Wednesday, September 12, 2018
#SaudiStruggle - The 9/11 lawsuit looming over Saudi Arabia's ambitions
By Ali Harb
Saudis would be mistaken to think Donald Trump can help them with lawsuit alleging role in 9/11 attacks, lawyer says.
A lawsuit alleging Saudi involvement in the 9/11 attack is overshadowing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's economic and political plans.
Saudi Arabia is rebranding itself, attempting to move its economy away from dependence on oil, to deconstruct its image as an ultraconservative society and portray its autocratic rulers as reformists.
In 2016, the US Senate overruled then-President Barack Obama to pass Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), a law allowing civil lawsuits by victims of "international terrorism" to proceed in US courts against sovereign states.
The bill opened the door for the families of the 9/11 victims to go after Saudi Arabia over its alleged role in the attacks.
While Riyadh maintains that it has nothing to do with the al-Qaeda militants, who have launched attacks in Saudi Arabia often targeting security forces, US District Judge George Daniels in New York gave a green light in March for a lawsuit against the Saudi government to proceed.
The 9/11 Commission back in 2003 and 2004 either didn't pursue, didn't want to pursue, covered up for the Saudis or just never got around to finishing the investigation- Andrew Maloney, lawyer
Beyond damaging the kingdom's image, the court case threatens Saudi economic interests, namely the plans to sell a 5 percent stake in Saudi Aramco, the state's oil company.
Lawyers had warned the kingdom against listing Aramco's initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange, the Financial Times reported last year.
Saudi Arabia has denied that it is suspending the sale, which aims to raise $100bn in cash to boost other sectors of the economy. But the IPO's delay is apparent.
"This dampens the Saudi wish to invest in the United States, considering that investments in the United States is one of the pillars of the Saudi economic diversification plan," Imad Harb, director of research and analysis at Arab Center Washington DC, told Middle East Eye.
"Economic relations do spill over to political relations. This is why Saudi Arabia is very concerned about it."
He added that the lawsuit also harms the US public's perception of the kingdom, not only relating to its alleged involvement in the attacks, but also because it opens the door for discussing the current state of affairs in Saudi Arabia, including human rights abuses.
Discovery
Andrew Maloney, a lawyer for the 9/11 victims' families, said the legal proceedings are in the stage of discovery - gathering documents from the Saudis and other parties.
If the Saudis refuse to cooperate with the court, Maloney explained, they would be considered in default, much like Iran.
Judge Daniels himself issued in 2011 a default judgement against Iran in a civil lawsuit that claimed links between Tehran and the 9/11 attackers. Tehran did not respond to the court case although it denies ties to al-Qaeda militants who consider Iran's Shia rulers apostates.
The 9/11 Commission report, which details the extensive government investigation of the attacks, did not corroborate the lawsuit's allegations that Iran trained the hijackers.
Still, in May, Daniels ordered Iran to pay $6bn to the victims' families.
While Iran has no business in the US and is already under Treasury Department sanctions relating to its nuclear programme, Saudi assets in the US are abundant and would be up for grabs if the plaintiffs win.
"If the Saudis were to simply say: 'We're not going to cooperate; see you later,' we can do the same thing that has happened to Iran," Maloney told MEE in a phone interview last month. "I think it would be a very bad move to the Saudis to go down that route."
Saudi rulers have cozied up to Donald Trump, and Prince bin Salman has particularly received praise from the US president.
But politics cannot influence the lawsuit because of independence of the judiciary in the US, Maloney said.
"Even if the president didn't want us to do it, he really couldn't stop us… The Saudis are mistaken if they're relying on the president to protect them here; it's not possible," he added.
The 9/11 Commission report appears to clear the Saudi government of direct involvement in the attacks.
"Saudi Arabia has long been considered the primary source of al-Qaeda funding, but we have found no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded the organisation," the report reads.
Maloney said the report leaves open a large portion of the Saudi government that could be held liable, including Saudis who may not be considered high-level officials.
