Right wing show of Power in Karachi

Difa a Pakistan JALSA in Karachi

By: Tarique Khan Javed

President, Overseas Pakistani Investors Forum

Dated 16th Feb 2012

On 12^th Feb 2012; A coalition of Right wing Religious and Political parties staged a show of strength in Karachi.

A flag dominated meeting:
The announced time for the meeting was 11am so I reached venue next to Mazar a Quaid at 12 noon. Found it very poorly attended mostly by Madarsa students carrying huge flags. I was able to get a place in the 3^rd row on the carpet yet the stage was not visible as there were too many flags, which the carriers refused to lower even at the appeal of organizers. Except for the carpets there were no crowd. Large number of chairs behind were empty.

The security in front of the stage was under Jamaat e Islami. Who kept the crowd far away from the stage. The security at entrance and around the venue was firmly in the hands of Jamaat Al Dawa. Many guards were on horses carry large flags. Not a single Policemen or Rangers were present.

Jamaat Al Dawa’s large flags and balloons  dominated the venue, however the largest number of flags and participants were from Ahla Sunnat Wal Jamait. Their good quality but small flags were being given to every one entering the venue.

Local leaders like Mr. Ahsan Mahnati of JI addressed the crowd till the meeting broke at 1pm for prayers to resume at 1.30pm.

I thought the meeting was a complete flop because except for the desperately poor Madarsa student who are oblige to attend such meeting or loose their chance of getting two breads for meal, there was no one. However when I reached Numaish a big rally of Ahla Sunnat Wal Jamaat arrived. I decided to rejoin the meeting after prayers. By that time one forth chairs were occupied and I managed to get a seat on the carpet. Munawar Hasan or JI and Mualana Sami Ul Haq the President of Difa A Pakistan Council arrived at 2pm. Soon Ejaz ul Haq and General(R) Hamid Gul and his son arrived and the meeting gathered momentum. In one after the other firry speech US and India was denounced. Even one speaker assured us that Pakistan will soon expand upto Calcutta. As time passed crowd increased. By 5pm all seats were occupied.

Assorted participants- a weak coalition:

As a large number of parties and organizers were participating there was no dearth of speakers. There was a big fight for time of speech. Organizers were finding it difficult to keep speaker end within allocated time. Even Shaikh Rashid’s speech was ended abruptly, as he kept on repeating his lectures he gives on TV talk shows.

Time was allocated according to contribution of the large number of parties taking part which included:

1.     Muslim Leaque-Shere a Bangal,

2.     ML-Ejaz Ul Haq,

3.     Pakistan Ulema Council

4.     Awaami Muslim League,

5.     Ansar Al Umma,

6.     Jamaat Islami,

7.     JUI Sami ul Haq,

8.     JUI Nazaryati,

9.     Jamhoori  Watan Party,

10.                        Ahla Sunnat Wal Jamaat,

11.                        Jamaat Al Dawa etc.

However while other parties including a representative of PTI and Shaikh Rashid were given a chance to make small speeches, to mark their attendance, It was mainly a show of strength of the banned Jamaat Al Dawa and Ahla Sunnat Wal Jamaat. I estimate that they combined represented 80% flag and attendence and probably they paid most of the bill. JI played second Fidel to these parties.

From religious divide point of view it was 100% Doabandi school of thought get-together. No Barelvi, Shia or other sect of Islam was represented. In line with their way of thinking not a single woman participated, either as speaker of attendee. Some female journalist looked odd in this all male meeting.

By the time the key speakers like Ludianvi of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, Hafiz Saeed of Jamat Al Dawa and Munawar Hasan of JI got chance to speak, darkness was fast looming so they harried with their speechs. Therefore when Maulana Sami Ul Haq came it was past Mujhrib prayer time, and he endorsed all speeches upto then, as his own speech and summed it as follows:

Idealist and impractical demands:

That a follow up Dharna in front of Parliament will be organized on 20^th Feb, to press on following key resolutions of the Karachi meeting:

1.     Drone attacks should be stopped.

2.     Talks with Taliban should be resumed and action against them stopped.

3.     NATO supplies should not be resumed. Even air space should not be given.

4.     Most Favoured Nation status India should not be given.

5.     Struggle for Liberation of Kashmir should be intensified.

6.     USA should not interfere in Baluchistan and Akbar Bugti murderer should be punished.

7.     Afia Siddique, should be freed and assault on her sister should be investigated.

8.     Relations with USA should be reviewed and their Aid refused.

9.     Loan taken from International Aid agencies may be defaulted as they were not taken by Pakistanis but their corrupt Leaders for their own use.

10.                        NATO/ USA should not dare to take action like 26^th Nov 2011 again. If they do we should respond with lethal force.

