Author: SAQIB SHAFI

  • Jinnah’s death anniversary and Moeed Pirzada

    Jinnah’s death anniversary and Moeed Pirzada

    The 75th death anniversary of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, was observed on 11th September 2023.

    On this occasion Moeed Pirzada, the eminent Pakistani journalist, has posted a vlog, given below

    I respect Moeed who is bravely opposing the reign of terror unleashed in Pakistan by its army. However I regret that in his vlog he has totally distorted the truth.

    Moeed says that Jinnah was an advocate of Constitutionalism and the rule of law, and he deplores the fact that these have broken down today in Pakistan, which is directly contrary to Jinnah’s vision.

    What he overlooks is that Jinnah’s relentless advocacy of the bogus two nation theory which led to creation of Pakistan as an Islamic state, inevitably led to today’s situation in Pakistan and the destruction of the rule of law..

    Ali Mohammad Jinnah's death anniversary

    No doubt at one time Jinnah opposed separate electorates for Hindus and Muslims, and was called the ‘Ambassador of Hindu unity’. But that was at the early stage of his political career. Later, particularly after the Lahore Resolution of 1940 he relentlessly and fanatically demanded partition of India on communal lines, and he went all over India preaching this.

    I have mentioned in several articles that in fact Partition of India in 1947 was a British swindle, and was the culmination of the British policy of divide and rule.

    https://www.nation.com.pk/02-Mar-2013/the-truth-about-pakistan

    https://indicanews.com/2023/06/13/justice-markandey-katju-on-dr-pervez-hoodbhoys-superficial-understanding/

    https://www.cyberistan.org/islamic/pande.htm

     It was the British who were responsible for the Partition of India, with Jinnah as their main agent (though ultimately the Congress Party also acquiesed), and the purpose was to prevent India from emerging as a modern industrial giant ( as China has become ) and becoming a big rival to Western industry. I have explained this in detail in this interview I gave to Moeed recently

    The same Jinnah who was secular and the ‘Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim Unity’ in the 1920s later became highly communal, and the main protagonist of the fraudulent two nation theory in the late 1930s. 

    Obviously he did this to satisfy his ambition to become the ‘Quaid-e-Azam’, regardless of the suffering his actions caused to both Hindus and Muslims. His call for Direct Action Day resulted in the terrible Calcutta killings in 1946. And, of course, the Partition resulted in the deaths of over 500,000 people, Hindu and Muslim, and the uprooting of millions from their native places. Did this cause any grief to Jinnah? Not at all. As long as his ambition was satisfied he was not bothered about the horrible miseries he had caused.

    If one reads Jinnah’s speeches and his letters ( they have all been published) one will see that from the late 1930s onwards he relentlessly preached the 2 nation theory, that Hindus and Muslims are two separate nations, and therefore cannot co-exist together. This was of course humbug, and surely Jinnah knew that, since he had lived in Bombay for long, and must have interacted as a lawyer and otherwise with a lot of Hindus. 

    Moeed has harped on Jinnah being a Constitutional expert and upholder of the rule of law. What he omits to state is that creation of Pakistan as an Islamic state, which Jinnah relentlessly advocated, effectively destroyed constitutionalism and the rule of law.

    This is because the Indian subcontinent has such tremendous diversity that a theocratic state in it simply cannot be stable, prosperous or governed by the rule of law.

    Even if one creates an Islamic state, the question immediately arises what kind of Islam, Sunni or Shia, Deobandi or Barelvi, Wahabi, Salafi or Sufi ? Fights often occur between these denominations in Pakistan e.g. over the issue whether dargahs are islamic or unislamic. Mobs of religious extremists have often attacked minorities over concocted blasphemy allegations with impunity

    https://thewire.in/communalism/pakistan-mobs-torch-churches-houses-of-christians-over-blasphemy-allegations

    Religious bigots like the Tehreek-e-Labaik often resort to extra legal measures which create havoc.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tehreek-e-Labbaik_Pakistan

     And of course Ahmadis have been thrown to the wolves.