If a faction of mid-level Saudi officials had been conspiring with the hijackers, it would make the entire government liable, Maloney said.
The lawyer suggested that the report does not tell the entire story.
"The [Saudi] Ministry of Islamic Affairs in the United States and other parts of the world had government officials who conspired with al-Qaeda to support them and to support the 9/11 hijackers," Maloney said.
"The 9/11 Commission back in 2003 and 2004 either didn't pursue, didn't want to pursue, covered up for the Saudis or just never got around to finishing the investigation. That's where we picked it up, and we've collected a lot more information and evidence since then."
He added that the FBI may have sealed information on Saudi involvement that the plaintiffs are seeking.
The allegations
The most damning allegations in the lawsuit are around contacts by Saudi officials with hijackers Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi, who arrived to the US and settled in southern California in January 2000.
According to the 9/11 Commission report, the two militants were "ill-prepared" for a mission in the United States: they were not fluent in English and had not spent any "substantial time" in the West. The investigation found that it was "unlikely" that Mihdhar and Hazmi came to the United States without arranging in advance to receive assistance from individuals in the US.
The plaintiffs say those individuals were allegedly two Saudi officials in Los Angeles and San Diego: Fahad al-Thumairy and Omar al-Bayoumi.
Thumairy was the head of a Saudi-funded mosque in Los Angeles and he had been appointed to the position by the head of Saudi Islamic Affairs in Washington, according to court documents. He was also an "accredited diplomat" at the Saudi consulate there. The lawsuit accuses him of "orchestrating the US-based support network" for Mihdhar and Hazmi.
9/11 anniversary ceremony in New York, 11 September (AP)
The plaintiffs allege that Thumairy connected the pair with Bayoumi, a Saudi citizen who had been employed by the Saudi government since the 1970s and lived in San Diego after moving there in 1994 to study English on a government scholarship.
The lawsuit says Bayoumi, in turn, allegedly helped Mihdhar and Hazmi settle in San Diego, where he co-signed a lease for their apartment and put them in touch with Anwar al-Awlaki, a preacher who later came out in support of al-Qaeda and was subsequently killed by a US drone strike in Yemen in 2011.
The 9/11 Commission report says, "We do not know" how the hijackers met al-Awlaki.
Bayoumi allegedly also connected the hijacker to an individual from Awlaki's congregation who provided further assistance.
"Based on these alleged facts, plaintiffs claim that Thumairy and Bayoumi were directed by someone within the Saudi embassy in Washington, DC, to help Hazmi and Midhar acclimate and settle in the United States to begin preparations for the 9/11 Attacks," Judge Daniels wrote in March.
The lawsuit says Bayoumi's phone records show that he made calls to Saudi consulates in the US 74 times between January and March 2000, coinciding with the hijackers arrival in the country. 34 of those calls were made to the consulate in Los Angeles where Thumairy worked.
"These allegations, unrebutted by any contrary evidence from Saudi Arabia, are sufficient to create a reasonable basis for this court to exercise jurisdiction over the claims plaintiffs assert against Saudi Arabia to justify jurisdictional discovery to proceed as to Thumairy and Bayoumi," Daniels wrote in his decision to reject Saudi Arabia's motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
Both Thumairy and Bayoumi deny that they knew anything about the hijackers' plans.
In an interview with Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq al-Awsat in 2002, Bayoumi said Hazmi and Midhar had sought help from established expats in San Diego like any Saudi newcomers, adding that they only stayed in the initial apartment complex for two weeks. He did not know where they went next, he said.
Bayoumi had left the US to continue his studies in the UK in October 2000, about a year before the attacks. He told the Saudi newspaper in 2002 that British police had thoroughly searched his house and interviewed him for a week before he decided to return to his home country seven months later.
For his part, Bayoumi was denied re-entry to the US in 2003 after his visa was cancelled without explanation. He told Asharq al-Awsat then that he cannot recall any violation that he may have committed in the US.
