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Muslim World has nothing to do with Kashmir

Hamayun Khan
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Muslim World has nothing to do with Kashmir

On September 28, 2019, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan addressed at the UN General Assembly (UNGA), calling on the International community to mediate the issue of Kashmir, Khan’s rigid speech at the UN was a warning for a nuclear war between the two nuclear-armed countries, he said: “We will fight till the end and when a nuclear-armed country defends itself the consequences of the war goes far beyond the border”.

Imran Khan Speech at the UNGA

PM Imran Khan has been continuously calling upon the global communities to help Pakistan resolve the Kashmir issue, while he has been failed to utter a voice for the oppressed Pashtuns within the country.

PM Khan’s consecutive warnings of possible radicalization and woeful repercussion emerging from the Jammu and Kashmir issue flared up Indian reactions.

Modi Government on Kashmir Issue

The Indian Foreign Minister on the occasion of the 100th day of Modi’s government said “Our position on (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) (PoK) has always been and will always be very clear. (PoK) is part of India and we expect one day that we will have the physical jurisdiction over it,” Modi’s government has maintained a firm stance that talks with Pakistan are possible only about Pakistan held Kashmir and not on Kashmir.

Singh expressed “I have clearly stated that if talks take place between India and Pakistan, then it will be on Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK),” retaining India’s rigid stand on Jammu and Kashmir.

Imran Seeks Attention of Islamic Nations

Pakistan has been a key political actor in the region, known for supporting militant groups in India and Afghanistan. Yet showing the World as one of the terror victims and has been so far receiving funds to fight terrorism within its territory, given the ongoing scenario Pakistan is leveraging from the Kashmir issue, giving it a religious touch to gain support of the Islamic nations yet some of the Islamic countries playing a key role in the regional politics declined to favor Pakistan’s stand-in Kashmir issue, calling it a bilateral political matter between India and Pakistan and they asked Pakistan not to ritualize the issue as Islam has nothing to do with it.

Kashmir Issue and Islam

On September 5, 2019, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed said: “Kashmir issue does not concern the Muslim community but rather a dispute between Islamabad and New Delhi”.

Despite many attempts, PM Khan failed to acquire International support concerning the issue, even Pakistan’s all-weather ally China also declined to favor Pakistan in Kashmir issue and called upon both the countries to resolve the issue together, calling it an internal issue. Therefore, Khan expressed his disappointment over the unexpected response from the International Community over the skirmish what he calls a human rights crisis in Jammu and Kashmir, also warned to boycott from the OIC (Organization of Islamic cooperation).

Pakistan killing the Soul of Balochistan

On the other hand, Pakistan’s Army has been continuously violating Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Baluchistan and other Pashtun populated regions over the last almost two decades. A report published by BBC unfolds the perennial tragedies suffered by the Pashtun population, the report shows that tens of thousands of Pashtuns have been brutally killed by Pakistan Armed forces across Waziristan, Swat, and other tribal regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province post 9/11.

Pakistan Army Supports Taliban

Pakistan Army began their war under so-called terrorist groups since the outset of the USA war of Afghanistan when the Taliban regime collapsed and the Taliban key commanders were provided shelter across the Durand Line. According to the local and international sources, the death toll of the innocent Pashtuns is estimated to be 50,000, many of the war sufferers have been forced to migrate to other places of Pakistan to find shelters.

Mass Killing of Pashtun Activists

Mass and target killings of prominent Pashtun activists by the Pakistan Police and military inflamed Pashtuns to stand up for their rights, eventually in the year 2014 a small group of 8 students at Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan formed a social movement called Mehsud Tahafuz Movement (MTP) as an initiative for demining in Waziristan and other parts of FATA. the movement then changed to Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) after gaining popularity in the year 2018, as justice for Naqeebullah Mehsud, who was illegally killed in a fake encounter underway by the police officer Rao Anwar in Karachi (Pakistan). Tens of hundreds of Pashtuns are missing, across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. The Pak Army’s atrocities in Pashtun populated regions are detrimental and unbearable.

The suffering of Pashtuns in Pakistan

PM Imran Khan should prioritize giving Rights to Pashtuns suffering for decades within its country, stop the country’s military and police from involving in the mass and target killing of Human Rights activists across FATA and Baluchistan. should avoid bailouts to the militant groups thwarting the lives of people in neighbor countries. Since this is a political issue between the two countries, therefore PM Khan should not politicize and internationalize it by using religious rituals, as many of the key Islamic countries have denied intervening in the issue and called it an internal matter between India and Pakistan.

Pakistan at the brink of Financial agony

Hamayun Khan
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Pakistan at the brink of Financial agony

Since the outset of Imran khan’s tenure, Pakistan’s economy has been confronting a sprint slump.  Recently The government presented its Budget, which unfolded the Economic Survey of 2018-19, showcasing that the country’s GDP has grown at only 3.3% cent in the fiscal year 2018-19. This is a nine-year low.

Sky-high rate of Inflation, increased unemployment, and current account deficit are the key drivers causing Pakistani rupee to topple over almost 20% since 2017 against the dollar, the gap is expected to be further widened.

Pakistan is known as a huge sponsor of insurgent groups thought to be spending 95% of its annual budget on defense measures, well, it is still uncertain whether the allotted budget goes all in all to the defense or militants’ bailout?

In a recently held press conference, the Governor of Pakistan’s central bank expressed that Pakistan is coming out of the financial crisis with the assistance of its allies and the economy has been fixed in the right direction. He further added that a plan had been framed to chase off the current account deficit. His comments came just a day after Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement worth $20 billion.

On the other hand, the statistical data narrates a different story, as per data published by the Asian Development Bank, Pakistan’s GDP growth in the current fiscal year so far stays at 4.8%, lower than even Nepal (5.5%). In comparison, Bangladesh is growing at 7.5% and India’s GDP is at 7.6%. besides, Pakistan’s latest GDP figures show that it has stooped from 5.4% in 2017 and 5.8% in the following year. The GDP growth rate is anticipated to fall to 4% this year (2019) and then will remain at 3.5% for the next two years and fall further to 3.3% by 2022.

Being currently present on the Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) ’grey list’ Pakistan is up for a final review of its status at the FATF plenary meeting in Paris Next month. The main objective of the FATF is to outline standards and promote effective implementation of regulatory, legitimate, and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other relevant threats to the integrity of the International Financial System.

