The Illusion of Choice is Being Exposed

Speaking to participants of his Azadi (Independence) sit-in at D-Chowk, Imran Khan on 10 September vowed to bring more evidence against the government to make his party's case even stronger. "On Saturday, we will unveil things which should have been brought in the parliament," he said. However, after a long month of rhetoric of change, his movement has lost steam and the people are disinterested.

For nearly seven decades, the Muslims of Pakistan have been given the illusion of choice in government. They have been given the options of civilian or military government. Within the civilian options, there are further illusions of choice, PML-N, PPP and the "third option", which today is the PTI. These choices are just an illusion and nothing more. Behind their mask, is a system that has survived for seven decades. It is a system of disregard of the commands and prohibitions mandated by Allah swt and His Messenger (saw). It is a system of man-made law, where men make laws according to their whims and desires. It is a system that has seen the implementation of capitalism for nearly seven decades, with ever increasing concentration of wealth, such that the gulf between have not and have a lot has always increased. It is a system of colonialism that has allowed the Western colonialists to secure their interests in Pakistan and the wider region, in all eras of civilian and military government. When civilian options fail,  exhausted and spent, the anger of the people mounts against the system, so it gets a new disguise, that of a military government. When the military government becomes the focus of discontent, civilian government is introduced. And within the civilian government, there are many masks to choose from, one after the others, in turn by turn political change.

However, today, the mask is falling and the illusion of choice has been exposed for what it really is, a two headed coin, a loaded deck of cards, a cruel trick to preserve a rotten system. There is a growing realization that unless the current system is abolished and Islam is implemented in its place, there is no change. Throughout Pakistan the vast majority of Muslims are now expressing their desire for Islam and an Islamic constitution. How long before this strong opinion will be manifested in a practical form is now down to the armed forces. The question for the armed forces is how long will they extend support for Democracy and Dictatorship, rather than granting Nussrah to Hizb ut Tahrir for establishing the Khilafah "Caliphate".

Military Operations Needed Take Out American Sanctuaries in Pakistan

As the Zarb-i-Azb military operation entered its second phase in North Waziristan, Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif vowed on Wednesday 10 September to take the fight against terrorists to remote areas of the tribal agency. "Terrorists will be pursued even in the remotest areas and all their sanctuaries will be taken out," he said while reviewing the progress of the operation.

The current operations are not addressing the root of the terrorist threat that Pakistan is facing. America has sanctuaries in Pakistan that are the cause of terror. Just as in Latin America and South East Asia, the American embassy and consulates are sanctuaries for funding black operations by America's intelligence and private military. Specifically in the case of Pakistan, covert operations include false flag attacks against the armed forces of Pakistan, in the name of the tribal Muslim fighters. This is to incite the armed forces to fight in the tribal areas, which is the base for strong attacks against American occupying forces in Afghanistan for over a decade.

The required operations are those to take out America's sanctuaries in Pakistan, sealing the US Embassy cum fortress in Islamabad and the US Consulates in Pakistan's major cities, closing the sanctuaries of American private military personnel within the civilian and military areas, as well as expelling all American intelligence staff.  However, despite commanding the seventh largest armed forces in the world, the current traitors in Pakistan's military leadership have made it clear that they will never do so, for their allegiance is to Washington rather than Islam and Muslims. It is upon the Muslims to mobilize to establish the Khilafah "Caliphate" which will gather all the vast resources of the Muslims as one formidable force against the enemies of Muslims. It is upon the Muslims to call their sons, brothers, fathers and uncles in the Pakistan armed forces to deliver a death blow to the American presence in the region by giving the Nussrah to Hizb ut-Tahrir for the establishment of the Khilafah "Caliphate", which will end the tide of humiliation and defeat and usher in an era of honour, power and glory. ((وَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلَكِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ)) "But honour, power and glory belong to Allâh, and to His Messenger (Muhammad [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam]), and to the believers, but the hypocrites know not." [Surah al-Munafiqoun 63: 8].

