From: nadeem aslam
To: kashmir-global-network@yahoogroups.com
Cc: mudasirhataf@yahoo.com
Sent: Friday, 24 October, 2008 14:21:54
Subject: Re: [kashnet] Re: OPEN LETTER TO HAFIZ SAEED (URDU) جناب حافظ سعید تاریخ: 2007-06-24
Dear Mudasir,
Further to you reply at least you stated that you are not a blind followers of Lashker? I would like to tell you that I had been involved for the Liberation and Reunification of the Jammu Kashmir in POK ,I born there as well ,for this related struggle for the Kashmir in POK .In return I honored, its not just me there are thousands of poor and well educated youth lost the battle of their future.During those years I have been penalised ,torchered and harassed with every brutal way that local authorities and agencies related to the army and ISI.
Your group and some other Jihadi groups were emerged in POK with the umbrella of ISI and Pakistani military in 1986-1988 when Gen.Zia launched another offensive and military approach plan `OPPRETION TOOPAK, in term of Jihad in Indian Occupied Kashmir.
That Jihadies are most of them from upper Punjab and are Wahabi or Dewband Maslik.
Before 9/11 they were always been an American sponsored groups through Saudi Islamic injection.
Post 9/11 during Musharef era its hard for them to work openly because of new American anti Jihad policy in place through Pakistan army many of them still disappeared from POK.You just got a credit of 100;000,martyrs what you achieved with this proxy war for ISI and Pakistani military.There are hundreds of Men's from Punjab are still in Indian prisons and ther got three to ten years prison sentences even they don`t have legal support to fight their case in courts,ISI not helping them now because after 9/11 they are terrorist in Pakistan.Hundreds and thousands of Pakistani military troops are in place from Tao Butt to Chamb Joriann and there are many stories of rap, killings of innocent people POK Supreme Court and High court and civil administration are bound to obey ISI and military even the prime minister of POK is clear by ISI and money they paid for it ? The firing is always been between India and Pakistan on LOC,have you ever heared that Pakistani and Indian troops had a crossfire on Wahga border or Indo-Pak border?
We always condemned the Indian brutalities in IOK and we believe one day will come when Kashmiries are reunited.
I firmly belive that on a short term programme we need to pull out Pakistani Army from POK,and OGB people need to do the same,and IOK Kashmiries have fight their struggle against illegal Indian occupation.
I try to clear my point of view .
If you are a Kasmiri Just try to understand the Kashmir question from Kashmiri point of view not the Pakistan military and ISI proxy point of view.
Kind regards,
Nadeem
From: mudasir ahmad
To: nadeem aslam
Cc: kashmir-global-network@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, 23 October, 2008 11:13:34
Subject: [kashnet] Re: OPEN LETTER TO HAFIZ SAEED (URDU) جناب حافظ سعید تاریخ: 2007-06-24
Dear Nadeeem,
I have read the letter in urdu . I want to tell you brother that in the ongoing freedom movement in kashmir there have been lots of violent cases in which the freedom fighters were involved. There were human rights violations committed by people belonging to yaseen maliks group, javid mirs jklf and even hizbul mujahideen against both muslim and pundit brothers. I do not know the truth about this letter or your opinion and allegation against markaz dawa . What i got from your letter is that there is a land row . A land that belongs to you guys has been illegaly taken by markaz dawa and in that process one of your brother has been killed. Without asking you further details. I tell you mine and opinion of every kashmiri that we condemn such acts. We are of the opinion that such people should be brought to justice whether there in ajk or here in occupied valley. We are not blind followers of lashkar. We are not blind followers of any organization or any Sheikh Abdullah now. If there are mistakes and drawbacks , we have to say and try to fix them.I bellieve we are all human . There can be mistakes and mistakes can be corrected by taking steps towards solutions. If we count those cases against freedom fighters here in valley then the ongoing movement will suffer heavily. I might ask you its not you and me on ground its these boys and they did commit mistakes due to lack of training and in some cases even moral values. We are writing mails and exchanging views here but i am sure that if we were there in such an unorganized army we would also commit some mistakes although not all.
