Pakistan Headline News 08/10/2019

Headlines:

Price Fixing by the Government is Against Islam and Creates Economic Chaos

Imran Khan’s Speech at the UN is Taking our Affairs to Taghut

In Slavery to the IMF, Electricity Tariffs are Raised Again

Details:

Price Fixing by the Government is Against Islam and Creates Economic Chaos

On 30th September 2019, the daily Dawn Newspaper reported that sugar cane production in Sindh recorded a significant drop in the 2018-19 season. The mills crushed 15.930 million tonnes of sugar cane and produced 17.193m sugar in 2018-19 season. This was more than four million tonnes less than the corresponding figures of 2017-18 season. In that season sugar cane crushing was recorded at 21.625m tonnes and sugar production stood at 22.814m tonnes. Sindh government has been fixing the cane price at Rs182 per 40 kilogramme for at least last five years, while growers reject the fixing outright on the grounds that it is not enough to even meet their costs of production.

In Pakistan, the government fixes prices of certain farm products, which are linked to basic food items like wheat and sugar cane. These farm products are used in factories to produce refined products, such as wheat flour from wheat and refined sugar from sugar cane. The government tries to fix a price for wheat and sugar, to benefit factory owners at the loss of farmers. This government practice ensures that some industrialists mint wealth, whilst it hurts many farmers who cannot recover their costs of production. It is similar to the price fixing dispute between many pharmaceutical companies and government on the price of certain drugs. The government fixed prices of those drugs, to benefit larger multinational pharmaceutical companies, who can absorb reduced profits and even losses, forcing smaller local companies out of business and increasing their monopolies in crucial, specific drug markets.

The Islamic economic system provides a blue print of a market which runs on the principle of supply and demand without the inference of the government. Islam does not allow the government to fix prices of any item. Imam Ahmed narrated from Anas (ra) who said that at the time of the Messenger of Allah (saaw) prices went up and the people said, O Messenger of Allah (saaw) prices have shot up, so fix prices for us. The Messenger of Allah (saaw) said, «ان اللہ ھو الخالق القابض الباسط الرازق المسعر وانی لارجو ان القی اللہ ولا یطلبنی احد بمظلمۃ ظلمتھا ایاہ فی دم ولا مال» “Allah is the one Who fixes prices, Who withholds, gives lavishly and provides, and I hope that when I meet Allah, none of you will have any claim on me for an injustice regarding blood or property.” Bukhari reported that the Messenger of Allah (saaw) said, «لا یحتکر الا خاطئ» “No one does monopoly except a wrongdoer.” 

Imran Khan’s Speech at the UN is Taking our Affairs to Taghut

On 27 September 2019, Prime Minister Imran Khan, while addressing the General Assembly of UN, commented on the situation of Kashmir and said, “it is the responsibility of UN, UN was created for this purpose, you have to stop it from happening… will international community appease (India) or stand for justice…. This is an exam of UN. You guaranteed Kashmiris of their right of self-determination...” At a time when almost ten million Muslims of Occupied Kashmir are under the clutches of brutal Indian forces and are looking towards the armed forces of Pakistan for direct military assistance, instead of mobilizing the lions of Pakistan’s armed forces, the speech of the Prime Minister was like pouring salt in the wounds of the Muslims, as the hypocrisy of the UN has already been exposed on the Muslims. The UN was established in 1945 after the Second World War by the victorious countries with the purpose of exploiting small and weak countries, in the name of international law, so that they can secure and protect their interests. In the past, the exploitative face of the UN was exposed many times, especially when the US attacked Iraq, after she failed to secure the endorsement for attacking Iraq from the UN. The UN did nothing to prevent the US from the unilateral attack on Iraq.

Similarly in 2014, Russia attacked Ukraine and annexed Crimea but the international community and the UN stood like silent spectators. They did nothing practical to repel this Russian aggression. Yet, in contrast to the UN’s character, when the matter of separating East Timor from Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim country by population, was brought to this forum, it became functional in an efficient manner. Also, when the issue of bifurcation of Sudan, the largest Muslim country by area, emerged, the UN once again played an active role. On the matter of Palestine and Kashmir, the UN always remains silent, which strengthened the Jewish entity and India. The reality is that there is nothing in the world as international justice or community, for any law to be functional, there is a need for an authority or power to implement it. Therefore, the powerful countries can force other countries to implement laws, which secure their interests. However, no country can force powerful countries to comply to any law. This is the nature of international law and the evil face of the international community, where the weak are exploited. However, powerful countries do not pay any attention to these laws. Instead they only use them to secure their interests. After knowing the reality of these international institutions, how can anyone expect justice from them, whilst we have already seen the character of the US and India over the issue of Kashmir? Does Imran Khan not recognize the evil face of the international community, when he continuously appeals to them? Isn’t it the same Imran Khan who was deceiving the Muslims of Pakistan by claiming that if Modi comes to power, once again it will be a blessing for the Kashmir cause? It is better to have an intelligent enemy than a foolish friend, who does not hide his animosity towards Islam, under the guise of honesty.

