Stealing a Life …

Paris attacks are harrowing. Brings a shiver down my spine. I am not exaggerating my state of mind. Whenever innocents die I am forced to recall the words from my favourite book “The Kite Runner”:

“…there is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft…when you kill a man, you steal a life…you steal his wife’s right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness…there is no act more wretched than stealing…a man who takes what’s not his to take, be it a life or a loaf of naan…I spit on such a man. And if I ever cross paths with him, God help him…”

A horde of Muslims have been concerned about how the horrendous attacks in Paris will bring a bad name to Muslims, again. I am not sure how to answer this. More or less the same number of people are concerned about how western media is actively reporting the Paris carnage and how Facebook is sympathising with the French community by rolling out an application that can merge your profile picture with the French flag to become a unique profile picture on your profile. They are arguing that such a sympathising gesture is only bestowed on the western people and the terrorism affectees from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Palestine, Syria, Iraq and others are always snubbed and which is a discrimination and selective-sympathy. It is true. But I guess it is more true that Muslim states are so feeble and incompetent today that their internal differences owing to sectarianism and weakness owing to corruption have led them to this situation and because of that Muslim community is given little or no significance in a world dominated by western democracy, culture and economy. Nature has it that only the strong survives. Justice is subjective and the mighty rules.

I find it sound to put a French flag (even though I haven’t put one on my profile yet but I support those who have) on the Facebook profile and sympathise with the French community ignoring any ifs and buts here. I mourn on the loss of innocent lives in Paris and my heart bleeds for every single soul lost in Paris attacks and all such terrorist attacks anywhere in the world.

Power comes with the responsibility and responsibility requires courage to befit the position you are responsible for. It would take courage for Muslim community to enjoy the pinnacle of the same power western world is enjoying today without being irresponsible.

I don’t know if this terrorism anywhere in the world will ever stop. It unfortunately doesn’t seem to end. I though certainly hope for the terrorism to be dealt with at least more responsibility!

Jundullah — A CIA Backed Outfit

The Chehlum blast in Karachi remains a mystery amongst the lot of mysteries of the series of bombing in Pakistan for years. A lot of different terrorist outfits have been claiming the responsibility of the attack in all these years. So far, the responsibility of twin blasts on the day of Chehlum on 5th February, 2010 hasn’t been claimed by anyone. Earlier, the responsibilities of such particular sectarian violence in the form of blasts have always been accepted by a terrorist outfit Jundullah (Soldiers of God). Since 2003, Jundullah members have been involved in a number of terrorist operations, including mass murder, hostage takings, bombings, raids, car thefts, and other acts of sabotage against civilians and the government of both the countries — Iran and Pakistan. But the latest terror attacks at Chehlum in Karachi are yet to be claimed by them or any other terrorist group. Who did that?

In 2009, Pakistani security forces arrested a senior member of the Jundullah terrorist group Abdolhamid Rigi, who’s the brother of Jundullah leader Abdolmalek Rigi. Pakistani security agencies, after apprehending Abdolhamid Rigi, extradited him to Iran since he was wanted by the Government of Iran. Abdolhamid Rigi was prosecuted in the courts of Iran where he acknowledged the fact that the Jundullah group has been trained and financed by “the US and Zionists“. He was then sentenced to death by the Supreme Court of Iran.

Conspiracy theory, uh? Press TV conducted the interview of Abdolhamid Rigi that explains the situation further.

Why is that we’ve been taking the name of US every time there’s a bomb blast in Pakistan and Iran? Well, it has something to do with the US of course that’s why the populace is exclaiming at times.

In 2007, there was a clear report on Telegraph saying: President George W Bush has given the CIA approval to launch covert “black” operations to achieve regime change in Iran, intelligence sources have revealed. Mr. Bush has signed an official document endorsing CIA plans for a propaganda and disinformation campaign intended to destabilise, and eventually topple, the theocratic rule of the mullahs.

However, the CIA is giving arms-length support, supplying money and weapons, to an Iranian militant group, Jundullah, which has conducted raids into Iran from bases in Pakistan.

It’s quite startling that Pakistani media, on this issue, has been a lot more quiet than usual. However, back in October 2009, Dawn did mention something at the time of catastrophe of Sistan-Baluchistan that killed 10’s of people in Iran. But this isn’t just enough. Dawn, while reporting the news, wasn’t as vocal as it should be, despite that the international media is many times more vocal. Dawn just writes in simple words while reporting the Sistan-Baluchistan catastrophe: But perhaps the most combustible element in this shadowy war of sorts is the US connection.

