AfghanCorner

Nazia Iqbal Quits Singing, Vows to Preach Islam

2012-01-23T02:41:00.000-08:00

بشير ګواښ – پراګ
مشال ريډيو
د پښتو ژبې مشهورې سندرغاړې نازيه اقبال اعلان کړی چې نور به د سندرو پر ځای د مذهب تبليغ کوي. په دې وروستيوو کې ډيرو سندرغاړو د کورونو د نه اجازې، ژوند ته د ورپيښو خطرونو او د موسيقۍ د ماحول د خرابوالي له وجې هنر پريښي. ځينې نور بيا دا کار غير اسلامي ګڼي. ځينې ديني عالمان هم دا کار جايز او ځينې نور حرام ګڼي.

پر ټولنيز ویب سایټ، فیس بوک ډاټ کام خپرې شوي، يوې تازه ويډيو کې سندرغاړې نازيه اقبال ويلي چې نور به سندرې نه وايي او د اسلام تبليغ ته مخه کوي. هغې دا اعلان په دوبۍ کې وکړ او وي ويل: ((له شپږو کلونو راهيسې مې سندرې ويلي دي خو له دې وروسته به مې نه څوک مخ وويني او نه به مې اواز واوري. زه د الله په لاره کې وخت لګوم.))

نظار يوسفزی چې دا ويډيو يې په فيس بوک کې اچولې او په دوبۍ کې د پښتنو د کلتوري ټولنو يو غړی دی وايي چې نازيه اقبال د دغه کار په کولو سره ښه پيغام پرينښود. هغه وويل چې کوم خلک دا ويډيو ويني نو وايي به چې نازيه اقبال ګنې له دې وړاندې کوم ډير زيات ناروا کار کاوه يا يې کومه ډيره لويه ګناه کوله.

ښاغلی يوسفزی وايي چې نازيه اقبال کورنۍ ستونزې لري او کيدای شي له دغې وجې يې سندرو ويلو ته شا کړی وي چې د هغې فن ته ترې نقصان ورسيد.

پر فيس بوک ډيرو خلکو د نازيه اقبال سندرو ويلو ته شا کول ستايلي دي خو نظار يوسفزی دا د کلتور لپاره لوی ګوزار ګڼي. هغه وايي چې پښتانه سندرې اوري خو سندرغاړي يې نه دي خوښ او نازيه اقبال بايد سندرو پريښودلو ته مذهبي رنګ ورنه کړي.

نظار يوسفزی زياتوي.(( زما اصل اعتراض پر دې خبره دی چې نازيه اقبال دې کار ته د مذهب رنګ ورکړ. نوي سندرغاړي به اوس سندرو ويلو ته زړه نه ښه کوي او وايي به چې دا کار لکه چې په اسلام کې روا نه دی. ))

له دې وړاندې هم ځينو سندرغاړو موسيقي پرې ايښي او تبليغ يې پيل کړی. په دوی کې يو شهنشاه باچا مشال ريډيو ته وويل سندرې يې ځکه پريښودلې چې ماحول يې ښه نه وو. د هغه په وينا خلکو ترې داسې سندرې غوښتلي چې په ويلو يې هغه خپل ضمير ته خجالت کاوه.

نظار يوسفزی وايي چې د دين او خير ښېګړي کارونه د هنر پر مخ بيولو سره هم کيدای شي. هغه زياتوي چې ډير داسې خلک پيژني چې هم خپل پنځه وخته لمونځ کوي او هم د خپل هنر له لارې د خپلې ژبې او کلتور خدمت کوي.

شهنشا باچا چې اوس يې خپل نوم شاه جهان ته بدل کړی، هم وايي چې هنر د دين مخه نه نيسي او کيدای شي چې د فن پر مهال هم سړی نور خلک دين او د خیر ښیګړي کارونو ته راوبولي.

د پښتو فلمونو مشهور ټوکمار اداکار لياقت ميجر چې په سينتيس مشهور دی هم په فلمونو کې له کار کولو وروسته تبليغ ته مخه کړې. هغه مشال ريډيو ته د خپل نوي او زاړه کار په اړه وويل. ((زه دا نه وايم چې هغه تير کار مې ډير خراب وو يا دا کار مې ډير ښه دی او يا زه د تبليغ په کولو سره ډير متقي شوم.))

ځينې پښتنو هنرمندانو د سخت دريځو له لاسه ژوند ته د ورپیښو خطرونو، ځينو د کورنيوو ستونزو اوځينو له هنر سره د تړلي ماحول د خرابوالي له وجې دې ته شا کړي خو ځینې نورو بيا دا کار غير اسلامي ګڼلی.

قاضي حسن حقيار چې په شريعت کې پراخه او او لوړې زده کړي لري او په اسلام کې د موسیقۍ پر ارزښت يې يو کتاب هم ليکلی، وايي. ((موسيقيت، خوږغږي،ترنم او هر هغه شی چې پر ذهن باندې خوږ لږيږي، د دې تعريف له مخې موسيقي حرامه نه ده. موسيقي په اسلام کې تاريخ لري. د صحابه وو په وخت کې وه، د حضرت پيغمبر اکرم(ص) په وخت کې وه. آن په ځينو وختونو کې پيغمبر اکرم (ص) امر کړی چې په ودونو کې دې موسقي وي. دريا دي وي او د هغه وخت د موسيقۍ ځينې نور آلات دي وي خو هغه موسيقي چې نن سبارواج لري، د انجونو ګډاګاني دي، نڅاوې دی، فاحشه موسيقي ده او انساني کرامت تر پښو لاندې کوي، حرامه ده.))

د نازيه اقبال د سندرو د پريښودلو په ويډيو کې اداکار اسماعيل شاهد هم د نورو هنرمندانو سره پر سټيج ولاړ وي. هغه د نازيه اقبال له اعلانه وروسته وویل چې پر دغه کار ډير خفه شو.

نازیه اقبال د سوات اوسيدونکي ده چې څه موده وړاندې يې د ننګرهار جاويد فضا سره واده کړی او تر دې دمه يې په زرګونه سندرې يې ويلي دي

يادښت : دا رپورټ له دې وړاندې په مشال ريډيو کې خپور شوی دی

د نازيه اقبال د دغه اعلان ويډيو دلته کتلی شئ

Karzai Parody

2012-01-11T06:47:00.000-08:00

An incredible parody of Afghan president Hamid Karzai.

Opium Brides (video)

2012-01-04T23:36:00.000-08:00

(PBS FRONTLINE): Afghan opium farmers have long borrowed money from drug gangs to subsidize their crops. Now, as the Afghan government destroys their livelihood in an eradication program, the farmers find themselves in a horrifying situation: repay their debts or give their daughters to drug-traffickers. [PBS's] Najibullah Quraishi reports on the harrowing story of the collateral damage of the counter-narcotics effort.

Watch Opium Brides on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.

Full text of Pakistan's Supreme Court in Memo petitions

2011-12-30T19:07:00.000-08:00

Source: Associated Press of Pakistan: Following is the complete text of the Supreme Court order in memo Constitution petitions No. 77 TO 85 & 89 OF 2011 & CMA NO.5505/2011 In Constitutional Petition. 79 Of 2011. The order was announced by a nine member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Friday.

“IN THE SUPREME COURT OF PAKISTAN
(Original Jurisdiction)
PRESENT:
MR. JUSTICE IFTIKHAR MUHAMMAD CHAUDHRY, CJ
MR. JUSTICE MIAN SHAKIRULLAH JAN
MR. JUSTICE TASSADUQ HUSSAIN JILLANI
MR. JUSTICE JAWWAD S. KHAWAJA
MR. JUSTICE TARIQ PARVEZ
MR. JUSTICE MIAN SAQIB NISAR
MR. JUSTICE EJAZ AFZAL KHAN
MR. JUSTICE IJAZ AHMED CHAUDHRY
MR. JUSTICE MUHAMMAD ATHER SAEED
CONSTITUTION PETITIONS NO. 77 TO 85 & 89 OF 2011
& CMA NO. 5505/2011 IN CONST. P. 79 OF 2011
[Constitution Petition under Article 184(3) of the Constitution regarding alleged Memorandum to Admiral Mike Mullen by Mr. Hussain Haqqani, former Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States of America]
Watan Party       PETITIONER        [CP 77/2011]
M. Tariq Asad Advocate Supreme Court . PETITIONER [CP 78/2011]
Muhammad Nawaz Sharif     . PETITIONER [CP 79/2011]
Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar & another . PETITIONERS [CP 80/2011]
Iqbal Zafar Jhagra & another     . PETITIONERS       [CP 81/2011]
Lt. General r Abdul Qadir Baloch & 2 others . PETITIONERS [CP 82/2011]
Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider Khan & another. PETITIONERS [CP 83/2011]
Syed Ghous Ali Shah & 2 others   . PETITIONERS      [CP 84/2011]

Hafeez Ur Rahman     . PETITIONER [CP 85/2011]

Shafqatullah Sohail     . PETITIONER   [CP 89/2011]
VERSUS
Federation of Pakistan & others    . RESPONDENTS

For the petitioners:   Barrister Zafarullah Khan, ASC in person

Mr. Tariq Asad, ASC in person
Mr. Rashid A. Rizvi, Sr. ASC
Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar &
Khawaja Muhammad Asif, MNA in person
Mr. Muhammad Rafiq Rajwana, ASC
Mr. Attique Shah, ASC
Dr. M. Salahuddin Mengal, ASC
Sardar Asmatullah Khan, ASC
Syed Ghous Ali Shah, ASC
Dr. M. Shamim Rana, ASC
Mr. Naseer Ahmad Bhutta, ASC
Mr. M.S. Khattak, AOR
For the President of Pakistan: Nemo.
For the Prime Minister of Pakistan: Nemo.
For Chief of Army Staff,   Maulvi Anwar-ul-Haq

DG, ISI & M/O of Cabinet,    Attorney General for Pakistan

Defence, Foreign Affairs,   Mr. Dil Muhammad Alizai, DAG

Interior & Law:

For Hussain Haqqani:    Ms. Asma Jahangir, ASC
Ch. Akhtar Ali, AOR assisted by
M/s Idrees Ashraf and Asad Jamal, Advocates

For Mansoor Ijaz:    Nemo.

Date of hearing:    19-23 & 27-30 December, 2011

O R D E R

IFTIKHAR MUHAMMAD CHAUDHRY, CJ. - The Objectives Resolution, which has been made substantive part of the Constitution by means of Article 2A of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan commands that:
“And whereas it is the will of the people of Pakistan to establish an order; Wherein integrity of the territories of the Federation, its independence and all its rights, including its sovereign rights on land, sea and air, shall be safeguarded;
So that people of Pakistan may prosper and attain their rightful and honoured place amongst the nations of the World and make their full contribution towards international peace and progress and happiness of humanity.”
2.   This short order shall be followed by detailed reasons, to be recorded later.
The above petitions have been instituted under Article 184(3) of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
3.   For the purpose of understanding the issues involved in these petitions precisely the facts noted from the pleadings of the parties are that on 10th October, 2011, the respondent Mansoor Ijaz wrote an Article in Financial Times, London. The contents of the said Memo have already been reproduced in the order dated 1st December, 2011, however, same are repeated herein below:-
“CONFIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM
BRIEFING FOR ADM. MIKE MULLEN, CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF

During the past 72 hours since a meeting was held between the president, the prime minister and the chief of army staff, there has seen a significant deterioration in Pakistan’s political atmosphere. Increasingly desperate efforts by the various agencies and factions within the government to find a home - ISI and/or Army, or the civilian government - for assigning blame over the UBL raid now dominate the tug of war between military and civilian sectors. Subsequent tit-for-tat reactions, including outing of the CIA station chief’s name in Islamabad by ISI officials, demonstrates a dangerous devolution of the ground situation in Islamabad where no central control appears to be in place. Civilians cannot withstand much more of the hard pressure being delivered from the Army to succumb to wholesale changes. If civilians are forced from power, Pakistan becomes a sanctuary for UBL’s legacy and potentially the platform for far more rapid spread of al Qaeda’s brand of fanaticism and terror. A unique window of opportunity exists for the civilians to gain the upper hand over army and intelligence directorates due to their complicity in the UBL matter.
Request your direct intervention in conveying a strong, urgent and direct message to Gen Kayani that delivers Washington’s demand for him and Gen Pasha to end their brinkmanship aimed at bringing down the civilian apparatus - that this is a 1971 moment in Pakistan’s history. Should you be willing to do so, Washington’s political/military backing would result in a revamp of the civilian government that, while weak at the top echelon in terms of strategic direction and implementation (even though mandated by domestic political forces), in a wholesale manner replaces the national security adviser and other national security officials with trusted advisers that include ex-military and civilian leaders favorably viewed by Washington, each of whom have long and historical ties to the US military, political and intelligence communities. Names will be provided to you in a face-to-face meeting with the person delivering this message.
In the event Washington’s direct intervention behind the scenes can be secured through your personal communication with Kayani (he will likely listen only to you at this moment) to stand down the Pakistani military-intelligence establishment, the new national security team is prepared, with full backing of the civilian apparatus, to do the following:
1.   President of Pakistan will order an independent inquiry into the allegations that Pakistan harbored and offered assistance to UBL and other senior Qaeda operatives. The White House can suggest names of independent investigators to populate the panel, along the lines of the bipartisan 9-11 Commission, for example.
2.   The inquiry will be accountable and independent, and result in findings of tangible value to the US government and the American people that identify with exacting detail those elements responsible for harboring and aiding UBL inside and close to the inner ring of influence in Pakistan’s Government (civilian, intelligence directorates and military). It is certain that the UBL Commission will result in immediate termination of active service officers in the appropriate government offices and agencies found responsible for complicity in assisting UBL.
3.   The new national security team will implement a policy of either handing over those left in the leadership of Al Qaeda or other affiliated terrorist groups who are still on Pakistani soil, including Ayman Al Zawahiri, Mullah Omar and Sirajuddin Haqqani, or giving US military forces a “green light” to conduct the necessary operations to capture or kill them on Pakistani soil. This “carte blanche” guarantee is not without political risks, but should demonstrate the new group’s commitment to rooting out bad elements on our soil. This commitment has the backing of the top echelon on the civilian side of our house, and we will insure necessary collateral support.
4.   One of the great fears of the military-intelligence establishment is that with your stealth capabilities to enter and exit Pakistani airspace at will, Pakistan’s nuclear assets are now legitimate targets. The new national security team is prepared, with full backing of the Pakistani government - initially civilian but eventually all three power centers - to develop an acceptable framework of discipline for the nuclear program. This effort was begun under the previous military regime, with acceptable results. We are prepared to reactivate those ideas and build on them in a way that brings Pakistan’s nuclear assets under a more verifiable, transparent regime.
5.   The new national security team will eliminate Section S of the ISI charged with maintaining relations to the Taliban, Haqqani network, etc. This will dramatically improve relations with Afghanistan.
6.   We are prepared to cooperate fully under the new national security team’s guidance with the Indian government on bringing all perpetrators of Pakistani origin to account for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, whether outside government or inside any part of the government, including its intelligence agencies. This includes handing over those against whom sufficient evidence exists of guilt to the Indian security services.

Pakistan faces a decision point of unprecedented importance. We, who believe in democratic governance and building a much better structural relationship in the region with India AND Afghanistan, seek US assistance to help us pigeon-hole the forces lined up against your interests and ours, including containment of certain elements inside our country that require appropriate re-sets and re-tasking in terms of direction and extent of responsibility after the UBL affair.
We submit this Memorandum for your consideration collectively as the members of the new national security team who will be inducted by the President of Pakistan with your support in this undertaking.”

4.   Petitioners invoked original jurisdiction of this Court by means of Constitution Petitions, questioning therein the contents of above Memo on stated allegations that question of public importance involving their fundamental rights under the Constitution has been made out as according to the version of Mansoor Ijaz-respondent, Memo was prepared/drafted for the purpose of delivering the same to Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen through Gen. (Retd.) James Logan Jones, former US National Security Advisor.
5.   All the petitions were taken up for hearing on 1st December, 2011 when after hearing the petitioners, either through counsel or in person, notices were issued to the respondents for filing of their replies and to conduct a probe regarding the Memo, Mr. Tariq Khosa, former Secretary Narcotics/DG, FIA, subject to his consent, was directed to act as a Commission. On the same day, by means of press-conference held in PID office by Dr. Babar Awan, Sr. ASC along with two Ministers and others, the order of the Court was criticized contemptuously.
Inasmuch as, brother of Mr. Tariq Khosa, namely, Mr. Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, a learned Judge of this Court, who although was not member of the Bench, was referred in terms which prima facie are contemptuous, therefore, for such reasons, Mr. Tariq Khosa recused to act as a Commission. In this context, reaction of the Chief Executive/Prime Minister of Pakistan had been obtained and appropriate directionsshall be passed in the later part of the order.
6.   Parties, including the Chief of Army Staff, DG, ISI, Mansoor Ijaz as well as Hussain Haqqani and the Federation of Pakistan through Secretary Interior, Foreign Secretary represented by learned Attorney General for Pakistan, filed their replies. No separate reply has been filed by the President of Pakistan.
7.   With a view to narrow down the controversy between the parties, directions were issued to them to file counter affidavits/re-joinders to the replies of each others vide order dated 19.12.2011. A perusal of the pleadings suggests:-
(i)   After the publication of above Article along with Memo in Financial Times, London on 10th of October, 2011, DG, ISI (Mr. Shujah Pasha) established his contact with Mansoor Ijaz in London and on his return to Pakistan shared his views with the Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, thus, both of them in their replies to the petitions as well as affidavits have maintained that Memo dated 10th May, 2011 exists.
(ii)   On 16th November, 2011 Mr. Hussain Haqqani addressed a letter to the President of Pakistan wherein after mentioning certain facts, he desired to tender his resignation from the post of Ambassador of Pakistan in United States and expressed to probe into the matter.
About 3 to 4 meetings were held between the Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff, the President and Chief of Army Staff and joint meeting between the President, Prime Minister, Chief of Army Staff, DG ISI and Hussain Haqqani, whereafter, Hussain Haqqani on account of their persuasion tendered his resignation on 22.11.2011, which was accepted vide notification dated 23.11.2011.
Former Ambassador, Hussain Huqqani has denied categorically about his role in preparation of the Memo who at the same time has relied upon an affidavit tendered by James Jones, to establish that Mansoor Ijaz has concocted this story that such Memo was sent by him for delivering to Admiral Mike Mullen before 9th May, 2011.
In the meanwhile, vide letter dated 28.11.2011, issued under the signatures of Mr. Khushnood Akhter Lashari, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister referred the matter to the Parliamentary Committee to conduct probe on the subject issue.
The proposed terms of the reference are as under:-
To probe into the memo purportedly written and sent by Mr. Mansoor Ijaz.
To give consequential recommendations.
Federation of Pakistan through Secretary Interior had not denied the existence of the Memo in their counter affidavits except raising technical flaws in respect of undertaking journey by DG, ISI to London to conduct a meeting with Mansoor Ijaz without permission of the Prime Minister.
Mansoor Ijaz in his reply and in counter affidavit has contradicted the stand taken by Mr. Hussain Haqqani, former Ambassador and he has offered to provide further evidence to substantiate his plea that allegedly on persuasion of Mr.Hussain Haqqani, Memo dated 10th may, 2011 was drafted to be delivered to Mike Mullen through James Jones.
8.   On 1st of December, 2011 the Court itself raised the question about the maintainability of the petitions and at the same time it was observed that it would be appreciated if the outcome of the proposed inquiry by the Parliamentary Committee on National Security is shared with the Court, if possible.
9.   After having heard the parties and having taken into consideration the relevant provisions of the Constitution and the law, judgments cited on behalf of both the sides and the pleadings of the parties carefully, we hold as under:-
In exercise of powers of Judicial Review, we hold that in these petitions, petitioners have succeeded in establishing that the issues involved are justiciable and question of public importance with regard to enforcement of fundamental rights, prima facie, under Articles 9, 14 and 19A of the Constitution has been made out. Thus, the petitions under Article 184(3) of the Constitution are maintainable.
To delineate measures with a view to ensure enforcement of the fundamental rights noted in para ibid, a probe is called for to ascertain the origin, authenticity and purpose of creating/drafting of Memo for delivering it to Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen through Gen. (Retd.) James Logan Jones, former US National Security Advisor. Thus, in exercise of powers conferred upon this Court under Article 187 of the Constitution, Order XXXII, Rules 1 and 2 read with Order XXXVI of the Supreme Court Rules, 1980 coupled with the principle of Civil Procedure Code, a Commission is appointed. As the due process of law is the entitlement of all the stakholders, therefore, to ensure probe into the matter in an transparent manner the Commission shall be comprising of:
(i) Mr. Justice Qazi Faez Isa,   (Chairman)
Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court

