The following is research published today from MEMRI’s Special Dispatch Series from the South Asia Studies Project. For more from the MEMRI South Asia Studies Project, visit http://www.memri.org/subject/en/840.htm.
Special Dispatch No. 4263—Pakistan/South Asia Studies Project Pakistani Cricketer-Turned-Politician Imran Khan Explains His Islamic Beliefs: "It Was Not Until Salman Rushdie [Published His] 'Satanic Verses' That My Understanding of Islam Began to Develop"
On October 30, 2011, Pakistani-cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan held a massive political rally in Lahore, the capital of Punjab province. Given that his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is a very small party with no mass support base, the Lahore rally attracted huge crowds, due largely to Khan's public campaign against the U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan. His ability to draw huge crowds has been noticed this year, but the success of Lahore rally seriously threatens rival politicians such as former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif, chief minister of Punjab, whose Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) party has traditionally enjoyed support in Punjab and nationally. After the success of the rally, a website re-published an article by Imran Khan, who has been internationally acclaimed for his role as the captain of Pakistani cricket team. The article, as the title "Selective Islam" indicates, is about how only selective parts of Islamic teachings are implemented in Pakistan and other Islamic nations. In the article, Imran Khan talks about his early Westernized upbringing and how he began to embrace Islam following the publication of Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses and the subsequent controversy. He adds: "Since this is a transitory world where we prepare for the eternal one, I broke out of the self-imposed prisons, such as growing old (such a curse in the Western world, as a result of which plastic surgeons are having a field day), materialism, ego, what people say, and so on. It is important to note that one does not eliminate the earthly desires, simply that instead of being controlled by them, one controls them." To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5790.htm.
Special Dispatch No. 4262—Pakistan/South Asia Studies Project Concerns in Pakistani Press Over Successful Political Rally Of Rising Politician Imran Khan
On October 30, 2011, cricketer-turned-rising Pakistani-politician Imran Khan held a massive political rally, called "Pakistan Bachao" ("Save Pakistan"), in Lahore, the political capital of Pakistan and a stronghold of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) party which is led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif. The rally attracted huge crowds, thereby threatening the established political parties like PML-N and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of President Asif Zardari. Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is a small party with no countrywide mass base of support. However, due to his anti-U.S. campaigns this year, especially against the U.S. drone attacks, Khan has attracted a new generation of Pakistan youth, who are disillusioned by corruption, deteriorating economic situation and lack of prospects for Pakistan's future. Following the success of the Lahore rally, the PTI leader is being seen as a major contender for the country's political leadership, and some established political leaders are accusing the Pakistani military's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of propping him up. Commentators in Pakistan have said that in the wake of the October 30 rally, Khan cannot be ignored in Pakistani politics. At the rally, the PTI leader threatened civil disobedience against the federal and provincial governments in Pakistan if the government leaders do not disclose their personal assets. It should be noted that almost all political parties – barring the religious-political parties – are in power in Pakistan either in the provinces or at the federal level. There has been speculation over the past year that the ISI wants to engineer a political future for Khan when the country goes to polls in February 2013. Also at the rally, Khan sounded a clarion call for ending corruption and feudalism in Pakistan, slammed the U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan, argued that military operations against the Taliban would not end terrorism, called for peace negotiations with the Taliban, and, while raising many other issues, did not criticize the military's excessive role in Pakistani politics. Immediately after the rally, several Pakistani newspapers published editorials assessing its impact, with some opposing his pro-Taliban standpoint and others criticizing him for his silence on the military's role in politics. Some Pakistani newspapers expressed concern that the success of his rally could be the result of support from the Pakistani intelligence agencies, while almost all newspapers in Pakistan noted that Imran Khan is a serious political leader to watch during the run-up to the February 2013 general elections. To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5789.htm.
