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Former President Azad Kashmir Sardar Abdul Qayoom has said in a statement that the Taliban have become terrorists and the Jihadi outfits have maligned the Kashmir cause by perpetrating sectarianism. What is your opinion?
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Your
Opinion
What Sardar Abdul
Qayoom has said about the Taliban and the Jihadi outfits, it's a sorry state
that Muslim politicians change sides so easily.
A
few months ago, Muslim leaders were in full support of these organizations and
gave them their full backing. But now, with the threat of the Americans on
their backs, these same leaders, afraid to lose their seats, are clambering to
get on the American bandwagon, and taste some of the American promise. Surely,
he doesn't feel that the Americans will help him get back his position, or
shower him with glory. They have their own agenda, and I don't think will
give two figs for his statement. He shouldn't hold his breath for a reward
from them.
What respect can such people hold in the eyes of Muslims all over the world?
They are hypocrites and as such cannot be trusted for their words.
Scot McManus
Scotland
As a Muslim, I feel sad to see that the image of Islam is being tarnished by the
Muslim
rulers and Mullahs in Islamic countries. Islam seems to be in danger due to these
people.
Uzma Ahmed
Bombay, India
Sardar Abdul Qayoom Khan is right. What comes out of this clearly is an
acknowledgement that the freedom fighters based in Pakistan are deeply involved
in the violence in occupied Kashmir.
Larsen Keats
Mumbai, India
I
agree with Sardar Qayoom Sahib. These so-called Jihadi organizations have only
fetched problems for Pakistani society and their involvement in sectarian
violence and killings in Pakistan is not out of question.
They
were operating in Pakistan publicly and without and element of secrecy which
has caused a lot of diplomatic problems for Pakistan and India is taking
full advantage of this by showing their videos to the world and is making
efforts to get Pakistan declared a terrorist state.
Misbah ul
Murtaza
Lahore,
Pakistan
Sardar Qayoom was probably urged to make this
statement, but the western media probably influences those who praise his
statement.
The
Taliban are not against women's education, they just do not have the resources
for separate education of the two sexes and they are rightfully against
co-education.
There
are more female students in the universities of Afghanistan than male students
even at this moment. They reduced opium production to almost 0% and this was
reported by the UNO. The women are
not oppressed under the Taliban rule and more women wear shrouds voluntarily and
now have the Islamic right to choose their own husbands, which they did not have
before. Neither are the women a
saleable commodity, which they were before in some tribal parts of Afghanistan.
For
the first time after the Soviet departure, the Taliban united ninety per cent of
Afghanistan and established law and order.
The reality is far from what is being portrayed by Sardar Sahib
Mohammed Saeed
Oldham, UK
I
think Sardar Sahib gave this statement at 12 O-Clock, otherwise no sensible
Muslim could give this type of foolish statement.
Muhammad
Zahid Rashid,
Toronto, Canada
It
is easy to make comments in the safety of our homes. Kashmir would be a dead
issue by now if it were left to the UN and the so called intellectuals who make
such “nice” comments.
Agree
with them or not, it is these Jihadis who are brave enough to fight for a cause
they believe in, right or wrong, and are sacrificing their lives are keeping the
issue alive. As far as Sardar Abdul Qayoom is concerned, he is a nobody in the
Kashmir
issue and only makes these statements to let people know he still exists.
Saleemi
Lahore, Pakistan
Mr.
Qayoom has spoken the truth. All these Jihadi parties, Osama bin Laden and the
Most
of this unfortunately stems from certain 'Jihadi' elements taking advantage of
the 'Jahalat (illiteracy) and poverty prevalent in our countries. Let them rest
assured that the majority of 'Muslims'
don’t subscribe to or believe in their twisted teaching of Islam.
Kashif
Houston, Texas, USA
I
have been following the political life, message, convictions and ideology of
Sardar Abdul Qayoom since I was a university student. He had had many ups and
down in his career as a front line Kashmiri leader. However, his latest
illogical, irrational and uncalled for statement about the Taliban in general
and the Jihadi groups in particular has stunned many people throughout the globe
including me.
