STRUGGLES IN THE MAKING OF A STATE: AZERBAIJAN

By Sabah Aslam

The early part of 20th century witnessed the collapse of the Russian Empire. This big fall of Russian Revolution 1917 led to chaos and unrest in all parts of the state including Azerbaijan. Hence under the slogan of ‘struggle against the counter-revolutionaries’ in March 1918, the Baku Commune of Armenians and Bolsheviks decided to completely eliminate the ethnical Azerbaijanis. Thus, the Armenians acted atrociously and killed thousands of innocent Muslims. That throbbing history is imprinted on the memory of the Azerbaijanis forever and it has left indelible marks on the history pages to give Azerbaijan a real boost to rise against all the odds and prove its substance, subsequently, it is beaming today with multidimensional colors of success and glory amongst the comity of nations. It was an opportunity availed in time and today that all Azerbaijanis hold the flag of grace for the generations to come and follow the footprints of this venerable legacy.  

Coming back to the history, the only option for Azerbaijanis to stop that violence against them was to establish their own very State. So, the Muslim National Council held its opening sitting in Tiflis (presently Tbilisi, Georgia) on May 28, 1918, and adopted the Declaration on Independence.  And subsequently the establishment of an independent Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) in south and southeast Transcaucasia was announced. The 1918 declaration became the first Constitutional Act in the history of Azerbaijan and affirmed Azerbaijani statehood in the form a Democratic Republic. On June 16, the National Council and the cabinet of the ADR got relocated to Ganja – the second biggest city of Azerbaijan. The primary goal of the government was to liberate Baku and the other cities of Azerbaijan, which were under occupation of Armenians and Bolsheviks after the March 1918 genocide.

The mission was carried out by the newly established Caucasus Army of Islam - united Azerbaijani and Turkish forces. Afterwards, twenty thousand Baku Soviet troops launched an all-out attack on Ganja. The Islamic Army entered a fierce battle with them. The Soviets were defeated and the Islamic Army advanced toward Baku and got it liberated on September 15, 1918. Over a thousand of Muslim officers and soldiers laid down their lives in the Baku battle. The losses of the enemy were huge. 

The capital of ADR shifted from Ganja to Baku and on November 16, 1918, the Azerbaijan National Council resumed its function. On December 7, 1918, the first session of Azerbaijani parliament took place. That was the first parliament formed on the utmost democratic principles of that time in the entire Muslim East. Not only a true form of multi-party republican government was created, but also extended the suffrage (right to vote) to all persons, irrespective of ethnicity, religion or gender.  ADR was the first country in the entire Muslim world to give voting rights to women, even ahead of such advanced western democracies like the United States and the United Kingdom. It also guaranteed freedom of expression, assembly and religion, among many other liberties to the citizens of Azerbaijan. 

The Supreme Council of the Paris Peace Conference on January 11, 1920 unanimously resolved to recognize de facto independence of Azerbaijan. Despite the lack of any previous experience in statecraft, the leadership of the ADR managed to form a well-operated state machine, establishing relations with more than twenty countries of the world, including Turkey, UK, USA, Italy, France Belgium, Holland, Greece, Denmark, etc. The Government adopted a national flag with white crescent and eight-pointed star with a three-stripe background. On June 26, the Government enacted the establishment of Azerbaijan Armed Forces. The process of army build up was completed by January 30 to include 30,000 of infantry and 10,000 of cavalry troops.

Functioning economy and independent financial system started to evolve. Educational reforms began, the Baku State University was founded; roughly half of the schools switched to use Azerbaijani language, which became a compulsory subject; hundreds of young students received scholarships to study in leading European universities. Preparations for constitution, development of comprehensive doctrine of national state building, and the criminal code with guarantees of universal rights and freedoms were under way. Bilateral formal relations were established with a number of foreign states and independent foreign policy reflecting the national interests of Azerbaijan was formulated and pursued. The Government established an extraordinary investigation commission to scrutinize the acts of genocide of Azerbaijanis by Armenians, adopted the official state symbols and regulation on Azerbaijani citizenship. The separation of legislative, executive and judicial powers was also confirmed. The establishment of Chamber of Appeals and Intelligence department became the vital pillar of the state-building process. The Baku-Batum oil pipeline was restored in 1919; the government issued a decree on free trade and gave a rebirth to the merchant fleet. The Caspian fleet of Azerbaijan was established in summer of 1919 as well.

The ADR fell under the military attack of Soviet Russia on 28 April, 1920. The resistance movement of Azerbaijani people was squashed. All government institutions of Azerbaijan were abolished. The independence of Azerbaijan was restored only after 71 years. The tri-colored flag with a white crescent and eight-pointed star of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic rose again.

