Public School and College (PSC) Gilgit is Facing Tough Financial Constraints

Gilgit (ET): The prestigious Public School and College (PSC) in Gilgit, that has helped shape many futures since 1980, is currently engaged in a battle for its own survival.

Initially it was the government that had decided to bear 50 per cent of the financial expenditures of the institution. But today it has fallen down to 12 per cent, with the remaining being the responsibility of the school management. “It is becoming more and more difficult with each passing day for us to meet the rising expenses,” said vice principal of the school, Javed Aslam. “If we increase tuition fees, we have to face resistance from parents,” he added.

However despite all odds, the school management had kept the fee low, keeping the weak financial position of the parents in mind. “The salaries of staff have doubled in the past two years but we raised the tuition fee by a mere 20 per cent,” he said, adding that the school required a water filtration plant and some buses for transportation.

According to a survey conducted by the institution, its services for the area have been monumental. The establishment of Public School and College in Gilgit some three-decades back had proved to be the turning point in the history of the region. More than 60 per cent of the officials currently serving at the top positions in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) today received their education from PSC, the survey revealed.

Aslam said the students of  PSC are serving in every field including army, judiciary, politics, bureaucracy and media. “We are proud that we have some contribution in the development of the society, region and the country,” he said.

The institution, which has separate buildings for girls and boys, currently has a strength of over 4,200 students and around 140 highly qualified teachers, besides 55 members of support staff.

Even this year, the institution upheld its brilliant record. Students from PSC grabbed all the top positions in the examinations of Matric, FSc and BSc which were held under federal board of education.

“I am convinced that it is one of the best institutions of the country. I say this with conviction as I have had some sort of association with many institutions of the big cities in the past,” said Masood Ahmad, a former student of PSC who is currently working as a senior official in a renowned NGO. Ahmad has also enrolled all of his three children in the school.

Until 1980, the year PSC was setup, G-B only had institutions that were run under the federal government and the quality of education was not their top priority. The deficiency, however, was somewhat managed with the launch of PSC, the first public school of G-B that started classes under the administration of Pakistan Army.

Mir Karamatullah, a Lieutenant Colonel at that time, was the first principal of PSC who set guidelines for the nascent school that has now transformed into one of the country’s most prestigious institutions. When the school started in 1980, it had 240 students, while majority of the teachers were hired from cities to fill in the deficiency in the region.

Spreading over 100 kanals, the school has a beautiful building with over 104 classrooms, three computer labs, eight science labs and one library with over 20,000 books. The teachers are paid as per government policy. The place also has on-campus accommodation.

“Despite all of this, currently the school management is striving hard to have the government support increased, as the rising prices of everything merit some sort of a financial support for the institution,” added another official

 http://gbtimes.wordpress.com/category/uncategorized/

We Want Our School Back-Students Affected by Attabad-Hunza Disaster

By Syed Irfan Ashraf

 

 

“Many youngsters don’t want to go to the tent school as the teachers are not there,” said Ambreen. – Photo by Arif Shah/Dawn.com

 

On a recent trip to the Hunza Valley, this scribe came across an interesting protest by young students in Ahmedabad town. With placards in their hands, scores of school children were chanting slogans as they passed through the streets of main Ahmedabad Bazaar. They were demanding the local authorities to shift the Attabad IDPs from their school. We want our school back, the youngsters maintained.

Formed after a massive landslide in January 2010, the Attabad Lake in Hunza Valley continues to cause hardship to the locals, particularly the displaced families.

Unperturbed by the presence of keenly watching tourists in the serene and peaceful Hunza Valley, the children registered their protest in front of the Ismaili Community Office and later lodged a formal complaint at the District Coordination Office, Hunza.

“We are studying in a tent school for well over a year now. The local authorities have yet to shift the Attabad Lake affectees from the premises,” said Ambreen. A student of class 7 at the Diamond Jubilee School in Altit, she informed that other schools in the area faced a similar situation.

“Most schools in Altit are being used as shelter. But we students end up suffering too. We have to drink muddy water and study in tents that are really dirty,” she complained innocently.

“Many youngsters don’t want to go to the tent school as the teachers are not there. Then there is the sunlight and heat. Its makes us ill and at times many children have suffered a heat stroke,” she added.

