Dr. Mukhtar Mai

Recently Laurentian University of Canada has decided to award Mukhtar Mai with an honorary doctorate degree in recognition of her services for promoting education to girls and broadening the process to improve women’s right in Pakistan.

Mukhtar Mai is just one of the many women victims that have survived the brutal social malaise that is inherent in Pakistan’s rural communities. A victim of gang rape as a form of honor revenge. By custom, such women, especially in rural societies, commit suicide or bury the incident within them to avoid shame and disgrace; instead she defied all odds and spoke up against the ruthless and inhumane form of justice which carried out this gruesome act to avenge the honor of other tribe.

Though her case is still held up with Pakistan Supreme Court, her bravery and courage has certainly collected accolades and acknowledged globally. She was rewarded for her bravery and turned her tragedy into opportunity for women and girls and set up Mukhtar Mai Women’s Welfare Organization to promote education in view towards raising awareness to prevent future honor crimes.

Mukhtar has deeply offended the local feudal elites by championing the poor and pointing out the degree to which corruption protects the elites when they rape or abuse poor women. It’s no secret that some of those feudal families would like to see Mukhtar put in her place, even killed. Despite all this she is still steadfast on her mission.

It is vital for us to appreciate her in her cause, as the international community is doing, and lend her the helping hand in creating awareness among our people of the true status of women and their rightful place in our communities and lives. Without this we would be looming in darkness and prospects for our generations to come shall falter as the remaining half of our society (women) will remain deprived of the moral and social necessities of life.

The Israel Lobby

The US on Thursday (10th June, 2010) issued a statement that is has deep and binding interest in Israel security, confirming yet again their undaunting and unwarranted support for Israel. Their clandestine approach in denouncing the inhumane act by the Israeli forces on board the Gaza flotilla earlier this month is an outright show of the authority and influence of ‘The Israeli Lobby’ that exists as strong as ever within the United States and governs not only the state itself but practically dictates its foreign policies, especially Middle East.

One might assume that the unwavering support for Israel is based on mutual strategic interests; instead it is an imperative derivative of the powerful functioning of the Israeli Lobby (such as AIPAC), which actively steer the US foreign policy in favor of Israel. Covertly commanding almost every institution from Newspapers, News Channels, and Educational material in universities and colleges to top ranking officials in Congress and even in Capitol Hill, this coalition of individuals and organization has embossed on the US minds that their security is heavily dependent on the political and economic support to Israel’s existence.

Also, it has shaped the idea that both the countries are facing a common terror threat, and thus their mutual collaboration against that common enemy in ever imminent in countering it. This claim has the casual relationship backwards. The US has a terrorism problem in good part owing to its support for Israel and not the other way round. Though it is not the only source of anti-American sentiments across the globe, it is yet an important one and many terror organizations are motivated with Israel’s presence in Palestine and the US’s inability to resolutely condemn Israel, as it does for any other country.

Rest assured, the terrorist organizations that threaten Israel do not threaten US except when in intervenes against them. Moreover, the so-called Palestinian terrorism or Hamas activities are random violence directed against Israel or West; it is largely a response to Israel’s prolonged campaign to colonize the West Bank and Gaza strip, who believe that they have no other way to force Israeli concessions.

The US must realize that its uncalled support for Israel would not only jeopardize its own security but that much of the rest of the world. In order for it to portray itself as a true world power and leader it has to shun away such influences among its quarters and develop a prospective that is just and unbiased.

DAWN.COM | Pakistan | An intolerant society

DAWN.COM Pakistan An intolerant society

Pakistan Fashion Week & What it brought forth!

Pakistan kicked off Fashion Week, a four day event in Karachi, just two hours by plane from primary nesting places for Al Qaeda and the Taliban, last week. The event signified the Nihilism, Opulence and assertion of modernity of Pakistan,
Though loudly applauded and largely acknowledged, Pakistan Fashion Week is a hard and fierce some sting to our social ideology, moreover it more greatly notions an act of insolence against the Islamic teaching which are the founding stone of Pakistan.
In principle Islam has ordained a very specific and vastly responsible role for its women in society. Islam regards her role in society as a mother and a wife as the most scared and essential one. Neither maids nor babysitters can possibly take the mothers place as the educator of upright, complex-free and carefully reared children. Such a noble and vital role, which largely shapes the future of nations, cannot be regarded as “idleness”.
What the Pakistan Fashion Week brings forth into the eyes of the world is a distorted and rather confused and dismal image of Pakistan’s current society. With a large number of female participants viciously dressed in designer-wear, spiked jewelry, exposing tattoos, navels and shoulders the event substantially donates Pakistan’s progress towards a more modernized and western-influenced society and farther from ideal Islamic one. The designer dresses (such as Sonya Battla) represented a mockery of our culture and society values and an emulation of the western civilization.
History testifies that when a community shakes off barbarism and advances towards civilization, its women follow its men as maids and bondwomen. And during their advancement they bestow undue freedom upon the fair sex with the result that latter’s excessive freedom deals a fatal blow at the family life which is the very basis of civilization. More than that it brings in its wake a flood of obscenity, licentiousness and sexual perversion, which ruin the morals of the whole community.
It is not aimed to degrade the thorough and thought out efforts of the designers, however it is intended to pragmatically and prudently denounces the western influence that has raved our minds. These efforts should more coherently be focused on promoting and depicting Pakistan and its society in its most intrinsic and rightfully judged manner.