Today, Azerbaijan is witnessing a rapid and dynamic development that is comparable with developed countries of the world. Rich of hydrocarbon reserves, the country exports them to Europe consequently taking part in ensuring of its energy security.  Having taken advantage of its geographical  location,  Azerbaijan became not only a main  point  for transportation of  crude and gas to Turkey and Europe  via diverse pipe-line net, but a transport corridor linking East with West as well.  A country with nine and a half million population has become a leading power in Transcaucasia and a main regional investor, financing multi-billion projects in different countries of the world. The economic growth of Azerbaijan goes accompanied by enormous construction boom, development of the industry, infrastructure, agriculture, sports, and tourism.

Azerbaijan carries on a balanced foreign policy, based on the interests of the country. Situated on the geographical border of Europe and Asia, Azerbaijan is integrated in the political structures of both continents. Being a member of the Council of Europe and the OSCE, Azerbaijan plays an active role in the OIC, ECO. It is also a member of Non-Aligned Movement, and last year completed its tenure as a non-permanent member of UN Security Council. 

Pakistan and Azerbaijan enjoy close and cordial relations characterized by shared perception on major global and regional issues.   The two countries signed number of agreements to provide a framework for bilateral cooperation in all spheres including economy, trade, finance, information, culture and military fields. Both countries closely cooperate in international forum and support each other on their core issues.

The writer is Executive Director of the Islamabad Institute of Conflict Resolution.

GEO and moral values

By Dr Muhammad Faheem Belharvi

 Irreligious act of the Geo channel appeared like a blow from the sky, as people have already been praising the armed forces and ISI. In this context, besides other leaders, and political parties, even Jamat-i-Islami remarked that Geo and Jang group has been implementing anti-Pakistan agenda of external powers. Especially, Chairman, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan who has also defended the stance of Army and ISI, announced to boycott Geo and Jang group. In a press conference on May 17, Imran Khan displayed documentary evidence, revealing that Geo TV is working against the national interests of Pakistan and is being funded by foreign countries like UK and the US State Department for shaping the national narrative on foreign agendas, while there is no audit of the Geo network which blackmails those who raise question in this connection.

Imran Khan disclosed, “Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman, owner of the Geo and Jang Group has established a trust (MKRF) through which he gets foreign funding and so far he has received 6.9 million pounds—this amount was questioned by Lord Nazir in the British House of Lords as well.” He pointed out that Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman “protects his financial interests through his media house, whereas Geo TV network is defaulter of PEMRA and Sindh Revenue Board. National Bank is owed Rs.1.8 Billion as of 2010.” Imran Khan said, “PML (N) and Geo are the one team having common interests—Najam Sethi, an employee for Geo TV was made PCB chairman as a gift of Geo’s services, and rigging in the elections 2013 by Najam Sethi.”Imran Khan further added, “Media trial of ISI and its chief by Geo TV is extremely condemnable which was done as per agenda set by Mir Shakil ur Rehman.”

The reason is that these virtues of civilized people are considered as signs of weakness and vulnerability in our crass and brutalized society. Instinctively we try to detect trick and deceit if courtesy is shown towards us and are at a loss when we find none. Good nature and good manners are obsolete whereas self-respect is replaced by stark arrogance. Like the caged wolves we tend to pounce ferociously upon every hand extended and bite whatever moves. We have since long blurred distinction between fair possession and greed; privilege of power and corresponding obligation of duty. Finally, there is a devastating disconnect between acts of commission and onus of responsibility of the consequences. No one seems accountable for anything here. Malice, bile, urges to demolish the adversary brick and mortar and gross disregard to basic demands of law and decency has seeped deep into our psyche.

Thoroughly soaked in our steamy national traits and a few more of their own brands, we have a flight of scavengers at the state’s helm passing as our national executive. This time they also have a dirty-tricks media pack to help them outshout others. This pack is believed to be fed and funded from abroad and finds the leadership naïve enough to swallow the bait. It is an alliance of the phony and an association of assured destruction. The way it launched media trial of the country’s premier intelligence agency on an engineered shooting of its pampered  anchor while the stunned government and shrunken PEMRA kept not only regrettably quiet but also ,perhaps, were  relishing the unseemly brawl, is despicable.

 Pakistan Army and ISI‘s response was dignified just as these shriveled men stooped to record low in their depravity. The problem is that quiet dignity when pushed to the wall hits back with fearsome determination and a grave sense of purpose against the whole lot of perpetrators. To add insult to injury our comatose PEMRA in league with the coterie had not only sent a lukewarm notice to the pompous TV channel but never seriously considered the matter in their official meeting the next day. This collusion has not gone unnoticed. Play any tricks and fake any concern but the soldier is not going to be deceived this time. The attempt appears to test the patience of the Armed forces a degree more or may be to push them a little farther. A very dangerous game, if I may venture to advice.

