Shaheed Dr.

Muhammad Ali Naqvi, Founder of several Shia organizations in Pakistan including Imamia Students Organization (ISO), Tehreek-e-Jaffaria, Imamia Organization, Pasban-e-Islam and others, was born on 28 September 1952 at area Ali Raza Abad (Nawab Sahab), then in suburbs of Lahore, Pakistan. Besides his father, Maulana Syed Amir Hussain Naqvi, who made the conscious decision of leaving government service & proceeding for religious education to holy city of Najaf. He was blessed to have Mohsin-eMillat Allama Syed Safdar Hussain Najafi as a paternal uncle. Dr. Naqvi's early years were spent in the pious atmosphere of Najaf and Karbala, perhaps a reason why he vehemently responded to "Hal min Nasirin ..." throughout his later life. He then lived in East Africa where his father was a preacher. He did his Senior Cambridge (O Levels) in 1969 from Kampala (Uganda). He was an exemplary scout and an excellent debater during his school days. He then came to Pakistan to do his F Sc. from Government College, Lahore. It was here that he founded the Young Shia Students Association in 1969, a first effort of Shaheed Dr Mohammad Ali Naqvi to gather the Shia students in one Platform. In 1972 he was admitted to King Edward Medical College, Lahore. In 1972 he, along with some other students from other fields of study, was instrumental in converting an already existing Shia Students Association (SSA) into the now well-known Imamia Students Organization (ISO). He got fame as a student leader as he founded the 1st ever platform for Shi'a Students of Pakistan the Imamia Students Organization (ISO), the only Shia Students Organization in Pakistan. After completing his education, he was again among the founder members of Tehrik-e Nifaz-e Fiqah-e Jafria under the leadership of Mufti Jaffer Hussain on 13 April 1979 to unite the scattered Shia community of Pakistan in a one platform. Later, he remained the most loyal follower of Shaheed Quaid Allama Arif al-Hussaini and carried forward his mission almost single-handedly after the Shahed Quaid left us on 5 August 1988. Dr. Naqvi's wish for martyrdom was accepted by Allah on 7 March 1995 when he, along with his loyal body guard Taqi Haider, were going to Shaikh Zayed Medical Complex where he was employed. American Agents in Pakistan affiliated with a outlawed terrorist organization opened fired on his jeep at Yateem Khana Chowk, Multan Road Lahore. In this incident his gunman and driver Shaheed Zamin Taqi was martyred as he tried hard to save the main leader of Pakistani Shia community, presenting himself as a human shield of Dr Mohammad Ali Naqvi. Later Shaheed Muhammad Ali Naqvi who was severely injured, was transferred to hospital but unfortunately he could not survive. He was a strict follower of Khat-e-Khomeini (Path of Imam Khomeini, the founder of Islamic Revolution in Iran). In other words, he was a follower of real teachings of Islam (ISLAM-e-NAAB-e-MUHAMMADI). This was the honor of Shaheed Dr Mohammad Ali Naqvi that he was the first person in Pakistan, who chanted the slogans of Down with USA (America Murdabad) in Pakistan following the teachings of Imam Khomeni (RA). Dr. Naqvi was a true Islamic leader who in his whole life fought for the cause of Islam and Muslims. He was of a high caliber social figure that spent his maximum time for the uplift of illiterate and weak persons. For this purpose he set up many free schools at remote areas to facilitate the poor and downtrodden. He will not be forgotten as great leaders are remembered because of their good deeds forever. Let us resolve to repay the debt of his shahadat by trying to follow the path of this great martyr in service of Islam and Pakistan.

Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri, secretary general of Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, has said that martyr Doctor Mohammad Ali Naqvi was a true follower of Imam Khomeini and Imam Khamenei. He expressed these views while speaking at a seminar on Thoughts of Martyrs that was held to commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of Dr Naqvi in Lahore. Allama Jafri said that Dr Naqvi taught Pakistani youths how to become a true revolutionary and it is his teachings that the Pakistani youths are still committed to Islamic revolutionary values. He said that Imamia Students Organisation has thousands of youths who were imparted training by Dr Naqvi and the ISO is a ray of hope in the Pakistani society. He said that the strength of the ISO is strength of Shia Islam. We and our Sunni Bralevi brothers are targets and victims of similar terrorism therefore we have strengthened our contacts and alliance with them. The friendly and brotherly relations with Sunni Ittehad Council, Sunni Tehrik and Dr Tahir ul Qadri are our steps in that direction, he maintained. The MWM chief said that alongside genocide of Shia Muslims, the takfiri terrorists have martyred Sunni Bralevis too and also destroyed the Sunni saints shrines. We shall block the takfiri elements from reaching the Parliament by supporting the moderate Sunni and Shia electoral candidates in the forthcoming elections, he said. Allama Jafri said that the U.S. and its proxies such as Saudi monarch, takfiris and anti-Shia elements in the Pakistani establishment were responsible for unrest and terrorism in Pakistan. He

reiterated his demand that Pakistan Army Chief should launch an army operation against the takfiri nasbi terrorists forthwith.

Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen Pakistan (MWMP) was formed in April 2008, in the wake of sectarian clashes between the Shia Turi tribes and the Sunni Bangash tribes in Parachinar, the capital of Kurram Agency, that led to the closure of the Thall-Parachinar Road in 2007. More than 600,000 people were stranded in the Kurram Agency, facing shortage of fuel, food supplies and medicines. Dozens of truckloads of food escorted by the Frontier Corps were robbed and set on fire by the sectarian militants. The MWMP staged protests in major cities of Pakistan, highlighting the plight of the Shia community in Kurram. "More than 1,500 Shias were killed in Parachinar during the 4-year-long blockade," says Allama Ameen Shaheedi, the deputy secretary general of the group. "More than 5,000 Shias were injured - despite the fact that they were in majority. There were 450,000 Shias and 150,000 Sunnis in Parachinar. The security agencies, the government and the media were silent spectators." That is when Shia leaders decided to form the MWMP, with a single point agenda - to create awareness about the miseries of Shias in Parachinar.

"We staged a rally of 50,000 at Islamabad's D-Chowk and expressed solidarity with the people of Parachinar," said Shaheedi, who was re-elected the second in command of the party on April 6, for another three years. "We also blocked the main highways. Our efforts, and those of other people, bore fruit and the Thall-Parachinar Road was reopened in October 2011." MWMP, according to Shaheedi, is not strictly a Shia outfit. Although protecting the rights of Pakistani Shias is an important goal of the group, creating sectarian harmony is also a major aim. Shaheedi held the Pakistani security agencies responsible for the fragile law and order in Kurram Agency. The Thall-Parachinar Road was reportedly blocked by the Taliban. "The question is, who created the Taliban?" He said the writ of the government and the security agencies had completely eroded when Parachinar was besieged. MWMP held its first election in 2010. It was among the outfits that worked in the flood-hit "The PPP has done areas all over Pakistan that year, collecting donations worth Rs 400m. The MWMP is not just nothing to protect us" a political or religious party, Shaheedi says. It also works like an NGO on education and reforms, besides politics, preaching and charity. The group went to Quetta to express sympathy with the persecuted Shia Hazara community when 200 Hazaras were killed in two terrorist attacks on January 10 and February 16. It staged two sit-ins in Quetta, and 750 others all over Pakistan. In Karachi, they blocked Shahrah-e-Faisal for three days, forcing the government to launch a crackdown against the banned sectarian outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. Although the Majlis declared it a major victory, the crackdown was mostly symbolic. Punjab Police put Malik Ishaq in jail, without charging him formally. The MWMP emerged as one of the most powerful parties representing the Pakistani Shia community. Most of the protests organized by the MWMP have been peaceful, except the one against the anti-Islam film 'Innocence of Muslins' on September 17, 2012. Ten of its protesters were able to storm into the US Consulate in Lahore. They torched the US flag on its roof and replaced it with a flag of

their

own

party.

