Abstract Analysis is Guppu.com's blog series that analyses the happenings in an abstract way

Last month in Pakistan was eventful; I suppose this would be an understatement. It was beyond expectations for many who don’t watch the news lines very closely or follow the factors emerging around the news. When Admiral Mullen let the cat out of bag it was not unexpected completely for me, as I knew in hindsight that such things would come out one day or the other. As far as US Pakistan relations are concerned I think I knew it right after 9/11 that such a day would come. My nightmare started when Obama started issuing some childish pre election statements right at the beginnings, that my boss Azhar Abbas who is now heading Geo tv said should be ignored as they do not matter. It was also unimportant because in the presence of heavy weights Obama was never taken serious. When he stood at his inaugural day I knew the bad days are approaching fast.

When I say this I believe it is important to understand the history of US Pakistan relations in detail. Last time when we were ditched it was another Clinton leading the same Democrats who abandoned Pakistan and even put sanctions on it. When Pakistan decided to side with US, Pakistanis realised that the time is fast approaching when they will see the US departing once again. When US decided to leave Afghanistan after USSR Pakistan was left to deal with the mess, the narcotics trade, drugs, weapons, stingers and above all the Mujahideen who were well trained, enthusiastic, ready to kill brain washed fighters. Pakistani establishment half-heartedly started listening to US but under strong threats as expressed by Musharraf in his book. Pakistan right from the beginning advised US to be cautious towards those who they have built together over the years, the Mujahideen of Afghan Jihad. US on the other hand wanted to go all they way which they did eventually leaving Pakistan with no choice but to make the U turn.

I believe with this attitude Pakistanis knew they are going to face the same once again what they did after USSR demise. I also believe the strategic partnerships were built in order to avoid a complete fallout in US Pakistan relations. The Haqqanis, the peace jirgas, the foot dragging regarding attack in Pakistani tribal areas were all part of what I call the strategic contingency planning. Pakistan knew that US is not serious about Afghanistan as much as it is about other interests it has, it also knew that Afghanistan was not a priority but a liability only because Osama Bin Laden happened to be there when 9/11 happened. I could see American administration wishing if for any reason if Osama could have moved to Iraq that would have made their lives so easier. Unfortunately this was not the case, but with all the war, the attacks and killings one thing that always lingered in between both allies and partners (as they preferred to call themselves) was the deep mistrust. On the front it was not obvious as Musharraf had a way of dealing things that unfortunately was not the case with his successors. I also think with an ever-increasing insecurity Pakistan looked at sides and started developing its own exit plans, beyond US and ISAF. The fact of the matter is that Pakistan and Afghanistan has to co exist with Taliban good and bad both. US have its own interests and a very deep fear that if they leave Afghanistan abruptly their victims in Afghanistan might chase them to their homeland. This puts both sides in a seriously catch 22 situation.

Pakistan is embroiled at double ends; it is fighting a war within its own boundary as well as with forces beyond its boundary and control. The second part of this fight is where it has failed to del with its targets head on. I believe those who accuse Pakistan of deception need to look hard on the facts I stated above. This deception is not unjustified if we look hard and fast on these issues facing Pakistan. No matter how much I doubt the ability of the president of Pakistan but when he wrote in Washington post he stated some key facts for the world to read and understand. I also believe that the world knows those facts but prefers to ignore them rather than taking them into account. With regard to this current skirmish between Pakistan and US over Afghanistan and all the hue and cry surrounding it. I would only say that Pakistani media is just lowing it out of proportion to start with Secondly it is another Raymond Davis saga revisited and those anchors who are screaming at top of their voices, on Pakistani airwaves are the same who predicted a lot and left in the middle then and would face the same now. They are pawns used and abused and yet have the courage to come and face the camera again. They will continue to pollute our airwaves while this skirmish will evaporate in thin air.