Predicament with the present dispensation is manifold and tragically flawed. Mr. Nawaz Sharif  and his inner circle have not been able to grow out of their persistent loathing of the very Army which was responsible, in the first place, to thrust them into politics.If left alone he could have made a famously successful iron baron .Somehow he immediately tends to go on to  confront competing state institutions and thus plays havoc with the country every time he comes into power. Please put your ear to the ground and listen to the deep rumblings forewarning of a coming earthquake. If not, then cup your palm to your ear and listen to the ominous hum in the ranks. It is one of the most dangerous sounds in the world, said Lord Halifax. There is an urgent need for sanity and careful reflection to avert a possible repeat debacle. However the real difficulty is with their defective software which has already ordered self-destruct command. The romance is over.

At this hour, own media must prove that confusing behavioral pattern of Geo proves that it is guilty of charges leveled against it. A patriotic person or media group does not need to make noise about his loyalty. Good conduct and concern for the state including image of own key national institutions like ISI prove the patriotism that people of Pakistan are mature enough to assess who is promoting foreign agenda through double standard and hypocrisy.

Geo TV premeditated assault on ISI

   Asif Haroon Raja

    On April 19, 2014, Geo TV anchor and senior journalist Hamid Mir was attacked by unknown assailant (s) in Karachi when he was travelling in a car from the airport to Geo office. Out of 12 bullets fired, six bullets pierced his abdomen and legs. The driver who remained unscathed drove him to the hospital where he is currently under treatment and reportedly is out of danger. Such gory attacks by unidentified terrorists are a common phenomenon in Karachi where daily score of the target killers ranges from 6-12. Despite Rangers-Police combined targeted operation since last September, the gory practice has not been controlled. The dastardly attack on Hamid Mir is condemnable and we pray for his early recovery.

    While the attack on Hamid Mir was undoubtedly reprehensible, the unethical reaction of Geo TV was more shameful. Ironically, the Geo News channel’s onslaught began with a vengeance within hours of the incident when even on-spot inspection of the site and preliminary investigation had not been carried out and FIR was not registered. It seemed as if the TV channel was already waiting in readiness to spring into action and start a willful malicious media campaign against the DG ISI, ISI as an institution and the Army. What was detestable was that the photo of DG ISI was repeatedly flashed during the over 8-hour program aired without a break, indirectly holding him responsible for the attack. Ansar Abbasi in his exuberance demanded immediate resignation of DG ISI.

    Even a layman could make out that the program aired by Geo TV had been stage-managed and pre-meditated with the sole objective of tarnishing the image of DG ISI and ISI. The hidden purpose behind the vilification program was to create a gulf between the armed forces and the people of Pakistan in general and the government and the defence establishment in particular. The whole lot of tutored anchors trained their guns on the ISI and based their arguments on the statement of the brother of Hamid Mir who stated soon after the incident that Hamid had secretly expressed his fears within his family members and close friends and his employer that he was receiving threats from ISI and in case he was murdered, DG ISI Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam would be responsible. Surprisingly, none of the analysts bothered to consider any other possibility.

    Neither Hamid nor any of his family member or his organization deemed it fit to register an FIR, or even a complaint that he was facing life threat. If he was facing life threats, how come he was moving around so freely and boldly without a guard? Why did he continue to remain in an offensive mode and repeatedly put the blame of missing persons on intelligence agencies despite the threats? His body language and facial expressions never indicated any signs of stress. Some say, the time bomb found strapped under his car last year was a ploy to increase his popularity rating and ISI threat was also played up to enhance his rating. How come Hamid Mir and his TV channel came in bad books and felt threatened and none else? It meant something was wrong somewhere. Is it not true that the Geo in its blind urge to make big money has crossed the red lines and all limits of decency?

    Over a period of time, Geo TV has earned the reputation of being more of an Indian channel than a Pakistani channel promoting Indian themes/ agenda and maintaining an anti-Islam and anti-Pakistan stance. As opposed to spiteful role of Indian media against Pakistan, Geo TV stance towards India has always been soft and friendly. Jang Group owned by Mir Shakil-ur Rahman co-hosts highly controversial Aman-ki-Asha program with India which is RAW funded. Ansar Abbasi, one of the journalists of Geo News has recently come out with a bizarre revelation that Aman-ki-Asha is ISI funded. Geo TV and ‘The News/Jang’ newspapers are known for promoting secularism, creating rifts between the institutions and sowing seeds of doubts/ misgivings over settled issues like ‘Two-nation’ theory, Objectives Resolution, ideology of Pakistan, and making Quaid-e-Azam controversial by projecting him as a secular.

    While Geo TV glamorizes Hamid Mir, he is looked down upon by many for his anti-Army/ISI/FC stance, for espousing the cause of separatists wanting to make Baluchistan independent, overplaying missing persons issue and for his pro-India posture. In early 2009, while the then government was denying that Ajmal Kasab, falsely implicated by India in Mumbai attacks case in November 2008, was a Pakistani, Hamid Mir took the Geo team to a village in Punjab and broke the story that Kasab was a Pakistani born and brought up in village Faridkot. He sold the story despite the villagers showing their ignorance about Kasab. That way he strengthened India’s handle to beat Pakistan with.