According to sources showing that Pakistan’s implementation of FATF action plan located only five out of 100+ UN-designated terrorists currently said to be present within the country. The five terrorist groups also include (1) Lashkar-e-Taiba (2) Jamaat-ud-Dawah (3) Falah-i-Insaniyat mastermind being Hafiz Saeed. given the fact that the country is involved in mass money laundering and providing a bailout to the terrorist groups it has been anticipated that the country will soon be blacklisted by FATF it the same continues further.

Sprint in inflation rate is another menacing issue for the country’s economic downfall, countrywide fuel prices increased to Rs98.89 ($0.70) per liter, with diesel prices at Rs117.43 ($0.83), some economists say that the government of Pakistan could curtail this problem by increasing the tax rates, but if the tax rates are increased Rupee will lose its value which will affect the country’s trade.

To avoid further deficiency, the country must put out proving funds to the militant groups, second enhance a trustworthy relationship with the neighbors, as Afghanistan and India play a key role in reviving Pakistan’s economy, third providing job opportunities to the people by using the country’s internal resources.

Crafting peace a greater dimension of restoring valley’s lost glory

Debasish Bhattacharyya
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Crafting peace a greater dimension of restoring valley’s lost glory

India’s Home Minister Amit Shah’s speech in both the Upper House (Rajya Sabha) and the Lower House (Lok Sabha) was not striking in itself, but his cogent and effective pitch on abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) served to prevent opposition taking steadfast stand against nullification leading to passage of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019.

Whether the scrapping of the much-talked-about Article 370 has been just and proper – only time will tell. Also, whether revoking J&K’s special status will really impact people’s lives and even if it does, up to what extent– only time will tell. But, the very move by Amit Shah yet again proves he has an unerring instinct for his opponents’ weaknesses. It left opposition alliance incohesive and Congress in particular directionless.

The BBC News article ‘Why Modi’s Kashmir move is widely supported in India’ read: “Slowly, sedulously the hardened sentiment on Kashmir had acquired a pan-Indian footprint.

An obvious upshot was and is a frustration with the status quo in Kashmir and fatigue with what is seen as the familiar cycle of victimhood and violence, blackmail and bluster. Politically the ground was fertile for a break from the past and for a new initiative, however audacious it may be.”

However, according to Professor Amitabh Mattoo of Jawaharlal Nehru University and former Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu, ‘the battle for doing away with 370 was the easy battle. The battle for the hearts and minds is the larger war that has to be won. The war for peace. And that can only be done by demonstrating to the people of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh that they are better off without 370. Simply put, that economically, there will be better opportunities, that there will be investment, that they will get employment opportunities…..’

It’s true that ongoing uncertainty and confusion in J&K has affected the peak tourist season and its impact will be felt in the coming months. Though imposition of internet blackouts, reportedly 51st time this year, is not something new in J&K but cutting off all forms of communication certainly enrages people and disturbs economic activities.

Kashmir has been a vexed issue having multiple dimensions internally and externally. Internally, it’s a trouble-prone state, with resentment, alienation, hostility, alleged human rights abuses that need addressing in all earnestness.

Externally, Kashmir is a disputed territory divided between India and Pakistan.  Several foreign policy experts commented that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government’s chronic lack of understanding would doom the country’s foreign policy to failure. May or may not be so. Recently, a meeting to discuss ‘Kashmir’ at United Nations Security Council for the first time in 48 years ended without any outcome or statement from the council, much to India’s apparent relief.

However, there is no denying that Kashmir policy greatly revolves around domestic politics charting a political discourse aimed towards vote banks.

Learning from a crisis in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

Ethiopia is Africa’s second-most populous country and one of its fastest-growing economies. Ethiopian Prime minister, Abiy Ahmed after taking office just over a year ago embarked on unique reforms. He released political prisoners, removed bans on political parties and prosecuted officials accused of gross human rights abuses, but his government is battling ethnic bloodshed once held in check by the state’s iron grip.

Referring to Ethiopia, ‘The Economist’ in its recent article ‘The global gag on free speech is tightening’ writes that free speech is hard-won and easily lost. Only a year ago it flowered in Ethiopia, under a supposedly liberal new prime minister, Abiy Ahmed. All the journalists in jail were released, and hundreds of websites, blogs, and satellite TV channels were unblocked. But now the regime is having second thoughts. Without a dictatorship to suppress it, ethnic violence has flared. Bigots have incited ethnic cleansing on newly free social media. Nearly 3m Ethiopians have been driven from their homes.

Ethiopia faces a genuine emergency, and many Ethiopians think it reasonable for the government to silence those who advocate violence.

But in reality, it did far more than that—in effect, it silenced everyone. And, it’s here the Ethiopian government committed a gross mistake.

Is the Narendra Modi government too much committing the same mistake? It’s too soon to give a definite answer because a yes-or-no answer contains within itself some assumptions and conditions.

In the developing scenario, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led NDA government has to tread very cautiously. Showing sheer political will at the highest level is of little help unless it works at the ground level. The government must take Kashmiri people particularly the youth into confidence to instill buoyancy into every faith-filled Kashmiri’s heart. The government machinery must consider the youth as agents of change; young people’s inclusion in the peace agenda is key to building and sustaining peace. Besides, the administration must assist and make room for the needs of those who wish to navigate their path to a better life.

The dilemma lies elsewhere, though. If the government deals sternly with militants and those who display their anti-India stance, it should also deal firmly with those BJP functionaries known for whiff of arrogance and ideological obstinance in their comments, e.g.  the comments centering on the notion that anyone who doesn’t share their views is against the country – as opposed to, perhaps, simply disagreeing. Agreeing to disagree is central to democratic principle but disagreeing about disagreement smack of overt and hidden dimensions of the political plan.

Since the Union Territory (UT) of J&K will now be under the Centre’s direct rule, there should be an atmosphere of trust and accountability toward a common goal. To replace the over two-decade-old insurgency with a new paradigm of waging peace, all the stakeholders must be committed, compassionate and passionate to seize the opportunity to demonstrate the real intention and show sincerity and sensitivity.