The point is why i objected to your mai ?? . Here in kashir net we are disscussing views and opinions for how to get liberation from the indian terrorist rule in our occupied nation. Stress should be laid on that. I know there are mistakes from these boys also but when you compare them with the attrocities and heinous form of terrorist activities commited by indian military in our valley it is a drop compared to ocean. The crux of it is that our movement is just and legal. We are fighting indian armed forces and whether it be boys of hizbul or lashkar. Those dying on ground laid their lives for a just cause fighting an opressive force. I hope you got what i meant. I mean internal issues we can discuss within ourselves . We dont need to call indians or americans to solve these issues for they will not understand our interests. They will just come and bombard the villages and mass murder the civilians.
Take care and stay blessed
Feeamaanillahi taala
From: nadeem aslam
To: kashmir-global- network@yahoogro ups.com
Cc: mudasir ahmad
Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2008 12:56:17 AM
Subject: OPEN LETTER TO HAFIZ SAEED (URDU) جناب حافظ سعید تاریخ: 2007-06-24
Dear Mudasir Mhmad ,
Thanks for you reply, the real question is that who they are and why they claimed Jihad on behalf of Kashmiries. Why they don`t know about the problems facing ,Pakistani nation today?
Whats their role in todays Pakistan ?
If they look in Lahore ,could they able to stop,and solve the problems of HEERA MANDI LAHORE( near Shai Mosque, RAJA BAZAR RAWALPINDI and THE LEE MARKEET KARACHI, its bitter but thats truth .
If they are a REAL and efective ,then could you be able to give me a time frame whe they solve the problems of these markets in Pakistan.
Please read a letter bellow for their kindness on the peole of Mazefrabad AJK.
If you need some more information about their Jiadi work I would be able to tell you more stories not from the WESTEREN MEDIA?
Don`t forget to tell me and the Kashneters to real story about the letter bellow.
Regards,
Nadeem
| تاریخ: 2007-06-24 |
واجب الاحترام جناب حافظ سعید صا حب و ذمہ دران جماعت الد عوۃ پاکستان اسلام علیکم: امید ہے کہ آپ خیریت سے ہوں گے۔ بعد از خیریت گزارش ہے کہ 8اکتوبر 2005کے بعد آپ کی جماعت نے متاثرین زلزلہ کے لئے جو کردار ادا کیا اور اس سے قبل بھی تحریک آزادی کشمیر کے حوالے سے مظلوم کشمیر ی مسلمانوں کی مدد کی لئے جو کردار ادا کیا وہ تاریخ میں سنہری حروف سے لکھا جائے گا۔ کوئی بھی تنظیم، تحریک زیادہ ددیر تک قائم نہیں رہ سکتی اگر اس کے اندر خود احتسابی کا عمل موجود نہ ہو۔ جو تحریک و تنظیم اپنی خامیوں پر نظر نہیں رکھتی اورخوش فہمیوں میں مبتلا رہتی ہے اس کی تباہی یقینی ہوتی ہے ۔ حا لیہ دنوں میں مظفرآباد میں پیش آنے والے واقعہ سے ایک خالص دینی تنظیم ہونے کے ناطے آپ سے چند گزارشات کرنا چاہتا ہوں امید ہے آپ اپنے قیمتی وقت میں سے کچھ وقت نکال کر غور فرمائیں گے۔ آخر کیا وجہ ہے کہ گذشتہ کچھ عرصہ سے آپ کی تنظیم سے وابستہ افراد غیر قانونی اور مجر مانہسر گرمیوں میں ملوث پائے جا رہے ہیں ۔ مظفرآباد یونیورسٹی سے طالبہ کا اغوا ہو، چہلہ بانڈی میں مزدور پر کی گئی فائرنگ یا اب معصوم طالبعلم عدنان علی کا قتل۔ اس طرح کی کئی دیگر واقعات کی نشاندہی کی جا سکتی ہے۔ مگر اخلاص کے ساتھ خود احتسابی کے لئے غور کیا جائے تو یہ کافی ہیں طالب علم عدنان علی کے قتل اور اس کے بعد کی صورتحال دیکھ کر انتہا ئی دکھ ہوا کہ ایک خالص اسلامی اور دینی تنظیم جس کی قیادت آپ سے جیسے جید علماء کرام کر رہے ہوں وہ کیسے یک طرفہ طور پر اپنے کا رکنان کی طرف سے سنائی جانے والی صورتحال کومد نظر رکھ کر مقتول عدنان علی کے خاندان کے بارے میں میڈیا کے ذریعے انتہائی غیر ذمہ دا رانہ طرز عمل اختیا ر کئے ہو ئے ہے اور مسجد اور قرآن کے نام پر عوامی جذبات کو بڑکانے کی ناکام کوشش کر رہی ہے۔ محترم میری آپ سے گزارش ہے کہ اس واقعہ کے حوالہ سے آپ کی تنظیم کے طرف سے تحریر ی طور پر جو درخواست صدر تھا نہ میں دی گئی ہے اور اس میں جو الزامات لگائے گئے ہیں آپ اس کی کاپی حاصل کر کے پڑھیں اور تہجد کی نماز سے فارغ ہو کر اپنے اللہ کے سامنے سینے پہ ہاتھ رکھ کے سوچیں اور اپنے ضمیر سے جواب مانگیں کہ اس میں کتنا سچ ہے۔ اور کیا قا نونی تقاضے پورے کرنے کے لئے بحثیت اسلامی اور دین کی داعی تنظیم جھوٹ اور بہتان تراشی پر مبنی تحریری بیان دے سکتی ہے؟ اس واقعہ کو ہوئے دس دن گزر چکے ہیں کیا آپ کی دینی اخلاقی ذمہ داری نہیں بنتی تھی کہ آپ یا آپ کی طرف سے کوئی ذمہ دار نمائندہ عدنان علی کے ورثاء کو مو قف سننے کے لئے آتا اور دونوں طر ف کا موقف سننے کے بعد آپ کی جماعت کوئی لائحہ عمل اختیا رکرتی؟ محترم آ پ سے گزارش کرتا چلو ں کہ جس خاندان کے بارے میں آپ کی تنظیم نے اپنے تمام وسائل و اثر و رسوخ استعما ل کر کے میڈیا میں یہ تاثر دینے کی کوشش کی ہے کہ یہ کوئی قبضہ گروپ ہے اور شر پسند عناصر ہیں۔ مظفرآبا کا ایک بھی فرد یہ بات ماننے کو تیا ر نہیں۔ اس لئے کہ اس خاندان کی دین اور تحریک آزادی کے لئے قربانیاں ہیں اورجو کردار ہے وہ مظفرآبا د کا ہر شخص جا نتا ہے۔ اس چھوٹی سی بستی (بقول آپ کی تنظیم کے قبضہ گروپ اور شر پسندوں کی بستی) کے سات نوجوان مقبوضہ کشمیر میں شہید ہو چکے ہیں ۔ اسلام کی دعوت اور تحریک آزادی کے ابتدائی دور سے لے کر جماعت الدعوۃ کے ہسپتال کے قیام تک ہر معاملہ میں اس خاندان کے لوگ صف اول میں رہے۔ آپ کے ہسپتال کے قیام اور خیمہ بستی کے حوالے سے جب آپ کے لوگ اس خاندان کے پاس آئے اور ان کی زمین پر عارضی خیمہ بستی اور ہسپتال قائم کرنے کی درخواست کی تو اس وقت بھی جب مظفرآباد میں صرف ایک ٹینٹ لگانے کا کرایہ دو صد روپے ماہانہ تھاتو ان لوگوںنے تقریبا اپنی چالیس کنال زمین بغیر کسی معاوضے کے ایک سال تک آپ کی تنظیم کو دے رکھی مگر جب زمین کے حوالے سے آپ کے لوگوں کی نیت خراب ہونے لگی۔تو انہیں جگہ خالی کرنے کے لئے کہا گیا۔ آپ کے لوگوں نے شکریہ ادا کرنے کے بجائے اس میں سے کچھ زمین پر بندوق کی نوک پر قبضہ کر لیا اور یہ موقف اختیار کر لیا کہ یہ زمین خالصہ سرکار ہے اور حکومت نے ہمیں الاٹ کر دی ہے۔ محترم آپ خود سوچیں کہ اس بات میں کتنی صداقت ہے کے کہ یہ زمین حکومت نے باضابطہ طور پر جما عت الد عوۃ کوالاٹ کر دی ہے۔۔ اگر آپ کی تنظیم کے پاس کوئی الاٹمنٹ آرڈر ہے توابھی تک کسی اخبار میں کیوں نہیں چھپوایا یا مقتول عدنان کے ورثاء کو ہی دکھا دیا ہوتا۔ اگر اب بھی آپ کے پاس کوئی الاٹمنٹ آرڈر ہے تو اس کو منظر عام پر لایا جائے بصورت دیگر ہر وہ شخص جو زمین رکھتا ہے یا زمین کے معاملات سے واقف ہے وہ سمجھ سکتا کہ کہ جس شخص کا چالیس کنال رقبہ ہو اور اس کے ساتھ دو کنال خالصہ یا شاملات ہو اور وہ پاکستان بننے سے لے کر اب تک اس پرقابض ہو اور اس کو آباد کیے ہو تو اس پر کا حق ہے یا نہیں۔پھر بھی جب تنازعہ پیدا ہو ا تو دونوں طرف کے لوگوںنے بیٹھ کر باہمی رضامندی سے ایک معائدہ کیا اور اس کے نتیجہ میں دو کنال سات مرلہ خالصہ خسرہ نمبر 89کو دو حصو ں میں تقسیم کیا گیا ایک حصہ جماعت الد عوۃ اور ایک حصہ مقتول عدنان کے ورثاء کے قبضے میں دیا گیا۔ مگر آپ کی جماعت کے لوگوں نے اس معائدے کی خلاف ورزی کرتے ہوئے اندر ہی اندر خفیہ طریقے سے خسرہ نمبر 89کے سارے دو کنال سات مرلہ رقبہ کو کسی پرائم فاؤنڈیشن نامی این جی او کے نام الاٹ کراونے کی کوشش شروع کر دی جو کہ تاحال کامیاب نہ ہو سکی بنیادی وجہ تنازعہ یہی ہے۔ اس کے ساتھ باہمی رضامندی سے طے کئے جانے والے معائدے کی شق نمبر 1کے مطابق جماعت الد عوۃ کسی بھی وجہ سے ہسپتال ختم کرتی ہے یا چھوڑتی ہے تو وہ پابند ہے کہ یہ رقبہ مقتول عدنان کے ورثاء کو واپس دے گی۔ آپ اپنی تنظیم سے معائدہ منگوا کر پہلی ہی شق نمبر 1کو دیکھ سکتے ہیں۔ اس کے برعکس آپ کی تنظیم نے اس رقبہ کو گورنمنٹ سے پرائم فاؤنڈیشن این جی او کے نام کروانے کی کوشش کی جو کہ معائدے کی کھلی خلاف ورزی تھی جو کسی بھی عام انسان کو زیب نہیں دیتی کجا کہ دین اسلام کی حقیقی علمبردار تنظیم ایسا کرتی۔ جب یہ ساری صورتحا ل جماعت الد عوۃ آزادکشمیر کے امیر محترم عبدالعزیز علوی صاحب کے نوٹس میں لائی گئی تو ان کی طرف سے برملا یہ اظہار کیا گیا کہ یہ لوگ میرے کنٹرول میں نہیں ہیں اور نہ ہی میری سنتے ہیں، یہ بیان حکمت عملی تھی یہ سچ؟ یہ تو علوی صاحب اور ہم سب کا خالق ہی بہتر جانتا ہے۔ بہر حال اس ساری صورتحال میں جب مقتول عدنان کے بھائی اور ان کے پڑوسی سدھیر شاہ آپ کے ہسپتال میں 11جون کو بات کرنے گئے کہ آپ کام کی توسیع کے حوالے سے بیٹھ کر بات کریں تو آپ کے مسلح لوگوں نے انہیں ہسپتال کی وارڈمیں باندھ دیااور تقریبا 15افراد جن میں مسؤلین بھی شامل تھے ان پر تشد د کرتے رہے اور آہنی سریوں اور ڈنڈوں سے انہیں مارتے رہے۔اس تشدد کے اثرات کے کو اگر میڈیکل رپورٹ پر اعتماد نہ ہو تو آج دس دن گزرنے کے بعد بھی ان کے جسموں پر دیکھا جا سکتا ہے۔ زخموں پر مرہم رکھنے والا ہسپتا ل ٹارچر سیل کیوں بن گیا؟ اور انڈین فوج سے لڑنے کے لئے آپ نے جو ہتھیا ر اپنے جوانو ں کو دئیے ہیں ان کے دہانے اپنے ہی محسنوں پر کیوں کھل گئے ؟اور آپ کے ہی تربیتی مرکز سے فکری تربیت حاصل کرنے والا معصوم عدنان کیوں قتل ہو گیا؟ محترم قتل تو ایک حادثہ تھا یا چند افراد کا سوچا سمجھا منصوبہ لیکن قتل کے بعد خالصتا اسلامی تنظیم جماعت الدعوۃ نے تحریر ی طور پر بیان دیا کہ مقتول کواس کے چچا نے قتل کیا اور مقتول کے باپ نے ہسپتال جلایا۔ محترم آپ کے سامنے دین کے حوالے سے بات کر نا سورج کو چراغ دکھانے کے مترادف ہو گا مگر یہاں آپ سے یہ شرعی مسلئہ ضرور پوچھنا چاہوں گا کہ ایک مسلمان کی جان کی حرمت زیادہ ہے یا کہ حرم کعبہ کی؟ ایک انسان کا قتل ساری انسانیت کا قتل ہے کہ نہیں؟ کسی بھی معاملہ میں جھوٹی گواہی دینا شریعت میں کیا مقام رکھتا ہے؟ خصوصا خالص دینی اور اسلامی تنظیم اجتماعی طور پر ایسا کرے تو کیسا ہے؟کسی بھی معاملہ میں یکطرفہ طور پر حالات معلوم کر کے اسلامی تنظیم کا اجتماعی طور پر اقدامات کرنا کیسا ہے؟ کسی بھی مقام پر عارضی طور پر نماز کے لئے قائم کیا جانے والے مصلہ کو مسجد کہا جا سکتا ہے؟ اور کیا کسی مکا ن ،دکان یا سٹور وغیرہ میں آگ لگنے کی وجہ سے اس میں قرآن پاک شہید ہو جائے تو اسے دانستہ قرآن جلانے کی کوشش کہا جا سکتا ہے؟ یہ خالصتا شرعی سوالات ہیں جن کے جوابات قرآن و سنت کی روشنی میں آپ سے جاننا چاہتا ہوں۔ محترم خط کافی طویل ہو گیا اور تفصیلات ابھی بہت زیادہ ہیں پھر بھی مجھے آ پ کے قیمتی وقت کا پورا احساس ہے آخر میں خط کے ساتھ آپ کے لئے درج ذیل دستاویزات ارسال ہیں تا کہ آپ خود حقیقی تجزیہ کر سکیں۔ 1۔ جماعت الدعوۃ کی جانب سے تھانہ صدر میں جھوٹ اور بہتان پر مبنی دی جانے والی درخواست(ایف ۔آئی ۔آر) 2۔ جماعت الدعوۃ اور مقتول عدنان کے ورثاء کے ساتھ ہونے والے معائدہ کی کاپی۔ 3۔ پرائم فاؤنڈیشن کی طرف سے الاٹمنٹ کے لئے دی جانے والی درخواست۔ 4۔ انتظا میہ کی طرف سے الاٹمنٹ پر اعترضا ت کی کاپی۔ 5۔ مظفرآباد ڈیلپمنٹ اتھارٹی کی طرف سے جماعت الدعوۃ کو جگہ خالی کرنے کے لئے دیا جانے ولا نوٹس۔ 6۔ 2004میں سید مبارک علی کی جانب سے جگہ کی الاٹمنٹ کے لئے دی جانے والی درخواست۔ 7۔ مظفرآباد ڈویلپمنٹ اتھارٹی کی جانب سے سید مبارک علی شاہ کو الاٹمنٹ کے لئے دی جانے والی این اوسی کی کاپی۔ محترم آخر میں گزارش ہے کہ کہیں بھی آپ کی شان میں گستاخی ہوئی ہو تو معذرت چاہتا ہوں اور اللہ سے دعا کرتا ہوں کہ آپ اس معاملہ کو خالصتا قرآن اور سنت کی روشنی میں حل کرنے کی کوشش کریں گے خواہ اس کے لئے کتنی ہی بڑی قربانی کیوں نہ دینی پڑے۔ 21-06-2007 والسلام آپ کی دعاؤں کا طالب حافظ عبد الصمدC/Oملت سروس سٹیشن شوائی نالہ پاجگراں مظفرآباد آزادکشمیر wWw.KashmirHotLine. com
