Pride of Pakistan, Mian Iftikhar Hussain – by Abbas Ather
Mian Iftikhar Hussain, the true commander-in-chief of Pakistan's war against the Deobandi terrorists of the Taliban and Sipah-e-Sahaba
Which political party in Pakistan has taken most clear and most daring stance against extremist Deobandis of the Taliban and Sipah-e-Sahaba?
ANP
Which political party has offered most sacrifices in Pakistan’s war on terror?
ANP
Which political leader in Pakistan has been most steadfast and straight forward in his condemnation of the Taliban and their affiliate jihadi and sectarian organizations?
Mian Iftikhar Hussain
Mian Iftikhar Hussain, currently the Minister for Information in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, is a symbol of courage, commitment and conviction.
Only a few days ago, the Taliban / Sipah-e-Sahaba terrorist killed his only son, Mian Rashid Hussain, to punish Mian Iftikhar for his anti-extremism and anti-terrorism stance.
Were they able to scare Mian Iftikhar? Quite the opposite. This is what Mian sahib stated:
KP info minister vows fight against militancy
PABBI: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain on Tuesday vowed to continue jihad against the Taliban, calling them enemies of humanity.
“I will sacrifice 10 more sons for the country and the humanity’s survival, but I will not stop the jihad against the enemies of humanity,” Hussain told a news conference, his first since his son’s assassination on Saturday.
Flanked by the Bilour brothers and several ANP leaders and workers, he said, “This is not a personal fight (against the Taliban). This is for the sake of the country, this is the fight for humanity.” “Pro-humanity forces should get united against the enemies of humanity,” he said.
He said the loss of his son did not cause any setback to his morale. “We have to be united against the common enemy,” he added. (Source)
We are proud of you, Mian sahib. The entire Pakistani nation is proud of you. We suggest that the President of Pakistan should consider awarding Mian Iftikhar Hussain the Nishan-e-Pakistan (Order of Pakistan), the most prestigious civil award, in recognition of his services to the nation.
Here is an excellent op-ed on this topic by Abbas Ather (source: Express, 28 July 2010):
Awami National Party (ANP) is defending the state of Pakistan against Islamofascists of the Taliban and Sipah-e-Sahaba
Mian iftikhar Hussain nay apnay sabar aur dehshat gardi k khilaaf azm say MOMIN honay ki daleel di hai…kaisa ittefaq hai k Hamshakal e Paymabar Janab Shehzada Ali Akbar (A.s) ki yum e wiladat k din hua yeh saniha hua… Keryaal Jawan ka Lasha Uthana aik zaeef baap k liyee … Allah Ho Akbar…
Waqat k yazeed k himayatioo ko mazaqraat ki baat kartay waqat kab sharam ayay gi?
I don’t believe in revenge: Iftikhar
By Our Correspondent
Wednesday, 28 Jul, 2010
Don’t kill our children and women. Violence against women and children is considered the worst crime in Pakhtun culture: Iftikhar Hussain.—APP photo
NOWSHERA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information Mian Iftikhar Hussain has said that they will not bow to a handful of militants as the nation is united against militants.
“Let me tell you that we are the followers of Bacha Khan. We will continue following his philosophy of non-violence and keep fighting those, who believe in violence,” he told a condolence meeting on Tuesday. Mian Rashid Hussain, the only son of the minister, was shot dead by militants on Saturday last.
A composed Mr Hussain spelt out his future course of action in his first appearance before the media after the murder of his son.
“I don’t believe in revenge, but the war against terrorism will be taken to its logical end,” he said.
People from different walks of life including ministers, parliamentarians and politicians attended the condolence meeting.
The minister said that those who killed Mian Rashid were neither Pakhtuns nor Muslims. He said that terrorists should stop killing children, women and innocent civilians.
He said that nation was united against militants and followers of Bacha Khan and Khan Abdul Wali Khan would not surrender to terrorists.
“We are staunch followers of non-violence and tried our best to bring terrorists to the negotiating table,” he said and added that militants were not serious in peace talks and challenged the government writ in Malakand and tribal areas.
“Don’t kill our children and women. Violence against women and children is considered the worst crime in Pakhtun culture,” he said.
Mr Hussain said that his son did not commit any crime, but he was killed because of him.
“He was my son that was why he was killed,” he said, urging militants to lay down arms and renounce militancy. He said that government was fully prepared to counter militancy.
Meanwhile, Awami National Party central president Asfandyar Wali Khan has said that nation would win the war against terrorists and peace would be restored in the region at any cost.
