No Sunni nor Shia there is only one thing, Islam.

Foreword

Last two days I have been reading about Shia-Sunni tension, the origin, the base, the rationale on the suggestion of a friend and there are tons of stories available online. It seems like every other person has a new and interesting story to tell.

The shia literature and stories are quite inspiring and this lead me into the world of noha, marsiya and lectures which I thoroughly like to listen and felt serene. However this new fondness was not much appreciated in my circle and they posed questions such as, 'Are you shia?’ ‘You never told that before.'

And it left me totally dumbfounded. I could not come up with an answer but saying I am a Muslim.

But this question that continued to trouble me inside was, what does it mean to be a Shia or a Sunni, why should it matter?

Iqbal day..

Is the party over?

News of the day:

- MQM to oppose NRO, advises President to step down

Chief Mutahidda Quomi Movement (MQM) Altaf Hussain while talking to Private TV Channel has said that he has directed his party members’ national assembly to oppose NRO in the Parliament.
MQM Rabta Committee Member Mohammad Anwar while talking to Private TV Channel has confirmed that his Party Chief Altaf Hussain has advised President to step down in better interest of country. The President neither should take test of his coalition partners nor his own Party in the Parliament, he said.
“I appeal to the president, his friends and loyalists not to derail democracy, and produce themselves before the people to save the system, and tell them that they are not presenting the NRO in the assembly,” he advised.

No matter how complex it may seem, but Pakistani politics is surely hard to resist.
With its changing scenarios every day, thrilling dialogues, comments and ever-changing manifestos of political parties, the politics of Pakistan has become more or less a form of entertainment for the people of Pakistan.
And today has been the day of MQM, which was all over the screens of Pakistani news channels because of its volatile move of going against the flow.

This unpredictable move by MQM of opposing National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in the Parliament which was known as marriage of PPP and MQM is sure to hit the government sooner or later.

This sudden act of MQM of opposing NRO and pointing fingers at Mr. President has disturbed the political scene for the ruling party for a while which seemed to be ruling without facing any opposition or having an inch of concern for the citizens. Whether or not this proves to be a good change for the people of Pakistan but hopefully this might bring a little change in the attitude of the ruling elites.

The way the MQM chief Altaf Hussain advised President Zardari to give sacrifice and face the courts in order to save the country from chaos and turn its direction towards betterment was quite impressive. It reminded me of the Festival of Sacrifice (Eid ul Adha) or more commonly known as eid e qurbaan which is just around the corner. It seemed like an indication that the time has come when Mr. President and his party should be ready to sacrifice positions/ranks for the betterment of the country and for the people.

Is the party really over for the PPP and its supporters? Only time will tell but it seems perhaps the time has come when the ruling party of Pakistan should decide their fate or it will be written over by the people of Pakistan, as it is said that,

"If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. It is true that you may fool all of the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all of the time; but you can't fool all of the people all of the time."

First US official resigns over Afghanistan war

A senior diplomat has become the first US official to resign in protest at the war in Afghanistan, in a move that has shaken the White House, according to reports.

Matthew Hoh, 36, a former captain in the Marine Corps who fought in Iraq before joining the US State department, resigned from his post as the senior US civilian in Zabul province, a Taleban stronghold in Afghanistan. He said that he believed the war only fuelled the insurgency, the Washington Post reports.

"I have lost understanding of and confidence in the strategic purposes of the United States' presence in Afghanistan," Mr Hoh wrote in his resignation letter, dated September 10.

"I have doubts and reservations about our current strategy and planned future strategy, but my resignation is based not upon how we are pursuing this war, but why and to what end."

He said that many Afghans were fighting the United States largely because its troops were there. While the Taleban was a malign presence, and al-Qaeda needed to be confronted, he said, the US was asking its troops to die in Afghanistan for what was essentially a far-off civil war.

American families, he wrote; "must be reassured their dead have sacrificed for a purpose worthy of futures lost, love vanished, and promised dreams unkept. I have lost confidence such assurances can be made any more."
Richard Holbrooke, the White House's special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, told the Post he disagreed that the war "wasn't worth the fight.". However, he added, "I agreed with much of his analysis."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/Afghanistan/article6891536.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797093

From FreeMasons to Blackwater(Xe)

Blackwater is more than just a “private army”, Blackwater is a religious army serving the Pope in Rome through the Order of Malta, which is itself considered under international law, as a sovereign entity with special diplomatic powers and privileges.
Like Blackwater, the Order of Malta is “untouchable” because it is at the heart of the elite aristocracy.