The lake has affected thousands of people, many of whom had to relocate to other areas in Hunza Valley since their villages were submerged.

A May 2010 view of the lake. – Photo courtesy of Paki Mag

“The government must understand that this is not a small tragedy. All victims are not lucky to have relatives in other parts of the valley. Many of those housed in schools and makeshift shelters continue to live in a miserable state,” said Ikram Ali. He said that the absence of doctors in the affected area is also causing problems. “Neither can we leave our patients untreated nor can we afford to take them to hospitals in Lower Hunza,” said Ikram.
 

In the initial days of the crisis, ample media coverage hyped up the issue. As a result, the politicians and state officials were left with no other option but to rush to the scene. During their visits to Hunza, the prime minister and the army chief promised the area people that their concerns would be addressed on a priority basis. This gave some hope to the IDPs, who thought that they would be able to rebuild their lives.

However, once the media coverage subsided, official lethargy followed.

“Personally, I am not satisfied with the way things are going on,” said an official assigned with the task of the rehabilitation of Attabad IDPs. “We had pledged that the IDPs would  be rehabilitated by May 2011, however, there is a remote possibility of it even now,” he added, requesting anonymity.
 

As a result of delay, hopes of the IDPs have thinned down slowly and gradually.

Food insecurity is another issue that is faced by the residents in Gojal regardless of them being displaced or not.

Soaring prices of commodities have made it difficult for the residents to buy even groceries.

“The prices of vegetables have increased a lot. Tomatoes which we bought earlier for Rs. 60 per kilogramme now cost us Rs200,” said Shahid Hunzai. In many places, a three-fold increase has been taken place in the prices of commodities, which has left people with no option but to shift to other areas.

Since the lake water is spread over an area of 32 kilometers, it has disconnected upper Hunza from central and lower parts of the valley. Locals have to use small boats to ferry around, which is not only costly but also risky.

“Earlier we used to pay Rs. 100 to travel from central Hunza to the upper parts of the valley, but now we cover the same distance by paying Rs. 1000,” said Shahid Hunzai. Growing inflation and dwindling local economy has fast turned the hopes of people into despair. “We cannot wait anymore,” said Aziz Jan, an IDP. “If the government was unable to settle the issue in time, it should have asked the Chinese government for help rather than sitting on the issue for so long,” he said curtly. (Dawn)

 http://gbtimes.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/we-want-our-school-back-students-affected-by-attabad-hunza-disaster/

REAL THREAT TO MINERAL INDUSTRY IN GILGIT-BALTISTAN

By: Raees Kamil

Gilgit Baltistan is located between the great Himalayan ranges. The Himalayas are formed 200 million years ago by the collision of two continental plates’ Indian plate and Asian plate. There are more than 40 peaks in the area which have more than 14000 feet height. This God gifted area is full of very important minerals like uranium, sulfur, gold and many gemstones as well. Majority people of Gilgit Baltistan do not know about the importance of these minerals and the government is also intentionally neglecting this area for more than 60 years’. As son of soil we have to explore the minerals of Gilgit Baltistan to help the poor people of this area, through Mineral Knowledge, education, prospective investment opportunities for local community in Gilgit-Baltistan.

As per National Mineral Policy 1995 this chapter is purely a provisional one, which is governed by the Mineral and Exploration Committee in said province. In the Famous case of Reko Diq mines “(Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) V/S Baluchistan our Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, leading the bench, pointed out that “MINERAL RIGHTS ARE THE PROVINCIAL SUBJECT”. In this same case TCC counsel Fakhruddin G Ebrahim said that The Tethyan Copper Company is offering the Baluchistan government a 25 per cent equity stake in the company in addition to a royalty fee on its revenues. According to the company’s estimates, the federal and provincial government will put in none of the investment while being entitled to 52 per cent of the project’s cash flows. While regarding award of mining contracts are always awarded either by the president or the governor of the province, not the chief minister (which is contradict against the National Mineral Policy-1995).

POTENTIAL MARKET OF MINERAL/GEM STONE IN GILGIT-BALTISTAN

There were many surveys carried out by different mineral companies in different time frames. Also surveyed by N.A.M.D.C (Northern Areas Mineral Development Corporation) in the past. It is proved that Gilgit Baltistan is rich in minerals and gemstone. Only it needs to be exploring under government supervision.

