Jordan: Islamists gear up for large rally near Israel border

Jordan: Islamists gear up for large rally near Israel border

(by Mohammad Ben Hussein) (ANSAmed) – AMMAN
Preparations continue for a massive protest near the Israeli border to be held on Friday to lobby for support against Israeli settlement expansion in occupied Jerusalem, organizers said.

The Islamist movement, represented by its political arm, the Islamic Action Front (IAF) and a number of charity groups has mobilized its vast resources to bring tens of thousands to the sensitive border area for a rally.

Buses are expected to be ferried from refugee camps and towns with a large concentration of Palestinian refugees on Friday, as attention shifts from reform protests to the long saga of the Arab Israeli conflict.

Leaders from the Islamist movement told ANSAmed participants will gather in town of Sweimeh, 40 km west Amman near the borders with Israel.

They emphasised that they will not walk to Jordan river, a restricted military area that separates Jordan from Israel and the Palestinian territories.

“This is a stand of support to people in Jerusalem. Israel is doing all it can to change demographic balance in the holy city and evict Palestinians from their land,” said Ali Abul Sukkar, president of the IAF shura council.

He said the rally is being hold in coordination with other opposition groups and social movements around the kingdom.

“We do not intend to reach the border. This is a political stance meant to pressure countries that have diplomatic relations with Israel to take an action over continued judaization policy in the holy city,” he told ANSAmed.

The rally is organized to shed light on measures by Israel to build settlements in Jerusalem and evict Palestinian from the holy city, occupied by Israel after the 1967 war.

Palestinian officials and international groups say Israel’s right wing government continues with its policy to expand settlement consternation in several parts of the disputed city, where the Palestinians want to have their capital in a future state.

The Palestinian authority is seeking international support to declare an independent state at the UN after leaders from the Ramallah based Palestinian authorities said they no longer trust in talks with the current Israeli government.

But their calls have been rebuffed by Washington and other western countries as unfeasible, and instead called for talks between the two sides.

The rally will be part of other demonstrations to be held in Egypt and Lebanon simultaneously, amid concern of security meltdown in case protesters decided to head to the borders.

In Jordan, government sources said security forces will be mobilized to the region for fear of attempts by some groups to head to the border area.

Earlier this year, Jordan’s security forces attacked protesters as they marched towards the border, leaving dozens injured and other arrested.

Officials in Tell Aviv said they will be closely monitoring developments on all border areas.

Earlier this year, clashes took place near the borders with Syria and Lebanon after some protesters tried to reach the borders.

Jordan is the second country in the Arab world to make peace with Israel after Egypt and maintains a strong military presence on the border to prevent cross border attacks on Israel.

(ANSAmed).

Jordan bows to Salafists’ pressure–Up to 22 radical Islamists released

[Zarqa, Jordan is hometown to arch terrorists (both dead) Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and Chechen warlord Emir Al-Khattab.]

Jordan bows to Salafists’ pressure: Up to 22 radical Islamists released

Jordan releases 22 radical Islamists accused of ‘terrorism’, fomenting unrest after violent clashes in northern city of Zarqa in April.

Middle East Online

Release comes following Salafists’ protests

AMMAN – Jordan on Thursday released 22 radical Islamists accused of terrorism and fomenting unrest after violent clashes in the northern city of Zarqa in April.

“The State Security Court has begun examining the conditional release of more than 90 Salafist jihadists accused of acts of terrorism and subversion and unlawful assembly” during violent protests in Zarqa, a legal source said.

“Twenty-two of them have been released, others will follow in the following days,” the source said.

The Salafists, who espouse an austere form of Sunni Islam, clashed with security forces during a demonstration in Zarqa, northeast of Amman, on April 15 leaving 91 people wounded, including 40 security officers.

An investigation later found demonstrators had carried out attacks on police armed with sharp weapons including swords, axes and iron bars.

Unlike other protests calling for reform that have rocked Jordan in recent months, the Salafist demonstrators demanded the release of Islamist prisoners.

Among those they wanted freed was Abu Mohammed al-Maqdessi, the onetime mentor of slain Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who hailed from Zarqa.

Arrested in September 2010, Maqdessi was charged for recruiting fighters to fight alongside the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The decision to release the Salafists follows commitments made by Jordan’s new Prime Minister, Awn Khasawneh, to re-examine cases against political prisoners.

Jordan bows to Salafists’ pressure: Up to 22 radical Islamists released

Jordan releases 22 radical Islamists accused of ‘terrorism’, fomenting unrest after violent clashes in northern city of Zarqa in April.

Middle East Online

Release comes following Salafists’ protests

AMMAN – Jordan on Thursday released 22 radical Islamists accused of terrorism and fomenting unrest after violent clashes in the northern city of Zarqa in April.

“The State Security Court has begun examining the conditional release of more than 90 Salafist jihadists accused of acts of terrorism and subversion and unlawful assembly” during violent protests in Zarqa, a legal source said.

“Twenty-two of them have been released, others will follow in the following days,” the source said.

The Salafists, who espouse an austere form of Sunni Islam, clashed with security forces during a demonstration in Zarqa, northeast of Amman, on April 15 leaving 91 people wounded, including 40 security officers.

An investigation later found demonstrators had carried out attacks on police armed with sharp weapons including swords, axes and iron bars.

Unlike other protests calling for reform that have rocked Jordan in recent months, the Salafist demonstrators demanded the release of Islamist prisoners.