(ii)   Mr. Justice Iqbal Hameed-ur-Rehman (Member)

Chief Justice, Islamabad High Court

(iii) Mr. Justice Mushir Alam   (Member)
Chief Justice, High Court of Sindh

Raja Jawwad Abbas Hassan, District & Sessions Judge, Islamabad is appointed as Secretary to the Commission.
The Commission shall hold its meetings in the building of Islamabad High Court.
The Commission shall be exercising all the powers of Judicial Officers for the purpose of carrying out the object mentioned hereinabove and it shall be free to avail services of advocates, experts of forensic science and cyber crimes. All the Federal Secretaries, including Interior Secretary, Secretary Cabinet, Secretary Foreign Affairs; Chief Secretaries of all the provinces; DG, FIA;
Inspector Generals of Police of all the provinces and Ambassadors of Pakistan in USA and UK, shall provide necessary assistance to the Commission. Government of Pakistan through Secretary Cabinet Division shall provide logistic support to theCommission, subject to its demands through the Secretary of the Commission. The Commission shall be authorized to collect evidence within and outside Pakistan according to prevailing laws on the subject. The Commission shall provide full opportunity of hearing to all the parties.
The Commission is required to complete this task within a period of four weeks after receipt hereof.
10.   It is to be noted that the reply submitted before the Court by Mr. Mansoor Ijaz, inter alia, comprises of certain documents including exchange of e-mails and other communications using the BlackBerry Messaging service commonly known as BBM between them i.e. Mansoor Ijaz and Hussain Haqqani were in constant touch either through BBM, e-mails or voice calling w.e.f. 9th to 12th May, 2011. In fact during relevant days, as many as 85 BBMs, voice calls and e-mails were exchanged between the two. Prima facie these communications form the most important piece of evidence regarding purported contacts between the two for the purposes of drafting the alleged Memo. In addition to these dates, Mansoor Ijaz also claims that he had electronic/telephonic interactions with Hussain Haqqani on October, 28 and November, 1 2011. Therefore, in the interest of justice, it is appropriate to get the confirmation about the veracity and authenticity of these communications from the original company known as Research in Motion (RIM) based in Canada being the sole and exclusive custodian of such information.
Therefore, the learned Attorney General is directed to contact the said Company RIM through Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs for getting confirmation about the authenticity of the above mentioned electronic communications exchanged between Mansoor Ijaz and Hussain Haqqani. This confirmation may be obtained at the earliest and in order to save and protect the forensic evidence and to scrutinize the same it should be produced before the Commission. As forensic evidence is likely to be collected from the company Research in Motion (RIM) based in Canada, therefore, the High Commission of Pakistan in Canada is directed to cooperate and assist the Commission as well.
11.   Vide order dated 1st December, 2011, Mr. Hussain Haqqani was directed not to leave the country without the permission of the Court. This order is kept intact.
12.   Office is directed to put a separate note in the Chambers of Chief Justice of Pakistan along with the transcription of the press-conference dated 1st December, 2011 of Mr. Babar Awan, Sr. ASC along with replies/reactions of the Prime Minister of Pakistan dated 23rd December and 26th December, 2011 for passing appropriate orders.
13.   The petitions are adjourned for a date to be fixed by the office after receipt of the report from the Commission.
IFTIKHAR MUHAMMAD CHAUDHRY, CJ
MIAN SHAKIRULLAH JAN, J.   TASSADUQ HUSSAIN JILLANI, J.
JAWWAD S. KHAWAJA, J.   TARIQ PARVEZ, J.
MIAN SAQIB NISAR, J.    EJAZ AFZAL KHAN, J.
IJAZ AHMED CHAUDHRY, J. MUHAMMAD ATHER SAEED, J.
Islamabad, the 30th December, 2011

Kalash: An Endangered Culture (Academic Research)

2011-12-16T05:43:00.000-08:00

by Pamir Scahill (Follow Pamir Scahill on Twitter)

Abstract

This paper focuses on cultural patterns of Kalash people in order toexplain why Kalasha is isolated and is not integrated to the mainstreamPakistani society? This paper will explain how Kalash culture is at the vergeof extinction and is threatened by religious extremists while Pakistan’s Stateis silent and is not doing enough to preserve this culture or to integrate itin a positive way. The interaction between majority and minority culture alsofalls under scope of the paper. The paper discusses areas of difficulty betweentwo groups.

Kalash, Kalasha, Kafiristan

Back in 2008 when I visited Kalash Valleyin Northern Pakistan I felt that I’ve had anatavistic journey to the primitive human society and within hours I felt myselfto be a part of that fascinating culture which is based on pure collectivism[1].

The nature loving people of Kalash Valley live in Northern Pakistan’sChitral district[2]’[3]. Kalash people livein 12 villages of the valley[4]. People of Kalashare described to be the last pagan tribe of

Pakistan

[5], some researcherscall them animists[6]. Kalash people callthemselves to be animists[7] because theybelieve that trees, stones, streams, mountains etc. all have souls or spirits[8]. Kalash people andculture is also known as Kalasha or Kafiristan culture[9].

Origins of Kalash people are not knownexactly. There are views that Kalash people are descendants of Greeks[10]. Some historianssay they are descendants of Alexander the Great[11]. Some researcherssay ‘theKalash are indigenous to Asia and come from the Nuristan area of Afghanistan.Some say the Kalash migrated to Afghanistanfrom a distant place in South Asiacalled ‘Tsiyam’, a place that features in their folk songs[12].’ The people of Kalash believethey came from present day Nuristan province of Afghanistan[13].

Nuristan province was also knownas Kafiristan in the past. In 19^th century, Emir Abdur Rahman Khanof

Afghanistan

forcefully converted them to Islam[14]. Thus, Kafiristanwas named Nuristan[15].

Pakistan

came into being in 1947as a result of the partition of Indian sub-continent[16]. Chitral as aresult of Durand Line Agreement[17] became part of

Pakistan

and Kalash people were now Pakistani citizens.

Pakistan

’sConstitution and Ministry of Religious Affairs provide protection[18] to the people ofKalash valley. But this protection is de jure only and cannot be seenpragmatically, physically or empirically.

Kalash Culture: AComparative Analysis

Kalash culture is not academically explored and explained to a largerextent so far. There are many books available on its origin, genetic makeup ofpeople, preservation efforts, threats it is facing emanating fromfundamentalist political Islam, economy and history. But the culture itself isnot thoroughly described, explained and analyzed. Due to extreme isolation ofKalash people, there is no other source available except the people (and theirown sources) of the beautiful valley themselves. This section tries to explainthe cultural makeup of Kalash people and gives a comparative analysis in thisregard.

Kalash-times website reports, ‘[n]owadays there isn’t leader ortrue elder, which some say has contributed to the downfall of Kalashatraditions[19].’ This gives us aclue that Kalash culture is not based on individualism as cultural patternsshow us about North American culture[20]. It ratherresembles Japanese culture[21]; or to put it morecomprehensively and accurately, the Asian culture. Kalash people believe in onetrue leader or elder. In Kalash, a true leader streamlines and directs theentire social life which in every family is the head of family presently andfor entire ethno-religious group, there is no representative. Like Muslims whoconsider their Prophet Muhammad to be their true leader, or Dalai Lama forTibetan people, or Sai Baba for Hindus, Kalash have no such spiritual leader.While it is true that Kalash people don’t have a real leader, there is no wayof democratic election of the leader in Kalash culture.

The other important thing in Kalash culture is ‘spirituality’. Theybelieve in one supreme, omnipotent God[22] who will returnthem their holy book. According to Kalash culture, the people had a holy bookwhich their forefathers buried[23] at an undisclosedlocation. As mentioned, Kalash people believe stones, and trees have souls.This pretty well explains their similarity to Japanese people. Japanese andAsian people prefer spiritualism over materialism[24]. This view givesrise to the situation of ‘being over doing’. Doing phenomenon ofactivity gives rise to struggle to achieve things and is a characteristic ofAmerican culture[25]. On the otherhand, being form of activity deals ‘with the notion of having anatural and given position in the society[26].’This may also be described as a reason why it is difficult for Asians(especially from homogenous cultures) to integrate in other cultures.

According to Kalash people, when God returnsback their book to them ‘[a]t that time Kalasha people will surely becomestrong but until then they will remain scattered[27].’This mayexplain how Kalash themselves feel that they are weak and in minority but theyhave a hope of good future with strength. Such assumption is truly linked toliberal idealism yet is deeply spiritual. American view of hope is linked tostruggle for better future. They exploit nature for their welfare[28] but Kalash peopleare waiting for God to come and fulfill the promise their forefathers did withthem.

When viewed directly, it appears that socialrelationships in Kalash culture are based on equality, but it is not true. Notonly social relationships exhibit inequality but there is a gender inequalityat force as well. For example, daughters don’t receive share in property[29].The eldest son is the head of the family after death of father[30].And during cultivation season landlord goes to the field to sow seeds andothers follow him; same happens during harvest of the crop[31].When Kalash people harvest their crop they sacrifice an animal as well[32].

Working as a group is characteristic ofJapanese people[33]and the same can be observed in Kalash culture. Like Koreans there is ahierarchy in place[34]in Kalash culture. Relations are same as in Korean society i.e. ‘based onauthority and subordination[35].’This gives rise to high power distance. Working as a team will undermineindividualism that is in contrast to North American culture[36].In

Afghanistan

property is not given to daughters in the light of inheritance code, it is thesame in Kalash culture. This means that masculinity is in practice in Kalashculture.

Kalash people live in harmony with natureand don’t seem to accept any man made change in the nature. Poetry of Kalashpeople explains this fact in a better way:

‘Don’t walk in the native land of forest.

You have worn golden chains of shoes[37]’

Their strong beliefin spiritualism leads them to believe in metaphysical system of life and world:

‘What sort of environment will be there?

People come to my funeral festival

Some comes for sorrow and grace

Some comes for meeting their beloved.

Some comes to see my death body

Some comes to have fun there

When will I die?[38]’

‘Life is the totalsum of feelings

And the feelings are part of our life

[..........]

Life consists of two major parts

But the hard ware our life is our body

We can touch we can see

The soft ware of our life is the ghost

We can feel it, we can’t see[39]’

Metaphysics make a large part of lives ofAfghan, Indian, Tibetan and Japanese culture. One other important thing whichis more visible in Kalash culture as compared to other Asian cultures is thatthe ultimate goal of life of Kalash people is to achieve and get high level ofhappiness and joy, and that is the reason that they have many festivals[40] during the year.

Kalash Culture:DMIS

General public in Pakistan cameto know about Kalash people only in 1970s[41] and it was thetime when Kalash was facing famine[42]. There are somereasons which can explain why people didn’t know about them?

First, Kalashpeople live an isolated life and still they can’t be seen in other cities of

Pakistan

.They have a limited life and limited desires, because of their spiritualnature, thus they don’t go to main cities of the country like Islamabad,Lahore, Karachior Peshawar toearn livelihood, receive education or some other purpose. Second, Kalash valleyis located in a mountainous region where the transportation system isunderdeveloped and the only means to get there is helicopter or aeroplane.There are some roads leading to Kalash valley which are closed for more thansix months every year because of heavy snowfall and land-sliding. Third,

Pakistan

as a state has never paid attention to Kalash valley, it was only Zulfikar AliBhutto who ‘averted the tragedy[43]’of famine and thus became hero of Kalash people[44]. And finally,media resources were limited at that time and only National Radio andTelevision were available, newspapers were only for the literate class of

Pakistan

and were often under restrictions and were censured.

After mid 1970s,another tragedy happened. When Soviet Forces entered Afghanistan,Pakistan started supportingJihad against Red Army and this radicalized

Pakistan

’s Muslim population[45]. General Zia UlHaq’s military rule is considered to be the radicalizing period in

Pakistan

’shistory by all known scholars of the region and abroad. Islamization of the countryas well as converting non-Muslims took place during his reign. Tablighis[46] started visitingKalash valley and converted many Kalash people to Islam by force[47]. This is whatAbbas Zaidi calls ethnic cleansing of Kafirs[48]. In his article hewrote: ‘The kidnapping and forced marriage and hence forced conversion of theKafir women to the Muslims, mostly Tablighi Pathans, continues to this day.These women are not allowed to see their relatives unless the relatives alsoconvert. It is no secret that many of these women are sold at auction. Men arecircumcised against their will. The Tablighis carry Kalashnikovs as a matter ofroutine and have killed many Kafirs who resisted conversion to the TablighiIslam[49].’Zaidiconsiders poverty to be another important factor in conversion of Kalash peopleto Islam[50].

It reminds the historical past of humans. The thinking that ‘ifonly people were more like us, then they would be all right to have around[51];’can be clearly understood in Kalash’s perspective. Bennett is very muchright that if we couldn’t convert people then ‘we killed them[52].’Kalash people were indeed killed and are still facing threats from Taliban,Al-Qaida and other militant hard-line Islamic outfits in

Pakistan

[53].

Pakistan

’s state is also notdoing anything to preserve this culture, but itself is accused of supportingand financing Taliban, and other militant organizations.

As part of the people of

Pakistan

, the Developmental Modelof Intercultural Sensitivity[54] application isfull of complexities. Given the situation that Kalash people are isolated andlive their own life through their own way (as explained above) they can betermed as ethnocentric[55] culture. On theother hand, Pakistani people (majority of them are Muslims) are alsoethnocentric in terms of their religion and are isolated from Kalash people.Though Pakistanis go to Kalash valley as tourists but they never have tried tointermingle with them and neither did Kalash people do so.

Difference of religion, language, cultural values and assumptions areall factors which are keeping people of the same country divided and away fromone another. Applying DMIS here at both sides will appear to be at ‘defense’stage of ethnocentric scale. Defense stage seems suitable because both culturescan clarify and illustrate cultural differences[56] and Muslims ofPakistan ‘attach negative evaluations[57]’to Kalash people. They use stereotypes like Kafir (Infidel), polytheists, andas Zaidi quotes Akbar S. Ahmed from his book Pakistan Society 'dirty non-believers[58].’

Kalasha: Integration or Extinction?

Putting aside destructive behavior of Pakistan’s state (as accused ofsupporting sectarian violence, militancy etc.), the claims of Pakistanigovernment to preserve Kalash culture don’t seem a reality because people fromthe valley as well as scholars and journalists complain about inadequate andinsufficient attention of the people at the state level.

The first responsibility of the state is to provide security to itspeople.

Pakistan

,it appears, to be failing in doing so (as described above).

According to the people of Kalash,

Pakistan

came into being in 1947and since then no school has been established there[59]. State has notonly failed in providing basic necessities of life including education, butalso teachers in schools discourage and insult[60] Kalash students inthe primary schools functioning in Chitral valley (those schools were built byBritish Rulers which still function).

On the other hand, because of the very low child birth rate, thepopulation of entire Kalash community is between 3000[61] and 5000 (sourcesgive different numbers).

Under such circumstances, the difficulty level between two culturesseems very high and integration seems a mere dream. Rather Kalash culture is atthe verge of extinction.

Recently, cross border attacks by Taliban in Chitral valley[62] has not onlydisrupted the work of various NGOs (working to preserve the culture) but hasraised concerns about forceful conversion of Kalash people to Islam.

Conclusion

Under present circumstances, it is very difficult to change thebehavior of majority culture towards minority Kalash people. Even duringfilling this paper a story unfolded that 37 Hindus converted to Islam in Matli[63] sub-district of Sindh.Minorities are under extreme pressure in

Pakistan

because the society isindeed radicalized to a very high level.

The first and extremely important point which is vital to Kalashpeople is to save them from extinction. The State should provide them bettersecurity and all basic necessities of life.

Second, exposure and cohabiting on regular basis can bring about thedifficulty level low.

Third, Kalash students should be provided free of cost education fromprimary to higher level in order to give them better life and integrate them tomainstream Pakistani society without converting their religion and culturalbeliefs as they are beauty of the Earth and a reminder of the living past ofhumans residing in Central Asia.

Footnotes

[1]Word ‘collectivism’ is not intended here to be synonymous with socialism insocio-economic meaning. Collectivism here means ‘living like a closely bindinggroup’.

[2]Hussain, S. & Zaman, S. Land, Culture and Identity: TheCase of the Kalash, Reclaiming Balance: IndigenousPeoples, Conflict Resolution and Sustainable Development. Tebtebba Foundation.2004. Page: 267

[3]The Kalash villages are accessible from Peshawarand Gilgit over the Lawari Pass and Shandur Pass,located at a distance of 365 kilometres and 385 kilometres respectively, a12-hour journey in either case. However, tourists prefer to travel by air viathe daily flight operated by Pakistan International Airlines from Islamabad or Peshawarto Chitral. ((http://tribune.com.pk/story/194101/kalash-culture-shock/)

[4]Kalash: Culture Shock, retrieved from (http://tribune.com.pk/story/194101/kalash-culture-shock/) on December 06, 2011.

[5]Mayfield, James: Alexander the Great’s long-lost Greek descendents in Pakistan?Retrieved from (http://euroheritage.net/greeksinasia.shtml)on December 06, 2011.

[6]A brief history of Kalash, retrieved from (http://www.kalashwelfare.org/index.php?/about-kalash/the-history-of-the-kalash/)on December 06, 2011.

[7]Ibid.

[8]Ibid.

[9]Kafiristan means the land ofinfidels. Kafir means infidel in Arabic.

[10]Mayfield, James: Alexander the Great’s long-lost Greek descendents in Pakistan?Retrieved from (http://euroheritage.net/greeksinasia.shtml)on December 06, 2011.

[11]Zaidi, Abbas: Ethnic cleansing of the Kafirs in

Pakistan

, retrieved from (http://india.indymedia.org/content/2003/04/4335.shtml)on December 07, 2011.

[12]Kalash: Culture Shock, retrieved from (http://tribune.com.pk/story/194101/kalash-culture-shock/) on December 06, 2011.

