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The following is a selection of entries from daily reports over the past few weeks.
Pakistani Scholar: Dogs And Pigs Are Favorite Animals Of Jews
Prominent Islamic scholar Maulana Abdul Hakim Haqqani, who is based in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province, has said that the use of sniffer dogs to trace criminals is not sanctioned by the Shari’a. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Mashriq quoted Maulana Haqqani as saying that the use of sniffer dogs is haram, or forbidden in Islam.
According to the report, Haqqani, the Nazim-e-Ala of Darul Uloom Islami Jamhuria at Takht Bhai in the North West Frontier Province, said that Islam does not validate the witness of a single man in any dispute; so, how could a dog be the reason of a man’s insult.
Haqqani said that dogs and pigs are favorite animals of the Jews, according to the report. He also asked the Pakistani government to ban the use of sniffer dogs in the investigation of cases by police.
Source: Roznama Mashriq, Pakistan, May 3, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/7190.htm
Report: Taliban To Release Kidnapped Pakistani Ambassador
The Taliban are expected to free Pakistan’s ambassador to Afghanistan Tariq Azizuddin during the next few days, ending nearly 100 days of captivity. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Jang quoted unnamed sources as saying that the Pakistani Taliban will release Tariq Azizuddin as a gesture of goodwill and are expected to resume their talks with government officials soon.
Source: Roznama Jang, Pakistan, May 3, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/7191.htm
Minister In Pakistan’s Sindh Province Leads Press Freedom Day Rally
050508scribeprotests
Information Minister Shazia Mari in Pakistan’s Sindh province leads journalists to mark the international press freedom day in Karachi.
Source: Roznama Jang, Pakistan, May 4, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/7192.htm
Afghanistan Asks Pakistan To Prevent Use Of Its Soil By Militants
Afghanistan has urged Pakistan not to allow the use of its soil by militants to launch attacks across the border. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Khabrain quoted the Afghan Defense Ministry as expressing concern over the proposed deal between the Taliban and the Pakistani government.
According to the report, the Defense Ministry cited media reports in which the Pakistani Taliban have declared that despite their proposed deal with the Pakistani government, they will continue to launch terror attacks in Afghanistan. Afghanistan recently blamed Pakistani Taliban for the rocket attacks at a military parade in Kabul where President Hamid Karzai was present.
Source: Roznama Khabrain, Pakistan, May 4, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/7193.htm
Pakistani Taliban Ask Newspapers Not To Publish Indecent Images
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (Movement of Pakistani Taliban) has asked newspapers not to publish images that are indecent and un-Islamic. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Jasarat quoted Maulana Faqir Muhammad, the Vice President of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, as saying that publication of indecent images is not acceptable because Pakistan is an Islamic nation.
According to the report, the Taliban leader issued a two-week deadline for the newspapers to stop publishing un-Islamic images, saying boycott and other forms of unspecified action will be taken against them if they did not heed the warning. Faqir Muhammad also told local journalists that publishing such images was a plot to mislead the youth. The Taliban warning may make it difficult for Pakistani newspapers to publish images from the film and fashion industries, especially pictures of movie actresses and commercial ads.
Source: Roznama Jasarat (Pakistan), May 2, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/7140.htm
Taliban Suspend Negotiations With Pakistan Government
The Pakistani Taliban have suspended peace talks with the government of Pakistan, but the ceasefire in the violence-torn tribal districts will continue for now. According to a report in the Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Mashriq, the Taliban delegation has returned from the negotiations after the government did not accept a key demand for the withdrawal of Pakistani troops. According to the report, the Spokesman of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Maulvi Omar, said that after meeting with the delegation of elders, Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud ordered an immediate stop to the talks.
Source: Roznama Mashriq (Pakistan), April 29, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/7078.htm
Report: Red Mosque Cleric Likely To Be Released
A court in Islamabad has granted bail to the cleric of the capital's Red Mosque, Maulana Abdul Aziz, who was arrested while fleeing in a burqa during the standoff between his fighters and the Pakistani military last year. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Mashriq reported that a High Court bench headed by Chief Justice Sardar Aslam granted bail in four cases. According to the report, the radical cleric has now been granted bail in 19 of the 27 cases filed against him.