The time you spent collecting this poisonous matterial wriiten by western hate mongers, we wish you had spent this time in searching for some stuff that would contribute to the ongoing movement instead of giving it a bad name. When you say lashkar is a terrorist organization then you must also acknowledge the indian state sponsored military terrorism of india at the same time. There is no comparison between the two as lashkar has not killed an innocent civilian so far, never raped or humiliated women or killed kids and elderly in cold blood ( although there are some baseless allegations launched by indian media against them without any proof ). When we talk about indian haegemony in kashmir, we can compare it with israiel not with lashkar. A westerner when writing against lashkar doesnt criticise them for any crime against humanity . The only reason he criticises them is for being strict and adherent to islamic teachings and sunnah of prophet saw. Your below article only promotes their goodness. One thing they forgot to mention is the contribution of jamat dawa at the time of earthquake . They worked in a highly organized manner to help the victims without any bias. The proved stronger among public when they left their own comfort and helped them in the time of difficulty. They worked more than any other ngo of pakistan. And if they did does anyone have answer to them instead of criticising them ? Lashkar boys are fighting freedom struggle, we cannot call them terrorists. Infact the boys of lashkar e toiba are angels in this regard when we see the crimes of indian armed forces against our population in kashmir. Where would you see videos of soldiers like indian army ? killing kids beating women , humiliating elderly, Terrorising and torturing our young boys even below the age of 7 . Their torture made them raise the slogans in the favor of lashkar not anyone else.......right or wrong ?? Lashkar will ever live as long as the torture and killing of our people continues. If indians stop mass murder of our population, the lashkar people will be normal humans like us.. there will be no revenge and no movement From: nadeem aslam To: kashmir-global- network@yahoogro ups.com Sent: Monday, October 20, 2008 11:03:11 PM Subject: [kashnet] Hafiz Mohammed Saeed: Pakistan's heart of terror only search Let Us Build Pakistan Monday, 20 October 2008Profiel of a terrorist: Hafiz Mohammed Saeed of Lashkar-e-Toiba, an ISI sponsored terrorist orgnaizationHafiz Mohammed Saeed: Pakistan's heart of terror Hafiz Muhammad Saeed is the head (ameer) of Jama'at-ud-Da' wah Pakistan. He was a professor in Islamic Studies department of University of Engineering and Technology (Lahore) Pakistan. He was sent to Saudi Arabia in the early 1980s by the University for higher studies where he met some Saudi Sheikhs who were taking part in Afghan jihad. They inspired him to join his colleague, Professor Zafar Iqbal, in taking an active role supporting the Mujahideen in Afghanistan. There he met some youth who later became his companions. In 1987 Hafiz Muhammad Saeed along with some Salafi Muslims founded Markaz Dawa-Wal-Irshad, which can be grouped with the Ahle Hadith. This is a puritanical interpretation of Islam that has drawn great financial support from Saudi Arabia. This