Inquiry & Analysis No. 757—India/South Asia Studies Project/Kashmir Signs of Peace in Kashmir Valley as Militancy DeclinesBy: Tufail Ahmad*
There are indications that the two-decade old jihadist movement against India in Jammu & Kashmir state is entering its last days. A decline in the militancy in Kashmir had begun after the 9/11 attacks, following which the jihadist-minded terrorist organizations everywhere lost legitimacy, including in Kashmir. The erstwhile princely state of Jammu & Kashmir is divided by a Line of Control (LoC) between Pakistan and India, with the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir known as Azad (Free) Jammu & Kashmir (AJK). The pro-independence militancy in Indian Kashmir had begun predominantly with two Pakistani-backed objectives: to liberate Kashmir from India as well as to align the state as part of Pakistan. Those seeking an independent Kashmir – notably Amanullah Khan, the leader of Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front (JKFL) – were marginalized over the years. These jihadist groups in Kashmir were propped up in India's Jammu & Kashmir state by the Pakistani military's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) following the end of the Cold War, which was marked by the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan in 1989 and emboldened the ISI to achieve a similar feat against India in Kashmir. During the two decades of militancy, more than 40,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed in shootouts by Indian security forces, grenade and bomb attacks by militants, crossfires and custodial death, according to official Indian government figures. To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5791.htm.
Special Dispatch No. 4261—Afghanistan/South Asia Studies Project/Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor/U.S. and the Arab & Muslim World Hizb-e-Islami Chief Gulbuddin Hekmatyar: 'Lasting Peace is Possible Only If Foreign Forces End the Occupation of Afghanistan and Withdraw Their Troops'
In a recent interview with a Pakistani newspaper, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the fugitive chief of the militant group Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan, has accused Pakistan of pursuing pro-U.S policies in the region, thereby alienating the Taliban and other militant groups. Hekmatyar's statement comes after it emerged that the U.S. has enlisted Pakistan to find a negotiated political settlement to end the Afghan conflict. Gulbuddin Hekmatyar's Hizb-e-Islami is the second largest militant group in Afghanistan (after the Taliban), and works alongside the Taliban and Al-Qaeda there. In the interview, Hekmatyar said that lasting peace is only possible if the U.S. agrees to end the occupation of Afghanistan, but also said that his organization is willing to facilitate the exit of foreign troops. It should be noted that Hizb-e-Islami is the only armed group that has publicly held peace negotiations with the Karzai government. From the interview, it also emerges that Hekmatyar's representatives may also have held meetings with U.S. officials. To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5788.htm.
Special Dispatch No. 4260—Pakistan/South Asia Studies Project High Court Orders Pakistani Government to Seek Extradition of Former Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf
Over the past few years, former Pakistan Army chief and former president General Pervez Musharraf has avoided returning to Pakistan over continuing fears that he might be arrested in connection with several court cases regarding his military coup and imposition of martial law, treason charges connected to the subversion of the Pakistani constitution and dismissal of the higher judiciary, the assassination of Baluchi elder Nawab Akbar Bugti in a military operation, and others. Of all the incidents, the killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti in a Pakistan Army operation on August 26, 2006, when General Pervez Musharraf was also the army chief, has attracted the most attention. Bugti was killed along with his 35 comrades in the military operation. General Musharraf, who lives in London and Dubai and frequently travels to the U.S., has ignored court orders for his arrest. Despite launching a political party from London and declaring his intention to return to Pakistan, General Musharraf has consistently failed to return. In Baluchistan province, lower courts have issued arrest warrants for Musharraf over the murder of Nawab Akbar Bugti in the military operation. In Sindh province, the High Court declared Musharraf an absconder – and ordered his arrest – due to his failure to appear in court despite several notices, in cases connected to his alleged misuse of authority in the country. Recently, the Balochistan High Court directed the Pakistani government to seek Musharraf's extradition. However, there is no extradition treaty between Pakistan and the UK that could facilitate his arrest, while there are fears that the powerful military might not want its former chief arrested. To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5787.htm. | |
Tuesday 8 November 2011
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