Murder of History

A Record of U.S. Drone Attacks in Pakistan

2010-10-05T05:18:00.000-07:00

For the use of news analysts, bloggers and researchers, I have compiled following record of US attacks on Taliban on Pakistan's territory. I could gather the news items about a total of 84 drone (un-manned predator planes) attacks on Pakistan by US forces since June 2004 to Jan 2010. If you can add to it with a reference, please do. Your posts and comments are warmly welcomed. I hope this post is useful for the readers.
June 18, 2004
5 killed, including Nek Muhammad Wazir, near Wana, South Waziristan. Source Dawn
May 14, 2005
Haitham al-Yemeni killed in a strike near the Afghan border in North Waziristan. Source: Washington Post
November 30, 2005
Al-Qaeda's #3, Abu Hamza Rabia, killed in an attack in Asoray, near Miranshah, the capital of North Waziristan. Source: Daily Telegraph
January 13, 2006
An airstrike kills 18 in Damadola, Bajaur, but misses Ayman al-Zawahri. Source: Telegraph
April 26, 2007
4 killed in the village of Saidgai in North Waziristan. Source: AP
June 19, 2007
20 killed in the village of Mami Rogha in North Waziristan. Source: Washington Post

November 2, 2007

5 killed in an attack on a madrasa in a village outside Miran Shah, North Waziristan. Source New York Times
January 29, 2008
Senior al-Qaeda commander Abu Laith al-Libi, as well as seven Arabs and six Central Asians, died in a missile strike that hit a village near Mir Ali, North Waziristan. Source: BBC
February 27, 2008
12 people killed in a strike near Kalosha village in South Waziristan. Source: Al Jazeera
March 16, 2008
16 killed in a strike in Shahnawaz Kheil Dhoog, South Waziristan. The dead included nine Islamist militants, including one Arab and two Turkmen fighters. Source: ITN
May 14, 2008
12 people, including Abu Sulayman Al-Jazairi, an al-Qaeda leader from Algeria, killed near the hamlet of Khaza, in the Damadola area of Bajaur. The missiles hit the compound of Maulavi Ismail, where militants had gathered for dinner. Source:Dawn
July 28, 2008
South Waziristan missile strike in Zeralita, Azam Warsak, kills 6 al-Qaeda operatives, including Midhat Mursi, a notorious bomb maker who trained Richard Reid and Zacarias Moussaoui. Originally form Egypt, Mursi ran the Derunta training camp in Afghanistan. Source: Reuters
August 31, 2008
Missile strike on Al-Qaeda training camp in Tappi, Miramshah, North Waziristan kills two militants carrying Canadian passports, as well as six others, including two women. Source: Our Bombs
September 8, 2008
23 killed in Daande Darpkhel airstrike in Daande Darpkhel near Miranshah, North Waziristan. The targets of the airstrike were Jalaluddin Haqqani and his son Sirajuddin. Haqqani escaped, but 8 of his grandchildren were among the dead. Source: NYTimes
September 12, 2008
12 killed in Miranshah airstrike on two separate buildings. Seven Taliban are among the dead. Source: BBC
September 30, 2008
6 killed in a strike near Mir Ali, North Waziristan. Source: Telegraph
October 16, 2008
Senior Al-Qaeda leader Khalid Habib, an Egyptian citizen, is killed in a strike near Taparghai, South Waziristan, along with five other al-Qaeda or Taliban members. Long War Journal
October 22, 2008
4 killed in a village near Miranshah by missiles fired from suspected US drone. Source: Reuters
October 26, 2008
20 killed in a strike in Mandatta, South Waziristan. Top Taliban commander Mohammad Omar is among the dead. Source: BBC
October 31, 2008
20 killed, including Al-Qaeda operative Abu Akash and Mohammad Hasan Khalil al-Hakim (alias Abu Jihad al-Masri), after 2 missiles hit near Mir Ali, North Waziristan. Source: The Times of London
October 31, 2008
In the second targeted assassination of the day, two missiles hit a house near Wana, the main town of South Waziristan. The building was a terrorist hideout, and up to 12 rebels died. Source: The Time
November 14, 2008
12 killed in a strike in a village outside Miranshah. A Pakistani security official said that nine foreign militants - believed to be al-Qaeda fighters - were among those killed. Source: The Times
November 19, 2008
Abdullah Azam al-Saudi, along with five other al-Qaeda militants, killed in Bannu district. US intelligence officials had identified him as the main link between Al-Qaeda's senior command and Taliban networks in the Pakistani border region with Afghanistan. Source: Newsweek
November 22, 2008
British-Pakistani al-Qaeda operative Rashid Rauf and 4 others, including Abu Zubair al-Masri, killed in a strike in Ali Khel, North Waziristan. Source: NYTimes
December 22, 2008
At least 8 killed in South Waziristan by suspected US drone strike. Source: VOA
January 1, 2009
2 senior al-Qaeda leaders, Usama al-Kini and Sheikh Ahmed Salim Swedan, killed in a missile strike. Both men had long been on the FBI's Most Wanted list for their role in the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. Source: Fox News
January 23, 2009
In the first attacks since Barack Obama became US president, at least 14 killed in Waziristan in 2 separate attacks by 5 missiles fired from drones. Missile #1 hit a house in a village called Zarakai near the town of Mirali, North Waziristan. Source: BBC
January 23, 2009
In the first attacks since Barack Obama became US president, at least 14 killed in Waziristan in 2 separate attacks by 5 missiles fired from drones. Missile #2 was aimed at the house of a Taliban commander about 6 miles from Wana, South Waziristan. Source: BBC
February 14, 2009
More than 30 killed when two missiles are launched by drones near town of Makin in South Waziristan. Source: NYTimes
February 16, 2009
Strike in Baggan village in the Kurram Valley kills 30, reportedly at a Taliban training camp for fighters preparing to combat coalition forces in Afghanistan. Source: Guardian
March 1, 2009
Strike in Sararogha village in South Waziristan kills 7 people. Source: BBC
March 12, 2009
24 killed in attack in Berju in Kurram Agency. Source: Dawn
March 15, 2009
4 killed in Jani Khel in Bannu district in North-West Frontier Province. Source: NYTimes
March 25, 2009
7 killed in attacks on 2 vehicles by two missiles in Makin area of South Waziristan. Source: BBC
March 26, 2009
A strike killed 4 militants in the Essokhel area, around 19 miles east of Mir Ali town in the North Waziristan tribal region. Source: Times of India
April 1, 2009
14 killed in Orakzai Agency tribal area. Source: BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7975871.stm
April 4, 2009
13 killed in North Waziristan, 20 miles west of the region's main town of Miranshah. Source: Reuters
April 8, 2009
4 killed in attack on a vehicle in Gangi Khel in South Waziristan. Source: Dawn
April 19, 2009
At least 3 killed and 5 injured in an attack in South Waziristan. Source: BBC
April 29, 2009
Strike in Kanni Garam village in South Waziristan kills 6 people. Source: Dawn
May 9, 2009
A strike in Sararogha in South Waziristan kills 6 people. Source: Dawn
May 12, 2009
A strike in Sra Khawra village in South Waziristan kills 8 people. Source: BBC
May 16, 2009
A strike in the village of Sarkai Naki in North Waziristan kills 25 people. Many of the dead were Pakistani militants belonging to a group led by Hafiz Gul Bahadar. A Pakistani intelligence official identified one of the Arab men killed by the drone airstrike as Asad al-Misri. Source: NYTimes
June 14, 2009
A strike on a vehicle in South Waziristan kills 5 people. Source: Reuters
June 18, 2009
A strike in Shahalam village in South Waziristan kills 5 people. Source: Xinhua
June 23, 2009 #1
A strike in Neej Narai in South Waziristan kills at least 8 people. The remote area, about 65 kilometers north of the main district town of Wana, is under the control of Baitullah Mehsud's Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Source: Dawn
June 23, 2009 #2
An airstrike in Makin kills over 60 people but misses Baitullah Mehsud. Many of the dead were attending the funerals of people killed in air strikes earlier that day. The strike is likely the deadliest drone attack to date. Source: NYTimes
July 3, 2009
US Drone kills 17 people and injures a further 27. Source: Press TV
July 7, 2009
A strike on a militant compound in the Zangarha area 9 miles north-east of the town of Ladha in South Waziristan kills at least 12 people. Source: BBC
July 8, 2009 #1
A strike on a hideout in Karwan Manza area, some six miles south-east of Ladha, kills at least 10 militants. and on a vehicle convoy in South Waziristan kills at least 50 people. Source: BBC
July 8, 2009 #2
In the second attack of the day, 40 militants died when five missiles hit a vehicle convoy on the main road between Ladha and Sararogha in South Waziristan. Source: BBC
July 17, 2009
A strike on a house in North Waziristan, 19 miles from Miranshah, kills 4 people. Source: BBC
August 5, 2009
A strike in the Zangar area of South Waziristan killed 12, including Baitullah Mehsud, his wife, and his wife's parents. The Pakistani Taliban leader's death was confirmed after weeks of uncertainty. Source: Guardian
August 11, 2009
A strike in Ladha village, South Waziristan, kills 10. Source: BBC
August 21, 2009
A missile strike on the village of Darpa Kheil, North Waziristan, reportedly targeting Sirajuddin Haqqani, kills at least 21 people. Source: BBC
August 27, 2009
A missile strike on the Tapar Ghai area in the Kanigram district of South Waziristan kills 8 people. One of the dead was reportedly Tohir Yo‘ldosh, leader of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. Source: BBC
September 8, 2009
Drone-fired missiles kill 10 in Dargamandi, North Waziristan. The attack may have killed al-Qaeda leaders Ilyas Kashmiri and Mustafa al Jaziri, as well as three Punjabi militants and two or three local Taliban fighters. Source: Al Jazeera
September 14, 2009
Drone-fired missile kills four people in a car 1.5 miles from Mir Ali in North Waziristan. Source: Military Times
September 24, 2009
Drone-fired missile kills up to 12 people in the village of Dande Darpa Khel near Mir Ali. Source: Military Times
September 29, 2009 #1
In the first strike of the day, a drone attack reportedly kills six Taliban, including two Uzbek fighters and Taliban commander Irfan Mehsud, in a compound in Sararogha village, South Waziristan. Source: Daily Times
September 29, 2009 #2
In the second strike of the day, a missile killed seven insurgents in a house in Dande Darpa Khel village, North Waziristan. Source: Daily Times
October 15, 2009
U.S. drone missile kills at least four people in Darpa Khel in North Waziristan. Source: BBC
October 21, 2009
A U.S. drone missile killed two or three alleged militants in Spalaga, North Waziristan, in territory controlled by Hafiz Gul Bahadur. One of those killed was reportedly Abu Ayyub al-Masri (not the same as Abu Ayyub al-Masri, the al-Qaeda in Iraq leader), an explosives expert for al-Qaeda and a "Tier 1" target of US counter-terrorism operations. Source: The Australian
October 24, 2009
A U.S. drone strike kills 27 in Damadolla, inside Bajaur tribal agency. The 27 victims were reportedly a mix of Taliban and al-Qaeda operatives in a strategy meeting. The dead include 11 "foreigners." One of those reported killed is Faqir Mohammed's nephew, Zahid, and another is Mohammed's unnamed son-in-law. The meeting was apparently being held to decide on whether to reinforce South Wazaristan against Pakistani forces. Source: The Nation
November 5, 2009
2 killed in Miranshah, North Waziristan. Source: Turkish Weekly
November 18, 2009
4 killed and 5 injured in Shanakhora village of North Waziristan, 12 miles south of Miranshah. Source: AFP
November 20, 2009
8 killed in the Machikhel area near the town of Mir Ali. Source: BBC
December 8, 2009
3 killed in a car near Miranshah in North Waziristan, reportedly including 2 al-Qaeda members. Senior al-Qaeda planner Saleh al-Somali, a Somali citizen, is believed to have died in this strike. Source: BBC
December 9, 2009
Six killed in Tanga, Ladha, South Waziristan, four of whom are al-Qaeda -- and two Taliban. Source: Long War Journal
December 17, 2009 #1
17 killed in 2 separate attacks in North Waziristan in an area controlled by Hafiz Gul Bahadur. In the first attack, two missiles hit a car near Dosali, killing two. Source: Military Times
December 17, 2009 #2
In the second attack of the day, 10 missiles fired by five drones hit two compounds in Ambarshaga, killing 15 people. Unnamed sources stated that seven of the dead were "foreigners." Source: Military Times
December 18, 2009