[13]Ibid.

[14]Ibid.

[15]Nuristan means the land of enlightenment.Nur means light in Arabic.

[16]Bates, Crispin, Dr. The Hidden Storyof Partition and its Legacies, retrieved from (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/partition1947_01.shtml) on December 07,2011.

[17]This line was drawn in 1893 byBritish Colonialists of India and they had divided

Afghanistan

into two parts. Theeastern part’s control was given to British and the remained Afghanistan became a protectorate of

Great Britain

.This led to Third Anglo-Afghan War and eventually to independence of Afghanistan but the entire region on the easternside of Durand Line fell to British which they included in

Pakistan

in 1947. Chitral is alsopart of

Pakistan

now.

[18]A brief history of Kalash, retrieved from (http://www.kalashwelfare.org/index.php?/about-kalash/the-history-of-the-kalash/)

[19]The Kalash and The KalashTraditions,retrieved from (http://thekalashatimes.wordpress.com/the-kalasha-and-the-kalasha-tradition/) on December 07, 2011.

[20] Stewart, E. C., Danielian, J. &Foster, R., J., Cultural Assumptions and Values, Page: 163

[21]Ramsey, S. J., Interactionbetween North Americans & Japanese: Consideration of Communication Style,Page: 115

[22]The Kalash and The KalashTraditions,retrieved from (http://thekalashatimes.wordpress.com/the-kalasha-and-the-kalasha-tradition/) on December 07, 2011.

[23]Ibid.

[24]Americans view the world as material. But it doesn’t mean they don’t have anyspiritual roots or beliefs.

[25]Stewart, E. C., Danielian, J.& Foster, R., J., Cultural Assumptions and Values, Page: 159

[26]Ibid.

[27]The Kalash and The KalashTraditions,retrieved from (http://thekalashatimes.wordpress.com/the-kalasha-and-the-kalasha-tradition/) on December 07, 2011.

[28]Stewart, E. C., Danielian, J.& Foster, R., J., Cultural Assumptions and Values, Page: 163

[29]The Kalash and The KalashTraditions,retrieved from (http://thekalashatimes.wordpress.com/the-kalasha-and-the-kalasha-tradition/) on December 10, 2011.

[30]Ibid.

[31]Ibid.

[32]Ibid.

[33]Ramsey, S. J., Interactionbetween North Americans & Japanese: Consideration of Communication Style,Pp: 116-117

[34]Kimchi & Korea, Page:147

[35]Ibid.

[36]Stewart, E. C., Danielian, J.& Foster, R., J., Cultural Assumptions and Values, Pp: 163-164

[37]Kalash Poetry, retrieved from(http://thekalashatimes.wordpress.com/logo-of-kims/) on December 11, 2011.

[38]Ibid. When Will I Die?

[39]Ibid. Life & Feelings

[40]Kalash Festivals: retrieved from (http://tribune.com.pk/story/178151/preserving-kalash-culture-the-big-fat-greek-festival/,http://thekalashatimes.wordpress.com/the-kalasha-and-the-kalasha-tradition/and http://www.kalashwelfare.org/index.php?/about-kalash/the-history-of-the-kalash/)on December 11, 2011.

[41]Zaidi, Abbas: Ethnic cleansing of the Kafirs in

Pakistan

, retrieved from (http://india.indymedia.org/content/2003/04/4335.shtml)on December 11, 2011.

[42]Ibid.

[43]Ibid.

[44]Ibid.

[45]Ibid.

[46]Tablighis are IslamicPreachers who travel inside the country and go abroad to convert people toIslam. Tabligh is Arabic word which means ‘to preach’.

[47]Zaidi, Abbas: Ethnic cleansing of the Kafirs in

Pakistan

, retrieved from (http://india.indymedia.org/content/2003/04/4335.shtml)on December 11, 2011.

[48]Ibid.

[49]Ibid.

[50]Ibid.

[51]Bennett, J. M., InterculturalCommunication: A current perspective, Page: 2

[52]Ibid.

[53]Walsh, Declan Taliban threat closes in on isolated Kalash tribe, retrieved fromGuardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/17/taliban-kalash-pakistan-afghanistan)on December 12, 2011.

[54]Bennett, J. M., InterculturalCommunication: A current perspective, Page: 26

[55]Ibid.

[56]Ibid. Page: 27

[57]Ibid.

[58]Zaidi, Abbas: Ethnic cleansing of the Kafirs in

Pakistan

, retrieved from (http://india.indymedia.org/content/2003/04/4335.shtml)on December 11, 2011.

[59]Analysis, retrieved from (http://thekalashatimes.wordpress.com/analysis/) on December 12, 2011.

[60]Ibid.

[61]A brief history of Kalash, retrieved from (http://www.kalashwelfare.org/index.php?/about-kalash/the-history-of-the-kalash/)on December 06, 2011.

[62]Walsh, Declan Taliban threat closes in on isolated Kalash tribe, retrieved fromGuardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/17/taliban-kalash-pakistan-afghanistan)on December 12, 2011.

[63]37 Hindus convert to Islam inMatli, retrieved from (http://tribune.com.pk/story/305697/seeking-social-status-37-hindus-convert-to-islam-in-matli/) on December 13, 2011.

Bibliography

1. A brief history of Kalash, retrieved from (http://www.kalashwelfare.org/index.php?/about-kalash/the-history-of-the-kalash/)

2. Analysis, retrieved from (http://thekalashatimes.wordpress.com/analysis/)

3. Bates, Crispin, Dr. TheHidden Story of Partition and its Legacies, retrieved from (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/partition1947_01.shtml)

4. Bennett, J. M., Intercultural Communication: Acurrent perspective

5. Hussain, S.& Zaman, S. Land,Culture and Identity: The Case of the Kalash, Reclaiming Balance: Indigenous Peoples, Conflict Resolution andSustainable Development. Tebtebba Foundation. 2004.

6. Kalash: Culture Shock, retrieved from (http://tribune.com.pk/story/194101/kalash-culture-shock/)

7. Kalash Poetry, retrieved from (http://thekalashatimes.wordpress.com/logo-of-kims/)

8. Kimchi & Korea,Page:147

9. Mayfield,James: Alexander the Great’s long-lost Greek descendents in Pakistan?Retrieved from (http://euroheritage.net/greeksinasia.shtml)

10. Ramsey, S. J., Interaction between North Americans& Japanese: Consideration of Communication Style, Page: 115

11. Stewart, E. C., Danielian, J. & Foster, R., J., CulturalAssumptions and Values

12. The Kalash and The Kalash Traditions, retrieved from (http://thekalashatimes.wordpress.com/the-kalasha-and-the-kalasha-tradition/)

13. Walsh,Declan Taliban threat closes in on isolated Kalash tribe, retrieved fromGuardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/17/taliban-kalash-pakistan-afghanistan)

14. Zaidi,Abbas: Ethnic cleansing of the Kafirs in

Pakistan

, retrieved from (http://india.indymedia.org/content/2003/04/4335.shtml)

15. 37 Hindus convert to Islam in Matli, retrieved from (http://tribune.com.pk/story/305697/seeking-social-status-37-hindus-convert-to-islam-in-matli/)

The Extreme Tourist in Afghanistan

2011-12-01T05:39:00.000-08:00

"AFGHANISTAN. Beyond the Taliban, beyond the burka, beyond the bloodshed, beyond the myth and beyond the extreme, there is... The Extreme Tourist: Afghanistan. Broken hearted and stranded in a war zone, Aussie Sabour Bradley reveals the unseen side of Afghanistan. He auditions for Afghan Idol, races fighting pigeons and takes on a fierce kite fighter. In Kandahar, he wrestles in an Afghan death match, patrols with a famous female detective and meets a former Taliban member." Sabour Bradley was in Afghanistan for five months to fill this incredible series. Here are some of the videos from his adventure.

Loya Jarga's Declaration on US-Afghan Pact (Full Text)

2011-11-19T18:54:00.001-08:00

Full text of Loya Jarga's Declaration on US-Afghan Pact (Pashto and Dari).

Full text of controversial memo "sent by Zardari"

2011-11-19T18:29:00.001-08:00

According to media reports, Ijaz Mansoor, an American businessman of Pakistani roots, passed a secret memorandum to Admiral Mike Mullen, former chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mansoor alleged that the memo was written by Pakistan's ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani (who has quite over the scandal now), to Mullen with the guidance and approval of Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. Haqqani denies any involvement in the writing of the memorandum or passing it to Admiral Mullen. Here is a copy of the controversial memo that has shaken Pakistan's politics and may widen gaps between army and Zardari's government.
-------
"During the past 72 hours since a meeting was held between the president, the prime minister and the chief of army staff, there has seen a significant deterioration in Pakistan’s political atmosphere. Increasingly desperate efforts by the various agencies and factions within the government to find a home – ISI and/or Army, or the civilian government – for assigning blame over the OBL raid now dominate the tug of war between military and civilian sectors.
Subsequent tit-for-tat reactions, including outing of the CIA station chief’s name in Islamabad by ISI officials, demonstrates a dangerous devolution of the ground situation in Islamabad where no central control appears to be in place.

Civilians cannot withstand much more of the hard pressure being delivered from the Army to succumb to wholesale changes. If civilians are forced from power, Pakistan becomes a sanctuary for UBL’s legacy and potentially the platform for far more rapid spread of al Qaeda’s brand of fanaticism and terror. A unique window of opportunity exists for the civilians to gain the upper hand over army and intelligence directorates due to their complicity in the UBL matter.
Request your direct intervention in conveying a strong, urgent and direct message to Gen Kayani that delivers Washington’s demand for him and Gen Pasha to end their brinkmanship aimed at bringing down the civilian apparatus – that this is a 1971 moment in Pakistan’s history. Should you be willing to do so, Washington’s political/military backing would result in a revamp of the civilian government that, while weak at the top echelon in terms of strategic direction and implementation (even though mandated by domestic political forces), in a wholesale manner replaces the national security adviser and other national security officials with trusted advisers that include ex-military and civilian leaders favorably viewed by Washington, each of whom have long and historical ties to the US military, political and intelligence communities. Names will be provided to you in a face-to-face meeting with the person delivering this message.
In the event Washington’s direct intervention behind the scenes can be secured through your personal communication with Kayani (he will likely listen only to you at this moment) to stand down the Pakistani military-intelligence establishment, the new national security team is prepared, with full backing of the civilian apparatus, to do the following:
1. President of Pakistan will order an independent inquiry into the allegations that Pakistan harbored and offered assistance to UBL and other senior Qaeda operatives. The White House can suggest names of independent investigators to populate the panel, along the lines of the bipartisan 9-11 Commission, for example.
2. The inquiry will be accountable and independent, and result in findings of tangible value to the US government and the American people that identify with exacting detail those elements responsible for harboring and aiding UBL inside and close to the inner ring of influence in Pakistan’s Government (civilian, intelligence directorates and military). It is certain that the UBL Commission will result in immediate termination of active service officers in the appropriate government offices and agencies found responsible for complicity in assisting UBL.
3. The new national security team will implement a policy of either handing over those left in the leadership of Al Qaeda or other affiliated terrorist groups who are still on Pakistani soil, including Ayman Al Zawahiri, Mullah Omar and Sirajuddin Haqqani, or giving US military forces a “green light” to conduct the necessary operations to capture or kill them on Pakistani soil. This “carte blanche” guarantee is not without political risks, but should demonstrate the new group’s commitment to rooting out bad elements on our soil. This commitment has the backing of the top echelon on the civilian side of our house, and we will insure necessary collateral support.
4. One of the great fears of the military-intelligence establishment is that with your stealth capabilities to enter and exit Pakistani airspace at will, Pakistan’s nuclear assets are now legitimate targets. The new national security team is prepared, with full backing of the Pakistani government – initially civilian but eventually all three power centers – to develop an acceptable framework of discipline for the nuclear program. This effort was begun under the previous military regime, with acceptable results. We are prepared to reactivate those ideas and build on them in a way that brings Pakistan’s nuclear assets under a more verifiable, transparent regime.
5. The new national security team will eliminate Section S of the ISI charged with maintaining relations to the Taliban, Haqqani network, etc. This will dramatically improve relations with Afghanistan.
6. We are prepared to cooperate fully under the new national security team’s guidance with the Indian government on bringing all perpetrators of Pakistani origin to account for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, whether outside government or inside any part of the government, including its intelligence agencies. This includes handing over those against whom sufficient evidence exists of guilt to the Indian security services.
Pakistan faces a decision point of unprecedented importance. We, who believe in democratic governance and building a much better structural relationship in the region with India AND Afghanistan, seek US assistance to help us pigeon-hole the forces lined up against your interests and ours, including containment of certain elements inside our country that require appropriate re-sets and re-tasking in terms of direction and extent of responsibility after the UBL affair.
We submit this memorandum for your consideration collectively as the members of the new national security team who will be inducted by the President of Pakistan with your support in this undertaking."

Extract from Afghan-US Strategic Pact

2011-11-14T01:47:00.001-08:00

Representing all Afghanistan, a traditional grand council (Loya Jarga) will gather on Wednesday (November 16, 2011) to discuss the strategic pact between Afghanistan and the United States. AfghanCorner has obtained a copy of the unapproved draft of the pact. Here are some important points.

Any kind of foreign aggression and threat to Afghanistan will be responded with accordance to both countries constitutions.
Provincial reconstruction teams (PRT) will be dissolved with the agreement of Afghanistan and the US and in the right time.
Security companies could continue their activities but under strict control of Afghan government.
US will be allowed to take their own measurements for protecting its personnel and officials in Afghanistan.
Both countries shall exchange information on issues to fight against common threats, including international terrorism, drug trafficking, organized crime and money laundering.
US will hand over the authority of prisons to Afghanistan if they are seemed capable of running it lawfully.
US will not use Afghanistan as a launching pad to attack other countries unless according to international laws.
US is not looking to stay permanently in Afghanistan that could threaten Afghanistan's neighbors.
Afghanistan will seek US cooperation for logistic support in war on terror.
Afghanistan invite US troops to continue to tackle drug trafficking with supportive operations.
Afghanistan pledges to amend election laws to avoid any fraud and to pave way to a better democratic Afghanistan.
Afghanistan, with the help of US on global stage, will seek better relations with neighbors including Pakistan.
US will continue to encourage investors to invest in Afghanistan-a country that bridges South Asia and Central Asia. US will seek international support for the betterment of Afghanistan's economy especially transit, transport and energy sectors.
Afghanistan will continue to get US funds. However, Afghanistan should improve its tax system and crack down corruption.
US pledges its full support for education in Afghanistan.
A commission headed by the foreign ministers of both countries will be established to look after the implementation and observation of this pact.

Did Iran Pull Out an Afghan Film from Afghan Film Festival?

2011-11-08T11:54:00.000-08:00

By Abdul Latif Sahak, Khan Mohammad Danishju

A controversial film depicting the plight of Afghan refugees in Iran was pulled at the eleventh hour in Kabul, sparking angry allegations that the authorities had caved into pressure from Tehran.
As the furore over the cancellation escalated, the Afghan parliament summoned information and culture minister Sayed Makhdum Rahin, who has oversight over such events. Both he and the state-run agency Afghan Film denied they had banned the film, called “Madrassa”, while the Iranian embassy said it had no hand in the decision.
The allegations of Iranian interference, made by filmmakers and a member of parliament, reflect widespread suspicions about the behind-the-scenes role Tehran plays in Afghan politics.

“Madrassa” depicts the struggle of an Afghan refugee as he tries to enrol his daughter in Iranian schools, which repeatedly shut their doors on her. The film shows Iranians treating the father with contempt because he is Afghan, and eventually imprisoning and torturing him.
The film should have been shown in Kabul in mid-October, but was halted at the last minute.
Shukria Barakzai, a member of parliament for Kabul, believes the film was cancelled because of Iranian diplomatic pressure, and accused the Afghan government of surrendering to this kind of interference.
The Iranian embassy in Kabul did not answer IWPR’s repeated requests for a comment on the issue, but Afghanistan’s Tolo TV quoted it as denying any involvement.
The incident angered local film-makers, including Asad Sekandar, the head of the company which made “Madrassa”, who said cancelling it was a breach of freedom of expression.
Jawansher Haidari, head of the Afghanistan Cinema Association, called the decision unlawful and undemocratic. The proper procedure was to raise a complaint with Afghanistan’s media watchdog, not to censor films in advance, he said.
“Madrassa” is not the only film to spark controversy recently. Several movies at a human rights film festival last month in the northern Balkh province prompted rowdy protests.
Although the protesters were ostensibly unhappy about content they claimed was un-Islamic, the festival’s organiser Malek Shafii said he suspected this was not the real target. He claimed pro-Iranian networks in Balkh orchestrated the protests to stop other films being shown.
“Some students at Balkh university’s faculty of Shariah law and religion were hired for this purpose, and disrupted the festival by staging protests against one or two films which had nothing wrong with them,” he said.
One of the films that was due to be shown, called “Neighbour”, was about a massacre of Afghans after a riot at a refugee camp in Iran. Its maker Zubair Farghand said the protests against other films were actually a way of derailing his one.
“Because the film is based on a true story, the Iranian government has sought to prevent it from being screened by every means possible,” he said.
Those involved in disrupting film showings insisted their anger was directed only at the denigration of Islamic values. The screening of “Paper Boats”, in which a widow is befriended by a mullah, was interrupted by chants of “Allahu Akbar” and had to be stopped.
Student Mohammad Jamshed said he found “Paper Boats” genuinely offensive, as it showed “an imam at a mosque displaying sexual interest in a woman…. How can a Muslim tolerate that?”
However, another member of the audience, Sohrab Sirat, said the story the film actually told was how a war widow’s faith in humanity was restored by a mullah. He too believed the expressions of outrage were merely a ploy to stop “Neighbours”, with its Iranian content, being seen at the festival.
Festival organiser Shafii insisted that all the films on the programme had been vetted and approved in advance by a commission that included a culture ministry representative. Saleh Mohammad Khaliq, the provincial head of culture and information, said this was not the case and his department had not been informed about the festival.
Maiwand, a commentator on cultural affairs in Balkh, said Iran had been building a presence in the province since Taleban rule ended in 2001, by setting up religious schools, libraries and charities, and funding local media. He urged Afghanistan’s western allies to counter what he said was covert Iranian activity in the province.

Secret Pakistan (BBC's Documentary)

2011-11-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

Watch BBC's documentary which explores Pakistan's links to terrorists groups that are used to protect Pakistan's interest in the region.

Drone attacks in Pakistan are the best of a bad set of options

2011-09-28T00:50:00.000-07:00

The recent drone attack that reportedly killed Al-Qaeda leader Abu Hafs al-Shahri in Waziristan is the latest result of a Central Intelligence Agency campaign that began in 2004. Pakistan has protested against U.S. drone attacks, considering them a violation of its sovereignty.

Such protests have been ineffective. Strikes by the pilotless predators have increased since President Barack Obama took office in 2008. The United States considers them so effective that it is seeking a further expansion of drone operations in Pakistan, "The Washington Post" reported.

Many Pakistanis say the drones kill too many civilians and therefore should be stopped. On September 19, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, an adviser to Pakistan’s prime minister, told reporters that in order to build diplomatic pressure against drone attacks, the federal Ministry of Human Rights has decided to bring the issue before the United Nations. In April, speaking to parliament hours after dual drone strikes killed six suspected militants in Waziristan, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani condemned the raids and said the Foreign Ministry had lodged a complaint with the U.S. Embassy, reiterating its stance that such attacks are counterproductive.