As per surveys conducted for gold and base metals carried by Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) and on the basis of Geo-chemical and hard rock samples, around 11 prospect areas confirmed gold value ranging from 0.10 to 24 Parts Per Million (PPM) in hard rock while 5 PPM gold is economical in the world. Around Rs. 500 million values of gemstones are extracted annually from Gilgit-Baltistan and efforts are underway to explore other precious minerals. It has been confirmed that nearly all valleys in Gilgit-Baltistan are shedding gold and base metals but the need is investment to explore them in order to change fate of the area.

The official said a total number of 3947 geo-chemical stream sediment samples were collected from less then one sqkm to 250 sqkm, covering 45,500 sqkm gold anomalies alone counted over 100, ranging in content from 5 PPM to 300 PPM. Around 500 samples were collected from hard rock including river floats and out crops. A total of 50 samples pertaining to 10 areas conform gold values ranging from 0.10 ppm to 24.0 ppm according to laboratory reports, the official said and added the gold washers still recover gold from placer deposits of Gilgit-Baltistan.

A total of 50 samples pertaining to 10 areas conform gold values ranging from 0.10 ppm to 24.0 ppm according to laboratory reports, the official said and added the gold washers still recover gold from placer deposits of Gilgit-Baltistan. The area is also rich with white color Marble deposits of Shigar (Skardu), Nasirabad (Hunza) and Gupis (Ghizer) which are considered to be of international standard. The other gemstones which are extracted from the area include Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire, Aquamarine, Tourmaline, Garnet, Fluorite, Pargasite, Spinal, Zircon, Topaz, Berylspar, Corundum, Marganite, Serpentine, Sulpher, Moonstone, and Amethyst.

URANIUM THE MAIN MINERAL ON SMUGGLERS LIST

Many kinds of precious and Semi precious stones & metal (uranium, plutonium, gold, silver, copper, iron and many more else) mines are found in Gilgit and surrounding areas.. In Musharaf,s Regime about 20 Multinationals Mining companies get mining leases. And some of the companies started there work in Different areas of Gilgit Baltistan

The Gilgit-Baltistan Metals Minerals and Gems Association (GBMMGA) has alleged some foreign companies with the connivance of federal and provincial governments were exploiting natural resources in the region to the detriment of the local economy. As far as worth of Uranium is concern many junior uranium companies would rather you didn’t know this. That’s why they spend most of the time waving their arms about the number of pounds they have, while mumbling under their breath when it comes time to discuss grade. But a quick calculation – using the current uranium spot price of $30.20 a pound, with a comparison to the gold grades that most resource investors are familiar with — shows how grade affects the economics of a deposit:

0.03% U3O8 = $20 a ton/rock (equivalent to 0.045 oz/ton gold)
 

0.3% U3O8 = $200 a ton/rock (0.45 oz/ton gold)
 

3% U3O8 = $2000 a ton rock (4.5 oz/ton gold)
 

30% U3O8 = $20,000 a ton/rock (45 oz/ton gold! ( while in GB mostly we have this type of uranium deposit)

This is the reason that many mining companies are getting involved and interested in getting the Mining Licenses’ in Gilgit-Baltistan. For more information please read all link and get yourself educated about Mineral Deposit and Worth.

POLITICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL ISSUES:

At a time when the distance between American and Pakistani priorities in the post-Osama period continues to grow, Pakistan’s entry into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is seen as the upcoming Asian NATO. China and Pakistan have aspired to create a regional alliance comprising the Arab countries, Central Asian Republics, Iran, Afghanistan and Turkey, and SCO could most likely help that dream come true. But there is more to it than meets the eye. The lynchpin connecting these countries will be Gilgit Baltistan, Although Administratively Part of Pakistan while constitutionally it moving towards 5th Province road of Pakistan (CURRENTLY GILGIT -BALTISTAN (EMPOWERMENT AND SELF GOVERNANCE) ORDER 2009 IS IMPLEMENTED).