Maulana Aziz will appear before the court May 3 next for the hearing of his remaining bail applications, after which he is likely to be released. Last July, Maulana Aziz's brother Abdul Rashid Ghazi was killed during a military operation on the Red Mosque and the adjacent Jamia Hafsa madrassa in Islamabad.
Source: Roznama Mashriq (Pakistan), April 29, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/7077.htm
Jamaat-e-Islami Women Protest Against Anti-Islamic TV Programs
Women activists from Jamaat-e-Islami protested in front of the office of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority in Lahore, demanding that television channels be asked not to broadcast anti-Islamic programs that contain obscenity or are against Islamic norms.
Source: Roznama Express (Pakistan), April 29, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/7076.htm
Editorial: Jihadist Groups Are Coming Back In Karachi
In an April 27, 2008 editorial, the Lahore-based newspaper Daily Times wrote how jihadist groups active in Indian-administered Kashmir are regrouping in Karachi. The paper wrote: "...[J]ihadi organizations banished from Karachi... are making their comeback in the city. They are all outfits that make us lose sleep at night: Harkatul Mujahideen, Hizbul Mujahideen, Al Badr and Jaish-e Muhammad. The Harkat has moved from Islamabad, where its leader Fazlur Rehman Khaleel, once a close companion of Osama bin Laden, made his last appearance during the siege of Lal Masjid. Some of them are wanted by India for terrorism there and the others have victims inside Pakistan who should now run for cover...."
"The jihadi militias have moved in perhaps to tilt the balance [in the fight between religious organization Sunni Tehreek and political party MQM for control of Karachi], or perhaps to let off pressure from the government in the Tribal Areas where they are serving their global terrorist masters...."
Source: Daily Times (Pakistan), April 27, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/7075.htm
Pakistani Taliban Shoot, Kill Man In Tribal District Of Mohmand Agency
Pakistani Taliban shot a man dead in public for his alleged involvement in a case of kidnapping and murder in the tribal district of Mohmand Agency.
Source: Roznama Khabrain (Pakistan), April 28, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/7049.htm
Pakistani Taliban Demand Release Of 250 Fighters
The Pakistani Taliban have asked the Pakistani government to release 250 of their leaders from detention, in exchange for freeing 80 to 100 government officials who were kidnapped in Pakistan's tribal districts. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Mashriq quoted Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Maulvi Omar as saying that demands for freeing prisoners from both sides were discussed during their talks on establishing peace in the border region. According to the report, the Taliban spokesman said that as part of the peace agreement being worked out, Pakistani Taliban are not barred from carrying out attacks on NATO and U.S. troops in Afghanistan. He said that the recent release of Islamist leader Maulana Sufi Muhammad from prison was part of a deal with the government.
Source: Roznama Mashriq (Pakistan), April 28, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/7048.htm
Indian Cleric Addresses Anti-Terrorism Conference
The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Inquilab quoted Maulana Mehmood Madani, secretary of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, as saying at an anti-terrorism conference in the Indian city of Ahmedabad that no true Muslim can turn to terrorism, and that if he or she does so, they are not one of us. He also accused government agencies of harassing ordinary Muslims in the name of anti-terror crackdown.
Source: Roznama Inquilab (India), April 28, 2008; Roznama Express (Pakistan), April 28, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/7047.htm
Iranian President To Visit Pakistan On April 28
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will visit Pakistan on April 28. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Jasarat quoted a Foreign Office Spokesman in Islamabad as saying that during the short visit the issue of the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline plan will come up for discussion.
Source: Roznama Jasarat (Pakistan), April 25, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/7014.htm
Pakistan To Deport Foreign Ulema Active In Tribal Districts
The government of Pakistan has said it is planning to deport foreign ulema who are active in the federally administered tribal districts. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Mashriq quoted Rahman A. Malik, interior affairs adviser to the prime minister, as saying that the government has not prepared a list of preachers to be expelled from Pakistan but that foreign ulema active in the tribal areas will be deported.