Asked if there is evidence linking Saudi officials to the 9/11 attacks beyond the two hijackers who landed in California in 2000, Maloney's answer was a "definitive yes," but he refused to share the details.
"Eventually, it will come out; you will see, but I can't go beyond that," the lawyer said.
Pakistan: Church Abhors ‘Blasphemous’ Facebook Post
By Kamran Chaudhry
Church officials in Pakistan have filed a complaint with the Federal Investigation Agency against four Muslims for sharing a Facebook post deemed offensive to the Christian minority.
The controversial photo showed Pakistan army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa standing beside Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Maneka.
The First Lady is seen clad in her signature white burqa, an all-covering traditional garment, with the caption “The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.”
Imran Titus Bhatti, national coordinator of the Church of Pakistan, filed an application on Sept. 10 to launch a case over the post with the cybercrime wing of the investigation agency in the city of Lahore, capital of Punjab province.
“The trinity is among the foundational doctrines of the Christian faith,” he said. “The titles in this blasphemous post insult my faith. It has caused religious hatred. The further sharing of this post is hurting our feelings.”
The Church of Pakistan requested authorities to block the Facebook post and take strong action against what it branded “religious terrorism.”By Kamran Chaudhry
Church officials in Pakistan have filed a complaint with the Federal Investigation Agency against four Muslims for sharing a Facebook post deemed offensive to the Christian minority.
The controversial photo showed Pakistan army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa standing beside Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Maneka.
The First Lady is seen clad in her signature white burqa, an all-covering traditional garment, with the caption “The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.”
Imran Titus Bhatti, national coordinator of the Church of Pakistan, filed an application on Sept. 10 to launch a case over the post with the cybercrime wing of the investigation agency in the city of Lahore, capital of Punjab province.
“The trinity is among the foundational doctrines of the Christian faith,” he said. “The titles in this blasphemous post insult my faith. It has caused religious hatred. The further sharing of this post is hurting our feelings.”
The Church of Pakistan requested authorities to block the Facebook post and take strong action against what it branded “religious terrorism.”
Blasphemy is a highly sensitive issue in the Islamic-majority nation and Pakistan’s Penal Code stipulates imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine or both for outraging the religious feelings of any group.
However, religious minorities accuse authorities of generally ignoring insulting remarks about religions other than Islam.
In 2016, a disfigured picture of Leonardo da Vinci’s classic 15th century mural of The Last Supper circulated on social media. It depicted the faces of Jesus and his disciples swapped with the faces of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his ministers against a backdrop of Pakistan’s parliament.
The Christian community has taken to social media to condemn the recent Facebook photo and to post Biblical verses against such mockery.
In a video message issued Sept. 11 on social media, Rev. Amjad Niamat, convener of the Pakistan Christian Action Committee, urged Christians to peacefully record their objections to what was lamentable behaviour.
He demanded that both the government and military act against what he described as miscreant elements.
Catholic activist Khalid Shahzad urged Muslims to give equal respect to the Christian faith.
“A Christian believes in the trinity just like you believe in the finality of Prophethood,” he said. “The Muslim community has imprisoned many illiterate Christians in Punjab jails for blasphemy.”
Affected families and lawyers attending court hearings had also been threatened.
Blasphemy is a highly sensitive issue in the Islamic-majority nation and Pakistan’s Penal Code stipulates imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine or both for outraging the religious feelings of any group.
However, religious minorities accuse authorities of generally ignoring insulting remarks about religions other than Islam.
In 2016, a disfigured picture of Leonardo da Vinci’s classic 15th century mural of The Last Supper circulated on social media. It depicted the faces of Jesus and his disciples swapped with the faces of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his ministers against a backdrop of Pakistan’s parliament.
The Christian community has taken to social media to condemn the recent Facebook photo and to post Biblical verses against such mockery.