Sophisticated, Accurate

However, drones are considered one of the most sophisticated of modern-day weapons -- more precise than regular missiles -- and have the ability to verify targets without risking the lives of pilots. A recent study conducted by the New America Foundation shows that the 270 reported drone strikes in northwestern Pakistan from 2004 to the present day have killed between 1,661 and 2,601 individuals, of whom around 1,368 to 2,130 were described as militants in reliable press accounts. Thus, the civilian casualty rate since 2004, according to this analysis, is approximately 20 percent. The report states further that 35 militant leaders were among the killed insurgents.

This study proves two points. One, civilian deaths are not as high as Pakistani media, religious leaders, politicians, and other analysts have been claiming. The analysts question the claims of high civilian casualties because no media outlet or organization has ever published the names of those killed, their villages, dates, and the locations of the drone attacks. According to analysts, in a bid to minimize their losses, the insurgents try to conceal the identities of their associates killed in the attacks. They collect their comrades’ bodies and, after burying them, issue statements that all of the victims were innocent residents.

Secondly, Pakistani complaints about drone attacks would carry more weight if the Pakistani government showed more concern over the Haqqani network and Al-Qaeda safe havens in North Waziristan, where most of these drone attacks have occurred. Despite repeated American demands to launch a sincere military operation to eliminate these hideouts, Pakistan has refused to do so.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta recently said the Haqqani network, blamed for carrying out deadly attacks on coalition and Afghan forces in Afghanistan, will not be tolerated and that Pakistan should eradicate it. However, General Ashfaq Perviz Kayani will continue to resist going after the Haqqanis as they are a long-term asset of Pakistan’s powerful intelligence agency, the ISI.

Talking with Radio Pakistan, Cameron Munter, the U.S. ambassador to Pakistan, openly said they have evidence of Haqqani ties to the Pakistani government. The bottom line is that Islamabad does not seem to show any flexibility toward changing its strategic stance on these issues. In a situation like this, the only option the United States has is drones.

No Leg To Stand On

The fact that Al-Qaeda leaders (including Osama bin Laden, who was living in the garrison city of Abbottabad just a couple of hours' drive from Islamabad), foreign fighters, and Haqqani-led Afghan Taliban all live in Pakistan damages Pakistani credibility when it asks that drone attacks be stopped in respect of the country’s sovereignty. If American drone strikes violate Pakistani sovereignty, what about all of the foreign militants who not only launch attacks across the border into Afghanistan but are also a huge security threat to the people of Pakistan?

Farhat Taj, a Pashtun doctoral research fellow at the University of Oslo and author of the newly published book "Taliban And Anti-Taliban," believes that “the people of Waziristan are suffering a brutal kind of occupation under the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. It is in this context that they would welcome anyone -- Americans, Israelis, Indians, or even the devil -- to rid them of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Therefore, they welcome the drone attacks.”

Drone attacks obviously come with costs, but they are the best of a bad set of options.

This article has first appeared on RFE/RL's website here.

Afghan Cabinet Minister, Zarar Ahmed Muqbel, Exposed! (PICTURES)

2011-09-11T15:46:00.000-07:00

Afghanistan embassy in Oslo, Norway has done something unusual on their website. Introducing Afghan cabinet ministers, the website calls Zarar Ahmed Moqbel, Minister of Counter Narcotics, "His Excellency", "incompetent" and "Corrupt" in the same biographic article.

The website adds "Engineer" to his name but at the same time notes: "it is not proofed that he is a graduate from Kabul Polytechnic University." :) The shocking piece states that during his brief tenure as Minister of Interior, "the ministry was infamous for selling senior police positions. Provincial police chiefs would then make a return on their investments by extorting bribes from civilians and protecting narcotics and kidnap gangs." "A former Shura-ye Nazar commander, Moqbel has turned into a Karzai loyalist. But he is still close to Vice President Muhammad Qasem Fahim," it adds.
It seems a deliberate move by an employee of Afghanistan's embassy in Norway because out of 25 cabinet ministers, Zarar Ahmad Moqbel is the only one whose biography appears on the website. The rest only have pictures under their name.

UPDATE: Revealed and mocked by some Afghan Facebook users, the Embassy of Afghanistan in Norway's website immediately omitted the text from the page. It currently only shows Mr. Zarar Ahmed Muqbel's picture. However, I was able to capture some screen shots of his biography. Click to enlarge them.


SCREEN SHOT: Afghan embassy calls Zarar Moqbal "corrupt" and "incompetent"

And here is a full screen shot (but without embassy's banner) of Zarar Ahmad Moqbil, Minister of Counter Narcotic, biography on website of Embassy of Afghanistan in Oslo-Norway.

The Taliban's Internet Strategy

2011-09-10T01:26:00.000-07:00

by Bashir Ahmad Gwakh

The Taliban once banned photography, movies, and use of the Internet on the grounds that they were all “un-Islamic.” Now, however, the terrorist group’s perspective has radically changed.

Throughout the duration of their government (1996-2001), which was toppled after the 9/11 attacks, social media did not exist. There was not even a mobile-phone service. Nonetheless, over the past decade, the Taliban has dramatically groomed its public-relations skills. It possesses several Internet domains, which host official content and have backup domains in case of an attack on the main website. Taliban members also use email on a daily basis to communicate with journalists.

Despite persistently launching attacks on officials and killing civilians, the Taliban has yet to have a decisive military success. However, it has been trying hard to compensate for its military losses with effective propaganda warfare. The militant group cannot deny the potential of such media as tools of propaganda and recruitment.

Aiming At The Heart Not The Body

"Wars today cannot be won without media," said Abdul Sattar Maiwandi, the web editor of a Taliban website, about the importance of media in the battlefield during an interview for Al-Emarah, the Taliban’s official website. "Media aim at the heart rather than the body, [and] if the heart is defeated, the battle is won," he added, sounding just like an experienced public-relations professional.

The Taliban has even established an official "media committee" to oversee the effort, according to Maiwandi. He says a professional production studio called Al-Shahamat has been set up to produce videos. From there, the films are distributed on Taliban websites, passed from mobile phone to mobile phone, and reach broader audiences through other outlets, such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

The Taliban has numerous accounts on Twitter, but the most active is @alemarahweb. This is the official Taliban account, which also has a link to its official website. It is apparently run by someone with the name Mustafa Ahmadi, @alemarahweb, who initially started tweeting in Pashto and began using English last year.

The latest tweet posted from the account while this commentary was being written had the following wording: "5 puppets killed in Awba district: HERAT, Sep. 06 - At 10:00 pm last night…" This was linked to a short article on the Taliban's website, which is named after the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan."

A Dissemination Tool

As of the morning on which this article was being prepared, 5,487 people were following the account -- and that number was quickly rising. There were also nearly 1,700 tweets. The account follows four other Twitter feeds; including @alsomood, which is another Taliban twitter account focusing on Arabic tweets. It does not interact with its followers and is mainly used as one-way dissemination tool.

Ahmadi, who seems to be the Islamist group’s social media expert, has a Facebook account where he provides links to videos of suicide bombings and guerilla attacks on Afghan and coalition forces. His twitter account, @alemarahweb, is linked to his Facebook account and therefore regularly updates more than 450 friends and the public.

His Facebook settings seem to be public so that anyone, even those who are not members of Facebook, can see his activities. Mustafa Ahmadi is also the administrator of a fan page for Mullah Muhammad Omar Mujahid, the Taliban’s Supreme Leader. As of September 6, 196 people "liked" him.

Mostafa Ahmadi's Facebook Account

In addition to helping them reach foreign financers and sympathizers (whom it can incite all over the world to carry out terror attacks), social media networks also serve as the Taliban’s communication centers.

The insurgents may not be able to contact each other directly, so these websites can be used to communicate with followers and sister groups in other corners of the world, and vice versa.

Although the Taliban has numerous blogs and websites, two of their official websites Al-Emarah.net and Shahamat.info (mostly videos) are their main official tools of propaganda.

Primary Target Group Is Foreigners

Along with pictures and videos, they provide text materials in Arabic, Pashto, Dari, Persian, Urdu and English. As not many people have access to the Internet in Afghanistan, the primary target group is foreigners. The Taliban reaches Afghans through pamphlets, brochures, mobile radio, audio and video CDs, magazines and religious sympathizers.

Just like all propaganda information coming from the Taliban, their tweets and Facebook statuses are full of exaggeration. The insurgency is gaining support not only among the Afghan people but sympathizers abroad.

The Brussels-based International Crisis Group pointed out long ago in a 2008 report that "using the full range of media, [the Taliban] is successfully tapping into strains of Afghan nationalism and exploiting policy failures by the Kabul government and its international backers.” To some extent, the Taliban has been successful in portraying President Hamid Karzai's government as one run by corrupt, former warlords who care little for their people, and showing that it has little reach outside the capital.

Propaganda At A Miniscule Cost

The Taliban benefits from spreading these stories, at miniscule cost compared to the billions of dollars spent by the United States and its allies on development projects.

Some analysts believe the Afghan government and the international community have deliberately allowed the Taliban to communicate freely because they want to gather intelligence about the group. Even if this notion were true, the United States and its Western allies should not risk their reputation among Afghans.

When speech incites violence and murder it must be stopped. At the same time, Afghan officials need to communicate more freely: they must reach out to the media in an open and timely manner. If there is a terrorist incident or assassination attempt, the authorities should be the first to issue a press release, not the Taliban. Usually, the media becomes aware of attacks via the Taliban and not through Afghan or NATO officials.

Through its Twitter account, the International Security Assistance Force mostly tweets about the training of Afghan police, or soldiers distributing candies and pencils among Afghan children.They rarely address their own casualties and when they do it’s often too late. This gives an opportunity for insurgents to step up, fill in the blanks and reach the public first with their side of the story.

I recently asked an official at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Information and Technology why this was so.

“It is up to people how to use the means of communication," he answered. "Everybody can share his heart's secret or anything he wants. It does not come under any law.”

Neither Afghan officials nor U.S.-led coalition forces seem to be interested in blocking the Taliban’s incitement to murder and dissemination of hate across the web.

While freedom of speech is obviously a democratic value for which the West is fighting in Afghanistan, attacking Taliban propaganda head-on should be just another front in a multipronged war.

This article was originally posted at RFE/RL.

Altaf Hussain’s Letter to Tony Blair

2011-08-30T08:08:00.000-07:00

A copy of the letter written in 2001 by MQM’s chief and founder, Altaf Hussain, to Tony Blair, the then Prime Minister of United Kingdom. In this letter, Altaf Hussain offers to provide on ground human intelligence. He also offers to send his men for intelligence purposes to Afghanistan in the form of humanitarian workers.
In return, he demands for shares in government including employment for MQM's loyalists in police and army. One of his demands along with being brought to power, is to disband the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan.
Here is a copy of the letter. (Click on the letter to view its large size)

The Significance Of Killing Of Al-Qaeda Number Two

2011-08-29T03:41:00.000-07:00

U.S. officials say Al-Qaeda's number two leader, Atiyah Abd al-Rahman, was killed in Pakistan's Waziristan tribal area on August 22. He was reportedly killed in a drone strike.

Rahman, a Libyan national, has been described as a chief organizer of Al-Qaeda operations and a key figure in establishing Al-Qaeda branches around the world.
Rahman, who rose up the Al-Qaeda hierarchy after the killing of Osama bin Laden in May, is credited with having helped form the Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb with the help of Algerian and Islamic militants in 2007. More recently Rahman spoke about the uprisings in the Arab world, urging Al-Qaeda supporters to support rebellions in their countries even if they were not inspired by Islamic groups.

RFE/RL correspondent Abubakar Siddique, who covers Afghanistan and Pakistan, said Rahman also had a role in attacks on U.S. personnel in Afghanistan. "In the account that we know about, the December 2009 bombing of the CIA station in Khost, it seems that he [Rahman] was involved at some level in planning and pulling off that attack," Siddique said.

Siddique said Rahman may also have been entrusted with carrying out more personal matters for bin Laden.

'Al-Qaeda Is More Of An Ideology'

Muhammad Sa'ad, a former Pakistani army brigadier and now security analyst, told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal that Rahman's death will likely have an impact on Al-Qaeda but that the organization will survive without him.

"A prominent leader has capacity and abilities and when such a person dies it does impact an organization. There is no doubt about that. But an organization like Al-Qaeda is more of an ideology. To crush this ideology you have to come up with a counter ideology," Sa'ad said.

Security analysts also point out that Rahman's death may have an impact on Al-Qaeda's immediate influence in North Africa.

A security analyst specializing in Al-Qaeda and jihadist activities, Rahimullah Yousufzai, said while it will be possible for Al-Qaeda to replace Rahman the choices for his replacement are few.

“When Osama Bin Laden was killed, everyone was expecting Ayman Al-Zawahiri to replace him as the head of Al-Qaeda. Some other important names also came into light. These included Atiyah abd Rahman, Saiful-Adil, and Abu Yahya Al-Laibi. These are the people left from Al-Qaeda’s senior leaders," Yousufzai said.

"It is possible that one of these will replace Atiyah [Rahman]. We have to see. But I think Al-Qaeda has very little choice. There are very less [capable] people remaining.”

U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said during a visit to Afghanistan last month that a strategic defeat of Al-Qaeda was possible if the United States and its allies could kill or capture some 20 remaining Al-Qaeda leaders Panetta said made up the core of the group.

Pakistani officials said on August 28 they could not confirm Rahman's death. Pakistan usually does not comment on victims of U.S. drone strikes unless there are a high number of civilian casualties.

Video: US Chopper Crash Site in Afghanistan

2011-08-11T16:41:00.000-07:00

Debris remains at the site where a US helicopter crashed in Maidan Wardak province of Afghanistan, killing 30 US special forces, 7 Afghan National Army Commandos and 1 interpreter. (11 August)

Funniest Tweets About Hina Rabbani Khar's India visit

2011-08-01T15:27:00.000-07:00

HE SAID SHE SAID: Newly appointed Pakistan't first female foreign minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, visited India. Tweeter users have some fun things to tweet about her visit. Here are some of the best.

stolidimran: "Pak bomb lands in India” - Indian Newspaper headline

arjunsankalia: Im saying we swap Kasab for #HRK. I don't mind if my taxes feed her biryani.

chitraraj: To have a pretty face around in the office is quite a motivating factor workwise, me thinks. Hope Pakistan will benefit by it.

twitballiye: Looks like a foreign bird is in. People have left playing angry birds. Peace is possible. Hare Krishna #HRK
johncharlesblog: For once, we don't mind the bomb coming in from across the border.

sameepbuch Sameep Buch: Mom made a great statement regarding #hinarabbanikhar: she looks a perfect 'honey trap' spy!!!

Hanzala_Ali: Abi tou enhu ne hamari Megan Fox (Kashmala Tariq) nahin dekhi :P #HRK tou sirf trailer hai :p
(Translation: They haven't seen our Megan Fox (Kashmala Tariq). Hina Rabbani Khar is just a trailer.)

MTVIndia: First they sent bombs, now they send bombshells. Wonder whats deadlier?

HamzaBalouch: she must try in bollywood for the sake of indian public.....what is she doing in politics.

iShWaJ: #hinarabbanikhar should be offered an item song in upcoming bollywood movie. She'll forget politics... :D

RathiRahul86: With a masculine voice like that,she could try her hand at the radio.If Pakistan has radio

mehtakeyur: Only one way 2 counter #HinaRabbaniKhar .. Appoint #EmraanHashmi as India's foreign minister

bluedee: Pak is now targeting india with item bombs!

mehtakeyur: Breaking news: Pak attacks India wid one of their nuke bom

padmakark: If anyone writes Pakistan's developments in recent decades,it would be titled : "From Bombs to Bombshell"

ShwetaBajaj: #HinaRabbaniKhar is the perfect Pak foreign minister to keep the attention away from the talks

frenchpaari: #hinarabbanikhar is cute but she has a voice of amrish puri. woman, you look better when you are silent.

iDesiGuy: #hinarabbanikhar beautiful girl but her voice is like great khaali

Aarushi: #hinarabbanikhar has a masculine voice...i doubt gender change stuffs!

MainLukkhaHun: [To Pakistanies] congratulations...you guys have your own raakhi sawant voice double

AcademicHelp: With that hoarse horse like voice #Hinarabbanikhar is perhaps the most "turn it off" woman around.

Loading_PlzWait: #HinaRabbaniKhar looks gorgeous as long as she doesn't open her mouth.She's got the voice of Om Puri and what kinda diction is that?!

gauravcsawant: "Khar" means donkey in Sanskrit and #Hinarabbanikhar surely honks like one. RT: Her voice is thicker than Krishna's"!

And as a bonus, watch 4 Man Show's spoof of Hina Rabbani Khar.

Shehrbano Taseer: I will carry on my father's work

2011-08-01T03:50:00.000-07:00

Shehrbano Taseer, the daughter of murdered Pakistan's Punjab governor Salman Taseer, says she is determined to continue his campaign against the misuse of Pakistan's blasphemy law. I recently spoke to her for RFE/RL. Here is the full interview.

Is your family satisfied with judiciary/court procedures that are taking place in the case of your father's killing?

We are confident that Qadri [Mumtaz Qadri, who is accused of killing Salman Taseer] will be punished for what he did. The state has intentionally kept the case out of the media, and we would respect everyone's compliance with this.

How do you cope with the loss of your father? Especially you live in the same country and to be more specific in the same province where the killer and his supporters celebrated the murder?

We try to take it one day at a time. For everyone else it was the Governor of Punjab and their leader and hero, but for me it was my father. It has been very difficult. It was sickening to watch the lawyers garland Qadri because these men are supposed to be the vanguards of justice in Pakistan and it makes one wonder just how independent our judiciary really is.

Did your father ever talk about the religious minorities and the problems they face?

All the time. He was the only politician who visited the Ahmedis when they were attacked in May 2010, and the Christians in the Gojra attacks as well.

Don't you think he should have taken more precautions by taking security measures or choosing his words carefully while talking about such issues?

I think that's a very apologist route. We live in a democracy and there is free speech. My father had a lot of security. He had 17 guards on him the day this happened -- how much more can he tighten his security? It was his own guard who killed him, not some random assailant on a motorbike. He was very careful with his words. He repeatedly said that his standing up for Aasia Bibi was about humanity not religion. He spoke about the misuse of blasphemy law.

Just like your father, you have also been talking against the blasphemy laws openly. Does thinking about your father's killing scare you?

Never. My father did not die so that I could live my life with my head down and thoughts chained up. I will continue to speak up and write and carry his work forward.

Has government given your family any protection?

Yes. (For security reasons she will not give any details.)

Looking at Pakistan, it seems to be getting more and more extreme with each day passes. Do you think any change is possible to blasphemy law?

It's true. There is an increase in radicalization in Pakistan. It's dangerous because we do not know the enemy anymore -- he could be anywhere. It's a mindset we are dealing with and that is very tough. The mindset is a direct result of the Madrassas (religious schools) in Pakistan that spew venom and hatred left right and center. We can thank the Saudis for that.
I hope that one day this law is not misused anymore. Many countries all over the world have these laws in tact; the difference is the conviction rates. That must change immediately.