This political uncertainty in the region is especially worrisome for many Nations i.e. Iran, Tajikistan & especially China is , which currently depends on her southern neighbor for two reasons. Firstly, China uses transit routes of Gilgit Baltistan to reach Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and the ports along the coastline of Arabian Sea; and secondly, Chinese mining companies are trying to control the region’s much valued mineral deposits of URANIUM, GOLD, COPPER, MARBLE AND PRECIOUS STONES.

However the locals continue to resist foreign ambitions. In 2008, for instance, a local person was killed when the residents of URANIUM-RICH GINDAI VALLEY (YASIN VALLEY) in Ghizer district clashed with Chinese miners. A Pakistani company called Mohmand Minerals met the same fate in 2010 in Nasirabad valley of Hunza district where the Progressive Youth Front spearheads the resistance against Pakistani and Chinese expansionism. Today, more than a many local right defenders are locked up in Pakistani jails and face sedition charges for denying space to the Chinese and Pakistani mining companies in their valleys.

But the person, making the headlines in local newspapers for criticizing foreign miners, is Advocate Shahbaz Khan, the chairperson of Metals, Minerals and Gems Association of Gilgit Baltistan, who has recently accused some individuals of acquiring 35 tones of certain mineral deposits from uranium-rich KARKALTI VILLAGE OF GHIZER DISTRICT (YASIN VALLEY), and smuggling to China.

Shahbaz is also critical of a uranium exploration company called Mohsin Industries, which has sought partnership with the locals as well as Chinese and Korean miners. Last year, Mohsin Industries was banned for attempting to smuggle uranium outside Pakistan. However, the company has recently been awarded exploration licenses in the uranium-rich areas of Sakwar, Minawar, Pari Bangla and Bonji, as well as parts of Shigar district and Skurdu.

Leaders of the G.B.M.M.G.A association alleged that issuance of mining leases and exploration licenses were controlled by such companies, which they claimed had become an influential mafia, keeping the sector backward for their ulterior motives. The chairman of GB Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Shehbaz advocate, former DIG Hashmatullah, and other businessmen in the field said the mineral mafia was so influential that the provincial government was pursing their cases with the centre.

The businessmen also alleged that the present government in the region was working for the promotion of this mafia. They said applications of more than 200 local companies were not disposed of for past two years whereas decision on such cases was a must in six months under the NA Mining Concession Rules 2003. They added under Constitution of Pakistan and GB Governance Order 2009 the transportation of precious stones outside region was prohibited. They said the association was formed to restrict mineral mafia`s influence and put forward recommendations to promote the sector.

They said the government ought to make sure these foreign companies carried out their operations in the region in partnership with the local companies. The GBMMGA proposed establishment of a full-fledged directorate of minerals under control of a director general. Besides, mineral institutes should be set up and soft term loans be extended to local companies.

While in the recent case of Mohsin Industries Last month, the G-B legislative assembly had unanimously passed a resolution against issuing licenses to foreigners, but days after Shah secretly issued a license to Mohsin Industries, a mining industry run by a Hong Kong (HK) national. The license allowed the organization to resume its activities in G-B where it had been previously banned.

“Nobody in the party was in favour of issuing a permit to the foreigner,” credible sources in the PPP said on Wednesday requesting anonymity, and added that Mehdi had preferred personal gains over national interest.

The lower strata of the PPP leadership in G-B has openly turned against the CM, and said that “issuing permits to foreigners is like allowing them to rob the G-B people.”

“The issue is very sensitive and requires the urgent attention of national security agencies,” said a member of the G-B Metals, Minerals and Gems Association at a press conference at the Gilgit Press Club on Tuesday.

They said Wang Zunyu, a HK national now known as Mohsin (NEWLY TURNED MUSLIM….why….), had already smuggled a huge quantity of ‘Black Metal’ to China, a metal known for its use in uranium enrichment. They added that more than 10,000 families have become jobless due to his mining activities. Mohsin launched his company by the name of Mohsin Industries in G-B, inducting hundreds of locals for various posts. He also owns a mining company known as Bao-Billion Mining Group Limited (HK).

In recent pre plain agenda Mohsin Industries has offered more the 300 job in Gilgit-Baltistan to get influence over the Legislative Assembly Members and Government to let Mohsin Industries work there in GB. Now, through these 300 Family members Mohsin Industry will try to influence whole nation. This lead us to remember the same case of Big-Board Stock Option company scam which looted Rs, 250 Million from Gilgit Baltistan and more than 20 People Attempted to suicide, by such same tactics by offering Jobs.