He was talking to journalists in Pabbi on Tuesday. He visited the town to condole with Mian Iftikhar Hussain.
He said that the killing of the son of Mian Iftikhar was a big tragedy and he could not explain this irreparable loss in words.
He said that militants killed the only son of Mian Iftikhar while the other day innocent people, coming to offer Fateha, were killed in the suicide blast. He pledged that ANP would not change its policy and would oppose violence and terrorism.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/provinces/12-i+dont+believe+in+revenge+iftikhar–bi-02
Mian Iftikhar renews resolve to purge KP of terrorists
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
By By Tauseef-ur-Rahman
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtun-khwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain has said that assassinations cannot shake the determination of the followers of Bacha Khan and instead it would strengthen their resolve to cleanse the land of terrorists.
“We are in high spirits. Such incidents cannot make us backtrack on our stance on terrorism. It gives us strength against the enemies of humanity. Victory will be ours and terrorists will bite the dust,” he said during a news conference following the Qul of his 27-year-old son Mian Rashid Hussain on Tuesday.
Flanked by Federal Minister for Railways Ghulam Ahmad Bilour and provincial Senior Minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour, he reiterated the resolve to fight terrorism and urged the nation to join hands against the killers of humanity who in his view were hell-bent on wreaking havoc with the country.
“The movement which Bacha Khan started for the amelioration of Pakhtuns cannot be stopped by such acts of cowardice. We believe in the philosophy of peace preached by Bacha Khan that cannot end with the martyrdom of my son…we’ll continue this Jihad even at the expense of our lives,” he resolved.
“I am the father of a martyr and proud of it and I will love to die as a martyr,” he declared.Mian Iftikhar said that terrorists did not believe in Islam, Pakhtun traditions or humanity, as they are out to kill innocent people.
“Had terrorists any respect for Islamic teachings or Pakhtun traditions, they would not have tried to carry out suicide bombing near my house where women had gathered for offering condolences,” he said.
He added that the female woman members of Maulana Fazlullah were arrested during the military operation Rah-e-Rast and the issue was discussed with him. “I clearly told the authorities that they are our sisters and daughters and they should be extended due respect if they were not involved in any crime,” Mian Iftikhar recalled.
He said the ongoing war against terrorists was an ideological battle between the peace-lovers and anti-humanity elements. “It is not the fight of an individual or a group rather the whole societal system is at stake. I appeal to the entire nation to unite against these terrorists so that the scourge of militancy can be rooted out from our country.”
He said death is pre-destined and one should not be afraid of brutal tactics of terrorists, pledging that the government would continue its efforts to flush out militants from the region.The provincial minister argued that his statements against militants were in line with the party policy. He said the struggle to restore peace under the leadership of Asfandyar Wali Khan would continue till its logical end.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=253443
Killing mourners
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
The attack that targetted who were mourning the son of the Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa information minister follows a distinct pattern. Blasts at such occasions have taken place before, in an attempt to maximize the number of casualties and the suffering of families. Such acts make it plain the militants have no morality and no humanity. Targetting a gathering of mourners is an act that no one would condone. It proves too that the militants, who speak in the name of religion, really have nothing to do with the teachings of Islam – which advocates, above all, peace and brotherhood. Mian Iftikhar Hussain has paid a terrible price for speaking out against terrorism. In such circumstances, where they killed first his only son and then struck those who gathered to mourn the death, it is courageous that ANP leaders insist they will not alter their tough line against terrorism. But the fact is that many others have already been terrorized into silence. Around the country we have fewer and fewer people willing to defy the militants openly. In cities that lie beyond the conflict zone, musical functions and other events have been called off for fear of blasts and the threat to women has led to many staying away from crowded places in Quetta and areas in Balochistan, where acid has been hurled at unveiled women. The ‘morality-squad’ attacks on CD shops, juice kiosks and other places in Lahore represent a similar attempt to impose a particular mindset on people.