    He is the one who blamed the ISI for burning down Ziarat Residency and would have kept spitting venom had BLA not claimed responsibility. Reportedly, he had poisoned the ears of Asian Tigers, a group affiliated with TTP who had taken late Col retired Sultan Amir Tarar, popularly known as Col Imam and Squadron Leader retired Khalid Khawaja hostage in March 2010. Based on the information given by Hamid Mir on a phone that Khawaja was an ISI agent and unreliable, the captors killed both of them in January 2011.

    ISI bashing by the Geo TV was fully capitalized by the Indian media as well as the British media and the trio worked in tandem to discredit ISI. Let it be known that the ISI is a world famed organization which is second to none and its effectiveness has been acknowledged even by the traditional adversaries. Since its birth in mid 1950s, it has stood as a guard against inimical forces striving to harm Pakistan. It acts as the first line of defence for the armed forces and has valiantly kept the outreach of anti-Pakistan CIA-RAW-MI-6-RAAM-Mosad-BND nexus at bay since 2002 and is also supporting the security forces fighting the war in the northwest and separatist movement in the south zealously. In the process, large numbers of its members have lost their lives at the hands of foreign paid saboteurs.

    The Army and ISI are defending the motherland stretching from the peaks of Siachin in the north to the deserts of Sindh and barren hills of Balochistan in the south under extremely adverse conditions. Under extraordinary stressful conditions when the very existence of the country is under grave threat, putting the premier institutions faced with an existential threat under further stress and strain through slanderous media campaign is highly undesirable.  

    The adversaries of Pakistan consider the armed forces and the ISI as the only bottlenecks in their way to accomplish their sinister designs against Pakistan. The US has invested $ 60 million to buy the loyalties of Pak media while India and Israel too have invested heavy amounts to influence leading TV channels and newspapers. The Christian Science Monitor dated September 2, 2011 reported that two journalists belonging to ‘Express News’ and ‘Dunya News’ filing reports back home from Washington drew their salaries from the US State Department funding through a nonprofit intermediary. Despite their best efforts they have been unable to weaken the trunk of these two organizations.

    Apart from demonizing Islam and secularizing the society through media, the other major task of paid Pakistani journalists, anchors and pseudo intellectuals is to build perceptions and create hatred against the Army and ISI. The invisible hand of sabotage and subversion has caused incalculable damage to the fabric of the country. The agents of subversion are busy polluting the minds of the people and weakening the country under a well-defined agenda. Unfortunately, a section of media is playing into the hands of our adversaries of Pakistan for the sake of material benefits.

    It is indeed surprising that the head of ISI was callously attacked by the media barons for 8 hours and the government as well as PEMRA remained mum and paralyzed. Other TV channels acted more responsibly. Response of civil society is very encouraging. I have received dozens of messages condemning Geo TV. There are wide calls to block Geo TV for defaming ISI. A petition has been filed in a law court seeking registration of treason case against Jang & Geo Group and his owner Mir Shakilur Rahman and Amir Ali, brother of Hamid Mir. 

    Being the member of Executive Committee of PESS headed by Lt Gen Hamid Gul, I am in a position to feel the pulse of well over 2.5 million retired officers, JCOs, NCOs and men. They all are highly perturbed and resentful over the perverse role of media and inaction of the government in taking to task the black sheep within media and controlling the unruly and undisciplined media indulging in yellow journalism. Government’s inaction has given rise to suspicions about its intentions and motives.

    A judicial commission has been established to probe the incident and come out with its findings. Till the finalization of the report by the Commission, all concerned parties should exercise restraint and refrain from drawing hasty conclusions. PEMRA should come out of its hibernation and start managing the media houses and guide them that instead of indulging in sensationalism, defamation and spreading despondency, they should play a constructive role in bridging divides within the society and promoting harmony between the State institutions.

    The writer is a defence analyst, executive member of PESS, member of MEASAC Research Centre, Thinkers Forum Pakistan and Opinion Maker. asifharoonraja@gmail.com                              

GEO - Going for a Settlement?

By Ishaal Zehra

Although the Hamid Mir dramatic event is dying down its own death because of inability of people in charge of this act to prove their accusations, but they should not be given an easy escape because this incident has shook all the nook and corners of Pakistan, hurting the feelings of a large number of the Pakistani community not only in cantonment areas of Pakistan but throughout the Pakistani community around the globe. Question must be asked who or what gave confidence to a mere private TV channel, one of the dozens in Pakistan, to launch such a damaging campaign against a premier intelligence agency of the country — the ISI.

Hamid Mir, whose earlier plan was to go to Quetta, changed his plans at the last couple hours and instead came to Karachi. Even Karachi police wasn’t aware of his new plans. Only a couple people in GEO Karachi office in admin were aware, or, the people who forced him to come to Karachi instead Quetta knew that. Instead of blindly accusing Gen Zaheerul Islam, Geo should have done an internal investigation first, if Geo or Mir Shakeel ur Rehman themselves were not involved in this drama.

