hindus and muslims living together

In a remarkable display of communal harmony, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s residents stood shoulder to shoulder with their  Hindu compatriots as the three-day Maha Shivaratri celebrations opened at the Hindu Dargah in the heart of Peshawar’s old city on Friday night.

The gesture – whose precedent was set earlier by the province’s inhabitants as part of tradition – was all the more meaningful this year in the wake of a recent wave of terrorist attacks across the country.

The K-P police have maintained strict security and set up a special control room for the festival. Closed-circuit television cameras and scanning machines have been installed at the shrine.

The shrine – located inside the old city at Jhanda Bazaar – has been illuminated with decorative lights, welcoming hundreds of devotees from the city as well as from other parts of the province.

Ghulam Mustafa – nazim of the Union Council Karim Pura – who was sitting outside the shrine told The Express Tribune that they had arranged this festival even in the most difficult security situation. “This festival has never been cancelled even during the time, when Babri Majid was attacked and destroyed by fanatics in 1992,” Mustafa added.

Mustafa pointed out that Hindu and Muslims have been living together for centuries and they have held on to the centuries- old traditions of standing by each other without any difference of caste or religion. “It has become our religious and social responsibility to ensure their security and protection,” he said.

Shivaratri festival is celebrated by Hindus around the world as it is believed the day when Lord Shiva and Parvati got married. “Maha Shivaratri which also means ‘The Great Night of Shiva’ is celebrated in the beginning of the spring season,” Shiv Nath Sharma, the guardian of shrine, told The Express Tribune.

He said devotees worship and offer sacrifices as part of their prayers and the celebration continues for three days. “On the first day, we fast for half a day and then sing hymns, praising our God till late night. On the second day, we change the covering cloth of the shrine, and on the third day, we offer communal sacrifices,” he said.

Sharma said the sacrifice is not limited to an individual; rather, it is everyone’s sacrifice. “The devotees have brought with themselves over a hundred goats to offer them as sacrifices at the shrine,” he added.

Balwant Raam, an 80-year-old Hindu elder, said the celebration become possible due to the support of locals and the police. “It is not the first time that we have gathered to perform our religious rituals. We have always observed our celebrations without any fear,” he added.

Talking about the history of the Hindu site, he said the Astaana has been here for centuries. The temple building was constructed in the 15th century, but, he added, he was not sure about the actual date of its construction.

The custodian of the shrine expressed his satisfaction over the love and respect given by the people of the city, who have made the festival possible even during the time, when the security forces asked them not to allow any gathering.  “This year, like the past, Hindu women and men from across the province and the Federally Administered Tribal areas are celebrating their religious festival at the Dargah,” he added.

credits:tribune

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Kashmir day tidings

Major political parties on Sunday set up their camps side-by-side on The Mall Road to express solidarity with each other and the people of Indian-held Kashmir on Kashmir Solidarity Day.

PML-N and PPP set up their camps right in front of the Punjab Assembly on The Mall Road, while JIP erected its Kashmir Conference stage a few hundred yards away. Activists of Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were also there on the occasion to mark their party’s presence.

Addressing the participants who gathered from all four provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan, JI chief Sirajul Haq said the freedom struggle of Kashmir was neither an economic war nor a movement run on the basis of cast and creed.

“It is an ideological struggle. Hundreds of thousands of Kashmiri people have lost their lives in freedom struggle, while thousands others have been disabled but they are not ready to give up,” the JI chief remarked.

Criticizing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, he said India wanted to turn Pakistan into a barren piece of land by holding its water supply.

Addressing the PML-N rally, Federal Minister for Railways, Khawaja Saad Rafiq said India would starve to death if it did not give freedom to the people of Kashmir. He stressed that the United Nations must shun its double standards. Saad said his party would continue its support with the people of Kashmir.

PPP leader Azizur Rehman Khan led a rally on Mall Road in which a large number of party workers participated to express solidarity with the people of Indian-held Kashmir.

Meanwhile, in Faisalabad Kashmir solidarity day was observed at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) on Sunday. In this connection a seminar was held where the faculty members and students of the UAF expressed solidarity with Kashmiris.