Finally, given the bounty of nature, scope, and talent in J&K, it can be transformed from the land stagnation to the land of prosperity. From the land of suboptimal utilization of resources to the land of optimal utilization of resources. And, to make that happen to craft peace is fundamental. Crafting peace a greater dimension of restoring the valley’s lost glory

HBO’s “Our Boys” – Anti-Israel propaganda or an honest look into a harsh reality?

Gal Amir
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HBO’s “Our Boys” – Anti-Israel propaganda or an honest look into a harsh reality?

The summer of 2014 was one of the worst summers in the bloody history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The chain of events that deteriorated into a war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza began with the abduction of three young Israelis – Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar and Naftali Fraenkel.

The teenagers, who were trying to hitchhike from their boarding school back to their homes, were kidnapped by Palestinian operatives of Hamas in Hebron and apparently murdered soon after being kidnapped, their bodies hidden.

For about three weeks, extensive searches were carried out for the boys. The discovery of their bodies led to another murder. A Palestinian boy, 15-year-old Muhammad Abu-Khdeir, was kidnapped near his Jerusalem home by Jewish extremists and burned to death by his kidnappers. The events of that year, the murder of the four, the three Jewish boys and Abu-Khdeir, are seen as severe trauma, a stage on the way to Operation Protective Edge, an IDF military campaign in Gaza that led to dozens of Israeli and thousands of Palestinian deaths.

Living in Israel at the time, I can testify that the memory of that summer, five years ago, is still a fresh wound, one that will not heal for a very long time.

The American cable network, HBO, has recently released a TV series, “Our Boys,” revolving around the events surrounding these kidnappings and murders. “Our Boys” documents the killing of Abu-Khdeir by Jewish extremists, and the efforts of the State Security Service (Shabak)  to catch and prosecute the murderers.

The series, directed by three Israeli directors, two Jews and an Arab (Joseph Cedar, Hagai Levi, and Tawfik Abu-Wael) is an American HBO production, mainly aimed at American audiences, but as a conscious artistic decision, the characters in the series speak the original language – Hebrew or Arabic. This decision, which will limit the appeal of the series for English-speaking audiences, who don’t like to read subtitles, is what makes this series a true artistic achievement. The result is incredibly realistic, and the characters, accents, dialogue, and feelings created in the series are very believable.

So far, two episodes have been broadcast in Israel on the local satellite network ‘YES’, and in the United States, four episodes. I watched the two episodes and returned to that summer, feeling again the variety of feelings of fear, hatred, anxiety, and compassion I felt then.

The series is so true to reality that it is hard for me to understand how anyone who is not Israeli could understand the subtleties of the events on the screen.

  • Is it possible for anyone who knows only superficially the Arab-Israeli conflict to understand how Abu-Khdeir works in a burger joint in the west of the city (where his friends advise him not to speak Arabic), and returns home by light rail to the East Jerusalem area, Shu’afat neighborhood, where he lives – a territory occupied and annexed by Israel, in which living is very different from life in the ‘Jewish’ west of the city?
  • Would an American or Indian viewer understand why the policeman was reluctant to accept Abu-Khdeir’s father’s complaint?
  • Why is the father held for a full day at the police station when the police know that his son is no longer alive?
  • The relationship between the policemen, members of the force that enforces Israeli law in the east of the city, and the population that does not want to abide by this law?
  • Will he understand the conflict between the heads of Shabak and the agents from the ‘Jewish division’ of the same service, whose job is to monitor extremists in the Jewish population?
  • Will he differentiate as the filmmakers differentiated between different clothing details and different facial hair as a key to the origin and ideology of the heroes?
  • The wild hair and beard of the “extreme settlers” and the black and white attire, the neat hair of the “Oriental Yeshiva student”?

All of these are meticulously detailed in the series, in a manner true to the subtleties of the ethnic and ideological diversity of its heroes. But I guess the non-Israeli or non-Palestinian viewers, who will not be aware of these fine subtleties, will just be swept away by a fascinating story and a touching human drama.

Indeed, compassion is the sentiment felt for all characters, the “positive” and the “negative”, Jews and Palestinians alike.

The abducted boy’s family is portrayed in its moments of horror and loss, in a truly empathic manner, from the moment the boy was first seen on screen, and we know his unavoidable future.

But the killers are also portrayed as human beings with a storm of contradictory emotions that lead them to terrible acts. The character of one of the murderers, a fallen Yeshiva (Jewish religious school)  student, torn by questions of faith, constantly struggling within himself, going after an older friend, portrayed as a charismatic psychopath, finally committing the horrible murder, is presented in a complex, gentle and compassionate manner.

But despite the excellent acting, the exact script, and the fine production values ​​typical of the HBO network, the series was not received positively in Israel.

Many complained that the series portrayed the Israelis as a group of bloodthirsty murderers and that while it emphasized the murder of the Palestinian Abu-Khdeir, it belittled the kidnapping and murder of the three Jewish boys.

Another complaint is that while the Palestinian killers have been praised and glorified on the Palestinian street, Abu-Khdeir’s killers have been widely condemned by their Jewish compatriots, apprehended by the security services, and sentenced to severe penalties, but the series does not present these differences.

Families of Jews, victims of Palestinian terrorism, approached the HBO network demanding that this matter be made clear to viewers, but their request was denied.

In my opinion, these complaints are not well-founded. It is a well-known Israeli argument being repeated over and over is that while Israeli society sanctifies life, Palestinian society is sanctifying death. Because Israeli society condemns the killing of innocents, while Palestinian society encourages terror.

In my view, this argument is meaningless. Since the murder of the four boys, thousands of Israelis and Palestinians have been killed, and the two societies have been in a never-ending bloody conflict, where each party is sure of its justice, and each side blames the other for the continuation of the conflict and setting the fire ablaze.

The sad truth is that the burning of the Arab boy Abu-Khdeir was not a single event that was widely condemned, but one in a chain of Jewish terrorist acts, which was horrifyingly continued with the burning of an entire Palestinian family, the Dawabsha family, in the village of Duma, about a year later (those suspected of the murder are currently on trial, and their verdict has yet to be decided.)

The kidnapped Jewish boys were also not the last victims of Palestinian terror, and afterward, there were dozens of other victims, the last of whom, 17-year-old Rina Schnerb, was murdered in an attack that left her father and brother seriously injured, but a week ago. Perhaps watching a series depicting the loss, grief, sorrow, and compassion that accompany the murders will bring both sides to think about where they are headed.

