Verbatim from source but redacted to spare the family a perhaps too broad and tragic notoriety: “We Remember Army Public School Incident December 16, The pain is endless. Mother of Shaheed ______ (APSACS Student) ______ was the only son of his parents. After his death in APS massacre , his mother used to visit his School for 3 Months and waited for his son to come out till packup time.When all the students left the school she used to cry and shout for his son to come back! Now she has been tied with chains so that she can’t go out to find his martyred son.. Their pain is endless.. May Allah give them patience. Ameeen. She lost her mint. The psychological effects.”
Killed: 144 (minimum as reports vary)
Predominant Age: 12-16.
Pakistan’s Black Date appears set in myriad videos — news reports, memorials, reenactments.
What is too little?
What is too much?
And what has one to add to so heinous a crime — some “big men” armed to the teeth creeping through a cemetery to climb over a wall and enter a sanctuary for decent education with the sole purpose of butchering children in their studies?
These are my three select — a day-after news report; a reenactment with a song (English in subtitles); and a children’s memorial:
In the above slideshow, Khaliji Qaumi Ittehad tribesmen in Quetta, Pakistan protest the threat of expulsion to Afghanistan posed by Pakistan’s government and military, according to BackChannels’ contact in the region.
Source claims that Pashtun tribes have been ordered to produce “proof of locality” before 1976, and toward that end, the state has sent out notices ordering tribesmen to submit national identity cards to the government. In response, the Khaliji Qaumi Ittehad have undertaken a hunger strike — after four days of that, readers may see that the ambulance had to show up to rescue those who had essentially victimized themselves through that action — and related street protest.
Here follow a few excerpts from correspondence (lightly edited for readability and sense).
Historically all Pakhtoon are Afghans.
There were Indians and Afghans in the region.
Then the so called Durand Line was drawn in1893 that divided the Afghans…After Pakistan csme into being Pakhtoon on their own land were living. Thus assumed the nationality of Pakistan which they heartedly not accept today. However with passage of time they merged into Pakistani society. Now they are seen as alien people .
The Afghan migrated after Soviet invasion is also the factor.
It is hard for Pakistani government to differentiate between immigrants and original Pakistani tribes.
Today, as a whole, they treated like animals
Wars make a mess of cultural and social relationships, and the Durand Line region separating Afghanistan from Pakistan while sitting astride the Pashtun tribal belt has seen more than its fair share of disruption through criminal and martial violence.
Above: “This is the form of chic (STET) which requires attestation of two grade 17 govt officers. Which is hard to find two officers.”
Below: “Now despite completing the process they are still denied.”
This note comes from earlier in the conversation:
If one marry to lady, the lady also has to prove herself Pakistan and provide the evidence of 1970.
In number of families the male is considered Pakistani but his wife with so many children is declared Afghani.
Most of tribesmen have stopped visiting bazaars or the main cities and remain at hope to avoid the danger of arrest by the state security agencies
A web search for the Khiliji Qaumi Ittehad will show that the tribe has been active in anti-western protests involving drone strikes as well as anger with former General and President Pervez Musharraf, and one may find online images of the same burning American and British flags.
Source notes the following:
Pakistan still think Taliban is strategic assets for it. Pakhtoons are so dependent economically that even I can recruit thousands for any ill cause for very less amount. Most of low rank Taliban fight it as holy war while their high ranks fight for money.
We the local see that war is the most costly exercise. If they are not supported by state, they would never be able to challenge the mighty NETO — by state supported Taliban I mean those fighting in Afghanistan and those killing the Pakhtoons.
Madrassah is main factor for cheap recruitment. in madrassah they r only taught religious text. They live in a controlled environment. I live in the area where Taliban are kept and trained.
BackChannels would question the conclusion; however, here is the bottom line as regards a part of Pashtun tribal attitude toward the State of Pakistan:
Sir I’m hopeless here. How would we survive since we r short of basic needs and education. I know Russia backing Taliban. But the US role in the region is skeptical too. A country spends 700 billion dollar on defense and not able to defeat Taliban?