Addressing the participants, UAF Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said independence was the basic right of all human beings. He urged the international community to take notice of human rights violations by India against Kashmiris.

Meanwhile, different government, social, religious, political, trader and other organisations also staged rallies, seminars, conferences and other programmes to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir. Faisalabad Arts Council arranged a photo exhibition at Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Auditorium Art Gallery on the occasion of Kashmir Day in which photographs pertaining to the aggression and excesses of Indian troops were displayed.

In Bahawalpur, the biggest gathering on Kashmir Day was held on Fareed Gate in which thousands of people from different political and religious parties gathered to express their solidarity with Kashmir.

The participants of the rallies carried placards and banners inscribed with slogans in favor of the Kashmiris and demanded of the United Nations to resolve the Kashmir issue according to aspirations of Kashmiri people.

Jamaat-e-Islami, Multan chapter organised a rally to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day on Sunday. The rally started from Clock Tower Chowk and concluded at the JI office in the city. On the occasion, JI, Vice Ameer, (South Punjab) Sheikh Usman Farooq said Kashmir Day was being observed to give a message to the people of Kashmir that Pakistanis were with them.

In Sargodha, a conference was organised to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir with a pledge to continue moral support in their struggle of freedom from Indian occupation.

The conference was attended by activists of major religio-political parties, members of civil society and people from all walks of life. On the occasion, speakers condemned India for not implementing the UN resolutions to resolve the core issue of Kashmir.

Meanwhile, Punjab Emergency Service Rescue 1122 and Regional Scouts office staged a walk to express solidarity with the Kashmiri people. The participants of the rally were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the atrocities of Indian forces in held Kashmir.

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Asif Ghafoor on Pakistan and India

The new DGISPR Asif Ghafoor spoke with the press yesterday and proclaimed great news for the people residing in Pakistan. The success of the army and the development of Pakistan as a nation is moving smoothly as per plan with the enemies against our state diminishing day by day.

The main concern rising was the issue of Kashmir at the line of control and the ceasefire violations that India had been committing since 2003. He stated that the neighboring country had spent a lot of time and resources trying to find a way in through Pakistan Defense to breach into Azad Kashmir but had failed miserably as Pakistan were always ready to give a befitting response. He also stated that Pakistan in the case of resolution would rather have peace than any sort of war to avoid bloodshed. He emphasized on the bravery and dedication of Pakistan defense and how it had successfully tested Ababeel and Babar-3 missiles to improve the situation from external threats for the country.

One of the main topics he talked about was India’s Cold doctrine. Previously the message from Indian soil was to verify all the facts and figures before actually going on to infiltrate and move against any sort of aggression has now recently turned into an all-out skirmish between forces. India giving knee jerk reactions to situations without any proof has been costly for them as well as their image. DG ISPR reiterated that India following this blind approach would be met by the strongest impenetrable defense possible and that Pakistan themselves would not make the first move. The commitment of the whole Armed Forces is dead on and they will serve to protect the civilians from any sort of threat.

Talking about the LoC, He stated that India had been terrorizing Kashmiri’s since the early days looking to get some sort of leeway on Pakistan, especially now that the CPEC project is underway. Admitting that Pakistani soldiers are fighting on two fronts, the other being the war on terror, it was hard on the soldiers who still manage to give their best for the country.

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General Qamar Javed Bajwa

Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, a career infantry officer belonging to the Baloch Regiment, was chosen as Pakistan's next Chief of Army Staff and Gen Zubair Mahmood Hayat as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) on Saturday. Gen Bajwa was promoted to the rank of four-star general.

Gen Bajwa was previously posted as the Inspector General for Training and Evaluation at the General Headquarters, the same post held by Gen Raheel Sharif before he took over as army chief.

Gen Bajwa was considered as a dark horse in the race for the army’s command and has now superseded Lt Gen Syed Wajid Hussain (chairman of Heavy Industries Taxila), Lt Gen Najibullah Khan (DG Joint Staff Headquarters), Lt Gen Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmed (Corps Commander Multan) and Lt Gen Javed Iqbal Ramday (Corps Commander Bahawalpur).