So, anyone who wants to understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a little more deeply and enjoy a TV series that displays excellent acting, depth in the research, script, and character development can watch “Our Boys”.

The series accurately portrays the events, and watching it can conceptualize to a non-Israeli viewer conceptualize the harsh and complex reality in which Jews and Arabs live in our region, far beyond the bleeding chronology reflected in the news releases.

Eyes turn to the next parliamentary elections in Iran, Principlists have more hopefulness

Mohammad Javad Mousavizadeh
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Eyes turn to the next parliamentary elections in Iran, Principlists have more hopefulness

The eleventh Islamic Parliament elections in Iran will be on February 21, 2020, across the country. Seyed Salaman Samani spokesman of Interior Ministry said in an interview that has published on the official website of the ministry.

About 7 months have remained for the elections in Iran, but the politicians and parties have started to organize their campaigns and planning for victory.

The current parliament was formed from 41 percent Reformers and Moderates, 29 percent Principlists or right-wing, 28 percent Independents and 2 percent Minorities, according to the ISNA News Agency.

In, Tehran, the capital of the country, all seats were gained by the Reformers, but some important cities such as Mashhad as the second city in the country, the Principlists were decisive winners.

But there are serious dissatisfactions from the majority of people and political activists about the function of the parliament, even some experts emphasized on the famous slogan that says “Reformers, Principlist, the story is over.”

This situation has formed while the Iran Parliament has been under control between two sides in past years. So, some experts seek up the Third Faction for improving the country’s position, but so far the Third Faction has had not a leader and specific structure.

Because of the Reformers supporting President Hassan Rouhani in the last presidential elections in Iran and lack of his rhetorics realization, the position of the Reformers has weakened increasingly.

For example, Rouhani said during the contests of the presidential elections about 2 years ago in Iran television that If Iranians re-elect me, all sanctions even non-nuclear sanctions will be lifted. But now, the sanctions against Iran have increased and the economic situation of the people has hurt extremely.

More recently, many celebrities have regretted supporting Rouhani like Ali Karimi the former football player and Reza Sadeghi the famous singer, they demonstrated their regret on social media.

So, some Iranian analyzers predicate the victory of Principlists in the upcoming Iran elections 2020 on February 21. “The Principlists does not need to do something, and they are comfortably the winner of the next parliamentary elections in Iran.” Sadegh Zibakalam said in an interview with Shargh newspaper in Iran. Zibakalam is an Iranian academic, author described as reformist and neoliberal.

“We have no chance for parliamentary elections and next presidential elections unless a miracle happens,” he added.

The Iranian Principlists are closer to the leader and Islamic revolution guard corps than the Reformers. A political face in the right-wing like Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf with the slogans “New Parliament ” and “Neo-Principlism ” has presented a website and he has published an invitation for young people to receive their ability to provide the elections list. Ghalibaf launched his third presidential campaign for the Iranian presidency on April 15, 2017, but on 15 May 2017, Ghalibaf withdrew but supported Ebrahim Raisi who is the current chief of Iran’s judiciary.

Another face is the former president Mahmoud Ahmadinezhad. Some experts say Ahmadinezhad has a great plan for the next Iran elections, but so far he has not spoken about it. Recently he criticized toughly from the government of Rouhani and Iran’s Judiciary. Recently, some of his close activists arrested by Iran’s Judiciary, and they are in Evin Prison now.

Some analyzers say Ahmadinezhad has a high popularity, like that the people have welcomed warmly lately on his travels across the country.

JAMNA or “Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces” is another chance for Principlists in the next Iran elections 2020. JAMNA founded in late 2016 by ten figures from different spectrums of conservative factions, in the end, the party elected Ebrahim Raisi as a candidate for the presidential election but Raeisi defeated.

But Reformers are not hopeless quite, Mohammad Khatami as the leader of the Reformers, who served as the fifth President of Iran from 1997 to 2005 has said statements recently. He has wanted from the government to qualify the Reformers candidates for participation in the political event.

One of the Reformer’s big problems in the history of elections in Iran has been the disqualifications by the Guardian Council. According to the Iran constitution, all candidates of presidential or parliamentary elections in Iran, as well as candidates for the Assembly of Experts, have to be qualified by the Guardian Council to run in the parliamentary elections in Iran.

Some Reformers in reformist newspapers states that reformers will take part in the parliament elections on this condition that the majority of Reformers’ candidates will be qualified by the Guardian Council.

Of course, the Iran parliament has not enough power in order to improve the country’s situation. For example, the parliament has approved the bill of “United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime” by a 126 vote in June 2018, but the Guardian Council has disagreed with it and its fate shall determine by Expediency Discernment Council while the government has frequently emphasized on the bill.

The government believes the approving the bill will cause to reduction in the bans about the economic transaction with the world.

Generally, Iran’s economic position is very critical currently, tough sanctions by the America administration and the defeat of the nuclear deal (JCPOA) have caused that Iranians to be under serious problems. The stuff prices and inflation are at the highest level since Iran’s revolution in 1979. So, it seems any faction that focuses on solving the economic problems, has more chance for victory in the parliamentary elections. But the more important issue is the participation rate of people. If dissatisfactions about economic problems will be continued,  hope and joy between people would reduce and this would decrease the rate of Participation in the next elections.

Some experts say based on experiences in Iran, when the rate of participation in the elections is reduced, the Principlists has a more chance for the victory, because the Gray Spectrum usually has a willing to the Reformers, the spectrum includes younger people even teenagers in the urban society, they back away little themselves from Principlists. Some political observers say the Gray Spectrum has not very willing to participate in the next elections. Of course, the future situation, especially in the economic field is very important to make the willingness about the Gray Spectrum to participate.

Also, some political experts believe the winner of the presidential elections in 2 years later is the winner of the parliamentary elections on February 21, 2020, because the majority of the next parliament will affect the political space across the country. Usually, this procedure in Iran has precedent, like that victory of the Reformers in the last parliamentary elections in Iran that caused the Rouhani victory 2 years ago.

Will the Arabs rush to the polls by buses in September 2019?

Gal Amir
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Will the Arabs rush to the polls by buses in September 2019?

The Palestinian vote is very significant in the Israeli general elections. The next elections will be held in September 2019. These elections are the second general elections within six months after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s failure to form a coalition in April 2019 led him to dissolve the Knesset (the Israeli Parliament) within a few weeks of the elections.