Agha Iqrar Haroon has been working with national and international media houses for the last 24 years. His tenure as journalists includes 8 years in print media and 16 years in electronic media. He writes: Who knew change of Hamid Mir plan to go to Karachi instead of Quetta? Hamid Mir had a plan to go to Quetta from Islamabad. He changed his plan and travelled to Karachi and from where he was supposed to travel to Quetta. Change of his travel plan was known only by his close circle—mostly Islamabad and Karachi office of Geo Television. This is one the lead for initial investigation in the case of attack on Hamid Mir. It may be mentioned that involvement of Geo staffers also came on surface on the face of Wali Khan Babar case.

A friend of mine opined: if victim (Hamid Mir) has a solid proof, then he has every right to name the culprit no matter if he or she is a President, Prime Minister or a General. Now, it’s up to him to present proof or get punishment for maligning a national institution. No criminal should be allowed to take refuge under sanctity of any institution. 

Practically all the senior Pakistani journalists/ columnists and anchorpersons, leaving a few who are already well known for their “Foreign Agendas”, have expressed concern over the organized campaign against the security agencies by a section of the media in the name of the attack, saying this is a clear violation of journalistic values and code of conduct.  Human Rights activist Asma Jahangir and prominent media persons like Ayaz Amir, Talat Hussain, Shazeb Khanzada, Haroon Rashid, Mubashir Luqman and all others condemned the GEO channel for its non-serious handling of the issue. None of them said that inquiry should not be done but there are journalistic ethics to report any incident and verification of news with supporting proof should be there before establishing a fact. Interestingly, political parties are also against the way GEO has handled this episode. PMLN, though, apparently joined hands with PTI against GEO’s adventurism but the fact remains that they have not done anything credible to reprimand the doers.

Voice of Journalists say, new revelation in the GEO-ISI saga has come into light and it is alleged that Ansar Abbasi, a reporter of Jang/Geo news, secretly visited PEMRA office to draft the PEMRA notice against Geo. It is the same notice which was sent out to Geo after the Ministry of Defense sent a complaint against the said media house for bringing disrepute to state agencies.

It is alleged that Mr. Abbasi went to PEMRA office on 23rd April night around 2:18 AM and prepared the draft and or helped in drafting the show cause notice which was then sent to Geo. It is alleged that different versions of the drafts were discarded for being strong worded. The final draft version was then approved and sent out to Jang/Geo media house.

If matters are really moving the way they are being reflected then things are fishy inside the government machinery. PMLN government must check the status and take serious notice before the seriousness of the matter checks them instead. Rest assured, Pakistan really knows how to tackle its problems.

The Man Who Steered His Nation to the Pinnacles of Glory

  Sabah Aslam

The name of Mr. Heydar Aliyev is progressively linked with the socio-political, economic and cultural uplift of the people of Azerbaijan, who has been able to leave indelible marks to change the successful course of history into the very lap of his nation, which is indisputably indebted to his unflinching efforts for the people of Azerbaijan.  He was a leader of the nation providing them hope and optimism in the era of despair and distrust. With his wise and foresighted policies, the great Azerbaijani leader has become an icon of honour, the architect of what Azerbaijan is today; independent, economically developed and strategically important amongst community of nations. President Heydar Aliyev was instrumental in playing an indispensable role in keeping the country united, independent and sailing smoothly on a steady path of economic development. Being a charismatic leader with impressive grasp of politics, he made all efforts to make his country important in the eyes of the west and equally secure relations with the east. Soon after becoming President of the country, the visionary leader was able to elevate the country’s status as an important global player.

Mr. Heydar Aliyev was born on 10 May 1923 in Nakhchivan city of Azerbaijan. Having started his professional carrier from Internal Affairs Division he later got shifted to the state security bodies where raised up to the chairman level in1967. In July, 1969 Mr. Aliyev became the head of the Azerbaijan SSR and in December 1982, First Vice Prime Minister of the USSR. He resigned from this post in October 1987, as a sign of protest against the policy pursued by Communist Party. 

On 20 January, 1990 Soviet troops stormed Baku killing unarmed civilians, who raised their voices against injustice made to them  Central Government. On the next day, Mr. H.Aliyev reached Azerbaijani Representation in Moscow and in his statement demanded to punish the organizers and perpetrators of this crime. In July, 1990, Mr. Aliyev was elected a member of Azerbaijan USSR Parliament and lead the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic’s Assembly.   Protesting the hypocritical policy of USSR leadership on Nagorno-Karabakh problem, in July 1991 Mr. Aliyev terminated his membership in the Communist Party.
     