Militarily defeated forces turning to democracy
 

A meeting of this magnitude in Karachi by a banned  organizations confuses me. Following questions come to my mind:

1.     How can Jamat ul Dava (JD)  colour Karachi with neatly and artistically written wall chocking against India and than hold this meeting without approval of Establishment? Hafiz Saeed is considered to be the Master mind of Bombay attack in Dec 2008. JD is reformed name for Jish a Mohammed.

2.     Why establishment is backing such forces?

3.     Who is funding these lavish expenditures?

4.     Why is Ahla Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) given such free hand? When they do not hide the fact that they are successors of Sipah Al Sahaba Pakistan (SSP). SSP is sown enemy of Shias, Aga Khanis, Bohris, Ahmedis and all Beralvi sects. Considering them worst than Non Muslims. If possible they would like to cleanse Pakistan of these divergent Muslims.

 

5.     Is it a keen jerk reaction of 26 th Nov 2011 attack? Or

6.     is our Army really thinking of going to war with US and   NATO? Is it worried about spending cuts as a result of improving relationship with India and using all it assets to delay the process?

 

7.     It is possible that Saudi interest of promoting their brand of Wahabi Islam and our Army's interest of keeping their budget allocation intact has brought about this coalition of different forces.

Observations:
Common Saudi  and Gulf Citizen hates USA and are fed up of the strangle hold and would love to see it destroyed in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Therefore they donate generously when Al Qaeda or Jamat ul Dawa kind of organization come seeking funds. I have attended fund raising of Hafiz Saeed in Riyadh. In which large sums were given to him ostensibly for social work and to help Kashmiris. Similarly funds for Al Qaeda was raised very easily.

With the help of such funds Hafiz Sahib has built a large Fort for himself in Muridkay which is beyond the reach of Pakistani authorities. He has also created a large Social work network including standard educational institutions, good medical facilities, a fleet of ambulances ( under Falaf a Insaniat Foundation-FIF)  because of which he enjoys lot of respect and support among locals. I saw FIF helping people of Sajawal in Sindh during 2010 floods.

Charges against Hafiz Saeed could not be proved in Courts and now he is able to show his power in major cities of Pakistan.

SSP continues to operate dispute the ban. In Karachi meeting the portrait of Azim Tariq was proudly displayed in Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat posters. SSP at odd with 80pc Muslims  of Pakistan has been receiving lot of beating in Karachi. Its new leader Ludhianvi cries on TV, at the death of large number of his followers in Karachi. His worry for his own life was visible by the amount of armed guards around him. The tit for tat killing of SSP supporters and there equally well armed opponents, create a bad image of Pakistan and cause of lot of concern. Authorities may be trying to intensify the fight to eliminate extremist on both side. However their massive show of force on  12^th Feb must have sent a wave of fear among non Wahabi militant outfits like Iran backed Shia extremists, Sunni Tehrik and other Barelvi militant outfits.

The turf war of Saudis and Iranian on Pakistani soil is going on for long, but intensified during Zia era, when State sided with Wahabi forces like SSP. Creating fear among Shias in particular and they sought Iranian help and created own defenders.

Conclusions:

 1. Since the killing of Osama our red faced and embarrassed Army has done a number of knee jerk reaction which was not needed. Memo-gate and formation of Difa a Pakistan Council are two of them. Both will fizzle out soon. The whole Nation is with them and they are not a burden on us. As economy will expand exponentially their budget will become easily bearable. Continuation of Democracy and needed reforms are only requirement.

2. The Talibans and Al Qaeda are militarily defeated. Thus their ideological backers are now humbled and trying to become Democratic. This is welcome. Let Difa a Pakistan Party be formed and try to win few seats in assemblies. They will know soon where they stand.

3. The issue of foreign interference be brought into Public debate. Along with US, Saudi Arabia, Gulf States and Iran be asked to stop funding various groups in Pakistan.

4. As a democratic Country we should back Democratic forces in Gulf and Iran as a tit for tat for what these Countries have been doing in our Country for a long time based on their riches and taking advantage of our poverty.

5. Wahabis should be advised to only adopt peaceful means propagation of their Brand of Islam and give up coercive means or face the full force of Law. They can not fight the State as well as better armed and trained opponents. Unfortunately people prefer other sects over them as evidenced by their growing numbers and influence.

6. Hafiz Saeed should be advised to concentrate on his social work and compete with EDHI.

He should understand that with the opening of trade routes and creation of Gilgit, Baltistan, the Kashmir issue has not remained the same. Issuance of 5 year multiple visas for Kashmiries on both side and opening of  more trade routes will further dilute the cause. If we make the mistake of holding Plebiscite under UN, in the Whole of Kashmir including Chitral, Gilgit, Baltistan, Azad Kashmir and Occupied Kashmir. There is a good chance that we will loose Chitral, Gilgit and Baltistan as these Areas are predominantly Aga Khani, Shia and Nurbakhshi  . Who are afraid of the dominance of Wahabi Islam in Pakistan. According to whom they are Wajib al Qatal. Why they should choose a Country where they must give up their religion or get killed? This is the price of our religious extremism.

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