1992, 2009 & now 2012

I have always been a follower of Pakistan cricket – perhaps every Pakistani is. Sitting here this week in the Dubai Cricket Stadium watching the Pakistan cricket team yet again triumph and secure what many have described as a monumental victory over the world’s leading Test nation was almost unbelievable. Even more awe-inspiring for most has been the radical transformation of a cricket team on the brink of imploding not too long ago, however we’ll come to that a little later as to the actual point of this piece. First, however, as an ardent cricket fan, I owe it to myself and to the Pakistan cricket team to say a few words following their magnificent victory over England.

The news of Afia contracting cancer, is another horrific incident in the long list of violations of Human rights carried out by the U.S . Such news are frequently brought to our attention, exposing the heinous crimes by U.S in its decade old war of terror, however our rulers (and those in line) have become oblivious to these sufferings of Muslims, and they only engage in the pursuit of their own interests. One wonders if this has always been the state of the Muslims and their Rulers?

The epitome of the most sinister of all trades, a lucrative business, and a thriving industry in the 21st century, is not of mineral ores, or glittering gemstones, or arms or opium, it’s the human itself, trafficked for profit in the world within our world of Human Trafficking. This month of January, 2012 has been declared by U.S. President Barack Obama as ‘National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month’.

Imran Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have spent many years in Pakistan’s political wilderness. Despite his platform for change and condemnation of the incessantly corrupt Pakistani political culture, PTI has had very little to show for itself in Pakistan’s political system since it was founded in 1996. So it came as a total surprise to many to observe Imran Khan reverse his political fortunes by leading a massive rally in Lahore recently. Estimates vary from 70,000 to over 200,000 people at the rally, depending upon who you talk to. Whatever the number it is poignant to note that Khan’s rally build up was given generous televised support in advance by parts of the media which without objection from Pakistan’s ever powerful establishment seems inconceivable. This has been followed by Khan’s Gotki rally with more scheduled in the coming weeks. It would seem that Khan’s PTI has suddenly acquired a new political trajectory.

Srinagar is located in Kashmir Valley and it is known it for its gardens, lakes and houseboats. It is also known for traditional Kashmiri handicrafts and dry fruits. It is also known for the oft happening protests that happen after the Friday prayers every week. It is also the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir.

Recently I had an opportunity to visit Srinagar, with all what I had heard about the scenic beauty and the weather I prepared myself well for the visit. Srinagar is accessible via road and by flight, train services do not yet exist for the region due to rough mountainous terrain it is located in.

On the 28th August 2011 Senior Pakistan People’s Party leader Dr Zulfiqar Mirza resigned as vice president of the PPP and as the minster of Sind. Addressing a packed press conference at Karachi Press Club he outlined a number of issues that led him to take such actions. These included Interior Minister Rehman Malik siding with the killers as anarchy continues on the streets of Karachi. He expressed serious reservations on the policy of his government about the law and order situation in Karachi. He also leveled serious allegations on Muttahida Quami Movement and its chief Altaf Hussain. He termed the MQM and its head responsible for targeted killings in Karachi. Zulfiqar Mirza also alleged that during a meeting in London MQM Chief Altaf Hussain had told him that America and world powers had decided to break up Pakistan and he (Altaf Hussain) had supported their idea.

‘Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda…’

Dubai is held as one of the most desired destinations by Muslim and non-Muslims alike.  With its tall skyscrapers, opulent malls, vast desert, clean white beaches and halaal food, Dubai has become the dream destination to holiday and for some to relocate permanently.  With celebrities, the likes of the late Michael Jackson, The Beckhams, Brad Pitt, Mariah Carey and Claudia Schiffer all residing in Dubai, its attraction has only grown. Dubai’s success has led to many to advocate it as a new form of economic development, with a distinctly Islamic approach. 

Pakistan today released the murderer Raymond Davis who on 27^th January shot dead two Pakistani youth in Lahore whom he alleged were trying to rob him. The Pakistani government past and present allowed Blackwater to carry out blasts and kidnap citizens but this incident proved that these treacherous rulers have given the Americans a license to kill. It is hard to find a worse example than that of the ‘Chief Traitor’ (Chief Minister) of Punjab who did his level best to save the American killer through the Punjab police.

