Headlines:
- Democracy Promotes the Economic Interests of Foreign Powers at the Cost of the Local Economy
- Government Prepares to Welcome IMF Delegation by Further Increases in Fuel Prices
- Asia Bibi Case Confirms the Need for a Judiciary Ruling by Islam
Democracy Promotes the Economic Interests of Foreign Powers at the Cost of the Local Economy
The All Pakistan Oil Tanker Owners Association (APOTOA) on Sunday, 28th October 2018, warned the government and the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) that APOTOA will hold a protest in the capital against the proposed change in policy to allow Chinese vehicles to transport fuel. “By changing the policy and allowing Chinese vehicles under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, we are being forced to stage a sit-in.” said APOTOA Chairman Aslam Khan Nazi at a press conference at the National Press Club. Mr Nazi said that local tankers being used for transporting fuel now were made of seven or eight gauge thick iron sheets due to which their tanks did not explode, even if they fell off the vehicle. “However, it is now being considered that Chinese vehicles should transport petroleum products. Chinese vehicles use (thin) 11 gauge iron sheets due to which they can explode easily,” he asserted. Mr Nazi said OGRA had started acting on behalf of the ministries and was stopping the use of local tankers, by saying they had fewer horse power than the Chinese vehicles. “The vehicles being used now have engines of 180 or 230 horsepower. Though it is said that Chinese vehicles have 320 horsepower, in reality they have half as much,” he said.
It is not surprising that Democracy facilitates foreign powers at the cost of the local economy. Democratic governments claim that any developing country cannot develop without foreign companies and foreign investment. In order to attract foreign companies and investment through an “investor friendly climate,” the government provides foreign companies with concessions that are denied to local companies, forcing them out of the market or sector. Under CPEC, Chinese companies have been provided concessions such that local companies are unable to compete with Chinese companies. In an interview published on 9 September 2018 with the “Financial Times” newspaper, the Minister for Commerce, Textiles, Industry and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood, confirmed that “Chinese companies received tax breaks, many breaks and have an undue advantage in Pakistan; this is one of the things we’re looking at because it’s not fair that Pakistan companies should be disadvantaged.” Despite Dawood’s frank admission, there has not been any change of policy towards foreign powers. The current government ensures unfavourable climates for local companies, through its focus on attracting foreign companies and funds, whether from China, US, Britain or France. So the failed Foreign Direct Investment policy is actually about establishing colonialist interests within the country.
The coming Khilafah (Caliphate) on the Method of Prophethood will not allow foreign dominance of our markets and resources. The foreign investment comes with interest and conditions to grant concessions and franchises to foreign powers and their companies. Such foreign dominance usurps the economic sovereignty of the state and endangers its independence in decision making. By Ghalabutal Zann (غلبة الظن Preponderant Likelihood), these actions always lead to the dominance of the kuffar over the lands and state of Muslims, a matter which is forbidden in Islam, for Allah (swt) said, وَلَنْ يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلاً “And Allah does not allow the Believers to place the kafireen in authority over them.” [Surah an-Nisa’ 4:141]. Thus such investments and concessions are all Haraam based on the Qaidah (قاعدة Legal Principle) “Al-Waseelatu Ilal Haraamo Haraam” ((الوسيلة إلى الحرام حرام “That which is is a means to Haraam is itself Haraam”). Instead the state will work to give as many facilities as possible to local companies, so they work to increase their wealth, as part of establishing a strong domestic industrial, infrastructure and transport base. Hizb ut Tahrir in the Introduction to the Constitution has adopted article 165 that, “Development and investment by foreign funds within the State are forbidden. It is also prohibited to grant franchises to foreigners.”
Government Prepares to Welcome IMF Delegation by Further Increases in Fuel Prices
The prices of all petroleum products are expected to increase by up to Rs13 per liter because of steep currency depreciation and higher international oil prices, reported the Dawn newspaper on 31 October 2018. A senior petroleum division official said a summary from the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) for an increase in oil prices for the month of November had reached the finance ministry. Finance Minister Asad Umar has already hinted at increasing oil prices, saying the government has minimized taxes on petroleum products to protect the common man, but the prices are still going up and need to be looked into.
The notification is expected to come just a few days before the IMF mission is due to arrive in the capital, to finalize terms of the new IMF program. The government has already increased the prices of gas, CNG and electricity, as well as devalued the currency to meet IMF demands. It is now about to increase fuel prices. The IMF is a colonialist tool that never allows the country that receives loans to stand on its feet. The new rulers of Pakistan warned of the dangers of the IMF before coming to power. In an interview published in the British newspaper “The Guardian” on 18 September 2011, Imran Khan warned, “A country that relies on aid? Death is better than that. It stops you from achieving your potential, just as colonialism did. Aid is humiliating. Every country I know that has had IMF or World Bank programs has only impoverished the poor and enriched the rich.” However, after coming to power, the current regime is following its predecessors. It now speaks the language of its capitalist masters and their institutions. So instead of withdrawing government taxes from petroleum products and reducing the profits of private oil refineries and marketing companies, the government chose to burden the common man by increasing fuel prices.
