poetry is to enrich human life so that
man may successfully deal with the problems and impediments that crop up
in the course of life. According to him that ‘Art’ is true which fortifies the
Ego and the 'Art' that fails to do so is worthless. Music without the content
of volition, emotion and ideas is no better than dead fire.’
‘Plato and Aristotle both subscribed to the theory of Mimesis or
Imitation. Plato thought that ‘Art’ was twice removed from reality and hence
the poets were excluded from his ‘Republic’. He was of tile opinion that
poets told lies about the gods and the heroes and had a detrimental effect on
the morals of young men. Like Iqbal, Plato condemns drama altogether…
He agrees with Aristotle in approving poetry because creativeness is a divine
quality… For Iqbal ‘Art’ is not an imitation of Nature because nature blocks
the way of creativeness. He wishes that ‘Art’ should be freed from the
shackles of Nature...’
‘While rejecting the theory of Mimesis Iqbal seems inconsistent in his
own doctrine when he advocates the development of divine attributes in
human personality. He uses the word assimilation for this development.
Opposed to those who hold the view of ‘Art for Art's sake’ are the
Functionalists. They are divided into several groups and each group has its
own views. The followers or Aristotle say that the purpose of ‘Art’ is to

354
afford pleasure by the purgation (Catharsis) of pent up feelings. Iqbal does
not subscribe to this view of ‘Art’. He concedes the pleasure-giving qualities
of Persian (classical) poetry but denounces it.’
‘Iqbal belongs to the second group of Functionalists. This group is of
view that Social Reform is the chief aim of ‘Art’ and Plato is the source of
this type of Functionalism, which emphasizes that ‘Art’ must serve ethical
and instructional ends. Iqbal, though an avowed antagonist of Plato in his
metaphysics, is his disciple in the theory of ‘Art’. Poetry is meaningless
without reference to life, man and society. Poetry keeps the field of life
green and bestows everlasting life on humanity. The second aim of ‘Art’ is
the making of men. The artist must create a yearning in the hearts of men for
new ideals.’
‘The third aim of art according to Iqbal is social progress. The poet is
the ‘eye’ of the society. He sees the maladies or his community and
interprets them for the sake of reform… There is yet another important
aspect of Iqbal's theory of art, namely Expressionism. Iqbal’s contemporary,
Croce, has given a new interpretation to this theory, which has in fact its
origin in Plotinus…’
Akbar Ali Shah concluded: ‘He desires that ‘Art’ must reform and
instruct Society. If it fails to fulfill this end, it is worthless. The poet has no
sympathy for the art of dancing and feels that it leaves ‘the palate athirst’
and advises the Muslims to leave its twists and turns to the Franks. He
believes that the poet is the creative descendant of the Prophets, and is
expected to re-shape human societies and to save them from destruction.’

RELIGION AND CRAFTS

Religion and Crafts ‫دين و ہنر‬
‫سرود‬ ‫ کتاب و دين و ہنر‬، ‫و شعر و سياست‬
‫گہر‬ ‫ہيں ان کي گرہ ميں تمام يک دانہ‬
Sarood-o-she’ar-o-siyasat, kitab-o-Deen-o-hunar; gohar hein onn ki girah
mein tamam yakk-danah.
(Sarood: Mosiqi. Yakk-danah: Monfarid.)
Verse, music, rule, lore, creed and crafts enshrine, pearls sublime that with
lustre glow and shine.

355
 ‫ضمير‬ ‫بندہ خاکي سے ہے نمود ان کي‬
‫بلند‬ ‫تر ہے ستاروں سے ان کا کاشانہ‬
Zamir-e-bandah-e-khaki sey hai namood onn ki; boland-ter hai sitar’on sey
onn ka kashanah. (Kashanah: Rehney ki jagah.)
Out from the brain of clay-born man they race, far higher than the stars, their
dwelling place.
‫اگر‬ ‫خودي کي حفاظت کريں تو عين حيات‬
‫نہ‬ ‫کر سکيں تو سراپا فسون و افسانہ‬
Agar khodi ki hifazat karein tuo ain hayat; nah kar sakein tuo sarapa
fasoon-o-afsanah.
If they preserve the Self, life is ideal true, else life is tale or legend through
and through.
‫ہوئي‬ ‫ہے زير فلک امتوں کي رسوائي‬
‫خودي‬ ‫سے جب ادب و ديں ہوئے ہيں بيگانہ‬
Hoeyi hai zir-e-falak ummat’on ki roswaeyi; khodi sey jabb adab-o-Deen
ho’ay hein biganah.
When Faith and word with Self lose contact, then nation’s self-esteem can't
keep intact.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

CREATION
Takhliq ‫تخليق‬
‫جہان‬ ‫تازہ کي افکار تازہ سے ہے نمود‬
‫کہ‬ ‫سنگ و خشت سے ہوتے نہيں جہاں پيدا‬
Jahan-e-tazah ki afkaar-e-tazah sey hai namood; keh sung-o-khisht sey
hot’ay naheen jah’an paida.
(Sung-o-khisht: Pathar aur eint.)
New worlds derive their pomp from thoughts quite fresh and new from
stones and bricks a world was neither built nor grew.

356
 ‫خودي‬ ‫ميں ڈوبنے والوں کے عزم و ہمت نے‬
‫اس‬ ‫آبجو سے کيے بحر بے کراں پيدا‬
Khodi mein doobney wal’on kay azm-o-himmat ney; oss aabjoo sey ki’ay
behar-e-bikar’an paida.
The firm resolve of those, who depths of Self explore, transforms this stream
to sea that has no marge or shore.
‫وہي‬ ‫زمانے کي گردش پہ غالب آتا ہے‬
‫جو‬ ‫ہر نفس سے کرے عمر جاوداں پيدا‬
Wohi zamaney ki gardish peh ghalib ata hai; jo her nafas sey karey omar-e-
javid’an paida.
The follow same is lord of freaks of fate and strife, who with e'ery breath he
draws creates an eternal life.
‫خودي‬ ‫کي موت سے مشرق کي سر زمينوں ميں‬
‫ہوا‬ ‫نہ کوئي خدائي کا رازداں پيدا‬
Khodi ki mout sey Mashriq ki sarzamin’on mein; ho’a nah koeyi Khodaeyi
ka raazd’an paida.
The death of Self has made the lands of East effete, men who God's secrets
share in these realms are deplete.
‫ہوائے‬ ‫دشت سے بوئے رفاقت آتي ہے‬
‫عجب‬ ‫نہيں ہے کہ ہوں ميرے ہم عناں پيدا‬
Hawa’ey dasht sey boo’ey rafaqat aati hai; ajab naheen hai keh h’on
meyrey hum-an’an paida.
The air of waste gives out the smell of friendship deep, perhaps there may be
some who may my company keep. (Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

MADNESS
Jan’on ‫جنوں‬
‫زجاج‬ ‫گر کي دکاں شاعري و مالئي‬
‫ستم‬ ‫ خوار پھرے دشت و در ميں ديوانہ‬، ‫ہے‬
Zajaj-gar ki dok’an sha’eri-o-mullaeyi; sitam hai, khwar pherey dasht-o-der
mein devanah. (Zajaj-gar: Shishah bananey waley.)

357
Poets and priestly class denote and show the shops of those who blow the
glass, what pity! The mad frequents the wilds and lanes, to smash these
shops, this way he does not pass.
‫کسے‬ ‫خبر کہ جنوں ميں کمال اور بھي ہيں‬
‫کريں‬ ‫اگر اسے کوہ و کمر سے بيگانہ‬
Kissey khabar keh jan’on mein kamal aur bhi hein; karein agar ossey koh-o-
kamar sey biganah. (Koh-o-kamar: Paharr aur daman-e-paharr.)
Few know that madness can with case display a myriad crafts,
accomplishments and skill, provided one can completely wean it of the
wastes and deserts, from gorge and bill.
‫ہجوم‬ ‫مدرسہ بھي سازگار ہے اس کو‬
‫کہ‬ ‫اس کے واسطے الزم نہيں ہے ويرانہ‬
Hajoom-e-madrassah bhi saazgar hai iss ko; keh iss kay waastey lazam
naheen hai veranah.
The concourse as well as the air of school accord with it and tickle its sense
of joy as lonely site and haunt for him aren't must, at school he never feels
cast down or coy.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

TO HIS OWN VERSE

Apney She’ar sey ‫اپنے شعر سے‬
‫ہے‬ ‫گلہ مجھ کو تري لذت پيدائي کا‬
‫تو‬ ‫ہوا فاش تو ہيں اب مرے اسرار بھي فاش‬
‫شعلے‬ ‫سے ٹوٹ کے مثل شرر آوارہ نہ رہ‬
‫کسي سينہ پر سوز ميں خلوت کي تالش کر‬
Hai gillah mojh ko teri lazzat-e-paidaeyi ka; tou ho’a faash tuo hein abb
merey asrar bhi faash.
Sho’aley sey toot kay misl-e-sharar awarah nah reh; kar kissi seinah-e-
porsoz mein khalwat ki talash.
I have a plaint gainst you, my verse, in self-display you take much delight;
your coming forth from inmost heart, my secret all has brought to light.

358
Don't roam about without some end having broken from the parent flame; in
some breast which is full of warmth some niche for rest and shelter claim.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

PARIS MOSQUE
Paris ki Masjid ‫پيرس کي مسجد‬
 ‫مري‬ ‫نگاہ کمال ہنر کو کيا ديکھے‬
‫کہ‬ ‫حق سے يہ حرم مغربي ہے بيگانہ‬
Meri nigah kamal-e-honar ko kaya deikhhey; keh haq sey yeh Haram-e-
Maghribi hai biganah.
No height of art and craft I see, of truth this western mosque is free.
‫حرم‬ ‫ فرنگي کرشمہ بازوں نے‬، ‫نہيں ہے‬
‫تن‬ ‫حرم ميں چھپا دي ہے روح بت خانہ‬
Haram naheen hai, Farangi karishmah baaz’on ney; tun-e-Haram mein
chhopa di hai rooh-e-bott khanah.
It is no worship house divine, the Franks have idols hid in shrine.
‫يہ‬ ‫بت کدہ انھي غارت گروں کي ہے تعمير‬
‫دمشق‬ ‫ہاتھ سے جن کے ہوا ہے ويرانہ‬
Yeh bott kadah onnhi gharat-gar’on ki hai ta’amir; Damishq haath sey jinn
kay ho’a hai veranah.
The brigands same have built this fane by whom Syrians were ruined and
slain.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

LITERATURE
Adabiyat ‫ادبيات‬
‫عشق‬ ‫اب پيروي عقل خدا داد کرے‬
‫آبرو‬ ‫کوچہ جاناں ميں نہ برباد کرے‬
‫کہنہ‬ ‫پيکر ميں نئي روح کو آباد کرے‬
‫يا‬ ‫کہن روح کو تقليد سے آزاد کرے‬

359
Ishq abb pairvi-e-aql-e-Khoda-daad karey; aabroo kochah-e-jan’an mein
nah barbaad karey.
Kohnah paikar mein naeyi rooh ko abaad karey; ya kohan rooh ko taqlid
sey azad karey.
Now Love from mind must take the lead, by God bestowed on human race
to dear one's lane it must not go and bring with haste on head disgrace.
Love must infuse new soul in old poetic moulds and change their course, or
break the chains of antique soul, set it free from mimetic force.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

VISION
Nigah ‫نگاہ‬
‫بہار‬ ‫و قافلہ اللہ ہائے صحرائي‬
‫شباب‬ ‫و مستي و ذوق و سرود و رعنائي‬
Bahar-o-qaflah lalah-ha’ey sehraeyi; shabab-o-musti-o-zouq-o-sarood-o-
ra’anaeyi.
The spring has come with tulips wild; they seem like carvans on the move.
The youth, their charm and ecstatic joy of colossal worth and value prove.
‫اندھيري‬ ‫رات ميں يہ چشمکيں ستاروں کي‬
‫يہ‬ ‫ يہ فلک نيلگوں کي پہنائي‬، ‫بحر‬
Andhairi raat mein yeh chashmakein sitar’on ki; yeh behar, yeh falak-e-
neilg’on ki pehnaeyi. (Chashmakein sitar’on ki: Sitar’on ki jugmagahat.)
The sea that has no bound or marge, and azure sky that seems so high, when
pitch dark night has upper hand, they gleam and glint like stars in sky.
‫سفر‬ ‫عروس قمر کا عماري شب ميں‬
‫مہر و سکوت سپہر مينائي طلوع‬
Safar aroos-e-qamar ka ammari-e-shabb mein; talo’a-e-mehr-o-sakoot-e-
sepehr-e-meinaeyi. (Aroos-e-qamar: Chand ki dulhan. Ammari: Hathi ka
houdah, Oo’nt ka kajawah.)
How nice the bride-like moon appears, while touring sky in van of night at
morn, the sun presents a scene much grand in sky so blue and bright.

360
 ‫نگاہ‬ ‫ہو تو بہائے نظارہ کچھ بھي نہيں‬
‫کہ‬ ‫بيچتي نہيں فطرت جمال و زيبائي‬
 ‫رياض‬  ‫منزل(دولت کدئہ سرراس مسعود) بھوپال ميں لکھے گئے‬
Nigah ho tuo baha’ey nazarah kochh bhi naheen; keh baichti naheen fitrat
jamal-o-zaibaeyi.
(Riaz Manzil doulat kadah-e-Sir Rass Masood Bhopal mein likhhey ga’ey.)
One must have eyes to see these sights which vie with each in bloom and
grace; for Nature is not wont to sell the charm appearing on her face.
(Written in Riaz Manzil, Bhopal residence of Sir Rass Masood.)
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

THEATRE
Tiyatar ‫تياتر‬
‫تري‬ ‫خودي سے ہے روشن ترا حريم وجود‬
‫حيات‬ ‫ اسي کا سرور و سوز و ثبات‬، ‫کيا ہے‬
Teri khodi sey hai roshan tera harim-e-wajood; hayat kaya hai, ossi ka
saroor-o-soz-o-sabaat. (Tiyatar: Tamasha-gah, theater.)
Your being's sanctum gets from Self its inner light; save zeal and firm
resolve, naught can make life e'er bright.
‫بلند‬ ‫تر مہ و پرويں سے ہے اسي کا مقام‬
‫اسي‬ ‫کے نور سے پيدا ہيں تيرے ذات و صفات‬
Boland-ter meh-o-perv’in sey hai issi ka moqam; issi kay noor sey paida
hein teyrey zaat-o-safaat.
Its rank is higher than the Pleiades and the moon, your essence and its gifts
are Ego's greatest boon.
‫حريم‬ ‫ خودي غير کي! معاذہللا‬، ‫تيرا‬
‫دوبارہ‬ ‫زندہ نہ کر کاروبار الت و منات‬
Harim teyra, khodi ghair ki! Ma’azallah; dobarah zindah nah kar karobar-
e-Laat-o-Manat. (Ma’azallah: Khoda ki panah.)

361
God save that alien Self seek shelter in your shrine; the creed of idols shun,
don't desecrate house divine.
‫يہي‬ ‫کمال ہے تمثيل کا کہ تو نہ رہے‬
‫رہا‬ ‫ نہ ساز حيات‬، ‫نہ تو تو نہ سوز خودي‬
Yehi kamal hai tamsil ka keh tou nah rehey; raha nah tou tuo na soz-e-
khodi, nah saaz-e-hayat. (Tamsil: Adakari.)
Forgetfulness of Self imports the height of art, but with the loss of Self both
joy and warmth depart.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

RAY OF HOPE
Sho’a-e-Ummeid ‫شعاع اميد‬
*****(1)*****
‫سورج‬ ‫نے ديا اپني شعاعوں کو يہ پيغام‬
‫دنيا‬ ‫ کبھي صبح کبھي شام‬، ‫ہے عجب چيز‬
Sooraj ney diya apni shoa’on ko yeh paigham; dunya hai ajab cheez, kabhi
sobh kabhi shaam.
The sun conveyed this message to its rays: ‘What wonder great, the change
of nights and days.
‫مدت‬ ‫سے تم آوارہ ہو پہنائے فضا ميں‬
‫بڑھتي‬ ‫ہي چلي جاتي ہے بے مہري ايام‬
Moddat sey tum awarah ho pehna’ey faza mein; barrhti he chali jaati ha bey
mehri-e-ayam.
You have been rambling since aeons in space, but hate among men is
increasing 'pace.
‫نے‬ ‫ريت کے ذروں پہ چمکنے ميں ہے راحت‬
‫نے‬ ‫مثل صبا طوف گل و اللہ ميں آرام‬
Ney rait kay zarr’on peh chamkaney mein hai rahat; ney misl-e-saba touf-e-
gul-o-lalah mein aaram.
To shine on sand affords no pleasure sound, nor peace, like breeze in making
flower's round.

362
 ‫پھر‬ ‫ميرے تجلي کدہ دل ميں سما جاؤ‬
‫چھوڑو‬ ‫چمنستان و بيابان و در و بام‬
Pher meyrey tajali kadah-e-dil mein sama ja’o; chhorro chamanistan-o-
biyaban-o-dar-o-baam.
(Der-o-baam: Diwarein aur chhut. morad hai abadiy’an.)
Be lost in fount of light that gave you birth, forsake the park, the waste, the
roof and earth’.

*****(2)*****
‫آفاق‬ ‫کے ہر گوشے سے اٹھتي ہيں شعاعيں‬
‫بچھڑے‬ ‫ہوئے خورشيد سے ہوتي ہيں ہم آغوش‬
Afaaq kay her goshay sey othhti hein shoa’in; bichharrey ho’ay khurshid sey
hoti hein hum-aaghosh.
The rays rise from every nook of space, make haste to take the sun in fond
embrace.
‫اک‬ ‫ مغرب ميں اجاال نہيں ممکن‬، ‫شور ہے‬
‫افرنگ‬ ‫مشينوں کے دھويں سے ہے سيہ پوش‬
Ekk shor hai, Maghrib mein ojala naheen Momkin; Afrang mashin’on kay
dhon’in sey hai seh-posh.
(Seh-posh: Kala labas pehney; morad andhairey mein lipta.)
Loud roar persists, there can't be light in West, for smoke makes West
enrobed in able vest.
‫مشرق‬ ‫نہيں گو لذت نظارہ سے محروم‬
‫ليکن‬ ‫صفت عالم الہوت ہے خاموش‬
Mashriq naheen go lazzat-e-nazarah sey mehroom; laikan sifat-e-alam-e-
Lahoot hai khamosh.
(Alam-e-Lahoot: Woh jahan, jah’an Khoda kay sawa koeyi aur naheen.)
Though East is not bereft of inner light, yet quiet of tomb prevails like
Celestial Height.

363
 ‫پھر‬ ‫ہم کو اسي سينہ روشن ميں چھپا لے‬
‫اے‬  ‫مہر جہاں تاب ! نہ کر ہم کو فراموش‬
Pher hum ko ossi seinah-e-roshan mein chhopa ley; ay mehar-e-jah’an
taab! Nah kar hum ko framosh.
O sun that light the world keep us in mind, hide us in breast so bright and
kind.

*****(3)*****
‫اک‬ ‫ شوخ مثال نگہ حور‬، ‫شوخ کرن‬
‫آرام‬ ‫ صفت جوہر سيماب‬، ‫سے فارغ‬
Ekk shokh kiran, shokh misl-e-nigah-e-hoor; araam sey farigh, sift-e-johar-
e-seimaab. (Seimaab: Parah.)
A shameless ray as proud as houri's glance bereft of rest, like mercury e'er at
dance.
‫بولي‬ ‫کہ مجھے رخصت تنوير عطا ہو‬
‫جب‬ ‫تک نہ ہو مشرق کا ہر اک ذرہ جہاں تاب‬
Boli keh mojhey rokhsat-e-tanvir atta ho; jabb takk nah ho Mashriq ka her
ekk zarrah jah’an taab. (Tanvir: Roshan.)
Implored the sun to let it spread its light till every mote of East grows
lustrous bright.
‫چھوڑوں‬ ‫گي نہ ميں ہند کي تاريک فضا کو‬
‫جب‬ ‫تک نہ اٹھيں خواب سے مردان گراں خواب‬
Chhorr’on gi nah mien Hind ki tareek faza ko; jabb takk nah othhein khwab
sey mardan-e-gr’an khwab. (Gr’an khwab: Gehri neind.)
The dark surroundings of Hind it won't forsal till natives sunk in slumber do
not wake.
‫خاور‬ ‫کي اميدوں کا يہي خاک ہے مرکز‬
‫اقبال‬ ‫کے اشکوں سے يہي خاک ہے سيراب‬
Khawar ki ummeid’on ka yehi khak hai markaz; Iqbal kay ashk’on sey yehi
khak hai sairab. (Khawar: Mashriq.)

364
The hopes of Orient on this region hinge, the tears that Iqbal sheds on it
impinge.
‫چشم‬ ‫مہ و پرويں ہے اسي خاک سے روشن‬
‫يہ‬ ‫خاک کہ ہے جس کا خزف ريزہ درناب‬
Chashm-e-meh-o-perv’in hai issi khak sey roshan; yeh khak keh hai jiss ka
khazaf raizah durr-e-naab. (Durr-e-naab: Socha moti.)
The moon and Pleiades get light from this land; its stones are costlier than
gems of purest brand.
‫اس‬ ‫خاک سے اٹھے ہيں وہ غواص معاني‬
‫جن‬ ‫کے ليے ہر بحر پر آشوب ہے پاياب‬
Issi khak sey othhtay hein woh ghawas-e-ma’ani; jinn kay leay her behar-e-
por ashoob hai payaab. (Behar-e-por ashoob: Toofani samandar. Payab:
Jiss mein sey paidal gozara ja sakkey.)
It has produced men who hid sense can see, with utmost ease can cross the
swollen sea.
‫جس‬ ‫ساز کے نغموں سے حرارت تھي دلوں ميں‬
‫محفل‬ ‫کا وہي ساز ہے بيگانہ مضراب‬
Jiss saaz kay naghm’on ki hararat thhi dil’on mein; mehfil ka wohi saaz hai
biganah-e-mizraab.
The harp whose music warmth to gathering lent with force quite spent the
plectrum alien is'.
‫بت‬ ‫خانے کے دروازے پہ سوتا ہے برہمن‬
‫تقدير‬ ‫کو روتا ہے مسلماں تہ محراب‬
Bott khaney kay darwazey peh sota hai Brahman; taqdir ko rota hai
Mosilm’an teh-e-mehraab.
The Brahman guards the fane and sleeps at gate, the Muslim in mosque's
niche, bewails his Fate.
‫مشرق‬ ‫ نہ مغرب سے حذر کر‬، ‫سے ہو بيزار‬
‫فطرت‬  ‫کا اشارہ ہے کہ ہر شب کو سحر کر‬
Mashriq sey ho bizaar, nah Maghrib sey hazar kar; fitrat ka asharah hai keh
her shabb ko sehar kar. (Hazar: Perhiz, bachao.)

365
Don't shun the East, nor look on West with scorn, since Nature yearns for
change of night to morn.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

HOPE
Ummeid ‫اميد‬
‫مقابلہ‬ ‫تو زمانے کا خوب کرتا ہوں‬
‫اگرچہ‬ ‫ميں نہ سپاہي ہوں نے امير جنود‬
Moqablah tuo zamaney ka khoob karta h’on; agarchih mien nah sepahi h’on
nah ameer-e-janood. (Janood: Fouj ki jama’a.)
With courage great a war I wage 'gainst evils of the present age I do not bear
a fighter's name, to chieftainship I lay no claim.
‫مجھے‬ ‫خبر نہيں يہ شاعري ہے يا کچھ اور‬
‫عطا‬ ‫ہوا ہے مجھے ذکر و فکر و جذب و سرود‬
Mojhey khabar naheen yeh sha’eri hai ya kochh aur; atta ho’a hai mojhey
zikr-o-fikr-o-jazb-o-sarood.
I am not conscious 'bout this fact if it is Verse or other tact; God has
bestowed on me since long His praise, reflection, charm and song.
‫جبين‬ ‫بندہ حق ميں نمود ہے جس کي‬
‫اسي‬ ‫جالل سے لبريز ہے ضمير وجود‬
Jabeen-e-bandah-e-Haq mein namood hai jiss ki; ossi jalal sey labbraiz hai
zamir-e-wajood.
The flood of light that makes its show on true and faithful Muslim's brow
with grandeur same is quite replete that fills being's soul and makes
complete.
‫يہ‬ ‫ کافري سے کم بھي نہيں‬، ‫کافري تو نہيں‬
‫کہ‬ ‫مرد حق ہو گرفتار حاضر و موجود‬
Yeh kafiri tuo naheen, kafiri sey kum bhi naheen; keh mard-e-Haq ho
gariftar-e-hazir-o-moujood.
You do not call it unbelief, no less it is than disbelief' that truthful man may
get content I with today, for change show no intent.

366
 ‫غميں‬ ‫نہ ہو کہ بہت دور ہيں ابھي باقي‬
‫نئے‬ ‫ستاروں سے خالي نہيں سپہر کبود‬
‫رياض‬ ‫منزل (دولت کدئہ سرراس مسعود) بھوپال ميں لکھے گئے‬
Ghumein nah ho keh bohat dour hein abhi baqi; ni’ay sitar’on sey khali
naheen sepehr-e-kabood.
(Sepehr-e-kabood: Neila asman.)
(Riaz Manzil doulat kadah-e- Sir Rass Masood Bhopal mein likhhey ga’ey.)
Don't grieve, for millenniums and aeons more still lie ahead for man in store
the ever spinning heaven blue is not devoid of planets new.
(Written in Riaz Manzil, Bhopal residence of Sir Rass Masood.)
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

EAGER GLANCE
Nigah-e-Shouq ‫نگاہ شوق‬
‫يہ‬ ‫کائنات چھپاتي نہيں ضمير اپنا‬
‫کہ‬ ‫ذرے ذرے ميں ہے ذوق آشکارائي‬
Yeh kainat chhopati naheen zamir apna; keh zarray zarray mein hai zouq-e-
ashkaraeyi. (Ashkaraeyi: Zahar hona.)
Contents of soul this world can not conceal, for every mote has longing to
reveal.
‫کچھ‬ ‫اور ہي نظر آتا ہے کاروبار جہاں‬
‫نگاہ‬ ‫شوق اگر ہو شريک بينائي‬
Kochh aur he nazar ata hai karobar-e-jah’an; nigah-e-shouq agar ho
sharik-e-beinaeyi.
The course of life some what distinct appears, if eager looks and sight
become corn peers.
‫اسي‬ ‫نگاہ سے محکوم قوم کے فرزند‬
‫ہوئے‬ ‫جہاں ميں سزاوار کار فرمائي‬
Issi nigah sey mehkoom quom kay farzand; ho’ay jah’an mein sazawar-e-
kaar farmaeyi. (Sazawar: Haqdar. Kaar farmaeyi: Hakoomat.)

367
The members of a subject race by dint of glance, its gloss and grace, have
acquired the right and claim to rule and get renown and fame.
‫اسي‬ ‫نگاہ ميں ہے قاہري و جباري‬
‫اسي‬ ‫نگاہ ميں ہے دلبري و رعنائي‬
Issi nigah mein hai qahiri-o-jabbari; issi nigah mein hai dilbari-o-
ra’anaeyi.
The glance has might to cause defeat, it has the strength, its foes to beat; we
see through glance great charm and grace; it brings the lovers face to face.
‫اسي‬ ‫ جنوں ميرا‬، ‫نگاہ سے ہر ذرے کو‬
‫سکھا‬ ‫رہا ہے رہ و رسم دشت پيمائي‬
Issi nigah sey hai her zarray ko, jan’on mera; seikhha raha hai reh-o-rasm-
e-dasht paimaeyi. (Dasht paimaeyi: Biyaban mein pherna.)
Through self-same glance my craze imparts to motes and their most inner
parts, the wont and mode of wandering tramps, who pay no heed to need of
camps.
‫نگاہ‬ ‫شوق ميسر نہيں اگر تجھ کو‬
‫ترا‬ ‫وجود ہے قلب و نظر کي رسوائي‬
Nigah-e-shouq mayassir naheen agar tojh ko; tera wajood hai qalb-o-nazar
ki roswaeyi.
If fervent glance and vision keen you have not met or ever seen; your being
is a source of shame on heart and sight can bring a blame.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

TO CRAFTSMEN
Ehl-e-Honar sey ‫اہل ہنر سے‬
‫مہر‬ ‫ چند نفس کا فروغ‬، ‫و مہ و مشتري‬
‫عشق‬ ‫سے ہے پائدار تيري خودي کا وجود‬
Mehr-o-meh-o-moshtari, chund nafas ka farogh; ishq sey hai pa’idaar teyri
khodi ka wajood.
The sun, the Jupiter and the moon shine moments few, lose light so soon.
Your Ego's being grows much strong by dint of Love and lasts for long.

368
 ‫تيرے‬ ‫حرم کا ضمير اسود و احمر سے پاک‬
‫ننگ‬ ‫ہے تيرے ليے سرخ و سپيد و کبود‬
Teyrey Haram ka zamir aswad-o-ahmar sey pak; nung hai teyrey leay
sorkh-o-sapaid-o-kabood. (Aswad-o-ahmar: Kala aur gora. Kabood: Neila.)
The conscience of your sacred Shrine 'Twixt red and black ne'er draws a
line. Distinction of red, white and blue is source of great disgrace for you.
‫تيري‬ ‫خودي کا غياب معرکہ ذکر و فکر‬
‫تيري‬ ‫خودي کا حضور عالم شعر و سرود‬
Teyri khodi ka ghiyab ma’arkah-e-zikr-o-fikr; teyri khodi ka hazoor alam-e-
she’ar-o-sarood.
In solitude with zeal pursue worship and thought with respect due. The time
your Self itself displays, the world with song and music sways.
‫روح‬ ‫اگر ہے تري رنج غالمي سے زار‬
‫تيرے‬ ‫ہنر کا جہاں دير و طواف و سجود‬
Rooh agar hai teri runj-e-ghulami sey zaar; teyrey honar ka jah’an Deir-o-
Tawaf-o-Sajood.
If bondage makes you groan and smart, mere idol worship is your art.
‫اور‬ ‫اگر باخبر اپني شرافت سے ہو‬
‫تيري‬ ‫ تو ہے امير جنود‬، ‫سپہ انس و جن‬
Aur agar bakhabar apni sharafat sey ho; teyri sepah ans-o-jinn, tou hai
ameer-e-janood. (Ans-o-jinn: Insan aur jinn.)
If you grow conscious of your rank, I tell in words so plain and frank
‘Mankind and genii shall form your host as chief you shall hold highest
post’. (Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

GHAZAL
‫غزل‬
‫دريا‬ ‫ اے موج بے باک‬، ‫ميں موتي‬
‫ساحل‬ ‫کي سوغات ! خاروخس و خاک‬
Darya mein moti, ay mouj-e-bibaak; sahil ki soughat! Khaar-o-khas-o-khak.

369
(Khaar-o-khas-o-khak: Kantay, ghhas aur matti.)
O fearless wave, at bed of river gems are found. What are the gifts of coast?
There dust and thorns abound.
‫ميرے‬ ‫شرر ميں بجلي کے جوہر‬
‫ليکن‬ ‫نيستاں تيرا ہے نم ناک‬
Meyrey sharar mein bijli kay johar; laikan neist’an teyra hai numnaak.
The temper of lightning flash that darts, my spark contains, but still your bed
of reeds is moist and sap retains.
‫تيرا‬ ‫ تاثير تيري‬، ‫زمانہ‬
 ! ‫ناداں‬ ‫نہيں يہ تاثير افالک‬
Teyra zamanah, taseer teyri; nad’an naheen yeh taseer-e-aflaak.
The age in which you live is influenced by you: To spheres that ever spin, it
can, no way be due.
‫ايسا‬ ‫جنوں بھي ديکھا ہے ميں نے‬
‫جس‬ ‫نے سيے ہيں تقدير کے چاک‬
Aisa jan’on bhi deikhha hai mein ney; jiss ney sei’ay hein taqdir kay chaak.
I have come 'cross in life men with such craze and pluck they could darn
with much ease the rents produced by luck.
‫کامل‬ ‫وہي ہے رندي کے فن ميں‬
‫مستي‬ ‫ہے جس کي بے منت تاک‬
Kamil wohi hai rindi kay fun mein; musti hai jiss ki bey mannat-e-taak.
(Taak: Angoor ki bail.)
That man is toper fine, who owes, no debt to wine such men are very few,
they raise no cry or hue.
‫رکھتا‬ ‫ہے اب تک ميخانہ شرق‬
‫وہ‬ ‫مے کہ جس سے روشن ہو ادراک‬
Rakhhta hai abb takk maey khanah-e-Sharq; woh maey keh jiss sey roshan
ho idraak.
(Idraak: Aql, soojh bhooj.)

370
The East has taverns still where you can find such, wine, which makes
perception dull with grandeur gleam and shine.
‫اہل‬ ‫نظر ہيں يورپ سے نوميد‬
‫ان‬ ‫امتوں کے باطن نہيں پاک‬
Ehl-e-nazar hein Europe sey no’meid; onn ummat’on kay batan naheen
paak.
Men with vision bright for West have hope go slight the hearts of West
aren't chaste for actions good haven't taste.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

BEING
Wajood ‫وجود‬
‫اے‬ ‫کہ ہے زير فلک مثل شرر تيري نمود‬
‫کون‬ ‫سمجھائے تجھے کيا ہيں مقامات وجود‬
Ay keh hai zir-e-falak misl-e-sharar teyri namood; kon samjha’ey tojhey
kaya hein moqamaat-e-wajood.
O man, your stay and show beneath the sky, is short and brief, like spark,
that parts from flame: Who can make man detect this fact so clear that teing
of man enjoys high rank and name?
‫گر‬ ‫ہنر ميں نہيں تعمير خودي کا جوہر‬
‫وائے‬ !‫صورت گري و شاعري و ناے و سرود‬
Gar honar mein naheen ta’amir-e-khodi ka johar; wa’ey! Surat gari-o-
sha’eri-o-na’ey-o-sarood.
If craftsmanship of man is quite devoid of gift and tact the Self to form and
frame. Alas! Such art and music of the flute are naught but source of much
disgrace and shame.
‫مکتب‬ ‫و مے کدہ جز درس نبودن ندہند‬
‫بودن‬ ‫آموز کہ ہم باشي و ہم خواہي بود‬
Maktab-o-maey kadah joz dars-e-naboodan nadehad; boodan aamoz keh
hum baashi-o-hum khwahi bood.

371
[Dars-gah’on aur maey khwan’on mein mehaz fana ka sabaq diya jata hai
tojhey chahi’ay keh baqa ki ta’alim hasil karey ta-keh tou dunya mein bhi
zindagi ka boland moqam hasil kar sakkey aur murney kay ba’ad bhi
hamaishah kay leay zindah rehey.]
Schools and taverns can no morals teach save the fact that you do not exist,
learn 'to be' for you too are a fact, besides, your Ego thus shall long subsist.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

MELODY
Sarood ‫سرود‬
‫آيا‬ ‫کہاں سے نالہ نے ميں سرود مے‬
‫اصل‬ ‫اس کي نے نواز کا دل ہے کہ چوب نے‬
Aya kah’an sey nalah-e-na’ey mein sarood-e-maey; asal oss ki na’ey-nawaz
ka dil hai keh chob-e-na’ey.
[Chob-e-na’ey: Lakarri jiss sey ba’nsiri bani hoti hai.)
Whence does the zest of liquor come in mournful tune of hollow reed is its
main-spring the player's heart, or does it from the pipe proceed?
‫دل‬ ‫ اس کي مستي و قوت کہاں سے ہے‬، ‫کيا ہے‬
‫کيوں‬ ‫اس کي اک نگاہ الٹتي ہے تخت کے‬
Dil kaya hai, oss ki musti-o-qowwat kah’an sey hai; kiyu’on oss ki ekk nigah
olat’ti hai takht-e-Kay.
What is the source of heart's great might, wherefore to rapture it is prone;
how does it topple with a glance the firm and mighty Achamenian throne?
‫کيوں‬ ‫اس کي زندگي سے ہے اقوام ميں حيات‬
‫کيوں‬ ‫اس کے واردات بدلتے ہيں پے بہ پے‬
Kiyu’on oss ki zindagi sey hai aqwam mein hayat; kiyu’on oss kay wardaat
badaltey hein pey beh pey.
Why does the heart bestow fresh life on nations on verge of decline: Why do
its states, have constant change, are points that no one can divine?

372
 ‫کيا‬ ‫ دل کي نگاہ ميں‬Ð‫بات ہے کہ صاحب‬
‫جچتي‬ ‫نہيں ہے سلطنت روم و شام و رے‬
Kaya baat hai keh sahib-e-dil ki nigah mein; jachti naheen hai sultanat-e-
Rome-o-Shaam-o-Ray.
Why is it that in eyes of man on whom God has bestowed a heart, the realms
of Syria, Rome and Rai are fake effects in the mart?
‫جس‬ ‫روز دل کي رمز مغني سمجھ گيا‬
‫سمجھو‬ ‫تمام مرحلہ ہائے ہنر ہيں طے‬
Jiss roz dil ki ramz moghani samajh gaya; samajho tamam marhalah-ha’ey
honar hein ta’ey. (Moghani: Naghmah gaaney wala.)
The day the minstrel grasps this point which is hid in depths of heart, take it
for granted, you have traversed all the stages required by art.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

BREEZE AND DEW

Naseem-o-Shabnam ‫نسيم و شبنم‬
‫نسيم‬
‫انجم‬ ‫کي فضا تک نہ ہوئي ميري رسائي‬
‫کرتي‬ ‫رہي ميں پيرہن اللہ و گل چاک‬
Anjam ki faza takk nah hoeyi meyri rasaeyi; karti rehi mein perhun-e-lalah-
o-gul chaak.
Breeze: I could not find access to tracts where stars like pendent lamps do
shine tearing vest of tulips and the rose was main and foremost duty mine.
‫مجبور‬ ‫ہوئي جاتي ہوں ميں ترک وطن پر‬
‫بے‬ ‫ذوق ہيں بلبل کي نوا ہائے طرب ناک‬
Majboor hoeyi jati h’on mien tark-e-watan per; bi-zouq hein bulbul ki
nawa-ha’ey tarbnaak.
(Tarbnaak: Khoshi sey bhari hoeyi.)
I feel an inner urge so great to bid farewell to home and depart for joyful
songs of nightingale, no zeal or zest to me impart.

373
 ‫دونوں‬ ‫سے کيا ہے تجھے تقدير نے محرم‬
‫چمن اچھي کہ سرا پردہ افالک خاک‬
Doun’on sey kiya hai tojhey taqdir ney mehram; khak-e-chaman achhi keh
sara pardah-e-aflaak.
O dew, God's will has made you know full well, both park and heavens high
what i's more precious in your eyes, the dust of park or dome of sky?
‫شبنم‬
‫کھينچيں‬ ‫نہ اگر تجھ کو چمن کے خس و خاشاک‬
‫گلشن‬ ‫بھي ہے اک سر سرا پردہ افالک‬
Khhainchein nah agar tojh ko chaman kay khas-o-khashaq; gulshan bhi hai
ekk sirr-e-sara pardah-e-aflaak.
Dew: If thorns and straws of worldly mead to cause a tension in you fail,
then bear in mind, this lonely parks for heaven's dome is like a veil.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

THE PYRAMIDS OF EGYPT

Ahram-e-Misar ‫اہرام مصر‬
‫اس‬ ‫دشت جگر تاب کي خاموش فضا ميں‬
‫فطرت‬ ‫نے فقط ريت کے ٹيلے کيے تعمير‬
Iss dasht-e-jigar taab ki khamosh faza mein; fitrat ney faqat rait kay teelay
ke’ay ta’amir.
The quiet environs of this waste whose intense heat scalds the heart: In
forming only dunes of sand Nature has displayed its Art.
‫اہرام‬ ‫کي عظمت سے نگوں سار ہيں افالک‬
‫ہاتھ نے کھينچي ابديت کي يہ تصوير کس‬
Ahram ki azmat sey nag’on saar hein aflaak; kis haath ney khhainchi
abadiyat ki yeh tasweer.
The grandeur of these pyramids puts lofty heavens to disgrace, what hand
did build, design and frame, they seem attired in lasting grace?

374
 ‫فطرت‬ ‫کي غالمي سے کر آزاد ہنر کو‬
‫صياد‬ ‫ہيں مردان ہنر مند کہ نخچير‬
Fitrat ki ghulami sey kar azad honar ko; siyaad hein mardan-e-honarmand
keh nakhchir. (Nakhchir: Shikar.)
Set your craftsmanship quite free from Nature's chains that bind it tight for
men endowed with gift of craft aren't prey, of hunters need no fright.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

FINE ARTS
‫فنون لطيفہ‬
‫اے‬ ‫اہل نظر ذوق نظر خوب ہے ليکن‬
‫جو‬ ‫ وہ نظر کيا‬، ‫شے کي حقيقت کو نہ ديکھے‬
Ay ehl-e-nazar zouq-e-nazar khoob hai laikan; jo sha’ey ki haqiqat ko nah
deikhhey, woh nazar kaya.
Zest for sight, no doubt, is true O men endowed with art and tact, what aim
or goal such sight can serve which fails to see the inmost part?
‫مقصود‬ ‫ہنر سوز حيات ابدي ہے‬
‫يہ‬ ‫ايک نفس يا دو نفس مثل شرر کيا‬
Maqsood-e-honar soz-e-hayat-e-abadi hai; yeh ekk nafas ya duo nafas misl-
e-sharar kaya.
The aim of heart is to infuse eternal glow in human hearts: What is the use
of warmth that, like a spark, expires and soon departs?
‫جس‬ ‫سے دل دريا متالطم نہيں ہوتا‬
‫اے‬ ‫ وہ گہر کيا‬، ‫قطرئہ نيساں وہ صدف کيا‬
Jiss sey dil darya mutlatam naheen hota; ay qatrah-e-neis’an woh sadaf
kaya, woh gohar kaya.
(Mutlatam: Moujein maarnay wala.)
O vernal drop, what is the worth of mother-shell and such pearl, if truth can
not defeat untruth and river does not swell and swirl?

375
 ‫شاعر‬ ‫کي نوا ہو کہ مغني کا نفس ہو‬
‫جس‬ ‫سے چمن افسردہ ہو وہ باد سحر کيا‬
Sha’er ki nawa ho keh moghani ka nafas ho; jiss sey chaman afsordah ho
woh baad-e-sehar kaya.
It may be poet's verse or song, or breath of one who plays on reed what does
that morning breeze avail if stead of freshness sear it breed?
‫بے‬ ‫معجزہ دنيا ميں ابھرتي نہيں قوميں‬
‫جو‬ ‫ضرب کليمي نہيں رکھتا وہ ہنر کيا‬
Bi-mo’jazah dunya mein obharti naheen quomein; jo zarb-e-Kalimi naheen
rakhhta woh honar kaya.
Without the aid of wondrous acts no nation ever can advance: An art that has
no Hoses' Rod a people's status can't enhance.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

DAWN OF THE PARK

Sobh-e-Chaman ‫صبح چمن‬ 
‫پھول‬
‫شايد‬ ‫تو سمجھتي تھي وطن دور ہے ميرا‬
‫اے‬ ‫ دور نہيں ہے‬، ‫قاصد افالک! نہيں‬
Sha’id tou samajhti thhi watan door hai meyra; ay qasad-e-aflaak! Naheen,
door naheen hai.
The Flower: Perhaps you thought my land is far away, O courier from the
sky, I say, ‘Nay, Nay’.
‫شبنم‬
‫ہوتا‬ ‫ہے مگر محنت پرواز سے روشن‬
‫يہ‬ ‫نکتہ کہ گردوں سے زميں دور نہيں ہے‬
Hota hai magar mehnat-e-pervaaz sey roshan; yeh noktah keh gard’on sey
zam’in door naheen hai.
(Gard’on: Asman.)

376
Dew: This subtle point is brought to light that sky isn’t far from earth, by toil
of flight.
‫صبح‬
‫مانند‬ ‫سحر صحن گلستاں ميں قدم رکھ‬
‫آئے‬ ‫تہ پا گوہر شبنم تو نہ ٹوٹے‬
‫ہو‬ ‫ و ليکن‬، ‫کوہ و بياباں سے ہم آغوش‬
‫ہاتھوں‬ ‫سے ترے دامن افالک نہ چھوٹے‬
Manind-e-sehar sehan-e-gulist’an mein qadam rakhh; aa’ey teh-e-pa gohar-
e-shabnam tou nah tootay.
Ho koh-o-biyab’an sey hum aghosh, w’laikan; haath’on sey terey daman-e-
aflaak nah chootay.
Dawn: Step tip-toe in the lawn of park at morn, don't crush the shining gems
that park adorn.
Embrace the mount and waste but caution take that links with whirling sky
you do not break.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

KHAQANI
‫خاقاني‬
‫وہ‬ ،‫صاحب 'تحفہ العراقين‬
‫ارباب‬ ‫نظر کا قرہ العين‬
Woh sahib-e-Tuhfah-tul-Araqain; arbab-e-nazar ka qur-tul-a’in.
(Tuhfah-tul-Araqain: Khaqani ki mash’hoor masnavi jiss mein oss ney
safar-e-Haj kay halat likhhey hein. Qur-tul-a’in: Ankhh’on ki thhandak.)
Khaqani, the author of Tuhfa-tul-araqain, is dear to those who truths can
scan.
‫ہے‬ ‫پردہ شگاف اس کا ادراک‬
‫پردے‬ ‫ہيں تمام چاک در چاک‬
Hai pardah shagaf oss ka adraak; pardey hein tamam chaak der chaak.
His wisdom is so sharp and keen. From truths he can remove the screen.

377
 ‫خاموش‬ ‫ہے عالم معاني‬
‫کہتا‬ ‫نہيں حرف لن تراني‬
Khamosh hai alam-e-ma’ani; kehta naheen harf-e-lan tarani.
(Lan tarani: Mien deikhh naheen sakta.)
With world or meanings he is free they dare not say ‘you can not see’.
‫پوچھ‬ ‫اس سے يہ خاک داں ہے کيا چيز‬
‫ہنگامہ‬ ‫اين و آں ہے کيا چيز‬
Pochh oss sey yeh khakd’an hai kaya cheez; hungamah-e-ein-o-a’an hai
kaya cheez? (Khakd’an: Morad hai yeh dunya.)
Ask him what does this world imply, where does the cause or tumults lie?
‫وہ‬ ‫محرم عالم مکافات‬
‫اک‬ ‫بات ميں کہہ گيا ہے سو بات‬
Woh mehram-e-alam-e-makafaat; ekk baat mein ka’eh gaya hai suo baat.
(Alam-e-makafaat: Woh dunya jiss mein achhey aur boray amal ka badlah
mil jata hai.)
He knows the world of requital well, his maxims with much wisdom swell:
‫خود‬ ‫بوے چنيں جہاں تواں برد‬
‫کابليس‬ ‫بماند و بوالبشر مرد‬
Khod boo’ey chonein jah’an taw’an bord; k’Iblis bamanad-o-bu al-bashar
mard.
[Aissey jahan ki boo ka tuo issi sey andazah ho sakta hai, ya’ani oss ki
haqiqat tuo yeheen sey ma’aloom ho jati hai keh Iblis baqi hai aur Insan ka
baap (Adam A.S.) fout ho gaya hai.]
Opinion 'bout world you can derive, Adam dead, Satan still alive’.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

RUMI
‫رومي‬
‫غلط‬ ‫نگر ہے تري چشم نيم باز اب تک‬
‫ترا‬ ‫وجود ترے واسطے ہے راز اب تک‬

378
Ghalat nigar hai teri chash-e-neim baaz abb takk; tera wajood terey
waastey hai raaz abb takk. (Chash-e-neim baaz: Adhi khholi ankhh.)
Your half-shut eyes still fail to see what subtle fact this life may be.
‫ترا‬ ‫نياز نہيں آشنائے ناز اب تک‬
‫کہ‬ ‫ہے قيام سے خالي تري نماز اب تک‬
Tera niaz naheen ashna’ey naaz abb takk; keh hai qayam sey khali teri
namaz abb takk.
Too meek to have a fondling will, devoid of Qiam your worship still.
‫گسستہ‬ ‫تار ہے تيري خودي کا ساز اب تک‬
‫کہ‬ ‫تو ہے نغمہ رومي سے بے نياز اب تک‬
Gosastah taar hai teyri khodi ka saaz abb takk; keh tou hai naghamah-e-
Rumi sey biniaz abb takk. (Gosastah taar: Toota hoa taar.)
For songs of Rumi you haven't ears sharp, shaped the strings of your Self's
harp.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

NEWNESS
Jeddat ‫جدت‬
‫ديکھے‬ ‫تو زمانے کو اگر اپني نظر سے‬
‫افالک‬ ‫منور ہوں ترے نور سحر سے‬
Deikhhey tou zamaney ko agar apni nazar sey; aflaak munawwar h’on terey
noor-e-sehar sey.
If you behold the world with gaze much bright; of you the sky may beg
morning light.
‫خورشيد‬ ‫کرے کسب ضيا تيرے شرر سے‬
‫ظاہر‬ ‫تري تقدير ہو سيمائے قمر سے‬
Khurshid karey kasb-e-zia teyrey sharar sey; zahar teri taqdir ho seima’ey
qamar sey. (Seima: Paishani, matha.)
The sun may beg light from gleam of your spark your luck may shine, from
moon's brow mark.

379
 ‫دريا‬ ‫متالطم ہوں تري موج گہر سے‬
‫شرمندہ‬ ‫ہو فطرت ترے اعجاز ہنر سے‬
Darya matlatam h’on teri mouj-e-gohar sey; sharmindah ho fitrat terey
eijaz-e-honar sey.
The sea may swell with lustrous waves of gems, put world to shame with art
that from you stems.
‫اغيار‬ ‫کے افکار و تخيل کي گدائي‬
‫کيا‬ ‫تجھ کو نہيں اپني خودي تک بھي رسائي؟‬
Aghiyar kay afkaar-o-takhiyal ki gadaeyi; kaya tojh ko naheen apni khodi
takk bhi rasaeyi?
You beg and borrow thoughts of others' brains, to find approach to Self,
don't take much pains.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

MIRZA BEDIL
‫مرزا بيدل‬
‫ہے‬ ‫حقيقت يا مري چشم غلط بيں کا فساد‬
‫يہ‬ ‫ يہ چرخ کبود‬، ‫ يہ کہسار‬، ‫ يہ دشت‬،‫زميں‬
Hai haqiqat ya meri chashm-e-ghulatbein ka fasad; yeh zam’in, yeh dasht,
yeh kohsar, yeh charkh-e-kabood.
[Charkh-e-kabood: Neila asman.)
Is it a fact or delusion mere which has been caused by erring eye do earth,
hills, deserts vast exist, and is there any azure sky?
‫کوئي‬ ‫ کوئي کہتاہے کہ ہے‬، ‫کہتا ہے نہيں ہے‬
‫کيا‬ ‫ ہے يا نہيں ہے تيري دنيا کا وجود‬، ‫خبر‬
Koeyi kehta hai naheen hai, koeyi kehta hai keh hai; kaya khabar, hai ya
naheen hai teyri dunya ka wajood.
Some aver that they do exist, whereas some call their being untrue O God, it
is very hard to find to truth or falsehood certain clue.

380
 ‫ميرزا‬ ‫بيدل نے کس خوبي سے کھولي يہ گرہ‬
‫اہل‬ ‫حکمت پر بہت مشکل رہي جس کي کشود‬
Mirza Bedil ney kis khoobi sey khholi yeh girah; ehl-e-hikmat per bohat
moshkal rehi jiss ki kashood.
(Kashood: Khholna.)
Bedil resolved this tangled knot with so much skill and manner nice, though
sages and wise men or the past to undo this skein had no device.
‫اگر ميداشت وسعت بے نشاں بود ايں چمن دل‬
‫رنگ‬ ‫مے بيروں نشست از بسکہ مينا تنگ بود‬
Dil agar midaasht wosa’at bi-nish’an bowad ein chaman; rung-e-maey
bir’on nashist az bus keh meina tung bood.
[Agar dil mein ziyadah sey ziyadah koshadgi aur wosa’at hoti tuo iss bagh
ka koeyi nishan nah milta. Mosibat yeh hai keh dil mein kafi wosa’at aur
koshadgi moujood nah thhi. (Iss ki misal yu’on samjho keh sorahi tung thhi
jab boss mein sharab daali gaeyi tuo rung nikal kar bahar baithh gaya.]
‘If heart of man were vast enough, this mead would have retained no trace
some wine has overflowed the brim, because the flask had narrow space.’
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

GRANDEUR AND GRACE

Jalal-o-Jamal ‫جالل و جمال‬
‫مرے‬ ‫ليے ہے فقط زور حيدري کافي‬
‫ترے‬ ‫نصيب فالطوں کي تيزي ادراک‬
Merey leay faqat zor-e-Haidari kafi; terey nasib Flatoon ki taizi-e-adraak.
With Haider's might and brawn I feel myself content; I wish you joy of wit,
to you by Plato lent.
‫مري‬ ‫نظر ميں يہي ہے جمال و زيبائي‬
‫کہ‬ ‫سر بسجدہ ہيں قوت کے سامنے افالک‬
Meri nazar mein yehi hai jamal-o-zibaeyi; keh sar bisajdah hein qowwat kay
saamney aflaak.

381
This is the charm and grace in view of mine and sight that heavens too
prostrate before much main and might.
‫نہ‬ ‫ہو جالل تو حسن و جمال بے تاثير‬
‫نرا‬ ‫نفس ہے اگر نغمہ ہو نہ آتش ناک‬
Nah ho jalal tuo hosn-o-jamal bi-taseer; nira nafas hai agar naghmah ho
nah atashnaak.
Without great majestic height grace is not of much use: Song is mere puff of
breath, if rapture can't produce.
‫مجھے‬ ‫سزا کے ليے بھي نہيں قبول وہ آگ‬
‫جس کا شعلہ نہ ہو تند و سرکش و بے باک کہ‬
Mojhey saza kay leay bhi naheen qabool woh aag; keh jiss ka sho’alah nah
ho tond-o-sarkash-o-bibaak.
I would not go to hell whose fire is dull and tame to suffer for my sins I like
a rearing flame.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

THE PAINTER
Mosawwar ‫مصور‬
‫کس‬ ‫درجہ يہاں عام ہوئي مرگ تخيل‬
‫ہندي‬ ‫ عجمي بھي‬، ‫بھي فرنگي کا مقلد‬
Kis darjah yah’ah aam hoeyi marg-e-takhiyal; Hindi bhi Frangi ka
moqalad, Ajami bhi.
The death of fancy is so widely spread that men of Pers and Ind by Franks
are led.
‫مجھ‬ ‫کو تو يہي غم ہے کہ اس دور کے بہزاد‬
‫کھو‬ ‫بيٹھے ہيں مشرق کا سرور ازلي بھي‬
Mojh ko tuo yehi ghum hai keh iss dour kay behzad; khho baithhey hein
Mashriq ka saroor-e-azali bhi.
I feel sad that Behzad's of modern time have lost East's rapture sweet and joy
sublime.

382
 ‫معلوم‬ ‫ہيں اے مرد ہنر تيرے کماالت‬
‫صنعت‬ ‫ نئي بھي‬، ‫تجھے آتي ہے پراني بھي‬
Ma’aloom hein ay mard-e-honar teyrey kamalat; suna’at tojhey aati hai
porani bhi, naeyi bhi.
O artist, of your talents I can tell, you know the ancient crafts and new so
well.
‫فطرت‬ ‫ ديکھا بھي ہے تو نے‬، ‫کو دکھايا بھي ہے‬
‫فطرت ميں دکھا اپني خودي بھي آئينہ‬
Fitrat ko dikhhaya bhi hai, deikhha bhi hai tou ney; a’einah-e-fitrat mein
dikhha apni khodi bhi.
You have portrayed many a natural sight, display your Self in Nature's
mirror bright.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

LAWFUL MUSIC
Sarood-e-Halal ‫سرود حالل‬
‫کھل‬ ‫تو جاتا ہے مغني کے بم و زير سے دل‬
‫نہ‬ ‫رہا زندہ و پائندہ تو کيا دل کي کشود‬
Khhol tuo jata hai moghani kay bum-o-zair sey dil; nah raha zindah-o-
pa’indah tuo kaya dil ki kashood.
(Bum-o-zair: Otaar charrha’o.)
The bass and treble of minstrel's song much joy to human heart imparts what
is the use of pleasure that is e'er on wings and soon departs?
‫ہے‬ ‫ابھي سينہ افالک ميں پنہاں وہ نوا‬
‫جس‬ ‫کي گرمي سے پگھل جائے ستاروں کا وجود‬
Hai abhi seinah aflaak mein penh’an woh sada; jiss ki garmi sey pighhal
jaa’ey sitar’on ka wajood.
That melodious song is still unborn and is concealed in heaven's breast,
whose intense heat may transform the solid stars to liquid form.

383
 ‫جس‬ ‫کي تاثير سے آدم ہو غم و خوف سے پاک‬
‫اور‬ ‫پيدا ہو ايازي سے مقام محمود‬
Jiss ki taseer sey Adam ho ghum-o-khouf sey pak; aur paida ho Ayazi sey
moqam-e-Mahmood.
A song that may have such results which set men free from grief and pain;
and makes Ayaz break slavish bands and learn like kings to rule and reign.
‫مہ‬ ‫و انجم کا يہ حيرت کدہ باقي نہ رہے‬
‫تو‬ ‫رہے اور ترا زمزمہ ال موجود‬
Meh-o-anjam ka yeh hairat kadah baqi nah rehey; tou rehey aur tera
zamzamah-e-la-moujood.
(Zamzamah-e-la-moujood: Morad hai twohid ka na’arah.)
Perplexing maze of moon and stars may flop down, leave their course O
God, you shall last and the cry ‘God is Great’, uttered with much force.
‫جس‬ ‫کو مشروع سمجھتے ہيں فقيہان خودي‬
‫ہے کسي مطرب کا ابھي تک وہ سرود منتظر‬
Jiss ko mashr’o samajhtey hein faqihaan-e-khodi; montazir hai kissi mutrib
ka abhi takk woh sarood.
(Mashr’o: Shariat ki roo sey ja’iz.)
The song that jurists of the Self deem lawful in their mystic creed has been
expecting since a long a bard, who can acquit indeed.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

UNLAWFUL MUSIC
Sarood-e-Haram ‫سرود حرام‬
‫نہ‬ ‫ميرے ذکر ميں ہے صوفيوں کا سوز و سرور‬
‫نہ‬ ‫ميرا فکر ہے پيمانہ ثواب و عذاب‬
Nah meyrey zikr mein hai Sufiyu’on ka soz-o-saroor; nah meyra fikr hai
paimanah-e-sawab-o-azaab.
My remembrance lacks the warmth and zeal that mystics oft attain my
thought is not a scale at all for deeds deserving need or pain.

384
 ‫خدا‬ ‫کرے کہ اسے اتفاق ہو مجھ سے‬
‫فقيہ‬ ‫شہر کہ ہے محرم حديث و کتاب‬
Khoda karey keh ossey itifaq ho mojh sey; faqih-e-shehar hai mehram-e-
Hadis-o-Kitab.
I wish that jurist of the town, who knows the rules that Prophet taught and is
adept at Book revealed, to my own point of view be brought.
‫اگر‬ ‫نوا ميں ہے پوشيدہ موت کا پيغام‬
‫حرام‬ ‫ميري نگاہوں ميں ناے و چنگ و رباب‬
Agar nawa mein hai poshidah mout ka paigham; haraam meyri nigah’on
mein na’ey-o-chung-o-rabaab. (Na’ey: Bansri.)
If in the music or its strains tile message of decease is hid such music of
harp, reed and lute in view of mine is quite forbid.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

FOUNTAIN
Fawarah ‫فوارہ‬
‫يہ‬ ‫ يہ ہمکناري خاک‬، ‫آبجو کي رواني‬
‫مري‬ ‫نگاہ ميں ناخوب ہے يہ نظارہ‬
‫ادھر‬ ‫ ادھر ديکھ اے جوان عزيز‬، ‫نہ ديکھ‬
‫بلند‬ ‫زور دروں سے ہوا ہے فوارہ‬
Yeh aabjoo ki rawani, yeh humkanari-e-khak; meri nigah mein nakhoob hai
yeh nazarah.
Idhar nah deikhh, odhar deikhh ay jawan-e-aziz; boland zor-e-dar’on sey
ho’a hai fawarah.
(Zor-e-dar’on: Andar ki taqat.)
To own the flow of brook and meander on the earth in gaze of mine hasn't
charm and can't endow with mirth.
O dear young man, divert a bit aside your eye: The water of the fount by
innate force surges high.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

385
THE POET
Sha’er ‫شاعر‬
‫مشرق‬ ‫کے نيستاں ميں ہے محتاج نفس نے‬
 ! ‫شاعر‬ ‫ترے سينے ميں نفس ہے کہ نہيں ہے‬
Mashriq kay neist’an mein hai mohtaaj nafas-e-na’ey; sha’er terey seiney
mein nafas hai keh naheen hai!
In lands of East, the bed of reeds for pipe, the breath of minstrel needs O
poet, let me this much know, ‘if you have breath in breast, or no?
‫تاثير‬ ‫غالمي سے خودي جس کي ہوئي نرم‬
‫اچھي‬ ‫نہيں اس قوم کے حق ميں عجمي لے‬
Taseer-e-ghulami sey khodi jiss ki hoeyi naram; achhi naheen oss quom kay
haq mein Ajami l’ay.
If nation's Self grows too much weak by chains of bondage and much meek
it need not hear the Persian strains, for these will only add to pains.
‫شيشے‬ ‫کي صراحي ہو کہ مٹي کا سبو ہو‬
‫شمشير‬ ‫کي مانند ہو تيزي ميں تري مے‬
Shishey ki surahi ho keh matti ka saboo ho, shamshir ki manind ho taizi
mein teri maey.
If flask of glass shines like the day; or is a pitcher made from clay: Like
sharpness of a sword of steel to palate must its relish feel.
‫ايسي‬ ‫کوئي دنيا نہيں افالک کے نيچے‬
‫بے‬ ‫معرکہ ہاتھ آئے جہاں تخت جم و کے‬
Aisi koeyi dunya naheen aflaak kay neichey; bi-ma’arkah haath aa’ey
jah’an takht-e-Jam-o-Kay.
There is no land or home on earth beneath this spinning azure dome, where
one without great stress and strain the thrones of Jam and Kai may gain.
‫ہر‬ ‫ نئي برق تجلي‬، ‫لحظہ نيا طور‬
‫ہللا‬ ‫کرے مرحلہ شوق نہ ہو طے‬
Her lehzah niya Toor, naeyi barq-e-tajali; Allah karey marhalah-e-shouq
nah ho ta’ey.

386
On Love's way numerous Mounts Sinai appear God manifests Himself so
clear may stage of Love for ever last, and may not come to end too ‘fast!
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

THE GREAT MAN

Mard-e-Bazorg ‫مرد بزرگ‬
‫اس‬ ‫ اس کي محبت بھي عميق‬، ‫کي نفرت بھي عميق‬
‫قہر‬ ‫بھي اس کا ہے ہللا کے بندوں پہ شفيق‬
Oss ki nafrat bhi amiq, oss ki mohabat bhi amiq; qehar bhi oss ka hai Allah
kay band’on peh shafiq. (Amiq: Gehri.)
His contempt has no bound. His Love's depth none can sound. His wrath on
men of God is tempered in manner odd.
‫پرورش‬ ‫پاتا ہے تقليد کي تاريکي ميں‬
‫ہے‬ ‫ تخليق‬Ð‫مگر اس کي طبيعت کا تقاضا‬
Perwarash pata hai taqlid ki tareeki mein; hai magar oss ki tabiyat ka
taqaza takhliq.
Nurtured in mimicry's gloom to tread like sheep his doom but he is much
inclined to creative bent of mind.
‫انجمن‬ ‫ميں بھي ميسر رہي خلوت اس کو‬
‫شمع‬ ‫ سب کا رفيق‬، ‫محفل کي طرح سب سے جدا‬
Anjaman mein bhi mayassir rehi khalwat oss ko; shama-e-mehfil ki tarah
sabb sey joda, sabb ka rafiq,
In midst of surging throng he keeps aloof for long, like lamp, he lights the
hall, but has not mate at all.
‫مثل‬ ‫خورشيد سحر فکر کي تاباني ميں‬
‫بات‬ ‫ معاني ميں دقيق‬،‫ميں سادہ و آزادہ‬
Misl-e-khurshid sehar-e-fikr ki taabani mein; baat mein saadah-o-aazadah,
ma’ani mein daqiq.
(Daqiq: Barik, nazok.)
Faqr can like sun of morn with light the mead adorn its speech is frank and
free, though meanings tenuous be.

387
 ‫اس‬ ‫کا انداز نظر اپنے زمانے سے جدا‬
‫اس‬ ‫کے احوال سے محرم نہيں پيران طريق‬
Oss ka andaz-e-nazar apney zamaney sey joda; oss kay ahwaal sey mehram
naheen piraan-e-tariq.
(Piraan-e-tariq: Morad hein khanqahi Sufiyan.)
Its views vary with the rest, it deems them right and best; its innate slates
unknown to mystics with renown.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

NEW WORLD
Alam-e-Nau ‫عالم نو‬
‫زندہ‬ ‫دل سے نہيں پوشيدہ ضمير تقدير‬
‫خواب‬ ‫ميں ديکھتا ہے عالم نو کي تصوير‬
Zindah dil sey naheen poshidah zamir-e-taqdir; khwab mein deikhhta ha
alam-e-nau ki taswir.
Decrees of Fate are not concealed from man whose heart throbbing seems,
he sees the image of new World in slumberous state, during dreams.
‫اور‬ ‫جب بانگ اذاں کرتي ہے بيدار اسے‬
‫کرتا‬ ‫ہے خواب ميں ديکھي ہوئي دنيا تعمير‬
Aur jabb bang-e-az’an karti hai bidaar ossey; karta hai khwab mein deikhhi
hoeyi dunya ta’amir.
When Prayer Call at early morn, transports him to Morpheus' domain he
tries to build the world beheld with utmost might and utmost main.
‫بدن‬ ‫اس تازہ جہاں کا ہے اسي کي کف خاک‬
‫روح‬ ‫اس تازہ جہاں کي ہے اسي کي تکبير‬
Badan oss tazah jah’an ka hai ossi ki kaff-e-khak; rooh oss tazah jah’an ki
hai ossi ki takbir.
The body of the dreamt or world is made from his handful clay: ‘God is
Great’, his slogan shrill that can the role of soul for new world play.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

388
INVENTION OF NEW MEANINGS
Eijad-e-Ma’ani ‫ايجاد معاني‬
‫ہر‬ ‫چند کہ ايجاد معاني ہے خدا داد‬
‫کوشش‬ ‫سے کہاں مرد ہنر مند ہے آزاد‬
Her chund keh eijad-e-ma’ani hai Khodadad; koshash sey kah’an mard-e-
honarmand hai azad.
It is a gift by God bestowed, to coin fresh words with meanings new, yet
skilful artist must work hard, as inborn trend is owned by few.
‫خون‬ ‫رگ معمار کي گرمي سے ہے تعمير‬
‫ميخانہ‬ ‫حافظ ہو کہ بتخانہ بہزاد‬
Khoon-e-rug-e-ma’amar ki garmi sey hai ta’amir; maeykhanah-e-Hafiz ho
keh bottkhanah-e-Behzad.
It is the heat in mason's blood, who builds structures of various forms: It
may be Behzad's picture hall, or house of wine where Hafiz charms.
‫بے‬ ‫محنت پيہم کوئي جوہر نہيں کھلتا‬
‫شرر تيشہ سے ہے خانہ فرہاد روشن‬
Bi-mehnat-e-paiham koeyi raaz naheen khholta; roshan sharar-e-taishah
sey hai khanah-e-Farhad.
Without resort to incessant strife, no skill or art completion gains:
If Farhad does not hew the rocks, no sparks flash, dark his house remains!
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

ZEST FOR SIGHT

Zouq-e-Nazar ‫ذوق نظر‬
‫خودي‬ ‫بلند تھي اس خوں گرفتہ چيني کي‬
‫کہا‬ ‫غريب نے جالد سے دم تعزير‬
‫ٹھہر‬ ‫ٹھہر کہ بہت دل کشا ہے يہ منظر‬
‫ذرا‬ ‫ميں ديکھ تو لوں تاب ناکي شمشير‬
Khodi boland thhi oss kh’on gariftah Chini ki; kaha gharib ney jallaad sey
dum-e-ta’azir.

389
Thhehar thhehar keh bohat dilkosha hai yeh manzar; zara mein deikhh tuo
l’on taabnaki-e-shamshir.
How lofty was that Chinese Self who for crime was condemned to death on
eve of his beheading, he asked headsman, ‘Stop for a span or breath.’
He asked for stoppage many times, for it was very pleasant scene, he wished
to see for moments few the sword's great-glimmer, glow and sheen.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

VERSE
She’ar ‫شعر‬
‫ميں‬ ‫شعر کے اسرار سے محرم نہيں ليکن‬
‫يہ‬ ‫ تاريخ امم جس کي ہے تفصيل‬، ‫نکتہ ہے‬
‫وہ‬ ‫شعر کہ پيغام حيات ابدي ہے‬
‫يا‬ ‫نغمہ جبريل ہے يا بانگ سرافيل‬
Mein she’ar kay asrar sey mehram naheen laikan; yeh noktah hai, tarikh-e-
ommam jiss ki hai tafsil.
Woh she’ar keh paigham-e-hayat-e-abadi hai; ya naghmah-e-Jibril hai ya
bang-e-’Srafil.
The secrets that are hid in verse to judge their worth I always fail, though
nnals of the nations past relate this point with much detail.
The verse that conveys to man the views of lire that shall e'er last is either
song by Gabriel sung, or blare of Sarafil'strumpet blast.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

DANCE AND MUSIC

Raqs-o-Mousiqi ‫رقص و موسيقي‬
‫شعر‬ ‫سے روشن ہے جان جبرئيل و اہرمن‬
‫رقص‬ ‫و موسيقي سے ہے سوز و سرور انجمن‬
‫فاش‬ ‫يوں کرتا ہے اک چيني حکيم اسرار فن‬
‫شعر‬  ‫ رقص اس کا بدن‬، ‫گويا روح موسيقي ہے‬

390
She’ar sey roshan hai jan-e-Jibril-o-Aharman; raqs-o-mousiqi sey hai soz-
o-saroor-e-anjaman. (Aharman: Shaitan.)
Faash yu’on karta hai ekk Chini hakim asrar-e-fun; she’ar goya rooh
mousiqi hai, raqs oss ka badan.
The souls of Satan and Gabriel too from verse derive effulgence strong, for
dance and music both provide pathos and rapture for the throng.
A Chinese Sage has thus disclosed the secrets implied in this art: ‘As if verse
is music's soul and dance performs body's part.’
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

DISCIPLINE
Zabt ‫ضبط‬
‫طريق‬ ‫اہل دنيا ہے گلہ شکوہ زمانے کا‬
‫نہيں‬ ‫ہے زخم کھا کر آہ کرنا شان درويشي‬
‫يہ‬ ‫نکتہ پير دانا نے مجھے خلوت ميں سمجھايا‬
‫ فغاں روباہي و ميشي کہ‬، ‫ہے ضبط فغاں شيري‬
Tariq-e-ehl-e-dunya hai gillah shikwah zamaney ka; naheen hai zakham
khha kar ah karna shan-e-darveshi.
Yeh noktah pir-e-dana ney mojhey khalwat mein samjhaya; keh hai zabt-e-
fogh’an sheri, fogh’an robaahi-o-maishi.
(Robaahi-o-maishi: Loomarri aur Bhhairr.)
It is the mode of worldly men against the world to whine and groan; it does
not suit a Darvesh true, by Fate-inflicted wounds to moan.
The wise old man explained to me, this subtle point in closet alone, that
control on Self daring shows, whereas plaints breed more guile and groan.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

DANCE
Raqs ‫رقص‬
‫چھوڑ‬ ‫يورپ کے ليے رقص بدن کے خم و پيچ‬
‫روح‬ ‫کے رقص ميں ہے ضرب کليم اللہي‬

391
 ‫صلہ‬ ‫اس رقص کا ہے تشنگي کام و دہن‬
‫صلہ‬ ‫اس رقص کا درويشي و شاہنشاہي‬
Chhorr Europe kay leay raqs-e-badan kay khum-o-paich; rooh kay raqs
mein hai zarb-e-Kalimul’Lahi.
Silah iss raqs ka hai tishinagi-e-kaam-o-dehun; silah iss raqs ka darveshi-o-
shihanshahi.
(Kaam-o-dehun: Mo’nh aur halq.)
The turns and twists required for dance, leave to Franks who jump and
bound when soul is in ecstatic dance, the strokes like Moses' Rod resound.
A palate parched and mouth athirst are needs that body's dance confers,
whereas soul's rapturous dance, Derveshhood and mighty realms prefers.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

The Chapter on ‘The Politics of the East and West’ is very

illuminating and throws great light on the guile and tricks practised by the
Franks, remarked Syed Akbar Ali Shah in the introductory lines. Some
poems from this chapter too were included in previous volumes and the
remaining are reproduced herein.

COMMUNISM
Ishrakiyat ‫اشتراکيت‬
 ‫قوموں‬ ‫کي روش سے مجھے ہوتا ہے يہ معلوم‬
‫بے‬ ‫سود نہيں روس کي يہ گرمي رفتار‬
Quom’on ki rawash sey mojhey hota hai yeh ma’aloom; bi-sood naheen
Roos ki yeh garmi-e-raftar.
From wont and ways of nations all these facts so clear with ease I learn, the
Russians seem to be in haste to gain the goal for which they yearn.
‫انديشہ‬ ‫ہوا شوخي افکار پہ مجبور‬
‫فرسودہ‬ ‫طريقوں سے زمانہ ہوا بيزار‬
Andaishah ho’a shokhi-e-afkaar peh majboor; farsoodah tariq’on sey
zamanah ho’a bizaar.

392
The world is red tip with the modes that aren't in vogue and are outworn; my
intellect, that was tame and mild much pert and insolent has grown.
‫انساں‬ ‫کي ہوس نے جنھيں رکھا تھا چھپا کر‬
‫کھلتے‬ ‫نظر آتے ہيں بتدريج وہ اسرار‬
Ins’an ki hawus ney jinhein rakhha thha chhopa kar; khholtey nazar aatey
hein batadrij woh asrar.
These mysteries which the greed of man had kept in veils of stuff so coarse
are step by step emerging now and coming forth by dint of force.
‫قرآن‬ ‫ميں ہو غوطہ زن اے مرد مسلماں‬
‫ہللا‬ ‫کرے تجھ کو عطا جدت کردار‬
Qur’an mein ho ghotah-zun ay mard-e-Mosilm’an; Allah karey tojh ko atta
jiddat-e-kirdar.
O Muslim, dive deep in the Book, which was revealed to Prophets' Seal.
May God, by grace on you bestow politeness, for good deeds much.zeal!
‫جو‬ ‫حرف 'قل العفو' ميں پوشيدہ ہے اب تک‬
‫دور ميں شايد وہ حقيقت ہو نمودار اس‬
Jo harf-e-‘qul a‘affo’* mein poshidah hai abb takk; iss dour mein sha’id
woh haqiqat ho namodaar.
(*Asharah hai Qur’an ki oss ayat ki taraf jiss mein kaha gaya ‘tojh sey
pochhtay hein keh kaya kharch karein. tuo keh dey jo bachey apney kharch
sey’.)
The fact concealed in words so far, ‘spend what is surplus and is spare’ may
come to light in modern age and make the meanings clear and bare.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

THE VOICE OF KARL MARX

Karl Marx ki Awaz ‫کارل مارکس کي آواز‬
‫يہ‬ ‫ يہ بحث و تکرار کي نمائش‬، ‫علم و حکمت کي مہرہ بازي‬
‫نہيں‬ ‫ہے دنيا کو اب گوارا پرانے افکار کي نمائش‬
Yeh ilm-o-hikmat ki mohrah baazi, yeh behus-o-takraar ki nama’ish; naheen
hai dunya ko abb gawara poraney afkar ki noma’ish.

393
(Mohrah baazi: Mohr’on ka khheil; morad hai ayyari, makkari.)
The world does not like tricks and of science and wit nor, their contests; this
age does not like ancient thoughts, from core of hearts their show detests.
‫تري‬ ‫کتابوں ميں اے حکيم معاش رکھا ہي کيا ہے آخر‬
‫خطوط‬ ‫ مريز و کج دار کي نمائش‬، ‫خم دار کي نمائش‬
Teri kitab’on mein ay hakim-e-ma’ash rakhha he kaya hai aakhar; khatoot-
e-khamdar ki nama’ish, maraiz-o-kajdaar ki nama’ish.
(Maraiz-o-kajdar: Lafzi ma’ani hein; nah gira aur tairrha rakhh – onn
hakim’on kay leay istimaal hota hai jinn ka baja lana momkin nah ho.)
O wise economist, the books you write are quite devoid of useful aim: They
have twisted lines with orders strange no warmth for labour, though they
claim.
‫جہان‬ ‫ مدرسوں ميں‬، ‫ کليساؤں ميں‬، ‫مغرب کے بت کدوں ميں‬
‫ہوس‬ ‫کي خون ريزياں چھپاتي ہے عقل عيار کي نمائش‬
Jahan-e-Maghrib kay bottkad’on mein, Kalisa’on mein, madrass’on mein;
hawus ki khoon raiziy’an chhopati hai aql-e-ayyar ki nama’ish.
The idol houses of the West, their schools and churches wide; the ravage
caused for, greed of wealth their wily wit attempts to hide.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

REVOLUTION
Inqilab ‫انقالب‬
‫نہ‬ ‫ايشيا ميں نہ يورپ ميں سوز و ساز حيات‬ 
‫خودي‬ ‫ اور وہ ضمير کي موت‬، ‫کي موت ہے يہ‬ 
‫دلوں‬ ‫ميں ولولہ انقالب ہے پيدا‬ 
‫آگئي شايد جہان پير کي موت قريب‬ 
Nah Aisia mein nah Europe mein soz-o-saaz-e-hayat; khodi ki mout hai yeh,
aur woh zamir ki mout.
Dil’on mein walwalah-e-inqilab hai paida; qarib aagaeyi sha’id jahan-e-pir
ki mout.

394
The hearts of both the East and West of zeal and zest are quite bereft: One
means the death of Self and soul, other decease of conscience whole.
A fervour great is in their hearts, they wait, when some convulsion starts;
perhaps, this cosmos old and sear is in throes, its death quite near.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

FLATTERY
Khoshamad ‫خوشامد‬
 ‫ميں‬ ‫ وليکن‬، ‫کار جہاں سے نہيں آگاہ‬
‫ارباب‬ ‫نظر سے نہيں پوشيدہ کوئي راز‬
Mien kaar-e-jah’an sey naheen aagah, w’laikan; arbab-e-nazar sey naheen
poshidah koeyi raaz.
The world and its affairs to me are quite unknown; these secrets are not bid
from those who insight own.
‫کر‬ ‫تو بھي حکومت کے وزيروں کي خوشامد‬
‫دستور‬ ‫ اور نئے دور کا آغاز‬، ‫نيا‬
Kar tou bhi hakoomat kay wazir’on ki khoshamad; dastoor niya, aur ni’ay
dour ka aaghaz.
Hang on the Ministers, if you desire high ranks; new rules have been now
framed for this age by the Franks.
‫معلوم‬ Ð‫ ہے يہ خوشامد کہ حقيقت‬، ‫نہيں‬
‫کہہ‬ ‫دے کوئي الو کو اگر رات کا شہباز‬
Ma’aloom naheen, hai yeh khoshamad keh haqiqat; keh dey koeyi olloo ko
agar raat ka shahbaaz.
If a man calls the owl, ‘The kingly hawk of night’; too hard to find this fact
wh'r he tells wrong or right.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

395
HIGH OFFICES
Manasib ‫مناصب‬
‫ہوا‬ ‫ہے بندئہ مومن فسوني افرنگ‬ 
‫اسي‬ ‫سبب سے قلندر کي آنکھ ہے نم ناک‬ 
Ho’a hai bandah-e-Momin fasooni-e-Afrang; issi sabab sey qalandar ki
ankhh hai numnaak.
The Muslims have been charmed by spell that Franks have cast; hence eyes
of this Qalender shed tears much hot and fast.
‫ترے‬ ‫ کي خير ہو يارب‬Ð‫بلند مناصب‬ 
‫کہ‬ ‫ان کے واسطے تو نے کيا خودي کو ہالک‬ 
Terey boland manasib ki khair ho Ya Rabb; keh onn kay wastay tou ney kiya
khodi ko halak.
May God preserve and guard your state and lofty ranks! You have
slaughtered the Self for ranks conferred by Franks.
‫مگر‬ ‫يہ بات چھپائے سے چھپ نہيں سکتي‬ 
‫سمجھ‬ ‫گئي ہے اسے ہر طبيعت چاالک‬ 
Magar yeh baat chhopa’ey sey chhop naheen sakti; samajh gaeyi hai ossey
her tabiyyat-e-chalaak.
Though man may try his best, yet he can't hide the fact; this point is known
to all who own a bit of tact.
‫شريک‬ ‫حکم غالموں کو کر نہيں سکتے‬ 
‫ہيں فقط ان کا جوہر ادراک خريدتے‬
Sharik-e-hokm ghulam’on ko kar naheen saktey; kharid’tey hein faqat onn
ka johar-e-adraak.
They don't consort with slaves in case of rule and might; they buy the wit of
serfs to gain the ends, in sight.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

396
EUROPE AND JEWS
Europe aur Yahood ‫يورپ اور يہود‬
‫يہ‬ ‫ يہ تجارت‬، ‫ يہ حکومت‬، ‫عيش فراواں‬
‫دل‬ ‫سينہ بے نور ميں محروم تسلي‬
Yeh aish-e-faraw’an, yeh hakoomat, yeh tajarat; dil seinah-e-binoor mein
mehroom-e-tasali.
Unbridled luxury, state pomp and pride, rich commerce; but to dwell inside
that lampless breast all tranquil thoughts refuse.
‫تاريک‬ ‫ہے افرنگ مشينوں کے دھويں سے‬
‫يہ‬ ‫وادي ايمن نہيں شايان تجلي‬
Tareek hai Afrang mashin’on kay dho’in sey; yeh waadi-e-aiman naheen
shaiyan-e-tajali.
Dark is the white man’s country with the grime of engines, no valley that
might see splendour descending on a burning tree:
‫ہے‬ ‫ ميں يہ تہذيب جواں مرگ‬Ð‫نزع کي حالت‬
‫شايد‬ ‫ہوں کليسا کے يہودي متولي‬
Hai niza’a ki halat mein yeh tehzeeb-e-jaw’an murg; sha’id h’on Kalisa kay
Yahoodi matwalli.
(Matwalli: Nigran, intizam karney waaley.)
A civilization sick before its prime, at its least gasp; leaving maybe for
caretakers of Christendom, the Jews. (Translated by V.G. Kiernan)  

BOLSHEVIK RUSSIA
‫بلشويک روس‬
‫روش‬ ‫قضائے الہي کي ہے عجيب و غريب‬
‫خبر‬ ‫نہيں کہ ضمير جہاں ميں ہے کيا بات‬
Rawash qaza’ey Elahi ki hai ajeib-o-gharib; khabar naheen keh zamir-e-
jah’an mein hai kaya baat.
Unsearchably God’s edicts move; who knows what thoughts are stirring up
deep in the world-mind!

397
 ‫ہوئے‬ ‫ہيں کسر چليپا کے واسطے مامور‬
‫وہي‬ ‫کہ حفظ چليپا کو جانتے تھے نجات‬
Ho’ay hein kasar-e-Chalipa kay wastay mamoor; wohi keh hifz-e-Chalipa
ko jaantey thhey nijaat.
(Kasar: Torrna. Chalipa: Saleeb.)
Those are appointed to pull down, who lately held it salvation to protect, the
priests;
‫يہ‬ ‫وحي دہريت روس پر ہوئي نازل‬
‫توڑ ڈال کليسائيوں کے الت و منات کہ‬
Yeh wohi dehriyat Roos per hoeyi nazil; keh torr daal Kalisaiyu’on kay
Laat-o-Manat. (Dehriyat: Khoda ka inkar.)
On godless Russia the command descends: Smite all the Baals and Dagons
of the Church!
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

STATESMANSHIP OF THE FRANKS

Siyasat-e-Afrang ‫سياست افرنگ‬
‫تري‬ ‫حريف ہے يارب سياست افرنگ‬
‫مگر‬ ‫ہيں اس کے پجاري فقط امير و رئيس‬
‫بنايا‬ ‫ايک ہي ابليس آگ سے تو نے‬
‫خاک سے اس نے دو صد ہزار ابليس بنائے‬
Teri harif hai Ya Rabb siyasat-e-Afrang; magar hein oss kay pojari faqat
amir-o-raees.
Banaya eik he Iblis-e-aag sey Tou ney; bana’ey khak sey oss ney duo sadd
hazar Iblis.
God, the politics of the Franks, with your creative powers ranks the rich
alone and aristocrats obey its calls and dictates.
One Devil out of fire You raised, for Franks a track You have emblazed; the
West has by its guile and art, filled with Satans the human mart.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

398
TO THE EGYPTIANS
Ehl-e-Misar Sey ‫اہل مصر سے‬
‫خود‬ ‫ابوالہول نے يہ نکتہ سکھايا مجھ کو‬
‫وہ‬ ‫ابوالہول کہ ہے صاحب اسرار قديم‬
Khod Abu al Houl ney yeh noktah sikhhaya mojh ko; woh Abu al Houl keh
hai sahib-e-asrar-e-qadim.
(Abu al Houl: Misar mein ihram kay pass eik bohat barra bott hai jo eik
chattan ko tarash kar tiyyar kiya gaya hai; oss ka dharr sher ka hai aur
chehra insan ka.)
By Sphinx this subtle point to me was told; the Sphinx, whose breast holds
secrets old.
ً‫دفعتہ‬ ‫جس سے بدل جاتي ہے تقدير امم‬
‫ہے‬ ‫وہ قوت کہ حريف اس کي نہيں عقل حکيم‬
Dafatun jiss sey badal jaati hai taqdir-e-ommam; hai woh qowwat keh harif
oss ki naheen aql-e-hakim.
Might at once can change a nation's fate, but wisdom is not its match and
mate.
‫ہر‬ ‫زمانے ميں دگر گوں ہے طبيعت اس کي‬
‫ کبھي چوب کليم کبھي‬، ‫شمشير محمد ہے‬
Her zamaney mein digarg’on hai tabiyat oss ki; kabhi shamshir-e-
Mohammad (S.A.W.) hai, kabhi chob-e-Kalim.
Change its wont e'ery age, though odd, now Mohammad's sword, then
Moses' Rod. (Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

ABYSSINIA (August 18, 1935)

‫ابي سينيا‬ 
‫يورپ‬ ‫کے کرگسوں کو نہيں ہے ابھي خبر‬
‫ہے‬ ‫کتني زہر ناک ابي سينيا کي الش‬
‫ہونے‬ ‫کو ہے يہ مردہ ديرينہ قاش قاش‬
Europe kay kargis’on ko naheen hai abhi khabar; hai kitni zeharnak
Abyssinia ki laash; hon’ay ko hai yeh mordah-e-deirinah qaash qaash.

399
(Kargis’on: Bhairriyu’on. Qaash qaash. Tokarrey tokarrey.)
The vultures of Europe still do not know that poison in Abyssinian corpse
does flow: The old corpse may with speed to fragments go.
‫تہذيب‬ ‫کا کمال شرافت کا ہے زوال‬
‫غارت‬ ‫گري جہاں ميں ہے اقوام کي معاش‬
‫گرگ کو ہے برہ معصوم کي تالش ہر‬
Tehzeeb ka kamal sharafat ka hai zawal; gharat-gari jah’an mein hai
aqwam ki ma’ash; her gurg ko hai barrah-e-ma’asoom ki talash.
(Gurg: Bhairriya. Barrah: Bhairr ka bachhah.)
Advance or culture good manners can’t maintain, these days by pillage.
Nations themselves sustain all wolves would some artless lamb obtain.
‫اے‬ ‫وائے آبروئے کليسا کا آينہ‬
‫روما‬ ‫نے کر ديا سر بازار پاش پاش‬
‫کليسا! يہ حقيقت ہے دلخراش پير‬
Ay waa’ey aabroo’ey Kalisa ka a’einah; Roma ney kar diya sar-e-bazaar
pash pash; pir-e-Kalisa! Yeh haqiqat hai dilkharash.
Alas that Rome has shattered in the mart the Fragile honour of Church in
e'ery part; O Pope, this oppressive act rends human heart!
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

ORDERS OF SATAN TO HIS POLITICAL PROGENY

It is this order of the Devil which the West and its likeminded in
Islamic world have been obeying in letter and spirit since long.
‫ابليس کا فرمان اپنے سياسي فرزندوں کے نام‬
Iblis ka farman apney siyasi fatzand’on kay naam
‫ال‬ ‫کر برہمنوں کو سياست کے پيچ ميں‬
‫زناريوں‬ ‫کو دير کہن سے نکال دو‬
La kar Brahman’on ko siyasat kay paich mein; zonnariyu’on ko deir-e-
kohan sey nikaal duo. (Deir-e-kohan: Porani ibadat-gah.)
Embroil the Brahmans in statesmanship's maze; make them discard their
girdle, creed and ways.

400
 ‫وہ‬ ‫فاقہ کش کہ موت سے ڈرتا نہيں ذرا‬
‫روح‬ ‫محمد اس کے بدن سے نکال دو‬
Woh faqah-kash keh mout sey darta naheen zara; rooh-e-Mohammad
(S.A.W.) oss kay badan sey nikaal duo.
The mendicant whom death can't affright, take Mohammad's soul from his
mould and expedite.
‫فکر‬ ‫عرب کو دے کے فرنگي تخيالت‬
‫اسالم‬ ‫کو حجاز و يمن سے نکال دو‬
Fikr-e-Arab ko dey kay Farangi takhiyalat; Islam ko Hijaz-o-Yaman sey
nikaal duo.
Dye Arab thought in Frankish fancy's hue, from Hejaz and Yaman expel the
Muslims true.
‫افغانيوں‬ ‫کي غيرت ديں کا ہے يہ عالج‬
‫مال‬ ‫کو ان کے کوہ و دمن سے نکال دو‬
Afghaniyu’on ki ghairat-e-Deen ka hai yeh ilaj; mulla ko onn kay koh-o-
daman sey nikaal duo.
The Afghan's zeal for Faith You can assail by exiling Muslim priests from
hill and dale.
‫اہل‬ ‫حرم سے ان کي روايات چھين لو‬
‫آہو‬ ‫کو مرغزار ختن سے نکال دو‬
Ehl-e-Haram sey onn ki rawaiyat chhein lo; aahoo ko marghazar Khatan
sey nikaal duo.
(Marghazar: Sabzahzar, chiragah. Khatan: Wasti Aisia ka alaqah jah’an kay
moshk waley herun mash’hoor hein.)
Snatch customs of those, who own Muslim creed, banish musk-yielding deer
from Cathay's mead.
‫اقبال‬ ‫کے نفس سے ہے اللے کي آگ تيز‬
‫ايسے‬ ‫غزل سرا کو چمن سے نکال دو‬
 ‫بھوپال‬ ‫شيش محل ميں لکھے گئے‬
Iqbal kay nafas sey hai laley ki aag taiz; aisey ghazal sara ko chaman sey
nikaal duo. (Bhopal Shish Mehal mein lihhey ga’ey)

401
My songs in Muslim hearts ignite a flame; turn out such singer from park for
this blame. (Written in Shish Mehal, Bhopal)
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

LEAGUE OF THE NATIONS OF THE EAST

The stated purpose of the creation of the League of Nations was to
save the humanity from the devastations and ravages of the war, by settling
the disputes through dialogue and diplomatic interaction. It completely
failed in achieving that. The present day United Nations Organization is an
‘improved version of the same. In more than sixty years of its existence it
has worked as a device for the five veto powers to control the armed
conflicts or limited wars to serve their vested interests. Only thing that has
been avoided is a major armed conflict between five big powers.
Allamah Iqbal desired to an exclusive league for Muslim countries.
The need to have such an organization is far more than eighty years ago. The
present OIC was an attempt in that direction but it has ended up no more
than a mockery of a great idea.
Jami’at-e-Aqwam-e-Mashriq
‫جمعيت اقوام مشرق‬
‫پاني‬ ‫ ہوا بھي ہے مسخر‬، ‫بھي مسخر ہے‬
‫کيا‬ ‫ہو جو نگاہ فلک پير بدل جائے‬
Pani bhi masakhar hai, hawa bhi hai masakhar; kaya ho jo nigah-e-falak-e-
pir badal ja’ey.
(Masakhar: Taskhir kiya gaya.)
The West has made the wind and seas work through hard work, not chance;
from West, the old blue' sky may turn its gaze and glance.
‫ديکھا‬ ‫ہے ملوکيت افرنگ نے جو خواب‬
‫ممکن‬ ‫ہے کہ اس خواب کي تعبير بدل جائے‬
Deikhha hai malokiyat-e-Afrang ney jo khwab; momkin hai keh oss khwab ki
ta’abir badal ja’ey.
The dream of such domains, ‘that have extensive range, 'bout which the
Franks have dreamt, its purport right may change!

402
 ‫طہران‬ ‫ہو گر عالم مشرق کا جينوا‬
‫شايد‬ ‫کرہ ارض کي تقدير بدل جائے‬
 ‫بھوپال(شيش‬ ‫محل) ميں لکھے گئے‬
Tehran ho gar Alam-e-Mashriq ka Geneva; sha’id korah-e-arz ki taqdir
badal ja’ey. (Bhopal Shish Mehal mein lihhey gaey.)
If Tehran is made the Geneva of the East, the Fate or earthly globe may have
some change at least. (Written in Shish Mehal, Bhopal)
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

ETERNAL KINGSHIP
Sultani-e-Javid ‫سلطاني جاويد‬
‫غواص‬ ‫تو فطرت نے بنايا ہے مجھے بھي‬
‫ليکن‬ ‫مجھے اعماق سياست سے ہے پرہيز‬
Ghawas tuo fitrat ney banaya hai mojhey bhi; laikan mojhey a’amaq-e-
siyasat sey hai perhaiz.
(Ghawas: Ghour-o-khoz. A’amaq: Gehraiy’an.)
Though Nature has made me such that I too can dive, yet from
statesmanship's core to keep aloof I strive.
‫فطرت‬ ‫کو گوارا نہيں سلطاني جاويد‬
‫ہر‬ ‫چند کہ يہ شعبدہ بازي ہے دل آويز‬
Fitrat ko gawara naheen sultani-e-javid; her chund keh yeh sho’abdah bazi
hai dil aawaiz.
Such kingship which e'er lasts, Nature can not desire, though this Talisman
may please the heart of man entire.
‫فرہاد‬ ‫کي خارا شکني زندہ ہے اب تک‬
‫باقي‬ ‫نہيں دنيا ميں ملوکيت پرويز‬
Farahad ki khaara shikni zindah hai abb takk; baqi naheen dunya mein
malokiyat-e-Pervaiz.
(Kharah shikni: Pathar toorrna.)

403
Cleaving rocks by Farhad in hearts is still distinct, but Empire of Pervez
from mind is quite extinct. (Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

DEMOCRACY
Jamhooriyat ‫جمہوريت‬
‫اس‬ ‫راز کو اک مرد فرنگي نے کيا فاش‬
‫ہر‬ ‫چند کہ دانا اسے کھوال نہيں کرتے‬
‫جمہوريت‬ ‫اک طرز حکومت ہے کہ جس ميں‬
‫بندوں‬ ‫ توال نہيں کرتے‬، ‫کو گنا کرتے ہيں‬
Iss raaz ko ekk mard-e-Farangi ney kiya faash; her chund keh dana ossey
khhola naheen kartey.
Jamhooriyat ekk tarz-e-hakoomat hai jiss mein; band’on ko gina kartey
hein, tola naheen kartey.
By some European sage this secret was revealed, though men endowed with
sense, keep points like this concealed.
Democracy means a mode to rule the common man no doubt, they count the
votes, but conduct do not scan. (Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

EUROPE AND SYRIA

Europe aur Soriya ‫يورپ اور سوريا‬ 
‫فرنگيوں‬ ‫کو عطا خاک سوريا نے کيا‬
‫نبي‬ ‫عفت و غم خواري و کم آزاري‬
‫صلہ‬ ‫فرنگ سے آيا ہے سوريا کے ليے‬
‫مے‬ ‫و قمار و ہجوم زنان بازاري‬
Farangiyu’on ko atta khak-e-Soriya ney kiya; Nabi-e-iffat-o-ghumkhwari-o-
kum azaari.
Silah-e-Farang sey aya hai Soriya kay leay; maey-o-qomar-o-hajoom-o-
zann’an bazaari.
(Soriya: Molk-e-Shaam, jiss mein moujooda Lebanon, Israel, Falastin aur
mashriqi Ordan shamil thhey.)

404
The land of Syria to the Franks presented: Prophet chaste, kind, who paining
man resented.
The Franks have recompensed the Syrian clime with drink, dice, troops or
girls for sexual crime.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

MUSSOLINI
This poem was written when Mussolini was criticized by European
countries for invading Euthpia.
‫مسوليني‬ 
(‫ اپنے مشرقي‬ ‫)اور مغربي حريفوں سے‬
Apney Mashriqi aur Maghribi harif’on sey
To his Eastern and western adversaries
‫کيا‬ ‫زمانے سے نراال ہے مسوليني کا جرم‬
‫بے‬ ‫محل بگڑا ہے معصومان يورپ کا مزاج‬
Kaya zamaney sey nirala hai Mussolini ka jorm; bey mehal bigrra hai
ma’asooman-e-Europe ka mazaaj.
Does crime of Mussolini seem so odd to age, without cause all the chaste are
put to rage?
‫ميں‬ ‫پھٹکتا ہوں تو چھلني کو برا لگتا ہے کيوں‬
‫ہيں‬ ‫ ميں چھاج‬، ‫سبھي تہذيب کے اوزار! تو چھلني‬
Mien phhatakta tuo chhalni ko bora lagta hai kiyu’on; hein sabhi tehzeeb
kay ouzaar! Tou chhalni, mien chhaaj.
Why does pot feel offence, if kettle has a blot, our culture same – I kettle
and you pot?
‫ميرے‬ ‫سودائے ملوکيت کو ٹھکراتے ہو تم‬
‫تم‬ ‫نے کيا توڑے نہيں کمزور قوموں کے زجاج؟‬
Meyrey souda’ey malokiyat ko thhokratey ho tum; tum ney torray naheen
kumzor quom’on kay zojaaj?
(Zojaj: Shishay.)

405
My craze for Empire makes you sneer and frown, but walls of weak states,
you too have brought down.
‫يہ‬ ‫عجائب شعبدے کس کي ملوکيت کے ہيں‬
‫راجدھاني‬ ‫ مگر باقي نہ راجا ہے نہ راج‬، ‫ہے‬
Yeh aja’ib sho’abdey kis ki malokiyat kay hein; rajdhani hai, magar baqi
nah raja hai nah raj.
Whose monarchy such wondrous tricks does own. The royal seat exists, no
king or crown?
‫آل‬ ‫سيزر چوب نے کي آبياري ميں رہے‬
‫تم دنيا کے بنجر بھي نہ چھوڑو بے خراج اور‬
Aal-e-Caesar chob-e-na’ey ki abiyari mein rehey; aur tum dunya kay bunjar
bhi nah chhorro bey kharaj.
The sons of Caesar watered reedy sands; you did not leave untaxed barren
lands.
‫تم‬ ‫نے لوٹے بے نوا صحرا نشينوں کے خيام‬
‫تم‬ ‫ تم نے لوٹے تخت و تاج‬، ‫نے لوٹي کشت دہقاں‬
Tum ney lootey bey nawa sehra nashin’on kay khiyam; tum ney looti kisht-e-
dehqan, tum ney lootey takht-o-taj.
(Kisht-e-dehqan: Kissan ki fasal.)
You pillaged tents of nomads, who little own ravaged peasant's crops, looted
throne and crown.
‫پردہ‬ ‫ آدم کشي‬، ‫تہذيب ميں غارت گري‬
‫کل‬  ‫ ميں روا رکھتا ہوں آج‬، ‫روا رکھي تھي تم نے‬
 ‫ ء کو بھوپال (شيش محل) ميں لکھے گئے‬1935 ‫اگست‬ 
Pardah-e-tehzeeb mein gharat gari, Adam koshi; kall rawa rakhhi thhi tum
ney, mien rawa rakhhta h’on aaj. (August 1935 ko Bhopal, Shish Mehal
mein likhhey ga’ey)
You plundered, slaughtered in culture's way, you did it previous day' I do
today. (Written in August in Shish Mehal, Bhopal)
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

406
TUTELAGE
The phrase that was equivalent of intidab was coined after First World
War, which meant taking over a country on the pretext of poor governance
therein with a view to improving that. The responsibility is to be passed back
to the natives once they are made ‘civilized’.
Intidab ‫انتداب‬
‫کہاں‬ ‫فرشتہ تہذيب کي ضرورت ہے‬
‫نہيں‬ ‫زمانہ حاضر کو اس ميں دشواري‬
Kah’an farishtah-e-tehzeeb ki zaroorat hai; naheen zamanah-e-hazir ko iss
mein dashwari.
It is not hard to find in present age the place which needs culture's angelic
sage.
‫جہاں‬ ‫ زن تنک لباس نہيں‬، ‫قمار نہيں‬
‫جہاں‬ ‫حرام بتاتے ہيں شغل مے خواري‬
Jah’an qomar naheen, zann tunak labas naheen; jah’an haraam batatey
hein shaghal-e-maey khwari. (Tunak labas: Kum labas, neim oriy’an.)
Where dice and drink are both by law forbid, and women keep their bodies
fully hide.
‫بدن‬ ‫ميں گرچہ ہے اک روح ناشکيب و عميق‬
‫طريقہ‬ ‫اب و جد سے نہيں ہے بيزاري‬
Badan mein garchih hai ekk rooh-e-nashakaib-o-amiq; tariqah-e-abb-o-
jadd sey naheen hai bizaari.
(Nashakaib-o-ameeq: Bisabar aur gehri. Abb-o-jadd: Baap dada.)
Although my body has a deep restless heart, yet forbears' wont no disgust
can impart.
‫جسور‬ ‫و زيرک و پردم ہے بچہ بدوي‬
‫نہيں‬ ‫ہے فيض مکاتب کا چشمہ جاري‬
Jasoor-o-zirak-o-pordum hai bachah-e-Budvi; naheen hai faiz-e-makatib ka
chashmah jaari. (Jasoor: Bahadar. Bachah-e-Budvi: Arab kay Budoo ka
baita.)
Although deprived of School's beneficial fount on Bedouin’s wit and
courage we can count.

407
 ‫نظروران‬ ‫فرنگي کا ہے يہي فتوي‬
‫وہ‬ ‫سرزميں مدنيت سے ہے ابھي عاري‬ 
Nazarvaran-e-Farangi ka hai yehi fatwah; woh sarzam’in maddniyat sey hai
abhi aari. (Nazarvaran: Danishmand.)
The wise 'mong Franks this verdict declare of culture Arab lands are fully
bare.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

SECULAR POLITICS
La-Deeni Siyasat ‫الدين سياست‬
‫جو‬ ‫ وہ مجھ سے چھپي نہيں رہتي‬،‫بات حق ہو‬
‫خدا‬ ‫نے مجھ کو ديا ہے دل خبير و بصير‬
Jo baat haq ho, woh mojh sey chhopi naheen rehti; Khoda ney mojh ko diya
hai dil-e-khabir-o-basir.
(Khabir-o-basir: Jananey aur deikhhney wala.)
No truth from me can hide at all its face; God gave me heart awake and
wise, through.
‫مري‬ ‫نگاہ ميں ہے يہ سياست ال ديں‬
‫کنيز‬ ‫اہرمن و دوں نہاد و مردہ ضمير‬
Meri nigah mein hai yeh siyasat-e-la’deen; kaneez-e-Aharman-o-du’on
nehad-o-mordah zamir.
(Kaneez-e-Aharman: Shaitan ki loundi. Du’on nehad: Kum asal.)
In my view statesmanship cut off from creed, is Satan's slave, has no
qualms, but low breed.
‫ہوئي‬ ‫ہے ترک کليسا سے حاکمي آزاد‬
‫فرنگيوں‬ ‫کي سياست ہے ديو بے زنجير‬
Hoeyi hai tark-e-Kalisa sey hakami azad; Farangiyu’on ki siyasast hai
deuv-e-bizinjir.
By quitting Church, Europe has freedom gained, this statesmanship is, like a
giant unchained.

408
 ‫متاع‬ ‫غير پہ ہوتي ہے جب نظر اس کي‬
‫تو‬ ‫ہيں ہراول لشکر کليسيا کے سفير‬
Mata’a-e-ghair peh hoti hai jabb nazar oss ki; tuo hein herawal lashkar-e-
Kalisa kay safir.
When their eyes on some weak domain alight, their Priests as vanguard act
to wage the fight.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

CULTURE'S SNARE
Daam-e-Tehzeeb ‫دام تہذيب‬
‫اقبال‬ ‫کو شک اس کي شرافت ميں نہيں ہے‬
‫ہر‬ ‫ملت مظلوم کا يورپ ہے خريدار‬
Iqbal ko shakk oss ki sharafat mein naheen hai; her millat-e-mazloom ka
Europe hai kharidar.
Iqbal hasn't doubt of Europe's noble aim, to every oppressed nation lays a
claim.
‫يہ‬ ‫پير کليسا کي کرامت ہے کہ اس نے‬
‫بجلي‬ ‫کے چراغوں سے منور کيے افکار‬
Yeh Pir-e-Kalisa ki karamat hai keh oss ney; bijli kay chiragh’on sey
munawwar ki’ay afkaar.
Oh this wonder great has The Guide of Church wrought. By means of
electric lamps has lit their thought.

‫جلتا‬ ‫ہے مگر شام و فلسطيں پہ مرا دل‬

‫تدبير‬ ‫سے کھلتا نہيں يہ عقدہ دشوار‬
Jalta hai magar Shaam-o-Falast’in peh mera dil; tadbir sey khholta naheen
yeh oqdah-e-dashwar.
(Oqdah-e-dashwar: Moshkal gothhi ya sawal.)
My heart, is grieved for Syria and Palestine, no known device can e'er unknit
this skein.

409
 ‫ترکان‬ ‫جفا پيشہ کے پنجے سے نکل کر‬
‫بيچارے‬ ‫ہيں تہذيب کے پھندے ميں گرفتار‬
Turkaan-e-jafa paishah kay punjay sey nikal kar; bicharey hein tehzeeb kay
phhanday mein gariftar.
Of cruel Turkish hold they have got rid; in culture's snare they too soon have
slid! (Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

ADVICE
Nasihat ‫نصيحت‬
‫اک‬ ‫لرد فرنگي نے کہا اپنے پسر سے‬
‫منظر‬ ‫وہ طلب کر کہ تري آنکھ نہ ہو سير‬
Ekk lord-e-Farangi ney kaha apney pisar sey; manzar woh talab kar keh teri
ankhh nah ho sair.
A Frankish Lord advised his son to seek such aim that is always pleasant
ne'er bleak.
‫بيچارے‬  ‫کے حق ميں ہے يہي سب سے بڑا ظلم‬
‫برے‬ ‫پہ اگر فاش کريں قاعدہ شير‬
Bicharey kay haq mein hai yehi sabb sey barra zulm; burray peh agar faash
karein qa’idah-e-sher. (Burrah: Bhairr ka bachhah.)
If lion's temper is to lamb revealed, it will entirely make its blood congealed.
‫سينے‬ ‫ميں رہے راز ملوکانہ تو بہتر‬
‫کرتے‬ ‫نہيں محکوم کو تيغوں سے کبھي زير‬
Seinay mein rehey raaz-e-maloukanah tuo behtar; kartey naheen mehkoom
ko taigh’on sey kabhi zir.
Much good, if regal point remains in heart, in dominating men sword plays
no part.
‫تعليم‬ ‫کے تيزاب ميں ڈال اس کي خودي کو‬
‫ہو‬ ‫ اسے پھير‬، ‫جائے مالئم تو جدھر چاہے‬
Ta’alim kay tizaab mein daal oss ki khodi ko; ho ja’ey mala’eym tuo jidhar
chahey, ossey phair.

410
Pour the Self in culture's acid strong, when it becomes soft, mould it as you
long.
‫تاثير‬ ‫ميں اکسير سے بڑھ کر ہے يہ تيزاب‬
‫سونے‬ ‫کا ہمالہ ہو تو مٹي کا ہے اک ڈھير‬
Taseer mein akseer sey barrh kar hai yeh tizaab; sonay ka Hamalah ho tuo
matti ka hai ekk dhair.
On this Elexir's efficacy you can count, to heap of dust can change a mighty
mount! (Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

A PIRATE AND ALEXANDER

‫بحري‬ ‫قزاق اور سکندر‬
Behari Qazzaq aur Sikandar
‫سکندر‬
 ‫صلہ‬ ‫تيرا تري زنجير يا شمشير ہے ميري‬
‫کہ‬ ‫تيري رہزني سے تنگ ہے دريا کي پہنائي‬
Silah teyra teri zinjir ya shamshir hai meyri; keh teyri rehzanni sey tung hai
darya ki pehnaeyi.
Alexander: Is your retribution shackles or cold steel, your violence on high
seas, all sailors feel?
‫قزاق‬
! ‫سکندر‬ ‫ تو اس کو جواں مردي سمجھتا ہے‬، ‫حيف‬
‫گوارا‬ ‫اس طرح کرتے ہيں ہم چشموں کي رسوائي؟‬
‫ترا‬ ‫ مرا پيشہ ہے سفاکي‬، ‫پيشہ ہے سفاکي‬
‫کہ‬ ‫ ميں دريائي‬، ‫ تو ميداني‬، ‫ہم قزاق ہيں دونوں‬
Sikandar haif, tou iss ko jaw’an mardi samajhta hai! Gawara iss tarah
kartey hein hum chashm’on ki roswaeyi.
Tera paishah hai suffaaki, mera paisha hai suffaaki; keh hum qazzaq hein
duon’on, tou maidai mein daryaeyi.
Pirate: Alas! Alexander, you deem it void of blame, do men of same craft
bear each other's shame?

411
Your craft is blood-shed and my craft the same, we are both bandits, is
diverse fields play the game? (Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

LEAGUE OF NATIONS
Jamiyat-e-Aqwam ‫جمعيت اقوام‬
 ‫بيچاري‬ ‫کئي روز سے دم توڑ رہي ہے‬
‫ڈر‬ ‫ہے خبر بد نہ مرے منہ سے نکل جائے‬
Bichari kaeyi roz sey dum torr rehi hai; dur hai khabar-e-bud nah merey
m’onh sey nikal jaa’ey.
The League appears to be in death's tight grips; I fear this grim news may
escape my lips.
‫تقدير‬ ‫تو مبرم نظر آتي ہے وليکن‬
‫پيران‬ ‫کليسا کي دعا يہ ہے کہ ٹل جائے‬
Taqdir tuo mobarum nazar aati hai w’laikan; piraan-e-Kalisa ki do’a yeh
hai keh tull ja’ey. (Mobarum: Atal.)
The Fate of League to all is plain and clear, but Church. Guides pray that
safely it may steer.
‫ممکن‬ ‫ہے کہ يہ داشتہ پيرک افرنگ‬
‫ابليس‬ ‫کے تعويذ سے کچھ روز سنبھل جائے‬
Momkin hai keh yeh daashtah-e-pirak-e-Afrang; Iblis kay ta’awiz sey kochh
roz sanbhal ja’ey. (Daashtah-e-pirak-e-Afrang: Bhorray Farangi ki
dashtah.)
On Frank's dear mistress, may remain alive, by Satan's charm a few days
more survive. (Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

SYRIA AND PALESTINE

Shaam-o-Falastin ‫شام و فلسطين‬
‫رندان‬ ‫فرانسيس کا ميخانہ سالمت‬
‫پر‬ ‫ہے مے گلرنگ سے ہر شيشہ حلب کا‬
Rindaan-e-Francis ka maeykhanah salamat; por hai maey-e-gulrung sey her
shishah-e-Halb ka.

412
(Halb: Shaam ka shehar (Aleppo, jah’an inn din’on Maghribi taqat’on ki
eima per khoon-raizi ho rehi hai) oss zamaney mein shishah bananey kay
leay mash’hoor thha.)
Heaven’s blessing on those brazen Frenchmen shine! Aleppo’s rare glass
brims with their red wine.
‫ہے‬ ‫خاک فلسطيں پہ يہودي کا اگر حق‬
‫ہسپانيہ‬ ‫پر حق نہيں کيوں اہل عرب کا‬
Hai khak-e-Falast’in peh Yahoodi ka agar haq; Haspania per haq kiyu’on
naheen ehl-e-Arab ka.
If the Jew claims the soil of Palestine; why not the Arab Spain?
‫مقصد‬ ‫ہے ملوکيت انگليس کا کچھ اور‬
‫قصہ‬ ‫نہيں نارنج کا يا شہد و رطب کا‬
Maqsad hai malookiyat-e-Englees ka kochh aur; qissah naheen narunj ka ya
shehad-o-ratub ka.
(Narunj: Narungi, sangtara. Ratub: Chhoara, khhajor.)
Some new design must have inflamed our English potentates; this is no story
of oranges, honey or dates.  
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

TO THE PALESTINIAN ARABS

Falestini Arab sey ‫فلسطيني عرب سے‬
‫زمانہ‬ ‫اب بھي نہيں جس کے سوز سے فارغ‬
‫ميں‬ ‫جانتا ہوں وہ آتش ترے وجود ميں ہے‬
Zamanah abb bhi naheen jiss kay soz sey faaragh; mien janta h’on woh
aatash terey wajood mein hai.
I know the fire that burns throughout your frame; the lands of world still fear
its scorching flame.
‫تري‬ ‫ نہ لندن ميں‬، ‫دوا نہ جنيوا ميں ہے‬
‫فرنگ‬ ‫کي رگ جاں پنجہ يہود ميں ہے‬
Teri dawa nah Geneva mein hai, nah London mein; Farang ki rug-e-j’an
punjah-e-Yahood mein hai.

413
Your cure in Geneva or London you can’t trace, wind-pipe of Franks is
gripped by Jewish race.
‫سنا‬ ‫ غالمي سے امتوں کي نجات‬، ‫ہے ميں نے‬
‫خودي‬ ‫کي پرورش و لذت نمود ميں ہے‬
Sona hai mien ney, ghulami sey ummat’on ki nijaat; khodi ki perwarash-o-
lazzat-e-namood mein hai.
I know that subject nation’s freedom gain, if they would nourish Self,
display its main.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

PSYCHOLOGY OF SOVEREIGNTY
Nafsiyati hakami (Islahat) (Ð‫نفسيات )اصالحات‬ ‫حاکمي‬
‫يہ‬ ‫مہر ہے بے مہري صياد کا پردہ‬
‫آئي‬ ‫نہ مرے کام مري تازہ صفيري‬
‫رکھنے‬ ‫لگا مرجھائے ہوئے پھول قفس ميں‬
‫شايد‬ ‫کہ اسيروں کو گوارا ہو اسيري‬
Yeh mehar hai bey mehari-e-siyaad ka pardah; a’eyi nah merey kaam meri
tazah safeeri.
Rakhhney laga morjha’ey ho’ay phool qafas mein; sha’id keh aseer’on ko
gawara ho aseeri.
This outward show of love so great is guise to hide the hunter's hate: New
songs for rescue that I sang against their stone deaf ears didn't I bang.
Began to place in jail-like cage, such blossoms that had dried with age in
mind he had this idea wrong that prey might 'stay in cage for long.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)
29th April, 2013

414
 BAIL TO JAIL
Most of the period under review was dominated by the news and
commentaries about the commando who returned to Pakistan to contest in
May elections. His dream to reach the National Assembly was shattered by
the returning officers, election tribunals and courts. The final blow was
delivered by Peshawar High Court by imposing life-ban on him to contest
any elections.
Not only that public representation was forbidden for him; the
precautionary measures of acquiring pre-arrest bails in various cases were
also foiled. Islamabad High Court ordered his arrest; though he was not
detained by Police inside the court, yet he was placed under detention by
declaring his Farm House as sub jail. The brave commando swiftly made it
from bail to jail.
The second most reported event of the period was the materialization
of threats by the TTP, especially in the context of attacks on ANP and
MQM. These attacks forced the ‘moderate, enlightened and secular’ parties
to reconstruct a coalition well before the results of the polls. They vowed to
fight against ‘Islamic fascists’ while endeavouring to take political mileage
from the blood that has been spilled due to their pursuing of wrong war
strategy and practicing mafia politics.

NEWS
Power politics: On 18th April, a Lahore High Court full bench
directed the election commission to include former Prime Minister Raja
Pervaiz in the electoral process, however, the issue of his eligibility to
contest elections would be conditional with the judicial decision. The
Returning Officer (RO) had rejected Raja’s papers after his relative Raja
Irfan Aziz, who is also his political rival, alleged that the ex-PM had
misused discretionary funds in his constituency. The election tribunal had
upheld RO’s decision.
The office of Balochistan National Party (Mengal) was attacked on
Sariab locality of Quetta. Unidentified armed men riding a motorbike hurled
hand grenade at the office of BNP-Mengal, which landed inside with huge
blast partially damaging the office. Owing to the prevailing deteriorated law
and order situation, political activities are constantly declining in
Balochistan. Meanwhile, at least 17 candidates disqualified by the Election
Tribunal filed petitions in the BHC.

415
 Next day, President Zardari strongly condemned the heinous act of
terrorism in the city of Boston‚ Massachusetts and expressed profound grief
and sorrow over the deaths and injuries in the terrorist attack. In a letter to
Barack Obama‚ Zardari while extending his deepest condolences said that
government and people of Pakistan condemn this heinous act of terrorism in
the strongest possible terms. He assured Obama of the continued support of
Pakistan in the fight against terrorism.
Unknown people distributed pamphlets in the NA-1 constituency of
Peshawar, asking masses to remove nationalist party flags from their houses
and also stay away of its public meetings, otherwise, they would be
responsible for consequences. Spokesman ANP rejected the threats given
through pamphlets by several defunct organizations in various areas of NA-
1, saying that certain political parties were busying to further terrorize the
masses.
Farooq Sattar said that his party would never boycott the elections
despite conspiracies were being hatched to sabotage MQM’s mandate in the
upcoming general elections. Addressing a press conference, he said that
MQM’s candidates, workers and supporters were being targeted and
threatened by the criminals.
A full bench of the Lahore High Court stopped a PPP candidate from
contesting the polls by dismissing his petition and provisionally permitted
the PML-Q candidate Ch Wajahat Hussain to contest election. The court
also allowed three candidates of PML-N and one of PTI to contest elections
by suspending orders of election tribunals which had rejected their
nomination papers. The bench disposed of petitions challenging acceptance
of the nomination of PTI chief Imran Khan and PML-N leader Hamza
Shahbaz by directing the petitioners to seek remedy from the election
commission by raising the same allegations there.
On 20th April, the electoral body desired provision of stringent
security to the general polls candidates, political parties and general public.
The ECP also issued the list of the 21,326 polling stations marked as
sensitive and highly sensitive for the next month’s general elections.
Interestingly, it is not the Balochistan or KPK but Sindh which has the
highest number of sensitive and highly sensitive polling stations. The ECP
also issued final list of the candidates.
‘Some unidentified’ people attacked and burnt the office of JI in
Nazimabad No-2 area, PS-104 constituency. According to JI leadership, at
the time of the incident only one worker was present at the office who

416
received burn wounds. PTI election camp was also torched by ‘some
unidentified’ attackers in North Karachi.
Next day, unidentified gunman killed two people, including a local
leader of Awami National Party, and injured another in Pishin district and
Kharan; in Pishin one attacker was shot dead by an angry mob that chased
him down. Meanwhile, a corner meeting of National Party (NP) was
attacked with a hand grenade in Turbat, which damaged a few vehicles.
Chief Justice termed Pakistani judicial system the strongest backer of
democracy, enjoying full confidence and faith of legal fraternity, other
institutions and the public at large. He was addressing the concluding
session of three-day International Judicial Conference, which culminated at
the Supreme Court building with unanimous adoption of ‘Islamabad
Declaration 2013’.
The chief justice said the government completed its five-year
constitutional term since there was an independent judiciary to guard against
any unconstitutional steps. ‘Today there is no one to give extension to
usurpers.’ He proudly said that the judiciary in recent years had successfully
emerged as the third pillar of state and a saviour and a protector of
constitutional supremacy and fundamental rights. It has played a pivotal role
in eradication of oppression and injustice, and ensured rights to the people,
he said.
On 22nd April, the militants hurled a hand grenade at the election
office of ANP candidate for PK-31 Swabi-1, Gul Zamin Shah, in Maneri;
injuring two workers including the Pakhtun Students Federation District
president. In Balochistan, militants targeted the vehicle of Central Secretary
General Balochistan National Party (Awami), in Panjgoor town.
The Lahore High Court full bench annulled the verdict of the election
tribunal and allowed former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to contest
elections. The bench headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan, passed the orders while
hearing Ashraf’s application challenging his ban and a petition against him.
Next day, three people were killed and two dozen others wounded in a
blast near the election office of MQM in Karachi. Altaf Hussain condemned
the incident and directed the coordination committee to close down the party
election offices and called strike in Karachi tomorrow. Workers of the MQM
were trying to fix a large kite (the election symbol of MQM) at the site when
bomb exploded.

417
 Altaf Hussain suggested that the general elections should be delayed
for a few months to improve the law and order situation in the country
before affording the people an opportunity to use their right to vote. In case
the elections are held on May 11, as scheduled, there would be a lot of
bloodshed and tens of thousands of people could lose their lives, he said.
Held to review the draft on the overseas Pakistanis voting facility
provision before the promulgation of a presidential ordinance, a meeting
between the ECP, foreign affairs, law and information technology ministries
considered two options regarding the voting facility to the Pakistanis
residing abroad: electronic and manual voting. Faced with difficulties in the
provision of voting facility to the overseas Pakistanis, the ECP decided to
wait till tomorrow for the Supreme Court’s instructions to be issued in a
related case on the voting facility to Pakistani expatriates.
Imran Khan once again challenged Nawaz Sharif to a televise debate
while addressing an election rally in Renala Khurd. ‘Mian Sahib you cannot
compete in cricket, at least compete in a debate’, Khan said. He also said
that Nawaz Sharif and Zardari were playing fixed match and protecting each
other.
The PPP released video speech of its chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to
attract the voters during election campaigns because he will not physically
participate in the public gatherings owing of security threats to his life from
Taliban and anti-Pakistan forces. In his video speech, Bilawal reminded the
sacrifices of his party and his mother, besides he counted the pro-people
steps taken by his party’s government during last five years.
On 24th April, President Zardari lodged a complaint with the chief
election commissioner seeking his intervention to prevent some political
parties, especially the PML-N, from a vilification campaign against him in
the interest of free and fair elections. The complaint was lodged through a
letter written by Farhatullah Babar, spokesperson for the president. It cited
the recent judgment of the Lahore High Court in President Zardari’s dual
office case, in which the president, through a statement, dissociated himself
from political affairs of the party, PPP.
Life in Karachi stood still as the MQM observed a mourning day
against a bomb attack on party’s election office at People’s Chowrangi,
which killed three people. The NED University of Engineering and
Technology, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, and
Board of Secondary Education Karachi postponed the exams scheduled for
the day.

418
 Altaf Hussain appealed to the people to take the MQM’s election
campaign in their hands and spread its message door-to-door. Speaking at a
condolence meeting held in London, he said that the forces inimical to the
MQM were targeting MQM workers in order to keep it away from the
election process. The persistent killings of the MQM workers for the past 10
days brought back the memories of Qasba Aligarh tragedy of 1986 and the
operation clean-up of 1992.
Two explosive devices planted alongside a road in Peshawar went off,
injuring four people including a woman. The apparent target, PPP provincial
assembly candidate Israr Khan narrowly escaped the attacks. Two bombs
planted in Dera Ismail Khan on the route of the convoy of independent
candidate Israr Ullah Gandapur exploded but no one was hurt.
Next day, the LHC was informed that the ECP, FBR and others were
not producing details about 1,329 election candidates who defaulted on
taxes, utility bills, agriculture or other government dues. A full-court bench
was also told that the election commission and returning officers had cleared
nomination papers of some 14 contestants whose names had been listed on
the commission’s website among the defaulters.
Polls related attacks killed at least six more people while Taliban
distributed pamphlets in some cities warning citizens against participating in
the elections, but the election commission vowed not to delay the elections
even by a ‘single day’. In Karachi a bomb explosion at an MQM election
office killed at least five people and injured 15 others. Earlier, in the day,
two bikers hurled a grenade on an election office of a PPPP candidate in
Nushki district of Baluchistan, killing one person and injuring another.
Altaf Hussain strongly condemned this act of terrorism and expressed
sympathies to the victim families. MQM leader Wasy Jalil said they were
keeping their election offices closed but party workers had gathered at the
Unit Office to run the election campaign. He said the party cannot be forced
out of the election by such kind of coward terrorist attacks.
Amnesty International called on Pakistan to investigate a wave of
attacks and threats against politicians and election workers that have marred
the run-up to polls next month. Amnesty also urged parties and candidates to
make human rights a priority in their election pledges and policies. It said
rights abuses by state and non-state actors have in some respects worsened
over the last five years.
The ten-party alliance of opposition, led by PML-F and PML-N, has
failed to field unanimous candidates to challenge the PPP and MQM as

419
hopefuls from opposition parties are contesting against each other on many
seats in the Sindh province. This situation shows a clear negation of tall
claims made by the chiefs of opposition parties, who assembled under united
platform to stop the way of PPP.
Religious scholars form the Pakistan Ulema Council have issued a
Fatwa which declares the non-casting of vote a sin, adding that voting is an
Islamic responsibility. The Fatwa further states that women have equal
rights to vote, adding that it is not religion that bars them from voting but the
feudal system. Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman Tahir Ashrafi said that
misusing the name of Islam should be stopped immediately.
On 26th April, at least 11 people were killed and over 40 others injured
in a bomb blast that targeted a corner meeting of the ANP in Karachi. The
explosive device detonated minutes before ANP candidate Bashir Jan's
address who escaped the bombing unhurt. The banned TTP, which has
announced to hit ‘secular’ parties claimed responsibility for the blast.
Earlier, the vehicle of another ANP candidate Abdur Rehman Khan
Gul was attacked with a cracker bomb Landhi area. Gul himself remained
unhurt but a child was injured. The same day, five guards of JUI-F candidate
Hashim Shahwani were seriously injured when his convoy came under
gunfire in Mach area of Balochistan's Bolan district.
The spike in violence targeting political parties has raised concerns for
law and order as the May 11 general elections draw closer. The Human
Rights Commission of Pakistan also expressed its concerns at the continuing
terrorist attacks on election candidates, activists and campaigns of certain
political parties.
The ECP stopped political parties and candidates from making
personal attacks against one another during campaigning for the upcoming
elections. The ECP said that personal attacks during campaigning violate
the code of conduct and action will be taken against those who violate it.
The statement by the ECP came after President Zardari had written a letter to
CEC.
The Lahore High Court full bench declared eligible PML-Q leader
Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain to contest elections from NA-104 of Gujrat after
setting aside the verdict of an election tribunal. Earlier, the bench had
conditionally allowed him to contest elections. Wajahat had challenged the
orders of the election tribunal restraining him from contesting elections.

420
 Shahbaz Sharif dubbed PTI chief Imran Khan as captain of the B-
team of President Zardari and for that reason Imran has directed the barrels
of his guns towards the PML-N and its leadership. Enraged by adverse
media campaign launched by PPP and PTI leadership against the last PML-
N government in Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif told journalists that the criticism
against his government demonstrates that Imran Khan has assumed the role
of captain of the B-team of PPP and the PML-Q.
Punjab AIG (Operations), who is also the in-charge of the cell,
presented a report to the IGP about the action taken against the violators
during the last two-weeks in 21 districts of the Punjab province. According
to the report, the Punjab police from April 12 to April 25 arrested 221 people
for violating the code of conduct and registered 214 cases against the
violators.
The police registered 18 cases of aerial firing, 47 cases of show of
weapons, 154 of illegal arms and seven cases of fireworks. The police took
action and recovered 94 pistols, 278 rifles, 26 Kalashnikovs, 14 guns, five
repeaters, two pump actions, three revolvers, one mouser, 1 carbine, one
Regal 7mm, one dagger, one Kuppa, 176 magazines and 12166 bullets from
their possession.
Next day, three blasts and a hand grenade attack targeted within hours
secular political forces in different parts of Karachi, killing at least four
people and wounding 41 others. Besides these attacks targeting MQM and
PPP election activities, two people were killed in firing by unidentified
terrorists in Layari area. The Tehrik-e-Taliban claimed responsibility of
recent attacks on the leaders and workers of MQM, PPP and ANP, vowing
to stage more attacks on these ‘secular’ parties.
Government school teachers of eleven Balochistan districts have
refused to perform duties on May 11 elections due to security threats. The
Balochistan government teachers association has said that banned
organizations have threatened to target the staff performing duties at polling
centres therefore they could not put their lives at stake by rendering their
services. Meanwhile, a bomb planted by unknown miscreants destroyed an
election office of an independent candidate from NA-40, North Waziristan
Agency.
The election commission was considering the option of disallowing
the candidates using inappropriate language in the political campaigns from
holding public gatherings. Reportedly, it was mulling over instructing the
district administrations concerned to stop the candidates from holding public

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processions and other forms of political gatherings in case they were found
using foul language against the rival candidates.
Shahbaz Sharif reiterated his pledge to end load shedding in two years
if their party is voted to power in centre, though he said he was not a
supernatural being who can end power outages overnight. Shahbaz appealed
the nation not let the vote be divided on May 11 as vote for PTI chief Imran
Khan would benefit People’s Party. He said speeches of Imran, President
Zardari and PML-Q leaders were similar in content, all of them targeting
‘the most popular party’.
On 28th April, ten people were killed and over 45 others injured in
three bomb blasts targeting election offices of different candidates and an
ANP public meeting in Kohat, Peshawar and Swabi. A joint election office
of independent candidate Syed Noor Akbar and ANP's Khurshed Begum
was blown up in Kohat district, killing six people and wounding 22 others.
The second explosion came in a Peshawar office of a candidate
running for NA-46 Bara, Khyber Agency. Three people were killed while
four of the 13 injured were in critical situation. A teenager was killed and 13
people injured in Swabi when militants exploded a bomb and carried out
firing at ANP ex-MPA Ameer Rehman and his associates. Meanwhile,
brother of the ANP candidate of a provincial constituency, who was attacked
yesterday night by unknown militants, succumbed to his injuries in Hospital.
In the face of attacks on the political offices of both ANP and MQM
offices across the country, particularly in Karachi, Altaf Hussain telephoned
Asfandayr Wali and discussed overall political situation in the country with
specific reference to the deteriorating law and order situation. Reportedly,
both the leaders expressed the resolve to fight terrorists and foil their
nefarious designs. They reiterated their parties’ commitment to take part in
the upcoming elections and dispelled the impression that they were
boycotting the elections.
Before his conversation with Asfandyar Wali, Altaf talked to
President Zardari on the issue and asked him to take notice of the increased
wave of terror in KPK and Karachi. He asked Zardari to take up the issue
with the ECP and the caretaker PM. Both the leaders agreed to forge unity
among the moderate political parities against the rising wave of terrorism.
PPP, MQM and ANP have agreed to raise a joint voice against the threats.
Imran Khan appealed to the extremist elements not to sabotage the
electioneering process and wait instead, as the ‘change is around’. ‘Let the
political parties run their campaigns during the run-up to the elections’, he

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urged, after chairing the meeting of party candidates for Lahore at PTI’s city
chapter office. ‘An environment conducive to a level-playing field was vital
to the democratic process’, said Imran, adding dialogue was the only mode
to resolve the burning issues and military operations never yielded lasting
solutions to any problem.
Next day, Army approved a security plan for national and regional
polls it had earlier formulated in consultations with the election commission
and the government. The security plan envisaged a supporting role from the
military for augmenting operational strength of law-enforcement agencies,
besides following security measures in every district, tribal agency and
frontier region on a case-to-case basis.
The military leadership also gave nod to deployment of regular army
troops and Frontier Constabulary in six districts of sparsely populated
Balochistan to ensure peaceful and uninterrupted elections. At least 5,000
military men and 10,000 paramilitary soldiers from Frontier Constabulary
are being deployed in six districts of Balochistan: Mastung, Khuzdar,
Kharan, Turbat, Panjgur and Noshki.
Militants continued targeting election offices and campaigns in KPK
and killed at least two people and wounded over a dozen in attacks in
different parts of the province. One person was killed and 12 wounded in an
explosion outside the election office of ANP candidate in Charsadda. In
Nowshera district, two gunmen attacked a campaign office of ANP
candidate, killing a party worker and injuring three others.
In Mardan, explosives planted at the main gate of the Hujra of ANP
local leader went off early in the morning damaging the residence and a
nearby mosque; no loss of human life was reported. In Karak district, JUI-F
candidate narrowly escaped an assignation attempt. In the same district, two
attackers opened fire at the guesthouse of former JUI-F ex-MPA, who is
now contesting as an independent candidate; however no loss of life was
reported in the incident.
The ex-coalition partners; PPP, MQM and ANP, while joining hands,
announced not to bow down to the religious extremists and Taliban and
participate in the elections despite terror attacks and threats from the
religious extremists. The leaders of the three parties, addressing a joint press
conference at the Karachi Press Club, came down hard against the caretaker
government and the ECP, saying they had not taken any step to provide
peace and level-playing field to the three parties.

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 Following the contacts among President Zardari, Asfandyar and Altaf
Hussain, the three parties announced their strategy jointly, terming that
attacks and threats on the liberal, progressive, moderate and secular parties
had again drawn a line between the liberal, progressive and extremist
thoughts. The leaders of the three parties alleged the terrorist organizations
and extremists were armed wings of right-wing parties as the banned outfits
had always claimed they were receiving funds and support from these
political parties.
The leaders of PPP, MQM and ANP, while giving their joint message
with clear and loud voice, vowed they would combat the terrorists with unity
and would not bow down and surrender to them. ‘We don’t want
confrontation, but if anyone imposes war on us, we, the three parties, while
following the UN Charter as well as social and human principles, will
defend ourselves with full force’, they declared.
The leaders of the three parties pointed the finger at the establishment,
including the US and the NATO forces as well as Pakistani establishment,
saying the freedom awarded to the banned outfits and extremist
organizations would be their repeated mistake of handing over the region to
the extremists and Taliban after their pullout in 2014. They added the US
had committed the same mistake in Afghanistan in the past.
The three political parties warned the international and Pakistani
establishment not to repeat the mistakes and blunders of the past by
sheltering the extremist organizations. They alleged the attacks and threats
against PPP, MQM and ANP aimed at keeping these liberal parties out of
the election process and bring the right-wing parties to power.
Without naming PML-N, PTI and religio-political parties, the PPP
leader said the election campaign was going on in Punjab as terrorist
organizations were a militant wing of right-wing parties and terrorist groups
had confirmed that some political parties were their sponsors. Meanwhile,
ANP leader Bashir Jan said the Election Commission had failed to
implement the election code while the interim government had not taken
action against the terrorists.
Haider Abbas Rizvi said it seemed the terrorists had been given a free
hand to target PPP, MQM and ANP in the city. Rizvi also said the
establishment was supporting right-wing parties, but announced they would
not bow down to the religious extremists. He added PPP, MQM and ANP
had sacrificed a lot and wanted to promote a moderate system in Pakistan.

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 The ECP and the federal government expressed their inability to grant
voting right to overseas Pakistanis in the upcoming elections. The petitions
of Imran Khan and Ch Nasir Iqbal regarding grant of right to vote to
overseas Pakistanis in the general elections have been pending for 15
months. During the hearing of the case on a number of occasions, Attorney
General stated that Pakistani expatriates should be given right to vote in the
forthcoming elections. A three-member bench disposed of the matter, with
an observation that the ECP should make all its efforts to give Overseas
Pakistanis right to vote in the general elections under Article 17 of the
Constitution. The bench announced the short order and reasons for it would
be recorded later.
On 30th April, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani
said in clear terms that elections would be held on the set day come what
may. He also reiterated that the army will wholeheartedly assist and support
the conduct of free, fair and peaceful elections. ‘Our salvation lies in
transforming the government into a true platform of public representation.
This would come to pass once the construct of public representation in
Pakistan is oriented towards affording primacy and precedence to larger
public interest over personal interests. Otherwise, may it be democracy or
dictatorship; governance would continue to remain a means of self-
aggrandizement and plundering national wealth’, said General Kayani while
speaking at a ceremony at the General Headquarters.
‘We must not harbour any suspicions or misgivings about it. This
indeed is a golden opportunity, which can usher in an era of true democratic
values in the country. In my opinion, it is not merely retribution, but
awareness and participation of the masses that can truly end this game of
hide and seek between democracy and dictatorship. If we succeed in rising
above all ethnic, linguistic and sectarian biases to vote solely on the basis of
honesty, sincerity, merit and competence, there would be no reason to fear
dictatorship or to grudge the inadequacies of our present democratic system’,
he said.
Going all-out tough on former and incumbent caretaker governments,
security apparatus and the parliamentarians for their failure to act against
rising terrorism, the ECP asked the parties concerned to stop ‘deceiving the
people’ and morally accept their failure. The ECP recommended setting up a
security commission comprising the officials of all the security agencies and
departments concerned under the direct supervision of the prime minister
‘who should sit together under one roof at the PM Secretariat and adopt

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necessary measures on daily basis to solve this problem in the short-term as
well as long-term.’
About 17 political groups, in their joint written suggestion at an all-
parties conference hosted by the Sindh interim government, demanded
deployment of army in Karachi to ensure security for upcoming polls.
However, former coalition partners – PPP, MQM, ANP and PML-Q –
opposed army deployment for polling stations in a meeting presided over by
Chief Minister Justice (retired) Zahid Kurban Alvi. Nevertheless, all the
parties agreed on implementation of the code of conduct for elections which
abstains them from wall-chalking, hoisting banners and party flags on
private properties.
Late night, Rehman Malik and Shahi Syed went to Nine Zero to show
solidarity along with MQM. While talking to the media, Farooq Sattar
accused domestic and international establishment of conspiring to keep the
enlightened and moderate forces out of power by manipulating polls.
Rehman Malik, however, praised the sacrifices of the security forces, but
blamed other parties, especially PML-N, for funding the militants and
criticizing the Army.
An independent provincial assembly candidate, Abdul Fateh Magsi
along with three companions was shot dead and two others sustained serious
injuries in an armed attack in Jhal Magsi district of Balochistan. The heirs of
Fateh Magsi claimed that 27 people of their clan who were in his fleet were
also missing after the incident.
Unknown armed men kidnapped a cousin of caretaker Prime Minister
Mir Hazar Khan Khoso in Kandhkot. The gunmen intercepted the vehicle of
Rahim Baksh Khoso on Thal-Indus Highway in Kandkot area of Sindh and
took him away in their vehicle. Hundreds of people blocked Indus Highway
and held demonstration against the kidnapping.
Fazlur Rahman appealed to TTP to stop attacks on major political
parties including PPP, ANP and MQM currently facing repeated security
threats and attacks on their offices and candidates. JUI-F Chief in an
interview said: ‘I believe that over the last five years no operation could
eliminate terrorism instead it spread to other parts of the country’ and he
asked these parties to admit that they had made mistakes.
Next day, militants attacked the election campaigns of different
parties across the country. At least fourteen people were wounded in rocket
attacks and bomb blast in different towns of Balochistan. Eight people were
injured in an attack on a JUI-F public gathering in Harnai district. Six people

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were wounded when terrorists hurled a hand grenade at the election office of
PML-N’s Lashkari Raisani in Quetta. An independent candidate escaped
when his caravan was hit by a car explosion in Dera Murad Jamali.
Three people were injured in Sindh when a suicide bomber attacked
the convoy of NPP’s candidate near Shikarpur. Monitoring Desk adds: At
least four people sustained severe injuries when the convoy of PPP
candidate, Shazia Marri, came under attack in Sanghar district. Shazia Marri
remained unhurt. An Awami National Party candidate escaped firing by
terrorists in Mangora, Swat. A five Kg IED planted outside the election
office of ANP candidate was defused in Peshawar.
Rule of law: On 18th April, the Supreme Court made public, the
report of the Lal Masjid, ruling that there is no restriction in any law not to
make report public or to keep it confidential. The court directed the office to
prepare copies for all the members of the bench and keep the original in safe
custody.
The court observed that the incident of Lal Masjid was in the
knowledge and notice of general public. The court asked Tariq Asad,
counsel for the petitioners to go through the contents of the commission
report and assist it to further proceed with the matter accordingly and
adjourned the hearing for date-in-office. Tariq Asad, however, informed the
court that his assistant was receiving threats and even some unknown people
had tried to kidnap him as well. At this the court summoned IGP on the next
date of hearing for submitting reply in the instant matter.
The one-man judicial commission headed by Justice Shehzad Al-
Shaikh, Senior Judge of Federal Shariat Court, was constituted after the
federal police failed to file a satisfactory report over the matter. The judicial
Commission was assigned the task to ascertain as to whether the state had
paid the compensation to the heirs of killed people, whether the dead bodies
were identified and handed over to their heirs, whether the action has been
taken against the people who are responsible for the tragedy, whether the
people who are responsible for the tragedy could be marked with the
available evidences and facts. The court had directed the commission to
submit its findings within 45 days.
On 22nd April, the list made public by the Supreme Court was more or
less a laundry list of mostly routine expenses by the ministry of information,
conveniently encompassing many recognizable names in media today, with
some inaccuracies and a few quirky details. The ‘secret funds’ of the
Ministry of Information largely relate, according to this list, to payments

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made by the ministry for government publicity purposes, research activities,
expenditures incurred on foreign visits and financial assistance to widows of
journalists and at times to journalists and staff in small newspapers. The list
made public contains as many as 282 entries with 38 missing entries
between serial number 72 to 111 that casts doubt about transparency of
information provided by the ministry withholding vital information.
The list of journalists who were invited by the interior ministry to be
part of the junkets covering state visits include professional journalists,
analysts, reporters and well-known name in the profession, commonly
recognized for being routinely on assignment. Some names worth mention
are: Saaleh Zaafir, Khushnood Ali Khan, Sohail Akhtar, Asma Chaudhry,
Rameeza Nizami, Arif Nizami, Rauf Klasra, PJ Mir, Zahid Malik, and
Hasan Akhtar Rizwi.
Journalist Munizae Jahangir’s name was included in the list of
journalists visiting Korea, but she was never part of that particular tour. ‘The
Supreme Court should have verified list of journalists who went on foreign
state tours before releasing it. I have never visited Korea, on state sponsored
tour or otherwise, and my passport is available for scrutiny. I was invited,
but declined. It’s accepted norm that journalists across the world accompany
leaders on state visit for the purpose of reportage, why scandalize this?’
Similarly anchors Fereeha Idrees and Nusrat Javeed were listed to
have participated in a state tour of the Prime Minister to the UK, both of
whom were never present on the trip, having turned down the issued
invitation. Rameeza Nizami, whose name was included in the list of
journalists invited and attending state visits to various countries expressed
surprise at the categorization of foreign trips covered by Pakistani media on
government invite as ‘secret’. The government must explain why details of
such expenses are being found in the ‘secret’ fund.
One of the items on the released list pertains to payment of Rs37
million to an advertising agency for the recording of a political slogan song.
Ms Nizami added, ‘Had I known that the secret fund was available to reward
such exertions, I might have skipped the SAARC summit and stayed home
to compose a political jingle instead.’ Also part of the apparently earth-
shattering revelations are one-time payments to purchase cakes, to dispatch
as part of Eid greetings. Five hundred copies of a daily diary purchased are
also marked ‘secret’.
A book titled ‘Mufahmat’ was printed at a cost of Rs700,000 and a
programme recorded at the request of then Prime Minister, Mr Yousaf Raza

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Gillani, titled, ‘Pakistan This Week’, is listed as having cost Rs3.5 million.
Unremarkable expenditure, such as rent-a-car costs and catering costs for
dinner events hosting professional journalists and management bodies such
as the All Pakistan Newspapers Association and the Council of Pakistan
Newspaper Editors, have also been marked as having been paid for by the
‘secret’ fund, and bulk out the body of the list.
Next day, seven senior journalists submitted applications to the
Supreme Court to become party in the Information Ministry secret funds
case. The applicants, in their pleas, took the stand that the report issued
about the secret funds was false and based on mala fide intentions. They
prayed to the court to give them a chance to be heard, and take legal action
against those who included their names on the list with mala fide intentions.
The apex court will resume the hearing of the case tomorrow, with
Asma Jahangir appearing as counsel for Nawa-i-Waqt Group Deputy
Managing Director Rameeza Nizami, Waqt News anchorperson Fareeha
Idrees and Express News anchorperson Munezay Jahangir. And Salman
Akram Raja appearing as counsel for Rauf Klasra, Iftikhar Ahmed and Raza
Rumi.
On 25th April, Asma appeared before the court on behalf of Fereeha
Idrees and Rameeza Nizami, whose names were mentioned in the List B of
the 282 journalists. A list purportedly of the expenses drawn from the secret
fund of the Ministry of Information caused consternation among journalists,
when, among inaccuracies, details of training sessions and expenditure
accrued on inviting media organization representatives to cover state visits
were also found within. The counsel for two journalists contended that the
apex court’s unverified uploading of un-audited accounts sent by the
Ministry had in effect defamed the good repute of the petitioning journalists.
Absar Alam raised the point that it was not a list of ‘secret fund’ but
public audit fund, and that media is running it as Secret Fund. Making itself
clear, the court said that it did not label the released list as the secret fund
list, but in fact it was the media itself which gave it such a spin. ‘We stress
and repeat that the list is not those of culprits but (it) is the list provided to us
by information ministry and is under audit… We never said this was a list of
culprits, if media portrayed it as such; it wasn't due to the court. Court
believes if people went abroad on professional duty, it is their right.’
Salman Akram Raja, appearing on behalf of Iftikhar Ahmed and Rauf
Klasra, asked the court to direct that the lists of the past five years be made
public, so that people may know that expenditure on training and junkets is a

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routine matter and not just these journalists but many more have been on
them innumerable times. The fact that it is being portrayed as a sinister,
clandestine activity is damaging to the reputation of the professional
journalists who have long been active in the field.
During the hearing, Asma told the bench that the SC’s website should
not enjoy the same ‘repute’ as a gossip column as one of her clients did not
even participate in the visit in which her name is listed, but her name was
published in the list, which the apex court made available on its website, and
is even now admitting is unverified. The bench refused requests to remove
the list while routine expenditure was made separately available in a list
marked promotional expenses or otherwise and not secret fund.
Regarding the list ‘B’ in respect of items on which privilege/secrecy is
being claimed by the Ministry of Information, and which has been filed
before the bench, Justice Khilji revealed that no name of any journalist was
mentioned in the list B. It is to be noted that the list ‘B’ is meant to contain
174 items on which a sum of Rs8,68,13,633/- has been spent.
The court granted three weeks to Auditor General for Pakistan for
auditing the Special Publicity Funds, which have been colloquially labeled
as secret funds. AGP Irfan Qadir told the bench that he was asked by the
information ministry to defend it by claiming privilege on the list ‘B’. The
hearing of the case was adjourned until May 2.
Taming the military: On 18th April, Islamabad High Court
ordered the arrest of Pervez Musharraf, who promptly sped off to his villa on
the edge of Islamabad as scores of law enforcement agents just watched him.
Dozens of riot police carrying shields and batons later amassed outside
Musharraf’s fortified farmhouse and closed access to the street in the Chak
Shahzad, but there were no moves to take him into custody.
Justice Shaukat Aziz Sidddiqui ordered his arrest over his
controversial decision to dismiss judges when he imposed emergency rule in
2007. The judge was furious over the escape that came due to the apparent
collusion of the security apparatus, and he directed IG Police to appear in
person before the court tomorrow to explain the ineligibility of police.
Musharraf’s legal team said they would appeal against the arrest order
in the Supreme Court and that the drama had not dented the former army
chief’s ‘optimism’. But there are dim chances that the bail plea would be
taken up by SC as the International Judicial Conference begins today.
Reportedly, Musharraf has decided to surrender before police in Supreme

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Court premises if his bail plea is rejected. The former dictator is said to have
also received calls from Islamabad based envoys of some important
countries.
The Supreme Court is already hearing a separate petition from
lawyers demanding that Musharraf face trial for treason for subverting the
constitution by imposing emergency law in 2007, punishable by death or life
in prison. A senior lawyer said that the court would be observing the
situation closely and seeing what the other organs of the state and the
caretaker government do. Besides the judges might be monitoring the
reaction of the political parties.
Next day, Pervez Musharraf surrendered before Islamabad Police.
Later, a judicial magistrate granted him two days transit remand and the
federal police took him to his villa in Chak Shehzad from where he was later
shifted to police rest house. The surrender came after successful negotiations
between police and his legal team at his Vila late last night. Musharraf was
arrested over charges of disrupting country's judicial system through his
illegal and unconstitutional steps taken on November 3, 2007.
A visibly nervous Commando walked into the court surrounded by
police and paramilitary guards. On the occasion, lawyers chanted slogans
against the former dictator while there was no visible presence of his
supporters in the court premises. The magistrate directed police to produce
him before an anti-terrorism court as the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had
ruled that he should be charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act for detaining
the judges. He further said that the police should abide by the IHC order and
include Section 7 of Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).
On the other hand, Police constituted two teams and tasked them to
investigate the matter of Musharraf’s fleeing the Islamabad High Court
yesterday. The teams have been given authority to interrogate any official of
Islamabad Police whom they believe could have some connection with the
incident. Starting their work, these teams recorded statements of police
officials of Secretariat Police where judges’ detention case was registered.
During the hearing, the IG submitted a report related to the escape of
Musharraf and informed the IHC about the suspension of some police
officials. But, the court rejected the report by terming it as nothing but
fallacy and an illusion. The court also directed not to take any disciplinary
action against low rank police officers and directed to cancel their
suspension. The court observed that it really looked ridiculous that ICT

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police would escort an accused who managed escape from the premises of
Islamabad High Court.
On 20th April, Pervez Musharraf’s farmhouse in Chak Shahzad was
declared a sub-jail by authorities and he was taken there hours after an anti-
terrorism court (ATC) extended his judicial remand for two weeks in judges’
detention case. The former dictator will spend the next 14 days at his villa
and re-appear in court on May 4 as ordered by Judge Kausar Abbas Zaidi.
His judicial remand to prison was extended on police request.
A Rangers contingent was deployed at his residence to ensure his
security. An Assistant Superintendent Jail was deployed at the farmhouse
and all rules of a jail would be applicable in this connection. He will not be
permitted to hold any meeting without prior approval from the Islamabad
Commissioner. Earlier at the ATC Islamabad, Ch Muhammad Ashraf Gujar
advocate and Bilal advocate, representing the complainant, objected to
production of the accused in the court without handcuffs, saying it is a mala
fide action.
The courtroom was jam-packed with lawyers while a good number of
lawyers were also present outside the court and they were chanting slogans
against the former military ruler. A scuffle also occurred wherein the
lawyers opposing Musharraf badly thrashed some former president’s
supporters. Musharraf had to wait for half an hour in his car before being
given clearance to approach the court.
American print and electronic media found space to carry reports
about Musharraf's legal troubles in Pakistan. Most newspapers and channels
reported about the activities of Musharraf, but so far there has been no
editorial comment, with the Obama Administration clearly distancing itself
from him.
On 22nd April, the caretaker government refused to initiate treason
trial of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, telling the Supreme Court
that it was beyond its mandate to take any ‘controversial’ step that is
‘irreversible’. In a statement read out before a three-judge bench, the interim
administration noted that less than three weeks were left to the elections, and
overseeing the vote was a full-time job, given the threat level against
candidates.
Expressing his resentment, bench head Justice Jawwad S Khawaja
said: ‘The federation had taken no action in the past and today (April 22) it
has been revealed that no legal action will be taken against the former Chief
of Army Staff in future as well.’ Justice Khilji Arif Hussain said that despite

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the clear court orders the interior ministry has neither acted nor has any plan
to take action against the former president.
A fresh writ petition challenging the notification of declaring Pervez
Musharaf’s farmhouse as sub-jail was filed in Islamabad High Court.
It was also requested in the petition that the court may direct the concerned
authorities to send the under-trial prisoner to Adiala Jail. He contended that
the accused had not joined the investigations despite the court directions and
he is a proclaimed offender, thus, not entitled to discretionary relief.
Next day, Musharraf was produced by FIA before the ATC
Rawalpindi No 1 where proceedings against him in connection with the
Benazir Bhutto assassination case had been pending since long. FIA Special
Public Prosecutor told Special Judge that the agency had formally arrested
the ex-president in the BB murder case as he had been an absconder and had
a role in the killing of the former premier.
Earlier, the special public prosecutor obtained production orders of
Pervez Musharraf from the ATC judge after a rift arose between Islamabad
and Rawalpindi police to transport Musharraf from Chak Shehzad
Farmhouse, now declared a sub-jail, to ATC No 1. After the hearing of the
case, the court directed FIA to submit a complete challan against Musharraf
by 3 May.
Meanwhile, 15 lawyers sustained injuries in a clash with Musharraf’s
supporters. District Bar Association (DBA) Secretary General denounced the
torture on lawyers and announced a complete strike tomorrow. Musharraf’s
supporters, holding banners and portraits of the military dictator, were
chanting slogans in his favour when he reached the court. As the court
resumed the hearing, scores of black coats came out and started chanting
slogans against Musharraf. One of his supporters pushed a lawyer, triggering
a massive clash.
Law enforcement agencies foiled a bid to assassinate Pervez
Musharraf and got hold of a suspected vehicle laden with almost 50-kg of
highly explosive material, parked outside Musharraf’s farmhouse. Police
said it was their internal intelligence that helped them trace a suspected
vehicle parked near Musharraf’s farmhouse. Neither any group claimed
responsibility of failed attempt aimed to assassinate the former army chief
till filing of this report, nor did the law enforcement agencies claim to arrest
anyone following the incident. However, intelligence agencies said it could
be work of Baloch insurgents who had threatened Pervez Musharraf.

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 Ibrahim Satti, counsel for Musharraf, told the court, hearing the case
pertaining to subversion and suspension of the Constitution as well as
imposition of emergency on November 3, 2007, in the country by Musharraf
that a high treason case under Article 6 of the Constitution was basically an
offence of conspiracy or mutiny and it can never be attributed to a single
person, so all those involved in it were equally liable to be proceeded
against.
He said emergency in 2007 was imposed on the basis of a top-secret
letter from the then prime minister Shaukat Aziz. The same proclamation
contained the name of the functionaries who were taken on board and were
also a party to it, therefore, Musharraf could not be solely held responsible
for it. He said former president Pervez Musharraf’s name was placed on
ECL without observing the set legal procedure and restricting his free
movement is a violation of the law.
Ibrahim Satti submitted 20 legal propositions/questions of law, mostly
related to composition of a larger bench or full court for the hearing of the
case. He stated that norms of justice were not observed in the proceedings
against Musharraf. He contended that the executive had the exclusive
domain to prosecute Musharraf. He added that in Asma Jilani’s case General
Yahya Khan was declared a usurper, but no action was taken by the
Supreme Court or any other authority. In this background, the court should
leave the matter to the executive.
Aitzaz Ahsan stated that the caretaker government is bound to
implement the Supreme Court orders if issued to register treason case
against former President Musharraf under Article 6 of Constitution. He,
however, said that these cases can only be initiated in civil courts, and there
is no chance of starting the same in Field General Court Martial.
There were rumours circulating in top circle of federal capital
suggesting that a medical board has advised the former dictator to fly abroad
for conducting his heart surgery. They said that former president was
expected to present a medical certificate before the court to get permission
for flying abroad in a couple of days. Dr Amjad dismissed all the rumours
being discussed about a deal giving a safe exit to Musharraf on medical or
security grounds.
Answering a question about the treatment being meted out to
Musharraf, the MQM leader said, it was not justice. He said Musharraf
should not be treated the way he was being treated, especially when he had

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surrendered to courts. ‘It’s victimization, not justice. It’s violation of human
rights, because of which state institutions are getting a bad name.’
On 24th April, the Lahore High Court dismissed Musharraf’s plea for
extension to pre-arrest interim bail for non-prosecution, in the Benazir
Bhutto assassination case. The court disposed of another application by the
former president for exemption from personal appearance over security
concerns, in the high-profile assassination case. Musharraf could be arrested
anytime as his bail plea ‘now stands rejected, FIA prosecutor told the media
after the proceedings.
Next day, Musharraf was formally arrested in the Benazir Bhutto
assassination case by the FIA shortly after permission from a trial court. The
former president will remain detained at his Chak Shehzad farmhouse
residence but will be produced before an anti-terrorism court (in
Rawalpindi) tomorrow. Musharraf was indicted in the assassination case in
February 2011. He was declared a proclaimed offender and his property was
seized later in August.
During Supreme Court’s hearing of treason case, Justice Khawaja
asked Irfan Qadir to inform the court about the federation’s viewpoint over
the issue. Qadir parried the court query, stating, ‘November 3rd measures
were unnecessary.’ ‘What do you mean by ‘unnecessary’, enquired Justice
Khawaja, remaking ‘now we (the justices) have understood what you want
to say’!
Ibrahim Satti, counsel for Musharraf, continuing his arguments said
the court, in its July 31 verdict, made observations and never ordered action
against his client. Musharraf was not a party in an application filed in the
Sindh High Court, he added. Justice Khilji observed that the July 31 verdict
was passed on two petitions, while Pervez Musharraf was made respondent
in a petition moved by advocate Akram Sheikh. Ibrahim Satti will resume
his arguments on May 29.
Earlier in the day, IHC judge Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui resumed
hearing into the case of former dictator president’s escape from the court.
When the judge inquired about the presence of representative from the
ministry of interior, Deputy Attorney General told him that no representative
of the ministry had reached. The court directed him to contact the ministry.
Later, he along with interior ministry joint secretary appeared before
the court and informed that a file regarding action against the IGP had been
sent to the interior secretary while in its reply the ministry also maintained
that it could not take any direct action against the IGP since Bani Amin was

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the officer of BPS-20 and only the prime minister has the power to proceed
against him. Therefore, the matter has been sent to prime minister and law
ministry for taking any action against him. The court then deferred the
hearing until tomorrow.
On 29th April, the Supreme Court directed the Federal government to
enable the meeting of Pervez Musharraf with his counsels in respect of the
case of high treason. Ibrahim Satti, counsel for Musharraf, had complained
that he and other counsel Ahmed Raza Kasuri and Qamar Afzal, were not
allowed to meet their client for the last four days.
Satti contended that action should be taken against all the
conspirators, abettors and persons who have subverted the Constitution and
not just Pervez Musharraf for promulgating Emergency on 3 rd November,
2007 in the country. The case should also be registered against the then
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, who had taken oath under 91(5) of
Constitution, for writing secret letter.
Satti contended that President and Prime Minister take the oath to
protect the Constitution, while the Armed Forces officers take oath in
accordance with the Article 244 of the Constitution. He said his client had
taken two oaths, first of the Chief of Army Staff and the second one was of
the President of Pakistan. ‘The duty of President is above his oath because
there could be instances when he (President) had to keep aside his oath and
the Constitution in the interest of the State, as his prime duty was to save the
State’, the learned counsel maintained. The case was adjourned till
tomorrow.
Islamabad High Court (IHC) directed Interior Ministry to explain the
matter of writing letter to Ministry of Law seeking its opinion regarding the
action against IGP Islamabad Bani Amin despite the clear court directives.
IHC judge Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui also directed additional interior
secretary Tariq Hayat Khan to appear before the court in person to submit
the reply in this regard tomorrow, when the court will resume hearing.
Next day, the Peshawar High Court barred former military ruler
Pervez Musharraf for lifetime from contesting an. A four-member larger
bench, headed by PHC Chief Justice ruled that since Musharraf had
abrogated the Constitution twice, he could not be allowed to contest election
for National Assembly, provincial assembly or Senate.
On 1st May, a five-member US Congressional delegation led by
Senator Joe Donnelly held a secret meeting with former President Pervez
Musharraf at his Chak Shahzad sub-jail residence. US Ambassador to

436
Pakistan accompanied the delegation. They discussed with Musharraf the
current status of his trail and its impact on his party and country’s political
situation.
The former dictator reportedly told the US legislators that he did not
want to leave the country as a deserter but with dignity and honour. He told
them that he, being an Army commando, was not afraid of cases against him
but he wanted justice from the investigators and the higher courts. This
meeting is significant as some media reports say that the military
establishment as well as the present caretaker government wanted a safe and
dignified passage for the former military ruler to leave the country.
But Musharraf’s close aides insist that he won’t leave the country
without settling the cases against him. Reportedly, Musharraf told the US
legislators that he did not trust the courts because the lawyers’ community
and judges seek to take revenge from him because of his past actions against
the judiciary. He also complained that his close associates too were in hot
waters these days and facing fake cases from the lawyers’ community.
Recessing economy: On 30th April, the caretaker government
passed on partial relief to the consumers by slashing oil prices up to Rs8.46
per litre, which would be effective from tomorrow. The Liquefied Petroleum
Gas (LPG) marketing companies also reduced the prices of LPG by Rs6 per
kilogramme (kg). However, the National Electric Power Regulatory
Authority (Nepra) increased the electricity tariff by Rs1.35/unit on account
of monthly fuel price adjustment.
Baloch militancy: On 19th April, the Frontier Corps claimed to
have killed an alleged commander of the banned Baloch Liberation Front
and apprehend several other accused in a pre-down raid in tehsil Jaho,
district Awaran. The clash with the outlaws lasted about three hours. The
arrested outlaws were being interrogated and more actions were expected in
the light of information received from them.
On 23rd April, a suicide bomber blew up his car at a checkpoint near a
Shia-dominated area in Quetta; killing six people and wounding more than
30. The attacker had attempted to drive his vehicle into Hazara Town. He
detonated the vehicle when the soldiers at a paramilitary check post stopped
it. Three blasts were also reported in the Balochistan capital in which no loss
of life was reported.
Next day, bomb attack wounded 13 people near a Shia mosque and a
private hospital in Quetta. In another blast near a police station, two

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policemen were injured. There was no immediate claim of responsibility of
the attacks but TTP’s allied group, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, has been blamed for
targeting Shia’s in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan. Meanwhile,
unidentified miscreants blew up a 24-inch diameter gas pipeline with
explosives in Rashidugun area of Larkana. Officials said that the gas supply
had been suspended to Larkana and other areas.

Turf war in Karachi: On 19th April, two brothers were among

eight persons killed in separate incidents of violence in Karachi. Next day,
five people, including an activist of MQM were gunned down in separate
incidents of violence in the city. On 21st April, at least three people lost their
lives in different incidents of violence in the metropolis. Next day, two
people lost their lives in different incidents of violence in the city.
On 23rd April, two policemen and political activists were among 15
people gunned down in various violent incidents in last two days. Next day,
four people were killed in the city. On 25th April, seven persons including
political activists were killed in various violent incidents in Karachi while a
Rangers officer wounded in an exchange of firing also succumbed to his
injuries during treatment.
On 27th April, Seven people were killed in various incidents of
violence in the city. Next day, at least six people including a policeman and
an ANP activist were gunned down in separate incidents of violence. On 29 th
April, at least six persons including political activists were killed in various
violent incidents. On 1st May, eight people were gunned down in various
incidents of violence in the city.

VIEWS
Power politics
Campaign rhetoric: ‘It is true that in election campaigns the parties
out of power launch blistering attacks on the party in power, but it seems
that this trend during the current campaign, culminating in the May 11
election has been marked by two unfortunate trends. First, it ignores the fact
that the party in office has been replaced by neutral caretaker governments.
Any steps these caretakers do not reverse may be assumed to have been for
the public good. Also, any criticism of the government would not be so
much a criticism of the outgoing government as of the caretakers. There is

438
probably no harm in criticizing the caretakers thus by implication, but it
means accusing them of the pointless activity of partisanship. More
significantly, indulging in such rhetoric implies less time devoted to one’s
own programme. Indeed, judging by what is being said by various party
leaders, it almost seems as if their main argument for being elected is that
they are not the other person.
The Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf chief Imran Khan, for example,
launched a stinging attack on both President Asif Zardari and Mian Nawaz
Sharif, but without making it clear how he and his party would bring about
the change he had promised. Similarly, Punjab PML-N chief Mian Shahbaz
Sharif, while addressing a rally in Rajanpur, highlighted another danger
when he said the country would be rid of the President, thieves and robbers
on May 11. A presidential spokesman was responding to a speech of Mian
Nawaz but he could equally have been answering Mian Shahbaz when he
said that the President should not be made controversial. Mian Nawaz
continued to attack Mr Zardari saying he had done nothing in his five years
in office, while addressing a rally in Khudian Khas.
It would serve the parties better if they were a little more dignified in
their critique, instead of resorting to crude language and incendiary
sloganeering. Though they have all issued manifestoes, to which they duly
pay obeisance in their speeches, their coyness on real issues can only raise
the suspicion that they are continuing playing politics, of trying to obtain
votes by appealing to prejudice rather than by presenting a programme. This
would create the impression that they do not have anything to offer the voter
by way of solution to his problems.
It is high time that the parties realized that the various problems faced
by the county are such that it cannot afford this attitude of politics as usual.
Instead, the parties must work out how to solve these problems workably,
and present them to the voter so that he can make an informed and
intelligent choice on May 11, not indulge his partisan prejudices.
The abuse of power: ‘After Nelson Mandela liberated his people
from the economic, political and socio-cultural tyranny and abuse of power
by a megalomaniac white minority regime in South Africa in 1994, a Truth
and Reconciliation Commission was constituted in 1995 to bring about
national harmony and democratic tranquility to the unfortunate indigenous
people, who had suffered poverty, deprivations, suppression and the looting
of their homeland by a select minority for endless decades.

439
 Today's Pakistan faces a similar tyranny of a selective native ruling
elite that has exercised their abuse of political power and looted the nation
with absolute impunity. What Pakistan needs now, and needs urgently, is a
Truth, Reconciliation, Recovery, Deliverance and Retribution Commission
(TRRDRC) to deliver this nation from the bondage of a traditional political
culture, its status quo oriented political structure and the ruling elite that is
indefinitely knotted to this deliberately-organized political system. The
extent of the abuse of political power and looting in the so-called democratic
Pakistan of 2008-2013 specifically (and decades before that) is so massive
that it can only be described in the common Urdu phrase: ‘Lut Gya
Pakistan!’
Imagine the enormity of this disgusting and repulsive reality: in a TV
talk show, the anchor said that $97 billion belonging to a select group of
Pakistanis is stacked up in Swiss banks. The global media has identified
these Pakistanis as politicians, bureaucrats, entrepreneurs, and God knows
who else – perhaps, the mafia working for the ruling elite. The incumbent
President is accused of massive corruption in the past and currently the
behind-closed-doors presidential patronage of massive financial corruption
and abuse of political power.
In another talk show aired on April 10, 2013, several slides
(commonly known as tickers) were displayed giving detailed information on
the non-payment of loans (loan defaulters) by several prominent members of
the ruling elite and the top brass political managers in the outgoing so-called
democratic administration.
In the same show, it was revealed that out of 24,094 candidates, who
filled their election nomination papers, 10,000 of them had not paid their
taxes.
In his latest article, the Chief Investigative Reporter of a local
newspaper disclosed the horrors of daylight robbery and abuse of power
committed against this nation by the outgoing so-called democratic
administration during its last moments of rule, amounting to billions of
rupees.
In addition, according to the columnist, the National Assembly
Speaker got a loan of Rs500 million waived during her five-year tenure, and
her Deputy Speaker has purchased a CDA plaza worth billions of rupees for
a small and insignificant amount of 360 million. Other information
contained in this article is mind-boggling.

440
 For example, Rs2.2 billion were diverted from dam construction funds
and developmental projects and distributed among members of Parliament.
Even pension funds, savings bank schemes, and the higher education budget
were illegally tapped, robbed of billions of rupees, and given to the
parliamentarians.
It is also alleged that PML-Q received Rs2.5 billion from the outgoing
government prior to the end of its tenure. That money was distributed among
the PML-Q party members. The narrative of this unimaginable abuse of
power and organized plunder and pillage of the nation's wealth can only be
described in the tragic Urdu phrase: Lut Gya Pakistan!...
The irony of the matter is that the history that common Pakistanis
have shared with the ruling elite is one of suppression, deceit, poverty,
rhetoric, sentimental and religiously symbolic manipulations and outright
lying and looting. The fact of the matter is that common citizens of Pakistan
in bygone days were much better off in every aspect of life than are the
common citizens of democratic Pakistan in 2013.
What good is this democracy in which the national political leaders
steal and plunder national wealth? What good is this democracy that
multiplies common citizens' deprivations and increases and accelerates the
nation's poverty? What good is this democracy where state institutions fail?
What good is this democracy where death squads massacre common people
indiscriminately and foreign drones rain lethal fire from the sky? What good
is this democracy where even safe drinking water is not available for the
majority of its citizens? What good is this democracy and its leadership, who
do not even have a clue as to what democracy is all about? And the final
question is: how do we move beyond this latent resentment at a history we
cannot change, and start making better memories?
Change, fundamental change, in the political structure and political
leadership, is the only viable choice that Pakistani citizens have. Nothing
less will work for this country.
In a private TV talk show of April 14, Dr Tahirul Qadri summed up
the entire present-day Pakistani leadership problematic and failure with
explosive evidence, demanded strict accountability of political leadership,
and concluded by stating that Pakistan will have to send 10,000 politicians
and bureaucrats to jail to survive and enact a fundamental change in its
political culture and political structure. How many of you disagree with Dr
Qadri's conclusion? Vote for change ‘if’ elections are at all held on May 11.’
(Dr Haider Mehdi, TheNation 25th April)

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 Where are the caretakers? ‘One can point out countless examples of
inefficient, ineffective and incompetent governments in Pakistan. It is,
however, expected that the interim setup, both federal and provincial, will
break all previous records. It seems that the caretakers have nothing to offer
- not even hope to the people of this country. Like the politicians, some of
them are obliging their near and dear ones without realizing that this would
not only damage their credibility, but also the institution of democracy.
The way in which the caretaker setup has been conducting the
country’s day to day affairs is quite disappointing. The law enforcement
agencies, for instance, continue to play havoc not just with the people’s
lives, but a critical role in the run up to the 2013 elections. Many prospective
candidates are complaining that the police at the beck and call of their
previous political bosses have removed their posters and banners, which
means that the caretakers have failed to rein in these rogue elements; and
seem powerless to act against them.
While some political parties are under direct threat from terrorist
organizations… Besides this, the people have shown their apprehension on
the ban imposed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on the
political parties to provide transport facilities to their voters… Also, several
prospective candidates with dubious reputations, including fake degree
holders, have been allowed to contest, making a mockery of the entire
system and Articles 62 and 63 of the constitution…
One wonders as to what would be the situation in the country when
the caretakers hand over power to those who are elected by the people. Then
there is serious defiance on the part of certain sections of the bureaucracy
that continues to associate with everyone except the caretakers, correctly
evaluating that they would be leaving soon and as such it would not be
prudent for them to annoy the politicians, who may return to the Assemblies
after the elections.
Under these circumstances, one can only hope that the caretakers
wake up and take immediate steps for the people’s welfare. They must leave
behind a good image so that the experiment of a caretaker setup is not
wasted, but rather institutionalized for democracy to prosper in Pakistan.’
(Azam Khalil, TheNation 26th April)
Final lap to elections: ‘If the previous incumbents come to power,
there are no chances of arresting mega corruptions; not because they lack
willpower, but because they will once again be the beneficiaries of a system

442
that suits their brand of governance and politics. So what does this auger for
the parties of change and their slogans?
First, right within the electoral contest, the biggest symbol of change
and ‘Naya Pakistan’, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI) will have to contend
with these monuments of inertia within the intra-party ranks. The fact that
many of them managed to get tickets and thereafter succeeded in casting
their shadows on successive nominations will weigh heavy on the election
campaign as also policies of the party if it comes to power. If not? Then
defections of some could not be far away. 
Secondly, the electoral politics at the heels of an intra-party contest
rather than devolve has resulted in over-centralization and lack of initiative.
A majority of the candidates are new to the constituencies and lack the
wherewithal and means to dig deep into the hearts and minds of their people.
As it is turning out, the election rallies and gatherings addressed by Imran
Khan are in sharp contrast to mostly lacklustre gatherings of local
contestants living in a delusion that Khan’s popularity alone would ensure
their success. It is very disheartening to see Imran Khan, personification of a
tear-away express bowler, deliver spell after spell on a final country hop.
Barring some areas of Lahore, this symbolism is not being replicated by
local leaders and party officials. In few very important constituencies, the
campaigns have yet to kick-start. Proverbially, a captain, who once paired
with Sarfraz Nawaz, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, lacks a bowler to
complement him.
As suggested by recent surveys, the people of Pakistan are desperate
for change. It is a challenge to the prowess of PTI’s first, second and third
tier leadership to harness these energies into a sea of emotions and build a
synergy in the last lap; else face the dire consequences of an exhausted
captain when it matters most.’ (Samson S. Sharaf, TheNation 27th April)
Election violence: ‘As the country comes closer to actual voting, the
violence grows, almost as if opponents of the polls have been given a free
hand. Of late, they have turned their attention to Karachi, which has election
offices attacked, with fatal results… Not just in Sindh, but polls in all
provinces are under threat due to the growing impunity with which terrorists
are striking. There must, therefore be a national response.
However, the real responsibility rests with the caretaker governments,
federal as well as provincial. They have a specific responsibility to hold the
polls, and to ensure peaceful participation in them. This means that there
must be proper intelligence. The militants do not strike at random. It is in the

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process of target acquisition that their designs must be crushed.’ (Editorial,
TheNation 28th April)
On the campaign trail: ‘Each party is selling its achievements and its
promises. All with one exception. The PPP is still relying heavily on the
martyrdom of BB and one is subjected round the clock to the mass display
of shocked grief that was seen at the time of her tragic assassination.
While this does tug at the heartstrings, it does nothing to allay what
we have seen of the PPP in power for the last five years. The populace is led
up to believe that they still have a card up their sleeves vide the Benazir
Income Support Programme and the vote divide between PML-N and PTI. I
do hope they have no serious illusions because if they do, it is going to be
one rude awakening.
Nonetheless, the concept of the original, liberal PPP remains intact
and the party can recover a lot of its lost ground once new, non-family,
charismatic leadership emerges from it. It is also the only party whose
second ad talks about the promises its competitors could not keep. No
mention of the two Prime Ministers that were at the helm and no
achievements to show for them either!
The other two parties that are trying to get enough seats in the centre
to form a government are the PML-N and PTI. The Sharifs have several
members of their family in the contest and their campaigns, made well with
sound concepts and technology, are trying to affect those who are undecided.
They are selling hope by projecting the good things in their track record, but
when in conversation with TV anchors, one can sense the slight nervousness
and a shade of insecurity.
Pakistanis would like to hear heads of both PTI and PML-N debate
issues on TV, as is done elsewhere in the world. But Mian Nawaz Sharif has
decided against accepting Imran Khan’s invitation and that is being
perceived negatively. While the different survey polls are so far predicting a
neck to neck fight between these two parties, the edge that PTI has are the
self-motivated ‘Tabdeeli Razakars’ (TRs) or ‘Volunteers for Change’.
The TRs are working feverishly in so many cities - putting up posters
and going door to door to convince people to vote and telling them how to
do it. It is a silent movement that may well make the ultimate difference to
an election that is still being perceived as open.
The PTI ad campaigns ring with the fervour of youth too. The energy
and excitement that Imran Khan manages to ignite in them is self-evident.

444
They seem to have an abiding faith in both his incorruptibility and his
ability. From the PTI platform, the words ‘Naya Pakistan’ have taken on an
almost magical quality. Because it is what Pakistanis, across all divides,
yearn and pray for. It is most certainly an exciting election.’ (Tallat Azim,
TheNation 28th April)
Expats dismayed! ‘To the great dismay of the overseas Pakistanis,
their right of vote has once again been held back despite serious efforts by
the apex court… The Attorney General is reported to have informed the
bench that during the meeting, the ECP unanimously agreed to accomplish
the desired task while requesting the government to prepare requisite
proposals for effecting the required legislation which may be made
applicable to the overseas Pakistanis after the forthcoming general elections
in the country.
Overseas Pakistanis are a backbone of national economy since their
remittances form major chunk of foreign exchange earnings. Earlier their
right to become members of the parliament was denied and a large number
of dual nationality holders were disqualified by the Supreme Court under the
provisions of Article 62 and 63. It is an established fact that overseas
Pakistanis have always been concerned with the welfare of their motherland
and their fellow citizens living back home. In this age of information
technology, it is hard to believe that a software system or other voting
mechanism could not be set up. These were largely hitches and excuses of a
bureaucratic nature to keep a large segment of Pakistanis out of the electoral
arena.’ (Editorial, TheNation 1st May)
Men behind Imran: ‘I traveled to Pakistan to test these claims and to
meet the inner circle that surrounds Khan. I moved widely across the
country, joined the crowds at one of his rallies and went behind the scenes
for private meetings. My objective was not to meet Khan himself; my
mission was to probe the men and women, who advise him. Above all, I was
eager to find out whether Khan really has created a genuine political
movement with a programme for this troubled country. As far as Khan’s
inner circle is concerned, it soon became clear that, while his enemies have
been busy lobbing accusations of political incompetence, Khan has
assembled a crack team of advisers featuring some of Pakistan’s most
erudite, powerful and influential men; men who could be enjoying an easy
life outside politics, but whose sense of commitment to their country has
persuaded them to join Khan.

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 The 60-year-old’s biggest coup was landing Asad Umar. Now PTI’s
senior Vice President and election organizer, Umar was the Chief Executive
of Engro, one of Pakistan’s biggest conglomerates, and, reportedly, the
country’s best-paid businessman. Between 2004 and 2012, he lifted
company revenues from £94 million to £768 million. If PTI wins, he is
tipped to occupy an economics post.
In the party’s modest office in Lahore, I ask Umar: why he joined
Khan? It was, he says, a long courtship, which began several years ago in a
television studio. ‘As [Khan] was taking off his clip, he turned to me and
said in Urdu: ‘You are wasting your time, you should come and join us’,
says Umar. Several years later, he attended a business conference where
Khan was speaking. In reply to one question from the floor, he said: ‘The
day people like Umar come and join us is the day we become successful.’
But the wooing started in earnest in late 2011 when Umar received a text
message from Khan, which read: ‘This is the year of the revolution, and you
cannot continue to stand on the sidelines. You have to take the plunge.’
Umar says that he then engaged in an intense dialogue with the ex-
cricketer. ‘I am testing him again and again on his commitment to the new
Pakistan, to find out whether he really understands what it takes.’ He says
that the clinching moment came when he asked Khan whether he realized
that PTI’s plans for tax reform would mean some of PTI’s own donors being
forced to pay taxes. Khan replied that, yes, he was aware of the
consequences. Shortly afterwards, Umar resigned from Engro and joined the
party…
His party claims 10 million registered members, a phenomenal
number that makes PTI by some distance the largest political party not just
in Pakistan, but in the world and Khan is the only politician in the country to
have used the social media on a large scale to communicate with his
followers and reach out to potential supporters. He regularly tweets
campaign updates and policy messages to his half-a-million followers on
Twitter and his official Facebook page has more than 700,000 ‘likes’. On
my travels through Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, I was struck by how
many ordinary people, especially the young, insist they will vote for Khan.
But one of Khan’s other successes has been to convince the electorate
that he is a man of the people, despite the fact that he and many of his inner
circle come from the same privileged elite they accuse of betraying the
country. Khan went to Atchison College, the Eton of Pakistan, before

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moving to the UK and studying at Oxford. His foreign affairs spokesman,
Shah Mehmood Qureshi, also attended Atchison… 
For Qureshi, PTI is the only party capable of guarding against these
dangers. And Umar is specific about the ‘structural changes’ required. The
PTI, he says, would break up Pakistan’s centralized state. ‘We need to bring
power down to the grass roots level’, he tells me. ‘In terms of governance,
we want to take it back to where it was when Jinnah was Governor General.’
Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, died in 1948, a year
after Pakistan gained its independence. Therefore, Umar is effectively saying
that he wants Pakistan’s system of government to return to the high
standards of probity and efficiency it enjoyed at the time of British rule. One
of the common themes among Khan’s inner circle is a despair at the existing
two-party system and its failure to solve Pakistan’s problems. 
Before I leave Pakistan, I conducted one final interview. It is with
Khan’s political strategist, Javed Hashmi, who, I noticed, was treated with
the most deference by Khan at the private meeting I attended. One of the
country’s best-known public figures, Hashmi has been involved in politics
since the 60s, when, as a student agitator, he was imprisoned and tortured by
dictator Ayub Khan. In all, he has endured five long terms of imprisonment,
of which the most recent was a long stretch courtesy of President Pervez
Musharraf, who stepped down as Pakistan’s military ruler five years ago.
Hashmi was accused of treason after criticizing military rule. Why has he
joined hands with Khan?
‘Bringing democracy to this country and fighting against corrupt
leaders is my agenda as well as his’, Hashmi tells me. ‘People see Nawaz
Sharif, they see Zardari, they see nothing has changed. For 10 years, Imran
has struggled and worked. He is saying the right things, I must follow him.’
Just over 40 years ago, most people dismissed the chances of Bhutto
when his newly-formed PPP ran in the 1970 national elections. Defying all
the odds, his party caught the national mood, and swept home in West
Pakistan. Could Imran Khan, the sporting legend famous for snatching
victory from the jaws of defeat, be about to repeat history? It is a real
possibility. (Peter Oborne, TheNation 30th April and 1st May)
Taming the military
Musharraf’s fate: ‘The dismissal of former President General Pervez
Musharraf’s appeal seeking an extension in his bail in the judges’
confinement case by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday has

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created a stir in political, military and legal circles. Indeed, all segments of
society, supporter or opponent, official or non-official, high or low, are
watching keenly to ascertain just how Pakistan will deal with the first of its
former dictators ever to go on trial. Adding further spice to the case was the
total inaction shown by the police in putting him under arrest that had been
specifically ordered by the IHC. As he came out of the court room, he sped
off to his villa in Chak Shahzad, a posh Islamabad suburb, in a bullet-proof
vehicle, guarded by his personal security, with the police and rangers
playing the part of silent spectators.
The amazing and at the same time equally shameful reality is the utter
lack of cooperation and indifference shown by the caretaker setup in
Musharraf’s trial, though it is simply carrying on with the tradition set by its
predecessor governments. The former military dictator faces several cases in
the courts, including treason for subverting the constitution and murders of
PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto and Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti.
As of now, Musharraf's residence has been declared a sub-jail, where
unlike civilian, elected leaders like Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto or
Nawaz Sharif, he will not have to suffer the rigours of a jail cell and instead
live in the plush comfort of his own home till his case is decided. A complex
politico-military relationship in the country is now adjusting to the reality
that this is the first time that an ex-army chief is being put on trial, causing
many a prospective adventurer in the ranks to tug uncomfortably at their
collar. However, even with enormous public support and judicial pressure,
the caretaker government still appears to be walking on eggshells when
dealing with the former dictator. On the one hand, Information Minister Arif
Nizami tells the media that the government will comply with the orders of
the court, on the other, the orders transferring all the SHOs of the capital are
withdrawn. The wholesale shift of these key police officers soon after
Musharraf was able to leave the court premises without any resistance by
them was being interpreted as a reaction to their failure to do their duty.
Musharraf’s lawyers tried to file an appeal before the Supreme Court,
but were asked to attach the full judgment of the IHC issued within hours of
the interim order. Also, the full court meeting of the Supreme Court might,
one is tempted to assume, have debated these quick and unexpected
developments before it hears the appeal today. However, Pakistan is passing
through interesting times, with one crisis over another bedeviling its scene.
Even if one were to put aside the umpteen crises (crippling power cuts, near
financial bankruptcy, upsurge in terrorist attacks, for instance), now, the
former military ruler’s cases have added another dimension: uncertainty.

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The fears that the army might sharply react if the cases are taken to their
logical conclusion hang in the air, but Pakistan is now irrevocably destined
for a democratic transition, and on this, all institutions agree.’ (Editorial,
TheNation 19th April)
Musharraf dents his image both as president and COAS: ‘Lahore
– ‘I don’t fear anyone. I have been a commando and know how to deal with
threats. I took part in wars and had a narrow escape many a time’.
These are some of the claims our former army chief, who
subsequently became the president and ruled the country for nine long years,
made in various speeches and interviews. In a latest interview he even said
he was prepared to go to jail if the court cancelled his bail.
However, his bravery and fearlessness stood exposed on Thursday
when the Islamabad High Court dismissed his bail petition. The commando-
leader made good his escape from the court in the company of the armed
security guards.
Had he not resorted to the ‘cowardly’ escape strategy, at most he
would have been arrested. And since he had been holding two top positions,
he would not have been lodged in an ordinary lockup meant for the common
mortals.
The former president’s conduct is not compatible with the prestigious
positions he has been holding for nine years. By doing what he did he has
dwarfed himself and dented his image, bringing serious embarrassment to
the army, which he headed for about eight years…
There may not be any corruption charge against Gen Musharraf. But
he has let down the entire nation by trying to wriggle out of the long arm of
the law. He should have surrendered before the law when the court had
refused him bail and faced the consequences. As a leader, he should have set
a precedent for his followers to respect the law…’ (Ashraf Mumtaz,
TheNation 19th April)
Might makes right? ‘PML-Q leader Chaudhry Shujaat’s argument
whereby he has cautioned against pursuing the treason case against General
Musharraf over the reason that it would set off a chain of events that would
hurtle out of control relies on appeal to force. Without any fear or favour, it
should be an open trial and all those found involved should be thrown
behind bars, even if there are other members of his former regime, and for
some are too holy and of high rank to be put on trial. So at the end of the
day, the case against Musharraf should not be quashed only because there

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are other untouchables who would be brought to the dock or worse the
image of some institution would be tarnished.
Fallacious reasoning by Mr Shujaat has been contended before in
similar circumstances; their essence, however, has always been based on the
inequalities found in an authoritarian world. Such admonitions were heard in
the aftermath of the Asghar Khan Case where among others, a former
military chief was found involved in doling out funds to political parties.
The quarters that Mr Shujaat is hinting at, from where this chain of events or
consequences could swirl, is hence quite apparent. Is this not the Jackboot
that the countrymen and the judiciary in particular aware of, that have
always relied on a truckload of commandoes to have their way. What would
they do, this time around if the General is put to trial in an impartial manner?
And to make matters worse, the former President in his statement to the
Court on Sunday threw up a red herring. It was with consultation with
members of junta that the November 3 emergency was declared, he stated.
Since, ‘consultations process’, implies there are other individuals involved
as well explains why Mr Shujaat is so worried over the possibility of a ‘can
of worms’ opening up, if the case is pursued.
These arguments do not have a leg to stand on. The case of the
general should be pursued in accordance with law. And people of Mr
Shujaat’s stature could do well to avoid playing to the gallery. Everyone
who is involved, however sacrosanct should be made to answer for their
deeds.’ (Editorial, TheNation 23rd April)
‘Strongest is never strong enough’: ‘General (retd) Pervez
Musharraf must have been wrapped up too much in himself. If he knew his
country well and had also been mindful of his own track record, he would
not have jumped into the fray challenging once again the country’s judiciary
and the lawyers’ community. As if the people already did not have had
enough of him in his torrid nine-year rule, his ill-timed return to Pakistan
just before elections throws yet another gauntlet in the political minefield of
his country. The current politics-driven chaos and uncertainty must have
tempted him to come back and also be part of the country’s rotten politics of
‘greed and power’. But he is on a wrong calculus. The people have a
memory sharp enough to remember how they ousted him from power after
what he did to them and to their country in his lust to remain in power at
every cost and by all means…
General Musharraf must not forget the massive popular vote of no
confidence against him in the February 2008 election. The people gave him

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their final democratic call, loud and clear: ‘Go Musharraf Go’. He should
have heeded to their verdict. By respecting their will, he could have availed
himself of the opportunity they gave him for an honourable exit. Our people
have limitless patience digesting even national tragedies in the past, but now
they are losing patience with what their rulers have been or are doing to
them and to their national dignity and honour. Musharraf is on top of their
wrath. They know that on his ouster five years ago, he left behind a legacy
of ‘surrender and servitude’ for his equally selfish civilian successors.
For self-serving reasons, he ransomed the country’s sovereign
independence, territorial integrity and national honour. It was he who
allowed CIA-operated drone attacks in Pakistan. Even though they were
aimed at suspected al-Qaeda or Taliban safe havens, they killed many
innocent men, women and children, and despite the vague consent of
Pakistan’s rulers, they constituted violation of Articles 42 and 51 of the UN
Charter. If history is any lesson, Musharraf should have known what law did
to England’s Oliver Cromwell, a soldier who like Musharraf overthrew the
lawful Stuart Monarchy before temporarily turning England into a
republican commonwealth that he ruled as its Lord Protector, a virtual
dictator from 1653 to 1658.
But Cromwell was at least conscientious enough to realize that the
source of his authority was force, not law. He died a frustrated man within
seven months after he dissolved the last Parliament in disgust, without
securing any popular basis for his power. Indeed, history is ruthless in
recording its verdict. Cromwell is today remembered both as a great soldier
and statesman and as an ‘English monster’ and ‘a pattern for tyranny,
murder and hypocrisy’. After the Royalists returned to power in 1660, they
had his corpse dug up, hung in chains, and beheaded for treason. That is
what the English law had to do to deter a dictator from overthrowing a
lawful regime. But that was in England. The absence of an equally effective
‘law of deterrence’ in our case, however, must not give wrong ideas to an
ousted dictator because ‘the strongest is never strong enough to be always
the master.’ (Shamshad Ahmad, TheNation 23rd April)
Sense of despair: ‘If Musharraf is to be held accountable for his past
deeds, the same yardstick must also be applied to other players in Pakistan’s
politics. A failure to tighten the rules of the game for all across the board
will keep the democratic order very fragile.
For the moment, many politicians are eager to cheer the first time ever
of a Parliament completing its tenure in March and setting the pace for a

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civilian transition through the upcoming elections. While that may be a
promising event, the controversies surrounding some of the key political
players are largely disappointing.
Going forward, Musharraf’s prosecution on its own will hardly help to
move a progressive future political agenda. In sharp contrast, raising the
standards of accountability surrounding key politicians in their ability to
participate in Pakistan’s politics will make a difference. On this latter front,
news from Pakistan has hardly been encouraging in a week when a former
Army Chief finally found himself in the dock for the first time ever.’
(Farhan Bokhari, TheNation 23rd April)
Skyfall gone awry: ‘One of the arguments for letting off Musharraf is
that it would open a Pandora’s Box. True, a lot of people, at least those who
carried out the actual detention of the Prime Minister and the takeover of
sensitive installations, would have to be tried, especially when it is recalled
that at the time of the coup, General Musharraf was in the air. A lot of
officers, and even other ranks, will find themselves on trial. Many will by
now be retired. However, that might be needed if future takeovers are to be
avoided.’ (M A Niazi, TheNation 26th April)
Never a dull moment…: ‘Never a dull moment here in Pakistan. A
heavy-mandated Prime Minister makes a failed attempt - how-so-very
clumsy it was - to fire the Army Chief and pay dearly for it. An adventurist
Army Chief surreptitiously orders the occupation of a strategic mountaintop
in the disputed Kashmir state without fully taking the Prime Minister of the
country on board and ends up in a humiliating retreat, fatally damaging
Pakistan’s case and cause for the occupied state.
His next disastrous move – dispatching the Pakistan Army into the
tribal areas to please the Yankees and start a fight with our own compatriots,
spawning an unending period of terrorism, ruining the lives of millions of
people and destabilizing the country itself.
According to Bruce Riedel, who earlier as a senior CIA official helped
President Barack Obama formulate his AfPak policy and presently is a
policy specialist at the Brookings Institution in Washington, Muhsarraf was
not honest with the Americans while formally committing to do the US
bidding in return for payment in dollars.
Bruce in an article, penned sometime back, wrote: ‘Our man in
Islamabad turned out to be helping the Taliban regroup...’ He also stated:
‘Pakistan remains the epicentre of the global jihad’. So this is what
Musharraf worked for – to push Pakistan into the ‘line of fire’.

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 His recent admission of agreeing to American drone strikes in
Pakistan has evoked devastating observations by one of India’s leading
columnists, Shakhar Gupta, in the Indian Express. Under the caption
‘National Interest: General Musharraf (Deluded)’, Gupta recalls his
conversation with the General during which he said: ‘That is the blunder you
make, a completely wrong presumption. You presume stupidly that I am a
dictator. Pakistan has never seen more democracy than now. Ask all your
friends in the Pakistani media whom I know well, go ask them.’
And here is Gupta’s assessment of the General: ‘Musharraf is a
deeply, terminally delusional man, who passionately believed his own
mythologies: that by overthrowing, jailing and exiling a Prime Minister
enjoying a two-thirds majority, he had only restored real democracy in
Pakistan, and that his people loved him as a liberal democrat as they had
loved no other but Jinnah... Or, now, continue believing that his people are
missing him so desperately that millions would line the streets to welcome
him back, and that would guarantee his security against the judiciary he had
jerked around so rudely. His delusions have finally caught up with him...’
Musharraf was right in saying that he felt “humiliated” when he
appeared before a court in Karachi. Later, however, he was seen running
away post-haste from another court in Islamabad…
Prior to the drama being played out by Musharraf, we have had the
sudden and sensational arrival of Dr Tahirul Qadri and his long march laced
with demagoguery. It was, indeed, an amazing feat: tens of thousands of his
followers braving the cold weather and rain, spending days and nights in
Islamabad, out in the open. It is unfortunate that his mission failed, with the
result that all sorts of tainted politicians have managed to cross the electoral
bridge and have been blessed with the right to contest the elections. The
hopes to have better candidates this time have failed to materialize…’
(Inayatullah, TheNation 27th April)
You asked for it: ‘Since Musharraf’s arrival in Pakistan, fate has
been taking its course. One may call it ‘makafat-e-amal’ or ‘as you sow, so
shall you reap’. When people see their adversaries facing problems, it is but
natural that they rejoice, when in fact it is a time to reflect on the justice
being meted out by Allah and the warning it contains. Over and over the
Quran tells us that The Almighty has given us many examples to learn from
in order to avoid the wrongdoings of those who have gone before us. He has
also pointed out that only men of understanding will be able to learn from
such examples…

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 When I heard Musharraf, as a dictator, boasting about himself as a
‘syedzada’ and the fact that he had been inside the Roza Mubarak and Khana
Kaaba, I couldn’t help remembering Allah’s warning: ‘Very well is your
Lord aware of you since He produced you from mud while you were still in
your mother’s womb and not yet born. So do not boastfully claim yourselves
to be pure. He fully knows those that are truly God-fearing (53:32).’
At the moment there are only two topics of interest in the country –
Musharraf and the elections. As was expected, the interim government flatly
refused to oblige the Supreme Court to invoke Article 6 against Musharraf.
The president still seems to be calling the shots. The SC was not asking for
any unconstitutional or illegal action since the Senate had already passed a
unanimous resolution to arrest and prosecute Musharraf under Article 6
(treason). It seems the NRO is still reigning supreme.
The wise old man from Gujrat, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, has come
up with a new logic in Musharraf’s case. It looks like eight years of close
association has left some traces. He has now said: 1) insulting an individual
or an organization could be dangerous; 2) prosecuting Musharraf under
Article 6 could lead to dangerous consequences; 3) we should think of the
future – there would be no victor; 4) this does not only concern Musharraf, it
would open a Pandora’s box.
In other words, Chaudhry Sahib feels that the courts convicting
Musharraf for anti-state crimes would lead to disaster… Emboldened and
intoxicated by uncontrolled power, he even attacked the judiciary and
violated the constitution. The way he treated Mian Nawaz Sharif will remain
a dark spot in the history of Pakistan and the army. Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif
were both inhumanely treated by dictators and now Mr Kasuri is asking us
to treat yet another dictator with leniency and respect. Did he ask Musharraf
how he had treated Admiral Mansoor CNS and why he did not touch his
own colleagues when they indulged in corruption of billions of rupees?
Gen Shaukat, who had been allowed to visit Mr Bhutto once, told us
about the horrible conditions under which he was being kept and he had
even told Gen Zia that he would one day have to pay for it.
Now is the time for Musharraf to pay for his wrongdoings in whatever
way the courts see fit. Mr Kasuri is (literally) shedding crocodile tears and
referring to Musharraf’s old mother. What about the ordeal that Nusrat
Bhutto and Benazir went through when Bhutto was being tortured? What
about the families of Mr Nawaz Sharif and the honourable judges when they
were forcibly detained and deprived of their fundamental rights?

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 These honourable lawyers never shed a tear (even a false one) when I
was illegally detained, gate padlocked, phones disconnected, no family
allowed to visit, etc, etc. Is Musharraf more human than others that we
should feel sorrier for him? It was nauseating to see Mr Kasuri’s theatrical
press conference and reference to a bird feeding its baby. If cases are
decided like that, then it is better to close down all the courts and let matters
be decided by kind old grandmothers.’ (Dr A Q Khan, The News 29th April)
Musharraf’s trials: ‘In view of the damage inflicted upon the nation
by the military regimes, it is important that steps are taken to close the door
of another military takeover once and for all. Fortunately, the judiciary,
which in the past condoned military takeovers, has taken a firm position
against the so-called doctrine of necessity and any abrogation or subversion
of the constitution in the future. There is also a consensus among the
political parties having roots in the people on this score. No loophole should
be left open for another military adventurer to play with the destiny of the
nation.
Pervez Musharraf was the latest of such military adventurers… Even
though the 18th Amendment has removed this validation from the
constitution under Article 270 AA, it is a moot point whether the military
takeover of October 12, 1999, can now be considered as something falling
within the purview of Article 6 of the constitution dealing with high treason.
The final decision on this issue would lie with the Supreme Court if and
when the federal government decides to refer the matter to it.
The proclamation of emergency on November 3, 2007, by Musharraf,
which was a kind of mini-martial law, is a different kettle of fish insofar as it
has not been validated by Parliament and has been declared as
unconstitutional and illegal by the Supreme Court in its verdict of July 31,
2009. 
The Supreme Court is currently hearing petitions seeking the initiation
of treason case against General (retd) Musharraf for the proclamation of
emergency. An authoritative pronouncement on the subject must, therefore,
await the verdict of the Supreme Court. Nevertheless, the Senate has already
passed a resolution demanding that legal proceedings may be initiated
against Musharraf for high treason.
Meanwhile, some of Musharraf’s sympathizers are raising issues
extraneous to law suggesting that we should bury the past by not initiating a
case of high treason against him. Several arguments are advanced in support
of this recommendation. The foremost of these arguments is that Musharraf

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was not alone in his unconstitutional acts and that the initiation of a case
against him would open a Pandora’s box involving other senior army
officers, judges, etc, who aided or abetted in the violation of the
constitution. 
This is a spurious argument that should not be accepted to condone
acts of high treason. If a person has willfully committed acts, which were
unconstitutional, he must be tried, while allowing him to defend himself as
permissible under law. This is especially the case when, as in the case of
Pervez Musharraf, the person concerned is unrepentant and insists on the
justification and necessity of his unconstitutional acts, instead of seeking
pardon from the nation for them. 
The rule of law demands that law should be applied indiscriminately
whether the accused is an ex-President or an ex-General. We cannot have
different legal standards for different people depending on their station in
life. This is something that the elite in Pakistan have to learn. 
We cannot bury our ugly past simply by ignoring it and hoping that it
would not recur in the future, as at least one of our leading English dailies
and a few individuals sympathetic to Musharraf are propagating. 
It is also not a question of the hunt between the hunter and the hunted.
It is essentially a question of the rule of law, a sine qua non for a civilized
society. We can bury the past only by facing it squarely, howsoever
unpleasant it may be, and letting the chips fall as they may. Those accused
of treason may be given the punishment that they deserve if found guilty
after a fair trial. This is the only way to discourage a potential adventurer
from subverting the constitution again in the future.
As for Musharraf, he must show the courage that he always boasted
he had. He should go through the trials confronting him like the judges’
detention case, the Benazir murder case, the Akbar Bugti case and the Lal
Masjid case with fortitude to prove his innocence. All he should expect is a
fair trial – nothing more and nothing less.’ (Javid Husain, TheNation 30 th
April)
Musharraf framed by his past: ‘We all know how fickle Pakistan's
constitution and laws are, and frankly speaking, they are not worth more
than the paper they are written on. This is not a moot point, but undeniable
fact that every Pakistani has sensed and felt since the creation of Pakistan.
The rich and powerful elite of Pakistan are allowed to roam freely mired in
their ubiquitous corruption scandals, while the poor and downtrodden are

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persecuted to the fullest letter of the law. Will Musharraf's fate be any
different? Does he need to be tried in this manner?
After all Musharraf's deeds during his tenure as President and Chief of
Army Staff, speak volumes about the evil crimes he has perpetrated against
the people of Pakistan. Here is a quick recap of his most despicable crimes:
 Compromising Pakistan's sovereignty by siding with America's war
against Islam.
 Surrendering Pakistani air bases, waterways, military assets and
intelligence 
agencies to the Americans.
 Giving unprecedented access to American intelligence agencies and
army personal to roam freely within the country.
 Putting Pakistan's strategic assets, such as the county's nuclear
weapons, under the watchful eye of the Americans.
 Chief architect and supporter of USA's vicious drone programme.
 Responsible for the massacre of innocent Pakistani civilians in the
tribal areas.
 The indiscriminate murder of the men and women at Lal Masjid.
 Responsible for the abduction, torture and killings of hundreds of
Pakistani 
    citizens, and chief culprit in the debasing of Dr Aafia Siddiqui.
What an evil legacy, indeed! 
Surely then, Musharraf is guilty of high-treason, and there is no need
to waste the taxpayers' money in a useless show trial. The money should be
used to bring other culprits to justice. These criminals are easily identifiable,
as their heinous crimes of treachery against the people of Pakistan are
permanently etched on their foreheads.
As for Musharraf, all that waits for him is the swift implementation of
the punishment. Musharraf's supporters should reflect on his past and if they
still want to defend his evil deeds, then how many of them are willing to
swap his deeds with their own to face Allah (swt) on the Day of Judgment.
There are also a number of important observations in the manner of
Musharraf's treatment:

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  America is not a reliable friend or a trusted advisor to any of its
agents. Washington's interests are first and foremost, agents are
secondary and only exist to be discarded like used tissues once they
have achieved their master's purpose. In 2008, America disposed of
Musharraf after it became obvious that his rule was untenable.
Currently, America is manipulating Musharraf's return to put new life
into the much maligned Pakistan's democracy experiment.
This, America hopes, will restore the confidence of the people in the
political system it is currently putting together.
 America is looking to strengthen Pakistan's judiciary and other civil
institutions  at the expense of the army. The fact that the army has
stayed out of the limelight     and has not intervened to aid Musharraf
alludes to this. It also means that in the     future, America plans to
diminish the role of the Pakistani army and the ISI in civil affairs.
 Musharraf is like rest of the leaders of the Muslim world, who are no
longer self-aware when it comes to determining their support amongst
the people they rule. They think the people love them, but as Saddam,
Ben Ali, Mubarak, Saleh, Gaddafi and Musharraf have eventually
discovered that their people despise them.
Indeed, it is a torrid time to be an American agent in Pakistan. Whilst
the present serving agents are a lost cause, those that seek to follow them or
replace them must be thinking very hard about whether it is worth the
trouble being a surrogate of America – only to be betrayed and humiliated.
Some may even be thinking of switching sides and supporting the Islamic
resurgence that has gripped Pakistan. 
It is this very notion that is creating indecision and defections across
all the segments of the Pakistani society, as America struggles to control the
political destiny of the Pakistani people.’ (Abid Mustafa, TheNation 30 th
April)
The treason case: ‘An absorbing debate was witnessed between
General Musharraf’s counsel and Justice Khilji Arif; reportedly in reply to
the lawyer’s argument that the President could take extra-constitutional
steps, Justice Arif asked who gave that right? The lawyer replied that the
right was granted by the courts themselves and not only that he urged the
bench to include cases from 1956 onwards. But the lawyer then stated that
the transgressors of the constitution are in the same boat, apparently
referring to those close to Musharraf who helped him stage the 1999 coup.

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 The bench rounded the hearing off with the observation that it would
see whether General Musharraf could be charged under Article 6 after
examining the November 3 emergency, he had imposed. The bottom line
was that it was time to discourage authoritarian measures as well as those
who perpetrate them. In the previous week, the caretaker government backed
off from initiating proceedings against the General for treason over grounds
that it did not have the mandate, also pegging it with the uphill task of
holding the general elections. The quandary of the constitution regarding
what is to be done under the circumstances is apparent especially now that a
caretaker government is in the equation. What needs to be done is that the
canons of impartiality are kept supreme.
General Musharraf is an ordinary man in the eyes of the law and so is
every other citizen. Treating the privileged and powerful ones as superior
and the weak as inferior would mean a double-standard. A denouement that
would force away the criticism that the judiciary has been getting bogged
down in political wrangling would further bestow on the apex court the
values of neutrality. Musharraf’s lawyers made a reference to the then
judiciary that validated the October 1999 takeover, when he told the judges
that that ‘right’ was granted to it by the judiciary. These arguments add up to
invoking the principles of legality – done many times before – that however
might still impact the future trajectory of the nail-biter. The new perspective
would come when the names of General’s abettors would be called out.
While the counsel stated that they must be summoned, Chaudhry Shujaat
believes it would open up a can of worms, something that the Supreme
Court seems determined to do. At this point, the impression being conveyed
is that it is not an open and shut case as some would deem.
Obviously there might be a cataclysmic side to the dramatic events
witnessed of late; the case in its entirety is about dispensation of justice. It
puts greater responsibility on the judiciary to follow the trail in a manner that
does not leave any trace of anything except blind justice on its character.’
(Editorial, TheNation 1st May)
Recessing economy
Pakistan needs Thatcher plan after poll: Mansha: ‘Pakistani
billionaire Mian Mohammad Mansha said the government elected next
month will have to apply austerity measures to secure an international
bailout and sell state-run companies to rescue the economy from ruin…
The government that emerges once ballots are counted will face a set
of daunting challenges as power blackouts lasting 18 hours a day curb

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growth and the budget deficit touches a two-decade high. Security is also
worsening with a Taliban insurgency raging on the Afghan border and
extremist groups targeting religious minorities.
‘An IMF bailout will involve power sector reform and taxation reform
which would mean higher electricity tariffs and measures to increase the tax
base’, said Naveed Vakil, director of research at AKD Securities Ltd. in
Karachi.
State-owned companies – especially power generation and
transmission firms – are ‘bleeding’ cash and will need private managers to
turn them around, Mansha said. The government took over 391 billion
rupees ($3.97 billion) of debt from the books of public sector enterprises in
the year ended June 30, according to the State Bank of Pakistan.
‘They have got so bad now that we need a Maggie Thatcher type of
solution,’ Mansha said, referring to the 1980s push to sell-off loss-making
government companies led by the late British prime minister. ‘We need to
privatize some of these companies.’
Pakistan International Airlines Corp. (PIAA), said April 26, its net
loss widened to 32.4 billion rupees in the year ended Dec. 31. Pakistan
Railways recorded an operating loss of 30.4 billion rupees in the year ended
June 30… Mansha…said that whichever party is sworn in will have to move
fast. ‘A lot of subsidies must be eliminated’, he said. The country couldn’t
afford to continue selling fuels and electricity at prices way below market
rates.
‘We need to go out and fix it now. We can’t wait anymore. That
message is clear to the people of Pakistan now.’
The government spent 556.2 billion rupees on subsidies in the year
ended June 12, more than treble the budgeted allocation of 166.4 billion
rupees, according to the central bank.
Asked about likely domestic appetite for investing in companies put
up for sale, Mansha dismissed any concerns. ‘If you privatize something in
Waziristan, I will get you an investor’, he said, making his point by picking
out a remote mountainous region of the country where Taliban guerrillas
battle Pakistani troops.
Foreign direct investment in Pakistan rose 4 percent to $622 million in
the nine months ended March 30, according to the central bank.

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 At the heart of Pakistan’s economic woes lies the power crisis, which
has shuttered factories, sparked street protests and forces companies to
invest in private generation.
Utilities, besieged by unpaid bills and price controls, have delayed
payments to fuel suppliers, which in turn owe oil refiners. The dues are
known as circular debt – amounting to 450 billion rupees according to
Global Securities Ltd. in Karachi – and have crippled power supplies.
Mansha is expanding Nishat Group interests, with construction started
on what he says will be the country’s biggest shopping mall a short distance
from his home in the Lahore suburb of Gulberg. As Pakistan battles its worst
economic crisis in a decade amid extremist-inspired violence, he said
designers interested in collaborating in his textiles business have stayed
away. Still, he plans to increase his network of textile stores to 200 from 60
given Pakistan’s ‘consumer class which is much bigger than most people
imagined.’
Mansha praised Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz for its
governance of Punjab over the last five years. ‘There has been a huge
investment in infrastructure’, the industrialist said. ‘Lahore looks like a
different city.’
New flyovers and construction projects dot Pakistan’s cultural capital,
a half-hour car journey from the country’s border with nuclear-armed rival
India. A dedicated bus lane was built in just 11 months. With a young
population, a rich seam of entrepreneurs and the prospect of greater trade
ties with India, Mansha said he remained confident of Pakistan’s future.
‘This country’s problems are very fixable providing we have the
politicians with the will to do it’, he said.’ (Haris Anwar and Mark Williams,
TheNation 30th April)

REVIEW
The once invincible military dictator, always brave commando and
never scared of anyone just took a few days to feel sick and the need for
medical check-up abroad. He also remembered that his mother is more than
ninety years old and ill. He longed to care of her, though the idea did not
occur to him when he left her in Dubai little more than a month ago.
Ahmed Raza Qasuri, his defence counsel and political adviser, having
failed to convince the courts of points of law pleaded his case before media

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giving it humanitarian touch. His tears shed in clumsy theatrical manner did
not move touch hearts, however since then the propaganda against the
judiciary on internet gained momentum.
The judiciary also seemed to be in haste to take its villain to task. The
speed with which it moved and pressed the caretaker interim government for
initiation of a case under Article 6 created wrong impression of exacting
judicial revenge. The undue blowing up of Musharraf’s ‘escape’ from
courtroom after orders of arrest was absolutely unwarranted.
Sending the rich leaders of the poor to jail is no big deal. They do not
live in huts with open courtyards with only a part fenced for their livestock.
Their palaces or farm houses are ready-made prisons as these have high
boundary walls reinforced with wire coils and having interspersed watch
towers. Only a notification declaring them sub-jails and placing of police
detachment are required to do the needful. That was done in no time.
The Americans, meanwhile, watched quietly but with profound
interest the humiliation of Army through detention of Musharraf. They had
been waiting to see the politicians exacting the democratic revenge from the
military that has been serving as backbone of the country for the last six
decades. They think that their dream is likely to be realized.
While the judges were being blamed for judicial revenge, the forces of
democratic revenge remained pre-occupied in organizing the election
campaign for the May polls. Though the campaign lacked the traditional
luster, yet the election slogans acquired a definite pattern. The negativity of
the slogans has been a conspicuous feature.
Imran Khan had never been in power so he had to bank upon counting
the failings of the two major status quo parties, but he faltered in laying
undue emphasis on the PML-N. The PML-N faced a potent threat from PTI
in Punjab and it resorted to equating Imran with Zardari for encroaching
upon its vote bank. Fazlur Rehman hurled his favourite abuses of ‘Qadiani
and Yahoodi’ agenda at Imran
The PPP leadership relied on lavish spending on electronic and print
media to raise the slogans once concocted by ZAB and BB to fool the
masses. This time, however, the aim was to arouse the sentiment of
sympathy for securing vote as it had worked wonders for the party in the
past. After attacks on ANP and MQM, these two parties also joined the
victim-hood club.
2nd May, 2013

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 CHANCE FOR CHANGE
The militants of TTP came up to their words. More than hundred
people were killed in attacks on election campaign gatherings. They
generally targeted the secular parties as had been made known, but it was
JUI-F that suffered the maximum losses in two attacks in Kurram and
Orakzai agencies
The political parties vowing to contest for power resorted to familiar
style of campaigning; however, this time they surpassed all the hallmarks
they had set in the past. They had very little to boast about their
achievements despite completing the full term of five years; so they splashed
as much of the muck on the face of opponents as they could.
This was a unique way to attract masses towards the ‘beauty’ of
democracy. Having distorting each others image as much as they could they
asked the people of Pakistan to choose the least ugly? Unfortunately, this is
the destiny of the people; to choose one out of the lot of ugly.
Among these ugly faces, the masses noticed one acceptable face that
could be trusted or tried with the hope of ending a perpetual cycle of corrupt
and inefficient governance. This is the face of Chairman of Pakistan Tereek-
e-Insaaf, Imran Khan Niazi. Then at 7pm on 7 th May their hopes for change
were nearly eliminated.
He fell from a forklift during a public rally in Lahore, injured with 11
stitches to his head, hair-line fracture in neck-bone and a rib and
compression in backbone. Four hours later he spoke to the people of
Pakistan through TV channels from the hospital bed and urged them: ‘Seize
the moment of change’. He asked the people to vote for ideology to bring
about a change in the country; reminding them the Qura’nic message of
‘God helps only those who help themselves’.

NEWS
Power politics: On 2nd May, a blast near an election office of MQM
in Karachi left at least eight people wounded late last evening. The MQM
blamed ‘a Punjab-based party’ (PML-N) for having a militant wing which
carried out the bombing. Shot were fired on the vehicle of PPP candidate
near Sukkur city. Two schools designated as polling stations for May 11
general elections were bombed in Chattar tehsil of Naseerabad district.

463
 The ECP again stressed that the maintenance of law and order
exclusively rests with the executive authorities for which the military has
announced it has engaged 70,000 troops for the polls security provision. In
his brief media interaction, the CEC had asked the caretaker governments at
the centre and provinces to take adequate measures to stop terrorist
activities. ‘You give me law and order; I give you free and fair polls’.
The commission said in a statement following an internal meeting on
the polls security chaired by the CEC: ‘All executive authorities in the
federation and provinces are under obligation to provide assistance to the
ECP including provision of adequate security at the polling stations for the
peaceful conduct of national elections to be held on May 11, 2013’.
Nawaz Sharif said that PPP had failed to deliver during the last five
years for which they should apologize to the nation. He said that the PPP
would not get the votes in the upcoming polls as people are aware of their
last performance. He further added that some people are busy misguiding the
nation by making false propaganda against the PML-N.
He said whether his party gets vote or not from Karachi but he would
serve the City and play his role in eliminating the power crisis,
unemployment, poverty and others problems of the port city. He said his
party would establish peace in Karachi by eliminating militant wings of the
political parties.
Rehman Malik said that pro-Taliban forces want to keep PPP and
other liberal forces away from the elections. He called upon the ECP to take
action against the parties who were violating the election code of conduct.
Addressing Peoples Party Youth Group, he said some people were
misleading the masses by taking credit of restoration of judiciary. This credit
goes only to President Zardari.
The former ruling coalition parties have said that battle lines have
been drawn on ideological basis and complained they were being denied
level-playing field to contest the elections. During a one-day Senate session,
summoned to discuss prevailing law and order situation in the country, the
PPP, MQM and ANP lawmakers criticized PML-N for not openly criticizing
the Taliban, who were mounting attacks on their candidates to disrupt their
election campaigns.
Next day, Caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso, in his
address to the nation, pledged to facilitate free, fair and transparent elections
on May 11. He urged the countrymen to exercise their right to vote and elect

464
a government to take care of the problems facing the country both internally
and externally and accelerate the pace of development in the country.
The prime minister announced the reign of the government would be
transferred to the elected representatives of the people by the caretaker
government without any delay. He added: ‘The government has prepared
plans for deployment of the army and quick action force to meet any
eventuality during the elections, which will respond immediately when
required’.
ANP candidate Sadiq Zaman Khattak was gunned down along with
his four-year-old son by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan in Bilal Colony,
Karachi. Following the killing, the Election Commission postponed polls in
the constituency while the ANP gave a mourning call in the port city for
tomorrow. TTP claimed the responsibility of the killing.
Ehsanullah Ehsan in an email said: ‘The so called general elections
are going to be held under the secular democratic system in a country which
came into being under the banner of Islamic doctrine, which is contrary to
the secularism. We cannot prefer human beings on our LORD the merciful
and mighty. A man cannot be secular and Muslim at a time. These are two
different doctrines’.
‘The first reason for the political parties being under attack by the
TTP is their secular doctrine and the other main and basic reason is that
these are the main responsible for the Burning-FATA, Swat and KPK. They
are responsible for displacement of millions of people, for the plight of
Pashtoon Nation, for their abandoned villages, for the destroyed mosques for
military operations and for the blood game since years. Now they are
suffering for their sins, Tehreek Taliban Pakistan will always avenge for the
oppressed.’
Manzoor Wattoo, in a statement said that PML-N has been behaving
itself as the political wing of TTP due to Nawaz Sharif’s lack of
condemnation of the cold-blooded murders of 70 election related killings of
PPP, ANP and MQM workers and leaders by TTP. He said that the Sharifs
have not learnt from the history and they are repeating the history by taking
the side of anti-democratic forces.
US Secretary of State John Kerry Friday telephoned President Asif
Ali Zardari and discussed Pak-US bilateral relations. The conversation also
focused regional issues, a press release by the President House said.
Reportedly, Kerry assured Zardari the US support for ‘democracy’ in
Pakistan.

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 In a move to have a safe exit from Pakistan, General (r) Pervez
Musharraf's All Pakistan Muslim League announced boycott of the
elections, alleging 'partial' attitude of the Election Commission and
judiciary. The announcement was made by APML Secretary General Dr
Amjad, after the emergency meeting of party’s core in Islamabad.
On 4th May, three people were killed and 40 others wounded when
two blasts struck near MQM headquarters in Karachi. The explosives were
detonated remotely using a mobile phone. The banned TTP claimed the
responsibility for the twin bombings. The MQM announced to observe
mourning day tomorrow across the province.
Meanwhile, an activist of MQM-Haqqiqi was killed and six others
wounded during a clash between the members of two political parties in
Landhi area. Police said that the victims were all passersby. On the other
hand, MQM-H claimed the victim’s affiliation with the party and said that
he was killed by the rival political party’s members in an act of target
killing.
At least five security officials were wounded in a landmine blast in
Sahpuk area of Kech district, while a grenade attack on a Jamaat-e-Islami
office in Quetta left two people wounded. Sources said security personnel
were patrolling in Sahpuk area when their vehicle was hit by a landmine,
wounding five of them. The vehicle was wrecked in the explosion.
Jamaat-i-Islami candidate from NA-39, Orakzai Agency, survived an
attack when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle in Hangu district. JI
candidate Raj Muhammad was on his way to Ferozekhel area of Orakzai
Agency from Hangu district to attend a jirga there. When the convoy of the
JI candidate reached Bahram Bridge, a roadside bomb planted by unknown
miscreants went off. Raj Muhammad and his driver were injured in the
attack.
Imran Khan said that there will be no drone attacks on Pakistan if PTI
voted to power on May 11. He said that tsunami of his party would sweep
the political actors in the critical May 11 parliamentary elections. He was
addressing a big public meeting near Topi Bypass, Swabi. Imran said that
two major parties and their allies had utterly failed to deliver and were
massively involved in corruption. The political actors would face an
ignominious defeat.
Next day, it was announced that printing of 180 million ballot papers
would be completed by today while the ECP would inaugurate e-ticket
service today to educate voters about their polling stations and voting serial

466
numbers through their mobile phones. ECP Secretary Ishtiak Ahmed Khan
said that the printing of a total of 150 million ballot papers has already been
completed.
Meanwhile, an ECP spokesman said that 90,000 ballot papers
confiscated in Dir district earlier today were printed by Jamaat-e-
Islami‚ however, he added that these were not meant for rigging purposes.
Jamaat-e-Islami had printed these ballot papers for voters’ education, he
said. ECP is still investigating the issue, he added.
Director General ECP, Syed Sher Afgan in a letter to PEMRA
Chairman sought necessary steps to immediately stop airing of such
advertisements on TV channels that they should strictly ensure that there is
no airing/broadcasting of such defamatory political advertisements against
any political party or a contesting candidate till the culmination of election
process. ECP also asked PEMRA Chairman that a report be submitted to this
office regarding the financiers of such advertisements for placing the same
before the Election Commission.
Three people, including an attacker, were killed and another wounded
in a bomb attack on convoy of an independent election candidate for PB-21
in Sibi district. Sardar Dombki along with his dozens of supporters and
armed guards was returning from an election campaign meeting when one of
his vehicles, carrying Levies guards, came under a bomb attack. The device
was detonated remotely. 
In another incident, unidentified gunmen opened indiscriminate firing
at Circular Road in Quetta and fled. As a result of the shooting, a man
namely Asad sustained serious wounds and later died in hospital. Separately,
unidentified attackers hurled a hand grenade at the office of Jamiat Ulema-e-
Islam-Ideological in Deba area of Quetta, wounding two people.
Three activists of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf were wounded in a hand
grenade attack in Takhatbhai tehsil of Mardan district. Police said PTI
candidate for NA-10 Ali Mohammad Khan, PK-27 Adil Nawaz along with
party workers were going to attend a corner meeting in Gharibabad village
when two unidentified attackers on motorbike appeared on the scene and
threw a hand grenade at them.
On 6th May, a bomb blast struck a JUI-F public meeting in central
Kurram, killing as many as 20 persons and injuring over 50 others, including
two candidates of the religious party. Condition of both the wounded
leaders, Haji Munir Khan Orakzai and Ainuddin Shakir, was stated to be out

467
of danger. It was the first deadly attack on a political party in the tribal belt
since campaigning began.
TTP claimed responsibility, saying its target was not JUI-F; rather it
was Munir Orakzai, who was allied to the outgoing government. Munir was
previously elected as an independent candidate from the Federally
Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and now he is contesting the upcoming
elections from NA-38 constituency on JUI-F ticket.
Another bomb blast targeted an election office of PPP in Charsadda
area. A man was injured in Shabqadar Mirzai area when the bomb planted
outside the election office of the PPP candidate went off. In Balochistan,
miscreants attacked two girls’ primary schools and another high school with
bombs and rocket; the schools were marked as polling stations.
Hussain Mehanti reiterated his party’s demand to deploy army
personnel at all polling stations of Karachi on May 11. Mehanti made this
demand while addressing a press conference after the meeting of 10-party
alliance at Idara-e-Noor Haq. They urged the ECP, Chief of the Army Staff
and caretaker government to ensure safety of the live and property of the
people on that day.
Mehanti added that free hand has been given to the terrorists of
MQM, those are targeting JI party workers, torching the party election
offices. No security has been provided to the workers and leaders of the 10-
party alliance. The caretaker government has yet not taken any steps
following the demand made by the 17 parties during the All Parties
Conference to call army personnel at the polling station on the polling day.
Former interior minister Malik challenged Sharif Brothers to have a
debate with him over corruption charges. Addressing a press conference in
Lahore, he claimed that the PML-N chief had laundered money to Saudi
Arabia. He said former federal minister Ishaq Dar admitted in his affidavit
that he had committed money laundering on the direction of Sharif Brothers.
He requested the Supreme Court to take a suo motu notice of the matter.
PML-N strongly refuted allegations leveled by Malik about money
laundering against Sharif brothers, saying that all these claims are false and
fabricated. ‘All these claims of Rehman Malik are false...It is a sub judice
matter. Rehman Malik committed contempt of court and nothing’, said Ishaq
Dar.
Imran Khan says President Zardari and the Sharif brothers have
subjected the masses to atrocities, but now the politics of cruelty is nearing

468
its end. Addressing a big public meeting at Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot, Imran
said that PTI victory was only a few days away, as the people will vote for
his party for change. Imran said that PTI was ready to play a great innings in
the government for building a new Pakistan.
He said that Pakistan was now in dire need of a true and honest
leadership, as Pakistan was enriched with all the natural resources. Imran
Khan revealed that a new Pakistan will come into being on May 11 and the
masses would celebrate it. He said the change was inevitable as the people
wanted to get rid of the old system.
Next day, Imran Khan fell down from15-foot forklift lifting him to a
high-rise stage for address to a rally in Ghalib Market Lahore. He was
seemingly pulled by his own guards and a couple of ‘strangers’. Seeing
Imran bleeding and transported to hospital sent shockwaves amongst his
party men, fans and the general public who have seen a hope in him.
Injured, with 11 stitches to his head and a compression to backbone,
the PTI chief re-emerged four hours later on the national TVs to keep their
hopes going so close to the D-Day, the May 11 polling. He appealed to the
people from hospital bed: ‘Seize the moment of change.’ In his brief
message from the ICU of Shaukat Khanum Hospital, Imran said the people
must fight for the future of their children on May 11 and vote for the
ideology of change. He said that the people, instead of voting for tribes and
clans, should vote for ideology to bring about a change.
He further said he has been doing for the country whatsoever was in
his capacity, but now he wanted the people to realize the role they
themselves can play for changing their destiny. ‘You, the people, have to
decide if you want to carry on as it is or bring about a change’, he said. ‘The
way you, the people, have sustained the last five years, you will not be able
to face sufferings any further’, he added.
The doctors at Shaukat Khanum Hospital have advised him rest for at
least a couple of weeks. Keeping in view of the selflessness he has been
embodying for a cause of ‘New Pakistan’, in all probability Imran may
continue to lead his party men from the hospital bed – much to the envy of
his adversaries. Talking to the media after preliminary tests, Imran urged the
masses to remember the cause Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf stands for and
reminded the people ‘God helps only those who help themselves’.
President, Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, Asfandyar Wali, Altaf
Hussain, Fakhar-ud-Din G Ibrahim, Munawar Hassan, Fazlur Rehman, Dr
Tahirul Qadri, Shahbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Aftab Sherpao, CMs and

469
governors and many PTI leaders prayed for Imran Khan’s early recovery.
Punjab Chief Minister Najam Sethi visited Shaukat Khanum Hospital to
enquire after the PTI chairman and told media people that Imran Khan was
out of danger.
The Sharifs expressed a deep sense of shock over the head injury
Imran Khan received after falling down from a lift before his address at a
rally in Lahore. They sympathized with the family of Imran Khan and
prayed for his early recovery. The PML-N president suspended his
campaigning and airing of party advertisements on TV channels. Altaf also
said that all the MQM leaders and workers felt a deep sorrow over the sad
incident and were praying for the early recovery of Imran.
PTI candidate for NA-57 Malik Amin Aslam said that foreseeing their
defeat in the forthcoming general elections, his opponents have started a
false and hate-based propaganda against me and PTI Chairman Imran Khan,
which is clear violation of election code of conduct. He said that this
propaganda which is being done through prayer leaders of different mosques
has aroused unrest and enraged PTI activists and supporters and may create
law and order situation.
He further said that on the forthcoming Friday (10th May) a day
before general elections full-fledged hate-based speeches will be delivered
by various prayer leaders. He warned that in the prevailing heated political
atmosphere this hate-based sermon could lead to political unrest and law and
order situation if not halted on time.
At least 18 people were killed and 53 injured in two bomb attacks on
the political rallies of JUI-F in Hangu and PPP in Lower Dir. In the first
incident, a bomb exploded at the rally of JUI-F when it was passing through
the main market in Doaba area of Hangu. The rally was headed by JUI-F
candidate from PK-43 constituency, Mufti Syed Janan, who survived the
attack with minor brushes. In another incident, a blast targeting a rally of
PPP in Lower Dir’s Baba Gam village killed six persons and injured several
others.
One election campaigner was killed and three others injured when the
election rally of the Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan (AJIP) came under
gunfire in the Baja region of Sawabi. The residence of PML-N candidate
Zubida Jalal was attacked with hand grenade in Kech district; no loss of life
was reported. PML-N leader Zubida Jalal was not in the house at the time of
the attack. In Mawand area of Kohlu, a school building was exploded with
explosive device.

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 In Badin, unknown armed men attacked the election office of a PML-
N candidate and injured a worker. The miscreants stormed into the office of
PML-N candidate Ismail Raho. Meanwhile, talking to media persons Ismail
Raho blamed that his opponents feared their defeat therefore they were using
such tactics to pressurize and terrorize the party workers. Two Muttahida
Qaumi Movement activists including an old party guard were gunned down
while four others were injured in an armed attack at Liberty Chowk
Hyderabad.
On 8th May, Imran Khan was keeping up a strong fighting spirit and
recovering fast but according to doctors he needed some time for full
recovery. However, they said the PTI chief can address party men at the
final rally in Islamabad if he feels physically comfortable. Dr Faisal Sultan
of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital expressed satisfaction over
the condition of Imran. He said that there was no fracture on skull but Imran
could not sit due to backbone injury. Dr Faisal Sultan added, ‘Imran’s third
rib on left side is affected. He, however, can sit at 45 degree with support.’
To a question, he said that no request was made to the Pakistan Army for
sending medical experts; rather, they provided services of senior doctors on
their own for which the hospital was thankful.
Talking to media persons, Imran said though he was feeling better, he
would not be able to cast his vote in his hometown of Mianwali as planned.
He urged his supporters to ensure voting in big numbers. ‘The 11 th of May is
the day of change... I’m thankful to the nation for praying for my recovery.’
He told a TV that his rally fall was not a conspiracy, but a human error. He
said had he not been wearing the bulletproof jacket, his backbone would
have fractured.
Attacks on candidate and their offices continued across the country as
militants targeted election campaign in KPK, tribal region and Balochistan.
At least two people were killed and three other wounded in a bomb attack
aimed at the convoy of Jamat-i-Islami candidate in Upper Dir. Separately,
militants targeted election campaign office of independent candidate Al-
Haaj Shah Jee Gul from NA-45, however no casualty was reported. Similar
incident took place near PTI office at Choli Pajgi Road in Peshawar.
Five people including two Elite Force men were killed in a suicide
blast in Peshawar and a remote controlled explosion near the house of ANP
leader in Aman Kot area of Bajaur agency. The police raided a house in
Rashid Ghari and faced resistance by the militants in which two police
constables were killed.

471
 In Hyderabad, a MQM worker was gunned down by unknown men
while three others were injured. Unidentified persons opened indiscriminate
firing on the MQM workers when they were waiting for the bus at the
Liberty bus stop. Monitoring adds: Former Punjab Assembly speaker and
PML-N candidate Rana Mashhood Ahmad’s convoy was attacked on Bund
Road in Lahore.
To maintain law and order during the May 11 elections, around
300,000 security personnel will be deployed in Punjab while 96,000
personnel will provide security in KPK and FATA. These decisions were
made at two meetings chaired by Army Chief in Lahore and Peshawar. The
meetings were held to finalize and approve the election security plans for
these two provinces.
Makhdoom Amin Fahim said that the days of holding big public
gatherings for election campaign are gone as a new political party has come
in the form of ‘media’, which is holding campaign of the parties. Amin said
this, while responding to question about reasons of not holding public
gatherings for forthcoming elections.
Makhdoom did not respond clearly about the number of seats party
may gain in forthcoming elections, however, he confidently claimed that
party would gain majority in Sindh with significant seats from other
provinces. With the help of old partners-MQM, PML-Q, ANP and
independents, the PPP would have upper hand to form government in
Centre.
Zardari has been running PPP’s election campaign with money
plundered from the state exchequer, former Punjab chief minister stated. He
also accused the president of unleashing an anti-PML-N propaganda with
the swag. Shahbaz told a news conference that the day of May 11 would
determine as to who practiced corruption and brought the country to a near-
devastation, and who served the masses and contributed to nation building
during the past five years.
Speaking to the media, Ishaq Dar refuted the allegations leveled by
Rehman Malik in a press conference the other day, saying Malik was the
biggest liar who did not even shirk concealing the truth about his dual
nationality from the Supreme Court. Dar denied having knowledge of a
person named Ghani in Saudi Arabia, and said whatever Malik spoke about
loans of Sharif family was simply a bundle of lies and a mere concoction.

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 Rule of law: On 7th May, Accountability Court, Rawalpindi Number
1 awarded former Chairman OGRA Tauqir Sadiq three years imprisonment
in absentia for not appearing before the court despite notices in Rs82 billion
scam. The court also declared him Proclaimed Offender (PO) in the case.
The AC had also declared Tauqir Sadiq a PO in March and ordered
confiscation of his property.
The Supreme Court questioned the discretionary power of former
prime minister regarding distribution of billions of People’s Works
Development Programme-II funds among parliamentarians and others. A
bench, headed by Chief Justice was hearing suo moto case about billion of
rupees doled out by former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf in the form of
development funds.
During the proceedings, the court inquired from Secretary Ministry of
Finance that whether a prime minister has discretionary power to release the
development funds to a particular constituency or not? The court directed the
finance ministry to present the legal provisions under which different funds
were diverted to PWP-II from the WAPDA, Higher Education Commission
(HEC) and Lowari Tunnel. It also asked the ministry to tell what was the
criteria regarding the distribution of PWP-II fund.
The Secretary Finance Ministry, appearing before the bench, stated
that no PWP-II funds were released after March 16, 2013. He said that Prime
Minister has the authority to sanction funds for small development schemes;
however, occasionally these funds could be issued to members of provincial
assemblies. The chief justice observed that the Prime Minister is of the
whole country and not of a particular area; therefore, he should not spend
billions of rupees in one constituency. The hearing of the case is adjourned
for ten days.
Taming the military: On 2nd May, Balochistan police interrogated
former president Musharraf at his Farmhouse Sub-jail in Akbar Bugti's
killing case. The Balochistan police formally arrested the former dictator in
the killing case of Akbar Bugti. A five-member team of Balochistan police
headed by a DIG investigated for around four hours and left for Quetta.
Pervez Musharraf through his lawyer requested Justice Jawwad S
Khawaja to recuse from the Supreme Court bench trying him for high
treason charges. ‘My client apprehends elements of bias from this bench as
long as it is headed by Justice Khawaja who has already spoken his mind
about the events of March 9 and November 3, 2007’, the counsel for the
former president told the bench.

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 The counsel informed the bench that Justice Khawaja being a judge of
the Lahore High Court resigned on March 19, 2007, after being disturbed
over unseating of Iftikhar Chaudhry as the Chief Justice of Pakistan. He also
read to the court an English transcription of Justice Khawaja’s interview
with a private television in June 2007 in which the judge disapproved of the
removal of the chief justice.
Justice Khilji questioned what he wanted to make out of the interview.
The counsel said Justice Khawaja had taken the stance against his client in
2007. Justice Ejaz Afzal said to him how could be the stance taken by the
judge in view of post-March 9, 2007 events could serve as the reason for
bias against his client. ‘If you keep on forwarding element of bias as
apprehended by your client from the judges we have to bring new judges
from Afghanistan as the judges (of your choice) would not be found here’,
remarked Justice Khawaja.
Earlier, Musharraf’s counsel argued that the bench should take every
caution in deciding these petitions as the proceedings had become
prosecutorial in nature after the petitioners had sought initiation of criminal
proceedings under Article 6 of the Constitution and High Treason
(Punishment) Act 1973 that could culminate in death penalty. The bench
meanwhile adjourned the hearing till May 6.
On 5th May, Nawaz Sharif, in an interview with CNN-IBN said that if
he comes to power post the May 11 elections, he will ensure the Army
doesn’t interfere in the affairs of the civilian government. “I do not know
whether this is happening at the Centre in Islamabad. All I know is when I
was the prime minister the policies were being formulated by the federal
government, by the civilian head of the state and then of course executed by
the institutions. I want that to continue and I am very clear on that,
everybody must remain in their respective domains.’
Nawaz maintained that the prime minister is the boss of the army
chief. ‘He is. He is. The Army is the attached department of the federal
government and of course the chief of army staff works under the federal
government and implements the policies of the federal government. So I
think, as I just mentioned I don’t know if that is happening in Islamabad. I
believe it is not happening like that’, he added.
Next day, while hearing high treason case against former president
Pervez Musharraf, the Supreme Court observed the armed forced could not
go beyond their constitutional mandate. Justice Ejaz Afzal said: ‘How could

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the armed forces justify interference in the affairs of governance which was
not their domain?’
Justice Khilji asked if Pervez Musharraf’s action was justified. The
court observed that Constitution was held in abeyance for 13 days and when
the Constitution is in abeyance then the citizens are deprived of their
fundamental rights. Ahmed Raza Kasuri, Musharraf’s leading counsel,
instead of responding to the bench’s query, maintained that the 3rd
proclamation of emergency was a collective wisdom of prime minister,
cabinet, chief ministers, governors, CJCSC and corps commanders.
‘Musharraf being the President followed the advice of the prime
minister’, he added. The learned counsel contended that it was the history of
the country that people not only welcomed military coups but also
distributed sweets. Editorials and articles were written in the favour of
martial laws, he added.
He argued that only the federal government has the exclusive domain
to register a complaint against Musharraf under the High Treason
(Punishment) Act. He alleged that the court was constantly interfering in the
affairs of the executive. The overstepping was violation of the tricot my, he
pleaded. Justice Khilji remarked: ‘Your stance was that the circumstances
were such to set the Constitution and law aside.’
Qamar Afzal said that the elected government had ruled the country
for five years and they have not acted upon the Supreme Court judgment in
the SHCBA case, and it did that consciously. Justice Jawwad said that they
could not call it a conscious attempt because the federation had not told the
court that the issue was past and closed. Qamar Afzal said that judicial
legitimacy would not be available if the court directs the federation to lodge
a complaint against Musharraf.
The Lahore High Court full bench deferred the hearing of a petition
moved by Pervez Musharraf, challenging his disqualification, for indefinite
time. The bench passed the orders when it came to know that the All
Pakistan Muslim League – headed by Musharraf – had boycotted the May
11 elections. ‘The court will first hear the cases of those candidates who are
participating in elections’, the bench observed.
A petition seeking registration of a murder case against former
President Pervez Musharraf for ordering ‘Operation Silence’ against Lal
Masjid was moved in the Islamabad High Court. Justice Noor-ul-Haq N
Qureshi will take up the petition tomorrow. The petition was moved by
Haroon Rashid son of late Ghazi Abdul Rashid through his counsel M Tariq

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Asad Advocate and made SHO Police Station Aabpara and Musharraf as
respondents.
On 8th May, Musharraf’s lawyers, who are defending him in the high
treason case, clashed with each other in the courtroom over the claim of
being the leading counsel of former President of Pakistan. In the absence of
Ahmed Raza Kasuri, Ibrahim Satti came to the rostrum and said that he had
consultations with his client previous yesterday and his received instructions
that there will not be further arguments over the matter and if Kasuri wanted
then he could give application for that. He said Qamar Afzal’s arguments
were to the extent of maintainability of the petitions.
Ahmed Raza Kasuri, senior lawyer, who was arguing the case
yesterday when the hearing was adjourned, entered the courtroom late to
resume pleading was stunned to the submission of Satti. He contradicting the
statement of Satti told the bench that he was the leading counsel of former
president and had received instructions regarding the case at 11:00pm
previous night. There was also serious conflict between the former military
dictator counsels’ Ibrahim Satti and Ahmed Raza Kasuri that whether the
court should proceed against Musharraf and others for taking the 3rd
November measures.
Satti argued that his client (Musharraf) had no desire of action against
anyone including himself for holding in abeyance the constitution. Kasuri a
day ago had argued that if the court wanted to initiate proceeding against
Musharraf then action should also be taken against all the abettors and
conspirators, who according to him, are 400 to 500 persons involved in the
3rd November 2007 emergency in the country. The court noted that both the
counsels acting on behalf of Musharraf are at variance and have different
stance about the instructions. Justice Jawwad said: ‘We don’t know whose
arguments we accept in this case.’
At that moment, Sheikh Ahsan-ud-Din, one of the petitioners, urged
the court to summon Pervez Musharraf in person to resolve the controversy.
The court on his request directed Pervez Musharraf to submit written
statement about his leading counsels and stance pertaining to the petitions
filed in the case during the course of the day. ‘If in future Musharraf
presence was required then the court could consider the issue seriously’, the
short written order said.
Baloch militancy: On 3rd May, unidentified people attacked Quetta
Express with rockets in Machh area of Bolan district. No loss of life and
damage to property took place. On 5th May, thirteen alleged dacoits and two

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Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were killed in a gunfight in Kachhi district.
FC received information that some ‘terrorists’ at a house in Bagh area of
Sibi were planning to sabotage the electoral process, and they carried out a
raid early in the morning. The accused opened fire on FC men, killing two of
them and wounding another while 13 accused were killed, including a
‘commander’ namely Gulbar Mugari who had Rs6 million reward money on
his head, he added.
Turf war in Karachi: On 3rd May, a lawyer and a policeman were
among four people gunned down in Karachi. On 5th May, five people
including a policeman and a kid were shot dead in separate incidents in the
city. On 7th May, two women were among five people killed in various
incidents.

VIEWS
Power politics
The campaign against the ballot: ‘The apparently unending series of
attacks launched upon election meetings have highlighted a number of
unfortunate, but undeniable, facts. First is that they are at all possible. That
shows that there is not a consensus on democracy in society as a whole.
True, those taking part in the process would be among the first to admit that
they would have no chance of being elected, but that is not the basis of either
their appeal or their actions. Though there is much that can be said about
their methods, they do what they do not because they wish to convince their
opponents, but because they wish to send the message that elections are
against Islam, or at least assemblies which engage in legislation, though that
is supposed to be the prerogative of the Almighty. It should be noted that the
consensus on democracy is much more complete elsewhere, even in
countries which have adopted democracy later.
Indeed, the situation developing in Pakistan may well be unique:
never before has democracy been under such an attack.
A number of democracy’s underlying assumptions are questioned, or
rather, considering that people are dying, being put on trial. First is the
assumption that it is the least bad of the various systems of government.
(Defenders of democracy say, when its various flaws are pointed out, that
other systems of government are worse.) If it is to begin with deaths, it
cannot be very good. Then there is the question of free campaigning. Polling
day, and the problems of violence during it, are still a week off. The

477
immediate problem is campaigning freely, which assumes that attending a
campaign rally is not fatal. Without the opportunities given by campaign
rallies, to candidates of presenting their programme, and to voters of
assessing the candidate, campaigns would be emptied of meaning, and thus
so would polling.
It should also be noted that one of the rules of democracy, that any
poll where a nominee dies is postponed, is being used against it. The attacks
are not just on campaigns, but on candidates. Many have survived, but some
have been killed, with the result that the poll in that constituency has been
countermanded. However, by no means have the militants killed enough
candidates to throw the polls in doubt. Their attacks on the PPP, the MQM
and the ANP have not forced them out of the election, and indeed they have
announced their intention to take part in the poll.
The present elections have seen the greatest disillusionment with
democracy, because the outgoing government failed to prove responsive to
the people’s problems, with solving them not even a distant dream. Apart
from this failure to perform, there is a glimmering of an alternative, in the
shape of an implementation of Islam in the shape of the Arab Spring. For a
people for whom elections are not an ingrained habit, but a colonial import
over a century old only if one counts the local councils elected on a
restricted franchise. Indeed, the first election on a universal adult franchise
was in 1970.
This has also posed an unprecedented challenge to the political
parties, which are essentially election-contesting organizations, not military.
It is also worth noting that ever since the USA began its war on terror, there
have been two previous local body polls, as well as two for the Assemblies,
but the militants did not target any one of them. This seems anomalous, for
the edicts about elections being un-Islamic are old, and the basis is also very
open. The edict is contradicted by a number of scholars, and scholars
holding that contradiction as their opinion are contesting the election.
They are not the only Islamic fundamentalists taking part in the
election. So are the militants. They must want to take part, not just because
they too are practicing politics, but because the result also affects them. This
might explain why initially specific parties were targeted, with the others
being given a bye. Clearly, the militants wanted to influence the result of the
elections, not so much because it would result in Islamic laws as because it
would determine who would form the next government. That government

478
would decide an aspect of policy that the militants are personally interested
in: towards the USA and its war on terror.
The outgoing PPP-led coalition gave the USA, more or less, what it
wanted. The war on terror will draw down after the occupying forces do, but
sufficient will remain to provide the necessary stiffening to the regime, and
to keep a watch over Pakistan and its nuclear arsenal. The PPP, if re-elected,
would not just continue this obedience to the USA, but also continue its
policy of making peace with India, no matter what the cost to Pakistan.
On the other hand, if the PML-N won, it would not exactly reverse
these policies; it would, probably, not pursue them as vigorously. This
would allow the militants fighting the occupation forces in Afghanistan the
space to renew efforts against the Kabul regime. This may well illustrate
how important the government is, but it does nothing for those dead or to die
in the violence launched by those militants opposed to elections.
Perhaps, one of the little understood aspects of the whole episode is
the role of the Pakistan Army. The PPP seems to think it opposed and to
want to overthrow it. That doubt should disappear after General Ashfaq
Parvez Kayani made a very emphatic statement on Martyrs’ Day in support
of the elections. The PPP has a number of grievances against the armed
forces, not least that it overthrew the first PPP government, and hanged its
founder, a sin for which the PPP has not yet revenged itself. The PPP also
assumes that the armed forces did not allow the founder’s daughter to follow
an independent foreign policy and ultimately was behind her assassination
just before the last election. According to this mythology, the attempt to
have the election cancelled was by militants with ties to elements within the
intelligence agencies, which still carried the old agenda. What PPP does not
say even in private is that the armed forces challenge its monopoly on
power, as well as on American goodwill, something the PPP has come to
value under the late Benazir Bhutto.
One of the provisions of the first-past-the-post system ensures that the
militant’s efforts will be unavailing: even if one ballot is cast, the candidate
for whom it is cast will be declared elected. Indeed, even if only one
candidate files for a constituency, he will be declared elected unopposed.
Enforcing a boycott of all seats is thus next to impossible, if the state wants
to ensure there is an assembly.
Another problem is that the militants are opposing elections, even
though theologically there seems no problem with them, but only with the
resulting assembly, which legislates. Elections are thus on par with the

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railways or the printing press, which were opposed in the 19th century when
first introduced, on religious grounds.
Thus Pakistanis, despite the campaign, are going to turn out and vote
in large numbers on May 11, not because of any deep commitment to
democracy, but because they realize the campaigners’ own inconsistencies.’
(M A Niazi, TheNation 3rd May)
The politics of hate: ‘According to international analysts, it looks like
Pakistan is at war with itself. Thus, the politics of mudslinging that is
currently going on must not be overlooked, since this attitude could
ultimately damage the democratic process in the country.
Against this backdrop, the statement of the Chief of Army Staff,
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, on Martyr’s Day at the GHQ in Islamabad,
in support of the elections and about the menace of terrorism is, indeed, a
wake-up call mainly for those who were saying that “the war on terror is not
Pakistan’s war.”
Political analysts assume that the message was not only directed toward
those who supposedly have a soft corner for the militants, but also the
international community, which presumes that the next government will be
formed by a rightwing party, creating more problems for the world and
denting the efforts to eliminate terrorists and their networks…
It would have been better if all the democratic forces had united
against those who are trying to disrupt the election process by sending a
clear signal that bomb blasts cannot impede the journey of democracy in
Pakistan.
It is unfortunate, however, that this has not happened. Rather the
politicians are creating opportunities for the extremists to strike at will,
which has led to fear and despondency among the people.
If not now, it is expected that may be after the polls are held, the
politicians will find the time to sit together and create conditions where
intolerance and hatred are discouraged.
Having said that, it would be prudent on the part of the politicians not
to allow the temperatures to rise to an extent from where it may become
impossible for them to return to normal conditions.’ (Javaid-ur-Rahman,
TheNation 3rd May)
Onward ho! To elections...: ‘The sight of huge crowds and roars of
adulation tend to make keynote speakers rather heady. Sometimes they get

480
so carried away that they ask those present to put the ‘stamp of approval’ on
the rival’s symbol. As expected, the other side immediately picks up the
blooper, little realizing that the devil could get to them too. Lo and behold in
the next big public meeting, the leading speaker promises to ‘totally do away
with electricity’ in a final solution of zero load shedding. The spirit of the
jalsa gets to even the most dignified of orators, as is evident from the change
in language affected by a former cricketing hero. His speeches and their
response from the other side are nothing less than clips from a popular
television show, where a group of comics regale viewers with jugatbazi and
street humour.
The political parties are making full use of the print and electronic
media to get their message across. These campaigns began in a rather
dignified manner, but as the heat built up, these ads became more and more
aggressive and personalities oriented. We wait to see where this race will
end as politicking closes at the time laid down by the Election Commission.
I am told that pirs are doing a roaring business in the pre-election
period, thanks to huge chinks in our faith. I was told of one gentleman, who
has been promised the sky, if his ‘intercession’ leads one candidate to
success.
And finally, we come to the bane of our evenings – the television talk show.
I pity the poor anchors and hosts, who must be lauded for their courage and
fortitude in ‘moderating and handling’ what for all purposes is a bunch of
crude, lying individuals lacking dignity and courtesy.’ (S Tariq, TheNation
5th May)
A covenant with Pakistan: ‘Pakistan faces enormous challenges in
the post-election period, and must elect a competent and credible leadership
capable of comprehending and resolving them. Its tangible internal
challenges include mainly the terrorist threat, the law and order situation, the
dwindling economy, bankrupt state enterprises, a fast emptying kitty,
crumbling infrastructure, oil, gas, electricity issues and critically declining
agricultural and industrial production to name just a few.
The intangible challenges include lifting the morale and spirit of the
nation, picking up the pieces, removing this air of despair and despondency
and giving the nation peace, optimism, hope, progress, prosperity and
success.
The external challenges would include tackling the foreign sponsored
militancy that is gnawing at the vitals of the nation, maintaining fruitful
relations with the international community at large and our regional

481
neighbours in particular. Dealing with our economic masters like the IFIs,
improving the trade balance and increasing remittances from abroad would
rank very high in the priority list as well.
It is, therefore, time ‘now’ for all Pakistanis to make a silent, but
binding personal covenant with Pakistan.
It is time to show political maturity as a nation and to elect a
leadership that we and this country deserve. It is time to get rid of all the two
timers, the liars, the tax and degree cheats, the loan defaulters, the raiders of
the national kitty and the exploiters of our people, our faith and the good
name of our religion, Islam.
It is time ‘now’ to elect men of wisdom, of substance, of character, of
sound moral and ethical values, with strong straight spines to take on the
national duties.
It is time ‘now’ for a change, for a break from the past and its sordid
political players. It is time ‘now’ to vote and choose correctly and strictly in
our own and Pakistan’s national interests only.
We need to make this covenant too with Pakistan that for all times to
come, as for all of us, there never will be any other option but Pakistan.’
(Imran Malik, TheNation 5th May)
Election duty: ‘The Sessions Judge Lahore, who is also the District
Returning Officer for Lahore, has had to order the arrest of the heads of
several departments, including NAB, the Intelligence Bureau, the Punjab
Assembly Secretariat, SNGPL and the Punjab Textbook Board, after their
failure to provide lists of staff available for election duties. This failure has
meant that the Sessions Judge, as DRO, has not been able to complete the
head count of polling staff. This is in addition to the 850 officials of various
departments he had ordered arrested for avoiding election duty. Even had
this not been as special an election as it is, being given a key role in the
electoral process is not an imposition, and whereas it is a heavy
responsibility, it should also be seen as a privilege. However, it should not
carry the risk of death or injury, as it does at the moment, because of the
militant campaign, which is generally expected to move from election rallies
to actual voting on polling day itself. While absenteeism is always a problem
at election time, more government servants than ever before are doing their
best to chicken out of election duty. While stringency will be necessary, a
much greater reassurance for election staff would be provision of
appropriate security to the polling process, not just election staff, but also the

482
voters, so that the exercise will indeed reflect the will of the nation, and the
direction in which the country is to go.
The departments which have not yet provided lists are mostly federal,
and all are autonomous. Heads are either under the impression that their
departments are somehow exempt, or are trying to protect their staff from a
duty that can be as tedious as it will be long, and which will be potentially
dangerous too at this point. However, such deficiency, whether deliberate or
out of sheer laziness, cannot be ignored. Government servants should realize
that if they set an example of shirking and dodging, this is the example that
will be quoted the most, and most widely imitated by the ordinary voter.
These elections are supposed to be about the selection of
representatives who meet the conditions set by the Constitution, and
performing duties in it, which facilitate this end, should be viewed as a
sacred trust to be performed at any cost, not an imposition to be avoided by
any means, whether fair or foul. At the same time, there is nothing to justify
the failure of the caretaker governments in providing the security need so
that polling staff can do their duty.’ (Editorial, TheNation 5th May)
Elections and thereafter: ‘Besides political transition, this year
would also witness the transition of leadership in army and judiciary, as the
heads of these institutions are slated to step down. In all probability, there
would be a new President as well. This would put the new PM in a
comfortable position to implement his agenda. His immediate priorities
would be the rejuvenation of economy, solution to energy crisis and
wrapping up of the so-called war on terror through a robust political process
within Pakistan as well as in Afghanistan.
Further, consolidating the political gains in Balochistan, through a
viable strategy, to re-rail the province into national mainstream would be
another high priority task for the mew PM. Keeping in view the
complexities of domestic dynamics and external interference, Balochistan is
likely to continue sounding alarms on and off. There is a need to workout a
long-term strategy for a smooth transition from the feudal-tribal structure to
people-centric democracy.
The nationalist are a double-edged sword - they are part of the
problem as well as part of the solution. Working with them would not go
beyond a marriage of convenience. There is a need to go beyond such a
shaky arrangement. The formulation of Balochistan-specific political
structures could provide a durable solution.