In a video message issued Sept. 11 on social media, Rev. Amjad Niamat, convener of the Pakistan Christian Action Committee, urged Christians to peacefully record their objections to what was lamentable behaviour.
He demanded that both the government and military act against what he described as miscreant elements.
Catholic activist Khalid Shahzad urged Muslims to give equal respect to the Christian faith.
“A Christian believes in the trinity just like you believe in the finality of Prophethood,” he said. “The Muslim community has imprisoned many illiterate Christians in Punjab jails for blasphemy.”
Affected families and lawyers attending court hearings had also been threatened.
#Pakistan - #PTI Government - A faulty beginning
By Zahid Hussain
MAYBE it is too early to judge the performance of the PTI government but the bumbling start has not shown much promise. Almost a month after taking the reins, the new dispensation has yet to find its moorings. A disjointed team of novices and the lack of clear policy direction do not evoke much confidence.
Numerous taskforces have been formed to chart out the plan of action in various fields; but until they start functioning there will be chaos. Additionally, events over the past week have revealed an amateurish approach to handling critical issues related to governance. Populist rhetoric seems to have substituted policy. It is voodoo economics and politics in action — dams will be built through public donations and ‘unutilised state land’ can be used to reduce our debt burden. Just wait for the 100-day miracle, we are told.
There is no doubting Imran Khan’s commitment to bring change. His focus on human development and environmental issues is commendable. But it’s the economy that needs to be fixed first. It’s surely ‘change vs more of the same’. But what kind of change has not been clearly defined.
Without a clear vision it will be more of the same or worse. It is certainly a good idea to seek the services of technocrats to develop a framework for change but there is a question about the willingness of the elected leadership to heed their advice and recommendations. It was a wise decision to form a permanent Economic Advisory Council inducting the best talent from both inside and outside Pakistan. This showed seriousness on the part of the PTI government to deal with the grave economic challenges that confront the country. But all those promises came crashing down, when days after the formation of the EAC, the government asked Prof Atif Mian to step down from the council because of his faith.
Recent events have revealed an amateurish approach to handling critical governance issues.
Nothing could be more humiliating for a globally recognised economist and a professor at one of America’s top universities, who had volunteered to work for the country. It was a shameful surrender to zealots.
A democratically elected popular leader could not take a stand on his own decision because he appeared to be afraid of religious extremists within and outside his party. One can ask, what kind of ‘naya Pakistan’ does the prime minister intend to build? Surely not one that is more regressive than what we have witnessed in the past?
Not surprisingly, two other members, both internationally acclaimed economists, quit the council too in protest. In his tweet, Dr Imran Rasul, who teaches at University College London, said: “Basing decisions on religious affiliation goes against my principles, or the values I am trying to teach my children.”
Other members may not have resigned but they have reservations. The episode has dealt a blow to the image of the new government and could discourage any self-respecting Pakistani expatriate from returning to help the country.
Most worrisome is the observation that the pressure to remove Atif Mian was stronger within the PTI, bringing to the surface the paradox of a party that claims to represent the educated middle classes and youth. No action was taken by the party leadership against the Punjab information minister who went to the grave of Mumtaz Qadri to pay homage to the convicted murderer. It does not matter if the religious parties were routed in the elections; the zealots continue to hold sway.
Meanwhile, the conduct of diplomacy too has been amateurish. Despite being an experienced hand, the over-exuberant foreign minister has been at the centre of controversy. His fondness for holding frequent press talks generates more confusion. His misreading of a letter from Narendra Modi to Imran Khan that New Delhi was willing to resume bilateral talks caused embarrassment, especially as the Indian authorities denied there was any such offer.
Similarly, the hype regarding the outcome of talks with visiting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was also misplaced. It did not make much sense for the foreign minister to hold a long press conference after the meeting when the Americans did not choose to have a joint presser. In addition, there was the report of the prime minister refusing to take a prearranged call from the French president while he was busy talking to a group of journalists — if correct, it was an undiplomatic approach. There was no denial by the Prime Minister’s Office of the media report.
