By Afshain Afzal

Over the arrest of Chairman Tehrik-e-Insaf Party (PTI) Imran Ahmed Khan Naizi, who is a former Pakistani Prime Minister, by National Accountability Authority (NAB) on 9 May 2023, protests damaged and set on fire “Jinnah House” under occupation of Pakistan Army’s Commander 4 Corps, located at Lahore Cantonment. The arsonists deliberately set founder of Pakistan’s house on fire, as a fraud to grab property of Quaid-e-Azam. Such frauds are in progress everywhere in the country. The protesters also entered the Main gate of Army Hockey Stadium on Mall Road, Rawalpindi, which is about 500 meters from Gates of Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters (GHQ). It is being referred by media as if protesters entered GHQ was unattended when protesters entered the gate. No doubt, Pakistan Army is strong enough to guard its installations as well as frontiers of Pakistan but certain black sheep inch wards of Army officers are part of this conspiracy.

Interestingly, the “Jinnah House”, which is occupied by Commander 4 Corps at Lahore is personal property of founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. The Revenue record also confirms that Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah was owner of House No 53 and 54, Lahore Cantonment. Documentary evidence reflect that the House was acquired by the British under Acquisition Act 1892 from Quaid-e-Azam but in 1946, Quaid-e-Azam wrote a letter to British Military authorities at Lahore to de-hire house. The British authorities requested to allow certain repairs for renovation before it could be returned. The cunning British officers got re-evaluated this huge house and got its tax increased to manifold. Before the partition, the British Army returned the house to Quaid-e-Azam.

It is totally misleading that the Corps Commander House was requisitioned by the British Army from them, the Pakistan Army reasserted control over the property, offering a monthly rent of Rs 500 and since then, the property serves as the official residence for the Corps Commander of Lahore. The version of Revenue authorities is also misleading that the official record shows that Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had purchased the property in 1943 when the house was already under the British army’s use. No doubt, all the properties of Quaid-e-Azam and his belongings are national heritage and no one has the right to occupy it or claim its owners. Another misleading and attempt of forgery is that an official letter written by the Lahore cantonment Executive Officer to the Secretary Punjab Board of Revenue reflect that Jinnah House, which was originally taken over by the British army, was returned to the Quaid-i-Azam’s representative after his death. However later, it was again taken over by the Ministry of Defence and continues to be in military’s use.

Quaid-e-Azam had also a huge house at Mount Pleasant Road, Malabar Hill, Bombay, measuring area of 2.5 acres, which after partition went under Indian government's ownership. In March 2017, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, demanded that a residence owned by Mohammad Ali Jinnah in Mumbai be demolished and that a cultural centre be built in its place. He said, "Jinnah House is a symbol of the partition. The structure should be demolished." As per the reports Quaid-e-Azam had also huge properties in Walton Cantonment, Lahore and Karachi. His family being successful businessmen of first class, Quaid-e-Azam had also huge properties in Kenya and South Africa. But the greedy land grabbers are after his properties as well as properties of Madar-e-Millat Fatima Jinnah. It is high time that National Accountability Authority and Supreme Court of Pakistan must take immediate action as the arson at Corps Commander House at Lahore was deliberate with mala-fides intensions. One wonders what India could not do to the property of Quaid-e-Azam in Mumbai, Pakistani Indian agents did this in Lahore and are glorifying their crime.--

SRI LANKA, 22 February 2023 (TON): International Monetary Fund agreed in principle to provide an emergency loan of US$2.9 billion, with the hope to essentially tide over the ongoing balance of payments issues. Unlocking these funds, however, depends on the IMF receiving assurances from major bilateral creditors that they will eventually provide an adequate amount of debt relief.

The Paris Club of traditional (Western) government creditors has provided the necessary assurances. China, however, is Sri Lanka’s biggest bilateral creditor and so far has only committed to a two-year moratorium on debt service payments – and only for loans for its EXIM bank. Beijing continues to argue that loans from China Development Bank – its other policy bank engaged in overseas lending – should be treated as commercial and outside the framework for official creditors.

