Analysis, Side Feature, South Asia

Pakistan Headlines – 23 Nov 2018

Headlines:

  • Despite Trumps Humiliating Remarks, Alliance with the US Remains in Naya (New) Pakistan
  • Hiding the Economic Failure of Capitalism Behind Population Control Drive
  • Dominance of the Deen of Muhammad ﷺ comes through Implementing Islam and Carrying it to the Whole World

Despite Trumps Humiliating Remarks, Alliance with the US Remains in Naya (New) Pakistan

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday, 19th November 2018, led the sharp reaction by political leaders to US President Donald Trump’s tirade against Pakistan. The comments focussed on hinting at review of foreign policy options and asking the US president to introspect on the real reasons for America’s failure in Afghanistan. PM Khan reminded President Trump that Pakistan’s support for the US in the war on terror cost it 75,000 casualties and over $123 billion in financial losses, tribal areas were devastated because of terrorist attacks and millions of people were displaced because of counterterrorism operations. He recalled that Pakistan continued to provide “free lines of ground and air communications (GLOCs/ALOCs)” for providing supplies to the US and other coalition troops in Afghanistan. “Can Mr Trump name another ally that gave such sacrifices?”  Mr Khan questioned and said the $20 billion that the US gave in aid since 9/11 was very small as compared to the losses Pakistan suffered due to the 17-year-long war. He further said, “Now, we [Pakistan] will do what is best for our people and our interests.”

PM Khan’s latest rebuttal came after Trump tweeted about Pakistan’s alleged inaction against “Osama bin Laden and Afghanistan”. The US president is saying that Pakistan has not done anything for the US meaning. Superficially, his stance endorsed the narrative of traitors in the political and military leadership of Pakistan that Pakistan is playing double game with US. However, interestingly, the response from the Bajwa-Imran regime is an assertion that Pakistan’s rulers did their best to safeguard the interests of the US. It is similar to the stance of the defence minister of the Raheel-Nawaz regime, Khawaja Asif, who said Pakistan continues to pay in blood for fighting the US’ wars and subverts Islam to suit US interests.

Before elections, the PTI led by Imran Khan had been a vocal opponent of Pakistan’s policy of fighting US war. However, Imran Khan tweets reminded Trump of the services of the traitors in the political and military leadership of Pakistan for the US. He also reminded Trump that Naya Pakistan as well continues to provide “free lines of ground and air communications (GLOCs/ALOCs)” for providing essential supplies to the US and other coalition troops in Afghanistan. So the Bajwa-Imran regime is in fact pleading, not protesting. It is assuring Trump that Pakistan[s rulers have been sincere with US and even today we are fully exhausting Pakistan’s political, economic and military resources for the benefit of US. So who can still say that it is Naya Pakistan?

If the regime really was anti-American, it regime would have cut NATO supply line on the very first day of their rule. It would have not been making all efforts to pressure the Afghan Taliban into sitting with the US at the negotiation table, so the war which US has lost on battle field could be won at the table, laying waste to the huge sacrifices of the Muslims in seeking to expel the US forces from a Muslim Land. Clearly, through democracy there will be no change, as democratic rulers follow the commands of the US, not Allah swt. For real change we have to re-establish the Khilafah (Caliphate) on the method of Prophethood, which will expel the US from our region, according to the command of Allah (swt), فَمَنِ اعۡتَدٰى عَلَيۡكُمۡ فَاعۡتَدُوۡا عَلَيۡهِ بِمِثۡلِ مَا اعۡتَدٰى عَلَيۡكُمۡ “So however has assaulted you, then assault him in the same way that he has assaulted you” [Surah al-Baqarah 2:194]

 

Hiding the Economic Failure of Capitalism Behind Population Control Drive

The centre and the provinces on 19 November 2018 decided to form task forces within their jurisdictions to control rapid population growth reported by Dawn. The meeting, that was presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan, considered the figure of 207.8 million populations in the last census as a benchmark to discuss the issue of population welfare and its control. The meeting decided to reduce population growth rate of 2.4 per cent per annum to 1.5pc. Earlier, also the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Saqib Nisar, said that people have to say that having many children is not a good action and the government must present a solution.