The fact of the matter is that the issue is not Rabbani or Haqqani or the US embassy attack it is far deeper and complicated. No one really understands that such stupid childish actions from Americans and the hue and cry from Pakistani media puppets is absolutely useless and is very dangerous. What is needed now more than ever is for Pakistan and Afghanistan to sit down and engage in an extensive composite dialogue ranging from all the issues and settle them once and for all? It has to be done without US and it has to be done as soon as it could be. This will improve the overall situation in the region and would solve the myth about having or not having Taliban on board these discussions. It will also bring both sides to a mutual point regarding good Taliban and bad Taliban.

For United States I believe it is good time to unfold, and follow its schedule as that is what it has always done, ditched partners and allies in the middle, left mess behind and sanctioning its friends whenever it wanted. I personally don’t think US hue and cry matters at all in this regard as it is only trying to pressurise its way into the regional politics where Afghanistan and Pakistan have started taking radical steps for their own benefits themselves and the need for an American policeman is eroding with ever passing day.

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of Guppu.com.

After three years of bloodshed and destruction by Taliban militants in Swat Valley, the Pakistan Army, understanding that more than force was needed to defeat extremists, held a conference on de-radicalisation. In the conference, held this past July, experts, politicians and military officials spoke on the rise of religious fundamentalism in the region and acknowledged the military for its offensive against Taliban militants. Of course, the military operation also killed more than 700 civilians dead and displaced millions from their homes [..]

Read the full blog post here…

Before you go on to misunderstand me and think I am pointing out to the RAW/Mossad/CIA elements, let me tell it very clearly, I very much acknowledge that the black sheep are from amongst ourselves and the notion that always the foreign hand is involved is absolutely not correct.

My text so far would seem that I am saying exactly the same thing but in different perspective, that different perspective is that I, as a practising Muslim do NOT own Taliban or extremists or terrorists who does this in the name of Islam. Why I am saying this, because the heinous crimes they do is enough to put them outside the pale of Islam and thus should not be considered Muslims.

Let’s analyse here who exactly is a Muslim; literally, a Muslim is a person who acquires peace by submitting their will to the one true Almighty God. Please don’t put the kalima argument here because we know just professing a kalima shahadah is not enough to be called as a Muslim/submitter and you actually have to submit to the will of God.

Concerning the history which author rightly put, but I disagree with that reference again. That is because comparing individual murders with the barbaric act of terrorism, that too in the name of Islam is not right. And their have been rebels from amongst the believers in almost every age who were kicked outside the pale of Islam and were labelled as Khawarijis. That’s the point, if you ask any believer, they will tell you that anyone who does such acts are Khawarij and outside the pale of Islam who attempted to hijack Islam and thus are not one of us. Same is my response because like you mentioned in your article, the number of barbaric crimes against humanity which included attacking school bus and a number of other terror attacks, we know their acts are against the teachings of Islam and Qur’an. How? Let me break it down for you:

1) They rebel against the state which is prohibited even if the state is Islamic for name sake only and even if the rulers are cruel or unjust(Ref: Aqeedah Tahawiyya)

2) Killing an innocent human being is prohibited.

3) Even in state of war, you can’t attack women, children, trees, and aged people.

4) They use the word Jihad for their worst inhuman crimes (which is not Jihad actually and sewer misuse of Islamic terminology)

5) They attempt to hijack the religion which has billions of peaceful adherents

6) They are not just maligning peaceful teachings of Islam, but are causing troubles to the peaceful Muslims across the world

and the list goes on…honestly it’s a long list and can’t put all of the reasons in this blog post here. Now all of the above reasons are enough to consider them Khawarij and outside of the pale of Islam. If you still want to think and call them “Muslims”, that’s your problem but you’ll be generalizing which no Muslim will accept as of course no Muslim would want Talibans to take over and represent the huge number of Muslims. I 100% agree to what you said about calling a spade a spade but calling would not just be enough. We HAVE to denounce and disown them. Only then will solve the problems. Remember, owning them and accepting them as Muslims would further escalate the Islamophobia.