Jannah is the Prize for Granting Nussrah for Khilafah "Caliphate"

At a time when the current drama over the throne of Democracy holds no hope for the people and talk of an Islamic revolution continues to gain strength, the traitors in the military leadership again released a statement on 12 September confirming that the armed forces would be exploited to hold Democracy aloft.  The statement was made by the military's spokesperson in response to a question that came soon after the US Ambassador Richard Olson had met Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif.

It is a common sight that American officials meet directly with the armed forces leadership in the Muslim World to secure their means of colonialist control, Democracy. Not only must contact with American officials be severed, Democracy has no right of the support of a Muslim armed forces. Even after Allah (swt) has stipulated laws, in democracy human beings in parliament have arbitrate over them by referendum or vote. Each law is either accepted or rejected on the basis of majority. Thus a law from Allah (swt) would be considered rejected if majority rejects it. Whereas Allah has clearly ordained in Quran in Surah Al-Ahzab,

((وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلاَ مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْراً أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ وَمَن يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَـلاً مُّبِيناً))

"It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed into a plain error" [Surah Al-Ahzab 33:36]

Such exploitation of the strength of our armed forces is rejected. Moreover, support of Democracy is a sin in Islam., Islam made clear that the role of the men of war is to support the implementation of Islam. During the process for the Second Pledge of Aqabah, the Messenger of Allah (saw) said after reciting the Qur'an and commending Islam, "I invite your allegiance on the basis that you protect me as you would your women and children." Al-Bara' took his hand to give the pledge and said, "We give our allegiance O Messenger of Allah, by Allah we are men of war possessing arms which have been passed on from father to son". The Ansaar (ra) then inquired, "What is in it for us, O Messenger of Allah, in return for our loyalty?" Allah's Messenger (saw) replied confidently, "Jannah." This is the inspiring example for the armed forces today.

Interest Based Loans Are Democracy's Way of Crippling Pakistan

The Dawn reported on 14 September 2014, "External debt servicing rose to an alarmingly high level as it reached close to $7 billion in FY14 which is almost 80 per cent of the current reserves of the State Bank while the reserves are declining on week on week basis... A recently produced data of the State Bank showed the country paid $6.820bn as debt servicing in FY14, including $5.910bn as principal amount and $915m as interest..."

Changing faces in Pakistan is not enough, Democracy must be abolished. Democracy is crippling Pakistan by exposing it to interest based foreign loans. These loans are neither aid nor donations for they weaken the entire society, and all of its institutions, by making Pakistan dependent entirely on Riba loans with humiliating conditions that are an excuse for the colonialist institutions, like the World Bank and IMF, to interfere in Pakistan in order to keep it under the influence of the West. Thus, Democracy prevents Pakistan from benefiting from its own immense resources, with new and abundant resources being discovered constantly, only for them to handed over to companies owned by the colonialists or their agents, under the pretext of privatization, depriving the people of their right. It is through this corrupt system, that the West ensures that Pakistan remains hostage in the hands of the West, which implements its policies of weakening and dependence, so that this country, its institutions and its people, kneel down before it.

The Khilafah "Caliphate" will ensure that the Muslim Lands are strong economically. It will restructure the economy according to the commands and prohibitions of Allah (swt). Large revenue will be generated from the public properties, such as oil and gas, as well as large state enterprises such as machinery and engine manufacture. Due to interest payments, like many other countries, Pakistan has paid back its loans many times over and the Khilafah "Caliphate" will lead a movement to abolish this system of economic enslavement.

Cost of Living Rises as Rupee in Downward Spiral

On 15 September 2014 the Dawn reported that the local currency continued to lose ground against the dollar, saying that, "The rupee shed another 25 paisa for buying and 27 paisa for selling in the last trading session, as the dollar closed the week at Rs102.50 and Rs102.55. The dollar appreciated by around 37 paisas in the interbank market last week." After stabilising for a brief spell, mainly due to the large influx of dollar loans, whose interest based repayments will cripple the economy further soon, the Rupee has weakened again. Food inflation swelled accordingly as each weakened Rupee now buys less than before. Prices of household kitchen items like tomatoes, potatoes, eggs and fresh fruits are rising significantly, with meat becoming a luxury for many households. Rent, electricity  bills, education fees and medical bills have become back-breaking. Stress has increased illness in the population, in the form of high blood pressure, angina, heart attacks and strokes.

