Excessive Taxation is Breaking the Backs of the People
The Balochistan Assembly through a resolution on 15 August asked the federal government to review its decision about withholding tax because it was affecting the business community and other account holders. The motion tabled by opposition member Husna Bano was converted into a resolution on the proposal of Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal. Taking part in the debate on the withholding tax, Ms Bano, Mr Ziaratwal, Adviser to Chief Minister on Education Sardar Reza Muhammad Barach and opposition member Sardar Abdur Rehman Khetran urged the federal government to resolve the matter amicably.
The Muslims of Pakistan continue to have their backs broken by ever increasing taxes, amidst rampant inflation. In contrast to the current capitalist system, Islam grants sanctity to the private property of individuals and prevents it usurping, so taxation would occur in the Khilafah, but as a last resort and under stringent conditions; namely, if the revenues that Shariah has stipulated were not enough and only upon those who have secured their basic needs and some of luxuries to the level that is considered normal. So Islam ensures that there is no taxation on the fruits of labour nor the efforts to secure the basic needs and some of the luxuries, as occurs in capitalism in the form of across the board witholding tax, income tax and sales tax, which is punishing the less well off. This means that the taxation will ensure circulation of wealth, rather than concentration. Regarding indirect taxes, Hizb ut-Tahrir has adopted in its book, “Funds of the Islamic State” Funds: “The State is not allowed to impose indirect taxes, nor to do so in the form of court fees, fees on petitions forwarded to the State, sale or registration of land, buildings or measurements or other types of taxes other than those already mentioned. This is because raising taxes is of the prohibited injustices and of the tax about which the Prophet said:
«لَا يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ صَاحِبُ مَكْسٍ»
“The collector of illegitimate taxes will not enter Jannah.” [Ahmad]
The Khilafah will generate huge revenues inshaaAllah from the public properties, energy and minerals, as well as the other Shari stipulated sources. This will inshaaAllah enable the economy to thrive, without being dampened by the excessive taxation that is seen today.
Indian’s Hostile Stance Demands It Being Treated as an Enemy
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met his close aides for the second day on 18 August to discuss issues relating to internal security and foreign policy, but this time in the presence of Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif. Before the start of the formal discussion, Mr Sharif had a one-to-one meeting with the army chief. They were later joined by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Special Assistant to the PM on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi. According to the sources, the meeting decided to raise the issue of alleged Indian interference in Balochistan and Sindh at the talks between Mr Aziz and his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval scheduled to be held on Aug 23 and 24. In a related development, US Secretary of State John Kerry called the prime minister on 18 August to discuss foreign policy.
The military and civilian leadership are aware of the hostile stance of India, both in terms of relentless attacks across the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, as well as inciting of anti-state activities throughout the country. However, Washington demands that Pakistan normalizes its relations with India, so that India can rise as the head of a South Asian bloc to both counter America’s rival, China, as well as to prevent the rise of Muslims in the region. This is what leads to the contradictions between the words and deeds of the current leadership. India is proclaimed an enemy, yet through diplomacy, friendship is being extended in cultural, economic and political realms.
In contrast to the hypocrisy of the current leadership, Hizb ut-Tahrir has adopted in its Introduction to the Constitution, in Article 189, “States with whom we do not have treaties, and the actual imperialist states, such as Britain, America and France, and those states that have designs on the State, such as Russia, are legally considered to be belligerent states. All precautions must be taken towards them and it would be wrong to establish diplomatic relations with them.” And in the same Article’s Clause 4 it has stated, “States that are actually belligerent states, such as Israel for example, a state of war must be taken as the basis for all dealings with them. They must be dealt with as if a real war existed between us – irrespective of whether an armistice exists between us or not – and all their subjects are prevented from entering the State.”
The Khilafah Will Break the Hold of the Current Major Powers
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said in Mandi Bahauddin on 19 August that terrorists were carrying out subversive activities in the country by misusing religion and attacking innocent people, including children and women. He also said the country’s enemies were getting assistance from outside to create anarchy and achieve their nefarious designs. Talking to reporters after attending the 30th passing out parade at the Pakistan Rangers Academy here, he condemned the Attock attack and the attempt on the life of MNA Rashid Godil, saying such incidents could not weaken the nation’s resolve against terrorism. Every heinous action by terrorists, he said, strengthened “our resolve”. He added, “We want to promote democratic norms and put the country on the path of progress and development.”
