The Cry Of A Minority

Being a minority in a nation, your community has to sort of be as transparent as possible. If not transparent then at least productive in a good way. I live in New York City where there are all different types of minorities. There is a lot of cultural diffusion and understanding between cultures here. Yet there is still uneasiness against Muslims. Most of the time it's because most of the people are too narrow-minded to understand the real situation and distinguish between the good and bad, but there are some people have every right to behave the way they do. You know why? Because of idiots like the "Times Square Bomb Suspect" gives them a reason to. As soon as the city (you can also say the country as well) sees a change in the environment; with Obama having a better AfghanPak policy and pushing the news media and government agencies to separate the words Islam and terrorism as far as possible, something like this happens. What's worst is that the suspect was of Pakistani origin. Since most people in the states don't know about the Pakistani accomplishments in war of terror (most don't even know that Pakistan is on the same side as America in the war) this is just further going to taint our image. What's worst is that the Pakistani taliban tried to take claim for it. So because of their stupid and unrealistic claim the words Pakistani and taliban are temporarily stuck in the minds of the popluation. So thank you idiots; you just made the life of 7 million Muslims even more difficult!

[Image: © futureofthebook.org]

Obama Takes A Step Forward

American president Barack Obama has called for a much neutral stance of language for the ongoing war (War On Terror) within his government and his country's media. He aims to separate Islam from terrorism so the people fighting this war on both ends will not confuse the two. This will also help neutral forces who are viewing the war (Muslims and westerners). Indeed, this is a very good step forward by the Obama administration, who is still suffering by and fixing the mistakes of it's predecessor. While the Bush administration lacked proper vocab and misguided the entire world into chaos, the Obama administration wants to do the exact opposite and is now making it happen. By this action, Obama also hopes to clear the doubts of Muslims all over the world. He wants them to see America as a friend and not as a nation who is out to harm them. If looked at by the war point of view, this tactic is also great against al-qeada and other anti-american groups who relied on washington's earlier mistakes to recruit and brainwash people into their alliance. I support this move dearly. By doing this, the public (the american as well as western) will be well aware of the real situation of the war. Except for being all about words and having no major action involved, it is very similar to Pakistan's tactic back in 2007. In order for the government and army to make the people of Swat and Pakistan realize the taliban were not really all about Islam like they claimed to be, they allowed taliban's control to be placed in Swat by the public demand. They hoped in the future the people themselves will realize their mistake and turn against the taliban. That's exactly what happened and it was a very successful move which helped Pakistan advance greatly in the war. This is nonetheless a very big step forward, not only for America and the war, but for the entire world.

[Image: © nj.com]

Pakistan Promotes Islam

Pakistani hospitality is never questioned. Whether you are a returning Pakistani from abroad or a Sikh pilgrim from India; locals will always treat you with more love and respect than you probably get back home. This also became the case recently when 9 boxers from Africa who came to compete in the Benazir Bhutto International Boxing tournament converted to Islam. They claim that they had no intention of converting to Islam at all before arriving in Pakistan but they were highly impressed by the way locals treated the boxers even though they were of a different religion (they were Christians). The thing that impressed them the most was that there is no discrimination in Islam. "Once you say Assalamo Alaykum, then you are accepted as a brother no matter what is the color of your skin, or what is your cast or creed" acknowledged Kalambaye, the Muslim coach of the Central African boxers. While speaking on behalf of the boxers who only speak their native language, Kalambaye also stated that the boxers did not covert to Islam on any pressure coming from him or anyone else, Instead they have chosen to covert to the religion of peace on their own will. "When we reached here, they saw how I was received and welcomed wherever I went and whoever I met by the local Muslims. Nobody cared about my black skin. I was greeted with warm hearts by the organizers or anybody who met me because of my faith. They saw that even being Christians they were received with same respect. They were garlanded when they reached the Karachi airport. That’s why they want to join that religion which teaches such affection for human kind". Younus Pathan, who was appointed to receive the Central Africans at the airport, said that since they were short on garlands, the visitors were garlanded after he asked some of the pilgrims returning from Saudi Arabia (who were his relatives) to provide their garlands to welcome the guests. "Maybe it was the blessings of those garlands of the pilgrims" states proud Younus. It may also be noteworthy to put out there that before the boxers came to Pakistan, they felt uneasy to come to the nation as they had negative images in their minds about Pakistan and its society. Aren't we glad that changed lol. At this time and day when the western world neglects Islam, it's quite interesting to see 9 Christian boxers converting to Islam because of us Pakistanis. Keep it up Pakistan!

Pakistan Zindabad!!