In the name of God, the merciful and beneficent

All praises to be Allah, who graces the believers with respect and support, and insults the infidels and apostates! Several prayers of peace for the leader of the warriors, God’s beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This is the warning from Islamic Warriors to the infidel world, the Christians, the Jews, and their friends from the Muslim community, especially the leader of the infidel Pakistani system, Zardari, and his ministers and all the institutions of this false system.

Oh Enemies of God

Apostates and Infidels, Listen to what’s being said carefully, and understand it! You people have crossed the limits in rebellion to God! You do the legislations which make the unlawful things lawful, and lawful things unlawful.

The Love of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is our faith. He is dear to us more than anything else in this world. We’ll sacrifice our lives, properties and everything in defense of his name. And will never tolerate even a slight word against him, God willing. As God says Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) should be dear to you above everything.

The Islamic Sharia prescribes the death penalty for the slanderer of Prophet (Peace be upon him).

By God, now in this world, among us and you, no one can survive while the other lives! You are confronting God to the extent that you do legislations in the favor of slanderer of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). And you appointed a Cursed, Infidel, Christian, Shahbaz Bhatti as the in-charge of Committee? This was the cursed end of the accursed Minister. And Now with Blessings and Support from God, the warriors will murder to hell each one of you. God willing.

Oh Warriors of Cross (Christians), We are at war with you until the religion of God leads the world, and infidels and disbelievers are destroyed! Or We become the martyrs as Syedina Hamza (May Allah be pleased with him) did.

Translation of Arabic Verse; And God does his job while many don’t know!

                The embarrassment has caused further insult to injury for the Americans as violence is at an all time high in Afghanistan. America and its allies are now battling an increasingly sophisticated and expanding insurgency in Afghanistan. The mood of the Afghan population is getting skeptical for the whole US led operation in Afghanistan as they see no real progress has been made to make security situation better in the country in all these years and with Obama having already announced the deadline for troops departure a Taliban comeback in the country looks ever more likely.  The latest congressional report paints an extremely grim picture for the situation in Afghanistan as even after increase of troops this year the violence is up 300% from same period in 2007. The war in Afghanistan is becoming increasingly un-winnable for the western forces and if their intelligence machinery can be duped by some grocer from Quetta then surely the end of this war may be quite different from NATO’s projections.

While I am blindly keying in the words into my computer, a part of me is well aware of the implications of writing such an article. I also understand that I may be or perhaps will be criticized for my views and that forums like these are not meant to put up commentaries like these. Having said that I may also humbly state that whatever is expressed herein is nothing but an honest analysis about the ‘nation’ which doesn’t by any definition qualify to be labeled so.

The story is long and painful, very long and very painful indeed. I certainly cannot shrink the pain and the length in this blog alone but can only try to depict a vivid picture of what I intend others to see. Now the heading may seem very critical apparently but it actually is not. I am not going to criticize the Pakistani nation here; I will rather attack the typical Pakistani mindset. Each and every aspect of it. The very fiber of it. Stressing the word confusion – I will deplore and censure the Pakistani psyche of the present day.

What makes Pakistanis the most confused people on the face of earth? Well, I will try my best to stick to the possible answers to this question. My remarks must be judged in the light of philosophical and historical argument and should not be taken in the literal sense as the masses and laymen generally tend to do.

So by coming back to the fact of the matter with ease, I think that confusion in the Pakistani way of life has to do everything absurd with everything rational. It has a lot to do with religion and culture. It has its roots in literature. This nation has tampered with its history and adulterated with its own ideology. What it has nothing to do with is knowledge and reason. Knowledge – this is the scarcest of all luxuries within the geographical boundaries of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. While inside the borders of this country the very perception of this word changes. Any written, spoken or broadcasted nonsense is regarded as knowledge.