    Moeed has often said that the British Cabinet Mission proposal, which Jinnah’s Muslim League supported but Congress opposed, could have avoided Partition.

    In reply it must be said firstly that the Cabinet Mission was just a ploy, since the British were determined to partition India before they left ( for the reason abovementioned ). In fact this was a typical British technique before they left a country e.g. partitioning Ireland, Palestine, Cyprus, etc.

    Secondly, the proposal to give only defence, foreign affairs, currency and communications to the Central Govt meant that India would remain weak, and continue to be dominated indirectly by foreign powers.

    A strong Central Govt led by modern minded leaders determined to rapidly industrialise and modernise the country is a sine qua non for the country’s progress.

    I suspect that Moeed has in mind that one day he would like to return to Pakistan ( he presently lives in USA and dare not return immediately as he is persona non grata with the present Pakistan Establishment due to his strong support for Imran Khan ), but he knows that even if things change later and he returns he may be charged under section 123A Pakistan Penal Code which carries a sentence of upto 10 years jail for speaking against Partition.

    So to avoid unpleasant consequences he must support the ‘Baba-e-Quom’, who caused so much misery to tens of millions

  • An appeal to Hon’ble the CJP Bandial and his Companion Judges of the Pakistan Supreme Court

    An appeal to Hon’ble the CJP Bandial and his Companion Judges of the Pakistan Supreme Court

    By Justice Markandey Katju, former Indian Supreme Court Judge, and Arifa Nadeem, a Pakistani attorney

    Dear CJP Bandial and Hon’ble Judges of Pakistan SC.

    We are appealing to you to take suo motu action to get Prof Zahoor Mashwani released by issuing a writ of habeas corpus. 

    1000025050 CJP Bandial

    The details are given below.

    Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s focal person on Social Media @MashwaniAzhar has described the ordeal of his family since his brother, Professor Zahoor Mashwani, was abducted. 

     Prof. Zahoor and his children are one of many being punished simply for being related to a member of the PTI. 

     A translated version of Azhar Mashwani’s tweet is below :

     ” On March 23rd, 2023, 1st of Ramadan, I was forcibly abducted and unlawfully detained for a period of 8 days. We registered an FIR (First Information Report) of my abduction, which, up to this day, has not been subjected to a proper investigation. 

     Similarly, on the night of May 9th, our residence, where I reside with my family, was subjected to three raids in my absence. During these incidents, my 73-year-old father and elder brother, Professor Zahoor Mashwani, were taken into custody by individuals attired in CTD uniforms and plain clothes. Fifth month has started and there has been no information regarding the whereabouts of my brother. 

    It’s important to note that Professor Zahoor Mashwani has dedicated his life to educating countless students and has maintained no involvement in any unlawful activity or political activism. This unjust situation has unfairly impacted his young children, wife, and my parents, all of whom have been enduring the agonizing wait for his return. In light of these distressing circumstances and in an attempt to alleviate the ongoing hardships faced by my family, I made the difficult decision to leave my home and loved ones. I have refrained from using social media for the past two months, and I have had to depart from my homeland, Pakistan. However, despite these sacrifices, my brother remains in captivity, and my parents have been presented with the heartbreaking demand to surrender one son for the release of the other. Throughout this trying period, the role of the judiciary has been profoundly disappointing. The four petitions filed by my father in the Lahore High Court were disposed-off, without any meaningful judgement, towards securing my brother’s release, based on false statements provided by the police. From March until now, multiple reports submitted by various institutions to the High Court have affirmed that neither I nor any member of my family am named or wanted in any criminal case or investigation, and they do not acknowledge the custody of my brother. 