3 killed in an attack in Dattakhel region in North Waziristan. Source: BBC
December 26, 2009
13 killed in an attack in Saidgai village in North Waziristan. Source: Xinhua
December 31, 2009
At least 3 killed in an attack in Machikhel village in North Waziristan. According to The Frontier Post, senior Taliban leader and strong Haqqani ally Haji Omar Khan, brother of Arif Khan, was killed in the strike, along with the son of local tribal leader Karim Khan. Source: CNN
January 1, 2010
A missile strike on a vehicle near Ghundikala village in North Waziristan kills 3. Source: Dawn
January 3, 2010
5 militants including 3 Arabs killed in an attack on Mosakki village around Mir Ali, North Waziristan. Source: Dawn
January 6, 2010
2 separate missile strikes one hour apart kill approximately 20-25 people in Sanzalai village, North Waziristan. The attacks were the deadliest since a suicide bomber killed 7 CIA officers and injured 6 others at Forward Operating Base Chapman in Afghanistan, used by the CIA to coordinate drone attacks in Pakistan. Source: New York Times
January 8, 2010
A missile strike in Tappi village in North Waziristan kills 5 people. All the militants killed were local and attached to Taliban Commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur. Source: AFP
January 9, 2010
Strike kills one of FBI's most wanted terrorists: Jamal Saeed Abdul Rahim, a member of al-Qaeda and Abu Nidal. In total, 4 killed and 3 injured when 2 missiles are fired on a compound in Ismail Khan in North Waziristan, which is territory of the Haqqani network. Source: AP
January 14, 2010
Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud is said to be wounded in an attack that kills 15 militants in Shaktoi, South Waziristan. Source: CNN
January 15, 2010
A drone missile attack killed five militants in Zanini, outside Mir Ali in North Waziristan. Source: AFP
January 15, 2010
Second missile strike of the day kills 6 in Bichi village in North Waziristan. Source: AFP
January 17, 2010
In the 9th drone attack of 2010, four missiles slammed into a house in the Shaktoi area of South Waziristan. The house targeted was used by Usman Jan, head of the al-Qaeda-linked Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Five Uzbeks were killed in the strike, and the rest were Pakistani Taliban. Source: AP
January 19, 2010
Two missiles fired at a compound in the Booya village of the Datakhel sub-division, 20 miles west of Miranshah in North Waziristan kill at least 6 militants. Source: Voice of America

If you want to see the geographical distribution of the drone attacks, please watch on Google Map.

The approximate locations of U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan since 2004. Strikes prior to 2008 are yellow, those in 2008 during the Bush administration are red, and strikes during the Obama administration in 2009-2010 are green. Most strikes are on Pashtun villages in North and South Waziristan in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas along the Afghan border.

Proposed Agenda for Supreme Court: Corrupt Generals!

2010-10-05T05:14:00.000-07:00

The main charges mentioned against the high officials of the armed forces in the petition include amongst others:

Air Chief Marshal Abbas Khattak (retired) had received Rupees 180 million as kickbacks in the purchase of 40 old Mirage fighters.
Air Chief Marshal, Farooq Feroz Khan was suspected of receiving a five percent commission on the purchase of 40 F-7 planes worth $271 million.
In 1996, the army bought 1047 GS-90s jeeps, at a cost of $20,889 per unit. The market value of a jeep then was only $13,000. According to the then National Accountability Bureau (NAB) some senior army officers made Rs. 510 million on the deal.
One hundred and eleven army men received 400 plots in Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan districts of Punjab province, at throwaway prices of Rs 47.50 per kanal (a kanal is about 600 Sq Yards), as against the actual price of Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 (1US $=Rs. 56). Another 35,000 kanals were distributed among them as gifts.
Six respondents got 400 kanals in Punjab while the former chairman of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lt. Gen Mohammad Amjad was allotted a two-kanal plot on the Sarwar Road in Lahore for just Rs. 800,000 â€“ payable in installments over 20 years. The market value of this plot was then Rs. 20 million. General Pervez Musharraf acquired a commercial plot worth Rs. 20 million at DHA in Lahore for just Rs. 100,000 (then UKÂ£ 960) payable over 20 years. As mentioned in the report of Director General Defence Services, a loss of Rs. 5 Billion was incurred due to such allotments.
The army awarded a contract for the purchase of 1000 Hino trucks at $ 40,000 per unit while the local Gandhara Industries (the Hino assembling company in Karachi Pakistan), had offered trucks of the same specification for US$ 25,000 a piece. In a purchase of 3000 Land Rover jeeps in 1995, Army officials allegedly received around Rs 2 Billion as kickbacks.
The Army management at the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) raised the power tariff 13 times during the last three years (from 1999 to 2002) besides purchasing electric meters at Rs 1,050 a piece against the open market price of Rupees 456, causing a loss of Rupees 1.65 Billion to the national exchequer.
In 1996, the Pakistan Navy spent Rupees 13 Million installing air-conditioners at the Islamabad Golf Club without any justification.

