11-25-2017, 11:08 PM
*** 26-Nov-17 World View -- Widespread riots in Pakistan triggered by phony blasphemy charges
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** Widespread riots in Pakistan triggered by phony blasphemy charges
****
![[Image: g171125b.jpg]](http://Media.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g171125b.jpg)
Hafiz Saeed, mastermind of the horrific 2008 26/11 Mumbai massacre, is released from jail and receives cheers and showers of rose petals (Reuters)
Several of Pakistan's cities are paralyzed by major roads being
blocked by thousands of Islamists sitting in, demanding that the
government be dissolved. More than 100 people were injured on
Saturday in clashes between police and the protesters, after 4,000
police officers were called out to disperse the protesters.
The government has called in the army to help end the protests, but
it's unknown whether the army will obey, since many suspect that the
army is on the side of the protesters.
By nightfall, the protests had spread to other cities, including
Karachi, Lahore and Quetta, and hundreds had been injured.
Television footage showed a police vehicle on fire, heavy curtains of
smoke and fires burning in the streets as officers in heavy riot gear
advanced. Protesters, some wearing gas masks, fought back in scattered
battles across empty highways and surrounding neighborhoods. The
government has reacted by ordering private tv stations off the air,
and by blocking social media.
The protests were triggered by a blasphemy charge last month against a
government minister. Blasphemy charges in Pakistan are almost always
phony, but phony blasphemy charges are used freely in Pakistan as
justification for any kind of uncontrolled mob violence or any kind of
unjustified murder or jailing.
The blasphemy charge is being leveled at the law minister Zahid Hamid,
because of a modification to a political oath. The wording of the
oath removed the declamation that Mohammed was the last prophet of
Islam.
The original wording of the oath has been restored, but that's
not satisfactory to the protesters.
Hamid says that he had nothing to do with changing the wording of the
oath. The government is trying to pressure him to resign, and
offering to appoint him as ambassador to the country of his choice.
He's rejected all such offers, and is quoted as saying, "For god’s
sake do not make me another Salman Taseer and bring forth all the
officials responsible for the Khatm-e-Nabuwwat fiasco."
("Khatm-e-Nabuwwat" is the name of the oath.)
Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab province in Pakistan, was shot
28 times in broad daylight in an open marketplace on January 4, 2011.
The killer was his bodyguard, Mumtaz Qadri. The motive, as described
by Qadri, was to punish Taseer for objecting to Pakistan's blasphemy
laws, and for calling for the release of a Christian woman, Asia Bibi,
who was in jail facing execution for violating the blasphemy laws.
Qadri was finally executed last year, but not before he became a
national hero for killing Taseer over a phony blasphemy charge.
So Hamid does not want to be murdered like Taseer, and his residence
has already been ransacked by crazed protesters, shattering windows
and destroying furniture. But he's also threatening to reveal the
people in government who were actually responsible for the wording
change.
Pakistan's government, governed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz
(PML-N), is close to collapse. The former prime minister Nawaz Sharif
is still the head of the party, but he was forced out of office by the
court in July because he had been accused of corruption and was face
with a trial. Opposition parties are calling for early elections.
The government is desperate to end this crisis, but if Hamid continues
to refuse to resign, it may not survive. Dawn (Pakistan) and Reuters and Pakistan Today and Express Tribune (Pakistan)
Related Articles
****
**** Pakistan releases Hafiz Saeed, mastermind of the horrific 2008 26/11 Mumbai massacre
****
Hafiz Saeed, the head of the now outlawed Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT)
terrorist group, has been freed from house arrest with no trial and
all charges dropped.
India and Pakistan were at the brink of war following the November
2008 three-day '26/11' terror attack in Mumbai.
That attack was perpetrated by Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).
India threatened to invade Pakistani soil to go after Lashkar-e-Toiba,
but Pakistan promised to prosecute LeT members itself. Now Hafiz
Saeed, the head of LeT and the mastermind of the Mumbai attack, has
been freed by a Pakistan court, greeted by chanting crowds and rose
petals.
According to a statement from the White House:
<QUOTE>"Saeed’s release, after Pakistan’s failure to
prosecute or charge him, sends a deeply troubling message about
Pakistan’s commitment to [combating] international terrorism and
belies Pakistani claims that it will not provide sanctuary for
terrorists on its soil.
If Pakistan does not take action to lawfully detain Saeed and
charge him for his crimes, its inaction will have repercussions
for bilateral relations and for Pakistan’s global
reputation."<END QUOTE>
The exact nature of the "repercussions" was not specified.
This story, and the previous story about the rise of extreme Islamist
groups and their ability to shut down entire Pakistan cities, suggests
that Pakistan is in the midst of a major political shift that could
bring Islamist extremist political parties into power. This is of
particular concern in Pakistan, which has nuclear weapons.
There are new Pakistan elections scheduled for 2018, and that may
clarify the situation. At the least, talk of peace with India,
particularly in Kashmir, is probably not in the cards. Dawn (Pakistan) and Reuters and The Diplomat
Related Articles
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Pakistan, Zahid Hamid, Khatm-e-Nabuwwat,
Salman Taseer, Mumtaz Qadri, Asia Bibi,
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, PML-N, Nawaz Sharif,
India, Mumbai, 26/11, Hafiz Saeed, Lashkar-e-Toiba, LeT, Kashmir
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- Widespread riots in Pakistan triggered by phony blasphemy charges
- Pakistan releases Hafiz Saeed, mastermind of the horrific 2008 26/11 Mumbai massacre
****
**** Widespread riots in Pakistan triggered by phony blasphemy charges
****
Hafiz Saeed, mastermind of the horrific 2008 26/11 Mumbai massacre, is released from jail and receives cheers and showers of rose petals (Reuters)
Several of Pakistan's cities are paralyzed by major roads being
blocked by thousands of Islamists sitting in, demanding that the
government be dissolved. More than 100 people were injured on
Saturday in clashes between police and the protesters, after 4,000
police officers were called out to disperse the protesters.
