TTP’s anti-Malala statements

 Maulvi Fazlullah the defunct leader of the Swat chapter of TTP has established his operations headquarters in Nuristan and Kunar province of Afghanistan and is wreaking havoc in Pakistan and is trying to justify his heinous deeds against humanity through twisted logic.
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The highly despicable attempt to silence Malala Yousafzai’s 14 your old voice of sanity has been condemned by all and sundry. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has not only taken credit for the shameful act but is also trying to justify their heinous deed. In a written statements issued by the TTP, they claim that Pakistan’s biased media is commenting that Malala’s only crime was that she wanted to continue her studies and wanted to become a politician to serve her nation. The Pakistani media, according to the TTP, declares that neither Islam permits targeting Malala, nor do Pashtun customs sanction such a deed. The TTP retort that Malala Yousafzai is a disgrace even to her name. They highlight that the original Malalai Maiwand was a daring Pashtun lady, who is revered for rallying the Pashtun army against the British in the Battle of Maiwand in 1880. A number of Pashto poems are dedicated to the Pashtun Jeanne D’ Arc: Malalai Maiwand.

The TTP claims that by appearing on the TV screen in interviews and bad mouthing the Taliban, appearing in the public places with strange men, Malala Yousafzai has brought a bad name to the Pashtun traditions. TTP proclaims that Pashtun traditions demand that any woman bringing a bad name to the tribe, be killed by the Pashtun men. The TTP also raises the issue of Malala being a minor, claiming that Malala’s supporters have declared her to be a minor and Islam does not permit the slaughter of minors even in a state of war. TTP pronounces Malala to be an adult despite her 14 years of age. They justify that children, if they engage in acts of war, should be meted with death.

TTP’s rationale for targeting Malala is that people commit crimes and then hide under the blanket of being minors or being insane. They cite the example of Rimsha, the Christian girl suffering from Down’s syndrome, who was falsely accused of blasphemy. The TTP declares that she was faking her condition to avoid the penalty of death while Malala is hiding behind the curtain of being a minor when she is not one. Their reasoning is that if she was really a minor then why did her champions push her in the forefront as a campaigner against the Taliban?

Furthering their warped thinking, the TTP state that indeed Islam does not authorize killing women. Even the Holy Prophet (MPBUH) had forbidden the slaughter of women at the conquest of Makah except for those who had indulged in defamation of Islam and propaganda. They declare Malala to be a spy for enemies of the Taliban and propagandist against Islam thus deserving death. They accuse Malala of indulging in espionage through her blog and sharing confidential information with the Taliban’s protagonists. They again resort to Islamic history, quoting examples of Jewish women, who had spied on the Muslims and were condemned to death on being apprehended. As evidence, they quote Malala’s blog: “Gul Makai’s Diary” as the means of transmitting classified and sensitive information to the Taliban’s enemies. It is not understood that how an eleven year old (Malala’s age when she commenced writing her diary under a nom-de-plume). TTP quotes Qurànic verses which pronounce death in the most horrible form to spies.

The pathetic part of the TTP musings is that as usual they are misquoting religious teachings to justify their atrocious deeds. They declare Malala to be a protagonist against Islam. Further logic according the TTP rests on the factor that Malala had declared President Obama, an enemy of Islam, to be her favourite personality. It is strange that an innocent and tender mind, if she is impressed by the personality of President Obama, who was one of the first to inquire of her welfare after the news of her being shot hit the media waves, is being used as evidence to justify her crucifixion. TTP rationalizes that for a Pashtun to learn that his sister declares an enemy of Islam to be her favourite personality, is enough to drive him into frenzy and kill his own sister.

Another motive for targeting Malala by the TTP is she was ravaging Pashtun customs, traditions and mores that women defy being locked up in their houses and go out to study. TTP forgets that Islam is in favour of granting tremendous privileges to women and promotes acquiring education, without discriminating between men and women. If women observe purdah but go to educational institutions to become more enlightened and raise better generations, it should not be forbidden by Islam. The Taliban state that they are not against women acquiring education, if that were so, they would have killed every school going female but they have targeted Malala because of her spreading propaganda. That by itself is fallacious, since the TTP have been blowing up girls’ schools and colleges atrociously.

A very objectionable parable presented by the TTP is that of Hazrat Khizar’s slaying a young boy. This incident took place during one of the travels of Hazrat Khizar and Hazrat Musa (Moses), when they came across a young boy, who was killed by Hazrat Khizar stating that the boy would grow up to be a disbeliever and cause harm to Islam. The TTP claim that Hazrat Khizar could kill a young boy before his misdemeanor became apparent while they targeted Malala, whose misdemeanor is visible.