True, such matters may be dismissed as initial glitches, but can also cause serious diplomatic embarrassment. A faux pas by the adviser on commerce and trade has caused some problems with Beijing. In an interview with the Financial Times, he suggested that work on CPEC could be stopped for a year or more because the Pakistani government wanted to renegotiate the terms and conditions with the Chinese companies on some projects.
While there is certainly no harm in reviewing the contracts, there was no need to make statements to the media that were bound to create misgivings.
The government has time to fix things. But some mistakes could be hard to remedy. For instance, the government compromises on its authority and credibility when it gives in to the pressure of a small minority using religion as a weapon. The PTI and the government must decide what kind of future they want to chart for the country. The Atif Mian case has dealt a blow to the government’s credibility, and has further emboldened the bigots and extremists who present the biggest threat to the political and economic stability of the country. Now is the time for the government to get down to the business of governance before it is too late.
Licence to Kill - #PAKISTAN SC licenses Jamat-ud-Dawa to continue welfare activities
The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) has rejected the appeal of federal government to restrain Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JUD) chief Hafiz Saeed from his social welfare activites.
The two-member bench rejected the appeal of federal government against the verdict of Lahore High Court (LHC) on JUD’s welfare and charity work and licensed Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Falahi Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) to continue assistance (welfare) and charity work in the country.
The two-member bench includes Juctice Manzoor Ahmed Mulk and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood.
According to the reports JuD’s includes 300 seminaries, schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance services. The JuD and FIF alone have about 50,000 volunteers and hundreds of other paid workers, according to two counter-terrorism officials.
JuD claimed that 369 ambulances of the FIF helped 72,000 people to reach the charity hospitals and that 600,000 patients were provided treatment last year alone. Moreover, the JuD had dug out 2,000 drinking water wells in Tharparkar, Balochistan and Baltistan.
How extreme poverty is forcing #Pakistanis to sell kidneys
Sattar Khan
Impoverished daily wage laborers in Pakistan are forced to sell their body organs to make both ends meet. DW meets a brick kiln worker near Lahore, who narrates his horrifying tale of kidney selling to an illegal racket.
Muhammad Iqbal (pictured above) is a 44-year-old laborer hailing from eastern Pakistan. He wants to play kabaddi, a wrestling-like traditional sport in South Asia, but his deteriorating health does not allow him to indulge in any activity that is physically straining. A former brick kiln worker, Iqbal is now unable to lift heavy stuff.
He was not always so enervated. A wrong decision in 2012 changed his life for the worse. Iqbal regrets making that decision.
"In 2012, I was heavily indebted," Iqbal, a father of eight children, told DW.
"I was living in a village near Lahore and working at a brick kiln factory. I had borrowed 135,000 Pakistani rupees (€1,603, $1,856) from the kiln owner. I was working round the clock to pay back the loan, but with my meagre salary, I could hardly make both ends meet, let alone repay the loan," Iqbal said.
"I was so desperate that I was ready to do anything to get some money," a teary Iqbal told DW. "At the time, my cousin Ashraf came up with an idea — he asked me to sell my kidney and repay the loan."
"It sent a shiver down my spine, but knowing that I had no other way to repay the loan, I told my cousin that I would give the idea a second thought.
"Ashraf rolled up his shirt, showing me the operation marks after the removal of his kidney," Iqbal continued.
"He told me I could easily live with one kidney and the operation is not very complicated," Iqbal said, adding that he was scared that he could lose his life during the surgery.
Read more: Pakistanis trade kidneys for cash
Iqbal regrets selling his kidney, as he can no longer work as brick kiln laborer
A journey to Rawalpindi
Once Iqbal gave his cousin a green light, Ashraf arranged his meeting with Faqir Hussain, a Lahore resident involved in kidney sale.
Several media reports point to a growing racket of kidney sellers across the country, especially in Punjab province. In the past few years, police have arrested several people who are involved in running this illegal business.