Obama's Challenge

It certainly is worthy of praise the efforts that President Obama has set forth for the reconciliation of the Middle East peace process. Though at one point in time the efforts were meagerly comprised of words and promises, it is commendable that those words have taken shape given the hefty Pro-Jewish American ideology. President Obama is to be applauded for identifying the Israeli-Palestinian dispute as a key foreign policy priority and his stepped up efforts.

Nonetheless, as rightly identified, the mammoth task of comprising and settling the debate for ‘settlement freeze’ is the first and the primary head stone in the peace reviving efforts. Both, Netenyahu and Abbas, have concreted a stern stance on their objectives and persuading the men to sit in the same room constitutes a kind of breakthrough.
It is evident that this time round President Obama has sided with the Palestinians; favoring their stance on settlement freeze, and views it essential for the peace process to advance. This is where the challenge steps in. He has already made glimpses for his support towards the Palestinians and promised to ‘… make right the wrongs’ and issued blunt warnings to Jerusalem to halt its illegal settlement activity in the occupied West Bank (land designated for the Palestinians by the UN Charter) saying “…(it) undermines efforts to achieve peace”. Provided the strong and fortified Israeli lobby within the US administration, his going might get tougher as he might not only receive criticism from within but also from the European allies of Israel.

The question for Obama is how long he can go without having something tangible to show for his engagement. Arab states have balked at making gestures of normalisation towards Israel as long as there is no movement on the settlement front - an issue of enormous symbolic significance that is seen as a test of Israel's good intentions.

Become Pakistan, once again

It was on this auspicious occasion when the First Governor General of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, on the 15th Aug, 1947 sent his flavoring emotional greetings of independence to the nation all over. It was all those words that had been an insinuation, inspiration and the guiding force behind the creation of a Muslim nation. 62 years later, we emulate the same passion and zeal that our fore fathers exhibited and celebrate the most honorable day of our not-so-pleasant past. In these times of scarce electricity and a sharp rise in street violence, we still have lit our houses with flashing colored lights, decorated the streets with waving flags, we are chanting slogans of nationhood, signing patriotic songs all in the name of valor, dignity, pride and prosperity of Pakistan.

All along the way and in the midst of these flamboyant celebrations, not many foresee brighten en route for the future. A nation crippled with economic frustration and living amidst constant fear of terrorist, plummeting administrative, legislative and political statures, Pakistan has in all its might, lost its sole cause of existence. A land foresighted for a cohesive Muslim brotherhood and a nation that would thrive on Islamic principles and regulations.

Had Pakistan been a name of an entity or individual, would he be a Sindhi, Punjabi, Balochi or Pathan? Had Pakistan been a name of a creed, would it be Islamic, secular or, as the newly devised terminology, Moderate?

62 years of dust and rubble blown into the face, meticulously enduring against political, economical and administrative blocs both internal and external, the nerve breaking legacy of the Muslim Brotherhood as a nation has, somehow, still been preserved. We have tumbled and fallen, yet we are not dejected. We have been beaten and bruised, yet we are still strong and faithful. Let us unite once again, let us strive once again, and let us become Pakistan once again.

Swat Operation & The Lahore Blast

Three weeks into the conflict and the devastating aftermath of the Swat Operations are on the forefront. The Lahore blast can easily be documented as a Prime Beginning into the retaliation by the Talibans.
Pakistan government had marshaled 15,000 troops into the swat valley to eliminate and annihilate the “existential threat” consuming the US war in Afghanistan.

Apparently, and for all reasons logically perceived, Pakistan had never been a part of the ongoing War on Terror, though there had been claim of Pakistan being a close ally of the US on the war, its actual participation had yet to be compromised. The Bush administration had tried its utmost tactics to indulge Pakistan with itself, yet their threatening attitude brought them no gain. On the contrary, the recent Obama administration, realizing the fact that Pakistan’s involvement is the certain key to its triumph in Afghanistan, sought to boisterously aid Pakistan and buys them into the bargain.

The onslaught by the Pakistan army in the Swat Valley is a prime war tactic profoundly utilized by large armies battling out insurgencies. The fleeing Afghan Talibans sought refuge in the North Frontier Province of Pakistan in the homes of their Pakhtun brothers who would help and aid them in their resurgence. The clan-brotherhood of the Pakhtuns is one of a kind in the world. Thus these lands were converted into rendezvous points and it was through these lands that the recent uprising of Taliban began.

The US having little access to these lands had no other option but to pile up pressure on the Pakistan government and force them into launching an assault

The end to the Swat Operation is as uncertain as its success or failure. Yet, the repercussions have started its toll. Pakistan risks greater backlash and further destabilization in the country. The Pakistan army may make short-term gains, but it risks increase terror-like attacks on more stable areas of eastern Pakistan. The very indiscriminate nature of military response may well be storing up resentment elsewhere and ability of Taliban-like-groups to quickly inflate in other areas as they are squeezed in Swat is of particular concern.

The Taliban and its allies will resort to increase terrorist attacks elsewhere in Pakistan and then there will be two questions left with Pakistan. One is whether the army and police can hold the territories it has conquered, and secondly – more questionably, will they go on to reconquer other areas on the Afghan Frontier (rendezvous points) as the US would like.

The only, materialistically viable solution for a long-term stability in Pakistan is dependant on the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan and not merely reinforcing Pakistan army and police and pumping in aid to undercut insurgency. It is the US presence in Afghanistan that is feeding the insurgency in Pakistan and eventually in Afghanistan.