The Palestinian citizens of Israel (as opposed to the Palestinians living in the territories occupied by Israel in 1967) enjoy the rights of equal citizens including equal voting rights, and the right to political representation. Because Palestinians constitute about 20% of the voters, one might expect them to have enormous political powers in a state whose regime is based on a government formed by a coalition of parties.

In practice, the Palestinians have been pushed to a position where the political representation they receive in the Knesset is disproportionate to their weight in the population, and these representatives are also excluded from the decision-making circle.

The Palestinian representation in recent years consists of a number of parties representing the several strains in the Palestinian public – nationalists, Islamists, communists, who were forced to unite on a “Joint List” due to the raise of the electoral threshold in Israel in 2014 to 3.25%. This raising of the electoral threshold, initiated by Knesset Member Avigdor Lieberman, a politician known for his opposition to representatives of the Palestinian public in the Knesset, may have been intended to reduce Palestinian representation.

In practice, this move forced the Palestinian public to unite into one “Joint List,” which had a fine achievement in the 2015 elections – 13 seats from a 120-member Knesset.

It has been proven that the union results in higher voting percentages, and thus the Joint List has been able to get more voters to vote than its components separately in previous campaigns. When the party disbanded for the April 2019 elections, and its members contested separately, the number of seats they received fell to 11. Ahead of the September elections, the lists were rejoined. The leader of the Joint List is the popular lawyer Ayman Odeh, of the Communist Party, who is expected to bring many voters to the polls this time.

This success is a threat to Israeli right-wing politicians, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his ruling Likud Party. It is unclear what the nature of the threat is, as Palestinian parties have never attained any real power, were not members of any Israeli coalition, and never nominated a minister on their behalf.

Palestinian Representation in the Knesset Began in the 1940s when the leaders of the new state decided to give the remaining Palestinian minority within Israel’s borders after the 1948 war (a war that led to the exile of some 80% of Palestinians who had previously lived in the same territories) political representation in the Knesset. In the early years of the state, the authentic representative of the Palestinians was the Communist Party, with some Palestinians being members of Satellite Parties formed by the ruling party Mapai (now the Labor Party) lacking their own independent policy.

The Communist Party was in perpetual opposition. In the 1980s and 1990s, the Communist Party’s monopoly on Palestinian representation was broken, and nationalist or Islamic parties were formed and competed for the voice of the Palestinian voter. These parties remained in opposition, and the Palestinian representation in the Knesset was viewed as challenging the Zionist consensus.

A shiver of hope for change occurred with the rise of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1992. Although the Palestinian parties did not participate  in Rabin’s coalition, their voice was needed to sustain the coalition, which without the Palestinian voice did not have the necessary majority for its existence. This coalition has made great historic moves, most notably the Oslo Accords with the PLO.

The assassination of Prime Minister Rabin by a Jewish terrorist in 1995 brought an end to this arrangement, and instead of advancing to a situation in which not only the voice of the Palestinians was counted, they would also be given influence, recognition, and legitimacy, the Palestinians were again excluded, and no coalition in Israel has ever relied on the support of Knesset members belonging to Palestinian parties.

The September 2019 elections are not likely to bring about a significant change in this situation. The two major parties, the Likud ruling party, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, and the opposition blue-and-white party led by Benny Gantz, will not rely on the Arab parties to form a coalition.

Netanyahu has a long history of making statements against the Palestinian public and its representatives. His government has enacted the “Nation-State Law” that defined Israel as a Jewish state and forbade every mark of Palestinian national identity. Thus, the Arabic language has lost its stand as an official language, a status granted by the British monarch George the 5th in 1922, during the British Mandate. This legislation is seen by the non-Jewish public in the State of Israel as offensive and discriminatory.

Gantz, former commander-in-chief of the Israel Defense Forces, is seen as having central positions and is deeply rooted in the Zionist consensus. Joining these non-Zionist parties would require a major ideological change for him. His party member, Yair Lapid, once expressed disdain for these parties and refused to cooperate  with them. He nicknamed them “Zoabi’s” after the Knesset Member Hanin Zoabi, who was perceived in Israeli center and right circles as an extreme figure who should not be cooperated with.

It seems that no matter what the outcome of the elections is, whether Netanyahu wins or Gantz wins, the “joint list” will remain outside the sphere of influence. This outlook does not explain Netanyahu’s tremendous efforts to cripple Palestinian representation and to prevent the election of members of the “united list” to the Knesset.

In 2015, Netanyahu incited  his constituents by claiming that the Arabs rush to the polls by buses funded by the new Israel fund (a non-government human rights organization), and therefore, Likud voters must also rush for the polls and vote for him. This statement was seen to negate the legitimacy of the Palestinian vote in the elections, and Netanyahu quickly apologized  for it.

In the April 2019 elections, Likud observers were caught at polling stations in Palestinian communities photographing voters.

Apparently, this was a widespread phenomenon initiated by the Likud party headed by Netanyahu. The (unproven) argument was that in the Palestinian sector, there are many counterfeits in the polls and the cameras were designed to maintain the integrity of the elections. In fact, this was seen in the Palestinian public as a rude attempt to intimidate Palestinian voters, who are suspicious of the government’s actions, and many Palestinians may not be willing to vote if they know they are documented in the voting act.

It should be made clear that the vote itself is behind a curtain, and there was no intention to document the very act of voting, thus preserving the ‘elections confidentiality’. But even the record of voter arrival at the ballot box can cause many Palestinian voters to abstain from voting. The Likud party intends to reiterate this act in the current elections.

In recent days, the Likud party has joined the far-right party, “Jewish Power”, demanding that the Election Committee not allow the “Joint List” to run in the elections. “Jewish power” is the most radical party in the Israeli right, and it openly supports the path of Rabbi Meir Kahane, who was assassinated in 1994.

Kahane preached the expulsion of Palestinians from the State of Israel. If the demand is accepted (and the chances are very low), the Palestinian public will not have a significant and appropriate representation in the Knesset.

Why is the Palestinian voice threatening Netanyahu so much?

Palestinians have a very low voting percentage, and their parties that do not have, and probably will not have a position of power and influence in the foreseeable future. Netanyahu, the rogue politician, and realist knows this. He also knows that the more Palestinian Knesset members in the Knesset, the harder it will be for his opponents from the center blue-and-white party, committed to their electorate not to rely on the Palestinian vote, to form a coalition.

