Page 4 - Pakistan Link -June 7, 2024

P4 - PAKISTAN LINK - JUNE 7, 2024 OPINION
Pakistan Link A Champion of Pakistan’s Minorities Muslim representation at the cabinet
level is limited to symbolic appoint-
ments, while Shias face smear cam-
paigns from Sunni Muslims
Advisory Board n By Dr Akbar Ahmed
Dr Sohail Masood that declare them non-Muslims.
American University And the Ahmadis -- who were some of
President Washington, DC Jinnah’s most ardent supporters in his
Arif Zaffar Mansuri quest for a Muslim homeland on the
ArifMansuri@PLpublications.org n Easter Sunday, a Taliban Subcontinent -- are completely unrep-
suicide bomber detonated resented; they live as virtual outcasts
Editor
Akhtar Mahmud Faruqui Oten kilograms of explosives within modern Pakistan.”
afaruqui@pakistanlink.com and metal ball bearings in a park full There is one looming villain in Far-
of Pakistani Chris- ahnaz’s book and that is the military
Editor Urdu Link & Bureau Chief tian families in La- dictator General Zia-ul-Haq who in
(Pakistan) hore, killing 73. The her words “forced Islamization” and
Shabbir Ghori
urdulink@yahoo.com bomber had chosen “his bigoted worldview” onto her be-
a spot between two loved Pakistan. He had seized power
Resident Editor Urdu Link children’s rides. 29 of from the popular elected Prime Min-
& Director Video Operations those killed were chil- ister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and imposed
Anwar Khawaja
akhawaja@pakistanlink.com dren, the youngest only two years old. Dr Ruth Pfau, a Christian missionary doctor battling leprosy, was held in such a strict martial law. It was his period
It is with this heartbreaking story high esteem that upon her death, the President, along with the Commanders- in which madrassas proliferated and
Manager Sales & Advertising that Farahnaz Ispahani introduces her in-Chief of the armed forces, attended her funeral. Another Christian Pakistani, Blasphemy Laws and Sharia Courts
sales@pakistanlink.com book, Purifying the Land of the Pure: A Dr James Shera, the first Asian Mayor of Rugby, England, and himself widely were instituted. Pakistan, according to
History of Pakistan’s Religious Minori- loved among the Pakistani community, shared his passion for Pakistan in a Farahnaz, lurched towards extremism.
Regional Offices
ties.The grim figures continue. After moving obituary to Pfau, calling her ‘Pakistan’s Mother Teresa.’ “As I watched on In telling us that when Pakistan was
YKKB the Lahore attack we are reminded that television, as the state-run and private television networks of Pakistan broad- first founded, 23 percent of the popula-
ykkb03@gmail.com the previous year twin suicide bomb- cast live footage of her funeral, this sight of an exceptional measure for a foreign tion came from non-Muslim minority
ings in churches in Lahore killed at Christian in this Muslim country overwhelmed my heart and soul.” religious groups and now only three
Sacramento, CA least 15 people and sparked Christian percent of the population is non-Mus
Sacramento@plpublications.com outrage and protests across the city. spects, the citizens of Pakistan without to Pakistan’s first cabinet. Now, non- (Continued on page 23)

San Fransisco/Bay Area, CA Again and again, guiding us any distinction of caste or creed.”
Sanfrancisco@plpublications.com through the harrowing journey of Here it should be noted that Jin-
Pakistan’s minorities, Farahnaz takes nah himself argued, as Farahnaz states,
New York, NY
Newyork@plpublications.com us back to the example of the Quaid-i- “[Pakistan] was not intended to be an
Azam, Mr Jinnah, the towering father Islamic state nor was Partition aimed at
Houston, TX of the nation. She quotes in full Jinnah’s creating permanent hostility between
Houston@Plpublications.org
historic first address to the Constituent Hindus and Muslims.” As early as 1947,
Phoenix, AZ Assembly in August 1947 with this de- Muslim leaders like Nawab Chhatari
Phoenix@Plpublications.org fining sentence in it: “You may belong from the UP in India, had warned Pak-
to any religion or caste or creed -- that istan’s first prime minister, Liaquat Ali
Ontario, Canada
Ontario@Plpublications.org has nothing to do with the business of Khan, that if Pakistan moved toward a
the State.” theocratic state, then Muslims like him
Letters to the Editor She quotes Jinnah’s earlier speeches in India would face a Hindu India and
Readers are welcome to express their promising religious freedom with sen- Ram Raj.