Unlike Democracy, Islam has mandated that the currency of the state is backed by precious metal wealth, ending the root cause of inflation. RasulAllah (saw) commanded the Muslims to mint Gold Dinars, weighing 4.25g, and Silver Dirhams, weighing 2.975g, as the currency of the state. This is why the Khilafah "Caliphate" enjoyed stable prices for over a thousand years. Today the Khilafah "Caliphate" will employ exchange of commodities, such as copper, and foreign exchange for gold and silver and will be mindful of net outgoing of gold and silver during international trade, though the Muslim World is self-sufficient in most matters. Moreover, re-establishing gold and silver in international trade will end the unfair disadvantage that America has by imposing the dollar on international trade.

News:

CNN reported on the 13^th September that Diane Foley, mother of slain journalist James Foley, said in an interview that: "I think our efforts to get Jim freed were an annoyance to the U.S. government...It didn't seem to be in (U.S.) strategic interest, if you will." She also told CNN's Anderson Cooper that officials asked family members to "not go to the media." She said they were told that the "government would not exchange prisoners," or carry out "military action" to try to rescue her son.

Comment:

The U.S. government had no "strategic interest" in saving James Foley, because the video of his beheading by self proclaimed ISIS captors could better serve U.S. regional interests than his safe release. This is why the family of James Foley were viciously threatened by senior government officials when they worked for his release and tried to gather money for a ransom payment. CNN reported that Diane Foley said "the family was told many times that raising ransom 'was illegal (and) we might be prosecuted'."

The cruel video showing the last moments of her son's 19 months in captivity has raised international support for U.S. action in the Middle East and been a stirring symbol for galvanizing national support for years of future intervention in the name of opposing barbarity. The day before Diane Foley's comments, Obama said, "They enslave, rape, and force women into marriage. They threatened a religious minority with genocide. In acts of barbarism, they took the lives of two American journalists".

One of these journalists was Diane Foley's son, who she said was "sacrificed" by the U.S. government. If it was a sacrifice, then it was for wider interests, but these interests have nothing to do with opposing barbarity because there is no shortage of video footage, eye witness testimony and expert reports documenting murder, torture and even the use of chemical weapons by other parties to the turmoil in Syria, and also Iraq, that far exceed the scale of what ISIS has perpetrated, and yet these acts of barbarism have not drawn any serious response.

The U.S. gained a 'blank cheque' from the video of James Foley's killing that will provide justification for interference, not only in Syria and Iraq, but other countries. John Kerry, for example, stated that Egypt is in the front line against terrorism and linked the issue of terrorism in Egypt's Sinai with the fight against ISIS. The path ahead will be long and twisted, and with the U.S. in the lead, barbarity may be less personal, but more abundant, than ever before.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by

Dr. Abdullah Robin

Camera Surveillance from the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir/Wilayah Syria of a barrel attack in the neighborhood of Alhaidariya in Aleppo.

Saturday, 18 Dhu al Qi'dah 1435 AH - 13 September 2014 CE

The hand of treachery and criminality stretched to inflict the leadership in Ahrar Ash-Sham Islamic Movement following a bombing inside their meeting headquarters in Ram Hamdan village in the countryside of Idlib.
We were hurt by this great loss, and we warn our brothers in all factions of making the atmosphere of their movements exposed in front of the Kafir West, especially America, which is preparing for the painful blows of the Mujahideen, as well as in front of the ambassadors of the regional states, the agents for West.

We are in Hizb ut Tahrir/ Wilayah of Syria offer our condolences to the Ahrar Ash-Sham Movement, and to the families of the martyrs, Allah willing, though we do not ascribe purity to anyone, and that He makes them intercessors to their families on the Day of Resurrection, the Day when wealth or children will not benefit anyone, but only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart ... also we ask Allah Almighty to endow their families patience ... And we do not say except what pleases our Lord: Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.

Ahmad Abdul Wahab
Head of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir
Wilayah of Syria