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 Karachi is another problem area; unfortunately, the city is under a
perpetual grip of insecurity and fear. So, the new political dispensations at
provincial and federal levels will have to act with prudence and mutual
accommodation to reclaim Pakistan’s financial hub from the jaws of
lawlessness.
The economy too shall be an area of the PM’s concern. Indicators like
stagnation of GDP growth around 3 percent and persistent 10-12 percent
inflation are pointing towards another arrangement with the IMF. In
addition, global slowdown is likely to continue, with negative outfalls on the
economies of developing countries. Pakistan’s agriculture sector provides a
hedge against external economic pressures. There is a need to rejuvenate this
sector to enhance its share in the overall GDP. A prudent combination of
incentives and mechanization could give it a new direction. In the prevailing
environment of global food insecurity, agriculture sector could become a
major source of foreign exchange earner.
The industrial sector, however, is likely to remain in doldrums until
continuous supply of cheaper power is ensured to keep it competitive at the
international level. A typical major ready-to-launch cheap power generation
project has 5-7 years gestation period. Therefore, one does not foresee an
immediate solution to our energy crisis. But the new government would
have done its duty, if it sets into motion a long-term energy strategy to
generate ample cheap electricity, say by 2030.
There is also a need to redefine the role, task and constitution of our
Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC). This committee should have its
own secretariat and requisite executive authority to implement, follow-up
and revisit policy level issues. Without bogging down into the nomenclature
related controversies, our higher defence organization should be
reconfigured for prompt response to spontaneously emerging contingencies.
Human resource development is another task for the upcoming
government. Expanding youth bulge necessitates out-of-the-box solutions
for absorbing them into mainstream national economy. There is a need to
give vocational bias to our education policy. Bridging the gap between
madrassah and mainstream curricula is also long overdue.
Speedy and affordable justice for a common man is another haunting
task. A comprehensive strategy of strengthening investigation, prosecution
and forensics, alongside regulating; the fees charged by lawyers and
reducing appellate tiers compatible to the gravity of the case should be
essential constituents of legal reforms package. There is a need to invoke

484
concepts like ‘Justice of Peace’ and strengthen the institutions of arbitration
for handling trivial matters which do not really need to go through the
arduous judicial process.
At the psycho-social pedestal, mass and rapid influx of Islam specific
blasphemous material, through social media, has been a source of frequent
disruptions of public routines. The new government should enter into
agreements with service providers of social media, like Google; YouTube;
BlackBerry, etc, for installing protective softwares to overcome this issue.
India and Bangladesh have already entered into such arrangements with
some of the service providers. With the platter full of tedious errands, the
next PM should not expect an easy ride of the nineties.’ (Khalid Iqbal,
TheNation 6th May)
The most likely outcome: ‘To analysts of Pakistan’s political scene,
certain contours seem to be emerging. The PPP has the disadvantage of
having been in power when inflation has risen, energy shortages have
depressed the economy and law and order has deteriorated. No prominent
leader is marshalling its campaign. The PPP can complain with some
justification that there has been a global recession, that law and order is a
provincial responsibility, of the PML-N in Punjab and that being buffeted by
the courts and opponents has not allowed them to carry out their plans. But
for the common man, it is, however, difficult to see beyond his everyday
problems.
In central Punjab, the advantage seems with the incumbent provincial
government – the PML-N. In South Punjab, however, the PPP retains more
influence and will certainly get a majority in Sindh with the MQM retaining
the seats in its urban strongholds.
The PML-N has entered into alliances in provinces outside Punjab,
but in KPK, apart from the Hazara district in KPK, it may not significantly
dent regional parties led by the ANP.
More so, the PPP has a following in pockets in both KPK and
Balochistan. In Balochistan, the electoral results will most likely return a
fractured house, as was the case after the last elections.
In addition, the impact of Imran’s PTI and whose vote bank it will
deplete is the biggest question mark. However, whatever the strength of the
PTI’s call for change and no matter how well it performs; it is unlikely to
have the seats to form a government on its own.

485
 Overall, while many observers foresee that the PML-N will retain
control over Punjab and at the centre, it may end up with more seats than the
PPP, but not enough to form the government. The most likely outcome at the
federal level is that no one party will be able to govern on its own. Whatever
the results, a coalition seems inevitable. But what shape it will take, cannot
be predicted with certainty.
Also, while the shape of any coalition that will emerge will depend on
the results, political bargaining and accommodation of diverse interests, one
aspect is crystal clear: the incoming government will be confronted by
multiple challenges. The key will be to get the economy going to generate
resources to tackle law and order, improve education, rebuild infrastructure
and improve social services.
The fulcrum will be tackling the energy crisis by improving
management and distribution, improving energy efficiency as China has
done, getting stalled and long-delayed projects such as the gas pipeline from
Iran, an LNG terminal and state-to-state agreement with Qatar.
There are foreign policy challenges – foremost enhancing relations
with America beyond 2014 and managing relations with India and
Afghanistan, never easy at the best of times, in order to make space for
internal priorities. The economy is the priority. A strong and stable Pakistan
will make for the best dynamics to face the external world.’ (Tariq Osman
Hyder, TheNation 7th May)
Violence gets out of control: ‘ECP is after all striking a right note
when it brushes aside any presumption that the elections could be either
deferred or would be violent. That, however, could also be interpreted as
suggesting that the ongoing killings and violence is not of a scale dreadful
enough for the ECP to assume that they could have a negative impact,
although not including delayed polls. Perhaps, it is advisable to avoid
propagating negativity, since any statement implying surrender is going to
blare across with greater dejection.
But still, it would be worse to shut the eyes to the horror… The flames
are now in every direction as they spread wider and deeper everyday in fact
too intense for anyone to put them out. The ECP might have inadvertently
underscored this point, when it made the statement about the elections free
of bloodshed; it cannot ignore the heat when it knows that the blaze is
reaching it as well. Otherwise the Election Commission would not have
written a letter to the IG and Chief Secretary asking them to ramp up
security around the house and office of Chief of ECP Fakhruddin Ebrahim.

486
 If the loss of life continues indefinitely, no one knows what might
happen particularly so far as the impact on the polls is concerned; their
transparency too is subject to how peaceful the atmosphere is. Yes, the
planned schedule must be adhered to; May 11 the big day that everyone is
waiting for must become the real day of deliverance in that it is held
peacefully and not only that it offers a band of crusaders who are brave
enough to confront the scourge plaguing the homeland. Slumber on the part
of the dispensation running the show means letting the people perish like
that. The deaths occurring in the past few weeks and until now are in
hundreds which should neither be played down nor anyone should have any
doubt about their severity. The violence of the kind is going to deter the
voters from coming out and casting their vote and hence it needs to be
arrested with all the strength the state could muster.’ (Editorial, TheNation
8th May)
On to a better Pakistan: ‘The three partners in prosperity, who
governed the country in a coalition for the last five years, have joined forces
once again in austerity. Formerly, their common cause was to rule the
country, of which they made a royal mess. This time their common cause is
to beat a joint foe in the Punjab and prepare the ground for a convincing
excuse in case of poor showing in the elections. Their aggressive negative
onslaught against the PML-N has provided an additional weapon in the
armoury of Imran Khan…
The three parties, that are now making the most noise, are those who
governed the country for the last five years. The occurrence of casualties is
hardly a new phenomenon in Karachi, Balochistan and Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa. Violent killings by criminals or those consequent to political
gang warfare have sadly been daily news for years in Karachi that was not
controlled by the ruling parties. The Supreme Court ruling had, in fact, held
the militant wings of these parties responsible for the extortion, infighting
and loss of lives in the financial hub. The sudden protests on this account
appear highly exaggerated, with the sole objective of carving some political
mileage…
The silver lining is that all Pakistanis across the board (including the
Army Chief as reiterated in his recent speech) are on the same page. A
consensus exists that there is no alternative to the general elections and that
nothing is to be gained by postponing them nor is it administratively feasible
in the current environment. All political parties are determined not to be
deterred by the terrorists and have now actively entered the arena of
elections despite limitations, with a determination not to let the misguided

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minority prevail over the vast majority. There should, therefore, be no doubt
that the elections will be held on time.
There should also not be any doubt that the present elections will be
historic and the first of its kind in our country. They will be transparent with
equal opportunity for all. They will bring no revolution, but will only
transfer power peacefully in a democratic process, never witnessed before.
Democracy and our system of government will be reinforced as never
before. By the grace of Allah and the undaunting people’s struggle, we are
destined to a better Pakistan and a brighter future during the next five and
the following years to come. Long live Pakistan!’ (Khurshid Akhtar Khan,
TheNation 8th May)
Here I am, Mr Khan: ‘I might not agree with all that Mr Khan says
or proposes, but I do believe he is the best option at the time. He has made it
possible for people like me to see the difference one can make as an
individual. He gives people hope; he makes them passionate about Pakistan
and about being Pakistani. A friend in Lahore is giving his two month’s
salary to his campaigning fund, another has given his personal vehicle to
assist in bringing voters without transportation to polling stations, a third is
going door to door to encourage people to vote for him. Who could have
thought a politician could have achieved this sort of belief in people, who
have nothing to gain personally from his party winning, except the
realization of a better Pakistan, a prosperous Pakistan for all. 
So come May 11, I will be voting for the first time in my life for a
person I believe can lead our country with honesty and integrity. I will not
be alone in this; many like me will stand shoulder to shoulder to achieve an
objective through the sheer power of our vote. It is up to me and every
Pakistani to shape the destiny of our country through our efforts, our sweat
and blood; therefore, it is imperative the man steering this ship has my
confidence. Come May 11, when my vote will count, I will step up and say:
‘Here I am, Mr Khan, here I am Pakistan.’ (Mariam Habib, TheNation 8 th
May)
Khan's fall and rise: ‘On the face of it, it was an occupational
hazard. Still, it happens rarely enough that a political leader falls off a stage,
still less a party chief, so when Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) chief Imran
Khan took a tumble on Tuesday evening in Lahore, it sent a wave of concern
throughout the country. Indeed, since the PTI has much support among the
Pakistani Diasporas, there was a degree of concern abroad as well, when it
was learnt that Imran Khan had sustained injuries when he fell from a stage

488
he had just been fork-lifted onto, in Ghalib Market, Lahore, on Tuesday
evening. Mr Khan was due to address a rally from there. His injuries were
not fatal, but he had to be hospitalized, after suffering head injuries,
including one which required seven stitches, as well as a compressed
fracture of the spine. He has been advised bed rest by his doctors, which
would prevent him from further participation in the election campaign,
which is due to end at midnight tonight.
Though no permanent damage had been done, it was heartening to
note that politicians reacted with natural courtesy instead of indulging in the
mudslinging that was becoming a characteristic of the campaign. Caretaker
Punjab Chief Minister Najam Sethi was among the earliest of the political
leaders to call on Mr Khan, while his predecessor Mian Shahbaz Sharif also
paid a visit despite the attacks made by Mr Khan on him and his brother
personally. He was also visited by Jamaat Islami Secretary General Liaquat
Baluch, who is also his party’s candidate for the constituency in which Mr
Khan was going to address. PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif, who received
the news of Mr Khan’s fall while addressing a rally in Rawalpindi,
immediately, announced that he was canceling all his campaign
engagements the next day, Wednesday. President Asif Zardari also
expressed his wishes for Mr Khan’s recovery.
Irrespective of political affiliation, everyone must wish Mr Khan well,
as well as not just a speedy recovery but a speedy return, to the campaign
trail if possible, at least to the normality of politics. He has well wishers
aplenty who want to see him back in action, and he must be ready to take
reassurance from the fact that the campaign is almost over, and he had
substantially done what he had intended to. There will be time enough to
examine what went wrong, both in terms of arrangements and of the rescue
afterwards, but the exercise must be carried out. Its results must be shared
with all parties, which should be naturally interested in ensuring the safety of
their leaders.’ (Editorial, TheNation 9th May)
Machiavelli turning in his grave: ‘With the general elections in
Pakistan only a day away, we, this nation of 180 million people, need to ask
some very basic questions and, at the same time, reflect, analyze and
understand the significance of our political response (meaning voting
behaviour) on May 11. Following are some of these important questions:
 Why is there a mysterious silence by the PPP leadership on the eve of
the May 11 elections?

489
  The COAS, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, strongly and
enthusiastically supported the conducting of the polls and the
advancement of the democratic process in the country in his speech at
the GHQ. Why did he do so at this particular time? What motivated
the General to deliver such a strong political statement?
 Would the PML-N leadership accept the incumbent President for
another five-year term as the Head of State (that is, if the PML-N wins
the election and is in the position to form the government at the
centre)? Why has it promised the nation a bullet train from one end
of the country to the other?
 Why is it likely that PTI, a newly emerging force on Pakistan's
political horizon, might have a landslide victory on May 11? Would
the PTI leadership accept the incumbent President for another term of
office, should PTI win? If not, why not?
Machiavelli, the early 16th century Florentine political guru known
for his methods of political expediency, craftiness and duplicity, must be
turning in his grave, amazed and utterly surprised at the extent of the PPP
Co-Chairman's artfulness in handling ‘the defence of the realm’ with such a
remarkable and sleazy approach to possibly carve a political future for
himself as President for the next five years.
The President's plan for this ‘imagined’ eventuality goes as follows –
the PPP leadership understands that it has nothing to offer the Pakistani
electorate based on its performance in the last five years. Then why should
they indulge in massive political campaigning – it might turn out to be
counterproductive.
A blogger has brilliantly summed up Zardari's political strategy as
follows: ‘President Zardari has been emerging as one of the strongest
powerbrokers in the 2013 elections in Pakistan. He has remained successful
to keep himself aloof from the ongoing tussle between Nawaz Sharif and
Imran Khan, which is now in the critical stage and which is closing the
doors for any alliance between Khan and Sharif for the formation of
government in the centre. Thus, whoever takes most of the seats will solely
rely on PPP, which is supposed to get a maximum number of 50 or more
seats in the centre and a considerable majority in Sindh. The PPP's
bargaining chip in the post-election scenario would possibly be
unconditional support to any major party in the centre in exchange for
accepting Zardari for another five years as the President of Pakistan.’

490
 End of story. Triumph over Pakistan's politics of democracy by skilful
exploitation of its parliamentary political system and the constitutional flaws
within it. The incumbent President envisions his comeback as the
constitutional Head of State. He set the stage for the support of his
incumbency in the Senate years ago.
Having said that, the vital question is: Eventually, ‘Oonth kis karvat
baithe ga?’ (Let’s see how the wind blows). Are all of the intermediate
political forces going to work in absolute harmony with Zardari's plan? I
dare not think so.
Let us move forward to question 2: In the aftermath of Musharraf's
debacle, General Kayani has honestly, tirelessly and diligently worked hard
during the last five years to restore the armed forces' image and prestige as a
vital national institution. His address at the GHQ was an exemplary speech
in public diplomacy, responding to the call of the nation and supporting the
forces of political change to ensure that the general elections are held at all
cost. Good move. Commendable act in the national interest.
Congratulations, COAS!
But the vital question, in this context, is: Will the traditional political
actors and the status quo oriented forces engage with the military
establishment in a meaningful, constructive and productive manner? Will
they offer the military leadership enough leverage for the armed forces to
continue to carry on with their exclusive constitutional role in the future?
That will have to be seen. The fact of the matter is that Pakistan is on
extremely shaky ground at the present.
Let us move to question 3: The PML-N quaid is on record to have said
that it would be acceptable for him to take the oath of office as PM, if
elected, from the incumbent President. That, indeed, in itself explains the
party leadership's future political discourse and its strategic vision for the
nation. They have termed it ‘the politics of reconciliation.’ However, seen
from another perspective, it is clearly a ‘muk muka’ strategy for mutual
interests; is it not?
The PML-N leadership's promise of a bullet train from Khyber to
Karachi is, once again, an echo of a traditional mindset, which believes that
the people of Pakistan will respond positively to the symbols of grandiose
projects. It seems that it is unaware that such slogans might be considered by
people at large as the setting of flawed national priorities. China, the world's
second most powerful nation, built a bullet train only last year – nearly
seven decades after independence. But first came the people's mass

491
mobilization – nearly full employment and literacy, huge improvements in
health and educational facilities, new universities and vocational training
sectors, scientific and technological innovation, massive industrialization,
and global eminence in trade, diplomacy and commercial enterprises. Are
Pakistani citizens, already deprived and suffering from inadequacies of all
kinds, so ignorant and unaware of their fundamental requirements that they
would prefer grandiose projects over their primary needs? I believe that this
doctrine will not work for Pakistan anymore.
The last question: Can PTI win a landslide victory on May 11?
Indeed, there are clear indications that it might. PTI advocates a political
doctrine of change in the political structure and political culture in Pakistan -
an echo of public sentiment in present-day Pakistan. It has demonstrated
empowering the citizens by intra-party elections, and giving party tickets to
youth and many new entrants in national and provincial politics. It has a
straightforward stance on drone attacks, relations with the US, and the end
of the so-called war on terror. It has vividly prioritized its economic
planning in tune with public demands. And, added to this, is a massive and
powerful force of new youthful voters, enhancing its chances to emerge as
the leading winner in the polls.
And yet, above all, Imran has surprised everyone, his friends and foes
alike, with remarkable and endless determination, synergetic and limitless
energy, political campaign management capabilities (imagine six public
jalsas in a day) and personal charisma.
Would PTI accept the incumbent President for another term of office?
No – the forces of political status quo and the forces of political change have
no fundamental or mutual interests to share. End of story. Watch out on May
11. It is your turn to empower yourself. Get my drift?
Postscript: The news of Imran Khan's fall has shocked the nation. Let
us all pray for his safety, health and recovery.’ (Dr Haider Mehdi, TheNation
9th May)
Wall of illusion: ‘The 65-year history of Pakistan is cluttered with
blind blunders, emanating from being walled off from public sentiment.
When Ayub Khan completed his 10-year tenure in 1968, his sycophants
convinced him to mark it with Decade of Development celebrations. The
ensuing backlash toppled Ayub in a matter of months. An over-confident
Bhutto called for early elections in March 1977 after having handpicked a
seemingly docile COAS. In effect, Bhutto chose his hangman…

492
 Now, under the hijab of greater provincial autonomy and civilian rule,
plans are underway to crack-up Punjab and demean the armed forces – both
with disastrous impact on the cementing of national cohesion. There are
eerie parallels here to what has befallen Sudan.
Thus far, the current system has only bequeathed a legacy of mien
(me), mayoosi (despair) and munafqat (hypocrisy).
In this over-hyped ambience of finger-pointing and self-righteous
posturing, a sharp dose of self-scrutiny would do all some good.
The result of being constantly walled off from the outside world is
darkness. The only remedy to darkness is light. The barriers are broken by
those who have the guts to listen and to self-analyze.’ (Mowahid Hussain
Shah, TheNation 9th May)
Taming the military
Will there be a second NRO? ‘Let us put some simple facts on the
table without bias, prejudice or partisan political affiliations. Let us be
rational, logical and analytical with the core purpose of understanding what
is happening in our country at the present time.
The first simple fact is: in Pakistan, the civilian ruling elite and
traditional politicians have failed this nation as much as the military rulers
have. Let us not play the blame game. If the military dictators abrogated the
constitution, undermined the rule of law, and submitted themselves and the
nation to flawed national policies, so have the civilian regimes.
Have not our civilian rulers been patronized, promoted and imposed
upon us by their foreign patrons as much as the military rulers were – by the
same foreign powers? Have not the civilian regimes been conducting pro-
West foreign policy as much as the military rulers did? Have not the civilian
rulers permitted foreign power intervention in this country’s domestic affairs
as much as the military dictators allowed? Was not the infamous NRO a
compromise of mutual political interests between the PPP top leadership and
an incumbent military dictator?
These are some of the simple facts. The apologists on both sides of the
divide cannot go on fooling the nation by manipulating them and taking on a
moral defence of their respective positions and claiming that democracy is at
loggerheads with the threat of a military takeover – the battle of democracy
against military dictatorship.

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 The second simple fact: it is a matter of common sense that General
(retd) Pervez Musharraf did not return to Pakistan from his self-exile to face
legal battles, humiliation and possible imprisonment – or even a worse
future. So, what was the General’s real agenda? Who planned his return?
Why did the PML-N leadership remain absolutely non-vocal on the eve of
his return – until Musharraf was arrested? Rumour has it that the PML-N
was told by a friendly government to maintain absolute silence over the
matter.
Let us not forget that the Zardari regime had earlier sent off the
General with a full guard of honour. Doesn’t that all add a spice of political
intrigue to Musharraf’s return with a three-way collaboration of the
incumbent President of the country, the leader of the major political party
considered to be forerunners in the forthcoming elections, and the
assertiveness of some friendly foreign powers in this matter?
The third fact is: Ahmed Raza Kasuri, legal counsel for Musharraf and
his party’s top official, has already threatened in the High Court and
repeated himself several times on TV talk shows that the General’s trial will
be the ‘mother’ of all legal trials in this country. Kasuri has warned that at
least 500 people, including parliamentarians, several generals, provincial
governors, important political officeholders and many members of the
judiciary, will most likely face legal actions in the prosecution of this case.
He has also publicly proposed a Truth and Reconciliation
Commission with the explicit purpose of ‘integrating’ the nation. The most
intriguing and politically alarming part of this proposal is the suggested date
of July 31, 2009, as the ‘cut-off date’. He seems to advocate that all
irregularities (perhaps, financial, political, legal, constitutional as well as
criminal) be waived against all offenders prior to this proposed date and only
those offenders (perhaps, politicians, parliamentarians, tax offenders, loan
defaulters, members of the ruling elite, etc) be dealt by law post-July 31,
2009. In other words, a second NRO is being proposed with public
accountability of the ruling elite for only the last four years – and decades of
corruption and financial mismanagement should be set aside.
So, what happens to those who should be held accountable for the
massive corruption, financial embezzlements, mismanagement of national
affairs, and flawed domestic and foreign policies? What happens to the $97
billion purportedly owned by a select group of politicians, bureaucrats and
mafioso (the so-called entrepreneurs), which is stacked in Swiss banks?
What happens to loan defaulters and tax evaders and to those who have

494
repeatedly undermined national interests for personal gains and vested self-
interests?
Don’t be naive: this nation is once again being taken for a ride. A
second NRO is being planned for the ultimate benefits of the traditional
ruling elite and to maintain political and economic status quo and American-
centric foreign policy in the country. Musharraf’s return and the PPP-PML-
N leadership’s project of silence of ‘muk muka’ 2013 democracy was part of
the greater plan patronized by our friends in Washington, London and
elsewhere that now seems to be backfiring.
Suddenly what has happened is the unforeseen and unpredictable
intervention of hidden variables – a judge of the superior judiciary has
surprisingly taken Musharraf to task. The game has changed its intended
course of direction, though the original objective of a second NRO remains
intact. Consequently, an intense anti-judiciary and anti-Chief Justice of
Pakistan campaign has been launched in the media to counteract the damage
to the planned project of another so-called democracy for the next five years
in Pakistan.
Recently, a Lahore-based columnist has convincingly argued in a
series of articles that Musharraf’s return to Pakistan was organized by the
Pentagon: the State Department wanted a civilian government in the state in
2013, while the Pentagon prevailed for Musharraf’s return as a strongman,
who could unquestionably and effectively aid the American exodus from
Afghanistan with the help of the Pakistani armed forces and a ‘muk muka’
setup. He also contends that the plan was to exploit Musharraf’s known legal
problems for creating a wave of sympathy for him all over the country. (The
ongoing humiliation was not predicted.)
Irrespective of Musharraf’s legal cases in Pakistani courts now, I
believe that the General is guilty of dragging this nation into a vicious and
destructive war (the so-called war on terror) for which he is personally
responsible. He had no legal, political or moral authority to have made such
a monumental decision unilaterally. If the general is guilty of other crimes as
charged, he must face the music now. But, indeed, without inappropriate
humiliation and vicious dragging of the entire Pakistani army along with
him (the PPP and PML-N leadership have been conducting anti-army
campaigns for quite some time now).
The most important point I am making here is: ‘Is hammam meh sab
nange hain’ (everyone here is shamelessly involved in this charade of evil
and weakness). If Musharraf has to face the music, so should all the loan

495
defaulters, tax evaders, embezzlers of national assets, inefficient political
managers, corrupt officials, account holders of unlawful deposits in Swiss
banks, and so on and so forth.
Say a big ‘No’ to a second NRO. Indeed, Pakistan needs a truth,
reconciliation, recovery, deliverance and retribution commission. If the
elections are held, vote for a change – otherwise, this nation will have to
face the ugly music for an infinity.’ (Dr Haider Mehdi, TheNation 2nd May)

REVIEW
PPP’s campaign brought electioneering to the new lows in the history
of Pakistan. It focused on character assassination of the leaders of main rival
party the PML-N. They were pressed so hard by their negative urge that they
did not spare the man who had done Zardari a great favour by writing a letter
to Swiss authorities.
The former Justice Malik Qayyum, who has been in any case a slur on
the name of judiciary, merited a better treatment from PPP than making his
sister a parliamentarian; but he too stood condemned in the telephone tapes
used in the election campaign. In the heat of negative mindset, the PPP
forgot that Qayyum had saved the skin and millions of dollars of the
Scoundrel.
All the while, the electronic and print media across the country made
hay while the sun kept shining. Media houses owners could justify the
keeping of moral values aside as through payments of advertisements they
were able to scrounge millions out of swollen pockets of the plunderers and
looters of the public money.
As this was happening, an unfortunate incident on 7 th May nearly
ended the election campaign. Imran fell from the forklift during a public
gathering in Lahore and suffered multiple injuries. The scenes of bleeding
Imran left the entire nation in shock till Khan spoke to them four hours later.
The ‘accident’ exposed several shortcomings of various kinds. The
manner in which the injured Imran was evacuated to a nearby hospital for
medical aid exposed utterly awful arrangements made for the unforeseen.
There was no doctor, no ambulance, not even a stretcher for evacuating the
injured; despite warnings about threats to political leaders and possible
mishap.

496
 Not a single man, well-versant with first aid and evacuation of a
casualty was present at the venue. The manner in which he was carried to a
car could have seriously aggravated the sufferings of a man afflicted with
injuries to head, neck, ribs and his back.
The make-shift arrangements for lifting him to twenty-foot high stage
were deplorable. The platform of forklift was raised using wooden planks
taken from a crate and placed loosely. These could slip out of the platform
and exactly that is what happened.
Kamran Khan took on line Shafqat Mehmood, in whose constituency
the public rally was organized, and confronted him with the failings on the
part of the party leaders. What Shafqat, a former bureaucrat, said in reply
reflected the peculiar bureaucratic mindset; he passed the buck to caretaker
government. He complained about the absence of Rescue 1122 and other
security arrangements.
An upright and straight-forward man with moral integrity would have
acknowledged the failings on his part and only after that he would have
thought about pointing finger towards any one else. Shafqat lacked moral
courage; he started with blaming the interim government and ended with
that.
His own boss put the record straight a day later when he exonerated
everyone by saying that the incident took place due to ‘human error’. No
doubt he is a politician of different kind; otherwise politicians in Pakistan
just find an excuse to see a ‘conspiracy’ in every incident.
That is why many consider him a misfit in Pakistani politics as
morality is not an advantage in politics but a drawback. No one knows this
better than Maulana Fazl of his JUI. He advised Imran to give up politics
and restart playing cricket. Maulana also exposed his own worth; while
showing sympathy with the injured he did not miss the opportunity to equate
Khan with Jews and Qadianis.
Caretaker Chief Minister, rushed to Shaukat Khanum Hospital and
after seeing Imran in ICU he told the media that there have been threats to
the life of Imran. He claimed that he had cautioned him to be more careful
about his over-exuberant supporters. How could he be so specific about the
nature of threat? Was his chirriya still in touch with him? Imran, however,
has ruled out that there has been no conspiracy.
Imran Khan’s fall and multiple injuries may not have made any
material difference for the Polling Day, but it has been a major setback for

497
the PTI. He will be out of party’s activities for reasonably long period
because of the nature of his injuries is much serious than what has been said
publicly. Imran has to play a major role during post-polls period, irrespective
of the outcome of the polls and his political standing in terms of numbers.
He would be missed by the party.
The main worry of the opponents of PTI, however, is that Imran’s
injuries could result in sympathy vote. From the same evening there has
been talk of PTI a one-man show – he is gone; party is gone. His message
from the hospital bed was also dubbed as an attempt to take political
mileage. Even prior to that, the messages from all politicians, though
reflective of Pakistan’s cultural values; yet had an element of pre-emption.
On 8th May, Mohammad Mallick in his TV programme talked live to
Imran’s sister. He too dwelled on the issue of sympathy vote to the dismay
of the lady. Mallick did not stop asking probing questions despite her
noticeable unease. His last question was: Do you see your brother as prime
minister or leader of opposition after May 11.
She replied that she wanted to see her brother, whether or not he is a
PM or opposition leader. My brother has done what he could and it is now
the turn of the people of Pakistan to come out and say ‘yes’ for the change.
If they don’t – she resisted saying – the worst scenario is awaiting for them
as predicted by some analysts: Zardari will be in for another five years with
possibly one change; Nawaz as Prime Minister.
9th May, 2013

498
 APPLY TO DISCERN
PART FOUR
The poetical works included in this part are taken from Payam-e-
Mashriq, barring a few reproduced at the end which are from Zabur-e-Ajam.
In this book Allamah Iqbal has put the Western thought under the spotlight
of Eastern wisdom. In other words, the materialism has been put to scrutiny
of religion-based wisdom.
In most of the poems Allamah Iqbal has talked about Western
political and economic philosophy by directly referring to the originator of a
particular thought. At times he has compared some Western thinkers with
wise men of the East to highlight certain points.

THE WISDOM OF THE WEST

Hikmat-e-Farang ‫حکمت فرنگ‬
‫شنیدم کہ در پارس مرد گزین‬
‫ادا فہم رمز آشنا نکتہ بین‬
Shoneidam keh der Paras mard-e-gazein; ada feham, ramz ashna, noktah
bein.
[Mien ney sona keh Faras mein eik bargazidah shakhs, jo ada feham, ramz
ashna aur noktah bein thha.]
The story goes that in Iran a worthy man, intelligent and wise;
‫بسے سختی از جان کنی دید و مرد‬
‫بر آشفت و جان شکوہ لبریز برد‬
Bassey sakhti az jan kani deid-o-mord; ber aashoft-o-jan shikwah-e-
labraiz bord.
[Oss ney murney sey pehley jan kani bohat sakht deikhhi, (iss leay) woh
naraazgi aur shikwah sey labraiz jan ley kar yah’an sey rokhsat ho’a.]
Died, suffering great agonies, departing with a heart full of distress and
smart;

499
 ‫بہ نالش در آمد بہ یزدان پاک‬
‫کہ دارم دلے از اجل چاک چاک‬
Beh nalash dar amad beh Yazdan-e-pak; keh daaram dillay az ajal chaak
chaak.
[(Mout kay ba’ad) oss ney Allah Ta’alla ki janab mein da’awa da’ir kiya,
keh (farishtah-e-) ajal ki sakhti sey meyra dil paash paash ho gaya hai.]
He went up to God’s throne and said: ‘God I am one grieved at the way that
I was made to die.
‫کمالے ندارد بہ این یک فنی‬
‫جان کنی‬ ‫نداند فن تازٔہ‬
Kamaley nadarad beh ein yakk funni; nadanad fun-e-tazah-e-jan kani.
[Farishtah-e-mout ka eik he kaam hai (magar) woh oss mein bhi kamal hasil
naheen kar saka, oss ney abhi jan qabz karney ka koeyi jadid fun naheen
seikhha.]
Your angel of death is supposed to be a specialist, and yet he has no
expertise, no knowledge of the new skills that exist in the fine art of killing.
‫برد جان و ناپختہ در کار مرگ‬
‫جہان نو شد و او ہمان کہنہ برگ‬
Bord jan-o-napokhtah dar kaar-e-murg; jahan nau shod-o-oo haman
kohnah burg.
[Woh jan tuo nikaal leyta hai magar abhi oss kaam mein napokhtah hai,
dunya naeyi ho gaeyi magar woh abhi wohi porana andaz apna’ey pherta
hai.]
He kills, but does it so clumsily. The world is going rapidly ahead, but his
growth has stopped dead.
‫فرنگ آفریند ہنرہا شگرف‬
‫بر انگیزد از قطرہ ئی بحر ژرف‬
Farang aafrinad honar-ha shagraf; ber angaizad az qatraheyi behar zorf.
[Farangiyu’on ney ajib-o-gharib honar eijad kar leay hein, woh qatrey sey
bhi bipay’an samandar nikaal leytey hein.]
The West develops wonderful new skills in this as in so many other fields.
Fine are the ways it kills, and great are its skill’s yields.

500
 ‫کشد گرد اندیشہ پرکار مرگ‬
‫ہمہ حکمت او پرستار مرگ‬
Kashad gard-e-andaishah porkaar-e-murg; hamah hikmat-e-oo parastar-
e-murg.
[Farangi mout ki porker ko apni soch kay gird ghhomata hai, oss ka sara
falsafah mout ka parastar hai.]
It has encompassed even thought with death. Death is all its philosophies’
life-breath; it is what all its sciences devise.
‫رود چون نہنگ آبدوزش بہ یم‬
‫او ہوا خوردہ بم‬ ‫ز طیارٔہ‬
Rawud choon nahang aabdozash beh yum; ’z-tiyyarah-e-oo hawa khordah
bum.
[Oss ki aabdoz samandar kay neichey magarmuch ki tarah chalti hai, oss
kay hawai jahaz hawa kay tamachey khhatey hein (faza mein orrtey hein).]
Its submarines are crocodiles, with all their predatory wiles. Its bombers rain
destruction from the skies.
‫نبینی کہ چشم جہان بین ہور‬
‫ہمی گردد از غاز او روز کور‬
Nabeini keh chashm-e-jahan bein hor; humi gardad az ghaaz-e-oo roz-e-
kor.
[Kaya aap naheen deikhhtey keh sooraj ki jah’an bein ankhh, Farangiyu’on
kay ghaazey sey tareek dinn mein tabdil ho jaati hai.]
Its gases so obscure the sky they blind the sun’s world-seeing eye. Its guns
deal death so fast.
‫تفنگش بہ کشتن چنان تیز دست‬
‫مرگ را دم گسست‬ ‫کہ افرشتٔہ‬
Tafangash beh koshtan chonan taiz dast; keh afrishtah-e-murg ra dum
gosast.
[Oss ki bandooq maarney mein itni taiz hai keh farishtah-e-mout bhi dum
bakhod reh jata hai.]
The Angel of Death stands aghast, quite out of breath in coping with this rate
of death.

501
 ‫فرست این کہن ابلہ را در فرنگ‬
‫کہ گیرد فن کشتن بی درنگ‬
Frast ein kohan ablah ra dar Farang; keh geirad fun-e-koshtan bey
darung.
[Iss bhhorrey biwaqoof (Azazil) ko Frangistan mein bhaiji’ay, keh fouri jan
nikalney ka fun seikhhay.]
Dispatch this old fool to the West to learn the art of killing fast – and best.’
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

DEMOCRACY
Jumhooriyat ‫جمہوریت‬
‫متاع معنی بیگانہ از دون فطرتان جوئی‬
‫ز موران شوخی طبع سلیمانے نمی آید‬
‫گریز از طرز جمہوری غالم پختہ کارے شو‬
‫کہ از مغز دو صد خر فکر انسانے نمی آید‬
Mata’a-e-ma’ani biganah az doon fitrataan joeyi; ’z-mooran shokhi-e-
taba’a-e-Sulaimaney nami ayad.
Garaiz az tarz-e-jamhoori ghulam pohktah kaarey shau; keh az maghz-e-
duo sadd khur fikr-e-insaaney nami ayad.
[Tou pust fitrat loug’on (ehl-e-Maghrib) sey aisi mata’a talab karta hai jiss
kay ma’ani (asliyat) hamarey leay ajnabi hein. (Tojhey ma’aloom hona
chahi’ay keh) chewontiyu’on kay andar taba’a Suliman ki shokhi paida
naheen ho sakti.
Tarz-e-jamhoori sey graiz kar, kissi mard-e-pokhtah kaar ka daman pakarr,
kiyu’onkeh duo suo gadhey mill kar bhi eik insan ki tarah naheen soch
saktey.]
You seek the treasures of an alien philosophy from common, low-grade
people, themselves poor of mind. Ants crawling on the ground cannot attain
the heights of wisdom of a Solomon.
Avoid the method of democracy; become the bondman of someone of ripe
intelligence; for a few hundred donkeys cannot have, combined, the brains
of one man, of one homosapiens. (Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

502
CIVILIZATION
Tehzeeb ‫تہذیب‬
‫تہذیب بر فروخت‬ ‫انسان کہ رخ زغازٔہ‬
‫خاک سیاہ خویش چو آئینہ وانمود‬
Insan keh rokh ’z-ghaazah-e-tehzeeb ber farokht; khak-e-siyah-e-khwaish
cho a’einah wa-namood.
[Insan, jiss ney ghaazah-e-tehzeeb sey apna chehrah chamka rakhha hai,
(aur iss tarah) apni siyah khak ko a’einah bana rakhha hai.]
Man, who has brightened up his face with civilization’s rouge, displays the
dark dust which is he as if it were a mirror.
‫پوشید پنجہ را تہ دستانہ حریر‬
‫افسونی قلم شد و تیغ از کمر کشود‬
Poshidah punjah ra the-e-dastanah-e-harir; afsooni qalam shod-o-taigh
az kamar kashood.
[Jiss ney apna haath raishmi dastaney mein chhopa rakhha hai, jiss ney
kamar sey talwar khhol di hai aur (bazahar) qalam sey mash-hoor nazar ata
hai.]
He hides his iron fist under a velvet glove. Charmed by the pen, he has laid
off the sword.
‫صلح عام ساخت‬ ‫این بوالہوس صنم کدٔہ‬
‫رقصید گرد او بہ نواہاے چنگ و عود‬
Ein bu-al-hawus sanam kadah-e-solah-e-aam saakht; raqsid gird-e-oo beh
nawaha’ey chung-o-Ood.
[Iss bu-al-hawus ney solah-e-aam ka bott kadah bana rakhha hai, aur
chung-o-robab ki awaz per oss kay gird raqs karta hai.]
This slave of lust once built an idol-temple of world peace, and danced
around it to the music of the pipes of peace.
‫دیدم چو جنگ پردہ ناموس او درید‬
‫جز یسفک الدما و ’’خصیم مبین‘‘ نبود‬
Deidum cho jung pardah-e-namoos-e-oo dareid; jozz yasfak-ud’dima O
‘Khasim-e-Mobein’ nabood.

503
[Jabb jung ney oss ka pardah-e-namoos chaak kiya tuo mein ney deikhha,
keh woh ‘sirf khoon bahaney wala aur jhagrraloo’ thha.]
But when war tore the veil off its pretence, it stood exposed as man’s blood-
thirsty enemy. (Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

Payam-e-Mashriq has a chapter titled Naqsh-e-Farang which draws

picture of Europe. Contents of that chapter are reproduced hereunder.
A MESSAGE TO THE WEST
Payam ‫پیام‬
‫از من اے باد صبا گوے بہ داناے فرنگ‬
‫عقل تا بال کشود است گرفتار تر است‬
Az mun ay baad-e-saba go’ay beh dana’ey Farang; aql ta baal kashood ast
gariftar-ter ast.
[Ay baad-e-saba! Meyri taraf sey Farang kay dana sey kaho, jabb sey
(tumhari) aql ney baal-o-per khholey hein, woh aur ziyadah gariftar hai.]
O morning breeze, convey this to the Western sage from me: With wings
unfolded, Wisdom is a captive all the more.
‫برق را این بہ جگر میزند آن رام کند‬
‫عشق از عقل فسون پیشہ جگردار تر است‬
Barq ra ein beh jigar mizanad aan raam konad; ishq az aql-e-fasoon
paishah jigardar-ter ast.
[Yeh barq ko jigar per leyta hai aur woh ossey raam karti hai; ishq-e-saher
ka paishah aql sey ziyadah jigardar (houslah-mand) hai.]
It tames the lightning, but Love lets it strike its very heart: In courage Love
excels that clever sorcerer by far.
‫چشم جز رنگ گل و اللہ نبیند ورنہ‬
‫رنگ است پدیدار تر است‬ ‫آنچہ در پردٔہ‬
Chashm jozz rung-e-gul-o-lalah nabeinad vernah; aanchih darpardah-e-
rung ast padidaar-ter ast.
[Ankhh, sawa’ey gul-o-lalah kay rung kay aur kochh naheen deikhhti,
vernah jo kochh rung kay pardah mein hai, woh ziyadah zahar hai.]

504
The eye sees just the colour of the tulip and the rose; but far more obvious,
could we see it, is the flower’s core.
‫عجب آن نیست کہ اعجاز مسیحا داری‬
‫عجب این است کہ بیمار تو بیمار تر است‬
Ajab aan neist keh eijaz-e-Masseiha daari; ajab ein ast keh bimaar-e-tou
bimaar-ter ast.
[Ta’ajob iss per naheen keh tou eijaz-e-Masseiha rakhhta hai, ta’ajob ki
baat yeh hai keh teyrey (ilaaj sey) mariz ka marz barrh gaya hai.]
It is not strange that you have the Messiah’s healing touch: What is strange
is your patient is the more sick for your cure.
‫دانش اندوختہ ئی دل ز کف انداختہ ئی‬
‫آہ زان نقد گرانمایہ کہ در باختہ ئی‬
Danish andokhtaheyi dil ’z-kaff andakhtaheyi; aah ’z-aan naqd-e-
garanmayah keh derbaakhtaheyi.
[Tou ney danish tuo jama’a kar-li, magar dil ko haath sey chhorr diya,
afsos! Iss qimati sarmayah per jo tou ney haar diya.]
Though you have gathered knowledge, you have thrown away the heart;
with what a precious treasure you have thought it fit to part!
‫حکمت و فلسفہ کارے است کہ پایانش نیست‬
‫سیلی عشق و محبت بہ دبستانش نیست‬
Hikmat-o-falsafah kaarey ast keh payanash neist; sial-e-ishq-o-mohabbat
beh dabastanash neist.
[Hikmat-o-falsafah aisa kaam hai jo athhah hai, magar iss madrassah mein
ishq-o-mohabat kay thhapairrey naheen.]
The courting of philosophy is a vain quest, indeed; for in its school Love’s
lofty regimen is not decreed.
‫بیشتر راہ دل مردم بیدار زند‬
‫فتنہ ئی نیست کہ در چشم سخندانش نیست‬
Baishter rah-e-dil mardam-e-bidaar zanad; fitnaheyi neist keh dar
chashm-e-sakhandanish neist.
[Bilamoom yeh (falsafah) bidaar ashkhas kay dil’on ko gharat karta hai,
kon-sa fitnah hai, jo oss ki chashm-e-fitnah-za mein naheen.]

505
Such are its blandishments; it leads astray the pupil’s heart: There is no
mischief its coquettish glances do not breed.
‫دل ز ناز خنک او بہ تپیدن نرسد‬
‫پنھانش نیست‬ ‫لذتے در خلش غمزٔہ‬
Dil az naaz-e-khonak-e-oo beh tapeidan narasad; lazzat’ey dar khalash-e-
ghumzah-e-penhanash neist.
[Aql ki thhandi aag dil ko tarrapna naheen seikhhati, nah oss kay ghamzah-
e-penh’an mein koeyi lotf hai.]
But its cold fire can never set the seeker’s heart aflame: It cannot give the
heart Love’s sweet pain, though it makes it bleed.
‫دشت و کہسار نوردید و غزالے نگرفت‬
‫طوف گلشن ز دو یک گل بگریبانش نیست‬
Dasht-o-kohsar noor deid-o-ghazaley nagarift; touf-e-gulshan ’z-duo yakk
gul bagaribanash neist.
[(Falsafah) jungl’on aur paharr’on mein phera (dur dur ki khak chhani)
magar ghazal (haqiqat) ko nah pa saka. (Saarey) bagh kay chakkar laga’ey
magar gribaan mein eik phhool naheen.]
Though it has roamed the deserts, it has captured no gazelle; though it has
searched the garden, it has not a rose for meed.
‫چارہ این است کہ از عشق کشادے طلبیم‬
‫پیش او سجدہ گذاریم و مرادے طلبیم‬
Charah ein ast keh az ishq koshadey talbaim; paish-e-oo sajdah gozaraim-
o-moradey talbaim.
[Ilaaj yeh hai keh ishq sey madad lein, oss kay saamney sajdah karein aur
oss sey moraad mang’in.]
The wisest thing that we can do is to appeal to Love; for our desires’
fulfillment we should always kneel to Love.
‫عقل چون پاے درین راہ خم اندر خم زد‬
‫شعلہ در آب دوانید و جہان برہم زد‬
Aql choon paa’ey darein rah-e-kham andar kham zadd; sho’alah dar aab
davaaneid-o-jahan barhum zadd.

506
[Aql ney jabb iss paich dar paich rah mein qadam rakhha, tuo pani mein
sho’alah dourra diya aur dunya ko darhum barhum kar diya.]
Wisdom, since it set foot on life’s labyrinthine way, has set the sea on fire
and made the whole world go awry.
‫کیمیا سازی او ریگ روان را زر کرد‬
‫بر دل سوختہ اکسیر محبت کم زد‬
Kimiya saazi oo raig-e-rawaan ra zar kard; ber dil-e-sokhtah akseer-e-
mohabat kum zadd.
[Oss ki kimiya saazi ney orrti hoeyi rait ko sona bana diya, magar kissi dil-
e-sokhtah per akseer nah daali keh woh k’ondan bun ja’ey.]
Its alchemy converted worthless grains of sand to gold; but oh! It gave the
wounded heart no love-balm to apply.
‫واے بر سادگی ما کہ فسونش خوردیم‬
‫رھزنے بود کمین کرد و رہ آدم زد‬
Waa’ey ber saadgi-e-ma keh fasoonash khordaim; rehzanney bowud
kamin kard-o-reh-e-Adam zadd.
[Afsos! Hamari saadgi per keh hum aql kay faraib mein a’gaey, hal’ankeh
woh rehzun thhi, jiss ney ghhat laga kar Adam ko rastah mein loot liya.]
Alas! We were so foolish as to let it steal our wits: It waylaid us, subjecting
us to highway robbery.
‫ہنرش خاک بر آورد ز تہذیب فرنگ‬
‫باز آن خاک بہ چشم پسر مریم زد‬
Honarash khak ber aawurd ’z-tehzeeb-e-Farang; baaz aan khak beh
chashm-e-pisar-e-Mariyam zadd.
[Oss kay honar ney tehzeeb-e-Farang ki khak orra di, pher woh dhool Ibn-e-
Mariyam ki ankhh mein daal di.]
It raised up much dust from the civilization of the West to cast into that
civilization’s Holy Saviour’s eye.
‫شررے کاشتن و شعلہ درون تا کے؟‬ 
‫عقدہ بر دل زدن و باز کشودن تا کے؟‬
Shararey kaashtan-o-sho’alah-e-daroon ta-kay? Oqdah ber dil zadan-o-
baz kashodan ta-kay?

507
[Sharar kaasht kar kay oss sey sho’alah hasil karna kabb takk? Dil per
girah dalna aur pher ossey khholna kabb takk?]
O how long can you go on sowing sparks and reaping flames, and tying up
your heart in knots which bear new-fangled names?
‫عقل خود بین دگر و عقل جہان بین دگر است‬
‫بال بلبل دگر و بازوے شاہین دگر است‬
Aql-e-khodbein digar-o-aql-e-jahanbein digar ast; baal-e-bulbul digar-o-
bazoo’ey shaheen digar ast.
[Apney aap ko deikhhney waali aql aur hai, jahan per nigah rakhhney waali
aql aur hai, bulbul kay per aur hein, shah’in ka baazo aur hai.]
The self-absorbed and world-regarding wisdom are two things. The
nightingale and falcon have two different kinds of wings.
‫افتادہ ز خاک‬ ‫دگر است آنکہ برد دانٔہ‬
‫پروین دگر است‬ ‫آنکہ گیرد خورش از دانٔہ‬
Digar ast aan-keh bord danah-e-aftadah ’z-khak; aan-keh geirad khorash
az danah-e-parveen digar ast.
[Zamin per giray ho’ay danah ko choninay wala aur (parindah) hai, aur
woh (parindah) aur hai jo danah-e-parv’in (sitara) sey khorak hasil karta
hai.]
It is one thing to pick up stray grain lying on the ground; another to peck at
gems in the Pleiades’ earrings.
‫دگر است آنکہ زند سیر چمن مثل نسیم‬
‫آنکہ در شد بہ ضمیر گل و نسرین دگر است‬
Digar ast aan-keh zanad sair-e-chaman misl-e-nasim; aan-keh der shod
beh zamir-e-gul-o-nasrin digar ast.
[Woh jo nasim ki manind (oopar he oopar) bagh ki sair karta hai aur hai,
aur woh jo gul-o-nasrin (phol’on) kay andar dakhil ho ja’ey, woh aur hai.]
It is one thing to roam the garden like the morning breeze; another to delve
in the rose’s inmost ponderings.

508
 ‫دگر است آنسوے نہ پردہ کشادن نظرے‬
‫این سوے پردہ گمان و ظن و تخمین دگر است‬
Digar ast aansoo’ey nah pardah koshadan nazarey; ein soo’ey pardah
goman-o-zann-o-takhmin digar ast.
[Nou pard’on (waaley asman) kay doosri taraf deikhhna aur baat hai, aur
pard’on kay iss taraf zun-o-takhmin (mein mobtala rehna) aur cheez hai.]
It is one thing to let doubt and conjecture bog you down; another to look up
and see celestial happenings.
‫اے خوش آن عقل کہ پہناے دو عالم با اوست‬
‫نور افرشتہ و سوز دل آدم با اوست‬
Ay khosh aan aql keh pehna’ey duo alam ba oo’st; noor afrishtah-o-soz-e-
dil-e-Adam ba oo’st.
[Oss aql ki kaya baat hai, jiss kay saath duon’on jahan ki wosa’at hai, jo
faristey ka noor bhi rakhhti hai aur Adam (A.S.) ka soz-e-dil bhi.]
Blest is the Wisdom which has both the worlds in its domain, which calls
man’s heart’s fire as well as the angels’ light its own.
‫عشق برون تاختہ ایم‬ ‫ما ز خلوت کدٔہ‬
‫خاک پا را صفت آینہ پرداختہ ایم‬
Ma az khalwat kadah-e-ishq baroon takhta’aim; khak-e-pa ra sift-e-
aeinah pardakhtah’aim.
[Hum ney ishq kay khalwat kadah sey nikal kar yalghar ki hai, hum woh
hein jinnh’on ney pa’on tullay ro’ndi jan’ey waali khak ko aeinah ki manind
shafaf bana diya hai.]
We, since we issued forth out of the sacred shrine of Love, have burnished
mirror-bright the very dust beneath our feet.
‫در نگر ہمت ما را کہ بہ داوے فگنیم‬
‫دو جہان را کہ نہان بردہ عیان باختہ ایم‬
Dar nigar himmat-e-ma ra keh beh dawa’ey fagnaim; duo jahan ra keh
nehaan bordah ayan bakhta’aim.
[Hamara houslah deikhhein keh hum ney eik he daa’o mein, duon’on
jahan’on ko jo hum ney neh’an leay thhey, khholey band’on haar diya hai.]

509
O look at our adventurousness in the game of life; for we have robbed the
wealth of both the worlds and boldly staked it.
‫شام و سحر‬ ‫پیش ما میگذرد سلسلٔہ‬
‫بر لب جوے روان خیمہ بر افروختہ ایم‬
Paish-e-ma migozarad silsalah-e-shaam-o-sehar; ber lab-e-joo’ey rawaan
khaimah ber afrokhtah’aim.
[Silsilah-e-shaam-o-sehar hamarey saamney sey gozar raha hai, hum ney
(waqt ki) joo’ey raw’an kay kanarey khaimah laga rakhha hai.]
We watch the day-and-night procession move before our eyes, with our tents
pitched right on the margin of a running streamlet.
‫در دل ما کہ برین دیر کہن شبخون ریخت‬
‫آتشے بود کہ در خشک و تر انداختہ ایم‬
Dar dil-e-ma keh barein deir-e-kohan shabkhoon raikht; aatishey bowud
keh der khoshk-o-ter andakhtah’aim.
[Hamarey dil ney iss deir-e-kohan (dunya) per shabbkh’on mara, eik aag
thhi jo hum ney khoshk-o-ter mein laga di.]
Once in our heart, which launched a night-raid on this ancient fane, there
was a fire which we breathed into all things, dry or wet.
‫ شکستیم و شرر گردیدیم‬، ‫شعلہ بودیم‬
‫صاحب ذوق و تمنا و نظر گردیدیم‬
Sho’alah boodaim, shakastaim-o-sharar gardeidaim; sahib-e-zouq-o-
tamanna-o-nazar gardeidaim.
[Hum sho’alah thhey, tootey aur sharar bun ga’ey, sahib-e-zouq sahib-e-
tamanna aur sahib-e-nazar bun ga’ey.]
We were a flame; we flickered, broke down and became a spark: And since
then we burn fitfully, with yearnings vague and dark.
‫عشق گردید ہوس پیشہ و ہر بند گسست‬
‫آدم از فتنہ او صورت ماہی در شست‬
Ishq gardeid hawus paishah-o-her bund gosast; Adam az fitnah-e-oo
surat-e-maahi dar shast.
[(Pher) ishq, hawus ho gaya aur oss ney saarey bandhan torr di’ay, aur oss
kay fitney ney Adami ko machhli ki manind shikar kar liya.]

510
Love learned the greedy ways of earthly lust and burst all bounds: It caught
men in its toils as fish are caught by fishermen.
‫رزم بر بزم پسندید و سپاہے آراست‬
‫یاران ننشست‬ ‫تیغ او جز بہ سر و سینٔہ‬
Razm ber bazm pasandeid-o-sepahey aarast; taigh-e-oo joz beh sar-o-
seinah-e-yaraan nanashast.
[Oss ney bazm per razm (jung) ko tarjih di aur fouj’in tiyyar kein, magar oss
ki talwar dost’on he kay sar-o-seinah per barsi.]
Preferring war to peace, it reared up armies everywhere, which plunged their
swords into the hearts of their own kith and kin.
‫رھزنی را کہ بنا کرد جہانبانی گفت‬
‫ستم خواجگی او کمر بندہ شکست‬
Rahzanni ra keh bana kard jahanbaani goft; sitam-e-khwajgi-e-oo kamar
bandah shakast.
[Oss ney jiss rahzanni ki boniyad daali, ossey jahanbaani ka naam diya, oss
ki aaqaeyi kay mozalim ney mehkoom’on ki kamar torr di.]
It gave the name of empire to its acts of banditry; and heavy sat its yoke on
those who lived in its domain.
‫بے حجابانہ ببانگ دف و نے می رقصد‬
‫جامے از خون عزیزان تنک مایہ بدست‬
Bi-hijabanah bebang-e-daff-o-na’ey mi raqsad; jaamey az khoon-e-
azizaan-e-tonak mayah badast.
[(Yeh hawus prast) kamzor aziz’on kay khoon sey por jaam haath mein leay,
duff-o-na’ey (saaz) ki awaz per bidili sey raqs karta hai.]
Now, holding in its hand a goblet full of human blood, it dances madly to
the tune of flute and tambourine.
‫وقت آن است کہ آئین دگر تازہ کنیم‬
‫لوح دل پاک بشوئیم و ز سر تازہ کنیم‬
Waqt aan ast keh a’ein-e-digar tazah konaim; loh-e-dil pak bashou’im-o-
sar-e-tazah konaim.
[Waqt aa-gaya hai keh hum niya a’ein barooey kaar la’ein, dil ki takhti dho
daalein aur oss per az sar-e-nau raqam karein.]

511
It is high time that we washed clean the tablet of our heart: It is high time
that with a clean slate we made a fresh start.
‫افسر پادشہی رفت و بہ یغمائی رفت‬
‫دارائی رفت‬ ‫نے اسکندری و نغمٔہ‬
Afsar padshahi raft-o-beh yaghmaeyi raft; na’ey Iskandari-o-naghmah-e-
Daraeyi raft.
[Padshahat ka takht gaya aur loot ghhasoot ka shikar hoa, Sikandari ka
saaz aur Daraeyi ka geet gaya.]
The royal crown has passed into the hands of highwaymen. Hushed is the
song of Darius; mute is Alexander’s flute.
‫کوہکن تیشہ بدست آمد و پرویزی خواست‬
‫عشرت خواجگی و محنت الالئی رفت‬
Kohkon taishah badast aamad-o-Pervaizi khwast; ishrat-e-khwajgi-o-
mehnat-e-lalaeyi raft.
[Farhad haath mein taishah leay aya aur hakoomat-e-Pervaiz ka mod’aeyi
hoa, hokmarani ki ishrat aur ghulami ki mehnat ka dour gaya.]
Farhad has changed his pickaxe for the sceptre of Parvez. Gone are the joy
of mastership, the toil of servitude.
‫یوسفی را ز اسیری بہ عزیزی بردند‬
‫ہمہ افسانہ و افسون زلیخائی رفت‬
Yusufi ra ’z-aseeri beh azizi bordand; hamah afsanah-o-afsoon-e-
Zulaikhaeyi raft.
[Yousuf ko qiad khanah sey nikaal kar ohada-e-amarat atta hoa, Zulaikha ki
saari kahani aur jaadogari (beich mein sey) nikal gaeyi.]
Freed from his bondage, Joseph sits on Pharaoh’s high throne: The tales and
wiles of Potiphar’s wife cannot win her suit.
‫راز ہائے کہ نہان بود ببازار افتاد‬
‫آن سخن سازی و آن انجمن آرائی رفت‬
Raaz-ha’ey keh nehan bood babazaar aftaad; aan sakhon saazi-o-aan
anjaman araeyi raft.
[Woh raaz jo poshidah thhey, bazaar mein aa-parrey, (her kissi ki zoban per
aaga’ey) sakhon saazi aur anjaman araeyi ka dour jata raha.]

512
Old secrets that were veiled stand unveiled in the market-place: No longer
are they subjects of debate for the elite.
‫چشم بکشاے اگر چشم تو صاحب نظر است‬
‫زندگی در پے تعمیر جھان دگر است‬
Chashm bakosha’ey agar chashm-e-tou sahib-e-nazar ast; zindagi dar pey
ta’amir-e-jahan digar ast.
[Ankhh khhol, agar teyri ankhh sahib-e-nazar hai (aur deikhh keh) zindagi
ka eik niya jahan ta’amir karney ki fikar mein hai.]
Unveil your eyes and you will see that in full view of you life is creating for
itself a world completely new.
‫من درین خاک کہن گوہر جان می بینم‬
‫چشم ہر ذرہ چو انجم نگران می بینم‬
Mun darein khak-e-kohan gohar-e-jan mi-beinam; chashm her zarrah
cho anjam nigraan mi-beinam.
[Mien (dunya ki) khak-e-kohan mein jan ka moti deikhh raha h’on (naeyi
zindagi kay asaar deikhh raha h’on) mojhey her zarrah ki ankhh sitarah ki
manind deikhhti hoeyi nazar aati hai.]
In this our ancient dust I find the pure gold of the soul: Each atom of it is a
star’s eye with the power to see.
‫دانہ ئی را کہ بہ آغوش زمین است ہنوز‬
‫شاخ در شاخ و برومند و جوان می بینم‬
Danaheyi ra keh beh aaghosh-e-zamin ast hanooz; shakh der shakh-o-
baromand-o-jawan mi-beinam.
[Woh danah jo abhi zamin kay andar hai, mien ossey jawan, shakh dar
shakh aur phaldar deikhh raha h’on.]
In every grain of sand lodged in the womb of mother earth I see the promise
of a many-branched fruit-laden tree.
‫کوہ را مثل پر کاہ سبک می یابم‬
‫پر کاہے صفت کوہ گران می بینم‬
Koh ra misl-e-per-e-kah sobakk mi-yabam; per-e-kahey seft koh-e-graan
mi-beinam.

513
[(Maghribi tehzeeb kay) paharr ko tinnkay ki manind halka pata h’on, aur
per-e-kah ko wazni paharr deikhh raha h’on.]
I find the mountain as light as a tiny blade of grass, and heavy as a mountain
seems a blade of grass to me.
‫انقالبے کہ نگنجد بہ ضمیر افالک‬
‫بینم و ہیچ ندانم کہ چسان می بینم‬
Inqilabey keh nagunjad beh zamir-e-aflaak; beinam-o-haich nadanam
keh chisaan mi-beinam.
[Woh inqilab jo asman’on kay zamir mein naheen samata, mien ossey
deikhh raha h’on aur koeyi naheen janta keh kaisey deikhh raha h’on.]
A revolution too big for the universe’s mind I see, I know not how: I see it
just about to be.
‫خرم آنکس کہ درین گرد سوارے بیند‬
‫جوھر نغمہ ز لرزیدن تارے بیند‬
Khurram a’nkas keh darein gard-e-sawarey beinad; johar-e-naghmah ’z-
larzidan taarey beinad.
[Khosh nasib hai woh shakhs jo gard mein (penh’an) sawar deikhh leyta
hai, taar (saaz) kay larzaney sey naghmah ka johar bh’anp jata hai.]
O happy he who sees the horseman, not the dust alone, who in the throbbing
of the strings sees music’s essence drawn.
‫زندگی جوے روان است و روان خواہد بود‬
‫این مے کہنہ جوان است و جوان خواہد بود‬
Zindagi joo’ey rawan ast-o-rawan khwahad bowud; ein maey-e-kohnah
jawan ast-o-jawan khwahad bowud.
[Zindagi behti hoeyi nadi hai aur yeh hamaishah behti rehey gi, yeh porani
sharab jawan (taiz) hai aur jawan he rehey gi.]
Life is, and as long as it lasts, will be a running stream: This old wine’s
youthful effervescense will always be new.
‫آنچہ بود است و نباید ز میان خواہد رفت‬
‫آنچہ بایست و نبود است ھمان خواہد بود‬
Aanchih bood ast-o-nabayad ’z-miyan khwahad raft; aanchih ba’iest-o-
nabood ast haman khwahad bowud.

514
[Jo thha, aur naheen hona chahi’ay thha, woh darmiyan sey nikal ja’ey ga,
aur jo hona chahi’ay thha aur naheen hoa, woh zaroor ho kay rehey ga.]
What has been but should not have been will not be any more: What should
have been but has not been will be – it must be so.
‫عشق از لذت دیدار سراپا نظر است‬
‫حسن مشتاق نمود است و عیان خواہد بود‬
Ishq az lazzat-e-didaar sarapa nazar ast; hosn moshtaq-e-namood ast-o-
ayan khwahad bowud.
[(Idhar) ishq (hosn-e-azal kay) deidar ki lazzat kay ba’is sarapa nazar
(intizar mein hai), (odhar) hosn azhaar ka shouq rakhhta hai aur woh
zaroor zahir ho-ga.]
Love is all eyes for Beauty’s revelations yet to be: And Beauty, fond of self-
display, must always be on view:
‫خونین زدہ ام‬ ‫آن زمینے کہ برو گریٔہ‬
‫اشک من در جگرش لعل گران خواہد بود‬
Aan zaminay keh ba’ro giriyah-e-khonein zadah’um; ashk-e-mun dar
jigrash la’al-e-garan khwahad bowud.
[Woh sarzamin jah’an mien ney apney khoon aloodah ansoo tupka’ey hein,
oss kay jigar mein meyrey ansoo qimati la’al bun kay rehein gey.]
Deep in the earth that I have watered with my blood-stained tears my
teardrops will remain embedded, gems of a rich hue.
‫صبح درین تیرہ شبانم دادند‬ ‫مژدٔہ‬
‫شمع کشتند و ز خورشید نشانم دادند‬
Mozdah-e-sobh darein teerah shabanam dadand; shama’a koshtand O ‘z-
khurshid nishanam dadand.
[‘Mojhey iss tareek raat mein sobh ki khosh-khabri di gaeyi hai, shama’a
bojha di gaeyi hai aur (talo’o honay waaley) aftab ka nishan deikhha diya
gaya hai.’ (Tehzeeb-e-Afrang ki tabahi aur ni’ay dour-e-Islam ki amad ki
taraf asharah hai)]
‘I see in the dark night a portent of the coming dawn. My candle has been
put out, but to greet the rising sun.’
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

515
THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
Jamiyat-ul-Aqwam ‫جمعیت االقوام‬
‫بر فتد تا روش رزم درین بزم کہن‬
‫دردمندان جھان طرح نو انداختہ اند‬
‫من ازین بیش ندانم کہ کفن دزدے چند‬
‫بہر تقسیم قبور انجمنے ساختہ اند‬
Ber fatud ta rawash-e-razm darein bazm-e-kohan; dardmandaan-e-jahan
tarah-e-nau andakhtah’und.
Mun azein baish nadanam keh kafan dozday chund; baher taqsim-e-
qaboor anjamaney saakhtah’und.
[(Kaha jata hai keh) dunya kay behi khwah’on ney ni’ayi rawash ki boniyad
rakhhi hai, ta-keh is bazm-e-kohan (dunya) sey jung ka chalan khatam ho.
Magar mien iss sey ziyadah naheen janta keh chund kafan chor’on ney, apas
mein qabrein baantney kay leay eik anjaman banaeyi hai.]
To the end that wars may cease on this old planet, the suffering peoples of
the world have founded a new institution.
So far as I see it amounts to this: A number of undertakers have formed a
company to allot the graves.
(Translated by R.A. Nicholson)

SCHOPENHAUER AND NIETZSCHE

Shopanhar aur Natsche ‫شو پنہاور و نیچہ‬
‫مرغے ز آشیانہ بہ سیر چمن پرید‬
‫خارے ز شاخ گل بتن نازکش خلید‬
Morghay ’z-ashiyanah beh sair-e-chaman pareid; khaarey ’z-shakh-e-gul
batun nazikash khaleid.
[Eik parindah ashiyaney sey sair-e-chaman kay leay orra, (shakh-e-gul per
ja baithha wah’an) sey eik kanta oss kay nazok badan mein chobh gaya.]
A bird flew from its nest and ranged about the garden; its soft breast was
pierced by a rose-thorn.

516
 ‫بد گفت فطرت چمن روزگار را‬
‫از درد خویش و ہم ز غم دیگران تپید‬
Bud goft fitrat-e-chaman-e-rozgar ra; az dard-e-khwaish-o-hum ’z-ghum-
e-deigraan tapeid.
[Oss ney bagh-e-husti ki sarasht ko bora kaha, aur apney dard ki wajah sey
doosr’on kay ghum mein tarrapney laga.]
It reviled the nature of Time’s garden; it throbbed with its own pain and pain
of others.
‫داغے ز خون بی گنہے اللہ را شمرد‬
‫اندر طلسم غنچہ فریب بہار دید‬
Daghay ’z-khoon bi-gonahey lalah ra shamord; andar talism-e-ghonchah
faraib-e-bahar deid.
[Oss ney dagh-e-lalah ko bigonah kay khoon ka dagh tassawar kiya, ossey
ghonchah kay talism mein faraib-e-bahar nazar aya.]
It thought the tulip was branded with the blood of innocents; in the closed
bud it saw the guile of spring.
‫گفت اندرین سرا کہ بنایش فتادہ کج‬
‫صبحے کجا کہ چرخ درو شامہا نچید‬
Goft andarein sara keh bana’ish fatadah kajj; sobhey koja keh charakh
dur-o-shaamha nacheid.
[Oss ney kaha iss sara’ey dunya mein jiss ki boniyad he tairrhi rakhhi gaeyi
hai, koeyi aisi sobh naheen jiss kay andar asman ney shaamein nah
bichhaeyi h’on.]
It asked if in this world, with its foundation wrongly laid, there was a single
morning into which Time had not built an evening;
‫آن نوا طراز‬ ‫نالید تا بہ حوصلٔہ‬
‫خون گشت نغمہ و ز دو چشمش فرو چکید‬
Naaleid ta beh houslah-e-aan nawa taraaz, khoon gasht naghmah O ’z-
duo chashmash frou chakeid.
[Iss nawa taraz ney ta hud-e-bisaat aah-o-fariyad ki, yah’an takk keh oss ka
naghmah khoon ho gaya aur oss ki ankhh’on sey ansoo bun kar tapakk
parra.]

517
And it wept so much that song turned to blood in its throat and dripped as
tears from its eyes.
‫سوز فغان او بدل ہدہدے گرفت‬
‫با نوک خویش خار ز اندام او کشید‬
Soz-e-foghan-e-oo ba’dil-e-hodhoday garift, ba nok-e-khwaish khaar ’z-
andaam-e-oo kasheid.
[Oss parindey ki fogh’an kay soz ney eik hodhod kay dil ko motasar kiya,
hodhod ney apni ch’onch sey oss kay badan sey kanta khhainch liya.]
From the cries of burning woe a hoopoe’s heart caught fire. The hoopoe with
his beak drew forth the thorn from its body.
‫گفتش کہ سود خویش ز جیب زیان بر آر‬
‫گل از شگاف سینہ زر ناب آفرید‬
Goftash keh sood-e-khwaish ’z-jaib-e-ziyan ber aar, gul az shagaaf-e-
seinah-e-zarnab aafreid.
[Oss ney kaha keh noqsan kay andar sey fa’idah ki surat paida kar, deikhh
keh phool apney seinay kay andar sey khalas sona paida karta hai.]
Saying, ‘Get the profit out of loss: The rose has created pure gold by rending
her breast.
‫درمان ز درد ساز اگر خستہ تن شوی‬
‫خوگر بہ خار شو کہ سراپا چمن شوی‬
Darman ’z-dard saaz agar khastah tun shavi, khogar beh khaar shuo keh
sarapa chaman shavi.
[Agar teyra badan zakhmi ho ja’ey tuo dard he ko apna alaj bana, khaar ka
aadi ho ta-keh tou sarapa chaman bun ja’ey.]
If thou art wounded, make the pain thy remedy. Accustom thyself to thorns
that thou mayst become entirely one with the garden.
(Translated by R.A. Nicholson)

518
PHILOSOPHY AND POLITICS
Falsafah-o-Siyasat ‫فلسفہ و سیاست‬
‫فلسفی را با سیاست دان بیک میزان مسنج‬
‫این بے نمے‬ ‫چشم آن خورشید کورے دیدٔہ‬
‫ نا استوار‬Ð‫آن تراشد قول حق را حجت‬
‫وین تراشد قول باطل را دلیل محکمے‬
Falsafi ra ba siyasat daan bayakk mizaan masunj, chashm-e-aan
khurshid-e-koray deidah-e-ein bi-nummey.
Aan trashad quol-e-haq ra hojjat-e-naostawar, w’ein trashad quol-e-batal
ra dalil-e-mohkamey.
[Falsafi ko siyasatdan kay saath eik tarazo mein nah rakhh, falsafi ki ankhh
khurshid deikhhney sey andhi hai, siyasatdan ki ankhh mein numi naheen.
Falsafi suchi baat kay leay napokhtah dalil trashta hai, jabb-keh siyasatdan
quol-e-batal kay leay kachi dalil ghharrta hai.]
Philosopher with statesman weigh not thou: Those are sun-blinded, these are
tearless eyes.
One shapes a false argument for his truth, the other a block of logic for his
lies.
(Translated by R.A. Nicholson)

AN ASSEMBLAGE IN THE OTHER WORLD

‫صحبت رفتگان درعالم باال‬
Sohbat-e-Raftgan dar Alam-e-Bala
[Alam-e-Bala mein gozrey ho’on ki mehfil.]
‫تولستوے‬
‫بارکش اہرمن لشکری شھریار‬
‫از پے نان جوین تیغ ستم بر کشید‬
Barkash Aharman lashkarey sheharyar, az pey naan-e-javein taigh-e-
sitam ber kasheid.
[Badshah ki fouj ka sepahi Shaitan ka barberdar hai, ma’amooli roti kay
leay zolm ki talwar chalata hai.]

519
Tolstoy: Ahriman’s hirelings, warriors of kings, draw oppression’s sword for
a loaf of bread.
‫زشت بہ چشمش نکوست مغز نداند ز پوست‬
‫خویشان درید‬ ‫مردک بیگانہ دوست سینٔہ‬
Zasht beh chashmash niko’st maghaz nadanad ’z-post, mardak-e-biganah
dost seinah-e-khwaishan dareid.
[Bud oss ki nazar mein nek hai, woh maghaz aur chhilkay mein farq naheen
karta, yeh ahmaq ghair’on ka hamdard hai aur apn’on ka seinah chirta hai.]
Evil is their good, and the husk their food. Friends of others, these are their
own kin’s foes.
‫ وطن‬، ‫ کلیسا‬، ‫داروے بیہوشی است تاج‬
‫جان خدا داد را خواجہ بجامے خرید‬
Daroo’ey bihoshi ast taj, Kalisa, watan; jan-e-khoda-dad ra khwajah
bajaamey khareid.
[Taj, Kalisa, aur watan insan ko bihosh kar deyney waali adwiyat
(tassawarat) hein. Aaqa awam ko yeh jaam pila kar onn sey Allah Ta’alla ki
atta kardah jan kharid leyta hai.]
Country, church and crown are narcotics grown by the masters to buy their
slaves’ souls with.
‫کارل مارکس‬
‫رازدان جزو و کل از خویش نامحرم شد است‬
‫آدم از سرمایہ داری قاتل آدم شد است‬
Raazdan jozv-o-kul az khwaish namehram shod ast, Adam az sarmayah
daari qatal-e-Adam shod ast.
[Insan jo jozv-o-kul ka razdaan thha, apney aap sey na-mehram ho choka
hai, sarmayah daari ki wajah sey insan, insan ka qatil bun gaya hai.]
Karl Marx: For all his wisdom, man is not yet self-aware, and capitalism has
rendered man man’s murderer.
‫ھیگل‬
‫جلوہ دہد باغ و راغ معنی مستور را‬
‫عین حقیقت نگر حنظل و انگور را‬

520
 ‫فطرت اضداد خیز لذت پیکار داد‬
‫ آمر و مأمور را‬،‫خواجہ و مزدور را‬
Jalwah dehud bagh-o-ragh ma’ani-e-mastoor ra, ain haqiqat nigar
hanzal-o-angoor ra.
Fitrat azdaad khaiz lazzat-e-paikar daad, khwajah-o-mazdoor ra, aamar-
o-mamoor ra.
[Bagh-o-ragh ney chhopay ho’ay ma’ani zahar kar di’ay, hanzal aur angoor
ko ain haqiqat deikhh.
Azdad paida karney waali fitrat ney khwajah-o-mazdoor aur aamer-o-
mamoor ko tasadam ki lazzat di.]
Hegel: Reality is double-faced. The orchard and the desert are two aspects of
it that one sees. To know the whole truth one must taste both grapes and
bitter gourds.
So fond is Nature of antitheses that it has set at war employees and
employers, slaves and lords.
‫تولستوی‬
‫عقل دو رو آفرید فلسفہ خود پرست‬
‫مزدور را‬ ‫درس رضا میدہی بندٔہ‬
Aql duo roo aafrid falsafah-e-khod parast, dars-e-raza mi-dehi bandah-e-
mazdoor ra.
[Aql jiss kay duo rokh hein, oss ney khod parasti ka falsafah eijad kiya, kaya
tou bandah-e-mazdoor ko taqdir per raazi rehney ka daras deyta hai.]
Tolstoy: The two-faced intellect with its philosophy of egotism bids the
worker suffer patiently.
‫مزدک‬
‫ایران ز کشت زار و قیصر بر دمید‬ ‫دانٔہ‬
‫مرگ نو می رقصد اندر قصر سلطان و امیر‬
Danah-e-Iran ’z-kisht-e-Zaar-o-Qaisar ber dameid, murg-e-nau mi-raqsad
andar qisr-e-sultan-o-ameer.
[Iran ka danah Zaar aur Qaisar ki khheiti sey oga, abb sultan aur ameer kay
mehlaat mein naeyi mout raqs kar rehi hai.]

521
Mazdak: Iran’s seed sprouts forth from the soil of the empires of the Kaisers
and the Czars. Death dances a new dance in kings’ and rich men’s palaces.
‫مدتے در آتش نمرود می سوزد خلیل‬
‫تا تہی گردد حریمش از خداوندان پیر‬
Moddatey dar atash-e-Nimrod mi-sozad Khalil, ta tehi gardad harimash az
khodavandan-e-pir.
[Khalil eik modat takk atash-e-Nimrod mein jalta hai, tabb kaheen oss ka
Haram poraney khodwand’on sey khaali hota hai.]
For ages does an Abraham burn in a Nimrod’s fire before he can cast out old
idols from the sanctuary of his Lord.
‫پرویز خیز‬ ‫دور پرویزی گذشت اے کشتٔہ‬
‫خود را ز خسرو باز گیر‬ ‫نعمت گم گشتٔہ‬
Dour-e-Pervaizi gozasht ay koshtah-e-Pervaiz khaiz, nimat-e-gomgashtah-
e-khod ra ’z-Khosro baaz geir.
[Pervaizi ka dour gozar gaya, ay qateel-e-Pervaiz othh, apni gom shodah
nimat oss sey wapas ley.]
Gone is the age of Parvez, wake up now, O victims of his tyranny. Wrest
back from him the good things he deprived you of.
‫کوہکن‬
‫نگار من کہ بسے سادہ و کم آمیز است‬
 ‫ستیزہ کیش و ستم کوش و فتنہ انگیز است‬
Nigaar-e-mun keh bassey sadah-o-kum aamaiz ast, satizah kaish-o-sitam
kosh-o-fitnah angaiz ast.
[Meyra mehboob jo bohat sadah aur kum amaiz hai, jhagrralo, zalam aur
fitnah angaiz bhi hai.]
Kohkan: Though outwardly so simple and so shy, my loved one is a tyrant,
sly and full of mischief and deceit.
‫برون او ھمہ بزم و درون او ہمہ رزم‬
‫زبان او ز مسیح و دلش ز چنگیز است‬
Baroon-e-oo hamah bazm-o-daroon-e-oo hamah razm, zoban-e-oo ’z-
Masseih-o-dilash ’z-Changaiz ast.

522
[Woh zahar mein bazm-ara (solah joo) hai, laikan andar sey sar ta pa jung
(-o-jadal) hai, oss ki zoban Masseih jaisi aur dil Changaiz ka sa hai.]
She looks all amity, but is a fighter in reality. Like Christ’s her tongue is
sweet: Her heart is hard like that of Genghis Khan, that cruel man.
‫گسست عقل و جنون رنگ بست و دیدہ گداخت‬
‫در آ بہ جلوہ کہ جانم ز شوق لبریز است‬
Gosast aql-o-janoon rung bost-o-deidah godakht, dar aabah jalwah keh
janam ’z-shouq labraiz ast.
[Aql gaeyi, jan’on ney rung bandha aur meyri ankhh’on sey ansoo tupkaney
lagey, apna jalwah dikhha kiyu’onkeh meyri jan shouq sey labraiz hai.]
My intellect has broken down: My madness will soon reach its crown; my
vision has dissolved in tears. Appear to me: I pine for you.
‫من کوہ را ز پا آورد‬ ‫اگرچہ تیشٔہ‬
‫ہنوز گردش گردون بکام پرویز است‬
Agarchih taishah-e-mun koh ra ’z-pa aawurd, hanooz gardish-e-gardoon
bakaam-e-Pervaiz ast.
[Agarchih meyrey taish’ay ney paharr ko monhedam kar diya, laikan abhi
takk asman Pervaiz he kay haq mein gardish kar raha hai (zamanah ossi kay
mowafiq hai).]
My pickaxe has laid low a hill at your command; but still the world appears
to favour Parvez, as you do.
‫ز خاک تا بفلک ہر چہ ہست رہ پیماست‬
‫قدم کشاے کہ رفتار کاروان تیز است‬
’Z-khak ta ba falak her chih hust reh paima’st, qadam kosha’ey keh
raftar-e-carvan taiz ast.
[Khak sey asman takk jo kochh bhi hai, safar mein hai, (tou bhi) qadam
othha kiyu’onkeh carav’an ki raftar (bohat) traiz hai.]
From earth to sky all things seem running in a race. The caravan moves fast:
make haste, increase your pace.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

523
NIETZSCHE
Natsche ‫نیتچہ‬
‫از سستی عناصر انسان دلش تپید‬
‫فکر حکیم پیکر محکم تر آفرید‬
‫افگند در فرنگ صد آشوب تازہ ئی‬
‫دیوانہ ئی بہ کارگہ شیشہ گر رسید‬
Az sosti-e-anasar-e-insan dilash tapeid, fikr-e-hakim paikar-e-mohkamter
aafrid.
Afgund dar Farang sadd ashoob-e-tazaheyi, devanaheyi beh kargeh-e-
shishagar raseid.
[Oss ka dil anasar-e-insan ki kumzori per moztarib hoa, chon’anchih oss
falsafi kay fikr ney mazboot-ter insani paikar trasha (Insan-e-berter ka
tassawar diya).
Oss ney Maghrib mein sainkarr’on ni’ay hungamay khharrey kar di’ay,
(yu’on lagta hai jaisey) eik divanah shishah-gar ki duokan mein dakhal ho
gaya ho.]
The heart of the philosopher bled at man’s sinews laxity so his thought
fashioned a new cast of man.
He raised a fresh storm in the West - it was as if a lunatic had crashed into a
glassware factory.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

EINSTEIN
Kakim Ianstein ‫حکیم اینشتین‬
‫جلوہ ئی میخواست مانند کلیم ناصبور‬
‫تا ضمیر مستنیر او کشود اسرار نور‬
Jalwaheyi mi-khwast manind-e-Kalim nasaboor, ta zamir mostanir-e-oo
kashood asrar-e-noor.
[Woh Kalim-e-nasaboor ki manind jalwah (-e-haqiqat) ka khwah’an hoa,
(iss koshish mein) oss kay zihan ney roshni kay asrar khholey.]
Like Moses he sought a theophany until his mind, in quest of light, unveiled
its mystery.

524
 ‫از فراز آسمان تا چشم آدم یک نفس‬
‫زود پروازے کہ پروازش نیاید در شعور‬
Az faraz asman ta chash-e-Adam yakk nafas, zood pervaazey keh
pervaazash nayayid der shaoor.
[Roshani asman ki bolandi sey Adam ki ankhh takk eik lamhay mein poh’nch
jaati hai, yeh itni zood pervaaz (taiz raftar) hai keh oss ki pervaaz samajh
sey bala hai.]
A moment’s flight from heaven’s height to the observer’s eye – such is the
unimaginable speed of its fast-beating wings, indeed.  
‫خلوت او در زغال تیرہ فام اندر مغاک‬
‫جلوتش سوزد درختے را چو خس باالے طور‬
Khalwat-e-oo dar ’z-ghaal-e-tirahfaam andar moghak, jalwatash sozad
darakhtey ra cho khas bala’ey Toor.
[Roshni ki khalwat kaan mein parrey ho’ay siyah rung ko’ilay mein
(basurat-e-heera) hai, aur oss ki jalwat Toor per (oggay ho’ay) darakht ko
khas ki manind jala deyti hai.]
Sequestered, it lies at the core of black coal in a pit. When manifest in its full
glory, it burns up like straw a bush on Mount Sinai.  
‫بے تغیر در طلسم چون و چند و بیش و کم‬
‫برتر از پست و بلند و دیر و زود و نزد و دور‬
Bey taghiyyar dar talism choon-o-chund-o-baish-o-kum, berter az pust-o-
boland-o-dir-o-zood-o-nizd-o-door.
[Yeh (roshni) kumi baishi aur kiyu’on aur kaisey kay talism (iss dunya) mein
tabdeeli kay baghair hai (issi tarah) yeh iss jahan kay pust-o-bala (makan)
dir-o-zood (zaman) aur nazdeek-o-door (mosafat) sey bhi bala-ter hai.]
Unchanging in this magic world of more or less, of high and low, of far and
near, of to and fro, its make-up has in it two sets.
‫در نہادش تار و شید و سوز و ساز و مرگ و زیست‬
‫اہرمن از سوز او و ساز او جبریل و حور‬
Dar nehadash taar-o-sheid O soz-o-saaz O murg-o-zeist, Ahraman az soz-
e-oo O saaz-e-oo Jibril-o-hoor.

525
[Andhaira, ojala, soz-o-saaz aur murg-o-zeist (sabb) oss ki nehad mein
poshidah hein, Iblis oss (ki herarat) kay soz sey hai aur Jibril-o-hoor oss (ki
thhandak) kay saaz sey.]
Of qualities, engaged in mutual strife, like brightness, darkness, soothing,
burning, life and death, one of which sets begets the angels and the houris,
while the other shows in Ahriman the vile.  
‫من چہ گویم از مقام آن حکیم نکتہ سنج‬
‫کردہ زردشتے ز نسل موسی و ہارون ظہور‬
Mun chih go’eym az moqam aan hakim noktah sunj, kardah zar-dashtey
’z-nasal-e-Mosa-o-Haroon zahoor.
[Mien oss hakim-e-noktah shanas kay baarey mein kaya kah’on, thha woh
Mosa aur Haroon ki nasal sey, magar oss ney kaam zardasht ka kiya
(Zardasht aag ko moqadas samajhta thha).]
What can I say about this subtle-minded sage except that from the race of
Moses and of Aaron there has come a Zarathustra in our age?
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

BYRON
‫بایرن‬
‫مثال اللہ و گل شعلہ از زمین روید‬
‫اگر بخاک گلستان تراود از جامش‬
Misal-e-lalah-o-gul sho’alah az zamin roweid, agar bakhak-e-gulistan
tarawud az jaamash.
[Agar oss kay jaam sey gulistan ki matti mein (kochh sharab) tupkay, tuo
zamin sey lalah-o-gul ki manind sho’alah paida ho ja’ey.]
Flames would spring up, just as rose and tulip do, from the garden’s soil, if
you poured a drop or two on it from his cup, always on the boil.
‫نبود در خور طبعش ہواے سرد فرنگ‬
‫تپید پیک محبت ز سوز پیغامش‬
Nabood darkhor taba’ash hawa’ey sard-e-Farang, tapeid peik-e-mohabat
’z-soz-e-paighamash.

526
[Oss ki taba’a ko Farangistan ki thhandak (bisoz) aab-o-hawa raas nah
aati, (magar) oss kay paigham kay soz sey mohabat ka qasad tarrap othha.]
England’s chilly climate did not suit his spirit. His heart’s message’s great
ardour set aflame love’s messenger.  
‫خیال او چہ پریخانہ ئی بنا کرد است‬
‫شباب غش کند از جلوہ لب بامش‬
Khiyal-e-oo chih pari khanaheyi bana kard ast, shabab ghush konad az
jalwah-e-labb-e-baamash.
[Oss kay fikr ney kaya pari khanah banaya hai, keh oss kay jalwah-e-labb-e-
baam sey shabab hosh-o-hawas khho baithhta hai.]
What a fairyland of beauty was created by his fancy! Seeing his
epiphanies, youth goes into ecstasies.
‫گذاشت طایر معنی نشیمن خود را‬
‫دامش‬ ‫کہ سازگار تر افتاد حلقٔہ‬
Gozasht ta’er-e-ma’ani nashiman khod ra, keh saazgar-ter aftaad halqah-
e-daamash.
[Ma’ani kay parinday ney apna nashiman chhorr diya hai, kiyu’okeh Byron
kay daam ney apnay daam ka halqah ossey ziyadah pasand aa-gaya hai.]
But his genius, that high-soaring bird, left its nest to fall into a snare, which
it preferred to soaring in the air. (Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

NIETZSCHE
Natsche ‫نیتچہ‬
‫گر نوا خواہی ز پیش او گریز‬
‫در نے کلکش غریو تندر است‬
Gar nawa khwahi ’z-paish-e-oo garaiz, der na’ey kalkash gharew-e-tondar
ast.
[Agar tou naghmah chahta hai tuo oss sey door reh, (kiyu’onkeh) oss ki
awaaz mein bijli ki karrak hai.]
If song thou crave, flee form him! Thunder roars in the reed of his pen.

527
 ‫نیشتر اندر دل مغرب فشرد‬
‫دستش از خون چلیپا احمر است‬
Naishter andar dil-e-Maghrib fashord; dastash az khoon-e-Chalipa ahmar
ast.
[Oss ney Maghrib kay dil mein nishtar chabho diya hai, oss kay haath
Essaiyat kay khoon sey sorkh hein.]
He plunged a lancet into Europe’s heart; his hand is red with the blood of the
Cross.
‫آنکہ بر طرح حرم بتخانہ ساخت‬
‫قلب او مؤمن دماغش کافر است‬
Aan-keh ber tarah-e-Haram bottkadah saakht, qalb-e-oo momin
damaghash kafir ast.
[Woh aisa shakhs hai jiss ney Haram ki tarz per bottkhanah ta’amir kiya
hai, oss ka qalb momin hai magar damagh kafir hai.]
He reared a pagoda on the ruins of the Temple: His heart is a true believer,
but his brain an infidel.
‫خویش را در نار آن نمرود سوز‬
‫زانکہ بستان خلیل از آذر است‬
Khwaish ra dar naar-e-aan Nimrod soz, ’z-aan keh bostan-e-Khalil az
Azar ast.
[Apney aap ko iss Nimrod ki aag mein jala, kiyu’onkeh Khalil-ul-Allah ka
bagh aag he sey wajood mein aya thha.]
Burn thyself in the fire of that Nimrod, for the garden of Abraham is
produced from fire. (Translated by R.A. Nicholson)

JALAL AND HEGEL

‫جالل و ھگل‬
‫می کشودم شبے بہ ناخن فکر‬
‫عقدہ ہاے حکیم المانی‬
Mi-kashoodam shabbey beh naakhon-e-fikr, oqdah-ha’ey Hakim
Almaani.

528
[Eik raat mien apnay fikr kay naakhon sey oss German falsafi (Hegel) kay
oqday khhol raha thha.]
One night I was engaged in teasing out the knots of Hegel’s philosophic
thought;
‫آنکہ اندیشہ اش برہنہ نمود‬
‫ابدی راز کسوت آنی‬
Aan-keh andaisha’ash brahnah namood, abdi raaz kiswat-e-aani.
[Woh jiss kay fikr ney aani (waqti) kay labas sey abdi ko namoodar kiya.]
Which tore the veil of transient, finite things, laying bare the infinite, the
absolute;
‫پیش عرض خیال او گیتی‬
‫خجل آمد ز تنگ دامانی‬
Paish-e-arz-e-khiyal-e-oo geiti, khajal aamad ’z-tung damani.
[Oss kay khayal kay maidan (ki wosa’at) kay zamanay bhi apni tung damani
kay sabab sharmindah hai.]
And whose conception’s grand, imposing range made the world shrink into a
tiny mote.
‫چون بدریاے او فرو رفتم‬ 
‫کشتی عقل گشت طوفانی‬
Choon badarya-e-oo frou raftam, kashti-e-aql gasht-e-toofani.
[Jabb mien oss kay darya (-e-fikr) kay andar daakhal hoa, tuo meyri aql ki
kashti toofani lehar’on ki nazar hogaeyi.]
When I plunged into that tempestuous sea, my mind became just like a
storm-tossed boat.
‫خواب بر من دمید افسونے‬
‫چشم بستم ز باقی و فانی‬
Khwab ber mun dameid afsooney, chashm bostam ’z-baqi-o-faani.
[Mojh per neind ney apna afs’on phhainka aur mien ney baqi aur faani sey
ankhh bund kar-li.]
But soon a spell lulled me to slumber and shut out the finite and the infinite.

529
 ‫نگہ شوق تیز تر گردید‬
‫چہرہ بنمود پیر یزدانی‬
Nigah-e-shouq taiz-ter gardeid, chehrah banamood Pir-e-Yazdani.
[(Khwab mein) meyri shouq ki nigah aur ziyadah taiz ho gaeyi aur Pir-e-
Rabbani (Rumi) zahar ho’ay.]
My inner vision sharpened, I observed an old man whose face was a godly
sight:
‫آفتابے کہ از تجلی او‬
‫افق روم و شام نورانی‬
Aftabey keh az tajali-e-oo, ofaq-e-Rome-o-Shaam noorani.
[Eik aftab thha, jiss ki tajali sey Rome aur Shaam ka ofaq noorani ho gaya.]
The man whose spirit’s glory, like the sun, has made the sky of Rum and
Syria bright.
‫شعلہ اش در جہان تیرہ نہاد‬
‫بہ بیابان چراغ رہبانی‬
Sho’alah-ash dar jahan-e-tirah nehad, beh biyaban charagh-e-rehbani.
[Rumi ka sho’alah iss tareek fitrat dunya kay andar yu’on (roshan) hai,
jaisey biyaban kay andar dervaish ka chiragh.]
Whose flame in this benighted wilderness shines like a path-illuminating
light;
‫معنی از حرف او ہمی روید‬
‫صفت اللہ ہاے نعمانی‬
Ma’ani az harf-e-oo hami rooyad, sift-e-lalah-ha’ey no’amani.
[Oss kay alfaaz sey ma’ani iss tarah phoot’tey hein, jaisey bagh kay andar
khoonein lalah kay phool.]
From whose words meanings grow spontaneously like tulips riotously
breaking out.
‫گفت با من چہ خفتہ ئی بر خیز‬
‫بہ سرابے سفینہ می رانی‬
Goft ba-mun chih khoftaheyi barkhaiz, beh sorabey safeinah mi-raani.

530
[Onnh’on ney mojh sey kaha: Kaya soaya parra hai, othh! (Aur deikhh keh)
tou soraab kay andar apni kashti chala raha hai.]
‘You sleep’, said he. ‘Awake, awake: To ply a boat in a mirage is folly’s
height.
‫بہ خرد راہ عشق می پوئی؟‬
‫بہ چراغ آفتاب می جوئی؟‬
Beh khird rah-e-ishq mi-poeyi? Beh chiragh-e-aftab mi-joeyi?
[‘Khird kay zari’ay ishq ki rah ta’ey karta hai? Chiragh ley kar aftab
dh’ondhta hai?’]
You’re bidding wisdom guide you on love’s path! You’re looking for the
sun by candle-light!’
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

PETÖFI
Petoufi was a young poet of Hungary who died in battle defending his
country and no earthly memorial of whom exists, as his body could not be
found.
‫پتوفی‬
‫نفسے درین گلستان ز عروس گل سرودی‬
‫بدلے غمے فزودی ز دلے غمے ربودی‬
Nafsay darein gulistan ’z-aroos-e-gul saroodi, baddley ghumey fazoodi ’z-
dilley ghumay raboodi.
[Oss ney iss gulistan (dunya) mein eik lamah kay leay aroos-e-gul ka geet
gaya, (aur oss sey) dil kay ghum mein azafah bhi kiya aur dil sey ghum ko
door bhi kiya.]
In this garden, for just one moment, you sang of the bride-like rose, you
increased the sorrow of some hearts, and dispelled the sorrow of others.
‫تو بخون خویش بستی کف اللہ را نگارے‬
‫تو بہ آہ صبحگاہی دل غنچہ را کشودی‬
Tou bakhoon-e-khwaish bosti kaff-e-lalah ra nigaarey, tou beh aah-e-
sobhgahi dil-e-ghonchah ra kashoodi.

531
[(Eik taraf) Tou ney apney khoon sey kaff-e-lalah per naqsh-o-nigaar
bana’ey, (doosari taraf) tou ney apni aah-e-sobhgahi sey ghonchey ka
(bund) dil khhila diya.]
You painted the tulip’s palm with y our blood; and opened the bud’s heart
with your sighs at dawn.
‫بہ نواے خود گم استی سخن تو مرقد تو‬
‫بہ زمین نہ باز رفتی کہ تو از زمین نبودی‬
Beh nawa’ey khod gom asti sakhon-e-tou marqad-e-tou, beh zamin neh
baaz rafti keh tou az zamin naboodi.
[Teyra sakhon aur teyra marqad duon’on apni nawa mein gom hein, tou
zam’in mein dobarah nah gaya, kliyu’onkeh teyra ta’alaq zamin sey nah
thha.]
You are lost in your song – because your verse is your tomb: You did not
return to earth because you were not of earth.
(Translated by Mustansir Mir)

DIALOGUE BETWEEN AUGUSTE COMTE AND THE LABOURER

‫محاورہ ما بین حکیم فرانسوی اوگوست کنت و مرد مزدور‬
Mohawrah mabain Hakim Fransvi Auguste Comte-o-mard-e-Mazdoor.
[Hakim Auguste Comte Francis aur mard-e-mazdoor.]
‫حکیم‬
’’‫‘‘بنی آدم اعضاے یک دیگرند‬
‫ہمان نخل را شاخ و برگ و بر اند‬
‘Bani Adam aaza’ey yakk digarund’, haman nakhal ra shakh-o-burg-o-
ber-und.
[‘Adam ki aulad eik he badan kay a’aza hein’, eik he darakht ki shakhein,
pattay aur phal hein.]
Comte: All men are one another’s limbs, the leaves and stems of one big
tree.

532
 ‫دماغ ار خرد زاست از فطرت است‬
‫اگر پا زمین ساست از فطرت است‬
Damagh aar khird ’z-ast az fitrat ast, agar pa zamin saast az fitrat ast.
[Agar damagh mein aql hai tuo yeh fitrat ki atta kardah hai, aur agar
paa’on zamin per chalta hai tuo yeh bhi fitri amal hai.]
If man’s brain is the seat of intellect and if his feet trail on the ground, this is
because they both are bound by Nature’s ineluctable decree.
‫ یکے کار ساز‬، ‫یکے کار فرما‬
‫نیاید ز محمود کار ایاز‬
Yakkey kaar farma, yakkey kaarsaz, niyaid ’z-Mehmood kaar-e-Ayaz.
[Koeyi hokam deyney wala, koeyi kaam karney wala, Mehmood Ayaz ka
kaam naheen kar sakta.]
One man commands, another works, both born to it. A Mahmud cannot do
the work of an Ayaz.
‫نبینی کہ از قسمت کار زیست‬
‫سراپا چمن می شود خار زیست‬
Nabeini keh az qismat-e-kaar-e-zeist, sarapa chaman mi-shawud khaar
zeist.
[Kaya tou naheen deikhhta keh taqsim-e-kaar kay ba’is zindagi ka kanta bhi
chaman bun jata hai.]
Do you not see it is because work is divided between you that life becomes a
garden, with both rose and thorn?
‫مرد مزدور‬
‫فریبی بہ حکمت مرا اے حکیم‬
‫کہ نتوان شکست این طلسم قدیم‬
Faraibi beh hikmat-e-mera ay hakim, keh natwaan shakast ein talism-e-
qadim.
[Ay falsafi! Kaya tou mojhey apney falsafah sey faraib mein mobtala karta
hai, aur kehta hai keh iss talism-e-qadim ko torra naheen ja sakta.]
The Labourer: Philosopher, you cheat me when you say that I can never
break my way out of this magic circle that you weave.

533
 ‫مس خام را از زر اندودہ ئے‬
‫مرا خوے تسلیم فرمودہ ئی‬
Muss-e-khaam ra az zar andodaheyi, mera khoo’ey taslim farmoodaheyi.
[Tou ney kachay ta’nbay per sonay ka pani charrhaya hai, keh mojhey
taslim-o-raza ki a’adat ikhtiyar karney ka mashwarah diya hai.]
You pass base brass for gold, and teach me to resign myself to fate.
‫کند بحر را آبنایم اسیر‬
‫ز خارا برد تیشہ ام جوے شیر‬
Kunad behar ra aabnayim aseer, ’z-khara bord taishah’um joo’ey sher.
[Meyri aabna’ey, samandar ko apna aseer banati hai, meyra taishah chattan
sey doodh ki nadi bahata hai.]
With my pickaxe I excavate long waterways, in which I hold the very ocean
prisoner, and retrieve milk and honey from Nature’s stores.
‫حق کوہکن دادی اے نکتہ سنج‬
‫بہ پرویز پرکار و نا بردہ رنج‬
Haq-e-kohkan dadi ay noktah sunj, beh Pervaiz porkaar-o-na bordah
runj.
[Ay noktah-d’an (falsafi)! Tou ney kohkon ka haq chalak Pervaiz ko dey diya
hai, jiss ney koeyi takleif naheen othhaeyi.]
Purveyor of strange subtleties, you give poor Kohkan’s prize, for all his
sores, to the idle, rich and sly Parvez.
‫خطا را بہ حکمت مگردان صواب‬
‫خضر را نگیری بدام سراب‬
Khata ra beh hikmat magar daan-e-sawab, Khizar ra nagiri badam-e-
sorab.
[Apnay falsafah sey ghalat ko darost nah bana, tou Khizar (A.S.) ko sorab
kay jall mein naheen la-sakta.]
Do not try passing wrong for right with your philosophy. You cannot dupe a
Khizr’s sight with a mirage’s trickery.

534
 ‫ سرمایہ دار‬، ‫بہ دوش زمین بار‬
‫ندارد گذشت از خور و خواب و کار‬
Beh dosh-e-zamin bar, sarmayahdar, nadarad gozasht az khor-o-khwab-o-
kaar.
[Sarmayahdar zamin kay kandh’on per boujh hai, ossey khhaney aur sonay
kay allawah aur koeyi kaam naheen.]
The capitalist is a burden on earth, with nothing to do but eat and sleep:
‫جہان راست بہروزی از دست مزد‬
‫ندانی کہ این ہیچ کار است دزد‬
Jahan rast behrozi az dast-e-muzd, nadani keh ein haich kaar ast dozd.
[Dunya ki khosh’hali mazdoor kay haath’on hai, tou mutt samajh keh yeh
ma’amooli kaam karney wala (mazdoor) chor hai.]
Which thrives because of those who work on it; do you not know this idler is
a thief by birth?
‫پے جرم او پوزش آوردہ ئی‬
‫بہ این عقل و دانش فسون خوردہ ئی‬
Pey jorm-e-oo pozash awurdaheyi, beh ein aql-o-danish fasoon
khordaheyi.
[Tou sarmayah-dar kay jorm kay leay jawaz paida kar raha hai, apni iss
aql-o-danish kay bawajood tou faraib khordah hai.]
The crime that he exists you want excused. With all your wisdom you have
been bemused. (Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

HEGEL
‫ھیگل‬
‫حکمتش معقول و با محسوس در خلوت نرفت‬
‫گرچہ بکر فکر او پیرایہ پوشد چون عروس‬
‫طایر عقل فلک پرواز او دانی کہ چیست؟‬
‘‘‫’’ماکیان کز زور مستی خایہ گیرد بے خروس‬
Hikmatash-e-ma’aqool-o-ba mehsoos dar khalwat naraft, garchih bakr-e-
fikr-e-oo pairayah poshad choon aroos.

535
Ta’er-e-aql falak pervaaz-e-oo dani keh cheist? ‘Makiyan kaz zor-e-musti
khayah geirad bey kharoos.
[Oss ka falsafah ma’aqool hai laikan woh mehsoosat ki teh takk naheen
poh’nch saka, agarchih oss kay fikr-e-nau ney aroos ka saa labas pehna hoa
hai.
Kaya tou janta hai keh iss ka falak pervaaz ta’er-e-aql kaya hai? ‘Yeh aisi
morghi ki mqanind hai jo zor-e-musti mein baghair morgh kay anda dey
deyti hai’.]
His thought is fully rational and unrelated to the sensuous, although his ideas
are decked out in the garb of brides.
Do you know what kind of a bird is his high-soaring thought? It is a hen
which through excess of heat conceives without a mate.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

JALAL AND GOETHE

‫جالل و گوتے‬
‫نکتہ دان المنے را در ارم‬
‫صحبتے افتاد با پیر عجم‬
Noktah daan Almaney ra dar iram, sohbatey aftaad ba pir-e-Ajam.
[Jannat mein German danishwar (Goethe) ki Pir-e-Ajam (Rumi) sey molaqat
hoeyi.]
In paradise that perceptive German happened upon the Master of the East.
‫شاعرے کو ہمچو آن عالی جناب‬
‫نیست پیغمبر ولے دارد کتاب‬
Sha’erey ko humcho aan aali janab, neist paighamber walley darad kitab.
[Yeh German sha’er bhi oss boland martabat (shakhsiyat) ki manind,
paighamber tuo naheen laikan kitab takhhta hai.]
Where is a poet of such stature! Though not a prophet, he is possessed of
scripture!

536
 ‫خواند بر داناے اسرار قدیم‬
‫پیمان ابلیس و حکیم‬ ‫قصٔہ‬
Khwanad ber dana’ey asrar-e-qadim, qissah-e-paiman-e-Iblis-o-hakim.
[Sha’er ney asrar-e-qadim kay dana (Rumi) kay saamney, Iblis-o-hakim kay
paiman ka qissah parrha.]
To the one who knew divine secrets he read about the pact of Iblis and the
doctor.
‫گفت رومی اے سخن را جان نگار‬
‫تو ملک صید استی و یزدان شکار‬
Goft Rumi ay sakhon ra jan nigaar, tou milk-e-si’ad asti-o-Yazdan shikar.
[Rumi ney kaha ay woh shakhs jo sakhon ko rooh sey moziyun karta hai, tou
farisht’on sey ley kar Haq Ta’alla takk ko apney fikr mein aseer karta hai.]
Rumi said, ‘You who bring words to life, and hunt angels and God;
‫فکر تو در کنج دل خلوت گزید‬
‫این جہان کہنہ را باز آفرید‬
Fikr-e-tou dar konj-e-dil khalwat gazeid, ein jahan-e-kohnah ra baaz
aafreid.
[Teyra fikr dil ki gehraiyu’on mein otar jata hai, tou ney iss jahan-e-qadim
ko az sar-e-nau paida kiya hai.]
Your thought has made its home in the inner recesses of the heart, and
created this old world anew.
‫سوز و ساز جان بہ پیکر دیدہ ئی‬
‫در صدف تعمیر گوہر دیدہ ئی‬
Soz-o-saaz-e-jan beh paikar deidaheyi, dar sadaf ta’amir-e-gohar
deidaheyi.
[Tou ney paikar mein jan ka soz-o-saaz deikhha hai, tou ney sadaf kay andar
gohar bantay deikhha hai.]
At one and the same time in the body’s frame, you have seen the tranquility
and the restlessness of the soul; you have been a witness to the birth of the
pearl in the shell.  

537
 ‫ہر کسے از رمز عشق آگاہ نیست‬
‫ہر کسے شایان این درگاہ نیست‬
Her kassey az ramz-e-ishq agah neist, her kassey shayan-e-ein dargah
neist.
[Her koeyi ramz-e-ishq sey agah naheen, her koeyi dargah-e-ishq kay
shayan naheen.]
Not everyone knows the secret of love; or is fit to reach these portals.
‫’’داند آن کو نیکبخت و محرم است‬
 ‫رومی‬ ‘‘‫زیرکی ز ابلیس و عشق از آدم است‬
‘Danad aan ko nekbakht-o-mehram ast, zeiraki ’z-Iblis-o-ishq az Adam
ast’. Rumi.
[‘Sirf khosh bakht aur mehram (-e-asrar) he janta hai, keh chalaki Iblis sey
hai aur ishq Adam (A.S.) sey’. – Rumi]
‘He who is blest, and a confidant, knows that cunning comes from Iblis and
love from Adam.’
(Translated by Mustansir Mir)

BERGSON’S MESSAGE
‫پیغام برگسن‬
‫تا بر تو آشکار شود راز زندگی‬
‫خود را جدا ز شعلہ مثال شرر مکن‬
Ta ber tou aashkar shawud raaz-e-zindagi, khod ra joda ’z-sho’alah
misal-e-sharar makun.
[Ta-keh tojh per raaz-e-zindagi monkashif ho, sharar ki manind apney aap
ko sho’aley sey joda nah kar.]
If thou wouldst read Life as an open book, be not a spark divided from the
brand.
‫بہر نظارہ جز نگہ آشنا میار‬
‫در مرز و بوم خود چو غریبان گذر مکن‬
Beher nazarah joz nigah ashna miyar, dar marz-o-boom khod cho
ghariban gozar makun.

538
[Nazarey kay leay sirf (haqiqat) ashna ankhh la, apney watan kay andar
mosafir’on ki tarah nah gozar.]
Being the familiar eye, the friendly look, nor visit strange-like thy native
land.
‫نقشے کہ بستہ ئی ہمہ اوہام باطل است‬
‫دل است‬ ‫عقلے بہم رسان کہ ادب خوردٔہ‬
Naqshey keh bostaheyi hamah auhaam baatil ast, aqlay beham rasan keh
adab khordaheyi dil ast.
[Tou ney jo naqoosh bana’ey hein woh auhaam-e-baatil hein, aisi aql paida
kar jo dil sey tarbiyat yaftah ho.]
O thou by vain imaginings befooled, get thee a reason which the Heart hath
schooled! (Translated by R.A. Nicholson)

THE WINE-SHOP OF THE WEST

Maeykhanah-e-Farang ‫فرنگ‬ ‫میخانٔہ‬
‫یاد ایامے کہ بودم در خمستان فرنگ‬
‫اسکندر است‬ ‫جام او روشنتر از آئینٔہ‬
Yaad-e-ayamey keh boodam dar khomastan-e-Farang, jaam-e-oo roshan-
ter az a’einah-e-Iskandar ast.
[Mojhey woh dinn yaad hein jabb mien maeykhanah-e-Frangistan mein
thha, wah’an kay jaam, a’einah-e-Sakandar sey bhi ziyadah chamakdar
hein.]
I well recall the days that I spent in the Wine-Shop of the West. Its wine-
bowls shine like Alexander’s looking-glass.
‫چشم مست مے فروشش بادہ را پروردگار‬
‫بادہ خواران را نگاہ ساقی اش پیغمبر است‬
Chashm-e-must maey faroshash badah ra pervardigar, badah khoraan ra
nigah-e-saqi’ush paighamber ast.
[Maey farosh ki chashm-e-must sharab ki pervardigar hai, (sharab mein
nashah paida karti hai) aur saqi ki nigah badah nosh’on kay leay paigham-
ber hai (Maey farosh onn ka Rabb hai aur saqi on ka paighamber)]

539
Its saki’s eyes are as intoxicating as its wine, and every glance of theirs
conveys a message to some drinker’s breast.
‫او بے کلیم و شعلہ او بے خلیل‬ ‫جلؤہ‬
‫عقل ناپروا متاع عشق را غارتگر است‬
Jalwah-e-oo bi-Kalim-o-sho’alah-e-oo bi-Khalil, aql-e-naperwa mata’a-e-
ishq ra gharatgar ast.
[Magar (wah’an) ka jalwah baghair Kalim kay hai aur sho’alah baghair
Khalil kay, onn ki la-perwa aql mata’a-e-ishq ko barbad kar deyti hai.]
But O it has no Moses to experience epiphanies, no Abraham to undergo
ordeals by fire. There intellect with careless ease robs Love of its entire
possessions:
‫در ہوایش گرمی یک آہ بیتابانہ نیست‬
‫رند این میخانہ را یک لغزش مستانہ نیست‬
Dar hawa’ish garmi-e-yakk aah-e-bitabanah neist, rind-e-ein
maeykhanah ra yakk laghzash-e-mustanah neist.
[Wah’an ki hawa mein kissi aah-e-bitaab ki garmi naheen, nah oss
sharabkhanah ka rind koeyi laghzash-e-mustanah rakhhta hai.]
And there is no heat in its air of a fervent sigh. No one is so intoxicated by
its wine as to sway on his feet.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

DIALOGUE BETWEEN LENIN AND KAISER WILHELM

‫موسیولینن و قیصر ولیم‬
‫موسیولینن‬
‫بسے گذشت کہ آدم درین سراے کہن‬
‫مثال دانہ تہ سنگ آسیا بودست‬
Bassey gozasht keh Adam darein sara’ey kohan, misal-e-danah teh-e-
sung-e-Aasia bood’st.
[Moddat gozar gaeyi keh insan iss sara’ey kohan (dunya) mein, chakki kay
paat tallay pissney waaley daney ki manind hai.]
Lenin: It is long since in this old world poor man is being ground like grain
between millstones.

540
 ‫فریب زاری و افسون قیصری خورد است‬
‫دام کلیسیا بودست‬ ‫اسیر حلقٔہ‬
Faraib-e-Zaari-o-afsoon-e-Qaisari khord ast, aseer-e-halqah-e-daam-e-
Kalisia bood’st.
[Oss ney Zaar ka faraib khhaya hai, woh Qaisar kay jadoo sey mashoor hoa
hai, woh Kalisa kay daam mein bhi gariftar raha hai.]
He has been duped by Kaisers and by Czars, and has been caught in the
snare of the Church.
‫غالم گرسنہ دیدی کہ بر درید آخر‬
‫قمیص خواجہ کہ رنگین ز خون ما بودست‬
Ghulam-e-grasnah deidi keh ber dareid aakhar, qamees-e-khwajah keh
rungein ’z-khoon-e-ma bood’st.
[Tou ney deikhha keh bil-akhar bhookay ghulam ney, aqa ki woh qamees
pharr di jo hamarey khoon sey rungein thhi.]
Have you not seen the hungry slave at last tear to shreds his lord’s garment,
dyed red with his blood?
‫شرار آتش جمہور کہنہ سامان سوخت‬
‫رداے پیر کلیسا قباے سلطان سوخت‬
Sharar-e-aatish-e-jamhoor kohnah saman sokht, rada’ey pir-e-Kalisa
qaba’ey sultan sokht.
[Atash-e-jamhoor ki chingari ney sara porana (saaz-o-) saman jala diya,
pir-e-Kalisa ki chadar bhi jala di aur sultan ki qaba bhi.]
Democracy’s spark has burnt up robes of the Church elders and the kings.
‫قیصر ولیم‬
‫گناہ عشوہ و ناز بتان چیست؟‬
‫طواف اندر سرشت برہمن ہست‬
Gonah-e-ashwah-o-naaz-e-bottaan cheist? Tawwaf andar sarasht-e-
Barahman hust.
[Mehboob kay naaz-o-ada ka koeyi gonah naheen, Barahman ki sarisht he
mein (bott’on ka tawaf) moujood hai.]
The Kaiser: Why blame idols for their winsome ways? It is in the Brahmin’s
nature to adore.

541
 ‫دمادم نو خداوندان تراشد‬
‫کہ بیزار از خدایان کہن ہست‬
Damadum nau khodvandan trashad, keh bizaar az khodiyan-e-kohan
hust,
[Woh her dum eik niya aqa tarashta hai, kiyu’onkeh poraney khoda’on sey
bizaar ho jata hai.]
He keeps fashioning new idols; for he gets bored stiff with the ones he has.
‫ز جور رھزنان کم گو کہ رہرو‬
‫متاع خویش را خود رہزن ہست‬
’Z-jor-e-rehzanan kum go keh rehro, mata’a-e-khwaish ra khod rehzan
hust.
[Rahzan’on kay zulm ki baat nah kar, kiyu’onkeh yeh mosafir khod apney
saman ka rahzan hai.]
Do not tell me of the highwaymen: His own robber is the traveler here.
‫اگر تاج کئی جمہور پوشد‬
‫ہمان ہنگامہ ہا در انجمن ہست‬
Agar taj-e-Kayi jamhoor poshad, hamaan hungamah-ha dar anjaman
hust.
[Agar jamhoor Khosro ka taj pehan lein, tuo pher bhi anjaman mein wohi
hungamey rehein gey (awami leader bhi wohi kaam karein gey jo badshah
kartey hein).]
If you crown the common people, then you will find oppression is still there.
‫ہوس اندر دل آدم نمیرد‬
‫ہمان آتش میان مرزغن ہست‬
Hawus andar dil-e-Adam namirad, aatish miyan-e-marzghan hust.
[Adam kay dil sey hawus (iqtidar aur doulat) naheen murti, iss aatishdan
mein yeh aag hamaishah jalti rehey gi.]
Never does greed die out of men’s hearts: in a furnace fire must always
blaze.

542
 ‫عروس اقتدار سحر فن را‬
‫ہمان پیچاک زلف پر شکن ہست‬
Aroos-e-iqtidar-e-seher fun ra, hamaan paichaak-e-zolf-e-por shikan hust.
[Jadoo ka fun rakhhney waali aroos-e-iqtidar ki zolf-e-porshikin ka jaal
badastoor rehey ga.]
Power’s sorceress has the same arts irrespective of the part she plays.
‫’’نماند ناز شیرین بے خریدار‬
‘‘‫اگر خسرو نباشد کوھکن ہست‬
‘Namanad naaz-e-Shirin bi-kharidar, agar Khosro nabashad kohkon
hust’.
[Shirin kay naaz-o-ada baghair kharidar kay naheen rehein gey, Khosro nah
hoa, tuo kohkon sehi.]
‘Shirin’s beauty never goes abegging: Khusroes or Farhads are never
lacking.’ (Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

PHILOSOPHERS
Hokma ‫حکما‬
‫الک‬
‫خورشید افروخت‬ ‫ساغرش را سحر از بادٔہ‬
‫ورنہ در محفل گل اللہ تہی جام آمد‬
Sagharash ra sehar az badah-e-khurshid afrokht, vernah dar mehfil-e-gul
lalah tehi jaam amad.
[Gul-e-lalah kay saaghar ki sehar-e-khurshid ki sharab sey chamki hai,
vernah woh gulistan mein khali aya thha.]
Locke: It was dawn that lit up the tulip’s cup with a drink from the sun; for
the tulip itself bore an empty cup when it joined the company of flowers.
‫کانت‬
‫فطرتش ذوق مے آینہ فامے آورد‬
 ‫از شبستان ازل کوکب جامے آورد‬
Fitratash zouq-e-maey a’einah faamey aawurd, az shabastan-e-azal kokab
jaamey aawurd.

543
[Gul-e-lalah ki fitrat ney maey-e-a’einah faam ka zouq paida kiya,
(chonachih) woh shabistan-e-azal sey sitarah ki manind chamkata hoa jaam
laya.]
Kant: By nature it had a taste for wine that is like crystal: It is from
eternity’s sleeping-chamber that it brings its shining, star-like cup.
‫برگسان‬
‫نہ مئے از ازل آورد نہ جامے آورد‬
‫اللہ از داغ جگر سوز دوامے آورد‬
Nah maey az azal aawurd neh jaamey aawurd, lalah az dagh-e-jigar soz-e-
dawaamey aawurd.
[Nah woh azal sey sharab laya nah jaam, balkeh gul-e-lalah ney apney
dagh-e-jigar sey soz-e-dawaam paida kiya.]
Bergson: It did not bring either wine or a cup from eternity: The tulip gets its
eternal passion from the scar in its own heart. (Translated by Mustansir Mir)

POETS
Shora’a ‫شعرا‬
‫برونینگ‬
‫سر جوش زندگی‬ ‫بے پشت بود بادٔہ‬
‫آب خضر بگیرم و در ساغر افگنم‬
Bey posht bood badah-e-sar josh-e-zindagi, aab-e-Khizar bageirum-o-dar
saghar affganam.
[Zindagi ka badah-e-sarjosh kasmaporsi ki halat mein thha, mien ney
Khizar sey aab (-e-hayat) liya aur saghar mein daal kar paish kar diya.]
Browning: There was nothing to fortify life’s effervescent wine: I took some
aqua vitae from Khizr and added it.
‫بایرن‬
‫از منت خضر نتوان کرد سینہ داغ‬
‫آب از جگر بگیرم و در ساغر افگنم‬
Az mannat-e-Khizar natwaan kard seinah dagh, aab az jigar bageiram-o-
dar saghar affganam.

544
[Khizar kay ehsan sey apney seinay ko dagh dagh naheen kiya ja sakta, mien
jigar sey pani (khoon) leyta h’on aur saghar mein dalta h’on.]
Byron: Why should one be obliged to Khizr for his aqua’s loan? I poured a
little of my heart’s blood into the wine-cup.
‫غالب‬
‫’’تا بادہ تلخ تر شود و سینہ ریش تر‬
‘‘ ‫بگدازم آبگینہ و در ساغر افگنم‬
‘Ta badah talakh-ter shawud-o-seinah raish-ter, bagodazam aabginah-o-
dar saghar affganam’.
[Ta-keh sharab aur talakh ho aur seinah aur ziyadah zakhmi ho, mien
sorahi ka shishah pighla kar saghar mein daal deyta h’on.]
Ghalib: To make the wine still bitterer and my chest still more sore, I melted
the glass itself and added it to my wine.
‫رومی‬
‫آمیزشے کجا گہر پاک او کجا‬
‫از تاک بادہ گیرم و در ساغر افگنم‬
Aamaizash’ey koja gohar-e-pak oo ja, az taak badah giram-o-dar saghar
affganam.
[Amaizash kah’an aur iss (sharab) ki pakizgi-e-fitrat kah’an, mien angoor
sey sharab leyta h’on aur (baghair kissi amaizash kay) saghar mein daal
deyta h’on.]
Rumi: How can dilutions be as good as the real stuff itself? I pressed wine
out of grapes direct and filled my cup with it.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

THE TAVERN OF THE WEST

Kharabat-e-Farang ‫ فرنگ‬Ð‫خرابات‬
‫دوش رفتم بہ تماشاے خرابات فرنگ‬
‫شوخ گفتاری رندے دلم از دست ربود‬
Dosh raftam beh tamasha’ey kharabat-e-Farang, shokh goftaari rinday
dilam az dast rabood.

545
[Kall mien kharabat-e-Farang ka tamasha deikhhney chala gaya, wah’an
eik rind ki shokh goftaari ney meyra dil lobha liya.]
Last night, while I was in the tavern of the West, I was delighted by a witty
thing a drinker said.  
‫گفت این نیست کلیسا کہ بیابی در وے‬
‫صحبت دخترک زہرہ وش و ناے و سرود‬
Goft ein neist Kalisa keh biyabi deroo’ey, sohbat-e-dokhtarak-e-zehrah-
wush-o-na’ey-o-sarood.
[Oss ney kaha keh yeh Kalisa naheen jah’an tojhey, khoobsurat mehboobah,
sharab aur raag-o-rung mayassar aa-ja’ey.]
‘This place is not a church’, said he, ‘that you should find here pretty girls
and organ music and sweet songs.  
‫این خرابات فرنگ است و ز تأثیر میش‬
‫ نماید محمود‬، ‫آنچہ مذموم شمارند‬
Ein kharabat-e-Farang ast-o-’z taseer maish, anchih mazmoom
shomarand, namayad mehmood.
[Yeh kharabat-e-Farang hai, iss ki sharab ki taseer sey, her bori cheez achhi
nazar aaney lagti hai.]
This is the tavern of the West, where wine has the effect of making things
that are considered bad seem good,
‫نیک و بد را بہ ترازوے دگر سنجیدیم‬
‫چشمہ ئی داشت ترازوے نصاری و یہود‬
Nek-o-bud ra beh tarazoo’ey digar sunjeidaim, chashmah’eyi dasht
tarazoo’ey Nisara-o-Yahood.
[Hum achhey aur boray ko eik aur tarazo sey toltay hein, (kiyu’onkeh)
Nasara-o-Yahood ka tarazoo passing rakhhta hai.]
We have weighed good and evil on another kind of scales. The scales of the
Jews and the Christians were askew.  
‫گیرات شکست‬ ‫ زشت است اگر پنجٔہ‬، ‫خوب‬
‫ خوب است اگر تاب و توان تو فزود‬، ‫زشت‬
Khoob, zasht ast agar punjah-e-geiraat shakast, zasht, khoob ast agar
taab-o-tawan-e-tou fazood.

546
[Achhi cheez bori hai, agar woh teyri kalaeyi marorr dey, aur bori cheez
achhi hai agar oss sey teyri taab-o-taw’an mein azafah ho.]
What is good in you will be bad, if you should break your fist. What is bad
in you will be good, if you increase your might.
‫تو اگر در نگری جز بہ ریا نیست حیات‬
‫ہر کہ اندر گرو صدق و صفا بود نبود‬
Tou agar dar nigri joz ba-riya neist hayat, her keh andar girv sidq-o-safa
bood nabood.
[Agar tou ghor sey deikhhey tuo zindagi riya kay sawa aur kochh naheen, jo
cheez sidq-o-safa ki girvi ho woh nah honay kay brabar hai.]
If you look carefully, you will find life is all hypocrisy. Whoever follows the
path of truth and sincerity just ceases to exist.
‫ناموس ریاست‬ ‫دعوی صدق و صفا پردٔہ‬
‫پیر ما گفت مس از سیم بباید اندود‬
Da’awa-e-sidq-o-safa pardah-e-namoos riya’st, pir-e-ma goft muss az seim
babayad andood.
[(Hamara) sidq-o-safa ka da’awa riya kay ‘namoos’ ka pardah hai,
(kiyu’onkeh) hamara ustaad kehta hai keh ta’nbay per chandi ki malama’a
kaari zaroori hai.]
Claims of truth and sincerity are only covers for hypocrisy. Our master says
that brass must have on it a silver plate.
‫زیست‬ ‫فاش گفتم بتو اسرار نہانخانٔہ‬
‫بہ کسے باز مگو تا کہ بیابی مقصود‬
Faash goftam ba-tou asrar-e-nehankhanah-e-zeist, beh kassey baaz mago
ta-keh biyabi maqsood.
[Mien ney tuo zindagi kay andar kay asrar teyrey saamney khhol kar biyan
kar di’ay hein, abb yeh kissi aur ko naheen bata’ey ta-keh tou apna
maqsood pa-ley.]
I have revealed to you the secret of success in life. Let no one know of it, if
you care for success.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

547
A WORD TO ENGLAND
Khitab beh Englistan ‫خطاب بہ انگلستان‬
‫مشرقی بادہ چشیدہ است ز میناے فرنگ‬
‫دیرینہ شکست‬ ‫عجبے نیست اگر توبٔہ‬
Mashriqi badah chashidah ast ’z-meina’ey Farang, ajabay neist agar
tobah-e-deirinah shakast.
[Mashriqi ney meina’ey Farang sey sharab chakhhi, iss mein ta’ajub naheen
agar oss ney apni porani toubah torr di.]
An Easterner tasted once the wine in Europe’s glass; no wonder if he broke
old vows in reckless glee.
‫تدبیر آموخت‬ ‫او شیؤہ‬ ‫فکر نوزادٔہ‬
‫تقدیر پرست‬ ‫جوش زد خون بہ رگ بندٔہ‬
Fikr-e-nauzaidah-e-oo shaiwah-e-tadbir amokht, josh zud khoon beh rug-
e-bandah-e-taqdir parast.
[Maghrib kay ni’ay fikr ney ossey tadbir ka honar seikhhaya, tou taqdir
parast Mashriqi ki rug mein khoon ney josh mara.]
The blood came surging up in the veins of his new-born thought:
Predestination’s bond-slave he learned that man is free.
‫ساقیا تنگ دل از شورش مستان نشوی‬
‫خود تو انصاف بدہ این ہمہ ہنگامہ کہ بست؟‬
Saqiya tung dil ast az shorash-e-mustaan nashawi, khod tou insaaf badeh
ein hamah hungamah keh bost?
[Ay saqi! Abb tou must’on kay shor sey naraz nah ho, tou khod insaaf kar
keh yeh sara hungamah kis ney paida kiya hai.]
Let not thy soul be vexed with the drunkards’ noise and rout! O saki, tell me
fairly, who was’t that broached this jar?
‫’’بو ے گل خود بہ چمن راہ نما شد ز نخست‬
‘‫ورنہ بلبل چہ خبر داشت کہ گلزارے ہست‬
‘Boo’ey gul khod beh chaman rahnoma shod ’z’nakhast, vernah bulbul
chih khabar daasht keh gulzaarey hust.

548
[‘Phool ki khoshboo he ney pehlay pehal chaman ki taraf oss ki rahnomaeyi
ki, vernah bulbul ko kaya pata thha keh bagh bhi moujood hai’.]
The scent of the rose showed first the way into the garden; else, how should
the nightingale have known that roses are?
(Translated by R.A. Nicholson)

DIVISION BETWEEN THE CAPITALIST AND THE LABOURER

‫سرمایہ دار و مزدور‬ ‫قسمت نامٔہ‬
Qismat namah-e-sarmayahdar-o-mazdoor
‫آہنگری ز من‬ ‫غوغاے کارخانٔہ‬
‫گلبانگ ارغنون کلیسا از آن تو‬
Ghogha’ey kaarkhanah-e-ahangari ’z-mun, gulbang-e-arghanoon-e-
Kalisa az aan-e-tou.
[Foulad saazi kay karkhaney ka shor meyrey leay hai, aur Kalisa kay piano
ki khoobsurat awaz teyrey leay.]
Mine is the din of the steel factory, and yours is the church organ’s melody.
‫نخلے کہ شہ خراج برو مینہد ز من‬
‫باغ بہشت و سدرہ و طوبا از آن تو‬
Nakhlay keh sheh kharaj baro mi-nehad ’z-mun, bagh-e-bahisht-o-
Siddrah-o-Tooba az aan-e-tou.
[Woh darakht jiss sey padshah kharaj wasool karta hai, meyrey leay hai, aur
bahisht ka bagh, Siddrah aur Tooba teyrey leay hein.]
Mine is the bush that pays the king a tax, yours Eden with its Sidrah and its
Tuba.
‫تلخابہ ئی کہ درد سر آرد از آن من‬
‫صہباے پاک آدم و حوا از آن تو‬
Talkhabaheyi keh dard-e-sar aarad az aan-e-mun, sehba’ey pak Adam-o-
Hawa az aan-e-tou.
[Woh talkh sharab jo dard-e-sar paida karey meyrey leay hai, Adam-o-
Hawa (ya’ani jannat ki) pakeezah sharab teyrey leay hai.]

549
Strong liquor with a hangover is mine, for you drink comes from Adam and
Eve’s brewery.
‫مرغابے و تذرو و کبوتر از آن من‬
‫ظل ھما و شہپر عنقا از آن تو‬
Marghabay-o-tazro-o-kabooter az aan-e-mun, zill-e-homa-o-shehpar-e-
anqa’a az aan-e-tou.
[Morghabi, tadrow aur kabootar meyrey leay hein, aur zill-e-homa aur
shehpar-e-anqa’a teyrey leay.]
Duck, pheasant, pigeon are my birds: huma and anqa are your royal
property.
‫این خاک و آنچہ درشکم او از آن من‬
‫و ز خاک تا بعرش معال از آن تو‬
Ein khak-o-anchih dar shikam-e-oo az aan-e-mun, O ’z-khak ta ba’arsh-
e-mo’alla az aan-e-tou.
[Yeh zamin aur jo kochh iss kay andar hai woh meyrey leay hai, aur zamin
sey arsh takk jo kochh hai woh sabb teyri malkiyat hai.]
The earth and what is in its bowels are mine; from earth to heaven all is your
territory. (Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

THE LABOURER’S SONG

‫نوای مزدور‬
Nawa-e-Mazdoor
‫کرپاس پوش محنت کش‬ ‫ز مزد بندٔہ‬
‫ناکردہ کار رخت حریر‬ ‫نصیب خواجٔہ‬
’Z-muzd bandah-e-karpas posh mehnat-kash, nasib-e-khwajah-e-
nakardah kaar rakht-e-harir.
[Khhordarey labas aur mehnat karney waaley mazdoor ki wajah sey, kaam
nah karney waaley sarmayadar kay hissah mein raishmi labas ata hai.]
The hard work of the cotton-wearing labourer provides the idle rich with
their silk robes.

550
 ‫ز خوے فشانی من لعل خاتم والی‬
‫ز اشک کودک من گوہر ستام امیر‬
’Z-khoo’ey fashani-e-mun la’al-e-khaatam-e-waali, ’z-ashk-e-koodak-e-
mun gohar sataam ameer.
[Hakam ki angoothhi ka la’al meyrey paseinay kay qatr’on sey hai, amir kay
ghhorray kay zein per tikkay ho’ay moti meyrey bachey kay anso’on sey
banay hein.]
The gem in the employer’s ring is made up of my sweat. The rubies in his
horse’s reins are my child’s tears.
‫ز خون من چو زلو فربہی کلیسا را‬
‫بزور بازوے من دست سلطنت ہمہ گیر‬
’Z-khoon-e-mun cho zoloo farbehi-e-Kalisa ra, bazor-e-baazoo-e-mun
dast-e-sultanat hamahgir.
[Kalisa ki farbehi jo’nk ki tarah meyra khoon (peinay) sey hai, barri barri
saltanat’on ki qowwat bhi meyrey zor-e-bazoo ki rahin-e-mannat hai.]
The Church is fat through sucking my blood like a leech. My arm’s strength
forms the sinews of the state.
‫سحرم‬ ‫خرابہ رشک گلستان ز گریٔہ‬
‫شباب اللہ و گل از طراوت جگرم‬
Kharabah rashk-e-gulistan ’z-giriyah-e-sehram, shabab-e-lalah-o-gul az
tarawat-e-jigaram.
[Meyrey sobh kay anso’on sey veranah rashk-e-gulistan banta hai, lalah-o-
gul kay phool’on ka shabab meyrey jigar ki tarawat sey hai.]
My morning tears make gardens of waste lands. My heart’s blood glistens in
the tulip and the rose.
‫بیا کہ تازہ نوا می تراود از رگ ساز‬
‫مئے کہ شیشہ گدازد بہ ساغر اندازیم‬
Biya keh tazah nawa mi-tarawud az rug-e-saaz, maey keh shishah
godaazad beh saghar andazaim.
[Othh keh abb jabb-keh rug-e-saaz sey naeyi nawa paida ho rehi hai, hum
saghar mein woh sharab daalein jo shishay ko pighhla dey.]

551
Come, time’s harp is tense with new melodies. Come; pour out strong wine
that will melt the very glass.
‫مغان و دیر مغان را نظام تازہ دہیم‬
‫بنای میکدہ ہاے کہن بر اندازیم‬
Moghaan-o-deir-e-moghaan ra nizam-e-tazah dehaim, bana’ey
maeykadah-ha’ey kohan ber andazaim.
[Pir-e-mogh’an aur deir-e-mogh’an ko niya nizaam dein, aur qadim
maeykhan’on ki boniyad’in khhod daalein.]
Let us give a new order to the tavern and the taverner, and let us raze all
ancient taverns to the ground.
‫ز رہزنان چمن انتقام اللہ کشیم‬
‫بہ بزم غنچہ و گل طرح دیگر اندازیم‬
’Z-rehzanan chaman intiqam-e-lalah kashaim, beh bazm-e-ghonchah-o-
gul tarah-e-deigar andazaim.
[Chaman ki loot khhsoot karney waal’on sey gul-e-lalah (kay khoon) ka
intiqam lein, aur ghonchah-o-gul ki bazm ko ni’ay andaz sey tartib dein.]
Let us avenge the tulip’s blood on those who laid the garden waste. For rose
and rosebud’s gatherings let us establish a new style.
‫بہ طوف شمع چو پروانہ زیستن تا کے؟‬
‫ز خویش این ہمہ بیگانہ زیستن تا کے؟‬
Be touf-e-shama’a cho pervanah zeistan ta-kay? ’Z-khwaish ein hamah
biganah zeistan ta-kay?
[Pervaney ki tarah shama’a kay ird-gird chakkar lagatyey rehna kabb takk?
Apnay aap sey iss tarah biganah reh kar zindagi basar karna kabb takk?]
How long shall we exist like moths that flit round candle flames? How long
shall we exist forgetful of ourselves like this?
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

552
THE FREEDOM OF THE SEA
‫آزادی بحر‬
Azadi-e-Behar
‫بطے می گفت بحر آزاد گردید‬
‫چنین فرمان ز دیوان خضر رفت‬
‫نہنگے گفت رو ہر جا کہ خواہی‬
‫ولے از ما نباید بے خبر رفت‬
Battey mi-goft behar azad gardeid, chonein farman ’z-devan-e-Khizar raft.
Nahungay goft ro her ja keh khwahi, walley az ma nabayad bi-khabar
raft.
[Batakh kehti thhi: hamarey leay behar mein (ghhoomnay pherney ki) poori
azadi ho gaeyi hai. Khizar (A.S.) kay daftar sey yeh farmaan saadar hoa hai.
Magarmachh bola: jah’an chah’ey pher laikan hum sey ghafil nah rehna.]
A duck said, ‘The lanes of the sea are now free! The edict from the court of
Khizr says so!’
A crocodile said, ‘Go anywhere you like, but never forget to watch out for
us!’ (Translated by Mustansir Mir)

GHAZALEIN: PART ONE

As said in the beginning the last three poems are reproduced from
Zabur-e-Ajam.
*****(22)*****
‫درین محفل کہ کار او گذشت از بادہ و ساقی‬
‫ندیمے کو کہ در جامش فرو ریزم مے باقی‬
Darein mehfil keh kaar-e-oo gozasht az badah-o-saqi, nadimay ko keh dar
jaamash frou raizam maey baqi.
[Yeh gaeyi gozri mehfil jo badah-o-saqi sey lotf-andoz honay ki salahiyat
khho chokki hai, iss mein aisa nadim kah’an millay ga jiss kay jaam mein
mien apni sharab-e-javid’an daal sak’on.]
The night grows late, the route is up, no need for saki now or cup; pass me
Thy goblet, friend of mine, I’ll pour thee the remaining wine.

553
 ‫کسے کو زہر شیرین میخورد از جام زرینے‬
‫مے تلخ از سفال من کجا گیرد بہ تریاقی‬
Kassey ko zehar-e-shirin mikhord az jaam-e-zareinay, maey talakh az
safaal-e-mun koja geirad beh tariyaqi.
[Jo shakhs jaam-e-zar’in sey zehar-e-shirin peinay ka aadi ho choka hai,
woh meyrey matti kay piyalay sey aisi karrvi sharab kaisey pi’ay ga jo iss
zehar ka tariyaq hai.]
Kassey Whoever from the golden bowl quaffs the sweet poison of the soul,
in my clay jar the bitter juice is the sole antidote of use.
‫شرار از خاک من خیزد کجا ریزم کرا سوزم‬
‫غلط کردی کہ در جانم فگندی سوز مشتاقی‬
Sharar az khak-e-mun khaizad koja raizam kara sozam, ghalat kardi keh
dar janam fagandi soz-e-moshtaqi.
[Meyri khak sey shararey othh rehey hein onnhein kah’an gara’on, kaisay
jala’on? Meyri jan mein aap ney mohabat ka soz bhhar diya, kaya kar diya.]
Lo, from my dust the sparks unspire: whose spirit shall I set afire? ‘Twas
wrong, to kindle in my breast this furnace of desire’s unrest!
‫مکدر کرد مغرب چشمہ ہاے علم و عرفان را‬
‫جہان را تیرہ تر سازد چہ مشائی چہ اشراقی‬
Makdar kard Maghrib chashmah-ha’ey ilm-o-irfan ra, jahan ra teerah-ter
saazad chih Mashaeyi chih Ishraqi.
[Maghrib ney ilm-o-irfan kay chashm’on ko makdar kar diya hai, Arstoo kay
afkaar h’on ya Aflatoon kay, woh jahan ko tarik-ter bana rehey hein.]
Alas, the Western mind hath soiled the springs of knowledge undefiled; stoic
alike and Platonist have shrouded all the world in mist.
‫دل گیتی انا المسموم انا المسموم فریادش‬
‫خرد ناالن کہ ما عندی بتریاق و ال راقی‬
Dil geiti analmasmoom analmasmoom fariyadash, khird nalaan keh ma
a’ndi batariyaq-o-laraqi.
[Zamaney kay dil kay andar sey fariyad othh rehi hai keh mojh mein zehar
phhail raha hai, aur khird roo rehi hai keh oss kay pass iss zehar ka koeyi
madawa naheen.]

554
‘Ah! I am poisoned’ – hark, the cry of the world’s heart ascendeth high;
reason replies lamentingly, ‘I know no charm, no remedy.’
‫چہ مالئی چہ درویشی چہ سلطانی چہ دربانی‬
‫فروغ کار می جوید بہ سالوسی و زراقی‬
Chih mullaeyi, chih dervaishi, chih sultani, chih darbani, farogh-e-kaar
mi joeyad beh saloosi-o-zaraqi.
[Kaya mulla, kaya dervaish, kaya sultan, kaya darbaan, sabb khoshamad
aur monafqat sey karobar ko farogh dey rehey hein.]
Let it be priest, or beggar poor, king, or the slave that keeps his door, all
seek success of merchandise amid hypocrisy and lies.
‫ببازارے کہ چشم صیرفی شور است و کم نور است‬
‫نگینم خوار تر گردد چو افزاید بہ براقی‬
Babazaarey keh chashm-e-sairfi shor ast-o-kum noor ast, naginam khwar-
ter gardad cho afzaiyad beh baraqi.
[Woh bazaar jiss mein sarraf bud-nazar aur kum-nazar hai, meyra naginah
jabb chamak mein barrhta hai tuo oss ki nigah mein oss ki qimat aur kum ho
jaati hai.]
The money-changers in the mart are blind of head, and black of heart; the
brighter gleams my glowing gem, the meaner is its worth to them.
(Translated by A.J. Arberry)  

*****(54)*****
‫بہ فغان نہ لب کشودم کہ فغان اثر ندارد‬
‫غم دل نگفتہ بہتر ہمہ کس جگر ندارد‬
Beh foghan neh labb kashoodam keh foghan asar nadarad, ghum-e-dil
nagoftah behtar hamah kas jigar nadarad.
[Mien ney fogh’an kay leay labb naheen khholay kiyu’onkeh fogh’an asar
naheen rakhhti, ghum-e-dil nah kehna he behtar hai kiyu’onkeh her shakhs
mein iss ki bardasht ka houslah naheen.]
No lament, no sigh I uttered; naught avail laments and sighs; best unspoken,
the heart’s sorrow; there be few to sympathize.

555
 ‫چہ حرم چہ دیر ہر جا سخنے ز آشنائی‬
‫مگر اینکہ کس ز راز من و تو خبر ندارد‬
Chih Haram chih Deir her-ja sakhoney ’z-aashnaeyi, magar einkeh kas
’z-raaz-e-mun-o-tou khabar nadarad.
[Kaya Haram aur kaya deir, her jagah mohabat kay churchey hein, magar
baat yu’on hai keh meyrey aur aap kay raaz aur koeyi naheen janta.]
In the shrine and in the temple there is love-talk every where, yet through all
the world none knoweth this great secret that we share.
‫چہ ندیدنی است اینجا کہ شرر جہان ما را‬
‫ نفسے دگر ندارد‬،‫نفسے نگاہ دارد‬
Chih nadeidni ast ein-ja keh sharar jahan-e-ma ra, nafsey nigah darad,
nafsey digar nadarad.
[Yeh baat deikhhi naheen jaati keh sharar hamarey jahan ko eik lamah
deikhhta hai aur doosray lamah deikhhney sey mehroom ho jata hai (hamari
zindagi bhi sharar ki manind aarzi hai).]
Here are things too fine for vision; as the sparks that upward soar guard our
world for a brief moment, and the next it is no more.
‫ما بہ ضمیر ما گذشتی‬ ‫تو ز راہ دیدٔہ‬
‫مگر آنچنان گذشتی کہ نگہ خبر ندارد‬
Tou ’z-rah-e-deidah-e-ma beh zamir-e-ma gozashti, magar aanchonan
gozashti keh nigah khabar nadarad.
[Aap meyri ankhh’on kay rastay meyrey dil mein buss ga’ey, magar
ankhh’on sey iss tarah gozarey keh nigah ko bhi khabar nah hoeyi.]
Coming by the path of seeing Thou didst past into my mind, but so sudden
was Thy passing in that hour my eyes were blind.
‫کس ازین نگین شناسان نگذشت بر نگینم‬
‫بتو می سپارم او را کہ جہان نظر ندارد‬
Kas azein nagin shanasaan nagozasht ber naginam, batou mi-saparam oo-
ra keh jahan-e-nazar nadarad.
[In johariyu’on mein sey koeyi bhi meyrey naginay (ki qimat) takk nah
poh’nch saka, mien ossey aap he kay sapord karta h’on kiyu’onkeh ehl-e-
jah’an sahib-e-nazar naheen.]

556
They that tell the worth of jewels would not heed my jeweled ring; since the
world will not regard it, unto thee my gem I bring.
‫قدح خرد فروزے کہ فرنگ داد ما را‬
‫ہمہ آفتاب لیکن اثر سحر ندارد‬ 
Qadh khird farozey keh farang daad ma ra, hamah aftab laikan asar-e-
sehar nadarad.
[Farang ney hamein jo khird ko chamkaney waali sharab ka piyalah diya
hai, hai tuo woh aftab, magar raat ki tareeki ko door naheen kar sakta.]
Lo, the goblet mind-illuming that the West hath given me, all the sun’s
aglow within it; of the dawn no sign I see. (Translated by A.J. Arberry)  

PART TWO
*****(50)*****
‫تو کیستی ز کجائی کہ آسمان کبود‬
‫ہزار چشم براہ تو از ستارہ کشود‬
Tou kiesti ’z-kojaeyi keh asman-e-kabood, hazar chashm barah-e-tou az
sitarah kashood.
[Tou kon hai? Kah’an sey aya hai; keh neila asman, teyrey deidar kay leay
sitar’on ki surat mein hazar ankhhein khholay intizar kar raha hai.]
What man art thou, and where thy home? In the blue skies the stars have
opened, to see thee come, a thousand eyes!
‫چہ گویمت کہ چہ بودی چہ کردہ ئی چہ شدی‬
‫کہ خون کند جگرم را ایازی محمود‬
Chih goeymat keh chih boodi chih kardaeyi chih shodi, keh khoon konad
jigram ra Ayazi-e-Mehmood.
[Mien kaya kah’on keh tou kaya thha, tou ney kaya kiya aur abb kaya ho-ga,
iss baat ney meyrey jigar ko khoon kar diya hai keh Mehmood ney Ayaz ka
shaiwah ikhtiyar kar liya.]
Why shall I tell what thou hast done, what thou now art? Mahmud is now
with Ayaz one – this breaks my heart!

557
 ‫تو آن نئی کہ مصلے ز کہکشان میکرد‬
‫شراب صوفی و شاعر ترا ز خویش ربود‬
Tou aan naeyi keh mosalla ’z-kehkashan mikard, sharab-e-Sufi-o-sha’er
tera ’z-khwaish rabood.
[Kaya tou woh naheen jiss ney kehkash’an ko mosalla banaya thha, Sufi-o-
sha’er ki sharab ney tojhey apna aap bhola diya hai.]
No Milky Way thou mountest up at prayer to kneel; the Sufi’s and the poet’s
cup thy soul doth steal.
‫فرنگ اگرچہ ز افکار تو گرہ بکشاد‬
‫بہ جرعہ دگرے نشئہ ترا افزود‬
Farang agarchih ’z-afkar-e-tou girah bakoshad, beh jora’a-e-digarey
nashah-e-tera afzood.
[Agarchih Europe ney teyrey fikr ka jamood torra, magar oss ney apney
aloom sey teyri khod faramoshi mein aur azafah kar diya.]
Though Europe many knots untied that chained thy thought, intoxication
magnified her next draught brought.
‫سخن ز نامہ و میزان دراز تر گفتی‬
‫بہ حیرتم کہ نبینی قیامت موجود‬
Sakhon ’z-namah-o-mizaan daraz-ter gofti, beh hairatam keh nabeini
qiyamat-e-moujood.
[Tou namah-e-a’amal aur mizaan qiyamat ki baatein tuo karta hai, magar
mien hairan h’on keh tojhey yeh qiyamat nazar naheen aati jo iss waqt
barpa hai.]
Much of the Balance and the Scroll I hear thee say; strange, that thou seest
not at all this judgement-day!
‫خوشا کسے کہ حرم را درون سینہ شناخت‬
‫دمے تپید و گذشت از مقام گفت و شنود‬
Khosha kassey keh Haram ra daroon-e-seinah shanakht, dummey tapeid-
o-gozasht az moqam-e-goft-o-shanood.
[Mobarik hai woh shakhs jiss ney apney seinay kay andar moujood Harim-
e-Zaat ko pehchan liya, eik lamah kay leay tarrpa aur goftagoo kay moqam
sey gozar gaya.]

558
Blessed the man, who in his breast the shrine hath known, fluttered awhile,
then from the nest of speech was flown.
‫از آن بمکتب و میخانہ اعتبارم نیست‬
‫کہ سجدہ ئی نبرم بر در جبین فرسود‬
Az aan bamaktab-o-maeykhanah itibaram neist, keh sajdaheyi nabarum
ber dar jabeen-e-farsoodah.
[Maktab-o-maeykhanah per mojhey eitibar naheen, mien aisey dar per
sajdah naheen karta jah’an sey kochh hasil nah ho.]
No more the tavern and the school I venerate; I do not reckon worshipful the
brow-swept gate!
(Translated by A.J. Arberry) 
10th May, 2013 

559
 REVENGEFUL INDIA
The terrorists in Pakistan, both indigenously produced and foreign
sponsored, remained pre-occupied in targeting the election related events
during the period under review. Other than the attacks meant to disrupt the
democratic process no major act of terrorism took place during the last four
weeks.
From across the western border, Hamid Karzai showed far more
hostility towards Pakistan than usual. He first wrote to Americans to destroy
border posts established by Pakistan during the war on terror and then
ordered his forces to attack some posts along Durand Line. At the same time
he remained busy in striking a monetary beneficial deal with Americans for
occupation of Afghanistan beyond the year 2014.
On the eastern border India burnt in the fire of revenge over killing of
its RAW agent Sarbajit Singh. The day terrorist Singh was accorded official
funeral, a Pakistani prisoner Rana Sana was attacked in a prison in IHK who
later expired in Chandigarh. And, the day he was buried in Sialkot, another
Pakistani in New Delhi jail was attacked.

NEWS
Pakistan: On 15th April, two persons were killed and three others
hurt when unidentified gunmen ambushed a pickup near Khushrana Faqirni
in the limits of Paharpur Police Station. The supporters of a candidate
contesting election from NA-42, South Waziristan were on their way to
Paharpur from Rangpur when armed men opened fire on the truck near
Khushrana Faqirni area.
Next day, a bomb attack killed seven soldiers and wounded 12 others
in North Waziristan Agency. The bomb struck a military truck on a road
under construction, five kilometres north of Miranshah. He said that the
soldiers were providing security to workers building the road between
Miranshah and the area of Ghulam Ali.
At least five forces personnel sustained injuries when unknown
militants attacked forces hideout in Aka Khel, Tehsil Bara, sub-division of
Khyber. Meanwhile, four heavy intensity Improvised Explosive Devices
(IEDs) were defused in the area. Separately, NATO supplier driver sustained
bullets injuries in firing by militants in Ali Masjid area of tehsil Jamrud.

560
 On 17th April, five persons were killed and seven wounded when US
predator targeted a house on border region between South Waziristan and
North Waziristan. US drone fired 12 missile on a house situated in Obara
village of South Waziristan Agency. An official in Wana said that drone
targeted hideouts of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
On 19th April, a man was killed and three others wounded when a
rocket struck an election rally of an independent candidate in NA-41, South
Waziristan. Reportedly four rockets were fired from the nearby Wacha
Khwara Mountains, one of which landed in the area where the rally was
going on and other three rockets fell at Rustam Market and a nearby locality.
Meanwhile, three persons including a woman and her two children were
killed in a bomb blast in Buner district.
Next day, at least four people including a soldier of Bajaur Levies
Force and a health worker were killed and five others injured when a female
suicide bomber blew herself up at the main gate of Agency Headquarters
Hospital Khar of Bajaur Agency. A veiled female apparently in her twenties
tried to enter the hospital from the main gate when she was stopped by the
personnel of Bajaur Levies Force. As the personnel of Levies Force tried to
check her she blew herself up.
On 21st April, a roadside bomb targeting an army convoy killed four
soldiers and wounded another four in North Waziristan Agency. The blast
occurred when a vehicle of the military convoy was hit by an improvised
explosive device near Khawaja Khar check post. The convoy was heading
towards Bannu from Mirali area. Meanwhile, Bomb Disposal Squad averted
a possible bid of terrorism by defusing a bomb in Bazidkhael, suburban area
of Peshawar.
Next day, the Taliban, in a statement on their website, claimed they
had taken 11 US military personnel when a helicopter made an emergency
landing in bad weather on April 21 in Logar Province. They ‘were captured
alive and were then transferred to the most secure region of the nation’, it
said. The officials said the foreigners were Turkish and Russian civilian
workers and numbered up to nine.
Chief of Army Staff and Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani left for
Brussels for the two-day Trilateral Core Group Meeting with Afghan
President Hamid Karzai and US Secretary of State John Kerry starting
tomorrow. During the visit, General Kayani will also meet with senior
NATO officials. Earlier, a US delegation led by Acting US Special

561
Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan David D Pearce concluded its
two days visit to Pakistan.
On 23rd April, a NATO container, carrying commodities of
Afghanistan based Allied Forces for Karachi port for shipment, was fired
upon by some unknown attackers at Bypass Road of tehsil Jamrud. The
trailer was partially damaged; however, no casualty was reported.
Meanwhile, 15 containers crossed into Pakistan through Torkham border.
Next day, a toy bomb explosion in Swat left six injured, including three
women and a seven-month old child.
On 25th April, a shootout between militants and police left two
policemen and four militants dead while three policemen sustained injuries
in Karak district. The police was carrying out a search operation in Teri area
of Banda Daudshah tehsil to arrest militants when the lawmen came under
fire. ASI Khurshid Khan and constable Ashraf Zahid was killed on the spot
while four militants were also killed when police retaliated.
On 28th April, a NATO supply driver was killed when unknown
militants opened firing on his tanker in Wazirdand area of tehsil Jamrud of
Khyber Agency. The tanker was on its way back to Karachi after delivering
allied forces assignment somewhere in Afghanistan; the driver received
multiple bullets injuries and died on the spot.
Next day, ten people, including son and nephew of ex-deputy prime
minister of Afghanistan, were killed and 70 others wounded when a suicide
bomber rammed his motorcycle into a bus in Peshawar. Security officials
said the target was a police mobile van. Qazi Muhammad Ameen Waqad’s
son, Qari Halal, his nephew, Mohammad Idrees, and eight others were killed
when the bomber detonated himself near a police patrolling van during the
rush hour. The two Afghans were not the principal targets.
On 30th April, recalling the sacrifices of military, paramilitary
personnel and police in the war on terror, the army chief said: ‘Our external
enemies are busy in igniting the flames of this fire.’ Responding to the
critics on military’s role in the war on terror, the general stated: ‘However,
despite all this bloodshed, certain quarters still want to remain embroiled in
the debate concerning the causes of this war and who imposed it on us.
While this may be important in itself but the fact of the matter is that today
Pakistan and its valiant people are targets of this war and are suffering
tremendously. I would like to ask all those who raise such questions that if a
small faction wants to enforce its distorted ideology over the entire nation by
taking up arms and for this purpose defies the Constitution of Pakistan and

562
the democratic process and considers all forms of bloodshed justified, then
does the fight against this enemy of the state constitute someone else’s war?’
Next day, it was reported that a civilian intelligence agency has
shifted five prisoners, detained at Bahawalpur and Adiala prisons for the
past three years, to undisclosed locations for investigation. The detainees are
suspected of having links with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and
feared Ghazi Force militant groups. According to the report, the prisoners
are being probed for involvement in plots to attack military targets as well as
conspiring to abduct senior military officials and their family members to get
their demands approved.
On 2nd May, the Foreign Office summoned the Afghan charge
d’affaires to lodge Pakistan’s strong protest on unprovoked firing by Afghan
troops at Gursal post yesterday in which two Pakistani paramilitary men
were injured. Serious concerns were conveyed to the Afghan charge
d’affaires over this violation. ‘Pakistan believes that such incidents are
vitiating the friendly relations and creating avoidable tension between the
two brotherly countries’, the statement added.
Attack on Pakistani Gursal post is the latest incident in a series of
cross-border attacks that has increased tensions between the two countries.
The latest tensions are focused on Pakistan’s building of a military gate
which Afghan officials claim is inside Afghanistan. An Afghan official said
in Kabul that one Afghan police guard was killed in several hours of artillery
exchanges.
The renewed friction focuses on a gate partially constructed by
Pakistan at a site that Afghan officials say is inside Afghanistan. The gate
which was built inside Afghan territory was destroyed in last night’s clash,
and Afghan security forces are now in control of the area, said spokesman
for government in Nangarhar Province.
Next day, unidentified assailants gunned down Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali,
a renowned lawyer representing the government in high-profile cases such
as Benazir murder and Mumbai attacks. The attackers fled from the scene
without being intercepted by police. Gunmen intercepted Zulfiqar in
commercial area of Sector G-9, Markaz of Islamabad; they sprayed a volley
of bullets on his car and the driver lost control of the car after receiving a
bullet and crushed to death a woman crossing the road.
According to family sources, the prosecutor had been receiving threats
from certain quarters. They said the victim had brought it to the knowledge
of the Inspector General, Islamabad, and sought security. The prosecutor

563
was gunned down at a time when there have been important developments in
both the Mumbai attack case and the Benazir Bhutto assassination case.
Provincially Administrative Tribal Administration, on the order of the
Supreme Court, produced two detainees, who had been kept in the PATA
internment centre since 2010, before a three-judge bench of the apex court.
The detainees were kept in internment centre PATA under the Actions (in
Aid of Civil Power) Regulation, 2011, which was promulgated on 26-06-
2011 with effect from February 1, 2008.
The court on the application of Tariq Asad that some of the Adiala
Jail prisoners, presently detained in internment center FATA, have been
awarded 5, 8 and 14 years respectively, issued notice to ISI, MI and the
Attorney General of Pakistan. During the proceeding, Asma Jahangir,
counsel for the two prisoners, said that the Regulation 2011 was worst than
the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, commonly known
as TADA.
Chief Secretary KPK Ghulam Dastagir Khan appearing before the
court informed that Ibrahim Shah was arrested on 11-09-2010 and sent to
internment center, while Hadyat Shah was taken into custody on 23-12-2009
and sent to the internment center on 31-12-2009. Both the detainees were
residents of Batkhela, Malakand district. The chief secretary informed that
the accused had planned to explode the Degree College with explosive.
The chief justice asked the secretary to produce the FIR, saying that
was the region (Batkhela) where if the policeman or army man arrests a
person then they have to produce him before the trial court. The CJP
inquired under what law they had been kept in the internment center. The
court noted that since 2010 the family members were not allowed to meet
the prisoners and adjourned till May 14.
On 5th May, at least 35 militants were killed and two of their hideouts
destroyed during army's ongoing operation in Orakzai and KPK tribal
regions; two soldiers were also martyred and three others injured in
skirmishes with militant groups loyal to Taliban and al Qaeda. In Sangak
Kandao area of Orakzai Agency six militants were killed and five others
wounded when security forces clashed with militants. Meanwhile, war
planes pounded militant positions in Kismat Sangar area of Upper Orakzai,
killing 13 militants and wounding five others.
Moreover, 22 suspects, including key militant Bilal, were arrested
during a door-to-door search operation in Hangu district. Meanwhile,
Taliban militants targeted a military convoy with a roadside bomb in North

564
Waziristan tribal region, killing two soldiers and injuring three more,
officials said. Security forces defused three landmines planted on their
patrolling route in Samo Kandao area.
Nawaz Sharif, in an interview with Reuters said the country should
reconsider its support for the US war on militancy and suggested that he was
in favour of negotiations with the Taliban. Nawaz said the military’s US-
backed campaign against the Taliban was not the best way to defeat the
insurgency. ‘I think other options need to be explored at the same time and
see what is workable. And I think we’re going to pursue all these other
options.’
Nawaz wants a review of the backing provided for the US war on
militancy under the previous government’s approach. ‘Someone will have to
take this problem seriously. All stakeholders will have to sit down together
and understand the concerns of all parties and then take a decision, which is
in the best interest of Pakistan and the international community.’
Next day, responding to a query regarding Karzai’s recent press
conference in Kabul, Foreign Office spokesman said Durand Line was a
settled issue and it should not be discussed anymore. Commenting on
Karzai’s remarks in which he urged Taliban to ‘turn and target and aim their
weapons at Afghanistan’s enemies’, the spokesperson stated that the
continuing fight against terrorism and extremism warranted Pakistan,
Afghanistan and all other stakeholders to work together in a spirit of
cooperation and harmony.
On 7th May, Pakistan lodged strong protest against repeated
unprovoked firing from Afghan side on Pakistani Gursal Post. Afghan forces
started unwarranted firing on May 6 at the Pakistani Gursal post. Five
Frontier Constabulary (FC) soldiers got injured as a result of firing. The
Afghan charge d' affaires was summoned to the Foreign Office to convey
protest of the government of Pakistan.
On 8th May, an explosives-laden vehicle was rammed into the back
wall of Domail Police Station, Bannu. An Elite Force constable and two
women were killed in the incident. People got trapped under the collapsed
houses and were rescued by locals. Six policemen, 13 children and 10 other
people got multiple wounds in the explosion. A police official said the
suicide bomber attacked from behind the building. ‘He hit a barrier installed
at a distance from the police station.’ A bomb disposal squad official said
more than 500 kilograms of explosives were used in the attack.

565
 In another blast, two persons were killed and 13 others were injured
when a bomb was exploded in a market at Jani Chowk, Hangu. Officials said
that 15 people were wounded when a bomb, planted in a vegetable pushcart,
exploded inside the main Bazaar. Two of them died in the hospital. Eight
kilograms of explosives were used in the explosion.
Next day, four people were killed and three others injured when an
explosive device attached to a police mobile van was detonated using a
remote control in Jadba area near Mansehra. The police vehicle was targeted
near Surmel Kotli village. In Bajaur Agency, a boy was killed and four
others hurt when an explosive device went off inside a playground in
Rashkai area. The blast hit when a ceremony after a cricket match was in
progress near a government-run primary school. Sixteen-year-old Ibrahim
Khan was killed and four others wounded.
Peshawar High Court declared US drone strikes in Pakistan’s tribal
belt illegal and directed the Foreign Ministry to move a resolution in the UN
against such attacks. The court observed that the strikes must be declared a
war crime as they kill innocent people. The PHC ordered the government to
contact International War Crime Tribunal (IWCT) over the issue.
‘The government of Pakistan must ensure that no drone strike takes
place in the future’, the court said. ‘If the US vetoes the resolution, the
country should think about breaking diplomatic ties with the US’, the
judgment said. The Peshawar High Court had earlier reserved its verdict
after the completion of arguments by lawyers for the federal government and
the petitioners.
On 11th May, the Committee to Protect Journalists, a New York-based
watchdog body, has called on Pakistan’s interim government to reverse its
decision to expel New York Times bureau chief Declan Walsh from the
country. ‘The expulsion of Declan Walsh shows just how much the
authorities fear independent media coverage’, Bob Dietz, CPJ’s Asia
programme coordinator, said.
‘The vagueness and the late-night delivery of the expulsion order
smack of a need to intimidate foreign and local journalists on the eve of
historic elections that could herald the growth of democracy in Pakistan.
Instead, Walsh’s expulsion only mars the event, and undercuts hopes for a
free press.’ Walsh, a senior journalist who had been covering Pakistan for
the Times since January 2012, was handed a two-sentence letter ordering
him to leave.

566
 Times Executive Editor Jill Abramson protested the expulsion and she
called the accusation of undesirable activities ‘vague and unsupported’.
Walsh has lived and worked in Pakistan for nine years, most of the time for
The Guardian newspaper of Britain. He was hired by the Times in January
2012. The journalist has written about the country’s political strife,
insurgency and sometimes tense relations with the United States.
A US lawmaker introduced a resolution in the House of
Representatives to limit American aid to Pakistan and four other countries.
The other four countries are Iran, North Korea, Syria and Egypt. Introduced
by Congressman Paul A Gosar, the Foreign Assistance Under Limitation
and Transparency Act or the FAULT Act, calls for limiting foreign aid to
five countries that undermine US foreign policy objectives.
Next day, President Barack Obama said his administration looks
forward to working with the government emerging from the historic polls as
equal partners in supporting a more stable Pakistan, as he congratulated the
Pakistani people on successful completion of Saturday’s Parliamentary
elections. Secretary of State John Kerry also expressed Washington’s desire
to work cooperatively with the new government to advance shared interest.
Afghanistan: On 17th April, Pakistani officials removed border
check-points and security gate set up two days ago along the Durand line
between the two countries amid heavy criticism from the Afghan officials,
particularly President Karzai. Establishment of 11 security check points and
a security gate along the two countries border by Pakistani forces had been
called a matter of national concern by the Afghan authorities threatening to
remove if diplomatic dialogue failed.
A delegation from the Afghan side arrived in Islamabad and discussed
the issue with the authorities two days ago, with finally the officials
destroying the entire facilities and the disputed border gate. The ISAF forces
had also been said to be summoned for the case on which they had been
blamed by Afghan authorities to have supported the checkpoints creation
along the border.
Next day, Taliban on Thursday pledged to take revenge on US troops
in Afghanistan after guards at Guantanamo prison fired non-lethal rounds at
inmates to quell unrest. Guards at the US-run prison in Cuba fired the rounds
last Saturday to halt unrest as they relocated inmates into individual cells.
No detainees were seriously injured, according to the officials, but more
detainees have joined a growing hunger strike at the reviled US military
prison, with nearly a third of the 166 war-on-terror suspects participating.

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 On 21st April, a US delegation called on Chief of Army Staff General
Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and discussed matters of mutual interest with
particular focus on Afghanistan reconciliation process with him. From
Pakistan’s side, Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jillani also attended the
meeting. The US delegation comprised Ambassador David Pearce, Acting
Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Lt-Gen (r) Dagulas
Lute, Special Assistant to President on Afghanistan and Pakistan Dr Peter
Lavoy, Principal Assistant Secretary of Defence for Asian and Pacific
Security Affairs and Ambassador Richard Olson.
As many as 74 schoolgirls fell sick after smelling gas at their school,
Bibi Maryam, in Takhar province's capital, Taluqan. The sick students were
being examined for possible poisoning. The Takhar governor's spokesman
blamed ‘enemies of the government and the country’ for the mass illness and
said the aim was to stop girls from going to school.
On 23rd April, Afghan village elders negotiated with the Taliban to try
to win the release of a group of foreign hostages, but no progress was
reported. The insurgents had seized eight Turks, a Russian, a Kyrgyz man
and an Afghan after their civilian helicopter made a forced landing due to
bad weather in a rugged area of Logar Province.
In two deadly incidents, four children aged under 10 died when a
mine planted by the Taliban exploded while they were collecting firewood in
Maruf district of the southern province of Kandahar. And two foreign
soldiers died after an insurgent attack in the east, the International Security
Assistance Force said in a statement which did not give their nationalities.
The head of NATO said Pakistan must play a positive role in bringing
stability to Afghanistan as foreign troops prepare to leave in 2014. he said
this before a US-chaired meeting that will try to ease friction between two
neighbours. US Secretary of State John Kerry will host talks between
Afghan President and senior Pakistan officials in Brussels.
Next day, Afghan and Pakistani leaders met with US Secretary of
State John Kerry on to try to reverse a deterioration in relations that has
threatened Afghanistan’s peacemaking efforts. Kerry after more than three
hours said: ‘We made progress’, but making no claims of a breakthrough.
‘We had a very extensive and...a very productive and constructive
dialogue... But we have all agreed that results are what will tell the story, not
statements at a press conference’, Kerry told reporters, without disclosing
any details of what was discussed.

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 Neither Karzai nor the Pakistan officials made any comment at the
end of the meeting. But Karzai called it an important meeting and said he
was glad Kayani and Jilani had found the time to travel to Brussels. ‘Let’s
hope...for the best’, he told reporters. Afghan officials say Pakistan has a
long history of supporting Afghanistan’s Taliban and other insurgent
factions. Pakistan in turn has accused Afghanistan of giving safe haven to
militants on their side of the border.
On 27th April, the Taliban in Afghanistan vowed to start a new
campaign of mass suicide attacks on foreign military bases and diplomatic
areas, as well as damaging ‘insider attacks’, as part of a new spring offensive
this year. The offensive was announced via emails from Taliban spokesmen.
The Taliban statement said this year’s offensive, named after Khalid bin
Waleed will involve ‘special military tactics’ similar to those carried out
previously.
‘Collective martyrdom operations on bases of foreign invaders, their
diplomatic centres and military airbases will be even further structured while
every possible tactic will be utilized in order to detain or inflict heavy
casualties on the foreign transgressors’, the statement said. The spring
offensive was coordinated to begin on April 28 to coincide with a national
holiday to mark the overthrow of the Soviet-backed government of
Mohammad Najibullah in 1992.
Gunmen released nine mine clearers held hostage for four days in
Afghanistan's restive southern province of Kandahar. The men, all Afghans,
were being driven back from a minefield when they were seized in Maiwand
district. ‘Their release was made possible with the help of local elders’, an
official said.
Next day, insurgents killed three police officers in a roadside bomb
blast in the central province of Ghazni as they targeted a police convoy that
was traveling to the scene of a Taliban attack in Zana Khan district. Taliban
said the roadside bomb was part of their spring offensive.
On 29th April, Afghan President Hamid Karzai confirmed that his
government received money from the CIA, following reports of cash being
handed over in suitcases and backpacks. ‘Yes, the NSC of Afghanistan has
received money from CIA in the past 10 years. The amount was not big,
rather it was small’, Karzai said in a statement, referring to the National
Security Council which is part of the president’s office.
Next day, Shyam Saran, convener of the National Security Advisory
Board, said: ‘India will not be the first to use nuclear weapons, but if it is

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attacked with such weapons, its nuclear retaliation will be massive and
designed to inflict unacceptable damage on its adversary. The label on a
nuclear weapon used for attacking India, strategic or tactical, is irrelevant
from the Indian perspective.’ Saran was placing on record India's official
nuclear posture with the full concurrence of the highest levels of nuclear
policymakers in New Delhi.
Saran argued: ‘Pakistani motivation is to dissuade India from
contemplating conventional punitive retaliation to sub-conventional but
highly destructive and disruptive cross-border terrorist strikes such as the
horrific 26/11 attack on Mumbai. What Pakistan is signaling to India and to
the world is that India should not contemplate retaliation even if there is
another Mumbai because Pakistan has lowered the threshold of nuclear use
to the theatre level. This is nothing short of nuclear blackmail, no different
from the irresponsible behaviour one witnesses in North Korea’.
On 1st May, Prime Minister David Cameron said that Britain was
paying a ‘very high price’ in Afghanistan after three soldiers were killed in a
roadside bomb in Helmand Province. Six British soldiers have now been
killed this year in Afghanistan. Britain has not lost so many soldiers in one
incident since six were killed by a similar blast in March last year.
A roadside bomb planted by the Taliban killed a senior member of
Afghanistan’s peace council. Shah Wali Khan, the head of the High Peace
Council (HPC) in the southern province of Helmand, died along with two
police bodyguards when an explosion ripped through his vehicle. Khan’s
convoy was traveling in Gereshk district as part of the handover of security
from NATO-led troops to the Afghan security forces.
Next day, a Taliban bomb killed eight Afghan police in Logar
Province outside the capital Kabul. The members of the Afghan Local Police
(ALP) force were on a joint patrol with NATO-led coalition forces near Puli
Alam town when the bomb was detonated.
On 4th May, five American soldiers were killed when their armoured
vehicle hit a powerful roadside mine in Maiwand district of the southern
province of Kandahar. Two other NATO troops were killed by an Afghan
army soldier in the Farah Province. The Taliban had vowed a spate of
insider attacks when they launched their spring offensive a week ago.
Karzai clashed repeatedly with the US this year over Afghan
sovereignty and the security transition, but he has also been caught up in a
scandal alleging that CIA cash delivered to his office was used to buy off
warlords. The president said the money – reportedly packed in suitcases,

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backpacks and plastic shopping bags – was used for health care and
scholarships and receipts are issued to the Americans.
Afghan president said the Afghan government would never recognize
Durand Line as the international border between the two countries. He said
that the government of Pakistan was trying to force Afghanistan to accept
Durand Line as the formal border by creating issues including the
construction of border gates and other military installations. Karzai called on
the Taliban to fight Afghanistan’s enemies in what was widely seen as a
swipe against Pakistan.
Next day, it was reported that a German soldier was killed and another
wounded in an attack by insurgents in northern Afghanistan yesterday.
German Special Forces had been supporting an Afghan operation near the
northern city of Baghlan when insurgents opened fire on the Afghan and
NATO troops. Germany has the third-biggest foreign troop deployment in
Afghanistan after the United States and Britain.
On 8th May, Afghanistan’s education minister threatened to punish
schoolgirls who claim to suffer from alleged ‘poisonings’ that many officials
believe are actually temporary psychological illnesses. Scores of girls’
schools over recent years have seen mysterious mass fainting, nausea and
similar symptoms that are often blamed by police and the local media on
poisoning by Taliban insurgents or toxic gas leaks.
But no lab evidence of poison or other toxins has ever been found at
schools and no deaths have occurred, with the girls often released from
hospital after only a few hours. In the latest case, 200 girls were reported to
have been ‘poisoned’ at a school in Kabul on May 1, causing an outbreak of
screaming, stomach aches and vomiting.
The education department said the government was determined to
crack down on the causes of outbreaks of psychological illnesses among
young girls. ‘When one student faints, it spreads around and everyone might
think it’s poisoning’, spokesman for the ministry, told AFP. ‘If tests prove it
is mass hysteria or any other natural cause, of course no one will be
punished. What the minister said was that we will pursue those who disrupt
the classes.’ A female education activist, criticized the minister’s stance and
said that previous cases of ‘poisonings’ had dissuaded families from sending
their daughters to school.
Next day, Afghan President said that he could allow the United States
to keep nine military bases in the country as part of negotiations over a long-
term security pact with Washington. After more than 11 years of US-led

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military intervention in Afghanistan, the two countries are hammering out a
deal to allow a limited US troop presence to remain when the international
coalition leaves next year. The size of the ‘residual’ force has not been
agreed, with numbers ranging from 2,500 to 12,000, according to US
officials, as Washington winds down a war that has become deeply
unpopular at home.
Soldiers kept in Afghanistan would target al-Qaeda militants and help
train the local army and police – but a hasty withdrawal could also threaten
fragile gains secured since the Taliban were ousted in 2001. The US has
avoided revealing its plans in Afghanistan. Immunity from Afghan law for
the remaining US troops is likely to be a key demand from Obama, and
Karzai has said the issue may have to be decided by a gathering of tribal
elders.
On 12th May, the Taliban freed four of eight Turkish engineers taken
hostage last month after their helicopter crashed in Afghanistan, Turkey’s
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Afghan officials announced.
Other captives would also be released soon, according to the district
governor in Logar Province where the hostages were taken.
Iran: On 15th April, Iranian President Ahmadinejad defended his
country’s controversial nuclear programme while on a tour of West Africa,
calling it peaceful and arguing that Tehran has no use for an atomic bomb.
Speaking during a visit to Benin, the first stop on a three-nation tour,
Ahmadinejad called nuclear energy ‘divine gift’ providing affordable
electricity.
Next day, Iran test-fired a new land-to-sea ballistic missile in the Gulf,
days before an annual ceremony meant to showcase its military muscle at a
time of rising tension with the West over its nuclear activity. Israel has
publicly warned of possible air strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites if Tehran does
not resolve Western suspicions it is developing nuclear weapons know-how
under cover of a declared civilian atomic energy programme.
On 7th May, Iran warned against any ‘provocations’ in the Gulf as a
US-led international naval force began a massive minesweeping exercise.
‘Any movement in the region will be fully monitored by our defence forces’,
foreign ministry spokesman told reporters when asked about the largest
exercise of its kind in the region scheduled to begin next week.
On 12th May, Iranian guards shot dead 10 Afghan migrants illegally
trying to cross the border from the western province of Herat. Thousands of

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Afghans cross illegally into Iran every year to seek work as Afghanistan’s
economy struggles to grow amid insurgency that erupted after the 2001 fall
of the Taliban.
India: On 17th April, a top Indian official said a blast in the city of
Bangalore that wounded 16 people Wednesday, including 11 policemen, was
‘an act of terror’ designed to disrupt upcoming state elections. The
explosives were planted on a motorbike near the office of the Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) in the southern state of Karnataka.
After the successful negotiations between India and Pakistan, the
former has agreed to release 117 Pakistani prisoners who have completed
their term in prison. These Pakistanis were detained on charges of overstay
and other minor crimes. Pakistan had released 54 Indian prisoners last year
and India while showing harmony and goodwill gestures had agreed to
release the Pakistani prisoners.
On 22nd April, an official human rights body of Indian-occupied
Kashmir's ‘government’ was reported admitting the existence of over two
thousand unmarked graves as per a US report on human rights. The report,
titled ‘Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012’ released by the
US State Department, said it was the first time that a government entity – the
Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Council (JKSHRC) – confirmed
that some of the bodies in graves were of civilians and not insurgents, but
made no comments about the discovery of so many graves.
‘In a report submitted to the state government in July 2011, the
Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Council had documented 2,156
unmarked graves at 38 different sites at the heart of the 1990s insurgency
and recommended an inquiry by an independent body’, the State Department
said. ‘In December the International People’s Tribunal on Human Rights and
Justice in Indian-Administered Kashmir documented 2,943 bodies in graves
in Kashmir, 87 percent of which were unmarked.’
The State Department report also said India's civil society continues to
express concern over the failure of the government of western state of
Gujarat to protect people or arrest those responsible for communal violence
in 2002. It said human rights groups continue to allege that investigative
bodies in their reports showed bias in favour of Gujarat's Chief Minister
Narendra Modi.
On 26th April, Kashmiri fighters killed four Indian policemen in an
ambush near the town of Sopore in Indian-held Kashmir. The four had just

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descended from their vehicle to conduct a routine patrol in the village of
Hygam when they came under attack from gunmen. The village is 45
kilometers northwest of Srinagar.
Meanwhile, high-profile condemned prisoner, Sarabjit Singh was
shifted to hospital in a critical condition after he was attacked by two
inmates. Singh was on a routine stroll outside his Block No-7 when two
condemned prisoners, Amir and Mudassir, attacked him with bricks and an
improvised cutter. Singh received severe head injuries and was rushed to
Jinnah Hospital.
On 29th April, India requested Pakistan to take a ‘humanitarian’ view
of the convict Sarabjit Singh’s case and release him. In a statement Indian
government asked Pakistan to consider the option of transferring 49-year-old
Sarabjit to India for medical treatment, and demanded a thorough probe into
the attack.
On 1st May, convicted Indian spy Sarabjit Singh succumbed to his
injuries at Jinnah Hospital. The head of medical board supervising Sarabjit’s
treatment confirmed his death. Singh had illegally crossed into Pakistan on
August 29, 1990. He was arrested on charges of carrying out four bombings
in Faisalabad, Multan and Lahore and was later sentenced to death.
Next day, dead body of Indian death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh, who
died at Lahore’s Jinnah Hospital, was flown to India. The body of the
deceased was handed over to Indian authorities, who carried it by a special
plane from Allama Iqbal International Airport to Indian city of Amritsar, to
be taken to his ancestral village in the Indian Punjab.
Foreign Office of Pakistan hoped that Pak-India relations would not
be affected by the incident. In a statement it said that Pakistan, which had
been providing all assistance to the family of Sarabjit as well as to the Indian
authorities, facilitated for the early completion of all formalities and hand
over the mortal remains of the prisoner to the Indian High Commission. It
said that the comatose prisoner was being provided the best treatment and
the medical staff had been working round the clock to save his life.
Indian authorities pledged that Sarabjit will be accorded a state funeral
in his hometown of Bhikhiwind in Punjab with full state honours tomorrow.
India also alleged that its diplomats were denied access to the prisoner as he
fought for his life. Terming him a hero, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
reacted furiously to the death of ‘a brave son of India’ and regretted that the
Pakistan had not heeded to the pleas of the Indian government to take a
humanitarian view in the case.

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 Parliament's lower house was adjourned in uproar as Speaker Meira
Kumar moved a resolution condemning the ‘inhuman treatment’ of Sarabjit.
There were angry protests in Sarabjit's native Bhikhiwind village in northern
Punjab state, where Pakistan flags were desecrated. Narendra Modi, a
firebrand of India's hard-line opposition BJP, told an election rally in
southern Mangalore: ‘I directly blame the government of Pakistan for the
murder of Sarabjit Singh. It is an extrajudicial killing.’
Next day, In a tit-for-tat assault, a 52-year old Pakistani prisoner,
Rana Sanaullah Haq, serving a life term in a jail in Jammu, was brutally
attacked by Indian inmates. There was outrage across Pakistan over the
horrific assault on Sanaullah, as protests erupted in different parts of the
country including Lahore and Sialkot to condemn the inhuman attack.
The resident of Sialkot, Sanaullah, is in deep coma and battling for
life in a state-run hospital in the Indian Punjab. Neither New Delhi has so far
notified family of the victim, nor has the government been officially
informed by the Indian authorities. However, Indian government allowed
consular access to the victim of murderous assault. The Pakistan high
commission in India has asked for repatriation of the prisoner for medical
treatment on humanitarian grounds.
A day after Indian terrorist Sarabjit succumbed to head injuries in the
Lahore’s Jinnah hospital, Sanaullah was attacked by an Indian Army soldier
convicted for murder in the Kot Bhalwal jail. New Delhi claimed that
Sanaullah was being tried for murder since the late 1990s for carrying out
acts of militancy in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. India also said the guilty
would be punished and called the attack on Sanaullah ‘regrettable’.
Soon after the attack on Sarabjit Singh, Indian media, keeping in
character, started a heinous campaign against Pakistan. As a matter of fact,
Sarabjit Singh was a terrorist, who was found guilty of carrying out bomb
blasts in Pakistan in 1990. At that time, the terms ‘terrorism’ and ‘cross-
border terrorism’ were not known to the most of the world. So India is the
inventor of terror sponsoring into Pakistan, political pundits say. ‘The plight
of Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails must be taken up at an appropriate
forum to expose the real face of India as there are many examples of
Pakistani prisoners who died in police custody or suffered severe physical or
mental torture in Indian jails.’
Expressing concern over the attack on Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah,
Islamabad reiterated its desire to have good neighbourly relations with India.
‘Despite recent Indian outrages including violations on LoC, Pakistan is

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exercising utmost restraint in order to strengthen composite dialogue process
to resolve all bilateral disputes’, Foreign Office Spokesman said in his
weekly press briefing. 
On 5th May, the condition of Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah has been
unchanged since his arrival in the trauma ICU. Sanaullah Haq is brain dead,
Indian doctors of the PGI Chandigarh said. Moreover the Pakistani High
Commissioner was allowed to visit the Sanaullah in Chandigarh.
Next day, India admitted Sarabjit Singh was an agent for RAW in
Pakistan. According to an Indian intelligence official, Sarabjit Singh was
sent to Pakistan for an operation managed by a senior RAW official, who
later became the external intelligence agency’s chief. The operation
executed by Sarabjit didn’t serve any tactical purpose but still the agency
had executed many such missions in Pakistan in the early and mid 90s.
‘Some of the operations executed by RAW during the period were
totally mindless. Spies like Sarabjit and their family have paid huge cost for
it. Sometimes, the agency officials executed operations out of personal
bravado that they can get ‘something’ done in Pakistan’, said the official.
His family had always insisted that Singh was innocent and had strayed into
Pakistan by mistake when he was arrested.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner in New Delhi Salman Bashir visited
seriously injured prisoner Sanaullah. Talking to media, he said that condition
of Pakistani prisoner was not satisfactory as there was no improvement in
his condition. Pakistani high commissioner said that Sanaullah was still on
ventilator and could not be shifted to any place because of his serious
condition.
On 7th May, indiscriminate firing by the Indian security forces on
Pakistani bordering villages in Shakargarh panicked the villagers. The
villagers were offering Fajar prayer, when the Indian forces unleashed firing
from Blair post on bordering villages. The Rangers retaliated, forcing the
Indian artillery to be silent.
The Foreign Ministry of Pakistan issued a travel advisory for all
citizens traveling to India. Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement
that more than 600 pilgrims who are scheduled to visit Ajmer Sharif for the
annual Urs this month might also be at serious risk. He said that the
government wishes to advise its citizens who are planning to travel to India
to exercise due caution and care while traveling to various parts of India.

576
 Two family members of Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Ranjay reached
India after being granted permission from Indian officials. Officials of the
Pakistani High Commission met with Ranjay’s brother-in-law and nephew
at Wagah border. Sanaullah’s relatives would seek his release from the
Indian government.
The Delhi High Court set aside the conviction of a Kashmiri youth,
Muhammad Iqbal Jan, who was awarded life imprisonment in 2009 by the
Additional Sessions Judge Delhi in a fake case. A division bench of the
Delhi High Court set aside the conviction and sentence of Iqbal Jan, a
resident of Bandipora. The court came to the conclusion that the conviction
could not be sustained and directed immediate release of Jan and Mushtaq
Ahmed Kaloo who was also convicted in the same case.
Next day, Nawaz Sharif, seen as the front-runner in Pakistan’s
election race, said he would not allow militant groups to attack rival India
from his country and would work to improve ties with New Delhi if elected.
‘If I become the prime minister I will make sure that the Pakistani soil is not
used for any such designs against India’, Sharif told CNN-IBN in an
interview.
On 9th May, a special plane carrying the dead body of Pakistani citizen
Rana Sanaullah Haq from India reached Sialkot. The body of the 65-year-
old inmate who was killed in a jail attack in held Kashmir was brought to his
native village Oora where he desired to be buried. State protocol was given
to the burial but no guard of honour was given.
Thousands of the people including women and children from Sialkot
region gathered in Oora village to pay homage to the deceased. The people
staged a demonstration in the village and chanted anti-India slogans, calling
India ‘the biggest terrorist of the world’. They said that Sanaullah was the
hero of the nation and called him a ‘shaheed’. Sanaullah is survived by two
sons while his wife passed away eleven years ago during his imprisonment.
Expressing apprehensions over growing prison violence against
Pakistani inmates in Indian jails, Islamabad called upon New Delhi to
penalize culprits responsible for death of Sanaullah Haq. ‘The brutal manner
in which Sanaullah was attacked in the jail is most unfortunate and a matter
of deep concern for the government of Pakistan’, the Foreign Office said.
Next day, India asked Pakistan to call off the visit of the Zaireen to
Ajmer Sharif citing security concerns over the recent bilateral drop-off,
following the murders of their prisoners on each other’s soil. The annual Urs

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of Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti (RA) is beginning from May 13 and
each year hundreds of Pakistani devotees travel to India to attend it.
On 12th May, World leaders congratulated former premier Nawaz
Sharif on his thumping victory in historic general polls. Indian Prime
Minister Dr Manmohan Singh hoped to work with Sharif to chart ‘a new
course for the relationship’ between the nuclear-armed neighbours. He
congratulated Sharif on his ‘emphatic victory’, and invited him to visit India
at a ‘mutually convenient’ time. He expressed India’s desire to work with
the new government of Pakistan in charting a new course for the relationship
between the two countries.

VIEWS
Pakistan
Who’s war? ‘The speech of General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on the
Martyr’s Day rang familiar bells… It appears that the winds of change have
also hit the confines of military headquarters. Does it mean that, within the
context of the US-led war in Afghanistan, Pakistan has succeeded in creating
space to put its own house in order and carryout the onerous task of nation
building to its logical conclusion? 
As written in the past, the second term Obama administration has
made a clear pathway into the next decade in which the stability of Pakistan
will be critical to regional stability. The threat of diverse non-state actors and
outside interference is most likely to decrease. The rider clause will be the
ability of the armed forces to inflict maximum damage to TTP and its
affiliates well before the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2014; hence,
the empathic suggestion to own the war and end it through instruments of
statecraft. The overhang of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the
attainment of internal stability within a year are the two interlinked
challenges for a democratically-elected government. Post-withdrawal,
Pakistan will have to control the surge in militancy astride the Durand Line.
The Tirah Operation is a beginning. Reports indicate that to contest such a
scenario, Pakistan during the previous government had begun negotiations
with USA and its allies to buy off some of the defensive equipment. 
Though the speech may be music to the ears of the secular parties,
there is more to it. The biggest challenge will confront ANP and MQM, who
will be required to shed off their narrow ethno-nationalist agendas and
embrace the concept of Pakistan’s founding fathers in totality. What greater

578
affirmation of Pakistani nationalism than the burial of Shaheed Bashir Bilour
in Pakistan’s national colours? The suggestion also opens doors to the
leftists and progressives of the Pakistan Movement, who had been sidelined
as traitors for six decades through distortion of history. Dream Pakistan will
also connect the poetry of Allama Iqbal to Faiz Ahmad Faiz, a trusted leftist
companion of Quaid-i-Azam, who along with Dr M.D. Taseer and Mian
Iftikharuddin of Progressive Papers was the founder of Kashmir
independence movement. 
But this is how far the wish list of General Kayani may go. The final
decision to adopt these suggestions will rest with the future Parliament and
government. In one scenario, it may be seen as an intrusion of the army in
the domain of civilian leadership and the resultant resolve to harness the
armed forces under civilian control. In the past two years, all political parties
have attended workshops on how to impose civilian control over the armed
forces. One cannot rule out the Bonapartists eager to put their sketchy
knowledge of civil-military relations to test for supremacy. In another, the
larger notion of strengthening democracy and removing the IFS could fall in
line with the suggestions of reconciliation. A split mandate followed by
compromises would most likely denude the effectiveness of this exercise,
following which a future political dispensation could take the shape of an
NRO II. 
Though the parties representing status quo may already be familiar
with the contours of these suggestions, the parties like PTI crying for change
will need to get back to the drawing board and analyze the message. Based
on the assumption that the party is the likely frontrunner in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa with split results in Punjab and a small presence in Sindh and
Balochistan, the preoccupation with counter terrorism may become the
major agenda of PTI to contend. In such a scenario, it is likely to get least
support from the centre. However, dynamics could change if it also becomes
the frontrunner in Punjab and correspondingly, a major stakeholder at the
centre. 
In either case, being part of a coalition will warrant modifications in
planning and methodologies. The party must put its researchers and analysts
to evolve modified plans for different scenarios so that it loses no time once
the elections are completed. 
It is difficult to analyze the intention of a person such as General
Kayani who thinks more for his few words. I recall my interactions with him
as his staff officer in 2001-2002. He firmly believed that removal of

579
contradictions in the politic body of Pakistan were essential to national
reconciliation and exit from the war on terror. The war then had just begun
and I waited eleven long years for this message. In the interim, I cursed
him.’ (Samson Simon Sharaf, TheNation 4th May)
Democracy and terrorism: ‘The second part of Kayani’s significant
address pertained to the menace of terrorism. Here too, the General, on the
one hand, unequivocally took a firm stand for going all-out to fight the
scourge of terrorism and root it out, and, on the other, kept the door open to
engage the militants provided they ‘unconditionally submit to the state, its
constitution and the rule of law.’ He counseled against debating about the
‘causes and origins’ of the war on terror and urged concentration on
defeating the terrorists. ‘Does the fight against the enemy of the state
constitute someone else’s war’, he questioned.
At the same time, he did express the ‘desire’ that all those who had
‘strayed and have picked up arms against the nation, return to the national
fold.’
Looking forward to a post-election Pakistan, barring a tsunami
resulting in a sweep for PTI, the new government may be, to some extent, an
improvement on the previous one. It will, however, be considerably short of
Kayani’s expectations. And Kayani’s successor may not be as restrained as
he has been all these years. If, in these circumstances, Imran’s PTI sits on
the opposition benches, his role as its leader will be crucial to keep the erring
new government on its toes about its duty and conduct.
As for terrorism, how does the General explain the fact that despite
the long drawn out and continuing operations of the military under his
competent command, the Taliban militancy and influence has not declined.
In fact, it has increased to the extent that they are openly threatening certain
political parties, providing them an excuse for the postponement of the
elections.
All that Imran Khan says is not hot air. We have to find a way to
bring, according to Kayani’s own words, the ‘strayed Pakistanis back into
the national fold.’ And the sooner the better. There is an urgent need to take
the nation into confidence about the reality of the different strands of the
composite called the Taliban of Pakistan. The anti-Pakistan and foreign
elements need to be identified, sorted out and eliminated.
The erstwhile coalition partners, who ruled at the centre and in Sindh
for quite some time, are reported these days to be targeted by the Taliban.
The trio has raised the question of a level playing field for all political

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parties. They have a point worthy of serious consideration. One, at the same
time, wonders what it is that they were doing during the last five years when
they were in power. One is amazed at the way they deliberately neglected to
develop a strategy, as also a mechanism, for effectively countering terrorism.
They kept suffering from militant attacks, while following a policy of drift
and dilly-dallying. The Taliban a few weeks back made an offer to them to
hold talks to settle the terms for ending violence. This offer was considered
by the ANP, who held a meeting with the other political parties. This
meeting, however, was not seriously followed up with the result that the
offer fell through. It also appears that the army bosses were not formally
consulted.
The Army Chief’s recent categorical statement that the fight against
the terrorists would continue with vigour should be sufficient assurance to
the trio that necessary steps would be taken against them. General Kayani
was aware of the terrorists strikes in Karachi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
when he expressed his commitment (and support) to the holding of elections
on May 11. It needs to be added that there has been no peace in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa and Karachi for the last many years. It is not a new
phenomenon.
With India flexing its muscles (turning the unfortunate death of a
proven convicted master terrorist into a national tragedy announcing a three-
day national mourning, a state funeral and elevating him to the status of a
national hero), and Karzai’s Afghanistan indulging in hostile acts against us,
Pakistan can ill afford a prolonged military operation against its own
people.’ (Inayatullah, TheNation 4th May)
Killers and their purpose: ‘The murder of FIA special prosecutor
Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali investigating Benazir’s assassination by gunmen on
Friday reflects the hazards faced by the people involved in her murder trial.
He was also serving as the prosecutor for the 2008 Mumbai attacks and was
about to present evidence incriminating members of a banned outfit.
What it shows is how deeply terrorism has spread; virtually no
individual – doesn’t matter whether you are an ordinary citizen, a polio
activist, former prime minister or a sitting one – anyone for that matter
appears to be within the reach of an assassin’s bullet. How that gory ambush
was executed in the blink of an eye could have been done by professionals;
in just seconds the killers descended from nowhere and disappeared into thin
air. That’s how easily a life is slaughtered; all it takes is a gun and a hired
killer to get the job done.

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 Violence remains the best means available to silence dissent in all its
forms and manifestations. The solution does not lie in the government
functionaries, collectively the mandarins and the legislators moving about
heavily guarded, blocking off the roads, measures which apparently seem a
necessity. Chaudhry Zulfiqar must have known what the tremendous costs to
his person could be, as he drove to the anti-terrorism court. This is the latest
killing in a string of assassinations that is also targeting witnesses and key
individuals involved in the murder trial. For one thing, the kind of outfits
that were behind Benazir’s killing or for that matter the Mumbai attacks are
so vicious that they are bent on silencing every individual they think could
have a bearing on the future course of the mystery in one way or the other.
The state prosecutor was a key figure; he was pursuing both the cases quite
courageously; in fact reportedly in a manner that had earned him many
enemies. He was, for instance against the grant of a bail to Musharraf over
Benazir’s murder. Musharraf's legal aids however, have claimed that they
are hurt worst of all, as Choudhry Zulfiqar's evidence was not against their
client, but against powerful elements who stood to be embarrassed as a
result. Against the backdrop of the witnesses swiftly slain so far, and
conveniently forgotten by the police, their deaths have helped the trial take
the trajectory that these killers want.
It would not be enough to just speculate who are the forces doing this.
Procrastination where action is needed becomes a crime and costs precious
lives as is happening at the moment. It is high time, that the Al Capone style
of executing witnesses and investigators was brought to an end.’ (Editorial,
TheNation 4th May)
Opposing war on terror: ‘About the hottest issue of Pakistan’s
foreign policy today – the country’s involvement in the war on terror and
how to get out of it – has been the subject of two separate interviews to
foreign news agencies. PML-N President Mian Nawaz Sharif and PTI leader
Imran Khan appear to be going the whole haul in making tall claims and
promises. Mian Nawaz is now all-out for negotiations with the Taliban,
maintaining that ‘guns and bullets’ were not the answer. Giving an interview
to CNN-IBN on Sunday, he advocated ‘options of engagement’ hoping that
as serious issues in other countries had been solved sitting across the table, it
would be possible to bring around the militants to give up the course of
violence and adopt peaceful ways. Responding to a question whether he
would open dialogue side by side with the war on terror, the PML-N
President said that all options had to be exercised. There is no arguing that at
some stage one has to have recourse to negotiations; for certainly guns and

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bullets are no durable solution. But as long as the terrorists are in a position
of strength it would be futile to hold any kind of talks with them and hope to
obtain favourable terms. In his interview with the CNN-IBN, while Mian
Nawaz maintained the negotiating posture, he also called for dissociation
from the US military campaign. But dissociation from the war is far too
complicated to resolve in such simple ways, surely Mian Nawaz knows that?
Imran Khan’s plans are too sweeping; apart from shooting down drones, he
wishes to run an independent foreign policy uninfluenced by the US.
That drones are an anathema to Pakistanis, one and all, is in little
doubt. And there is ample justification for that revulsion. Drones have over
the years killed thousands of men, women and children who had nothing to
do with the war on terror and their lives’ primary wish and hope were to live
peacefully. Yes, militants, some even high-profile operatives, were also
taken out in the process, but the number as given by one of America’s own
prestigious institution was barely two percent of the total number of victims
who perished. The civilian price is too heavy for any Pakistani to condone.
Thus, no leader who is out to seek popular support in the coming general
elections would afford to take a different line.
In the meantime, a UN reports puts the figure of drone victims at
4,700 ‘innocent civilians’. Of course, the figure includes the toll in other
countries, besides in Pakistan itself. Yet it once again highlights the nature
of the tragedy and demands an end to the drone campaign.’ (Editorial,
TheNation 7th May)
The twin challenges: ‘Terrorism is, indeed, a universal phenomenon
and an evil that transcends all boundaries, and in recent years has deeply
impacted the political, economic and security environment of all regions,
countries and societies. It has no faith or creed. It is only an ugly and violent
manifestation of growing anger, despair, hatred and frustration over
injustice, oppression and denial of fundamental freedoms and rights. 
Globally, terrorism occurs most often when a state’s overwhelming
military power is used to occupy a weaker people or country, or where it is
applied to suppress the legitimate right of a people to self-determination,
liberty and freedom. In such situations, terrorism becomes a tactical tool of
asymmetric warfare by the weak and the desperate. 
Also, as admitted by UN Secretary General in his May 2006 report on
‘counter-terrorism strategy’, violent internal as well as interstate conflicts
invariably witness terrorism, both state and non-state terrorism. According to
him, terrorism is the product of ‘a broader mix of problems’ caused by bad

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governments, opportunistic politicians and militant leaders, who exploit
grievances. When there are no legitimate means of addressing the massive
and systemic political, economic and social inequalities, an environment is
created in which peaceful solutions often lose out against extreme and
violent alternatives, including terrorism. 
No strategy or roadmap in the war on terror would be comprehensive
without focusing on the underlying political and socio-economic problems.
There can be no two opinions on the need to combat terrorism. But to
eliminate this evil, we must address its root causes. To address the root
causes is not to justify terrorism, but to understand it and then to overcome
it. Only a steady, measured and comprehensive approach encompassing both
short-term and long-term political, developmental, humanitarian and human
rights strategies that focus on the underlying disease, rather than the
symptoms would bring an enduring solution to this problem. This mindset
will not disappear through military operations. 
Unfortunately, the war on terror has not gone beyond retribution and
retaliation. What is being ignored is that terrorism is not all about
individuals or organizations, or even about a neglected country or its
countryside wilderness. Nabbing or killing of a few hundred individuals or
changing the leadership in one or two countries will not bring an end to
terrorism, which in its deeper sense is a violent manifestation of growing
sense of injustice and resultant despair and despondency.  The world
community must find ways and means of promoting peace and stability, and
addressing the current situations of foreign military occupation and the
denial of the legitimate right of peoples to self-determination. 
A special remedial effort is needed to address the causes of "injustice
and instability" in Pakistan and to purge its society of extremism and
militancy, which have crept into its ranks due to frequent political
breakdowns, military takeovers, bad governance, institutional paralysis and
aversion to the rule of law. The ultimate responsibility to deal with the twin-
challenges of extremism and terrorism lies with the government, which must
ensure good governance and rule of law, promote tolerance and communal
harmony, reinforce popular resilience and mutual respect in the country. 
We also need reordering of national priorities with greater focus on
human development needs and people-centred socio-economic
infrastructures. Terrorism will neither flourish nor survive in a democratic,
progressive, moderate, educated and prosperous Pakistan.’ (Shamshad
Ahmad, TheNation 7th May)

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 Holding drones illegal: ‘The Peshawar High Court has spoken
sternly against drones, giving specific directions to the government about
how to put an end to attacks by these flying killers. Pronouncing its
judgment on Wednesday on a petition demanding that drones should not be
allowed to play havoc with the lives of the people, the two-member bench
declared them illegal, calling upon the authorities to ensure that drones no
more strike Pakistani citizens. They were violative of UN Charter and
Geneva Convention. The government should pass a resolution against them
and put it before the UN Security Council and General Assembly, and in
case it is vetoed, all logistic support for the NATO supplies should be
withheld. A detailed report should be submitted to the war crimes tribunal
and deaths by drones declared a war crime. Besides, the US should pay
compensation to all those killed and wounded by drones. And if all these
strategies failed, the pilot-less planes should be brought down.
Already since the drones began appearing in Pakistani skies scores of
innocent civilians have become victims. Yes, hardcore terrorists have also
been killed, but their number, according to the US own investigating
agencies, have been infinitesimally small i.e. just about two percent. The
civilian price is far too much to justify the death of occasional militant
criminals. A point of note here that their elimination has not made any
difference to the intensity of the war on terror; rather, as a reaction the
situation heats up. And the death of civilians leads to the recruitment of their
kith and kin in the ranks of terrorist groups; so, for killing one militant, the
price in the form of swelling the ranks of militants is nothing but
counterproductive, fanning the fires of vengeance and retribution. In sum
total, the US and its allies are the clear losers.
No doubt, the court order is a tall order but, nevertheless, it reflects
the sentiments of an ordinary Pakistani, who feel outraged but find himself
helpless in the face of the unending tragedy. The PPP-led political setup has
invariably shied away from making any forceful, substantive move against
the drone attacks, except for raising a hue and cry that proves of no avail.
One feels compelled to think that it was mere posturing, especially as
dictator Musharraf has recently admitted that he had given permission to the
US to carry out these attacks. Only, the democratic government that
followed him did not feel bold enough to withdraw that permission.
However, time has now come to stand up for safeguarding our territorial
sovereignty and their ought to be no dillydallying.’ (Editorial, TheNation
10th May)

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Afghanistan
Out of Afghanistan: ‘William Dalrymple’s superbly researched and
splendidly told story of the First Afghan War, ‘Return of a King: The Battle
of Afghanistan’, chronicles the confused and arrogant British colonial
approach to Afghanistan, as they attempted sporadically to install the
benighted Shah Shuja on the throne of Kabul. The tragic-comedy of errors
left thousands dead and deeply etched the British memory of defeat. But
they reprised their actions at least twice before exiting the region, leaving
behind a detritus of conflicts that continue to this day.
There is also Akbar S. Ahmed’s insightful study of the Western way
of war against resistant and resilient tribal societies, ‘The Thistle and the
Drone: How America’s War on Terror Became a Global War on Tribal
Islam’, which adds intellectual heft to the call for the better understanding of
societies that the technologically advanced West wishes to transform, often
with the argument of war. Ahmed, who has returned to his own intellectual
strengths found in his seminal work ‘Pukhtun Economy and Society:
Traditional Structure and Economic Development’, leads us on a global
travelogue of disasters, involving well meaning, arrogant foreigners trying to
reduce complex, much older societies to stereotypes and malleable objects –
without much success. For those brave enough to wade through his
occasional lapses into anthropological jargon, Ahmed’s new book offers a
rich education that has been missing in our discourse in the past decade or
so.
Essentially, what both Dalrymple and Ahmed have done is help us
understand the role of traditional sources of authority in maintaining peace
and stability in tribal societies around the globe. Yet, it is important to find
ways of integrating them into the larger political entities of the state to
which they belong, rather than being treated as ‘outsiders’, a concept
captured by the term ilaqa ghair or ‘alien territory’. Force feeding tribal
societies on the diet of imported ideas and systems can only produce conflict
and resistance. Change must come from within. It must be owned and must
transform traditional societies at their own pace and in line with their value
systems.
The coalition’s exit out of Afghanistan offers a chance for the West
and for Pakistan to relearn the lessons captured by Dalrymple and Ahmed.
Stop treating Afghanistan and the border agencies that comprise the
Federally-Administered Tribal Areas as an appendage that must be changed
from outside. Integrate them into the regional and national framework by

586
creating an enabling environment that allows the inhabitants of these areas to
shape their own future, as equals to their countrymen in the settled areas and
in the cities of both countries. Leave Afghanistan to the Afghans to manage.
And leave Fata to the Pakhtuns, who own it and who want to be treated
equally by all Pakistanis. If not, risk the powerful forces of resistance rooted
in centuries of tradition. In brief, the answer to the endgame in Afghanistan
may lie in books - not in bullets or bombs.’ (Shuja Nawaz, TheNation 20th
April)
Bickering in Brussels: ‘One should have thought that the formidable
terrorist challenge both Pakistan and Afghanistan face would compel them
to sink their differences, and the compulsion to work together in this cause
would induce them to resolve irritants and put their relations on an even keel
on a permanent basis. However, for all the efforts of Islamabad, that was not
to be because, for one thing, a hostile foreign power has been instigating
Kabul to keep the tensions alive.
That was amply reflected in the meeting of COAS General Kayani,
Afghan President Hamid Karzai and US Secretary of State John Kerry, who
interceded with them to patch up their difference in the interest of peace and
reconciliation in Afghanistan and the region. Apparently, they failed to iron
them out. Kerry’s statement made after the meeting and couched in
diplomatic terms clearly indicates little success. His words, ‘We made
progress...we had a very extensive and...a very productive and constructive
dialogue...we will under-promise but deliver...everybody here today agreed
that we will continue a very specific dialogue on both the political track as
well as the security track.’
At this point in time all efforts are geared towards ensuring post-
withdrawal harmonious governance in the country, in which all ethnic
groups have a stake. That is in the interest of the US, which would have
something to show to the world and its own people for the huge cost it has
had to incur on this venture, that these ten years were not in vain, that all the
lives lost and battles fought, were not for nothing. It is also the earnest wish
of the Afghans who need nothing else more immediately and urgently than
peace after decades-long turmoil; it would serve Pakistan well for the
obvious reason that stability is interlinked between the two neighbours; and,
of course, the region as a whole to have a sense of peace around it would
prove conducive to economic progress also. Pakistan can rightly claim to be
a victim of deadly forays by militants from Afghanistan, and Afghanistan
meanwhile claims that Pakistan must ‘do more’, including release dangerous
Taliban leaders from prison to take part in the negotiations process. Both

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sides must realize that they will be moving forward or backwards together,
once NATO withdraws from the region in 2014. We cannot change our
neighbourhood, and if there is mistrust between the two brotherly
neighbours, nothing could be more unfortunate or dangerous to the safety
and prosperity of both.’ (Editorial, TheNation 26th April)
The Brussels rendezvous: ‘These trilateral talks came a day after
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s comment that Pakistan
must crackdown on the militants, who use the country as a sanctuary to
launch attacks in Afghanistan. He said: ‘If we are to ensure long-term peace
and stability in Afghanistan, we also need a positive engagement of
Afghanistan’s neighbours, including Pakistan.’
Since the last quarter of 2012, nevertheless, Western diplomats have
acknowledged Pakistan’s effort to promote the peace process in
Afghanistan…In a run up to the Brussels moot, the US Acting Special
Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, David D. Pearce, had visited
Pakistan for discussions with General Kayani; both discussed the issue
threadbare. The ISPR said: ‘The two sides discussed matters of mutual
interest with particular focus on the Afghanistan reconciliation process.’
Both sides felt that their approach, with its main focus on bringing the
Taliban on board in the negotiation process, was similar. The US
administration sees Pakistan as a key player in brokering peace with Taliban
insurgents.
Even though the erratic Afghan President is known to engage in
public tirades against friends and foes, his close associates, too, pick up the
cues and go ballistic. The recent outburst by Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed
Ludin took observers by surprise. Accusing Pakistan of ‘shifting’ its position
on the peace talks and of ‘changing the goal posts’, he threatened to go it
alone on the peace process without Pakistan’s assistance.
Needless to say, President Karzai by his periodic critical views of US
and Pakistan policies, in the context of Afghan peace, has been spoiling the
show. He is, perhaps, under compulsion to indulge in this kind of
mudslinging in an attempt to regain the Pashtun’s sympathies, whom he had
alienated during his two terms in office. No less important are Karzai’s
growing fears about his own future when his term ends in 2014.
Pakistan has all along extended cooperation to Afghanistan for peace
and stability, but the repeated rhetoric of Karzai and associates accusing
Islamabad of facilitating the extremist elements have been muddying the
atmosphere. The Afghan President does not realize that relationship between

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the two neighbours has to be tension free and for this purpose, each side
must address the concerns of the other. Karzai, for example, has refused to
handover the terrorists from Swat and Balochistan, who are being hosted by
Afghanistan as special guests. Reportedly, they are encouraged and
facilitated to launch cross-border attacks in Chitral, Malakand and
Balochistan.
Despite all the goodwill gestures by Pakistan, it is unfortunate that the
Afghan leader is not reciprocating in kind. Just a handshake in Brussels by
President Karzai and General Kayani will not be enough; the President needs
to stop blaming Pakistan for all the ills in the region.
Afghanistan is currently in a critical transformational period. The
question of Afghan reconciliation to make for peace in the country is
acquiring an enhanced focus. Without internal harmony in Afghanistan,
Pakistan will also not be able to get rid of ongoing menace of militancy.
Moreover, in case Afghanistan slides down into a civil war after 2014,
the US would lose its claim about an honourable exit. The effectiveness of
future negotiations in the region hinges upon forging better relations
between Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is not only in the interest of
Afghanistan and Pakistan, but also the South Asian region.’ (Iqbal Khan,
TheNation 29th April)
Border posts: ‘According to a report published in a Kabul based
newspaper Afghan Times, President Hamid Karzai has written a letter to his
US counterpart Barack Obama, seeking America's help in reclaiming nearly
a dozen border security posts that he alleges were captured by Pakistani
forces in eastern Nangarhar Province a decade ago. The letter says that the
issue was sensitive because US troops had been involved in paving the
ground for the Pakistan’s troops to capture these posts.
According to President Karzai’s Chief of Staff, Abdul Karim
Khurram, these 11 posts were established to keep an eye on militants
crossing the border into Afghanistan from Pakistan. According to him there
is a general perception that US troops had helped Pakistan occupy the posts
instead of handing them over to Afghan border forces. The allegation from
Kabul is that Pakistan has installed security gates that would help monitor
the illegal entrants from Afghan side. These developments have sparked
some protests in Afghanistan. Pakistan’s envoy was summoned by Deputy
Foreign Minister Javed Ludin to lodge a strong protest over installation of a
border gate. According to reports, Pak-Afghan military leadership held a

589
high-level meeting in Rawalpindi last month to resolve the issue where
positive progress was made to the satisfaction of both sides.
It is painful to observe that whenever President Karzai visits
Islamabad, he exhibits extraordinarily cordial behaviour, but as he travels
back home or visits any other country, particularly India and the US, his tone
and tenor turns hostile. As two close neighbours, both Kabul and Islamabad
must try to resolve their differences, in a discreet, graceful manner, instead
of slapping unfounded allegations on each other in front of a third party.
There is a general consensus that Islamabad’s sincere participation can help
the Afghan reconciliation process. Now that NATO and ISAF troops are
preparing to pullout by the end of next year, it is imperative for Kabul to
repose confidence in well-meaning Islamabad, to help rebuild its shattered
economy and reconstruct war-torn country.’ (Editorial, TheNation 30 th
April)
Three questions new Af-Pak envoy must answer: ‘When Amb
James Dobbins arrives at the ground-floor offices of the State Department’s
Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan he will find a depleted
staff, a moribund peace process and a mandate riddled with colossal
diplomatic challenges. Secretary of State John Kerry called today’s state of
affairs a ‘pivotal moment’ for the two nations. But it is also a critical
moment for US involvement in ending the conflict President Barack Obama
once called the war ‘that we have to win’ and now wants only to
‘responsibly’ wind down.
Dobbins is a veteran of uphill assignments.  He oversaw the return of
the American flag over a newly-reopened US Embassy in Kabul in 2001.  In
addition to Afghanistan, he has served in Kosovo, Bosnia, Haiti, and
Somalia.  Not exactly a list of luxe diplomatic posts.
As Dobbins prepares to assume his post on 23 rd St, a series of open
questions await his attention. Three of the biggest are below.
1) Troops: Just how many US troops will remain in Afghanistan after
2014?  That question remains unanswered as the United States continues to
negotiate an agreement with Afghanistan on the shape of the US military
presence post-2014. Gen James Mattis, who most recently served as the
commander of US Central Command, is on the record pushing for more than
13,000 troops. Most numbers out of the Pentagon and the White House
come in at less than that.  The State Department’s Robert Blake noted
recently that ‘we are still in the process of thinking through what our final
military presence will be in Afghanistan after the end of the transition at the

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end of 2014.’ Exactly when that will be and what shape it will take remains
to be seen.
Also an open question: how many Afghan troops will be needed? And
how many will be funded? Those two numbers may well end up being
different. And the latter should be known sooner rather than later.
2) Peace process: Right now there is not one of substance to speak of.
What shape might one take? The window for action is rapidly closing as
frustration between Pakistan and Afghanistan remains very much alive, with
Afghanistan arguing that Pakistan looks favorably on Afghan instability.
Will Kabul and Islamabad agree to agree on conditions for talks? And what
role will the Americans take? Sec Kerry met last month in Belgium with
Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani General Ashfaq Parvez
Kayani and vowed to ‘under-promise but deliver’ as the sides ‘continue a
very specific dialogue on both the political track as well as the security
track.’ What, if anything, the dialed-down dialog yields will be watched
carefully as nearly all sides agree that a diplomatic solution – one in which
human rights are not made the price of peace – is the lone shot at a lasting
and durable peace.
3) Transition: whither and at what pace will security, political and
economic transitions continue? So far, the economic transition has been
bolstered by GDP numbers that have been better than expected. As the
World Bank noted, ‘rapid economic growth’ has been accompanied by
‘relatively low inflation.’  But the government is overwhelmingly dependent
on foreign coffers for its funding – civilian aid alone is ‘estimated at more
than US$6 billion a year, or nearly 40 per cent of GDP’ – and as those
dollars dry up, the questions of stability and security arise immediately.  A
recent IMF report mentioned by the New York Times notes that tax evasion,
corruption and declining growth all mean that the government will find it
tough to pay even half of its bills this year. Stories of graft and CIA-filled
slush funds do not lead to greater confidence in the Afghan government
from either the American public paying for it or the Afghan people who will
pay the price of chaos and a political power vacuum.
These are only the most pressing of a rash of questions sure to occupy
Amb Dobbins on Day One. Fortunately for both Sec Kerry and Amb
Dobbins, the SRAP position does not require Senate confirmation, so they
can get down to work quickly – as they must. The US is speeding toward the
end of the NATO combat mission, and both diplomats will soon be hard-

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pressed to find answers.’ (Gayle Tzemach Lemmon for Foreign Policy,
reprinted in TheNation 9th May)
Karzai and his antics: ‘Needless to say, most of the Afghan people
and Taliban consider him as a US puppet and, probably, Karzai is mindful of
the fact that he cannot survive after the withdrawal of the foreign forces
from Afghanistan. However, it is necessary to add that, in the recent past, he
has been accusing the US of being in league with the Taliban against him.
History is witness to the fact that puppets cannot be the real leaders
and their existence is only possible till the time the props on which they
stand are not withdrawn. With the US now poised to leave, those props are
being pulled out.
Having said that, the recurring attacks on Pakistan’s border posts from
Afghanistan, including the one on Monday in which five FC men were
injured, speak volumes about the antics of a frustrated man like Karzai.
The Pakistani troops have been exercising restraint so far and rightly
so. However, a formal protest has been lodged through diplomatic channels
by Pakistan over these unprovoked attacks. Our Foreign Office spokesman
while briefing the media said: “In several high level interactions, the
leadership of Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed on the imperatives of a
mechanism for an effective border management for the mutual benefit of the
two countries.”
Nevertheless, Karzai’s vacillating behaviour has not only been a cause
of concern for Pakistan, but also for the US and its allies. Diplomatic sources
believe that much of the time during the London and Brussels trilateral
meetings was consumed by hostile propaganda and rhetoric against Pakistan
by the Kabul government, which evidently had no firm basis.
Karzai was thoroughly exposed in front of his mentors. The
participants of the conference tried their best to impress upon him the
desirability of exercising restraint and mending fences with Pakistan.
However, those efforts have hardly had any positive impact on the
President’s mindset and only a few days after the Brussels meeting, he has
resumed his anti-Pakistan diatribe.
Hostility against Pakistan, or keeping it detached, from any
arrangement designed to choreograph an end to strife in Afghanistan is
bound to boomerang and harm the interests of the neighbouring countries.
Peace in Afghanistan is also essential to exploit the economic potential that
exists in the Central Asian Republics, particularly the energy resources and

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usher in an era of shared economic prosperity and lasting peace.’ (Malik
Muhammad Ashraf, TheNation 10th May)
Wondering about future: ‘Afghan President Hamid Karzai
announced that if the USA wished to retain nine air bases in Afghanistan
after its withdrawal, it should execute an agreement with his government. He
said this while addressing a gathering at Kabul University on Thursday,
saying that his government was willing to make an agreement before the US
forces withdrew in 2014. He said that Afghanistan’s conditions included
internal security and development. In short, he was asking for a continuation
of the present arrangement, in which the USA provides the military strength
that keeps the Kabul regime in power, as well as oils it with money for
corruption, allegedly for aid. This speech comes not on the heels of the
recent revelations about President Karzai himself getting cash from the CIA.
This does not take into account the real reason the USA is leaving
Afghanistan: American policy to influence change in Afghanistan has utterly
failed. With consistent targeting of the Americans by the Taliban, even nine
bases would prove a security nightmare. Anyway, if nine bases are to be
maintained, that would mean in effect the continuation of the present
occupation, it would also mean continuing to give the Taliban easy targets to
strike at. Obviously, this is an attempt by the US military to prolong the
occupation.
However, scattered as these forces will be, they will present relatively
scattered targets to the Taliban. It is possible that casualties could actually
go up. There is also no mention of what will become of the so-called training
mission of US troops which is supposed to be the justification of the mission
in Afghanistan, after the supposed withdrawal. As the USA recognizes
perforce that its mission in the country has been an utter failure, and that
withdrawal is its only option to stop the troops suffering further casualties,
attempts to remain despite the writing on the wall must be abandoned.
Pakistan should bring this home to the USA that its withdrawal is not just
beneficial to itself, but to the entire region, which needs a US withdrawal,
genuine and not just in name, to settle down.
Pakistan is on the verge of completing its elections and handling the
situation in Afghanistan will be one of its most immediate tasks. That the
government elected today will handle developments as the USA prepares
both to withdraw and hold onto nine bases is both a challenge and an
opportunity. The challenge is to ensure that national interests are kept
uppermost in this process. The opportunity is to make the USA complete as

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comprehensive a withdrawal as possible, which can only be good for the
region.’ (Editorial, TheNation 11th May)
India
Indian HR abuses in IHK: ‘The mention of over 2,000 mass graves,
found in the Indian occupied Kashmir, in the US State Department’s
‘Country Reports… It is a matter of great shame for the international
community, consumed by its own strategic concerns, that the Indian troops,
along with their Israeli counterparts, have, for the same period, been
outdoing each other in committing atrocities on those seeking deliverance
from them. The justification for both Kashmiris and Palestinians lies in the
UN Security Councils that both favourites of powerful states blatantly and
willfully defy.
It is anybody’s guess how many victims lie buried in these 2156 mass
graves; for each could contain any number of them and the total might run
into tens of thousands. For all one knows, the sprawling valley might be
dotted with these symbols of brutalities at other sites as well. And only the
exhumation of the dead, an indeterminate though certainly a huge number,
could determine what kind of blood curdling torments they were subjected to
before being put to death. It is common knowledge, however, that not only
the participants in the protest marches punished with torturous abuses, but
the stay-at-home – the elderly, the women and the children – are also
targeted to send a message that Kashmiris without distinction would suffer
as a consequence. The repertoire of abuses is long and grisly, dripping with
blood that these troops commit under cover of black laws like Armed Forces
Special Powers Act.
The question is: what are the human rights protagonists that big
powers claim to be doing in the face of these agonizing and glaring realities?
Should they decide to live up to their pretensions, they could make a
significant difference to the lives of these blighted children of mankind and
could even persuade the illegal occupiers to respect their own word and give
the Kashmiris their right to self-determination. But far more painful than the
indifference of world powers is the care-two-hoots attitude of Pakistani
rulers. It is they who should be clamouring at the top of their voices to rouse
the world conscience. They might as well reflect on their moral and ethical
lapse of forsaking the poor Kashmiris and realize that, in the process, the
country has to encounter an existentialist challenge.’ (Editorial, TheNation
24th April)

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 Jodhpur frenzy: The anti-Muslim riot in Jodhpur district, India, may
have originated in the Hanuman Jayanti festival of Jaitaran tehsil, but it
appears the festival was also used as the site to fan anti-Muslim sentiments
on account of the attack on Sarabjit Singh, the Indian spy on Pakistani death
row since 1990 after he carried out blasts in Lahore. Sarabjit was attacked on
Friday in jail during his walk with bricks and other blunt instruments, and is
in a coma in the Services Hospital. His assailants have not admitted outside
help, an indication that the investigative team may be doing its duty only
halfheartedly. The riot is thus an indication of the high value that the Indian
establishment places on Sarabjit, whom they have made every effort to bring
back, and whose life they are now trying to preserve by holding the entire
Muslim community of India hostage. It also indicates how India is reacting
to the adverse Pakistani reaction to the Indian execution of Afzal Guru in
February. Sarabjit’s lawyer said he had received death threats since Guru’s
execution. However, the investigative team has not linked the attackers, who
are street-gang operators in Islampura, Lahore, and also on death row, to
foreign agencies. Thus the investigators seem to be opting for an obvious
story, even though it does not seem to hold water.
Another conclusion that must be drawn from the Jodhpur riot is that
the Indian establishment still harbours the unrealistic mentality that sent
Sarabjit Singh on his deadly mission back in 1990. The stability of Pakistan
and the acceptance of it as a sovereign nation, which will take decisions
based on its own wider interest, not India’s, is yet to be sighted in Delhi. The
Indian obsession with Pakistan is unwelcome attention for one, and
secondly, is a sad indictment of problems ignored at home, especially when
they erupt in the form of the catastrophe in Jodhpur.
Despite dreams to appear as the shining new star in South Asia, and
despite the seduction of its enormous markets, it is sadly true that India is far
from perfect. Where it over-promises and under-delivers, Pakistan does the
opposite. No matter the number of glossy magazines carrying incredible
India advertisements paid for by the Indian government, on arrival there,
there is less spiritual harmony to be observed and more the signs of an India
in flames, as in Jodhpur. Poverty, malnutriution and miles of shanty town
are hardly a success story. India would do better to leave Pakistan to deal
with its own problems, instead of increasing them, and on the other side, it
must resolve long standing issues such as Kashmir, which are hardly a
resounding endorsement of its human rights record, especially given daily
news of destruction all across India, not just Kashmir, such as in Jodhpur.
Where there is smoke there is fire. And India’s investors will come to know

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sooner rather than rather that communal tensions are eating away at India’s
social structure from the inside, with minorities fearing for their lives with
good reason.’ (Editorial, TheNation 29th April)
Tit for tat: ‘Reports coming out from Indian electronic media say that
in a tit-for-tat to avenge the death of Sarabjit Singh, Pakistani prisoner
Sanaullah, serving a life term in India, was attacked inside a high-security
Kot Bhalwal jail in Kashmir by a fellow inmate yesterday. His condition is
stated to be serious. Indian official sources said that the Kot Balwal jail
superintendent Rajni Sehgal has been suspended by the Jammu and Kashmir
government and an inquiry has been initiated. Meanwhile, a case of assault
has been registered against Vinod Kumar, an ex-serviceman who is also
serving a life term in the same jail. Media reports suggest that Sanaullah was
attacked with sharp weapons. Some reports claim that he has been attacked
by a pickaxe yet it remains a mystery how come such weapons could be
smuggled into jail premises.
Sanaullah was arrested in April 1999 in connection with five cases
related to Jihadi activities in Kashmir. The attack occurred ahead of
Sarabjit’s funeral at his native village in Punjab. He is being given a state
funeral that proves that he was an agent of some Indian intelligence network
and was pushed into Pakistan to carry out terrorist activities as a result of
which dozens of people were killed. There is another aspect to the scenario,
whereby as a result of the unfortunate attack on Sarabjit, many apologists in
Pakistan and across the border found an opportunity to defy a convicted
murderer and terrorist. Meanwhile, ‘shining’ India is still involved in
abductions, mass graves, extra-judicial killings and rapes in Kashmir and in
Indian prisons. Major Kashmiri leaders are regularly tortured. The fate of
ordinary prisoners is far worse. The tortured bodies of Abdul Aleem, 20, and
Rashida, were handed over to Pakistan in June, 2008. In fact, the list of such
victims is a long one.
Better sense must prevail. There is absolutely no use in taking out
vengeance on prisoners nor is it morally alright to heighten the conflict to
such proportions as India has done. Both the neighbors have to learn to live
peacefully, resolve the issues and learn that there await better days for their
people co-existing in a state of friendship rather than hate speech and lies.’
(Editorial, TheNation 4th May)
The existential threat: ‘Against this backdrop, the external direct
threat to Pakistan is from India. The Hindu-Muslim animosity of 1,000 years
did not end with the creation of Pakistan; in fact, it worsened. This was

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primarily because of the Indian stance of ‘Akhand Bharat’ or ‘Mother India’,
and the incorrect notion that the subcontinent or South Asia was indivisible,
which was negated by the Two Nation Theory. This is why the Indian
atrocities in Kashmir and wars against Pakistan have now reached a new
level, creating difficulty for New Delhi to seek peace with Islamabad. On the
contrary, as the world’s biggest arms importer, India is preparing for ‘Cold
Start’ or a surprise offensive war against Pakistan. The recent Indian tirades
against Pakistan were reflections of the same.
Pakistan, however, should opt for ‘Cold Peace’; it means peace, but
no friendship. While stressing India to resolve the Kashmir issue, its efforts
to destabilize Balochistan and Gwadar should be thwarted. Pakistan should
forge unity at home and redeploy its army in the east, once the USA exits
from Afghanistan in 2014. The world must know that our army can do more
than defend Pakistan.’ (Nadir Mir, TheNation 4th May)

REVIEW
The death of Sarbjit (Manjit) Singh must have been deeply regretted
by President Zardari as the deceased, as long as he was alive, provided an
opportunity to foster cordiality in Hinde-Sinde relations. In the past, Zardari
had at least twice ‘wished’ to release him but he could not find a plausible
pretext. The two Pakistani prison-inmates in Lahore delivered a serious blow
to aman ki asha of the enlightened moderates in Pakistan. No such breed
exists in India.
Sarbjit’s sister claimed that Ansar Burni had demanded Rs250
millions for the release of her brother from Pakistani jail. This claim could
only be refuted by Burni, whose heart always bleeds for the Indians in
Pakistani custody. May be he has more startling facts to reveal than Sarbjit’s
sister. It is quite possible that he was just acting as a middle man in this case
as the power to pardon rested with the Scoundrel in Presidency in Islamabad.
Indian government declared Sarbjit Singh a national hero and
announced three-day nation-wide mourning. The Foreign Office spokesman
in Islamabad regretted the declaration of a terrorist as a national hero. Could
his country think of declaring Ajmal Kasab as national hero pothumous?
India did not wait a second longer than demands of exacting revenge
required; though there is no such entity as Ghairat Brigade on its soil. Rana
Sana, a Pakistani prisoner in a jail in Indian Held Kashmir was attacked by

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Indian-inmates. The day Sana was buried in Sialkot, attack on yet another
Pakistani prisoner was attacked but there has been no news since.
13th May, 2013

BEGINNING OF CHANGE
Election campaign ended 32 hours before the polling was to begin on
second Saturday of May 2013. The bloodletting that had been going on side
by side with electioneering continued even after that. The last blood was
drawn by the political mafia that has held the mega city hostage since
decades; the victim was a leader of the MQM-H.
On May 11, the nation turned out defying all security threats from
within and without to exercise their right to vote. The mood of voters
reflected traces of hope and optimism, but predominant drive behind their
exuberance was to take revenge from those who had ruled them for the last
five years. In other words, they wanted to undo the mistake they had
committed five years ago.
The revenge was taken, but only by the people of KPK who are
traditionally known for that. The people of Punjab could not shed their habit
of running from pillar to post; for the last quarter century they have been
running between Bhuttos to Sharifs. In other two provinces the people of
rural Sindh and Balochistan remained in the yokes of waderas and sardars
and Karachi, the economic nerve centre of Pakistan, in the grip of mafia of
London-based Don.

NEWS
Power politics: On 9th May, election campaign for general elections
came to end at midnight. The election commission barred the electronic and
print media from airing and publishing election advertisements and
restrained the candidates from addressing public meetings or carrying out
rallies. For the polling day, the ECP has restricted every political activity
within a radius of 400yards of the polling station declaring it an offence.
The commission also barred contesting candidates or those
representing any political party or candidate from participating in the talk
shows or other TV or Radio programmes. However, the electronic media is
allowed to invite electoral experts, anchors, analysts, writers, journalists,

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observers, or members from the civil society in talk shows or other TV or
Radio programmes.
Nearly 10,000 candidates from various political parties including
PPPP, PTI, PML-N, PML-F, MQM, ANP, BNP, JI, JUI-F, JUI-S and JUI-N
and dozens of independents candidates are in the election race. The number
of registered voters in the country is 86,189,802. People will use their right
to vote for choosing 272 members of National Assembly, 297
representatives for Punjab, 130 for Sindh, 99 for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and
51 for Balochistan assemblies.
On the last day of campaigning, special election rallies and corner
meetings were arranged in all parts of the country with pledges to change the
plight of the masses if voted to power. Imran Khan made an emphatic appeal
to the people to vote his party to power for their own sake. ‘Allah will not let
me leave this world until I succeed in making a new Pakistan’, Imran Khan
hoped while addressing the last rally in Islamabad from the hospital bed in
Lahore through a video link.
Nawaz Sharif addressed public meetings at Data Darbar and
Samnabad Lahore. He said that a ghastly conspiracy has been hatched
against the PML-N to divide its vote. He said the conspirators have brought
in their front-men to execute the plan. He said that despite all that, the
people have resolved to vote for the PML-N and defeat the conspiracies and
plots against him and the party. Zardari is conspiring from behind the curtain
but on May 11 the ‘tiger’ will roar, Nawaz said while addressing a highly
charged crowd.
Election-related violence continued. A Balochistan Constabulary
official was killed and six others wounded when convoy of PML-N
candidate Akbar Askani came under an attack in Mand area of Kech district.
In another incident, arsonists torched PPP election office in Manipur
area. Separately, two bullet-riddled bodies were recovered from a desolated
area in Ispin Karez locality on the outskirts of Quetta. A primary school
designated as a polling station was blown up in Ghot Raisani area of Dadhar.
Two more schools, designated as polling stations, were blown up in
Jaffarabad area. Some schools also came under bomb attacks in Kohlu and
Turbat areas. Separately, a bomb struck near an office of Benazir Income
Support Programme in Mal Lara area.
A man was killed and three others got wounded when an explosion
struck near an election office of an independent candidate Maulana
Jamaluddin in North Waziristan. Another blast took place before an election

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office in Khyber Agency. The office belonging to Abdur Rehman, an
independent candidate. In Peshawar’s suburban area of Matani, a bomb
planted before an election office by unidentified miscreants went off.
Another bomb struck near JUI-F vice chief’s residence in Soorani area of
Bajaur Agency. In a major raid on Bamkhel area of Swabi district, police
arrested two operatives of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. The
arrested terrorists, Khan Sher of Mardan and Sohail Khan of Swabi, were
learnt to have been tasked with carrying out attacks during election days.
Unidentified armed men kidnapped Syed Ali Haider Gilani, the
youngest son of former Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, and killed
two of his companions. Haider Gilani was on his election campaign in
Farrukh Town. Multan when the attackers struck. Unconfirmed reports said
that guards of Ali Haider Gilan had caught one of the kidnappers and handed
him over to the police but the authorities were not disclosing this yet. He had
reportedly provided some vital information.
The kidnappers along with Gilani were said to be hiding in Kabirwala
area, in district Khanewal, which is said to be having hideouts of banned
organizations like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ). Apparently the kidnappers had
disposed of Haider Gilani’s mobile phone, so that police could not track
down their location.
President Zardari, on the advice of the prime minister, approved and
signed the Electoral Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2013, for including
overseas Pakistanis in the voting process. The Law and Justice Ministry
meanwhile stated the ordinance would not be effective for elections due on
the 11th of this month.
Violence continued unabated on the eve of general elections, with 17
people killed in bombings and militant attacks on political workers, election
offices and polling stations in Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and other areas the
country. A senior worker of MQM-H contesting polls as an independent
candidate and two others were killed in armed clashes between activists of
MQM-H and MQM in Karachi’s Landhi area.
Four persons were killed and 12 others injured when a bomb blast
ripped through the market of Miranshah. One person was injured in bomb
blast in Peshawar near an ANP election office. The election commission
postponed polls in NA-38 (Kurram Agency) over law and order situation.
Polls were also postponed in NA-241 and PS-95 after the death of MQM-H
leader Shakeel Ahmed.

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 Four security guards of Ayla Malik, PTI contestant from Mianwali-I,
were reportedly injured when some unidentified persons opened fire on her
convoy. Two persons were killed and three injured in a scuffle between
supporters of PML-N and an independent candidate in Gujranwala.
Two security personnel were killed and fifteen people, including five
security personnel, were wounded in bomb and rocket attack on a convoy of
security personnel carrying ballets and other polling material in Dasht area
of Mastung district in Balochistan. In another incident, five people were
wounded when an explosive device at the rooftop of an electoral office in
Quetta went off. Four people were wounded in a bomb blast at the electoral
office of an independent candidate in Jaffarabad.
Several polling stations were blasted in Dera Bugti, Panjgour, Turbat
and Kohlu. Three polling stations were targeted in tehsil Sui, Loop Mirani,
Sourdar and Killi Sher Muhammad parts of Dera Bugti district. Rockets hit a
government middle school in Kobun area of Panjgour. Unidentified persons
hurled petrol bomb at an electoral office of Balochistan National Party in
Kardgap area of Mastung district. However, no loss of life was reported in
these blasts.
ECP Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan has asked his polling staff not to
‘let the nation down’ and do their best for the conduct of free and fair polls.
Briefing the media about election arrangements at the ECP building, the
secretary said that unofficial poll results would be made available to the
media by tonight while the official results would be notified next day.
On army's role in the transportation of ballot papers, the secretary said
that the military guarded the five printing houses where the ballot papers
were printed. It conducted the ballot papers' transportation using 50
helicopters that carried 650 tonnes of ballot papers. The military has
deployed its sniffing dogs and installed close-circuit cameras at the highly
sensitive polling stations while 75,000 troops have been deployed to provide
security at the most sensitive, highly sensitive and some sensitive polling
stations.
The General Elections 2013 will cost Rs23.96 billion if the proposed
expenditure of ECP does not exceed the estimates and the candidates do not
spend more than allowed amount on their campaigns. The ECP has allowed
the National Assembly and provincial assembly candidates to spend
maximum Rs1.5 million and Rs1 million, respectably.
The ECP had proposed Rs6 billion election budget to be spent on
various heads. The commission was given the funds in two installments

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(first installment of Rs3.10 billion and the second one of Rs290 billion. The
federal government also told the commission that, if needed, it would be
provided with more funds.
On 11th May, the Election 2013 ended under the shadow of bomb
blasts, rocket firings and shootings across the country, killing more than 50
people on the polls day. Four bomb blasts occurred in various areas of
Karachi while three cracker attacks and exchange of fire were recurrent
during the day. Twin blasts in Qaidabad area of Karachi, targeting an ANP
candidate, killed eleven and injured 40. When people gathered to rescue the
victims, another bomb exploded.
Separately, five people including two Ranger personnel were killed
and eleven other persons were wounded when a suicide bomber hit his
motorcycle with the Rangers’ vehicle. In another incident, motorcyclists
threw a hand grenade at a KMC School. Two men were killed when a bus
was blown up. A young man affiliated with the MQM was killed during a
clash with the PPP in New Karachi Industrial Area. Another man was shot
dead in PIB Colony while another gunned down in New Karachi. A PPP
local leader was gunned down by armed men in Lyari’s Kalri area during a
clash with Kutchi Rabita Committee.
Eight people, including a child were killed and dozens others were
injured including two security personnel in incidents of bomb blasts, hand
grenade hurling, rocket attacks and firing in various parts of Balochistan.
Three men were killed and 19 more got injured in blasts and firing near
polling stations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA.
Two people were killed and three wounded in a scuffle during polling
in Bhakkar district. A political worker was killed while three others
sustained injuries when a clash erupted between the supporters of the PTI
and PML-N. In Gojar Khan, three people were killed in a gun clash between
the PML-N and PTI workers.
Despite grave threats of terrorism, people swarmed the polling
stations to elect their future leaders. With 65 percent turnout, the polls were
a huge success for a country beleaguered by a plethora of problems. There
were serious allegations of rigging in Karachi and Hyderabad cities that
prompted several parties of different constituencies to boycott polls. The
CEC raised his concerns with Karachi Corps Commander and Rangers DG
that polling staff in many constituencies in the metropolis were threatened,
preventing them from performing their duties.

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 After much anxiety it turned out to be the PML-N’s day; a historic
moment which elevated Nawaz Sharif to the throne of Prime Minister for a
third time. Unofficial results showed his party leading on the National
Assembly seats, Nawaz Sharif delivered a victory speech and invited all the
political parties to join hands to steer the country out of all the crises. He
said his opponents abused him and his companions much. ‘I forgive them all
and forget what they had said’, Nawaz added.
It also represented a remarkable comeback for Nawaz, who said his
party has one point agenda i.e. service to the masses and changing fate of the
nation. He said even Allah does not change the fate, unless ‘we ourselves
decide’ to get it changed. ‘We have to make the country stand on its feet,
give it respect and ensure its safety’. Nawaz said the people love him and he
loves them too in the same way.
PTI chief Imran Khan conceded defeat on the national level to the
party of Nawaz, but he said his team would form the next government in the
terror-hit north-western province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and fix the
troubles there. The PTI was leading in the KPK on most seats. The result
brought a previously non-entity, PTI of Imran, to the centre stage as it vied
with the outgoing ruling PPP for emerging as the second largest national
party and the leading party in KPK.
Quoting the injured captain of his party, PTI leader Assad Omar told a
private TV channel that they will form the next government in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa. ‘For Tehreek-e-Insaf it is a big day, a golden day... A party
which has no existence in parliament has emerged the second largest
national party and the leading party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where, God
willing, it is going to form a government’, he said.
Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, Imran Khan, Dr Farooq Sattar,
Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Pervaiz Elahi were
heading towards victory. The big heads were about to roll off shoulders of
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Ch Ahmed Mukhtar, Manzoor
Wattoo, Firdous Asiq Awan, Asfandyar Wali Khan, Ghulam Ahmed Bilour
and Ch Nisar Ali Khan in NA-53.
Next day, the PML-N leadership embarked upon consultations to form
government at the Centre as well as in Punjab, Balochistan and possibly in
KPK as well. Although no formal meeting has been held between the top
leadership of the party, the leaders have informally begun to share input on
the future governments of the party. Assumption of premiership by Nawaz

603
himself is a decided matter and his brother Shahbaz Sharif will reassume the
chief minister slot in Punjab.
The insiders said that names were being informally discussed for the
important slot of National Assembly speaker and the top five federal
ministries – finance, foreign affairs, information, communication and power.
Sen Ishaq Dar has been tipped as future finance minister while Ch Nisar,
Khwaja Asif, Mehtab Abbasi and Iqbal Ahsan appear strong candidates for
other important positions. As to the provincial governors, a source said that
the party would go for their replacement after installation of their own
president when Zardari’s term expires.
As for the provinces results, the PML-N is leading in 188 seats out of
297 seats in the provincial assembly of Punjab. PTI is very much poised to
play the role of opposition in the Punjab Assembly, which undoubtedly will
give this party an edge over PPP and PML-Q besides building its political
image in the province.
In Sindh province, the PPP and its ally MQM were leading in 66 seats
and 15 seats, respectively, and were comfortably placed to form government
in the 130-member Assembly. The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) was set to
bag 31 seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. JUI-F chief Fazalur Rahman contacted
Nawaz to work out a joint strategy to form their government in KPK. There
were no clear trends for Balochistan though the PML-N, Pashtunkhwa Milli
Awami Party and Balochistan National Party-Mengal were expected to
perform well there.
Imran Khan from hospital bed welcomed the high turnout in elections
as a step forward for democracy, but claimed ‘foul play’ on the polling day
and vowed to submit a report on alleged vote-rigging shortly. The PTI chief
stated he was really hurt by rigging in elections, especially after seeing the
enthusiasm of the youth. In reference to skewing of the ballot, he said, ‘God
willing, we will issue a white paper’.
Khan however thanked all the voters and supporters of his party,
stating it was a big change that people turned up at polling stations in
massive numbers in a bid to bring ‘change’. ‘I congratulate the entire nation
for taking part in such a massive democratic process. We are moving
forward on the path of democracy’, he said.
Army troops were called in as panic griped Nawabshah city following
an armed clash between activists of the PPPP and MQM in which three
people lost their lives and eight others sustained injuries. Police said the both
group clashed after exchanging slogans near District Returning Officer's

604
office. They used firearms in which 10 people were also injured. Later, a
man was gunned down in firing at Gharibabad locality further fanning the
tension.
A large number of the PTI supporters and people from all walks of
life came on roads and protested against the alleged rigging, demanding the
ECP for repelling in three constituencies in Karachi. After a meeting of the
PTI leaders, the party workers and citizens took to streets in Clifton and
staged a rally at Teen Talwar Roundabout, protesting against what they
called massive rigging in NA-250, 252 and 253 constituencies. Almost all
the parties strongly protested over the reported massive rigging by the MQM
activists in Karachi and Hyderabad.
Perturbed at the prospect of re-elections in Karachi over the poll
rigging allegations, Altaf Hussain said ‘separate Karachi (from the rest of
the country) if you dislike its people’s mandate’, while addressing his
supporters via telephone at his party’s Headquarters, Nine Zero. Altaf
warned the ‘establishment’ that there were playing with fire.
‘Altaf Hussain should not be blamed if a war breaks out among the
people’, he warned, adding whoever attempted to conduct propaganda ‘will
face a war’. ‘We will see how many big shots come out to bully us’, he said
adding ‘if MQM carried out rigging (in Karachi) then what made the
tsunami disappear in Punjab’.
Rule of law: On 10th May, the detailed judgment of Supreme Court
noted that Chagai Hills Exploration Joint Venture Agreement (CHEJVA)
dated 23-07-1993 was executed contrary to the provisions of Mineral
Development Act, 1948, Mining Concession Rules, 1970 and Transfer of
Property Act, 1882 therefore, the same was declared to be illegal, void and
non est. The 149-page judgment authored by Chief Justice Iftikhar
Muhammad Chaudhry contained detailed reasons.
The CHEJVA was entered into in violation of a large number of
provisions of BMCR 1970, therefore, opposed to public policy, which calls
for across the board enforcement and application of the laws of the land, said
the judgment. BHP-BDA failed to get CHEJVA registered under section 17
of the Registration Act. The judgment said that executant of CHEJVA, Ata
Muhammad Jaffer, held dual position of Chairman Balochistan
Development Authority (BDA) and Additional Chief Secretary at the
relevant time. The BDA entered into negotiations with BHP and took up the
issue of grant of exploration rights with the Balochistan government in a
most haphazard manner.