organization spawned the jihadist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, which was based in Pakistan before 9/11and was transferred to kashmir after that.Lashkar operates primarily in Indian held Kashmir. http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ Hafiz_Muhammad_ Saeed At first sight - he is an academician - jovial man who wears an easy smile on his face and, invariably, a Turkish cap on his head . . . a shalwar kameez-clad man, thoroughly Eastern in dress and habit, who is friendly and humble towards those who listen carefully to him . . . probably a person whose only introduction to cosmetics has been the henna that is regularly applied to his long beard - a regular feature on a regular feature on a regular face in this part of the world. At first sight - it is a face that hardly begs for the camera. Look closer - it is a face that shies away from cameras as a rule. It has good reason to: Islam, the much un-photographed man says, forbids the capture of human images. Human lives, however, are another matter. For Professor Hafiz Mohammed Saeed, killing is a pious man's obligation: it is his duty 'to destroy the forces of evil and disbelief'. And the Professor is a very pious man. His kind of piety has also given him dubious distinctions. An uncrowned terror king till the suicide attack on the Indian Parliament House in New Delhi on 13 December 2001, Saeed headed the Lashkar-e-Toiba, the militant arm of the innocently titled Markaz Dawa Wal Irshad (the Centre for Religious Learning and Propagation) . Dreaded for its guerrilla attacks in Kashmir and well known for the infamous attack on the Red Fort in New Delhi on 22 December 2000, the Lashkar is the Professor's brainchild, crafted through an interpretation of militant Islam. Statistics also bear out that the Lashkar-e-Toiba is no less pious than its ameer and founder. The website of the Markaz Irshad, in fact, proudly displays the cold equations of terror: * During the last eleven years of jihad in Kashmir, 14,369 Indian soldiers were killed as against 1,016 Lashkar-e-Toiba militants. * In 1999, eleven fidayeen (suicide) missions in Kashmir (that is, what Pakistan refers to as Held Kashmir) killed 258 Indian soldiers and officers. * In, 2000, by the grace of Allah, the mujahideen successfully carried out 98 fidayeen missions in which 891 indian soldiers including three colonels, 10 majors, one commandant, one captain, three engineers and a number of JCOs were killed.' At Muridke, 45 km from Lahore, which the bulky and bearded Professor Saeed used at his base - till Washington banned the Lashkar and Pakistan followed suit by freezing its assets - there is no trace of the blood behind the figures. Just the impression, which the Professor likes to give, of a scholarly man. But he is much more than that. outwardly a simple Punjabi, who speaks in the tongue of the region, he has broken a fifty-three- year-old tradition: before him, the Pashtuns always led the jihad against India. Now, the Lashkar's ranks have just a few Pashtuns and even fewer Kashmiris. Though the Lashkar-e-Toiba leader cultivates simplicity, he always moves under tight security. His preferred vehicle is the hardy Pajero. The Professor is generally surrounded by young followers with whom he is quite frank. The leader and his keen young group talk freely. Most of the