…
Quetta, the capital of Balochistan sees protest on the part of tribals live on their land even before the emergence of Pakistan.
They in all grounds of life were kept backward by state of Pakistan. They are economically poor and less educated. Since last ten years they are being deprived of national identity.
Now these tribals receive notice from govt of Pakistan to submit back the identity cards that were issued to them. Give says that the state secret agency has declared them aliens.
Now an organization of these tribes under Tribal leader Nawab Salman Khilji (STET) is observing hunger strike till death. It’s 4th day of the strike but no govt official has contacted the hunger camp. They may turn violent if someone dies in this hunger strike.
Their camp is at door of Quetta Press Club but receives no media coverage . . . because media here is state controlled
While BackChannels may relay the above testimony as regards conditions, it may not — or not yet — from its desktop independently verify all of the source’s claims. Nonetheless, comments on the depth of poverty in the region, presumptions about the character of the Pakistani State as experienced by “tribals”, and related beliefs about State — and American — culpability for terrorism would seem to ring true with other domestic and xenophobic mistrusts.
The Pashtun have been rudely treated in their remote and semi-autonomous areas, and it may be difficult for the earnest to convey a more accurate state of affairs.
With the Soviet / post-Soviet “toolkit” involving criminal activity, anti-western disinformation campaigns, and false-flag operations designed to channel political perception, it may be especially difficult for remote Pashtun to develop reliable conclusions about the political states of affairs that surround them.
“Saddiq”, which is not his real name, is not well known — and shall here remain that way — while the victim of murder by mob — lynching, we call it — Mashal Khan has had his name played up in newspapers worldwide.
According to an al-Aribya report (April 16, 2017), Khan described himself as a humanist, his friends referred to him as an uncommitted Muslim, some believed him aligned with the Ahmadi faith, and in revolutionary spirit, he had on his wall images of Karl Mark and Ernesto “Che” Guevara. His father noted that his son was tolerant toward all religions.
And what happened to him?
“He was badly tortured after being shot at a close range… He was beaten with sticks, bricks and hands,” senior police official Niaz Saeed told the AFP news agency (BBC, April 13, 2017).
Had there been even an ounce of Islamic or other “justice” in his murder?
“While Khan was accused of publishing blasphemous content on Facebook, the police has found no evidence to prove these allegations” (Huffington Post, April 21, 2017).
The news suggests Mashal Khan was shot and tortured to death by a primitive mob that believed itself momentarily empowered and sufficiently righteous to commit a most medieval kind of murder (in the name of God, no less) on no more evidence than rumor.
From Quetta, here are Saddiq’s remarks lightly edited for visual appeal, sensibility, and spelling (corrected and converted to American English).
Mashal Khan, a brilliant journalism student of Wali Khan University, Mardan Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, Pakistan – he was killed by a mob, a crazy mob, in university.
Blasphamy was his crime according to the mob.
I personally knew Mashal Khan.
He was atheist and openly preached his ideas in students gatherings – he didn’t care the extreme religious make up of society.
Wali Khan University is situated in a rural area and most students of it belong to villages where mullah or religious elements are dominant. Mullahs are blindly followed in those areas. The day of the killing, the mob was easily influenced.
I know Mashal was discussing those banned ideas of atheism, but besides that, Mashal also criticized the university administration and teaching staff for doing more than one job. Most staff was engaged in part-time jobs, which was disturbing the studies of students. Mashal was planning to mobilize the students and go for protest against the administration, but he was killed.
In Pakistan, it’s fashion to use blasphemy for personal gains, and it happened in Mashal’s case.
The culprits are mostly from well-off political families. Most belong to the dominant political party “Awami National Party”. Ironically, Awami National Party is leftist and believes in liberalism, and yet its children used the weapon of blasphemy against Mashal Khan. To me, the justice does not seem to happen because the culprits are so strongly tribal and political.
Mashal’s father told media that he would not get justice for his son.
Mashal belonged to a conservative society where religious junta mean mullah denied to offer him their funeral prayers.