Religion also has played its havoc in Pakistan. As if the hard-to-understand state religion was not enough for the extremely plain and over whelmingly illiterate population, the so-called religious scholars and self-proclaimed aalims, did everything to add to the confusion. Today there are more than four dozen known sects of muslims in Pakistan almost all declaring all as infidels and Kafirs. This confusion can be witnessed from Karachi to Waziristan, from Lahore to Dera Ismail Khan at any given point in time.

Here I can enjoy the liberty to curse the most accursed military dictator that Pakistan has ever had, but he alone could not be held answerable for all this bafflement. His predecessor and the former civilian Chief Martial Law administrator have also done a great service to this cause. But again the relatively less controversial figure, the first Prime minister of this country also tried to encash this blank cheque of religious fanaticism by approving the famous objective resolution instead of giving a full fledge contemporary constitutional structure. This so-called objective resolution has served as one of the most notorious set of laws ever written. Pakistan was not founded by Jinnah to have such a biased and inhumane piece of legislation as its ideological basis. Jinnah, who stood for a secular muslim state was buried in 1948 in Karachi along with all his wisdom and vision which found no inheritors leaving the newly born state in the hands of people who were pursuing fresh political careers. The mainstream leadership had just migrated from India leaving behind their constituencies and also the political powers and votes. They were badly searching for new ways to gain popularity. Religion and religion embedded in both constitution and sentiments of the masses was the only possible popular choice. And to drag this band wagon bearded Mullahs served as beasts of burden.

Then time and again different rulers in different times used religion to strengthen their grasp on power. Sometimes it came as a slogan of implementation of Nizaam-e-Mustafa (The System of Muhammad) and at others it came bracketed with communism and socialism and was labeled as ‘Islamic Socialism’. Recently by the end of the last decade it was once again used by a Prime Minister who had a two-third majority in the parliament at that time. He coined a term which had its roots in the early Islamic history – The Khilafat (Caliphate). The clean shave city boy of Lahore, who could hardly read the sacred book of Islam, the Quran, fluently showed his interest to become Ameer-ul-Momineen (Leader of the faithful). His dreams were shattered when a general and the Chief of the country’s military seized power in a bloodless coup. The Prime Minister was charged and convicted but later managed to escape because of his friendly relations with the Saudi royal family and lived in Saudi Arabia in exile for about seven years.

As I said earlier religion was used as a power tool by almost all the rulers of Pakistan without exception. The result was obvious – severe confusion among the masses. It was not just the political elite which tampered with religion. The so-called religious scholars or maulvis also played their part in creating confusion among the religiously moderate people of Pakistan. They were perusing their motives so rigorously and so aggressively that they even did not care about the sacredness and sensitivity of this issue. Fatwas (religious verdicts) were issued by different sects declaring others as kafirs or infidels. The leaders even encouraged their followers to go for Qital (commonly misunderstood as Jihad) against the opposition. The result being that the bloodiest months in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan are the months of Moharram and Rabi-ul-Awwal. The former marks the Islamic New Year and the anniversary of the killing of Imam Hussain the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad at the hands of the ruling muslim class and the latter marks the birthday of the Prophet himself. These months are celebrated in Pakistan by Shias and Sunnis respectively; Shias being in minority mostly bear the brunt of being so.

Again the issue of determining the majority or minority or even the number of followers of a sect is controversial in Pakistan. Technically the Sunni muslims are in majority but they are divided into two major sects. The Deobandis and the Barelvis. The latter considering the Prophet as divine light or Noor and the former opposing this view. Then there are Wahabis or Ahl-e-hadees. Looking closely you will also find Hayatis and mamatis. There are Baahis and Soofis also. And within the Shias there are Isna Asharis and Ismaliees. In Isna Asharis there are Jafferies and Alavis and Baqarees. In Ismaliees there are Bohris and Aga Khanis. This is a never ending list. All of them claim to be muslims and a majority of them merely find themselves muslim enough to make it to the paradise. Most of them consider all others as kafirs or infidels.