The succession may not immediately bring about a major change in policies, but it could still have important implications for ties with India and Afgha­nistan, and domestically for the civil-military equation and the ongoing fight against terrorism.

The army chief is credited with having spent a considerable part of his military service in the Rawalpindi-based 10 Corps, which is responsible for guarding the Line of Control (LoC). However, his time at the 10 Corps was a period of relative quiet following the 2003 ceasefire accord.

This experience could prove invaluable as he takes command amidst serious escalation on the LoC, which saw some of the intense skirmishes since 2003.

On a personal level, Gen Bajwa is said to be witty, accessible, well-connected with the troops and not fond of the limelight.

He is the fourth officer from the infantry’s Baloch Regiment to become the army chief. Before him, Gen Yahya Khan, Gen Aslam Beg and Gen Kayani rose to that position.

Credits: DAWN

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PAK and UN on Kashmir

DAVOS -  United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Thursday assured Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to play a very constructive and positive role for countries in the region including Pakistan.

The Prime Minister met the Secretary General here on the sidelines of the 47th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum at the Congress Centre.

The Prime Minister said Kashmir was an international dispute, which remained on the agenda of the Security Council. He said a sustained dialogue process on all outstanding issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir was vital to make progress.

It was in that spirit Pakistan invited India for discussions on the resolution of the Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and in line with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. India did not respond positively, he added.

The Prime Minister said his government’s foremost priority was to build a peaceful neighborhood. “We are committed to lasting peace and security in our region and an environment conducive to economic cooperation; which is in the interest of all the people of South Asia,” he added.

“We are convinced that the welfare of the people of our region lies in economic progress and prosperity. This cannot be achieved if we are not able to resolve our problems and cooperate with each other,” he said.

He said New Delhi was fuelling instability in an already tense region by adopting a no-talks posture, vitiating the atmosphere through incendiary statements, and trying to muzzle the voice for the legitimate right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people.

The Prime Minister reiterated that the people of Kashmir were guaranteed a free, transparent and impartial plebiscite by the resolutions of the UN Security Council. This promise was yet to materialize, he added. “We look forward to your leadership and good offices. The United Nations has longstanding responsibility to play a role in the resolution of this issue,” he said.

The secretary general assured the Prime Minister that he was fully cognizant of the sensitivity of the issues between India and Pakistan which has security consequences for the region.

The UN Secretary General praised Pakistan’s contribution for the United Nations and peacemaking operations as well as hosting millions of Afghan refugees. He said that he would play a very constructive and positive role for the countries in the region including Pakistan.

The Prime Minister also raised the issue of Indus Water Treaty with the UN Secretary General. “I am pleased to meet you soon after your assumption of Office. It gives me great pleasure to see you leading the premier international institution,” he added.

The Prime Minister appreciated his inspirational role as the UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees. “Your visits to Pakistan in that tenure enabled you to understand our challenges in hosting millions of refugees.”

“Pakistan believes that you were the ideal candidate for Secretary Generalship. It needed a leader, to take it forward in to the 21st century,” he added.

The Prime Minister said that the priorities Antonio Guterres had set soon after assuming his office were also encouraging. The UN Member States need to put Peace First, he added.

“Pakistan assures you of its support and cooperation to enable you to fulfill your mandate”, the Prime Minister said, adding “We also support your call for prioritizing conflict prevention and sustainable peace.”

He also invited the UN Secretary General to visit Pakistan at his earliest convenience. “Your visit will showcase your support and commitment to peace and progress in the region,” he added.