Why is that the government of Sindh, Karachi — and more precisely the government of Pakistan — has been silent over this issue, I ask? Neither the PPP, nor MQM or ANP ever spoke on it, notwithstanding that, again, there has been all the proofs government of Pakistan has and that the International media is also vocal against Jundullah — the CIA funded organization functioning to create sectarian chaos.

I’m afraid to say that the top leadership of all political parties, including those sitting in London, are known to the facts, but they all are quiet on the issue — including the PPP, ANP, MQM and PML (N, Q). And that again substantiates the fact that the top leadership is sold out.

In a wake of this donnybrook, we need to open the window for these facts and denounce the acts of such double-barreled friendship with US because of their substantiated role in the destabilizing Pakistan.

PS: Knock me not, for I’ve given the references that need to be studied before anyone start roasting me.

SCO — Shanghai Cooperation Organization: Should Pakistan join or not?

SCO Annual Summit 2009

Introduction:

SCO’s predecessor, the Shanghai Five mechanism, originated and grew from the endeavor by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to strengthen confidence-building and disarmament in the border regions. In 1996 and 1997, their heads of state met in Shanghai and Moscow respectively and signed the Treaty on Deepening Military Trust in Border Regions and the Treaty on Reduction of Military Forces in Border Regions. The cooperation mechanism was later known as the “Shanghai Five”. [1]

Aims and Objectives of SCO:

The main goals of the SCO are strengthening mutual confidence and good-neighbourly relations among the member countries; promoting effective cooperation in politics, trade and economy, science and technology, culture as well as education, energy, transportation, tourism, environmental protection and other fields; making joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region, moving towards the establishment of a new, democratic, just and rational political and economic international order. [2]

Pakistan and the SCO:

Being a part of SCO means enhancing the country’s strength economically, strategically, defensively, militarily, touristic, and security-wise. Pakistan could gain a lot by infixing in this organization. 2006 was the first time when former President Musharraf joined one of the summit of SCO in Shanghai — with Pakistan under an observer status. Since 2006 to date, Pakistan has remained under the observer status, albeit government of Pakistan has been a part of SCO summits with the same observer status.

There has been a host of speculations about SCO going to be equivalent to NATO. It seems that Russia wants SCO to be a militarily strong organization — equivalent to NATO. But then, China, volitionally wants SCO to be an organization which can boost the economic sphere within its member countries along with countering terrorism in the region. So far, China and Russia both have kept their wants in stable state and working together to tone it up.

I guess, Pakistan has a great opportunity to come out from the slavery of US and be a part of SCO which is strengthening its basis day-to-day. But it seems that the current government of Pakistan is also reluctant to make Pakistan a part of SCO. A couple of days back President Zardari went to Russia to take part in annual SCO summit. No positive and favorable results emerged this time as well. Okay, it’d not be a childs play for Pakistan to join SCO while knowing the facts that Russia wouldn’t be favoring it under a silent thought that Pakistan’s inclusion in SCO will make China’s position more strong in SCO. But that’s just more of speculation. Although Russia as yet doesn’t seem much happy with Pakistan due to Pakistan’s significant role in Soviet-Afghan war which lead USSR to collapse. This perceptible event hasn’t disappeared from the minds of Russian Communist Government and they haven’t forgotten the wounds they encountered — but still Russia and Pakistan has bilateral diplomatic ties and okay relations amongst. Anti-US factor is one thing which has kept Russia to start developing ties with Pakistan once again. Pakistan has kept its ties with Russia too. It seems incoherent, but that’s Russia — never forgetting the cold war and the collapse of USSR due to US intervention — the same USSR which once was a claimed superpower in the world, not US — and the same USSR which sought for the Korea when Japan escaped after 2nd world war — but had to hold back just on North Korea when US intervened and took hold on South Korea. Before that, Vietnam war too, anyway.

If the speculations about Russia reluctant to give Pakistan full membership unless India doesn’t join SCO is true perchance, then Pakistan should stress China to help her getting full membership of SCO. Sino-Pak relations have always been good in the past where both the countries have helped each other at several occasions — Pakistan recognizing PRC (China) while snubbing ROC (Taiwan), helping China in getting UN membership, and reciprocally China helped Pakistan in VETOing against Kashmir Issue in UNSC, the Sino-Indian war was a portal for Pakistan to get more close to China, so on and so forth.

It’s never too late to take a good decision when one is in position to take. It truly is a favorable time for Pakistan to think about getting full membership of SCO before it genuinely gets late.

What do you think: Should Pakistan join SCO?

References:

[1] http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/int/sco.htm

[2] http://www.sectsco.org/EN/brief.asp