Consequently, the IMF now appears to be considering an emergency program without China. Doing so carries significant risks – notably that China might benefit from IMF financing and any restructuring deal while contributing less in debt relief than other creditors.

Nonetheless, a way forward is desperately needed. The country’s economic woes are pushing many Sri Lankan households into poverty.
Ultimately, confronting the mounting human costs of Sri Lanka’s debt will require not only substantial (and urgent) debt relief but also a sizeable and sustained increase in concessional financing.

SRI LANKA, 22 February 2023 (TON): Sri Lanka will make a cut in its army by a third to 135,000 personnel by next year and to 100,000 by 2030, the State Minister of Defence said as the country tries to cut costs in the face of its worst economic crisis in more than seven decades.

“Military spending is basically state-borne expenditure which indirectly stimulates and opens avenues for economic growth by way of assuring national and human security,” Premitha Bandara Thennakoon said in a statement.

The aim of the move is to create a “technically and tactically sound and well-balanced” defence force by 2030.

The size of Sri Lanka’s armed forces peaked between 2017 and 2019, with 317,000 personnel, according to World Bank data, higher even than that during the 25 year-long conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that ended in 2009.
in the interest of India that Colombo go for such a major cut in its Armed Forces. Indian Intelligence agency has claked out a plan to create a new wave of terrorow from March April 2023. Indian papers and media have floated reports that Tamil nationalist leader and President of World Tamil Confederation, Pazha Nedumaran on Monday claimed that LTTE leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran is alive and lives with his wife and daughter. As per the details, the report about LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran living with his family could not be confirmed. 

JAMMU, 15 February 2023 (TON): In the statement last month, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced, “Our objective is total integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India. Over the recent protests of Kashmiri Pandits on cold blooded murders by Indian migrates backed by Indian Armed Forces, Governor Manoj Sinha said, “There are also labourers who come from Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand during the apple season… and it is true some Kashmiri Pandit became victims of targeted killings, only seven Pandits have been killed” But “Anybody can work in any state and they have the right to work in Jammu and Kashmir. There’s a majority in Kashmir who appreciate this and want other people to come and work. We also take care of them and push for migrants’ insurance. During the apple season, we had guidelines regarding their safety and security – financial and societal,”

It we recall, the Indian government issued legal amendments in March and October 2022 allowed Indians for permanent residency and permission to buy land in Jammu and Kashmir, to change the ethno-religious composition of the Muslim-majority territory and deprive Pandits their right from land and orchards occupied by Indian Armed Forces. The Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims of Kashmiris have objected and rejected any idea of selling land to any non-State Subjects. 

TAMIL NADU, 13 February 2023, (TON): Tamil nationalist leader and President of World Tamil Confederation, Pazha Nedumaran on Monday claimed that LTTE leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran is alive and lives with his wife and daughter.

While addressing the media at Thanjavur, Nedumaran said Prabhakaran's location will be disclosed at an appropriate time.

He said that the Sri Lankan government had portrayed Prabhakaran as anti-India. Since the present global situation is optimistic and the Rajapakse rule has ended, he was disclosing this now, Nedumaran added.

The Tamil nationalist leader also said that the information that Prabhakaran was alive which brought a lot of confidence among the Tamils in Sri Lanka and that he has made the announcement with Prabhakaran's permission.

Sivaji Lingam, a former Member of Parliament from Sri Lanka said that the Sri Lankan government had not confirmed the body of Prabhakaran. He added that the announcement made by Nedumaran that Prabhakaran was alive has brought a lot of happiness to the Tamil people across the world.

Notably, in May 2009, after the final battle between LTTE and Sri Lankan Army, it was announced that Prabhakaran was killed and some photographs released.

Nedumaran, a former leader of the Indian National Congress, is credited to have saved the life of Indira Gandhi when she was attacked by a violent mob during her trip to Tamil Nadu.

