Page 18 - Pakistan Link - April 26, 2019

P18 – PAKISTAN LINK – APRIL 26, 2019 COMMUNITY
People of Kashmir Are Not the Problem Call Today to Support a

but Part of the Solution: Dr Fai New Senate Bill for the Rohingya
hanks to your eff orts, we re- one man, Senate Majority Leader
Washington, DC: “Kashmir has been internationally cently had success when the Mitch McConnell. Th is time we
recognized as a disputed territory since the adoption of TUS House passed a resolu- must show him that a strong bill is
the United Nations resolutions in 1948 and 1949. Th e tion declaring that what Rohing- both necessary and inevitable.
most tragic aspect of the present situation is the infl ex- yas are facing is a genocide. How- Genocidal policies are still in
ible position taken by the Government of India – its re- ever, the US Senate has not voted eff ect in Burma and a soft approach
fusal to recognize the internationally mandated status of on a bill which passed the Senate to the crisis will only embolden
Kashmir and its stubbornness of parroting that Kashmir Foreign Relations committee. other war criminals in Burma and
is its integral part. Last week Senator Benjamin around the world. Your voice mat-
“India’s obduracy has become an impediment in Cardin (D-MD) introduced a new ters, and numbers matter. Delay
creating an atmosphere of peace and stability in the bipartisan bill to protect the Ro- costs lives.
region of South Asia. Peace will come to Kashmir only hingya, recognize and restore their Please contact your Senators,
when the Government of India abandons its brutal ac- rights and hold the perpetrators of and ask them to support S. 1186 if
tivities and harsh rhetoric and realizes that the people war crimes and genocide account- they do not already:
of Kashmir are not the problem, but rather part of the able. Tell your Senator the following:
solution.” Th is was sated by Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, Secre- While Burma Task Force “Please co-sponsor this bill
tary General, World Kashmir Awareness Forum, during would prefer to see an even stronger without delay. Th is legislation is
the 44th Annual Convention of Islamic Circle of North bill, we recognize that in its present about our basic values as a nation.
America (ICNA). Dr Fai was speaking on the topic of ing from New Delhi, or the allure of a quick fi x to Paki- form the legislation would have a Genocide demands a bipartisan
“Kashmir: Its international dimension.’ stan. Th e problem between India and Pakistan as clearly strong impact on the Burmese gov- response. In the past, US sanc-
It is the people of Kashmir who suff er. Th eir calls for defi ned and understood by the experts, remains the dis- ernment. It proposes sanctions on tions helped lead to gradual steps
self-determination have been brutally suppressed by the pute over Kashmir. Th e fi nal settlement to this confl ict vast Burmese military-owned busi- to democratize Burma. Now, as the
Indian armed forces. India has deployed over 700,000 to the satisfaction of all parties concerned will guarantee nesses, especially in the gemstone genocidal Rohingya persecution
of its military and paramilitary forces to Kashmir to peace and stability not only in Kashmir but also in the trade, and for the fi rst time, names continues, strong sanctions on the
quash the people’s call for freedom and justice. Th ese whole region of South Asia and beyond. - gnfai2003@ Military chief General Hlaing as Burmese military are needed more
troops have unleashed a reign of terror on the civilian yahoo.com someone who should be sanctioned. than ever. Th e current bill should
population. Amnesty International and other interna- It is also commendable that the bill not be watered down in any way.
tional NGO’s, including the report issued by the United Coke Studio Star Sara Haider clearly asks for Rohingya citizen- To do that is to send a message that
Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights, have Honored with Prestigious ship, lands and properties to be re- genocide is now OK. But this crisis
graphically documented gross human rights violations stored. Despite bipartisan support, cannot be business as usual.”