Among those they wanted freed was Abu Mohammed al-Maqdessi, the onetime mentor of slain Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who hailed from Zarqa.

Arrested in September 2010, Maqdessi was charged for recruiting fighters to fight alongside the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The decision to release the Salafists follows commitments made by Jordan’s new Prime Minister, Awn Khasawneh, to re-examine cases against political prisoners.

Egypt’s Struggle Against Counter-revolution: Role of Junta, U.S. and Saudi Arabia

Egypt’s Struggle Against Counter-revolution: Role of Junta, U.S. and Saudi Arabia

Wednesday, November 23, 2011 :: Staff infoZine
Emad Mekay, a John S. Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University and Seif Da’Na an associate professor of sociology and international studies at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside specializing in the Mideast and North Africa.

Washington, D.C. – infoZine –Emad Mekay (emekay@stanford.edu ) is a John S. Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University and has covered much of the Egyptian uprising. He said today: “The Egyptian military junta managed to fool many Egyptians when they took over after the fall of Mubarak by convincing them that they will be true to their word and hand over power to civilian rule in six months. That hasn’t happened. Instead, over the past ten months the military refused to hand over power, refused to hold Mubarak regime members to task, allowed many of them to go back to control positions they held in the past, mismanaged the economy and eventually made their true intentions clear. The military want to act as a caretaker of the entire Egyptian state by promoting a supra-constitutional document that gives them a special and untouchable position in drafting the future of the country. The military are very close to the Pentagon and it is hard to imagine that they were taking these steps without consulting their buddies in Washington, D.C. The military junta may be trying to protect its economic empire in the country which they built under Mubarak’s 30-year rule.”

Seif Da’Na ( dana@uwp.edu ) is an associate professor of sociology and international studies at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside specializing in the Mideast and North Africa. He said today: “The constitutional reform and the so-called ‘Ultra Constitutional Principles’ proposed by Egypt’s ‘Higher Military Council’ are only a heading for a rather more acute conflict. Not only Egypt, but the whole region has been experiencing a political re-grouping and a fierce counter revolution. Due to the potential regional and global political and economic consequences of the ongoing Arab revolts, various local, regional, and global forces are leading the fierce counter-revolution. So, the people of the region are not currently facing their despotic regimes only, or what’s left of it, but regional and global powers as well. One regional power is the Saudi regime: Saudi Arabia’s military intervention in Bahrain, hosting Ben Ali, the ousted dictator of Tunisia, and conspiring against the Yemeni revolution, as the chants in the streets indicate.

“Egypt’s Higher Military Council’s policies (holding military tribunals for activists, undemocratically dictating the formation and the composition of the ‘Constituent Assembly’ etc.) has been increasingly seen by Egyptians and the people of the region as a tool of counter-revolution.

“While the counter-revolutionary forces might not give up easily and might continue to fight fiercely in the days and months to come, and while the regimes, whose heads were overthrown, were not entirely dismantled, thus providing vital tools for counter-revolution, the new political culture in the region and the collapse of the image of the despotic oppressor, makes it extremely difficult and very unlikely to maintain the status quo. This might just be another round of a long historical process that seems irreversible.”

On Jan. 25 of this year, the day the Egyptian uprising began, Da’Na was featured on an Institute for Public Accuracy news release link stating that the protests represented the “beginning of a new era.”

Kasakhstan Follows Time-Tested Pattern, Say “Islamist” and Any Repression Is Justified

Kazakhstan: The terrorist underground is, and it does not intend to sit idly by

Andrei Grishin

The terrorist underground Kazakhstan increasingly makes itself felt. And the target of attacks are the representatives of law and government institutions. As “Fergana”reported earlier , on November 12 in South Kazakh city of Taraz (formerly Dzhambul) bloody tragedy was played out, the culprit is, according to the official version of the original, was a man.

Maksut Kariyev citizen, “is committed” jihadist “(so described by his deputy attorney general of Kazakhstan), within two hours of personal war waged with the law: the two agents shot and killed the National Security Committee, which led him outside surveillance, then seized the car” Mazda “, linking it to the owner, drove up to the gun shop, killing a guard and the casual visitor, captured the guns, shot two police officers who tried to detain him, went home, where he took a grenade launcher and a Kalashnikov rifle, shot the building of the regional Committee of National Security, and killed two more horse police officers who were not even armed. Finally, he was wounded, and when I try to grab a grenade blew himself up, taking to the light yet and the platoon commander, who gave their lives to save their colleagues and passersby. Three other policemen were wounded. For all of these feats of “jihadist” single was a media nickname The Terminator and Rambo. However, the information that appeared on the same day on blogs and forums, as well as reports by some media outlets apparently contrasted with the official version.

The siloviki have recognized that detained Karieva accomplices. Moreover, it is likely that the bombings were not two (shot from a grenade launcher and samopodryv suicide), and more. That on the same day an attempt was foiled explosion in the center of Taraz, and on the outskirts of the city was attacked a checkpoint, where a shootout killed another two policemen and criminals seized their weapons.

Even earlier, on October 31, two explosions rocked the West-Kazakhstan city of Atyrau. One – in close proximity to the building of the regional akimat (administration), and in the neighborhood sounded a second, which killed the shooter, not donesshy its deadly cargo to the ultimate goal – the city center. November 6, Atyrau, in the training center of the oil company “Agip”, where it became known, worked as one of the suspects on suspicion of preparing terrorist attacks, was defused an explosive device.