youngsters are from big families that count close to ten members. The Professor favours the big-family norm, reasoning that greater Muslim numbers translate into many more fighters of jihad against the infidels. Once in the Lashkar, the youngsters are drawn into a pattern of community life, epitomised by the shared, common meal. Al young men eat together using their fingers to pick food from a big, shared bowl or parat. This simple occasion is almost a rite, symbolising and encouraging fraternity among the comrades-in- arms. The Professor himself comes from a close-knit family. He is married to the daughter of his maternal uncle, Hafiz Mohammad Abdullah Bahawalpuri, a well-known religious leader and renowned Ahle Hadith scholar. But, interestingly, he heads a very small family unit: one son and one daughter. Three members from among his widely dispersed family have been drawn into the organisation' s ranks. His only son, the thirty-one-year- old Talha, looks after the affairs of the Lashkar at its base camp in Muzaffarabad. His brother-in-law, Abdul Rehman Makki, is his close partner and holds an important position in the Markaz at Muridke. Makki spent many years in Saudi Arabia before settling down in Pakistan. The Professor's son-in-law Khalid Waleed is also associated with the Lashkar's organisational set-up in Lahore. Two of the Professor's brothers live in the United States. One runs an Islamic centre while the other is pursuing his Ph.D studies in an American university. Both remain in constant touch with him. However, the Professor has never travelled to the United States or set foot anywhere in the West. And unlike most fundamentalists, he does not express deep hatred for it. But the Professor's past has been bloody, with a cause for revenge. Thirty-six members of his family were murdered during Partition n 1947 when his father, Kamaluddin, an ordinary landlord, moved to Pakistan, Kamaluddin first tried to settle his family in the Sargodha district of Punjab, but finally chose Village 126 Janubi, in the Mianwali district. A government land grant to the settlers and hard work soon brought prosperity to the family, an effect that the Professor credits to Allah's bounty. The Professor's parents were religious-minded and his mother used to teach the Holy Quran to her seven children, five of whom are still alive. The Professor was a good learner, and memorised the Quran. His favourite verse is: Wajahidu Fee Sabilallah: Wage a holy war in the name of God Almighty. In college, the Professor furthered his religious interests. After graduating from the Government College at Sargodha, he went to Saudi Arabia for a Masters in Islamic Studies and in Arabic Lexicon from King Saud University, Riyadh. He frequently met religious scholars and even received special religious instruction. Indeed, his first job in Pakistan was as a research officer for the Islamic Ideological Council. His current job could not have been more different. At fifty-five, he has just retired as professor of Islamic Studies from the University of Engineering and Technology in Lahore, and is fully devoted to his organisation. The fruits of that devotion are significant: in ten years, the Lashkar-e-Toiba, launched in 1991, has reportedly set up six private military training camps in Pakistan and in what is termed Azad Kashmir; has 2,500 offices