According to the report, Malik said that the government welcomes efforts by Baitullah Mehsud, the Taliban commander in the tribal area of Waziristan, to establish peace in the region. A court has declared Mehsud a fugitive in the case involving the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Malik said that Mehsud has repeatedly denied involvement in Bhutto's killing.
Source: Roznama Mashriq (Pakistan), April 25, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/7013.htm
Imran Khan: President Musharraf Should Be Hanged For Red Mosque Operation
Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician and Tehreek-e-Insaf party president Imran Khan has said that President Pervez Musharraf should be hanged for ordering the military operation in the Islamabad-based Red Mosque last year. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Jang quoted Imran Khan as saying: "On the issue of the Red Mosque [operation], President Musharraf should be hanged [because he] committed extreme atrocities on girls and children in order to endear [himself to] the United States."
Source: Roznama Jang (Pakistan), April 22, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6984.htm
Pakistan-Based Militant: Jihad In Kashmir Cannot Be Postponed Even For A Second
The chairman of the Pakistan-based network of militant groups Muttahida Jihad Council, Syed Salahuddin, has said that jihad in Indian-administered Kashmir cannot be postponed even for a second. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Jasarat quoted Salahuddin as saying: "Jihad has become compulsory for everyone. The ongoing jihad in [Indian-administered] Kashmir cannot be postponed even for a second."
According to the report, the militant leader said: "The peace process [between India and Pakistan] cannot be allowed to happen on the blood of Kashmir's martyrs. The war will continue until Kashmir is liberated [from India]." He also asked Pakistan "to talk to India in the language of power/force." In the image above, Syed Salahuddin addresses a meeting in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where he made the statement. The meeting was billed as the Azm-e-Jihad Conference (Pledge for Jihad Conference).
Source: Roznama Jasarat (Pakistan), April 22, 2008; Roznama Express (Pakistan), April 22, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6972.htm
Rebels Claim Killing Of Baluchistan University Pro-Vice Chancellor
A Baluch nationalist group has claimed responsibility for the killing of Baluchistan University Pro-Vice Chancellor Safdar Kiyani. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Express reported that gunmen on motorcycles shot and killed Kiyani near his home in the Pakistani city of Quetta. According to the report, Kiyani belonged to the province of Punjab – a bone of contention for Baluch nationalists who are fighting for independence from Pakistan and who resent recruitment of people from outside the Baluchistan province. The paper added that the banned rebel group Baluchistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the killing.
Source: Roznama Express (Pakistan), April 23, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6971.htm
Pakistan Releases Militant Islamist Leader Sufi Muhammad
The founder and head of Tehreek Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (Movement for the Implementation of the Shari'a of the Prophet Muhammad), Sufi Muhammad, has been released from detention in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province. He was arrested on his return from Afghanistan after 9/11, where he fought alongside the Taliban against the U.S.-led forces.
According to a report in the Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Jang, Sufi Muhammad's release "release is being described as part of efforts to establish peace in the Swat Valley." Militants loyal to his son-in-law Maulana Fazlullah, who has been leading the outlawed Tehreek Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi in his absence, captured the Swat district of the North West Frontier Province during July-November, 2007.
Meanwhile, according to a report in the Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Jasarat, Maulana Fazlullah announced on his pirate FM radio station that his talks with the government to establish peace in the region have failed. Sufi Muhammad was released following a "deal" with the government in the North West Frontier Province.
Source: Roznama Jang (Pakistan), April 22, 2008; Roznama Jasarat (Pakistan), April 22, 2008; Roznama Express (Pakistan), April 22, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6964.htm
Former Pakistani Lawmaker: Religious Groups Should Unite For Islamic Revolution
Former Pakistani MP and current president of Jamiat Ittehad Ulema-e-Pakistan (The Organization for the Unity of Ulema in Pakistan) Maulana Abdul Malik has said that "coordinated efforts should be made for an Islamic revolution, and for it [to be achieved in Pakistan], unity of religious circles is essential."