A week after the incidents in Atyrau were killed two policemen in Alma-Ata. The criminals were arrested. As it turned out, they are also committed to the extreme Islamic ideas, and the murder itself was shot on video, perhaps as evidence for potential sponsors.

It is noteworthy that until 2011 the National Security Committee annually reported to the disclosure of two or three terrorist organizations, so that in a year in jail is sent to a few dozen people. And suddenly, in 2011 as a cut off of either the terrorists have changed tactics and began to act in advance, or any previous victories – a profanation of the secret services. Given the fact that all processes in the case of terrorists and extremists and were held behind closed doors (with rare exceptions, when indeed there was evidence of intent), has always been room for doubt about the legitimacy of the security officers. All the more so that in practice people get serious time for alleged intentions, but sometimes to be in the dock, it was enough to found during a search of the relevant content of leaflets, ammunition or machine, and how it all turned out to search the site – is another question.

According to the Kazakh independent journalist Sergei Duvanov, “one becomes a terrorist in the next second after the attack, and until he is legally not considered a terrorist.” Several publications have been devoted to the theme Duvanov disclosure of terrorist organizations, and the facts presented to them, but rather spoke of innocence of the accused.

Now the judge about the involvement or innocence has become much more complicated. As a rule, the direct participants do not leave alive, but trapped in the circle of suspects continued judged behind closed doors.

And all this against the backdrop of mass hysteria about terrorist threats that can not be explained by security forces on their actions: it is necessary at all costs to show that the state is able to respond to the challenge.

But not everyone agrees with the version of Islamic terrorism. In addition to the suspicions of Washington dissatisfied with the strengthening of ties within the Eurasian Economic Union, the opposition and the government also exchanged “pleasantries”: the former accuse opponents of fomenting the situation before early parliamentary elections, while the latter believe that it is behind the opposition abroad are trying to rock the boat, having to services Islamists.

Although the state at this time is likely to blame should not simply for the reason that Kazakhstani terrorists try not to touch the civilian population by directing their anger at the authorities and the objects associated with the state. Given that the majority of Kazakhs there is little sympathy not only law enforcement officers, but also government officials, the objects of attack (if we accept the version of the opposition) are chosen so poorly. Well then, what losses are law enforcement agencies and how to respond stripping is puzzling at all.

It is true that the opposition had one more surprise argument – that the draft Law on National Security, which is likely to take parliament of next convocation. After that Kazakhstan will become a part of the civil rights and liberties of a follower of Uzbekistan, and worst of all have the media, allowing a “negative informational impact on social and individual consciousness.”

Seems more logical appeared a few months ago a fatwa (religious authority competent response, the religious approval, appeal) of jihad(struggle) against the Kazakh police. The idea of ​​war against the Kazakh authorities made a previously unknown organization “Soldiers of the Caliphate”, which claimed responsibility for bombings in Atyrau and nameknuvshaya about their involvement in the events in Taraz. On the other hand, is weak look people in masks and guns, whose videougrozy the authorities and specifically President Nazarbayev played in good Russian (probably knowing that not all the leaders of Kazakhstan Kazakh government owns), but the “soldiers” not very well versed in the law: for example, their outraged that the new law on religion, civil servants forbidden to pray in public institutions, and that girls are forbidden to wear the hijab (Islamic headdress), although the last paragraph in the law on religion is not.

It is difficult to say how Kazakhs believe in the existence of this organization, but certainly they are, especially Muslims, are concerned about what they see and hear, and fear to get under the wave of repression.

Three weeks ago I had occasion to talk with an elderly Muslim woman from a suburb of Atyrau, who arrived in Alma-Ata in the “search for truth.” Bad talking in Russian woman said she lives alone with her little son. “Every week for us the committee break into the night, searching the literature, I have removed the handkerchief, and they still come,” – crying, she said. – “The son is afraid of the police. Here at Alma-Ata to our taxi driver approached a policeman and asked for a smoke, and the son began to cry.We have all of them with guns and no one knows how they will “(Alma-Ata police have already started to go too, with machine guns. – Comm. Aut.). I would like to leave the country, but where? ”

But even more impressed she submitted a medical document. Her son’s serious illness, but, according to a woman in the hospital he refused treatment, and on one of the certificates shown me, there was a postscript, “son of the Wahhabis.” “But once I took off my scarf and asked to write a new certificate, the attitude changed at once,” – she said.

You can not trust the foregoing. But that’s just one example.

According to the spokesman of the regional prosecutor’s office, Svetlana Dzhumashevoy, during a special operation carried out in Atyrau after the explosions, while detaining the suspect resisted, so lost. During a search of the house found guns and explosives.According to unofficial information released by the media, the victim was a Korean convert to Islam. “In the house he was alone, but in response to the demands voluntarily leave the premises and to surrender, he was to seek a variety of documents proving the legitimacy of the police. By cordoned brought home parents and brother of the deceased, who finally seems to be able to persuade him to surrender. And when he came, there was a single shot by security forces, after which he fell. Witnesses said that after that just sounded machine-gun in the house flew the smoke grenade, and then there came commandos “- told the media. I killed had a wife and two young children, the investigation into the incident is not reported.

Not so long ago in some regions of Kazakhstan, leaflets appeared, and the Internet was a wave of spam with warnings that the Kurban Ait Wahhabis will sacrifice a certain number of children. The authorities tried to calm the population, but the process has already started and within a week the parents would not let their children to school.