It seems that this is an ideological position that denies Palestinian self-expression and self-identity and that the measures designed to exclude the Arab parties and not allow adequate political representation are taken for reasons of rigid ideology, rather than for “real-politique”.

One hopes that the Palestinians will indeed rush to the polls. The political inclusion of the minority is extremely important in a democratic state and moreover, appropriate political expression for the Palestinian population, access to positions of power and influence, and integration in all aspects of life in the State of Israel, are the only guarantee of the long-term existence of the State of Israel, its integration into the middle east region and its prosperity.

Israeli tech providers are increasing quickly

News Room
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Israeli tech providers are increasing quickly

The Israeli tech sector reached many all-time highs this week as measured by the BlueStar Israel World Technological know-how IndexTM (BIGITech), a benchmark for Israeli significant-tech firms trading globally.

The businesses tracked because of the BIGITech index are Portion of the expense portfolio of The Jerusalem Portfolio (TJP), a new system permitting people today, foundations and establishments to possess a stake in Israeli-focused general public businesses.

“The history-breaking progress from the Israeli current market tech sector continues to underscore the worth of investing in Israeli-concentrated public corporations,” mentioned Jonathan Gerber, co-founding father of TJP and president of RVW Wealth.

In a recent start event, Stanley P. Gold, one among the largest and earliest key overseas private traders in Israel, sat down with Jeffrey I. Abrams, co-founder of TJP and RVW Wealth Legacy Useful resource Center controlling director. Gold reported that “folks throughout the world have ultimately acknowledged that the standard of the products coming out of Israel are pretty much as good or much better than everywhere on the earth … managers in Israel are planet-course [and] are each individual bit as good as Europe or The united states. ”

BIGITech has become up 25 percent for 2019 to date, and the U.S. and Israeli-stated Trade-traded funds and index funds that monitor it are prime performers inside their types.

TJP offers access to BIGITech, which can be Component of its In general portfolio.

It allows investors to personal fractional interests in the diversified team of  in excess of a hundred major-tier Israeli-concentrated general public companies like Check Stage Computer software Tech, Elbit Techniques Ltd., Novocure Ltd., Wix.com Ltd. and a lot more, spanning sectors from overall health treatment and technological innovation to Strength and cybersecurity.

Gender Discrimination and Equality in Switzerland; Jobs, Politics & Society

Patricia Zanini Graca
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Gender Discrimination and Equality in Switzerland; Jobs, Politics & Society

On June 14, 2019, women made history in Switzerland. Thousands of women joined a general strike to highlight several issues, including the underrepresentation of women, the gender wage gap, and discrimination. Despite Switzerland being a very developed country, Swiss women only won their right to vote in 1971.

In 1991, twenty years after attaining suffrage, half a million Swiss women took to the streets to demand more action for equal rights between men and women. At the time, there were no women in government, and there was no policy on maternity leave.

It was only in 2005, that women gained the right of 98 days of paid maternity leave, after four failed attempts. As a result, Switzerland lacks gender equality compared to other developed countries. According to the World Economic Forum, Switzerland ranks 20th in gender equality, lagging behind many European countries, such as the Scandinavian countries, France, Germany, and Poland. Much like an Alpine climb, the feminist movement in Switzerland has been a long and challenging endeavor.

Equal pay for the same work performed is a constitutional requirement in Switzerland. However, according to the most recent data from the country’s Federal Statistics Office (FSO), women made almost 20 percent less in the private sector and nearly 17 percent less in the public sector compared to their male counterparts.

By comparison, a report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shows that the pay gap is around 13.6 percent across developed countries; therefore, the Swiss gap is more significant. The FSO also reported that the differences between the sexes are still visible when comparing the median gross salary in full-time jobs. For self-employed persons that perform the same position, men earned an average of 80,000 Swiss Francs (CHF), while women earned only 56,700 CHF. As employees, men made 85,200 CHF on average last year, compared to 71,500 CHF for women.

The latest Swiss Labour Force Survey shows that two-thirds of workers who have a low salary are women; furthermore, half of the women are foreigners. The report also revealed that the youth unemployment rate of women rose from 4.8 percent to 5.1 percent. In 2018, the activity rate of women aged 15 to 64 (79.9 percent) was 8.6 percentage points lower than that of men (88.5 percent).

The OECD report on gender shows that 82 percent of men in Switzerland work full-time, compared to only 41 percent of women; whereas 11 percent of men and 35 percent of women work part-time. The same survey analyzed managerial positions in Switzerland, in which men occupy 64 percent. One factor that contributes to the pay gap is gender stereotyping of jobs, meaning that either a man or a woman is a better “fit” for a given job. Although it is not valid, such stereotypes may be dominant because they can bias a whole host of employment outcomes.

In June 2019, UNICEF released a report that portrays Switzerland as the least family-friendly country in Europe, with other poor performers including Greece, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom. The report outlines policies that make life hard for families in Switzerland. For example, the country offers the shortest paid maternity leave in Europe and one of the lowest in the OECD. Furthermore, Switzerland is also one of a handful of countries to offer no paid leave for fathers. In 2004, 75 percent of Swiss mothers worked part-time out of necessity to cover childcare, which the OECD said would hinder their career progression.

Although there has been some progress on women’s rights in Switzerland, violence, and harassment against women remains high and is one of the reasons why women went on strike. Amnesty International released a survey that showed that 22 percent of Swiss women aged sixteen or older have been subjected to non-consensual sexual relations. Furthermore, 59 percent of women have experienced sexual harassment in the form of unwanted contact, including hugging or kissing.

Women are more likely than men to be victims of other more prevalent types of domestic violence. In the past ten years, an average of 25 people have been killed annually as a result of domestic violence in Switzerland, with 75 percent of the victims being women or girls. Around half of those women who were affected by violence and harassment against themselves had not talked about their sexual violence experience, and only 8 percent had filed a complaint with the police.

Switzerland has somewhat improved its gender equality in political representation in the past 20 years. In the Federal Council, 43 percent are women; in the National Council, 32 percent are women; and in the State’s Council, 15 percent. It is critical that there is a push so that the Swiss population could have a meaningful number of women in the parliament.