     Everyone in Pakistan thinks that those involved in acts of vandalism and arson on May 9th, should be tried in accordance with the law. However, beyond these actions, there is no legal or moral justification for subjecting thousands of political workers and their families to physical and psychological torment, loss of life and property, and inhumane treatment. Our family is one that abides by the law, has consistently upheld the Constitution, and has been deeply intertwined with academia for many decades. Our loyalty to the soil of Pakistan has been unwavering, and it appears that this loyalty is the only reason for the suffering that every member of our household endures today ”.

    10.9.2023

    Justice Katju’s whatsapp number 91-9821181334

    1000025045 CJP Bandial
  • N Ram’s Cri de Coeur

    N Ram’s Cri de Coeur

    The eminent journalist and former Editor-in-Chief of ‘The Hindu‘, N Ram, has, in a recent interview, once again lamented on the attacks on media freedom in India

    What N Ram forgets is that freedom of the media cannot be an end in itself, it can only be a means to an end, and that end must be raising the standard of living of the people, and giving them better lives. 

     If freedom of the media helps in attaining that end it should be supported, but not otherwise. Let me explain.

    Historically, the media arose in England and France in the 17th and 18th centuries as an organ of the people against feudal oppression. At that time all the organs of power were in the hands of the feudal authorities. Hence the people had to create new organs which would represent their interests. The media ( which was then print media, and was often in the form of leaflets, pamphlets, etc ) was one of those powerful organs created by the people. In England, France and America the media represented the voice of the future, as contrasted to the established feudal organs which wanted to preserve the status quo.

    Great writers like Voltaire and Diderot attacked religious bigotry, Rousseau attacked the entire feudal social and political system, Thomas Paine proclaimed the Rights of Man.

    In my opinion the Indian media should likewise give leadership to the people in the realm of ideas, the way Voltaire, Rousseau, Thomas Paine, etc did when Europe was passing through its transitional period.

    Today India is passing through a transitional period in its history, transition from feudal agricultural society to modern industrial society, a process which in my opinion will last another 20 years or so.

    A transitional era is a very painful and turbulent period in history. If one reads the history of Europe from the 16th to the 19th centuries ( when Europe was passing through its transition) one finds that it was full of turmoil, wars, revolutions, social chaos, intellectual ferment,etc. It was only after going through this fire that modern society emerged in Europe.

    India is presently going through that fire. We are going through a very painful period in our history, which I guess will last another 20 years or so.

    In this transitional period the role of ideas becomes very important, and therefore the role of the media becomes very important, because the media is not an ordinary business which deals in commodities, it deals with ideas. It is the duty of all patriotic Indians, including media persons, to help shorten this transitional period and make it less painful, so that India becomes a modern, powerful, industrial power, with all its people ( and not just a handful) prosperous and leading decent lives, with food, employment, healthcare, education, etc available to the masses. For this it is essential for intellectuals, including the media, to promote modern and scientific ideas and combat backward and feudal ideas and practices like casteism, communalism and superstitions.

    Instead of pandering to the low tastes of the Indian masses, our media should seek to uplift its intellectual level so as to make our masses part of enlightened India.

    Today India’s main problems are socio-economic i.e. massive poverty in over 75% of our people, record and rising unemployment, almost total lack of proper healthcare and good education for the masses, farmers suicides, appalling level of child malnutrition ( half of our children are malnourished, according to Global Hunger Index ), etc. as well as rampant casteism, communalism, and widespread crimes against women, dalits and minorities, like dowry deaths, honour killings, lynching, etc.

    Yet the media focuses on film stars, cricket, fashion parades, petty politics, astrology etc as if these are the real problems of the Indian people. Thus the real problems of the Indian people are sidelined or treated as non issues, and the non issues are projected as if they are the real issues. Sensationalism, trivialization, etc are the hallmarks of most of the Indian media today, obviously for T.R.P. rating and profits from advertisement revenues. Some years back I saw on TV that Aishwarya Bachchan had given birth to a girl, and read in a newspaper that Hema Malini’s younger daughter had been engaged. What great historical events !