In addition, before and after the events in Atyrau, Taraz and the country was a flurry of phone calls with false reports of a bomb threat, a few times on the site calls were found dummy devices or suspicious packages, which are unlikely to apply to ordinary telephone terrorism. The two Kazakh cities of similar incidents have occurred, which authorities blamed on seasonal exacerbation of mental disorders. November 14 in the city of Aktau city administration came and said to the man laid his explosive device. The visitor was immediately arrested, no devices were found. The same thing happened on November 21, but already in the city of Kokchetav, with the only difference being that the detention of a man shouting “Allah Akbar”.

Not always rumors – just rumors. In September, the Alma-Ata region secretly sentenced 12 persons involved in terrorist activities.This was, perhaps, by chance, she said the chief of department of internal policy of Gulzhiyan Suleimenov. This kind of reticence unleashed, so to speak, hands bloggers and participants in online forums, that report is that in different parts of the country’s police are conducting operations to apprehend terrorists, find explosives and cleared the bridges. Clearly, in the absence of official reaction is difficult to distinguish what is true, and that – lies. In addition, often attack the religious extremists in the police reports are in a normal criminal. Committee on National Security is rapidly losing credibility remains, but remained silent.

On etomna held last week in Almaty round table on terrorism, almost unanimously, said some experts.

The former “Afghan” Sergei Pashevich, chairman of the Union “Fighting brotherhood”, said bluntly: “It has become the trend all crimes related to terrorism, the issue of criminality. In this paper special – amateurish approach associated with high turnover, so that all forces go against the opposition and the army and border guards take all who come there. At the same time using RPS power units Internal Affairs, which were not designed for the detention of terrorists. ”

With him were in agreement and Kazakhstani political scientists. The head of the research center “Alternative” Andrei Chebotarev was even more categorical: “In the struggle with the opposition National Security Committee itself admits methods of terror. What can I say? ”

And even Erlan Karin, secretary of the presidential party “Nur Otan”, was forced to admit: “Why is [there is a situation]? In the region, and appeared in the country’s internal conditions. All these years the authorities were struggling with external signs, but did not pay attention to domestic sources. ”

Performances of his colleagues summed up the director, “Risk Assessment Group,” Dosym Satpayev: “The Secret War against extremism was included in an open phase, as the recent events, neither the central nor the local authorities are not ready for the manifestations of terrorism, however, as the society. The authorities, moreover, losing the strategic initiative. ”

The fact that terrorism “in Kazakhstan,” can be made on the social ground, along with the persecution of non-traditional Muslims, say for a long time, but the authorities are not currently prepared to accept this version.

At the same round table expert fund Sarsenbayev (fund is named after an opposition politician, was killed by security in 2006.. – Ed.)Alma Sultangalieva voiced his opinion: “In my opinion, there has been a downward trend – the beginning of religion marginalized.There is a hard pressure of religious dissidents, and the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan has taken an active part. This is fundamentally wrong, the monopolization of religion can lead to disaster. ”

A week ago, Alim Abdirova, human rights activist and journalist from Aktobe, which devoted a number of publications cause“shubarshinskih terrorists” , described what is happening in the Aktobe region as follows: “According to believers, they are not trying to build an Islamic state here, but rebelled against the” outrage “, in which country is sinking … We see the trend here, in western Kazakhstan to the radical Muslims goes intellectuals, youth with honors, at the age of 16 to 35 years … and crime bosses.Now for a criminal authority in the “five”, to my knowledge, convert to Islam from 200 to 400 people at the funeral of a believer, a sniper shot in the 8th district, came to 200 young Muslims. It’s the future bombers! .. Now we kill Kazakh Kazakh. There is a fratricide. The reason – a huge social gap. ”

But while the state has chosen an old tactic: the struggle with the consequences of repression and silencing of problems.

But all parties, it became clear that the question posed in the title material “terrorist underground in Kazakhstan: whether there is, if not” the answer is one. Hiding there, and it does not intend to sit idly by.

Andrei Grishin

The international news agency “Fergana”

Pakistan Still Stuck At the Crossroads of History–Sept. 5, 2001

[This editorial from Jammu and Kashmir news archives reads as if it was written today; it seems to be describing Pakistan’s dilemma today, still stuck at the same crossroad.  It is quite telling that this article appeared just six days before the 911 attacks, which seemed at the time to be changing so much for Pakistan.  It is frightening just how little things have really changed on the surface.  One big change was the pre-terror war American opinion of Pakistan.  American planners were then in the process of sidelining Pakistan as a nuclear-armed “failed state,” until the Pak. govt became the most important player in the Afghan equation.  Then, as now, Pakistan was being eclipsed by India, only to see the US suddenly on its side once again. 

Speculation about Pakistani military/militant connections, especially ISI/al-Qaeda connections, have created grounds for reasonable suspicion of motive in the September 11 attacks.  Since so many key Qaeda players have been proven to be former Pakistani military men, it is reasonable to suspect that those who planned the attacks might have been motivated by a desire to see America reinforce the Pak Army position (SEE: General Gambit).  To say it even more plainly–was “al-Qaeda,” or those who played the role of the militant outfit, motivated by a desire to see the tie between their Pakistani patrons and their American patrons reinforced?  

Were the 911 attacks a mission to force the Americans to return to Pakistan’s side?]

