Earthquake Exposes Decades of Neglect of Pakistan’s Infrastructure
A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck major cities of Pakistan, including the northern areas on 26 October at 2:09pm, leaving hundreds dead and thousands injured due to building collapses, landslides, stampedes and other quake related incidents. While the magnitude of the earthquake is close to the devastating quake of 2005, by the Mercy of Allah سبحانه وتعالى the epicentre of the earthquake was far deeper in the earth, at a depth of 196km, which saved the Muslims from more severe destruction. We again see the Khair in the Ummah at times of testing. As Muslims sought refuge, they recited Duas and Ayaat of the Noble Quran, sought forgiveness from Allah (ta’ala) and enquired about the welfare of all those that they know. Now the Muslims are active in locating missing people and tending to those effected and this is the manifestation of the hadith of RasulAllah ﷺ, The Prophet ﷺ said:
«من فرج عن مسلم كربة من كرب الدنيا فرج الله عنه كربة من كرب يوم القيامه»
“Whoever relieves the difficulty of another Muslim, Allah Taala will relieve for him a difficulty among the difficulties on Judgement Day.”
Amidst this latest calamity, the Muslims are painfully reminded of the decades of neglect by the current system of ruling. It is this neglect that has led to the construction of poor quality housing which collapsed upon the heads of its occupants. It is this neglect which has led to the poorly constructed roads which have hampered relief efforts, particularly in the remote regions. It is this deep neglect that has led to an inadequate health care system outside of major cities, particularly for emergency relief that has necessitated the mobilization of medical equipment from the main cities or the affected being transported over great distances for relief.
The Muslims must do their best in the current circumstances, sparing no effort to secure the needy. And at the same time this calamity is a grave reminder of the urgent need of the Khilafah, which is a system that truly care for the affairs of the people, during the calamity and in preparation for the calamities. Islam has made politics as looking after the affairs of the Ummah and an obligation. Failure renders the ruler accountable on the Day of Judgment. That is why Umar (ra) when charged with ruling said, “If an animal in the land of Iraq trips, I would be afraid that Allah سبحانه وتعالى would account me for not fixing the road for it”. The people of Pakistan must realize that whether it is democracy or dictatorship, rulers will neglect the affairs as they do not consider themselves answerable to their people or their Creator, Allah سبحانه وتعالى. It is only the ruling system of Khilafah in which in which the Khalifah is answerable to the people and Allah سبحانه وتعالى. And accountability before Allah سبحانه وتعالى is the most severe. RasulAllah ﷺ said,
«مَا مِنْ وَالٍ يَلِي رَعِيَّةً مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَيَمُوتُ وَهُوَ غَاشٌّ لَهُمْ إِلَّا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ»
“There is no Wali who takes charge of Muslims and dies cheating them, except that Allah prohibits him paradise.” [Bukhari].
Currency Weakens as it is not Based on Gold and Silver
The US dollar rose further against the rupee in the inter-bank market on 27 October 2015 to a record high, with currency dealers describing it as a deliberate attempt by the government to devalue the local currency. Since the last week of August, when the dollar made sharp gains against the rupee, the inter-bank market was well under control of the central bank and the US currency was not allowed to cross Rs104.50 despite higher demand.
Before America’s war on Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq, 30.97 Rupees were needed to buy a single US Dollar, and then during the Musharraf-Aziz regime on Friday 15 August 2008 it rose to 76.9 Rupees with inflation in Pakistan at its highest ever in 30 years. Then in January 2013, under the Kayani-Zardari regime over 98 Rupees are required to buy a single US dollar. And now under the Raheel-Nawaz regime it is over 104 Rupees. With each passing year of capitalism, the Rupee is worth less and can buy less with huge increases in prices, such that buying meat is beyond the reach of most, fruit is a luxury and vegetables are becoming a great burden. Today, the Rupee is worth less than a Paisa was a few decades ago. Despite the false reassuring claims of the government to the contrary, the Rupee is collapsing constantly, which is leading to huge increases in prices. Yet, the government continues to print more and more money unheeding of the dire consequences, busily digging a grave for the lifeblood of the economy, its currency.