    A fashion show was organized sometime back in Mumbai by Lakme Fashion which was covered by 512 accredited journalists. In that fashion show, women were displaying cotton garments, while the men and women who grew that cotton were killing themselves one hour flight away in Vidharba due to their economic woes.  Nobody told their stories except one or two journalists locally.

    Does not the Indian media behave like Marie Antoinette who said that if the people do not have bread let them eat cakes ?

    The Roman Emperors used to say that if you cannot give the people bread give them circuses. Much of our media seems to say, if you cannot give the people bread give them film stars and cricket. Cricket today is the opium of the Indian masses, doled out by the media to the gullible public.

    Is the Indian media doing its patriotic duty ? No doubt there are some great media persons like P. Sainath who exposed farmers’ suicides, but what about others ? Filmstars and cricket dominate much of our media. Many TV channels show astrology, which is promoting superstitions, when the media should promote scientific ideas.

    At a time when our nation should be united if we are to progress, a large section of the media ( particularly many TV channels ) promotes communalism by demonizing Muslims and portraying them as terrorists, fanatics, anti-national, etc.

    Recently a lot of media coverage was on Chandraayan, the Indian rocket landing on the moon. But did any mediaperson raise the questions I raised in this article ?

    https://indicanews.com/2023/07/14/justice-katju-why-i-do-not-celebrate-chandrayaan-3/

    The G20 Summit has been widely covered by our media, but has any journalist, including N Ram, asked how it will affect the lives of the Indian people ? Or was it just ‘aamadam, guftam, barkhaastam’, but zero haasildam ?

    What people like N Ram forget is that freedom of speech and expression is a double edged sword. It can be used for promoting scientific and rational ideas, but it can also be used for spreading hatred, casteism, communalism and superstitions.

    As mentioned before, freedom of speech and expression is only a means to an end, and cannot be an end itself. The end must be securing to our countrymen decent lives with a high standard of living, and that is possible only if India rapidly modernizes and industrializes.

    Freedom of speech and expression must therefore advance and promote that end. It should not be treated as an absolute right. For instance, hate speeches which incite hatred between religious communities should be banned. Hitler used his freedom of speech under the Weimar Republic to propagate hatred of Jews, which ultimately led to the Holocaust, and much of the Indian media ( particularly TV ) uses its freedom to promote communalism.

     The truth is that the

     Indian Media has largely lost the people’s trust.  Most of it has turned into what it is referred to as the “Godi Media” (patronized media), and instead of being the ‘Fourth State’ and serving the people, has simply become

     part of the ‘First State’. 

    As regards the ‘liberal’ and ‘independent’ Indian media and journalists, I have mentioned about their inanity and superficiality in these articles, and have explained that there is really no difference in substance between the godi and the ‘liberal’ media :

    https://www.hastakshep.com/english/siddhartha-varadarajan-and-freedom-of-speech

    https://www.facebook.com/justicekatju/posts/the-liberals-of-indiain-his-article-bleak-times-for-freedom-of-expression-whethe/2303163496390850/

    https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2019/09/02/opinion-the-wailing-howling-of-indias-liberals-intellectuals.html

    https://www.dailyo.in/politics/liberals-and-their-illiberal-ignorance-27819

    So what is N Ram’s jeremiad, ululation and repine about ?

  • The hypocrisy of nayadaur.tv  and thefridaytimes.com

    The hypocrisy of nayadaur.tv  and thefridaytimes.com

    Of all the shameless journalists in Pakistan who are toeing the line of the Pakistan Establishment, the worst are those who, while professing and posing to be ‘liberal’ and ‘independent’, like Raza Rumi and his sidekick Mehr Husayn who run the portals nayadaur.tv and thefridaytimes.com, do the same, though in a subtle, deceptive manner, under a figleaf of neutrality, slurring over the truth.

    On seeing the articles posted on their websites one finds conspicuously missing accounts of the fascist reign of terror unleashed by the Pakistan Establishment, with over ten thousand people in Pakistan arrested and jailed on false and frivolous charges, many beaten, tortured, killed, or just ‘disappeared’.