by Indian military and paramilitary forces in Kashmir. last year’s Senate bill was blocked by - Burma Task Force
In developing economic relations with India, the world Charles Jehlinger Award
powers must not ignore these human rights abuses com-
off er global leadership. He talks of
mitted by Indian armed forces with the acquiescence of BRIDGES FROM P19 off er global leadership. He talks of
the Indian government. persuasive proponents of the argu- “America inspired by the vision of
Th e people of Kashmir urge the world powers to ment. On the other hand, through the founding fathers” and which is
help resolve the Kashmir confl ict through dialogue. his writings, Professor Ahmad has “balanced, respectful, literate and
Th ey seek neither to support India nor Pakistan, but to repeatedly tackled the challenging welcoming”.
support the principle of democracy and freedom. Th ey experience of being a Muslim in the Someone who has spent a life-
demand to be allowed to exercise the right to self-deter- West in these extraordinary times. time analyzing Muslim societies of-
mination in an atmosphere free from coercion, intimi- In sync with the rise Daesh, we fers an interesting take on the rise of
dation and external compulsion. have been seeing an alarming rise of the Right in the West. Even as West-
Th e people of Kashmir fi rmly believe that if the tri- the Right, both in Europe and Amer- ern wonks talk of an ideological war
partite negotiations take place between the governments ica, mainstreaming hate and intoler- being waged for the “soul of Islam”,
of India and Pakistan and the genuine leadership of the ance like never before. It is hardly a Dr Ahmad perceives an existential
people of Kashmir, political uncertainty and mutual hos- coincidence that the rise of politi- battle for the “soul of Western mo-
tilities raging in the subcontinent since 1947 would be cians and their rhetoric equating dernity”.
removed and replaced by sincere and lasting friendship, Islam with terror has seen an alarm- Writing in Huffi ngton Post,
cooperation, peace and progress in the region. ing spurt in attacks on Muslims and ahead of the US presidential election,
Once peace is established in Kashmir, the Govern- even those looking like Muslims in he implored the Americans to work
ments of India and Pakistan will have eliminated the the West. to bring their nation and the world
source of their bitter resentment and establish a sense of Intolerance towards Muslims together: “Th ose American leaders
confi dence. Once confi dence is established, the two sides has become the new normal with the who are spreading hatred and preju-
can more easily be approached on the issue of nuclear faithful being forced off planes for dice need to understand the wounds
non-proliferation. Without that confi dence, however, oke Studio star Sara Haider has just graduat- crimes such as “sweating” and saying they are ultimately infl icting on their
neither side will have the incentive or the inclination to ed from the American Academy of Dramatic “Allah” and sometimes for no reason own society. I believe each one of
deter their nuclear weapons build-up. Th e result of that CArts, according to a tweet by her sister. at all. Being a believer seems to be us has a duty to reach out and build
build-up, in a region with rising tensions and no end to Th e acting institution has produced some of Hol- reason enough. bridges.”
the confl ict in sight, could be disastrous. lywood’s most well-known actors, including Robert It’s not diffi cult to imagine how And that is what he has been do-
In addition to the potential threat of nuclear dev- Redford, Grace Kelly, Danny Devito, Hank Azaria, Anne critical and challenging the role be- ing all his life. It goes without saying
astation, many people outside of Kashmir currently Hathaway, Paul Rudd, Jessica Chastain, among many comes for peacemakers such as Pro- that all this is aimed at what the don
suff er the real consequences of the continuing confl ict. others. fessor Ahmad, tirelessly working for calls “building bridges in an uncom-
Th e governments of India and Pakistan are spending bil- According to the tweet, Sara had the honor of deliv- dialogue and reconciliation between fortable time”, between the followers
lions of dollars annually on armaments, troops, security ering the commencement speech at her graduation and the West and Islam in such perilous of two great Abrahamic faiths who
personnel, and other military equipment to contain the was awarded the prestigious Charles Jehlinger Award times. form nearly half of the world. Given
confl ict, while tens of millions of their citizens are de- that is given to the student who developed most “as a Unlike the likes of Samuel Hun- the yawning gulf that currently exists
prived of food, water, electricity, sanitary conditions and person as well as an artist” and “who displays a profes- tington and Bernard Lewis, he has between them, this is nothing short
other basic necessities. Both of these conditions, real and sional attitude towards the art”. argued that confl ict between the two of a Herculean task. Th is may be the
potential, can easily be improved by ending the confl ict Past honorees include the likes of Robert Redford great civilizations is avoidable and a reason why the Prophet [PBUH]
in Kashmir. and Spencer Tracy! better, more peaceful world is pos- said, as oft en quoted by Professor
It is vital for the world powers not to lose sight of Sara will also have the distinction of being the fi rst sible. Contrary to popular percep- Ahmad in his lectures and writings,
the true objective in determining peace in South Asia. Pakistani to do an MFA at Th e Juilliard School in fall. tion, the don reasons that Muslims that “the ink of the scholar is more
Settlement of the Kashmir confl ict is central to the pur- She has earned a full scholarship. around the world do not hate the sacred than the blood of the martyr”.