Pakistan at the cross roads of History

5 September 2001
Kashmir Images
Aamir Hussain Sheikh

QAID-E-AZAM Muhammad Ali Ali Jinnah, the architect of Pakistan, was never an Islamic fundamentalist, though he believed in seperate political identity of Muslims to safeguard their righted in Hindu majority India. To a question (August, 1919) whether he wanted to do away with any distinction between Muslims and Hindus in political life. Jinnah had replied , “Yes, nothing will please me more than (sic) when that day comes”. Twenty eight years later, while addressing the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on August 11, 1947. Jinnah had stated, ” You are free to go to your temple, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this state of Pakistan…. I think we should keep that in front of us our ideal and you will find that in course of time Hindus would cease to be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense because that is the personal faith of each individual, but in the political sense as citizens of the state .” Thus the man who was instrumental in the division of India on the basis of two nation theory advocated a secular agenda once he succeeded getting a nation state for Muslims of the sub-continent. Jinnah was a constitutional flag bearer, a great parliamentarian but he never got the chance to get down to nation building. Being sick and aged, he died soon after the partition of India. From there starts the tragedy of Pakistan. It took nine years just to fame its constitution and by that time it had lost the will and direction to follow that ‘book’. Secularism and democracy, the two hallmarks of a modern nation state, fell victims to the directionship of the elites. This nexus between the army, bureaucracy and the landed aristocracy of the elites. This nexus between the army, bureaucracy and the indeed aristocracy has ruled or misruled Pakistan even sine. To tighten their grip over the nerves of the masses, Pakistani politicians used religious sloganeering as a tool. Whether it was Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto or general Zia ul Haq or Mian Nawaz Sharief, every one resorted to Islamisation of the state in the pursuit of their political ambitions and designs. “No other Muslim nation has used Islam with such impurity and in such crass manner, as Pakistan, says Iqbal Ahmed, a well known commentator of Pakistan. He further adds, “Pakistan is still passing through a crisis of legitimacy, 50 years after independence, the moral basis on which that country was formed having died with the birth of Bangladesh in 1971. As regards Islamic religion, I have not meet a single politician in Pakistan who really understands Islam. They even lack a political ideology.” Religion, and for that matter any religion, is like an African elephant. If you follow it undisturbed, it may lead you to a lake of cool and pure waters, but if you ride it to reach your political destination, it will sure swing you down in the dehydrated bush jungle to the eaten up by the ants. The Islamisation of Pakistan, which was adopted as tool to gain or retain political power, has since swallowed the entire polity, transform the whole state into an ideological hostage and rendered the poor hapless masses of Pakistan as bonded labour and gun-fodder. In the land of Jinnah, who had felt felicitated to attend the special thanks giving services in the Holy Trinity Church in Karachi on August 17, 1947, the religious intolerance has reached its ugliest limit. A 14-year-old Salamat Masih was sentenced to death along with the uncle, Rehmat Masih, for allegedly scrawling anti Islamic words on the wall. When the Lahore High Court late acquitted them on the ground that Salamet Masih was illiterate, the two had to flee Pakistan to save their lives from the frenzied mob. The High Court was also lewdly abused for sparing the two hapless Christians. Justice M Munir of Lahore High Court while probing into the 1953 communal riots in Punjab asked every learned Mullah to define who a Muslim was. And he recorded in his report. “No two Ulema have agreed before us as to the definition of a Muslim”. Makhdoom Ali Khan, an eminent constitutional lawyer, aptly summed up Pakistan’s passage to religious extremism. “The rot did it start when we declared the Qadianis non-Muslims. It started when we demanded a state based on religion.” On economic front, Pakistan has been touching the end pole of bankruptcy over and over. During the cold war era, it was always bailed out by IMF, World Bank etc. courtesy the Western Block. Now when the cold war is over and Russians are no more sitting in Afghanistan, no ladder seems available with Pakistan to come out of the economic pit. The problem was rooted not in the paucity of resources but with the mindset of the political and military elite of Pakistan. The root cause of Pakistan’s economic backwardness lies in its defence oriented approach. Every successive regime in Pakistan, whether military or civilian, have been spending major part of its budgets on the defence and of late on its nuclear build up. The industrial infra structure, the agricultural modernisation, the communication and commercial linkups, modern and scientific education to the youth, the forward looking people’s participating administration etc. suffered as a casualty to the excessive militarization of the polity. There are around 4200 sick industrial units in Pakistan and the government is completely paralysed in its task to revive them. 90% of Pakistan’s revenue earnings go to meet international debts. The government has to sign on the dotted line each time to get loans from the IMF to service its debts. A cash strapped dependent economy does not have the room for manoeuvre. Rashed Rehman, an economic analyst summed up the problem thus: The problem Pakistan’s ruling elite has never fully comprehended, much less appeared to have any clue how to resolve, is that of making the long overdue transition from a state dependent on the west’s large, available during the cold war for extra reasons, to a self-respecting country able to stand on its feet in a global free market environment. A state ideology bereft of social and economic justice is bound to fail sooner or later Pakistan, carved out on principal of two-nation theory, has failed to secure its unity and integrity on the strength of that principle. Bangladesh separated in 1971. The remaining four nationalities in the truncated Pakistan Punjabis, Sindhis, Baluchis and Pakhtoons are pitted against each other and the religious commonality has failed to surpress their ethnic, cultural and lingual aspirations, and prejudices. Another ultra nationality, the Urdu speaking Mohajirs are a most disillusioned lot and a constant cause to bloody riots in Sindh. In May 1995 Benazir Bhutto the then Prime Minister had called the Mohajirs ‘traitors’ who had nothing in common with the people of Pakistan. The religious ideology of the state has failed even to check the sectarian riots between Shias and Sunnis in Punjab and elsewhere. The problem of internal security in Pakistan has grown so big that it is threatening the advent of civil war. Pakistan fought the war for America in Afghanistan under the banner of Jihad. After the Jihadi’s became free from Afghanistan they turned homeward and started spreading their tentacles across the country. They have now become the extra-constitutional force daring the regime to touch them. What suffered in the process is the aspirations of the people of Pakistan for economic and social justice, political democracy, and cultural freedom. The council on Foreign Relations, an influential US lobby, in its report, ” A new United States policy towards India and Pakistan” had, in February 1997 termed Pakistan as a failed state. In view of the above, that report can not be brushed aside as motivated. Pakistan, today, stands on the crossroads of history. The threat of Talibanisation of Pakistan worries commoners the most. If these worries come true, this will lead to complete crumbling of economy and a possible civil war. Such a scenario will be strategic nightmare for the entire democratic world, especially when a failed state would be sitting on nuclear arsenal. To quote again Rashed Rehman: The only way left with the dispirited, exhausted, alienated, suffering masses of Pakistan would be to organize, mobilize and wrest power from the moribund ruling elite. Pakistani people are longing for a stable and liberal democracy, demilitarization of the state, social justice and upliftment of the poor masses, fair development and equal opportunities to all the ethnic regions and subnationalities. They desire modern and secular approach to the polity and religious matters and disbanding of all groups that spread violence and hatred. Pakistanis want a peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue to cut drastically the defence budget. Of late, Pakistani trade class has made is very clear that they favour commerce and trade with neighbouring India. If this is done, that may augur a golden era not only for Pakistan but for the entire of South Asian region. This daunting task need seasoned statesman to fulfill. General Pervez Musharraf, who is likely to call the shots for an indefinite period, even after installing a subdued civilian hotch potch of a government, is neither trained nor inclined for such a course. Whatever little steps he is taking like modernising the Madrasssas, seizing the illegal arms, admonishing the Mullahs etc. are simply window dressing for the consumption of western democracies who control the International funds.

