Page 4 - Pakistan Link - August 25, 2023

P4 - PAKISTAN LINK - AUGUST 25, 2023 OPINION
Pakistan Link Humans Behaving Unlike Humans ister Modi was banished from the US
because of evidence of his complicity
during the 2002 Muslim massacres in
Gujarat. Now, there is a case of selec-
Advisory Board
Dr Sohail Masood n By Mowahid Hussain Shah tive amnesia.
In the United States, during the
President J anuary 27, 2021, marked the 76th Trump administration, 50 percent of
Arif Zaffar Mansuri anniversary of the liberation of the populace was relatively undisturbed
ArifMansuri@PLpublications.org the Auschwitz death camp in when, between 2017-19, children were
Poland. An eminent Surrey and Eng- snatched and separated from parents en-
Editor
Akhtar Mahmud Faruqui land Test cricketer tering the US from Mexico, juxtaposed
afaruqui@pakistanlink.com and dear friend sent with triumphal claims of the US being
me on the occasion the ‘greatest ever country in history.’
Editor Urdu Link & Bureau Chief a video link to the The Holocaust didn’t occur in hin-
(Pakistan) documentary “Night terland areas of Africa. It happened
Shabbir Ghori
urdulink@yahoo.com Will Fall,” shown on in the heart of Europe, with survivors
UK TV. still there to provide living testimony.
Resident Editor Urdu Link It starts with contemporaneous Underneath the façade of civiliza-
& Director Video Operations film footage shot in the spring of 1945 tion lurks the human beast, enabling
Anwar Khawaja
akhawaja@pakistanlink.com documenting horrific scenes of human 50 years after WWII, similar scenes were repeated in Bosnia and Kosovo. The humans to behave unlike human be-
carnage witnessed by liberating Brit- July 1995 genocide in the Bosnian Muslim town of Srebrenica of more than ings. Hatred that is unchecked can run
Manager Sales & Advertising ish troops of thousands of dead and 8,000 men and boys under the watch of Dutch UN troops, considered the amok at any time.
sales@pakistanlink.com dying inmates at Bergen-Belsen Nazi worst genocide in Europe after WWII, was one of the key catalysts radicaliz- The makers of “Night Will Fall”
concentration camp in northern Ger- ing Europe’s Muslims. The West failed the test of ‘never again.’ – USNews.com present “proof that it actually hap-
Regional Offices
many. Soviet photographers captured pened” and that there was no falsifying
YKKB the scene at other death camps includ- watch of Dutch UN troops, consid- brazenly defend and exonerate Burma. of atrocity reports. Many of those who
ykkb03@gmail.com ing Auschwitz. Indescribable horror. ered the worst genocide in Europe af- Looking at the big picture, mankind survived “did not resemble human be-
The original film was edited in 1946 ter WWII, was one of the key catalysts has continued its sordid tradition of ings” when camps were liberated. One
Sacramento, CA with famed moviemaker Alfred Hitch- radicalizing Europe’s Muslims. The turning a blind eye to human suffer- eyewitness said: “I peered into Hell.”
Sacramento@plpublications.com cock as one of the supervising direc- West failed the test of ‘never again.’ ing occurring under its watch when Another eyewitness depicted scenes

San Fransisco/Bay Area, CA tors. Footage was used as evidence at In 1994, the international commu- an intervention would have mattered. inside the death camp of Dachau near
Sanfrancisco@plpublications.com the Nuremberg trials, but the film was nity stood idly by when up to 800,000 And then retrospectively bemoaning it Munich as “most appalling Hell.” Out-
not released to the public. In 2014, the ethnic minority Tutsis were hacked to when it hardly matters to the countless side the nightmare, in the small town
New York, NY
Newyork@plpublications.com 1946 documentary became the basis death in 90 days by Hutus in Rwanda. who already have lost everything. The of Dachau, people led normal lives.
of “Night Will Fall,” directed by Andre More recent is the holocaust inflicted proclivity has been to remain bystand- They knew about it but did not care.
Houston, TX Singer, which in an epilogue warns that on Rohingya Muslims in Burma since ers, to give lip service, and take the risk- The unaffected often are indifferent
Houston@Plpublications.org
this could be repeated if lessons are not October 2016, which by 2018, had re- averse step of shedding crocodile tears. to the suffering of the ‘Other.’ Reverting
Phoenix, AZ heeded. Were they? sulted in 24,000 deaths, 18,000 rapes, A household where its members back to the core burning issue, which
Phoenix@Plpublications.org 50 years after WWII, similar scenes and over 700,000 refugees. Nobel Peace have disappeared, or been tortured, to date has destabilized the world for
were repeated in Bosnia and Kosovo. Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi didn’t raped, and slaughtered has experi- 75 years, one would be hard-pressed
Ontario, Canada
Ontario@Plpublications.org The July 1995 genocide in the Bosnian lift a finger to discourage it. Rather, she enced nothing short of a mini-ho- to find Western leaders who can freely
Muslim town of Srebrenica of more led a legal team to the International locaust. Kashmir is a classic case in and openly express empathy for the
Letters to the Editor than 8,000 men and boys under the Court of Justice in December 2019 to point. For 10 years, Indian Prime Min- embattled Palestinians. It will cost.