On 15 June 1993, the day Mr. Heydar Aliyev assumed leadership at the persistent requests of the people at a time when the political, economic and social crisis of Azerbaijan’s independence brought it the brink of civil war. Mr. Heydar Aliyev was twice, on 03 October, 1993 and October 11, 1998, elected a President of Azerbaijan with overwhelming majority. The first years of Heydar Aliyev’s presidential tenure were most crucial. He became a President of the country with collapsed economy, internal and foreign rivals, with a neighboring Armenia occupying the districts of the unguarded country. In a short span of time, Mr. Aliyev formed a National Army, which was able not only to halt aggression but also liberate a significant part of the occupied lands.

One of the main achievements of Mr. Heydar Aliyev that paved way to the economic revival of the country was his oil strategy. It was based on making politically stable Azerbaijan with further attraction of the Western capital to the exploration of the huge on- and off-shore hydrocarbon reserves of the country and transportation them to the World markets via diversified routes.

On September 20, 1994, the oil contract, later called a “Contract of Century”, was signed with the Western oil companies in Baku. Neither coup attempt nor outside and inside pressures could break a will of the Azerbaijani leader.  This contract instilled a confidence to those who were full of doubts about the future of the newly born Republic.
As a part of the strategy it was decided to transport the hydrocarbons through different routes. Thus the Baku-Novorossiysk (Russia), Baku-Supsa (Georgia) oil pipelines were commissioned. Agreement for construction of Baku-Tbilisi-Jeyhan oil and Baku-Tbilisi- Erzurum gas pipe-lines were also reached. Thus, Mr. Aliyev undertook the next important step for ensuring long-term political and economic interests of Azerbaijan.
The visionary Azerbaijani leader took active steps for making country a regional transport hub as well. An ambitious interstate programme TRACECA aimed at supporting the political development in Black Sea, Caucasus and Central Asia by means of development of the international transport.
The successful integration into the global economy, economic liberalization in the country, Azerbaijan’s growing credit rating, the annually increasing state budget and foreign exchange reserves are strong indications of a stable economy built by Mr. Aliyev since 1993. Development of the non-oil sector is also a result of President Aliyev’s vision. By handing over the land to private ownership, Mr. Aliyev ensured the country’s food security.

Construction of a democratic, law-governed state, development of civil society, return to the national and spiritual values as well as development of science, education and culture in Azerbaijan are forever linked with the name of late president of Azerbaijan. The adoption of the Constitution and the principle of powers separation, the alignment of the legal framework and national laws with international standards are integral parts of the program implemented under the leadership of Mr. Heydar Aliyev.

As a result of Mr. Aliyev’s activity, Azerbaijan, capitalizing on its geo-strategic, economic and cultural potential, started to play the role of a reliable bridge between the East and the West and become one of the most dynamic economies in the world.

Leader of Azerbaijan introduced a balanced foreign policy, based on the interests of the country. Azerbaijan got integrated into the political structures of the East and West both. His successful foreign policy contributed to the growing international authority of the country, which is now perceived as a reliable partner, and to its promotion as a reformist and ambitious state. That was also during the presidential tenure of Mr. Heydar Aliyev when Islamic values, which were not much welcomed during the Soviet era, started developing. Construction of new mosques, reconstruction of shrines, setting Islamic education institutions goes to his credit.

The establishment of Pakistan – Azerbaijan relations is also linked with the name of Mr. Heydar Aliyev. His meetings with the then President of Pakistan Mr. Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari and the Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in1995 and 1996 accordingly, and agreements reached during the visits, formed a base of these ties.

President Aliyev passed away in on 12 December, 2003. People of Azerbaijan highly value the legacy of their National Leader. 15 June, the day when Mr. Heydar Aliyev returned to Baku is celebrated as a National Salvation Day. Heydar Aliyev Foundation lead by First Lady of Azerbaijan, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO, Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva with the main goal to implement large-scale projects and programs in line with the late President’s ideas of Azerbaijan's progress was established on 10 May, 2004. In the framework of Foundation’s activity abroad, the number of projects in education, health, humanitarians’ fields in all provinces of Pakistan were implemented.

Suicide Bombing: A Disparaging Dogma-I

Posted by Dr Muhammad Faheem Belharvi

During a lecture in Riyadh, the Saudi grand Mufti identified the reasons and declared that, “suicide bombings are great crimes and bombers are criminals who rush themselves to hell by their actions.” He described suicide bombers as “robbed of their minds… who have been used (as tools) to destroy themselves and societies.” Earlier, in his sermon to over two million Muslims on the occasion of Haj, Sheikh Abdul Aziz had said that anyone who attempts or carries out a suicide attack will not be forgiven by God. He stated that there was no link between Islam and terrorism and stressed that Islam is a religion of peace, prosperity and brotherhood. “Islam teaches patience and tolerance and dismisses all kinds of violence in society. Muslims are obligated to do no harm to others on the basis of their caste, creed or religion.”