across the country; and over two dozen launching camps along the Line of Control (LoC). The Lashkar's jihadi network is the largest, the most efficient, and also has greater independence than other militant organisations since the Markaz Dawa Wal Irshad has a Wahabi orientation and does not have to follow any of the four Muslim religious leaders or imams. On the other hand, three other fundamentalist organisations - the Harkat-ul-Mujahidee n, the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, and the Jaish-e-Mohammed - are Deobandis and follow the imams. The Lashkar - in an attempt to prove that the Kashmir insurgency is a freedom struggle - has announced that it is shifting its base to 'Indian-Held Kashmir' but it is Muridke that is the base of the Markaz Dawa Wal Irshad and the hub of the jihad machine. Spread over 200 acres, the complex houses teaching and residential facilities, complete with its own farms, mosques, fish-breeding ponds and stables. Over 2,000 students are presently enrolled at the Centre and the teachers insist that all are Pakistanis. The education - Islamic and Western - is from the primary to the university level for both men and women. Students are doctrinated towards propagating Islam. The Markaz also has a modern-looking, computerised religious university, which has five related institutions. At least two dozen thoroughbred horses are used for training the Centre's students between the ages of eight to twenty years. these students, dressed in military uniforms, are imparted compulsory training in shooting and swimming. In fact, they are not allowed to cross the barbed periphery wire until they are 'mature'. Photography of all living things which is anathema to the Professor is strictly prohibited. The Markaz Dawa Wal Irshad describes photo cameras, TV sets and films as un-Islamic and its students carry out periodic campaigns for the public destruction of cameras and TVs. Visitors are frisked for cigarettes and any other addictive substances, which are banned in the complex. The Muridke complex is also not just restricted to the Markaz Dawa Wal Irshad. Around the seminary, the organisation has bought land for supporters, who have build houses, shops and more mosques and centres of Islamic learning. 'We want like-minded people to get together.' Says a resident. Evidently that is happening. The organisation has transformed the land between Lahore and Gujranwala into an Islamic state that has banned music, television and smoking on its heavily guarded premises. Not even passing vehicles are allowed to play music which, the Professor believes, is strictly forbidden in Islam. The complex also has a garment factory, an iron foundry, a wood-works factory, a swimming pool and three residential colonies. So far, Rs 30 million have been spent on the Markaz projects. Where has the money come from? Osama bin Laden, whisper rumours. It is alleged that the Saudi billionaire, a figure who has grown from being demonised by the West to being mythologised, rolled out a thick wad - Rs 10 million - for the construction of the Markaz's mosque. Osama bin Laden is even said to have financed Professor Saeed, his low-key, comrade-in-arms Zafar Iqbal, and a short-lived founder, Abdullah Azam, to launch the Markazs Dawa Wal Irshad in 1989. http://www.kashmirh erald.com/ profiles/ HafizMohammedSae ed.html |