Now course of Action would be to take This Wang Zunyu, a HK National into the court of Justice locally and nationally to ask how he got the License to work in GB while in Famous case of (Reko Diq mines “(Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) V/S Baluchistan) Government chief Justice has ruled out that Mining is a provincial Chapter. If this is provincial Chapter then Issuance of License from Prime Minister is Illegal, while Chief Minister then remains responsible for this. While publically this Wang Zunyu is claiming of as he has ultimate power.

We must take this chapter to court of Justice to get resolved through Legal Means or we will see that how All Son of Soil and nationalist’s now react on the matter of selling their mother land by Foreign Agents.

Come forward and save you mother land, save your Natural Resources, Build your Future!!!!!

Note: We have full Mineral Policy and Procedure for MINING THROUGH COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION AND INTERNATIONAL MINING CONFERENCE IN GILGIT-BALTISTAN, A vision of Secure and Prosperous Gilgit-Baltistan. This is not possible in this Regime of C.M (Vision Less CM) so useless to discuss that in this plate form.

Come forward and Say No to MOHISN INDUSTRY and FOREIGN RESOURCE INVADERS & LOCAL TRAITOR favor and support to fight the case of Gilgit-Baltistan In supreme Applets Court in GB and Supreme Court in Islamabad.

 http://gbtimes.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/opinion-real-threat-to-mineral-industry-in-gilgit-baltistan/

Gilgit Baltistan: China and Pakistan Consider Security Alliance.

Security deal threatens to secure an already worrying encroachment of mining into the region of Gilgit and Baltistan

Below is an article published by the India Times:

At a time when the distance between American and Pakistani priorities in the post-Osama period continues to grow, China is passionately vouching for Pakistan's entry into theShanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which is seen as the upcoming Asian NATO. For some time now, China and Pakistanhave aspired to create a regional alliance comprising the Arab countries, Central Asian Republics, Iran, Afghanistan and Turkey, and SCO could most likely help that dream come true.
But there is more to it than meets the eye. The lynchpin connecting these countries will be Gilgit Baltistan, a disputed region rivaling Serbia in area. Although constitutionally a part of India and bordering China's Xinjiang province, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, Gilgit Baltistan remains in Pakistani control since 1947.

The political uncertainty owing to India's claim to the region is especially worrisome for China, which currently depends on her southern neighbour for two reasons. Firstly, China uses transit routes of Gilgit Baltistan to reach Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and the ports along the coastline of Arabian Sea; and secondly, Chinese mining companies control the region's much valued mineral deposits of uranium, gold, copper, marble and precious stones.

However the locals continue to resist China's ambitions. In 2008, for instance, a local person was killed when the residents of uranium-rich Gindai valley in Ghizer district clashed with Chinese miners. A Pakistani company called Mohmand Minerals met the same fate in 2010 in Nasirabad valley of Hunza district where the infamous Babajan Hunzai of Progressive Youth Front spearheads the resistance against Pakistani and Chinese expansionism. Today (29, June, 2011), more than  100 local right defenders are locked up in Pakistani jails and face sedition charges for denying space to the Chinese and Pakistani mining companies in their valleys.

But the person, making the headlines in local newspapers for criticizing foreign miners, is Advocate Shahbaz Khan, the chairperson of Metals, Minerals and Gems Association of Gilgit Baltistan, who has recently accused some individuals of acquiring 35 tonnes of certain mineral deposits from uranium-rich Karkalti village of Ghizer district, and smuggling to China.

 http://www.unpo.org/article/12824

Gilgit-Baltistan: Increased ISI Presence Leads to Unfair Detention

Manzoor Parwana, an outspoken politician opposed to Pakistani occupation, was arrested on 28 July 2011 for challenging military encroachment in the region.

Below is a article published by Expert Click:

Manzoor Parwana is one of the leading politicians in Gilgit-Baltistan who opposes Pakistan's unilateral occupation of the disputed region, which is also claimed by India. He was abducted on July 28 by Pakistani security forces for raising voice for more than ten thousand Ladakhi refugees, who reside in different parts of Gilgit-Baltistan, and desire reunification with their relatives in India.