What Ahmad Wali Karzai's murder could mean for Afghanistan

2011-07-11T04:56:00.000-07:00

Ahmad Wali Karzai, Prisedent Hamid Karzai's brother, is no more ashe is shot dead in his house today in Kandahar. Ahmad Wali was one of the mostpowerful man in Southern Afghanistan. He will be remembered for hisrole as a power broker and a crucial pillar in Afghan politics. Hehas also been controversial and was blamed for drug smuggling and hisstrong relations with CIA. He and President Karzai has rejected theseclaims.

Talking to journalists in Kabul today, Afghan President HamidKarzai said that his half brother's assassination reflects thesuffering of all Afghan people. Since the beginning of the war onterror in 2011, this was the first time Hamid Karzai has lost a veryimmediate family member. He said Wali's death is a pain he shareswith all Afghans.

The officials say the head of Kandahar's Provincial Council waskilled by a security official who was a regular visitor to WaliKarzai. Late Karzai was famous for his generous hospitality which mayhave helped the assassin reach him easily with weapon. The Talibanhave claimed responsibility for the killing and has said the murdererwas one of them infiltrated in Wali Karzai's long list of aids.
This was the third attempt on his life. In May 2009, insurgentsambushed his vehicles in eastern Nangarhar province. He escapedunharmed.

Just a couple of months before that the Taliban suicide bombersstormed Kandahar's provincial council office, killing a dozen peoplein an assault that Ahmed Wali Karzai said was launched to kill himbut he had already left the compound.

FOLLOW AFGHANCORNER ON TWITTER FOR UPDATES AND ANALYSIS ABOUT AHMAD WALI KARZAI'S MURDER.

Some may welcome his assassination because he was dubbed adictator and someone who was the practical ruler of Kandahar,Helmand, Zabul and Uruzgan—the southern provinces. However hisdeath has left a huge security vacuum behind. International communityhas been working closely with him to bring the Taliban to negotiationtable. With Wali Karzai's death, the US has lost a close ally in akey region just before beginning to withdraw some 33,000 troops fromAfghanistan. He was famous for solving problems and therefore wasdubbed as “the trouble shooter” in Afghan political circle.
Wali Karzai's death will not only sabotage the negotiationsattempts with the Taliban and peace process but will also play as amoral boost for the insurgents who eye the foreign troops withdrawalfrom Afghanistan. It is a huge blow to the US efforts of looking forpolitical solutions to a war that has never been so difficult thantoday.

Ahmad Wali Karzai has left five children behind. His familyfriends say the youngest of his children is a month-old son who willnever see his father.

Who Killed Ahmad Wali Karzai?

2011-07-11T00:11:00.000-07:00

President Karzai's brother is assisnated. For the lastest on this breaking news, please follow me on Twitter.

by RFE/RL

RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan reports that the younger brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai was assassinated today in the southern province of Kandahar.

Officials at Mirwais Hospital in Kandahar confirmed that Ahmad Wali Karzai -- the current head of the provincial council of Kandahar -- has been officially pronounced dead.

Afghan government officials told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan that Ahmad Wali Karzai was shot dead by gunmen who were among his own body guards.

Those officials say the deputy chief of the Kandahar Provincial Council, Amir Lalai, also was shot dead in the attack. Afghan police say the shooters fled after the killings.

David Rohde's Days in Taliban Captivity

2011-07-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

David Rohde, The New York Times reporter for Afghanistan who was captured by the Taliban, escaped and then wrote about it in a 5 part series in the The New York Times.

Interview With Barack Obama on Troops Withdrawal from Afghanistan.

2011-06-23T08:11:00.000-07:00

Voice of America's Andre De Nesnera interviews President Barack Obama on troops withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Afghan women take on negotiations with the Taliban

2011-06-21T02:09:00.000-07:00

This is the first time that I am watching some good and fruitful discussion from great Afghan women who really represent Afghanistan.

I have always said I have more faith in Afghan women rather than Afghan men to govern the country. They have always been remained victims while men had had upper hand. Overwhelming majority of Afghan male politicians have links with armed groups and are corrupt. On the other hand, Afghan female politicians are much more sincere for the country and making conditions right for ordinary Afghans.

Unless other Afghan female politicians (i.e. Malali Joya and many others), these women make a lot of sense. They talk from an Afghan perspective rather than fabricating women conditions for their personal gains.

They are right. If these brutal warlords can be changed and have a part in government why not the Taliban. The Taliban are the same as the current warlords in Afghan government.

Wagma Forogh is very realistic which is always good. Rangina Hamidi is a great thing happen to Afghanistan. Qaharamana Kakar deserves to be part of council on negotiations. She will bring much more to the table.

Watch the full episode. See more PBS NewsHour.

Q&A With Shehrbano Taseer

2011-06-16T08:08:00.000-07:00

Shehrbano Taseer, the daughter of murdered Pakistan’s Punjab governor Salman Taseer, says she is determined to continue his campaign against the misuse of Pakistan's blasphemy law. I recently spoke to her for RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal and here is the full interview.

Is your family satisfied with judiciary/court procedures that are taking place in the case of your father’s killing?

We are confident that Qadri [Mumtaz Qadri who killed Salman Taseer] will be punished for what he did. The state has intentionally kept the case out of the media, and we would respect everyone's compliance with this.

How do you cope with the loss of your father? Especially you live in the same country and to be more specific in the same province where the killer and his supporters celebrated the murder!

We try to take it one day at a time. For everyone else it was the Governor of Punjab and their leader and hero, but for me it was my father. It has been very difficult.

It was sickening to watch the lawyers garland Qadri because these men are supposed to be the vanguards of justice in Pakistan and it makes one wonder just how independent our judiciary really is.

Did your father ever talk about the religious minorities and the problems they face?

All the time. He was the only politician who visited the Ahmedis when they were attacked in May 2010, and the Christians in the Gojra attacks as well.

Don’t you think he should have taken more precautions by taking security measures or choosing his words carefully while talking about such issues?

I think that's a very apologist route. We live in a democracy and there is free speech. My father had a lot of security. He had 17 guards on him the day this happened - how much more can he tighten his security? It was his own guard who killed him not some random assailant on a motorbike.

He was very careful with his words. He repeatedly said that his standing up for Aasia Bibi was about humanity not religion. He spoke about the misuse of blasphemy law.

Just like your father, you have also been talking against the blasphemy laws openly. Does thinking about your father’s killing scare you?

Never. My father did not die so that I could live my life with my head down and thoughts chained up. I will continue to speak up and write and carry his work forward.

Has government given your family any protection?

Yes. (For security reasons she will not give any details.)

Looking at Pakistani society, it seems to be getting more and more extreme with each day passes. Do you think any change is possible to blasphemy law?

It's true. There is an increase in radicalization in Pakistan. It's dangerous because we do not know the enemy anymore - he could be anywhere. It's a mindset we are dealing with and that is very tough. The mindset is a direct result of the Madrassas (religious schools) in Pakistan that spew venom and hatred left right and center. We can thank the Saudis for that.

I hope that one day this law is not misused anymore. Many countries all over the world have these laws in tact; the difference is the conviction rates. That must change immediately.

Osama: I never read Quran!

2011-05-14T01:19:00.000-07:00

Children taught to hate the U.S.

2011-05-10T23:54:00.000-07:00

CNN's Stan Grant takes a rare look into a closed world when he visits a madrassa -- an Islamic religious school -- in a poor Kabul neighborhood. Here, children as young as six are taught to dislike the United States.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart's Episode About Osama's Death (The best one to date!?)

2011-05-03T11:36:00.000-07:00

The Daily Show - Big Deady
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

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The Daily Show - To Kill a Mockingturd
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

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The Daily Show - To Kill a Mockingturd - Reaction to Bin Laden's Death
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

Osama Bin Laden's Dead Body Picture--Fake!?

2011-05-02T01:55:00.000-07:00

ATTENTION:

The picture of Osama Bin Lden's deadbody that is circulating on the Internet seems to be fake. one can notice his beard and shoulder are clearly photoshopped.

Similarity between Karzai and the Taliban

2011-04-09T07:41:00.000-07:00

By Malali Bashir

Afghan President Hamid Karzai made some unusual comments during the Peace Jirga in Afghanistan. “Foreigners say we will not go [out of Afghanistan] unless the Taliban are defeated. Taliban say we will not go [towards peace] unless they the foreigners are out. It seems like you [both] are agreeable with each other and we don’t know about this [secret association]. You may be tricking us.”

This is exactly what a lot of Afghans believe -- that the U.S. is not serious about disabling and defeating the Taliban and the Taliban is unable to harm Americans seriously. Ironically, the Afghan public does not trust president Karzai because he was “installed” by the Americans. Now it seems the Afghan president has realized, after almost ten years of governing, what ordinary Afghans have thought about foreign troops and the Taliban insurgents all along.

Sarah Chayes in her book “The Punishment of Virtue” writes, “In Afghanistan, there are ways you know things. Outsiders call it ‘rumor-mongering’ or ‘conspiracy theorizing’ and when they ask you for some evidence, for something concrete to substantiate this gut feeling of yours, you shrug a little sheepishly because you have to admit they’re right -- you’re only speculating. But still, you know. There is a tuning fork vibrating inside you to the true pitch.”

Gradually, by the end of 2003, Afghans started raising their eyebrows and one could hear in taxis, cafes, and shops talks about the Taliban and Karzai being two stones in the hand of the United States sandwiching ordinary Afghans. Anecdotaly, it seems that a good number of Afghans believe that the Americans have done little to smash top Taliban commanders, and have let them do whatever they want with the condition that they do not harm Americans and America. However, media reports suggest that more than 5000 insurgents were killed in 2010. And, according to iCasualties.org, a website that keeps track of military casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq -- 711 coalition forces (499 of them American soldiers) were killed in 2010. Meanwhile, a U.N. report said that civilian casualties had risen 31 percent in the first half of 2010, including 1,271 killed.

When the Taliban was forced out of power in 2001, war-weary Afghans had great hopes for reconstruction and development of their country. They thought God was finally going to answer their prayers and put those to justice who were responsible for the destruction of their country and nation. Now, many have lost hope in what they see as a corrupt government ruled by brutal warlords and witnessing the Taliban blowing up schools and cutting ears off of teachers. These atrocities, combined with homes being destroyed and their family members being killed in foreign troops’ bombardments, make for a dreadful combination.

It is time for President Karzai to let Afghans know that even though his government was set up with the help of the international community, he is now a democratically-elected president. He should be able, as a president, to persuade the U.S. to reduce air raids and civilian casualties so that the public does not see the U.S. as being equal to the Taliban in terms of atrocities against them. Karzai should also make serious efforts to wipe out corruption, taking bold moves to remove corrupt officials -- without preferring one over the other. When Karzai got elected for the first time, he came up with a slogan: “Right People In Right Places.” He should stick to that by bringing deserving people in for suitable jobs, and not playing by the normal political rules.

Afghan Ambassador In Kuwait and His Peculation

2011-03-19T05:35:00.000-07:00

isocondor.com
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Each year the government of Kuwait gives out several different scholarships directed to the higher education office in Afghanistan aimed for the different educational programs in Afghanistan.
It appears that students presented to the universities in Kuwait are in many cases disqualified for these seats. Many of them whom haven’t even started their higher education but still are given the opportunity to take part in these scholarships.

The current Afghan ambassador for Kuwait Mr Asadullah Hanif who is recognized for his close relations with the Northern Alliance and more precisely with the warlord and vice president Qasim Fahim is nurturing his own and his master’s interests.
The first thing he did when seated as ambassador in Kuwait was to direct the various scholarships intended for students in Afghanistan to his own family members and his own ethnical group (tadjiks).
Some of his own family members turned out to be minors and not even reached the right age for higher education.
What is more annoying is that some of the scholarships were given to Iranian students who has lived and studied in Iran.
By arranging fake papers with modified information about age and educational level, Mr Asadullah Hanif has managed to provide his own family and ethnical group a seat on universities in Kuwait that was intended for students in Afghanistan.
This is yet another confirmation about how scattered nepotism is in Afghanistan. The Northern Alliance continues to oppress and exclude other ethnical groups which prevent the ethnical groups to overcome differences. The corruption is promoted by vice president Qasim Fahim and his Northern Alliance and is spread to the various ministries and embassies worldwide. Corruption and warlordism has historically never been accepted by anyone and seeing Mr Asadullah Hanif obvious contravention will only accelerate the revolt.
We urge the people of Afghanistan to raise their voices and ask for justice and fairness. We urge the president Hamid Karzai to investigate and dismiss the ambassador and his companions. We urge transparency in the government to prevent corruption and unjust treatment of its citizens. The current government of Afghanistan is obvious not working for its people but is more interested in lining its own pockets.

Pakistani Media Jihadi Propaganda

2011-02-24T20:31:00.000-08:00

by Farhat Taj

Some people in Waziristan have requested that I write about a column published in the Urdu daily Mashriq on January 2, 2011. Following is the summary of the column, titled ‘Hakeemullah Mehsud’s lover’.

A senior female French journalist contacted a tribal journalist form Waziristan via Facebook. The French lady requested him to help her with some research on Waziristan. The tribesman agreed and the French journalist landed in Pakistan.
During their meeting, the French lady said that she was madly in love with Hakeemullah Mehsud, a Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander and that she wished to marry him. She also said that one of her friends wanted to marry Qari Hussain, the Ustad-e-Fidayeen or master trainer of suicide bombers in the army of the TTP. She further said that another four of her friends also wished to marry some Taliban commanders from the TTP. Out of utter surprise, the tribal journalist wondered how that could be because people in Europe believe that the Taliban are brutal beasts. The lady blatantly responded that, in actuality, the Europeans are the brutal beasts, not the Taliban. She said that no one in Europe had the courage to speak the truth when it came to the Taliban.

Everyone who had the opportunity to closely interact with the Taliban had been deeply impressed by them. Take, for example, the lady journalist, Mariam, who had been imprisoned by the Taliban. She became so impressed by the Taliban that she converted to Islam. People who care so much for their prisoners would certainly be much kinder towards their wives and children. In Europe, the family system has collapsed. Children do not know who their fathers are. Wives have no clue about the whereabouts of their husbands. My friends and I have studied Islam and now we wish to know about the Taliban. This is, therefore, why we wish to marry them. We will burn our French citizenship documents in front of the media in Waziristan to terminate our ties with our native land. We will become tribal women forever. The lady also said that she was madly in love with Hakeemullah and would marry him come what may. “What if Hakeemullah refuses?” asked the tribal journalist. The lady’s response was: “The heart speaks to the heart”. The tribesman warned her that, under Pakistani law, she could not go to Waziristan. The lady said she would plead to Allah to punish Pakistan for having laws that stood in the way of her and her friends’ marriages with the Taliban. The lady was crying uncontrollably. Finally, the tribal journalist, who had full sympathy for the woman but had no means to help her, agreed to spread her story through a newspaper column.

The tribesmen who brought this story to my attention said that the story had been planted by the intelligence agencies of Pakistan to romanticise the beastly Taliban in the eyes of young tribesmen. One of them said that he saw a group of teenage tribesmen discussing this story with keen interest. He tore into pieces the newspaper copy being held in the hands of the teenagers and had a two-hour long counselling session with them whereby he explained to them that such fake stories were planted in Urdu newspapers to lure young tribesmen into terrorism, and that it had nothing to offer but only death and destruction for FATA and its people. The young men seemed convinced, but the tribesman expressed the apprehension that there must be many teenage tribesmen out there who might have been misled into jihad by the story. The tribesmen have no hope in the Pakistani media. One of them even said that the Urdu media was capable of prostituting its conscience to spread malicious information about FATA. They, therefore, request the journalistic community in France to take note of the fake story and remain on guard so that their name is never again misused in misleading the tribal youth into a so-called jihad that clearly threatens the western streets with violence.

The tribesmen also guess that perhaps the journalist Mariam, referred to in the fake story, is Yvonne Ridley. They complain that Ridley has been at the forefront in defending Aafia Siddiqui. If the journalist Mariam is indeed Ridley, they expect her to come forward and condemn those who misuse her name and conversion to Islam — which is her sovereign right — for dirty tricks to lure innocent tribal youth into the fold of terrorism that has devastated FATA and threatens Ridley’s own country with violence. For once, Ridley should show that she stands with the victims of Pakistani state terrorism, like the people of FATA, rather than terrorists who enjoy covert state support.

The reason I wish to write about this planted story in Urdu daily Mashriq is to give to the sane-minded Pakistani English readership a glimpse of how the Urdu media has lowered itself in perpetuating the military establishment’s inflicted terrorism in FATA. I also understand that the forces of sanity in Pakistan have been reduced to a frightened state of mind by the religious extremists. They could not even rise to the occasion upon the assassination of Salmaan Taseer and the threats to Sherry Rehman. How can one expect them to stand up to the military establishment — the original force behind all terrorism in Pakistan — in support of the people of FATA, the people whose sufferings do not mean anything significant for the wider Pakistani society? I just wish to bring to their notice that disappointment and even hatred against the military is accumulating in FATA. The cowardice of those who should speak up for what is right will also be a factor in the case of any future catastrophe in Pakistan.

This piece was originally published by Daily Times on 19 February 2011. The writer is a PhD Research Fellow with the University of Oslo and currently writing a book, Taliban and Anti-Taliban

Video Of Jalalabad Attack

2011-02-22T19:11:00.000-08:00

In this video, a man dressed in Afghan Police attire kills civilians (men, women and children) one by one and says: "I was enjoying shooting them!"

Inside the [Pakistani] Muslim (Journalist’s) Mind

2011-02-13T04:35:00.000-08:00

By LAWRENCE PINTAK and SYED JAVED NAZIR, New York Times

The Pakistani public, long skeptical of American goals in

Afghanistan

and the Muslim world, is now outraged over Washington’s insistence that the authorities release a former United States Special Forces soldier charged with killing two Pakistani men last month. In this instance, as always,

Pakistan

’s tumultuous news media is the prism through which

United States

policy is reflected to the people, who have found themselves at the center of America’s struggle against terrorism.
So far, the picture has not been pretty: the George W. Bush administration demonized the Muslim news media; Muslim journalists returned the favor. But research shows that the Obama administration has the opportunity to take a more sophisticated approach to those who drive public opinion throughout the Islamic world.
Pakistan is a case in point: last year, we conducted a nationwide survey of 395 Pakistani journalists, supported by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. As the charts below show, our survey provided insight into where their beliefs and priorities intersect with American interests.
Not surprisingly, the overwhelming majority of Pakistani journalists oppose United States military operations in their country and in Afghanistan. Still, as a group, they are not overtly anti-American — three-quarters have a favorable view of the American people and a majority believe President Obama when he says he wants to withdraw troops from the region.
It may surprise most Americans to know that Afghanistan falls fairly low among issues Pakistani journalists believe are important. Rather, the priorities are education and domestic terrorism, followed by the economy and domestic political change. This overlaps nicely with the American “stones into schools” strategy that development is the antidote to militancy. Indeed, as the United States broadens its effort to win the hearts and minds of Muslims, it would do well to look into the heads of the journalists who shape opinions in those societies.

Virginity Still a Commodity in Iran

2011-02-11T23:20:00.000-08:00

Increasing numbers of women have premarital sex and then undergo surgery to conceal the fact from their husbands.

