On 27th Saratan of Afghan Solar Year (17th July 2012), Pajhwok News Agency reported that Abdul Sabur an Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier, who killed 4 French colonialist soldiers and wounded 15 others, is sentenced to death in martial court of Silab Military Corps, ANA.

"They believe they have been let down by the leadership across the board, that they do not believe that the government is a truly independent government"---Tariq Pirzada

Recently, two decisions have come to epitomize the corruption and the inaptitude of the Pakistani elite to lead their people away from the precipice of crisis and chaos that has engulfed the country. Both the civil and military leaderships bear equal responsibility in putting the country on the path of self-destruction and ignominy.

Firstly, President Asif Ali Zardari's decision to nominate Raja Pervez Ashraf - popularly known as ‘Raja Rental'-as Prime Minister underscores the determination of the civilian leadership to continue with the rampant corruption and incompetence that has become the mainstay of his government. Raja Rental was famously derided by both his peers and the Pakistani public for his miserable record as the Minister of Water and Power. During his tenure Pakistan suffered incessant power shortages and black outs. Rather than reprimanding him and banishing him from the government, Zardari rewarded Raja by officially appointing him as the Minster of Information Technology.

However, allegations of misuse of power and sleaze never left his side, and most probably elevated his importance to Zardari, so much so, that Raja Rental eventually landed the top job and became Prime Minister Gilani's successor. Mr. Gilani you will recall, was unceremoniously dismissed by the Supreme Court for refusing to entertain corruption allegations against Zardari.

Thus the never ending saga of rampant corruption is not only set to continue, but was given a huge boost when Raja Rental created the unnecessary position of the Deputy Prime Minister and gave it to Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi - the grand daddy of political sleaze. The position was created as part of a power sharing deal brokered between Zardari of PPP and the Chaudhry brothers of PML (Q).Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was once an arch nemesis of Zardari, but now they are bedfellows in a hideous corruption team that includes ‘Mr 10%', Raja Rental and the Chaudhry of sleaze.

Secondly, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Kayani, anxious not to be left behind, mounted his own campaign to go down in the history books as Pakistan's most corrupt and subservient general. After putting up with eight months of nominal resistance to American demands to reopen NATO supply lines, the COAS all of a sudden capitulated. In return, Pakistan received an apology from Clinton- which was not meant to be an apology but a mere expression of regret-for killing Pakistani troops and no extra cash for the delivery of supplies to NATO forces as initially demanded. This incident was touted as a diplomatic victory for Pakistan, but people were truly left bewildered by the development and wondered why had Kayani provided the means for NATO to accelerate the sharpening of knives to dismember Pakistan?

As for America, she was quick to shower praise on her stooges and hoped for greater subservience to her interests. On July 1st 2012, US Secretary of State called Prime Minister Raja Rental and said that she hoped US-Pak relations would improve further during his tenure. A week later, Clinton hoped for better relations with the military. She said, "We want to use the positive momentum generated by our recent agreement to take tangible steps on our many shared, core interests." Obviously, this means more drone strikes, greater incursions by US troops and an escalation of Pakistani military operations against militants opposed to America's occupation of Afghanistan. Many Pakistanis are now wondering how all of this is going to help them after looking at what the last 10 years of forced marriage with America has brought, apart from and Washington's relentless war against Islam!

With America showcasing and supporting Pakistan's corrupt and incapable civil and military leaders, the Pakistani public is becoming increasingly anti-American. According to a new poll released a few weeks ago by the Pew Research Center, about 75% of Pakistanis regard the U.S. as an enemy. Three years ago, 64% of Pakistanis surveyed said they viewed America as an enemy. A growing number of Pakistanis also feel that improving relations with Washington isn't a major priority, the poll found. Furthermore, around 40% of Pakistanis surveyed said that they thought that U.S. economic and military assistance actually had a negative effect on their country. Only 12% said they believe that economic assistance from Washington helps solve Pakistan's problems. The same poll found that Muslims in Pakistan wanted a greater role for Islam in political life. Pakistanis turning towards Islam to adopt alternative solutions to the current milieu is an ominous sign for America and Pakistan's leadership.

America on her part is either oblivious to this trend due to her arrogance, or somehow thinks that she can carry on calling the shots despite the apparent Pakistani wavering of her primacy. There is no doubt that the present model is unsustainable, even if Pakistan somehow managed to divorce America. It is only a matter of time before the Pakistani people opt for an Islamic state, and America along with her surrogates will be banished from the country.

