Pakistan Crisis - Seven Problem, Seven Solutions Chowk Staff
Please let Masadi Sahib speak his mind withjout fear of retribution through incarceration. A healthy difference of opinion is the foundation of freedom. Thanks

Pakistan Crisis - Seven Problem, Seven Solutions Sohail Sahib,
There are some code words that make me very apprehensive when it comes to Pakistani politics:

Law and Order means time for the military to rule for self-enrichment

National defense means building defence housing authorities all over the country for the soldiers' self-enrichment
Islamic Law means enforcing the right of perverted bearded weirdos to practice sadism on the innocent poor of Pakistan.
Democracy and one man one vote means the guaranteed success of various vaderas, pirs, amirs, chodhrys, and other feudals.
Capitalism means the uncontrolled looting of Pakistanis by well-connected monopolistic and interconnected families to get richer and deny sunshine to anyone else.
Moderate Islam means Begum Sahiba wants to wear burqah to the beauty parlor but return in sleeveless glory.

A Non-Muslim Appraisal of Islamic Sharia #97 Posted by rf786 on July 19, 2009 9:58:59 am
{"Why waste time and energy on Sharia maria, set aside this charade called religion, stop believing in fairy tales and keep things real."}

Bismillah Bhai,
I like Tehsin's suggestion - respect Sharia and give it a noble burial as a useful relic of the past. This way we avoid divisive strife with those who consider Sharia to be a holy element of Islam and a link to the wonderful days of the 8th, 9th, and 10th centuries. Compared to the trials by ordeal and tribulation in Christian Europe, Sharia was a modernizing concept. But it hasn't moved past the Crusades and desperately needs a total overhaul. Let's put it at rest and move on with modern life.

A Non-Muslim Appraisal of Islamic Sharia #89 Posted by TehsinA on July 18, 2009 8:58:33 pm
{"Do you think we are gaining critical mass or is it just enough of a blip on the radar for the fundamentalists to recognize and blow us up?"}

Teshsin,
I think that if we haven't reached critical mass already, we are very close. The continuous suicide bombings in Iraq and Pakistan, the insidious attempt to cause Shia/Sunni strife, the horrible videos depicting beheadings of human beings, and the blatant violation of human rights in Swat have all contributed to the recognition that we are dealing with violent, murderers who can add treason to Islam to their growing list of kufrs. May a benign and compassionate Allah destroy these Tally Ban/Al-Kayda/JI/JUI/JUP/LeT/JeM/SeS demons forever.

A Non-Muslim Appraisal of Islamic Sharia #51 Posted by beorn on July 17, 2009 1:25:21 am
{"What is this all issue about ‘dhoti’. I am amused!! You don't find people even in RSS/VHP/Shiv sena wearing dhotis.. I haven't seen anyone wearing that in years... and after all it's just a cloth"}

Beorn Sahib,
No hatred intended. Just trying to teach Hemant Sahib a lesson in reciprocity. :)
As for the BJP/RSS/VHP/BD/JS/SS/SP goons, yes, they have modernized from yellow dhotis to yellow chaDDis. Pretty soon they will shed their tails too.

A Non-Muslim Appraisal of Islamic Sharia #53 Posted by laddu on July 17, 2009 2:12:11 am
Re: # 50

{"Salim why do you wear white DHOTIS and Upa-Vastram when you go to haj??"}

Laddu Maharaj,
The only "dhoti" I have worn is to toga parties. I have yet to perform Haj yatra, so I can't comment on the reason, except for observing that Muslim dhotis are at least WHITE. I wish you guys changed yours before they turned yellow.

A Non-Muslim Appraisal of Islamic Sharia #65 Posted by NangaPir on July 17, 2009 10:21:58 am
{"How come Sifwan Shah is married to a Sikhni?"}

Because the vast majority of Sikh females are very smart, beautiful, and attractive in both mind and body. They also possess qualities of compassion, justice, and optimism.

A Non-Muslim Appraisal of Islamic Sharia #58 Posted by hamidm2 on July 17, 2009 7:18:55 am
bj mian,
..... that was a very succinct explanation of why anyone would not want to live under the nonsense of shariah ...... i agree with you ....
...... by the same token, i would not want to live under the hindutva way of life which is the raison d'etre for hindoostan (aka india) ........ "}

Shabash Hamidumdum Sahib,
Very balanced and comforting response. Unlike most Hindutva-spewing hatemongers, DM Sahib, is among the few non-Muslims who do not filter their perspective through the opaque fog of Indian jingoism, Hindutva chauvinism, and a desperate desire to score points at the expense of Islam and Pakistan.

A Non-Muslim Appraisal of Islamic Sharia #76 Posted by TehsinA on July 17, 2009 9:51:03 pm

{"The only way for us to move forward is by setting aside Shariat. By educating everybody that after trying to achieve this elusive target for the past 1500 years we have to declare once and for all that it is just not possible. The rules are unfair, the punishments so harsh that instead of creating goodwill, peace and harmony and good morals among the citizenry it results in encouraging debauchery, wickedness and a perpetual state of war because the system itself is unjust."}

Tehsin,
Beautiful solution to a tough problem. I am amazed at how similar your view is to my own. Let's applaud the efforts of the ancient Muslim scholars in accumulating and documenting a legal structure and then let's respectfully bury it.