By Negar Farshidi, IWPR

Social attitudes in Iran have changed greatly since the 1979 revolution, but the taboo on premarital sex remains, at least in the public sphere.

Although the government tries to enforce draconian Islamic laws to curb relationships between the sexes, many younger people nevertheless go their own way- much to the consternation of senior Shia clerics.
An opinion survey conducted by Iran’s National Youth Organisation last year showed that 55 per cent of the 7,000 young men and women polled had had a girlfriend or boyfriend prior to marriage. Independent experts believe the real percentage may be even higher.

Premarital sex, especially among young men, is no longer seen as quite out of bounds as was once the case. Yet for a woman planning to marry, the tradition that she must be a virgin is still upheld.
There is no law requiring proof of virginity as a condition of marriage, but custom and practice have an enduring force in Iranian society.

“Many people still define a girl’s decency on the basis of virginity,” Farahnaz, a 27-year-old woman, said.
Farahnaz, who comes from a devout family in Tehran, has studied abroad and had two boyfriends without losing her virginity.

It is still widely accepted that a groom can make his marriage conditional on the bride remaining a virgin, and cancel it if it turns out she isn’t.

Traditionally, a bloodstained sheet was produced after the wedding night as evidence of an intact hymen, but nowadays many men and their families ask for a “virginity certificate” in advance.
Bahram, a 28-year-old PhD student at the Sharif Industrial University in Tehran, explained this double standard among men.

“I know many educated men who claim that virginity is not that important to them, but they still won’t marry their girlfriends, preferring to have them only as their partners,” he said. “A few of those who have married non-virgins see it as a trump card they’ll be able to use against their wives later on.”
Virginity tests are easy to obtained from a gynaecologist or the legal forensics service, who will provide a certificate.

The discrepancy between public social mores and increasing permissiveness in private life has increased the demand for hymenoplasty – surgical recreation of the hymen.
It is fairly easy to find a private clinic in Tehran willing to carry out surgery, although it is not officially sanctioned.

There are no statistics on the number of women who undergo hymenoplasty procedures, but all the indications are that the market has boomed in recent years.

Depending on location and the reputation of the surgeon, the operation costs between 200 and 500 US dollars in Tehran. Laser surgery to remove the scars of stitching can cost over 2,000 dollars.
A gynaecologist who has performed the operation says most of the girls he sees come unaccompanied and are ashamed to admit they have had sex.

“Most of them resort to lies like [saying] they had jumped from a height, or ridden a bicycle, or had been beaten by their fathers,” he said.

Farahnaz describes hymen restoration as “the stupidest thing in the world”, but adds, “Maybe we should look at this from the point of view of adventurous girls who are constrained by society’s traditions and customs.”
Divorced women sometimes undergo the operation to disguise the fact that they have been married. Maryam, now 31, got married at 14 and divorced at 19, and says, “After I got a divorce, everybody advised me to restore my virginity.”

Undergoing surgery and then obtaining a certificate of virginity is widely viewed as deceit, but the practice is so prevalent that Iran’s moral arbiters, the ayatollahs, have been urged to issue definitive rulings.

Ayatollah Sadeq Rouhani, a conservative but independent-minded cleric, issued a fatwa four years ago to the effect that hymenoplasty was lawful for a girl who had lost her virginity.

“There is no difference between a real and fake hymen,” he reasoned.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has since issued a related ruling that if a married woman who claimed to be a virgin is proven to have had premarital sex, her husband still cannot annul the marriage unless the couple had agreed in advance that virginity meant no sex.

Hesam, who lives in Iran but has experience of life in other countries, regards hymenoplasty as “insulting”.
“I wouldn’t have a problem if my future wife had had sex before, but I’d be offended if I realised she had undergone surgery just to conceal it from me,” he said.

Negar Farshidi is the pseudonym of an Iranian journalist based in Malaysia.

Documentary: The Road To Cricket World Cup 2011

2011-01-25T05:41:00.000-08:00

ICC documentary that looks at the rise of the Associates and their quest for a place in the World Cup

Part 1.

Part 2.

Part 3.

The Deep Roots Of Pakistan’s Extremism

2011-01-13T08:08:00.000-08:00

by Bashir Ahmad Gwakh

Punjab Governor Salman Taseer’s murder by his security guard was an obvious act of religious extremism and a clear sign that Pakistan has changed little in the more than 80 years since a carpenter killed a Hindu for allegedly publishing a book that insulted the Prophet Muhammad. A country that was founded on the basis of religion remains in a dark morass presided over by insidious, violent ideologies.

Taseer’s murder has exposed the horrendous levels of extremism and intolerance that have engulfed the nation. And it cries out for a forceful, progressive response.

The extremist religious lobby, whose fatwas (edicts) created the incendiary environment for violence, has hailed the assassination, has come out against funeral prayers for the slain governor, and has depicted his alleged murderer as a hero.

The whole situation this week reminds me of another killing from 1927. Back then, an illiterate carpenter who was known only as Ilmuddin murdered a Hindu publisher named Raj Pal for publishing a book called “Rangeela Rasool,” which Ilmuddin had been told mocked the Prophet.

Sensational accounts published in the Pakistan media at the time claimed that after committing the murder, Ilmuddin fell to his knees and bowed to God, thanking Him with the words: “I have avenged my Prophet; I have avenged my Prophet.”

He was arrested and jailed. After pleading guilty, he was sentenced to death. Punjab Muslims appealed the verdict, and, to protest his death sentence, they gave him the honorary name “Ghazi.” The Pakistan daily “Jang” reported that the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, worked on Ilmuddin’s behalf free of charge. But the day after the appeal was rejected, Ilmuddin was hanged.

More than a million Muslims from Lahore and the surrounding area thronged the funeral, and the carpenter was given yet another honorific name, now being called Ghazi Ilmuddin Shaheed. According to some reports, Muhammad Iqbal, one of the key founders of Pakistan, personally placed Ilmuddin’s body in the grave with tears in his eyes. “This carpenter left us, educated men, behind,” he said.

'Cancer Of Extremism'

To this day, Pakistan regards Ilmuddin as a hero of Islam. His name and legacy are even found in schoolbooks.

Now, 83 years after Ilmuddin’s terrorism, history is repeating itself and Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri is following the same path into the heart of the Pakistani nation. The popularity of Taseer’s accused killer has risen so meteorically in recent days that it is easy to imagine him being lauded in the schoolbooks of future generations.

And how can we expect a nation raised with admiration for Ilmuddin to react any differently now? It is perfectly predictable that crowds will sing songs lauding Qadri’s actions and will line up to present him with flowers.

The cancer of extremism is spreading in Pakistan -- from suicide bombings, to religiously motivated murders, to zero tolerance of moderates, and more. Now it is vividly clear that we are not talking about a tiny knot of people hiding in the mountains, but lunatic group whose ideas are daily warping the minds of Pakistan’s youth.

Within hours of Taseer’s death, hundreds of Pakistani Facebook users had welcomed the murder as a blow against those who sought to reform the country’s blasphemy laws. Dozens of groups were formed on the social-media site with more than 2,000 supporters before Facebook removed them.

However, these users have taken to using their Facebook status updates to make comments like: “We salute you, Mumtaz Qadri,” “A solider of Islam,” “Qadri is our hero,” “Mumtaz Hussain Qadri: the national hero of Pakistan.”

By contrast, most Pakistani television channels have not hesitated to denounce Qadri as a killer.

I was not surprised when 500 Islamic scholars issued a fatwa declaring that leading Taseer’s funeral would be against Islam. Nor was it shocking to watch a group of lawyers shower Qadri with rose petals when he was brought in for his initial court appearance on January 6. The attorneys chanted that they would defend the extremist for free.

The only thing that seems surprising to me is why the 97 percent of Pakistanis who are Muslim are so afraid of the 3 percent that isn’t.

But I don’t doubt that if the founding fathers of Pakistan could see their country today, they would be satisfied and proud. The country is still walking the path laid out by Jinah and Iqbal during the Ilmuddin case.

Where Murderers Are Heroes And Killing Is Glorified

2011-01-08T07:26:00.000-08:00

By Malali Bashir

Salamn Taseer’s murder and furthermore the glorification of his murder is a proof of the widespread extremism in Pakistani society. The murderer, Mumtaz Qadri is given the title of a hero by many.

The social network Facebook Pakistani users may be very less in number that live in underdeveloped areas deprived of modern education or having access to only Madrasa education and or those that do not count in youth.
Most of them are highly educated from well-to-do families working with huge firms, youngsters and in touch with the new world. The shocking reality is that these are the people calling the murder of Panjab governor Salman Taseer an act of courage by Mumtaz Qadri and calling him ‘Hero Of Our Nation’.

The question here is what decent society would glorify killings and call the murderers their heroes?

When Mumtaz Qadri was showered with flowers and gifted with garlands by barristers of law during his court appearance and those hundreds that welcomed Qadri’s father by taking him on their shoulders calling him Ghazi’s father after being investigated and those hundreds on the internet calling Mumtaz a hero of Pakistan, it automatically comes into one’s mind that had it been someone else out of these people instead of Mumtaz, Salman Taseer still could have been dead today. Moderates still could have been scared of their outspoken nature and would have been thinking a hundred times before they said anything against injustice. They could still have a look full of doubts at the ones that provide them security. There could still have been someone a ‘Hero of Pakistan’ among an extremist younger generation that is educated and connected with modern world too.

Even though Qadri alone murdered Salaman Taseer and he alone will have to face the trial, the question remains, are the people that justify his this criminal act by praising his courage and counting him a hero of Pakistan, not a part of it?

Pakistan May Transfer Captured Taliban Commander To Afghanistan

2010-06-29T03:54:00.000-07:00

Bashir Gwakh

A spokesman for Afghan President Hamid Karzai says Pakistan may extradite a captured top Taliban commander to Afghanistan.

Spokesman Hamid Elmi said that Afghan and Pakistani officials have discussed the fate of the commander, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, and that Pakistani authorities might hand him over to Afghanistan.

"Our interior minister and [the Pakistani] interior minister have had exclusive talks about this issue. They are ready to solve this issue and hand [Baradar] over to Afghanistan. They are working on solving the legal hurdles that could come in to place," Elmi told Radio Mashaal.

Pakistan's army chief, General Ashfaq Kiani, is in Afghanistan today for discussions with Karzai and other top Afghan officials. Elmi would not confirm whether Baradar’s fate would be discussed in Kiani's meeting with Karzai.

Mullah Baradar is the former military leader of the Taliban. He was captured in February in Karachi by a joint Pakistani-American operation.

At the time, Baradar's arrest was seen in the region as a sign Pakistan had turned against the Afghan Taliban, who were said to have previously enjoyed tacit Pakistani support.

Elmi told Radio Mashaal that Afghan officials are seeking an agreement with Pakistan so that all Taliban arrested in Pakistan could be handed over to Afghanistan. A week after Baradar's arrest, the Afghan Interior Ministry said Pakistan had agreed to hand him over to Afghan officials, but Pakistani judges at Lahore's high court blocked the transfer.

At the time of his arrest, Baradar was said to be the second most important Taliban leader after Mullah Omar, the Taliban founder who is thought to have close ties to Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

This report has originally appeared on RFE/RL's website here.

Hunting Osama Bin Laden

2010-06-27T11:03:00.000-07:00

I am sure you have heard the story of Mr. Gary Faulkner, who, according to him, went to Pakistan to "hunt Osama Bin Laden". Yes, hunt Osama! Well, that seems pretty crazy but the guy says he planed it for "God and country". He was arrested in Chatral, Pakistan. CNN interviews him. Have a look.

Some Afghans On The Fallout Over McChrystal's Comments

2010-06-23T12:24:00.000-07:00

CNN.COM

Washington may be up in arms over Gen. Stanley McChrystal's comments to Rolling Stone magazine about the U.S. mission in Afghanistan and how some of his colleagues are handling it — but some in Afghanistan are asking what the fuss is all about?

McChrystal arrived in Afghanistan last summer as the top NATO commander — but if Washington is mad at the general, his friends in Afghanistan seem to be unafffected.
Many among the local population in Kabul say that McChrystal revamped the forgotten war, putting it on a different path and instilling a counter-insurgency strategy (COIN) in an attempt to regain the trust of the Afghan people.
He instilled a new hope, they argue, for those Afghans who actually backed the war effort, also angering the Taliban – which ramped up their PR — in the battle for hearts and minds.
President Hamid Karzai has vocally expressed his support for General McChrystal and called him the "best" commander for the war in Afghanistan, according to his spokesman Waheed Omar. He added that McChrystal is a man of great integrity who understands the Afghan people and their culture and that Karzai hopes president Barack Obama will not replace the commanding general with someone else.
McChrystal and Karzai have built a strong relationship in the year he has been in Afghanistan, flying to districts and provinces in order to gain the support of villagers while showing a united front.
He hasn't just been sitting around NATO headquarters barking orders say local officials — he's been going out in the field, meeting with soldiers and most importantly meeting with Afghans.
Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi, the spokesman for the Afghan defense ministry, explained that McChrystal's knowledge of Afghanistan stems from his discussions with Afghans.
He stated that McChrystal is a frequent attendee at village council meetings — known as "shuras" — throughout the country, where he listens to their problems, concerns and needs.
But McChrystal's tactical directive that restricts NATO forces on the ground from attacking enemy forces without having proof that they are militants has angered many soldiers. Many feel that their own lives are put in greater danger because of it. While for Afghans, it means less of a chance of civilian casualties — a sore issue that has caused friction in the Afghan — NATO relationship.
"For Afghans it was very important that after a civilian was killed he would apologize on behalf of his people and his military," said Abdul Ghani, a 65-year-old businessman who was a former government official during the Taliban regime from 1996 through 2001.
"This showed that he was supporting the locals and he was trying to avoid a long-term fight and avoid civilians being killed."
Speaking through his salt and pepper beard, Ghani credits NATO's involvement, and particularly McChrystal, for bringing security and allowing him to run his business and make a living.
"He made a mistake and he used poor judgment in criticizing U.S. officials," Ghani said "but it is normal and everyone makes mistakes."
But Ghani's optimism about McChrystal stems mostly from his pessimism at past international leaders. He believes McChrystal has been the best one so far.
"We are satisfied with Mr. McChrystal and we hope he will not repeat the bitter experiences of the past," Ghani said.
The Ministry of Defense, which is being pushed by the U.S. and NATO to add more troops to their arsenal, is also standing behind McChrystal.
"Since the arrival of General McChrystal to Afghanistan many of our problems have been solved," ministry spokesman Azimi told CNN, "including problems with civilian casualties, unlawful detentions. He has also improved the coordination between Afghan and international forces on and off the battlefield."
By focusing on building infrastructure and civilian issues, Azimi adds, McChrystal has been able to win back some Afghan support.
But with the firestorm in the United States, the Afghan voices are being muffled again.
And even though his Afghan supporters and partners can forgive him, the question remains, can Washington?
— Journalist Matiullah Mati contributed to this report.

Back On The Track

2009-08-23T13:28:00.000-07:00

Hi there,

Finally, I am back. I will be writing again about "Afghanistan and the players out there". Hope you will join me in discussion.

Meanwhile please e-mail me or leave your feedback about the design and graphics of AfghanCorner in comment section.

Write what you would like to see most in here. What topics are you more interested in?

Best,

Muhaqeq: All the places that are destroyed in Kabul are the result of the works of Abdullah and his team.

2009-08-20T19:17:00.000-07:00

By Tony Cross, Radio France International

"When we look at their [Abdullah's] previous violations, in the 1970, all the places that are destroyed in Kabul are the result of the works of Mr. Abdullah and his team."

Mohaqeq came third in the last presidential election in 2004, so his decision not to stand this time leaves a fair number of votes going begging. And the Hazaras, although they are a minority and an often-despised one, are believed to be about 20 per cent of the electorate and Mohaqeq, who fought the Soviet occupation, is seen as one of their leaders. The alliance was far from guaranteed. Mohaqeq was a minister in Karzai’s government at one time but left amid some recrimination. And another Hazara, Ramzan Bashardost, is standing and doing surprisingly well.

As is the case at the homes of almost all well-known Afghans, armed guards man the gate of Mohaqeq’s large house in an ethnically mixed part of Kabul. He receieves visitors – and many phone calls – in a vast living room with curtains drawn against the scorching sun.

Phone calls over, he insists that nothing could be more natural than the decision of his Wahdat-e-Islami party backing a Pashtun for the presidency. ‘‘In order to have a stable and secure Afghanistan we decided to support Mr Karzai in this election,’’ he says. He doesn’t seem best pleased, however, when asked to respond to other candidates’ charges that the President deals with crooks and warlords. ‘‘What do you mean by corrupt people?’’ he asks, ‘‘Who are they? Can you give me an example of whom?’’

Practically all the candidates opposing Karzai accuse him of cosying up to warlords and associating with people, including his own brother, who are corrupt and/or have interests in the heroin trade.

A leaflet distributed by Abdullah goes so far as to claim that Karzai himself has a 45-million-dollar fortune which he refuses to account for. The mention of Abdullah’s name brings a sharp response. ‘‘Such things that are made up by Abdullah and his team, they are not very interesting,’’ he says. ‘‘Because when we look at their previous violations, in the 1970s, all the places that are destroyed in Kabul are the result of the works of Mr Abdullah and his team.’’

If Mohaqeq has no time for Abdullah Abdullah, he is dismissive of Bashardost. ‘‘He doesn’t seem to be a normal person,’’ he sneers, without expanding on the alleged abnormality.

Most Hazaras are Shia-Muslims. Karzai’s approval of a law governing marital relations for Shias was widely seen as a move to win the support of conservative Shia clerics and community leaders. The law has been amended now. Its most notorious clause, which was denounced as endorsing rape within marriage, has been removed.

Some foreign human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, still claim that it oppresses women. But Afghan women’s rights campaigners, such as Seema Samir, believe that it has been substantially approved and is a step forward in relieving the Shia of the obligation of following Sunni-Muslim practises. Mohaqeq agrees the changes were necessary, while saying that it ‘‘wasn’t clear’’ that it endorsed marital rape. ‘‘A law was passed that was in violation of human rights,’’ he says. "But that law was rectified. Now it’s fine. And he denies that signing the bill into law had anything to do with the President’s electoral ambitions."

"It was legislation and I don’t think it had anything to do with the election. I don’t think it played any role. ‘‘But, of course, I can say that all the facilities that were provided for the Shia people during the time that Karzai has been president … Yes, of course, we use all those in our campaigns for Karzai.’’

The priorities Mohaqeq sets for the next President are pretty much everybody’s priorities, with the absence of any mention of fighting corruption and rooting out warlords. ‘‘The first priority is to provide security, very balanced development and fighting against narcotics.’’

And he is most specific when it comes to the details of development. ‘‘I would like Mr Karzai, once he wins the election, to take care of the roads, to do construction, to reconstruct all the places that were destroyed in the war, rehabilitate hospitals, clinics, schools, so people can enjoy them.’’

The streets that surround his spacious home still bear the marks of the internecine struggles that succeeded the Soviet occupation. A huge bakery remains idle. Hundreds of buildings are missing a top floor, while many more are still flattened after 20 years. Children in rags work amid the frenetic traffice or beg from passers-by.

There is plenty of development to be done.