International Islamic University [Islamabad]

The International Islamic University in Islamabad is an international seat of Islamic learning in Pakistan to provide every opportunity for an all round and harmonious development of individuals and society and reconstruction of human thought in all its forms on the foundation of Islam. The foundation of the International Islamic University was laid on November 11, 1980. The desire to produce scholar and practitioners, imbued with Islamic Learning, character and personality, and capable to meet the economic, social, political, technological and intellectual needs of the Muslim Ummah are the goals of this university. The university is located around the domineering Faisal Mosque.

For More Information Click Here

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700 Militants Killed As Army Advances

According to the military, since the beginning of the operation against the militants [which started in april 26th], over 700 militants were killed and 20 soldiers laid down their lives for their country. NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!! This has been the most productive and most effective operation in the whole War On Terror [which started back in 2001]. As you know the on going operation started when the government agreed to appoint Islamic judges under the peace agreement made with the militants and instead of laying down their arms as demanded by the government, militants advanced to within 100 kilometers (60 miles) of Islamabad provoking the military to take action. With the public's support and the U.S's military and financial assistance the Army can wipe out militancy easily! Once again, Hooray for our soldiers and our support and Duas' [prayers] are with them.

For More Information Click Here

Our media can kill the Taliban

Okay I'm not saying this in a sarcastic way. I really think our media can kill the taliban. Exposing the taliban's wicked ways and their injustice [like the swat girl being whipped tape] the taliban could lose followers and most importantly power in Pakistan. I mean what's not to cover? They make their money off of drugs, commit suicide, blow up things, mistreat women, kill other innocent people including muslims, blow up masjids, and still manage to call themselves muslims. I mean that's the biggest scandal ever!!! I know my idea is a bit raw but it has alot of power in it. If our media has the power to unite the country during the indian blame games [mumbai massacre and such events] then why not use that power to kill off an enemy that is grown within?

The World's Double Standards

Why does the world have double standards against Muslims and Pakistan?

• Why is it when the Marriot Hotel [Islamabad] got attacked by militants the world payed little/no attention towards it but when they attacked the Taj Hotel [Mumbai] the world cried along with the Indians?
• Why is it that the world cannot forget the Jewish Holocaust in WW2 but looks away when Israel Slaughtered Innocent 1300+ Palestinians just last year?
• Why is it that the world doesn't say anything to India when the Indian troops continue to murder, rape, assault, and try to eliminate the Kashmiri race? [More Info Here]
• Why is every Muslim in the world looked down upon and is already labeled a terrorist before he can defend his innocence?
• Why is it that the powerful countries are the first ones to call for peace but also the first ones to start a war?
• Why is it that the world stops us from doing something but itself does it more than anyone else?
  
• Why is the world quiet when America invaded 2 Muslim countries with no evidence and drove the lives of their people into a living hell?

The world is quiet but we shouldn't be. We should do our best and not only make Pakistan a better place to live in, but also the world; So Muslims all over the world do not have to suffer in the hands of injustice. Inshallah...

The Israeli Holocaust

Ok, this post doesn't have much to do with Pakistan but it is so intense and saddening that i had to share it. Last year over 1,300+ Palestinians were butchered by the hands of Israeli forces. What is more saddening is that all the world did was watch, even all those middle-eastern countries that swore Palestinians arabs as their brothers. There were protests in Pakistan and Iran and other parts of the world but the middle east and the world stood silent. The only nation to do anything was surprisingly: Venezuela. Seeing Israel trying to clean out the Palestinian race Venezuela expelled it's Israeli ambassador and cutted of all it's ties with Israel. It's pretty sad that the Arab nations in the middle-east with all the money and oil in the world stood quiet and a country that has barely anything to do with Islam or Muslims made a stand. Hitler once said "I could have annihilated all the Jews in the world,but i left some of them so you will know why i was killing them". Sounds racist and bad cause there are good Jews, but was he wrong? The Jewish nation is doing exactly what hitler was doing to them just 50 years back. Here are a few pics from last year's holocaust, I don't cry much but these pics made me cry. Leave comments as i want to see your reactions towards this. [CLICK 2 ENLARGE THE PICS]

The Final Moments of a Son and his Mother in Palestine.
More 2008's Holocaust Pics:
DISCRETION ADVISED

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Faisal Masjid

The Shah Faisal Masjid in Islamabad, Pakistan, is among one of the largest mosques in the world. It is a state National Mosque. It is a popular masjid in the Islamic world, and is renowned for both its size and its architecture covering an area of 5,000 square meters with a capacity of 300,000 worshippers.