605
 An undated authorization letter on a plain paper was got signed from
the then Governor of Balochistan, purporting to authorize Chairman BDA to
sign the addendum on behalf of the governor. The Balochistan government
failed to determine the terms and conditions to be fixed in granting the
relaxations sought for BHP. The key provisions of CHEJVA were made
subject to a reliance on relaxations that were illegal and void ab initio, the
illegality of the agreement seeps to its root. Initially an area of 50 sq km was
granted to the licencee for exploration, which was illegally extended to 1000
sq km on the request made by BHP-BDA.
All the relaxations were granted in excess of authority and were
entirely beyond the scope of the provisions of the law, therefore ultra vires
the powers granted under rule 98 of Balochistan Mining Concession Rules
(BMCR) 1970 read with section 5 of the Act of 1948, and thus void. The
court observed that a perusal of CHEJVA reveals that BHP and BDA
exceeded their mandate by going beyond the scope of the actions envisaged
in Article 2.1 (i) and (ii) of CHEJVA.
It appears that neither did BHP-BDA pay the annual fee nor did it
comply with other conditions so prescribed, and the department through
letter dated 16.11.1994 conveys the approval of the competent authority to
the waiving of annual fee of Rs3.347 million mentioning once again no
justification for the said waiver, as was done in granting relaxation of bulk
of the provisions of BMCR.
It was an extraordinary treatment meted out to BHP whereby a loss of
Rs16,736,130 per annum was caused to the public exchequer without any
justification. No advertisement published in the press to invite tenders with a
view to providing opportunity to other investors in the field of mining to
come forward and compete with others. The BHP despite repeatedly ordered
did not produce certificates of registration from the board of investment or
the registrar of companies before the court.
Taming the military: On 9th May, Additional Advocate General
of KPK assured the Islamabad High Court regarding the production of a
missing person namely Ameer Ahmed on the next hearing of the case. While
IHC judge Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui strictly directed him to produce
Ameer Ahmed belonging to Rahim Yar Khan and warned that if they failed
to produce him before the court, the court would be left with no other option,
except to initiate contempt of court proceedings against all the delinquents.
Earlier, the counsel for the petitioner Advocate Wajeeh Ullah Khan
contended before the court that two years and two months have passed since

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Ameer Ahmed was forcibly taken into custody by the law enforcing
agencies yet there was no information about him. The petitioner, the wife of
Ameer Ahmed, had moved the court and made the federation of Pakistan
through Secretary Interior, Secretary Ministry of Defense, DCO Rahim Yar
Khan, DPO Rahim Yar Khan, DGISI, DGMI and three others as respondents
in her petition.
Former Chairman Gen (r) Zahid Ali Akbar has been detained in
Bosnia with the help of Interpol. He was wanted to the NAB in a case of
making assets beyond means to the tune of Rs267.61 million. The Bureau
was reportedly making frantic efforts to capture Zahid for the last three
months through international agencies. Legal formalities are being
completed to bring him back to Pakistan.
Baloch militancy: On 9th May, militants attacked a convoy of
Balochistan Constabulary in Reko area of Nushki with automatic weapons in
which several security personnel were wounded. Separately, Frontier Corps
recovered arms and explosive material in Suhbatpur area of Jaffarabad.
On 12th May, at least six people were killed and over 50 others
wounded when a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle near
Balochistan Police chief’s residence in Quetta late at night. Security sources
said an unidentified bomber struck his explosives-packed vehicle near the
residence of IGP. Heavy firing and small blasts were also heard after the
suicide blast. The explosion flattened the IGP house, but Mushtaq Shukhera
escaped the attack.
The blast caused a disruption in the power supply as nearby power
pylons were damaged throwing the area into darkness. Earlier, six rockets
were fired into parts of Quetta from unspecified location by unidentified
people. President Zardari and Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan strongly
condemned the terrorist attack.
Turf war in Karachi: On 9th May, two people were killed in
different incidents of violence. On 12th May, At least three people including
a policeman were killed in the ongoing turf-war between the MQM and
MQM-H in Landhi. DSP Muhammad Ahmed Baig confirmed the death toll
and said the armed clash between both the groups is underway since April
25. Four other people including a woman, SHO, a political activist and an
unknown person sustained injuries.
In another incident, some unidentified armed people gunned down
Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamat activist in North Nazimabad. Similarly, a 45-year-

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old man was shot dead in the remits of PIB Police Station. Meanwhile,
Gulbhar police found a bullet-riddled body of a youth from Firdos Colony.
In another incident, three PML-N workers lost their lives after being hit by
stray bullets in the remit of Model Colony Police Station.

VIEWS
Power politics
Will of the people? ‘It is expected that no party will win more than 50
seats in the polls, thus leading to the establishment of a hung Parliament.
However, there are three main contenders – PPP, PML-N and PTI – in the
battle for power and which one of them will receive the highest percentage
of votes remains to be seen…
According to an estimate prepared by a PPP think-tank, in case it wins
60 to 65 seats in the elections, it will become eligible to form the next
government with the help of its allies - MQM and ANP, in addition to the
traditional vote of MNAs from FATA.
The next possibility is: the PML-N and PPP opt for the politics of
convenience and power sharing, i.e. if the PML-N scores majority seats in
Parliament. In case the PPP is left out, it will become very difficult for any
coalition government to function.
One must remember that currently the PPP is in majority in the
Senate; thus, it could play a critical role in allowing the next government to
function properly. Some analysts, however, assume that the scenario
building to the run up of the May 11 elections indicate that the next
government will be short-lived and the country will have no choice, but to
go in for another election within 12 to 18 months.
As a final word, the positive aspect that will come out of the 2013
elections, and if there was another early general election, is that democracy
has finally taken root in Pakistan – meaning thereby, that the aspirations of
the people have finally been realized, which would define the future destiny
of this country.’ (Azam Khalil, TheNation 10th May)
The fall and rise of Imran: ‘Strange are the ways of politics.
Stranger still are those of the Providence. One fall off the lifter and the
whole nation’s at shock, showering the PTI leader with their sympathetic
show of feelings. The fall and the consequent video that emerged in its
wake, in which Imran Khan makes a heartfelt plea to the nation to rise to the

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occasion, has inspired such a huge wave of sympathy vote, unseen in the
recent history of Pakistan.
Those, who had decided upon either on this or that party, now seem to
be inclined toward Imran, the wounded guy. Those who were at a loss to
choose the right candidates are now thinking on different lines. Those who
were utterly confused as whom to go for in the upcoming polls, have now
somehow clear minds. In a nutshell, in a classical example of falsifying all
the dearly quoted poll surveys by the national and international
organizations, the unexpected seems to happen on May 11.
The major line of argument and the feeling one gets from interacting
with the public, both in the actual and virtual world, and analyzing the print
and electronic media reports, is simply this: ‘Well, we’ve tried and tested the
two brothers-in-arms time and again. We’ve seen their performance. We’ve
witnessed their inefficiency. We’ve seen how they brought the country to the
brink of a collapse in every aspect. Now enough of them both. Let’s try the
new face. Let’s try the new guy. Let’s vote for the change. After all, Imran is
no landlord nor an aristocrat. He has a credible background, with some
worthwhile achievements for Pakistan. So Bat or no Bat. But why not it?’
The polling dynamics also seem to turn upside down, with big
surprises in store for our country’s political pundits and analysts. Perhaps,
the fall would do what the OBL statement did on the polls eve in the US
back in 2004 and which resulted in the winning of second tenure for George
Bush. Even the former government of the PPP owed its tenure to the
sympathy vote, witnessed in the aftermath of the BB’s assassination in
2008…
It remains to be seen to what extent the fall would amount to the rise
of an otherwise fallen hero of today’s Pakistan’s youth. It also remains to be
seen to what extent it would affect the overall mood and voting pattern. And
that to what extent it would dent the vote bank of the two conventional
parties, PPP and PML-N. But the fact remains that the PTI has emerged as a
formidable third force on the country’s political horizon. This, however, is
not to underestimate the PML-N clout in the Punjab, which still enjoys the
edge of strong winning candidates over the PTI and will most definitely give
it a tough time.
Whether the PTI would be able to achieve a sizeable number of seats
in the election or not, or will it be able to form the central government, only
time can tell. In the meantime, we, as a nation, bear the huge responsibility
on our shoulders to remain peaceful during the whole course of the electoral

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process and accept the polling results – whatever they might be – with an
open heart and congratulate the winning party like civilized nations and not
to indulge in any unwarranted blame game of polls rigging, street violence
and protests. We simply cannot afford them anymore.’ (Sami ur Rahman,
TheNation 11th May)
Simulative appraisal: ‘Recent surveys indicate that PTI is edging
ahead of PML-N its closest rival in predictive surveys. Assuming that it will
be the major beneficiary of the exclusion of unverified votes and inclusion
of additional votes, a close contest is predicted up to 20 percent turnout;
anything beyond will be an exponential success for PTI.
If the turnout is in the range of 20 percent, the combine of PTI, JI and
PKMAP will equalize the mainstream parties of 2008. This translates to 136
National Assembly seats excluding reserved. In order to predict realistic
outcomes, limitations like the weaker position of the parties in different
provinces must be placed. PTI has its major strengths in Punjab and KPK
that have a total of 195 seats excluding reserved. Also, consider that JI and
PKMAP are contesting on limited seats. Hence, it can be predicted that at
the above turnout, PTI will win between 70-80 seats with 10 seats going to
JI and PKMAP. The PML-N, PPP, PML-Q and ANP are likely to compete
with 100-115 seats.
A 40 percent turnout will eclipse the 2008 verifiable turnout of
16,387,042 votes by 40,362,004 votes or 246 percent. Even if half these
votes go to PTI, the results will be in the range of 130-150 seats for PTI in
the Khyber and Punjab regions. Add an additional 4-5 seats in Sindh and
Balochistan and PTI will be edging closer to a two thirds majority.
Take the turnout to 50 percent and an entirely unpredictable scenario
emerges. The PTI gets into the driving seat with 150-180 seats out of a
house of 272, but this will be its saturation point. The metaphorical tsunami
would have reached its high point.
Whatever the results, PTI will ultimately end 30-40 seats short of
whatever it wins because of the lack of homework in Sindh, Balochistan and
non-Muslims.’ (Samson Simon Sharaf, TheNation 11th May)
An election with a difference: ‘While Nawaz leans on his
performance during PML-N’s previous stints, Imran Khan spells out his
agenda of reform and reconstruction after assumption of power. He refuses
to accept that N’s record was good enough to merit a repeat performance. He
accuses Nawaz of complicity with Zardari and holds both of them
responsible for most of the ills and evils the country is suffering today.

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 One cannot rule out Imran’s optimism altogether. He, indeed, more
than anyone else, will strive to bring about a real change. But a question
mark about the number of seats his party will win remains. To my
reckoning, he may not sweep the polls as he claims, but he and his party are
bound to be a formidable force in the National and Provincial Assemblies.
Even a small but spirited opposition can make substantial contribution in
making laws and keeping the administration on its toes.
If, as the predictions promise, PML-N bags a large number of seats
and forms the government at the centre and one or two provinces, there is
bound to be considerable improvement. Both Nawaz and Shahbaz are go-
getters and achievers. One may find fault with Shahbaz’s methodology and
arbitrary way of decision-making, but none can deny his dynamism and
determination for speedy implementation of plans and projects. He has been
challenging his detractors to bring evidence for even one case where he
could be accused of corruption. Nawaz too commands respect for impressive
initiatives, such as economic reforms, the motorway, airports at Lahore and
Karachi and, above all, going ahead with nuclear explosions. (Despite advice
to the contrary and promise of billions of dollars by the US President.)
Where Imran comes up a cut above the PML-N leaders is his clean
record and his resolve to do away with corruption and lawlessness. Both the
parties have dished out attractive programmes to gear up the economy and
both have considerable expertise available to them for planning and
execution. Imran, it may be added, has an edge in regard to PTI’s plans for
health and education as also for installing a grassroots local government
system.
Interestingly, both – Imran and Nawaz – may run into a somewhat
problematic relationship with the army and the Americans. Both would be
keen to establish civilian supremacy over the GHQ and intelligence
agencies. Both will be working to put an end to drone strikes and American
interference in our national affairs. Nawaz Shairf, possibly, will, in these
respects, be somewhat pragmatic in his approach compared to Imran Khan.
A major foreign affairs challenge for the new government will be the
role Pakistan could play in the endgame in Afghanistan. President Hamid
Karzai’s recent showing of his true colours vis-à-vis Pakistan and the
unfriendly posturing on the part of India (with the two having entered into a
formal strategic partnership agreement) will tax the imagination and sagacity
of our helmsmen. As for USA, a new kind of relationship will have to be
hammered out considering the perceptions both countries have of each other

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– double dealings and smart manoeuvrings, giving rise to mistrust and
misunderstandings.
Internally, terrorism, forging a new relationship with militants in Fata,
winning over the alienated Baloch leadership, a firm handling of the
situation in Karachi (including taking care of political parties’ armed wings),
as well as accelerating energy-enhancing schemes, would be high priority
tasks for the new administration. Much will depend on how strong and
stable the new government will be. This, in turn, will be determined by the
numbers in the National Assembly and whether Parliament is hung or the
government is self-standing.
Last but not the least, it would be unrealistic to underestimate the
possibility of Machiavellian capabilities (call them tricks if you will) of our
own Mr Zardari and the mileage the MQM chief’s tested skills can draw
(considering PPP’s 44 Senators and Altaf Hussian’s hold on Karachi). One
has to remember that Zardari will remain with us as President for months
after the current elections and is bound to play an important role in
determining which of the political parties should initially be invited to make
a coalition government if none of the parties manage to get a majority of
seats in the National Assembly.
All in all, this election will determine, to a large extent, how
democracy is to fare in this benighted country and how it takes to democratic
norms and ways.’ (Inayatullah, TheNation 11th May)
Five reasons the Pakistan vote is unpredictable: ‘The May 11
(today) elections will be different from any that have been held in Pakistan
before. And it’s not only because for the first time an elected government
will finish its term and hand over power to a democratically elected
successor.
For decades Pakistani politics has consisted of a series of military
regimes interspersed with governments run by two parties: the Bhuttos’
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Sharifs’ Pakistan Muslim League
(PML-N).
And as millions of Pakistanis have repeatedly complained, the PPP
and the PML-N have been little more than family businesses generating vast
fortunes for a tiny and fabulously rich ruling elite. But this election contains
new, unpredictable elements.
1. Imran Khan

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 The cricketer-turned-politician, long dismissed as a political no-hoper,
has mounted a serious challenge. Before he fell off a lift and injured his
back, he was storming around the country, holding as many as seven mass
rallies in a single day.
Privately, government officials say that their internal polling suggests
that Mr Khan’s PTI will win a significant number of seats.
As the change candidate, Imran Khan draws significant support from
disparate groups. His most vocal support comes from young people, many of
them vowing to vote differently from their parents.
He also appeals to liberals who hope that, at heart, his days as a
Westernized, high-living ‘playboy’ are not really over. But equally
significant is his appeal to the middle classes, many of whom have tended
not to vote in recent elections.
The economic growth of the Musharraf years increased the number of
property-owning Pakistanis. They tend to be conservative, anti-American,
pious, nationalistic and infuriated by the venal upper classes. Imran Khan’s
campaign speeches have reflected all their attitudes.
2. New voters
A new electoral roll has injected another element of unpredictability.
A reinvigorated Electoral Commission has overhauled the lists of those
eligible to vote.
There are now 85 million verified voters. Since the last election, the
commission has removed 37 million bogus names and added 36 million new
ones. Of course some things remain the same.
In many parts of Pakistan such as interior Sindh, Balochistan,
southern Punjab and parts of the north-west, traditional feudal and tribal
structures remain in place and the electorate there is expected to follow
traditional voting patterns.
It means the election will be decided in the country’s richest province,
Punjab. In many Punjabi constituencies there are now three way contests
between the PTI, the PPP and the PML-N, making the results highly
uncertain.
There is a widespread expectation that nationally no one party will
win an overall majority and whoever emerges as the leader of the biggest
party will have to put together a coalition.
3. Taliban threat

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 Whilst the country’s major politicians slug it out on the campaign
trail, there are also deeper trends affecting these elections. The Taliban
insurgents are more confident than ever before.
During the last election campaign, in 2008, they observed a ceasefire.
This year they are openly calling for the overthrow of the democratic system
and attacking politicians from the parties which criticize them. So far
bombings and shootings have killed more than 100 people in election-related
violence.
4. A resilient judiciary
In the past Pakistan’s judiciary tended to acquiesce to whoever was in
power.
Although judges are still intimidated by religious extremists, they are
increasingly willing to confront the politicians. And there are signs they are
even daring to stand firm against the army.
General Musharraf’s decision to return to the country has caused deep
frustration in the military leadership. It is nervous that the Musharraf case
might set a precedent in which senior officers face trials in civilian courts.
Behind the scenes the army is pressuring the courts to allow Gen
Musharraf to leave the country on the grounds that he needs to see his ailing
mother in Dubai. So far the judges have refused to comply.
If the judges stand firm they could establish a significant disincentive
for future coups.
5. Media power
It’s not just the judges who are flexing their muscles. With sensational
minute-by-minute news coverage, the satellite TV stations have emerged as
a major power in the land.
With the ability to deploy journalists and camera crews all over the
country and to go live to cover even the smallest incident at a moment’s
notice, they should make it much harder for anyone to fix the election
results.
Pakistanis are now using their mobile phones to film abuses by the
ruling elite. In a recent by-election one politician was filmed slapping the
election officials counting the vote. The clip was repeatedly played on news
channels, provoking demands for the politician to be disqualified from
sitting in any assembly.

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 Pakistan faces many deep crises. After the NATO withdrawal from
Afghanistan in 2014 the economy will be starved of billions of dollars’
worth of foreign aid. Power cuts are now so common that it is difficult for
factories to function properly.
‘Jihadis,’ as well as openly attacking democracy, are increasingly
mounting sectarian attacks and ‘persecuting’ minorities.
Partly because economic issues are a more immediate concern, many
Pakistanis dismiss the ‘jihadi’ challenge, explaining it away as only a
reaction to the US presence in Afghanistan. In fact it is an internal,
ideologically driven revolutionary uprising aimed at taking over the state.
Pakistan has defied many dire predictions in the past. Many in the
elite and the middle classes remain confident they can hold the line. But
some concede that keeping the ‘jihadis’ at bay may require outside help.
‘Let’s face it,’ one senior civil servant put it to me. ‘Can the world
really afford to allow a nuclear power to fall into the hands of the crazies?’
(Owen Bennett-Jones for BBC, reprinted in TheNation 11th May)
Pakistan votes in revolution: ‘Pakistan today turned out to vote in
one of the larger turnouts in its history, for the first time in a transition from
a government who has just completed a 5 year full-term in office, to its
successor. Defying threats by the Taliban young and old, urban and rural
voters stood in long lines at ballot stations to register their protest against 5
years of mismanagement and terror…
The biggest scene of confusion was Karachi where complaints of a
different nature were heard. Reportedly, one political party did not allow its
members to go the polling stations; the election staff at certain polling
stations was obeying the orders of a particular political party; at places, it
was alleged, the ballot papers had not reached or were found missing. The
MQM boycotted polling at two constituencies, JUI-P showed lack of trust in
the voting at Karachi and Hyderabad and boycotted the polls at both the
places. The Sunni Tehreek and Jama’at-i-Islami (JI) boycotted the elections
in both Karachi and Hyderabad. There were reports of rigging and
irregularities; at certain constituencies where women were not allowed to
cast their votes and the police and election staff themselves stamped the
ballot papers. JI staging a sit-in before the Karachi office of the Election
Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was fired upon, compelling its workers to
run for their lives. The ECP was left with no choice but to admit that it has
failed to hold free and transparent elections in Karachi, leaving the

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commentators to speculate whether it would go in for canceling this election
and hold another one.
The election result that began pouring in but only from some polling
stations were patchy and no final conclusion could be drawn from them. But
what is certain is that Pakistan has voted for a progressive future. For all that
Pakistan has suffered at the hands of violent extremists and terrorists in the
last few years, it has given its decision today that it will not be cowed. The
vote is the way forward that we have chosen. May those voted into power
have the ability to shoulder the responsibility of leading Pakistan to
prosperity?’ (Editorial, TheNation 12th May)
Elections 2013: ‘What Pakistanis can now do is to sit back and wait
for all unofficial results to come in. This would raise another interesting
question, considering that Imran Khan may win enough seats, would he like
to change his stated stance and accept a coalition partnership to make the
government? Conventional wisdom dictates that he must do this as such a
move would give him a platform to (in part) do what he has been striving
for, during the last 17 years.
At the provincial legislature level Khan Sahib has (according to many
people) a fifty-fifty chance of success, while in KPK his probability to win is
much higher. Even if PTI wins a ‘Province’, it can implement its vision
therein to create a model for everyone to see and emulate.
Nonetheless, Pakistan will know in another 24 hours, which way it is
headed – on the same corruption-beaten track that has taken to the brink of
the abyss or on a new road to peace, justice and prosperity.’ (S Tariq,
TheNation 12th May)
The revitalized Pakistan dream: ‘The evening of May 9, this was
supposed to be the last day for election campaigns, and Islamabad was the
place for the final PTI jalsa in D-Chowk. The highlight was going to be a
speech by Imran via video link from his hospital bed in Shaukat Khanum
Hospital. While the number of people, who came out for this event cannot be
determined, suffice it to say that the cheering crowd filled two sectored
lengths of the city. The passion and the energy was almost palpable. There
was not a single incident of misbehaviour, despite the fact that there were
many women and children in the crowd. In turn, we sang, we rejoiced, we
prayed and, most of all, we hoped for a better collective future as key team
members of PTI took turns in speaking to the audience. It was a very special
evening, which set the pace for the elections. 

616
 The moment when Imran Khan came on the screen, lying on a slightly
tilted hospital bed, the cheering just would not stop. He, as he had promised,
spoke directly and from the heart. He spoke to each and every Pakistani in
all the provinces and to every member of all religious minorities. He asked
us to take our fate into our own hands and to vote for a new Pakistan. It is
that dream that we have seen again, which will not be stolen from us. We are
no longer going to be bystanders and helplessly watch the ruins that
surround us – where there was supposed to be a model, progressive country.
The oath which all of us present at the jalsa took with Imran that day shall
ever remain imprinted on my heart and mind. 
It remains to be seen what the tally of seats is for PTI when the results
are finalized, but one thing is already definite: the change in mindset is
firmly in place and it will be impossible for anybody in power to be able to
get away with the way things have been in the past.’ (Tallat Azim,
TheNation 12th May)
The day of reckoning: ‘There is no quick fix to the issues at hand.
The most daunting being the so-called TTP that proved their nuisance value
by disrupting election campaigns of at least three major political parties in
three provinces. There should, nevertheless, be any doubt that our fragile
democracy will emerge a little stronger as a consequence of this election.
The otherwise decent campaigns were marred a little by attempts of
character assassinations – mainly of Nawaz Sharif by PPP and Imran Khan
and of President Zardari by Shahbaz Sharif and Imran Khan. Nawaz stayed
composed and statesman like and President Zardari remained silent,
choosing not to retaliate in deference to his position. 
The thrust made by the PTI towards the end of the race is most likely
to result in a surge of its votes. With every possibility of being proved wrong
today, the PTI is tipped to win up to 65 national seats (give and take a few) -
up from the previously estimated 40 seats. The PTI vote will eat into the
PML-N support, disturbing the pattern of distribution of votes that may
substantially reduce the originally forecast of up to 110 national seats for
PML-N. The PPP is quite certain to retain a minimum of 60 seats – mostly
from Sindh. The public is divided and appears in no mood to give an
absolute majority to any political party.
Thus, an uncertain situation is forecast where no major party is likely
to have anywhere near a majority and coalition of major parties is imminent.
Each of the three major parties is likely to win 60-70 seats each, the rest split
among others. Soon, formulae of permutations and combinations with the

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magic numbers of seats required to form governments and the influence of
the usual invisible powers will be debated. The speculations now will be if
our country is destined for stronger and more competent governments at the
centre and in the provinces. Or, (God forbid) we are fated to another spell of
inaction and chaos for the next few years.’ (Khurshid Akhtar Khan,
TheNation 12th May)

Vox populi: ‘The people of Pakistan have spoken, vehemently

favouring the democratic path they have set out before themselves to follow.
Undeterred by the Taliban's threat of mass killing across the length and
breadth of the country and calmly braving the sporadic acts of terror, they
came out in hordes to vote for their chosen parties, to whom they entrusted
the recovery of Pakistan from the economic, social and ethical decline to
which it has fallen victim. Frustrated by the slow pace of progress,
especially during the past five years of misrule and self-enrichment, the
people gave a resounding verdict in favour of new governance. For all the
security measures that had been taken to forestall acts of terrorism, the
Taliban did manage to strike at several places that caused the loss of 50
precious lives.

The nation gave a hearty welcome to the PML-N for entering the
corridors of power, trouncing its rivals squarely! PML-N chief Mian Nawaz
Sharif's victory speech was an admirable attempt at displaying political
maturity. He and Mian Shahbaz Sharif sought to repair ties with other
parties, saying no vilification during the election campaign would sully the
atmosphere and invited all those elected to help evolve an agenda of national
reconstruction. Now, the ball is in the opposition's court. With a clear
majority in hand, a scenario that had previously been ruled out by almost the
whole band of media analysts projecting results, it should be possible to go
ahead and put into effect the vision the PML-N has for Pakistan.

According to Indian media, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has

telephoned Mian Nawaz Sharif to offer his felicitations to Mian Nawaz on
his party’s resounding success and, at the same time, invited him to visit
India. Earlier, Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid had expressed the
hope that under his regime relations with his country would improve. We
must say quite firmly and unambiguously here that, under no circumstances,
should Kashmir be sidelined to promote other facets of cooperation.
Kashmir's future must be decided in line with the wishes of the people. That
is all that Pakistan asks. Once resolved, it would be easier to raise the

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superstructure of a solid bilateral relationship, on sound footings, on the
basis of sovereign equality.

PML-N is coming into power at a strikingly critical juncture in the

country’s history when it is being buffeted by formidable challenges, both
internal and external. A difficult task faces them, but they must remember
that as the PPPP was delivered a stinging insult on election day, so will be
the case with Mian Nawaz and his party, should he fails to deliver. What he
wished for, he has received; but with a heavy mandate, there will be no
coalitions to blame and no excuses to lean on if the government's
performance does not live up to expectations.

The monster of load shedding, and its concomitant evils, lays in wait
for the PML-N government. Industrial closures, millions of workers laid off,
poverty and hunger, inflationary pressures as exports fall and foreign
exchange reserves dip, not to mention indignity and injustice are but a few
of the key challenges. Short, medium and long term policies, energizing all
installed generating capacity and full recovery from consumers to pay the
expenses to constructing big reservoirs like Kalabagh Dam, would have to
be adopted. Restoration of the power supply will regenerate economy and
take care of the above problems. No less daunting is the menace of
terrorism. A well-thought-out strategy has to be devised. Talks will be of no
avail and a clear-cut course of fighting out the danger would have to be
followed. Dealing with all federating units in an equal and fair basis would
regenerate the spirit of nationhood, now missing in the mess of parochial
sentiments that, sadly, myopic rulers’ policies had created. Growing fiscal
deficit and mounting foreign loans would need stringent measures like
austerity and higher tax collection by widening the tax net. As these issues
are on the mend, others would appear to be child’s play. An internally strong
Pakistan would be better able to face the future. As it is, the country is in
dire straits and has elected a government with a heavy mandate and even
heavier hopes pinned on them. God forbid that they should disappoint.’
(Editorial, TheNation 13th May)

Hullo! Mr Prime Minister: ‘Congratulations! The people have

reposed trust in you. Welcome to the political wonderland – Pakistan 2013.
Kindly remember your manifesto; those who voted for you have certainly
committed it to memory. During this era of media and judicial activism, the
days of short public memory are over. Hopefully, you would strive to
implement at least a small portion of your manifesto… 

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 You are lucky to have a treasure to fall back upon – the unwavering
resolve of the people of Pakistan in the democratic political process. Despite
the tumultuous decades, they still, and rightly so, sustain their conviction in
a strong and prosperous Pakistan. Irrespective of whom they voted for, you
can count on their firm support in whatever you do in good faith for the
country at large, and for public service in particular. These wonderful people
defied all threats, attended political rallies during the election campaign and
voted you into power. They certainly deserve a generous payback in the
form of their wellbeing, safety, fair play and prosperity. Be kind towards
national institutions, some of them may not be to your liking; yet, co-habitat
and influence their behaviour; where necessary, reform them through
consensus based professional inputs. 

Some of the chores needing your immediate attention are: de-yoking

the country from drone attacks, extrication from so-called war on terror,
stabilizing Pak-India relations, teaming up with Afghanistan for a
sustainable peace process, diversification of our critical dependencies – all
these are easier said than done. These are no ordinary challenges; hence,
there is a need for extraordinary resolve and imaginative measures.
Certainly, these would be taxing on faculties; and your leadership qualities
shall be stressed to limits…

Pakistan needs to strengthen its regional moorings and find new ones
as well. Change of leadership in China and elections in Malaysia have
already taken place. Elections shall shortly be held in Iran, Bangladesh,
Afghanistan and India; hence, throwing up new opportunities for a fresh
start on stalemated sticky issues. Pakistan should be part of all major
regional initiatives leading towards the collective well being of the people.
There will be a need to work with the post-elections government of
Bangladesh to normalize relations by putting behind the historic baggage.
The Afghan situation is complex involving a number of variables and actors,
who are at cross purposes. Pakistan should carefully postulate the post-2014
political scenarios in Afghanistan and workout compatible response for
each; we should not be taken by surprise. 

Most tricky issue with Iran is the IP gas pipeline. Pakistan should
balance off external pressures and go ahead with the project. In case of
India, Pakistan should be prepared for Modi or Rahul led weak coalitions,
both shall play to the public gallery and are likely to remain hostage to

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populist anti-Pakistan sentiment; in short to medium timeframe, Pakistan
should not expect any meaningful initiative from either of the two.

Nevertheless, Pakistan should play an effective role in all regional

organizations, like SAARC, SCO, ECO, etc, to offset various bilateral
pressures. On larger canvas, there is a need for enhancing engagements with
the D-8, OIC and the UN. Pakistan should seek the membership of D-20 and
observer status in emerging groupings in the East Asian Region.

Our domestics are messed up comprehensively; most of the woes

emanate from poor governance, disregard of merit and politicization of
professional and technical matters. The arrest and reversal of these trends
would provide enough space to revamp the services sector.

The wish list may appear long; it is so because of inaction by your

predecessors. You have inherited it; so it’s you baggage, got to navigate the
way forward with all the handicaps. Mr Prime Minister, certainly it is not
poised to be an easy ride. Good luck, may Allah help you!’ (Iqbal Khan,
TheNation 13th May)

Time for Mr Sharif to implement what he saw in Singapore: ‘It

was in July 1998 that Mian Nawaz Sharif, as prime minister of Pakistan,
participated in a SAARC summit in Colombo. From there he went to
Singapore where he had an overnight stay and met his counterpart Lee Kuan
Yew and asked him the secret of the city state’s economic progress.

The next morning, while flying back to Islamabad by his special

plane, Mr Sharif shared the details of the meeting with the media delegation
accompanying him, the writer also being one of them. He was impressed by
what he saw in the tiny state and was told by its leader.

In brief, Mr Sharif told journalists that Singapore had made

unbelievable progress because there was no politics in the country and the
entire focus was on economy. Then he showed us a newspaper published
from Singapore and pointed out, specifically, that it carried no political
news. The situation in Pakistan, he said, could also change and the Islamic
Republic could become an economic giant if there was no politicking here.

The purpose of recalling this old conversation is to remind Mr Sharif

that while he is preparing to take over as prime minister for a third time, he
should take effective measures to navigate the country out of the multiple

621
crises it has been caught in. And since the economic crisis is much more
serious, he should think of following Singapore’s example…

Working out of a strategy to deal with the situation after the

withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan by the end of the next year
will also one of the important issues before the new government. The policy
should be decided by parliament in consultation with other relevant
stakeholders.

And while taking steps to improve ties with India, the new prime
minister should not forget the rights of the Kashmiri people and the
sacrifices rendered by them. Unless such steps are taken, little improvement
in the situation can be expected.’ (Ashraf Mumtaz, TheNation 13th May)

REVIEW
Any human activity has to have some positives and negatives; it has to
start with some definite motive; it has to encounter challenges as it
progresses and it must culminate in materialization of some, if not all its
intended objectives. The magnitude of all these features of human activity
expands with the number of people participating in it.

Approximately 50 million adult Pakistanis came out of their homes to

exercise their right to vote. This number far exceeded any in country’s
history; therefore it has to have certain special features; positive and
negative. It is not possible to describe all those in few lines, but some of
those are mentioned herein; first the Pleasant positives.

The turn out for polls was the highest in last four decades, despite the
fact that security environments have never been so bad in the past. It is
commendable in many ways out of which some need special mention. First,
it proved that Pakistanis are a brave nation as they defied the alarm created
by ‘experts’ about terror threats.

The display of courage was emphatic and wholesome with no gender

disparity; perhaps the woman-folk had an edge over the males in this
context. It was practically demonstrated not through words of mouth like the
brave commando who boasts ‘darta warta kissi sey naheen’ (not scared of
anyone).

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 Even the favourite of electronic media, the mom-dad section of the
society came out, not alone, but along with their moms and dads and in some
cases even with grandmas and grandpas on wheel chairs. Above all these
were the people who did not think of indulging in any malpractice; may be
they had no experience to bank upon as most of them had come out for the
first time.

Secondly, despite suffering unprecedented hardships during five years

of ‘the best revenge’ the people seemed to have not lost trust in democratic
system. They came out to opt for better alternatives and many of them,
especially the young and educated, endeavoured to explore new avenues.

Thirdly, the Election Commission with the help of NADRA and

telecommunication authorities helped the voters to exercise their right to
vote. The use of available information technology and introduction of E-
Chits made it quite convenient for the voters. Electronic media played its
role, especially educating the people about importance of participation.

The ‘innovation’ of PPP campaign organizers; the negative

electioneering was rejected. This poisonous weapon harmed no opponents
and instead it proved to be fatal like friendly fire. The character assassination
advertisements, the harpoons hurled at others bounced back like boom-a-
rang.

The second part of PPP’s electioneering strategy was to muster

sympathy vote by crying over so-called ‘shaheeds’, but the trick was too old
to produce desired results. The people badly hurt by load shedding,
insecurity, price hike and other economic hardships refused to be fooled by
the wailing of the PPP. After all, why should they have sympathy when they
had no sympathy with the masses?

The third card that the PPP had played well before the electioneering
was that of BJP. People of Seraiki area, also known as southern Punjab, gave
a big thrashing to those who ostensibly called for a separate province for
them. South Punjab slogan miserably failed and along with that the divisive
politics.

The elections have also broken the myth that it is always the ‘pro
Bhutto and anti-Bhutto’ vote in action in all the elections. Except for the
Sindh province where the people still have emotional attachment with the
Bhutto family, this phenomenon was not witnessed elsewhere. It is good that

623
people have accepted that Bhuttos are dead; if Pakistan could survive after
the demise of its founder father; why should it not live on after the death of
those who disintegrated Pakistan.

The most shining positive outcome of the polls is that it proved the
studio-cum-office bound analysts wrong. Had these political pundits,
working on salary or honourarium, not been proved wrong Zardari would
have played havoc with this country for another five years? He was eagerly
waiting for a split mandate to unleash his deadly strategy of ‘reconciliation’.

He had patiently waited to see PTI encroaching upon vote bank of

PML-N so that he could demonstrate his ‘reconciliatory’ skills to secure
second term in the Presidency. Over the last five years he has shown
extraordinary expertise in wheeling and dealing to collect odds in a coalition
and keep them together. To his utter disgust the PTI tsunami washed away
the PPP and its ally ANP in Punjab and KPK.

So, there is a lot to rejoice over the positive outcomes, but there are a
few alarming negatives to ponder upon. These negatives are not new.
These are some of the chornic ailments from which this nation has been
suffering; without any deliberate effort to get rid of them.

The rigging has been part of our polling culture, like so many other
social evils one encounters every day. But rigging in these polls also took
place at much wider scale than what has been reported so far. The causes of
this evil phenomenon are many.

Firstly, it was because of the corrupt political culture where morality

has no value and secondly the inefficient Election Commission which was
least effective to assert itself. One hour extension in voting time; Nawaz’s
talk with media and demanding a clear majority and then slowing down of
result announcements all smelled foul.

Contesting elections in Pakistan starts with filing of nomination

papers containing false statements. Electioneering takes off with making
false promises with voters. On Election Day the votes are secured using
whatever means the candidates could afford while all the time demanding
free and fair polls.

After the votes are cast the election results are manipulated through
those people who are entrusted the duty of holding free and fair polls. This is

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because almost all the government services have been politicized; a thing
that was non-existent a few decades ago.

Then comes the horse trading season, though the scope has been
restricted by constitutional amendments, yet sufficient number of
‘independents’ are always available for sale. Then for five years plundering
and looting goes on in the name of allotment of development funds and
grants from discretionary funds. To expect that in such political environment
there would be no rigging amounts to asking for moon.

As regards the ineffective and unassertive Election Commission and

Caretaker Prime Minister, Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri had warned the nation well in
time about the possible consequences. The two old men in their mid eighties
were chosen especially for the purpose that polls might not be free but
should be free for all.

Their playmate, if any of them are alive, must be lying in less

frequented rooms of their houses wondering as to why the angles have been
so late. It was astonishing that these two gentlemen accepted the offers of
government jobs, the retirement age of which they had crossed a quarter
century ago. It is foolish, rather cruel, to demand from them to be effective.

In fact, offering and acceptance of appointments by so old people

should be considered a crime; they deserve tender care rather than asking
them to perform strenuous duties. If animals can be protected against such
cruel treatment; why the senior citizens; especially those who had served
well during their rightful tenures? There is need to frame laws in this context

It is inhuman to blame Fakhru and Khoso for not being effective.

After all the people of their age spill the curry on washed shirt just worn to
the utter annoyance of their daughters-in-law. They need a tissue paper to
clean their chins after coughing and spitting and there would be many of
them who use pampers.

Man is a masterpiece of God’s creations on many counts. One of

those is the eccentricity of the strange mindsets it acquires. It has laws and
organizations to check ‘cruelty’ against animals, like department of ‘insidad-
e-bey rehmi, haiwanaat’, but nothing similar for the fellow human beings. It
should be a declared heinous crime to assign such tasks to super senior
citizens.

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 Other than the above two factors, it is the tolerance and acceptability
of these which is the most harmful. Even the men well-versed with the law,
like Babar Sattar, argue on TV channels that rigging would not have made
any material difference to final statistics of the mandate.

The question of ‘making difference’ is immoral, a wrong is a wrong, a

breach of law is a breach of law and it must be checked and punished. In a
given society it is the tolerance of lesser sins that have caused more harm
than the bigger evil. How many of them will be punished as provided in the
law; is to be seen.

Those who argue on these lines should be asked to answer a simple

question: How would they feel if a vegetable seller slips away couple of
potatoes after having them weighed? Most of such intellectuals would pick
up a quarrel with the dandimar shopkeeper. Advising about the importance
of rule of law to the one who has been wronged and protesting, rather than
the one who has openly violated the law, is absolutely unfair.

The ‘caretaker’ Chief Minister of Punjab, Najam Sethi appeared

before the media and announced prize for those who provide evidence of
rigging. He thought it wise to send his own chiriya (sparrow) on vocation
rather than getting ‘reliable’ information from her. Perhaps; chiriya itself
was busy in rigging.

Bloodshed during election campaign has been another negative of the

phenomenon of transfer of power. But, this has been happening since the
times when recording of history began. The bloodshed has been integral to
the transfer of power. Democracy being a civilized way of transfer of power,
however, is expected to be free of bloodshed.

Here too there is need to remember that in this part of the world,
democracy is like a razor in the hands of a monkey stolen from the bag of a
barber. A monkey in its urge to shave his face to look smart is more likely to
cut throats of fellow monkeys or even his own.

Bloodshed will continue as long as there are untamed political

mafias. The mafia operating under London-based Don is quite intact and
operative in the mega city of Karachi. It has become more suppressive,
coercive and terrorizing over the years during which it faced little resistance
from the State or any other quarter.

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 For more than three decades Altaf Hussain has played havoc in
Karachi. The manner in which the polling started on that day it became quite
evident that his network still holds the city in its strangle-hold. Nothing can
happen there without the consent of the Don; general elections are no holy
cow that could be made an exception.

The mafia stopped the polling staff from reporting on duty and
hampered timely delivery of polling material. The result was that the polling
could not start in localities where they had ‘foreseen’ anti-MQM feelings.
The government and ECP appeared quite helplessly paralyzed.

Having done that the MQM resorted to its favourite tactics; pretending
as victim. Having committed a ‘burglary’ Farooq Sattar came on TV
channels and started crying chor chor. The Don telephoned the SHO Fakhru
to lodge the complaint and requesting him to stop stealing of MQM’s
mandate.

The result was that those were being mugged in broad day light were
left with no option but to run and cry for help. First Jama’at Islami and then
Sunni Tehrik and MQM-H announced boycott of the polls. Fakhru was
constrained to announce postponement of polling in NA-250, Karachi.

The true self of the London-based Don was reflected when he talked
to his ‘party activists’ the next day and blew fire against PTI and its leaders.
He even threatened to dismantle Pakistan to have separate homeland; or burn
the entire Pakistan to ashes.

Even when giving a courtesy call to Nawaz his congratulatory words

stink of ethnic prejudices. The words he uttered under the influence of
alcohol hardly suited for a felicitation message. He congratulated Nawaz for
securing the mandate of Punjabis. He insulted more than 60 percent of
Pakistanis residing in this province.

One of the negative aspects of the outcome of elections is the

emerging trend of regionalism in Pakistani politics. The election results
show that no political party has succeeded in establishing its credentials of a
national party having roots in all the provinces. It is getting more
pronounced in Sindh where the voters have voted for the PPP irrespective of
its bad performance both for the Centre and the province.

627
 Political pundits – becoming wiser after the event – say that PML-N,
despite securing simple majority, will not have easy ride because of the
multiple challenges staring Pakistan in its face. The list of challenges is
very long; only some of those are mentioned.

The first challenge is the corruption of horrific dimensions. The gang

of scoundrels that ruled Pakistan for the last five years has been defying all
attempts of accountability saying that in democracy the politicians are
accountable to the people only. Their preferred choice of the accountability
has been completed and the verdict of the people is clear and emphatic.

The mere ousting of the corrupt out of power should not be taken as
end of the accountability process. This, by all means marks only the
beginning of the process which has to be brought to logical and lawful
culmination. The PML-N has been crying hoarse about corruption by ‘Zar
Baba’; now it has to prove that it is sincere in eradicating this monstrous
evil.

It must begin with implementation of already given court verdicts on

corruption cases. The court orders must be enforced indiscriminately; failing
which the assertions of ‘mok moka’ would prove to be valid. The case that
could be litmus test in this context is Ephedrine Case.

Pakistan’s economy is in tatters to say the least. Zardari and his gang
have tried their utmost to turn this beautiful country into Somalia. It has
been surviving only because of the Bountiful Nature; because of its strong
agriculture sector; though Zardari tried to harm that as well.

Its industry is in ruins because of the multiple reasons out of which

energy shortage stands out conspicuously. Punjab was targeted with
vengeance, especially its textile sector. Nawaz government has to take
immediate actions to overcome the energy crisis, which is quite possible.

As an immediate measure he has to stop forthwith all vote-bank

oriented resource wasting projects like Benazir Income Support Programme,
Wasila Rozgar, Sasti Roti, laptop and ojala schemes. All the funds should be
diverted for ending the load shedding and surplus, if any, to infra-structure
development projects. The will ensure revival and creation of millions of
jobs and thus provide opportunity to proudly earn their livelihood and not
get it as alms.

628
 Another challenge is dispensation of justice. This should be very
clear to the incoming government that dispensation of justice is the sole
responsibility of the Executive; not hindering it as the outgoing government
had been doing. The Legislative and Judiciary can only facilitate the
Executive in performing this holiest of the holy duties of any ruler.

The next challenge is the creation of his nemesis, Pervez Musharraf:

the so-called war on terror, which was further aggravated during Zardari
rule. Nawaz government must frame and pursue a firm policy without
feeling obliged and endeavouring to reciprocate the favour American have
done on night between May 11 and 12, as ‘rumour mongers’ have claimed.
One is inclined to believe such ‘rumours’ when a friend of Hussain Haqqani,
was the Chief Minister in Punjab.

This is not ‘our’ war; it was and remains American war waged against
entire Islamic world. It started bearing a look of ‘our’ war only after
American started talking about Af-Pak region instead of Afghanistan; turned
the ‘war on terror’ into ‘war of terror’ and began treating ally Pakistan as an
enemy that it started looking like ‘our’ war.

Stopping drone attacks should be accorded priority. All possible

avenues for this must be explored, including going to International Court of
Justice to get these attacks declared as war crimes as has been ruled by
Peshawar High Court. No soft approach will work when it comes to dealing
with Americans; a couple of unanimously adopted resolutions already exist
and awaiting implementation.

Another challenge is the eradication of mafias, or armed wings,

maintained by political parties which have foreign sponsors at their backs.
Karachi and Balochistan are presently in the grip of these mafias. In Karachi
these are controlled by political Dons Zardari, Altaf and Shahi Syed and in
Balochistan by tribal sardars.

Some of these Dons are never shy of demanding even disintegration

of Pakistan. Only for this reason these mafias must be disarmed and that
should begin with making Karachi weapon-free. Those who give up arms
willingly must be integrated and their genuine grievances must be addressed
on priority.

Taming Army is the ambition of all politicians for reasons too

obvious. They are allergic to interference by ‘establishment’ in affairs of the

629
representative government, especially Nawaz Sharif. One way to do it is to
reduce the size of the Army on which signatories of the Charter of
Democracy agree.

It is also true that it can be done only by having cordial relations with
the neighbours on either flank. That can only happen when disputes with
them are resolved amicably and the neighbours too nourish similar
ambitions. It cannot be done unilaterally by inviting Manmohan on oath-
taking ceremony. Zardari had invited Karzai on his oath-taking for similar
reasons but that honourable guest still blows fire whenever he opens his
mouth to talk about Pakistan.

He should begin with making the Abbottabad Commission report

public and pursue cases against Musharraf. But here too implementation of
Supreme Court verdict in Asghar Khan Case and pursuing Memogate Case
would be his test. The best option for taming, however, is love and respect
for all ranks of the Army who shed blood to protect this country to be ruled
by Bhuttos, Sharifs and Zardaris.

Like PML-N there are challenges for the PTI as well, though of
different nature and magnitude. The rigging of polls and manipulation of
results have hurt the PTI supporters the most. The leadership has a challenge
in hand to steer them out of this shock.

They must remember that their party has just born in the political
sense. The ‘rigging’ should be taken as birth-pang in which both mother
‘status quo’ and baby ‘change’ have suffered from the rigours that every
new-born has to bear. It is only after overcoming this temporary pain that the
life begins to flourish with all its beauty.

They must assure the party members that it is just the beginning, and a
good beginning, rest all is ahead of them. They must never feel disheartened.
It would be wrong for them to assume that Imran Khan should have
produced Bhutto-like results. It wasn’t possible as the time has changed
significantly. In 1970, the masses could be fooled, in Bhutto’s own words,
but today they can’t be. They cannot be convinced that a man can assume
the Divine duty of providing roti, kapra and makan.

There is no reason for the leaders and supporters of the PTI to allow
disgruntled feelings to creep in. The impression of party not doing well is
false. It is superfluous. The discreet analysis would reveal that it has done

630
very well though the count in number of seats secured in the assemblies is
less than the expectations of the vibrant youth.

PTI is very much on the victory stand. It is on the top of victory stand
in KPK, despite the fact that only the central parts of the province – Hazara,
Swat and Peshawar Valley were targeted. In Punjab it is second only one
step away from the top. Overall it has won the bronze.

In Karachi the MQM mafia is feeling the earth shaking and slipping
away from under its feet. Altaf’s lunatic statements are testimony to that.
Other parts of the country were never targeted by the party. PTI leaders
should bear in mind that all this has been achieved in the first outing in the
field as First Division team.

Imran too must learn few lessons. His frequent reference to Sharifs
during the campaign created a false impression that he is obsessed with
PML-N leadership. A great leader has no obsessions, except the pursuit and
accomplishment of his mission.

He must desist from showing all the cards too early in the play. He
has been too vocal about drone attacks and pulling out of the war on terror.
It was neither liked by the Americans nor by the Army Chief and the result
is in front of him. Nothing happens in Pakistan which is not liked by the
Yanks.

He should also remain mindful of the language he uses in public

meetings just as his main political rival did throughout the election
campaign. Perhaps, he being a Kashmiri by descent knows the Bakarwal
traditions. A Bakarwal moves with a small stick in his hand whistling
occasionally and his herd follows him and the task of protecting and keeping
the herd compact through running around and barking is left to his sheep
dogs. Shepard must have some sheep dogs.

Imran stands for a change and for that he has chosen the word
tsunami. He should replace this symbolic word because the change he has
envisaged is derived from Islamic teachings. He is also a student of Allamah
Iqbal whose poetry carries the message of Islam; the message of change for
the well being of mankind.

In view of that the word tsunami with connotations of destruction and

devastation is inappropriate for the change he wants to bring. Allamah Iqbal

631
has frequently used the word naseem-e-sehari (morning breeze) for this; a
soothing and comforting word for constructive change.

Allamah explains that when morning breeze blows across a garden not
a dew-drop on a grass blade is displaced. It only picks up the fragrance of
flowers and spreads it beyond the garden. This is the change which Islam
aims at and so does Allamah and his student.

His party has been provided an opportunity to experiment in Khyber

Pakhtunkhwa what he wants for the entire country. This province should be
used as stepping stone for consolidation of PTI’s political gains, by
providing honest and efficient governance with special emphasis on
education. It won’t be easy going; but God judges and rewards on the basis
of sincere effort put in not on the basis of results produced.

The PPP too has a challenge but of its own creation. The corruption
and cunningness of Zardari has corroded credibility of the party. Total
reliance on Bhutto legacy has also not helped in the face of poor
performance. Resultantly, it has been virtually molested by the double pincer
of the PML-N and the PTI all over the country with the exception of Sindh.

For the next five years most PPP leaders would be jobless, except the
talented ones like Qamar Zaman Kaira. He on the basis of his performance
in one of press conferences during Dr Tahir Qadri’s sit-in in Islamabad can
seek employment from Aftab who hosts TV programme Khabarnak.

Leaving aside the lighter aspect of the debacle; it can be said that its
leaders face a Herculean task for the party’s revival. The election results
show awakening of the public; therefore they have to abandon the Bhutto
Doctrine of fooling the masses with slogans and instead focus on serving
them.

The people have also become aware of the sympathy vote trap. In
2008, they voted in the name of Benazir and got Zardari in return. This time
they were careful and that is why all the wailing about Bhutto ‘shaheeds’
proved mere nohakhwani before the Youm-e-Ashura of May 11.

The PPP leaders must begin the repair work with giving his genuine
name back to Bilawal. They will have government in Sind to recover from
the setback for which they must provide corruption-free governance. It will
be a daunting task to give up old habits.

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 Media also has a challenge to safeguard national respect, dignity and
integrity. Media-madness to telecast live every word of great orator of our
times could cause very serious damage to the homeland of 180 million
people. The owners of media houses should show courage to avoid
telecasting speeches of Imam Khomeni of MQM mostly delivered when he
is in trance

It is suggested that he should be given time to say whatever he wants

off the TV screens; wait for few hours to allow his spokesmen to understand
what he said; issue necessary clarifications from Nine Zero and then
broadcast what he actually meant. It would save the people of Pakistan from
lot of torture.

Having viewed the positives, negatives and challenges faced by

political forces, a few words about the prospects of realization of the
hopes of the people of Pakistan. It would be too much to expect a ruthless
accountability from a ‘professional’ politician. At best Nawaz government
will confine itself to selective accountability of the corrupt.

Sharif family with industrial background can be expected to do

optimum for the revival of economy by solving the energy problem with
urgency. Nawaz is under obligation to undo the harm done to the economy
of Punjab which was caused when he was saving the system to have third
term as prime minister.

Keeping in view the five-year record in Punjab one tends to be

cautious in hoping for dispensation of justice. Similarly, Nawaz might have
defied Bill Clinton in carrying out nuclear explosion, but in the prevalent
environments he would prefer to follow American dictations to be on their
right side.

The mafias in Karachi and Balochisrtan can only be eradicated by

calling in Army, which Nawaz won’t ‘risk’. Army too would be reluctant to
undertake this task because of the ongoing war on terror. As regards taming
of the Army, the anti-establishment tirades will continue sporadically as has
been happening during last five years.

The difference would be that Zardari spoke of ‘sangin’ for stalling a

possible threat, but Nawaz harbours a grudge. Zardari was cunning in his
approach and Nawaz will be stubborn and markedly arrogant towards Army.

633
He will pursue the Charter of Democracy more vehemently to cut the Army
to size.

PTI needed fit Imran at this critical juncture when his party’s rank and
file is in state of shock due to rigging. If his sickness prolongs the cracks
could appear in walls of this newly built house of change seekers. If he
returns soon, the party has bright chance to consolidate its gains and become
a force to reckon with.

The chances of PPP’s recovery are quite bleak in the presence of

Zardari and young Bilawal with dual surname. Media tycoons can impose
restrictions on telecast of Altaf’s speeches, with or without revoking the
clauses on vulgarity in media moral code. But, most of media houses would
prefer business interests over obligations towards the country and its people.

To conclude, it must be said that the issue of rigging must be resolved

fairly and firmly with urgency; lest the country is pushed to a much serious
turmoil. For future, ATM-like electronic machines should be introduced to
minimize the requirement of polling staff and stuff like ballot papers,
electoral roll, pads and stamps, which are the main source of malpractices.

Irrespective of the quality of conduct and outcome of polls; the

refreshing ‘morning breeze’ of change has set-in. PTI is here to stay to
confront the ugly forces of status quo. These evil forces have to be tumbled
one by one irrespective of their outlook as that difference in their
appearances, like the beauty, is only skin deep.

14th May, 2012

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 SURRENDER OR NRO
During the four days under review, the news and ‘rumours’ started
unveiling what happened in previous four days, especially during the night
between May 11 and 12. The news from across the country revealed that
almost every political party that participated in elections was protesting
against the malpractices during polling and compiling of the results.
The analysts also started smelling something foul in the whole affair.
Some saw friendly American hand behind all that happened ruining the
elections which had the potential to become exemplary for the future. Dr
Haider Mehdi in his last two articles, one of which is published in
yesterday’s daily Nation has implicitly termed this as Second NRO.
The eagerness shown by the US Administration to work with the new
government in Pakistan also added to suspicions of those observers who
focus more on what is in between the lines. Nawaz Sharif’s buddy in Delhi,
Manmohan Singh, however gave a rather cold shoulder by declining the
invitation to attend oath-taking ceremony in Islamabad.

NEWS
Power politics: On 13th May, Nawaz Sharif has reached out to India
and the United States, pledging to strengthen relations after his thumping
victory in landmark elections. He invited Manmohan Singh to his oath-
taking ceremony and said he also wanted to strengthen fractious ties with the
US but warned Washington must take seriously their concerns about drone
strikes.
Speaking to foreign correspondents at Raiwind, Nawaz Sharif called
upon PTI, which is protesting against alleged ‘massive’ rigging in the polls,
to respect the mandate of the people and accept the results of the elections.
To a question about government formation, Nawaz said, ‘I am not against
any coalition. But as far as Islamabad is concerned we are ourselves in a
position to form government… All those who share our vision we will be
happy to work with them.’
Nawaz picked Senator Ishaq Dar as his finance minister in the new
cabinet. He suggested he would be willing to implement politically sensitive
reforms in order to secure critical aid from IMF to avoid another balance of
payments crisis. Dar said he plans to push government to collect agricultural

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taxes, a policy that could set him on a collision course with some of the N’s
wealthy backers.
For the constitution of the government in the centre, the PML-N is
running short of six to seven seats after the allocation of seats reserved for
women and minorities. The party has decided not to accept the support of
any political party but to go for the support of independent winners to meet
the deficit.
The PML-N has 125 seats in the National Assembly which will swell
to 164/165 after the party will get 39/40 seats reserved for women and
minorities. It needs 7 more MNAs to form the government. The party has
formed a three-member team to contact independents in Punjab while other
teams have been sent to Balochistan, KPK and Sindh to woo the
independent MNAs-elect.
The PML-N has decided to let the PTI form government in KPK
where the latter has won 33 out of 99 seats. The party leaders continued
consultations over the formation of government in the centre as well as in
Punjab and Balochistan in addition to finalizing names for the main
portfolios in the federal cabinet.
Yousuf Raza Gilani resigned from his party office. ‘I admit my
mistakes and faults and resign from senior vice chairmanship of the party’,
Gilani declared. Answering a query, the former PM said he was not
resigning over differences in the party or on demand from President Zardari
or kidnapping of his son Ali Haider Gilani. He said it was just to give room
to new leadership.
Meanwhile, Punjab Governor Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmud sent his
resignation to President Zardari, saying new people should come forward.
Makhdoom left for his hometown, Rahim Yar Khan, after announcing his
resignation at a news conference and would be back after a couple of days
because Zardari is unlikely to accept his resignation till the oath-taking of
Nawaz Sharif as the new prime minister who may advise him to appoint a
new one.
Accepting responsibility for his party’s defeat in the general elections,
PPP Central Punjab President Manzoor Wattoo also resigned from his
office. Wattoo, however, blamed some unseen forces for PPP’s defeat. ‘It is
the result of a conspiracy hatched against PPP by certain forces’, he added.
When asked to name those forces which conspired against his party, Wattoo
said he could not say anything at this stage.

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 Acting on the complaints of rigging in several constituencies in
Karachi and other parts of the country, the ECP has sought all records from
DRO, RO, DPOs pertaining to rigging. The commission took the step to
conduct a thorough review and decide accordingly. Moreover, re-polling in
Karachi’s NA-250 will take place between 7-10 days.
The ECP formed 14 election tribunals to hear complaints in
connection with alleged rigging in the May 11 elections. Five tribunals have
been set up in Punjab and three each in Sindh, KPK and Balochistan. They
will be headed by retired session’s judge. The tribunals will have the
authority to declare elections on constituencies null and void if rigging
complaints were proven to be correct.
Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso issued a statement according
to which the role and efforts made by all the organs of the state and national
institutions including the Federal and Provincial authorities was appreciated
for holding the country’s historical general elections in smooth and orderly
manner. The Prime Minister said that complaints of rigging in elections and
grievances, if any, may be brought to the notice of the ECP for appropriate
action and redress.
Statements by any political groups or parties which provoke violence
or foment anti-federation feelings are highly detrimental to our national
integrity, especially at this critical juncture of our history, said the Prime
Minister. However, it was not made clear whose statement the PM referred
to. (No one can dare to say that clearly.)
Disappointed in Punjab PPP again emerged victorious bastion Sindh,
by bagging 70 out of 130 general seats. Winning Sindh Assembly seats was
an easier task besides all odds staked against the party. But the trickier part
will be selecting the leader of the House in Sindh Assembly as three horses
are in the run for the top slot, including controversial Owais Muzaffar alias
Tappi. The other two in the race are stalwarts like Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and
Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani.
A party meeting has been convened at Bilawal House for consultation
on probable candidates for the posts of the leader of the House and speaker
and deputy speaker. Because of its past experience, this time the PPP is
likely to obtain support of independents or likeminded smaller groups for
effective governance in the province. There were reservations among leaders
over forming another coalition with its previous major partner MQM.
Khawaja Muhammad Asif of PML-N said while talking to the
newsmen at his residence that the MQM Chief and its other main leaders

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were dual nationalities holders which clearly reflect their priorities and
preference. By holding foreign nationalities they least bother to think for the
betterment and economical and political stability of the country’, he added.
Asif stressed that every one, irrespective of their affiliation or status, should
be taken to task for speaking against Pakistan or any such act that
tantamount to anti-Pakistan propaganda.
Meanwhile, he blamed Asif Ali Zardari for the fiasco of the PPP in
election, saying that President Zardari ruined a party which was built by its
founder by rendering lives. ‘He devastated the political heritage of the party
within four or five years whose founding fathers sacrificed their lives for the
sake of party, said the PML-N Stalwart lamented.
Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaf (PTI) President Javed Hashmi has said that
they are collecting evidence of massive irregularities and rigging in election
across the country. ‘We will bring out a white paper on the massive rigging
in polling after gathering evidence.’ Addressing a news conference he said
that the PTI would not allow anybody to hijack the people’s mandate and
would protect their rights.
To a question, he said that civil society was protesting against the
rigging and change of results in Karachi, adding that the PTI would provide
rigging proof to the Election Commission for necessary action. Javed
Hashmi made it clear that his party would not take any support from the
PPP. The PTI President said that his party would form its government in
KPK. PTI was also considering to play pivotal role as an active opposition in
Centre, Punjab and even in Sindh, with a sole aim to put the country on way
to economic and political stability.
A report of Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) has made a
stunning revelation, strengthening the voices of PTI of massive rigging in
general elections, that the voter turnout at 49 polling stations of Nation
Assembly constituencies was more than 100 per cent out of a sample of
8,119 polling stations throughout the country. FAFEN has called on the ECP
to release all polling stations’ statements of the count (Form XIV) to the
public on its website before certifying any final election results in any
constituency.
At least 32 polling stations with greater than 100 per cent turnout were
in Punjab, 10 in Sindh, six in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one in Balochistan.
The polling stations with impossible voter turnout figures included 19
female polling stations, 16 male stations and 14 combined (male and female)
stations. ECP must not include votes from these polling stations in

638
calculations of constituency election results, and should consider re-polling
in these stations, the report says.
According to the report, in Punjab there are six constituencies of
Lahore alone (NA-122, NA-124, NA-126, NA-127, NA-128, NA-130)
where turnout was above 100 per cent at some polling stations. The report
says that voter turnout is calculated on the basis of the registered voters for
each polling station as given on the ECP website. Polling stations included
in the analysis are only those in which presiding officers accurately
calculated the total number of ballots as recorded on the statement of the
count (Form XIV).
The reports says FAFEN has recommended since 2008 that ECP
should void the results from any polling station where more ballots are cast
than the number of registered voters, and should investigate highly
improbable cases of voter turnout, such as those greater than 80 percent.
Best practice for election transparency requires that polling station ballot
counts and vote counts should be posted as quickly as possible on the ECP
website, both as scans of the original forms and in data tables that can be
scrutinized.
Protests were underway in various parts of Balochistan against alleged
rigging in polls, while some parties are demanding reelection in different
constituencies. The protests against the polls continued in districts of
Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, Quetta, Duki, Loralai, Qila Abdullah and other
districts by the political parties and independent candidates.
Calling a province-wide protest against alleged rigging in polls for
tomorrow, the Balochistan National Party-Mengal complained it was being
deliberately pushed to the wall and ripped off its seats. ‘Huge rigging was
made in vote count, and results were being delayed in a number of
constituencies to rip BNP-M off seats by declaring its candidates
unsuccessful’, BNP-M senior vice-president, told a news conference at
Quetta Press Club.
He expressed annoyance that the media was completely ignoring,
particularly the BNP-M, which had been protesting against vote-rigging. He
said although televisions and newspapers did get advertisements from
revenues of Balochistan, the media was keeping mum over the issue of the
province.
Jamaat-e-Islami has decided to file a petition within a day or two in
Supreme Court of Pakistan for re-elections in Karachi. This was announced
by Dr Mairajul Huda Siddiqui while addressing a sit-in protest rally at II

639
Chundrigarh Road, Karachi. A large number of JI workers and supporters
attended the sit-in protest.
Commenting on MQM chief’s speech, the JI leader said that the hands
of those would be broken who are talking about to break the country.
‘Pakistan is our prestige, honour and pride and we won’t allow anyone to
break the country. Every JI worker is ready to sacrifice his life for the sake
of the beloved country’, he added. He demanded the armed forces,
bureaucracy and other officials concerned to take notice of the speech of
MQM chief.
Criticizing the biased attitude of CEC Fakruddin G Ibrahim, Mehanti
said that the ECP had failed to conduct transparent elections in Karachi. He
held caretaker Sindh government and ECP responsible for rigging in
elections. He appealed to the Chief of Army Staff to take the people of the
City out from the grip of terrorists. ‘The people of Karachi want re-polling
in entire city. The ECP should withhold the elections result of Karachi and
declare it defunct’, he added.
A day after warning the establishment to respect the MQM mandate
or separate Karachi, Altaf Hussain said his statement has been taken in
wrong vein. He said those who have any complaints regarding poll rigging
should contact the ECP. The statement said: ‘How can Altaf Hussain issue
an anti-Pakistan statement?’
Imran Khan, alleging the PTI opponents for carrying out rigging in the
general elections, demanded recounting at 25 NA seats. He said that the PTI
Punjab leadership would hold a meeting today to devise a strategy for
dealing with this matter and hold a press conference to inform the masses
about party’s line of action on this count. 
Hamid Khan, PTI candidate from NA-125 and Karamat Khokhar from
NA-128 have filed applications with their returning officers complaining
massive rigging in their constituencies and demanded
recounting. Meanwhile, PTI activists continued their protest against the
alleged rigging of PML-N on the second day at Ghazi Road and demanded
re-polling in NA-125.
Next day, Nawaz Sharif visited Shaukat Khanum Hospital to enquire
after Imran who is being treated for injuries. While some viewed Nawaz’s
hospital visit as a sting-busting, political exercise, Imran used the
opportunity to advise Nawaz on the importance of resolving the Taliban
issue to restore peace in the country.

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 Talking to the media, Nawaz said that he had reconciled with the PTI
chief. ‘We will play a friendly match once he (Imran) fully recovers’, Nawaz
said, while smiling. ‘I asked the PTI chairman to make peace and both of us
agreed to forget the bitterness between us in the greater interest of the
country’, Nawaz said. ‘Imran Khan has assured me of a good working
relationship between the two popular parties for the progress of the country.’
Naeem-ul-Haq, senior PTI leader present at the meeting, said, ‘Imran
Khan assured Nawaz Sharif of backing him for the sake of development of
the country.’ Asked if the issue of PTI’s charges of rigging against PML-N
came under discussion, he answered in the negative and said it did not come
under discussion at any point of this brief meeting. However, the PTI leader
added that the matter of poll rigging would not be given up.
Political pundits are of the view that Nawaz Sharif’s confident talk
outside the hospital, after meeting Imran Khan, indicates that both sides will
facilitate each other in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and the thorny
issue of PTI’s rigging charges will be resolved amicably as soon as Imran is
back to the political pitch.
The caretaker Law Minister proposed the summoning of maiden
session of the National Assembly between May 18 and May 24 and
subsequent transfer of power within this period but interestingly the would-
be Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who would assume the office for third
term, showed the desire to see the new National Assembly take oath on May
28 or he himself would take oath as prime minister on that date in case the
session is to be called earlier.
May 28 holds great significance in the country’s history as well as in
the political career of Nawaz Sharif, as in 1999 on the same day the Nawaz-
led government had carried out six nuclear explosions in Chaghi in response
to the five nuclear blasts conducted by India, rejecting world pressure
particularly from the then American President, Bill Clinton.
A delegation of PML-N met the PML-F chief Pir Sibgatullah Shah
Rashdi Pir Pagara at his residence Raja House and invited PML-F chief to
join Nawaz government at Centre. ‘Pir Pagara accepted the invitation',
Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh said. Meanwhile, the NPP of the late Ghulam Mustafa
Jatoi and the Shirazi group of Thatta have also announced support for PML-
N chief and are likely to sit on treasury benches in the Parliament.
PTI and the Jamaat-i-Islami agreed to form a coalition government in
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, though power sharing formula was yet to be finalized.
PTI's Pervez Khattak and Azam Khan Swati while JI's Prof Ibrahim Khan,

641
Shabbir Ahmad Khan and Inayatullah Khan held a meeting and addressed a
joint press conference after the meeting. Pervez Khattak said that the PTI
invited the JI to form a combined government in the province as both the
parties have similar stance on various issues.
Rejecting the mandate of the PTI, Fazlur Rehman alleged that
elections in Mardan, Peshawar and Kohat division were rigged. ‘We will not
accept PTI’s mandate in KPK, where election results have been rigged in
favour of a party’, he said while talking to the media. Holding the ECP
responsible for the rigging, he said that the ECP failed to hold free, fair and
impartial elections.
Various political parties continued their protests and held rallies
against what they called massive rigging in election. PML-N candidate for
PB-2 led a protest rally against irregularities in the electoral process in
Momanabad and Naseerabad polling stations. Separately, hundreds of
Hazara Democratic Party activities gathered outside the Press Club in Quetta
and protested against the alleged rigging.
Likewise, the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat and Muttahida Mahaz also
leveled allegations of rigging, demanding re-polling in NA-259
constituency. A complete shutter down strike was also observed in Dera
Murad Jamali and Nushki against the alleged rigging in PB-28 and PB-40
constituency. PPP candidate for NA-259 also demanded the ECP for early
announcement of the election results. Former federal minister Sardar Yar
Muhammad Rind alleged that all previous records of rigging were broken on
NA- 267 Kachi cum Jhal Magsi and PB-30 Kachi constituencies.
PML-N candidates for National Assembly constituencies NA-5 and
NA-6 and five provincial assembly seats of district Nowshera have rejected
the election results and demanded reelection in the presence of international
observers and Pak Army. PML-N candidate said that the election was not
conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner in district Nowshera.
Meanwhile, JUI-F candidate from NA-3 asked the Election
Commission and NADRA to verify 0.2 million bogus votes polled in four
NA and 11 provincial assembly constituencies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He
said the poll rigging done in four NA and eleven provincial assembly
constituencies was glaring example of ECP failure in conducting fair
elections.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari demanded the ECP to conduct thorough
investigation into massive rigging in elections. Addressing a reception in
honour of newly-elected MNAs and MPAs from Sindh through video link at

642
Bilawal House, he said that party accepts the results of the elections but
candidates of the party lost elections owing to massive rigging in Punjab and
other provinces.
Aitzaz Ahsan decided to step down from his Senate seat. He
forwarded his resignation to the PPP leadership after his wife Bushra Aitzaz
lost elections from NA-124 constituency. While talking to media, Aitzaz
Ahsan said results given by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)
should be reviewed. Bushra Aitzaz contested elections against PML-N
candidate Rohail Asghar.
Sherry Rehman resigned from her post following the defeat of
Pakistan People’s Party in general elections, an embassy spokesman said. In
a brief statement, the embassy spokesman said, ‘Congratulating the new
Parliament on its election, Ambassador Sherry Rehman has sent her
resignation to the Prime Minister, saying that it is time a new envoy come in
as quickly as possible so that there is no gap in the (Pakistan-US)
relationship.’
The poll rigging complainants started directly moving the ECP as the
returning officers concerned mostly continue to reject recounting
applications in a surprising development that appears to have further cast the
shadows on the elections credibility in the wake of widespread reports of
massive rigging in the general elections.
Apparently, feeling the heat of the enormous criticism over poll
rigging allegations, the electoral body announced votes re-polling in the
three electoral constituencies in Karachi and recounting in a Lodhran
constituency. The re-polling would be held on May 19 at the 43 polling
stations of National Assembly constituency NA-250 and Sindh Assembly’s
constituencies PS-112.
The applications of two senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf,
Hamid Khan from NA-125 and Sardar Yaqoob from NA-18, were rejected
by the ROs concerned despite that the latter’s application on recounting was
earlier accepted and the same was scheduled yesterday. Scores of NA-18
constituents were stunned when they gathered outside the office of the
constituency’s RO in Abbottabad in connection with the votes recounting,
only to learn that the RO had rejected the recounting request.
Meanwhile, a number of noted politicians including Jehangir Khan
Tareen, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Pir Sabir Shah and Omar Ayub visited
the ECP on Tuesday and submitted applications for the votes’ recounting in
their respective constituencies. Entertaining Tareen’s application, the ECP

643
instructed the DRO concerned to carry out the recounting of votes in the
NA-154 Lodhran.
Talking to journalists during his visit to the ECP, Chaudhry Shujaat
Hussain alleged that PML-N leadership used influence to rig polls in NA-
104 to get his brother Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain defeated. Wajahat got
81,162 votes compared to PML-N’s Nawabzada Mazher Ali who was
declared returned candidate for NA-104 with 84,979 votes.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain is ill,
according to a statement issued from the party's office in London. The MQM
chief made several speeches prior to the elections to advocate his party and
continuously performed organizational tasks which took a toll on his health,
the statement said. Doctors have advised Altaf Hussain to rest for a few days
due to his ill-health.
US President Barack Obama telephoned Nawaz Sharif and
congratulated him on his party’s victory in historic polls, while pledging to
continue US-Pakistan cooperative relations with the next democratic
government. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters at the
daily briefing that over the weekend President Obama had also commended
the people of Pakistan on the successful completion of their parliamentary
elections.
John Kerry is considering an early visit to Pakistan, after PML-N
Quaid Nawaz Sharif has formed a government, a State Department
spokesperson said. The two men spoke on the phone, when Kerry called
Sharif to congratulate him on his strong showing in elections’. Kerry also
told Sharif that he looks forward to working with the government when
formed in Pakistan.
The US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson called on Nawaz
Sharif at Raiwind and congratulated him on his party’s success in the
elections. Mian Shahbaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar and Suleman Shahbaz Sharif
were also present in the meeting. Olson underscored the US commitment to
a strong bilateral relationship with Pakistan based on respect and mutual
interests.
British Prime Minister David Cameron also telephoned Nawaz Sharif
to congratulate him on his party’s success in the general elections. Cameron,
who took time out of an official US tour to telephone Nawaz Sharif, agreed
to work with him to strengthen bilateral relationship. The two leaders also
agreed on their shared commitment to the trilateral process and its
importance in achieving peace in Afghanistan and the wider region.

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 Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will not attend the oath-
taking ceremony of Nawaz Sharif as prime minister in Islamabad. There is
no specific proposal of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visiting Pakistan as
no formal invitation has been received, the Indian External Affairs Ministry
said.
On 15th May, rejecting the decision of ECP about re-polling on 43
polling station of NA-250, MQM continued sit-in outside the ECP Sindh
office. A large number of party workers were present, who chanted slogans
against the irregularities of ECP and demanded conduct of election on all the
180 polling stations of NA-250 and its two PA constituencies PS-112 and
113. 
Addressing the participants of sit-in on late night, Altaf Hussain said
that they would not allow anyone to snatch the party’s mandate. He said that
MQM would not be responsible if anybody acted against the discriminatory
attitude of media. He said, ‘We have the right to defend ourselves, we will
protest if anybody tries to deprive us of our mandate.’
Altaf Hussain told ‘the establishment’ to separate Karachi from the
rest of Pakistan if the public mandate of his party was unacceptable, and
warned to ‘make an example’ out of PTI protesters at Karachi’s Teen Talwar
(three swords). The statements created uproar across the country, after which
the party came up with the stance that Altaf’s statements were rhetorical and
his remarks were ‘misinterpreted’ by the media.
The British police took notice of hundreds of complaints lodged by
British and Pakistani citizens against Altaf Hussain for his recent remarks
inciting violence. ‘The London Metropolitan Police are looking into the
floods of complaints and may take action soon’, British HC to Pakistan told
a press conference, pointing out that Altaf had later denied making such
statements.
Thomson however said MQM’s chief’s statements must be taken
seriously and noted that under British laws promotion of hatred and inciting
violence is liable to punishment. London Police was independent to
investigate the complaints and was under no pressure from the UK
government, he added. Asked what could be maximum punishment for any
person found guilty of hate speech and inciting violence, he said the accused
can face imprisonment. To a question about prospects of extradition of
MQM chief, who is wanted in various cases in Pakistan, the High
Commissioner said Pakistan and UK did not have any formal extradition
treaty.

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 Earlier in his remarks, the British High Commissioner said that
despite some shortcomings, May 11 general elections were technically the
best ever in Pakistan’s history. He was of the view that international
community has hailed Pakistan’s democratic process that would further
enhance Pakistan’s relations with other countries, especially with the United
Kingdom.
London Metropolitan Police spokesman said Altaf Hussain’s speech
that drew countless complaints from Britain and Pakistan was being restated
[into English] as a decision to investigate them [complaints] had been
finalized. The London police have dispatched text of Altaf Hussain’s speech
to the home department for translation in English. ‘We would see what
course of action should be taken once we get all the evidence’, said the
police spokesman.
MQM’s sit-in against vote-rigging in NA-250 constituency of Karachi
in general elections fizzled out into an anti-climax in the dead of night. The
party’s coordination committee called off the protest sit-in after midnight on
orders from the chief, that came after London’s Metropolitan police
scrambled to gather evidence against his ominous sounding televised speech.
Not surprisingly, Altaf congratulated Nawaz Sharif on victory in
polls, saying he admitted PML-N’s clear mandate, and expected that the
PML-N chief would reciprocate and would also admit MQM’s mandate in
Karachi. He hoped the incoming PML-N government would do justice to the
country. He also congratulated PTI chief Imran Khan for sweeping Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, and prayed for his health.
Another significant thing about Hussain’s address was his apology to
newsmen. He said he was apologetic to media fraternity if his words hurt
them in any manner. Later, speaking to participants of the sit-in, top MQM
leader Farooq Sattar said his party hoped that the election commission
would make decision on their complaint in accordance with the law and
constitution.
Chairman Pakistan Patriotic Movement (PPM), Abdur Rashid
Yousafzai, strongly condemned Altaf Hussain for his statement regarding
the severance of Karachi from Pakistan and asked the government to stop
Altaf’s speeches in Pakistan. He added, ‘Pakistan is our motherland and we
will sacrifice our lives but will not let it divided on the wishes of a group of
anti-state agents.’ 
He demanded of the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo moto notice
of the anti-state slogan of Altaf and initiate stern legal action for

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manoeuvering treason and provoking masses against state. Flanked by
Ihsanullah, Noor Tauheed and Abdul Wahab Afridi, he said that Karachi is
the economic heart of Pakistan and Altaf has no right to issue such
statements. If the anti-state and foreign agents tried to divide even an inch of
Pakistan, the nation will give them a lesson’, he warned.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan vowed to cooperate with incoming prime
minister on terrorism and other major challenges and his party gave the
election commission three days to verify and recount votes in at least four
sample constituencies where polls were reported to be rigged. The ECP
recount votes in four constituencies after authenticating the votes through
thumb impression verification from NADRA, Imran demanded in a video
message from his hospital bed to a press conference organized by his party.
PTI chief said they suspect rigging on a much larger scale but this
sample verification would be appropriate to determine if a larger vote
recount and verification was needed. ‘We suspect rigging in (no less than)
25 constituencies but the election commission should at least hold
recounting through thumb impression verification from Nadra in NA-57,
110, 122 and 125 to establish the credibility of the 2013 election results.’
Imran said, ‘Elections are over and we all as a nation want to move
forward.’ He said he wanted all politicians and the military to sit down
together and find a solution to domestic terrorism, which has killed
thousands of people. ‘We cannot ensure prosperity until we eliminate
terrorism’, he said.
PTI voters and supporters are staging protests across country,
particularly in Lahore and Karachi, against the alleged massive rigging in
the polls. Imran said that PTI hadn’t held any protest against the rigging so
far; in fact, it is the disenchanted young supporters who are protesting on
their own. But, he warned, the party would officially join these protests if
their demands were not fulfilled.
Imran in his message said the voters, who turned up on the polling
stations in large numbers, would be demoralized and many of them would
not participate in the future elections believing their vote didn’t matter, if the
ECP failed to clear their suspicions. ‘This is the right of the people and will
ensure the democratic process grows stronger’, he said. Speaking later at the
press conference, PTI Punjab chapter president Ijaz Chaudhary and general
secretary Dr Yasmin Rashid warned that party would announce its protest
plan if the election commission failed to meet the their demands in three
days.

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 Syed Munawar Hasan warned that his party and PTI would launch
joint protests if the Election Commission fails to address the complaints of
polls rigging. Talking to the media after inquiring about the health of PTI
chief, Imran Khan, he said that Election Commission itself admitted massive
rigging in at least 25 constituencies and questioned what would be the
credibility of the election results 2013 if the Commission fails to send the
real representatives to the Assemblies.
JI chief said that whoever had any objection to the PTIs mandate in
KPK should approach the Election Commission. He, however, added that
the PTI mandate from the KPK should be respected. Munawar said that the
US President Obama’s phone call to Nawaz Sharif after the polls proved that
the United States fully realized that Pakistan and not India could help
Washington for pulling America out of the region.
The PPP alleged that elections were massively rigged, but it had
accepted the results only for the sake of continuity of democracy and
country’s solidarity. Sardar Latif Khan Khosa said PPP’s mandate in 1977
elections was not accepted, ‘but we are not going to repeat that practice’.
Khosa said that though his party had accepted the results in the best interest
of the country, but it would be better if the thumb impressions on the ballots
were verified through biometric system.
Global establishment key factor in our defeat, alleged PPP. Senator
Raza Rabbani, unveiling a seven-point agenda to monitor the performance of
the next PML-N government, announced that the party will play an effective
and constructive role as opposition in and out of the parliament. Addressing
a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, Raza Rabbani said PPP had
accepted the results of the elections with reservations as the party was
singled out by Taliban due to its ideology of left, but no security was
provided to their candidates in the country. Rabbani said multiple factors,
including international establishment’s conspiracy to bring the right wing
party to the power corridors, poor performance of the party government in
Balochistan and rigging, caused failure of the party in the elections.
Pakistan Muslim League-Zia chief Ijazul Haq accused his rival
election candidate from PML-N of massive rigging, but announced
unconditional support to PML-N in the Centre and Punjab in the ‘larger
interest’ of the country. Asked at a news conference whether he would
demand a ministry from incoming PML-N government, Haq said he would
not demand any ministry.

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 ‘This is the height of professional incompetence on part of the ECP.
This kind of attitude is simply intolerable and unforgivable’, said former
ECP secretary Kanwar Dilshad. ‘I fail to understand why the commission
made an inordinate delay in preparing the poll results. It should have been
done in a day’, he said, referring to the prolonged delay in the completion of
the general election results several of which are presently pending. ‘This
only gives credence to the reports that the results are being delayed because
they are being changed and manipulated to unduly favour several
candidates’, he added.
‘The nation has been hearing for the last couple of years that
sophisticated techniques are being used in ballot papers to avoid fake voting.
Where have all those techniques and tall claims gone? Everybody wants
results from the ECP. If the commission cannot address the grievances of
politicians and political parties, it will not be spared by the public and their
political representatives’, Dilshad said.
He also questioned the introduction of the result management system
(RMS) in the votes’ counting, considering that the poll results saw an
inordinate delay. He said, ‘If this kind of technology really had used, the
results would have been out in a jiffy. The so-called RMS was freshly used
in the vote counting on May 11 and the results saw an unprecedented delay.
That’s absolute nonsense. What’s the logic behind this absurd and ridiculous
exercise?’
The Sindh government said that it cannot hold re-polling on certain
polling stations in NA-250 of Karachi on May 19 due to security reasons.
The provincial government wrote a letter to the ECP, excusing from holding
elections in the said constituency for security threats. Earlier, the MQM
rejected the decision by the ECP to conduct re-polling on some NA-250
polling stations, where polling was postponed.
The PTI, JI and QWP have agreed on a power sharing formula to form
a coalition government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The JUI-F of Fazlur
Rehman, the second majority party in the province which was too eager to
engineer its own coalition, will now have to sit on the opposition benches
along with PML-N, ANP and PPP for next five years.
Next day, Fazlur Rehman’s another effort to sabotage the formation of
a PTI government in KPK was frustrated, thanks to the demonstration of
political maturity by the PML-N. Fazl met Shahbaz Sharif and asked him to
sponsor his efforts to arrange a minus-PTI coalition government in the

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militancy-hit province but the PML-N leader denied giving his party’s
support over this particular issue.
In their over an hour-long meeting, the two leaders also discussed
joining hands at Centre and in Balochistan. Understandably, the JUI-F chief
and Shahbaz discussed seat numbers required to form governments and
portfolios. Fazl told the media after the meeting that his party would discuss
their joining the central and Balochistan governments in their central
executive committee meeting but he said they were most likely to come up
with a positive decision.
A delegation led by PML-Q provincial president and newly elected
provincial assembly member Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhel called on PML-
N leader Nawab Sanaullah Zehri. Following the meeting with Zehri, Jaffar
announced in a joint press conference that PML-Q would unconditionally
support PML-N in government formation. Zehri thanked all the PML-Q
leaders and expressed the hope for joint struggle along with all the
democratic forces.
Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan lost the Punjab Assembly seat PP-7 Taxilla
to PTI candidate Siddiq Khan after a recount at six polling stations of the
constituency. The re-counting at six polling stations of PP-7 wiped off PML-
N stalwart Ch Nisar Ali Khan by 774 votes from the constituency where he
was earlier declared winner with a margin of 516 votes.
Asfandyar Wali said that despite serious reservations his party has
accepted the election results and decided to sit on opposition benches in
Centre as well as KPK Assembly. He advised PML-N and PTI to stop
indulging in blame game over election results. He said his party would
cooperate with the government on issue-to-issue basis particularly in
tackling challenges relating to terrorism.
Asfandyar said his party suffered 31 attacks during the elections and
was targeted in pre-poll campaigning. ‘We were forced to contest elections
at the cost of our lives and in face of terrorist threats, while the election
commission merely sat on the sidelines’. He said he initially thought that
CEC Justice (r) Fakharuddin G Ebrahim was supervising the elections but
later it transpired that it was actually TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsood who
was calling the shots.
Amid demands from certain political parties to verify the thumb
impressions of voters on ballot papers to prove rigging allegations, higher
authorities in the NADRA conceded that the authority at the moment had no
capacity to verify the thumb impressions of voters in large number.

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Chairman NADRA, the other day, had said that the authority was ready to
verify thumb impressions of voters in the constituencies where the political
parties were leveling allegations of rigging.
Background interviews with some senior officials of NADRA indicate
that at present NADRA's soft ware is based on civil registration system and
it could not verify the thumb impressions in large number. NADRA
authorities said that for the purpose of verification of thumb impressions,
they had to develop separate software based on criminal forensic registration
system and it required time and money as well.
The Chief Election Commissioner asked the Chief of Army Staff,
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, for the provision of complete security from
military during the re-polling at certain polling stations in Karachi, Khuzdar,
Bannu and South Waziristan Agency, scheduled in coming days. The Army
Chief has assured the CEC of the military’s full support during the re-polling
in the areas concerned.
Meanwhile, the Secretary ECP Ishtiak Ahmed Khan categorically
rebutted the findings of Free and Fair Elections Network (FAFEN), a local
electoral watchdog, which reported that 49 polling stations had 100 percent
result in May 11 general elections. Pointing to stark inaccuracies in FAFEN
data while talking to media, the secretary cited official figures suggesting
that National Assembly’s constituencies NA 5, 6, 128, 130 and 142 had 42
per cent, 47 per cent, 31 per cent, 60 per cent and 65 per cent voters turnout
compared to FAFEN-reported turnout of 157 per cent, 116 per cent, 105 per
cent, 132 per cent and 109 per cent in the respective constituencies.
Rule of law: On 13th May, the FIA barred ex-prime minister Raja
Pervaiz Ashraf and other accused in Rs22 billion Rental Power Projects
(RPPs) scam from leaving Pakistan. The former prime minister has also
been placed on the Exit Control List. The FIA has ordered all the airports in
the country as well as the immigration authorities to ensure that all the
accused in the RPP case including Raja Pervez Ashraf do not leave Pakistan.
Next day, NAB investigators had to wait patiently for three hours for
the former Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to appear in person in the
Rental Power Projects (RPPs). They were, however, communicated from
NAB Chairman's office that the former premier could not appear due to
health reasons. A new date for Raja to appear before NAB investigators is
yet to be finalized, which will be set as soon as the former premier's health
permits.

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 The accountability body, already under pressure due to allegations of
being soft on some influential personalities, considers former Prime Minister
as one of the main accused in the RPP scam, and has already requested the
interior ministry to put his name on the ECL. Following the NAB request,
the Interior ministry had already issued directives to concerned department
to put the names on ECL.
Defiance of judiciary: On 16th May, a bench heard the suo moto
case of Kamran Faisal who was found dead under mysterious circumstances
during the investigation of RPPs case. Islamabad police informed the
Supreme Court that death of Kamran Faisal, who investigated involvement
of ex-Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in rental power plants (RPPs)
scam, is result of suicide and ‘there is no sign of his murder.’
Aftab Ahmed Bajwa, counsel for Faisal’s father, submitted that they
did not accept the investigation and the content of the FIR. He apprised the
court that six injury marks were present on Faisal’s body as per the Punjab
Forensic Laboratory report and alleged that the primary evidence of the
crime scene was compromised. Bajwa said that there was discrepancy
between the reports of post mortem and the Punjab Forensic Service Agency
(PFSA). He stated that they were waiting for the opinion of the Agency
whether the death of Kamran Faisal was murder or suicide. The Chief
Justice asked him to send an application to PFSA and directed him to
provide further evidence to the investigation officer. The case was adjourned
for two weeks.
Taming the military: On 14th May, seven prisoners, whose illegal
detention was investigated by the Supreme Court, said that tribal officials
had sentenced them up to 14 years in prison without any trial. KPK
authorities on the order of the Supreme Court presented seven prisoners
allegedly picked up by the intelligence agencies from outside Adiala Jail and
presently detained in the internment centre in Orakzai Agency. The prisoners
seemed healthy but expressed complete ignorance about their trial
proceedings.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry asked the authorities to
submit the record of the trials at the next hearing. ‘The authorities should
explain when their trials were held. Was the due process followed and the
trials held in a fair manner?’ Asad said that after the hearing, the Supreme
Court should have ordered his clients’ release. ‘All the suspects have
professed their innocence.’

652
 A lawyer representing the ISI and MI had denied that 11 men were
taken away from Adiala jail rather they were arrested from the restive areas
of FFATA for carrying out armed attacks on official convoys of army. The
seven men had a meeting with their families at the SC premises and spoke to
journalists as well after the proceedings. The bench directed jail authorities
to allow the families of the detained men to meet them according to the jail
timings and adjourned the hearing until May 22.
A trial court extended the judicial remand of Pervez Musharraf, till
May 28 in Benazir Bhutto murder case. Separately, the trial court also
adjourned the hearing in bail plea of Musharraf in the same case till May 20,
2013. The court also accepted the application of FIA Special Public
Prosecutor, who is supposed to submit complete challan in court in BB
murder case against Musharraf, and provided him security a day ago.
Next day, on the directives of Islamabad High Court, KPK authorities
produced before the court a missing person allegedly abducted by the
intelligence agencies. The provincial authorities presented Ameer Ahmed, a
resident of Rahim Yar Khan, before Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui who held
the hearing in the petition moved by Rashda Ameer wife of Ameer Ahmed.
The detenue Ameer Ahmed informed the court that law-enforcing
agencies arrested him on February 10, 2011 from Rahim Yar Khan and kept
him in solitary confinement in Rahim Yar Khan till March 16. Then, they
shifted him in a secret cell in Bahawalpur. From there, he was taken to
Peshawar and later, detained him in Lakki Marwat internment centre. He
also revealed before the court that some 500 to 600 people were also present
in the internment where he was being kept.
However, Deputy Attorney General denied these facts and said that
the law enforcing agencies arrested him from Khajori check post in North
Waziristan. He told that they also recovered hand grenade, rifle and suicide
jacket from his custody. He apprised the court that detenue is currently being
tried under Actions (In Aid of Civil Power) Regulations, 2011 for FATA.
Justice Siddiqui directed Additional Interior Secretary who was also
in the court to present the relevant record of the cases and trial against
Ameer Ahmed before the court and adjourned the hearing till May 24. The
petitioner Rashda Ameer wife of Ameer Ahmed had moved the court
through his counsel.
The petitioner told the court that her husband Ameer Khan had kept
some cattle in a compound and was running the business of dairy farming
while she also used to help her husband in the said work. She further

653
informed that a police van along with some cars and white double cabin
vehicles stopped at the door of the compound, some of whom were in
uniform, entered the compound and enquired about Rana Abdul Rehman the
brother of her husband. She continued that her husband told them that he
was neither there nor he knew his whereabouts. ‘At this, they forcibly took
him out and got him in one of their vehicle and left’, she added.
The petitioner said that she contacted respondents No 8 and 9 who
told that the agencies had abducted him and there was no record of her
husband in both the police stations. They also told her if she could produce
Abdul Rehman before DCO Rahim Yar Khan, he could help her to recover
her husband.
She argued that her husband was abducted to pressurize the family for
the recovery of her husband’s brother whereas the petitioner, detenue or any
other member of the family is aware of his whereabouts. Therefore, she
prayed to the court to declare that detention of her husband is without lawful
authority and of no legal effect. She also prayed that the court may direct the
respondents to set the detenue at liberty being in illegal confinement.
On 16th May, it was reported that overwhelming desire of the legal
fraternity and the public at large is that the action must be taken against
Musharraf if we want to strengthen institutions in Pakistan. Justice Khilji
Arif Hussain, a member of the bench that is hearing the case of high treason
against Musharraf had said twice: ‘Following the law would not weaken the
institutions.’
The real test of PML-N government would be the trial of former
President under Article 6 of the Constitution for abrogation and subverting
the constitution twice, 12th October 1999 and 3rd November 2007. For the
last five years the PPP President under the policy of reconciliation avoided
to initiate proceeding and set up special court for the trial of former dictator,
as its survival depended upon the allies’ support so there was no action
against the former president.
The PML-N government, which always demanded of the PPP to
implement the Supreme Court, respecting the court 31 st July judgment
should ask the interior secretary to lodge complaint against Musharraf and
constitute a special court for his trial in accordance with law; otherwise in
future also some other dictator citing rising violence in the country or
interference of judiciary in other organ will impose martial law.

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 Baloch militancy: On 13th May, death toll in yesterday's deadly
suicide attack near residence of Balochistan Police chief in Quetta reached
eight as one of the 97 wounded succumbed to his injuries. Meanwhile, a
security official was killed and seven others wounded in a rocket attack in
Balochistan’s Kech district bordering. At least three people succumbed to
violence-related incidents in the city of Karachi.

VIEWS
Power politics
Accepting defeat: ‘The feeling of being ‘shell-shocked’ is a part of an
average sportsman’s life; it is likewise not tormenting Imran Khan for the
first time, given his experience as a cricketer. Defeat and its bitterness,
where every day is a day of reckoning, happens and even to the legends.
His statement on Sunday that polling results were altered after the
victory speech of Mian Nawaz Sharif and that he would hit back with a
white paper on rigging reflects his mood. This is only natural. Coming from
any man who fights to the very last, and has enormous expectations, this
could be expected. He was anticipating a complete victory, but any seasoned
politician knows that things do not always play out according to script. The
good thing is that still people voted in his favour and gave him a sizeable
number of seats that is something that he and his party must be justifiably
proud of. It’s his party’s mandate, which must be respected but so is that of
any other party, even if that happens to be its main rival. The captain has to
accept defeat just like on so many days on the cricket ground, when he could
not come out a happy man.
There is on the other hand, an entire system of hearing of grievances
such as the ECP and judiciary where he can turn to, to register his
complaints. His complaints might not wholly be without substance. There
are, as we know, some instances on May 11, where the ECP itself admitted
cases of rigging and swung into action to stop them. In some of the stations,
polling time was extended, while in others officers involved in suspicious
conduct were given punishments. So while, some of the complaints about
certain particular cases might be valid, overall, it would be a little unfair to
make a sweeping doubt over the impartiality of the polls, and worse still if it
is aired openly.
Imran Khan is a healthy influence, his party has created a space for
itself and forced established parties to introspect and improve their

655
performance. He must prove he can hold his nerves even when others would
crumble. After all democracy, of which he is a staunch admirer, has given its
verdict.’ (Editorial, TheNation 14th May)
Altaf's dangerous rhetoric: ‘When the pressure was ratcheted up,
MQM supremo Altaf Hussain came out in his true colours, and made the
demand for separation of Karachi that he had insisted his party would not
make. However, it had been predicted that the tinkering just before the
election by the PPP with the idea of dividing the Punjab, purely for political
reasons, would yield a demand for the splitting of Sindh. Altaf made this
demand on Sunday during his telephonic address to a gathering at MQM
headquarters in Karachi, when he said that the ‘establishment’ should detach
Karachi if it did not like its mandate. There had been numerous calls for re-
polling in Karachi, with various political parties joining in the demand,
while the Jamaat Islami went as far as to boycott the poll. Apart from the
allegations against the MQM, there were also reports of irregularities
committed by the polling staff, especially about the start of polling, and the
unavailability of polling material, that lent strength to protesters demanding
polling. The Election Commission of Pakistan has ordered partial re-polling
in one Karachi national constituency because of this. It should be noted that
Altaf and the MQM take the electoral process very seriously; it should not
be forgotten that Altaf faced a contempt notice from the Supreme Court over
its order for the delimitation of just one national constituency.
However, a re-polling demand, which has not yet been accepted,
should not contain a counter-demand for separation. The MQM supremo and
his party could learn this, as well as other lessons, from a similar demand in
Lahore, expressed in much the same fashion, by a protest. In Lahore, the
demand by PTI activists is for re-polls in two constituencies, including the
one where party chief Imran Khan was himself standing. The PML-N, which
won those seats, has not demanded a new province, or spoken of the
‘establishment’, even though it is poised to form the national government,
and not merely be, like the MQM, a junior partner in one provincial
government.
The MQM must not give in to the temptation of playing politics at the
level of provincialism, which was shown by Mr Hussain when he
congratulated Mian Nawaz Sharif on his party’s win, deriding it as being
representative of the Punjab. This shows that it has much ground to cover
before it can understand that it's appeal at the national level will not come
from snide remarks and derisive compliments. Unless it wants to alienate
voters in its own stronghold of Karachi, it should bow to the will of the

656
people rather than resisting just demands that are made. Mr Hussain’s
statement is also unhelpful in the task of government formation, which is an
in auspicious start to the way their participation will be seen in the new
term.’ (Editorial, TheNation 14th May)
A little too eager: ‘Nobody is against having good neighbourly
relations with India. After all we have contiguous borders and peace and
understanding between the two countries is of prime importance for both to
develop and prosper; but the condition precedent must be the resolution of
the core dispute of Kashmir in accordance with the wishes of the people of
the occupied state and that, indeed, is the same that India solemnly
committed at the UN Security Council and to the people themselves.
Therefore, for Mian Nawaz Sharif, who is tipped to become the next Prime
Minister of Pakistan to invite Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to
visit Pakistan at this stage to be present at his oath-taking ceremony is a kind
gesture, but saying the incumbent prime minister would visit India ‘whether
invited or not’, is an unbecoming statement from the future premier. Such
expressions of eagerness are appropriate at the campaign stage, and not now
when Mian Nawaz is pounded to dictate policy for the next five years. The
climate of tension generated by the accident which led to the death of
Sarabjit Singh, a terrorist and India's own acclaimed spy, and the
premeditated retaliatory murder of a Pakistani prisoner has not yet subsided.
And what if Mr Singh insults the incumbent Pakistani premier by declining
his offer, on grounds of short notice and important engagements at home?
What then?
Phone calls felicitating Mian Nawaz on his success were received
from several friendly heads of state, including the US, Britain, China, Iran,
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, Kuwait, Afghanistan, and UN Secretary Ban
Ki-moon facilitated the Pakistani nation on holding election. International
media has called his victory impressive, adding that Pakistanis have
answered the bullet with the ballot. President Obama congratulating the
people of Pakistan on holding elections and showing a historic turnout, said
that the US was ready to work with the new leadership on equal basis. Here
it is important to note that keeping in line with his long-held stand, Mian
Nawaz gave vent to the people’s sentiments that they had serious concerns
over drone attacks. He is not likely to find the US administration so easily
receptive to the stopping of these strikes. He would have to strive hard to
convince the CIA that the drones are counterproductive. They kill hardcore
terrorists, but few and far between; the overwhelming majority of victims
are the ordinary tribesmen, women and children. Estranging these people

657
translates itself into swelling the force of militancy; for, if remaining
peaceful and aloof from the war on terror carries the death penalty, they
might as well fight to drive the foreign forces out of the region that are
playing havoc with their lives. Drones are a sore point with Pakistanis and a
major issue that is the cause of a continuing negative perception of the US.
President Obama ought to seriously think about it.’ (Editorial, TheNation
14th May)
Challenges awaiting Mian Nawaz: ‘The federal government led by
Nawaz Sharif would be faced with serious challenges, both internal and
external. On the internal front, Nawaz Sharif would have to tackle the
problems of terrorism and religious extremism, breakdown of law and order,
the economic meltdown, the energy crisis and the insurgency in Balochistan.
Religious extremism and terrorism are tearing apart the very social
fabric of our country besides causing incalculable damage to our economy.
The establishment of the rule of law is an indispensable condition for
internal peace and harmony as well as for economic progress.
Simultaneously the government must engage the extremist groups including
the Taliban in a dialogue with a view to reaching an understanding with
them within the framework of Pakistan’s constitution and bringing them
within the mainstream of Pakistan’s politics. The Taliban and other
extremist groups must put an end to the use of violence for pursuing their
political goals.
At the same time, the state must take all necessary steps to remove the
legitimate grievances of the Taliban and other extremist groups now
engaged in militant activities. The state should not take military operations
against them in pursuit of the goals and objectives of external powers. We
cannot sacrifice our internal peace and security just for pleasing other
countries. It is also essential that the policy against terrorism and religious
extremism is decided through consultations and an agreement among all the
stakeholders, both from the civilian and the military arms of the government.
Thanks to the corruption and gross incompetence of the outgoing
PPP-led federal government, Pakistan’s economic problems have assumed
massive proportions. They include the virtual stagnation of the economy,
widespread poverty, high rates of inflation and unemployment, the energy
crisis, the dismal state of social indicators, and unsustainably high levels of
budgetary and external account deficits. The PML-N government would
need Herculean efforts and the pooling of the thinking of the best economic
experts in the country to overcome these problems. Among other things, we

658
would have to raise our national saving and investment rates to accelerate
economic growth, increase the tax-to-GDP ratio, change our national
priorities in favour of education, health and development of physical
infrastructure, and adopt policies of austerity and self-reliance if we wish to
put our nation on the road to economic development and prosperity. The
pursuit of economic development must become the supreme national goal.
The insurgency in Balochistan is the result of the continued neglect of
the legitimate political and economic demands of the people of the province
over several decades. Again, instead of resort to the use of force, the federal
government must engage the militants and other alienated groups in the
province in a dialogue to remove their legitimate grievances and persuade
them to lay down their arms.
Foreign policy is the reflection and the projection abroad of a state’s
internal policies. Our need for internal peace and economic progress requires
peaceful relations with foreign countries, particularly with our immediate
neighbours. Thus, peace and stability in Afghanistan and peaceful relations
with India are inescapable conditions for our domestic peace and economic
progress.
The essential elements of our Afghan policy should be support for
national reconciliation and the establishment of a broad-based government in
Afghanistan, opening up lines of communication with the former members
of the Northern Alliance besides the Afghan Taliban, abstinence from
interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, and coordination with Iran in
the interest of durable peace in Afghanistan. As for India, we should
strengthen the peace process between the two countries while trying to
resolve our outstanding disputes wherever possible. The promotion of
bilateral trade and economic cooperation with India on a level playing field
would be in the mutual interest of the two countries…
The gravity of our internal and external problems demands that
Nawaz Sharif should adopt a consensual approach in dealing with them by
taking along the various institutions of state and other stakeholders. He
would also be well advised to make use of the best expertise available in the
country in overcoming the challenges confronting us instead of collecting
yes-men around him. He will pass the first test awaiting him if he allows PTI
to form the government in KPK. The quality of his advisers would show
whether he has learnt from his past mistakes.’ (Javid Husain, TheNation 14 th
May)

659
 Insensitivity to nationalism: ‘Statesmen are those who seize the
opportunity to lead the nation in its moment of crisis. The people of Pakistan
are reeling from a twelve-year exposure to the war on terror. The sacrifice of
forty thousand Pakistanis is a heavy toll. Nearly every Pakistani family has
suffered a loss, either through the attack by the terrorists in atrocious attacks
on civilian targets or through members of the armed forces of Pakistan,
boldly facing the enemy in a war to eradicate terrorism. The true leader
would condemn those responsible for the odious attacks and not display
insensitivity to nationalism. Following the general elections, it is becoming
evident that Mian Nawaz Sharif may assume the mantle of Prime Minister. It
is hoped that he would place national interests before whims and the urge to
play to the gallery.’ (S M Hali, TheNation 14th May)
Democracy is the best revenge: ‘Our outgoing rulers were very fond
of asserting that democracy was the best revenge. However, they forgot that
the revenge can be taken not only by their party against dictators or
assassins, but also by the people against them for gross misgovernance.
Everyone felt the PPP would be out of government, but few had predicted a
complete whitewash…
Imran Khan is the new kid on the block, his time out in the cold being
finally over, and well-deservedly. He owes half of his popularity to his
cricket and hospital-and-university building, and the other half to poor
governance by his predecessors. He has galvanized the disillusioned youth
of his country, and given them hope. It is not a coincidence that his
maximum support is derived from the educated middle and upper middle
classes of the biggest cities.
Imran’s popularity in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa (KP) is in no small
measure due to Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital, which has been
providing world-class cancer care to large numbers of people from KP; and
they have not forgotten. Future rulers will have to remember that to attract
votes they will have to show some merit, some achievement. It will not be
enough to be born with a silver spoon in their mouth, or to belong to a well-
entrenched party.
Imran Khan is getting the rulership of KP. Now is his chance to play a
direct and active role to deal with this threat to the country’s survival, which
has already cost the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians. It
will not be an easy task, but there is no escape from it.
In the 1997 elections, PPP’s seats were reduced from over 100 to just
16, mainly because of public perception of Mr. Zardari’s corruption. This

660
time has been a repeat of the same. The billions spent on full-page
advertisements in all papers and on all channels have not saved the party
from annihilation.
The PPP has been punished very heavily on account of Mr. Zardari in
these two elections; it is reduced to a shell of itself. If the party is to survive,
the PPP elders, if any have been left, have to seriously consider whether it
can be run as a gaddinashini any longer without disintegrating, or whether it
needs change at the top. And if so, who can be brought forwards to repair the
damage, pacify the disillusioned jyalas, and lead the party out of its state of
shell-shock. This may be easier said than done, seeing that PPP is a
hereditary hierarchy.’ (Dr Ijaz Ahsan, TheNation 15th May)
After the elections: ‘The new factor has been the rise of Imran
Khan’s PTI as the third force in a traditionally two horse race. Imran’s
iconic status, predicated on his personal charisma and his apolitical
achievements; his reputation untouched by allegations of corruption; a desire
for change from the two parties and military who have ruled and misruled
Pakistan these last 42 years; and support from educated/liberal circles and
youth is clear. Why did the PTI not do even better? Imran lacked the time to
create a nationwide party organization or to field candidates for every seat in
the national and provincial elections.
The youth surge is the most significant new factor in the elections but
with inadequate educational opportunities, joblessness, growth of religious
conservatism and lack of cable penetration in the rural areas, the percentage
of youth supporting the PTI is more than matched by those supporting the
PML- N and the religious parties. In fact, the inspiring and infectious
ambiance generated by Imran’s youthful supporters has served as a model
for other parties.
Nawaz Sharif whose party and brother Shahbaz Sharif as Chief
Minister have run Punjab for the past five years is an old campaigner, and
his well-oiled party organization did well… Although a formal coalition
shall not be required, Pakistan will still need to be run by a coalition
approach. The PTI in any case would not have joined Nawaz Sharif as Imran
Khan had declared he would not partner either the PPP or the PML-N.
Hence an arrangement will probably be worked out with the PPP who in any
case will control Sindh, which as second largest province cannot be
alienated. In Balochistan, the PML-N is now represented and a coalition will
result. With the PTI as the largest party in KPK, the fact that both it and the

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PML-N have similar positions on political rather than military resolution of
the Taliban problem may facilitate a working accommodation.
The apprehension of a hung parliament is now over. The strong
government that should now emerge, run by capable politicians ready to
appoint and be advised by competent bureaucrats of integrity, is well
positioned to reassert control and take back space on foreign policy, security,
defence and nuclear policy from the military which had moved into the
vacuum created by weak governments and politicians unversed in these
crucial issues. An active opposition presence in the National Assembly led
by Imran Khan would be a healthy development and accountability check
likewise.
To solve the pressing internal problems of the overarching energy
crisis, reviving the economy, restoring foreign exchange  reserves and
combating extremism and terrorism, Nawaz Sharif will  need to evolve
national consensus where possible and at least coalitions of the willing. 
That base would better empower him to tackle equally important external
issues: strengthening the strategic relationship with China, engaging with a
US wary of his position on terrorism, improving relations with India without
compromising Pakistan’s national interests, and meeting the challenge
increasingly presented by Afghanistan as the US withdraws. He has the
required gravitas, should have learnt from what he has undergone in the last
two decades, and has this latest example before him of the fate of a
government that disappoints its electorate. The majority Mian Nawaz Sharif
will be able to command in Parliament is both a political boon bestowed
upon him by the people of Pakistan and a heavy responsibility he now bears
for the realization of their expectations.’ (Tariq Osman Hyder, TheNation
15th May)
Has the ‘lion’ changed his game? ‘Hijacking an aircraft is not an
offence you would normally associate with a man who stands on the verge
of becoming the prime minister of his country. If the leader-in-waiting had
also chosen to answer a charge of contempt of court by allowing a mob to
storm the hearing and threaten the judges, that might be still more surprising.
If the fabulously wealthy politician in question had, moreover, declared that
in a period of two years, he paid $10 (Dh36.78) in income tax; you might be
forgiven for believing that his rise to power must be a work of fiction.
In Pakistan, however, reality often outdoes the most imaginative
fiction and all of the above is true of Nawaz Sharif, the man who has just

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achieved a remarkable comeback by winning an election and lining himself
up to be Prime Minister for a third time.
First things first. The hijacking conviction - along with a formidable
array of other criminal verdicts - was overturned in 2009 and Sharif’s
declaration that he paid $10 of income tax between 1994 and 1996 must be
set against the fact that he broke no law and stumped up another $60,000 in
wealth tax. None the less, it will be fair to say that if the failure of Pakistan’s
political system has a face, then Sharif’s cherubic features will once have
fitted the bill.
That leaves one question hanging over the victor of this election: Can
he possibly live down the memory of his first two stints as prime minister?
In his political heartland of Punjab, Sharif’s supporters call him the “lion”.
Can this 63-year-old lion possibly change his mane? Or is he fated to
symbolize the worst of a political system based on patronage, power-hunger
and preservation of privilege? Those closest to him insist that he is a
changed man…
All the convictions were overturned the following year, clearing the
way for last Sunday’s triumph. The claim that Sharif is a changed man
cannot be dismissed. Western diplomats speak privately of a more mature
politician, ready to compromise in the interests of Pakistan. President Asif
Ali Zardari, the husband of the late Benazir Bhutto, is one of Sharif’s oldest
political foes. The outgoing government was deeply unpopular and Sharif,
whose PML-N party held 91 seats on the opposition benches, might have
been expected to take his first opportunity to turf out the president’s
administration. He chose not to.
Instead, Sharif’s restraint was one of the factors allowing the last
government to be the first civilian administration in Pakistan’s history to
serve a full term. Experts who observed the vindictive politician of old
believe Sharif may indeed have changed his game. ‘He is more diplomatic
and more pragmatic than he used to be’, says Osama Seddiqi, from the
policy department at Lahore University of Management Sciences. ‘He still
has a lot of issues, but he has learnt from taking on the military and judiciary
head on.’
Other factors may also keep Sharif on the straight and narrow. Imran
Khan, the cricket captain-turned-party leader, won at least 32 seats in this
election, up from zero in the last parliament. Imran never had a realistic
chance of winning outright, but he could now become a formidable

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opposition leader, capable of making Sharif pay a heavy price for any
transgressions.
The fact that this election saw a turnout of about 60 per cent –
exceptionally high by Pakistani standards – will strengthen the country’s
democracy. Meanwhile, the local media is more diverse and outspoken than
ever before, with a plethora of new television news channels. In one respect,
nothing is likely to change. Pakistan’s tortured cooperation with the West
against terrorism will remain the preserve of the army and the security
establishment. The core leadership of al- Qaeda remains based on the
frontier with Afghanistan and Sharif, the arch pragmatist, will not turn away
from America and the West.
On the contrary, he sent reassuring signals in his recent interview with the
Sunday Telegraph. However, there remains the shadow cast by his record in
office. As the results came in at his campaign headquarters, Sharif was asked
about his mistakes in power. ‘There are so many things playing on my
mind’, he replied. ‘I can’t remember those mistakes.’ (David Blair and Rob
Crilly for Telegraph, reprinted in TheNation 15th May)
It all begins now: ‘It is essential that the majority refrain from heavy-
handedness and takes into consideration the opinions of the minority groups.
This is especially important in fields where values and principles are at
stake. In rare cases, the minority groups may even have to be exempted from
following the majority decisions. 
The minority must also accept the right of the majority to make
decisions, and it must not sabotage plans and implementation of decisions.
In America under Obama, it seems that the Republican Party, currently with
majority in one of the two houses in the Congress, seems to obstruct and
sabotage important initiatives by the President and his Democratic Party.
There seems to be little will for real debate and compromise. 
Having said that, Pakistan has limited democratic traditions and
experience; the country is an old feudal land, and, indeed, a class society;
Pakistanis often have trade and business mindsets; and finally, religion is
important, but should its role be debated in political situations. 
I believe that the coming five years under the centre-conservative rule
of PML-N, if all goes well, will lead to many positive developments,
especially in the economic sector. I also believe that the foreign policies
within the region and globally, including the relations with America, will be
positive and make clear that Pakistan is, indeed, a sovereign state.

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 Yet, in one field, notably as regards the workers’ rights and the
development of labour unions, I do not foresee major positive government
initiatives. Here, the civil society, labour unions, and various professional
and other groups, must play their role. Improved workers’ rights are never
granted; they have to be fought for. 
During the next five years, until the next elections, I hope that all the
political parties in Pakistan will become more professional organizations,
not fiefdoms of families and charismatic individuals only. They should learn
from the development of parties in Europe and elsewhere. Foreign and local
civil society organizations can assist in party development. Yet, they must
all remember that ‘all politics is local’ and all organizations must be
indigenous and grow from the bottom up.’ (Atle Hetland, TheNation 16 th
May)
Democratic victory of Pakistan? ‘Throughout the entire human
civilization, it is the victors who write history. Any yet, in retrospect, the
historical authenticity of the events and the accuracy of the victors’ claims
have always been challenged with the discovery of remarkable evidence
contrary to what was perceived as ground realities at the time.
Pakistan’s May 11 general election is being claimed as the democratic
victory of people’s true representation, and yet we know, by the logic,
rationale and history of events that the people’s mandate has been stolen
once again. According to media reports, this election has been massively
rigged by a meticulously organized pre-planned script authored by different
forces, representing the traditional ruling elite in Pakistan, their foreign
patrons, and the all-powerful Pakistani establishment. However, the role of
the establishment has not been one of its deliberate choice – but strictly
dictated by the turn of events and the ground realities that threaten this
nation from within and from outside.
I am fully aware that today’s article will be termed by many
apologists as a conspiracy theory and a figment of a distorted imagination
against Pakistan’s nascent and emerging democracy. And yet, my
perspective needs to be stated and explained in view of the present realities.
After all, politics in Pakistan is the art of impossible – and impossible is
what has been unloaded and imposed on the unfortunate people of this
country time and again by both the military dictators and the civilian rulers
alike.
In my article titled ‘Will There Be a 2nd NRO?’ that appeared in The
Nation of May 2, 2013, I had warned my readers: ‘Don’t be naive: this

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nation is once again being taken for a ride. A second NRO is being planned
for the ultimate benefits of the traditional ruling elite and to maintain
political-economic status quo and an American-centric foreign policy in the
country. Musharraf’s return and the PPP-PML-N leadership twosome’s
project of silence of ‘muk muka’ 2013 democracy was part of the greater
plan patronized by our friends in Washington, London and…’
And this is what has exactly happened in the May 11 election. Once
again our patrons in Washington, London and the Holy Land have
intervened on behalf of Pakistan’s traditional ruling elite to fix the election
outcome. Whereas in the2008 election, the major political actors were the
PPP leadership with a complementary role for the PML-N leaders, in the
May 2013 election, the leading role has been assigned to PML-N leaders.
Let me explain how a second NRO has been imposed on this nation:
with PTI, as an emerging third political force challenging the traditional
ruling class in Pakistan and its rising popularity and widely increasing
massive public support for a fundamental political change in the country
inclusive of a basic reorientation in Pakistan’s foreign policy, specifically
relating to drone attacks and the war on terror, the Obama administration had
been carefully weighing its options of supporting PTI’s democratic agenda
or not. It is my considered opinion that the Americans had been looking for
some kind of categorical commitment on the part of Imran Khan to assure
them that should the PTI come to power, the drones operational strategy
would continue unchallenged. But understandably, it was a commitment that
the PTI leadership could not agree to as it would have compromised the
party’s fundamental ideological and foreign policy stance and its ideology of
political change in the country. Indeed, it would have been tantamount to the
betrayal of the nation on fundamental issues of national sovereignty, its
future geo-political directions and PTI’s pledge to liberate the nation from
foreign interventions in its domestic affairs.
As the election drew closer and considering the powerful overall
political dynamics, efficient management of the election campaign and the
massive magnitude of PTI’s growing clout in the public indicating clear
visible signs of its success in national elections, Washington and its allies
decided to lend full-fledged support to the traditional ruling elite in Pakistan
to ensure the political status quo is preserved and American-centric foreign
policy is maintained in the country.
Hence, a script for the second NRO was planned: in February 2013,
the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations met with the PML-N quaid

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in Lahore. In March, a meeting was arranged between General (retd)
Musharraf and Nawaz Sharif in Saudi Arabia to discuss the modalities of
political action and political reconciliation. In the aftermath of this meeting,
the General returned to Pakistan, with PML-N and PPP leadership keeping
dead silent on his return. Soon thereafter, not by sheer coincidence, the
PML-N quaid and Pakistan’s COAS were in Saudi Arabia at the same time
to perform Umrah this year. In April, the Army Chief met with the Afghan
President and the US Secretary of State in Brussels. Earlier, the PML-N
quaid’s long meeting with the British Foreign Minister prior to his trip to
Saudi Arabia set the stage of the execution of the 2nd NRO in Pakistan.
The most intriguing and vital question that arises here is: why has the
establishment compromised with the traditional ruling elite of political status
quo orientation and its American-centric foreign policy? Haven’t we had
enough of US collaboration and alliance against our national self-interest?
In order to understand this puzzle, we have to trace back to the
Raymond Davis saga and the Abbottabad operation. Briefly, to sum up, this
is what happened at that fateful time: Raymond had unearthed information
that Osama bin Laden was dead and his body was kept at Tarbela. Based on
this information, on April 29, President Obama signed the orders to bring
back Osama and, in case of resistance by the Pakistani Army, authorized US
forces to neutralize Pakistan’s nuclear assets. It was then on May 1, during
the Abbottabad operation, that, reportedly, the ‘Pak Army was notified that
they have a choice. Either face an entire barrage of US choppers attacking
Pak nuclear assets or hand over Osama’s body.’ I have asked myself the
simple question: what would I have done at the time if I were commanding
the armed forces – and I ask you the same question. The answer is quite
obvious, is it not?
Is it not possible that the US might have used the same leverage of
neutralizing Pakistan’s nuclear assets as a bargaining chip to get an
endorsement for a second NRO from the establishment, considering that the
country’s traditional political leadership was already on board?
But couldn’t the traditional Pakistani political elite let the democratic
forces take its natural course for once this time? After all, the massive
support of a democratic dispensation for political change in Islamabad might
have altered USA’s attitude to deal with Pakistan on the basis of equality of
nations and respect for its sovereignty. Nevertheless, the struggle for
political change will continue unabated. After all, how long can a nation

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sustain NROs, one followed by another?’ (Dr Haider Mehdi, TheNation 16 th
May)
Altaf in hot water: ‘The UK is investigating MQM supremo Altaf
Hussain for his speech on Tuesday, not for his saying that Karachi should be
separated from Pakistan, but for alleged hate speech, in which he is
supposed to have threatened the protesters at Teen Talwar with violence.
The Teen Talwar protesters were demanding a recount in the constituency,
alleging MQM rigging. The MQM says the remarks were misinterpreted by
the media. However, Scotland Yard has received enough complaints to have
the speech translated, and for British High Commissioner in Islamabad
Adam Thomson to hold a press conference on Wednesday. There, the High
Commissioner said that the offence was one in which someone guilty could
be sentenced to imprisonment. He did not shed any light on what such a
conviction might mean for Mr Hussain’s naturalization but states do not
look favourably on those who obtain citizenship, but commit criminal
offences.
Quite apart from the UK’s law having no way to curtail Mr Hussain
preaching the break-up of Sindh, or of Pakistan, Mr Hussain should reflect
on the sacrifices made by his community, the Muhajirs, at the time of the
creation of Pakistan, and even before. He should realize that it does not
become a leader of this community even to speak of the break-up of
Pakistan, or any of its provinces, in its name. The cause, an election dispute,
where the channels are readily available to solve such a matter legally, does
not deserve such sinister threats. Mr Hussain appears to have had it his way
for too long in Karachi that he cannot even brook the opposition now being
shown by the PTI. He should realize that the elections are a known quantity,
and thus there are mechanisms to settle election disputes. Those must be
adopted, rather than the making of threats which not just threaten national
integrity, and by making speeches which prove a threat in one’s place of
exile.
Scotland Yard is still bound to investigate the avalanche of complaints
it has received. Whatever its decision, will have an impact on both
provincial and national politics. After all, Mr Hussain’s party is involved in
the process of government formation at both levels, and the present dispute
and criminal proceedings can only prove a distraction, for Mr Hussain
personally, and for his party. Other parties might wish to ignore the matter,
but it seems they cannot. Though as thoroughly beaten in this poll as in
previous ones, they have neither abandoned Karachi, nor given up on the
MQM as a partner at one level or another.’ (Editorial, TheNation 17th May)

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 Democracy triumphs: ‘True that the results have been far below the
expectations of PTI, but that does not provide any justification for it to throw
a spanner in the works by alleging massive rigging in Punjab and Karachi.
The captain could have done good to his reputation and credentials as a
political leader in his own right and a harbinger of change, had he shown the
traditional sportsman spirit. Indeed, the emergence of PTI as a potent
political force is a very encouraging development and it must play a
constructive role in changing the political culture of the country. 
The ECP has already constituted 14 tribunals to deal with the
complaints relating to the polls and if any party has a solid proof of the
alleged irregularities, it should bring it to the notice of those tribunals. Not
accepting the election results represents an affront to the political sagacity of
the masses and no democratic entity should indulge in scuttling the mandate
of the people. 
The ECP must also look into reports of irregularities and rigging,
particularly pertaining to Karachi, and take immediate remedial measures to
settle them to the satisfaction of all the stakeholders.  
Whether one likes it or not, the reality is that PML-N has got the
mandate and earned the right to form governments at the centre and in the
Punjab. Similarly, PTI and PPP have emerged as predominant political
forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh, while the situation in Balochistan
is not yet clear. 
In view of the precarious security situation in the country and
egregious economic conditions, it is imperative for all the political parties to
respect each other’s mandate and join hands in steering the country out of
the grave crisis it is in. 
The PML-N being the winning party has to go an extra mile to bring
about a uniformity of outlook by allowing the majority parties in the
provinces to form governments, instead of indulging or encouraging splinter
groups to form coalitions, as any such attempt will undermine national unity
and push the country back to politics of confrontation and self-
aggrandizement. That should be avoided at all costs.
Democracy is not merely the holding of elections; it is about evolving
a system of governance that is based on social, economic and political
justice, firmed up in conformity with the aspirations of the people and their
continued participation in the process of decision making at the local,
provincial and national levels. The prevalent political system has failed to

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deliver and the people have no faith in its continuation.’ (Malik Muhammad
Ashraf, TheNation 17th May)
The day after: ‘At last, the great exercise in democracy is over and
the results are in. There has been a vote for change, but it is almost as if the
electorate has opted for a more traditional type of change, giving power to
the PML-N, thus making Mian Nawaz Sharif the Prime Minister for a record
third time. The win has been big, but has fallen short of the ‘massive
mandate’ of 1996, when the PML-N not only won an absolute majority, but
a two-third majority when allies were included. 
One of the most significant developments was the replacement of the
PPP by PTI. There remain strong ideological differences between the two,
but PTI is definitely the party of the future for those who do not want the
PML-N to win. It is almost as if the PTI attracted those PPP voters in the
Punjab who were tired of losing. However, because the PTI is a new party in
a relatively crowded political landscape, it needs more than one election to
complete the process of replacement.
Though there will be parallels with the PPP, they will not be precise,
because the PPP was not really a replacement party… Perhaps, the PTI is in
more of a bind than the PPP because there is now a closer relationship seen
between foreign and domestic policies than before. It might help explain
why there has been a bigger triumph for the PTI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
than in Punjab. The ANP win of 2008 and its defeat now reflect an
alternation in the province between conservatives and their opponents.
There, it seems, the PTI has not so much replaced the PPP as opposed it, and
thus has replaced the JUI-F and the religious parties. To the traditional
problem of being liberal domestically and conservative externally, is added
the problem of having one set of policies in one province, and another
elsewhere.
However, the PTI has problems of growth, unlike the PPP. The PPP
has fought its first election without a Bhutto at its helm. Though Bilawal
Zardari Bhutto tried manfully to lead the campaign, he suffered from too
many handicaps; the most important perhaps being that he was not the
candidate for the prime ministership. His spending the campaign in Dubai,
away from the attacks on the campaign, was of no help. President Asif
Zardari also was found wanting, for the PPP was badly defeated on his first
solo flight. He was prevented from campaigning, but the party was under
him, and it performed badly…

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 Can the PPP make a comeback? Only if it is willing to change its
leadership and undergo a radical makeover. One ray of hope has been that it
has held firm in interior Sindh, perhaps, because there is no viable
alternative there. Another, the presence of a new generation of Bhuttos
waiting in the wings, is a double-edged sword, because their quality is not
known. Also, the tragic family history means that none has been exposed to
Zulfikar, and thus there has been no learning from his example. They are all
dependent solely on his genes.
It is also worth noting that the country’s problems are making
themselves apparent even before the transition of power does take place. The
problems of coalition-building in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are intimately
connected to the problem of the US occupation of Afghanistan and the
impending US drawdown next year. The issue of whether or not the
elections themselves are according to Islam or not is apparently not related,
but since those campaigning against one also worked against the other, it
appears that there was a mixing of a domestic and a foreign policy issue…
The emphasis of the current election on the cleanliness of the process
did not translate into a mandate for the PTI, even though its insistence on
fair polls has created doubts about the process in Karachi and Lahore.
However, as is now, perhaps, becoming clear, the election was not about the
process as about who was to rule for the next five years. The problems are
very different. The PTI, the only ‘change’ party to have survived into the
Assemblies, has benefited the most from these polls, and that too mostly at
the expense of the PPP. However, the PPP, though routed, is still going to
form the Sindh government. It is the most opportune time to respect one
another’s mandate. There are few question marks left about who should
form the respective governments, and now is the time to let the parties form
the governments the electorate has mandated them to.’ (M A Niazi,
TheNation 17th May)
Walking a tightrope: ‘The serious charges of manipulation in at least
50 to 60 constituencies, if proved, would have normally resulted in a re-
election. However, there is a simple way to find out what the truth is. Only if
the ECP would conduct an inquiry by matching the thumb impressions on
the ballot papers with the record available with Nadra. 
According to some media reports, several prospective candidates had
purchased original ID cards from poor people before the May 11 polling and
then, in collaboration with corrupt electoral officials, managed to increase
the number of votes. Consequently, this has led the leaders of several

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political parties and members of civil society to stage protests in various
parts of the country. 
All this, however, does not imply that the ECP should scrap the entire
electoral process. In fact, it must put in place a system where such
malpractices do not occur in future.
More so, it is necessary that the political parties must respect
democratic norms by accepting the mandate of the parties that have been
voted to power in all the four provinces. Any attempt to defeat the people’s
resolve will have serious consequences not only for the continuation of the
democratic process, but also for the politicians, who encourage political
manipulation of any kind. 
It is good that Pakistan is about to witness an experiment where three
different political parties are expected to form the government in three
provinces – PML-N in Punjab, PPP in Sindh and PTI in KPK. But a
coalition government is likely to emerge in Balochistan. In case the federal
and provincial governments remain within the orbit of the constitution, there
will be no serious problems. But if they try to encroach on each others’
domain, it will not augur well for the country and people. 
One hopes that the politicians would demonstrate political maturity
and tolerance, and cooperate with each other to deal with the serious
challenges facing Pakistan. For example, there are serious differences
between the parties on the issue of terrorism. Failure to reach a consensus on
it will damage the country’s economy and jeopardize its relations with the
international community. 
It is, therefore, of utmost importance that all major stakeholders,
especially those who will be in power at the centre and in the provinces,
should work in harmony with one another to restore the people’s confidence
in them. 
In the days and weeks to come, hopefully, the PML-N would create an
atmosphere where major problems, which have a direct bearing on the
economy, side by side with the law and order situation, will be resolved
through consensus for the prosperity of Pakistan.’ (Azam Khalil, TheNation
17th May)
Recessing economy
Industrial revival: ‘The key for the new economic managers will be
to spur equitable growth and create employment through prudent endeavors
that kick-start a process aimed at revival of national industry, and one that

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should yield short-term results yet long-term sustainability. Without going
into the micro details at this stage, one feels that in order to achieve this
successfully, the government will be well served to carefully evaluate the
following phenomenon when devising its industrial policy going forward.
First, understanding what Industry truly means, especially in context
of Pakistan? Industry, as was explained by our elders, (not always explicitly
taken up in business schools), is a commitment, a passion and a journey
about long-haul. If one is looking for quick profits then perhaps trading
would be a more suitable profession… Arrives the 2008 financial crisis and
the industrial successes of China and India, and we now find the western
economic experts again going back to the basic drawing board; realizing that
letting their manufacturing strength slip was a dire mistake and at the end of
the day, it is production that creates real value, both in terms of determining
wages and creating employment. And this is precisely the lesson that the
Pakistani policymakers should also not forget!
Second, the economic mangers need to focus on the Industrial
opportunity that exists today for Pakistan in the world of global
manufacturing. The factories of the world or the global manufacturing
engines mainly China, South Korea and to a certain extent some Far Eastern
Asian Tigers are witnessing a period in their history where not only have
their wages risen sharply in recent years, but they are also seeing a shortage
of basic labor force. Pakistan on the other hand is amongst those countries
that can be bracketed in a cycle where there prevails an economic slowdown
yet the corporate profits are healthy…
Third, in the industrial revival concept itself, a correlation between
corporate governance and industrial revival needs to be established. One
realizes that this may not go down very well with some players who in fact
complain of too much oversight as it is and are of the opinion that perhaps
the SECP is in an overdrive gear in drafting the corporate governance
structure in Pakistan. While no one here is advocating further manipulation
of industry in the web of bureaucratic red tape, corruption and
incompetence, what in essence one is saying is that if we are to base our
industrial revival on equitable and sustainable footings then the right mix or
the genuine equilibrium between private sector freedom and governmental
oversight needs to be found…
Fourth, though these may be early days they still need to have an open
mind on adopting the ‘hunting’ approach (as it is popularly referred to in
India), both at the provincial and national levels. This entails consciously

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inviting big investors to invest in one’s country or province by offering
incentives that are simply too good for the investor to turn down. The
destination attracting such an investment (primarily in manufacturing) may
lose out in the short term, but stands to gain in the long term through
employment generation, taxes and mainly because that large organization
serves as an incubator that overtime can unleash its own dynamics vis-à-vis
vendor industry, cluster formation, expansion, social accountability,
development of key human resource, etc. A good recent example is that of
the State of Indian Gujarat’s wooing the investment of Tata’s Nano car
plant.
Lastly, ‘visibility’, which in any process and especially in Industrial
Revival is going to be the key. By all means enforce ethical business
practices, catch the tax evaders or defaulters, punish the utility thieves, but
please be fair and keep it very low key. The visibility of an action builds
perception and as we all know that in business and industry perception can
sometimes be more damaging than reality. In the dark periods of history the
draconian actions of the time had specific purposes, public hangings or little
minarets of skulls to instill fear and extract submission of people to the new
rulers.
Whereas, today in the modern day world we instead seek inspirational
leadership that desires support and not submission by its people – Going by
this one hopes that the incoming government will work to encourage
entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs and not otherwise. Trust me an industrial
revival can only happen by recognizing industrial successes as icons and not
as villains of the society!’ (Dr Kamal Monnoo, TheNation 15th May)

REVIEW
Polling on May 11 would have been a milestone of which the entire
nation would have felt proud of for years to come. But, inefficient and
sluggish Election Commission ruined this national event and the nation
today is busy splashing muck at each other. The only thing that could be said
in defence of Fakhru Bhai’s team is that in Pakistan one is compelled to do,
or not to do, few things against own wishes to win heart of the global
superpower.
Dr Haider Mehdi believes that this has been done on the instructions
of ‘our’ friends in Washington, London and Riyadh. He has termed it as
Second NRO that has been dictated to Army Chief during his visits to Saudi

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Arabia and Brussels. He is of the view that Pakistani military leaders are
coerced every time the US wants to get something done from them.
Before Abbottabad Raid the US threatened attack on Pakistan’s
nuclear assets. Threats were also hurled during Raymond Davis Episode. If
that is what has happened now, then it is wrong to call it Second NRO; it is
an outright unconditional surrender. The few nuclear bombs Pakistan
possesses seem to have caused more harm to the national interests than these
would ever cause to any adversary.
If that is what it means to be armed with nuclear weapons then it
would be better to get rid of these ‘dirty’ bombs, earlier the better. Rather
than keeping them hidden in underground holes, these be thrown into
Arabian Sea to sink deep so that Pakistan is not blackmailed anymore.
The question arises as to how Americans could do it without getting
directly involved. Certainly, it was done with the help of insiders; the
Pakistani stooges who are yet to be named. There is no dearth of Pakis in all
walks of life who could do any thing to please the Yanks.
These reliable men and women were suitably placed at the time of
installing the caretaker governments, especially in the provinces. In cricket
language, the field placing was meticulously worked out. Once the coach
and manager (the US and Army) told its ‘quickies’ to unleash a barrage of
outgoing rising deliveries the best close-in fielder were in place in the
critical slip region in Punjab and Sindh – as caretaker chief ministers.
The fielders did not disappoint and all the catches that were offered
were grabbed to bundle out a team that held the bat. It is worth noting that
after the polls Chief Minister of Punjab was one of the few who claimed that
there was no foul play in the match. Americans, who are seldom happy over
anything that happens in Pakistan, were also satisfied with the conduct of the
polls.
Why then every party has complaints about malpractices and staging
protests? Some of them have genuine grievances, like PTI and JI in Punjab
and Karachi and PML-F and nationalists in interior Sindh. The main status
quo parties and few others are raising hue and cry just to drown the voices of
genuine complainants.
The plan appeared to have aimed at protecting the two status quo
forces by guarding their respective power bases or vote-banks. Both the
parties benefited from this ‘scheme’, but PML-N got the maximum far more

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than its own estimates of securing at least 100 seats in the National
Assembly.
The post-poll pro-active diplomatic moves showed that Americans
had expected more or less what has materialized. They are now working to
consolidate the gains. Even Fazl rushed to the US Embassy for help after
failing to convince Nawaz Sharif to block establishment of ‘Jewish’
government in KPK. He met Oslon to seek holier than the holy help of
Nasara for that purpose.
All this has been done by the Americans to have a government in
Islamabad that is under obligation to do few things according to their
wishes. The new government must accept whatever arrangements are placed
in Afghanistan for post-withdrawal (thinning out) period, including a
significant role likely to be assigned to India in that context. The pull out of
heavy equipment has already started and Pakistan must ensure its fool-proof
security.
The rumours also say that new rulers have pledged to cancel Gwadar
and IP Gas Pipeline projects with China and Iran respectively, or at least
move so slow that these become redundant. Raza Rabbani’s statement about
keeping watch on these projects has to be seen in this context. Many analysts
would call it mere stretch of imagination of rumour mongers; but then the
superpower is much meaner than any stretch of imagination.
What happened in Karachi is slightly different from the manipulations
of results in Punjab and Sindh. The mega city was deliberately left alone,
having confidence that the Altaf-led mafia would be able to protect its
‘mandate’ without any outside help. He did not disappoint those who
reposed confidence in him.
Having known as to how the results of polls would be manipulated in
these elections, London-based Don decided to scrounge his share. He started
the action a night before the polling by threatening the polling staff to stay
away and obstructing the timely delivery of polling stuff at stations which
were marked as unfriendly.
Once the mission was accomplished and his political opponents cried
foul and media allowed them to raise their voice Altaf reacted violently. On
evening of May 12, in his telephonic address he asked not to press MQM to
the wall and went on to demand that Karachi should be separated from
Pakistan and if MQM is pushed hard Pakistan would be burnt to ashes.

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 When negative aspects of his address with dangerous legal
implications were noted by his operators in Karachi, they announced that
their boss is unwell and he has been recommended rest by his ‘doctors’. He
must have been told to keep quiet at this critical juncture when the Second
NRO was being implemented. His insane utterances could spoil the plan to
extract maximum from the new rulers.
The Don was not deterred because the criticism had failed to cease,
despite retracting what he had said about Pakistan. He summoned
Karachiites to come out into the streets at 3:30 am to listen to his speech.
The poor Karachiites could not refuse to come out at that odd hour. They
walked out like programmed robots and sat at the pre-allotted spots and
listened to him attentively. From this the state of mind of people living under
perpetual fear could be judged.
In that speech he did not spare any one but TV anchors received
special bashing and they were dubbed as laundas and barking dogs. He said
the dogs will keep barking but caravan will move on. TV channels should at
least now think of preserving their own respect and dignity if not that of
Pakistan. They should boycott telecasting the words of wisdom uttered by
Altaf. He should be on their radar rather than that of Scotland Yard.
The better sense once again returned and the man who holds Karachi
as hostage apologized to ‘loundas’ and ‘dogs’ of Pakistani TV channels.
Will they forgive him? The apologies between equals are rendered and
accepted as social courtesy. The apology of weak is accepted out of mercy
and that of strong out of fear. But, here is another factor here; media is a
business enterprise and acceptance of apology can save it from big losses.
For MQM he is a great leader like Imam Khomeini of Iran; for
Karachiites he is a Don; and for Pakistanis a potent threat to peace and
tranquility. But for his hosts in London he is just an operative of the MI and
CIA, who can be launched at an appropriate moment. When Pakistanis at
home and abroad resented his utterances he was told to retract; he dared not
disobey the Masters.
Nawaz got what he has been longing for; the third term. His wish to
have a majority mandate has also been fulfilled, which he wanted to have for
freedom of action. He got the clear majority but the purpose for which he got
that – the freedom of action – may remain elusive as he has chosen to wear
Uncle Sam’s leash on his neck.
He is likely to remain at the service of his foreign masters most of the
time as he has already shown eagerness to work with them. As regards

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serving the people of Pakistan he would only request the US as he did by
asking reconsideration of its policy on drone attacks. He forgot that it is not
the US that has to decide about this but his government has to pick up the
courage to say no to what he thinks is wrong.
As his focus will remain diverted outward, he is unlikely to
compensate Punjab which has paid for his third term through its nose. Its
resources have been reduced, because its rightful share in divisible resources
was ‘generously’ given away by his younger brother.
His party has buried the Kalabagh Dam to secure political foothold in
other provinces; thus causing irreparable damage to agriculture sector, the
mainstay of its economy. Its industry has been crippled because of shortage
of electricity and gas, primarily due to Zardari’s democratic revenge.
If these ‘conspiracy theories’ have some traces of truth, then Imran
Khan’s fall may not be due to human error as the Captain had thought after
falling. And as regards Nawaz’s noble gesture of putting ‘healing hand’ on
Imran’s wounds; he did not do it before rubbing enough salt into them. And,
General Kayani will have distinction of negotiating two NROs, one each as
DG ISI and COAS in his second term.
17th May, 2013

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 INQILAB: LEADERS
PART ONE
In the last volume Allamah Iqbal was seen applying ‘the doctrine’ of
La and Illah in almost every sphere of human activity. Through its
application he discerned the good from the evil. But sifting of the good and
preaching it is not a one man’s job in a given society and this is also not a
one-time act.
It should be done all the time by a select group of people within a
society. This group must be equipped with the correct perception of the
religion. They must believe, practice and preach Divine revelations
unpolluted by Devil’s concoctions. The Message of Allah has to be spread in
its purest form.
The onus of performing this duty rests with scholars and leaders, who
are responsible for religious and spiritual guidance and training of the
followers of Islam. Iqbal was not impressed by the breed of religious leaders
that was obtainable in his time. Mullas, Sufis and Pirs were not aware of the
true spirit of Islam that upholds the Man at the very high stature in this
Universe.
Dr M A K Khalil in his commentary made similar observations. But
religious leaders were not to be blamed for this as Muslims as a society had
drifted away from their religion and Mullas were just a reflection of ‘na-
Mosilmani’ of Mosilmans. The causes of this degeneration were many.
Dr Khalil wrote: ‘These causes can be summed up by saying that the
Muslim world suffered from a growing back-sliding from their original high
spiritual, moral and ethical pedestal. This condensed statement is elaborated
below, avoiding the supportive verses for the sake of brevity, as also many
of them appear later in the commentary:
(a) Muslims have distanced themselves from the Holy Qur’an and
have accepted Western values in thought and action in personal as well as
corporate life. Judging from the amount of material he has produced on this
subject he obviously considers this as a prime cause of the decline of
Muslims.
(b) Muslims have given up Islamic learning. The European colonists
relegated Islamic and other oriental learning to an inferior position in all the
lands conquered by them. For example, in the Indian Subcontinent the high
class scholars of Persian and Arabic and specialists of Islamic and other
oriental learning were suddenly made to join the ranks of the ‘uneducated’

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and became unemployed. In a very short time they were drifted out of the
mainstream of national life. Islamic learning was confined to the precincts of
religious seminaries and the latter could only eke out a miserable existence
out of the paltry collections from the dwindling private resources of the
already impoverished Muslim society. Complete lack of opportunities to the
graduates of these institutions reduced them and their alma maters to
nonentities. All economic benefits went to the graduates of the state
sponsored institutions of Western learning. The devastating effects of such a
planned destruction of Islamic thought resulted in a situation in which the
‘educated classes’ became completely ignorant of and apathetic to Islamic
values. No single effect of colonialism touched Allamah Iqbal more
pathetically than this one.
(c) Insincere religious leadership has been created. This was a direct
consequence of the above situation.
(d) Insincere political leadership has been created. The Western
educated talented section of the society also did not show any strength of
character. Indeed, this was all that could be expected from the Western
educational system, which was based on materialism, and was aiming only
at creating and enhancing the earning capability of the people it produced.
The system did not try to inculcate ethical values.
(e) Muslims have lost the Love of God and the concept of Tawhid,
which were the cements which kept the Muslim society together…the major
theme of poem ‘Jawab-i-Shakwah’.
(f) Muslims have fallen into taqlid and lack the spirit of ijtihad. This
also is an important component of his message. His writings show how
disappointed he was with this state of affairs.
(g) Asceticism and monasticism of the Christian religion have crept
into the Muslim society as a direct result of ‘taqlid’ and elimination of
‘ijtihad’. The Christian world remained in the ‘dark ages’ as long as
monasticism was its creed. It started on the road to all-round progress only
by ridding itself of this liability. The Muslim world plunged into the ‘dark
ages’ when it adopted monasticism…
(h) Muslims have lost the urge for Jihad (even in the broader sense of
the term). Allamah Iqbal has expressed very great disappointment at this
state of the Muslim world.
(i) The Muslim society is riddled with dissensions. Though
dissensions have been the bane of Muslim society form the very beginning

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they have now reached fatal proportions, both in magnitude and intensity.
The most disastrous result of this has been the recession of the Muslim
world from the super-national ideal of Islam to the present day nation states
and even farther…’
Dr Khalil attributed the ‘back-sliding’ of Muslims mainly to their
political decline of the Ummah. There is no doubt that it has been the
primary cause, but Allamah also held the religious leaders responsible for
religious and spiritual degeneration of the Ummah.
Allamah disapproved of the Khanqahi system that had assumed
spiritual leadership and was widespread in North-West of the Indian
Subcontinent. The disapproval was reciprocal, Sufis and Mullas of his time
were even more critical of Allamah’s religious thought. Though hundred
years later, no sermon of any Mulla is complete without citing of some
verses of Allamah.
Allamah’s disapproval of contemporary religious leaders was not
influenced by any prejudices. The fact is that he held the ‘genuine’ Mullas
and Sufis in high esteem. He only rejected the ‘quakes’, the descendents of
great Sufis of the past, because they preached to the masses to prostrate
(sajdah) when it is the time to rise (qayam).
Allamah was critical of only those Sufis which had abandoned the
Kullah and chose Dastaar for themselves. He termed this Khanqahi segment
of Sufism as Brahmans of Islam because the descendents of the great God-
fearing men had opted become a privileged class in the Islamic society.
Allamah’s religious thought, however, had been immensely influenced by
the Sufi saints of the past.
Dr Khalil elaborated this point. ‘Allamah Iqbal studied, pondered
over, evaluated and accepted or rejected, after critical examination, the
works of almost all Muslim scholars of the philosopher as well as Sufi class.
His criteria for acceptance were concordance with the Holy Qur'an and
Hadith literature and the influence of the thoughts on the welfare of the
Muslim Ummah.
Quddoosi (1970) has recorded detailed biographies of 32 such
eminent personalities who influenced Allamah Iqbal or earned his
appreciation and confidence. Ahmad (1987) has described the influence of
three additional Muslim thinkers whose works influenced the Allamah.
These are Zakariya al-Razi, Abu Ali Sina and Jamal al-Din Afghani.

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 In addition, he also studied a large number of Persian and Urdu
mystical poets and benefited from their works. Their biographies and
influence on Allamah Iqbal are described by Riaz… He (Allamah) has
himself expressed his admiration for a number of eminent Muslim
philosophers, Sufis and poets.’ Dr Khalil chose nine such personalities to
make special mention of them. His description of them is reproduced in
abridged form.
(1) Bayazid Bistami R.A. (777-874): He was born in Bistam, which is
a village between Tehran and Nishapor in Iran. He left home at the age of
ten years in search of knowledge of tasawwuf and is said to have met and
benefited from three hundred Sufis. His period belongs to the time when the
Greek philosophy had been accepted and liked by Muslim scholars. Bayazid
struggled hard to wean Muslim scholars away from Greek philosophy. He
rejected the argument of Greek philosophy to make Intellect as a guide in
comprehending God. He made the Love of God as his guide in
comprehending the same.
He is one of the most favourite Sufis of Allamah Iqbal for whom he
had very deep love and reverence. This was based on two attributes of
Bistami R.A., viz. faqr and Love of God. The latter attribute is also one of
the prime movers of Allamah Iqbal's works the examples of which abound in
all his works.
(2) Junaid Baghdadi R.A. (820-910): He is a well known Sufi
and is ranked among the highest by very eminent Sufis. He was born at
Baghdad and his period also corresponds with the period in which the Greek
philosophy had captured the minds of Muslim scholars and thinkers.
Allamah Iqbal had very great reverence and love for him. His greatest
contribution to the service of Islam was exposing of the ineptness of the
Greek philosophy in solving Man's material as well as spiritual problems.
Probably he is the first Muslim thinker who tried to free Islamic
thought from the Greek thought. He is cited as saying, ‘Only that man can
find the path of tasawwuf who has the Holy Qur'an in his right hand and the
Hadith of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) in his left, so that with the light of
these two torches he can protect himself from doubt as well as bid‘ah’.
Allamah Iqbal learnt this important lesson from him, of course in addition to
others.
(3) Ali Bin Uthman al-Hujwiri, Data Ganj Bakhsh R.A. (1088-1111):
He was born near Ghazni, and migrated to Lahore under instructions from
his mentor during the reign of Sultan Mahmood of Ghazni and stayed there

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till his death. He spent all this time in propagating Islam and
reforming tasawwuf, and was successful in both. He was the first and the
most eminent scholar and Sufi of the Indian sub-continent.
He has written several books in Persian, of which Al-Kashf al-
Mahjoob (The Revelation of the Veiled) is the most famous. He is one of the
favorite Sufis of Allamah Iqbal who had high reverence for him which is
shown by his frequent visits to the saint's mausoleum in Lahore. The
prominent feature of his tasawwuf also was the liberation of Islamic thought
from the impurities of Greek and Persian mysticism. Allamah Iqbal
benefited from him in this respect also.
(4) Imam Ghazali R.A. (1058-1111): He was born in Khurasan. His
father was a yarn seller (in Arabic ‘Ghazali’), from which he got the popular
name ‘Ghazali’. In the prosperous and well educated Muslim society of that
period education was easy and within reach of even the poorest students,
with the help of the State and private philanthropists. Imam Ghazali, though
coming from a very poor and illiterate, family could get education that way.
He received education successively in Khurasan, Jarjan and Neshapur where
he had the distinction of being a pupil of Imam al-Haramain. At that time
Neshapur and Baghdad were two most important centers of learning in the
eastern part of the Islamic world. Neshapur had Madrasah-i-Bakiath which
was the first University in the Islamic world. By the age of 28, when his
preceptor died, he had acquired enough knowledge to be rendered unequaled
in the Islamic world and his reputation spread far and wide.
He traveled to Baghdad and attended the Court of the Prime Minister
of Malik Shah, one of the Saljuk Sultans. There he impressed the Sultan and
his Prime Minister with his knowledge and was appointed the Principal of
the famous University of Baghdad at the young age of 34. Very soon he
started feeling tired of the pomp and pageantry of the elite at Baghdad,
which he began to hate. He discovered that all the existing material systems
of acquiring knowledge proved futile in showing him the ‘Truth’. Ultimately
he turned his attention to mysticism. As the Truth dawned on him, he said ‘I
saw plainly that what is most peculiar to them (the Sufis) cannot be learned
from books, but can only be reached by immediate experience, ecstasy and
‘inward information’. He then underwent the different phases of
renunciation practiced in mysticism and recorded his experiences, which
produced the religious revival brought about in circles hitherto unfriendly to
mysticism.

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 From Baghdad he moved to Damascus, stayed there for two years and
took to meditation in the Grand Mosque of Umaiyyads. To avoid being
discovered and honoured for his knowledge which might produce pride in
him, he left Damascus and roamed about in the Islamic world, going to
Jerusalem, where he visited the tomb of S. Ibrahim A.S. and took mystic
vows. He went for pilgrimage and stayed in the Hijaz for a long time. He
also went to Alexandria and Cairo in Egypt. He turned down the repeated
requests of the Abbaside khalifahs and Saljuk kings to return to their
countries and resume teaching. However, he continued teaching at his home
town till his death.
He wrote extensively on logic, physics and metaphysics. The
Christian world came to know of his knowledge through translation into
Latin and other European languages, many of which were made at Toledo in
Islamic Spain. According to Alfred Guillaume ‘The Christian West became
acquainted with Aristotle by way of Avicenna, al-Farabi and al-Ghazali.
‘Gundisalvus’s Encyclopaedia of Knowledge’ relies in the main on the
information he has drawn from Arabian sources’.
Imam Ghazali is surely one of the greatest thinkers of Islam whose
books have immensely contributed to the social, cultural, political, ethical
and metaphysical outlook in Islam. His works greatly influenced prominent
thinkers and writers who followed him, the best known of which are: Rumi,
Shaikh al-Ashriq, Ibn Rushd, Shah Wali Allah, Attar, S‘adi, Hafiz and Iraqi.
Imam Ghazali lived in one of the dark periods of Muslim history.
Political decay had started in the Muslim world. The Khilafah in Baghdad
had become weak and several other kings in Asia and Africa had declared
independence. In Khurasan, where Imam Ghazali lived, the internecine wars
between the three sons of Malik Shah wreaked a heavy toll on human life
and property and laid many cities desolate. The Khilafah at Baghdad was
deteriorating and losing political power. All classes and levels of society
were entangled in moral and ethical decline. The political power of Muslims
in Spain was declining.
Under these conditions Imam Ghazali took upon himself the
responsibility of reviving Islamic values in the people’s conscience, to bring
the weaknesses of each class and level of society to its members and reform
them, to create true Love of God and the Holy Prophet S.A.W. so as to bring
them back into the Islamic fold and to fuse them together into the body
politic of Islam. In this respect Mawlana Jalal al-Din Rumi and Allamah
Iqbal were co-sharers with him in that they had to face the same kinds of

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problems and they also solved them in the same way. In a way Imam
Ghazali was a pioneer in the task of reforming the Muslim society in
difficult times. His example was a guiding light to Mawlana Rumi and
Allamah Iqbal. He also successfully completed the task of purifying Islamic
thought from the incrustation of Greek and Zoroastrian thoughts which were
dimming its light.
In short Imam Ghazali is an eminent faqih, preacher with ability
for ijtihad, Sufi, writer on the philosophy and ethics of Islam whose
revivalist achievements endowed Muslims with a new life to face the
problems. His influence reached Allamah Iqbal through his writings and
those of his successors whom he had influenced.
(5) Abu al-Majdud Ibn al-Adam Hakim Sanai (ca. 1080-1150): In his
early life he was associated with the Court of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni and
used to write laudatory poems in praise of the Sultan, his courtiers and
successors. However, there was a sudden revolution in his life which
happened miraculously on meeting a Godly person in Ghazni. He abandoned
attending the courts of kings and writing laudatory poems. Instead he
changed the direction of his poetry towards irfan and tasawwuf.  Throughout
the rest of his life he used his poetic genius in explaining the marvels and
mysteries of tasawwuf. The quality of his new poetry gave a new colour to
Persian verse. Allamah Iqbal was impressed by the sincere Love for God
depicted by Hakim Sanai in his writings. He is one of the very eminent and a
favorite Sufis of Allamah Iqbal. Both Mawlana Rumi and Allamah Iqbal had
great reverence for Hakim Sanai.
(6) Mawlana Jalal al-Din Rumi (1207-73): He came from a very
learned and pious family and maintained these traditions throughout his life.
He obtained education and Sufi guidance from his father, the renowned
scholar Saiyyid Burhan al-Din and the world famous Sufi, Shams Tabriz.
His most famous book is the Mathnavi, which is known as ‘the Holy Qur’an
in Persian language’. His other book is the ‘Diwan’ or ‘Diwan-i-Shams
Tabriz’.
Mawlana Rumi lived at a time when the Muslim world was
confronted with three major catastrophes. These were: (i) the Intellectual
turmoil created by the un-harnessed intellect produced by two important
components of Greek philosophy, viz. Idealism or conceptualism and
inferiority of Man, (ii) economic and moral turmoil created by the
oppression of the masses by tyrant kings and aristocrats, and (iii) the
political turmoil created by the destruction of Baghdad and the socio-

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political structure of the Muslim world by the Mongol invasion. These
events pushed the Muslim society into a state of frustration and depression
which reduced the fervor of the dynamic characteristics of Islam and
produced a defeatist outlook in the society.
Mawlana Rumi was pre-ordained by God to alleviate the damage done
by this state of affairs. His tasawwuf has two pillars. These are (i) adjudging
intuition to be superior to Intellect for comprehension of the Dhat of God,
and (ii) restoration of Man to his high position of the vice-gerency of God on
earth. Regarding the former Mawlana Rumi is one of the few early Sufis and
Islamic thinkers who established the superiority of Intuition, Love of God
and iman over Intellect for comprehension of spiritual Realities and
the Dhat of God. Regarding the latter he reinstated Man to the high status
bestowed upon him by the Holy Qur’an but lost by him through acceptance
of the Greek philosophy and acquiring the defeatist mentality described
above. This approach of Rumi re-created in Muslims the spiritual strength
which alone could rebuild the Islamic world on Islamic lines and bring it at
par with its contemporaries.
He is one of the most eminent Sufis, Islamic thinkers and Islamic
poets. It can be safely said that Mawlana Rumi’s influence on Allamah Iqbal
was the greatest of all influences. Allamah Iqbal has accepted Mawlana
Rumi as his preceptor at many places in his works. In his book Javid Namah
Mawlana Rumi is his companion, guide and preceptor throughout the
celestial journey.
The Muslim world in Allamah Iqbal’s time also was facing problems
similar to those of Mawlana Rumi’s age. It had been thrown into intellectual
turmoil by the Western civilization, whose science and technology presented
an apparently bright face and masked the Western society’s inner ugliness,
resulting from its materialism, capitalism and secular nationalist
imperialism, which permitted the West to indulge in hideous terrorism in
and plunder of the defenseless humanity in the Eastern lands, conquered by
the West.
The Muslim world also suffered from the political disarray resulting
from the defeat and disintegration of the ‘Uttmaniyah Khilafah and its
replacement by the secular nation states carved out by the West to suit its
imperial interests. Thus, Mawlana Rumi and Allamah Iqbal faced similar
problems and were similarly pre-ordained by God to retrieve the
Muslim Ummah from the depressing effects of similar catastrophes.
Allamah Iqbal offered solutions similar to those of Mawlana Rumi. Like

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Mawlana Rumi he also used poetry as a vehicle for conveying the concept of
the Love of God and iman in Him, and as the medium for communicating
spiritual visions and experiences to Muslims.
Under inspiration from Mawlana Rumi Allamah Iqbal also made the
Holy Qur’an the basis of his philosophy. He presented Man as the
masterpiece of the Creation of God, and the immaculate personality of the
Holy Prophet S.A.W. as the ideal for Man to follow by using the methods
for developing his Khudi. He presented a detailed program for this in his
famous book Asrar-i-Khudi (The Secrets of the Self). He revived the
controversy of Intuition and Intellect and established the superiority of the
former over the latter for comprehension of the Dhat of God and the Reality
of the Universe as His Creation. He also emphasized that the basis of
nationality in Islam is ideology and not geographical boundaries, race or
colour, which have led the West to its moral degeneration. Thus, Mawlana
Rumi and Allamah Iqbal equally well reflect and focus the light of the Holy
Qur’an for the guidance of Muslims in their respective ages to free
themselves from their ordeal.
(7) Abd al-Karim al-Jili (d. 1406): He is an eminent Muslim
philosopher and the originator of the dialectical method in logic and not
Hegel as the Western writers would have us believe. According to al-Jili the
‘One-ness’ is thesis, the ‘He-ness’ is anti-thesis, and the ‘I-ness’ is the
synthesis. He was a sensitive poet and thinker. His fields of thought were
human ontology and psychology. He is known to posterity for his concept of
the ‘Perfect Man’.
Allamah Iqbal's respect for al-Jili comes from his concepts of the
‘Perfect Man’ and ‘Time’ as well as being the originator of the dialectical
system of reasoning instead of Hegel to whom it is attributed by the Western
scholars. His philosophy influenced Allamah Iqbal in formulating and
crystallizing his concept of Fard-i-Kamil.
(8) Mawlana Abd al-Rahman Jami R.A. (1414-93): He was born at
Jam, which is a village near Khurasan. He received early education in
Arabic and Persian languages from his father, and got general religious
education from several elite scholars in Herat and Samarqand. He took the
oath of fealty at the hands of Sa‘d al-Din Kasghari and later benefited from
several eminent Sufis of his day. On the death of Sa’di al-Din Kashghari he
took oath of fealty at the hands of Khwajah Nasir al-Din Abid Allah and
remained with him for the rest of his life.

687
 In tasawwuf he belonged to the school of Ibn-al-Arabi which was
based on ‘Wahdat al-Wujood’. In this school he progressed to the stage of
extreme Love of God and the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.). This is reflected
widely in his poetry. This attribute made him near and dear to Allamah
Iqbal, who sought solace and spiritual pleasure from Jami’s poetry. This
happened in spite of the basic difference in the school of ‘Wahdat al
Wujood’ and that of Allamah Iqbal, i.e. Wahdat al-Shuhood’.
He was a versatile genius and was considered to be the ‘The Sun
of Tasawwuf ‘and ‘The Moon of Gnostic poetry’. He has retained this
eminence in both fields till today and has always been considered the
‘Doyen of Sufis’. Mawlana Jami’s extreme Love for God and the Holy
Prophet S.A.W. endeared him to Allamah Iqbal very much. He has
expressed his love and reverence for Jami in his Persian works.
(9) Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi Mujaddid Alf-i-Thani (1564-1624): He is
one of the most eminent scholars and Sufis of India. He belonged to the
Chishtiyah and Qadiriyah orders. He obtained education of the Holy Qur’an
from his father and that of other subjects from several highest scholars of his
time, including his father. After this he went to Agra and started teaching but
returned to Sirhind after a short time.
His deep knowledge and insight into Islamic learning and his efforts
in revival of the true values of Islam, cleared of all bid‘at, earned him the
title of Mujaddid Alf-i-Thani (Revivalist of the Second Millennium of the
Hijrah Era). His main struggle was to stop the un-Islamic beliefs and
practices of the Mughal Court during the reigns of Emperors Jalal al-Din
Akbar and Noor al-Din Jahangir. These practices had resulted mainly from
Akbar and Jahangir’s efforts to placate Hindus.
Akbar had started a new religion, called Din-i-Ilahi  (The Divine
Religion) in which he assumed the status of a prophet and the law giver.
People had to prostrate before him. Study and propagation of Islam was
discouraged and many Islamic rites, including beard were either prohibited
or discouraged and ridiculed. Many unscrupulous ulama had issued edicts in
favour of the emperor. The few ulama who resisted the new religion were
killed or imprisoned. Mujaddid was one such alim. He wrote and lectured
extensively against such practices and orders. He also created a body of his
followers who spread out widely in the realm and preached against the
emperor. He created a body of his pupils and followers in the military and
civil services also who were firm believers in his preaching and worked
against Akbar from within the government.

688
 He also worked vehemently for purification of tasawwuf and tried to
remove all concepts and practices used in some misguided forms
of tasawwuf which were against the Shari‘ah. These practices had crept
into tasawwuf from the Greek, Zoroastrian and Hindu philosophies and
mysticism. His most intense opposition was to the concept of Wahdat al-
Wujood.  The essential difference between ‘Wahdat al-Wujood’ and
‘Wahdat al-Shuhood’ is that the former is based on the concept of Hama
úst (All is He) while the latter says that Hama Az úst  (All is From Him). He
also preached that the highest rank for a Sufi is not Fana Fi
Allah (Annihilation in God) but Baqa Fi al-Abdiyat (Continuation of Life in
Service of God). According to him real tasawwuf is the creation of true
sincerity in the beliefs and deeds of man.
The teachings of Mujaddid very soon upset the unscrupulous
ulama who poisoned Jahangir against him. Finally, Jahangir summoned him
to his court. When attending his court Mujaddid did not perform the required
prostration and explained the correct Islamic view about this and many other
matters. This enraged the emperor and he imprisoned Mujaddid for about a
year in the Gwaliar Fort in 1619. Soon a body of sincere pupils and
followers in the fort gravitated to him and attended his lectures. In these
circumstances Jahangir was compelled to release him from the prison, and
also gave him a token cash reward. After this till about the end of his
life Mujaddid lived with and preached among the army personnel, where he
created a body of his followers who did very laudable service to Islam for
centuries after the death of Mujaddid.
In short, the strongest pillars of Mujaddid's thought and effort were
removal of un-Islamic and anti-Islamic practices at the Mughal court and
purification of tasawwuf by elimination of un-Islamic ideologies and making
it concordant with the Islamic Shari‘ah. These were also the aims and
objectives of Allamah Iqbal. These attributes of Mujaddid earned Allamah
Iqbal’s reverence and love for him. Allamah visited his mausoleum several
times to pay his respects.
The above should be kept in mind while going through the poetical
works of Allamah included in this Volume. It begins with a poem from
Bang-e-Dara.

PIETYAND ECSTASY
This poem brings out two important points in rather humorous style,
noted Dr Khalil. ‘Firstly, Allamah Iqbal wants to expose the formalism

689
ostentation and pretentiousness of the common, so called Ulama. In their
view Islam is restricted to the observance of a few formal rules of the
Islamic law and that too only in the letter of the law and not in its spirit.
Secondly, he wants to bring out his own universality as far as the orbit of
Islamic learning is concerned. Allamah Iqbal's knowledge of and service to
Islam is multi-dimensional and multi-faceted to the extent that it is difficult
to say whether he was a poet, an exegesist of the Holy Qur'an, an Islamic
revivalist, a philosopher, or a Sufi.’
Zuhad and Rindi  ‫ز ہد اور رندي‬
‫اک‬ ‫ کي سناتا ہوں کہاني‬Ð‫مولوي صاحب‬
‫تيزي‬ ‫نہيں منظور طبيعت کي دکھاني‬
Ekk moulvi sahib ki sonata h’on kahani, taizi naheen manzoor tabiyat ki
deikhhani.
I am only relating to you the story of a maulavi; I have no intention of
showing my smartness.
‫شہرہ‬ ‫تھا بہت آپ کي صوفي منشي کا‬
‫کرتے‬ ‫تھے ادب ان کا اعالي و اداني‬
Shohrah thha bohat aap ki Sufi manshi ka, kartay thhey adab onn ka a’ala-
o-adna.
His pious nature was widely known; all the high and low respected him.
‫کہتے‬ ‫تھے کہ پنہاں ہے تصوف ميں شريعت‬
‫جس‬ ‫طرح کہ الفاظ ميں مضمر ہوں معاني‬
Kehtay thhey keh penh’an hai tasawwuf mein shariyat, jiss tarah keh alfaaz
mein mozmer h’on ma’ani.
(Mozmer: Chhopay hoay.)
He used to say that Shari‘ah was veiled in tassawuf; as meanings were
veiled within words.
(Tassawuf: In this verse it is used in the sense in which the Ulama of the
type described in this poem use it. This consists of merely a means of curing
illness and helping people solve their day to day problems through amulets
and by pretending to subdue secret spirits to carry out the subduer's behests.
They use this ‘art’ for worldly gains and respectability, and have
commercialized a noble concept.)

690
 ‫لبريز‬ ‫مےء زہد سے تھي دل کي صراحي‬
‫تھي‬ ‫تہ ميں کہيں درد خيال ہمہ داني‬
Labbraiz maey-e-zuhad sey thhi dil ki sorahi, thhi teh mein kaheen dard
khiyal-e-hamahdani.
(Hamahdani: Sabb kochh janana.)
His heart's flask was filled to the brim with piety's wine. He also had lees of
the thought of pantology at the bottom.
‫کرتے‬ ‫تھے بياں آپ کرامات کا اپني‬
‫منظور‬ ‫تھي تعداد مريدوں کي بڑھاني‬
Kartay thhey biy’an aap karamaat ka apni, manzoor thhi ta’adad morid’on
ki barrhani.
He often used to describe his supernatural powers. He always intended
increase of his disciples' numbers.
‫مدت‬ ‫سے رہا کرتے تھے ہمسائے ميں ميرے‬
‫تھي‬ ‫رند سے زاہد کي مالقات پراني‬
Modat sey raha kartay thhey humsaa’ey mein meyrey, thhi rind sey zahid ki
molaqat porani.
He had been living in my neighborhood since long; the ascetic and the
rind were mutual friends since long.
‫حضرت‬ ‫نے مرے ايک شناسا سے يہ پوچھا‬
، ‫اقبال‬ ‫کہ ہے قمري شمشاد معاني‬
Hazarat ney merey eik shanasa sey yeh poochha, Iqbal, keh hai qumri-e-
shamshad-e-ma’ani.
(Qumri-e-shamshad: Shamshad ki qumri, morad hai bohat boland.)
The dignitary asked a friend of mine one day: ‘Iqbal who is a dignitary in the
field of literature.
 ‫پابندي‬ ‫احکام شريعت ميں ہے کيسا؟‬
‫گو‬ ‫شعر ميں ہے رشک کليم ہمداني‬
Pabandi-e-ahkaam-e-shariyat mein hai kaisa? Go she’ar hai rashk-e-Kalim
Hamdani.

691
(Kalim Hamdani: Humayu’on aur Jehangir kay dour ka Iran kay shehar
Hamadan mein paida honay wala naamwar sha’er jo Kashmir mein fout
ho’a.)
How is he in the obedience to the rules of Shari‘ah? Though in poetry he is
envy of the Kalim of Hamadan.*
(*Abu Talib Kalim Hamadani Kashani: A well known Persian poet of India
and Persia. He belonged to Kashan by descent and to Hamadan by birth. He
was educated and brought up in both cities and then arrived in the Indian
sub-continent during the reign of Noor al-Din Jahangir… He went to
Kashmir with Shahjahan, where he died and was buried.)
‫سنتا‬ ‫ہوں کہ کافر نہيں ہندو کو سمجھتا‬
‫ہے‬ ‫ايسا عقيدہ اثر فلسفہ داني‬
Sonta h’on keh kafir naheen Hindu ko samajhta, hai aisa aqidah asr-e-
falsafah daani.
I hear he does not consider the Hindu a non-believer; he has such beliefs as a
result of philosophy.
‫ہے‬ ‫اس کي طبيعت ميں تشيع بھي ذرا سا‬
‫تفضيل‬ ‫علي ہم نے سني اس کي زباني‬
Hai oss ki tabiyat mein tash’ia bhi zara-sa, tafzil-e-Ali hum ney sonni oss ki
zobani.
(Tash’ia: Shia-pun. Tafzil-e-Ali: Hazrat Ali ko baqi kholfa sey boland
martabat samajhna.)
He has accepted a little bit of Shiaism also; I have heard the greatness of Ali
(R.A.) from him.
‫سمجھا‬ ‫ہے کہ ہے راگ عبادات ميں داخل‬
‫مقصود‬ ‫ہے مذہب کي مگر خاک اڑاني‬
Samjha hai keh hai raag ibadat mein shamil, maqsood hai mazhab ki magar
khak orrani.
He considers music as part of adoration. He aims at making a mockery of
religion.

692
 ‫کچھ‬ ‫عار اسے حسن فروشوں سے نہيں ہے‬
‫عادت‬ ‫يہ ہمارے شعرا کي ہے پراني‬
Kochh aar ossey hosn farosh’on sey naheen hai, aadat yeh hamarey sho’ara
ki hai porani.
He does not feel shy with amorous people; this is a very old habit of our
poets.
‫گانا‬  ‫جو ہے شب کو تو سحر کو ہے تالوت‬
‫اس‬ ‫رمز کے اب تک نہ کھلے ہم پہ معاني‬
Gana jo hai shabb ko tuo sehar ko hai talawat, iss ramz kay abb takk nah
khholay hum peh ma’ani.
He has music at night, Qur’an's recitation in the morning; this secret is not
yet fully understood by me.
‫ليکن‬ ‫يہ سنا اپنے مريدوں سے ہے ميں نے‬
‫بے‬ ‫داغ ہے مانند سحر اس کي جواني‬
Laikan yeh sonaya apnay morid’on sey hai mien ney, bi-dagh hai manind-e-
sehar oss ki jawani.
But the information obtained from my disciples is that spotless like the
dawn's whiteness his youth is.
‫مجموعہ‬ ‫ اقبال نہيں ہے‬، ‫اضداد ہے‬
‫ طبيعت خفقاني‬، ‫دل دفتر حکمت ہے‬
Majmo’a-e-azdaad hai, Iqbal naheen hai, dil daftar-e-hikmat hai, tabiyat
khafqani.
(Majmo’a-e-azdaad: Motazaad adaat ka hamil. Khafqani: Soudai.)
He is not Iqbal but a strange mixture of opposites he is; treasure of wisdom
is his heart, but enigmatic his temper is.
‫رندي‬ ‫سے بھي آگاہ شريعت سے بھي واقف‬
‫پوچھو‬ ‫جو تصوف کي تو منصور کا ثاني‬
Rindi sey bhi agah shariyat sey bhi waqif, poochho jo tasawwuf ki tuo
Mansoor ka saani.
He knows spiritual freedom as well as the Shari‘ah; regarding tassawuf, he is
second only to Mansoor.* 

693
(*Hussain Bin Mansoor al-Hallaj (ca 858-922): He was born in Baiza in
Persia. He obtained education from Sahl Bin Abd Allah at Tustar, then from
Umar Bin Uthman at Basrah and Junaid al-Baghdadi at Baghdad. After
staying in Hijaz for a year he returned to Baghdad and went to see Junaid al-
Baghdadi in the company of some other Sufis. He put some question to
Junaid to which he did not reply. This offended Mansoor and he left
Baghdad for Tustar. He soon became very famous due to his piety and
knowledge. This made several people jealous, including Umar Bin Uthman.
His opponents mounted a campaign against him and he started losing
popularity. He traveled far and wide for the next five years, including
Khurasan, Transoxiana, Sistan, India, Makkah Mu‘azzamah and Ahwaz,
where he settled down. He soon regained his popularity. However, he had
reached a stage of irfan when people could not understand him and started
acting against him. The main crime attributed to him was his cry of ‘Ana al-
Haq, which was taken to mean ‘I am God’, or ‘I am the Truth’.
This appeared obviously contrary to the Shari‘ah and was considered heretic
by the ulama of the time, including Junaid Baghdadi, who passed the edict
of death against him. He was imprisoned for about a year by the
Khalifah pending his final judgment, which was ultimately given against
him. He was hanged, his body was burnt and the ashes were blown into the
air. Mansoor recited The Holy Qur’an 42: 18 (part), which says, ‘only those
wish to hasten it (the Hour) who believe not in it: those who believe hold it
in awe, and know that it is the Truth’.
The cry of Mansoor has made him perhaps the most controversial figure in
the spiritual history of Islam. The Sufis are divided about the justice of the
edict, but the ulama are unanimous in their opinion on its correctness and
justice. Allamah Iqbal also was against Mansoor… however, more study,
contemplation and meditation convinced him about the correctness of
Mansoor, and he has praised his sincere and ardent Love for God.)
‫اس‬ ‫ نہيں کھلتي‬Ð‫شخص کي ہم پر تو حقيقت‬
‫ہو‬ ‫گا يہ کسي اور ہي اسالم کا باني‬
Iss shakhs ki hum per tuo haqiqat naheen khholti, ho-ga yeh kissi aur he
Islam ka baani.
I am unable to understand his reality; founder of another kind of Islam he
appears to be.’

694
 ‫القصہ‬ ‫بہت طول ديا وعظ کو اپنے‬
‫تا‬ ‫دير رہي آپ کي يہ نغز بياني‬
Alqissah bohat tool diya waiz ko apnay, ta dir rehi aap ki yeh naghaz biyani.
(Naghaz biyani: Khosh goftari.)
In short he prolonged his sermon very much; he long continued this
wonderful speech.
‫اس‬ ‫شہر ميں جو بات ہو اڑ جاتي ہے سب ميں‬
‫ميں‬ ‫نے بھي سني اپنے احبا کي زباني‬
Iss shehar mein jo baat ho orr jaati hai sabb mein, mien ney bhi sonni apnay
ahbaa ki zobani.
Everyone soon hears all happenings in this city; I myself heard it through
my friends in the city.
‫اک‬ ‫دن جو سر راہ ملے حضرت زاہد‬
‫پھر‬ ‫چھڑ گئي باتوں ميں وہي بات پراني‬
Ekk dinn jo sar-e-rah millay hazrat-e-zahid, pher chherr gaeyi baat’on mein
wohi baat porani.
One day as the respected ascetic met me in the street. The old story restarted
during the talk in the street.
، ‫فرمايا‬ ‫شکايت وہ محبت کے سبب تھي‬
‫تھا‬ ‫فرض مرا راہ شريعت کي دکھاني‬
Farmaya, shikayat woh mohabat kay sabab thhi, thha farz mera rah shariyat
ki deikhhani.
He said: ‘That accusation was due to my affection. It was my duty to show
you the path of the Shari‘ah’.
‫ميں‬ ‫نے يہ کہا کوئي گلہ مجھ کو نہيں ہے‬
‫يہ‬ ‫آپ کا حق تھا ز رہ قرب مکاني‬
Mien ney yeh kaha koeyi gillah mojh ko naheen hai, yeh aap ka haq thha ’z-
reh-e-qorb-e-makani.
(Qorb-e-makani: Humsaigi, parrosi hona.)
I said: ‘I have no intention of any complaint at all. It was your right due to
being my neighbour.

695
 ‫خم‬ ‫ہے سر تسليم مرا آپ کے آگے‬
‫پيري‬ ‫ہے تواضع کے سبب ميري جواني‬
Kham hai sar-e-taslim mera aap kay agay, piri hai tawazo’a kay sabab miri
jawani.
I bow my head respectfully before you; my youth is accustomed to respect
for the old.
‫گر‬ ‫آپ کو معلوم نہيں ميري حقيقت‬
‫پيدا‬ ‫نہيں کچھ اس سے قصور ہمہ داني‬
Gar aap ko ma’aloom naheen meyri haqiqat, paida naheen kochh iss sey
qasoor hamah daani.
If you do not know the reality about me; it does not show any lack of
pantology.
‫ميں‬ ‫خود بھي نہيں اپني حقيقت کا شناسا‬
‫گہرا‬ ‫ہے مرے بحر خياالت کا پاني‬
Mien khod bhi naheen apni haqiqat ka shanasa, gehra hai merey behar-e-
khiyalat ka pani.
I myself do not know my reality; very deep is the sea of my thoughts.
‫مجھ‬ ‫ کو ديکھوں‬Ð'‫کو بھي تمنا ہے کہ 'اقبال‬
‫کي‬ ‫اس کي جدائي ميں بہت اشک فشاني‬
Mojh ko bhi tamanna hai keh ‘Iqbal’ ko deikhh’on ki oss ki jodaeyi mein
bohat ashk fashani.
(Ashk fashani: Ansoo bahana.)
Since long I am also longing to see Iqbal; for long I have shed tears in his
separation.
‫اقبال‬ ‫بھي 'اقبال' سے آگاہ نہيں ہے‬
‫کچھ‬ ‫ وہللا نہيں ہے‬، ‫اس ميں تمسخر نہيں‬
Iqbal bhi ‘Iqbal’ sey agah naheen hai, kochh iss mein tamaskhar naheen,
w’Allah naheen hai.
Iqbal also is not acquainted with Iqbal; there is no joke in it, by God he is
not.
(Translated by Dr M A K Khalil)

696
GHAZALEIN
These poetical works have been taken from Part One of Bang-e-Dara.
*****(3)*****
‫عجب‬ ‫واعظ کي دينداري ہے يا رب‬
‫عداوت‬ ‫ہے اسے سارے جہاں سے‬
Ajab waiz ki deendari hai ya-Rabb, adawat hai ossey saarey jah’an sey.
O Lord! Strange is the piety of the preacher: He has animosity towards the
whole world.
‫کوئي‬ ‫اب تک نہ يہ سمجھا کہ انساں‬
‫کہاں‬ ‫ آتا ہے کہاں سے‬،‫جاتا ہے‬
Koeyi abb takk nah yeh samjha keh ins’an, kah’an jata hai, ata hai kah’an
sey.
Nobody has so far understood that Man where he is going, and from where
he has come?
‫وہيں‬ ‫سے رات کو ظلمت ملي ہے‬
‫چمک‬ ‫تارے نے پائي ہے جہاں سے‬
Waheen sey raat ko zolmat mili hai, chamak taray ney paeyi hai jah’an sey.
From the same source has the night obtained darkness from where the star
has obtained brightness.
‫ہم‬ ‫اپني درد مندي کا فسانہ‬
‫سنا‬ ‫کرتے ہيں اپنے رازداں سے‬
Hum apni dardmandi ka fasanah, sona kartey hein apnay raazd’an sey.
The tale of our compassion is always related by our sympathizer.
‫بڑي‬ ‫باريک ہيں واعظ کي چاليں‬
‫لرز‬ ‫جاتا ہے آواز اذاں سے‬
Barri bareek hein waiz ki chalein, larz jata hai awaz-e-az’an sey.
Very subtle are the ways of the preacher; he trembles on hearing the sound
of adhan!
(Translated by Dr M A K Khalil)

697
 *****(11)*****
‫کشادہ‬ ‫دست کرم جب وہ بے نياز کرے‬ 
‫نياز‬ ‫مند نہ کيوں عاجزي پہ ناز کرے‬ 
Koshadah dast-e-karam jabb woh beniaz karey, niazmand nah kiyu’on
a’ajizi peh naaz karey.
When that Beniaz opens His Graceful Hand: Why should the niazmand be
not proud of his humility.
(The words Beniaz and Niazmand are difficult to translate. Literally, they
mean ‘the one without need’ and ‘the needy’ respectively. They are
attributes of God and Man respectively and are used for them. This verse
describes the correct psychology of a real man of God, in that on account of
the boundless Grace and Beneficence of God, the man who is a real devotee
of Him would be proud of his being the needy one. It is so because it is only
in this way that he would deserve the Grace of his Lord. The use of Beniaz
and Niazmand in the same verse is a mark of literary elegance.)
‫بٹھا‬ ‫کے عرش پہ رکھا ہے تو نے اے واعظ‬ 
‫خدا‬ ‫وہ کيا ہے جو بندوں سے احتراز کرے‬ 
Bithha kay arsh peh rakhha hai tou ney ay waiz! Khoda woh kaya hai jo
band’on sey ehtiraaz karey.
(Ehtiraaz: Perhaiz)
You have confined Him to the Arsh, O preacher! What kind of God would
keep away from His people? 
(God is Omni-present and transcends time and space. In that way He is close
to His people. See the Holy Quran 2:186 and 50:16 to cite only a few verses
on this subject.)
‫مري‬ ‫نگاہ ميں وہ رند ہي نہيں ساقي‬ 
‫جو‬ ‫ہوشياري و مستي ميں امتياز کرے‬ 
Meri nigah mein woh rind he naheen saqi, jo hoshiyari-o-musti mein imtiaz
karey.
In my view he is not a rind at all, O cup-bearer, who would distinguish
between ecstasy and lack of it.*
(Rind: A person who has gone so far in the Love of God that he has become
ecstatic and is not able to follow the requirements of the Shari‘h. *As long

698
as a person is consciously aware of being or not being ecstatic he is not a
rind. He becomes a rind only when he loses this consciousness also.)
‫مدام‬ ‫ يہ ساز ہے ايسا‬، ‫گوش بہ دل رہ‬ 
‫جو‬ ‫ہو شکستہ تو پيدا نوائے راز کرے‬ 
Madaam gosh beh dil reh, yeh saaz hai aisa, jo ho shakastah tuo paida
nawa’ey raaz karey.
(Madaam gosh beh dil; Hamaishah dil ki baat per tawajho deyna.)
Always remain very attentive to the heart, this orchestra is such if broken, it
would produce the music of the Secret.
‫کوئي‬ ‫يہ پوچھے کہ واعظ کا کيا بگڑتا ہے‬ 
‫جو‬ ‫بے عمل پہ بھي رحمت وہ بے نياز کرے‬ 
Koeyi yeh poochhay keh waiz ka kaya bigarrta hai, jo be-amal peh bhi
rehmat woh beniaz karey.
Somebody should ask how it hurts the preacher, if God shows His Grace
even to the sinner.
‫سخن‬ ‫ الہي کہاں سے آتا ہے‬، ‫ميں سوز‬ 
‫يہ‬ ‫چيز وہ ہے کہ پتھر کو بھي گداز کرے‬ 
Sakhon mein soz, Elahi kah’an sey ata hai, yeh cheez hai keh pathhar ko bhi
godaaz karey.
O God! From where does poetry acquire its heat? This is a thing with which
even stone would soften.
‫تميز‬ ‫اللہ و گل سے ہے نالہء بلبل‬ 
‫جہاں‬ ‫ميں وانہ کوئي چشم امتياز کرے‬ 
Tamiz-e-lalah-o-gul sey hai nalah-e-bulbul, jah’an mein waa nah koeyi
chashm-e-imtiaz karey.
Nightingale’s lament comes from discrimination between tulip and rose; no
one in the world should open the discriminating eye.
‫غرور‬ ‫زہد نے سکھال ديا ہے واعظ کو‬ 
‫کہ‬ ‫بندگان خدا پر زباں دراز کرے‬ 
Gharoor-e-zuhad ney sikhhla diya hai waiz ko, keh bandgan-e-Khoda per
zob’an daraz karey.

699
The arrogance of piety has taught the preacher to use abusive language to the
people of God.
(Allusion to and sarcasm on the arrogance of the seemingly pious persons
who are so arrogant that they are rude to other people. Really pious people
are not rude and are very modest. Modesty is one of the components of
piety.)
‫ہوا‬ ‫ہو ايسي کہ ہندوستاں سے اے اقبال‬ 
‫اڑا‬ ‫کے مجھ کو غبار رہ حجاز کرے‬
Hawa ho aisi keh Hindust’an sey ay Iqbal orra kay mojh ko ghobar-e-reh-e-
Hijaz karey.
Such wind should blow from India, O Iqbal which would blow me as dust to
Hijaz.
(Translated by Dr M A K Khalil)

Following poetical works are taken from Part Two of Bang-e-Dara.

***** (6) *****
‫مثال‬ ‫ طوف جام کرتے ہيں‬، ‫پرتو مے‬
‫يہي‬ ‫نماز ادا صبح و شام کرتے ہيں‬
Misal-e-pertav-e-maey, touf-e-jaam kartey hein, yehi namaz ada sobh-o-
shaam kartey hein.
(Misal-e-pertav-e-maey: Sharab kay jalway ki tarah.)
We circumambulate the wine-cup like the wine's reflection; we are offering
this prayer from morning till evening.
(Our daily prayers are only ritual in nature. They resemble
circumambulation of the wine-cup rather that of the wine. Similarly our
circumambulation of the Holy Ka'bah does not make us close to God which
the Holy Ka'bah represents.)
‫خصوصيت‬ ‫نہيں کچھ اس ميں اے کليم تري‬
‫شجر‬ ‫حجر بھي خدا سے کالم کرتے ہيں‬,
Khasoosiyat naheen kochh iss mein ay Kalim teri, shajar hajar bhi Khoda
sey kalam kartey hein.
(Shajar, hajar: Darakht aur patthar.)

700
You are not singular in this O Kalim; trees and stones are also talking with
God.
‫نيا‬ ‫جہاں کوئي اے شمع ڈھونڈيے کہ يہاں‬
‫ستم‬ ‫کش تپش ناتمام کرتے ہيں‬
Niya jah’an koeyi ay shama’a dhondi’ey keh yah’an, sitam kash tapash-e-
natamam kartey hein.
O Candle! Search for a new world, because here* we are enduring tyrannies
of the incomplete Love.
(Allusion to the verses of the Holy Qur'an which give this information, e.g.
62:1 and 64:1. This means that the Love of and approach to God is
universally present in the nature of all His creation, even in inanimate
objects.)
‫بھلي‬ ‫ہے ہم نفسو اس چمن ميں خاموشي‬
‫کہ‬  ‫خوشنوائوں کو پابند دام کرتے ہيں‬
Bhali hai hum-nafaso iss chaman mein khamoshi, keh khoshnawa’on ko
paband-e-daam kartey hein.
O Companions! Silence in this garden is good, as the melodious ones are
kept in cages here.
‫غرض‬ ‫نشاط ہے شغل شراب سے جن کي‬
‫حالل‬ ‫چيز کو گويا حرام کرتے ہيں‬
Gharz nishat hai shaghl-e-sharab sey jinn ki, halal cheez ko goaya haraam
kartey hein.
Those whose purpose is pleasure from wine; are changing the lawful into the
unlawful.
(This verse refers to the two kinds of wine. One is the wine of the Love of
God, which is not only lawful but essential for the fulfillment of the
potentials of human life. The other one is the ordinary wine which people
drink for pleasure, which is not only unlawful, but dulls those potentials.)
‫بھال‬ ‫نبھے گي تري ہم سے کيونکر اے واعظ‬
‫کہ‬ ‫ہم تو رسم محبت کو عام کرتے ہيں‬
Bhala nibhay gi teri hum sey kiyu’okar ay waiz, keh hum tuo rasm-e-
mohabat ko aam kartey hein.

701
How can you and we reconcile, O preacher, as we are making the custom of
Love universal!
‫الہي‬ ‫سحر ہے پيران خرقہ پوش ميں کيا‬
‫کہ‬ ‫اک نظر سے جوانوں کو رام کرتے ہيں‬
Elahi seher hai piraan-e-khirqah-posh mein kaya, keh ekk nazar sey
jawan’on ko raam kartey hein.
O God! What magic is concealed in the saints, clad in rags! That they
subdue the youth with a single glance.
‫ميں‬ ‫ان کي محفل عشرت سے کانپ جاتا ہوں‬
‫جو‬ ‫گھر کو پھونک کے دنيا ميں نام کرتے ہيں‬
Mien onn ki mehfil-e-ishrat sey k’anp jata h’on, jo ghhar ko phhonk kay
dunya mein naam kartey hein.
I shudder at the pleasures of their assemblies; who are getting fame by
destroying their homes.
‫ہرے‬ ‫رہو وطن مازني کے ميدانو‬
‫جہاز‬ ‫پر سے تمھيں ہم سالم کرتے ہيں‬
Haray raho watan-e-Maazni kay maidano, jahaz per sey tumhein hum salam
kartey hein.
(Maazni: Italy ka mohib-e-watan rahnoma jissey 1870 mein qiad kar diya
aur woh qiad he mein mur gaya. Yek she’ar ghalibun behari jahaz mein
safar kartey ho’ay Italy kay maidan’on ko deikhhnay per likhhay ga’ey.)
May the meadows of the motherland* be ever flourishing; we are saluting
you from the ship sailing away.
(This expresses Allamah Iqbal's patriotism at the time of his departure from
India. *The word Maazni, however, has been translated differently by
Maulana Ghulam Rasool Mehar as quoted above with Urdu translation.)
‫جو‬ ‫بے نماز کبھي پڑھتے ہيں نماز اقبال‬
‫بال‬ ‫کے دير سے مجھ کو امام کرتے ہيں‬
Jo bey namaz bhi kabhi parrhtey hein namaz Iqbal, bola kay Deir sey mojh
ko imam kartey hein.
When those un-accustomed to prayers* assemble for one, Iqbal; calling me
back from temple they make me their Imam.

702
(*The portion in italics refers to the people who are un-accustomed to
prayers for show. This is sarcasm on the ostentatious people who look down
upon people who do not show off their piety.)
(Translated by Dr M A K Khalil)

In Bal-e-Jibril, Allamah Iqbal also talked about intellectuals and

leaders, in addition to religious leaders, or Mullas and Sufis. To begin with,
three ghazals and a quatrain are reproduced from Part Two of that book.
***** (45) *****
‫رہا‬ ‫نہ حلقہ صوفي ميں سوز مشتاقي‬
‫فسانہ‬ ‫ہائے کرامات رہ گئے باقي‬
Raha nah halqah-e-Sufi mein soz-e-mushtaqi, fasanah-ha’ey karamaat reh
ga’ey baqi.
To Lover’s glowing fire and flame the mystic order has no claim: They don’t
discourse or talk of aught save wonders by their elders wrought.
‫خراب‬ ‫کوشک سلطان و خانقاہ فقير‬
‫فغاں‬ ‫کہ تخت و مصلي کمال زراقي‬
Kharab koshak-e-sultan-o-khanqah-e-faqir, fogh’an! Keh takht-o-mosalla
kamal-e-zarraqi.
(Koshak: Mehal, darbar. Zarraqi: Makr-o-faraib.)
Alas! The throne as well as the mat, alike are full of guile and craft: Both
royal hall and Holy Shrine have lost their essence fine.
‫کرے‬ ‫گي داور محشر کو شرمسار اک روز‬
‫کتاب‬ ‫صوفي و مال کي سادہ اوراقي‬
Karey gi dawar-e-mehshar ko sharamsar ekk roz, kitab-e-Sufi-o-Mulla ki
saadah auraqi. (Dawar-e-mehshar: Roz-e-hisab, qiyamat kay dinn.)
The scrolls of Sufis and mullah may put them to shame on Judgment Day
before the Throne of Judge Supreme for being empty in extreme.
‫نہ‬ ‫ نہ رومي و شامي‬، ‫چيني و عربي وہ‬
‫سما‬ ‫سکا نہ دو عالم ميں مرد آفاقي‬
Nah Chini-o-Arabi woh, nah Rumi-o-Shaami, sama saka nah duo alam mein
mard-e-aafaqi. (Mard-e-aafaqi: Dunya ki nisbat sey azad.)

703
How can this world or next contain the man not bound to one domain? The
East or West is not his home, not tied to Syrian Land or Rome.
‫مے‬ ‫ ليکن‬، ‫شبانہ کي مستي تو ہو چکي‬
‫کھٹک‬ ‫رہا ہے دلوں ميں کرشمہ ساقي‬
Maey shabanah ki musti tuo ho choki, laikan khhattak raha hai dill’on mein
karishmah-e-saqi.
Intoxication due to nightly wine, no doubt, by now, is one decline, but saki’s
glance still pricks the heart, like a swift and piercing dart.
‫چمن‬ ‫ميں تلخ نوائي مري گوارا کر‬
‫کہ‬ ‫زہر بھي کبھي کرتا ہے کار ترياقي‬
Chaman mein talakh nawaeyi meri gawara kar, keh zehar bhi kabhi karta
hai kaar-e-tariyaqi. (Tariyaq: Zehar ki dawa.)
My bitter notes with patience hark, that I utter in this park: Bear it in mind
that passion too oft can work like elixir true.
‫عزيز‬ ‫تر ہے متاع امير و سلطاں سے‬
‫وہ‬ ‫شعر جس ميں ہو بجلي کا سوز و براقي‬
Aziz-ter hai mata’a-e-ameer-o-sult’an sey, woh she’ar jiss mein ho bijli ka
soz-o-barraaqi.
(Barraaqi: Chamak, tabb-o-taab.)
More dear and precious song replete with lightning’s dazzling flash and heat
than coffers full of yellow gold that mighty kings and chiefs do hold.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

***** (56) *****

‫ ہوش کھو‬Ð‫نہ جا اس سحروشام ميں اے صاحب‬
‫اک‬ ‫جہاں اور بھي ہے جس ميں نہ فردا ہے نہ دوش‬
Khho nah ja iss sehar-o-shaam mein ay sahib-e-hosh, ekk jah’an aur bhi hai
jiss mein nah farada hai nah dosh
(Farada: Aaney wala kall. Dosh: Gozra ho’a kall.)
In the maze of eve and morn, O man awake, do not be lost: Another world
there yet exists that has no future or the past.

704
 ‫کس‬ ‫کو معلوم ہے ہنگامہ فردا کا مقام‬
‫مسجد‬  ‫و مکتب و ميخانہ ہيں مدت سے خموش‬
Kiss ko ma’aloom hai hungamah-e-farda ka moqam, masjid-o-maktab-o-
maeykhanah hein moddat sey khamosh.
None knows that tumult’s worth and price which hidden lies in future’s
womb: The mosque, the school and tavern too since long are silent like a
tomb.
‫ميں‬ ‫نے پايا ہے اسے اشک سحر گاہي ميں‬
‫جس‬ ‫در ناب سے خالي ہے صدف کي آغوش‬
Mien ney paya hai ossey ashk-e-sehar gahi mein, jiss durr-e-naab sey khaali
hai sadaf ki aaghosh.
(Ashk-e-sehar gahi: Sobh sawairey Allah ki yaad mein ansoo bahana. Durr-
e-naab: Nayab moti.)
In tears shed at early morn is found the gem unique and best, the gem, whose
like is never held, by mother shell within its breast.
‫نئي‬ ‫تہذيب تکلف کے سوا کچھ بھي نہيں‬
‫چہرہ‬ ‫ گلگونہ فروش‬Ð‫روشن ہو تو کيا حاجت‬
Naeyi tehzeeb takallaf kay sawa kochh bhi naheen, chehrah roshan ho tuo
kaya hajat-e-gulgonah farosh.
(Gulgonah farosh: Obtanan; morad hai sorkhi powder baichney wala.)
The Culture New is nothing else save glamour false and show, indeed: If the
face be fair and bright, rouge vendors aid it does not need.
‫صاحب‬ ‫ساز کو الزم ہے کہ غافل نہ رہے‬
‫گاہے‬ ‫گاہے غلط آہنگ بھي ہوتا ہے سروش‬
Sahib-e-saaz ko lazim hai keh ghafil nah rehey, gahay gahay ghalat aahung
bhi hota hai sarosh.
Much care and caution must he take, who sets the music of a song: For oft
the Voice Unseen inspires such airs as jarring are and wrong.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

705
 ***** (57) *****
‫تھا‬ ‫جہاں مدرسہ شيري و شاہنشاہي‬
‫آج‬ ‫ان خانقہوں ميں ہے فقط روباہي‬
Thha jah’an madrassah sheri-o-shehanshahi, aaj onn khanqah’on mein hai
faqat roobahi. (Roobahi: Loomarri ki khaslat, chalaki.)
The cloisters, once the rearing place of daring men and royal breed, Alas!
Now nothing else impart – to foxy ways they pay much heed.
‫نظر‬ ‫آئي نہ مجھے قافلہ ساالروں ميں‬
‫وہ‬ ‫شباني کہ ہے تمہيد کليم اللہي‬
Nazar aaeyi nah mojhey qaflah salar’on mein woh shabani keh hai tamhid-
e-Kalim-ullahi.
(Shabani: Gallahbani, bhairr bakriy’an chiraney ka kaam.)
The chiefs who lead the caravan train, of that virtue quite are blank, which is
found in shepherd’s task and leads to Moses’ noble rank.
‫لذت‬ ‫نغمہ کہاں مرغ خوش الحاں کے ليے‬
، ‫آہ‬ ‫اس باغ ميں کرتا ہے نفس کوتاہي‬
Lazzat-e-naghmah kah’an morgh-e-khosh alh’an kay leay, aah! Iss bagh
mein karta hai nafas kotahi.
(Morgh-e-khosh alh’an: Khosh awaz parindah.)
How can the birds with voices sweet the thrilling joy of song attain? Alas!
The birds in hostile mead cannot their breath for long sustain.
‫ايک‬ ‫سرمستي و حيرت ہے سراپا تاريک‬
‫ايک‬ ‫سرمستي و حيرت ہے تمام آگاہي‬
Eik sarmusti-o-hairat hai sarapa tareek, eik sarmusti-o-hairat hai tamam
agahi.
One type of rapture and surprise is darkness deep and pitch complete; the
other rapture and surprise with love and knowledge is replete.
‫صفت‬ ‫برق چمکتا ہے مرا فکر بلند‬
‫کہ‬ ‫بھٹکتے نہ پھريں ظلمت شب ميں راہي‬
Sift-e-barq chamakta hai mera fikr-e-boland, keh bhatkatey nah phherein
zulmat-e-shabb mein rahi.

706
(Sift-e-barq: Asmani bijli ki tarah.)
My thoughts sublime that soar aloft, like the flash of lightning, show the
way: Lest travelers in the dark of night should miss the track and go astray.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

QUATRAIN
*****(1)*****
‫رہ‬ ‫و رسم حرم نا محرمانہ‬
‫کليسا‬ ‫کي ادا سوداگرانہ‬
‫تبرک‬ ‫ہے مرا پيراہن چاک‬
‫نہيں‬ ‫اہل جنوں کا يہ زمانہ‬
Reh-o-rasm-e-Haram na mehramanah, Kalisa ki ada soudaagranah.
Tabarakk hai mera perhun-e-chaak, naheen ehl-e-jan’on ka yeh zamanah.
The rituals of the Sanctuary unsanctified! The Church commercialized.
My torn apparel aught to be valued much, for madness has become rare
these days!
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

WORLDS APART
Haal-o-moqam ‫حال ومقام‬
 ‫دل‬ ‫زندہ و بيدار اگر ہو تو بتدريج‬
‫بندے‬ ‫کو عطا کرتے ہيں چشم نگراں اور‬
Dil zindah-o-bidaar agar ho tuo batadreej, banday ko kartay hein chashm-
e-nigr’an aur.
(Haal: Zihani, rohaani aur akhlaqi kaifiyat. Moqam: Darjah, martabah.)
When the heart is enlightened, it is blessed with an inward eye.
‫احوال‬ ‫و مقامات پہ موقوف ہے سب کچھ‬
‫ہر‬ ‫لحظہ ہے سالک کا زماں اور مکاں اور‬
Ahwal-o-moqamat peh mouqoof hai sabb kochh, her lehzah hai salik ka
zam’an aur mak’an aur.

707
(Salik: Rah-e-Haq ka mosafir.)
The initiate has a different level of space and time in each position.
‫الفاظ‬ ‫و معاني ميں تفاوت نہيں ليکن‬
‫مال‬ ‫کي اذاں اور مجاہد کي اذاں اور‬
Alfaz-o-ma’ani mein tafawat naheen laikan, Mulla ki az’an aur Mujahid ki
az’an aur.
(Tafawat: Farq.)
The mullah’s and the crusader’s (mujahid’s) azan, the same in words, are
apart in spirit.
‫پرواز‬ ‫ہے دونوں کي اسي ايک فضا ميں‬
‫کرگس‬ ‫ شاہيں کا جہاں اور‬، ‫کا جہاں اور ہے‬
Pervaaz hai duon’on ki issi eik faza mein, kargis ka jah’an aur hai, shaheen
ka jah’an aur. (Kargis: Giddh.)
The vulture and the eagle soar in the same air, but in worlds apart.
(Translated by Naim Siddiqui)

TO THE PUNJAB PIRS

In this poem Allamah brings out the difference between the real and
fake religious leaders. In first four verses he pays tributes to Hazarat Shaikh
Mojaddid when he visits his grave and the remaining verses are addressed to
Punjabi Pirs. Such Pirs, both from Punjab and Sindh have literally
abandoned the path of their ancestors to ‘plague’ the politics of Pakistan.
 ‫سے‬ ‫پنچاب کے پيرزادوں‬
Punjab kay Pirzaad’on sey
 ‫حاضر‬ ‫ہوا ميں شيخ مجدد کي لحد پر‬
‫وہ‬ ‫خاک کہ ہے زير فلک مطلع انوار‬
Hazir ho’a mein Shaikh Mojaddid ki lehad per, woh khak keh hai zir-e-falak
matla’a-e-anwaar.
(Matla’a-e-anwaar: Noorani tajaliyu’on kay zahoor ki jagah.)
I stood by the Reformer's tomb: that dust whence here below an orient
splendour breaks;

708
  ‫اس‬ ‫خاک کے ذروں سے ہيں شرمندہ ستارے‬
‫اس‬ ‫ اسرار‬Ð‫خاک ميں پوشيدہ ہے وہ صاحب‬
Iss khak kay zarr’on sey hein sharmindah sitarey, iss khak mein poshidah
hai woh sahib-e-asrar.
Dust before whose least speck stars hang their heads, dust shrouding that
high knower of things unknown.
‫گردن‬ ‫نہ جھکي جس کي جہانگير کے آگے‬
‫جس‬ ‫کے نفس گرم سے ہے گرمي احرار‬
Gardan nah jhoki jiss ki Jahangir kay aag’ey, jiss kay nafas-e-garam sey hai
garmi-e-ahrar.
Who to Jehangir would not bend his neck, whose ardent breath fans every
free heart’s ardour?
‫وہ‬ ‫ہند ميں سرمايہء ملت کا نگہباں‬
‫ہللا‬ ‫نے بر وقت کيا جس کو خبردار‬
Woh Hind mein sarmayah-e-Millat ka nigahb’an, Allah ney ber-waqt kaya
jiss ko khabardar.
Whom Allah sent in season to keep watch in India on the treasure-house of
Islam.
‫کي‬ ‫عرض يہ ميں نے کہ عطا فقر ہو مجھ کو‬
‫آنکھيں‬ ‫ و ليکن نہيں بيدار‬، ‫مري بينا ہيں‬
Ki arz yeh mein ney keh atta faqr ho mojh ko, ankhhein meri beina hein,
w’laikan naheen bidaar.
I craved the saints' gift, other-worldliness for my eyes saw, yet dimly.
Answer came:
‫آئي‬ ‫يہ صدا سلسلہء فقر ہوا بند‬
‫ہيں‬ ‫اہل نظر کشور پنجاب سے بيزار‬
Aaeyi yeh sada silsalah-e-faqr ho’a bund, hein ehl-e-nazar kishwar-e-
Punjab sey bizaar.
Closed is the long roll of the saints; this Land of the Five Rivers stinks in
good men's nostrils.

709
 ‫عارف‬ ‫کا ٹھکانا نہيں وہ خطہ کہ جس ميں‬
‫پيدا‬ ‫کلہ فقر سے ہو طرئہ دستار‬
Arif ka thhikana naheen woh khitah keh jiss mein, piada kullah-e-faqr sey ho
torrah-e-dastar.
God's people have no portion in that country where lordly tassel sprouts
from monkish cap.
‫باقي‬ ‫کلہ فقر سے تھا ولولہء حق‬
‫طروں‬  ‫نے چڑھايا نشہء خدمت سرکار‬
Baqi kullah-e-faqr sey thha walwalah-e-Haq, torr’on ney charrhaya
nashah-e-khidmat-e-sarkar.
That cap bred passionate faith, this tassel breeds passion for playing pander
to Government.'
(Translated by V G Kiernan)

MONASTERY
Khanqah ‫خانقاہ‬
‫رمز‬ ‫و ايما اس زمانے کے ليے موزوں نہيں‬
‫اور‬ ‫آتا بھي نہيں مجھ کو سخن سازي کا فن‬
‫ رخصت ہوئے'قم‬، ‫باذن ہللا' کہہ سکتے تھے جو‬
‫خانقاہوں‬  ‫ميں مجاور رہ گئے يا گورکن‬
Ramz-o-eima iss zamaney kay leay mouz’on naheen, aur ata bhi naheen
mojh ko sakhon saazi ka fun.
Qom ‘ba-izan-Allah’ keh saktey thhey jo. rokhsat ho’ay; khanqah’on mein
majawar reh ga’ey ya gorkon.
(Qom ‘ba-izan-Allah: Allah kay hokam sey othh.)
Talking in signs and symbol is not for this age, and I know not the art of
artful sniggers; 
No more are those who said: ‘Rise, in God’s name!’ The ones alive are
sweepers and grave-digger.
(Translated by V G Kiernan)

710
TO THE HEADMASTER
Shaikh-e-Maktab sey ‫شيخ مکتب سے‬
‫شيخ‬ ‫مکتب ہے اک عمارت گر‬
‫جس‬ ‫کي صنعت ہے روح انساني‬
Shaikh-e-maktab hai ekk amarat-gar, jiss ki suna’at hai rooh-e-insani.
The headmaster is an architect whose material is the human soul.
‫نکتہء‬ ‫دلپذير تيرے ليے‬
‫کہہ‬ ‫گيا ہے حکيم قاآني‬
Noktah-e-dilpazir teyrey leay, keh gaya hai Hakim Qa’ani.
(Hakim Qa’ani: Iran ka naamwar sha’er jissey porani Irani sha’eri ka
khatam kaha jata hai.)
A good advice has been left for you by the sage Qa‘ani:
‫پيش‬ ‫خورشيد بر مکش ديوار‬
‫خواہي‬ ‫ار صحن خانہ نوراني‬
‘Paish-e-khurshid ber makash diwar, khwahi a’ar sehan-e-khanah
noorani’.
[‘Agar tou apney ghhar ka sehan roshan rakhhna chahta hai tou aisi diwar
nah bana jo soraj ki roshni ko rouk dey’.]
‘Do not raise a wall against the Sun if you wish the courtyard illuminated.’
(Translate by V G Kiernan)

THE REBELLIOUS DISCIPLE

Baghi Murid ‫باغي مريد‬
‫ہم‬ ‫کو تو ميسر نہيں مٹي کا ديا بھي‬
‫گھر‬ ‫پير کا بجلي کے چراغوں سے ہے روشن‬
Hum ko tuo mayassar naheen matti ka diya bhi, ghhar pir ka bijli kay
chiragh’on sey hai roshan.
I am not blessed even with a kerosene lamp; but the pir’s home is decked
with chandeliers imported.

711
 ‫شہري‬ ‫ مسلمان ہے سادہ‬،‫ دہاتي ہو‬،‫ہو‬
‫مانند‬ ‫بتاں پجتے ہيں کعبے کے برہمن‬
Shehari ho, dehati ho, Mosilman hai sadah, manind-e-bott’an pojjtay hein
Ka’abey kay Brahman.
(Ka’abey kay Brahman: Morad hai khandani Pirzaday – Makhdooms.)
A Muslim is naive, whether urban or rural; and the Brahmins of Kaaba are
worshipped by him like idols.
‫نذرانہ‬ ‫ سود ہے پيران حرم کا‬، ‫نہيں‬
‫ہر‬ ‫خرقہء سالوس کے اندر ہے مہاجن‬
Nazranah naheen, sood hai Piraan-e-Haram ka, her khirqah-e-saloos kay
andar hai mahajan.
(Khirqah-e-saloos: Makar-o-faraib ka labas. Mahajan: Sood ka karobar
karney wala.)
The deceitful holy robes disguise a userer; the offerings he gets, are interest
compounded.
‫ميراث‬ ‫ميں آئي ہے انھيں مسند ارشاد‬
‫زاغوں‬  ‫کے تصرف ميں عقابوں کے نشيمن‬
Miraas mein aeyi hai innhein masnad-e-arshaad, zaagh’on kay tassaraf
mein oqaab’on kay nashiman.
(Zaagh: Kawwa.)
The pontifical throne is theirs by descent; the eagles’ abodes are in the
possession of crows.
(Translate by V G Kiernan)

In Zarb-e-Kalim as well Allamah Iqbal made mention of Mullahs,

Sufis, Pirs and other quakes in the business of religious and spiritual
‘business’.

ADMONITION TO A PHILOSOPHY STRICKEN SAYYAD

 ‫ايک فلسفہ زدہ سيد زادے کے نام‬
Eik Falsafah-zadah Sayyad-zaday kay Naam

712
 ‫تو‬ ‫اپني خودي اگر نہ کھوتا‬
‫زناري‬ ‫برگساں نہ ہوتا‬
Tou apni khodi agar nah khhota, zonnari-e-Bergas’an nah hota,
(Zonnari: Bott parast. Bergas’an (Bergson): France ka naamwar falsafi.)
If your Self had not been debased and lost, Bergson, his spell on you would
not have cast.
 ‫ہيگل‬ ‫کا صدف گہر سے خالي‬
‫ہے‬ ‫اس کا طلسم سب خيالي‬
Hegel* ka sadaf gohar sey khali, hai oss ka talism sabb khayali.
(*Germany ka naamwar falsafi.)
Hegel's shell is quite devoid of gem that gleams, his Talisman merely web of
fancy seems.
‫محکم‬ ‫کيسے ہو زندگاني‬
‫طرح خودي ہو الزماني کس‬
Mohkam kaissey ho zindagani, kis tarah khodi ho la-zamaani.
(La-zamaani: Lazawal.)
Man's need is how this earthly life to brace, he yearns that Self may last
'yond Time and Space.
‫آدم‬ ‫کو ثبات کي طلب ہے‬
‫دستور‬ ‫حيات کي طلب ہے‬
Adam ko sabaat ki talab hai, dastoor-e-hayat ki talab hai.
To have a life steadfast is his desire, he seeks some rules to guide his life
entire.
‫دنيا‬ ‫کي عشا ہو جس سے اشراق‬
‫مومن‬ ‫کي اذاں ندائے آفاق‬
Dunya ki isha ho jiss sey ashraaq, Momin ki az’an nada’ey afaaq.
(Ashraaq: Sobh soraj nikaney kay ba’ad jabb soraj pori tarah sey boland ho
ja’ey.)
The source, that gloom dispels, spreads light around, is Worship Call at
morn with clarion sound.

713
 ‫ميں‬ ‫اصل کا خاص سومناتي‬
‫آبا‬ ‫مرے التي و مناتي‬
Mien asal ka khas Somnati, aba’a merey Laati-o-Manati.
(Laati-o-Manati: Morad hai bott parast.)
I am by breed a pure and trite Somnati, ancestors mine were both Lati and
Manati.
‫تو‬ ‫سيد ہاشمي کي اوالد‬
‫ميري‬ ‫کف خاک برہمن زاد‬
Tou Sayyad-e-Hashami ki aulaad, meyri kaf-e-khak Baraman-zaad.
You hail from Hashemite Prophet's race, my origin from Brahmans I have to
trace.
‫ہے‬ ‫فلسفہ ميرے آب و گل ميں‬
‫پوشيدہ‬ ‫ہے ريشہ ہائے دل ميں‬
Hai falsafah meyrey aab-o-gill mein, poshidah hai raishah-ha’ey dil mein.
Philosophy is my body's essential part; it is rooted deep in fibres of my
heart.
‫اقبال‬ ‫اگرچہ بے ہنر ہے‬
‫اس‬ ‫کي رگ رگ سے باخبر ہے‬
Iqbal agarchih bey honar hai, oss ki rug rug sey ba-khabar hai.
lqbal devoid of skill and craft though be, through every vein of thought can
fully see.
‫شعلہ‬ ‫ہے ترے جنوں کا بے سوز‬
‫سن‬ ‫مجھ سے يہ نکتہ دل افروز‬
Sho’alah hai terey jan’on ka bey soz, sonn mojh sey yeh noktah dil afroz.
(Dil afroz: Dil ko roshan karney wala.)
The frenzy in your breast is shorn of glow, this heart illuming point you
ought to know.
‫انجام‬ ‫خرد ہے بے حضوري‬
‫ہے‬ ‫فلسفہ زندگي سے دوري‬
Anjaam-e-khird hai bey hazoori, hai falsafah zindagi sey doori.

714
Intellect leads a man from God astray; philosophy from grasping facts keeps
away.
‫افکار‬ ‫کے نغمہ ہائے بے صوت‬
‫ہيں‬ ‫ذوق عمل کے واسطے موت‬
Afkaar kay naghma-ha’ey bey sout, hein zouq-e-amal kay waastey mout.
(Bey sout: Awaz kay baghair.)
Dumb strains produced by calm and serious, thought, slay zeal for active life
and achieve not aught.
‫ديں‬ ‫مسلک زندگي کي تقويم‬
‫ديں‬ ‫سر محمد و براہيم‬
Deen maslak-e-zindagi ki taqwim, Deen serr-e-Muhammad (S.A.W.)-o-
Brahim (A.S.)
(Taqwim: Mazbooti.)
True faith and creed give strength to earthly Abraham and Prophets' Seal
guide to face its strife.
‫ دل‬ ‫در سخن محمدي بند‬
‫اے‬ ‫پور علي ز بو علي چند‬
Dil dar sakhon-e-Muhammadi bund, ay por-e-Ali, ’z-Bu Ali chund.
[Tamam saharey chhorr kar dil ko Muhammad (S.A.W,) kay arshadaat sey
wabastah kar deyna chahi’ay, ay Ali ki aulad Bu Ali jaissey falsafah kay
peichhay nah chalna chahi’ey.)
Ali's son, you are deceived by Avicenna's thought, give ears to what the
Holy Prophet taught.
‫چوں‬  ‫ديدہ راہ بيں نداري‬
  ‫قايد قرشي بہ از بخاري‬
  ‫فارسي‬ ‫اشعار حکيم خاقاني کي 'تحفہ العراقين' سے ہيں‬
Ch’on deidah-e-rahbein nadaari, Quaid Qarshi beh az Bokhari.
[Jabb tojhey rastah deikhney waali ankhh mayassr naheen tuo Bokhari kay
baja’ey Quraishi ko apna rahnoma bana leyna he achha hai.]
(Farsi kay ashaar Hakim Khaqani ki ‘Tohfah al-Araqain’ sey hein.)

715
You can not see the path you have to tread, so choose a guide from tribe of
Koraish instead.
(Persian verses are from Khaqani’s ‘Tohfah al-Araqain’.)
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

ONENESS OF GOD
Tawhid ‫توحيد‬
‫زندہ‬ ‫قوت تھي جہاں ميں يہي توحيد کبھي‬
‫آج‬ ‫ فقط اک مسئلہء علم کالم‬،‫کيا ہے‬
Zindah qowwat thhi jah’an mein yehi Tawhid kabhi, aaj kaya hai, faqat ekk
maslah-e-Ilm-ul-Kalam.
(Ilm-ul-Kalam: Woh ilm jiss mein Islami aqa’id ko dalil’on kay zari’ay sey
saabit kiya jata hai.)
There were times when God's oneness was a living force in world of clay:
But subtle points by pedants raised have changed the trend of times today.
‫روشن‬ ‫اس ضو سے اگر ظلمت کردار نہ ہو‬
‫خود‬  ‫مسلماں سے ہے پوشيدہ مسلماں کا مقام‬
Roshan iss zou sey agar zolmat-e-kirdar nah ho, khod Mosilm’an sey hai
poshidah Mosilm’an ka moqam.
(Zou: Roshani.)
If conduct dark is not illumed by means of bright and dazzling glow it means
that rank of Muslim true he himself also does not know.
‫ميں‬ ‫نے اے مير سپہ! تيري سپہ ديکھي ہے‬
‫ کي شمشير سے خالي ہيں نيام قل‬،‫ھو ہللا‬
Mien ney ay mir-e-sepah! Teyri sepah deikhhi hai, ‘qol ho Allah’,* ki
shamshir sey khali hai niyam.
(*Surah akhlas ki taraf asharah hai.)
O Marshal of this great array, I have descried your mighty hordes they don't
repeat ‘Say God is One’, their sheaths devoid of piercing swords.

716
  ‫آہ‬ ‫ نہ فقيہ‬،‫اس راز سے واقف ہے نہ مال‬
‫وحدت‬ ‫افکار کي بے وحدت کردار ہے خام‬
Aah iss raaz sey waqaf hai nah Mulla, nah Faqih, wahdat afkaar ki bey
wahdat-e-kirdar hai Khaam.
The Mullah and Jurist both alas about this fact are not aware; as long as
thoughts are not the same; the ripeness of acts leads nowhere.
‫قوم‬ ‫ قوموں کي امامت کيا ہے‬،‫کيا چيز ہے‬
‫کو کيا سمجھيں يہ بيچارے دو رکعت کے امام اس‬
Quom kaya cheez hai, quom’on ki imamat kaya hai, iss ko kaya samajhein
yeh bicharey duo raka’at kay imam.
The Mullahs who lead prayers brief, don't know a nation's goal and aim.
How can they learn a nation's weight, when things like this they do not
claim?
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

THE MYSTIC
Sufi sey ‫صوفي سے‬
‫تري‬ ‫نگاہ ميں ہے معجزات کي دنيا‬
‫مري‬ ‫نگاہ ميں ہے حادثات کي دنيا‬
Teri nigah mein hai moajzaat ki dunya, meri nigah mein hai hadsaat ki
dunya.
Your eyes are fixed on miracles that amaze, but world of events strange
attracts my gaze.
‫تخيالت‬ ‫ ليکن‬،‫کي دنيا غريب ہے‬
‫غريب‬ ‫تر ہے حيات و ممات کي دنيا‬
Takhiyalat ki dunya gharib hai, laikan gharib-ter hai hayat-o-momat ki
dunya.
(Hayat-o-momat: Zindagi aur mout.)
No doubt, the world of thought is strange and queer, but world of Life and
Death more odd appear.

717
 ‫عجب‬ ‫نہيں کہ بدل دے اسے نگاہ تري‬
‫بال‬ ‫رہي ہے تجھے ممکنات کي دنيا‬
Ajab naheen keh badal dey ossey nigah teri, bola rehi hai tojhey momkinat
ki dunya.
A call to you is sent by World of Chance; perhaps you may transmute it with
your glance.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

MYSTICISM
Tasawwuf ‫تصوف‬
‫يہ‬ ‫ يہ علم الہوتي‬،‫حکمت ملکوتي‬
‫حرم‬ ‫کے درد کا درماں نہيں تو کچھ بھي نہيں‬
Yeh hikmat-e-malakooti, yeh ilm-e-la’hooti, Haram kay dard ka darm’an
naheen tou kochh bhi naheen.
(Malakooti: Farisht’on ki dunya; morad hai pakeezah.)
If angelic art and celestial lore the ills of Muslims can not cure, worthless
they are and of no use, of fact so true you must be sure.
‫يہ‬ ‫ يہ سرور‬، ‫ يہ مراقبے‬، ‫ذکر نيم شبي‬
‫تري‬ ‫خودي کے نگہباں نہيں تو کچھ بھي نہيں‬
Yeh zikr-e-neim shabbi, yeh moraqbay, yeh saroor, teri khodi kay nigahb’an
naheen tuo kochh bhi naheen.
(Zikr-e-neim shabby: Adhi raat ki ibadat.)
Your reveries deep and rapture sweet, your worship at the midst of night, if
fail to keep a watch on Self, are useless quite and have value slight.
‫يہ‬ ‫ جو مہ و پرويں کا کھيلتي ہے شکار‬،‫عقل‬
‫شريک‬ ‫شورش پنہاں نہيں تو کچھ بھي نہيں‬
Yeh aql, jo meh-o-parv’in ka khheilti hai shikar, sharik shorash-e-penh’an
naheen tuo kochh bhi naheen. (Meh-o-parv’in: Chand aur sitarey.)
The intellect can cast its noose on the Pleiades and the Moon if heart is b'reft
of love for God, it is not a worthy gift and boon.

718
 ‫خرد‬ ‫نے کہہ بھي ديا 'الالہ' تو کيا حاصل‬
‫دل‬ ‫و نگاہ مسلماں نہيں تو کچھ بھي نہيں‬
Khird ney keh bhi diya ‘la ilah’ tuo kaya hasil, dil-o-nigah Mosilm’an
naheen tuo kochh bhi naheen.
If wit incites a man to say ‘No God but He’ it brings no gain; it has no worth
at all I think, unless affirmed by heart and brain.
‫عجب‬ ‫نہيں کہ پريشاں ہے گفتگو ميري‬
‫فروغ‬ ‫صبح پريشاں نہيں تو کچھ بھي نہيں‬
 ‫رياض‬ ‫منزل (دولت کدہ سرراس مسعود) بھوپال ميں لکھے گئے‬
Ajab naheen keh parish’an hai goftgoo meyri. farogh-e-sobh-e-parish’an
naheen tuo kochh bhi naheen.
(Riaz Manzil, doulat-kadah sir Raas Masood, Bhopal mein likhhey ga’ey.)
No wonder great that my discourse with distraction unbound is fraught if it
won't spread like rays of morn, it means such talk has value naught.
(Written in Riaz Manzil; residence of Sir Raas Masood, Bhopal.)
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

MUHAMMAD ALI BAB

‫محمد علي باب‬
‫تھي‬ ‫خوب حضور علما باب کي تقرير‬
‫بيچارہ‬ ‫غلط پڑھتا تھا اعراب سموات‬
Thhi khoob hazoor-e-ulema Bab ki taqrir, bicharah ghalat parrhta thha
a’arab-e-samawaat.
(Bab ka naam Muhammad Ali thha aur oss ney Mehdi-e-Ma’ood honay ka
da’awa kiya thha. A’arab: Lafzi ma’ani roshan karna; istilah mein Arabi
kay haroof-e-tahaji ki harkaat; ya’ani zir, zabar, paish.)
Before assembled Muslim priests, Bab made a speech with apt remarks that
fellow could not read aright 'Samawats' with its syntactic marks.

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 ‫اس‬ ‫کي غلطي پر علما تھے متبسم‬
، ‫بوال‬ ‫تمہيں معلوم نہيں ميرے مقامات‬
Oss ki ghalati per ulema thhey motabassam; bola, tumhein ma’aloom
naheen meyrey moqamaat.
The scholars smiled with contempt at stupid error that he made. He said with
courage and aplomb, they knew not his spiritual grade.
‫اب‬ ‫ميري امامت کے تصدق ميں ہيں آزاد‬
‫تھے اعراب ميں قرآن کے آيات محبوس‬
Abb meyri imamat kay tassadaq mein hein azad, mehboos thhey a’arab mein
Qur’an kay ayaat.
The verses of the Holy Book by desinential marks were bound; they were
ransomed and set free for sake of guidance true and sound.
(Translated by Syed Akbar Ali Shah)

TO ELDER OF THE SHRINE

Ay Pir-e-Haram ‫اے پير حرم‬
‫اے‬ ‫پير حرم! رسم و رہ خانقہي چھوڑ‬
‫مقصود‬ ‫سمجھ ميري نوائے سحري کا‬
Ay Pir-e-Haram! Rasm-o-reh khanqehi chhorr, maqsood samajh meyri
nawa’ey sehari ka.
O Shaikh, who tend the Holy Shrine, discard these monkish modes of thine;
grasp what morning songs denote, what aim or end I would promote.
‫ہللا‬ ‫رکھے تيرے جوانوں کو سالمت‬
‫دے‬ ‫ خود نگري کا‬، ‫ان کو سبق خود شکني‬
Allah rakhhey teyrey jawan’on ko salamat, dey onn ko sabaq-e-khod shikni,
khod nigri ka.
(Khod shikni: Apney aap ko torrna; morad hai insan ko gharoor aur
takabar sey pak karna. Khod nigri: Apney aap ko deikhhna; morad hai
apney aap ki pehchan.)
May God preserve the youth you guide, and may they all by Faith abide!
Restraint and order you must teach to shun conceit you ought to preach.

720
 ‫تو‬ ‫ان کو سکھا خارا شگافي کے طريقے‬
‫مغرب‬ ‫نے سکھايا انھيں فن شيشہ گري کا‬
Tou onn ko sikhha khara shigafi kay tariqay, Maghrib ney sikhhaya onnhein
fun shishah gari ka. (Khara shigafi: Sakht pathar mein sorakh karna.)
Those who blow on glass in West have taught the youth repose and rest; let
them imbibe to bear the shocks, and cut the stones and hew the rocks.
‫دل‬ ‫توڑ گئي ان کا دو صديوں کي غالمي‬
‫دارو‬ ‫کوئي سوچ ان کي پريشاں نظري کا‬
Dil torr gaeyi onn ki duo sadiyu’on ki ghulami, daaro koeyi soch onn ki
parish’an nazari ka. (Daaro: Dawa.)
The foreign Yoke that ran for periods long has drained the blood or heart, so
strong. Think of some cure, panacea or aught to bring to end their sight
distraught.
‫کہہ‬ ‫جاتا ہوں ميں زور جنوں ميں ترے اسرار‬
‫کو بھي صلہ دے مري آشفتہ سري کا مجھ‬
Keh jata h’on mein zor-e-jan’on mein terey asrar, mojh ko bhi sillah dey
meri aashoftah sari ka.
In fits of frenzy strong and great of mysteries, God I start to Prate, bestow on
my distracted brain some recompense for this pain. (Translated by Syed
Akbar Ali Shah)

HUSSAIN AHMAD
This is the only poem taken from Armaghan-e-Hijaz, Urdu which was
written by Allamah Iqbal when Jamiyat-e-Ulema Hind opposed the two
nation theory. Maulana Hussain Ahmed Madni was one of the ulema who
opposed the demand of separate homeland of Muslims. He was Shaikh-ul-
Hadis in Deoband and he started delivering speeches in favour of ‘watan’
over religion, it gravely hurt Allamah and he expressed his sentiments in
these line.
‫حسين احمد‬
‫عجم‬ ‫ ورنہ‬،‫ہنوز نداند رموز ديں‬
‫ز‬ ‫ديوبند حسين احمد! ايں چہ بوالعجبي است‬

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Ajam hanoz nadanad ramoz-e-Deen, vernah ’z-Deoband Hussain Ahmad!
Ein chih bu-al-ajabi ast.
[Molk-e-Arab sey bahar ka alaqah abhi takk Deen-e-Islam ki haqiqi ramz ko
naheen pa saka, agar pa choka hota tuo Deoband kay Islami madrassah kay
Husain Ahmad Madni yeh ta’ajab waali baat nah kartey keh millat ka
ta’alaq watan sey hai mazhab sey naheen. Yeh onn kay mo’nh sey kaya
hairan kon baat nikli hai.)
Yet non-Arabs know not the deen’s hid signs, from Devband Ahmad the
man’s odd line.
‫سرود‬ ‫بر سر منبر کہ ملت از وطن است‬
‫چہ‬ ‫بے خبر ز مقام محمد عربي است‬
Sarood ber sar-e-menber keh millat az watan ast, chih bikhabar ’z-
moqam-e-Muhammad Arabi (S.A.W.) ast.
[(Maulana Hussain Ahmad ney) masjid kay menber per khharrey ho kar,
jah’an sey haq ki awaz boland honi chahi’ay, thhi yeh batali taqrir jo
dilkash andaz mein jhoom jhoom kar ki keh Mosilman quom ki quomiyat ki
boniyad watan hai nah keh oss ka Deen ya Tawhid-e-Elahi.)
He sings on pulpit, ‘Nation is known by land’, he queer, knew not land, of
the Prophet Grand.
‫بمصطفي‬ ‫برساں خويش را کہ ديں ہمہ اوست‬
‫اگر‬ ‫ تمام بولہبي است‬، ‫بہ او نرسيدي‬
Ba-Mostafavi bars’an khwaish ra keh Deen hamah oo-st, agar beh oo
naraseidi, tamam Bu-Lahabi ast.
[(Hussain Ahmad aur tamam Mosilan’on ko mokhatib kartey ho’ey) Apney
aap ko Mohammad (S.A.W.) takk po’nhchao; morad hai apni zindagi kay
her sho’abey mein chahey woh khafi ho ya jalli, zahar ho keh batan Qur’an-
o-Sunnat kay zari’ay di’ay ga’ey Nabi (S.A.W.) kay nizam ko paish-e-nazar
rakhho. Agar aisa naheen karo gey aur oss sey hut kar fikr-o-amal ki koeyi
dunya basao gey, tuo chahey woh duniyavi eitibar sey aur zaharan kitni he
dilkash kiyu’on nah ho Abu Lahab ki dunya ho-gi.)
To Mustafa reach, to him belongs deed, if you didn’t reach him, you are Bu
Lahb clean.
(Translated by Q A Kabir)
18th May, 2013

722
 SECTARIAN WAR
Syria is now the hottest front of the ongoing war that aims at
perpetrating death and destruction in the Islamic world. The ‘beauty’ of this
ugly war is that it is being managed by the Crusaders without inducting a
single soldier of their own. It is all done by fanning sectarian militancy in
the targeted country.
As the war lingered into third year it has started affecting the
neighbouring Iraq. There the already existing Shia-Sunni hatred has now
flared up to the dangerous proportions. In the last four days of the period
under review more than hundred Iraqis have been killed in attacks by Sunnis
as well as Shias. ‘Unseen’ forces have been trying to achieve something like
this in Pakistan as well.
Elsewhere around the globe from Philippines and Nigeria and beyond
there has been business as usual. In Egypt, Mohamed Mursi was kept under
pressure constantly by the enlightened segments of the society backed by the
civilized world. In Nigeria, military has launched a major offensive in three
of its states on 17th May against militants of Boko Haram.

NEWS
Far East
Myanmar: On 30th April, Police in central Myanmar fired warning
shots to disperse a crowd after a mosque and shops were attacked in the
latest religious unrest to hit the country. The fighting was sparked in the
small town of Oakkan, around 100km north of Yangon, after a woman
accidentally bumped into a young novice monk and knocked his alms bowl
onto the ground.
On 2nd May, Police in Myanmar, where mobs this week desecrated
mosques and burned homes, said they would charge a Muslim woman for
blasphemy after she apparently collided with a young monk on the street,
sparking the unrest. Win Win Sein and another Muslim woman were
detained by police in Oakkan, around 100 kilometres north of Yangon,
following anti-Muslim attacks that left one dead. Altogether 21 people will
be charged over their involvement in the violence.
On 4th May, two Buddhists were arrested after Muslim shops were
destroyed in northern Kachin State in a new outbreak of religious violence.
But it is the first time similar violence has been reported in the majority-

723
Christian Kachin State, which is also home to a patchwork of ethnic and
religious groups who have found work in the jade and timber industries.
On 14th May, rescuers were searching for 58 missing Rohingya
Muslims whose boat capsized in western Myanmar as they fled a looming
cyclone, as the storm threatened thousands living in makeshift camps. The
boat, which sank after hitting rocks in a coastal waterway on night May 11;
42 people had been rescued.
Bangladesh: On 2nd May, Bangladesh’s war crimes court indicted a
Bangladesh-born British Muslim leader and a US citizen for their alleged
role in the murder of top intellectuals during the 1971 war. Chowdhury
Mueen-Uddin has held positions in a host of top Islamic organizations in his
adopted homeland and was involved in the setting up of the Muslim Council
of Britain.
The London-based former journalist, who denies any wrongdoing,
was a newspaper reporter in the South Asian country. He is accused of being
a leading member of the notorious Al-Badr militia and of the fundamentalist
Jamaat-e-Islami political party. ‘The court has taken into cognizance the
charges of war crimes against Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin and issued a
warrant to arrest him’, International Crimes Tribunal registrar Nasiruddin
Mahmud told AFP.
Mueen-Uddin would face the death penalty if extradited and
convicted. The court also indicted Ashrafuzzaman Khan, a United States
citizen, on the same charges as Mueen-Uddin. Prosecutor Ali told AFP that
Khan, a Dhaka University student leader who is believed now to be in New
York, was ‘chief executor’ for the Al-Badr militia.
On 5th May, hundreds of thousands of Islamists demanding a new
blasphemy law blocked highways and fought running battles with police,
leaving four people dead in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka. Activists from
Hefajat-e-Islam marched along at least six highways, blocking transport
between Dhaka and other cities.
Rioting broke out after police tried to intercept stick-wielding
protesters, most traveling from remote villages, in front of the country's
largest mosque. Trouble then spread to central districts of Dhaka. Live
television footage showed police firing from armoured vehicles at protesters,
who in retaliation went on the rampage, torching vehicles and shops,
attacking government offices and beating policemen with sticks.

724
 Hefajat, a newly created radical Islamist group, is demanding the
death penalty for all those who defame Islam. It said it staged the mass
protest to push a 13-point list of demands, which also include a ban on men
and women mixing freely together and the restoration of pledges to Allah in
the constitution. Hefajat leaders have threatened to launch a campaign to
oust the government unless their demands are met.
Awami League party has accused Hefajat, which draws support from
the country's tens of thousands of Islamic seminaries, of being a pawn of the
opposition, which lent moral support to Sunday's blockade. Hardline
Islamist groups accuse Hasina's government of trying to intimidate the
opposition through a series of trials for war crimes allegedly committed
during the 1971 war of independence.
Next day, Bangladeshi police broke up a protest by tens of thousands
of religious hardliners in the capital and shut down an Islamist television
station after 37 people died in the fiercest street violence for decades.
Hundreds more people were reported injured in running battles as riot police
broke up the rally near a key commercial district in a pre-dawn raid.
Dozens of demonstrators were also arrested, while the leader of the
protests was put on a plane to the second city Chittagong. Hundreds of
bankers, insurance officials and stock market traders had to sleep in their
offices as the sound of gunfire echoed around the Motijheel Commercial
Area through much of the night. Shops and vehicles were set alight while the
roads were littered with rocks that protesters had thrown at police.
The violence erupted yesterday afternoon after police tried to disperse
tens of thousands of Islamists who had blocked major highways in Dhaka.
Police said they used sound grenades, water cannon, tear gas and rubber
bullets to disperse Islamists camped at Motijheel as part of a push for a new
Blasphemy Law.
Police said the number of protesters reached around 200,000 people at
one point although the numbers had dwindled by the early hours. Eight
people were killed in the Kanchpur district on the southeastern outskirts of
Dhaka and at least two people were killed in the southern coastal district of
Bagerhat where police exchanged gunfire with several thousand Islamists.
The main Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which had given
its backing to Hefajat’s Dhaka blockade, accused the government of ‘killing
hundreds of people and concealing the bodies’ but gave no proof. Fearing
further violence, Dhaka police banned all protests as well as the carrying of
firearms until midnight. Bangladesh, an officially secular country with a 90

725
per cent Muslim population, has seen a surge in violence between Islamists
and government forces since the start of the year.
On 8th May, schools and businesses were closed as a nationwide strike
called by Bangladesh’s opposition over the killings of Islamists in a police
crackdown brought large parts of the country to a halt. Dhaka roads and
inter-city motorways were empty as bus and lorry operators suspended their
services. Protesters hurled three small homemade bombs in Dhaka’s Tejgaon
district, but nobody was injured.
According to an AFP tally compiled after talking to police and
medical sources, 38 people have been killed since Sunday afternoon when
police first confronted tens of thousands of Islamists who had blockaded the
capital. The country’s most prominent daily, Prothom Alo, said at least 49
people have died in the clashes, some of the fiercest street violence in
decades.
The London-based rights group Amnesty International has called for
‘an independent and impartial investigation into police use of force’ after it
said its own investigations had found at least 44 people died in the clashes.
‘There is considerable confusion about what really happened, and why the
deaths occurred’, said Polly Truscott, Amnesty’s deputy regional director.
Next day, a war crimes court sentenced a top Bangladeshi Islamist to
death for masterminding the slaughter of at least 120 farmers in 1971 war. A
special tribunal found Mohammad Kamaruzzaman guilty of mass killing,
torture, abduction and crimes against humanity. He would ‘be hanged by the
neck till death’, presiding judge Obaidul Hassan told a packed courtroom in
Dhaka.
The 61-year-old Kamaruzzaman, who is the assistant secretary
general of the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami party, was the fourth person to be
convicted by the much-criticized International Crimes Tribunal and the third
senior politician. As the verdict was announced, he could be heard
condemning it as the ‘wrong judgment’ from his seat in the dock. Previous
verdicts by the tribunal have sparked widespread violence in a country that
has a 90 per cent Muslim population.
Hundreds of secular protesters who had gathered at a central Dhaka
intersection for news of the verdict greeted the announcement with loud
cheers. ‘Because of his heinous role, many people were murdered and many
women were raped’, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told AFP outside
the courthouse. ‘The nation has got justice today.’

726
Mainland Asia
DPRK: On 2nd May, North Korea said it had sentenced a Korean-
American tour operator to 15 years' hard labour for ‘hostile acts’, stoking
tensions with the United States which had pleaded for his release. Pae Jun-
Ho, known in the United States as Kenneth Bae, was arrested in November
as he entered the northeastern port city of Rason. He has been accused of
trying to ‘topple the DPRK’. Several Americans have been held in North
Korea in recent years.
Next day, South Korea withdrew its last remaining workers from a
joint industrial zone of the Kaesong Industrial Zone at risk of permanent
closure due to military tensions. It is the first time that Seoul has pulled out
all its workers from the flagship project since it was opened in 2004,
underscoring the severe deterioration in relations between the two Koreas.
On 18th May, North Korea launched three short-range missiles into the
Sea of Japan, apparently as part of a military drill. The US and South Korean
forces had been on heightened alert for a medium-range ballistic missile test
in recent weeks. South Korea was maintaining intense surveillance of the
North and keeping a high-level of readiness to deal with any risky
developments.
China: ‘On 29th April, China blamed the violence in the western
Chinese region on ‘terrorists’, but rights groups say the charge is used to
justify the authorities' use of force against members of a Muslim minority.
State-run broadcaster CCTV said ‘another group of terrorists has been
arrested’ and police had seized weapons and flags belonging to a separatist
group.
Middle East
Iraq: On 29th April, at least 23 people were killed in Iraq in a series of
car bombs in Shia areas and militant attacks, taking the week’s death toll to
nearly 200 as sectarian violence intensified. Clashes have increased as the
civil war in Syria puts strain on fragile relations between Sunnis and Shias.
The tensions are at their highest in Iraq since US troops pulled out more than
a year ago.
Iraq decided to close a border crossing with Jordan for two days due
to ‘organizational issues’. It is the second time this year that authorities have
ordered the closure of the Traibil border post in Anbar where people have

727
been protesting against Iraq’s Shia-led government since December. The
demonstrations had eased in the past month, but this week’s army raid on a
protest camp in Hawija, near Kirkuk angered the residents and appears to
have given insurgents more momentum.
On 1st May, three bomb attacks in Iraq killed 11 people, including four
anti-Qaeda fighters who died when a suicide bomber struck as they gathered
to collect their salaries. The bomber detonated explosives at a police station
in Fallujah as the militiamen known as Sahwa gathered. The blast killed five
people, including a senior police officer and four Sahwa fighters. It also
wounded 15 other people.
On 3rd May, fighting in northern Iraq killed nine policemen, while a
car bomb targeting worshippers near a Sunni mosque north of Baghdad left
nine people dead. The fighting between police and armed men in took place
in west Mosul and the car bomb exploded in Rashidiyah. The violence came
a day after the United Nations said April was the deadliest month for Iraq in
almost five years.
Next day, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s State of Law coalition
won the most provincial council seats in seven of the 12 provinces that
voted. The vote for provincial councils was the first election held since US
troops withdrew from Iraq and was seen as an important gauge of Maliki’s
popularity ahead of a general election next year.
On 15th May, bombings in Iraq, including a series of blasts mainly
targeting Shia areas of Baghdad, killed at least 25 people and wounded 68.
Car bombs hit Kadhimiyah and Sadr City in north Baghdad, Saidiyah in the
south and Mashtal and Baghdad Jadida in the east, killing at least 10 people
and wounding at least 45, while a roadside bomb in the Zafraniyah area
killed two policemen.
A car bomb in Kirkuk was the deadliest single attack, killing eight
people and wounding another eight. It was followed by a roadside explosion
targeting the Kirkuk police chief’s convoy and by a car bomb nearby, killing
two people and wounding nine between them. In Tarmiyah, north of
Baghdad, a suicide bomber on a motorcycle attacked a police checkpoint,
killing one policeman and wounding four people. Attacks in the northern
city of Mosul killed two policemen and wounded two more.
Next day, a suicide bomber attacked Shia mourners in north Iraq,
killing 12 people, and 13 died in other incidents of violence. Prime Minister
Nuri al-Maliki blamed sectarianism for unrest plaguing the country. The
suicide bomber tried to enter Al-Zahraa Husseiniyah, a Shia place of

728
worship in the city of Kirkuk, where relatives of victims from violence the
day before were receiving condolences. But the attacker was stopped by
police. The bomber then detonated an explosives-rigged belt at the entrance,
killing 12 people and wounding 40.
In Mosul, a suicide bomber driving an explosives-rigged vehicle
killed two soldiers and wounded three, while a car bomb wounded two
police and three civilians. In the capital, car bombs hit the Shia-majority
Kamaliyah, Sadr City and Chikouk areas, killing 10 people and wounding
30. Gunmen also shot dead the brother of a Sunni MP in the Bayaa area of
the capital.
On 17th May, two bombs near a Sunni mosque and another targeting a
Sunni funeral procession killed 49 people in Iraq after two days of attacks
against Shias that killed dozens. The surge in violence raises the spectre of
tit-for-tat killings common during the height of sectarian bloodletting in Iraq
that killed tens of thousands of people, and comes at a time of simmering
tension between the country’s Sunni minority and Shia majority.
One bomb exploded as worshippers were departing the Saria mosque
in the city of Baquba, north of Baghdad, while a second detonated after
people gathered at the scene of the first blast, killing a total of 41 people and
wounding 57. In Madain, south of Baghdad, a roadside bomb exploded near
a funeral procession for a Sunni man, killing eight people and wounding at
least 25 others.
A US soldier convicted of killing five of his colleagues in Iraq in May
2009 was sentenced to life behind bars and dishonorably discharged. Army
Sergeant John Russell was convicted earlier this week over the murders at a
clinic for soldiers suffering from war-related stress at Camp Liberty, the
largest US base in Iraq. Russell, who previously denied responsibility,
admitted the killings last month in a plea deal to escape a death sentence.
Next day, violence in Iraq killed 11 people including a police officer,
while gunmen kidnapped up to 10 people, among them police officials. The
attacks are the latest in a wave of violence that has killed more than 270
people since the beginning of May. The incidents of violence took place in
different areas of Baghdad, Mosul, Basra, Ramadi and Anbar Province.
Palestine: On 28th April, Israeli warplanes launched three strikes on
the Gaza Strip, targeting Palestinian group Islamic Jihad but causing no
casualties. Two air strikes hit the southern town of Khan Yunis, targeting
positions of the Al-Quds Brigade, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad. The third
was near the southern town of Rafah straddling the border with Egypt.

729
 On 8th May, Renowned British physicist Stephen Hawking has pulled
out of a June conference hosted by Israel's Shimon Peres, joining an
academic boycott of the Jewish state, event organizers said. The British
Committee for the Universities of Palestine, which supports the academic
boycott of Israel and opposes its occupation of Palestinian territories, said
Hawking had decided to observe the boycott and as a result had ‘declined his
invitation.’
Police were questioning a top Muslim cleric over a ‘disturbance’ at
Al-Aqsa mosque compound, as Israelis were celebrating Jerusalem Day.
Mufti of Jerusalem Mohammed Hussein was taken from his home by
detectives and was being questioned at a police station ‘on suspicion of
involvement in a disturbance’ that took place a day earlier.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu's arrival on a five-day trip to China overlapped
with a journey by Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas, but the two Middle
Eastern visitors did not meet each other. The Israeli leader was greeted with
full military honours including a 19-gun salute outside the Great Hall of the
People in the capital, and called for closer trade ties between the two nations.
‘Our two peoples are two ancient peoples with a glorious past, a
difficult in-between period, and then soaring into the future’, Netanyahu told
Li. ‘I think Israel can be the perfect junior partner for China in its pursuit of
economic excellence and competitive advantage by offering our
technological capabilities’, he said. No details of the agreements were
immediately available.
Next day, Israel has signed off on plans for nearly 300 new settler
homes near Ramallah, angering the Palestinians who accused the Israeli
government of trying to ‘sabotage’ US moves to rekindle peace talks. The
announcement came just days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
reportedly ordered a freeze on tenders for new West Bank settler homes to
avoid harming efforts by US Secretary of State John Kerry to bring both
sides back to the negotiating table.
On 10th May, China’s President Xi Jinping urged Israeli Prime
Minister to restart peace talks with the Palestinians as soon as possible, days
after he tried to convince Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to revive
discussions. Xi’s comments to Netanyahu and Abbas this week reflect
China’s intent to strengthen its diplomatic role in a region where its
influence has historically been weak. On Monday, Xi floated China’s ‘four-
point proposal’ for peace with Abbas, who was visiting China in the same
week as Netanyahu.

730
 Xi, who took office in March, did not outline any specific proposals
for the resumption of peace talks to Netanyahu, who did not meet Abbas in
China. Netanyahu – the first top Israeli leader to visit China since former
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in 2007 – had met Xi yesterday, part of a five-
day visit to China aimed at boosting bilateral trade with China.
On 15th May, Rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas set a three-
month timetable to form a unity government and organize elections. The
agreement came during a meeting between Fatah’s official in charge of
reconciliation affairs, Azzam al-Ahmed, and his Hamas counterpart Mussa
Abu Marzuq, held at Egyptian security services headquarters in Cairo.
The two movements had signed a reconciliation deal in Cairo in 2011,
pledging to set up an interim consensus government of independents that
would pave the way for legislative and presidential elections within 12
months. But implementation of the accord stalled over the make-up of the
interim government, and a February 2012 deal signed by Abbas and Meshaal
in Doha intended to overcome outstanding differences was opposed by
Hamas members in Gaza.
Meanwhile, protesters clashed with Israeli forces in the West Bank as
thousands of Palestinians commemorated the Nakba – ‘catastrophe’ – of the
Jewish state’s creation in 1948, during which 760,000 Palestinians fled their
homes. Israeli soldiers fired rubber bullets at protesters gathered in front of
Ofer military prison near Ramallah, wounding 15 of them. Demonstrators
pelted soldiers with stones, the army said. In east Jerusalem, police clashed
with demonstrators outside the Old City’s Damascus Gate, three cops were
injured and eight Palestinians arrested.
In Hamas-ruled Gaza, thousands of people gathered in the centre of
Gaza City, holding placards that read ‘We will get back to Palestinian
villages and towns, no matter how long it takes’ and ‘The right of return is
sacred and inalienable’. In Ramallah, where the Palestinian Authority is
based, sirens sounded for 65 seconds, representing the 65 years of the
existence of the state of Israel.
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in a televised speech on said
‘there is no country in the world, including the United States of America,
that denies our right to establish our independent state based on the 1967
borders’ – a reference to land occupied by Israel since the Six Day War. ‘We
are today a number (of people) and a truth that cannot be overlooked’, he
said.

