HRCP denounces Ballach’s killing

Press Release:

Lahore, November 23: Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is shocked and grieved at the killing of Ballach Marri. Whatever anybody may have had against the slain Baloch leader and whatever the circumstances of his liquidation the incident is likely to increase the Balochistan people’s alienation from the state. What is needed now is not merely a thorough probe to determine the truth about the most regrettable happening, it is time reliance on force as the sole means of securing peace and tranquility in Balochistan was given up.

Reflecting on Khalil Jibran in current times

Pity the nation that is full of beliefs and empty of religion.
Pity the nation that wears a cloth it does not weave, eats a bread it
does not harvest, and drinks a wine that flows not from its own wine-press.

Pity the nation that acclaims the bully as hero, and that deems the glittering conqueror bountiful.
Pity a nation that despises a passion in its dream, yet submits in its awakening.
Pity the nation that raises not its voice save when it walks in a funeral, boasts not except among its ruins, and will rebel not save when its neck is laid between the sword and the block.

Pity the nation whose statesman is a fox, whose philosopher is a juggler, and whose art is the art of patching and mimicking.
Pity the nation that welcomes its new ruler with trumpeting, and farewells him with hooting, only to welcome another with trumpeting again.

Pity the nation whose sages are dumb with years and whose strong men are yet in the cradle.
Pity the nation divided into fragments, each fragment deeming itself a nation.

A message from a student worker in the Pakistan Movement

The following is a letter we recieved from Mr.Moizuddin, a student worker in the Pakistan Movement.. His words offer a great deal of perspective for us, as students, to gain strength and inspiration in these dark days..

"Bravo young persons.. You have shown a light at the end of a tunnel ..The tunnel is long and appears to be getting longer .. But the light is there .. Shown by you.. Imagine who is saying so ! An unknown student-worker in the Pakistan Movement I passed my Matriculation in 1945 Saw Hazrat Quaid e Azam RahmatuLlah alaih in 1945, and then from 14th August 1947 onward in Karachi. Had he been alive todayhe would have patted you on the back Patted the way he used to pat the members of All India Muslim Students Federation ... the students of Aligarh Muslim University ... of Islamia College Lahore... of Islamia College Peshawar ... of Bombay University and everywhere. Students were his hope in the fulfillment of his dreams during his life time... The students made him breathe his last peacefully... 76 years old persons like me also wish to die peacefully; they can not come out and be a part of your meetings,demonstrations, protest march .. But there is a big stride intechnology. I can be with you electronically In my youthful days it was impossible to take out a mass message in print ... The Printing Press was under strict surveillance. The cyclostyling-machine(ever seen one?) was available far and wide. Maybe one in miles, often owned by a Hindu. Now you have all the access to dissemination of information, at the click of a finger. You ought to be able to perform much, much more Please keep your Agenda brief In my times the agenda was one point " ley ke rahenge Pakistan" Avoid direct clash with Police Our Quaid was never arrested But when he gave the call of 'Direct Action' for 16th (or 15th) August 1946, thousands laid their life in one day Most of them in Calcutta It was a call for one day onlyI am in no position to give any suggestion to you But In my age I am as convinced of the power in Prayer.. as in the power to demonstrate publicly May I be permitted to please suggest that you find some moments for prayers or public prayers in the open How to pray publicly and jointly? Please find an answer to this by public consensus..The prayers work .. They did in my days too ! ---------------------I wish you all the success in all that you may do.."

Corruption under Musharraf

As all of us know, Transparancy International is the most well known corruption rating agency worldwide. Overthrows of most civilian governments in the 1990's were justified by referring to this agency's findings. They had rated Pakistan the third most corrupt country in the world in 1996. Musharraf regime made wide use of their findings in projecting a negative image of all political parties and leaderships. It is another matter that he included the most corrupt elements among the civilians in his own governments. Using the same methodology, Transparancy International has claimed in their 2006 report that the Musharraf government (2002-2006) is more corrupt (67%) than PPP's second government (48%) and Nawaz Sharif phase II (34%). Unfortunately, for some strange reason, the mainstream political parties and civil society organizations have not used the data presented in this report the way the military regime had used against the civilian governments. It has been the most frequently used weapon by the military regime to malign civilians and justify continuation of military rule in Pakistan in the last eight years and many supporters of Musharraf in the liberal elite hold the same view. This report presents a very dark picture of corruption in Pakistan under Musharraf. It is high time that civil society organizations expose both institutional and common corruption under the military rulers and break the myth of clean government under them.

Delegates throng candle light vigil at LUMS

As LUMS is hosting the model united nations moot, where atleast 1,200 delegates from different schools/colleges and universities are participating, a call by (non-LUMUN) LUMS students for a Vigil was responded overwhelmly from the delegates. Despite their busy schedules, and moot activities parallel to the protest, over 200 delegates showed up at the protest held in front of the PDC. A few faculty members, students and alumni spoke at the occasion. They remarked that at this point in time, the fundamental human rights of people of Pakistan were being suppressed by one-man-rule. The charter of humanity, the traditions of society and most important of all The Constitution of Pakistan guarantees them their rights, which were effectively violated on by proclamation of "Martial Law" on 3rd November. The basic human rights in UN Charter & Constitution were cited out and told that the 160 million Pakistanis do not have their rights at the moment. And it was not the first time in history this has been done so. Out of 60 years of independence, 31 have been spent under military rule & 4 under ad-hoc governments. Even though there were times when people enjoyed democracy, they were less than 4 years in succession at most. As usual it was appealed to students to keep their protests peaceful and apply a non-violent protesting methodology. Teachers of visiting delegates also graced the occassion. In the end as is routine in candle light vigils, a collective prayer was offerred, asking the divine entity for a better leadership of Pakistan in future, and for the integrity of Pakistan. The crowed then dispersed peacefully

Relevance of Iqbal in today's times

kitaab-e-millat-e-bezaa ki phir shiraazaH bandi hai

yeh shaakH-e-haashmi karney ko hai phir barg-o-bar paida

[kitaab-e-millat-bezaa=blank book of the community; shiraazaH bandi=binding or systematize

shaakH-e-haashmi=family of the Prophet Muhammad (saaw); barg-o-bar=leaves and fruits]

The above couplet by Allama Muhammad Iqbal, beautifully describes the past, present and future of Pakistan. It shows that whatever has happened till today is the result of the apathy of the nation in general and the lack of will to change the system. The reason that the book of the community is blank is the acceptance that the people of Pakistan have given to corruption. Since we, as a nation, never really fought against corruption by fighting the corrupt, we deserve to face such a situation. Everyone has developed the most self- destructive belief that he/she cannot change the system. And that is why the book is blank.

However, the ever increasing frequency of protests by every kind of group in the country including politicians, lawyers and now by the most effective group which is students, against the established norms by the undemocratically established government shows an extremely positive picture of the future of this country. As Iqbal said that, this community is now organizing, the consequence of which is much needed and the awaited act shall be witnessing new leaves and fruits in the form of a better future of Pakistan where people will have democracy and welfare instead of a being mislead about prosperity on the basis of an increasing GDP.

Nevertheless, it is of utmost importance that we take up every effort to unite ourselves and forget all the difference of personal, religious, professional, political differences that exist between us etc. There has to be a bigger goal but that should be achieved with small goals and the one of those small goals should be to first unite, no matter how big the differences may be. We must learn to accept each other with these differences if we wish to see new leaves and fruits.

Khuda tujhe kisi toofan sey aashna ker dey

Keh teray behar ki mojon mein iztiraab nahin

We, the people of Pakistan should be thankful to Allama Muhammad Iqbal that he admonished people like us