Monday, 30 August 2021
Pre-independence regiment/ battalion history
Dictators caused more harm than good to Army
Sunday, 29 August 2021
Newly found Af-Pak Nexus & hybrid warfare
Surah Al Kahf- Ayah No 27
Saturday, 28 August 2021
Aghan debacle - A colossal failure of US and her poppies
On a query by one of my British friend as to what is the solution?
Solution to the problem of Afghanistan is, just leave them alone. Let them decide what is good for them. Who gave US and her poppies the right to ravage a country savagely to avenge three thousand killed in 9/11 and we still don't have credible evidence who did it. His answer was, who gave the right to Al Qaeda to attack US? My answer, AQ had no right. Where is the difference then? Should have sent your James Bonds to pick out AQ leadership and settle the issue with those rascals. In the end, few marines did the same, why not do it earlier why you guys had to make entire generation of Afghans suffer. Now leaving behind biometrics with the data of all those Afghani moles who sold their motherland for pennies, will make life hell for those poor people. All wrong political and strategic decisions and only poor Afghans have to pay regardless of their ethnicities and religious inclinations. However, going back in time, in a unipolar world, with people like 'Dick' Cheney calling the preemptive shots, Americans (intoxicated by high of power) go out and kill millions with state-of-the-art weapons including daisy cutters. Spent 3 trillion in 2 decades just to get another three thousand of their own killed and handover Afghanistan back to owners of Afghanistan i.e. Taliban. Colossal failure. Now Taliban have USD 85 Bn worth US equipment. 75000 Vehicles, over 200 Aeroplanes including attack helicopters. 600,000 small arms. Taliban now have more Blackhawks than 85% of countries who bought it from US. Night vision goggles, body armour, biometric devices. Our (Pakistan's) past experience with US did make us wise. If US complained all these years to do more and couldn't get more out of us, we did the right thing. All this contains a lesson for friends of US, particularly Afghans who helped US occupation on their land and Indians, you will be left in the lurch. US will walk out any minute, it felt its interests are served or going nowhere, you will be abandoned to face the real world around you. Stop playing stooges of US or you will be left with excruciating screams coming from our Eastern borders.
Joe Biden may get a lot of stick for it, but this is the only right decision a US president took on Afghanistan in past 20 years.
Taliban may have the intent to form inclusive government and bring peace to their land. But due to geo-political importance of their country, Afghans can't have lasting peace which is evident from three bomb blasts on Kabul Airport this weekend. Let's hope now US doesn't go in circles by deploying more forces to avenge these attacks.ISIS or RAW or any other new stooge will emerge. Any stakeholder will pump in money to keep situation unstable particularly with important component of BRI running parallel to Eastern borders of Afghanistan.
Tuesday, 24 August 2021
Surah Al Kahf- Ayah No 26
Saturday, 21 August 2021
Taliban 2.0 and Pakistan
Tuesday, 17 August 2021
National Media Workshop-11 Part 2
National Media Workshop-11 Part 1
Above is the most easily earned certificate of my life. I got selected, got educated, was well hosted, met some amazing people and all this for free which makes me feel obligated to at least spread the word about the whole activity.
Personally, I feel much more educated on functioning of electronic media and associated government functionaries like helpless PEMRA, toothless PTA. With education come thoughts which I can't help. The Workshop affirmed my belief that we live in the era of ,'The Game of Narratives'. At the same time, concentrated dose of National Security narrative was much needed medicine for all participants. However, shockingly, there is no documented National Security Narrative and every other person, group and office has its own version of Narional Security.
Monday, 16 August 2021
Surah Al Kahf -Ayah No 25
Firstly, Islamic / lunar day starts with moonrise i.e. After Maghrib. Hence, this Blog is shared on Thursday eve (Shab-e-Juma) as a gentle reminder for recitation and understanding of Al Kahf or part of it.
Secondly, we need to understand the rationale of 309 years' sleep by The Boys in this Ayah. According to Christian tradition they slept for 300 years. In order to balance out lunar and Gregorian accounts, Allah swt used figure of 309. Lunar calendar is usually 11 days lesser than Gregorian Calendar i.e. 354 days a year. Total days were 309 x 354 = 109,386. Divide this by days in a Gregorian year, 109,386 ÷ 365 = 299.68 i.e. approx 300 years. This story emanated from Christian traditions which follows Gregorian Calendar and they already had the correct numbers i.e. 300 years. However, currently, the story is being told in Quran which made it incumbent upon us to follow Lunar Calendar. Either way, the figures are correct. Such is wisdom, truth and authenticity of this Book. Subhan Allah.
Thirdly, the time travel aspect of this story; The Boys slept for three centuries and woke up as if they woke from overnight sleep. Despite, the time jump, they were healthy and well nourished. They engaged in normal conversation of how long they had slept and craved for food. Their unscathed mental and physical health defied logic. Yet, justified the only true logic that The Creator of Universe may suspend laws of Physics to make His point. And for once, in the form of true story, human romance with time travel was also satiated.
Fourthly, why lunar cycle is the calendar of choice in Islam? Is it just an outdated calendar system or one of our lost treasures of wisdom and religious inheritance? Let's find out from tradition and science:
1. The new moon marks the beginning of each new lunar month and it is easy for people to see the new moon and know that a new month has begun. Interestingly, the word month is derived from the word moon.
2. Islamic physical worships of fasting and Hajj rotate every year and are not fixed like the Solar Year. People, therefore, will perform acts of worship in various climatic conditions and in different length of hours in submission to the will of Allah where human imagination plays no part.
3. Lunar calendar makes it easier to calculate tides. Tides are linked with gravitational pull which will (scientifically) cause doomsday. In fact, moon is a cosmic force which has impact on cycles of nature.For example, the gravitational force of the moon influences the sap of plants affecting photosynthesis and all the processes that a plant goes through in its development.
4. Hunters for visibility and fishermen for lunar sensitivity and reproductive activity of sea creatures know moon cycles very well.
5. The new moon is ideal to reflect on new ideas. Whereas, during the full moon we experience the phase in which people's emotions reach the surface.
Lastly, as Muslims all our important events of the year like Ramadan & Hajj followed by Eids, Rabi ul Awal, Muharram, Shab-e-Meraj, Shab-e-Barat etc are all from Islamic Calendar. Allah swt made it crystal clear in Al Baqarah, 'They ask you (O Muhammad (PBUH)) about the new moons. Say,'They are measurements of time for the people...' [02:189]. To resurrect our relation with lunar sense of time, start by celebrating birthdays as per Islamic Calendar every year. It can have lasting impression on growing kids and has worked like magic in my household.
Only Allah knows the whole Truth
Sunday, 15 August 2021
Afghan war of narratives: speculations and realities
Saturday, 7 August 2021
Surah Al Kahf - Ayah No 24
Sunday, 1 August 2021
Surah Al Kahf- Ayah No 23
Allah's Messenger (PBUH) waited for the revelation from Allah but fifteen days passed away without any revelation. The people of Mecca started to doubt him and said: 'Muhammad (PBUH) promised to tell us the next day and now fifteen days have gone by and he has not told us anything in response to the questions we asked.' The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) felt sad because of the delay in revelation and was grieved by what the people of Mecca were saying about him. Then Jibreel (AS) came with the revelation of Surah Al-Kahf, which contained answers to the questions asked by Meccans. Today's verse No 23, was also revealed explaining the correct etiquette when intending to do something in future.