“The painful saga of modern Arab-Muslim history evokes the battles fought in Crusades of the 11th centry – when the Knights of Malta began their operations as a Christian militia whose mission it was to defend the land conquered by the Crusaders. These memories return violently to mind with the discovery of links between the so-called security firms in Iraq such as Blackwater have historic links with the Order of Malta. You cannot exaggerate it. The Order of Malta is a hidden government or the most mysterious government in the world.”

- Jordanian MP Jamal Muhammad Abidat, from an editorial in the United Arab Emirates daily Al-Bayan entitled “The Knights of Malta – more than a conspiracy”.

Source- http://aftermathnews.wordpress.com/2007/10/01/blackwater-knights-of-malta-in-iraq/

Here is the video link of the news in which former employees of Blackwater allege Erik D. Prince(the founder and owner of private army Blackwater or Xe) as the one who claims himself as a Christian Crusader whose task is to eliminate Muslims.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab3aiaRODdY

Founder of security firm, Erik D. Prince, see himself as a Christian Crusader whose task is to eliminate Muslims, former employees allege.

Two former employees of Blackwater(recently renamed Xe) have accused the private US security firm and its founder of killing Iraqis for fun, smuggling weapons and deceiving the State Department.
The men, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation — one claimed that Blackwater management threatened to kill him — also claimed they had learnt that at least one person who has or planned to speak out against the US firm and its founder Erik Prince was killed in mysterious circumstances.

The claims were made in sworn statements filed in a court in Virginia earlier this week as part of a civil lawsuit by families of several Iraqis allegedly killed by Blackwater guards.

The ex-Blackwater workers, a former Marine identified as John Doe No 1 and another man identified as John Doe No 2, are American citizens.

John Doe No 2 makes a series of accusations against Mr Prince. He says the Blackwater Worldwide boss views himself as a Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe, according to his declaration posted, along with a series of other legal documents, on the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) website.

To that end, Mr Prince intentionally deployed to Iraq certain men who shared his vision of Christian supremacy, knowing and wanting these men to take every available opportunity to murder Iraqis. Many of these men used call signs based on the Knights of the Templar, the warriors who fought the Crusades.

He adds that "on several occasions after my departure from Mr Prince's employ, Mr Prince's management has personally threatened me with death or violence. In addition, based on information provided to me by former colleagues it appears that Mr Prince and his employees murdered or had murdered one or more persons who have provided information or were planning to provide information, to the federal authorities about the ongoing criminal conduct."

Susan Burke, a private lawyer working with the CCR, is acting against Blackwater in five separate civil cases. She filed the documents in opposing a motion by Blackwater to dismiss the cases.
The plaintiffs are challenging Mr Princes callous scheme to kill, repeatedly, innocent Iraqis, Ms Burkes motion reads.

They say that some of the weapons were illegal. John Doe No 2 lists hand grenades and hand grenade launchers. John Doe No 1 names an M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon, known as a saw.
He also recounts three incidents in which he says he witnessed Blackwater guards needlessly kill or injure Iraqi civilians.

In one case, John Doe No 1 says the convoy he was in pulled over to fix a flat tyre on a vehicle. A civilian car with two people inside drove by. He says that one of the other Blackwater employees began firing into the car. From my vantage point, it was clear that XXX was clearly injuring and likely killing the passenger and likely injuring the driver as well.

John Doe No 1 also alleges that the State Department was kept in the dark or deliberately misled about such incidents.
John Doe No 2 claims that "going to Iraq to shoot and kill Iraqis was viewed as a sport or game".

Blackwater, which is based in North Carolina, had a multimillion-dollar contract to protect the US Embassy in Baghdad and other State Department officials.
Washington did not renew the contract after it expired in May. The Iraqi Government was highly critical of Blackwater after the shooting in September 2007 of 17 civilians, which did severe damage to the reputation of foreign private security companies in the country.

Freemason to Xe

Have you heard the news?