It
is high time that Sardar AQ Khan retires from politics honourably lest the 20
million Kashmiris, who have paid a very high price with their blood, sweat,
toil, dedication, perseverance and great sacrifices to keep alive their UN
approved right of self-determination against brutal aggression and killing by
the Indian Army should throw him out for good.
Aamir
A. Salaria,
St. Louis, Missouri,
USA
I
think that Sardar Sahib has lost his mind. He apparently wants to be in the good
books of the army. The latest elections in Azad Kashmir proved that Sardar Sahib
and his beloved son have no say in the future politics of Kashmir.
Aziz,
Islamabad, Pakistan
Sardar
Abdul Qayoom’s was a brilliant and true statement. It requires great courage
to accept the facts. It is the duty of all Muslims to disassociate Islam from
acts of barbarism and the Taliban's own interpretation of Islam. It is a matter
of defending Islam and Pakistan.
In
order to understand Islam and the Quran, one needs to be educated in all aspects
of life, needs to learn philosophy and science. By just getting illiterates to
memorize the Quran does not make them scholarly enough to define Islam. The
Taliban are a bunch of illiterates.
Abdul
Aziz
USA
I
think nothing remains to be said about Mr. Qayoom's statement. Sardar Sahib has
already been insulted by true Muslim lawyers of the Lahore Bar Association,
where he made the statement. He is a disgrace on the name of Kashmir.
Syed
Sufyan Kakakhel,
Mardan,
Pakistan
Finally,
I am glad that India's stand has been vindicated by none other than Sardar
Qayoom, that the fighting in Kashmir is not a freedom movement but terrorism.
Srinivas
Jandhy,
California, USA
Yes,
I agree with Sardar Qayoom’s statement. I hope the Islamic leaders in Pakistan
and other parts of the world do the right thing - there is no room for fanatics
in today's society.
Islam
illustrates a just and peaceful code of life. Religion cannot be used as an
excuse to cover ones' sins or an ideological view based upon misinterpretation.
Haroon
Riaz,
China
All
of you who think Sardar Qayoom is right need to think again. I agree that the
Kashmiris have suffered a lot, but only a small minority is fighting. Look at
the Palestinians; they are the people going on Jihad, not caring of their
mothers and fathers and blowing up themselves along with the Jews.
Bronzey
Reed,
Kuwait
What
a disaster. First President Musharraf said "everything is all right if
Pakistan is intact", which clearly means, let the Afghans die. He did not
realize what would happen if Pakistan landed up in the same position. Who but
these Jihadis wil support Pakistan in case such a difficult time arises.
Now
Sardar Qayoom, who thinks he alone will conquer Kashmir, and has forgotten about
the martyrs of Kargil, is saying the same thing. Why do our so-called leaders
think their blood is of more value then the blood of the men, women and children
who are dying in Afghanistan, Kashmir, and Palestine as well as on the roads of
Pakistan?
Adnan
Hassan,
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Of
my fellow Pakistanis who argue that the Taliban are Islamic jurists, I would
like to ask in which Quranic verse or Sunnah tradition did they find that it is
sane to beat women like animals and prevent then from the blessing of education
which not to forget, was declared "essential for all" by our Prophet (PBUH).
At
least one thing is for sure, these so called Taliban are a group of ignorant
fools who have damaged Islam and Pakistan all over the world. At least they are
guilty of terror against fellow Afghan Muslims, especially women and children.
People writing on this forum, please throw away your education before you speak
for the Taliban.
Faraz
khan,
USA
I
agree with Sardar Qayoom's assertion that these so called Jehadi's have
By
their terrorist acts in the US as well as sectarian killings in Pakistan over
the last few years, they have defamed the greatest and most peace loving
religion of Islam throughout the world.
Maqbool
Sial,
USA
I
think that Sardar sahib desperately needs psychiatric evaluation and treatment.
He should be ashamed of his conduct and on his words although it is probably
difficult for the people of such
character to do so.