The MWMP is taking part in the coming elections, but only fielding candidates from a limited number of constituencies. "In the rest of the constituencies, we will support men of principles, even if they are Sunnis," Shaheedi said. Members of the group have submitted nomination papers from 137 constituencies, but many will withdraw after seat adjustment deals with likeminded parties. Shaheedi denied media reports that his group had made an alliance with the PPP. "If the PPP were a pro-Shia, we would not have suffered so much in the last 25 years," he said to a question. "The PPP has done nothing to protect us." Asked which of the several parties that claim to speak for the Shias was their true representative, he said each group had its own role to play, including the MWMP. "You must give us the credit that we don't fight each other." The MWMP is in touch with Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf, the Shia Ulema Council and Pakistan Sunni Tehrik for electoral alliances. It thinks it can win some seats in Karachi, interior Sindh and some districts of Punjab. Although the party has blamed sectarian groups such as Sipah-e-Sahaba and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi for attacks on Shias, it has not been able to carry out a concerted campaign to challenge the qualification of their nominees in the coming elections. "We have challenged a few candidates of the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba," Shaheedi said, "but this is a question that we should ask the Election Commission. We cannot confront them directly. The laws are there. It is the job of state institutions." The writer is an Islamabad-based journalist/researcher. Archived work: www.pol-dev.com Email: yamankalyan@gmail.com

TFT CURRENT ISSUE | April 19-25, 2013 - Vol. XXV, No. 10

Since being founded 1947, except for the military rules, democracy has been the way Pakistan has been ruled to date. Democracy gave all eligible citizens of Pakistan the right to vote for their chosen Political Party. In theory, this meant the party with the most votes, the one most supported by public, would come into power and hopefully rule the country in accordance with the peoples wishes. However, Pakistan has Parliamentary System under which the country is divided into different constituencies. Each political party presents candidates in the different constituencies and the winning candidates come together to form

the countrys Parliament. The party with the most candidates in the Parliament becomes the ruling government. This idea of constituencies means it is not necessary that the party with the most number of overall votes will form the government, as their votes may well have been spread out over different constituencies and therefore they might not have the majority of candidates in the parliament. The ever increasing numbers of different parties in the parliament often means that coalitions are formed in order to try and reach a majority to form the Government these efforts might or might not be in vain. Throughout all this, people of certain sects and backgrounds feel they are being marginalized/neglected by the SunniMuslim Political Parties which are a majority in the parliament. None feel more neglected and this lack of representation in the Parliament than Shiite Muslims, who make up around 20% of the population and are discriminated against on nearly daily basis. It, therefore, became a common belief amongst these people that those without a political representation are helpless and unable to act as their rights are crushed under the feet of the majority. So it was only a matter of time before the Shiites, too, emerged as a Political Power in Pakistan. If we, now, fast forward from the history to today, the 13th of April 2013, Shiite Political Parties have finally emerged and are taking part in the upcoming elections. With the increasing Shiite Genocide in the country and the lack of action and media coverage on the matter, this was possibly as good a time as any for the Shiite Political Parties to arise. The likelihood of them actually winning is low, because of the dispersion of support across constituencies, but it is very important for them to take part anyway. It is very important for the Shiites parties to emerge with their own vote bank, which will get them recognized in Pakistan as a party with people power. This process, of emerging with a recognizable vote bank and becoming influential in the government, is a long one. If we were to take Lebanon as an example, where Shiites are in the parliament and running the government, it can be seen that this change took many decades and several wars but Hezbollah emerged from all the rubble as a Political Party which had a large vote bank and therefore, power to influence the decisions of the country. These parties are now standing on a critical point in their curves, where they must decide upon how to proceed in the upcoming elections. It is clear they will not be winning, but are they desperate enough to form a coalition? These alliance/coalition would not ensure their victory or power, in fact even if the parties they form the coalition with win, they [the Shiite Parties] are likely to be forgotten or left behind. It is therefore a better idea for the Shiite Parties like MWM to stand alone in this election as a representative of the Shiites. The parties can also form an alliance with powerful Sunni Political parties like Pakistan Peoples Party [PPP], Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf [PTI] or Pakistan Muslim League-N [PML-N]. This would, also, not be a good idea as this would mean their vote bank will not be identifiable and they will never gain power as a party themselves and being a powerful party themselves should be the most important aim of the Shiite Parties because that is what they must be in order to represent the oppressed Shiites in the Parliament. Having said that, a seat adjustment might be a better option for the Shiite Parties to ensure they get representatives into the parliament. Overall, in order to represent, honestly and truly, the Shiite nation in the Parliament, the Shiite Political Parties must stand alone yet rigid. They must take appropriate steps to ensure they earn the trust of the Shiite Nation, which is in tatters in the country at the moment. If they are able to gain the peoples trust, they are ensured their votes. This process, as mentioned before, is lengthy and continuous but long-lasting change always emerges from slow, lengthy processes. Written By By Zainab Note : The Article is written by a reader of Shiite News Sister Zainab on the Shiite role in Election 2013. Shiite News is not responsible of the content and the content is based on opinion and observation of our respectable reader. Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Jafari, secretary general, Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, has said that MWM is a mainstream party that was formed to defend the rights of oppressed people of Pakistan.

Yeah! We belong to a sect but it doesnt mean that we are sectarian people. We reject sectarianism, he asserted speaking at Labbaik Ya Hussain (AS) Conference at Nishtar Park late on Sunday night. Thousands of people attended the Conference that was a sort of election campaign related public meeting. The crowd kept raising slogans of Labbaik Ya Hussain (AS) throughout the speeches. Allama Jafari said that U.S. and its allied some Arab countries were hijacking Pakistani elections. He appealed to all the political parties to join hands against the stooges of these countries and turn down them. Shia Muslims live in all over the world and Karachi-based party should beware of the consequences of the attacks on peaceful and law-abiding workers of the MWM, he warned. He said that MWM supports those parties who are against terrorism and fanaticism. He urged people to vote for MWM candidates in the elections. MWM will sort out all their problems. He said that Shia ideology opposes the oppressors no matter if the oppressor is a Muslim and supports oppressed no matter if the oppressed is a nonMuslim. An axis of hellish 4 countries is meddling into Pakistans internal affairs for their vested interests. We shall defeat them, he vowed. Allama Jafari said that MWM will use power of people, ballot and its manifesto to bring in positive change in Pakistan. He said that Election Commission would be held responsible for attack on MWMs candidates, supporters and officials. We want the Election Commission and Returning Officers that there must be neither electoral fraud nor phony votes. The results should be based on what the voters cast in the ballot boxes, he said. Allama Amin Shaheedi, deputy secretary general, Allama Sadiq Raza Taqvi, Allama Aijaz Behishti, Shakir Raujani, Maulana Mohammad Hussain Karimi, Mubashir Zaidi, Syed Ahsan and other officials also spoke at the Conference. They condemned the negative and provocative tactics being adopted by some parties against the MWM. They condemned the U.S. and its allied countries for anti-Islam and pro-terrorism policies. Allama Jafari also praised martyrs Sibt-e-Jafar, Allama Aftab Haider Jafari, Saeed Haider Zaidi, Muzaffar Kirmani and other martyrs of Karachi for their sacrifices for the sake of Islam, Muslims and oppressed people. The MWM chief appealed to the people to vote for camp, the electoral symbol of MWM saying that it is the symbol of Imam Hussain (AS) and his followers throughout the Islamic history.

Why is Hezbollah fighting in Syria? Why did such a popular resistance group decide to risk its reputation around the Arab world and open a new front in order to back Syria's President Bashar al-Assad? Assad, who himself does not know if he can keep his chair for another year or not. What made Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who is famous for his stances that repeatedly warned of the Fitna the Arabic word for sectarian confrontation meddle in the Syrian mud?