Recently, over 100 Ulemas, Mashaikhs and scholars have asked the TTP people to desist from subversive activities, in the country, nevertheless, the necessity is to make constant and repeated efforts until the desired results are not achieved. It is the need of the time to bring the misguided and distracted Muslim brethren back to the right path of Islam. The Ulemas, Mashaikhs, scholars and above all our media has to play a vital and sensitive role of making the ignorant realised that as Allah clearly and repeatedly said in the Holy Quran that human will never send back to this world and in no way will be given a second chance, hence, they must correct themselves and ask for Allah’s forgiveness. What they have to be convinced is that by doing suicide bombing they are committing two sins; killing a number of innocents and finishing their own lives with their own hands and for both the sins they will be severely punished not only at the Day of the Judgment but prior to that during —-. The sane and sensible should approach them and must listen to their grievances, if they have any. I am sure in the light of the straight and clear Quranic Orders and unambiguous teachings of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Salallaho Elahae Wassallum) they will have no answer to their sinful acts. The Holy Quran very clearly says,

“…We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul – unless for a soul [1] or for corruption [done] in the land [2] – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And, whoever saves one, it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.” [Qur'an, 5:32]

The above verse conveys the heinousness of unjustifiably taking a human life. Coming to Sunnah, a thousand and one quotes and Hadiths can be mentioned where the Prophet Muhammad (Salallaho Elahae Wassallum) categorically disliked and disapproved the killing of innocents, elders, children and women folk. We can imagine that if the Messenger (Salallaho Elahae Wassallum) of Allah was so specific about such killings during any war then how could we claim to love our Holy Prophet (Salallaho Elahae Wassallum) during the peace time?

Ribah ibn al-Rabi` al-Tamimi says, “We were with the Messenger (Salallaho Elahae Wassallum) of Allah in a battle. He saw people gathered, and then he saw a slain woman, whereupon he said, “This [woman] was not fighting! Another version adds, “Immediately, the Prophet (Salallaho Elahae Wassallum) objected to the killing of women and children.” Another adds, “Catch up with Khalid and tell him: The Messenger (Salallaho Elahae Wassallum) of Allah commands you not to kill [women and] children, nor hired workers.” Ibn `Abbas says: The Messenger of Allah, when dispatching his troops, would tell them, “….Do not behave treacherously, nor misappropriate war-booty, nor mutilate [those whom you kill], nor kill children, nor the people in cloisters.”

So much so is for the human being may that be a Muslim or from any other religion or belief. However, the Prophet (Salallaho Elahae Wassallum) of Allah warned not to be inhuman to the animals, even. A version says, “Ibn `Umar passed by some youths of Quraysh who had set up a bird and were shooting at it, giving any arrows which missed to the owner of the bird. Thereupon, Ibn `Umar said, “Allah curses the one who does this. Verily, the Messenger of Allah cursed the one who takes something with a soul as a target.”

A Muslim remains in latitude concerning his religion as long as he does not take a life. The Quran gives a clear ruling that, “…Do not kill a woman, nor a child, or an old aged man….” Hence it is very clear that if Islam doesn’t permit killing of innocent, old, children, and women or for that matter even animal then how come the act of taking one’s own life against the Will of Allah be appreciated by the Almighty?

A companion of Prophet Hazrat Jundab (RA) narrates that the Prophet said, “A man was inflicted with wounds and he committed suicide, and so Allah said: My slave has caused death on himself hurriedly, so I forbid Paradise for him.” Not only has this, in fact Sohail Bin Saad S’adi (RA) also reported that during a Ghazwa one of the Muslim was fighting furiously and would kill anyone whom he targeted. When the companions praised his courage the Holy Prophet said, “But he shall go to Hell”. One of the companions of the Prophet (Salallaho Elahae Wassallum) chased him after the fight and found that he was injured and to get rid-off from pain he pushed the sword’s point in his chest and died. The companion reported that to the Holy Prophet (Salallaho Elahae Wassallum) which the Rasool Allah said, “Some people are considered to be placed in Jannah but they belong to hell and some are considered from hell but they are sent to Jannah”. (Muslim Sharif)

It is high time now that the religious scholars should convince the disillusioned people to abandon such practices, which are self-defeating and haram. Media can, and it must play the much demanded and significant role by discouraging the fanatics by not giving them the coverage and by publishing religious sermons and fatwas against suicide bombing. These misguided people must be asked to answer a simple question that, if in the 1,400 years of Islamic history, no prominent Muslim leader or general or common man carried out such attacks, killing innocent people including women and children then how come it has suddenly become a source to achieve Jannah? According to the Quran there is nothing more precious than life. A man or woman has no right to take his life.

The Holy Quran says, “…And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you. Surah Al’Nisa
Again the Quran says, “And slay not the life which Allah hath forbidden save with right. This is commanded unto you by Him so that ye may understand.” Surah Al’Anam

(By Sohail ParwaZ)

Inside Hamid Mir Episode

By Tariq Rizwan
 

GEO is a popular channel and seen across the country. It is providing employment to thousands of Pakistanis but its characterless owner Mir Shakil ur Rehman is bent upon closing the channel to deprive these employees of their bread and butter. The game started when a senior anchor person of ARY Channel Mr Mubashir Lucman has recently revealed that he has received life threat from MSR, five months ago.