Syed
Ahmed Zafar
Dallas, Texas, USA
This
statement has worked like a whip to the stupid or rather innocent
followers of leaders like Sardar Abdul Qayoom himself. These leaders have
been playing havoc with the fates of wretched Muslims generally and Kashmiris
particularly.
This
unreasonable and insensible statement from the so-called "Mujahid-e-awwal"
itself reveals the insincerity he harbours. It would be wise to throw these dead
souls to the Dead Sea where ever it is, because they have become obsolete since
long.
Talat
Naeem,
Sargodha, Pakistan.
I
agree entirely with Sardar Abdul Qayoom’s statement that these Jihadi groups
are
The
Taliban are not representative of Islam but are the creatures of America
Mohammad
Hussain Memon,
Karachi, Pakistan
I
fully agree with Mr Sardar Abdul Qayoom. The Taliban and Islam are two totally
different things. We must recognize that whatever the Taliban have been doing in
Afghanistan for the past so many years is un-Islamic. To name a few of their
misdeeds, they have banned women’s education, killed thousands of Shia
Muslims, continued to grow Poppy, harbour terrorists and make the lives of
common Afghans miserable.
Shahid
Ali,
Islamabad, Pakistan
My
reply to Mr Abdul Qayoom would be: without these so-called
"terrorists" and their sympathisers, there wouldn't be more than 100
people fighting the oppression in Kashmir, and those 100 would only be fighting
because they were being paid mercenaries.
Qayoom
phrase: "the Taliban have become terrorists.." is interesting, as so
what were the Taliban before?
Roshan
Khalid,
West London. UK
I
think Sardar Qayoom has hit the nail on the head and should be praised
The
Taliban are responsible for maligning the great name of Islam and should be
treated with contempt. We cannot blame the West for all our ills.
Kesar
Saleem
London, UK
Already
the whole world knew about Pakistan sponsored terrorism in Kashmir. Now, the
Former President of Azad Kashmir, Sardar Abdul Qayoom has made it clear
about terrorists operating within Kashmir at the instance of Pakistan.
V.
GIRI,
India
Sardar
Abdul Qayoom might be reading reports from Indian newspapers or he might have
obtained his information while he was in some kind of ecstasy.
Taliban
came into power around 1996. Since 1996 to date, there does not exist a single
mention of Taliban in any international terrorist action. They were simply held
responsible by President Bush for harbouring Osama Bin Laden. This does not mean
that reports do not exist of the Taliban being awful to Afghan women, of being
intolerant of other religions or of destroying historic sites in Afghanistan.
All that is true but there were no mention of their involvement in international
terrorism.
Mr.
Qayoom does not appear to be right that the Kashmir movement fighters
Have
maligned the Kashmir cause because it comes from the root – the people.
Habib
Hemani
San Francisco, USA
Finally
someone has had the courage to voice the right opinion about the Taliban,
Jihadis
and the overall situation in Pakistan.
I
totally agree with Sardar Abdul Qayoom’s statement that thousands of Kabuls
can be sacrificed over an inch of Pakistan. Bravo! This is the voice of reason,
the right thinking and love of the country and its about time!
Kamran
M. Iqbal,
Ohio. USA
Frankly
speaking, both Sardar Qayoom and the Pakistani interior minister seem to be
rotten eggs of the same basket. Yesterday's heroes are now terrorists in their
eyes. Be sure gentlemen the freedom fighter in Kashmir shall be called
terrorists tomorrow whenever the Americans have fulfilled their objectives in
Afghanistan. Who knows what the fate of Pakistan shall be?
The great
Americans need subjected Muslims not equal partners in the global world of
theirs. Above all, there are plenty of American agents singing their songs with
the tune set by Americans in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Ibrahim
Raja,
Stockholm, Sweden
I
think Sardar Qayoom wants to transfer power to his next generation so he will
say what ever it takes to achieve this aim. I do remember him having a different
tone about the Mujahideen not so long ago, but than America was not in the
region.
On
the contrary, I think it is people like him who have damaged the Kashmir cause
and it is about time he and his ilk made room for fresh faces on the scene for
us to get anywhere.