Afghan election exclusive pics and updates

2009-08-19T21:59:00.000-07:00

Women voters in Taliban stronghold, Zabul Province

Presidential Candidate, Abdullah Abdullah

Presidential candidate, Sarawr Ahmadzai

Presidential election, Mirwais Yasini

Mullah Fazal Hadi Shinwar, Head of Ullema Council

Abdul Rab Rasool Sayaf, a leading Jihadi figure

A 14-year-old girl casts her vote; a clear violation of constitution

Afghan first lady, Dr. Zeenat Karzai

Prisedent Karzai casts his vote

Political Cartoons

Click here (AfghanCorner's twitter page) for updates on Afghan election starting today!

Tough assignment for Afghan journalists

2009-08-19T17:25:00.000-07:00

Source: MSNBC.com

Afghan journalist Numan Dost spoke with msnbc.com on Wednesday about the challenges he and his colleagues face reporting on Thursday's presidential and provincial elections.

Dost, an editor at Pajhwok Afghan News, the largest independent news agency in the country, shared his thoughts about the election, the growing violence and the government's order to refrain from reporting news about violence during the election. Pajhwok has 81 reporters working throughout Afghanistan, plus three photographers and other editorial staff.

Msnbc.com: What are the challenges in covering the elections story in Afghanistan?

Dost: Nowadays, our people face huge security problems. Today, for example, a group of people tried to take over a bank in Kabul, the shooting continued for three hours. Not even Kabul city is safe. As you know, this week there were four major incidents — two suicide attacks, one shooting at the president’s palace and the bank incident today.

So our journalists are not safe. And today the government sent a statement, a decision by the National Security Council, saying that the media cannot cover or report on violence before the elections — [if they do] the foreign media will be kicked out of our country and the local media will be closed.

How did your news organization, Pajhwok, respond to the government’s edict?

Dost: Our agency is independent and we say that we are with our people, and our people have the right to know what is happening. So we will continue to cover the story. Other media also said that they would continue. It is the right of the people to know, and we will give this to them. (Click here to see Pajhwok’s response to the government’s edict.)

Has the government responded to your news organization’s statement that it will not comply with their restrictions on news coverage?

Dost: Until now there is no update from the government. But the government knows that Election Day will not be safe, that attacks will continue. They know that people may be afraid and not go to the polling stations. And if this happens, the process will fail.

So the security problems are that bad throughout the country?

Dost: Security is not good anywhere. People know that insurgents want to do everything possible to disrupt the vote and the government will not be able to keep things safe. So it is impossible to prevent the violence. For example, last week ISAF (NATO’s International Security Assistance Force) sent a balloon with cameras to monitor all the areas in Kabul that are under threat. But as you see, this week Kabul city was attacked by suicide bombs, and a group of insurgents started fighting with the police. So nobody believes the government is keeping them safe.

What do people think of the elections?

Dost: I think some people don’t want the elections to work because they are angry. Other people feel hopeless and say, “We voted in the first elections but our lives are worse – there is corruption, poverty and violence grows day-by-day.” But other people say they will go to the polling station. So one category will not vote because they are angry, another afraid, and the last will go, saying “It is our right.”

How does the enthusiasm compare to the last election in 2004?

Dost: A lot of people stood in line and waited for hours to vote in the last election. In the rural areas and in the provinces, women usually don’t leave their homes. But believe me, in the last elections, women left their homes and voted. But now people aren’t so interested. But (I believe) elections are very important because this is a democracy and people have the right to select their presidents and their provincial council members. Also, our people are always complaining that our presidents are imposed from the outside. So I think it is better for people to participate in this national process. We hope that [the election] is not too hard, because the situation gets worse day by day, the insurgence grows day-by-day, and people aren’t safe.

Do you know people who aren’t going to vote?

Dost: My wife voted in the first elections. Now she is not ready to vote. I asked her why she wasn’t voting and she said, “Security isn’t good, I don’t want to kill myself. My life is much more important than my vote.”

Pajhwok’s site has information on how to vote, background on the candidates and such. Is this more activist approach important to you?

Dost: We sent our reporters to polling stations and they will observe the process and report if there are any problems. We will cover this process very honestly. We don’t say to the people “select this candidate” but we will give the message to the people that this is their right. We do not support the candidate, we just support the process.

What precautions are Pajhwok journalists taking?

Dost: You know that insurgents and violence are a fact of our lives, part of our lives. Our reporters go everywhere and will be going to the polling stations. So all of them are ready, and they will be at polling stations an hour before they open. At the same time I reminded them, “Your life is more important than the story, so if there is a danger take care of yourself.”

Are you afraid of working as a journalist in Afghanistan now?

Dost: Right now we are not afraid. The insurgency and violence that is killing us is habitual, so we do not worry about it. I was born into war, I grew up in war and maybe I am killed in war. This is part of our lives, we are not afraid of this.

More on: Afghanistan

Afghanistan Leading Presidential Candidates in Debate

2009-08-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

Afghanistan leading presidential cnadidates, Ramazan Bashardost, Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani in a deabte just four days before voting.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Afghanistan Cricket team vice-captain quit in protest

2009-08-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

Karim Khan Sadiq, a senior player in Afghanistan national cricket team has withdrawn his name from the selected squad in protest over “injustice” and “wrong policies” of Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).

Karim Khan Sadeq, the opener batsman and former vice-captain of the Afghan cricket team, accused ACB Executive Director Aminzai of preferential treatment of the players. He claimed his brother and teammate, Hasti Gul, has not been included for ICC Intercontinental Cup. Speaking to reporters in Kabul, Sadiq said the fast bowler was axed without any solid reason.

Karim Sadiq lashed out at Kabir Khan too. He accused the coach, who is a Pakistani national, for anti-Afghanistan stance. “I have concrete evidence of Kabir Khan taking decisions against Afghanistan in international competitions," Pajhwok Afghan News, a local news agency, quoted him saying.

The 25-year-old said he will not return to the team unless the board is reformed.

Afghanistan will badly miss Sadiq who is not only an impressive opening batsman but an experience wicketkeeper. He has opened batting and kept wickets for Afghanistan right from the beginning of the establishment of Afghan national team which formally started playing cricket matches in 2001.

The young Afghan team performance has been remarkably impressive during past three years and the recent World Cup Qualifiers, which earned them One Day Internationals (ODI) status for four years, qualified for the on-going ICC Intercontinental Cup and won funding from the International Cricket Council.

In ICC Intercontinental Cup, they will be playing four-day matches which are more challenging then the ODI matches they have been playing. Four-day format needs more patience which, cricket critics believe, young Afghan team is lacking. On the other hand, Afghanistan is facing experience teams that have senior players who have played international cricket for years. And the absence of Sadiq will further add to coach Kabir Khan’s worries.

The national squad left today for Zimbabwe, where it will play a four-day match against Zimbabwe XI on August 16. The team will then head to Europe where they meet Netherlands on for a four-day match and two ODIs on August 24, August 30 and September 1.

AfghanCorner Among Top 100 Afghan Blogs

2009-08-13T21:55:00.000-07:00

The Daily Reviewer dot com has placed AfghanCorner among its Top 100 Afghan blogs. This is the first recognition for AfghanCorner since its birth in 2008. Taking this opportunity, I would like to thank all of those who followed AfghanCorner on Twitter and Facebook. I am grateful to all those who sent their feedback, story ideas and support.

I will write more about the hardships and hesitations I face bringing impartial news opinion for AfghanCorner readers.

Till then, keep sending your feedback either by leaving comments or sending e-mails.

Hakimullah Mehsud: Baitullah Mehsud is not dead

2009-08-07T21:07:00.000-07:00

A fellow commander of the Pakistani Taliban leader rejected government claims of the death of Baitullah Mehsud in a U.S. drone strike.

Hakimullah Mehsud, one of the closest commanders to the leader of Pakistani Taliabn, described reports of Mehsud's death as "nonsense and rubbish". He said it was "the propaganda of the intelligence agencies," the BBC Urdu said.

Recently Pakistan foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi told journalists that his intelligence sources has confirmed Baituallah’s death. “Although we are still waiting for ground confirmation, I am hundred percent sure Baitullah Mehsud is dead,” he said. The news came after a US drone strike the house of Baitullah Mehsud’s father-in-law on Wednesday, August 05. Attack claimed three lives including of one of Mehsud’s two wives.

Hakimullah said Mehsud was not in the house when air strike took place. “He seldom goes to his in-laws house and was not there on that day,” said Hakimullah. “It’s nothing more than media propaganda. Ameer Sab [Baitullah Mehsud] will soon appear in a video tape.”
Hakim called media reports about a Taliban meeting to appoint Baituallah’s successor “ridiculous”. “Ameer Sab is alive and well so there is no question of such meeting,” the BBC Urdu website said.

Some analysts believe that the Pakistani Taliban council members are divided over the replacement of Mehsud, and that Hakimullah's refutation aimed to buy time until the council decides a new leader. Hakimullah Mehsud himself is considered as one of the top three contenders to replace Baitullah Mehsud.

But if Hakimullah’s denial is confirmed to be true, it will be the second time Pakistani intelligence falsely claim the death of the most wanted man. Last year Pakistan government claimed that Baitullah Mehsud had died of a kidney disease. However, Mehsud invited journalists to Waziristan for a press conference only to deny the claim.

On the other hand, if Taliban are hiding the death of Mehsud to avoid the demoralization of their fighters, then the question is who will be his successor.

The Pakistani intelligence and local sources claim that a militant shura (council) of key leaders of Mehsud tribe have met for the third consecutive time at a secret location in South Waziristan to nominate a new leader.

Three names have emerged for the vacant post, however, the Taliban have not agreed on one name, suggesting a power struggle among main nominees.

Hakimullah Mehsud, Baitulah Mehsud’s cousin, is said to be leading the list. Hakeemullah Mehsud, who is famous for his cruelty, has worked as Taliban commander for Kurram, Orakzai and Khyber tribal regions. The young man is said to be responsible for planning and carrying out attacks on NATO’s logistic supplies in Khyber agency. Hakimuallah has also worked as Baitullah’s spokesperson using the name, Zulfiqar. He is also known for crushing Baitullah Mehsud’s tribal rivals such as Turkistan Baitaney and Mulah Nazir.

A local resident, who doesn’t want to be named, says Hakimullah was the second closest person to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan leader after Qari Hussain, who was killed in a US drone attack last month. The source said that 23-year-old Hakimullah’s real name is Jamshed.

The second on the list is forty three years old Wali-ur-Rahman. Wali is also Baitullah’s cousin and has worked as an advisor spokesperson for Baitullah. Analysts see Wali’s age and religious knowledge as a plus point for the job.

The third of the contenders is Azmatullah Mehsud. 50-year-old Azmatullah has been involved in killing Baitullah’s most out-spoken critic and rival, Qari Ziauddin in Dera Ismael Khan.

Hekmatullah Mehsud may take the new role, however the power struggle among main nominees can create hurdles on his way. And that means, Sirajuddin Haqqani, son of veteran Taliban leader Jalaluddin Haqqani will play a vital role in the process. Haqqani has close ties with Al-Qaeda and is known as ‘peace broker’. The 37-year-old Haqqani, also known as Khalifa Siraj, is Mullah Omar’s right hand in Waziristan. According to Afghan intelligence, he is responsible for financial and logistics. He is also wanted for recruiting young men in Waziristan to be sent to fight alongside the Taliban in Afghanistan.

My First Day in Kabul

2009-08-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

Lmar Ghaljai

Hundreds of billions spent by the international community, your expectations of the development and progress in Afghanistan would be somewhat satisfactory. You have high hopes from what you see on Afghan national TV abroad. There is excitement, adrenaline kicks high but all that changes as soon as you land in Kabul international airport.

Normally I am optimistic especially when it comes to Afghans and Afghanistan. But from what I witnessed in my first day in Kabul I was drained from all that positive energy. Every face I see has a story to tell of frustration, helplessness and hopelessness. Afghan nation is suppressed by the internationally community backed officials. There is corruption, warlords, drugs, illness, joblessness, homelessness, poverty and every act of aggression against humanity one can think of.

The immigration officer who was there to receive me at Kabul airport didn’t get paid his wages for the last three months, yet he was much friendlier from what I have experienced in a Pakistani airport. They did not asked for bribe and demanded to see those with family and young children first.

I came out of the airport there is sadness on every face, like if they are all denied justice. There is a green pickup truck of American private security personals parked in area outside the airport clearly marked as prohibited area. The afghan security guard is quick to spot it and give them a signal to move their vehicle from the area but they ignored him and showed him the middle finger. The afghan security guard lowers his head as he walks back to his post and shakes his head off embarrassment.

On the way to my hotel I saw convey of coalition forces protected by afghan national army. An afghan young boy on his motorbike was ridding next to the road on pedestrian pathway. With no warning, he was hit with a fire ball from one of the vehicle in the convey. But luckily they miss the boy and hit the tree next to him. It was a green tree within seconds the fire ball was so immense that turn it to ashes. Never in my life had experience something so furiously terrifying. I asked the driver what was that, he replied people are not allowed to get close to the conveys of coalition forces. Everyone knows this, but I said they went close to the young boy. He said try explaining this to the Americans. I asked what was that weapon they fired, he said welcome to Afghanistan, this is a laboratory for testing new weapons and the weapon deployed was phosphorus.

I got to my room and had breakfast, was tired from my long flight but somehow did not feel like resting or going to sleep. I was anxious to find out more. I was desperate to get my positive energy back. I thought hard where to go and who to see, should it be the politicians, NGO directors, child labourers or women begging on streets of Kabul. I finally come to the conclusion it has to be the young educated generation of Afghanistan, so I asked my driver to take me to Kabul University.

As I walk towards the faculty of psychology and educational sciences, I see hundreds of students lying on the ground on bare floor covered with dust preparing for their final exam. I had flash backs from the time when I was in refugee camp in Pakistan, things have not change much for afghans. I walked on; see a long queue of students for a broken manual water pump, water barely dripping. All the students were holding straws, I wondered why? Till I saw student sucking drips of water from the rusted tab of the broken water pump, probably put in place from time when this university was first inaugurated decades ago.

I walked on, belvedere by the thoughts of what is happening to the billions dollars of aid. I wanted to see the head of departments and research centres. Each department and research centre is backed by a different coalition country; therefore the head of departments are Afghan expatriate professors from the country supporting the department. This way, their loyalty is not to Afghanistan but the country supporting his research. All the subordinate of the department comes from the same ethnic background as the professor or head of the research team, so that they think like a group and will not clash with the overall donor objectives.

The head of university who is also advisor to the current government on environment has recently order a research group from the university not to publish their results on water resources of Afghanistan because it could collide with the international affairs and might strain relations with the neighbouring countries. One of the neighbouring countries has promised to donate a new building for the university art faculty. I prayed to myself hope the same country do not train suicide bomber to blow the building up the next day. The disappointed researcher responsible for the water resources project takes a sigh of frustration and says why show us dreams of democracy, development and progress and then trash it in the dustbin.

I was shattered as I walked out of Kabul University, thinking they are the very people you were so proud of “The educated wise Afghan professors”. If they can be corrupted why blame the uneducated Afghan warlords. On my very first day in Kabul I am irritated and annoyed then a thought struck me, Afghans have suffered this international and domestic acts of aggression for decades, which I could not take a day watching. There has to be hope. We are stronger than our aggressors, they can bomb us, and they can kill as by different means and names, they can violate and deny our rights, they can call us non-believers and cut our heads, they can exploit our resources but they will never break or enslave us.

I still keep on singing Farhad Darya song, “Watan Arzo Ast Mara”, (My land there is hope), may be Obama is not aware of what is going on in Afghanistan, or he will never mention in his historic speech, “What we chose for ourselves should chose for others”. Never have I heard in any western country where it is acceptable to kill up to 29 innocent civilians in an airstrike of high security target, or be it burning up to seven cars with civilians in them if they try to get close to a coalition forces conveys.

Too short to reach the podium!!

2009-07-28T17:44:00.000-07:00

Daoud Ali Najafi, Chief Electoral Officer and Head of the Secretariat of Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission. :)

Taliban issues code of conduct

2009-07-27T19:37:00.000-07:00

Source: Al-Jazeera

The Taliban in Afghanistan has issued a book laying down a code of conduct for its fighters.
Al Jazeera has obtained a copy of the book, which further indicates that Mullah Omar, the movement's leader, wants to centralize its operations. The book, with 13 chapters and 67 articles, lays out what one of the most secretive organizations in the world today, can and cannot do. It talks of limiting suicide attacks, avoiding civilian casualties and winning the battle for the hearts and minds of the local civilian population.

Al Jazeera has obtained a copy of the Taliban's new military code of conduct, approved by Mullah Omar, its Afghan leader. It appears to be an attempt to consolidate a disparate movement. Following are some key quotes that outline the new code of conduct:

On asylum:

"Every Muslim can invite anyone working for the slave government in Kabul to leave their job, and cut their relationship with this corrupt administration. If the person accepts, then with the permission of the provincial and district leadership, a guarantee of safety can be given."

On prisoners:

"Whenever any official, soldier, contractor or worker of the slave government is captured, these prisoners cannot be attacked or harmed. "The decision on whether to seek a prisoner exchange, or to release the prisoner, with a strong guarantee, will be made by the provincial leader. Releasing prisoners in exchange for money is strictly prohibited."

"If the prisoner is a director, commander or district chief or higher, the decision on whether to harm, kill, release or forgive them is only made by the Imam or deputy Imam."

If a military infidel is captured, the decision on whether to kill, release or exchange the hostage is only to be made by the Imam or deputy Imam."

On civilian casualties:

"Governors, district chiefs and line commanders and every member of the Mujahideen must do their best to avoid civilian deaths, civilian injuries and damage to civilian property. Great care must be taken."

On suicide attacks:

"Suicide attacks should only be used on high and important targets. A brave son of Islam should not be used for lower and useless targets. The utmost effort should be made to avoid civilian casualties."

On unity:

"Creating a new mujahideen group or battalion is forbidden. If unofficial groups or irregular battalions refuse to join the formal structure they should be disbanded. If a governor or leader has in the past had a unit or active group in another province, they should bring it to the attention of the leader of that province. That leader should then take over command of the group."

On relations with the Afghan people:

"The Mujahideen have to behave well and show proper treatment to the nation, in order to bring the hearts of civilian muslims closer to them. The mujahideen must avoid discrimination based on tribal roots, language or their geographic background."

Video of Captured US Soldier

2009-07-18T19:53:00.000-07:00

The Taliban have aired a video tape of the captured American soldier in Afghanistan. The identity of 23 year old soldier who went missing June 30 in Paktika province and was later confirmed to have been captured by Taliban, has not been released yet.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

RE: Afghanistan: Led by donkeys

2009-07-16T14:40:00.000-07:00

by Rameen Javid

I am shocked by The Guardian editorial [Friday July 10, 2009] "Afghanistan: Led by donkeys"! While the saying itself is Afghan, nonetheless the Editorials does not specify where they have gotten the quote from. It is not clear whether the article points to the Afghans as donkeys or to the foreigners or both. In either case, I think they have taken the freedom of expression too far and perhaps, in the process, have forgotten to look at the big picture.