There is only one answer to the militants: they must be defied more openly and with the straight-talking attitude adopted by Mian Iftikhar. We ask too where our religious leaders stand on this. Why have more condemnations not come in of the suicide bombing at a place where the bereaved had gathered? Why indeed have there been so few calls for tolerance and an end to such attacks. Our clerical leaders have refused to do the right thing by speaking out against the horrors that have destroyed so much of our society and decimated much that is good within it. The minister has been punished in a terrible fashion for expressing his opinion and resolve. The right to free speech must be defended. People from all walks of life need to come forward to do so, and to help form a front against militants who must not be allowed to continue their dastardly attempts to snuff out dissent. If this happens we will be left only with problems even more acute then the ones we face now and with a smaller and smaller number of people willing to help resolve them.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=253400
ANP has lost 485 activists in war on terror
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
By By Javed Aziz Khan
PESHAWAR: The Awami National Party (ANP) lost about 485 diehard activists during the ongoing ‘war on terror’ for its tough stance against militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas over the last many years.
Most of the casualties were from Malakand division where the party leaders and workers remained on the hit list of terrorists since 2006. The latest blow was the assassination of Mian Rashid Hussain, the only son of the Provincial Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain, who had been declared by the militants as their “enemy number one” for his harsh statements against them.
The nationalist party suffered another blow when a suicide bomber blew himself up near the residence of the information minister in Pabbi when hundreds of women were there to offer condolences to the family and men were offering Fateha in the nearby mosque. Mian Iftikhar is not deterred but ready to sacrifice even his own life. “We all are to die. I am proud of the martyrdom of my son,” the outspoken minister told journalists on Tuesday.
“Two of our MPAs have been killed in the bomb attacks. Alamzeb, MPA from Peshawar, was killed in January last year in a roadside blast. Another was Dr Shamsher from Swat, killed in a suicide attack three days after Eidul Azha last year,” said Zahid Hussain, a former nazim of Landi Arbab and the ANP Peshawar chapter office-bearer.
Several were lucky to escape unhurt in terror attacks. They include ANP head Asfandyar Wali Khan, who escaped a suicide attack at the family house, Wali Bagh, in 2008. Four people were killed and several wounded in the attack.
Afzal Khan Lala proved to be the main source of courage for his party activists. The elderly politician survived rocket attacks on his house and hujra and bombings and firing on his car when he refused to leave Swat at the time when the elite of the valley shifted to safer places.
Senior Minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour has survived two suicide attacks. The first one was outside Qayyum Sports Complex when he along with Mian Iftikhar Hussain was coming out of the stadium after attending the closing ceremony of the Inter-provincial Sports Gala in 2008. Four people including gunman of the senior minister were killed in the explosion. Another attack occurred in Namakmandi in Peshawar when he was inspecting the site of development projects. Two bombers and six locals were killed in that attack. Bilour’s house near the US Consulate had also been damaged in a rocket attack.
ANP Provincial President Senator Afrasiyab Khattak survived a suicide bombing at his rally in Charsadda during the campaign for the 2008 general elections. Brothers of two Swat MPAs, Wajid Ali Khan and Waqar Ahmad Khan, were among those killed during the violence for almost three years in the district. “Two of our MPAs from Peshawar, Aurangzeb from PF-1 and Alamgir Khalil from PF-6, survived separate bomb attacks for being leaders of the ruling nationalist party.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=253417
Dear Mr. Iftikhar Hussain ,
I condole the death of your only son. This is the most difficult period in your life. I salute you for the bravery that has made you take up the cause against the enemy of humanity. May Allah instill in you the courage to fight on.
Having said that, I wonder if you can ever succeed when the protectors of the barbarians are within your own country. I think the fight should simultaneously be fought educating the poor uneducated masses. I think after the Wiki leaks it is becoming more and more clear that the civilian government of Pakistan is not in control over the army and there lies your problem. If they are made answerable to the civilian government all this madness and mayhem will come to an end in a very short time.
God Bless You.