The story does not end here, by merely deploring the cowardly assault on the torchbearer of female education in Swat. TTP were ousted by security forces from strife torn Swat and finding no safe haven in KPK, they sought refuge in Afghanistan. Joining a few splinter groups of the Taliban, these elements of the TTP have resolved to eliminate soft targets like girls’ schools and hospitals. Maulvi Fazlullah, the defunct leader of the Swat chapter of TTP has established his operations headquarters in Nuristan and Kunar province of Afghanistan and is wreaking havoc in Pakistan and is trying to justify his heinous deeds against humanity through twisted logic.
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By Sultan M Hali
 
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Pakistan Army Should Tight Screw in North Waziristan

 The have already struck hard on our defence infrastructure. Attack on GHQ, followed with attacks on PNS Mehran and then PAF Base Kamra must be revenged for it not, there may be other serious attacks on our defense cum strategic infrastructure. Can we afford to wait for that?

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 Since October 9, when a teenager Malala Yousafzai, children rights activist, a child educator and National Peace Award winner has been critically injured by the Taliban’s dreadful attack in Swat, Pakistan witnessed unimaginable reaction by all the political, religious parties and civil societies in wake of protest rallies across the country. In this regard, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for this brutal act. On October 11, President Asif Ali Zardari chaired a meeting with Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Chief of Army Staff Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani who had already condemned attack on Malala, agreed to formulate a new strategy to prevent such incidents. Gen. Kayani informed the meeting of actions being taken against terrorists and preparedness of the Army for further action. Afterwards, rumours started that they have decided action against the Taliban and military operation in North Waziristan.

Although all the leaders of political and religious parties strongly condemned this cowardly assault on Malala, yet polarisation exists among them in relation to strict action against the Taliban and military operation in North Waziristan. In this context, the PPP targeted Imran Khan of PTI, who supports Taliban, and suggest the rulers to engage in talks with TTP. PML-N’s spokesman Senator Mushahidullah Khan stated that Malala incident should not be linked with any proposed offensive in North Waziristan.

Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Syed Munawar Hassan and chief of JJUI-F Fazlur Rehman remarked that the attack on Malala Yosafzai has no connection with TTP but it was conducted to create justification for military operation in Waziristan, while many innocent girls and children are being killed in US drone attacks. It is interesting to note that division exists even among those politicians who favour Taliban, and also oppose military action in North Waziristan. In this context, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, while strongly criticising Imran Khan said on October 14 that during his march to South Waziristan, he did not say a word against America.

However, these leaders also pointed out that the government seeks to launch operation in North Waziristan to fulfill a long standing US demand. Notably, in his telephonic address, MQM chief Altaf Hussain stated that the citizens should decide whether they supported the Taliban or wanted to see Pakistan as envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam. He asked the heads of the armed forces and the country’s intelligence agency, ISI, to crush the Taliban. Leader of ANP, Bushra Gohar who condemned the assassination attempt on Malala, suggested on October 15 stern actions against the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and supported military operation in North Waziristan where Taliban have their hideouts. However, we need to grasp reality in wake of controversial debate regarding clean up operation against all the Taliban. In the last six years, the Taliban who have killed thousands of people across Pakistan, especially Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA through suicide attacks, targeted killings, beheadings, assaults on military troops, police stations, sectarian violence etc, destroyed hundreds of schools of girls and boys. They have discouraged women’s education, keeping them ignorant and exploitable.

When Taliban had their hold in Dir, Swat, Buner and other adjoining areas, they imposed their self-styled religious agenda far removed from Islamic teachings. It was due to Taliban’s inhuman activities that when in 2009, Pak Army ejected them from these areas through military operations, general masses did not protest against the armed forces. Meanwhile, more than 50 Islamic scholars of the Sunni Ittehad Council issued a joint fatwa, terming attack on Malala as un-Islamic. They pointed out that the assailants’ self-adopted interpretation of Islam was nothing but ignorance and digression from the actual Islamic teachings. They clarified that Islam made it obligatory on every man and woman to seek education—strictly forbids taking life of innocent persons, which is not jihad. Besides, Shia religious scholars also condemned Malala incident. Nevertheless, Taliban’s dreadful attempt on Malala has distorted Pakistan’s image in the world as various countries like US, France, Australia, Germany and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon have condemned this heinous attack by protesting against the Taliban. Nonetheless, these extremist elements do not want to see Pakistan a moderate, peaceful and developed country by isolating it from international community.

Now, a majority of people wants that a handful of terrorist elements must not be allowed to impose their self-created ideology in the country. Regarding drone attacks, we should know that we are facing unjust world order as IMF and World Bank are under the influence of US-led major countries. Every time, Pakistan which has been facing multiple crises, gets loan after American green signal Despite it, opposition has started in other western countries and even in the US against these aerial attacks. So US would be compelled to stop these predator strikes.

As regards military operation in North Waziristan, recently, while dispelling speculations of foreign media, Gen. Kayani reiterated, “We might, if necessary, undertake operations in NWA, in the timeframe of our choosing as “determined only by our political and military requirements. It will never be a result of any outside pressure.” Earlier, he stated, “the army has always considered people’s support vital for its operations against terrorists.” Recently, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik ruled out any possibility of military operation in North Waziristan.
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By Sajjad Shaukat.

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