The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Jasarat quoted Malik as saying that the religious circles should forge unity on this "one-point agenda" of Islamic revolution. The former lawmaker was addressing a meeting of Ulema at the headquarters of Tanzim-e-Islami in the city of Lahore. The Tanzim-e-Islami campaigns for establishing an Islamic caliphate. According to the report, Malik said: "Top priority should be given to preparing the essential requirements for the implementation of the Islamic caliphate." He added that the essential requirements for ushering in an Islamic revolution were the elimination of irreligious elements and the forces of international imperialism. He also said that only religious groups were capable of eliminating irreligious elements from society.
Source: Roznama Jasarat (Pakistan), April 21, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6963.htm
Indonesian Groups Protest Against Ahmadi Muslims
A group of Indonesian Muslims stage a protest in front of the Presidential House in Jakarta. The protesters demanded a ban on Ahmadi Muslims, who are accused of not adhering to the belief that Prophet Muhammad is the Last Prophet.
(For more on Ahmadi Muslims, see MEMRI Inquiry and Analysis Series - No. 431, International Islamic Conference in Pakistan Calls on Authorities to Confront Ahmadi Muslims April 10, 2008)
Source: Roznama Express (Pakistan), April 21, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6942.htm
Jamaat-e-Islami Chief: Pakistan Will Lose If U.S. Not Stopped
The Emir of religious party Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, Qazi Hussein Ahmed, has said that Pakistan's nuclear program, madrassas, mosques, and culture are on the U.S.'s target. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Khabrain quoted Qazi Hussein Ahmad as saying: "There will be irreparable damage to Pakistan, if the United States is not stopped [from interfering in Pakistan]."
Source: Roznama Khabrain (Pakistan), April 21, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6943.htm
Former Pakistani President: The U.S. Is World's Greatest Satan
Former Pakistani President Muhammad Rafiq Tarar has described the United States as "the world's greatest Satan." The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Express reported that Rafiq Tarar made the statement during an address to a conference in the honor of Prophet Muhammad. According to the report, the former President said: "The United States is the world's greatest Satan and is playing its satanic game across the world. And unfortunately, its trusted advisor [meaning President Musharraf] has been thrust on Pakistan and is extending its policies." Rafiq Tarar also urged the Organization of Islamic Conference to terminate its relations with all countries where cartoons of Islam's Prophet Muhammad were published.
Source: Roznama Express (Pakistan), April 21, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6941.htm
Militant Tribal Leader: "We Are Out To Spread Islam In The Entire World"
The Chief of militant Islamic tribal group Lashkar-e-Islam Mangal Bagh has said that the group's activities are not limited to Pakistan's tribal district of Khyber Agency. The Urdu-language Roznama Khabrain quoted him as saying: "Allah revealed the Koran, which was not sent for any one particular region of the world...We are out to spread Islam throughout the world." In the ongoing fighting between Lashkar-e-Islam and rival tribal groups in the tribal district of Khyber Agency, where dozens of people have been killed in recent days. In the image above, people are fleeing the conflict-affected regions of Khyber Agency. (Photo courtesy: Roznama Jang (Pakistan), April 18, 2008)
Source: Roznama Khabrain (Pakistan), April 18, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6921.htm
Pakistani Taliban Hold Jihad Conference, Issue 6-Point Shari'a Implementation Program
The Pakistani Taliban has successfully held a two-day jihad conference at the shrine of 20th-Century local Islamic preacher Haji Sahib Turangzai in Pakistan's tribal district of Mohmand Agency. According to the Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Mashriq, the local Emir of the Movement of Pakistani Taliban Umer Khalid issued a 6-point program for the implementation of shari'a in Mohmand Agency.
The conference was billed as the "Ghazi Islam Conference," named after Haji Sahib Turangzai who is known as Ghazi Islam in the region due to his role in the fight against British rule in the early 20th Century. The phrase "Ghazi Islam" means a fighter in an Islamic war. The conference was held at the shrine of Haji Sahib Turangzai at Lakro Ghaziabad in Mohmand Agency.