The same website reports some other major scams involving serving or ex members of the military junta which were as follows:

General Jahangir Karamat, former Chief of Army Staff, took kickbacks of more than US$ 20 Million from a Ukrainian tank company for purchase of 300 Ukrainian tanks through a middleman named Col Mahmood, a brother corps officer of Karamat.
According to Mr. Rauf Klasra, reporter of The News, many top military officers had their loans written off. This fortunate lot included five lieutenant generals, two major generals and a battalion of other senior uniformed beneficiaries, with some army managed institutions to boot.
The army controlled institutions also got their share from the national plunder when the Army Welfare Trust (AWT) got a massive loan of Rs 14.49 Million written off from a state-owned financial entity, which is now defunct (hardly a surprising fate). Some of the cases were, however, genuine, as their loans were written off in accordance with the rules.
According to the official list of loan write-off beneficiaries tabled in the National Assembly, Lt General (retired) Ali Kuli Khan and his father Lt General Habibullah Khan had their loans written off. The list shows that General Kuli Khan got two loans written off from the Allied Bank of Pakistan while he was still serving in the Army in the mid 90s. The first loan was of Rs 1.8 million and second was Rs. 1.6 million outstanding against Janana De Malucho Textile Mills Limited, Kohat owned by his father General (retired) Habibullah Khan. General Kuli was then one of the directors of the textile mills. After the death of General Habib, he became the chief executive of this textile unit. General Habib, too, was a beneficiary of this loan write off.
Lt General (retired) K M Azhar, who later became active in politics, of Rex Breen Batteries got Rs 16 million written off by the Agriculture Development Bank.
Lt General (retired) SA Burkey and Lt General (retired) Safdar Butt also figure amongst the happy generals benefiting from the state institutions generosity. Another prominent name on the list is that of Air Marshal (retired) A Rahim Khan.
Air Marshal (retired) Viqar Azeem also got Rs 15 million written off from Pakistani Kuwait Investment Co. Lt General (retired) SA Burkey, Major General Zahid Ali Akbar, Brig MM Mahmood, Begum Omar Mahmood, Saeed Ahmedalso got loans written off.
Gohar Ayub Khan, Mr. Raza Kuli Khan brother of General Ali Kuli Khan also got a loan of Rs 7.2 million written off against Rehana Woolen Mills. The loan was written off by the financial institution SAPICO.
Major General (retired) M Mumtaz from Abbottabad, Lt Colonel (retired) Shaukat and Major (retd) Tajuddin Rs 1.2 million, Major General (retired) Ghaziuddn are also in the list. Major General (retired) G Umar also got Rs 8.5 millionwritten off from the Agriculture Development Bank.
Lt General (retired) Safdar Butt, Major General (retired) Abdullah Malik, Brig (retired) M M Mahmood, Col (retired) M Zafar Khan, Mohammad Afzal Khan, Mrs Hamida Farhat also got benefits from the UBL. General (retired) Abdullah had resigned after the military coup of General Zia and had opposed the military take over of July 1977.

The list also names:

Brigadier (retired) M A Baig and Qamar Ahmad, BA Siddiqi, Zubair Rashid, Mohammad Sadiq Baig, Riazur Rehman, Mrs Mamomnna Khatoon, Mrs Mehr Riaz, Mr Taufiq Ahmed Rs 1.09 million (UBL).
Lt-Colonel (retired) Ch M Anis Ahmed, Colonel Atta ullah, Shahid Atta, Mst Qamar un Nisa Rs 2.6 million
Irfan Rice Mills of Colonel (retired) Nazar Hussain Rs 1.6 million
Mehr Textile Mills, Chakwal, Colonel Mohammad Ayub Khan, Ch Nisar Ali Khan, Ch Asad Ali Khan, Mrs Sultana Zakia, Mohammad Nawaz, Ch Ghulam Ali Khan. Major General (retired) Khadim H. Raja, Air Marshal (retired) A Rahim Khan, Mrs Sattar Azim Khan also got loan written off.
Mohammad Textile Mills Limited of Air Commodore (retired) Amanullah got a loan of Rs. 95 million written off from the United Bank Limited (UBL).
Air Vice Marshal (retired) Ata Elahi Sheikh of the National Fructose Limited also got Rs 43 million written off.
Sairani Cotton Ginning Factory owners Capt (retired) Shahraz Latif and his business partners Shahnaz Latif, Ch Mohammad Ashraf also got loan written off.
Air Marshal (retired) A Rashid Sheikh, Air vice Marshal (retired) S Moinur Rab, Group Captain (retired) Mohammad Ismal Khan, Salman Rashid of Sky Rooms Limited got Rs 8.4 million loan written off.
Brigadier (retired) SM Bakar Naqvi, Mian Ahmed Rabbani, Pervez Iftikar Khan, Abdul Aziz, NM Khanzada and Major (retired) Afzalul Haq also among the beneficiaries.
Colonel (retired) M Yaqoob of Aswan Tentage and Canvas got a huge loan of Rs 276 million written off from Bankers Equity. His other business partners were Colonel (retired) M. Yaqoob, Mohamamd Afzal Chugtai, Mohammad Siddiqi, Haji Ghulam Sabir and Idris Ahmed Butt.
Farook Pulp of Mjaor Nasim A Farooqi, Naeem A Farooqi, Pervez Farooqi, Munir Ahmed Khan and Saleem Farooqi got loan of Rs 2.1 million loan written off.
Captain (retired) Shaukat of Locus Enterprises got Rs 8.8 million written off. His business partners were Wiqar Abbas, Khalid Khan, Colonel (retired) M Sadiq Khan, Nabil Hasan, Masoud Abbasi and Abdul Razak.
Raja Iftikar Kiani of Ms Alliance Textile Mills, Jhelum got a wavier of Rupees 16 million from the Muslim Commercial Bank (MCB).
Lieutenant-Colonel, who owned the Meditex Intl got Rs 6.322 million written off from the HBL. His business partner was Col (retired) Bashir Ahmed.
Commander Abdul Latif also got Rs 10 million written off. Shangrila Macropole Inn, Lahore got Rs 4.3 loan written off.
Brigadier (retired) Mohammad Aslam Khan and Co got Rs 4.3 million written off.
Feroz Sons Textile Mills Mirpur owners Colonel (retired) Munir Hussain, Nasim Farmsâ€™s and Major General (retired) Qazi Nasim Majeed are also among the beneficiaries.
Colonel (retired) Saleem of Special Iron and Steel Mills Limited, Lt General (retired) Habibullah Khan, Brigadier (retired) M Jan Hahang M Khandawala, Raza Kuli Khan, Colonel (retired) M Sharif Khan, Begum Tehmina Habibullah, M I Khurram, M Nazir Khan and IA Khurram are also among the beneficiaries.
Major (retired) Mohamamd Anwar, S Aijaz Ali Shah, S Amjad Ali Shah, S Ghulam Qadir, S Aftab Ali Shah, S Ali Gohar Shah, S. Amin Shah also on the list. Lt-Col (retired) M Jaffar, JH Dinshaw Rs 7.2 million, Chemphar Pakistan Limited of Brigadier (retired) Shareef Rahat, Captain (retired) AM Murad and Major (retired) Tariq Baig are also among the beneficiaries.

Source: http://pkpolitics.com/

It is now a challenge for all the civil society and media proponents of a crusade against corruption to urge the judiciary to take notice of the corruption of the generals and take the cases of corruption for regular hearing which have been pending since 2003.

Objectives Resolution: The Root of Religious Capture of Pakistan

2010-10-05T05:10:00.000-07:00

This speech was delivered by Mr. Sris Chandra Chattopadhya in opposition to Objectives Resolution, in Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on 12 March 1949
(Courtesy Mr. Mohammad Anwarul Haq)

Mr. Sris Chandra Chattopadhya (East Bengal : General) : Mr. President, I thought, after my colleague, Mr. Bhupendra Kumar Datta, had spoken on the two amendments on behalf of the Congress Party, I would not take any part in this discussion. He appealed, he reasoned and made the Congress position fully clear, but after I heard some of the speakers from the majority party, viz, Muslim League Party, the manner in which they had interpreted the Resolution, it became incumbent on me to take part in this discussion.

I have heard Dr. Malik and appreciate his standpoint. He says that "we got Pakistan for establishing a Muslim State, and the Muslims suffered for it and therefore it was not desireable that anybody should speak against it". I quite agree with him. He said; "If we establish a Muslim State and even if we become reactionaries, who are you to say anything against it?" That is a standpoint which I understand, but here there is some difficulty. We also, on this side, fought for the independence of the country. We worked for the independence of the entire country. When our erstwhile masters, Britishers, were practically in the mood of going away, the country was divided – one part became Pakistan and the other remained India. If in the Pakistan State there would have been only Muslims, the question would have been different. But there are some non-muslims also in Pakistan. When they wanted a division there was no talk of an exchange of population. If there was an exchange of population, there would have been an end of the matter, and Dr. Malik could establish his Pakistan in his own way and frame constitution accordingly. It is also true that the part of Pakistan in which Dr. Malik lives is denuded of non-Muslims. That is clear.

Dr. Omar Hayat Malik: On a point of order, Sir, I never said that. He has understood me quite wrongly.

Mr. Omar Hayat Malik: I never said that Pakistan was denuded of non-Muslims. My friend on the opposite has misunderstood me.

Mr. Sris Chandra Chattopadhya: I say the part in which Dr. Malik lives is denuded of non-Muslims. I did not say that Dr. Malik had said that Pakistan was denuded of non-Muslims. That is clear.