Have you heard the news?
Bad things come in twos.
But I never knew
about the little things.

Every single day
Things get in my way.
Someone has to pay
For the little things.

And I'm through with the stories
And I'm sick to my shoes.
And the walking and the talking,
It's got nothing to do with
The final solution.
It's a box full of tricks.
And I'm through with repairs
When there's nothing to fix,
When there's nothing to fix,
When there's nothing to fix,
And it all comes down to you.

Let the headlines wait,
Armies hesitate.
I can deal with fate
But not the little things.

Armageddon may
Arrive anyday.
I can't get away
From the little things.

With a pile of cares
And a bucket of tears,
I could look at the sunlight
And I feel no fear.
With a mountain of maybes
And some Icarus wings,
And I'm armed with delusions
And one little thing,
And that one little thing,
And that one little thing,
And it all comes down to you.

Have you heard the news?
Bad things come in twos.
But I never knew
'Bout the little things.

Every single day
Things get in my way.
Someone has to pay
For the little things.

Qureshi - Kerry links becomes visible

K-L bill - yes or no?

‘Do you know why these suicide attacks are suddenly one the rise again?’ asked my friend. ‘No, but I guess you have a reason to justify them’ I replied in a cold manner, wondering when did the attacks actually slowed down.

‘Yes I know it is because of the Kerry Lugar bill. You know, these people (read: agents) are attacking our institutions and people to prove that we are in such poor condition that we cannot survive without aid’.

No doubt this Kerry-Lugar bill aka Killer-bill has become quite the talk of the town and people are now blaming the bill for our basic problems such as the electricity issue without realizing what the bill actually aims at.

On Sept 24, the US Senate unanimously passed the revised version of the Kerry-Lugar Bill, titled the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act 2009.

On Oct. 15^th President Barack Obama signed the bill into law which will triple non-military US aid to Pakistan to $7.5 billion over the next five years and hence leaving no choice for Pakistan government to request for any amendments in the bill.

The only choice before us is to either fully accept it or reject it on the whole.

Despite the efforts of the Pakistan government to prove that the act would not harm Pakistan’s sovereignty but the fact remains that US government has rejected the concerns of Pakistan and sent back our Foreign Miniter with an explanatory note, attached with the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009.

Surprisingly, our Foreign Minister Mr. Shah Mahmood Qureshi called the explanatory statement "historic” and assured the Parliament on October 16 that no Pakistani authority had been conceded to benefit from the Kerry-Lugar bill. He extensively quoted from an explanatory statement that ‘there are no conditions on Pakistan attached to the authorisation of $7.5 billion in non-military aid’.

Critics say that while using harsh and loud words to get the support of the fellow parliamentarians, what our foreign minister failed to realize is that action speaks louder than words and the people are well aware that he had returned empty-handed from US and thus had to put up this show to save his neck. According to Mr. Anwar Baig (former senator and senior PPP member) the much publicised speech of Mr. Qureshi in the Parliament is ‘nothing but a brilliant piece of acting for which he should be nominated for Oscars.’

Apart from the government appraisal of the act, the main concern of the concerned ones still remain unanswered that why the controversial sections of the act are unaddressed by the Pakistan government.

For instance, Section 203 of the US law considers that Pakistan is involved in the proliferation of nuclear weapons-related materials although it has never been proven in a court of law. The section also presumes that Pakistan is somehow involved in sponsoring terrorism, and that Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies are involved in aiding terrorist groups, including those groups engaged in attacks against the United States or coalition forces in Afghanistan, and against the territory or the people of neighbouring countries.

The act specifically mentions organizations such as Al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed and makes it clear that Pakistan is prohibited from letting them operate in its territory, including carrying out cross-border attacks into neighbouring countries. The law further requires the closure of terrorist camps in Fata and dismantling terrorist bases in other parts of the country, including Quetta and Muridke.

Then the message for the security forces of Pakistan is that it must not ‘materially’ and ‘substantially’ subvert the political or judicial processes of Pakistan.

Some other important concerns are, placing limitations on arms transfers; requiring that all assistance can only be provided to civilian authorities of a civilian government of Pakistan; (Sec. 205).