I have watched the news of Egypt’s state security buildings being ransacked with great personal interest. It has brought back memories of my own time inside those same cells and offices.

Below is an account of what I experienced…

Baghdad’s Spy was first published by Mainstream Publishing Company (Edinburgh) Ltd in 2003. This article is based on the 2004 edition.

Baghdad’s Spy is a portrait of espionage as told from the perspective of the daughter of a senior British spy. Starting in Iraq, where her father was recruited by Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) otherwise known as MI6, she recalls the nature of Baghdad’s elite in the 1960s; gives an insight into the social circles her father used to mix in as part of his work; how her father’s harmonious relationship with the SIS collapsed in the 1970s and 1980s and exposes problems within SIS prior to the 1991 Gulf War.

The Muslim world is dominated by the West, overtly via military and economic means, but also covertly through the manipulation of language. Control a person’s language and you limit his thinking and control his ability to articulate what he desires.

Take a simple word such as ‘Democracy’. By associating it in the minds of the Muslims with freedom from tyranny and oppression, they have made it a common call across the Muslim world. You hear it chanted on the streets from Cairo to Tripoli, and these chants carried by the global media to every corner of the planet, clear undeniable evidence of the desire for democratic reform in the Muslim world?

This is a question that comes to mind as David Cameron arrogantly strolls down Tahrir Square, where the blood of the Shuhadaa’ was spilled, and where the chants of protesters soared to the highest skies.

It is common knowledge that Egypt and other Muslim countries were first ruled directly through military occupation by the United Kingdom in its former glory. This led the common masses to openly revolt against their occupiers several decades ago.

I awoke on 17th February 2011 and was in shock as I witnessed the images on TV, images I actually believed would never come. As my brothers and sisters took to the streets in Benghazi I immediately feared for their lives, I knew what this ‘mad man’ was capable of. Bin Ali was a killer, and Mubarak was also a murderer, but Gaddafi is something else.

Ibtihal Bsis: A personal account of anxiety and hope for Tunisia

14th January 2011 marked a day my ruler, Mumar Gaddaffi of Libya, and I shared a similar reaction on hearing that President Zine al-Abidine of Tunisia, our neighbouring country, had hastily left his country following mass demonstrations against his tyrannical rule. Our reactions were of disbelief; but that is where the similarity began and ended. Whilst it stirred jubilation amongst my fellow citizens and I, the Arab rulers in the region were left feeling insecure and mortified at the news still to come.

It hasn’t been a good week if you are an Arab ruler. Wikileaks exposed the subservience of the Arab leaders to the West and their contempt for the Muslims. While the announcement that Qatar will stage the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the first Muslim country to host the tournament. Qatar beat other bids from Australia, Japan and South Korea and America to secure the tournament.

One of my earliest recollections about Islam is as a boy. I saw a news clip showing Muslims praying in Mecca on Hajj, all in one direction to the one God Allah سبحانه وتعالى. I remember admiring how the Muslims were all praying to one God, direct with no intermediary or intercessor. This particularly appealed to me because I was always in a state of confusion and intellectual unrest with my own belief and manner in which I had been shown to worship.

Regardless of the results in the US Mid-term elections it has brought the fantasy of Obama’s ‘hope and change’ vision crashing into a harsh reality. For many Americans Obama has only brought a continuation of the problems he was laden with both internal and foreign. Where western governments are quick to say the economic crisis is gradually getting better and progress is occurring quicker than expected, the reality for the people on the ground is only hardship. With record levels of poverty not seen since the 1960’s many who had previously supported Obama have now been looking for alternatives which has driven the tea party movement in the conservative republicans.

The verdict on Babri Masjid came amid a very tense and heated environment with a curfew like situation all over India. In some of the cities, an emergency holiday was declared for schools as well as offices.

My recent visit to the 1001 Inventions exhibition in London introduced me to an awe inspiring woman who is a motivation to Muslim women globally.

What I really want to share from my experience, which had an impact on me, was the story of a remarkable woman; Fatima Al-Fihri.