In Pakistan, if you have enmity with someone or any different, you can kill him or tag him with the label of blasphemy. One can analyze the situation by looking at the murder of ex-governor of Punjab Province. He was killed by his guard for blasphemous statement, and three hundred lawyers offered their services to the murderer.
In such a society, one must stay silent.
Mashal was stupid in that way: he was warned by friends, but he often discussed atheism.
To the observation about the ex-governor of Punjab Province, BackChannels responded, “Salmaan Taseer was the bravest of men. He lives in the present and in the future. Those who prefer the murderer have chosen to live backward in time. They chose barbarism over law and blind faith over both faith and reason.”
Noble words for comfort, but the truth remains plain as does in so many other conflicted regions of the world: Mashal Khan, a young humanist, journalist, modern leader in the making, was first shot and then mercilessly beaten to death by an insensate, moronic, and sophomoric rabble of know-nothings.
The following was written to a law student approaching matriculation.
The Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan became the law of the land when it passed from the Majlis-e-Shoora to receive the signatory approval of the president on 19 April 2010. With this amendment Pakistan made massive movement toward being a progressive state with the welfare of the citizens a primary concern.
One of the greatest accomplishments, one whose benefit is as of yet not fully realized nor wielded as a legal tool for social justice is the following clause:
“Every citizen shall have the right to access to information in all matters of public importance subject to regulation and reasonable restrictions imposed by law.”
Let’s break this down into smaller parts to show both the beauty and strength of this carefully crafted sentence.
“Every citizen . . . ”
Yes! Every citizen must have equal status under the law. Minus equality there is injustice. So the baker seeking an explanation as to why the price of his wheat flour has risen to quadruple the price in six months is as worthy an explanation as the landowner who grows and sells the wheat for a reasonable profit margin. Between the farm and the bakery lie the roads in between. It is there, that the answer can be found. The answer to this question (extortion for right to passage) requires access to information through legal channels.
“Every citizen shall have the right….”
The rights of the one are the rights which belong to all. You are called to be a community – al-jama’ah. It is the duty of government to assure that all dealings and responses toward the community are uniform and binding.
Guardianship of the constitution is the beginning point for societal cohesion.
“Every citizen shall have the right to access to information…”
Modern governmental bodies are dependent on chain of command and chain of custody for information. While all citizens are not part of a formal chain of command they must be included in various chain of information regarding issues of state. It was one word – Recite – which opened up a chain of information which eventually brought about a nascent Islamic state in Madinah. Information is important because minus information we cannot make the important decisions.
“Every citizen shall have the right to access to information in all matters of public importance subject to regulation and reasonable restrictions imposed by law.”
Let’s explore the complete sentence a bit further by placing the burden for the adjudication of this clause of the Eighteenth Amendment firmly where it belongs.
This adjudication belongs within the hands of the holders of authority – ulu-‘l – amir. In the truest sense, those entrusted with authority are those which are known to be of noble character. Within the annals of Islamic history it can be seen that there are those who lay claim to noble lineage and others who lay claim to noble character. While not all can be categorized as the former, all, who are vested with the authority of the state must be of the latter category.
To be anything less is to be base, corrupt, and incompetent.
Perhaps this thought can be best expressed with the words of Muhammad ibn Yazdad, a minister of al-Ma’mun:
“Whoever is a guardian of this world, it is not fitting that he sleep while all the people are asleep; and how can there be rest for the eyes of the one who must address the difficulties of his affair; resolving and contracting (the affairs of others).
In the case of the Eighteenth Amendment and the issue of access to freedom of information for the public you are distinctly admonished to intervene in the affairs of others.
When a mighty upheaval brought about the birth of Pakistan, Muhammad Asad wrote an essay titled “Islamic Constitution-Making” and it was published in Urdu and English under the auspices of the Government of the Punjab in March of 1948. These early thoughts were later penned in his book, “The Principles of State and Government”. In Chapter I, he has this to say:
“In the life of every nation there comes, sooner or later, a moment when it seems to be given a free choice of its destiny; a moment when the decisions as to which way to go and what future to aim at, seem to be freed from the pressure of adverse circumstances, and when no power on earth is able to prevent the nation from choosing one way in preference to another. Such historic moments are extremely rare and fleeting, and it may well be that if a nation fails to avail itself of the opportunity thus offered, it will not be offered for centuries to come.”