pose of stability and security in the region. Th e world Congratulations to Sara on this triple win and mak- West and are indeed looking “in- (Aijaz Zaka Syed is an award
powers must not be swayed by the diplomatic row com- ing Pakistan proud! - Images tensely” at America, expecting it to winning journalist)

sacrifi ces, he said.
history. And he added that those who
both the (Muslim) Salaam Alaikum
was appreciated by all. He built up on
FUNDR both the (Muslim) Salaam Alaikum was appreciated by all. He built up on sacrifi ces, he said. history. And he added that those who
FUNDRAISER FROM P17AISER FROM P17
community for their successes in this and (the Punjabi Sikh) Sat Sri Akal. It the Sadqa-e-Jaria message that Imam Sarwar said that we should learn commit violence in the name of faith
country and their continued generos- needs to be noted that the Governor Aamir had earlier mentioned (in Islam from incorruptible people like Quaid- need to be condemned.
ity. has been a strong proponent and sup- it has been defi ned as an act of “Giv- i-Azam M. A. Jinnah on what leader- Governor Sarwar concluded
Aft er a short video on Sar- porter of the Kartarpur Initiative re- ing something to somebody without ship is supposed to be. He added that his speech on a strong Muslim-Sikh
war Foundation’s work, Governor cently launched by Islamabad to ease seeking a substitute in return and with a place like Toba Tek Singh in Pakistan brotherhood note. We will end this
Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar arrived access of holy sites located in Pakistan the intention of pleasing God). He still retains its name till today because report on that too and hope that the
on stage and delivered a memorable for the Sikh community. said that our life on this earth is short of the human generosity and good work of Sarwar Foundation will con-
half-hour keynote speech in Urdu, Governor Sarwar highlighted and the return on charity lasts much work of Tek Singh the Sikh whom it tinue to be assisted by people of all
Punjabi and English. It is now no sur- quite a few topics when he spoke and longer than we do. On giving he also is named aft er. Legend has it that Tek nationalities and faiths, so that the
prise to us now that he became the fi rst it needs to be said that the translation spoke on the contributions of Sikhs, Singh served water and provided shel- insanity of Toba Tek Singh described
elected Muslim in the British Parlia- here may not be literal or precise. He some 10,000 of whom were here in ter to tired and thirsty travelers passing by Saadat Hasan Manto does not con-
ment and how he got the Scots to vote thanked everyone including some California in the early 1900’s and out through the area. He said that anyone sume us all in South Asia. From the
for him. He thanked all the dignitaries specifi c individuals for making this of which a great many went back to who has done good work for humanity last reports received around $240,000
present, especially PTI supporters and visit to the US successful. He also add- India to fi ght for its independence. We irrespective of their faith needs to be was collected this day in Northern
workers and started his speech with ed some humor to his address which need to thank those people for making honored and their name preserved in California.
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