Pakistan has seen its biggest natural disaster since 1929. As the crisis ravages through its territory, 1,500 people have been killed, and another 3 million displaced according to the UN. Images show heart wrenching pictures of people struggling to stay alive such as an uncle holding on to a wire fence whilst fierce currents repeatedly bash against him, almost certainly killing him if his hand slips. Other images show the elderly and children with fear and worry written across their faces as they are led to temporary safety, whilst facing the shock of having everything they’ve ever owned or known destroyed in a matter of hours.

World cup season is upon us again bigger and louder than ever before. Most of the world has been wrapped up in football fever each fan transforming into the hopeful optimist, devoutly believing their team could go all the way regardless of the obstacles. As hosts of the world cup, South Africa has been galvanised in the football atmosphere, in which locals are part and parcel of the party atmosphere. Images of the jubilant colourful South Africans are normally shown as part of sport news, however there appears to be a worrying side to life in South Africa.

The Nizam state of Hyderabad India was formed by the Asif Jahi Dynasty in the 18^th century by Mir Qamar uddin siddiqi when he was appointed as a governor by the Mughal Empire to rule the region under their guidance. However after the death of the powerful and legendary ruler Aurangzeb in 1707, the decline of Mughal Empire resulted in many of the territories to be lost, however, the rule of the land remained under the Islamic Shari’ah and all the various territories followed the orders and guidance of the Khilalfah.

If European countries haven’t made it clear enough that Islamic beliefs are no longer welcome on the continent, Belgium is now the next in a long list of nations who how have a problem with its Muslim minority. Within the last three months a bill has been rushed through parliament to ban the Burka. It has now been passed by Belgium’s lower house of parliament and will ban women from wearing the full Islamic face veil in public. The law will ban any clothing that obscures the identity of the wearer in places like parks and on the street. Since no politician voted against the legislation, the bill goes to the Senate, where it is likely to face little opposition. Daniel Bacquelaine, the liberal MP who proposed the bill, said: “We cannot allow someone to claim the right to look at others without being seen.”

The British began their domination of the Indian subcontinent via the East India Company. This commercial entity, originally there from the 1600s to trade with the region, slowly began leading to the need to have a private militia there to protect its interests. By the late 1700s, the British had a regular army there to look after their assets and by the mid 1800s these foreign exploitative colonialists had completely replaced the previously resident ruling system and had taken over the running of the entire subcontinent for themselves. In doing so the British had demonstrated how the concept of ‘divide and rule’ can be applied successfully in a country and used to split the population along religious, political and ethnic lines.

The 19th Century British politician, Lord Palmerston, made the most stark admission about Britain’s foreign policy when he said ‘We have no eternal allies and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are perpetual and eternal and those interests it is our duty to follow.’ Such a quote epitomises the premise by which Western Capitalist nations conduct their foreign policy projects in the hope of securing vital resources and strategic interests.

When one thinks of the Muslim world, it conjures up images of poverty, corruption and war. Many negative connotations exist about the state of the Muslim world which continues to occupy news space and newspapers. The global media tends to neglect the achievements of the Muslim world and the contributions it made to humanity. The Muslim world has a rich history of development and discovery, the results of which are being reaped today.

A parliamentary committee in France has recommended a ban on the Burqa – the full-face veil. The committee’s 200-page report has proposed a ban in hospitals, schools, government offices and on public transport i.e. a ban in public places. According to French domestic intelligence services in a report in July 2009, they concluded that only 367 women in France wore the Burqa! But that’s too many for the French President Nicolas Sarkozy. He says the veils are unwelcome in France.

The first black American president from mixed heritage was meant to be the beacon for hope not only in the west but a means to unite the world. However the dream has crashed into reality where barely a year has passed with no real achievements on his part. Both at home and abroad Obama has failed to deliver on the ‘change we can all believe in.’

In March 2003 a women was seized and imprisoned. Her name was Aafia Siddiqui. Like the US Journalists she was a women, she studied and worked in America and her three children were American citizens. But unlike the US Journalists captured six years later she was a Muslim and she had no leader to take care of her affairs.