Readers are welcome to express their
opinion in these columns. Please keep
your letters brief and to the point. Let- n By Hasan Ali
ters without full name, complete ad- Why a Free Election ‘Seems above the law ... [and] what happened
dress, and a daytime phone number will on May 9 was not democracy but an at-
not be published. Also, copies of letters he people of Pakistan celebrat- tack on the state,” he says. “Does Amer-
sent to other newspapers are not en- ed 76 years of independence Almost Impossible’ in Pakistan
couraged. Letters can be mailed, faxed ica forgive the attack on Capitol Hill?”
or e-mailed to the Editor at the Pakistan Tfrom the British Raj Monday Observers point out that the reck-
Link Headquarters address listed below.
with fireworks and commemorative oning after the May 9 attacks has al-
Pakistan Link (ISSN 1074-0406) is pub- ceremonies. But amid the pomp and lowed the Pakistan army to reassert its
lished weekly for $85 a year by JAZ LLC, celebration, there was a palpable sense control over the country’s fragile de-
DBA PL Publications, LLC.
of unease about the country’s future. mocracy and that the civilian govern-
Periodical postage paid at Anaheim, CA After five years of instability, Paki- ment has ceded space to the military as
and additional mailing offices.
POST MASTER: Send address changes to stan’s fractious politics entered a new an act of self-preservation.
Pakistan Link, P O Box 1238, Anaheim, phase when the president dissolved But for veteran journalist Zebunni-
CA 92815 the National Assembly on the advice of sa Burki, the rolling back of democratic
The management has the right to re-
fuse to print any advertisement, news, outgoing Prime Minister Muhammad freedoms actually began in 2018, when
article, letter or any other material. In Shehbaz Sharif. the military establishment went out of
case of any errors in advertisement the The constitution stipulates that its way to bring Mr Khan to power.
management will not be liable for more
than the amount paid for the advertise- general elections must be held within “Nothing is in a vacuum. Every-
ment to the Link. 90 days of the dissolution, but it is dif- thing that is happening right now is
Advertisements in Pakistan Link are ficult to find anyone who believes that linked to what was happening back
placed in good faith. The newspaper is
not responsible nor endorses the con- will happen. Instead, it is expected that then,” she says. “I wouldn’t lose hope
tents of any advertisement. In case of a a long period of technocratic rule by a completely, but it’s very difficult to find
frivolous lawsuit, the plaintiff will bear
the total cost of the suit, including but caretaker government will give the mil- any because civilian space has been
not limited to the Link’s costs and the itary establishment time to decisively “And given that the military is so en- political arena will mean voters are de- ceded terribly.”
attorney’s fees. remove former Prime Minister Imran trenched – its footprint is everywhere prived of their freedom to choose. The election of Mr Khan in the sum-
Information for Khan from the political process. from business to politics to religion – it “How can you classify something as mer of 2018 was seen as the beginning
Subscribers Indeed, in its final month, the Na- seems almost impossible for Pakistan a transparent democracy when you’re of a kind of hybrid democracy, where
The printing of Pakistan Link is un- tional Assembly passed more than a to be free and truly independent.” dismantling the largest national-level (Continued on page 23)
failingly completed by Wednesday hundred bills without debate or op- In the aftermath of the May 9 riots party ... and the most popular leader in
every week and its copies are hand- Views and
ed over to the mailing house for position, including amendments that – when supporters of Mr Khan laid the country is in prison?” he asks. “For
prompt dispatch to the subscribers. have empowered both the military siege to military installations in a show Pakistan to become a free and demo- opinions ex-
The Link should reach its destination pressed by
on time if there is no delay at the and the Inter-Services Intelligence to of anger at his initial arrest this spring cratic country, what needs to happen authors and
post office. If a delay is occasioned it crush dissent and persecute civilians. – the Pakistan army cracked down on is free and fair elections. The people
is in no way attributable to the per- contributors
formance of Link’s management. In Meanwhile, Mr Khan was convicted of Mr Khan’s party, the Pakistan Tehreek- have to pick their leaders and the gov- in articles,
case of delayed receipt of Pakistan corruption and transferred to a high- e-Insaf (PTI). Thousands of activists ernment that comes in has to have the letters, opin-
Link or missing issues, please contact
your local Post Office and submit a security prison. were thrown behind bars, and virtually mandate of the masses.” ion pieces, reports, advertise-
“Publication Watch” form. Journalist and dissident Taha Sid- the entire top leadership was forced By contrast, members of the outgo- ments, etc appearing in Paki-
Tel: 714-400-3400 diqui, who is no fan of Mr Khan or his to defect. With Mr Khan barred from ing coalition government believe that stan Link and Urdu Link are
Fax: 714-400-3404 party, says these developments are evi- contesting elections for the next five the greater threat to Pakistani democ- their own. The paper neither
E-Mail: Editor@PakistanLink.com shares nor endorses them
dence that Pakistani democracy “exists years, prospects for a PTI comeback racy would be a failure to prosecute Mr
Pakistan Office on paper but not in practice.” are dim. Khan. That is the view of Ahsan Iqbal and thus should not be held
responsible for the views/
42 Rehman Court “Unless and until the military lets go For Sayed Zulfiqar Bukhari – who Chaudhary, a former planning min- opinions of the writers & ad-
Plaza Square, Off M. A. Jinnah Road of its hold over the country, it is diffi- served as a minister in the PTI govern- ister who served in the coalition gov-
Karachi-74400, Pakistan cult to see Pakistan being free,” he says. ment – Mr Khan’s absence from the ernment led by Mr Sharif. “No one is vertisers.
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