Zahore
Rehman,
UK
I
totally agree with the views of Sardar Qayoom. It is encouraging to learn that
we still have politicians who speak their minds openly in public and are logical
and patriotic.
I'm
a Pathan by origin, however, I do not agree with the extreme un-Islamic views
and ideology practiced and preached by the Taliban.
Gohar
Khan,
Leeds, UK
I would for the first time in my life
agree with Sardar Qayoom. He is right. These so called Jihadi terrorist
organizations are a shame to Islam and should be banned.
Muslims should for Allah's sake stop blaming
others for their own created problems and get prepared tools of education
tolerance and character building to rebuild Pakistan as a modern 21st century
country.
We should be religious not fanatics,
distorted practice of Islam is becoming our own enemy.
Mujeeb A. Jan
M.D, F.A.C.C
Diplomate American Board of Internal Medicine
Diplomate American Board of Cardiovascular Disease
Fellow American College of Cardiology
Since I was a very little kid, I had
been reading his statement about Jihad in Kashmir. He loved to be addressed as
"Mujahid-Awwal".
Probably,
he shot few rounds of ammunition for jihad. He is definitely a better solider
before a microphone. He has been either the PM or President of Azad Kashmir.
Now,
his son is getting ready to take the command true to our Byzantine traditions.
This "Mujahid-Awwal" had done nothing to liberate Kashmir. His
favorite place in the world is Islamabad, and politics in Islamabad, and
currying favor with all the dictators of Pakistan.
It
is high time for him to seek retirement.
Ahmad
USA
I am
100 percent agree with Sardar Abdul Qayum. Who could be a better Mujahid than
him who has been fighting the cause of Kashmir for all his life.
These so called Jihadis (I call them Fasadis) have done more harm then any
benefit to the cause of Kashmir.
I feel that let Kashmiri decide what ever they want to choose for themselves.
These jihadis are not only spoiling the very purpose of Kashmir freedom fight
but also bringing bad name to Pakistan and Islam.
They are only collecting money and protecting the terrorists who are responsible
to kill innocent Muslims in Karachi. It would be in the best interest of
Pakistan that these Mulllahs must be prevented from spreading any more fasad.
M.
Hasan
New York
Sardar Abdul Qayum is himself not sincere to
the Kashmir cause. He always runs after power.
Liaquat Syed
USA
I
personally feel that the statement by Mr. Quyum is right. The religious parties
should be checked and dealt with severity because these are the monsters who
are responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent lives from bombing in
the country during the last few years because the religious parties incite the
hatred towards the other religion.
Our
religion, Islam, teaches us to live in peace and harmony but the leaders of
all the religious parties don’t obey the tenets of Islam and preach hatred
towards each other. How long we are going to kill our own Pakistani brothers on
the name of religion.
Mohammed
Naeem
Markham-Ont
Canada
Sardar
Sahib earned a great respect, as long as he was in his senses, but I believe
that the old man is aging as well as loosing his senses. May be he knows the
reason better than anybody else for making cock and bull stories.
One
thing is for sure that he would not get importance like this. If Taliban and the
Jihadi outfits are the terrorists than the first terrorist (Mujahid-e-Awal) was
Mr. Qayoom himself, who started this as back as in 1947.
Sohail
Parwaz
Islamabad, Pakistan
Sardar
sahib needs President’s seat once again with the help of US obviously.
Taliban are not terrorists. We should give them courage to fight against actual
terrorist attacks on their country. If Osama is guilty so why US hesitate to
give prove to Taliban even his alliance country UK and its media don't approved
the probes, US provided to PM Tony Blair.
Ashar
Siddiqui
Manchester,
England
Surly it is time for President George. W. Bush to come clean and explain his
and his families' connection to Osama Bin Laden and family. In a
special BBC Newsnight investigation (broadcast on 6th September) it was alleged
in a damning indictment of the two presidents Bush that America was itself to
blame for the events of 11th September because the US administration was using
"kid gloves" in tracking down Osama Bin Laden and "other fanatics
linked to Saudi Arabia"
The investigation, which the BBC claimed was based on a secret FBI document,
numbered 1991 WF213589 and emanating out of the FBI's Washington field office,
alleged that the cynicism of the American establishment and "connections
between the CIA and Saudi Arabia and the Bush men and Bin Ladens" may have
been the real cause of the deaths of thousands in the World Trade Center
attacks.