According to the report, the six-point program announced by the Taliban is as follows:
1: Women will wear a veil and will not leave their homes without covering themselves
2: End all business transaction based on interest/usury; return all money obtained in this manner
3: Locals who left due to fear of Taliban are forgiven and should return home
4: Taliban coming from other areas will report to the local commander in Mohmand Agency
5: A committee of ulema has been formed to issue fatwas as per shari'a
6: A complaints committee has been formed to hear grievances against the Taliban
Source: Roznama Mashriq (Pakistan), April 17, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6901.htm
U.K. To Invite "Moderate Pakistani Ulema" To Counter Extremism
The United Kingdom has decided to invite Pakistani ulema to help counter the problem of increasing extremist influence among British Muslims. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Jasarat reported that the U.K. is finalizing an agreement with the Pakistani government to allow moderate ulema from Pakistan to engage with British Muslims with the aim of reducing the influence of extremists.
Source: Roznama Jasarat (Pakistan), April 15, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6868.htm
China Offers Pakistan Four Atomic Power Plants
China has offered to give Pakistan at least four atomic power plants. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Khabrain reported that the Chinese offer came during the ongoing visit of President Pervez Musharraf to China. According to the report, Musharraf had indicated to the Chinese leaders about Pakistan's energy need for 1300MW. China and Pakistan have an existing cooperation program in the field of nuclear energy.
Source: Roznama Khabrain (Pakistan), April 15, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6867.htm
Taliban To Hold Jihad Conference In Pakistan's Tribal District Of Mohmand Agency
The Movement of Pakistani Taliban has announced its plan to hold a conference of ulema on Jihad at the shrine of local preacher Haji Sahib Turangzai in Pakistan's tribal district of Mohmand Agency. Haji Turangzai was an Islamic preacher who also fought against the British in the early 20th century.
According to the report, since Haji Sahib Turangzai was known as "Ghazi Islam," the two-day meet has been christened as "Ghazi Islam Conference." Haji Sahib Turangzai's shrine is in the Ghaziabad area of Mohmand Agency. No date was given for the conference. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Mashriq reported that the conference will be on the subject of jihad, in which ulema will discuss Haji Sahib Turangzai's contribution to Islam. According to the report, the meeting will be of a spiritual and jihadi nature, during which the ground realities of jihad will also be highlighted.
Source: Roznama Mashriq (Pakistan), April 15, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6849.htm
Musharraf: The West Must Not Thrust Its Philosophy Of Democracy On China
Gen. (Ret.) President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan has asked the West not to shove its philosophy of human rights and democracy on China. According to a report in the Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Khabrain, Musharraf made the statement during an address to the Beijing University. He was referring to the anti-China protests during the Olympic torch relays in Western cities.
According to the report, President Musharraf opposed Western criticism of China's record on human rights and democracy, saying: "It was wrong for Europe and the Western media to impose its norms of human rights and democracy on other countries." Musharraf also condemned all attempts to give political color to the Beijing Olympics, and added that Pakistan will ensure a smooth relay of the Olympic torch through Islamabad on April 16. He said the region of Tibet was an integral part of China, and Pakistan condemns all elements advocating Tibet's secessionism from China.
Source: Roznama Khabrain (Pakistan), April 15, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6848.htm
Speaker Of Pakistani Parliament: End International Injustices To Stop Terrorism
Pakistan's first woman parliamentary Speaker Dr. Fahmida Mirza has said that the international injustices must be ended in order to resolve the problem of terrorism. According to the Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Ausaf, Mirza made the statement during an address to a meeting of women parliamentary speakers from around the world held in Cape Town, South Africa.
According to the report, Mirza said the grievances against the continuing international injustices and controversies in the Muslim world were taking the shape of violent extremism. In Pakistan and elsewhere, the reference to "international injustices in the Muslim world" is understood to mean the West's involvement (or the lack of it) in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kashmir. [Dr. Fahmida Mirza is the Speaker of the National Assembly, the lower house of Pakistani parliament. The role of a Speaker is to conduct the business of the house and ensure its smooth functioning.]