731
 Syria: On 28th April, a ground-to-ground missile was fired on a town
in northern Syria and killed at least four civilians, two of them children.
Damascus denied using Scuds. Elsewhere in Aleppo province, fierce clashes
raged inside the Kwiyres military airport, as rebels tried to seize the facility.
Rebels have set their sights on the Aleppo international airport, along with
the Jarrah, Kwiyres, Minnigh and Nayrab military fields.
In Idlib province, clashes were reported around the Abu al-Dhur
military airport, which rebels have laid siege to for about a month. The
rebels have broken into the airport but they are still on the periphery and are
engaged in violent clashes with soldiers. Yesterday, at least 161 people were
killed throughout the country.
The United States was reported considering possible military choices
ranging from limited one-off missile strikes from ships – one of the less
complicated scenarios – to bolder operations like carving out no-fly safe
zones. One of the most politically unpalatable possibilities envisions sending
tens of thousands of US forces to help secure Syrian chemical weapons.
Obama has so far opposed limited steps, like arming anti-government
rebels, but pressure to deepen US involvement in Syria’s civil war has
grown since White House announcement that President Bashar al-Assad was
likely to use chemical weapons. ‘There’s a lot of analysis to be done before
reaching any major decisions that would push US policy more in the
direction of military options’, a senior US official told Reuters.
Next day, Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi escaped an
assassination bid, surviving a blast against his convoy in Damascus. The
attack came as Republican lawmakers in the United States stepped up calls
for American action after claims Assad's regime used chemical weapons
against its population during its battle against an uprising now in its third
year.
Ban Ki-moon renewed his appeal for unfettered access to Syria for the
United Nations team probing the alleged use of chemical weapons during the
conflict, as he met in New York with the head of the investigation. Ban met
with Åke Sellstrom. Sellström, a Swedish scientist at UN Headquarters, who
was appointed a month ago to head the fact-finding mission.
On 30th April, a bombing in central Damascus killed at least 13 people
and wounded 70 more. Russia banned its civilian planes from Syrian
airspace after the crew of one reported coming under threat over the war-hit
country. Aid organization Oxfam urged the UN Security Council to help

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improve humanitarian access to war-torn Syria, saying more funds are
needed as the ‘catastrophe worsens’.
US President again expressed concerns over the alleged use of
chemical weapons by Syria’s regime in a telephone call with his Russian
counterpart Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, Iran said it regarded the alleged use
of chemical weapons as a ‘red line’, but said Syrian rebels were the main
culprit and not the Damascus government.
Next day, President Bashar al-Assad made a rare public visit to an
electrical plant in central Damascus to mark Labour Day. He praised Syria's
workers, saying they had ‘proven again during the war targeting our country
that they will always be the country's strength and that the attacks targeting
infrastructure will not stop them from pursuing their national duty.’
Meanwhile, Lakhdar Brahimi was on the verge of quitting amid growing
frustration at deadlocked international efforts to end the worsening conflict.
Syria's opposition denounced what it called ‘threats’ by the head of
Hezbollah, and warned against any intervention by the Lebanese Shiite
group or by Iran in the Syrian conflict. Lebanese opposition leader Saad
Hariri also criticized, who accused Hezbollah of ‘leading Lebanon to ruin’
by intervening in Syria. Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah acknowledged
that members of the group are fighting inside Syria and suggested Iran and
other states could intervene to support the Damascus regime against rebels.
On 2nd May, Syrian forces were tightening the noose on rebels holed
up in a key area of the central city of Homs. ‘The Syrian army, supported by
back-up forces and expert officers from Iran and Hezbollah, has taken
control of large parts of the Wadi al-Sayeh district’, said rebels. It was one
of the first cities to join the revolt that began two years ago.
Fierce clashes between troops and rebels erupted for the first time in
a Sunni Muslim village in the Alawite-majority coastal region of Banias in
northwest Syria. One police officer was killed and six other people wounded
after Syrians trying to cross into Turkey randomly opened fire in a border
buffer-zone.
Next day, Syrian troops bombarded areas of the Mediterranean city of
Banias, as Washington said for the first time it was looking at arming rebels.
The opposition National Coalition earlier denounced a ‘large-scale
massacre’ by troops and militiamen in a village near Banias. The Coalition
called on the Arab League and the UN to act rapidly to save the civilians of
Bayda, Banias and other villages. The official SANA news agency said
troops killed ‘terrorists’.

733
 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the UNSC is not
entitled to give the green light for inspections of Syrian refugee camps in
Jordan, seeing it as an attempt to prepare ‘foreign intervention’. Meanwhile,
the family of a US journalist missing in Syria said he is believed to be in the
hands of government intelligence agents at a detention centre near
Damascus.
On 4th May, Israeli warplanes targeted arms stored at Damascus
Airport. CNN said US and Western intelligence agencies were reviewing
information suggesting Israel had launched an overnight air strike. The
United States does not believe Israeli warplanes entered Syrian airspace
during the raid. Lebanon's army said pairs of Israeli planes entered Lebanese
airspace three times on Thursday night and stayed for two to three hours at a
time. NBC cited US officials as saying the primary target was believed to be
a weapons shipment headed for Hezbollah.
A Syrian military source denied the raid had taken place at all, and an
Israeli defence official would say only the Jewish state ‘was following the
situation in Syria and Lebanon, with an emphasis on transferring chemical
weapons and special arms’. But a diplomatic source in Lebanon told AFP
that the operation destroyed surface-to-air missiles recently delivered by
Russia that were being stored at Damascus Airport. If confirmed, the raid
would mark the second time Israel has hit Syria this year after it implicitly
admitted carrying out a January strike on weapons thought to be en route to
Hezbollah.
Amid the speculation, Assad made a rare public appearance at the
unveiling of a monument to students killed in the violence. Meanwhile,
bodies of at least 62 murdered civilians have been found in a Sunni
neighbourhood of the Syrian city of Banias. At least 50 people were killed in
Bayda, many of them in summary executions. Elsewhere, regime forces and
Hezbollah fighters advanced towards the town of Qusayr in central Homs,
with fighting around the area and air strikes on the town killing at least 16
people, 12 of them rebels.
Barack Obama appeared to all but rule out deploying American troops
to Syria. ‘As a general rule, I don't rule things out as commander-in-chief
because circumstances change’, he said in Costa Rica. ‘Having said that, I
do not foresee a scenario in which boots on the ground in Syria – American
boots on the ground in Syria – would not only be good for America but also
would be good for Syria.’

734
 Next day, Israeli strikes hit a military target outside Damascus, the
Jewish state's second reported raid on Syria this week, with residents saying
the attack felt like an earthquake and turned the sky red. A senior Israeli
source said the aerial assault hit Iranian weapons destined for the Lebanese
militant group Hezbollah, which is allied to the Syrian regime. And a
diplomatic source in Beirut told AFP three sites were targeted – a military
facility, a nearby weapons depot and an anti-aircraft unit in Sabura, west of
the capital. The official SANA news agency said Israel had targeted the
military research centre at Jamraya, northwest of Damascus.
‘This new Israeli aggression is a clear attempt to alleviate the pressure
on the armed terrorist groups after our army beat them back in several
regions and after the army's victories on the road to recovering security and
stability in Syria’, SANA said. The Israeli strike ‘opens door to all
possibilities’, said Syria's Information Minister at a press conference
broadcast live on state television.
The Israeli strikes were staunchly condemned by Egypt as a
‘violation’ of international law while the Cairo-based Arab League
demanded UN Security Council intervention to stop such Israeli attacks.
‘This attack proves the direct involvement of the Israeli occupation in the
conspiracy against Syria and its links with terrorist groups in the aggression
supported by Western countries and some Gulf countries’, SANA said of the
latest strike.
Britain warned of the risk to the region posed by the Syrian conflict,
which is now in its third year. ‘These events, and many other events of
recent days, do show increasing danger to the peace of that entire region
from the Syria crisis just getting worse and worse’, British Foreign Secretary
William Hague said. US President Barack Obama, speaking after the first
reported attack this week, said Israel was justified in protecting itself.
Elsewhere in Syria, the regime air strikes were carried out against the
Damascus neighbourhood of Jubar and the rebel-held town of Raqa. UN
Secretary-General expressed his ‘grave concern’ over the Israeli air strikes
in Syria, and called on all sides to exercise restraint. ‘The Secretary-General
urges respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries
in the region, and adherence to all relevant Security Council resolutions.’
On 6th May, it was reported that Israeli air raids on Syria at the
weekend killed at least 42 soldiers; Damascus warned it would strike back.
A Syrian official warned ‘Syria will respond to the Israeli aggression and

735
will choose the moment to do so.’ ‘It might not be immediate because Israel
now is on high alert’, he added. ‘We will wait but we will answer.’
Ban spoke by telephone with Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi,
whose 22-member bloc demanded UN Security Council intervention to stop
such Israeli attacks. The EU also said it feared recent developments ‘risk
dragging the region into an expanding conflict.’ Vladimir Putin held
telephone talks with Netanyahu over the Syrian conflict. China implicitly
criticized the strikes as Netanyahu arrived in Shanghai, saying ‘we are
opposed to the use of force and believe that the sovereignty of any country
should be respected’.
UN human rights investigator Carla del Ponte, meanwhile, said that
rebels have used the deadly nerve. ‘According to the testimonies we have
gathered, the rebels have used chemical weapons, making use of sarin gas’,
the former UN war crimes prosecutor said in a Swiss radio interview.
However, inspectors later said there was no conclusive proof as yet.
Next day, US Secretary of State John Kerry sought to narrow
differences over the conflict in Syria with President Vladimir Putin, urging
the Russian strongman to find common ground to help end the bloodshed.
Kerry was on his first trip to Russia since taking over as the chief US
diplomat. ‘The United States really believes that we share some very
significant common interests with respect to Syria’, Kerry told Putin at the
start of talks in the Kremlin. He cited these interests as ‘stability in the
region, not letting extremists create problems in the region and elsewhere’.
‘I think it’s very important that our key ministries and institutions,
including the foreign ministry, cooperate in finding solutions to the most
topical and relevant issues of the day’, Putin told Kerry. ‘I’m really happy to
see you because it offers the chance to discuss in person issues that we
believe are difficult’, Putin added. Turkish Prime Minister branded Israel’s
air raids in Syria ‘unacceptable’ but called again on the international
community to act over killings by regime forces. Iranian Foreign is to arrive
in Damascus for a previously unannounced visit.
Armed fighters in the Golan Heights abducted four Filipino UN
peace-keepers, the second seizure in two months. In a Facebook posting, the
‘Yarmuk Martyrs Brigade’ rebel group said they had taken the four
peacekeepers for their own safety because of fierce fighting in the area. The
Yarmuk Martyrs Brigade said it staged ‘an operation to secure and protect
United Nations forces in Wadi Yarmuk in the area between Syria and the
occupied Golan Heights.’

736
 On 8th May, the United Nations pulled peacekeepers back from an
observation post in the Golan Heights ceasefire zone where four Philippine
troops were abducted by Syrian rebels. The move came as countries which
contribute troops to the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF)
expressed renewed concern about security in the zone between Israel and
war-stricken Syria.
Fresh from a marathon day of diplomacy in Moscow at which he
agreed with Russian leaders to organize a conference seeking to end the
bloodshed in Syria, US Secretary of State John Kerry met for talks with
Israeli peace negotiators. Kerry is due to hold talks with Jordanian Foreign
Minister Nasser Judeh on both Syria, and Jordan's role in the peace process.
During meetings in Moscow, Russian FM Sergei Lavrov and Kerry said they
hoped the conference could be held by the end of May to build on the
Geneva accord agreed by world powers last June for a peaceful solution in
Syria.
Syria's main opposition National Coalition however shot back that any
political settlement must start with Assad's departure. ‘The National
Coalition welcomes all international efforts which call for a solution to
achieve the aspirations of the Syrian people and their hope for a democratic
state, so long as they begin with the departure of Bashar al-Assad and his
regime’, the umbrella group said.
On the battlefront, the leader of the powerful jihadist rebel force, Al-
Nusra Front, was wounded by army bombing near the Syrian capital. Abu
Mohammed al-Jawlani was wounded with other members of his group in
southern Damascus province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
said.
Next day, Syria welcomed a US-Russian initiative to find a political
solution to its conflict, counting on ally Moscow to stand firm, even as
Washington said President Bashar al-Assad would have to step down. US
Secretary John Kerry, who announced the initiative earlier this week, said
the embattled president would have to step down as part of the resolution to
the conflict. ‘Syria welcomes the US-Russian rapprochement’, the Syrian
foreign ministry said in a statement.
‘It is confident that the Russian position, which is based on the
principles of the UN Charter and international law, will not change’, it said.
‘Only the Syrian people will decide on their future and the constitutional
system of their country, with no foreign interference’, the ministry added.
Meanwhile, unveiled $100 million in additional US humanitarian aid for

737
Syrian refugees, almost half of which will go to help Jordan cope with a tide
of people fleeing the 26-month war.
On 10th May, British PM David Cameron and Russian President
Vladimir Putin sought to forge a joint approach to the crisis in Syria, as a
row over Moscow’s weapons deliveries to Damascus showed up the
divisions between the Kremlin and the West. Cameron’s rare call on Putin at
his summer vacation residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi came three
days after top US and Russian diplomats agreed to make a joint effort in
search of a solution. But in Warsaw, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
confirmed that Russia was continuing to fulfill contracts by delivering
military hardware to Bashar al-Assad’s regime in defiance of calls for a
freeze.
US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said that the problems that plague
the Middle East, including Iran’s nuclear ambitions and Syria’s civil war,
require ‘political, not military’ solutions. Saying the ‘old order’ was
vanishing in the region, Hagel stressed in a speech that the United States
would work to promote democratic reform while bearing in mind the
‘limitations’ of American power.
Arab uprisings had shaken the established political landscape in the
Middle East, he said. ‘The old order in the Middle East is disappearing, and
what will replace it remains unknown. There will continue to be instability
in the region as this process plays out and we all must adjust accordingly.’
Prospects for stability in the longer run would hinge on the outcome of
political transitions in Egypt, Libya and Syria, he said.
On 12th May, former US defense secretary Robert Gates warned that
deepening US military involvement in Syria's civil war would be a
‘mistake’, warning the outcome would be unpredictable and messy. Gates'
comments on Syria come amid debate in Washington over whether to step
up military support for rebels fighting the regime of President Bashar al-
Assad, even as the administration attempts a new peace initiative with
Russia.
Next day, the United States and Britain pledged to forge ahead with
diplomatic efforts to end the civil war in Syria, saying they had found
common ground with Russia on how to proceed. US President Barack
Obama and British PM David Cameron vowed to increase pressure on the
regime of Assad and insisted that he could not be part of a democratic
transition.

738
 ‘Syria’s history is being written in the blood of her people, and it is
happening on our watch’, Cameron told a joint press conference with Obama
after they held about 90 minutes of talks in the White House. ‘The world
urgently needs to come together to bring the killing to an end. None of us
have any interest in seeing more lives lost, in seeing chemical weapons
used.’
Obama agreed, saying Russia had an ‘interest as well as an obligation’
to work on resolving the crisis. ‘If in fact we can broker a peaceful political
transition that leads not only to Assad’s departure but a state in Syria that is
still intact...and that ends the bloodshed, stabilizes the situation, that’s not
just going to be good for us – that will be good for everybody’, the US
leader said.
On 14th May, Human Rights Watch and the Syrian opposition
National Coalition have condemned a gruesome video apparently showing a
Syrian rebel fighter cutting out the heart of a regime soldier and eating it.
The National Coalition said: ‘The Syrian Coalition strongly condemns this
act – if it is revealed to be true. The Coalition stresses that such an act
contradicts the morals of the Syrian people, as well as the values and
principles of the Free Syrian Army.’
‘It is not enough for Syria’s opposition to condemn such behaviour or
blame it on violence by the government’, said Nadim Houry, Middle East
deputy director at Human Rights Watch. In the video, a man identified as
Abu Sakkar, an alleged commander of the Omar al-Farouq al-Mustakila
brigade, is shown standing over the body of a uniformed soldier. ‘We swear
to God we will eat your hearts and livers’, he says as he cuts out the heart.
‘We are the heroes of Baba Amr’, he says, referring to a rebel
stronghold of the central city of Homs that has been flattened by President
Bashar al-Assad’s forces. The man then stands up, raises his dagger in one
hand and the heart in the other and raises it to his mouth before the video
abruptly ends.
Next day, the rebel Free Syrian Army pledged to punish atrocities
amid outrage over a video showing the mutilation of a corpse. Investigations
would also be held into whether the rebel in the video is a member of the
FSA or not, it said. The man in the video, Khalid al-Hamad, defended his
actions in an interview with Time Magazine, saying he was driven to them
by footage on the dead soldier’s phone showing him ‘humiliating’ a naked
women and her two daughters.

739
 The gruesome incident raised new fears about the potential for grisly
sectarian violence in Syria. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights reported that three captured army officers had been
summarily executed in the northern city of Raqa by fighters of an Islamist
group, Al-Nusra Front.
Amid the turmoil on the ground, efforts continued to push for talks on
a political solution to the conflict. John Kerry urged Syria’s president not to
squander the opportunity to come to the table for negotiations, insisting
‘enormous plans are being laid’. But while Kerry said Russia had informed
him that Syria has already chosen envoys for the conference, Syrian officials
insisted that Assad’s departure – a key opposition demand – was not on the
table.
Lavrov called on the Syrian opposition to support Moscow and
Washington in their efforts to work towards convening the peace conference.
‘It is important for all participants to express articulate support for the
Russian-US initiative to implement the Geneva communiqué’, Lavrov was
quoted as saying in the Swedish town of Kiruna.
On the home front, the Internet blackout was caused by a fault with a
fibre-optic cable. The outage was also reported by Google, which showed a
drop-off in Internet service. Syrian troops backed by tanks and warplanes
fought to repel the attack on the central prison in Aleppo after rebels blew up
its walls in suicide car bombings. Around 4,000 prisoners including
Islamists and common law criminals are held in the prison on the outskirts
of the northern city.
On 16th May, Pakistan voted for an Arab-backed resolution under
which the UN General Assembly called on the involved parties to work
together for a political transition in Syria to end the 2-year-old conflict. The
Qatari-drafted resolution was adopted by a vote of 107 countries in favour,
12 against, with 59 abstaining. Russia, China and Iran voted against the
measure, along with several Latin American countries. Among South Asian
countries, apart from Pakistan, Maldives supported the resolution. India,
Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan abstained. 
The resolution welcomes the establishment of the Syrian National
Coalition, the main opposition group, ‘as effective interlocutors needed for a
political transition’ and notes ‘wide international acknowledgment’ that the
group is the legitimate representative of the Syrian people. It also strongly
condemns President Bashar Assad’s regime for its escalating use of heavy
weapons and ‘gross violations’ of human rights.

740
 The Arab group decided to seek approval of a wide-ranging resolution
on Syria in the General Assembly, where there are no vetoes, to reflect
international dismay at the increasing death toll, now more than 70,000, and
the failure to end the more than two-year-old conflict. General Assembly
resolutions aren’t legally binding, but express the political will of the
international community.
Russia’s deputy ambassador, called the resolution ‘very harmful and
destructive.’ He said it is aimed at pushing an attempt to replace the official
government of Syria and can only be seen as an encouragement to the rebels
to keep fighting. He said ‘the resolution seeks to blame only the
government’ and ignores terrorist activities that have left hundreds of
civilians dead.
President Barack Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan vowed to crank up pressure on Syria’s President, but offered no
concrete new measures to do so. Obama warned there was no ‘magic
formula’ to force Assad to leave power, as both the United States and
Turkey want, but said he hoped a conference that Washington is organizing
with Russia next month would be successful. Erdogan said US and Turkish
goals overlapped.
Meanwhile, director of the CIA arrived in Israel on a surprise visit to
discuss the situation in Syria. The CIA chief went straight into a meeting in
Tel Aviv with Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon, who reaffirmed during the
talks that Israel ‘will not permit the transfer of weapons’ from Syria to
Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister met Russian President. Putin warned against
any moves that would further destabilize the situation in Syria. ‘In this
crucial period it is especially important to avoid any moves that can shake
the situation’, Putin was quoted as saying. Netanyahu had been expected to
warn Putin against delivering advanced S-300 missiles to Syria, which
would severely complicate any future air attacks against Assad’s regime.
Next day, UN chief Ban Ki-moon and Russia agreed that a peace
conference on Syria should be held ‘as soon as possible’, even as Moscow
defied growing global pressure over its arms supplies to the Damascus
regime. But Lavrov still cautioned that it was too early to name the date of
the Geneva meeting – now expected for the first half of June – because the
actual makeup of the Syrian delegations had not yet been set.
The new talks are meant to include both the fiercest rebels and
members of the regime – a difficulty considering some opposition members'

741
refusal to recognize Assad as a negotiating partner. Moscow is also calling
for the inclusion on this occasion of its trading partner Iran and US ally
Saudi Arabia as a counterweight. Putin later told Ban that he expected the
United Nations to play the decisive role in this and all other international
disputes.
The United States imposed a fresh round of sanctions on Syria,
targeting four ministers, one airline and one TV station, just as a new peace
conference is being planned to end the 27-month conflict in the Middle East
country. The Department of Treasury blacklisted the ministers of defence,
health, industry and justice, the government-owned Syrian Arab Airlines and
Al-Dunya Television, a privately owned 24-hour satellite channel. The
airline was accused of transporting weaponry on behalf of Iran's Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force to the Syrian government in its
battle against the opposition forces.
Ban stressed that it was ‘very important’ that an investigation was
conducted into the chemical weapons claims. He added that a UN team
could be ready to enter Syria within ‘24-48 hours’ of having received
permission from Assad. Meanwhile, more than 1.5 million Syrians have fled
their conflict-ravaged homeland, the UN's refugee agency said.
Turkey: On 12th May, Turkey said it has arrested nine people over the
twin car bombings that left at least 46 people dead in a Turkish town near
the Syrian border, as Damascus rejected allegations that it was behind the
attack. Cranes were seen lifting debris from buildings destroyed by
yesterday’s blasts in Reyhanli, a major Turkish hub for Syrian refugees and
rebels. The attacks were the deadliest to hit Turkey since the Syria conflict
began two years ago and apparently provoked backlash against Syrian
refugees as dozens of cars were wrecked by crowds.
The Reyhanli blasts have raised fears that Turkey has been drawn into
the Syrian conflict. Turkey’s Milliyet newspaper, wrote: ‘Turkey seems to
be sinking into the Syrian swamp... It has become a stakeholder in this civil
war by directly supporting the opposition.’ Turkey’s Interior Minister said:
‘We have identified those who organized it, those who carried out
recognition (efforts), those who placed the vehicles’. Syria rejected claims
that it was behind the attack. ‘Syria did not commit and would never commit
such an act because our values would not allow that’, Information Minister
told a press conference.
The West swiftly denounced the attacks. French President condemned
them ‘in the strongest possible terms’ while UN leader Ban Ki-moon said

742
the perpetrators must be ‘brought to justice’. US Secretary of State John
Kerry also condemned the ‘awful news’ and said it struck ‘an especially
personal note for all of us given how closely we work in partnership with
Turkey, and how many times Turkey’s been a vital interlocutor at the centre
of my work as secretary of state these last three months’. 
Meanwhile, the Syrian opposition National Coalition said the attacks
were designed to drive a wedge between Turks and Syrians and echoed
Ankara’s claims that supporters of Assad were behind the carnage. ‘What
happened in Reyhanli... proves the extent of this murderous regime’s
criminality, and of the danger it poses to its neighbours, peace and stability
in the region’, the SNC said.
On 14th May, Turkish Prime Minister firmly rejected a Syrian
proposal to hold a joint probe over a twin car bomb attack that killed 51
people. ‘The administration in power in Damascus is illegal...how can we
recognize a structure that isn’t even recognized by its own citizens’, Erdogan
told reporters before leaving for a meeting with US President in Washington.
Yemen: On 8th May, suspected al-Qaeda gunmen shot dead three air
force generals from a strategic south Yemen air base used by US soldiers
last year to train local forces in combating terrorism. The ministry said that
the officers were met ‘by a barrage of gunfire from two men on a
motorbike’. It identified them as three of the ‘most qualified pilots’ –
General Mohsen al-Meqdad, General Nasser al-Ban, and General Talal
Shehab. The military official said that two gunmen carried out the attack
using Kalashnikov assault rifles.
Africa
Nigeria: On 4th May, it was reported that thirty-nine people were
killed while 30 others were seriously injured in clashes between Christian
and Muslim mobs in central Nigeria's Taraba state yesterday. Authorities
imposed a curfew in the area following the bloody clashes. Local residents
said the violence erupted when the funeral procession of a traditional chief
from the predominantly Christian Jukun ethnic group marched through a
Muslim neighbourhood chanting slogans, which Muslims viewed as an act
of provocation.
On 9th May, gunmen from a shadowy cult ambushed a group of police
officers in central Nigeria, killing 23 of them and then setting fire to their
bodies. ‘A detachment of 60 police... came under attack from members of
Ombatse cult in an ambush’, Nassarawa state police chief said. Nassarawa

743
roughly falls on the dividing line between Nigeria's mostly Christian south
and predominately Muslim north. One of the state's major ethnic groups, the
Eggon, is divided between the two faiths, but also has a history of links to
pagan movements.
On 17th May, Nigeria’s military attacked Boko Haram Islamist
strongholds across the northeast, launching air strikes on insurgent camps,
with dozens of militants killed in the fighting. Several thousand soldiers
spread across three northeastern states where President Goodluck Jonathan
imposed a state of emergency after Boko Haram seized territory and
declared war against the government.
Forces have also been deployed to seal some of the region’s porous
borders and block the insurgents from fleeing, according to residents. There
have been air strikes since May 15. Many have warned that there is a risk of
high civilian deaths and Nigeria’s military has been accused of massive
rights violations in the past, including indiscriminate attacks on civilians.
The operation is the largest against Boko Haram since 2009, when
soldiers flooded Borno’s capital Maiduguri, killing more than 800 people
and forcing the insurgents underground for a year. In the town of Gamburu
Ngala on the border with Cameroon in northern Borno, residents said that
heavily armed troops and tanks arrived, sealing off previously unmanned
border posts.
Soldiers have surrounded the town of Krenuwa in Marte district, also
in northern Borno, one of the areas where Boko Haram took power, chased
away all government officials and removed Nigerian flags. Anyone who
tries to leave Krenuwa is screened by the soldiers who encircled the town.
Libya: On 28th April, gunmen surrounded Libya’s foreign ministry
demanding it be ‘cleansed of agents’ and ambassadors of ousted dictator
Moamer Kadhafi. Around 30 vehicles, some mounted with anti-aircraft
guns, and dozens of armed men surrounded the office. The official criticized
the group’s ‘extremely offensive’ behaviour, even if their demands were
‘legitimate’.
On 6th May, gunmen in Tripoli kept up their siege of ministries despite
the adoption of a law to purge Gaddafi-era officials from their posts, with
some demanding the government’s resignation. Different groups at the
justice and foreign ministries, however, failed to reach a shared position on
their new demands or their reasons for pressing the siege.

744
 On 13th May, a powerful car bomb exploded near a hospital in the
Libyan city of Benghazi, killing and wounding dozens in what officials said
was the first such attack on civilians since Moammar Gaddafi’s ouster.
Officials gave contradicting death tolls, however, as information trickled in
about the devastating bombing which destroyed a restaurant and damaged
cars and buildings near Al-Jala hospital in the centre of Benghazi. Deputy
Interior Minister said 15 people were killed and another 30 wounded in the
attack.
On 18th May, a bomb exploded in a Tripoli street housing the
Algerian, Greek and Saudi embassies, lightly damaging a car, hours after a
soldier was wounded in a bombing in Libya's second city Benghazi. A
homemade bomb had been placed near a car on a street in the central district
of Dahra. The car, parked outside the Greek embassy, was slightly damaged.
Egypt: On 11th May, former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak
appeared in court to face a new trial for complicity in the murder of
hundreds of protesters during the 2011 uprising, as well as for corruption.
The 85-year-old Mubarak, who was taken into court in a wheelchair is on
trial along with his former interior minister, Habib al-Adly, and six security
chiefs. He also faces corruption charges with his two sons, Alaa and Gamal.
On 18th May, demonstrators calling for Egypt's Islamist President
Mohamed Mursi to resign and demanding early elections clashed with riot
police in Cairo. Hundreds of people had marched on Cairo's Tahrir Square
for the protest, called by a number of opposition groups. The demonstrators,
most of them teenagers, threw molotov cocktails at the police who replied
with volleys of tear gas canisters, but there were no casualties.
Somalia: On 2nd May, a UN report said that almost 260,000 people,
half of them young children, died of hunger during the last famine in
Somalia, while admitting it should have done more to prevent the tragedy.
The toll is much higher than was feared at the time of the 2010-2012 food
crisis in the troubled Horn of Africa country and also exceeds the 220,000
who starved to death in the 1992 famine. Somalia was the hardest hit by
extreme drought in 2011 that affected over 13 million people across the
Horn of Africa.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and British Prime Minister
David Cameron will co-host a conference in London to discuss how the
international community can support Somalia's progress. More than 50
countries and organizations are due to take part. British international
development secretary Justine Greening said the report was a ‘sobering

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reminder that Somalia's famine was one of the worst disasters of recent
times’, adding it would give impetus to efforts at the conference to support
the rebuilding of the country.
On 5th May, at least 11 people were killed in Somalia's capital when a
suicide attacker from the al-Qaeda linked Shebab insurgents rammed a car
laden with explosives into a convoy carrying officials from Qatar. Four
government officials visiting from Qatar were traveling in armoured vehicles
belonging to the interior ministry when the convoy was attacked, but visitors
remained unharmed. A second bomb hidden by the roadside and remotely
detonated was set off around the same time in the Daynille district of
Mogadishu targeting passing security forces.
A force of some 17,000 African Union troops are fighting alongside
Somali government forces against the Shebab, forcing them from a series of
key towns. The AU force has played a key role in propping up the
government, viewed by many as the first credible administration in the
lawless country since the fall of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.
America: On 28th April, the US media reported that Russian
authorities secretly recorded one of the Boston bombing suspects discussing
‘jihad’ with his mother, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, in 2011 but failed to alert US
security agencies. US officials were told for the first time this week that two
calls of note were discovered when the Russian internal security service, the
RSB, were bugging calls at the Tsarnaevs family home in Dagestan. It also
picked up a phone call between Zubeidat Tsarnaeva and a man under FBI
investigation living in Southern Russia.
Both sons appear to have had a close relationship with their mother.
Just before his death Tamerlan Tsarnaev made a final call to her saying:
‘Mama I love you.’ She was intending to travel with her husband to the US
last week but both delayed those plans. Zubeidat Tsarnaeva said any
suggestion she has links to terrorist activity are ‘lies and hypocrisy’. On 1 st
May, three more suspects were arrested in the Boston Marathon bombings
investigation, but did not give more details.

VIEWS
Iraq
Iraq, Syria and the death of the modern Middle East: ‘As Syria
continues its descent into an anarchic civil war and Iraq is increasingly

746
ravaged by sectarian infighting, a terrifying vision of the future of the
Middle East is increasingly coming into view. In his 2008 book ‘Israel and
the Clash of Civilizations’, the veteran British journalist, Jonathan Cook,
cites a 1982 policy paper by former Israeli foreign ministry official Oded
Yinon which seems to presciently forecast the monumental events gripping
the region today:
‘The total disintegration of Lebanon into five regional localized
governments is the precedent for the entire Arab world… Iraq can be
divided on regional and sectarian lines just like Syria in the Ottoman era.
There will be three states in the three major cities.’
The Sykes-Picot Agreement – which divided the Ottoman Empire
after World War I and created the Middle East as we know it – is today
violently breaking apart in front of the eyes of the world. The countries of
Syria and Iraq; formerly unified Arab states formed after the defeat of their
former Ottoman rulers, exist today only in name. In their place what appears
most likely to come into existence – after the bloodshed subsides – are
small, ethnically and religiously homogenous statelets: weak and easily
manipulated, where their progenitors at their peaks were robustly
independent powers.
Such states, divided upon sectarian lines, would be politically pliable,
isolated and enfeebled, and thus utterly incapable of offering a meaningful
defence against foreign interventionism in the region. Given the implications
for the Middle East, where overt foreign aggression has been a consistent
theme for decades, there is reason to believe that this state of affairs has been
consciously engineered.
Away from the focus of major news media – numbed as it has become
to stories of unconscionable Iraqi suffering – Iraq this past April recorded its
deadliest month in five years, with over 700 killed in sectarian violence
throughout the country. Describing the aftermath of a deadly car bombing in
his neighbourhood, school teacher Ibrahim Ali gave voice to the dread and
foreboding felt by many Iraqis for their country:
The unacknowledged truth behind the past decade of bloodletting in
Iraq is that the country itself effectively ceased to exist after the 2003 US
invasion. The northern province of Iraqi Kurdistan is today an independent
country in all but name and is increasingly moving towards formal
recognition of this fact – while Sunni and Shia Iraqis have come to see
themselves more as distinct entities than as part of a cohesive nation. Iraqi
Sunnis, a once-empowered minority, have taken up arms in recent months

747
against the Shia-dominated government of Nouri al-Maliki and have staked
their terms in a manner which acknowledges the irredeemable nature of a
continued Iraqi state.
There is evidence to suggest that this state of affairs was not an
unintended consequence of the 2003 invasion. The American architects of
the Iraq War – while couching their justifications for war in the rhetoric of
liberation – had for years previously openly acknowledged and predicted
that an invasion would result in the death of Iraq as a cohesive state. In a
follow-up to their 1996 policy paper ‘A Clean Break: A New Strategy for
Securing the Realm’ – a report published by leading neoconservative
intellectuals, including Richard Perle, Douglas Feith and David Wurmser,
which advocated a radical reshaping of the Middle East using American
military power – the report’s authors acknowledged the inevitability of
Iraq’s demise post-invasion.
Predicting that after violently deposing the country’s government:
‘[Iraq]… would be ripped apart by the politics of warlords, thieves, clans,
sects and key families’ – the same individuals would nonetheless become
the leading advocates of just such an invasion. The post-invasion decisions
by the occupying authority to dissolve the army, patronize sectarian militias
and death squads and destroy Iraq’s civilian infrastructure viewed in this
light are far more comprehensible. The chaos which has enveloped the
country since 2003 has not been an unintended consequence, but rather the
one which was predicted years earlier by the war’s architects and then
perfectly executed. Today the partition of Iraq is mapped out by American
think-tanks seeking put a final end to that country and divide it into its
contingent ethnic and religious parts.
Sunnis and Shias are locked in a seemingly intractable sectarian
conflict which appears ready to rip the country into its final pieces. In the
words of one Iraqi man, who initially welcomed the invasion with its
promises of liberation only to watch in horror as his own family was torn
apart by American bombs and bullets:
‘I wish the Americans had never come. They ruined our country. They
planted divisions… They made us cry for the days of Saddam Hussein.’
When Syrians, swept up in the once-transcendent spirit of the Arab
Spring uprisings, undertook their own revolution against the corrupt, myopic
regime of Bashar al-Assad, few had any idea it would lead to the dystopian
reality of massacres and foreign predations the country faces today. The
revolution – a legitimate, democratic uprising against a despotic government

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– provided a prize opportunity for the country’s neighbours to violently
exploit Syrian unrest to further their own venal interests.
The tragic result of this situation is the vicious proxy war playing out
today in the streets of Aleppo, Homs, Deir ez-Zor and countless other cities
and towns throughout the country. A once-proud nation - long recognized as
the cultural and historical jewel of the Levant – has been reduced to a grim
battlefield between the West and its Gulf allies on one hand and the Syrian
government and its allies in Iran, Russia and Hezbollah on the other. The
Israeli air strikes perpetrated with impunity onto Damascus this past week
are yet another illustrative example of the depths of turmoil to which Syria
has sunk.
As analysts openly discuss the ‘Somaliazation’ of Syria and growing
factions within the country call for military intervention to break the state up
into small ethnic and religious enclaves – literally, ‘into pieces’ – the
prospect of a united Syria grows more remote by the day. Again, just as in
Iraq, the benefactors of Syria’s dismemberment will be the external actors
which seek hegemony in the region and have never hidden their desire to see
the country collapse.
As early as 2011, a particularly frank prescription for the future of
Syria was given by Lawrence Solomon, who called for a radical redrawing
of the country’s borders to facilitate Western interests: ‘There is a better end
game… Syria’s dismemberment into constituent parts. US and NATO
countries… should confine Alawites to a state in the central Western part of
the country where they are predominant… the West has no cause to favour
appeasement… over the many gains to be had through a dismemberment of
Syria.’
In a 2007 piece for The New Yorker, the Pulitzer-Prize winning
American investigative journalist, Seymour Hersh, reported on what White
House insiders called ‘the Redirection’ of US policy in the region. Seeking
to reassert influence in the aftermath of the disastrous invasion of Iraq, the
US deliberately became party to the fomentation of sectarian conflict
throughout the Middle East.
In words that today seem utterly prescient, Hersh wrote: ‘The US has
taken part in clandestine operations aimed at Iran and its ally Syria. A by-
product of these activities has been the bolstering of Sunni extremist groups
that espouse a militant vision of Islam and are hostile to America and
sympathetic to al-Qaeda.’

749
 The extremist groups fighting today in Syria – many of whom openly
state their allegiance to al-Qaeda and who have terrorized not just the Syrian
government, but also the secular activists who were the progenitors of the
revolution itself – are the fruit of this explicitly sectarian policy.
These changes represent no less than a sea change in Middle Eastern
politics, as the old order experiences its final violent convulsions and makes
way for a new Western-backed alliance to exert its hegemony over the
region. In this new environment, once-cherished concepts of self-
determination and independence will be suffocated under the financial,
political and military might of an unprecedented new axis of control exerted
from the centers of power in Washington, Tel Aviv and Riyadh.
The nations of Syria and Iraq today are little more than political
fictions, crushed underfoot by foreign military and political intervention and
devoured from the inside by politically-fomented sectarian hatreds. The
same terrifying dynamic increasingly threatens to envelop Lebanon as well,
as the former Arab states continue their fragmentation into innumerable
weak and ethnically-homogenous political enclaves.
For the people of the region, the scenes playing out on the streets
around them and being broadcast to the world at large represent nothing less
than the end of Sykes-Picot borders and the dissolution of the Middle East as
they once knew it. As war continues to spread from the borders of Iraq and
Syria and into the countries beyond, the endgame for the regions upheaval –
when it finally, mercifully, comes – looks increasingly as though it will
entail the establishment of many of the ‘Blood Borders’ which Oded Yinon
and his ideological peers have long sought to create.’ (Amurtaza Hussain for
Aljazeera, reprinted in TheNation 8th May)
America
Assata Shakur and the Terrordome: Assata Shakur is now a
Muslim. Well, she didn’t actually convert to Islam. But in the eyes of the
United States government where ‘terrorism’ and threats to the state have
become synonymous with Islam and Muslims, the recent placement of
Assata Shakur on the FBI’s ‘Most Wanted Terrorist List’, has for all intents
and purposes, made her one.
While her being named to the list shocked many, is it really that
surprising, especially when one considers how the ‘war on terror’ has been
used as a logic of control to systematically target, undermine and destroy
any challenge to the domestic and global realms of US power?

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 Welcome to the Terrordome: Recently while in New York, I was on a
panel at the Riverside Church that explored the links between the ‘war on
crime’ and the ‘war on terror’. I joined an incredible group of mostly black
and Muslim activists, individuals (including Yusef Salaam, one of the
‘Central Park Five’), and family members of individuals who have been
persecuted and incarcerated due to the policies of these proxy ‘wars’.
As I discussed on the panel, it’s no coincidence that the figure of the
‘black criminal’ and the ‘Muslim terrorist’ both emerged in US political
culture in the early 1970s due to the neurotic fears of Black Power
domestically, and the threats to an expanding US imperial footprint in
Muslim countries abroad.
For the individuals and family members who have been deeply
scarred by these violent state policies, their powerful testimonies of life on
the frontlines made plain to all of us there the deep connections that exist
between the ‘war on crime’ and the ‘war on terror’, between the ‘black
criminal’ and the ‘Muslim terrorist’.
Take the logic of ‘crime’ for example. Cle Shaheed Sloan’s 2005
documentary Bastards of the Party and Mike Davis’ book City of Quartz
suggest that the criminalization of blackness in the late 1960s and early 70s
was in essence a counter-insurgency strategy against black communities in
the shadow of Black Power, as the ‘war on crime’ (and ‘war on drugs’)
became an extension of the dirty wars waged by COINTELPRO that sought
to prevent the future emergence of the exact kinds of political activities that
Assata Shakur and others were involved in.
As scholars such as Michelle Alexander and Khalil Gibran
Muhammad have noted, once the US state defined particular activities as
‘crime’, it then sought to crack down and control it. As the fears of the
‘black criminal’ were stoked, the political will was generated in mainstream
America to pass repressive laws that normalized ‘crime’ and linked it almost
exclusively to blackness, making all black people suspicious, and leading to
state-sanctioned racial profiling, the creation of an urban police state, and the
explosion of a massive prison archipelago that Michelle Alexander has
called ‘the new Jim Crow’.
Similarly in the ‘war on terror’, the US has named particular acts as
‘terrorism’, de-legitimizing them and generating the political will through
fear to normalize the figure of the ‘terrorist’, making Muslim-looking
people, and even Muslim countries themselves, suspects under deep
suspicion in their struggles for self-determination.

751
 As a result, the need for state security created broad ‘anti-terrorism’
measures that expanded state power, making Muslim countries subject to
invasions, sanctions, bombs, and drones, and making Muslim bodies subject
to indefinite detention, torture, surveillance and targeted murder, as Muslims
got marked as people who don’t have the right to have rights.
While the system of mass incarceration used the face of the ‘black
criminal’ to legitimize itself and disproportionately target black men and
women, the tentacles of incarceration soon expanded to include Latinos and
other poor people in its orbit.
Similarly, the ‘war on terror’ has used the face of the ‘Muslim
terrorist’ to narrow the scope of dissent, expand state control, and prevent
the creation of alternatives to exploitation and war. But while the Muslim
has been the face of this, the logic of ‘terror’ is now being used to target
other countries and also black and brown communities domestically, as the
fluid category of the ‘terrorist’ continues to morph.
Organized confusion: While many were shocked that Assata would be
placed on the ‘Most Wanted Terrorist List’, some argued that not only is she
innocent of the charges against her, but that what she was struggling for as a
black revolutionary could not possibly make her a ‘terrorist’. But this begs
the question: who is a ‘terrorist’? And what does he do that would make him
one? Would he by chance have a beard? Wear flowing garb? Be a Muslim?
By all credible accounts, Assata is not guilty of killing Officer
Forester in 1973. But the focus by many on her innocence as the reason why
she is not a ‘terrorist’ misses the point completely. Because whether she’s
innocent or not, the labeling of her as a ‘terrorist’ has more to do with her
political beliefs and the liberation struggles that she was a part of. In fact,
it’s those very beliefs and activities that led to her (and others) being
targeted under the FBI’s COINTELPRO, persecuted, put on trial, convicted
and then forced to ultimately flee the country and live in exile in Cuba. For
the US state, when it comes to labeling a ‘terrorist’, innocence or guilt are
simply irrelevant details.
For her supporters and those on the Left who deny that she’s a
‘terrorist’, we have to understand that to the US government that’s exactly
what she is. But instead of denying it, it’s high time that we instead
challenge the prevailing logic of ‘terrorism’, refuse to normalize it, and
recognize it for what it is: not only a political label used to discredit and
undermine struggles for self-determination, but also a legal frame that then
gives the state the sanction and power to narrow the scope of dissent and

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violently crackdown and arrest, incarcerate, torture, bomb, drone, invade,
and even assassinate those deemed threats to state interests.
But if her allies continue to accept ‘terrorism’ as the ruling paradigm,
and make the false and fatal distinction between the struggles of black
radicals like Assata from the struggles of Third World peoples fighting for
dignity against racist, imperial power in places such as Palestine,
Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere, then these supporters are not only
misunderstanding and undermining the internationalist legacy of Assata
Shakur and the Black Panther Party (who supported the Palestinians and
other Third World struggles), but they are also ironically reinvigorating the
very same violent state forces that she and the Black Power movement
struggled to eliminate.
No coincidences, only consequences: More than just targeting Assata,
the FBI and the Obama Administration have essentially labeled the Black
Power movement as ‘terrorists’. But in trying to rewrite and destroy that
past, the labeling of Assata as a ‘terrorist’ is also an attack and warning to
those who are organizing today against the very same forces that Assata was
over 40 years ago: police brutality, militarism, imperial war, economic
exploitation, and racist state practices that continue to perpetuate black
suffering and the decimation of the Global South.
And if that wasn’t chilling enough, in calling her a ‘terrorist’ and
Cuba a ‘state sponsor of terror’, could a drone attack on Assata be that far-
fetched? Could the official state policy of targeted assassinations – a policy
that ironically mimics the targeted killing by COINTELPRO of Fred
Hampton, Bunchy Carter and others – and that now murders Muslims who
are deemed threats to US and Israeli interests be in the offing for her?
If there is a silver lining in this, its that for those black, Latino,
Muslim, Arab and South Asian communities who are involved in political
work that is now or soon will be lumped into the category of ‘terrorist’, this
is an opportunity for us to use our collective exclusion as suspect
communities and deepen our links and points of solidarity to vigorously
fight the violent forces that target us in a different ways.
Despite the mainstream Muslim, black, Latino and South Asian
communities who have assumed the logic of ‘anti-terrorism’ and have tied
their fates to successes of white supremacy and US empire, the
internationalist legacies we have inherited from Malcolm X, Assata Shakur
and others within Black radical movements endures.’ (Sohail Daulatzai for
Aljazeera, reprinted in TheNation 10th May)

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 Secrecy, drones, prisons and kill lists: ‘On Monday, the Associated
Press revealed that the Department of Justice used subpoenas to obtain
phone records of its editors and reporters from April and May 2012. The
records were obtained due to the investigation and supposed leak to the AP
last year that the CIA had ‘thwarted an ambitious plot by al-Qaeda’s affiliate
in Yemen to destroy a US-bound airliner using a bomb with a sophisticated
new design around the one-year anniversary of the killing of Osama bin
Laden.’ The AP report, published on May 7, 2012, cites unnamed officials
as sources. The piece also notes that AP had received information regarding
the thwarted plot the week previous to publishing, but had agreed per
requests by the White House and the CIA to hold the information because
the ‘sensitive intelligence operation’ was still in progress. Once officials said
that those concerns were put to rest, the AP published the story.
The story was co-written by reporters Matt Apuzzo and Adam
Goldman along with contributions from Kimberly Dozier, Eileen Sullivan
and Alan Fram. They, along with their editor, Ted Bridis, had both their
personal and work phone records seized from April-May 2012, in addition to
general AP office numbers.
But who could be surprised? From the very start of Obama’s
presidency, he and his administration have managed to take the Bush-era
attack on civil liberties and not just continue them, but in many cases,
significantly expand them. The AP phone records story, while certainly
significant, is not the first time the Obama administration has acted above
the law. Glenn Greenwald wrote for a piece in The Guardian,
‘And then there are the two War on Terror presidents. George Bush
seized on the 9/11 attack to usher in radical new surveillance and detention
powers in the PATRIOT ACT, spied for years on the communications of US
citizens without the warrants required by law, and claimed the power to
indefinitely imprison even US citizens without charges in military brigs. His
successor, Barack Obama, went further by claiming the power not merely to
detain citizens without judicial review but to assassinate them…He has
waged an unprecedented war on whistleblowers, dusting off Wilson’s
Espionage Act of 1917 to prosecute more than double the number of
whistleblowers than all prior presidents combined. And he has draped his
actions with at least as much secrecy, if not more so, than any president in
US history.’

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 What is clear is that Obama’s legacy is shaping up to be one rife with
assaults on civil liberties, government secrecy, and broken promises. Here
are my top ten:
1. National Defence Authorization Act or NDAA: Signed into law by
Obama, it authorizes the US government to carry out ‘counter-terrorism’
domestically and detain INDEFINITELY and WITHOUT TRIAL any US
citizen who is suspected of any sort of suspicious activity that could be
deemed terrorism or supporting terrorism. And what’s more, these US
citizens could be shipped to one of our extraordinary rendition sites across
the globe – sites like Guantánamo Bay.
2. Anwar al-Awlaki and Samir Khan: Both US citizens. Both killed in
Yemen by a US drone strike on September 30th, 2011. Anwar al-Awlaki
was specifically targeted on Obama’s kill list. Neither was officially
charged. Neither given a trial. Neither convicted of any crime.
3. Abdulrahman al-Awlaki: Just two weeks after al-Awlaki and Khan
were killed, al-Awlaki’s 16-year-old son, Abdulrahman al-Awlaki, was also
killed in a US drone strike in Yemen. Robert Gibbs, former White House
press secretary and a senior adviser to Obama during his reelection
campaign said, when asked about the boy’s killing, that he ‘should have a far
more responsible father.’
4. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA):  In 2008, then-
Senator Obama voted for FISA, which allows for warrantless wiretapping of
international communications by the NSA. In December of 2012, Obama
extended it for another five years.
5. Patriot Act: In May, 2011, Obama renewed much of the Patriot Act,
including wiretaps and the ‘lone wolf’ provision which allows government
surveillance of individuals even if they are not known to be affiliated with a
terrorist organization.
6. Drone Strikes: During Bush’s presidency, there were about 45
drone strikes in Pakistan. During Obama’s first year as president, there were
53. Under Obama’s presidency, drone strikes also expanded to Yemen.
Additionally, the New York Times reported that the Obama Administration,
‘counts all military-age males in a strike zone as combatants, according to
several administration officials, unless there is explicit intelligence
posthumously proving them innocent.’
7. Whistleblowers: The Obama Administration has charged more
people under the Espionage Act than all past presidents…combined. Six

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have been charged under the law thus far: Thomas Drake, former senior
executive at the NSA, Shamai K. Leibowitz, former FBI translator, Stephen
Jin-Woo Kim, a nuclear proliferation specialist, former CIA agent John
Kiriakou, Jeffrey Sterling, former CIA officer, and…
8. Bradley Manning: Pfc Bradley Manning, the sixth in the list of
those charged under the Espionage Act, has now spent over three years in
jail without trial for releasing classified documents to the website Wikileaks.
The documents he released exposed lies and corruption by US government
officials, killings of civilians, torture in Iraq, drone strike cover-ups, and
abuse of children by US government contractors abroad. They included
the Collateral Murder video, showing a US Apache helicopter gunning down
over a dozen people in Baghdad in 2007, including civilians and two
Reuter’s employees, photojournalist Namir Noor-Eldeen and his driver
Saeed Chmagh. Also released were the Iraq War Logs, chronicling reports
from 2004-2009 of thousands of cases of prisoner torture and abuse filed
against coalition forces in Iraq. The reports include gruesome description of
people being whipped with cables, sexually assaulted, urinated on, and hung
from the ceiling on hooks. In addition, the War Logs added 15,000 civilian
deaths to the known body count, totaling over 150,000 people, of which
about 80% were civilian.
9. Spying on Muslim Communities: Under the Obama Administration,
the NYPD and the CIA have joined together to spy on communities of
Muslims in the US using ‘human mapping’ or racial and religious profiling,
and in 2011, AP reported the use of ‘mosque crawlers’ or informants used to
monitor sermons and other areas where groups of Muslims are known to
frequent.
10. Guantánamo Bay: During Obama’s first campaign for the
presidency, he promised to close down Guantánamo Bay, a promise he
quickly abandoned. Now, further controversy is surrounding the prison as
prisoners, some who have been detained for over a decade and many who
have even been cleared for release, have gone on hunger strike. Of the 166
prisoners at Guantánamo, at least 130 are refusing to eat as part of a hunger
strike that began this February. At least 20 prisoners are being force-fed,
which the United Nations Human Rights Commission considers torture.
This list is by no means exhaustive. I didn’t mention the 11th
anniversary that occurred last October of Operation Enduring Freedom,
marking over a decade of involvement in Afghanistan. I didn’t mention the
past six years of fighting terror in Somalia. I didn’t mention that we have

756
been dropping drones on Pakistan for the past nine years. Then of course,
there is the War on Drugs in Latin America – a war that we have been
waging to no end for decades, costing the US billions of dollars and an
untold number of lives. I didn’t mention that we are militarily involved in an
estimated 60% of the world’s nations. I didn’t mention Obama’s record
deportations of illegal immigrants that far exceeds the Bush-era
deportations. And these things will continue because we ignore them. The
right is distracted by the government “coming for their guns.” The left is
complacent because a Democrat is in office. Meanwhile, our government
continues to act as if it is above the rule of law. If Obama’s legacy is one of
secrecy, egregious assaults on civil liberties, and drone strikes around the
world, our legacy is one of ignorance, stupidity and complacency. I’m still
not sure which is worse.’ (Alyssa Rohricht, TheNation 16th May)

REVIEW
The resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly, moved by
‘Arab Brothers’, was also supported by Pakistan as it lacked the guts shown
by Iran, China and Russia by opposing the resolution which blamed only the
one side. The usual excuse that will be put forward Pakistani diplomats will
be its ‘brotherly’ relations with the Saudis and friendly ties with the US.
The resolution after blaming Assad regime for all the bloodshed that
has been going on for the last two years demanded all possible actions to
oust him from power. Astonishingly, this has come at a time when media is
abuzz with a video showing a rebel molesting dead body of a Syrian soldier
and then chewing his heart. There was no reference such atrocities
committed by the blue-eyed rebels.
Perhaps, molesting the dead and chewing an inner part of it is not
considered disgusting by Arabs as many of them are of course the
descendents of Hindah of Hamza (R.A.) fame. Their aim is to throw Assad
out of Damascus not the stoppage of bloodshed just as it happened in
neighbouring Iraq; Saddam was deposed a decade ago but bloodshed
continues unabated.
19th May, 2013

757
 ON YOUR MARKS
Nawaz Sharif spent busy ten days in sorting out details of forming
government in the Centre, Punjab and Balochistan. At the same time he
remained focused on pondering over the problems his government is likely
to face; the list of which is quite long. Of course, the revival of economy
tops the list.
The revival of economy hinges on overcoming the problem of
shortage of energy. Reportedly, Saudi rulers have ‘promised’ supply of oil
on deferred payment. Nawaz also requested the Chinese Prime Minister
during his Islamabad visit for transfer of civil nuclear technology to
overcome energy shortage. This prompted Americans to ‘dust the turnips’
and offer help in this context.
Americans always come out with novel ideas whenever Pakistan
explores some quarters for meeting its energy needs. During Zardari rule
they had offered supply of fuel-saving tube-wells (water pumps) and
whenever a move was made for Pak-Iran gas pipeline they pressed for a
similar pipeline from Central Asia. This time too the ‘offer’ will be no
different.
Imran Khan was discharged from hospital but mandatory bed-rest
kept him away from actively participating in political activities at this
critical juncture. Meanwhile, PTI and some other parties kept protesting
against malpractices during polling and compiling of results. The Captain
literally begged the two oldies to take some action about rigging to keep the
trust of voters intact.
Zardari spent few days in Lahore which he could not turn into
Larkana. During the stay he congratulated Nawaz Sharif, but not before
casting aspersions on the mandate he got. However, couple of days later the
two met in Presidency and vowed to carry the system forward together.
All these activities were no more than hustle of post ‘On Your Marks’
call. Two more calls have yet to come – ‘Get Set’ and ‘Go’. Thereafter, it
will be an exhausting marathon race, irrespective of the fact in which
particular lane one stands at the start time. Soon it will turn into tumbling
and stumbling amid jeers and cheers of the masses.

758
NEWS
Power politics: On 17th May, MQM announced boycott of the May
19 re-polling on 43 polling station of NA-250 in Karachi, saying it was clear
now that a conspiracy has been hatched to steal their mandate. Earlier in the
day, the ECP dismissed MQM's plea for re-polling in entire constituency,
while the ISPR said that army will be deployed at all 43 polling stations.
Addressing a press conference at party secretariat in Azizabad, Raza
Haroon said that the process of depriving his party of its due mandate started
when the delimitation was announced only in Karachi and re-verification
was done in presence of army personal. He said that the MQM is not a
‘drawing room’ party; it’s a movement that has faced many oppressive
operations wherein their supporters and workers scarified their lives for the
party. MQM represents the mandate of Karachi and everyone should
recognize our mandate, he said.
Shahbaz Sharif blamed the caretaker prime minister for acting on the
instructions of President Zardari and turning deaf ear to their legitimate
demands. The postings, transfers, appointments and various other steps
taken by the interim federal administration were quite inapt and does not
befit in the mandate of caretaker setup when an elected government is round
the corner, he said.
The PML-N leader also called for a probe wherever rigging has been
alleged. He claimed that no rigging took place in Punjab while in Sindh the
brother in law of Asif Ali Zardari is still working as additional chief
secretary, casting suspicions on the fairness of election there. He said the
PTI should not speak of Punjab only but the whole Pakistan. He said his
party accepts the PTI mandate in KPK and PPP’s in Sindh, and they expect
the PTI to accept their mandate.
Ghaus Ali Shah told the media that the PPP gave extraordinary
concessions to the interim government in Sindh and keeping that in view, he
had warned long before that election would not be fair in that province. He
said an unprecedented rigging was carried out in Sindh by paralyzing the
police at the polling stations.
The Lahore High Court suspended the orders of the Election
Commission of Pakistan for recounting of votes in NA-137 of Nankana
Sahib. The court passed the orders on a petition moved by winning candidate
of PML-N Rai Mansib Ali Khan. The petitioner through counsel told the

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court that ECP had ordered for recounting of the votes in the constituency on
an application moved by PTI candidate Ijaz Shah.
Jamaat-e-Islami chief Munawar Hasan said the general elections were
a contest between the people and the establishment and the establishment
has won. The JI ameer appealed to those wielding gun for their cause to
cease fire and allow the people having public mandate to improve the
situation in the country.
He deplored PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif was eager to befriend India
and accept its supremacy even prior to the transfer of power. Nawaz should
have supported the Kashmiris and talked of their right to self-determination,
he said, adding India was committing water terrorism against Pakistan.
A majority view in PPP’s Punjab Executive Committee meeting was
that BISP funds if spent to generate electricity could have averted party’s
defeat in the recent elections. The Committee which met at Model Town
office with Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo in the chair to ponder over the
causes of party’s defeat in the May 11 elections, also held coalition
government’s misplaced priorities responsible for the shameful results.
Briefing the media after the meeting, Manzoor Wattoo said that his
party had accepted the election results but with reservations. He told
reporters that President Zardari would be visiting Lahore on May 20 to meet
the party office-bearers. Wattoo said Zardari would discuss matters relating
to party’s reorganization with the office-bearers from Punjab. However, he
added, the final decision regarding reorganization of the party would be
taken by the Central Executive Committee.
President Asif Ali Zardari is not resigning any time soon and he will
complete the constitutional term of his office, said his spokesperson Senator
Farhatullah Babar, dispelling rumours that Zardari was planning to resign
following his party’s crushing defeat in the general election. According to
Babar, there is no question of a resignation.
The incoming government of the PML-N was in the process of
finalizing a list of its cabinet members as well as various other portfolios.
Nawaz Sharif officially designated Senator Ishaq Dar as the federal finance
minister and Sartaj Aziz as the adviser to the prime minister on economy and
foreign affairs. The Sharif brothers are dealing with various lobbies within
the party to decide who gets which cabinet slot.
PML-Q Balochistan President Sheikh Jaffer Khan Mandokhel along
with other party notables met with PML-N candidate for chief minister

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Nawab Sanaullah Zehri and assured him their unconditional support. The
PML-Q has four seats in the house that has 51 general seats. The PML-Q
leadership might file disqualification of those members on the basis of their
applications.
PTI senior leader and chief minister-designate of KPK, Pervez
Khattak, said the coming provincial government was ready to hold talks with
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan militants. ‘We have no enmity with the Taliban.
They are also Pakistanis and his party requests the militant group to hold
peace talks and work for peace in the region’, said the PTI central secretary
general.
The PML-N is continuing to attract other parties and candidates after
its victory in May 11 elections. After JUI-F’s coming on board the other day,
National Peoples Party (NPP) chief Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi announced to
merge his party into N-League. Sardar Jamal Khan Leghari and Sardar
Farooq Khan Leghari along with three MPAs-elect also announced to join
this party.
Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi and other senior members of his party met
Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif for the merger of the NPP into the PML-
N. Jatoi would formally announce this decision in his hometown in Sindh.
Separately, Legharis, who won the National Assembly seats from Dera
Ghazi Khan, called on PML-N leadership along with MPA-elect Mahmood
Qadir, Javed Lund and Aleem Shah and announced their unconditional
joining the winning party.
US Ambassador Richard Olson met JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman and
congratulated him as his party has won seats in national and provincial
assemblies. The ambassador underscored the US commitment to a strong
bilateral relationship with Pakistan based on respect and mutual interest,
according to statement issued by Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F). He said
that the US supported a more stable, secure, and prosperous future for the
people of Pakistan.
Next day, Zehra Shahid Hussain, PTI’s Sindh senior vice-president,
was gunned down in Defence Housing Authority Phase-IV late night.
Apparently Zehra was killed in a robbery attempt, but it being timed with re-
election to NA-250 could turn out to be a politically-motivated murder since
PTI had alleged rigging in this constituency. Imran Khan held Altaf Hussain
directly responsible for the murder of a senior leader of his party. Police said
the 65-year-old was attacked by unidentified men outside her residence, and
received fatal head injuries.

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 Imran Khan alleged his party leaders and activists had been threatened
by MQM’s head. In another tweet, the PTI chief held the British government
responsible for the incident, saying he had warned it about Altaf Hussain
after his open threats to PTI workers lives. Later in the night, enraged party
workers staged sit-ins in Karachi and Islamabad. Resorting to his favourite
tactics, Altaf Hussain also strongly condemned the killing of PTI leader.
In Kairpur, PML-F leader Ghulam Sarwar succumbed to injuries after
he was targeted in a firing incident. Some unidentified gunmen had opened
fire on him near Pir Jo Goth. He was wounded and taken to Civil Hospital
for treatment but succumbed to injuries. Further investigation into the
incident has been started.
PPP and Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) also announced to
join MQM in boycotting the re-polling on 43 polling stations of NA-250.
The MQM announced the boycott yesterday after the ECP rejected its
demand for re-polling in the entire constituency NA-250.
British High Commissioner met Nawaz Sharif in Lahore. During the
meeting, Pak-Britain relations and matters of mutual interest, including
Pakistan’s relations with neighbours also came under discussions. Adam
Thomas also congratulated Nawaz Sharif on his success in the general
elections and expressed good wishes on behalf of United Kingdom.
On 19th May, PTI candidates won one national assembly and two
Sindh assembly seats in Karachi after Sunday’s revote on 43 polling
stations, according to unofficial results. The re-polling, which took place in a
tense atmosphere, remained peaceful under army’s watch. The voting came
just a day after three gunmen on a motorbike killed Zehra Hussain, 59, vice
president of PTI women wing, outside her home.
Imran Khan blamed the MQM, specifically its boss Altaf Hussain for
the killing. MQM leaders denied the allegation and the party expressed
strong reaction. Dozens of MQM workers staged a sit-in in Karachi and
chanted slogans against the PTI chief. MQM activists also took out rallies in
Hyderabad and staged a sit-in outside the local press club. Unidentified
persons also torched three vehicles, attacked the residences of two PTI
leaders, attacked a Lahore-bound train and injured its driver, and opened
indiscriminate firing in few localities of Hyderabad.
As the Altaf loyalists gathered at Nine Zero, to express their anger
over the allegations of the PTI chairman, their party chief spoke to them
from London and used harsh language against Imran Khan. Upset by the

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sequence of events in the last few days, Altaf Hussain referred to Imran and
said the one who does not have any character is being portrayed as a hero.
In a telephonic address to his party’s coordination committee, Altaf
started crying and said that his own leaders in the city of Karachi do not
appear to be taking him seriously, let alone party workers. He also
apologized to party workers for the local leaders letting them down. Later,
the coordination committee apologized to the party chief.
Separately, addressing a press conference, Farooq Sattar condemned
the brutal murder of PTI vice president and said that Imran Khan has shown
his immaturity by blaming the MQM supremo before even preliminary
investigation. Sattar said that the MQM would sue the PTI chief for
defamation and would file a case under article 62-63 over the Sita White
case. The MQM announced they will hold protests across the country and
abroad against Imran Khan.
Farooq Sattar said that making allegations against his party chief
without any evidence or proof was highly irresponsible. He said that the
protests against the PTI chief’s statement will be held in a peaceful manner.
Farooq Sattar said that the low turnout in re-polling of NA-250 proves that
the people have rejected the process. He said that the residents of Defence
have shown their love for Altaf Hussain by rejecting the polling process in
NA-250.
Reacting to the MQM chief’s remarks, Imran Khan in his video media
talk said MQM was trying to control Karachi by using pressure tactics
against its opponents. He asked the party leaders and workers to stand
against the tyranny and foil the evil designs of the killers of Zehra Shahid by
converting Karachi into a peaceful city once again through reaching each
resident of the city.
With PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s call for protest demonstration in
Karachi on tomorrow the people in Sindh’s provincial capital fear an ugly
atmosphere as a result of the protest demonstrations of PTI and MQM
despite assurances from both the sides that the protests will be peaceful.
Meanwhile, the PTI Punjab chapter leadership after the expiry of
deadline to the Election Commission for a recount at least in six National
Assembly constituencies by verifying the voters using NADRA thumbs
impression technology, announced to hold protest demonstrations in front of
all the divisional headquarters of Punjab on May 21.

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 Moreover, the PTI volunteers continued protest demonstration on the
eighth consecutive day on Ghazi Road against the alleged poll rigging in
NA-122 and 125. A large number of angry workers and supporters, mostly
the youth, organized a peaceful demonstration in the heart of Islamabad to
record their protest against the cold-blooded murder of their leader Zehra
Shahid.
British member of Parliament George Galloway, in a series of
parliamentary questions and a parliamentary motion, has asked the British
Prime Minister and the Home Secretary to remove MQM leader Altaf
Hussain's British citizenship. Galloway asked the government to examine
whether the MQM leader should be thrown out of the country after Hussain
made a serious of inflammatory broadcasts. However, following the
assassination of the vice-president of the PTI, Galloway is once again raising
Altaf Hussain's status in the British Parliament.
British Prime Minister David Cameron took notice of the protest
demonstration staged by PTI at 10 Downing Street against the MQM Chief
Altaf Hussain’s telephonic addresses in Pakistan. Cameron came out of his
residence and witnessed for five minutes the demonstration being held
outside. The British PM inquired from his staff about the demands being
made by the PTI demonstrators.
Responding to the call of PTI hundreds of demonstrators staged a
protest against Altaf Hussain’s telephonic speeches in Pakistan. The
participants of the demonstration demanded of the British government to put
a curb on any interference by any kind of group or organization from Britain
into the politics of Pakistan and provocation of the latter’s people.
Meanwhile, the London Police earlier rejected arresting activists of a
Pakistan-based political party here.
Shahbaz Sharif said that PML-N, PKMAP and NP will form a people-
friendly government in Balochistan, adding the name of leader of the house
will be announced with consultation of the three parties soon. Shahbaz
Sharif visited PKMAP President Mehmood Khan Achakzai’s residence and
discussed with him the formation of coalition government and leader of the
house in the Balochistan Assembly. He also held separate meetings with
National Party (NP) leader Dr Abdul Malik Baloch and Interim Chief
Minister Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Barozai.
Shahbaz said for the first time a people-friendly government would be
formed in Balochistan, which would address all the problems like
corruption, lawlessness and backwardness in the province. The PML-N

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leader said, ‘a small cabinet would be formed in the province, which should
work transparently, besides focusing on education, health, unemployment,
agriculture and industries. A special focus will be on the law and order
situation.’
President Zardari at Bilawal House Lahore said that PPP could not run
its election campaign in Punjab due to threats from the Taliban. The also
blamed Returning Officers in Punjab played a role in PPP’s defeat. The
president is reportedly scheduled to meet party ticket holders and senior
party leaders to have firsthand knowledge of PPP candidates’ defeat in the
May 11 elections.
Next day, President Zardari told a gathering of party ticket holders at
Bilawal House that the mandate Nawaz Sharif got in the May 11 elections
was not genuine at all. Zardari also pointed finger at the national and
international establishments which, according to him, played a role to keep
the PPP out of power. While admitting inner weaknesses of the PPP, the
president also blamed the Returning Officers appointed by the Election
Commission for their covert support to the PML-N candidates.
The party ticket holders, on the other hand, laid the entire
responsibility for the PPP fiasco on the shoulders of two former prime
ministers and the load shedding of electricity. Zardari, however, did not
agree with their views. Some ticket holders also held PPP’s media team
responsible for the poor results. They said that media managers failed to
highlight good work of the PPP in the media. 
The president said he had not yet congratulated Mian Nawaz Sharif
for his party’s apparent victory in the elections. ‘I was waiting for an
opportunity to meet you first and then to congratulate Mian sahib’, he
remarked.  Later, Zardari telephoned Nawaz and congratulated him over his
party’s victory in the elections.
Activists of PTI staged a protest demonstration in Karachi against the
brutal killing of party senior leader Zohra Shahid and demanded the
government to immediately arrest the culprits. Addressing the
demonstrators, speakers said that the MQM had given warning to PTI before
the elections, which was proved with murder of a senior leader Zohra
Shahid. They also strongly condemned Altaf for statements against Imran
Khan, which was shameful act by a political leader.
In Swabi, scores of PTI workers staged a protest rally against the
murder of Zohra Shahid. The protesters blocked the road at Bacha Khan
Chowk for over an hour to express anger. They were chanting slogans

765
against Altaf Hussain and judiciary. The angry protesters also pelted police
mobile van with stones. As a result, the police resorted to aerial firing to
disperse the protestors.
The police was yet to find a clue to the assassination of Zehra; the
case of his murder has not so far been registered by the authorities.
Meanwhile, MQM announced to sue Imran Khan for Rs50 billion for
defaming Altaf Hussain and party staged a protest demonstration outside the
Karachi Press Club.
Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan arrived in Karachi to attend the
soyem of party’s slain leader. Talking to reporters at Jinnah airport Aleem
Khan said that that PTI leaders and workers were getting threats over their
sit-ins and protests. She said Imran Khan held the British government
responsible for the threats issued to PTI in Karachi, adding that the British
government has also contacted him. She said that it was really hard to stop
the people once they have decided not to get frightened by the threats.
Remaining under fire for its apparent incapability to ascertain the
authenticity of the votes cast in the general elections through voters’ thumb
impression verification, the electoral body finally asked the NADRA to have
a software developed for this purpose. However, the initiative may remain
far from materialization since the NADRA’s verification system is based on
the Civil Registration System while the voters’ thumb impression
verification requires Criminal Forensic Investigation System, which, the
authority lacks.
Chairman NADRA linked the success of the authority-led thumb
impression verification process to the use of magnetized ink in the ballot
papers. The NADRA has the capacity to verify as many as 500,000 thumb
impressions every day that are to cost 15 rupees per impression, Malik
informed. Ishtiak Khan said that the NADRA had started working on the
software preparation on the ECP instructions and both organizations were
working for the past three years in this regard, he said.
The demand to have the votes polled in the general elections verified
through thumb impressions comes from some mainstream political parties
including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf whose leadership has identified 25
constituencies where polls were allegedly rigged. The PTI demands thumb
impressions’ verification of votes in the particular constituencies as well as
the remaining constituencies across the country.
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Pervaiz Elahi visited Shaukat Khanum
Hospital and inquired after the health of PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

766
Chaudhrys of Gujrat during their meeting asked Imran Khan to play lead
role of the Opposition in the Parliament. The meeting, which continued for
about half an hour, the two Chaudhrys assured Imran Khan of their support
in the Parliament, besides Punjab Assembly to back the PTI for playing the
role of effective Opposition.
Khawaja Muhammad Asif challenged the transfers/postings and
shuffling of high officials by the caretaker government. Submitting a
constitutional petition under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution, the PML-N
leader has requested the Supreme Court to declare the acts of caretaker
government in effecting the transfers/postings and shuffling null and void,
void ab initio and of no legal effect being in contravention of the
Constitution, constitutional conventions and law.
On 21st May, the Lahore High Court was requested to initiate legal
proceedings against Altaf Hussain for uttering words against the ideology of
Pakistan in his speech of May 12, and cancel his leadership of MQM being
not a Pakistani national. Petition filed by a leader of PTI, advocate Fayyaz
Ahmed Mehr, states Altaf has conspired to destabilize and create unrest in
the country just to achieve his indiscriminate aims. It argues Altaf claims to
be the chief of a Pakistani political group when he is in fact a foreigner.
Altaf Hussain directed all party workers to postpone the ongoing
protests until further notice. The directive from the party chief came in the
wake of tensions in the City's political climate that emerged after allegations
against Altaf Hussain following the killing of PTI office-bearer, Zehra
Shahid.
Next day, President Zardari and Nawaz Sharif agreed to forget the
past bitterness and move forward, at their first one-on-one meeting following
the PML-N win in the general elections. Following their meeting at the
Presidency, Nawaz told the media that his party would need broader
cooperation of all the political parties in tackling the major challenges faced
by the country.
To a question why his party has not demanded resignation of
President Zardari, as some other political parties are raising this demand,
Nawaz remarked, ‘Why should we do so; Zardari is an elected President.’
He said he would not demand resignation of the president. ‘We have
Pakistan’s interest in mind not our own’, Nawaz said.
President Zardari said he considered Nawaz Sharif the incoming
prime minister of Pakistan. In his brief chat with media, he said Nawaz
would get full cooperation from Aiwan-e-Sadr as the prime minister. He also

767
stressed that it was the time for all the political forces to work together for
making Pakistan a prosperous and developed country.
After 15-day hospitalization, Imran Khan was discharged from
Shaukat Khanum Hospital. He was shifted to his Zaman Park house where
he would stay for three days before leaving for Islamabad. Although doctors
have advised bed rest, PTI chief could go on with limited political activities.
He will have to keep visiting the hospital for tests and physiotherapy.
Yesterday Khan took his first steps since the injury and a video showed him
walking gingerly but unaided from his third-floor room to the exit. He has
been fitted with a specially-designed spinal brace which doctors say he will
need to wear for some time.
The Supreme Court directed Barrister Zafarullah, a petitioner, to
check whether the MQM was registered under the chairmanship of Altaf
Hussain or some other MQM leader. During the hearing, the chief justice
questioned what was the status of the MQM; whether the head of the party
was duly elected? Chief Justice said that the petitioner needed to name the
MQM chief as a respondent in his application instead of writing ‘MQM
chief’. Zafarullah said that it was clear that Altaf Hussain was running the
party but the chief justice remarked that MQM was registered under Farooq
Sattar’s name in Pakistan. The chief justice directed the applicant to
approach the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and find documents
regarding the chairmanship of the MQM. The hearing was adjourned for one
week.
Overstepping from its mandate, the caretaker government issued
directives through to all the ministries and its allied departments and
organizations to provide them with details of vacant posts with them so that
officials regularized by the previous government under Sacked Employees
(Reinstatement) Act 2010 could be adjusted on these slots. Some of the
caretaker ministers in the federal cabinet were averse to the decision by the
government and considered it beyond the mandate of the caretaker
government.
A bench headed by Chief Justice instructed the interim set-up not to
make further appointments, transfers and postings till the pendency of the
petition – filed by Khawaja Muhammad Asif, about the appointments,
postings and transfers made by the caretaker government. During
proceedings, CJP warned the incoming government to maintain the highest
standards of transparency in making appointments.

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 Altaf Hussain said that any kind of corruption and fund-raising would
not be tolerated in MQM. He pointed out that party ‘purification’ process
has been started and it will be continued till the completion of accountability
of MQM workers and leaders. MQM chief had dissolved Karachi Tanzeemi
Committee on complains of workers during his last address at Lalqila
Ground.
On 23rd May, Chaudhry Shujaat moved the electoral body against the
five Parliamentarians-elect, accusing them of violating their oaths to join
PML-N instead of Q-League. In his letter to the CEC, Shujaat demanded
action against three returned candidates for the National Assembly and two
for the Punjab Assembly. All of them have won the general elections as
independent candidates. Shujaat contended that the five candidates had
submitted affidavits with the Provincial Election Commissions (PECs)
concerned for joining PML-Q, but, they, according to him, acted in violation
of the oaths and joined Pakistan PML-N.
Majority of political parties in Balochistan demanded fresh polls in
the province, saying the establishment rigged elections to bring certain
parties to power. The demand was made during an APC organized by JUI-
Ideological at MPAs hostel and announced to launch a protest movement
from May 26. Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party and National Party kept out
of this meeting.
The Lahore High Court put the federal government and other
respondents on notice over a plea seeking legal action against MQM’s self-
exiled chief for his remarks against the country’s ideology. The petitioner
had submitted Altaf Hussain’s May 12 speech was anti-state and amounted
to treason; he therefore be brought back, and penalized in accordance with
the law. The court instructed the federal government and other respondents
to submit reply within two weeks.
PTI Lahore Lawyers’ wing chief, Fayyaz Ahmed Mehr, had moved
the petition, submitting that the MQM chief on May 12 addressed his party
workers and threatened the election commission of Pakistan, establishment
and media and workers of other political parties and politicians, and
demanded to detach Karachi from Pakistan.
Altaf Hussain constituted a 12-member body to look into
organizational affairs as a clean-up in the party goes on. Hussain dissolved
both the coordination committees in Karachi and London, and announced a
seven-member interim body which was later given five more members.

769
MQM is planning on launching new faces with immaculate character for top
hierarchy, filtering out controversial and dubious workers and leaders.
Hussain warned any MQM member, office-bearer or worker found
collecting donations would lose their basic party membership. Another
statement issued from MQM’s London Secretariat stated, workers, who were
suspended for violation of the code of conduct, had been asked to submit
applications for revival of their membership. Party office-bearers in London
would review the pleas.
PTI Sindh spokesperson Dawa Khan Sabir said that Karachi had
deliberately been targeted with terror. He deemed Altaf Hussain’s statement
about reorganizing the MQM is confession of land grabbing and other illegal
ways of money-making through terror. He said that Mustafa Kamal was
equally responsible as all illegal activities were performed under his direct
supervision and caused huge financial losses to the City Government.
He appealed to the Supreme Court for taking notice of the criminals’
activities and to liberate the citizen from constant fear of land and extortion
mafia. The PTI leader said that people of Karachi came out to cast their vote
for change so as to get rid of these muggers but their mandate was hijacked.
He asserted that PTI would keep on supporting the people fighting for their
rights and the city would get back the title of ‘The City of Lights’.
A radical group within MQM has become a trouble as it continues to
defy directions from party’s London secretariat, putting the group existence
at stake. According to a former member of MQM’s coordination committee,
this group gained strength during Musharraf’s rule, under an influential
MQM leader, who was holding a top public office in Sindh for the past
many years.
A former deputy convener, former Karachi nazim, besides former
provincial ministers of Sindh cabinet were part of this ‘new MQM circle’
that continued to strengthen within party folds. The MQM leader, while
admitting that land-grabbing and extortion was being carried out by
members of new MQM, claimed that no member of the old guard had ever
been involved in such practices or found using militancy as a mean to
advance their political agenda.
Next day, Imran Khan addressed a large gathering of workers and
supporters of his party through video link and urged them to stand tall
against the alleged rigging in polls and asked the chief Justice of Pakistan to
take notice of the ‘results manipulation’ in polls. Party workers gathered in
the heart of Islamabad and staged a demonstration against alleged rigging in

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the general election and ECP’s ‘indifference’ to the complaints in this
regard. As compared to last couple of demonstrations that the PTI held at the
same venue, this demonstration was too small and could not attract citizens
of twin cities.
US Ambassador, Richard Olson met Imran Khan at his residence and
discussed with him PTI’s priorities for Khyber Pakhtunkhawa government.
US top diplomat in Pakistan also congratulated PTI Chairman for his party’s
success in the 2013 elections. Olson also discussed with Imran security
concerns regarding Afghanistan. PTI Vice Chairman, Shah Mehmood
Qureshi, Shafqat Mehmood and Jehangir Tareen were also present in the
meeting.
The Supreme Court disqualified MPA-elect of PML-N from PB-29,
Abdul Ghafoor Lehri. The apex court on May 7 had given conditional
permission to PML-N candidate to contest general elections. Lehri contested
the May 11, 2013 elections and won. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court
granting stay against the ECP order regarding counting rejected votes in NA-
266 Nasirabad cum Jafferabad and asked Jamali to approach the Balochistan
High Court (BHC) for relief.
The petitioner Zafarullah Jamali, appearing in person, informed the
court that he won the elections from NA-266 Nasirabad cum Jafferabad,
Balochistan; and the ECP vide the notification on 22 nd May has already
notified him as a member of the National Assembly. He further told that on
the application of one of the defeated candidates, the ECP vide the order
dated May 22, 2013 directed that recounting of rejected votes be carried out
and report be submitted to the Commission by May 25, 2013, but so far the
returning officer has not carried out recounting. He contended that the ex-
parte order is unjust, arbitrary and against the law declared by Supreme
Court and High Court.
US Ambassador and Indian High Commissioner separately called on
Nawaz Sharif at Raiwind. During the meeting with the US ambassador,
matters of mutual interest and Pak-US ties came under discussion. German
Ambassador also met with Nawaz Sharif separately and discussed issues of
mutual interest.
Qamar Zaman Kaira, suggested to the caretaker Prime Minister to go
home with dignity as the Ministry of Finance has refused to release Rs22
billion as per his directives issued a few days back aimed at providing relief
to the people from the prolonged and agonizing load shedding. He also

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asked Nawaz Sharif to use his good offices with the caretakers to make the
life of the people a bit comfortable.
Altaf Hussain said that his party was formed to protect the rights of
the deprived people and not for perpetrating hatred towards any nationality
or segment of the society. He stated this in a telephonic address to MQM’s
Co-ordination Committee and workers at Nine Zero. The MQM chief said if
his party workers did not amend themselves, they would lose their leader
forever.
On 25th May, Shahbaz Sharif formally invited PML-F chief Pir Pagara
to join incoming PML-N-led government in the Centre’ his request which
was cordially accepted by the latter. The two sides decided to continue with
their cooperation in the future, and to sit on opposition benches in the
provincial assembly of Sindh. Pagara sought PML-N support to get elected
member from his party as opposition leader if MQM and PPP formed a
coalition government.
PML-N decided to appoint National Party President Dr Abdul Maalik
as the new Balochistan chief minister to end the deadlock created by the
differences between Sanaullah Zahri and Jangraiz Khan Murri, who were
earlier being named for the slot. PML-N is going to form government in the
province in coalition with PKMAP, NP and independents.
A number of PTI supporters staged a demonstration in front of the
British Consulate in New York City calling for action against MQM chief
Altaf Hussain for making statements prejudicial to the integrity and
solidarity of Pakistan. They carried banners demanding that Altaf Hussain, a
British national who resides in London, should be deported to Pakistan to
face criminal charges instituted against him. Similar protests were also held
in Frankfurt, Germany.
PTI named Imran Khan and Javed Hashmi as parliamentary leader of
the party in the National Assembly and candidate for the slot of prime
minister, respectively. The PTI devised its strategy for the National
Assembly at the party’s central executive meeting under the chairmanship of
Imran Khan at his residence. 
PML-Q in a bid to keep its remaining supporters in the basket and to
improve party’s image was likely to disassociate itself with the PPP in the
National Assembly. The PML-Q would most likely to follow the PTI in an
effort to rebuild party’s image which was tarnished by getting into alliance
with the PPP.

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 Khurshid Shah said that his party will continue to pursue the politics
of reconciliation and extend support to the upcoming PML-N government on
all issues of national importance. Khurshid Shah, who is nominated by the
party as its parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, said that the PPP
would also cooperate with government on constitutional amendments aimed
at protecting the rights and interests of the people and provinces.
Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso announced the formation of a
new district – Sohbatpur – in Balochistan while addressing a ceremony in
Sohbatpur town. The premier said that the new district would not only
increase business activity in the area but also bring convenience for the
locals.
Next day, Altaf Hussain restructured his party’s central decision-
making Rabita Committee. He announced the names of 23 members of the
new central coordination committee and 10 members of Karachi Tanzimi
Committee. The reorganization of these vital organs of MQM came after
reports that a strong group within the party had been challenging the main
leadership and the move was part of Altaf’s efforts to flush out these
‘troublemakers’.
Under the new arrangement, Dr Nusrat, Engineer Nasir Jamal and
Khalid Maqbool are the new deputy conveners of MQM’s Rabita Committee
for Pakistan while Nadim Nusrat has been appointed as the party’s deputy
convener for London. Dr Farooq Sattar will be the in-charge of the party’s
international and diplomatic affairs committee. Raza Haroon, Salim Shahzad
and Asif Siddiqui have not been included in the new Rabita Committee.
Anis Ahmed Khan advocate was also expelled from MQM Rabita
Committee London on charges of violating MQM’s code of conduct.
Earlier, the MQM information department has said that the party has
yet to decide whether they will be part of the government or would side with
the opposition. All options were open and it would reach a decision after
consulting party workers and activists. Before that, Pakistan Peoples Party’s
Qaim Ali Shah had said that his party would continue its ‘reconciliation’
policy and try to woo all parties to join their government in Sindh. He
dispelled the impression that PPP has assured MQM of repealing the
incumbent local government system.
The PML-N nominated Nawaz Sharif as the prime minister ahead of
the upcoming National Assembly session on May 28. The parliamentary
party of the PML-N would formally approve the nomination of Nawaz at a
meeting to be held before start of new assembly’s maiden session. Earlier,

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Nawaz Sharif had nominated his younger brother as Punjab chief minister
last week.
Following the joining of more independent candidates, the PML-N
tally rose to 144. On the basis of this strength, the PML-N would be getting
32 reserved seats for women and five minority seats. This would raise its
total strength from 144 to 181. The leading party would also elect its
Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Leader of the House in the National Assembly
as any party or coalition requires 172 members for this purpose.
All Parties Conference members staged a sit-in outside the Provincial
Election Commission office in Quetta, protesting against what they called
insult of the public mandate in the name of elections on May 11.
JUI-Ideological central secretary, PTI provincial president, BNP-M Central
Secretary Information, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat leader, JUI-I leader and
others took part in the protest. They alleged they have clear-cut evidences of
the massive rigging took place in the May 11 elections. 
Rule of law: On 17th May, The Supreme Court, upholding the Sindh
High Court order, dismissed constitutional petition of PPPP’s Mohammad
Khan Junejo who won the election from PS-81, Sanghar. Junejo grabbed
34,559 votes, winning by a close margin against PML-F candidate Jam
Madad Ali Khan who got 34,053 votes. The court heard the election matter
and disqualified Junejo under Article 63(1) (c) for holding a fake degree.
On 21st May, the Supreme Court directed the Auditor General of
Pakistan (AGP) to conduct special audit of all the development schemes
initiated under People’s Welfare Program PWP-II by former prime minister
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. The court issued notices to former finance secretary
Abdul Khaliq when Accountant General of Pakistan Revenue (AGPR)
alleged that the finance secretary and deputy secretary in March 2013
pressurized AGPR officials to release funds despite the ECP ban.
A legal advisor of the SNGPL informed the bench that the company
received Rs5.8 billion for provision of gas to Gujar Khan out of which Rs1.4
billion had been spent and rest of the money was deposited in the
assignment account of the federal government. Pak PWD DG informed the
bench that his department received Rs21 billion for 6,274 development
schemes and Rs15.5 billion had been spent on the completion of 3,803
schemes while 1,744 were under process and the rest had not been initiated.
Earlier, Attorney General of Pakistan Irfan Qadir informed the bench
that he would only be able to assist the court after getting detailed

774
information about the projects. The SC had asked the AG to assist the court
about what were the rules and criteria of releasing and using development
funds under PWP-II – the discretionary funds of the prime minister; hearing
was adjourned for two weeks.
Director General (DG) Immigration and Passports apprised the court
about the irregularities committed by Rehman Malik in the department.
Zulfiqar Cheema informed the court that in the past, blue passports were
issued to the people who were not entitled for it and the same were issued
even to workers of cycle repairing shop on the directives of former interior
minister but the present administration had canceled these passports.
He made these revelations in the Islamabad High Court, which held
the hearing in a petition moved against awarding a contract to a US firm for
the provision of lamination paper to the Department of Immigration and
Passports for making machine-readable passports. The DG informed the
court that the permission was taken from Prime Minister to import the
lamination paper through US firm since issuance of passports was closed in
absence of the paper. He added that the overseas Pakistani people were
facing acute problems due to this problem.
Therefore, he sent a summary to the Prime Minister for immediate
import of lamination paper and Prime Minister approved the summary by
giving exemption from Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA)
rules and the permission was given to the firm, which was already supplying
lamination paper.
He informed the court that former interior minister wanted to award
the contract to his blue-eyed firm and he had given instruction in this
connection to the deputy project manager by calling him at his residence.
Zulfiqar Cheema told that mafia was taking bribe of Rs15000 for normal
passport whereas Rs25000 for urgent passport issuance. He further told the
court that an order has been issued to cancel the blue passports of
unauthorized people issued on the directives of former interior minister.
The counsel for petitioner Salman Akram Raja contended that Prime
Minister had no power to give exemption from PPRA's rules. Meanwhile,
US firm Security Laminates Opsec submitted an application before the court
to become a party in the case. Acceding its application, Justice Siddiqui
adjourned the hearing till May 28 for further proceedings.
The Supreme Court issued notice to the Senate chairman for not
sending the reference against Rehman Malik to the ECP. The court on
September 20, 2012 had disqualified the Senate membership of Rehman

775
Malik for holding dual nationality. The interior minister was directed to
refund all monetary benefits drawn by him until July 7, 2012.
Next day, an Accountability Court sentenced Muhammad Falik Sher,
father of former DG Haj Rao Shakeel to 5-years jail in illegal land allotment
case. NAB had moved a reference against Falik Sher and his son by
submitting that the accused had illegally got allotted government lands in
Sheikhupura in his name.
On 23rd May, the NAB decided to interrogate former Prime Ministers
Gilani and Raja and former Petroleum Minister Dr Asim to record their
statements regarding illegal appointment of former OGRA chairman Tauqir
Sadiq. The NAB Investigating Officer told a three-member bench that heard
the case regarding the implementation of its judgment on appointment of
Tauqir Sadiq, who is also involved in Rs82 billion scam. During the hearing,
Prosecutor General NAB K.K. Agha told the bench that UAE’s court would
likely to give its decision regarding extradition of Tauqir Sadiq on June 3 as
hearing of the case had been completed.
The Supreme Court directed Jamshoro Joint Venture Limited (JJVL)
to immediately deposit 75 per cent of its sale in the national kitty duly
audited by the Chartered Accountants A. F. Ferguson. A three-judge bench,
led by Chief Justice, resumed hearing of a matter relating to allocation of
quota for LPG in response to a constitutional petition of PML-N leader
Khawaja Muhammad Asif.
Khawaja Asif informed the court that JJVL signed a contract with the
Sui Southern Gas Company Limited after auction of the LPG quota during
the financial year 2001-2002. During all the proceedings, a clause of the
agreement between the JJVL and SSGCL remained in question before the
bench as Khawaja Asif apprised that in pursuance of the clause the contract
was automatically renewable on the previous terms and conditions. The
auction agreement came to an end in February 2011.
Without naming anybody, Khawaja Asif hinted that from the
contractor side a huge amount was offered to deposit in a political party's
account during the recent elections saying this provides sufficient grounds to
understand that how much hefty profit the concerned company had earned
by taking the benefit of the particular clause in the contract. Asif urged the
court to direct the authorities concerned to re-auction the LPG quota in order
to safe national exchequer from substantial amount of loss.
The counsel for the JJVL prayed the court for more time in the current
matter saying he should be provided a chance to go through the matter in

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detail. The Chief Justice rejecting his request and directed the A F Ferguson
Company to conduct audit of the JJVL sale and submit that in the court on
the next date of hearing and adjourned the case for two weeks.
Next day, the Supreme Court bench hearing a petition directed
Caretaker Prime Minister to submit reply till June 6 in a contempt notice
issued to him regarding appointments and transfers of 22 federal secretaries.
Besides the PM, contempt notices were also issued to former principal
secretary to the prime minister, Sareet Asghar, and Establishment Secretary
Taimur Azmat Usman.
Late in the evening, incumbent Principal Secretary to Prime Minister
Khawaja Siddiq Akbar submitted an interim PM response regarding
appointments and transfers. According to the reply, all the postings and
transfers made before the general elections on receiving reports and
summaries from the ministries concerned, highlighting and underscoring
need for change of incumbents either for inefficiency, incompetence or on
grounds of unsuitability.
‘Without naming individuals, in-camera documentary evidence can be
presented if so desired by this court. These were made on compelling
reasons on substantive grounds regarding their general reputation, conduct
and performance. The only consideration before the competent authority was
public interest and good governance without any extraneous considerations’,
Siddiqui contended in his written response.
Petitioner Naghmi said his transfer from the position of industries
secretary to the Capital Administration and Development Division was a
move influenced by Akbar and Usman, adding they should also be asked to
submit their responses on the matter. Secretary, Ministry of Regulations and
Services Pakistan, Imtiaz Inayat Elahi, said corrupt personnel enjoyed key
positions in the government. The court subsequently adjourned the hearing
to June 6.
Defiance of judiciary: On 17th May, former Prime Minister Raja
Pervez Ashraf recorded his statement in rental power plants (RPPs) case and
showed his willingness to help out the investigators. The former prime
minister could not turn up at an earlier probe, claiming he was sick. The
NAB sources said the former prime minister arrived the bureau office and
recorded his statement. The investigation team was very soft and discussed
the allegations with ex-PM for about 37 minutes here at NAB headquarter.

777
 The former PM has been accused of having received kickbacks and
commission in the RPPs deal when he was federal minister for water and
power in 2008. Nine firms were accused of receiving more than Rs22 billion
as mobilization advance from the government to commission the projects,
but most of them did not set up their plants and a few installed them after
inordinate delay.
Taming the military: On 17th May, the Supreme Court was moved
to declare that seniority or length of military service is not the sole criterion
for the four military appointments under Article 243 and restrain Nawaz
Sharif from making any military appointment in violation of the constitution
and the military laws in force. Shahid Orakzai filed a petition under Article
184 (3) of the Constitution to protect the discipline of the Armed Forces of
Pakistan against possible appointments in violation of the constitution and
the law.
He further prayed to the court to direct the Election Commission of
Pakistan (ECP) to restrain from notifying the return of Nawaz Sharif until
the decision on this petition and also inquire into his relationship with the
private army at war with Pakistan and give a ruling on his qualification to be
elected as an MNA.
Next day, Army Chief General Kayani met with incoming Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif in Model Town,
Lahore. General Kayani, who arrived in his private car without a formal
protocol, spent about three hours with Sharif brothers and had lunch with
them. Neither the ISPR nor the PML-N Secretariat issued any press release
about this unofficial call; however, matters of national security like war on
terror, regional peace and other relevant issues were discussed.
Reportedly, they also discussed the future of former Army Chief
General Pervez Musharraf, who is under custody and is facing a plethora of
cases including those relating to judges detention and murders of Benazir
and Akbar Bugti. The two leaders had unanimity of view on issues
discussed. Kayani and Nawaz agreed on declaring the drone attacks a sheer
breach of country’s sovereignty and stressed that these strikes should be
stopped forthwith.
Special Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), Islamabad, extended former
president Pervez Musharraf's remand for further two weeks in the judges’
detention case. During the hearing, the court was informed that Aamir
Nadeem Tabish was appointed as the new public prosecutor in the case, who
wanted time for preparation.

778
 On 20th May, a trial court granted bail to former President Pervez
Musharraf in Benazir Bhutto (BB) murder case and ordered his immediate
release. During the hearing that lasted for more than two hours, Barrister
Safdar argued before the judge that Musharraf had nothing to do with
Benazir murder and he was innocent. He said that his client could not be
held responsible for skipping of her postmortem when she was killed in
December 2007 because it was her husband, now the president, Asif Ali
Zardari, who did not permit it. The court after hearing both councils ordered
to release the former president.
A three-member bench heard six identical petitions against the former
military dictator for subverting and suspending the Constitution on
November 3, 2007. During the hearing, one of the petitioners, contended:
‘This hearing is the case of conviction and not that of defence as Musharraf
was given an opportunity to defend himself, but he did not respond and
opted not to contest the charges.’
He said in the Sindh High Court Bar Association SHCBA case a
notice was also dispatched to Musharraf’s residence in Islamabad, providing
to him an opportunity to defend his case, but he did not contest the charges.
Justice Ejaz Afzal remarked that so far the opportunity of hearing had not
been given to Musharraf, so such opportunity would be provided through a
trial. The bench deferred the hearing till May 23.
On 22nd May, an anti-terrorism court turned down the bail plea of
Pervez Musharraf in the judges' detention case. Special judge rejected the
application after hearing arguments of Musharraf’s counsel and public
prosecutor. The prosecutor had said that it was a terrorism case and bail
could not be granted in a crime liable to ten-year imprisonment sentence.
Next day, the Supreme Court has said that Pervez Musharraf cannot
be prosecuted unless the federation lodge a complaint against him for
subverting the Constitution. A bench heard six identical petitions against the
former dictator and declared that it was the jurisdiction of the federation to
lodge complaint and constitute a special court to try him for subverting and
abrogating the Constitution.
Counsel for petitioner AK Dogar pleaded that in the light of the Sindh
High Court Bar Association judgment Musharraf had been declared usurper
and abrogator of the Constitution therefore it was not needed to determine
whether he abrogated and subverted the Constitution. The counsel argued
that it was written in the proclamation of November 3, 2007 emergency that
Pervez Musharraf acted as the chief of the army staff. Justice Jawwad said

779
the COAS is the subordinate officer of the defence secretary and if he had
felt wrong then he should have reported to the defence secretary. Justice
Jawwad questioned whether there was any proof that other persons assisted
Pervez Musharraf in the act. Dogar replied there was no evidence in this
regard.
Justice Ejaz said under section 3 of the High Treason Act, the interior
secretary is authorized to lodge complaint against Musharraf and the Law
Ministry to constitute the special court. AK Dogar contended that section 3
of the High Treason Act was in direct conflict with the Constitution.
Concluding his argument, Dogar said that rumours were circulating that
Musharraf wanted to go out of the country. Kasuri, counsel for Pervez
Musharraf, said that his client had no intention to leave the country. The
court adjourned the hearing until January 3.
On 24th May, Advocate Ilyas Siddiqui representing Musharraf moved
the petition for bail after arrest in judges’ detention case under section 497
Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in the court and made the state and the
complainant as respondents in the petition. He contended that none of the
provisions of Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) is applicable in this case.
Recessing economy: On 19th May, to vent their anger against
hours long load shedding, electricity consumers staged protest
demonstrations, blocked roads and burnt tyres in various cities and asked the
government to stop power outages, otherwise authorities concerned will be
responsible if any untoward incident happened in this regard.
Next day, Prime Minister Khoso directed the Finance Ministry to
immediately release Rs22.5 billion to the Water and Power Ministry for
provision of fuel to the thermal power plants to overcome the electricity
crisis in the country. The direction was given by the prime minister while
chairing an emergency meeting at the PM House.
Without giving any specific deadline to overcome the energy crisis,
the PML-N chief said that his government would spare no effort to minimize
load shedding and the nation will see the difference in first 30 days of his
government. There is no money in the national coffer, the debt burden stands
at Rs16 trillion, and Rs500 billion are needed to meet the circular debts
alone so that continuous supply of power could be ensured, he said, adding
that his party has started work to deal with all these woes.
On 21st May, the Finance Ministry released only Rs5 billion to the
Ministry of Water and Power for provision of fuel to the thermal power

780
plants to reduce the long-hour electricity outages in the country’ it was
contrary to the direction of the prime minister to immediately release Rs15
billion to the power sector. Meanwhile, reliable sources said total subsidy
given to the power sector had reached Rs320 billion against the budgetary
allocation of Rs185 billion for the entire financial year 2012-2013.
No filling station will provide compressed natural gas fuel to any
private vehicle having power capacity above 1000-CC from May 25. Interim
Prime Minister ordered the Law Ministry to ensure implementation of this
decision, taken to restrict the use of CNG for private transport in view of
acute shortage and scarcity of natural gas, and to ensure more gainful value
of this scarce commodity for power, industry, fertilizer sectors and domestic
consumption. The curbs, however, shall not be applicable on the public
transport.
The Supreme Court observed that the thermal power plants are
producing electricity below their capacity and this could be the one of the
reasons of severe load shedding in the country. The court noted, ‘There
could be genuine problem but now it seemed the involvement of artificial
factors, particularly the high inefficiency of the Pakistan Electric Power
Company (Private) Limited (Pepco) and National Transmission & Dispatch
Company (NTDC) Limited officials.’
The total capacity of Guddo Thermal Power Plants is 1650MW but
presently it is producing 775MW, while the Jamshore thermal power plants
have capacity to produce 1000MW but they are generating 300 MW.
Muzafargarh plant capacity is 1,100 MW but presently it is producing only
475MW. MD Pepco informed the court that deration is due to the faults in
the machines, adding now those parts have to be changed.
On 24th May, the Senate Standing Committee on Water and Power
rapped the officials over presenting a misleading report and sought action
against them for lying about the extent of load shedding. It also stayed the
recently approved increase in tariff and directed for ending discrimination in
load shedding by withdrawal of exceptions to government, military and
judiciary enclaves.
The worst kind of power outages of up to 20 hours in most parts of the
country has hit hard the domestic and commercial life. Lahore, Rawalpindi,
Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala and other cities in Punjab are experiencing
18 to 20 hours of load shedding. Protest demonstrations were held in
different cities of the country against the outages. In Lahore, angry

781
protestors chanted slogans against the government, burnt tyres and cause
traffic jam at various main roads.
Government figures for the current shortfall varied from 5280 to over
7000MW. There were even rumours that this misery has been deliberately
unleashed at the instigation of the upcoming government so that it could
become easy for it to ‘show the promised difference’ to the people by just
ending this ‘artificially created’ increase in outages and bringing it down
to ,say, 10 or 12 hours without taking much pain.
Water and Power Secretary Anwar Ahmad Khan told the Senate
committee the load shedding could be reduced by 6 to 7 hours a day if
ministry of finance provides Rs3 billion per day. Holding the finance
ministry responsible for the crisis he said the finance ministry released only
Rs5 billion for power generation against the prime minister's direction of
Rs22.5 billion. ‘We have held meetings with them and now they have agreed
to provide Rs10 billion on May 28.’
Committee Chairman Senator Zahid Khan grilled the power ministry
officials for presenting wrong figures of power outages in the country. He
said the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) is conducting up to
18 hours load shedding in Rawalpindi city but the company's report
presented to them put it at only 10 hours. He demanded that government
should take action against the ministry officials for lying to the committee.
Next day, at least sixteen schoolchildren and a female teacher were
burnt to death near Gujrat when their van was engulfed in flames. This news
is included herein because it is linked to electricity shortage. The driver was
carrying petrol in passenger cabin in lose can for a generator.
Baloch militancy: On 19th May, three decomposed bodies among
them two real brothers were found dumped in Kech and Khuzdar districts of
Balochistan. On 22nd May, Pakistan and China vowed to further consolidate
their time-tested ties and signed a number of accords and MoUs, including
the one for establishing an economic corridor that would provide air, rail and
road connectivity to bolster bilateral trade between the neighbouring
countries. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, on his first overseas trip since taking
over in a once-in-a-decade power transfer in Beijing, congratulated Pakistan
on its recent general election and hailed the countries’ long-standing
friendship.
Premier Li linked growth in his country’s western part with economic
improvement in Pakistan, saying the two sides wanted to create an

782
‘economic corridor’ to boost development. Li said China’s desire to boost
domestic demand and develop its western region would benefit Pakistan as it
seeks to restart its foundering economy. Li described Gwadar Port as a
gateway to Central Asia trade.
An MoU on Maritime Cooperation, an agreement on Boundary
Management System between China’s Xinjiang province and Pakistan’s
Gilgit-Baltistan area, and another agreement on border ports and their
management system was signed by Chinese Foreign Minister and Foreign
Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani. Chinese Commerce Minister and Pakistan’s
Economic Affairs Division Secretary signed the agreement on Economic and
Technical Cooperation and the handing over certificate of Seismographic
Network.
On 24th May, at least seven people were killed and three others
including two security personnel sustained injuries in different incidents of
violence across Balochistan. On 26th May, a man was shot dead in Quetta
and a bullet-riddled body was found in Kuchlak, while two persons were
kidnapped from Naseerabad.
Turf war in Karachi: On 17th May, eleven persons, including a
woman, were killed in separate incidents of violence in the mega city. On
19th May, clash between two rival groups continued on the second day in
Lyari area of Karachi, claiming three more lives while over a dozen people
sustained bullet injuries. Another man was shot dead in North Nazimabad
area and police found three dead bodies in Northern Bypass and Khamiso
Goth areas.
Next day, at least eight people, including two political activists were
killed in various incidents of violence. On 21 st May, at least eight people,
including two political activists were killed in various incidents of violence.
Next day, five people were gunned down in separate incidents of violence in
the port city. On 23rd May, five people were gunned down in separate
incidents of violence.
Next day, seven people were killed in various incidents of violence
while police claimed to have killed two alleged terrorists in an encounter. On
25th May, at least five people were killed in separate incidents of violence in
the city. Next day, at least eight people, a doctor and a seminary student
among them, were killed in violence in the metropolis.

VIEWS

783
Power politics
The mandate: ‘With PPP confined to Sindh, the PML-N once again
gets a favourable mandate. To witness any significant development,
Pakistanis will have to wait and watch whether PML-N has grown in
maturity or will it fall into its familiar confrontationist mode? Maturity
implies that, by and large, its mandate is genuine and not tied to strings.
As reaction to the status quo, the people of Pakistan turned out in
large numbers to make the choices. However, their vigour was marred by the
endemic propensity of old actors to engineer the results. But still there is
time and if the ECP holds good its promise of verifying every ballot paper,
the rigging can be undone and the confidence of the people reinforced in
electoral accountability.
If the elections, indeed, appear muddied, it implies that PTI could not
convince the establishment of the credibility and viability of its alternative
options to facilitate US withdrawal from Afghanistan, restore peace in the
region, and control militancy inside Pakistan. It also implies that for those in
the establishment, PTI slogans rode high on emotionalism and short on
substance.
To PTI’s credit, however, are the assembly of masses in
unprecedented numbers and the ability to convince the rich and the poor to
turn out and vote. As a new force to reckon with, the party has become a
sizable opposition party in Punjab and has the largest presence in KPK.
Though not reflected in the number of seats, PTI has laid claim to at least 18
percent of the urban vote bank in Karachi.
Logically, the perception of free and fair elections will keep this
change energized. Anything to contrary will discourage this segment of
people from future participation. The ECP and the judiciary owe it to this
massive additional turnout to prove their transparency. This will also cool
political tempers and make way for pluralism in the larger interests of the
country. Failure will breed suspicion, circumspect attitudes and discords for
the worse.
The fierce political and ideological rivalry between PML-N and PTI
will test both in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; success and failure will affect
equally. Without a simple majority and a hostile centre, PTI faces the
onerous task of governing KPK with allies that may not be the choicest.
Both JI and QWP of Sherpao are tested and failed parties representing status
quo. The PML-N, JUI and floaters in opposition will continue staring down

784
PTI’s throat. The split mandate leaves no room for complacency; and herein
is the challenge.
PTI’s only salvation lies in proving its electoral slogans in a province
plagued with strong incursions of the Taliban. It has to fight back from the
corner of the ring, bring the Taliban to negotiations within the ambit of the
constitution and positively affect the lives of the common man on the streets.
This is a mission others have either not endeared or abandoned in the past 10
years. Given PTI’s humanitarian record, this is achievable.
Long after this Parliament runs its term, 2013 will be remembered for
cornering PTI into KPK and expecting it to deliver in extremely hostile and
non-cooperative environments. The PML-N holding out an olive branch to
PTI in KPK would be an ideal situation, but there is a familiar paradox? If
PTI fails, it will take down PML-N with it. If PTI succeeds, so would PML-
N. Many years hence, either the dream of a ‘Naya Pakistan’ will be laid to
rest in favour of status quo or PTI will manage to salvage enough pride and
performance to re-emerge, as the strongest reformist party of the country.’
(Samson Simon Sharaf, The Nation 18th May)
A turn around? ‘Nawaz Sharif will be taking over as the next Prime
Minister of Pakistan. He will face a string of daunting challenges. Some of
the most formidable are: terrorism, power shortages, religious extremism,
corruption, a rundown economy with high deficits, soaring inflation and
closure of industries. Add to these, the trouble in Balochistan and the
breakdown of law and order in Karachi and KPK. There also are the difficult
issues relating to civil-military relations, as well as such complex and
pressing challenges as the relations with India and USA and the role the
country has to play in the endgame in Afghanistan.
Of these, the most urgent and taxing is finding a way to put an end to
terrorism in Fata and the surrounding areas. Can peace be negotiated with
the Pakistani Taliban? How and on what conditions? Linked to this
phenomenon is the complex issue of drone strikes. With Imran Khan’s party
ruling the roost in KPK, how will this issue be addressed?
Regarding Afghanistan, Pakistan has a role to play in engaging the
Afghanistan Taliban with a view to bringing about a negotiated deal prior to
US exit from the country.
With Pakistan facing huge deficits, how can the economy be turned
around? What will be the terms of an IMF rescue package? 

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 While dealing with the questions of economy and security, a decision
will have to be made about the kind of relationship Islamabad may have with
Washington? Another problematic area is the nature of relations with India.
New Delhi has welcomed Nawaz’s return to power. Can Pakistan afford to
rush into a warm embrace with our eastern neighbour, while problems like
Kashmir, river water flows and other thorny disputes remain unresolved. (It
is, indeed, surprising how suddenly a number of Indian delegations beating
the ‘Aman ki Asha’ drums are trooping into Pakistan just days ahead of the
new government takeover.)
People are anxiously waiting for an end to frequent power outages.
What can be done to provide relief on this account in the near future? There
also is the question of corruption and good governance. How to restore law
and order (how, indeed, to make the police and law enforcement agencies
abide by law and the rules.)
A colossal and massive effort will have to be made to successfully
deal with the enormity of these challenges. Many of these issues are
intertwined. A farsighted and coordinated approach will be required. The
mess by the previous government will take years to sort out.
Running the national government in the post-18th Amendment
Pakistan will tax all the sagacity and imagination Nawaz Sharif can muster.
Time has matured and chastened him. He has a good team to share his
burdens. But with Balochistan’s thorny problems remaining unaddressed,
Sindh dominated by a non-too-happy PPP, Karachi practically an MQM
fiefdom and KPK ruled by PTI and a few local politicians – only an
experienced and dynamic statesman can lead the country to recovery and
progress. The new Parliament would be a spirited assembly with PTI
mavericks and many ambitious and impatient souls led by Imran Khan and a
frustrated PPP taking the government to task for acts of omission and
commission.
Punjab captained by the dynamic Shahbaz Sharif will help the central
government in grappling with some of the national tasks. There will be no
dull moments for Nawaz and hardly any respite from the pressing demands
of all sorts, internal and external, from all sides. And media and higher
judiciary will, all along, be watching like big brothers. 
Hopefully, Nawaz will not yield to US pressure in regard to the
pipeline from Iran and will quicken the pace of development of the Gwadar
Port under Chinese management. Also, dozens of small dams will be

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speedily built to provide power before the large ones are ready to ensure an
easy future.
May one also hope that population control measures will be
strengthened and steps taken to make almost 50 percent of the 60 million
illiterates of this country capable of reading and writing. The last
government at the centre and in the provinces had been guilty of criminal
neglect in taking up these two vital national tasks.’ (Inayatullah, The Nation
18th May)
A patchwork of power: ‘As the initial enthusiasm about Pakistan’s
elections abates and serious questions are asked about the integrity of the
polls in a number of constituencies, a new fragmented political landscape is
emerging. Although strong support for the Pakistan Muslim League-N, one
of Pakistan’s oldest parties, suggests a degree of stability in the political
party scene, the striking novelty of these elections is the regionalization of
political support. This raises tricky questions in the context of greater
powers granted to the provinces by the recent constitutional reforms.
No political party enjoys anything that comes close to consistent
support across the four provinces. Nawaz Sharif’s party, the PML-N, won an
overwhelming majority in the National Assembly in Punjab with 124 seats,
while taking only ten in other provinces… This regionalization of Pakistan’s
politics is also reflected in the results from the simultaneous elections that
took place in the four Provincial Assemblies…
This colourful political map with huge regional variation raises
questions of how this will all play out in a context of strong devolution of
powers to the provinces through the constitutional amendments adopted over
the last few years. Perhaps the biggest challenge for the national PML-N
government will be to establish itself as an honest broker for all provinces.
Fear of Punjabi domination in Pakistan, a long-standing feature of the
country’s political psychology, will gain renewed prominence.
The practical questions are manifold. The outgoing government had
not completed the handover of power and resources to the provinces that
was mandated by the constitutional overhaul. The PML-N government must
continue this process even-handedly. The most sensitive challenge ahead
will be to determine the resource sharing arrangements between the
provinces and the centre, known as the National Finance Commission
Award, which is due in 2014. In 2009, the PPP-led coalition took the credit
for deciding the award through consensus among all provinces, a historic
achievement that sets a high bar for the incoming PML-N government. The

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PML-N will also have to tread carefully in order to make good one of its
central campaign pledges: to swiftly end the electricity shortages and power
cuts. Every new dam-building project will now need provincial co-operation.
What is likely to emerge in Pakistan is a situation of federal
competition where each major party will use its provincial home base to
show its capacity and achievements. Already Imran Khan promised to turn
KP into a model province. At the same time, the new set-up will place an
onus on consensus-making between the two houses of parliament as much as
between the centre and the provinces. Pakistan’s political class has been
oscillating in recent years between extreme partisan politics and divisive
rhetoric, and remarkable statesmanship, as seen in the unanimous adoption
of the 18th constitutional amendment in 2010, which restored parliamentary
democracy.
A similar team spirit was seen during the appointment of the election
commission and later on the caretaker government, which had seemed
practically impossible, yet at the last moment consensus was achieved. If the
political class manages the balance between federal competition and
problem-solving consensus, the new situation can turn into an advantage. If
it does not however, Pakistan faces years of acrimony about the allocation of
resources and the role of Punjab, further weakening an already fragile sense
of nationhood. The key role will be played by the PML-N. Being the
strongest party, it will have to lead by example.’ (Niaz Ahmed for
Independent, reprinted in The Nation 18th May)
Tried and found wanting! ‘I can completely understand the catalyst
that prompted protests and sit-ins in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, but
reason must now overtake sentiment. Those that feel cheated have made
their statement and made it well. It is now for the affected political parties,
not to let this supreme effort go waste. Recourse to law must now be
relentlessly taken at the Election Tribunal level and if justice is denied
therein, then the portals of the apex court must be knocked. I am confident
that malpractices wherever they occurred were not ordered institutionally by
political parties, but it was the fear of change that prompted individual
criminal acts by big political names. There is, therefore, all the more reason
to punish these individuals by stripping them of the right to sit in Parliament
as lawmakers.
There can be no doubts in our minds that acts contrary to good electoral
practices were committed and there is video evidence to support the fact.
What more does the honourable Chief Election Commissioner require, in

788
order to deem the results of these constituencies invalid. The acid test of a
much respected retired member of the higher judiciary and his team is nigh.
The nation is watching them, expecting fair play and neutrality, for if they
fail this test, they will go down in history as tried and found wanting.’ (S
Tariq, TheNation 19th May)
A marred celebration: ‘Yet another dimension, that is a direct result
of these elections, is the eyeball to eyeball stare by Pakistanis all over with
the MQM’s Lord and Master, albeit in faraway London, Altaf Hussain. His
ability to scare people into staying quiet and putting up with his strong-
armed methods or messages seem to be dissipating slowly but surely. It is
quite amazing that within just 24 hours of his threats over telephone to a live
audience in Karachi, the Metropolitan Police in London had received over
10,000 complaints and the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Adam
Thomson, had to have a press briefing to address the issue. The social media
has been able to galvanize large-scale immediate action and reaction in
response to unacceptable standards of behaviour. 
On a personal note, I feel sorry for some of the charming and likeable
few from among the MQM, like Khushbakht Shujaat and Haider Abbas
Rizvi, who are left with the unpleasant task of clearing the deck of the
rubbish that their leader churns out every now and then. Needless to say, no
amount of charm is able to rectify his antics satisfactorily.’ (Tallat Azim,
TheNation 19th May)
Shameful: ‘The killing of PTI leader Zehra Shahid Hussain, serving
in the capacity of senior Vice President of Sindh Chapter, just hours before
re-polling of NA-250 was to be carried out came as a tragic shock for her
party. Minutes after the devastating news was aired, literally all cadres of the
party responded with countrywide protests. Major cities’ squares and roads
where the party was already conducting sit-ins over rigging, people rushed
in droves. As the crowds swelled, traffic jams were observed late in the
night. A bed-ridden Imran Khan accused MQM supremo Altaf Hussain for
the killing; he said Zehra had been receiving threatening calls by MQM
activists. Condemnation has also come from the PML-N, whose leader
Shahbaz Sharif said that this cannot be allowed to go on.
The sad thing is that the police kept flip-flopping between different
versions of what happened. First, it stated that the murder was the result of a
dacoity attempt but then came up with another version that it could be a
target killing. No wonder, with our police, working in this pathetic manner,
crime has been thriving. All it takes is the blink of an eye to shoot a rival

789
down while the bandits are never seen again. However, at this stage so far as
the political parties especially the PTI is concerned, it is understandable the
agony and anger it is going through but wisdom cautions us against needless
mudslinging at least not when the investigations are thoroughly done.
The culture of violence has been hitting people, from all segments of
life. What is to be done; is Karachi and its denizens left to their fate? The life
of fear of assassinations, and target killing, that the brave citizens of the city
are enduring, is mocking the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam, who would not
have imagined in his worst nightmare that such a fate would afflict his
people. What have we done to his vision!’ (Editorial, TheNation 20th May)
The revolution is real and now: ‘The revolution is finally upon us: it
arrived with a surprising ‘boom’ which, even more surprisingly, many
people completely failed to hear and, of those who did, few realize the
import of an event they may even have participated in. But if the revolution
is to continue and is to achieve its long overdue goal, not only is it
imperative to recognize its arrival, steps must be taken, and taken right now,
to ensure that it does not lose impetus. And, most importantly of all, it must
be joined by each and every single person, who values incorruptible honesty
and their right to democratic freedom of choice too.
The elections were, as a result of blatant mismanagement and outright
rigging, farcical in the extreme and ‘celebrated’ as such the whole world
over: Pakistan became a laughing stock and the Election Commission of
Pakistan deserved all the flak it got and more.
What the elections achieved though – this quite irrespective of
personal politics and whether or not those elected deserved to be – was,
possibly for the first time in the country’s history, to bring very concerned,
indeed outright horrified citizens and a goodly number of them, right out
there on to the streets to peacefully, yet volubly, protest at the shocking state
of affairs the shambolic voting system brought about. And also for the first
time, the people literally forced the ‘authorities’ to both listen and,
ultimately, to act.
This joining together of people under the banner of outrage and
accountability was wonderful to see and yes – although some may dispute it
– marked the beginning of a ‘revolution for change’ as people now know
that by setting aside whatever differences they may have, and working
together for a common cause, they can achieve the desired results if, that is
and this is where the danger lies, they have the collective determination and
patience to see things through to the end when, hopefully and if the

790
authorities and government, central and provincial, exhibit the sense to
accept that the people’s mandate is what, when it comes right down to the
nitty-gritty, is what it is all about.
Objecting to rigged elections and, in some places, failure of voting to
take place until way after the specified time, if at all, is – or rather should be
– if the ‘revolution’ is to continue without, as could very well happen, it
fading away into the obscurity from which it so suddenly exploded, just the
first step in the nation’s joint recognition that, together and only by standing
together, it can stand up for what is, after all is said and done, its legal rights.
There is much which needs to change if this repeatedly tested, often
beleaguered nation, is not only to survive, but also to provide everyone with
even just the basics of life to which they are entitled… There is absolutely
no point, as the majority realized yet failed to act upon long ago, in
expecting local authorities and government to provide, willy-nilly,
everything the people both need and deserve without the nation, acting in
unity, prodding them into action.
If – and the size of this ‘if’ remains to be seen – peaceful, with stress
on ‘peaceful’, revolutionary change is to seriously get underway and
continue, it can only be done ‘together’. The kind of revolution, which will,
ultimately, be of benefit to all no matter in which part of this huge country
they happen to reside and which, in time as it is important to remember that
major changes are not achieved overnight, will act to remove the name
‘Pakistan’ from the top of the global list of countries to be avoided at all
costs and will make it, instead, an economically sound, prosperous and
peaceful country to be envied by those of less fortunate mien.’ (Zahrah
Nasir, TheNation 20th May)
Seeking excuses: ‘Perhaps it is only natural for President Asif Ali
Zardari to cast about for excuses in trying to explain why the PPP lost so
heavily in the May 11 elections. However, such escapism is not likely to
help him reach the sort of conclusions needed if he is to lead the party
towards a renewal that would lead it towards a return to office. It was
perhaps natural for him to seek reasons for the defeat when he arrived in
Lahore on Sunday to a party in ruins. Not only has it suffered an even worse
defeat in Punjab than in 2008, but it has resultantly lost office at the Centre.
Not only have its Punjab office bearers resigned, but so has the Governor
who received the President. However, President Zardari was blunt enough to
say that he would not resign, as this would serve no purpose. Apparently, he
did not realize that the vote was an overwhelming rejection of the PPP, and

791
instead of conceding there were flaws in the way it ruled, he said that one of
the reasons for the PPP defeat was that outgoing Prime Minister Raja
Pervaiz Ashraf was busy in court appearances and thus unable to campaign
effectively.
His arrival in Lahore while load shedding had increased should have
shown him that the PPP suffered because of this, and he would not have
claimed the terrorist card, in which he claimed the Tehrik Taliban Pakistan
threat affected the PPP’s ability to campaign. He did not explain what that
campaign would have been based on, nor did he take account of the fact that
the portion of the campaign that the TTP could not affect, its television
advertising, was silent about the record of the PPP in office. At one level,
this was obvious, so thin was that record, but at another it was highly
counterproductive. It will also do the President no good to make snide
remarks about Returning Officers. The tactic of alleging the election was
stolen will only work among people if they saw malpractices. Where they
saw the election as fair, they will not respond to such allegations.
The President may be feeling that September, when his term comes to
an end, is coming close, and he is then going to have to retire, because his
party has lost badly enough to be unable to re-elect him. However, that does
not mean that it should not engage in a serious exercise to understand why it
lost the election. That understanding is the first step towards the sort of
reorganization that the President says he wants. As the PPP is one of the
country’s major parties, it is essential that it arrives at a correct
understanding of what happened, rather than fooling itself with the sort of
excuses the President is propagating.’ (Editorial, TheNation 21st May)
The making of governments: ‘As an initial measure, the incoming
government will have to look at the theft and losses plaguing the system, for
addition of generation capacity or even conversion to alternate fuels, like
coal, will take time. It is perhaps unfortunate for both government and the
nation that attention has been focused, indeed riveted, on this issue, by the
fact that the elections were held at the beginning of the hot weather.
It is not as if there are not other issues. First come the drones.
Bringing their attacks to an end is a priority of both the PML-N and the PTI.
The latter is set to form the government in the province neighbouring FATA,
the area where the drone strikes are happening in Pakistan. Though the PTI
will form the government there, dealing with the country carrying out the
drone strikes, the USA, will fall to the central government. Similarly, the
PML-N will lead the government in Balochistan, and try to bring back that

792
province, which has been wracked with violence, tribal warfare and forced
disappearances, to normalcy. Similarly, while the PPP and the MQM prepare
to form the Sindh provincial government, neither should expect the central
government to ignore lawlessness in Karachi, the country’s only port and
commercial capital, as did the previous one. Both parties should remember
that Mian Nawaz sacked a PML-N-MQM coalition in 1999 to impose an
emergency and direct central rule. They must be ready for him to do so again
if the situation there goes out of control. It seems that the caretaker
government has had some success in reducing the threat faced in Karachi,
but similar outbreaks of peace have been witnessed before. The previous
PPP-MQM coalition had a bad record in this respect.
With all of this happening, the US drawdown in Afghanistan is also
due to take place. While it will have inevitable effects on KP (where the PTI
will be ruling), the central government will again face the situation, which
might remind Mian Nawaz of the situation in 1990, when he first became
PM, when the Najib regime collapsed. Will history repeat itself, with a
different superpower this time?
This raises the question of civil-military relations. Afghanistan in
1990 was the first time Mian Nawaz tried to pull the military’s chestnuts out
of the fire, but not the last. COAS Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani’s Raiwind
lunch indicates that Mian Nawaz still is, but the end of his second tenure is
being mined by those who want to know how his third will go.’ (M A Niazi,
TheNation 24th May)
Prosperity without power: ‘This middle-class activism may be
spreading. In Pakistan's national elections, anger at corruption and poor
government services brought 40 million new voters to the polls and
produced a record 60 per cent turnout. Protest movements are electrifying,
but the biggest threat to entrenched power-holders remains an organized,
disciplined and politically potent opposition…’ (David Rohde for Reuters,
published in TheNation 24th May)
Challenges ahead: ‘It must be remembered that the new government
might not have the traditional honeymoon period of one hundred days and
might be held accountable right from day one which means that they have to
act quickly and in the right direction; no amount of majority in the National
assembly will help them. One hopes that the initial actions of the incoming
government will speak louder than the words coming out of Raiwind and
that the first budget that is around the corner will carefully tackle the
economic issues that have made the lives of the common man unbearable.

793
One also hopes that the government provides long-term relief and adopts a
rational posture by taking the people into confidence not only about the
reality behind the issues, but also the urgency of taking bold but bitter
decisions.
A good beginning seems to have been made by the Elder Sharif, who
in his maiden speech to his parliamentary party, refused to give a date by
which the issue of load shedding could be resolved. He assured them,
however, that he would work hard to restore normal power supply as early
as possible. It must be remembered that one of the basic reasons for the
debacle the Peoples Party has suffered in the general elections was the issue
of power outages and the different dates its Ministers were giving by which
the people would be relieved of this agonizing problem. It resulted in a
serious backlash. Keeping in view Mian Nawaz Sharif is an experienced
industrialist and businessman, it is expected that he will introduce workable
and prudent economic policies and not run after ambitious plans which were
the undoing of Peoples Party and its coalition partners.’ (Azam Khalil,
TheNation 24th May)
The New Dawn: ‘For PTI, governing KPK and implementing its
roadmap is a challenge that can daunt the bravest – yet even if fifty percent
of what the party has promised to deliver comes about, our northern
province can surely become a model of good governance. In the quest for
achieving their targets, Imran Khan and his allies will be confronted by
issues like militancy and extremism, NATO intervention, load shedding, gas
shortages, spiraling prices, poverty and most critically – an empty coffer.
Then there is a public that expects these issues to disappear on an
impossible timeline. One cannot blame the man on the street for this notion
as it is he, who has stoically tolerated the bitter pill of poor governance for
the last five years and now considers the change as an immediate panacea
for all his troubles. Mercifully, the Pathans will always root for the direct
and truthful approach. They must therefore be taken aboard, regarding the
true state of their province and asked to gird themselves to collectively meet
the challenge head on. I am confident that men, women and children will
respond in a manner unprecedented in our national history and will, with a
single mindedness so characteristic of their culture, achieve what they have
set out to accomplish.
Another source of friction that the PTI-led government is likely to
face is in resources controlled by the center. Statements have been issued by
the Sharif brothers to the effect that they would be looking at Pakistan’s

794
larger interests and would extend cooperation to PTI in all such matters.
While these statements are a welcome sign, Khan Sahib and his allies will
have to prepare contingency plans in case Islamabad reneges on the
promised ‘cooperation’.
The new provincial government’s biggest challenge will be to corral
and then eliminate militancy and terrorism. This would be a difficult task
through talks, in view of inflexibility and radicalism that hallmarks militant
groups.
The first and immediate step that must be taken towards good
governance is to ensure effective enforcement of law. This single measure,
which may involve overhauling the police, will have sympathetic effects on
all areas that affect the lives of ordinary citizens. Violators of law, no matter
what their calling, must be caught and punished; roads and streets must be
made safe by night or day; the voice of the oppressed must be heard and the
oppressor made to pay for his excesses and want must become a word no
longer in our national vocabulary.
Quick and speedy justice is an essential ingredient of a welfare state.
If complaints are not mitigated in a timely fashion starting from the lowest
of magisterial courts to the highest judicial forum in the province then
people will look elsewhere and resort to other means for satisfaction, no
matter how barbaric they may appear.
In a nutshell, the notion of a model province, though very attractive is
not an easy task to implement. It will entail hard honest work based on the
principles enunciated by our Founding Father Muhammad Ali Jinnah. It will
require complete detachment from kinship, nepotism, self-aggrandizement
and greed. In fact, it will require a rekindling of the same spirit that made the
creation of Pakistan possible.’ (S Tariq, TheNation 26th May)
It’s a whole new ball-game: ‘As the winds of change start to blow
across the region it was indeed good to see the new Prime Minister of China,
Li Keqiang, and his key team members reiterate the strong bonds of
friendship between our two countries. The Prime Minister-elect, Mian
Nawaz Sharif, expressed the wishes of the country when he said that
Pakistan wants stronger ties with China and will be looking for cooperation
in all the required areas. The tilt towards China, if Pakistanis could help it,
would be as visible as the leaning tower of Pisa and I am sure just as
miraculous!
As things change, some do remain unchanged too, untouched by any
turbulence. Like the meaningful introduction of Owais Muzzafar aka Tappi

795
by President Asif Ali Zardari with Mian Sahib at the dinner for the Chinese
Premier that ‘He is my younger brother’! No chastening is visible on that
front. This politics and camaraderie of younger and older brothers must now
pause and even real siblings of the elected must just go underground, as
opposed to making merry while the sun shines which is their usual behavior
pattern. We have seen just too many of well-connected relatives and friends
raking in fortunes in the last five years. The last minute orders and
appointments by the innocent seeming caretaker governments was also so
silly really, because they knew well it was not in their mandate to do so. Ah
well, even as we contemplate seeing semi-reformed behaviour by the newly
elected Parliament, we should brace ourselves not to expect miracles
overnight!’ (Tallat Azim, TheNation 26th May)
Overcoming energy crisis: ‘Reportedly, Mian Nawaz Sharif is
visualizing a drastic cut in the period of the enervating power outages within
barely 30 days of his assumption of the charge as Prime Minister. Talking to
a private TV channel, he said that overcoming energy crisis would be his
first priority and work would be taken up on a war footing; for, higher power
production would enable him to set the course of economic recovery in the
right direction. Already, a high-level meeting of party leaders, businessmen
and industrialists has accorded approval to the recommendations of the task
force on power that he had constituted immediately on winning elections.
Besides, as promised to the nation, his government would fulfill all the
pledges it had made to it in order to avoid the unenviable fate the PPP met at
the ballot box. The multiple points of the conclusions of the task force,
though not announced by him, have found their way to the media. They
include: getting rid of the circular debt by clearing it and then focusing on
checking power thefts; improving the supply of gas to power stations; and
gradually producing power at existing thermal stations with imported coal.
The conversion of CNG outlets into LPG and petrol stations by providing
incentives to the CNG station owners is also on the cards.
It is highly laudable that the PML-N leadership intends addressing a
problem that holds the key to not only resuscitating the moribund economy,
but also providing relief to the people in the blistering summer heat. A
resurgent economy would revive the job market setting of a chain reaction to
the benefit of the various spheres of the economy as well as producing goods
for domestic consumption and exports.
As power generation with coal would, indeed, markedly cut down the
cost of production, Mian Nawaz ought to quickly complete the ongoing
hydel projects such as Ghazi Brotha, Neelam-Jhelum (969MW) and Jinnah

796
hydropower project at Mianwali (96MW) and install the machinery for
improving performance at Chichokimalian and Nandipur hydel stations.
That would make it possible to rationalize the power tariff. Some strategy to
retrieve 700MW of Punjab’s share of power should be devised. With Punjab
and Balochistan having PML-N governments and with PTI, also favouring
the construction of Kalabagh dam, in power in KPK, the task of evolving
consensus for the dam appears possible. The nationalists in Sindh can be
brought round by presenting facts and figures of the benefits that they and
the nation as whole would enjoy by building the KBD. This short, medium
and long-term policy would help ease the crisis situation.’

REVIEW
The events prior to murder of Zehra Hussain, Senior Vice President
of PTI in Sindh, created an unambiguous impression that the London-based
Don had struck as he had been threatening to do so. The familiar ‘unknown’
gun men of Karachi riding a motor bike shot her dead in Defence Phase IV
Karachi.
Imran Khan blamed Altaf for the murder. He also accused the British
government that had provided a ‘safe heaven’ to him in London and
according to British High Commissioner in Islamabad there is no law in his
country that could catch a man inciting to perpetrate killings at places other
than the civilized world.
MQM’s reaction to Imran’s statement was as usual violent and
provocative; despite the fact that anyone who had gone to lodge FIR of the
murder, Police would have asked questions about likely suspect(s). The
complainants reply would have been exactly the same as that of Imran Khan.
Don’s local operatives, led by Farooq Sattar resorted to leveling
counter allegations. Sattar announced that MQM would sue Khan in
Pakistan, UK and the US for false accusations and defamation, because he
blamed Altaf without waiting for the initiation and outcome of
investigations. This is because MQM is so well entrenched in Karachi that
this murder could be dubbed as ‘street crime’ and brushed under the carpet
as has been done in case of so many political murders in the last five years.
No one knows it better than MQM leaders that there is no policeman
and no investigator who can dare finding clues about involvement of even an
activist of MQM; what to talk about its boss. Those who could do that were

797
eliminated long ago well before the phrase targeted killings was invented by
someone.
Like a hardened criminal Farooq Sattar countered that the murder
could be the result of dissidents within PTI as Zehra had differences with
party leadership due to which she was refused party ticket for elections. His
criminal mindset, however, over-looked that if that be so then it would have
been her supporters who would have shot someone who got ticket at her
cost.
It is normally the one who has been wronged who reacts the way
Farooq Sattar suspected. But, MQM is capable of claiming the unbelievable
things and also ‘producing’ the required evidence. They can even produce
the killers who would confess that they did it on the behest of PTI leaders.
Altaf also condemned the murder of Zehra and condoled with her
family over her sad demise. This is the favourite line which the Don adopts
after every such incident. Then during a subsequent telephonic address Altaf
cried loudly just as he did when Imran Farooq was murdered in London,
incidentally, over which the London Police has been sleeping since long. It
is for this reason that Imran Khan has pointed his finger at both – Altaf and
British government.
The events hardly leave any doubt that Altaf Hussain has been the
main instigator for the murder of a decent lady; so he has to be named in the
FIR. But, the killers and their handlers are located in Karachi; therefore the
operatives like Ishrat Ebad, Farooq Sattar and others have also to be
included in the suspects in this heinous crime.
The PTI’s leaders must keep the mission of their party in mind while
pursuing this case. They must also remember that no place in Pakistan is in
need of rule of law and dispensation of justice than Karachi where its
residents have been held hostage by the mafia called MQM. This murderous
genie has to be chained and this is the time to do it.
If today PTI leaders reconcile for reasons put forward in the media
wiremen, i.e. de-escalation of the tension, then it will be beginning of the
compromise with the evil and defeat of party’s mission. Immediate goal
should be to seek ban on telephonic addresses of an insane man. Towards
this end the possibility of registering a case in London should be explored by
the legal experts of the PTI and pursued with the commitment of now or
never.

798
 The second issue, also related to the above, is that of rigging during
the polls and vote-count. It must have been noted by the PTI leadership that
main cause of the rigging is the government employees who have been
politicized and corrupted to their bone-marrow. They are involved in every
instance whether it is done institutionally, by political parties or by
individual candidates.
This time some of the rigging has been done on cash payment, a
culture that has been patronized and promoted by the outgoing government
with unflinching dedication and commitment. They must have also noted
that not a single Returning Officer has been made accountable so far. In
view of these, it is imperative that the party continue protesting against the
rigging, which is necessary for restoring the confidence of voters.
While it is important for PTI not to relent on the above issues, it must
not be distracted away from KPK where all its claims about promised
‘change’ will be put to test. The province faces multiple problems, out of
which four must be paid extra attention, i.e. law and order, corruption,
education and health.
The outgoing ANP-led government has devastated peace and
tranquility of the province in pursuit of its desire to crush religious forces
which were considered as its main political adversary and by doing
everything that could have pleased its foreign masters. The resultant
bloodshed and animosity will certainly linger on for quite some time.
PTI’s anti-war stance won’t be enough to extinguish the raging fire; in
fact, its anti-war rhetoric will compel the war mongers sitting across Durand
Line to intensify cross-border terrorism to prove Imran Khan wrong. So,
while taking preventive measures, it must reach out to militants as per its
manifesto and create some kind of understanding that could provide respite
in bloodletting. The recent events, however, indicate that adversaries of
‘PTI’ have increased their terror activities.
The progress shown in education and health sectors would prove
positive indicators of good governance. It is not the higher, but the lower-
level that would prove problematic – primary education and basic health. It
is at this level that law and order problem exits and need to be tackled
prudently and urgently.
Corruption-free governance should be no problem if the head of the
fish is kept in deep freeze to save it from rotting. The accountability has to
be ruthless from top to bottom. Above all the good governance cannot be
ensured without depoliticizing all the government institutions.

799
 In the end a few words about the school van tragedy that occurred
near Gujrat on 25th May. This tragedy is closely linked to electricity crisis.
The van driver was carrying petrol in a can for a generator which spilled and
caught fire. Sixteen children out of twenty-two and a female teacher were
burnt alive; of course everyone in top hierarchy condoled.
The media Wiseman, Rauf Kalasra appeared in a TV programme of
News One expressing his grief and anger. He suggested that FIR should be
registered against the DCO. MNA Khurram Dastgir of PML-N from
Guranwala participating in the same programme thanked Rauf for sparing
the politicians.
But, if the Kalasra-logic is stretched to logical end then FIR should be
registered against all those responsible for creating energy crisis. The list of
all those responsible for this tragedy of horrendous magnitude should not
start with DCO and end there. Culprits in this case are numerous which fall
in three categories.
Category one comprises of ‘subjects of law’, i.e. the driver, owner of
the vehicle, owner of the generator and the one who illegally sold
inflammable material (petrol) in lose container. All of them will be certainly
taken to task irrespective of inquiries, protests and demands.
Category two consists of ‘law enforcers’, i.e. motor vehicle examiner,
traffic police, district administration and of course the OGRA and Ministry
of Petroleum and all others responsible for inspections, documentations and
spot checks of all transport licenced to come on the road. That can be done
only by some one whose conscience is alive and has the will to assert
challenging the system that has become resistant to accountability.
Category three is of those who are ‘above law’; those who create
environments for commission of crimes of the above categories. The
carriage of additional can in the vehicle that caught fire was necessitated by
the prevailing energy crisis in the country. To blame those who created this
crisis may sound too philosophical, but this is a bitter fact. Unfortunately,
they will remain unaccounted for despite inquiries, protests and demands.
27th May, 2013

800
 INQILAB: LEADERS
PART TWO
The second chapter in this volume contains poetical works from the
book Payam-e-Mashriq, except the one at the end which is from Zabur-e-
Ajam. Two points are worth mention here; one, in every poetical work
Allamah has a word or two of advice for religious leaders. Nothing has been
said as mere criticism and condemnation. Two, in Payam-e-Mashriq,
Allamah has also addressed poets along with Sufis and Mullas

THE TULIP OF SINAI – QUATRAINS

*****(128)*****
‫ز من گو صوفیان با صفا را‬
‫خدا جویان معنی آشنا را‬
‫غالم ہمت آن خود پرستم‬
‫کہ با نور خودی بیند خدا را‬
’Z-mun go Sufiyan-e-basafa ra, Khoda joeyan ma’ani aashna ra.
Ghulam himmat-e-aan khod parastam, keh ba noor-e-khodi beinad Khoda
ra.
[Meyri taraf sey Sufiyan-e-ba safa sey kaho, woh jo Allah Ta’alla kay
motlashi aur haqiqat aashna hein.
Mien aissey khod-parast ki himmat ko kharaj-e-tehsin paish karta h’on, jo
apni khodi kay noor sey Allah Ta’alla ko deikhhta hai.]
On my behalf tell the pure-hearted Sufis; those seekers after God and
possessors of the truth: 
I would humbly serve that resolute self-worshipper who sees God in the
light of his own khudi.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

*****(149)*****
‫رمیدی از خداوندان افرنگ‬
‫ولے بر گور و گنبد سجدہ پاشی‬

801
 ‫بہ الالئی چنان عادت گرفتی‬
‫ز سنگ راہ موالئے تراشی‬
Rameidi az khodawandaan-e-Afrang, walley ber gor-o-gonbad sajdah
paashi.
Beh lalaeyi chonan aadat garifti, ’z-sung-e-rah moula’ey traashi.
[Tou Farangi khoda’on sey tuo bhagta hai, laikan qabr’on aur mazar’on per
sajday karta hai.
Tou ney aisi Hindu’anah aadat ikhtiyar kar-li hai, keh sung-e-rah sey apna
khoda trashta hai (yehi khoda Haqiqi Khoda takk poh’nchney mein rokawat
hein).]
Thou hast escaped the mastery of the West and yet to tomb and dome thou
still dost pray:
Thou art so well inured to servitude. Thou carv’st a master of the stony way!
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

MAEY-E-BAQI: FOR A SUFI

Beh yakkey az Sufiya nawishtah shod ‫بہ یکے از صوفیہ نوشتہ شد‬
[Sufiyu’on mein sey eik kay naam.]
Lines Addressed To a Sufi
*****(1)*****
‫ہوس منزل لیلی نہ تو داری و نہ من‬
‫جگر گرمی صحرا نہ تو داری و نہ من‬
Hawus-e-manzil-e-Laila nah tou daari-o-nah mun, jigar garmi-e-sehra
nah tou daari-o-na mun.
[Laila (mehboob) ki manzil ki khwahish nah tou rakhhta hai nah mien,
garmi-e-sehra bardaasht karney ki himmat nah tou rakkta hai nah mien.]
Neither have I nor you the wish to go to Layla’s house. Neither have I nor
you the heart to bear the desert heat.
‫من جوان ساقی و تو پیر کہن میکدہ ئی‬
‫بزم ما تشنہ و صہبا نہ تو داری و نہ من‬

802
Mun jawan saqi-o-tou pir-e-kohan maeykadaheyi, bazam-e-ma tishnah-o-
sehba nah tou daari-o-nah mun.
[Mien jawan saqi h’on aur tou maeykadah (-e-tasawwuf) ka pir-e-kohan,
bazm piyasi hai laikan sharab nah teyrey pass hai nah meyrey pass.]
I am a young wine-server and you keeper of an old wine-shop. The company
is thirsty, yet wine neither you have, nor have I.
‫دل و دین در گرو زھرہ وشان عجمی‬
‫آتش شوق سلیمی نہ تو داری و نہ من‬
Dil-o-Deen dar girv-e-Zehra-o-shan-e-Ajami, aatash-e-shouq-e-Sulayma
nah tou daari-o-nah mun.
[Hum ney dil-o-Deen ko Ajami mehboob’on ki mohabat mein rehun rakhh
diya hai, Sulaima (Arabi mehboob) kay shouq ki aag nah tou rakhhta hai
nah mien (hum sabb Ajami afkaar kay dildaadah bun chokkey hein).]
We have pledged our hearts and our faith to ‘Ajam’s lovely ones. The flame
of love for Sulayma burns neither you nor me.
‫خزفے بود کہ از ساحل دریا چیدیم‬
‫گوہر یکتا نہ تو داری و نہ من‬ ‫دانٔہ‬
Khazfey bowud keh az sahil-e-darya cheidaim, danah-e-gohar-e-yakta nah
tou daari-o-nah mun.
[Woh sungraizey thhey jo hum ney sahil-e-darya sey chonay, gohar-e-yakta
nah teyrey pass hai nah meyrey pass.]
There was an empty shell that we picked up on the seashore. The precious
pearl have neither you nor I.
‫دگر از یوسف گمگشتہ سخن نتوان گفت‬
‫تپش خون زلیخا نہ تو داری و نہ من‬
Digar az Yousuf-e-gomgushtah sakhon natwaan goft, tapash-e-khoon-e-
Zulaikha nah tou daari-o-nah mun.
[Abb Yousuf-e-gom gashtah ki baat naheen ki ja sakti, kiyu’onkeh khoon-e-
Zulaikha ki tapash nah tojh mein hai nah mojh mein.]
Do not talk any more about the Joseph we have lost. The warmth of a
Zulaikha’s heart have neither you nor I.

803
 ‫بہ کہ با نور چراغ تہ دامان سازیم‬
‫سینا نہ تو داری و نہ من‬ ‫طاقت جلؤہ‬
Beh keh ba noor-e-chiragh-e-teh-e-damaan saazaim, taqat-e-jalwah-e-
Seina nah tou daari-o-nah mun.
[Behtar hai keh hum daman kay neichay chhopay hoay chiragh ki roshni per
iktifa karein, kiyu’onkeh tajali (-e-Wadi)-e-Seina bardaasht karney ki taqat
nah tou rakhhta hai nah mien.]
It is best that we make do with a lamp that has our garment’s skirt for shade.
The power to face Sinai’s lamp have neither you nor I.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

*****(2)*****
‫دلیل منزل شوقم بہ دامنم آویز‬
‫شرر ز آتش نابم بخاک خویش آمیز‬
Dalil-e-manzil-e-shouqam beh damnam aawaiz, sharar ’z-atish naabam
bakhak-e-khwaish aamaiz.
[Mien manzil-e-shouq ka rahber h’on, meyra daman pakarr ley; khalis aag
ka sharar h’on, mojhey apni khak mein mila ley.]
I am a guidepost to the goal of heart’s desire. Adhere to me. Mix with your
dust a spark of my pure fire.
‫عروس اللہ برون آمد از سراچہ ناز‬
‫بیا کہ جان تو سوزم ز حرف شوق انگیز‬
Aroos-e-lalah baroon aamad az sara chih naaz, biya keh jan-e-tou sozam
’z-harf-e-shouq angaiz.
[Meyri awaz sey aroos-e-lalah hojlah-e-naaz sey bahar aa-gaeyi, aa-keh
mien apney shouq angaiz asha’ar sey teyri jan ko bhi jala d’on.]
The tulip-bride has come out of its boudoir. Come, let me fire your soul with
passion-stimulating talk.
‫بہر زمانہ بہ اسلوب تازہ میگویند‬
‫حکایت غم فرہاد و عشرت پرویز‬
Beher zamanah beh asloob-e-tazah migo’eyand, haqayat-e-ghum-e-
Farhad-o-ishrat-e-Pervaiz.

804
[Ghum-e-Farhad aur ishrat-e-Pervaiz ki kahani, her dour mein na’ey andaz
sey biyan ki jaati hai.]
The tale of Farhad’s grief and of Parvez’s happiness is told in every age in
different ways.
‫ہندم فروغ چشم من است‬ ‫اگرچہ زادٔہ‬
‫ز خاک پاک بخارا و کابل و تبریز‬
Agarchih zadah-e-Hindam, farogh-e-chashm-e-mun ast, ’z-khak-e-pak
Bokhara-o-Kabul-o-Tabraiz.
[Agarchih mien Hind mein paida hoa h’on magar meyri ankhh, Bokhara,
Kabul, aur Tabraiz ki khak-e-pak sey roshan hai.]
Though born in India, I draw my inspiration from the hallowed dust of
Kabul and Bokhara and Tabriz.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

*****(3)*****
‫در جہان دل ما دور قمر پیدا نیست‬
‫انقالبیست ولے شام و سحر پیدا نیست‬
Dar jahan-e-dil-e-ma dour-e-qamar paida neist, inqilaabeist walley
shaam-o-sehar paida neist.
[Hamarey dil kay jahan mein koeyi aisa qamar naheen jo ghhat-ta barrhta
ho, yah’an inqilab aatey hein magar onn ka ta’alaq sobh-o-shaam (gardish-
e-aftaq) sey naheen.]
In the world of our heart there are no phases of the moon. There is a
revolution, but no morning and no evening.
‫واے آن قافلہ کز دونی ہمت میخواست‬
‫رہگذارے کہ درو ہیچ خطر پیدا نیست‬
Waa’ey aan qaflah k’az dooni-e-himmat mikhwast, rehgozaarey keh dar-
o-haich khatar paida neist.
[Afsos oss qaflay per jo apni kum himmati kay ba’is, aisa rastah chahta hai
jiss mein koeyi khatrah nah ho.]
Woe to the caravan which, lacking enterprise, looks for a road that is not
dangerous.

805
 ‫بگذر از عقل و در آویز بموج یم عشق‬
‫کہ در آن جوے تنک مایہ گہر پیدا نیست‬
Bagozar az aql-o-dar aawaiz bamouj-e-yum-e-ishq, keh dar aan joo’ey
tunak mayah gohar paida neist.
[Aql sey aagey gozar kar behar-e-ishq ki mouj sey takra, kiyu’onkeh aql ki
kum-aab nadi mein koeyi moti naheen.]
Abandon reason and become embroiled in the waves of the sea of Love, in
reason’s little stream there are no pearls.
‫آنچہ مقصود تگ و تاز خیال من و تست‬
‫ہست در دیدہ و مانند نظر پیدا نیست‬
Aan-chih maqsood-e-tug-o-taaz-e-khiyal-e-mun-o-to’st, hust dar deidah-o-
manind-e-nazar paida neist.
[Jo meyrey aur teyrey afkaar ki tug-o-taaz ka maqsood hai (Allah Ta’alla),
hai woh hamari nazar mein, magar nazar ki tarah nazar naheen ata.]
Whatever is the object of the strivings of our thought is in our eyes, but like
our sight invisible.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

*****(4)*****
‫ما بے اثر نالہ ما نارساست‬ ‫گریٔہ‬
‫حاصل این سوز و ساز یک دل خونین نواست‬
Giriyah-e-ma bey asar, nalah-e-ma narasa’st, hasil-e-ein soz-o-saaz yakk
dil khoonin nawa’st.
[Hamara giriyah bey asar hai, hamari fariyad narasa hai, iss saarey soz-o-
saaz ka hasil bus eik dil hai, jiss ki nawa khoonein hai.]
Our wailing is without effect, and fruitless are our cries. The gain from all
this ardency: A heart whose songs are steeped in blood.
‫ دیر و حرم آفرید‬، ‫در طلبش دل تپید‬
‫ او بہ تمناے ماست‬، ‫ما بہ تمناے او‬
Dar talbash dil tapeid, Deir-o-Haram aafrid, ma ba tamana-e-oo, oo ba
tamana-e-ma’st.

806
[Oss (Allah Ta’alla) ki talab mein hamara dil tarrpa tuo oss ney Deir-o-
Haram bana ley, hum oss ki tamanna mein murrey ja rehey hein aur woh
hamara nazarah kar raha hai.]
In fervent quest of Him the heart created temple and Harem. We long for
Him: He watches us with unconcern.
‫ من بہ خودی در شدم‬، Ð‫پردگیان بے حجاب‬
‫عشق غیورم نگر میل تماشا کراست‬
Pardagiyan-e-bey hijab, mun beh khodi dar shodam, ishq-e-ghayooram
nigar! Meil-e-tamasha kara’st.
[Woh jo parday mein thhey woh bey hijab hein aur mien apni khodi mein
mastoor ho choka h’on, ay meyrey ishq-e-ghayoor deikhh! Nazarey ka shouq
kissey hai.]
The veiled ones have unveiled themselves, while I have gone into my self’s
retreat. Look at my self-respecting love. Who is fond of display – say, they
or I?
‫دلکش سرود‬ ‫مطرب میخانہ دوش نکتٔہ‬
‫بادہ چشیدن خطاست بادہ کشیدن رواست‬
Matrab-e-maeykhanah dosh noktah-e-dilkash sarood, badah chasheidan
khata’st badah kashidan rawa’st.
[Maeykhaney kay matrab ney kall raat geet mein eik dilkash noktah sonaya,
keh sharab chakhhna ghalat hai, sharab kashid karna jaa’iz hai.]
The singer at the tavern made a subtle point last night. He said: ‘The tasting
of wine is a sin; the drinking of it none.’
‫زندگی رہروان در تگ و تاز است و بس‬
‫موج را جادہ و منزل کجاست‬ ‫قافلٔہ‬
Zindagi-e-rahrawaan dar tug-o-taaz ast-o-bus, qaflah-e-mouj ra jadah-o-
manzil koja’st.
[Mosafir’on ki zindagi sirf jadd-o-jehud mein hai, jaissey mouj kay qafaley
ka nah koeyi rastah hai nah manzil.]
Wayfarers’ life consists in hurrying from place to place. The caravan of
waves has no road and no goal.

807
 ‫در گیر زد بر خس و خاشاک من‬ ‫شعلٔہ‬
‫‘‘مرشد رومی کہ گفت ’’منزل ما کبریاست‬
Sho’alah dar geir zadd ber khas-o-khashaak-e-mun, Murshid-e-Rumi keh
goft ‘manzil-e-ma Kibriya’st’.
[Morshid Rumi ney yeh keh kar keh ‘hamari manzil Allah Ta’alla hein’,
hamarey afkaar kay khas-o-khashaak per aisa sho’alah phhainka hai jiss
ney onnhein jala kar raakhh diya hai.]
‘Our goal is God.’ This saying of the guide of Rum was like a flame flung at
the straw that is my self.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

*****(5)*****
‫دل است‬ ‫مستانٔہ‬ ‫سوز سخن ز نالٔہ‬
‫دل است‬ ‫این شمع را فروغ ز پروانٔہ‬
Soz-e-sakhon ’z-nalah-e-mustanah-e-dil ast, ein shama’a ra farogh ’z-
pervanah-e-dil ast.
[Dil kay nalah-e-mustanah he sey sakhon mein soz paida hota hai, iss
shama’a (sakhon) ki chamak pervanah-e-dil he kay sabab hai.]
The fervent quality of verse comes from the heart’s ecstatic cry. This candle
is alight thanks to the heart, which is its moth.
‫مشت گلیم و ذوق فغانے نداشتیم‬
‫دل است‬ ‫غوغاے ما ز گردش پیمانٔہ‬
Mosht-e-gillaim-o-zouq-e-foghaney nadashtaim, gogha’ey ma ’z-gardish-
e-paimanah-e-dil ast.
[Hum mothhi bhar khak hein aur khak zouq-e-fogh’an naheen rakhhti,
hamari saari ha’ey-o-ho paimanah-e-dil ki gardish kay sabab sey hai.]
A handful of mere dust, we had no gusto for lament. Our clamour is all due
to the rotation of the heart’s wine-cup.
‫این تیرہ خاکدان کہ جھان نام کردہ ئی‬
‫دل است‬ ‫فرسودہ پیکرے ز صنم خانٔہ‬
Ein teirah khakdaan keh jahan naam kardaheyi, farsoodah paikarey ’z-
sanam khanah-e-dil ast.

808
[Yeh tareek khakdan jiss ka naam tum ney jah’an rakhha hai, sanam
khanah-e-dil ka eik boseidah bott hai.]
This dark abode of dust, which you have named the world, is just a worn-out
image from the idol-temple of the heart.
‫اندر رصد نشستہ حکیم ستارہ بین‬
‫دل است‬ ‫در جستجوے سرحد ویرانٔہ‬
Andar rasad nashistah hakim-e-sitarah bein, dar jostajoo’ey sarhad-e-
veranah-e-dil ast.
[Yeh jo ilm-e-najoom ka maaher apni rasadgah mein baithha hoa hai, yeh
abhi veranah-e-dil ki sarhad ki talash mein hai.]
Sitting in his observatory, the star-gazing astronomer is looking for the
boundary of the heart’s wilderness.
‫الہوتیان اسیر کمند نگاہ او‬
‫دل است‬ ‫صوفی ہالک شیوہ ترکانٔہ‬
Lahootiyan aseer-e-kamand-e-oo, Sufi halak-e-shaiwah-e-Turkanah-e-dil
ast.
[Farishtey iss (dil) ki kamand-e-nigah kay aseer hein, Sufi bhi dil he kay
daliranah andaz kay koshtah hein.]
Celestial beings are caught in the lasso of His glance. The Sufi is a victim of
the depredations of the heart.
‫محمود غزنوی کہ صنم خانہ ہا شکست‬
‫دل است‬ ‫زناری بتان صنم خانٔہ‬
Mehmood Ghaznavi keh sanam khanah-ha shakast, Zonnari-e-bottan-e-
sanam khanah-e-dil ast.
[Mehmood Ghaznavi jiss ney kaeyi bottkhaney torrey, woh bhi sanam
khanah-e-dil ka zonnari (gariftar) hai.]
Mahmud of Ghazna, who razed idol-houses to the ground, himself became a
votary of the heart’s idol-house.
‫غافل ترے ز مرد مسلمان ندیدہ ام‬
‫دل است‬ ‫دل در میان سینہ و بیگانٔہ‬
Ghafil terey ’z-mard-e-Mosilman nadeidah-um, dil dar miyan-e-seinah-o-
biganah-e-dil ast.

809
[Mien ney kissi ko Mosilman sey ziyadah ghafil naheen deikhha, seinay mein
dil moujood hai, magar oss sey na-ashna hai.]
One more insouciant than the Muslim I have never seen. He has a heart in
his breast, yet he is a stranger to the heart. (Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

*****(6)*****
‫سطوت از کوہ ستانند و بکاہے بخشند‬
‫جم بہ گداے سر راہے بخشند‬ ‫کلٔہ‬
Sitwat az koh sitanand-o-bakaahey bakhshand, kullah-e-Jam beh gadaey
sar-e-raahey bakhshand.
[Paharr sey sitwat chhein kar tinkay ko bakhsh deytey hein, Jamshaid ko taj
gada’ey sar-e-rah ko dey deytey hein.]
The majesty is snatched away from mountains and bestowed on leaves of
grass. A royal crown is put on the head of a roadside beggar.
‫در رہ عشق فالن ابن فالن چیزے نسیت‬
‫ید بیضاے کلیمے بہ سیاہے بخشند‬
Dar reh ishq falan ibn-e-falan cheezay neist, yadd-e-baizaey Kalimay beh
siyahey bakhshand.
[Ishq ki rah mein fal’an ibn-e-fal’an (hasab nasab) koeyi cheez naheen,
Kalim (A.S.) ka yadd-e-baiza Hubshi (ghulam) ko atta kar deytey hein.]
In Love’s way who is who is of little account. The white palm of a Moses is
conferred on a black man.
‫سلطان ندہند‬ ‫گاہ شاہی بہ جگر گوشٔہ‬
‫گاہ باشد کہ بزندانی چاہے بخشند‬
Gah shahi beh jigar goshah-e-sultan nadehand, gah bashad keh
bazindaani chahey bakhshand.
[Kabhi sultan kay baitey ko bhi padshahat naheen deytey, aur kabhi koo’ein
mein giray hoay shakhs (Yousuf A.S.) ko hakoomat bakhsh deytey hein.]
Sometimes kingship is not bestowed on the son of a king; sometimes it is
bestowed upon a prisoner in a well.

810
 ‫فقر را نیز جھانبان و جہانگیر کنند‬
‫کہ بہ این راہ نشین تیغ نگاہے بخشند‬
Faqr ra neiz jahanbaan-o-jahangir konand, keh beh ein rah nashin taigh-
e-nigahey bakhshand.
[Faqir ko bhi hokamrani aur sultanat dey deytey hein, kiyu’onkeh iss rah
nashin ko nigah ki talwar bakhshtey hein.]
A wayside beggar may be turned into a conqueror and ruler of the world by
having granted to his eyes the cutting power of a sword.
‫عشق پامال خرد گشت و جہان دیگر شد‬
‫بود آیا کہ مرا رخصت آہے بخشند‬
Ishq pamaal-e-khird gasht-o-jahan deigar shod, bowud aya keh mera
rokhsat-e-aahey bakhshand.
[Ishq aql kay haath’on pamaal ho gaya aur jahan badal gaya, ho sakta hai
keh mojhey pher aah-o-fariyad ki ajazat mil jaa’ey.]
Love has been overthrown by reason, and the world is upside down. It may
be that I shall be given freedom to wail over this.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

*****(7)*****
‫نہ تو اندر حرم گنجی نہ در بتخانہ می آئی‬
‫ولیکن سوے مشتاقان چہ مشتاقانہ می آئی‬
Nah Tou andar Haram gunji nah dar bottkhanah mi-aeyi, w’laikan sooey
mushtaqaan chih mushtaqanah mi-aeyi.
[Nah Aap Haram mein samatey hein, nah bottkhanah mein aatey hein,
laikan apney chahney waal’on ki janib kis shouq sey barrhtey hein. (Hadis-
e-Qudsi hai Allah Ta’alla farmatey hein Mien aasman aur zamin mein
naheen samata magar Momin kay qalb mein sama jata h’on; jo meyri taraf
eik qadam barrhata hai, Mien oss ki taraf dus qadam barrhata h’on.)]
You cannot fit into the Harem, nor into the idol-house. But O how eagerly
you come to those who seek you eagerly.

811
 ‫قدم بیباکتر نہ در حریم جان مشتاقان‬
‫ خانہ ئی آخر چرا دزدانہ می آئی‬Ð‫تو صاحب‬
Qadam bidaak-ter neh dar harim-e-jan-e-mushtaqaan, Tou sahib-e-
khanaheyi aakhar chira dozzdanah mi-aeyi.
[Apney chahney waal’on kay harim-e-ja’n mein bibaaki sey qadam
rakhhi’ay, Aap iss dil kay malik hein, chhop chhop kay kiyu’on aatey hein.]
Set foot more boldly in the sanctum of your lovers’ hearts. You are the
master of the house. Why do you come in stealthily?
‫تسبیح خوانان را‬ ‫بغارت میبری سرمایٔہ‬
‫بہ شبخون دل زناریان ترکانہ می آئی‬
Bagharat mibari sarmayah-e-tasbih khwanan ra, beh shabkhoon-e-dil-e-
zonnariyan Turkanah mi-aeyi.
[Kabhi Aap tassbih khwan’on ka (hasil kiya) sarmayah-e-hayat gharat kar
deytey hein, aur kabhi zonnariyu’on kay dil per bibakanah shabkhoon
maartey hein.]
You plunder the possessions of the Sayers of the rosary, and you make
night-raids on the hearts of wearers of the sacred thread.
‫گہے صد لشکر انگیزی کہ خون دوستان ریزی‬
‫گہے در انجمن با شیشہ و پیمانہ می آئی‬
Gehey sadd lashkar angaizi keh khoon-e-dostaan raizi, gehey dar
anjuman ba shishah-o-paimanah mi-aeyi.
[Kabhi Aap suo lashkar khharrey kar deytey hein ta-keh apney dost’on ka
khoon bahaein, aur kabhi (zikr ki) majlis mein jah’an shishah-o-paimanah
chal raha hota hai, aa-jatey hein.]
Sometimes you raise a hundred hosts to shed the blood of friends, and
sometimes come into the company equipped with measure and with cups.
‫تو بر نخل کلیمے بے محابا شعلہ می ریزی‬
‫تو بر شمع یتیمے صورت پروانہ می آئی‬
Tou ber nakhal-e-Kalimey bey mahaba sho’alah mi-raizi, Tou ber
shama’a-e-yateemay surat-e-pervanah miaeyi.
[Aap Kalim (A.S.) kay nakhal per bidraigh sho’alah gira deytey hein, magar
shama’a-e-yateem (S.A.W.) per pervaaney ki manind bar bar aatey hein.]

812
On the bush of a Moses you hurl flames so ruthlessly, and to the candle of
an orphan you come gladly like a moth.
‫بیا اقبال جامے از خمستان خودی در کش‬
‫مغرب ز خود بیگانہ می آئی‬ ‫تو از میخانٔہ‬
Biya Iqbal jaamey az khomastan-e-khodi dar kash, tou az maeykhanah-e-
Maghrib ’z-khod biganah mi-aeyi.
[Iqbal aa, aur khodi kay maeykhanah sey eik jaam nosh kar, kiyu’okeh tou
Maghrib kay sharab khanah sey iss tarah aya hai keh apney aap ko bhool
choka hai.]
Come; quaff a cup of wine, Iqbal, from the wine-cellar of the self. You are
back from the tavern of the West a stranger to yourself.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

*****(8)*****
‫عجم نرسد بسوز و گداز من‬ ‫تب و تاب بتکدٔہ‬
‫کہ بیک نگاہ محمد عربی گرفت حجاز من‬
Tabb-o-taab-e-bottkadah-e-Ajam narasad basoz-o-godaaz-e-mun, keh
bayakk nigah-e-Mohammad Arabi (S.A.W.) garift Hijaz-e-mun.
[Bottkhadah (-e-afkaar)-e-Ajam ki chamak damak meyrey soz-o-godaaz ko
naheen poh’nch sakti, Hazoor-e-Akram (S.A.W.) ney eik nigah sey meyrey
(dil kay) Hijaz ko fatah kar liya hai.]
The animation in the idol-temple of ‘Ajam does not match the great ardour
of my heart, for with one glance Muhammad of Arabia has conquered the
Hijaz that is in me.
‫چکنم کہ عقل بھانہ جو گرہے بہ روے گرہ زند‬
‫نظرے کہ گردش چشم تو شکند طلسم مجاز من‬
Chihkonam keh aql-e-bahanah joo girhay beh roo’ey girah zanud;
nazarey keh gardish-e-chasham-e-tou shiknad talism-e-majaaz ra.
[Mien kaya kar’on? Meyri bahanah-saaz aql oljhan’on per oljhanein barrha
rehi hai, Hazoor (S.A.W.)! Mojh per nazar (-e-karam) farmaein keh aap ki
nigah sey meyrey majaz ka talism toot ja’ey.]

813
What shall I do? The wily intellect has tied me up in knots. One glance, I
pray. The motion of your eye perhaps will break its fiction’s spell.
‫نرسد فسونگری خرد بہ تپیدن دل زندہ ئی‬
‫ز کنشت فلسفیان در آ بحریم سوز و گداز من‬ 
Narasad fasoon-gari khird beh tapeidan dil-e-zindaheyi, ’z-kanisht-e-
falsafiyan dar aa-beharaim-e-soz-o-godaaz-e-mun.
[Khird ki jadoo-gari, dil-e-zindah ki tarrap ko naheen poh’nchti,
falsafiyu’on kay Kanisht (Yahoodiyu’on ka ma’abod) sey meyrey soz-o-saaz
kay Haram mein aa-ja.]
The magic tricks of reason do not touch the fervour of a living heart. Forsake
the temple of philosophy, and come into the sanctum of my heart.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

*****(9)*****
‫مثل آئینہ مشو محو جمال دگران‬
‫از دل و دیدہ فرو شوے خیال دگران‬
Misal-e-a’einah mashou mehav-e-jamal digraan, az dil-o-deidah frou
shaway khiyal-e-digraan.
[Aeinah ki manind dosr’on kay hosn mein mehv nah ho, dosr’on ka khiyal
apney deidah-o-dil sey nikaal dey. (Nah kissi ki taraf nazar othha kay
deikhh, nah kissi ko apney dil mein jagah dey.)]
Do not be like a mirror, which is taken up with others’ beauty. Cast away the
thought of others from your mind.
‫آتش از نالہ مرغان حرم گیر و بسوز‬
‫آشیانے کہ نہادی بہ نہال دگران‬
Atash az nalah-e-morghan-e-Haram gir-o-basoz, ashiyaney keh nehaadey
nehal-e-digraan.
[Ay woh shakhs! Jiss ney dosr’on kay darakht per ashiyanah bana rakhha
hai, Haram kay parind’on ki fogh’an sey asar pazir ho aur apney aap ko iss
sey jala dey.]
Acquire fire from the singing of the Harem birds, and burn away the nest
that you have built in other people’s tree.

814
 ‫در جھان بال و پر خویش کشودن آموز‬
‫کہ پریدن نتوان با پر و بال دگران‬
Dar jahan-e-baal-o-per-e-khwaish kashodan aamoz, keh paridan natwaan
ba per-o-baal-e-digaraan.
[Dunya mein apney baal-o-per khholna seikhh, dosr’on kay baal-o-per sey
orra naheen ja sakta.]
In this world learn to unfurl your own wings, for you can never fly with
others’ wings.
‫مرد آزادم و آن گونہ غیورم کہ مرا‬
‫می توان کشت بیک جام زالل دگران‬
Mard-e-azadam-o-aan gonah ghayooram keh mera, mi-tawaan kosht
bayakk jaam-e-zalal-e-digaraan.
[Mien mard-e-azad h’on aur itna ghayoor h’on keh mojhey dosr’on ka eik
jaam (sharab-e-) saafi dey kar khatum kiya ja sakta hai. (Kissi ka ihsan
othhana meyri mout hai.)]
I am an independent man and am so self-respecting too that you could kill
me with a glass of water that belonged to someone else.
‫اے کہ نزدیک تر از جانی و پنہان ز نگہ‬
‫ہجر تو خوشترم آید ز وصال دگران‬
Ay keh nazdik-ter az jani-o-penhan ’z-nigah, bajoz tou khoshtaram ayad
’z-wasal-e-digaraan.
[Ay woh Zaat! Jo hamari rug-e-jan sey qarib-ter hai, magar hamari nigah
sey ojhal hai, mojhey Aap ka hijr dosr’on kay wasal sey ziyadah piyara hai.]
O You, closer to my soul than all else, yet hidden from my sight, your
separation from me is dearer to me than union with all others.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

*****(10)*****
‫جہان عشق نہ میری نہ سروری داند‬
‫ہمین بس است کہ آئین چاکری داند‬
Jahan-e-ishq nah meeri nah sarwari danad, hamein bus ast keh a’ein-e-
chaakri danad.

815
[Ishq ki dunya mein nah koeyi Mir hai, nah Sardar, iss jahan mein sirf
khidmat gozari ka qanoon chalta hai.]
No lordship and no mastership does the world of Love know. It is enough
that it knows how to serve.
‫نہ ہر کہ طوف بتے کرد و بست زنارے‬
‫صنم پرستی و آداب کافری داند‬
Nah her keh touf-e-bottey kard-o-bost zonnarey, sanam parasti-o-adaab-e-
kaafri danad.
[Zaroori naheen keh jo koeyi zonnar baandh kar bott kay gird pherey, woh
sanam parasti bhi aur adaab-e-kafri bhi janta ho.]
Not everyone who walks around an idol and ties the sacred thread around his
neck can claim to know the rules of idol-worship and of unbelief.
‫ہزار خیبر و صد گونہ اژدر است اینجا‬
‫نہ ہر کہ نان جوین خورد حیدری داند‬
Hazar Khyber-o-sadd azzdar ast einja, nah her keh naan-e-javein khord
Haidari danad.
[Yah’an hazar’on Khyber aur sainkarr’on azzdar (hithiyar) hein, jao ki rooti
khhaney wala her shakhs andaz-e- Haidari naheen janta.]
There are a thousand Khybers here, a hundred kinds of dragons too. Not
everyone who lives on barley bread can know a Hyder’s ways.
‫بچشم اہل نظر از سکندر افزون است‬
‫گداگرے کہ مآل سکندری داند‬
Bachashm-e-ehl-e-nazar az Sikandar afzoon ast, gadagarey keh ma’al-e-
Sikandari danad.
[Sahib-e-nazar loug’on ki nigah mein her woh gadagar, jo Sikandari ka
anjaam janta hai, Sikandar sey barrh kar hai.]
Better than Alexander in the eyes of the wise is a man, be he a beggar, who
knows what the end of Alexanderism is.
‫بہ عشوہ ہاے جوانان ماہ سیما چیست؟‬
‫پیرے کہ دلبری داند‬ ‫در آبہ حلقٔہ‬
Beh oshwah-ha’ey jawanaan mah-e-seima cheist? Dar a’a-beh halqah-e-
piray keh dilbari danad.

816
[Chand chehrah naujawan’on ki ada’on mein kaya rakhha hai, (mojh
jaissey) pir kay halqah mein aa, jo dilbari janta hai.]
What is there in the blandishments of fair-faced youth? Come; join the circle
of an old man who knows how to conquer hearts.
‫فرنگ شیشہ گری کرد و جام و مینا ریخت‬
‫بہ حیرتم کہ ہمین شیشہ را پری داند‬
Farang shishah-gari kard-o-jaam-o-mina raikht, beh hairatam keh
hamein shishah ra pari danad.
[Farang ney shishah-gari ki aur jaam-o-mina bana leay, mien hairan h’on
keh abb woh issi shishah ko pari (hosein makhlooq) samajhta hai.]
The West makes glass, and fashions jars and cups. I am surprised it thinks
the glass itself to be ‘the fairy in the glass’.
‫چہ گویمت ز مسلمان نا مسلمانے‬
‫جز اینکہ پور خلیل است و آزری داند‬
Chih goeymat ’z-Mosilman na Mosilmaney, joz ein keh por-e-Khalil ast-o-
Azari danad.
[Iss na-Mosilman, Mosilman ki kaya baat kar’on, yehi keh sakta h’on keh
yeh Khalil (A.S.) ki aulaad ho kar Azari paishah ikhtiyar ki’ay hoay hai.]
What can I say about a Muslim who is not a Muslim in his ways, save this
that, though a scion of Abraham, he follows Azar’s way of life.
‫من گذر کن و بنگر‬ ‫یکے بہ غمکدٔہ‬
‫ستارہ سوختہ ئے کیمیا گری داند‬
Yakkey beh ghum kadah-e-mun gozar kon-o-banigar, sitarah sokhtaheyi
kimiya-gari danad.
[Zara meyrey ghum-kadah mein aa-kar deikhh, keh yeh badqismat kimiya-
gari (ka fun) janta hai.]
Come into my abode of woes just for a while and see how well an ill-starred
man has mastered alchemy.
‫بیا بہ مجلس اقبال و یک دو ساغر کش‬
‫اگرچہ سر نتراشد قلندری داند‬
Biya beh majlis-e-Iqbal-o-yakk duo saaghar kash, agarchih sar na trashad
qalandari danad.

817
[Iqbal ki majlis mein aa-kar eik duo jaam nosh kar, agarchih oss ney sar
naheen mondaya, magar qalandari janta hai. (qalandar osstarey sey sar
mondaatey thhey)]
Come and join Iqbal’s company, and share a drink or two with him.
Although he does not shave his head, he knows qalandar’s ways.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

*****(11)*****
‫خواجہ ئی نیست کہ چون بندہ پرستارش نیست‬
‫بندہ ئی نیست کہ چون خواجہ خریدارش نیست‬
Khwajaheyi neist keh choon bandah parastarash neist, banadaheyi neist
keh choon khwajah kharidarash neist,
[Aaqa tabhi hai jabb koeyi oss ki chaakri karney wala ghulam ho, ghulam
ossi surat mein ghulam hai, jabb koeyi aaqa oss ka kharidar ho.]
There is no master who does not adore Him like a slave. There is no slave
who, if he were a master, would not bid for Him.
‫گرچہ از طور و کلیم است بیان واعظ‬
‫تاب آن جلوہ بہ آئینہ گفتارش نیست‬
Garchih az Toor-o-Kalim ast biyan-e-waiz, taab-e-aan jalwah beh
a’einah-e-goftarash neist.
[Agarchih waiz kay biyan mein Toor aur Kalim (A.S.) ka zikr hai, magar oss
ki goftar kay shishay mein oss jalwah (-e-Toor) ki chamak naheen.]
Although the preacher talks a lot concerning Moses and Sinai, the mirror of
his talk does not reflect the light of that theophany.
‫پیر ما مصلحتا ً رو بہ مجاز آورد است‬
‫ورنہ با زہرہ وشان ہیچ سروکارش نیست‬
Pir-e-ma maslehtun roo beh majaaz aaword ast, vernah ba Zehrah-
washaan haich sarokarash neist.
[Hamarey pir ney maslihat sey majaaz ki taraf rokh kiya hoa hai, vernah
(dar asal) ossey hossein’on sey koeyi sarokaar naheen.]
Our guide thinks it expedient to speak in metaphors; but otherwise he has
nothing to do with fair-faced ones.

818
 ‫دل بہ او بند و ازین خرقہ فروشان بگریز‬
‫نشوی صید غزالے کہ ز تاتارش نیست‬
Dil beh oo bund-o-azein khirqah faroshan bagaraiz, nashavi siad-e-
ghazaley keh ’z-Tatarash neist.
[Inn khirqah farosh’on sey door reh aur aissey ghazaal ko maqsood bana jo
Tataar sey ho, oss ghazaal kay shikar ka (khwahishmand) nah ho jo Tataar
sey naheen (jo moshk-e-naafah naheen rakhhta).]
Attach your heart to Him and shun these wearers of patched clothes. Do not
become the quarry of gazelles which do not come from His own Tartary.
‫عافیت از بربط من می طلبی‬ ‫نغمٔہ‬
‫از کجا بر کشم آن نغمہ کہ در تارش نیست‬
Naghmah-e-aafiyat az barabt-e-mun mi-talabi, az koja ber kasham aan
naghmah keh dar taarash neist.
[Meyrey barabt (saaz) sey aafiyat ka naghmah talab karta hai, mien kah’an
sey woh naghmah paida kar’on jo oss kay taar mein naheen.]
You want a melody of peace played on my lute. How am I to extract from it
a tone that is not in its strings?
‫دل ما قشقہ زد و برہمنی کرد ولے‬
‫آنچنان کرد کہ شایستہ زنارش نیست‬
Dil-e-ma qashqah zud-o-Brahmaney kard walley, aanchonaan kard keh
shaistah ’z-naarash neist.
[Meyrey dil ney qashqah lagaya aur Brahmani ikhtiyar ki, laikan yeh kaam
iss tarah kiya jo zonnar kay shan-e-shiyaan naheen.]
My heart applied the qashqa to the brow, and took to Brahmins’ ways; but
did so in a manner which did not befit its sacred thread.
‫عشق در صحبت میخانہ بہ گفتار آید‬
‫زانکہ در دیر و حرم محرم اسرارش نیست‬
Ishq dar sohbat-e-maeykhanah beh goftar aayad, ’z-aankeh dar deir-o-
Haram mehram-e-asrarash neist.
[Ishq maey khaney ki majlis mein goftar mein aya, kiyu’onkeh ossey Deir-o-
Haram mein koeyi mehram raaz nah mila.]

819
Love speaks out in the company that it finds in the tavern. In idol-house and
in Harem. It finds no confidant.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

*****(12)*****
‫بیا کہ بلبل شوریدہ نغمہ پرداز است‬
‫عروس اللہ سراپا کرشمہ و ناز است‬
Biya keh bulbul-e-shoridah naghmah pardaaz ast, aroos-e-lalah sarapa
karishmah-o-naaz ast.
[Othh keh bulbul-e-shoridah naghmah alaap rehi hai, gul-e-lalah ki dulhan
sarapa naaz-o-ada bani hoeyi hai.]
Come, for the love-mad nightingale is busy singing songs. The tulip-bride is
all bewitchery and grace.
‫غیب است اے مقام شناس‬ ‫نوا ز پردٔہ‬
‫نہ از گلوے غزل خوان نہ از رگ ساز است‬
Nawa ’z-pardah-e-ghaib ast ay moqam shanas, nah az guloo’ey ghazal
khwaan nah az rug-e-saaz ast.
[Ay raag ki mostalihaat janenay waaley, awaaz ka ta’alaq pardah-e-gha’ib
sey hai, nah yeh ghazal khw’an kay galley sey hai, nah saaz kay taar sey.]
O connoisseur of music, melody comes forth from strings invisible, not from
the singer’s throat, nor from the frets of lute or harp.
‫کسے کہ زخمہ رساند بہ تار ساز حیات‬
‫ راز است‬ ‫ز من بگیر کہ آن بندہ محرم‬
Kassey keh zakhmah risanad beh taar saaz-e-hayat, ’z-mun bagir keh aan
bandah-e-mehram-e-raaz ast.
[Jo shakhs saaz-e-hayat kay taar takk apna mizraab poh’nchata hai, wohi
mehram-e-raaz hai, meyri yeh baat pallay baandh ley.]
Whoever strikes the strings of life’s lute with a plectrum is, take it from me,
a man who knows the mysteries.

820
 ‫مرا ز پردگیان جھان خبر دادند‬
‫ولے زبان نکشایم کہ چرخ کج باز است‬
Mera ’z-pardagiyan jahan khabar dadand, walley zoban nakosha’eym keh
charakh kajj baaz ast.
[Mojhey jah’an kay poshidah raaz’on sey bakhabar kiya gaya hai, laikan
mein zob’an naheen khholta kiyu’onkeh asman kajj-ro hai.]
I have been given knowledge of what is behind veils in the world; but dare
not open my mouth, for the heavens are so perverse.
‫سخن درشت مگو در طریق یاری کوش‬
‫کہ صحبت من و تو در جہان خدا ساز است‬
Sakhon-e-drosht mago dar tariq-e-yaari kosh, keh sohbat-e-mun-o-tou dar
jahan-e-Khoda saaz ast.
[Drosht baat nah keh, dosti ka tariqah ikhtiyar karney mein kosh’an reh,
kiyu’onkeh iss jahan mein meyra aur teyra mil baithhna mehaz Allah
Ta’alla ki meharbani hai.]
Do not speak harshly, try the way of amity. That you and I are here together
is a pure godsend.
‫کجاست منزل این خاکدان تیرہ نہاد‬
‫کہ ہر چہ ہست چو ریگ روان بہ پرواز است‬
Koja’st manzil-e-ein khakdan-e-teerah nehaad, keh her chih hust cho
raig-e-rawan beh pervaaz ast.
[Iss tareek nehaad khakdan (dunya) ki manzil kah’an hai? keh yah’an ki her
cheez raig-e-raw’an ki tarah orrti chali jaa rehi hai.]
What is the destination of this dark abode of dust? Whatever there is in it is
like shifting sand.
‫تنم گلے ز خیابان جنت کشمیر‬
‫دل از حریم حجاز و نوا ز شیراز است‬
Tunam gillay ’z-khiyaban-e-jannat-e-Kashmir, dil az Harim-e-Hijaz-o-
nawa ’z-Shiraz ast.
[Meyra badan jannat-e-Kashmir ki kiyari ka eik phool hai, dil Harim-e-
Hijaz sey hai, aur nawa Shiraz sey.]

821
My body is a flower from a flower-bed in Kashmir’s paradise. My heart is
from the sanctum of Hijaz. My song is from Shiraz.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

*****(13)*****
‫خاکیم و تند سیر مثال ستارہ ایم‬
‫در نیلگون یمے بہ تالش کنارہ ایم‬
Khakaim-o-tund siar misal-e-sitarahaim, dar neilgoon yammey beh talash
kinarah’aim.
[Hum khak hein, magar sitarey ki manind taiz raftar hein, hum iss neilg’on
samandar (asman) mein sahil ki talash mein hein.]
We are mere dust, but planet-like we swiftly move, and seek the shore of
this blue sea.
‫حیات‬ ‫بود و نبود ماست ز یک شعلٔہ‬
‫از لذت خودی چو شرر پارہ پارہ ایم‬ 
Bood-o-nabood-e-ma’st ’z-yakk sho’alah-e-hayat, az lazzat-e-khodi cho
sharar parah parah’aim.
[Hamara wajood ya adm-e-wajood eik sho’alah-e-hayat sey hai, khodi ki
lazzat sey hum sharar ki manind tokarrey tokarrey hotay hein. (Her rooh
Allah Ta’alla ki rooh mein sey phh’onki hoeyi hai.)]
We owe our being to a single flame of life; but, from the joy of selfhood, we
are split up as so many sparks.

‫با نوریان بگو کہ ز عقل بلند دست‬

‫ما خاکیان بہ دوش ثریا سوارہ ایم‬
Ba nooriyan bago keh ’z-aql-e-boland dast, ma khakiyan beh dosh-e-
suriyah sawarah’aim.
[Farisht’on sey ke’h duo keh hum khaki insan, apni aql-e-boland pervaaz
sey sitar’on ko maskhar kar chokay hein.]
O tell the creatures of light this: that by dint of the intellect we creatures of
dust ride the stars.

822
 ‫در عشق غنچہ ایم کہ لرزد ز باد صبح‬
‫در کار زندگی صفت سنگ خارہ ایم‬
Dar ishq ghonchah’aim keh larzadd ’z-baad-e-sobh, dar kaar-e-zindagi
sift-e-sung-e-kharah’aim.
[Ishq kay mo’amlah mein hum iss ghonchah ki manind hein jo sobh ki hawa
sey larz jata hai, laikan zindagi kay moqablah mein hum chattan ki manind
(mazboot) hein.]
In love we are buds shaking in the morning breeze; but in the business of life
we are quite as hard as granite.

‫چشم آفریدہ ایم چو نرگس درین چمن‬

‫روبند بر کشا کہ سراپا نظارہ ایم‬
Chashm aafridah’aim cho nargis darein chaman, roobund ber kosha keh
sarapa nazarah’aim.
[Apney chehray sey pardah hutai’ay, hum iss chaman mein nargis ki tarah
ankhh khholey sarapa nazarah hein.]
Like the narcissus we have grown eyes in this garden. O lift the veil that
hides Your face; we are all eyes for You.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

*****(14)*****
‫عرب از سر شک خونم ہمہ اللہ زار بادا‬
‫عجم رمیدہ بو را نفسم بھار بادا‬
Arab az sarishk-e-khoonam hamah lalah zaar bada, Ajam rameidah boo
ra nafsam bahar bada.
[Khoda karey keh saarey ka saara Arab meyrey khoon millay anso’on sey
lalah-zaar ho ja’ey, aur Ajam kay leay, jo apni khoshboo khho choka hai
meyri nawa (naeyi) bahar saabit ho.]
O may Arabia become a tulip-field, thanks to my tears of blood. May Ajam,
which has lost its fragrance, find a new spring in my breath!

823
 ‫تپش است زندگانی تپش است جاودانی‬
‫ہمہ ذرہ ہاے خاکم دل بے قرار بادا‬
Tapash ast zindagani, tapash ast javidaani, hama zarra-ha’ey khakam dil-
e-bey qarar bada.
[Tapash he zindagani hai, tapash he javidaani hai, Khoda karey keh meyrey
badan ka her zarrah dil-e-biqarar bun ja’ey.]
Life is all restlessness, and restlessness eternal. May every atom of my dust
become a restless heart!
‫نہ بجادہ ئی قرارش نہ بمنزلے مقامش‬
‫دل من مسافر من کہ خداش یار بادا‬
Nah bajadaheyi qararash nah ba-manziley moqamash, dil-e-mun mosafir-
e-mun keh Khodash yar bada.
[Nah ossey kissi rastay mein qarar ata hai, nah yeh kissi manzil per thherta
hai, meyra dil, meyra mosafir, Khoda oss ka madadgar ho!]
It does not stick to any path; it knows no halting-place. Such is my heart, my
traveler. May God be with it always!
‫حذر از خرد کہ بندد ہمہ نقش نامرادی‬
‫دل ما برد بہ سازے کہ گسستہ تار بادا‬
Hazar az khird keh bundad hamah naqsh namoradi, dil-e-ma bord beh
saazey keh gosastah taar badah.
[Oss khird sey buch jo mayuosi ka naqsh banati rehti hai, aur apney saaz
sey jiss kay taar tootey hoay hein, hamara dil lobha leyti hai.]
Beware of reason, which creates mere images of hopelessness. It charms us
with false instruments.
‫ سخنم تمام سوزے‬، ‫تو جوان خام سوزے‬
‫غزلے کہ می سرایم بہ تو سازگار بادا‬
Tou jawan khaam sozey, sakhonam tamam sozey, ghazaley keh mi-
sara’eym beh tou saazgar bada.
[Tou aisa jawan hai jiss ka soz khaam hai aur meyra sakhon sar-ta-pa soz
hai, Khoda karey keh jo ghazal mein gaa raha h’on woh teyrey leay saazgar
saabit ho.]

824
May their strings snap; you are a youth as yet half-baked, and my verse is all
heat. O may the ghazals I sing prove agreeable to you.
‫چو بجان من در آئی دگر آرزو نبینی‬
‫مگر اینکہ شبنم تو یم بے کنار بادا‬
Cho bajaan-e-mun dar-aeyi digar aarzoo nabeini, magar einkeh shabnam-
e-tou yum-e-bey kinar bada.
[Agar tou meyrey dil mein aa’ey tuo yah’an koeyi aarzoo nah deikhhey ga,
magar yeh keh teyri (mohabat ki) shabnam la-mehdood samandar bun
jaa’ey.]
In my heart, if you enter it, you will find no desire but that the dew that is
you may become a boundless sea.
‫نشود نصیب جانت کہ دمے قرار گیرد‬
‫تب و تاب زندگانی بہ تو آشکار بادا‬
Nashawud nasib-e-jaanat keh dummay qarar geirad, tabb-o-taab-e-
zindagani beh tou aashkar bada.
[Khoda karey teyri jan ko eik lamah ka qarar nasib nah ho, aur tou zindagi
ki tabb-o-taab sey ashna ho jaa’ey.]
May it not be your spirit’s fate that it should find a moment’s rest! O may
the restlessness of life be evidenced to you.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

*****(15)*****
‫نظر تو ہمہ تقصیر و خرد کوتاہی‬
‫نرسی جز بہ تقاضاے کلیم اللہی‬
Nazar-e-tou hamah taqseer-o-khird kotahi, na-rasi joz taqaza’ey Kalim-ul-
Lahi.
[Teyri nazar saari ki saari khata hai aur teyri khird kotah, Kalim-Allah kay
taqazey (Hosn-e-Azal kay deidar ki khwahish) kay baghair tou kaheen
naheen poh’nch sakta.]
Your seeing is all error, your wisdom all defect. You never will get
anywhere except through revelation.

825
 ‫راہ کور است بخود غوطہ زن اے سالک راہ‬
‫جادہ را گم نکند در تہ دریا ماہی‬
Rah kor ast bakhod ghotah zun ay salik-e-rah, jadah ra gom nakonad dar
teh-e-darya maahi.
[Ay salik-e-rah! Rastah tareek hai tou apney andar ghotah-zun ho, machhli
darya ki teh mein rastah gom naheen kar deyti.]
The path is blind. Dive into yourself, traveler. Fish never lose their way deep
in the sea.
‫حاجتے پیش سالطین نبرد مرد غیور‬
‫چہ توان کرد کہ از کوہ نیاید کاہی‬
Haajatey paish-e-salatin nabord mard-e-ghayoor, chih tawan kard keh az
koh naya’id kaahi.
[Mard-e-ghayoor padshah’on kay saamney apni hajat naheen ley jata, kaya
karey, paharr tinka naheen bun sakta.]
A self-respecting man does not go with his needs to kings. A mountain
cannot stoop to be a leaf of grass.
‫شوقم کہ بیابی در وے‬ ‫مگذر از نغمٔہ‬
‫شاہنشاہی‬ ‫رمز درویشی و سرمایٔہ‬
Ma-gozar az naghamah-e-shouqam keh bayabi daro’ey, ramz-e-dervaishi-
o-sarmayah-e-shehanshahi.
[Meyrey naghamah-e-shouq ko nazarandaaz nah kar, kiyu’okeh tou iss mein
dervaishi ki ramz bhi pa’ey ga aur shehanshahi ka sarmayah bhi.]
Do not pass by my song, for in it you will find the secret of ascetic living
and the treasured wealth of royalty.
‫نفسم با تو کند آنچہ بہ گل کرد نسیم‬
‫اگر از لذت آہ سحری آگاہی‬
Nafasam ba tou konad aanchih beh gul karad nasim, agar az lazzat-e-aah-
e-sehari agaahi.
[Agar tou aah-e-sehar ki lazzat sey agah hai, tuo meyra naghmah tojh per
issi tarah asar andaz ho-ga jiss tarah baad-e-nasim gul per asar andaz hoti
hai.]

826
My breath will do to you what morning breezes do to buds, if you know how
delectable are morning sighs.
‫اے فلک چشم تو بیباک و بال جوست ہنوز‬
‫می شناسم کہ تماشاے دگر میخواہی‬
Ay falak chashm-e-tou bibaak-o-bala joo’st hanooz, mi-shanasam keh
tamasha’ey digar mi-khwahi.
[Ay asman! Teyri a’nkhh mein sakhti aur khatar pasandi hai, mojhey yu’on
nazar ata hai keh jaisey tou kissi na’ey tamashey ka khwah’an hai.]
O heavens, your eyes have still a pitiless, foreboding look. I fear that you
intend to stage one more grim show.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

*****(16)*****
‫تو خم شکنے نیست کہ نیست‬ ‫سر خوش از بادٔہ‬
‫مست لعلین تو شیرین سخنے نیست کہ نیست‬
Sarkhosh az baadah-e-tou khom shikaney neist keh neist, must la’alein-e-
tou shirin sakhoney neist keh neist.
[Koeyi aisa khom-shikan naheen jo Aap (S.A.W.) ki mohabat sey sar khosh
nah ho, koeyi aisa shirin sakhon naheen jo Aap (S.A.W.) kay labb-e-la’alein
se sarmust nah ho.]
There is no breaker of wine-jars not merrily drunk with your wine. There is
no sweet-tongued poet who has not sucked rapture at your ruby-tinted lips.
‫در قباے عربی خوشترک آئی بہ نگاہ‬
‫راست بر قامت تو پیرہنے نیست کہ نیست‬
Dar qaba’ey Arabi khoshtarak aaeyi beh nigah, raast ber qamat-e-tou
perhaney neist keh neist.
[Arabi qaba mein Aap (S.A.W.) nazar mein ziyadah juchtay hein, vernah
koeyi aisa labas naheen jo Aap (S.A.W.) ki qamat per sajta nah ho.]
In Arab dress you are most pleasing to the eyes, but there is no dress which
does not suit you.

827
 ‫گرچہ لعل تو خموش است ولے چشم ترا‬
‫ما سخنے نیست کہ نیست‬ ‫با دل خون شدٔہ‬
Garchih la’al-e-tou khamosh ast walley chashm-e-tera, ba dil-e-khoon
shodah-e-ma sakhoney neist keh neist.
[Agarchih Aap (S.A.W.) kay labb-e-la’alein khamosh hein magar, koeyi aisi
baat naheen jo Aap (S.A.W.) ki chashm (-e-must) hamarey dil-e-kh’on
shodah sey nah karti ho.]
Your lips are silent, but your eyes are not. O there is not a thing that they do
not say to my bleeding heart.
‫تا حدیث تو کنم بزم سخن می سازم‬
‫ورنہ در خلوت من انجمنے نیست کہ نیست‬
Ta hadis-e-tou konam bazm-e-sakhon mi-saazam, vernah dar khalwat-e-
mun anjumaney neist keh neist.
[Mien ney iss leay bazm arastah ki hai ta-keh Aap (S.A.W.) ki sift biyan
kar’on, vernah koeyi aisi anjuman naheen jo mojhey khalwat mein mayassar
nah ho.]
I hold poetic gatherings only to sing of you, for otherwise there is no
gathering that I cannot conjure up in my solitude.
‫اے مسلمان دگر اعجاز سلیمان آموز‬
‫دیدہ بر خاتم تو اہرمنے نیست کہ نیست‬
Ay Mosilman digar eijaz-e-Sulaiman aamoz, deidah ber khaatam-e-tou
Aharmaney neist keh neist.
[Ay Mosilman duobarah Sulaiman (A.S.) ka eijaz seikhh, kiyu’onkeh koeyi
aisa Aharman naheen jiss ki nazar teyri angothhi per na ho. (Mashhoor hai
keh Sulaiman (A.S.) ki angothhi Shiyatein ley ga’ey they jiss ki wajah sey
onn kay haath sey sultanat jaati rehi.)]
O Muslim, learn again how to work miracles like Solomon. There is no
Ahriman who does not have an eye upon your ring.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

828
 *****(17)*****
‫اگرچہ زیب سرش افسر و کالہے نیست‬
‫گداے کوے تو کمتر ز پادشاہے نیست‬
Agarchih zaib-e-sarash afsar-o-kullahey neist, gada’ey koo’ey Tou kumter
’z-paadshahey neist.
[Agarchih oss ka sar taj-o-kullah sey moziyyan naheen, magar teyri gulli ka
gada kissi padshah sey kum naheen.]
Although he does not wear a crown or diadem, the beggar in Your street is
no less than a king.
‫بخواب رفتہ جوانان و مردہ دل پیران‬
‫کس آہ صبحگاہے نیست‬ ‫نصیب سینٔہ‬
Bakhwab-e-raftah jawanan-o-mordah dil piraan, nasib-e-seinah-e-kas
aah-e-sobhgahey neist.
[Jawan (ghaflat ki) neind mein parray hein aur boorrhey mordah dil hein,
sobh ki aah-o-zaari kissi kay nasib mein naheen.]
The young are sleeping, while the old are dead of heart. There is nobody in
whose lot are morning sighs.
‫بہ این بہانہ بدشت طلب ز پا منشین‬
‫ما آشناے راہے نیست‬ ‫کہ در زمانٔہ‬  
Beh ein bahanah badasht talab ’z-pa ma-nashin, keh dar zamanah-e-ma
aashna’ey rah’ey neist.
[Yeh bahanah kar kay dasht-e-talab mein baithh nah ja, keh hamarey
zamaney mein koeyi aisa shakhs naheen jo ashna’ey rah ho.]
Do not sit down on seekings road on this pretext that in our age there is no
one who knows the path.
‫ز وقت خویش چہ غافل نشستہ ئی دریاب‬
‫زمانہ ئی کہ حسابش ز سال و ماہے نیست‬
’Z-waqt-e-khwaish chih ghafil nashistaheyi daryaab, zamanaheyi keh
hisabash ’z-saal-o-mah’ey neist.
[Tou apney waqt kay baarey mein kiyu’on ghafil baithha hoa hai, othh aur
aisa zam’an pa-ley jiss ka hissab meh-o-saal sey biniaz hai.]

829
How unconcerned you are about your time! Learn of a time incalculable in
terms of months and years.
‫درین رباط کہن چشم عافیت داری‬
‫ترا بہ کشمکش زندگی نگاہے نیست‬
Darein rabaat-e-kohan chashm-e-aafiyat daari, tera beh kashmakash-e-
zindagi nigahey neist.
[Iss porani sara’ey (dunya) mein aafiyat ki aarzoo rakhhta hai, kaya zindagi
ki kash-makash per teyri nigah naheen?]
In this old inn you look for peace! It seems that you do not know of the
struggle for existence.
‫گناہ ما چہ نویسند کاتبان عمل‬
‫نصیب ما ز جہان تو جز نگاہے نیست‬
Gonah-e-ma chih nawisand kaatban-e-amal, nasib-e-ma ’z-jahan-e-Tou
joz nigahey neist.
[Karamun kaatibin hamarah gonah kaya likhhein gey, Aap kay jah’an sey
hamarey nasib sawa’ey nigah kay aur kochh naheen.]
What can the angel-scribes record about our sins? For our lot in Your world
was nothing but spectator-ship.
‫بیا کہ دامن اقبال را بدست آریم‬
‫کہ او ز خرقہ فروشان خانقاہے نیست‬
Biya keh daman-e-Iqbal ra badast aaraim, keh oo ’z-khirqah faroshaan-e-
khanqah’ey neist.
[Othh keh hum Iqbal ka daman thhaam lein, kiyu’onkeh woh khanqah kay
khirqah farosh’on sey naheen.]
Come; let us catch hold of the skirt of Iqbal’s robe, for he is not one of those
men who go about in patched-up dresses at saints’ shrines.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

830
 *****(18)*****
‫شعلہ در آغوش دارد عشق بے پرواے من‬
‫بر نخیزد یک شرار از حکمت نازاے من‬
Shoalah dar aaghosh daarad ishq bey pervah-e-mun, ber nakhaizad yakk
sharar az hikmat-e-naaza’ey mun.
[Meyra ishq-e-biniaz apni aaghosh mein sho’alah rakhhta hai, magar
meyrey baanjh falsafey kay andar sey eik sharar bhi paida naheen hota.]
My love in its abandon has a live flame in its arms. My sterile wisdom
cannot raise a single spark.
‫چون تمام افتد سراپا ناز می گردد نیاز‬
‫قیس را لیلی ہمی نامند در صحراے من‬
Choon tamam aftad sarapa naaz mi-gardad niaz, Qais ra Laila hami
namand dar sehra’ey mun.
[Jabb niaz takmeil pa-ley tuo woh sarapa naaz bun jata hai, hamarey sehra
mein Qais ko Laila he kehtay hein.]
Love’s meekness, when complete, is one with Beauty’s pride. So in my
desert Qais is given Layla’s name.
‫بہر دھلیز تو از ہندوستان آوردہ ام‬
‫شوقے کہ خون گردید در سیماے من‬ ‫سجدٔہ‬
Beher dehleez tou az Hindostan awordah’um, sajdah-e-shouqay keh
khoon gardeid dar sema’ay mun.
[Aap (S.A.W.) ki dehleez kay leay mein Hindustan sey woh sajdah-e-shouq
laya h’on, jiss kay leay meyri jabeen mein (hazar’on bitaab sajdey) kh’on ho
ga’ey.]
From India have I come with an urge to prostrate myself on your threshold –
an urge which has turned to blood in my brow.
‫تیغ ال در پنجہ این کافر دیرینہ دہ‬
‫االے من‬ ‫باز بنگر در جھان ہنگامٔہ‬
Taigh-e-La dar punjah-e-ein kafir-e-deirinah deh, baz banigar dar jahan
hungamah-e-Illa-e-mun.
[Iss kafir-e-deirinah kay haath mein ‘La’ ki taigh dein, pher deikhhein keh
mien jahan mein ‘Illa’ sey kaya hungama barpa karta h’on.]

831
Put into this old unbeliever’s hand the sword of la, and then see how the
tumult of my Illa rages in the world.
‫گردشے باید کہ گردون از ضمیر روزگار‬
‫دوش من باز آرد اندر کسوت فرداے من‬
Garadish’ey bayad keh gardoon az zamir-e-rozgaar, dosh mun baz aarad
andar kisswat-e-farda’ey mun.
[Asman ki aisi gardish honi chahi’ay keh woh zamaney kay zamir kay andar
sey meyrey (Islam kay) maazi ko meyrey mostaqbil kay labas mein ley
aa’ey.]
There ought to be a revolution for the heavens to bring again out of time’s
womb my yesterdays in my tomorrow’s guise.
‫از سپہر بارگاہت یک جہان وافر نصیب‬
‫جلوہ ئی داری دریغ از وادی سیناے من‬
Az sepeher bargahat yakk jahan-e-waafar nasib, jalwaheyi daari daraigh
az Wadi-e-Seina-e-mun.
[Aap (S.A.W.) ki bargah-e-boland sey eik jahan wafar faiz pa raha hai,
laikan meyri Wadi-e-Seina Aap (S.A.W.) kay jalway sey mehroom hai.]
The whole world benefits from Your abounding grace, but You do not grant
my Sinai any theophany at all.
‫با خدا در پردہ گویم با تو گویم آشکار‬
‫یا رسول اﷲ او پنھان و تو پیداے من‬
Ba-Khoda dar pardah go’eym ba tou go’eym aashkar, ya Rasool-Allah
(S.A.W.) oo penhan-o-tou paida’ey mun.
[Allah Ta’alla sey mien chhopa kar kehta h’on laikan Aap (S.A.W.) bermala
arz karta h’on: Ya Rasool Allah! Woh meyrey leay penh’an hai aur Aap
(S.A.W.) zaahir.]
In veiled terms do I say to God, but to you, Prophet of God, openly, that He
is all that is concealed from me, and you all that is manifest.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

832
 *****(19)*****
‫بتان تازہ تراشیدہ ئی دریغ از تو‬
‫درون خویش نگاہ دیدہ ئی دریغ از تو‬
Bottaan-e-tazah trashidaheyi daraigh az tou, daroon khwaish nigah
deidaheyi daraigh az tou.
[Tojh per afsos keh tou ney na’ey bott tarash leay hein, magar (kaan-e-) dil
ki khhodaeyi nah ki.]
O you have carved new images, Alas! You have not dug into your inner self,
Alas!
‫چنان گداختہ ئی از حرارت افرنگ‬
‫ز چشم خویش تراویدہ ئی دریغ از تو‬
Chonan gadakhtaheyi az hararat-e-Afrang, ’z-chashm-e-khwaish
taravidaheyi daraigh az tou.
[Tojh per afsos keh tou Farang kay (afkaar ki) hararat sey iss tarah pighhal
choka hai, keh khod apni nazar mein gir gaya hai (ehsas-e-kumtari ka
shikar ho choka hai).]
You have been melted so by the heat of the West that you have dropped
from your own eyes just like a tear. Alas!
‫بہ کوچہ ئی کہ دہد خاک را بہاے بلند‬
‫بہ نیم غمزہ نیرزیدہ ئی دریغ از تو‬
Beh kochaheyi keh dehud khak ra baha’ey boland, beh neim ghamzah
neiraizdaheyi daraigh az tou.
[Tojh per afsos keh iss kochah (-e-Farang) mein jo khak ko boland qimat
atta karta hai, tou ney neim ghumzah qimat bhi naheen paeyi (tou
Frangiyu’on kay bazaar mein sasta he bikk gaya).]
In a street where mere common dust gains preciousness You did not prove
that you were even worth an amorous half-glance. Alas!
‫گرفتم اینکہ کتاب خرد فروخواندی‬
‫حدیث شوق نفہمیدہ ئی دریغ از تو‬
Gariftam einkeh kitab-e-khird frou khwandi, hadis-e-shouq na-
fehmidaheyi daraigh az tou.

833
[Mien manta h’on keh tou ney aql ki saari kitab parrh li hai, magar afsos
keh tou ney mohabat-o-shouq ki baat naheen samajhi.]
I take it that you have read through the book of wisdom, but You have not
understood the meaning of Love’s narrative. Alas!
‫طواف کعبہ زدی گرد دیر گردیدی‬
‫نگہ بہ خویش نپیچیدہ ئی دریغ از تو‬
Tawwaf-e-Ka’abah zaddi gird-e-Deir gardeidi, nigah bakhwaish na-
paichidaheyi daraigh az tou.
[Tou ney Ka’aba ka tawwaf bhi kiya, Deir (bottkhanah) kay gird bhi phera,
magar afsos keh tou ney apney aap per nigah nah daali.]
You went around the Ka‘bah, and you went around the idol-house. But you
did not engage your vision with yourself. Alas!
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

TRIFLES
The quake Sufis and Mullas were not the only one in the line of
Allamah’s fire, he did not spare the poets as well, who are the sources that
influence the culture of a society.
*****(10)*****
‫از نزاکت ہاے طبع موشگاف او مپرس‬
‫کز دم بادے زجاج شاعر ما بشکند‬
‫کے تواند گفت شرح کارزار زندگی‬
’’‫‘‘می پرد رنگش حبابے چون بدریا بشکند‬ 
Az nizakat-ha’ey taba’a-e-mooshigaaf-e-oo ma’pors, k’az dum-e-baadey
zojaj-e-sha’er-e-ma bashiknad.
Kay tawanad goft sharah-e-kaarzar-e-zindagi, ‘mi-parad rungash-e-
hobaabey choon badarya bashiknad.’
[Iss ki taba’a-e-mooshigaaf ki nizakat’on kay baarey mein nah pochh,
hamarey sha’er ka shishah hawa kay jho’nkay sey toot jata hai.
Wooh kaisey zindagi kay kaarzarki wazahat kar sakta hai, (oss ko tou yeh
haal hai keh) ‘durya mein bulbulah tootey tuo oss ka rung orr jata hai’.]

834
Do not speak to me of his sensitive, fine mind, our poet’s crystal breaks at a
mere breath of wind.
Of life’s grim war how can he ever tell the tale, when at the sight of a burst
bubble he turns pale?
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)
  
*****(15)*****
‫نقد شاعر در خور بازار نیست‬
‫نان بہ سیم نسترن نتوان خرید‬
Naqad-e-sha’er dar khor-e-bazaar neist, naan beh seim-nastaran natwaan
kharid.
[Sha’er ki mata’a bazaar mein laa’ey jaaney kay qabil naheen, gul-e-
nastrun ki chandi sey roti naheen kharidi ja sakti.]
The poet’s product is not saleable. The silver of a white rose will not buy
you bread.
(Translated by M. Hadi Husain)

At the end of this chapter a poetical work from Zabur-e-Ajam is

reproduced.

GHAZAL – PART TWO

*****(68)*****
‫صورت گرے کہ پیکر روز و شب آفرید‬
‫از نقش این و آن بتماشاے خود رسید‬
Surat-garey keh paikar-e-roz-o-shabb aafrid, az naqsh-e-ein-o-aan
batamasha’ey khod raseid.
[Khaliq ney roz-o-shabb paida ke’ay, aur onn kay zari’ay apni safaat ka
jalwah kiya.]
The Artist, Whose vast mind both day and night designed, engraving these,
displays upon Himself His gaze.

835
 ‫صوفی! برون ز بنگہ تاریک پا بنہ‬
‫فطرت متاع خویش بہ سوداگری کشید‬
Sufi! Baroon az banigeh tareek pa baneh, Fitrat mata’a-e-khwaish beh
soudagari kasheid.
[Sufi! Tareek khanqah sey bahar nikal. (deikhh) Fitrat ney apna sara mata’a
bazaar mein la kar saja diya hai.]
Sufi! Step out before thy dim and dusty store; nature has merchandise to
offer – at what price!
‫صبح و ستارہ و شفق و ماہ و آفتاب‬
‫بے پردہ جلوہ ہا بہ نگاہے توان خرید‬ 
Sobh-o-sitarah-o-shafaq-o-mah-o-aftab; bey pardah jalwah-ha beh
nigah’ey tawaan kharid,
[Sobh, shafaq, sitarey, chand, aftab; (inn sabb) ka bipardah jalwah faqat eik
nigah sey kharida ja sakta hai. (Nigah ho tuo baha’ey nazarah kochh bhi
naheen, keh baichti naheen fitrat jamal-o-zaibaeyi. Iqbal.)]
Down, and the stars and moon, nightfall, the sun at noon – all these unveiled
the eye for but one glance may buy!
(Translated by A.J. Arberry)  
29th May, 2013

836
 NEW ARRANGEMENTS
With Nawaz Sharif’s party winning in general elections and James
Dobbins already appointed as Special US Envoy for the region, now
designated as SRAP (Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan),
the fresh arrangements for continuation of the American holy war in the
region are in place. According to Dr Haider Mehdi these arrangements are
part of the Second NRO.
Despite the above observation, Nawaz Sharif has been raising anti-
drone slogans during his election campaign. That was an electioneering
compulsion for winning voters’ sympathy that was imposed by Imran Khan
who was too vocal in opposing the ongoing US war. After winning the polls,
he even approached Maulana Sami-ul-Haq for initiating dialogue with TTP.
On 29th May, in a drone strike the US killed Waliur Rehman of TTP, a
moderate leader with whom the peace talks could have been held. Next day,
Dobbins arrived in Pakistan and met Foreign Secretary and the COAS –the
old nut and bolt in the new fix – and then met Nawaz Sharif in Raiwind.
During the meeting Nawaz pledged to do his best in fighting the war on
terror. There was no mention of drone strike.
Since the beginning of Taliban’s summer offensive, Afghan and
occupation forces suffered quite a few casualties. This forced the US and
NATO forces to launch retaliatory offensive on 1st June details of which
have not been disclosed. Meanwhile, reports about extrajudicial prison in
Camp Bastion where 90 Afghans have been detained caused some
embarrassment to the ‘civilized’ Brits.
During election campaign Nawaz has also shown lot of warmth for
India and he vowed to improve Indo-Pak ties. When Indian High
Commissioner called upon him in Raiwind, he for the first time picked up
courage to mention the Kashmir dispute. He was promptly snubbed by the
Indian Foreign Minister by telling him to talk only about the doable.

NEWS
Pakistan: On 13th May, two children were killed and eight others got
injured in two separate incidents in Wazirdand and Molagori areas of tehsil
Jamrud. The first incident took place in Wazirdand where a stray rocket shell
fired by unknown militants struck the house of a local tribesman and killed

837
his minor son on the spot. Eight other members of the family including five
children and three women sustained injuries.
On 16th May, five security personnel were killed and six inured in an
attack by militants on Engineer Battalions vehicle near Sara Khawara area in
Mattani on the border of the restive Dara Adamkhel. The militants also
attacked a police armored personnel carrier injuring four police officials just
a few yards away from the site of the first attack. In a separate incident also
in the same area, the militants lobbed a hand grenade on an APC of Mattani
police which was on routine patrolling and then opened indiscriminate
gunfire on it. Four policemen were injured in the attack.
A driver was killed when unidentified militants opened fire at a
NATO supply tanker in Gariza area of Jamrud tehsil, sub-division of Khyber
Agency. The trailer returning from Afghanistan was on its way to Karachi
Port when attacked. In a separate incident, gunmen shot dead driver of
another NATO tanker near Peshawar. Meanwhile, twenty more NATO
trailers carrying allied forces crossed into Pakistan from Torkham border.
Ali Haider Gilani, son of former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani,
who was kidnapped during a pre-election meeting from the suburbs of
Multan in on May 8, is suspected to be in the captivity of a new TTP group
Tora Shpa (Dark Night). So far law enforcement agencies have raided
different parts of KPK in search of expected hideout of Tora Shpa on secret
agencies' tip-off for early recovery of Ali Haider Gilani.
Law enforcement agencies reached the kidnappers and arrested one of
the key men who facilitated the abductors. There was also a rumour
immediately after the operation that wounded Haider Gilani was recovered
in the said operation in suburbs of Nowshera but DPO of the area denied the
news.
Tora Shpa, allegedly involved in abduction of younger Gilani, is a
cluster of TTP. The group was formed for the specific purpose of raising
money for TTP through criminal activities like kidnappings and extortion.
TTP allowed it to establish a base in Wana (South Waziristan) and from
there it conducts operations in KPK, Balochistan and Punjab.
DPO Nowshera said that Nowshera police had started a massive
operation in Misri Banda area of Akora Khattak tehsil in Nowshera district
to rescue Ali Haider Gilani. Police has launched a frantic search in the area
to recover Ali Gilani who is believed to be kept in the same area. DPO said
that operation was launched on reports that Haider Gilani was being kept
there but it led to the rescue of another person and search for Ali Haider

838
Gilani was still underway. Four men and two women were arrested during
the operation.
Next day, at least 20 people were killed and scores injured in two
bomb blasts at two different Sunni mosques in Malakand Agency. Twin
blasts rattled Bar Kalley main Jamia Masjid of the Bazdarra region. One
blast took place inside a mosque and the second one occurred at the main
gate of the second mosque. The number of casualties is feared to rise due to
intensity of the blasts which were remote-controlled.
In a message on popular social media site, Imran Khan strongly
condemned the blasts and condoled with the families of victims. The attack
came just one day after Khan’s PTI party said it was forming a coalition
government with the right-wing religious Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and secular
Qaumi Watan Party (QWP).
A senior defence official has told a congressional hearing on drone
strikes carried out by US military that the war on terror is one without end or
boundary. Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee,
Assistant Defence Secretary said the US military operations against al-
Qaeda and associated forces ‘is going to go on for quite a while beyond the
second term of the president. I think it’s at least 10 to 20 years.’
Sheehan also defended the current structure of the authorization for
the Use of Military Force Act (AUMF), passed after 9/11, which, in its
present iteration, grants the president wide-ranging powers to wage drone
wars. ‘At this point we’re comfortable with the AUMF as it is currently
structured’, said Sheehan. He admitted that there was no expiration date or
geographic boundary to this war.
Several lawmakers expressed outrage at what they saw as the lack of
specificity. ‘Here we are, 12 years later, and you. Come before us and tell us
that you don’t think it needs to be updated. Well, clearly it does’, said
Senator John McCain, a Republican, who described the testimony as
‘disturbing.’ Others disagreed. ‘I tend to agree what we have today is
working’, said Senator Lindsey Graham, also a Republican.
On 20th May, a personal of Bajaur levies force was gunned down
when unknown armed persons attacked a polio vaccination team in the
border area of Tehsil Mamond in Bajaur tribal region. The team of polio
workers was on vaccination campaign in the Kalan area 30 Km from the
agency headquarters Khar when unidentified gunmen opened fire on it.

839
 Nawaz Sharif underscored the need for peace for national progress
and development and said his government will prefer to use the option of
dialogue as offered by Taliban for peace in the country. The dialogue offer
from Taliban, he said, should be taken seriously as ‘we direly need peace’ to
revamp the economy and take the country forward after it has suffered the
losses of 40,000 lives and billions of dollars in material while fighting terror.
Bullet and gun should not be the only option to curb this menace, he added.
General Kayani recommended setting up an internationally-supported
regional military forum against the growing threat of improvised explosive
devices (IEDs) as representatives from over two dozen states showed up at
an international event in Islamabad to join hands against the use of the
homemade bomb. The symposium envisaging cooperation on C-IEDs was
attended by the military men and defence experts from 28 countries
including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany,
Australia, Canada, China, Russia and Afghanistan.
On 22nd May, unidentified armed militants kidnapped four doctors in
the Ghazni Khel police station jurisdiction. The doctors were going to Dera
Ismail Khan for duty when they were intercepted by the militants. Police
blocked exit points to prevent the miscreants to shift the doctors to tribal
agencies.
Next day, security forces killed 20 terrorists who attacked them in
Kurram Agency in which four security personnel were killed and 12 got
injured. Terrorists attacked security forces with heavy weapons in the area of
Bara Chamni; the security forces retaliated. The ISPR said only one
constable got martyred and eight were injured in the incident.
At least twelve personnel of Balochistan Constabulary (BC) and a
civilian were killed while 18 others sustained injuries in a remote controlled
bomb attack in Quetta. The BC personnel were on way to their duty at Civil
Secretariat from BC Camp in a coaster when an auto rickshaw packed with
explosives was exploded at Badini Link Road. The TTP claimed
responsibility for the attack. ‘We proudly claim responsibility for
Thursday’s blast in Quetta and the target was local police. The Balochistan
police recently arrested and killed some of our colleagues belonging to Swat
Taliban’, Ehsanullah Ehsan told a foreign news agency.
President Barack Obama defended America’s controversial drone
attacks but announced new restraints on targeted killings, saying civilian
casualties haunt him and that Washington is in the process of rebuilding
relations with Pakistan. Obama said Washington will continue to have the

840
need to partner with foreign countries to counter terrorist threats as he
acknowledged the sacrifices Pakistan has made.
‘The cost of our relationship with Pakistan was immense... Our
operation in Pakistan against Osama bin Laden cannot be the norm. The
risks in that case were immense... the fact that we did not find ourselves
confronted with civilian casualties, or embroiled in an extended firefight...
also depended on some luck. And even then, the cost to our relationship with
Pakistan – and the backlash among the Pakistani public over encroachment
on their territory – was so severe that we are just now beginning to rebuild
this important partnership.’
Another highly troublesome issue with Pakistan is the unending drone
strikes. Under a new directive signed this week drone strikes would be
limited only to those cases where the target represented a ‘continuing and
imminent threat’ to the US. Although insisting that the targeted killing
programme was legal and effective, Obama said the US must also exercise
‘the discipline to constrain that power – or risk abusing it’. He insisted on
‘near certainty. that no civilians would be killed before authorizing strikes,
saying for him and his commanders the deaths of innocents would ‘haunt us
as long as we live’.
Today, he said, the core of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan is on
a path to defeat. On the loss of civilian lives in US counterterrorism actions,
he said ‘it is a hard fact that US strikes have resulted in civilian casualties, a
risk that exists in all wars... For the families of those civilians, no words or
legal construct can justify their loss. For me, and those in my chain of
command, these deaths will haunt us as long as we live, just as we are
haunted by the civilian casualties that have occurred through conventional
fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.’
The White House released a policy document that Obama okayed
ahead of his speech. The document lays out a rigorous process for reviewing
and approving operations to capture or employ lethal force against terrorist
targets outside the US and outside areas of active hostilities. The White
House said Obama has decided to share, in this document, certain key
elements of these standards and procedures with the American people so that
they can make informed judgments and hold the Executive Branch
accountable.
On 24th May, at least three people were killed and seven others injured
when a suicide bomber targeted Afghan religious figure’s vehicle near a
seminary in Peshawar suburbs. The Afghan religious leader and chief of

841
Jamaatul Dawat Alquran and Al-Sunnah Haji Hayatullah was not present in
the vehicle when the bomber detonated himself at the entrance of Madrissa
Jamia Uloom al-Islamia situated at Saeedabad on Pajaggi Road, after
worshipers left the mosque following Friday prayers.
Police said the bomber carried about six kilograms of explosives.
Hayatullah, a Salafi cleric, who lives in Pakistan as refugee, was still inside
the mosque when the bomber blew himself up. Hayatullah had participated
in the 10-year resistance against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan which
ended in 1989.
The driver of a NATO container was killed and another sustained
injuries when militants opened fire on two vehicles returning from
Afghanistan in Shahgai area of tehsil Jamrud. Two trailers bearing
registration No TLA-468 and TLS-151 were on its way to deliver allied
force assignment to Karachi port when it was intercepted by unidentified
militants.
A pedestrian was killed by an accredited US diplomat in a road
accident on 7th Avenue in the vicinity of Melody Market. The Embassy
employee's vehicle hit the pedestrian who died as a result of his injuries.
Police took the vehicle into custody and detained the employee ‘for some
time’ for questioning. The US Embassy in a statement extended its heartfelt
condolences to the family affected by this tragedy.
Next day, security forces claimed to have killed three militants and
injured four of them in jet strikes in Maidan, the far-flung area of Tirah
Valley of tehsil Bara, Khyber Agency. Warplanes attacked hideouts of the
militants located in Maidan and destroyed three of them. However. The
claim could not be confirmed by the militants’ sources.
On 26th May, militants attacked a security check-post in Bannu's
Janikhel area injuring two security personnel; whereas security forces
defused a bomb in Hangu district. Meanwhile, Pakistani Taliban issued a
fresh threat to assassinate former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, who is
currently facing legal cases in police custody.
Declan Walsh, former New York Times correspondent, wrote that
American withdrawal from Afghanistan and the curtailment of the drone
campaign could diminish the financing and political importance Pakistan
held as a key player in global counterterrorism efforts, and could also plunge
the country's Tribal Areas into further chaos.

842
 John Kerry defended America’s use of drones to hunt down wanted
terror leaders, saying the pilot-less planes are only used against confirmed
targets and after much vetting. The use of drones, mostly sent in covertly
without the prior knowledge of other governments, has been sharply
criticized particularly in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Kerry also defended the
US move to try open talks with the Taliban leadership, saying it was better
to try to bring people to the table to resolve issues rather than try to fight it
out.
Next day, a roadside bomb hit a police patrol in Shangla District. The
incident took place during a routine patrol when an IED hit their vehicle. All
the five policemen died on the spot, including a senior police officer. Some
of the dead bodies are badly mutilated and the van was totally damaged.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
At least two security personnel were killed and some others injured in
militants attack on a security check post in Bannu. Armed miscreants
stormed a security check post located in Janikhel area; two security officials
deputed at the check post were killed in the attack while some others
sustained injuries.
On 28th May, at least two people were killed and 17 wounded when a
bomb exploded at in Gulbahar area of Peshawar. The explosive, planted in a
motorcycle, detonated near Imamia Colony. No individual or group has so
far claimed responsibility of the blast. In another incident, a female anti-
polio worker was gunned down and another sustained critical injuries when
unidentified armed assailants attacked on a vaccination team in Badabher
area.
In Swat, a roadside bomb wounded a peace committee leader and his
spouse and killed his son. Swat Valley has again come under a grip of terror
wave with a number of peace activists and security officials killed in recent
past. Security officials said Sher Ali’s car was hit by an improvised
explosive device.
Next day, a US drone strike killed the number two of the Pakistani
Taliban in the North Waziristan. The drone strike killed seven people,
including Taliban deputy commander Wali-ur-Rehman, in the first such
attack since a May 11 general election in which the use of the unmanned
aircraft was a major issue. Wali was to succeed Hakimullah Mehsud as
leader of the Pakistani Taliban.
Both Pakistani and US authorities were yet to officially confirm the
Taliban leader’s killing. The BBC quoted military sources as saying that the

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dead included militants named Fakh-e-Aalam, Naseerud Deen and
Nasrullah. The report named two of the injured as Shahab-ud-Din and Syed
Rehman. Pakistan’s foreign ministry again denounced drones in general.
The United States refused to confirm that it killed the number two in
the Pakistani Taliban, despite President Barack Obama's promise of more
transparency on the drone war. The killing of Waliur Rehman, deputy leader
of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was the first known US drone
strike since Obama's speech last week laying out new criteria for the covert
use of unmanned aerial vehicles.
A female member of an anti-polio team was injured in an attack by
some unidentified people in Hungu district. According to reports, the team
was busy vaccinating children in Tal when unidentified people pelted it with
stones, suspending the process of administrating anti-polio drops.
On 30th May, Ehsanullah Ehsan confirmed to an American news
agency in a telephone call from an undisclosed location that the group’s
second-in-command, Waliur Rehman, was killed in an American drone
attack in the tribal areas of Pakistan. Ehsan said that the Taliban believed the
government approved of the drone strikes so the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
announced withdrawing their offer of peace talks.
The Taliban will avenge his death. He said the group holds the
Pakistani government responsible for the death of Waliur Rehman Mehsud.
Ehsan said Rehman – now buried in a secret North Waziristan location –
was wanted by the United States on suspicion of being involved in the
December 2009 suicide bomb attack that killed seven CIA employees at
Forward Operating Base in Khost.
Pakistani Taliban chose a new deputy commander to replace their
previous second-in-command. The new number two, Khan Sayed, 38, also
known as Sajna, had served as Rehman’s deputy. He was involved in
planning a 2011 attack on a Pakistani navy base in Karachi in which 18
people were killed and a 2012 jail break in which nearly 400 militant
inmates escaped.
Waliur Rehman had been tipped to succeed Hakimullah Mehsud as
leader of the Pakistan Taliban and had been viewed as someone less hostile
to the Pakistani military than some other top operatives. While his death is a
major blow for the militants, it could be also viewed as a setback for
incoming Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s efforts to end violence.

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 The White House did not confirm the killing, in line with its practice
not to discuss drone strikes. But its spokesman Jay Carney said Waliur
Rehman ‘has participated in cross-border attacks in Afghanistan against US
and NATO personnel and horrific attacks against Pakistani civilians and
soldiers’.
Imran Khan demanded of incoming Nawaz Sharif to make drone
attacks stop inside Pakistan after taking charge or ask the PAF to shoot them
down because the masses elected them due their anti-drone stance. In a press
statement, Imran said that the masses had rejected the policies of General (r)
Musharraf and want complete sovereignty for Pakistan.
There was no response from Nawaz Sharif camp to Imran's statement.
Two weeks ago, Nawaz Sharif, while speaking to the representatives of the
foreign media, said that he would hold talks with the United States over
drone attacks as they were a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty. ‘We will
convince the US to stop drone attacks.’ Analysts say that Imran's demand of
stopping drone attacks in Pakistan was valid and this is what Nawaz Sharif
has been stating before election. PTI meanwhile was finalizing an
international petition which states that drones are inhuman and violate
human rights.
In his meeting with Foreign Secretary both sides reaffirmed their
desire to work closely for consolidation of bilateral relations and partnership
in all spheres of cooperation including peace and stability in the region. The
foreign secretary also briefed the new US SRAP about the steps taken by
Pakistan for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. He reiterated Pakistan's
commitment to remain positively engaged in supporting the peace process.
Nawaz Sharif said that Pakistan and the United States will work in
complete cooperation to curb terrorism. James Dobbins assured that
American businessmen will invest in Pakistan to strengthen its economy. He
said the United States will continue to play its role for strengthening
democracy in Pakistan.
In Kurram agency, at least 17 militants were killed and several others
injured when fighter jets bombed suspected hideouts of militants. The
security forces destroyed four hideouts of militants in Tabay area. Death toll
may rise further as some miscreants were reported buried under the rubble of
destroyed hideouts and few injured were also stated to be in critical
condition.
Next day, the clashes took place in an area between Kurram and
Khyber agencies, in Para Chamkani and Maidan villages. During exchange

845
of fire, 22 terrorists were killed while 15 got injured. Three soldiers
including an officer also embraced martyrdom and three were injured. The
dominating heights of the mountainous area had also been cleared or
occupied by forces.
The fighting took place in the wake of a fresh military push in the
Tirah Valley in Khyber agency, where the military has been targeting
Taliban and Lashkar-e-Islam militia. Khyber straddles the NATO supply
line into Afghanistan, used by US-led troops to evacuate military equipment
ahead of their 2014 withdrawal.
Elsewhere in Khyber Agency, fighter jets targeted militants’ hideouts
in Tirah Valley killing two miscreants and injuring five others. Three
hideouts of militants were destroyed. Separately, a member of peace
committee was killed in a roadside bomb blast in the outskirts of Peshawar.
A NATO supply trucker driver was shot and injured by some unknown
militants in the Sur Kamr area of tehsil Jamrud. In Bannu, a soldier was
martyred and three others injured when a vehicle of army's bomb disposal
squad hit a land mine. Security forces later cordoned off the area and
launched search operation against the militants.
Nawaz Sharif expressed grave concern over the recent US drone strike
in Pakistan that killed Taliban No 2. In a statement issued in Lahore, Nawaz
said ‘The attack contradicts the policy US President Barack Obama declared
of late…The drone attack was not only a violation of the country’s
sovereignty and territorial integrity but also an action that has been declared
a violation of international law and the UN Charter’.
He conveyed his stance to US Charge d’Affaires Richard Hoagland
through his close aide, who told the US diplomat that the drone attack,
coming within days of President Obama’s ‘crossroads’ speech was highly
regrettable. Nawaz’s aide also pointed out that meaningful consultations and
close cooperation between the two countries should be the desired course of
action, rather than unilateral measures.
US Secretary of State John Kerry, however, defended his country’s
drone policy, saying it has saved many lives. Kerry said drones have killed
dozens of highly-trained al-Qaeda commanders, trainers, bomb-makers and
operatives. He said drones have disrupted plots against planes, US transit
systems, European cities and American troops in Afghanistan. ‘Those strikes
have saved lives’, he added.
Newly elected Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said that if PTI
would have been ruling in the center, the US could not dare firing drones on

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FATA. He said: ‘We aren't afraid of the US and nor do we need alms, but it's
the federal government's prerogative to give a clear policy on drones.’ He
said that the PTI would fully support PML-N, if its gives a clear policy to
the provinces on drones and the war on terror.
On 1st June, at least 23 militants were killed while two security
personnel were martyred and five others sustained injuries in fresh
skirmishes in Kurram Agency. In Bara Chamkini area of Kurram Agency, a
number of militants attacked security forces; resultantly two security
personnel were martyred. Security forces retaliated with full force, killing 23
miscreants on the spot.
Chaudhry Nisar Ali said that drone attacks were against the
sovereignty of Pakistan and his government would adopt a strategy to stop
them. Talking to the media outside the Parliament House, he said that ten
years ago a military dictator pushed the country towards chaos. Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister said that if the federal government does not
give a clear policy on drone attacks, it will be held responsible for
destruction in KPK.
The elders of Utmanzai and Ahmadzai tribes from North Waziristan
Agency demanded the government to end the US drone strikes in FATA and
sort out a peaceful solution to the turbulent situations via holding negotiation
with Taliban. Addressing a news conference, a tribal elder Malik Jalal from
North Waziristan Agency said that tribal people were facing numerous
difficulties owing to the wrong policies of the former rulers.
Shah Muhammad, provincial legislator from Bannu recalled that the
PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif who signed the JUI-F convened APC’s
declaration, so now his (Nawaz) party-led federal government should
materialize the declaration aimed to restore peace and prevent the US drones
strikes in tribal areas. If the US drone strikes have been halted, he said about
90 per cent problems would be resolved automatically and peace would be
restored in the region, he maintained.
About the suspension of negotiation process by Talibans, he said that
tribal elders would form a grand tribal Jirga to reactivate the talks for
establishment of peace. The provincial legislator also assured that he will
move a resolution in the provincial assembly against the US drone attacks.
Next day, two security personnel were injured in a remote controlled
improvised explosive device attack in North Waziristan Agency when
miscreants targeted their vehicle near the Esha check post. Meanwhile,
security forces foiled a sabotage bid in Spina Thana area near Darra

847
Adamkhel by defusing a 10 kilograms bomb aimed at targeting security
personnel. Meanwhile, miscreants opened fire at and set ablaze two NATO
containers that were on their way to Karachi coming from Chaman border.
The attack was carried out in Dasht area of Mastung district.
President Zardari said that he was ‘not aware’ of any agreement
between the government of Pakistan and the US administration regarding
drone strikes in Pakistan. ‘May be General (r) Musharraf had made some
sort of agreement with the US, but I am not aware of any such agreement
nor I have seen it during my five-year tenure’, he told in an interview with a
select group of TV anchors.
Zardari insisted that the PPP-led government had not struck any deal
with the US on drones operation. ‘Those who have said they will shoot
down the drones let them shoot them down. You know about the capability
and capacity (of Pakistan), it is not like shooting down a cheel (kite). (Even
if we) suppose the drone is a cheel kite and you shoot it down. What
happens after that’, he questioned.
Afghanistan: On 13th May, a bomb killed 13 civilians including
women and children in Arghistan district of Kandahar Province as they
traveled to attend the funeral of earlier bomb victims. A motorbike earlier hit
a roadside bomb that killed two people.
Next day, roadside bomb killed four US soldiers in Zhari district of
the volatile province of Kandahar. The province is a hotbed of insurgent
activity, with large areas under the control of Taliban militants. This year, 46
US soldiers and 13 troops from other coalition nations have died in
Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Taliban insurgents released the final four Turkish
engineers held hostage since their helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan
last month. Four other Turkish engineers aboard the helicopter were freed on
May 12.
Some British troops will have to stay in Afghanistan into 2015 to
ensure the departure of forces is properly managed, defence minister Philip
Hammond said. Combat operations are still due to finish by the end of 2014
but the final tours of duty will be extended to last up to a maximum of nine
months for a ‘relatively small number’ of personnel, Hammond told
parliament.
On 16th May, a suicide bomber in a car attacked a convoy of foreign
troops in Kabul, killing at least 15 people including six Americans, in one of
the worst attacks in the Afghan capital in months. Forty people were

848
wounded in the blast during the morning rush-hour. One NATO sports
utility vehicle was completely destroyed in the blast and surrounding streets
were quickly cordoned off as US troops arrived at the scene.
The Hezb-e-Islami insurgent group, which is allied with the Taliban,
claimed responsibility for the attack on the two-vehicle convoy. ISAF said
the bomber killed two of its members and four civilian contractors. It
declined to give their nationalities. But two senior officials, one Afghan and
the other from ISAF, said the two ISAF soldiers and four contractors were
all American.
Concern about Afghanistan’s prospects is growing as most foreign
combat troops prepare to leave by the end of next year. Karzai has accused
neighbouring Pakistan of meddling to destabilize his country. Analysts say
Pakistan is manoeuvring to limit the influence of its old rival, India, in
Afghanistan. Pakistan denies meddling and says it wants a peaceful and
stable Afghanistan.
On 19th May, Taliban attacks killed at least ten Afghan police. In one
of the incidents, Taliban fighters attacked a security check post in the Muqur
district of Ghazni Province, killing six police. A second attack on a local
police check post in Muqur wounded four police. Four Afghan border police
were killed when their vehicle was blown up by a roadside bomb in eastern
Nangarhar Province.
Afghan President planned to discuss potential arms deals with Indian
officials during a trip to New Delhi this week at a time when tensions are
running high on Afghanistan’s disputed border with Pakistan. In 2011 New
Delhi had signed a strategic partnership agreement with Kabul, allowing the
two sides to expand training as Afghan forces prepare to takeover security
from foreign troops at the end of 2014.
Pakistan defense analyst and retired Brigadier Shaukat Qadir didn’t
see any souring of relations between Pakistan and India because of the likely
arms deal between Afghanistan and India. ‘This is nothing new’, he said.
‘The two countries have been engaged in similar deals for a long time.’
Next day, a suicide bomber struck outside government buildings in
northern Afghanistan, killing 14 people including a local politician in attack
that targeted provincial officials. The bomber, who was wearing police
uniform, blew himself up next to Rasoul Mohseni, the head of Baghlan's
provincial council. Also among the dead were seven police guards and
several other people waiting to speak to Mohseni, who was walking into the
government offices in Pul-e-Khumri city when he was killed. President

849
Karzai condemned the attack and blamed the bombing on the ‘enemies of
Afghanistan’.
On 21st May, a roadside bomb in western Afghanistan and clashes in
the volatile south left eleven police officers dead. The bomb killed six police
guards in Herat province as they traveled to a hydroelectric dam that is under
protection from insurgent attack. Taliban insurgents attacked several police
posts in the southern province of Helmand. About 100 insurgents were
involved in the offensive in the district of Sangin, with five police and 26
militants killed.
Next day, addressing media persons in New Delhi, visiting Afghan
President said Kabul has given a wish list to India, but did not specify what
the list contains. He also ruled out deployment of Indian soldiers in
Afghanistan. An Indian government official said earlier that India had
already provided some military equipment to Afghanistan but he declined to
give details. He said he was surprised that Afghanistan was speaking openly
about a weapons request.
Karzai said that he wants India to continue to provide economic
assistance to Afghanistan, and train Afghan police and military personnel.
He also said that he was in favour of Indian officials joining the military
academies set up by the United Kingdom and United States in Kabul to
provide training to the Afghan forces. Karzai also described Pakistan as a
key element in the Afghan peace process, adding it would be difficult and
cumbersome to fight terrorism without Islamabad’s cooperation, as the latter
had an influence over the Taliban.
On 24th May, explosions and gunfire rocked central Kabul as the
Taliban launched a major attack close to an Afghan intelligence facility and
the headquarters of a government force that protects foreign firms. Smoke
rose from the site of at least one suicide car blast that started the coordinated
assault before commando security forces began an operation to clear several
militant gunmen who took up positions in nearby buildings.
A foreign woman working for the International Organization for
Migration was seriously wounded. Three Nepalese security staff were also
slightly injured. It is unclear whether our building was the target of the
attack. Security forces killed two of the gunmen who were firing and
throwing grenades from a building. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid
claimed the responsiblility of attack.
On 28th May, suspected Taliban militants killed seven police in the
province of Kandahar. Two attackers fled the police checkpoint after

850
shooting the seven men, a hotbed of the militant campaign that targets
Afghan security forces and officials as well as US-led foreign forces. A total
of 14 Afghan police and soldiers have died over the last two days as Taliban
insurgents increase attacks as part of their annual ‘spring offensive’
launched last month.
Next day, militants launched a suicide and gun attack on a Red Cross
office in Jalalabad city killing at least one guard. The assault was the latest
in a series of high profile, coordinated attacks as insurgents pile pressure on
the US-backed government. The ICRC confirmed that ‘an incident’ had
taken place but gave no further details.
Britain was working to move up to 90 suspected insurgents being held
at its main base in Afghanistan, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said.
British lawyers representing eight of the men being held at Camp Bastion in
the southern province of Helmand claim their cases could amount to
internment. Hammond said the detainees in the ‘temporary holding facility’
included people suspected of attacking British troops who will be passed on
to the Afghan authorities, but that their transfers had been held up.
On 31st May, the Taliban denied any involvement in a deadly suicide
attack on International Committee of the Red Cross offices that prompted
the organization to halt staff movement across Afghanistan. The two-hour
assault in the eastern city of Jalalabad on Wednesday, which left one Afghan
guard dead, was the first time ICRC offices have been targeted in
Afghanistan since the organization began work there 26 years ago.
Iran: On 15th May, nuclear talks between Iran and the UN atomic
agency failed yet again, as a top US diplomat said she expected the IAEA to
report Tehran to the UN Security Council soon. The IAEA announcement
came just as EU foreign policy chief was due to meet Iran’s chief nuclear
negotiator in Istanbul for the first time since failed six-party talks in April.
The IAEA was pressing Iranian officials to grant access to sites, documents
and scientists involved in Tehran’s alleged efforts to develop atomic
weapons, mostly before 2003 but possibly ongoing.
Next day, Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili said that nuclear
talks with the EU'S foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton were ‘long and
useful’ and that both sides have decided to continue the discussions. The two
top negotiators were meeting for the first time since fruitless discussions
between Iran and six major powers in April over Tehran's controversial
nuclear ambitions.

851
 On 19th May, Iran hanged two convicted spies, one found guilty of
working for Israel, the other for the United States, the Tehran prosecutor’s
office announced. Mohammad Heydari was convicted of ‘receiving payment
to provide intelligence on various security issues and national secrets in
repeated meetings with the Mossad’. Koroush Ahmadi was found guilty of
‘providing intelligence on various issues to the CIA.’
On 22nd May, Iran denied any link to members of a spying ring
detained by its Sunni Muslim regional rival Saudi Arabia. Saudi state media
had reported yesterday that the officials had detained 10 people accused of
spying for Iran after arresting 18 people in the same case in March. Tehran
rejects that charge and has repeatedly denied any involvement in espionage
in Saudi Arabia.
On 1st June, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the
Iranian petrochemical industry in an attempt to further derail Iran’s alleged
nuclear weapons programme. The department said one petrochemical
company had ‘aided Iran’s efforts to evade sanctions by attempting to
conceal oil transactions with the government of Iran and an aircraft
procurement network supporting Iran’s airlines that previously have been
sanctioned for involvement in Iran’s support for terrorism.’ With sanctions
already imposed on Iran’s oil business, which funnels most of its revenue
through the central bank, the Treasury said it is targeting sanctions evaders.
Next day, Iran dismantled a ‘terror network’ backed by Israel’s
Mossad intelligence services which planned to disrupt the upcoming
presidential election in the Islamic republic. ‘The intelligence ministry has
identified and arrested the members of this terror network, and confiscated
their weapons’, IRIB said on its website, quoting a statement by the
ministry. It said the arrested group was made up of 12 members, but did not
say when it had been busted.
India: On 16th May, Foreign Office spokesman in Islamabad said:
‘We hope that focused discussions would address all aspects of this
important issue including the release of the 47 prisoners who have
completed their sentence’. It’s being just a matter of days now to the coming
of a more peace loving civilian regime in Pakistan, Islamabad is hoping a
boost to the overall dialogue process with India and it has approached New
Delhi for focused discussions on the issue of prisoners.
Hizbul Mujahideen commander Syed Salahuddin said that no
government would be able to survive in Islamabad, if it abandons the
‘Kashmir cause’ and warned the new regime not to make the ‘mistake’ of

852
pursuing friendship with New Delhi at the cost of Kashmir. Salahuddin
advised the incoming government ‘not to repeat the mistake of putting
Kashmir on the back burner and try to foster friendship with New Delhi
through trade, cultural exchanges and tourism’.
Awais Sheikh, lawyer of Indian terrorist Sarabjit Singh, was found in
injured condition near Sheikhupura. Police said that torture signs were found
on the lawyer's body. Two men in police uniform intercepted the car of
Awais Sheikh who was accompanied by his son Shahrukh, 17, near Bedian
area of Lahore and whisk them into a pickup truck at gunpoint. There were
four other men already in the vehicle who severely tortured him. Awais
Sheikh told the media that the men were speaking Pashto.
Next day, Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso decided to release
51 Indian fishermen on humanitarian grounds as a gesture of goodwill.
These prisoners have already served their sentences. The decision was taken
at a high level meeting attended by Federal Minister for Law Ahmer Bilal
Sufi, Sindh Chief Minister and senior officials of the ministries of interior,
foreign affairs, law and justice and PM’s Secretariat.
On 18th May, in reply to a about the possibility of China playing its
role in ending longstanding Kashmir dispute during Chinese Premier Li
Keqiang visit to Pakistan and India, Chinese ambassador to Pakistan said
that the two countries could see rapprochement over Kashmir issue through
China.
Next day, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in India on the first
stop of his maiden foreign trip. Li, in a statement quoted by Xinhua news
agency, said his choice of India as first destination ‘indicates the great
importance Beijing attaches to its relations’ with New Delhi. And Indian
foreign ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said exchanges were aimed at
‘enhancing trust’ between the two countries, who fought a brief but a bloody
war in 1962 over a border row.
On 24th May, gunmen killed four Indian soldiers in an ambush outside
Srinagar, sparking a gun battle in which one attacker was also killed. The
Indian soldiers were on a search operation during a patrol when they were
ambushed in the village of Hardu Buchoo southeast of Srinagar near the
forested area of Tral. The ambush came a day after Indian forces killed a top
militant from outlawed group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Srinagar.
Pakistan released 45 Indian fishermen including three children and
three other disabled persons. Ansar Burney and activists of Pakistan
Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) received the freed fishermen, who later left Karachi

853
by a bus to reach Lahore’s Wagha border. They will be handed over to
Indian authorities at the Wagha border tomorrow.
On 27th May, Indian Prime Minister’s special envoy Satinder K
Lambah met Nawaz Sharif in Lahore and discussed ways to take forward the
dialogue process to address all the issues of concern between the two
countries. Satinder arrived as a follow-up of Indian Prime Minister’s
conversation with Nawaz Sharif on May 12 to greet him on his party’s
victory in the general elections. Nawaz Sharif also conveyed his deep
appreciation for Dr Singh’s message.
On 31st May, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said signals
coming from Nawaz Sharif were positive and therefore likely to improve
relations between India and Pakistan. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi,
Singh said his government wanted cordial ties with Pakistan and hoped that
all outstanding issues between the two countries could be resolved in a
peaceful manner.
Earlier, Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid had told
reporters in New Delhi that Nawaz Sharif should convert into reality the
positive signals he had given during his election campaign. ‘There were
many positive signals from Sharif with relation to India during the election
campaign. We hope that he will work towards converting these positive
signals into reality upon assuming office’, he said.
A three-member team of the Pakistan Indus Water Commission,
headed by Indus Water Commissioner Shiraz Jameel Memon, visited the
Dal Lake and the Jhelum River in Srinagar. Yesterday, the Pakistan team
had visited the Baramulla district in north Held Kashmir. The visit was part
of the Indus Water Treaty signed between India and Pakistan in 1960.