Uzbekistan: “On the 20th anniversary of independence, we were left without gas and light”

[How could Uzbekistan export oil, gas, or electricity, while most of the country endures extreme shortages, even complete cut-offs of gas, especially with winter knocking at the door?  Islam Karimov and his cohorts are setting themselves up to be the first of the Stans to experience an “Arab Spring” uprising.  This probably explains Karimov’s need for all of that juicy American military equipment that Obama has coming his way.  What, if any, international human rights outrage will be directed at the Karimov govt, or the Obama Administration, when American weapons begin to slaughter protesting and rebelling Uzbeks?]

Gas station at the South Station, Tashkent. Photo by “Fergana”

Uzbekistan: “On the 20th anniversary of independence, we were left without gas and light”

Fergana

 

Gas station at the South Station, Tashkent. Photo by “Fergana”

In Uzbekistan, exacerbated the energy crisis. Official information is always closed.However, this is the conclusion is obvious after reading media reports, volunteer correspondents “Fergana” and letters from our readers. Here is one of them.“Hello, dear editors’ Fergana.” My name is Alex, I live in the city of Tashkent.You made me write incapacity of the Government of Uzbekistan and its disregard for the problems of his people. Publish please, my letter, and, perhaps, the situation is a little shift for the better.This year, Uzbekistan and pompous pompously celebrated the 20th anniversary of Independence, trumpeting the merits of the country’s leadership at every step, as they say, old and young. Less than a couple of months, as the elementary achievements of civilization began to leave an independent republic.

As already known, the country’s acute shortage of motor fuel , not even in the capital on every gas station has gasoline, and where fuel is available, produced kilometer queue. About the regions can not say there is simply no gasoline is.

But you got to write some other energy crisis. My relatives live in the city of Urgench, Khorezm region, which is located in the north of the country. For nearly a month in Urgench no gas and electricity is turned off periodically.And this despite the fact that the air temperature in the Khorezm region at night drops to zero degrees Celsius, while the region is environmentally threatened. People are cold, the children are sick, to prepare food in elementary Urgench – a big problem.

We are simple people, just outraged, that the twenty-first century to the 20th anniversary of Independence were without the benefits of civilization such as gas and light! During the Soviet Union never happened, then the gas and the light was applied without interruption. We just do not know what to do! Power is completely deaf, and pretends that everything is fine. I want to shout: Enough already make fun of us! We do not need such ostentatious independence. People are just bad, ashamed and hurt by it. None of the regional or national newspapers did not raise this issue, simply ignores. Many people are leaving the country, and these are hundreds of thousands, and among other things – is educated and very capable people.

Why the whole city and region have to suffer from lack of officials? Who needs to answer why there are no gas and electricity in the homes of inhabitants of the Khorezm region? After all, if government is unable to cope with the problem, so let it be to resign, as is common in all democratic countries.

Officials in the ministries and departments, public servants, think about the problems of ordinary people, please answer these questions and solve the problem of gas and electricity Khorezm region and the city of Urgench. “

Described by our author now confirms the source of the “Fergana” in Urgench.