In a reiteration of a now well-known claim by one of George W. Bush's former
business partners, the BBC said, he made his first million twenty years ago on
the back of a company financed by Osama's elder brother, Salem. But it added the
more disturbing assertion that both presidents Bush had lucrative stakes along
with the Bin Ladens in Carlyle Corporation, a small private company which has
gone on to become one of America's biggest defence contractors. The Bin Ladens
sold their stake in Carlyle soon after the 11th September.
Paul Reed
Manchester, England.
This is not by
Sardar Abdul Qayum. This is by Sardar Bal Thakray. We Kashmiris are now ashamed
of him and now can understand why Kashmir is still under Indian control.
Insha allah Kashmir
will be Pakistan but no Kashmiri would like to pay Afghanistan as a price, even
if that means jihad forever in Kashmir and Kashmir would not be free as long as
we have leaders like him among us. None of these was according to the wishes of
Kashmiris.
Shaukat Kashimiri
Occupied Srinagar
Any
one who points at India's failure to follow UN resolutions on Kashmir must also
consider why and how India took in Kashmir.
Failure to do so would be turning a blind eye
to history. Kashmir had a glorious past filled with affluence and
international fame for its beauty and charm as a tourism place...all under
Indian rule. The troubles for Kashmir started with Jihadis stepping in.
If neighboring nations start claiming territories based on religious or
linguistic majority then geography needs constant redrawing all over the world.
I have witnessed sectarian conflicts within India and it is always poverty,
which leads to these claims...
People who have work to do care more about their immediate family and
obligations and have little time to involve in these wasteful exercises.
D P Idupuganti
Trumbull, CT 06611
USA
I don’t agree with Sardar Abdul Qayum’s
statement. Taliban all are well
versed in theology and Islamic [jurisprudence] and that is enough! Calling them
terrorist is great shame. Pervez Musharraf and his supporters are in fact
callous and hardcore. A symbol of shame for the nation and the Muslims at large,
they actually maligned the Kashmir cause not the Taliban.
Bushra Shah
Clifton,
Karachi
I
think Sardar Qayum is absolutely right. Taliban are not the real representatives
of Islam. Both are not right.
As for Kashmir’s freedom movement is concerned there is no need to make
Jihadi groups and non-Kashimiri should go there to fight. I think it’s not
fight of Islam and Hinduism; it’s the national freedom movement.
Both Indian and Pakistani groups and organizations and military should leave the
Kashmir. Let Kashmiris to decide their own fate after all Kashmir belongs to
Kashmiris only.
Dr.
Arif Kisana
Stockholm,
Sweden
This is correct. The so-called jehadi
groups are looting the people in the name of jihad. The Taliban are
really terrorists. They are providing shelter to a man who has maligned Islam's
name: Osama bin Laden.
He is not only responsible for the murder of hundreds of Non-Muslims; but also three hundred Muslims who died in the WTC.
Arsalan Rizvi
Edmond, USA
Sardar Qayoom was quick on classifying Taleban
as terrorists. May I recall when he last criticized state terrorism of India,
Israel and the American support policy.
He also never said any thing about the Northern
Alliance’s warlords, who have amassed wealth from drug trafficking. If
he has any proof of Osama and the Taliban's involvement, I and the rest of the
Umma would sure love to see it so that a death penalty can be imposed on the
perpetrators of the events of September the 11th.
Ironically, I can't recall Sardar Qayoom
mention the Iraqi Children who are dying daily because of the state terrorism of
America even the Western world now accepts (unofficially) that the Gulf war was
about oil. Then why do Muslim leaders not classify America as a terrorist state?
Mohammed Saeed
Oldham, USA
Kashmir issue has not been addressed (in the
real sense) for last 50 years by the international community, and mujahideen are
the result of past fifty years on the dispute of Kashmir. If some one say so
that will merely be a saying.