Islam has mandated that the currency of the state is backed by precious metal wealth, ending the root cause of inflation. RasulAllah ﷺ commanded the Muslims to mint gold dinars, weighing 4.25g, and silver dirhams, weighing 2.975g, as the currency of the state. This is why the Khilafah enjoyed stable prices for over a thousand years. Today the Khilafah will employ exchange of commodities, such as copper, and foreign exchange for gold and silver and will be mindful of net outgoing of gold and silver during international trade, though the Muslim World is self-sufficient in most matters. Moreover, re-establishing gold and silver in international trade will end the unfair disadvantage that America has by imposing the dollar on international trade. As Hizb ut-Tahrir has adopted in its Introduction to the Constitution, Article 166, “The State issues its own independent currency, and it is not permitted for it to be linked to any foreign currency.” In Article 167 it has adopted, “The currency of the State is to be restricted to gold and silver, whether minted or not. No other form of currency for the State is permitted. The State can issue something as a substitute for gold or silver provided that the Bayt al-Mal has the equivalent amount of gold and silver to cover the issued coinage.” In Article 168, it has adopted, “It is permissible to have exchange between the State currency and the currency of other states like the exchange between the State’s own coinages.”
Regime Welcomes Iran Despite Its Black Role in Syria in Support of the Tyrant Bashar al-Assad
Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on 28 October held a press conference with the visiting secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, after their talks at the Foreign Office. Regarding Russian air strikes in Syria, Mr Aziz said Pakistan was closely following the situation, Aziz said, “Russian entry into Syrian conflict is very significant. There are indications that it will lead to a positive outcome in the shape of a political settlement. If that happens, the Russian involvement will be certainly viewed positively. But for now we reserve our judgement about this development.” Mr Shamkhani added, “Iran has always supported political solution of the Syrian crisis. Russian involvement has revived efforts for a political settlement. Iran has been invited to a conference in Vienna on Syria and we will attend without any preconditions.”
The political settlement that Aziz and Shamkani are speaking of is any political change except the return of the Khilafah, which is the key demand of the people of Syria. Since March of 2011, the Muslims of Syria, in ash-Shaam, have risen up against their ruler, President Bashar of the ruling Al-Assad family, whom America bought to power nearly forty years ago. For all this time, the Al-Assad regime ruled by Kufr socialism and capitalism, oppressing the people ruthlessly, reserving its greatest venom for those who called for Islam. It supported America in its plans within the region, whether it was surrendering the Golan Heights to the “Jewish State” or supporting America’s invasion and occupation of Iraq. However, the anger within the people built until they erupted. They filled the streets demanding Islam, with many of them calling ‘الشعب يريد الخلافة من جديد’ “The people want the Khilafah and raising the black and white flags of the coming Khilafah. Deprived of sleep at the thought of the return of the Khilafah, America in collusion with Russia and Iran directly and through its proxy Hezbollah, have militarily supported Bashar. The Al-Assad regime destroyed towns and villages. It slaughtered tens of thousands, not sparing the women, elderly and children. Its thugs tortured the men, raped the women and abducted the children, seizing them in the streets from the arms of their mothers.
Rather than extending red carpet treatment for the Iranian official, it was upon the regime to turn him back on his heels, condemning the Iranian regime for its black role in Syria and declaring that the armed forces of Pakistan will be mobilized to support the Muslims of Syria in deposing the tyrant Bashar and establishing Khilafah in the blessed lands of ash-Sham.
Pakistan and Iran Require Unification, not Mere Co-operation
Iran’s secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani, who was on a two-day visit to Pakistan, pitched the currency swap proposal again during a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on 29 October 2015. Although security cooperation was high on the agenda of the top Iranian security official’s visit, the two sides also deliberated on opportunities for expanding cooperation. The two countries had explored the possibility of doing trade in their currencies in the past, but progress could not be made then due to the sanctions on Iran. The current volume of bilateral trade is about $230 million per annum, but the two countries are eyeing to increase it to $5 billion over the next five years.
Such token measures are not enough when considering Muslim Land. In origin the Muslims are part of one Ummah, their lands are one and their state is one, the Khilafah. Today, however, Muslims have been divided by their current rulers on sectarian and nationalist lines. The soon to arrive Khilafah will look at Muslim Lands solely on the basis of Islam. Rather than paying lip-service to Muslim unity through talk of economic and military co-operation, it will practically unify the Muslim Lands such that their Baytul Maal and armed forces are one. As Hizb ut-Tahrir has adopted in its Introduction to the Constitution, Article 189, Clause 1, it has adopted, “The existing states in the Islamic world are considered to be part of one land and therefore they are not included within the sphere of foreign affairs. Relations with these countries are not considered to be in the realm of foreign policy and it is obligatory to work to unify all these countries into one state.”