But we belong to East Bengal. One-fourth of the population is still non-Muslim. Therefore, what constitution is to be framed, it is our duty, it is in our interest to look to. We are not going to leave East Bengal. It is our homeland. It is not a land by our adoption. My forefather, founder of my family, came to East Bengal thousand years back on the invitation of the then King of Bengal. I am 27th in decent from him. Therefore, East Bengal is my land. I claim that East Bengal and Eastern Pakistan belongs to me as well as to any Mussalman and it will be my duty to make Pakistan a great, prosperous and powerful State so that it may get a proper place in the comity of nations because I call myself a Pakistani. I wish that Pakistan must be a great State. That will be covetable to Muslims as well as to non-Muslims who are living in East Bengal. A few people from East Bengal have left – may be five per cent and my calculation is not even that. Of course, there are other calculations too – somebody says ten lakhs. We are living in East Bengal peacefully, in peace and amity with out Muslim neighbours as we had been living from generations to generations. Therefore, I am anxious to see that its constitution is framed in such a way which may suit the Muslims as well as the non-Muslims. I have gone carefully through this Resolution and I have carefully, read made-to-order, nicely-worded statement of my esteemed friend, Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan. But after reading the Resolution carefully and reading the statement, even after hearing the speeches of my friends, both the Doctors and others, I cannot change my opinion. I cannot persuade myself to accept this Resolution and my instruction to my party would be to oppose this Resolution.

Now as for the first paragraph:

"Whereas sovereignty over the entire universe belongs to God Almighty alone and the authority which He has delegated to the State of Pakistan through its people for being exercised within the limits prescribed by Him is a sacred trust".

This part of the Resolution, I think, ought to be deleted. All powers, in my opinion, rest with the people and they exercise their power through the agency of the State. State is merely their spokesman. The Resolution makes the State the sole authority received from God Almighty through the instrumentality of people – Nemittamatrona, "Merely instruments of the State". People have no power or authority, they are merely post boxes according to this Resolution. The State will exercise authority within the limits prescribed by Him (God). What are those limits, who will interpret them? Dr. Qureshi or my respected Maulana Shabbir Ahmed Osmani? In case of difference, who will interpret? Surely they are not the people. One day a Louis XIV may come and say "I am the State, anointed by the Almighty" thus paving the way for advent Divine Right of Kings of afresh. Instead of State being the voice of the people, it has been made an adjunct of religion. To me voice of people is the voice of God, "Jatra jiba tatra shiva." The people are the manifestation of God.

In my conception of State where people of different religion live there is no place for religion in the State. Its position must be neutral: no bias for any religion. If necessary, it should help all the religions equally. No question of concession or tolerance to any religion. It smacks of inferiority complex. The State must respect all religions: no smiling face for one and askance look to the other. The state religion is a dangerous principle. Previous instances are sufficient to warn us not to repeat the blunder. We know people were burnt alive in the name of religion. Therefore, my conception is that the sovereignty must rest with the people and not with any body else.

Then about the Constituent Assembly representing the people of Pakistan. This Constituent Assembly was created by a Statute – Indian Independence Act – allotting one member for ten lakhs of people to be elected by the members of the Provincial Assemblies. The members were not elected by the people themselves. They are for the purpose of framing a constitution. They have the legal right to do so but they cannot say that they are the representatives of the people. They are merely a Statutory Body.

Then I come to the fourth paragraph:

"Wherein the principles of democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance and social justice, as enunciated by Islam, shall be fully observed."

Of course, they are beautiful words: Democracy, freedom, equality, everything. Now about this portion I had some discussion with some Maulanas from the Punjab. What they told me must be from their religious books. I shall repeat here. If I commit blunder, I wish to be corrected.

In this connection you say "equal rights", but at the same time with limitations as enunciated by Islam. Is there any equal right in an Islamic country? Was there any …. An Honourable Member: "There was in Islamic countries." ……. It was not between Muslims and non-Muslims. We are now divided into Congress Party and Muslim League Party here for farming constitution and suppose after framing of this constitution we face election, and parties are formed on different alignment, there may not be Congress, there may not be Muslim League, because the Congress has fulfilled its mission of attaining independence and Muslim League has also got Pakistan. There may be parties of haves and have-nots – and they are bound to be – and have-nots party may have a leader coming form non-Muslims. Will he be allowed to be the head of the administration of a Muslim State? It is not a fact that a non-Muslim cannot be head of the administration in a Muslim State. I discussed this question and I was told that he could not be allowed to be the head of the administration of a Muslim State. Then what is the use of all this. The question is whether there can be Juma Namaz in a country with a non-Muslim as its head, I am told that a country where a non-Muslim is the Head of the administration – as was in India, the Britishers were the head of the administration – according to the interpretations of Muslim rules, and I do not know much of them Muslims cannot say their Juma Namaz. As an instance, I cite a case and I think, the Honourable President also knows about it – in the District of Faridpur, Dudu Mea’s party. They do not say Juma Namaz. His grandson, Pir Badshah Mia, told me that "in a country where the head is a non-Muslim, there cannot be Juma Namaz." Therefore, the words "equal rights as enunciated by Islam" are – I do not use any other word – a camouflage. It is only a hoax to us, the non-Muslims. There cannot be equal rights as enunciated by Islam. If the State is formed without any mandate of the religion, anybody whether Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist who can get votes can become its head, as such there would be difficulty if a portion of a book – it is not my book, it is not a Congress book, it is a Jamat-I-Islam publication from Lahore and it was handed over to me. I read a few lines from this book – Page 20.

"The preceding statement makes it quite clear that Islam is not democracy; for democracy is the name given to that particular form of Government in which sovereignty ultimately rests with the people in which legislation depends both in its form and content on the force and direction of public opinion and laws are modified and altered, to correspond to changes in that opinion. If a particular legislation is desired by the mass of people steps have to be taken to place it on the Statute Book if the people dislike any law and demand its removal, it is forthwith expunged and ceases to have any validity. There is no such thing in Islam which, therefore, cannot be called democracy in this sense of the term".

My friend, the Honourable Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar, the other day said ‘What is in the name’? I also say, what is in the name? Name may be given to mislead people but it will smell theocracy.

The Honourable Sardar Abdur Rab Khan Nishtar (West Punjab: Muslim): Do you know what treatment was meted out to this man by the Government? He is in jail.

Mr Sris Chandra Chattopadhya: That is a different matter. Further he goes on:

"A more apt name for it would be the Kingdom of God which is described in English as "theocracy".

I do not know much of your theocracy or Sunna. But he told me many things about Islam.

And then you will also find this:

"No law can be changed unless the injunction is to be found in God’s shariat. Laws are changed by the concensus of opinion amongst the Muslims."

So, if any law is to be changed, it is to be changed by the vote of the Muslims only. Where are we then? We are not Muslims. There are, I find, many safeguards in the Resolution. I do not attach much importance to them. Words are there but there is no law which will allow them to be put into practice. That is the limitation. If the non-Muslims cannot vote, then what is the good of our coming here for farming the constitution? Even if we have the right to vote for a legislation but if some non-Muslim wants to be the President of the State, he will not be able to do so. If we want to elect somebody who is a non-Muslim, he cannot be elected by us to be a member of the legislature. We may vote, but we can vote for Mr Nishtar only and not for Mr Chandra Chattopadhya, who is a non-Muslim. I know you can pass this Resolution because you are in the majority and I know the tyranny of the majority. But we cannot be a consenting party to it; we must oppose it in order to safeguard our interests and not to commit suicide by accepting this Resolution. If that is so, what is the position of non-Muslims in a Muslim State? They will play the part of the second fiddle – the drawers of water and hewers of wood. Can you expect any self-respecting man will accept that position and remain contented? If the present Resolution is adopted, the non-Muslims will be reduced to that condition excepting what they may get out of concession or pity from their superior neighbours. Is it equality of rights? Is it wrong if we say that the non-Muslims will be in the position of Plebeians? There may not be patricians and plebeians in the Muslim community, but the question is between the Muslims and non-Muslims.

That much about this Resolution. Now, Dr Qureshi has attributed fear complex to the non-Muslims and has found a new dictum of behaviour for the minority. He has given a warning to the non-Muslims and has asked them to discard fear and behave well. What does our conduct show? We are not afraid of anybody. We, the Congress people, were not afraid of any or any power. We are still living in Eastern Pakistan and we are not running away. We are telling our brothers not to leave Eastern Pakistan and not to give up one inch of land. The position in the Western Pakistan is different. There the non-Muslims have left. But we are determined to stay on. As for behaviour it depends upon the majority community by their behaviour to get the confidence of the minority people. The minority people cannot create by their conduct confidence in the majority. They majority people should behave in such a way that the minority people may not be afraid of them and may not suspect them.

Dr Ishtiaq Husain Qureshi : On a point of personal explanation, Sir, I never said or implied in my speech that my friends on the opposite side were suffering from the fear of the seen. Unfortunately, they have been suffering from the fear of the unknown and my point was that the Objectives Resolution does not embody any principle which might make them afraid. I know that my friends are very brave and they would certainly not run away and I also know .. …

Mr President : This much will do for your explanation.

Mr Sris Chandra Chattopadhya : It goes without saying that by introducing the religious question, the differences between the majority and the minority are being perpetuated, for how long, nobody knows. And, as apprehended by us, the difficulty of interpretation has already arisen. The accepted principle is that the majority, by their fair treatment, must create confidence in the minority. Whereas the Honourable Mover of the Resolution promises respect, in place of charity or sufferance for the minority community the Deputy Minister, Dr Qureshi, advises the minority to win the good-will of the majority by their behaviour. In the House of the Legislature also we find that, while the Prime Minister keeps perfectly to his dictum, others cannot brook that the Opposition should function in the spirit of opposition. The demand is that the Opposition should remain submissive. That is Dr Qureshi’s way of thinking. The minorities must be grateful for all the benevolence they get and must never complain for the malevolence that may also be dealt out to them. That is his solution of the minority problem.

