"The strengthening of brotherly ties with the Islamic countries will be a central pillar of our foreign policy." --General Musharraf 1999

Lately, two decisions have come to characterize all that is wrong with Pakistan's foreign policy, especially when it comes to relations with the Muslim world. The first is Pakistan's decision to send troops at the behest of Saudi Arabia to guarantee the country's territorial integrity and to deploy soldiers in a possible ground invasion of Yemen. A statement from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's office said, "Pakistan remains firmly committed to supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Pakistan." It is more likely, Pakistan along with other Arab nations will attempt to restore the rule of Hadi and proceed to implement the 2011 GCC plan for Yemen that was prepared under the tutelage of America and Britain.

The scope of Pakistan's involvement is the subject of much debate and appears to be open-ended encompassing the whole of the Middle East. The same statement read: "Pakistan stands committed to playing a meaningful role in arresting the deteriorating situation in the Middle East." This potentially opens up the possibility of Pakistan intervening in other conflict zones, where rebels mostly of Islamic flavor are fighting Assad's government in Syria as well as the government in Iraq. The West along with the GCC views Islamic rebels as a threat to the current political order and they do not distinguish between the despotic ISIS group and the genuine Islamic opposition fighting Assad or peaceful Islamists opposed to tyrannical regimes in the region. All must fought and eliminated.

Further, afield, it is not difficult to see Pakistan being dragged into other military encounters, where Islamic rebels opposed to the secular political order imposed by the West have taken up arms against their governments such as in Libya and Somalia.

What is common in all of these conflicts are the autocratic governments supported by Western money and arms that for years have not only usurped the rights of the people but have also brutally oppressed them. America and Europe after suffering humiliating defeats in Iraq and Afghanistan are in no mood to send further troops to quell Islamic led insurrections against the political order they fashioned, which is swiftly unravelling now. Subsequently, the West has exploited the ferocity of the Islamic rebellion in these countries -in particular the obnoxious tactics of ISIS and other affiliates-to cajole Arab nations and other Islamic countries to commit troops to defend the existing political order and by proxy western interests. The Pakistani leadership unable to fathom West's latest plan has taken the grave step of being part of the Saudi led coalition that will work under western auspices to safeguard western interests.

In this way, those Arab populations that had hitherto respected Pakistan will see the Pakistani army and state as legitimate targets. Yemen's population is the first to turn against Pakistan. Who's next?

The second decision that is bound to have lasting repercussions against Pakistan is the recent announcement that Pakistan will sell fighter jets to Myanmar that no doubt will be used to exterminate the country's Rohingyan Muslim population. The government of Myanmar is complicit in the genocide of Rohingyan Muslims, but that does not matter to the political and military rulers of Pakistan. On the contrary, Pakistan's long history of supporting non-Muslim countries brutally suppressing their Muslim citizens runs counter to the brotherly ties professed by Pakistani officials in public. For instance, Russia's suppression of Chechens, China's vicious oppression of Xinjiang Muslims and the heavy-handedness of Philippines against Muslims is repeatedly met with silence in official circles. Even the venom of the Indian security forces towards Kashmiri Muslims no longer generates any meaningful response from Pakistan's rulers who now covet peace with Pakistan's arch enemy. Again, all of this underscores that Muslims living in these lands at the very least will hold an unfavorable opinion of the Pakistani state. But the worst- as every Pakistani know all too well- is that many militants from these countries are now fighting the Pakistani army in the tribal areas.

Finally yet importantly, Pakistan will also alienate circa 30 million of its Shia citizens thereby causing further schisms between already a fructuous relationship between the country's Sunnis and Shias. This clearly violates the oft-repeated mantra of the Pakistani army of staying clear of firqa wariat (sectarian divisions).

Musharraf the chief architect of Pakistan's present foreign policy successfully laid the basis for a divisive policy that for over a decade has pitted fellow Pakistani brothers against each other, and now is about to turn Muslim masses living in Islamic lands against Pakistan.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Abdul Majeed Bhatti

Can you please explain why the Prophet (saw) gave exception to the Arab Polytheists from the Kuffar of Yemen to remain in their religion? Can we consider this exception regarding the Arab Polytheists a restriction to what is general as what is mentioned in the book, The Islamic State, (Arabic version, 7th edition, page 144; English version, page 139): "These people will be left alone and there is no interference with their beliefs or their worship" the two categories are the people of the Book and the Polytheists? And also a restriction to what is mentioned in Introduction to the Constitution of the Islamic State, Article 27, Section B, or is this exception is specific to that generation only?

The 2015 UK elections are upon us. For Muslims, the climate in 2015 is very different to previous elections. Throughout 2014, the British press and political parties aggressively targeted Islamic belief and values on a host of issues, from halal meat to Islamic schools. 2015 started with the CTS Act becoming law, enforcing the 'Prevent' programme that aims to secularise Muslims in the name of ‘de-radicalisation'. Now, a new ‘counter extremism' policy is on its way that will grant the state even greater powers to target Muslims.