VIEWS
Pakistan
Taliban’s ceasefire offer: ‘One of the daunting challenges that Mian
Nawaz Sharif would be confronted with, soon after taking the reins of
government as Prime Minister, would be how to deal with the Pakistani
Taliban and their counterparts in Afghanistan. During his election campaign,
he did offer peace to the TTP who had threatened to jeopardize electoral
process. In fact, the TTP had accepted the responsibility of terrorist activities
in Karachi, Balochistan and Khyber PK taking a massive human toll and

854
rendering a large number injured. However, despite their serious threats, the
nation went to polls in defiance and at risk to life and limb, and the process
has been completed.
It was on Wednesday that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan offered
ceasefire and talks to the new government. Its spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan
was quoted having stated: ‘If Pakistan’s new government takes our dialogue
offer seriously and makes some progress, then the group could offer
ceasefire.’ The Taliban spokesman bitterly criticized the attitude of the PPP
government accusing it of adopting a non-serious attitude to their similar
earlier offers. Justifying his fresh offer of dialogue, he cited a statement of
would-be-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and expressed his group’s
appreciation over his approach. But surprisingly Ehsan said two contrasting
things in the same breath. On the one hand, he said the TTP could not
declare ceasefire because any such decision would largely depend on
approach of the new government. But on the other hand he said that such an
eventuality could take place if his group receives some gestures from the
government-in-waiting.
But the basic question is whether Nawaz Sharif would take kindly to
being ‘offered’ a ceasefire as an elected head of government, by a terrorist
entity, which does not accept the state of Pakistan, nor does it  believe in the
democratic process by which Mian Nawaz and his party have come to
power. The Pakistan Army is engaged in armed combats with Taliban in the
Fata region and had earlier rejected such offers of dialogue, rightly
considering them duplicitous enemies of the state. Why should the Taliban
be taken at face value now? Nothing will change unless they unconditionally
lay down arms.’ (Editorial, TheNation 17th May)
Pakistanis’ message to US: Drones must stop: ‘Questioning the
wisdom and morality of continued drone strikes, in an address at the
National Defence University on May 23 President Barack Obama announced
‘greater oversight and accountability’ over the US’ secret drone programme.
Under the new Presidential Policy Guidance, signed a day earlier, the
Pentagon will take the lead with lethal drones, shifting from its current
stewardship under the CIA.
A recent study by the law schools of NYU and Stanford concluded
that drones traumatize civilians, breed radicalism, and kill just 2pc of high
value targets. According to Senator Lindsey Graham, drone attacks over
Pakistan’s tribal areas have killed 4,700 Pakistanis since 2004. Referring to
disproportionate civilian casualties, Obama admitted: ‘No words or legal

855
construct can justify their loss. For me, and those in my chain of command,
those deaths will haunt us as long as we live.’
After the president’s announcement, the frequency of strikes is likely
to markedly reduce. As he noted, after the US withdraws from Afghanistan
in 2014, ‘we will no longer have the same need for force projection.’
Pakistanis are not pleased. The foreign office spokesperson said the
strikes ‘are counterproductive, entail loss of innocent lives, and violate the
principles of national sovereignty and international law’. With Pakistani
sentiment, ‘fiercely against the drones’, Senator Mushahid Hussain,
chairman of the Defence committee in Pakistan’s senate, said that Obama’s
announcement ‘is not good enough unless there is a cessation of drone
attacks’.
But a complete end to the attacks is unlikely, which puts Pakistan’s
new leadership in a bind. Most Pakistanis believe the country’s increasing
and violent militant factions are a consequence of an unpopular partnership
with the US in the ‘war on terror’.
A relatively high voter turnout in the recent elections, at 55pc,
compared to 44pc in 2008, overwhelmingly voted for two parties that loudly
condemn the US drone attacks: the PML-N and Imran Khan’s Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI). Both parties are against Pakistan’s participation in
the US-led war, and want new terms of engagement with Washington.
Documents presented in Pakistan’s supreme court in March reveal
that Pakistan has lost over 49,000 civilians, and its military has suffered
15,681 casualties fighting this war; the totals are many times greater than the
combined losses of countries fighting. The damage to infrastructure has been
staggering, and the devastation to the means of daily life have caused much
of the social unrest which is now commonplace.
By voting for the two major parties opposed to this war, the Pakistani
public has firmly demonstrated that it has no appetite for a US-sponsored
military campaign.
Nawaz Sharif believes that drone strikes over tribal areas are a direct
infringement of Pakistan’s sovereignty and must stop immediately. The
continuation of the programme, albeit at reduced levels and under stricter
guidelines, presents a challenge to Nawaz Sharif, especially in the face of
Pakistan’s increasingly active media.
His political rival, Imran Khan, has vowed to shoot down drones and
blames US actions for rising extremism. Both state publicly that fighting

856
militants is not the way to resolve terrorism. For Sharif, ‘talks with Taliban
[are the] only option.’ Sharif should be mindful that earlier agreements with
militants collapsed because Islamabad was not seen as having disassociated
from the war. If the capital won’t distance itself, no agreement will hold.
For Pakistanis, drones demonstrate complicity in ‘America’s war’.
Similarly, PTI emerged as the leading party in the sensitive Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, which borders Afghanistan and is seeking
talks with the militants.
The US will be worried with such an approach, especially if it leads to
Pakistan’s army withdrawing; will create a vacuum in which the militants
could easily exploit for attacks against coalition forces. But the army cannot
keep sacrificing men in a war without end, and with little public backing.
And Washington should be wary of the past repeating itself, when overland
NATO supplies were torched on the road to Afghanistan, with, some allege,
the implicit consent of Pakistan security forces. In the process of withdrawal,
this would be a nightmare for the US.
Appeasing Washington by publicly condemning and privately
condoning drone attacks, like the previous regime did, will shorten Sharif’s
honeymoon with the people. There are layers of interests, both local and
foreign, in Pakistan’s burgeoning militancy. Its current phase corresponds to
the troubles in Afghanistan. Despite campaigning on a platform of
opposition to ‘America’s war’, a visibly chastened Nawaz Sharif hinted, that
he would support ‘our friends’ the Americans as they prepare to withdraw
from Afghanistan.
Secretary John Kerry is due to visit Pakistan ‘to rebuild this important
partnership’ as soon as the new government is in place, in early June.
Kerry’s meetings with the new leadership will test Washington’s willingness
to work with Pakistan, rather than around them, on ‘issues of common
interest’.
Pakistan, too, expects that its voice, expressed through an
overwhelming vote, will be heard loud and clear, and that it will be
respected in Washington. The drones must stop.
Sajjad Ashraf is an adjunct professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of
Public Policy, National University of Singapore, and visiting senior research
fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. He served in the Pakistan
Foreign Service from 1973-2008.’ (Sajjad Ashraf for Guardian, reprinted in
TheNation 30th May)

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 Death of Waliur Rehman: ‘Given the expectations of negotiations,
the drone attack that killed Waliur Rehman, may have nipped the idea in the
bud. The second-in-command to the TTP top leader Hakimullah Mehsud,
died in North Waziristan on Wednesday. Reports put Wali in a different
category from the other Pakistani Taliban; he was not in favour of exploding
bombs or suicide killings in Pakistan, although, he could not influence the
policies of powerful Hakim. If that were true, his death is a great setback to
peace talks expected to be launched by the new government in the centre and
KPK. Others who died with him would, may have been of his persuasion.
Nevertheless, Islamabad may well be bracing itself for another spate of
terrorist attacks and must heighten surveillance, particularly in the sensitive
areas of the country, to ensure security of the people.
This backlash apart, it bears stressing again and again, the drones
violate the inherent principle of an independent state: its territorial
sovereignty and integrity. It was for this reason that the Foreign Office,
without even assessing the merits or demerits of the event, came out
protesting that the missile strike was in violation of the country’s
sovereignty and an open abuse of the human rights. Fortunately, with time
and the mounting of the civilian losses, the world opinion is fast changing,
leaving the superpower increasingly isolated in its stand that these attacks
are legal and justified. The fact, now acknowledged by the UN, rights
organizations and a growing body of political analysts, is that they are
neither legal nor justified; they flagrantly disregard international law and as
they stoke up vengeance swelling the ranks of militancy, they lose
justification, if they had any. No doubt, the drones took out diehard terrorists
like Baitullah Mehsud and several other top ranking terrorists. But, if the
insurgency has shown signs of abating in this region as a consequence, as
the US claims, it has taken root in other parts of the world: Yemen and
Somalia, for instance, not to talk of other Middle Eastern countries. Thus,
from the American perspective, militancy has gone out of hand, is not
contained.
The latest drone sally has put the incoming governments at the Centre,
Balochistan and KPK in a difficult position. Both the PML-N and PTI
whose election mandate included the end to drones would have to jointly
devise a strategy, sitting with the armed forces, to convince the Obama
administration of the genuineness of their stand. Persistence in drones would
greatly jeopardize the revival of Pakistan economy the both political parties
want, and a friendly country must not create hurdles in achieving the goal.

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 Let it be clear, no one mourns Wali-Ur-Rehman. What may well be
mourned, is the loss of an opportunity to negotiate an end to the violence.’
(Editorial, TheNation 31st May)
Nawaz-Kerry drone duel: ‘The drone strike that killed the second-
in-command in the Tehrik-i-Taliban hierarchy, may have come as a rude
initiation into the impossible task of trying to protest them, for the PM-
designate, Mian Nawaz Sharif. He and his party have expressed support for
initiating the process of talks with the TTP, to put an end to the violence
perpetuated by the TTP against Pakistan and its citizens. The PML-N chief’s
outcry is thus based not just on principle, but also on fulfilling the
expectations that people have placed in him, as the leader of a new,
mandated government. US Secretary of State, John Kerry, meanwhile
countered the argument of illegality of drones, with the logic of convenience
that since the US war with the Taliban had been authorized by the UN; it is
legally also in order to hit them by any means possible, including drones. Mr
Kerry’s view that the drones have saved American and Western lives had
better be seen against the backdrop of militants’ emergence in other parts of
the world and that hardly provides the equally necessary sense of security to
those who are other than American citizens or residents. The fact remains
that drones are indeed a violation of sovereignty, when conducted without
the permission of the government in that sovereign country. No matter how
Senator Kerry justifies drones as a weapon in the war against terror, the US
has no right to operate drones in Pakistan. The presumption that they do, and
that Pakistan does not know any better than to protest, is not just incorrect,
but is also an indicator of the hubris that has made the US unpopular in so
many parts of the world.
President Barack Obama’s review of drone policy soon after the
PML-N’s victory at the polls seemed to suggest that his administration
wanted to begin its relations with the incoming government on a positive
note. Since the party’s manifesto contained ‘an end to drones and talks with
the Taliban’ as its priority mission he would consider putting their use on
hold. He would let the prospective peace parleys have a chance, just as his
own administration was desperately trying to do before withdrawing troops
by end-2014. Thus, the last attack shocked and dismayed not only the PML-
N leadership, but also Pakistanis hoping for the talks to maybe bring an end
to the daily terror. It had the effect of, as PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali
Khan opined, sabotaging the talks, which everyone was looking for, not
without some trepidation, though, about their outcome. Nevertheless, an
attempt was necessary since there lay a ray of hope and with the Taliban

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withdrawing the offer, that ray has disappeared at least for the time being. It
would need a fresh attempt to restart the process. Now, the best course, as
already suggested by some PML-N leaders, for the PML-N government
would be to sit down with other stakeholders, including the army and
Imran’s PTI, that is vehemently opposed to these strikes, and evolve a well
thought-out strategy to negotiate Washington out of this counterproductive
exercise.’ (Editorial, TheNation 2nd June)
Talking with Taliban: ‘The AfPak Region (APR) is anticipating
massive change. All regional players, to include the allies (US, Afghanistan
and Pakistan) and the Taliban (al-Qaeda, Afghan Taliban, TTP and other
affiliates), are trying to mould the emerging strategic environment to suit
their respective interests.
The contours of the belligerents’ strategies are gradually becoming
discernible. The allies apparently want to ‘determine, dictate and control the
pace and direction of the emerging change in the APR come December
2014.’
The Taliban, on the other hand, are likely to persist with their primary
aim of carving out an Islamic Emirate from within the APR, as a prelude to
the ultimate aim of recreating a universal Khilafat. In the run up to the
US/NATO/ISAF egress, they are likely to view Afghanistan and Pakistan as
two separate fronts and deal with them piecemeal; that is, to ‘hold’ one front,
while ‘dealing’ with the other conclusively and then reversing the process. It
would translate into ‘holding’ the Pakistan front first by embroiling it in long
interminable negotiations, while they consolidate power in the post-
US/NATO/ISAF Afghanistan. That done they are likely to turn back to the
real prize in the region – nuclear Pakistan – and go for its jugular.
Negotiations at this stage could be a ploy.
However, before we embark on the treacherous road to negotiating the
Taliban some dimensions need consideration.
The Talks: (If held) between myriad terrorist groups and the allies
individually could create confusing sets and sub-sets and an endless merry-
go-round. The most practical course of action would be for the US-led allies
to announce a ‘combined’ team to meet a similar Afghan Taliban-led
‘combined’ team comprising ‘all’ groups. All dissenting terrorist groups
would need to be isolated, ‘fixed’ and reduced piecemeal by the allied
forces, later. The Taliban too would have to ostracize such mavericks.
The belligerents will first need to decide upon a minimum acceptable
agenda and the methodology of the negotiations. Will these be direct talks or

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will credible and mutually acceptable arbitrators and guarantors be required?
Most critically, will the two sides meet and discuss issues as equals, or with
one side or the other having an imposing ascendancy over the other? The
allies will have to find, create and exploit subtle but effective leverages. Iran,
China and Russia should get involved at a later stage to make it a credible
regional exercise…
The Taliban offer for talks was quite intriguing in the first place. It did
not seem logical. It goes against their grain, their basic beliefs and their
ultimate aim of recreating a universal Khilafat. These parleys, if successful,
would require one side to give in; either the Taliban would give up their
struggle or the allies would condone their atrocities and cede territory to
them. Neither is likely. It will be an obvious stalemate; towards what end
then? Could it be that the Taliban are seeking an operational pause; buying
time for rest, regrouping, rearming and repositioning for the manoeuvre into
the anticipated power vacuum in Afghanistan?
The allies’ strength will lie in the regional approach to negotiations.
Regardless of Taliban’s intentions, they must make a genuine collective
effort for talks and peace – without lowering their guard. In the final
analysis, the allies might end up negotiating the Taliban, rather than
negotiating with them.’ (Imran Malik, TheNation 2nd June)
Drones strategy: ‘It is an undeniable fact that perceptions are
stronger than realities. It would not be advisable for the government to
convince the people of Pakistan of the utility of drone attacks that are killing
terrorists/militants. On the other hand the sole superpower is bent upon
annihilating Al-Qaeda and its affiliates like TTP. It will be difficult to
convince them to stop this drone campaign unless we promise to take
effective action against Al-Qaeda and TTP ourselves.
It is not a rosy situation for the new government. It needs to find the
solution at the earliest. The government should assure the US that we will
not let anybody use our soil to hatch conspiracies against other countries.
Al-Qaeda and the TTP are our enemies. Therefore, we will tackle them. The
US should stop drones and let us handle the situation. We can buy one year
to prove the seriousness of our promise.
The other solution is to get control of drone attacks from the US. If
this arrangement is agreed, the workable solution is to form a committee
comprising representatives of ISI, IB, CIA and High Court which would
identify the targets and decide to launch the drone attack. Every strike
should be well-considered. After successful attack the death of actual target

861
should be declared officially with the list of his crimes or accusations. In
case of collateral damage, all bodies should be identified and handed over to
their relatives for proper burial. The relatives of innocent victims should be
compensated similarly as the victims of terrorist attacks are compensated in
Pakistan.
The sensible advice to the government is to try to get out of this
perplexing situation as soon as possible. Dilly-dallying can be dangerous.
But it should be done with lot of patience, wisdom and courage so that any
unintentional wayward step might not land over a mine that could explode
into an unmanageable internal or external conflict.’ (N. Elahi, TheNation 3 rd
June)
Afghanistan
The sooner the US exits Afghanistan, the better: ‘As President
Obama is set to discuss the future of US counterterrorism policy around the
world, he should also provide a framework for a swift end to the US war in
Afghanistan. It is our belief US troops should not stay one day longer or
shed one more drop of blood, and US taxpayers should not spend one more
penny to keep troops in Afghanistan past 2014.
It is pure folly and wholly counterproductive for the US to keep
fighting in Afghanistan, paying the highest price in life and treasure, for one
more day, let alone until a specific calendar date is reached. The current US
strategy, which lacks critical political and economic transition elements, will
neither accomplish US political objectives, nor provide security for the
people of Afghanistan. As violence is currently on the rise, one can
reasonably wonder what has been gained from years of remarkable expense
and sacrifice.
The Obama administration should end this war and double down on
efforts to achieve broad and inclusive political solutions. There are several
reasons why this track has a better chance for success. First, there is no
military solution to Afghan political problems, many of which don't even
originate in Afghanistan. In fact, efforts to pacify the Afghan insurgency by
force have only backfired…
Second, no regional agreement can be reached without Pakistan. It is
true that one of the biggest challenges to stability in Afghanistan comes from
outside its borders. The Fata, target of most of the 368 US drones strikes in
Pakistan, has become a heavily militarized insurgent haven. The insurgency
causes great instability, but is not the only undercurrent that matters

862
regarding political violence in the Fata, in other areas of Pakistan or in
Afghanistan…
Lastly, soon there will be no more time or money to fight the war. As
the US military attempts to set parameters for long-term military
engagement, Congress is ever less inclined to support operations.
Congressional support has been in decline since 2009, when the House first
voted on an Afghanistan exit strategy amendment, offered by
Representatives Jim McGovern and Walter Jones. In November 2012, the
Senate voted 62-33 to endorse the president's plan for withdrawal and
express the sense that no US combat troops should remain in Afghanistan
after 2014. Declining congressional support for an overwhelmingly
unpopular war is likely to continue. That the military focused transition from
US to Afghan control, to end next year, is on a razor's edge does not help.
The US will not fight a war in Afghanistan forever, so why not cut to
the chase? After over a decade of war in Afghanistan, the United States does
owe as smooth as possible a transition to Afghans. The emphasis on the
military aspects of the transition has greatly reduced the chances for true
political and economic progress to take hold. Both of these are needed if
peace and stability, both in Afghanistan and the region, are to become a
reality.
The Obama Administration must now accept risk of a different kind in
order to achieve true success, but by using non-military means.’ (Matthew
Hoh and Matt Southworth, TheNation 24th May)
Choosing sides in Afghanistan: ‘Unless Afghanistan can find a more
capable successor to Karzai, it is hard to imagine the country being able to
consolidate the hard-won security gains made since 2009 by American
troops. The future of Afghanistan may turn on the outcome of the April 2014
presidential election – assuming it is held.
There is widespread suspicion in Afghanistan, which I visited in early
May, that Karzai, desperate to hold on to power, may postpone the election
indefinitely on the grounds that the nation is too violent and chaotic for ‘free
and fair’ voting. This the United States should not allow. President Obama
should make it clear that our continuing aid is contingent on the term-limited
Karzai leaving office.
But assuming the election goes off on schedule, what role should the
US play? In Washington, the conventional wisdom is that our involvement
should be limited to helping Afghan authorities secure the physical integrity

863
of the balloting process. All the US wants is a free and fair election,
administration spokesmen repeatedly claim.
Very commendable, but is it realistic? The last election, in 2009, was
marred by widespread fraud and ballot-stuffing orchestrated by Karzai and
his allies. There is no reason to think that the 2014 election will be any
different, considering that by then the US military presence will be reduced
from today's level of 66,000 troops to just 34,000, and those troops will be
acting as advisors, not polling station guards. Afghans will have to carry out
the election largely on their own.
Alas, the Kabul government's track record does not inspire much
faith, especially since Karzai has made it plain he will not tolerate any
foreigners on the Electoral Complaints Commission, a crucial watchdog
organization that in the past was made up of Afghan and non-Afghan
members.
At the very least, if he allows the election to take place, it appears
Karzai will try to orchestrate the inauguration of a handpicked successor,
possibly his brother Abdul Qayum Karzai, who could keep the existing
political clique in place and allow Karzai to exercise power from behind the
scenes. That would be a disaster for Afghanistan, and for American interests
in the region.
Neutrality in a foreign country's political process is a nice ideal, but it
is impossible in Afghanistan. If we stay on the current course, maintaining a
hands-off position, we will in effect ratify a continuation of Karzai's baleful
influence. The public revelation that the CIA has been providing him with
bags of cash doesn't help.
A better alternative would be to embrace a more politically activist
role. The US ambassador, CIA station chief and US military commander in
Kabul, acting in close concert with officials in Washington, should pick a
favourite among the many candidates manoeuvring to succeed Karzai – the
best (or, more likely, least bad) leader for Afghanistan's future. The US
could then use its influence, including those notorious bags of CIA cash, to
do what it can to secure the election of whichever candidate is judged most
likely to be a strong, unifying leader who will take on both the Taliban and
corrupt government officials.
There are obvious objections to such a course. First, we don't have a
good track record of picking Afghan candidates - after all, Karzai was our
pick in 2001. Second, ham-handed attempts by then-Ambassador to
Afghanistan Karl W Eikenberry and the late special envoy Richard C

864
Holbrooke in 2009 to promote alternatives to Karzai backfired; Karzai still
won and became harder than ever to deal with.
That's all true, but we need not be paralyzed by past mistakes. In
2001, US officials knew little of the Afghan political landscape. We have
had a dozen years since then to learn the lay of the land, which, one hopes,
would allow us to make a better choice this time around.
The problem in 2009 was not that the US backed a competitor to
Karzai, it was that the effort was diffident and ineffective. This time around
we would have to do a better job. And we need not be deterred by the
possibility that our machinations would be exposed – among most Afghans,
American support is seen as a good thing. That's why Karzai has not denied
getting CIA cash.
If we fail to act, we will be leaving the decision not to the Afghan
people but to Karzai, warlords and a host of corrupt officials.’ (Max Boot for
LA Times, reprinted in TheNation 29th May)
Another black mark on Afghan war: ‘In the face of Phil
Hammond’s lame attempts at deflection, the revelation that up to 90
Afghans have been held in a secret, apparently extrajudicial prison in Camp
Bastion, some of them for up to 14 months, tells us a number of things.
‘For a start it counters a theory which was once commonly held in UK
military circles. At the start of the War on Terror, when it became clear that
Tony Blair was determined to follow George W Bush into disaster, there
existed a secondary hope that the British military, with its experience in, for
example, Northern Ireland, would act as a brake on American excesses.
‘This was a pipedream. Firstly, because it does not account for the
enduring, inglorious and rather practised British capacity for imperial excess
and secondly because the US military is a vastly bigger beast than our own
and was always bound to pull our intentions and procedures out of shape.
In truth, the UK military, which exists in a constant state of exchange
and interface with Uncle Sam, even piloting US drone missions, became an
extension of American military practice and foreign policy decades ago and,
if recent UK governments are anything to go by, quite willingly so. But
keeping up with the adventurists has a price.
In Camp Bastion’s prison, which Hammond claims was not a secret
despite the fact that nobody knew that it existed, we may have happened
upon a very British Guantanamo.

865
 Anyone wrong-footed by claims that these are men (and perhaps
women?) are simply too dangerous to be allowed out to re-join the
‘insurgency’ might do well to recall the claims by the Bush administration
that those in Guantanamo were the very “worst of the worst”, when in fact
the vast majority interred there were (and are) entirely innocent of any
crime. Some were merely children who found themselves in an unenviable
place at the wrong time.
We might also consider that only a small section of the resistance in
Afghanistan is ideologically Islamist. Logically, an insurgency on the scale
we have seen in the South cannot survive without broad local support, which
must raise questions about exactly who these 80-90 people are.
There is much evidence that local people in Afghanistan rather
routinely lend their firepower to ambushes and actions against coalition
troops. In his book The Accidental Guerrilla, counter-insurgency expert
David Kilcullen, by no means an anti-war lefty, theorizes this is an
‘antibody’ response to foreign occupation.
Naturally, access to more details on the case hinges on a further
disclosure which will likely be resisted by the government, but it is perfectly
possible that these apparently untried prisoners are irate locals resisting the
unwanted coalition presence, rather than being the leading lights of global
terror.
On a related note – and a personal, as well as a very current political,
one – the ways in which the Afghan occupation has been conducted, as well
as the reasons for its prosecution, are a cause of all kinds of grievances –
most obviously by local people and a community of concerned co-
religionists around the world, but also by the military personnel doing the
occupying and the hard pressed taxpayers at home who, in these times of
bitter ideological austerity, are surely not inclined to see their cash frittered
away on secret, desert gulags. Today we learnt that the war in Afghanistan
will likely have cost every British household £2,000 by the time our forces
withdraw.
For me, my opposition led to a refusal to serve another tour and an
attempt to exercise my right to conscientious objection which was, rather
inexplicably, denied. For others, a foreign policy which has normalized
internment and detention, house raids, drone strikes, the bombing of
civilians and denial of basic human rights can inform violent acts at home
which, while unjustifiable, are relatively easy to explain.

866
 In short, included in the cost of medieval foreign policies like these
we can count the life of, among others, Drummer Lee Rigby who was
tragically murdered last week in Woolwich.
Since being exposed by the prisoners’ UK lawyers, the British
government has (all of a sudden) suggested that they had intended to transfer
the prisoners anyway, accompanied by an argument that the legal action
which has exposed the detention is holding up their transfer to Afghan
custody.
We would do well to recall the promises made by Barack Obama in
his election campaign, that he would close Guantanamo Bay. Talking is one
thing, action quite another.’ (Joe Glenton for Independent, reprinted in
TheNation 1st June)
India
A call for caution: ‘The Chinese think-tank’s warning that India is
amassing piles of weapons and considers Pakistan a main threat is, in fact, a
call for caution for Mian Nawaz Sharif, the prospective Prime Minister. To
meet this threat, India has stressed strict vigilance. Mian Nawaz has,
therefore, to move with measured steps, taking Foreign Office and other
political parties in the country into confidence and carefully watching New
Delhi’s reaction to his attempts at mending fences with it and giving it a
well-thought-out response. After all, it is a matter of the country’s security.
Already, Mian Sahib’s off-the-cuff invitation to Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh to be present at his oath-taking ceremony has met with an expected
rebuff. To begin with, it was a highly inappropriate proposal because of the
low to which the bilateral relations had sunk, mainly because of New Delhi’s
misconceived retaliatory policy, be it the alleged cross border intrusion or be
it the beating up of a prisoner.
The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, as quoted by an Indian
news agency, has prepared a comprehensive report in which the issue has
been highlighted. India has become the largest importer of armament in the
global context, according to this think-tank. As its economy has taken huge
strides, India has shown a marked tendency to acquire more and more
weaponry. The academy also mentions the development that India has itself
proudly announced that it is training its forces for a short-run fight on two
fronts, Pakistani and Chinese. That, along with its expansion of deep-sea
navy, poses a threat to Beijing.

867
 We have no doubt that the new government that is to assume power in
a couple of weeks would take these factors into account and would, under no
circumstance, compromise Pakistan’s interests. Undoubtedly, there is need
to improve relations with New Delhi; both regional and global factors are
too compelling to deny that. Better ties would pave the way for cooperation
to the mutual benefit of both the countries and result in progress and
prosperity. But, side by side, the incoming Prime Minister would have to
ensure that steady progress is made on the core dispute of Kashmir, water
diversion and several other issues. Other than Kashmir and the water
diversion issue that is linked to it, the rest of them are of a relatively minor
nature. But it seems that India has decided not to resolve any of them till
Pakistan succumbs to its pressure of acknowledging its hegemony in the
subcontinent. Mian Nawaz must make overtures of peace and friendship, but
not one-sided and not with the simplistic attempt to placate, rather than truly
move forward on long standing issues bedeviling relation between two
neighbours.’ (Editorial, TheNation 17th May)
Another snub: ‘Reeking of hegemonic pretensions, Indian Foreign
Minister Salman Khurshid’s statement of Friday is a harsh and unmitigated
snub to Prime Minister-elect Mian Nawaz Sharif who, in his enthusiasm for
patching up with New Delhi, suggested the other day that he would
normalize relations with India and for that would visit that country even if he
was not invited. Mr Khurshid’s command: only raise issues that admit quick
and easy solution and not rake up those disputes, over which nothing could
be expected to turn out, an obvious reference to Kashmir on which his
country has shown no flexibility over its illegal and illogical stand. Thus, he
put paid to Mian Sahib’s message to the Indian High Commissioner when
the latter called on him to felicitate on his election victory that he would like
to thrash out with the Indian leadership disputes between the two countries
on the basis of sovereign equality. The tone and tenor of Mr Khurshid’s
remarks reflected anything but equality. It was that of a dominant power.
That should serve as a lesson to Mian Nawaz Sharif who is unduly
fascinated with India and cherishes memories of the visit of then Prime
Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Lahore when, he somehow continues to
believe, they had made tremendous progress towards resolving disputes,
including Kashmir, and the stage had been set for friendly relations and
Kargil spoiled the show.
The Indian Foreign Minister listed his country’s grouses about the
Mumbai ‘culprits’ not being punished and maintained that even to this day
Pakistan was harbouring anti-Indian terrorist cells on its soil. In the face of

868
these false and unproven charges that New Delhi has persistently been
making, it was nothing but pusillanimous attitude of the PPP-led political
setup to have kept quiet or at best remained apologetic. Incomprehensibly, it
failed to hammer home to the world India’s vicious role in aiding and
abetting dissident Baloch to raise the flag of independence as well as
fomenting trouble in Pakistan’s tribal region.
The Indian attitude must have, one hopes, made Mian Nawaz wiser.
Besides, he should remember that Kashmir continues to be a bone of
contention without whose just and equitable settlement it is idle to think of
developing normal bilateral ties. An unresolved Kashmir has given birth to
untold inhumanities borne by the Kashmiris at the hands of Indian armed
forces. And then, water stealth by India poses an existential threat to
Pakistan, just as visualized by Quaid-i-Azam. Islamabad simply cannot
afford to acquiesce to and accept New Delhi dictation.’ (Editorial,
TheNation 1st June)

REVIEW
No sooner the new arrangements were in place for continuing
America’s holy war in the region, the Special Representative for
Afghanistan and Pakistan, James Dobbins arrived in Islamabad. Upholding
the Wild West’s Yanks tradition alive, he entered the town with his guns
blazing.
As has been the routine during the ongoing ‘our’ American war a day
before his arrival, Waliur Rehman of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan was killed in
a drone strike in North Waziristan. He was targeted being a moderate
Taliban who was likely to play key role in projected peace talks with
Government of Pakistan.
This has been a favourite tactics for stalling any peace process
contemplated by the rulers in Islamabad. Ironically, this has been happening
concurrently with pressing Pakistan to help in arranging peace talks with
Afghan Taliban. It meant that while the US wanted to achieve a semblance
of peace in Afghanistan, it was bent upon keeping Pakistan in turmoil.
The drone attack of May 29 put Nawaz-led PML-N government in
embarrassing situation before it assumed the charge. The reaction of its
leaders so far has however indicated that new government’s policy about
war in general and drone attacks in particular won’t be different from the
past.

869
 So, in words of Dr Haider Mehdi the Second NRO would be operative
as soon as Nawaz is sworn in as Prime Minister of Pakistan. The drone
attacks will continue, though with some steadiness in the frequency, and at
the same time the new stooges installed in Islamabad will continue showing
their concerns about the breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty.
It must be noted that the Army leadership has played major role in
placing of the ‘new arrangements’, which will hardly have anything new
except the faces. COAS appears to be in no mood to have dialogue with
Taliban who have killed ‘his’ soldiers. General Kayani is not an arrogant
man like Musharraf but he is certainly ego-conscious. Somehow his ego has
not been hurt so grievously in case of those who killed ‘his’ soldiers at
Salalah border post.
In war a military commander has to keep his ego aside as advised by
Sun Tzu, a Wiseman from China. He had said centuries ago that the
commander who is too ego-conscious will often get his ego hurt. Kayani
must do what is in the interest of his country not to his person. At this
juncture the peace is the need of his nation.
The observers kept draining their brains over foreign troops thinning
out from Afghanistan. Most of them have been terming this pulling out of
non-essentials as ‘withdrawal’ of occupation forces and some of them has
even used the word defeat for this planned extraction of men and material
that was inducted at initial stages of occupation of this country.
This has created misperception that the US/NATO forces are likely to
end occupation of Afghanistan in 2014. They are not going to ‘free’
Afghanistan when there is no pressure on them to do so from any quarter
except the low-key insurgency in Pakhtun-dominated areas. US troops will
certainly be there after 2014; only their number has yet to be made public.
In the spirit of Second NRO, Nawaz Sharif had gone too far in his
endeavours to show to the US that he was prepared to go to any extent to
improve relations with India. He was only restrained by the snub by Foreign
Minister of India after he ventured to mention his desire for settlement of
Kashmir dispute.
3rd June, 2013

870
 ESCALATING WAR
Iraq surpassed Syria in bloodshed as more than seven hundred people
were killed in incidents of violence in May. Al-Qaeda and Hezbollah were
now deeply involved in the war within Syria. Israel was also on the look out
to deliver some blows availing opportunities so presented. In Tripoli and its
surrounding area in neighbouring Lebanon Shia-Sunni armed confrontation
increased considerably.
In Egypt, Muhamed Mursi was kept embroiled by the secular forces
and the latest blow was delivered by the Judiciary by declaring the Senate
illegal. In Turkey, where another Islamist ruler tried to ban sale of alcohol
faced widespread protests and demands of his resignation over a minor issue
of construction of a building in a park. Taksim Square bore semblance of
Tehrir Square.
In Palestine, The Israeli continued demolishing Palestinian houses and
their fields. In Yemen, war against al-Qaeda continued with the US drone
strikes targeting militants with the consent of the regime. Occasional
incidents of bloodshed were reported despite the division of Sudan.

NEWS
Far East
Philippines: On 25th May, twelve people were killed in the
Philippines as troops clashed with a militants. The fighting left seven
Filipino marines dead and nine others wounded on the remote southern
island of Jolo. Five members of the Abu Sayyaf group were also killed in the
firefight. Meanwhile, the social worker wife of a marine had been freed
unharmed by the Abu Sayyaf on nearby Basilan Island two days after her
abduction.
Myanmar: On 28th May, houses and mosques were set ablaze by
mobs in a town in eastern Myanmar after a Buddhist woman was allegedly
‘torched’ by a Muslim man. An ethnic Shan-Muslim man was arrested after
he ‘torched’ a woman and curfew was imposed to disperse angry mobs of
local people – including Buddhist monks.
Next day, religious riots shook eastern Myanmar for a second day
with one man hacked to death and four injured, after an orphanage and
mosque were burnt down. Police fired warning shots to disperse rioters after
the fresh Buddhist-Muslim clashes in the town of Lashio in Shan state.

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Residents said mobs armed with sticks were roaming the streets of Lashio
looking for Muslims. A local hospital confirmed it had received four injured
men, all Buddhists.
On 30th May, about 1,200 Muslims were taken to Mansu Monastery
after Buddhist mobs terrorized the northern Myanmar city of Lashio. The
unrest showed how far anti-Muslim violence has spread in the Buddhist-
dominated country as it emerges from decades of hardline military rule.
Meanwhile, Myanmar yesterday reached a preliminary ceasefire deal with
ethnic minority Kachin rebels, the last major armed group to agree to stop
fighting after decades of civil war.
On 5th June, three Muslim Rohingya women were shot dead in a
confrontation with security forces at a camp for displaced victims of
sectarian violence in western Myanmar. The incident came as hundreds of
world leaders, business chiefs and media began arriving in Myanmar for the
World Economic Forum on East Asia – a chance for the former pariah to
showcase its economic and political reforms.
Bangladesh: On 19th May, Bangladesh slapped a ban on rallies for a
month in the wake of deadly protests by Islamists that left dozens of people
killed earlier this month. Home Minister said the government ‘will not allow
any parties to hold rallies in the next one month’ in line with plans to curb
political violence.
Mainland Asia
DPRK: On 19th May, North Korea test-fired a short-range missile off
its east coast, its fourth in two days, despite pleas from South Korea and the
UN chief to halt the launches at a time of high tensions. The guided missile
was fired into the East Sea (Sea of Japan). It was unclear what types of
missiles were fired Saturday and Sunday.
Next day, North Korea fired a sixth short-range missile into the Sea of
Japan, defying warnings from UN chief Ban Ki-moon and South Korea after
a flurry of similar tests at the weekend. The latest firing was confirmed by
the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), who said it was unclear if the North
was testing guided missiles or rockets from multiple launchers.
On 21st May, Myanmar sentenced seven Muslims to prison terms
ranging from two to 28 years in connection with religious violence in March
that left dozens of people dead. The defendants, who were spared the death
penalty, were accused of the murder of a Buddhist monk in the central town
of Meiktila that sparked unrest across the region, mostly targeting Muslims.

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 China: On 23rd May, visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang expressed
his gratitude to Pakistani military leadership in tracking down Chinese origin
militants associated with terrorist organizations including al-Qaeda. The
Chinese Premier praised Pakistani military in successfully countering
terrorist threats and sacrifices rendered in this regard and urged the
international community to help Pakistan overcome difficulties and cope
with challenges under the premise of respecting its independence,
sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Russia: On 25th May, a female suicide bomber blew herself up in
front of policemen in Russia’s Dagestan, injuring 18 people in the second
bombing attack to hit the restive region this week. An unidentified woman
came up to traffic police and detonated an explosive. The attack took place
not far from the interior ministry building in the centre of Makhachkala.
Middle East
Iraq: On 20th May, more than 60 people were killed in a series of car
bomb explosions targeting Shias across Iraq. No group claimed
responsibility for the bombings. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Monday
he will overhaul Iraq's security strategy as a two-day wave of violence killed
72 people including 24 police, bringing the month's death toll from unrest to
349.
Nine people were killed in one of two car bomb explosions in Basra,
five other people were killed in a second blast inside a bus terminal in Saad
Square, also in Basra. In Baghdad, at least 30 people were killed in car bomb
explosions in Kamaliya, Ilaam, Diyala Bridge, al-Shurta, Shula, Zaafaraniya
and Sadr City – all areas with a high concentration of Shias.
A parked car bomb also exploded in the mainly Shia district of Shaab
in northern Baghdad, killing 12 people and wounding 26 others. In a
separate incident, police said a parked car blew up near a bus carrying Shia
Muslim pilgrims from Iran near Balad, 80 km (50 miles) north of Baghdad,
killing five Iranian pilgrims and two Iraqis traveling to the Shia holy city of
Samarra.
Next day, several bomb blasts killed at least 12 people in Iraq. Three
roadside bombs exploded near a livestock market in the ethnically mixed
city of Kirkuk, killing six people and shredding the bodies of humans and
animals alike. More than 200 people have been killed in the past week as
sectarian tensions, fuelled by the civil war in neighbouring Syria, threaten to
plunge Iraq back into communal bloodletting.

873
 On 23rd May, attacks in Iraq killed 11 people, including four soldiers.
Gunmen attacked a checkpoint in Taji, north of Baghdad, killing the four
soldiers and wounding five others. Near Baquba, also north of the capital, a
roadside bomb in a market killed four people and wounded two, while
gunmen killed two police and wounded two others in another attack.
Gunmen also killed a civilian in the north Iraq city of Mosul and in Tikrit a
roadside bomb exploded near a police patrol, wounding two policemen.
On 26th May, attacks mostly targeting members of Iraq’s security
forces killed 12 people. The worst of day’s attacks targeted security forces,
with bombings and gunfire killing four policemen in and around the main
northern city of Mosul and three soldiers in the western province of Anbar.
Next day, more than 70 people were killed in a wave of bombings in
markets in Shia neighbourhoods across Baghdad. The unrest, including
bombings in Baghdad that mainly targeted Shia areas, comes at a time of
heightened tensions in Iraq, with the Sunni minority accusing the Shia-led
government of marginalizing and targeting their community. With the new
attacks, nearly 1,000 people have been killed in Iraq in less than two months.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for more than a dozen
bombings in and around Baghdad, but militants linked to al-Qaeda often set
off coordinated explosions, in particular targeting Shias whom they regard as
apostates, in a bid to foster tensions and undermine confidence in security
forces.
Elsewhere, shootings in the disputed province of Kirkuk killed an
anti-al-Qaeda militiaman and a private generator operator, while a roadside
bomb in the main northern city of Mosul left a police colonel dead. Iraq's
autonomous Kurdish region wants to incorporate oil-rich Kirkuk over the
federal government's strong objections – a dispute diplomats and officials
say is a major threat to the country's long-term stability.
On 28th May, attacks killed 16 people in Iraq, as the cabinet discussed
how to curb violence that has left over 500 dead this month and raised fears
of all-out sectarian conflict. The UN envoy to Iraq meanwhile urged the
country's feuding leaders to meet to resolve long-running political crises that
have paralyzed the government and been blamed for its inability to reduce
the violence.
May is the second month in a row in which more than 400 people
have been killed, for a total of almost 1,000 dead in less than two months – a
toll that continued to mount. In the deadliest attack, a bomb exploded on a

874
bus in Sadr City, a Shia area in north Baghdad, killing five people and
wounding at least 26.
In Tarmiyah, north of Baghdad, a suicide bomber driving an
explosives-rigged truck killed four people and wounded eight, while gunmen
killed two Sahwa anti-al-Qaeda militiamen and wounded two more near
Tikrit. And four police died in clashes in Mosul, while a bombing near the
northern city killed senior police intelligence officer and wounded three
other police.
Next day, bombings and shootings killed at least 18 people in Iraq,
among them was a senior army officer. Two bombs exploded in a
commercial area of west Baghdad, killing at least nine people and wounding
at least 15, while another bomb in the capital’s south killed at least six
people and wounded at least 21. In Abu Ghraib, gunmen shot dead an army
brigadier general at his home, while two roadside bombs exploded near a
football field in Baquba, killing one person and wounding nine. Gunmen
also killed an anti-Qaeda militia leader southwest of the northern city of
Kirkuk, and a roadside bomb north of the city of Tikrit targeted the governor
of Salaheddin province’s convoy, wounding four of his guards.
On 30th May, attacks in Iraq, the deadliest of which struck Baghdad,
killed 32 people, pushing the death toll for this month above 600. The
United Nations has called for Iraq’s leaders to urgently hold talks to resolve
wide-ranging political disputes that have been linked to the surge in unrest.
But the government’s public response has so far largely been limited to
speeches, a shakeup of senior security officers and announcing a series of
vague new measures relating to security.
Six car bombs and two other explosions in Baghdad killed 23 people
and wounded at least 79. Two border policemen were ambushed and killed
along the main Iraq-Jordan highway, while three policemen were killed in a
suicide car bombing in the northern city of Mosul, and four more people
died in another such attack west of the city.
On 1st June, Iraq’s defence ministry said it has broken up an al-Qaeda
cell that was working to produce poison gas for attacks within the country as
well as in Europe and North America. The group of five people built two
facilities in Baghdad to produce sarin and mustard gas, using instructions
from another al-Qaeda group. The members of the cell were prepared to
launch attacks domestically, and also to smuggle the toxins to neighbouring
countries.

875
 On 5th June, militants set up a fake checkpoint in western Iraq and
ambushed a convoy of 14 border policemen, killing all of them and setting
fire to the bodies of two of them. The checkpoint was set up along the main
highway connecting Iraq to Saudi Arabia, with the attack taking place near
the town of Nukhaib.
On 7th June, a car bomb in the town north of Iraq’s capital killed 10
Iranian pilgrims. Another 30 pilgrims were wounded in the attack, which
struck their bus as it was passing through the town of Muqdadiyah en route
from the Iranian border to the Shiite holy city of Najaf. No group claimed
responsibility for bombing
Palestine: On 31st May, the European Union condemned Israel’s
reported plans to build more than 1,000 new settler homes in east Jerusalem
as a threat to the peace process. EU foreign affairs head Catherine Ashton
said she felt ‘compelled to reiterate the EU’s long-standing position’
following reports of the settlement plans. ‘Settlements are illegal under
international law and threaten to make a two-state (peace) solution
impossible’, Ashton said in a statement.
On 4th June, Israeli bulldozers demolished four homes in an area of the
Jordan Valley just north of Jericho that is supposed to be under full
Palestinian control. Israeli confirmed the demolitions in Al-Nuweima but did
not specify whether the houses lay in so-called Area A of the occupied West
Bank, lands on which the Palestinians are supposed to enjoy full civil and
security control.
Syria: On 19th May, Syrian troops backed by fighters from Lebanon’s
Hezbollah attacked and entered the strategic rebel stronghold of Qusayr. The
advance came as opponents warned the Assad regime’s ‘barbaric and
destructive’ assault on Qusayr could render ‘meaningless’ US-Russian
attempts to organize a conference on ending two years of bloodshed in the
country. The Arab League called an emergency meeting following demands
from the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) for it to meet and ‘stop
the massacre in Qusayr’.
Troops were entering from the south, and fighters from the Lebanese
militant group Hezbollah were ‘playing a central role’. State television said
the army had ‘tightened the noose on the terrorists, attacking on different
fronts and destroying positions of their leaders in the south of the town’. At
least 30 people, including 16 rebel fighters, were killed in the fighting.
The regime has made recapturing Qusayr and the surrounding district
of Homs province a key objective, and fierce fighting has raged in the

876
vicinity for months. In recent weeks, government troops backed by
Hezbollah and members of the National Defence Forces, a pro-regime
militia, have taken a string of villages and reportedly surrounded Qusayr on
three sides.
The Syrian military was also advancing on other fronts, taking control
of the rebel-held village of Halfaya in Hama Province. State television
reported the army ‘killed numerous terrorists from Al-Nusra Front in
Halfaya’ and destroyed weaponry. In Damascus, military troops were
advancing in Barzeh district on the northern outskirts of the city.
On 21st May, Israeli soldiers patrolling the disputed Golan Heights
along the border with Syria fired back after coming under fire overnight.
‘The IDF views the recent incidents in the north with concern and has
lodged a complaint with UNDOF’, said a statement. Meanwhile, the Syrian
regime put forward a list of five officials including Prime Minister as
potential negotiators in talks with the opposition.
Next day, major powers urged Syrian President to commit to peace
and step down as they gathered in neighbouring Jordan to discuss
preparations for a Russian- and US-proposed peace conference. Ahead of a
meeting of the Friends of Syria group in Amman, US Secretary of State
urged Assad to make a ‘commitment to find peace’. Britain and Qatar urged
Assad to step down. Representatives of the Syrian opposition demanded
international guarantees that Assad would step down as part of any peace
deal.
Forty Syrian soldiers and pro-regime militiamen were killed in
fighting with rebels around an army camp near the town of Nayrab in the
northwestern province of Idlib. Rebels took control of the army camp, which
was ‘one of the most important bastions of the regime in the Idlib region’.
On 23rd May, Syria's outgoing opposition chief published an initiative
for his war-torn country that would grant President Bashar al-Assad a safe
exit, and urged dissident factions to adopt his plan. Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib
published his initiative on Facebook. Meanwhile, Germany's foreign
intelligence service reported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces have
gained strength, revising its prediction from last year of a quick regime
collapse.
On 25th May, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah vowed ‘victory’ in
Syria, where militants of his powerful Shia movement are fighting alongside
regular troops against rebels trying to topple the regime. Nasrallah said

877
Hezbollah would always stand by its ally, President Bashar al-Assad, and his
regime, stressing that its own interests were at stake.
The intervention of hundreds of Hezbollah fighters has given Assad
the upper hand in Qusayr, a strategic central town in Syria across the border
with Lebanon that had been in rebel hands. Syrian forces launched an assault
on Qusayr May 19 but are still meeting with fierce resistance from the
rebels, as the town provides an important supply line for arms and volunteers
from nearby Lebanon.
Nasrallah appealed for the anti- and pro-Syrian camps in Lebanon to
avoid the violence in the northern port city of Tripoli that has cost 30 lives
over the past week. He downplayed a proposal by France for the European
Union to include Hezbollah’s militia on a blacklist of terrorist groups. ‘We
have been on the list of terrorist organizations for a long time, and that is just
ink on paper and changes nothing. You can boil your list and drink it.’
The main opposition National Coalition has met in Istanbul for three
days trying to overcome deep divisions over Russian and US proposals to
convene a conference to which representatives of President Bashar al-Assad
would be invited without any formal precondition for him to step down. The
meeting was expected to continue into an unscheduled fourth day, they
added.
On 27th May, John Kerry met his Russian counterpart in Paris in talks
aimed at breathing life into a peace conference to end the conflict in Syria.
The push to bring warring sides together is becoming ever-more pressing in
a conflict amid reports of ‘horrific’ rights violations and mounting evidence
that chemical weapons are being used.
In Brussels, meanwhile, 27 European Union foreign ministers
struggled to hammer out a compromise in a lengthy meeting aimed at
deciding whether to supply weapons to Syria's rebels when an arms embargo
expires this week. These diplomatic efforts came against a background of
growing divisions within the Syrian opposition. The Syrian regime,
however, has agreed ‘in principle’ to attend a potential ‘Geneva 2’ peace
initiative.
As the talks and negotiations rumbled on, on the ground opposition
fighters battled regime troops aided by Hezbollah for control of the key rebel
stronghold of Qusayr. Official Syrian media said state television reporter
Yara Abbas had been killed while covering the assault on the town.

878
 Next day, Russia insisted it would deliver anti-aircraft missiles to
Syria despite international criticism, as fears of spillover from the conflict
grew after three Lebanese soldiers were killed in a border-area attack. Israel
warned Russia it would ‘know what to do’ if the delivery went ahead, and
Syria's top rebel commander gave Hezbollah, a 24-hour ultimatum to stop
fighting alongside regime forces.
The developments stoked tensions after the European Union decided
to lift an embargo on weapons to Syria's rebels, in a move the opposition
reacted to with caution. Syria's regime joined its ally Russia in condemning
the EU decision as an ‘obstruction’ to peace efforts, while accusing the bloc
of supporting and encouraging ‘terrorists’.
Canada's top diplomat warned of ‘more violence, more deaths and
more destruction’ in Syria that risks spilling over into neighboring countries
if the EU arms Syrian rebels. ‘My strong view is that the only way to end the
suffering of the Syrian people is a political solution’, Foreign Affairs
Minister John Baird said.
On the ground, the conflict has already spilled over into Lebanon, and
in the latest incident three soldiers were killed in an attack near the Syrian
border. And in the eastern Lebanese town of Hermel, a Hezbollah
stronghold, security sources said six rockets apparently fired from Syria
landed in the area throughout the day, wounding seven people.
The tensions overshadowed an ongoing meeting in Istanbul of the
National Coalition, Syria's main opposition group, which responded
cautiously to the EU's decision to lift its arms embargo on the rebels.
‘Definitely it is a positive step, but we are afraid it could be too little, too
late’, Coalition spokesman told AFP.
The move divided the 27-member bloc, with Britain and France in
favour and Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland and Sweden reticent to pour
more arms into a conflict that has already cost some 94,000 lives. But even
with the lifting of the embargo, countries are expected to hold off on sending
weapons to the rebels to allow efforts to convene the peace conference
dubbed Geneva 2 that Russia and the United States are trying to organize as
early as next month.
Meanwhile, the Syrian delegation to the UN ‘strongly denounced the
flagrant bias of Navi Pillay over the situation’ in Syria, state news agency
SANA reported. Pillay ‘blames the Syrian government and ignores the
human rights violations committed on a grand scale by al-Qaeda, the al-

879
Nusra Front and extremist groups’, it said. Pillay had decried the ‘horrific’
level of rights violations in Syria.
On 29th May, the top UN human rights official urged global powers
not to supply Syria with weapons and to press both sides in its civil war to
find a political solution to prevent more massacres and threats to regional
stability. The UN's top human rights body was considering whether to open
a probe into the assault on the besieged the town of Qusayr by the regime
and its allies, including foreign fighters.
A draft resolution condemning ‘the intervention of foreign combatants
fighting on behalf of the Syrian regime in Al-Qusayr’ was beefed up at the
UN's Human Rights Council to add a call for a UN probe into the killings
there. Meanwhile, Israel warned it ‘will know what to do’ if Russia delivers
promised anti-aircraft missiles to its war-torn ally Syria, amid growing fears
of a wider conflict brewing as the fighting spills into Lebanon.
The US said it supported the EU move as a show of ‘full support’ for
the rebels, despite its own refusal to provide arms it fears will end up in
jihadist hands. The lifting of the embargo ‘sends a message to the Assad
regime that support for the opposition is only going to increase’, said US
State Dept spokesman.
Next day, Syria received the first shipment of a sophisticated air
defence system from Russia, which had promised delivery of the S-300
missile system to the Syrian government despite Western objections, saying
the move would help stabilize the regional balance at a time of insurgency in
Syria waged by Western-backed rebels. The European Union had let its arms
embargo on Syria expire as of June 1, opening up the possibility of the West
arming the Syrian rebels.
Israel, wary of any Syrian weapons being sent to Hezbollah in
Lebanon, has already carried out three air strikes against Damascus to stop
suspected transfers. A recent series of strikes in Damascus, which shook the
entire capital, stoked an angry reaction from Syria. State media outlets said
Syria would respond to any further attacks and would also allow militant
groups to attack Israel from a shared border on the Golan Heights.
Israel has become particularly wary of the S-300 shipments although
Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon said that the shipments were not yet on
their way. Earlier this month, Israel was reported to have told Washington
that Syria had begun payments for a $900 million purchase of S-300s, with
an initial deliver due within three months.

880
 On 31st May, Syrian troops and their Hezbollah allies tightened the
noose on the strategic town of Qusayr, as the rebels said hundreds of fighters
had broken through army lines to join the battle. President Bashar al-Assad,
meanwhile, said he was ‘very confident’ of victory in Syria's conflict and
threatened Israel with retaliation for any attack.
In Istanbul, the deeply divided opposition announced agreement on
expanding its membership to include more representatives of fighters and
activists on the ground following accusations it was out of touch. But despite
extending its talks for five days longer than scheduled, the National
Coalition put off until June electing a new leader and the formation of an
interim rebel government.
In the meantime, the UN Security Council added Syrian militant
group al-Nusra Front to its global sanctions list because of its links to al-
Qaeda. The group, a feared force battling President Bashar al-Assad, is now
subject to an international asset freeze and arms embargo, according to an
announcement made by the Security Council's al-Qaeda sanctions
committee.
Meanwhile, Russia has not yet delivered any S-300 air defence
missile systems to the Syrian regime and may hold back from shipping the
weapons this year or even indefinitely, Russian media reports said. Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad appeared to imply that Russia could have already
shipped part of the highly controversial consignment, without naming the
missiles directly.
On 1st June, Syrian rebels braced for a new assault on their
beleaguered stronghold of Qusayr by the army and its Hezbollah allies, who
were bolstering positions north of the town. UN Secretary General urged ‘all
sides to do their utmost to avoid civilian casualties’. The UN’s rights chief
Navi Pillay and emergency relief coordinator Valerie Amos also said they
were ‘extremely alarmed’ by reports that civilian neighbourhoods were
under fire.
Next day, a car bombing in Damascus killed at least nine members of
the security forces, as regime warplanes bombarded the embattled Syrian
town of Qusayr, a rebel holdout. The suicide car bomb appeared to have
been carried out by Al-Nusra Front. The violence came as France's foreign
minister said a conference to find a political solution to the conflict could be
delayed till July.
On 4th June, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow had
not yet delivered its sophisticated S-300 missiles to the Syrian regime for

881
fear this would upset the delicate balance of power in the volatile region. His
comments came as the United Nations reported there were ‘reasonable
grounds’ to conclude that chemical weapons had been used by both Syrian
forces and the rebels battling to overthrow him.
Fighting meanwhile raged on in the key Syrian city of Qusayr as both
sides battled for control of a city that provides a direct link between the
regime’s seat of power in Damascus and the Mediterranean Sea coast. The
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said there were numerous dead on
both sides but gave no other details. US-based group Human Rights Watch
meanwhile said its mission to Aleppo had concluded that the bodies of 147
men pulled out of a local river between January and March were ‘probably’
executed in government-controlled areas of the northern city.
Next day, Syrian army ousted rebels from the strategic town of
Qusayr after a blistering 17-day assault led by Hezbollah fighters, scoring a
major battlefield success in a war that has killed at least 94,000 people. As
the United States and Russia prepared for talks in Geneva on a joint peace
initiative, the rebels conceded they lost Qusayr after controlling it for a year.
Iran congratulated the Syrian army and people for their victory over rebels.
On 7th June, the United Nations launched a record $5.2-billion aid
appeal for Syria. The sum by far overshadows the $2.2 billion (1.7 billion
euros) the UN sought in 2003 to help cope with the crisis sparked by the war
in Iraq, but UN officials said the number of people in need inside Syria and
in neighbouring countries was set to spiral as the conflict drags on for a third
year.
Syrian government forces were trying to mop up final pockets of rebel
resistance north of Qusayr. Assad's forces were also sending reinforcements
to Aleppo province in the north, where large swathes of territory have been
in rebel hands for months. They want to cut rebel supply lines from Turkey.
The army's preparations for a new offensive came a day after a brief rebel
seizure of the Quneitra crossing on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Next day, the seizure of Eastern Bweida village, the last rebel bastion
in the area, brought the entire Qusayr region near the border with Lebanon
back under regime control. It came four days after the town of Qusayr,
which had been in insurgent hands for a year, fell to the army and forces
from Lebanon’s powerful Shiite Hezbollah movement.
Hundreds of people who fled the fall of Qusayr took refuge in Eastern
Bweida, 14 kilometres to the northeast, but Syrian state television broadcast
footage of a desolate village devoid of signs of life. It was not immediately

882
known where all the people had gone, but some have crossed the border into
Lebanon. Hezbollah also announced the news of Eastern Bweida’s fall on its
own television channel, Al-Manar.
Elsewhere, a car bombing near an army post in nearby Homs city
killed at least seven people. Dubbed by anti-regime activists as the ‘capital
of the revolution, Homs and its province have suffered massive destruction
over the course of Syria’s 26-month conflict. Meanwhile, the number of
refugees is expected to reach at least 3.45 million by the end of this year.
Lebanon: On 23rd May, overnight clashes killed six and wounded 40
people in the Lebanese port of Tripoli, as a fifth day of violence sparked by
the Syria conflict spread to previously quiet neighbourhoods. The clashes
and shelling affected several areas of the city, including the centre. Since
May 19, shelling and clashes have spread to other mostly Sunni areas of the
city, killing 17 people including two soldiers and wounding 150 others.
On 25th May, firefights in northern Lebanon between Sunni Muslims
and Alawites – the Shia offshoot sect to which Syrian President Bashar al-
Assad belongs –killed 28 people. Rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and
machineguns have all been used in six days of clashes in the port city, in the
deadliest violence to rock the country for years.
Most of the fighting has been between residents of the Sunni Bab el-
Tebbaneh district, who support the rebels battling to topple Assad, and
people in the Jabal Mohsen Alawite area who back him. Four people from
Bab el-Tebbaneh were reported dead overnight, including one who died of
his wounds, and one was reported killed in the opposite camp. At least 204
people have also been wounded in the fighting that erupted in Tripoli on
Sunday, the source told AFP.
Next day, two rockets exploded in the Hezbollah heartland of Beirut's
Shia southern suburbs, wounding four people, hours after the group vowed
to fight until victory for Syria's regime. It was the first time the Lebanese
capital's mainly Shia southern suburbs have been targeted during the two-
year-old conflict in neighbouring Syria, where Hezbollah has thrown its
military might into the regime's fight against rebels.
On 27th May, UN Secretary-General expressed extreme concern over
the increasing risk of the spillover of the Syrian unrest to Lebanon, urging
respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries in
the region. Ban called on all countries, organizations and groups
immediately to cease supporting the violence inside Syria and instead to use
their influence to ‘promote a political solution to Syria's tragedy’.

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 On 29th May, three soldiers were killed in an attack near the northern
border town of Arsal, where most people back the uprising in Syria. And in
the eastern Lebanese town of Hermel, security sources said six rockets
apparently fired from Syria hit the Hezbollah stronghold, wounding seven
people.
On 1st June, despite an official policy of neutrality on the conflict,
Lebanon has found itself increasingly embroiled in its neighbour’s civil war.
At least six rockets fired from Syria struck the Bekaa region. On 3 rd June,
three men and a woman were killed in clashes between Sunni and Alawite
residents of the northern Lebanese town of Tripoli. In the southern port city
of Sidon, the Sunni imam of a mosque told journalists he had come under
fire from a car by gunmen using automatic weapons as he was walking to
prayers. On 7th June, The Lebanese army warned of a ‘plot’ to embroil the
country in the 26-month conflict, as deadly clashes between supporters and
opponents of the regime multiply on its territory.
Turkey: On 2nd June, Turkish police fired tear gas at protesters in
Ankara while thousands of people occupied Istanbul's main Taksim Square
on the third day of mass demonstrations against government. Interior
Minister said more than 1,700 people had been arrested in the unrest that has
spread to 67 cities nationwide, though most have since been released.
The unrest began as a local outcry against plans to redevelop Gezi
Park near Taksim, but after a heavy-handed police response quickly
snowballed into broader protests against what critics say is the government's
increasingly conservative and authoritarian agenda. After two days of
violence, the situation appeared to have calmed in Istanbul after police
pulled out of Taksim and officials adopted a more conciliatory tone.
But in Ankara police fired tear gas and used water cannon to disperse
some 1,000 protesters who were attempting to march on the prime minister's
high-security office, images that were shown live on the private NTV news
network. More than 100 police vehicles, 94 shops and dozens of cars have
been damaged.
Turkey's NATO allies Britain, France and the United States have all
urged the Erdogan government to exercise restraint. The Turkey protests
also come after a controversial new law introduced by Erdogan's ruling
Justice and Development Party (AKP) that will restrict the sale and
advertising of alcohol, a move that has sparked complaints that the
government is trying to impose an Islamic agenda.

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 Next day, Recep Tayip Erdogan showed no signs of flinching against
masses of angry protestors who brand him a dictator, dismissing them as ‘a
handful of vandals’. Thousands rallied, complaining that he is pushing
conservative, Islamist-flavoured policies in Turkey. Demonstrators of
diverse backgrounds have flooded squares in major cities across the country
over the past four days.
In power since 2002, Erdogan has brought relative stability to Turkey
after years of rocky coalition governments, building the country into a
regional political and economic power. But his authoritarian style and zero-
tolerance of criticism has proved a major test for democracy in the nation at
the crossroads of east and west. A practising Muslim, Erdogan has pioneered
contentious legislation that will curb the sale and advertising of alcohol if his
ally Gul signs it into law. That has outraged his secular opponents who
charge that he wants to Islamize the officially secular country.
On 4th June, thousands of Turkish protestors flooded back onto
Istanbul’s Taksim Square in defiance of government calls to end days of
protests. Bellowing, whistling crowds flooded Taksim, after Deputy Prime
Minister Bulent Arinc tried to calm protests by saying the government had
‘learnt its lesson’. In the capital Ankara meanwhile, residents reprised their
nightly protest ritual of banging pots and pans, leaning from their windows
or marching in the street. Some waved Turkish flags and drivers honked
their horns. ‘Tayyip, resign!’ they yelled.
Turkey’s Islamic-rooted government apologized earlier to protestors
who were wounded when the clashes erupted last week in the biggest
challenge to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan since he took power a
decade ago. Two people have been killed in the clashes and rights groups
say thousands have been injured while the government puts the figure at
around 300.
Next day, thousands of striking workers took to the streets of Turkey's
cities, joining calls for Prime Minister Erdogan to step down. Bellowing to
the din of drums and wailing Turkish pipes, teachers, doctors, bank staff and
others marched in a sea of red and yellow labour union flags in the capital
Ankara and in Istanbul, where they converged on Taksim Square.
Fresh clashes erupted overnight, with police firing tear gas and water
cannon on protesters in major cities including Istanbul and reportedly
arresting 25 people in Izmir for ‘misleading and libelous’ Twitter posts.
‘Erdogan needs to apologize, resign and go to court for the things he has

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done, for the excessive force’, said Tansu Tahincioglu, a 26-year-old web
entrepreneur in Istanbul.
In a new bid to ease tensions, the deputy prime minister met with
leaders of civil groups, including the movement whose initial protest
sparked the nationwide demonstrations – a campaign to save Istanbul's Gezi
Park from redevelopment. In the meeting, protest representatives urged the
government to fire the police chiefs of Istanbul and Ankara and other cities
where security forces used excessive force to quell the unrest.
On 8th June, thousands of angry Turks poured into the streets to join
mass anti-government protests, defying Prime Minister Erdogan’s call to end
the worst civil unrest of his decade-long rule. Protesters blew whistles and
waved flags in Istanbul’s Taksim Square, the epicentre of the protests which
erupted on May 31, while others brought blankets and food to settle in for
the weekend at the adjoining Gezi Park, now a festival-like camp site.
Erdogan, meanwhile, was meeting in Istanbul with top officials of his
Justice and Development Party (AKP) to discuss the crisis, and a deputy
prime minister was due to make a speech. In a bid to calm tensions,
Istanbul’s mayor Kadir Topbas said the park would not be turned into a
shopping mall, as some feared.
Only one Istanbul suburb saw fresh clashes overnight, with police
using tear gas and water cannon on protesters who reportedly threw
fireworks and homemade bombs at them. Taksim itself has been free of a
police presence since officers relinquished the square to protesters after the
government acknowledged it was the police’s heavy-handed response that
fueled the unrest.
Bahrain: On 30th May, a homemade bomb planted by ‘terrorists’ has
exploded in a Shia village outside the Bahraini capital, wounding seven
policemen on patrol. Bomb attacks are rare in Bahrain, despite frequent
clashes between security forces in Sunni Muslim-ruled kingdom and
protesters from Shia majority.
Yemen: On 24th May, fighters loyal to al-Qaeda have seized control of
villages near the Yemeni port city of Mukalla in an apparent bid to take over
swathes of the southeastern province of Hadramawt. The ministry
condemned what it said was a ‘terrorist plot to proclaim an Islamic emirate
in the Ghayl Bawazir area’ near Mukalla, the provincial capital. It said the
uprising in Hadramawt would suffer the same fate as that in Abyan.

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 On 26th May, gunmen on a motorbike shot dead a Special Forces
commander in Yemen's eastern Hadramaut region. The attackers were
believed to be al-Qaeda members. They shot Captain Majed Muttair as he
left his home in the city of al-Qatar. Earlier, a bomb planted in a military
vehicle killed a soldier and a civilian and wounded six other soldiers in
Hadramaut yesterday evening.
On 1st June, two drone strikes killed seven suspected al-Qaeda
militants in southern Yemen. Washington views Qaeda in the Arabian
Peninsula (AQAP) as the movement's most dangerous wing after it
attempted to launch bomb attacks on international airliners. President
Obama has come under criticism in the United States for his government's
use of drone strikes which have led to civilian casualties.
On 5th June, Yemeni army launched an offensive to recapture villages
from al-Qaeda groups in the southeastern province of Hadramawt. Troops
backed by tanks and helicopters launched a dawn operation in Ghayl
Bawazir. Seven al-Qaeda militants, two civilians and an army officer were
killed in the offensive.
Africa
Nigeria: On 19th May, Nigerian soldiers sealed roads heading out of a
key northeastern city, blocking supply routes to remote towns where Boko
Haram militants have taken power as a massive offensive against the
insurgents spreads across the region. The assault has included air strikes on
Boko Haram strongholds in remote parts of northeastern Borno state, and
has spread to the state capital Maiduguri, the insurgents' traditional home
base.
The supply shortage has begun to bite in the town of Gomboru Ngala,
on the border with Cameroon, where some Borno residents have fled to
escape the air raids. The town has received an influx of people fleeing the
nearby Marte district, one of the areas where Boko Haram chased out the
government and removed Nigerian flags. Marte has been among the areas
targeted by air strikes.
Meanwhile, the offensive is escalating in Maiduguri, the city where
the Boko Haram insurgency was born. The military imposed a round-the-
clock curfew in 12 neighbourhoods considered Boko Haram strongholds
ahead of ‘special operations’ against the insurgents, a statement said. The
operation could prove to be the largest ever against Boko Haram.

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 Niger: On 23rd May, suicide bombers struck barracks and French-run
uranium mine in Niger, killing 20 people and wounding dozens in attacks
that showed armed unrest spreading across West Africa. Three attackers
were also killed. After a fierce gun-battle, security forces returned the town
of Agadez to calm. Further north in Arlit, at least 14 civilians were injured
and two Islamists killed in a bomb attack at the Somair uranium mine
operated by run by French nuclear group Areva.
The official ANP state news agency, citing unnamed sources, said the
militants had entered Niger via lawless southern Libya, carrying explosive
belts which they used in their attack. Niger's army has deployed some 650
troops as part of a regional West African force in Mali. Islamist suicide
bombers have carried out a spate of attacks there in recent months, including
one on a Niger barracks.
Egypt: On 22nd May, kidnappers freed Egyptian police and soldiers
seized in Sinai, as President Mohamed Mursi vowed to bring the
perpetrators to justice and appealed to residents of the lawless peninsula to
disarm. The conscripts, seized at gunpoint last week as they were returning
from a leave of absence.
On 2nd June, Egypt's highest court invalidated the Islamist-dominated
Senate and a panel that drafted the Constitution, throwing the country into
fresh political uncertainty. The Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) said the
law governing the elections of the Shura Council was unconstitutional, as
were the rules for the selection of the members of a committee that drafted
the Constitution.
Presiding Judge Maher al-Beheiry said that the Shura Council should remain
in place until the election of a new parliament. It was not immediately clear
whether the Shura Council would continue to legislate during this time.
On 4th June, a Cairo court sentenced 43 Egyptian and foreign NGO
staff to jail terms of up to five years for working illegally, sparking outrage
and raising fears for the future of civil society. The sentences follow trials
that came in the wake of 2011 raids on the offices of foreign NGOs, many of
which had operated without licences under ousted president Hosni Mubarak
but which the new authorities deemed were receiving funds illicitly. The
criminal court sentenced 27 defendants in absentia to five years.
Five defendants, who were present in the country, including one
American, were sentenced to two years behind bars and ordered to pay a fine
of 1,000 Egyptian pounds (almost $145.) The remaining 11 were each given

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one-year suspended sentences. The court also ordered the permanent closure
of the branches of the NGOs where the staffers worked.
Sudan: On 19th May, at least 29 people were killed when cattle raiders
from a South Sudanese minority group opened fire on members of another
minority in a village in Upper Nile state. The gunmen crept into Tolleri
village in Ulang County in the early yesterday morning and sprayed it with
bullets, killing 23 people instantly. The victims of the attack were from the
minority Jikany people.
On 31st May, clashes between tribes in Sudan's Darfur region over
land producing the gum arabic stabilizer used in soft drinks have killed more
than 60 people and displaced 6,500 other. The fluid gum cut from the acacia
trees that have grown on the land for years is one of Sudan's most important
agricultural export products but part of the output is being smuggled over the
border into Chad, where it is sold for hard currency. Arab tribes, many of
which were armed by Khartoum to end an insurgency by mainly non-Arab
rebels, have since turned their guns on themselves in a surge of violence
over resources such as the gum,.
Europe: On 22nd May, British Prime Minister David Cameron called
an emergency security meeting after a man was killed near an army barracks
in London, and two men were shot and wounded by police. Prime Minister
said there were ‘strong indications that it is a terrorist incident’ and the UK
would ‘never buckle’ in the face of such attacks. The dead man was a British
soldier who was hacked to death by unidentified assailants.
Next day, Prime Minister David Cameron vowed that Britain would
be resolute against violent extremism following the gruesome murder of a
soldier by two suspected Islamists on a London street. After chairing a
meeting of security chiefs the day after the soldier was hacked to death in
broad daylight, he said Britain's communities would unite in condemning an
attack he described as a ‘betrayal of Islam’.
Wielding knives including a meat cleaver, two men carried out the
attack yesterday afternoon near the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich,
southeast London, then delivered an Islamist tirade to passers-by. Chilling
amateur footage of one suspect showed him still holding blood-stained
knives, telling a member of the public they killed the victim ‘because
Muslims are dying daily by British soldiers’. The suspects were shot by
police after the attack and spent the night in separate hospitals under armed
guard.

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 Cameron cut short a visit to Paris in order to chair a meeting of the
government's emergency response committee, COBRA, which had already
met in the hours following the attack. Defence and interior ministers
attended the meeting along with intelligence chiefs, the head of Scotland
Yard and London mayor Boris Johnson. Meanwhile counter-terrorism police
launched a large-scale investigation into the killing.
A man and a woman, both 29, were arrested on suspicion of
conspiracy to murder and are in custody at a police station in the south of the
capital. The arrests came after police searched six residential addresses in
London and Saxilby in eastern England. ‘This is a large, complex and fast-
moving investigation which continues to develop. Many lines of inquiry are
being followed by detectives and the investigation is progressing well’, the
police statement said.
Media reports said the suspects were believed to be Britons of
Nigerian descent, but they were not thought to have links to Nigerian
Islamist groups such as Boko Haram. Cameron declined to comment on
report that the men were previously known to intelligence officials, but he
hinted that police and security agencies could face probes into how the
attackers slipped under the radar.
On 25th May, a French soldier patrolling a business neighbourhood
west of Paris was stabbed in the neck by a man who quickly fled the scene.
The soldier was patrolling in uniform with two other men as part of France’s
Vigipirate anti-terrorist surveillance plan when he was approached from
behind around and stabbed with a knife or a box-cutter.
France is on high alert for attacks by militants following its military
intervention in Mali in January, which prompted threats against French
interests from AQIM, the North African wing of al Qaeda. The attack came
days after a British soldier was killed on a London street by two men who
said they were acting out of revenge for violence against Muslims.
In Britain, there was a large increase in anti-Muslim incidents since
the murder of a British soldier. Faith Matters, which runs a helpline, said
they had received 162 calls since Wednesday’s attack, up from a daily
average of six. A number of people have been charged after allegedly
offensive comments were made on social media websites.
Next day, French anti-terror investigators probed the stabbing of a
soldier in Paris in an attack that echoed the killing of another soldier in
London, where British police were holding three new suspects. French
President Francois Hollande said the stabbing could not be linked to the

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London murder ‘at this stage’, although his interior minister, Manuel Valls,
said the ‘sudden violence of the attack’ was similar.
In Britain, three men were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to
murder Rigby. Two men aged 28 and 24 were arrested at a home in
southeast London. Police fired a Taser electric stun gun on the older suspect,
and on a 21-year-old man they arrested in a street around a mile from the
murder scene. All three are being held by detectives from the Counter
Terrorism Command supported by specialist firearms officers.
Cars were torched and police faced stone-throwing youths in
Stockholm's immigrant-dominated suburbs, but the nightly riots that have
raged for a week appeared to be easing. A police patrol in a suburb south of
the capital, was attacked by rock-throwing youths, but no one was injured
and no arrests were made.
On 27th May, three people arrested over the murder of a soldier in
London were released on bail, while the two main suspects remain in
hospital. Detectives are trawling through CCTV footage, social media,
forensic evidence and intelligence reports relating to the hacking to death of
Lee Rigby near a barracks in Woolwich by two Islamists.
Separately, police won judicial approval to question a 31-year-old
man for another five days on suspicion of the commission, preparation or
instigation of acts of terrorism. Abu Nasaybah was arrested on BBC
premises on May 24 shortly after giving an interview about his friendship
with Adebolajo, in which he claimed MI5 had tried to recruit the murder
suspect.
An Islamic cultural centre in Grimsby in northeast England was hit by
petrol bombs yesterday night, although police said it was ‘too early to
speculate’ on why the fire was started. Two people have been arrested over
the attack, which did not result in any injuries, and police said they were
monitoring messages posted on social networking sites that ‘appear to be an
attempt to incite trouble’. Eleven teenagers aged 16 or 17 were arrested for
attacking the Grimsby mosque and cars parked outside on May 23 night
after a party nearby got out of control.
Next day, two prison officers were injured in an attack at a British
maximum security jail, with media reports claiming the assailants were
Muslim inmates inspired by the brutal murder of a soldier. The prison
officers' union told AFP one of the guards had been held hostage for nearly
four hours at Full Sutton prison near York in northern England, until riot
officers managed to free him.

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 On 1st June, British police charged a second man with the May 22
murder of Lee Rigby. Michael Adebolajo, 28, was charged with the murder
of Lee Rigby as well as the attempted murder of two police officers. He was
also charged with possession of a firearm, a 9.4 mm revolver, with intent to
cause others to believe that violence would be used.
America: On 21st May, Obama Administration decided to give the
Pentagon control of some drone operations against terrorism suspects
overseas that are currently run by the CIA. Obama has pledged more
transparency on controversial counterterrorism programs, and giving
Pentagon the responsibility for part of the drone program could open it to
greater congressional oversight.
Next day, an FBI agent shot and killed a man morning in Orlando,
Florida, who was being interviewed about his ties to the Boston bombing
suspects. The man, identified as Ibragim Todashev, 26, was from Chechnya.
Todashev was friends with Tamerlan Tsarnaev, but FBI has not commented
on the relationship between Todashev and Tsarnaev. FBI agents went to
question him overnight and in the encounter in the apartment, something
went wrong.
On 23rd May, in a major speech to military and political leaders at the
National Defence University, Obama announced the most significant shift,
saying he would restrict his own signature policy of ordering drone strikes
around the world. He said he has planned to wind down the drone strikes,
which have stirred controversy at home and abroad. He imposed a higher
standard on authorizing such aerial attacks, shifted responsibility more from
the CIA to the military and suggested creation of a secret court that would
have to sign off on strikes in future.
President Obama said the US could not wage ‘a boundless global war
on terror’ but must face a new reality where threats come from regional
jihadists and home-grown extremists. ‘America is at a crossroads’ in the
fight against terror... We must define the nature and scope of this struggle, or
else it will define us… Our systematic effort to dismantle terrorist
organizations must continue. But this war, like all wars, must end… That’s
what history advises. That’s what our democracy demands.’
At the end of his hour-long speech, the president was repeatedly
heckled by a woman who demanded the immediate release of detainees on
hunger-strike at Guantanamo military prison. ‘Part of free speech is letting
me speak’, Obama told the woman, who belonged to the social justice group
“Code Pink”. During interruptions, the president however 9once again)

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renewed his resolve to close down Guantanamo Bay and urged Congress to
lift the restrictions on detainee transfers from Gitmo. ‘The voice of that
woman is worth paying attention to... These are tough issues and the
suggestion that we can gloss over them is wrong.’

VIEWS
Iraq
Iraqis don’t have that choice: ‘An internationally respected cancer
specialist at the Sadr teaching hospital in Basra, Dr Ali told me that in 1999,
and today his warning is irrefutable. ‘Before the Gulf war’, he said, ‘we had
two or three cancer patients a month. Now we have 30 to 35 dying every
month. Our studies indicate that 40 to 48% of the population in this area will
get cancer: in five years’ time to begin with, then long after. That’s almost
half the population. Most of my own family has it, and we have no history of
the disease. It is like Chernobyl here; the genetic effects are new to us; the
mushrooms grow huge; even the grapes in my garden have mutated and
can’t be eaten.’
Along the corridor, Dr Ginan Ghalib Hassen, a paediatrician, kept a
photo album of the children she was trying to save. Many had
neuroblastoma. ‘Before the war, we saw only one case of this unusual
tumour in two years’, she said. ‘Now we have many cases, mostly with no
family history. I have studied what happened in Hiroshima. The sudden
increase of such congenital malformations is the same.’
Among the doctors I interviewed, there was little doubt that depleted
uranium shells used by the Americans and British in the Gulf war were the
cause. A US military physicist assigned to clean up the Gulf war battlefield
across the border in Kuwait said, ‘Each round fired by an A-10 Warhog
attack aircraft carried over 4,500 grams of solid uranium. Well over 300 tons
of DU was used. It was a form of nuclear warfare.’
Although the link with cancer is always difficult to prove absolutely,
the Iraqi doctors argue that ‘the epidemic speaks for itself’. The British
oncologist Karol Sikora, chief of the World Health Organization’s cancer
programme in the 1990s, wrote in the British Medical Journal: ‘Requested
radiotherapy equipment, chemotherapy drugs and analgesics are consistently
blocked by United States and British advisers [to the Iraq sanctions
committee].’ He told me, ‘We were specifically told [by the WHO] not to
talk about the whole Iraq business…

893
 Iraq is no longer news. Last week, the killing of 57 Iraqis in one day
was a non-event compared with the murder of a British soldier in London.
Yet the two atrocities are connected. Their emblem might be a lavish new
movie of F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Two of the main characters,
as Fitzgerald wrote, ‘smashed up things and creatures and retreated back into
their money or their vast carelessness … and let other people clean up the
mess’.
The ‘mess’ left by George Bush and Tony Blair in Iraq is a sectarian
war, the bombs of 7/7 and now a man waving a bloody meat cleaver in
Woolwich. Bush has retreated back into his Mickey Mouse ‘presidential
library and museum’ and Tony Blair into his jackdaw travels and his money.
Their ‘mess’ is a crime of epic proportions, wrote Von Sponeck,
referring to the Iraqi ministry of social affairs’ estimate of 4.5 million
children who have lost one or both parents. ‘This means a horrific 14% of
Iraq’s population are orphans’, he wrote. ‘An estimated one million families
are headed by women, most of them widows’. Domestic violence and child
abuse are rightly urgent issues in Britain; in Iraq the catastrophe ignited by
Britain has brought violence and abuse into millions of homes.
In her book Dispatches from the Dark Side, Gareth Peirce, Britain’s
greatest human rights lawyer, applies the rule of law to Blair, his
propagandist Alistair Campbell and his colluding cabinet. For Blair, she
wrote, ‘human beings presumed to hold [Islamist] views, were to be disabled
by any means possible, and permanently… in Blair’s language a ‘virus’ to
be ‘eliminated’ and requiring ‘a myriad of interventions [sic] deep into the
affairs of other nations.’ The very concept of war was mutated to ‘our values
versus theirs’.’ And yet, says Peirce, ‘the threads of emails, internal
government communiqués, reveal no dissent’. For foreign secretary Jack
Straw, sending innocent British citizens to Guantánamo was ‘the best way to
meet our counter-terrorism objective’.
These crimes, their iniquity on a par with Woolwich, await
prosecution. But who will demand it? In the kabuki theatre of Westminster
politics, the faraway violence of ‘our values’ is of no interest. Do the rest of
us also turn our backs?’ (John Pilger for Guardian, reprinted in TheNation
28th May)
Syria
Syria and World War III: ‘If anyone would like to know what
World War III looks like they have to look no further than Syria. If one has

894
doubt that the war in Syria does qualify to be called a world war, then they
should scrutinize a couple of definitions for the term ‘world war’. According
to the online free dictionary, ‘a war that involves most of the principal
nations of the world’, and the Macmillan dictionary defines it as ‘a war
involving many large nations in all different parts of the world.’
Clearly then, much of the world is united against the Syrian people
and desperately wants to see their rebellion against President Assad crushed
no matter what the price maybe. Some countries openly support Assad’s
brutality, whilst others through their deliberate inaction end up providing
support to his tyrannical rule. In both cases, the outcome is the same –
Assad’s war machine continues to wreak havoc on Syria’s civilian
population.
Amongst the permanent members of the United Nations Security
Council, Russia and China openly support and embrace Assad’s regime.
Russia’s resurrected Geneva plan is a charade, as it seeks to keep Assad’s
bloody hands wet by continuing with daily massacres that have become the
hallmark of his rule…
So what is it about Syria that has united East and West, Muslim and
non-Muslim countries and capitalist nations to take such a stand? Why is it
that the world is prepared to turn a blind eye to 100,000 deaths and a
displaced population of 1.5 million refugees?
The answer to both questions is that the world is afraid of the return of
political Islam manifesting in the form of a state, i.e. the re-emergence of the
Caliphate. In an article, entitled ‘Islamist Rebels Create Dilemma on Syria
Policy’, published in the New York Times, the situation facing those who
seek to maintain the existing world order is neatly summed up: ‘The Islamist
character of the opposition reflects the main constituency of the rebellion,
which has been led since its start by Syria’s Sunni Muslim majority, mostly
in conservative, marginalized areas. The descent into brutal civil war has
hardened sectarian differences, and the failure of more mainstream rebel
groups to secure regular arms supplies has allowed Islamists to fill the void
and win supporters. The religious agenda of the combatants sets them apart
from many civilian activists, protesters and aid workers, who had hoped the
uprising would create a civil, democratic Syria.’
Thus, the political landscape in Syria has forever changed and this
poses a huge challenge to the major powers. Because of this reason alone,
they have put their differences aside and have teamed up with Muslim

895
countries (both Sunni and Shia) to give Assad more time to crush the
rebellion.
Almost 90 years ago, World War I was fought to destroy the Ottoman
Caliphate and plunder its resources. The West thought they had dealt a
devastating blow to the Muslim world, and the heart of political Islam, the
Caliphate was no more. Today, much to their dismay World War III is being
fought to prevent the emergence of the Caliphate in Syria – the heart of the
Islamic world. This is troublesome for both the West and their allies behind
World War III.
In the past, Muslims of the region overcame their differences and
defeated formidable adversaries like the Crusaders and Mongols and
reinvigorated the Caliphate. Today, it is no longer a question of if, but when
the Caliphate returns, what will be the fate of those countries that are part of
World War III?’ (Abid Mustafa, TheNation 1st June)
A dangerous stew: ‘That old colonial impulse keeps coming back.
This past week, Britain and France pushed the rest of the European Union to
lift the arms embargo in Syria – which in plain English means outright
military intervention in that nation’s civil war.
Let’s recall that Britain once ruled a quarter of the earth’s surface and
most of its oceans. France ruled much of West Africa, the Sahara and, after
World War I, what are today Syria and Lebanon. Britain ruled much of the
rest of the Mideast.
Well, they are back! France and Britain took the lead in attacking
Libya and overthrowing its long-time leader and former ally, Muammar
Gaddafi. They now dominate Libya’s oil – a major source of energy for
Europe. France just sent troops to protect its mining interests in former
colonies, Mali and Niger.
Britain, which has invaded Afghanistan four times, is maintaining its
troops there even though the war to dominate Afghanistan looks lost. Now,
Britain has its sights set on reasserting its influence in Mesopotamia. France,
Syria’s former colonial ruler, is championing plans to overthrow the Syrian
government and reassert its domination of Lebanon, which it created during
the colonial era.
Adding spice to this dangerous stew, Israel threatened this week to
attack Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missiles if delivered to Syria. It remains
unclear if these very effective missiles have yet arrived in Syria. Moscow
promised S-300’s years ago to both Damascus and Tehran, but delayed

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deliveries under US pressure. Last week, Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad
apparently said that the first deliveries of the potent defensive weapons had
arrived.
Israel’s three previous air attacks on Syria and threats to destroy S-
300 missiles if emplaced there have sharply raised tensions with Moscow.
The Russians, whose influence in Syria is being sharply challenged by the
West, are low on patience at a time when even Israel is challenging Moscow.
Moscow’s efforts to organize a peace conference over Syria are being
thwarted by the European Union’s call to lift the so-called Syrian arms
embargo and provide more military aid to anti-regime rebels. The entry of
some Hezbollah fighters into battles along the Syrian-Lebanese border, and
Shia-Sunni fighting inside Lebanon, underline the threat of the civil war
becoming regionalized.
Will Russia sit back with its arms folded and watch rebels backed by
the Western powers and conservative Arab States overthrow the Assad
government? Russia has a small naval depot at Tartus, Syria, but it is hardly
of major strategic importance. Of more concern to Moscow is that its
influence in the Levant and Caucasus, which is being relentlessly chipped
away by the US and its allies.
If Israel continues and intensifies its air strikes and goes after the S-
300’s when they are operational (which could take up to one year), Russia
may be forced to intervene militarily just as it did in Egypt in 1970 during
the ‘War of Attrition’ on the Suez Canal. Russian anti-aircraft missile
batteries and fighter squadrons battled Israel air power to a stalemate over
the canal and Western Sinai.
Syria’s civil war is clearly threatening to turn into a regional
conflagration that involves both the subplot a Sunni-Shia conflict and blatant
outside military intervention reminiscent of the 1930s Spanish civil war.
There is also a deeper theme: a major effort to crush Syria, Iran’s sole Arab
ally. Right after US forces entered Baghdad in 2003, Israel’s then Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon urged Washington: ‘The road to Tehran lies through
Baghdad.’ This time around, the route to Tehran runs via Damascus.
The Western powers were lulled into overconfidence by their easy
victory against feeble Libya. An armed rabble from Benghazi, NATO air
power and Special Forces made quick work of Gaddafi’s toy army. But
Syria, as we see, will not be push-over and may result in a ghastly Lebanese-
style civil war that could last for a decade.

897
 Worse, it could draw Russia, which has been quietly fuming over US-
led efforts to push NATO right up to its borders in the Baltic, Eastern
Europe and Caucasus, to send its military forces into action. The one thing
the nuclear-armed USA and Russia must avoid at all costs is a head-on
confrontation over Syria. A political settlement remains the way out of this
mess.’ (Eric S. Margolis, TheNation 3rd June)
Europe
Western govts obfuscate terrorists’ motives: ‘Since the hacking
incident, fire bombs have been thrown at British mosques, bigots have
pulled the headscarves from the heads of Muslim women and racist tweets
have been posted. Terrorist acts are not only despicable the killing of
innocents does nothing to change minds. On the contrary, terrorism
solidifies inter-communal hatreds and provides authorities with a greater
moral platform.
It’s important to distinguish between terrorists’ sense of outrage,
which is often understandable, and the methods they use to channel that
fury. Instead of becoming mass murderers, they should embrace political
activism, lobby their Congressman or MP and express themselves via the
media.
As usual, the anti-war Respect Party MP George Galloway rocked the
politically correct boat. He described the murder of an off-duty solider as ‘a
sickening atrocity’ while pointing out that the incident was exactly ‘what we
are paying people to do in Syria’. He believes that most people are against
“these wars” because ‘we have neither the blood nor the treasure to spare in
occupying other people’s countries and setting fire to them.’ He says ‘it’s
not a mission, it’s an occupation.’ When he was asked if he condemns
people who attack British troops, he fired back ‘Of course I don’t, it’s
inevitable that people are going to attack British and American forces that
are occupying their country... If our country was attacked, we would attack
the occupier.’
Blaming the radicalization of youth on the Islamic faith doesn’t cut it.
The War on Terror was nonsensical to start with. No intelligence agency can
prevent terrorist attacks especially those conducted by so called ‘clean
skins’. Al Qaeda, its offshoots, and ideological clones will wither and die if
and when the US and its allies quit intervening in predominately Muslim
lands. But as long as power, oil and geopolitics are held in greater esteem
than human life, sadly, Americans and Britons must expect more of the
same.’ (Linda S Heard for Gulf News, reprinted in TheNation 29th May)

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America
Obama’s challenge to an endless war: ‘One first impression left by
President Obama’s much-anticipated speech re-casting US counter-terrorism
policy is that of the contrast between Bush’s swagger and Obama’s anguish
over the difficult trade-offs that perpetual war poses to a free society. It
could scarcely be starker. While Bush frequently seemed to take action
without considering the underlying questions, Obama appears somewhat
unsure of exactly what actions to take. That is not a bad thing: at least he is
asking the right questions. In fact, by suggesting that, after a decade and
seven thousand American and countless foreign lives lost, and a trillion
dollars spent, it might be time to start downsizing the ‘war on terror’, he is
leading the national debate beyond where even most Democrats have dared
to go.
The two Presidents seem to have fundamentally different starting
points about how much can be achieved by the exercise of US force. Bush
seemed to think it possible that America could expunge evil around the
globe – he declared war on what he called the ‘Axis of Evil’, and
announced, shortly after September 11, 2001, ‘Our war on terror begins with
al-Qaeda but does not end there.’ Obama, in contrast, conceded that the
elimination of evil in general, and terrorism in particular, was beyond the
scope of any politician or nation. As he defined it, the struggle against evil
was part of the human condition, not an enemy suitable for armed warfare.
‘Neither I, nor any President, can promise the total defeat of terror’,
Obama said. ‘We will never erase the evil that lies in the hearts of some
human beings, nor stamp out every danger to our open society.’ As Obama
expressed it, ‘We must be humble in our expectations.’
Obama agonized over other limitations, too. Bush’s lawyers
propounded the astonishingly radical theory that, as Commander-in-Chief, a
President couldn’t be limited by domestic or international law. His lawyers
dubbed it ‘the New Paradigm’ and reasoned that if national security was at
stake, no other legal constraints could stand in the President’s way. The
Geneva Conventions became optional, cast aside as ‘quaint.’ Obama
embraced both constitutional and international legal limits, at least in
principle, even as he struggled to define them in practice. In fact, his speech
was a paean to the theory of ‘just war’, which requires a balance between
means and ends, demanding proportionality whenever the state resorts to the
use of force. It’s a sophisticated and nuanced moral theory, on which the law

899
of conflict rests. Obama has openly grappled with the most difficult
questions posed by the most serious thinkers in this area.
Obama’s public acknowledgement of his armed drone programme,
and willingness to subject it to tighter scrutiny and oversight, won’t satisfy
his most persistent critics. Indeed, shortly after the speech, Anthony D.
Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, released
a statement criticizing what he called the programme’s ‘insufficient
transparency’, adding, ‘We continue to disagree fundamentally with the idea
that due process requirements can be satisfied without any form of judicial
oversight by regular federal courts.’
Yet here, too, Obama’s evident pain over the programme, whose
civilian deaths he said would ‘haunt’ him and his command ‘as long as we
live’, seemed a telling change from the secrecy and winking smugness of the
past. So was Obama’s admission that just because the United States has the
technical prowess to incinerate its enemies halfway around the world doesn’t
automatically mean that there is a moral basis for doing so. ‘As our fight
enters a new phase, America’s legitimate claim of self-defence cannot be the
end of the discussion’, Obama said.
To say a military tactic is legal, or even effective, is not to say it is
wise or moral in every instance. For the same human progress that gives us
the technology to strike half a world away also demands the discipline to
constrain that power – or risk abusing it.’
He went on to acknowledge that drones have their limits, and that
‘force alone cannot make us safe.’ Instead, he called for a ‘conversation
about a comprehensive strategy’ to ‘reduce the wellsprings’ of radicalism,
one that uses not just hard power but soft power, such as foreign aid,
education, and support for transitions to democracy in the Arab world and
peace in the Middle East: ‘Our systematic effort to dismantle terrorist
organizations must continue… But this war, like all wars, must end. That’s
what history advises. That’s what our democracy demands.’ (Jane Mayer for
New Yorker, reprinted in TheNation 25th May)

REVIEW
Western news agencies which control the news flow to most countries
of Islamic world have by design taken Syria out of media focus. This could
possibly be for two reasons. One; the war for regime change in Syria has

900
spilled over to neighbouring Iraq and Lebanon and has been escalating much
faster.
The West does not want the armed conflict to get out of their control
lest the desired goals are compromised. They want to execute controlled
demolition of Islamic countries one by one and at the end have complete
control over the debris. So, the war has to be kept within Syrian borders.
The Shia-Sunni war in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon; skirmishes in Yemen
and protests in Behrain have to kept under control.
Two; the Islamist forces of al-Qaeda and Hezbollah have got actively
involved in Syria as opposing forces. Though their involvement fits in the
over-all scheme of Shia-Sunni conflict, yet both are fundamentalist
Islamists, or terrorists and the West won’t like that any of the two ultimately
has the control over Syria. The West would like the fire in Syria at medium
or slow medium intensity for indefinite period.
After Mohamed Mursi in Egypt, when Recep Tayip Erdogan also tried
to pursue an Islamic agenda in Turkey by attempting to impose ban on sale
of alcohol, the Taksim Square was turned into Tehrir Square. His anti-
alcohol endeavour was against the Crusaders’ plans to de-Islamize the
Muslim world.
Erdogan must have realized that when it comes to pursuing goals in
Islamic states, the West deals with every country the same way whether it is
Assad’s Syria or Erdogan’s Turkey. This can occur to him only if he ponders
for a while as to why the protests over a park have spread so fast across
Turkey.
The visuals of the man who killed a soldier in Britain outside the
barracks of Royal Artillery in London will be talked about a lot. The Nigger
with a blood-soaked hand and a knife in other will haunt the people of
civilized world for long time to come and dehumanizing comments about
followers of Islam.
What he said before he was shot and wounded would be seldom
mentioned and least remembered. Just for the convenience of the civilized
people they are reminded what he said. He shouted that hundreds of
Muslims are killed every day across Islamic world by these soldiers, or
words to that effect. Stabbing of a French soldier will add fire to the urge of
revenge in civilized world.
9th June, 2013

901
 GET SET, GO
The fish market-like noise over rigging persisted, but the Election
Commission remained unperturbed. Amid this murmuring the process of
government formation in the Centre and provinces continued with usual
hustle. Nawaz Sharif became Prime Minister for the record third time and so
were the chief ministers of Punjab and Sindh.
Punjab and Sindh will not feel much change as Shahbaz Sharif and
Qaim Ali became chief ministers in respective provinces. PTI will have the
government in KPK led by Pervez Khan Khattak to experiment the change it
has been visualizing for the betterment of the people of Pakistan.
Balochistan will feel a positive change after a long time as the PML-N
surrendered its democratic right to lead the coalition government in the best
national interest by naming Dr Abdul Malik as the Chief Minister. In the
Senate, the two major political parties prepared to swap over their benches.

NEWS
Power politics: On 27th May, Presidential Spokesperson told BBC
that President Zardari has decided to call a session of National Assembly on
June 1 for government formation. He said the summary from the caretaker
premier has been received by the Presidency. On June 1, members of
National Assembly will be sworn in, and the session will be presided over
by Dr Fehmida Mirza. Afterwards, the process of electing new speaker will
get under way and then under chairmanship of newly-elected speaker,
deputy speaker will be elected; election of leader of the House will follow.
The stages of oath-taking of prime minister and cabinet, and
presentation of budget will be done by the first week of June. The federal
caretaker cabinet will be discharged of its obligations on June 5. Sessions of
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh assemblies have been summoned on May
29. Punjab Governor has convened the maiden session of newly-elected
Punjab Assembly on June 1.
NADRA sent back a summary to the ministry of interior with remarks
that finance division has refused to release the amount required for the up-
gradation of its software for the verification of thumb impressions to
determine the allegations of rigging during the recently held general
election. Caretaker Prime Minister had only given approval for the system
improvement and not for the release of funds.

902
 In addition, NADRA wants to consider fresh proposals from different
international firms having expertise of developing the software for the
verification of thumb impressions in large number and sign a fresh contract
for this purpose. On the other hand, the Caretaker Prime Minister through
the approved summary has asked NADRA to engage the French firm to
improve its capacity.
Next day, Zardari approved nomination of 84-year-old Syed Qaim Ali
Shah for the second term as Sindh chief minister. Agha Siraj Durrani will
replace Nisar Khurro as the Sindh Assembly speaker while Shehla Raza was
again nominated for the post of deputy speaker. Meanwhile, the ECP allotted
reserved seats for women and minorities to various political parties in
national and provincial assemblies.
On 29th May, the MQM decided to sit on the opposition benches in
national and Sindh assemblies. The decision was announced after a meeting
of the coordination committees in London and Pakistan. The MQM has also
planned to contest for the seat of Chief Minster Sindh, and it has proposed
its senior leader Syed Sardar Ahmed as the candidate to fight against the
PPP’s former CM Qaim Ali Shah. Faisal Sabzwari will be its parliamentary
leader and Khawaja Izharul Hassan deputy parliamentary leader in the Sindh
Assembly. In National Assembly, Dr Farooq Sattar will be MQM’s
parliamentary leader and Rasheed Godial deputy parliamentary leader.
Outgoing speakers administered the oath to newly-elected members of
the provincial assemblies of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh. Nisar Ahmed
Khuhro administered the oath to 154 members out of a total of 158 in Sindh,
and Kiramatullah Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to 121 out of a total of 124
members. PTI’s parliamentary committee formally put forward nominations
of Asad Qaiser and Imtiaz Qureshi for the offices of speaker and deputy
speaker. In Sindh, the PPP will have a smooth sail to get elected Agha Siraj
Durrani as speaker and Shehla Raza as deputy speaker of Assembly.
Islamabad -All the matters regarding power sharing at the Centre
between PML-N and JUI-F were settled and a final decision will be taken
during a Nawaz-Fazl meeting in this behalf. The matters were sorted out in a
meeting between Senator Pervez Rashid of PML-N and Maulana Ghafoor
Haideri of JUI-F. 
Next day, the deadlock persisted on choosing the next Balochistan
chief minister, as another round of talks held at Raiwind was attended by 27
legislators from the province. Three candidates – Nawab Sanaullah Zehri,
Nawab Jungraiz Marri and Dr Abdul Malik are in the race to head the

903
Balochistan government. The problem is that the new chief minister has to
be a consensus candidate; because not even two parties together can get their
candidate elected.
PTI's nominees Asad Qaiser from Swabi and Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi
from Kohat were elected unopposed speaker and deputy speaker of the
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. The JUI-F and PML-N nominees for the
speaker and deputy speaker slots respectively withdrew their nomination
papers. CM-designate Pervez Khan Khattak appreciated the democratic
gesture of the opposition.
PPP’s provincial President Syed Qaim Ali was elected as Chief
Minister of Sindh with simple majority, making hat-trick of governing the
province. After being elected as Chief Executive of the province, he took
oath as from Governor Ishratul Ibad Khan. The House also elected PPP’s
Agha Siraj Durrani as Speaker and Mrs Shehla Raza as Deputy Speaker of
Sindh Assembly with majority votes, defeating their challengers. PTI MPAs
didn’t take part in the elections for the Deputy Speaker office.
On 31st May, PML-Q Punjab President Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi,
chairing provincial parliamentary party’s meeting at his residence, has
decided to sit on opposition benches following the PTI in National
Assembly and Punjab Assembly. He directed the party’s elected members to
fully support the PTI in the parliament and provincial assembly to play the
role of an effective opposition. 
Next day, National Assembly Speaker Dr Fahmida Mirza
administered oath to the members of 14th National Assembly and
congratulated them on their election. After administering oath to the MNAs,
the speaker gave schedule for the elections of the speaker and deputy
speaker. The candidates can file their nomination papers by tomorrow noon
while the polling for these slots through secret ballot will be held next day.
The PML-N emerged as the single largest party with 186 seats,
crossing the magical figure of 172 comfortably. The PPP is the second
largest party with 40 seats, the PTI is at third 35, MQM got 23, JUI-F has
14, PML-F 5, while Jamaat-I-Islami and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party
have four seats each. Qoumi Watan Party, Awami National Party, PML-Z,
Awami Muslim League, All Pakistan Muslim League, Awami Jamhoori
Ittehad and National Party have one seat each.
Nawaz Sharif vowed that his government would break the begging
bowl, stating Pakistan would have to acquire economic autonomy to regain
respect in the comity of nations. ‘The feeble economy is the major reason

904
behind poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, energy crisis and terrorism in the
country’, Nawaz observed in his address to his party’s parliamentary group
meeting.
PPPP decided to contact and cultivate various opposition parties in the
National Assembly to form a united opposition in the Lower House. ‘We
want to create a strong and effective opposition in the National Assembly’,
said PPPP's nominated leader Khurshid Shah after his talks with JUI-F chief,
adding he would also try his level best to take along PTI leadership. Sheikh
Rasheed also predicted that soon the opposition would convert into a grand
force, while Mehmood Khan Achakazi said that his party would sit on
independent benches.
All the three opposition parties in the National Assembly – PPP,
MQM and PTI – have decided to go for a solo flight for the contest against
the PML-N candidates and the first two have already got the nomination
papers for their candidates. While PTI announced their candidates for the
slots as well as candidate for the prime minister slot.
Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan administered oath to 341 newly
elected members of the Punjab Assembly in terms of Article 65 of the
Constitution read with Article 127 and Section 6 of the Rules of Business of
the Punjab Assembly. The MPAs who constitute the 16th House signed the
assembly’s roll of membership after taking oath. As many as 67 women
legislators elected on general and reserved seats were also sworn in.
Newly-elected members of Balochistan Assembly took the oath amid
tight security and protests by different political parties against poll
manipulation. Sixty-three out of 56 members were sworn in by Speaker
Matiullah Agha , but elected members of Balochistan National Party-Mengal
did not turn up in protest over vote-rigging.
According to unofficial results from two Tharparkar National
Assembly constituencies, PPP candidates won the National Assembly seats
from NA-229 and NA-230 after re-polling in some polling stations on
Saturday. Faqir Sher Muhammad won from NA-229 by securing 86,742
votes. He was followed by independent candidate Arbab who bagged 84,877
votes. PPP’s Pir Noor Shah has won from NA-230 by securing 59,528 votes,
followed by PTI’s Shah Mehmood Qureshi with 58,296 votes.
Syed Munawar Hassan offered his resignation to the party’s highest
decision-making body (Shoora), accepting responsibility for the party’s poor
performance in the elections. However, the JI Shoora rejected the
resignation and asked him to continue to lead the party. The Shoora said that

905
not only the organization but also the establishment and other factors played
a role in JI’s defeat in the elections.
On 2nd June, Nawaz Sharif nominated National Party (NP) President
Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, as chief minister of Balochistan and he also
announced that next governor would be from the other junior coalition
partner Pakhtunkhawa Milli Awami Party (PkMP). Flanked by PkMP
President Mahmood Khan Achakzai, NP President Dr Abdul Malik Baloch,
Mir Hasil Bazanjo and PML-N provincial president Mir Sanaullah Zahri,
Nawaz Sharif announced these decisions after a marathon meeting with
leaders of the nationalist parties at Murree.
Achakzai said the decision would help in making a new Pakistan. He
said Balochistan has many problems, which could be tackled through joint
efforts. Mir Hasil Bizenjo of National Party appreciated the nomination of
Dr Abdul Malik for the post of chief minister. PML-N Provincial President
Sanaullah Zehri, who himself was an aspirant for the CM slot, said they
would extend full cooperation to the new chief minister.
Hailing from Caach, Turbat, Dr Abdul Malik Baloch holds MBBS
degree but he had never been a practicing doctor and spent his life in active
politics. He was first elected MPA in 1988 and then in 1990 and held
ministerial portfolios on both occasions. In 2006 he was elected Senator and
now he would be nominated as the 15th Leader of the House in Balochistan
Assembly. The slot of chief minister would be going to Turbat for the first
time since the creation of the country.
Lauding the decision of PML-N and its alliance in Balochistan, Sardar
Akhtar Mengal, the chief of Balochistan National Party (Mengal), said that
the issue in Balochistan is not that of appointment of Chief Minister or
Governor but the real issue was that of the particular mindset of ruling elite.
Meanwhile, Balochistan Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi has resigned
from his office and forwarded his resignation letter to the President Zardari.
Imran Khan said that he will not go abroad for treatment. Khan, who
is staying at his Lahore residence, tweeted, ‘I am recovering fast and will not
be going abroad for medical treatment. A little more rest is required before I
attend National Assembly.’ Meanwhile, Gilani met Imran to inquire about
his health.
Next day, PML-N nominees Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Murtaza Javed
Abbasi were elected speaker and deputy speaker of the National Assembly
respectively. PTI and MQM had also contested for these slots. Rana
Muhammad Iqbal and Sher Ali Gorchani of the PNL-N were elected

906
Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Punjab Assembly. Mir Jan Muhammad
Jamali of PML-N was elected as the speaker of Balochistan Assembly
unopposed.
Of the 27 tribunals set up by the ECP to decide petitions against
irregularities in the May 11 elections, none has so far approached the Nadra
for the verification of thumb impressions, the Authority Chairman Tariq
Malik said. In response to a question, Tariq Malik said electronic voting
could make the electoral process more transparent and credible.
On 4th June, the nomination papers of Nawaz Sharif were filed on his
behalf in the National Assembly Secretariat by Senator Ishaq Dar, Kh Asif,
Abdul Qadir Baloch, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and other senior party
leaders. Pakhtunkhawa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai
also proposed Nawaz for the slot in one of the seven nomination papers.
Amin Fahim and Javaid Hashmi also filed their nomination papers for the
slot, but JUI and MQM announced to support Nawaz Sharif.
Former PTI women wing president Fauzia Kasuri, after failing to get a
party ticket for by-polls from NA-48, is most likely to join PML-N. Asad
Umer, has been asked to contest from that constituency. Fauzia was also
refused women reserved seat in National Assembly. Fauzia was planning to
hold a press conference in the federal capital in which she would announce
her decision.
Senior party leaders said that though Fauzia had served the party, the
leaders should understand this fact that the decisions made by the party’s
central executive couldn’t be undone for the wishes of an individual. They
added Fauzia was an asset to PTI and the leadership would make all-out
efforts to stop her from parting ways with the party, however, if she had
made up her mind to say ‘goodbye’, to the party, even Imran Khan could not
stop her.
Meanwhile, a senior PML-N leader claimed the party leadership had
not contacted Fau`zia Kasuri, adding it was the right of any practicing
politician to leave one party and join another of his/her own free will. Some
conflicting news reports claimed Maryam Nawaz and Kulsoom Nawaz had
invited Fauzia Kasuri to join PML-N.
Next day, Nawaz Sharif got 244 votes out of the total 317 at the
National Assembly balloting. Makhdoom Amin Fahim and Javed Hashmi
could secure only 42 and 31 votes respectively. Later in the evening,
President Zardari administered oath to Nawaz in a ceremony at Awan-i-

907
Sadr, from where he then proceeded to Prime Minister's House to receive a
guard of honour by a contingent comprising all the three forces.
In his maiden address as PM, Nawaz Sharif narrated the woes brought
to the country by the dictatorial regimes and said, ‘This House has to
become the fortress to safeguard the democratic order in the country.’
Mentioning some of the major challenges, including the power shortfall,
economic meltdown, and precarious law and order situation, the new PM
said he would not portray any rosy picture to the people but he won’t
disappoint them either.
The prime minister said his government would have zero tolerance for
corruption and corrupt practices. All the appointments would be purely made
on merit and capable Overseas Pakistanis would be invited to come and
serve their nation. Giving the broad contours of his party's plan for next 100
days, Nawaz Sharif said the priority area for them would be rebuilding of the
basic infrastructure with focus on boosting agriculture and industrial sectors.
Referring to his meeting with Chinese PM, Nawaz said that they had
planned to lay a rail track from Kashgar to Gawadar and Karachi which
would usher in an economic boom in all the four provinces. He pledged to
work with the Sindh government to restore peace in Karachi, calling the city
and those living there ‘dear to us’. He promised to tackle the terrorism
problem in rest of the country as well by making it a top priority.
Chief of Army Staff held a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
at the PM House and discussed with him matters of mutual interests. Later,
the army chief joined the Prime Minister at a dinner he had hosted in honour
of family friends, which also included foreign dignitaries mostly from the
Arab states, senior politicians including Pir Pagaro Sibgatullah Rashidi,
Mumtaz Bhutto, Mahmood Khan Achakzi and senior PML-N leaders.
Chinese Prime Minister felicitated Nawaz Sharif on assumption of the
office of Prime Minister of Pakistan. In his message, Premier Li Keqiang
expressed his best wishes and hoped that Pakistan would make new progress
and achievements in the national development under the leadership of
Nawaz Sharif.
The United States congratulated Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on
assuming leadership of a new democratically elected government and hailed
the historic transfer of civilian power in Pakistan, as American media called
his comeback for a third time as remarkable. ‘We look forward to working
with him’, State Department spokesperson told reporters at the daily Press
briefing.

908
 Fauzia Kasuri, one of the founding members of PTI, parted her ways
with the party alleging that there was no justice within PTI. ‘With heavy
heart, I am announcing to quit the PTI, the party for which I altered my
personal life. Let me tell you that PTI has failed to deliver justice to its core
members. A mafia was running it now. It was useless to expect justice from
PTI now’, Fauzia said during the packed press conference in Islamabad.
Fauzia refrained from answering when asked which party she was
joining after quitting PTI. However, reportedly Fauzia was joining PML-N
after successful round of talks with Maryam Nawaz Sharif. Imran Khan's
sister Aleema Khan had tried her best to keep Fauzia in the ranks of PTI.
She even offered her the post of adviser to PTI chairman, but failed to
convince Fauzia.
On 6th June, Shahbaz Sharif was sworn in as Punjab’s chief minister
for the record third time after the Punjab Assembly elected him as leader of
the house with a thumping majority of 300 votes in a 342-member assembly.
The absence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from the event was
conspicuous. In fact, no member of the Sharif family except MNA Hamza
Shahbaz Sharif turned up at the Governor House to attend Shahbaz Sharif’s
oath-taking.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the ruling PTI is unwilling to give the
Ministry of Education to JI, as it had earlier promised, while on the other
hand its lawmakers from Peshawar are demanding health and local bodies’
ministries. Several rounds of talks between PTI and JI and within the PTI at
both central and provincial level have taken place to resolve the issue, but to
no avail.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif laid down guidelines and priorities on
foreign policy with clear focus on improving Pakistan ties with its
neighbours, resolution of Kashmir and other outstanding issues, economic
diplomacy, serving Pakistani community abroad and energy sector. Foreign
Office spokesperson told the weekly press briefing that soon after assuming
the office, the prime minister sent out a set of policy guidelines to the
foreign ministry. He said that these guidelines have been sent to all heads of
Pakistani missions abroad.
Next day, a 25-member contingent of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s
cabinet swore in, probably as the first batch of the team that would
eventually be calling the shots at different federal ministries and departments
for next five years. President Zardari administered the oath to 16 federal
ministers and nine state ministers at a ceremony held at the Aiwan-i-Sadr

909
and the Cabinet Division later notified the portfolios of 12 federal ministers
and all the 9 state ministers.
According to notification, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was given the
portfolio of Interior and Anti-Narcotics; Ishaq Dar of Finance, Revenue and
Finance Division; Khawaja Asif, Water and Power; Shahid Khaqan Abbasi,
Petroleum and Natural Resources; Pervez Rashid, Information and
Broadcasting; Zahid Hamid, Law and Justice and Human Rights; Abdul
Qadir Baloch, States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON); Saad Rafiq,
Railways; Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi, Industries and Production; Birjees Tahir,
Kashmir and Gilgit Affairs; Kamran Michael, Ports and Shipping; and Pir
Sadaruddin, Overseas Pakistanis. The portfolios of Ahsan Iqbal, Zahid
Hamid, Sikandar Hayat Bosan and Sardar Yousaf were not notified.
Observers said that the PML-N found most of the wisdom in central
Punjab as nine of its federal ministers and four state ministers are from the
districts lie in the central regions of the province. The party in Punjab may
allocate good share to other regions of the province while forming its cabinet
for Punjab but the names of the probable candidates for the provincial
cabinet suggest that central Punjab is expected to take the big piece of cake
again.
The National Assembly Secretariat notified Syed Khursheed Shah,
parliamentary leader of the Pakistan People's Party, as the opposition leader
in the National Assembly. The PPP is the second largest party in the house
with 42 members while the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf is trailing behind with
31 seats. The swift notification for the opposition leader was totally in line
with the Charter of Democracy signed between the PML-N and PPP; a
PML-N leader said and quickly added that it was also in line with the
Constitution.
Munir A Malik Advocate was appointed as Attorney General of
Pakistan (AGP). The notification of his appointment was issued by President
of Pakistan on the advice of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Malik will
replace Irfan Qadir. Munir Malik said that legal aspects of important cases
like high treason case against former president Pervez Musharraf, rental
power projects as well as Swiss courts and money laundering against
President Zardari will be reviewed afresh.
The PPP asked the PML-N government to come up with a clear stance
on issues of national importance. ‘Regrettably, the foreign policy guidelines
given by the government especially on the issues like drone attacks,
Abbottabad Commission report and Pak-Iran gas pipeline agreement are

910
vague’, said PPP’s Secretary General Sardar Latif Khan Khosa in a Press
statement.
On 8th June, Dr Abdul Malik Baloch was elected unopposed as chief
minister of Balochistan. He is the first chief executive of the province who is
neither a tribal chieftain nor member of any family who once ruled princely
states. Talking to media after the submission of his nomination forms, Dr
Abdul Malik said he would encourage the new generation of Balochistan to
the course of education as he vowed to promote the culture of ‘pen’ and end
the culture of weapons. He said the people of Balochistan had endured
innumerable excesses and he would make all efforts possible to quash the
perpetuation of further excesses.
Fauzia Kasuri who has recently resigned from the party may get the
party ticket for NA-48, Islamabad, by-polls if she rejoins Imran Khan. She
had met Imran Khan last night and the party chief asked her to withdraw
resignation and she will be duly accommodated, keeping in view her long
services for the party. They revealed that Fauzia Kasuri who met with the
party chairman with the efforts of some senior party leaders was likely to
take a decision over Imran Khan’s offer at a next meeting with him soon.
Next day, Dr Malik was formally elected as CM with all 55 members,
present in the 65-member House, voting in his favour by standing in their
seats. The same day, the new CM was sworn in by Governor. In his address
to the assembly, Dr Malik said the killing and kidnapping of the people was
the most serious issue and hoped the Centre would help address it. He
announced to abolish secret and discretionary funds and adopt mother
tongue on school and college level. He also vowed to end the culture of
corruption.
Malik said he was ready to meet angry Baloch youth perched on the
mountains to bring them into the mainstream. ‘I will take a grand Jirga to
my brothers and beg them to cooperate’, he said, and stressed reconciliation
among warring tribes, saying, ‘We have done much killing of each other and
now we have to put a stop to it.’
President Zardari accepted the resignations of Governor of Punjab
Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmud and Governor of Balochistan Zulfikar Magsi.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has started consultations over next
nominee for the appointment of Governor of Punjab. In Balochistan,
Mehmood Khan Acahkazi would propose name of its nominee as next
Governor in the wake of agreement with the ruling party PML-N.

911
 Rule of law: On 27th May, the Supreme Court hearing the case
pertaining to the appointment of Admiral (Retd) Fasih Bukhari as Chairman
NAB questioned if the President could make appointment of NAB chief
after the passage of the 18th Amendment. Akram Sheikh, counsel for former
Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly said: ‘I feel sorry for
President as he has been left with no option other than approving the
appointments recommended by the prime minister in consultation with the
opposition leader.’
Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jilani inquired: ‘Did President of Pakistan
write a letter to Leader of Opposition for his consultation about appointment
of NAB chairman after the PM wrote to President for appointing a new head
of the bureau? Did the prime minister send his proposal to the President for
appointment of the head of NAB?’
Sheikh replied that the prime minister wrote no letter giving names for
the appointment of the NAB chairman to the President. He argued that Fasih
Bukhari was appointed as chairman NAB without purposeful, meaningful
and consensus-oriented consultations with opposition leader and the
President issued notification of the appointment without giving
considerations to the dissent of the petitioner.
Sardar Abdul Latif Khosa, who represented the incumbent NAB
chairman, contended that the purpose of the petition was only to malign
President Zardari and bring the high office of President in disgrace. ‘Being
politically motivated, Nisar wanted to have NAB chairman of his own
choice’, he said. Latif Khosa contended that there had been no role of chief
justice of Pakistan after the constitutional amendments in the appointment of
the NAB chairman.
Former PM Yousaf Raza Gilani did not appear before the NAB,
arguing he has immunity under article 248 of the Constitution. Gilani, who
was summoned by the NAB, told the Bureau he had made two appointments
as PM and argued that court cannot challenge the appointments made by him
as prime minister.
Next day, the Supreme Court nullified the appointment of Admiral (r)
Fasih Bukhari as the NAB chairman and directed the federal government to
make a fresh appointment without further loss of time. The bench was
unmoved by the arguments of AG Irfan Qadir and Bukhari’s counsel Latif
Khosa that proper consultation had taken place for the appointment.

912
 During the proceedings, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali inquired why
Fasih Bukhari was appointed in haste as the NAB chairman for the president
wrote a letter to the opposition leader on October 9, 2011, but issued a
notification regarding his appointment on October 16, 2011. Justice Asif
Saeed Khosa remarked that the Supreme Court had passed judgment in
Justice (r) Deedar Shah’s case, directing the federal government to appoint
new chairman within one month, but the federation filed a review petition
only to extend the time frame for the appointment of a new NAB chief.
The AGP said President was the appointing authority of the NAB
chairman and the court could not proceed even if the opposition leader did
not agree to it. ‘Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was creating problems in the
appointment of a NAB head as references were pending against his party
leaders’, maintained Latif Khosa.
Islamabad High Court barred Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Zaka
Ashraf from working as the board chief till June 13. Justice Shaukat Aziz
Siddiqui passed the order and issued notices to the Pakistan Sports Board
secretary, inter-provincial coordination secretary and the PCB chairman to
submit their comments within a week. The court issued these directions in a
petition filed by former coach of the army cricket team, Maj (r) Ahmed
Nadeem Sadal, who had challenged the election of Zaka Ashraf in the recent
PCB polls as the PCB chairman.
During hearing of another case the IHC directed the US firm to give
in-camera briefing about the security features of its lamination paper being
imported in Pakistan by the Department of Immigration and Passports for
making machine-readable passports. Advocate Salman Akram Raja, the
counsel for petitioner, management of Reliance Company a French firm,
during the hearing argued that security features of lamination paper of his
company are better than that of the US firm. However, US firm Security
Laminates Opsec’s counsel Advocate Maqbool Elahi negated this claim of
French firm.
On 29th May, a fact-finding report held responsible 23 officials of
Capital Development Authority who caused damage to the national
exchequer to the tune of million of rupees by allowing multi-storey tower on
a canceled plot and suggested the CDA chairman to suspend them all. The
Public Accounts Committee in May, 2012 had directed to conduct a fact-
finding enquiry into negligence of CDA officers due to which an un-
authorized construction was made.

913
 Next day, the registrar office of the Supreme Court raised objection on
the petition demanding extension in tenure of Chief Justice Iftikhar
Muhammad Chaudhry by one year and 10 months after his retirement due
on December 11 this year. Raising the objection, the registrar office said that
petitioner was not an aggrieved person while the apex court was not an
appropriate forum for remedy of the grievance.
Former advisor to Prime Minister Dr Asim found appeared before the
investigators of NAB. Once a powerful man who inked a number of
controversial deals in power and gas sector, was interrogated by the NAB
and was made to answer critical questions. The probe was made in an
OGRA reference case at NAB Rawalpindi regional office. Dr Asim had also
recommended the appointment of Tauqir Sadiq as chairman of the Oil and
Gas Regulatory Authority.
The investigators also asked him that who had authorized free gas
supply to Ziauddin Hospital. Besides, Asim was asked to reveal who had
directed authorities to allow gas theft from Kunar Besakhi gas field in Sindh.
Earlier, Dr Asim had refused to appear before a NAB investigation team for
interrogation into the illegal appointment of Tauqir, who is the key suspect
in the Rs82 billion corruption scam.
Tauqir, who has already been declared a proclaimed offender, fled to
Abu Dhabi last year after the Supreme Court of Pakistan nullified his
appointment as the authority's chief and ordered his arrest over the mega
corruption scam. Rehman Malik had played a major role in his escape from
Pakistan via Afghanistan despite cancellation of his passport and his name
being on the Exit Control List.
On 31st May, the detailed judgment in the case of Chairman NAB
authored by Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa was announced. ‘No meaningful
or purposive or consensus-oriented consultation took place between
President and the then Opposition Leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan for the
appointment of Fasih Bukhari as chairman NAB’, said the judgment.
The first priority in any consultation has to be directed towards
evolving a consensus between the consultees by mutual discussion of the
merits and demerits of the concerned candidate, noted the judgment. It also
emphasized that the Chief Justice of Pakistan as a guardian and defender of
the constitutional and legal rights of the people at large should also be
consulted in view of the Court judgment in Bank of Punjab and others. The
judgment hoped that the importance of consulting the Chief Justice shall be
given effect to in all future appointments to the office of NAB chairman.

914
 Fasih Bokhari filed review petition in Supreme Court against its
decision on nullification of his appointment as Chairman NAB. Latif Khan
Khosa counsel for Fasih Bokhari has taken the plea in the review petition
that consultation which was made by the President with Opposition leader in
National Assembly in connection with the appointment of Chairman NAB
was legal and the decisions under which the appointment of Fasih Bokhari
has been set aside are not correct. 
On 3rd June, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry took suo
moto notice over an application sent by Syed Adil Gilani, Adviser
Transparency International-Pakistan, against the appointment of Salman
Farooqui as federal ombudsman. A three-member bench of the apex court,
headed by Chief Justice will take up this matter tomorrow along with the
petition of Khawaja Muhammad Asif, who has already challenged the
transfers and posting of senior officers by caretaker government.
In the last week of PPP government’s tenure, President Zardari had
signed into law the Federal Ombudsmen Institutional Reforms Bill 2013,
which further ensures expeditious disposal of complaints, streamlining the
procedure for representation against the decisions of various mohtasibs,
besides giving citizens the right to move a review petition against the
findings of the ombudsman. Salman Farooqui was appointed as acting
ombudsperson by former Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in December
2012 and his service was regularized on May 27.
The Supreme Court returned former Chairman NAB Admiral (Retd)
Fasih Bukhari review petition against the court’s May 28 order, wherein it
has declared his appointment without lawful authority. The SC registrar
office has objected that inappropriate language had been used in the review
petition. The office also sought attachment of the court’s detailed verdict and
inclusion of referred resolutions of Pakistan Bar and Supreme Court Bar
Association.
A court of district and sessions judge, Kaleem Khan ordered the
police to arrest Adiala Jail Superintendent Malik Mushtaq and Deputy
Superintendent Arshad Warraich, assistant superintendent, head warden and
warden for torturing the prisoners Mishal Khan and Arshad Mehmood,
serving death sentence and Saeed serving life imprisonment. The three
inmates approached court on May 27 pleading that the jail superintendent
and deputy superintendent tortured them for refusing to pay extortion to the
jail administration.

915
 Next day, hearing the case regarding illegal appointments of NRO
beneficiaries, the Supreme Court hinted to again take up Swiss cases matter
very soon, the move many legal experts believe may irk President Zardari.
The Chief Justice also said that though the government had written a letter
regarding the reopening of Swiss cases, it would be necessary to know about
the money, which was lying in Swiss banks.
Meanwhile, the court also directed the NAB to furnish the certified
copies of references, which were filed in the matter related to the illegal
appointment of Adnan A Khawaja as OGDCL MD and Ahmad Riaz Sheikh
as additional FIA director general. On the query of the bench, PG NAB KK
Agha told the bench that NRO judgment case had been implemented and the
progress report in this regard was also furnished to the judge, who was
monitoring this matter. The CJ told him that Justice Nasirul Mulk had
recused to hear this case; therefore this bench would proceed in this regard.
Newly elected JUI F MPA Sardar Meer Badshah Qaisrani was
arrested and shifted to Dera Ghazi Khan Central Jail following his
conviction for two years in a fake degree case. Dera Ghazi Khan District and
Sessions Judge Wajahat Hussain Khan awarded two-year imprisonment and
Rs5,000 fine to newly elected MPA. The convict, however, said he would
file an appeal in the Lahore High Court against the judgment.
On 5th June, Islamabad High Court set aside the appointments of Ali
Arshad Hakeem as chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue and secretary
of the Revenue Division by declaring the same as illegal and
unconstitutional. Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui handed down the verdict on
a petition moved by International Taxation Secretary Muhammad Ashfaq
Ahmad against Hakeem’s appointments. The court had earlier reserved its
judgment.
In April this year Ali Arshad Hakeem had been barred from
functioning as chairman of the revenue board after the court suspended the
notification released about his appointments by the Establishment Division
on July 10 last year. In its ten-page judgment, the high court declared the
two notifications of the Establishment Division illegal, observing that the
position of FBR chairman was not only important but also a sensitive one;
the government should have advertised this post before making an
appointment so that a suitable candidate could have been appointed
following a competitive process.
Next day, alarmed by the non-cooperation of two former Prime
Ministers accused in cases involving embezzlement of billions of rupees, the

916
NAB issued summons to the accused to appear before the investigators.
With the Bureau currently working without a Chairman, the NAB has
limited powers now as the deputy chairman and other senior officials do not
have authority to arrest any body.
The sources said former minister for petroleum, Dr Asim Hussain,
Syed Naveed Qamar, secretaries petroleum have also been summoned for
interrogation into Ogra scam on June 11. They added that top management
of SSGCL has also been summoned on June 11 in the Ogra corruption case.
Pervez Ashraf is not only required to answer questions related to Tauqir’s
appointment but also about illegal issuance of prime minister’s directive for
opening hundreds of CNG stations.
Raja Pervez Ashraf was chairman of the interview board that had
appointed Tauqir Sadiq while Yusuf Raza Gilani was the prime minister at
that time. NAB had told the Supreme Court in August last year that the two
former prime ministers were directly involved in the illegal appointment and
federal secretaries Zafar Mehmood and Nargis Sethi were members of the
interview board that approved the appointment of Tauqir.
On 7th June, the Supreme Court has stamped on a much wider scope of
National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), 1999, by ruling that under this
law the NAB can even proceed against a person who is not holder of a
public office. About eight years ago various petitions were filed raising the
question whether the provisions of the NAO were applicable to someone not
holding a public office.
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi awarded death sentence to
Shahrukh Jatoi and Siraj Talpur in Shahzeb murder case while the other two
accused, Sajjad Talpur and Murtaza Lashari, were given life imprisonment.
Judge of the ATC awarded death sentence to Sharukh Jatoi, who is the son
of a wealthy man having strong clout in the power corridors.
The family members of convicts said that they would file appeal
against the court's judgment. Moreover, Jatoi's lawyer said he would file an
appeal within seven days after today's judgment. According to him, the
investigation in the case was flawed from the beginning. Another lawyer,
Kamal Azfar, had recently filed a petition in the Sindh High Court to revisit
the evidence on the weapon from which Jatoi fired at Shahzeb. That petition
was also rejected.
There were rumours that Jatoi's father Sikandar Jatoi, who owns a
cement factory and TV station as well as a real estate business in United
Arab Emirates, had offered blood money to Khan's family to drop the case.

917
But Khan's father Aurangzeb told reporters he had never been pressured to
accept money, while his wife Ambreen said it was important to the family to
see justice done for Shahzeb.
Next day, PPP MNA Nawab Wassan Khan fled from the court after
the rejection of his bail application by an anti terrorism court in Khairpur.
Wassan was booked by the police for the alleged killing of a man and
injuring 16 others on May 11. After his escape, relatives of the victim staged
a protest in front of the court.
Yusuf Raza Gilani declared that he was ready to face arrest but won’t
appear before any inquiry. The former prime minister, who appeared much
agitated, said that he was being humiliated in courts almost on daily basis in
the name of NAB and FIA inquiries, which, he said, was unbearable for him.
He said his decision not to appear before any inquiry was final and he was
ready for the arrest any time.
Taming the military: On 1st June, the ATC judge resumed the
hearing of the judges’ detention case based on the FIR registered with the
Secretariat Police Station on Aug 11, 2009. The court expressed his
displeasure and remarked that police had failed so far to furnish interim
challan of the case. Counsel Ilyas Siddiqui representing Pervez Musharraf
appeared before the court and argued that despite lapse of 45 days, police
had not submitted the challan while as per law they should submit it within
15 days. The court directed them to submit the challan on the next date of
hearing and deferred the hearing till June 6.
On 3rd June, the three-member bench headed by Justice Jawad S
Khwaja resumed hearing of petitions filed for treason case against General
(r) Pervez Musharraf and ordered a petitioner to submit the record of Maulvi
Iqbal Haider’s petition from Sindh High Court. Petitioner Iqbal Haider’s
counsel AK Dogar said how rulers would learn lesson from the history if the
man who violated the constitution is treated as VIP. It is the duty of the
Supreme Court to close the door of abrogation and subversion of
constitution for all times to come.
The counsel argued that it is the duty of the judges and the lawyers to
protect the Constitution from such future military interventions, adding the
inbuilt mechanism has been provided in the 'green book' to safeguard the
Constitution. Justice Jawad S Khwaja asked the petitioner to suggest
punishment for the accused for promulgating emergency and PCO on
November 3, 2007. AK Dogar replied that the issue should be referred to the

918
special trial court which would take ultimate decision regarding penalty of
Pervez Musharraf.
Next day, the Supreme Court directed the federal interior secretary to
adopt all the constitutional and legal measures to bring former Pakistan
ambassador to US Hussain Haqqani to Pakistan so that he could appear
before the court to fulfill his commitment. Chief Justice said in his order:
‘As Haqqani has not fulfilled his commitment, we direct the interior
secretary to adopt all the constitutional and legal measures to bring him back
to the country.’
Asma Jahangir, representing the former ambassador, said last night
she had spoken to her client. ‘The petitioner in this case is going to head the
government of Pakistan. Haqqani feels the worst danger to his life and is in a
fix whether to save his life or dignity of his counsel. I have tried to convince
him to come back, but he is paranoid.’
Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa said it was not a question of the
counsel’s dignity but that of the dignity of the court, adding he had given
undertaking to the court. Asma Jahangir argued that Haqqani had not so far
violated the law. She added the undertaking given by her client was under an
altogether different scenario and questioned why Mansoor Ijaz was given
discriminatory treatment and why the commission refused when Haqqani
demanded that facility. The case was adjourned for four weeks.
On 6th June, ATC Judge Syed Kausar Abbas Zaidi held the
proceedings of the case at Musharraf's farmhouse which was declared as
sub-jail. The ATC judge directed that the copies of challan would be
distribute to the parties and adjourned the hearing until June 15. Musharraf’s
lawyer Ilyas Siddiqui could not appear before the court due to the hearing of
his client's bail application in the Islamabad High Court.
Recessing economy: On 27th May, the Finance Ministry injected
another Rs10 billion into the power sector to overcome the massive
electricity shortfall that has paralyzed the industry and pestered the people to
take it to the streets. The government released Rs38 billion to the power
sector during the month of May – the highest such amount in a month.
The Supreme Court issued notices to managing directors of PEPCO
and NTDC to appear in person and submit report about the indiscriminate
distribution of electricity and the steps taken to improve the generation. The
notices were issued in pursuance of an office note carrying the details that a
previous court order, dated 21-5-2013, wherein the MDs of the Pakistan

919
Electric Power Company (PEPCO) and National Transmission & Despatch
Company (NTDC) assured the court that arrangements have been made for
supply of furnace oil and as a result, the system has started generating
electricity; but as the load shedding and other related problems remain
unsolved.
At least 30 people including nine policemen were injured, 15 of them
critically, when police resorted to heavy baton charge and tear gas shelling
to disperse a stone throwing mob on Mirpur-Mangla Road to thwart their
attempt to besiege Mangla Dam Powerhouse. The unruly mob was
protesting against the worst power outages to vent off their anger what ‘they
called’ forced prolonged 18-hours unscheduled power load shedding in this
district. At the same time the local administration claimed that Mirpur had
been exempted from power load shedding. People also staged protest
demonstration in capital city of Muzaffarabad.
MQM leader Hyder Abbas Rizvi said that the ongoing crisis of
electricity load shedding had added to public woes of citizens. He expressed
these views while addressing a news conference at Khursheed Begum
Secretariat, Azizabad. He said it was need of the hour to draw national
policy aimed at resolving power and water crises and said his party is ready
to assist the government in this regard. The MQM leader alleged an artificial
power crisis was being created to cover the government’s proposed step of
transferring most of the gas reserves of Sindh to the Sui Northern Gas
Pipelines Limited.
Next day, Nawaz Sharif said his government would try to overcome
the crippling energy crisis by setting up new power plants with cooperation
from China and Turkey, two countries with which Pakistan has already
excellent ties. Addressing a ceremony which marked the 15 th anniversary of
the nuclear tests, he indicated that plenty of coal reserves that could meet
requirements for hundreds of years would also be utilized for the purpose.
Nawaz warned there would be no quick fix to energy crisis. However,
he said full-scale efforts would be made by his government to revive the
economy and bring the electricity back. ‘This will take time and the nation
will have to show patience but we will overcome the difficulties.’ He said
foreign firms setting up power projects in Pakistan would be allowed to
repatriate profits, but warned against expectations of a swift end to the crisis.
A wheel-jam and shutter-down strike was observed in major parts of
Balochistan on the call of Zamindar Action Committee against unscheduled
electricity load shedding in the province. Main highways connecting

920
Balochistan to other provinces such as Kadkocha highway, Dasht highway
and Kalat highway were blocked at different points. The strike was observed
in Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Kharan, Dasht, Nushki, Sorab, Bolan, Kanak,
and some other areas.
On 29th May, Chief Justice of Pakistan took suo moto of tragic
incident of explosion in a school van near Gujrat on May 25 in which at
least 15 children and a female teacher were killed. The chief justice sought
report from federal petroleum ministry secretary, Punjab chief secretary,
transport department secretary, Punjab Inspector General of Police and the
school administration concerned. They have been directed to submit their
replies on June 4, date fixed for the hearing.
Next day, the Lahore High Court has slapped a ban on commercial
vehicles using substandard CNG kits in Punjab. The court also ordered the
ministry of petroleum and other respondents to apprise the court about fuel
equipment being used in commercial vehicles. The court passed these orders
on a petition moved by advocate Fazal Mahmood who had made ministry of
petroleum, Punjab chief secretary, IG Punjab, Punjab Transport Authority
and DIG traffic Lahore party in the case. 
The court observed that the Punjab transport department was sleeping
and indifferent despite terrible incidents happening in the province.
Advancing arguments, petitioner’s counsel Shahid Ikram Siddiqui submitted
that without going into unnecessary details, the ministry of petroleum had
allowed the use of gasoline in commercial vehicles without any planning
and policy. He contended that there had been no standards for using gasoline
equipment in vehicles and no criteria had been set for checking the sub-
standard gas cylinders in these commercial vehicles. 
On 31st May, the FBR imposed tax of Rs250 on the sale and activation
of SIM cards while reducing the tax on cell phone import. The liability to
charge, collect and pay the prescribed amount of sales tax shall be on the
cellular company operator who shall deposit the amount through a monthly
tax return.
Meanwhile, the caretaker government jacked up petrol price by
Rs2.18/litre, slightly slashing rates of other petroleum products. With effect
from government’s decision, new price of petrol will be Rs99.77 per litre
after a hike of Rs2.18 per litre, light diesel oil – used for industrial purposes
– Rs89.13 with an increase of Rs0.7 per litre.
On 5th June, the Supreme Court was informed that the vehicle in
which 18 school children and a female teacher were burnt to death in Gujrat

921
10 days ago was plying on the road without any fitness certificate, without
route permit and with changed engine from diesel to petrol without fulfilling
regal requirement. An inquiry conducted by Commissioner Gujranwala
Division held Secretary Regional Transport Authority Gujrat, Motor Vehicle
Examiner, district traffic police, excise and taxation department and
education department for the traffic incident.
The bench took exception to the fact that the police had not so far
arrested any official of the Punjab government and observed criminal action
should be initiated against the responsible officials. District Police Officer
Gujrat Tahir Khan Khattak informed the bench that the driver and owner of
the vehicle, the school owner and the fitter of the CNG kit and cylinder in
the van had been arrested.
The CJP directed the chairman OGRA to appear in person and explain
the policy of the federal government about the fitness of the CNG equipment
used in public transport and the precautionary measures taken in this regard.
The bench also directed the secretary Transports Punjab to submit report
about what actions both departmental and criminal had been initiated against
the responsible government servants. The Bench would resume hearing in
the case tomorrow.
Next day, Prime Minister vowed to take effective measures to utilize
available resources to rid the country of crippling energy crisis, badly
affecting economy and social life. A plan regarding reduction in load
shedding duration on monthly basis was presented to the Prime Minister.
Nawaz ordered the conversion of all power generation plants to coal to end
load shedding and ensure provision of cheap electricity.
It was decided to remove the head of Wapda, PEPCO MD and heads
of distribution companies and appoint capable officers at their places to
implement the orders on immediate basis. The meeting also decided to take
stringent steps to recover dues from defaulters and end power theft with the
help of provincial governments, if necessary.
Nawaz directed the authorities concerned to determine the viability of
all the electricity projects besides, estimating and evaluating the financial
requirements for their implementation. He called for getting rid of
incompetent officials as well as useless machines to put the country on road
to speedy development for bringing Pakistan at par with the developed
nations.
On 8th June, Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja
Muhammad Asif declined to give a deadline to end power load shedding and

922
said it might take years, but the PML-N government would try to decrease
power outages in the upcoming holy month of Ramazan. Talking to media
persons here after assuming the charge of his office, Khawaja Asif minced
no word saying that years, not weeks or months, were required to clean up
the mess left by the previous governments which ruled the country during
the last 13/14 years.
Baloch militancy: On 28th May, a law enforcer was killed and
another wounded when a Levies checkpoint was ambushed in Khuzdar
District, while in another incident three dead bodies were recovered in Kech
district. On 31st May, FC personnel raided a house at Sariab Road and killed
an alleged member of banned BLA after exchange of fire. The deceased was
identified as Mehrab Baloch, a resident of Kalat. The deceased was a
relative of Khan of Kalat, Mir Suleman Daud, who is currently living in self-
imposed exile. Meanwhile, the Kashmore Police had found a bomb during a
raid on a house in their area. The Bomb Disposal Squad was called to defuse
the bomb, while they were defusing it; the bomb exploded injuring four
officials.
On 1st June, Frontier Corps Commander in Dera Bugti said about 700
Baloch militants have so far laid down arms before the army at Dera Bugti
in response to the government offer for general amnesty and rehabilitation.
Talking to BBC Urdu programme, he said about 40 militants, all residents of
Dera Bugti and Sui had laid down arms this year in Dera Bugti. He pointed
out that all the militants who had surrendered were from Baloch Republican
Army.
Next day, three people were killed in various incidents of violence in
Pasni and Chaman towns. On 3rd June, at least four people were killed,
including two security personnel and two others were wounded in a remote
controlled bomb blast and firing incident in Mastung and Quetta.
On 4th June, three people including two personnel of security forces
were killed in different incidents of target killing and landmine blast in
Quetta, Nushki and Suhbatpur districts. Moreover, explosives planted with
the house of a man, Khan Bugti, in Goth Mir Jan Bugti area of Dera Murad
Jamali blasted a portion of the house. Next day, three people were killed
while two government officers went missing in Jaffarabad district.
On 6th June, two militants, two women and a child were killed and 15
security personnel got injured during an operation against militants in
Kharotabad area of Quetta. Police and Frontier Corps raided a house in Killi
Barat where some militants were residing. Security personnel surrounded a

923
house and asked the inhabitants to surrender but they attacked the lawmen
with hand grenades, rockets and heavy weapons. Fifteen security personnel
including a Lt Col and four officials of intelligence agencies got injured in
the attack. The security forces returned fire and when micreants found no
escape, they blew themselves up with explosives.
On 8th June, a man was shot injured in a firing incident while dead
body was recovered in the outskirts of Quetta. In another incident,
explosives planted outside a motor company office on Double Road
exploded and causing damage to vehicles and glasses of shops. Meanwhile,
Akthar Mengal said that the incidents of ‘kill and dump’ are still on in
Balochistan and mutilated dead bodies are being discovered from various
parts of the province.
Turf war in Karachi: On 28th May, at least eleven people,
including a Shia lawyer and his two sons, were gunned down in Karachi.
Next day, six more persons were killed while three law enforcers among
four were wounded in separate incidents of violence.
Haider Abbas Rizvi alleged that MQM is being targeted by the law-
enforcement agencies as they are busy doing operation against MQM
activists. He said that the LEAs were carrying out unlawful arrests of MQM
workers and subjecting them to brutal torture in custody. He said that plain
clothes men were abducting MQM workers from various parts of Karachi.
Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen demanded launching a military operation
against the terrorists of outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Allama Sadiq
Raza Taqvi, secretary general of the MWM Karachi chapter, said that a
policeman was held for murdering eminent Shia educationist Professor Sibte
Jafar. Policemen were also arrested for similar crimes in the past too that
proved that there are black sheep in the law-enforcement agencies. He
demanded that an immediate campaign should be launched to purge the law-
enforcement agencies of the terrorists and their abettors from these
organizations.
On 30th May, MQM’s Coordination Committee announced to hold
protest demonstrations in the country and across the world against killing of
its party workers. The committee also decided to move the courts on the
missing workers and their brutal killing. The deputy conveners and member
of the committee expressed grave concern over the illegal arrests of the
MQM workers, torture in custody, extrajudicial killings and targeting of its
activists in incidents of terrorism. They expressed serious apprehensions on
the enforced disappearances of nine MQM workers. Meanwhile, MQM chief

924
Altaf Hussain has strongly condemned the brutal killing of Syed Fasahat Ali
in a firing incident near Sindhi Muslim Society area of Karachi.
Next day, an activist of MQM was among four people killed in
separate violent incidents. A member of the MQM was shot dead by armed
men near Sachal Goth. In all seven people were killed during the day.
Meanwhile, Haider Abbas Rizvi demanded the Chief Justice of Pakistan to
take notice of the incidents of killing and kidnapping of his party workers in
Karachi.
On 1st June, Police recovered a kidnapped doctor while an alleged
captor was killed in a shootout near Maymar police post. The kidnappers had
demanded Rs60 million ransom for his release and warned the family of dire
consequences if they failed to provide amount. Separately, police claimed to
have arrested three suspects, including gang ringleader, allegedly involved in
killing the people who refused to pay the extortion money.
Next day, at least nine people including three political workers were
killed in separate acts of violence in the city. On 3 rd June, five persons were
shot dead in separate incidents of violence. On 4th June, Rangers allegedly
shot dead an unarmed youth after he did not stop his car at Shah Faisal
Colony. Meanwhile, the Rangers said that the victim was a criminal and they
killed him in an encounter. SHO confirmed the victim’s killing by Rangers.
‘Deceased had no criminal record’, he said.
On 5th June, MQM appealed to the people to observe a day of
mourning on tomorrow over the killing of party sympathizers in Malir,
Karachi.
Addressing a press conference Haider Abbas Rizvi held Peoples Aman
Committee (PAC) responsible for the killing. Meanwhile, three people were
killed in various incidents of violence.
Next day, MQM Deputy Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that
Karachi was facing sharp rise in extremism and continuous victimization of
City’s main stakeholders that could lead the country to 1971-like situation.
Addressing a press conference he said that his party was bearing the brunt of
terrorism in the city as party workers were being targeted while eight party
workers were missing and no one knew about their fate. Meanwhile, five
people were gunned down in separate incidents of violence.
On 8th June, three workers of ANP were shot dead while an alleged
attacker at Lasbaila, Patail Para. Separately, a sub-inspector and three more
people were killed in incidents of violence. Next day, a gun battle broke out

925
in the town of Lyari leaving four people dead and over a dozen wounded,
while ongoing violence killed seven people, including two policemen.

VIEWS
Power politics
Postscript to the May 11th elections: ‘In many ways, the general
elections have been historic. The predictable probabilities and the logical
projections are that the magnitude of this election's fallout on Pakistan's
political landscape will have monumental consequences for years to come.
Will those resultant effects be positive or negative? The nation will have to
wait. 
First and foremost, the voter turnout has been phenomenal. It is said
that over 5.5 crore people all over the country voted in this election. The
political pundits, media gurus and many political observers attribute this
nationwide active participation of the masses in the elections to the
emergence of a third political force in the landscape of Pakistan's political
horizon. They claim that Imran Khan's campaign for a political change has
been instrumental in giving people a heightened awareness and political
consciousness of their democratic rights, resulting in the mass mobilization
of people to participate in the electoral process. 
On the other hand, a sizeable community of political actors contend
that it was the PML-N leadership's brilliant political strategy and unmatched
management of their election campaign that had the resultant effects on the
outcome of the polls. Indeed, it is true that the ‘politics of electables’ has
once again triumphed and a large segment of traditional politicians have
made a surprise comeback in the National and Provincial Assemblies.
Obviously, the forces of political-economic status quo have prevailed over
the forces of political change. Now it remains to be seen if the traditional
political actors can serve the nation in a democratic manner and once again
restore the people's confidence in the country's traditional political structure
and culture that is an intrinsic part of the PML-N's ideological and strategic
management platform…
Future Pakistan cannot sustain a class-divided society in the long run.
It is so today because of our past ruling elite's close ideological and
consistently subservient role to our foreign masters. In this process, this
nation has been subjected indefinitely to the political and economic global
interests – mostly of a corporate nature – of these foreign powers.

926
 Times have changed: this nation wants change. This nation demands
prosperity, dignity, self-reliance, equality and democratic rights. It deserves
a welfare state where education, health and old-age pensions are basic rights
and living is a pleasant experience. Where daily existence is free of
oppression, manipulation, fear and deprivations. Where justice is possible.
Where the people's mandate is not rigged. Where the governments work and
survive to serve the people. Where democracy is not just a procedural ritual,
but a process of maximizing the social contract between the voters and their
elected representatives.
Is all of that possible in Pakistan's June 2013 democracy? An urgent
test for the incoming PML-N political leadership in Islamabad is going to be
how to protect the lives of the common people in Fata; let us see how it
manages drone attacks on Pakistani citizens. I have simply narrated a
postscript on the May 11th elections - it remains to be seen what happens
next in this country. Wouldn't you agree?’ (Dr Haider Mehdi, TheNation 30th
May)
Sharif’s awesome tasks: ‘Pakistan reached the bridge and crossed it.
A civilian switchover has been successfully negotiated. The people came out
on a hot summer day in large numbers and at the polling booths, wrote their
preferences. It was a fairly successful Third-World electoral exercise. At
places, the process was found flawed. By and large, however, the world has
accepted the results. Nawaz Sharif is the chosen national leader. The country
faces awesome tasks. Can Nawaz deliver?
The suffering masses expect quick relief. But quick relief is not
available. A mauled economy will take time to heal, recover and grow.
Electricity shortage cannot be remedied overnight. The people are losing
patience. Rising temperatures add to their misery.
Nawaz, who has yet to take over, in a speech in Lahore,
acknowledged the urgency of doing something to halt or at least reduce the
power outages, but like a wise elder counseled patience. It will take time to
increase the supply, he told, an impatient crowd. How he manages this
daunting task will determine how high or low his graph of popularity is
going to be, in the days to come. So troubled was he, said Nawaz, to the
audience, striking a note of empathy that he was having sleepless nights
worrying about the problem and how he could solve it.
The economic challenge is no less daunting. Industry has suffered a
decline and, in many cases, closure because of the lack of power. Reserves
are frighteningly low. The rupee has nosedived. The debt is high and there

927
are heavy paybacks. Add to these the budgetary and balance-of-payments
deficits. There also are the difficult issues of inflation, rising prices and
escalating unemployment.
Terrorism has shaken the foundations of the state and the society.
More than 50,000 lives have fallen victim to it during the last few years.
Almost $100 billion have been lost. Rampant corruption is yet another evil,
which has eaten up the vitals of the economy and the society.
No less depressing is the situation in Balochistan. Good that a number
of alienated political groups have come into the mainstream, having
participated in the recent national and provincial elections. Estrangement
and lawlessness remain unrestrained. The good news is that PML-N will be
the leading coalition partner in the province and will have the cooperation of
a number of Baloch and Pathan political parties.
One may also mention the unending target killings in Karachi and the
breakdown of law and order in this largest metropolitan city. How far will
the central government help manage the Karachi affairs with MQM and PPP
ruling the roost there?
The most difficult task for Nawaz Sharif is to address the war-like
conditions prevailing in Fata and the adjoining areas… In this context, the
most troublesome issue is the American drone strikes that hit the Taliban
and al-Qaeda leaderships. The strikes have killed hundreds of civilians,
besides some targeted terrorists. Recently, it has come to light that
Musharraf had permitted them. But Pakistan has all along been condemning
these attacks and two parliamentary resolutions have asked for their
discontinuation. Washington, however, has ignored Pakistan’s protests.
Both Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif have been demanding the end of
these unwarranted aerial strikes. Imran especially has been vociferous about
the violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and impingement of its integrity. A
number of research studies abroad and reports prepared by concerned UN
officials have questioned the legality and propriety of these operations.
Imran’s party has formed a PTI-led coalition government in KPK. It
will also have a sizeable opposition presence in the National Assembly. PTI
is fiercely anti-drone strikes. Imran is on record having said that the drones
should be brought down if the strikes go on unhindered. Nawaz Sharif too is
of the view that these strikes must stop.

928
 President Barack Obama, in his recent address at the National
Defence University, has acknowledged the need for restraint in using the
drones. He, however, has not agreed to accept the plea to stop the strikes.
This is a matter of grave importance, indeed. PML-N will have to
come to some sort of a consensus about the formulation of a strategy to
forcefully persuade Washington to halt the strikes. Surely, PTI will not let
this issue fall by the wayside or be dealt with in a bureaucratic manner.
Nawaz Sharif has to find a way out of the imbroglio. The matter needs to be
taken up at high levels in Washington. If no satisfactory response comes, the
issue may have to be raised internationally at the UN and, if necessary, at the
International Court of Justice.
As for negotiations with the Taliban, the latest American aerial strike
killing a top leader of TTP (one who was earlier involved in peace
initiatives) has stiffened the Taliban’s stand. They are no longer inclined to
talk. Nawaz and Imran will have to sit down to devise an approach that
brings in ceasefire, leading to some sort of settlement with the ultimate aim
of undertaking a reconstruction of the administrative system in Fata based on
considerable local autonomy.’ (Inayatullah, TheNation 1st June)
New women on the block: ‘Much like the soap operas that we are
addicted to on television, the Fauzia Kasuri episode was also watched by a
lot of people. While Fauzia Kasuri is a name that has been synonymous with
PTI for a very long time, this sudden public outpouring of emotion,
complete with dialogue and drama against some people of the party, was not
in good taste.
For one, women who cry in public for issues like ‘I’m being ignored’,
really set back the cause of women that we are all collectively fighting for.
The media, which thrives on live bickering and drama, have really gone to
town with this. It is reflecting badly on Fauzia Kasuri because there has been
a firm but polite rebuttal to all that she is saying by the party and a clear
explanation of the timings of her giving up her dual nationality and the intra-
party elections.
Furthermore, if she decides to join another party, about which there
are rumours, she will certainly not do good by herself. All the principles and
the change that she has been projecting (so believably) will all come to
naught and she will be placed among the terrible lota category – that too, for
only a seat in the Assembly…’ (Tallat Azim, TheNation 9th June)

929
Rule of law
Bitter harvest: ‘The Supreme Court on Tuesday declared Admiral (r)
Fasih Bukhari’s appointment as against the NAB ordinance and urged the
federal government to appoint a new chief… Given the muscle the chairman
NAB wields, it is always necessary for the government to take the leader of
the Opposition into confidence and get the assent when the appointment is
made for otherwise there would be claims of non-partisanship and politically
motivated cases. The idea is to discourage any government of the day or the
Chairman NAB from taking on the role of a judge, jury and the executioner.
There is also another side to the case. Admiral Bukhari earned the ire of the
judiciary for insulting behaviour; the contempt cases are still pending. In the
fate of Mr Bukhari and his predecessors, there is something that the next
dispensation would also have to chew over; it has before itself a formidable
challenge of not going astray of law. Judiciary that has been showing
literally no leniency whenever and wherever any act of wrongdoing crops up
would also not spare another government the moment it veers off track.
Detractors might grumble over the political nature of the cases pursued by
the petitioners. The challenge is that if the same standard of impartiality is to
be achieved that might have been invoked while sending Mr Bukhari home,
the next dispensation could do well to steer a middle course, which means
having a workable relationship with the Opposition.
NAB’s history tells us that it can be used for a variety of purposes. It
can be an effective tool to clean the Aegean stables of corruption and a tool
to bring rivals into line like General Musharraf did, which was followed on
by the debate whether it should be abolished once and for all. However
harsh they might seem, the measures needed to give this organization the
kind of orientation that is existing but on a piece of paper should be
dispensed. In the days ahead NAB ought to continue with its job of zeroing
in on corruption in all its forms and manifestations but without illegality or
partial accountability for which the previous chiefs had to be removed.’
(Editorial, TheNation 30th May)
Apprehensions in bureaucracy: ‘It is, indeed, unfortunate that
successive governments have moved in the wrong direction, which has
resulted in the politicization of civil service. It must be remembered that
government officers have to work within the orbit of the law and
constitution.
In the past, for example, the judiciary had to intervene in the province
of Punjab when junior police officers were being appointed on senior

930
positions; it surely led to the demoralization of several senior police officers.
This attitude is definitely unacceptable. Thus, it would be appropriate if all
civil servants are appointed and promoted on merit.
It is expected that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will focus on this
issue and begin his new tenure – indeed, loaded with huge challenges – with
a clean slate and do away with the retired government servants surrounding
the Sharif brothers.
There is no dearth of able and competent serving officials, and it
would be desirable in case honest people are appointed for different tasks
and political pressures are not accepted.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who has been an advocate of an
independent judiciary, must ensure that confrontation between the pillars of
the state is avoided.
All national institutions must contribute their bit in case Pakistan has
to overcome the existing challenges and provide the much needed relief to
the common citizens so that they have a fair chance to improve their daily
lives.’ (Azam Khalil, TheNation 7th June)
Justice calling: ‘The verdict is in; and the rich and the powerful in
our country should take note. In what some may term an important
precedent, the two accused – Shahrukh Jatoi and Siraj Talpur – in the
Shahzeb murder case have been awarded the death sentence by an Anti-
Terrorism Court in Karachi. Two other persons, Sajjad Talpur and Ghulam
Lashari have been awarded life terms in the murder case. The tragic murder
of 20-year-old Shahzeb Khan led to outrage and increasing pressure on
authorities to move against a manifestation of the culture of impunity
practised by those ‘privileged’ enough to get away with anything – even
murder. The fact that so many people rose up to stand by the family of
Shahzeb can be taken as a reflection of the desire and will on the part of
society to change this state of affairs. Shahrukh Jatoi too had fled to the
UAE in an escape which has still to be fully explained given that he was on
the Exit Control List. The decision by the ATC will come as a shock to those
unaccustomed to justice taking its course and Shahzeb Khan’s sister has
already stated that their family has been under acute pressure for weeks for
some kind of settlement to be reached. Of course, there will be an appeal and
the matter may linger for some months – to whatever end.
And meanwhile it will do us no harm to step back and recognize a few
sombre – very dark – realities that go way beyond pointing a finger at
‘feudalism’ or privilege as something that exists in a void. The fact that the

931
murder took place in Karachi – a city driven to madness by the violence that
takes place every day – must be taken into account when looking at the
reaction the Shahzeb case elicited. We must ask ourselves how many
killings we have turned a blind eye to in a city where assassins have
confessed to murdering more than a hundred people and have managed to
get away despite that. This is not to say that Shahrukh Jatoi and Siraj Talpur
should not pay for their crimes – they must – but a gentle reminder that there
are people in this city of death who get killed merely for existing, for being
bystanders at a shoot-out, for living in a ‘dangerous’ part of town, for being
on the ‘wrong’ side of ‘political’ gangs and mafias, and sometimes for trying
to bring the truth to the people. Call it indifference or another kind of
(societal) patronage, but it is there, and it has survived years and decades of
killings and murders done under the patronage of – or instigated and even
perpetrated by – ‘political forces.’ Maybe the spirit of protest moved by the
Shahzeb incident could become more inclusive and meaningful if we were
able to acknowledge that there are many others – nameless victims – killed
by forces we refuse to stand up against or even name. So it is hoped that this
verdict is taken in the spirit it should be: not in a hysterical celebration
focused on the micro but as an occasion to explore the larger picture.’
(Editorial, The News 8th June)
Taming the military
Dispensation of justice: ‘The Supreme Court’s hearing of the
Memogate scandal was quite absorbing. The court stated it in unequivocal
terms that whichever legal measures the interior ministry might have to take,
Hussain Haqqani must be brought back to Pakistan in four weeks. The
judges know very well that these cases are of central importance so far as
canons of impartiality and justice is concerned and no wonder they have
expressed the idea that its outcome would always impact the future. It does
not matter that both the cases involve two high profile individuals: one
happens to be former chief of the armed forces and the other one has run
away to a foreign country where he had served as Pakistan’s ambassador.
We know how holy a former general is considered, the idea albeit a wrong
one is that once a chief always a chief and hence the armed forces would
always come back to save his skin. That is where justice comes and is
expected to pay no heed to such pressure. And that is where justice has to be
executed as though both these individuals were as ordinary as any ordinary
citizen. If they are able to defy the court directions, a common citizen too
will question why justice is selective and why it does not come into play
where the ‘sacrosanct characters’ are concerned. There are two laws; one for

932
the masses and one for the elite, the people will say. But also there is the
question of future violations of constitution. By making an impartial
decision, the court has to tell to the nation that it has the power to decide
such cases without favour or fear and that it knows how to protect the
integrity of the constitution. The judicial history of the past especially where
decisions with regards to dismissal of elected governments has been crucial
in shaping the future of the country and so it will this time around as Justice
Jawad has rightly said.
The new dispensation has a whole set of new challenges as it finds
itself in the middle of a chaotic situation, where it has to abide by the rule of
law or else it too would invite the ire of the people. The interior ministry that
will be under its command should get the court’s orders implemented to
have Mr Haqqani repatriated. Besides his paranoia is unfounded; he is not a
convict, as the court has assured him. He should have faith in the judiciary.’
(Editorial, TheNation 6th June)
Recessing economy
Unjust, illegal increase: ‘The increase in the price of the LPG of
Rs15 per Kg without OGRA’s notification is a book-able offence that calls
for quick retributive action. Many negative repercussions would already be
making their impact on the economy. It is unclear and a bit puzzling how
come the LPG marketing companies have been able to get it done since
without OGRA’s notification, this cannot be implemented.
Do we have a mafia here that is not only making the rules but calling
the shots as well? And is there anyone who will rein them in? Apparently the
answer is in the negative at least not till we have a new government that can
really stand up to the crooks and thieves. LPG is used for different purposes.
One segment of society that relies on it are the families caught in the poverty
trap; they use it for cooking purposes, especially during times when the
supply from the gas providing companies goes short for days. LPG is also
used by transporters instead of CNG. It appears that the scourge of
profiteering has been let loose on those who are already trying to eke out a
living. There are also reports that one of the factors that exacerbate the
supply is its smuggling abroad.
Sadly, this raise has been effected at a time when price of the LPG in
the international market is on the downward trajectory. One had wished that
the prices had been decreased but alas when greed is the order of the day and
rule of law at a low ebb, such evils thrive. Whoever, is in charge of the LPG
marketing companies has to step forward to discipline them. The call of

933
strike and suspension of supply given by the Chairman Distributor’s
Association who is demanding that the increase be taken back has to be
taken seriously. The hapless masses are being literally scalped. Whatever
little succour they had in cheap LPG, denying them even that is like
deliberately subjecting them to further misery.’ (Editorial, TheNation 28 th
May)
Who will be our Chavez? ‘Chavez asked a simple question: why was
85 percent of the population of the world’s fourth-largest oil exporter poor?
Chavez provided the answer. Radically shifting government spending
priorities to providing employment, healthcare and schooling: household
poverty fell to 26.4 percent by 2009 while unemployment fell from 15
percent to 7.8 percent. This was as the rest of the world’s economy was
going into crisis, the US and Europe faced unemployment and state debts,
and the neo-liberal economic experts that had pillaged Latin America in the
1980s and 90s continued to declare: Venezuela’s bubble will burst.
An avowed democrat: Chavez won 56 percent of the vote in 1998, 60
percent in 2000, survived a coup in 2002, got over seven million votes in
2006 and secured 54.4 percent of the vote in October 2012. The US and
Europe continued to gaze a sceptical glance at how a Marxist leader could
continue holding and winning elections. How could he continue to sway the
population and extend his influence across the globe? ‘Elections are rigged,
political opponents are targeted, media is silenced,’ is what the Western
powers said.
Pakistan has experienced a somewhat similar period in its history: the
policies and slogans of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto still have a deep resonance with
the toiling classes. The attempt to nationalize industries in the Bhutto period
was overturned by a US-backed right wing movement and the Zia military
coup. If the liberals remember the late Gen Zia for ratcheting up religious
fundamentalism, the left remembers him for de-nationalizing industries and
spurring on the wealth divide once again. But Bhutto was different: he
alienated people, he strengthened the strong arm of the state, he found allies
within the existing land-owning classes – and by the time he was deposed,
there was no mass agitation to bring him back.
When the 2002 coup against Chavez was completed, the head of
Venezuela's largest business association was declared the leader of a
transitional government. The coup showed the clear connection between
business interests and the military – something Venezuela shares with
Pakistan. The difference was that the revolution in Venezuela had deeper

934
roots – the redistribution of wealth, the feeling of being a part of
government, was real and felt at the grassroots. Chavez’s popular weekly
programme, ‘Hello, Mr President,’ where people would be able to call in –
for eight-hours or more at a stretch – to speak to the president and cabinet
ministers to speak about their problems, democratized the centre of
governance and made it more transparent. The programme was radical: the
processes at the top-tier governance became open to public scrutiny –
something the most cherished first world ‘democracies’ cannot claim.
There can be genuine criticisms of Chavez, but the fact that he stifled
the corporate media is not one. The documentary, The Revolution will not
be televised, traced how the Venezuelan media was complicit in the coup
against him to great depth.
It is Chavez that has showed for the new generations that socialism
can thrive, that the future of the world need not be determined by naked
capitalist exploitation. A friend posted on Facebook: ‘After the breakup of
the USSR, when Lenin seemed old-fashioned, Mao's China turned capitalist
and Fidel's Cuba barely hung-on, it was Chavez's Venezuela that put
socialism back onto the world stage.’
If ever there is a revolution in Pakistan – big business families would
have to cede their business interests and become equals to the working class.
All the existing political parties would oppose such an endeavour, as it
would go against their class interests. The military would also join in as soon
as the eye is cast on its humongous business interests. Anyone desiring a
revolution in Pakistan would have to take all three head on: political parties,
the military and the media. Chavez has shown that it can be done.
The question is: who will be our Chavez?’ (Hashim bin Rashid for
Gulf News, reprinted in TheNation 29th May)
The monster of economy: ‘Election rhetoric aside, the fact of the
matter remains that Pakistan has lost about $80 billion in the war on terror.
Yet, it has not been compensated by Western democracies, which have only
provided lip service to the sacrifices made by this country in terms of men
and material. 
With the withdrawal of the US and NATO forces from Afghanistan
immanent, Pakistan’s worsening economic crisis is not expected to improve
immediately, as it would require more resources to handle the situation after
their exit. On top of this, the financial aid that is due to Islamabad by
Washington has nearly dried up and only some of it that is pending has been
released, creating further problems for Pakistani policymakers. 

935
 Besides this, it is unfortunate that only 1.7 million people in a country
of 180 million are paying taxes. Out of them, about 1.4 million are
employees, who have no other option, except to pay their income tax at the
source. 
The Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) has identified 3.8 million
persons, who are eligible to pay their taxes, but have so far not done so
creating serious difficulties for successive governments. How will the Sharif
brothers deal with this issue will be seen in the first few months of their
government. 
In case they fail to net a sizeable chunk of tax evaders and bring them
into the tax net, it may not be possible for the PML-N government to fulfill a
major portion of its promises that were made to the people before the general
elections. 
So economic analysts believe that since the business community is the
constituency of the Sharif brothers, it is likely that they may go slow on the
issue of tax reforms, thereby, creating more difficulties for themselves and
the country. 
Another major issue that will require immediate attention is the
bleeding national enterprises, like Pakistan Steel Mills, Pakistan
International Airlines, Pakistan Railways, Shipping Corporation, etc, which
consume about Rs500 billion of the taxpayers money every year without
showing any sign of recovery. 
Similarly, the energy sector is limping that was responsible for a
virtual breakdown of the Pakistan’s economic system due to various reasons.
The most notable of them are power theft, inefficiency and corrupt practices,
which have to be addressed on a war footing. Otherwise, the energy crisis
will continue, which has the potential of exploding into social unrest posing
a serious challenge to the democratic process. 
One hopes that the new democratically-elected government will
achieve a consensus about the crises facing the country and not hesitate to
incorporate the suggestions given by its political adversaries, so that
Pakistan’s economy could be strengthened. 
It must be remembered that if disagreements between various political
parties continue, it will not augur well for the state. Hopefully, they will
adopt a non-partisan attitude and build up consensus so that Pakistan is able
to overcome its economic woes as quickly as possible.’ (Azam Khalil,
TheNation 31st May)

936
REVIEW
The time for players’ selection and formation of best possible team-
combinations is over. The final call for ‘Get Set’ has been given and the
whistle marking the word ‘Go’ has been blown. The participants of the final
are off their marks and the race has begun.
This has happened amid high hopes of the people of Pakistan to see
better performance from the participants. They expect that this time it won’t
be a mad rat race for grabbing the public funds like the last five years when
the motivation behind all endeavours of the rulers was to loot and lat loot.
If this time it is all about ‘serving the masses’ as the politicians have
been claiming then it will be a long and tiring race against multiple odds.
They will be running a marathon race but on cross-country route. Most of
the time participants would be running into the wind; listening to a few
cheers but plenty of jeers..
At the Centre, Nawaz Sharif will be leading the team for the record
third time. With absolute majority in the National Assembly, backing and
support of foreign ‘friends’ and masters and Army pre-occupied in war on
terror, Nawaz should face no serious problems unless he resorts to his old
habits of governance.
Regardless of what he does; his past arrogance as chief executive and
rigging in the recent polls will keep haunting him. While he will have his
hands full of problems like war on terror, especially drones; law and order in
general and turf war in Karachi; rampant corruption and implementation of
pending court verdicts; energy crisis and so on.
In Punjab, it will be action replay of one-man show by Shahbaz
Sharif. His strength will be more than three-fourth of majority in the House,
but the same numerical bulkiness could turn into his weakness. He will have
tiny but far more agile opposition than the one led by Raja Riaz.
In Sindh too, it will be action replay in slow-motion under 85-year old
Qaim Ali Shah. He could face problems as MQM has decided to sit on
opposition benches with a view to restoring its image of a ‘victim’, but that
may not last long as the party can decide to revert back to where it belongs
to.
The law and order situation in Karachi, or the ongoing turf war to be
precise, will be major challenge for the old hag. As Zardari Spring has only

937
three months remaining, its blossoming tree has started shedding leafs.
Chairman NAB has been sent home packing, PCB Chairman has been
stopped from functioning and petition against Ombudsman is under hearing
and so on.
Thus does not augur well for Zardari once he leaves his hideout in the
Presidency. The PML-N too has been vowing frequently to bring the looted
public money back to Pakistan. If the federal government tries to implement
court verdicts, this will result in Sindh Card coming into play quite often.
PTI-led government in KPK will be pitched against great odds to
fulfill its promises. If it succeeds in delivering, the party could gain strength
in next five years. However, in view of the lack of physical presence of its
leader the party, will be hard-pressed to make a good beginning.
Two other incidents could also cause serious damage to the party’s
reputation. One, nepotism seen in dishing out of women reserved seats in
KPK wherein the Chief Minister ‘obliged’ his wife, daughter and a niece and
secondly, the resignation of Fauzia Kasuri from the PTI membership. Justice
Wajih in a recent interview also appeared to be disenchanted.
Nawaz Sharif took a very wise decision by nominating Dr Abdul
Malik as Chief Minister of Balochistan. The passing of the buck to
nationalists’ court could be good for the province and the federation. But, he
has to be constantly on watch to guard against any mischief by his party’s
MPAs in Balochistan Assembly.
10th June, 2013

938
 GUJRAT TRGEDY
The news of the tragedy in which sixteen school going children and
their lady teacher lost their lives in District Gujrat on 25 th May was telecast
by TV channels in usual haste. In competition for being first to report the
speed took the toll of accuracy.
Almost every TV channel blamed the gas cylinder for the vehicle
catching fire. No news reporter noticed that gas cylinders were empty that
day because of gas load-shedding. The causes of the tragedy were far graver
than a faulty gas cylinder.
The ‘interim’ ruling elite took the tragedy as just another unfortunate
incident that claimed few lives in a nation that should have got used to such
losses by now. The rulers in Islamabad and Lahore remained unmoved as
they did not go beyond issuing customary statements of condolence with
bereaved families.
The things started moving only after a report by HDIP (Hydrocarbon
Development Institute of Pakistan) was noticed by the media. As has been
the routine for the last few years, the tragedy also got the attention of Chief
Justice of Pakistan and Chief Justice of Lahore High Court only after it
became talk of the town.
The HDIP report in its recommendations divided all those involved,
directly or indirectly, in the killing of children into three categories. In a
society where rule of law is established the culprits are divided on the basis
of their motive and the extent of their act or neglect. Where there is no rule
of law categorization is of no consequence.
The division of culprits made in the recommendations of the HDIP
report was not for either of the two above situations. That was done in view
of the third and the worst situation wherein the laws in a society are applied
discriminately; the situation which leads to the extermination of the
societies.
In Category One the report listed the driver, owner(s) of the rickety
van, owner of the generator, seller of petrol in a loose container, the school
administration and so on and termed them as ‘subjects’ of the law. They are
the ones against whom the state apparatus comes into action automatically.
They are pounced upon by the ‘law enforcers’ gleefully. In other
words, the long hand of law in their case comes into action promptly, but not
necessarily for enforcement of law. In fact, it is for ‘encashment’ of

939
violations of law and for that no coaxing is needed as they love launching
post-crime ‘profitable’ crackdowns.
Therefore, justice in their case is dispensed immediately as they are
hounded, hunted, hauled up and made to ‘pay’ for their crimes through their
noses. The punishment in their case is generally extra-judicial and in
monetary terms in addition to the judicial accountability through which they
have to go subsequently.
In a just society, many of the Category One ‘culprits’ may be
exempted from accountability as they are forced by the circumstances to
violate law. They are the ‘lesser humans’ and the society itself is the culprit
in their context. They are people who are doomed if they do not violate law
and doomed if they do.
They are the ones with empty stomachs against whom even the
application of Hudood Allah are deferred in theft cases. It is so, because they
never intend causing any harm to any one, but are forced to do certain things
for their survival; otherwise a vast majority of them is good-natured.
Those who tried to extinguish the fire also belonged to this class of
the subjects of law. They used the available water, the dust and whatever
they could lay hand on to beat the fire. A milkman emptied his milk
containers on the burning van. This milkman, as the experience would tell,
must be mixing water in the milk everyday; but once he saw the children
trapped in an inferno he threw all that he had.
Category Two culprits are from the noble sounding community of
‘law enforcers’. They are designated as the enforcers but in reality they
believe that authority vested in them implies that the enforcement is left to
their sweet will. To this end they can ‘expertly’ (mis)interpret, mould or
even distort a law.
Discrimination is the hallmark of their way of enforcing law.
Discriminatory application of law invariably results from their urge to oblige
superiors; greed for illegal gratifications; accepting sifarish and so on. They
play pivotal role in the criminal phenomenon that goes on around the clock.
These enforcers of law can mould the law to suit any given situation,
but their moulding is different from what happens every day in courts of
law. The learned lawyers interpret a given law to strengthen their argument;
therefore, they twist the law like a rubber nose, but once they leave it the
nose regains its original shape.

940
 These law enforcers can do to give it a permanent new look; once they
twist a law, it stays twisted. So, if lawyers are the make-up artists, these law
enforcers are plastic surgeons. They are the master beauticians with
expertise to reshape things for good.
They are the most dangerous and harmful law ‘violators’ for the
society, unfortunately operating in the garb of law enforcers, They are
seldom caught and punished. If ever they are caught, their punishment is
never more than a warning, mere admonishing, or a temporary suspension.
Like spiders, having woven a web, they keep sitting in a cozy corner
waiting for movement in the net they have woven. The moment there is a
movement they pounce upon whatever strikes the web. The smaller ‘insects’
are consumed there and then or wrapped up for consumption in leisure. The
bigger ones are allowed to escape by cutting few strings of the web – if they
have not done on their own.
The real culprits are those who belong to Category Three. They create
the environments for Category One and Category Two to transgress the
laws. This is the elite that is above law, or to whom the law itself is the
subject. Even the judges of superior judiciary hesitate in applying the law on
to them. Their ‘wings’ (wigs) get burnt when they attempt crossing the limit
to lay hands upon them.
The judges in any case quote the episodes of prophets (A.S.) and their
companions only to show of their knowledge of Islamic history. When it
comes to following those in letter and spirit they prefer to walk away from
the bench taking cover of Anglo-Saxon Law.
Another reason as to why the judges stop short of dispensing justice in
their case is that the judges themselves are part of the ‘system’. They are one
of the three ‘elite’ pillars of the statecraft: the Legislative, the Executive and
the Judiciary. The pillars that rise skyward holding no roof atop that could
provide shelter to the people they govern.
The Category Three culprits are the ones who created energy crisis of
multiple dimensions. They first allowed indiscriminate use of natural gas;
then created its shortage by not exploring and developing the new sources of
natural gas. The load shedding was introduced to give boast to profitable
business of LPG and also for revival of sale of POL products which had
decreased due to extensive use of natural gas.
They by design neglected development of projects to generate hydro-
electricity. Some of them earned monetary rewards for opposing the

941
construction of Kalabagh Dam and others showed complacence as a major
breakthrough in this sector could have adversely affected the profitable oil
import and distribution business.
A purely technical issue of the dam was politicized for these reasons.
This perhaps is the first time in Islamic history, after Karbala, where river
water has been used for evil designs. Today they say that talking about
Kalabagh Dam could threaten the solidarity of the federation.
So, they turn their fertile lands into desert arguing that they are doing
it to save the federation. They ignore that the federation would be threatened
more injuriously if this dam is not constructed. It has happened once in the
past and could be repeated.
Once the people of the largest province realize that they are being
blackmailed by the minority provinces they could decide to part ways; just
as it happened in 1971 when the minority in West Pakistan tried to
blackmail Bengalis who were in majority. Those who oppose Kalabagh Dam
should rest assured that this dam would be the first to be constructed if that
happens and its opponents may not get any royalty or share of water.
Like judges, the journalists also refrain from pointing finger towards
the Category Three culprits. This is because bulk of the business of media
houses is at the mercy of the rulers so their employees have to remain on the
right side of powers that be. Of late, they also have claims to be the fourth
pillar of the State and they have to behave accordingly.
It so happened that at the time of this tragedy the province of Punjab
was ruled by a journalist under interim arrangements. The Chief Minister
Najam Sethi took four days to visit the bereaved families. There is nothing
much left to add to as how that visit went along after Tallat Hussain’s TV
programme telecast by Express TV on May 30.
Najam Sethi in his TV programme pretends to be like King Solomon
as formers chirria (sparrow) brings the news to him like latter’s hudhud used
to do. He after assuming the charge of chief minister had shown great
interest in lifting ban on kite flying; as if rest all was fine in the province he
was to govern for few months.
Tallat Hussain is one of the rare exceptions among journalists. Even
he ‘restrained’ himself when his presentation came to commenting on
Category Three of the culprits. He had to control his emotions lest he caused
any harm to the interests of his employer by uttering harsh words about the
rulers. He concluded his programme with just a sentence about them.

942
 Why has even the elite in our society degenerated to that level? It is
because the system in vogue has thrown the Deen (religion) out of the
business called politics. When this happened in the past, the malookiyat
(monarchy) used to turn into Chunhaizi (tyranny of the kings); as Allamah
had said that.
Today, in the age of democracy it is tyranny of the majority that is
vested in few through a system that claims to be representative. Then the
kings used to raise pyramids of chopped off heads; today, the rulers create
environments wherein children of those who chose them as rulers are burnt
alive.
The heads in pyramids belonged to enemies, but today the ashes are of
the children of their own people. These rulers have blood on their hands; in
this particular case it may be said that they have ashes of children plastered
on their faces and yet they represent government of the people, by the people
and for the people.
This tragedy took place near a village which falls within the limits of
Police Station Konjah of District Gujrat that lies between rivers Jehlum and
Chenab. The area of Konjah is famous for its beautiful people, especially for
feminine beauty. It is difficult to say which of the two is famous because of
the other; Konjah or Gujrat.
Beautiful mothers and handsome men ought to have beautiful kids and
on May 25, sixteen of those children perished while they were on their way
to school. From that day Konjah will be known for another reason – a place
where a nation burnt its children alive.
11th June, 2013

943
 INQILAB: LEADERS
PART THREE
Allamah addressed those responsible for the religious and spiritual
guidance of Muslims with the sole aim of stressing upon them to acquire
correct perception of Islam so that they could act as vanguard of the
revolution visualized by him. He stated that in the opening lines of Gulshin-
e-Raz Jadid.
‫تو نظر آفریدہ ام من‬ ‫بہ سواد دیدٔہ‬
‫بہ ضمیر تو جھانے دگر آفریدہ ام من‬
‫ہمہ خاوران بخوابے کہ نہان ز چشم انجم‬
‫بہ سرود زندگانی سحر آفریدہ ام من‬ 
Beh sawad-e-deidah-e-tou nazar aafridah’um mun, beh zamir tou jahanay
digar aafridah’um mun.
Hamah khawar’an bekhwabay keh neh’an ’z-chash-e-anjam, beh sarood-
e-zindagani sehar aafridah’um mun.
[Mien ney teyri ankhh’on mein nazar paida ki hai, mien ney teyrey zamir kay
andar niya jahan takhliq kiya hai.
Shaam-e-Mashriq khwabidah hai, magar mien ney sitar’on ki moujoodgi he
mein (ya’ani waqt sey pehley) apney sarood-e-zindagani (asha’ar) sey sehar
paida kar di hai. (Mashriq sey amooman morad Mosilman hein).]
I have imparted insight to the pupil of your eye, and created a new world in
your self;
All the East is asleep; hidden from the eyes of the stars, I have created
morning by the melody of life. (Translated by Bashir Ahmad Dar)

That has been elaborated in the introductory lines:

INTRODUCTION
Tamhid ‫تمہید‬
‫ز جان خاور آن سوز کہن رفت‬
‫دمش واماند و جان او ز تن رفت‬
’Z-jan-e-khawar aan soz-e-kohan raft, damash wamanad-o-jan-e-oo ’z-
tun raft.

944
[Mashriq kay andar woh soz-e-kohan naheen raha, sa’ns moujood hai,
magar tun sey oss ki jan nikal choki hai.]
The old ardour has disappeared from the life of the East; its breath wavered
and soul left its body;
‫چو تصویرے کہ بے تار نفس زیست‬
‫نمی داند کہ ذوق زندگی چیست‬
Cho tasswiray keh bi-taar-e-nafas zeist, nami danad keh zouq-e-zindagi
cheist.
[Oss taswir ki manind, jo sa’ns kay baghair zindah hoti hai, woh naheen
janta keh zouq-e-hayat kaya hai.]
Like a picture without the chain of breath and does not know what the taste
of life is.
‫دلش از مدعا بیگانہ گردید‬
‫نے او از نوا بیگانہ گردید‬
Dilash az moda’a biganah gardeid, na’ey-e-oo az nawa biganah gardeid.
[Oss ka dil maqsood na-ashna (saamney koeyi maqsad naheen) aur oss ki
bansari binawa hai.]
Its heart lost desire and craving, its flute ceased to produce notes.
‫بہ طرز دیگر از مقصود گفتم‬
‫محمود گفتم‬ ‫جواب نامٔہ‬
Beh tarz-e-deigar az maqsood goftam, jawab namah-e-Mehmood goftam.
[Mien ney apna maqsood mokhtalif andaz sey biyan kiya hai, mien ney
Mehmood (Shabstari) kay sawalat ka jawab likhha hai.]
I am expressing my ideas in a different form, and writing in reply to the
book of Mahmud.
‫ز عہد شیخ تا این روزگارے‬
‫نزد مردے بجان ما شرارے‬
’Z-ehad-e-shaikh ta ein rozgaray, nizd marday bajan-e-ma shararay.
[Shaikh (Mehmood) kay dour sey abb takk, kissi mard ney hamari jan ko
sharar (ishq) sey ashna naheen kiya.]
Since the time of the Shaikh, no man has given the sparks of fire to our life.

945
 ‫کفن در بر بخاکے آرمیدیم‬
‫محشر ندیدیم‬ ‫ولے یک فتنٔہ‬
Kafan dar ber bakhakay aarmidaim, walley yakk fitnah-e-mehshar
nadeidaim.
[Hum kafan pehnay, khak mein parrey hein, hum ney eik fitnah-e-mehshar
bhi naheen deikhha.]
We lay on the earth with shrouds around our bodies, and did not experience
a single resurrection.
‫گذشت از پیش آن داناے تبریز‬
‫قیامتہا کہ رست از کشت چنگیز‬
Gozasht az paish-e-aan dana’ey Tabriz, qiyamat-ha keh rust az kisht-e-
Chengaiz.
[Iss dana’ey Tabraiz (Mehmood) kay saamney sey Chengaiz ki barpa kardah
kaeyi qiyamatein gozar gaey’in.]
That wise man of Tabriz witnessed before his eyes calamities that resulted
from the invasion of Genghis.
‫نگاہم انقالبے دیگرے دید‬
‫طلوع آفتابے دیگرے دید‬
Nigaham inqilabey deigarey deid, talo’a-e-aftaabey deigarey deid.
[Meyri nigah ney eik aur inqilab deikhha, mien ney eik aur soraj talo’a
hotay paya.]
I saw a revolution of another type: Appearance of a new sun.
‫کشودم از رخ معنی نقابے‬
‫بدست ذرہ دادم آفتابے‬
Kashodam az rokh-e-ma’ani niqabey, badastey zarah dadam aftaabey.
[Mien ney rokh-e-ma’ani sey paradah hata kar zarrah kay haath mein aftab
dey diya.]
I removed veil from the face of meaning, and gave sun in the hands of a
mote.

946
 ‫نپنداری کہ من بے بادہ مستم‬
‫مثال شاعران افسانہ بستم‬
Napindaari keh mun bey badah mustam, misal-e-sha’er aan afsanah
bostam.
[Yeh nah samajh keh mien baghair sharab kay must h’on aur shaer’on ki
manind mehaz afsanah goeyi kar raha h’on.]
Don’t you think I am intoxicated without wine, and spin tales likes poets.
‫نبینی خیر از آن مرد فرو دست‬
‫کہ بر من تہمت شعر و سخن بست‬
Nabeini khair az aan mard-e-frou dast, keh ber mun tohmat-e-she’ar-o-
sakhon bost.
[Iss pust himmat shakhs sey bhalaeyi ki koeyi ummeid naheen, jiss ney mojh
per she’ar-o-sakhon ki tohmat rakhhi.]
You will see no good from a low person, who accuses me of being a poet.
‫بکوے دلبران کارے ندارم‬
‫دل زارے غم یارے ندارم‬
Bekoo’ey dilbaraan kaaray nadaram, dil-e-zaarey ghum-e-yaarey
nadaram.
[Dilbar’on kay koochey sey mojhay koeyi kaam naheen, nah meyrey pass
dil-e-zaar hai, nah ghum-e-yar.]
I have nothing to do with the street of the beloved, and do not have a grief-
stricken heart nor a longing for the beloved;
‫نہ خاک من غبار رہگذارے‬
‫نہ در خاکم دل بے اختیارے‬
Nah khak-e-mun ghobar-e-rahgozarey, nah dar khakam dil-e-bey
ikhtiarey.
[Nah meyri khak ghobar-e-rah hai, nah meyrey badan mein dil-e-bey
ikhtiyar hai.]
Neither is my earth the dust of a street, nor is within my clay a heart without
self-control.

947
 ‫بہ جبریل امین ھم داستانم‬
‫رقیب و قاصد و دربان ندانم‬
Beh Jibril Amin hum dastanam, raqib-o-qasid-o-darban nadanam.
[Mien tuo Jibril Amin ka hum daastan h’on, mera koeyi raqib naheen, qasid
ya darban naheen, (Allah Ta’ala sey barah-e-raast faizyab h’on)]
My mission in life is in line with Gabriel the Truthful; I have neither a rival,
nor a messenger, nor a porter.
‫مرا با فقر سامان کلیم است‬
‫فر شاہنشہی زیر گلیم است‬
Mera ba faqr samaan-e-Kalim ast, fur-e-shahenshahi zir-e-galim ast.
[Mera faqr saaman-e-Kalim rakhhta hai, meyri godrri kay neichay shoukat-
e-shahenshahi (poshidah) hai.]
Though a mendicant, I have the wherewithal of Moses: Kingly pomp under a
beggar’s garment.
‫اگر خاکم بہ صحرائے نگنجم‬
‫اگر آبم بہ دریائے نگنجم‬
Agar khakam beh sehra’ey nagunjam, agar aabam beh darya’ey
nagunjam.
[Agar mien khak h’on tuo sehra mein naheen samata, agar pani h’on tuo
darya mein naheen samata.]
If I am earth, desert cannot contain me; if water, river cannot encompass me.
‫دل سنگ از زجاج من بلرزد‬
‫یم افکار من ساحل نورزد‬
Dil-e-sung az zojaj-e-mun balurzad, yum-e-afkaar-e-mun sahil navarzad.
[Meyrey shishay sey pathar ka dil larzata hai, meyrey afkaar ka samandar
bikanar hai.]
The heart of a stone trembles at my glass, the ocean of my thought is without
a shore.

948
 ‫من‬ ‫نھان تقدیر ہا در پردٔہ‬
‫من‬ ‫قیامت ہا بغل پروردٔہ‬
Neh’an taqdir-ha dar pardah-e-mun, qiyamat-ha baghal pervardah-e-
mun.
[Meyrey andar (quom’on ki) taqdirein penh’an hein, meyri aastein mein
qiyamatein pervarash pa rehi hein.]
Behind my curtain lie concealed several destinies, and several resurrections
take birth at my hand.
‫دمے در خویشتن خلوت گزیدم‬
‫جہانے الزوالے آفریدم‬
Dammay dar khwaishtan khalwat gazidam, jahaney la-zawaley aafridam.
[Mein ney eik lamah apney andar khalwat gazein ho kar jahan-e-lazawal
paida kiya hai.]
For a moment I retired unto myself, I created an immortal world.
’’‫مرا زین شاعری خود عار ناید‬
‫‘‘کہ در صد قرن یک عطار ناید‬ 
‘Mera ’z-ein sha’eri-e-khod a’ar na’yad, keh dar sadd qirn-e-yakk Attar
na’yad.’
[Mojhey iss sha’eri sey koeyi aar naheen, kiyu’onkeh sadiyu’on mein eik
Attar paida naheen hota.]
‘I am not ashamed of such poetry, for in a hundred years an Attar might not
appear.’
(The quotation is from The Garden of Mystery by Mahmood Shabistry.)
‫بجانم رزم مرگ و زندگانی است‬
‫نگاہم بر حیات جاودانی است‬
Bajanam razm-e-murg-o-zindagani ast, nigaham ber hayat-e-javidani ast.
[Meyrey andar mout-o-hayat ki jung (jaari) hai, (aur) meyri nigah
hamaishah ki zindagi per hai.]
A battle of life and death is being waged in my soul; my eye is riveted on
immortal life.

949
 ‫ز جان خاک ترا بیگانہ دیدم‬
‫بہ اندام تو جان خود دمیدم‬
’Z-jan khak-e-tera biganah deidam, beh andaam-e-tou jan-e-khod
dameidam.
[Mien tojhey jan sey khali deikhhta h’on, iss leay teyrey badan mein apni jan
phhonk raha h’on.]
I saw your clay stranger to life, hence I breathed into your body of my own
soul.
‫از آن نارے کہ دارم داغ داغم‬
‫شب خود را بیفروز از چراغم‬
Az aan naarey keh daram dagh-e-daghum, shabb-e-khod ra befaroz az
chiraghum.
[Meyrey andar jo aag hai oss sey mein dagh dagh h’on, tou apni raat ko
mayrey dagh kay chiragh sey roshan kar.]
I am wholly affected by the fire that I possess: Illumine the darkness of your
night by my lamp.
‫بخاک من دلے چون دانہ کشتند‬
‫بہ لوح من خط دیگر نوشتند‬
Bakhak-e-mun dillay choon danah kishtand, beh louh-e-mun khat-e-
deigar nawishtand.
[Meyri khak mein dil ko danay ki manind kaasht kiya gaya hai, meyrey
zehan ki takhti per naeyi baat raqam ki gaeyi hai.]
Heart was sown into the soil of my body like a seed, a different destiny was
written on my tablet:
‫مرا ذوق خودی چون انگبین است‬
‫چہ گویم واردات من ہمین است‬
Mera zouq-e-khodi choon angabein ast, chih goeyam wardaat-e-mun
hamein ast.
[Khodi ka zouq meyrey leay shehad hai, kaya kar’on yehi meyri kaifiyat
hai.]
To me the ideal of khudi is sweet as honey. What else can I do? My whole
stock consists of this experience.

950
 ‫نخستین کیف او را آزمودم‬
‫دگر بر خاوران قسمت نمودم‬
Nakhatein kaif-e-oo ra aazmoodam, digar ber Khawaran qismat
namoodam.
[Pehley mien iss kay kaif ko khod azmata h’on, pher issey ehl-e-Mashriq ki
nazar karta h’on.]
First I tasted the fruit of this experience myself, then I decided to share it
with the people of the East.
‫اگر این نامہ را جبریل خواند‬
‫چو گرد آن نور ناب از خود فشاند‬
Agar ein namah ra Jibril khwanad, cho gard aan noor-e-naab az khod
fishanad.
[Agar iss tehrir ko Jibril parrh leytey, tuo noor ko gard ki tarah apney
per’on sey jharr deytey.]
If Gabriel were to go through this book, he would cast aside the pure
[Divine] Light as if it were dust;
‫بنالد از مقام و منزل خویش‬
‫بہ یزدان گوید از حال دل خویش‬
Banalad az moqam-o-manzil-e-khwaish, beh Yazad’an goeyad az haal-e-
dil-e-khwaish.
[Woh apney moqam-o-manzil (per naz’an honay ki baja’ey) fariyad kartey
aur apney dil ka haal Allah Ta’ala sey yu’on biyan kartey.]
He would bewail about his [low] station, and relate to God the condition of
his heart:
‫تجلی را چنان عریان نخواہم‬
‫نخواھم جز غم پنہان نخواہم‬
Tajali ra chonan oriyan nakhwahum, nakhwahum joz ghum-e-penhan
nakhwahum.
[Mien tajali ko itna bihijab naheen deikhhna chahta, mien (hijr kay) ghum-
e-penh’an kay sawa’ey aur kochh naheen cahata.]
‘I no longer desire unveiled Epiphany; I desire nothing but hidden heart-
sore.

951
 ‫گذشم از وصال جاودانے‬
‫کہ بینم لذت آہ و فغانے‬
Gozashtam az wasal-e-javidaney, keh beinam lazzat-e-aah-o-foghaney.
[Mien wasal-e-dawaam sey dastbardar hota h’on ta-keh lazzat-e-aah-e-
fogh’an pa’on.]
I am ready to forego eternal union, for now I realize what sweetness is in
lamentation!
‫مرا ناز و نیاز آدمے دہ‬
‫بہ جان من گداز آدمے دہ‬
Mera naaz-o-niaz adamey deh, beh jan-e-mun godaz adamey deh.
[Mojhey Adam ka naaz-o-niaz atta ho, meyri jan ko Adam ka soz-o-godaz
milley.]
Give me the pride and submissiveness of man, give unto my heart burning
and consuming of man.’
(Translated by Bashir Ahmad Dar)

Allamah Iqbal wanted to recruit and train a team of leaders having

ability and courage to ask questions like the nine questions he asked in
Gulshan-e-Raz Jadid. He also expected them to ponder and seek answers to
such questions on their own.
These questions and answers mostly relate to the issues that propped
up during The Tussle between intellect and intuition as described in the
second half of the Volume Four. Equipped with the knowledge and
perception so acquired leaders can resurrect Islam in right spirit and
perspective.

QUESTION 1
Sawal Awwal  ‫سؤال اول‬ 
‫نخست از فکر خویشم در تحیر‬
‫چہ چیز است آنکہ گویندش تفکر‬
‫کدامین فکر ما را شرط راہ است‬
‫چرا گہ طاعت و گاہے گناہ است‬

952
Nakhast az fikr-e-khwaisham dar tahiyyar, chih cheez ast a’nkeh
goeyndash tafakkur.
Kadamin-e-fikr ma ra shart-e-rah ast, chira geh ta’at-o-gaahey gonah ast.
[Pehli baat tuo yeh hai keh mien apney fikr kay baarey mein hairat-zadah
h’on, woh kaya cheez hai jissey tafakkur kehtey hein.
Kon sa fikr-e-rah (hadiyat) paaney kay leay zaroori hai, yeh kiyu’on hai keh
fikr kabhi ata’at ki taraf ley jata hai aur kabhi gonah ki taraf.]
First of all I am perplexed about my thought: What is that which is called
‘thought’?
What sort of thought is the condition of my path? Why is it sometimes
obedience, sometimes sin?
Answer ‫جواب‬ 
‫آدم چہ نور است‬ ‫درون سینٔہ‬
‫چہ نور است این کہ غیب او حضور است‬
Daroon-e-seinah-e-Adam chih noor ast, chih noor ast ein keh ghaib-o-
hazoor ast.
[Seinah-e-Adam kay andar yeh kaya noor hai, keh oss ka ghiyab bhi hazoor
hai.]
What a light there is within the heart of man! A light that is manifest in spite
of its invisibility.
‫من او را ثابت سیار دیدم‬
‫من او را نور دیدم نار دیدم‬
Mun oo ra saabit siyyar deidam, mun oo ra noor deidam, naar deidam.
[Mien ney ossey jamad bhi deikhha hai aur motaharik bhi, mojhey oss mein
noor bhi nazar aya hai aur naar bhi.]
I saw it in the constancy of change; I saw it both as light and fire.
‫گہے نازش ز برہان و دلیل است‬
‫گہے نورش ز جان جبرئیل است‬
Gehey nazash ’z-burhan-o-dalil ast, gehey noorash ’z-jan-e-Jibril ast.
[Kabhi borhan-o-dalil oss ki naar bun jaati hai aur kabhi who Vehi-e-Jibril
sey noor hasil karta hai.]

953
Sometimes its fire is nourished by argumentation and reasoning, sometimes
its light is derived from the breath of Gabriel;
‫چہ نورے جان فروزے سینہ تابے‬
‫نیرزد با شعاعش آفتابے‬
Chih noorey jan farozey seinah taabey, neirzad ba sha’aish aaftabey.
[Yeh kaya noor hai jo jan ko chamka deyta hai aur seinay mein garmi paida
karta hai, iss ki eik sho’a aftab sey barrh kar hai.]
What a life-illuminating and heart-kindling light! The sun is nothing in face
of a single ray of this light.
‫بخاک آلودہ و پاک از مکان است‬
‫بہ بند روز و شب پاک از زمان است‬
Bakhak aloodah-o-pak az makan ast, beh bund-e-roz-o-shabb pak az
zaman ast.
[Yeh fikr makani honay kay bawajood la-makan hai, yeh roz-o-shabb kay
bandhan mein gariftar honay kay bawajood mawara’ey zam’an hai.]
Conjoined with dust, it is above limitations of space; chained to the
alternation of day and night, it is free from the bonds of time.
‫شمار روزگارش از نفس نیست‬
‫چنین جویندہ و یابندہ کس نیست‬
Shomar-e-rozgarash az nafas neist, chonin joeyindah-o-yabindah kas
neist.
[Fikr ki zindagi ka daar-o-madar s’ans kay aaney jaaney per naheen, oss ki
manind koeyi aur joeyindah-o-yabindah naheen. (Fikr boland maqasid ki
talash mein rehta hai aur onn takk poh’nchta hai.)]
The calculation of its time is not through breath, there is none like it in
seeking and discovering.
‫گہے واماندہ و ساحل مقامش‬
‫گہے دریاے بے پایان بجامش‬
Gehey wamandah-o-sahil moqamash, gehey darya-e-bipay’an bajaamash.
[Kabhi yeh thhak kar sahil ko apna moqam bana leyta hai aur kabhi darya-
e-bipay’an ko apney jaam mein ley leyta hai.]

954
Sometimes it feels exhausted and sits on the shore, sometimes a shore-less
ocean is in its cup.
‫ہمین دریا ہمین چوب کلیم است‬
‫کہ از وے سینہ دریا دو نیم است‬
Hamein darya hamein chob-e-Kalim ast, keh az’ooey seinah-e-darya duo
neim ast.
[Yeh darya bhi hai aur Aasa-e-Mosa (A.S.) bhi, issi sey seinah-e-darya duo
neim hota hai.]
It is both the river and the staff of Moses, on account of which the river is
divided into two.
‫غزالے مرغزارش آسمانے‬
‫خورد آبے ز جوے کہکشانے‬
Ghazaley marghazarash asmaaney, khord aabey ’z-joo’ey kehkashaney.
[Iss ghazaal ki charagah asman hai aur yeh joo-e-kehkash’an sey pani pita
hai.]
It is a deer whose pasture is the sky, who drinks water from the stream of the
Milky Way.
‫زمین و آسمان او را مقامے‬
‫میان کاروان تنھا خرامے‬
Zamin-o-asman oo ra moqamey, miyan-e-caravan tunha kharamey.
[Zamin-o-asman iss kay moqamat hein (manzil naheen), yeh caravan-e-
hayat kay darmiyan tunha chalta hai.]
Earth and sky are its halting places; it walks alone amid a caravan.
‫ز احوالش جہان ظلمت و نور‬
‫صداے صور و مرگ و جنت و حور‬
’Z-ahawalash-e-jahan zolmat-o-noor, sada’ey soor-o-murg-o-jannat-o-
hoor.
[Yeh jahan-e-azmat-o-noor (dunya), (qiyamat ki) sada’ey soor, her sha’ey
ka khatmah aur (aakhrat ki) jannat-o-hoor yeh sabb he kay ahwaal hein.]
Some of its states are: the world of darkness and light, the sound of the
trumpet, death, paradise, and Houri.

955
 ‫ازو ابلیس و آدم را نمودے‬
‫ازو ابلیس و آدم را کشودے‬
Az’o Iblis-o-Adam ra namoodey, az’o Iblis-o-Adam ra kashoodey.
[Issi sey Iblis-o-Adam ki namood hai, (aur) issi sey Iblis-o-Adam kay masa’il
ka hul hai.]
It gives both to Iblis and Adam opportunity to develop, and provides them a
chance of expansions.
‫او ناشکیب است‬ ‫نگہ از جلؤہ‬
‫تجلی ہاے او یزدان فریب است‬
Nigah az jalwah-e-oo nashakaib ast, tajali-ha’ey oo Yazadan faraib ast.
[Fikr kay jalw’on kay ba’is hamari nigah sabar na-ashna hai, iss ki tajaliyat
Allah Ta’ala ko bhi apni aaghosh mein ley leyti hai.]
Eye is impatient at its sight; its charms even beguile God.
‫بہ چشمے خلوت خود را ببیند‬
‫بہ چشمے جلوت خود را ببیند‬
Beh chashmey khalwat khod ra babeinad, beh chashmey jalwat khod ra
babeinad.
[Fikr eik ankhh sey apni khalwat ko deikhhta hai, aur eik ankhh sey apni
jalwat ko deikhhta hai (her shakhs kay fikr kay duo pehlo hein, iss sey woh
apney andar ka jahan bhi deikhhta hai aur bahar ki dunya bhi.)]
With one eye, it sees its own privacy, with the other eye; it looks at its
apparent lustre.
‫اگر یک چشم بر بندد گناہے است‬
‫اگر با ہر دو بیند شرط راہے است‬
Agar yakk chashm ber bundad gonahey ast, agar ba her duo beinad shart-
e-raahey ast.
[Agar fikr apni eik ankhh bund karley tuo yeh ‘gonah’ hai, aur agar apni
duon’on ankhh’on sey deikhhey tuo yeh shart-e-rah (hadiyat) hai.]
If it closes one eye, it is a sin; if it sees with both eyes, it is the true condition
of the path.

956
 ‫ز جوے خویش بحرے آفریند‬
‫گہر گردد بہ قعر خود نشیند‬
’Z-joo-e-khwaish beharey aafrinad, gohar gardad beh qa’ar-e-khod
nashinad.
[Yeh (jalwat mein ho tuo) apni nadi sey samandar paida karta hai, (aur
khalwat mein ho tuo) apni gehraeyi kay andar baithh kar apney aap ko
gohar bana leyta hai.]
Out of its little stream, it produces an ocean; it becomes a pearl and then
settles at its bottom.
‫ہمان دم صورت دیگر پذیرد‬
‫شود غواص و خود را باز گیرد‬
Ham’an dum surat-e-deigar pazirad, shawud ghawas-o-khod ra baaz
geirad.
[Pher ossi waqt yeh eik aur surat ikhtiyar kar leyta hai, apney andar ghotah-
zan ho kar apney moti ko bahar nikaal lata hai.]
Soon it takes a different form; becomes a diver and catches itself again.
‫درو ہنگامہ ہاے بے خروش است‬
‫درو رنگ و صدا بے چشم و گوش است‬
Dar’o hungamah-ha’ey bi-kharosh ast, dar’o rung-o-sada bey chashm-o-
gosh ast.
[Iss kay andar bey awaz hungamey hein, iss kay rung baghair chashm kay
deikhhey ja saktey hein, aur iss ki sada baghair kaan kay sonni ja sakti hai.]
In it there are noiseless commissions; it has colour and sound perceptible
without eye and ear.
‫او روزگار است‬ ‫درون شیشٔہ‬
‫ولے بر ما بتدریج آشکار است‬
Daroon-e-shishah-e-oo rozgar ast, walley ber ma batadrij aashkar ast.
[Fikr kay shishah kay andar saari kainat hai, laikan hum per oss kay raz
batadrij aashkar hotay hein.]
There is a world hidden in its glass, but it reveals itself to us piecemeal.

957
 ‫حیات از وے بر اندازد کمندے‬
‫شود صیاد ہر پست و بلندے‬
Hayat az’ooey ber andazad kamandey, shawud siyaad her pust-o-
bolandey.
[Hayat fikr ki kamand phhaink kar, her pust-o-bala ka shikar karti hai.]
Life makes it into a lasso and throws it to catch everything low and high.
‫ازو خود را بہ بند خود در آرد‬
‫گلوے ماسوا را ہم فشارد‬
Az’o khod ra beh bund-e-khod dar aarad, gloo’ey masawa ra hum
fisharad.
[Fikr kay zari’ay apney aap ko apni garift mein laati hai aur masawa ki
gardan bhi daboch leyti hai.]
By its means it ensnares itself, and wrings also the neck of duality.
‫دو عالم می شود روزے شکارش‬
‫فتد اندر کمند تابدارش‬
Duo alam mi-shawud rozay shikarash, fatad andar kamand taabdarash.
[Eik roz duon’on jahan fikr kay shikar h’on gey aur oss ki kamand-e-
taabdar mein a’jaein gey.]
One day the two worlds fall a prey to it and are caught into its beautiful
lasso.
‫اگر این ھر دو عالم را بگیری‬
‫ تو نمیری‬، ‫ہمہ آفاق میرد‬
Agar ein her duo alam ra bageiri, hamah afaaq mirad, tou na-meiri.
[Agar tou inn duon’on jahan’on ko apni garift mein ley aa’ey, pher saari
kainat ki mout sey bhi tou naheen marta.]
If you conquer both these worlds, you will become immortal even if
everything else dies.
‫منہ پا در بیابان طلب سست‬
‫نخستین گیر آن عالم کہ در تست‬
Ma’neh pa dar biyaban-e-talab sost, nakhastein geir aan alam keh dar
tost.

958
[Biyaban-e-talab mein sost raftari sey nah chal, pehley iss alam ko qabo kar
jo teyrey andar hai (alam-e-nafas).]
Do not set foot in the desert of search lazily; first, take hold of that world
which lies within you.
‫اگر زیری ز خود گیری زبر شو‬
‫خدا خواہی بخود نزدیک تر شو‬
Agar zeiri ’z-khod geiri zabar shuo, Khoda khwahi bakhod nazdik-ter
shuo.
[Agar tou kamzor hai tou taskhir-e-nafas sey zabardast ho ja, agar tou Allah
Ta’ala ka qorb chahta hai tou pehley apney qarib ho.]
If you are low, become strong by conquering the self. If you wish to seek
God, get nearer yourself.
‫بہ تسخیر خود افتادی اگر طاق‬
‫ترا آسان شود تسخیر آفاق‬
Beh taskhir-e-khod aftaadi agar taaq, tera aasan shawud taskhir-e-afaaq.
[Agar tou apni taskhir mein kaamyab ho jaa’ey tuo teyrey leay taskhir-afaaq
asaan ho jaa’ey gi.]
If you become proficient in conquering self, conquering the world will
become easy for you.
‫خنک روزے کہ گیری این جہان را‬
‫شگافی سینہ نہ آسمان را‬
Khonak rozay keh geiri ein jahan ra, shagafi seinah neh aasman ra.
[Mobarik ho-ga woh dinn jabb tou iss kainat ki taskhir kar ley aur inn nou
asman’on ka seinah chhaid dey.]
Happy is the day when you conquer this world, and pierce the bosom of the
skies.
‫گذارد ماہ پیش تو سجودے‬
‫برو پیچی کمند از موج دودے‬
Gozarad mah paish-e-tou sajooday, baro paich-e-kamand az mouj-e-
dooday.
[Pher chand tojhey sajdah karey ga, aur tou apni fikr ki mouj-e-dard sey
kamand daal sakay ga.]

959
The moon will prostrate before you, and you throw over it a lasso of waves
of smoke.
‫درین دیر کہن آزاد باشی‬
‫بتان را بر مراد خود تراشی‬
Darein deir-e-kohan azad baashi, bottaan ra ber morad-e-khod trashi.
[Pher tou iss deir-e-kohan mein khod mokhtar ho-ga, aur bott’on (maqasad)
ko apni khwahish kay motabiq trashey ga.]
You will be free in this ancient world, able to fashion the idols to your
purpose;
‫بکف بردن جہان چار سو را‬
‫مقام نور و صوت و رنگ و بو را‬
Bakaff bordan jahan-e-charsoo ra, moqam-e-noor-o-sout-o-rung-o-boo
ra.
[Pher tou iss jahan kay charsoo ko (jo roshani, awaz, rung aur boo ka jahan
hai) apni mothhi mein ley aa’ey ga.]
To hold in the grasp of your hand all the world of light and sound, of colour
and smell;
‫فزونش کم کم او بیش کردن‬
‫دگرگون بر مراد خویش کردن‬
Fazoonash kum kum oo baish kardan, digargoon ber morad-e-khwaish
kardan.
[Pher tou iss kay ziyadah ko kum aur kum ko ziyadah kar sakkey ga, apni
marzi kay motabiq iss mein tabdili laa sakkey ga.]
To change its quantitative aspect, to mould it according to your purpose;
‫بہ رنج و راحت او دل نبستن‬
‫طلسم نہ سپہر او شکستن‬
Beh runj-o-rahat-e-oo dil nabostan, talism-e-neh sepeher oo shakastan.
[Oss kay nou jahan’on kay talism ko torrney ka matlab yeh hai keh yah’an
kay runj-o-rahat sey dil nah lagaya jaa’ey.]
Not to be captivated by its sorrows and delights to break the spell of its nine
skies;

960
 ‫فرورفتن چو پیکان در ضمیرش‬
‫ندادن گندم خود با شعیرش‬
Frou raftan cho paikan dar zamirash, nadadan gandum-e-khod ba
sha’irash.
[Oss kay zamir mein teer ki tarah otra jaa’ey, aur apni gandum ko (qimati
mata’a) oss kay jaou kay ewaz nah diya jaa’ey.]
To go down into its heart like the point of an arrow, not to exchange your
wheat for its barley;
‫شکوہ خسروی این است این است‬
‫ہمین ملک است کو توام بدین است‬
Shakoh-e-Khosrovi ein ast ein ast, hamein molk ast ko tawam ba-deen ast.
[Bus yehi shakoh-e-Khosrovi hai, yehi sultanat hai jo deen kay saath
jorrw’an hai.]
This is indeed the-true kingly glory; this is the State that is linked to religion.
(Translated by Bashir Ahmad Dar)

QUESTION 2
Sawal Doum  ‫سؤال دوم‬ 
‫چہ بحر است این کہ علمش ساحل آمد‬
‫ز قعر او چہ گوھر حاصل آمد‬
Chih behar ast ein keh ilmash sahil aamad, ’z-qa’ar-e-oo chih gohar hasil
aamad.
[Yeh kaya samandar hai ilm jiss ka sahil hai? Aur oss ki teh sey kon sa moti
hasil hota hai?]
What is this ocean whose shore is knowledge? What is that pearl which is
found in its depth?
Answer  ‫جواب‬

‫حیات پر نفس بحر روانے‬

‫شعور و آگہی او را کرانے‬
Hayat-e-por nafas behar-e-rawaney, shaoor-o-agahi oo ra kiraney.

961
[Hayat-e-insani behar-e-raw’an hai, aur shaoor-o-agahi oss ka kinara hai.]
Ever-moving Life is a flowing ocean, consciousness is its shore.
‫چہ دریائے کہ ژرف و موج داراست‬
‫ہزاران کوہ و صحرا بر کنار است‬
Chih darya’ey keh zzurf-o-mouj daar ast, hazaran koh-o-sehra ber kinaar
ast.
[Yeh darya bohat gehra hai aur iss ki sitah per kaeyi moujein othhti hein, iss
kay kinarey per kaeyi hazar koh-o-sehra hein.]
What an ocean that is deep and surging a thousand mountains and deserts are
on its bank.
‫مپرس از موجہاے بیقرارش‬
‫کہ ہر موجش برون جست از کنارش‬
Mapars az moujha’ey biqararash, keh her moujash baroon jost az
kinarash.
[Iss ki biqarar mouj’on ki baat nah kar, her mouj kinaray sey bahar nikali
parrti hai.]
Don’t talk about its surging waves, for each had overflowed its bank.
‫گذشت از بحر و صحرا را نمے داد‬
‫نگہ را لذت کیف و کمے داد‬
Gozasht az behar-o-sehra ra numay daad, nigah ra lazzat-e-kaif-o-kumay
daad.
[Mouj behar sey bahar nikal kar sehra ko nami atta karti hai, issi sey nigah
ko kaifiyat aur kamiyat ki lazzat hasil hoti hai.]
It left the ocean and imparted moisture to the desert; it gave to the eye the
sense of quantity and quality.
‫ہر آن چیزے کہ آید در حضورش‬
‫منور گردد از فیض شعورش‬
Her aan cheezay keh ayad dar hazoorash, munawwar gardad az faiz-e-
sha’oorash.
[Jo cheez iss kay saamney a’ati hai, woh iss kay shaoor sey faizyaab aur
munawwar ho jaati hai.]

962
Whatever thing comes into its presence gets illumined through the grace of
its consciousness.
‫بخلوت مست و صحبت ناپذیر است‬
‫ولے ہر شے ز نورش مستنیر است‬
Bakhalwat must-o-sohbat napazir ast, walley her sha’ey ’z-noorash
mostanir ast.
[Yeh apni khalwat mein must hai aur sohbat ko pasand nahein karti, oss kay
bawajood her cheez oss kay noor sey munawwar hai.]
It is satisfied with its privacy and is not inclined to association with others,
yet all things are illumined by its light.
‫نخستین می نماید مستنیرش‬
‫کند آخر بہ آئینے اسیرش‬
Nakhastin mi namayad mostanirash, konad aakhar beh aeinay aseerash.
[Pehley apney noor sey ashiya dikhhati hai, ba’ad mein onnhein aeinah sey
moqiyyad kar leyti hai.]
First it brightens it up, then it ensnares it in a mirror.
‫شعورش با جہان نزدیک تر کرد‬
‫جہان او را ز راز او خبر کرد‬
Shaoorash ba jahan nazdik-ter kard, jahan-e-oo ra ’z-raaz-e-oo khabar
kard.
[Oss kay shaoor ney ossey kainat sey nazdik kar diya, pher jahan ney ossey
oss kay raaz ki khabar di.]
Its consciousness makes it familiar with the world, the world made it aware
of its potentiality.
‫خرد بند نقاب از رخ گشودش‬
‫ولیکن نطق عریان تر نمودش‬
Khird bund niqab az rokh kashood, w’laikan notaq oriyan-ter namoodash.
[Khird ney jahan kay chehray sey niqab hataya, laikan notaq ney ossey aur
ziyadah oriy’an kar diya.]
Intellect removes veil from its face, but speech reveals it much better.

963
 ‫نگنجد اندرین دیر مکافات‬
‫جہان او را مقامے از مقامات‬ 
Nagunjad andarin deir-e-makafaat, jahan oo ra moqamey az moqamaat.
[Hayat iss deir-e-makafaat (dunya) mein naheen samati, yeh jahan oss kay
(safar kay mokhtalif) moqamaat mein sey eik moqam hai.]
Yet it is not confined to this mundane world - it is only one of its stages in
the path of evolution.
‫برون از خویش می بینی جہانرا‬
‫در و دشت و یم و صحرا و کان را‬
Baroon az khwaish mi-beini jahan ra, dar-o-dasht-o-yum-o-sehra-o-kaan
ra.
[Tou iss jahan aur iss kay biyaban’on, darya’on, sehra’on, samandar’on aur
kaan’on ko apney aap sey bahar deikhhta hai.]
You look upon the world as existing outside you: These mountains and
deserts, oceans and mines;
‫ما‬ ‫جہان رنگ و بو گلدستٔہ‬
‫ما‬ ‫ز ما آزاد و ھم وابستٔہ‬
Jahan-e-rung-o-boo guldastah-e-ma, ’z-ma azad-o-hum wabastah-e-ma.
[(Naheen) yeh jahan-e-rung-o-boo tuo hamara guldastah hai, yeh hum sey
azad bhi hai aur hum sey wabastah bhi.]
This world of colour and smell is our nosegay; it is independent and yet
intimately related to us.
‫خودی او را بیک تار نگہ بست‬
‫زمین و آسمان و مہر و مہ بست‬
Khodi oo ra bayakk taar nigah bost, zamin-o-asman-o-mehar-o-meh bost.
[Khodi ney iss jahan ki ashiya, zamin-o-asman aur mehar-o-meh ko eik
taar-e-nigah sey baandh rakhha hai.]
The ego bound them all by its one glance: The earth and the sky, the moon
and the sun.

964
 ‫دل ما را بہ او پوشیدہ راہے است‬
‫کہ ہر موجود ممنون نگاہے است‬
Dil-e-ma ra beh oo poshidah rahay ast, keh her moujood mumnoon-e-
nigahay ast.
[Hamarey dil ka iss jahan kay saath poshidah ta’alaq hai, kiyu’onkeh her
moujood chahta hai keh koeyi ossey deikhhney wala ho.]
Our heart has a secret gateway to it, for every existent depends for its
existence upon our perception.
‫گر او را کس نبیند زار گردد‬
‫ یم و کہسار گردد‬، ‫اگر بیند‬
Gar oo ra kas nabeinad zaar gardad, agar beinad, yum-o-kohsaar gardad.
[Agar koeyi ossey nah deikhhey tuo woh ghumzadah hota hai, agar ossey
deikhhey tou pher koh-o-sehra bun jata hai.]
If nobody sees, it becomes contemptible; if anybody sees, it becomes
mountains and oceans.
‫جہان را فربہی از دیدن ما‬
‫نہالش رستہ از بالیدن ما‬
Jahan ra farbehi az deidan-e-ma, nehalash rastah az balidan-e-ma.
[Hamarey deikhhney sey jahan ki afzooni hai, oss kay darakht’on ki namoo
hamari namoo sey hai.]
The world has significance through our seeing it – its tree grows by our
growth.
‫حدیث ناظر و منظور رازے است‬
‫دل ہر ذرہ در عرض نیازے است‬
Hadis-e-naazar-o-manzoor raazey ast, dil-e-her zarrah dar arz-e-niazey
ast.
[Nazar-o-manzoor ki baat eik raaz hai, her zarrey ka dil yeh arz kar raha
hai:]
The problem of subject and object is a mystery; the heart of every particle of
matter is expressing its supplication:

965
 ‫ق‬
‫تو اے شاہد مرا مشہود گردان‬
‫ز فیض یک نظر موجود گردان‬
Tou ay shahid mera mash’hood gardaan, ’z-faiz-e-yakk nazar moujood
gardaan.
[‘Ay shahid! Tou mojhey mash’hood bana, apni eik nazar kay faiz sey
mojhey moujood bana.’]
O observer, make me your object, make me existent by the grace of your
sight.
‫کمال ذات شے موجود بودن‬
‫براے شاہدے مشہود بودن‬
Kamal-e-zaat sha’ey moujood boodan, bara’ey shahiday mash’hood
boodan.
[Kissi sha’ey ki zaat ka kamal moujood hona hai, ya’ani koeyi shahid ossey
mash’hood bana dey.]
The perfection of the being of a thing lies in being present, in becoming an
object for an observer;
‫زوالش در حضور ما نبودن‬
‫منور از شعور ما نبودن‬
Zawaalash dar hazoor-e-ma naboodan, munawwar az shaoor-e-ma
naboodan.
[Aur kissi sha’ey ka zawaal yeh hai keh woh hamari nazar mein nah ho aur
hamarey shaoor sey munawwar nah ho.]
Its defect, not to be before our eyes, not to be illumined by our awareness.
‫جہان غیر از تجلی ہاے ما نیست‬
‫نور و صدا نیست‬ ‫کہ بے ما جلؤہ‬
Jahan-e-ghair az tajali-ha’ey ma neist, keh bey-ma jalwah-e-noor-o-sada
neist.
[Hamari tajaliyat kay baghair jahan kochh naheen, hamarey baghair roshni
aur awaz ka koeyi azhar naheen.]
The world is nothing but our manifestation, for without us there would be no
world of light and sound;

966
 ‫تو ہم از صحبتش یاری طلب کن‬
‫نگہ را از خم و پیچش ادب کن‬
Tou hum az sohbatash yaari talab kon, nigah ra az kham-o-paichash adab
kon.
[Tou abhi oss ki sohbat sey fa’idah othha, aur oss kay kham-o-paich sey
apni nigah ki tarbiyat kar.]
You also should crave help by associating with it; discipline your eyes by its
twists and turns.
’’‫یقین میدان کہ شیران شکاری‬
‫‘‘درین رہ خواستند از مور یاری‬ 
‘Yaqin mi-daan keh sheraan shikari, darein reh khwastand az moor
yaari’.
[‘Samajh ley keh iss rah mein shikari sher, chew’nti sey bhi madad ley leytey
hein.’]
Rest assured that master-huntsmen have sought help in this matter from
insects.
‫بیاری ہاے او از خود خبر گیر‬
‫تو جبریل امینی بال و پر گیر‬
Beyari-ha’ey oo az khod khabar geir, tou Jibril-e-Amini baal-o-per geir.
[Tou oss ki dosti sey khod agahi hasil kar, tou Jibril Amin (ki manind tadbir-
e-kainat karney wala) hai, baal-o-per hasil kar.]
With its help, keep a watchful eye on yourself; you are like Gabriel the
truthful; take wings.
‫بہ بسیاری کشا چشم خرد را‬
‫کہ دریابی تماشاے احد را‬
Beh basiyaari kosha chashm-e-khird ra, keh daryabi tamasha’ey Ahad ra.
[Chashm-e-khird sey kasrat ka tamasha kar ta-keh tou Ahad ka nazarah kar
sakkey. (Kainat per ghor-o-fikr sey ma’arfat-e-Elahi bhi hasil hoti hai aur
insan ki apni salahiyatein bhi ojagar hoti hein’)]
Open the eye of intellect on this world of plurality, so that you may enjoy
the revelations of the One.

967
 ‫نصیبب خود ز بوے پیرہن گیر‬
‫بہ کنعان نکہت از مصر و یمن گیر‬
Nasib-e-khod ’z-boo’ey pairhan geir, beh Kina’an nikhat az Misr-o-
Yaman geir.
[Perhan ki khoshboo sey apna hissah ley, Kina’an mein rehtey ho’ay Misr
sey aaney waali khoshboo pa ley. (Jaisey Yaqoob (A.S.) ney Kina’an mein
baithhey ho’ay kamis-e-Yousuf (A.S.) ki khoshboo pa-li thhi.)]
Take your share from the smell of the shirt, while sitting in Kan‘an, get
fragrance from Egypt and Yemen.
‫خودی صیاد و نخچیرش مہ و مہر‬
‫اسیربند تدبیرش مہ و مہر‬
Khodi siyaad-o-nakhchirash meh-o-mehar, aseer bund-e-tadbirash meh-o-
mehar.
[Khodi shikari hai meh-o-mehar iss ka shikar hai, kainat iss ki tadbir kay
bund mein aseer hai.]
Ego is the hunter, the sun and the moon are its prey; they are chained to the
strings of his intellectual efforts.
‫چو آتش خویش را اندر جہان زن‬
‫شبیخون بر مکان و المکان زن‬
Cho aatash-e-khwaish ra andar jahan zun, shabkhoon ber makan-o-
lamakan zun.
[Tou aatash hai, apney aap ko jahan mein daal, (aur iss tarah) makan-o-
lamakan per shabkhoon mar.]
Throw yourself on this world like fire! Make an assault on the visible and
the invisible worlds alike. (Translated by Bashir Ahmad Dar)

QUESTION 3
Sawal Soum  ‫سؤال‬
‫سوم‬ 
‫وصال ممکن و واجب بہم چیست؟‬
‫حدیث قرب و بعد و بیش و کم چیست؟‬

968
Wasaal-e-momkin-o-wajib cheist? Hadis-e-qorb-o-bo’ad-o-baish-o-kum
cheist?
[Momkin (kainat) aur wajib (Zaat-e-Bari Ta’ala) ka hum wasaal kaisey hai?
Qorb-o-bo’ad aur baish-o-kum ki haqiqat kaya hai?]
What is the union of the contingent and the necessary? What are ‘near-and-
far’, ‘more-and-less’?
Answer  ‫جواب‬

‫سہ پہلو این جہان چون و چند است‬

‫خرد کیف و کم او را کمند است‬
Seh pehlo ein jahan-e-choon-o-chund ast, khird kaif-o-kum-e-oo ra
kamand kard.
[Iss kainat kay teen iba’ad (dimensions) hein, khird-e-jahan kay baish-o-
kum ma’aloom karney waali hai.]
The world of how and why has three dimension intellect controls its
quantitative aspect.
‫جہان طوسی و اقلیدس است این‬
‫پے عقل زمین فرسا بس است این‬
Jahan-e-Toosi-o-Aqlidas ast ein, pey aql-e-zamin farsa bus ast ein.
[Yeh kainat Toosi aur Aqlidas (jaisey riazi-daan’on) ki dunya hai, Zamin per
chalney waali aql kay leay yehi kaafi hai.]
This is the world of Tusi and Euclid: The fit object of earth-measuring
intellect.
‫زمانش ہم مکانش اعتباری است‬
‫زمین و آسمانش اعتباری است‬
Zamanash hum makanash eitibari ast, zamin-o-asmanash eitibari ast.
[Iss kay zaman aur makan duon’on azaafi hein iss kay zamin-o-aasman bhi
eitabari hein. (Maslan jah’an hamari nigah rokk jaati hai woh hamarey leay
aasman hai.)]
Its time and space are relative, and so are its earth and sky.

969
 ‫کمان را زہ کن و آماج دریاب‬
‫معراج دریاب‬ ‫ز حرفم نکتٔہ‬
Kaman ra zeh kon-o-aamaj daryab, ’z-harfam noktah-e-mi’araj daryab.
[Kaman ka challa charrha aur hadaf ko pa ley, meyri baat sey noktah-e-
mi’araj samajhney ki koshish kar.]
Draw your bow and find the target, learn from me the secret of ascension.
‫مجو مطلق درین دیر مکافات‬
‫کہ مطلق نیست جز نورالسموات‬
Majoo motliq darein deir-e-makafaat, keh motliq neist joz Noor-us-
Samawaat.
[Iss deir-e-makafaat (kainat) mein motliq ko nah dhoond, sawa’ey Allah
Ta’atta ki zaat kay aur koeyi motliq naheen. (Allah Ta’ala khod qaim hai
aur baqi her sha’ey Onn ki wajah sey qaim hai.)]
Do not seek the Absolute in this mundane world, for the Absolute is nothing
but the Light of the Heavens.
‫حقیقت الزوال و المکان است‬
‫مگو دیگر کہ عالم بیکران است‬
Haqiqat lazawal-o-lamakan ast, mago deigar keh alam-e-bikaran ast.
[Haqiqat-e-motliq (Allah Ta’ala) lazawal-o-lamak’an hai, kainat kay baarey
mein yeh nah ka’eh keh iss ka kinara koeyi naheen.]
Reality is beyond time and space; don’t say any more that the universe is
without a limit.
‫کران او درون است و برون نیست‬
‫ باال کم فزون نیست‬، ‫درونش پست‬
Kiraan-e-oo daroon ast-o-baroon neist, daroonash pust, bala kum fazoon
neist.
[Kainat ka kinara iss kay andar hai, bahar naheen (iss ki nehaad mein
mehdoodiyat hai), iss kay andaroon mein pusti-o-bolandi aur kumi-o-baishi
naheen.]
Its limit is internal, not external; there are no distinctions of low and high,
more or less, in its internal aspect.

970
 ‫درونش خالی از باال و زیر است‬
‫ولے بیرون او وسعت پذیر است‬
Daroonash khali az bala-o-zir ast, walley baroon-e-oo wosa’at pazir ast.
[Iss ka andaroon bolandi-o-pusti sey khali hai magar iss ka beroon wosa’at
pazir hai. (Issey Hum ney apney haath sey banaya aur bishakk Hum issey
her dum wosa’at dey rehey hein – Qur’an 47:51.)
Its internal aspect is devoid of high and low, but its external aspect is liable
to extension.
‫ابد را عقل ما ناسازگار است‬
’’‫یکی‘‘ از گیر و دار او ہزار است‬
Abud ra aql-e-ma nasaazgar ast, ‘Yakkey’ az geir-o-daar-e-oo hazar ast.
[Hamaari aql abud ko samajhney ki slahiyat naheen rakhhti, wahdat aql ki
pakarr dhakarr sey hazar’on tokrr’on mein monqisam ho jaati hai.]
Infinity is not amenable to our intellect; ‘One’ in its hand becomes a
thousand.
‫چو لنگ است او سکون را دوست دارد‬
‫نبیند مغز و دل بر پوست دارد‬
Cho lung ast oo sakoon ra dost daarad, nabeinad maghz-o-dil ber post
daarad.
[Ch’onkeh aql lungarri hai iss leay woh baithh rehna pasand karti hai, woh
maghaz ko naheen deikhhti sirf chhilkay sey lagao rakhhti hai.]
As it is lame, it likes rest; it does not see the kernel; it therefore looks
towards the shell.
‫حقیقت را چو ما صد پارہ کردیم‬
‫تمیز ثابت و سیارہ کردیم‬
Haqiqat ra cho sadd parah kardaim, tamiz-e-saabit-o-siyyarah kardaim.
[Jabb hum ney haqiqat kay sainkarr’on tokarrey kar di’ay tou oss sey
saabit-o-siyyar ki tameez paida hoeyi.]
As we divided Reality into several spheres, we made a distinction of change
and rest.

971
 ‫خرد در المکان طرح مکان بست‬
‫چو زنارے زمان را بر میان بست‬
Khird dar lamakan tarah-e-makan bost, cho zonnarey-e-zaman ra ber
miyan bost.
[Khird ney lamakan kay andar makan ki boniyad rakhhi, aur pher zaman ko
zonnar ki tarah makan kay gird lapait liya.]
In non-spatial sphere intellect introduced spatial categories, like a belt it
girdled time round its waist.
‫زمان را در ضمیر خود ندیدم‬
‫مہ و سال و شب و روز آفریدم‬
Zaman ra dar zamir-e-khod nadeidam, meh-o-saal-o-shabb-o-roz
aafridam.
[Hum ney apney andar zam’an ko deikhhney ki koshish ki, aur meh-o-saal
aur shabb-o-roz piada kar leay. (Allah Ta’ala kay nazdik waqt eik baseet
aan-e-wahad hai, woh mazi, haal aur mostaqbil mein monqisam naheen.)]
We did not look for time within the depth of our hearts, and so we created
months and years, nights and days.
‫مہ و سالت نمی ارزد بیک جو‬
‫بحرف ’’کم لبثتم‘‘ غوطہ زن شو‬
Mah-o-saalat na-mi arzad beyakk joo, baharf-e-‘kom labistom’ ghotah-
zun shou.
[Meh-o-saal ki koeyi haisiyat naheen, Qur’an-e-Pak kay alfaz ‘kam
labistom’ per ghor kar. (Qiyamat kay roz jabb koffar sey poochha jaa’ey ga
keh tum dunya mein kitna arsah rehey tuo woh kehein gey eik dinn ya oss
sey kum.)]
Your months and years are of no value: just ponder over the Quranic
verse, ‘How long did you remain?’ 
‫بخود رس از سر ہنگامہ بر خیز‬
‫تو خود را در ضمیر خود فرو ریز‬
Bakhod rass az sar-e-hungamah ber khaiz, tou khod ra dar zamir-e-khod
frou raiz.

972
[Apney aap takk poh’nch, bahar kay hungamey chhorr, tou aap apney zamir
kay andar otar ja.]
Reach within yourself and retire from this noisy world, throw yourself into
the inner recesses of your heart.
‫تن و جان را دو تا گفتن کالم است‬
‫تن و جان را دو تا دیدن حرام است‬
Tun-o-jan ra duo ta goftan kalam ast, tun-o-jan ra duo ta deidan haraam
ast.
[Tun-o-jan ko alag alag kaha tuo ja sakta hai, magar onnhein alag alag
samajhna haraam hai.]
To talk of body and soul as two separate entities is wrong; to see them as
two is sinful.
‫بجان پوشیدہ رمز کائنات است‬
‫بدن حالے ز احوال حیات است‬
Bajan poshidah ramz kainat ast, badan haaley ’z-ahwaal-e-hayat ast.
[Jan kay andar kainat ka raaz poshidah hai, badan ahwaal-e-hayat mein sey
eik haal hai.]
The whole secret of the universe lies in the soul, body is one of its modes of
expression.
‫عروس معنی از صورت حنا بست‬
‫نمود خویش را پیرایہ ہا بست‬
Aroos-e-ma’ani az surat-e-henna bost, namood-e-khwaish ra pairaiya’ha
bost.
[Ma’ani ki dulhan surat (ikhtiyar kar kay iss) sey apni ara’ish karti hai,
(goya) woh apni namood kay leay mokhtalif labaas pehanti hai.]
The bride of Reality adorned itself by the henna of form; it assumed
different shapes for its manifestation.
‫حقیقت روے خود را پردہ باف است‬
‫کہ او را لذتے در انکشاف است‬
Haqiqat roo’ey khod ra pardah baaf ast, keh oo ra lazzatey dar inkishaaf
ast.

973
[Haqiqat apney chehray per parday daalti hai, kiyu’onkeh issey monkashif
honay sey lazzat hasil hoti hai.]
Reality weaves veils for its face, for it finds delight in display.
‫بدن را تا فرنگ از جان جدا دید‬
‫نگاہش ملک و دین را ہم دو تا دید‬
Badan ra ta Farang az jan joda deid, nigahash molk-o-deen ra hum duo ta
deid.
[Jabb Farang ney badan ko rooh sey alag deikhha tuo pher oss ney
hakoomat aur mazhab ko bhi joda joda kar diya.]
Since the West viewed body and soul as separate, it also regarded State and
Religion as two.
‫پطرس شمارد‬ ‫کلیسا سبحٔہ‬
‫کہ او با حاکمی کارے ندارد‬
Kalisa sabbah-e-pitrass shomarad, keh ba haakimi kaarey nadarad.
[Kalisa sirf pitrass ki tasbih shomar karta raha, issey hakoomat sey koeyi
sarokaar nah raha.]
The churchman only tells his beads, for he has no work of the State to
perform.
‫بکار حاکمی مکر و فنے بین‬
‫تن بے جان و جان بے تنے بین‬
Ba-kaar-e-haakimi mukr-o-funney bein, tun bi-jan O jan bi-tunney bein.
[Issi ka natijah hai keh wah’an hakoomat mukr-o-fun per mubni hai, tun
bijan ho gaya aur jan bey tun.]
See deceit and artifice in statecraft: It is a body without a soul, or a soul
without a body.
‫خرد را با دل خود ہمسفر کن‬
‫یکے بر ملت ترکان نظر کن‬
Khird ra ba dil-e-khod hum-safar kon, yakkey ber Millat-e-Turkan nazar
kon.
[Tou aql ko dil kay saath ley kar safar (-e-hayat) kar zara Turk quom ko
deikhh.]

974
Make intellect a companion of your heart; behold, for instance, the Turkish
nation.
‫بہ تقلید فرنگ از خود رمیدند‬
‫میان ملک و دین ربطے ندیدند‬
Beh taqlid-e-Farang az khod ramidand, miyan-e-molk-o-deen rabtay
nadeidand.
[Keh Farangiyu’on ki taqlid mein woh apney aap sey door ho ga’ey,
onnh’on ney molk-o-deen meinkoeyi rabt nah deikhha.]
By imitation of the West, the Turks lost their individuality; they did not see
any link between State and Religion.
’’‫یکی‘‘ را آنچنان صد پارہ دیدیم‬
‫عدد بھر شمارش آفریدیم‬
‘Yakkey’ ra aan-chonan sadd parah deidam, adad beher-e-shomarash
aafridam.
[Hum ney wahdat ko iss tarah sainkarr’on tokrr’on mein monqisam deikhha,
keh ossey shomar karney kay leay a’adad eijad kar leay.]
We looked at the One as compound of so many parts that we created
numerals to count it.
‫کہن دیرے کہ بینی مشت خاکست‬
‫دمے از سر گذشت ذات پاکست‬
Kohan deirey keh beini mosht-e-khak’st, dammey az sargozasht-e-Zaat
Pak’st.
[Yeh kohan deir (kainat, makan) jissey tou deikhhta hai mehaz eik mosht-e-
khak hai, (magar) yeh Zaat-e-Pak (Allah Ta’ala) ki sargozasht ka eik lamah
hai.]
Do you think that this ancient world is a handful of earth? It is a fleeting
moment of God’s activity.
‫حکیمان مردہ را صورت نگارند‬
‫ید موسے دم عیسی ندارند‬
Hakiman mordah ra surat nigarand, yadd-e-Mosa dum-e-Isa nadarand.
[Falsafi morday kay badan ki ara’ish kartey rehey, kiyu’onkeh onn kay pass
nah yadd-e-baiza thha nah dum-e-Isa.]

975
The scientists tend to adorn a dead body; they neither possess the Hand of
Moses nor the Breath of Jesus.
‫درین حکمت دلم چیزے ندید است‬
‫براے حکمت دیگر تپید است‬
Darein hikmat dillam cheezay nadeid ast, bara’ey hikmat deigar tapeid ast.
[Meyrey dil ney onn ki hikmat mein kochh naheen deikhha, woh eik aur
hikmat (daanish-e-noorani) kay leay tarrap raha hai.]
I have seen nothing of value in this type of science; I have been craving for a
wisdom of another sort.
‫من این گویم جہان در انقالبست‬
‫درونش زندہ و در پیچ و تابست‬
Mun ein go’eym jahan dar inqilab’st, daroonash zindah-o-dar paich-o-
taab’st.
[Mien yeh kehta h’on keh kainat inqilab mein sey gozar rehi hai, iss ka
andaroon zindah hai aur paich-o-taab khha raha hai.]
I believe that the world is undergoing a revolution, its inside is alive and in
convulsions.
‫ز اعداد و شمار خویش بگذر‬
‫یکے در خود نظر کن پیش بگذر‬
’Z-a’adad-o-shomar-e-khwaish bagozar, yakkey dar khod nazar kon paish
bagozar.
[Tou a’adad-o-shomar sey aagey nikal, zara apney andar nazar daal aur
aagey barrhta ja.]
Pass beyond your numerals, look for a while within your self and leave.
‫در آن عالم کہ جزو از کل فزون است‬
‫قیاس رازی و طوسی جنون است‬
Dar aan alam keh jozv az koll fazoon ast, qiyas-e-Razi-o-Toosi janoon ast.
[Yeh alam jah’an joz (insan) koll (kainat) sey barrh kar hai, Razi aur Toosi
ka qiyas mehaz jan’on hai.]
In a universe where a part is greater than the whole, the calculations of Razi
and Tusi are irrelevant.

976
 ‫زمانے با ارسطو آشنا باش‬
‫دمے با ساز بیکن ھم نوا باش‬
Zamaney ba Arastoo ashna baash, dummey ba saaz Bacon hum-nawa
baash.
[Bishak thhorri dir kay leay Arastoo sey dosti rakhh, kochh waqt Bacon kay
saaz ka humnawa reh;]
For a while familiarize yourself with Aristotle, for another while sit in the
company of Bacon.
‫و لیکن از مقامشان گذر کن‬
‫مشو گم اندرین منزل سفر کن‬
W’laikan az moqamashan gozar kon, ma-shuo gom andarein manzil safar
kon.
[Laikan onn kay moqam sey aag’ey nikal ja, onn ki manzil mein gom nah ho
ja, apna safar jaari rakhh.]
But then you must pass beyond their stand, don’t get lost in this stage,
journey on.
‫بہ آن عقلے کہ داند بیش و کم را‬
‫شناسد اندرون کان و یم را‬
Beh aan aqlay keh danad baish-o-kum ra, shanasad andaroon kaan-o-
yum ra.
[Woh aql jo baish-o-kum janti hai, aur jo kaan aur samandar kay androon
ko pehchanti hai;]
With the aid of that intellect that deals with quantities probe the depths of
mines and oceans;
‫جہان چند و چون زیر نگین کن‬
‫بگردون ماہ و پروین را کمین کن‬
Jahan-e-chund-o-choon zir-nagin kon, bagardoon mah-o-parvin ra
kamein kon.
[Tou oss ki madad sey iss jahan-e-chund-o-ch’on ko apney tehat la, aur
aasman kay meh-o-parvin ki ghhaat mein baithh.]
Master the world of how and why; catch the moon and Pleiades from the
sky.

977
 ‫و لیکن حکمت دیگر بیاموز‬
‫رہان خود را از این مکر شب و روز‬
W’laikan hikmat-e-deigar biamoz, rehaan-e-khod ra az ein mukr-e-shabb-
o-roz.
[Laikan woh jo aur hikmat hai ossey bhi seikhh, aur apney aap ko raat dinn
kay faraib sey reha kar.]
But then learn wisdom of another sort; free yourself from the snare of night
and day.
‫مقام تو برون از روزگار است‬
‫طلب کن آن یمین کو بے یسار است‬
Moqam-e-tou baroon az rozgar ast, talab kon aan yamin-e-ko by yasar ast.
[Teyra moqam iss kainat sey bahar hai, tuo woh yamin talab kar jo yasar
kay baghair ho, (ya’ani woh jahan jo jehaat sey azad hai.)]
Your real place is beyond this mundane world, aspire for a right that is
without a left.
(Translated by Bashir Ahmad Dar)

QUESTION 4
Sawal Charam  ‫سؤال چہارم‬
‫قدیم و محدث از ہم چون جدا شد‬
‫کہ این عالم شد آن دیگر خدا شد‬
‫اگر معروف و عارف ذات پاکست‬
‫چہ سودا در سر این مشت خاکست‬
Qadim-o-mohudas az hum choon joda shod, keh ein alam shod aan deigar
Khoda shod.
Agar ma’aroof-o-arif Zaat-e-Pak’st, chih souda dar sar-e-ein mosht-e-
khak’st.
[Qadim aur mohadus eik doosarey sey kaisey joda ho’ay, keh mohadus
jahan bun gaya aur qadim Khoda raha.
Agar Zaat-e-Pak (Allah Ta’ala) he ma’aroof-o-arif hai tuo pher iss mosht-e-
khak (insan) kay sar mein kaya souda (ishq-e-Zaat-e-Pak) samaya hai.]

978
How did the eternal and temporal separate that one became the world, and
the other God?
If the knower and known are the One pure essence, what are the aspirations
of this handful of earth?
Answer  ‫جواب‬

‫خودی را زندگی ایجاد غیر است‬

‫فراق عارف و معروف خیر است‬
Khodi ra zindagi eijad-e-ghair ast, faraq-e-arif-o-ma’aroof khair ast.
[Takhliq, khodi ki zindagi ka taqaza hai, arif-o-ma’aroof ka farq khair ka
ba’is hai.]
The life of the ego is to bring non-ego into existence, the separation of the
knower and known is good.
‫قدیم و محدث ما از شمار است‬
‫شمار ما طلسم روزگار است‬
Qadim-o-mohudas ma az shomar ast, shomar-e-ma talism-e-rozgar ast.
[Jissey hum qadim aur mahadus kehtey hein yeh hamarey a’adad-o-shomar
ka natijah hai, yeh hamarey tasawwar-e-zam’an ka karishmah hai.]
Our ideas of eternal and temporal are due to our way of reckoning; our
reckoning is the result of the spell of mathematical time.
‫دمادم دوش و فردا می شماریم‬
‫بہ ہست و بود و باشد کار داریم‬
Damadam dosh-o-farda mi shomaraim, beh hust-o-bood-o-bashad kaar-e-
daraim.
[Hum her waqt gozashtah aur a’indah dinn’on ka shomar kartey rehtey
hein, hamari soch mazi, haal aur mostaqbil sey wabastah hai.]
We constantly talk of yesterday and tomorrow, we deal with ‘is’, ‘was’, and
‘might be’.
‫ازو خود را بریدن فطرت ماست‬
‫تپیدن نارسیدن فطرت ماست‬
Az’o khod ra boridan fitrat-e-ma’st, tapeidan naraseidan fitrat-e-ma’st.

979
[Apney aap ko Allah Ta’ala sey joda rakhhna, tarrapna aur (maqsood takk)
nah poh’nchna hamari fitrat hai.]
To sever ourselves from Him is our nature, and also to be restless and not to
reach the goal.
‫نہ ما را در فراق او عیارے‬
‫نہ او را بے وصال ما قرارے‬
Nah ma ra dar faraq-e-oo ayyarey, nah oo ra bi-wasaal-e-ma qararey.
[Nah oss kay faraq sey hamari qadar-o-qimat (kum hoti), nah ossey
hamarey wasaal kay baghair chian hai.]
Neither do we get worth in separation from Him, nor does He feel peace
without union with us;
‫ نہ ما بے او! چہ حال است‬، ‫نہ او بے‬
‫فراق ما فراق اندر وصال است‬
Nah oo bi-ma, nah ma bi-oo! Chih haal ast, faraq-e-ma faraq andar
wasaal ast.
[Nah woh hamarey baghair, nah hum oss kay baghair, yeh kaya surat-e-
haal hai? Hamara faraq, faraq andar wasaal hai.]
Neither He without us, nor we without Him! How strange! Our separation is
separation ‘in’ union.
‫جدائی خاک را بخشد نگاہے‬
‫دہد سرمایہ کوہے بکاہے‬
Jodaeyi khak ra bakhshad nigah’ey, dehud sarmayah-e-koh’ey bakah’ey.
[Jodaeyi Adam-e-khaki ko nigah atta karti hai, yeh tinkay ko paharr ki
sitwat atta karti hai.]
Separation gives to this dust (i.e. man) an insight, it gives the weight of a
mountain to a straw.
‫جدائی عشق را آئینہ دار است‬
‫جدائی عاشقان را سازگار است‬
Jodaeyi ishq ra aeinah-daar ast, jodaeyi ashiq’an ra saazgar ast.
[Jodaeyi ishq paida karney ka sabab bun’ti hai, jodaeyi ashiq’on ko raas
aati hai.]

980
Separation is a token of love; it agrees with the nature of lovers.
‫اگر ما زندہ ایم از دردمندی است‬
‫وگر پایندہ ایم از دردمندی است‬
Agar ma zindahaim az dardmandi ast, w’gar paindahaim az dardmandi
ast.
[Agar hum zindah hein tou (ishq ki) dardmandi kay sabab zindah hein aur
ossi ki wajah sey humein pa’indgi hasil hai.]
If we are alive, it is due to this affliction (of separation), and if we are
immortal, it is due to it.
‫من و او چیست اسرار الہی است‬
‫من و او بر دوام ما گواہی است‬
Mun-o-oo cheist asrar-e-Elahi ast, mun-o-oo ber dawaam-e-ma gawahi
ast.
[‘Mien aur ‘Woh’ kaya hein? Allah Ta’ala kay asrar hein, meyra aur Oss ka
alag alag wajood hamarey dawaam ka saboot hai.]
What is ‘I’ and ‘He’? It is a divine mystery! ‘I’ and ‘He’ are a witness to our
immortality.
‫بخلوت ہم بجلوت نور ذات است‬
‫میان انجمن بودن حیات است‬
Bakhalwat hum bajalwat noor-e-Zaat ast, miyan-e-anjuman boodan hayat
ast.
[Khalwat aur jalwat duon’on jagah Zaat-e-Bari Ta’ala ka noor hai,
anjuman mein hona he zindagi hai.]
The light of the Essence is everywhere, hidden and apparent; to live in
company is real life.
‫محبت دیدہ ور بے انجمن نیست‬
‫محبت خود نگر بے انجمن نیست‬
Mohabat deidah-war bi-anjuman neist, mohabat khod nigar bi-anjuman
neist.
[Anjuman kay baghair mohabat sahib-e-nazar naheen ho sakti, nah anjuman
kay baghair mohabat apney aap ko deikhh sakti hai.]

981
Love does not acquire insight without company, and without company, it
does not become self-conscious.
‫بہ بزم ما تجلی ہاست بنگر‬
‫جہان ناپید و او پیداست بنگر‬
Beh bazm-e-ma tajali-ha’st banigar, jahan napiad O piada’st banigar.
[Hamari bazm mein (Oss ki) tajaliyat hein, deikhh! Jahan moujood naheen
sirf wohi moujood hai, deikhh!]
In our assembly, there are divine manifestations, behold! The world is non-
existent and He is existent, behold.
‫در و دیوار و شہر و کاخ و کو نیست‬
‫کہ اینجا ہیچکس جز ما و او نیست‬
Dar-o-diwar-o-shehar-o-kaakh-o-koo neist, keh einja haich-kas joz ma-o-
Oo neist.
[Yeh dar-o-diwaar, yeh mehal aur shehar naheen hein, yah’an Oss kay aur
hamarey sawa’ey aur kochh naheen.]
Doors and walls, cities, towns and streets are not there, for here there is
nothing existent except we and He.
‫گہے خود را ز ما بیگانہ سازد‬
‫گہے ما را چو سازے می نوازد‬
Gehey khod ra ’z-ma biganah saazad, gehey ma ra cho saazey mi
nawazad.
[Kabi Woh apney aap ko hum sey baiganah rakhhta hai aur kabhi hamein
saaz ki tarah nawazta hai (hamarey andar sey naghmey piada karta hai).]
Sometimes He makes Himself a stranger to us; sometimes He plays upon us
as upon a musical instrument.
‫گہے از سنگ تصویرش تراشیم‬
‫گہے نادیدہ بر وے سجدہ پاشیم‬
Gehey az sung taswirash trashaim, gehey nadeidah baroo’ey sajdah
pashaim.
[Kabhi hum pathar sey Oss ki taswir trashtey hein aur kabhi ossey deikhhey
baghair sajdey kartey hein.]