On 19 April, 2010 the nation of Pakistan was gifted with a unique opportunity in the form of a wisely crafted Constitutional Amendment.
I continue to wish for you the best in your struggle to consider the merits of the law with regard to the health which it brings to your nation.
Corruption is never the “best kept” state secret nor is it meant to be so.
Clear lines of communication, fairness toward all, and public accommodation of requests for information strengthen the state and her standing with the citizens.
The Red mosque was a spiritual centre of the Jihadi wing in the ISI and the ISI’s Jihadi wing provided their support and aid to Maulana AZ in retaliation against Pak Army. GAR Brigade had links with Al-Qaeda’s international network and soon after when ISIS emerged, they maintained a connection with them.
Last year, in 2014, the chief cleric of Lal Masjid Maulana Abdul Aziz made it clear that he respects Islamic State (IS) because of similarity in their missions and has no repentance over supporting IS.
It was left to one of the wounded to drive the pink community bus full of the dead and dying to the nearest hospital.
Ismaelis are an international community of Muslims who, like other Shia, revere the Prophet Mohammed’s son-in-law Ali but also the Imam Ismaeli, and believe in a more allegorical, mystical interpretation of the Koran.
Muslims of all sects benefit from the philanthropy of their spiritual leader, the Aga Khan, whose charitable foundations finance schools, hospitals and the revival of classical Islamic culture and architecture throughout the Muslim world.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/14/opinions/moghul-bus-attack-pakistan/ – “Pakistan at turning point on terror?” — “Extremists have a modus operandi: They destroy any and every evidence of pluralism, tolerance, and openness — which is why they focus on minorities, history, and scholarship, saving a special ire for Muslims who disagree. In Karachi, they targeted a group of Muslims — Ismaili Shia — who played a critical role in Pakistan’s formation. Don’t think that wasn’t deliberate.” (Op-ed by Haroon Mohgul).
Two days ago:
Pakistani police say they have arrested 145 people over an attack on a bus carrying Ismaili Shia Muslims that killed at least 45 in Karachi.
Those arrested are thought to include 90 students from a madrassa, or religious school.
With reference to Geo’s non-reporting reportage: Huh?
Today:
The terrorists did not attack and fire randomly. They put in single bullets to the head — a hallmark of executions — as if the murder was in response to a conviction, a crime. And these enemies of the state made it clear that in their eyes our Ismaili brethren, among others, are guilty by virtue of their faith.
Waqqas Mir, a lawyer, goes on in his condensed and lucid opinion to note the following:
No number of laws could have saved those 43 Pakistanis who died on that bus. No number of military courts will deter such murderous violence. But effective state action, driven by the political will to counter religious bigotry at its inception could have gone a long way. Groups like the ISIS and their partners are out to destroy our states as they exist. And the state must overcome its shortcomings. Religion is a constantly available sledgehammer that everyone can use in this country. Despite repeated failure, the state has been apologetic about coming up with a pluralist discourse. It is high time that this changes.
Pakistan is a country of ghosts. They are everywhere, the victims and the perpetrators both. On Wednesday morning, six gunmen wearing police uniforms stopped an Al Azhar Garden bus carrying 60 Ismaili Muslims in Karachi. The bus picked up Ismailies from the housing society dedicated to their community on the outskirts of the city and drove them to work. It was a journey the passengers made every day.
The gunmen boarded the bus. Sub ko mar dalo, one of them is reported to have said. Kill them all. By the time the gunmen got back on their motorcycles and fled, they had murdered 43 people.