    One also notes an absence of condemnation of Pakistan’s judiciary which has turned a Nelson’s eye to these horrors, though having taken an oath to protect the people’s rights.

    https://www.hastakshepnews.com/2023/08/murder-of-justice-in-pakistan.html

    One particularly notes, and this is the most important, no mention in nayadaur.tv or fridaytimes.com of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is bravely leading the democratic forces in Pakistan even from inside Attock jail, with his spirit unbroken and undaunted by all odds

    It seems Mehr Husayn, who runs thefridaytimes.com, only cares for her own comforts, and  the safety and welfare of her sons Zulfiqar and Kassim, rather than the welfare of the people of Pakistan, who can go to hell as far as she was concerned.

    I have already written about RazaRumi, who masquerades as a journalist and analyst, but is a downright sycophant.

    Raza praised former PM Benazir Bhutto sky high, but I cannot believe that, being a Pakistani, he did not know about her large scale corruption, of which he deliberately made no mention. 

    https://www.theweek.in/news/world/2019/12/28/opinion-benazir-bhutto-was-no-saint-or-benevolent-angel.html

    He rushed to congratulate Pakistan’s former Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman on being named among the 100 most influential persons of the world in 2023 by Time magazine, though that recognition was really a joke, as in a poor country where food riots have taken place she wears the costliest attire and puts on the costliest cosmetics ( even her lipstick and shampoo are perhaps imported ), which show how much she really cares for the poor and suffering.

    Most journalists in Pakistan are sold out, and openly pro-Establishment. 

    But it is these wolves in sheep clothing, the ‘liberal’ media, like Raza and Mehr, who are the worst, as they have the capacity to deceive, by deliberate omission of the truth, and by diverting attention from the main issues 

  • The mob lynching of Charvaka

    The mob lynching of Charvaka

    Apart from religious philosophies in ancient India, like Vedanta, there also came into existence a materialist philosophy called lokayat, the philosophy which denied existence of god, soul, angels, spirits, an afterlife, and other supernatural or metaphysical things, and did not accept the authority of the Vedas.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lokayata:_A_Study_in_Ancient_Indian_Materialism

    https://prepp.in/news/e-492-charvaka-school-or-lokayata-philosophy-art-and-culture-notes

    At one time the lokayat philosophy was widespread in India, and numerous books written on it.

    However, the conservative elements in society ganged up against them, and destroyed all their books, and now we have some idea of the lokayat philosophy only from books like Madhavacharya’s ‘Sarva Darshan Sangrah‘ where the lokayat philosophy has been stated ( only to be attacked ) in the ‘poorvapaksha’ of the book ( see DP Chattopadhyaya’s ‘Lokayat’ ).

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lokayata:_A_Study_in_Ancient_Indian_Materialism

    The most systematic “lynching” (or mob violence against an individual or individuals) in India, described in the epic ‘Mahabharata’,  was that of India’s materialist philosopher Charvaka, as he was not just killed, but was demonised and his ideas distorted for generations. Charvaka was physically eliminated by a mob of servile brahmins because he could speak logical truth (so much for being called a “sweet talker” – a Charvaka!). 

    When the celebrations for the Pandavas’ victory in the Mahabharata war and Yudhishthir’s coronation were going on, the brahmins stood silently after paying their obeisance :

     निःशब्दे च स्थिते तत्र ततो विप्रजने पुनः

    At this moment Charvaka came forward and started addressing them. He accused Yudhishthir of killing his own relatives and gurus, and thus unfit to live:

    इमे प्राहुर्द्विजाः सर्वे समारोप्य वचो मयि।
    धिग्भवन्तं कुनृपतिं ज्ञातिघातिनमस्तु वै।।
    किं तेन स्याद्धि कौन्तेय कृत्वेमं ज्ञातिसंक्षयम्।
    घातयित्वा गुरूंश्चैव मृतं श्रेयो न जीवितम्।।

    His fearless statement stunned everybody. Yudhishthir and the Brahmins were speechless, afraid and ashamed:

    ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे स च राजा युधिष्ठिरः।
    व्रीडिताः परमोद्विग्नस्तूष्णीमासन्विशांपते।।

    However, these Brahmins then started accusing Charvaka of being a demon and a friend of Duryodhana, and eventually, they killed him.

    ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे हुंकारैः क्रोधमूर्च्छिताः।
    निर्भर्त्सयन्तः शुचयो निजघ्नुः पापराक्षसम्।।
    स पपात विनिर्दग्धस्तेजसा ब्रह्मवादिनाम्।
    महेन्द्राशनिनिर्दग्धः पादपोऽङ्कुरवानिव।।

    Since Yudhishthir was quite grief stricken and devastated at Charvaka’s accusation, a whole section is devoted where Lord Krishna consoles him, while demonizing Charvaka and justifying the act as preordained.

    स एष निहतः शेते ब्रह्मदण्डेन राक्षसः।
    चार्वाको नृपतिश्रेष्ठ मा शुचो भरतर्षभ।।

    See Mahabharata (Pancham Khand): Shanti Parva, 38.22-27, 39.2-11, Gita Press

    This incident has set a precedent. If you cannot logically refute your opponent’s argument, just call him a demon, burn all his books, and bump him off

  • Deaf and dumb

    Deaf and dumb

    Several women in Pakistan who supported Imran Khan are in jail for almost 4 months in terrible conditions. They have written an open letter to CJP Bandial and other judges complaining of the food in jail, the bad condition of the washrooms, etc, and all they have requested is that their trials be held expeditiously.

    But will any heed be paid to this reasonable request ?  From past experience, it seems unlikely.

    The judiciary is supposed to be the guardian of the Constitution, and protector of the fundamental rights of the people guaranteed by the Constitution.  Before entering office, Judges take a solemn oath to uphold the Constitution.

    However, the recent performance of the Pakistan Judges reminds me of Bheeshma Pitamah, grand uncle of the Kauravas and the Pandavas in the epic Mahabharata.

    When the ‘cheer haran’ ( public stripping ) of Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas, was being done by Dushashan ( one of the Kaurav brothers ), Bheeshma Pitamah, instead of stopping this outrage, closed his eyes, and said that his allegiance to Hastinapur ( the Kaurav capital ) prevented him from intervening.

    In today’s context, the ”cheer haran’ of Draupadi metaphorically represents the reign of terror unleashed by the Pakistan Establishment, with over ten thousand people in Pakistan arrested and jailed on false and frivolous charges, many beaten, tortured, killed, or just ‘disappeared’.  

    Bheeshma Pitamah represents the Pakistan judiciary which has turned a Nelson’s eye to these horrors.

    1000024614 CJP Bandial

    Just as Bheeshma Pitamah said that his allegiance was to Hastinapur, the Pakistan judges have shown that their allegiance is to their salaries, perks, pensions, and comforts of themselves and their families, rather than protecting the rights of the people.

    Accordingly, they have become like the 3 monkeys who believed in ‘see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil’, the only difference being that they have substituted that expression by ‘see no violation of human rights or the law, hear nothing about it, and speak nothing about it’

    1000024615 CJP Bandial
  • The DMK has assured BJP victory in 2024

    The DMK has assured BJP victory in 2024

    I had earlier thought that the BJP will have to somehow whip up communal hatred and instigate communal riots to win the 2024 lok sabha elections.

    But now I think that it is unnecessary. The DMK, a coalition partner of the INDIA opposition alliance, has ensured victory for the BJP, without the latter doing anything.

    Udayanidhi Stalin, Minister in the ruling DMK state govt in Tamilnadu, and son of the Chief Minister MK Stalin, called Sanatan Dharma ( which most Hindus regard synonymous with Hinduism ) as a disease like dengue, malaria or covid, which must be eradicated, and far from expressing any regret he has repeatedly said that he stands by his statement.