The Editorial opens with lamenting for the British soldiers losing their lives in Afghanistan. While it is truly tragic that young men and women, with so much hope and promise, come to Afghanistan to fulfill a duty for the people of Afghanistan, the writer and The Guardian must not forget the sacrifice Afghanistan has been giving for three decades for the cause of democracy and freedom worldwide. While we all site the three decades of destructive war that destroyed at least two generation of Afghans, we rarely stop to think what that actually means. Afghan deaths have become such a common place that they are no longer noteworthy. In the Helmand Province the British had the largest force but still we see Helmand being the opium capital of Afghanistan. What is the British doing there? With such sophisticated equipment, they can't compete with Soviet made weapons? ISAF forces usually talk about the complications involved with the civilians in engaging the Taliban in battle but they bomb villages almost regularly. If the Editorial is saying criticizing foreigners then perhaps they are in the right track. Few people would argue that the most unimaginative, corrupt and uninformed foreigners are in Afghanistan or working on Afghanistan. Deaf and blind, they make decisions for Afghanistan from the other side of the globe or from behind high, thick, cement walls and barriers. They are closed off to the people and only associate with some selected people with vested interest.

If the article is criticizing Afghan leaders then perhaps The Guardian wants to explain which ones. Firstly, while many would not argue with the statement, it nonetheless reflects upon a nation that is older than most of the history of many coalition countries put together. Secondly, who do they think put these Afghans in charge? Perhaps it is the biggest joke to state that Afghanistan is a free and sovereign country where decisions are made by a democratically elected government. No member of this sovereign and elected government can pass through the street between the USAID compound and the US embassy, which is first protected by Afghan police, then the Pilipino mercenaries and then the US troops. Similarly, most of the roads in Kabul are blocked off by various embassies for their own security.

Afghans were under the impression that life is made easier with the foreigners inside the cities, and that ISAF forces are there for Afghans' protection. But it seems the foreigners fear the people by blocking themselves off from the people and shoot any vehicle passing within their hundred yard. If they are so concerned about their own security as opposed to the people of Afghanistan, then why don't they take over the mountains of Kabul to have a better view of the enemy and leave the expandable Afghan population to be victims of our own bad elements, thus saving irreplaceable Western lives.

Let's not forget that foreigners are the employer and they control the market in Afghanistan. It is them who made/passed the constitution and the current government. They are the ones spending millions of the aid money in wasteful projects. They are the ones hiring/appointing corrupt officials and businessmen who in turn bring in their own circle in, regardless of talent. They are the ones deciding what should Afghanistan do next or what is good for Afghanistan. They are the ones who think they know what is good for Afghanistan.

The Guardian is quoting Colonel David Height as saying "Four more years of this crap?" Both The Guardian and Colonel Haight should know that the presidential term in Afghanistan, unless the constitution has been recently changed unannounced, is five years. Shouldn't a respected paper and a high ranking US military officer know at least this much? Yet it is the foreigners who constantly complaint that they can't find capable Afghans to do the jobs and or that the capacity is low in Afghanistan. A country with over five thousand years of history, that has given birth to the likes of Rumi, Al-Biruni, Ibn Sina, Behzad, etc, cannot now be empty of talent. This land, regardless of its name, was ran by locals for that long and they can still ran this country, if the constant meddling of the foreigners with their infinite wisdom is not present. Afghanistan still has a great deal of talent and capable people but they are not in charge.

In my previous article "Is No One Concerned Anymore?" I had criticized larger aid agencies for causing major problems for Afghanistan. While many agreed with my disposition, some suggested that criticizing the foreigners this way would not change their behavior and I should be more diplomatic in my approach. I thought it was a fascinating concept and reminded me of my work with a large US based aid agency in Central Asia, where my boss, who was of Scottish descent, upon knowing I was Afghan, complained that members of his family who were with the British Army were killed by Afghans in Afghanistan during the Anglo-Afghan Wars. Perhaps he expected that I should at least apologize for those Afghans who had the nerve to defend their country to be free of foreign rule. Perhaps it is very much unbecoming of a country to refuse to accept foreign domination. Should Afghans be able to go back in time, we should suggest that not only the British be allowed to make Afghanistan a colony, where all Afghans would then serve them, but we would make it very comfortable for the invading army so that the trouble they have taken to come here would be fully appreciated and understood.

It maybe undiplomatic and uncivilized to anger our Western masters whose sole presence in Afghanistan evidently is its prosperity, equality and human rights; but some of us with a shred of consciousness would not be apologetic about pointing out the insignificant flaws that exist in this otherwise flawless system created by really qualified and symptomatic UN and Western officials and advisers that is working so well thus far.

Will history repeat itself in Afghanistan?

2009-07-15T18:54:00.000-07:00

Huw Davies, BBC

British military intervention in Afghanistan has a chequered history, making it easy to conclude that British forces will fail again. But such a conclusion is a mistake and does a disservice both to troops fighting there and to history itself, writes military historian Dr Huw Davies.

General comparisons of Britain's first three wars in Afghanistan and the current conflict, are difficult and fraught with pitfalls and traps. However, if one compares the specific experiences of soldiers and officers, there is much to learn from Britain's history in Afghanistan.

Many know that the British tried three times between 1839 and 1919 to subjugate Afghanistan, and each time they failed. But when dealing with the history of British military involvement in Afghanistan, and in the difficult business of looking for parallels between then and now, it is necessary to separate the general from the specific.

The reasons for the wars in the 19th Century were somewhat different and incomparable with the reasons for the war now. If general comparisons of the conflicts are made, without looking at the specifics, it might be easy to conclude that there is little hope for success in Afghanistan.

The First Anglo-Afghan War broke out when Britain invaded Afghanistan because she feared Russian encroachment into Central Asia. The British were eventually routed and the 16,000 strong army forced to flee Kabul in the winter of 1841. Only one man survived the retreat.
Britain invaded Afghanistan again in 1878 for largely the same reasons. Despite a terrible defeat at Maiwand on 27 July 1880, the British were surprisingly successful elsewhere on the battlefield.

Unlike today, the Afghans showed an inability to adapt their tactics and the British dominated in several battles. Yet the British failed to achieve a political settlement and, as they were unable to occupy the country, chose instead to isolate it, while retaining influence in Afghan foreign affairs.
The third war broke out when Afghanistan declared independence from this quasi-British rule in 1919. However, for Britain, the Bolshevik Revolution had reduced the Russian threat and, with military spending crippled in the wake of the World War I, interest in Afghanistan gradually waned.

General comparisons, then, suggest that Britain has neither the military capability, nor the political will, to complete or attain victory in a conflict in Afghanistan. Much has changed since 1919, though. The British Army has fought innumerable counter-insurgency campaigns elsewhere, the lessons of which are proving useful now. Technological advancements have also allowed swifter and more reliable analysis of intelligence, a critical aspect of any counter-insurgency campaign.

The Cultural Dimension

It appears that there is also a renewed focus on the importance of understanding the culture, traditions and customs of the Afghan population. It is here that the specific experiences of British officers and soldiers in 19th Century Afghanistan can prove useful.

During the First Anglo-Afghan War, for example, certain British officers spent much of their time learning about the culture of the local populations. In doing so, political, economic and social solutions to violent problems were unearthed. In 1839, the British military had the difficult task of convincing the Afghan population to accept the new ruler, Shah Shuja, as he was from a different tribe to that of the deposed ruler, Dost Mohammed.

Shah Shuja's ascension to the throne in Kabul inevitably caused a shift in the balance of power, and those who had enjoyed political power under Dost Mohammed were cast aside and replaced with their rivals. This in turn caused widespread political disenfranchisement that manifested itself in violent rebellion. “ Why, then, did the British fail in Afghanistan in 1841, and will the same thing happen today? ”

The instinctive reaction of the British then, as now, was to meet violence with violence. But then, as now, commanders quickly recognised that violence was not necessarily the solution. Instead, the granting of some reasonable demands might buy off the support of those that were politically disenfranchised. Then, as now, the difficulty for the British lay in identifying and separating those who were die-hard supporters of the rebellion against British authority, from those who simply felt oppressed and whose loyalty could be bought.

Cultural understanding proved critical for the British in reaching these conclusions.
Inevitably, then, as now, there were those whose resistance to and hatred of the West could never be defeated without recourse to violence. Why, then, did the British fail in Afghanistan in 1841, and will the same thing happen today? In 1841, those in political charge in Afghanistan and British India did not perceive this "cultural solution" as being worthy of any merit. Despite the efforts of a minority of officers and soldiers, the preferred British method was retaliatory violence.

For most, the "cold, hard steel of the bayonet" enforced the authority of the British Empire. Ultimately, this almost indiscriminate use of violence alienated that segment of the population that might otherwise have supported Britain and Shah Shuja. The difference now is that much more attention is being devoted to understanding the culture of Afghanistan and to finding solutions that do not necessarily involve military action. Efforts are being made, with some success, to incorporate cultural understanding in all military activities, from fighting to reconstruction.

But with a resurgent Taliban, apparently committed to an extremist vision of Islam and harbouring terrorists, it will also be necessary and unavoidable to use military force. Awareness of the cultural dimension will not necessarily guarantee victory, but ignorance of it, history shows us, will guarantee defeat.

Dr Huw Davies is a lecturer in Defence Studies, King's College, London based at the UK Defence Academy

Afghan cricket team distribute smiles to kids

2009-07-10T12:57:00.000-07:00

Ignoring all the security hurdles and hardships, Afghan cricket team, with the help of MCC, is distributing smile along with cricket goods to Afghan kids.

Cricinfo writes: In April, Matthew Fleming headed to Afghanistan to open cricket pitches and spread the good name of MCC - and, indeed, the sport - among rural communities in the country. It was a triumph, and Leslie Knott - one of the film-makers following Afghanistan's national team - has put up a video of Fleming's tour, which you can see below.

About Me And AfghanCorner

2009-07-10T12:52:00.001-07:00

Thank you for stopping by.

I am Bashir Ahmad Gwakh, a freelance journalist from Afghanistan. I'm currently working as Broadcaster with Radio Free Europe in Prague. Before going to the US to pursue my Masters in Media and Communion in United States, I was working as news editor for NATO/ISAF newspaper. Before ISAF/NATO, I covered political and security issues for IWPR (Institute for War and Peace Reporting) and PAN (Pajhwok Afghan News) in eastern Afghanistan.

I’ve worked as public relations officer for Eastern Zone Journalists and Writers Union-Afghanistan and have trained spokespersons for Afghan political parties at Sayara Media & Communications. I’ve also served as chief-editor for Saanga, a highly acclaimed political and news magazine in Afghanistan. I’ve published my first Pashtu poetry book, "Your Memories Are My Campanions" and am currently working on a novel and a collection of short stories. I have been published in local and international media outlets.

I started AfghanCorner to generate and share ideas about the current situation in Afghanistan. As a native Afghan, I will do my best to bring more knowledge and a broader perspective of current affairs in ‘once-ignored’ country and its surrounding areas to the readers, especially those who have not been to Afghanistan.

Contact: hajrulaswad@gmail.com

Ashraf Ghani: Karzai lacks the courage to face myself and to defend himself to the people of Afghanistan

2009-07-10T08:33:00.000-07:00

Malali Bashir

----

Recently Afghan president Hamid Karzai rejected Dr. Ashraf Ghani’s offer to participate in a series of debates. Speaking indirectly of Ghani, Karzai said he will not take part in debates with those who have dual citizenship. Ghani is an Afghan presidential hopeful and Karzai’s strongest contender in presidential race. He is believed to have American citizenship. However, Ghani’s campaign says has already given up US citizenship. Ghani, on the other hand, accused Karzai of lack of courage to face him in debates. Here is a press release from Ghani’s camp.

“The decision of Mr. Karzai not to participate in a series of three debates, which we had agreed upon, is a significant setback to our fledgling democracy in Afghanistan.

The mind is able to only to come up with two logical explanations for Mr. Karzai’s decision.
The first is that he has no intention of going through with the election as scheduled on August 20 and therefore, speaking directly to the Afghan people in a televised debate would be what he considers a waste of time. This would be a tragedy for Afghanistan in addition to being totally illegal under our constitution.

I call on President Karzai to publicly declare that the election on August 20 will go on as scheduled and that he will do nothing to deny the people of Afghanistan the right to make necessary changes in their government.

Second is a serious and profound charge to make against any Afghan, but in this instance, one is led to the conclusion that President Karzai simply lacks the courage to face myself and to defend himself to the people of Afghanistan. This is a very serious allegation, as the Afghan people are known for many things: our deep and abiding Islamic faith, our concern for our families and communities, our hard work, and perhaps as much as anything, our strength and courage.

Now that it is evident that President Karzai cannot hide behind the apron of the Bush Administration and he is forced to stand alone to speak directly to the Afghan people, he has decided to stay closeted in his palace. This decision confirms what many Afghans have come to realize. This president simply lacks the courage and the strength to lead our great nation.

The truth is, every Afghan in everyday life has to fight the scourge of insecurity, lawlessness and thugs, the lack of electricity, the unsafe drinking water and a corrupt government. Now, it is our time, Afghanistan.”

Dance of the Presidents (Obama, Karzai and Zardari)

2009-07-02T16:12:00.000-07:00

Just to bring a smile to your face!

P.S. If you couldn't listen to the video's sound because of the song playing in background, please scroll down and find the Dizzler's music player (it's on the right bottom of your screen-under AfghanCorner Message) and hit the pause button. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Afghan Presidential Elections

2009-06-28T23:16:00.000-07:00

A Karzai Victory Is Just the Ticket for Regional Commanders

By Griff Witte, Washington Post

President Hamid Karzai is considered a strong favorite to win reelection when Afghans go to the polls this summer. But here in northern Afghanistan, one of the country's most peaceful regions, there is little doubt who will be in control when the elections are over, and it's not Karzai.Rather, it is the same men who have ruled this territory off and on for decades, regional commanders who have divvied up the land into personal fiefdoms and transformed central government institutions, including the police, into instruments of their will.

With two months to go until the vote, most of these commanders -- critics call them warlords -- are lining up to endorse the president's reelection bid. Analysts say that if Karzai secures another term, the commanders who supported the president are likely to be rewarded with a guarantee of continued power. The enduring influence of these strongmen reflects the fragility of the U.S.-backed government, which remains a government in name only across vast stretches of the country, even those not beset by Taliban insurgency. Indeed, the commanders' loyalty to the president seems to owe less to Karzai's strength as a leader than to his weakness.

"Who else would they support? They've lived a life of luxury under his government," said Golalai Nur Safi, a member of parliament who represents an area just outside Mazar-e Sharif, a desert metropolis on the Central Asian plains. "They see personal advantage in supporting him." Safi is backing Karzai's reelection because she thinks he "is a good man who has a bad team" and because she sees no viable alternative. She is an outspoken critic of the commanders and of Karzai's pattern of caving in to their demands whenever he wants to shore up his position.

It was clearly illustrated this spring when Karzai picked two regional strongmen to serve as his running mates. The selection of one in particular, Mohammed Fahim, rankled critics. It was a direct reversal of Karzai's decision before the 2004 election to dump from his ticket the much-feared Tajik commander, who was then considered so power-hungry that U.S. officials worried he would launch a coup. At the time, purging Fahim from the government was hailed as a watershed decision by the president to take a stand against Afghanistan's decades-long tradition of warlordism. Now, it strikes many observers as a rare moment of courage amid a much longer record of appeasing a rogues' gallery of human rights abusers. "Where we stand today with the political landscape is not much different from where we started, and in some respects it's looking even worse," said Ahmad Nader Nadery, head of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission. "These so-called leaders are able to tell the disillusioned people that there's no other way, that 'we have access to the president, and you have to listen to us.' "

A Karzai spokesman, Hamid Zada, defended his leader's vice presidential picks as a way of bringing reconciliation to the long-fractured country. In a nation bitterly divided by ethnicity, Karzai's ticket includes a Pashtun (himself), a Tajik (Fahim) and a Hazara (Karim Khalili). "The president makes all his decisions based on the national unity of Afghanistan," Zada said.
The selections, he added, are also intended to pay tribute to the millions of Afghans who resisted Soviet occupation during the 1980s. "Fahim and Khalili represent a significant group of Afghans who fought the Soviets and paid the price," he said.

Karzai himself has never been a commander. Before his selection to lead Afghanistan in December 2001, he was a tribal chief and a diplomat who was known for his ability to mediate conflicts, not order men into battle. In Afghanistan, where anyone younger than 30 has known only war and where the man with the most guns usually calls the shots, Karzai's lack of military bona fides is considered a liability. His Western backers -- the United States most particularly -- have encouraged his ties to the regional commanders to bolster his rule as the government combats a vicious Taliban insurgency.

The logic is that commanders who support the government and who inspire fierce loyalty among their followers can be useful in maintaining the security of areas that might otherwise be vulnerable to instability. By some measures, the strategy may have worked: Afghanistan's north and west, where the commanders are strongest, have also been the safest regions of the country. But Karzai's reliance on the commanders has undeniably stunted the government's development, limiting its ability to extend its reach beyond Kabul, the capital. Afghanistan's central government has struggled throughout history to assert itself, with little success. The result has been a power vacuum filled by local leaders, most of whom are heavily subsidized by foreign governments that need vehicles through which to exert their influence in Afghanistan.
The enduring strength of the commanders has bred resentment among Afghans who see their government favoring the interests of the powerful. That has happened before: When the Taliban swept to power in the 1990s, deep disillusionment with the commanders' reign was a major reason why.

Ashraf Ghani, the technocratic former finance minister who is running against the president, said Karzai's choice of allies would backfire, arguing that after three decades of subjugation by men who have delivered no improvement in people's lives, Afghans have grown tired of the warlords.
"These people are not what they used to be," he said.

Many of the commanders are notorious for their brutality: One Karzai backer, the Uzbek strongman Abdurrashid Dostum, once ordered hundreds of prisoners packed into metal shipping crates, then left them to suffocate under the hot desert sun, human rights groups have reported. Dostum has been in Turkey for six months but is not expected to stay away. Despite vocal criticism of Karzai over the years, Dostum has endorsed the president and is widely thought to be angling for control over Mazar-e Sharif after the election. This city, one of Afghanistan's largest, used to be Dostum's territory. He was pushed out by a rival commander, Attah Mohammed, several years ago and has wanted to get back in ever since. The election could be his ticket. Mohammed is thought to be backing a Karzai challenger, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, a gamble that could cost him the governorship of this province if Abdullah loses. Technically, Mohammed is a Karzai appointee who represents the central government. In reality, locals say, Mohammed takes few cues from Kabul. Although all private militias were supposed to be disarmed years ago under an internationally mandated program, Mohammed retains an arsenal of tens of thousands of weapons, according to officials here.

Dostum and others have also maintained their arsenals, according to Gen. Mohammed Ali Razai, deputy police commander for northern Afghanistan. "The people who had weapons in the past, they didn't hand them over. They still have their weapons, and they use them to their advantage," Razai said. The internationally trained and funded Afghan National Police, he indicated, is still too small and is ill-equipped to challenge the commanders' power.

Residents say that the police are a problem and that many have been co-opted by Mohammed.
A local Pashtun tribal elder, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he said his life is under threat, accused Mohammed of using the police to silence critics and to persecute ethnic minorities, especially Pashtuns. The elder said the police have killed Pashtun leaders who challenge the authority of Mohammed, who is Tajik. He said the police then falsely claim that the dead Pashtuns were Taliban.

"These warlords have killed thousands of Muslims. Their hands are covered with the blood of innocent people," the elder said. "We have suffered for 30 years under these warlords, and we are suffering still."