opinion in these columns. Please keep tences like, “Minorities, to whichever Farahnaz mournfully explains, “Jin-
your letters brief and to the point. Let-
ters without full name, complete ad- community they may belong, will be nah -- himself a Shia -- nominated a
dress, and a daytime phone number will safeguarded. …They will be, in all re- Hindu, several Shias, and an Ahmadi Dr Ruth Pfau
not be published. Also, copies of letters
sent to other newspapers are not en-
couraged. Letters can be mailed, faxed
or e-mailed to the Editor at the Pakistan Are there no open-minded, just,
Link Headquarters address listed below. How Do Muslims Interact with Non-Muslims? and unprejudiced in the American
Pakistan Link (ISSN 1074-0406) is pub- political establishment today? I am
lished weekly for $85 a year by JAZ LLC, sure there are many nondiscrimina-
DBA PL Publications, LLC. n By Dr Abdullah Al Ahsan
Chicago, IL tory non-Muslims who, like Muslims,
Periodical postage paid at Anaheim, CA would like to have an accountable,
and additional mailing offices.
POST MASTER: Send address changes to democratic, uncorrupted, and trust-
Pakistan Link, P O Box 1238, Anaheim, eeping in view that Muslims worthy government.
CA 92815 are a tiny minority in the If I have understood the spirit of
The management has the right to re-
fuse to print any advertisement, news, KUnited States, let me begin Qur’anic guidance, I must suggest that
article, letter or any other material. In addressing this sensitive issue by cit- Muslims should look for such charac-
case of any errors in advertisement the ing my personal experience. I was ters and cooperate with them to estab-
management will not be liable for more
than the amount paid for the advertise- born in former East Pakistan, which lish an accountable, democratic, and
ment to the Link. is now Bangladesh, where the current trustworthy government.
Advertisements in Pakistan Link are ruling party has always used about (Professor Abdullah al-Ahsan, a
placed in good faith. The newspaper is
not responsible nor endorses the con- eleven or twelve percent Hindu com- graduate of the University of Michi-
tents of any advertisement. In case of a munity as an election card. gan, has dedicated nearly three and
frivolous lawsuit, the plaintiff will bear
the total cost of the suit, including but In Pakistan, a little over one percent a half decades to teaching history,
not limited to the Link’s costs and the of Christians receive treatment as infe- comparative civilization, and inter-
attorney’s fees. rior folks, frequently using and abus- When we apply this to our situation in the United States, we find that Muslims national relations in Pakistan, Malay-
Information for ing a British decree known as the blas- constitute only one or two percent of the total population and in terms of the sia, and Turkey. Currently residing in
Subscribers phemy law against them. In Malaysia, prophetic period, this situation is very similar to his Makkan period where Chicago, he continues to contribute
The printing of Pakistan Link is un- where I have spent most of my work- believers constituted a similar percentage of the total population – Muslim.Sg his expertise in academia.)
failingly completed by Wednesday ing life, Muslims currently constitute
every week and its copies are hand- Views and
ed over to the mailing house for about sixty percent of the total popula- of the total population and in terms During the early years of his mis-
prompt dispatch to the subscribers. tion; they secured a special (son of the of the prophetic period, this situation sion, the Prophet received active sup- opinions ex-
The Link should reach its destination pressed by
on time if there is no delay at the soil) status because they had lost their is very similar to his Makkan period port from his uncle Abu Talib who nev- authors and
post office. If a delay is occasioned it rights during British colonial rule. where believers constituted a similar er publicly accepted Islam, although
is in no way attributable to the per- contributors
formance of Link’s management. In However, even after more than half percentage of the total population. the Prophet passionately desired so. in articles,
case of delayed receipt of Pakistan a century since independence, they in- How did the prophet interact with Why did Allah subhan wa ta’ala not letters, opin-
Link or missing issues, please contact
your local Post Office and submit a sist on retaining most of the privileges the mainstream community? Although accept the Prophet’s desire for his dear ion pieces, reports, advertise-
“Publication Watch” form. that they had received under the colo- the Prophet ﷺ was respected as al- uncle to die as a Muslim? ments, etc appearing in Paki-
Tel: 714-400-3400 nial administration. Many of us fail to Amin or trustworthy by the commu- What is the wisdom behind this? In stan Link and Urdu Link are
Fax: 714-400-3404 understand that the Qur’an is a book nity at large, the establishment reacted my humble understanding, this should their own. The paper neither
E-Mail: Editor@PakistanLink.com shares nor endorses them
of guidance applicable irrespective of violently to suppress his message. lead us to reflect on how we interact with
Pakistan Office time and space. This situation is very similar to ours non-Muslims. Are there Abu Talib-type and thus should not be held
responsible for the views/
42 Rehman Court When we apply this to our situation in America today. What do we do to characters in America today? We must opinions of the writers & ad-
Plaza Square, Off M. A. Jinnah Road in the United States, we find that Mus- learn from the Prophet’s example in note here that Abu Talib was closely re-
Karachi-74400, Pakistan lims constitute only one or two percent this context? lated to the Makkan establishment. vertisers.
www.Pakistanlink.com