    Udayanidhi’s father, Chief Minister MK Stalin, has supported his son

    Now, another DMK leader A. Raja, who is a former Union Minister, has gone further, and called Sanatan Dharma a disease like HIV or leprosy.

    None of the opposition leaders have condemned this statement, though some have said that they don’t subscribe to it. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has not even commented on it

    80% of India’s population is Hindu, and, as already mentioned before, most Hindus equate Sanatan Dharma with Hinduism, and they have been deeply hurt by Udayanidhi’s statement 

     262 eminent people have written a letter to CJI Chandrachud asking for suo motu action against Udayanidhi 

    Since the DMK is part of the opposition alliance INDIA, and since the latter have not condemned Udayanidhi’s remark, all hopes of the opposition defeating the BJP in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, which were already doubtful, have now been dashed and are now buried.

    When the opposition has a friend like the DMK, the BJP needs no enemy. Udayanidhi Stalin’s and Raja’s speeches have put a nail in INDIA’s coffin, and sunk the INDIA alliance, like the iceberg which sank the Titanic.

    The BJP need to do nothing now to win the coming Lok Sabha elections. The opposition has ensured it.

  • The looming Civil War in Pakistan

    The looming Civil War in Pakistan

    According to a very recent opinion poll, the popularity of Imran Khan has crossed 95% in Pakistan.

    The Pakistan army, which has thrown away its mask of being apolitical, has now emerged as the real ruler, and it is determined not to release Imran Khan from jail, where he was incarcerated after obtaining a fraudulent, pre-planned verdict from a crooked  Addl Sessions Judge, rewarding him with a free trip with his family to England. The army is also determined to finish off Imran Khan politically, if not physically.

    On the other hand, Imran Khan is insisting on free and fair early elections, which seems a fair demand to any right thinking person. But the army is totally unwilling to concede that, knowing that Imran Khan’s PTI will sweep the polls, which will result in him becoming Prime Minister again. This is something which is totally unacceptable to the army ( or at least its generals ).

    The situation is now very clear : a terrible clash between the Pakistan army and the Pakistan people is looming ahead.. 

    It seems inevitable that this terrible clash will assume the form of a long drawn civil war, the people using guerilla tactics.
    While the army may initially score many victories ( as the people are initially unarmed ), this conflict will soon get bogged down in a stalemate, as it happened to Russians in Afghanistan, or to Americans in Vietnam.

    An army can fight another army, it cannot fight the masses. A tiger can kill a prey, it cannot kill a swarm of mosquitoes. The British learnt this bitter lesson in the American War of Independence, Napoleon in Spain, the French in Algeria, the Russians in Afghanistan, and the Americans in Vietnam.

    In all these conflicts, the people emerged victorious, though after a protracted struggle, and after making tremendous sacrifices. The same will happen in Pakistan.

  • Long live the lawyers of Pakistan

    Long live the lawyers of Pakistan

    A fascist reign of terror has been imposed by the army and police in Pakistan, over ten thousand people have been arrested and jailed on false and frivolous charges, many beaten, tortured, killed, or just ‘disappeared’. The judges, who took an oath to protect the people’s rights, have become deaf and dumb and have turned a Nelson’s eye to these horrors, and the media has largely kowtowed before the Establishment. The people are reeling before the worst economic crisis in Pakistan’s history, with record unemployment, highly inflated electricity bills, and soaring prices of food and other essential commodities. 

    In this situation the lawyers of Pakistan have risen to the occasion, and are fighting back, bravely leading the struggle for democracy and the rule of law. 

    The Pakistan lawyers have recently decided to unite, and unitedly fight against this tyranny and trampling of human rights. They have formed the All Pakistan Lawyers Convention, and held their first meeting in the Supreme Court Bar Association in Islamabad. Here are some of the speeches delivered in that meeting :

    A study of history shows that lawyers have given leadership to countries which were passing through a crisis in history. Thus, in the American Revolution ( 1775-81 ) most of the American leaders were lawyers, e.g. Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, etc. The American President who led the nation during its Civil War ( 1861-65 ) was a lawyer, Abraham Lincoln.