The government has called in the army to help end the protests, but
it's unknown whether the army will obey, since many suspect that the
army is on the side of the protesters.
By nightfall, the protests had spread to other cities, including
Karachi, Lahore and Quetta, and hundreds had been injured.
Television footage showed a police vehicle on fire, heavy curtains of
smoke and fires burning in the streets as officers in heavy riot gear
advanced. Protesters, some wearing gas masks, fought back in scattered
battles across empty highways and surrounding neighborhoods. The
government has reacted by ordering private tv stations off the air,
and by blocking social media.
The protests were triggered by a blasphemy charge last month against a
government minister. Blasphemy charges in Pakistan are almost always
phony, but phony blasphemy charges are used freely in Pakistan as
justification for any kind of uncontrolled mob violence or any kind of
unjustified murder or jailing.
The blasphemy charge is being leveled at the law minister Zahid Hamid,
because of a modification to a political oath. The wording of the
oath removed the declamation that Mohammed was the last prophet of
Islam.
The original wording of the oath has been restored, but that's
not satisfactory to the protesters.
Hamid says that he had nothing to do with changing the wording of the
oath. The government is trying to pressure him to resign, and
offering to appoint him as ambassador to the country of his choice.
He's rejected all such offers, and is quoted as saying, "For god’s
sake do not make me another Salman Taseer and bring forth all the
officials responsible for the Khatm-e-Nabuwwat fiasco."
("Khatm-e-Nabuwwat" is the name of the oath.)
Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab province in Pakistan, was shot
28 times in broad daylight in an open marketplace on January 4, 2011.
The killer was his bodyguard, Mumtaz Qadri. The motive, as described
by Qadri, was to punish Taseer for objecting to Pakistan's blasphemy
laws, and for calling for the release of a Christian woman, Asia Bibi,
who was in jail facing execution for violating the blasphemy laws.
Qadri was finally executed last year, but not before he became a
national hero for killing Taseer over a phony blasphemy charge.
So Hamid does not want to be murdered like Taseer, and his residence
has already been ransacked by crazed protesters, shattering windows
and destroying furniture. But he's also threatening to reveal the
people in government who were actually responsible for the wording
change.
Pakistan's government, governed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz
(PML-N), is close to collapse. The former prime minister Nawaz Sharif
is still the head of the party, but he was forced out of office by the
court in July because he had been accused of corruption and was face
with a trial. Opposition parties are calling for early elections.
The government is desperate to end this crisis, but if Hamid continues
to refuse to resign, it may not survive. Dawn (Pakistan) and Reuters and Pakistan Today and Express Tribune (Pakistan)
Related Articles
- Pakistan's bizarre blasphemy laws lead to death threats for son of slain governor (04-Jan-2017)
- Pakistan's crisis worsens as senior politician is assassinated (05-Jan-2011)
- History of blasphemy laws in UK, Ireland and Pakistan (20-Sep-2012)
- Pakistan unexpectedly executes murderer of liberal politician Salman Taseer (01-Mar-2016)
- Thousands protest violently over execution of murderer of blasphemy reformer (28-Mar-2016)
****
**** Pakistan releases Hafiz Saeed, mastermind of the horrific 2008 26/11 Mumbai massacre
****
Hafiz Saeed, the head of the now outlawed Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT)
terrorist group, has been freed from house arrest with no trial and
all charges dropped.
India and Pakistan were at the brink of war following the November
2008 three-day '26/11' terror attack in Mumbai.
That attack was perpetrated by Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).
India threatened to invade Pakistani soil to go after Lashkar-e-Toiba,
but Pakistan promised to prosecute LeT members itself. Now Hafiz
Saeed, the head of LeT and the mastermind of the Mumbai attack, has
been freed by a Pakistan court, greeted by chanting crowds and rose
petals.
According to a statement from the White House:
<QUOTE>"Saeed’s release, after Pakistan’s failure to
prosecute or charge him, sends a deeply troubling message about
Pakistan’s commitment to [combating] international terrorism and
belies Pakistani claims that it will not provide sanctuary for
terrorists on its soil.
If Pakistan does not take action to lawfully detain Saeed and
charge him for his crimes, its inaction will have repercussions
for bilateral relations and for Pakistan’s global
reputation."<END QUOTE>
The exact nature of the "repercussions" was not specified.
This story, and the previous story about the rise of extreme Islamist
groups and their ability to shut down entire Pakistan cities, suggests
that Pakistan is in the midst of a major political shift that could
bring Islamist extremist political parties into power. This is of
particular concern in Pakistan, which has nuclear weapons.
There are new Pakistan elections scheduled for 2018, and that may
clarify the situation. At the least, talk of peace with India,
particularly in Kashmir, is probably not in the cards. Dawn (Pakistan) and Reuters and The Diplomat
Related Articles
- Mastermind of 2008 Mumbai attack leads Pakistan protests against India (21-Jul-2016)
- India threatens retaliation on Pakistan terrorists for air base attack (12-Jan-2016)
- Cricketing world in shock after attack on Sri Lanka team in Pakistan (04-Mar-2009)
- After Mumbai's '26/11' nightmare finally ends, India - Pakistan relations face crisis (30-Nov-2008)
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Pakistan, Zahid Hamid, Khatm-e-Nabuwwat,
Salman Taseer, Mumtaz Qadri, Asia Bibi,
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, PML-N, Nawaz Sharif,
India, Mumbai, 26/11, Hafiz Saeed, Lashkar-e-Toiba, LeT, Kashmir
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