“Alex is one hundred percent right. Light of our relatively prosperous area there for twelve hours a day, which had never happened before. In other areas, the regional center of power can not be in two days. With gas, as always, the bad, but far worse than in past years. People are prepared and heated with electricity, if it exists. There is a shortage of gasoline and: if the price in 1600 sums it sold already and the sum of seven thousand per liter. For gasoline for a normal price drivers hunt at five o’clock in the morning. Recently, a friend called the driver, just at that moment he was standing in line for nearly five hours, “- said a source,” Fergana “.

Note that there are shortages of gasoline including due to the fact that the filling is also still without electricity. Then simply does not work pumping equipment.

Local authorities do not deny the existence of the problem, but trying to solve its old-fashioned way and at the expense of the population. So, this year the Uzbek government has decided to transfer to heating coal housing Andijan , willful decision by limiting the price of coal strip at $ 35 per ton at the rate of “black market”, moreover, that the real cost of coal in another September was about $ 100 dollars per ton.

Authorities Ferghana region encouraged the public to stock up with firewood and charcoal. On behalf of the Government of Uzbekistan in Tashkent region, more than 500 enterprises and organizations of all ownership forms and directions, including some of the bakeries, will be disconnected from the central gas supply in the autumn-winter 2011-2012 school year, they recommended to transfer production to alternative energy sources.

Problems with gas supply and residents have the Samarkand region, whose power, as, indeed, other regions of Uzbekistan, habitually explain why multi-billion dollar deficit of natural gas debts to the state population.

Meanwhile, residents of the country complain of unfounded charge of debts on gas. According to Uznews.net referring to the Uzbek newspaper «NORMA», in October, deputy head of the monitoring of promotional activities and consumer protection, “State Committee” Akbardzhon Abdurazakov reported that his organization has received 144 complaints on unreasonable debt accrued for unused gas. After a complaint has been recalculated. Only in the Tashkent region, this amount was more than 26.5 million soms (about 9700 U.S. dollars), according to Samarkand – 18.9 million -12.5 million in Khorezm, Bukhara in – more than 8 million, in the Fergana – 6.5 million soums unreasonable charges.

Energy deficit is not bypassed and Uzbek capital – Tashkent, where fuel consumers call to be thrifty, “do not waste your gas and electricity.”

The real reason for energy shortages Uzbek government prefers to gloss over, leaving room for speculation. According to one version, the reason is that more natural gas for export, which in the absence of revenue transparency brings significant inflow of foreign currency not only in the state treasury, but into the pockets of bureaucrats, “sitting on the tube.”

The second version can complement the first, as is the irrational use of gas released to the needs of the area, in part-time farms, greenhouses and greenhouses belonging to certain businessmen close to the local administration. And people have to settle for coal, firewood, Kizyakov (fuel from manure).

Improvement is not expected, since the volumes of oil and gas production in Uzbekistan decreased . A hydrocarbon exports is growing: the country’s leadership is more profitable.

The international news agency “Fergana”

28,802 NATO Shipping Containers Lost Inside Pakistan, 322,000 Containers Unacounted For

RECORDER REPORT

Business Recorder Logo The Supreme Court was informed on Tuesday that the Federal Board of Revenue has unearthed duties and taxes’ evasion of over Rs 55 billion as 28,802 containers carrying International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) commercial cargo under Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) went missing en route from Karachi Port to Afghanistan.

Besides, rest of the 3,22000 containers, dispatched for Afghanistan from Karachi under non-commercial category, meant for ISAF have not been found yet, further heavily denting national exchequer.

A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and Justice Arif Khiliji resumed hearing in the suo motu case regarding ISAF container scam whereas Chairman FBR Salman Siddique apprised the bench of the scam.It was alleged before the bench that former President Pervez Musharraf’s nephew and former Corp Commander Karachi’s son played major role in the scam.

The Chief Justice issued directives to the Chairman of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to cooperate with FBR Chairman to initiate proceedings against criminals involved in the scam whereas FBR Chairman was directed to conduct adjudication against the people involved in the scam whose cases would be referred to NAB, if they are at fault.The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman told the bench that writs were pending in Sindh High Court, filed by culprits, including importer, clearing agent, terminal/port operators, customs officials, shipping agents, transporters, which caused delay in proceedings against them by the FBR.The Chief Justice directed the FBR Chairman to provide details of writs pending before Sindh High Court in which he said recommendation to expedite hearing would be sent to the SHC.

Justice Khiliji Arif opined that it would be result-oriented if NAB comes forward to help in probing the cases, adding that no pressure would be faced by FBR.Siddique, giving details of the missing containers, said that the trend of steep fall in import of Transit Trade cargo continued in ensuing months.

He submitted that a study conducted by FBR showed that as against 63,264 commercial ATT containers imported from February1, 2010 to September 20, 2010, the quantum of such imports in the corresponding period of the year had fallen to 33,414 containers, signifying a massive fall of about 50 percent.Salman added that similarly, non-commercial ATT imports had also fallen by 26 percent to 28,802 containers which were found missing.

He said that issuance of SCN was actively in progress, adding that the loss of revenue in terms of duties and taxes was around Rs 55 billion.However he said, clearance collectorates have adjudicated 108 cases against 184 containers so far, whereas total liability adjudged against them is Rs 424 million (duty & taxes) along with Rs 210 million penalty (total Rs 634 million).It is worth mentioning that ATT cargo has four categories including commercial consignment, non-commercial imported by Afghan government/NGOs cargo, non-commercial imported by Nato ISAF Forces consignment and non-commercial cargo imported by US Military.