Dr Ishtiaq Husain Qureshi : Sir, I again rise on a point of personal explanation. I never said that. My words are being twisted. What I said was this that the best guarantee of a minority’s rights is the good-will of the majority and those words cannot be twisted into the way my friend has been twisting them.

Mr Sris Chandra Chattopadhya : My esteemed friend, Mr Nishtar, speaks that there is difference of outlook between the two parties. It is true that before the division of India into two States, India and Pakistan, we opposed the division on the ground that the people of India consisted of one nation, and the Muslim League supported the division on two-nation theory, the Muslims and the non-Muslims. There was this fundamental difference in our outlook and in our angle of vision. India was divided without the division of the population. So, in both the States there are Muslims and non-Muslims – no exchange of population and even no exchange of population under contemplation. We, the non-Muslims of Pakistan, have decided to remain in Pakistan, as the loyal citizens of Pakistan. Of course, some non-Muslims from East Bengal and practically the majority of non-Muslim from West Pakistan left the place. We all ourselves the nationals of Pakistan and style ourselves as Pakistanis. But this Resolution cuts at the root of it and Mr Nishtar’s speech makes it clear. We, the Congress people, still stick to our one nation theory and we believe that the people of Pakistan, Muslims and non-Muslims, consist of one nation and they are all Pakistanis. Now, if it is said that the population of Pakistan consists of two nations, the Muslims who form the majority party and the non-Muslims who form the minority party, how are they to be described? Nowhere in the world nationality is divided on the score of religion.

Even in Muslim countries there are people of different religions. They do not call themselves a majority or minority party. They call themselves as members of one nation, though professing different religions. If the Muslims call themselves Pakistanis, will the non-Muslims call themselves non-Pakistanis. What will they call themselves?

Some Honourable Members : Pakistanis.

Mr Sris Chandra Chattopadhya : Will they both call themselves Pakistanis? Then how will the people know who is Muslim and who is non-Muslim? I say, give up this division of the people into Muslims and non-Muslims and let us call ourselves one nation. Let us call ourselves one people, people of Pakistan. Otherwise, if you call me non-Muslim and call yourselves Muslim the difficulty will be if I call myself Pakistani they will say you are a Muslim. That happened when I had been to Europe. I went there as a delegate of Pakistan. When I said "I am a delegate of Pakistan" they thought I was a Muslim. They said "But you are a Muslim". I said, "No, I am a Hindu". A Hindu cannot remain in Pakistan, that was their attitude. They said: "You cannot call yourself a Pakistani". Then I explained everything and told them that there are Hindus and as well as Muslims and that we are all Pakistanis. That is the position. Therefore, what am I to call myself? I want an answer to that. I want a decision on this point from my esteemed friend, Mr Liaquat Ali Khan.

I request my Honourable friend, Mr Nishtar, to forget this outlook, this angle of vision. Let us form ourselves as members of one nation. Let us eliminate the complexes of majority and minority. Let us treat citizens of Pakistan as members of one family and frame such a constitution as may not break this tie so that all communities may stand shoulder to shoulder on equal footing in time of need and danger. I do not consider myself as a member of the minority community. I consider myself as one of seven crores of Pakistanis. Let me have to retain that privilege.

I have stated about this Resolution. Now what will be the result of this Resolution? I sadly remind myself of the great words of the Quaid-I-Azam that in state affairs the Hindus will cease to be a Hindu; the Muslim shall cease to be a Muslim. But alas, so soon after his demise what you do is that you virtually declare a State religion! You are determined to create a Herrenvolk. It was perhaps bound to be so, when unlike the Quaid-I-Azam – with whom I was privileged to be associated for a great many years in the Indian National Congress – you felt your incapacity to separate politics from religion, which the modern world so universally does. You could not get over the old world way of thinking. What I hear in this Resolution not the voice of the great creator of Pakistan – the Quaid-I-Azam (may his soul rest in peace), nor even that of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the Honourable Mr Liaquat Ali Khan but of the Ulemas of the land.

When I came back to my part of the country after several months absence in Europe, the thing that I saw there depressed me. A great change for the worse has come over the land. I noticed that change this side also. I told His Excellency Khawaja Nazimuddin of it. I told the Honourable Mr Liaquat Ali Khan about it and now that spirit of reaction has overwhelmed this House also. This Resolution in its present form epitomizes that spirit of reaction. That spirit will not remain confined to the precincts of this House. It will send its waves to the countryside as well. I am quite upset. I have been passing sleepless nights pondering what shall I now tell my people whom I have so long been advising to stick to the land of their birth? They are passing a state of uncertainty which is better seen and left than imagined from this House. The officers have opted out, the influential people have left, the economic conditions are appalling, starvation is widespread, women are going naked, people are sinking without trade, without occupation. The administration is ruthlessly reactionary, a steam-roller has been set in motion against the culture, language and script of the people. And on the top of this all, by this Resolution you condemn them to a perpetual state of inferiority. A thick curtain is drawn against all rays of hope, all prospects of an honourable life.

After this what advice shall I tender? What heart can I have to persuade the people to maintain a stout heart? But I feel it is useless bewailing before you, it is useless reasoning with you. You show yourselves incapable of humility that either victory or religion ought to generate. You then go your way, I have best wishes for you. I am an old man not very far from my eternal rest. I am capable of forgetting all injuries. I bear you no ill will. I wish you saw reason. Even as it is, may no evil come your way. May you prosper, may the newly-born State of Pakistan be great and get its proper place in the comity of nations. (Applause.)

Happy Pakistan Day - Part II

2010-10-05T04:49:00.000-07:00

Continued from my last post Happy Pakistan Day

Having seen ample evidence that Lahore Resolution was not the “only one” of its kind and the first proposal of partition, it becomes imperative now to examine the Resolution in further detail. How the truths about this Resolution have been distorted deliberately has a lot to do with today’s Pakistan. The fall-out of this distortion and outright murder of history, on Pakistan and its relation with neighboring India today is beyond the level we can imagine.

The textbooks and reinforcing media messages, owned completely by the state and the people, claim that the Resolution was adopted on this twenty-third day of March of the year nineteen hundred and forty. No lie can be whiter than this! According to the Proceedings of the 27th Annual Session of All India Muslim League, a Reception Committee was established for receiving the delegates. The “Nawab” of Mamdot was the Chairman of this Committee who opened the session on March 22, 1940 with a short address at 3:00 pm. His address was followed by Mr. Jinnah’s long speech, which for a change was not written, who was presiding over the session. The session was adjourned after this speech only to be re-met on March 23, 1940 at 3:00 pm.

At the beginning of the second day March 23, Maulvi Fazl-e-Haq of Bengal introduced the resolution, which was seconded by Chaudhri Khaliquzzaman. Both of them spoke on the Resolution for a while after which Zafar Ali Khan, Sardar Aurangzeb Khan and Sir Abdullah Haroon delivered their speeches (names are in the order of their speeches). The session was then adjourned again to be met the next day. On March 24, 1940, the session began in the morning at 11:15 am. A non-interactive discussion on the Resolution started with the speeches of Leagui leaders from United Provinces, Balochistan and Madras. Till this time Mr. Jinnah was not present on the occasion. After the speech of Abdul Hamid Khan, Jinnah entered the venue and took the Presiding seat. Speeches in favour of the Resolution continued by other leaders. After another hour and a half, Jinnah intervened and let another resolution on Palestine to be introduced to the house. After a few speeches in favour of this second resolution, the session adjourned to be re-met at 9:00 pm the same night.

In the night session, two more speeches were made by Sayyid Zakir Ali and Begum Mohammad Ali – the only woman speaker of the occasion – in favour of the Lahore Resolution before the announcement of vote by show of hand. The Resolution was adopted although, without any dissenting vote –meaning unanimously. Two more resolutions were moved and passed without discussion afterwards, one on the Khaksaars and other on the amendment to Party’s constitution. After which, office bearers of All India Muslim League, for the next year were elected. The session was, then wound up at 11:30 pm by Mr Jinnah with a short concluding speech. So the Resolution Day that we commemorate on March 23, was actually passed (adopted) a litter earlier than the midnight between March 24 and 25, 1940.

You must be, dear reader, wondering why so much ranting about just a date? The date can very conveniently have been changed from the texts had it been an error of misprinting or typology. But there’s much more to it. For the reminder of posterity, may I recall here when Pakistan was created. Was it a day earlier than the Independence of India on 15th of August 1947? Another lie. Both the countries became dominions of the Crown of England simultaneously at the midnight between August 14 and 15, 1947. Our India-centric leadership decided to mark August 14 as the “Creation of Pakistan” day as distinction from Indian Independence Day.

But how is it related to our twenty-third day of March celebrations? A great deal. We did NOT get independence on Aug 14, 1947. We were still under the crown, observing the colonial law as our constitution (Government of India Act 1935). This made it impending on both the juvenile nation states to make and promulgate their constitution to grant themselves “Independence”. India did that in 1949 – right after 26 months of partition. They passed it o n Nov 26, 1949 and promulgated on Jan 26, 1950, which to date stands as the longest written constitution of any independent state of the world. They celebrate this day as their Republic Day.