As per the details, the report about LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran living with his family could not be confirmed. However, one report said that his family kept silence about it.

NANKANA SAHIB, 11 February 2023 (TON): The Police confirmed, Waris Issa, who was arrested for desecration of the holy book has been murder by an angry mob. The mob stripped his clothes and dragged him in the streets before beating him to death. Most of the participants in the murder were young boys less than 18 years of age, instigated by a specific sectarian school of thought. As per one of the local resident Waris Eassa committed desecration of the holy book by pasting his ex-wife’s picture on holy books. As per the details Waris Eassa used to practice witchcraft and was also arrested in the past who had returned after spending two years in jail.

File Photo; Instigator Nankana Sahib Murder

The group whose followers murdered Waris Eassa on charges of desecration of the holy book have been identified in photographs and use the slippers (Naylain Mubarak) as their badge and symbol. Police is investigating the case. The sole purpose behind the act was to defame Muslims as extremists in the international community.

The Punjab chief minister formed a three-member committee to probe the lynching case. The committee will have to furnish a fact-finding report in 48 hours.

By Afshain Afzal

Monday, 30^th January 2023, an alleged suicide bombing took place at the time of Namaz-e-Zohar at Police Lines Masjid (Mosque) in Peshawar. Over 400 Namazis were offering the routine Namaz-e-Zohar. The sad terrorist incident took lives of at least 103 people including 97 security personnel and injuries more than 200 others when complete roof fell down in a big bang. Most of those who were killed or injured were Police personnel including Pesh Iman Maulana Sahibzada Noorul Amin, who was serving as Naib Khatib since 1994. Apparently, the debris at the Masjid reflected that such a huge damage to the Masjid cannot be done by explosive carried out by a single suicide bomber. The area where terrorist incident took place encompasses Headquarters of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Police force and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) offices, Border Reserve Police, Elite Force and the Pakistan Telecommunications Department offices.

File Photo: Coffins of 97 Police personnel martyred 

Although, it was huge damage which could not be done by explosive carried by single person but the Police authorities have ruled out that the attack was by a drone or missile hit. Police authorities said that they have reached the terrorist who happen to be some police personnel. Peshawar Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Peshawar Muhammad Ijaz Khan confirmed that families that live in the police compound where the mosque is located are being interrogated as police cannot rule out that the attacker has been helped by someone internally. CCPO Ejaz Khan in a statement said that that the head of the suspected suicide bomber was recovered from the blast site. He said, the alleged attacker has been identified as 37-year-old Muhammad Ayaz, son of Salim Khan of Mohmand Agency. He added that it is possible that the attacker was already present at the police line before the explosion and may have used an official vehicle. Meanwhile, security has been tightened and Department of Administrative Affairs Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa also issued new guidelines including security guidelines for Civil Secretariat.

Pakistan’s Tehreek e Taliban and Afghan Taliban have condemned the attack and ruled out any involvement of their members. The Afghan Taliban's Acting Foreign Minister Amir Muttaqi called on Pakistan to investigate the Peshawar attack rather than blame neighbouring Afghanistan for terror carnage. He added, "If Afghanistan was the centre of terrorism, it would have gone into China, Central Asia and Iran”. The Afghan authorities clarified that Afghan Islamic government believes in peace and good neighborly relations with all the countries and what Pakistan needs to comprehend is that if China, Central Asia and Iran were never attacked by Taliban why would they carry out terrorism in brotherly country like Pakistan. Interestingly, Pakistani agencies are shy of taking the name of India, which is openly challenging the very existence of Pakistan.