It is alarming that the current leadership of the country in its blind imitation of the West is united on the population control agenda. Population control is Western secular thinking that many children are a burden on a family and ultimately on the nation as well, on the basis of the capitalist concept of scarcity of resources. Due to this thinking, Western nations encourage their population to practice birth control or family planning. However, for the last decade, Western nations as well as the industrialized nations of the East, have begun to experience the negative effects of population control on the economy and other societal arenas. They do not have enough young people to work and take on various societal responsibilities, including taking care of the elders. So now many Western countries encourage their citizens to have babies and grant economic concessions for it. China had been a leading country in population control. It officially forced its population to a one child policy since 1979, but it has also now terminated its one child policy in 2013. It abandoned its population control policy when it was not uncommon for a single child to support its parents and both sets of grandparents, in a visibly aging population.

The problem is not increasing population or its scarcity or the depletion of resources. The issue is distribution of these resources under the capitalist economic system in an effective way for the whole population. According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) report, the world’s 225 richest people now have a combined wealth that is equal to the combined annual income of the world’s 2.5 billion poorest people. Furthermore, the UNDP calculates that an annual 4 percent levy on the world’s 225 most well-to-do people would be sufficient to provide the following essentials for all those in developing countries: adequate food, safe water and sanitation, basic education, basic health care and reproductive health care.

Thus, it is unfortunate that the whole democratic political leadership of the country is blindly following the thinking of Western Kafir nations, instead of following the commands of Allah (swt). Allah (swt) has assured the whole humanity that He (swt) has secured the Rizq (sustenance) of each and every soul. Allah swt said إنًّ ٱللًّهَ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَآءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ “Verily Allah provides sustenance to whom He wills without measure.” [Surah Aale-Imran 3: 37]. And Allah (swt) warned us of killing our children, because of the fear of poverty. Allah (swt) said, وَلاَ تَقْتُلُوۤاْ أَوْلادَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلاقٍ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُم إنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ خِطْئاً كَبِيراً “And do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you. Indeed, their killing is ever a great sin.” [Surah Al-Isra’ 17:31.] Poverty is not because of lack of resources. It is because of the capitalist man made system which accumulates wealth in the hands of the few. So in order to end poverty, we should not focus on population control. Instead we must focus on abolishing the capitalist system and re-establishing the Khilafah (Caliphate) on the Method of Prophethood. The implementation of Islam ensures the distribution of wealth in a society, eradicating poverty as a consequence.

 

Dominance of the Deen of Muhammad ﷺ comes through Implementing Islam and Carrying it to the Whole World

Addressing the opening session of a two-day international conference on the eve of Eid Miladun Nabi on 20 November, Imran Khan said the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had earned more respect than the two world super powers of his time — Roman Empire and Persian Empire — through the message of forgiveness, peace and tranquillity. “The Prophet may not have made great financial resources, but Allah instilled the quality of mercy in him,” he added.

With respect to the major powers in era of RasulAllah ﷺ, it was not simply a matter of competing in respect. It was a competition for dominance between opposing ways of life and in time the Islam became to dominate both the lands of Rome and Persia. Islam was implemented comprehensively in the Madinah State and as part of the implementation, the Muslims undertook the duty of carrying Islam to the entire of the world. RasulAllah ﷺ called the rulers of both empires to embrace Islam and during his era of ruling, the first military conflicts took place. This led the basis for the substantial opening of the both the lands of Persia and Rome to Islam during the time of the Khulafa’a Rashideen.

It is here that the current rulers are abysmally neglectful of the Islamic duty to ensure the dominance of the Deen. There is not one country, including Pakistan, where Islam is entirely implemented and the foreign policy is based on the duty to spread Islam’s authority throughout the world. Instead the rulers of New Pakistan are pursuing the same policy as the rulers of old Pakistan, which is making alliance with enemy powers to extend their influence, instead of working to end their influence. The Seerah of RasulAllah ﷺ is a manifest evidence of the need for the ruling by all that Allah (swt) has revealed. The Khilafah (Caliphate) on the Method of the Prophethood will be true to RasulAllah ﷺ. It will unify the current Muslim Lands as a single, powerful state. It will tear up alliance with enemy states and work to ensure that their lands fall under the authority of Islam, sooner or later. Allah (swt) said, هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ “It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although they who associate others with Allah dislike it.” [Surah At-Tawbah 9:33]