As far as the terrorists are concerned, I think
we need to get a proper definition and characteristics of the terrorists and
then we can find some other words for them. Because according to the definition
of terrorists they don’t fall into that category.
Muhammad Islam-ul Haq
Islamabad, Pakistan
Its not only
Taliban but also introduction of militancy and terrorism, which has hurt the
Kashmir cause.
As long as
Pakistanis used just and political means, it was OK. But introduction of the
word JIHAD has maligned Kashmir cause. For
an average Westerner, Islam and Jihad are similar.
And Jihad has terrorist link. It is obvious that Kashmir is being
considered as victim of terrorism as is Chechnya considered.
It would have been
better not to bring religion into politics.
Sabia Shaikh
I feel USA has acted to terrorise the world
into submission. The only peace with USA can be is one of submission to
its will. USA did not get to dominate the world by being a fair and kind
it achieved it's position through ruthlessness and genocide of other races.
The problem is the European are united and
seriously believe that other races are inferior than them. Hence, Afghani people
are not considered equal to white European people.
One English or American life equal to several thousand Arabs or Asians lives seems fair to them. Most people living abroad cannot appreciate this point but I live in Europe and this is a European mindset.
We want peace with America but America wants to destroy or degrade us.
Kulsum Butt
Europe
I agree with Sardar Qayoom, that Jihadi outfits
have done more damage than good to the Kashimiri cause. The rise of sectarianism
and intolerance can be directly attributed to these outfits. It's heart breaking
to see that in even in mosques Muslims cannot pray without fear from getting
attacked from Muslims of other sect. Before we rally to unite the Muslim world
we need to do some house cleaning.
Abdul Haq,
Cincinnati, Ohio
USA
Every region in the world has its [distinctive]
culture and socio-political environment. This culture and environment cannot be
judged by any parameters set by the scholars of Human Sociology.
Taliban or Afghans have got their own cultural
norms and identities without which they cannot be identified what they are now.
The movement of Taliban and religious parties associated with the cause of
Taliban are not maligning the cause of Kashmir, perpetrating sectarianism and
accommodating terrorists.
Under the strong impacts of their specific
cultural and socio-political environment, the Taliban are promoting their cause.
It has nothing to do with terrorism in the globe and so called sectarianism in
the Islamic Ummah.
Amjad Khan Afridi
Islamabad
I think the entire world knows that this was/is
going on i.e. Jihadis have taken over Kashmir issue to propagate their agendas.
The entire world also knows that Pakistan’s ISI was the one who helped and
connived with these elements. In my opinion Pakistan [was] very short sighted.
It possibly is afraid that India might take
over South Asia and hence it constantly has to be at odds with India. The only
solution to the Kashmir problem is to accept the fact that [Muslims are integral
part] of India. They have been living for centuries. The day this truth is
accepted [the Kashmir problem will automatically be resolved.] Will Pakistan
accept this?
If it does not accept this, there will be more
wars and destruction. One may ask can India let go Kashmir instead? It has
already, since parts of Kashmir are controlled by Pakistan and china. But
Jihadis are not happy, they want more. With their ideology and stance there will
never be an end to their hunger.
Narendra Jain
Boston, MA
He is absolutely right. The Taleban and all
their supporters are guilty of
hijacking Islam, promoting sectarianism. The Pakistanis and Indian are using
innocent Kashmiris. It would be better for the Kashmiris to be an independent
state.
Sa'ad Kirmani
The Nature Conservancy
Give him [Sardar Qayoom] a piece of bone he
would wave his tail for you. That is what he is doing for CIA.
Just ask him, how much money did you get from CIA? Give him some more. He would turn against ISLAM!
Sundus
I’m from Azad Kashmir. Sardar Sahib is 100
percent incorrect. I cannot understand. If someone non-Muslim say this thing,
then its ok But when a Muslim ask this type of thing, it is too bad and hurting.
We cannot imagine even. He is totally wrong, and I condemn his words.
Zulfikar Khan
.