Pakistan could, for reasons understandable, do it in 1955. We were able to promulgate it on the twenty-third day of March 1956, which became since then, our Republican day. The Yaum-e-Jamhooriya Pakistan – Pakistan Republican Day. The nation was happy although it did not have any say in authorship of that constitution but still it made them free from British Crown forever. We started commemorating it every year since then. And then a soldier came to reign in, on October 1958. The soldier felt ridiculous on the eve of third Republican Day, March 1959 to commemorate the birth of a constitution he himself had abrogated. His advisors came up with the idea to slightly twist the reason to celebrate. Thence the Republican Day of Pakistan became Pakistan Day.

What pains me is, how easily the people of Pakistan let them go scot-free. Today when we are living in a democratic independent state, we still are carrying on this farce. We still do not realize how this lie has impacted our psyches. We’re deliberately keeping ourselves oblivious. We are just not bothered. Little do we realize that an honest account of history is an undeniable right of posterity. We have committed a crime against time without realizing that it can prove too ferocious and vengeful an enemy if taken lightly!

In the next post, we’ll analyze the contents of the Lahore Resolution to make head and tail of what our leaders wanted out of that.

Happy Pakistan Day - Part I

2010-10-05T04:39:00.001-07:00

Every year when this day approaches, a rampant euphoria that engulfs the air makes me increasingly nervous about our collective intelligence to understand history and putting it in perspective. Whereas one can differ on varying approaches on how to interpret history and applied to the current situations – déjà vu or sui generis – but statement of facts in a manner that doesn’t compromise factual correctness, can not be overemphasized. It is not difficult to ascertain how crucial it could become in engineering the psyche of a whole generation and changing the course of events for all the times to come. Even if it is as little a thing, as changing the dates of events!

This twenty third day of March is invariably painted in all the media around us, as “Pakistan Day”. Little does the term offer for a toddler to understand what the term means? I say toddler because this little piece of information I saw my daughter memorize when she was not even in grade one. And that was the day that I decided state run schools and even the private schools that are made to follow state prescribed curriculum are just not the place for my daughter’s education. I wonder why people of Pakistan let their children become the fodder of wrong state propaganda, through poorly conceived textbooks, so easily? I’ve been shrieking at the top of my throat since now almost a decade that these text books are telling white lies to our children who’re growing with strange notions and hollow rhetoric. No one is moved. Not even for the sake of our posterity. So much to talk of responsible parenting!

Sorry for this digression, thanks to my state of mind after almost a life time struggle for truth! So my dear reader, we were to talk about twenty-third day of March. Here is how a textbook for grade 12 describes Pakistan Day:

For those who can’t read Persian transcript, the transliteration would be:

“Annual Session of All India Muslim League was held on 23rd March 1940 at the historical Iqbal of Lahore. Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah presided it over and a large number of Muslims from all over India participated. Maulvi Fazl-e-Haq of Bengal Province presented a resolution with the title Lahore Resolution and the participants adopted the resolution amid loud slogans. Muslims had determined their destination. That was a historical day. Mianr-e-Pakistan has been built in Iqbal Park to keep the memories of that day alive”.

What a farce! This is a Punjab Text Book Board textbook for grade 12, whose authors are some Mr Mohammad Farooq Malik, Dr Sultan Khan, Rai Faiz and Khadim Ali Khan. The book has been published by Punjab Textbook Board Lahore printed by Malik House Ganpat Road Lahore. It does neither tell the date of printing nor the number of printed copies. On the first page however, it carries messages from General (the then President of the country) Pervez Musharraf and Chaudhry Pervez Ilahi (the then Chief Minister of Punjab).

These two messages tell that it must have been printed sometime between 2002 and 2007, and must have been in force since atleast three years. I’m amazed that there’s no one from amongst the parents who could be at least as much conscious about their children’s education, as to ask at least about the authors! There’s just no mention of where the authors come from, what’s their profile etc.

All this aside, come to the twenty-third day discussion.

The quoted passage is not the only instance. This propaganda is being done at state level, at media level and in all public spheres. The notification of public holiday on March 23 every year also tells that the day marks “Pakistan Resolution”’s adoption in 1940.

Let me challenge this sheer rape of history in clearest of terms. The said resolution is not Pakistan Resolution, One. It is very clearly named Lahore Resolution in all the documents that record the happenings of that year (1940). The evidence can be had in 12-volume compilation The Partition Papers, kept in India Office Library London. The other document that could be consulted is the Proceedings of All India Muslim League’s 27th Annual Session, kept in National Archives of Pakistan.

Secondly, the Day is commemorated as if the said resolution came as a shock in which a “separate country for Muslims” was demanded. It didn’t. One can quote several dozen proposals of partition, with different details, prior to this Resolution year (1940). Whereas the Muslims may continue to fool themselves by asserting that the idea of separation was home grown by the Muslims of India starting from the era of Sayyid Ahmad Khan, the facts will remain facts. The idea of separation in terms of establishing five or six presidencies with complete autonomy and ultimately becoming independent states first came in 1858. Hold your breath, the author was John Bright, not (Sir) Sayyid Ahmad Khan! John Bright while speaking in House of Commons on June 24, 1858 elaborated on his ideas of the solution to Indian problem during the debate on Government of India Bill.

Knighted by the English, Sayyid Ahmad Khan took forward the idea and started with his famous “Muslims and Hindus are two separate nations” in 1867 as probably a prelude to the physical partition of Indian nation into two religious nationalities. It had to be this way. People had to be convinced of their being “different” before they were physically and territorially separated. The idea then started growing with at least a dozen different proposals till the turn of century. The authors of partition included Joh Bright, Sayyid Ahmad Khan, Jamaluddin “Afghani”, Theodore Beck, Abdul Halim Sharar, Theodore Morison. In the 20th century more than 155 proposals of partition with different details were carried forward till the day of adoption of Lahore Resolution in 1940. The 20th century campaign was, interestingly, started by Bhai Parmanand, a well meaning leader of Hindu Mahasabha with a statement, “Divide India on Hindu-Muslim lines” in 1904. Since then, Hindu Mahasabha could not liberate itself with the idea of partition. Although this idea saw multiplication by many other Muslim, British and Hindu leaders of the time including Akbar Allahabadi, Mohammad Ali (Johar), Joseph Stalin, Hasrat Mohani etc. Almost seventy different proposal had already been taken rounds in media, public discourse and corridors of power before Chaudhry Rehmat Ali distributed his much talked about Pamphlet in 1933.

In the backdrop of the above information gathered from a host of sources, it seems ridiculous to take 1940 as the origin of the idea of Pakistan, the information shamelessly transferred to the children in Pakistan.

Continued

Mian Nawaz Sharif in the Court

2010-10-05T04:31:00.000-07:00

In Court With Nawaz Sharif

This account was published in Time Asia on November 22, 1999. Posted on Baaghi for the sake of revisiting immediate history that seems to somehow dissolve in the air and put the people in amnesia so often. Read, think and decide!

By GHULAM HASNAIN Karachi

Muhammed Nawaz Sharif was clearly disoriented and depressed as he stepped into the courtroom on Friday afternoon. For a moment, he seemed on the verge of breaking down in tears -- his eyes were moist. "Where should I sit?" he asked one of his lawyers. He was shown a chair in the back.

When the formal proceedings began, Judge Rehman Husain Jafri asked Sharif if he had been tortured by the police. Sharif replied: "I was in solitary confinement for the last 38 days. In these days I never encountered any policemen." However, he said he had been interrogated by officials from other government agencies.

Jafri: The scope [of this trial] is quite limited. Police say you were arrested at 12:05 a.m. on Nov. 19.

Sharif: No, I was in solitary confinement for the last 38 days.

Jafri: That is a different subject. You can tell this when the actual trial will begin. This is not linked.

Sharif: Sir, I think it is linked.

Jafri: Were you tortured in custody?

Sharif: They did not beat me. But there are other things. If asked, I will tell you. Except torture they did everything.

Jafri: Do you know the charges?

Sharif: I have no idea what the charges are.

The judge read the charges--of treason, hijacking a commercial airliner and endangering the lives of 200 passengers.

Sharif: This is the first time I am hearing this.

After this exchange, the judge heard from lawyers for the defense and the prosecution. During this period, I managed to ask Sharif a few questions. Seeing me take notes, security in the courtroom signaled me to get out, but they didn't approach me for fear of interrupting the trial.

TIME: Did you order the hijacking?
Sharif: You hijack a plane with a gun. It is the democratically elected government which has been hijacked. It is the democracy which has been hijacked. Parliament has been hijacked. It is the 140 million people who have been hijacked. Who says plane was hijacked? There was no hijacking.

TIME: So what happened on Oct. 12? Did you sack army chief Pervez Musharraf?
Sharif: The coming moments will unfold everything. You will know soon what actually happened on that day. The thing which has to be found out is whether it was the coup which came first or the orders to the aircraft.

TIME: Do you expect justice and a fair trial?
Sharif: It will soon be clear. Everything will be in front of you.