Source: Roznama Ausaf (Pakistan), April 15, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6846.htm
Pakistani Government Plans New Nuclear Power Plant
Pakistan's Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, now on a visit to the United States, has said that the government is considering a proposal for a new nuclear power plant. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Jang quoted Ishaq Dar as saying that the government will soon announce a new energy policy aimed at strengthening the Pakistani economy. According to the report, the Pakistani Finance Minister made the announcement during an address to the members of the Pakistani community at a function at the Pakistani embassy in Washington D.C.
Source: Roznama Jang (Pakistan), April 14, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6809.htm
Activists Demand Release Of Nuclear Scientist Dr. Qadeer Khan
Activists of cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan's Tehreek-e-Insaf party hold placards demanding the release of Pakistani nuclear scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, who is in detention after he admitted his role in international nuclear proliferation.
The government of Pakistan recently relaxed restrictions on Khan's movements, allowing him to meet a limited number of friends. However, the restrictions were reimposed after Khan gave interviews to the media. Dr. Qadeer Khan is considered a national hero due to his role in Pakistan's nuclear bomb.
Source: Roznama Express (Pakistan), April 14, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6808.htm
Pakistani Police Recover Rockets From Karachi University Campus
Pakistani police display rockets recovered from the campus of Karachi University. Hundreds of people have died recently during fighting between different groups for the control of Karachi, Pakistan's biggest commercial city.
Source: Roznama Express (Pakistan), April 11, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6772.htm
Pakistani Government Plans To Establish Regulatory Authority For Madrassas
The government of Pakistan plans to set up a federal regulatory authority to regulate the functioning of madrassas in the country. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Khabrain quoted the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rahman as saying that the regulatory authority will streamline functioning of the religious seminaries.
The madrassas in Pakistan have attracted international spotlight in recent years for radicalizing Pakistani youths by promoting fundamentalism and extremism. Pakistani madrassas, with free lodging and food for students, are also the only affordable places of education for a large number of children from poor families.
Source: Roznama Khabrain (Pakistan), April 9, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6771.htm
Taliban Commanders Take Control Of Several Towns In Pakistan's Swat District
The Taliban have regained control of several areas in the Swat district of Pakistan's North West Frontier Province and their armed units are patrolling the region. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Mashriq reported that the Taliban have regained the control of the Imam Dheri Markaz, once the stronghold of their leader Maulana Fazlullah.
According to the report, the Taliban commanders appeared Wednesday at the Imam Dheri Markaz, cleaned the mosque and offered evening prayer. The Taliban leaders also announced they will offer weekly Friday prayers on April 11. According to the report, the key commanders loyal to the militia leader Maulana Fazlullah are meeting tribal elders in the region. A spokesman for Maulana Fazlullah told Roznama Mashriq: "Our demand is the implementation of shari'a and we will stand by it." The Taliban had taken control of most of the Swat district in the North West Frontier Province last year before being repulsed by the Pakistani army. The new secular government in the province has said it will start a process of dialogue with the Taliban in order to eliminate extremism in the region.
Source: Roznama Mashriq (Pakistan), April 10, 2008
See Also "Pakistan Army Takes Maulana Fazlullah Headquarters At Imam Dheri, In Pakistan's Swat Valley" from December 6, 2007 http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/3962.htm.
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6753.htm
Indian Muslim Group Demands Expulsion Of Israel From International Community
A network of Muslim organizations and institutions in India has demanded that Israel be expelled from the international community "for committing Nazi-like crimes against Palestinians." According to the Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Inquilab, the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat said in a press statement that Israel is committing "far more grave crimes against Palestinians than the ones which are linked to the Nazis."
The All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat is a network of Islamic organizations and institutions in India, broadly representing fundamentalist and orthodox groups. The expression "international community" presumably refers the United Nations.
Source: Roznama Inquilab (India), April 10, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6752.htm
Religious Leader: A Terrorist Can Never Be a Muslim
Pakistani religious leader Mufti Ansar-ul-Qadri has told a religious congregation in the United Kingdom that a terrorist cannot be a Muslim. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Ausaf quoted Qadri as saying that Islam is a religion of peace that promotes moderation and friendship.