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CPEC and its Benefits

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Afghanistan's pending future

Afghanistan never posed an existential threat to US freedom and probably it will not in the future, yet it is ironic that this war has taken so long; cost so much and the prospects of peace are so dim. A Congressional Research Service (CRS) report said in 2015, that the war in Afghanistan has cost $685.6 billion and that the cost of keeping a single American soldier there each year is $3.9 million. The CRS report also claims that this war has contributed significantly to the US debt growth. But for the presidential politics that require the projection of strength through military might, this war could have ended much earlier and certainly after the killing of Osama Bin Laden. We shall see in Jan, if there is any change in US policy on the matter; however it appears that the US is willing to continue this war beyond 2017.
Predicting the future of Afghanistan beyond that year is difficult at this time, but we can put forward some possible scenario that may emerge. Achievement of a breakthrough in the peace process, with all dissidents, insurgents and Taliban deciding to join a broad based government after fresh elections could be the most optimistic and desirable scenario for peace in Afghanistan. However, the rulers are not ready for such a transition as yet and a more likely scenario would be a partial success of the peace process, and a continuation of the status quo, with Ghani or his successors remaining in control, while the Taliban make additional gains in terms of the territory that they control in the south and east of the country. Even this situation will depend on the following two essential conditions.
First; that credible new elections are held that includes the participation of all elements of the Afghan society, including the Taliban, and second, that there is continuous and unflinching support from Pakistan and Afghanistan’s other immediate neighbours like Iran, China, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Russia. Russia recently warned the UNSC that the US-led international forces and their Afghan partners have not weakened the Taliban but instead created ungoverned areas where terrorist groups like IS have recently moved from Syria and Iraq , posing threats to Afghanistan and all its neighbours.
In the absence of these imperatives, a third scenario could materialize, wherein the new government controls mainly the capital Kabul and the northern, non-Pushtun provinces, while the southern and eastern provinces are governed by a coalition of the Pushtuns and the Taliban. Most Afghan Pashtuns fail to comprehend why some of them with religious motivation and a militant outlook, called the Taliban, are being given greater importance and recognition for political purposes. It annoys them when they see that a small minority of a few thousand people is considered as the representatives of a vast majority of 15 million strong Pushtuns living in Afghanistan. This is clearly considered acquiesce to violence, which could have disastrous effects for the future of Afghanistan. Such policies of appeasement could indeed have negative ramifications for the provinces of KP, FATA and even Balochistan in Pakistan. Since Pushtuns constitute fifty percent of the population of Afghanistan, appropriate and proportionate devolution of power to the Pushtuns, as against the Taliban and other ethnic groups will have an immense and immediate positive impact on the future of Afghanistan.
If there are large-scale defections or desertions from the Afghan Security forces, due to their low pay, poor morale or on account of switching of loyalties, civil war may break out in Afghanistan. This will be the most dangerous post US exit possibility, having the worse impact on the future security environment in the region. As the presence of Western forces is a major underlying cause of the insurgency, violence may be averted if they withdraw and the vacuum created is filled up effectively and immediately by UN peace keeping forces, preferably from Islamic countries. Turkey could probably play the lead role in such an arrangement initially.
It is not too late for a political solution to the conflict in Afghanistan; in fact that should be the focus. Besides, the peace talks must be transparent, Afghanistan led, supported by major stake holders and over seen by the US, UN, China and Russia. A major factor in the quest for peace will be the effectiveness of the provincial governments and the degree of trust reposed in the Pushtun elements of the Afghan security forces to establish the writ of the State in the southern and eastern provinces. Of equal importance will be return of all Afghan refugees and the role of the younger Afghan generation that is inclined towards peace, moderation and development. The US spent $ 5.7 billion on shifting of its forces equipment from Afghanistan to the US in 2014. Temporary transfer of its remaining equipment to the UN peace keepers in Afghanistan could create rational, conducive and cost effective conditions for stability in that country. The world must now realize and recognize that despite heavy odds and significant cost, Pakistan has done all that it can in the quest for peace in FATA and Afghanistan. On its part, Afghanistan must now reciprocate fully, trust Pakistan and cooperate with it for a better future for its people.
Finally, a quote from Dr Joshua White of the US Institute of Peace, who has wisely observed the following on prospects of peace and stability in Afghanistan: ‘The regional stakeholders and NATO may have disagreements on the nature of the political settlement that should be ideal for Afghanistan, but they must appreciate that peace in that country is vital for the interests of the whole region…. Anyone trying to reach a political dispensation that runs contrary to the interests of Pakistan is simply wasting time. Pakistan must be relatively at ease with any political dispensation in Afghanistan; 

taken from Pakistan observer

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