We are proud of the research and discoveries performed by Avicenna (Ibn Sina), Albucasis (Al Zahrawi), Ibn-e-Al Nafis, Avenzoar (Ibn Zuhr), Averroes (Ibn Rushd) and Razes (Al Razi) in the field of medicine, but we don't restrict the treatment of our fathers' heart ailments just to their noble efforts.

A Non-Muslim Appraisal of Islamic Sharia {"Finally, just as sharia needs to be modified to make it acceptable to non-Muslims, the Western system of justice can learn from Sharia and other culture-friendly systems of justice such as Panchayats and Native justice circles to make them simpler and easily accessible to all regardless of their social and economic status."}

DM Sahib,
I commend you for your ability to look beyond the obviously distasteful and often publicized examples of Sharia, such as flogging, stoning, and beheading. You have managed to demonstrate the shortcomings of the "modern" system of justice and the benefits of arriving at the elusive matter of truth.
Now, I am no fan of Shariah Law - primarily because of its much touted emphasis in enforcing public morality. The bizarre incidents of flogging of the young female, stoning of aduleterers, and beheading of "spies" demonstrate how easily Shariah can be manipulated by cruel elements like the Tally Ban, Soodis, and even Panchayat justice, and even powerful landlords.
What we need is an overhaul of Sharia and Panchayat laws to conform to our sensibilities and needs in the 21st century. If the Jews invoked their own Mosaic laws, Israel's population would be even less than Dera Ghazi Khan's. I am glad that you included the need for reform. Thanks.

A Non-Muslim Appraisal of Islamic Sharia #11 Posted by HemantS on July 15, 2009 10:09:18 pm
{"Also I wonder why the muslims even enlightened ones can justify massacres under certain circumstances when the muslims do them but even a slight application of force to control a situation like a riot on them gets them all frothing and angry. Case-in-point Salim Chauhan justifying the Armenian one."}

Hemant Sahib,
If a black Muslim were being lynched by the KKK, extremist right-wing Hindutva types like you would wear your dhotis as hoods just to join in the anti-Muslim ceremony.
I never justified any massacres. On the contrary you are the one calling for the elimination of Muslims, especially minorities. So, when do you plan to implement the Injun Inquisition?

Dubai Incorporated bhs75 and vanguard,
Thank you for the recounting the detailed miseries that afflict Dubai. I am now wondering what will happen to the thousands of Ookranian, Russian, and Byelorussian expats who had gone to Dubai to spread goodwill and get rich?

Dubai Incorporated Ibrahim Sahib,
Very informative and I enjoyed reading this article - the length being necessary to provide the details to support your perspective. Thank you. You mentioned that the rumors of getting a permanent domicile visa with purchase of a flat were false. If that is the case, what happened to all the Pakistanis who purchased based on this false assumption? I distinctly recall hearing all those ads on Geo TV with some famous TV stars peddling Dubai property AND a domicile.

The Landlords of Defence To Pakistan\'s Defense #137 Posted by dost_mittar on July 11, 2009 4:51:05 pm

{"Salim #125:

{"This loop is not true only for Modi/Advani, et al but also for many others, including many Muslim politicians. "}

DM Sahib, Muslim politicians who commit crimes are no dearer to me than Hindu politicians who commit crimes.

{"What do you want - a Kangaroo court which would hang people on the basis of accusations alone? While I find the delays in the Indian justice system and the loopholes in it lamentable and should be removed, I do not want the system to be replaced by the taleban-type justice either."}

I want a Constitutional amendment that specifies that trials for criminals, especially bloody mass murderers, should be initiated and concluded in the same century that the crime was committed.

{" do believe that both Advani and Modi are responsible for what happened in Ayodhya and Gujarat, but my or your belief cannot be a substitute of a court judge; I believe this to be as true of the monsters who were accused of burning the train at Godhra and ignited the passions in Ahmedabad as it is for Modi and others."}

I agree - perhaps you should be a court judge. :)

The Landlords of Defence To Pakistan\'s Defense #138 Posted by dost_mittar on July 11, 2009 4:58:59 pm
Salim:

{"Personally, I wouldn't mind Modi being tried at Hague or any other place. Maybe, someone should file a case against him in the UK whose laws permit such cases."}

DM Sahib,
Thank you for your reliable objectivity. May I add some more names to Modi's? Osama "Where's My Momma" Bin Laden, Ayman Zwahiri, Baitloola Mehsud, Hamid Gul, the people who dispatched Kasab and his fellow demons, and that LeT founder whose name I don't even remember.

The Landlords of Defence To Pakistan\'s Defense #130 Posted by dude40000 on July 11, 2009 2:07:19 pm
{"Re: # 129
Salim Saab - So, do you think Musharraf should be tried in Hague? "}

Dude Sahib,
After some further reflection, I have changed my mind. Yes, Mushy should be tried in De Hague. In fact all such high profile cases, with the possibility of domestic hanky panky, need to be witnessed by an international scrutiny. Also, all elections should have international validation - losers invariably cry "foul," and winners, especially of the incumbent variety, stuff ballots.
Lastly, De Hague is a lot closer to London and Mushy will appreciate the convenience.