This happened at the time when Pakistani foreign minister, Ms. Khar, was on her visit to India. With no realization of detention and torture of political leaders in Gilgit-Baltistan, she was lecturing India on promoting freedom of expression and political activity in Kashmir. She was also provided with the relaxed environment to join Hurriyat leaders in their demand for the right of self-determination for Kashmir; something that Pakistan categorically denies for Gilgit-Baltistan and Balochistan. These two occupied regions are tightly controlled and largely out of bounds, which restricts both political and international humanitarian work.

Manzoor was arrested for expressing something which adds to the insecurities of Pakistani champions of democracy and self-rule. During his speech at the annual convention of Balawaristan National Students Organization in Gilgit, which became the basis for his detention, he challenged Pakistani presence in Gilgit-Baltistan based on constitutional grounds. He stated that Pakistan lacks the sovereign rights over Gilgit-Baltistan and therefore must withdraw her troops and citizens from the region. He drew parallels between Pakistani troops stationed in Gilgit-Baltistan to Syria's presence in Lebanon and said, "Just because some elements desire to see a permanent Pakistani presence in Gilgit-Baltistan does not mean that Pakistani troops have gained the legitimacy to continue the occupation. Pakistan is violating international laws and UN resolutions on Gilgit-Baltistan, which exposes her true face viz. a viz. Kashmir issue."

For all these years, Manzoor has been critical of military's involvement in the political affairs in Gilgit-Baltistan. He was under surveillance since last few months for approaching international policy and rights organizations to garner support for Gilgit-Baltistan. In June, Manzoor was going to be the key note speaker at a conference in the European Parliament; however, he was barred from travelling abroad.

According to his attorney, Advocate Ehsan Ali, who is also the president of Gilgit-Baltistan High Court Bar Association, Manzoor has been booked for sedition and questioned for his connection with those among the Ladakhi refugees who declared a long march towards the Indian line of control in protest of Pakistani reluctance to open the LOC on humanitarian grounds. In reality, he is being punished for his networking skills to disseminate information to individuals and institutions in Europe and America.

Advocate Ehsan and others within political organizations of Gilgit-Baltistan have requested Human Rights Watch, Freedom House and Amnesty International to take immediate notice of the grave political situation in Gilgit-Baltistan and demand of Pakistani authorities to release Manzoor Parwana and respect freedom of expression and political activity in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Pakistani civil society must realize that Pakistan's double standards on Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan only make the CBMs futile and overburden rapidly depleting resources. Only the people of Pakistan and not the outsiders can force the military establishment discard its colonial era tactics and work for social and economic integration within South Asia.