About This Article

Summary :

Ali

Hashem

explains

Hezbollahs

decision to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Author: Ali Hashem Posted on : April 21 2013

Categories : Originals a

Syri

Hezbollah has its own answers for all these questions, but prefers not to discuss them in the media. According to circles close to the organization, Hezbollah's involvement in Syria wasn't a choice, but rather an obligation. Those sources say that in the very beginning of the Syrian uprising, the group's charismatic leader Hassan Nasrallah "tried to initiate a solution." He, and other factions such as Hamas, opened a hotline with the Syrian leadership to make sure "Syria as a nation, people, and a political choice could survive the crisis." This was the first level of involvement that saw Nasrallah "mediating with Assad to release political prisoners, announce reforms, and change the mentality of the Mukhabarat, or intelligence members." One of our sources even revealed that in August 2011, Iranian foreign ministry official Hussein Sheikh al-Islam visited Damascus and handed the president a list of "125 remarks on the way the Syrian regime was dealing with the crisis, [which] were all negative remarks." At that time it was already obvious that armed militiamen were crossing the borders from Lebanon into Syria, a fact proved by eyewitness accounts and journalists covering the border separating both countries. "Hezbollah wanted this crisis to end; to him Syria as a whole means the backyard of the resistance," said our source. He added, "Hezbollah knew the regime was outdated, and that people needed a change, especially after the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions, though they thought the change should be made within the regime, not by overthrowing it." "Bashar al-Assad's regime helped the resistance when everyone was plotting conspiracies against it. In the 2006 war he opened his borders for weapons, and they even gave Hezbollah some strategic missiles." This is the rhetoric Hezbollah used and continues to use to defend its stance and position on the side of Assad regime. "Hezbollah believes that the whole war on Bashar al-Assad is because of his backing of the resistanceHezbollah and Hamas in specific," said our source, who accuses Hamas of betraying those who fed and hosted them. "They didn't even think of taking a position in the middle; they went to the extreme, leaving Damascus to Qatar, and sending their members to Syria to fight the Assad regime with the weapons he, Iran, and Hezbollah smuggled to Gaza." Hamas continues to deny these claims, saying that they have no members fighting in Syria, though it was revealed in December 2012 that a senior Hamas trainer Mohammed Konayta was killed in Idlib while taking part in an attack on a military base. According to the source, Hezbollah decided to intervene militarily in the wake of three incidents. "The first was a full scale attack by Syrian rebels on Shiite villages on the borders

with Lebanon, forcing people there to flee to Lebanon. The second was the attack on Sayyida Zaynab neighborhood in Damascus that embraces the tomb of Prophet Mohammed's granddaughter Zaynab, and the third an attack by Syrian rebels on a Hezbollah armed convoy that was on its way to Lebanon." After these three incidents, our source believes, Hezbollah took the decision to give arms to Shiite villagers on the borders and help them defend their villagesa step that was followed by deploying troops from the same area to make sure the villages were safe and kept away from Syrian rebels. As for the Sayyida Zaynab shrine, in southern Damascus, Hezbollah's role was more planning than implementing. A group of Hezbollah military strategists drew plans for defending the holy site to make sure it wouldn't be destroyed by Salafist fighters. On this point, our source elaborates: "Hezbollah knows that fighting in Syria is a big decision that might cost them a lot of lives, but they knew too that if the shrine ... the cost will be very expensive, and it will be paid wherever there are mixed populations of Sunnis and Shiites. Then we will witness the real Fitna. Hezbollah can't control angry Shiites who will seek revenge." When the Sayyida Zaynab neighborhood was attacked, religious Shiites from around the world asked both Hezbollah and Iran to intervene. Hundreds of Iraqi Shiites rushed to Syria to defend the shrine. Even clerics who opposed Hezbollah urged them to do something to avoid seeing the sacred Shiite site destroyed, keeping in mind the famous attack on Iraq's Sameraa city that saw a shrine of two of Shiite imams turned into rubble. "Hezbollah wasn't waiting for anyone to urge them to act. They knew what to do, and the decision was made to defend the shrine, whatever the cost," says our source, adding, "Hezbollah is not like any other organization. When the Shura council agrees on a decision, everyone will have to bow to it. Even if there were some who had objections, whenever the decision is made they will defend it." Today, as tens of Hezbollah fighters are announced by the party as "martyrs of the Jihad duty," funerals are taking place across Lebanon from Bekaa to the south. "Hezbollah is announcing on Manar TV and Nour Radio, on websites and each media outlet they have access to, about their martyrs. They don't do it secretly. See the Facebook pages and how pro-Hezbollah activists are celebrating the martyrdom of these guys. Any claims of dismay within ranks or families is propaganda by anti-Hezbollah journalists and media outlets," said our source, who also offered to put me in contact with families of some of the Hezbollah men killed in Syria. I called one of them on the phone, a father of a 23-year-old man who was shot dead near the Sayyida Zaynab shrine. He preferred not to give his name, as Hezbollah hadn't given him approval to talk to the media. I asked him about his son's death and how he felt about it. "I'm sad," he said. "Very sad. My son isn't here anymore. We lost him, but at least we know he is in heaven with Prophet Mohammed and the imams. He was defending their daughter." His final words to me were, "if the war against Israel was similar to Prophet Mohammed's Bader war against his enemies, this war is just another version of Imam Hussein's Karbala. We won't be defeated."

Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/04/reasons-hezbollah-fightingsyria.html#ixzz2RJGzFN00

PESHAWAR Muttahida Deeni Mahaz, an alliance of religio-political parties, on Saturday announced to field its joint candidates for contesting next general elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The announcement was made by the provincial head of Muttahida Deeni Mahaz, Mualana Hamidullah Haqqani while speaking at a press conference here at Press Club. He informed that an alliance of six religio-political parties, formed under the banner of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami-ul-Haq (JUI-S) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, due to prevailing political uncertainty and chaos. Those, religious parties had made alliance with JUI-S, including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Noorani group, Pakistan Rah-e-Haq Party, Jamiat Ahle Hadees, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (formerly SSP), and Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan, he added. Haqqani said the making of alliance under JUI-S was mainly objective to remove the present the growing frustration among the masses and jointly work for pulling the country out from current crisis situation. We expects from other religious parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, and JUI-F will joint-hand with JUI-S for common objective and slogan, he expected. The Muttahida Deeni Mahaz provincial leader further informed that the head of Tehreek-e-Tahaffaz Pakistan, and renowned nuclear scientist, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan and former chief Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) Gen (Retd) Hamid Gul have also shown willingness to join the religio-political parties group. We have also invited political parties against the secular agenda, particularly Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and others, to join the Muttahida Deeni Mahaz, Haqqani informed. Haqqani said the group would also contact Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif, Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman and Munawar Hasan to join hands with them. Its important to mention here that another religious group in the form of MMA has already been revived under the leadership of Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman a few months back. He claimed the religious parties group would emerge a stronger force in the upcoming general elections, will field a joint candidate in both national and provincial level. He further claimed the group would further strengthen in coming days as number of political parties and non-secular forces are willingness to enter this alliance. He said the Muttahida Deeni Mahaz would decide to make electoral-alliance and seat-adjustment in forthcoming general elections. For the purpose, he informed that a meeting of leaders of the six-religious parties would be held very soon to announce a joint candidate and any other decision regarding the elections.

The election manifesto of the new Deobandi-Wahhabi alliance (MDM) of terrorist groups (ASWJ, JUI-S, Jamiat Ahle Hadith etc) violates not only Pakistani law but also the code of conduct of Pakistan Election Commission which does not allow any candidate or party to incite sectarian hatred in their election campaign.

All manifestos that contradict the constitution of Pakistan should not be tolerated and the MDMs anti-women, anti-Shia, anti-minorities manifesto will further aggravate the anti-Shia, anti-women, anti-minorities violence in Pakistan. The MDM (Muttahida Deeni Mahaz) Deobandi-Wahhabi alliance has decided to field 130 candidates from across the country to contest the upcoming elections for National Assembly consituencies. We have decided, with consensus, to get seat adjustment with any other parties that share our manifesto, said the chief of JUI-S, Maulana Samiul Haq Deobandi, who is also the chairman of MDM. He Addressing the media here on Monday, Haq also unveiled the manifesto of the MDM at the occasion. The MDM alliance aims for the establishment of the true Islamic system of caliphate in Pakistan and implementation of Shariah in the country that was created in the name of Islam, he said. The JUI-S chief further said that, if elected, the alliance would eliminate all laws contrary to Islamic laws besides implementing the recommendations of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII). The alliances government would not allow any amendments in the 22 Islamic provisions of 1973s constitution that were formulated by 31 religious scholars. Non-Muslims and apostates will be banned from main public office jobs in Pakistan, said the MDM chairman. The president, prime minister, chief justice, senate chairman, national assembly speaker, all forces chiefs, provincial governors, chief ministers and heads of intelligence agencies will have to be male Sunni Muslim, he added. Haq said that they would not allow any verbal or written critique on Islam or any of its orders and faith. He also said the MDM (Muttahida Deobandi-Wahhabi Mahaz) will establish a system of accountability on federal and provincial levels that would urge people to offer prayers five times a day in the mosque. Furthermore, co-education would be banned and religious seminaries would be further developed. All education facilities will be equally available to every citizen without class difference. The children of labourers and farmers will be given free education, said Haq. He said the MDM aims to take Pakistan out of the influence the US. We will stop drone attacks besides blocking Pakistans logistic support to Nato and its allies, said Haq. The MDM government would provide complete moral support to Taliban in Afghanistan and people of Kashmir in their independence movement, the Mahaaz chief added.

upreme Leaders Speech At Inauguration Of Islamic Awakening And Ulama Conference

The following is the full text of the speech delivered on April 29, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in a meeting at Inauguration of Islamic Awakening and Ulama Conference. In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful All praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master, Muhammad al-Mustafa, and upon his immaculate household, chosen companions and those who follow them well, until the Day of Judgment. I welcome you honorable guests and I ask Almighty and Merciful God to bless this collective effort and make it an effective step towards happiness of Muslims. Surely He listens and responds. Today the subject of Islamic Awakening, which you will discuss in this conference, tops the list of the issues of the Islamic world and the Islamic Ummah, an amazing phenomenon that will result in the reemergence of Islamic civilization for the Islamic Ummah and then for all of the world in the not too distant future providing that, with Allahs permission, it stays healthy and continues. Today what lies in front of our eyes and cannot be denied by any informed and intelligent individual is that the world of Islam has now emerged out of the sidelines of social and political equations of the world, that it has found a prominent and outstanding position at the center of decisive global events, and that it offers a fresh outlook on life, politics, government and social developments. This is considered an important and significant phenomenon in todays world, which is suffering from a deep intellectual and theoretical vacuum after the failure of communism and liberalism. This is the first sign of the political and revolutionary events in North Africa and the Arab region on a global scale, which itself is a harbinger of greater truths that will come to pass in the future. Islamic Awakening, which speakers in the arrogant and reactionary camp do not even dare to mention in words, is a truth whose signs can be witnessed in almost all parts of the world of Islam. The most obvious sign of it is the enthusiasm of public opinion, especially among young people, to revive the glory and greatness of Islam, to become aware of the nature of the international order of domination and to remove the mask from the shameless, oppressive and arrogant face of the governments and centers that have been pressuring the Islamic and non-Islamic East in their clutches for more than two hundred years and have been exposing nations to their brutal and aggressive thirst for power disguised with the mask of civilization and culture. The dimensions of this auspicious awakening are widespread and mysterious, but what was witnessed of its immediate outcomes in a few North African countries can make hearts confident about the great and amazing outcomes that will be achieved in the future. Miraculous fulfillment of divine promises is always a hope-inspiring sign that promises the fulfillment of greater promises. The Quranic account of the two promises that Allah the Exalted gave to the mother of Prophet Moses is an example of this divine tactic. At that difficult moment, when she was ordered to cast her baby in the river in a basket, Allah the Exalted said, Surely We will bring him back to you and make him one of the messengers. [The Holy Quran, Sura al-Qasas, Ayah 7] The fulfillment of the first promise, which was the smaller promise and a cause for happiness for the mother, became the sign of the fulfillment of the promise of prophetic mission, which was far greater and of course, it required long-term suffering, struggle and patience: So We restored him to his mother that her eye might be refreshed, and that she might not grieve, and that she might know that the promise of Allah is true [The Holy Quran, Sura al-Qasas, Ayah 13] This true promise was the great mission which was fulfilled after many years and it changed the course of history. Another example is the reminder about the overwhelming power of God to suppress the invaders of the Holy House: in order to encourage His audience through the Holy Prophet to submit to His order, Allah the Exalted makes use of this example so let them serve the Lord of this House [The Holy Quran, Sura Quraysh, Ayah 3] and says, Did He not cause their war to end in confusion? [The Holy Quran, Sura alFil, Ayah 2] Similarly, in order to raise the spirits of His beloved Prophet and convince him of the truth of the promise your Lord has not forsaken you, nor has He become displeased [The Holy Quran, Sura adDhuha, Ayah 3], Allah the Exalted gives the reminder about the miraculous blessing: Did He not find you

an orphan and give you shelter? He found you astray and guided you. [The Holy Quran, Sura ad-Dhuha, Ayah 6-7] And there are many such examples in the Holy Quran. The day when Islam achieved victory in Iran and managed to capture the fort of America and Zionism in one of the most important countries in this extremely sensitive region, those who were wise and quick to learn realized that if they had patience and insight, other victories will come one after another. The brilliant truths in the Islamic Republic, which are acknowledged by our enemies, have all been achieved in the shade of trust in divine promises, patience, resistance and asking God for assistance. In the face of temptations by weak people who, during tense times, shout we are sure to be overtaken, [The Holy Quran, Sura ash-Shuara, Ayah 61] our people have always shouted by no means, my Lord is with me and soon will He guide me. [The Holy Quran, Sura ash-Shuara, Ayah 62] Today this is a precious experience that is available to the peoples who have stood up against arrogance and tyranny and have managed to overthrow and shake corrupt governments that are subservient to and dependent on America. Resistance, patience, insight and faith in the divine promise surely Allah will help him who helps His cause will pave this path of glory for the Islamic Ummah until it reaches the peak of Islamic civilization. At this important meeting, which has been attended by a group of religious scholars of the Islamic Ummah from different Islamic countries and denominations, I believe it is appropriate to discuss a few necessary points regarding the issue of Islamic Awakening. The first point is that the earliest waves of awakening in the countries of this region, which started simultaneously with the entry of the pioneers of colonialism, were mainly caused by religion and religious reformers. The names of outstanding leaders and personalities such as Sayyid Jamal ad-Din, Muhammad Abduh, Mirza-e Shirazi, Akhund-e Khorasani, Mahmoud al-Hassan, Muhammad Ali, Sheikh Fazlollah, Hajj Agha Noorullah, AbulAlaMaududi and tens of famous, great, mujahid and and influential clerics from Iran, Egypt, India and Iraq have been recorded in history books forever. Similarly, in the contemporary era, the brilliant name of the great Imam Khomeini is shining like a brilliant star at the forefront of the Islamic Revolution. Meanwhile, today and in the past, hundreds of famous religious scholar and thousands of lesser-known religious scholars have played a role in great and small reform movements in different countries. The list of non-cleric religious reformers, such as Hassan al-Banna and IqbalLahori, is also long and amazing. Almost everywhere, clerics and theologians have been the intellectual authority and spiritual support for the people and wherever they have appeared in the role of guides and pioneers at the time of great developments and have moved forward in the first rows of popular movements in the face of dangers, the intellectual bond between them and the people has been strengthened and they have played a significant role in showing the path to the people. This is as beneficial to the wave of Islamic Awakening as it is unpleasant and distressing to the enemies of the Islamic Ummah, those who bear grudges against Islam and those who are opposed to the rule of Islamic values, and they are trying to take away this intellectual authority from religious strongholds and create new centers for it. They have learned through experience that they can easily reach a compromise with these centers over national principles and values, and this is something that will never happen in the case of pious religious scholars and devoted religious personalities. This makes the responsibility of religious scholars heavier. Through vigilance and caution and by identifying the enemys deceptive methods and machinations, they should completely shut the door to infiltration and foil the enemys plots. One of the greatest calamities is becoming attracted to the lure of worldly wealth. Exposure to the favors of wealthy and powerful people and being indebted to taghuts of lust and power are the most dangerous cause of separation from the people and loss of their trust and friendliness. Self-centeredness and thirst for power, which lure weak individuals towards developing an inclination to poles of power, prepare the ground for involvement in corruption and deviation. It is necessary to constantly keep this holy Quranic ayah in mind: (As for) that future abode, We assign it to those who have no desire to exalt themselves in the earth nor to make mischief and the good end is for those who guard (against evil). [The Holy Quran, Sura al-Qasas, Ayah 83] Today in the era of hope-inspiring movements of Islamic Awakening, sometimes certain things are witnessed which on the one hand, show the efforts by the agents of America and Zionism to create unreliable intellectual authorities and which on the other hand, show the efforts by debauched Qaruns to drag religious and pious people towards their poisoned and contaminated activities. Religious scholars and pious men should be extremely vigilant and careful.

The second point is the necessity of delineating a long-term goal for Islamic Awakening in Muslim countries, a noble aim that gives orientation to the awakening of nations and helps them reach a certain point. It is through identifying this particular point that one can prepare a roadmap and specify the medium- and short-term goals in it. This final goal cannot be anything less than creating a brilliant Islamic civilization. All parts of the Islamic Ummah in the form of different nations and countries should achieve the civilizational position that has been specified in the Holy Quran. The main and the general characteristic of this civilization is that it should allow human beings to utilize all the material and spiritual capacities that Allah the Exalted has bestowed on them and on the world in order to bring about happiness and transcendence for humanity. The surface structure of this civilization can and should be witnessed in popular government, in the laws that have been extracted from the Holy Quran, in identifying and addressing different needs of humanity, in avoidance of rigidity and reactionary attitudes as well as unwarranted innovation and adulteration, in creating public welfare and wealth, in establishing justice, in liberation from an economy that is based on special privileges, usury and taking pride in wealth, in promoting human values, in defending oppressed people in the world, and in hard work and innovation. Adopting an ijtihadi and scholarly outlook on different areas ranging from humanities to the system of formal education, from economy and banking to technical and technological production, from modern media to art and cinema and to international relations and other areas are all among the requirements for this civilization-building. Experience has shown that all of these things are possible and within the capacities of Muslim communities. This outlook must not be treated with haste and pessimism. Being pessimistic about ones capabilities is ingratitude to Gods blessings, and neglecting help from God and the laws of creation amounts to slipping into the morass of entertaining evil thoughts about Allah. [The Holy Quran, Sura alFath, Ayah 6] We can break the chain of scientific, economic and political monopolies of the domineering powers and help the Islamic Ummah become the pioneer of restoring the rights of the majority of nations in the world, which have been dominated by a minority of arrogant powers. Through religious faith, knowledge, ethics and constant struggle, Islamic civilization can gift advanced thought and noble codes of behavior to the Islamic Ummah and to the entire humanity, and it can be the point of liberation from materialistic and oppressive outlooks and corrupt codes of behavior that form the pillars of current Western civilization. The third point is that in the movements of Islamic Awakening it is necessary to pay constant attention to the bitter and horrifying experience of following the West in politics, behavior and lifestyle. In more than a century of following the culture and politics of the arrogant powers, Muslim countries suffered from deadly calamities such as political dependence and humiliation, economic plights and poverty, decline of moral virtues and ethics and shameful scientific backwardness, and this was while the Islamic Ummah enjoyed a glorious history in all of these areas. This statement must not be interpreted as hostility towards the West. We are not hostile towards any group of human beings because of geographical differences. We have learnt lessons from Ali (greetings be upon him) who describes human beings in this way: Those who have the same religion as you, they are brothers to you, and those who have religions other than that of yours, they are human beings like you. Our complaint against oppression and arrogance and against bullying and transgression is the moral and practical degeneration that has been imposed on our nations by the colonial and arrogant powers. Currently, we can witness the bullying and interference of America and some of its followers in the region in the countries in which the breeze of awakening has turned into the storm of uprisings and revolutions. Their promises must not affect the decisions and actions of outstanding political personalities and the great movement of the people. In this case as well, we need to learn lessons from our experiences: those who pinned their hopes on the promises of America for years and based their behavior and policies on the inclination towards the oppressor did not manage to resolve any problems of their nations or eliminate an injustice to themselves or to others. By surrendering to America, they did not manage to prevent the demolition of even one single Palestinian home in a territory that belongs to the Palestinians. The politicians and outstanding personalities who are deceived by the bribe or intimidated by the threats of the camp of the arrogant powers and miss the great opportunity of Islamic Awakening should be apprehensive about this divine threat: Have you not seen those who have changed Allahs favor for ungratefulness and made their people to alight into the abode of perdition into hell? They shall enter into it and an evil place it is to settle in. [The Holy Quran, Sura Ibrahim, Ayah 28-29] The fourth point is that today one of the most dangerous things that threatens the movement of Islamic Awakening is the efforts to foment discord and turn these movements into bloody sectarian, ethnic and

national conflicts. Currently, this plot is being seriously pursued by intelligence services of the West and Zionism with the help of petrodollars and bribed politicians from East Asia to North Africa and particularly in the Arab region. And the money that could have been spent to bring about happiness for mankind is being used to make threats, excommunicate, assassinate, bomb, shed Muslim blood and to kindle the fire of long-lasting grudges. Those who consider the unified power of Islam as an obstacle in the way of their evil goals have come to the conclusion that fanning the flames of conflicts inside the Islamic Ummah is the easiest way to achieve their satanic goal and they have used differences of opinion in Islamic jurisprudence, kalaam, history and hadith which are natural and inevitable as a pretext to excommunicate, shed blood and cause fitna and corruption. A vigilant look at the scene of domestic conflicts clearly reveals the enemys hands behind these tragedies. These deceptive hands undoubtedly take advantage of the ignorance, prejudice and superficiality that exists in our societies and they add fuel to the fire. The responsibility of religious and political reformers and outstanding personalities is very heavy in this regard. Currently, Libya, Egypt and Tunisia, Syria, Pakistan, and Iraq and Lebanon are in one way or another involved in or exposed to these dangerous flames. It is necessary to be extremely careful and to look for a remedy. It would be nave to think that all of these things are due to ideological and ethnic factors and motives. Propaganda campaigns of the West and dependent and mercenary media in the region pretend that the destructive war in Syria is a Shia-Sunni conflict and they create a safety margin for the Zionists and the enemies of resistance in Syria and Lebanon. This is while the two sides of the conflict in Syria are not Shia and Sunni, rather they are the supporters and opponents of anti-Zionist resistance. Neither the Syrian government is a Shia government, nor is the secular and anti-Islam opposition a Sunni group. The only achievement of the plotters of this calamitous scenario is that they have managed to make use of religious sentiments of simple-minded people to kindle this deadly fire. A look at the scene and those who are involved in it at different levels can clarify the issue for any just individual. Also, in the case of Bahrain, this wave of propaganda is spreading lies and deception in another way. In Bahrain, the oppressed majority who have been deprived of the right to vote as well as other fundamental rights that a nation should enjoy have risen up to demand their rights. Should this be considered a Shia-Sunni conflict simply because the oppressed majority are Shia and the oppressive secular government pretends to be Sunni? Of course, the European and American colonialists and their friends in the region want to make things appear like this, but what is the truth? These are the things that call religious scholars and just reformers to careful thinking and sense of responsibility and they make identification of the enemies goals behind highlighting sectarian, ethnic and partisan differences an obligation for everybody. The fifth point is that one of the standards for judging whether Islamic Awakening movements are on the right path is the positions they adopt on the issue of Palestine. Since sixty years ago up until today, the occupation of Palestine has been the biggest tragedy that has been imposed on the Islamic Ummah. Since the first day up until today, the tragedy of Palestine has been a combination of killings, assassinations, destruction, usurpation and transgression against what is held sacred in Islam. The necessity of putting up a resistance against this warring and usurping enemy and fighting him has been agreed upon by all Islamic denominations and all honest and healthy national currents. Any current in Islamic countries which disregards this religious and national responsibility out of consideration for the domineering demands of America or under the pretext of unreasonable justifications should not expect to be viewed as loyal to Islam and sincere in its nationalistic claims. This is a test. Anybody who does not accept the slogan of liberating Holy Quds and saving the Palestinian nation and Palestinian territories or anybody who sidelines this slogan and turns his back on the camp of resistance, will be condemned. The Islamic Ummah should keep this clear and fundamental standard in mind everywhere and at all times. Dear guests, brothers and sisters, never lose sight of the enemys plot. Our lack of vigilance creates opportunities for our enemies. The lesson that Ali (greetings be upon him) teaches us is that whoever is careless about his cause, his enemy will not sleep over this advantage In this regard, our experience in the Islamic Republic is also a source of lessons. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, the arrogant Western governments and America which had long established full control over Iranian taghuts and used to determine the political, economic and cultural destiny of our country and which had underestimated the enormous power of Islamic faith in society and remained unaware of the power of Islam and the Holy Quran to deploy forces and to guide suddenly realized that they had been unaware and their governmental

organizations, intelligence services and control rooms resumed work in order to make up for the overwhelming defeat they had suffered. We have witnessed various kinds of machinations from them over the past thirty-something years. In essence, there have been two factors that have foiled their plots: insistence on Islamic principles and presence of the people on the scene. These two factors are the key to the problems everywhere. The first factor is guaranteed by sincere religious faith in divine promises and the second factor is guaranteed by sincere efforts and honest clarification. A nation that has faith in the honesty and sincerity of its leaders will bring in enthusiasm with their blessed presence, and wherever a nation stays on the scene with a solid determination, no power will have the capability to defeat it. This is a successful experience for all the nations that gave rise to Islamic Awakening through their presence. I pray to Allah the Exalted to bestow His guidance, assistance and mercy on you and on all Muslim nations. Greetings be upon you and Allahs mercy

KARACHI: The anti-democratic forces seem to have geared up against secular political parties of the country in a bid to destablise the first democratic transition of power as two major parties came under attack in three different bombings in Karachi on Saturday, killing at least five people and leaving more than 40 injured.
A corner meeting of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), held in the wake of coming May 11 polls, came under attack when at least three people, including a woman, were killed and around 20 others were injured in Karachis Lyari neighbourhood. The PPP candidate for PS-111, Adnan Baloch was among the injured. Earlier, at least two people were killed and more than 25 were injured in two separate blasts near the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) election office in the citys Orangi Town area. According to police, the bombings were carried out through planted devices in Qasba Colony locality. Speaking to Dawn.com, DIG district West Zafar Abbas Bukhar said the first bomb was exploded outside the MQM election office while the second one followed it outside a nearby Shia Imambargah in the area. Bukhari also confirmed the number of casualties. The twin explosions were so loud that they were heard from far away and damaged the nearby buildings and vehicles. A complete power blackout was reported in the area after the explosions and injured were shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Qatar Hospital Saturdays blast made a tally of five terrorist attacks in as many days in the metropolis, which is the financial hub of the country. At least 26 people have died in these attacks. Although no group has so far claimed responsibility of both the blasts but the outlawed Tehrik-iTaliban Pakistan (TTP) vowed to target secular political forces of the country PPP, ANP and MQM. The banned outfit had claimed responsibilities of the Thursday and Friday attacks, targeting MQM and ANP respectively.

The MQM announced to observe a day of mourning throughout the Sindh province on Sunday. The party appealed to the masses to keep all businesses and transport shut today. A high level security meeting was also called at the Karachis Rangers headquarters to review the overall law and order and formulate a fresh counter-terrorism strategy. Around 11 people were killed and over 50 others injured when a bomb blast hit the election meeting of ANP candidate Bashir Jan in Karachi on Friday. Whereas, at least five people died and more than ten others injured when a blast ripped through an election office of the MQM in Karachis Nusart Bhutto Colony on Thursday night. On Tuesday, the blast near Peoples Chowrangi in North Nazimabad had left at least five people dead and 15 others injured. The spike in violence targeting the said political parties has raised concerns for law and order as the May 11 general elections draw closer.

KARACHI: At least five people were killed and around ten others injured when a blast ripped through an election office of a political party in Karachi on Thursday night, officials told Dawn.Com. Initial reports suggest the bomb was planted in a motorcycle near the election office of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in Karachis Nusrat Bhutto Colony. The explosion damaged nearby buildings and vehicles. Police and security agencies have cordoned off the area and an initial investigation is underway. Injured and dead are shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. Sources said that three brothers are among the five deceased. DIG west of Karachi police, Zafar Abbas Bukhari has confirmed the number of casualties. Five people have been killed and ten injured. The bomb was planted in a motor-bike, he said. Party spokesman Qamar Mansur said that the office was closed following a bomb blast on Tuesday which killed five people and injured around 15 at Peoples Chowrangi in North Nazimabad. All the victims were standing outside the office when the bomb exploded, he said. Taliban claim Meanwhile, the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility of the attack. Speaking to Dawn.Com over telephone from an undisclosed location, TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said the outfit has targeted the MQM as they vowed to do so in the past.

The Pakistani Taliban (TTP) had threatened to target the three secular parties Pakistan Peoples Party, Awami National Party and MQM in the wake of historic May 11 polls. Condemnation MQM chief Altaf Hussain, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) leaders Syed Munawar Hasan and Muhammad Hussain Mehanti and others including Caretaker CM Punjab Najam Sethi have condemned the devastating terrorist attack. Meanwhile, Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ibad has ordered a swift probe report of the incident from the authorities concerned. MQM announces day of mourning The party has announced to observe day of mourning across the Sindh province on Friday. The business, transport and educational authorities have said that they will support the protest call from MQM and would keep all activities closed on Friday.

Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir, a controversial Lebanese Salafist sheikh, has urged his followers to join Syrian rebels fighting troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah. The call came as a second Sunni Lebanese sheikh called the fight against Assads regime a jihadist duty. Lately, we have seen our people [Sunnis] in the region of Qusayr be subjected to violence, murder and slaughter by the hands of the Iranian party, Assir told Al Arabiya in an interview broadcast Tuesday. We found that it is our legitimate duty to see to the [Sunnis] victory. The cleric slammed the Iranian-backed Shiite group, saying its possession of weapons has hindered the Lebanese state from taking the right decisions. A year and a half ago, we said that members of the Iranian party are taking part in suppressing the uprising in Syria and in the killing of [Sunnis] in Syria, Assir said. We asked the Lebanese state to intervene [and stop them], however, the dominance of [Hezbollahs] arms over the country kept it silent. He told Al Arabiya that the international community is not doing anything about the two-year Syria crisis, in which according to the U.N. more than 70,000 people have been killed. There is now no other choice but to defend our [Sunni] people in Syria, Assir said. Syrias opposition and monitoring groups have accused Iran-backed Hezbollah of sending elite fighters to battle alongside regime troops in Qusayr, an area of Syrias central Homs province near the Lebanese border. In his sermon on Monday, the Sunni cleric said: Nasrallah and his shabiha have taken the decision to enter into these areas [Qusayr] in order to massacre the oppressed people there. There is a religious duty on every Muslim who is able to do so... to enter into Syria in order to defend its people, its mosques and religious shrines, especially in Qusayr and Homs. Assir said joining the fight in Homs is especially a duty for the Lebanese because Lebanon provides the only gateway into central Syria.

He said his address mainly targeted residents of the border areas, but added: This fatwa [religious decree] affects us all, especially those who have military experience. Assir has seen his following swell in the last year, in part due to his firebrand speeches and staunch opposition to Hezbollah, the Shiite Lebanese movement allied with Assads regime. His popularity has grown amid a crisis in traditional Sunni Lebanese political groups, and a growing sectarian backlash from the conflict in neighboring Syria. The majority of Syria's rebels, like the population, are Sunni, while Assad comes from the minority Alawite community, an offshoot of Shiite Islam. In his Monday speech, Assir also announced the establishment of free resistance battalions in Sidon, where he is based. Addressing Sunnis in Lebanon, Assir called on those who fear attack by Iran's party [Hezbollah] to organize secret groups, and to buy weapons in order to be ready, should Nasrallah decide to attack them. Allahu Akbar [God is greatest]! Death or humiliation! his followers chanted. Meanwhile, in the north Lebanese city of Tripoli, a second Sunni sheikh, Salem al-Rafii, echoed Assirs call. We also have our people who are Lebanese Sunnis in Qusayr and Tal Kalakh, he told Al Arabiya in response to Hezbollahs statements that they are in Syria to defend Lebanese Shiites. Our calls for jihad will stop once Hezbollah withdraws from Syria, Rafii added. On Monday, Rafii called on those who wished to fight in Syria to sign up to join the fight. Lebanon has adopted an official stance of neutrality in Syrias raging war. Until 2005, Damascus dominated Lebanon politically and militarily for nearly 30 years, though it has since continued to exert significant influence through its allies on the small Mediterranean country.

Fears that the Syrian conflict may spill over the country's borders are being realised, but in reverse: the Lebanese conflict is coming to Syria. Ahmed Al Aseer, an influential Lebanese Sunni cleric, declared on Monday that jihad in Syria is now mandatory for all capable Muslims. Sheikh Al Aseer said that the decision was taken after Hizbollah's involvement in Syria became clear. "We felt that [Hizbollah] was militarily involved and everyone was denying," he said in a video statement posted on YouTube on Monday. "But now that has become clear." Hizbollah's initial denial of involvement in Syria appears to have changed to justification, primarily because it has become difficult for the group to continue denying reports as an increasing number of dead fighters are sent back from Syria. Although the party's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, admitted in October that party members were fighting alongside the Assad regime, he said those fighters were acting as individuals and not under his orders. This escalation should not be played down as part of traditional Lebanese sectarian bickering. Hizbollah's decision to openly support the Syrian regime is a serious move that merits a closer look. The obvious question is, why now? According to accounts, the party's fighters in Syria are numerous and well-trained. Additionally, the structure of Hizbollah allows it to order the fighters to withdraw if needed. But why would the party opt to wage war against the people of a neighbouring country that is far larger than Lebanon, offers access to its allies in Iraq and Iran, and most of all, has a vast number of supporters inside Lebanon? The escalation of Hizbollah's involvement in Homs follows a series of media reports that suggests the party, in coordination with Tehran, has moved aggressively and openly to back the regime of Bashar Al Assad. According to the Kuwaiti newspaper Al Rai, Nasrallah visited Tehran this week and met with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the commander of the Al Quds Brigades, General Qasim Sulaimani. On Monday, Mr Al Assad expressed resentment towards Lebanon's "dissociation policy" during a meeting with a proHizbollah Lebanese delegation. The Syrian president said: "A person cannot dissociate himself if that person is within a circle of fire and that fire is getting closer to him."

Also on Monday, the interim leader of the Syrian opposition's National Coalition, George Sabra, accused Hizbollah of declaring war against the Syrian people; as proof he said party members have fought against the rebels in the town of Qusayr, near the Lebanese border. Hizbollah appears to have taken steps to explain its purpose of involvement in Syria, without trying to downplay that involvement. In an article for Al Monitor, Lebanese journalist Ali Hashem aptly explained why Hizbollah is allowing its fighters to fight in Syria: it is an obligation, not a choice. The source speaking to Hashem rationalises the involvement by saying that failure to get involved would eventually have a spiralling affect on the region. The Hizbollah source explains that the party is trying to prevent a regional looming fitna, or sectarian strife, by protecting Shia villages and religious shrines from Sunni extremists. Moreover, the source suggests that the destruction of any Shia shrine in Syria would enrage Shia communities across the region, rage that the party would be unable to contain that would lead to an all-out, long-term sectarian war. While this narrative offers insight into the party's thinking, it does not take into account fighters' rhetoric or the early involvement of Shia fighters in Syria. YouTube videos and other social media outlets show that fighters follow a consistent, deranged narrative, mostly drawing on the symbolism of Zainab, the daughter of the Prophet's cousin Ali, to justify their involvement and portray it as a sectarian offensive against Sunni Syrians, not a defensive war. Also, activists say that foreign Shia fighters were often involved in the types of carnage that include the use of knives, especially in Homs and near Damascus (such as Houla, Daraya and Jdaidet Al Fadhl). One activist told me that weeks before the Al Houla massacre in May 2012, during which 108 people were killed, an "atmosphere of sectarian tension spread in the area" and that "foreign militiamen were involved". The presence of foreign jihadis fighting against the regime has long worried western governments. But the involvement of Shia fighters takes the situation in Syria to another level; Lebanese clerics calling for jihad in Syria is only the tip of the iceberg. Across the region, the concept of "jihad" is being discussed again, decades after a similar trend in the 1980s sent young men from the region to Afghanistan to fight. This time, the "normalisation" of jihad should be more worrisome in a more religiously diverse region. It is unclear whether Hizbollah intends to de-escalate its members' activities in Syria or continue to allow their flow. It is possible that the Syrian regime has asked Iran and Hizbollah to assist its troops in that border area, considering that Homs in general is crucial for the regime, perhaps the most important area after Damascus, because it is a choke point between the coast and other areas. The involvement of Shia fighters must be alarming to everyone and serves as a reminder that the Syrian conflict needs to end sooner rather than later. hhassan@thenational.ae On Twitter: @hhassan140

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The Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah has become a dangerous militia, threatening the regions security as well as civil peace, Sunni cleric Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir told Al Arabiya TV, in comments to be broadcast Friday on the weekly program Point of Order. Acting as Irans party, Hezbollah assaults all the Lebanese, even free-thinking Shiites, added Assir, who is the imam of Belal bin Rabah mosque in Sidon, southern Lebanon. Many politicians, including Hezbollah, deal with Sunnis as if they are a defeated sect in Lebanon, by appointing and removing the Sunni prime minister at will, said the cleric. He described Iranian hegemony on all Lebanese as more dangerous than the Israeli occupation. However, he said he does not support the Israelis or favor an attack by them against Iran, and is not calling for the disarming of a resistance. We want a defense strategy. Hezbollah was the party of the resistance, but it changed its principles when it used its weapons internally in Lebanon and in Syria, said Assir.

The door is open to dialogue with Hezbollah, he added, lamenting that arms control political life in Lebanon. Assir accused Sunni politicians of using extremism as a scarecrow to frighten others and present themselves as a moderate substitute. Im with empowering the legal government and giving it full control over weapons, along with a defense strategy, he said. I want to live in peace with all other religious sects. We dont have any negative position towards any sect. Our problem is only with the Iranian project.

Controversial Islamist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir on Wednesday returned to Lebanon after crossing into the wartorn Syrian area of Qusayr to support the real heroes of the armed Syrian opposition. My visit to Qusayr's countryside was in support of the true heroes and to coordinate with them and examine the situation, Asir said on the social networking website Twitter. But I refused to return before gaining the honor of firing on the criminals, he added. On Monday, Asir called on everyone who has said that the rebels in Qusayr don't need more fighters to go visit them and confirm that with them directly and let everyone stop the overbidding in this regard. My visit to Qusayr's countryside increased my certainty and insistence on the religious stance I have voiced in support of our people in Syria in general and in Qusayr in particular, Asir said on Wednesday. Syria's main rebel Free Syrian Army has rejected calls for jihad (holy war) by Lebanese Islamist clerics, saying "what we are missing in Syria is weapons, not men." Asir's official Facebook page published pictures and a video showing the Islamist cleric carrying a machinegun alongside the rebels and opening fire from the rooftop of a building. On Tuesday, Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah declared that his party "will not hesitate" to help the

Lebanese residents of Qusayr in their confrontation with Syrian rebels. "30,000 Lebanese Muslims and Christians were targeted, torched and prevented from going to work" at the hands of Syrian rebels in Qusayr, Nasrallah said. The opposition-affiliated Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has said elite fighters from Hizbullah are leading the fight against rebels in Qusayr. Syrian regime forces have recently recaptured a string of strategic villages in the region, which is along the border with Lebanon. That raised fears among rebels that the town of Qusayr itself, a stronghold of the uprising, could fall into government hands. The area is of key strategic importance because it runs along the border with Lebanon and is near the route running from Damascus to the coast. Hizbullah says that its members who are fighting in Homs province are Shiite residents of Syrian border towns engaged in self-defense against rebel forces. Fighting in the area has spilled over into Lebanon, with rebels targeting border towns inside Lebanon in response to Hizbullah involvement in the conflict.
TRIPOLI, LEBANON As segments of Lebanons Sunni Muslim community have become emboldened by events in Syria, Islamists and militants have seen their influence swell and an increasingly aggressive rhetoric has found a more receptive audience.
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Nabil Mounzer/European Pressphoto Agency

Salafist Sheikh Ahmad Al-Assir, center, with his supporters during a protest against the Lebanese government demanding to release the Islamist prisoners in February.

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Many Lebanese Sunnis identify closely with the mostly Sunni rebels fighting against the regime of Syrias president, Bashar al-Assad, an Alawite. At the same time they feel deprived, forsaken by the state and subjugated by other factions. Building off this anger and inspired by the gains of Syrias rebels, they have become more vocally hostile toward Hezbollah, the Shiite party; the government, dominated by Hezbollah; and the Syrian regime. I believe Sunnis are coming out of chains, said Omar Bakri, a radical Sunni cleric who lives in Tripoli, Lebanons second-largest city, after Beirut. The blood of the innocents in Lebanon and Syria, we are not going to let it go without accountability. Addressing a rally of protesters blocking roads this month, Dai al-Islam al-Shahhal, the Sunni sheik regarded as the founder in Lebanon of the puritanical Salafi movement, railed against the enemies of the Sunni community. They want to make us slaves, they want to control us with weapons like Bashar al-Assad does, he said. We are targets. While the anger is not new, the Sunni community has long been hindered politically by a lack of leadership, cohesion and organization. But this is changing. Slowly, leaders are emerging. One is Sheik Ahmad Assir, a Salafi cleric from the southern city of Sidon. His opponents dismiss him as attention-grabbing, but Mr. Assirs readiness to confront both Hezbollah and the influence of Syria and Iran in Lebanon resonates with many who are frustrated by the status quo. When the pain from the Iranian domination increased, people saw honesty and truth in what we believed, so they joined us, Mr. Assir said. Like some other hard-line Sunni Islamists, Mr. Assir refuses to call Hezbollah by its name, which means the Party of God in Arabic, referring to it instead as the Iranian occupation or the Iranian project in Lebanon. Others call Hezbollah the Party of Satan.

In relatively short order, Mr. Assir has built up a legion of devout militant followers. Across the country, his fiery speeches draw thousands, overriding the geographic divisions that separate the countrys scattered Sunni enclaves. Sheik Assir is the voice of all people Muslims, Christians, Druze because he is against Hezbollahs weapons, said Khaled al-Masri, a protester at the rally in Tripoli. When Mr. Assirs movement first drew attention last year, he emphasized that it was peaceful and unarmed, in contrast, he said, to Hezbollah. In recent months, though, his supporters have fought gun battles with opponents, and gunmen now accompany the cleric in public. Late last month, Mr. Assir himself dressed in fighters apparel and clutched an automatic rifle as he stood guard at his Sidon mosque. He has claimed that Hezbollah members have established an armed presence near his mosque and warned that they may be looking to attack. Our carrying of arms was a reaction to being surrounded by armed groups when the Lebanese security forces did not come to our rescue, Mr. Assir said in an interview. After being attacked by the Iranian occupation, we declared that we will retaliate to any attack against us. In the Dahiyeh, Beiruts predominantly Shiite southern suburban area, Hezbollah has established its headquarters, controlling the area completely and managing everything from security to social services. It is effectively running a state within a state. Sunni militants like Mr. Bakri are now intent on establishing similar zones to call their own. A longtime resident of Britain, where he was a controversial figure for his extremist views, Mr. Bakri was barred from that country in 2005 when the British government stepped up its counterterrorism measures. In 2010, he was found guilty on terrorism charges and handed a life sentence by a Lebanese court. Yet he remains free, living unmolested in Tripoli. Islamists move in Tripoli with their own arms and weapons, and nobody dares to touch them, Mr. Bakri said.

In Tripoli and other seats of Sunni militancy, armed groups now operate with relative impunity. Militias

brandish their weapons across the city, even in front of deployed Lebanese security forces. On a recent evening, masked gunmen assaulted a Tripoli hospital to free a comrade who had been injured and captured in an attack on a government ministers convoy in January. Arrests for such incidents are rare. In the city center, posters of a Sunni militia commander killed several years ago hang alongside black Islamist flags on the facades of once beautiful buildings dating from the days of French rule. Balaclavas and vests for carrying ammunition are sold on the street. When Hezbollah and their friends attack us, we will make a Dahiyeh for every place that has Sunni people, said Bilal Masri, a Sunni militia leader in the citys restive Bab alTabbaneh district. As the Syrian civil war has dragged on, Mr. Masris impoverished neighborhood has seen increasingly frequent and deadly clashes with Jabal Mohsen, a nearby Alawite quarter that is home to many staunch supporters of Mr. Assad, their co-religionist. Some Lebanese Sunni militants have taken to flying the rebel Free Syrian Army flag. Others have crossed the border to join the rebel fighters. Last month, the Free Syrian Army threatened to start attacking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, accusing Hezbollah of sending fighters into Syria to aid government forces and shelling Qusayr, Syria, and its environs from positions inside Lebanon.

Any cross-border attack could have serious consequences for Lebanon. Despite bouts of violence related to the war in Syria, it has so far been able to escape all-out conflict, but at least one video released by a rebel officer has called on Lebanese Sunnis to join with the Free Syrian Army in confronting Hezbollah and its leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Leaders of the Future Movement, the political party traditionally backed by the Sunni community, are intent on avoiding a conflict, but they have lost much of their sway over militants and hard-line Islamists. We hope that confrontation will not happen, but Nasrallah, with his support for the Syrian regime and the killing of the Syrian people, is pushing us towards it, Mr. Assir said. Militia leaders like Mr. Masri are more openly spoiling for a fight. We will fight Hezbollah if the Free Syrian Army asks us to or not, because Hezbollah will attack us, he said. We are already in a civil war right now. Lebanon is already divided and it is just waiting for a spark, nothing more.
Religious Parties in Muttahida Deeni Mahaz : Currently these five parties are part of this alliance

Jamiat Ulema e Islam Samiul Haq Jamiat Ahle Hadees Jamiat Ulema e Islam Nazriati Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat Jamiat Ulema E Pakistan Sawad e Azam

Muttahida Deeeni Mahaz (MDM), the new alliance of Takfiri Deobandi and Wahhabi terrorists The LUBP has created a new tag terrorists contesting elections to build an archive of names, pictures, election symbols, constituency number etc of all ASWJ-LeJ candidates and of those in alliance with Takfiri Deobandi terrorists. According to news reports, the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ, led by Ahmed Ludhianvi Deobandi), former Sipah-e-Sahaba-Pakistan (SSP aka Lashkar-e-Jhangvi LeJ) of Maulana Azam Tariq and four other religious parties, including the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) have formed an electoral alliance, namely the Muttahida Deeni Muhaaz (MDM). An obscure Sunni Barelvi cleric too has been included for token purposes, however, major Sunni Barelvi parties including Sunni Tehreek and Tehreek-e-Ahle-Sunnat has rejected the new Deobandi-Wahhabi militant alliance. The MDM Deobandi-Wahhabi alliance has decided to field 130 candidates from across the country to contest the upcoming elections for National Assembly consituencies. The MDM alliance aims for the establishment of the true Islamic system of caliphate in Pakistan and implementation of Shariah in the country that was created in the name of Islam, he said. The JUI-S chief further said that, if elected, the alliance would eliminate all laws contrary to Islamic laws besides implementing the recommendations of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII). The alliances government would not allow any amendments in the 22 Islamic provisions of 1973s constitution that were formulated by 31 religious scholars. Non-Muslims and apostates will be banned from main public office jobs in Pakistan, said the MDM chairman. The president, prime minister, chief justice, senate chairman, national assembly speaker, all forces chiefs, provincial governors, chief ministers and heads of intelligence agencies will have to be male Sunni Muslim, he added. Haq said that they would not allow any verbal or written critique on Islam or any of its orders and faith. He also said the Muhaaz will establish a system of accountability on federal and provincial levels that would urge people to offer prayers five times a day in the mosque. Furthermore, co-education would be banned and religious seminaries would be further developed. All education facilities will be equally available to every citizen without class difference. The children of labourers and farmers will be given free education, said Haq.

He said the MDM aims to take Pakistan out of the influence the US. We will stop drone attacks besides blocking Pakistans logistic support to Nato and its allies, said Haq. The MDM government would provide complete moral support to Taliban in Afghanistan and people of Kashmir in their independence movement, the Mahaaz chief added. http://tribune.com.pk/story/526515/upcoming-elections-aswj-jui-s-three-others-form-alliance/ The new alliance includes two major opponents of Jamiat Ulama Islam (JUI-F) president Maulana Fazlur Rehman MNA Maulana Ismatullah Deobandi (JUI-Nazriati) and Maulana Muhamamd Ahmad Ludhianvi Deobandi (Ahle Sunnat-wal-Jamaat ASWJ-LeJ). Jamiat Ahle Hadith group led by Ibtesam Elahi Zaheer too is a part of the alliance, while a token Sunni Barelvi Pir Mehfooz Mashhadis (leader of his own one-man-faction of JUP-Sawad Azam) is included. http://dawn.com/2012/12/06/five-dpc-parties-plan-new-electoral-alliance/ Leaders present on the formation of MDM included Maulana Samiul Haq Deobandi of JUI-S, Hakeem Ibrahim Qasmi of Pakistan Rah-e-Haq Party, Maulana Ahmed Ludhianvi Deobandi of ASWJ-LeJ, Maulana Ibtisam Ali Zaheer Salafi-Wahhabi, Maulana Yusuf Shah, former MNA Shah Abdul Aziz Mujahid Deobandi, Maulana Saifur Rehman Darkhwasti Deobandi, Ikramullah Shahid, Shamsur Rehman Muavia Deobandi, Muhammad Khan Leghari, Maulana Asim Makhdoom, Maulana Abdul Rasheed Hadoti, and Mian Muhammad Arif.
SHEIKH Abdul Al MAJED ALZANDANI FROM YAMEN GAVE FATWA THAT JEHAD IS IMPORTANT AND COMPULSORY ( FARD ) IN SYRIA! AND IT IS COMPULSORY ON THE COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE BORDERS WITH SYRIA TO OPEN IT IS BORDERS FOR THE MUJAHIDEN!