YE JO DEHSHAT GARDI HAY YE JO TALIB GARDI HAY YE JO ISI GARDI HAY ….ES KAY PECHAY WARDI HAY(KHAKI WARDI/….THIS WAS THE SLOGAN OF PAKHTOON STUDENTS JOINED BY THE STUDENTS OF ALL OTHER COMMUNITIES AT QUAID E AZAM UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD………THEY WERE PROTESTING AGAINST THE INDISCRIMINATE AIR STRIKE AND ARMED FORCES SHELLING OVER THE VILLAGES OF SOUTH-WAZIRISTAN,THAT TOOK THE LIVES OF ALMOST 300 INNOCENT TRIBLES… I WISH THE AUTHORITIES COULD HEAR THEIR VICES…….BEFORE IT TURN INTO THE SLOGAN OF SEPERATION LIKE THAT OF BALOCHIS…………IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THE HISTOTY OF 1971 IS BEING REPEATED….
Being an american studies student, i observed some similarities in US.PAK history n society, in the US Negroes suffered alot even they still live as C class citizens.Same is the case here in Paki society with Pakhtoons n balochs…..The Americans killed ruthlessly the natve Red Indians,same is being done in tribal areas of pakistan.Both enjoy Federal system of govt.the only difference is that in the US, the federating units joined the centre willingly, while Pakistan draged the units forcefully to join…..
war is a new pakistani movie ,released some months earlier. i just happened to watch it n found it absolutely biased n anti pakhtoon. it shows pakhtoons vs state.taliban are not only pakhtoons there is a huge group of punjabi taliban aswell.furthermore, taliban are only 1 percent of pakhtoon population, we also consider them a paid force of others n cancer for our society.out of those 50 thousand pakistanis who lost their lives in terrorist attacks, 40 thousand werw pakhtoon.we the pakhtoon are the main sufferors of terrorism.we lost our mosques,schools,colleges,homes n beauty of our cities……but still we the pakhtoon are shown as a terrorists……such a movies are spreading nothing but hatred………..to counter terrorism pakistani nation should be shown as a one nation…n pakhtoon,s sacrifices must be realised n acknowledged othrwise results may not favourable 4 our pakistan.
The distance between the writer of the above letter and personnel within Pakistan’s Frontier Corp, for a start, may be reduced to zero with a single URL copy, paste, and send.
As much has been bound to happen for some time — if you are reading this, you are probably also having an Awesome Conversation with the World and playing some part in the New Global Intelligentsia’s People’s Diplomacy.
God willing.
Officialdom may be too busy, too distracted, or too important to trifle with either corrections in impressions expressed by the writer or to engage where intellectual engagement may be due.
Get over it.
*
” . . . taliban are only 1 percent of pakhtoon population, we also consider them a paid force of others n cancer for our society.”
American conservatives have long wanted Muslims caught in the path of Islamofascist ambitions to speak up.
So done.
In Pakistan and other states with boundaries defined by old “Great Game” politics, the yearning of a deeply rooted ethnolinguistic culture comes through clearly in what is a declaration about being Pakhtoon and not being Taliban nor part of the Pakistani national program that too handily sacrifices Pakhtoon interests and lives in various ways, including in the display of mobilized counterterrorism forces or operations for audio-visual ingestion in Washington, D.C.
“B’ni Israel”, the followers of the Pashtunwali, the “Yousafzai‘s” — “The Yusufzai tribe (literal translation The Sons of Joseph) of the Pashtuns of Afghanistan, who collectively refer to themselves as the “Bani Israel“, have a long tradition connecting them to the exiled Kingdom of Israel” — source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribe_of_Joseph — are not my enemy and should not be made so.
With courage and tenacity, the truth that tyrants would rather suppress and dissolve emerges with the solidity of the authentic — a real history on the land replete with ancient artifacts and mentions matched to living culture and language.
The country’s founding father Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s August 11, 1947 speech is mentioned and quoted so liberally among the moderate circles that it has become something of a cliché.
However, what is not often related is how a federal secretary arbitrarily decided to censor it before its release. It proves that even as early as 1947 there were souls who desperately wanted to give the country a religious character.
