What do Taliban really want? Power. To Turn Pakistan into their former Afghanistan!, Radical Islamism and Jihad, NewAgeIslam.com

Radical Islamism and Jihad

What do Taliban really want? Power. To Turn Pakistan into their former Afghanistan!

By Irfan Husain

Jan 24 2010

Often, I am asked by readers or friends abroad what the Taliban want. Why, they ask, are they slaughtering hundreds of innocent people wherever they can? What is their purpose? What is their agenda? The short answer is, power. Other excuses for their murderous excesses are a fig-leaf: demands for the Sharia and the expulsion of foreign forces from the region are no more than window-dressing.

These terrorists realise that they cannot achieve power through peaceful, democratic means as they have no support. Even relatively moderate Islamic parties have been repeatedly trounced at the polls in Pakistan. So extremists reject democracy as it does not give them access to power.

Established religious parties in Pakistan have exploited the repeated bouts of Army rule to further their agenda. So far, they have been remarkably successful. But while jihadi groups might cut secret deals with intelligence agencies, even Pakistan’s Army is reluctant to enter into open, formal agreements with them.

This leaves only the path of terrorism open to them. Pakistani extremists watched enviously as the Afghan Taliban under Mullah Omar were propelled to power with help from Pakistan’s Army. Seeking to replicate this success, they have mounted a sustained campaign of destabilisation against the government.

http://newageislam.com/what-do-taliban-really-want?-power.-to-turn-pakistan-into-their-former-afghanistan!/radical-islamism-and-jihad/d/2412

Ahmadi Muslims declared 'Wajibul Qatl' in Pak controlled Kashmir: Now they can be 'lawfully' killed by any one, Islamic World News, NewAgeIslam.com

Islamic World News

Ahmadi Muslims declared 'Wajibul Qatl' in Pak controlled Kashmir: Now they can be 'lawfully' killed by any one

QUADIAN (Punjab): Persecution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir has markedly increased in recent weeks and months, particularly in the Bhimber District.

A number of extremist organisations banned by the Government of Pakistan have continued to preach their hate filled messages by virtue of simply altering the names of their organisations. All available evidence strongly suggests that they are being supported, financially and otherwise, by a number of local politicians.

The situation has become extremely dangerous for the local Ahmadi population as the local clerics are issuing regular Fatwas pronouncing that all Ahmadis are 'Wajibul-Qatl' which means they can and should be lawfully killed due to their beliefs. Furthermore hateful and provocative literature is being published and disseminated amongst the masses in opposition to the Jamaat.

Ahmadis in the region are living in constant fear for their safety; their businesses and places of worship are becoming regular targets. The local authorities are urged to take action to bring an immediate end to all forms of persecution against the Ahmadi minority in the region. The Press Secretary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Abid Khan said that "It is a great tragedy that in Pakistan both the government and clerics continue to violate the rights of their fellow citizens. Ahmadi Muslims are now facing heightened persecution in Azad-Kashmir due to the acts of terrorists and extremists who are spreading the teaching that Islam, God forbid, allows arbitrary murder in the name of Allah. They realise not that they themselves are the root cause of the misery that currently pervades Pakistan and continues to escalate.

Source: http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/19224/38/

http://newageislam.com/ahmadi-muslims-declared--wajibul-qatl--in-pak-controlled-kashmir--now-they-can-be--lawfully--killed-by-any-one/islamic-world-news/d/1824

Islamic Religious Extremism and Democracy, Islam,Terrorism and Jihad, NewAgeIslam.com

Islam,Terrorism and Jihad

Islamic Religious Extremism and Democracy

By Asghar Ali Engineer

(Secular Perspective July 1-15, 2009)

Religious extremism is very negation of religion. The extremists are unable to understand this. There is no religion which encourages hatred, anger and revenge, let alone teaches such destructive doctrines. Yet religious extremism results in all this. Hindu philosophy teaches tolerance and non-violence and treats whole humanity as a family and yet Varun Gandhi, the BJP candidate delivered highly provocative speech saying he will cut the hand which is raised against Hindus. He could be young angry man but what about top BJP leadership? They also did not denounce it and not only that turned down Election Commission request not to give ticket to him to contest election.

The acts of Hindutvawadis in Gujarat and Orissa (Kandhamal anti-Christian violence) was perpetrated as an act of revenge, anger and intolerance of other religious minorities. Hundreds died and thousands became homeless and are still continued to be hated by these extremists without any trace of repentance or guilt. Can it ever be justified by religious teachings?

The Talibans on one hand, and al-Qaida, on the other, keep on killing hundreds of people in the name of Jihad which, they proclaim, is the Islamic doctrine. Al-Qaida and Taliban are reacting to US policies and violence in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is true but their extremism is more than what US policies warranted. First thing, even if jihad be used in the sense of war (which it is not) it is certainly not an act of revenge but an act of defence.

http://newageislam.com/islamic-religious-extremism-and-democracy/islam,terrorism-and-jihad/d/1695