Abed Mostapha

Obama's statement on Kashmir is a slap in the face of Pakistani rulers. In an interview with an Indian journalist, published on 16 July 2012, Obama said, "It is not the place of any nation, including the United States, to try to impose solutions from the outside." For decades, Pakistan has been declaring Kashmir an international issue and demanded that it should be settled according to United Nations resolutions and international mediation.

From June 3, 2012, Muslims in the Rakhaine state of Myanmar known as Rohingyas came under fresh attack by the local Buddhists. On that day, a group of Buddhists killed ten Muslims who were riding a bus. They beat the Muslims to death before setting the bus on fire. The incident was allegedly in response to the rape and murder of a Buddhist girl by three Muslim men, a few days before. It did not matter to the killers that the men accused of the rape had already been arrested and were in jail. Situation turned worse from June 8 as thousands of homes were burnt and looted and hundreds of Muslims were killed by combined operation of local Buddhists, police, border guard forces named ‘Nasaka' and para military forces called ‘Luntin'. More than 30,000 Muslims took shelter in the refugee camps in the state capital Sittwe. Myanmar government declared curfew which is only applicable to Muslims. According to local newspapers in Bangladesh, the combined forces have abducted more than five thousand women in last week. Government of Bangladesh has sealed the border with Myanmar as hundreds of Muslim women and children are trying to flee from rape and murder every day. Border guards of Bangladesh have pushed back boats carrying more than 1,500 refugees just in three days according to local newspapers.

Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dipu Moni responded to the situation on June 14 in the national parliament. In the despicable statement she said, "Bangladesh is not bound by any international law to open its border for the Rohingyas, as there is no war-like situation in that country and that its government is not forcing its citizens out." She alleged that Rohingyas create problems for the environment, employment, law and order, politics as well as national security.

Of course Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Foreign Minister Dipu Moni can entertain foreign guests and delegates from USA, UK or India. They can have strategic dialogue with Hillary Clinton. They can allow US Special Forces to visit Bangladesh at their will. And also the government is ready to allow any US soldier to leave the country without facing any trial if he commits any crime here. Sheikh Hasina also can allow transit to India not caring for any national security, political, law and order or environmental damages. But when oppressed Muslims knock at their doors, they use force to push them back.

Over the last half century Muslims in Myanmar are being systematically oppressed, looted and persecuted by the government of Myanmar. From 7th century up to 1784, Arakan (called Rakhaine province under Myanmar now) was a Muslim state. In that year it was colonized by a Buddhist Burmese king. The British came in 1824 and ruled till 1948. According to 1948 Citizenship Law, Rohingyas were also made citizens of the country and a number of Rohingyas were elected to Burma parliament. But in 1962, General Ne Win, who took over power in a military coup, revoked Rohingyas' citizenship and made them stateless. They were considered as immigrants from Bangladesh (then East Pakistan). The army then subjected them to forced labour, expropriated their property and did extra judicial killing. They denied Rohingyas employment, access to education and trade, and also restricted their movement. Even their right to marry was subject to permission which had to be bought with high bribes from the authorities.

Like Muslims of Palestine, Kashmir, Iraq, Afghanistan and many other places, Muslims of Myanmar are oppressed in their own land. And the whole Muslim world is in reality stateless. Al-Tabarani and Al-Baihaqi reported that the Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:

"The Sultan is the shade of Allah on earth".

Without Khaleefah, there is no authority, no state, no protection and no security for the Muslims. It is the duty of the Muslims of Bangladesh to embrace their brothers from Myanmar. Nu'man b. Bashir reported Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) as saying:

"The similitude of believers in regard to their mutual love, affection, and fellow-feeling is that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole body aches, because of sleeplessness and fever."

The duty of Bangladesh border guards is not to push back hungry, homeless and tortured Muslims. Prophet (SM) declared life, property and honour of Muslims as protected. It is the duty of the armed forces of Bangladesh to protect their Muslim brothers and sisters from Myanmar the way our Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and Khaleefahs after him have sent forces to protect Muslims. We know that the current regime will never do that. So, it is upon us to remove the oppressive regime and establish Khilafah "Caliphate" which will liberate and protect the Muslims all over the world.

Mohammad Raiyan Hasan
Bangladesh