    In the great French Revolution of 1789 over half the members of the French National Assembly were lawyers e.g. Robespierre, Danton, Prieur de la Marne, Billaud Varenne, etc

    The leader of the Bolsheviks in the Russian Revolution of 1917, Lenin, was a lawyer ( though he practised only for a short while ).

    Most of the leaders in India’s independence struggle were lawyers.

    In Pakistan, the major cause of the downfall of the dictator Gen Parvez Musharraf, were Pakistan”s lawyers.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawyers%27_Movement#:~:text=The%20Lawyers’%20Movement%2C%20also%20known,2007%20when%20he%20unconstitutionally%20suspended
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jun/10/pakistan
    https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2007/3/13/lawyers-protest-against-musharraf

    Why is it that lawyers were leaders of many countries in their hour of crisis ? That is because among all professions lawyers are closest to the people, and have society’s pulse. A doctor deals with medical problems, and an engineer with technical problems. So their knowledge of society’s problems is limited.

     But a lawyer deals with legal problems, which are connected to society as a whole, and he interacts with people of all kinds and all walks of life–workers, farmers, teachers, govt servants, businessmen, people with matrimonial problems or property disputes, criminals, etc. Hence he best understands the needs and problems of society. Also, belonging to an independent profession, he does not have to kowtow before anyone. Hence he is often the best person to lead the people.

    In the situation prevailing in Pakistan today, with most people living in fear, the Pakistan lawyers are the fittest to lead the people in these dark times.  And they are doing their duty fearlessly, valiantly, and undauntedly

    Hats off to the lawyers of Pakistan !

  • 2024 Elections Loom as Communal Tensions Rise: A Critical Issue Ignored

    2024 Elections Loom as Communal Tensions Rise: A Critical Issue Ignored

    I have repeatedly said that the test of every state or political activity or system is one, and only one : does it raise the standard of living of the people ? Does it give them better lives ? In other words, does it help in abolishing ( or substantially reducing ) poverty, unemployment, hunger, lack of proper healthcare and good education, skyrocketing prices of essential commodities etc among the masses?

    From that perspective let us assess recent developments which have happened, are happening, or will happen in India.

    1. Mumbai Summit of the 28 opposition parties in Mumbai

    Assessment : Irrelevant, as it has nothing to do with, and will not in any way improve the lives of the people of India. In other words, it will not in any way help in abolishing ( or substantially reducing ) poverty, unemployment, malnutrition, skyrocketing prices, lack of proper healthcare and good education, etc in India

    2. Tamilnadu Minister Udayanidhi Stalin’s statement against Sanatan Dharma, and the letter of 262 persons to the CJI calling for action against him.

    Assessment : Irrelevant, for the same reason

    3. Special session of the Indian Parliament, which will be held from 18th to 22nd September, and is likely to have bills for one nation one vote, women’s reservation of 33% in Parliament, etc

    Assessment : Irrelevant, for the same reason

    4. G-20 summit to be held in Delhi on 9th and 10th September.

    Assessment : Irrelevant, for the same reason

    5. India versus Bharat controversy

    Assessment : Irrelevant, for the same reason

    6. Arguments for 16 days in the Supreme Court in petitions challenging validity of abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution.

    Assessment : Irrelevant, for the same reason

    7. Chandraayan landing on the moon

    Assessment : Irrelevant, for the same reason

    8. 2023 World Cup Cricket matches from 5th October to 19th November

    Assessment : Irrelevant, for the same reason

    So are there are no relevant issues left in India ( apart from those mentioned in para 1, which are irrelevant in elections ) ? 

    Yes there is, and it is inflaming communalism and religious polarisation, in view of the forthcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections