La Excepcion (The Exception)

Religious Persecution in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

``Church Burned As Violence Flares Again In Pakistan

Two Christian villages have been attacked and churches burned by a hostile Muslim mob in a series of violent incidents on Thursday 6 February.

Jubilee Campaign were given first hand reports of the situation from a local Pakistani church leader who asked not to be named for security reasons.

The violence erupted after a mosque in Khanewal - about 200 miles south of Lahore - broadcast that pages had been torn out from the Koran and blasphemous words had been scribbled on the religious text.

Local Muslims marched on two Christian villages, Shanti Nagar and Bhootabad, threatening villagers, however the police dispersed the crowd peacefully. The mob returned the following day and, this time, police were unable to stop the violence.

* About 1500 Christian homes were burned. This comprises of 60-80% of homes in the area.

* Three churches were raided. In Khanewal, a Roman Catholic Church and an ARB (American Reformed Presbyterian) Church of Pakistan were burned and severely damaged; in Shanti Nagar, a Salvation Army Church was attacked.

* Christian facilities including a hospital, a hostel, and a dispensary (run by the Salvation Army) were also attacked.

* Approximately 100 Christians were hospitalised. ``

Harpeet #76,

You should be resenting me. Laughing at me does not make emotional sense, though you can do that too. God gave me the looks, the currency of universal acceptance, and I made use of it to reach many hearts including Indian. I came to USA with prime directive: company and exploration of womankind of all types

including African and oriental made difficult in in puritanical PAK. I understand that most Indian men dont get a chance to smell the perfume on a woman`s neck and my remarks can be seen to stoke such deprivation. I am just preparing your women for things to come or how it could have been.

I admire zen becuase of its simplicity and that japanese have nurtured the art of meditation (zazen). I am just allergic to all things Hindu.

They are just a bunch of talkers with no sense of adventure or kinship. One billion can not take organize a half-decent relief operation in Gujrat. Helplessness and resourcelessness.Sitting home on Saturday afternoon eating `pakooras`, making squelching sounds, hands smeared with foul smelling spices, the same smell that they carry into their workplaces. Whites look around, puzzled by this sudden assault on their senses.

They look at each other and smile. Not to worry, it was just a emaciated coder that just walked by. Watch out, he is going to give you this blank look and a invariably mustached smile.

By the way, please note that all this is tongue-in-cheek. Allow me to mix hate and love in some proportions. I am happy to stir the pot: throw in some hate for the hindu and love for their women.

-- In retrospect, I was sought out by Indian women ...

aand

-- ... I`ve chased and been welcomed by a Pakistani woman or two in my day.

The pomposity!! men - ufffff!!

Rsaxena #74, ``That`s OK. I`ve chased and been welcomed by a Pakistani woman or two in my day.``

Bechari... tsk tsk...

I hope she/they are recovering well.

Re: Political Tension appeasemenet strategies!

Mahim, I see the discussions have become once again focussed on the rather predictable nonsloveable issues. Allow me to deflect some tension by witty humour from Economist.

Since the last ``Infrequently asked questions from the Economist`` posting by yours truly was such a big hit here (I received an overwhelming response, an email to be precise), I have decided to share some more quaint, and esoteric factual humour with you all.



Economist asks, quite casually:

Question 1: According to the ``Yale Dictionary of Quotations``, the earliest known published use of the word ``software`` occurred in:



A. An after-dinner speech given by Marshall McLuhan to Harvard University`s cheerleaders

B. A book entitled ``Binary Computing``, written by statistician Joseph Lansing

C. An article published in ``American Mathematical Monthly`` in 1958

D. A 1947 edition of the racy magazine ``Swell Chicks and Big, Swinging Dicks``

Answer: In case you are hung up (no pun intended) on Option D, the correct answer happens to be C.

Question 2: According to some anthropologists, St Valentine`s day originated in lusty fertility rituals such as the Roman festival of Lupercalia. What happened at Lupercalia?

A. Young women stripped naked, rolled in honey, and offered their bodies to the god Lupercus

B. Athletes competed for the right to present their lover with a bunch of flowers

C. Amorous couples exchanged gifts of raw meat, vine leaves and oysters

D. Men, clad in goatskins, flagellated the local female population

Answer: In case you guessed option D, you ought to be congratulated for your expert knowledge on this hitherto esoteric subject.

Happy Valentine`s day to all the love birds out there. I have been made aware recently, that this festival is celebrated almost religiously back in Pakistan.. Of course in modern Italy, Valentine`s day, coincides with the Festival of the masks which is celebrated in Venice in each year with much fervour; The difference being goatskins are no longer used. Or so I hear! :)

No need to thank me, that smile is rewards enough for my labours.

Sincerely,

Asim Hayat

So Mr.Urstruly, when are you going to sacrifice your life and become a martyr for the wasted kashmir cause? The virgins of heaven are lusting for you.Wont you please fulfill their lusty needs?

Re rjanjua: Okay Aurangzeb was about the last famous muslim ruler.What about the fall of Spain in the 1400s--your euro beachhead? But since then, the track record has been spotty unless you consider the fact of muslims beating up other muslims--as the house of Saud did in your holy land. They were no match for the western armies from the middle ages on.

Come to think of it, what happened to the culture of intellectual growth that the Moors of granada encouraged? What have you done since then? Akbar may have been an exception in this neck of the woods. My ancestors were able to live in peace and even took the brunt with the inquisition.

The point I was getting at is that some areas have a martial culture, a la the Punjabis who`ve had jats of both religions and sikhs, and there are the Rajputs. But on the other hand, some with no culture of martial valour in the near term have done well as my coreligionists [more cultural rather than religious] in Israel have. How come they are better in beating off their local threats especially considering a hiatus of nearly 2000 years. I suppose it has more to do with grit and smarts than sheer anger/hatred.

hola

hola Mahim!

Que tal! cuando lei tu poema me hace feliz saber hay un Pakistan tan bueno en Espanol. Identidad tambien es binario. Solo podemos ver otros en este modo, y para los otros, estamos en binario, la verdad de una persona no puede ser definir en palabras (que estan una systema binario).

Mi origen es de Lahore pero vivo en Londres. Mi vida es anthropologia; me interesa mucho cultura islamica pero tambien cultura hispanico. He ido a Espana muchos veces y tengo buen amigos en Granada, mi lugar favorativo. Hay uno grupo de gente interesante, actores, poetas etc quien conoszco. Regresare alli pronto para aprender mas Espanol.

dame tu correo de internet y nos hablaramos mas,

Khaldoon Ahmed

http://www.indian-express.com/ie/daily/20010210/ina10058.html

http://www.indian-express.com/ie/daily/20010210/ina10057.html

India`s shame continues. There is such a gap between her ideals and her reality.

An eyeopener for everyone who thinks caste is dead in India. It is live and well. And it is very painful for those at the receiving end.

Something for all Indians to think and care about.

Mahim,

Anyone who reads Pirsig has my admiration. And any woman who openly claims to like Paglia, my utmost respect.

``Super feminist``, though?? Methinks you`ve got her pegged wrongly.

URstuly,

{{I think you`re upset (I wonder why?)}}

Wow Sherlock! You figured that all out by yourself huh!! Actually I`m upset at myself. I was completely wrong in assessing you.

When you used to give me those oneliners, I thought you were a shy though mischievious guy, with a dry sense of humor. When you started opening your mouth, it started dawning upon me that you are nothing but a paranoid India (esp hindu hating) fundo. You`ve written some excellent articles though; I`ll give you that.

On the whole though, you are nothing but a stupid bigot, who hates everyone who doesnt agree with you. Nowadays you seem like you want to steer every article to your agenda. Hey, maybe India-Pakistan mudsling was overdue:)

{{Your rebuttal indicates that you have extensive knowledge of guerella and conventional warfare }}

I`ll accept that remark as a sarcastic crack:)

{{1. Why 700K Hindu-stani Army has failed to seal the borders? When only 70K are enough to do the job. Let me give you 140K instead of 70K to watch the borders and that still leaves atleast 2 soldiers sitting at each and every household in Kashmir, then how.....??}}

Dont know the answer to that. I`m sure youre answer is that the Hindu-stanis are not as good as Pakistanis. I`m so happy for you. These days Pakistan is so f *cked, I think is wise for you to grasp at any straws of wishful thinking. Otherwise you would have to join the long list of Pakistanis commiting suicide out of despondancy & hopelessness.

{{2. UN observers are also watching the borders then why and how......??}}

Because of my pathetic knowlege of current affairs, I was`nt even aware that UN observers were watching the borders. Youre right, its because of the unbelievable genious of the brave 100% Kashmiri guerellas (ofcourse none of them have a hint of Pakistani or Afghan blood).

{{3. Is Hindu-stani government lying to its own people?}}

I think it lies a hell of a lot less to Indians than the Pakistan govt lies to Pakistanis. Most Pakistani leaders, historically, have been dictators. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

{{4. Like other Hindus on the Chowk you seem to justify killing of civilians at the hands of Hindu-stani Army. You must know that it is a War Crime and people responsible for killing civilians may be tried under International court of Justice`s new guidlines set in last year.}}

No, I DONT justify killing of civilians by anybody. As an Indian, I have been very critical of India`s policy in Kashmir. In fact, I have repeatedly said all along, in the long run India will prosper without Kashmir. At the very least,its a goddamned millstone around

India`s neck.

Having said that, Pakistan is part of the problem, not part of the solution. A large segment of Pakistanis (esp fundos)dont want any peace with India, even if by any miracle Kashmir is resolved. Their views about hindus are abhorrent. If I read between the lines, to a fundo,we hindus are nothing but evil idol worshipping heathens--the kind that Islam has taught them to loathe. It would be ``unislamic`` to befriend such subhumans, who are condemned to hell anyways.

A peaceful settlement will also make the jihadis turn against their REAL oppressors, the military govt of Pakistan. Other than Jinnah, almost every Pakistani leader has raped & looted his/her own country. The common man in Pakistan is the one who has suffered because of Kashmir. He is being brainwashed into sending his son to fight the jihad in Kashmir. I wonder how many politician`s, beaurocrat`s or military officer`s sons have volunteered for suicide missions?

Before any Indian is tried for war crimes, I`ll bet you many, many Pakistanis will be tried for their crimes in East Pakistan, before the Indians. Will Pakistan have the guts to push that issue?--the risk of it blowing on their face is very real. Smell the faluda again, diplomatically Pakistan is isolated & ignored. Your friends dont have too much clout in the world. The ones who do, are eager to strengthen ties with India.

I`m beginning to agree with Feroz. Pakistan is getting increasingly fundoised--rejecting Western thinking, ideology, technology & economic policies. Now, that maybe music to F_K`s & your ears. No wonder F_K`s always saying Islam`s star is shinning brighter everyday. He`s right--as far as Pakistan is concerned. As far as in the rest of the world, well, he`s deluded.

So rejoice pal! Islam will be the only discourse in Pakistan, in the forseeable future. In the next 20 years, most Pakistani kids will be able to recite the Koran by heart. Whether they can understand its meaning is another thing. Whether they will possess the skills to build a better Pakistan will be irrelevant. After all, Allah will be so proud of Pakistan that HE will bring Pakistanis everlasting prosperity in this lifetime & in the hereafter.

If Pakistan wants to step off the train (like Burma did 40 years ago) & like what Afganistan is doing today, India will say ``please please do so because we will get stronger while you drown in the cesspool; only dont send any of your disgruntled citizens to our side. We need refugees from Pakistan like we need a hole in the head``.

Live long & prosper!

Urstruly

# 78

Sir

Your self glorification exercise is very touching. In that corpus of Hindu mythology, you found it so difficult to look beyond your nose. Ultimately you could come up with the story of one of your own ancestor. That king whose wife was kidnapped and was helped by apes was a `Surajvanshi king`, the same tribe you belong to (as per your version posted on another thread). In case your family tree goes back to those thousands years back in history, you will find Ram as your ancestor.

Great Idea! And something more to be ashamed of (again in your own words as you have stated that you are ashamed of your pre-islamic past).

How we wish that all those Suryavanshis left behind by the earlier ones has even 1% of the qualities that Ram had, then this sub-continent would have been a better place.

But I guess those who are rocking this boat are all living in safe havens and left their own sinking ship.

Next time try another one, `Krishna`. In case any difficulty in finding material, do check out with otheres from your sworn enemy list.

Best of Luck and TRY to keep smiling.

Dionysus

# 45

Brahminical Logic? What is that?

Well, for your own enlightenment, I must tell you that I am not a Brahmin nor even from those Chandravanshi, Suryavanshi genetic pool. I come from that group which in old times was Graded at number 3 and Jats also happen to belong to the same category.

Rest assured, I have nothing to complain because Indian society has the tendency to look forward and move forward even if at a slow pace. It does not consult Manu to make a law. Strange for you? Never mind. Try to apply in your own society and get out of this habit of finding solutions in something written 1400 years ago.

Oped

From The Pioneer

An idle preoccupation of Pakistan

Compiled by ADNI bureau

Even under resolutions (by which Pakistan swears) after the ceasefire Islamabad was required to vacate its aggression in the princely State of Jammu and Kashmir before specific steps were to be taken to ascertain the will of the people.

The resolution passed by the UN Security Council called for an immediate ceasefire. Another resolution passed by the UN Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) on August 13, 1948, called for withdrawal of Pakistani troops and ``tribals.`` These resolutions were accepted by both India and Pakistan.

According to the UNCIP resolution Pakistan in essence agreed to withdraw its military forces from J&K, it agreed to ensure the withdrawal of non-regular combatants and non-residents of the State; it agreed that all efforts would be made to ensure that normalcy was restored in the State. India was to maintain its military presence to help ensure this, and once normalcy was restored a plebiscite was to be held to decide on the final accession.

The UN did not accept any role for Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir except requiring it to vacate parts occupied by it. India has made it clear that its acceptance of the plebiscite clause was subject to the implementation of the earlier three clauses requiring Pakistan to vacate the territory occupied by it. This was clear in the resolution itself and was accepted by Pakistan unconditionally. The UNCIP resolution of January 1949 - which is often quoted by Pakistan and which lays down the modalities of a plebiscite - itself makes the whole process subject to the conditions specified in the August 1948 resolution (namely vacation of the territories occupied by Pakistan) being fulfiled.

The Maharaja of J&K delayed his decisions in regard to accession as he had been dreaming of an independent Kashmir state. Fearing a breakdown of the communication system through Pakistan and the rich export trade with India, the Maharaja sought from both the dominions a stand-still agreement to come into effect on 15th August, 1947.

There was a series of telegrams between the Minister responsible in New Delhi and Prime Minister of J&K. A stand-still agreement between Pakistan and J&K was arrived at ``with regard to her (State`s) communications, supplies, and post office and telegraphic arrangements.`` By signing the stand-still agreement Pakistan recognised the sovereign authority of the ``Hindu`` Maharaja to conclude such agreements.

On the same date (12th August, 1947) an identical telegram was sent to the Government of India stating that the ``Jammu and Kashmir Government would welcome a stand-still agreement with Union of India on all matters on which these exist at the present moment with the outgoing British India Government. It is suggested that the existing arrangements should continue, pending settlement of details and formal execution of fresh agreements.`` These arrangements, according to the Treaty of Amritsar of 1846, comprised the use of the Indian forces if there was internal rebellion or invasion by a foreign government.

But, before the Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir could go to Delhi, the State was invaded by Pakistan. Therefore, the stand-still arrangements which the State was trying to set in place were interrupted and other developments followed in quick succession.

Maharaja Hari Singh wrote to Lord Mountbatten: ``With conditions obtaining at present in my State and the great emergency of the situation as it exists, I have no option but to ask for help from the Indian Dominion. Naturally, they cannot send the help asked for by me without my State acceding to the Dominion of India. I have accordingly decided to do so and I attach the Instrument of Accession for acceptance by your Government.``

The accession of Jammu and Kashmir to the Union of India was accepted by the Governor General Lord Mountbatten. The accession was thus complete and Jammu and Kashmir became an integral part of India, de facto and de jure.

A summary of assurances given to India by the UN Commission in the course of the subsequent discussions and correspondence runs like this: Responsibility for the security of the State and Jammu and Kashmir rests with the Government of India; the sovereignty of J&K Government over the entire territory of the State shall not be brought into question; there shall be no recognition of the so-called Azad Kashmir government; the territory occupied by Pakistan shall not be consolidated to the disadvantage of the State of J&K; the administration of the evacuated areas in the north shall revert to the Government of J&K and its defence to the Government of India; Pakistan shall be excluded from all affairs of J&K, in particular in the plebiscite; if a plebiscite is found impossible for technical or practical reasons, the Commission will consider other methods of determining fair and equitable conditions for ensuring free expression of the people`s will; plebiscite proposals shall not be binding upon India if Pakistan does not implement parts I and II of the resolution of August 13, 1948.

Pakistan has failed to honour any of its commitments made under the UN resolutions. It did not vacate the occupied territories; it constituted what is now called Azad Kashmir; it annexed Gilgit and Baltistan and ceded over 4500 sq miles to China in the extreme north.

``Tahmed, no thinking Indian wants Pakistan to disintegrate or to become a second Afghanistan. If only due to self interest, our prayers are with you``.(zafar)

You can say that again.

A progressive, democratic and secular Pakistan -- and both India and Pakistan will live happily ever after -- with Kashmir autonomy shared between 150 million Muslims each -- (and Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists) -- on both sides -- fair enough?

No need to look for mandarin teachers.

FerozK

Thank you for your analysis. There is only one conclusion that can be drawn from this scenerio (assuming that it is true) that it is impossible to stop the fight for freedom in Kashmir. Now it is a test of will. A test of will of the people of Kashmir and a test of will of Hindu-stani Army as to how long they will tolerate the indifference of their political leadership to find a political solution to this never-ending war and continue sending coffins and body bags back home.

A study of history of nations-both contemporary and past-has always brought anyone to only one conclusion:

WILL OF PEOPLE ALWAYS WINS.

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIGHT PEOPLE.