982
Sometimes we fashion His idol out of stone, sometimes we prostrate before
Him without having seen Him.
‫فطرت دریدیم‬ ‫گہے ہر پردٔہ‬
‫جمال یار بے باکانہ دیدیم‬
Gehey her pardah-e-Fitrat dareidam, jamal-e-yar bi-bakanah deidam.
[Kabhi hum Fitrat kay her pardey ko chaak kar deytey hein aur dost kay
jamal ka bibakanah nazarah kartey hein, (Mi’araj ki taraf asharah hai)]
Sometimes we tear every veil of Nature, and boldly see His beautiful face.
‫چہ سودا در سر این مشت خاکست‬
‫ازین سودا درونش تابناکست‬
Chih souda dar sar-e-ein mosht-e-khak’st, az’ein souda daroonash
taabnak’st.
[Mosht-e-khak kay sar mein yeh kaya souda samaya hai? Issi souda sey tuo
oss ka andaroon roshan hai.]
What fancy has this handful of dust? It is due to this fancy that his inner self
is illumined.
‫چہ خوش سودا کہ نالد از فراقش‬
‫و لیکن ھم ببالد از فراقش‬
Chih khosh souda keh nalad az fraqash, w’laikan hum babalad az
fraqash.
[Yeh kaisa piyara souda hai keh insan Oss kay faraq mein nalah-o-fariyad
bhi karta hai, laikan yehi faraq ossey taraqqi kay madarij bhi ta’ey karata
hai.]
What a nice fancy that he bewails in separation and yet he grows and
develops through it.
‫ نظر کرد‬Ð‫فراق او چنان صاحب‬
‫کہ شام خویش را بر خود سحر کرد‬
Faraq-e-oo chonan sahib-e-nazar kard, keh shaam-e-khwaish ra ber khod
sehar kard.
[Faraq ney ossey itna sahib-e-nazar kar diya keh oss ney apney (faraq ki)
raat ko apney leay sehar bana liya.]

983
This separation developed in him such a spiritual insight, that he turned his
dusk into a dawn.
‫ امتحان ساخت‬ ‫خودی را دردمند‬
‫غم دیرینہ را عیش جوان ساخت‬
Khodi ra dardmand imtihan saakht, ghum-e-deirinah ra aish-e-jawan
saakht.
[(Insani) khodi ko (faraq kay) imtihan mein nah daal kar dardmandi atta ki.
(aur iss tarah) Oss kay ghum-e-kohnah ko aish-e-jaw’an bana diya.]
He made the ego subject to affliction: Thus turned the ancient grief into an
ever-living joy.
‫گہر ہا سلک سلک از چشم تر برد‬
‫ز نخل ماتمے شیرین ثمر برد‬
Gohar-ha salk salk az chashm-ter bord, ’z-nakhal-e-maatamey shirin
samar bord.
[Oss ney apni chashm-e-tar kay anso’on sey motiyu’on ki larriyu’an hasil
kein, goya ‘nakhl-e-matam’ sey mithha phhal paya. (‘nakhl-e-matam’
Moharam kay dinn’on sey mota’aliq istilah hai)]
He got strings of pearls from the tears of his eyes from the tree of bewailing
he got sweet fruit.
‫خودی را تنگ در آغوش کردن‬
‫فنا را با بقا ہم دوش کردن‬
Khodi ra tung dar aghosh kardan, fana ra ba baqa hum-dosh kardan.
[Khodi ko pori tarah apna leyna, goya fana ko baqa ko akathha kar deyna
hai.]
To press the ego tightly to the bosom is to turn death into everlasting life.
‫محبت در گرہ بستن مقامات‬
‫محبت در گذشتن از نہایات‬
Mohabat dar girah bostan moqamaat, mohabat dar gozashtan az
nehayaat.
[Mohabat kaya hai? Moqamaat ko apney qabzey mein karna. Mohabat kaya
hai? Nehayaat sey gozar jana (mohabat ki intiha koeyi naheen).]

984
What is Love? It is to tie all the different stages in a knot. What is Love? It is
to pass beyond all goals.
‫محبت ذوق انجامے ندارد‬ 
‫طلوع صبح او شامے ندارد‬
Mohabat zouq-e-anjamey nadarad, taloo-e-sobh-e-oo shaamey nadarad.
[Mohabat mein ikhtitaam ki baat naheen, oss ki roshan sobh kabhi shaam
mein tabdil naheen hoti.]
Love does not know of any termination, its dawn has no dusk.
‫براہش چون خرد پیچ و خمے ہست‬
‫جہانے در فروغ یکدمے ہست‬
Barahash choon khird paich-o-khammey hust, jahaney dar farogh yakk
dummey hust.
[Agarchih khird ki tarah iss ki rah mein (bhi) paich-o-kham hai, (magar) oss
ka jahan aisi chamak sey (ibarat) hai, jo eik dum zahar hoti hai.]
There are no bends in its way as in that of intellect, in its lustre of a moment,
there is a world.
‫ہزاران عالم افتد در رہ ما‬
‫بپایان کے رسد جوالنگہ ما‬
Hazaran alam aftad dar reh-e-ma, bapayan kay rasad jolaan geh-e-ma.
[Hamarey raastey mein kaeyi jahan aatey hein, hamari koshish ka maidan
kabhi khatam naheen ho sakta.]
Thousands of worlds lie along our path, how can our endeavours reach their
finale?
‫مسافر جاودان زی جاودان میر‬
‫جہانے را کہ پیش آید فراگیر‬
Mosafir javidaan zei javidaan meir, jahaney ra keh paish ayad farageir.
[Mosafir (-e-rah-e-ishq) baar baar fana ho aur her baar naeyi zindagi pa, jo
jahan teyrey saamney aa’ey, ossey apney qabzey mein kar ley. (Eik jahan
mein marna doosray jahan mein zindagi pana hai).]
O traveler I live for ever and die for ever, take hold of the world that comes
before you.

985
 ‫بہ بحرش گم شدن انجام ما نیست‬
‫اگر او را تو در گیری فنا نیست‬
Beh Beharash gom shodan anjam-e-ma neist, agar oo ra tou dar geiri
fana neist.
[Allah Ta’ala kay behar mein gom ho jana hamara anjam naheen hai, agar
tou issey apna ley, tuo pher teyrey leay fana naheen.]
It is not the goal of our journey to merge ourselves in His Ocean. If you
catch hold of Him, it is not fana (extinction).
‫خودی اندر خودی گنجد محال است‬
‫خودی را عین خود بودن کمال است‬
Khodi andar khodi gunjad mohaal ast, khodi ra ain khod boodan kamal
ast.
[Khodi ko khodi mein sama jana mohaal hai, khodi ka apna aap banana he
iss ka kamal hai. (Kehta hai kon wasal mein rehta naheen wajood-e-Zaat;
qatrey ki baat aur hai, gohar ki shan aur.)]
It is impossible for an ego to be absorbed in another ego, for the ego to be
itself is its perfection.
(Translated by Bashir Ahmad Dar)

QUESTION 5
Sawal Panjam ‫سؤال پنجم‬ 
‫کہ من باشم مرا از من خبر کن‬
‫‘‘چہ معنی دارد ’’اندر خود سفر کن‬
Keh mun basham mera az mun khabar kon, chih ma’ani darad ‘andar
khod safar kon’.
[Mien kon h’on, mojhey ‘mien’ ki khabar dein. ‘Apney andar safar kar’ kay
kaya ma’ani hein?]
What am I? Tell me what ‘I’ means. What is the meaning of ‘travel into
yourself’?

986
Answer  ‫جواب‬

‫خودی تعویذ حفظ کائنات است‬

‫نخستین پرتو ذاتش حیات است‬
Khodi ta’awiz-e-hifz-e-kainat ast, nakhastein partav-e-zaatash hayat ast.
[Khodi kainat ki hefazat kay leay ta’awiz hai, khodi ka pehla pertuo hayat
hai.]
Ego is the amulet for the protection of the universe. The first ray of its
essence is Life.
‫حیات از خواب خوش بیدار گردد‬
‫درونش چون یکی بسیار گردد‬
Hayat az khwab-e-khosh bidaar gardad, daroonash choon yakkey basiyar
gardad.
[Jabb hayat kay andar wahdat kasrat bani, tuo woh gehri neind sey bidaar
hoeyi.]
Life awakens from its sweet dream, its inside, which is one, becomes many.
‫نہ او را بے نمود ما کشودے‬
‫نہ ما را بے کشود او نمودے‬
Nah oo ra bey namood-e-ma kashoodey, nah ma ra bey kashood-e-oo
namoodey.
[Nah hamari namood kay baghair oss ki safaat ka azhar hai, aur nah oss
kay azhar kay baghair hamari namood hai.]
Neither it develops without our expansion, nor do we expand without its
development.
‫ضمیرش بحر ناپیدا کنارے‬
‫دل ہر قطرہ موج بیقرارے‬
Zamirash behar-e-napiada kanarey, dil-e-her qatrah-e-mouj bi-qararey.
[Khodi ka zamir behar-e-napiada kanar hai, iss behar kay her qatrah kay
andar mouj-e-biqarar poshidah hai.]
Its inner core is a shoreless sea; the heart of every drop is a tumultuous
wave.

987
 ‫سر و برگ شکیبائی ندارد‬
‫بجز افراد پیدائی ندارد‬
Sar’o burg-e-shakibaeyi nadarad, bajoz afraad paidaeyi nadarad.
[Khodi istrihat na-ashna hai, iss ka azhar afraad (-e-insani) kay alawah aur
kissi sha’ey mein naheen.]
It has no inclination to rest; its manifestation is nothing but individuals.
‫حیات آتش خودیہا چون شررہا‬
‫چو انجم ثابت و اندر سفر ہا‬ 
Hayat aatish-e-khodi-ha choon sharar-ha, cho anjam saabit-o-andar
safar-ha.
[Hayat aag hai aur insani khodi sharar’on ki manind hai, yeh shararey
sitar’on ki tarah apni jagah qaim bhi hein aur apna safar bhi jaari rakhhtey
hein.]
Life is fire and egos are like its flames; like stars they are (both) stationary
and moving.
‫ز خود نا رفتہ بیرون غیر بین است‬
‫میان انجمن خلوت نشین است‬
’Z-khod na-raftah bairoon-e-ghair bein ast, miyan-e-anjuman khalwat
nashin ast.
[Yeh apney aap ko nazar-andaz keay baghair ghair bhi apney aap sey bahar
deikhhti hai (goya) yeh anjuman kay darmiyan khalwat nashin hai.]
Without going outside, it looks towards others; though in company, is yet in
privacy.
‫یکے بنگر بخود پیچیدن او‬
‫ز خاک پے سپر بالیدن او‬
Yakkey banigar bakhod paichidan oo, ’z-khak pey seper baalidan oo.
[Zara iss ko apney aap sey wabastah rehna deikhho woh kis tarah khak-e-
pamaal sey obharti aur nashav-o-noma paati hai.]
Just see its self-meditation; it develops out of the trodden earth.

988
 ‫نہان از دیدہ ہا در ہاے و ہوئے‬
‫دمادم جستجوے رنگ و بوئے‬
Nehan az deidah-ha dar ha’ey-o-hoo’ey, damadum jostajoo’ey rung-o-
boo’ey.
[Oss ki kashmakash ankhh’on sey poshidah hai, woh her dum rung-o-boo ki
jostajoo (kainat kay raaz jananey) mein rehti hai.]
Hidden from the eyes, it is in tumult, it is constantly in search of adornment.
‫ز سوز اندرون در جست و خیز است‬
‫بہ آئینے کہ با خود در ستیز است‬
’Z-soz andaroon dar jost-o-khaiz ast, beh aeinay keh ba-khod dar sataiz
ast.
[Woh apney soz-e-andaroon kay sabab jadd-o-jehad mein masroof aur her
dum apney aap sey nabard aazma hai.]
It is in perpetual activity through its internal ardour, as if it is at war with
itself.
‫جہان را از ستیز او نظامے‬
‫کف خاک از ستیز آئینہ فامے‬
Jahan ra az sataiz oo nizamay, kaff-e-khak az sataiz aeinah faamay.
[Oss ki jadd-o-jehad sey jahan ka nizam qaim hai aur oss sey khod insan ki
khak aeiney ki manind chamakdar ho jaati hai.]
The world gets order through this strife of the ego! A handful of dust
becomes translucent through strife.
‫نریزد جز خودی از پرتو او‬
‫نخیزد جز گہر اندر زو او‬
Naraizad joz khodi az pertav-e-oo, nakhaizad joz gohar andar zuo-e-oo.
[Khodi kay pertuo sey sawa’ey khodi kay kochh piada naheen hota oss kay
samandar kay andar sey sawa’ey moti kay kochh naheen nikalta.]
From its ray, nothing comes into being save egos, from its sea, nothing
appears save pearls.

989
 ‫خودی را پیکر خاکی حجاب است‬
‫طلوع او مثال آفتاب است‬
Khodi ra paikar-e-khaki hijab ast, taloo-e-oo misal-e-aftab ast.
[Khodi kay leay paikar-e-khaki hijab hai, yeh badan kay andar sey aisey
talo’a hoti hai, jaisey sooraj.]
The earthly garb is a veil for khudi; its appearance is like the rising of the
sun.
‫ما خاور او‬ ‫درون سینٔہ‬
‫فروغ خاک ما از جوہر او‬
Daroon-e-seinah-e-ma khawar-e-oo, farogh-e-khak-e-ma az johar-e-oo.
[Hamara seinah oss ka mutla’a hai, hamari khak ki tabaani oss kay johar ki
marhoon-e-mannat hai.]
In the innermost heart of ours is its sun, our dust is illumined through its
potency.
‫تو میگوئی مرا از ’’من‘‘ خبر کن‬
‫چہ معنی دارد ’’اندر خود سفرکن‘‘؟‬
Tou mi-goeyi mera az ‘mun’ khabar kon, chih ma’ani darad ‘andar khod
safar kon’?
[Tou kehta hai keh mojhey ‘mien’ ki khabar duo, mojhey bata’o keh ‘apney
andar safar karney’ kay kaya ma’ani hein?]
You ask to be informed about ‘I’, and what is meant by ‘travel into
yourself’.  
‫ترا گفتم کہ ربط جان و تن چیست‬
‫سفر در خود کن و بنگر کہ ’’من ‘‘چیست‬
Tera goftam keh rabt-e-jan-o-tun cheist, safar dar khod kon O banigar
keh ‘mun’ cheist.
[Mien tomhein bata choka h’on keh jan-o-tun ka rabt kaya cheez hai, abb
apney andar safar kar aur deikhh keh ‘mien’ kaya hai?]
I informed you about the relation of body and soul travel into yourself and
see what ‘I’ is.

990
 ‫سفر در خویش زادن بے اب و مام‬
‫ثریا را گرفتن از لب بام‬
Safar dar khwaish zaadan bi-abb-o-maam, suriya ra gariftan az lub-e-
baam.
[Apney andar safar? Ma’n baap kay baghair (az sar-e-nau) paida hona hai,
yeh chhat kay kinarey sey suriya ki pakarr leyna hai.]
To travel into self: It is to be born without father and mother, to catch
Pleiades from the edge of the roof;
‫ابد بردن بیک دم اضطرابے‬
‫تماشا بے شعاع آفتابے‬
Abud bordan bayakk dum-e-iztirabey, tamasha bi-sho’a-e-aftabey.
[Yeh eik lamah kay iztirab sey abud pa leyna hai, yeh sooraj ki roshni kay
baghair (apney andar ki roshni sey) nazarah karna hai.]
To hold eternity with a single stroke of anguish, to see without the rays of
the sun;
‫ستردن نقش ہر امید و بیمے‬
‫زدن چاکے بہ دریا چون کلیمے‬
Satardan naqsh her ummeid-o-beimay, zadan chaakey beh darya choon
Kalimay.
[Yeh her ummeid-o-khouf ka naqsh mita deyna aur Mosa (A.S.) ki tarah
darya ko duo tokarrey kar deyna hai. (Saamney samandar thha, peichhey
Far’on ka lashkar, magar Mosa (A.S.) per ghhabrahat taari nah hoeyi.)]
To obliterate every sign of hope and fear, to sunder the river like Moses;
‫شکستن این طلسم بحر و بر را‬
‫ز انگشتے شگافیدن قمر را‬
Shakastan ein talism-e-behar-o-ber ra, ’z-angoshtey shagafidan qamar ra.
[Yeh iss behar-o-ber kay talism ko torrna, aur ongli kay asharey sey chand
ko duo tokarrey kar deyna. (Mojazah-e-shaq-al-qamar ki taraf asharah
hai.)]
To break this spell of sea and land, to split the moon with a finger.

991
 ‫چنان باز آمدن از المکانش‬
‫درون سینہ او در کف جہانش‬
Chonan baaz aamdan az la-makanash, daroon-e-seinah-e-oo dar kaff
jahanash.
[Yeh Allah Ta’ala kay la-mak’an sey iss tarah wapas ana hai, keh seinay kay
andar woh ho aur Oss ka jahan mothhi mein ho. (Waqi’ah-e-Mi’raj ki taraf
asharah hai.)]
So to return from this experience of the spaceless world, that it is within his
heart, and the world in his hand.
‫ولے این راز را گفتن محال است‬
‫کہ دیدن شیشہ و گفتن سفال است‬
Walley ein raaz ra goftan mohaal ast, keh deidan shishah-o-goftan sifaal
ast.
[Magar iss raaz ko biyan karna moshkil hai, deid shishah hai aur biyan
sifaal.]
But it is difficult to unravel this secret: Here ‘seeing’ is valuable
and ‘describing’ worthless.
‫چہ گویم از ’’من‘‘ و از توش و تابش‬
‫کند’’ انا عرضنا‘‘ بے نقابش‬
Chih go’eym az ‘mun’ O az tawash-o-taabash, konad ‘ana aradhna’ bey
niqabash.
[‘Mien’ ka aur iss ki taab-o-taw’an ka kaya biyan kar’on; ayah-e-jalilah
‘inna aradhna’ ossey biniqab kar rehi hai. (Amanat ka bojh jo kissi aur ney
naheen othhaya woh insan ney othha liya.)]
What can I say about ‘I’ and its brilliance? It is manifest from the Quranic
text, ‘We proposed’.
‫فلک را لرزہ بر تن از فر او‬
‫زمان و ھم مکان اندر بر او‬
Falak ra larzah ber tun az fur-e-oo, zaman-o-hum makan andar ber-e-oo.
[Oss ki shaan-o-shoukat sey falak larzah ber andaam hai, zaman-o-mak’an
duon’on oss kay pehlo (garift) mein hein.]
The heavens are in terror of its glory, time and space are in its grip.

992
 ‫نشیمن را دل آدم نہاد است‬
‫نصیب مشت خاکے او فتاد است‬
Nashiman ra dil-e-Adam nehad ast, nasib-e-mosht-e-khakey oo fataad ast.
[Khodi ney Adam kay dil mein apna nashaiman banaya, (Sobhan Allah!)
issey pana mosht-e-khak kay nasib mein ho’a.]
It sought refuge in the heart of man, and has fallen to the lot of this handful
of dust.
‫غیر‬ ‫جدا از غیر و ھم وابستٔہ‬
‫غیر‬ ‫گم اندر خویش و ہم پیوستٔہ‬
Joda az ghair-o-hum wabastah-e-ghair, gom andar khwaish-o-hum
paiwastah-e-ghair.
[Yeh ghair sey joda bhi hai aur oss sey wabastah bhi, apney andar gom bhi
hai aur doosr’on sey paiwastah bhi.]
It is distinct from the other and yet related to it, is lost within itself and yet
conjoined with the other.
‫خیال اندر کف خاکے چسان است‬
‫کہ سیرش بے مکان و بے زمان است‬
Khayal andar kaff-e-khakey chasaan ast? Keh sairash bey makan-o-bey
zaman ast.
[Kaff-e-khak kay andar ‘tafakkar’ iss tarah hai keh, oss ki sair zaman-o-
mak’an sey mawara hai.]
What kind of aspiration this handful of dust has that its flight is beyond the
limitations of time and space.
‫بزندان است و آزاد است این چیست‬
‫کمند و صید و صیاد است این چیست‬
Bazindaan ast-o-azad ast ein cheist? Kamand-o-siad-o-siyaad ast ein
cheist?
[Khodi qiadkhaney mein bhi hai aur azad bhi, yeh kaya maajra hai? Yeh
shikari bhi hai, kamand bhi aur shikar bhi. (Badan mein qiad bhi hai aur oss
kay tug-o-taaz sey badan sey mawara bhi hai.)]
It is in prison and yet free! What is this? It is the lasso, the prey, and the
hunter! What is this?

993
 ‫تست‬ ‫چراغے در میان سینٔہ‬
‫تست‬ ‫چہ نور است این کہ در آئینٔہ‬
Chiragh-e-darmiyan-e-seinah-e-to’st, chih noor ast ein keh dar aeinah-e-
to’st?
[Teyrey seinay kay andar chiragh (khodi) hai, yeh ajeeb noor hai jo teyrey
(qalb kay) aeiney mein hai.]
There is a lamp within your heart; what is this light which is in your mirror?
‫مشو غافل کہ تو او را امینی‬
‫چہ نادانی کہ سوے خود نبینی‬
Mashuo ghafil keh tou oo ra amini, chih nadaani keh soo’ey khod na-
beini.
[Ghafil nah ho, tou iss noor-e-khodi ka amin hai, tou kittna nadan hai keh
apney aap ki taraf naheen deikhhta.]
Don’t be negligent; you are its trustee, what folly that you do not look within
your self! (Translated by Bashir Ahmad Dar)

QUESTION 6
Sawal Shasham ‫سؤال ششم‬
‫چہ جزو است آنکہ او از کل فزون است‬
‫طریق جستن آن جزو چون است‬
Chih jozv ast aan-keh oo az koll fazoon ast, tariq jostan aan jozv choon
ast?
[Woh ‘jozv’ kaya hai jo koll (kainat) sey barrh kar hai? Aur oss jozv kay
paaney ka tariqah kaya hai?]
What is that part which is greater than its whole? What is the way to find
that part?
Answer  ‫جواب‬

‫خودی ز اندازہ ہاے ما فزون است‬

‫خودی زان کل کہ تو بینی فزون است‬
Khodi az andazah-ha’ey ma fazoon ast, khodi ’z-aan koll keh tou beini
fazoon ast.

994
[Khodi hamarey andazey sey bhi barrh kar hai, aur iss koll sey bhi (jissey
tou deikhhta hai.]
Ego is greater than what we imagine it to be; ego is greater than the whole
which you see.
‫ز گردون بار بار افتد کہ خیزد‬
‫بہ بحر روزگار افتد کہ خیزد‬
’Z-gardoon baar baar aftad keh khaizad, beh behar-e-rozgar aftad keh
khaizad.
[(Yeh aasmani cheez hai aur) aasman sey baar baar girti hai ta-keh othhey,
yeh zamaney kay samandar mein girti hai ta-keh obhray.]
It falls from the heaven again and again to rise; it falls into the sea of the
world to rise.
‫جز او در زیر گردون خود نگر کیست؟‬
‫بہ بے بالی چنان پرواز گر کیست؟‬
Joz oo dar zir-e-gardoon khod nigar keist? Beh bey baaley chonan pervaaz
gar keist?
[Aasman kay neichey iss kay alawah aur kon khod nigar hai? Per-o-baal
kay baghair iss ki tarah aur kon boland perwaaz hai?]
Who else in the world is self-conscious? Who else can fly without wings?
‫بہ ظلمت ماندہ و نورے در آغوش‬
‫برون از جنت و حورے در آغوش‬
Beh zolmat mandah-o-noorey dar aaghosh, baroon az jannat-o-hoorey dar
aaghosh.
[Yeh (badan ki) zolmat mein hoti hoeyi apni aaghosh mein noor rakhhti hai,
yeh jannat sey bahar hai, magar Hoor iss kay pehlo mein hai.]
It lies in darkness and yet has a light in its bosom, outside the paradise and
yet has a houri in embrace!
‫بہ آن نطقے دل آویزے کہ دارد‬
‫ز قعر زندگی گوہر بر آرد‬
Beh aan notqey dil awaizey keh daarad, ’z-qa’ar-e-zindagi gohar ber
aarad.

995
[Dil lobhaney waali qowwat-e-goyaeyi kay ba’is, yeh darya-e-zindagi ki teh
sey moti nikal laati hai.]
With the charming wisdom that it possesses, it brings out pearls from the
depth of life.
‫ضمیر زندگانی جاودانی است‬
‫بچشم ظاہرش بینی زمانی است‬
Zamir-e-zindgani javidaani ast, bachashm-e-zaharash beini zamani ast.
[Zamir-e-hayat javidani hai, agarchih zahar ki ankhh sey deikhha jaa’ey tuo
yeh zamani nazar ata hai.]
The impulse of life is eternal, but looked at from outside, it is bound by time.
‫بہ تقدیرش مقام ہست و بود است‬
‫نمود خویش و حفظ این نمود است‬
Beh taqdirash moqam-e-hust-o-bood ast, namood-e-khwaish-o-hifz-e-ein
namood ast.
[Moqam-e-hust-o-bood (dunya) mein rakhha jana iss ki taqdir hai, issi sey
iss ki namood (salahiyat’on ka azhar) hai aur pher yeh apni namood ki
hefazat bhi karti hai.]
Upon its destiny depends the position of this universe, its manifestation and
preservation of it.
‫چہ میپرسی چہ گون است و چہ گون نیست‬
‫کہ تقدیر از نھاد او برون نیست‬
Chih maporsi chih goon ast-o-chih goon neist, keh taqdir az nehaad-e-oo
baroon neist.
[Tou kaya poochhta hai keh yeh kaisi hai aur kaisi naheen hai? (Itna samajh
ley) keh taqdir oss kay zamir (sarisht) sey bahar naheen (khod apni taqdir
hai).]
What do you ask about its nature? Destiny is not something separate from its
nature.
‫چہ گویم از چگون و بے چگونش‬
‫برون مجبور و مختار اندرونش‬
Chih goeym az chagoon-o-bey chagoonash, baroon majboor-o-mokhtar
andaroonash.

996
[Yeh kaya hai aur kaya naheen hai, mien iss kay baarey mein kaya kah’on?
Bahar sey yeh majboor nazar aati hai magar andar sey mokhtar hai.]
What should I say about its character? Outwardly it is determined, inwardly
it is free.
‫سلطان بدر است‬ ‫چنین فرمودٔہ‬
‫کہ ایمان در میان جبر و قدر است‬
Chonin farmoodah-e-Sultan-e-Badr ast, keh iman dar miyan-e-jabr-o-
qadr ast.
[Janab Rasool-e-Akram (S.A.W.) ka yehi farman hai keh ‘iman jabr-o-qadr
kay darmiyan hai’.]
Such is the saying of the Lord of Badr, that faith lies between determinism
and indeterminism.
‫تو ہر مخلوق را مجبور گوئی‬
‫اسیر بند نزد و دور گوئی‬
Tou her makhlooq ra majboor goeyi, aseer bund-e-nizd-o-door goeyi.
[Tou her makhlooq ko majboor kehta hai kiyu’onkeh woh nizd-o-door
(zaman-o-makan) ki aseer hai.]
You call every creature to be determined, to be confined to the chains
of ‘near’ and ‘far’.  
‫ولے جان از دم جان آفرین است‬
‫بہ چندین جلوہ ہا خلوت نشین است‬
Walley jan az dum-e-Jan Aafrin ast, beh chundein jalwah-ha khalwat
nashin ast.
[Magar rooh jo Allah Ta’ala ki rooh mein sey phhonki hoeyi hai, aur apney
saarey mazahar kay bawajood khalwat nashin hai.]
But the soul is from the breath of the Creator, which lives in privacy with all
its manifestations.
‫ز جبر او حدیثے در میان نیست‬
‫کہ جان بے فطرت آزاد جان نیست‬
’Z-jabr-e-oo hadisey dar miyan neist, keh jan bey fitrat-e-azad jan neist.
[Oss ki majboori ka sawal he paida naheen hota, agar rooh apni fitrat kay
lehaaz sey azad naheen tuo woh rooh he naheen.]

997
Determinism with regard to it is out of question, for soul without freedom is
not a soul.
‫شبیخون بر جہان کیف و کم زد‬
‫ز مجبوری بہ مختاری قدم زد‬
Shabkhoon ber jahan-e-kaif-o-kum zadd, ’z-majboori beh mokhtari
qadam zadd.
[Oss ney kum-o-baish kay jahan (dunya) per shabkhoon mara, aur iss tarah
majboori (badan mein honay) kay bawajood mokhtari ki taraf qadam
barrhaya.]
It lay in ambush on this world of quantitative measurements. From
determinism it passed over to freedom.
‫چو از خود گرد مجبوری فشاند‬
‫جہان خویش را چون ناقہ راند‬
Cho az khod gard-e-majboori fashanad, jahan-e-khwaish ra choon naqah
ranad.
[Jabb oss ney apney aap sey majboori ki gard jhatak di, tuo pher jahan per
sawar ho kar ossey naqah ki tarah chalaya. (Ayam ka markab naheen, rakib
hai qalandar.)]
When it (ego) removes from itself the dust of determinism, it drives its
world like a camel.
‫نگردد آسمان بے رخصت او‬
‫نتابد اخترے بے شفقت او‬
Nagardad aasman bey rokhsat-e-oo, natabad akhtarey bey shafqat-e-oo.
[Nah asman oss ki ajazat kay baghair ghhoomta hai, aur nah sitarah oss ki
tawajoh kay baghair chamakta hai.]
The sky does not revolve without its permission, nor do stars shine without
its grace.
‫کند بے پردہ روزے مضمرش را‬
‫بچشم خویش بیند جوہرش را‬
Konad bey pardah rozey mozmarash ra, bachashm-e-khwaish beinad
joharash ra,

998
[Woh zamaney kay poshidah dinn (aaney waaley waqiyat) per sey pardah
hatati hai, aur apni nigah sey iss kay andaroon mein otar jaati hai.]
One day it reveals its hidden nature, and sees its essence with its own eyes.
‫قطار نوریان در رھگذار است‬
‫پے دیدار او در انتظار است‬
Qataar-e-nooriyan dar rahgozar ast, pey deidar-e-oo dar intizar ast.
[Noori oss kay rastay mein qataar baandhey khharray hotay hein, aur oss
kay deidar ka intizar kartey hein.]
Rows of heavenly choir stand on either side of the road, waiting for a
glimpse of its countenance.
‫شراب افرشتہ از تاکش بگیرد‬
‫عیار خویش از خاکش بگیرد‬
Sharab-e-afrishtah az taakash bageirad, ayyar-e-khwaish az khakash
bageirad.
[Farishtah oss kay taakistan sey sharab hasil karta hai, aur oss ki khak ko
apney leay mi’yar thherta hai.]
The angel gets wine from its vine; it gets significance from its earth.
‫چہ پرسی از طریق جستجویش‬
‫فرو آرد مقام ہاے و ہویش‬
Chih porsi az tariq-e-jostajooaish, frou aarad moqam-e-haa’ey-o-hooaish.
[Tuo oss kay tariq-e-jostajoo kay baarey mein poochhta hai, ishq-o-musti
kay moqam mein a’a (ta-keh tou ossey ma’aloom kar sakkey)]
You ask about the way of its seeking; come down to the state of lamentation.
‫شب و روزے کہ داری بر ابد زن‬
‫فغان صبحگاہے بر خرد زن‬
Shabb-o-rozey keh daari ber abud zann, foghan-e-sobh gahey ber khird
zann.
[Apney shabb-o-roz ko abud kay moqabilay mein laa, aur foghan-e-sobh-
gahi sey apni aql ki tarbiyat kar.]
Change your days and nights for eternity, change from intellect to the
morning lamentation (intuition).

999
 ‫خرد را از حواس آید متاعے‬
‫فغان از عشق می گیرد شعاعے‬
Khird ra az hawas ayad mata’ay, foghan az ishq mi-geirad shoa’ay.
[Khird hawas-e-zahari sey saman hasil karti hai, aur foghan-e-ishq sey
roshni paati hai.]
Intellect has its source in senses, lamentation gets light from love.
‫خرد جز را فغان کل را بگیرد‬
‫خرد میرد فغان ہرگز نمیرد‬
Khird joz ra, fogh’an koll ra bageirad, khird meirad, fogh’an hergiz
nameirad.
[Khird ‘jozv’ ko aur ishq ‘koll’ ko garift mein lata hai, khird ko fana hai,
ishq ko hergiz fana naheen.]
Intellect grasps the part, lamentation the whole. Intellect dies but
lamentation is immortal.
‫خرد بہر ابد ظرفے ندارد‬
‫نفس چون سوزن ساعت شمارد‬
Khird beher-e-abud zarfay nadarad, nafas chon sozan sa’at shomarad.
[Khird ka zarf itna naheen keh abud ko samajh sakkey, woh ghharri ki
sooeyi ki tarah waqt kay shomar mein rehti hai.]
Intellect has no categories to comprehend eternity; it counts moments as the
hands of the watch.
‫تراشد روز ہا شب ہا سحر ہا‬
‫نگیرد شعلہ و چیند شرر ہا‬
Trashad roz-ha shabb-ha, sehar-ha, nageirad shoalah-o-cheinad sharar-
ha.
[Khird dinn, raat aur sobh trashti hai, woh shoalay ko naheen pakarrti,
sharar chonti rehti hai.]
It contrives days and nights and mornings; it cannot catch the flames;
therefore it takes on sparks.

1000
 ‫فغان عاشقان انجام کارے است‬
‫نہان در یکدم او روزگارے است‬
Foghan-e-ashiqan anjaam kaarey ast, nehan yakk dum-e-oo rozgarey ast.
[Ehl-e-ishq ka anjam-e-kaar fogh’an hai, fogh’an kay eik lamhay mein pora
zamanah neh’an hai.]
The lamentation of the lovers is the ultimate goal, in one moment of it lies
hidden a world.
‫خودی تا ممکناتش وا نماید‬
‫گرہ از اندرون خود کشاید‬
Khodi ta momkinatash waa namayad, girah az andaroon khod koshayad.
[Khodi ka maqsad apni momkinaat ka azhar karna aur apney andar ki girah
khholna hai.]
When the ego manifests its potentialities, it removes its inner knots and veil.
‫از آن نورے کہ وا بیند نداری‬
‫تو او را فانی و آنی شماری‬
Az aan noorey keh waa beinad nadaari, tou oo ra faani-o-aani shomari.
[Jiss noor sey khodi deikhhti hai woh teyrey pass naheen hai, yehi wajah hai
keh tou ossey faani aur aani (lamhati) samajhta hai.]
You do not have that light by which it sees. You look upon it as momentary
and mortal.
‫از آن مرگے کہ میآید چہ باک است‬
‫خودی چون پختہ شد از مرگ پاک است‬
Az aan murgay keh mi-ayad chih baak ast, khodi choon pokhtah shod az
murg pak ast.
[Aaney waali mout ka kaya dar, khodi jabb pokhtah ho ja’ey tuo ossey mout
kochh noqsan naheen poh’ncha sakti.]
Why fear that death which comes from without? For when the ‘I’ ripens into
a self it has no danger of dissolution.

1001
 ‫ز مرگ دیگرے لرزد دل من‬
‫دل من جان من آب و گل من‬
’Z-murg-e-digarey larzad dil-e-mun, dil-e-mun, jan-e-mun, aab-o-gill-e-
mun.
[(Albatah) meyra dil oss doosari mout sey ka’npta hai, dil he naheen balkeh
jaan aur badan bhi.]
There is a more subtle inner death which makes me tremble!
‫ز کار عشق و مستی برفتادن‬
‫شرار خود بہ خاشاکے ندادن‬
’Z-kaar-e-ishq-o-musti ber-fatadan, sharar-e-khod beh khashakey
nadadan
[(Yeh mout onn per warid hoti hai) jo ishq-o-musti sey na-ashna rehtey hein,
jo apney (khas-o-) khashak mein khodi ka sharar naheen daaltey.]
This death is falling down from love’s frenzy, saving one’s spark and not
giving it away freely to the heaps of chaff;
‫بدست خود کفن بر خود بریدن‬
‫بچشم خویش مرگ خویش دیدن‬
Badast-e-khod kafan ber khod boridan, bachashm-e-khwaish murg-e-
khwaish deidan.
[Yeh woh loug hein jo apney haath sey apney opar kafan oarrh leytey hein,
aur mout ko ankhh’on sey deikhhtey hoay oss ka shikar hotay hein.]
Cutting one’s shroud with one’s own hands; seeing one’s death with one’s
own eyes;
‫ترا این مرگ ہر دم در کمین است‬
‫بترس از وے کہ مرگ ما ہمین است‬
Tera ein murg her dum dar kamin ast, batars az-ooey keh murg-e-ma
hamein ast.
[Yeh mout her dum teyri ghhat mein hai, iss sey buch keh yehi asal mout
hai.]
This death lies in ambush for thee! Fear it, for that is really our death.

1002
 ‫کند گور تو اندر پیکر تو‬
‫نکیر و منکر او در بر تو‬
Konad gor-e-tou andar paikar-e-tou, Nakir-o-Munkar-e-oo dar ber-e-tou.
[Yeh mout badan kay andar teyri qabar khhodti hai, iss kay Munkar Nakir
teyrey pehloo mein hein.]
It digs your grave in your body; its Munkar and Nakir are with it.
(Translated by Bashir Ahmad Dar)

QUESTION 7
Sawal Haftam ‫سؤال ہفتم‬ 

‫مسافر چون بود رہرو کدام است‬

‫کرا گویم کہ او مرد تمام است‬
Mosafir chon bowad rehro kadaam ast, kara goeym keh oo mard-e-tamam
ast.
[Mosafir kaisa hota hai, rahro kon hai? Mard-e-kamil kissey kehtey hein?]
Of what sort is this traveler, who is the wayfarer? Of whom shall I say that
he is the Perfect Man?
Answer  ‫جواب‬

‫اگرچہ چشمے کشائی بر دل خویش‬

‫درون سینہ بینی منزل خویش‬
Agarchih chashmey koshaeyi ber dil-e-khwaish, daroon-e-seinah beini
manzil-e-khwaish.
[Agar tou apney dil per tawajoh karey tuo tojhey apney seinah mein apni
manzil nazar aa’ey gi.]
If you direct your eyes towards your heart, you will find your destination
within your bosom.
‫سفر اندر حضر کردن چنین است‬
‫سفر از خود بخود کردن ہمین است‬

1003
Safar andar huzar kardan chonein ast, safar az khod bakhod kardan
hamein ast.
[Yehi safar andar huzar hai, yehi apney aap sey, apney andar safar karna
hai. (Punjabi: Omar mok diy’an mok diy’an mok gaeyi ay, painda yar dey
dar da na’ein mok da. Yar dil dey andar wasda ay, safar apnay-e-ghhar da
na’ein mok da.)]
To travel while at rest is: To travel from one’s self to one’s self.
‫کسے اینجا نداند ما کجائیم‬
‫کہ در چشم مہ و اختر نیائیم‬
Kassey einja nadanad ma kojaeym, keh dar chashm-e-meh-o-akhtar
niyaeym.
[Iss andarooni safar mein koeyi naheen janta keh hum kah’an hein,
kiyu’onkeh hum meh-o-akhtar ki ankhh mein naheen samatey. (Iss safar ka
andazah meh-o-akhtar sey naheen ho sakta)]
None knows here where we are, that we look so insignificant in the eyes of
moon and stars.
‫مجو پایان کہ پایانے نداری‬
‫بپایان تا رسی جانے نداری‬
Majoo payan keh payaney nadaari, bapayan ta rusi janay nadaari.
[Apni intiha nah dhond, kiyu’onkeh teyri intiha koeyi naheen, intiha tabb ho
agar teyrey andar jan (rooh) nah ho.]
Don’t seek the end of the journey; for you have no end; as soon as you reach
the end, you lose your soul.
‫نہ ما را پختہ پنداری کہ خامیم‬
‫بہر منزل تمام و ناتمامیم‬
Nah ma ra pokhtah pindaari keh khamaim, beher manzil-e-tamam-o-
natamamaim.
[Apney aap ko pokhtah nah samajh keh hum abhi napokhtah hein, her
manzil per hum mokamil bhi hein aur namokamil bhi.]
Do not look upon us as ripe; for we are raw, at every destination we are
perfect and imperfect.

1004
 ‫بپایان نارسیدن زندگانی است‬
‫سفر ما را حیات جاودانی است‬
Bapayan naraseidan zindgani ast, safar ma ra hayat-e-javidani ast.
[Intiha takk nah poh’nchna he hamari zindagi hai, safar he hamari hayat-e-
javid’an hai.]
Not to reach the end is life; immortal life for us lies in constant traveling.
‫ز ماہی تا بہ مہ جوالنگہ ما‬
‫مکان و ھم زمان گرد رہ ما‬
’Z-maahi ta beh meh jolangah-e-ma, makan-o-hum zaman gard-e-reh-e-
ma.
[Maahi sey mah takk hamara maidan-e-amal hai, makan aur zaman duon’on
hamari rah ki gard hein.]
The whole world from the centre of the earth to the moon is within our
reach, time and space are like dust in our path.
‫بخود پیچیم و بیتاب نمودیم‬
‫کہ ما موجیم و از قعر وجودیم‬
Bakhod paichaim-o-bitaab namoodaim, keh ma moujaim-o-az qa’ar
wajoodaim.
[Hum apney andar paich-o-taab khha rehey hein, aur apni shakhsiyat kay
azhar kay leay bi-taab hein, hum behar-e-wajood ki teh sey othhti hoeyi
mouj (-e-biqarar) hein.]
Our selves are our centres and pine for manifestation, for we are waves and
rise from the bottom of Being.
‫دمادم خویش را اندر کمین باش‬
‫گریزان از گمان سوے یقین باش‬
Damadum khwaish ra andar kamein baash, garaizan az goman sooey
yaqin baash.
[Tou her waqt apni ghhat mein reh (apni hefazat kar) apney aap ko goman
sey bacha aur yaqin ki taraf a’a.]
Lie in constant ambush against the self, fly from doubt to faith and certainty.

1005
 ‫تب و تاب محبت را فنا نیست‬
‫یقین و دید را نیز انتہا نیست‬
Tabb-o-taab-e-mohabat fana neist, yaqin-o-deid ra neiz intiha neist.
[Jaisey ishq ki tabb-o-taab ko fana naheen (issi tarah) aiman-o-yaqin aur
nazarah-e-jamal ki bhi intiha naheen.]
The fire and ardour of love are not subject to extinction; faith
and ‘sight’ have no end.
‫کمال زندگی دیدار ذات است‬
‫طریقش رستن از بند جہات است‬
Kamal-e-zindagi deidar-e-Zaat ast, tariqash rastan az bund-e-jahat ast.
[Kamal-e-zindagi yeh hai keh Zaat-e-Bari Ta’ala ka deidar nasib ho, aur
oss ka tariqah makan ki hadood (torr kar onn sey) bahar nikalna hai.]
The perfection of life consists in seeing the Essence, the way of achieving it
is to free oneself from the limits of time and space.
‫چنان با ذات حق خلوت گزینی‬
‫ترا او بیند و او را تو بینی‬
Chonan ba-Zaat-e-Haq khalwat gazeini, tera Oo beinad-o-Oo ra tou beini.
[Zaat-e-Haq Ta’ala sey iss tarah khalwat hasil ho keh tou onnhein deikhhey
aur woh tojhey.]
You should enjoy privacy with the Divine Person in such a way, that He
sees you and you see Him.
‫‘‘منور شو ز نور ’’من یرانی‬
‫مژہ برھم مزن تو خود نمانی‬
Munawwar shuo ’z-noor ‘mun yaraani’, mozzah berhum mazun tou khod
namaani.
[Apney aap ko onn (Rasool-e-Pak S.A.W.) kay noor sey munawwar kar
jinh’on ney mun yaraani famaya thha, onn per sey nazar hata vernah tou
khod baqi naheen rehey ga.]
Become illumined by the light of ‘what you see.’ Do not wink; otherwise
you will be no more.

1006
 ‫بخود محکم گذر اندر حضورش‬
‫مشو ناپید اندر بحر نورش‬
Bakhod mohkam gozar andar hazoorash, mashuo napiad andar behar-e-
noorash.
[Allah Ta’ala kay hazoor apney aap ko mohkam rakhh, oss kay noor kay
behar mein napiad nah ho ja.]
In His presence, be strong and self-possessed; don’t merge yourself in the
ocean of His Light.
‫نصیب ذرہ کن آن اضطرابے‬
‫کہ تابد در حریم آفتابے‬
Nasib-e-zarah kon aan iztirabay, keh taabad dar harim-e-aftabay.
[Teyri shakhsiyat kay zarray ko aisa iztirab nasib ho keh woh harim-e-aftab
mein bhi chamakta rehey.]
Bestow that perturbation to the mote that it may shine in the vicinity of the
sun.
‫چنان در جلوہ گاہ یار میسوز‬
‫عیان خود را نہان او را برافروز‬
Chonan dar jalwahgah-e-yar mi-soz, ayan khod ra nehan oo ra ber afroz.
[Yar ki jalwah-gah mein iss tarah sokhtah ho keh zahar mein tuo chamak
othhey aur babatan woh chamak jaa’ey.]
So burn amid the splendour of the Beloved that you may illumine yourself in
public and Him in privacy.
‫کسے کو دید عالم را امام است‬
‫من تو ناتمامیم او تمام است‬
Kassey ko deid alam ra imam ast, mun tou natamaim oo tamam ast.
[Jiss ney (Haq Ta’ala ka jamal) deikhh liya, wohi jahan ka imam hai, hum
sabb natamam hein, aur woh mokamil hai.]
He who ‘saw’ is the leader of the world, we and you are imperfect; he alone
is perfect.
‫اگر او را نیابی در طلب خیز‬
‫اگر یابی بہ دامانش در آویز‬

1007
Agar oo ra nayabi dar talab khaiz, agar yaabi beh damanash dar aawaiz.
[Agar tou aisa rehnoma nah paa’ey, tuo oss ki talash mein nikal, aur agar
paa-ley, tuo oss kay daman sey wabastah ho ja.]
If you do not find him, rise in search of him; if you find him, attach yourself
to him.
‫فقیہ و شیخ و مال را مدہ دست‬
‫مرو مانند ماہی غافل از شست‬
Faqih-o-Shaikh-o-Mulla ra madeh dast, maro manind-e-maahi ghafil as
shist,
[Kissi Faqih ya Shaikh ya Mulla kay haath mein haath nah dey, machhli ki
tarah kantay sey ghafil nah reh.]
Do not allow yourself to be guided by the faqih, shaikh, and mulla; like fish,
do not walk about careless of the hook.
‫بکار ملک و دین او مرد راہے است‬
‫کہ ما کوریم و او صاحب نگاہے است‬
Bakaar-e-molk-o-Deen oo marday raahey ast, keh ma koraim O oo sahib-
e-nigahey ast.
[Aisa kamil shakhs he dunvi aur Deeni mo’amlat mein sehihi rahnoma hai,
hum sabb andhay hein aur woh sahib-e-nigah hai.]
He is a man of the path in matters of State and religion; we are blind and he
is a man of insight.
‫مثال آفتاب صبحگاہے‬ 
‫دمد از ھر بن مویش نگاہے‬
Misal-e-aaftab sobh-gahey, damad az her bun mooish nigahey.
[Aftab-e-sobh ki manind oss kay her bonn-e-moo sey nigah phoot’ti hai.]
Like the sun of the morning, wisdom shines from every root of his hair.
‫فرنگ آئین جمہوری نہاد ست‬
‫رسن از گردن دیوے کشادست‬
Farang aein-e-jamhoori nehaad’st, rasan az gardan deovay koshaad’st.
[Farang ney jamhoori aein ki boniyad rakhh kar deov ki gardan ko zinjir sey
azad kar diya hai.]

1008
The West has set up the rule of democracy; it has untied the rope from the
neck of a fiend.
‫نوا بے زخمہ و سازے ندارد‬
‫ابے طیارہ پروازے ندارد‬
Nawa bi-zakhmah-o-saazey nadarad, abbey tiyarah perwaazey nadarad.
[Farang baghair mizrab aur saaz kay koeyi awaz naheen rakhhta, nah woh
tiyyaray baghair pervaaz kar sakta hai. (Qalb ki awaz aur rooh ki pervaaz
sey mehroom hai.)]
It does not possess sound without plectrum and musical instruments, without
a flying machine it does not possess the power of flying.
‫ز باغش کشت ویرانے نکوتر‬
‫ز شہر او بیابانے نکوتر‬
’Z-baghash kisht-e-veraaney niko-ter, ’z-shehar-e-oo biyabaney niko-ter.
[Oss kay bagh sey viraan khheiti, aur oss kay shehr’on sey biyaban behtar
hein.]
A desolate field is better than its garden, a desert is better than its city.
‫چو رہزن کاروانے در تگ و تاز‬
‫شکمہا بہر نانے در تگ و تاز‬
Cho rehzun carvaaney dar tug-o-taaz, shikam-ha beher nanay dar tug-o-
taaz.
[Oss kay carvaan ki koshish rehzun ki tarah hai, aur onn kay pait roti ki
dorr dhoop mein lagay ha’ay hein.]
Like a marauding caravan it is active, its people are ever busy in satisfying
their hunger.
‫روان خوابید و تن بیدار گردید‬
‫ہنر با دین و دانش خوار گردید‬
Rawaan khwabeid-o-tun bidaar gardeid, honar ba deen-o-danash khwaar
gardeid.
[Rooh khwabeidah hai aur tun bidaar hai, deen-o-danish kay saath oss ka
honar bhi khwaar ho choka hai.]
Its soul became dormant, and its body awoke; art, science and religion all
became contemptible.

1009
 ‫خرد جز کافری کافر گری نیست‬
‫فن افرنگ جز مردم دری نیست‬
Khird joz kafiri kafir gari neist, fun-e-Afrang joz mardam dari neist.
[Oss ki khird kafiri aur kafir gari kay sawa aur kochh naheen, Farangiyu’on
ka fun (art) sirf adamiyu’on ko chirna phharrna hai.]
Intellect is nothing but fostering of unbelief, the art of the West is nothing
but man-killing.
‫ در کمین است‬ ‫گروہے را گروہے‬
‫خدایش یار اگر کارش چنین است‬
Grohey ra grohey dar kamein ast, khodaish yaar agar kaarash chonin ast.
[Her groh doosray groh ki ghhat mein hai, agar mo’amlah yehi raha, tuo
pher onn sey bhalaeyi ki koeyi ummeid nah rakhh.]
A group lies in ambush against another group, such a state of affairs is sure
to lead to disaster.
‫ز من دہ اہل مغرب را پیامے‬
‫کہ جمہور است تیغ بی نیامے‬
’Z-mun deh ehl-e-Maghrib ra payamey, keh jamhoor ast taigh-e-bi-
niyamey.
[Meyri taraf sey ehl-e-Maghrib ko yeh payam do keh jamhooriyat taigh-e-
biniyam hai.]
Convey my message to the West that the ideal of democracy is a sword out
of its sheath:
‫چہ شمشیرے کہ جانہا می ستاند‬
‫تمیز مسلم و کافر نداند‬
Chih shamshirey keh jahan-ha mi-sitanad, tamiz-e-Moslim-o-kafir
nadanad.
[Yeh aisi shamshir hai jo her eik ki jan nikal leyti hai, issey Moslim-o-kafir
ki koeyi tamiz naheen.]
What a sword that it kills men and does not make a distinction between a
believer and an unbeliever!

1010
 ‫نماند در غالف خود زمانے‬
‫برد جان خود و جان جہانے‬
Namanad dar ghalaf-e-khod zamaney, bord jan-e-khod O jan-e-jahaney.
[Yeh eik lamah bhi niyam mein naheen rehti, apni jan bhi ga’nwati hai aur
jahan ki jan bhi.]
If it does not remain in the sheath for a little more time, it will kill itself as
well as the world.
(Translated by Bashir Ahmad Dar)

QUESTION 8
Sawal Hushtam ‫سؤال ہشتم‬

‫کدامی نکتہ را نطق است اناالحق‬

‫ٓرمز مطلق‬ ‫چہ گوئی ھرزہ بود آن‬
Kadami noktah ra notq ast anal Haq, chih goeyi her zeh bood aan ramz-e-
motliq.
[‘Anal Haq’ kis noktey ko biyan karta hai? Kaya tou kehta hai keh yeh ramz-
e-motliq mohmil hai?]
What point does the aphorism ‘I am the Truth’ imply? Do you think that this
mystery was mere nonsense?
Answer ‫جواب‬
‫من از رمز اناالحق باز گویم‬
‫و گر با ہند و ایران راز گویم‬
Mun az ramz-e-anal Haq baz goeym, w’gar ba Hind-o-Iran raaz goeym.
[Mien ‘anal-Haq’ ki ramz pher sey biyan karta h’on, Hind-o-Iran kay
saamney dobarah yeh raaz khholta h’on.]
I am once again going to explain the mystery of ‘I am the Truth’. Before
India and Iran I am unfolding a secret again.
‫دیر این سخن گفت‬ ‫مغے در حلقٔہ‬
’’‫حیات از خود فریبے خورد و من ‘‘گفت‬

1011
Moghay dar halqah-e-deir ein sakhon goft, ‘hayat az khod faraibey khord-
o-mun’ goft.
[Eik pir-e-mogh’an ney halqah-e-deir mein yeh baat kehi, ‘hayat ney apnay
aap sey faraib khhaya aur ‘mien’ kaha.]
The Magi in the circle of his followers said: ‘Life was taken in by itself and
uttered ‘I’. 

‫خدا خفت و وجود ما ز خوابش‬

‫وجود ما نمود ما ز خوابش‬
Khoda khoft-o-wajood-e-ma ’z-khwabash, wajood-e-ma namood-e-ma’z-
khwabash.
[Khoda so gaya (astaghfarullah) hamara wajood bhi oss ka khwab aur
hamari namood bhi oss ka khwab hai.]
God went to sleep and our being is through His dream; our existence and
appearance are merely His dreams.
‫مقام تحت وفوق و چار سو خواب‬
‫سکون و سیر و شوق و جستجو خواب‬
Moqam-e-tehat-o-fouq-o-charsoo khwab, sakoon-o-sair-o-shouq-o-
jostajoo khwab.
[Neichay oopar aur charsoo (atraaf-o-jehaat) khwab hein, sakoon-o-harkat
aur jazbah-e-shouq-o-jostajoo sabb khwab hein.]
Down and above, all four dimensions are illusions, rest and motion, desire
and search are all illusions!
‫دل بیدار و عقل نکتہ بین خواب‬
‫گمان و فکر و تصدیق و یقین خواب‬
Dil-e-bidaar-o-aql-e-noktah bein khwab, goman-o-fikr-o-tasdiq-o-yaqin
khwab.
[Dil-e-bidaar ho ya aql-e-noktah bein, sabb khwab hein, gom’an, fikr,
tasdiq. yaqin sabb khwab hein.]
Wakeful heart and wise intellect, a dream; dread and anxiety, certainty and
belief, a dream.

1012
 ‫ترا این چشم بیدارے بخواب است‬
‫ترا گفتار و کردارے بخواب است‬
Tera ein chashm-e-bidaarey bakhwab ast, tera goftar-o-kirdarey bakhwab
ast.
[Teyri yeh chashm-e-bidaar bhi khwab hai, teyri goftar-o-kirdar bhi khwab
hai.]
Your wakeful eye is in reality in a state of dream, your speech and action are
all in a dream!
‫چو او بیدار گردد دیگرے نیست‬
‫متاع شوق را سوداگرے نیست‬
Cho oo bidaar gardad digarey neist, mata’a-e-shouq ra soudagarey neist.
[Jabb woh bidaar ho tuo koeyi aur baqi naheen, mata’a-e-shouq ka koeyi
kharidaar naheen.’]
When He wakes up, nothing else remains; there is no customer for the
merchandise of yearning.’ 
‫فروغ دانش ما از قیاس است‬
‫قیاس ما ز تقدیر حواس است‬
Farogh-e-danish-e-ma az qiyas ast, qiyas-e-ma ’z-taqdir-e-hawaas ast.
[Hamari aql qiyas sey barrhti hai, aur hamara qiyas hamarey hawaas-e-
khamsah per mabni hai.]
The development of our intellect is through reasoning; our reasoning
depends upon the nature of the senses.
‫چو حس دیگر شد این عالم دگر شد‬
‫سکون و سیر و کیف و کم دگر شد‬
Cho hiss-e-deigar shod ein alam digar shod, sakoon-o-sair-o-kaif-o-kum
digar shod.
[Jabb hiss badal jaa’ey tuo dunya badal jaati hai, oss kay sakoon, harkat
aur kumi baishi mein farq aa-jata hai.]
When sense changes, this world becomes different: Rest and motion, quality
and quantity are changed.

1013
 ‫توان گفتن جہان رنگ و بو نیست‬
‫زمین و آسمان و کاخ و کو نیست‬
Tawan goftan jahan-e-rung-o-boo neist, zamin-o-asman-o-kaakh-o-koo
neist.
[Hum keh saktey hein keh jahan-e-rung-o-boo naheen hai, nah zamin-o-
aasman hein aur nah mahal-o-guli koochey.]
It can be said that the world of colour and smell is non-existent, earth and
sky, house and street, are nothing.
‫توان گفتن کہ خوابے یا فسونے است‬
‫حجاب چہرہ آن بے چگونے است‬
Tawan goftan keh khwaabey ya fasooney ast, hijab-e-chehra-e-aan bey
chagooney ast.
[Kaha ja sakta hai keh yeh jahan khwab ya afso’on hai, yeh bhi kaha ja
saakta hai keh yeh oss bichagoon (Zaat-e-Bari Ta’ala) kay chehray ka niqab
hai.]
It can be said that all these are dreams or illusions, or veils over the
countenance of the Divine Person.
‫توان گفتن ہمہ نیرنگ ہوش است‬
‫فریب پردہ ہاے چشم و گوش است‬
Tawan goftan hamah nairung-e-hosh ast, faraib-e-pardah-ha’ey chashm-
o-gosh ast.
[Yeh bhi kaha ja sakta hai keh yeh sabb hosh ka talism hai, aur chashm-o-
gosh (deid-o-shoneid) kay pard’on ka faraib hai.]
It can be said that all is sorcery of the senses, a deception produced by our
eyes and ears.
‫خودی از کائنات رنگ و بو نیست‬
‫حواس ما میان ما و او نیست‬
Khodi az kainat rung-o-boo neist, hawaas-e-ma miyan-e-ma-o-oo ast.
[Magar khodi ka ta’alaq iss kainat kay rung-o-boo sey naheen, hamarey aur
oss kay darmiyan hawaas ka ta’alaq bhi naheen.]
But the ego does not belong to the universe of colour and smell; our senses
do not intervene between us and it.

1014
 ‫نگہ را در حریمش نیست راہے‬
‫کنی خود را تماشا بے نگاہے‬
Nigah ra dar harimash neist raahey, koni khod ra tamasha bey nigahey.
[Khodi kay harim mein zahari nigah ka gozar naheen, tou baghair nigah kay
iss ka nazarah karta hai.]
Eyesight has no access to its sacred precincts; you can see ‘self’ without
eyesight.
‫حساب روزش از دور فلک نیست‬
‫بخود بینی ظن و تخمین و شک نیست‬
Hissab-e-rozash az dour-e-falak neist, bakhod beini zun-o-takhmin-o-shak
neist.
[Khodi kay zaman ka hissab gardish-e-aflaak sey naheen, jabb tou khod
apni khodi ko deikhh raha ho tuo oss mein zann-o-takhmin aur shak-o-
shobah kah’an baqi reh jata hai.]
The calculation of its days is not through the revolution of the sky; if you
look within, there is no doubt or misgiving about it.
‫اگر گوئی کہ ’’من‘‘ وہم و گمان است‬
‫نمودش چون نمود این و آن است‬
Agar goeyi keh ‘mun’ vehm-o-goman ast, namoodash choon namood ein-
o-aan ast.
[Agar tou kehey keh ‘mien’ veham-o-goman hai, ‘mien’ ki namood bhi ein-
o-aan ki namood ki manind hai.]
If you say that the ‘I’ is a mere illusion: An appearance among other
appearances.
‫بگو با من کہ داراے گمان کیست‬
‫یکے در خود نگر آن بے نشان کیست‬
Bago ba mun keh dara’ey goman keist, yakkey dar khod nigar aan bey
nishan cheist.
[Pher mojhey bata keh goman karnay wala kon hai, zara apney andar nazar
daal kar mojhey bata keh woh bi-nishan kon hai? (Jo apney andar gom’an
paida kar raha hai.)]
Then tell me who is the subject of this illusion; look within and discover.

1015
 ‫جہان پیدا و محتاج دلیلے‬
‫نمیآید بہ فکر جبرئیلے‬
Jahan-e-piada-o-mohtaaj-e-dalilay, nami ayad beh fikr-e-Jibrilay.
[Jah’an agarchih zahar hai magar pher bhi mo’amlaat-e-dunya mein dalil
sey kaam chalta hai, aur dalil ka yeh silsalah fikr-e-Jibril mein bhi naheen
samata.]
The world is visible, yet its existence needs proof! Not even the intellect of
an angel can comprehend it.
‫خودی پنہان ز حجت بی نیاز است‬
‫یکے اندیش و دریاب این چہ رازست‬
Khodi penhaan ’z-hojjat bey niaz ast, yakkay andaish-o-daryab ein chih
raaz ast.
[Magar khodi penh’an honay kay bawajood dalil ki mohtaj naheen, zara
soch aur samajh keh yeh kaya raaz hai?]
The ‘I’ is invisible and needs no proof: Think awhile and see thine own
secret!
‫خودی را حق بدان باطل مپندار‬
‫خودی را کشت بے حاصل مپندار‬
Khodi ra Haq badaan batil mapindar, khodi ra kisht-e-bihasil mapindar.
[Khodi ko Haq samajh, issey batil goman nah kar, nah issey kisht-e-bey
hasil (bey maqsad) khayal kar.]
The ‘I’ is Truth, it is no illusion; don’t look upon it as a fruitless field.
‫خودی چون پختہ گردد الزوالست‬
‫فراق عاشقان عین وصالست‬ 
Khodi choon pokhtah gardad lazawal’st, faraq-e-aashiqan ain wasal’st
[Khodi jabb pokhtah ho jaa’ey tuo pher woh hamaishah baqi rehti hai,
oshaaq ka faraq he ain wasal hai, (faraq sey ishq pokhtah hota hai).]
When it ripens, it becomes eternal! Lovers, even though separated from the
Beloved, live in blissful union!
‫شرر را تیز بالے میتوان داد‬
‫تپید الیزالے میتوان داد‬

1016
Sharar ra taiz baaley mi-tawan daad, tapeid la-yazaaley mi-tawan daad.
[Sharar ko pervaaz-e-taiz aur hamaishah ki chamak bhi atta ho sakti hai.]
It is possible to give wings to a mere spark, and to make it flutter for ever
and for ever!

‫دوام حق جزاے کار او نیست‬

‫کہ او را این دوام از جستجو نیست‬
Dawaam-e-Haq jaza’ey kaar-e-oo neist, keh oo ra ein dawaam az jostajoo
neist.
[Allah Ta’ala ka dawaam Oss ki koshish ka nateijah naheen, Oss ney yeh
dawaam jostajoo sey naheen paya. (Woh az khod al-Hayee aur al-Qayoom
hai.)]
The Eternity of God is (elemental and) not the reward of His action! For His
eternity is not through seeking.
‫دوام آن بہ کہ جان مستعارے‬
‫شود از عشق و مستی پایدارے‬
Dawaam aan beh keh jan-e-mosta’arey, shawud az ishq-o-musti
pa’eydaarey.
[Hamara dawaam iss lehaaz sey qabal-e-ta’arif hai, keh yeh jan-e-mosta’ar
Allah Ta’ala kay ishq aur oss ki musti kay zari’ay pa’idaari hasil karta hai.]
That eternity is superior, which a borrowed soul wins for herself by love’s
frenzy.
‫وجود کوہسار و دشت و در ہیچ‬
‫جہان فانی خودی باقی دگر ہیچ‬
Wajood-e-kohsar-o-dasht-o-dar haich, jahan faani khodi baqi digar haich.
[Kohsar aur dasht-o-dar ka wajood kochh naheen, jahan faani hai, sirf
khodi ko baqa hai, baqi kochh naheen.]
The being of mountains and deserts and cities is nothing, the universe is
mortal, the ego immortal and nothing else matters.
‫دگر از شنکر و منصور کم گوے‬
‫خدا را ھم براہ خویشتن جوے‬

1017
Digar az Shankar-o-Mansoor kum go’ey, Khoda ra hum barah-e-
khwaishtan jooey.
[Abb Shankar aur Mansoor ki baat nah kar, Allah Ta’ala ko bhi apney aap
kay zari’ay dh’ondh.]
Do not talk of Shankar and Mansur any longer, seek God through seeking
your own self.’
‫بخود گم بہر تحقیق خودی شو‬
‫انا الحق گوے و صدیق خودی شو‬
Bakhod gom beher tehqiq-e-khodi shuo, anal Haq go’ey-o-siddiq-e-khodi
shuo.
[Khodi ki tehqiq kay leay apney andar gom ho ja, ‘anal Haq’ keh aur khodi
ka siddiq bun.]
Be lost in your self to find the reality of the ego, say ‘I am the Truth’ and
affirm the existence of the ego.
(Translated by Bashir Ahmad Dar)

QUESTION 9
Sawal Naham ‫سؤال نہم‬
‫کہ شد بر سر وحدت واقف آخر؟‬
‫شناساے چہ آمد عارف آخر؟‬
Keh shoud ber sar-e-wahdat waaqif akhar? Shanasay chih amad arif
akhar?
[Akhar sirr-e-wahdat sey kon waaqif ho’a? Kis kay shanasa ko arif kaha
jata hai?]
Who at last became familiar with the secret of unity? Who is the wise man
that is agnostic?
Answer ‫جواب‬ 
‫تہ گردون مقام دلپذیر است‬
‫و لیکن مہر و ماہش زود میر است‬
Teh-e-gardoon moqam-e-dil pazir ast, w’laikan mehar-o-mahash zood
meir ast.

1018
[Aasman kay neichey yeh (dunya) dilkash moqam hai, laikan yah’an kay
chand, sooraj jald gharoob ho jaatey hein.]
The world beneath the sky is a charming place, but its sun and moon are
prone to decay.
‫بدوش شام نعش آفتابے‬
‫کواکب را کفن از ماہتابے‬
Badosh-e-shaam na’ash-e-aftabay, kwakab ra kafan az mahtabay.
[Shaam kay kandhey per aftab ki na’ash hai, aur sitar’on kay leay chandni
kafan hai.]
The corpse of the sun is carried on the shoulders of the evening; the stars
vanish when the moon appears.
‫پرد کہسار چون ریگ روانے‬
‫دگرگون مے شود دریا بآنے‬
Pard kohsar choon raig-e-rawaaney, digargoon maey shawud darya ba-
aaney.
[Paharr raig-e-rav’an ki manind orrtey hein, aur darya eik lamhay mein
badal jaatey hein.]
The mountain flies like the moving sand, the river changes in a moment.
‫گالن را در کمین باد خزان است‬
‫متاع کاروان از بیم جان است‬
Gulan ra dar kamin baad-e-khazan ast, mata’a-e-carvan az beim-e-jan
ast.
[Gul’on ki ghhat mein baad-e-khaz’an hai, jan ka khouf he iss carv’an ki
mata’a hai. (Her eik ko mout ka khouf daman-gir hai.)]
Autumn lies in ambush against the flowers; the merchandise of the caravan
is the fear (of loss) of life.
‫ز شبنم اللہ را گوھر نماند‬
‫دمے ماند دمے دیگر نماند‬
’Z-shabanam lalah ra gohar namanad, dummay manad dummay deigar
namanad.
[Gul-e-lalah per shabnam ka moti naheen rehta, eik lamah hota hai,
doosray lamhay naheen hota.]

1019
The tulip does not retain its beauty through dew, if it retains it for a while; it
loses it the next moment.
‫نوا نشنیدہ در چنگے بمیرد‬
‫شرر ناجستہ در سنگے بمیرد‬
Nawa nashonidah dar chungay bemeirad, sharar-e-najastah dar sungay
bemeirad.
[Nawa saaz he mein jaati hai kaan takk naheen poh’nchti, sharar sung he
mein reh jata hai bahar naheen nikalta.]
The sound dies in the harp without being produced; the flame dies in the
stone without manifesting itself.
‫مپرس از من ز عالمگیری مرگ‬
‫من و تو از نفس زنجیری مرگ‬
Mapors az mun ’z-alamgeiri murg, mun-o-tou az nafas-e-zinjiri-e-murg.
[Mojh sey murg ki alamgeiri kay mota’alaq nah pooch, mien aur tou apney
sa’ns ki wajah sey mout kay gariftar hein.]
Don’t ask me about the universality of death, you and I are tied by our
breaths to the chain of death.
(Translated by Bashir Ahmad Dar)

AN ODE
Ghazal ‫غزل‬ 
‫ھر جام کردند‬ ‫فنا را بادٔہ‬
‫چہ بیدردانہ او را عام کردند‬
Fana ra badah-e-her jaam kardand, chih bidardanah oo ra aam kardand.
[Fana ko her jaam ki sharab bana diya, kis bidardi sey issey aam kar diya.]
Death is destined to be the wine of every cup, how ruthlessly has it been
made common!
‫تماشا گاہ مرگ ناگہان را‬
‫جہان ماہ و انجم نام کردند‬
Tamashah-gah murg-e-naaghan ra, jahan-e-mah-o-anjam naam kardand.

1020
[Murg-e-nagh’an ki tamashah-gah ko, meh-o-anjam ki dunya ka naam diya.]
The arena of sudden death has been called the world of moon and stars.
‫اگر یک زرہ اش خوے رم آموخت‬
‫بہ افسون نگاہے رام کردند‬
Agar yakk zarah-ash khoo’ey rum amokht, beh afsoon-e-nigahey raam
kardand.
[Agar iss jahan ka eik zarrah bhi (mout sey) bhagney ka andaz seikhh leyta
hai, tuo ossey (faurun) afsoon-e-nigah sey aseer kar leytey hein.]
If any particle of it learnt to fly, it was brought under control by the spell of
sight.
‫قرار از ما چہ میجوئی کہ ما را‬
‫اسیر گردش ایام کردند‬
Qarar az ma chih mi-joeyi keh ma ra, aseer gardish-e-ayam kardand.
[Hum sey sabaat ki kaya tawaq’o rakhhta hai, humein tuo gardish-e-ayam
ka aseer banaya gaya hai.]
Why do you seek rest for us? We are tied to the revolutions of the days.
‫چاکے نگہدار‬ ‫خودی در سینٔہ‬
‫ازین کوکب چراغ شام کردند‬
Khodi dar seinah-e-chaakey nigahdar, azein kokab chiragh-e-shaam
kardand.
[Teyrey seinah-e-chaak kay andar jo khodi hai oss ka dhayan rakhh, yehi
woh sitarah hai jissey iss jahan ki shaam-e-fana ka chiragh banaya gaya
hai.]
Be careful of the ego within your heart, from this star, the night was
illumined.
‫جہان یکسر مقام آفلین است‬
‫درین غربت سرا عرفان ہمین است‬
Jahan yakksar moqam-e-aaflein ast, darein ghurbat sara irfan hamein
ast.
[Yeh jahan gozar jaaney wal’on ka moqam hai, iss sara’ey mosafiran mein
irfan ki baat yeh hai keh:]

1021
The world is absolutely a place of decay; this is the gnosis in this strange
land.
‫دل ما در تالش باطلے نیست‬
‫ نیست‬Ð‫نصیب ما غم بے حاصلے‬
Dil-e-ma dar talash-e-batiley neist, nasib-e-ma ghum-e-bey hasiley neist.
[Hamara dil batil ki talash mein naheen, aur nah hamara ghum baghair
maqsood kay hai.]
Our heart is not seeking anything futile; our lot is not fruitless grief.
‫نگہ دارند اینجا آرزو را‬
‫سرور ذوق و شوق جستجو را‬
Nigah darand einja aarzoo ra, saroor-e-zouq O shouq-e-jostajoo ra.
[Yah’an aarzoo ka, saroor-e-zouq aur shouq-e-jostajoo ka tahufofz kiya jata
hai.]
Desire is looked after here, and also the intoxication of the yearning of
search.
‫خودی را الزوالے میتوان کرد‬
‫فراقے را وصالے میتوان کرد‬
Khodi ra lazawaley mitawan kard, faraqey ra wasaley mitawan kard.
[Khodi ko lazawal banaya ja sakta hai, aur (Zaat-e-Bari Ta’ala sey) faraq
ko wasal mein tabdil kiya ja sakta hai.]
Ego can be made immortal; separation can be changed into union.
‫چراغے از دم گرمے توان سوخت‬
‫بہ سوزن چاک گردون میتوان دوخت‬
Chiraghey az dum-e-garmey tawan sokht, beh sozan chaak gardoon
mitawan dokht.
[Khodi kay chiragh ko dum-e-garam sey roshan kiya ja sakta hai, aur oss
kay sozan sey gard’on (fana) ka chaak siya ja sakta hai.]
A lamp can be lit by our hot breath; crack in the sky can be sewn by a
needle.
‫خداے زندہ بے ذوق سخن نیست‬
‫تجلی ہاے او بے انجمن نیست‬

1022
Khoda’ey zindah bey zouq-e-sakhon neist, tajali-ha’ey-e-oo bey anjuman
neist.
[Allah Ta’ala jo ‘al-Hayee’ hein Woh zouq-e-sakhon rakhhtey hein, Onn ki
tajaliyat baghair anjuman (por-lotf) naheen. (Iss leay Allah Ta’ala ney aisey
insan paida ki’ay jinn ki khodi pokhtah ho.)]
The Living God is not without a taste for beauty; his manifestations are not
without society.
‫او بر جگر زد؟‬ ‫کہ برق جلؤہ‬
‫کہ خورد آن بادہ و ساغر بسر زد‬
Keh barq-e-jalwah-e-oo ber jigar zadd? Keh khord aan baadah-o-saaghar
besar zadd.
[Kis ney iss kay jalwah-o-jamal ki barq ko apney jigar per bardasht kiya, kis
ney iss kay ishq ki sharab pei aur kon sara piayla charrha gaya?]
Who cast the lightning of His Grace on the heart? Who drank that wine and
struck the cup on the head?
‫عیار حسن و خوبی از دل کیست؟‬
‫مہ او در طواف منزل کیست؟‬
Ayyar hosn-o-khoobi az dil keist? Meh-e-oo dar tawaf-e-manzil keist?
[Kis ka dil hosn-o-khoobi ka ma’ayar thhehra, oss ka chand kis ki manzil
kay tawaf mein hai?]
Whose heart is the criterion of beauty and good? Whose house is it round
which His moon revolves?
’’‫الست‘‘ از خلوت نازے کہ برخاست‬
’’‫سازے کہ برخاست‬ ‫بلی‘‘ از پردٔہ‬
‘Alast’ az khalwat naazey keh berkhwast, ‘balley’ az pardah-e-saazey keh
berkhwast.
[Kis ki khalwat kay naaz sey ALAST ki awaz boland hoeyi, kis kay pardah-e-
saaz sey BALAA ki sada othhi.]
From whose privacy the cry of ‘Am I not your Lord’ arose? From whose
musical strings the answer of ‘Yes’ appeared?
‫چہ آتش عشق در خاکے بر افروخت‬
‫ہزاران پردہ یک آواز ما سوخت‬

1023
Chih atash ishq dar khakey ber afrokht, hazaran pardah yakk awaz-e-ma
sokht.
[Ishq ney hamari khak mein kaya aag roshan kar di, keh hamari eik awaz (-
BALAA) ney hazar’on parday jala di’ay.]
What a fire Love kindled in this handful of dust; one cry from us burnt down
thousands of veils.
‫اگر مائیم گردان جام ساقی است‬
‫بہ بزمش گرمی ہنگامہ باقی است‬
Agar ma’eym gardaan jaam saqi ast, beh bazmash garmi-e-hungamah
baqi ast.
[Agar hum hein tuo jaam-e-Saqi ka dour bhi hai, hum hein tuo Oss ki bazm
mein garmi-e-haa-o-hoo bhi hai.]
It is only our presence that keeps the cup of the Saki in motion and maintain
liveliness in His society.
‫مرا دل سوخت بر تنہائی او‬
‫کنم سامان بزم آرائی او‬
Mera dil sokht az tunhaeyi-e-oo, konam samaan-e-bazm araeyi-e-oo.
[Oss ki tunhaeyi per meyra dil jalta hai, chon’anchih mien Oss ki bazm
araeyi ka samaan karta h’on.]
My heart burns on the loneliness of God! In order, therefore, to maintain
intact His Ego-Society.
‫مثال دانہ می کارم خودی را‬
‫براے او نگھ دارم خودی را‬
Misal-e-danah mi-kaaram khodi ra, bara’ey oo nigah daaram khodi ra.
[Mien apni khodi ko daaney ki manind kaasht karta h’on, mien Oss ki khatir
apni khodi ka tahafuz karta h’on. (Ta-keh meyri khodi pokhtah ho kar Oss ki
ma’arfat hasil kar ley aur Oss sey raaz-o-niaz kar sakkay.)]
I sow in my dust the seed of selfhood, and keep a constant vigil over my ‘I’.
(Translated by Bashir Ahmad Dar)

EPILOGUE

1024
Khatamah ‫خاتمہ‬  
‫تو شمشیری ز کام خود برون آ‬
‫ از نیام خود برون آ‬، ‫برون آ‬
Tou shamshiri ’z-kaam-e-khod baroon-a’a, baroon-a’a, az niyam-e-khod
baroon-a’a.
[Tou talwar hai apni niyam sey bahar a’a, bahar a’a, apni niyam sey bahar
a’a.]
You are a sword, come out of your cover, come out of your sheath.
‫نقاب از ممکنات خویش برگیر‬
‫مہ و خورشید و انجم را بہ برگیر‬
Niqab az momkinaat-e-khod ber geir, meh-o-khurshid-o-anjam ra beh ber
geir.
[Apni momkinaat sey pardah hata, chand, sooraj, aur sitar’on ko maskhar
kar.]
Remove the veil from your potentialities; take hold of the moon, the sun and
the stars.
‫شب خود روشن از نور یقین کن‬
‫ید بیضا برون از آستین کن‬
Shabb-e-khod roshan az yaqin kon, yadd-e-baiza baroon az astein kon.
[Apni zaat ko noor-e-yaq’in sey roshan kar, apni aastin sey yadd-e-baiza
bahhar nikaal.]
Illumine your night by the light of faith; take your white hand out of the
armpit.
‫کسے کو دیدہ را بر دل کشود است‬
‫شرارے کشت و پروینے درود است‬
Kassey ko deidah ra ber dil kashood ast, shararey kisht-o-perviney darood
ast.
[Jiss ney dil per apni nigah rakhhi, oss ney sharar boya aur pervin (sitarah)
hasil kiya.]
He who has opened his eyes on the heart has sown a spark and reaped a fire.

1025
 ‫شرارے جستہ ئی گیر از درونم‬
‫کہ من مانند رومی گرم خونم‬
Shararey justaheyi geir az daroonam, keh mun manind-e-Rumi garam
khoonam.
[Meyrey andar sey othhtay hoay shararay ko ley ley, mien Rumi ki manind
garam khoon h’on. (Meyrey andar shararey nikal rehey hein.)]
Have a spark from my innermost heart, for my heart is as fiery as Rumi’s.
‫وگرنہ آتش از تہذیب نوگیر‬
‫ اندرون میر‬، ‫برون خود بیفروز‬
Wagarnah aatish az tehzeeb-e-nau geir, baroon-e-khod befaroz, andaroon
meir.
[Agar mojh sey kochh naheen leyta tuo pher tehzeeb-e-nau ki aatish ley ley,
aur iss sey apna zahar chamka aur andar sey mur-ja.]
Otherwise get fire from the new Culture of the West, adorn your exterior and
bring spiritual death on you.
(Translated by Bashir Ahmad Dar)
15th June, 2013

1026
 TAMING NEW REGIME
As result of the May elections a new regime came into power in
Islamabad. It replaced the Zardari-led coalition which had been obediently
complying with commands from Washington. The new-comers had been
talking lot of ‘ill’ about the holy war in Af-Pak region, especially the drone
attacks.
In view of that it was felt that taming of the regime in Islamabad was
necessary. The softening up began with a drone attack after PML-N’s
victory in elections and another was launched the day Nawaz Sharif was
sworn in as Prime Minster. Both attacks were resented by the new regime
which also demanded revisiting of the drone policy.
This implied that more was required to be done; therefore the visit of
the US Secretary of State to Islamabad was delayed and ‘TTP’ intensified
attacks in KPK targeting the newly elected parliamentarians. The final rub
came in Balochistan on 15th June where BLA and LeJ unleashed terror.
It began with a midnight attack in Ziarat which resulted in burning of
Jinnah Residency where the founder of Pakistan had spent his last days.
Next day, a bus of Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University was blown up
killing 14 female students and wounding 19 others. As the wounded were
evacuated to Bolan Medical Complex Hospital the militants stormed the
Emergency Ward, resultantly 12 more people were killed, including Deputy
Commissioner and Doctor in charge of the Medical Complex.

NEWS
Pakistan: On 3rd June, PTI’s KPK Assembly member, Farid Khan
Orakzai, was shot dead by unknown gunmen along with his companion and
driver in Hangu district. The assailants opened indiscriminate fire on Farid
Khan’s car near Shahi Masjid in Sangair locality, Hangu Bazaar, when he

1027
was going home along with his brother Shahnawaz and friend Muhammad
Ayaz after offering fateha for the departed soul of a PTI worker at Spin
Khawai village.
The news of the killing of Farid Khan spread like a jungle fire in
Hangu district. Chanting slogans against the district administration,
hundreds of charged enraged supporters of the MPA thronged the hospital
and Hangu Bazaar. The protesting people blocked roads, burnt tyres and set
several shops on fire in Hangu Bazaar. The police blocked the ways leading
to the offices of DPO, the DC and other government department.
Farid Khan was described by many as an honest and a 'man of the
masses'. Though he originally belonged to Orazkai Agency, Khan had been
living in Hangu for many years. Reportedly, Farid Khan had only one
Rs100-note in his pocket at the time of submitting his nomination papers for
the election. The 41-year-old lawmaker had also been a student of Fine Arts
Department at the University of Peshawar, but was unable to complete his
higher education. He was the only independent MPA to join the PTI without
putting forth any conditions.
President Zardari strongly condemned the killing and directed the
authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident and bring the assailants to
justice. Imran Khan also condemned the assassination of Farid Khan. He
prayed to Allah Almighty to give his family strength to bear the loss. Imran
telephoned KPK Chief Minister and directed him to immediately make
efforts to arrest the killers.
Next day, funeral prayers of slain Farid Khan were held at Darvezi
Palosa area in Hangu district amid tight security arrangements. Party
workers, tribal elders and a large number of local people attended the funeral
procession. A protest rally was also carried out in main Hangu bazaar in
which people strongly condemned the killing of the MPA.
Gunmen attacked the house of another member of provincial
assembly belonging to Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf on Tuesday. However, the
MPA remained unhurt. Armed men fired at the house of Arbab Jehandad
Khan, an MPA elected from PK-9 on PTI ticket. However, on retaliation by
the guards at the house, the miscreants fled from the scene.
On 6th June, two policemen were killed and two others injured when a
remote controlled blast hit a police patrolling party in the Daudzai Police
Station area. The bomb was planted on the roadside and was exploded by a
remote control when a patrolling police party was passing from there.

1028
Separately, unknown persons fired three rockets on Bacha Khan
International Airport in Peshawar.
The United Nations said that over 51,000 internally displaced persons
(IDPs) of Kurram Agency have been moved to the alternate locations due to
the military operations in the tribal area, while cautioning that funding
constraints were ‘affecting humanitarian partners' response to the IDPs'
needs.’ Earlier, the OCHA had mentioned that 60,000 IDPs were likely to be
displaced from Kurram Agency due to the security operation.
Next day, a US drone strike killed at least seven suspected militants in
compound in Shokhel village in Shawal area of North Waziristan Agency.
The attack was the first since Nawaz Sharif was sworn in as prime minister
and came just two days after Prime Minister called for an end to the
American drone campaign. A ‘high-value target’ was among those killed in
the attack; a private TV channel reported but did not give details.
On 8th June, on the instructions of Prime Minister, US Charge
d’Affaires Ambassador Richard Hoagland was summoned to the Foreign
Office by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister and Minister of State for
Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi to lodge a strong protest on the US drone strike
carried out in North Waziristan yesterday. The US official was handed a
demarche in this regard. It was also pointed out that the Government of
Pakistan had consistently maintained that drone strikes were counter-
productive, entail loss of innocent civilian lives and had human rights and
humanitarian implications.
National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that the
resolutions carried by the assembly against drone attacks in the past had lost
their significance and if the house was moved again, the members would be
given full opportunity to discuss the issue and take decision. He said that in
the past resolutions against drone attacks were passed by the Parliament
which could not be implemented. However, he said, in case a fresh
resolution was tabled in the house, it would be put before the members for
debate and decision.
Next day, security forces made gains during the last three days of an
ongoing operation to clear Maidan area, after freeing Mohammadi Top in
Kurram and Haider Kandao in Tirah Valley of militants. During the last two
days of the operation, 35 militants were killed while 15 others were injured.
The security forces also suffered loss of a soldier. Five troops also sustained
injuries.

1029
 The forces took complete control of the heights on the central
Derastani Ridge, which overlooks the entire Maidan and Kuki Khel Valley.
Terrorists were also flushed out of heights of Darwazgai Kandao. The
military offensive in Khyber Agency was launched some weeks ago after
dozens of Pakistani Taliban fighters entered the tribal district and occupied
key areas.
Three security personnel were killed and two others sustained injuries
in separate incidents in North Waziristan Agency. In the first attack, a
convoy of the forces which was on its way from Razmak to Bannu was hit
by a roadside improvised explosive device. Resultantly, three security men
were killed and another injured. Another convoy of security forces was
targeted at Qambar check post at Miranshah; resultantly one security man
got injured.
The Guardian acquired top-secret documents about the NSA data-
mining tool, called Boundless Informant that details and even maps by
country the voluminous amount of information it collects from computer and
telephone networks. Iran was the country where the largest amount of
intelligence was gathered, with more than 14 billion reports in that period,
followed by 13.5 billion from Pakistan. Jordan, one of America's closest
Arab allies, came third with 12.7 billion, Egypt fourth with 7.6 billion and
India fifth with 6.3 billion.
US Security Agency has developed a powerful tool for recording and
analyzing where its intelligence comes from, raising questions about its
repeated assurances to Congress that it cannot keep track of all the
surveillance it performs on American communications. The focus of the
internal NSA tool is on counting and categorizing the records of
communications, known as metadata, rather than the content of an email or
instant message.
On 10th June, militants attacked NATO supply trucks in Khyber
Agency with guns and rockets, setting them ablaze and killing at least six
people. Up to 20 armed militants targeted at least three Afghanistan-bound
vehicles loaded with armoured vehicles and other military equipment at
around eleven in the morning in Shahgai area of Jamrud Tehsil.
The prime minister said the dual policy of issuing public statements
against drone attacks while secretly giving a go ahead to the US to carry on
with the strikes will not be allowed to continue under his rule. The US
government will also have to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity
of Pakistan’, he said, regretting that drone strike was made the very day he

1030
took charge of the government. All the stakeholders would be consulted for
formulating a policy on the issue, he added.
President Zardari said the government would not allow the use of its
soil for terrorist activities against any country. He added: ‘We can fight
militancy better, through dialogue and cooperation rather than doubting each
other.’ He termed drone attacks a serious violation of sovereignty and
international law. ‘They are also counterproductive and are not acceptable.’
PTI submitted a resolution in the National Assembly asking the
government to take steps to stop drone strikes inside Pakistan. The
resolution that was submitted by Dr Shireen Mazari, suggested the Nawaz
Sharif led-government to ask the Obama Administration to stop drone
strikes inside Pakistan and bind it to pay compensation to the families of
victims of drone attacks against civilians casualties and damage caused to
the properties and livestock of the citizens of Pakistan. The resolution also
demands of the government to protect the sovereignty of Pakistan.
Next day, Orthopedic Surgeon and Assistant Professor at the Lady
Reading Hospital Dr Shakir Hussain and his brother Dr Altaf Hussain were
critically injured when some unidentified armed men opened firing at his car
in Peshawar. A security guard of Dr Shakir Hussain was killed in the
incident. Dr Shakir Hussain, belongs to Shia sect.
On 13th June, Chief of the Army Staff and Chief of Air Staff called on
Prime Minster separately and exchanged views on matters of professional
interest. During the meeting between the Prime Minister and COAS overall
security situation of the country and matters relating to national security
came under discussion. The Air Chief during the meeting briefed the Prime
Minister about professional matters relating to Pakistan Air Force.
On 15th June, Quetta witnessed a bloody day as militants killed at least
26 people when they blew up a bus carrying women students and attacked a
hospital treating survivors. The bomb attack on the bus at Sardar Bahadur
Khan Women University killed 14 females, and another 11 people died in
the attack at Bolan Medical Complex Hospital around 90 minutes later.
Hours earlier, militants blew up a historic summer retreat used by Quaid-i-
Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in a pre-dawn attack.
The dead included Quetta Deputy Commissioner, hospital’s medical
superintendent, four security personnel and four nurses while more than 30
people were wounded in the blasts. Four alleged terrorists were also killed in
battle with security forces. Banned religious outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi owned
both the attacks.

1031
 Police officials said that explosives were planted inside the bus parked
within the campus and detonated through a remote controlled device just as
the vehicle, carrying students and teachers, was about to leave the varsity.
The apparent target was female students of Hazara Shia community, many
of whom study there because the university is located close to a Hazara
neighbourhood.
The second attack hit the emergency ward of the city’s Bolan Medical
Complex where the wounded were taken and was followed by a gun battle
with militants holed up inside the hospital. The armed men, stated to be nine
in number, had taken positions at the first floor and rooftop of the
emergency ward and a long, heavy trade of fire took place between them and
the security personnel. Resultantly, Quetta DC Mansoor Kakar, four nurses,
four FC personnel, four alleged terrorists and two passers-by were killed
while several others wounded, including Assistant Commissioner and
reporter of private news channel Zainud Din Khilji. Late in the night,
BMCH’s Medical Superintendent Dr Shabbir Magsi also succumbed to
injuries he received during the suicide explosion at the hospital.
Police said that the attackers were equipped with sophisticated
weapons. Security personnel arrested a suspect who was reportedly firing at
them but it could not be confirmed if any terrorist managed to flee the scene.
CCPO appealed masses for cooperating with government and administration
so that the province could be cleaned up from the terrorists.
Hours earlier, militants killed a policeman and blew up historic
summer retreat used by Father of the Nation Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali
Jinnah in a pre-dawn attack. The attackers, armed with automatic weapons,
entered into the 19th century wooden Ziarat Residency after midnight and
planted several bombs. The firefighters reached the site from Quetta after
two hours and tried to douse off fire. By then the fire had totally gutted the
wooden balcony, floor and front of the 2-storey residency.
Banned outfit Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility
for the attack which also damaged some nearby houses in Ziarat town.
Balochistan Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh and Muhammad Governor
Muhammad Khan Achakzai strongly condemned the incident announcing
bringing the responsible to book and reconstruction of historical monument.
Quaid-e-Azam spent his last days in the building which was constructed in
1892.
Balochistan government strongly condemned the barbaric incident
and announced one day mourning tomorrow and announced that deceased

1032
would be given compensation while the injured would be given free
treatment. Federal Interior Minister stated a joint committee will be
constituted in collaboration with the Balochistan government to look into the
tragic incident of disgracing of Quaid-e-Azam’s residency in Ziarat.
In his media interaction on Parliament premises in Islamabad, the
interior minister vowed to bring to light the facts about the dastardly act
before the nation within a couple of days. He said the furniture which was in
use of the father of the nation during last days of his life and roof of the
residency were gutted in the incident, but the section of the building that
exhibited Quaid’s historical pictures remained safe.
Interior Minister termed the university bus and Bolan Medical College
acts inhumane and dastardly. He said the terrorists after sneaking into the
Bolan Medical college held hostage at least 35 patients and paramedical
staff. To a question, he replied that according to his information and that of
intelligence agencies both incidents of Ziarat and Quetta were isolated
having no connection.
The military and civilian security setups were apparently locked in the
blame game following stark security lapses in Quetta and Ziarat. While the
military-led paramilitary force Frontier Corps (FC) passed the buck on the
district administrations concerned and the Balochistan government for the
security failure to cause the three deadly attacks in the two districts, the
military officials here support the FC's version, which is categorically denied
by the governmental machinery on the grounds that the maintenance of
security and law and order in the province is completely assigned to the FC.
Talking to The Nation from Quetta, Jan Muhammad Buledi,
spokesman to the Chief Minister Balochistan, said that the FC was primarily
assigned the responsibility for maintaining security in Balochistan. Asked if
the FC was to be blamed for the major terrorist attacks, the spokesman said
that an inquiry had been launched into the incidents and responsibility would
be fixed in the light of the probe findings.
On the other hand, the FC Spokesman said: ‘The FC is there to act in
aid of the government on its directives. It's basically the government's job to
use the paramilitary force where required’. Asked to comment on the view
that the FC had the frontline role in the maintenance of law and order and
security in Balochistan and the security lapses pointed to the paramilitary
force's negligence, Baig said, ‘I don't want to get into any controversy or
argument. As I said, the FC is there in aid of government. No more

1033
comments.’ The military officials also held the provincial government and
the district administrations responsible for the attacks.
Prime Minister remained in constant touch with Balochistan Chief
Minister over the unfortunate incidents. The Chief Minister himself apprised
the Prime Minister about the developments related to arrest of a terrorist and
the outcome of security forces’ operation. Earlier, the Prime Minister had
assured Chief Minister that the federal government stood by the people and
government of Balochistan in this hour of trial.
Leaders of PML-Q and PTI demanded the federal and Balochistan
governments foolproof security for buildings associated with founder of
Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and early arrest of culprits
involved in attacking his Ziarat residency. The Upper House of the
Parliament passed a unanimous resolution to strongly condemn attack on
Quaid’s residency in Ziarat and also staged walkouts over deteriorating law
and order situation in the province.
Next day, the National Assembly adopted a unanimous resolution
condemning the killing of innocent women students in Quetta, attack on
Ziarat Residency of Quaid-i-Azam and kidnapping of doctors from Loralai.
The house offered fateha for Balochistan carnage martyrs, adopted a
unanimous resolution condemning the terror attacks. The resolution,
prepared in consultation with the opposition members, proposed taking
stringent measures against the miscreants and demanded the provincial
government beef up security; secure the lives and protect the national
heritage.
Police said it was a woman suicide bomber of banned militant outfit
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) who carried out the first attack in Quetta on a
university bus carrying women students and teachers. Later, her male
accomplices struck Bolan Medical Complex, where many of the bus
bombing victims were taken for treatment. The LeJ claimed responsibility
for both these attacks. Abu Bakar Siddique, a spokesman of the LeJ,
telephoned the Quetta Press Club and said the attacks were carried out in
response to a raid of security forces against at their men in Kharotabad area
last week.
Balochistan observed day of mourning and the national flag flew at
half-mast over official buildings against the brutal killings in the attacks. On
the call of PkMAP and Anjuman-e-Tajiran Balochistan, a complete shutter-
down strike was observed in the city. All shopping centres, business malls
and markets at Jinnah Road, Liaquat Bazaar, Brewery Road, Zarghoon Road

1034
and other parts of the city remained shut throughout the day while traffic
plying on the roads was thin. Nursing Federation and doctors also
announced three-day mourning against the attack and killing of their
colleagues at Bolan Medical Complex Hospital.
In all four suicide blasts occurred and the first suicide bomber was a
female who entered into the campus disguised as a student and blew up her
explosive vest after embarking into the bus. Three suicide bombers exploded
themselves in BMC. Due to blasts the hospital’s operation theatre, electricity
system and lifts were badly damaged.
After paying visit to Ziarat to inspect Quaid-e-Azam’s residency
which was burnt to ashes by militants of the so-called Baloch Liberation
Army (BLA), Ch Nisar held a meeting at CM Secretariat in Quetta where
reportedly some important decisions were taken to improve the security
situation in the restive province. Accompanied by Chief Minister, Hasil
Khan Bezenjo and PKMAP leader Abdur Rahim Ziaratwal, Nisar told the
media that these decisions would be announced later after approval of Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif. But he shared that one these decision was to rebuild
Quaid’s residency in Ziarat.
He said PML-N-led governments at centre and in two provinces,
Balochistan and Punjab, had clear basic principle of pursuing negotiations
for restoring peace. They still stand for their commitment for bringing the
angry people in Balochistan round by holding talks, he said. But he made it
clear that negotiation would be held with only those who were willing to do
so, and not with those who were bent upon militancy and terrorism. They
will be responded in the same coin, he added.
Nisar asked the media people to observe self-censorship and keep in
view the national interests while doing their duty. He said, ‘It is warlike
situation and I appeal to journalists to be careful in reporting news, which
may be a ‘breaking one’ for them but may harm national interests.’ He
announced a gallantry award for Deputy Commission Quetta, who lost his
life in hospital shoot out.
Meanwhile, unidentified assailants gunned down three policemen in
Qila Saifullah. According to sources, a group of armed men attacked a
check-post at Ragha Bakalzai in Qila Saifullah district and opened
indiscriminate fire with sophisticated weapons killing three personnel on the
spot. The attackers also took away official Kalashnikovs of the cops before
fleeing the area. In another incident, armed men kidnapped three persons
from Dasht area in Mastung. Mehrullah Magsi, a close relative of former

1035
Governor, along with his two relatives was on his way to Quetta from Jhal
Magsi.
In district Swabi unidentified gunmen shot dead two male polio
vaccinators in Kandaro Banda, Pabbini village on the third day of the
ongoing anti-polio campaign. The gunmen who were on foot fired on the
polio vaccinators with pistols. Four suspects were arrested but the polio
campaign was suspended till further orders.
A low-intensity blast outside naval airbase Faisal in Karachi left at
least three security guards of Pakistan Air Force wounded. The unidentified
attackers threw a grenade at the entrance to airbase in Karsaz area. Police
said the attackers came on a motorcycle and fled after lobbing the grenade.
Afghanistan: On 3rd June, a suicide bomb attack, targeting US and
Afghan forces, killed two NATO soldiers and a policeman in Paktia
Province. The attackers used an explosives-packed motorcycle and 10
schoolchildren also died in the blast as they were returning home from class.
The attack came hours after a roadside bomb killed seven members of a
family in Laghman Province.
Taliban leaders said they had sent a delegation to Iran, Afghanistan’s
western neighbour, to hold meetings that could signal a future role for
Tehran in the search for peace. After 12 years of violence in Afghanistan
since the Taliban were ousted from power, pressure is growing for regional
powers such as Iran, Pakistan and India to support a peace deal before US-
led foreign troops withdraw next year.
On 5th June, NATO defence ministers agreed the broad outlines of its
next mission in Afghanistan after it completes a withdrawal from its longest
combat operation next year. ‘We have just endorsed the detailed concept of
our non-combat mission in Afghanistan’ to guide military planners as they
prepare NATO’s advice and training programme, alliance head Anders Fogh
Rasmussen said.
Next day, survivors and victims' relatives voiced fury that the US
soldier who massacred 16 Afghan villagers last year would escape the death
penalty after pleading guilty. Sergeant Robert Bales admitted 16 counts of
murder in a packed courtroom in Washington State over the killings in
March 2012 that caused outrage in Afghanistan and plunged US-Afghan ties
to a new low.
On 7th June, seven Georgian troops were killed and nine were
wounded when a ‘suicide terrorist’ blew up a truck loaded with explosives

1036
outside a Georgian military base in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. The
incident brings to 30 the death toll of Georgian soldiers serving in the ISAF.
Next day, a man wearing Afghan uniform shot dead three US soldiers
and wounded three other in Paktika in the latest apparent example of an
‘insider attack’. The attacker was himself shot dead soon after opening fire,
the spokesman said. The strike came on the same day that one Italian soldier
was killed and three others were wounded when a grenade was thrown into
their armoured vehicle in the western province of Farah.
Amidst the ongoing military operations in Pakistan’s north-western
tribal region, the top military men from Pakistan, Afghanistan and ISAF
exchanged fresh reiterations on cooperation against militancy at the
respective sides of the Pak-Afghan border. They reviewed security
procedures that envisage enhanced information sharing between the border
coordination centres and would be finalized at the 37th Tripartite
Commission (TC) meeting between the three military commanders.
Reportedly, joint border procedures by means of information
exchange at the respective sides of the border have been envisaged to act
against certain Khyber Agency-based tribal leaders who are presently in
Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province and are believed to have colluded with
Afghan militants to create instability in the borderlands.
On 9th June, Hamid Karzai visited Qatar for talks with officials, the
Gulf state that could host future peace negotiations between the Afghan
government and Taliban insurgents. The militants, however, refuse to have
direct contact with Karzai, saying he is a puppet of the United States.
Next day, Taliban insurgents launched a grenade and gun attack on
Kabul Airport, firing on military facilities before being overwhelmed in an
operation hailed as a victory for Afghan security forces. Two suicide
bombers blew themselves up and all five other attackers were killed when
elite Afghan troops stormed two multi-storey buildings where the militants
were holed up near the airport's perimeter fence.
Three suicide vests were found in the buildings where the insurgents
had used RPGs and machine guns to fend off Afghan forces and to attack the
airport on the northeast side of Kabul. The militants, who wore military and
police uniform, did not manage to breach the airport grounds, though all
flights were cancelled or re-routed for several hours. A Taliban spokesman
said the group was responsible for the attack.

1037
 The heavily-guarded airport, which has both civilian and military
terminals, contains a large base for the US-led NATO coalition deployed to
help Afghan forces thwart the 12-year insurgency. ‘We can report that RPGs
were fired in the direction of the airport but we don't have any news of
damage’, a NATO spokesman told AFP.
On 11th June, a Taliban suicide car bomber targeted staff at
Afghanistan’s top court, killing 15 civilians and wounding 40 others in the
second attack in two days in the heavily fortified capital. Women and
children were among those killed and injured in the powerful explosion at
the entrance to the Supreme Court, near the US embassy as buses waited to
take court staff home at the end of the working day. The Taliban claimed
responsibility and threatened further attacks on the judiciary if it continued
to sentence to death members of its militia.
Taliban insurgents announced they have released a Kyrgyz hostage
they seized in April. The militants abducted the Kyrgyz man together with
eight Turkish nationals, a Russian and an Afghan interpreter in Logar
province. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, speaking to AFP by
phone from an unknown location, said the hostage was freed as a goodwill
gesture to Kyrgyz government.
Iran: On 14th June, six contenders for Iran's next president issued a
joint appeal for calm before the close of polls in the first election since
outgoing President Mahmoud's Ahmadinejad's 2009 re-election sparked
mass protests. Polling stations nationwide remained open four hours longer
than initially scheduled as officials reported a turnout almost as large, or
bigger, than that for the controversial vote of four years ago.
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the ultimate say in
all of the most sensitive issues including nuclear policy and had called for a
large turnout, voted early. ‘Inshallah (God willing), the Iranian people will
create a new political epic. I advise all people to vote’, he said after voting.
Khamenei also attacked the United States for questioning the poll's
legitimacy. ‘The hell with you" who do not agree with how the election is
run, Khamenei said on national television. ‘The Iranian people... will do
what is in their interest.’
The campaign has been dominated by Iran's controversial nuclear
programme and an economy devastated by harsh EU and US sanctions
imposed in an attempt to rein it in. Inflation is raging at more than 30
percent, the rial has lost nearly 70 percent of its value and unemployment is
rising. Western governments and arch-foe Israel accuse Iran of seeking to

1038
develop atomic weapons under cover of its civil nuclear programme, a
charge it vehemently denies.
Next day, moderate cleric Hassan Rowhani was declared Iran’s new
president on in an surprise outright election victory that ends eight years of
conservative grip on the top office. ‘This victory is a victory for wisdom,
moderation and maturity... over extremism’, local media reported Rowhani
as saying in a first statement after his win. He urged world powers to speak
to his country with respect and acknowledge its rights to receive an
appropriate response.
Rowhani, 64, a former top nuclear negotiator who has championed
more constructive engagement with world powers, won outright with 18.6
million votes, or 50.68 per cent of those cast. Crowds marched through Vali-
Asr Square in central Tehran carrying pictures of the winner and chanting
pro-Rowhani slogans. In northwest Tehran, people in Kaj Square cheered as
passing cars sounded their horns in approval.
Rowhani has pledged ‘no surrender’ to Western demands in talks on
Iran’s controversial nuclear programme but has promised a more
constructive, less adventurist approach. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei’s website congratulated Rowhani on his victory and urged the
people to work with him. ‘I urge everyone to help the president-elect and his
colleagues in the government, as he is the president of the whole nation.’
In campaigning, Rowhani pledged to move to ease the sanctions. The
economy formed the focus of voters’ concerns. ‘We expect the new
president to improve the economy so that it gets better and better’, said a
Tehran resident ahead of the results. Rowhani touts his relations with the
supreme leader, who has the final say on all key issues, including the nuclear
programme.
Meanwhile it was reported that Iran has urged Islamabad to expedite
gas pipeline project or it should wait for impending financial punishments. 
‘If Pakistan doesn’t revise its behaviour on construction of the peace
pipeline, it will be fined based on the bilateral agreement (with Iran)’, an
informed source said.
On 16th June, Iran's new President Hassan Rowhani hailed his
presidential election win as a victory over ‘extremism’ as jubilant supporters
took to the streets, pinning their hopes on an easing of Western sanctions.
Major powers quickly offered to engage with the moderate cleric and former
nuclear negotiator, who has promised a more constructive approach to talks.
But Israel called for no let-up in the sanctions crippling the Iranian economy.

1039
 India: On 3rd June, a Pakistani diplomat was injured by a mob in
New Delhi. The first secretary of Pakistan’s High Commission in India was
attacked by a group of men after his car hit a motorcycle near a university
campus. The Pakistan High Commission lodged a protest with India’s
foreign ministry and wanted India to ensure safety of its diplomats.
Next day, Indian deputy high commissioner was summoned to
Foreign Office to raise serious concerns over yesterday’s incident in which
Pakistan High Commission’s First Secretary and his driver Haider Zaman
were physically abused in New Delhi. The Indian deputy high commissioner
was told that such incidents would not augur well, especially at a time when
the leadership of the two countries was desirous of improving relations.
Meanwhile, an Indian policeman and five others were injured in a grenade
attack on army vehicles in IHK. No group claimed responsibility for the
explosion in Anantnag.
On 5th June, India accused Pakistan's intelligence agency of trying to
recruit and train militants to carry out attacks across the border in the Indian
state of Punjab. Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said Pakistan's ISI
agency was pressuring Sikh militant leaders to target Punjab and other parts
of India. ‘There has been some significant development on the Sikh
militancy front’, Shinde said in New Delhi.
On 11th June, Pakistan accused Indian fighter jets of briefly violating
its airspace. The Pakistan Air Force said it scrambled two fighter jets after
two ‘high-speed’ Indian planes crossed the border over its eastern province
of Punjab at about 10:40 am (0540 GMT). It said they left Pakistani airspace
two minutes later. The incident occurred over Pakpattan district. Later in the
evening, Foreign Ministry in a statement said it had ‘conveyed serious
concern to the Indian High Commission (embassy) over the airspace
violation.’
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif agreed to promote cooperation
in power and gas sectors with India during a meeting with a high level
Indian delegation in Lahore. Talking to the delegation which was led by
Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gopal Baglay at his Model Town house,
the Punjab CM said that the energy crisis had caused an irreparable damage
to economy.
He welcomed the interest shown by India to cooperate with Pakistan
in energy sector. The Indian delegation gave a briefing to the Chief Minister
on the proposed project of laying a power transmission line from Amritsar to

1040
Lahore and a gas pipeline from Jalandhar to Jallo. Pakistani experts also
submitted their proposals regarding the proposed project.

VIEWS
Pakistan
Death in Hangu: ‘Farid Khan Orakzai’s victory as a Khyber-
Pakhtunkhwa MPA on May 11 was both incredible and short-lived. His win
as an independent in the election had started with his filing his nomination
papers with only Rs100 in his pocket, and like other independents, he had
joined the leading party, in this case the Tehrik-i-Insaaf. Assassinated on
Monday only after being sworn in and taking part in the Speaker’s and Chief
Minister’s elections, he had not enough time to make any contribution to the
work of the Assembly…
The assassination should indicate to the new KP government that law
and order is far from a bed of roses. Though the loss of a single MPA does
not even change the dynamic of the ruling coalition, let alone change the
party position in the KP Assembly, the government cannot afford to let
government MPAs be assassinated at will. The federal government should
not see this as the killing of an opposition MPA, but an indication of the
kind of problems faced in KP. That KP government must act accordingly.
These problems are caused by the USA’s continued occupation of
Afghanistan. Both federal and KP governments have been elected on
platforms which include the upholding of national sovereignty, in this case
by ending both drone attacks and militancy.
That both governments need to cooperate not just to bring the killers
to justice, but also give them exemplary punishment, is a given. However,
they also need to devise ways and means to reduce the kind of militancy, the
kind of readiness to have recourse to violence, which led to this
assassination. The killing of an MPA in this fashion indicates a disturbing
lack of confidence in other dispute resolution mechanisms. As much as any
drone attack, this outrage represents a challenge to the writ of the state.’
(Editorial, TheNation 5th June)
Can Pakistan stop drone attacks? ‘My considered opinion is that
the Pakistan of June 2013 has the capabilities and the opportunities to
engage with the US by initiating a new foreign policy doctrine of
‘constructive conflict engagement’. 

1041
 We can stop drone strikes on our territory on our own conditions. We
can negotiate from a position of strength, if we have fully understood
American political behaviour and if our own political-military establishment
can come on the same page willing to negotiate for Pakistan’s national
interests above and beyond their own institutional and personal vested
interests. 
Let us start with the most important fact: the American policymakers
only understand the language of power. To begin with, the administration in
Islamabad, with the collaboration of all political parties, should arrange
massive million marches all over the country in a show of national solidarity
against drone strikes. Imran Khan’s role in this kind of political strategy
becomes paramount and should be acknowledged as such.
Secondly, let us put our cards on the table about our explicit
conditions for the US forces’ safe exit from Afghanistan via Pakistan. For
this, Pakistan’s political establishment would need an articulate and
determined team of experts, historically knowledgeable of American foreign
policy and linguistically expressive in English, and who have never been in
a subservient role to the US, to negotiate with the Americans. Let us be
assertive. Let us assure Obama of the US forces’ safe exit next year on our
conditions – which are based on three primary demands: end drone strikes
immediately, arrange an immediate political reconciliation with the Taliban
– both in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and immediately stop the so-called war
on terrorism on Pakistan and Afghanistan territories. Indeed, it is an
extremely complex process and yet a ‘constructive conflict engagement’
with the US is the only way out of this quagmire. 
Do we believe in the 18th camel solution? If we think that there is no
solution, we won’t be able to reach any. So, let us give political solutions a
fair chance over the use of military force – and the dictates of a superpower.
For once, let us stand for the people’s rights. Let us stand for humanitarian
principles, rather than for political expediency.’ (Dr Haider Mehdi,
TheNation 6th June)
On the back of the tiger: ‘The problem the government faces is that
it is not in control of the talks. First, it has no real control of who it talks to.
The talks of the USSR in the previous Afghan conflict – the famous Geneva
talks – were with the Pakistan government. However, now neither the
Pakistani nor American governments are talking to any government. In the
Geneva talks, the Pakistan government was initially a military regime,
succeeded by an elected government that had resulted from partyless

1042
elections. However, whatever the provenance of the government, it did
represent a state. 
Also, Pakistan was assumed to represent the mujahideen, and needed
no talks with them to justify its representation. At present, the Pakistan
government does not need talks to be representative, but to stop the TTP
continuing operations within Pakistan. At a certain level, this is a negation of
the recent elections, for it means that the TTP represents something, though
it was not part of the recent elections.
Another problem that has revealed itself is that the USA has a veto on
these talks, through the drone strikes. Throughout history, envoys’ lives and
liberty has been secure. The worst that could happen was an unsuccessful
return (and, perhaps, punishment for failure from the home government).
However, now the USA raises the prospect of envoys being killed. And, that
too, by a party not involved in the talks. The only restraints on the USA are
the availability of targets and effect on any talks it may itself be conducting.
That it will have to hold talks is inevitable, because it must withdraw by the
end of 2014. There are already two problems with that. 
First, the US drawdown is for domestic reasons, not because of any
success or failure in the theatre. Second, it pays no attention to its partners in
the region, Pakistan and Afghanistan. 
There is every prospect of talks already rendered opaque by the lack
of a suitable interlocutor, being rendered messier by these factors, and thus
failing to yield what the Americans want most, a so-called safe exit for their
forces.
At the same time, though the TTP rejects the recent elections as un-Islamic,
it also sees the results as supportive of its positions. Certainly, the PPP’s
policy of supporting the USA seems to have been decisively rejected.
However, the TTP may be reaching the point where its interests may differ
from that of the Pakistani people. The TTP wants to win. The Pakistani
people want an end to the terror. The PML-N also wants an end to it, but is
obliged to consider the PTI-led coalition in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
That it is in alliance with the Watan Party there means it has on board
the Minister of the Musharraf era, its chief, Aftab Sherpao, cannot be of as
much help as it seems, because the PTI got the votes in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa of those who are not happy with the religious parties, nor with
the secular parties – neither of which succeeded in ending the drone strikes. 
The PTI has got merely one province to serve it as a launching pad for
power in the whole country. There must be no mistake that while the PML-

1043
N used Punjab for this purpose, its candidate, Mian Nawaz Sharif, had two
terms as Prime Minister to show. The PTI would not like the PML-N to fail
to stop the drone strikes because that would lead to the failure of its only
government to solve the problem. But if it succeeds, it would take the credit.
The PML-N may adopt any attitude it wishes towards talks, but it will
find that the PTI will do its best to be involved. It will thus become, like the
USA, another presence at the negotiating table on the government side. The
Taliban will do their best to use this to gain advantage. This, of course,
assumes that talks take place. That will be a function of how much the
Taliban want talks. It should not be forgotten that the first public offer came
from the TTP, not the government. So is the withdrawal of the offer. This is
another area in which the government has lost the initiative.
On the face of it, the government has lost the initiative and got too
many presences at the negotiating table. There would only be its
consideration of the national interest keeping it talking. That should be the
interest guiding it, not the wishes of the USA.’ (M A Niazi, TheNation 7 th
June)
Great expectations: ‘Overarching the new governments’ agenda are
certain issues of crucial importance, which will, to a large extent, determine
the capacity and continuing constraints of the administration. These relate to
the future civil-military relations and matters pertaining to foreign policy.
With the army closely involved in handling foreign policy and
security affairs, will a chastened Nawaz Sharif watch his step, while seeking
to establish the civilian supremacy? General Kayani’s self-restraint served
the country well. What kind of mindset will his successor bring to bear on
the military’s relationship with the elected civilian government? A lot will
hang on this question. An equally important issue is our future relations with
USA, Afghanistan and India (in a sense both the mentioned issues are
intertwined).
One has to recognize that these three countries and their governments
share, to a considerable extent, an agenda that by no means is favourable for
Pakistan. While Pakistan cannot afford to have unfriendly relations with any
of these countries, the drone strikes, Hamid Karzai’s attitude and the TTP’s
activities have created serious problems for Islamabad.
Many more questions have yet to be resolved. What kind of influence,
for instance, will Pakistan be wielding in Afghanistan when the US forces
withdraw in 2014? How much of US military will remain stationed after the
withdrawal? What kind of role will Karzai’s successor government play in

1044
the endgame? How strong, competent and loyal will be the Afghan Army
after the Americans leave Afghanistan? Will the Americans succeed in
arriving at some sort of a settlement with Mullah Umar and his Taliban
forces? What exactly is India doing in Afghanistan, having already invested
more than $2 billion in projects there? What are the details of the measures
already taken by India in pursuance of the Afghanistan-India Strategic
Partnership Agreement? How will these affect Pakistan’s interests internally
and in the region? What are American or Anglo-American plans for Pakistan
in the emerging scheme of things, which include building up India as the
regional policeman? To what extent will China be safeguarding Pakistan’s
interests in the region, considering that it already is involved in mineral
extraction and supply there and has its sensitivities about terrorism spreading
to its Western areas? What are the possibilities of Iran’s interests coinciding
with Pakistan in Afghanistan, keeping in view previous differences and the
gas pipeline project?
These and many related questions will have to be addressed, while
determining our future foreign policy and security strategies.
It has been said that the outgoing government had no clearly devised
and defined foreign policy. Matters relating to foreign and security were left
to the army. It is good that a set of guidelines to our Ambassadors abroad
have been communicated by the new government…’ (Inayatullah,
TheNation 8th June)
The drone dilemma: ‘With the PML-N government headed by Mian
Nawaz Sharif deadly against drone attacks and for good reasons and the
Obama Administration bent upon keeping this option open, those at the
receiving end – Pakistanis, in particular tribesmen in Fata – continue to face
grim prospects. The Friday drone strike coming on the heels of an earlier
one, right when Mr Sharif was getting started and trying to give some shape
to policies to meet urgent domestic challenges was greatly upsetting not to
him alone, but to the public at large as well. In Pakistan, it certainly was not
considered an appropriate moment to resort to this weapon. Thus, it
provoked angry reaction and Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs Tariq
Fatemi summoned US Chargé d’Affaires Richard Hoagland to his office and
handed over a strong démarche protesting that these strikes have a ‘negative
impact’ on the mutual desire of both countries to forge a cooperative
relationship and to ensure peace and stability in the region. Islamabad’s
strong condemnation of the drone policy was conveyed to Mr Hoagland,
reiterating the patent reality that it was in ‘violation of Pakistan’s
sovereignty and territorial integrity’ and, therefore, must come to an end. 

1045
 With time and the loss of so many innocent lives, the fact that cannot
be kept hidden, the world is fast coming around to the Pakistani point of
view. Even American thinkers and analysts are beginning to regard the
drone attacks as against the international law. The UN human rights body
has clearly and unambiguously pronounced against it. The drones, if they are
intended to decimate al-Qaeda and terrorist groups associated with it, do not
serve the purpose; on the contrary, they prove counterproductive, as they
ignite the feeling of vengeance among the near ones of the victims and
become easy prey to be picked up by militant outfits as their soldiers.
Somehow, this logic does not inhibit Washington from using the drones. It
seems the superpower is caught up in a perplexing situation where it cannot
make out how to proceed, once it’s over 11-year military campaign in
Afghanistan has virtually come to naught. It has not merely failed to root out
militancy in that country, but also helped spread the phenomenon to other
lands where it was unknown before 9/11. Yet, it has to come to terms with
the realities on the ground and the sooner it realizes the limits to its power
and start building bridges the better. That would also make for the
mellowing down of the anger of the people of Pakistan with which it has to
keep itself engaged if peace in the region is to be required.’ (Editorial,
TheNation 10th June)
US spying on Pakistan: The US is engaged in one of the most
gargantuan efforts ever, of one country carrying out e-surveillance of
another, on Pakistan. According to documents available with The Guardian,
the prestigious British newspaper, the USA has obtained 13.5 billion reports
from Pakistan, exceeded only by over 14 billion obtained from Iran, and
followed by 12.7 billion obtained from Jordan. Apart from Pakistan and
Jordan, the highest numbers of reports have been obtained from Egypt and
India. That militants use electronic means to communicate is well known, as
can be seen from the recent one-day closures of the mobile phone networks.
However, this has enabled a massive invasion of privacy. It is also worth
noting that the revelation of the existence of Boundless Informant comes as
the National Security Agency claims it neither collects any information on
Americans, nor has the technological ability to monitor the number of
American communications it has monitored.
That it has a programme allowing it to monitor the number of
communications monitored from other countries indicates that it could have
provided this information. However, while Pakistan may be an ally, its
people are being spied on. Along with the people, the government will be
under surveillance. Considering the past records of the Pakistani state, this

1046
obtaining of information might well be used to trace political opponent. Not
just internationally, but domestically too, the US has come under fire for
monitoring phone call records, which have caused a furore in the US press
as well.
The incoming government should note that this problem is not only a
challenge, but a failure of the Pakistani government to protect its citizens
from surveillance. Therefore, it should not only make very clear to the USA
its concerns, but it should inform the main email providers that unless they
respect the privacy of their Pakistani clients, legal action may have to be
initiated against them. The Internet was not meant to facilitate militants, but
such intrusive and indiscriminate surveillance by the state represents a
violation of individual privacy, as well as of overbearing, broadly spread
suspicion, without any explanation. The government must investigate the
matter thoroughly.’ (Editorial, TheNation 11th June)
Constructive conflict engagement: ‘Political management experts
and foreign policy managers all over the world are in unanimous agreement
that sheer public diplomacy rhetoric, seductively charged hope and
selectively tall statements by a political leadership do not resolve the serious
foreign policy problems of a nation. In reality, determined actions, explicitly
laid out policies and a realistic appreciation of political realities of what is
possible and what is not probable in the contemporary global political
system, are the factors that determine the foreign policy discourse of a
nation.
Reportedly, ‘PM Nawaz Sharif has categorically said that the dual
policy on drones will not be pursued anymore and the US will have to
respect the sovereignty of Pakistan’; it is indeed, a commendable view of a
fresh foreign policy initiative by the new Sharif regime. But the fundamental
question remains: is Islamabad well prepared and fully equipped with
explicit policy directions and plans to put the PM’s initiative into a
formidable set of political actions to achieve its objectives?
A common English proverb states: ‘Actions speak louder than words.’
Hence, it is expected of Islamabad to explain how it is going to implement
its stated policy objectives and how it is planning to bring the Obama
Administration into agreement with the Pakistani PM’s demands? Why
would his administration suddenly negotiate its highly valued and
consistently pursued drone strike policy? What political or military leverage
can Islamabad exert on Washington to stop the attacks on Pakistani
territories? These are all formidable policy issues that need to be fully

1047
analyzed, rationally understood and politically managed. These are not
abstract matters; they are real-time complex issues of a nation that involve
dealing with a most powerful adversary whose political behaviour so far has
been omnipotent and unilateral in its conduct vis-à-vis a Pakistani
leadership, who has been complacent to American demands.
From a reflective viewpoint, let me ask PM Nawaz, for that matter the
entire Pakistani nation, a hypothetical question: ‘[What] if the Pakistanis
were terrorizing Texas [USA] with drones, [wouldn’t you] expect Obama to
send the US air force into immediate action?’ Obviously, he would as ‘no
government can legitimately authorize the murder of its own citizens’ and
thus the air force would shoot down the Pakistani drones. Isn’t that true?
The above question was initially raised by Clive Stafford Smith, the
renowned humanitarian political activist, in a recent article titled ‘Time to
rise up against drones’. Smith opined that the US is engaged in anti-
humanitarian warfare against Pakistan.
In addition, Chief Justice Dost Mohammad Khan of the Peshawar
High Court has said in his landmark ruling that, because drone attacks are a
violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty, ‘the government of Pakistan shall make
a request to the UN Secretary General to constitute an independent war
crime tribunal to direct the US authorities to immediately stop the drone
strikes… and to immediately arrange for the complete and full compensation
for the victims’ families.’
The logic of my reiterating Smith’s question is not to suggest that
Sharif’s government should immediately go into an urgent military offensive
against the US and turn the present American camouflaged low-intensity
warfare against Pakistan into a full-fledged conflict between the two nations.
But Pakistan needs to go into an imperative diplomatic defensive to alter the
Obama Administration’s political behaviour towards it and the US
President’s stance on the drone attacks on the Pakistani territory.
Understandably, it is the most difficult task. I propose that my
recently formulated foreign policy doctrine ‘Constructive Conflict
Engagement’ is a viable strategic approach to engage with the US on the
issue. It is based on three fundamental concepts:
1. The word ‘conflict’ postulates an absolute unambiguous
acknowledgement on the part of the regime in Islamabad that low intensity
aerial warfare and domestic covert activities have existed against Pakistan
for years at the hands of the US military and political establishment. This
perceptual factuality must be conveyed to Washington in absolutely

1048
unambiguous terms. The Obama Administration should also be told that a
continuation of this state of affairs can and will have monumental
consequences for both players.
2. ‘Constructive’ refers to the willingness of one player – that is,
Pakistan – to immediately engage in diplomatic negotiations to visit the
problematic in view of new political realities emerging in the Pakistan of
June 2013. The US must be told that today’s Pakistan is a different nation;
the vibrant print and electronic media is the fourth pillar of the state.
Increased political consciousness and awareness of national issues by
Pakistani citizens have added an energetic variable into Pakistan’s polity.
The US needs to be told that secretive, evasive and deceptive diplomacy is
no longer possible in an emerging democratic Pakistan as it had been in
previous civilian-military eras.
3. ‘Engagement’ in this doctrine is the process of actual policy
formulation and its determined implementation. Let us start, for instance,
with a fresh Pak-US foreign policy initiative by doing the following:
 Constitute a team of experts, who are knowledgeable of American
political behaviour and its political-military history and who have
unsurpassed linguistic and communicative skills, to engage the US
leadership on the basis of equality to set forth a new political
discourse for Pak-US relations, in which Washington’s legitimate
interests would be guaranteed.
 Mobilize massive public support for anti-drone demonstrations all
over the country. These demonstrations would convey to the
Americans that the political leaders and the masses in Pakistan are on
the same page.
 Let us quickly move the matter to the International Court of Justice,
the UN Human Rights Commission and the UN General Assembly,
and initiate a massive diplomatic initiative on crisis management
skills.
 Let us take the matter to Pakistan’s superior judiciary and have court
rulings state ‘drone attacks are unlawful and constitutionally violate
the country’s sovereignty.’ And to enforce them, let Islamabad make a
statement of intent. Let us decide on a deadline: failure to ensure the
cessation of drone strikes past a deadline would result in complete
blocking of US supply routes to Afghanistan through Pakistan. This
would be enforced by Pakistan’s army and supported by the air force.

1049
 If we believe there is a solution, we will find one. Let us be optimistic.
After all, a mighty superpower can be expected to act rationally in its
international political behaviour at times. Post-June 2013 Islamabad cannot
allow the murder of its own citizens. Or can it?’ (Dr Haider Mehdi,
TheNation 13th June)
Pakistan sets sights on drones: ‘A recent New York and Stanford
university study revealed the weapon has only a 2% success rate in killing
high-value targets… The legality of American drones is also seriously in
question. And notwithstanding their legality, the US president admitted in an
address earlier this month, ‘to say a military tactic is legal, or even effective,
is not to say it is wise or moral in every instance’.
The Brussels-based International Crisis Group argues that drones may
disrupt Pakistan's militants ‘but they cannot solve the fundamental problem’.
The ICG also questions the tactic of using signature strikes that target group
of men based on behaviour patterns rather than known identities.
If the US continues to push too hard, it will enrage Pakistan's tribal
citizens and general public further, jeopardizing a safe American exit from
Afghanistan. For Sharif, there is no easy way out.
Pakistan now awaits Secretary of State John Kerry's arrival later this
month when this issue will be top of the agenda. Reports indicate though
that Pakistan may offer to eliminate the "alleged terrorist sanctuaries" in
exchange for complete cessation of drones. That can only come through
negotiations, if it is to be sustained.
While building good relations with Washington may be an imperative
for Sharif, the question of drone strikes will determine whether there can be
lasting peace in the region. This is a test of his diplomatic and political
skills. More importantly it is for the US to understand, as James Carroll put
it in the New York Times on June 12, ‘by presuming to declare itself the
solution, Washington puts itself, in that instant, at the heart of the problem.’
(Sajjad Ashraf for Asia Times Online, reprinted in TheNation 14th June)
Seek and destroy: ‘The time has come once again. This is not the
first time Pakistan has stood at this juncture and, unfortunately, this is not
going to be the last. Pakistan’s state struggles now, just as it did under the
last government, to be able to construct either a narrative, or a strategy to
deal with the absolute lawlessness in Baluchistan. With soothsayers trying to
feed the public mass delusions about ‘foreign’ hands, and misleading the
Pakistani public into feeling that this is not an inherently Pakistani,
homegrown problem, we as a nation are going further from the solution not

1050
towards it. Yesterday, after Quaid-e-Azam’s Residency in Ziarat was razed
to the ground by grenades and bombs, the guard protecting it laid down his
life at the hands of Baluchistan Liberation Army terrorists. Less than a day
later… Such harrowing incidents have left all of Pakistan shaken and in
grief. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has advised the Baloch to remain brave
in the face of such devastating tragedy. But the government is starting, in its
early days, to resemble the recently departed PPP-led coalition. It may be an
unfair comparison, given that the Balochistam cabinet is yet to take oath.
But the larger consensus about the situation in the country, is as lacking in
the narrative of the PML-N, as it was in the PPP. 
If Mian Nawaz is indeed serious, as he claims to be, and as those
working with him report he is, then he must step forward tomorrow with
words of consolation and with clearly articulated consequences of these
terrorist strikes. The organizations responsible must be named and put on a
terrorist list. Each and every one of the members of terrorist organizations
who think nothing of spilling the blood of innocents, must be sought out and
destroyed. Those who wish to talk are most welcome. But the state must
demonstrate that it will annihilate any and all those who target Pakistanis
under any pretext. The military and security forces must be given a clear
agenda by the government; this is the government’s job – not the courts, or
the media’s. In one day, our past heritage and our future assets, both were
attacked. A wave of shock and outrage swept the country as the news of a
vicious rocket attack on the Quaid-i-Azam Residency at Ziarat flashed
across the TV screen in the early hours of Saturday. It was this Residency,
featured on the Rs100 currency note used across Pakistan, where the
Founder of the nation spent his last days and for them it is a place of
pilgrimage to pay homage to their most revered leader. The Quaid, who
wagered all he had – the most precious asset of health and comfort, the
flourishing legal practice and all that he owned in terms of material wealth –
for the sole end of securing an independent homeland for the Muslims of
India, is held in high esteem. And all that is associated with him, is regarded
by all and sundry across the provincial or linguistic divide, as a valuable
asset to be treasured. 
Young girls, whose parents have scrimped and saved to send them to
school, who have had the bravery to entrust their future to the state of
Pakistan, will be laid to rest tomorrow with the entire nation in mourning.
Our response to these cruel and deliberate attacks must convey our intent to
show no mercy to those who attack our land. Insurgency hit Balochistan is
suffering more than any other part of Pakistan. The ordinary Baloch, caught

1051
between the rhetoric of the separatists and the total ignorance of their needs
by the state, are disillusioned and hopeless that their situation will ever
improve. Mian Nawaz, as Prime Minister, must differentiate himself from
those who have held the post before him. He must demonstrate that no
citizen of Pakistan will be allowed to be targeted. The state must have some
more coherent response from the Ministries of Interior and Information, and
the Prime Minister’s residence, than a feckless condolence message.
Pakistanis want action. Pakistanis want the favour repaid to the terrorists
acting from Pakistani soil, against Pakistan. It is time to seek and destroy. If
the government cannot get its act together, it will be jeopardizing not just its
own future, but the very future of Pakistan.’ (Editorial, TheNation 16th June)
Or do you want more? ‘No one knows his real name. Or his place of
birth and background. Or even the date, he was enrolled on in our mental
institution. His co-inmates call him ‘Wi-Fi’, i.e. the wisest of fools. He falls
under the category of ‘politically incorrect’, in the official documents –
meaning the guy got cracked under the socio-political pressure of the land.
I’d run into this particular Wi-Fi every now and then at work. His only
obsession is foreign affairs. He’d read English papers and watch foreign
news channels to keep himself abreast, even in his insanity. Keeping aloof
most of the time, all you would hear from his mouth are his ravings-cum-
monologues. That is when something of his interest happens. And there is
always something, which fires his wacky imagination. Here he goes:
Shame on you, Uncle Sam! You say one thing and do the other. You
do one thing and say the other. What the hell is wrong with you? Do you
suffer from the split personality syndrome? Or you’ve lost your mind? Either
way, I am your brother-in-arm. A madman. Let’s shake hands.
Speaking of shaking hands, it reminds me of a row the other day. The
Fatemi-Hoagland one. The latter was summoned by the Foreign Office for
an explanation over the June 7 drone attack. However, things got ugly and
the charge d’affaires left in anger, even without shaking hands with Fatemi.
That is a pity. Had he stayed, the Foreign Office would have offered him a
milkshake to cool him down.
So what do you think of it, Uncle Sam? Your first interaction with the
new regime. The same old Nawaz Sharif. The pragmatist Nawaz Sharif, as
you’d call him – unlike the ideologue, Imran Khan. Well, welcome aboard.
Is that enough? Or do you want more? Don’t tell me: do more. As too much
of anything is never enough. And then just how much more is enough? A
thousand? A hundred thousand? Or a million? We are already at forty

1052
thousand, you see. Please don’t turn us into another Iraq. First bombs. Then
democracy. We already have democracy, albeit a sham one.
But that is not really what drives me mad. It is this news of your
global snooping. The 29-year old, Edward Snowden. The whistleblower.
And his courage to come up with the mighty revelation. The biggest leak in
the National Security Agency’s (NSA’s) history, they say. George Orwell’s
nightmare is finally turning out to be a living reality: ‘Big Brother is
watching you’.
Funny thing, the guy would take shelter in Hong Kong, part of your
21st century bogeyman, China. ‘One country, two systems’. That is odd.
You incessantly blame China for spying. And your valued NSA asset seek
refuge in it and eulogize it for its ‘spirited commitment to free speech and
the right of political dissent’.
You claim to be the champion of basic human rights, Uncle Sam! But
either you don’t have any respect for those rights. Or you don’t take us for
humans. That’s what is abundantly clear from your spy chief, James
Clapper’s statement: ‘The Prism programme targets only the non-US
citizens’. Phew, like the non-US citizens are no humans at all. Like they
have no right to the civil liberties.
What a shame. What a double standard. What a double face. What a
diplomacy of sheer duplicity. And what a contradiction between your
domestic and foreign policy. You protect your people at the price and peril
of other people’s lives. You sneak into their bedrooms. You scan through
their windows. You hover over their roofs. You pry into their personal
information. You steal their personal lives. Personal email accounts.
Personal social media accounts. Personal phone calls.
Don’t you have any regard for the international law? What happened
to your universal values? Where is your modesty? Whence goes your
civility? Don’t you have any modicum of decorum? Don’t you have an iota
of dignity?
Is this how you pay homage to your founding fathers? Is this how you
represent your values? Don’t you think you only fortify the age-long
criticism by such programmes that you are a country founded by the slave-
owners, who, paradoxically enough, fought for freedom in their political
life? So, yes. Land of the free. Home to the brave. Just spare no one. Send
everyone to grave.

1053
 You divide the world into two, Uncle Sam! Like the Nazi Germany’s
eugenics, you slice it into two: us and them. The Aryans and the Semites.
The master race and the slave ones. The white man and the coloured: black,
yellow and brown. You are the same magician with a different wand. The
same thief in a different garb. The same spy with a different mask.
And by the way, thank you so much for your latest drone attacks.
They reminded our KPK and central governments just in time how important
an ally you are. We value your alliance. We are just so proud of your
friendship. With friends like you, who would need any enemy anyway?
Do you take us for a pariah state? Do you really think we are your
non-NATO ally? What a joke! It is high time you admit, Uncle Sam, you are
only having a marriage of convenience with us. And that we are merely a
‘non-natural’ partner. Who is the natural one? Well, that is just so obvious –
India.
And tell you what. Your ad on the net and our TV channels just suck.
The ad made by the USAID. They make us laugh like madmen. They make
us sick to our stomach. Can there be something more ridiculous than that?
Roshan Pakistan. Roshan Pakistan, my foot. You should know no one ever
watch them. Thanks to your selfless friendship, there is an average 18-hour
power cut throughout the country.
Besides, the 12-year war on terror with tip-top top-notch state-of-the-
art 21 century weaponry and still no end in sight. You cannot fool us with
st

your 2014 withdrawal plan. We know just too well that you will stay on. Do
stay. We Pashtuns and Afghans are a hospitable people. But just keep in
mind, the terrain is the ultimate black hole. The graveyard of great empires.
The cemetery of superpowers.
The fate of the USSR is in front of you. The ‘evil empire’ of the Cold
War. And the actual reason of your coming to the region. For, what goes
around, comes around. Still, you act like an ostrich and bury your head in
sand. You love to look at things in isolation. You refuse to admit 9/11 had
any causes in history. What an amnesia. What a myopia. What a
claustrophobia.
There is a problem with you since 9/11, you know. You got paranoid.
You lost your sense of judgment. And your sense of balance, too. You just
panicked. You failed to differentiate between real and perceived threat. One
reason why you lost the war in Afghanistan. You blew the WMD threat in
Iraq out of proportion and ended up with more terrorists throughout the

1054
world. Thus, far from winning hearts and minds in the Muslim world, you
only pierced our hearts and drove us out of our minds.
Shame on you, Uncle Sam! No uncle has ever been so cruel and
unkind like you are. Sixty-five years of service and the fruit is mere blood
and bones. We better had Mother Russia in your place. No worries, though.
We still got our Chairman Mao. Meanwhile, you just spy on your own spies,
lest more of your Edward Snowdens leave your ranks and defect to the
enemy forces.’ (Sami ur Rahman, TheNation 17th June)
Afghanistan
The Afghan ‘closure’: ‘It is anticipated that at least 10,000 if not
more troops will still remain in the war-ravaged country on the pretext of a
‘training mission’ to ensure that ‘Afghan security forces are effective and
can control their own borders and that NATO members can be assured that
Afghanistan will not be used as a base for terrorism in the future.’ Beyond
these wishful calculations, one does not see any genuine peace plan much
less a coherent dialogue strategy for a political settlement in Afghanistan. At
least till now, there has been no serious effort or fresh thinking in
Washington for talks with Taliban whose incentive to negotiate is also
lessening as time passes with the US departure deadline fast approaching. 
Meanwhile, the transition process under which the Afghans are to take
“full control of their own security” is also nowhere in sight. There are
serious doubts on the feasibility of recruiting and training as many as
400,000 Afghan security forces to take over as the foreign troops start
pulling out. No transition process can work in Afghanistan, unless it is built
on the country’s demographic reality and is not weighted in favour of, or
against, any particular ethnic group. The enormity of the problem is
aggravated by challenges of corruption, predatory behaviour and
incompetence within the Afghan army and police. 
On top of these problems, there is also the question of money and
resources. The annual cost of maintaining the Afghan forces is estimated at
up to $10 billion, whereas Afghan tax revenue totals less than $2 billion,
which leaves a huge gap to be filled by the American taxpayer. Questions
already abound in Washington on why the Americans must pay in propping
up corrupt Afghan rulers like Hamid Karzai. Faced with an economic crisis
at home, Obama knows the limits on his own military budget. The cost of
any counterinsurgency plan left on autopilot would be a minimum of $1
trillion over 10 years. 

1055
 So ‘who will pay the bills to avoid having those armed soldiers and
police mobilized as part of the next insurgency?’ Senator John Kerry was
blunt enough to ask at a congressional hearing last year. He also questioned
what he described a ‘fundamentally unsustainable’ monthly expenditure of
more than $10 billion on a massive military operation with no end in sight.
Against this backdrop, apparently, the US is looking only for a tactical
Afghan ‘stalemate’ in which it can withdraw by December 2014, but not
entirely. It plans to keep a certain size of military presence as a
‘counterterrorism’ mission. 
Those familiar with Afghan history know what it means for any
foreign presence on its soil beyond 2014, no matter under what arrangement
or nomenclature. Whatever the Afghan endgame Washington and its NATO
allies may be pursuing to get out of Afghanistan, one thing is clear: the
Afghan conflict will not be resolved at NATO conferences. The Afghan
solution lies only in Afghanistan where the Afghans alone are the arbiters of
their destiny. 
The people of Afghanistan have suffered for too long as victims of
foreign-imposed wars and deserve peace sooner rather than later. And the
Afghans are not the only victim of the Afghan tragedy. Pakistan too has
suffered immeasurably in terms of refugee influx, socio-economic burden,
rampant terrorism, unabated violence and protracted conflict in its border
areas with Afghanistan. There is no country with deeper stakes in Afghan
peace or more relevant credentials as an unrivalled player in any intra-
Afghan dialogue or reconciliation. 
Meanwhile, there are clear signs of fatigue and frustration among
NATO partners, who are increasingly becoming mindful of the war-led
fiscal pressures in Europe and elsewhere, and also of the growing public
opposition to a costly and unwinnable war in which they could not defeat the
Afghan Taliban even after 12 years of fighting. France has already
withdrawn its troops, while most other NATO members are also looking for
an early exit. It is; perhaps, against this self-indicting backdrop that next
year’s Nato Summit will review the ‘final chapter’ in its long Afghan war.’
(Shamshad Ahmad, TheNation 4th June)
The Afghan war – a total waste, Unless...: ‘Instead, our investment
in Afghanistan has allowed jihadists to portray us as infidel occupiers, a
potent casus belli that has arguably made Britain’s streets less safe than
before – demonstrably so in the recent case of Michael Adebolajo, who

1056
allegedly linked the killing of Drummer Rigby in Woolwich to the presence
of British troops in Muslim lands.
And what of the security of Afghans themselves, above all in
Helmand, the focus of Britain’s military effort? In February 2013, President
Karzai declared that the situation had been better before the British first
deployed there in 2006. Thousands of Helmandis have been internally
displaced, an estimated 20,000 refugees from the province in Kabul alone.
Thousands more have been accidentally killed in the fighting – many by us.
Even the MoD, an institution not known for transparency in such matters,
acknowledges that British taxpayers have, to date, compensated the families
of 249 dead Helmandi civilians.
After eight years, UK forces have ‘stabilized’ three of the 14 districts
in Helmand – one of 34 Afghan provinces. ‘In terms of overall political
significance,’ as Ledwidge puts it, ‘this might be the equivalent of three
large market towns in Lincolnshire.’ Hundreds of millions have been spent
on developing this backwater, a part of the vaunted state-building strategy
known as ‘clear, hold, build’. But this empty rhetoric and the contradictions
inherent in a policy known as ‘hot stabilization’, are nowhere clearer than in
our failure to eradicate Helmand’s opium trade.
Poppies were the reason that Tony Blair opted to send British troops
to Helmand in the first place – to be ‘lead nation’ on counter-narcotics. But
our troops were engaged in a broader NATO campaign to win hearts and
minds – and that was never going to work if they went about destroying the
farmers’ livelihoods.
Today, Afghanistan produces about 85 per cent of the world’s
poppies, and 49 per cent of that is grown in Helmand – up from about 40 per
cent in 2006. The irony is that the Taliban, when in power, did a better job of
controlling poppy farming than we have done. They had good reason to do
so, beyond the obvious point that drug use under Islam is forbidden.
Afghanistan’s war-torn society never used to have a drug problem, but it
does now, with an estimated million opium or heroin addicts.
Some analysts think the real reason we have fought for so long in
Helmand has been to support the special relationship – which was in need of
some repair after our ignominious retreat from Basra in 2009. And yet, says
Ledwidge, the ‘awful paradox’ is that the reputation of our armed forces has
not been restored in the eyes of the US, whose forces had to ride to our
rescue in Helmand once again.

1057
 What will Helmand look like after we have gone? That depends on the
willingness of the Kabul government to defend and build upon the progress
so painfully won by our troops. The prognosis is poor. Ledwidge recounts
how, in 2009, the then Foreign Secretary David Miliband asked two Afghan
ministers how long they expected government authorities to stay on in
Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand, after Western forces left. ‘Twenty-four
hours’, they replied.
Our departure may well plunge the country back into civil war – in
which case, all our blood and treasure will have been for nought. We have
18 months to broker the power-sharing agreement in Kabul that might
prevent this. It is our only chance to leave Afghanistan in marginally better
shape than we found it, with a chance of a more peaceful future. Talks with
the Taliban, the prerequisite of any political settlement, have been official
US and British policy for more than two years, but have repeatedly stalled.
Frank Ledwidge’s sombre review of the vast cost of our Afghan venture
shows how vital it is that they are restarted – and that they succeed.’ (James
Fergussan for Independent, reprinted in TheNation 4th June)
Sentence goes on for Pakistani inmates at Bagram: ‘The US
handed over control of Afghanistan’s Bagram jail to the Kabul government
three months ago. But nothing has changed for dozens of foreign inmates
still locked up inside ‘the Afghan Guantanamo’.
In what has been described as a ‘prison within a prison’, the US
continues to operate within Bagram’s walls.
After years of imprisonment, some 60 non-Afghan detainees – mostly
Pakistanis but also Saudis and Kuwaitis – are still denied face-to-face access
to lawyers and have not been charged with any crime.
The foreigners were exempted from the US handover in March of
more than 3,000 Bagram prisoners to Afghan authorities. Their situation has
prompted comparisons with detainees at the US prison at Guantanamo Bay
in Cuba.
In a miserable hamlet with the soulless name ‘Village 105’, lost in the
vast Punjab wheat-fields outside the town of Faisalabad, Abdul Razzaq
keeps treasured photos of his brother Amanatullah Ali.
It has been nearly 10 years since they saw each other. After the fall of
Saddam Hussein, Ali went to Iraq – for pilgrimage, his brother says.
But he and his friend Yunus Rahmatullah were arrested by British
troops as suspected militants and handed over to the Americans.

1058
 Many fighters ended up being sent to Guantanamo. But because Ali
and Rahmatullah spoke Urdu and not Arabic, they were taken to
Afghanistan where US forces had translators to interrogate them. ‘His wife
contacted us and said she had had no news from him for six or seven
months, then they searched for him but found no trace and we feared he had
been kidnapped or killed’, Razzaq said.
In 2005 the family received a letter, proof at last that he was still alive.
Four years later Ali spoke to his family for the first time by phone. ‘I asked
him: Do you have any problems in jail?’ said Razzaq. ‘He replied, Jail is in
itself the problem.’
Now every few months Razzaq travels the 450 kilometres from his
village to Islamabad where he can see and talk to his brother by Skype at the
International Committee of the Red Cross offices.
The line is cut by the Americans when they move onto topics deemed
too sensitive.
A US defence official told AFP Washington considered the detainees
to be ‘enemy combatants’ and they do not enjoy legal rights that would be
accorded to a criminal suspect in an American civilian court. The official
declined to say whether the detainees have access to a lawyer, and
acknowledged they will remain behind bars indefinitely as long as US forces
stay in Afghanistan.
Washington is preparing to withdraw the bulk of its remaining 65,000
troops from Afghanistan by the end of next year, and Razzaq hopes this will
mean an end to his brother’s ordeal.
‘I hope he will be released soon because the Americans are leaving
this region. He has to be released now because the Americans are leaving’,
he said.
But the release process is long and complex. Britain’s Supreme Court
has already ruled that Rahmatullah’s transfer to Bagram and detention there
are illegal but he is still inside.
‘With the drawdown happening and the US pulling out of Afghanistan
it’s creating an even bigger question of what are you going to do with these
guys’, said Sarah Belal, a lawyer defending Bagram detainees she has never
met.

1059
 ‘There is a prison within a prison controlled by the US forces because
they are holding these 60 detainees, so this is what we mean by legal black
hole: these people have no recourse to any courts or any rights.’
In Bagram as in Guantanamo the US faces challenges deciding what
to do with detainees it regards as dangerous who have been held in some
cases for years without trial – an issue that has fuelled anti-American
sentiment in the Muslim world. Washington has repatriated foreign terror
suspects imprisoned for years without trial in Bagram, but each case is a
bureaucratic maze.
The Bagram Review Board must give the initial approval, which then
goes to the Department of Defense in Washington for confirmation.
The US government must be satisfied that the receiving country will
not torture the detainee and that the possible threat he poses will be taken
into account. After that he must obtain an Afghan exit visa.
The process can drag on for years. Rahmatullah got the thumbs up
from the Bagram board three years ago but is still in detention.
Kamil Shah went through this tortuous process to secure his freedom.
He is now trying to rebuild his life in Kohistan, a mountainous region in
northern Pakistan.
In 2004, aged 17, Shah said he crossed into Afghanistan to seek
treatment for a sick friend in Kandahar – the heartland of the Taliban
movement. But on his way there he was arrested by the Americans.
US forces did not believe his story and he was thrown into Bagram as
a suspected Taliban or al-Qaeda militant, where he met Amanatullah Ali.
‘Sometimes we were thinking we would never get out of jail. I was
thinking I do not exist, I am already dead’, Shah said.
Four years after his release Shah must still notify the police whenever
he wants to leave his village. With no qualification and no job, he struggles
by and says he wishes he could clear his name.
‘When they told me they wanted to release me I told them I am not
going out till you write a letter saying Kamil is innocent’, Kamil Shah said.
The colonel told me ‘I am telling you that you are innocent but I
cannot write you a letter.’ (Dr Guillaume Lavallee, TheNation 13th June)

REVIEW

1060
 The fifteenth June was certainly the very sad day for Pakistan and of
course for Balochistan. The midnight attack on historic Ziarat Residency
was a direct assault on very rationale of Pakistan’s existence. The two
chowkidars of residency did or could do nothing to save the historic building
from the assailants, the policeman on duty however lost his life.
In the morning media teams rushed to Ziarat to report about the
damage caused by the terrorist at night. These media people were still there
when in Quetta the attacks on a bus of Sardar Bahadur Khan Women
University and Bolan Medical Complex Hospital were carried out in quick
succession.
The TV channels had to bank of getting the local politicians on line
for their views. All those who spoke on various TV channels during the day
defended militants by arguing that killing women is against the Baloch
traditions. Pakhtun leaders of the province, fearing the blame is passed onto
them, also took the same line saying that such attacks are against Pakhtun
tradition as well.
Indirectly, they were passing the buck on to Punjabis as if it is their
tradition to kill women. One prominent Baloch leader, Hasil Khan Bazenjo
said that the bus was used for students of Hazara community; though the
senior police officer told media that bus was used by all, including Punjabi
and Pathhan students. They were undoubtedly pointing their fingers at LeJ,
the Punjabi Taliban, who of late have known for sectarian killings.
The matter however was settled after BLA and LeJ owned Ziarat and
Quetta attacks respectively. If owning of responsibility by LeJ is correct,
then indirect involvement of the US is more than a possibility. The
Americans fan sectarian militancy across entire Islamic world, in Yemen, in
Lebanon, in Iraq above all in Syria and has been trying the same in Pakistan
since long.
If the reported affiliation of LeJ with al-Qaeda may be accepted even
then the US involvement cannot be ruled out. The US fought alongside al-
Qaeda in Libya to topple Gaddafi. It is now an ‘ally’ of al-Qaeda for regime
change in Syria; therefore, why the same could not happen in Pakistan,
whether through BLA, LeJ or al-Qaeda. Remember Fatemi-Hoagland
‘encounter’ in Foreign Office and the American walking out of the meeting
fuming.
Many analysts were of the view that these attacks were to destabilize
Dr Maalik’s government because he was the first non-tribal sardar CM in the
province. It could be other way round, a Baloch nationalist in CM office and

1061
a Pakhtun nationalist in Governor House would grant them freedom of
action and the two would defend them on the basis of Baloch and Pakhtun
traditions.
The actions initiated so far seemed to have produced the desired
results. The fear of ‘god’ appears to have sprouted in the heart of new
regime. The successor of Rehman Malik, Ch Nisar Ali, vowed to talk to the
militants in the language they understand best, the language of weapons.
This must have pleased the Americans.
This pleasure has been sought through thousands of its agents which
operate in Pakistan courtesy the regime that came to power through a deal in
2008. The ‘front-man’ of the US must have played key role in this.
Remember that only a few days ago India had leveled a pre-emptive
accusation that Pakistan was trying to revive Sikh Movement.
17th June, 2013

1062
 PAKISTAN BUDGETED
During the last two weeks under review the new rulers of Pakistan at
federal and provincial levels presented and debated the budgets for the next
financial year. The budget at the federal level appeared to have a single
objective to be achieved – the filling of the coffers which the outgoing
regime had emptied.
On 17th June, all the provinces except Balochistan presented their
respective budgets and all the governments vowed to alleviate the problems
of the masses. None of them talked about eradicating the menace of
corruption that eats up bulk of the resources meant for development. PTI
government in KPK however vowed to establish an institution for across the
board accountability.
As the National Assembly was debating the annual budget, the
foreign-funded militants struck in Ziarat and Quetta within 24 hours. These
attacks came as reminders that budgeting Pakistan is not the only problem
awaiting attention of the new rulers. The militants and their foreign sponsors
were staring the new regime in its face.

NEWS
Power politics: On 10th June, the new Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
held first meeting of his cabinet and warned his ministers against corruption.
Nawaz also chaired meeting of the NEC (National Economic Council)
which approved the macroeconomic framework for the financial year 2013-
2014 and a development budget of Rs1.16 trillion, including a record
Rs1,155 billion public sector development programme.
A 21-member new Punjab cabinet, a blend of new and old faces, was
sown-in at the Governor House. Since the official notification regarding
acceptance of Punjab Governor’s resignation was not issued till late in the

1063
evening, Makhdum Ahmed Mehmud administered oath to the ministers.
Shahbaz Sharif expressed the hope that they will come up to the
expectations of the people and discharge their responsibilities efficiently.
Imran Khan threatened to launch a massive protest along with his
party men after Eidul Fitr if serious investigations are not carried out against
the alleged rigging in the general elections. Talking to media people, Imran
said the judiciary and the Election Commission had disappointed the masses
during the general polls as the umpires of the elections had become
partisans. He announced PTI, taking benefit of access to information under
the 18th Amendment, would get ballot papers’ counter-files for recounting of
the votes.
Next day, President Zardari on the advice of the Prime Minister Mian
Nawaz Sharif appointed Muhammad Khan Achakzai as Governor
Balochistan. Muhammad Khan Achakzai by profession is an economist and
is younger brother of Mehmud Khan Achakzai, MNA and chief of
Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (MKMAP). Even Mehmud Khan, who
talks a lot about representative democracy, could not find a man out of his
family for governorship.
On 13th June, Imran Khan arrived in Islamabad and rushed to the
home of Usman Mirza, a Rawalpindi-based deceased worker of his party, to
offer fateha for the departed soul. Flanked by Jahangir Khan Tereen and
others, Imran condoled with the family of late Usman, who was shot dead
during election campaign in the constituency of NA-56, where Imran
defeated PML-N Hanif Abbasi. Usman was assassinated on the Election
Day. The PTI workers believe that men of Hanif Abbasi assassinated
Usman.
The family of the deceased told Imran how the police kept on
threatening them instead of tracing the killers. They said no arrest had been
made and the alleged killer of Usman was hiding somewhere in AJK. Khan
assured the family members that he would not sit idle till the arrest of the
killer of Usman Khan.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shaukatullah Khan administered oath
to 12-member provincial cabinet at the Governor’s House. However, the
portfolios were not allocated to the members due to a deadlock between the
PTI and JI over the issue. It is expected that the ministers would be allotted
ministries tomorrow.
Muhammad Khan Achakzai was sworn to the office of Balochistan
governor. Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Esa administered

1064
the oath to Achakzai during a ceremony at Governor’s House. Achakzai’s
swearing-in comes as a result a power-sharing formula among Pakistan
Muslim League-Nawaz, PKMAP and National Party.
On 16th June, led by Rehman Malik, a PPP delegation visited Nine-
Zero to invite MQM leaders to join the provincial government of Sindh. PPP
delegates held negotiations with MQM leaders over various issues, including
appointment of opposition leader in the National Assembly, law and order
situation in Karachi city and Balochistan, local bodies system.
On 19th June, Imran Khan, in his maiden speech after taking oath as
Member National Assembly, said that his demeanour in the house would be
more of a Pakistani than that of a traditional opposition leader and he would
extend support to the government on issues of national importance. Interior
Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan endorsed most of the suggestions and
submissions made by PTI chairman and Leader of Opposition in NA Syed
Khursheed Shah termed this unanimity of views a good omen for the
democratic order.
Imran, who was wearing back support, said that country was facing
serious challenges and government and opposition should be on same page
to resolve them and his party would be extending full support to government
in this regard. But he quickly added that they would give tough time to the
rulers on corruption and bad governance.
He suggested that army chief, prime minister and all the four chief
ministers should devise a comprehensive strategy to control the menace of
terrorism and drone strikes. He further asked the government to initiate
dialogue process with all those who wanted to live with peace in the country.
He remarked that if Americans can talk with Afghan Taliban, why Pakistan
government could not negotiate peace with the Pakistani Taliban to restore
peace in the restive tribal areas.
He said corruption and mal-governance was another major problem
facing the country and suggested establishment of a truly independent and
powerful accountability apparatus. He announced that his party-led
government would establish an independent accountability department in
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, which would be empowered to even check the sitting
provincial ministers and it would be answerable to a citizens’ board.
The PTI chief said, as per promise, they would be holding the local
bodies’ elections in KPK within 90 days. He said they had directed all the
cabinet members as well as their party MPAs to declare their assets and all
the cabinet members would be barred from doing their business as long as

1065
they hold the ministerial portfolios. Listing the prevalent injustice as root
cause of the country's overall downfall, he said that the only way to steer the
country out of these crises is to establish rule of law and end corruption and
mal-administration.
Pointing toward the general public's uproar about the rigging charges
in the elections, Imran during his speech suggested that Election
Commission should order the voters' verification through thumb impression
in any four constituencies so that the public faith in the electoral process
could be established and the matter is settled once for all.
Nisar invited the opposition to investigate election results on 10, 20 or
30 seats. On national security issues, the minister said that prime minister
has almost completed consultation with political leaders to convene a
meeting on two points: Sovereignty and Terrorism. He also mentioned their
meeting with the Army Chief and said that Defence Services Chiefs would
also be invited to tomorrow’s meeting on the subject.
On the issue of accountability, Nisar agreed with Imran’s proposal of
an independent accountability system. He also invited the opposition to
introduce Conflict of Interests bill to the house and assured the government's
support. Nisar assured to accept criticism with an open heart and take along
opposition on all national issues. Syed Khursheed Shah termed the
consensus between Imran and Nisar as good omen and hoped that together
they would steer the country out of the problems facing the country.
Taking note of her maltreatment with the bus hostess, the PML-N
suspended the party membership of MPA Nighat Nasir Sheikh and sought
explanation from her. PML-N Secretary General sought a reply to the
allegations from the lady MPA within three days. The MPA had slapped the
bus hostess.
Next day, MQM conducted intra-party referendum for taking opinion
from workers and supporters to join PPP government in Sindh. The polling
started at 9:00am which ended at 5:00pm without any break. Ballot boxes
were placed in sectors, zonal offices and party offices in Karachi,
Hyderabad, other cities and towns of Sindh and others provinces.
Reportedly, majority of MQM workers and supporters have refused to be a
part coalition with PPP in provincial government.
On 22nd June, the PML-N government changed the portfolio of Law
Minister Zahid Hamid, making him minister of Science and Technology,
just two days before tomorrow’s hearing of High Treason case against
former President General (r) Pervez Musharraf. Zahid had been accused of

1066
aiding Musharraf for imposition of emergency on November 3, 2007 and
subsequent unconstitutional and unlawful acts.
Rule of law: On 10th June, Special Judge Control of Narcotics
Substances Court issued permanent arrest warrants of former Secretary
Health Khushnood Akhter Lashari in controlled chemical ephedrine
smuggling case. Lashari was also declared as proclaimed offender in the
case by the court. Other 10 accused including former federal minister
Makhdoom Shihabuddin were also present in the court. The court ordered to
distribute copies of the charge sheet among the accused and adjourned the
hearing till June 22, 2013.
On 12th June, the government sacked Motorways Inspector General
Zafar Abbas for giving congratulatory advertisement on state expenses.
Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had barred ministries and
autonomous bodies from issuing such advertisements. Few days back, the
government had issued show-case notices to the National Bank of Pakistan
president and Motorway IG over congratulatory advertisements on Nawaz
Sharif's election as PM.
On 14th June, former NAB chairman Fasih Bokhari filed a review
petition again with the Supreme Court against his sacking. The registrar
office had returned Fasih Bokhari's review petition after raising objections.
After addressing and removing the objections, he filed petition again
requesting to halt implementation of the earlier decision until the court
issues judgment on his review petition.
On 17th June, the Supreme Court directed the petitioner to submit
corroborative evidence of Altaf Hussain's legal status in the MQM. ‘You
want the court to issue notice to Altaf Hussain for making a speech on May
11 asking for separation of Karachi from the country. For this you have to
show that Hussain is the lawfully elected head of MQM’, asked Chief
Justice from Barrister Zafarullah.
Barrister Zafarullah informed the bench the MQM party was
registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) with the name of
Deputy Convener Farooq Sattar. He contended that MQM had violated the
provisions of Political Parties Act 2002 saying the MQM concealed facts
regarding hierarchy of the party leaders while submitting Intra-Party
Certificate with the ECP after the general elections. He pleaded that every
body knew that Altaf Hussain is the chief leader of MQM, who talks about
destabilizing the internal situation of the country while sitting in London.

1067
 Barrister Zafarullah prayed to the bench to do away the impression
that the court has been sidelined in the current matter. He urged the court to
bar all the activities of the MQM in the country. Upon that the Chief Justice
observed that the court is adhering Constitution of Pakistan saying, ‘We
never afraid of anybody except Allah’. The bench asked the petitioner to file
an amended petition in the matter and adjourned the hearing for 10 days.
The Supreme Court was moved to array incumbent Federal Law and
Justice Minister, Zahid Hamid, among the collaborators and abettors who
aided Pervez Musharraf for imposing Emergency on 3rd November 2007 and
subsequent unconstitutional and unlawful acts. Sheikh Ahsan-ud-Din, along
with other six petitioners, has already filed the application against former
President General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf for imposing Emergency. The
next date of hearing of the petitions is fixed June 24.
He prayed that all the record in custody of ministry of law and justice
pertaining to Emergency from 3rd November to 16th December 2007, be
sealed and the ministry be directed to take all the steps and measures to keep
the record intact and save from any manipulation, tampering, changing or
misplacement. The learned counsel also prayed, ‘Zahid Hamid should be
restrained from acting as law minister till the disposal of instant petitions, so
that new government under Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif,
could form an independent and fair opinion regarding trial of Musharraf and
to avoid tampering of record.’ Zahid Hamid was the law minister in the
cabinet of the then Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz when Musharraf as
President of Pakistan imposed Emergency in the country.
Next day, a letter written to Pakistan by Switzerland revealed that the
corruption cases cannot be reopened against President Zardari in any Swiss
court of law. The Swiss authorities made it clear the graft cases against
Zardari and others could not be reopened as they have died down forever
being 'time-barred'. The PPP law minister Farooq H Naek had claimed that
the Swiss authorities had dropped the cases according to their own laws and
not in accordance with immunity under the Pakistani laws.
On 20th June, former Prime Minister Gilani did not appear before the
NAB once again. He also asked the NAB to drop his name from the list of
accused in the alleged appointment of former Chairman Ogra Tauqir Sadiq.
His lawyer justice (r) Amjad Qureshi appeared before the NAB investigation
team and submitted his statement in the case of the appointment of Tauqir
Sadiq.

1068
 Energy tycoon Iqbal Z. Ahmed was interrogated by the NAB. Iqbal,
the chief of Jamshoro Joint Venture Limited (JJVL), on June 19 was issued a
notice to appear before NAB’s investigation team. Iqbal is facing charges of
causing a big loss to the national exchequer through dubious deals regarding
Kunnar-Pasakhi gas field and some other deals with gas companies and
OGDCL. A project near Hyderabad known as Kunnar Pasakhi Deep (KPD)
has already been awarded to liquefied natural gas (LNG) king Iqbal Z.
Ahmed who is charging $380 per ton to process raw natural gas.
Next day, Swiss prosecutors announced that they had refused to
reopen a probe into alleged corruption in the 1990s by current Pakistani
President and his late wife Benazir Bhutto. Prosecutors in Geneva said that
the decision was taken on February 4 this year, and that they had only opted
to make it public as a result of street protests in Pakistan.
In November 2012, Pakistan's government renewed its request for
Swiss legal assistance after being ordered to do so by the Supreme Court.
Geneva prosecutors underlined that no new evidence had emerged since the
case was dropped in 2008, meaning they could not reopen the investigation.
In addition, the fact that the alleged offences took place more than 15 years
ago meant that the statute of limitations had expired, they said.
They also complained about mixed messages from Pakistan. Just a
month after filing the renewed request, Pakistan sent them a letter stating
that the call for a revived probe was linked to domestic politics and that
there was no need to heed it. That amounted to abuse of the legal system,
prosecutors said.
Taming the military: On 10th June, addressing the joint session of
the Parliament for the record sixth consecutive time President Zardari asked
the new Parliament to devise an appropriate policy on punishment so that no
one could dare subvert the Constitution in future. He assured his support for
such policy. Congratulating newly elected Prime Minister Muhammad
Nawaz Sharif, the president said that it was an honour for him to be the first
elected civilian to oversee the transfer of power in a democratic manner.
Anti-Terrorism Court, Quetta issued non-bailable arrest warrants of
Pervez Musharraf, former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, former Balochistan
Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani and former Deputy Commissioner Dera
Bugti Samad Lasi in Nawab Akbar Bugti murder case.
Next day, a division bench of Islamabad High Court granted post-
arrest bail to f Pervez Musharraf in judges’ detention case. Earlier, Anti-

1069
Terrorism Court Islamabad had rejected the bail application of Pervez
Musharraf on May 22 citing the appellant was a proclaimed offender and not
entitled to any concession.
A trial court ordered the FIA to submit a complete challan on June 25
against military dictator and former President General Pervez Musharraf
accused in the Benazir Bhutto murder case. The court also summoned City
Police Officer Rawalpindi to appear before the court on the next date of
hearing on June 25.
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Quetta dismissed former president
Pervez Musharraf's bail plea in Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti’s murder case.
Counsel for Musharraf, Muhammad Ilyas advocate, had filed the bail
application. Talking to media persons, Sohail Rajput, counsel for
Nawabzada Jamil Akbar Bugti, said Musharraf was frequently asked to
appear before the court of law, but he did not turn up.
On 12th June, a team of Quetta police, assisted by the Islamabad
capital police, formally arrested Pervez Musharraf after a local court of
Quetta issued his non-bailable arrest warrants in Bugti murder case. The
police team interrogated Musharraf for almost two hours and left for Quetta.
The police team, however, couldn’t take the accused to Quetta where he was
supposed to be taken to for a brief interrogation by the Quetta police.
On 15th June, Special Anti-Terrorism Court Islamabad formally
indicted former President General Pervez Musharraf in judges’ detention
case. ATC Judge Syed Kausar Abbas Zaidi conducted the hearing of the
case at Musharraf’s Chak Shahzad farmhouse which has been declared as
sub-jail. During the hearing, charges against Musharraf were read out to him
but the former military ruler declined to accept the same. The court directed
the prosecution to present evidence against him on the next hearing and
deferred the hearing till June 21.
On 21st June, three prosecution witnesses recorded their statements
before Anti-Terrorism Court, Islamabad against former President Pervez
Musharraf in judges' detention case. The ATC judge conducted hearing at
Musharraf's farmhouse which was already declared as sub-jail. Ilyas
Siddiqui Advocate, counsel for Musharraf, cross-examined the witnesses.
Later, the court summoned the other witnesses and deferred the hearing for
further proceedings till June 29.
Recessing economy: On 10th June, the Senate Standing Committee
on Water and Power on Monday expressed its deep shock when Islamabad

1070
Electricity Supply Company Chief Executive Yousuf Awan disclosed the
Presidency, PM House, Supreme Court, GHQ, ISI Headquarters, NAB,
Nadra and Judges’ Colony were exempted from load shedding. Senate Body
Chairman Zahid Khan in his remarks said, ‘I am totally shocked that the
common man was facing up to 21 hours of load shedding while the
president, the prime minister, generals and judges had been exempted from it
even though they could afford to buy generators.’
A lawyer Syed Feroz Shah Gilani sent a legal notice to the prime
minister asking the later for construction of Kalabagh Dam. He stated that
Lahore High Court Chief Justice had ordered the federal government on
November 29, 2012 to construct Kalabagh Dam. The CJ had directed the
government to fulfill its responsibilities under Article 154 of the
Constitution as the Council of Common Interest had approved twice
construction of the project. He stated he would file a petition before the LHC
if the court order was not followed.
The Supreme Court questioned why 50 per cent load shedding is
observed when, according to Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco), the
gap between generation and requirement of electricity is 30 per cent.
Managing director Pepco and NTDC informed that according to rules, their
number one priority is defence and strategic installations and the second
number are the schools and hospitals. However, the Chief Justice said that
their first priority should be consumers who pay taxes.
On the bench’s query, the MD Pepco informed that Rs384 billion
electricity bills are outstanding against the private and public sectors. He
said out of the total amount Rs239 billion is against some individuals. The
areas of non-paying electricity bills are Sukkar, Hyderabad, KPK and
Balochistan, he said and added when the power in those areas is
disconnected there people started attacking the grid stations.
The Chief Justice asked why pre-paid system could not be introduced
in power sector. The MD Pepco said that they had discussed this issue with
the Asian Development Bank, which was ready to grant loan for the
purpose. He said they have a plan to replace smart meters with the old ones.
The case was adjourned till 18th June, so that the new Attorney General
Munir A Malik could furnish a detailed report after holding consultation
with all the stakeholders.
Next day, presenting the Economic Survey 2012-2013 on the eve of
federal budget presentation in the new parliament, Finance Minister Ishaq
Dar spoke of ‘hard decisions’ the PML-N government would have to make

1071
in the upcoming budget. The hard decisions could entail the masses paying
the price for the economic bungling by the PPP government in the shape of
new taxes. The minister spoke of broadening the tax net.
‘There is no harm if fresh loans are taken from the IMF in order to
return the previous loans’, said Dar while replying to a question regarding a
new bailout package. ‘The government has to make a heavy repayment to
the IMF by December and also in the next year.’ He said the country’s
public debt had reached Rs14 trillion by June 2013 that was only Rs3 trillion
in 1999. The PPP-led coalition government had taken loans worth Rs7.5
trillion in its five-year tenure as compared to $ 6.5 trillion taken during 50
years (from 1947 to 2007), he added. Public debt increased by 8 percent or
Rs959 billion in a one-year period.
Dar said that the GDP growth rate in the current fiscal year ending on
June 30 remained at 3.6 against a target of 4 percent. The target for
investment in the last PPP tenure was 14.9 per cent but the country is likely
to achieve 14.2 per cent by the close of the year. Foreign inflows were
projected at 1.8 billion dollars but these remained 800 million dollars. The
finance minister said the agriculture sector only grew by 3.3 percent as
against the target of 4.1 percent and the services sector 3.7 percent against
the targeted 4.3 percent. On few positive things, large-scale manufacturing
improved as its growth is expected to be 2.8 percent as against 2 percent
target for the outgoing year.
Residents of Faisalabad took to roads and went on rampage,
ransacking offices of Fesco in protest against the electricity load shedding.
Carrying clubs and stones, hundreds of protesters attacked the Fesco sub-
divisional office on Sheikhupura Road and ransacked all the record,
furniture and windowpanes in the office. The infuriated protestors also
clashed with police who restored to aerial firing and chased the youths till
their homes in response to the stone-pelting.
The unruly mob looted several shops on the Lahore Road after hour-
long hide-and-seek with armed police parties in sizzling heat. The situation
was so intense that the police had to call in additional force to control the
protesters. Finding no other way to break up the protest into streets, the law
enforcers finally barged into several homes and rounded up dozens of
rioters. The protestors warned that they would again block the road for all
kind of traffic unless the unannounced load shedding end.
On 12th June, Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar presented the deficit
budget in the National Assembly of Rs3.591 trillion for the financial year

1072
2013-14. As the burden of circular debt has witnessed a whopping increase
of 250% to reach Rs14,284 billion, the focus of the budget is spurring
growth by stabilization of the economy, cutting down on non-development
expenditures, enhancing productivity and overcoming the energy crisis,
which has been costing the country 2% of GDP annually, by bringing down
subsidies and gradually increasing electricity tariff for all consumers.
The budget projects fiscal deficit at 6.3% (Rs1,651), GDP (gross
domestic product) growth rate at 4.4%, inflation 9.5% while revenue target
has been set at Rs2.475trillion. Rs1.155 trillion have been allocated for
national development, Rs926 billion for debt servicing, Rs225 billion for
energy sector development and Rs75 billion each for Income Support Fund
and human resource development.
The General Sales Tax (GST) has been proposed to increase from 16
per cent to 17, a decision which is going to further raise the prices of
commodities for the people already battered by the worst price hike. There is
no increase in government employee salaries. However, pension of federal
government employees has been increased by 10%, while the minimum
pension has also been raised from Rs3,000 to 6,000.
A new 0.5% levy has been imposed on movable assets, while
‘adjustable’ withholding tax has been imposed on wedding ceremonies, and
foreign films and dramas. Tax rate on cigarettes and cold drinks has also
been increased. Every intending Haji will also have to pay Rs5,000 tax. An
additional 5% sales tax has been imposed on commercial and industrial
electricity account holders who are not registered as tax payers. Tax on cash
withdrawals from banks raised to 0.3%.
Tax on vehicles has also been increased, however, a 100% exemption
from all duties and taxes has been granted on import of eco-friendly hybrid
cars of up to 1200cc. Despite the weak economic growth, high inflation,
dwindling foreign exchange reserves and unprecedented power cuts, the new
budget earmarked 627 billion rupees ($6.3 billion) for defence, a 10%
increase compared to 570 billion rupees in the outgoing year.
The finance minister said the government is introducing the concept
of a medium term plan for improvement of economy. According to Medium
Term Macroeconomic Framework (MTMF), Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
rate would be increased to 7% in next three fiscal years (2013-14 and 2015-
16), inflation will be brought down to single digit, investment to GDP will
be increased to 20% and fiscal deficit will be reduced to 4%.

1073
 Dar said the circular debt will be resolved in 60 days, as he requested
to all consumers to pay their bills on time. He also announced that
employment opportunities will be created in the private sector. There will be
reforms in state owned enterprises. The first step is to appoint professional
managers who will be appointed on the basis of merit.
The government has earmarked Rs78 million for the Human Rights
Division in Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) for the year 2013-
14. Rs5 billion have been allocated for Tameer-e-Pakistan Program. The
minister said that Income Support Fund will continue and the amount, with
an increase of 80%, will be increased to Rs75 billion. He however said they
would make some changes to the programme so people do not become
dependent on it.
The finance minister also announced a programme for youth and other
initiatives of Rs115 billion that includes Prime Minister’s Youth training
programme, prime Minister’s Youth Skill Development programme, Small
business Loans Scheme, Prime Minister’s Scheme for Provision of Laptop,
Fee Reimbursement Scheme for less developed areas, Prime Minister’s
Micro Finance Scheme, Prime Minister’s Housing Scheme and Public
Works Programme for parliamentarians.
While describing the salient features of Public Sector Development
Programme (PSDP), he said Pakistan has abundant water resources and it
inherited a countrywide system of irrigation and dams at the time of
partition, followed by building of Mangla and Tarbela dams which are
lifeline of economy. The government has allocated Rs59 billion for water
projects including expansion of Mangla and Tarbela dams, Diamer-Bhasha
Dam, Gomal Zam Dam and various other dams and irrigation projects, he
added.
The minister informed the House that Rs225 billion have been
allocated for energy sector in which Rs160 billion was allocated in the PSDP
and Rs65 billion revenue would be generated by Gencos and Discos. Funds
have been allocated for Neelum Jhelum Dam, Thar coal, Chashma nuclear
power plant, modernization of power stations and building of grid stations,
he added.
Next day, the prices of petrol, CNG and many items of daily use were
raised on the very second day to the presentation of budget, because of
proposed increase in GST from current 16 percent to 17 percent. The Ogra
(Oil and gas Regulatory Authority) too immediately dispatched a summary
recommending up revision of price of POL products.

1074
 Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that Pakistan will negotiate with IMF
on its ‘own terms’ for fresh loan package to repay the previous one and will
bear ‘no dictation’ in this regard. Addressing a post-budget press conference
he said government would ensure strict fiscal discipline and transparency to
put the country on the path of economic stability.
Defending his move not to increase the salaries of civil servants, the
finance minister said that government has granted an allowance three
months back and it could not afford to enhance their salaries after every
three months. However, he assured that the employees would definitely be
compensated in the next budget.
Mulling over granting Federal Board of Revenue unbridled powers to
intrude into the privacy of every bank account holder, the government is set
to introduce an extremely controversial tax law to give FBR sweeping
authority to conduct surveillance on bank accounts. The government in the
Finance Bill 2013-2014 has proposed to give extraordinary powers to FBR
to get access to the bank’s database. The proposed section in the bill has
been given overriding effect to all other laws.
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority prayed to the Supreme Court to
ban the use of CNG in public transport, as it might repeat Gujrat-like
incident in future. Afnan Kundi, counsel for the Ogra, said that since 2011
they have been writing to the federal government that use of CNG cylinders
in public transport, particularly vans and pick-ups, is very dangerous as there
is no space for fitting the cylinders therefore are fitted under the passengers
seats, which is like sitting on bomb. 
The learned counsel contended that entire responsibility of Gujrat
incident lies on Chief Inspector Explosive (CIE). However, CIE Mohammad
Hussain told the court that the issue regarding who should conduct
inspection has been pending in the Lahore High Court for the last three
years. The court observed that it was responsibility of Ogra to inspect and
check the fitting of cylinder in vehicles. The bench after hearing the
arguments of all the parties reserved the judgment.
On 14th June, Prime Minister accorded approval to increase electricity
tariff by Rs2.50 per unit and decided to himself review the energy situation
on weekly basis. These decisions were taken in a meeting of a special
committee formed to solve the problem of power shortages. The meeting
held at the PM’s office reviewed the ongoing energy crisis and decided to
take comprehensive steps to increase power generation to meet the
burgeoning demand.

1075
 The Supreme Court declared unconstitutional the implementation of
revised GST on petroleum products by the government before the passage of
the new budget from the parliament. The chief justice said that with increase
of GST from 16% to 17%, all the commodities would become expensive.
The CJ said no law to increase the tax has been passed as yet. The next
hearing is set for June 18.
All Pakistan Clerks Association rejected the Budget 2013-14 and
threatened to close down offices against the ‘anti-workers’ budget. With the
increase in general sales tax, a storm of inflation will hit the country.
Government workers under the leadership of Apca Punjab Secretary General
took out a protested rally in Bahawalpur against the non-increase of their
salaries in the fiscal budget and kept the road block for three hours. Protests
were held in almost all major cities across the country
On 15th June, the national assembly started formal debate over federal
budget 2013-14 with the opposition strongly disapproving the ‘anti-people’
budgetary proposals as the treasury defended them, outlining seven major
targets to salvage the country’s economy. The opposition advised PML-N
government not to go for privatization of owned enterprises, refrain from
increasing GST (general sales tax), raise the salary of government servants
by 20 percent and make genuine efforts for creation of new province in
southern Punjab.
Before formal initiation of budget debate, the House saw separate
walkouts by the lawmakers of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-i-
Islami (JI). The PTI legislators staged walkout arguing that how the FBR
(federal board of revenue) could tax the people at the increased GST rate
when the finance bill was yet to be passed. JI members walked out against
the withdrawal of relief package for the people of Malakand Division.
Opening the debate on behalf of the treasury benches‚ Planning and
Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal said this was not an ordinary budget and
pointed to 700 points surge at stock exchange after the budget announcement
which he said was a positive sign. He said they had two options: print notes
or make some concrete steps to get rid foreign loans. The previous
government printed notes which increased inflation.
Taking floor, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said the government should
revive sick units of the country as soon as possible. He said the utility stores
corporation was a fraud and nothing else and suggested government could
avoid deficit in Railways sector by selling agriculture land. He said June 19
is the last date for appeal in the international court of justice (ICJ) against its

1076
judgment on Kishan Ganga Dam Project but the government was sleeping
over it.
Earlier, succumbing to the pressure of opposition parties and civil
servants, the federal government announced 10 percent increase in the
salaries of government employees, costing Rs20 billion to the national kitty
in financial year 2013-2014. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar who did not wait
for the report of the review committee, formed to consider different
proposals for raising salaries of 653,000 public sector employees, announced
to increase the pay of civil servants. The decision increasing government
employees’ salaries came only a few minutes before the start of discussion
on the budget in both the houses of Parliament.
On 17th June, Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman of new
government in Punjab presented its budget for 2013-14 with total outlay of
about Rs897.57 billion. Rs290 billion have been allocated for annual
development plans. The budget, with a deficit of around Rs30 billion, has
estimated general revenue receipts of around Rs872 billion while Rs702
billion is expected to be received from the federal divisible pool, besides
estimated revenue of about Rs170 billion from provincial tax and non-tax
income.
Of Rs290 billion ADP, Rs240 billion will be spent on annual plans
while Rs50 billion will go to other uplift projects. The 2013-14 ADP
allocation has been increased by 16 per cent as compared to that of 2012-13
and, if compared with amended ADP of 2012-13, it is escalated by Rs114
billion for this budget.
The finance minister, presenting the budget, announced 10 per cent
raise in pay and pension of public sector employees in line with the federal
government decision. Despite the pre-election commitment of raising
minimum salary of workers to Rs15,000, the minister announced that the
minimum monthly wage would be Rs10,000.
Levying tax on clubs and imposing capital gain tax on property sale
and purchase, the minister announced the present tax target had been
increased by enhancing tax ratio. The government has also introduced a tax
with the name of luxury tax to be imposed on the houses of two and more
than two kanals in the range of Rs0.5m to Rs1.5 million according to the
areas of the houses. The government has also imposed taxes on
entertainment activities, including, 200pc duty on horse racing; 20pc tax on
fashion shows and 20pc levy on musical shows while tax on circus has been
abolished.

1077
 More rapid bus service schemes will be launched in Lahore while the
service will also be started in Multan, Pindi and Faisalabad, without
mentioning allocations in the budget speech. Rs20.43 billion allocated to
generate power at provincial level from hydal, solar, wind and biogas,
showing 50 pc raise as compared to the last year’s allocation of Rs10 billion
for energy sector, which was, later, diverted to other schemes. Rs1 billion
have been allocated for laptop scheme, Rs3 billion to extend Ashiyana
housing schemes to other cities of Punjab, Rs3b for Danish schools and
Rs5b allocated for Ramazan package.
Sindh Chief Minister presented the provincial budget for the fiscal
year 2013-14 with an outlay of Rs617 billion. The total receiving of the
government is projected at Rs595.575 billion whereas expenditure is
estimated to be Rs617.212 billion, leaving a deficit of Rs21.7 billion.
Estimated revenue receipt from the Federal Divisible Pool is Rs332.9
billion, 5.9 percent increase over the budget estimate of 2012-13. Receipt
under Straight Transfers is estimated at Rs77.1 billion. Provincial own
receipt is estimated at Rs120.2 billion.
The budget allocates Rs82 billion for law and order and also proposes
the creation of 150,000 new jobs in the next five years. Qaim Ali Shah said
the government employees from Grade 1 to 16 will get a 10 percent
increment in salaries while Rs5,000 was proposed as the minimum pension.
He said the Sindh government was committed to improve the financial
conditions of the poor. The annual development program has been given
Rs83 billion. The allocation for energy and health is over Rs21 billion and
Rs17 billion respectively. The government earmarked Rs110 billion for
education.
Exemption on internet and broadband are proposed to be withdrawn.
However, internet services of up to Rs1,500 per month shall remain exempt.
Services like beauty parlours (exceeding annual turnover of up to Rs3.6
million) and race clubs are proposed to be brought in the tax net. The
beautification services will be taxed at the reduced rate of 10 percent. The
bed tax of 7.5 percent is proposed to be withdrawn. Hotels will continue to
pay only the Sindh sales tax.
Finance Minister Sirajul Haq of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa PTI-led
government presented tax-free budget for the fiscal year 2013-14. The total
resources (revenue and non-revenue) and total expenditure both have been
estimated at Rs344 billion, making it a balanced budget. The government
has proposed an increase of 15 percent in the salaries and pension of

1078
government employees. The minimum limit of the retired employees
pension has been increased from Rs3,000 to Rs5,000, while the minimum
wages limit has been increased to Rs10,000. An amount of Rs118 billion has
been allocated for the ADP, showing a 12 percent increase. The ADP covers
a total of 983 projects– including 609 ongoing and 374 new development
schemes.
The government has set aside record Rs66.60 billion for education
sector and Rs1.97 billion for promotion of technical education and
manpower training. Rs22.80 billion have been earmarked for health sector,
Rs23.78 billion for police, Rs3.12 billion for Irrigation, Rs2.91 billion for
agriculture, Rs1.27 billion for environment, Rs4.93 billion for
communication and works, Rs0.24 billion for pension and Rs2.50 billion for
subsidy on wheat, while Rs11.16 billion have been put aside for debt
clearance.
While giving details of the revenue receipts to be obtained during
2013-14, the finance minister said the province would receive Rs198.269
billion from federal taxes, with eight percent increase over the outgoing
fiscal year. He said Rs6 billion would be obtained as net hydel profit and
Rs25 billion as arrears from the net hydel profit during the year 2013-14.
The province would receive 24 percent increase in oil and gas royalty which
is expected to be about Rs27.495 billion.
Pledging an end to the ‘VIP culture’, the minister announced
construction of Rescue 1122 Centres in Swat and Dera Ismail Khan and
establishment of a technical university in the province. He also announced
establishment of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Authority. The government
has also recommended that the Bacha Khan Rozgar Scheme be replaced
with a youth loan scheme.
The finance minister said that elimination of poverty, provision of
maximum facilities to the poor segment of the society and development of
backward districts are three basic priority areas of the present coalition
government. He said that coalition government in the province would follow
the footprints of Riyasat-i-Madina by establishing free society in the
province. To achieve these goals, he said, the government would establish
good governance standards by evolving comprehensive policies in all the
sectors, including services, energy, and industry, so that their development
could foster economic prosperity.
On 19th June, the Supreme Court observed that Provisional Collection
of Taxes Act 1931 is in violation of the fundamental rights as the citizens

1079
cannot be exploited under article 19 of the Constitution. The court
questioned the declaration issued by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to
impose the GST increase before the passage of budget from the parliament.
When the AGP submitted that government was empowered to impose taxes
under the Provisional Collection of Taxes Act 1931, the chief justice
questioned how the government can put burden on the masses by enforcing a
law that was framed by the English rulers.
The chief justice said that the FBR declaration required to be amended
because article 70 clearly stated that only parliament is empowered to
impose taxes. The chief justice said that they realize that government cannot
function without tax collection but at the same time it is the duty of
executive to devise a strategy that how to collect taxes. He said that the
increase in GST had resulted in an increase of all commodities, draining out
billions of rupees of the consumers’ pockets.
On the specific issue of implementation of GST raise in petroleum
sector, the CJP said that 90 percent of petrol pump stations were non-
registered and they had started receiving sales tax on the increased rate but
were not depositing it in national kitty. He inquired from the FBR counsel
that how it was possible to recover tax from unregistered petrol pumps. The
court adjourned hearing until tomorrow.
The Islamabad High Court declared government's amnesty scheme
introduced by the previous PPP government for smuggled vehicles as illegal.
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui also declared the SRO issued by the
government on March 5, 2013 as null and void and directed FBR to
impound these smuggled vehicles and auction the same. The court issued
these directions in a petition moved by Khawaja Saad Saleem, President of
Defense of Human Rights of Public Services Trust.
In his petition, he had maintained that the said scheme has not only
caused colossal losses to the government exchequer but also it is a serious
infringement of rights and discrimination against him and more than one
million other vehicles owners in Pakistan who have bought cars in the past
for their use after payment of full duties and taxes.
He argued that aforementioned SRO introducing amnesty scheme for
smuggled or seized vehicles is illegal and unconstitutional being ultra vires
and discriminatory. The petitioner informed the court that this scheme
caused a colossal loss of Rs6 to 10b to the government exchequer so far and
more to come as the date of scheme has already been extended.

1080
 Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited the construction site of Neelum-
Jhelum Hydro Power Project in Muzaffarabad and directed the authorities
concerned to speed up the work to bridge the gap between electricity
demand and supply. The mega power project will generate 960 mw and will
be completed in November 2016. The original cost of the project was Rs130
billion but due to change in design and machinery requirement owing to the
earthquake of 2005, it was revised at Rs274.882.
Pakistan and IMF discussed the macroeconomic framework and
budget 2013-2014 on the first day of Post Programme Monitoring (PPM)
talks in Islamabad. A Finance Ministry official said that IMF expressed
satisfaction over Pakistan's budgetary measures for fiscal year 2013-14, as
Islamabad had planned to cut the budget deficit by 2.5 percent in next year.
The IMF mission was also satisfied over the provision of subsidies to the
consumers in different sectors. The IMF team said that conditions to provide
soft-term loans would be determined in accordance with the economic
situation of Pakistan. The team said that provinces should be included at the
policy level negotiations. IMF official also said that Pakistan could apply for
loan within four days.
Next day, Chief Minister Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik presented
Rs198.395 billion budget for the financial year 2013-14 showing a deficit of
around Rs8 billion. The budget, with development outlay of Rs43.913
billion, also includes Rs3.981 billion in foreign aid. As per budget proposals,
4,500 new jobs will be created and for the development of agriculture in the
province Green Balochistan Programme would be initiated.
Salaries of employees from grade 1 to 16 have been increased to 15
per cent while 10 per cent increase has been made in the salaries of
employees in grade 17 and above. Education has been given special focus as
Rs34.89 billion has been earmarked for the same which is 42 per cent more
than the allocated sum in the ongoing fiscal year. Similarly, Rs15.23 billion
has been allocated for health which shows 37 per cent increase against
ongoing year while Rs16.236 billion for law and order.
The chief minister said that his government would seek a legitimate
share in federal services and jobs and stop unjust distribution of resources
between the Federation and the Federating Units. He suggested that Federal
Government should have mere 20 per cent from the federal revenue and 80
per cent should be transferred to the Federating Units.
In order to resolve the energy crisis in Balochistan, the chief minister
proposed to invest Rs8 billion in energy sector with special emphasis on

1081
converting 20,000 tube wells on solar energy and 300 villages will be
provided electricity through solar energy. Government offices and water
supply schemes all over Balochistan will be converted on solar energy
system minimizing the impact of load-shedding. He announced that the
Balochistan Energy Company will be made functional by investing Rs2.5
billion.
The Supreme Court reserved the judgment on the matter of increasing
GST, after hearing the arguments of attorney general, counsel for Ogra and
FBR. Attorney General Munir A Malik requested a three-member SC bench
that if the court strikes down the Provisional Collection of Taxes Act 1931,
it should be given prospective effect. The court will issue a short order on
the matter tomorrow.
On 21st June, the government withdrew increase in GST on petroleum
products and CNG, after the Supreme Court ruled that the increase without
approval of the parliament is unlawful. The short order said that premature
recovery of Sales Tax at the increased rate of 17% on the taxable supplies is
unconstitutional and that the amount collected on this account since June 13
on POL products and Compressed National Gas (CNG) was refundable.
The court ordered the Ogra (Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority) to
issue a revised notification forthwith fixing the prices of petroleum products
and CNG on the basis of 16% GST. Moreover, the decision of 9 per cent
additional tax on CNG was also declared illegal. The court declared that
Section 3 of the Provisional Collection of Taxes Act, 1931, under which this
increase has been made, neither has the status of legislation nor sub-
legislation. The court declared Section 4 of this Act as fully unconstitutional
and contrary to Article 70 of the constitution, which lays down the procedure
for legislation.
Latter, complying with the Supreme Court judgment, petroleum and
natural resources ministry issued a notification of one per cent decrease in
the prices of petroleum products (POL). The FBR also slashed GST on the
CNG from 25percent to 16 percent in view of the apex court order.
The Supreme Court granted seven days to former secretaries ministry
of law and justice to submit their written statements regarding Nandipur
power project. Ex-law secretary Justice (Retd) Riaz Kayani and former
Federal Minister for Law Babar Awan appeared in person, while Rana
Shamim represented Chief Justice Federal Shariat Court Agha Rafiq. The
court said persons who had been issued notice must submit their responses

1082
soon so that the matter could be disposed of and adjourned the hearing for
one week.
Next day, Finance Minister rejected withdrawal of the proposed GST
raise while winding up the weeklong debate on budget in the National
Assembly. He said the country is passing through difficult economic
situation and stressed the need for putting the country on the path of fiscal
discipline and self-reliance.
Regarding the visit of International Monetary Fund delegation to
Pakistan, he said: ‘It has become imperative to engage the IMF and other
IFIs so we can amortize loans obtained by previous government. But I must
assure you that during this process, the national interest of Pakistan and its
people will be the primary focus’. Dar said the country has to pay over $3
billion debt during next financial year. He reassured that circular debt of
over Rs500 billion will be cleared within 60 days – Rs326 billion out of it to
be retired before end of this month.
Welcoming the recommendations of the members of both the houses,
he agreed with them that priority should be given to completion of ongoing
development projects. The government incorporated 21 recommendations
passed by Senate and Dar claimed that in all about 20 percent
recommendations of the members of NA and Senate had been included in
the Finance Bill.
Dar said several measures announced in the budget would gear up
economic activity and generate employment in the private sector. He said in
medium term, they plan to enhance investment to GDP ratio to 20 percent,
which would create many opportunities for skilled workers and youth.
Similarly, they have enhanced the volume of annual development plan to
Rs540 billion from Rs360 billion, which is a ‘record 40 percent increase’.
Dar said the Benazir Income Support Programme would be continued
and its volume has been increased to Rs75billion from Rs40 billion, and
now the beneficiaries would get Rs1,200 per month. He said they were not
referring the welfare programme with its old name because there was now
an umbrella Income Support Programme of which BISP would be a part.
About tax on Haj operators, he clarified that a Rs2,500 per pilgrim tax on
Haj operators’ income was already in place and this has been raised to
Rs3,500. He regretted at terming it a tax on Hajis.
Addressing the apprehensions on the provision of banking
information, Dar said the proposed move would prevent any perceptions that
‘our banking and taxation systems are not synchronized or that our banking

1083
system can be abused as a safe haven for tax evasion’. He said the
information would not be accessed by an ordinary field officer of the tax
department. ‘It is only the Board... which can access the information’, he
said.
Provincial disharmony: On 11th June, the Sindh Assembly in its
first session passed resolutions demanding unanimously the Punjab and
federal governments to close down the Chashma Jhelum and Taunsa
Panjnad link canals immediately. The provincial assembly unanimously
adopted another resolution condemning the Senate Committee on Water and
Power over its decision of curtailing the KESC’s electricity share from
national grid.
Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, speaking on the floor of
the House, admitted the shortage of water mainly due to releasing of water
in Chashma Jhelum Link Canal in Punjab illegally. Sindh CM informed the
assembly that his government had taken up the issue with IRSA, demanding
and an end to water release in link canals. Chief minister, pointing fingers
towards the PML-N and PML-F members sitting on opposition benches,
asked them to raise this issue with their government at Centre.
Baloch militancy: On 10th June, one alleged miscreant was killed
and eight security personnel were injured in firing and bomb blast incidents
in separate parts of Balochistan. Sources said that armed men attacked a
vehicle of security personnel in Prom area of Panjgour, a district bordering
Iran due to which one security personnel sustained injuries. In another
incident, seven security personnel sustained injuries in a remote controlled
bomb attack, in Kalat.
Next day, two local leaders of BNP-Mengal were shot dead in
separate incidents of targeted killings in Khuzdar district. The first incident
occurred near Arbab Complex when armed men killed Haji Ali Musiyani
and soon after that unidentified assailants opened indiscriminate fire on
Sultan Ibrahim Road of Khuzdar, killing former district president Javed
Baranzai.
On 13th June, five people, including three doctors, were kidnapped on
their way to Zhob from Loralai. Next day, two people were gunned down in
Quetta firing incidents while three men sustained severe injuries in firing
and bomb blast incidents in Kech and Naseerabad districts. Some armed
men shot dead a man identified as Deedar Hussain in Faisal Town and
managed to flee from the scene. In second incident, a man was gunned down
in Killi Ismail area.

1084
 Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Maalik said that efforts are
being made to persuade civil and military leadership to resolve issues being
faced by the province. He expressed these views while talking to media after
visiting missing person’s hunger strike camp set up by the Voice for Baloch
Missing Persons outside the Press Club. The hunger strike camp has been
established for the last 1,177 days and the CM visited it for the first time
after taking oath.
Maalik accompanied by other NP leaders assured the VBMP vice
president that his government is serious in resolving missing person issue,
adding that he had also taken up the matter with Prime Minister. ‘Enforced
disappearances and recovery of decomposed bodies of missing persons are
the serious issues of the province’, he said adding, ‘we have made it clear to
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that recovery of missing persons is vital to
restore peace in Balochistan.’
On 20th June, the spouse of renowned Baloch poet Mubarak Qazi was
wounded in a hand grenade attack on their house in Pasni area of Gwadar
District. Unidentified attackers on a motorbike tossed a grenade into the
house of Mubarak Qazi in Fish Harbour Colony, wounding his wife. The
attackers managed to flee from the crime site.
On 23rd June, militants attacked a security check post with in Mat area
of Sui tehsil. The FC men retaliated to the attack, killing five militants and
their commander. Two Kalashnikovs, 13 riffles and 30kg explosives were
recovered from their possession. ‘These militants were involved in many
terror activities in Dera Bugti district’, the FC spokesman claimed.
Turf war in Karachi: On 10th June, at least eight people,
including three Shias, were gunned down in separate acts of
violence. Meanwhile, the gang war in Lyari continued on second day. Four
bodies of abducted persons were recovered from different areas of Lyari.
Next day, at least seven people lost their lives in various incidents of
violence in the city.
On 12th June, nine people, including two MQM workers, were shot
dead in separate acts of violence in Karachi. Next day, at least 12 people,
including two policemen, were shot dead in various incidents of violence.
MQM announced to observe a day of mourning tomorrow against abduction
and killing of party workers and supporters. MQM Deputy Convener
claimed that another tortured body of a worker was found while eight of our
workers were still in the custody of security forces. Meanwhile, PTI Sindh
Deputy Chief expressed deep concern over the Lyari situation and demanded

1085
the Sindh government to show seriousness in taking stern action against
Lyari criminals’ groups.
On 14th June, nine people, including two MQM workers, were shot
dead in separate acts of violence in Karachi, as the commercial and non-
commercial activities in the city remained suspended on MQM’s call to
observe a day of mourning against abductions and killing of its workers.
Next day, seven people were killed in separate incidents of violence.
On 16th June, at least ten people, including a commander of TTP, were
shot dead in separate acts of violence in Karachi. On 18 th June, nine people,
two political workers among them, were gunned down in separate acts of
violence. Next day, at least 10 people including three political workers were
gunned down in incidents of violence.
On 20th June, at least 13 people including three policemen were shot
dead in separate incidents of violence in the metropolis. Next day, the
unabated targeted killing claimed at least 17 lives in various parts of
Karachi. On 22nd June, Karachi witnessed a complete shutdown in response
to MQM’s call for mourning against the killing of its MPA Sajid Qureshi
and his son. All major business centres in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas
and Nawab Shah also remained closed following the mourning call.
At least four cops of Jail Police were wounded in a low-intensity blast
at Central Jail. Following the attack, panic and fear gripped the jail inmates.
Extra contingent of Rangers and police were called in which cordoned off
the jail premises. Initial investigation revealed that at least six culprits on
three motorbikes resorted to indiscriminate aerial firing and threw two
grenades in the jail boundary. Next day, five people, including a policeman,
were killed in separate acts of violence.

VIEWS
Recessing economy
Budget 2013-2014: ‘After presenting the budget for 2013-2014 to the
National Assembly on Wednesday, Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar held
the traditional post-budget press conference on Tuesday. However, on
neither occasion was he able to rebut the charges that the budget did not
contain any relief for the people. In fact, with the increase in the General
Sales Tax rate to 17 percent, a regressive tax has been further worsened.
With a millionaire and the common man paying the same increased sales tax

1086
at the point of sale, the power of purchasing of the common man will be
further reduced. Indeed the GST system in Pakistan needs to be re-examined
as a whole, and at the very least, must be supplemented by the introduction
of a Value Added Tax. The calculation and imposition of VAT, in various
percentages, at the different stages of the production process would result in
goods remaining largely the same price as with the sales tax, with the only
difference being that instead of the consumer, the producer at various stages
would pay the tax; adding this up as a cost of doing business and adjusting
the sale price accordingly. This would mean that all stages of the production
process would be documented, and Pakistan’s huge black economy, made up
of small traders who refuse to pay tax, write proper receipts, or even open
bank accounts, will finally irrefutably be revealed as tax absconders to the
government, which can then pursue tax collection on behalf of the people of
Pakistan more effectively. There is no use lobbying for the VAT, it will
simply have to be put into place. That the PML-N government, with its hefty
mandate and apparent resolve to get things back on track, has not done so is
a bitter disappointment. The increase in GST will only barely cover IMF
requirements for issuing a new bailout to Pakistan, but the options in front of
Pakistan included the VAT, which our new government has chosen not to
impose, perhaps for fear of offending its constituents. These constituents, if
Pakistan’s tax to GDP figure is anything to go by, are nine out of ten, all tax
absconders.
Another aspect, in which the budget was lacking, was its continuance
of the exemptions from taxes given to various sectors, the most glaring
being the continued exemption of agricultural income from taxation,
something which benefited members of the majority. The Benazir Income
Support Programme, now the National Income Support Programme, lauded
as a good initiative continues, with an increase. This is a welcome tradition,
where previous governments, including Mian Nawaz’s, have cut down
worthy projects initiated by their adversaries immediately upon coming into
government. The renaming is hardly a scandal. Government servants, given
a raise three months ago, were also told to make do with what they have.
Another good measure, given the fact that the government of Pakistan in its
entirety is the single largest employer in Pakistan, and in keeping with a
conservative style of government, PML-N appears to be trying to reduce
government size and encourage private enterprise to take a leading role.
Though much money, over Rs1 trillion, has been allocated to
development, Senator Dar will have to defend this spending, as this is the
first place where the finance bureaucracy will look when there is a need for

1087
budget cuts. One place where Senator Dar can make a difference is by
ensuring that there is no slippage in revenue collection, for that is also an
area where the previous government had a dismal record which worsened
the problems faced by its successor.
The problem that Senator Dar faced was typical. With the mammoth
expenditures of debt servicing (Rs1154 billion), defence (Rs627 billion) and
civil government (Rs275 billion), the revenue collection target of Rs1918
billion is exceeded, leaving nothing behind. The budget and post-budget
press conference did not yield the results the people were expecting, and did
not indicate that the government is going in the direction that will cause the
‘economic explosion’ promised in the recent election campaign. However,
the fact that the GST has cast a pall over the layman’s future may be
balanced by the fact that his employers appear to be rejoicing at the thought
of a ‘business friendly’ budget. A business friendly budget is, indeed, a
people friendly budget. It remains to be seen whether the PML-N has, in
fact, devised a ‘business-friendly’ formula. Some sort of economic recovery
jump-start is badly needed, and all fingers are crossed that this rather
desperate budget may provide it.’ (Editorial, TheNation 14th June)
Elected for the budget: ‘The current budget does not reflect the
priorities of the party that has just taken office, but of the Finance Ministry
officials. The government has to own responsibility for the budget that has
been presented, but since the preparation for the next budget starts the
moment the budget is unveiled, and continues until it reaches a climax in
around March or April, when most budgets are finalized, it has had little
hand in the preparation of the budget. 
One sign of this is that there was only token genuflection made to load
shedding, even though it was being expected that there would be some
measures announced. This reflects more a bureaucratic system of
establishing priorities rather than a political, and goes to show that the
budget speech is really the centre-piece of an elaborate PR exercise to make
the unpalatable budget acceptable to those who will have to shoulder the
burden of taxes.’ (M A Niazi, TheNation 14th June)
Portals in Budget 2013-14: ‘The increase in indirect consumptive
taxes led by the GST regime does not auger well for the documentation of
the economy and sustainable growth. It depends on the ability of the
majority to consume. If they consume, the supply chain automatically
delivers more revenue. A bulwark approach targeting the ultimate
consumers in recession is a recipe for hyperinflation, poverty and crime.

1088
 Sales Tax is the oldest sledge hammer tax. Its basic premise was and
remains to collect a levy at every stage of transaction. Ultimately, the entire
burden passes on to the last buyer. Private cash holdings and undocumented
economy are forced into circulation triggering inflation, raising the
Consumer Price Index (CPI) and expanding the Gross Domestic Product
(GDP). It also allows the effective tax rates to be much higher than the
declared rate; an aspect why the FBR shies away from the onerous task of
direct taxation in preference to this indirect method.
The method holds substance in economies like USA that are
productive, consumptive and export competitive. For such a system to
become effective and efficient, Pakistan has to transform into an economy
that consumes what it produces, exports more than it imports and appreciates
it currency.
In order to boost production and its consumption, the most viable
alternative is to make others consume through exports. If both domestic
economy and exports do not propel consumption, first because of a
prohibitive consumer price index and second due to inability, the revenue
shrinks. This will reduce the cost of imports and the IPP generated
electricity.
Since the 80s, sales tax has failed to set off these precursors. The
solution, therefore, lies in the gradual edging out of GST with a more robust,
scientific and documentable Value Addition Tax (VAT), which taxes each
level of profit with a small levy ultimately assisting in determining tax
brackets of individuals and businesses. The fact that the government has
shied away from VAT is an indicator of status quo.
It seems the government has neither the incisive dissection of
Pakistan’s energy crises that have been building up since 1994, nor the
memory of having been a party against the IPPs in the late 90s. The biggest
suspicion is that the new methodology of handling the crises may land the
IPPs and the World Bank at loggerheads with the government once again.’
(Samson Simon Sharaf, TheNation 15th June)
Of dreams, deficits and designs: ‘One major sector that could have
generated significant revenue for the government has gone untouched again.
The government despite slogans of change has not brought the agriculturists
or farm incomes in the tax net. Indeed, it is not a failure, but a deliberate act
of omission. A large component of national wealth thus remains outside the
tax net.

1089
 Pakistan is passing through difficult times, both financially and
economically. Difficult times need difficult and hard decisions. The PML-N
leadership was well aware of the present mess. One expected not routine, but
drastic measures from it; the focus should have been on reducing
expenditures and allocating resources to increase revenue generation.
Some measures that it could have introduced are briefly indicated.
Besides taxing farm incomes, its priority should have been to increase the
energy resource and allocating it to the production sector. That needs to
prioritize the allocation of gas and electricity. In India, according to the
World Bank, 306.2 million people do not have electricity.
According to my findings, New Delhi has deliberately taken this step.
This energy is diverted to the industrial sector; with economic improvement,
the conditions will improve gradually. Can the Pakistani leadership too take
such a bold decision?
We should educate the masses in this regard and enhance industrial
production by diverting major share of electricity and gas. We already are
living without these for long hours. Needless to say, Wapda has turned into a
white elephant; however, can it be dismantled and in its place electricity
generation, distribution and billing entrusted to the private sector controlled
through Security and Exchange Commission? If so, this will bring a major
sector under corporate tax net.
The first budget has shattered the dreams and hopes that the leaders
had spun for mass consumption. We are going to live under the spectre of
deficits and loans for a considerable time to come. The designs of the rulers
will not change in the foreseeable future. This budget is not people-friendly
and has proved that the next five years will not be any better.’ (A. R. Jerral,
TheNation 15th June)
Ghatta ghan ghor ghor: ‘Ghatta ghan ghor ghor, which recalls a
famous song and translates to mean ‘dark clouds on the horizon’, is the title
of this column for two reasons. For one, while it is heavenly, indeed, to have
this sudden burst of pre-monsoon cloud burst all over the country in this
blistering heat, it causes angst too and creates fears about our rivers
flooding…
How quickly the situations change. It was a different Mian Nawaz
Sharif, who did the election campaign and promised to do this as well as
that. His speeches promised change and relief both. While the change sees
him in the top chair, there is no sign of any relief yet. One would have
expected that all available resources would be put to use to get rid of the

1090
circular debt and that the energy crisis would be handled on the emergency
basis it deserved. But, as somebody said, it is now Khawaja from Raja and
promises, promises and more promises.
The PPP, which has done all the damage that it possibly could in the
past five years, barring one or two good things, now sits back and quite
visibly enjoys the discomfort the new rulers are placed in. The austerity cut
by the Prime Minister’s office is not going to cut it, by itself. There is
definitely a feeling about the new budget that it has not taxed those who can
pay more taxes enough.
Also, the decision of turning the Raiwind Estate into a Prime
Minister’s House is not a good idea. We saw Zulfikar Ali Bhutto doing that
in the past to Al-Murtaza in Larkana and 70 Clifton in Karachi, and lately
Yousuf Raza Gilani to his homes in Lahore and Multan and spending a great
deal of public money on the upkeep of their private homes. Somebody
should take a leaf out of Mr Jinnah’s book of behaviour on such issues for
reference, if examples of Umar bin Khattab (RA) are too far back in history.
As some tax lawyers have assessed: ‘Instead of imposing tax on the
rich, the government has increased the rate of sales tax from 16 to 17
percent. This reveals an extremely callous attitude. This kind of increase is
bound to hurt the poor. The businessmen will pass the burden on to end-
users. The modus operandi of the regime is thus explicit: do not collect
direct tax from the rich and go for easy collection through increase in the
sales tax.’ (Tallat Azim, TheNation 16th June)
The ‘bitter-pill’ necessity: ‘The new fiscal year’s budget, seeking to
reduce the deficit, seems to cater to the hard realities only by marginally
curtailing governmental spendings. Instead of increasing the burden on
lower income groups, much bigger cuts in governmental spendings could
have served the purpose. The GST increase and expanded tax range
constitute only a small step towards revival of the economy and growth
momentum. Perhaps, to some extent, these measures were also necessary to
restore Pakistan’s international credit ratings and rebuild investors’
confidence.
In sum, therefore, this budget should be seen as a ‘bitter-pill’
necessity, rather than a cruel burden. In any case, this budget had already
been in the making at bureaucratic level as part of the outgoing
government’s fiscal work plan long before the present government took over
and should, therefore, be seen as continuation of commitments made by that
government to bilateral as well as multilateral economic partners to seriously

1091
address the economic mismanagement and resultant macroeconomic
imbalances through the tightening of fiscal and monetary policies.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who announced the budget within a week
after assuming his office, could have only fine-tuned the document giving
his own professional economic touch to the balance-sheet in line with his
party’s economic vision. We should also not be looking at the budget
document as the ‘be-all and end-all’ of PML-N’s long-term vision for
sustainable economic growth. We have to wait and see how resolutely this
vision is implemented in the coming months and years in pursuit of sound
macro-economic policies, optimum utilization of the country’s natural and
human resources and full exploitation of its industrial, agricultural and
technological potentials.
Given the seriousness of our problems, we surely need deeper
structural reform agenda and home-grown solutions to our economic
problems, rationalizing GDP targets, restoring macro-economic balance,
banning non-essential imports and luxuries, and, as a matter of priority,
reviving our industry to reduce the trade gap. An economic recovery
blueprint requires judicious planning to match national needs and resources
as well as capabilities.
Our weakness is economic discipline. We need an iron-hand to curb
this weakness. Loot and plunder of national exchequer and resources must
stop. The culture of perks and privileges must go. The plot culture must be
abolished. The buck must stop somewhere.
The country has to be put back on the path of ‘self-reliance’. This
would require working full time on domestic growth and production.
Materially, we are a rich country in terms of human and natural resources.
Let us capitalize on our resources. Capital does not grow on trees, nor does it
come through loans. Loans are not capital; they are a liability. We should
avoid depending on this liability as a matter of habit. Let us learn living
within our own means with dignity and self-esteem.’ (Shamshad Ahmad,
TheNation 18th June)
Behind the honeymoon: ‘Interestingly, the problems the government
faces at the outset of its tenure are much the same as the PPP government
faced more or less throughout the whole of its tenure: load shedding and
militancy. It had made a conscious decision to do as much as possible to toe
the USA’s line, but saw that policy fall to pieces in the face of US
egregiousness, its ever-increasing demands. This led to the PPP government
having to take steps not meeting with US wishes, such as the giving of the

1092
management of Gwadar Port to China and the pursuit of the IP gas pipeline
project. The USA had to get past the Raymond Davis affair as well as the
Salala incident, were met by the USA with a noise over the Haqqani
Network.
The present government should not let the honeymoon period concept
bother it too much. However, it should use this period creatively. This is the
time when it could take bold decisions, but even this illustrates the limits of
the concept. This is the time when it would best be able to solve the Kashmir
issue, but it is not likely to find any initiatives reciprocated, not merely
because India is obdurate on the issue, but also because the Congress-led
coalition is about to enter its own lame duck phase towards the end of the
year, as elections are due next year. If the government wanted to use this
phase domestically in a creative fashion. It would start the Kalabagh Dam,
overriding provincial objections that might be raised, and in view of the
severity of the energy crisis, which the dam would only partially alleviate.
However, if all the government does is ignore the concept, it risks letting a
great opportunity of re-election escape. One advantage of opting for the
Kalabagh Dam project would be that it would allow the government, early
on in its term, to rest on its laurels. At least as far as load shedding is
concerned. This would appear to be too big an advantage to give up.’ (M A
Niazi, TheNation 21st June)
Baloch militancy
Bleeding Balochistan: ‘Balochistan has always been in turmoil since
the inception of Pakistan that can be, mostly, traced to economic inequalities
and social injustice, whether real or perceived. Causes of deprivation and
exploitation of the masses are complex, but can be attributed to:
a) Local tribal leaders, who have kept their people poor and destitute.
This is evidenced by comparing Human Development Index (HDI) reports.
Dera Bugti, home of the slain leader, Nawab Akbar Bugti, has one of the
worst HDI in the country;
b) Power holders in Islamabad, who connived with the local elite for
political expediency and personal gains. For example, the royalties from the
gas have been handed over to the tribal chiefs, rather than spent on the
welfare of people;
c) Even though it has become fashionable to blame ‘Punjabis’ for the
woes of ‘Balochis’, let’s be clear that it is not the Punjabi masses oppressing

1093
the Balochi masses, but the power holders on both sides oppressing the
masses on both sides;
d) The army has been blamed as if it is a separate entity. In reality, it
is part and parcel of the ruling elites. Here again, the rank and file soldiers
have been used to serve the interests of the top brass. Various ruling class
groups are interconnected through marriages, business interests and political
associations.
Now let’s review the international situation. In one of his major works
in 1998, ‘The Grand Chessboard’, Zbigniew Brzezinski, wrote: ‘It is
imperative that no challenger emerges capable of dominating Eurasia…A
power that dominates Eurasia would control two of the world’s advanced
and economically productive regions…
To bypass the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, the main route for
transportation of oil originating in Saudi Arabia and Iran, which is under de
facto control of USA, China built Gwadar Port in Balochistan. This will
facilitate overland oil transport. Thus, there is a tug of war between the
imperialist forces for control of the resources and geostrategic dominance in
the region.
Adding to the complexity of the situation is the Saudi/Qatar/UAE
versus Iran conflict. Tony Cartalucci says: ‘Since Saudi-Qatar geopolitical
interests are intertwined with Anglo-American interests, both the
‘investment’ and ‘return on this investment’ are clearly part of a joint
venture.’ Local opposing groups are used as tools, as they are supported
financially, politically and technologically, and innocent civilians as fodder,
for this brutal war machine. Needless to say that poverty and lack of job
opportunities does not help the situation much.
In ‘The Daily Rising Kashmir’, on April 6, 2012, D. Suba Chandran,
Director of the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi, writes:
‘A section within the US considers Balochistan strategically important for
three specific reasons: an independent Balochistan would give access to
Afghanistan and Central Asia from the port of Gwadar; the second reason is
that the USA fears that Gwadar may become a naval base for China; the
third reason could be that an independent Balochistan could give the USA a
space against not only China but also Iran.’ Thus, following conclusions can
be drawn:
a) Imperialists want to establish their ascendency in the region for its
natural resources and geostrategic location oblivious to the human misery
and bloodshed;

1094
 b) It is happening with the collaboration of the Balochi and Pakistani
elite;
c) The reason for the failure of the state institutions and intelligence
agencies in curbing this terror is because there is collusion between various
foreign and local interests who are at odds with each other.
Will an independent Balochistan end this bloodshed? I think it will
make it worse because it will be dominated by a more ruthless force. And
where will you draw the lines of this new territory? Balochistan is inhabited
by not only Balochis, but also by other ethnic groups. Balochis don’t just
live in Balochistan, but in all other parts of the country. Will people be
shoved across this new border in both directions? Will the mixed ethnic
families be torn apart? Will friends become enemies? Will there be a re-
enactment of the bloody drama of 1947?
The bottom line is that it is a class issue both at national and
international level. Destiny of the masses of Pakistan is tied together and
their salvation is in unity, not in divisions. People of Pakistan have to rise
above their ethnic, linguistic, national, sectarian and religious divides. But
then, this is even a bigger challenge than fighting the mighty force of
imperialism. Are we up to this challenge?’ (Dr Shahnaz Khan, TheNation
24th June)

REVIEW
The budgets presented by the newly elected rulers for the next
financial year, especially by the federal government, seemed to have aimed
at punishing the masses for the sins of the outgoing regime. The PPP-led
coalition government which had been on the rampage to exact democratic
revenge plundered the public money mercilessly as if this was the best way
to take democratic revenge.
The new comers instead of punishing the plunderers, probably
constrained by the deal documented as Charter of Democracy, turned on to
the people of Pakistan who had voted for plunderers five years ago.
Notwithstanding as to who came in the firing line, the sole desire of the new
rulers was to fill the empty coffers.
They levied various taxes, including the increase in GST and at the
same time ignored the government employees by not providing them any
relief. The ‘tax collectors’ of the regime were even smarter than their new
democratic masters. They enforced the proposed increase in GST before it

1095
was debated and passed by the National Assembly; by raising the prices of
POL products and gas with effect from 13th June.
However, the regime was soon made to realize by the government
servants, who protested and threatened to go on strike, as finance minister
hurried to announce ten percent increase in salaries. The premature increase
in prices of POL products and gas was quashed by the Supreme Court. None
of the two ‘reversals’ embarrassed the rulers who took them as beauty of the
democracy.
Democratic rulers love money matters. But as they were sorting out
these matters for the next year, their foreign masters and ‘friendly’
neighbours, working in unison, made them realize: aur bhi ghum hein
zamaney mein mohabat kay sawa. How they were doing that is covered in
separate article related to the war on terror in the region.
The period under review began with some observers noting that
Nawaz Sharif while showing warmth for relations with India had avoided
mention of Kashmir issue. Their concern was genuine but they overlooked a
fact that when a Kashmiri had conquered Pakistan, he needed not bother
about ‘Paradise’ out of which his ancestors were thrown out long time ago.
Rehman Malik led a PPP delegation to Nine Zero to invite the old
coalition partners to join Sindh government. This move came after Shah
Mehmood Qureshi of PTI had approached MQM for joining hands for
forming an opposition bloc in National Assembly. The offer would have
been accepted immediately had the MQM not decided to restore its image of
a victim and that could be achieved only by staying away from the power
corridors.
Towards the end of the period, Najam Sethi was appointed interim
Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board as Zardari’s man had been stopped by
the court from performing this duty. A fellow journalist asked a pertinent
question from Sethi: Was this assignment a reward for good performance as
Caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab during general elections?
24th June, 2013

1096
 INQILAB: LEADERS
PART FOUR
The portrait outlined in the last chapter relates to the perfect religious
and spiritual leaders. Allamah Iqbal knew that there was dearth of such leaders,
so he was on the look-out for such leaders who had the knowledge of Qur’an
and Hadith and the ability to apply that on all spheres of human activity for the
benefit of Muslims.
This was evident from the choice he made to fight for freedom of
Indian Muslims from the yoke of Whiteman and saving them from landing
into the pit of servitude of Hindu majority. Allamah did not look towards
any Mulla, Pir, or Sufi to ask him for leading the Indian Muslims. He chose
English-speaking, cigar-smoking, and billiard-playing Mohammad Ali
Jinnah; his choice was immaculate and perfect
He just wanted to have a cadre of ‘friends of common creed’ with
home he could discuss all aspects of life in the light of religious teachings.
This is what he did in the last chapter of his book Armoghan-e-Hijaz.

TAMHEED
‫بیا تا کار این امت بسازیم‬
‫قمار زندگی مردانہ بازیم‬
‫چنان نالیم اندر مسجد شہر‬
‫مال گدازیم‬ ‫کہ دل در سینٔہ‬
Biya ta kaar-e-ummat basazaim, qomar-e-zindagi mardanah baazaim.
Chonan nalaim andar masjid-e-shehar, keh dil dar seinah-e-mulla
godazaim.
[Aa’o, hum iss ummat kay mo’amlaat darost karein, zindagi ka kheil
mardanah-war khhalein.
Shehar ki masjid mein iss tarah sey nalah-o-fariyad karein, keh Mulla kay
seinah mein jo (pathar jaisa sakht) dil hai, woh bhi godaz ho ja’ey.]
Come to set right the task of this race, to play life’s gamble with manly
grace.

1097
To weep in City mosque with such deep groans, that it melts the Mullah
with our moans.
(Translated by Q A Kabir)
SET – 1
*****(1)*****
‫آسمانہا‬ ‫قلندر جرہ باز‬
‫بہ بال او سبک گردد گرانہا‬
‫فضاے نیلگون نخچیر کاہش‬
‫آشیانہا‬ ‫نمی گردد بہ گرد‬
Qalandar jorrah-e-baaz aasmanha, beh baal-e-oo sobak gardad gr’anha.
Faza’ey neilgoon nakhchir-e-kahash, nami gardad beh gard aashiyanha.
[Qalandar aasman’on ka nar baz hai, oss ki pervaaz kay saamney moshkil
(marahil) asaan ho jaatey hein.
Iss ki shikargah yeh neilg’on faza hai, woh (chirriyu’on kay) ashiyan’on kay
gird naheen ghhoomta. (Iqbal apney aap ko qalandar kehtey hein.)]
The Qalandar is a bold hawk of sky, a heavy weight to him so light like fly.
To him his hunting ground the whole blue space, on dust he makes never his
aery’s base.
(Qalandar; A Muslim sect of Faqirs (mendicants) who shave off the head
and beard and abandon all worldly allurements, friends and relatives, travel
from place to place, worshipping one God (now extinct). In this quatrain
Iqbal expresses desire to create a Qalandar’s grace who paves little heed to
this material life and its allurements.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(2)*****
‫ز جانم نغمہء ’’ہللا ہو‘‘ ریخت‬
‫چو کرد از رخت ہستی چار سو ریخت‬
‫بگیر از دست من سازے کہ تارش‬
‫ز سوز زخمہ چون اشکم فرو ریخت‬
’Z-janam naghmah-e-‘Allah Hoo’ raikht, cho kard az rakht-e-husti
charsoo raikht.

1098
Bageir az dast-e-mun saazi keh taarash, ’z-soz zakhmah choon ashkam
frou raikht.
[Meyri jan sey Allah-hoo ka naghmah bikhhra, tou yeh (jahan) charsoo
meyrey wajood kay labas sey ghobar ki manind jharr gaya.
Meyrey haath sey saaz ley lo keh (abb) oss kay taar, mizrab kay soz sey
meyrey a’nso’on ki manind neichey gir rehey hein.]
When the Allah Hoo’s tick did hit my soul, I dusted the clothes’ of the
cosmos whole.
Hold the violin quick as the chords so soon, are loosing my grip by quill’s
burning tune.
(Allah Hoo; is a hit of ‘Asbat’ or affirmation (of Allah) which takes a man to
Baqa-billah (to become immortal in God’s presence); in the wake of Hazrat
Mujaddad Alf Sani of Sarhand (Patiala State, in India). From Nafi (negation
of gods) Iqbal flies higher to Asbat direct in wake of Sheikh Ahmad
Sarhandi.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(3)*****
‫چو اشک اندر دل فطرت تپیدم‬
‫تپیدم تا بہ چشم او رسیدم‬
‫درخش من ز مژگانش توان دید‬
‫کہ من بر برگ کاہے کم چکیدم‬
Cho ashk andar dil-e-fitrat tapeidam, tapeidam ta beh chashm-e-oo
raseidam.
Drakhsh-e-mun ’z-mozzganash tawan deid, keh mun ber burg-e-kaahey
kum chakeidam’
[Mien fitrat kay dil mein aansoo ki manid tarrap tarrap kay iss ki ankhh takk
poh’ncha ho’on.
Meyrey chamak oss ki palk’on per deikhhi ja sakti hai, kiyu’onkeh mein
ghhas ki patti per kabhi naheen tapka.]
In the heart of nature like tears I groan, till I got in her eyes a place by
moans.

1099
On nature’s eyelash my shine could be seen. I fall seldom thus on leaves of
grass green.*
(*I am not such an ordinary thing which you can see on a grass leaf. (See me
in nature’s heart and eye)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(4)*****
‫ آید بوی خامی‬ ‫مرا از منطق‬
‫دلیل او دلیل ناتمامی‬
‫برویم بستہ درہا را کشاید‬
‫دو بیت از پیر رومی یا ز جامی‬
Mera az mantaq-e-ayad booey khaami, dalil-e-oo dalil-e-natamami.
Baroeym bostah dar-ha ra kashayad, duo beit az Pir-e-Rumi ya ’z-Jami.
[Mojhey mantaq sey khaami ki boo a’ati hai, iss kay dalaeyl iss ki natamami
ka saboot hein.
Pir Rumi ya Jami kay chund asha’ar, mojh per (haqiqat kay) bund
darwaazey khhol deytey hein.]
In logic I feel a smell of raws, its pleas and reasons are full of flaws.
To me the shut doors are opened soon; from a verse of Rumi or Jami’s
croon.
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(5)*****
‫آن دیر سالہ‬ ‫بیا از من بگیر‬
‫کہ بخشد روح با خاک پیالہ‬
‫من‬ ‫آبش دہی از شیشٔہ‬ ‫اگر‬
‫آدم بروید شاخ اللہ‬ ‫قد‬
Biya az mun bageir aan deir saalah, keh bakhshad rooh ba khak-e-
piyalah.
Agar aabash dehi az shishah-e-mun, qadd-e-Adam baroeyd shakh-e-lalah.

1100
[A’a, mojh sey woh kohanah sharab hasil kar, jo piyalay ki khak mein jan
daal deyti hai.
Agar tou shakh-e-lalah ki abiyari meyri sorahi sey karey, woh qadd-e-Adam
takk barrh jaa’ey.]
Come and take from me that old wine’s bowl,* which gives the dust of
bowl** quite a new soul;
If you water this poppy from my can, a branch*** will grow to the size of a
man.
(*Means the lover’s way. **A hint or allusion to the lover’s heart. ***If you
would learn some knowledgeable things from me, the branch (an individual)
of this poppy may be six feet long against its usual length of one foot.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(6)*****
‫بدست من ہمان دیرینہ چنگ است‬
‫درونش نالہ ہاے رنگ رنگ است‬
‫ولے بنوازمش با ناخن شیر‬
‫کہ او را تار از رگہاے سنگ است‬
Badast-e-mun hamah deirinah chung ast, daroonash nalah-ha’ey rung
rung ast.
Walley banawazmash ba nakhon-e-sher, keh oo ra taar az rug-ha’ey sung
ast.
[Meyrey haath mein wohi porana saaz hai, iss kay andar runga rung nalay
hein.
Laikan mein issey nakhon-e-sher sey bachata h’on, kiyu’okeh iss kay taar
pathhar ki rug’on sey bana’ey ga’ey hein.]
The same old harp I hold in my hand, in which are hidden tunes of that land.
With the lions claw, that harp I play, whose chords are made of rocky clay.*
(*Iqbal wishes to infuse a spirit of jingoistic chauvinism in his nation as
such he uses such symbols like rocky chords and rocky veins in his poetry.
Such constructions are not used in the English language.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

1101
 *****(7)*****
‫بگو از من بہ پرویزان این عصر‬
‫نہ فرہادم کہ گیرم تیشہ در دست‬
‫من‬ ‫ز خارے کو خلد در سینٔہ‬
‫دل صد بیستون را میتوان خست‬
Bago az mun beh Pervaizaan-e-ein asar, nah Farhadam keh geiram
taishah dar dast.
’Z-khaarey ko khold dar seinah-e-mun, dil-e-sadd bisatoon ra mitawaan
khast.
[Iss daur kay Pervaiz’on sey keh duo, mien Farhad nahein keh haath mein
taishah lo’on.
Meyrey dil kay andar jo kanta khhatak raha hai, iss sey baistoon jaisey
sainkarr’on paharr’on kay dil zakhmi ki’ay ja saktey hein.]
To tyrants of this age I would thus say an axe I use not in the Farhad’s way.
From the prick of thorn I cherish in heart, a mountain’s heart too could be
torn apart.
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(8)*****
‫فقیرم ساز و سامانم نگاہی است‬
‫بہ چشمم کوہ یاران برگ کاہی است‬
‫ز من گیر این کہ زاغ دخمہ بہتر‬
‫ آموز شاہیست‬ ‫ آن بازے کہ دست‬ ‫از‬
Faqiram saaz-o-samanam nigahay ast, beh chashmam koh-e-yaraan
burg-e-kahay ast.
’Z-mun geir ein keh az zaagh-e-dakhmah behtar, az aan baazey keh dast
aamoz-e-shahi’st.
[Mien faqir h’on, nigah meyra saaz-o-saman hai, jo cheez dost’on kay leay
paharr hai, woh meyri nazar mein per-e-kah kay brabar hai.
Mojh sey sonn keh marghhat ka kawwa, oss baaz sey behtar hai, jo badshah
kay haath per baithhney wala ho.]

1102
A poor I am whose asset is glance, a mountain to friends, to me a grass
hence.
Listen this point that a vulture to me is better than a hawk tied on king’s
knee.*
(*A mountain to friends means viz, to whom my friends consider mountain
due to his wealth and worldly pomp and show.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(9)*****
‫در دل را بروے کس نبستم‬ 
‫نہ از خویشان نہ از یاران گسستم‬
‫خویش‬ ‫نشیمن ساختم در سینٔہ‬
‫تہ این چرخ گردان خوش نشستم‬
Dar-e-dil ra barooey kas nabostam, nah az khwaishan nah az yaraan
gosastam.
Nashiman saakhtam dar seinah-e-khwaish, teh-e-ein charakh-e-gardaan
khosh nashistam.
[Mien ney kissi per apney dil ka darwazah bund naheen kiya, nah mien ney
rishtah-dar’on sey qata’a ta’alaq kiya, nah dost’on sey.
(Albatah) mien ney apna nashiman apney seinah mein bana rakhha hai,
(aur) iss charkh-e-gard’an kay neichay khosh baithha h’on.]
My heart’s door I shut not to any one, with kiths and kins I break links none.
I made my cottage in my bosom own, and passed my days with a happy
tone.
(Line 4 literal meanings: Beneath this sky I pass a happy life.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(10)*****
‫آ ب و جاہے‬ ‫درین گلشن ندارم‬
‫نصیبم نے قبائے نے کالہے‬

1103
 ‫ آ موز چمن خواند‬ ‫مرا گلچین بد‬
‫کہ دادم چشم نرگس را نگاہے‬
Darein gulshan nadaram aab-o-jaahey, nasibam ney qaba’ey ney
kullahey.
Mera gulchin bud aamoz chaman khwanad, keh daadam chashm-e-nargis
ra nigahey.
[Mien iss bagh (dunya) mein koeyi shan-o-martabah naheen rakhhta, nah
meyrey pass qaba hai, nah kullah.
Gulchin kehta hai keh mien ehl-e-chaman ko bori baatein parrhata h’on,
kiyu’onkeh mien ney chashm-e-nargis ko deikhhna seikhha diya hai.]
No pomp and show I have in this globe; nor destined to me a crest or robe.
As the garden’s foe the florist* dubbed me, since I gave to ‘nargis’ an eye to
see.
(*The florist or gardener is an allusion to his country men or the Mullah,
who dubbed the poet as an enemy of the nation because they were too loyal
to the British in his opinion.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(11)*****
‫دو صد دانا درین محفل سخن گفت‬
‫سخن نازکتر از برگ سمن گفت‬
‫ آ ن دیدہ ور کیست؟‬ ‫ولے با من بگو‬
‫کہ خارے دید و احوال چمن گفت‬
Duo sadd dana darein mehfil-e-sakhon goft, sakhon nazok-ter az burg-e-
saman goft.
Walley ba mun bago aan deidah-wer keist? Keh khaarey deid-o-ahwal-e-
chaman goft.
[Iss mehfil (dunya) mein sainkarr’on dana’on ney burg-e-saman sey nazok-
ter baatein keheen.
Laikan mojhey bata keh woh sahib-e-nazar kon hai, jiss ney kantay deikhhey
aur chaman (Islam) mein aaney waali bahar ki khabar di. (apney mota’alaq
keh rehey hein)]

1104
Some points were discussed by hundred wise men, like jasmine fragrance
the talks gave a ken.
Who was that speaker and wise man great, from a thorn1 who told the
Garden’s state.
(A thorn: a Muslim who was treated like a thorn by rulers and his country
men. Could be Mullah or title holder landlords who treated Iqbal like a
thorn. Here Iqbal is giving a picture of events before 1937. Garden: means
the nation.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(12)*****
‫ندانم نکتہ ہاے علم و فن را‬
‫مقامے دیگرے دادم سخن را‬
‫میان کاروان سوز و سرورم‬
‫سبک پے کرد پیران کہن را‬
Nadanam noktah’ey ilm-o-fun ra, moqamay deigarey daadam sakhon ra.
Miyan-e-caravan soz-o-sarooram, sobak pey kard piraan-e-kohan ra,
[Mien ilm-o-fun kay noktey naheen janta, magar mein ney sha’eri ko niya
moqam atta kiya hai.
Meyrey soz-o-saroor sey qaafley kay piraan-e-kohan bhi, taiz raftar ho
ga’ey hein.]
The science or art points I claim not to wield, I gave a new style to poesy’s
field.
In caravans see, my flame and sweet pace, I gave the old riders a taste for a
race.
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(13)*****
‫نپنداری کہ مرغ صبح خوانم‬
‫ آہ و فغان چیزے ندانم‬ ‫بجز‬
‫مدہ از دست دامانم کہ یابی‬
‫آشیانم‬ ‫کلید باغ را در‬

1105
Napindari keh morgh-e-sobh khwanam bajoz aah-o-foghanay cheezay
nadanam.
Ma-deh az dast-e-damanam keh yaabi, kalid-e-bagh ra dar ashiyanam.
[Yeh goman nah kar keh mien sobh kay waqt chehchaney waaley aam
parind’on ki tarah ka parindah h’on, aur aah-o-fogh’an kay alawah meyrey
pass aur kochh naheen.
Meyra daaman muzbooti sey thhaam ley, tojhey bagh (hayat) ki chaabi
meyrey he ashiyanah sey millay gi.]
I boast not to be a song bird1 of dawn; I know not any thing save wails long
drawn.
Leave not as such what I gave to thee, from my cottage take the Garden’s
Key.
(Cottage: Nest. Garden’s Key: Iqbal’s symbol for an inspired
communication.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(14)*****
‫بچشم من جہان جز رہگذر نیست‬
‫ہزاران رہرو و یک ہمسفر نیست‬
‫گذشتم از ھجوم خویش و پیوند‬
‫کہ از خویشان کسے بیگانہ تر نیست‬
Bachashm-e-mun jahan joz rehgozar neist, hazaran rehro-o-yakk
humsafar neist.
Gozashtam az hajoom-e-khwaish-o-paiwand, keh az khwaishan kassey
biganah-ter neist.
[Meyri nazar mein yeh dunya rahgozar kay sawa’ey aur kochh naheen,
mosafir hazar’on hein, magar humsafar eik bhi naheen.
Mien rishtahdar’on kay hajoom sey alag ho gaya h’on, kiyu’onkeh yah’an
apn’on sey ziyadah biganah aur koeyi naheen.]
This world is a path to my eyes and sense; none shares my journey in a
thousand hence.
I saved my skin from scores of kith and kin; none stands in with me through
thick and thin. (Translated by Q A Kabir)

1106
 *****(15)*****
‫آموز‬ ‫بہ این نابودمندی بودن‬
‫ آموز‬ ‫بہاے خویش را افزودن‬
‫بیفت اندر محیط نغمہء من‬
‫آموز‬ ‫بہ طوفانم چو درآسودن‬
Beh ein naboodmandi boodan aamoz, baha’ey khwaish ra afzoodan
aamoz.
Bayaft andar moheet naghmah-e-mun, beh toofanam cho dar asoodan
aamoz.
[Iss fana kay bawajood baqa mein ana seikhh, apni qadar-o-qimat mein
azafah karma seikhh.
Meyrey naghmah kay samandar mein chhalang laga kay, meyrey toofan kay
andar moti ki manind araam pana seikhh.]
With nothingness learn to live with grace, raise thy worth more and keep the
faqr’s face.
Dive a bit deep in my song’s big main, like pearls learn to live in my storms
rain*.
(*Like pearls live with ease in floods and rain storms. As a poetical licence
the rainstorm has been written as storms rain.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(16)*****
‫کہن پروردہء این خاکدانم‬
‫ولے از منزل خود دل گرانم‬
‫دمیدم گرچہ از فیض نم او‬
‫آسمان خود ندانم‬ ‫زمین را‬ 
Kohan perwardah-e-ein khakdanam, walley az manzil-e-khod dil granam.
Damidam garchih az faiz-e-num-e-oo, zamin ra aasman khod nadanam.
[Janta h’on keh mien issi khak (zamin) ka qadim pervardah h’on, magar
mien apni iss manzil sey dil gar’an h’on.
Agarchih mein ney issi kay num kay faiz sey perwarash paeyi hai, magar
mein zamin ko apna aasman (manzil-e-maqsood) naheen samajhta.]

1107
For long I’m gaining from this dusty mart, of my place yet I feel a heavy
heart.
From boon of its moist I feel a life though. I never took this earth like a sky
so.
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(17)*****
‫ندانی تا نباشی محرم مرد‬
‫کہ دلھا زندہ گردد از دم مرد‬
‫آہ و نالہ خود را‬ ‫نگہدارد ز‬
‫ غم مرد‬، ‫کہ خود دار است چون مردان‬
Nadaani ta nabaashi mehram-e-mard, keh dil-ha zindah gardad az dum-e-
mard.
Nigahdarad ’z-aah-o-nalah-e-khod ra, keh khodar ast choon mardan,
ghum-e-mard.
[Jabb takk tou kissi sahib-e-dil ki sohbat mein nah baithhey, tou yeh baat
naheen samajh sakta, keh dil sahib-e-dil ki tawajoh sey zindah hotay hein.
Sahib-e-dil apney aah-o-nalah ki hifazat kartey hein, kiyu’onkeh onn ka
ghum (-e-ishq) bhi onnehi ki tarah khodar hota hai. (Andaz-e-jan’on kon sa
hum mein naheen majn’on! Per teyri tarah ishq ko roswa naheen kartey.)]
You cant learn aught ‘sans’ a conscious soul, the hearts get a life from breath
of man’s dole.
Who guards his ego by wails and sighs, and keeps self’s honour by ruthful
eyes.
(Sans: French for without. Dole: Pain, grief.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(18)*****
‫آفرین جان در بدن بین‬ ‫نگاہے‬
‫بشاخان نادمیدہ یاسمن بین‬
‫وگرنہ مثل تیرے در کمانے‬
‫ہدف را با نگاہ تیر زن بین‬

1108
Nigah’ey aafrin jan dar badan bein, bashakhan nadameidah yasmin bein.
W’garnah misl-e-teeray dar kamaney, hadaf ra ba nigah teer-zun bein.
[Apney andar aisi nigah paida kar, jo badan mein moujood jan ko deikhh
ley, jo inn un-khhilay phhool’on ko deikhh sakkey (jo) abhi shaakh kay
andar hein.
Ya pher kamaan per charrhay hoay teer ki manind, teer-zun ki nazar sey
hadaf deikhh.]
Get a self knowing eye and see thy soul, in stems hidden yet see a jasmine
whole.
If not like an arrow in the bow still, se aim from the archers eye and will.1
(Since the arrow is not conscious of itself, it does not know how the
bowman would use it.Here it means that your position would then be like a
slave to be used at the will of the master.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(19)*****
‫خرد بیگانہء ذوق یقین است‬
‫قمار علم و حکمت بد نشین است‬
‫دو صد بوحامد و رازی نیرزد‬
‫بنادانے کہ چشمش راہ بین است‬
Khird biganah-e-zouq-e-yaqin ast, qomaar-e-ilm-o-hikmat bud nashin ast.
Duo sadd Bu-Hamid-o-Raazi neirzud, banadaney keh chashmash rah bein
ast.
[Khird, zouq-e-yaqin sey binasib hai, ilm-o-hikmat ka joo’a bud-aamoz hai.
Iss unparrh kay saamney sainkarr’on Ghazali aur Raazi haich hein, jiss ki
ankhh seidhi rah deikhhti hai.]
The wisdom knows not the certitude eyes, its gamble of knowledge on vice
path lies.
Hundred Razis, Ghazalis wont equalize, to worth of a fool who holds seeing
eye.*
(Basic thought: What is certitude? What wisdom will say? Thy logic’s
gamble would lead astray.) (Translated by Q A Kabir)

1109
 *****(20)*****
‫قماش و نقرہ و لعل و گہر چیست؟‬
‫غالم خوشگل و زرین کمر چیست؟‬
‫چو یزدان از دو گیتی بے نیازند‬
‫اہل ہنر چیست؟‬ ‫دگر سرمایٔہ‬
Qomash-e-naqrah-o-la’al-o-gohar cheist? Ghulam-e-khoshgul-o-zarein
kamar chiest?
Cho Yazdan az duo geiti bey niazand, digar sarmayah-e-ehl-e-honar
cheist?
[(Ehl-e-honar ki nazar’on mein) qomash (raishmi labas) chandi, la’al-o-
gohar; aur khoobsurat aur zarin kamar khadam’on ki kaya hasiyat hai.
Woh appney Allah (Ta’ala) ki tarah duon’on jahan’on sey bey niaz hein, aur
yehi bey niazi onn ki doulat hai.]
What are the clothes, gold jewels and gems? Rows of slaves handsome, and
gold waist femme?
Like God they ‘are free’* from both worlds needs, is this not wealth which a
skill’d man** heeds.
(*Unconcerned. **A godly man, virtuous.) (Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(21)*****
‫من عین ہوش است‬ ‫خودی را نشٔہ‬
‫من کم خروش است‬ ‫ازان میخانٔہ‬
‫مے من گرچہ نا صاف است درکش‬
‫خمہاے دوش است‬ ‫کہ این تہ جرعٔہ‬
Khodi ra nashah-e-mun ain-e-hosh ast, az-aan maeykhanah-e-mun kum
kharosh ast.
Maey-e-mun garchih na-saaf ast darkash, keh ein teh jorrah-e-khom-
ha’ey dosh ast.
[Khodi kay leay meyra nashah ain hosh hai, yehi wajah hai keh meyrey
maey-khanah mein shor-o-ghogha naheen.

1110
Agarchih meyri sharab itni saaf naheen, magar ossey pi-ja, kiyu’onkeh yeh
qadim (dour-e-Islam) kay khom’on ki bachi hoeyi sharab ka akhari ghh’ont
hai.]
To self my wine1 gives full sense and poise, my pub since shuns all the din
and noise.
My wine not so fine in its first sip though, in bottom lies but a slip of past
glow.
(My wine: My education.) (Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(22)*****
‫ترا با خرقہ و عمامہ کارے‬
‫من از خود یافتم بوے نگارے‬
‫من‬ ‫ہمین یک چوب نے سرمایٔہ‬
‫نہ چوب منبرے نے چوب دارے‬
Tera ba khirqah-o-amamah kaarey, mun az khod yaaftam booey nigaarey.
Hamein yakk chob-e-na’ey saramayah-e-mun, nah chob-e-menberay nah
chob-e-daarey.
[Tou godrri (pir’on) aur dastar (alam’on) kay peichhay bhagta hai, (magar)
mien ney apney aap sey mehboob ki khoshboo paeyi hai.
Yehi eik chob-e-na’ey meyra sarmayah hai, nah mien chob-e-menber ki
khwahish rakhhta h’on, nah chobdar ki.]
For robes and turbans why you feel a bent, I have found in my ego that
beauty’s scent.
To me wooden life* is wealth and heart’s gloss, I carve not a wood for pulpit
or cross.
(*A wooden fife or flute.) (Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(23)*****
‫خویش‬ ‫چو دیدم جوھرآئینٔہ‬
‫خویش‬ ‫گرفتم خلوت اندر سینٔہ‬
‫ازین دانشوران کور و بے ذوق‬
‫خویش‬ ‫رمیدم با غم دیرینٔہ‬

1111
Cho deidam johar-e-aeinah-e-khwaish, gariftam khalwat andar seinah-e-
khwaish.
Az-ein danishwaraan kor-o-bey zouq, rameidam ba ghum-e-deirinah-e-
khwaish.
[Jabb mien ney apney aeinah (-e-qalb) ka johar deikhha, tuo mien apney
seinay kay andar khalwat gazein ho-gaya.
Aur apney ghum-e-deirinah (ishq) ko ley kar, inn andhay aur bizouq
danashwar’on sey door bhag gaya.]
As soon I espied my ego’s essence, I took a lone retreat in bosom hence.
From these wise blinds who have no taste, for old love’s flame I ran with
haste.
(Ego’s essence: The hidden qualities of ego (khodi). A lone retreat in bosom:
Meditations, self consciousness (viz Moraqaba). Wise blinds: Mullah and
Sufi.) (Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(24)*****
‫چو رخت خویش بر بستم ازین خاک‬
‫ آشنا بود‬ ‫ہمہ گفتند با ما‬
‫ولیکن کس ندانست این مسافر‬
‫چہ گفت و با کہ گفت و از کجا بود‬
Cho rakht-e-khwaish ber bostam az-ein khak, hamah goftand ba ma
aashna bood.
W’laikan kas nadanist ein mosafir, chih goft-o-ba keh goft-o-az koja bood.
[Jabb mien ney iss dunya sey rakht (-e-safar) bandha, tuo sabb ney kaha:
yeh hamara janenay wala thha.
Magar koeyi naheen samjha keh iss mosafir ney kaya kaha, kiss sey kaha
aur yeh kah’an sey thha?]
When I packed my self from this dusty fuss, all were saying he was so close
to us.
But no one ever knew this seeker’s aim, I said to them what? From where I
came.
(This quatrain (twin couplet) was written by Iqbal a few months before his
death.) (Translated by Q A Kabir)

1112
SET – 2
*****(1)*****
‫اگر دانا دل و صافی ضمیر است‬
‫فقیرے با تہی دستی امیر است‬
‫بہ دوش منعم بے دین و دانش‬
‫قبائے نیست پاالن حریر است‬
Agar dana dil-o-saafi zamir ast, faqiray ba tehi dasti amir ast.
Beh dosh mona’am bey Deen-o-danish, qaba’ey neist palan-e-harir ast.
[Agar faqir dana dil aur saaf baatin hai, tuo woh moflisi mein bhi amir hai.
Woh doulatmand jo bideen aur bidaanish ho, oss kay kandh’on per qaba
naheen, balkeh raisham ka palan hai. (Ya’ani woh raishmi labas mein
gadha hai.)]
If a wise man holds clean conscience and soul, being a poor man he plays a
wise man’s role;
A robe of State, on a filthy rich’s back, looks a silken pack on donkey’s
back.
(Basic thought: Saddle a donkey with golden pack - It looks an ass and not
the man blac.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

SET – 3
*****(1)*****
‫ آوری دارا و جم را‬ ‫سجودے‬
‫مکن اے بے خبر رسوا حرم را‬
‫مبر پیش فرنگی حاجت خویش‬
‫ز طاق دل فرو ریز این صنم را‬
Sajooday aawari Dara-o-Jam ra, makon ay bey khabar roswa Haram ra.
Ma-bar paish-e-Farangi hajat-e-khwaish, ’z-taaq-e-dil frou raiz ein sanam
ra.
[Tou Dara-o-Jam (jaisey padshah’on) kay saamney sajdah karta hai, ay
bikhabar! Haram ko roswa nah kar.