According to the report, Qadri said: "A terrorist can never be a Muslim. Islam teaches us that whoever killed one human being, has killed all of humanity; and one who saved one life, has saved all of humanity." The Pakistani religious leader was addressing a meet organized in the town of Keithley, West Yorkshire, U.K.
Source: Roznama Ausaf (London), April 8, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6751.htm
Gas Leak At Pakistan's Khushab Nuclear Plant Kills Two People
A poisonous gas leak at a nuclear plant of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission has killed two people. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Nawa-i-Waqt reported that dozens of people became unconscious due to the gas leak at the Khushab nuclear plant in the province of Punjab.
According to the report, employees and inhabitants of the residential colony at the nuclear site had to be moved away immediately. Several people were hospitalized. The officials of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission have declined to either confirm or deny the incident, but their telephones were off the hook whenever scribes attempted to contact them.
Source: Roznama Nawa-i-Waqt (Pakistan), April 9, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6719.htm
Pakistani Envoy: Need To Normalize Relations Between Atomic Powers Of Pakistan, India And Israel
Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Munir Akram has said there is a need to normalize relations between the "atomic powers of Pakistan, India and Israel." The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Nawa-i-Waqt reported that Akram was making the statement during his address to a meeting of the U.N. Disarmament Commission.
According to the report, the Pakistani envoy said that the importance of normalizing relations between the "three atomic powers of Pakistan, Israel and India, [which are] outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty" should not be lost on diplomats. He underlined the need for a new consensus in the disarmament movement.
Source: Roznama Nawa-i-Waqt (Pakistan), April 9, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6718.htm
Cartoon In Pakistani Newspaper Blames Indian Intelligence For Terror Attacks
Top right text: "Let's go to Pakistan"
Middle text: "RAW [Indian intelligence agency], terrorists, RAW agents"
Text across: "Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif proposes to end visa requirements for Indians"
Source: Roznama Jasarat (Pakistan), April 8, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6693.htm
"Islam Teaches Human Rights And Democracy, Other Systems Have Proved to Be False"
The Deputy Secretary-General of Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan Maulana Tariq Mehboob has said that Islam teaches human rights and democracy, whereas other social systems and religions have proved to be false. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Jang quoted Maulana Mehboob as saying that the West and imperial forces are scared of the Muslims' love of the Prophet Muhammad.
According to the report, Maulana Mehboob said that under a premeditated plan, a clash of civilizations is being created by fomenting the religious sentiments of Muslims. He said that the challenge of Islam's enemies can be met only by following the system advocated by the Koran and the sunna [the deeds and sayings of Islam's Prophet Muhammad].
Source: Roznama Jang (Pakistan), April 7, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6691.htm
"Tensions Between Different Faiths Are Dangerous To Cultural Peace"
A delegation of leaders from different religious communities in Pakistan has met the Governor of the North West Frontier Province Owais Ahmed Ghani. The Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Mashriq quoted Governor Owais Ghani as saying during the meeting that conflicts between different faiths are dangerous to cultural peace in Pakistan.
Pakistan's North West Frontier Province has come under international scrutiny in recent years due to increasing Talibanization in the region. According to the report, the 11-member delegation included representatives from Hindu, Sikh, and Christian communities, as well as prominent Shia scholar Allama Syed Fakhrul Hasan Kararvi. It was led by former provincial minister Qari Ruhullah Madni.
According to the report, the delegation members informed the governor that four years ago they formed the Alami Majlis-e-Adyan [International Council of Faiths] with the objective to prevent clashes between the followers of different faiths and sects in Pakistan. The organization has organized a series of meetings and conferences at local and provincial levels in Pakistan in order to promote harmony between religious groups.
According to the report, Governor Owais Ghani stressed the need for promoting inter-religious harmony and moderation among people. The governor said there was a need to establish organizations like Alami Majlis-e-Adyan in order to promote harmony in Pakistan.
Source: Roznama Mashriq (Pakistan), April 7, 2008
http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/6666.htm
