Pakistan minister terms Swat flogging a Jewish plot
April 6, 2009 by SAF Desk
Filed under News at a glance
KARACHI: Federal Minister Senator Azam Khan Swati of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) said on Saturday that the flogging of the 17-year-old girl in Swat was a Jewish conspiracy aimed at destroying peace in Swat and distort the image of those Islamists who sport beards and wear turbans. Speaking at a reception hosted by the JUI-F Karachi Chapter in his honour, Swati said that the JUI-F may part ways with the PPP-led coalition government if drone attacks continue to violate the sovereignty of Pakistan. “We shall not tolerate the violation of our country’s sovereignty through drone attacks,†he said, adding that under a deep-rooted conspiracy, the Pakistan Army was being defamed. He said that the ISI might be modernised on the lines that they bring a bad name to its reputation among Pakistanis.He said that the US administration has declared Baitullah Mehsud as its enemy and approved financial aid for the Pakistan government for actions against people such as Mehsud. “There are apprehensions that the US administration may turn Pakistan into the next Afghanistan on the pretext of an operation against terrorists as they did with Afghanistan in the name of Osama Bin Laden,†said Swati. The JUI-F minister expressed concern over the fact that the US might target Pakistan’s nuclear installations, adding that we must be careful. “It is unfortunate that we long for water and electricity in this age of advancement,†he lamented, while also condemning the killings of Pukhtoons in interior Sindh. Qari Usman, Qari Sher Afzal and Maulana Abdul Karim Abid of the JUI-F also spoke on the occasion. staff report
Pakistan imposes Islamic law in Taliban stronghold
February 16, 2009 by SAF Desk
Filed under News at a glance
Saeed ShahÂ
Islamabad , 15 February ,Pakistan is to impose Islamic law in a vast region of the north-west called Malakand in an attempt to placate extremists, even as President Asif Zardari warns that they are “trying to take over the state”.
Pakistani Taliban militants who are in control of the Swat valley in the region announced a ceasefire tonight, reacting to the government’s agreement to bring in sharia courts.
Malakand is part of North West Frontier province, a regular part of Pakistan, not the wild tribal area, which runs along the Afghan border.
Critics warned that the new sharia regulations represented a capitulation to the extremists’ demands, and that it would be difficult to stop hardliners elsewhere in the country from demanding that their areas also come under Islamic law.
“This is definitely a surrender,” said Khadim Hussain of the Aryana Institute for Regional Research and Advocacy, a thinktank in Islamabad. “If you keep treating a community as something different from the rest of the country, it will isolate them.”
Javed Iqbal, a retired judge, speaking on Pakistani television, said: “It means that there is not one law in the country. It will disintegrate this way. If you concede to this, you will go on conceding.”
Military operation in Fata, Swat must be stopped: Jamaat-e-Islam
February 14, 2009 by SAF Desk
Filed under News at a glance
PESHAWAR: The Jamaat-e-Islami would observe February 18 as ‘black day’ in Malakand Division to press the government to stop military operation in Swat and take practical steps for restoration of peace and enforcement of Shariah in the area.
Addressing a news conference here Friday, acting NWFP president of JI Shabbir Ahmad Khan said that due to the intensity in the operation in Swat, Bajaur and other tribal areas, an average over 30 people are being killed on daily basis.
He said that the operation was intensified after the meeting of NWFP cabinet, which demanded of the federal government and security forces to expedite the operation and make it more targetted.
Shabbir said that civilian casualties were increasing with each passing day in the military operation that has been going on for the past one and a half year. “And the most astonishing thing is that wherever the security forces carryout operation, the government loses its writ there,†he said, adding after military action the people are informed through media about the killing of miscreants in a large number. However, 95 percent of the casualties were civilians, he claimed.
He said severe military action was launched in Shmozai area of Swat some 10 days backs in which eight civilians were killed. The operation was so severe that the people could not burry their dear ones and the deceased persons were buried in Ramora locality of Lower Dir by the activists of Jamaat-i-Islami and Al-Khidmat Foundation, he maintained.
He said the provincial government had taken part in the general election on the slogan of peace and it inked some peace agreements soon after taking power.“We welcomed those agreements. But no single step could be taken for implementation of those accords despite lapse of one year,†he argued.
He said that the most sorrowful aspect of the entire situation was that the NWFP government had no solution or even planning for resolution of the issue. He said after intensification of the operation more than 5000 people were killed and many more injured. More than one million people have shifted to the down districts from restive Swat, Bajaur and Mohmand agencies and education system has paralysed, he said.
Shabbir was of the opinion if the provincial government maintained its present policy, it would result in serious repercussions. He said if the present situation persisted, the entire Pakhtun region would plunge into fire. He said the only way to extinguish the fire was that the prolonged military operation should be stopped, the internally displaced people should be rehabilitated and a compensation package should be announced for the affectees. The government should also accept the unanimous demand of all the people of Malakand Division and enforce Islamic system there, he said.