1113
Apni hajat Farangi kay saamney nah ley ja, iss bott ko apney dil kay
taaqchah sey neichay gira dey.]
You are bowing head to ‘Dara’ and ‘Jam’, O fool tarnish not the honour of
‘harm’.
Take not thy needs to Anglian’s door; drop these idols from heart’s inner
core.
(Dara: Darius. Jam: A title of old Kings of Persia. Jam’s throne; when used
with throne it means ‘Solomon’.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(2)*****
‫شیندم بیتکے از مرد پیرے‬
‫روشن ضمیرے‬ ‫کہن فرزانٔہ‬
‫اگر خود را بناداری نگہ داشت‬
‫ آن فقیرے‬ ‫دو گیتی را بگیرد‬
Shoneidam baitakey az mard-e-piray, kohan farzanah roshan zamiray.
Agar khod ra banadaari nigah daasht, duo geiti ra bageirad aan faqirey.
[Mien ney eik dana aur roshan zamir pir-e-kohan sey yeh she’ar sona thha:
Jo faqir nadaari mein khodaari ikhtiyar karta hai, woh duon’on jahan’on ka
malik bun jata hai.]
I heard a nice verse from a man old, a wise man great with conscience of
gold.
If he guards the self in want and need, that darvesh can win both worlds in
deed.
(A conscience of gold: Having brilliant qualities of head and heart.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(3)*****
‫نہان اندر دو حرفے سر کار است‬
‫ دار است‬، ‫مقام عشق منبر نیست‬

1114
 ‫براہیمان ز نمرودان نترسند‬
‫ اتش عیار است‬ ‫کہ عود خام را‬
Nehan andar duo harfey sirr-e-kaar ast, moqam-e-ishq menber neist, daar
ast.
Brahimaan ’z-Nimrodaan natarsad, keh ood-e-khaam ra aatish ayyar ast.
[Kaam ki baat duo harf’on mein poshidah hai, ishq ka moqam menber
naheen, daar hai.
Ibrahim, Nimrud’on sey naheen dartey, kiyu’onkeh ood-e-khaam kay leay
aag kasauti hai. (Ood aag mein daali ja’ey tuo khoshboo deyti hai.)]
The being’s secret hids in two words of sage, on cross the love lies and
never on stage.
The Abrams feared not at Nimrod’s behest, to raw aloewood the fire is a
test.
(It is one of the best poems of Iqbal, being full of sparkling similies of wits.
The being’s secret; viz the secret of success.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(4)*****
‫مجواے اللہ از کس غمگساری‬
‫چو من خواہ از درون خویش یاری‬
‫بہر بادے کہ آید سینہ بکشاے‬
‫نگہ دار آن کہن داغے کہ داری‬
Majoo ay lalah az kas ghumgosaarey, cho mun khwah az daroon-e-
khwaish yaarey.
Beher baadey keh ayad seinah bakosha’ey, nigah daar aan kohan daghey
keh daarey.
[Ay gul-e-lalah! Tou kissi sey hamdardi ka khwah’an nah ho, meyri tarah
(sirf) apney aap sey dosti rakhh,
Jo bhi hawa aa’ey, oss kay saamney seinah khhol dey (ni’ay aloom sey
fa’idah othha), magar apney poraney dagh (-e-Mohabat) ka khiyal rakhh
(kaheen woh zaiy’a nah ho jaa’ey).]

1115
From none seek not O poppy a solace, like me seek friendship with self’s
inner base.
To every wind blowing make the heart ope, watch the old scar and keep a
good hope.
(The old scar: The scar of love’s flame; self’s inner base; heart.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(5)*****
‫ز پیرے یاد دارم این دو اندرز‬
‫نباید جز بجان خویشتن زیست‬
‫ آن مرد فرودست‬ ‫گریز از پیش‬
‫کہ جان خود گرو کرد و بہ تن زیست‬
’Z-pir’ay yaad daaram ein duo andarz, nabayad joz bajan khwaishtan
zeist.
Garaiz az paish aan mard-e-frou dast, keh jan-e-khod girv kard-o-beh tun
zeist.
[Mojhey eik pir mard ki duo nasihatein yaad hein, eik yeh keh apni jan he
sey zindah raha ja sakta hai.
Doosari yeh keh iss bey himmat insan sey door reh, jiss ney apni jan girvi
rakhh de aur sirf tun (ki asa’ish) kay leay zindah raha.]
Two worlds of old man I keep in mind still, that a man is alive from one’s
own will.
Shun that mean man who made no life’s goal, for body who lived and
pawned his soul.
(Andurz: Advice, a will, a maxim. Frodast: Weak, bumble, of low birth.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(6)*****
‫بہ ساحل گفت موج بیقرارے‬
‫بہ فرعونے کنم خود را عیارے‬

1116
 ‫گہے بر خویش می پیچم چو مارے‬
‫گہے رقصم بہ ذوق انتظارے‬
Beh sahil goft mouj-e-biqararey, beh Faroanay konam khod ra ayyarey.
Gehey ber khod ra mi paicham cho maarey, gehey raqsam beh zouq-e-
intizaarey.
[Mouj-e-biqarar ney sahil sey kaha, mien kissi Faroan sey apni himmat
aazmati h’on.
Kabhi (ghossah sey) sa’np ki tarah paich-o-taab khhati h’on, aur kabhi
zouq-e-intizar mein raqs karti h’on.]
A restive wave said once to a coast, I test my might on a Pharoah’s boast.
I coil around self often like snake, oft I dance for a ‘waiting’ taste sake.
(Restive wave: An allusion to ‘Momin’. Coast: An allusion to impractical
man, given to theorizing.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(7)*****
‫ آب و جاہے از فرنگ است‬ ‫اگر این‬
‫جبین خود منہ جز بر در او‬
‫ خر‬ ‫سرین را ھم بچوبش دہ کہ‬
‫حقے دارد بہ خر پاالن گر او‬
Agar ein aab-o-jahay az Farang ast, Jabin-e-khod ma-neh joz ber dar-e-
oo.
Sarin ra hum bachobash deh keh khar, haqqay darad beh khar palan gar-
e-oo.
[Agar teyri yeh shan-o-martabah Farangi kay sabab sey hai, tuo ossi kay
darwazey per sajdah raiz ho.
Laikan apney sarin bhi oss kay dandey kay hawaley kar, kiyu’onkeh akhar
palan-gar apney gadhey per kochh haq bhi rakhhta hai.]
If this pomp and show the Anglian boon, bow not thy forehead save at his
shoon.
Get kicks of his stick at thy ass too, a right on the ass of saddlers’ pooh.

1117
(Anglians: Adj of Anglia (England) of the angles, their culture, dialect etc.
Shoon: (archaic or dial) of shoe. Pooh (poo) (slang): An exclamation of
disdain, hate or impatience.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(8)*****
‫فرنگی را دلے زیر نگین نیست‬
‫متاع او ہمہ ملک است دین نیست‬
‫خداوندے کہ در طوف حریمش‬
‫صد ابلیس است و یک روح االمین نیست‬
Farangi ra dillay zir-e-nagin neist, mata’a-e-oo hamah molk ast Deen
neist.
Khodawandey keh dar touf-e-Harimash, sadd Iblis ast-o-yakk Rooh-ul-
Amin neist.
[Kissi dil per Farangi ki hakoomat naheen, oss ka asasah sirf momalik hein,
Deen naheen.
Woh aisa khoda hai jiss ki bargah kay tawaf mein, sainkarr’om Iblis tuo
hein, magar Rooh-ul-Amin eik bhi naheen.]
To Anglians thus the hearts do not own, they own only lands, to faith they
disown.
O God during rounds of thy sacred place, I saw hundred Satans not the
Gabe’s face.
(The Gabe: A diminutive noun of the Gabrial, one of the seven arch angels
of the God.) (Translated by Q A Kabir)

SET – 4
*****(1)*****
‫من و تو از دل و دین نا امیدیم‬
‫چوبوے گل ز اصل خود رمیدیم‬
‫دل مامرد و دین از مردنش مرد‬
‫دو تامرگے بیک سود اخریدیم‬

1118
Mun-o-tou az dil-o-Deen na-ummeidaim, cho booey gul ’z-asal-e-khod
rameidaim.
Dil-e-ma mord-o-Deen az mordanash mord, duo ta murgay bayakk sood
akhareidaim.
[Mien aur tou dil-o-Deen sey na-ummeid hein, phhool ki kashboo ki tarah
hum apni asal sey door ja chokkay hein.
Hamara dil mura tuo oss kay murney sey Deen bhi mur gaya, hum ney eik
souday mein duohari mout kharidi.]
We are despaired of heart and faith’s way, from faith like smell we are
running away.
My heart whom died it killed the faith too, by a bargain lone I got losses
two. (Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(2)*****
‫مسلمانے کہ داند رمز دین را‬
‫نساید پیش غیر ہللا جبین را‬
‫اگر گرد ون بکام او نہ گردد‬
‫بہ کام خود بہ گرداند زمین را‬
Mosilmaney danad ramz-e-Deen ra, nasayad paish-e-ghair Allah jabin ra.
Agar gadroon bakaam-e-oo nah gardad, beh kaam-e-khod beh gardanad
zamin ra.
[Woh Mosilman jo Deen ki rooh sey bakhabar hai, woh ghair Allah kay
saamney apni paishani naheen ragarrta,
Agar asman oss ki marzi kay motabiq gardish nah karey, tuo woh zamin ko
apni marzi kay motabiq ghhoma leyta hai.]
His path’s true sign if a Muslim could know. To else save God, he would
never bow.
If the heaven moves not to his own will. He can move the earth whole to his
will, still.
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

1119
 *****(3)*****
‫دل بیگانہ خوزین خاکدان نیست‬
‫آسمان نیست‬ ‫شب و روزش زدور‬
‫تو خود وقت قیام خویش دریاب‬
‫نماز عشق و مستی را اذان نیست‬
Dil-e-biganah khoo ’z-ein khakdaan neist, shabby-o-rozash ’z-dour-e-
aasman neist.
Tou khod waqt-e-qiyam khwaish daryaab, namaz-e-ishq-o-musti ra azan
neist.
[Dil-e-biniaz ka ta’alaq iss dunya sey naheen, oss kay shabb-o-roz asman ki
gardish sey paida naheen hotay.
Tou (apni namaz kay qayam ka waqt khod daryaft kar, namaz-e-ishq-o-
musti ki koeyi az’an naheen.]
O callous heart make not a link with clay, the nature changes not her night
and day.
0(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(4)*****
‫مقام شوق بے صدق و یقین نیست‬
‫یقین بے صحبت روح االمین نیست‬
‫گر از صدق و یقین داری نصیبی‬ 
‫قدم بیباک نہ کس در کین نیست‬
Moqam-e-shouq bey sidq-o-yaqin neist, yaqin bey sohbat-e-Rooh-ul-Amin
neist.
Gar az sidq-o-yaqin daari nasibay, qadam bibaak neh kas dar kein neist.
[(Mohabat-o-) shouq ka moqam sidq-o-yaqin kay baghair naheen milta, aur
yaqin Jibril-e-Amin ki sohbat kay baghair hasil naheen hota.
Agar tojhey sidq-o-yaqin hasil hai, tou bibaaki sey qadam othha, koeyi
(Shaitan) teyri ghhat mein naheen ho-ga.]
In Truth and certitude lies the love’s place, no certitude lies without the
Gabe’s face.
If truth and certitude lies in thy fate, put a daring step, none lies in-thy-wait.1

1120
(Shauq: Violent desire, passionate love, zeal, ardent longing and cravings,
cheerfulness.) (Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(5)*****
‫مسلمان را ہمین عرفان و ادراک‬
‫کہ در خود فاش بیند رمزلوالک‬
‫خدا اندر قیاس ما نگنجد‬
‫آن را کہ گوید ما عرفناک‬ ‫شناس‬
Mosilman ra haemin irfan-o-idraak, keh dar khod faash beinad ramz-e-
Laulak.
Khoda andar qiyas-e-ma nagunjad, shanas aan ra keh goeyd ma-araf
naak.
[Mosilman ka irfan-o-idraak (ma’arfat-o-feham-e-Deen) yehi hai, keh woh
apney andar Laulak ka andaz ayy’an deikhhta hai. (Hazoor S.A.W. ko apna
maqsood-e-hayat samajhta hai.)
Allah Ta’ala tuo hamari soch mein naheen samatey, tou onnhein pehchan
jinnh’on ney farmaya thha: keh hum ney Allah Ta’ala ki ma’arfat ka haq
ada naheen kiya.]
For Muslim ‘this is the gnosis and ken, in self he sees vivid Laulak’s ken
when.
We cannot hold God as in our thought, be conscious of whom who said,
‘you knew not’.
(Laulak: Lamma Khuliqat-il-Aflak (A Hadith). If you had not been the
whole skies would have not been. Ma’araf na ka (haqqa marifatika): We
admit O God that we did not fulfill the debt and duty of Thy gnosis
(acquaintance). M’arifat, knowledge gained through experience, enough for
recognition, but not as deep as certitude.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(6)*****
‫بہ افرنگی بتان خود را سپردی‬ 
‫چہ نامردانہ درتبخانہ مردی‬ 

1121
 ‫خرد بیگانہ دل سینہ بے سوز‬
‫کہ از تاک نیاگان مے نخوردی‬
Beh Afrangi bottaan khod ra sapordi, chih na-maradanah dar bottkhanah
mordi.
Khird biganah-e-dil seinah bey soz, keh az taak-e-niyagaan maey na-
khordi,
[Tou apney aap ko Farangi hoseina’on kay hawaley kar kay, bottkadah mein
kaya namard’on ki mout mura!
Teyri aql, dil (ishq) sey biganah aur seinah noor (-e-aiman) sey khaali hai,
kiyu’okeh tou ney apney bazorg’on ki sharab (rohaaniyat) sey istifadah
naheen kiya.]
You handed over thee to idols white, and died in the fane, in a coward’s
plight.
The wits missed heart, sans a flame’s least shine. No wines as you took from
the father’s vine.
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(7)*****
‫نہ ہرکس خود گروھم خود گد از است‬
‫نہ ہرکس مست ناز اندر نیاز است‬
‫قباے ال الہ خونین قباے است‬
‫کہ برباالے نامردان درازاست‬
Nah her kas khod-gar-o-hum khod godaaz ast, nah her kas must-e-naaz
andar niaz ast.
Qabaey la illah khonein qaba ast, keh ber bala’ey na-mardan daraaz ast.
[Her shakhs apni shakhsiyat ko godaaz kar kay oss ki az sar-e-nau ta’amir
naheen kar sakta, nah her shakhs niazmandi kay andar must-e-naaz reh
sakta hai.
La illah ki qaba khoonein qaba hai, yeh namard’on kay qad sey bohat barri
hai (namard ossey naheen pehan saktey).]
A self maker and melter each cant be, nor each Beau dives in the Beauty’s
sea.

1122
The Lailah’s gown is stained with blood, which fits not ever on a coward
dud.
Service means a form of worship. It is difficult to perform a prayer of
devotees. We just do a service and we do not worship God (in the light of
that Hadith) for which the Gabe came personally in the form of man in
presence of a large number of the Prophet’s companions a few months
before his death. The Gabe asked three questions from the Prophet when all
the companions were hearing and seeing the Gabe sitting too close to the
Prophet while he had joined both his knees with him, which no companion
could dare to sit in such a way. The Gabe asked three questions from the
Prophet (S.A.W.): O Prophet of God what is Islam? O Prophet of God what
is Iman? O Prophet of God what is Ihsan? For details see Mishkaut Shareef.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(8)*****
‫بسوزد مومن از سوز وجودش‬
‫کشود ہرچہ بستند از کشودش‬
‫جالل کبریائی در قیاش‬
‫جمال بندگی اندر سجودش‬
Basozad Momin az soz-e-wajoodash, kashood her chih bostand az
kashoodash.
Jalal-e-kibriyai dar qiyas, jamal-e-bandagi andar sajoodash.
[Momin apney wajood kay soz sey jalta hai, her sar-bastah raaz issi kay
haath’on khholta hai.
Oss kay qayam mein jalal-e-Kibriaeyi hai, aur oss kay sajood mein jamal-e-
bandagi.]
A Momin burns thus in his being’s own heat, all ties ope quick if he so
wished to treat.
His stay is an air of grandeur and grace, a beauty of service at his bow’s
place.
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(9)*****

1123
 ‫چہ پرسی از نماز عاشقانہ‬
‫رکوعش چون سجودش محرمانہ‬
‫تب و تاب یکے ہللا اکبر‬
‫نگنجد در نماز پنجگانہ‬
Chih porsi az namaz-e-ashiqanah, rako’ash choon sajoodash-e-
meharmanah.
Tabb-o-taab yakkey Allah-ho-Akbar, nagunjad dar namaz-e-punjganah.
[Ashiq’on ki namaz ka kaya poochhta hai, iss namaz ka rak’o bhi iss kay
sajdey ki tarah moqam-e-qorb hai.
Iss ki eik takbir-e-Allah-ho-Akbar, paanch’on namaz’on sey barrh kar hai.]
What is lovers s service, prayers of beaus? His bows like kowtows a tete-a-
tete close.
His shine and vigour big, the God is Great, in the five time service I miss
this state.
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(10)*****
‫دوگیتی را صال از قرأت اوست‬
‫مسلمان الیموت از رکعت اوست‬
‫این عصربے سوز‬ ‫نداند کشتٔہ‬ 
‫قیامتہا کہ درقد قامت اوست‬
Duo geiti ra sala az qira’at-e-oo’st, Mosilman la-yamoot az raka’at-e-
oo’st.
Nadanad koshtah-e-ein asar bey soz, qiyamat-ha keh dar ‘qad qaamatey’
oo’st.
[Namaz-e-ishq ki qira’at duon’on jahan’on kay leay sala (da’awat) hai, iss
ki eik raka’at, Mosilman ko zindah-e-javid bana deyti hai.
Iss dour-e-bisoz ka mara ho’a insan kiya jan’ey, keh iss namaz ki aqamat
mein kaya qiamat (poshidah) hai.]
He calls both worlds to Quran by prays, by such one prayer, Muslim dies
nay.

1124
Never knew thus the swains of this Age, in his prayer hid a doomsday’s
rage.
(The literal translation of line 3 and 4 would be: This flameless age’s victim-
knows not, nay, the dooms days are hidden in his calls for Pray. Iqbal has
expressed this thought in another verse: Save God a Muslim to none would
how, to Pharoahs his head is never low.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

SET –5
*****(1)*****
‫ آئین رزاقی بداند‬ ‫فرنگ‬
‫بہ این بخشد از دوامی ستاند‬
‫ آنچنان روزی رساند‬ ‫بہ شیطان‬
‫آن حیران بماند‬ ‫کہ یزدان اندر‬
Farang aein-e-Razzaqi badanad, beh ein bakhshad az dawaami satanad.
Beh Shaitan aanchonan rozi risanad, keh Yazdan andar aan hairan
bemanad.
[Angraiz bhi rizq deyney ka tariqah janta hai, eik ko atta karta hai, doosarey
sey chhein leyta hai.
Woh Shaitan ko iss tarah rozi poh’nchata hai, keh khod Allah Ta’ala bhi
hairan reh jaatey hein.]
The English mind knows God’s Food Law Rules, he takes from debtors to
give to his tools.
How he gives food to Satan’s lay, in wonderment lies the God at his way.
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(2)*****
‫چہ حاجت طول دادن داستان را‬
‫بحرفے گویم اسرار نہان را‬
‫جہان خویش ما سودا گران داد‬
‫چہ داند المکان قدر مکان را‬

1125
Chih hajat tool dadan dastaan ra, baharfey goeym asrar-e-nehan ra.
Jahan-e-khwaish ma soudagaran daad, chih danad la-makan qadar-e-
makan ra.
[Baat ko tool deyney sey kaya hasil, eik lafz mein makhfi raaz keh deyta
h’on.
Apna jah’an soudagar’on (Angraiz’on) ko dey diya, mak’an ki qadar
lamak’an kaya jaaney.]
A long tale serves no service in a sense, in one word I tell a hidden fact
hence.
His whole world he gave to the merchants when, how can homeless know
worth of home then.*
(*God is named as Houseless viz. La makan in Arabic and Persian
literature.) (Translated by Q A Kabir)

*****(3)*****
‫بہشتے بھر پاکان حرم ہست‬
‫بہشتے بہر ارباب ہمم ہست‬
‫بگو ہندی مسلمان را کہ خوش باش‬
‫بہشتے فی سبیل ہللا ہم ہست‬
Bahishtey beher pakaan-e-Haram hust, bahishtey beher arbab-e-humam
hust.
Bago Hindi Mosilman ra keh khosh baash, bahishtey fi-sabil-ullah hum
hust.
[Eik bahisht pakaan-e-Haram (rohaani loug’on) kay leay hai, eik bahisht
ehl-e-himmat (mujahideen) kay leay hai.
Hindi Mosilman sey kaho: Tou bhi khosh ho ja, eik bahisht fi-sabil-Allah
(kochh nah karney waal’on kay leay) bhi hai.]
A paradise lies for the pious alone, a paradise waits for the warriors* lone.
Tell the Hindi** Muslims to sing in glee, there lies for them a paradise free.
(Here Iqbal has made three categories of paradise in a sarcastic manner.
**This is a Sarcastic address to Indian Muslims.)
(Translated by Q A Kabir)

1126
SET – 6
*****(1)*****
‫قلندر میل تقریرے ندارد‬
‫بجز این نکتہ اکسیرے ندارد‬ 
‫ نیست‬Ð‫ازان کشت خرابے حاصلے‬
‫کہ آب از خون شبیرے ندارد‬
Qalandar mial-e-taqrirey nadarad, bajoz ein noktah-e-akseeray nadarad.
Az aan kisht-e-kharabey hasiley neist, keh aab az khoon-e-Shabbirey
nadarad.
[Qalandar lambi taqrir’on ka milaan naheen rakhhta, ossey eik he noktah
ma’aloom hai, jo akseer ka kaam karta hai.
Aisi viraan khheiti sey kochh hasil naheen ho sakta, jiss ki aabiyari khoon-e-
Hussain sey nah ki gaeyi ho.]
This dervesh knows not a style in speech, save this main point no exir he
would teach.
From that barren land no harvest you can, till it is watered with blood of
Hussain.
(I have used Dervesh in place of Qalandar which Iqbal has used in this
quatrain. Qalandar is Muslim sect of Faqirs (Dervish) who shave off beard
and abandon wordly possessions, friends and relatives and travel from place
to place worship one God.) 
25th June, 2013

1127
 SAUDIS AND SYRIA
For more than two years Saudi Arabia and other Sheikhdoms of the
Arabian Peninsula have been waging undeclared war against Bashar al-
Assad’s regime in Syria. This is being done to please their American and
European masters. The resilience shown by the Syrian security forces,
however, has perturbed the Saudi and other Arab rulers.
After the latest meeting of the ‘Friends of Syria’, in which all the
participants agreed to openly arm the ‘rebels’, the Saudis asked the
Americans to do more in this context. The Saudi argument in favour of
escalating the war is that it is essential for restoring ‘peace’ in the country.
Russia and China could do mo more than criticizing the decision to arm
‘rebels’ or terrorists
It must be remembered that most of the ‘rebels’ have come from other
lands to wage jihad of Crusaders’ liking. In addition to Arab rulers, Erodgan
of Turkey and Mursi of Egypt have been equally keen to wage Saleebi
Jihad, yet both failed to win hearts and minds of the Crusaders; the former
has started seeing the forces behind the protests in Turkey and the latter has
been forced to agree for the revision of the Constitution.

NEWS
Far East
Malaysia: On 20th June, two more Pakistani men were charged in
court with the murder of an American pastor who was found strangled in his
Malaysian home last month. One of their countrymen, who worked as a
security guard, was already charged last week with murdering David James
Ginter. Shaheen Murad, 37, and Hassan Raza, 21, were charged at a district
court.
Thailand: On 29h June, eight soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb
in Thailand’s restive south, raising questions over the durability of a fragile
peace process aiming to end the near-decade long insurgency. More than
5,700 people have been killed in a festering insurgency in Thailand’s
Muslim-majority southern provinces, but optimism for peace has flickered
recently after talks between authorities and some rebel groups including the
Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN).
Myanmar: On 28th June, the United Nations refugee agency voiced
concern about a violent incident in western Myanmar’s Rakhine state that

1128
killed two internally displaced persons (IDPs) and wounded six others,
including two minors. The incident took place yesterday in the Kyein Ni
Pyin IDP camp in Pauktaw Township, a site where the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been building temporary shelters
for some 4,400 ethnic Rohingya Muslims displaced by last year’s inter-
communal violence.  
Bangladesh: On 9th June, a Bangladesh war crimes court ordered the
jailing of two Islamists including a member of parliament for three months
for contempt of court. Jamaat-e-Islami party lawmaker Hamidur Rahman
Azad and its acting deputy chief Rafiqul Islam Khan were sentenced in
absentia by the country's controversial International Crimes Tribunal, which
is trying Islamists and others for war crimes. Jamaat called for a nationwide
strike on June 10 in response.
Next day, protestors clashed with police in several towns across
Bangladesh as the latest strike declared by the nation's largest Islamic party
paralyzed much of the country. Shops and schools were closed in the capital
Dhaka and major roads were largely deserted after the Jamaat-e-Islami party
called for a nationwide strike to denounce the jailing of Islamist leaders by a
war crimes tribunal.
Two police officers were injured in the northern town of Ullapara
after protesters threw a homemade bomb into their vehicle. Violence also
erupted in the eastern town of Laksam where police fired rubber bullets at
about 300 gathered protesters. Throughout the country, inter-district bus and
lorry services were also suspended in anticipation of the strike.
On 20th June, a court sentenced 10 militants to death after finding
them guilty of assisting a deadly suicide bombing in 2005. The militants,
from the outlawed Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), showed no
remorse after a judge read out the verdict and sentence in a court room in the
capital. Judge Motaher Hossain ordered the sentence of the 10 militants be
carried out by hanging, following a trial in one of Bangladesh’s special fast-
track courts.
Mainland Asia
China: On 20th June, courts in China sentenced 19 ethnic Uighurs to
up to six years in jail for promoting racial hatred and religious extremism
online. All but one of those jailed were from the heavily Uighur southern
part of Xinjiang, including eight from the old Silk Road city of Kashgar.

1129
Many Uighurs, a Turkic-speaking Muslim, chafe at Chinese government
restrictions on their culture, language and religion.
In one of the cases, the suspect went on illegal websites to download
material which ‘whipped up religious fervour and preached 'holy war'’ and
‘whipped up ethnic enmity’. Another suspect was jailed for spreading
materials from overseas via the Internet which ‘advocate religious
extremism and terrorism’. China accuses armed Uighur groups of having
links to Central Asian and Pakistani militants and carrying out attacks to
establish an independent state called East Turkistan.
On 26th June, riots in China’s ethnically divided Xinjiang region left
27 people dead, as police opened fire on ‘knife-wielding mobs’. Police shot
at ‘mobs’ who had attacked police stations, the Xinhua news agency said.
‘Seventeen people had been killed...before police opened fire and shot dead
10 rioters’, it said. The mobs were also ‘stabbing at people and setting fire to
police cars’, the report said.
The clashes occurred early Wednesday in the Lukqun Township of
Shanshan County, about 100 kilometres from the desert City of Turpan and
about 250 kilometres from the regional capital Urumqi. The reason for the
violence was not immediately clear. It was the deadliest violence to hit the
troubled Western region since 2009. Xinjiang is about twice the size of
Turkey and is home to around 10 million members of the mostly Muslim
Uighur ethnic minority.
On 28th June, fresh violence erupted in China's restive Xinjiang, two
days after 35 died in what the government called a ‘terrorist attack’. The
incident in Hotan city followed riots that were the deadliest to hit the
western desert region since violence on July 5, 2009, left hundreds dead.
Next day, China's state-run media blamed over 100 people it branded
‘terrorists’ for sparking ‘riots’ in the ethnically-divided region of Xinjiang,
where days earlier clashes killed 35. The latest unrest took place in the
prefecture of Hotan yesterday, where the group ‘(attacked) a number of
people with weapons after gathering at local religious venues’, the state-run
Global Times said.
Middle East
Iraq: On 10th June, a wave of violence across Iraq on Monday killed
61 people, nearly half of them in a series of attacks in the northern city of
Mosul. In Mosul, which is populated mainly by Sunni Arabs, 29 people
were killed when five car bombs targeted the army and police. Attacks in

1130
Kirkuk, Tikrit and Tuz Khurmatu left eight other people dead. Explosions
just north of Baghdad in Taji and neighbouring Diyala province, killed a
further 20 people, while a suicide bombing targeting security forces killed
four people.
On 15th June, an attack on a camp near Baghdad housing Iranian
exiles killed two residents, the second such assault on the group this year as
its members await resettlement outside Iraq. It was not immediately clear
who was behind the attack involving at least half a dozen mortar rounds.
Next day, attacks across Iraq targeting mainly Shias killed at least 30
people. Regional sectarian tensions have been inflamed by the conflict in
Syria, where Sunni rebels are fighting to overthrow a leader backed by Iran.
The attacks were carried out in Basra, Najaf, Nassiriya, Kut, Hilla, Tuz
Khurmato, Mahmudiya and Mosul. No group claimed responsibility for the
attacks. More than 1,000 people were killed in militant attacks in May.
On 17th June, at least 12 people were killed in three bomb attacks. In
Taji, north of Baghdad, a bomb exploded in a restaurant killing seven and a
bomb attached to a minibus killed two people and wounded seven. A suicide
bomber dressed in police uniform blew himself up at the entrance to a police
headquarters in the city of Fallujah in the western province of Anbar, three
people were killed.
Next day, twin suicide bombings killed 31 people after midday
prayers at a Shia centre in Baghdad. Several students from an adjacent
university were among the dead, with dozens of others wounded, while
security forces shut down the neighbourhood to vehicle traffic and sought to
defuse a suspected car bomb nearby. No group immediately claimed
responsibility for the attacks. Bombings elsewhere in Baghdad and north of
the capital in Salaheddin province killed two people and wounded six.
Meanwhile, UN leader Ban Ki-moon called for the end of the threat of
sanctions against Iraq for its 1990 invasion of Kuwait amid a significant
thaw between the neighbors. Ban said both governments have shown
‘statesmanship and respect’ in healing the scars of the invasion that led to
the creation of an international coalition to expel Saddam Hussein’s forces.
On 24th June, attacks in Iraq, including a wave of car bombings across
Baghdad, killed 31 people. At least 10 vehicles rigged with explosives went
off in eight neighbourhoods in the capital, despite tight restrictions on the
movement of cars following a spate of similar bombings last month. In all,
at least 28 people were killed and 121 people were wounded in the city.

1131
Attacks in the main northern city of Mosul left three people dead and six
others wounded.
Next day, bombings targeting protesters and pilgrims outside of
Baghdad killed 14 people. Deadliest attack struck the ethnically-mixed town
of Tuz Khurmatu, which lies in a tract of territory in north Iraq that
Kurdistan wants to incorporate into its three-province autonomous region
over Baghdad's objections. Two suicide bombers blew themselves up inside
a tent packed with Shia Turkmen protesters in the town, killing at least 11
people and wounding 55 others. Three people were killed and 15 were
wounded when the bomb went off near the town of Iskandiriyah.
On 28th June, twin bombings killed nine people and wounded 21 in
Ramadi in Iraq’s western province of Anbar, most of them anti-al-Qaeda
militiamen. A bomb placed in the car of an officer of the Sahwa (militia)
exploded before a second one, placed on the roadside, detonated among a
group of people.
Palestine: On 13th June, Israel moved forward with plans for more
than 1,000 new homes in two West Bank settlements. Details of the plans
emerged as US Secretary of State John Kerry makes an intensive effort to
rekindle dormant peace talks, with Israel's settlement building a key sticking
point. Meanwhile, attackers desecrated graves in an Arab Christian cemetery
in Jaffa and damaged property nearby, in an incident that bore the hallmarks
of a ‘price tag’ hate crime.
On 20th June, a United Nations human rights body accused Israeli
forces of mistreating Palestinian children, including by torturing those in
custody and using others as human shields. In the Gaza and the West Bank,
captured by Israel in the 1967 war Palestinian children are routinely denied
registration of their birth and access to health care, decent schools and clean
water.
Most Palestinian children arrested are accused of having thrown
stones, an offence which can carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Israeli soldiers had testified to the often arbitrary nature of the arrests.
During the 10-year period, an estimated 7,000 Palestinian children aged 12
to 17, but some as young as nine, had been arrested, interrogated and
detained. Many are brought in leg chains and shackles before military courts,
while youths are held in solitary confinement, sometimes for months, the
report said.
Israeli soldiers had used Palestinian children to enter potentially
dangerous buildings before them and to stand in front of military vehicles to

1132
deter stone-throwing. Almost all those using children as human shields and
informants have remained unpunished and the soldiers convicted for having
forced at gunpoint a nine-year-old child to search bags suspected of
containing explosives only received a suspended sentence of three months
and were demoted.
On 24th June, Israeli warplanes hit targets in central and southern
Gaza. The raids came just hours after fighters fired five rockets at southern
Israel, two of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile system.
The air force ‘targeted ‘terrorist’ infrastructure including two weapon
storage facilities and a rocket launch site.
On 26th June, an Israeli planning committee granted final approval for
the construction of 69 east Jerusalem settler homes. The approval was
granted by the municipal planning committee just hours before Kerry
touched down in Amman on his fifth visit to the region since February as he
steps up efforts to draw Israel and the Palestinians back into direct
negotiations.
Syria: On 9th June, regime forces buoyed by a key victory against
rebels were preparing to launch an offensive aimed at expelling rebels from
Aleppo. On the international front, Britain said that Syrian government gains
on the ground had made organizing peace talks harder, as Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin
discussed Syria's conflict by telephone.
On 11th June, twin suicide bombers targeted a Damascus police station
killing at least 14 and wounded more than 30 people. They caused
widespread damage in the capital’s central Marjeh neighbourhood. The
Syrian cabinet denounced the attack, saying ‘armed terrorist groups and
those behind them have failed completely because of the victories achieved
by our brave army’, state news agency SANA reported.
In Aleppo province, the army launched multiple attacks on rebel
positions, including insurgent-held areas of the key Minnigh military
airbase. Rebels are in control of large swathes of the airbase. A military
source told AFP heavy clashes were raging at the base for a third day, but
denied any part of the airport was under rebel control. There were
unconfirmed reports of a ground-to-ground missile strike in Aleppo
province.
The deteriorating situation in the Golan Heights has prompted Austria
to announce it would withdraw its troops from the UN monitoring force on
the strategic Syrian plateau, which is partly occupied by Israel. Meanwhile,

1133
the UN refugee agency said that it was in talks with Germany over the
potential resettlement of 10,000 Syrians who have fled their war-torn
homeland, and was probing the issue with other rich nations.
On 14th June, the White House said that the US intelligence analysts
have concluded that Syria deployed chemical weapons in its fight against
rebels, crossing a red line. A statement issued by Ben Rhodes, deputy
national security adviser for strategic communications, said 100-150 people
were killed by the weapons, including the nerve agent sarin. As a
consequence, American officials indicated that the Obama Administration
has decided to begin supplying the rebels for the first time with small arms
and ammunition. 
The officials held out the possibility that the assistance, coordinated
by the Central Intelligence Agency, could include antitank weapons, but
they said that for now supplying the antiaircraft weapons that rebel
commanders have said they sorely need is not under consideration.
Supplying weapons to the rebels has been a long-sought goal of advocates of
a more aggressive American response to the Syrian civil war. A proposal
made last year by David Petraeus, then the director of the CIA, and backed
by the State Dept and the Pentagon to supply weapons was rejected by the
White House because of President Obama’s deep reluctance to be drawn into
another war in the Middle East.
Some senior State Department officials have reportedly been pushing
for a more aggressive military response, including air strikes to hit the
primary landing strips in Syria that the Assad government uses to launch the
chemical weapons attacks, ferry troops around the country and receive
shipments of arms from Iran. But White House officials remain wary, and
Rhodes all but ruled out the imposition of a no-fly zone and indicated that no
decision had been made on other military actions.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement London
agreed with the US assessment of chemical weapons use in Syria. ‘The crisis
demands a strong, determined and coordinated response from the
international community’, he said. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh
Rasmussen welcomed the ‘clear’ US statement, saying Damascus should
grant UN access ‘to investigate all reports of chemical weapons use’.
Influential Sunni clerics from several Arab states including Saudi
Arabia and Egypt have called for ‘Jihad’ against the regime in Syria. ‘We
must undertake jihad to help our brothers in Syria by sending them money

1134
and arms, and providing all aid to save the Syrian people from this sectarian
regime’, they said in a statement at the end of a gathering in Cairo.
The Shia group's assistance to Assad could ‘further turn this conflict
into a sectarian conflict that will spill over into the entire region’, Khaled Al-
Qazzaz told reporters. The conflict has drawn Sunni volunteers from several
Arab countries to join rebel ranks, and Shias from Iraq who support Assad.
Qazzaz, Mursi's secretary on foreign relations, said the government was not
trying to stop Egyptians from volunteering in Syria, mostly in relief work.
On 15th June, the Syrian conflict looked set to dominate the talks on
G8 countries meeting at Belfast after Washington upped the ante by
pledging military aid to rebels seeking to oust President Bashar al-Assad.
Russia said it was unconvinced by US allegations that Assad had used
chemical weapons against his own people. Meanwhile, more than 70 Syrian
military officers defected to the opposition and crossed into Turkey.
On 17th June, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad warned that European
powers would ‘pay the price’ if they sent weapons to rebel forces seeking to
topple him. ‘If the Europeans deliver weapons, then Europe’s backyard will
become terrorist, and Europe will pay the price for it’, he was quoted as
saying by German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Assad also denied
US, British and French claims that his forces had used chemical weapons
against his people during the escalating conflict in Syria. ‘If Paris, London
and Washington had any evidence for their claims, they would have
submitted it to the global public’, said Assad
Saudi Arabia, a staunch opponent of President Bashar al-Assad since
early in Syria’s conflict, began supplying anti-aircraft missiles to rebels ‘on
a small scale’ about two months ago. The shoulder-fired weapons were
obtained mostly from suppliers in France and Belgium. France had paid for
the transport of the weapons to the region.  The supplies were intended for
General Salim Idriss, leader of the Supreme Military Council of the Free
Syrian Army (FSA), who was still the kingdom’s main ‘point man’ in the
opposition. Meanwhile, a car bomb killed at least 10 Syrian soldiers and
wounded 10 others in an overnight attack near a military airport on the
outskirts of Damascus.
Next day, G8 leaders threw their weight behind calls for a peace
conference on Syria to be held in Geneva ‘as soon as possible’, after a
summit dominated by the country’s civil war. At the end of two days of talks
in Northern Ireland, the leaders also called for agreement on a transitional

1135
government in Syria ‘with full executive powers, formed by mutual
consent’.
On 21st June, a spokesman for the Free Syrian Army told AFP that
rebels have recently received new weapons that could ‘change the course of
the battle’ against the Syrian regime. FSA media and political coordinator
said: ‘We have begun distributing them on the front lines; they will be in the
hands of professional officers and FSA fighters’.
The apparent influx of arms comes after the United States said it
would provide rebel forces with ‘military support’, although it has declined
to outline what that might entail. ‘The weapons will be used for one
objective, which is to fight the regime of (President) Bashar al-Assad’,
spokesman insisted. ‘They will be collected after the fall of the regime; we
have made this commitment to the friends and brotherly countries’ that
supplied the arms.
Next day, world powers supporting Syria’s rebels decided to take
‘secret steps’ to change the balance on the battlefield, after the United States
and others called for stepping up military aid to insurgents. Yet even as they
prepared to step up their own involvement in the war, they demanded that
Iran and Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah stop supporting President
Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
In their final communiqué, the ministers agreed to ‘provide urgently
all the necessary materiel and equipment to the opposition on the ground,
each country in its own way in order to enable them to counter brutal attacks
by the regime and its allies and protect the Syrian people’. Speaking in
Doha, top Qatari diplomat said the meeting of foreign ministers of the
‘Friends of Syria’ had taken ‘decisions about practical measures to change
the situation on the ground in Syria’.
Ministers from Britain, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Qatar,
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United States
attended the talks. Washington and Doha called for increasing military aid to
end what US Secretary of State John Kerry called an ‘imbalance’ in Assad’s
favour.
He said the rebels need more support ‘for the purpose of being able to
get to Geneva and to be able to address the imbalance on the ground’. To
that end, he said, ‘the United States and other countries here – in their
various ways, each choosing its own approach – will increase the scope and
scale of assistance to the political and military opposition’.

1136
 Sheikh Hamad echoed Kerry’s remarks, calling for arms deliveries to
the rebels to create a military balance that could help forge peace. A
peaceful end ‘cannot be reached unless a balance on the ground is achieved,
in order to force the regime to sit down to talks’, he told the ministers.
‘Getting arms and using them could be the only way to achieve peace.’
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister said the ministers demanded that
predominantly Shiite Iran and Hezbollah stop meddling in the war by
supporting Assad, whose Alawite sect is an offshoot of Shiite Islam.
‘Hezbollah has played a terribly negative role, mainly in the attack on
Qusayr’, a strategic town recaptured from rebels earlier this month with the
group’s help. ‘We are fully against the internationalization of the conflict’,
he told reporters.
Kerry also accused Assad of an ‘internationalization’ of the conflict,
which has claimed nearly 100,000 lives, by bringing in Iran and Hezbollah.
Sheikh Hamad also voiced support for a peace conference but insisted there
could be no role in the future government for ‘Assad and aides with
bloodstained hands’. And he accused Assad’s regime of wanting to block the
Geneva conference in order to stay in power, ‘even if that costs one million
dead, millions of displaced and refugees, and the destruction of Syria and its
partition’.
On the ground, loyalist forces pressed a fierce four-day assault on
rebel-held parts of Damascus with overnight mortar fire killing three
children from the same family. In Aleppo, large swathes of which are under
rebel control, the FSA command announced the launch of ‘a battle to
liberate several western districts’. These developments came a day after at
least 100 people were killed nationwide.
On 23rd June, Syrian government said a total of 14 people died in the
three bombings that hit two police stations and a central Damascus district
mainly inhabited by members of President Bashar al-Assad's Alawite
minority community. The blasts came as the army pressed an offensive
aimed at ousting rebels from footholds on the outskirts that they have used
as launch-pads for attacks. In northern Syria, 12 troops were killed in a rebel
car bomb attack on the edges of Aleppo city.
France's Hollande, on a visit to Qatar, urged the mainstream rebel
Free Syrian Army to push groups like al-Nusra out of the zones they control.
If extremist groups ‘benefit from the chaos in future, Bashar al-Assad will
seize this as an excuse to continue his massacres’. Hollande said that France
was ready to help the Syrian opposition, but under certain conditions.

1137
 On 25th June, Saudi Arabia pressed for global action to end Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad's regime, telling US Secretary of State John Kerry
that the civil war had turned into ‘genocide’. Kerry met leaders of the Arab
monarchy as part of a regional tour in which he has called for greater
support for Syria's rebels but stressed that the United States ultimately
wanted a political solution that includes all sides.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told Kerry that Assad, a
secular leader who belongs to the heterodox Alawite sect, has waged
‘unprecedented genocide’ through the more than two-year conflict that has
claimed nearly 100,000 lives. ‘The kingdom demands a clear, unequivocal
international resolution that bans any sort of weapons support for the Syrian
regime and declares null and void the legitimacy of that regime’, Faisal said
at a joint news conference.
Next day, Syria lashed out at Saudi leaders, accusing them of being
behind the country’s more than two-year armed uprising. ‘The violence in
Syria is being caused by Saudi arms, Saudi money and terrorists linked to
Saudi Arabia’, said Information Minister. He also said Saudi Foreign
Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal had ‘Syrian blood on his hands’.
Speaking in the western Saudi city of Jeddah, Faisal had slammed the
Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah and Iran for starting a ‘foreign
invasion’ of Syria. Reacting to Faisal’s comments, Syrian minister said:
‘Saudi diplomacy is faltering...and it has no place in a political solution for
Syria’. He also said Faisal’s calls for action were just ‘dreams’. Meanwhile
Syria’s ruling party mouthpiece Al-Baath newspaper described Faisal as
‘crazy’. ‘Faisal’s statements...prove not only that he has become senile and
out of touch with reality, but that the Wahhabi regime is falling apart’, said
Al-Baath.
On 28th June, Syrian rebels advancing from the Jordanian border
seized a strategic army position in the southern city of Daraa as fighting
raged in the surrounding province. This is the most important army position
that the rebels have seized in Daraa" in 27 months of conflict.
Next day, Syrian troops launched an offensive on several rebel-held
parts Homs city, pounding the districts with air raids and mortar fire. War
planes carried out two consecutive raids against areas under siege in Homs
city, as well as carrying out heavy shelling against the same districts. The
army appeared to be trying to isolate the south of (central) Hama province
and the north of Homs province to cut the supply lines between the two
provinces.

1138
 Lebanon: On 9th June, with the conflict spilling over Syria's borders,
one man was killed at a demonstration outside the Iranian embassy in Beirut
against the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah. On 11th June, seven rockets
fired from Syria landed in the Hermel region, a Hezbollah bastion.
On 23rd June, stoking fears of a spillover of the increasingly sectarian
conflict to neighbouring Lebanon, three soldiers were killed in clashes with
Sunni radicals on the outskirts of the southern port city of Sidon, the army
said. Sunni cleric Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir, a fierce opponent of Hezbollah,
has armed supporters who clashed with the powerful Shiite militant group in
recent weeks.
Separately, six Lebanese soldiers were killed in clashes with
supporters of a radical sheikh opposed to Hezbollah. An armed group loyal
to Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir attacked, for no reason, a Lebanese army
checkpoint in the village of Abra on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese
city of Sidon. The military will ‘strike back with an iron fist anyone who...
spills the blood of the army’, an official statement said.
Next day, Lebanon's army seized control of the headquarters of a
radical Sunni sheikh whose supporters battled the military for two days,
killing 16 soldiers. Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir's whereabouts are unknown.
Some of the flats in the complex were still burning as troops moved in. The
AFP journalist saw bodies on the ground, some of them scorched. Troops
said it was unsafe to remove them from the area for fear that they may have
been booby-trapped.
On 25th June, Lebanese security forces launched a major manhunt for
radical cleric Ahmad al-Assir, after clashes with his supporters in southern
Sidon. In the coastal city meanwhile, the army worked to consolidate its
control, after troops overran Assir's headquarters. Soldiers evacuated
civilians trapped in their homes since the fighting began and detonated
explosives abandoned by Assir's supporters as they fled.
Turkey: On 9th June, Turkey's defiant Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan told supporters his patience ‘has a limit’ as he went on the offensive
against mass protests to his Islamic-rooted government's decade-long rule.
As thousands of protesters massed in Istanbul, the capital Ankara and the
western city of Izmir, in unrest now in its 10th day, Erdogan staged his own
rallies, hitting three cities in one day to fire up loyalists of his ruling Justice
and Development Party.
On 11th June, riot police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to clear
protesters from an Istanbul square as Turkish Prime Minister warned he

1139
would show ‘no more tolerance’ for the unrelenting mass demonstrations
against his Islamic-rooted government. Hundreds of police stormed the
city’s Taksim Square in the early morning and brought bulldozers to clear
the makeshift barriers erected by demonstrators.
The police action surprised protesters, many of whom were dozing in
nearby Gezi Park, because it came just hours after Erdogan agreed to hold
talks with protest leaders, his first major concession since the trouble began.
But the premier resumed his tough stance against the demonstrators who
have thrown up the biggest challenge yet to his decade-long rule.
In a rousing speech to lawmakers, Erdogan urged ‘sincere’ protesters
in Gezi Park to pull back, warning that their environmental campaign was
being hijacked by ‘an illegal uprising against the rule of democracy’. By
late afternoon, clashes were still raging in the square between police and
protesters who were chanting ‘Resistance’, while nearby Gezi Park remained
peaceful.
At least 18 people were injured in violence and around 50 lawyers
were arrested after gathering at the city’s justice palace to object to the
police operation. Turkey, a country of 76 million is a key strategic partner in
the region for the United States and other Western allies. Many of them have
criticized Erdogan’s handling of the crisis.
Next day, demonstrators retreated from an Istanbul protest square
after a night of running battles with riot police as Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan moved to crush mass demos against his Islamic-
rooted government. By midday, hundreds of officers armed with riot shields
and backed by water cannon trucks lined up along the eastern side of the
square.
On 13th June, Turkish Prime Minister issued a ‘last warning’ for
thousands of protesters to evacuate an Istanbul park. A day after meeting
with protest leaders and offering to hold a referendum on plans to redevelop
Gezi Park, Erdogan resumed his combative stance on the environmental
protest that has morphed into the biggest challenge to his Islamic-rooted
government’s decade-long rule.
Hundreds of determined protesters still swarmed the area however,
voicing caution over the Erdogan olive branch. Opponents accuse Erdogan
of repressing critics – including journalists, minority Kurds and the military
– and of pushing conservative Islamic values on the constitutionally secular
nation

1140
 Next day, Tayyip Erdogan urged protesters to end their occupation of
an Istanbul park ‘by tonight’, after promising to suspend the redevelopment
of the site in a conflict that has sparked mass anti-government unrest. ‘I hope
it will be over by tonight’, Erdogan told members of his ruling Justice and
Development Party (AKP) in a speech broadcast live on television. Hours
after giving a ‘last warning’ to defiant demonstrators camping out in Gezi
Park, Erdogan made the concession in his first talks with a key group of
protesters.
In an updated toll, the Turkish doctors’ association said almost 7,500
people have been injured and four killed in the nationwide unrest, which has
seen police use tear gas and rubber bullets on demonstrators who have
hurled back fireworks and Molotov cocktails. Overnight, police again
clashed with protesters in the capital Ankara, fire gas and jets of water to
disperse some 200 protesters.
Inside Gezi Park, many campers said they were determined to stay
despite the government’s conciliatory gesture to suspend the project and
abide by a referendum, saying the protest had morphed into something
bigger. ‘We’re not satisfied and this is not about this park only’, said
Kivanch K., a pianist who has been entertaining protesters in nearby Taksim
Square in recent days.
The United States and other Western allies have criticized Erdogan’s
handling of the crisis, which has undermined Turkey’s image as model of
Islamic democracy. Yesterday, the European Parliament passed a resolution
warning Ankara against taking ‘harsh measures against the peaceful
protesters’, earning a rebuff from Erdogan who responded: ‘Who do you
think you are?’
On 15th June, protesters refused to budge from an Istanbul park at the
centre of nationwide anti-government demonstrations after rejecting a
government olive branch aimed at ending two weeks of deadly unrest. The
decision looked set to inflame tensions in a crisis. Meanwhile, Ankara saw
fresh clashes overnight, with riot police again firing tear gas and water
cannon to disperse demonstrators. Around 30 protesters were arrested.
Next day, Turkish Prime Minister rallied tens of thousands of his
supporters in Istanbul, hours after ordering a crackdown on anti-government
protesters in a city park and sending tensions soaring in two weeks of unrest.
Hundreds of riot police continued to fire tear gas and jets of water during the
day at pockets of demonstrators determined to regroup after being evicted
from Gezi Park overnight.

1141
 On 17th June, Turkey warned it may bring in the army to help quell
nationwide anti-government protests after a weekend of heavy clashes
between riot police and demonstrators sent tensions soaring. The presence of
soldiers on the streets would mark a major escalation of a crisis that has
raged for nearly three weeks and has posed the biggest challenge yet to
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government. The announcement
came as police continued to spray tear gas and water at clusters of
demonstrators in Istanbul and the capital Ankara, in battles that raged with
fresh intensity after the weekend eviction of protesters occupying Istanbul’s
Gezi Park, the epicentre of the protest movement.
Next day, Turkish Prime Minister claimed victory over anti-
government protesters after a heavy crackdown on the movement, as police
raided homes and arrested dozens of demonstrators to stamp out nearly three
weeks of unrest. Overnight, riot police in the capital Ankara briefly fired tear
gas and water cannon at protesters who hurled back stones and hid behind
makeshift barricades, but there were no other reports of confrontations.
Interior Minister Muammer Guler spoke of 62 arrests in Istanbul and
23 in Ankara, and said they were linked to an ongoing anti-terrorist probe
into the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) ‘which also took part in
the Gezi Park protests’. More than 500 demonstrators had already been
arrested in clashes that raged after the Gezi Park eviction.
On 22nd June, Turkish authorities arrested 23 more people over their
alleged role in this month’s anti-government protests. A court in the capital
accused them of helping to organize the protests and engaging in violence in
the name of the Communist Marxist-Leninist Party. Another three were
released but placed under judicial supervision.
Next day, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said that the same outside forces
are behind protests in both his own country and Brazil. Erdogan was
speaking hours before police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse
thousands of flower-bearing protesters who gathered in Istanbul’s central
Taksim square to commemorate four people who have died since the
beginning of the unrest.
‘The same game is being played in Brazil’, Mr Erdogan told a large
rally of his supporters in the town of Samsun on Saturday. ‘There are the
same symbols, the same posters. Twitter, Facebook is the same, so are
international media. They are controlled from the same centre. They are
doing their best to achieve in Brazil what they could not achieve in Turkey.
It is the same game, the same trap, the same goal.’

1142
 While Mr Erdogan says the Turkish protests are linked to terrorism,
an international plot against his country and ‘an interest rate lobby’ disturbed
by its recent high rates of growth, the protesters say they are motivated by
increasing levels of authoritarianism under his government. Erdogan said the
young protesters were being manipulated by the interest rate lobby, which he
never fully defined but has previously linked with Turkish private banks,
international capital groups and, according to at least one report, Israel.
Hotel occupancy has gone down in central Istanbul, but last week the
most pronounced losses were registered by the Istanbul stock exchange and
the lira as traded against the dollar, which both marked steep declines after
the US Federal Reserve suggested it could begin tapering monetary
stimulus. Turkish bond yields have also shot up over the past month.
Erdogan also attacked Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of Turkey’s
opposition Republican People’s party, or CHP, who recently pleaded with
Germany’s chancellor Angela Merkel not to put Ankara’s membership talks
with the EU on hold because of the crackdown on the protests.
Relations between Ankara and Berlin have become increasingly
strained in the wake of Germany’s move last week to block EU negotiations
that had been scheduled to begin later this month, after three years in which
Turkey’s membership bid has been effectively stalled. On June 21, Germany
had summoned Turkey’s ambassador to Berlin to explain comments in
which Egemen Bagis, Turkey’s EU minister, had suggested that the German
government was playing politics with Ankara’s EU bid and that Ms Merkel
could be defeated in elections, as was former President Nicolas Sarkozy of
France, another foe of Turkish EU membership.
On 27th June, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was glad
Turkey could resume EU membership talks but stressed, after Ankara's
crackdown on protesters, that for Europe human rights are ‘non-negotiable’.
The European side ‘didn't pretend that nothing had happened’ in its recent
talks with Turkey, she said, referring to the tough response by Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government against the anti-government
demonstrators. The outcome of the EU talks with Ankara ‘makes clear that
Turkey is an important partner’, she told parliament. "But our European
values – the freedom to demonstrate, the freedom of speech, the rule of law,
the freedom of religion – they apply always. They are non-negotiable for
us.’
UAE: On 19th June, 30 Egyptians and Emiratis were charged by the
UAE authorities for allegedly setting up an illegal branch of Egypt’s Islamist

1143
Muslim Brotherhood. The suspects have been referred to the Gulf nation’s
State Security Court, prosecutor said. The founders of the branch set up an
administrative structure aimed at recruiting members for the Muslim
Brotherhood, strengthening its presence in the UAE and maintaining
allegiance to the main party, he said. Africa
Nigeria: On 19th June, an armed gang raided a northern Nigerian
village and killed 48 people in an apparent reprisal attack targeting a local
vigilante group. Those killed included the local chief, the chief imam and the
head of the vigilante group in the village. Zamfara state, located in Nigeria's
northwest, has seen a number of such incidents. While such clashes in
central Nigeria tend to involve ethnic tensions, they are more strictly
criminal further north.
On 28th June, raids by gunmen in ethnically divided central Nigeria
and gun battles between soldiers and attackers killed at least 48 people and
left dozens of homes burnt. The attacks appeared to have been reprisals
linked to cattle theft, often the source of friction in the Middle Belt region
dividing the mainly Muslim north and predominately Christian south of
Africa's most populous nation. Thursday's violence saw gunmen raid three
villages in the remote Langtang region of Plateau state.
Libya: On 9th June, clashes in Libya's second city of Benghazi
between former rebels and anti-militia demonstrators killed at least 31
people and wounded more than 100. Army chief General Yusef al-
Mangoush, criticized for delays in forming a national army, resigned.
On 15th June, clashes between Libyan elite forces and gunmen killed
six soldiers in Benghazi, in the latest bout of unrest as the government
struggles to control rebels from the 2011 uprising. The interim leader of
Libya’s army warned of the danger of a ‘bloodbath’ as the unrest in
Benghazi flared again a week after violence killed more than 30 people in
the eastern city.
Egypt: On 16th June, President Mohammed Mursi announced the
‘definitive’ severing of relations with Syria. Egypt ‘decided today to
definitively break off relations with the current regime in Syria, to close that
regime's embassy in Cairo and to recall Egypt's charge d'affaires’ from
Damascus, Mursi told thousands of supporters in a Cairo stadium for a
‘Support for Syria’ rally. Calling on the international community to impose a
‘no-fly zone’ over Syria, Mursi also said he had made ‘contact with Arab
and Muslim states to organize an emergency support meeting’ for the Syrian
people.

1144
 On 20th June, the US ambassador to Egypt is under fire from
opposition groups who were angered by her criticism this week of planned
mass rallies against the ruling Muslim Brotherhood. Anne Patterson
responded to widespread talk among Egyptian liberals that Washington had
thrown its weight behind Islamist President Mohamed Mursi by saying in a
speech that the United States was working closely with the elected
government and also listening to all Egypt’s political groups.
But after extensive local media coverage of her remarks and
condemnation by opposition leaders of ‘interference’ in Egypt’s internal
affairs, social media was dominated by angry and hostile comments directed
toward Patterson and her embassy. Among the more polite, tycoon Naguib
Sawiris tweeted: ‘Madam Ambassador... Please bless us with your silence.’
On 28th June, a US citizen was stabbed to death in the Egyptian city of
Alexandria during clashes between supporters and opponents of President
Mohamed Mursi. The young American was using a mobile phone camera
near an office of Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood when it was attacked by
protesters.
Next day, Egypt possibly faced more deadly clashes between friends
and foes of President Mohamed Mursi, as US President Barack Obama
expressed concern about violence after a young American was killed. Three
people died and scores were hurt yesterday after Islamist supporters of Mursi
turned out to challenge opponents demanding that he step down. The army,
which has stayed aloof from politics since Mursi was elected, has warned it
will intervene if there is major unrest.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed the right of the people to
demonstrate peacefully and called on all parties in the country ‘to respect
this right and to uphold the law.’ He noted that strong and opposing opinions
are being expressed throughout the country, and he recognized the need for
the continued strengthening of democratic processes and an inclusive
environment in which the Egyptian people can discuss and resolve their
differences.
Somalia: On 19th June, Shebab insurgents shot and blasted their way
into the United Nations compound in Mogadishu, leaving nine people dead
in the most serious attack on the UN in the troubled country in recent years.
Three foreigners in the UN compound died in the attack, along with a
Somali UN employee, two Somali security guards and three civilians in the
surrounding streets. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was
‘shocked’ by the brazen daylight raid while Somali Prime Minister

1145
condemned it as a ‘senseless and despicable attack on innocent UN
civilians’. Shebab fighters used a pickup truck laden with explosives and
suicide attackers to blast their way into the fortified base.
Europe: On 10th June, four teenagers were arrested in connection
with a fire at an Islamic boarding school in London, as they stepped up
patrols around Muslim sites in the capital. The blaze was the second
suspicious fire at an Islamic institution in London following the May 22
killing of a soldier near his barracks in Woolwich.
On 16th June, three men and a police officer were stabbed at a mosque
in Birmingham. A 32-year-old man was being questioned on suspicion of
attempted murder, West Midlands. The four wounded men were described
as being in ‘stable’ conditions in hospital. The leader of national Muslim
organization the Ramadhan Foundation said a nearby resident overheard an
argument coming from inside the mosque and the attack followed a dispute
between members. The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) said
Muslims were scared and living in fear of a ‘wave of attacks’.
America: On 13th June, a Washington state man was sentenced to
more than 12 years in federal prison for bomb-making activities and
attempting to offer his expertise and other material support to militants.
Joseph Brice, 23, pleaded guilty in September to the charges after a months-
long investigation by local and federal authorities revealed an interest in
Islamic militancy and explosives, including a home-made bomb that nearly
killed him.
On 21st June, two men are facing terrorism charges in Upstate New
York for allegedly planning to build a mobile X-ray weapon to kill Muslims
and other ‘enemies of Israel’. The indictment charged 49-year-old Glendon
Scott Crawford and 54-year-old Eric Feight with conspiracy to provide
support to terrorists with the weapon. The men were arrested on June 18
after an undercover operation by the Albany FBI Joint Terrorism Task
Force.

VIEWS
Syria
Could Syria ignite World War 3? ‘The great danger is Syria might
fragment into three or four pieces on sectarian lines, with anyone marooned
in the wrong enclave liable to face vicious ethnic cleansing.

1146
 And because the conflict is driven by religion, it could easily leap
Syria’s frontiers to draw in regional powers.
So who is aligned with whom? Broadly speaking, Assad is supported
by Iran (the main Shia power in the Middle East) and its militant Lebanese
ally, the terrorist group Hezbollah. The latter is Iran’s main weapon in any
fight with Israel.
As a result, Assad is advised (and protected) by Iran’s Revolutionary
Guard, and there are also between 5,000 and 8,000 seasoned Hezbollah
fighters inside Syria. They have made a considerable difference – they
fought the well-drilled Israeli army to a draw in 2006. The forces against
Assad are joined by thousands of fighters flooding the country every week
from across the region. The rebels have also benefited from the ferocious
will-to-die of an Islamist group called Jabhat al-Nusra, which is allied with
al Qaeda in Iraq.
Many more rebels are Islamists of the Muslim Brotherhood
persuasion. They are supported with guns and money from Sunni states such
as Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Such are the complex connections between modern nations, and the
globalized nature of international politics, that repercussions could be felt
around the world.
What happens in Syria affects Israel, with which it shares a militarized
border on the Golan Heights. And what affects Israel also involves the US,
its staunch ally.
Although President Obama wants to downgrade America’s
involvement in the Middle East now the US can rely on reserves of cheap
shale oil and gas at home, his own somewhat ostentatious concern for
human rights keeps sucking him back in to side with the rebels.
That is also broadly the position of Britain and France, whose leaders
seem swayed by lurid and unverified social media footage of atrocities. But
while leading NATO nations line up in sympathy with the rebels, on the
other side President Assad is being backed by Russia – a long-time friend of
Syria – and by China.
Russia and China feel they were tricked by the West over the way the
Libyan regime was overthrown with Western aid two years ago, and are
determined Assad won’t be ousted and murdered like Gaddafi. The war in
Syria therefore has had a destabilizing effect on the entire region, and could
exert a terrifying domino effect as states disintegrate.

1147
 Whether such a nightmare scenario can be avoided – and global
superpowers can be persuaded to keep their powder dry – we must wait to
see with baited breath.’ (Michael Burleigh for Daily Mail, reprinted in
TheNation 15th June)
Turkey
A tale of two protests: ‘The Taksim Square protests, on the other
hand, are not Islamist, but leftist, and thus represent one of the most active
interventions since the end of the Cold War shattered the Left. The Turkey
protests have that leftism in common with the protests in Brazil. The
Brazilian protests, which have led to the reversal of bus fare increases, have
widened in scope to protest against the government. Interestingly, the
government itself is leftist in orientation, with a second consecutive Workers
Party President in office. However, in Turkey, the government is the very
opposite of leftist, so while there is much soul-searching in Brazil, it is about
the validity of calling for the ouster of the government.
Both countries are under direct American tutelage, and both have
gone to democracy after prolonged experiments with military rule. If Turkey
has a proud history as the last home of the caliphate, Brazil has its own
importance as a home to liberation theology, the belief that the Roman
Catholic Church has to play a more effective role in combating worldly
injustices, and must not merely try and reconcile the masses to their lot. It
has been described by proponents as ‘an interpretation of Christian faith
through the poor's suffering, their struggle and hope, and a critique of
society and the Catholic faith and Christianity through the eyes of the poor’,
and by detractors as Christianized Marxism. Priests of the Jesuit Order have
been in the forefront of its proponents, and the Brazilian protesters can only
have gained strength from the fact that the new Pope, Francis I, is a South
American Jesuit.
Erdoğan can go to 2015 before he faces another election, but his track
record has been to opt for earlier dissolutions. Brazil faces a presidential
election in 2014, to which it is bound by its presidential system, with
President Dilma Rouseff being eligible to run again. The protests in both
countries resemble something more basic than the rumblings of oppositions
getting uneasy at being out of office for so long. One way of looking at them
might be that they express the dissatisfaction that democracy is not resulting
in a better life.
One sign of this is, perhaps, the unwillingness of protesters to limit
their demands to the immediate causes, but to move almost at once to the

1148
bringing down of the government. Protest is common in democracy, but
calling for the change of the government is much more serious.
The Pakistani government should watch both closely, because it too is
elected, but could face popular protests because of a failure to deliver. In its
case, it should remember that load shedding, and that too in the hot weather,
and to top it all with the fasting of Ramazan approaching, could light off the
public. And Mian Nawaz Sharif should remember that Erdoğan is personally
in his third term, while Rouseff’s party is in its.
If the Taksim Square protests owe something to the Arab Spring, that
cannot be said about those in Brazil, which is not just religiously or
culturally, but also geographically, distant from the Arab world, and thus
outside its influence.
The baggage of democracy has to be kept in mind. One aspect of both
Brazilian and Turkish protests is the dissatisfaction with the ability of
democracy to deliver the fruits of capitalism. That implies that there might
be a readiness to change the system if a better one is available. That should
give pause to those ruling Pakistan, because unlike the people, they are
committed to the present system.’ (M A Niazi, TheNation 28th June)
America
If your name is Ahmed or Fatima, you live in fear of spying: One
of the most common responses from the 66% of American citizens in favour
of the NSA's data-collection programmes is, ‘I have nothing to hide, so why
should I have anything to fear?’
But what if you have nothing to hide but are targeted as a suspect
nevertheless?
By that I mean, what if your name is Ahmed, Anwar or Abdul
Rehman? Fatima, Rania, Rasha or Saima? What if some of your phone calls
– which the NSA is tracking with particular interest – are made to loved
ones in Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Lebanon or Palestine? What if the
language you speak on these phone calls is not English, but Arabic, Urdu or
Farsi, not because it is a special jihadist code, but because it is your native
language that you still speak in your home.
In other words, what if you are one of America's 1.9 million Arab-
Americans or 2.8 million Muslim-Americans?
President Barack Obama defends the NSA's recently revealed spying
apparatus as essential to helping to prevent terrorist attacks. But how does

1149
the Obama Administration define a terrorist or terrorism? In Pakistan,
Yemen, Somalia or anywhere else that is designated a ‘strike zone’ by the
US government, subject to so-called signature strikes by drones, any
military-age man – meaning all men between the ages of 16 and 40 – are
potentially categorized as a ‘militant’.
If he is killed in a US-authorized drone strike, his death is recorded as
a "militant" death rather than a civilian death. The rhetoric helps to feed the
victories of the war on terror as innocent civilian casualties are recorded in
history as militant terrorists. A number of said ‘militants’ have spent
significant amount of time in the west and many have family there. Sixteen-
year-old Abdulrahman al-Awlaki was even a US citizen.
Are these innocent civilians labeled as militants the same as the
terrorists Barack Obama is talking about?
Back on United States soil, invasive spying and government
surveillance in the name of fighting terrorism is hardly news for Arab and
Muslim-American communities. Starting as early as 2001 – immediately
following the attacks on 11 September – the FBI began spying on Arab and
Muslim communities across the United States, while the NYPD specifically
kept tabs on Arab and Muslim communities in New York City.
Any mosque, local business, community or student organization run
by Arabs or Muslims – or focusing on Arab and Muslim issues – was fair
game for informants to lurk, ‘befriend’ patrons and watch. After all, any of
them could have been seasoned terrorists planning radical jihad.
Despite more than six years of surveillance, the NYPD programme
hasn't foiled any terrorist plots, according to the Associated Press reports.
The FBI claims some success stories, but it is unclear whether they come
from their specific targeting programmes. What is clear is that these
programmes worked to create a pervading sense of depression and anxiety
throughout the Muslim and Arab American communities and a blanket
distrust of authorities.
Arab and Muslim communities are hardly new to the United States.
Once upon a time, the neighbourhood surrounding where the World Trade
Center would later be built was known as Little Syria. Of course, these
communities have since been pushed out of New York's financial district,
but still thrive in pockets of Brooklyn, Boston, Chicago, Dearborn and many
other American cities.

1150
 In the Middle East, most of the time when you mention you are from
the United States, rather than spewing aspirations for jihad, locals will
respond with, ‘Oh, the United States! My cousin lives in Chicago, do you
know him?’
Despite the perception that the United States and the Arab and
Muslim world operate in opposition to one another, the two regions are
inextricably connected via the Arab and Muslim communities who
immigrated, or are the descendants of immigrants to the United States. A
snippet of Arabic conversation or a phone call to Syria, Yemen or Pakistan
is more likely to be a standard family phone call than the prelude of the
demise of western civilization.
After all, most of us really do have nothing to hide – so why is it that
we have everything to fear?’ (Anna Lekas Miller for Guardian, reprinted in
TheNation 20th June)

REVIEW
The so-called ‘Friends of Syria’ have been quietly supporting ‘rebels’
in cash and kind since long. These countries, especially those in the
neighbourhood, have been imparting military training to ‘rebels’ to wage
war against a legitimate government in Syria which is member of the United
Nations. The only reason to do that Assad is not liked by this gang of
‘friends’, because he is friendly with Iran.
The Friends of Syria have now decided to arm and train rebels openly.
This decision was taken after prolonged talks with Russia, which were
primarily meant to assess the extent to which Russia could go in supporting
Assad regime. Once it was established that Moscow would avoid
confronting ‘Friends of Syria’, the meeting in Doha decided to supply
weapons to rebels openly to expedite toppling of Assad regime.
Saudi rulers have been the main instigators of this move. They,
because of a deal struck by their ancestors with the US for continuity of their
regime, take it for granted that they are entitled to interfere in internal affairs
of any Muslim state, especially in its vicinity.
Their rule has undoubtedly continued uninterrupted for generations
but it has cost them almost entire oil wealth of their country except a fraction
which is given to Saudi royal family as ‘royalty’. They continuity of their
regime courtsey American military might, has allowed them to spend their
energies for interfering in internal affairs of Muslim states of the region.

1151
 They along with other Sheiks of the region have been actively
supporting an armed rebellion against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. But
perpetration of bloodshed for more than two years has failed to bring in the
regime change in that country. In frustration, they have now started coaxing
the US administration to escalate the war for toppling Assad.
The Saudi rulers and Arab Sheikhs of the region, in fact are not the
only Muslim rulers, who believe that Jihad in modern times is to wage war
against the Crusaders. As the time have changed so have the meanings of
Jihad; today it means to fight alongside the Crusaders to perpetrate death and
destruction in Muslim lands on one pretext or the other.
30th June, 2013

1152
 SOFTENING SPEEDED UP
Prime Minister left it to Interior Minister to do all the talking about
destruction of Residency at Ziarat and two deadly terror attacks in Quetta
next morning. He was soon forced to break his silence as the terror attacks
widened both in nature and scope during the period.
He could afford maintaining silence over frequent killing of police
officers in terror attacks and targeting of members of peace committees in
KPK. But, he could not do so over the carnage of foreign mountaineers and
trekkers at Fairy Meadows camp in Gilgit Baltistan and attack on a judge of
Sindh High Court. He broke the silence and vowed to avenge the murder of
Chinese tourists.
As regards the better half of Af-Pak region, Afghanistan, the hoisting
of Taliban flag at their newly opened Doha office and displaying the name
they had given to Afghanistan during their short rule annoyed Karzai and his
American masters. Resultantly, the peace dialogue with Taliban failed to
make the much awaited beginning. Karzai and Americans expressed their
annoyance through their statements and Taliban did that by launching an
attack on Karzai’s Palace in Kabul.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh along with Sonia Gandhi
visited IHK to perform opening ceremony of a nine-mile long tunnel that
would provide rail link to the occupied Kashmir. This rail link has only a
military significance, as for transportation of Kashmiri za’afran (saffron) a
rail link is not required.
This will guarantee all weather rail-link for logistic support of the
Indian troops deployed in IHK. Unfortunately, on this side of the border the
red-cappers under Zardari-rule have virtually destroyed the rail network; an
important component of Pakistan Army’s logistic support in war.

NEWS
Pakistan: On 17th June, Mubashir Hassan of TheNation observed:
‘In a situation when Balochistan is the target of LeJ and BLA terrorists and
the people are in a sate of shock due to the scale of devastation, it is
downright pinching to see that other than a statement, the Prime Minister
Mian Nawaz Sharif, did not come on TV and face the nation. This cloak of
modesty might well be interpreted as cowardice, or worse, fecklessness.
People expect an elected prime minister to wake up to the challenge and lead

1153
from the front in a situation where the country finds itself in the crosshairs of
terrorists.
Interior Minister said that Prime Minister would be inviting the
political leadership across the spectrum to help formulate a national agenda
to restore peace in the country. While referring to Balochistan situation, he
said that peace in restive Balochistan province and elsewhere could not be
achieved through the barrel of gun but dialogue, adding, that government
would utilize all available resources to restore peace in the troubled areas
and provide security to the people.
He came down hard on slackness of security agencies, which had
failed to stop the terrorists from entering Quetta City despite the fact that the
City was in security cordon. He said there was a contradiction between the
reports of security agencies about the Quaid-i-Azam Residency, Women
College and Bolan Medical Complex incidents.
Briefing the Lower House about his visit to Quetta, he said that
according to initial reports four terrorists were involved and a female suicide
bomber exploded the bus. He said a total of 24 casualties were reported
including Deputy Commissioner Quetta, FC and Anti-Terrorist Force
officials. He said one suspected terrorist is under custody and interrogation
is under way.
He said a joint investigation team had been constituted to investigate
the attack on the building in which the Quaid-i-Azam spent last days of his
life in 1948. Another joint investigation team under IG Balochistan was
constituted to probe the incident. He assured that the reports of the
investigation teams would be presented in the House.
Opposition leaders including Syed Khursheed Shah of the PPP, PTI's
Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Awami League's Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, Jamaat-e-
Islami's Tariqullah, JUI-F's Akram Durrani and Mahmood Khan Achakzai
assured their full cooperation to the Interior Minister in the maintenance of
law and order.
Mahmood Khan Achakzai said the Parliament must come up with a
declaration to make country peaceful and members would be prepared to
give whatever and as many sacrifices required in this regard. He said if they
would not do so, they have no right to sit in the august House.
He stressed the need of bringing the unbridled agencies under control
and said that if the Parliament would fail to do so in next two to three years
he would quit the Parliament. He said that Pakistan's involvement in

1154
Afghanistan was established and said that the US drone attacks in Tribal
Areas have some justification.
He said that government should look into the gravity of the situation
and come up with some concrete solution to the same that why country's
neighbouring states were turning against Pakistan. He further said that the
presence of Osama bin Laden near country's ace Military Academy was
meaningful. He further said that Pakistani agencies are capable enough to
track down the miscreants but why they are not doing so is the big question
for which this House should look for answer.
Malala Yousafzai denounced an attack on a bus carrying female
students in Quetta as ‘cowardly’. Former British prime minister Gordon
Brown, the United Nations special envoy for global education, said it was
the ‘bloodiest atrocity yet in escalating violence against female students’.
Meanwhile, John Kerry telephoned Nawaz Sharif and conveyed his
felicitations on assumption of premier’s office.
Next day, at least 34 people, including a provincial lawmaker, were
killed and 60 others injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up during a
funeral in Zargarano Killy in the Sher Gahr area of Mardan district. The
sources said Imran Khan Mohmand, an MPA, and others were offering the
funeral prayers of Haji Abdullah Khan, who was shot dead by unidentified
men yesterday.
Imran Mohmand was a worker of ANP, which did not award him
ticket and he contested the May 11 polls as an independent candidate and
won the PK-27 seat. The deceased was closer to PTI after winning the
election. The doctors at Mardan Medical Complex tried to save his life, but
he succumbed to his injuries. His brother and a guard were also among the
dead. Imran Khan condemned the bombing and called the attack on a funeral
a barbaric act.
At least two security forces personnel were martyred when an Army
check post came under attack from terrorists in North Waziristan. During
late night terrorists attacked a check post located in Mir Ali sub-division.
Attackers fled when forces opened retaliatory fire. An explosion of
improvised explosive device partially damaged the residence of former MPA
Alamgir Khalil near the Paoky area of Peshawar. Police said that some
unknown miscreants planted an explosive device near the house, no human
losses were reported.
The National Assembly (NA) was informed that US Secretary of State
John Kerry is expected to visit Pakistan next week and Pakistan government

1155
will raise matter of drone strikes with him. Adviser to Prime Minister on
Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz, responding to the first
call-attention notice of the 14th National Assembly, moved by PTI legislator
Dr Shireen Mazari, said that Pakistan has expressed serious concerns with
the US over drone strikes and it will continue to raise this issue at all fora.
Dr Mazari expressed dissatisfaction saying that previous government
had also registered protest but they proved fruitless and there was need of
concrete measures. On it, Sartaj said Pakistan will raise this issue at high
levels with the US and hoped that it would succeed in bringing an end to
these strikes.
Ambassador Masood Khan told the UN Security Council that ‘for its
part, Pakistan believes that the use of armed drones violates sovereignty,
causes civilian casualties, and puts communities at risk of reprisal attacks’.
‘Drone strikes radicalize disaffected communities and increase the number
of terrorists. Urgent and intense negotiations are needed to address the issue
of armed drones’, the Pakistani envoy said in a debate on Children in Armed
Conflict.
A petition was filed in the Supreme Court to direct the Federation to
stop drone attacks, which have killed hundreds of innocent people in
FATA/Waziristan. Mado Jan, a resident of South Waziristan Agency, in
person filed the petition under Article 184(3) of Constitution, making the
Federation through secretaries ministry of interior, ministry of foreign
affairs, ministry of defence, ministry of information and US ambassador/US
charge d' affairs as respondents.
On 19th June, Prime Minister chaired a meeting at the PM House
which was attended by Army Chief, Interior Minister, Punjab Chief Minister
and National Security Advisor to the PM Sartaj Aziz. During the meeting
which lasted for several hours the participants reviewed the complete
security situation and took important decisions. Both the civilian elite and
military leadership were on same page on all important issues and now in
coming days the premier would take the political leadership across the
political spectrum into confidence and would take their input on the most
sensitive matter confronting the nation.
Ch Nisar gave a detailed briefing about his recent visit to Balochistan
and expressed strong reservations about lack of coordination between
security and intelligence institutions. The prime minister took a serious
notice of the situation and directed that all the civil and military institutions

1156
must ensure close coordination and sharing of intelligence. The COAS
assured the meeting that the matter would be thoroughly investigated.
Participants of the meeting were also on same page regarding the
negative fallout of the ongoing drone attacks in maintenance of peace and
order in the restive tribal areas, and it would adversely affect the NATO
forces’ withdrawal from Afghanistan via Pakistan. The meeting decided that
the matter of drone strikes would be taken up with the United States through
diplomatic channels and efforts would be made to make them realize that it
was hampering the peace efforts by Pakistan and proving counterproductive
in controlling the menace of terrorism.
Next day, Army Chief said troops will remain in South Waziristan
unless people of the area are satisfied and those who had quit South
Waziristan during the operation should return to their homes. He appealed to
the internally displaced persons (IDPs) from war-ravaged agency to return to
their areas, assuring them of military support.
He said this after the inauguration of 50-kilomtere road from Wana to
Angoor Adda at the cost of $40 million and was completed with the
financial assistance of the United Arab Emirates. UAE Ambassador was also
present at the inauguration of the project that was named after Sheikh
Khalifa bin Zayad Al Nahayan. The envoy thanked the people of South
Waziristan for their support to the armed forces in bringing peace in the
region.
DG ISI gave a briefing to Prime Minister on the operational details of
ISI at the Prime Minister’s Office. The premier took the ISI DG’s input on
the formulation of new security policy to curb terrorism, besides discussing
the regional situation. Law and order situation in general and in Balochistan
and Karachi in particular was also discussed in the meeting.
Interior Minister said that no leniency will be shown on security and
security agencies will be held accountable for their failures. During his
maiden press conference as the interior minister at the ministry, Nisar said:
‘No one questions who is responsible for security lapse. But we have
initiated accountability after Quetta incident.’
He said that final decision on the formulation of ‘National Security
Policy’ would be made after the input of intelligence agencies. ‘We have
sought recommendations from the heads of the civil armed forces (CAFS)
within two days to evolve a comprehensive National Security Policy and the
prime minister has also formed a committee in this connection.’

1157
 He said display of all kinds of arms in Islamabad Capital Territory
(ICT) was banned. “There shall be zero tolerance on public display of
weapons in ICT district and an awareness campaign would be launched for
this purpose. A decision had been taken to withdraw security of Rangers and
FC from all the high profile people apart from president, prime minister and
chief justice of Pakistan, stressing that it was not the duty of the armed
forces to perform security duties.
On 21st June, at least 15 persons were killed and 30 others including
four children injured when a suicide bomber backed by two gunmen
attacked a Shia mosque in Gulshan Colony in Chamkani area of Peshawar
just before Friday prayers. Two armed persons first killed the guard, clearing
the way for the suicide bomber inside the building. After crossing the two
gates, the bomber blew himself up in the hall where people were gathered
for the prayers.
KPK Government Spokesman Shaukat Ali Yousafzai expressed
sorrow and grief over the loss of lives. Talking to the media after inquiring
about the health of the injured at the hospital, Yousafzai said that war on
terror was not Pakistan’s war rather imposed on it and the country paid a
heavy price of engaging in the battle of others. He said the provisional
government was trying its best to end this combat.
He said that dialogue was the only solution to the issue. ‘However,
until the central government does not rectify its foreign policy and come out
of American influence, peace is a distant dream for the country’. Asfandyar
Wali condemned the tragic incident and demanded of the government to take
immediate steps for the restoration of peace in the province.
Militants killed two members of a pro-government militia and
wounded two policemen in Bajaur Agency. About a dozen insurgents
attacked the homes of two tribal elders near Khar, the main town in Bajaur.
The two elders, who were members of a pro-government tribal militia, were
killed and two tribal policemen were wounded. TTP claimed responsibility
for the attack. The leaders had played a major role in setting up the Lashkar
(militia) to drive pro-Taliban militants out of Swat Valley and its adjacent
areas in 2009.
A Police Sub-inspector was killed and two other persons including a
civilian were injured, when unknown armed miscreants opened firing on
police in Babaji Kandao area of Buner. The incident occurred when Sub-
inspector and two cops were raiding a suspected location. As the police

1158
reached near the area, armed persons sprayed a volley of bullets which
resulted in killing of Sub-Inspector.
Unidentified men shot and injured a senior official of Afghanistan
Embassy in Islamabad and fled the scene. The incident can bear heavily
upon the already fractured bilateral relationship between Pakistan and
Afghanistan. The attackers tried to get hold of Naqeebullah Ibrahimkhel,
third secretary and in-charge of education and student affairs at Afghan
Embassy, when he approached his car parked at F-10 Markaz. The assailants
shot the officer in the leg after they failed to overpower him and fled the
scene unchecked.
MQM MPA Sajid Qureshi and his son gunned down in North
Nazimabad. Police said that one of the gunmen clad in Shalwar Kameez
came close to Sajid’s car and shot at him. When his son tried to rescue him,
he too was shot. The TTP claimed responsibility for the killing, threatening
to carry out more such attacks against the party.
Fear and violence gripped the city and commercial and non-
commercial activities were suspended in many areas as the news of the
killing broke. All major and small markets, petrol pumps, CNG stations
were closed while public transport also disappeared from the roads. Intense
firing was reported in various areas while unidentified miscreants torched at
least five vehicles in Korangi, Malir, Liaquatbad, Gulistan-e-Jauhar and
other areas.
Next day, a peace committee member was killed and another
wounded when an improvised explosive device went off at the roadside in
Chamarkand tehsil of Bajaur Agency. Khateer Khan and Abdul Sattar Khan
were inspecting the site of a roadside blast when the explosion took place.
The explosive device, which was detonated remotely, killed Khateer Khan
and injured Sattar Khan.
At least two police personnel, including a sub-inspector, were injured,
when a remote-controlled explosive device hit their mobile near Sephan
check post in the jurisdiction of Badhabera police station, Peshawar. The
remote-controlled device exploded when the police mobile reached the site.
Imamia Students Organization staged a protest demonstration against
suicide attack on a seminary in Peshawar. KPK Information Minister said
that foreign elements were behind the Hussainia Mosque blast incident and
vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. Addressing the 'Mulaqat'
programme of Khyber Union of Journalists, he said that Taliban had clearly

1159
stated that they were against attacking worship places. He said that it had
been proved that some foreign elements were involved in these attacks.
MNA Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said that undeclared war is under way in
the country and the incumbent assembly has become a venue for offering
condolence rather than addressing the problems. ‘During the tenure of
incumbent government, the ratio of terrorist attacks is on higher side as
compared to the previous regimes’, he underlined.  He underscored that the
government would have to take into account several factors before holding
talks with Taliban.
Prime Minister ordered a probe into the matter of 35,000 arms
licences issued by the outgoing ruling party. Co-chairing a meeting with
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on police reforms here, the prime
minister stated Punjab was fortunate enough to face terrorist attacks lesser
than the other provinces; however, the matter of issuance of 35,000 arms
licenses must be investigated to de-weaponize this province from illegal
arms.
On 23rd June, about 15 to 20 militants wearing Gilgit Scouts uniforms
struck at midnight and killed Six Ukrainians and three Chinese climbers and
one of their Pakistani guides by taking them out of their tents at a base camp
near Bunar Nullah. One local guide was injured while one Chinese tourist
also survived in the attack. The climbers were staying at a base camp for
Nanga Parbat, the second highest mountain in Pakistan and the ninth in the
world. The base camp is at Fairy Meadows in the Diamer district of Gilgit-
Baltistan.
Interior Minister Nisar said the attackers ‘abducted two guides and
through them reached the area. One guide was killed in the shootout. One is
alive. He is now detained and being questioned’. The area is far flung and
deep in the mountains. There is no connection by road and it is accessible
only by mules, horses or on foot. FC Northern Area has taken control of the
area. A search operation has been launched. All the entry and exit points
have been sealed.
Pakistan condemned the attack, but the killings will raise serious
questions about security failures and embarrass a country already suffering
from a dismal image abroad. The interior minister conceded there was no
security escort for foreigners in that area of the mountains. Prime Minister
condemned ‘these inhuman and cruel acts’, ordered a thorough investigation
and called for the culprits to be brought to justice. The top bureaucrat and
top police official in Gilgit-Baltistan were suspended.

1160
 TTP, which has its centre of gravity closer to the Afghan border, said
it had shot the trekkers in retaliation for a US drone strike in May that killed
its second in command, Waliur Rehman. ‘One of our factions, Junoodul
Hifsa, did it. It is to avenge the killing of Maulvi Waliur Rehman (in a US
drone attack)’, Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told AFP. He said that
Junood ul-Hifsa was a new wing set up by the Taliban ‘to attack foreigners
and convey a message to the world against drone strikes’.
Earlier, another militant group known as Jundullah, with a track
record of attacks in the Gilgit-Baltistan province, was the first to say it was
behind the raid. ‘These foreigners are our enemies and we proudly claim
responsibility for killing them, and will continue such attacks in the future’,
Jundullah spokesman Ahmed Marwat told Reuters by telephone. The same
group has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks in northern Pakistan
in recent years, mostly on Shias.
Foreign Office strongly condemned terrorist attack on foreign tourists.
This ‘brutal act of terrorism’ came as a deep sense of shock and grief, said in
a statement, offering sympathies to families of the victims. The Pakistani
leadership at the same time asserted those who had committed this ‘heinous
crime’ seem to be attempting to disrupt the growing relations between
Islamabad and Beijing, and other friendly countries.
Chinese Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the attack. The
Chinese Embassy in Islamabad asked Pakistan to make all-out efforts to take
care of the survivors, apprehend the gunmen as soon as possible and take
measures to guarantee safety and legitimate rights of Chinese citizens in
Pakistan. The embassy also asked Pakistan to cooperate in dealing with the
aftermath of the incident, as well as to severely punish the attackers.
At least one security person lost his life and two others sustained
injuries when terrorists ambushed a security convoy in the Frontier Region
of Bannu district. In Lahore, Police arrested six activists of a banned outfit
from Lakshami Chowk. The accused were reportedly distributing anti-state
pamphlets among the people near Lakshami Chowk.
Next day, expeditions on Nanga Parbat were suspended and climbers
were evacuated. The victims of the terror attack have been identified as an
American with dual Chinese citizenship, three Ukrainians, two Slovakians,
two others from China, a Lithuanian and a climber from Nepal. The Alpine
Club of Pakistan said around 40 remaining climbers on Nanga Parbat have
been airlifted to the city of Gilgit with the peak now unsafe for trekkers.

1161
 Naiknam Karim, general secretary of the Pakistan Association of Tour
Operators, said the killings were a ‘disaster’ for Gilgit-Baltistan, where
tourism is the main source of income. An average non-trekking tourist
spends $3,000 in the area of stunning natural beauty, but trekkers sink $8-
10,000 into the local economy, staying for longer as well as hiring guides
and porters, Karim said. Sultan Khan, the manager of a group that organizes
expeditions for foreign mountaineers and whose boss Nazir Sabir climbed
Everest in 2000, said the killings spelt death for businesses such as his.
The interior minister gave detailed briefing to the cabinet members on
the Fairy Meadows incident and said that efforts are under way to nab the
terrorists. He said one of the guides who is alive is being interrogated. He
said there are reports that terrorists approached the tourist camp through a
guide who provided them necessary information. The Prime Minister
directed the interior minister to have consultations with provinces for
formulating a policy to eliminate terrorism.
Deputy Superintendent of Traffic Police Amanullah was gunned down
along with his driver by unidentified armed assailants in Peshawar. The DSP
was on way to office from his house when his vehicle was targeted in Faqeer
Abad Police jurisdiction. He and his driver sustained multiple bullet injuries
and they succumbed to the wounds on way to Hospital.
Imran Khan asked the federal government to chalk out a national
policy for countering terrorism in the country. ‘It is responsibility of the
federal government to frame policies regarding terrorism related issues as
well as regarding alliance with the United States in the so-called war against
terror’, Imran remarked this while addressing a press conference after a
party meeting at CM House, Peshawar.
After his party acting as US stooge for five years, Senator Faisal Raza
Abidi vowed to block backward movement of NATO containers with the
help of some 25,000 volunteers. ‘Apologize for the innocent killings of
people in Tribal Areas and pay blood money, negotiate nuclear energy deal
with Pakistan as signed with India, stay away from Gwadar and Iran pipeline
projects, build road infrastructure destroyed by NATO trucks and allow
Pakistan authorities to check containers before they pass through our
territory’, he has put forward a five-point charter of demands to the US
government for safe passage of the NATO containers.
On 25th June, in a new video, TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan and
member of its Shura (council) Dr Asad have conveyed that though the TTP
has not rejected the option of talks, present circumstances are not conducive

1162
for negotiations. The spokesman claims in the video that TTP is closely
monitoring the policies and activities of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Isaaf (PTI)
in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and PML-N in the centre.
Ehsan said: ‘If we see the development that political government is
able to control the intelligence agencies and is competent of taking
independent decisions then the TTP could re-think over holding peace talks
with the government.’ The ANP has been targeted because it became a party
to the war on terror and the TTP is monitoring policies and views of the
newly elected provincial government of the PTI, he added.
Ehsan welcomed the opening of Afghanistan Taliban office in Doha
for the purpose of bringing peace to Afghanistan and the region; which is in
the interest of Muslims. He said: ‘TTP had vowed allegiance to Mullah
Omar and that any decision taken by the Afghan Taliban chief would be
accepted. The media monger negative propaganda against them to spread
mistrust among the Taliban.’
Ehsan lamented whenever TTP and Pakistani government advanced to
hold peace talks, the Americans with the ground support of Pakistani
intelligence agencies killed the TTP leaders. In the recent past when the
newly elected government and the TTP were planning of holding peace
talks, the prominent leader Waliur Rehman was targeted by the US with the
help of Pakistani intelligence agencies to sabotage peace efforts. It was
propagated through the media that TTP commander Hakeemullah Mehsud
was hand in glove in targeting Waliur Rehman.
He said after the killing of Waliur Rehman, the TTP Shura
unanimously decided to suspend peace talks with the government, blaming
that 80 percent information to the US drone strikes are provided by
intelligence agencies of Pakistan. Ehsan denied his group's involvement in
the killing of two PTI MPAs. ‘The TTP is not involved in the killing of the
two MPAs, rather agencies are involved in their killing. ‘Political parties
who were coalition partners in the previous government were targeted
because of their wrong policies.’
He said the TTP was involved in targeting polio vaccinators but it had
some reservations regarding the vaccination campaign. ‘There will be no
controversy, if the reservations are addressed. In the guise of vaccinators,
they try to spy like it was done in the case of Osma bin Laden’.
Eshan asked the internally displace persons (IDPs) of Mehsud tribe to
abstain from returning to South Waziristan because the TTP fighters were
still launching successful attacks on the military. ‘These attacks are not

1163
known to public because government has denied access of media to the
region.’
He has claimed that the TTP network is present from Kashmir to
Khyber and from Karachi to Balochistan. ‘The TTP network is successfully
operating and launching attacks against the government.’ Ehsan said: “The
TTP is against Karzai, India and Pakistani intelligence agencies. It is being
wrongly blamed for having ties with India or Karzai government.
Crime Investigation Agency of Islamabad police arrested two persons
allegedly involved in the murder of PTI MPA Farid Khan, who was killed in
Hangu on June 3. They disclosed to commit this murder on the directions of
Nabi Mullah Hanfi, commander of a local militant outfit at Hangu, who
developed differences with Farid because of deceased’s stance against
militancy and determination to restore writ of the government in the area.
They told that their accomplice Kakay, a local militant commander of
Kandoo Kill area, informed them about the movement of Farid on the day of
incident. After which they ambushed and killed him on Sanghar Road,
Hangu. The DPO Hangu has informed Islamabad police that these persons
have criminal record and are wanted in 37 cases of terrorism, murder and
attempt to murder.
The government authorities shifted around 40 climbers from Gilgit-
Baltistan to the capital city to pave safe way for onward journeys to their
home countries after the Pakistan had suspended expeditions on Nanga
Parbat. These mountaineers had been kept at a well-guarded place in the
capital. Meanwhile, relatives and officials of relevant embassies visited
PIMS and Polyclinic Hospital for identification of bodies of 10 foreign
climbers.
Condemning the brutal killing of foreign tourists and mountaineers,
the United States said FBI was working with Pakistani officials to
investigate the cowardly attack. State Department spokesman Patrick
Ventrell said ‘we can confirm that there was an American citizen among
those who were killed in the attack. So we continue to express our
condolences’.
The United States acknowledged Pakistan’s ‘supportive role’ in the
peace talks with the Taliban and said it wants the process to succeed. US
Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan James Dobbins said the
country’s leadership has extended support to the Afghan peace process.
Dobbins, who earlier in the day held in-depth talks with Nawaz Sharif,

1164
Foreign Secretary and Chief of the Army Staff told reporters at the US
embassy that Pakistani leaders evinced interest in the progress made so far.
Prime Minister told the US envoy during their meeting that Pakistan is
striving for reconciliatory talks on Afghanistan as it has high stakes in return
of peace and stability to the neighbouring country. He termed US drone
attacks as unacceptable and said that they are an attack on ‘our sovereignty’.
He stressed that the US should immediately stop highly unpopular and
counterproductive drone strikes and take concrete steps for checking militant
infiltration from Afghanistan.
Next day, three people, tribal elder and peace committee member
Malik Hashim Khan, his son and nephew, were killed when unknown
miscreants attacked their vehicle in Bannu. Militants targeted pickup of
peace committee with remote controlled explosive device in Hawaid police
station precincts when he was heading towards Bannu city from Janikhel.
Militants gunned down a Station House Officer (SHO) and injured
another police official in Peshawar. Unidentified men opened fire at police
in Karkhano Market area, killing Hayatabad SHO Meera Jan while leaving
another cop injured. The attackers fled the scene after shooting.
Chief Secretary Gilgit Baltistan claimed that 15-16 of the terrorists
behind the killing of ten foreign tourists at the Nanga Parbat base camp have
been identified. They belong to banned organizations with ten from Diamer,
three from Kohistan and two from Manshera. The Chief Secretary added that
terrorists were present in batches along the mountainous regions.
Five prisoners managed to escape from Qilla Saifullah District Jail.
The prisoners who had been sentenced various charges have been identified
as Naseebullah, Naimatullah, Shamsullah, Dawood Khan and Gul
Muhammad. Police said that three of the prisoners belonged to Qilla
Saifullah, Pishin and Muslim Bagh while the remaining two are from
Afghanistan.
Taliban bomb killed 9 people and critically wounded several others,
including a senior judge, in Karachi. Justice Maqbool Baqir, a senior judge
of Sindh High Court who has worked on a series of terrorism cases as an
Anti-Terrorism Court judge, was targeted by a bomb during the morning
rush hour. Six-kilogram bomb was planted in a motorbike and detonated by
remote control at Burns Road area in the vicinity of Sindh secretariat, the
provincial government headquarters. The bomb exploded as Baqir drove
past with his security detail

1165
 TTP spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack. ‘We claim
responsibility for the attack on the judge because he used to give verdicts
against Islam and Muslims’, Ehsanullah Ehsan told AFP from an
undisclosed location. President, Prime Minister, SHC Chief Justice and
leaders of different political parties strongly condemned the Karachi blast
and expressed sympathies with the bereaved families.
Justice Baqar, a Shia by belief, has a reputation for honesty and he has
also served as a judge in special anti-terrorism courts set up in Pakistan to
hand down quick judgments in terror cases. He had been threatened by
militants, including the Taliban and hard-line Sunni Muslim sectarian outfit
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, which has claimed a series of devastating bomb attacks
on Shias.
On 27th June, two terrorists were killed during an encounter in the
suburb of Mingora. Unidentified armed men opened fire on police in the
area of Dandona Qila where policeman Shaukat Jan died on the spot while
another Farman Ali sustained severe injuries. Miscreants tried to hide in a
house but were killed during encounter which continued for more than 10
hours.
Two NATO containers were set on fire and two drivers sustained
injures when some unidentified assailants opened indiscriminate fire on
them in Dasht area, Mastung district, some 30 kilometres away from Quetta.
NATO containers were heading towards Karachi from Quetta when
unidentified armed men riding a motorcycle targeted them.
On 29h June, the security forces said they have cleared Para Chamkani
area of Kurranm Agency and established government writ by flushing out
the militants in the wake of successful operation in the restive areas of the
agency. Briefing visiting newsmen of Peshawar, Col Wasim said that in all
75 extremists have been killed in the 34 days operation started on May 11
last. Whereas 21 soldiers embraced Shahadat in the line of duty while 86
injured in the operation launched against the extremists who penetrated into
the Para Chamkani area from Khyber Agency on May 6.
Three policemen and a woman were injured when a bomb exploded
close to police van in Swabi Police said that the mobile van carrying three
policemen was targeted through a remote controlled Improvised Explosive
Device (IED) by miscreants. Police launched a search operation, but no
arrest was made.
President Zardari told visiting British Prime Minister that Pakistan is a
staunch supporter of peace and stability in Afghanistan and it would

1166
continue to support every effort aimed at restoring sustainable and long-term
peace to the war-torn country. At the Aiwan-e-Sadr meeting, President
Zardari appreciated UK assistance to Pakistan, especially in the education
sector and poverty alleviation program.
Next day, eight people including four security officials were killed in
two roadside bomb explosions in Waziristan. At least 20 others were injured
in a remote-controlled blast near their convoy in Miranshah. The security
officials’ convoy was going to Mirali from Miranshah. In another incident in
neighbouring South Waziristan Agency, a roadside bomb killed four people
in the main town of Wana.
In a dreadful attack of terrorism in Peshawar 17 persons, including
two personnel of security forces, were killed and 47 others injured when a
convoy of Frontier Corps was targeted with a car bomb near Badhabera
police station. The intensity of the blast was so high that body parts of the
victims were found a few meters away from the blast scene. The flesh and
blood of the victims stained the blast site while a large number of shops and
dozens of vehicles were damaged.
Security forces arrested a key suspect involved in Nanga Parbat
killings, after eight days of the tragic incident. The accused named Shifa was
arrested from Chilas last night. Senior officials said that they have
accelerated the search for the remaining 15 terrorists who they believed to be
still hiding in Diamir.
A deadly suicide blast followed by a remote-controlled explosion
killed at least 28 people, including 10 women and 3 children, while over 50
others sustained serious wounds at Quetta’s Hazara town. The attack came
near Immambargha Abu Talib at Aliabad Balkh Chowk of the Hazara tribe
dominated area. Lashkar-e-Jhangi claimed responsibility of the attack.
Balochistan CM Dr Abdul Malik Baloch strongly condemned the
bombing and expressed his grief over the deaths. Shia organizations Majlis
Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), Jaffaria Alliance and Hazara Democratic
Party also strongly condemned the attack. They announced three-day
mourning and shutter-down in Quetta from tomorrow. MWM said it will
also hold nationwide protests against the series of bombings in the country.
Nawaz Sharif reassured Britain’s visiting prime minister that it would
promote peace efforts in neighbouring Afghanistan, securing in return
British commitment to ‘make largest investment’ in Pakistan where the
newly installed PML-N government is facing serious financial crisis. The
premiers of United Kingdom and Pakistan said that they have common

1167
friends and foes and hoped that the cooperation in diverse fields and the
deep-rooted relations between the people of both countries would further
grow in days ahead.
Both leaders are convinced that terrorism is a common threat and a
huge global challenge. Prime Minister Nawaz said Pakistan has suffered the
most in terms of human and financial losses, adding that Pakistan is,
therefore, resolved to tackle menace of extremism and terrorism with
renewed vigour and close cooperation with its friends. Lauding the UK’s
role in promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan, the Prime Minister
expressed the hope the UK would continue these efforts to seek sustainable
peace and stability in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan: On 18th June, An explosion in Kabul early on
Tuesday that targeted a senior member of the peace council illustrated
concerns over how effectively the 352,000-strong Afghan security forces
will be able to fight the growing insurgency after most foreign combat
troops depart by the end of next year. Mohammad Mohaqiq, a prominent
Hazara politician, escaped unscathed from the attack but three people were
killed and 21 wounded.
Afghanistan decided to send a team to Qatar for peace talks with the
Taliban, President Karzai said, as the US-led NATO coalition launched the
final phase of the 12-year war with the last round of security transfers to
Afghan forces. ‘We hope that our brothers the Taliban also understand that
the process will move to our country soon’, Karzai said.
United States envoys will meet with Taliban representatives within
days, senior officials said, after the Afghan militants opened an office in
Qatar to oversee peace negotiations. President Obama expressed guarded
optimism about the Taliban’s announcement that it will sit down for direct
peace talks with US and Afghanistan officials. In comments at the G8
summit in Northern Ireland, Obama said: ‘This is an important first step
towards reconciliation, although it is a very early step’. ‘We anticipate there
will be lots of bumps in the road.
Among the issues that the US is expected to press the Taliban on are
cutting ties to al-Qaeda and returning US Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who
went missing in Afghanistan nearly four years ago and is believed to be held
by members of the Taliban-aligned Haqqani network. Taliban spokesman
Muhammed Naim confirmed at a news conference in Qatar that the group
would participate in the talks. Naim said the Taliban is willing to use all
legal means to end what it calls the occupation of Afghanistan.

1168
 Pakistan expressed concern on remarks by Afghan President Karzai,
saying Pakistan was keenly interested in promoting peace and stability in
Afghanistan. Foreign Office spokesman was commenting on the statement
of President Hamid Karzai, who in an interview to a local channel,
attempted to create an impression as if some institutions of Pakistan are not
fully supporting the objectives of bringing peace to Afghanistan.
Next day, it was reported that four American soldiers were killed in an
attack on Bagram air base by insurgents in Afghanistan yesterday. The
deaths were caused by insurgent ‘indirect fire’, either mortars or rockets.
The Taliban on claimed responsibility for an overnight attack, just hours
after Washington said its officials would meet the insurgents for talks.
President Karzai said that he won’t meet the Taliban unless the United
States steps out of the negotiations and the militant group stops its violent
attacks on the ground. Karzai was upset over the joint US and Taliban
announcement that they would begin preliminary peace talks in Qatar
without the Afghan government. Kabul issued two strongly worded
statements threatening to sabotage US efforts to start talks with the Taliban.
He broke off ongoing Afghan-US talks on an agreement that would
allow Washington to maintain soldiers in Afghanistan after a NATO combat
mission ends next year. His spokesman said there was a contradiction
between what the US government says and what it does regarding
Afghanistan peace talks’.
The row centered on the Taliban office calling itself the ‘Islamic
Emirate Of Afghanistan’ – the formal name of its 1996-2001 government –
on the grounds that no such thing existed. A follow-up statement from Kabul
threatening to boycott prospective talks in Qatar unless they were ‘Afghan-
led’ exposed a wider rift and out rightly criticized the US involvement.
The Taliban have said only their new office would ‘open dialogue
between the Taliban and the world’, but made no direct reference to peace
talks. Office spokesman Naim said Qatar will be a mediator in negotiations.
‘We trust Qatar’s capability and expertise in dealing sincerely with regional
conflicts’, he said.
But a divided insurgency is likely to complicate talks, amid doubts as
to whether the Haqqani network of warlord Jalaluddin Haqqani, a former
CIA asset turned al-Qaeda ally, is ready to embrace dialogue. A Taliban
spokesman in Qatar confirmed that the armed group would continue to
attack US targets in Afghanistan at the same time as holding any talks.

1169
 The Taliban’s spokesman in Qatar confirmed the insurgency
movement would attend tomorrow’s meeting with US officials, but no
Afghan government officials would be at that meeting. A US delegation had
arrived in Qatar earlier for the talks, a diplomatic source said. The Afghan
official said the office gave the Taliban ‘an official identity’, which the
Kabul government objected to.
US President said Afghans must talk to each other to resolve the
conflict in their country even though huge mistrust exists between the
government and its Taliban foes. Obama was speaking in Berlin a day after
the United States said it would begin talks with the Taliban - a move that has
deeply upset President Hamid Karzai’s government. In response, Obama
said he always expected ‘friction’ at Afghan reconciliation talks but voiced
hope that ‘despite those challenges the process will proceed’.
On 21st June, the United States has told the UN Security Council that
the new Taliban office in Qatar must not be treated as an embassy. The name
of the office is the Political Office of the Afghan Taliban. The Taliban had
held an opening ceremony on June 18 in which they hoisted their flag and a
banner with the name they used while in power more than a decade ago:
‘Political Office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.’
The Taliban move angered Hamid Karzai who suspended security
negotiations with the US and scuttled a peace delegation to the Taliban. An
Afghan government spokesman said yesterday that Karzai was now willing
to join planned peace talks with the Taliban, provided that the Taliban flag
and nameplate are removed from the Doha office.
Next day, the Afghan foreign ministry said that Pakistan could secure
peace in Afghanistan by releasing dozens of senior Taliban prisoners to help
kick-start the process. ‘(If) Pakistan has the sincere determination to support
the Afghan peace process...then the most useful and urgent step would be to
release those Afghan Taliban leaders who have been arrested by Pakistani
authorities,” the Afghan foreign ministry said.
Afghanistan has long sought the release of, or at least access to,
dozens of senior Taliban officials captured in Pakistan who remain in
detention there. Karzai is known to particularly desire the release of Mullah
Abdul Ghani Baradar, Taliban leader Mullah Omar’s former second in
command and a hugely influential figure in the insurgency.
The United States warned Saturday that it could call on the Taliban to
close an office in Qatar unless it shows more commitment to reconciliation
in Afghanistan. US special envoy James Dobbins arrived in the Gulf Arab

1170
monarchy and was taking part in talks with Qatar alongside Secretary of
State John Kerry. But Kerry said that the United States was not yet ready to
meet the Taliban and accused the rebels of failing to live up to their side of
peace efforts.
US officials said that Dobbins, the US special envoy on Afghanistan
and Pakistan, would lead any potential talks with the Taliban and that Kerry
would not participate. Kerry was taking part in talks in Doha for the so-
called ‘Friends of Syria’ meeting looking at support for rebels fighting
against President Bashar al-Assad. The top US diplomat repeatedly praised
Qatar, which has played a growing regional role, for hosting the office.
On 23rd June, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Ambassador Jim
Dobbins, the Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, met with
Qatari Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani to discuss the stalled US-
Taliban peace talks. The meeting, held behind closed doors at Wajbah
Palace, lasted around 30 minutes. It was the second Taliban-related meeting
in 24 hours.
The fate of 29-year-old Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, the only known
American prisoner of war in Afghanistan, may depend on whether the Qatari
government can get Taliban leaders to follow through with a previous
agreement to begin peace talks with the US and Afghan governments. The
Qatari government is playing the role of mediator and allowed the Taliban to
open an office in Doha for the purpose of peace talks.
During a joint press conference with Qatari Prime Minister, Secretary
Kerry indicated that the window of opportunity may be closing. ‘If there is
not a decision to move forward by the Taliban in short order, then we may
have to consider whether or not the office has to be closed’, he said. Kerry
stopped short of acknowledging the Qatari failure to thoroughly manage the
process. He simply said that while the terms of the office opening had been
‘painstakingly established’ those terms were ‘not adhered to in the early
hours.’
The Qatari Prime Minister told reporters on Saturday that his
government will ‘do our best as mediators’ and did not place blame for the
disruption of the talks. He said that resumption ‘depends on all parties’.
Later at night, Kerry and the Qatari Prime Minister met for a working
dinner. Ambassador Dobbins, the US envoy who will lead negotiations with
the Taliban, joined them.
The Taliban rejected reports that they may cancel peace talks with the
US and the Afghan governments over criticism of the insurgents' office that

1171
opened in Qatar last week. A Taliban spokesman in Afghanistan rejected a
New York Times story that quoted an unnamed rebel official saying the
insurgents were determined to keep the office's sign and flag that triggered
fury in Kabul.
Next day, US envoy James Dobbins said Washington was ‘outraged’
at how the Taliban opened an office in Qatar that was intended as a first step
towards a peace deal in Afghanistan. The flag and the name were the focus
of a diplomatic bust-up that derailed an early stage of efforts to start peace
talks. ‘We contacted the government of Qatar, we protested and we asked
them to take corrective measures and they took them’, Dobbins told
reporters in Kabul.
The Afghan government, which has said it is still committed to the
peace process, insists the Taliban's office in the Gulf state must only be used
for direct negotiations with Karzai's appointed negotiators. The contentious
sign, flag and flagpole unveiled at the opening of the office have now been
removed. President Karzai once again emphasized that Afghanistan wants a
peace process that by all means be led and owned by Afghans.
On 25th June, Taliban gunmen and bombers using fake NATO
identification attacked an entrance to the Afghan presidential palace in the
heart of Kabul. A nearby building known to house a CIA base also came
under attack as explosions and gunfire erupted for more than an hour in an
area close to heavily secured Western embassies and ministry buildings.
Three Afghan security guards and all five assailants were killed.
Karzai, who lives in the palace, was due to hold a press event in
Kabul. Officials confirmed that he was in the building at the time of the
attack but not in danger. The strike also came during a visit to Kabul by US
envoy James Dobbins after a dispute over the Taliban opening an office in
Qatar as a first step towards peace talks ending 12 years of war.
Next day, Kabul and Washington reaffirmed that they seek peace with
the Taliban despite attacks on a CIA base and the Afghan presidency,
repairing a row over the Taliban office in Qatar. US President Barack
Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai held a 90-minute conference
call to try to revive early efforts to start peace talks.
‘Both presidents talked about the security agreement between
Afghanistan and the US, the peace process and Taliban Qatar office’,
Karzai’s office said in a statement after the call with Obama. The US
president appeared to have persuaded Karzai to renew peace efforts after the

1172
Afghan leader’s furious response to the Taliban’s Qatar office opening under
the formal name of the movement’s hardline 1996-2001 regime.
On 29h June, Cameron told a joint news conference with President
Karzai in Kabul that there is a window of opportunity and I would urge all
those who renounce violence, who respect the constitution, who want to
have a voice in the future prosperity of this country to seize it. ‘The
Taliban...are beginning to realize that they are not going to secure a role in
Afghanistan’s future through terror and violence, but by giving up their arms
and engaging in a political process.’
Karzai said he hoped peace talks could begin as soon as possible. But
he complained about foreign peace plans, sounded a defiant note against the
United States, and warned of the dangers of doing a deal with the Taliban.
He also made it clear he was sceptical of Pakistan’s motives in the peace
process. ‘Any system that is imposed on us...the Afghan people will reject’,
he said. ‘Delivering a province or two to Taliban will be seen by the
Afghans as an invasion of Afghanistan, as an effort from outside to weaken
and splinter this country’.
Next day, the Afghan government said talks on a key security pact
with the US would only re-start when Taliban rebels meet with Kabul's
negotiators, further complicating efforts to revive the country's troubled
peace process. The Taliban have consistently refused to meet the High Peace
Council (HPC), the official negotiators of the Afghan government, saying
that President Hamid Karzai is a puppet of the United States.
Iran: On 17th June, president-elect, Hassan Rowhani, expressed the
hope that his country could reach a new agreement with major powers over
its disputed nuclear programme. He said a deal should be reached through
more transparency and mutual trust. The 64-year-old Rowhani’s victory
raised hopes of an easing of strained ties with Western nations, but he used
his first news conference to rule out a halt to his country’s controversial
enrichment of uranium.
Next day, Russian Foreign Minister said: ‘It is necessary to avoid
tightening the sanctions pressure against Tehran and start thinking about
ways for a possible weakening (of sanctions) in a way that is tangible for
Iran’. His remarks came following the victory of moderate Hassan Rowhani
in Iran's presidential election, which raised cautious hopes about a
continuation of the progress seen in talks between world powers and Iran in
Almaty.

1173
 Obama noted, however, that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei remains Iran's
supreme leader ‘so we're going to have to continue to see how this develops
and how this evolves over the next several weeks, months, years.’ ‘I do think
that there's a possibility that they decide – the Iranians decide – to take us up
on our offer to engage in a more serious substantive way’, he said.
On 29h June, moderate president-elect Hassan Rowhani said his
victory opened a new path for Iran to engage constructively with the
international community and ease tensions raised by Tehran’s nuclear
ambitions. ‘Moderation in foreign policy means neither surrender nor
confrontation but constructive and efficacious interaction with the world’,
Rowhani said in his first live televised speech since being elected on June 14
to succeed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
India: On 19th June, a girl was killed and nine people, including four
soldiers and two students, were injured when Indian troops resorted to
unprovoked small arms and artillery firing at the Line of Control (LoC) in
Battal and Neza Pir sectors in Rawlakot district. Yesterday, a woman was
injured when Indian troops fired across the LoC. This was the second time in
24 hours that India violated ceasefire at the LoC.
India, as usual, blamed Pakistan for the ceasefire violation at the LoC.
Indian Defence spokesman SN Acharya claimed that a group of four armed
persons from Pakistani side of LoC were seen moving towards an Indian
forward post in Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch district. Indian troops took
position and opened firing on the infiltrating persons, Acharya claimed,
adding that they were pushed back towards Azad Kashmir.
On 22nd June, two Indian policemen were shot dead by freedom
fighters in a high security area of Srinagar. The policemen were shot from
point blank range when they were on a regular patrol near the main court
complex located in a busy commercial district of Srinagar. Both the
policemen died at the spot. The attack came at a time when security was
being stepped up in the region ahead of a visit by Indian Prime Minister.
Next day, US Secretary of State John Kerry called on India to forge
better relations with Pakistan's new government, which Washington sees as
crucial to reducing tensions across South Asia and easing its exit from
Afghanistan, reported Wall Street Journal. ‘It could be the beginning of a
new era for India-Pakistan relations’, Kerry said in a speech on the first day
of a three-day visit to India for an annual bilateral strategic dialogue. ‘It
could be built on mutually beneficial trade and out of that hopefully will
come a level of trust.’

1174
 Kerry urged India to help its neighbour revive its sinking economy
and combat the power shortages, which have crippled industry and sparked
riots in Pakistan. The two countries should increase trade in clean energy
and boost air travel, he said. ‘In this age of globalization and of expanded
connectivity throughout the world, there is a broad-based realization that
both countries – India and Pakistan – can gain substantially from expanding
economic ties and breaking down the old barriers and changing the history’,
Kerry said. Kerry said if India and Pakistan can ‘confidently invest in each
other, then the rest of the world will more confidently invest in you.
Kerry urged a greater role for India on Afghanistan and climate
change as he sought to revive stuttering cooperation between the world's two
largest democracies. He firmly supported an involvement in Afghanistan for
India, which is desperate to avoid a return of the Taliban once US troops
leave but whose aid and diplomacy are viewed with suspicion by mutual
neighbour Pakistan.
On 24th June, unidentified assailants opened fire on a military convoy
on the outskirts of Srinagar, killing eight soldiers and wounding six others in
an attack ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Indian-held
Kashmir. The attack came amid a high state of alert which had been imposed
and police and paramilitary forces were being deployed in strength across
the region and additional check points were erected along major highways.
‘This is a protest against the forcible military occupation of Kashmir
and we want to give the Indian prime minister this message that by hanging
Afzal Guru, New Delhi has sent the entire Kashmiri people to the cross’,
Syed Ali Geelani, a top separatist leader said in a statement. Singh, who will
be accompanied to Kashmir by the president of the ruling Congress party
Sonia Gandhi, is scheduled to inaugurate a section of an ambitious railway
project that is expected to link the land-locked Kashmir valley to the
massive Indian rail network by 2018.
India gave a cautious blessing to attempts to make peace with
Afghanistan’s Taliban as John Kerry promised to pay heed to the concerns
of the regional power. Kerry threw his support behind a greater global role
for Delhi which he said shared a ‘similar vision’ of supporting a peaceful
and stable world. He further said that conditions for talks with the Taliban in
Afghanistan had not been met yet.
Amid criticism that a relationship once heralded as historic has failed
to live up to its potential, Kerry announced that US Vice President Joe Biden
would visit India next month to look at further ways to enhance cooperation.

1175
Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid applauded Kerry for being
forthright about New Delhi’s worries as the United States, mulls talks with
the Taliban.
Next day, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh faced protests as
he made a rare visit to Occupied Kashmir. Singh said India was united in the
fight against terrorism after landing in Kishtwar as part of the two-day trip,
his first to the region for three years. Singh stressed in a speech that violence
‘had shown a sharp decline and was the lowest in last two decades’.
Police and paramilitary forces were deployed in strength across the
region for the visit, including in the main city of Srinagar. Shops and other
businesses, along with schools, banks and offices were closed throughout the
city after the three main Mujahideen groups called a strike to protest Singh’s
visit. Indian forces were enforcing curfew-like restrictions in the volatile and
congested old Srinagar.
On 26th June, suspected militants shot dead a 45-year-old pro-India
politician in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Kifayat Hussain was killed in the
morning at Shankergund area of Sopore town, around 55 km northwest of
Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. Hussain’s
killing has come at a time when Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
and chairperson of India’s ruling coalition Sonia Gandhi are in the restive
region.
Manmohan Singh opened the country's longest railway tunnel during
visit to Indian-occupied Kashmir. Singh inaugurated a stretch of line that
runs through the 11-kilometre long tunnel, part of an ambitious multi-year
railway project in the region, as he wrapped up his first visit to the region in
three years. ‘It took seven years to complete’, Singh said of this section of
the project, during a speech in the town of Banihal, 110 kilometres from the
main city of Srinagar.
The tunnel and railway stretch have been added to a train line running
through the valley, part of a 20-billion-rupee ($470-million dollar) project
that will eventually link Kashmir to the rest of India's vast railway network.
Sections of the track have been drilled through the Himalayan Mountains,
and Singh said it was a ‘national dream’ to link Kashmir with the network
by 2018.
On 28th June, India said the composite dialogue with Pakistan will be
resumed after the new government there settles down, and pending
confidence building measures between the two countries are implemented.
‘It is not good that we say everything right at the outset. The atmosphere is

1176
good at the moment. Let it improve further to be conducive for talks’,
External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid told news reporters.
‘Our formulation at the moment is to start a sectoral dialogue. The
issues on which we can make forward movement, we will do that. There are
some issues on which expecting some quick progress is not possible’, he
said. The Indian said there are some confidence-building measures which are
to be implemented by both the countries to further improve the atmosphere.
On 29h June, during a meeting with Pak-India Joint Business Council
at PM House, Nawaz said it has always been his utmost endeavour to bring
the peoples of the two South Asian neighbours closer to each other so they
can benefit from each other’s experiences. Expressing his satisfaction over
the visit of Indian businessmen under the auspices of Pak-India Joint
Business Council, the prime minister said, ‘It is reassuring that both sides
are sitting together and talking to each other.’ He told the Indian
businessmen that his government was following investor-friendly policies.
‘We are facing acute power shortage in our country and any assistance
in the power sector would help us in addressing the issue’, Nawaz said. He
told the meeting that he had directed Water and Power Minister Khawaja
Asif to visit India and explore potential areas of cooperation between the
two countries.
Indian members of the Pak-India Joint Business Council informed the
prime minister that being located in the same region and facing similar
problems, India can be of great help in providing support in the fields of
medical science, higher education and technical and vocational training. The
meeting also discussed Non Discriminatory Market Access and agreed that
the industrialists of both the countries should be provided level-playing
field.
Next day, the authorities took the JKLF Chairman, Muhammad Yasin
Malik, into custody and placed APHC leaders including Shabbir Ahmed
Shah and Nayeem Ahmed Khan under house arrest on Sunday. The action
has been taken to prevent the leaders from going to Sumbal area of
Bandipora to attend the funeral of two civilians, who were killed by Indian
troops.
Father of martyred Irfan Ahmed Ganai, said that his son was innocent
and was killed by the troops without any reason. He told media men that
Irfan had gone to keep watch over his cowshed but the troops hit him with a
baton first and then fired two bullets at him, one in the head and the other in
his right arm, killing him on the spot.

1177
VIEWS
Pakistan
Repudiating the idea of Pakistan: ‘The saddest aspect of all three
assaults is that some analysts are concluding that the atrocious attacks took
place owing to a rivalry between the Balochistan police and the FC.
To rub salt in the wound, another pseudo-intellectual and TV anchor,
gave a new twist to the depressing incident by presenting the farfetched
theory that the ISI and law enforcement agencies are to be blamed by
declaring that the attacks were a reaction to the alleged missing persons and
mutilated bodies case.
This is not only shocking that our so-called analysts jump to
conclusions even before the incident is over and an inquiry is carried out, but
also contrary to journalistic ethics and tantamount to inadvertently play into
the hands of the enemy, who desires dissension in our ranks and a blame
game to be effective.
The enemies of the state plan surreptitious attacks and apportion
culpability on national institutions. Let us remain united and not strengthen
their heinous agendas.
The new nationalist government in Balochistan is under a severe test
for restoring law and order in the province, while the current political
dispensation at Islamabad needs to pick up the gauntlet of trials and
tribulation and take immediate steps to stem the rot.
To date, the worst enemies of the state have not dared to target the
monuments associated with Quaid-i-Azam, the symbol of Pakistan’s
sovereignty. With doubt, they must be made to realize that their dastardly
attack may demolish the Ziarat Residency, but it can never repudiate the idea
of Pakistan from the hearts and minds of patriotic Pakistanis.’ (S M Hali,
TheNation 19th June)
Justified criticism: ‘In the wake of the Balochistan attack, Interior
Minister Chaudhry Nisar has rightly vented frustration over the role of the
intelligence agencies in fighting terrorism. He definitely has a very strong
reason to think so.
Our intelligence apparatus with agencies like the ISI and MI are
household names, recognized now as a byword for fear, cloak and dagger
stunts, missing persons and a common reliance on strong-arm means to get

1178
things done. Apparently working under the elected Prime Minister, the
agencies are seldom accused of being under civilian control. An attempt by
the previous prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani to have them under his
wings got the axe; moments after the notification was issued, it was revoked.
No wonder the spooks particularly those working with the military enjoy a
fearsome reputation and are sometimes even thought to be the most powerful
quarter of the armed forces with a specific role in national security. And
hobnobbing with the militant outfits is also something our agencies have
acquired a reputation for – knowledge is widespread of relations beyond the
requirement of remaining well-informed about the activities of these
elements. Although the argument these days is that it was a bad chapter from
the past, old habits have still not been given up. When we have such
powerful agencies, whose heads sometimes earn such titles as “godfather of
Taliban”, it is but necessary for any ordinary citizen or the Interior Minister
for that matter to express deep anger, doubt and scepticism over their failure
to rein in the terrorists who are killing people in thousands. What is even
more pathetic is that the phenomenon of terrorism is not new; it has grown
extreme over the past decade: definitely, the agencies with their resources
and apparent absolute freedom could have done something to stamp it out.
And since that has not happened and every day we see bigger and more
vicious attacks, their role naturally comes into the circle of just criticism.
At the end of the day where should the citizens and the people of this
country turn to for their security? To the police that cannot even protect
itself or the civilian intelligence bureau that is worse off! Now that the
Interior Minister Chaudry Nisar has mustered up the courage to censure the
agencies, he should go a step forward and see what measures can be taken to
make them cognizant of their task, that is to hunt down the terrorists. We
have the wherewithal as well as the will, what really needs to be given is
direction and a sense of purpose. While the Interior Minister goes about
setting the house in order, he should do it with a clear head. The nation is
behind him in this long overdue effort. But if the Interior Minister is also
seen arguing in favour of negotiations one day and then having second
thoughts the next, he would only make matters worse. The country needs to
seriously pursue the business of taking on miscreants, with unflinching
determination.’ (Editorial, TheNation 19th June)
Co-partnering with the US: Understanding a bit of political
psychology might help Islamabad to engage constructively with Washington
to stop drone strikes in the tribal areas of Pakistan. Until and unless foreign
policymakers and defence managers in Islamabad fully comprehend the

1179
political behaviour of the entire American political establishment inclusive
of the White House, State Department and Pentagon, their attempts to bring
Washington to the negotiation table to cease drone strikes will fail…
Successive Pakistani administrations over a period of several decades
have completely failed to understand the beliefs, motivations, perceptions
and attitude formations of its American ally and, consequently, have failed
in developing a US-Pakistan relationship based on equality of nations and
mutual interests. Let us put some facts on the table:
The US is a superpower that sees its political-economic interests
paramount in the conduct of its global political strategy. It has always
supported complacent political leaderships all over the Third World, which
help realize the American global policy objectives with more intensity than
their own national interests, notwithstanding the empty rhetoric of
democratic ideals and sloganistic speeches for propaganda purposes and
public consumption. It has unmatched media-cum-psychological
manipulative superiority in this context.
The traditional diplomacy of ‘balance of power’ among nations is a
dead concept now. In the present-day world, it is the ‘power’ of military
technology that dictates interstate relations. America and its Western-
European allies are great advocates of this global political system…
Let us be realistic: drones are not going to go away – they add
tremendously to the military ‘power’ to wage electronic warfare from
remote-controlled locations far away – safe from an adversary’s military
response. No wonder then only the other day, the US-Western allies called
for the development of European drone programmes.
In addition, Washington has been equipped for decades with the
political determination, financial resources and the knowledge that
leadership in the Third World can be easily persuaded (with some
exceptions) into complacent roles. This important factor adds to the US
‘power’ to organize a global political system in accordance with its
exclusive agendas.
The US has tremendous leverage on nearly all international
institutions (UN, IMF, World Bank, etc) to carry out its unilateral political
will with impunity.
So, the important questions are: What can political psychology tell us
about the Obama Administration’s mindset on global issues and, most
specifically, its drone strike strategy against Pakistan? How can Islamabad

1180
constructively engage with Washington to manage a shift in its policy of
drone attacks on Pakistan’s territory?
The application of political psychology analysis will illustrate to us
that the White House, State Department and Pentagon are all on the same
page: it is perceived in the ruling circles that the US has the ‘power’ of
military technology to impose itself on world events, and above all, it has
the right to do so. Its political-military establishment also perceives that
‘power’ is the only arbitrator to conduct international affairs – and the US
has unprecedented ‘power’ at its disposal to morally justify its use. Such is
the cognitive development, perceptual belief system, motivations and
attitude formation in the corridors of power in Washington (as well as in
London, Paris, Bonn and Rome). President Barack Obama is not a bad guy,
but Islamabad has to remember that he is a product of the same cognitive
system that makes America so awesomely apathetic to the people and
nations, which refuse to tow its line. So how does Islamabad engage in a co-
partnership with Washington to end drone attacks on Pakistan?
First, Islamabad must recognize the fact that traditional diplomacy is
dead. For example, summoning the US diplomats to Pakistan’s Foreign
Ministry to protest against a drone strike (as it recently did) is a meaningless
diplomatic ritual in the context of this conflict.
Second, Pakistani diplomats and foreign policy officers (retired and
present) should not be the government functionaries formulating foreign
policy vis-à-vis the US. They have complacent views by the nature of their
training. They are more inclined towards procedures, rather than process.
They lack the perceptual vision to deal with conflict resolution from ‘outside
the box’ solutions. Hence, such diplomats should be kept away from giving
their input in dealing with the US.
Third, it is the political leadership in Islamabad that has to take a fresh
initiative to engage directly with the US leadership to resolve the drone
issue.
Fourth, Islamabad will have to amass massive public demonstrative
support for its anti-drone initiative to impress on Washington that
democratic Pakistan can no longer afford a dual government policy on this
issue (as has been done in the past decade).
Finally, Islamabad will have to create a ‘threat perception’ for US
interests for next year’s withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan.

1181
 A co-partnership is a process in which all parties have equal stakes.
Islamabad must be categorically unambiguous in communicating to
Washington that Pakistan will do its part to ensure the safety of American
troops as long as they remove the main impediment to the said conflict
immediately: stop drone strikes in its tribal belt. The Pakistani nation has
had enough of it. Let us be co-partners in its resolution.’ (Dr Haider Mehdi,
TheNation 20th June)
Addressing terrorism: ‘A multi-dimensional strategy has to be
developed that not only brings about a ceasefire, but also provides funds and
schemes for rehabilitation and development. This strategy must be placed
before Parliament and after its approval entrusted to the cabinet for action.
This task will not be easy because the issue has international dimensions.
Much will depend on the way the endgame is played out in Afghanistan. 
Political maturity of a high order and clear-eyed statesmanship will be
required to not only frame a well designed policy and a workable strategy,
but also to set in place organizations and mechanisms to ensure expeditions
and effective implementation. The KPK government will also have to play
an important role in undertaking various tasks. Later, questions about the
future political status of the tribal areas will have to be taken up. Should
FATA be merged into KPK and if kept separate what kind of political
arrangement would ensure participation, development, security and stability.
A similar mega exercise will have to be undertaken in regard to
Balochistan. Preliminary work needs to be done keeping in view the history
and peculiar nature of the problems of the province. Its strategic location; the
small, poor and scattered population; historic aspects of the integration of
certain parts like Kalat; reasons for estrangement of certain Balochi
elements; earlier military operations; enormous mineral resources; Gwadar
Airport and the Chinese connection; the case of settlers, Hazaras; the future
role of sardars; intelligence agencies’ infamous role in ‘disappearances’ as
also the need for a new public administrative system – these and many other
facts and factors will have to be carefully considered to evolve Balochistan’s
future political and administrative dispensation.
On Thursday, the New York Times wrote about the opening of the
Taliban’s new office in Doha: ‘American military commanders long ago
concluded that the Afghan war could end only in a negotiated settlement, not
a military victory.’
If the mighty sole superpower reached this conclusion, quite some
time ago, why is Pakistan continuing to pursue the military option that has

1182
so far failed to defeat the Taliban? How long would our brave army keep
fighting their own people causing and suffering casualties of civilians and
the military, in thousands? And how long will the people, at large, keep
paying an extremely heavy price because of revenge attacks?
Tailpiece: Why are the PML-N governments at the centre and in
Punjab slow and shy of taking action against the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi after the
Quetta carnage? It is time for them to wash off the charge of their being soft
on these abominable militants.’ (Inayatullah, TheNation 22nd June)
Nanga Parbat massacre: ‘Pakistan stands united in grief with our
Chinese, Ukranian and Russian friends.  The mindset we are battling against
is exclusionist, and would do anything to keep Pakistan from increasing its
meagre store of goodwill in the world. It also indicates that the organization
claiming responsibility for the attack had enlarged its agenda to all possible
aspects to harm Pakistani interests. The Foreign Office making such an
analysis, is slightly odd, for it has usually spoken quite frankly and logically
about most issues, but now seems to be borrowing from a conspiracy
theorist logbook.  It would have been best had the Foreign Office not
encouraged a conspiracy mindset and named names.
 China and Pakistan’s business projects could be endangered by the
attack, which will be more harmful to Pakistan than to China. This attack in
the northern areas also exacerbates long expressed Chinese dissatisfaction
with the growing militancy in Pakistan seeping through to its Xinxiang,
Urumqi and other southern provinces.
Clearly militants, who are no well wishers of the state or its citizens,
would also not be in favour of Chinese and Pakistan ties flourishing, or
Pakistan’s ties with any other country in the world going forward
unimpeded, for that matter. The Pakistani leadership conveyed its
condemnation to the Chinese and Ukrainian embassies.
After this insult from the terrorists and the tragedy which has had to
be borne by our visitors, on our soil, Pakistanis are feeling a sense of deep
frustration and helplessness. Rightly the Chief Secretary and the IG Police in
Gilgit were immediately suspended. But this will not be done. How did these
terrorists move freely in the area? Where did they get military uniforms
from? Why did they melt into the shadows from whence they came, with
such ease? All these questions must be investigated and the perpetrators
prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Pakistan – all of it – must be
made safe for all in it. For our brethren in the northern areas, promoted as a
paradise and whose people’s hospitality has earned them the deserved name

1183
of some of the best hosts in the world, this is an attack on their reliability
and their future livelihood. Another tragedy will be the peaceful and gentle
people of the northern areas suffering as a consequence of their homeland
being turned into a playground for bullies wielding bullets.’ (Editorial,
TheNation 25th June)
Shooting down a drone? ‘It is hoped that foreign policymakers in
Islamabad and defence managers in Rawalpindi will consider this article as a
policy review document, and review it with diligent deliberation and
considerable insight in the context of future Pak-US relations.
It seems imperative now that making a final or fundamental policy
decision on the status of US drone strikes on Pakistani territory has assumed
a central stage for bringing peace to this nation. Not only that, it is a vital
issue on the basis of which Pakistan can re-establish its control over a nearly
decade-old violation of its territory and sovereignty.
Also, a firm decision to stop drone attacks by fresh diplomatic
initiatives and possibly military intervention, Islamabad can manage to
remove a major impediment to peace talks with the insurgents in the
northern part of the country and gain considerable control over the ever-
growing domestic terrorism. A policy decision has to be made by Islamabad
now.
So, what if Pakistan were to shoot down a US drone over its territory?
Is the prevalent fear amongst the power-holders in Islamabad accurate and
realistic that Washington would retaliate with a massive military response
and bomb Pakistan back into the Stone Age (so to speak)? These are two
vital questions that Islamabad needs to analyze and understand with absolute
clarity and an in-depth comprehension of the American political-military
behaviour.
In my opinion, the Obama Administration will not retaliate with a
military response. Instead, it will seek a diplomatic and a military-to-military
secretly agreed upon peaceful resolution to the issue. No, sir, Obama will not
venture America into fresh military adventurism. Among several other
factors, the US knows that the Pakistani military is a highly trained,
disciplined, organized and powerful force. Pakistan is not Afghanistan, Iraq,
Libya or a militarily weak nation in Africa, or Central or Latin America.
Military action would not be an easy mission for the US to undertake.
Having said that, here is my line of thought and reasoning to explain
why Obama will not seek a military solution if a US drone was struck down.

1184
This raison d’etre needs to be considered with due intellectual understanding
and expert policymaking indulgence.
Let us start with the foreign policymaking process in Washington. A
superpower like the US does not make its foreign policy on an ad hoc basis.
There is a lengthy, extended and meticulously organized and imaginative
process that is carried out in formulating interstate relations. At the Pentagon
and State Department, various possible scenarios are developed: what
possible political reactions or military responses are feasible from an
adversary in a political-military conflict? What crisis control management
mechanism can be set into action to ward off a potentially dangerous
escalation of a conflict? What kind of American public support can be
mustered quickly in case a military response becomes imperative? How
would the Congress react to the President’s declaration of war against a
former ally? In addition, policy input from think tanks and the academic
community is sought. In spite of this carefully laid out process of decision-
making in US foreign policy deliberations, however, an overall riding fact is
that nearly all decisions in Washington are made with an explicit mindset
and a nearly rigid sense of self-perception that America is the holder of
tremendous political and military power, and it is entitled to shape all global
political events to its will.
Added to this debilitating psychological factor is the awesome power
of the office of the presidency in the US political system. The element of the
personality cult of the President is so deeply imbedded in it that he becomes
the central figure in the conduct of US foreign policy in all decisions, may
they be political or military in nature, and are directly linked to the prestige
and historical significance of the White House occupant at the time. So, the
question here is: how would Obama react in the event of Pakistan shooting
down a US drone over its territory? Here is an analysis:
Constitutionally, Obama cannot contest presidential elections for a
third term of office. Hence, winning the election will not be an overriding
personal political consideration for him. He certainly will be careful, though,
in selecting a course of action that could enhance the Democratic Party’s
next election prospects.
Does Obama wish to be remembered as a ‘war President’ or a
President cherished for his domestic political reform? We will not have an
answer to this until the President writes his autobiography at some point in
the future.

1185
 Will the American public support Obama if he makes a formal
declaration of war against Pakistan? Expert opinion on American public
attitudes will tell you there is a 40/60 (40 in favour, 60 against) probability
of support of another American war at this stage with the global political
situation.
How would the Pakistani military leadership react to yet another
blatant military provocation against its country – in fact, an act of war?
How will future generations in the US evaluate Obama’s presidency?
Will they throw him into the dustbin of history? Perhaps, they will – in the
same dustbin of political history as Bush has been assured of.
Finally, and most importantly, here is the deciding factor: what place
will Obama have in history as an African-American President, under whose
watch many more white, as well as black, soldiers are likely to be killed?
That will be Obama’s paramount concern while deciding how to respond to
Pakistan’s shooting down a US drone over its territory.
If Islamabad’s fresh diplomatic initiatives fail with Washington,
Pakistan should go ahead and shoot down the next drone in its sky. History
and time is on Pakistan’s side – undoubtedly!’ (Dr Haider Mehdi, TheNation
27th June)
Afghanistan
The Doha initiative: ‘The much publicized negotiations between the
Afghan Taliban and United States of America have suddenly run into a
series of expected firewalls. Given the years it took to build such an
initiative is not a comforting omen for many actors in the region. The
apparent flurry of high diplomacy is but a miniscule tip of the iceberg that
lies submerged with heavy baggage. The Afghan imbroglio loaded with
competing and diverse interests, many years of confrontation, mistrust and
memory leaves a much larger mass of discords. Speculations, time needed in
determining policy shifts and disinformation would test the nerves of
negotiators in a game of wits, leverage, concessions and invisible hands. It
would be a disaster if these negotiations meet a dead end. But let us believe,
for once, what Sir Winston Churchill said: ‘The Americans will always do
the right thing…after they have exhausted all the alternatives.’ The question
is: are all alternatives yet exhausted? It appears that this is the best amongst
the unexhausted options for Afghanistan. What happens to Pakistan could be
another story.

1186
 Apparently, the Afghan Taliban in assertion of their claim of
legitimacy opened the Doha office with the name and flag. This was an
embarrassment for Doha, regional NATO and US officials. This symbolism
was aptly removed having made a bold statement that the present Karzai
regime and foreign forces are illegitimate.
Secondly, the ever insecure and erratic Afghan President Hamid
Karzai perceived the symbolism for what it reflected. Sooner or later, both
sides of the conflict would be cajoled and some settlements could emerge
giving way to more speculations and analysis. Within these negotiations will
rest the future of Afghan federation, Afghan National Army and the Karzai
regime completing its tenure in 2014. In likelihood, the negotiations will
also involve the participation of Afghan Taliban in the elections, power
sharing and role of Mullah Omar. This would leave little space for Hamid
Karzai and throw up the advantage in favour of the Northern Alliance and its
leader, Abdullah Abdullah.
Thirdly, John Kerry’s postponement of a visit to Pakistan leaves many
question unanswered. Is Pakistan actually in the loop, is the logical question.
Though the White House has clarified the issue, to sceptics, it appears a
diplomatic nicety. They argue that a country lumped in AfPak Coinage has
been ignored in the run up to such an important event with a token of
acknowledgement inasmuch as the Obama statement after the Abbottabad
raid. Yet, in view of the US retrograde from Afghanistan and the crucial
stability USA needs before, during and after the exit, isolation of Pakistan
would be regressive. It appears that policy planners in Washington need time
to evaluate policy shifts and be convinced that Doha presents the best
alternative.
If the reports on the Afghan Taliban in Doha is to be believed, they
appear as simple, straightforward and well-meaning people ready to
accommodate the interests of all factions within Afghanistan. They look
forward to an Afghanistan at peace within itself and all its neighbours. They
wish prisoner’s swap, conditionally agree to presence of US forces and
reiterate their firmness in not allowing the use of its soil by any force against
its neighbours meaning Iran and Pakistan…
As negotiations mature, it will also be revealed that the Afghan
Taliban had no connection with al-Qaeda and that Osama bin Laden was
shifted to Kabul from Sudan on the invitation of President Rabbani. Mullah
Omar was ready to handover bin Laden to a Muslim neutral country
(Turkey), but the Americans refused. It was only after the raining fire of

1187
‘gods from outer space’ with cruise missiles and daisy cutters that the
Afghan Taliban let go bin Laden in a battle of their own survival. If the
clock was to ultimately come back to Benazir’s Plan of 1996, the point that
arises is: Had the world understood then, so much of mayhem and blood
could have been avoided and so much money diverted to this impoverished
region.
Doha definitely belongs to Afghanistan and its Taliban. What of
Pakistan that has endured years of self-crafted and internationally imposed
misery? As winter approaches and conflict in Afghanistan hibernates in
frigid weather, lawlessness in Balochistan and Karachi could peak to engage
Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies on yet another internal front. Many feel
that this along with Pakistan’s economic plight could restrict its options on
the negotiating table. Perhaps, this is why General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is
pressing to bring a swift end to TTP operations in Pakistan?’ (Samson
Simon Sharaf, TheNation 22nd June)
Qatar office & afterwards: ‘The Taliban, even though according to
some recent reports are faring badly in Afghanistan, have issued a statement
from Kandahar that they would come to the negotiating table only after their
demands are met.
Now that they have a diplomatic prop in their Doha office, in fact a
majestic one, built by the common assent of Kabul and the government of
Qatar, overnight they seem to have gone under the illusion that the existence
of the office suggests they are on a winning streak. But regardless of this
invincibility myth that they are basking in, they are pragmatic enough to
welcome the peace initiative in Qatar. The demands include release of
certain militant leaders, something that is fraught with hindrances. Interior
Minister Chaudhry Nisar is fulsome in his praise of the possibility of a
negotiated settlement over the premise that this would pave the way for
peace. He is right and so is US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson who
is also striking the right note by saying that Pakistan shall figure in the
reconciliation process. Afghanistan now needs peace. Fighting amongst
themselves for eons, the Afghans now have the chance to make a new
beginning or revert to square one, where evils of all sorts germinate. The
Qatar office and the aim it has set itself could mean wooing Mullah Omer,
the supreme commander, but how the entire process is pursued requires
reflection. At least, this time around, if he is brought back into the fold, he
should be told through the Qatar office that any role in future Afghanistan
hinges on how strongly he renounces violence. Harbouring terror and those
with the intent to kill should come to an end.

1188
 Outfits purely engaged in spilling blood for the sake of it, hardcore
terrorists like Mullah Fazlullah currently on the loose in the southern
Afghanistan, would also try to fall into the emerging political jigsaw but
must be denied the space. Not only it is in Pakistan’s interest that they are
brought to hard-handed justice, but the world and Afghanistan itself. The
Qatar office as well as the Karzai regime should avoid them like the plague.’
(Editorial, TheNation 23rd June)
Why is China talking to the Taliban? ‘Hamid Karzai’s derailment
of this week’s planned US peace talks with the Taliban may have been a
disappointment to Washington’s hopes of ending its longest war – but it
disappointed Beijing, too. China welcomed the breakthrough in the Qatar
process, and sees a political settlement in Afghanistan as increasingly
important for its economic and security interests in the region. As a result,
China’s support for reconciliation between Kabul and the Taliban has
become a fixture of its burgeoning diplomatic activity on Afghanistan’s
post-2014 future.
Over the last year, China has been expanding its direct contacts with
the Taliban and sounding them out on security issues that range from
separatist groups in the Chinese region of Xinjiang to the protection of
Chinese resource investments, according to interviews with officials and
experts in Beijing, Washington, Kabul, Islamabad and Peshawar. While
Beijing would like to see the reconciliation talks succeed in preventing
Afghanistan from falling back into civil war, it is not counting on their
success, and thus is preparing to deal with whatever constellation of political
forces emerges in Afghanistan after the United States withdraws.
While even tentative US and European meetings with the Taliban
generate headlines, China’s substantive dealings with them tend to slip
under the radar. After the 9/11 attacks and the Taliban’s fall from power,
Beijing quietly ‘maintained a relationship’ with the Quetta Shura, the
Taliban’s leadership council allegedly based across the border in Pakistan. In
a conversation, one former Chinese official claimed that besides Pakistan,
China was the only country to continue this contact. Over the last 18
months, exchanges have taken place more regularly, and China has started to
admit their existence in meetings with US officials, according to people
familiar with the matter. The same sources said that Taliban representatives
have held meetings with Chinese officials both in Pakistan and in China.
Although the possibility of active Chinese support for peace talks has been
discussed, it appears the focus has been on a narrower set of Chinese

1189
objectives: as one Pakistani expert noted, ‘it has so far been about mitigating
[Chinese] security concerns rather than reconciliation.’
In China’s dealings with the Taliban, the unrest in Uighur Muslim has
always been its biggest concern. In the late 1990s, Beijing worried that the
Taliban government in Kabul was providing a haven for Uighur militants,
who had fled Chinese crackdowns in Xinjiang and set up training camps in
Afghanistan. In meetings in December 2000 in Kandahar, the Taliban’s
reclusive leader Mohammed Omar assured the Chinese ambassador to
Pakistan Lu Shulin that the Taliban would not ‘allow any group to use its
territory to conduct any such operations’ against China. In exchange, Omar
sought two things from China: formal political recognition and protection
from UN sanctions.
Neither side delivered satisfactory results. The Taliban did not expel
Uighur militants from its territory. Though it prohibited them from operating
their own camps, it allowed them to embed with other militant groups, such
as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. At the same time, China moderated
its stance at the UN Security Council to abstain on sanctions that targeted
the Taliban and established trade links that would help mitigate their impact,
but it didn’t use its veto power. Beijing deferred its decision on giving the
Taliban diplomatic recognition, which Washington’s reaction to the 9/11
attacks soon made moot anyway.
The two sides, however, realized they could do business with each
other. The Taliban’s then-ambassador to Pakistan described his Chinese
counterpart in Islamabad in the late 1990s as “the only one to maintain a
good relationship” with the Taliban. In fact, China was signing economic
deals in Kabul the very day of the attacks on the Twin Towers and the
Pentagon.
Since then, China has forged a good working relationship with the
Karzai government, without ever becoming too closely identified with it by
the insurgency. Today, China’s priority remains ensuring that any territory
under Taliban control won’t function as a base for Uighur militant groups…
Sources in Pakistan who have talked to the militant commanders say
that senior Taliban leaders are keen not to alienate Beijing – they have
enough enemies already. The Afghan Taliban continues to see the benefit of
close ties with one of the few countries that can restrain their sometimes-
overbearing Pakistani sponsors. As a result, according to Chinese sources
who work closely with the Foreign Ministry in Beijing, Taliban interlocutors
have provided the same reassurances to China that they gave in the past:

1190
they will not allow Afghanistan to be used as a base of attacks and want to
develop economic relations with the Chinese. But these sources also say that
Chinese officials remain apprehensive. They doubt the Taliban’s capacity
and willingness to deliver on its promises, particularly on the matter of safe
havens for Uighur militants, and they fear a Taliban victory in Afghanistan
would destabilize Pakistan and the region. Beijing has therefore been
increasingly keen to see a political settlement in Afghanistan that ensures a
stable balance of power.
The United States shares this basic objective of a stable Afghanistan
and after years of pushing Beijing to increase its commitment there, US
officials told me they are happy that China has become more active in the
region. Chinese officials have even mentioned to their US counterparts the
possibility of Beijing using its own contacts with the Taliban to help support
reconciliation talks, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
So will Beijing play a greater role in the upcoming peace talks among
Kabul, the Taliban and the United States? Probably not. Despite tentative
support from all three parties, Beijing has been deterred not only by its
caution over involvement with a risky process but by Islamabad. Pakistan is
clearly uncomfortable with its closest friend’s presence in a policy area that
Beijing was previously willing to outsource to them.
China’s stance could prove useful for US negotiators in Doha,
however, if the talks move forward. While Beijing still treads carefully in its
bilateral relationship with Pakistan, it knows it holds the upper hand, and is
willing to exert pressure when important Chinese interests are at stake.
China prioritizes stability in Afghanistan over sustaining Pakistani influence
in the region; sources in Beijing who follow discussions between the two
sides say that officials have made this increasingly clear to Islamabad.
In the 1990s, China paid little attention as Afghanistan slid into civil
war and the Taliban seized control of the country. Now, with greater
interests at stake, it doesn’t want to see the same story play out after the US
withdrawal in 2014. If history were to repeat itself, however, there are no
prizes for guessing which country would be the first to send a business
delegation to Kandahar after the Taliban’s return.’ (Andrew Small for
Bangordaily, republished in TheNation 23rd June)
Indian role in Kabul polls: What made US Secretary of State John
Kerry say that India could play a ‘central role’ in Afghanistan's elections
next year, as he warned of potential challenges the war-torn nation would
face once the Western forces had withdrawn, is not known. He went on to

1191
say that the world's largest democracy could help the Afghan government
improve its electoral system and create a credible framework to settle
disputes.
Mr Kerry’s statement has been received in Islamabad with surprise
and dismay especially as he had earlier struck visit to Pakistan out of his
current itinerary for reasons best known to him or the State Department. Of
late, New Delhi and Washington have adopted different strategies on the key
security issue of establishing peace in the violence-ravaged Afghanistan.
While the US has initiated talks with the Taliban, India has objected to it,
saying it could lead to conferring legitimacy to insurgent groups and send a
wrong signal to various competing factions.
Afghanistan is scheduled to hold presidential elections on April 5,
2014, when the incumbent Hamid Karzai is due to stand down. The
country’s last presidential elections held in 2009 were marred by massive
vote-rigging which prompted Karzai’s rival Abdullah Abdullah to pull out of
a second round. Indian officials are expected to raise concerns with Kerry,
who is on a three-day visit in the country, about the upcoming US
withdrawal from Afghanistan. India is also uneasy about the prospect of
negotiations with the Taliban, who according to New Delhi, are its sworn
enemies. In a video message ahead of his visit, Kerry said President Barack
Obama’s administration firmly believed that a strong India was in America’s
national interests, conveniently forgetting to mention Pakistan which has
been a frontline ally in its war against international terrorism that has cost
Islamabad dearly in economic terms as well as in terms of human loss.’
(Editorial, TheNation 25th June)
Learning a lesson in Doha: ‘Qatar is the headquarters of Centcom
and the location of the talks at Doha is a feather in its cap. Not only that,
opening of a political office while giving it due recognition was akin to
accepting the de facto legitimacy of the Afghan Taliban.
Saudi Arabia must have helped prepare the ground. The Kingdom
attracts all groupings of the jihadists and it also helps gloss over their
differences by inviting them to meet at the holiest of places.
The UAE has that uniqueness to move things smoothly with its quiet
diplomacy and the spirit of making things happen.
In addition, there has already been a public appreciation of the role
played by Islamabad by the US State Department and most of the finger-
pointing at Pakistan for allegedly harbouring jihadists, have, so it seems,

1192
disappeared in the shadows. Will India and its protégé, Afghanistan also
learn a lesson and drop their blame game at the international fora?
Pakistan does not and has never believed in using terrorism as an
instrument of foreign policy. America has been striving for a long time to
engage the Taliban for eliciting concessions for its planned drawdown.
Track 2 discussions in France. Germany and Qatar laid down the
grundnorms for future parleys.
It certainly was the handiwork of patient, unrelenting, intense and
focused political acumen that has made it happen in Qatar. The cost and
benefit exercise must have been carried out by both sides. The Taliban now
have an address. Much would have been decided before coming to this
venue. The stakes that were high would have been lowered by now.
The Taliban also have some sense of destiny. Their strategic insight
has prompted the sole superpower and an array of world powerbrokers to see
the light of the day, and learn the inevitable lesson; the terrorists might have
many guises, but when they become political, you have to perforce see them
as a political entity, move on with dialogue and shun another Vietnam; or
else you haven’t learnt the lesson.’ (Muhammad Ashraf Azim, TheNation
25th June)
Kerry’s Indian visit and Afghanistan: ‘This column is about US
Secretary of State John Kerry’s recent visit to India and the new peace
initiative for Afghanistan. Kerry visited India to participate in the fourth
round of the India-US strategic dialogue. The dialogue was held soon after
the opening of US-Taliban peace talks in Doha. The Indians were not too
happy at this development, as they found themselves sidelined…
As for Afghanistan, the Indian view has been, thus, well-expressed by
Samir Saran and Abhijit Mittra in Economic Times/Times of India: ‘While
John Kerry lauded India's role in his June 23 speech in New Delhi, events of
the last 90 days tell a very different story; one in which the US disregards
the concerns of both India and the Afghan government and continues to woo
the Pakistani military establishment. The US actions have allowed the
Taliban to formally open an office in Qatar for direct negotiations, which the
Taliban see as the first step towards a new emirate.
The victory of Nawaz Sharif in Pakistan, in collusion with
fundamentalists, allows radicals in that country certain influence over the
civilian government and the military's shadow over foreign policy looms
larger and stronger as the US consolidates General Kayani's pivotal role,
established by a hurried and reckless K-3 meeting (Kerry, Kayani, Karzai).

1193
 India's Afghanistan policy has historically always been long-term and
more than capable of absorbing reverses in the short to medium term. It
cannot be coy in providing soft and hard military support to its friends, and
it must not be seen as an unreliable and indecisive partner. India has in the
past succeeded in maintaining Afghanistan as a viable partner for over 60 of
67 years of bilateral history.
After 1997, India continued to support the Northern Alliance in the
hope of better times. That time came in 2001, when, following the US
invasion, a government whose core elements had been supported by India,
were installed in power. India in 2014 is not the economic cripple it was in
1991; a $290 billion reserve buys more loyalty and battle resilience than 15-
day currency reserves.
Over the last 12 years, India has worked exceptionally hard to win
over significant pockets of support among the Pashtuns. Unlike the 1990s
when India's support base was the ethnic minorities, support for India is now
deeper and wider. Afghanistan post-2014 must not by default become a
neutralized backyard of Rawalpindi and its proxies.’
So, while framing an Afghanistan policy, Pakistan has to keep the
following factors in view:
1.    After the return of the combat forces in 2014, the US will
continue to keep a certain number of well equipped troops in Afghanistan.
And the Taliban will continue creating difficult conditions for them.
2.    The post-American exit scenario looks murky and uncertain.
Pakistan must devise well thought out policies in regard to different
emerging situation.
3.    The initiative to forge an understanding with the Northern
Alliance must continue with a view to securing positive results.
4.    India has invested billions of rupees in Afghanistan. Both Kabul
and Washington want it to play a significant role in the post-2014
Afghanistan. Karzai has already sealed a strategic partnership with India and
Afghan army personnel are being trained by Indian military experts. India’s
interests just cannot be ignored. These, to some extent, may have to be
accommodated with Islamabad safeguarding its own interests.
5.    It is time that a settlement with the Pakistani Taliban is negotiated
jointly by the civil government and the military.

1194
 6.    A competent retired diplomat should be immediately appointed as
a special envoy for Afghanistan. He may pilot Pakistan’s case and look after
its interests in the US-Afghanistan-Taliban negotiations.’ (Inayatullah,
TheNation 29th June)
Afghan endgame - the Doha parleys: ‘Washington has made its
intentions clear that it would be negotiating its way out of the AfPak Region
(APR) come December 2014, implying thereby that the US might be
negotiating from a position of relative inferiority. It has failed to defeat the
Taliban on the battlefield and has climbed down from its stated position of
never to negotiate with any terrorists.
Furthermore, short of nuclear strikes it has precious little leverage
over the Taliban. Unproductive decade plus labours prove this point. The US
is in a rush to leave this ‘bleeding wound’, as the Soviets called Afghanistan
when they turned about and drove back home a couple of decades ago.
Likewise, the US too will not be in a position to dictate terms, as it
prepares to walk away from the Afghan theatre of war. It is forsaking and
abandoning the region and its people once again.
Some of USA’s major concerns are clearly within the reach of the
Taliban to deliver; if they can be convinced to do so.
Foremost, the US would want a safe and uneventful egress from the
APR. It has billions of dollars of military equipment to move out of the
region and it needs not only the willing support of Pakistan, but also
guarantees from the Taliban that they will do nothing to impede their exit.
The Taliban are likely to agree to that, but will demand their proverbial
“pound of flesh” in return.
Their next demand could be for the Taliban to break contact with al-
Qaeda and, if possible, expel them from the country. The Taliban might only
agree to breaking contact with them and nothing more. Al-Qaeda has been
grievously hurt by the US and has generally relocated to the Arabian
Peninsula and North Africa. The Taliban are likely to use this as a leverage
to extract concessions from the US, in particular on the drones.
Then the US would want the Taliban to disallow the use of their
territory by terrorists for attacks against other countries in the region. The
Taliban might agree to it, but again at a price.
The US will also like the next Afghan elections to be held as freely
and democratically as possible without gender discrimination. The Taliban
might expect fair elections and the Pashtun majority to form the next

1195
government. Any US attempts to manipulate the elections or dictate terms
on a social dispensation will roll back the whole peace process, perhaps,
irreversibly.
Sticking points could be the regional and extra-regional trade
corridors, exploitation of Afghanistan’s formidable mineral resources, the
drugs trade and the unwanted intrusion of India into the APR.
The US is negotiating from a position of relative inferiority. Pakistan
must draw relevant lessons. It has a different ball game to play, as the
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates are here to stay. They can
only be dealt with from a position of undeniable and unchallengeable
strength. Pakistan must create the necessary strategic environment and
demonstrate the necessary political will to employ its formidable military
power to force the TTP to the table.
Anything short of that will be self-defeating and counter-productive.’
(Imran Malik, TheNation 1st July)
India
A murderous reminder: ‘A home-grown outfit, Hizbul Mujahideen,
dedicated to the militant defence of the cause of Kashmiris’ struggle for
freedom, has accepted responsibility for the Monday attack that killed eight
of the 700,000 Indian security forces deployed in the valley, to maintain its
brutal hold. The idea, obviously, was to covey a strong message to Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, due to
arrive in the occupied state on Tuesday, that despite the ferocious reign of
terror one of the largest concentration of troops has let loose on the people of
Kashmir, they would not sit back and accept the cruel reality of subjugation
as their ultimate fate. Rather, they were ready to make more sacrifices that
they would inevitably be required to make after this attack. Let no one forget
that in their decades-long gruelling essay to struggle out of the Indian
stranglehold, they have gladly borne pain and privation, losing on the way as
many as 80,000 of their fellow Kashmiris; their women have been
subjugated to the worst attacks and indignities; their children and elderly
folks subjected to torture and slaughter; and thousands of them dumped in
unmarked, mass graves.
Such brave sons of the soil would not be deterred by the state of high
alert and the curfew imposed on the eve of this high-level visit, to make their
anger known. Nor would they be duped by the empty rhetoric of Narinder
Modi, former Chief Minister of Gujarat and head of the election campaign of

1196
the BJP, that he would resolve the Kashmir dispute should he come to
power. Nor, for that matter, does the remark of outgoing Indian Ambassador
at Islamabad Sharat Sabarwal carry glad tidings for the people of the
occupied state. Pakistanis and Kashmiris have been witness to this drama of
the jugglery of words on umpteen occasions. New Delhi has invariably
refused to come to brass tacks and indulged in raising insubstantial and
extraneous matters whenever the question of settling the issue has come up
in discussion at the bilateral meetings. But what justification, moral or legal,
there is to hold the fate of Kashmiris hostage to the so-called presence of
terrorist cells in Pakistan.
The murderous attack should serve to remind the ‘greatest democracy’
in the world, and its powerful friends, that India has a commitment to
honour; that failure on its part over the past 65 years is at the root of this
desperation that finds expression in peaceful rallies, occasionally bursting
into use of arms. The way out: honour the word Pundit Nehru gave to the
Kashmiris and the world way back in 1948 and hold a UN-sponsored
plebiscite to let the people decide which country to join, Pakistan or
India.’(Editorial, TheNation 26th June)
The penchant for force: ‘2013 has been a bad year for its
neighbours, since India’s adventurism has generated fracas with both China
and Pakistan, two countries perceived by New Delhi as bitter rivals.
Looks like it is difficult for the Indians to appreciate the spirit of
mutual co-existence; hence, they continues to give vent to their inner desire
of dominating others. They keep playing games even against China, a
regional power.
Recently, New Delhi stressed the need to develop infrastructure along
the international border in Ladakh. As the Chinese withdrew from Depsang,
its forces constructed fortifications in Chumar sector. Beijing’s quick
response ultimately resulted into an Indo-China standoff.
Remember the depressing consequences of India’s year-long eyeball-
to-eyeball confrontation with Pakistan in 2001-2, when it was forced to
retreat. The Indian military planners deduced that they could not afford a
prolonged face-off, therefore, they requested for a flag meeting to resolve
the issue. China maintained its principled stance, pressurizing India’s army
to accede to its demands.
Reverting to the topic. The leadership in New Delhi, however,
through its media cleverly created an impression for public consumption that
the standoff in Ladakh ended unconditionally, as the Chinese troops

1197
withdrew without posing any conditions on India. In reality, however, they
pulled out only after halting patrolling by Indian troops in the area,
consenting to India’s removal of all fresh fortifications, and the assurance
that in future it will not construct them. India’s leadership and army high
command accepted all the conditions imposed by China at the cost of
demoralizing their troops.
Moreover, since the beginning of this year, India has indulged in
violating the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir and Pakistan’s international
boundary. A number of Pakistani soldiers have been martyred, while India
makes false claims of having lost a few Indian soldiers too. It is ironic that
while Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was extending felicitations to his
newly-anointed Pakistani counterpart, the Indian forces were breaching
Pakistani positions and attacking the local population and soldiers on this
side.
To add insult to injury, India claimed that a Junior Commissioned
Officer of its army was killed in heavy firing with automatic weapons and
rockets from the Pakistani side of the LoC in Poonch sector and to justify its
own contravention of international norms, India unleashed unprovoked
firing.
Then an incident occurred barely two days after Nawaz Sharif; a
peacenik took oath as Pakistan Prime Minister. While last week, a Pakistani
girl was killed and nine people were injured when the Indian troops resorted
to unprovoked small arms and artillery firing at the LoC in Rawalakot
district.
So, it is evident that India understands only the language of force. In
the recent Indo-China standoff at Ladakh, the Indian troops backed off in the
face of stern warnings from the Chinese military, perhaps, remembering the
sound thrashing they had received in 1962 at the hands of the Chinese forces
and the ridicule they has suffered at the hands of the people for its
cowardice. Therefore, this time around, the Indian defence planners chose to
hide the facts from their own public, lest a vibrant and open Indian media
catch on to its moment of weakness and take the military commanders to
task.
It is manifest that despite its lust for acquiring weapons, expending
scarce resources for acquiring weapons of mass destruction and conjuring
Pakistan-specific ‘Cold Start Doctrine’, the Indian military is full of hot air.
Whenever it resorts to jingoism and sabre-rattling with Pakistan, we should
call their bluff. If we look them squarely in the eye, the Indians are bound to

1198
cow down and restrain their hawks, despite their penchant for force. That is
typical behaviour of all bullies and India is no exception.’ (S M Hali,
TheNation 26th June)
Kashmir first, not last: ‘Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid’s
interview with Hindustan Times elicited hardly anything newsworthy or
even refreshing on the stale diplomatic edifice. He continued to favour the
tired harangue about "mischief" being inflicted by Pakistan on his homeland.
He pegged dialogue with a crackdown against the sponsors of the
Mumbai attacks, guarantee against the replay of a Sarabjeet sort incident and
stopping cross-border terrorism. He expressed these views even though at
one point in the interview his own thought process buffaloed him away from
this mantra and towards the overtures made by Prime Minister Mian Nawaz
Sharif. He appreciated him for extending a friendly hand towards his
counterpart Manmohan Singh. If talks are thought to be the way forward,
that is something the new PML-N setup has already expressed readiness for.
The problem is when a new government that comes with a fresh perspective
and is even willing to forget the irritants of the past, Indian Foreign Minister
is not helping the process move forward by being obstinately looking back
in time. Ideally the response from his side could have been to allow the
peace initiative to take root. In Mr Khurshid’s view, Kashmir is still India’s
internal matter, the same Kashmiris who protest every day against the
oppression, the United Nations that considers it an international dispute, and
last but not least thousands of martyrs and their mass-graves that are
atrocious testimony to the kind of tactics the state government relies on so as
to be able to call it its integral part.
In this time and age, ‘shining India's’ state-sponsored barbarism is
attracting the attention of those to whom it is trying to sell its optimistic new
image. New Delhi’s leaders must stop believing that Pakistan will simply
give up fighting for Kashmir. From a Pakistani point of view, our policy will
always be that the Kashmiri people's right to self-determination is sacrosanct
and India must have the courage to put to test its popularity in a simple
plebiscite. Dialogue with Pakistan’s new setup can yield results; the new
government in Islamabad has made known its intention to pursue the course
with the utmost seriousness. It is now India that has to finally make up its
mind that it is time we make genuine progress – starting with discussing
Kashmir, and not by ignoring it.’
Pursuing conflicting goals: ‘Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif’s
eagerness to go the extra mile in befriending India, as expressed in his recent

1199
utterances, the latest in his interaction with the Indian businessmen presently
visiting Pakistan, can, perhaps, be properly viewed against the backdrop of
his efforts to resuscitate the country’s moribund economy. These
businessmen are here as guests of the Pak-India Business Council. There can
be no doubt that the purpose of globalization, the current rage of
policymakers all over the world, cannot be truly realized without a strong
base in economic interaction between regional countries. And for that
reason, both Pakistan and India should be striving hard to forge bilateral
economic cooperative relations to draw benefit from each other in whatever
way they feel is in their interest.
The rub lies, however, in the antagonistic attitude of New Delhi that is
not of recent origin but dates back to the birth of Pakistan and despite our
best efforts to reconcile with it in the best possible manner. Not only must
our leadership, therefore, keep this fact in mind, but also the reality of its
adamant refusal to settle the Kashmir dispute, an issue of existential
importance to Pakistan. Cheerfully embracing India under the existing
realities and giving it an economic handle, like getting electricity, to exploit
Pakistan would be suicidal. Unless New Delhi shows willingness to a just
resolution of Kashmir and to conduct relations with Islamabad on the basis
of sovereign equality the leadership has to adopt a cautious approach. Would
that India learn from our growing ties with Sri Lanka without the taint of
hegemony.
Mian Nawaz also received the newly appointed Chinese Ambassador
Sun Weidong and professed the desire for stronger ties with Beijing, saying
that friendship with China was the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy
and a major factor of peace and stability in the region. He termed the
Gwadar project as the hallmark of Pak-China strategic cooperation. The
Prime Minister, due to visit China in a week’s time, should interact with the
Chinese leadership with the mission of stepping up commercial relations and
securing investment in the key sectors of economy. He would find Chinese
entrepreneurs more than willing to grasp the opportunity. But, at the same
time, there has to be a marked improvement on the terrorism front; evil
mongering militants have, somehow, made the Chinese friends target of
their attacks more than once. He must remember that in security, coupled
with ample availability of electricity, lies the secret of economic progress of
the country.’ (Editorial, TheNation 1st July)

1200
REVIEW
US Secretary of State John Kerry telephoned Nawaz to congratulate
him but not before there was visible increase in the intensity of terror attacks
in Pakistan, including the attack which destroyed Residency in Ziarat and
two deadly attacks in Quetta. His long-distance call was probably meant, in
addition to felicitating Nawaz, to ask him what would have meant in
Punjabi: Hor sona’o ki haal ay badshaho!
There has been significant increase in terror attacks inside Pakistan
since the exchange of ‘pleasantries’ between the two leaders. This escalation
in militancy despite the political parties that has come into power in the
Centre and KPK are in favour of peace dialogue with Taliban and their off-
shoots.
This intensification of terrorism raises an intriguing question about the
cause of this escalation. The answer to this question is very clear, yet no
analyst or intellectual has dared stating that in black and white for reasons to
obvious. All this is aimed at dictating terms to Pakistan about the plan they
have for Afghanistan after 2014.
Presently, the US is keen to cease hostilities for ensuring safe exit of
surplus occupation forces and at the same time to strike a deal to secure a
permanent foothold in the region by retaining some military bases in
Afghanistan. That is why Kerry has been hovering around Pakistan, but did
not land in Islamabad, because the new rulers there seemed to have not yet
come out of their pre-poll mindset.
While the US waited for Pakistani to have second thoughts the
necessary actions for softening them were speeded up. The scope of terror
attacks was widened to foreign tourists and judges of superior judiciary.
Whereas the attack on SHC judge was not something new in Karachi; the
one in which ten foreign mountaineers and trekkers lost their lives at the
base camp of Nanga Parbat, was quite unexpected and much serious in terms
of adverse consequences for Pakistan’s already tarnished image and its
tourist industry.
So far, despite the hectic efforts to apprehend the militants involved in
both attacks no progress has been made and the chances also seemed quite
bleak, especially in the attack in Gilgit Baltistan. Reportedly, FBI is assisting
in the investigations and any probe ‘assisted’ by the Americans has seldom
succeeded.

1201
 As regards Afghanistan, with the cancellation of talks John Kerry
missed an opportunity to cheat Afghan Taliban. He was all set using Qatari
Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani to get Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl,
the only prisoner held by Taliban. Kerry is an accomplished diplomat-cheat
as has been proved in the case of Raymond Davis, but cheating Afghan
Taliban won’t be easy.
1st July, 2013

1202
 COFFERS AND KASHKOL
With the passage of annual federal and provincial budgets the plans to
fill the emptied coffers were finalized just before the end of the month of
June. Within a week after that Finance Minister also got the regime’s
kashkol filled by the International Monetary Fund. The rulers will now sit
back and relish spending out of coffers and kashkol over the next twelve
months.
On 26th June, during hearing of the NRO implementation case, the
Attorney General of Pakistan informed the court that two letters were written
to the Swiss Authorities in the case money laundering by Zardari. The first
letter was meant to show compliance of court orders and soon after second
letter was written to negate the court verdict. The court felt the pinch of the
slap on its face but had to wait for the outcome of the inquiry ordered by the
government.
Altaf Hussain warned that the Titanic of the Ummah was sinking.
This dawned upon him after British investigators searched his residence in
London and myth of his claim of representing the middle class was about to
be broken. Investigators were not only probing murder of Imran Farooq but
also money laundering as result of which property worth billions of Rupees
was purchased in the name of Altaf’s relatives and party leaders of MQM.
During first week of July Nawaz Sharif visited China and talked about
economic corridor from Kashghar to Gwadar; construction of motorway
from Lahore to Karachi; laying fibre optic cable from Chinese border to
Rawalpindi; and bullet train. After all, there was no harm in indulging in
bottom-pinching of the US that has been hurting Pakistan with drone hits for
the last one decade.

NEWS
Power politics: On 27th June, Prime Minister Mian Muhammad
Nawaz Sharif held a meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-
Sadr and discussed overall situation of the country. Both the leaders
discussed various important national issues including possible expansion in
the Federal Cabinet. They also discussed political‚ economic and law and
order situation besides issues of national security.

1203
 Next day, the Election Commission of Pakistan issued the official
schedule for August 22 by-elections on the 42 general seats comprising of
26 provincial assemblies and 16 National Assembly seats, with a slight
amendment in the unofficial by-poll schedule issued last week. The
commission has also respectively appointed district and sessions judges,
additional district and sessions judges and senior civil administration
officials as district returning officers, returning officers and assistant
returning officers for supervising the by-polls. 
Balochistan National Party (BNP-Mengal) decided to sit in the
parliament to defend Baloch rights. A party announcement confirmed that
the opinion sought from the party workers and activists from all over
Balochistan favoured using the platform of parliament and assemblies for
protecting the national rights of the Baloch people and exposing anti-Baloch
policies in the form of military operations.
On 30h June, Imran’s party, the PTI, reacted sharply to the allegations
leveled against its leader by chairman of MQM Altaf Hussain and advised
the latter to stop dragging Imran Khan into what (according to PTI) is an
entirely British government’s matter relating to a murder committed in the
UK. Altaf Hussain had said that Imran Khan was dancing to the tune of
international establishment against him.
Dr Shireen m Mazari, Information Secretary of PTI made it loud and
clear that the Scotland Yard search of Altaf Hussain’s house and its ongoing
investigations were all related to the Dr Imran Farooq murder investigation.
This is, she said, an internal matter of the UK involving a crime that took
place in the UK of a UK resident and Hussain is also a British citizen. And
that the matter doesn’t relate to Imran Khan or the PTI at all, she maintained.
On 2nd July, addressing a press conference at Peshawar Press Club,
PTI former secretary information for PK-I, Irfan Saleem said the PTI central
parliamentary committee without making consultation with party workers of
the respective constituency awarded party ticket to a person who hasn’t even
Pakistani nationality. He alleged that party’s ideological workers were
ignored in awarding of ticket. Flanked by Riaz Ahmad, PTI PK-3 president,
and other workers, Irfan lamented that party parliamentary committee has
awarded party ticket to an Afghan national Gul Bacha for contesting
elections at NA-I.
The PML-F of Pir Pagara, which is an ally of PML-N’s government in
Centre, welcomed the step of PPP’s Sindh government for restoration of
Local Government Ordinance 1979. However, Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh said

1204
improvement is needed in the 1979 LG system. He also demanded the PPP
government to announce the schedule of local bodies’ elections. MQM
rejected the 1979 LB system promulgated by Sindh government and
demanded to resume 2001 local bodies ordinance.
Rule of law: On 26th June, during hearing of the NRO
implementation case, the attorney general told the court that two letters were
written to the Swiss authorities – the first on the direction of the apex court
and the second on its own. In the second letter, the previous government
wrote to the Swiss authorities that it did not want to reopen the cases against
the president.
He said the government has filed an appeal in the Swiss court for
reopening corruption cases against President Zardari. ‘I received information
about refusal of the Swiss authorities on the night of June 20, 2013, and was
required to file an appeal by June 24. We have filed an appeal with the
request to condone the few days’ delay’, attorney general informed the apex
court.
The three-judge bench of the Supreme Court and many others in the
courtroom were astonished when the AG revealed that the previous
government on November 22 last wrote a letter to its lawyer in Geneva that
the cases against President Zardari should not be revived. ‘After the
November 5, 2012, letter, written in consultation with the SC seeking
withdrawal of the letter written by former Attorney General Abdul Qayyum
Malik for closure of the cases, the previous government wrote another letter
on November 22 addressing Dr Nicholas Jaanding, their lawyer in Geneva
that cases against President Zardari should not be revived’, Munir A Malik
said, producing the letter in the court.
The AG further disclosed that in the letter written by the then federal
law secretary Justice (r) Yasmin Abbasey, the government had said, ‘The
requests for mutual legal assistance made earlier in 1997 were illegal, having
no legal effect, are hereby withdrawn by the government of Pakistan and
may be treated as never written.’ In the letter written without informing the
SC, the government had urged the Swiss authorities that the orders regarding
closure of the cases by former AG Abdul Qayyum on May 25, 2008, were
final and could not be reopened under the Swiss laws, the AG said.
Munir A Malik further said the decision of the Swiss authorities was
conveyed to the government of Pakistan on February 4, 2013, but it was
only available on the record on June 14, 2013, and that too after the
incumbent government asked its ambassador in Geneva to start proceedings.

1205
The ambassador informed the government that the Swiss lawyer conveyed
the decision of Pakistani authorities to the Swiss government that the steps
taken on the orders of the SC were essentially political and in the eyes of the
Republic of Pakistan, the criminal proceedings had been closed and could
not be reopened. 
The AG further said on June 14, 2013, the federal government learnt
that they could appeal against the decision of the Swiss authorities within 10
days. He further told the bench that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had
constituted a two-member team comprising Cabinet Division Secretary Sami
Saeed and Intelligence Bureau DG Aftab Sultan to find the reasons for the
unavailability of the record of the letters written to the Swiss authorities with
the law ministry and to fix the responsibility.
After hearing the arguments of the AG, the bench asked why the
November 22, 2012, letter was written, why no record was available about
the November 5, 2012, letter written after consulting the SC, who was
responsible and whether any violation of the SC’s judgment in the NRO case
had been made. The bench in its order asked the federal government to
complete the enquiry and submit a report within two weeks. The court
adjourned the hearing for two weeks.
Next day, Senator Farhat Ullah Baber said nothing has proven against
President Zardari and the hype about reopening of the Swiss cases is nothing
but political vendetta. ‘It is the same case in which the court acquitted the
principal accused R.A. Siddique in 2011 and that judgment has attained
finality and no appeal has been filed in the court as President Zardari has the
protection shield of Article 248 of the Constitution’, he added.
Former law minister Dr Baber Awan said, ‘In my opinion, letter to
Swiss authorities for reopening corruption cases against President Zardari
should not be written by the PPP government.’ He said that Farooq Naik was
the right man to disclose the facts about the second letter posted to Swiss
authorities. He said the committee constituted for probing the issue would
finalize the facts about it.
On 28th June, the Supreme Court issued a notice to former Prime
Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to explain his position about disbursement of
Rs47 billion among legislators and notables just one week before the
completion of the PPP government’s tenure. A three-member bench, headed
by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, held that neither any
payment from PW-11 funds would be paid nor would they lapse till the
conclusion of the case.

1206
 The chief justice remarked that the incumbent government should
deliver otherwise it should be aware of the consequences. He said corruption
was a very serious issue which must be controlled by PML-N. The bench
informed the attorney general of the background of allocation of funds to
parliamentarians under People’s Works Programme (PWP-1)/Tameer-e-
Wattan Programme, criterion, procedure and results of spending the funds of
taxpayers.
Similarly, the court also informed the AGP of the PWP-11 under
which the budgetary allocation of billions of rupees was made and used for
distribution at the discretion of prime minister. The court noted that in the
instant case, Rs47 billion were distributed against the allocated amount of
Rs22 billion after transferring it from Bhasha Dam, HEC and other
important projects.
The court said prima facie no objection was raised by the secretaries
and the staff of the prime minister when the government was just going to
complete its tenure on March 15-16, 2013. Also the executing agencies,
PWD, Sui Southern Gas and Pepco as well as provincial works departments,
issued orders to release the funds without following the rules and
regulations.
On 30h June, Imran Khan stated at a party convention in Islamabad a
neutral accountability commission will be established in the Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa province. A model accountability body would be formed in
the province that would be different from NAB, Khan announced in his first
public appearance after recovery from an injury.
The PTI chief said those identifying corruption would be rewarded,
and the provincial government would make sure police force was not used
for political victimization. Khan also observed peace could not be restored to
Khyber until the prime minister, army chief and representatives of the
people sit together to devise a strategy to uproot the scourge of terrorism.
Next day, announcing zero tolerance to corruption, nepotism and
inefficiency in the government departments, Prime Minister directed his
cabinet colleagues to get rid of the corrupt and dishonest officials. In a letter
to the federal ministers and secretaries, the prime minister stated that that
there was no room for corrupt and non-transparent practices and he asked
them to properly screen their presently deployed staff and immediately
remove the corrupt and those having reputation of inefficiency and
unfriendly attitude towards public.

1207
 ‘In order to have a completely new outlook of the Government, we
need to be very careful in the selection of our teams and those holding
positions of authority, whether in the Divisions or the statutory bodies, as
this selection can affect the image of the Government, on the one hand and
its performance on the other. People of Pakistan have reposed their trust and
confidence in our Government and to betray their trust is not an option.
Instructions must be strictly followed to bring improvements in the
performance of respective domains. I will also urge you to keep me
informed about the status of compliance.’
The Supreme Court on Monday ordered FIA Director General Saud
Ahmed Mirza to complete inquiry into the alleged corruption of Rs40 billion
in the Employees Old Age Benefit Institute (EOBI) within 10 days and
submit its report. The court directed the interior secretary to let the DG pick
officers of his choice from police or other department to probe into the
matter. It also asked the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and the Human
Resource Development to support the FIA.
The DG informed the court that a case had already been registered and
three persons – Wahid Khursheed, former EOBI investment director, and
two former EOBI officials, Maham Majeed and Colonel (r) Ali Hassan
Mirza – were arrested. He said that two persons Muhammad Qasim Pervaiz
and Iqbal Daud had obtained transitory bails from SHC and IHC.
He told the court that former EOBI chairman Zaffar Iqbal Gondal got
money from the same account that received the transaction from the institute
accounts for the purchase of properties. Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and
HRD Secretary Abdul Khaliq told the court that request had been forwarded
to the Interior Ministry to place the name of Gondal and other accused on
the ECL. He said that Gondal went back to his parent department – Auditor
General of Pakistan.
Confirming the allegations raised by the media, he said there had been
18 dubious transactions made to purchase properties on exorbitant prices. A
reporter of a private TV channel informed the court that he had all the data
of the allegations he had leveled against the EOBI chairman and other staff
and would provide the documents. The bench directed the FIA DG to give
him protection as the journalist had been receiving threats for exposing the
scam.
Colonel (r) Tariq Kamal, former Town Planning director at the DHA
said that some 400 kanals near Rawalpindi was handed over to Bharia Town
without any financial consideration and the land was later purchased by

1208
EOBI for investment purposes. Abdul Khaliq said 321 kanals were
purchased directly from the Rawalpindi DHA.
An application was filed in the Supreme Court to start contempt
proceedings against President of Pakistan, ex-PM, former federal minister
and secretary for law and justice for secretly writing second letter to the
Swiss authorities to close graft cases against President Zardari. Syed
Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi filed the petition making President Zardari, former
Prime Minister, former Federal Law Minister and Law Secretary as
respondents.
On 2nd July, Prime Minister proposed two names – Justice (r) Rehman
Hussain Jaffery and Khawaja Zaheer – for the appointment of NAB
Chairman through a letter written to Leader of Opposition. Reportedly,
Khursheed Shah had already given two names to the prime minister, but
instead of picking any of these two names, the prime minister has come up
with his own choice, which showed both the leaders were not on the same
page. The PPP had proposed the names of Justice (r) Sardar Raza Khan and
Justice (r) Mamoon Qazi.
On 4th July, the Supreme Court observed that immunity under Article
248 is not given by default, therefore former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza
Gilani would have to claim it in accordance with law. Hearing the Haj scam
case, the court told Gilani’s counsel that it was misperception that immunity
under Article 248 is given by default; it has to be claimed. Justice Ijaz
remarked whether the Law Ministry or the court would have to decide about
the immunity. The hearing was adjourned until July 23.
After the cancellation of the two passports and other traveling
documents, former chairman OGRA Tauqir Sadiq would travel with an ‘Out
Pass" issued by the Embassy of Pakistan in UAE. Despite the fact that the
name of Tauqir was placed on ECL since January 25, 2012 the proclaimed
offender fled from Pakistan and that million dollar question about his flight
from Pakistan would be answered after the extradition of Tauqir Sadiq from
Abu Dhabi.
Meanwhile, the NAB has planned a foolproof transportation of Tauqir
Sadiq from Islamabad airport to its cell situated in sector G-6 and in this
connection letters have been served to IGP Islamabad, DIG Rawalpindi and
Chief Security In charge Islamabad Airport. The fugitive would be picked
from the runway and transported through Armed Personnel Carrier (APC)
used for important persons safe transportation.

1209
 Next day, an Accountability Court convicted PPP senior leader Malik
Mushtaq Awan for 7-year imprisonment alongwith fine of Rs370 million in
a case of illegal distribution of octroi contracts to some of his blue-eyed
which caused loss of millions of rupees to the public exchequer. After the
judgment, Malik Mushtaq Awan was sent to jail.
On 6th July, Special Judge Anti-Narcotics Court issued notices to
former Prime Minister Gilani, his wife Fouzia Gilani and son Musa Gilani
seeking their response by July 13, 2013 on application of Anti-Narcotics
Force (ANF) for confiscation of their property in the case of alleged
allocation of huge ephedrine quota. The judge also issued notices to ex-
Federal Minister Makhdoom Shihabuddin, his wife and son including seven
other accused in ephedrine smuggling case to respond to the seizure of their
properties by ANF.
Taming the military: On 24th June, the government of Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif said Monday it would put General (r) Pervez
Musharraf on trial for high treason – charges punishable by death or life
imprisonment. The country’s top court gave three days to the government to
initiate proceedings against the alleged violators of the constitution, telling it
there was no need for forging ‘political unanimity’ on the issue.
A treason trial can be initiated only by the state. ‘Musharraf’s actions
came under the purview of high treason’, Nawaz told parliament. ‘He should
face trial...and will have to answer for his guilt before the court’, he added.
Attorney General Munir Malik delivered the same statement on behalf of the
government in the Supreme Court. ‘Those who aided or abetted holding the
constitution in abeyance will also be brought to justice’, Malik said.
Nawaz Sharif did not mince his words. ‘Musharraf violated the
constitution twice. He overthrew an elected government in 1999 and put
everything into jeopardy. He sacked judges and imprisoned them’, he said.
‘We will follow the process of law and all political forces will be taken into
confidence’, he added.
Any trial could put the civilian government at loggerheads with the
powerful army, which vehemently opposes the prospect of its former chief
facing the courts in Pakistan. It also threatens to sabotage the chances of an
alleged quiet deal that Musharraf’s legal team had hoped would allow the
69-year-old to win bail and quietly leave the country.
Musharraf’s office accused Nawaz government of ‘demonstrating
recklessness’ in pursuing ‘unwarranted’ treason charges, which it warned

1210
could destabilize the country. ‘The former president has served Pakistan
with selfless devotion and perseverance. The people of Pakistan will not
tolerate this circus, which is primarily meant to create a diversion’, it said.
The two main opposition parties, PPP and PTI led by Imran Khan
welcomed PM’s remarks. PTI’s Shah Mehmood Qureshi said his party
would support the prime minister on ‘every move towards supremacy of the
constitution and law.’ ‘This house should have another resolution against all
dictators so that no one can cast an evil eye on this house’, said Syed
Khurshid Shah.
Next day, only a day after Nawaz government told the parliament and
the apex court that it was willing to frame high treason charges against the
former military dictator for subverting and suspending the Constitution, the
FIA told a Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court that it has found the then
President Musharraf responsible for hatching criminal conspiracy to
eliminate late PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto.
Submitting the report of investigation carried out under Section 173 of
CrPc by the FIA, Joint Investigation Team (JIT) Head stated that Musharraf
caused breach in Benazir’s security that led to her murder. Musharraf,
according to the FIA, wanted to kill Benazir to secure his rule. ATC No 1
Special Judge summoned Musharraf in the court on July 2, the next date of
hearing.
Meanwhile, the trial court also accepted the plea of Barrister Salman
Safdar of granting exemption to General Musharraf from personal
appearance before the court owing to security threat. However, the court
reserved its verdict on the plea of accused for grating permanent exemption
from appearance in the case till next date of hearing.
On the other hand, the Supreme Court was moved against the order of
Islamabad High Court to grant bail to Musharraf in judges detention case. A
division bench of IHC had granted post-arrest bail to the former president on
June 11 against surety bonds of Rs500,000. The bench in its short order said,
‘There is nothing on record to connect the accused/petitioner (Musharraf)
with the alleged offence (detention of judges). There are only statements of
some lawyers but all those statements are based on allegations and cannot be
considered as evidence.’
Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Munir A Malik briefed Prime
Minister on the latest development regarding the government’s stance on
former President Pervez Musharraf’s trial and sought his advice on filing a
reply in the Supreme Court in this connection. Legal and constitutional

1211
matters with specific reference to the government’s reply submitted in the
Supreme Court came under discussion during the meeting.
On 26th June, the Supreme Court was told that Prime Minister has
directed the constitution of a FIA special investigative team to probe into the
November 3, 2007 act of Pervez Musharraf. Attorney General submitted the
outline of the process envisioned by the government to bring Musharraf to
justice under Article 6. The case hearing will be held tomorrow.
A special investigative team will commence the inquiry in relation to
the emergency of November 3 imposed by General Musharraf. The team is
asked to finalize as expeditiously as possible the statement of case to be put
up by the federal government before the special court which would be
constituted under the Criminal Law Amendment (Special Courts) Act 1976.
Next day, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told the
National Assembly that an FIA team had been made to probe charges that
Musharraf committed treason while in office from 1999-2008. ‘It is a four-
member committee or commission. This committee shall keep the interior
ministry posted about the progress of the inquiry on a weekly basis and
should submit its findings within a short space of time’, Nisar said. the
investigative comprises Agency’s directors and additional directors – Khalid
Qureshi, Maqsoodul Hasan, Hussain Asghar and Azam Khan.
Dispelling the impression of vindictive and unfair trial of Pervez
Musharraf under High Treason Act, the Supreme Court and the federation
assured his counsels that due process of law and fair treatment would be
meted out to the former dictator. The attorney general said that in
accordance with the law, a Special Court comprising serving judges of high
courts would be constituted with the consultation of the chief justice of
Pakistan.
Objecting to the government’s stance on trial, counsel for Musharraf
Ibrahim Satti contended that his client is not afraid of trial under High
Treason Act, provided he would have a fair trial without any foreign
interference and that all the legal and factual pleas, defences and remedies
would be made available to him. Justice Jawwad said: ‘Truth will speak as
there will be a fair trial and no one should have doubt about it.’
Some opposition parties strongly voiced their concern about trying
former President Pervez Musharraf under the treason act for declaring
emergency in the country, proposing that the trial should start against all
those who had abrogated the constitution since 1956. The House, which was
to pass the finance bill 2013 after deliberating amendments proposed by

1212
opposition, came up with their strong protest after the statement by Minister
for Interior that government has formed a four-member committee of FIA to
probe the matter.
On 29h June, Musharraf challenged the Peshawar High Court verdict
that disqualified him from contesting elections for parliament or any other
slot for rest of his life. The court had dismissed Musharraf’s appeal against
the disqualification of his nomination papers from NA-32 Chitral and placed
a lifetime ban on him for contesting elections.
On 3rd July, the apex court disposed of the petitions, seeking the high
treason trial of Pervez Musharraf for abrogating the Constitution, after the
government set up a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) committee to probe
the treason case against the retired general. The court asked the federal
government to proceed against Musharraf as per the undertaking of June 26,
2013, and conclude the investigation without unnecessary delay under the
Article 6 of the Constitution.
The court took into consideration the resolution of the Senate of
January 23, 2012 and took judicial notice of the speech of the president and
that of the prime minister of Pakistan in parliament. ‘We are consciously,
‘deliberately and as submitted by Muhammad Ibrahim Satti, learned counsel
for the respondent (Musharraf) not touching the question of ‘abrogation’ or
‘subversion’ or ‘holding in abeyance the Constitution’ or ‘any conspiracy in
that behalf’ or indeed the question of suspending or holding the Constitution
in abeyance or the issue as to abetment or collaboration in the acts
mentioned in Article 6 of the Constitution. This is so because any
finding/observation or view expressed by us may potentially result in
prejudice to the inquiry/ investigation or subsequent trial that will take place
as a result of such investigation’, the court ruled in its order.
The petitioners had prayed that the federal government be directed to
lodge a complaint under Article 6 of the Constitution against the respondent
Gen Pervez Musharraf and others. Talking outside the Supreme Court, the
counsel of petitioners said if they felt that the government was not serious in
the matter, they would again knock at the doors of the court.
Next day, the Supreme Court made it clear that simple denial by the
spy agencies about the custody of disappeared persons would not be
acceptable. ‘Gone are the days when the courts used to accept the spy
agencies’ denial about the custody of disappeared persons’, said Justice
Jawwad S Khawaja, while hearing.

1213
 The judge said that they were waiting for the government’s action
about the Internment Centres, and hinted to constitute a commission
comprising civil society members including Chairperson Defence for
Human Rights (DHR) Amina Masood Janjua for visiting in the internment
centres to examine the condition of forced disappeared persons there.
He asked the Deputy Attorney General for Pakistan to point out
Armed Forces officials, who were not following the court or Commission of
Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (CIED) orders on forced
disappearances, so that they could proceed against them. Justice Jawwad
said that they were adopting the policy of judicial restraint in missing
persons’ cases because they were aware that the newly elected government
was much sensitive in these issues and similarly, AGP had already made a
commitment before the bench for devising a comprehensive plan in this
regard.
During the hearing, the court expressing concern over the absence of
KPK’s law officer asked the DAG Alizai to take up this matter in the
meeting, which was convened by AGP Munir A Malik with all the advocate
generals of provinces about the recovery of missing persons. Later, the
bench ordered the Advocate Generals of all provinces to depute their
responsible law officers for missing persons’ cases.
Recessing economy: On 25th June, Ishaq Dar has said the PML-N
government has taken a bold initiative to settle the circular debt, besides
taking steps to ensure that it does not recur in future. ‘This one step should
help raise the confidence of investors and investment in this critical sector’,
he said while addressing Pakistan-US Business Opportunity Conference at
Dubai. Dar, welcoming the business leaders to the conference, said, ‘I see
top business groups from Pakistan and I am sure equally formidable groups
are participating from the US side.’
‘Our economy is facing a number of challenges. First, it is the
significant imbalances in our macroeconomic framework that pose major
threats to economic stability. It is well known that the twin deficits of fiscal
and balance of payments are not in the best of shapes. Not only that
sufficient reserves are not available commensurate with our trade volume,
domestic credit is largely preempted by government borrowings, leaving
little room for the private sector to invest’, he remarked.
Secondly, Pakistan’s identity as an economy with a stable policy
framework is missing. ‘Undoubtedly, over the last three decades the country
has moved in the direction of creating an increasingly larger space for the

1214
private sector and establishing a regulatory framework for private
investment in important sectors like banking and finance,
telecommunications, power, oil and gas and electronic media with a view to
protecting and safeguarding interests of all stakeholders’, he asserted.
He noted the key areas that this conference was focusing on – energy,
agriculture and textiles. He said: ‘We are also working to bring new power
based on gas and coal and both of these we will initially import. All of you
know these projects will result in significant business opportunities in
Pakistan and I urge you to be the first to line up for them.’
On 27th June, the national assembly approved the Finance Bill 2013
with majority vote amid stiff criticism from the opposition parties. The
PML-N government secured a ‘legal’ stamp from the legislators on the
increased GST and its other taxation measures. One percent GST increase
(from 16 to 17 percent) would now be effective from June 13, a day after the
announcement of budget. The passage of Finance Bill also allows imposition
of additional 9 percent tax on CNG stations and now there would be 26
percent GST on CNG owing to the value addition method based on input
adjustment.
According to a key amendment in the finance bill, Auditor General
Pakistan (AGP) shall have powers to exempt expenditure of secret service
agencies, certified by the government as relating to national security, from
the scope of audit. The opposition parties, including PPPP, PTI, MQM, JI
and AML, strongly criticized the budgetary proposals and termed it ‘IMF
budget’. Finance Minister denied that government has prepared the budget
on IMF dictation.
The minister claimed that government has upheld the Supreme
Court’s June 21 decision and suspended the increased GST collection with
effect from June 22 to June 30. He also challenged the claims that there
would be 5 percent impact of 1 percent increase in GST. He also negated the
opposition’s stance that the government has presented a mini-budget by
bringing amendments in the finance bill. Dar warmed opposition against
indulging into negative propaganda on the ‘national agenda’ and let the
government put things in right direction within next three years and then
there would be enough time for politics for them.
Next day, a meeting chaired by Prime Minister gave final touches to a
new national energy policy, which envisages reducing electricity generation
cost and transmission losses, signing new agreements to import energy from
Turkmenistan and India, and continuing import of electricity from Iran.

1215
According to it, the supply of gas to CNG sector would be stopped in phases
and more gas would be provided to power sector.
It targets immediate clearing of the circular debt, making payments
for furnace oil within 60 days, increasing electricity generation to
26,800MW, reducing average electricity rates by more than 30 per cent,
achieving zero load shedding in three years. Priority would be given to the
construction of hydal, coal and biogas power projects, while huge public and
private investment in the energy sector would be encouraged.
On 29h June, the government said it has paid Rs322 billion to
independent power producers (IPPs), completing the first phase to eliminate
the circular debt, which will increase power generation and reduce the long-
hour electricity outages. Earlier, a deadlock surfaced between the finance
ministry and the IPPs over the payment mechanism, which was resolved
yesterday night as nine independent power producers agreed to withdraw
their cases from the Supreme Court in five working days.
On 4th July, Pakistan and IMF reached an agreement for a 3-year loan
programme of at least $5.3 billion under an Extended Fund Facility (EFF)
and the programme is said to be based on Islamabad’s ‘home grown
agenda’. According to the terms of the agreement, Pakistan would eliminate
tax exemptions to broaden the tax base, increase power tariff by
withdrawing subsidy in three years, restructure and privatize public sector
entities now running in loss.
‘There was no option but request the loan to save Pakistan from
defaulting. We have not carried the begging bowl in our hands nor are we
getting a grant, Pakistan is a member of IMF’, said Finance Minister Ishaq
Dar, who was flanked by IMF Mission chief Jeffery Franks at a press
briefing. Dar said, ‘We are taking new loan to repay those taken by the
previous government’.
IMF chief Mission said restructuring and privatization of public
enterprises – including those in energy sector – are intended to help restore
fiscal stability as well as boosting investors confidence in Pakistan’s future
economic prospects and opportunities leading to higher growth and job
creation. The country also has a programme to restructure and even privatize
public sector enterprises, which would generate significant revenues, he
said.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met with China’s President Xi Jinping
during visit to Beijing, focused on courting Chinese investment in his
country’s ailing economy and electricity generating sectors. President Xi

1216
told him that China hoped to move ahead with plans for a China-Pakistan
economic corridor. ‘All-weather strategic cooperation is the precious wealth
our two countries share’, Xi said.
Meeting with President and Chairman of China’s Export-Import
(EXIM) bank Li Ruogu, he asked Li to provide funding to the Chinese
enterprises working in Pakistan.  He said that with the support of EXIM
bank, the speed of development in various projects in Pakistan would be
accelerated. Li said ‘EXIM bank is already supporting 27 projects in
Pakistan and the bank will consider expanding assistance in energy,
transport and infrastructure projects’.
Meeting with Chairman of China Development Bank Hu Huaibang,
the prime minister told him about his government’s policies and asked for
his support. He asked him to arrange a credit line, adding that a special fund
would be created for the Pak-China Economic corridor. He assured him that
a separate fund would also be setup for infrastructure development projects.
Hu said that his institution would pump more money in Pak-China
Investment Company for various projects.
Next day, Pakistan and China set their sights on developing a
transport link from northwestern China through rugged Pakistani mountains
to the Arabian Sea; a route they hope will boost economic growth and slash
shipping times. The leadership of the two countries vowed to further deepen
their relationship, bilateral cooperation and strengthen coordination on
international and regional issues.
In a joint statement issued at the end of the talks between Nawaz and
his counterpart Li Keqiang‚ China reiterated support to Pakistan's
sovereignty and territorial integrity. A broad agreement for the ‘economic
corridor’ was among eight pacts signed. The transport link was described as
a ‘long-term plan’ to connect the Chinese city of Kashgar to the port of
Gwadar. This ambitious project would cost around $18 billion and involve
building around 200 kilometres tunnels.
Another agreement will see a fibre optic cable laid from the Chinese
border to the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi that will boost Pakistan’s access
to international communications networks. China is to provide 85 per cent of
the financing for the three-year project’s $44 million budget, with Pakistan
covering the rest. The Agreement on Economic and Technical cooperation
between the Government of Pakistan and China was also inked. Tariq
Fatemi signed another MoU for cooperation between Institute of Strategic
Study and China Institute of Contemporary Study. Two letters of exchanges

1217
were also signed – one on training courses for textile, flood relief and
disastrous management, and the other on provision of equipment for
eradication of Polio.
Punjab Energy Minister Choudhry Sher Ali Khan signed MoU on
local home solar solution project. Another MoU was signed for cooperation
and exchanges between ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Ruling
Communist Party of China. All these agreements and MoUs were signed in
the presence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Premier Li Keqaing. The
two countries recognizing the existing opportunities and the challenges
pledged to promote policies that can advance the cause of peace‚ co-
operation‚ and harmony.
The Chinese side agreed to support the efforts of Pakistan in
addressing its urgent energy needs. The two sides agreed to hold the third
meeting of the China-Pakistan Joint Energy Working Group at an early date
and deepen cooperation in conventional energy‚ renewable energy and other
sources of energy. The two sides agreed to fully implement the Additional
Agreement to Extend the Five Year Development Programme on China-
Pakistan Trade and Economic Cooperation and the China-Pakistan Free
Trade Agreement; fast track work on the projects identified under the Five
Year Development Program; hold the second phase of tax-reduction
negotiations of China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement on speedy basis;
further liberalize trade‚ and advance economic integration between them.
In a meeting with President China Overseas Port Holding Company
Limited Sun Ziyun, Nawaz said his government desires to develop Gwadar
Port on Hong Kong model and it may be given special status through
necessary legislation to ensure speedy work. Nawaz said the government
wanted to develop an airport of international standard in Gwadar and called
for early completion of the repair and rehabilitation works on Karakorum
Highway. Nawaz ordered the completion of Lahore-Karachi Motorway
within two and half years after finalizing the feasibility study of the project
in three months.
A bench headed by Chief Justice heard the suo moto on GST on
petroleum products. The Supreme Court questioned how 9% additional sales
tax, besides 17% GST, could be charged from CNG consumers under
section 3 of the Sales Tax Act 1990. The Petroleum Ministry and Ogra
through Attorney General were asked whether under Article 77 of the
Constitution, GST levied between June 13, 2013 and July 1, 2007 on
petroleum products and CNG, is recoverable?

1218
 The chief justice said: ‘There are no two opinions that the executive
has to generate revenue by levying taxes to run the government but taxes
should be levied rationally, keeping in view that the citizens are suffering
from so many miseries. The democratic government is equally responsible to
extend all possible facilities to its citizens to ensure enforcement of their
fundamental rights enshrined in articles 9, 14 and 24.’ The case was
adjourned till July 11.
Leader of Opposition Khursheed Shah said that government should
place the conditions of IMF loan before the National Assembly and secure
its ratification from the ace legislative body of the country. He demanded
formation of a parliamentary committee to examine the loans taken by the
country and then inform the nation which government took how much loan
and on what conditions. Criticizing the PML-N government, which
according to him has deviated from its stance by taking IMF loan and
increasing the General Sales Tax (GST), Shah said that parliament should
know the terms and conditions of the IMF loan and the government should
get it ratified from the parliament.
On 6th July, traveling from Beijing to Shanghai on high speed train,
the prime minister held four meetings with different business delegates and
later he addressed Pakistan-China Energy Forum in Shanghai which was
attended by over 50 prominent Chinese investors. Nawaz said resolution of
energy issue was the top priority of his government and they would welcome
all the Chinese and foreign investment in this regard. He said that Pakistan
desired to generate maximum chunk of power through coal.
He told the Energy Forum that he was leading the government to pull
the country out of the economic meltdown and expressed the resolve to
eliminate all the bottlenecks to investment in energy sector. The PM said
under Pak-China Trade Cooperation Pact, both the countries were
cooperating for execution of 36 projects in different sectors during second
five-year phase. He expressed satisfaction that earlier, the first five years
agreement was a success of close cooperation.
On 7th July, Prime Minister said that along with overcoming the
energy crisis, it was essential for Pakistan to improve the law and order and
security situation to make progress. Talking to newsmen in Guangzhou, he
said Chinese authorities are worried for the safety of their citizens in
Pakistan and he has assured them that his government would provide
foolproof security to them.

1219
 Nawaz said his talks with the Chinese leadership remained highly
beneficial and productive while the energy crisis in Pakistan remained on top
of their agenda. Referring to delay in execution of power and development
projects, the PM declared that responsible would be held accountable for
showing such slackness towards the important projects, especially the
Neelum-Jhelum hydro power project.
Prime Minister Nawaz said he would set up a ‘China Cell’ in his
office. He said the Cell would be of specific nature, overseeing and pursuing
the execution of the development projects, to be executed with the Chinese
cooperation, to steer the country out of the difficult economic situation. ‘We
have constituted a task force to be headed by federal minister Ahsan Iqbal
while our hosts also formed a similar one. We want the completion of such
projects at the earliest’, he added.
Earlier, talking to secretary of ruling Communist Party of China, Han
Zheng, during an overnight meeting, the prime minister said that Pakistan
and China were time tested friends and they together withstood the difficult
times, and they would keep supporting each other in future as well. Nawaz
expressed the hope that with support of China, Pakistan would overcome its
energy challenges which would also lead to revival of its economy.
According to a handout issued by Punjab CM’s office in Lahore,
Shahbaz Sharif said that success of the visit of Pakistani leadership to China
was not possible without the personal interest taken by the Chinese leaders.
He said that Chinese government has proved to be a true friend of Pakistan
and the visit has paved the way for several projects in energy, transport and
infrastructure sectors in the province.
Baloch militancy: On 25th June, at least two people were killed and
10 others sustained injuries in a landmine blast and firing incident in Dera
Bugti district. Unknown armed men opened fire at a check-post established
by Amn (Peace) force in Gopat area of Dera Bugti. As result two peace force
personnel were killed while two attackers were also injured.
Human rights activist Asma Jahangir appealed to the security and
intelligence agencies to work with the purview of the country’s constitution.
She feared that if the role of security agencies in Balochistan doesn’t change,
it would be detrimental for the democracy. HRCP ked by Asma Jahangir
visited Balochistan and met with officials, members of political parties,
lawyers, representatives of various minority groups and NGOs in the wake
of incidents of Bahadur Khan Women University, Bolan Medical Complex
and Ziarat Residency.

1220
 Addressing a news conference the former HRCP chairperson said that
pro-people policies instead of a pro-security policy needed to be formulated.
She said the killing of doctors and teachers was not a solution of the
problem, adding if the atrocity is responded with atrocities, it would bear
atrocious results in the end. ‘People have taken to the mountains due to
various operations and excesses in the province’, Asma said adding that the
resistant forces should discard their activities for a particular period.
Next day, Balochistan Chief Minister suspended Ziarat DC, DPO,
SHO, DSP and two guards for showing negligence during bomb attack on
the Jinnah Residency. The banned BLA on June 15 had blown up the Jinnah
Residency where Quaid-e-Azam had spent his last days of life. Meanwhile,
at least two Frontier Corps personnel were killed and three others sustained
injures in a remote-controlled bomb attack in Awaran District. An armoured
vehicle was on its way when it was ambushed in Nokjo area of Tehsil
Mashkay.
On 27th June, an alleged suicide bomber and a passer-by were killed
while another civilian sustained injuries in a blast in Kuchlak area, some 20
kilometres away from Quetta. A man was killed in a landmine blast in
Suhbatpur district. An alleged suicide bomber was standing at Killi Katir
Cross near a mosque when his explosive vest went off. Resultantly, a
civilian identified as Lal Khan was killed on the spot while the body parts of
the suicide bomber were scattered in the area.
On 29h June, Police recovered the three bullet-riddled bodies dumped
in the Eastern Bypass area of the provincial capital. Some passersby spotted
three dead bodies lying in the Sasti Basti area near QDA Graveyard and
informed the police. The victims were shot in their heads and chests and
hands and feet of all the three victims had been tied with a rope. Meanwhile,
dozens of women workers of Baloch National Movement (BNM) on
Saturday staged a protest demonstration outside the Quetta Press Club
against the recovery of the mutilated dead bodies of Baloch missing persons
and violation of human rights in Balochistan.
Next day, Balochistan National Party (BNP-Mengal) announced a
protest schedule, including closure of RCD Highway, the main economic
artery of Balochistan, demanding halt to all death squads ‘operating under
the supervision of the state functionaries’. Addressing a joint news
conference at the Quetta Press Club here on Sunday, Agha Hassan Baloch,
former MNA Rauf Mengal and ex-MPA Akhtar Langov told media people
that there would be demonstrations all over Balochistan on July 2, a shutter-

1221
down strike on July 4 and an indefinite closure of RCD Highway, linking
Karachi with Iran.
On 1st July, four people including three labourers were killed in
Naseerabad and Jaffarabad, while unidentified people kidnapped a
government official and attacked a container in Quetta. Next day, Prime
Minister directed ISI and IB to catch the perpetrators involved in terrorist
activities in the city. ‘Establishing peace in a city of 20 streets and 20
markets shouldn’t be so difficult’, premier said and added he had directed all
the agencies to cooperate with the Balochistan government. The premier was
talking to the media in Quetta after chairing a high-level meeting on law and
order situation in Balochistan.
Nawaz said that federal and provincial governments had decided that
terrorism would no longer be tolerated and country’s most competent police
and administrative officers would be appointed in Balochistan. He
announced that after returning from China, he would call a meeting in which
leaders of all political parties would be invited to find solution to all the
issues besieging the country.
Turf war in Karachi: On 24th June, at least five people were
killed in separate incidents of violence, while law enforcers claimed to have
booked some 15 suspects during various raids conducted in different parts of
the City. In England police, investigating the murder of Pakistani politician
Dr Imran Farooq in 2010, said they had arrested a man in connection with
the case after he arrived in London on a flight from Canada. Counter-
terrorism detectives arrested the 52-year-old man at Heathrow Airport and
took him to a police station in London. Reportedly, the arrested 52-year-old
British citizen of Pakistani origin is Iftikhar Hussain and is linked to a
‘strong man’. Earlier, the police searched two residential properties in
London this month as part of the investigation.
Next day, it was reported that in last three days at least 20 people were
abducted and killed after brutal torture in violence that sparked in reaction of
the killing of a gangster’s father in Lyari. Law-enforcement agencies
remained silent over the situation while innocent residents of Lyari and
surrounding areas have been suffering due to the so-called ethnic warfare
between the Urdu, Katchi and Balochi-speaking inhabitants. 
On 26th June, Altaf Hussain warned the Muslim world that the Titanic
of Muslim Ummah had started sinking. Talking to a joint meeting of MQM
coordination committee in London and Pakistan here the other day, he said
he was giving this example to the people of Pakistan as boastful claims

1222
made for the titanic were being made for Pakistan as well. Altaf said there
was a similarity between the current situation in Pakistan and the Titanic
ship.
Speaking about the debacle in East Pakistan, he said that the Radio
Pakistan in West Pakistan was broadcasting news that our armed forced
were advancing on every front and that we are getting victory at every place.
Altaf appealed to the people of Pakistan not to forget his statement as the
country may go down in the history as a tragic story if the situation was not
changed.
Next day, eight people, including a lawyer were gunned down in
different incidents of violence. On 28th June, eight people were gunned down
in various violent incidents while law-enforcement agencies claimed to have
killed alleged gangster Saqib boxer in an encounter during targeted
operation in Lyari. Tension in Lyari and surrounding areas flared up again
when gunmen riding motorbikes sprayed bullets in Khajoor Market area of
Kharadar. At least two dozen motorcyclists came and resorted to
indiscriminate firing, killing mother of two children and wounded 9 others.
On 30h June, self-exiled Altaf Hussain, who earlier relinquished
MQM leadership and handed the authority to group’s coordination
committee, retracted his resignation on insistence of party workers,
supporters and sympathizers, and the family survived by assassinated Dr
Imran Farooq. ‘I may not be the chief in the eyes of Britain, but I am the
chief in the eyes of MQM workers’, remarked Altaf withdrawing his
resignation that came following a raid in connection with the Dr Imran
Farooq assassination case on his UK residence by London Metropolitan
Police in which several materials were confiscated.
In his address to party workers over telephone from London, he
alleged national and international establishments were conspiring against
him just because of his righteous struggle against feudal system in Pakistan.
He also accused Scotland and London Metropolitan Police of being part of
this conspiracy. He complained despite requests, police had not given him a
list of items seized, and blamed the establishments for maligning him and
his party by propagating ‘this group does not tolerate opponents’.
He remarked Imran Farooq had been suspended for violating the party
discipline but that did not mean lack of tolerance. ‘Amir and Afaq would
have been alive if there had been no tolerance and patience in this party’, he
argued. He however showed courage of facing trial in Farooq murder case in

1223
Britain, saying if a court of law took up the assassination case he would not
engage any lawyer, solicitor, or barrister rather fight the case himself.
On 2nd July, three people, including two MQM workers were shot
dead in separate violent incidents. In addition, at least two people were
killed and several others wounded in fresh wave of violence in Lyari. Next
day, at least nine people, including three MQM workers were gunned down
in various incidents. On 4th July, at least four persons were killed and several
others injured in violence in different localities of the metropolis.
Next day, law enforcement agencies failed to maintain law and order
in Lyari and adjacent areas where gangsters continued using rockets,
grenades and other sophisticated weapons against each other on the third
consecutive day. The shootout continued in various localities of Lyari
including Hangorabad, Agratajj, Phool Pati Lane, Chakiwara, Bihar Colony,
Dubai Chowck, Maripur Road and other adjoining areas dominated by
Kutchi people. Day’s gun battle left at least seven people dead and over fifty
wounded.
Noor Muhammad aka Baba Ladla, a kingpin of Lyari, yesterday night
made announcements in the mosques of the troubled areas that Kutchies,
Kathiyawari, Memon and MQM supporters evacuate the areas within 48
hours. Following the announcements, gangsters started attacks on Kutchi
dominated areas in which three people were killed while fifty others were
wounded. 
Kutchis offered the funeral prayer of Shoaib Ishaq Kutchi at Maripur
Road and tried to take the body to the Chief Minister’s House but police
used teargas, water cannon and did aerial firing to scatter the mob.  The
clash between the protesters and police continued for six hour and suspended
the activities of Karachi Port and stuck the traffic on several major roads of
the city. During the clash, six people got injured and later one of the injured,
succumbed to injures. 
Following the protest, gangsters launched more attacks on Kutchi
dominated areas in which Shakeel Kutchi and an unknown man were killed
at Jumma Baloch Road, Qasim Kutchi killed on Al-Falah Road, another man
was killed in Bandooq Gali, Nipper and a dead body was found from
Nattaka Bridge. Gangsters also attacked law enforcers and forced them out
of the trouble areas. 
Law enforcement agencies, politicians and gangsters are in unison and
making million of rupees by manufacturing gutka, running gambling dens,
selling drugs, kidnapping for ransom and extortions, the locals

1224
alleged. Hussain Kutchi, leader of the KRC, said that the income from Lyari
‘is beyond our imagination’. ‘That is why no action has been taken against
the gangsters who are also targeting Usmanabad, Dhobi Ghat, Ranchore
Line, Kharader, Shairshah to get control of these areas as well.’
Meanwhile, the Sindh government announced establishing more
pickets of police and rangers in Lyari to ensure the peace and protection of
the lives of people in the area. A delegation of the Katchi community met
with the government representatives including Sindh Information Minister
Shajreel Inam Memon and the South DIG. After being assured by the
authorities that action would be taken against criminals in Lyari and other
areas, the Katchhi people ended their sit-in outside the CM House and
dispersed peacefully.
The MQM alleged that the PPP and Sindh government are supporting
the Lyari gangsters who are targeting various communities including
Memons, Katchis and Katiyawari in Agra Taj Colony other areas of the
metropolis. Meanwhile, law-enforcement agencies arrested at least 11
alleged terrorists, including a would-be suicide bomber during a targeted
operation in Manghopir locality.
On 6th July, a high-level meeting of the Sindh government, presided
by President Zardari, decided to deploy at least 2,000 additional police cops
and Rangers to control the volatile situation in Lyari area of Karachi. The
President also directed the LEAs to expedite action against criminals
irrespective of their political affiliation as violence in the provincial
metropolis could destabilize the entire country.
Next day, at least twelve people lost their lives in violence-related
incidents in different areas of the city. The long-drawn-out gang war in Lyari
Town has forced scores of families to migrate to coastal areas of Sindh
province and many others to take refuge in other constituent towns in
Karachi, it has been learnt. According to reports, at least 30,000 people have
migrated from strife-hit Lyari to coastal areas of Badin and Thatta districts.
These people, who were residing in Old and New Kalri, Agra Taj Colony.

VIEWS
Rule of law
Outrageous, unacceptable: ‘The revelation that former federal Law
Secretary Justice (r) Yasmin Abbasey had written a letter to the Swiss

1225
authorities on November 22, 2012, saying that the contents of the earlier
letter of November 5 of the government calling upon them to reopen the
money laundering cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, be ignored has
caused nationwide shock and frustration. That the government (read,
President himself) at whose instance Justice Abbasey would have penned
down the letter overruled the Supreme Court which had instructed it to send
the November 5 letter after having approved it is simply outrageous; it is
totally unacceptable. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry justifiably
took strong exception to this devious attempt when Attorney General
Muneer A Malik made the disclosure before the court on Wednesday. The
court issued a stern warning that those responsible for committing it would
have to pay dearly. The AG told the SC that the government had established
contact with the Swiss asking them to treat Justice Abbasey’s letter as
illegal. And Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif, on his part, had constituted
a committee to investigate the matter. The Chief Justice asked the AG to
submit before the court a report on the subject within two weeks.
The November 22 letter is a sharp reminder of the unfortunate reality
that the corrupt leadership of Pakistan could touch any depth of moral
degradation to sidestep the law, even if it were to defy the explicit orders of
the apex court. Not only would the second letter cause alarm and dismay in
the country at the extent to which the highest in the land could go to obstruct
the course of justice, just to save his own skin, it would also further tarnish
the image of Pakistan in the eyes of the world. It is already the butt of
ridicule of the international community for the shenanigans of its leadership.
Pakistan at this stage needs, perhaps, more world support than ever before to
defeat the hydra-headed monster of terrorism and to revive its crumbling
economy. Anything that draws attention of the foreign investors to the
incidents of deceit in the country would make them think twice before
putting their money in business ventures here. It, indeed, is a situation to
cause despair. The people can only look up to the new ruling leadership
hoping that it would not compromise on this grave act of deception under
any circumstances and follow the case to the end so that a message could go
out to the world that deviant behaviour is no longer acceptable in Pakistan.
The Supreme Court has another case of contempt of court on hand.’
(Editorial, TheNation 28th June)
Taming the military
Both legal but audacious: ‘Mian Sahib’s decision is absolutely in
order legally and a democratic setup was expected to take it to preserve the

1226
dignity of the law. However, it cannot but ruffle the feathers of Musharraf’s
powerful backers, both here and abroad, and that might make it harder for
the PML-N government to tide over the dreadful economic crisis and handle
the terrorist threat Pakistan is faced with. But now that the die has been cast
it must be followed to the end.’ (Editorial, TheNation 25th June)
Musharraf in deep water: ‘Speculations that former President Gen
Pervez Musharraf would leave the country without standing trial have died
down. Not only that Nawaz setup has decided to initiate high treason
proceeding against him under Article 6 of the constitution, the Federal
Investigating Agency submitted the seventh and final challan in the anti-
terrorism court of Rawalpindi against him for being the main accused in
Benazir Bhutto’s murder. The FIA has blamed the former military ruler of
hatching a conspiracy…
Meanwhile, former Interior Secretary, Kamal Shah has said that he
wrote a letter to Gen Musharraf requesting him to provide security cover to
three former prime ministers – Ms Bhutto, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and
Shaukat Aziz. According to him, Musharraf gave approval for providing
security to Chaudhry Shujaat and Mr Aziz but didn’t respond to the request
regarding Ms Bhutto. The FIA has given no indication of what evidence
would be submitted against Musharraf. It is believed that evidence includes
sworn statements from two Bhutto associates, Briton Victoria Schofield and
American Mark Siegel. Both have previously said Bhutto had told them that
if she were assassinated in Pakistan after a decade in exile, Musharraf should
be held responsible.
The FIA move came only a day after Premier Nawaz Sharif
announced in the parliament that his administration would prosecute
Musharraf for high treason for twice abrogating the constitution – first, when
he led the 1999 coup and then, in November 2007, when he declared a state
of emergency to facilitate the sacking of the Supreme Court Chief Justice,
Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry. What remains to be seen is how the drama
unfolds especially when many commentators are harping about a Pandora's
box and General’s friends in the armed forces. It is the rule of democracy
that we should all submit to regardless of the consequences. All are equal in
the eyes of the law and so is General Musharraf.’ (Editorial, TheNation 27 th
June)
General in the dock: ‘The special trial court, which will be
constituted to try Musharraf under the High Treason Act 1976, would only
have to determine whether the former dictator would be awarded death

1227
sentence or life imprisonment if there were some mitigating circumstances
in the present case. He, needless to say, has already been declared guilty of
sabotaging the constitution by the apex court. Some analyst however suspect
that even in case of such an eventuality the army’s reaction will determine
the shape of things in this country. My personal view is that here again the
fears are rooted in the past conduct of the army leadership. Having said that,
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has remained aloof from politics and
supported democracy in the country, which represents a change in the
attitude of the khaki mindset.
All political parties in Parliament are unanimous in their resolve to let
the former dictator face the consequences of his unconstitutional actions.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has played his cards in a very shrewd manner
in enlisting across the board support to the stance of his government. The
trial of Musharraf and his conviction will establish the credentials of the
judiciary as a truly independent entity, besides acting as a deterrent to the
would-be adventures and go a long way towards strengthening democracy.
Whether the sentence awarded to Musharraf is actually implemented
or not is a different question altogether. A substantial number of people
believe that he came back after certain guarantees of the international
players, who traditionally have been playing their role in bailing out
Pakistani leaders in trouble and they would ensure that he was not harmed. I
personally go with this view while firmly supporting the holding of the trial,
though having a symbolic importance. 
Benazir’s rapprochement with Musharraf and Nawaz’s sojourn to
Saudi Arabia after having been awarded death sentence are vivid examples
before us. This view also makes sense if we have an incisive look at the
circumstances under which Musharraf came back to Pakistan. He knew the
dangers and was not so naïve as to take the plunge before ensuring that the
move did not backfire. His conviction may be set aside by the President
under his constitutional powers to pardon a convict, or we might see
Musharraf leaving the country under an internationally-brokered agreement
that is within the competence of the government to negotiate.’ (Malik
Muhammad Ashraf, TheNation 28th June)
To the Prime Minister! ‘Around 7 pm on June 24, the day our dear
Prime Minister announced his dramatic decision to indict PM, i.e. General
(retd) Pervez Musharraf, on the charges of high treason, I was stopped short
by one of the most illustrious lunatics in our mental institution. He had a

1228
blank expression on his face and, interestingly enough, a blank envelope in
his hand.
‘Would you please post this letter for me, Mr Officer?’ said he.
‘Sure, dude. Who do you want to send it to?’ I asked curiously.
‘The Prime Minister’, he replied.
‘The Prime Minister? Are you sure?’ I inquired.
‘Absolutely. You just post it. Don’t worry about the content. It is
harmless. On the safe side, you can open and read it. You can even use it as
a material for your next piece. I know you write for the papers at times’, he
said, as if he had done his due homework before approaching me.
I nodded; duly thanked him and taking the letter from him, I asked to
take my leave. Here is the letter copied letter by letter to let the readers know
about the innermost thoughts of a layman-turned-lunatic concerning the
application of Article 6 in the current state of affairs:
‘Dear Mr Prime Minister;
You took me by surprise today on June 24. You made such a strange
move. More of a somersault, I must say. I thought you had forgiven the good
general. Well, few weeks back in your election campaign, you just told us
so. Didn’t you? ‘I forgive Musharraf for what he did’. Were you kidding us
then? Or are you kidding us now? You know I am no diplomat or politician,
but only a fool. I take words at face value.
Just what happened in the due course to change your view, Mr PM?
The cowardly attacks in Quetta killing innocent girl students? The turning
into ashes of the historic Quaid-i-Azam Residency in Ziarat? The suicide
attack in a funeral procession in Mardan, killing a PTI MPA and scores
others? The murder of an MQM MPA in Karachi? The suicide attack in a
Shia madrassah in Peshawar? Or the worst terrorist attack in a decade on
foreign tourists, in Diamer?
All these only within a month of your taking oath as the PM, Mr PM.
Naturally, I and my fellow fools expected something else. Something out of
the ordinary. A holistic and robust security policy to deal with this
nightmarish hell. It appears you got a different take on that. You say it is
economics that holds great sway. That once we have a strong economy, we
will overcome all other ills. As a businessman, you fail to see both economy
and security go hand in hand. No security, no investment. No investment, no

1229
business. Simple as that. Just tell me how can one do any business amid
bombs, bullets and guns?
So what do we make of it? Are we back to the nineties’ politicking?
Politics of personal vengeance? Of personal vendetta? Or that it was
necessary to make rule of law rule the country? That justice must prevail
under any circumstances. That you want to establish a high precedence. That
you plan to put a stop to any future coup d'état. Or that you intend to atone
for the all the past martial laws.
Well, all that sounds so revolutionary a talk. A sweet flowery talk. An
idealistic and academic talk, one might say. Would you mind if I rather ask a
few cross questions? Was it necessary to go for such an extreme position?
Was it vital to take such a radical step? Wouldn’t it establish a dangerous
precedence in its own right? Wouldn’t it create more mayhem and riot? Was
there no middle course to dodge the bullet? No balanced way? No third
option?
Don’t you think you are flying tad too high tad too soon, Mr PM?
That high treason is a high charge? That it carries with it high risks and high
pitfalls? That it will create yet another high drama? That it will cause a high
temperature? Apparently, it seems only one Article: Article 6. But there are
clauses and sub-clauses that can serve as jinx for your newly-formed
government. For the devil always lies in the details.
And all this at a time when all we need is a conducive civil-military
relationship. When you need the army most. And the army needs you most. I
understand you are only following the Supreme Court orders. That you had
no choice in the matter. That you tried to buy time. A full month. But that
you were denied that and were given only two days. That is, only 48 hours to
make such a crucially important decision.
Now this one decision thwarts all your recent attempts at national
reconciliation, Mr PM. You accepted the PTI majority in the KPK - your
worst enemy in the polls. You sacrificed your own party’s majority in the
restive Balochistan. You rather gave peace a chance by offering the CM seat
and Governorship to the nationalists. So while on the one hand, you try to
avoid repeating the past mistakes. On the other, you are just making new
ones.
Besides, it is also a case of personal ingratitude. You know the same
general once bestowed upon you mercy. You were also once charged with a
high treason case. Remember? The aircraft hijacking one. You were put
behind bars. You were sentenced to life imprisonment. You sought pardon.

1230
And you were given. You were even provided a safe exit. It is only a
question of perception how you see it then: the much-trumpeted makafat-e-
amal, i.e. heavenly retribution or history’s repetition? History will judge the
verdict in any case.
We have a history of indulging in inconsequential shibboleths. We
just fritter away our time and energy. We refuse to come to terms. We
wallow in non-issues and turn a blind eye toward the real ones. We wasted
almost three years arguing if the President enjoys the privilege of exception
or not. We moved to and fro between the two poles. We oscillated between
the two positions. Exception. No exception. We sent an elected Prime
Minister home. We disqualified him for five years. We wasted millions of
the taxpayers money. And only to find in the end that the Swiss courts
would not open the cases at all. Huh.
You somehow tried to put the ball in the court of the apex court, Mr
PM. You say the general will be charged for his November 3 action. And not
the October 12 one. Now that is beyond my insane understanding. Methinks
that lands you in a paradoxical position. If October 12 is not a high treason
act, how come the November 3 is one? If the overthrow of a civilian
government by a military man is not an illegal step, how come the detention
and house arrest of the judges is one? It is a simple question. But it begs for
an answer.
So unless you come up with a satisfactory answer, your action against
Musharraf would only be interpreted as a case of personal grudges. Of
personal qualms. Of personal egotistic designs. That you’d only be
following the politics of distraction - trying to divert the public attention
from real issues. That you’d merely be going for selective justice. That
you’d just be looking for a scapegoat. That you’d only be following the
footsteps of your so-called mentor – that mard-e-momin mard-e-haq – who
hanged a leader, deemed by some as a democrat and considered by others as
a civil martial law administrator.
Looking forward to your kind response.
Sincerely Yours, Baba Baola
Postscript: “Justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both”
(Eleanor Roosevelt).’ (Sami ur Rahman, TheNation 30th June)
The moment of trial: ‘Though it appears that the question is how far
Mian Nawaz is prejudiced against the man, who removed him from office
nearly 14 years ago, it seems the real question is whether Nawaz is willing to

1231
sacrifice his office, to which he has returned after nearly 14 years, for his
sake. However, while the trial would be about not just the 1999 coup, but
about the 2007 clash with the judiciary, the fact that Mian Nawaz was
removed the first time, means that he would not exert himself to stop it.
It is also worth noting that there does not seem to be as much
opposition as expected to the idea of a former COAS going on trial. This
would indicate the damage done to the institution by the Musharraf years,
that the original reason for acceptance of military rule, the civilian
populace’s belief in the armed forces as its guardian, has been eroded, with
the result that there has been no open protest at the prospect of as august a
personage as a former COAS going on trial. It should go to the credit of the
judiciary, that by removing a Prime Minister from office for contempt, the
Supreme Court showed that it was no respecter of persons.
The trial of General (retd) Musharraf, all agree, should not be allowed
to bring the institution into disrepute. However, as Musharraf derived his
power to take over from his position as COAS, it is difficult to see how the
institution can be kept out of the trial.
Another point that needs clarification is how Musharraf carried out the
coup. He did not do more than issue orders. That the orders were obeyed
speaks well of the discipline of the army, but this is the Pandora’s Box that
Musharraf supporters fear will be opened… This would be similar to the
ruling Turkish AKP, which tried a large number of retired military personnel
on charges of belonging to the Energekon terror organization, not of the
1982 coup that overthrew the elected government.
It should also be noted that the AKP waited until its second
consecutive term before it conducted the ‘sledgehammer’ trial, which saw
three retired four-star officers, one from each service, among those
convicted of a coup attempt. That trial had seen all the service chiefs resign
to protest the jailing of military officers. It remains to be seen whether any
resignations, including of the service chiefs, might follow Musharraf’s trial.
That would depend on two things. First, how many officers were arrested,
and how much contact they had with other officers. Second, how much
pressure the chiefs felt from their respective services…
Pakistan would also need to keep an eye open for US interference, for
its military has always valued its ties to Pakistan’s. One factor that will help
a trial happen is that the USA is going to drawdown in Afghanistan, which
will leave the US, including its military, to see the flaws in Pakistan’s
military, which is a nuclearized country. Under these circumstances, it is

1232
unlikely to do much more than say any action is Pakistan’s internal affair.
Indeed, so long as the USA can rain down missiles from drones on Pakistani
territory, no trial will make it intervene in favour of Musharraf.
One point being made about the trial is that the timing is not right.
That is a sort of way of saying that there should be another putting off. It is
almost as if we are to wait not just for the participants to have retired, but
actually to have died. Already, the importance of the timing can be seen
from the natural question that why not the other coup-makers, if Musharraf?
It is unfortunate, but perhaps inevitable, that the previous three coup-makers,
Ayub, Yahya and Zia, are all dead, and so long ago had their coups been,
they would have been respectively 106, 96 and 89, while Musharraf himself
turns 70 next month. Subordinates would be younger, but not all that much.
Trials had better be hurried, because the death of one defendant on a trial,
including on the other defendants, is traumatic for all concerned.
It is worth considering whether an approver is needed. In Turkey, in
the ‘sledgehammer’ trial, a military man turned approver and provided the
evidence necessary. However, in Musharraf’s case, the facts may not prove
very difficult to establish, though there may still be need of an insider to
prove intention. The very loyalty that allows such a coup will be tested, for
the loyalty, which the Raj called being true to one’s salt (namak halal),
forbids anyone from giving witness against a brother officer.
The government may be headed by someone with a personal
incentive, but it is basically following a Supreme Court directive in
prosecuting the case. That means the judiciary is no longer fulfilling its Raj-
era role of backing the government. The post-independence dispensation,
where the military combined with the judiciary and the bureaucracy to keep
the elected representatives (suddenly introduced towards the end of the Raj)
in check, is apparently no longer required. That would be why the trial might
take place.
The outgoing President, Asif Zardari, will be watching developments
with great interest. If the government lets Musharraf off, or lets him have an
easy ride, his chances of escaping trial, for which he has used his
presidential immunity, will increase, even though that immunity expires
with his term in September. However, if he is tried, then he might find that
all the presidency gave him was a five-year pause, not the permanent release
he sought.’ (M A Niazi, TheNation 5th July)
Old perceptions die hard: ‘One would view Prime Minister’s
Special Adviser’s on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz’s statement that the army

1233
has now given it the signal which would prompt it to formulate policies on
its own with a pinch of salt. That he was talking against the backdrop of the
drone attacks and talks with India was quite obvious when he made a clear
reference to these grey areas, long been a bone of contention between the
civil and the military.
But precisely why he felt the need to say that evinces a fear of the
armed forces. It leaves the hint pretty clear that GHQ is still one of the
centres of power whose prior consent is invariably a passport to any
government of the day where drones or talks with India are concerned. And
why is that, since the parliament is led by the PML-N which not only
happens to be the one elected by the people’s will but also carries a heavy
mandate. Legislators and parliamentarians are the ones who should be in the
driving seat when it comes to steering the country forward; wherever they
feel they need to put their foot down, they should assert themselves without
taking into consideration what any other institution might think. That is what
democracy is largely about; giving power to the people’s elected
representatives and from them to the people themselves. Mr Sartaj might
have made the statement in order to clear the air that the army is on the same
page with the federal government and that there is no antagonism between
them. While this might be intended to dispel rumour mongering, that does
not show confidence in the power of the ballot.
The idea seems to suggest that democratic dispensation is still at the
beck and call of the army. Granted elected setups in the past have been
acting independently regardless of any fear from any quarter, and they were
victimized for that; now that is changing. The parliament is gaining strength,
which calls on the public representatives to be self-confident while holding
top-tier portfolios.’ (Editorial, TheNation 7th July)
Recessing economy
Running in circles: ‘Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif
announced the other day that without increasing the rates of electricity, the
shortfall cannot be bridged. His explanation that the poor segment of society
would not be affected is hard to sell, since in all conscience they are the first
to fall prey to any such fluctuation.
But this particular approach smacks of the way the previous
government had been running the show; the results are quite obvious. The
bills are an invariable nightmare that eats up a good part of the monthly
budget of a middle income consumer. The increases have been made so
often that the present scale of rates is totally unjustified. Granted the

1234
government has promised to pay the circular debt in a short span of time, it
should know that the tariffs are as much a phantom as the load shedding
itself. It is like giving from one hand and taking back from the other.
Protests are common in parts of the country; some of the demonstrations are
against the excessive billing. If the idea is to pay off the circular debt but
continue raising the tariffs every few weeks, this is not the kind of solution
we need. Imagine the quandary of those who sometimes receive bills that are
more than their average earnings. That has happened because those running
the power ministry have not been sensitive to the effects their shenanigans
register on the masses. The people have had enough; it stands to reason that
the tariffs are reduced in phases. The authorities in charge of the power
sector that includes Wapda, Pepco and others should instead be asked to
prevent line losses, electricity theft and rampant corruption so as to lead the
people out of the riddle. Khawaja Asif has to use his brain as well rather
than counting on the advice that is forced on him. A reason why energy
experts keep urging the government to go for the Hydel energy is that with
it, the electricity will be affordable. With Kalabagh Dam we can have a
unit’s price reduced to Rs1.2. The fallout consumers as well as the economy
suffer each year in the absence of this hydropower project, according to ex-
chairman Wapda Shamsul Mulk is a whooping Rs132 billion.
Khawaja Asif ought not to fritter his energies on remedies that have
been already put to trial only to leave disastrous impact. What he should
look for is to dispense much needed respite from the plague that has jolted
every sphere of life. The idea of raising the tariffs as means towards
alleviating the blackouts will be met with mass resentment and
disappointment. And also it would plunge the countrymen into the same
kind of vicious circle they thought the new breed of leaders would salvage.’
(Editorial, TheNation 27th June)
Swallowing the IMF ‘bullet’: ‘For a country like ours, which does
not have foreign currency reserves sufficient enough to cover even one
month’s imports, the IMF conditionalities are bound to be harsh. We are
already a ‘basket’ case and have even been described in successive global
ratings as “junk territory” - meaning a country with no trust or credibility
among world lenders and investors. Can the IMF salvage us? Yes, only if we
change our governance patterns and opt for economic discipline and self-
reliance.
There is nothing unusual with aid-related conditionalities. Even the
famous Marshall Plan had its conditionalities to ensure the requisite
oversight and accountability. In terms of conditionalities, the donor and

1235
recipient always do lot of homework to evolve the needed convergence of
mutual obligations. It now remains to be seen what homework is done by
Finance Minister Dar’s economic team for a deal with the IMF. The
negotiations are already said to be in crucial final phase. Surely, if there are
any conditions that ignore our socio-economic peculiarities and we cannot
accept them, we always have the option to decline the IMF package.
The question, however, is: whether as a borrower we have been
faithful in adhering to our own commitments in the past? If memory serves
us well, no IMF prescriptive measures have ever produced the desired
results because we never implemented them. One had thought the last IMF
Standby Arrangement would bring some structural changes in our rotten
system. The loans we received were linked to stringent conditionalities and
policy benchmarks, including reduced borrowings and government spending
and new taxes. But the then government never changed its habits. It kept
borrowing and printing money with no control over the deteriorating
macroeconomic situation.
With adverse security developments, high oil and food prices and
global financial turmoil our crisis further aggravated. We just had no
financial managers to redress the situation. The then government remained
obsessed with “foreign money” and kept running after elusive “Friends of
Pakistan”. Any new IMF programme for Pakistan, like the earlier ones,
would inevitably warrant redressing the economic mismanagement and
macroeconomic imbalances. No matter how stringent the IMF conditions
are, they are for our own good and can be negotiated with some dignity and
honour.
The alternative of going to individual countries shamelessly begging
for money in the name of ‘friendship’ is even worse than standing in Kalma
Chowk and knocking every passing car’s window for help. The lessons for
the new government are clear. Our problems are those of pathetically poor
governance, absence of the rule of law, endemic corruption, and non-existent
institutionalized development strategy. There is no law and order in the
country. Let us put our house in order. Loot and plunder of national
exchequer must stop. Our problems are all at home. Their solutions are also
at home, not in Riyadh, Dubai, Beijing, London or Washington.
The system that breeds corruption, tax evasion, kleptocracy, abuse of
power, lavish governmental spending, a VIP culture, and violence and
lawlessness will have to be rooted out from our body politic. We need larger
cuts in governmental spendings. In fact, the Prime Minister’s gesture of

1236
budgetary cuts in his own office should have been emulated by all other
ministries. The Foreign Office should take the lead by closing some of the
redundant missions and posts abroad. We must return to genuine economic
discipline before asking the people to be ready to swallow the IMF bullet.’
(Shamshad Ahmad, TheNation 2nd July)
A note to the PM: ‘This is a national policy review article, in fact, a
political doctrine document, directly addressed to the Prime Minister at a
time when the state of Pakistan is adversely overwhelmed by domestic, as
well as foreign related problems, to an extent justifiably viewed as a national
crisis.
It is apparent that Pakistan is a sinking ship - that is, until the captain
in command does what a skipper is supposed to do: unload the unnecessary
baggage, steer the ship onto the right course and safely to its destination. It is
at such a point in time that a captain’s expertise, courage, vision, and, above
all, leadership qualities are at stake and are judged. At the same time,
maritime traditions are that if the captain fails to save the ship, he goes down
with it to the bottom of the sea. There is no exception to this rule - his
destiny is ultimately tied to the fate of the ship.
So, metaphorically speaking, the important questions in the post-May
11 elections are: is the democratic ship of Pakistan, so to speak, on the
proper course to its destination? Is the captain in complete control? Is he
aware of the possible looming crisis ahead, as the sea turns into a hovering
storm? Is he knowledgeable of crisis-management strategies when the sea
turns rough with whirlwinds and typhoons in accordance with the laws of
nature - out of human control and driven by wild forces subject only to their
own rules? Does he know when to unload the unnecessary baggage? Can the
skipper manage teamwork in a crisis situation? Can he evaluate the coming
of a crisis? Can the captain change its course before the storm strikes and
avoid the foreseeable disaster?
Comparing 2013 Pakistan to a ship on a rough sea is only an analogy
to explain the nature of this nation’s complex and complicated political-
economic progress. Day in and day out, our problems, both political and
economic, are multiplying. Governance over the last several decades has
failed. Poverty has increased. Public services have been decimated. Social
and cultural progress has nose-dived. Foreign relations are continuously and
indefinitely in a state of error. Our sovereignty has been violated. The
domestic law and order situation can be described close to a civil war

1237
analogy and there seems to be no end to our ever-growing national
difficulties. The question is: after all, why is it so? 
There is an old saying: ‘All dark clouds have a silver lining.’
Unfortunately, I do not see Pakistan’s fate going in that direction. Do not get
me wrong – I am not a pessimist – but ‘realism’ at this juncture of our
national history, with a view to acknowledge and recognize the factual
realities of our disruptive political-economic discourse, might lead us
towards a renewed search for a change in our political direction. Pakistan
needs a revolutionary resolution of its ailing political-economic system and
getting rid of its six decade-old dysfunctional political mis-management.
Indeed, successive Pakistani civilian-military rulers have been flawed in
their political-economic developmental concepts and national doctrine for a
democratic prosperous Pakistan. 
A word about democracy here: democracy is not only a procedural
holy ritual of periodic voting to elect public representatives. In fact, it is a
process of enhancing the quality of life of each and every citizen of a nation.
Has that happened in Pakistan? Notwithstanding the political rhetoric, the
fact of the matter is that the common citizens in this country have been
economically better off during military regimes as compared to civilian eras
(for example, consider Musharraf’s era with the 2008-2013 democratic era,
etc.). Without going into a complex debate on this issue, it is obvious that a
doctrine of public welfare has not evolved, philosophically and conceptually,
in the civilian ruling circles of this country. It appears that civilian rulers are
more focused on attaining and preserving ‘political power’ than serving the
interests of the masses. How else can we explain the ever-growing socio-
economic divide in society: the ruling civilian-elite getting fabulously rich,
while the common citizen, the majority of them, have reached the level of
absolute poverty and socio-economic deprivations of all kinds (including
health, education, and so on and so forth).
The present-day civilian rulers of Pakistan need to formulate a clearly
defined socio-economic-political doctrine of public welfare and implement it
urgently. Today’s Pakistan is like simmering underground lava about to
explode with its drastic and destructive consequences – the common citizens
have had enough of it – there are warnings written on the walls. Traditional
political modus operandi, old tricks, old time socio-economic views are all
things of past backward thinking. It is time to drain the soap operas out of
Pakistan’s traditional political theatrics and deal head-on with the real issues
and problems of the common citizen of this country. 