This confusion is not limited only to religious scholars and schools of thought. Even in the formal curriculum wherein Islamic studies is taught as a compulsory subject, we have two different text books. One for Shias and other for Sunnis. It is very difficult to understand how these religious and political leaders talk of implementing Shariah (The Islamic Law) in Pakistan. It seems impossible to me as it was perceived impossible by the founder of the state. The first Law Minister who was appointed by Mr.Jinnah himself happened to be of the Hindu faith. This makes it obvious that Mr. Jinnah never wanted Shariah to be implemented in Pakistan.

Another logical question that arises here is that what kind of Shariah these people want to enforce here. The Shia version of it or the Sunni one while both of them are miles apart. The nature and style of legislation of each and every school of thought differs from the other. This confusion of religious beliefs and doctrines has deepened its roots in the Pakistani society.

In the next part I will be covering other aspects of this confusion which has made our lives really miserable. Please feel free to express your views, comments, remarks or even criticism and abhorrence. I am open to all such reactions and will try to respond to every question that you may put.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions of author expressed in this article do not necessarily state or reflect those of the administration of Guppu.Com.

I apologize all my readers for not being blogging regularly since the past month but I have reasons to explain.

The main reason was my busy schedule since it was the end of curricular semester. The other reason to remain silent specifically on the issue of Nizam e Adal regulation was that I was waiting Taliban to be exposed. Though initially I was in favor peace talks with those who are ready to lay down arms, I never favored surrendering powers and authorities to the Taliban. So the mission was to watch silently and let the Taliban be exposed. And the same happened! Taliban have been exposed in front of everyone that they never wanted Islam or Islamic Rule to be imposed in Malakand, in fact they wanted Power, and to rule! to rule not only Malakand, but entire Pakistan.

Since the Taliban have been exposed very much now, people of Pakistan want them to be wiped out of the country. People of Pakistan have rejected militancy and any Nizam e Adal. Though some black sheep like Qazi and Jamaat e Islami are terming the military operation as an American conspiracy, but I totally disagree. It’s not any conspiracy from America, this war against terror is for our own good. So! Am sorry Jamaat e Islami!

So called Maulana Sufi Muhammad says he wants Islamic rule to be imposed. Imagine! A maulana who knows nothing about Islam asks for the Islamic Fake Islamic Rule. Yes! A knowledgeable muslim or Islamic Scholar can tell how Muslim Maulana Sufi Muhammad is. He terms democracy, photography, videography, male-female interaction, geting out of women, Pakistan courts, Pakistan constitution and many other things as Haram/unlawful. But any Islamic scholar can tell what is right and what is wrong.

For now, I managed to find out a video where an Islamic scholar tells about Women in Islam:

So there is no question, absolutely no question about what Maulana Sufi and Taliban want is absolutely unlawful according to Islam! They are not serving Islam, they are trying to damage it. And I being a Muslim, A Patriotic Pakistani, REJECT this version of Islam and any Peace deal with those militants.

Therefor I SUPPORT Pakistan Army in this fight against terror. The Time has come and the terrorists need to be taught a lesson. I’d like everyone to join me in supporting our army. If you are a blogger/webmaster, you can join by displaying one of the following badge at your blog/website.

Not a blogger/webmaster ? You can still join by changing your facebook/orkut/myspace or any other display picture to the following:

People have expressed various opinions, some associated the attacks to the Taliban, millitants, and Indian involvement while others called it a result of American policies.

For ages, people have been blaming Pakistan to be the responsible of terrorism. In fact we are the one who have suffered the most out of this terrorism, We’ve been targeted and at the end, these are innocent Pakistanis who die unnatural and horrible death. What I believe is that America is worsening the situation by forcing Pak Army to carry out a operation in tribal areas.

I think terrorism has now become the biggest threat for Pakistan, therefor we should remove America’s involvement and put all over efforts to eliminate terrorism.