Intelligence agencies and foreign media, especially Indian claim that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan accepted the responsibility for the suicide attack, saying it was part of a revenge attack from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan as their commander Umar Khalid Khurasani was killed in Afghanistan in August 2022. According to security officials, the suicide bomber was present in the front row of the Masjid and blew himself up, causing the roof to collapse on the Namazis.  The incident witnessed cooperation between all the departments and professional handling of post disaster management. Soon after the terrorist incident, heavy machinery and fire brigade tenders were combing the ruins for survivors in a rescue operation. However, the debris was so huge that it was impossible to do much for those who got trapped under huge concrete rubbles. However, their efforts along with Police force is worth appreciation.

Inspector General Police Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Moazzam Jah Ansari in a recorded video clip said, “My sons (Police personnel) who are to fight, have been trained, provided weapons, who are ready to take revenge and who are standing to fight, if they protest for their rights and talk about their protection than…”  He ruled out drone attack on the Masjid and said that it was a suicide attack and Police have identified the terrorist, who happen to be police personnel.  He said, security camera footage showed the bomber entering the heavily fortified police compound surrounding the mosque on a motorbike. In an earlier interview to Aaj Digital on 11 June 2022, IGP Moazzam Jah Ansari said, policing was introduced in the Newly Merged Districts (former FATA) in March/ April 2019, and he inherited force of 26,000 personnel of Levies and Khasadar who lacked training but a large number of them were trained by Pakistan Army at their Centers and other by police themselves totaling more than 22500 personnel who are fully trained. He said, during the interview that there is nexus between criminals and terrorists and mostly activities are on the basis of personal enmity but is tow with terrorist networks.

In the latest development, Bright Madina Channel telecast a video “Bayan” (a casual talk) of Maulana Sahibzada Noorul Amin and posted some days before the blast. A Facebook account with the name of Maulana Sahibzada Noorul Amin with his picture in Police line Peshawar has been created by someone probably last month. It could not be confirmed that the interview posted at Bright Madina Channel was delibrate and facebook account has been created by Moulana himself. The video clip iin Pushto language has been translated in verbatim, “Three questions will be asked inside the grave; Man Rab o Ka, Man Nabi o Ka and Man Deen o Ka. When he would wake up from grave and he would be aske four questions. Prophet Mohammad Alhe Salam says unless he answers these four questions, his feet will not move forward from the grave. These questions are; You were give an age how you spent it, youth was given to you how you spent, from where you earned money and where you spent this amount. In fact, we have Aqeda (Belief) everyone has his own Aqeda and all these questions there is no question of Aqeda as La Illa Ha Ill Allah Mohammad ur Rasool Allah, all have one Aqeda.”

File Photo: Construction work inside Masjid by a group

Witnesses disclosed that Police department allowed a particular sect to carryout major changes in design of the Police Line Masjid including new construction. It was revealed that hard talk between Razavi sect wearing green turban and Maulana Sahibzada Noorul Amin took place in the past, who considered Maulana following wrong faith.  It is possible that same persons posted video clip of Maulana Sahibzada Noorul Amin on Bright Madina Channel that caused someone from opposite school of thought to carry out terrorism to eliminate Maulana Sahibzada Noorul Amin and replace him with favorite one. One individual on the condition of anonymity said that that clip proved that Maulana Sahibzada Noorul Amin had changed his faith and got influenced by Taliban. Some Police personnel were of the view that it is strange that most of those martyred were Police official but interrogation is also taking place of Police personnel and their families. One witness said that there is business adventure in front of the main gate where investors have eyes.

3rd February announcement after a high level conference between military and civilian authorities, highlighted strong action against the terrorist, establishment of Counter Terrorism Headquarters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, provision of latest equipment and weapons to Police and Counter Terrorism Department. Equipping the Police force is essential and strong action against terrorists has no alternative but the authorities must not ignore hundreds of families from India settling in cities including old Peshawar occupying and dismantling unattended minorities left evacuee properties. The facts cannot be denied that authorities also inducted thousands of hard core terrorists in Levies as de-radicalization drive and later fully trained and equipped them. It is high time that we must break the nexus between criminals and terrorists and identify, “terrorist activities on the basis of personal enmity but is tow with terrorist networks” as rightly identified by IGP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.