MSR is a Pakistani media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder 24-hour news cycle network, Geo TV, as well as its executive. In addition, he is the owner of the Jang Group, that was started by his father Mir Khalil ur Rehman and part owner of the Independent Media Corporation. This media group publishes a number of Newspapers and Magazines in Urdu and English. IMC also owns the Geo TV network.

In late 1990s, during Nawaz Sharif second term as Prime Minister, MSR was found involved in tax evasion and cases were framed against his news group amounting to 40 million US dollars, followed by freezing of bank accounts and seizure of their assets. The government withdrew after some controversial phone conversations between government’s aides and MSR, which the later made public to blackmail the government and succeeded.

MSR established a Television channel network by the name of Geo TV in 2002. Achievements Business Week magazine, in a report published in the issue of 11 July 2005, selected MR in its list of 25 Stars of Asia, for their role in bringing change in their respective field in Asia. They wrote that Geo TV launched by MSR has become one of the most popular TV channels in Pakistan. The GEO TV network has quickly evolved into Pakistan’s biggest network of channels.

It is an open secret now, who were the killers of Wali Khan Babar; everybody knows about the group behind it. May be the same group behind Hamid Mir firing and MSR’s kidnapping. MSR (Owner of Geo and Jang) was kidnapped, sodomized and photographed in the past as revealed by PPP stalwart Dr Zulfiqar Mirza(the former Provincial Home Minister) in Sindh Assembly.

The video clip is a startling disclosure of the kidnapping of MSR by a gangster (Aman Dalmia) in Karachi. He was repeatedly sodomized and photographed for a number of years until he was rescued by Mr. Asif Ali Zardari , Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza, and Mr. Agha Siraj Durrani (now Speaker of the Sindh Assembly). Dr. Mirza has the damaging photographs in his possession as stated by him in the video. MSR was so scared that he neither challenged the video and the group involved nor took any legal notice against Dr. Mirza or to the Speaker of the Sindh Assembly. The video remains part of the records of the Assembly.

This event of abuse and repeated sexual assaults, humiliation and degradation has left lasting psychological effects on MSR making him bipolar. This has led to psychotic symptoms such as hearing voices, paranoia (of perceived threats) visual hallucinations and false beliefs of special powers or identity (Like he can no more change governments). He has taken it personal and became disappointed from the state authorities.

To pursue his wild imaginations of being a power player, he started interacting and befriending enemy intelligence agencies, taking funding from foreign governments to disseminate their agenda in Pakistan. Programs and editorial content that are contrary to the beliefs and principles of our nation and religion are propagated in Jang and Geo.

Subsequently, the financial and business sector of Pakistan continued its blackmailing game led by MSR and the Jang Group and involves a name of Jahangir Siddiqui in the scheme of things. MSR is mostly rallying on his confidants in the team like Hamid Mir, Saleem Safi and Ansar Abassi to forward the assigned agenda from abroad.

For the purpose of record, MSR’s daughter is married to Jahangir Siddiqui’s son Ali. MSR has been seen exerting his media power to support JS Group’s various fights with regulators in Pakistan like SBP and SECP and other business groups. The SECP has moved against the JS Group in the instances of a criminal case against the group in the Azgard Nine Scandal, inquiries against the group in the illegal transfer of shares of PICT to Switzerland causing a loss to mutual fund holders of the group and a huge bonus to Ali Jahangir Siddiqui are considered as frontline reasons which did not allow for the deal to go through. JS Bank has had a role to play in each of the above transactions. There are also indications that the group is being investigated for money laundering.

Recently, a story was leaked which is nothing but an egg in the face for MSR’s Jang Group and Jahangir Siddiqui. A report was published in Hindustan Times on September 29, 2013 that claimed that Dawood Ibraahim was behind the launch of an upcoming TV network in Pakistan and it was being fronted by Aqeel Karim Dhedhi. BOL TV network was also alleged to being set up by ISI in order to bring down the popular Geo TV. Hindustan Times did an internal inquiry and found out that the report was published by Hindustan Times at the insistence of MSR with Jahangir Siddiqui in their Mumbai office. Pakistan’s Express Tribune has shown some courage and placed the report as “Indian campaign on ISI exposed”

The ARY anchor person, Mubashar Lucman has done two programs on 25th and 26th October which have featured Aqeel Karim Dhedhi, the Pakistani businessmen who have laid bare the blackmailing by Mir Shakil ur Rehman and Jahangir Siddiqui and how that has affected his business interests. May be that firing  on Hamid Mir has been shot by foreign enemies to ignite the flames in the country’s economic hub, Karachi.

The writer is a freelance journalist based at London, UK