It is the regime’s own adherence to democracy that has put the country in peril. Even though the regime continuously affirms foreign involvement in destabilizing Pakistan, Democracy binds Pakistan to dangerous current international norms which are determined by kuffar major powers. Even though these major powers are confirmed in enmity against the Muslims and Islam, Democracy ensures that Pakistan maintains diplomatic relations with them. Due to Democracy, the regime interacts with enemy dignitaries and officials, revealing our secrets and seeking guidance, supporting Western military and economic intervention in Muslim lands like Afghanistan, Yemen, Iraq and Syria. This is even though Allah سبحانه وتعالى said,
إِنَّمَا يَنْهَاكُمْ اللَّهُ عَنْ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَأَخْرَجُوكُمْ مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ وَظَاهَرُوا عَلَى إِخْرَاجِكُمْ أَنْ تَوَلَّوْهُمْ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّهُمْ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الظَّالِمُونَ
“Allah forbids your alliance with those who fight you because of your Deen, and drive you from your homelands, or aid others to do so: and as for those who turn to them in alliance, they are truly oppressors.”
(Surah al-Mumtahina 60:9)
The Khilafah will take immediate steps to emerge as the leading state in the world, as it was for centuries previously, challenging the corrupt hold of the current major powers. In this manner, the norms that Islam mandates will become international standards. Confirmed enemies will be treated as such, whereas other kuffar nations who are tired of the injustice of the current major powers, will be brought close to the Khilafah, in order to ease their acceptance of Islam.
Zarb-i-Azb is Spilling Muslim Blood to Secure Crusader Presence in Afghanistan
The final phase of Zarb-i-Azb operation in North Waziristan got under way on 20 August as troops launched a ground offensive in Shawal Valley, where a presence of Haqqani network tribal fighters was also reported from the valley when a US drone strike on June 6 killed nine Haqqani men there. “We have moved into the last stage of the operation. The ground action in Shawal has commenced,” military spokesman Maj Gen Asim Bajwa told Dawn. The Zarb-i-Azb operation began in June last year and the army says it has cleared most of North Waziristan. Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif, according to a tweet by Gen Bajwa, commended ideal air and ground force coordination for the operation.
Previously, for many decades, it was well known that the Haqqani network and North Wazristan were red lines for the armed forces. However, today, traitors in our military leadership have succeeded in trapping our military, the seventh largest in the world, comprised of hundreds of thousands of soldiers desiring victory or martyrdom, in a war of Fitna in Waziristan to serve American objectives. So, now instead of America counting its dead in its failing efforts to secure its occupation of Afghanistan, the Muslims are now counting their dead, on both sides. On one side, our soldiers, the successors of the Ansar (may Allah be pleased with them) who gave the Nussrah (Material Support) for the establishment of Islam, are now to be diverted from uprooting the agent rulers and establishing the Khilafah in their place to securing America’s fragile occupation. And on the other side, those who were previously fighting the crusaders, bruising their ribs and striking fear within their hearts, are now fighting Muslim soldiers and weakening the Nussrah and strength of the Muslims by their own hands.
And these operations are taking place even though, even though Allah ﷺ said in the Noble Qur’an,
وَمَن يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِناً مُّتَعَمِّداً فَجَزَآؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِداً فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَاباً عَظِيماً
“And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide therein, and the Wrath and the Curse of Allâh are upon him, and a great punishment is prepared for him.”
(Surah An-Nisa’a 4:93)
RasulAllah ﷺ said,
«سباب المسلم فسق وقتاله كفر
“Abusing the Muslim is an aggression and fighting him is disbelief.” [Al-Bukhari, Muslim]
And RasulAllah ﷺ said,
«إذا التقى المسلمان بسيفيهما فالقاتل والمقتول في النار، قلنا يا رسول الله هذا القاتل فما بال المقتول قال انه كان حريصا على قتل صاحبه»
“When two Muslims face each other in fighting and one kills the other, then both the killer and the killed are in the hell-fire.” The Companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah, this is the killer – what about the poor person who has been killed?” The Prophet ﷺ said “He had the intention to kill his companion.”