 http://www.unpo.org/article/12983

Political Prisoner's letter to his son from a Jail of Pakistani Occupied Kashmir

Manzoor Hussain Parwana is charged for sedition and detained in central jail, Gilgit-Baltistan. Recently he wrote a letter to his three years old son, Anchan Sengge, which is reproduced here. Dear Anchan Sengge   My earnest apologies for staying away from you all and failing to arrange a medical checkup for your five-month old sister, Tongo Zazo. For all these ten days, I didn’t have access to the phone either since I am detained in a jail in Gilgit.   Your father is struggling for socio-economic and political rights for the disenfranchised people of Gilgit-Baltistan. Pakistani authorities use brutal force and colonial tactics to suppress such movements. On July 28, 2011, they had once again planned to create bloodshed and mayhem in Gilgit-Baltistan by arresting the political workers. However, your father and his colleagues exposed their conspiracies by remaining peaceful.   Dear Anchan!   On that day, I was invited as a guest speaker to talk to the students of Gilgit-Baltistan. During my speech, I talked about corruption, financial embezzlement, nepotism and social injustices which the colonial apartheid regime promotes in the region with impunity.   I demanded power to the people, genuine autonomy and a governance system based on justice and therefore I was abducted by the security forces.   I demanded re-instatement of State Subject Rule and cancellation of mining licenses to foreign companies including Mohsin Industries and desired locals of Gilgit-Baltistan regaining control over our land and resources and that is why they arrested me.   I demanded cross-LOC trade and travel between Gilgit-Baltistan and Ladakh which could also help ten thousand divided family members and they implicated me for treason.   I demanded provision of adequate health, education, drinking water and jobs for the local youth and they put shackles on me. My demands offended Pakistani military establishment, bureaucrats and security service agents and they decided to shut me down.   My son!   As I was coming out of Palace Hotel, peaceful and unarmed, hundreds of para-military and police personnel lurking on the streets encircled me and put me in the ISI detention center to prove their valor and loyalty to the occupiers.   You continue questioning your mom about my whereabouts. May be the concept of jail will become clearer to you once you grow up. It is like a state guest house where no one enters and exits with free will.   Hopefully one day, I will reunite with you, the way Ladakhi refugees of Gilgit-Baltistan will reunite with their loved ones. For the time being, just know that your loving father is in custody of an unjust apartheid regime, which has no constitutional rights to be in Gilgit-Baltistan in the first place.   I will continue to oppose state-led brutality and occupation. I intend to help natives of Gilgit-Baltistan gain freedom from militancy, extremism, terrorism, slavery, religious and ethnic discrimination, corruption, poverty and injustice; and have already placed the burial shroud on me. My path is challenging and long and the destination awaits us impatiently. In this struggle for rights for our nation, we will be victorious.   I expect you and Zazo to receive me with garland of flowers and optimism as and when the opportunity arises.   With Love,   Your Father   Manzoor Hussain Parwana, Central Jail, Gilgit August 6, 2011 http://www.balawaristan.net/Latest-news/political-prisoners-letter-to-his-son-from-a-jail-of-pakistani-occupied-kashmir.html

What the Islamic Invaders Did to India(bharat)

 

 

 On the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition (December 6, 1992), it is important for Hindus (and Muslims) to understand the importance of the event in the context of Hindustan's history, past and recent, present and the future.

 

Savages at a very low level of civilisation and no culture worth the name, from Arabia and west Asia, began entering India from the early century onwards. Islamic invaders demolished countless Hindu temples, shattered uncountable sculpture and idols, plundered innumerable palaces and forts of Hindu kings, killed vast numbers of Hindu men and carried off Hindu women. This story, the educated-and a lot of even the illiterate Indians-know very well. History books tell it in remarkable detail. But many Indians do not seem to recognise that the alien Muslim marauders destroyed the historical evolution of the earth's most mentally advanced civilisation, the most richly imaginative culture, and the most vigorously creative society.

 

It is clear that India at the time when Muslim invaders turned towards it (8 to 11th century) was the earth's richest region for its wealth in precious and semi-precious stones, gold and silver, religion and culture, and its fine arts and letters. Tenth century Hindustan was also too far advanced than its contemporaries in the East and the West for its achievements in the realms of speculative philosophy and scientific theorising, mathematics and knowledge of nature's workings. Hindus of the early medieval period were unquestionably superior in more things than the Chinese, the Persians (including the Sassanians), the Romans and the Byzantines of the immediate proceeding centuries. The followers of Siva and Vishnu on this subcontinent had created for themselves a society more mentally evolved-joyous and prosperous too-than had been realised by the Jews, Christians, and Muslim monotheists of the time. Medieval India, until the Islamic invaders destroyed it, was history's most richly imaginative culture and one of the five most advanced civilisations of all times.

 

Look at the Hindu art that Muslim iconoclasts severely damaged or destroyed. Ancient Hindu sculpture is vigorous and sensual in the highest degree-more fascinating than human figural art created anywhere else on earth. (Only statues created by classical Greek artists are in the same class as Hindu temple sculpture). Ancient Hindu temple architecture is the most awe-inspiring, ornate and spell-binding architectural style found anywhere in the world. (The Gothic art of cathedrals in France is the only other religious architecture that is comparable with the intricate architecture of Hindu temples). No artist of any historical civilisation have ever revealed the same genius as ancient Hindustan's artists and artisans.

Their minds filled with venom against the idol-worshippers of Hindustan, the Muslims destroyed a large number of ancient Hindu temples. This is a historical fact, mentioned by Muslim chroniclers and others of the time. A number of temples were merely damaged and remained standing. But a large number-not hundreds but many thousands-of the ancient temples were broken into shreds of cracked stone. In the ancient cities of Varanasi and Mathura, Ujjain and Maheshwar, Jwalamukhi and Dwarka, not one temple survives whole and intact from the ancient times.