1238
 Political history can provide the contemporary Pakistani civilian
ruling elite with some instructive lessons. For example, on April 12, 1961,
the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space – a
landmark achievement in science and technology. Amazingly, within a short
span of some 44 years after the 1917 revolution, the Soviet Union had
attained full literacy, developed over 400 vocational and professional
educational institutions, provided full employment, housing, and health
facilities for all its citizens, made remarkable advancement in science and
technology, passed unprecedented legislation for human emancipation,
developed massive industrial and communication infrastructure all over the
country and became a global power – until Gorbachev’s experiment with
corporate capitalism disintegrated the country. Obviously, corporate
capitalism did not work there.
China has not sold its profit-making companies to the US-Western
corporate entities, or to any foreign countries (as Pakistan has done under the
pretext of foreign investments), neither has it accepted US dictates over its
foreign policy or domestic policies (as Pakistan has done for the last six
decades) during its phenomenal rise to global industrial, commercial and
diplomatic eminence. Even today’s China has not adopted corporate
capitalism to continue its phenomenal rise in world affairs and national
reconstruction. 
And there are scores of other nations that have developed on the basis
of self-reliance, mass mobilization of its population for industrial growth,
dramatic achievements in science and technology and in attaining self-
sufficiency. President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s ‘New Deal’ in the US ‘helped
improve the lives of people suffering from the events of the depression. In
the long run, ‘New Deal’ programmes set a precedent for the federal
government to play a key role in the economic and social affairs of the
nation.’ The point that I am making here is that corporate capitalism has
never been a remedy for national reconstruction, including the US. 
I implore the contemporary civilian rulers in Islamabad to seize this
moment to try something different from corporate capitalism to set this
nation on a political discourse of economic-social and political development.
‘Out-of-the-box’ resolutions and imaginative steps are needed to take this
nation to self-reliance and independence: for example, the privatization of
national commercial institutions is not the resolution of mismanaged state
enterprises. Indirect taxation will not resolve economic problems. Foreign
investments will not make Pakistanis affluent (except for some vested
interest groups). It will make foreigners rich. Commercial plans with foreign

1239
collaborators such as Pakistan Private Investment Initiative are old-style
tricks that do not work. What Pakistan needs is an enlightened, nationalist
leadership that is selfless and visionary – and willing to learn from the
lessons of history. Otherwise, we are at the edge of a self-destructive path.’
(Dr Haider Mehdi, TheNation 4th July)
Agreement with IMF: ‘The government of Pakistan has come to an
agreement with the IMF for a three-year loan programme of $5.3 billion
under an Extended Fund Facility, with a further $2 billion to be lent if the
IMF Board of Executive Directors approves Pakistan’s request for its level
of access to be increased from 348 percent of quota to 500 percent. Though
federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said at a press briefing with IMF Mission
chief Jeffrey Franks in Islamabad on Thursday after the agreement was
reached that ‘we have not carried the begging bowl’ he also admitted that
‘there was no option but to request the loan to save Pakistan from
defaulting.’ The price of escaping default includes eliminating tax
exemptions to broaden the tax base, increasing the power tariff by
withdrawing the subsidy in three years, and restructuring and privatizing
public sector entities now running at a loss.
The IMF itself had created the need for the loan, with the previous
package repayments creating the foreign exchange crisis that has driven the
country to the brink of default. That has not stopped it laying down harsh
conditionalities for the new package, which was reflected in the rigours of
the recent budget. Senator Dar had insisted that it was not designed to
mollify the IMF, though Mr Franks told the briefing it had been an important
step in the right direction. That direction is to present the IMF Board with a
timely completion of actions by those in authority, by September. As
Pakistan has experienced before, the IMF conditionalities are harsh and anti-
people. Though Pakistan completed a programme under Prime Minister
Shaukat Aziz that had more to do with the politics that the IMF enforces,
which is a compliance with US wishes. It is noteworthy that the
conditionalities do not include a tax on agricultural income, which is the
biggest of all exemptions, and which is fiercely protected by members on
both Treasury and Opposition benches.
However, the position he built was thrown away by the
mismanagement and corruption of the previous government, as a result of
which not only did Pakistan reach the brink of default, but it did so just
before the US drawdown in Afghanistan makes it want more obedience than
ever before. The present government may have campaigned on a plank of
independence and national interest, but once in office, it has been behaving

1240
like governments of the past in agreeing to impose harsh donor
conditionalities on the people, already hard-pressed by the woes that obliged
the recourse to the IMF.’ (Editorial, TheNation 6th July)

Turf war in Karachi

Quite a nail-biter: ‘In quite a dramatic telephonic speech heard
across TV sets in Pakistan on Sunday MQM Supremo Altaf Hussain
tendered his resignation as the party chief over his inclusion in the Imran
Farooq murder investigation but hours later took it back on insistence from
the party members. He blustered he had been unnecessarily dragged into the
case. It surely was news when he told that the police authorities had raided
his home and had taken some material for forensic examination. And hours
after he had proclaimed he was giving up the mantle of the party, heavy
contingents of police were deployed around the British High Commission in
Karachi in the wake of the protest call by the Rabita Committee.
Whether one likes it or not, the probe has to move forward. The
London Metropolitan Police and the Scotland Yard have an impeccable
record when it comes to crime fighting, especially murder mysteries like the
one it is currently looking into. And surely the murder of Dr Farooq Hassan
is something that would put its capabilities to test. And given their success
record, there is sufficient reason to believe that investigations would be fair.
But however far, it is often in the streets of Karachi where the fallout of such
political developments originating in Britain is felt. And most of the time it
is not positive; there is street fighting and demonstrations that tend to
deprive the people of their peace of mind. That is where the MQM leader
has to step in to make sure that the citizens of the city he calls his real home,
are not made to suffer. Moreover, cooperation with the Scotland Yard is also
not going to do him any harm; it would, on the contrary prove that his
conscience is clean.
Many would see this as a day of reckoning not only for Altaf Hussain
but the party and its future prospects. But it is here that the party must not
lose sight of sticking to the principle of rule of law, and other procedural
necessities that the investigation process might entail. That is the safest
option that can bail them out that they ought to embrace.’ (Editorial,
TheNation 1st July)

REVIEW

1241
 The government’s on tax collection rampage, especially through
imposition indiscriminate indirect taxes will certainly fill its ‘empty’ coffers,
but it will result in price hike adding to the hardship of masses. The filling of
the begging bowl courtesy IMF loan with strings will have similar effects
when the price of electricity goes up.
The above combined with boost in Pak-China bilateral trade, which
will flood Pakistani markets with cheap Chinese products, won’t augur well
for Pakistani industry. Local industry will be unable to compete because of
very high production cost as compared to Chinese.
The probes into murder of Imran Farooq and purchase of property in
England with black money, both seem to be converging onto Altaf Hussain;
the most acclaimed political leader representing the Urdu-speaking ‘middle
class’. This convergence of two-pronged investigations must have resulted
in excessive consumption of alcohol by him with obvious ill-effects of
intoxication.
In view of these investigations, it can be expected that in days to come
the myth of middle class politics by MQM could be blown up in the face of
the Scoundrel in exile. This exposure, however, is not likely to cause any
embarrassment to a ‘seasoned’ politician like Altaf Hussain.
The ‘seasoned’ politicians, like the proverbial ‘king’ are never
embarrassed by the exposures. With their mindset of righteousness they have
the courage to walk naked through streets of the town; only children notice
that they like the ‘king’ are roaming around naked. We have seen this
happening in case of Zardari and more will be seen when Gilani and
Shahabuddin and their family members submit their replies in the court in
Ephedrine Case.
Coming back to MQM, the party has always boasted about being a
representative of middle class and most political observers have been carried
away by this rhetoric. However, there has been a rare exception; Oriya
Maqbool Jan who in a recent panel talk on Waqt TV rejected this claim.
He very rightly said that Karachiites has seldom elected a feudal and
instead have always voted for candidates from middle class. In the light of
Jan’s prudent observation, it can be said that since emergence of MQM the
public mandate in Karachi has degenerated from middle class gentry to
members of a mafia gang.
8th July, 2013

1242
 INQILAB: CALLING MILLAT
PART ONE
The poetical works reproduced in previous volumes under various
headings relate, in general, to the pain and concern of Allamah Iqbal over
the sick Muslim nation of his times. While brooding over the plight of
Muslims he identified the main cause of their sickness and also found the
remedy of the ailment and accordingly made prescriptions for the treatment
of the sick.
The prescribed treatment was primarily ‘psycho-therapy’ to revive the
‘spirit’ of the sick through inviting him to re-embrace Islam. It was not an
easy task because of the chronic nature of the sickness. Its gravity could be
assessed by recalling what has been said in his works reproduced in previous
chapters. Dr M A K Khalil has done that while translating Bang-e-Dara.
What he wrote under heading ‘The Condition of Muslim Society in
India and Abroad’ is reproduced. ‘Though the decline of the Muslim world
and society can be considered to have commenced with the replacement of
the Khilafah-i-Rashidah with autocratic dynastic rule the last three hundred
years have seen the constant fall of the Muslim world, which reached its
lowest ebb after World War I. This period witnessed the crumbling down of
the last vestiges of the Khilafah and the complete fragmentation and
subjugation of the Muslim world.
From the very beginning of Islam the Christian West has been its
greatest adversary, primarily due to the revolutionary religious and politico-
socio-economic system of Islam. Muslim scholars and their works at the
centers of learning at Baghdad and in the North African and Spanish
universities brought the science and philosophy of the day to the Christian
world. Europe could not remain insulated from the enlightening effects of
this learning. The spirit of innovative thinking, freedom of expression and
cosmopolitanism, which characterized the Muslim society of that time, freed
Europe from the dogmatism and monasticism of the Church. Europe entered
a new era of reformation and renaissance which culminated in the industrial
revolution.
One important result of the industrial revolution was the invention and
mass production of ships and armaments. Armed with these superior tools of
destruction Europeans discovered the Americas and other parts of the ‘New

1243
World’ and appropriated their vast resources in land and material wealth,
completely depriving the indigenous people of their use. They also slowly,
but surely, usurped the resources of Asian and African countries, the
majority of which were Muslim. Extreme avarice, religious fanaticism and
lack of moral and ethical scruples speeded the destruction of Muslim
countries.
Resulting from all these events the Muslim world also underwent
political, economic and social decline till it touched its lowest ebb during the
life time of Allamah Iqbal. All Muslim countries from Indonesia in the east
to Morocco in the west were under complete political and economic
suzerainty of the West. At the end of World War I Muslims in Muslim
countries as well as those with sizable Muslim minorities were directly
under the political yoke of some European power. The apparently
independent Muslim countries like Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey and the Arab
countries from Syria to Morocco were only nominally independent. The
Arab countries had been created by the European imperialists by
fragmentation of the Ottoman Caliphate and were receiving substantial
subsidies from Britain and France. Hence, all of them owed their very
existence to some European power, mainly Britain and France. To Allamah
Iqbal more painful than the political slavery was the intellectual and moral
slavery of the Muslim world. He has expressed his abject disappointment at
this state of affairs throughout his works.
However, notwithstanding the superiority of European war machine
and their unethical maneuvering, this process of destruction was in no small
way helped by the internal weaknesses of the Muslim countries and their
society. Allamah Iqbal, true to the epithet of Hakim-i-Millat spent the major
part of his genius in investigating the causes of this downfall.
Allamah Iqbal has clearly warned Muslims of the dangers of this
attempt of the West to divide humanity and conquer it bit by bit. Another
insidious dissension is based on the Deen itself and has resulted from
different interpretations of the Holy Qur’an. Though differences of opinion
are healthy per se and exhibit a live interest in matters of importance, in our
case the differences have assumed harmful dimensions and have resulted in
compartmentalization of our society into sects and sub-sects with incessant
internecine feuds.
The most harmful effect of the degeneration of Muslim society has
been the loss of Khudi or self cognizance. God has endowed Man with the
capacity of recognizing his own potential and the purpose of his creation,

1244
which is to be the vicegerent of God on earth. Khudi is the combination of
the divinely bestowed attributes of ideal character and an incessant effort to
achieve its goal. The former attribute includes self cognizance, self assertion,
boldness, spirit of independence, self respect, and noble ideals. Essentially,
the ideal of Islam is not self negation but self assertion.
Allamah Iqbal's concept can be summarized as the individual's need to
develop his Khudi to the maximum and his readiness to be able to merge his
Khudi into that of the Millat and to remain fired with the intense love of
dynamism and freedom. Such individuals and such Millats are
complementary to each other. The Islamic Millat is required to be unified in
the institutions of Tawhid of God and Tawhid of Mankind and the
Apostlehood of the Holy Prophet S.A.W. It is required to stand as a well
built wall against the forces of evil. Lack of individual and  Millat's
Khudi has resulted in fragmentation of the Millat in the present day world
and in the roaming astray of the Millat's components seeking the good
pleasures of the Western capitalists-imperialists for their very survival.
Allamah’s approach and mission was to create an ideological
revolution in the Muslim intelligentsia, as a first step. He talks about
revolution extensively in his works. This revolution does not consist of
political slogan mongering and destructive activities for solving mundane
and transient economic and political problems. His revolution is at the
intellectual and philosophical level. It aims at freeing humanity in general
and Muslims in particular from the slavery of the pessimistic and fatalist
Greek philosophy in the intellectual sphere and from the two mutually
contending extremist Western socio-economic philosophies of capitalism
and communism.
Thus he set upon the task of re-starting and completing the work
initiated by previous fighters against evil, like Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, Imam
Ghazali and Mawlana Rumi. He was convinced that after these freedoms his
audience (humanity in general and the Muslim Ummah in particular) would
gravitate towards the dynamic Islamic intellectualism and would be close to
the middle path of the Islamic socio-economic system, which is closer to
human nature than the two extremes of capitalism and communism…
The message of Allamah Iqbal is primarily addressed to Muslims,
because they are the only people in the present day world, one section of
whom, i.e. Mu'mins, is endowed with the Divine blessing of fully developed
and mature Khudi, based on complete comprehension of the Holy Qur’an
and the readiness for molding their lives according to it.’

1245
 The Muslims of today should face no difficulty in understanding
Allamah’s pain because their plight is not any better than their ancestors’
hundred years ago. Today they are more divided and dependent on other
nations; economically, politically and militarily. This degeneration is
primarily because of the disunity of the Millat and lack of self-confidence.
The fragmentation of Islamic world began with the capture and
occupation of Muslim lands by the colonial powers of the Europe. It was
further aggravated at the time of granting piecemeal independence to these
nations after the end of World War II. This was cemented by the application
of western political concept of nationhood.
The Muslims while rejoicing ‘winning’ freedom and independence
failed to see the damage their outgoing masters were causing to the unity of
Ummah. The primarily aim of this fragmentation was to deliver a knockout
blow to any movement of Pan Islamism that had gained momentum in
Islamic World before and after World War I.
Resultantly, today they are even worse placed than their forefathers.
They were slaves of aliens but the contemporary Muslims have been
enslaved through their own brothers-in-faith; the so-called rulers in Islamic
countries. Today they have degenerated from slaves to sub-humans.
Then they were ruled through viceroys sent by the Europe’s imperial
powers; today they are ruled through locally contracted puppets. Then it was
pure and uncontaminated subjugation; today it is polluted by the
indigenously hired stooges. Then it was called colonialism and today it is
known as neo-colonialism.
The people of Muslim lands wanted change then as well as want it
today. The contemporary Muslim masses want to break the status quo across
the Muslim world barring couple of places. The desire for change has been
rekindled earnestly; but they are still looking for leader(s) and waiting for
hearing a cry for Inqilab (change).
Returning back to Allamah, it may be noted that he wanted an inqilab
that encompassed comprehensive change in the ‘quality’ of lives of
Muslims, especially those inhabiting the Indian Subcontinent. He also
desired that they must bring that change through their own struggle. To this
end they must revert back to teachings of their great religion; Islam.
Nevertheless, he commended good points of all the prevalent ’isms,
but for a positive and wholesome change he recommended the resurrection

1246
of Islam. He firmly believed that this was the only num (moisture) that the
fertile land of Ummah needed.
Muslims must move beyond the verbal rejection of the fake gods and
the systems evolved and practiced in their names. Muslims, individually and
collectively, must strive for manifestation of their beliefs; otherwise all their
endeavours for inqilab (change) will bear no fruits.
In their quest for change they have to rely only on their own strength
and resources. Any dependence on outside ‘material and moral’ support can
result to compromising the real aim and objectives of the struggle. Any
‘uprising’ that lacks its own legs cannot walk and reach the intended
destination.
The poetical works in this chapter are taken from Bang-e-Dara
translated by Dr. M.A.K. Khalil. These are reproduced in the same order as
these appear in the original book.

THE POET
This poem is an eloquent commentary on the role of poets in the
affairs of a nation. They perform the same most important function in a
nation's affairs as the eye does in the body. However, not all poets qualify
for this honour. Only those do so who measure up to the standards laid down
in the last three lines of this poem.
Sha’er ‫شاعر‬
‫قوم‬ ‫ افراد ہيں اعضائے قوم‬، ‫گويا جسم ہے‬
‫منزل‬ ‫صنعت کے رہ پيما ہيں دست و پائے قوم‬
Quom goya jism hai, afraad hein a’aza-e-quom; manzil-e-sana’at kay reh
paima hein dast-o-paa’ey quom.
(Reh paima: Rastah chalney waaley.)
A nation is the body, people are its organs; artisans are the nation's hands
and feet.
‫محفل‬ ‫ چہرہء زيبائے قوم‬، ‫نظم حکومت‬
‫شاعر‬ ‫رنگيں نوا ہے ديدہ بينائے قوم‬
Mehfil-e-nazm-e-hakoomat, chehrah-e-zaiba’ey quom; sha’er-e-rang’in
nawa hai deidah-e-beina’ey quom.

1247
The State administration is the nation's beautiful face. The elegant-styled
poet is the nation's clear-sighted eye.

‫مبتالئے‬ ‫درد کوئي عضو ہو روتي ہے آنکھ‬

‫کس‬ ‫قدر ہمدرد سارے جسم کي ہوتي ہے آنکھ‬
Mobtala’ey dard koeyi ozv ho routi hai a’nkhh; kis qadar humdard saarey
jism ki hoti hai a’nkhh.
When any organ is afflicted with pain, the eye weeps; how sympathetic to
the world body is the eye.
(Translated by Dr. M.A.K. Khalil)

THE MESSAGE OF LOVE
In this poem Allamah Iqbal is persuading the Muslim Ummah to rise
from their slumber to strive and struggle in the cause of God for carrying out
the original Divine Command of fulfilling the obligations of being the
martyrs of His Love and His cause.
Payam-e-Ishq ‫پيام عشق‬
‫سن‬ ‫ تو نياز ہو جا‬، ‫اے طلب گار درد پہلو! ميں ناز ہوں‬
‫ميں‬  ‫ تو سراپا اياز ہو جا‬، ‫غزنوي سومنات دل کا‬
Sonn ay talabgar-e-dard-e-pehloo! Mien naaz h’on, tou niaz ho ja; mien
Ghaznavi Somnaat-e-dil ka, tou sarapa Ayaz ho ja.
Listen O seeker of heart's pathos! I am Naz, you should become Niaz. I am
the Ghaznavi of heart's Somnath, you completely become Ayaz.
(Naz and Niaz: In the first hemistich of this verse Love addresses those who
are anxious to develop the Love of God and says that this Love is the
beloved and it is necessary to become a true Lover to win it. In the second
hemistich the same message is repeated in another form.)
‫نہيں‬ ‫ہے وابستہ زير گردوں کمال شان سکندري سے‬
‫تمام‬ ‫ تو بھي آئينہ ساز ہو جا‬، ‫ساماں ہے تيرے سينے ميں‬
Naheen hai wabastah zir-e-gardoon kamal shan-e-Sikandari sey; tamam
saaman hai teyrey seinay mein, tou bhi aeinah saaz ho ja.

1248
Greatness in the world is not associated with the Alexander’s splendor; your
breast has everything, you should also become the maker of mirrors.
Alexander is believed to have made a mirror of very highly polished copper
plate, which is alluded to here. This verse means that being a conqueror like
Alexander does not make a person 'great'. However making a mirror with the
help of one's knowledge and effort does confer greatness. As a Mu’min has
the potential for making the mirror he has also the potential for attaining
greatness.)
‫غرض‬ ‫ہے پيکار زندگي سے کمال پائے ہالل تيرا‬
‫جہاں‬ ‫ ادا مثال نماز ہو جا‬، ‫کا فرض قديم ہے تو‬
Gharz hai paikar-e-zindagi sey kamal paa’ey hilal teyra; jah’an ka farz-e-
qadim hai tou, ada misal-e-namaz ho ja.
The aim of life's struggle is perfection of your Crescent's grandeur. You are
the world's oldest Divine Command, be fulfilled like prayer.
(This is a reminder to the Muslim Ummah that they are the vice-gerents of
God on earth and for that reason are charged with the responsibility of
establishing the sovereignty of God on earth. It is a reminder to them that
they should rise to their responsibilities and achieve what is expected of
them.)
‫نہ‬ ‫ہوقناعت شعار گلچيں! اسي سے قائم ہے شان تيري‬
‫وفور‬ ‫گل ہے اگر چمن ميں تو اور دامن دراز ہو جا‬
Nah ho qana’at sha’ar gulchin! Issi sey qa’im hai shan teyri; wafoor-e-gul
hai agar chaman mein tou aur daman daraaz ho ja.
(Qana’at sha’ar: Qana’at pasand. Wafoor: Bohtaat. Daman daraaz: Lumbay
daman wala.)
Be not contented, O gardener, your dignity is established by this alone; if
flowers abound in the garden, you should become a more ardent beggar.
‫گئے‬ ‫ اب زمانہ نہيں ہے صحرانورديوں کا‬، ‫وہ ايام‬
‫جہاں‬ ‫ميں مانند شمع سوزاں ميان محفل گداز ہو جا‬
Ga’ey woh ayam, abb zamanah naheen sehra nawardiyu’on ka; jah’an mein
manid-e-shama-e-soz’an miyan-e-mehfil ho ja.
(Sehra nawardi: Biyaban’on mein ghhomna.)

1249
Gone are those days, these are not the times for wandering in wilderness;
become melted in the world like the congregation's lighted candle.

‫وجود‬ ‫ ہستي قوم ہے حقيقي‬، ‫افراد کا مجازي ہے‬

‫فدا‬ ‫ہو ملت پہ يعني آتش زن طلسم مجاز ہو جا‬
Wajood afraad ka majazi hai, husti-e-quom hai haqiqi; fida ho millat peh
ya’ani aatishzun-e-talism-e-majaaz ho ja.
(Aatish-zun: Aag laganey wala.)
The individual's existence is unreal, the nation's existence is real; be devoted
to the nation, become destroyer of the unreal's magic.
‫يہ‬ ‫ہند کے فرقہ ساز اقبال آزري کر رہے ہيں گويا‬
‫بچا‬ ‫کے دامن بتوں سے اپنا غبار راہ حجاز ہو جا‬
Yeh Hind kay firqah saaz Iqbal Azari kar rehey hein goya; bacha kay daman
bott’on sey apna ghobar-e-rah-e-Hijaz ho ja.
Iqbal! These sectarians of India are working like Azar: Saving your skirt
from idols become the dust of the way of Hijaz.
(This verse means that the people who are creating and nurturing sectarian
poison in India are like Azar, and Muslims should avoid them and keep their
own objectives before them, close their ranks and attain those objectives.)
(Translated by Dr. M.A.K. Khalil)

ADDRESSED TO ABD AL-QADIR
In this poem contains his longings and ambitions for service to Islam
and Muslims. He got the motivation for this poem from the good
organization of the society and government of European countries and
focusing of their attention to the work of national reconstruction and
advancement. At that time he could not do better than express his feelings to
his long term friend and confidante, Sir Abd al-Qadir, Barrister at Law,
Lahore who was also the editor of the famous Urdu magazine,
Makhzan. Allamah expressed his thoughts as they occurred to him.
Later, he adopted poetry as the vehicle for communication of all his
philosophy of Islam as a panacea for the ills of the Muslim Ummah and, in
fact, for the maladies of the whole human race. He made this task the

1250
ambition and purpose of his life and produced a vast amount of literature in
Urdu, Persian and English on this subject, mostly in verse.

Abdul Qadir kay Naam ‫عبد القادر کے نام‬

‫اٹھ‬ ‫کہ ظلمت ہوئي پيدا افق خاور پر‬
‫بزم‬ ‫ميں شعلہ نوائي سے اجاال کر ديں‬
Othh keh zolmat hoeyi paida ofaq-e-Khawar per, bazm mein sho’alah
nawaeyi sey ojala kar dein.
(Khawar: Mashriq. Sho’alah nawaeyi: Aissey naghmay gana jinn sey
sho’aley nikal rehey h’on, ya’ani tarrpaney waaley naghmey.)
Rise, as darkness has appeared on the eastern horizon! We should light up
the assemblage with blazing songs.
‫ايک‬  ‫فرياد ہے مانند سپند اپني بساط‬
‫اسي‬ ‫ہنگامے سے محفل تہ و باال کر ديں‬
Eik fariyad hai manind-e-sipand apni bisaat; issi hungamey sey mehfil teh-
o-bala kar dein.
Our capacity is only a cry of lament like the wild rue.* We should overturn
the assemblage with this same uproar.
(Sipand or Wild Rue: The property of the rue seed of cracking and jumping
when put in fire is referred to here as an expression of distress and lament as
well as the restlessness produced by them.)
‫اہل‬ ‫محفل کو دکھا ديں اثر صيقل عشق‬
‫سنگ‬ ‫امروز کو آئينہ فردا کر ديں‬
Ehl-e-mehfil ko dikhha dein asr-e-siqal-e-ishq; sung-e-imroz ko aeinah-e-
farda kar dein.
We should show the assemblage the effect of Love’s polish. We should
convert the stone of today into the mirror* of tomorrow.
(*This refers to the technology of glass making, ultimately making mirrors,
whose starting material is a base material like silicates in stones and soil.
This hemistich means that we should convert the youth of today, who are
inert and useless like stones, into the mirrors of tomorrow.)

1251
 ‫جلوہ‬  ‫يوسف گم گشتہ دکھا کر ان کو‬
‫تپش‬ ‫آمادہ تر از خون زليخا کر ديں‬
Jalwah-e-Yusuf-e-gom gashtah dikhha kar onn ko; tappash amadah-ter az
khoon-e-Zulaykha kar dein.
(Tappash amadah: Tarrapney kay leay bitaab aur biqarar.)
By showing them the effulgence of the lost Yusuf; we should make them
more agitation-prone than Zalaykha’s blood.
‫اس‬ ‫چمن کو سبق آئين نمو کا دے کر‬
‫قطرہ‬ ‫شبنم بے مايہ کو دريا کر ديں‬
Iss chaman ko sabaq aein namoo ka dey kar; qatrah-e-shabnam-e-bey
mayah ko darya kar dein.
(Aein namoo ka: Phhalney phholney ka qanoon.)
By giving the lesson of the law of growth to this garden; we should turn the
insignificant drop of dew into the ocean.
‫رخت‬ ‫جاں بت کدہء چيں سے اٹھا ليں اپنا‬
‫سب‬ ‫کو محو رخ سعدي و سليمي کر ديں‬
Rakht-e-j’an bottkadah-e-Ch’in sey othha lein apna; sabb ko mehv-e-rokh-e-
Saadi-o-Sulima kar dein.
We should lift our dearest chattel from the China's temple.* We should
fascinate all with the face of Sa'di  and Sulaima.**
(*This is a part of the often repeated message of Allamah Iqbal that
Muslims should return to Islam for guidance in knowledge and for
inspiration for noble deeds. The mention of China is a delicate reference to
the Hadith that one should acquire knowledge even if it is in China. **It was
a tradition in pre-Islamic Arabic poetry to write poems about their beloveds.
However, the identity of the beloved was not revealed and she was
represented by one of the several legendary beauties of the Arab folk-lore,
such as Salmah, Sulaima, Lubnah, Lailah etc.)
 ‫ديکھ‬ ‫يثرب ميں ہوا ناقہ ليلي بيکار‬
‫قيس‬ ‫کو آرزوئے نو سے شناسا کر ديں‬
Deikhh Yasrib mein ho’a naqah-e-Lailah bikaar; Qais ko aarzoo’ey nau sey
shanasa kar dein.

1252
Look! The Lailah's she camel became useless in Yathrib; we should make
Qais acquainted with the new Longing.
(With the advent of Islam old values in literature, including poetry,
changed… Instead of Lailah and her she-camel, God and Holy Prophet
S.A.W. became the objects of Love and they were referred to metaphorically
as Lailah. Allamah Iqbal has used this metaphor often.).
‫بادہ‬  ‫ديرينہ ہو اور گرم ہو ايسا کہ گداز‬
‫جگر‬ ‫شيشہ و پيمانہ و مينا کر ديں‬
Baadah-e-deirinah ho aur garm ho aisa keh godaaz; jigar-e-shishah-o-
paimanah-o-meina kar dein.
(Baadah-e-deirinah: Porani sharab, morad hai Islam.)
The wine should be mature and so hot that with it we should soften the heart
of the glass, the goblet, and the decanter.
‫گرم‬ ‫رکھتا تھا ہميں سردي مغرب ميں جو داغ‬
‫چير‬ ‫کر سينہ اسے وقف تماشا کر ديں‬
Garam rakhhta thha hamein sardi-e-Maghrib mein jo dagh, cheir kar seinah
ossey waqf-e-tamasha kar dein.
The grief which kept us warm in the cold of the West; opening up the breast
we should make it public.
‫شمع‬ ‫کي طرح جييں بزم گہ عالم ميں‬
‫خود‬  ‫ ديدہ اغيار کو بينا کر ديں‬، ‫جليں‬
Shama ki tarah jee’in bazm geh-e-alam mein; khod jalein, deidah-e-aghiyar
ko beina kar dein.
(Deidah-e-aghiyar: Doosr’on ki a’nkhhein.)
In the world's congregation we should live like the candle; we should burn
ourselves and open up the rivals' eyes.
‫ہر‬ ‫چہ در دل گذرد وقف زباں دارد شمع‬
‫نيست خيالے کہ نہاں دارد شمع سوختن‬
Her chih dar dil gozrad waqf-e-zob’an darad shama; sokhtan neist
khiyaley keh neh’an darad shama.
[Shama kay dil per jo kochh gozarta hai, woh ossey zoban per ley aati hai;
jeena koeyi khayal naheen jissey shama chhopa kar rakhh sakkey.]

1253
‘The candle reveals whatever passes through the heart; burning is not the
thought which the candle conceals’.
(Translated by Dr. M.A.K. Khalil)

GHAZAL – PART TWO

***** (1) *****
In this ghazal, Allamah disapproves the people whose piety is only for
outward show.
‫زندگي‬ ‫انساں کي اک دم کے سوا کچھ بھي نہيں‬
‫دم‬ ‫ رم کے سوا کچھ بھي نہيں‬، ‫ہوا کي موج ہے‬
Zindagi insan ki ekk dum kay sawa kochh bhi naheen, dum hawa ki mouj
hai, rum kay sawa kochh bhi naheen.
(Rum: Bhagna, chalna.)
The life of Man is no more than a breath! Breath is a wave of air; it is no
more than a flow!
(Apparently human life is no more than a breath. However, breath is a wave
of air, and like all waves is constantly flowing. It is alive only as long as it is
flowing. In the same way human life, which this wave sustains, is worth its
existence only as long as it is active.)
‫گل‬ ‫تبسم کہہ رہا تھا زندگاني کو مگر‬
‫شمع‬ ‫ گريہء غم کے سوا کچھ بھي نہيں‬، ‫بولي‬
Gul tabasam keh raha thha zindagani ko magar shama boli, giriyah-e-ghum
kay sawa kochh bhi naheen.
The flower was depicting life as a smile, but the candle said that it is no
more than a cry of grief!
(Everyone perceives life according to his own lights. The flower, which is an
emblem of happiness, sees life as a smile, but the candle, which is an
emblem of grief; perceives it as grief.)
‫راز‬ ‫ہستي راز ہے جب تک کوئي محرم نہ ہو‬
‫کھل‬ ‫گيا جس دم تو محرم کے سوا کچھ بھي نہيں‬
Raaz-e-husti raaz hai jabb takk koeyi mehram nah ho, khhol gaya jiss dum
tuo mehram kay sawa kochh bhi naheen.

1254
The secret of life is a secret till there is a confidante; when it is open, it is
nothing more than the confidante! 
(The confidant of life is an ‘Arif’. When the confidant understands the secret
he realizes that he, i.e. Man is the only secret in the universe. This secret is
that though Man apparently has humble origins, being created from soil, he
has the potential of being the vice-gerent of God on earth.)
‫زائران‬ ‫کعبہ سے اقبال يہ پوچھے کوئي‬
‫کيا‬ ‫حرم کا تحفہ زمزم کے سوا کچھ بھي نہيں‬
Zairaan-e-Ka’abah sey Iqbal yeh poochhey koeyi, kaya Haram ka tohfah
Zamzam kay sawa kochh bhi naheen.
Somebody should ask the pilgrims of Ka'bah, O Iqbal: Is the gift of the
Haram nothing more than Zamzam? 
(This verse is sarcastic and carries the lesson that the real gift of the Haram
is that the pilgrim should return from there after sacrificing his arrogance,
greed and jealousy, after stoning the Satan in his own self and after
controlling the evil in himself by circumambulation.)
(Translated by Dr. M.A.K. Khalil)

THE MUSLIM NATIONAL ANTHEM
This poem, which is based on the Holy Qur’an, carries message on
four important subjects. These are (i) universality of Islam, (ii) Mission of
the Holy Prophet S.A.W., (iii) Struggle, including fighting, if necessary, in
the cause of truth and defense of the weak and the oppressed, (iv) Islamic
values. The universality of Islam is evidenced in the Holy Qur’an in which
God always calls Himself ‘Rabb-ul-Alamin’ (Lord of the whole universe
and not that of Muslims or of any race or nation). This message is
interspersed throughout the Holy Qur’an. For these reasons the poem is very
popular among Muslims and is memorized by young boys and girls.
Tranah-e-Milli ‫ترانہ ملي‬
 ‫چين‬ ‫ ہندوستاں ہمارا‬، ‫و عرب ہمارا‬
‫مسلم‬ ‫ وطن ہے سارا جہاں ہمارا‬، ‫ہيں ہم‬
Cheen-o-Arab hamara. Hindustan hamara; Moslim hein hum, watan hai
sara jah’an hamara.

1255
China and Arabia are ours, India is also ours; we are Muslims, whole world
is homeland of ours.
‫توحيد‬ ‫کي امانت سينوں ميں ہے ہمارے‬
‫آساں‬ ‫نہيں مٹانا نام و نشاں ہمارا‬
Tawhid ki amanat sein’on mein hai hamarey; aas’an naheen mitana naam-
o-nish’an hamara.
The trust of Divine Unity is in the breasts of ours; it is not easy to destroy
the identity of ours.
‫دنيا‬ ‫کے بت کدوں ميں پہال وہ گھر خدا کا‬
‫ہم‬ ‫ وہ پاسباں ہمارا‬،‫اس کے پاسباں ہيں‬
Dunya kay bottkad’on mein pehla woh ghhar Khoda ka; hum oss kay
pasb’an hein, woh pasb’an hamara.
Among the world’s temples that first House of God; we are its sentinels, it is
the sentinel of ours.
‫تيغوں‬ ‫کے سائے ميں ہم پل کر جواں ہوئے ہيں‬
‫خنجر‬ ‫ہالل کا ہے قومي نشاں ہمارا‬
Taigh’on kay saa’ey mein hum pall kar jaw’an hoo’ey hein; khunjar hilal ka
hai quomi nish’an hamara.
We have been brought up under the shade of swords; the crescent’s dagger is
the national insignia of ours.
‫مغرب‬ ‫کي واديوں ميں گونجي اذاں ہماري‬
‫تھمتا‬ ‫نہ تھا کسي سے سيل رواں ہمارا‬
Maghrib ki waadiyu’on mein go’nji az’an hamari; thhamta nah thha kissi
sey sial-e-raw’an hamara.
Our Adhan echoed in the valleys of the West; none could stop the advancing
flood of ours.
‫باطل‬ ‫سے دنبے والے اے آسماں نہيں ہم‬
‫سو‬ ‫بار کر چکا ہے تو امتحاں ہمارا‬
Baatil sey dubnay waaley ay aasm’an naheen hum, suo baar kar choka hai
tou imtih’an hamara.

1256
We cannot be bowed down by falsehood, O sky! Hundreds of times you
have done tests of ours.
‫اے‬ ‫گلستان اندلس! وہ دن ہيں ياد تجھ کو‬
‫تھا‬ ‫تيري ڈاليوں پر جب آشياں ہمارا‬
Ay gulistan-e-Andalus! Woh dinn hein yaad tojh ko, thha teyri daaliyu’on
per jabb aashiy’an hamara.
O garden of Andalus! Do you remember the days when your branches
harbored the nest of ours?
‫اے‬ ‫موج دجلہ! تو بھي پہچانتي ہے ہم کو‬
‫اب‬  ‫تک ہے تيرا دريا افسانہ خواں ہمارا‬
Ay mouj-e-Dajla! Tou bhi pehchaanti hai hum ko, abb takk hai teyra darya
afsanah khw’an hamara.
O wave of the Tigris! You also recognize us; your river still recites
the stories of ours.
‫اے‬ ‫ارض پاک! تيري حرمت پہ کٹ مرے ہم‬
‫ہے‬ ‫خوں تري رگوں ميں اب تک رواں ہمارا‬
Ay Arz-e-Pak! Teyri hormat peh katt muray hum, hai kh’on teri rug’on mein
abb takk raw’an hamara.
O Holy Land! For your honor we fought to the bitter end; still flowing in
your veins is the blood of ours.
‫ساالر‬ ‫کارواں ہے مير حجاز اپنا‬
‫اس‬  ‫نام سے ہے باقي آرام جاں ہمارا‬
Salar-e-caravan hai Mir-e-Hijaz apna, iss naam sey hai baqi aaram-e-
jah’an hamara.
(Mir-e-Hijaz: Morad hai Mohammad S.A.W.)
The Hijaz’s Chief is the commander of our caravan; this name preserves
solace of the hearts of ours.
‫اقبال‬ ‫کا ترانہ بانگ درا ہے گويا‬
‫ہوتا‬ ‫ہے جادہ پيما پھر کارواں ہمارا‬
Iqbal ka taranah bang-e-dara hai goya, hota hai jaadah paima pher carv’an
hamara.

1257
(Jaadah paima: Safar per rawanah.)
This anthem of Iqbal is the clarion’s* call so to say; again prepares for the
journey the caravan of ours.
(*This is also a subtle reference to his book Bang-i-Dara which contains
material for the rejuvenation and renaissance of world Muslims.)
(Translated by Dr. M.A.K. Khalil)

THE ASSEMBLY OF STARS
This poem conveys that the unity within the Muslim Ummah is a
prerequisite for success. This is expressly stated in the last stanza,
particularly in the last verse.
Bazm-e-Anjam ‫بزم انجم‬
‫سورج‬ ‫نے جاتے جاتے شام سيہ قبا کو‬
‫طشت‬ ‫افق سے لے کر اللے کے پھول مارے‬
Sooraj ney jaatey jaatey shaam-e-seih qaba ko, tasht-e-ofaq sey ley kar laley
kay phhool maarey.
While setting, the sun threw at the dark-clothed evening tulip flowers which
it had collected from horizon’s basin:
‫پہنا‬ ‫ديا شفق نے سونے کا سارا زيور‬
‫قدرت‬ ‫نے اپنے گہنے چاندي کے سب اتارے‬
Pehna diya shafaq ney soonay ka sara ziwar, qodrat ney apney gehney
chandi kay sabb otaarey.
The twilight of evening put all ornaments of gold on it, Nature put off its
entire set of silver ornaments.
‫محمل‬ ‫ميں خامشي کے ليالئے ظلمت آئي‬
‫چمکے‬ ‫عروس شب کے موتي وہ پيارے پيارے‬
Mehmal mein khamshi kay Laila’ey zolmat aaeyi, chamkay aroos-e-shabb
kay moti woh piyarey piyarey.
The Lailah of the night in the litter of silence arrived; started shining the
beautiful pearls of the evening’s bride.

1258
 ‫وہ‬ ‫دور رہنے والے ہنگامہء جہاں سے‬
‫کہتا‬ ‫ہے جن کو انساں اپني زباں ميں تارے‬
Woh door rehney waaley hungamah-e-jah’an sey, kehta his jinn ko ins’an
apni zob’an mein taarey.
Those living far from the commotion of the world which Man calls ‘stars’ in
his own language.
‫محو‬ ‫فلک فروزي تھي انجمن فلک کي‬
‫عرش‬ ‫بريں سے آئي آواز اک ملک کي‬
Mehv-e-falak ferozi thhi anjuman falak ki, arsh-e-barein sey aaeyi awaz ekk
malak ki.
(Falak ferozi: Aasman ko roshan karna.)
The sky’s assembly was busy lighting up the sky from the`Arsh-i-Barin the
call of an angel came:
‫اے‬ ‫ اے آسماں کے تارو‬،‫شب کے پاسانو‬
‫تابندہ‬ ‫قوم ساري گردوں نشيں تمھاري‬
Ay shabb kay pasbano, ay aasm’an kay taro; tabindah quom saari gard’on
nash’in tumhari.
‘O sentinels of the night! O stars of the sky! The whole shining nation of
yours inhabits the sky.
‫چھيڑو‬ ‫ جاگ اٹھيں سونے والے‬، ‫سرود ايسا‬
‫رہبر‬ ‫ہے قافلوں کي تاب جبيں تمھاري‬
Chhairro sarood aisa, jaag othhein sonay waaley; rehbar hai qafl’on ki
taab-e-jabein tumhari.
Start such music as may awaken all those sleeping; the brightness of your
forehead is guide for caravans.
‫آئينے‬ ‫قسمتوں کے تم کو يہ جانتے ہيں‬
‫شايد‬ ‫سنيں صدائيں اہل زميں تمھاري‬
Aeiney qismat’on kay tum ko yeh jantey hein, sha’id sonein sada’in ehl-e-
zam’in tumhari.
The earth’s denizens consider you the destiny’s mirrors; perhaps they will
listen to your call.’

1259
 ‫رخصت‬ ‫ہوئي خموشي تاروں بھري فضا سے‬
‫وسعت‬ ‫تھي آسماں کي معمور اس نوا سے‬
Rokhsat hoeyi khamoshi taar’on bhari faza sey; wosa’at thhi aasm’an ki
ma’amoor iss nawa sey.
Silence departed from this star-spangled expanse, the sky’s expanse was
filled with this music.
‫حسن‬ ‫ازل ہے پيدا تاروں کي دلبري ميں‬
‫جس‬ ‫طرح عکس گل ہو شبنم کے آرسي ميں‬
Hosn-e-azal hai paida taar’on ki dilbari mein, jiss tarah akks-e-gul ho
shabnam ki aarsi mein.
The Eternal Beauty is produced in the stars’ loveliness as the image of rose
is in the looking glass of the dew.
‫آئين‬  ‫ طرز کہن پہ اڑنا‬، ‫نو سے ڈرنا‬
‫منزل‬ ‫يہي کھٹن ہے قوموں کي زندگي ميں‬
Aein-e-nau sey darna, tarz-e-kohan peh arrna; manzil yehi kathhun hai
quom’on ki zindagi mein.
To be afraid of the new ways, to insist on the old ones; this is the only
difficult stage in the life of nations.
‫يہ‬ ‫کاروان ہستي ہے تيز گام ايسا‬
‫قوميں‬ ‫کچل گئي ہيں جس کي رواروي ميں‬
Yeh caravan-e-husti hai taiz gaam aisa, quom’in kochal gaeyi hein jiss ki
rawarawi mein.
This caravan of life is so fast moving; many a nation is trampled in whose
race.
‫آنکھوں‬ ‫سے ہيں ہماري غائب ہزاروں انجم‬
‫داخل‬ ‫ہيں وہ بھي ليکن اپني برادري ميں‬
Aankhh’on sey hai hamari gha’ib hazar’on anjam; dakhil hein woh bhi
laikan apni baradri mein.
Thousands of stars are hidden from our eyes, but their existence is also
included in our group.

1260
 ‫اک‬ ‫عمر ميں نہ سمجھے اس کو زمين والے‬
‫جو‬ ‫بات پا گئے ہم تھوڑي سي زندگي ميں‬
Ekk omar mein nah samjhey iss ko zam’in waaley, jo baat paa ga’ey hum
thhorri si zindagi mein.
The earth’s denizens did not understand in a whole life: What has come in
our comprehension in a short span of life.
‫ہيں‬ ‫جذب باہمي سے قائم نظام سارے‬
‫پوشيدہ‬ ‫ہے يہ نکتہ تاروں کي زندگي ميں‬
Hein jazb-e-bahumi sey qaim nizam saarey; poshidah hai yeh noktah
taar’on ki zindagi mein.
(Jazb-e-bahumi: Eik doosarey ko khhainchney waaley; apas ki mohabat aur
lagao.)
All systems are established on mutual attraction; this secret is concealed in
the life of the stars.’
(Translated by Dr. M.A.K. Khalil)

THE CUP-BEARER
This poem carries out comparison between the intoxication of the
material kind, which may be caused by intoxicants or the arrogance of
material wealth, with the ecstasy of the wine of m‘arifah which gives
additional sanity in the form of insight into spiritual truths to the one who
drinks it. The Muslim Ummah is addressed as the cup-bearer. In the last
verse the Ummah is admonished to wake up from its slumber of several
centuries to face the problems of the coming age, which is expressed by the
metaphor of dawn. The dark age in the history of the Muslim Ummah is
about to end and the Ummah will be the leader of mankind and will be
called upon to shoulder various responsibilities.
Saqi ‫ساقي‬
‫نشہ‬ ‫پال کے گرانا تو سب کو آتا ہے‬
‫مزا‬ ‫تو جب ہے کہ گرتوں کو تھام لے ساقي‬
Nashah pila kay girana tuo sabb ko ata hai, maza tuo jabb hai keh girt’on
ko thhaam ley saqi.

1261
Everyone knows how to throw down people with intoxicants; the fun is to
convert the intoxicated one to sanity, O cup-bearer.
‫جو‬ ‫ وہ اٹھتے جاتے ہيں‬،‫بادہ کش تھے پرانے‬
‫کہيں‬ ‫سے آب بقائے دوام لے ساقي‬
Jo badah kash thhey poraney, woh othhtey jaatey hein; kaheen sey aab-e-
baqa-e-dawaam ley saqi.
(Baqa-e-dawaam: Hamaishah ki zindagi.)
Those who were the old wine-drinkers are gradually departing; bring the
water of immortality from somewhere, O cup-bearer.
‫کٹي‬ ‫ہے رات تو ہنگامہ گستري ميں تري‬
‫سحر‬ ‫ ہللا کا نام لے ساقي‬،‫قريب ہے‬
Katti hai raat tuo hungamah-e-gostari mein teri; sehar qarib hai, Allah ka
naam ley saqi.
(Hungamah-e-gostari: Hungamah paida karna.)
Your whole night has passed in tumult and clamour; the dawn is close
remember God, O cup-bearer!
(Translated by Dr. M.A.K. Khalil)

THE GOOD NEWS OF THE DAWN
(1912)
Allamah sees activity of the approaching dawn. He goads Muslims to
end their stupor, rise and become active in the cause of Islam and God. To
appreciate the value of this poem fully it should be remembered that it was
written at the time of the Wars of Tripoli and Balkan.
Naveed-e-Sobh ‫نو يد صبح‬ 
1912‫ء‬
‫آتي‬ ‫ہے مشرق سے جب ہنگامہ در دامن سحر‬
‫منزل‬ ‫ہستي سے کر جاتي ہے خاموشي سفر‬
Aati hai Mashriq sey jabb hungamah dar daman sehar; manzil-e-husti sey
kar jaati hai khamoshi safar.
(Hungamah dar daman: Daman mein hungamah leay ho’ay.)

1262
When the dawn full of action arrives from the east; the silence marches off
from the stage of life.
‫محفل‬ ‫قدرت کا آخر ٹوٹ جاتا ہے سکوت‬
‫ديتي‬ ‫ہے ہر چيز اپني زندگاني کا ثبوت‬
Mehfil-e-qodrat ka aakhar toot jata hai sakoot; deyti hai her cheez apni
zindagani ka saboot.
The quietude of nature’s congregation ends at last; everything presents
evidence of its life at last.
‫چہچاتے‬ ‫ہيں پرندے پا کے پيغام حيات‬
‫باندھتے‬ ‫ہيں پھول بھي گلشن ميں احرام حيات‬
Chehchahtey hein parindey pa kay paigham-e-hayat; baandhtey hein phhool
bhi gulshan mein ehraam-e-hayat.
(Ehraam: Woh unn sila labas jo Haji pehantey hein.)
The birds warble on getting the message of life in the garden flowers also
put on the robe of life.
‫مسلم‬ ‫ ہنگامہ آرا تو بھي ہو‬، ‫خوابيدہ اٹھ‬
‫وہ‬ ‫ گرم تقاضا تو بھي ہو‬، ‫چمک اٹھا افق‬
Moslim-e-khwabidah othh, hungamah ara tou bhi ho. woh chamak othha
ofaq, garm-e-taqaza tou bhi ho.
O sleeping Muslim get up!  You also engaged in action be! Look, the
horizon has brightened up, you also busy in urgent tasks be.
‫وسعت‬ ‫عالم ميں رہ پيما ہو مثل آفتاب‬
‫دامن‬ ‫گردوں سے ناپيدا ہوں يہ داغ سحاب‬
Wosa’at-e-alam mein reh-paima ho misl-e-aaftab; daman-e-gard’on sey
napaida h’on yeh dagh-e-sahaab.
(Sahab: Badal.)
In the universe’s expanse a traveler like the sun be; so that the sky not
producing these spots of clouds be.
‫کھينچ‬ ‫ پھر ہو سرگرم ستيز‬، ‫کر خنجر کرن کا‬
‫پھر‬  ‫سکھا تاريکي باطل کو آداب گريز‬
Khhainch kar khunjar kiran ka, pher ho sargarm-e-sataiz; pher sikhha
taariki-e-baatil ko adaab-e-garaiz.

1263
(Sataiz: Larraeyi, jung. Adaab-e-garaiz: Bhhagney kay tariqay.)
Pulling the dagger of sun’s ray get busy again in the fight! Again teacher of
escape’s rules to falsehood’s darkness be.
‫تو‬ ‫ خوشتر ہے عرياني تجھے‬،‫سراپا نور ہے‬
‫اور‬ ‫عرياں ہو کے الزم ہے خود افشاني تجھے‬
Tou sarapa noor hai, khoshter hai oriyani tojkey; aur oriy’an ho keh lazim
hai khod afshani tojhey.
(Khod afshani: Apney aap ko chhirrakna; morad hai johar nomay’an
karna.)
You are head to foot Light; manifestation makes you happy and after being
manifest spreading out is incumbent on you.
، ‫ہاں‬ ‫نماياں ہو کے برق ديدئہ خفاش ہو‬
‫اے‬ ‫دل کون ومکاں کے راز مضمر! فاش ہو‬
H’an, nomay’an ho kay barq-e-deidah-e-khafaash ho; ay dil kon-o-mak’an
kay raaz-e-mozmar! Faash ho.
(Khafaash: Chumgadarr.)
Yes! On being manifest become lightning to the bat’s eye! O hidden mystery
of the heart of universe manifest be!
(Translated by Dr. M.A.K. Khalil)

IN RESPONSE TO THE REQUEST FOR
WRITING A POEM ON EID
Allamah has always been ready to find ‘excuses’ to call upon,
coaxing, urge and agitate Muslims by reminding them what they were and
what they are.
‫عيد پر شعر لکھنے کي فرمائش کے جواب ميں‬
Eid per she’ar likhhney ki farma’ish kay jawab mein
‫يہ‬ ‫شاالمار ميں اک برگ زرد کہتا تھا‬
‫گيا‬ ‫وہ موسم گل جس کا رازدار ہوں ميں‬
Yeh Shalamar mein ekk burg-e-zard kehta thha; gaya woh mousam-e-gul
jiss ka raazdar h’on mien.

1264
In the Shalamar Garden a yellowed leaf was saying, ‘Gone is that spring of
which the confidante I am.
‫نہ‬ ‫پائمال کريں مجھ کو زائران چمن‬
‫انھي‬ ‫کي شاخ نشيمن کي يادگار ہوں ميں‬
Nah paeymaal karein mojh ko za’iraan-e-chaman; onnhi ki shakh-e-
nashaiman ki yaadgar h’on mien.
The garden’s visitors should not trample me down; the memory of the
branch of their own nest I am.’
‫ذرا‬ ‫سے پتے نے بيتاب کر ديا دل کو‬
‫چمن‬ ‫ميں آکے سراپا غم بہار ہوں ميں‬
Zara sey pattey ney bitaab kar diya dil ko; chaman mein aa-kay sarapa
ghum-e-bahar h’on mien.
This tiny little leaf made the heart restless; on coming into the garden
complete mourner of spring I am.
‫خزاں‬ ‫ميں مجھ کو رالتي ہے ياد فصل بہار‬
‫خوشي‬ ‫ہو عيد کي کيونکر کہ سوگوار ہوں ميں‬
Khaz’an mein mojh ko rolaati hai fasl-e-bahar; khoshi ho Eid ki kiyu’onkar
keh sougwar h’on mien.
In the autumn I am crying in remembrance of the spring. How can I get the
happiness of Eid as grief-stricken I am!
‫اجاڑ‬ ‫ہو گئے عہد کہن کے ميخانے‬
‫گزشتہ‬ ‫بادہ پرستوں کي يادگار ہوں ميں‬
Ojaarr ho ga’ey ehad-e-kohan kay maeykhaney; gozashtah baadah
parast’on ki yaadgar h’on mien.
Devastated have become the olden days’ taverns; a memorial of the olden
days’ wine drinkers I am.
‫پيام‬ ‫ مسرت ہميں سناتا ہے‬، ‫عيش‬
‫ہالل‬  ‫عيد ہماري ہنسي اڑاتا ہے‬
Payam-e-ishq, mosarat humein sonata hai; Hilal-e-Eid hamari hansi orrata
hai.

1265
It gives the message of pleasure and happiness to us! The crescent of Eid is
making fun of us! (Translated by Dr. M.A.K. Khalil)

THE SUN’S RAY
This is yet another poem in which Allamah coaxes the Muslims by
expressing his frustration over their complacence and lethargy.
Sho’a-e-Aftab ‫شعاع آفتاب‬
‫صبح‬ ‫جب ميري نگہ سودائي نظارہ تھي‬
‫آسماں‬  ‫پر اک شعاع آفتاب آوارہ تھي‬
Sobh jabb meyri nigah soudaeyi-e-nazarah thhi; aasm’an per ekk shoa’a-e-
aaftab awarah thhi.
At the dawn when my eye was enjoying the panorama I saw that a ray of the
sun was wandering about.
‫ميں‬ !‫ سراپا اضطراب‬Ð‫نے پوچھا اس کرن سے ''اے‬
‫تيري‬ ‫جان ناشکيبا ميں ہے کيسا اضطراب‬
Mien ney poochha iss kiran sey ‘ay sarapa iztiraab teyri jan-e-nashakiba
mein hai kaya iztiraab.
(Nashakiba: Bisabr, bichain, biqarar.)
I asked the ray, ‘O head to foot restlessness! What kind of restlessness your
impatient life has!
‫تو‬ ‫کوئي چھوٹي سي بجلي ہے کہ جس کو آسماں‬
‫کر‬ ‫رہا ہے خرمن اقوام کي خاطر جواں‬
Tou koeyi chhoti si bijli hai keh jiss ko aasm’an; kar raha hai khirman-e-
aqwaam ki khatir jaw’an
Are you a small little lightning, which the sky is nurturing to fall on the
harvest of nations.
‫يہ‬ ‫ کيا ہے يہ‬،‫تڑپ ہے يا ازل سے تيري خو ہے‬
‫رقص‬ ‫ کيا ہے يہ''؟‬،‫ جستجو ہے‬،‫ آوارگي ہے‬،‫ہے‬
Yeh tarrap hai ya azal sey teyri khoo hai, kaya hai yeh; raqs hai, aawargi
hai, jostajoo hai, kaya hai yeh’?

1266
Is this a flash, or your eternal nature, what is it? Is it a dance? Wandering?
Seeking what is it?’
‫خفتہ‬ ‫ہنگامے ہيں ميري ہستي خاموش ميں‬
‫پرورش‬ ‫پائي ہے ميں نے صبح کي آغوش ميں‬
Khoftah hungamey hein meyri husti-e-khamosh mein; perwarash paeyi hai
mien ney sobh ki aaghosh mein.
‘A sea of tumults is asleep in my silent life; my existence has been nurtured
by the morning’s breeze.
‫مضطرب‬ ‫ہر دم مري تقدير رکھتي ہے مجھے‬
‫جستجو‬ ‫ميں لذت تنوير رکھتي ہے مجھے‬
Moztarib her dum meri taqdir rakhhti hai mojhey; jostajoo mein lazzat-e-
tanvir rakhhti hai mojhey.
My destiny keeps me constantly restless. Taste for enlightenment keeps me
busy in seeking.
‫برق‬ ‫ فطرت ميں گو ناري ہوں ميں‬،‫آتش خو نہيں‬
‫مہر‬ ‫عالم تاب کا پيغام بيداري ہوں ميں‬
Barq-e-aatish kho naheen, fitrat mein go naari h’on mein; mehar-e-alam
taab ka paighaam-e-bidaari h’on mien.
I am not fire-brand lightning, though by nature fire I am. Message of
awakening from the world-illuminating sun I am!
‫سرمہ‬ ‫بن کر چشم انساں ميں سما جائوں گي ميں‬
‫رات‬ ‫ دکھالئوں گي ميں‬،‫نے جو کچھ چھپا رکھا تھا‬
Sormah bun kar chashm-e-ins’an mein sama ja’on gi mien; raat ney jo
kochh chhopa rakhha thha, dikhhla’on gi mien.
Becoming collyrium I shall enter the human eye; whatever night had hidden
I shall show to the eye.
‫تيرے‬ ‫مستوں ميں کوئي جويائے ہشياري بھي ہے‬
‫سونے‬ ‫والوں ميں کسي کو ذوق بيداري بھي ہے؟‬
Teyrey must’on mein koeyi jo’eya-e-hoshiari bhhi hai; sonay waaley mein
kissi ko zouq-e-bidaari bhi hai?

1267
Among your ecstatics is there any seeker of prudence also? Among the
sleeping people is anyone with taste of awakening also?’
(Translated by Dr. M.A.K. Khalil)

IN RESPONSE TO A LETTER
This poem unambiguously reflects that Allamah Iqbal had no personal
political ambitions behind raising the cry of inqilab. The last verse is the
climax of the matter and is taken from Hafiz of Shiraz.
Eik Khat kay Jawab mein  ‫ايک خط کے جواب ميں‬
 ‫ہوس‬ ‫بھي ہو تو نہيں مجھ ميں ہمت تگ و تاز‬
‫حصول‬ ‫جاہ ہے وابستہ مذاق تالش‬
Hawus bhi ho tuo naheen mojh mein himmat-e-tug-o-taaz; hasool-e-jah hai
wabastah-e-mazaq-e-talash.
Even if I have greed I do not have the strength for exertion acquiring
position is connected with the taste for search.
‫ہزار‬ ‫ طبيعت ہے ريزہ کار مري‬،‫شکر‬
‫ہزار‬ ‫ نہيں ہے دماغ فتنہ تراش‬،‫شکر‬
Hazar shokr, tabiyyat hai raizah-kaar meri; hazar shokr, naheen hai
damagh fitnah tarash.
A thousand thanks to God that my nature is contentment. A thousand thanks
to God that my mind is not mischievous.
‫مرے‬ ‫سخن سے دلوں کي ہيں کھيتياں سرسبز‬
‫جہاں‬ ‫ميں ہوں ميں مثال سحاب دريا پاش‬
Merey sakhon sey dil’on ki hein kheitiy’an sarsabz; jah’an mein h’on mien
misal-e-sehaab darya paash.
Cultivations of human hearts flourish with my writings; in the world I am
creative like the ocean feeding cloud.
‫يہ‬ ‫عقدہ ہائے سياست تجھے مبارک ہوں‬
‫کہ‬ ‫فيض عشق سے ناخن مرا ہے سينہ خراش‬
Yeh oqdah-ha’ey siyasat tojhey mobarik h’on; keh faiz-e-ishq sey nakhon
mera hai seinah kharash.

1268
Congratulations to you on these secrets of politics; as my finger nail by
Love’s grace is breast-excoriating.
‫ہوائے‬ ‫بزم سالطيں دليل مردہ دلي‬
‫کيا‬ ‫ہے حافظ رنگيں نوا نے راز يہ فاش‬
Hawa’ey bazm-e-salatein dalil-e-mordah dili; kiya hai Hafiz rang’in nawa
ney raaz yeh faash.
Desire for audience with kings is a sign of lifelessness; this secret has been
exposed by Hafiz of elegant poetry.
‫گرت‬ ‫ہوا ست کہ با خضر ہم نشيں باشي‬
‫نہاں‬ ‫ز چشم سکندر چو آب حيواں باش‬
Girat hawa’st keh ba Khizar hum nash’in baashi; neh’an ’z-chashm-e-
Sikandar cho aab-e-haiw’an baash.
‘If you desire that you elevated to Khizar* be: Hidden from Sikandar’s eye
as immortality’s water be.’
(This hemistich alludes to the tradition of Khizar A.S: Khizar was endowed
with two gifts from God, viz. mercy and knowledge from His own Presence.
The second hemistich is relevant to the parable alluded to here. This gift
entitled him to interpret the inner meaning and mystery of events and
creations of God. Though the Holy Qur’an does not say so in Muslim
literature Khizar is credited with the knowledge of the stream, of the water
of immortality, drinking which would confer immortality on any living
object, including Man. This tradition could be based on Greek writings
which have influenced Muslim thought to a very great extent. Sikandar was
one of the persons who requested Khizar to lead him to this stream. The
identity of Sikandar is also shrouded in mystery. The Holy Qur’an relates the
parable of a powerful and righteous king Dhul Qarnain (The Two-horned
One) in Surah 18:83-101. This king is identified with three kings, viz (I)
Alexander the Great of Greece (356-323 B.C.); (ii) an ancient Persian king
and (iii) a prehistoric Himyarite king… When Khizar was very much
pressed by Sikandar for leading him to the stream of immortality he did so.
When they reached there they found hundreds of thousands of living beings,
including men, who had taken the water and had not died. They had grown
old, decrepit and devoid of feelings. The moral of the story is that the normal
cycle of the birth and death as designed by God is the best scheme of things
for human beings as well as other living things. The moral of the story also
is that the value of the water of immortality, which persists till today in folk

1269
lore, lies in its being unavailable even to a king like Sikandar. Similarly, the
value of a self-respecting person lies in his being out of reach of kings and
other materialistic elite of the world.)
(Translated by Dr. M.A.K. Khalil)

REMAIN ATTACHED TO THE TREE KEEP
SPRING’S EXPECTATION
The call for the unity of Muslim Ummah is one of the oft repeated
messages of Allamah Iqbal.
 ‫ اميد بہار رکھ پيوستہ رہ‬، ‫شجر سے‬
Paiwastah reh Shajar sey, Ummeid-e-Bahar rakhh
‫ڈالي‬ ‫گئي جو فصل خزاں ميں شجر سے ٹوٹ‬
‫ممکن‬ ‫نہيں ہري ہو سحاب بہار سے‬
Daali gaeyi jo fasal-e-khaz’an mein shajar sey toot; momkin naheen hari ho
sehaab-e-bahar sey.
The branch of the tree which got separated in autumn is not possible to green
up with the cloud of spring.
‫ہے‬ ‫الزوال عہد خزاں اس کے واسطے‬
‫کچھ‬ ‫واسطہ نہيں ہے اسے برگ و بار سے‬
Hai lazawal ehad-e-khaz’an iss kay wastay; kochh wastah naheen hai issey
burg-o-baar sey.
The autumn season for this branch is ever-lasting; it has no connection with
flourishing in the spring.
‫ہے‬ ‫تيرے گلستاں ميں بھي فصل خزاں کا دور‬
‫خالي‬ ‫ہے جيب گل زر کامل عيار سے‬
Hai teyrey gulist’an mein bhi fasal-e-khaz’an ka dour; khaali hai jeib-e-gul
zar-e-kamil ayyar sey.
(Zar-e-kamil ayyar: Kasouti per pora otarney wala sona; khhara sona.)
Autumn season prevails in your rose garden also; the pocket of the rose is
devoid of good cash.

1270
 ‫جو‬ ‫نغمہ زن تھے خلوت اوراق ميں طيور‬
‫رخصت‬ ‫ہوئے ترے شجر سايہ دار سے‬
Jo naghmah-zun thhey khalwat auraaq mein taiyoor; rokhsat ho’ay terey
shajar-e-sayah daar sey.
The birds which were singing in the seclusion of leaves have departed from
your shady tree’s leaves.
‫شاخ‬  ‫بريدہ سے سبق اندوز ہو کہ تو‬
‫ناآشنا‬  ‫ہے قاعدئہ روزگار سے‬ 
Shaakh-e-boridah sey sabaq andoz ho keh tou; na-aashna hai qa’idah-e-
rozgaar sey.
You should learn a lesson from the separated branch as you are
unacquainted with the customs of the world.
‫ملت‬ ‫کے ساتھ رابطہء استوار رکھ‬
‫ اميد بہار رکھ پيوستہ‬، ‫رہ شجر سے‬
Millat kay saath rabtah-e-ostawaar rakhh; paiwastah reh shajar sey,
ummeid-e-bahar rakhh.
Keep very strong communication with the nation; remain attached to the tree
and have spring’s expectation!
(Translated by Dr. M.A.K. Khalil)

THE NIGHT OF THE CELESTIAL ASCENSION
OF THE HOLY PROPHET  S.A.W.
This poem eulogizes the night of Mi‘raj. The significance of this night
is two fold. First, it was the occasion when the secrets of the spiritual part of
the celestial world were opened to a human being. This shows the elegant
position of Man in comparison with other creatures of God. Secondly, the
Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) was the only person in the history of mankind and
that of divine revelation to whom these secrets were visually shown.
The second one shows that the disclosure of spiritual secrets of the
celestial world completed the process of their revelation and obviated the
need for subsequent prophets. This is another proof in support of the finality
of the Prophethood with the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.).

1271
Shabb-e-Miraj ‫شب معراج‬
‫اختر‬ ‫شام کي آتي ہے فلک سے آواز‬
‫سجدہ‬ ‫ وہ ہے آج کي رات‬،‫کرتي ہے سحر جس کو‬
Akhtar-e-shaam ki aati hai falak sey aawaz; sajdah karti hai jiss ko, woh hai
aaj ki raat.
This call of the evening star is coming from the sky: This is the night before
which the dawn prostrates.
‫رہ‬ ‫يک گام ہے ہمت کے ليے عرش بريں‬
‫کہہ‬ ‫رہي ہے يہ مسلمان سے معراج کي رات‬
Reh-e-yakk gaam hai himmat kay leay arsh-e-barein; keh rehi hai yeh
Mosilman sey Miraj ki raat.
‘For courage the Arsh-i-Barin is only a pace away’: The Mi‘raj’s night is
saying this to the Muslim.
(Translated by Dr. M.A.K. Khalil)

BEGGING FOR KHILAFAH
This poem is an expression of Allamah Iqbal’s principle that an
individual as well as a nation should fight and struggle for their rightful
needs and not beg others for them. This is more so for the
Muslim Ummah whom the Holy Qur’an has declared as the ‘best nation’.
This poem was written when the Muslims all over the world
generally, and in the Indian sub-continent particularly, were working for the
restoration of the Khilafah in Turkey. However, a great part of their effort
consisted of approaching the British Government in London and the League
of Nations in Geneva for doing justice to Muslims. Allamah Iqbal tells them
in this poem that such efforts would be of no avail.
Darwizah-e-Khilafat ‫دريوزہ‬ ‫خالفت‬ 
‫اگر‬ ‫ جائے‬،‫ملک ہاتھوں سے جاتا ہے‬
‫تو‬ ‫احکام حق سے نہ کر بے وفائي‬
Agar molk haath’on sey jata hai jaa’ey; tou ehkaam-e-Haq sey nah kar
biwafaeyi.

1272
If the territory is being lost let it be lost; you should not be disloyal to God’s
commands.
‫نہيں‬ ‫تجھ کو تاريخ سے آگہي کيا‬
‫خالفت‬ ‫کي کرنے لگا تو گدائي‬
Naheen tojh ko taarikh sey agahi kaya; khilafat ki karney laga tou gadaeyi.
Do you not have knowledge of history? You have started begging for
theKhilafah!
‫خريديں‬  ‫نہ جس کو ہم اپنے لہو سے‬
‫مسلماں‬ ‫کو ہے ننگ وہ پادشائي‬
Kharidein nah jiss ko hum apney lahoo sey; Mosilm’an ko hai nang woh
padshahi.
If we do not purchase with our own blood; such sovereignty is a disgrace to
the Muslim!
‫مرا‬ ‫از شکستن چناں عار نايد‬
‫کہ‬ ‫از ديگراں خواستن موميائي‬
Mera az shakastan chon’an aar n’ayad; keh az digaraan khwastan
momiaeyi.
[Meyrey leay apney jism ki haddiy’an toot jana iss qadar ba’is-e-sharam
naheen, jiss qadar doosr’on kay saamney momiaeyi kay leay haath
phhailana.]
‘I do not feel as much ashamed of being broken down as in asking
others for momiya’i* for my treatment.
(*This is a medicinal substance which appears from rocks in lime stone
formations in mountains. It is believed to have extraordinary tonic and
healing properties. Geologically the closest substances to momiya’i are
‘stalactite’ and ‘stalacmite’. The former is formed very slowly when the
water containing calcium bicarbonate drips down slowly from the roof of a
cave of lime stone rock. The deposit hangs from the roof of the cave like
icicles. The latter is also made up of calcium bicarbonate and is formed in
the same way at the bottom of the cave. The verse means that being defeated
is better than gaining success through begging help from others.)
(Translated by Dr. M.A.K. Khalil)

1273
GHAZAL: PART THREE
***** (8) *****
This ghazal is also Allamah Iqbal’s call to Muslims to base their deeds
and service to God on Love for Him instead of banking on Intellect.
‫گرچہ‬ ‫تو زنداني اسباب ہے‬
‫قلب‬ ‫کو ليکن ذرا آزاد رکھ‬
Garchih tou zindaani-e-asbab hai; qalb ko laikan zara azad rakhh.
(Zindaani-e-asbab: Zahari wasil’on ka mohtaaj.)
Though you are bound by cause and effect; keep your heart a little
independent.
‫عقل‬ ‫کو تنقيد سے فرصت نہيں‬
‫عشق‬ ‫پر اعمال کي بنياد رکھ‬
Aql ko tanqid sey forsat naheen; ishq per a’amal ki boniyad rakhh.
Intellect is not free from criticism; establish the foundation of your deeds on
Love.
‫اے‬ ‫مسلماں! ہر گھڑي پيش نظر‬
‫آيہ‬ ‫ال يخلف الميعاد رکھ‬
Ay Mosilm’an! Her ghharri paish-e-nazar Ayah-e-la yukhlif ul-mi’ad rakhh.
(La yukhlif ul-mi’aad: Allah hargiz wa’adah khalafi naheen karta.)
O Muslim always in your mind; keep the verse ‘La Yukhlif ul mi‘ad’*
(*Allusion to the Holy Qur’an 3: 9)
‫يہ‬ '‫لسان العصر' کا پيغام ہے‬
 ‫''ان وعد ہللا حق'' ياد رکھ‬
Yeh ‘lisaan al-asr’ ka paighaam hai; ‘inna wa’ad-Allah-i-Haqqun’ yaad
rakhh.
(Lisaan al-asr: Zamaaney ki zobaan. morad hai Akbar Alahabadi jinn ka yeh
laqab thha. Inna wa’ad-Allah-i-Haqqun: Allah Ta’ala ka wa’adah yaqinun
sacha hota hai.)
This is the message of the Voice of Time:* Always deep in heart ‘Inna
wa`d-Allah i Haqqun’*

1274
(*The Holy Qur’an; **allusion to the Holy Qur’sn 4:122 and 14:47)
(Translated by Dr. M.A.K. Khalil)

HUMOROUS VERSES
***** (4) *****
‫يہ‬ ‫کوئي دن کي بات ہے اے مرد ہوش مند‬
‫غيرت‬ ‫ نہ زن اوٹ چاہے گي‬،‫نہ تجھ ميں ہو گي‬
Yeh koeyi dinn ki baat hai ay mard-e-hoshmand; ghairat nah tojh mein ho
gi, nah zunn oat chahey gi.
O wise man! This is a matter of a few days only; neither you will be modest
nor woman will seclusion want.
‫آتا‬ ‫ہے اب وہ دور کہ اوالد کے عوض‬
‫کونسل‬ ‫کي ممبري کے ليے ووٹ چاہے گي‬
Ata hai abb woh dour keh aulaad kay ewaz; council ki memberi kay leay
vote chahey gi.
That time is approaching when instead of children votes for the council’s
membership will she want.

***** (6) *****

‫کچھ‬ ‫غم نہيں جو حضرت واعظ ہيں تنگ دست‬
‫تہذيب‬ ‫نو کے سامنے سر اپنا خم کريں‬
Kochh ghum naheen jo hazrat-e-Wa’iz hein tung dast; tehzeeb-e-nau kay
saamney sar apna kham karein.
It does not matter if the preacher is poor; he should bend to the new
civilization.
‫رد‬ ‫جہاد ميں تو بہت کچھ لکھا گيا‬
‫ترديد‬ ‫حج ميں کوئي رسالہ رقم کريں‬
Radd-e-Jihad mein tuo bohat kochh likhha gaya; tardid-e-Hajj mein koeyi
risalah raqam karein.
Much has been written on cancellation of jihad*; he should write a tract on
cancellation of Hajj.

1275
(*This is sarcasm on the publication of literature in the Indian sub-continent
seeking excuses to divert the attention of the Muslims from the aspect
of jihad technically known as ‘qital’. This was very prominent in the
literature produced by the Qadiyani Community, especially the literature
produced by the community’s founder, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadiyan.)

***** (9) *****

‫ہم‬ ‫مشرق کے مسکينوں کا دل مغرب ميں جا اٹکا ہے‬
‫واں‬ ‫کنڑ سب بلوري ہيں ياں ايک پرانا مٹکا ہے‬
Hum Mashriq kay maskin’on ka dil Maghrib mein ja attka hai; w’an canter
sabb bilouri hein y’an eik porana matka hai.
We poor Easterners have been entangled in the West; all crystal decanters
are there, only an old earthen jar is here.
‫اس‬ ‫ ہاں! باقي وہ رہ جائے گا‬،‫دور ميں سب مٹ جائيں گے‬
‫جو‬ ‫قائم اپني راہ پہ ہے اور پکا اپني ہٹ کا ہے‬
Iss dour mein sabb mitt jaein gey, h’an! Baqi woh reh ja’ey ga; jo qaim apni
rah peh hai aur pakka apni hutt ka hai.
All will be annihilated in this age except the one who established in his ways
and firm in his thought is.
‫اے‬ ‫ سنتے ہو! کيا اہل بصيرت کہتے ہيں‬،‫شيخ و برہمن‬
‫گردوں‬ ‫نے کتني بلندي سے ان قوموں کو دے پٹکا ہے‬
Ay Shaikh-o-Brahman, sonntay ho! Kaya ehl-e-baseerat kehtey hein;
gard’on ney kitni bolandi sey onn quom’on ko dey puttka hai.
O Shaikh and Brahman! Do you listen to what people with insight say?
Heaven from great heights has thrown down those nations;
‫يا‬ ‫ دستور محبت قائم تھا‬، ‫باہم پيار کے جلسے تھے‬
‫يا‬ ‫بحث ميں اردو ہندي ہے يا قرباني يا جھٹکا ہے‬
Ya bahum piyar kay jallsey thhey, dastoor-e-mohabat qaim thha; ya behus
mein Urdu Hindi hai ya Qorbani ya Jhatka hai.
Who formerly had assemblies of affection with firm love; now under
discussion is Urdu and Hindi or Dhibh and Jhatka.

1276
(Dhibh: This is the Muslim way of killing an animal for food, in which the
name of God is invoked as a mark of dedication of the food to
Him. Jhatka is the Sikh way of doing the same in which the animal is killed
with one stroke, separating the head from the body. The Sikhs were and still
are so adamantly against Dhibh that they would not eat the meat of an
animal killed with that process. The mention of these controversies is no
exaggeration. They did rise in the serious political parleys between
Muslims and Hindus in the twenties and thirties. The name of the India’s
national language was so controversial that Hindus insisted that it should
be Hindi though Urdu had been the official language of the Indian sub-
continent during the two hundred years of British rule. Even in the
discussions during the proceedings of the commission appointed by Mr.
M.K. Gandhi for drafting the educational policy of independent India,
known as the ‘Wardha Scheme’ this name was under hot discussion. Even
Mr. Gandhi’s modest suggestion of using the term ‘Hindustani’ was rejected
by the Hindu members. This happened in spite of the great reverence in
which Hindus held Mr. Gandhi. The partition of India and its aftermath
could have been avoided with a little toleration and understanding. This
matter has been discussed earlier also.)
(Translated by Dr. M.A.K. Khalil)
10th July, 2013

1277
 MURSI WEEDED OUT
Muslim lands are quite fertile for growing crops stooges. The so-
called Arab Spring was meant for cultivating a new crop of this precious
commodity. Mohammed Mursi of Egypt, however, grew like unwanted
weed in the Egyptian field. The cultivators from the West employed the
local uniformed labour for weeding him out.
It was for this reason that no country from the ‘civilized world’, which
otherwise cries hoarse about promoting democracy, condemned the military
coup that dislodged Mursi. They only urged the ‘interim’ government to
resume the democratic process so that they could have new lot of political
stooges of their choice at their earliest.
No Muslim country formally condemned the Egyptian Army as they
knew who their backers were. The Arab countries, in fact, welcomed the
dismissal of Mursi and moved speedily to grant billions as economic aid to
the new government so that they could overcome the economic hardship and
justify their illegal and immoral act.

NEWS
Far East
Myanmar: On 10th July, four Muslim men were jailed for murder
following religious violence in central Myanmar in March. The defendants
were given sentences of between seven years and life imprisonment for their
part in the deadly rioting in the town of Meiktila that mainly targeted
Muslims and spread elsewhere in the Buddhist-dominated country.
Next day, UN Secretary-General warned Myanmar to end Buddhist
attacks on stateless Muslims in the country’s west, while calling for the
resolution of the question of their citizenship. In remarks made to diplomats
in New York, Ban issued what appeared to be his strongest criticism to date
of Myanmar’s handling of religious violence.
‘If it is not addressed urgently and firmly, underlying tensions could
provoke more upheaval, undermining the reform process and triggering
negative regional repercussions’, Ban said. The government has won
accolades for moving the country toward democracy after decades of
military rule, but the growing violence has raised questions about the

1278
government’s ability and willingness to promote civic harmony and defend
the rights of minorities.
Meanwhile, Representatives of the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC) urged the UN chief and UN member states to do more to
persuade the Government of Myanmar to stem the tide of violence against
Muslims. Authorities in the South-east Asian country had so far failed to end
what amounted to genocide against Muslims, said Roble Olhaye, OIC
Chairman and Permanent Representative of Djibouti to the United Nations. 
Ambassador Abdallah Yahya Al-Mouallimi, Permanent
Representative of Saudi Arabia, joined Ambassador Olhaye in stressing that
the anti-Muslim violence was occurring at a time when Myanmar was
enjoying improved diplomatic relations with the rest of the world, and its
democratic progress was attracting significant attention.  Despite that
progress, however, the Government ‘cannot be allowed to turn a blind eye to
egregious violations of human rights’ against one people, Olhaye
emphasized. 
Echoing the call on the Secretary-General to make his voice heard
‘more loudly’ on the issue, the Saudi ambassador emphasized:  ‘We have no
intentions of standing on the side and watching this process take place
without any action.’  When asked about the type of support that the OIC
intended to provide to Muslims in Myanmar, Al-Mouallimi said it had
offered to send a humanitarian team and to provide assistance to the victims,
but those offers had been rejected by the Government.  He called on the
international community to ensure that such efforts were better received in
the future.
On 12th July, lawyers and police said that Myanmar has sentenced
more than 20 Buddhists to prison for their roles in religious riots in March,
including a deadly attack on a Muslim boarding school. The convictions
follow earlier concerns among rights groups that Muslims were bearing the
brunt of the legal crackdown on suspects involved in the unrest which shook
the central town of Meiktila.
According to state media, which did not specify the suspects’ religion,
the sentences ranged from two years for minor offences such as theft to 10
years for murder, with some defendants handed several terms to be served
separately. Some of the charges related to the deaths of students at an
Islamic school on the outskirts of Meiktila. Before the latest convictions,
only two Buddhists were known to have been sentenced for serious offences
during the riots, which drove thousands of Muslims from their homes.

1279
Mainland Asia
China: On 30h June, China vowed to ramp up patrols and ‘crack down
upon terrorist groups’ after staging large military exercises in the ethnically-
divided Xinjiang region following clashes that killed at least 35 people.
Beijing also dispatched two high-ranking officials to the far western region
following a top level Communist Party meeting presided over by President
Xi Jinping.
Next day, Chinese state media said the United States is encouraging
‘terrorism’ in Xinjiang, and claimed that separatists in the region had fought
alongside Syrian rebels. The People's Daily, a mouthpiece for the ruling
Communist Party, slammed the US government and media for what it said
was its role in the violence.
On 2nd July, China announced rewards of up to 100,000 yuan
($16,000) for information leading the arrest of those responsible for the
violence in the vast far-western region. The announcement by authorities in
Xinjiang came less than a week after a marauding gang staged a series of
attacks in a Xinjiang Township.
Middle East
Iraq: On 30h June, a bombing at a Baghdad football pitch killed nine
people, the majority of them young boys. The attack struck in the Nahrawan
neighbourhood of southeast Baghdad, which wounded 25, others. Most of
the casualties were boys under the age of 16, they sources said. Meanwhile,
a series of attacks across Iraq on killed six people in the latest violence.
On 2nd July, a wave of attacks in Iraq targeting Shias, including a spate
of bombings at markets, killed 40 people. Nationwide unrest is at its worst
level since 2008; with the UN saying more than 2,500 people have died from
April through June, as Iraq grapples with a protracted political deadlock and
months of protests by the Sunni Arab minority. No group immediately
claimed responsibility for the attacks.
On 5th July, terror attacks across the country left 23 dead, including
the bombing of a Shiite religious hall. With the latest violence, attacks have
killed over 160 people and wounded more than 400 in the first six days of
July. Next day, a roadside bomb killed four people west of the northern city
of Kirkuk, while another bomb in Tikrit, also north of the Iraqi capital, killed
a police officer and wounded two others.

1280
 On 8th July, it was reported that in last 48 hours violence in Iraq killed
25 people, including six family members shot dead while returning from a
wedding. The deadliest attack hit north Iraq, where a car bomb south of the
city of Mosul killed six people, including three children, and wounded eight.
A car bomb in the city also killed one person and wounded four. In Madain,
south of Baghdad, a bomb exploded near a football field inside a sports club
on Monday, killing at least five people.
On 13th July, violence in Iraq killed 47 people the other day. A
bomber struck at a cafe in the city of Kirkuk as people thronged the streets
after the iftar; thirty-eight people were killed and 29 wounded. All cafes in
Kirkuk closed after the attack, the first on a cafe in the city. Iraq has been hit
by a surge in violence that has killed more than 2,500 people have been
killed this year, including over 300 this month alone.
Palestine: On 2nd July, a Palestinian teenager was knocked down and
killed by an Israeli military jeep during overnight clashes in a town in the
southern West Bank. An Israel military spokeswoman confirmed an incident
in the town, but said initial reports suggested soldiers had fired at a youth
who had climbed onto a military vehicle.
Syria: On 30h June, air raids on Homs killed a woman and two
children, as Syrian government forces pressed an assault on rebel-held parts
of the city dubbed the ‘capital of the revolution’. As the violence raged, the
six-member Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union meeting in
Bahrain called for a political solution to Syria’s conflict, while regional
powerhouse Saudi Arabia urged the EU to arm the opposition.
Homs, the third largest city in Syria, was one of the first to join the
uprising against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime more than two years
ago. In addition to the three civilians, at least 24 regime force members had
been killed in the latest fighting in Homs on the second day of a major
assault on the city.
The army is continuing its attempt to enter Khaldiyeh, but it hasn’t
succeeded so far. Hundreds of soldiers are involved in the offensive. The
troops were also targeting the rebel bastions of Bab Hud, Hamidiyeh and
Bustan al-Diwan, calling the bombardments “unprecedented”. British
Foreign Secretary called on Syria’s regime to cease its ‘brutal’ assault.
On 4th July, President Bashar al-Assad accused the West of sending
‘takfiri terrorist groups’ to his country as a way to get rid of them. Western
countries believe that ‘these takfiri (extremist) terrorist groups that have

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been a security concern for decades will come to Syria and be killed and that
way they will get rid of them’, Assad told the Al-Thawra daily.
Meanwhile, Syrian warplanes bombed the central city of Homs, with
insurgents and troops battling on the ground as regime forces pressed an
assault on rebel-held neighbourhoods. Sporadic clashes were ongoing
between rebels and regime forces on the outskirts of Khaldiyeh. Elsewhere
in the country, an aide to the labour minister was injured by an explosive
device planted in his car in the Baramkeh district of Damascus. In southern
Daraa Province, six people were killed in shelling on the town of Sheikh
Miskeen.
On 6th July, the main Syrian opposition National Coalition elected
Ahmad Jarba as its president after a close runoff vote held in Istanbul. Jarba
is a tribal figure from the eastern province of Hasaka who has connections
with Saudi Arabia. He defeated businessman Mustafa Sabbagh, Qatar's point
man in the opposition. Ahmad Jarba is willing to work with everybody.
On 9th July, UN Secretary-General urged all parties in Syria to stop
fighting and offer one-month peace to the war-torn country during holy
Ramazan. In an appeal released by his spokesperson, he called on all parties
in Syria, for the sake of the Syrian people, to respect the religious obligation
of Ramazan, a holy month of patience, charity and forgiveness, when wars
are supposed to stop.
On 12th July, an al-Qaeda front group operating in Syria killed a rebel
chief in a firefight in the coastal province of Latakia. The killing comes amid
soaring tensions between the mainstream rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) and
its supporters and groups affiliated to al-Qaeda, mostly made up of non-
Syrian fighters.
Better known as Abu Bassir al-Jeblawi, rebel chief Kamal Hamami
was shot dead yesterday by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), one of
the main jihadist groups operating in Syria. He was killed when ISIS fighters
tried to destroy an FSA checkpoint in the Jabal al-Turkman region.
Syrian rebels said the assassination of one of their top commanders by
al Qaeda-linked militants was tantamount to a declaration of war, opening a
new front for the Western-backed fighters struggling against President
Bashar al-Assad’s forces. Rivalries have been growing between the Free
Syrian Army (FSA) and the Islamists, the smaller but more effective forces
of which control most of the rebel-held parts of northern Syria more than
two years.

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 The FSA has been trying to build a logistics network and reinforce its
presence across Syria as the U.S. administration considers sending weapons;
in part to present a bulwark against units it considers ‘terrorist
organizations.’ But with funding from Gulf-based individuals, Islamist
brigades have taken a leading role in rebel-held regions of Syria, filling the
vacuum of power by setting up religious courts and governance bodies.
Pakistani Taliban official told the BBC that they have visited Syria to
set up a base and to assess ‘the needs of the jihad’. He said that the base was
set up with the assistance of ex-Afghan fighters of Middle Eastern origin
who have moved to Syria in recent years. At least 12 experts in warfare and
information technology had gone to Syria in the last two months, he said.
Next day, US President Barack Obama and Saudi Arabia King
Abdullah bin Abd al-Aziz, in a phone conversation, discussed the conflict in
Syria and the latest developments in Egypt. The two leaders ‘shared their
perspectives’ on the situation in Syria and expressed their ‘strong concerns’
about the impact of the conflict on the region. Obama stressed his
administration’s ‘continued commitment’ to provide support to the Syrian
Opposition Coalition and the Supreme Military Council, it said.
Lebanon: On 9th July, a car bomb rocked Beirut's southern suburbs, a
stronghold of Lebanon's Hezbollah movement, injuring at least 53 people.
The blast comes amid spiraling tension in Lebanon over the civil war raging
in neighbouring Syria, where Hezbollah fighters have joined President
Bashar al-Assad's forces in facing down a revolt by mainly Sunni rebels.
The attack took place in a zone monitored closely by Hezbollah. It is the
most serious incident in the movement's Beirut stronghold since the start of
the Syria war more than two years ago.
Bahrain: On 7th July, two attacks outside the Bahraini capital
Manama killed one policeman and wounded five, in the latest unrest to rock
the Gulf state. As police attempted to secure the area...the terrorists blew up
an improvised bomb against security forces. Bahraini authorities often use
the term ‘terrorists’ to refer to Shia demonstrators who have kept up pro-
democracy protests despite a 2011 crackdown backed by Saudi-led Gulf
troops, sparking repeated clashes with security forces.
UAE: On 2nd July, a UAE court sentenced 69 Islamists to jail for up to
15 years on charges of plotting to overthrow the government, at the
conclusion of a mass trial. The Federal Supreme Court sentenced 56 of the
94 defendants to 10 years in prison each; among them is Sheikh Sultan bin

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Kayed Al-Qassimi, a member of the ruling family of the emirate of Ras al-
Khaimah.
Five defendants were jailed for seven years each while eight tried in
absentia were sentenced to 15 years each, it said. A total of 25 people were
acquitted including all 13 women arrested in the crackdown and who had
been on bail since the start of the trial on March 4. Mass trial has been
criticized by human rights organizations.
Yemen: On 8th July, gunmen shot dead a high-ranking Yemeni army
officer in the country’s southeastern Hadramawt Province as he was heading
to work. The unknown assailants opened fire on Colonel Ahmed al-Suhaili,
commander of a military camp in Hadramawt’s city of Seiyun, Suhaili
responded by shooting at the assailants who were in a vehicle and wounded
one of them before he died.
Africa
Nigeria: On 6th July, gunmen believed to be Islamists from Nigeria’s
Boko Haram insurgent group killed 42 people, mostly students, in an
overnight attack on a secondary school in restive Yobe state. Attackers
rounded up students and staff of the school and placed them in a dormitory,
then threw explosives inside and opened fire.
Mobile phone lines have been cut in much of the northeast since the
start of a military offensive targeting Boko Haram on May 15, and access to
the area is limited. Residents of Potiskum and adjoining towns and villages
reportedly have to go to Dagauda near Bauchi state to make and receive
telephone calls. Nigeria declared a state of emergency in three flashpoint
states; Yobe as well as Adamawa and Borno; in mid-May.
On 13th July, the head of Nigeria’s Boko Haram Islamists said he
supported a July 6 attack on a school that killed 42 people, but did not claim
responsibility for the massacre. ‘We fully support the attack on this Western
education school in Mamudo’, in northern Yobe state, Abubakar said in the
10-minute video speech.
Libya: On 3rd July, gunmen attacked Libya's interior ministry building in
the capital Tripoli, forcing its closure. Gunfire could be heard in the vicinity
of the building but it was not clear if it was from the attackers or warning
shots from guards inside. In a separate incident in the eastern city of
Benghazi overnight an explosion injured two members of the Special Forces.
Egypt: On 30h June, thousands of demonstrators waved red cards in
Tahrir Square to demand the resignation of President Mohamed Mursi, as

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the spirit of 2011's revolution returned to the iconic Cairo protest venue.
Mursi's opponents protested on first anniversary of his inauguration,
determined to oust him as his Islamist supporters vowed to defend his
legitimacy to the end.
‘This is the second revolution and Tahrir is the symbol of the
revolution’, said carpenter Ibrahim Hammouda, who traveled from the
northern city of Damietta for the protest. Anti-Mursi protests also began in
the coastal city of Alexandria, the Nile Delta cities of Menuf, Mahalla and
the canal cities of Suez and Port Said as well as in Mursi's hometown of
Zagazig. Police and troops have deployed at key buildings nationwide and
hospitals were on high alert in case of violence.
Mursi, previously a senior Muslim Brotherhood leader, is Egypt's first
freely elected president, catapulted to power by the 2011 uprising that ended
three decades of authoritarian Mubarak rule. His opponents accuse him of
betraying the revolution by concentrating power in Islamist hands and of
sending the economy into free fall. Mursi supporters say he inherited many
problems from a corrupt regime, and that he should be allowed to complete
his term which ends in 2016. Leading opposition figure, Nobel peace
laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, urged Mursi ‘to listen to the people’ and quit.
Next day, in a statement read out on state television, the armed forces
reiterated its ‘call that the demands of the people be met and gives (all
parties) 48 hours, as a last chance, to take responsibility for the historic
circumstances the country is going through. If the demands of the people are
not met in this period...(the armed forces) will announce a future roadmap
and measures to oversee its implementation’.
Earlier, Egypt’s opposition gave Mursi a day to quit or face civil
disobedience after deadly protests demanded the country’s first
democratically elected president step down after just a year in office. ‘We
give Mohamed Morsi until 5:00 pm (1500 GMT) July 2 to leave power,
allowing state institutions to prepare for early presidential elections’, the
Tamarod movement said in a statement on its website.
The health ministry said 16 people died in nationwide protests,
including eight in clashes between supporters and opponents of Morsi
outside the Cairo headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood movement from
which he hails. Another three people died in the central province of Assiut
and one each in Fayoum, Beni Sueif and Kafr el-Sheikh provinces. One
protester suffocated to death at a rally outside the presidential palace in
Cairo and another died of wounds in the coastal city of Alexandria.

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 On 2nd July, President Mohamed Mursi snubbed an army ultimatum
threatening to intervene if he did not meet the demands of the people, and
five ministers led a spate of government resignations. The opposition too
expressed concern that the military was poised to play a political role in the
deeply divided country, even as the army hastened to damp down talk of an
imminent ‘coup’.
In a statement issued overnight, the presidency insisted it would
continue on its own path towards national reconciliation. The army
declaration had not been cleared by the presidency and could cause
confusion, it said. The presidency also denounced any declaration that would
‘deepen division’ and ‘threaten the social peace’. The president was
consulting ‘with all national forces to secure the path of democratic change
and the protection of the popular will’, it added.
Next day, the Egyptian army toppled Islamist President Mohamed
Morsi after a week of bloodshed that killed nearly 50 people as millions took
to the streets to demand an end to his turbulent single year of rule. The
announcement, made on state television by Mursi’s own defence minister,
armed forces chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, drew a rapturous welcome
from the protesters who have camped out on the streets of Cairo for days.
Sisi also announced a freezing of the Islamist-drafted constitution and early
presidential elections.
TV stations belonging to Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood went off air at
the end of the speech. Minutes later, a notice went up on Mursi’s Facebook
page denouncing the army move as a ‘military coup’. Mursi’s office rejected
the move as ‘illegal’ and called on Egyptians to peacefully resist the ‘coup’.
His current whereabouts are unknown, but an unverified tweet urges
civilians and members of the military to uphold the law and the constitution.
Morsi, Egypt’s first freely elected president came under massive
pressure in the run-up to anniversary of his maiden year in office, with his
opponents accusing him of failing the 2011 revolution by concentrating
power in Islamist hands. The embattled 62-year-old proposed a ‘consensus
government’ as a way out of the country’s worst crisis since the 2011
uprising ended three decades of authoritarian rule by Hosni Mubarak.
The United States urged Morsi to ‘do more’ as a military deadline
passed for him to meet the demands of the people following a week of
bloody unrest during mass protests calling for him to quit. The advice came
too late, however, as the army said the head of the Supreme Constitutional

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Court, Adly al-Mansour, a previously little known judge, would become the
new leader of the Arab world’s most populous country.
Opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei, the UN nuclear watchdog
chief, and the heads of the Coptic Church and Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam’s
highest seat of learning, sat alongside the armed forces chief as he
announced Mursi’s overthrow on state television. The choreography was
designed to show broad civilian support for the military’s move to topple
Morsi, dashing the hopes of supporters who had seen his elevation to the
presidency after years underground as one of the key achievements of the
2011 revolution.
Thousands of people also gathered in Nasr City in a show of support
for Morsi, despite an attack that killed 16 of them and injured 200 overnight.
That spate of bloodletting took to almost 50 the number of people killed in
Egypt since the latest crisis flared a week ago ahead of Sunday’s anniversary
of Mursi’s swearing-in. Aside from Tahrir, Nasr City and a few other areas,
Cairo’s streets were unusually quiet, with many choosing to stay home over
fears of more violence.
The Obama Administration’s refusal to publicly condemn the
Egyptian military’s intervention in the political crisis fuelled the belief –
both in the Middle East and Washington – that the US tacitly supported the
coup against President Mohammed Morsi. The US administration was slow
to criticize Mursi’s growing power grab in Cairo and failure to address
Egypt’s economic woes, apparently eager to engage the Brotherhood as its
influence spread across the Mideast over the past two years.
On 4th July, Egypt’s new caretaker president Adly Mansour, sworn in,
had been head of the Supreme Constitutional Court for just two days when
the army named him leader of the Arab world’s most populous state. Despite
his previously low profile, the judge came across as statesmanlike in a
nationally televised oath-taking ceremony, during which he hailed
yesterday’s army overthrow of Morsi.
US President Barack Obama and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
have called for a swift return to civilian rule in Egypt, while failing to
condemn the military coup that ousted President Mohammed Morsi. Both
leaders appealed to Egyptians to avoid violence and remain calm and
exercise restraint. Obama also ordered a review of the implications for
hundreds of millions of dollars in annual US aid to Egypt in light of the
army’s move against Morsi.

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 World powers called for a return to democracy in Egypt after the
military ousted president Mohamed Morsi, but many took a pragmatic
stance and stopped short of condemning the overthrow of the Islamist leader.
Britain, the former colonial power in Egypt, said that it was ready to work
with the country’s interim rulers despite disapproving of any military role in
the democratic process.
But Germany took a far stronger line with Foreign Minister Guido
Westerwelle describing Mursi’s ouster as a ‘major setback for democracy in
Egypt’ and calling for dialogue and compromise. The European Union gave
a more tepid response. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said she
was fully aware of the deep divisions in society’ in Egypt, adding that ‘I
urge all sides to rapidly return to the democratic process’, but making no
condemnation of the army.
Russia called on all Egyptian political forces to \exercise restraint’ but
again offered no condemnation. Russia has long had friendly ties with Egypt
and was guarded after the 2011 ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak.
China, wary of intervention in the internal affairs of other nations, said it
supported the ‘choice of the Egyptian people’ and called for dialogue but did
not elaborate.
Turkey, where Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted
party faced down mass protests last month, said the events in Egypt were
undemocratic. ‘The power change in Egypt was not a result of the will of the
people. The change was not in compliance with democracy and law’, Deputy
Prime Minister said. Meanwhile, governments across the Middle East
welcomed the ouster of Mohamed Morsi with varying degrees of
enthusiasm, with war-hit Syria calling it a ‘great achievement.’
In Israel, which has a peace treaty with Egypt since 1979 but strained
ties, ministers were tightlipped after reportedly being instructed by Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from comment. Reaction was more
muted in Iran, which said it respected ‘the will of the people’ but also called
for democratic processes to be respected.
Mohamed ElBaradei, a former UN nuclear agency chief, is favourite
to head a transitional government in Egypt after the military overthrew
Islamist President. ElBaradei was mandated by the main alliance of liberal
and left-wing parties, the National Salvation Front, and youth groups that led
anti-Mursi protests as negotiator with the armed forces and was present
when armed forces commander General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced the
military take over.

1288
 Next day, deadly gunfight erupted in Cairo as thousands of supporters
of deposed Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi marched on the Republican
Guard headquarters during mass rallies against the Islamist’s ouster. At least
three people were killed and many others wounded. The Islamists had
streamed towards the Guards headquarters on foot from a Muslim
Brotherhood rally that attracted tens of thousands at Cairo’s Rabaa al-
Adawiya mosque. They accused the military of conducting a brazen coup
against Morsi.
Shortly before day’s rallies, around a dozen low-flying military jets
screeched across Cairo, a day after warplanes had left a heart-shaped trail of
smoke in the sky. The show of force failed to deter Mursi’s supporters,
however. The supreme guide of the Muslim Brotherhood appeared at a Cairo
rally in support of ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi, after his
movement denied he had been arrested. Mohammed Badie, wearing a black
suit and white shirt, addressed the crowd at the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque
where thousands had gathered to defend Morsi.
Morsi, who has not been seen since July 3, had issued a defiant call
for supporters to protect his elected legitimacy’, in a recorded speech aired
hours after his removal. The military had said it supported the right to
peaceful protest, but warned against violence and acts of civil disobedience
such as blocking roads. Clashes also broke out in the Nile Delta province of
Sharqiya, hours after chief justice Adly Mansour, 67, was sworn in as
interim president until new elections.
The African Union suspended Egypt in response to Mursi’s ouster.
The pan-African bloc’s Peace and Security Council ‘decided to suspend the
participation of Egypt in AU activities until the restitution of constitutional
order’ said an official statement. The AU met at its headquarters in the
Ethiopian capital to discuss the political crisis in Egypt, following Mursi’s
removal by the army.
A top UN official expressed concern over reported mass arrests of key
members of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood after the military ousted president
Mohamed Morsi, and urged all sides to respect fundamental freedoms.
‘There should be no more violence, no arbitrary detention, no illegal acts of
retribution’, Navi Pillay, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in
a statement issued in Geneva.
The High Commissioner said she is concerned by reports of
widespread detention of leading members of the Muslim Brotherhood.
‘Serious steps should also be taken to halt, and investigate, the appalling –

1289
and at times seemingly organized – sexual violence targeting women
protestors’, she said. ‘Egyptians deserve to live in a society run by
institutions that ensure their rights are respected’, she said.
On 6th July, Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei was chosen as
premier to help lead Egypt out of a deepening crisis, after bloodshed
followed the ouster of the country's first freely elected president. The
Tamarod movement, which engineered mass protests culminating in the
overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi, made the announcement after talks
with new interim leader.
It came as the Muslim Brotherhood staged a new show of force to
demand that the military restore Morsi. Protest to demand the reinstatement
of Morsi petered out at nightfall, following 24 hours of ferocious violence
that killed 37 people and injured more than 1,400. Tears flowed freely as
thousands of supporters of Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood mourned four
members of the movement killed during protests the Islamist movement
called to reject the military coup. The imam told mourners gathered outside
Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in the Cairo neighbourhood of Nasr City, where
the Islamists have camped for the past 10 days, to pray for the ‘martyrs of
legitimacy’.
Wearing green headbands, Islamists in their thousands, including
many fully veiled women, waved Egyptian flags and pictures of the deposed
president. Morsi, who has been in detention since overnight, had issued a
defiant call for his Brotherhood supporters to protect his elected
‘legitimacy’, in a recorded speech aired hours after his removal.
The bloodletting continued with gunmen killing a Coptic Christian
priest by dragging him from his car and riddling him with bullets in the
restive north of the Sinai Peninsula. That killing came after armed Morsi
supporters stormed the provincial headquarters in the Sinai town of El-Arish
and raised the black banner of al-Qaeda-inspired militants yesterday night.
The United States joined UN chief Ban Ki-moon called for a peaceful
end to the crisis. ‘We call on all Egyptian leaders to condemn the use of
force and to prevent further violence among their supporters’, a State
Department spokeswoman said. But Senator John McCain called for a
suspension of US military aid to Cairo because Egypt's army had
‘overturned the vote of the people’.
Next day, opponents of Egypt's deposed Islamist president Mohamed
Morsi packed Tahrir Square to show the world his ouster was not a military
coup but the reflection of the people's will. Staged as a counter-

1290
demonstration two days after Islamist rallies exploded into deadly violence,
the protest raised the stakes as the country's interim leaders struggled to put
together a new government.
Meanwhile, gunmen shot dead a soldier during an attack on a
checkpoint in the restive north of Sinai. The attack took place near the town
of El-Arish, where Islamists this week stormed the provincial headquarters
and raised the banner of Islamist militants. As the crowds grew, wave after
wave of military aircraft skimmed over the capital, with one formation
leaving behind long trails of smoke in black, white and red – the colours of
the Egyptian flag.
The Tamarod movement, which engineered the June 30 rallies that
culminated in Mursi's overthrow, had led calls for people to gather at Tahrir
and Ittihadiya presidential palace to ‘complete the revolution’. The anti-
Morsi crowd swelled in the iconic square as people poured in from side
streets, some unfurling a giant national flag emblazoned with the words ‘Go
away’ – a slogan used widely on June 30.
There were similar scenes in Alexandria on the Mediterranean and in
other major cities across the country. Their Islamist rivals staged their own
huge demonstrations in Cairo, where police armed with Kalashnikov assault
rifles watched over the pro-Morsi demonstrators. Carrying pictures of the
deposed president, the Islamists erected barricades and set up checkpoints
across the capital, where tens of thousands of them blocked the main road to
the international airport.
The rallies came as a coalition that backed Mursi's ouster wavered
over the choice of Nobel Prize laureate Mohamed ElBaradei as interim
prime minister to lead the country out of the bloody crisis. In an interview,
ElBaradei called for ‘inclusion of the Brotherhood in the democratization
process’. ‘No one should be taken to court without a convincing reason.
Former president Morsi must be treated with dignity’, he said. Meanwhile,
Russian President warned stand-off threatened to degenerate into a civil war.
On 8th July, fifty-one loyalists of Egypt’s ousted president were killed
while protesting against last week’s military coup, triggering an Islamist
uprising call. The Muslim Brotherhood, which has led demonstrations
against overthrow of Mohamed Morsi, said its supporters were ‘massacred’
by troops and police during dawn prayers in Cairo. The military blamed
‘terrorists’, while witnesses, including Brotherhood supporters at the scene,
said security forces fired only warning shots and tear gas, and that ‘thugs’ in
civilian clothes carried out the shootings.

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 The Islamist movement’s political arm, the Freedom and Justice
Party, had called for ‘an uprising by the great people of Egypt against those
trying to steal their revolution with tanks’ because of day’s killings. It urged
‘the international community and international groups and all the free people
of the world to intervene to stop further massacres...and prevent a new Syria
in the Arab world’.
But White House spokesman said an immediate cutoff in military aid
to Egypt ‘would not be in our best interests’, when asked whether
Washington was reconsidering $1.3 billion it provides annually. In response
to the ‘massacre’, the conservative Islamist Al-Nur party, which won almost
a quarter of the votes in 2011-2012 parliamentary elections and had backed
the overthrow of Mursi, said it was pulling out of talks on new government.
Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayyeb of the Cairo-based Al-Azhar, Sunni
Islam’s highest seat of learning, said he would ‘remain in seclusion’ until the
bloodletting ends ‘and those behind it take responsibility’. The army-
appointed interim president, Adly Mansour, set up a judicial commission of
inquiry into the killings. The bloodshed happened outside the headquarters.
Emergency services chief Mohammed Sultan told the official MENA
news agency at least 51 people were killed and 435 wounded. Emotions ran
wild as people searched for the names of missing loved ones on a list of the
dead in hospital, where dozens of bodies were laid on the floor of a
makeshift morgue.
International condemnation of day’s bloodshed poured in, with
Germany expressing ‘shock’ at the violence, Turkey calling it an attack on
‘humanity’ and Brotherhood backer Qatar urging ‘self-restraint’ and ‘unity’.
The United States called on the Egyptian Army to exercise ‘maximum
restraint’, while also condemning ‘explicit’ Brotherhood calls to violence. A
spokesman for the EU’s foreign policy supremo said: ‘We condemn and we
regret the violence’, and urged rival militants to ‘return to the democratic
process as soon as possible’.
Gaza’s Hamas rulers described the killings as a ‘massacre’ and
expressed their ‘profound pain and sadness over the victims’. In its
statement, Hamas also called for ‘an end to the bloodshed among the
Egyptian people’. Qatar said it ‘strongly condemns such unfortunate acts
that take away innocent lives’. The emirate urged ‘self-restraint’ and
‘national unity’ as it called for ‘dialogue to preserve security, safety, and
stability’ in Egypt.

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 Next day, interim president named liberal economist Hazem al-
Beblawi, a former finance minister, as the country’s new prime minister,
presidential spokesman said. Liberal opposition chief ElBaradei was named
vice president for foreign relations. Meanwhile, the interim leader vowed
fresh elections by early next year as Islamists staged fresh rallies after
dozens of Mursi’s loyalists died in clashes at a Cairo military barracks.
Muslim Brotherhood called for an ‘uprising’ after accusing troops and
police of ‘massacring’ its supporters during dawn prayers yesterday. At the
Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque, where Morsi supporters have been camping out
for nearly two weeks, several thousand demonstrators, worn out by the heat,
listened to speakers urging them to remain steadfast in their protest.
Amid the widening chasm in the restive country, interim president
Adly Mansour issued a decree setting a timetable for a referendum on an
amended constitution and then for parliamentary elections. Mansour will
form a panel of judicial experts to draft amendments to the suspended 2012
constitution within 15 days. Mansour will announce the date for presidential
elections after the new parliament convenes, according to the decree which
was swiftly rejected by the Muslim Brotherhood.
The United Arab Emirates has agreed to grant Egypt $1 billion and
lend it another $2 billion, throwing it a financial lifeline after the army
ousted the country’s Islamist president. Saudi Arabia may lend Egypt
another $2 billion, which is expected to be confirmed within two days.
On 10th July, Egypt ordered the arrest of the Muslim Brotherhood's
supreme leader Mohammed Badie over violence in Cairo that left dozens
dead while charging another 200 people over the bloodshed. Badie and other
senior Brotherhood leaders are wanted for allegedly inciting the clashes
outside the Republican Guard headquarters where supporters of ousted
president Mohamed Morsi were calling for him to be reinstated.
The National Salvation Front (NSF), the main coalition formerly led
by ElBaradei, denounced Mansour's decree and demanded amendments,
while Tamarod, the movement that spearheaded the grassroots campaign
against Morsi, complained about not being consulted. After initially
announcing its ‘rejection’ of the decree, the NSF on Wednesday toned down
its reaction, saying instead it ‘disagreed’ with some of its provisions.
The latest violence in Egypt took place overnight in Sinai, where
militants struck a police garrison with mortar rounds and heavy machine
guns, while two people were killed in a rocket propelled grenade attack on
an army checkpoint according to medics.

1293
 Next day, Egypt’s prime minister said he does not rule out posts for
the Muslim Brotherhood in his cabinet if candidates are qualified, even as
police cracked down on ousted president Mohamed Mursi’s Islamist group.
Hazem al-Beblawi told AFP in a telephone interview he was still
considering the makeup of his interim government after Mursi’s overthrow
in ‘a popular military coup’.
Muslim Brotherhood has already rejected an offer from Beblawi to
join the new government, and called for a mass rally on Friday against what
it called ‘a bloody military coup’. An anti-Morsi camp meanwhile was
planning a Cairo rally on Friday. The Brotherhood’s demise has been
applauded by three Gulf States, who quickly stepped in to help prop up
Egypt’s faltering economy. Kuwait pledged $4 billion in cash, loans and
fuel, with Saudi Arabia offering a total of $5 billion and the United Arab
Emirates $3 billion.
On 12th July, tens of thousands of supporters of ousted president
Mohamed Morsi gathered vowing to keep fighting for his reinstatement, as
rival rallies defending his overthrow underlined Egypt's bitter divisions. The
rallies come as Germany called for the release of Morsi, who is being held in
a ‘safe place, for his safety’ and has not yet been charged, according to the
foreign ministry.
With an Egyptian flag in one hand and a Koran in the other, protesters
gathered outside the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in Cairo's Nasr City
neighbourhood chanted against the military and pledged allegiance to Morsi.
‘We will continue to resist. We will stay one or two months, or even one or
two years. We won't leave here until our president, Mohamed Morsi, comes
back’, influential Islamist leader Safwat Hegazi told the crowd.
Pro-Morsi protesters arrived from across the country to join hundreds
already camped out at the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque. The anti-Morsi camp
has also called for huge rallies after Friday prayers, in Tahrir Square and at
the Ittihadiya presidential palace, with a mass iftar – the breaking of the
Muslim fast – planned at sundown in the central plaza.
Next day, Egypt announced a criminal investigation against deposed
Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, with prosecutors saying they were
examining complaints of spying, inciting violence and ruining the economy.
Egypt’s first freely elected leader has been held at an undisclosed location
since the army removed him from power on July 3, but has not yet been
charged with any crime.

1294
 Sudan: On 13th July, seven peacekeepers were killed in Sudan’s
Darfur region, the African Union-UN Mission said, marking the worst-ever
losses in the five-year history of the operation. UNAMID released few initial
details of the incident, which adds to worsening violence in Sudan’s far-west
region and happened near the peacekeepers’ base at Manawashi, north of the
South Darfur state capital Nyala.
Somalia: On 30h June, Somali security forces arrested veteran
Islamist leader Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys after he flew in to Mogadishu
for talks with government officials. There was an argument that turned into a
fist fight between the security forces who arrested Sheik Aweys and
members of the delegation accompanying him who resisted the arrest.
On 5th July, it was reported that battles between rival warlords in
Somalia's key southern port city of Kismayo killed at least 71 people last
month. Mogadishu has accused Kenyan troops of encouraging. ‘Recent
fierce fighting...continues to have a profound impact on civilians and
humanitarian aid work in the Lower Juba region’, the WHO said, adding the
clashes also left more than 300 injured.
Europe: On 7th July, Islamist cleric Abu Qatada pleaded not guilty to
terror charges pressed by Jordanian military prosecutors just hours after his
deportation from Britain, his lawyer said. Britain’s expulsion of the
Palestinian-born preacher after a decade-long legal battle drew expressions
of delight from Prime Minister David Cameron.
Abu Qatada was condemned to death in absentia in 1999 for
conspiracy to carry out terror attacks, including on the American school in
Amman, but the sentence was immediately commuted to life imprisonment
with hard labour. In 2000, he was sentenced in his absence to 15 years for
plotting to carry out terror attacks on tourists in Jordan during millennium
celebrations. Jordanian law gives him the right to a retrial with him present
in the dock.
Abu Qatada's father and three brothers met him at the court. ‘I shook
hands with Abu Qatada and kissed him and kissed his hands. I was surprised
when I heard him talking to the prosecutors because he was calm. He was
usually sharp-tongued’, his brother Mohammad said. ‘Abu Qatada kissed the
feet and hands of my father. We all cried.’ London had been trying to deport
Abu Qatada since 2005 but British and European courts had blocked his
expulsion on the grounds that evidence might be used against him that had
been obtained by torture.

1295
 On 12th July, British counter-terror police were investigating reports of
an explosion outside a mosque in central England that witnesses said left
nails scattered over the ground. No injuries were reported after the incident
in the town of Tipton in the West Midlands, but police evacuated several
streets in the area as a precautionary measure.

VIEWS
Egypt
Demoting democracy in Egypt: ‘When Mohamed Morsi became
Egypt’s first democratically elected president last year, it was an especially
sweet victory for the Muslim Brotherhood, the region’s oldest and most
influential Islamist movement. After a long history of repression, the
Brotherhood had finally tasted triumph. But their short-lived rule ended
Wednesday when Egypt’s army deposed Mr Morsi.
The Brotherhood’s fall will have profound implications for the future
of politics, reverberating across the region in potentially dangerous ways.
One of the most important political developments of recent years was the
decision of Islamist parties to make peace with democracy and commit to
playing by the rules of the political game. Leaders counseled patience to
their followers. Their time would come, they were told.
Now supporters of the Brotherhood will ask, with good reason,
whether democracy still has anything to offer them. Mr Mursi’s removal will
breathe new life into the ideological claims of radicals. Al Qaeda and its
followers have long argued that change can’t come through the democracy
of ‘unbelievers’; violence is the only path. As the Qaeda leader Ayman al-
Zawahri once said, ‘What is truly regrettable is the rallying of thousands of
duped Muslim youth in voter queues before ballot boxes instead of lining
them up to fight in the cause of Allah.’
Al Qaeda’s intellectual forebears emerged in the 1950s and 1960s,
and were shaped by events that bear an eerie similarity to those of this week.
In 1954, a popularly backed Egyptian Army moved against the Muslim
Brotherhood, arresting thousands and dismantling the organization. Prison
had a radicalizing effect on Sayyid Qutb, a leading Brotherhood ideologue,
who experienced torture at the hands of his captors before being executed in
1966. Many of Mr Qutb’s followers later left the Brotherhood’s embrace and
went their own way, setting up militant organizations that would begin
perpetrating acts of terrorism.

1296
 In 1954, no one could have guessed that the brutal crackdown against
the Brotherhood would set in motion a chain of events that would have
terrible consequences for the region and America.
The events of this week could have similarly profound implications.
In the hours after Mr Morsi’s ouster, the new military leadership suspended
the Constitution, shut down at least three Islamist television stations, and,
more ominously, issued arrest warrants for at least 300 Brotherhood
members. Prominent liberal voices are calling for ‘dissolving’ the
Brotherhood and holding what would amount to dubious show trials.
America finds itself in a tight spot. After the coup, President Obama
expressed ‘deep concern’, steering clear of any explicit condemnation. More
troubling, he called for the restoration of ‘a’ – not ‘the’ – democratically
elected government, an important distinction that won’t be lost on the
Brotherhood.
When I spoke to one of Mr Mursi’s top advisers on the night of June
30, he was already pre-emptively blaming the United States. If a coup takes
place, he told me, it means that America either supports it or is willing to
look the other way.
This, too, bears the echoes of a not-so-distant past. In 1992, Algeria’s
Islamic Salvation Front was on the verge of a historic victory in free
elections. But the Algerian Army intervened, annulling the results and
rounding up thousands of Islamists, many of whom ended up in desert
prison camps. Days before the crackdown began, one of the Salvation
Front’s leaders, Abdelkader Hachani, warned a crowd of supporters what
might be in store. ‘Victory is more dangerous than defeat’, he told them.
In hundreds of interviews that I’ve conducted with Muslim
Brotherhood leaders and activists in Egypt and Jordan over the past decade,
many have brought up Algeria and the so-called American veto – the notion
that the United States and other Western powers would simply not allow
Islamists to assume power through democratic elections.
The subversion of democracy in 1992 in Algeria wasn’t widely
reported in the West, nor was it seen as particularly important. This time, in
Egypt, it happened while the whole world was watching.
Along with 1954 and 1992, 2013 will stand as a historic moment in
Islamist lore, shaping future generations of Islamist activists and deepening
their already powerful narrative of persecution, repression and regret.

1297
America is blamed for enough as it is. There is no need to add another
grievance to the list.
The Obama Administration would be wise to distance itself from the
army’s actions and use its leverage, particularly the promise of financial
assistance, to pressure the military to respect the rights of Islamists. To limit
the fallout from this week’s events, Egypt’s new government must ensure
that the Brotherhood and its Freedom and Justice Party are reincorporated
into the political process and free to contest – and win – parliamentary and
presidential elections. Otherwise, Islamist parties’ faith in democracy could
be irrevocably damaged.’ (Shahid Hamid, TheNation 6th July)
Message to the Muslim world? ‘The real story behind the military
coup in Cairo led by General Abdul Fatah al-Sisi is much more complex
than the Western media is reporting. Far from a spontaneous uprising by
Egyptians, – aka ‘a people’s revolution’ – what really happened was a
putsch orchestrated by Egypt’s ‘deep government’ and outside powers – the
latest phase of the counter-revolution against the so-called Arab Spring.
A year ago, the Egyptians elected Mohamed Morsi as President in
their first fair democratic election. He came from the ranks of the Muslim
Brotherhood, an eight-decade old conservative movement of professionals
dedicated to bringing Islamic principles of public welfare, politics,
education, justice, piety and fighting corruption. But the deck was stacked
against Morsi and the Brotherhood from day one. The brutal US-backed
Mubarak had fallen, but the organs of his 30-year dictatorship, Egypt’s
pampered 440,000-man military, judiciary, academia, media, police,
intelligence services and bureaucrats, remained in place. Even Morsi’s
presidential guard remained under control of the Mubarak forces. The
dictatorship’s old guard – better known as the ‘deep government’ – sought to
thwart every move of the Brotherhood. In fact, the stolid, plodding Morsi
only became President after more capable colleagues were vetoed by the
hard-line Mubarakist courts. He should have purged the “deep government,”
notably the police, secret police, judges, and media who were sabotaging the
democratic government. But Morsi was too soft, and the entrenched powers
arrayed against him too strong. He never managed to grasp the levers of
state. Ironically, after all the media hysteria in North America over the
alleged dangers of the Muslim Brotherhood, it turned out to be a dud. 
The Brotherhood stumbled from one crisis to the next as Egypt’s
economy, already in terrible shape before the 2011 revolution, sank like a
rock. Tourism, that provided 17 percent of national income, evaporated.

1298
Unemployment soared over 13 percent, and over 50 percent among angry
urban young. We have recently seen this same phenomenon in Turkey,
Tunisia, Algeria, Pakistan and Western Europe. Severe shortages of fuel and
electricity sparked outrage. 
Egypt’s curse is that it cannot feed its surging population of over 90
million. So Cairo imports huge quantities of wheat and subsidizes retail
prices for bread. The US sustained the Sadat and Mubarak regimes with
boatloads of wheat discounted 50 percent. This vital aid tapered off when
Morsi took power. Food prices in Egypt rose 10 percent.
Equally important, ever since Anwar Sadat invited in the US to rearm
his outdated military, Egypt’s armed forces have become joined at the hip
with the Pentagon. Just as Turkey’s 500,000-man armed forces were, until
11 years ago, and Pakistan’s so remain today. Armies of many Muslim states
are designed to control their populations, not defeat foreign enemies. The
only Arab military force in recent memory to beat an invader has been the
guerrilla forces of Lebanon’s Hezbollah. 
Having said that, Washington has supplied Egypt with just enough
arms to control its population and intimidate small neighbours, but not
enough to wage war against Israel. Further, the Pentagon sharply limits
Egypt supplies of munitions, missiles and vital spare parts. Many of Egypt’s
generals have been trained in US military colleges, where they formed close
links with US intelligence and the Pentagon. CIA, DIA, and NSA have large
stations in Egypt that watch its military and population…
In recent weeks, mass street demonstrations in major Egyptian cities
against Morsi were organized by the police, secret police and the Mubarakist
structure. Fears of the Brotherhood were whipped up among Egypt’s
nervous Coptic Christians, 10 percent of the population, who form much of
the urban elite. Then there were tens of thousands of unemployed, highly
volatile young street people, as we recently saw in Istanbul, ready to explode
at any excuse. Large numbers of Egyptians were fed up with stumbles of
Morsi’s government - even some of his former Salafist allies – and the threat
of economic collapse. Liberals, Nasserites, Marxists joined them.
There may be some armed resistance against the coup, but it will
likely be crushed by Egypt’s military and attack-dog security forces. Senior
Brotherhood officials are already being arrested, and pro-Brotherhood media
gagged, while Washington turns a blind eye. 
As of now, the threat of a real civil war such as Algeria suffered in the
1990s after a US and French-backed military coup seems unlikely, but not

1299
impossible. Meanwhile, the military has installed a puppet President for the
time being. The old US ‘asset’ Mohamed el-Baradei may take over as
civilian front man for the generals, who prefer civilian sock puppets get
blamed for Egypt’s economic and social crises.
So much for democracy in the Mideast. The overthrow of a moderate
Islamist government will send a message to the Muslim world that
compromise with the Western powers is impossible and only violent
resistance can shake the status quo.’ (Eric S. Margolis, TheNation 7th July)
Morsi’s toppling: a blow for secularism: ‘Any customer can have a
car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black.’ – Henry Ford.
The ouster of Mohamed Morsi as President of Egypt in a coup d’état
by the military will reverberate not just across the political landscape of the
ancient land, but that of the entire Muslim world. Morsi, whilst viewed
globally as a barely acceptable face of political Islam, represented but a
segment of a wider movement in the Muslim world calling for the
implementation of Shariah law by the state.
Numerous polls have shown overwhelming support amongst the
global Muslim populace for making Shariah the official law of the land. The
latest of such research is that of the Washington based Pew Research
organization, entitled ‘The World’s Muslims; Religion, Politics and
Society’, which was released on April 30, 2013. The poll found that in 25 of
the countries surveyed, the majority of Muslims supported Shariah being the
law of the land. Notable findings were Iraq (91 percent), Malaysia (86
percent), Niger (86 percent), Pakistan (84 percent), Morocco (83 percent),
Bangladesh (82 percent), Egypt (74 percent), Jordan (71 percent) and
Nigeria (71 percent). What is intriguing about these findings is not just the
level of such support, but the amount of diversity among the respondents
gives pause for thought; whether one finds themselves in Africa, the Middle
East, South or South East Asia, they would find a consistent political
ambition among the people.
So why has Morsi been rejected in Egypt? To the uninitiated, a
bearded man from a party, whose name drips with Islamic symbolism born
in the nationalistic aftermath that followed the collapse of the Ottoman
Caliphate, which for many years adopted the slogan ‘Islam is the solution’
would be the realization of anyone who desires Shariah law.
On a superficial level, the Morsi government failed to address the
economic malaise faced by Egypt leading to mass discontent. Yet, there is
also a deeper answer hiding in plain sight; the Muslim Brotherhood had not

1300
only forsaken Islamic politics decades ago, but became the champion of
democratization, predicated on secular thought, across the Muslim world. Its
actions subsequent to the demise of Hosni Mubarak epitomize its wandering
political compass, which have compounded Egypt’s woes.
Early on in the revolution, it was quick to distance itself from
championing the mass movement, which many interpreted as a sign that it
was projecting a moderated stance to the global media lest Western states
decided to intervene against it. This was designed as much for the
consumption of world as it was for the military, the real power behind the
Egyptian throne.
Appropriate noises were made about wanting a civil state, rather than
an Islamic one that led the Brotherhood being allowed to contest the
elections as the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP). Many supporters ignored
this call due to a mixture of viewing it as political subterfuge and holding the
idea that an Islamic state could be achieved from within a secular democratic
setup by the gradual implementation of Islamic principles. Once in power,
rather than using this success at the ballot box as a mandate for political
change, the Brotherhood ended up continuing many of the key policies and
ideological direction of the Mubarak era.
Economically, it was unable to address the issue of resource
distribution, with the military and Mubarak era governments controlling up
to 40 percent of the economy. As these elites moved wealth out of the
country, the Egyptian pound plummeted leading to a widening trade deficit,
as Egypt attempted to service its energy and food imports using a weakened
currency. Out of ideas, Morsi turned to the IMF for interest based loans. All
of these policies were born of the crucible of economic liberalism, with no
Islamic economic policies such as the introduction of a bimetallic backed
currency, the abolition of natural resource monopolies or the shifting of tax
burden from income and consumption to capital and produce in sight.
In terms of foreign policy, the army ensured that Egypt continued to
support the goals of its benefactor, America, rather than reflect public
sentiment in Egypt. This led to the reaffirmation of the Camp David accords,
blocking the tunnels to Gaza and mostly silence on the issue of the Syrian
revolution. This ran counter to the expected dropping of national borders to
unify with other Muslim countries to create a wider Islamic union and the
removal of Western supported dictators in the Arab world by supplying
political/military support to other revolutions in the region.

1301
 Despite unending compromise on practically every major issue to
placate Western states abroad and secularists at home, the Brotherhood was
still ejected from power. This will leave many supporters of not just the
Brotherhood directly, but the politics of gradualism and participation in a
democratic process with much to think about. If democracy cannot tolerate
the will of the people in case it happens to be Islamic, then is it truly just a
mechanism for representing popular opinion or is it a system unable to
function without the values of secular liberalism being implemented? Is it
really the political equivalent of Henry Ford’s choice of colour?
The ramifications of the answer to this question would be important
not just to the fate of Egyptian politics, but to that of the entire Muslim
world. The Muslim Brotherhood has inspired many movements in the
Muslim world that have espoused political participation in democracy, rather
than an attempt at radical change to establish an Islamic state. If the
Brotherhood can be tossed aside, despite decades of work and masses of
support on its home turf, how can such a system hold any hope for a
meaningful change?
Lessons learned from Egypt would suggest that any real change
requires the backing of the armed forces, rather than a conflict with them or
a simple change of face on the political front. Further, it would seem that
regardless of how much political Islam compromises, it would never be
perceived as sufficient by secular segments of society, so why try at all?
The coming months and years could see the biggest drop in adoption
democracy amongst the proponents of Shariah law across the Muslim world.
Ironically, this would have been precipitated by a coup, backed by
secularists and implicitly by Western powers, to rid one country of any
influence of political Islam.’ (Muhammad Asim, TheNation 8th July)
Egypt in turmoil: ‘Two main charges have been levied against Morsi
by his detractors. The first charge is that he was incompetent and was unable
to improve the Egyptian economy. It is true that the Egyptian economy did
not witness any appreciable improvement under Morsi. But it is also a fact
that the slowing down of the Egyptian economy started at the end of Hosni
Mubarak’s rule. After Hosni Mubarak’s ouster in 2011, the condition of the
economy worsened when the army generals ruled the country for about a
year and a half. So virtually what Morsi’s critics in the army and among
Hosni Mubarak’s supporters in Egypt are saying is that while they did leave
the economy in a mess, Morsi should have improved it in the short period of
one year that followed!

1302
 It is questionable whether the period of one year is sufficient to judge
the performance of any government in the economic field because of the
time lag between the implementation of new economic policies and their
results and the effects of international factors. Further, even if a government
fails to deliver, it must be changed through the ballot and not through a
military coup as happened in Egypt. If the argument of Morsi’s critics in
Egypt and abroad is accepted, many governments in the West and elsewhere
where the economic conditions are unsatisfactory would have to be kicked
out through military coups. If this route to change of governments is not
acceptable in mature Western democracies, why should it be tolerated in the
case of Egypt?
The second main charge against Morsi is that he failed to “include a
wide range of views” in his government or, in other words, his government
was not inclusive enough for the taste of the westernized sections of the
Egyptian society. The question again is whether Morsi was given enough
time and space to widen the political base of his government. The answer to
this question is a resounding no. Morsi’s opponents in the Egyptian society
were out to discredit him by withholding their cooperation in the first place
and then accusing him of his inability to include them in his government.
Further, the time given to judge him even on this score was totally
insufficient. It is also ironical that the so-called supporters of human rights
and women’s rights advocacy groups in Egypt do not see anything wrong in
a military coup which has trampled upon the fundamental rights of the
whole population if it is instrumental in overthrowing a government that
they don’t like.
In any case, how can you have a stable democratic system in a country
if the will of the majority expressed through fair and free elections is to be
thwarted by the minority through street demonstrations followed by a
military coup? It is true that a democratically elected government must
remain sensitive to the views of the minority in giving expression to the
views of the majority. However, this argument cannot be stretched so far as
to enable the minority to dictate to the majority. The practice of most of the
Western democracies at home is at variance with their views on the recent
military coup in Egypt. The Western governments by and large have failed
to condemn the coup and instead seem inclined to support it tacitly and
through their media on one pretext or the other. This assessment is
particularly valid in the case of the United States which has avoided even the
use of the word coup to describe the overthrow of Morsi’s government by
the Egyptian military.

1303
 In the ultimate analysis, the ancient regime represented by the
Egyptian army, Hosni Mubarak’s supporters and the westernized class of the
Egyptian society has staged a comeback through the recent military coup.
By all the indications, it was a carefully planned move to dislodge Morsi’s
Muslim Brotherhood-supported government…
It was not entirely surprising that many of the Western governments
showed understanding of and sympathy for the views of the perpetrators and
the supporters of the military coup in Egypt. After all, in the past also the
Western governments, particularly the US, actively or tacitly supported
military coups in Third World countries. We are all aware of the role played
by the intelligence agencies of the US and UK in overthrowing the
democratically elected government of Mossadagh in Iran in 1950’s. The
ultimate result, of course, was the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the
resultant hostility between the West and the Islamic Republic of Iran. It
seems that the US leadership and intelligentsia have not drawn the right
lessons from their experience of mishandling Iran in the past.
The coup in Egypt has wiped away the democratic gains of the fall of
the dictatorial regime of Hosni Mubarak. Predictably, it has also led to
violent clashes between Morsi’s supporters and opponents. The clashes on
the 5th of July alone led to over 40 deaths and hundreds of injured. More
clashes can be expected over the coming days and weeks. The message that
has gone to the Islamists is that they will not be allowed to exercise power
even if they win it through fair and free elections. So they may be tempted to
use other means to gain political power thus further aggravating political
instability in Muslim countries. Egypt is, therefore, likely to remain in
turmoil for quite some time until the political forces in the country are able
to work out an agreed formula on which to base a stable democratic order.’
(Javid Husain, TheNation 9th July)
Back to Tahrir Square! ‘The claim of democracy by the Muslim
Brotherhood is a legitimate claim. However, the term democracy is often
misunderstood. The term ‘democracy’, comes from the Greek: dçmokrat; a
meaning thereby ‘rule of the people.’ Even though there is no specific,
universally accepted definition of ‘democracy’, there are two principles that
any definition of democracy includes: equality and freedom. These
principles are reflected in all citizens being equal before the law and having
equal access to power, and the freedom of its citizens is secured by
legitimized rights and liberties which are generally protected by a
constitution…

1304
 Many political pundits claim that the coup is a result of Egypt’s ‘deep
government’ and outside powers. Let us not overlook, one cannot
orchestrate millions protesting unless the ground is fertile with frustration. It
sprang from one simple fact: the failure of Mr Morsi’s governance, external
interests notwithstanding. So if Mr Morsi’s government was leading the
country to a worse scenario compared to prior the Arab Spring, ignoring the
reason for people’s mandate, was not on a path to mend wrongs, does it
entitle the government to rule for the stipulated period or does it take away
the moral right from that government? A lot of soul searching is needed to
fairly answer this question.
Restoration of a democratic order in Egypt as soon as possible is a
reasonable desire. Elections held under international monitoring is a fair
suggestion, but what is important for the world to understand here is that
Egypt alone must decide what’s good for Egypt. Answer to any political
dilemma must come from within the system; never from outside of it. If
Tahrir Square can decide the fate of Mubarak, why may not the Tahrir
Square decide the fate of Mr Morsi?
The new government will be faced with many challenges. Most of
Egypt’s areas of desert, as compared to tightly populated urban ones, are
increasing population that in the next few years means putting pressure on
the government in terms of provision of basic foods and job opportunities.
Egypt is low on cash. Will it waive subsidies in order to generate more funds
to run the government? In all likelihood, it will. This in turn, can have a
negative cascading effect politically. The economic pressures are huge and
options available to the Egyptian government limited.
There is also a possibility, as raised by John B. Bellinger III, lawyer
based in Washington, in his article, of USA cutting off assistance to Egypt.
He quotes Section 508 of the Foreign Assistance Act through which the
United States has cut off foreign assistance to several countries where the
elected government has been toppled in a military coup, including the Cote
d’Ivoire, the Central African Republic, and Pakistan. The US gives $1.5
billion yearly in aid to Egypt. Most of it, he states, goes into buying US
military equipment.
Mr Morsi’s dismissal may be a continuation of the Arab Spring. The
military, the shaper of events to emerge out of the chaos, is to install an
interim dispensation. In installing an interim setup sans Muslim
Brotherhood, civil unrest is the expected outcome. Mr Morsi’s supporters
have vowed to restore power to him. Lives have been lost in clashes between

1305
the security agencies and Mr Morsi’s supporters. His supporters have tried to
storm local government buildings or military facilities, fighting police and
his opponents. This does not augur well for the interim setup and the future
of the nation. For six decades before the Arab Spring in 2011, military has
ruled Egypt. If this polarization turns uglier, Egypt may well be descending
in a civil war. What Egypt needs to look towards is strengthening the
democratic structure. Kofi Annan’s words ring true for Egypt today, ‘No one
is born a good citizen; no nation is born a democracy. Rather, both are
processes that continue to evolve over a lifetime.’
In the case of Egypt, the process seems to be stretching indefinitely!’
(Yasmeen Aftab Ali, TheNation 9th July)
Close US-Egypt military ties forged on American soil: ‘The United
States has spent billions in aid to Egypt, but the education of thousands of
officers at elite American academies is equally vital to the close military ties
between Washington and Cairo.
As Egypt convulses with deadly political tumult, such calculated,
decades-long nurturing of army relations emerges as a key element as
Washington engages a vital Mideast ally in the aftermath of the Egyptian
military’s ouster of President Mohamed Morsi last week.
Since 1979, Egypt has been the largest recipient of US bilateral aid
after Israel, with $68 billion in American support, according to the
Congressional Research Service (CRS).
Egypt anchors a peace accord with the neighbouring Jewish state,
serves as the focal point of US policy in the Arab world, and ensures right of
passage for US Navy vessels through the strategic Suez Canal.
Its reward is overwhelmingly military: President Barack Obama’s
administration secured $1.3 billion in US aid to Egypt’s armed forces in
2013, and $250 million in economic assistance.
US law requires the government freeze all aid to a country in the
event of a coup, but Obama has resisted labeling Morsi’s ouster as such, and
on Monday the White House announced it would ‘not be in our best
interests’ to immediately cut off aid to such a vital regional ally.
Such is the importance of US support that it covers about 80 percent
of Egyptian army materiel and nearly a third of its budget, according to
CRS.

1306
 US M1A1 Abrams tanks are produced under license in Egypt, which
has contracted for 1,200 of the battle vehicles and more than 220 F-16
fighter jets since 1980.
Every two years the two armies organize bilateral exercise ‘Bright
Star.’ The next war games are set for September, and despite Egypt’s
precarious state they remain on the schedule, according to the Pentagon.
But another lever Washington uses to maintain its close diplomatic
engagement is the molding of the Arab state’s officers in America – and one
of the beneficiaries has been Egypt’s current army chief himself, General
Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
Sisi and Egyptian Army Chief of Staff Sedki Sobhi spent a year at the
prestigious US Army War College in the small Pennsylvania town of
Carlisle in 2006 and 2004, respectively.
‘The two main military guys in Egypt right now both have reasonably
fresh ties to the US military’, said Stephen Gerras, who taught a critical
thinking course to Sisi at the college and served as his faculty and thesis
advisor. ‘He’s very serious, he’s very smart, very pious and he’s very
warm’, Gerras told AFP.
Officers like Sisi and Sobhi ‘get a real experience of American culture
and they get exposed to the American military way of thinking’, he added.
‘Those relationships typically persist.’
In broad numbers, too. Between 2000 and 2009, more than 11,500
officers – some 2.5 percent of today’s entire Egyptian military – crossed the
Atlantic to study and train in US schools.
The development of such personal contacts ‘can enhance bilateral
military cooperation, especially when regional crises arise’, said Gregory
Aftandilian of the Army War College’s Strategic Studies Institute.
That was apparent in recent days, when the Pentagon acknowledged
that Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel had ‘lengthy and very candid
conversations’ by phone with Sisi no less than four times between Friday
and Sunday.
But despite the closeness between military figures, Washington ‘made
a hash of its Egypt policy’, according to Michele Dunne, director of the
Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East.

1307
 ‘US officials were late in seeing the crisis coming, and their advice –
much of it out of step with events – was ignored by all sides’, Dunne wrote
in The Washington Post.
The most senior US military figure, General Martin Dempsey,
acknowledged to CNN that he, like Hagel, has been in repeated contact with
Egyptian officers, but ‘I’m not in the know about exactly what they’re going
to do.’
He said he sought to ‘encourage them... not to take sides in any
particular issue, and to ensure that they were a part of the resolution of this –
but in their proper role as a military, which is to ensure stability but not try
to influence the outcome.’ (Editorial Mathieu Rabechault, TheNation 10 th
July)
Egypt’s dark hour: ‘Monday’s show of force in Cairo by the military
junta in order to curb the swelling wave of fury from the pro-Morsi camp,
denounced by Muslim Brotherhood as a massacre is a damnable throwback
to Mubarak era where repression as a means to encroach on public liberty
were the order of the day. What has happened cannot be deemed the conduct
of a civilized government; reports indicate that supporters of President Morsi
about 54 of them were offering their prayers when they were fired on and
shot dead, hundreds were wounded. Violence and democracy do not do hand
in hand; such brutal display of force to suppress dissent is a shameful
indictment of the ruling junta. The promise to sincerely hold the election
with a new timeline given by the interim prime minister Adly Mansour is
hardly going to assuage the embittered sentiment of not only the opposition
but the general people who have been shocked to see mass spilling of blood
of their brethren. The stalemate seems to worsen since the Muslim
Brotherhood on Tuesday squarely rejected the constitutional declaration
which gives a roadmap of the future elections (6-month transition plan) to be
held by the present government.
The remedy to political instability is more democracy rather than
military rule. Not long ago the revolution resulting in Morsi’s ascent to
power was hailed as the people’s victory; that ought to have been given time
to materialize, rather than expecting miracles. It is on the Egyptian army as
well as the opposition members and the young revolutionaries to see to it
that a smooth, transparent transition of power is instituted so that those who
wish to see their homeland plunge into greater turmoil are denied a chance to
muddy the waters any further. Some of the fanatical outfits are now
sermonizing that change comes only from bullet rather than democracy, civil

1308
liberty and freedom. Such groups should be denied the room to jump into the
fray; that can be done by letting people vent their frustration, which is
through the ballot box. Cairo should not let itself become another Syria or
worse Iraq. The people must have patience and stand united to go about
bringing change in their lives and society.’ (Editorial, The Nation 11th July)
Lessons for Pakistan from Egypt: ‘Mother just told us that we will
stop playing in one hour’, an aide texted an associate, playing on a sarcastic
Egyptian expression for the country’s Western patron, ‘Mother America’.’ –
David D Kirkpatrick and Mayy el-Sheikh
The political science discipline has a theory: every revolution is
followed by a counter-revolution. The fundamental thesis of this perspective
is that the status quo forces never give up the fight to surrender to the forces
of change. It is not simply an abstract concept, but a realistic expression of
the human behaviour of those political actors, who are actual players in the
arena of a political battle being fought to maintain and hold onto ‘power’,
while the historical forces pose a challenge for the fundamental
transformation of a socio-economic-political system. As such, it is a war
between conflicting interests: one side determined to prevail in the
maintenance of the status quo, while the other side struggling to make space
for its ideological platform to bring about a revolutionary change in a
country’s socio-political system.
As I attempt to understand what is happening in Egypt, I am tempted
to endorse the revolution and counter-revolution theory. After all, the
Muslim Brotherhood won in a free and fair election, and Mohamed Morsi
was elected President of the country through a legitimate democratic
process. It is also well known that he removed several army, judicial and
political personalities, who were the vestiges of the Mubarak era, from their
offices. Indeed, the President did so to consolidate the power of a
democratically-elected government and pave the way for a smooth transition
from an era of military dictatorship to a democratic stewardship. This was
inarguably a process of political management that is customarily exercised
in nearly all democratic countries and is absolutely legitimate and lawful.
Then how does one explain a sea of humanity descending on Tahrir
Square and other parts of the country, demanding Morsi’s neck - though the
President had not compromised democratic legitimacy in any of his political
management actions? His opponents claim that he tried to concentrate
absolute power onto himself by errors of judgment and his political actions
of August 2012 (Morsi dismissed the Defence Minister and Chief of Staff,

1309
and stripped the military of say in legislation and drafting of a new
constitution), November 2012 (Morsi rescinded a decree that stripped the
judiciary of the right to challenge his decisions, after popular protests),
February 2013 (the President announced elections for the new lower house
in April. The poll was later postponed) and June 2013 (he appointed
Islamists to 13 of Egypt’s 27 governorships). It is also alleged that Morsi
had alienated a sizeable political community from taking part in the
democratic process in favour of the Islamists from his party, the Muslim
Brotherhood.
Let us admit, for the sake of deliberation, that Morsi had, indeed,
made errors in his political judgment and management strategy. But does
that justify the Egyptian army’s dramatic military intervention to oust him
and the political developments that are taking place, including growing
violence threatening a civil war situation in the country. Added to this is,
apparently, a highly organized campaign to disparage the Muslim
Brotherhood and its leadership for instigating violence and inflaming public
emotions. Definitely, the army has sided with Morsi’s opposition.
It is ironic to note that the so-called champions of democracy in the
West have not condemned the overthrow of a democratically-elected
government in Egypt. In fact, Tony Blair (the former British PM and the
architect of the Iraq war) wrote in The Observer: ‘The events that led to the
Egyptian army’s removal of President Morsi confronted the military with a
simple choice: intervention…’
Now details of President Barack Obama’s direct involvement with
Morsi’s government officials have become public: ‘The United States
officials repeatedly urged Mr Morsi to compromise with the opposition and
include it in the government. In December, President Obama met with Mr
Haddad, Mr Morsi’s foreign policy adviser, in the Oval Office to deliver the
message...’
In the final hours before the military intervention, the President
received a call from an Arab Foreign Minister ‘...acting as an emissary of
Washington...and he asked if Morsi would accept the appointment of a new
Prime Minister and cabinet, one that would take over all legislative powers
and replace his chosen provincial governors.’ In fact, this was a demand for
an absolute de facto transfer of power to the US-chosen leadership in Egypt
and minimizing the democratically-elected Morsi and his party’s (the
Muslim Brotherhood) role to an insignificant part in the Egyptian political
system and future decision-making process.

1310
 Doesn’t Washington’s demands for a camouflaged change of regime
in Egypt (on the face of it remaining a democratic setup, while completely
changing in its significance by political coercion) subscribe to my theory of
counter-revolution? Undoubtedly, the opposition in Egypt had been
successful in mobilizing a mass movement against Morsi (because of several
urgent economic hardships and failure to deliver expected services). The
crux of this political development is that a military intervention has been
accorded legitimacy by the US and all of its Western and Islamic allies. In
fact, it appears that this entire political manipulation of the July 2 Egyptian
uprising has been initiated by the US to continue its global hegemony as
well as Israel’s security and economic interests granted to it during the
Mubarak era.
In addition, regional Muslim leaderships also see the political status
quo in their domestic interests and for foreign policy alliances. What are the
lessons for Pakistan from the July 2 uprising in Egypt?
First, if the common citizens’ massive economic-social deprivations
and security concerns are not taken care of urgently, a mass public
movement against the incumbent leadership is most likely to erupt with
extremely destructive and yet to be imagined consequences.
Second, should such an eruption out of people’s desperation and
frustration take place, a military intervention (not political takeover) will be
welcomed by the majority of this nation’s suffering masses.
Third, the politicians and the civil leadership’s dramatic and evasive
rhetoric is not a substitute for real problem resolution in today’s Pakistan.
The government in Islamabad has to deliver. The masses have suffered
enough and their patience with the theatrics of politicians has run out. It is
time for action and concrete results – failing will have nightmarishly
destructive counter-democratic consequences.
Fourth, Pakistan’s civilian regime needs to resolve the people’s issues
on a crisis-management level. So far, it has not adopted any ‘out-of-the-box’
strategies and the traditional economic-political management system is laden
with flaws and is a sure recipe for failure.
Finally, have no qualms about it: should a military intervention take
place in Pakistan at a future date, given the prevailing ground realities, it will
be accorded legitimacy by the people of this nation as well as by the friends
of Pakistan in Washington, London and every other capital of our friendly
neighbours.

1311
 Mother will certainly tell, at the appropriate time of its choosing,
when to stop playing. That has been historically the intrinsic modus operandi
of ‘Mother America’. Hasn’t it?’ (Dr Haider Mehdi, TheNation 11th July)
Demise of democracy: ‘It is unfortunate that the military has once
again deposed a democratically-elected government in Egypt. Different
reasons are being presented for this illegal activity.
Also, its Chief Justice Adly Mansour, whose prime responsibility is to
protect the country’s constitution, has been appointed as interim President;
he, it seems, has agreed to become a willing tool in the hands of the military.
Needless to say, Egypt and many other Muslim countries have
suffered due to military dictatorships; yet, the top rank and file in these
states have refused to learn a lesson.
Against this backdrop, Mohamed Morsi, the first civilian and Islamist
President of Egypt, had made USA in particular and West in general
doubtful about his future plans vis-à-vis Palestine and Israel. It is well
known that Egypt is a key player in the region and has almost always
supported Israel, thus changing the status quo in the Middle East was
necessary. Otherwise, it would have created severe problems for Israel.
Perhaps, this is why the international community has chosen to remain
mum on the issue. Even the UN, which has mostly promoted core American
interests, did not pass a resolution condemning the Egyptian military’s act of
overthrowing a civilian government, what to talk about imposing sanctions
on the country.
In a silly yet damning incitement of the government, the Egyptian
Commander-in-Chief issued a warning to the leadership to meet certain
demands that he believed were the people’s will. The question, however, is:
how can a civilian government be accountable to a general when it has been
elected by the people?
Another issue that cropped up during this upheaval remains the
attitude of the neighbouring Muslim countries. They utterly failed to sent a
signal, loud and clear, to the Egyptian armed forces by rejecting the
takeover. Only Germany, Turkey, Qatar and the Jordanian Muslim
Brotherhood have ‘mildly’ condemned the ongoing violence in Egypt...
The basic issue is that Morsi failed to understand the gravity of the
situation and quickly made his intentions known vis-à-vis Palestine and
Israel. That, according to Washington, could have resulted as a destabilizing
factor in the Middle East. Hopefully, the Egyptian military top brass would

1312
soon realize that its formula for progress and prosperity has failed in several
countries and that it awaits the same fate in Egypt.
Anyhow, what would happen if once again the Islamists (aka Muslim
Brotherhood) are voted into power after the elections? What guarantees are
there that they would not follow an even more radical and nationalistic line,
creating more problems for the US and Israel.’ (Azam Khalil, TheNation 12th
July)
United Kingdom
Half of UK mosques attacked since 9/11: ‘Around half of mosques
and Muslim centres in Britain have been subjected to Islamophobic attacks
since 9/11, academics have warned as the far-right English Defence League
prepares to march to the south-London scene of Drummer Lee Rigby’s
murder.
The figures are highlighted in a report which also found that the
number of anti-Islamic attacks increased by as much as tenfold in the days
following the Woolwich attack.
Meanwhile, research by The Independent shows Islamophobic attacks
spreading across Britain, with mosques being set alight and Muslims
targeted at home in the past month.
Despite the warning signs, a senior government adviser told The
Independent that there remains a ‘lack of political will’ to take on the rise of
Islamophobic attacks in Britain. The adviser, who did not want to be named,
said that attempts to ‘tackle this issue – even before Woolwich – struggled to
attract buy-in’, with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local
Government, Eric Pickles, identified as the primary source of frustration.
The Muslim community was warned of the dangers it faces from hate
groups in a sermon delivered at 500 mosques. The piece said that high-
profile cases of sexual grooming of children by small groups of Muslim men
‘hitting the headlines in a short space of time and the fallout from the
Woolwich case will create a major challenge for the Muslim community’.
The trial date for the two men accused of murdering Drummer Rigby,
Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, will begin on 18
November.
Professor Nigel Copsey, of Teesside University, the author of the new
report which showed that between 40 and 60 per cent of mosques and other
Islamic centres (around 700) had been targeted since 9/11 – said: ‘There has

1313
undoubtedly been a spike in anti-Muslim incidents since the Woolwich
murder. An obvious concern now is whether the number of hate crime
incidents return to ‘normal’ levels or whether Woolwich has been a game-
changer in terms of increasing the underlying incidence of anti-Muslim hate
over the longer term.’
His report is based largely on figures from the Islamophobia watchdog
Tell Mama. It shows an increase of attacks to nearly nine per day in the
immediate aftermath of the Woolwich killing, but settling back to around
two per day over in the following weeks. Professor Copsey added: ‘What is
significant about our analysis is the extent to which the far right is
implicated in anti-Muslim hate crime.’
Just this week, swastikas and the letters ‘EDL’, ‘KKK’ and ‘NF’ were
sprayed on the walls of a mosque in Redditch. There were also reports of
pigs’ heads being left at Muslim families’ homes and other attacks against
individuals. There was also a attack on an Islamic centre in north London.
But Dr Matthew Goodwin, associate fellow at Chatham House and an
expert on extremist groups said that ‘the broader picture is more positive
than we think. Young people are more at ease accepting Muslims in society.’
A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government
said: ‘There is no place for anti-Muslim hatred or any kind of hatred in
Britain, and we are committed to tackling this unacceptable scourge.’ (Kevin
Rawlinson, Kashmira Gander for Independent/Daily Mail, reprinted in
TheNation 2nd July)

REVIEW
Spring is the season for sowing new crops. Arab Spring was used to
sow democracy in some Arab lands. Spring is also the time conducive for
‘wild’ growth. In Egyptian field, when democracy was cultivated, Mursi
grew like a weed, the presence of which was to affect yield of the crop
called democracy.
Mursi weed wasn’t ordinary one, because it was affected by the virus
called Muslim Brotherhood. It has to be weeded out to save the yield not
only of Egyptian field, but ‘fields’ of entire region because the virus it
carried had the potential of spreading to other fields.
The observant ‘cultivators’ had noted its growth and had planned to
weed it out the moment it had sprouted out. Mursi had spoken too vocally
for Palestinian cause soon after his emergence. Israel showed its concerns

1314
immediately. So, pro-Israel field-tenders of Arab lands started assembling
implements like ‘moderates’, ‘enlightened’, ‘secular’ and so on for weed out
the field at appropriate time.
Earlier, soon after the ousting of Hosni Mobarak, they had tried to
stop his and Muslim Brotherhood’s ‘growth with the help of some trusted
stooges like El-Baradei whom they wanted to see in power in Cairo. That
did not happen as democracy itself came in their way and Mursi and Muslim
Brotherhood were able to foil their plans on the basis of the count of votes.
Nevertheless, the anti-Brotherhood forces, within and without, did not
give up. They kept the pressure on through street protests on one pretext or
the other and Egypt was choked economically. Finally, they succeeded in
bringing judges and generals; ‘moderate’ politicians and clerics on to one
‘page’ to give a military coup the touch of popular rising.
Even the chief of Jamia al-Azhar was seduced to join the rank and file
of the enlightened moderates and secular forces that were recruited by
General Sisi. The deadline of 48-hours was given to Mursi but that time was
too little to convince opposition leaders who were bent upon seeing him
ditched.
It by no means implied that Mursi had defied the demands of the
West. He tried his best to remain on the right side of the ‘civilized world’, by
not revoking the pact with Israel. He went an extra mile to win over their
hearts and minds by actively opposing Bashar al-Assad of Syria, especially
in the meeting of ‘Friends of Syria’.
Nothing impressed the West to the extent that Mursi could be
tolerated by them. No ruler in Islamic world showing signs of Islamist traits
is acceptable to them. It amounts to compromising one of the goals of the
ongoing Crusades – de-Islamization of Muslim societies.
So, pro-West military generals were used to oust Musri, of course,
ably aided by ‘reputed’ diplomat that has rendered more meritorious services
to the West than Epyptians, as negotiator to check nuclear proliferation.
Thus the incomplete revolution was completed in second stage quite
skillfully. Political analysts would like to call it counter-revolution.
Once the mission was accomplished, Washington took hours to
deliberate and draft a statement to show its reaction to the ‘historic’ event. It
was made sure that the statement was so worded that it did not give even a
hint about its involvement in the evil act in which the democracy was
slaughtered on the banks of Nile. The statement issued was brief and to the

1315
point: the US was deeply concerned over what had happened in Egypt. In
other words, instead of rejoicing by dancing on the grave of democracy and
Muslim Brotherhood, Washington quietly said: Go to hell.
To hell the Egypt did go. The blood started spilling in the ‘bloodless’
military coup. On July 5, three protesters were reported dead; whereas
unofficial reports much more than that. This indicated that the military
clamped tight news-censor and its Western backers fully cooperated by not
reporting the casualties.
Three days later, more than fifty Mursi supporters were killed nearly
five hundred were wounded. No alarm was created by the West, the UN, the
OIC, or the Arab League and instead the showed concern over trial of some
Muslims in Myanmar. The Arabs instead showered dollars at the killers in
economic aid.
Mursi Episode should serve as a warning to Erodgan of Turkey. He
too is often referred to as ‘Islamist’ in news items and commentaries that
originate from the West. He too has shown fondness for Palestinians and had
gone even a step beyond by confronting Israelis.
At the same time, like Mursi, he showed undue exuberance in
opposing Bashar al-Assad for the pleasure of the US and European allies;
yet he has failed to impress his Western allies. He is shrewd enough to have
seen how an ordinary issue or a non-issue, of constructing a building in a
park was used to trigger country-wide protests against his government.
He could be the next to be weeded out because he has shown undue
love for Islam by clamping ban sale of alcohol in Turkey. This is a good
enough pretext to send him Mursi-way. The batteries of ‘Patriotic’ missiles
deployed in his country won’t be of much help in this context.
There is a lesson for rulers in Pakistan as well; there are plenty of
enlightened intellectuals ever-ready to support of military coup against a
Mursi any where in Islamic world. Yasmeen Aftab Ali, whose views have
been reproduced above, belongs to that westernized segment of the society
which every Muslim country has. They prefer to support the viewpoint of
the West, right or wrong. She being a lawyer by profession knows when to
exploit the ‘letter’ and when to lay emphasis on the ‘spirit’ of the written
law.

1316
 Incidentally, the demise of democracy took place on the eve of
Independence Day of the United States, a nation that boasts of promoting
democracy around the globe, especially in Islamic world. But democracy
like the British king lives on: Democracy is dead; long live the democracy.
14th July, 2013

1317
 MISSING PAGE
History repeats itself, is an often quoted proverb. Nowhere in the
world has it repeated more punctually than in Pakistan, as far as commission
of blunders is concerned. The constitution of inquiry commissions and then
their reports denied the day light is one of the frequently committed
blunders.
A few decades ago a commission report slipped through the eastern
border and saw the day light in India. This was the report of Hamood-ur-
Rehman Commission on fall of Dacca in which India had played lead role.
During first week of July 2013, Abbottabad Commission report chose bright
day light of Arabian Peninsula. Al-Jazeera TV, located in close vicinity of
US Centcom Headquarters made it public.
The two reports have some striking similarities. Both reports made
their ways to the enemy lands or to lands of their close allies. Both had an
important part of the report missing; the former a complete chapter and the
latter a page. The missing parts in both cases related to the real culprits; in
the case of former the chapter was related to Zulkikar Ali Bhutto and in the
latter case it pertained to the secret deals of Pakistani rulers with the US.
The incumbent regime, which was blamed for the leak, first ordered a
probe and then claimed that the ‘original’ report in its custody is intact.
Instead of criticizing the report ‘sold’ to Al-Jazeera TV, the nation must
thank the ‘culprit’ yet to be found who granted Pakistanis the right to know.
The nation must also thank the enemy outside who helped it know the
enemy within.
The report overshadowed other events of the period out of which two
must be mentioned. Plastic explosive was used for the first time in terror
attack in Anarkali blast, which has been owned by Baloch separatists. This
spoke of involvement of foreign military agencies and enlarging the
spectrum of militant actions beyond Balochistan
Peace process in Afghanistan met a major setback when Karzai
reacted angrily to Taliban getting more US attention than he expected. The
US put off the peace dialogue and Taliban closed their office in Doha, but
clarified that removal of flag and sign did not imply that they have given up
their position of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The US, however, still
hoped of getting the peace process back on track.

1318
NEWS
Pakistan:
Terror War: On 1st July, two policemen were killed and a passerby was
injured, when armed assailants opened fire on them near Abbas terminal on
Peshawar Ring Road. The incident occurred in Landi Akhun Ahmad area,
when two motorcycle riders fired at two policemen.
Next day, at least three people were killed in a US drone attack in
North Waziristan Agency late at night. American drones targeted a house
and a vehicle in Danday Duppa Khel area of North Waziristan and fired four
missiles. Death toll is likely to rise when detailed reports are received.
An armed person of Tauheed-ul-Islam (TI), Zakha Khel Peace
Lashkar, was killed in planted explosive device blast in Zakha Khel area of
tehsil Landikotal. The volunteer was struck by heavy intensity improvised
explosive device (IED) planted by unknown militants. The identification of
the deceased could not be ascertained.
Commander ISAF General Joseph E Dunford met with General
Ashfaq Parvez Kayani in Rawalpindi and the two commanders discussed
matters of mutual interest, with a particular emphasis on how better
coordination can be maintained. Earlier this month, top military commanders
of Pakistan, Afghanistan and ISAF met to discuss the process of bringing
peace in Afghanistan.
British High Commissioner said Pakistan and United Kingdom agreed
to counter all threats to the two countries including Improvised Explosive
Devices (IEDS), drugs and organized crime. Addressing a press conference,
he said Pakistan and the United Kingdom had agreed to promote further
cooperation in counter terrorism during the recent visit of British Prime
Minister David Cameron as the terrorism is the common threat to both
Pakistan, UK and world.
Replying to a question about investigation against MQM Chief Altaf
Hussain, and a protest against the British Government in Karachi, the British
High Commissioner said investigation is being done by the London
Metropolitan Police, which is an independent body. He, however, said the
issue of investigation against Altaf Hussain was not discussed during the
visit of Britain Prime Minister Cameron to Pakistan.
On 3rd July, six Frontier Constabulary (FC) soldiers were killed and
eight sustained injuries when militants stormed a security check post in

1319
Shamshatoo village near the Frontier Region (FR), Peshawar, in the wee
hours. Authorities said five attackers were gunned down while many others
were injured in the exchange of fire that continued for a couple of hours.
Meanwhile, the death toll in drone attack in Waziristan rose to 18.
Prime Minister decided to convene a meeting of all heads of political
parties having representation in the Parliament on July 12. He was quite
worried about the sudden surge in the acts of terrorism and after consultation
with his party leaders he has decided to call the meeting of to discuss the
issue threadbare and formulate a joint counter terror strategy.
Next day, two militants associated with the Tehreek-i-Taliban were
killed while an assistant sub-inspector of police was martyred in an
operation against militants at the Sheikh Nala area in Mattani Police
precincts. Police officials said that the operation was launched after dozens
of militants attacked a security check post at the Jani Kor area near Peshawar
in which six FC personnel were killed and eight others injured the other day.
Unidentified armed men opened indiscriminate fire on a NATO
container at Quetta-Karachi National Highway in Khuzdar district, killing
the driver on the spot and injuring two others. The attackers also set the
container on fire before fleeing from the scene. The container was heading
towards Quetta for Afghanistan when it came under the attack.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said Pakistan has
conveyed to the US that continuation of drone strikes can lead to ‘direct
standoff’ between the two countries. Nisar said he had categorically
conveyed this to US Ambassador Richard Olson during their yesterday’s
meeting. The drone attacks were not only violation of country’s sovereignty
but these were also resulting in ‘unacceptable’ collateral damage.
The government ended a moratorium on executions, as Amnesty
International raised concerns about a ‘shocking and retrograde step’. Under
the previous government led by the PPP, no one except a soldier convicted
by court martial was put to death since 2008. Amnesty estimates that
Pakistan has more than 8,000 prisoners on death row, most of whom have
exhausted the appeals process and could now be facing execution.
‘Resuming executions would do nothing to tackle crime or militancy, but
instead just perpetuate a cycle of violence’, said Amnesty’s Truscott.
On 5th July, unknown armed men killed a police constable by opening
fire on him in Peshawar. The killers fled the scene. Next day, four people,
including a six-year-old girl, died and another forty wounded when a bomb
exploded in the famous Old Anarkali food street on The Mall during dinner

1320
rush hours. Five of the injured were in critical condition. No group had
claimed the responsibility for the attack till late night.
Investigators said that ball bearings were also recovered from the blast
site. Despite serious security threats, there was no policeman on-guard in the
locality when bomb shook the food lovers. The gates on both sides of the
street were closed and in the absence of any security check, the terrorists
managed to sneak into the street to detonate the time device.
On 7th July, unknown armed persons gunned down former assistant
director of IB in Peshawar. He was on his way back to home after offering
prayer when armed persons targeted him. He sustained serious injuries on
his head and succumbed to his injuries on the way to hospital. In Lahore, all
the food outlets in Old Anarkali Food Street remained closed as death toll
rose to five.
A container, carrying NATO goods, was badly damaged in an armed
attack in Dahdar area of Bolan district. Police said armed men attacked the
container, carrying NATO equipment back to Karachi from Afghanistan.
The attackers fled the scene after committing the crime.
Next day, ten people including two experts of bomb disposal squad
were killed in two bomb blasts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwan. Eight people were
killed and 10 others got injuries when a suicide bomber detonated himself in
Hangu. Two personnel of a bomb disposal squad were also killed while
trying to defuse an explosive device in Swabi.
Three NATO containers were set afire in Quetta by unidentified
armed men, riding two motorbikes. The containers came under attack near
Western bypass. The attackers managed to flee the crime scene. Similarly, a
private container was attacked in Dasht area of Mastung district.
A leaked Pakistani probe report accused country’s civil and military
agencies of negligence, collective failure and plausible complacency that
allowed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to live undetected in the country
for more than nine years. A copy of the 336-page report from Abbottabad
Commission was obtained by Al-Jazeera and published on their website, six
months after it was submitted in Islamabad but kept secret by the authorities.
It offered a scathing read, with evidence of incompetence at almost
every level of Pakistan’s vast security apparatus. It also chastised Pakistan’s
leadership for failing to detect CIA activities on its soil in the run-up to the
raid, while criticizing the United States for the ‘illegal manner’ in which the
operation was conducted.

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 ‘OBL was able to stay within the limits of Abbottabad Cantonment…
How the entire neighbourhood, local officials, police and security and
intelligence officials all missed the size, the strange shape, the barbed wire,
the lack of cars and visitors etc over a period of nearly six years beggars
belief’, it said.
‘The US acted like a criminal thug... Had leads or abnormalities been
followed up professionally, the report cautioned, it might have led to a
different outcome than the US raid that violated Pakistan sovereignty. The
strongly worded report did not explicitly rule out the possible involvement
of rogue elements within the Pakistani intelligence service itself – a sensitive
issue even to touch on in a high-profile inquiry.
‘Although the possibility of some degree of connivance inside or
outside the government cannot be entirely discounted, no individual can be
identified as guilty of connivance.’ While many details of bin Laden’s life in
Pakistan have already been made public, its stinging criticism of homegrown
failures will deeply embarrass the intelligence and military authorities.
The report draws its conclusions based on interviews with 201
witnesses including members of bin Laden’s family and various
government, army and intelligence officials. According to the report, bin
Laden had arrived in Pakistan in the spring or summer of 2002, at one point
spending two years in Haripur before moving to the Abbottabad compound
with his big family in August 2005.
It found that he had probably crossed into Pakistan from
Afghanistan’s Tora Bora area, where US forces were hunting him, in 2002,
although his family moved from Afghanistan’s Kandahar to Karachi shortly
after the September 11, 2001 attacks. ‘They kept a very low profile and lived
extremely frugally. They never exposed themselves to public view. They
had minimum security’, the report said.
Parliament had demanded an independent investigation into how bin
Laden had been able to hide and whether there was any government or
military collusion. The report was kept secret by the government of then
ruling PPP and later by the interim administration. It was not even released
by the current PML-N regime which assumed control after May 11
elections.
Abbottabad Inquiry Commission head Justice (r) Javed Iqbal urged
the government to publish the inquiry report and implement the
recommendations to help avert such situations in future. The retired judge
said that the fate of this report must not be like that of Hamood-ur-Rehman

1322
Commission’s report, which never saw the light of the day and was simply
swept under the carpet.
‘If the recommendations are implemented, it would help resolve many
issues related to terrorism, defence policy, National Counter Terrorism
Authority (NACTA), interior ministry and others’, Justice (r) Javed Iqbal
said in his first interaction with the media after presenting the report.
Meanwhile, an official privy to the contents of Abbottabad
commission’s report told this scribe that the draft of the commission’s
findings had been initially prepared ‘handwritten’ to avoid any leakage to
the media or to any foreign state and once the report had been completed, the
commission’s chief, Javed Iqbal, himself had supervised the printing process
to avoid any security breach.
The official rubbished the media reports claiming to be based on the
commission’s report and termed them a mere ‘guess work’ based on
reproducing the already published eyewitness accounts from the US SEALs
who took part in the operation. ‘The media publications in this regard are not
about commission’s report. Rather, this is all guess work and actually it is
aimed at presenting the US point of view about the raid on Osama’s
hideout’, he added.
The United States offered no comments on the reported findings of
the Abbottabad Commission which investigated Osama bin Laden’s hiding
in Pakistan and the US commando raid, in which the al-Qaeda chief was
killed. ‘I have to check on that. I have seen the reports but still I don’t have
anything new or any further comment on that’, State Department
Spokesperson Jen Psaki said at the regular press briefing.
On 9th July, more ‘revelations’ made by Abbottabad Commission were
reported. Pakistan had reached an understanding with the United States on
drone strikes targeting militants and considered these attacks as useful
according to DG ISI Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha. His interviews also laid bare
extraordinary levels of distrust between Pakistan and the United States,
particularly in 2011 when relations plummeted over the US raid that killed
bin Laden and a CIA contractor who shot two Pakistanis dead.
Pasha said the US arrogance ‘knew no limits’ and accused the
Americans of waging ‘psychological warfare’ over the whereabouts of
Taliban leader Mullah Omar and bin Laden’s successor Ayman al-Zawahiri.
He quoted a US intelligence officer as saying, ‘you are so cheap. We can
buy you with a visa.’ He himself said that systemic failures showed Pakistan
was a ‘failing state’.

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 The report says that it is not clear if the unscheduled electricity load
shedding in Bilal Town at the time of the start of the raid was coincidental or
deliberate, suggesting possibly connivance. The report says the US navy
SEALS had night capability. But Osama bin Laden and his family were
fumbling in the dark. The power returned after the killing of Ibrahim. But it
is not clear if the light had returned by the time bin Laden and others in the
main house had been killed.
The report is critical of the ‘illegal manner’ in which the United States
conducted the raid. It chastises Pakistan’s leadership for failing to detect
CIA activities on its soil, and does not rule out the involvement of rogue
elements within the Pakistani intelligence service – a sensitive issue even to
touch on in a high-profile inquiry. ‘The US acted like a criminal thug’, says
the report.
His wives, in their testimonies, said bin Laden was not fond of
personal possessions and had very few clothes. ‘Before coming to
Abbottabad he had just three pairs of shalwar kameez (traditional dress) for
summer, and three pairs for winter… Whenever OBL felt unwell (unofficial
US accounts indicate he suffered from Addison’s disease), he treated himself
with traditional Arab medicine...and whenever he felt sluggish he would take
some chocolate with an apple.’
Imran Mukhtar added that the report severely criticized ISI for its
failure and inability to track down Osama Bin Laden while he had been
living in Pakistan for many years before his death. The ISI assertion that
every one including US thought OBL was no longer alive was obviously
incorrect. The US may at some time have believed that OBL had probably
died, but it never closed the file on him. It never stopped the manhunt. It just
stopped sharing information with ISI.
There was no real search for OBL allowing its foreign and domestic
critics to allege that its operations were too close to their ‘assets’ in the field
would never tolerate a betrayal of OBL who for them was an even biggest
symbol of ‘heroic resistance to the corrupt West, than al-Qaeda itself. The
pretence that the ISI leadership was in command was exposed by the fact
that they dared not offend their most zealous operatives, gave the ISI its
fearful reputation. The country suffered military humiliation, national
outrage and instrumental isolation.
The Commission severely questioning the performance and
competence of the premier intelligence agency says that the CIA network
(how many we do not know) to locate OBL, kill OBL, to engage in other

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‘dirty tricks’ and ‘black ops’ insinuated their presence in Pakistan under the
cover of NGOs, local recruits and trained ‘thugs and killers’ like Raymond
Davis who got visas on demand-no questions asked. The handling of
Raymond Davis case was itself a national disgrace in which the ISI played
an inglorious role.
The ISI, no wonder, lost control over both violent Jihadi militants
extremists on the one hand, and the CIA special operatives and dirty tricks
killers on the other. Even after May 2, the ISI failed to reveal much about the
details of OBL's network of support beyond the two dead Pakistani security
guard cum couriers Ibrahim and Abrar, the OBL residence in Haripur, and
the testimonies of the wives of OBL and the wife of Ibrahim. It has not even
located the residences in Quetta, Peshawar, WANA, Swat, Karachi etc
where OBL and/or his family members stayed during their long sojourn in
Pakistan. It just prevented other authorized agencies from doing possibly a
better job despite their lack of resources.
DG ISI before the Commission stated that civilian institutions were
highly politicized and this had led to the ISI being ‘over burdened’ by the
responsibilities that did not fall within its Charter. The police, he said,
worked in ‘pathetic conditions’, which was why it could not do its job and
the ISI had to fill the vacuum. ‘But with all its resources the ISI also failed
mainly because it was even more involved with the political, power and
‘ideological’ structures of the country. It had become more political and less
professional and the country suffered on both counts’.
The SOPs were apparently not strictly followed so all the High Value
Targets who were arrested were quickly handed over to the US. As a result,
the ISI again failed to obtain possibly critically important information. At a
meeting, ISI informed the Commission that often enough Arab militants
refused to disclose information to them, which later they readily confessed
to the CIA. The Commission observed that this, of course, did not reflect
well on the competence of the ISI, or the esteem in which it was held. Of
course, it is also possible that because they know they were going to be
handed over to the CIA, it make more sense to cooperate with the
Americans.
The Commission condemned the role of the US Embassy in Pakistan
saying prima facie it compromised the diplomatic norms and customs
associated with the working of an embassy. It also discussed the role of
foreign NGOs, including USAID and Save the Children concluding that

1325
hostile intelligence agencies were using these NGOs for assaults on the
sovereignty and independence of the country.
‘Its (the US Embassy in Pakistan) hiring of approximately 370 houses
in Islamabad supported with a motor pool for use by CIA operatives,
without informing the Foreign Office; declaring a criminal killer such as
Allen Raymond Davis as a diplomat and seeking diplomatic immunity for
him when he was in fact a CIA agent; not cooperating with the Punjab police
in handing over the drivers belonging to their Consulate in Lahore who ran
over and killed an innocent Pakistani; its dispatch of 4-5 Land Cruisers
carrying personnel to participate in the Abbottabad assassination mission etc
represent activities inconsistent with a diplomatic mission’s status and
obligations.’
The alarming expansion and reconstruction of the US Embassy in
Islamabad may pave the way for deeper US penetration in Pakistan, the
report said adding that it must be ensured that official channels are employed
and such matters are not left to the discretion of unaccountable institutions.
The Commission recommends that the Government of Pakistan needs to
ensure that all diplomatic missions, whether of small or large countries, act
in a manner consistent with their international and legal obligations and with
the sovereignty, independence and laws of host country.
Discussing the role of foreign NGOs, the Commission concludes that
there is often inadequate oversight and monitoring of the activities of foreign
NGOs from the counterpart department of Government of Pakistan. In a
number of cases, this has created opportunities which have been availed by
the hostile intelligence agencies to infiltrate NGOs for the purpose of illegal
intelligence gathering, including preparations for assaults on the sovereignty
and independence of the country, as happened on May 2, 2011.
It also praised the role of NGOs… ‘But the role of the US
government’s decision to allow the CIA to use USAID with in turn used the
Save the Children in Pakistan for planning of the US assassination mission
of May 2, has done incalculable harm to the environment in which perfectly
respectable and indeed renowned NGOs seek to assist the government in
discharging its development and humanitarian obligations to the people of
Pakistan’.
The report recommended that there are number of other aspects of the
working of foreign NGOs in Pakistan which need attention but that are not
directly concerned with the mandate of this Commission. It also
recommended that the laws related to NGOs must be reviewed by the

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Ministry of law and Parliamentary Affairs and Economic Affairs Division
(EAD) in order to meet present day needs.
Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid has said that an enquiry will be
conducted to ascertain the responsibility of leaking the Abbottabad
Commission report and perpetrators will have to face the consequences.
Pervaiz Rashid said it was too early to say whether anyone would be
punished for failing to detect Osama bin Laden’s decade-long stay in the
country.
The Corps Commanders Conference reviewed the existing
coordination measures on security in the wake of repeated terrorist attacks;
the military command has chalked out specifications for enhanced field
intelligence cooperation between the army and its intelligence and
paramilitary units. The new intelligence coordination measures have become
functional with immediate effect. These measures reportedly focus on field-
to-field intelligence communication between the Pakistan Army, ISI, MI,
Rangers and FC with the input integration from the respective field
intelligence units (FIUs).
The Corps Commanders Conference was held a day after the
Abbottabad Commission's report on the United States successful operation
to hunt down Osama Bin Laden in the May 2, 2011. The matter, however,
was not discussed in the commanders' moot, which is said to have focused
on the internal security in addition to taking stock of the security scenario at
the Western border and drawing contours of the military's operational course
in the conflict areas.
On 10th July, President Zardari’s chief security officer Bilal Sheikh
was killed along with three others in a suicide attack in Karachi. A dozen
others, including policemen and Bilal’s private guards, were injured. The
bomber blew himself up in Gurumandir in central Karachi, close to an office
for Zardari’s PPP. No militant group had claimed responsibility of the attack
as yet, but the TTP has previously targeted the Pakistan People’s Party for
its ‘secular views’.
Former US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said that
while Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is condemning drone strikes and is
demanding that the US has to stop these attacks, in reality, if Pakistan wants
these drone attacks to stop, they can stop. In an interview with Aljazeera,
Armitage said ‘each time the government of Pakistan speaks up about drone
strikes and does nothing about it, it incites public opinion in Pakistan, but it
doesn't do anything to resolve the issue.’

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 On drone strikes’ impact on the US-Pakistan relationship, Armitage
responded: Although drone strikes incite a very negative public opinion in
Pakistan, almost any Pakistani if given the opportunity to come to the United
States would ‘do it in a heartbeat’. – implying that the relationship is very
complex. He said: ‘“He is in favour of Drone attacks but the usage of the
drones must be after thought processing. Pakistan is capable to stop Drones
attacks.’
According to Abbottabad Commission findings the US choppers may
have intruded into Pakistan’s airspace twice on May 2, 2011, while the
security establishment refuses to take responsibility for the security lapse
involving Osama Bin Laden’s nine-year stay in Pakistan leading to a US-
launched operation.
On Pakistan’s airspace violation, the probe report states, ‘The US may
have violated Pakistani airspace twice on May 2, 2011, first during the US
mission over Abbottabad and later during the transport of OBL’s body
allegedly in a US CV-22 (Osprey) to the US aircraft carrier in the Indian
Ocean. The PAF explained that the US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan
filed their entire flight plans for transiting through Pakistani airspace 24
hours in advance each day. Contrary to some published reports, no Osprey
was scheduled or cleared to fly from Afghanistan towards the sea over
Pakistani territory. On May 2, a total of 85 sorties of various types of
aircrafts flew from Afghanistan towards the sea according to filed flight
plans. Given such heavy traffic of the CF, the body of OBL could have been
on any aircraft capable of making a landing on an aircraft carrier.’
The statements made by the top armed forces officials before the
panel as well as respective observations made by the commission
unequivocally underline the lack of competence, coordination, clarity and
communication on part of ministry of defence and its attached institutions
including Pakistan Army, PAF, ISI and the related intelligence wings of the
two armed forces. From the inquiry report into the incident, the fact looks
obviously underlined that the security institutions remained engaged in
blame game to pass the buck on one another regarding OBL’s stay in
Abbottabad and elsewhere in Pakistan that led to cause the US Navy Seals
well-coordinated and successfully executed operation to take out the world’s
most wanted terrorist.
Underlying the lack of coordination between the institutions, the
commission report mentioned Pakistan Army’s DGMO as not having
answered when asked whether according to his knowledge OBL was

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residing in the Abbottabad compound for the last several years and whose
responsibility was it to keep the area under proper surveillance. ‘He did not
volunteer an answer’, the inquiry report states, quoting the DG MO as
saying that the ISI could respond to the question regarding recovery of items
taken from the OBL compound.
At another point, the DG MO appeared to have conveniently passed
the buck on the PAF. He told the commission that active measures would
have to be taken by the PAF, which was responsible for the security of
Pakistan’s airspace. He said the permission to shoot down intruders was
given by the PAF AD Command.
In his statement, the then Air Chief Rao Qamar Suleman had held the
MoD responsible for the defence policy formulation, saying that the same
was not the PAF’s job. Rao’s comments came in implied reference to the
fact that Pakistan’s defence plan did not perceive any threat of an intrusion
or incursion from the Western border. With regard to the Abbottabad
incident, according to the report, the air chief did not believe that there was a
failure on the part of the PAF.
Qamar Zaman Kaira has regretted the understanding of a section of
media holding the president of Pakistan responsible for OBL debacle as
well. ‘It reflects their lack of understanding because the president is the
supreme commander of the armed forces and has no role in their operational
and professional responsibilities’, he said in a press statement. He also
defended armed forces saying that it was unfair to expect from the army and
the intelligence agencies to detect the US helicopters when these flying
machines took off from an airbase in Afghanistan.
Next day, at least two men were killed and four injured when a bomb
planted in a motorcycle exploded in adjacent to a mosque at Kacha Pakha
area of Kohat. Two persons were killed and eight others, including four
personnel of FC got injured in a bomb blast at Pak-Afghan border at
Chaman.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited the ISI headquarters for briefings
from the military leadership on security issues and policy matters. The visit
is deciphered as a reflection of the government’s apparent inclination to
finally tighten the noose around the militants after failed attempts of
reconciling peace.
Reportedly, the military leadership informed the PM that strong
opposition from political leaderships in KPK and Balochistan to military
actions was seriously hampering military’s counter-terrorism and counter-

1329
insurgency drives resulting in no let up in violence. It was purportedly
recommended to the PM that ‘surgical cleansing’ was necessary to take to
task the non-state elements sponsoring terrorism in different parts of the
country.
Chief of Army Staff, ISI DG, Deputy DG, sector commanders of all
the four provinces and counterintelligence and counter terrorism officials
gave briefings to the PM during his visit to the military’s premier spy
agency’s headquarters. PM Nawaz was accompanied by Shahbaz Sharif,
Sartaj Aziz and Chaudhry Nisar Ali.
An official statement quoted the PM as saying in his address to the ISI
officers that no compromise would be made on Pakistan’s sovereignty and
security, and terrorism would be defeated with mutual cooperation and
coordination (between the state institutions). The premier’s visit, the
officials said, had much to do with the government’s inclination to get the
military’s input in the anti-terror strategy to be chalked out in the APC on
security.
The Intelligence Bureau Director General launched formal
investigations into the leakage of the Abbottabad Commission report and he
will soon be meeting the head of the Commission Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal.
After meeting with the Justice, meetings will also be held with other
members of the Abbottabad Commission including Abbas Khan, Ashraf
Jehangir Qazi, Lt Gen (Retd) Nadeem Ahmed and Nargis Sethi. According
to sources, the investigation would be moved forward in the light of these
meetings.
On 12th July, Malala Yousafzai addressed hundreds of young people at
the United Nations, giving them a clarion call to use education as a weapon
against extremism. ‘Let us pick up our books and our pens. They are our
most powerful weapons. One teacher, one book, one pen, can change the
world’, Malala, who was wearing Benazir's shawl, said in an address to the
UN Youth Assembly.
Ban Ki-moon had declared – Malala's 16 th birthday – ‘Malala Day’ in
honour of her heroic stand to ensure education for all. Ban said that by
targeting Malala, ‘extremists showed what they fear most: (is) a girl with a
book.’ The meeting, which featured nearly 1,000 youth leaders, was
addressed by former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, in his capacity
as UN Special Envoy for Global Education, and Vuk Jeremic, President of
the General Assembly. Also present in the packed hall of the UN General
Assembly were Malsala's parents and her two brothers.

1330
 Malala thanked everyone who prayed for her fast recovery. She also
thanked all the nurses, doctors and the hospital staff in both Pakistan and
Britain, who helped her survive and recover. She asserted that it was not just
her birthday, but it was a day of ‘every boy and girl who have raised their
voice for their rights’. Malala told the gathering that the Taliban’s attack
nine months ago changed nothing in her life, except that ‘weakness, fear and
hopelessness died’. ‘The extremists were, and they are, afraid of books and
pens’, she said. ‘The power of education frightens them. They are afraid of
women.’
She also handed over a petition to the secretary-general signed by
about four million people calling on the 193 UN members to finance
teachers, schools and books to meet the education. Pakistan has five million
children out of school, a number only surpassed by Nigeria, which has more
than 10 million children out of school, according to the UNESCO. Most of
those are girls.
Pointing that the thousands had been killed and millions injured by the
terrorists, Malala said that she was just one of them, and said that she spoke
for the others who could not be heard. She asserted on the need to their right
to be educated. Hitting out at the Taliban, she said, ‘On 9 th of October, 2012,
Taliban shot me. They thought the bullets will silence us, but they
failed...out of that silence came thousands of voices.’
‘I am here to speak up for the right of education of every child...I also
want education for the children of the Talib who attacked me and other
terrorists across the world’, maintained Malala. According to Malala, she got
her power from world leaders like Martin Luther king, Nelson Mandela and
Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and learnt the philosophy of non-
violence from Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa and Bacha Khan. Malala
was of the view that terrorists were frightened by the power of education,
power of women, adding, ‘That is the reason why they are attacking women
and blasting schools.’
She advocated ‘free and compulsory education for all children across
the world’, saying, ‘If we want to achieve our goals, then let us empower
ourselves with the weapon of education. Let us wage a global struggle
against poverty and terrorism.’ Malala ended her speech, saying, ‘Education
is the only solution. Education first.’ Her 20-minute speech was given
several standing ovations and was quickly hailed for her message of peace
and education.

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 A day after his visit to ISI headquarters, Prime Minister visited the
interior ministry as part of his efforts to prepare a comprehensive national
security policy draft ahead of the APC. The prime minister during his visit
proposed to the ministry for the establishment of special anti-terror and anti-
crime cells to overcome the challenges of extremism, terrorism and law and
order. He directed the ministry to finalize anti-terrorism and anti-extremism
policy in consultation with all provinces on fast track basis.
Interior Secretary briefed the PM on the internal security situation of
the country as well as ministry's working on the drafting of the security
policy. The prime minister was also informed about a policy draft titled
National Counter-Terrorism and Extremism Policy prepared by National
Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA).
Nawaz asked for preparation of a well thought out and workable plan
to achieve the desired targets. He stressed that restoration of peace and
elimination of terrorism should be top most priority of the government. The
security agencies have to come up with hard intelligence to prevent terror
attacks, he added. PM maintained, ‘We have to perform and failure is not an
option at all’.
Sikander Shaheen reported that during yesterday’s briefing to Prime
Minister the military command had conveyed that any let up in violence was
not possible unless the terrorism was dealt with an ‘iron hand’,
recommending military action in the militancy infected areas, according to
informed insiders. The military leadership had explained in depth to the
premier regarding the difficulties being faced by Pakistan Army and its
paramilitary and intelligence wings in course of their drive against terrorism
and insurgency.
The army generals had referred to certain instances to point out the
involvement of some incumbent and former government functionaries
including provincial ministers in Balochistan and KPK who were allegedly
instrumental in hampering the security forces operations using political
clout. The PM, according to security sources, was also briefed about the
difficulties being faced in arresting and detaining the terror suspects owing
to the sympathies and support for them from the local political influential in
the two provinces.
The ruling brass was also informed about the lacunae in the legal
system and weaknesses in the prosecution system that prevented the
terrorists from being held accountable. In this regard, cases of dozens of
arrests of the terror suspects were cited whereby the accused were released

1332
due to lack of evidence. These arrests were reportedly made from Quetta,
Peshawar, frontier regions and tribal agencies of FATA, KPK and
Balochistan.
Nawaz Sharif had remarked after receiving the military officers’
briefings that the security lapses in Quetta, Peshawar, Karachi or elsewhere
were not justified on any pretext while adding that the military’s
recommendations would be incorporated in the government’s strategic and
defence policy to forge an effective mechanism against terrorism. Nawaz
Sharif is also said to have observed that the matter would be taken up with
the political parties in the APC on security, hoping that consensus would be
developed for devising a workable line of action against terrorism.
Meanwhile, a policeman was shot dead in Nowagali area of Swat in
the wee hours. He was on duty at Sehri time in the area when some
unidentified armed men opened firing at him, injuring him seriously. The
assailants managed to flee from the scene. The injured succumbed to
injuries. Former assistant director of Investigative Bureau was gunned down
by unknown armed persons in Qissa Khwani Bazaar of Peshawar.
Mohammad Arif was on way to his home when armed assailants opened
firing on him and he sustained several bullet injuries on his head. The
attackers had made their escape successfully.
Next day, Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid said the
government still wants to hold talks with the Taliban for peace in the
country and the region. ‘Guns can’t solve problems. The use of force only
adds to the problems and makes the situation more complicated’, he said in
an interview. ‘If talks can be held in Doha, why they can’t be held in
Islamabad’, the minister said while defending the government’s approach for
peace with the Taliban.
The contention gains more importance as it comes from the
spokesman of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif a couple of days after his
leader’s visit to the ISI headquarters where he was briefed for five hours
about the security situation. What the minister said clearly means that there
is no shift in the government’s policy about talks with the Taliban although
the military leadership is in favour of use of force to eliminate terrorists in
the tribal areas.
Answering a question about the Abbottabad Commission Report,
Pervaiz Rashid said the original copy was with the defence secretary. He
categorically denied media reports that the Report had gone missing from
Prime Minister’s office, saying the report was in safe custody of the

1333
government. He said media reports and comments are based on unauthentic,
incomplete and distorted version of the report.
Meanwhile, a US drone strike late night killed at least three people in
Mir Ali area of North Waziristan. Unmanned aircraft targeted a compound
in the Mir Ali, killing at least three people. It was the third US drone attack
inside Pakistan since Nawaz Sharif was sworn in as prime minister in June,
calling for an end to such strikes and complaining that they violated the
country s sovereignty.
Security forces jointly launched search operation in the Frontier
Regions (FRs) of Peshawar and Kohat and arrested 90 suspected persons,
included 10 proclaimed offenders. During the search operation, security
forces bulldozed the house of a suspected militants situated in Suleman
Khail area. Others areas where security forces launched search operation
included Maryamzai, Sheri Kera, Arbab Tapo, Matni and Spina Tana area.
On 14th July, the security forces killed 17 militants and injured six
others in air strikes conducted in Aka Khel area of tehsil Bara, Khyber
Agency. The warplanes pounded suspected hideouts of militants in
Khurmatang area and destroyed seven of them. These areas are known as
strongholds of the militants from where they stage deadly attacks in Kohat
and Peshawar.
Imran Khan strongly condemned the latest US drone attack and
demanded the government to take serious steps for stopping these strikes. In
a statement‚ he said despite Pakistan's strong protests on political and
diplomatic levels‚ the US administration does not appear serious in halting
these attacks. Imran said the drone strikes in Waziristan are intolerable‚ as
they are killing innocent people.
Insurgency: The events covered hereafter were previous in the series
of articles on ‘war within’. It has been felt that all types of bloodshed now be
covered in one series as these are more or less sponsored by foreign
agencies. As regards insurgency, on 8th July, Islamabad High Court (IHC)
summoned IGP, chief commissioner and assistant commissioner Islamabad
to appear before the court tomorrow in a petition seeking custody of dead
body of a Bugti tribesman. Justice Noor-ul-Haq issued these directions when
a grandson of Akbar Bugti approached IHC for handing over the dead body
of one of his tribesman who died on July 3 in the federal capital during a
protest for rehabilitation of displaced Bugti tribes.
The petitioner maintained before the court when he requested the
hospital administration for handing over the dead body, they told that chief

1334
commissioner Islamabad and IGP had given strict instructions not to hand
over the dead body. The petitioner has requested to the court to direct the
respondents to handover the dead body to the legal heirs.
Next day, the Islamabad High Court directed the authorities to hand
over the dead body of a Baloch protester to the heirs and make arrangements
for his burial to his native town Dera Bugti. The court directed Secretary
Interior and Chief Secretary Balochistan to take measures to ensure the
shifting of the dead body of Bugti tribesman who was participating in a
protest being held in the federal capital for the last two months, to Dera
Bugti and his burial in the town.
On 11th July, a collage professor was gunned down while his
colleague sustained injuries in Khuzdar. They were on their way home for
iftar after teaching at a tuition centre when two armed bike riders fired at
them. No group has claimed the responsibility for the attack.
Another man was shot dead in Nal bazaar area of Khuzdar district,
while three dead bodies were found in Dera Bugti district of the restive
Balochistan. Separately, a man was killed in Khuzdar district by unknown
armed men riding a motorcycle. Three dead bodies of members of Aman
Lashkar (peace force) were recovered from Gazi Nullah area of Sui in Dera
Bugti district.
A local court in Islamabad directed to release 134 Bugti tribesmen
arrested under the allegations of brawl and scuffle. The court turned down
police plea to send them to jail on judicial remand. The judge also directed
the police not to harass the people who were protesting for the protection of
their rights.
Next day, Balochistan government spokesman’s nephew was gunned
down by unidentified assailants in Kech district. He was on his way in
Buleda area when the armed assailants targeted him, killing him on the spot.
The assailants managed to flee from the scene. Meanwhile, two landmines
defused in Dera Allayar: Three bodies which were recovered from Dera
Bugti the other day were buried along with explosives material planted with
the bodies.
Three blasts exploded one after another in the early hours of Friday in
Hyderabad, but no casualties were reported. According to reports, a Senior
Superintendent of Police (SSP) was targeted in the first blast, whereas the
subsequent explosions took place on a railway track.

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 On 13th July, a prayer leader was gunned down and his two brothers
were wounded as unidentified assailants opened indiscriminate fire on them
in Quetta. Maulana Abdul Jabbar and his two brothers were on their way in
Pashtoonabad area when some armed men sprayed a volley of bullets on
them.
Next day, militants opened fire on four oil tankers carrying fuel for a
Chinese company, operating in the Saindak Copper-Gold project, in Chaghi
district of Balochisan. The militants set all four tankers on fire; however the
drivers managed to escape the spot unhurt. Earlier, militants torched an oil
tanker carrying fuel for Chinese company in Mastung district a week ago.
Turf War: On 8th July, at least 16 people, among them four political
workers, were gunned down in ongoing violence in Karachi. Skirmish
between rival political groups had been going on in Surjani area for the last
couple of days. Next day, at least seven people lost their lives in violence-
related incidents in different areas of the city.
On 10th July, at least eight people were killed in separate incidents of
violence in Karachi. Next day, at least eight people were killed in separate
incidents of violence and three prisoners escaped from the lockup at an Anti-
Terrorism Court (ATC) in Karachi. The terror suspects were accused of
kidnapping for ransom and other crimes. Two of the prisoners were
members of the gang war going on in the City. CID of Anti Extremist Cell
claimed to have arrested six alleged operatives of Lashker-e-Jhangvi
involved in the killing of MQM MPA Sajid Qureshi and 25 others while
recovered huge cache of weapons.
On 13th July, four more alleged terrorists booked in the bomb attacks
on the MQM, managed to escape from the City Courts in Karachi. The two
suspects were arrested along with 200 kilogramme explosives and weapons
by Anti-Extremist Cell of the CID. Police had charged them in the blast took
place at MQM offices during the election campaign. Meanwhile, at least
four persons were killed and several others injured in fresh spate of violence
in different localities of the city.
Afghanistan: On 1st July, Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister said that
Pakistan has floated the concept of an Afghan power-sharing arrangement
between Kabul and the Taliban as part of a peace talks ‘end game’, a
suggestion met with outrage in Kabul. The idea was raised in a meeting
between Pakistani national security adviser Sartaj Aziz and Afghan
ambassador Umer Daudzai. It involved a form of federalism and ceding
power in some Afghan provinces to the Taliban.

1336
 The suggestion dashed hopes of a reset in the relationship between the
South Asian neighbours following the election of Prime Minister Nawaz
Sharif last month. It also suggests a visit by British Prime Minister David
Cameron to the region at the weekend to promote the Afghan-Pakistan
relationship as well as peace talks with the Taliban had failed before he had
even arrived.
Next day, a Taliban truck bomb and gun attack killed nine people in
the Afghan capital Kabul, destroying the entrance to a NATO supply
company’s compound. Four Nepalese, one Briton and one Romanian were
among those killed in the bombing, which followed a series of recent
Taliban suicide attacks targeting the Supreme Court, the airport and the
presidential palace. The Taliban claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attack.
On 3rd July, Pakistan and Afghanistan traded insults over the war with
the Taliban. Pakistan categorically rejected remarks from Afghan Army
Chief General Sher Muhammad Karimi, who alleged Pakistan of being
insincere to peace in Pakistan, saying Islamabad can end the 12-year conflict
in Afghanistan ‘within weeks’ if it were really committed to peace. In a
statement, the Foreign Office said, ‘The allegations that Pakistan ‘controls’
the Taliban and has ‘unleashed’ them on Afghanistan are baseless.’
Next day, gunmen shot dead one of the most high-profile female
police officers in Afghanistan, underlining the threat to women who take on
public roles in the country. Lieutenant Islam Bibi was a well-known face of
female advancement, but admitted to receiving regular death threats from
people who disapproved of her career – including from her own brother.
On 5th July, at least 11 people, including an Afghan police commander
and six personnel were killed and 16 others severe wounded in a suicide
blast at Pak-Afghan border, near Chaman. The suicide blast occurred close
to Friendship Gate at the border in which three Pakistani citizens were also
injured. Afghan border forces were busy in routine checking when a suicide
bomber riding a bicycle blew himself up. Following the incident Pak-Afghan
Chaman border was closed for three hours.
A suicide bomber killed 12 policemen in when he blew himself up
inside a police station. The bomber targeted a police station used to patrol
the main road from Uruzgan province to neighbouring Kandahar, through
one of Afghanistan’s most volatile regions. The Taliban, who have fought a
fierce insurgency against the US-backed Kabul government are blamed for
the attack.

1337
 The New York Times reported that President Karzai now wants a
mutual security pact that would compel the United States, which is set to
pull out of Afghanistan in 2014, to protect his country against Pakistan.
Under such a pact, the paper said Karzai, who wants US to proceed on the
peace process on his terms for the Afghans’ return to the talks, also
reportedly seeks direct military action by the U.S. against Taliban havens on
Pakistani soil.
Karzai wants a firm commitment on the number of American troops
that would stay in Afghanistan past next year, and a lead role in peace
efforts, the newspaper said. ‘All of that is rooted in one of Mr. Karzai’s core
beliefs, according to those who know him: that the central challenge facing
his government is not the Taliban insurgency, but rather in bringing the
United States around to his way of thinking’, the report noted.
During Nawaz Sharif’s visit to China the two countries agreed that the
evolving situation in Afghanistan has great implications for the regional
security and stability and they reaffirmed their support for an ‘Afghan-
owned and Afghan-led’ peace and reconciliation process‚ and said they
would work with the regional countries and the international community to
help Afghanistan achieve peace‚ stability and security. Pakistan appreciated
the support and assistance of the Chinese government and people for
Pakistan's sovereignty and socio-economic development.
On 7th July, according to report by Reuters an Afghan general said
insurgents have stepped up operations in border provinces close to
Pakistan, , with militant numbers up on last summer as government forces
work to improve security in the volatile east. General Yaftali, who
commands Afghan forces in seven crucial southeast provinces, said
insurgent numbers were up around 15 percent on last year’s summer fighting
months, with an estimated 5,000 insurgents now in his area. Many were
Pakistanis and Chechens, Yaftali said.
Norway threatened to reduce aid to Afghanistan, signaling increasing
frustration among donor nations over the Kabul government's failure to
implement reforms as NATO troops prepare to withdraw. At an aid meeting
in Kabul, Norway said that Afghanistan was not living up to its
commitments to prepare for credible elections, to improve women's rights
and to fight corruption.
On 9th July, a roadside bomb in western Afghanistan killed 12 women,
four children and one man traveling in a three-wheel mini van and at least

1338
seven other passengers were wounded. The blast took place in Herat’s Obe
district, when vehicle struck a roadside mine planted by the Taliban.
In another attack, an Afghan soldier shot dead a Slovakian soldier in
an ‘insider attack’ to shake efforts by the NATO coalition and the Afghan
army to work together to defeat the Taliban insurgency. The shooting
occurred outside Kandahar airfield, one of the biggest military bases in
southern Afghanistan and a hotbed of the conflict.
The New York Times reported that the United States is considering a
quick ‘zero option’ withdrawal from Afghanistan that would leave no
American forces in that war-torn country after 2014 amid tensions in the
relations between President Barack Obama and his Afghan counterpart
Hamid Karzai.
A video conference was organized on June 27 to get the parties’
positions closer on the matter of Taliban contacts and troop withdrawals, but
the talks ended in a bad way. US officials did not deny a report that Obama
has become increasingly frustrated by his dealings with Karzai. Their
relationship fell to new depths after last month’s US move to open peace
talks with the Taliban.
Despite a row over the Taliban’s office in Qatar, talks on their future
role in Afghanistan are eventually likely to resume in what is expected to be
a difficult and unpredictable peace process, diplomatic sources said. They
were responding to reports that the Taliban had closed their office in Doha
after President Karzai objected to their raising a flag and giving it a
nameplate that suggested they wanted to set up a government-in-exile.
Earlier, the Taliban closed their office in Qatar at least temporarily to protest
the removal of a sign they had put up identifying the movement as the
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
Next day, the US confirmed the closure Taliban’s office in Doha, but
still held out the hope of getting the peace process back on track. White
House Press Secretary stated reconciliation would not be easy. ‘It has been a
difficult process, and will continue to be’, Carney told reporters.
Spokespersons at both the State Department and the White House also
confirmed media reports that options on post-2014 security engagement with
Afghanistan include the so-called ‘zero option’ in terms of US troops
presence.
On 12th July, it was reported that US Ambassador Richard Olson met
with Maulana Samiul Haq and discussed the crucial issue with him few days
ago in Rawalpindi. Obama Administration also approached Saudi Arabia

1339
and other Islamic countries to support the US initiative for resumption of
peace dialogue and making it fruitful.
On 14th July, BBC Panorama learnt that more British soldiers and
veterans took their own lives in 2012 than died fighting the Taliban in
Afghanistan over the same period – 21 serving soldiers killed themselves
last year, along with 29 veterans. The Afghanistan death toll was 44, of
whom 40 died in action. Some of the soldiers' families say the men did not
get enough support. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said every suicide was
a ‘tragedy’.
One serving soldier who killed himself was L/Sgt Dan Collins, who
had fought in Operation Panther's Claw in Helmand province, Afghanistan,
in the summer of 2009. Collins's mother had noticed a difference in her son
during his time in Afghanistan. ‘The phone calls changed and I remember
him telling me, ‘Mum, this place is hell on earth and I just want to get out of
here’, she said. After a six-month tour, Collins came home, returning to his
girlfriend's house.
The National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire honours the
military casualties of every conflict since WWII. The names of soldiers who
killed themselves in Afghanistan are engraved on the wall but those who
took their own lives after returning home are not mentioned. L/Sgt Collins
was a serving soldier at the time of his death on 1 January 2012 but his name
will not be on the memorial.
Iran: On 1st July, US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew expressed hope
the economic sanctions aimed at stopping Iran's alleged nuclear weapons
program will work, because ‘the alternatives are worse.’ Lew was speaking
at a conference in Aspen, Colorado.
On 14th July, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that
Iran is moving ‘closer and closer’ to building a nuclear weapon and Israel
may have to act before the United States does. ‘They’re edging up to the red
line. They haven’t crossed it yet’, Netanyahu said. ‘And they have to be told
in no uncertain terms that that will not be allowed to happen.’
India: On 1st July, Indian-occupied Kashmir was shut down and
hundreds of police were deployed in the main city after the weekend
shooting of two civilians by the army. The shutdown to protest against the
shootings came as a police officer and a freedom-fighter were killed in a
separate incident south of Srinagar. Yesterday soldiers opened fire on angry
demonstrators, killing one.

1340
 Next day, Pakistan and India agreed to quickly draw up a calendar of
official-level meetings to get their bilateral peace process, which has lost
momentum due to polls that led to a change of government in Pakistan, back
on track. Pakistan also sought an early meeting between the prime ministers
of the two countries to provide the necessary political impetus to propel the
process. Both countries agreed to hold a third round of meetings on
outstanding bilateral issues in next two to three months.
This was announced after a meeting between Indian External Affairs
Minister Salman Khurshid and Pakistan Prime Minister’s Special Adviser on
Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on the sidelines of ASEAN Foreign Ministers’
meet in the capital of Brunei, Bandar Sri Begawan. Speaking to media after
the meeting, Aziz said that we have reviewed the various steps in the CBMs.
On his part, Khurshid said Pakistan has once again extended an invitation to
Manmohan Singh to visit Pakistan and he has responded to it warmly.
On 3rd July, the United States has voiced concern about reports of
continuing unrest that was sparked off by the recent killing of two persons at
the hands of Indian forces in Indian-occupied Kashmir. ‘We are concerned
about reports of ongoing violence in Kashmir’, a State Department
spokesperson said. ‘The United States urges a swift restoration of calm.’
On 5th July, Shaharyar M Khan, the special envoy of Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif, met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi
and conveyed Pakistan’s desire to move ahead on peace talks with India.
Khan delivered a letter that contained ‘expressions of goodwill and good
wishes for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the government and people of
India’ besides putting forth ‘Pakistan’s sincere desire to move forward on
improving relations with India’.
On 7th July, multiple small bomb blasts at one of Buddhism's holiest
sites – the Bodh Gaya temple complex in eastern India – wounded two
monks, but the historic temple itself was not damaged. The Indian
government called the blasts a ‘terror attack’ after eight bombs exploded at
the complex in Bihar state, which attracts Buddhists and other visitors from
all over the world.
On 14th July, a member of a Special Investigating Team (SIT) of
India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) accused incumbent
governments of ‘orchestrating’ the terror attack on Indian Parliament and the
2008 Mumbai attacks. A former Indian home ministry officer submitted his
declaration in the Supreme Court of India which said that he was told by a
former member of the CBI-SIT team that both the terror attacks (Parliament

1341
and Mumbai) were staged ‘with the objective of strengthening the counter-
terror legislation (sic).’
The affidavit also made reference to the attack on the Indian
parliament in December 2001 which was followed by the controversial
Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota), and the 2008 Mumbai attacks which led
to amendments in the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
The revelations came during a hearing in the Indian Supreme Court
regarding the killing of a 19-year-old Indian Muslim girl in India’s Gujarat
state in June 2004. Indian police had claimed that Ishrat Jahan and three
Muslim men, two of them alleged to be Pakistanis, were killed in an
‘encounter’ as they set off with a stash of arms and explosives to kill Gujarat
Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
The murder plot was refuted by the victim’s mother who had called
for an investigation to take place on a federal level. Gujarat Police have
justified the encounter citing the IB report that Pakistani nationals Zeeshan
Zohar, Amzad Ali Rana and Javed Sheikh were part of a Lashkar module
which had reached Gujarat to target Modi and carry out terrorist attacks.

VIEWS
Pakistan
Terrorism: no more tinkering, please! ‘What has shaken the
government more than anything else is the non-stop wave of terrorism.
Some of its recent manifestations, in Gilgit-Baltistan where foreign nationals
were bumped off, repeated killings of Hazaras in Quetta, targeted shootings
in Karachi and frequent attacks on security posts and forces in Peshawar and
other parts of KPK/Fata have, together, badly unnerved the administration.
During the last month, there has been no letup in the virulence of the
terrorist strikes.
What is puzzling and even bewildering is the fact that there is no clear
policy to effectively deal with this menace. People are beginning to wonder
if the government is really serious to tackle this horrendous issue. They
recall the earlier attempts, including unanimous parliamentary resolutions
that practically came to nothing. Will there be more of the same or this time,
a new government will take effective steps to meet the challenge?
Does the government have available to it a clear picture of who is who
and who does what and where? Or is all that is being done is the blind men’s

1342
bluff about the large animal called the elephant, only a feel and guesses
about its various parts?
It is time the people are taken into confidence about the various
aspects of the problems being faced by the country relating to terrorism and
how these are to be resolved.
Pakistan has been the worst victim of terrorism for the last many
years. Why was it that a master mechanism not prepared to handle the task?
Why have we not set up special training institutions for anti-terrorist
personnel?
The government, it is reported, has called a national conference of
political parties, the military top brass as well as the intelligence and law
enforcement agencies. Hopefully, something intelligible and meaningful will
come out of the envisaged deliberations. The Minister for Interior had some
days back spoken about the need for coordination. Can the requisite
coordination amongst the intelligence agencies, civil and military be really
ensured? How can such a coordination be brought about on a continuing
basis? Is the required homework in hand?
Why don’t we have a comprehensive and workable anti-terrorism
law? When will the present legislation be reviewed, revised and
strengthened, keeping in view the new challenges emanating from recent
developments in the information technology, especially cybernetics?
Afghanistan and the American military presence and operations have
much to do with the militancy and disorder seen in KPK/Fata and
Balochistan. Why has Pakistan continued to follow the stupid policy of a
dictator, who suddenly ordered military operations in parts of the northern
tribal areas starting off a virtual war against peaceful and patriotic citizens of
Pakistan?
It was, indeed, most unfortunate that our weak and selfish politicians
let the military run our defence and foreign affairs all these years. The faulty
policies have not only kept the country in a state of turbulence, but also
caused the death of tens of thousands of innocent Pakistanis and security-
personnel.
A most disturbing and, indeed, shameful display of lack of sagacity
and spine has been our government’s complicity in the aerial drone attacks
on our soil, resulting in the killing of hundreds of civilians. After the Salalah
incident, we did stand up to demonstrate defiance of the US and NATO, but

1343
soon enough buckled under pressure and started working for the “masters”
for the payment of dollars, as before.
The whole question of these attacks and the continuing presence of
Afghan militants living in the tribal areas need to be dealt with firmly,
keeping in view various dimensions and possible consequences of our policy
and actions.
Afghanistan is a land-locked country. It mostly depends on Pakistan
for the movement of goods into and from it. Under American pressure, a
pro-Kabul transit agreement was signed by us, some time ago; Pakistan has
been more than reasonable, even generous in providing access and related
facilities. Consider these concessions, along with the burden of letting
millions of Afghan refugees, live in Pakistan. One wonders about the heavy
cost of permitting them to live here – financial, economic, social and
political. Is any study available about how some of these refugees have
worked as agents and hired labour of foreign forces some of whom operating
against our interests and causing substantial losses – human and material?
Why do we go on agreeing to extend the burden of stay of these
foreign nationals, many of whom are potential troublemakers?
It is time the government comes clean about all the aberrations,
distortions and dichotomies characterizing our convoluted relationship with
Afghanistan and how we can resolve these preposterous dilemmas. We must
find ways and means to get rid of such flotsam and jetsam littered all over
the land. There certainly is an urgent need for a comprehensive white paper,
which tells us about the unnecessary and burdensome liabilities we have
allowed to accumulate and which we must get rid of, one way or the other.
To do all this, the military will have to fully cooperate. Surely, it will
be very much in its interest to be relieved of extra duties and chores,
allowing it to concentrate on its basic task of safeguarding our frontiers.
The Americans too will have to be informed and educated about our
interests, plans and approaches. We cannot afford anymore duplicity or
hypocrisy. We cannot afford to be unmindful of our national interests, even
if we may have to forego dollars and privileges of various kinds. No foreign
operations, overt or covert, on our soil, please!
Considering what has happened in Egypt, Nawaz will have to tread
carefully?’ (Inayatullah, TheNation 6th July)
Raw, Mossad, NDS behind terrorism in Pakistan: ‘Intelligence
agencies of India, Afghanistan and Israel are involved in terrorist activities

1344
in various parts of Pakistan… In Karachi mostly Research and Analysis
Wing (RAW) of India was involved in killings. In Balochistan, RAW and
Afghan intelligence agency, NDS, have joined hands to encourage
separatists. At a broader level, it becomes a troika with Mossad as its third
wing.
Daily killings in Karachi have become a serious challenge to the
government and the steps taken by it so far have failed to bridle the
criminals… According to them, after committing heinous acts, terrorists go
to the RAW offices along the Afghan border, show the videos to the
officials, collect money from them and get directions for further operations.
Evidence about the RAW providing millions of dollars to such elements is
available with the Pakistan Intelligence agencies.
The RAW, in collaboration with Afghan intelligence agency, NDS, is
also actively providing covert financial and weapon support to Baloch
militant groups, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Baloch Republican
Army (BRA) and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), for terrorist activities
in the province. These outfits are pursuing the separatist agenda and are
responsible for playing havoc with the province. ‘Irrefutable evidence’
suggests that Baloch militants are being harboured at various places and
training camps located at Kabul, Nimroz and Kandahar in Afghanistan by
RAW in collaboration with NDS since 2006.
RAW is also providing sustained financial and monetary support to
Baloch feudalists and militants, both in Afghanistan and Balochistan.
Besides, RAW, with the complete support and patronage of Afghan
authorities, is also providing arms and ammunition to Baloch militants for
terrorist activities inside Pakistan. Sources privy to the situation also claim
they have evidences that RAW is involved in providing fake identity and
travel documents to Baloch militants for moving out of Afghanistan to India,
UAE and Western countries.
It is arranging visits of Baloch sub nationalists and militants to India
for training purposes. In this regard, RAW arranged a visit of Riaz Gull
Bugti (a leading militant commander of Brahamdagh Bugti) to India in
September 2009, where he was trained by RAW for terrorist activities. In
order to overcome the linguistic problems, RAW is also arranging Balochi
language courses in India for Afghan intelligence operatives through Baloch
instructors so that their expertise could be utilized to intensify terrorist
activities in the province.

1345
 RAW, in collaboration with prominent Baloch sub-nationalists round
the globe, is also persistently utilizing various international forums, NGOs
and think-tank organizations like United Nations Human Rights Council
(UNHRC) to malign Pakistan through arranging stage events such as
preplanned anti-Pakistan interventions, media briefings, protests and
demonstrations. Their convergence, facilitation and media coverage is
managed and funded by RAW and other agencies through their operatives.
Tarek Fateh, a Canada-based political activist and sympathizer of
Baloch sub-nationalists, after spitting venom against Pakistan during the
UNHRC 22nd session at Geneva in February this year, visited India on
RAW’s sponsorship for future directions. He also held one-and-one
meetings with RAW ex senior officers, Vikram Sood and AS Daulat.
According to the sources, the close relatives and friends of Hakim
Ullah Mehsud, Maulana Fazlullah, frequently visit Afghanistan to meet
RAW officers under diplomatic cover in their embassy and consulates, and
collects money for terrorist activities in Pakistan.
The Swat militants are being harboured in camps in the areas of Kunar
and Nuristan. They are imparted training and given weapons for organized
militant actions against Pakistan’s regular and civil armed forces in FATA
areas. Maulana Fazlullah and his commanders openly travel in Afghanistan
and visit Indian Embassy/consulates, RAW and NDS offices as if
Afghanistan were their hometown.’ (Hafiz Tariq Mahmood, TheNation 7 th
July)
Scathing report: ‘By way of a 336 page document obtained and
uploaded onto the Al-Jazeera website, amid complaints that the site was
being blocked by internet service providers in Pakistan, Pakistanis gradually
came to know of the astounding and absolutely merciless criticism by the
Abbotabad Commission of high officials in government, military and the
intelligence services. Having submitted the report in Junaury, the
commission had recommended that its text be formally released by the state,
to avoid it meeting the undocumented fate of other reports that have come
before, containing important, introspective criticism of security failures.
In a brutally honest appraisal, it presents a damning indictment of the
performance of government institutions across the board: the political setup,
the intelligence apparatus, the military establishment and the bureaucratic
administration. It brought to sharp focus what everyone in these circles
already knows and tries desperately hide from the taxpayer who employs
them, that the cadres of all three wings are beset by ‘negligence, and

1346
incompetence...(and) comprehensive failure’. As obviously evidenced by the
unbelievable inability to detect the presence of Osama bin Laden in a town
bristling with military personnel (Abbottabad is a cantonment and adjacent
to it, Kakul, houses a military academy).
The most wanted man in the world, pursued by all and sundry for
masterminding 9/11 stayed on Pakistani soil for nine long years… The
findings of the commission are humiliating reading concerning the
comprehensive and across the board intelligence failures that took place,
leading to not just suspicion of state complicity in Osama Bin Laden’s safe
sheltering, but also ultimately leading to the 2 May operation being
conducted by the United States, undetected and uninvited on Pakistani soil.
The responsibility for the first part, that is finding Osama Bin Laden, has
been placed squarely with the ISI and with it the blame for having utterly
failed to do so.
Complicity was entirely ruled out in favour of shocking
incompetence; for the commission observed that it was incomprehensible
that bin Laden could stay hidden without the knowledge of this all-pervasive
agency. As Justice Javed told the media after Al-Jazeera leaked the
sensational report, the commission had gone deep into the matter and
pinpointed the failures of each institution involved and spared no one. It was
absolutely essential that the report should have been made public when
presented to then Prime Minister Pervaiz Ashraf.
The report makes for encouraging reading in one aspect though, that
the commission and its members had the bravery to pull no punches with
any institution, no matter how powerful it was considered. It also contains
valuable testimony from people such as the former intelligence chief
General Pasha, who categorizes Pakistan as a ‘failing state’. These are harsh
and difficult words to swallow, but this is necessary and potentially life-
giving introspection, which we must carry if we are to realize our mistakes
and rectify them.
Pakistan is not plagued by any mysterious problems – and all those in
the higher echelons of power know it. The fact of the matter is that
corruption, incompetence and institutional laziness and complacency has
been the unglamorous, fatal cause of many of our problems. The Abbotabad
Commission’s report ought to be enough to shock us into action to stop the
rot. Unless the complacency runs so deep, that despite all that preceded it
and led to such an inquiry being necessary, not even the crystal clear

1347
warnings and recommendations in the Abbotabad Commission will be
heeded with any seriousness.’ (Editorial, TheNation 10th July)
Past as prologue: The Bin Laden saga: ‘If there were one, simple
conclusion to be drawn from the report of the Pakistani commission
established to investigate Operation Neptune Spear – the US raid on
Abbottabad, in which Osama bin Laden was killed on May 2, 2011 – it
would be that there are times when things are precisely as they appear. The
long-suppressed Abbottabad Commission report has now emerged to
provide a timely reminder of a truism which this author learned long ago
through hard experience: When seeking to explain negative events, and
given a choice between some grand conspiracy and simple incompetence,
bet on incompetence every time.
Who would have guessed? Surely, few either in the US or Pakistan
were prepared to believe that Osama bin Laden, easily the most wanted man
in the world, could have lived for years with multiple wives and many
children in the heart of a town in settled areas, a mere kilometre from
Pakistan's Military Academy, without anyone in Pakistani officialdom any
the wiser.
And yet that is precisely what the Commission found. It is one of the
great ironies of this affair that had the planners of the US raid had more faith
in the passivity and incompetence of their Pakistani counterparts, they might
have been willing to bring the Pakistanis at least partly into confidence and
sought their assistance in raiding the compound in question, thus avoiding a
huge public embarrassment for the Pakistanis. But the Americans had no
such confidence: Faced with the clear risk of official Pakistani complicity in
hiding bin Laden, they had no choice but to move against him unilaterally.
There were yet other alleged conspiracies which the Commission
report has debunked: How, it was asked, could multiple US helicopters have
penetrated some 100 kilometres into Pakistani territory, flying for over an
hour each way, conducted a noisy operation in a military cantonment area,
actually blown up one of their crippled craft on the ground, and made good
their departure without generating any reaction, either from the Pakistani air
defence system or by local security forces in Abbottabad? How could the
Americans have even hoped to pull this off, without quiet assurances from
the Pakistani side? Yet the Commission found that they could, and did. If
there were any Pakistani complicity, the Commission could find no evidence
of it.

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 In fact, the Commission summed up its findings concerning the
government of Pakistan in the bin Laden affair in three words, reiterated
several times: Negligence, inefficiency, and incompetence
One would have difficulty making a case to suggest that the
Commission were somehow trying to protect Pakistani officialdom,
indicting their fecklessness to avoid the greater charge of treasonous
complicity in a blatant violation of Pakistani sovereignty. No one who reads
this report can doubt the fierce independence of its authors, who shrewdly,
and amusingly, point out that commissions such as theirs are appointed by
governments for one of two reasons: Either because they eagerly desire to
catalogue the malfeasance of a previous regime, or because they have no
choice but to grudgingly accede to overwhelming public and parliamentary
demand for an accounting of their own behaviour.
The Commission firmly places itself in the latter category. Given its
scathing appraisal of virtually every aspect of the Pakistani government's
performance regarding bin Laden, there is little wonder that the
Commission's handiwork has been suppressed.
Nor does the Commission offer any whitewash for the Americans:
Even while expressing understanding for US motivations in pursuing the al-
Qaeda leader, it characterizes the Abbottabad operation as a blatant act of
international murder, with no opportunity given for the Saudi fugitive's
surrender, even under military rules of engagement.
But interesting as its simple conclusions of fact concerning the
Abbottabad raid may be, of far greater interest and future relevance are the
Commission's observations concerning the fundamental disfunction at the
heart of Pakistan's relations with the US. In fact, the Commission offers the
most clear-eyed and objective view of US-Pakistani relations that this
observer has yet seen.
It is, the Commission says: ‘.a relationship about which governments
in Pakistan have seldom been honest with their own people… It has never
been a genuine… or honest relationship. But it is a necessary relationship
that needs to be rationalized…and freed from false assumptions. The US and
Pakistan may share some policy objectives but there is not a sufficient basis
for a strategic partnership between them…Once this is honestly accepted, a
healthy, mutually beneficial and important bilateral relationship will
become…feasible…The relationship has been based largely on US
economic and military assistance to Pakistan on the one hand, and the
contingent utility of Pakistan to the US on the other. It is a relationship that

1349
is not rooted in a shared culture, political perceptions and strategic
interests… [O]ften, it has pretended to be a strategic relationship without
being one, except for brief durations of overlapping interests in dealing with
common challenges…[T]he conclusion is inescapable that…there has been a
shortage of mutual appreciation…and trust in this contingent, transactional
and often resentful relationship which…neither side has cared to see in a
longer-term perspective…’
The Commission points out that the Pakistani government had every
reason to know that the US was prepared to take unilateral action against bin
Laden if he were discovered, but had no policy to neutralize the problem or
stave off the associated threat: Better simply to react to the Americans as and
when necessary, and hope that the problem goes away.
The real scandal exposed by the Commission report is that Pakistani
policy toward bin Laden is not an isolated phenomenon, but a symptom of a
far larger problem of national governance. The irony is that Pakistan would
serve itself, the Americans and the region far better if it would develop, and
then articulate a coherent national security policy to which its relations with
the US would then be subordinate. A Pakistan willing to openly confront its
national challenges would at least present the US with some clear choices. If
the US could see a plan and a clear path to Pakistani stability, which it surely
sees as in its interests, it might be more willing to subordinate its own short-
term objectives to contribute to such a goal.
As the Abbottabad Commission makes plain, Pakistan's prevailing
policy of passivity, obfuscation and wishful thinking is not serving its
interests, and is in fact enabling the more self-destructive of US tendencies.
The Americans know what they want in south-central Asia; they just don't
have a clue as to how to get it. Forthright leadership from Pakistan would
help. But judging from the record of the Commission's interviews of
Pakistani military and civilian officials, both great and small, the chances of
proactive leadership in Pakistan are somewhere between slim and none.’
(Robert Grenier for Al-Jazeera, republished in TheNation 10th July)
The good, bad and ugly: ‘As we try to make sense of the hype, the
feigned shock and exaggerated furor at the appearance of the Abbottabad
Commission Report we must keep certain aspects in mind. Without a saner
analysis we may fail to grasp the significance of the moment.
First, has report really added anything to our knowledge? Has the
world learnt something which it didn’t already know? Commission was
appointed in the July of 2011, two months after the killing of Bin Laden and

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since then not only that the ‘Operation Neptune Spear’ but events that
preceded it in Pakistan and in the United States were subject of extensive TV
discussions, report writing, features, documentaries and even films. Books
like ‘Kill Bin Laden’ by Dalton Fury, ‘No Easy Day’ by Mark Owen and
Kevin Maurer, ‘The Finish’ by Mark Bowden though focused on the
operational details nevertheless kept adding more to our understanding of
Bin Laden’s existence inside Pakistan. And then there were well researched
accounts like, ‘Man Hunt: Ten Years Search for Bin Laden’ by Peter L
Bergen and other accounts like ‘Obama’s Wars’ by David Sanger that kept
adding more information from different lens. Even titles appeared in
children book series like ‘Capture and Killing of Osama Bin Laden’ by
Marcia Lusted Amidon. Given this amazing diversity of report , comment,
gossip and narrative shaping on the subject, whose effect is multiplied in this
age of internet, social media, Facebook and Twitter it is no surprise that
Abbottabad Commission Report could hardly add anything which the media
and aware citizenry in Pakistan or the world did’ not know.
Second, It’s true that now we also know that Bin Laden wore a
cowboy hat to protect himself from satellite surveillance; he could have been
captured by a traffic cop in Swat; he did not pay any property taxes, building
code in Abbottabad was flouted by his contractors and that his wives
resented his frugality and discipline - which perhaps makes him an ordinary
husband if anything. But none of these spicy details are of any historical
significance and it does not change the international narrative on Bin Laden
a bit.
Third, TV screens and some newspapers are pregnant with fake anger
that Gen Pasha told the Commission that there was a political understanding
about Drones; it was even a headline in this very newspaper! So has it really
shocked us? Is this something we didn’t know? Did we not know of the non-
operational radars at the western front? And that Pakistani jets were
scrambled after the Americans had already left or that the ISI, police and
district administrations were incompetent and suffer from serious deficits
and holes in their workings? Did we need a commission to express our sense
of surprise and horror on issues of street knowledge and pedestrian gossip?
One cannot blame the hard work of the commissioners but perhaps their
assiduous work would have greater value for the blue planet and for this
country if it had appeared in the early part of 2012, at least before the
publication of ‘Letters from Abbottabad’ that hit computer screens in May
2012.

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 ‘Letters from Abbottabad’ usually identified as work guided by Gen
John Abizaid, were produced by the Combating Terrorism Unit (CTC) at
West Point. This report analyzed the computer data, paper shreds and trash
collected from the Abbottabad residence of Bin Laden and it became the
seminal work that shaped the subsequent narrative on the last months and
days of Bin Laden in Pakistan. And it was the report that admitted that no
evidence, whatsoever, existed of the collusion on the part of Pakistani
intelligence agencies or government.
This is precisely what the Abbottabad Commission Report is also
saying. It shouts and screams and condemns the Pakistani intelligence,
police and other institutions for their failures. Bottom line of the report is: it
was negligence not collusion; it was incompetence not a conspiracy. But this
has been the Pakistani explanation from day one. The very first briefing
which authorities held within 48 hours of the apocalypse in May of 2011,
struggled in saying and admitting the awkward truth, which amounted to:
“We know, it looks bizarre and unbelievable, but we have been that
incompetent and callous”. This is something which many in the western
world and India can’t or perhaps don’t want to admit; for them all of this
was not possible without ‘collusion’ of the devilish Pakistanis and their evil
ISI.
But accusations of collusion fly from another different perspective
too. Some on the ultra-fringe questioned if the man killed in Abbottabad was
Bin Laden indeed? Others had more rational, valid questions like was he a
‘prisoner’ inside a carefully created ‘ring inside ring’; wheels within wheels
theory, which meant that could it be that OBL was an asset to be used at an
opportune moment? Could there have been a joint US-Pakistani custody of
that asset? Perhaps the Abbottabad Report should now help bury all kinds of
conspiracy theories – American, Indian and Pakistani – from whatever
perspective they may come from.
However this may still be a faint hope. What should actually surprise
a more analytical citizen anywhere on the planet is that how faithfully the
official Pakistani version on the OBL saga follows matches and confirms the
American official narrative. It’s true that it accuses the US of violating
Pakistani sovereignty and of acting like a rogue or thug but these are
supportive fireworks, that is not the substance; the gist of the matter is that
the Commission after fifty-two hearings, seven field trips and listening to
more than 200 witnesses and officials comes to the same conclusion which
Gen John Abizaid’s team reached in West Point. Isn’t this remarkable?

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 Let’s move forward and let’s consign Bin Laden, his many wives and
his story to the dustbin of history where it rightly belongs. Since the report is
already out for the whole world to read, it’s high time that Islamabad should
officially release it in the form of a certified copy. However this still does
not supersede the question we still ought to ask: who has released this report
to Aljazeera and why? If the government really wants then it should not be
very difficult to find out the culprit or the whistle-blower in this case. If this
was indeed ‘classified’ then there could not be many custodians. The timing,
before the convening of APC on National Security, is also very interesting;
perhaps someone in Islamabad wanted to set a ground for a larger debate and
perhaps the intentions are less to do with ‘transparency’ than to shape a
‘political agenda’.
After all the argument for transparency - to which we all subscribe in
media – is one thing and protecting ‘classified information’ is another.
Abbottabad Commission lambasts Pakistani institutions for their
incompetence, negligence and failure. Ironically the leaking of this report,
with some clear agenda, is yet another example of the incompetence of the
same institutions – or may be their rivals?’ (Dr Moeed Pirzada, TheNation
11th July)
Drones ‘useful’, Pasha: ‘Former DG ISI Lt Gen (retd) Ahmed Shuja
Pasha can hardly be accused of holding a soft corner for the Americans. So
his telling the Abbottabad Commission that Pakistan had an ‘understanding’
with the US on drones, and initially it had found that they ‘had their uses’,
was a startling and seemingly out-of-character admission for the general. As
mentioned in the Commission’s leaked report published by Al Jazeera, the
general was quoted to have said that there was no written agreement, but a
political understanding on the drones did exist. National sovereignty was
indeed violated by the drones, but they still had utility.
Meanwhile, talking to Al-Jazeera TV the same day, former US
Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said that drone attacks could
stop if Pakistan so wished. He reminded of the rhetoric used by Pakistani
politicians to incite public opinion on the issue, while doing nothing
concrete to resolve it to satisfaction. He helped give a kind of oblique
confirmation to what General Pasha told the Commission, that the done
attacks were found useful by the Pakistanis, not just in some of the targets
they focused on, but also to twist the arm of a frustrated public.
Revealed in the investigations are the unwritten, but deeply felt
strategic necessities and compulsions under which the security services and

1353
armed forces operate. These hazy imperatives, based on and constructed
with little knowledge and just a lot of good intentions, have led to a security
policy which is utterly inadequate to deal with the challenges of today.
On one hand battling with militancy, while on the other trying to
preserves sense of pride and keeping intact the traditional fences around
national sovereignty, Pakistan has both its feet in different boats. A
precarious arrangement which is constructed by the military itself, and
which now needs urgent correction and direction by a civilian government.
Despite the public pressure, whether Mian Nawaz and his government
will actually be able to do something about drones remains to be seen. But
what the civilians need to do at this stage is demonstrate that they have as
good a grasp and understanding of the strategic security concerns of
Pakistan, as the military. The government headed by Mian Nawaz will have
to prove that it will be able to ensure key concerns of the military, vis a vis,
India for example, are being taken seriously. Mian Nawaz, holding the
defence portfolio himself, must speak with knowledge and authority, to keep
fears of a civil-military power tussle at bay and to prove the civilians are the
rightful leaders of Pakistan's security policy. And now, with the Army
humbled by a recreation of May 2 in the mercilessly scathing Abbottabad
Commission report, and the bureaucracy, police and intelligence not going
unscathed either, there has never been a better time for the civilians to step
up and take responsibility for setting a course which is acceptable to all and
on the long term interest of a country of 180 million.’ (Editorial, The Nation
11th July)
Time to act: ‘In a country that has been at the receiving end of the
terrorists’ fury for over a decade simply because of the absence of a clear-cut
strategy to stamp it out the kind of wrenching fear and insecurity that the
people would be experiencing is not hard to fathom. And, unavoidably, the
fallout of an insecure mind would wear down life in all its multifaceted
dimensions – the picture Pakistan presents today. At present, we seem to be
hovering over the edge of a precipice, the precipice of disaster. Where the
country cannot guarantee the security of its President’s personal guard and
trusted aid (and he was seated in a bullet-proof vehicle), no one, irrespective
of status, power or influence, could be considered safe. The PML-N
government headed by Mian Nawaz Sharif has, therefore, no time to lose, it
has to step into the battlefield and tackle the menace, without let or
hindrance. It would find the public will extend it full backing. With the input
from the various stakeholders, by now there should be little confusion in the

1354
minds of the policymakers about how the elements questioning the writ of
the state have to be dealt with.
Thus, the anti-terror strategy should be devoid of any ifs and buts in
order to succeed this time around. The Prime Minister’s visit to the ISI
headquarters yesterday morning and his meeting with the Fata
parliamentarians at Islamabad on Wednesday were aimed at seeking views
on this grave issue to facilitate the preparation of a national security policy
that could produce results. The all parties’ conference that the government
intends holding in the near future should thrash out this issue of life and
death to the people and come up with a coherent, satisfactory approach.
Mian Nawaz, while talking to Fata MPs, has opined: ‘Curbing terrorism is
my government’s top priority. We have no option except for vigorously
pursuing a well-planned and coordinated strategy to find a meaningful
solution to the problem.’ Talks with the Taliban are an option, as the Prime
Minister has said, and, of course, preferable when the country’s own
citizenry is involved but only if it shows signs of being amenable to
overtures of peace. In any case, when the country is bleeding, the talks
cannot be an endless process, though enough time has to be given to avoid
the impression that they were a mere perfunctory exercise. However, once
the talks fail there should be no dilly-dallying in taking on the militants with
full vigour.’ (Editorial, TheNation 12th July)
Commission’s report and national agenda: ‘It is imperative now for
the new government to urgently seek to reconstruct intelligence and security
institutions. There is the poor opinion held by the top brass about the civilian
administration, political leaders, media and civil society, unabashedly
highlighted of the ex-DG ISI, Lt Gen (retd) Shuja Pasha. Some of his
observations: There is no culture of reading among the political leadership
and no thinking process. They just are unable to formulate policy. The
government never tasked the ISI to deal with central terrorism. The agency
assumed this responsibility ‘in response to the dis-functionality of the
prevailing system and ineffectiveness of other state organs.’ Admitting that
the ISI had arrested people without any legal authority, he justified the
practice by accusing the police of leaking information provided to them.
Pasha had a word for the role of journalists also. According to him, many of
them were involved in the vilification campaign against the ISI, launched by
USA; many were ‘heavily bribed with money, women and alcohol.’ He said:
‘Nearly every one of our elite was purchasable.’ He expressed his
unhappiness with foreign funded NGOs by remarking that approximately
1,300 were working in Pakistan. The CIA had a nexus with many of them.

1355
He referred to Director CIA personally requesting him not to expose a
particular NGO (Save the Children). He also revealed that the Haqqani
Network was jointly created by CIA and ISI against the Soviet occupation.
He further admitted that Musharraf completely caved in the American
pressure and handed over the Shamsi base for drone attacks. He believed
that the Abbottabad tragedy was the result of lack of capacity, inadequate
knowledge and wrong attitude.
Lack of coordination amongst civil and military intelligence agencies
has mostly been due to the military’s domination over the country’s affairs.
For almost half of its history, Pakistan was controlled and run by the army.
During the last five years of civilian government, however, the military kept
away from politics although in foreign and defence matters, it has continued
to play a decisive role.
The return of Nawaz Sharif at the helm of affairs is significant in
many ways, including a move towards the desirable goal of civilian
supremacy. The Abbottabad report provides a great opportunity to take steps
to redress the balance.
The commission has specifically called for a shift in the civil-military
equation. It is critical of the military’s hegemony. It has pointed out that
designating any country as friendly or hostile was not the job of military
men, but a prerogative of the elected leadership. It has also proposed the
establishment of a national security council as part of the Prime Ministers’
Office to coordinate national security matters. The council should be headed
by a National Security Adviser. Regarding coordination and accountability
of intelligence agencies and formulation of a counter-terrorism policy, it has
proposed establishment of an agency on the lines of the US Department of
Homeland Security to synergize the working of main spy agencies.
The commission has underscored the importance of parliamentary
oversight over the intelligence framework so that the spy agencies do not
overstep their mandate. Excessive powers and non-accountability of the
intelligence establishment poses a ‘greater threat of state failure to Pakistan.’
The government, to the commission’s dismay, had left it to the US to deal
with the external terrorist threat, while it relied on the ISI for taking care of
terrorists inside the country. That, it said, had an ‘unfortunate history of
instrumental and ideological association with militant religious groups.’
It has stressed the need for making the National Counter-Terrorism
Authority – formed in 2009 – functional and referred to the reports of the ISI

1356
allegedly hindering it from assuming the central role in the fight against
terrorism.
A valuable but under-reported contribution of the commission relates
to its remarks about redefining the Pak-US ties. The commission declared
that the May 2 raid was an act of war on Pakistan. It said that Pakistan
reserved the right to stop cooperating with the CIA, unless it reviewed its
attitude and that all high value targets caught in the country be tried, here,
first.
The report talks about the role of Pakistan in the American war
against al-Qaeda and the damage the country incurred in various ways; says
the report: ‘For its connivance in the illegal US invasion and occupation of
Afghanistan, Pakistan was duly rewarded in 2004 with the status of a major
non-NATO ally and a substantial military and civilian assistance package.
This soon led to a loose and largely unsupervised visa regime for the
Americans, allowing the CIA to spread its tentacles throughout Pakistan.’
The cost of such cooperation for Pakistan, however, has been substantial,
both in terms of blood and economic burden, the report maintains: ‘Many
tens of thousands of civilians’ lives and many thousands of military lives
have been lost. Many hundreds of thousands of civilians were internally
displaced from their homes by military operations. Similarly, US drone
attacks have taken their toll of human lives, and have inflicted massive
physical injury, property destruction, psychological trauma and political
alienation in Pakistan.’
The commission has maintained that the US Embassy prima facie
compromised the diplomatic norms and traditions through its activities. It
has taken notice of the expansion of the US chancery in Islamabad,
expressing the fear that this could pave the way for deeper US penetration. It
has further observed that dismantling the CIA network and terrorist
infrastructure in the country must become a rational priority.
The commission has called for a freeing of the Pak-US relations from
‘false assumptions’. According to it, Pakistan’s dependency on US
economic military assistance and its contingent utility has broadly shaped
the relationship. It is not rooted in a tradition of shared culture, political
perceptions and strategic interest (except for brief durations of overlapping
interests). The USA’s likely post-2014 policies in Afghanistan, the ‘very
real’ threat of a war against Iran, its emerging hostility towards China and
strategic partnership with India places definite and undeniable strategic
limits on its relationship with Pakistan: ‘Once this is honestly accepted, a

1357
healthy and mutually beneficial bilateral relationship will become more
feasible.’
Nawaz Sharif is well-advised to derive maximum mileage from the
Abbottabad Commission Report and not only redesign civil-military
relations, frame a counter-terrorism strategy and requisite mechanisms, but
also reformulate US-Pakistan relations in the light of its findings,
observations and recommendations.’ (Inayatullah, TheNation 13th July)
Afghanistan
Cold Afghan feet: ‘As the deadline for the US occupation forces’
drawdown in 2014 approaches, Karzai regime officials appear to be
developing cold feet. The latest example is that of the Afghan Army chief,
Gen Sher Muhammad Karimi, who accused Pakistan of being insincere to
peace, saying that it could end the conflict in weeks if it was sincere. This is
a revival of the tired old charge that Pakistan controls the Taliban, and
makes no mention of the fact that the Karzai regime is the biggest single
obstacle to a settlement in Afghanistan with the Taliban. That settlement
would give the USA what it could not get by force of arms itself, and what
the Karzai regime was unable to deliver: a safe exit for its troops. It has
posed obstacles to the talks the US has been trying to hold in Doha with the
Taliban, and is now reviving the canard that it is controlled by Pakistan. This
is a lie also encouraged by India, both to damage Pakistan, and to gain a role
in Afghanistan where it does not naturally have one.
Pakistan may have an intrinsic interest in peace and stability in
Afghanistan, but it has none in the Karzai regime, or even any dispensation
in Kabul involving India. The occupying powers are now convinced of
Pakistani bona fides. This should lead to General Karimi being told that such
statements will not lead to any changes of policy, but only make it difficult
for the regime to survive the US drawdown. The Karzai regime must
remember that it cannot survive the US drawdown unless it enjoys Pakistani
support. However, President Karzai, constitutionally barred from contesting
for a third term, seems bent on a scorched-earth policy, and making sure that
Pakistan's ties are as hostile as possible with Afghanistan in the future. He
has also done nothing to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan, thus
eroding all confidence in himself as a statesman.
General Karimi has been well answered by the Pakistan Foreign
Office, whose spokesman has rebutted the charges as baseless, who also said
on Wednesday that ‘such comments reflect insincerity on the part of some
elements in the Afghan government.’ The Afghan regime should not try to

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win approval by running down other countries. For this only lasting position,
Pakistan, Turkey and Iran should remember that a lasting solution depends
on all of them. Pakistan has a peculiarly important role in this, in providing
the diplomacy that will ensure that it happens. The Karzai regime should
remember that the negative role of its officials will hinder this rather than
help.’ (Editorial, TheNation 5th July)
Democracy wins: what next? ‘The question is: what will happen in
Afghanistan after 2014; a civil war or a stable coalition government?
Anyone aware of the Afghan history does not have to trouble his mind
much, as the scenario is quite predictable.
Afghanistan has no history of stability on a central government. It was
only during the Taliban regime that there was a sort of central government.
But it might not be repeated because the times were different in 1995-96.
The people of Afghanistan were fed up of mujahideen infighting, which had
made their lives miserable. The Taliban were welcomed, as they were
successful in restoring peace and maintaining law and order. But now the
tussle would ensue between Karzai and Taliban.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai is already averse to any kind of idea
of power sharing with the Taliban. It means more trouble in Afghanistan.
Subsequently, difficulties for Pakistan will continue.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s worry is that the TTP would be further
emboldened. The TTP has tasted power and is imbued with the desire to
extend its writ across Pakistan. It might not lay down arms very
conveniently. The 2,500-mile long and porous border between Pakistan and
Afghanistan will become their strength. If the US abandons the area, al-
Qaeda will regain strength in the tribal areas. Pakistan is already cash
starved and its economy is in shambles. It will be difficult to tackle the
resurgence of TTP insurgency without USA and international help.
More so, the Afghan Taliban might not be able to restrain the TTP. It
is misleading to believe the reports that they attacked the Maulvi Fazlullah
led TTP in Kunar and Nuristan provinces of Afghanistan out of any sort of
sympathy for Pakistan. It was more of a tussle over the timber and narcotics
business. It seems that the rest of 2013 will be more volatile, as different
groups, even those like the Haqqani Network, would try to gain weight and
importance before the foreign troops leave Afghanistan, so that they could
be in a better position to negotiate and bargain for their share in power.
As a final word, the security situation in Pakistan is closely linked to
the conditions prevailing in Afghanistan. However, Pakistan should control

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its temptation to go overboard to get involved too deeply in the process of
formulation of future government of Afghanistan. Let the Afghans decide
their own fate and run their affairs as they want to. Pakistan’s priority must
be to focus on bridling its homegrown terrorists in order to ensure
sustainability of its hard-earned democracy and to achieve stability in the
country and in the region.’ (N. Elahi, TheNation 7th July)
Fading hopes for peace: ‘If one were to believe what the EU
representative on Afghanistan has said then the hope for peace returning to
the war-torn country in the near future would fade. In his words, the hope for
peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban insurgents will not
bear fruit until 2015 at best, a year after US-led troops leave the country. He
expressed these views at an open session of the Geneva Centre for Security
Policy, a Swiss think-tank. He went on to say that being realistic, he did not
expect any breakthrough until 2015; for attempts to get talks off the ground
ran into snags as the Taliban decided to temporarily close their office in
Qatar, blaming ‘broken promises’ by Kabul and Washington.
It may be recalled that the office was opened at Doha on June 18,
marking the first step towards a potential peace deal after 12 years of
fighting. But Afghan President Hamid Karzai, infuriated on learning that the
Taliban projected it as an unofficial embassy of government-in-exile,
announced breaking off the talks with the US and threatened boycott of the
peace process altogether. Meanwhile, Ján Kubiš, Special Representative of
the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan has urged the Afghan government
to ensure the next April’s presidential and provincial council elections to be
transparent and inclusive. As the deadline for troop pullout from
Afghanistan is nearing, there is a dire need for all the stakeholders to put
their heads together and find ways and means to ensure lasting peace in
Afghanistan. They must also together persuade the Karzai government to
ensure the holding of free and fair elections that could be instrumental in
bringing stability and peace for the people who have been suffering the pains
of war for so long.’ (Editorial, TheNation 12th July)
India
Indian murder plot: ‘The Indian occupation authorities have planned
to murder the Kashmiri leadership, and according to a report in the Daily
Excelsior, a Jammu newspaper, the plan is to silence the leadership of 300
organizations, to avert them committing acts of protest during the coming
state elections, due by the end of next year. This shows both the absence of
scruples of the Indian occupation authorities, as well as their desperation to

1360
avoid dissension, not to mention their conviction that if they do not act, the
organizations will disrupt the polls. This should convince them, if nothing
else does, that the Indian attempt to hang on to the Held Valley, by the
application of the force of its occupying troops has failed. The Indian
occupiers could end this bloodshed by allowing the Kashmiri people what it
has denied them, and what they have been fighting for all these decades:
their right of self-determination. The irony is that India conceded as much to
the international community, when agreeing to a UN-supervised plebiscite.
The steely determination of generations of Kashmiris has shown that
they will not be intimidated by Indian high handedness. Taking notes from
the best in violent intimidation, India appears to have been inspired by the
Israeli strategy in wiping out the Palestinian leadership in the hopes of
crushing the intifada. Both states will come to know that repressing a
population will not encourage any acceptance of their respective illegal
occupations, but will instead feed the hunger to continue the fight. Just as
the Palestinian people have not ceased their independence struggle, the
Kashmiris will not give the Indians that satisfaction either.
India originally occupied Jammu and Kashmir State to slake the
irrational wish of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to rule over his ancestral
homeland. While his Congress Party does lead the ruling coalition, that
incentive is no longer there. India has only one way out of the situation:
fulfilling its own commitments to the international community. This would
have the added advantage of allowing it to demonstrate to all that it is
willing to be a good neighbour, and ready to solve its disputes with its
neighbours. This is an essential requirement if it is to achieve its ambition of
becoming a world power. Pakistan would welcome such a development, for
it would allow the solving of a dispute with India which involves an issue
over which it has fought three wars with India, and over which it stands
committed to extend moral and diplomatic support.’ (Editorial, TheNation
10th July)
India’s own goal: ‘A former under secretary at India’s Interior
Ministry has made the startling and rather embarrassing revelation that the
largest democracy in the world bought the world to the brink of nuclear
holocaust by bombing its own Parliament. That is precisely what he alleges
India did when it engineered an attack on its Parliament in December 2001
and rushed its troops to the borders, where they stayed in battle readiness for
10 long months. The anti-Pakistan fulminations reached a crescendo that
posed risk of a nuclear war, as US Secretary of State Colin Powell later
revealed. The same whistleblower also elaborated that not just the attack on

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Parliament, apparently motivated by the desire to push through anti-terrorist
legislation in the country, but also Mumbai was a home-cultivated affair. If
the Indian officers revelation of his country’s dramatic self-victimization are
true, in the process not just Pakistan’s good name was besmirched, but also
many innocent Indian and foreign visitors to the country were also
unfortunately targeted. Mr Mani is supposed to have deposed before a court
of law that a member of the investigation team of CBI and IST, Satish
Verma, has told him that both these terrorist acts were pre-planned by the
Indian government with the aim of strengthening the black laws, POTA and
UAPA by introducing harsher amendments. Afzal Guru, a university student
from Kashmir, became a convenient target for his freedom-from-India
stance. This was no doubt considered a triumph by the Indian establishment,
in finding a scapegoat and simultaneously silencing a nuisance in favour of
Kashmiri liberation. Indian efforts to discredit the Kashmir freedom struggle
have been continuing unabated and with great energy for the last many
decades.
Unfortunately, the resistance to composite dialogue and a negotiated
solution to bilateral issues simply cements India’s outdated stance against
engaging in diplomatic efforts to resolve the long-standing tensions between
the two neighbours. Unless India displays a willingness to discuss all issues,
especially Kashmir, it will find that it’s efforts to project itself as dominant
in the region will ring hollow. Its own officers are now casting suspicion on
the wheels within wheels of the Indian establishment’s thinking, which
convey no reassurance for Pakistan, given that it has long suffered being
treated as a punching bag in Indian blame games. One can only hope that
India does not turn the wrath of its embarrassment onto its officer Mr Mani,
who only reported what he was told by an intelligence officer, nothing
more.’ (Editorial, TheNation 15th July)

REVIEW
The Abbottabad Commission report, which was submitted to the
outgoing Prime Minister on 2nd January, was deliberately not made public to
uphold the decades-long tradition of denying the people their right to know
the truth. The report, however, was leaked by Al-Jazeera after purchasing it
for $15,000. It has been on sale for about a week till it found a customer.
There has been a spate of commentaries on the report the moment it
was leaked by Al-Jazeera. It was observed that the commission preferred to
express its opinion implicitly, instead of conveying that explicitly. It said

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that there has been rampant negligence and incompetence at all levels of
civil and military institutions, especially those related to intelligence
gathering. The report blames the top hierarchy, both civil and military, for
creating circumstances that led to US raid at a compound in Abbottabad that
violated Pakistan’s sovereignty and embarrassed the entire nation for which
they owe an apology to the nation.
The fact is that the top civil and military leadership has not been
merely negligent, in fact they had connived with the US and CIA both by
their act and neglect, not only in the Abbottabad raid but throughout the
ongoing war on terror. It is not difficult to infer that in the case of Osama bin
Laden, the ISI tried to play the double game with the US and the world. He
could not have stayed in Pakistan undetected for about a decade.
Once CIA through massive deployment its agents and with the help of
NRO-installed civilian government, the US got the clues of his presence in a
compound in Abbottabad, the ISI and Army preferred to pretend ignorance.
When US decided to conduct a raid on the compound, Pakistani military
provided ‘passive’ support especially through its security forces on ground
as there had been no interference in two-hour long operation. Therefore,
Pakistan’s civil and military leadership has OBL’s blood on their hands
whether it has been said in the report in ‘black and white’, or not.
All the authors of books, commentaries and films of the West on the
‘historic’ operation are in agreement with the findings of the commission
that relate to ‘negligence’ of Pakistani authorities, ‘as no evidence existed of
the collusion on the part of Pakistani intelligence agencies or government
both in the context of OBL’s stay in Pakistan or with the US operation. This
is not a rational inference.
The question is will any one in the West reveal such evidence, if
found, without the consent of the US? They would like to keep it secret as its
disclosure will discourage the potential collaborators in future. Similarly,
Pakistani authorities would like it to remain hidden for the fear of
repercussions.
The commission too has not exonerated any one as it has categorically
told those responsible to apologize to the nation. It has conveyed its opinion
and recommendations without being blunt and for that there is no need to
raise any hue and cry. It must be acknowledged that the commission has not
failed in finding the truth and for that its members owe nation’s gratitude.
The commission has been unnecessarily criticized widely and
vehemently for not apportioning the blame in specific and recommending

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action against the culprits. The guilty have not been ‘named’ but clearly
pointed out by referring to the institutions and the appointments they then
held. Commission’s only fault is that it has shown ‘respect’ for the culprits
which they did not deserve despite being highly placed.
Other than this single ‘objection’ on the report, there is not much for
which the commission should be dragged by anchors and analysts on TV
channels. If these critics spare time to have second thought, it would dawn
upon them that they are far from being prudent and reasonable in demanding
the culprits would have been listed by name.
Some critics want to put the culprits to shame by naming and blaming
them, especially those culprits. They think by doing that they could at least
be embarrassed and humiliated. It is false expectation; even if they were
named no one would have felt ashamed; it has never happened in Pakistan.
It should be known by the analysts that in the case of extra-judicial
killing of Osama and all other war crimes committed during the ongoing
Crusades before and after Abbottabad raid, civil and military leadership is
fully involved. They could be named for the satisfaction of shame-seekers,
provided they vow to really put them to shame.
They are: President Zardari and his predecessor; all the prime
ministers during their eras; the COAS General Kayani; General Pasha and
all the DGs of ISI since 2001. All of them conspired and connived, abetted
and aided commission of these crimes through act or neglect.
Consenting to the violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty stands out
conspicuously in the list of crimes committed. The critics should think over
what a commission would have said if the Supreme Commander of Armed
Forces of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Chief of the Army Staff and DG ISI
had connived with those who vow to be waging the Crusades against
Muslim world. Zardari even equated it with Fateh-e-Mobin.
Do the critics still feel the need of naming them and recommending
action against them? They must recollect that far more heinous war crimes
have been committed by these leaders who claim the Crusades as ‘our’ war.
The list is too long to be enumerated starting from attack on seminary of
Damadola to still continuing drone attacks.
All these crimes have been committed for the sake of earning few
dollars, in other words, as mercenaries. The argument put forward is that in
the uniopolar world it is better to be on the right side of the sole superpower.

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The argument is valid if the aim is mere survival, but holds no ground if the
aim is to safeguard national pride, honour and respect.
All said the answer to million dollar question is still awaited: Was
Osama there in the compound at the time of raid?
15th July, 2013

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