It is not allowed for us to grant IMF, the kafireen domination over our affairs, for Allah (swt) said, وَلَن يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلًا “…and Allah does not allow the Believers to grant the kafireen authority over them” [Surah An-Nisa: 141]. Only Islam can deliver real change as Islam has forbidden, the private ownership of energy resources. RasulAllah ﷺ said, «ثَلاثٌ لا يُمْنَعْنَ: الْمَاءُ وَالْكَلأُ وَالنَّارُ» “Three cannot be denied (to anyone): water, fire and pastures” (reported by Ibn Maja from Abu Hurairah). This narration has an Illah that its prevention is because they are from the public utilities. The jurists have included all that causes fire such as energy resources as public property. Ruling by Islam alone will end the capitalist economy and ensure the distribution of wealth. One of the provision for distribution is the public ownership of energy resources such as coal, oil and gas. Such resources are neither owned by the state nor individuals. Instead, the state administers these resources to ensure that its benefit is used for all the citizens, regardless of race, color, school of thought and religion. Furthermore, the Khilafah state will abolish taxes upon energy resources which have further greatly inflated their prices. It will charge to cover their production and distribution costs and any profit from sales of excess resources to non-hostile non-Muslim states, will be put to use for taking care of the public’s needs. Thus, Islam’s energy policy will contribute to low energy costs and incite a massive industrialization of Pakistan, supervised by the Khilafah.
Asia Bibi Case Confirms the Need for a Judiciary Ruling by Islam
The complainant in the Asia Bibi case, Qari Muhammad Salaam, on 1 November 2017 filed a review petition through his counsel, Azhar Siddiqui, against Pakistan’s Supreme Court’s decision to overturn her conviction in the blasphemy case. The day before the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan made a public address condemning the opponents of the decision by saying, “If the Supreme Court does not issue a verdict according to their wishes, does that mean they will come out on the roads and paralyse the country?”
There is a reason that the people are mistrusting of the acquittal. The current system is designed to issue verdicts based on the wishes of the Western colonialists and the ruling elite. Time and again this has been borne true. This time the decision comes after the European Union linked the Asia Bibi case with its Generalized System of Preference (GSP) Plus Scheme for Pakistan. Indeed the sudden acquittal occurred only two days after the regime’s foreign minister met delegation of the European Parliament for Relations with South Asia, whilst pledging stronger co-operation with the Europe. Previously decisions have been made or not made to serve Western interests, such as the decision to release of the US spy and assassin, Raymond Davis. Decisions on the state abduction of political opponents to Western colonialism are delayed, whilst the decisions regarding the US invasion of Abbotabad in 2011 by the judicial Abbotabad Commission are hidden from public view.
Unlike Democracy, in Islam, it is Allah (swt) Who has revealed the laws regarding the crime, its testimonial evidence and punishment. Allah (swt) said, أَلَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ خَلَقَ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ “Should not He Who has created know And He is the Most Kind and Courteous, All-Aware.)” [Surah al-Mulk 67:14] Islam is the firm basis of the judiciary in the Khilafah. It is a fixed and constant basis which does not succumb to political pressures and interests. Ignorance (Jahl) is other than Islam, including the British law, French penal codes and all other forms of kufr. The judge, whether he is a man or women, Hanifi or Jafari, must be knowledgeable in Islam for he or she will judge by it. And the one who judges by other than Islam is in Hellfire, Rasullah صلى الله عليه وسلم said in the authentic hadith, «الْقُضَاةُ ثَلَاثَةٌ: وَاحِدٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، وَاثْنَانِ فِي النَّارِ، فَأَمَّا الَّذِي فِي الْجَنَّةِ فَرَجُلٌ عَرَفَ الْحَقَّ فَقَضَى بِهِ، وَرَجُلٌ عَرَفَ الْحَقَّ فَجَارَ فِي الْحُكْمِ، فَهُوَ فِي النَّارِ، وَرَجُلٌ قَضَى لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى جَهْلٍ فَهُوَ فِي النَّارِ» “The judges are of three types: one is in heaven, the other is in fire. As for the one who is Jannah, he is the man who knows the truth and judges by it, whereas the one who knows the truth and aggrieves it in judgment, he is in fire. And the man who judges for the people on ignorance is also in fire.” [Abu Dawud]