TIME: Do you fear the military regime will hang you, as they did in the case of Zulfikar Bhutto?
Sharif: Let's see. I have left everything in the hands of God.

TIME: Where have you been since the coup?
Sharif: They kept shifting me to different places. I was kept in small rooms. Dingy rooms. I can't explain it to you in words. Seeing is believing. There was no mineral water. Each time I had to request them to fetch me mineral water. The supply of running water in the room was erratic. I was kept away from TV and newspapers. I had telephonic conversation with my family only twice. I don't know what is happening to them. I was totally in the dark.

TIME: What was the attitude of your captors toward you?
Sharif: It varied place to place. Each time you face different people. And they treat you in a different manner.

TIME: How long do you think this will continue?
Sharif: Let's see.

After hearing from lawyers on both sides, Judge Jafri handed Sharif over to police custody for interrogation till Nov. 22. He was taken away in an armored personnel carrier to an unknown destination. Sharif had been in court about 40 minutes.

Postscript: On Saturday, security officials didn't allow newsmen anywhere near the court--we were even barred from standing on the main road outside.

From the Forgotten Archives: Question Mark for Judiciary, Army & Media

2010-10-05T04:27:00.000-07:00

This article was posted on the website of The South Asia Tribune (Issue No 54, August 10-16, 2003). SAT was a web news portal run and edited by Mr Shaheen Sehbai, now Group Editor of the Jang Group, who was at daggers drawn with Musharraf led army at that point in time. So fierce were his writings that he had to flee the country and take refuge in USA. Many suspect, that he did it to get green card for him and family. Once he got the much wanted green cards, threat to his life suddenly ended and he came back during same Musharraf regime and joined ARY TV.
This strange turn of events aside, Mr. Sehbai ran this web portal for quite some time and shut it down just before returning to Pakistan. South Asia Tribune gave space to many right wing journalists who have been traditionally pro-establishment, pro-army and anti India. The news character SAT displayed on web coincided with first and third variable, i.e., pro-establishment and anti-India, but strangely enough, like all other traditional proponents of army, (e.g., Shirin Mazari, Naseem Zehra, Roedad Khan, Hameed Gul, etc) Mr Sehbai also followed the same course.
On SAT's masthead, it was claimed that its a web Newspaper for investigative reporting. Probably that was the reason why an extreme right wing reporter Ansar Abbasi was groomed by it and used to be given quite a handsome space. Many former army officers including Mr A. H. Amin, the author of the following post, were also among those who came up with many "investigative" reports in those days, religiously being posted on SAT. The interesting thing was, majority of these "investigative" reports did not mention verifiable source or authentic references / citations.
Although following story does not tell us anything about basic information like who filed the petition, who're the judges, it carries host of un-verified information about strongest most institution of Pakistan - the Army. Please be reminded, this was 2003 and Musharraf was all there without any potential and overt challenge from civil society, establishment, political sphere, judiciary and army itself.
My question from Mr Nawaz Sharif and an independence judiciary is, will they call for an inquiry into this? Will the petition (if there's any) be taken up afresh? And if the charges are false, will Mr Sehbai and / or the author be tried for spreading false propaganda against the armed forces?
People want to know sires, will you please answer?

By A.H. Amin

ISLAMABAD

: The

Lahore

High Court in Pakistan is facing a legal and a practical dilemma: What to do with the petition which charge sheets the Pakistan Armed forces and lists details of massive kickbacks and corruption done by Generals, Air Marshals and Admirals.

The petition has been filed by a lawyer in public interest but its contents are so explosive, the High Court Judges cannot touch it. The LHC, under tremendous pressure of the Army regime, is almost helpless in even admitting or hearing the petition, let alone give a verdict against the Army.

The main charges mentioned in the petition include:

- Air Chief Marshal Abbas Khattak (retired) had received Rs180 million as kickbacks in the purchase of 40 old Mirage fighters

- Air Chief Marshal, Farooq Feroz Khan was suspected of receiving a five per cent commission on the purchase of 40 F-7 planes worth $271 million

- In 1996, the Army bought 1,047 GS-90s jeeps, at a cost of $20,889 per unit. The market value of a jeep then was only $13,000. According to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Pakistan’s main accountability organization, some senior Army officers made Rs. 510 million in the deal.

- One hundred and eleven Army men got 400 plots in Bahawalpur and Rahimyar Khan districts at throwaway prices, paying Rs. 47.50 per kanal (1/8th of a acre) as against the actual price of Rs15,000 to Rs20,000 (1US$=Rs. 56). Another 35,000 kanals were distributed among them.

- Six respondents got 400 kanals in the

Punjab

while former NAB chairman Lt. Gen

Mohammad

Amjad was allotted a two-kanal plot on the Sarwar Road in Lahore for just Rs. 800,000 - payable in installments over 20 years. The market value of this plot was Rs. 20 million.

- General

Pervez Musharraf

acquired a commercial plot worth Rs 20 million at DHA in Lahore for just Rs. 100,000, payable in 20 years. "As mentioned in the report of defense services director-general, a loss of Rs 5 billion was incurred due to such allotments."

- The Army awarded a contract for the purchase of 1,000 Hino trucks at $40,000 per unit while the local Gandhara Industries had offered trucks of the same specification for $25,000 a piece. In the purchase of 3,000 Land Rover jeeps in 1995, Army officials allegedly received around Rs. 2 billion as kickbacks.

- The Army management at WAPDA raised the power tariff 13 times during the last three years besides purchasing electric meters at Rs. 1,050 a piece against the open market price of Rs. 456, causing a loss of Rs 1.65 billion to the national exchequer.

- A former military regime sold the Pak-Saudi Fertilizers for Rs. 7 billion and earned a Rs 2 billion commission on the deal.

- In 1996, the

Pakistan Navy

spent Rs. 13 million on installing air-conditioners at the Islamabad Golf Club without any justification.

Apart from this petition some other major scams involving serving or ex members of the military junta are as follows:

- Ex Army chief General Jahangir Karamat took kickbacks of more than US$ 20 Million from Ukrainian tank company for purchase of 300 Ukrainian tanks for Pakistan Army through a middleman named as Colonel Mahmood , a brother tank corps officer of Karamat . Former Prime Minister

Nawaz Sharif

sent the present chief of the WAPDA Major General Zulfiqar, then serving in ISI, to

Ukraine

and

Azerbaijan

to investigate the scam.

- General Zulfiqar compiled a complete report of the transaction and the bribes given. But the Army tried to buy him out by rewarding him with the post of WAPDA Chairman and promoting him to the rank of a three star General. The then Army Chief, General Jahangir Karamat was forced to resign, based on the threat that if he did not, he would be charged for corruption.

- Many road contracts were given to a firm Hasnain Construction company without any public tenders by the recently removed Railways and Communication minister General Qazi. The company, owned by a relative of General Pervez Musharraf’s son, was also awarded the lease of a lucrative real estate in Lahore for construction of a Golf Course under frontmanship of Palm Country Golf Club, Singapore. The relative of General Musharraf admitted publicly that he was working for a commission to use his contacts and influence for the company.

- Prime commercial land developed in Defence Housing Authority

Karachi

was leased at dirt heap rates to McDonalds operated by Amin Lakhani by the then Corps Commander, Karachi Lt. General Afzal Janjua.

- The Army’s coercive organ NAB struck various under the table deals with various individuals accused of high profile economic crimes in addition to arm twisting NAB defaulters, into joining the present government. These include the present Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali and at least one fourth of all elected legislators.

Where does the military virtue of a defense outfit stand in these circumstances? Is 2003 not a year fit to publish its obituary? Our military virtue died, trampled below the treacherous wheels of overpriced military trucks and overpriced Chinese aircraft and defective Atlantique planes that crash in our waters because of dubious maintenance.

Yes all this has served one important development purpose. Sons of ex-subedars, ex-clerks and ex-assistant political agents have done well, climbing from relatively simple life styles to grand luxuries propelled by phenomenal assets. All came to clean the Augean stables and all departed richer. The only exception was General

Yahya Khan

who whatever his drawbacks at least did not have the mind of a petty shop keeper.

Clausewitz, the great philosopher of war described “Military Virtue” of an Army as the corporate spirit which forms the bond between bravery, enthusiasm and espirit de corps. Clausewitz further defined military virtue as a quality which drives an Army in a similar way as genius makes a military commander illustrious.

Military virtue in words of Clausewitz could be generated in two ways, i.e. by a succession of military campaigns and victories or by military training activity carried to the highest pitch. The more a general demanded of his troops in terms of dedicated military activity in peace, the surer he would be that his demands in war would be properly answered. In short military virtue is the fuel that is supposed to drive an Army in war.

With the above premise in mind and keeping in view our present history it can be safely concluded that military virtue of the

Pakistan Army

as an institution witnessed erosion from 1958 once the party started that made sons of Risaldar majors and Assistant Political Agents progress into industrial tycoons. It was a joy ride. Men who had one green suit to wear, in the words of General Tajammul, became the tycoons of Pakistan. It was the beginning of prosperity for few and the beginning of the end of military virtue of a previously Spartan and clean military machine.