"Hussain offered me 130,000 rupees (€1,544). When I demanded more money, he raised it to 160,000 rupees," Iqbal said.
"First, I was taken to a place in Lahore where they conducted my blood tests and took my X-rays. I was told that it was necessary to make sure that I did not have any major disease," Iqbal added.
Iqbal was later asked to travel to Rawalpindi, a city near the capital Islamabad.
"I don't remember the date but I'm sure it was the winter of 2012. We were 19 or more people. We boarded a bus in Lahore and reached Rawalpindi in the wee hours. There we were picked up by drivers who had been in touch with us on the phone. We were taken to a clinic near the Grand Trunk road. The clinic was owned by Faqir Hussain."
Iqbal said Hussain treated him gently. "We were told to take shower and have food but asked not to eat again for several hours so that more medical tests could be conducted," Iqbal narrated.
"We stayed there for 15 days. They turned away a few people as their tests showed their kidneys could not be removed."
Iqbal can no longer lift heavy stuff
In Pakistan, the illegal business of organ "donation" is done secretively. Iqbal said the place where his kidney was removed was actually an eye hospital.
"But they had set up a modern facility for kidney surgeries in the basement of the eye hospital," Iqbal said.
Iqbal told DW that people involved in the business make sure the organ donors don't sue them later so they make them sign an affidavit.
"The operation began at 10 am. I was anesthetized. I woke up the next morning. After the surgery, they gave me money and I was allowed to leave the hospital and go home."
Where is the government?
Iqbal said the kidney donation did not solve all of his financial problems.
"Out of 160,000 rupees, I had to spend around 30,000 rupees on my post-surgery medicines. So I had to sell my rickshaw and combined it with the kidney money to repay my loan," Iqbal said.
"But the loans started piling up again. Due to my health situation, I had to give up on the brick kiln work. Now I am an irregular laborer because I cannot work the entire month. Two of my daughters, aged 13 and 12, started working in Lahore as full-time maids. They earn around 13,000 rupees per month."
Iqbal said he regrets selling his kidney.
"I appeal to the government that it nabs these rackets and also takes measures to help brick kiln laborers, who are so poor that they find no other way than selling their body organs in order to survive," Iqbal underlined.
"The authorities must help us, write off our loans and force the factory owners to increase our wages so that brick kiln workers do not fall prey to kidney selling gangs."
Bilawal Bhutto pays glowing tributes to the martyrs of Movement for Restoration of Democracy on their 35th martyrdom anniversary
It may be recalled that 12 PPP workers were martyred through brutal force during a protest against dictatorship of Zia in Khairpur Nathan Shah town in Dadu district in 1983 today.
In his message, the PPP Chairman said that sacrifices of PPP leadership and workers against the ruthless dictatorship were a proud chapter in the history of not only the nation but in the whole world.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that entire nation was indebted to these martyrs and their sacrifices won’t go in vain. He said that every aspect of MRD movement fought under the leadership of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was equal syllabus for the next generations and stressed upon the teachers of history and political science to play their role in apprising the new generations about the ideological and philosophical characteristics of this movement.
Those who were martyred by the Zia dictator’s regime on September 12, 1983 in Khairpur Nathan Shah of Dadu district include martyrs Abdul Ghani Abro, Abdul Aziz Lakhair, Nizamuddin Naich, Abdul Nabu Khoso, Allahwarrayo Langah, Shahnawaz Khoso, Habibullah Leghari, Deedar Ali Khokhar, Zameer Hussain Jagirani, Aijaz Hussain Khoonharo and Manzoor Ahmed Chandio.
https://mediacellppp.wordpress.com/2018/09/12/bilawal-bhutto-zardari-pays-glowing-tributes-to-the-martyrs-of-movement-for-restoration-of-democracy-on-their-35th-martyrdom-anniversary/
Pakistan government's pro-minority stance questioned as Ahmadi economist's appointment is revoked
Pakistan's newly elected Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government asked Pakistani-American economist Dr. Atif R. Mian to step down from the newly created Economic Advisory Council (EAC). This controversial move occurred on September 7, just a few days after Dr. Mian's appointment to the Council and under mounting pressure from right-wing religious parties, who objected to the appointment on religious grounds.