 

The wrecking of Hindu temples went on from the early years of the 8th century to well past 1700 AD a period of almost 1000 years. Every Muslim ruler in Delhi (or Governor of Provinces) spent most of his time warring against Hindu kings in the north and the south, the east and the west, and almost every Muslim Sultan and his army commanders indulged in largescale destructions of Hindu temples and idols. They also slaughtered a lot of Hindus. It is easy to conclude that virtually every Hindu temple built in the ancient times is a perfect work of art. The evidence of the ferocity with which the Muslim invaders must have struck at the sculptures of gods and goddesses, demons and apsaras, kings and queens, dancers and musicians is frightful. At so many ancient temples of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, for example, shattered portions of stone images still lie scattered in the temple courtyards. Considering the fury used on the idols and sculptures, the stone-breaking axe must have been applied to thousands upon thousands of images of hypnotic beauty.

 

Giving proof of the resentment that men belonging to an inferior civilisation feel upon encountering a superior civilisation of individuals with a more refined culture, Islamic invaders from Arabia and western Asia broke and burned everything beautiful they came across in Hindustan. So morally degenerate were the Muslim Sultans that, rather than attract Hindu "infidels" to Islam through force of personal example and exhortation, they just built a number of mosques at the sites of torn down temples-and foolishly pretended they had triumphed over the minds and culture of the Hindus. I have seen stones and columns of Hindu temples incorportated into the architecture of several mosques, including the Jama Masjid and Ahmed Shah Masjid in Ahmedabad; the mosque in the Uparkot fort of Junagadh (Gujarat) and in Vidisha (near Bhopal); the Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra right next to the famous dargah in Ajmer-and the currently controversial Bhojshala "mosque" in Dhar (near Indore). Hindu culture was at its imaginative best and vigorously creative when the severely-allergic-to-images Muslims entered Hindustan. Islamic invaders did not just destroy countless temples and constructions but also suppressed cultural and religious practices; damaged the pristine vigour of Hindu religion, prevented the intensification of Hindu culture, debilitating it permanently, stopped the development of Hindu arts ended the creative impulse in all realms of thought and action, damaged the people's cultural pride, disrupted the transmission of values and wisdom, cultural practices and tradition from one generation to the next; destroyed the proper historical evolution of Hindu kingdoms and society, affected severely the acquisition of knowledge, research and reflection and violated the moral basis of Hindu society. The Hindus suffered immense psychic damage. The Muslims also plundered the wealth of the Hindu kingdoms, impoverished the Hindu populace, and destroyed the prosperity of Hindustan.

 

Gaze in wonder at the Kailas Mandir in the Ellora caves and remember that it is carved out of a solid stone hill, an effort that (inscriptions say) took nearly 200 years. This is art as devotion. The temple built by the Rashtrakuta kings (who also built the colossal sculpture in the Elenhanta caves off Mumbai harbour) gives proof of the ancient Hindus' religious fervor.

But the Kailas temple also indicated a will power, a creative imagination, and an intellect eager to take on the greatest of artistic challenges.

 

The descendants of those who built the magnificent temples of Bhojpur and Thanjavur, Konark and Kailas, invented mathematics and brain surgery, created mindbody disciplines (yoga) of astonishing power, and built mighty empires would almost certainly have attained technological superiority over Europe.

 

It is not just for "political reasons" that Hindus want to build grand temples at the sites of the (wrecked) Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, and the Mathura idgah. The efforts of religion-intoxicated and politically active Hindus to rebuild the Ram Mandir, the Kashi Vishwanath Mandir, and the Krishna Mandir are just three episodes m a one-thousand year long Hindu struggle to reclaim their culture and religion from alien invaders.

 

The demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on 6 December 1992 was just one episode in the millennial struggle of the Hindus to repossess their religion-centered culture and nation. Meanwhile, hundreds of ancient Hindu temples forsaken all over Hindustan await the reawakening of Hindu cultural pride to be repaired or rebuilt and restored to their original, ancient glory.

 

Sanjay Kaul

 

 

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