Switzerland needs to develop a comprehensive national gender strategy. The introduction of gender quotas in politics in Switzerland can lead to a more balanced gender representation and bring improvements in childcare and schooling policies. Childcare is an expensive business in Switzerland, an average child daycare costs 40 CHF, hindering the possibilities of both parents working full time. Therefore, many women opt out to work part-time in order to take care of their children.

Work, politics, discrimination, wages—the differences between women and men in Switzerland are still worthy of attention. If Switzerland wants to maintain its high quality-of-life standards by being one of the best places to live and work overseas, it needs to address the gender gap and reduce gender inequality. Public initiatives demonstrate the urge for changes. To achieve de facto equality, Switzerland needs to address underrepresentation in political decision-making entities, unequal pay, violence against girls and women, and disproportionate

The world is silent as Ahmadi Muslims bleed

Muzaffar Ahmad Noori Bajwa
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The world is silent as Ahmadi Muslims bleed

Suppression of ideas has never killed them—it only immortalizes them. History bears witness: the crucifixion of Jesus sparked the spread of Christianity; the Holocaust did not erase Jewish identity; and today, the systematic persecution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is laying the foundation for their global awakening. Every attempt to extinguish a voice only amplifies it further.

In an age when human rights are enshrined in treaties and paraded at global summits, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community—a sect founded in 19th-century India that preaches peace, tolerance, and non-violence—remains one of the most relentlessly targeted religious minorities in the world. And the world watches in silence.

A global community under siege

With a population exceeding 200 million across 200 countries, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is widely regarded as the most educated and peaceful Islamic sect in modern history. Yet they are outlawed, beaten, silenced, and erased by Muslim-majority nations including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Iraq, Syria, Libya, and increasingly, Bangladesh.

In these countries, the state’s duty to uphold the United Nations’ Resolution on Religious Freedom is nothing more than decorative ink on paper. The so-called defenders of Islam have turned Islam into a weapon—one that targets the very minorities the Prophet Muhammad himself once vowed to protect.

 

Bangladesh’s shameful betrayal

In February 2019, a peaceful community gathering by the Ahmadiyya in a remote village in Bangladesh became the epicenter of Islamist terror. The attackers? The Khatm-e-Nabuwat Andolon—a fanatical pro-Caliphate group, reportedly linked to ISIS and Hamas. According to local witnesses and verified media reports, the assault was brutal, premeditated, and tacitly supported by local police. No arrests. No justice. Not even a case filed.

More than 50 Ahmadi Muslims were seriously injured. Property worth over $3 million was looted, vandalized, or burned to the ground. ISIS claimed responsibility—just as it did in 2015 when a suicide bomber struck the Ahmadiyya mosque in the country’s north, killing and maiming worshippers in cold blood.

Even after more than 50 days, police had not registered a single FIR. A report by The Daily Star quoted Ahmadiyya leaders alleging clear police bias and political sheltering of the perpetrators. The Eastern Herald had warned of this attack in a special report published four days prior—yet the Bangladeshi government ignored the clear threat.

Incredibly, the day before the attack, the very mastermind behind the violence was seen dining with political elites—an ominous reminder that extremist ideology has wormed its way into the highest echelons of power.

The Khatm-e-Nabuwat plague

Khatm-e-Nabuwat, meaning “Finality of Prophethood,” has become a global brand of Islamist extremism operating under various names: Tahaffuz Khatm-e-Nabuwat, Majlis-e-Tahaffuz, and Khatm-e-Nabuwat Andolon. Their doctrine is straightforward: eliminate Ahmadis from Islam by labeling them heretics, outlaws, and worse.

In over 30 countries, these groups propagate hate with impunity. While some nations have declared them terrorist organizations, many others quietly facilitate their growth by refusing to crack down. It’s the 21st century’s version of Kristallnacht—minus the headlines.

Pakistan’s constitutional apartheid

Pakistan, the self-proclaimed citadel of Islam, set the blueprint for Ahmadi persecution when it constitutionally excommunicated the community in 1974. This wasn’t just political—it was ideological apartheid. Ahmadis were legally forbidden from calling themselves Muslim, praying in mosques, or even greeting with Assalamualaikum.

Dr. Abdus Salam, Pakistan’s only Nobel laureate in science, was driven into exile for being Ahmadi. A man who revolutionized theoretical physics and laid the groundwork for the Higgs boson discovery—the so-called “God Particle”—was discarded by the very nation he served.

His tombstone had the word “Muslim” forcefully scratched out by the state. Let that sink in.

The West’s double standard

The silence of Western democracies is not just disturbing—it’s disgraceful. Nations that claim moral leadership on human rights—France, Germany, the United States—have done next to nothing to intervene or even acknowledge this sustained religious genocide. Their selective outrage is deafening.

If the Ahmadiyya community were a geopolitical interest or an oil-rich minority, headlines would scream, resolutions would pass, and troops might march. But instead, Ahmadis suffer in the shadows of geopolitical convenience.

Voices that refuse to be silenced

Despite the storm, the community thrives—academically, scientifically, and morally. In the fields of medicine, physics, economics, and education, Ahmadi Muslims continue to contribute to the global intellectual pool with unmatched grace and determination.

Take Aniqa, a cancer research scholar at Panjab University, India, who wrote an article titled, “Not for Muslims: Cancer and Diabetes Cure by Israeli Scientists by 2020”. She explained:

“Our target is not a paycheck; it’s humanity. But even in India, we are attacked—by non-Muslims for being Muslim, and by Muslims for being Ahmadi. We love our country, but sometimes the country forgets to love us back.”

Sword can win lands, not hearts

Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, the 4th Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, once said:

“Sword can win territories but not hearts. Forces can bend heads, but not minds.”

This profound truth echoes across every persecution in history. Tyranny may suppress, but it cannot erase. It may delay progress, but it cannot stop it.

Where are the human rights champions?

If international bodies like the United Nations, the European Union, and the so-called world powers continue to ignore these atrocities, they risk becoming irrelevant in the moral discourse of our time. The hypocrisy is glaring: billions spent on weaponizing democracy, but not a whisper when democracy fails its own tenets.

Persecution of any group—be it based on faith, race, or belief—is a crime against humanity. If the world cannot unite to protect a community as peaceful, progressive, and persecuted as the Ahmadiyya, then global human rights have become nothing more than political theater.