Shahadat law against Quran, Sunnah: FSC
February 12, 2009 by SAF Desk
Filed under News at a glance
LAHORE, 12 FebruaryA FULL bench of the Federal Shariat Court has held that sub-article 4 of article 151 of Qanun-e-Shahadat is repugnant to Quran and Sunnah and asked President of Pakistan to take appropriate steps for repeal of sub-article 4 within six months failing which the said provision would cease to have effect.
Under sub-article 4 of article 151 of Qanun-e-Shahadat Order 1984, if a man who is prosecuted for rape or an attempt to molest a woman, it may be shown that the female victim was of an immoral character.
The bench comprising Chief Justice Haziq-ul-Khairi, Justice Dr Fida Muhammad Khan, Justice Salah-ud-Din Mirza and Justice Muhammad Zafar Yasin passed this order while accepting a petition of Capt (Retd) Mukhtar Ahmed Sheikh who had challenged the said provision saying it gives protection to a man accused of rape to taint the character of a woman while depriving the similar right to the woman.
The petitioner argued that it was discriminatory and against the dictates of justice and equality as ordained by Quran and Sunnah and tantamount to giving free license to an accused to commit Qazf (allegation of rape on a woman) without producing four male witnesses in clear violation of Holy Quran.
The court observed that the said provision is discriminatory based on sex and violates constitutional provisions. Above all, it negates the concept of gender equality as enshrined in the Holy Quran as a woman is placed in more exalted and respected position than a man is.
The court observed that it had failed to comprehend that what wisdom had prevailed upon lawmakers to add sub-article 4, as it should serve no useful purpose. Assuming that the woman victim was of generally immoral character, will a man accused of rape or attempt to ravish her be exonerated of crime or will a rape cease to be a rape if the victim happened to be prostitute or a woman of easy virtue?
Islam makes no distinction whether the subject of crime was of generally immoral character or not, the bench remarked.
The Holy Quran places women on a much higher pedestal than ever known in the society. She is not considered as an agent of devil nor treated as a personal possession in Islam. She has all the property rights and has similar rights as of a man in matter of marriage and divorce.
The penal laws of Islam treat a woman equally with men. She has lesser responsibilities in worldly affairs and is bestowed with greater respect and kindness.
The representatives of federal government and all four provinces made their submissions in the case and only NWFP government supported the petition saying the law would damage the character of female witnesses.
Sherpao for enforcing Sharia Law in Swat
February 11, 2009 by SAF Desk
Filed under News at a glance
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
ISLAMABAD: Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao has urged the federal government to ensure the implementation of Sharia regulations in Swat for sustainable peace and development.The Pakistan People’s Party (Sherpao) cheif said that only the proposed ‘Sharia law’ could restore peace in Swat. “The Sharia law would pacify the militants.â€
Sherpao said the military operation was no more a solution to the militancy in the troubled region where a number of innocent people were suffering from the ongoing insurgency. He criticised the role of the NWFP government for its failure to maintain law and order in the region. However, he acknowledged its initiative for proposing to implement the Sharia Law in Swat.
“Now the federal government needs to positively respond to these proposals.†Sherpao proposed the deployment of civil administration in the region for development and confidence building of the local people, adding that a number of local people had left their houses and properties due to unrest in the areas.
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Islamic banking in India: Challenges and prospects
February 1, 2009 by SAF Desk
Filed under News at a glance
By Syed Burhanur Rahman
After discussing the different principles of Islamic banking, this is an attempt to explore the feasibility of Sharia banking in India. The rise of “interest” as a blood sapping social evil is alarming. To get rid of this menace and save the nation from the clutches of interest, suitable amendments should be made in the Banking Act. Indira Gandhi’s slogan, “Garibi Hatao” and “Roti,Kapda Aur Makaan” as enunciated by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto are still relevant today as it was in the early seventies. Yet even today, horrendous disparities exist between different segments of the Indian society. The majority of the unorganized sector; workers, semi-skilled persons, small farmers are all non-bankable. .Access to finance by the poor and the vulnerable groups is a prerequisite for poverty reduction and social cohesion. Such “financial apartheid” is one of the main causes of exclusion of the majority of the population in terms of growth. Government must provide the disadvantaged classes with the tools they need to improve their condition.The Indian banking sector has opened up considerably in the past decade or so and openness to interest-free banks is a logical next step. Islamic banking is one way to ameliorate the disadvantaged classes. The potential benefits of allowing Islamic banking include; decreased economic disparity between the haves and the have nots, better integration, and consequently accelerated economic growth. Government of India can leap a step closer towards the fulfillment of Indira Gandhi’s much cherished dream of “Garibi Hatao” by reforming its banking sector and allowing the establishment of Islamic Banks.