The Bajwa-Imran regime is not moving the armed forces of Pakistan to wage Jihad for the liberation of Kashmir. Instead they are merely appealing to the UN or looking towards Trump’s mediation. By doing so, they are inviting the wrath of Allah (swt) because Allah (swt) has forbidden Muslims to take their matter to the Kuffar. Allah (swt) said,

[أَلَمْ تَرَ إلى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُواْ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُواْ إلى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُواْ أَن يَكْفُرُواْ بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلاَلاً بَعِيداً]

“(O Messenger!) Have you not seen those who claim to believe in the Book which has been revealed to you and in the Books revealed before you, and yet desire to submit their disputes to the judgment of taghut (the Satanic authorities who decide besides the Law of Allah), whereas they had been asked to reject it. And Satan seeks to make them drift far away from the right way.” (Surah An-Nisa’a 4:60). The Bajwa-Imran regime is taking our matters to the Taghut, the US, Britain, China, Russia and their controlled institutions like the UN, International Court of Justice, IMF, World Bank and FATF, plunging us into an abyss of despair. It is an obligation on Muslims and their armed forces to collectively reject the referral to the Taghut. We must reject their agent rulers and restore the Khilafah, which will resolve all matters including Kashmir on the basis of the commands of Allah (swt), which in turn will result in prosperity and peace in this world and ultimate success on the Day of Judgement, Insha Allah.

In Slavery to the IMF, Electricity Tariffs are Raised Again

Dawn News reported on October 3, 2019 that the government increased the per unit tariff of electricity by 2.5 rupees. This increase was done to meet the quarterly target of an additional 125 Billion rupees, which was agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Nepra Chairman Tauseef H. Farooqi confirmed that the regulator had been asked at the highest level to allow tariff increase. He said the Nepra team had worked day and night to deliver on commitments given to the IMF.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) government came to power with bold claims of ‘change’ and promises of bringing ‘positive’ improvement in peoples’ lives. Before becoming prime minister, Imran Khan would routinely criticize the increase in tariffs of electricity, gas and petrol. He would accuse the then government of shady deals with the IMF, presenting it as the root cause for the dire economic situation. Imran Khan used to promise the masses that if he were to come to power, he would not increase the tariffs of electricity, gas and petrol. He noted that such rises increase the overall cost of living for the common man. He asserted that his government would not enter an IMF program as he had not seen a single country that had prospered after entering the financial body’s economic reform programs. However, since coming to power, the PTI government has done nothing to change the standard of living of the common man for the better. Instead conversely, the PTI itself has indeed changed. Not only did the PTI government sign an agreement with the IMF, it has resultantly increased the tariffs of electricity and gas several times.

In today’s industrial age, it is incumbent for economic growth and prosperity that energy be provided at the cheapest possible rates. Thereby, reducing the production and resultantly the consumers can purchase the products with ease, paving the way for growth in the economic activity. On one hand, the on-going economic conditions are presented as a justification by the regime for the reluctance to liberate Kashmir through armed struggle. On the other hand, the regime continuously increases the electricity and gas tariffs, which further slows down the economy. It has been well-established and proven that the man-made system, whether its democracy or dictatorship, does not have any viable solution for the betterment of the people. The real change lies only with Islam and the systems of Islam. To begin with, Islam does not permit the rulers to make contracts with the colonialist institutions, such as the IMF. This is because Allah (swt) has said

[وَلَن يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلًا]

“And never will Allah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers.” [Surah An-Nisa 4:141]. Furthermore, in Islam, electricity generating companies are public property and the state is bound to manage the affairs of such companies, as a representative of the people. It provides the electricity at a reasonable rate to the electricity consumer. RasulAllah (saaw) said, «المسلمون شرکاء فی ثلاث: فی الماء، والکلا، والنار»“The believers are partners in three matters; water, green pastures, and fire (energy).” The future Khilafah would ensure the liberation of people from the continuous burdening of tariff hikes.