Ahmadis in Bangladesh face fresh threat of persecution

Muzaffar Ahmad Noori Bajwa
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Ahmadis in Bangladesh face fresh threat of persecution

It is extremely disturbing to note, the top leader of Hefazat-E-Islam, Ahmad Shah Shafi has also called upon the Bangladesh government to “immediately declare Ahmadiyyas” as “non-Muslims” and has asked the government to stop the Ahmadiyya religious congregation in Panchagarh district in Bangladesh.

Ahmadiyya community in Bangladesh has decided to hold an Ijtema (religious congregation) in Panchagarh district, which has already come under extreme opposition from the pro-Caliphate group named Hefazat-E-Islam, which consists of thousands of madrassa teachers and students.

According to an opinion editorial published in Weekly Blitz, Executive editor of Qawmi madrassa mouthpiece named monthly Moinul, Sarwar Kamal has circulated a statement from HEI leader Ahmad Shah Shafi stating,
“Deniers of Khatmey Nabuwat (last prophecy), feet-licking slave of the British, nefarious enemy of the Muslim ummah, Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani had denied acknowledging Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) as the last prophet. He [Golam Mohammad Kadiani] proclaimed false prophethood with the agenda of deceiving Muslims, being a lapdog of the British. Golam Mohammad was the agent of those British imperialist traders who had ruled the Indian subcontinent for 190 years, and had falsely proclaimed himself as the prophet and had participated in anti-Islam propaganda”.
Shafi further said, “Despite the fact of being non-Muslims, Qadiyanis are claiming themselves as Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat and has been booting the world’s prophet [prophet of Islam]. If such things are not stopped forthwith, Hefazat e Islam by joining the ‘Khatmey Nabuwat Movement’ will go into massive anti-Ahmadiyya movement in Bangladesh. Ahmadiyyas should be declared non-Muslims and their naked exposition of audacity [against Islam] should be immediately stopped. Otherwise, any conspiracy will be foiled by the hundreds of millions of towheedi Janata (masses of faith)”.

The most disturbing fact about this issue is, none of the mainstream media in Bangladesh or elsewhere have published even a single sentence on it, clearly exhibiting the degree of bias and influence those preachers of radical Islam have already established on the media.

This morning, immediately after hearing this disturbing news from the editor of Weekly Blitz, we have started contacting various media outlets in the world as well as rights groups drawing their attention to this issue.

For decades, members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community are facing synchronized persecution in Pakistan in particular as well as other nations, including Bangladesh and India. Most, unfortunately, in some cases, such persecution enjoys direct or indirect patronization from the ruling elites or the establishments.

We are fully aware of Bangladesh’s authority banning religious publications of Ahmadis in 2005, which has not been lifted despite repeated reminders from the international community and Bangladesh government promises. Although religious minorities in Bangladesh had aspired of an end of such persecution, intimidation, and hostility ever since Awami League came to power in 2009.

But unfortunately, Awami League, that proclaims of being a secular political party too has joined hands with pro-Caliphate Hefazat-E-Islam and it is clearly evident, this group is gradually becoming a dictating or pressure force in Bangladesh. Just a few weeks back, Hefazat leader Shah Ahmad Shafi in a public gathering had asked the Muslim parents to refrain from sending their girl children to schools.

DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL AND COLLEGES: HEFAZAT-E-ISLAM’S KINGPIN(PRO-CALIPHATE)

This particular statement had never been even confronted by rights groups in Bangladesh, most possibly because of fear of state-patronized harassment.

“It is a moral obligation of all Muslim ummah to protest and stop the Panchagarh Qadiani Ijtema. This country is secular, here Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, and all other religions perform their own religion similarly Qadianis can also perform their own religion but that must be a conference, not Ijtema.
Dhaka city president of Islami movement Bangladesh Maulana Imtiyaz Alam “Qadianis must be declared non-muslims immediately. let them live like minorities like Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists like indigenous people. We have no problem with that. But they can not live here like Muslims(because they are infidels, they can’t call their place of worship a mosque and they can’t perform any Muslim rituals)” — said Maulana Abdul Hameed Peer president of the Khatme Nabuwwat Council.

International Khatme Nabuwwat movement Secy. Genl. Maulana Alhaj Nazmul Haq and rep from Hefazat-e-Islam were there at the protest.

Chief editor of JamJamat Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury said “Some people in Bangladesh are engaged into anti-Ahmadiyya activities similarly as Pakistan which is not acceptable. They are trying to put the government into embarrassment as well this step engages in the deep conspiracy of destabilizing the country. I have been repeatedly saying, that Khilafat claiming anti-democratic force Hefazat-e-Islam should not be given any space in this country.

We all know Hefazat-e-Islam has connections with Al-Qaida and ISIS. These are groups of radical Islamic militancy minded people. They should not be allowed to openly continue such activities. Do the ruling party think (so-called)Hefazat-e-Islam will have them in gaining vote bank? Who gives such idiotic suggestions to the govt.? There is no space for radical Islam in this country.

There is no vote bank of Radical Islam in Bangladesh. Should those mullahs have any vote bank in this country they would have owned a seat in parliament. Have they ever got?

He further said” This group of barbarians deny the rise of women, women education, human rights, and rule of law. They want to establish a so-called caliphate in our country. The way ISIS scoundrels have attempted. I’m calling upon the government to forcefully stop such evil damn things of HeI. Our govt needs to be cautious about Shah Shafi otherwise this frankestine will emerge as a threat to our national security.”

Although counterterrorism experts are seeing ISIS in Hefazat, in my opinion, the case of Hefazat is even worst as ISIS never got patronization from the Iraqi government. The ruling party in Bangladesh, as part of its strategy of playing religion card in politics, has openly joined hands with Hefazat. Let us remember, Hefazat-E-Islam is the platform of hundreds and thousands of Qawmi madrassa teachers and students.

Long back, editor of Weekly Blitz and a counter-militancy expert, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury has branded these madrassas as “breeding grounds of jihadists”. Mr. Choudhury in his book named ‘Inside Madrassa’ also has provided numerous facts, data, and evidence showing as to how jihadism is being gradually injected into the minds of young madrassa students by those radicalized teachers.

Being an Ahmadi Muslim, it is a call upon every conscious individual in the world to immediately look into the latest incident of threats on the Ahmadi Muslims in Bangladesh.

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