The Chief Justice asked FBR Chairman to file a report pertaining to development of meeting with National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman relating to the issue, including performance report, during next hearing.The hearing was adjourned for three weeks.

China Plans To Buy All Turkmen Gas To Scuttle Sales To Europe

China’s interest in Russian gas may decrease after deal with Turkmenistan – paper

China's interest in Russian gas may falter as supplies of Turkmen gas under an agreement signed on Wednesday will triple to 65 billion cubic meters per year by 2014-2015

China’s interest in Russian gas may falter as supplies of Turkmen gas under an agreement signed on Wednesday will triple to 65 billion cubic meters per year by 2014-2015

© RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, November 24 (RIA Novosti)

China’s interest in Russian gas may falter as supplies of Turkmen gas under an agreement signed on Wednesday will triple to 65 billion cubic meters per year by 2014-2015, Kommersant business daily said on Thursday quoting sources.

Turkmenistan plans to start raising its gas supplies to China from next year to sell 40 bcm in 2012 against the current 17 bcm through the Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan-China gas pipeline.

The paper said that Turkmenistan started competing with Russia on the Asian gas market after Gaffney, Cline & Associates auditors raised their estimate of reserves of Southern Iolotan, Turkmenistan’s core gas field, to 13-21 trillion cm making it the world’s second largest.

Russia wants to sell its gas to China for $400 per 1,000 cm, the same price it sells gas to Europe, while sources close to the talks told the paper the Turkmen gas price for China would be about $250.

In return China will provide further investment in the development of Southern Iolotan, on which it has already spent $4 billion, and help increase the capacity of the Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan-China gas pipeline.

Turkmenistan may also enter the European gas market by building the EU-supported Transcaspian pipeline, aimed at reducing EU dependence on Russian gas imports.

“Beijing does not want Turkmenistan to build a pipeline to the European Union, get a different gas price on the European market and then increase it for China. This is why we are ready to contract more and more gas volumes in Turkmenistan, as the capacity of our gas market allows it. Beijing will do its best to make sure the Transcaspian pipeline project is not developed,” a Chinese diplomat told the paper.

American Kids In Cairo Held for Molotov Cocktails

[Americans should not be taking part in national revolutions, especially while guests of that country.  Haven’t these kids seen movies about Middle Eastern prisons?]

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Egyptian official: 3 American students will be held another 4 days during probe

By the CNN Wire Staff

Cairo (CNN) — Three American college students suspected of throwing Molotov cocktails in Cairo’s Tahrir Square will be detained another four days as an investigation continues, said a spokesman for the office of Egypt’s general prosecutor.

“A bag filled with empty bottles, a bottle of gasoline, a towel and a camera was found with them,” spokesman Adel Saeed said late Wednesday.

“They denied the bag belonged to them and said it belonged to two of their friends,” Saeed added.

The mother of at least one of the students detained said Wednesday that she was able to speak to him briefly in a telephone call arranged by U.S. diplomats.

“He sounded scared, but he said he was OK,” Joy Sweeney said of her son, Derrik Sweeney, one of three American college students being held for questioning in an Egyptian courthouse.

It wasn’t clear if the other students had spoken with their parents. The U.S. diplomat who arranged the call said he was going to try to connect them next, Sweeney said.

The students first met with the American diplomat Wednesday morning, according to a spokeswoman for American University in Cairo.

“He reports that they are in good health and being treated well,” Morgan Roth said of the U.S. consul general’s visit with the students, who have been in custody since Monday.

Before their visit with the consul, the students were questioned again by Egyptian authorities, this time with a U.S. Embassy lawyer present.

Wednesday marked the fifth day of violent clashes between security forces and protesters demanding that the country’s military leaders step aside. Similar protests forced President Hosni Mubarak to relinquish power in February.

Derrik Sweeney, Gregory Porter and Luke Gates are university students from different schools attending American University in Cairo on a semester-long, study-abroad program, according to the school.

Sweeney, 19, is a Georgetown University student from Jefferson City, Missouri; Porter, 19, from Glenside, Pennsylvania, attends Drexel University in Philadelphia; and Gates, 21, of Bloomington, Indiana, goes to Indiana University.

Social-media posts appear to show Gates and Sweeney in the thick of recent protests in Cairo, with Gates indicating he had been injured in clashes over the weekend.

“Earlier tonight rubber bullets a charge and then a retreat,” said a message posted Sunday from a Twitter account with Gates’ name and a photo resembling one of the men in a police video. The poster added that his knee and elbow were hurt.

On Saturday, the writer said that “we were throwing rocks and one guy accidentally threw his phone.”

Another Facebook account shows a man resembling Sweeney during protests in Cairo.

CNN could not independently confirm the authenticity of the posts.

Gates’ father and Sweeney’s mother said in interviews that their children have had a long interest in other cultures.

Joy Sweeney, speaking Wednesday on CNN, said she doesn’t believe her son is guilty of violence.

“He’s very peaceful, harmonious,” she said. “He cares about the world. He cares about people and I can’t imagine him ever doing something to hurt someone.”

CNN’s Mohamed Fadel Fahmy and Kara Devlin contributed to this report.