The second military junta of Pakistan was led by the only Army chief not from humble background and this ensured that the Pakistan Army was kept away from cheap consumerism and avaricious lust for real estate.

The second great dinner party started in 1979 when thanks to

Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

a heaven-sent opportunity arrived in shape of US military aid for the third military junta of Pakistan. Stingers were flown in by the big daddy for the obedient son and these were sold in the open market by silent soldiers. Thus new business empires were created. The Zia junta as a whole did roaring business and the result is that at least four major tycoons of Pakistan today including present commerce minister have direct links with the Zia junta.

Where does building 90 acres of a welfare colony known as Creek City with the cheapest shack for Rs. 6 million fit in? Did the military junta begin the occupation for such sublime purposes in 1958 or 1999? Where does developing 62 acres of land in prime commercial real estate in

Islamabad

fit in? Is this the business of a Navy that was miserably shut up in a mouse hole in Karachi Port in 1971 War? True that kickback may have been taken, but at least Admiral Mansur bought a good submarine for the Navy. But for whose welfare is the Navy undertaking a project 1500 kilometers from the nearest sea?

What began as an idealistic journey ends with the shady deals around creeks in Karachi which the Navy failed to defend in 1971 and a military junta which wants to rule this country for eternity.

And in this messy situation, the subservient

Lahore

High Court has been asked to sit on judgment with the sprawling mountains of charges, some even admitted publicly by the Army. God help the poor Mr. Justices of the superior court.

The writer is a retired Pakistan Army Officer and a Defence Analyst who has written a number of books on defence and security matters.

Seven Decades: Peeping through Indo-Pak History

2010-10-05T03:44:00.000-07:00

Baaghi is committed to truth and bringing to its readers the analyses on historical events objectively and dispassionately. Those who are firm believers of state-authored textbook history in subcontinent are on higher risk of being offended and agitated. It is recommended to kindly treat history as a sacred thing which we owe to our posterity in purest of its form and content. With this view, Baaghi brings you some nuggets of events that led to the partition of Indian subcontinent. While some call it "independence", others may term it the saddest incidence of the history of region where the arms of this mighty subcontinent were chopped off. But dismemberment of United India was not the only tragedy people saw. It also brought a bloodshed, human misery and destruction with it, rarely found in recent history.
Not one factor or actor of the time, however, could be accused of this gory episod. There are many. In fact all the elements of subcontinent's political mainstream, now seem to be accomplice in this, when we peep through history pages today. Here we reproduce two important documents from the archives of partition papers, resting peacefully in British Library, United Kingdom. For the ease of researchers, the document number has also been given whereby you can reach it from the Library.

Text of the Second Resolution passed by the All-India Muslim League Council at Bombay on 29 July 1946.

[R/3/1/35]

Resolution No. 2

Whereas the Council of the All-India Muslim League has resolved to reject the proposals embodied in the Statement of the Cabinet Delegation and the Viceroy, dated 16th May 1946, due to the intransigence of. the Congress on one hand, and the breach of faith with the Muslims by the British Government on the other; and

Whereas Muslim India has exhausted without success all efforts to find a peaceful solution of the Indian problem by compromise and constitutional means; and

Whereas the Congress is bent upon setting up Caste-Hindu Raj in India with the connivance of the British; and Whereas recent events have shown that power politics and not justice and fairplay are the deciding factors in India affairs; and

Whereas it has become abundantly clear that the Muslims of India would not rest contented with anything less than the immediate establishment of Independent and fully sovereign State of Pakistan and would resist any attempt to impose any constitution-making machinery or any constitution, long term or short term, or the setting up of any Interim Government at the Centre without the approval and consent of the Muslim League.

The Council of the All-India Muslim League is convinced that now the time has come for the Muslim Nation to resort to Direct Action to achieve Pakistan, to assert their just rights, to vindicate their honour and to get rid of the present British slavery and the contemplated future Caste-Hindu domination.

This Council calls upon the Muslim Nation to stand to a man behind their sole representative and authoritative organisation, the All-India Muslim League, and to be ready for every sacrifice.

This Council directs the Working Committee to prepare forthwith a programme of Direct Action to carry out the policy enunciated above and to organise the Muslims for the coming struggle to be launched as and when necessary.

As a protest against and in token of their deep resentment of the attitude of the British, this Council calls upon the Mussalmans to renounce forthwith the titles conferred upon them by the alien Government.

Having read the above Resolution, it would be interesting for the readers to go through following secret report that was submitted to the then Viceroy, Lord Wavell. This report covers the event of a massacre that followed the above resolution and the Direct Action Day. According to newspaper reports (Archives …) the post Direction Action events rendered around 4000 people killed and more than 100,000 displaced in the West Bengal especially Calcutta, in the wake of worst communal violence, termed as Great Calcutta Kilings. Sir John Burrow wrote this report with the perspective of British Governor of Bengal, and in quite detail. For the purpose of brevity, the report has been extracted by the British Library as under:

An extract of a secret report written on 22 August 1946 to the Viceroy Lord Wavell, from Sir Frederick John Burrows, concerning the Calcutta riots.

[IOR: L/P&J/8/655 f.f. 95, 96-107]

Secret
Calcutta
22nd August 1946
Dear Lord Wavell,

The series of telegrams, beginning with No.192 of August 16th, will have kept you apprised from day to day of the board outline of the appalling disturbances that have occurred in Calcutta. In this letter I am attempting to give a fuller picture of the setting, the course of events, and my preliminary conclusions. It is too soon to expect a very accurate account even of the disturbances themselves, far less to attempt a balanced judgement either of the causes of the riots or the wisdom of the measures taken to quell them. I shall try to be as objective as possible, and shall in particular exclude all reference to food and relief, (about which I shall address you separately as soon as possible), and to the repercussions on my Ministry. I am sending a copy of this letter to Pethick-Lawrence by safe hand on a York plane.

2. The setting. Omitting the more remote causes of the riots – the long struggle for power between Hindus and Muslims, in which Calcutta is a focal point, the weakening of our authority which is an inevitable consequence of our impending departure, the dislocation of the normal life of Calcutta by war and famine, and the presence of a Muslim Ministry in a predominantly Hindu city – the proximate cause was the resolution of the Council of the All-India Muslim League passed at Bombay on July 29th, calling on 'the Muslim nation to resort to direct action to achieve Pakistan', and the consequent fixing of August 15th as 'Direct Action Day'. I enclose a cutting from the "Star of India" of August 9th – it was repeated in subsequent issues till the 13th – giving the programme for 'Direct Action Day' in Calcutta.

3. The decision of my Ministry to declare a holiday under the Negotiable Instructions Act on August 16th has been a matter of some controversy. …… It is easy to be wise after the event and to say that the trouble would not have occurred if there had not been a holiday, "for Satan finds some mischief still, for idle hands to do". I disagree; many of the mischief-makers were people who would have had idle hands anyhow. If shops and markets had been generally open, I believe that there would have been even more looting and murder than there was; the holiday gave the peaceable citizens the chance of staying at home. There was an adjournment motion in the Legislative Council on August -15th about the declaration of a holiday. The Chief Minister, defending the decision, said that though the Muslims would observe the day peacefully and in a disciplined manner, there was always a danger of conflict arising; Congressmen had in the past enforced hartals by violence, and Muslims might be tempted to follow their example, which in the present political atmosphere was bound to five rise to communal conflict. It was to minimize the risk of such conflicts that he had declared a holiday. ……

4. As regards the probabilities of trouble and its possible extent, we found it extremely difficult to arrive at any confident appreciation in advance. Outwardly both major parties and also the independent Schedule Caste leaders, who had announced their intention to support the Muslim protest, had emphasised the necessity of keeping the peace. On the other hand the atmosphere was admittedly explosive and we realised – and I impressed it on my Chief Minister and all his colleagues – that the League were playing with fire. ……

5. Narrative of events. ……

6. Friday, August 16th. Even before 10 o'clock Police Headquarters had reported that there was excitement throughout the city, that shops were being forced to close, and that there were many reports of stabbing and throwing of stones and brickbats. The trouble had already assumed the communal character which it was to retain throughout. At that time it was mainly in the northern half of the city. (Later reports indicate that the Muslims were in an aggressive mood from early in the day and that their processions were well armed with the lathis, iron rods and missiles. Their efforts to force Hindu shops to close as they passed through the streets were greeted with showers of brickbats from the roofs above – indicating that the Hindus were also not unprepared for trouble – and from this sort of exchange of missiles, matters soon degenerated into arson, looting and murder). The situation deteriorated during the forenoon and at 2.40 p.m. the Chief Secretary rang up my Secretary to say that the position had become so serious that he supported the request of the Commissioner of Police that the Army should be called in at once in aid of the civil power. …… Ten minutes later the Commissioner of Police reported that the Chief Minister had already agreed to the calling in of troops. He added that the Police had used tear-smoke on crowds frequently and that the situation was bad in Harrison Road, Wellington Square and Corporation Street. ……

……
Yours sincerely,
(Sgd.) F. J. Burrows.
His Excellency Field Marshal the Right Hon'ble Viscount Wavell, G.C.B., G.H.S.I., G.H.I.E., C.M.G., M.C.
Viceroy and Governor-General of India, The Viceroy's House, New Delhi.