For The Masjid's History Etc Click Here

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The Pakistani People

Pakistanis are a mix variety of people united by religion, culture, and ideals. Pakistanis are usually Baluchi, Sindhi, Pashtun, Punjabi, and Kashmiri with different but very similar cultures united by one major language: Urdu. Although some of these cultural people stay in parts of Pakistan where their culture is mostly dominating, you can sight them all in every part of Pakistan especially in urban places such as Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, Muzaffarabad and many more cities. Pakistan is prominently muslim with a 97% muslim population [2nd highest in the world] but has minoritiy groups such as christians, hindus, sikhs, parsis, and very small amount of jews. Migrants from India during the partition have dwelled into the communities they settled in and are considered locals by themselves as well as the orignal community members. There are also 2 million registered afgani refugees in Pakistan as a result of war and instablility in Afghanistan.

Pakistani History

Pre-Independence & Creation

Pakistan is land to some of the oldest civilizations known to man and was the site of several ancient cultures including the Neolithic Era Mehrgarh and the Bronze Era Indus Valley Civilization (2500 BCE – 1500 BCE) at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. Waves of conquerors and migrants from the west — including Harappan, Indo-Aryan, Persian, Greek, Saka, Parthian, Kushan, Hephthalite, Afghan, Arab, Turkics and Mughal  settled in the region throughout the centuries, influencing the locals and being absorbed among them. In 712 Common Era, the Arab general Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Sindh and Multan in southern Punjab. The Pakistan government's official chronology states that "its foundation was laid" as a result of this conquest. This Arab and Islamic victory would set the stage for several successive Muslim empires in South Asia, including the Ghaznavid Empire, the Ghorid Kingdom, the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire. During this period, Sufi missionaries played a pivotal role in converting a majority of the regional Buddhist and Hindu population to Islam. The gradual decline of the Mughal Empire in the early eighteenth century provided opportunities for the Afghans, Balochis and Sikhs to exercise control over large areas until the British East India Company gained control over South Asia. Although the region advanced in many ways under the British Rule, the locals eventually resisted foriegn rule over their land. The 1857 War of Independence, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny, was the region's last major armed struggle against British Raj and it laid the foundations for the generally unarmed freedom struggle, led by the Hindu-majority Indian National Congress in the twentieth century. The All India Muslim League rose to popularity in the late 1930s amid fears of under-representation and neglect of Muslims in politics. Led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the Muslim League the Pakistan movement resulted in the independence and creation of the state of Pakistan. The name Pakistan stands for "Land of Pure" in both urdu and farsi. It was coined in 1934 as Pakstan by Choudhary Rahmat Ali, who published it in his pamphlet "Now or Never" [Pakistan Declaration].The name represented the "thirty million muslims of PAKISTAN, who live in the 5 Northern Units of British India—

Punjab,

Afghania (now known as North-West Frontier Province & FATA),

Kashmir,

Sindh, and

BalochisTAN.

Post Independence

The modern state of Pakistan was established on August 14, 1947 with 2 wings: East Pakistan [now Bangladesh] & West Pakistan [modern day Pakistan]. [See Image Below]

From 1947 to 1956, Pakistan was a Dominion in the Commonwealth of Nations. It officially became a republic in 1956 but civilian rule was stalled by a coup d’état by General Ayub Khan, who was president during 1958–69, a period of internal instability and a second war with India in 1965. His successor, Yahya Khan (1969–71) had to deal with a devastating cyclone — which caused 500,000 deaths in East Pakistan — and also face a civil war in 1971. With incredible interference from India [India was also involved causing economical and political instability in East Pakistan], East Pakistan successfully seceded from West Pakistan and created a nation of Bangladesh. Civilian rule resumed in Pakistan from 1972 to 1977 under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, until he was deposed and later sentenced to death (in charges of murder) in 1979 by General Zia-ul-Haq [Pakistan's 3rd military president]. Zia introduced the Islamic Sharia legal code, which increased religious influences on the civil service and the military. With the death of President Zia in a plane crash in 1988, Benazir Bhutto, daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was elected as the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan. Over the next decade, she fought for power with Nawaz Sharif as the country's political and economic situation worsened. Military tensions in the Kargil conflict with India was followed by a Pakistani military coup d'état in 1999 in which General Pervez Musharraf assumed executive powers. In 2001, Musharraf became President after the controversial resignation of Rafiq Tarar. On 15 November 2007 the National Assembly completed its tenure and new elections were called. The exiled political leaders Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif were permitted to return to Pakistan. However, the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in December during election campaign led to postponement of elections and nationwide riots. Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won most number of seats in the elections held in February, 2008 and its member Yousaf Raza Gillani was sworn in as Prime Minister. On 18 August, 2008 Pervez Musharaff resigned from the presidency when faced with impeachment.