Dr. Atif Mian, a professor at Princeton University in the US, belongs to the Ahmadiyyasect, which was declared non-Muslim by the second amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan in 1974. A 1984 ordinance promulgated by the government of General Zia ul Haq imposed further prohibitions against Ahmadi Muslims, including making the public practice of Islam and the use of Islamic symbols and titles a punishable crime.
After Mian's appointment, a smear campaign ensued in social media against him and the government. Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and Maulana Fazal ur Rehman of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) threatened nationwide protests, and a notice signed by a number of members of Pakistan National Assembly was served to Parliament.
The EAC is headed by Pakistan's prime minister, Imran Khan, and Dr. Mian was one of 18 nationally and internationally renowned members appointed to the Council. Fawad Chaudhry, Federal Information Minister and government spokesperson, initially defended the government's decision, reminding critics that “it is an economic council, not Islamic Ideology Council.” Minister Chaudhry also declared that “Pakistan belongs as much to minorities as it does to the majority.” These statements were received with optimism, a ray of hope for ‘Naya Pakistan’ (New Pakistan), which turned out to be short-lived.
Writing on Indian news portal The Print, columnist Gul Bukhari noted that:
On Pakistani social media, the attack came from two fronts. The first attack came from the religious bigots who jump onto bandwagons to flay Ahmedis all the time and cannot see them in any office of public importance or authority. This class seeks vengeful persecution of Ahmedis.The second category is what I would call ‘fake bigots’, who are merely seeking to score a political point against Imran’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for its putrid campaign in the election. This lot wants to drive home the hypocrisy of the government, but its invective is pouring out as apparent religious hatred.
On the day Dr. Mian's appointment was revoked, Senator Faisal Javed Khan confirmed the action on Twitter:
For the good of Pakistan
Backtracking on his earlier statements, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Minister Fawad Chaudhry noted that the decision was taken to avoid division in the country:
The government wants to move forward alongside scholars and all social groups, and it is inappropriate if a single nomination creates an impression to the contrary.
The minister added that:
Khatm-i-Nabuwwat [belief in the finality of the prophethood] is a part of our faith and the recent success achieved by the government in the matter of blasphemous sketches is reflective of the same connection.
Dr. Atif Mian tweeted his reasons for complying with the request:
Backlash
Many have condemned the government's revoking of the appointment and expressed support for Dr. Mian.
Blogger Sehar Tariq from Islamabad tweeted:
Drew a portrait of @AtifRMian to remind myself that long after the bigots and all of us have perished ; brilliant people like Atif Mian will continue to live on through their scholarship and ideas. The bigots and zealots will not even be footnotes. Power on #AtifMian
Lahore-based feminist journalist Sabahat Zakariya expressed her disappointment with the system:
Two other members of the EAC—London-based economist Dr. Imran Rasul, and Harvard University’s Evidence for Policy Design unit co-director Asim Ijaz Khwaja—resigned from the Council in solidarity with their colleague, citing moral and religious principles:
Have resigned from EAC. Painful, deeply sad decision. Grateful for chance to aid analytical reasoning but not when such values compromised. Personally as a Muslim I can't justify this. May Allah forgive/guide me&us all.Ever ready to help.Pakistan Paindabaddawn.com/news/1431495
The removal of Dr. Mian has also started a new debate in Pakistan over the rights of minorities. Young Pakistanis who voted for the PTI thinking it was a liberal, pro-minority party expressed disappointment. Advertising creative Bismah Mehmood, expressed satisfaction that PTI followers—known for their brash behaviour and trolling on Twitter—were at least taking a nuanced view of the situation:
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