Other concern is regarding the submission of a Pakistan Assistance Strategy Report within 45 days of the date of enactment of the act; development of a comprehensive inter-agency regional security strategy to eliminate terrorist threats and close terrorist safe havens in Pakistan, including by working with the Government of Pakistan and other relevant governments and organisations in the region and elsewhere to implement effective counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism efforts in and near the border areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan, including Fata, the NWFP, parts of Balochistan and parts of Punjab(Sec. 301. Strategy Reports) and the submission of monitoring reports with description of all amounts made available for assistance to Pakistan during fiscal year 2009, including a description of each program, project, and activity for which funds were made available (Sec. 302. Monitoring Reports).

Although the above stated law may seem like a country’s internal matter but this all has been stated in the US law as if the US is dictating and teaching us the laws to run a terrorist-free country. It appears that this does not like an attack on Pakistan’s sovereignty to our government.

In the end we must realize that it is all a game of interest and of course nobody is willing to help you for free. The US law-makers have clearly stated their policy regarding Pakistan and have laid down their interests in the form of Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act 2009. It is time now that we decide and point out our national interests loud and clear.

Aey watan Pak watan

With my eyes closed I find myself slowly humming to the song ‘Aey merey piyare watan’ by Ustaad Amanat Ali Khan, being played on television in the next room. I heard my mother praising the voice and claiming it a timeless song in the history of Pakistan.
No doubt, the song has an unusual effect every time I hear it; it gives me shivers and reminds me all over again of my responsibility towards my homeland.

While the song still is playing on, suddenly I feel being dragged towards my past, my school days in 1998 when I along with my friends was busy decorating the classroom with our paintings and other decorative items. After that I was in the computer lab rehearsing to my speech dedicated to this special day i.e. 14th of August- our independence day. Finally I see myself on the stage and the speech finished off with the usual note -Pakistan Zindabad-

Tujh se hai meri tamannaa’on ki duniya pur-nuur
Azam mera kabhi merey iradey hain ghayyuur

With these lines playing I regain my consciousness and realize that it is the same day but the year 2009, almost 10 years later my memory is playing tricks with me reminding me of my golden years when I was full of vigor and desire to play my part obediently towards the betterment of my land; to act in all possible ways to make this place a little better and peaceful place for me, my people and my surroundings; to make Pakistan a corruption-free state and above all I really want to see Pakistan as the fort of Islam.

But little did I know then that it is always easier said than done.
For now when I look around myself, I find miserable people in need of common necessities of life and in search of that little piece of happiness which seem to have vanished somewhere.

But who is to be blamed for the depressing condition of the country?
The Government? The Leaders? The Opposition? Media? Judiciary?

For a change, today on the 62nd Independence Day of Pakistan, I’d like to put the blame on myself, for I am the one who has been unable to realize my dreams of making my home a happy place. Just like in the fairy tales there are happy endings, I wanted the same for my land but in fact I never worked hard and achieved what it needs to make a happy ending. For I was so much obsessed with the idea and dream that I almost forgot that the most essential part that is the reality factor was missing from my dream.

Merey mehboob Watan tujh pe agar jaan ho nisaar
Main ye samjhun ga thikaney laga sarmaya-o-dhan

However as they say, every end has a new beginning. So I’ll take that quote as an inspiration today and will try hard to achieve a little part of my dream, if not whole.
Although it has been 62 years, but it is never too late to make a change, or is it?

Not just a Cup - its more than that!

21st June 09 is undoubtedly one of the happiest and biggest days of my life! And not only mine in fact the 17crore Pakistanis nation plus the Pakistanis living all over the globe.. :)
Yesss! We did it! Pakistani cricket team won the T20 World Cup final against Sri Lanka last night, making us all so proud of our team - one great achievement for Pakistan cricket in the last 17 years.
And the feeling is so damn sweet and great that no words can describe it perhaps.. :)
I am just too happy to write..
We played some brilliant cricket on the ground of Lords and alongwith the prayers of the nation our team came out victorious! And the team will be bringing the cup home tomorrow. This is such a feel-good factor that it spread happiness and joy all over the country- including the parts in distress and misery. I hope we will come out victorious on the home ground too defeating enemies.
InshAllahh!!
Pakistan Zindabaaaaad! :)