The
suppressed people
Sir,
President
Musharraf was quite vocal in voicing the
'brutal suppression of Kashmiri's at the
hands of Indian security forces, while
addressing the UNGA in New York on Sept.
24, 03. But before criticising India,
Pakistan should see his Report Card on
this count.
Musharraf
should see the annual report 2003, of the
country's Human Rights Commission, which
clearly showed that maximum atrocities
were perpetrated against women. The
pitiable condition of the people of PoK
and the lesser known Northern Areas (NA)
comprising Gilgit and Baltistan is well
known. The State sponsored Shia-Sunni
riots are quite common in these areas.
The people in general are a victim of
un-employment and illiteracy. There is
even disparity among the people of NA and
PoK. The NA people think that they are
less privileged than their counterparts
in PoK.
Besides
these two parts of Kashmir, the life of
common Pakistani is not very normal. The
women particularly are the worst
sufferers in the present dispensation in
Pakistan and particularly in North West
Frontier Province where the Taliban like
rule in the name of Shariah governs the
lives of the people at large. The
authorities have carried out several
raids upon cinema operators, TV channel
operators, and Music Directors, 'Hasba
Act' i.e. Islamic injunction is being
implemented. In short, Gen. Zia's regime
is being revived in NWFP. Moreover, the
responsibility of implementing 'Islamic
laws' is being entrusted to corrupt
police officers, who could harass anyone
they like.
Under the
Islamisation campaign, the ruling MMA
regime intends to stop women education.
Their education is required to be done on
earlier pattern, which was followed in
Taliban regime in Afghanistan i.e Islamic
education only. In July 2003, the regime
imposed restrictions on NGOs, agencies
whereby no NGO women would be allowed to
visit the houses of women students for
teaching purposes. In May, 2003,
University professors of Punjab
University, especially English teachers
were asked to recast and revise the
syllabus of courses. The old syllabus of
studies is to be rejected.
The other
instructions which need to be implemented
include no music cassette to be played in
buses, no male doctor should examine
female patients, no male journalist
should be allowed to give coverage of
games, where women were playing, strict
ban on supply of wine/whisky to
non-Muslim foreigners, veil is must for
girls in schools, whose age is above 12
years. Traditional Muslim dress code in
schools and colleges is to be observed.
Those shopkeepers, bus-owners and
video-cassette shops who violate Islamic
instructions are to be arrested.
Jammat-e-Islami workers in Peshawar
brought down all the wall-posters,
placards carrying obscene
pictures/advertisements/publicity of
Western countries.
Before
accusing India, he should see what
treatment is meted out to various sects
of Muslims in his own country, not to
speak of Indian migrated Muslims, who are
still rated second-rate citizens and are
still addressed as 'Muhajirs' even after
more than 50 years of independence. The
condition of other minorities is still
worse. The State-managed Shia-Sunni riots
are quite common. Recently, 54 Shia
Muslims were killed by a powerful
bomb-explosion in a mosque in Quetta on
July 2, while offering prayers. Besides,
another sect, Ahmedia, are not even
second class citizens, but something much
lower, yet to be properly categorised.
The Qadianis, yet another sect, their
condition is even worse. They have been
prosecuted for writing 'Bismillah' on a
wedding card. They are not even allowed
the use of salutation 'Assam-o-aiaikum'.
It is a crime in Gen. Zia's law and duly
punishable. They can say 'Namaste' or
'Sat Siri Akal' but never the 'Salam',
which only means peace be upon you' which
is hardly a religious expression.
Now
Musharraf should compare the conditions
prevailing in his own country to the
conditions in Indian Kashmir, which
according to him is the victim of Indian
excesses. The Indian Kashmir symbolises
Kashmiriyat-a synthesis of various
cultures, which teaches religious
tolerance and abhorrence of violence.
This same
culture has been ruined and destroyed by
the so-called jihad, aided and abetted by
terrorist outfits of Musharraf's
Pakistan, who have not only destroyed the
Kashmiriyat but also defiled the sacred
land of Sufis, rishis and Munnis. It is
only these outfits that time and again
tried to impose their dress-code on women
in the name of Islamising the society,
which the progressive women of Kashmir
have refused to follow. Now it is for
Musharraf to decide who are the
suppressed people Indian Kashmiris or his
own countrymen.
Yours
etc...
Prof Mushtaq Ahmed
6/2 Safdarjung
New Delhi
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