Two Eids
By Col. Riaz Jafri
(Retd)
Westridge, Rawalpindi
I travelled to Peshawar from
Rawalpindi on Saturday, October 13 to celebrate
Eid there, as announced, on Sunday, October 14.
However, after crossing the Attock bridge one
could see signs of Eid being celebrated all over
up to Peshawar.
Many view the observance of Eid on different dates
as a form of national disunity. I too was of the
same opinion till some one drew my attention to
a hadith which says, "If you are fasting
and happen to be at a place where people are celebrating
Eid you should break your fast and join them,"
or words to that effect.
Now without going into the detailed mechanics
of the mode of transportation used by the traveller,
the time he left his city/town after Sehri, the
time he arrived at the place celebrating Eid,
it would be quite safe to assume that the two
places could not have been more than 25 to 30
miles apart at the maximum.
That means during the time of the Holy Prophet
(SAW) it DID happen that a place was observing
fast and another place about 30 milers away was
celebrating Eid! If it could happen only 30 miles
or so apart, why must we insist upon observing
Eid from Landi Kotal to Karachi - 1000 miles apart
on the same day? Any comments?
Not Helpful to Pakistan
The second part of the great debate on the Geo
TV – “Jio Musharraf ya Jeenay do Musharraf”
- was clearly carried by the pro-Musharraf team
and Messrs Iqbal Haider, Sartaj Aziz and Prof.
Khurshid could not stand their ground firmly due
to their weak arguments. While Salman Shah was
most convincing with his solid facts and figures
on the economy of the country, Sheikh Rashid –
in his usual self – supported the policies
of the government most forcefully and enthusiastically.
His mention of some of the international pressures,
constraints and compulsions that impacted the
government and its foreign policy and the way
Musharraf not only handled them well but at times
also withstood his ground, was quite revealing
and appreciated by all.
However, it was quite disturbing for me to see
a person of the calibre of Prof. Khushid indulging
in intellectual dishonesty by telling the naïve
and gullible that army held a share of Rs. 220
billions in the national economy, giving the impression
that the army was looting the country. The Professor
knows very well that these assets are national
assets in the form of Fauji Foundation, Army Welfare
Trust, Askari Bank, etc. which are not run by
the army neither does their income go into any
army account. These are run by the veterans –
retired personnel of the armed forces and the
civilians who constitute more than 65 percent
of the employees. And, these organizations pay
a whopping 120 billion rupees in taxes to the
government. They are commercial concerns just
like the Sehgals, Dawoods, Lever Brothers or any
other big industrial concern or business house.
They contribute towards the health of the national
economy and generate employment both for the retired
service personnel as well as the civil populace
of the country. But surprisingly the respected
Professor – knowing it all – tried
to waylay his audience. May I ask him, why? Just
to create mistrust between the army and the civil
population? Is this part of the JI policy or agenda?
Could there be anything more dangerous than planting
such seeds of discord between the two and that
too knowingly? Sorry, Professor you are being
not helpful to Pakistan.
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