میاں افتخار حسین کو سلام ! ….روزن دیوار سے…عطاالحق قاسمی
میرا جی چاہتا ہے کہ میں خیبر پختونخواہ کے صوبائی وزیر اطلاعات میاں افتخار حسین کو سلام پیش کروں ۔ میں نے گزشتہ روز ٹی وی چینل پر ان کی پریس کانفرنس سنی جو ان کے اکلوتے اور جواں سال بیٹے کی شہادت کے حوالے سے تھی۔ اولاد کا دکھ کوئی صاحب ِ اولاد ہی جان سکتا ہے بلکہ میں تو یہ کہوں گا کہ جس کسی کے سینے میں بھی دل ہے، اس کے لئے کسی کی جواں مرگی کا صدمہ اس کے ذاتی صدمے کے مترادف ہوتا ہے۔ مجھے ایسے مواقع پر ہمیشہ خالد احمد کا شعر یاد آتا ہے #
کوئی تو روئے لپٹ کر جوان لاشوں سے
اسی لئے تو وہ بیٹوں کو مائیں دیتا ہے
اور میاں افتخار حسین کا صدمہ صرف جواں بیٹے کی شہادت کا نہیں بلکہ جب مرحوم کی مائیں، بہنیں اور بیٹیاں سوگوار حالت میں گھر میں جمع تھیں ، ظالم انہیں بھی ہلاک کرنے کے لئے وہاں پہنچ گئے مگر جب اندر داخل نہ ہو سکے تو خود کو بم سے اڑا دیا اور یوں کتنی اور جانیں ان کی بربریت کا نشانہ بنیں۔ میاں افتخار حسین کو سلام پیش کرنے کو میرا جی اس لئے چاہتا ہے کہ پریس کانفرنس میں ان کی باتوں سے اتنے بڑے صدمے کی مجھے کوئی جذباتی جھلک نظر نہیں آئی۔ انہوں نے بہت پُرسکون لہجے میں جو بات کہی، وہ یہ تھی کہ دہشت گردی کے خلاف جنگ میں جس طرح ہمارے دوسرے بچے شہید ہو رہے ہیں، میرا بچہ بھی ان میں سے ایک ہے ، لہٰذا میں اس سانحہ کو اپنے ملک کی مجموعی صورت حال سے الگ کر کے انہیں دیکھتا۔ انہوں نے گھریلو خواتین کو ہلاک کرنے کی کوشش کے حوالے سے ایک بات بہت دکھ کے ساتھی کہی، انہوں نے بتایا کہ مولوی فضل اللہ کی بیوی اور بیٹی تک ان کی فورسز کی رسائی ہوئی تھی، مگر انہوں نے مشورہ طلب کئے جانے پر کہا کہ وہ ہماری بہنیں ہیں، انہیں کچھ نہ کہا جائے لیکن ظالموں نے ان کے گھر کی خواتین کو نشانہ بنانے کی کوشش کی جس کا انہیں بہت صدمہ ہے۔
میاں افتخار حسین کے لئے میرے دل میں اس لئے بھی احترام ہے کہ ان کے صوبے میں جہاں کہیں دہشت گردی کی واردات ہوتی ہے وہ بلا خوف و خطر وہاں پہنچتے ہیں اور یوں اپنی جان کو خطرے میں ڈالتے ہیں حالانکہ لیڈر کا کام تو صرف تقریریں کرنا ہوتا ہے، مرنے کے لئے عوام جو موجود ہیں۔ ہمارے کچھ دوست دہشت گردی کا بالواسطہ جواز اس دلیل کے ساتھ پیش کرتے ہیں کہ امریکی ڈرون حملوں میں بے گناہ عورتیں اور بچے بھی شہید ہوتے ہیں چنانچہ جو بچ جاتے ہیں وہ اس کا بدلہ (دوسرے بے گناہ افراد کو مار کر ) لیتے ہیں“ حالانکہ اسلامی نظام کی داعی کسی جماعت کے افراد کی یہ سوچ نہیں ہو سکتی بلکہ داتا دربار اور دوسرے مقدس مقامات پر دہشت گردی کی وارداتوں سے تو یہ بھی ثابت ہو گیا ہے کہ مسئلہ ذاتی انتقام کا نہیں ہے بلکہ ان کے پیچھے فرقہ پرستی کا زہریلا ذہن بھی کارفرما ہے۔ اگر ان دوستوں کے نزدیک بلیک واٹر یا کوئی اور امریکی یا انڈین خفیہ فورس یہ کارروائیاں کر رہی ہے لیکن استعمال تو ہمارے ہی لوگ ہو رہے ہیں تو پھر ان حلقوں کی طرف سے ان کی غیر مشروط مذمت کیوں نہیں کی جاتی۔ جب وہ سمجھتے ہیں کہ بستیوں میں تباہی پھیلانے والے ہمارے لوگ غیرملکیوں کے ہاتھوں میں کھیل رہے ہیں تو پھر ہمارے علماء یہ اعلان کیوں نہیں کرتے کہ یہ خودکش بمبار حرام موت مر رہے ہیں اور وہ اسلام اور پاکستان کے دشمن ہیں؟ ڈرون حملوں کے نتیجے میں شہید ہونے والے بے گناہ افراد کے لئے بھی میرا دل اتنا ہی دکھی ہے جتنا خودکش بمباروں کی پھیلائی ہوئی تباہی سے یہ دکھی ہوتا ہے۔ میرے نزدیک اس دو طرفہ تباہی کی ذمہ دار ہماری وہ خفیہ ایجنسیاں بھی ہیں جو اپنے فرائض کی ادائیگی میں غفلت کی مرتکب نظر آتی ہیں۔
اگر میاں افتخار حسین کے اکلوتے جواں سال بیٹے کی موت کا صدمہ ذاتی نوعیت کا ہوتا اور اسی طرح موجودہ دہشت گردی کی جنگ میں دونوں طرف سے بے گناہ افراد کی ہلاکت بھی قومی سانحہ نہیں ذاتی نوعیت کا صدمہ ہوتا تو میں میاں افتخار حسین سمیت ان سب کو محض صبر کی تلقین کرتا اور انہیں امام رضا کا وہ واقعہ سناتا جس کے مطابق ان کے گھر میں ایک بچہ بیمار تھا، حضرت تھوڑی تھوڑی دیر بعد گھر آئے ہوئے عقیدت مندوں کے درمیان سے اٹھ کر اندر جاتے اور پھر بے چین و بے قرار واپس مہمانوں کے پاس چلے آتے۔ ایک دفعہ گھر میں گئے اور واپسی میں ان کے چہرے پر اطمینان اور سکون کی ایک لہر نظر آئی تو مہمانوں نے پوچھا ”یا حضرت ! کیا بچہ تندرست ہو گیا ہے؟“ حضرت نے فرمایا ”نہیں وہ وفا ت پا گیا ہے “مہمان حیران ہوئے اور کہا ”حضرت اگر بچہ فوت ہو گیا ہے تو آپ مطمئن کیوں نظر آ رہے ہیں حالانکہ اس کی بیماری کے دوران آپ پریشان نظر آتے تھے؟ “ حضرت نے فرمایا ”جب تک وہ بیمار تھا، مجھ پر اللہ کی رضا واضح نہیں تھی، اب وہ انتقال کر گیا ہے تو اس کی رضا واضح ہو گئی ہے، اب میں مطمئن ہوں“ لیکن ہمارے ساتھ جو کچھ ہو رہا ہے ، اسے اللہ کی رضا سمجھ کر گھروں میں اطمینان سے نہیں بیٹھا جا سکتا بلکہ میاں افتخار حسین کی طرح اپنے پیاروں کی جدائی کا صدمہ پورے حوصلے سے برداشت کرتے ہوئے ہمیں دہشت گردوں کے خلاف جنگ میں بھرپور حصہ لینا ہے۔ امریکہ خود بھی (دنیا کا سب سے بڑا) دہشت گرد ہے لیکن پاکستان میں جو کچھ ہو رہا ہے یہ اسلام کا نقش دلوں سے مٹانے اور برصغیر کے مسلمانوں کی پناہ گاہ پاکستان کو تباہ و برباد کرنے کا منصوبہ ہے جس کے دست و بازو خود ہمارے اپنے لوگ بن رہے ہیں۔ میں آخر میں ایک بار پھر میاں افتخار حسین کے عزم و حوصلے کو سلام کرتے ہوئے ان کے بیٹے اور ہمارے ہزاروں دوسرے بے گناہ بیٹوں، بیٹیوں، ماؤں، بہنوں اور بھائیوں کے درجات کی بلندی کے لئے دست بدعا ہوں جو تاریک راہوں میں مارے گئے۔ یہ تاریک راہیں ہمارا مقدر نہیں ہیں ۔ ہمیں پورے عزم اور حوصلے کے ساتھ روشن منزلوں کی طرف اپنا سفر جاری رکھنا چاہئے
http://search.jang.com.pk/details.asp?nid=454959
There is a dire need to cleanse our society, we need to remove all extremist ideas and sentiments from our society and give more space to liberal and progressive elements. This fight against religious extremism must go on as it will shape the landscape of Pakistan and determine that whether we remain a democracy or become a Taliban state!
Salam to syed iftekhar Hussain and His family,
qatle Hussain asal may marg e yazid hy.
islam zinda hota hy her qarbala k bad.
shah sb sirf ap ka baita nhi pori quam ka bait and jawan bhi ny jan nachawar ki hy.
may salam paish karta hun ap k jazaby and haimat ko,
ap k jazby ko daik kr zarur zalaim pashaiman howa ho ga.
ap ka aik baita shaheed howa hy muj jaisy boht sy jawan ap k aik aishary k muntazir hy. Khuda ap ka Hami and Nasir ho.
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