These events have prompted Muslims to ask searching questions: why are the government and media so aggressive? What is the future for my children? Where is this all going? Even Muslims who once felt Britain had happily accommodated Islam are now questioning this view.
This election is therefore being fought at a time when Muslims are asking fundamental questions about their future. Whilst some still eagerly peddle the need to ‘vote', their arguments have been debased by the hostility Muslims now suffer at the hands of the policies of all political parties and the failed track record of Muslim MPs.

It was only a matter of time before the Muslim community woke up to the disastrous state of politics in the UK. Political parties have created distrust, apathy, unhappiness and deep disappointment in the wider society. Trust in the political system is at a historic low, and people are deserting the system in their droves.

For the Muslim community - with its distinct belief and values - the political system continues to lose even greater credibility, as does the question of participation. There are now more pressing concerns facing Muslims about upholding Islam in this toxic climate and their future. In light of this, we raise four distinct points:

1. Our Priority: Upholding Islamic Values

Muslims in the UK must continue to ‘uphold Islam and become its ambassadors': to understand Islam, practice it, teach it, raise our children on it and - importantly - share it with the wider society. This includes supporting our Ummah and the solution to the devastation in the Muslim lands - Khilafah "Caliphate" on the Prophetic method. Whilst this appears difficult in the current climate, it invites the pleasure of Allah (swt) for standing by His message.

Allah (swt) says:

((وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِمَّنْ دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ))

"And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, "Indeed, I am of the Muslims." [Fussilat: 33]

Our path is not to adopt or ‘assimilate' into the UK's secular liberal values and beliefs. If Muslims did this, they would go the way of other secularised religious communities and divorce themselves from a part of Islam itself - from its political, societal and economic aspects - eventually becoming no different from the west and suffering the same consequences: youth problems, family breakdown, sexual and social chaos. This is not an option for Muslims - as it means reneging on Islam and turning against the way of life prescribed by Allah (swt).

Allah (swt) says:

((وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْ ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكاً، وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَى))

"And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind." [Ta-Ha: 124]

‘Upholding Islam' however cannot be done through isolating ourselves - we must interact with others in the wider society, to present and clarify the Islamic message. So whilst Muslims reject 'assimilation', we must also reject 'isolation'. We embrace 'interaction' with others on the Islamic basis, both within and outside our community.

Political participation however will not deliver this vision. In fact it will systematically move Muslims away from this vision into adopting liberal secular values that are at odds with Islam.

2. This Political Process Secularises the Community

The aim of encouraging Muslims to participate in the secular politics of Westminster is to see Muslims endorse and adopt this non-Islamic secular political system, its values and policies.

The consequence of this is, as we have seen, that the more Muslims engage in this secular process, the more they secularise their views until they openly support un-Islamic positions. The policies of political parties include the legalisation of bloodshed and occupation of Muslim lands; oppressive anti-terror and anti-‘extremism' laws; the permission of riba (interest), economic exploitation, gambling, alcohol; and support for the Zionist entity.

Over the years elected Muslim MPs have turned their backs on Islam to support such un-Islamic positions. Supporting these parties by joining, campaigning or voting for them would endorse policies that clearly contradict Islam.

3. The Secular Political Process is Futile

People are increasingly disengaged from politics in the west. Voter numbers are falling. Celebrity voices even encourage this drift. Their argument is simple: voting is futile - it will not change a thing.
This feeling of futility is driven by the realisation that in a capitalist state, the system serves a small elite, not ordinary people. It is big business, lobbyists and their relationships with politicians that decide law and policy. It is - as Lord Halisham once said - an 'elected dictatorship': rule for, by and of the elite. An individual's vote is irrelevant.
Yet some Muslims stubbornly hold onto the belief that their vote counts. That if Muslims were better coordinated, they would secure Muslim-friendly MPs. This is an act of desperation - it upholds an argument that the west is rejecting. Many, who are becoming exhausted at the failure of their system, are looking for alternatives, yet some Muslims look backwards, to a failed system and one that does not secure Islamic interests.

4. Our Politics, Our Values

Some believe participation in the secular system will deliver benefits for the community or help fight rising ‘Islamophobia'. They are willing to cross a red line and support the manifestos of liberal secular parties that are fundamentally at odds with Islam in the hope that they would achieve some reciprocal benefit.

Not only has this been untrue, it reduces Muslims to a pitiful state as they beg for their rights. More fundamentally, participating and supporting such parties is not sanctioned by Islam exactly because they spread a call that is at odds with its very Aqeeda.

Allah (swt) says:

((قُلْ إِنِّي نُهِيتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ قُلْ لَا أَتَّبِعُ أَهْوَاءَكُمْ قَدْ ضَلَلْتُ إِذًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ))

"Say, "Indeed, I have been forbidden to submit to those you invoke besides Allah." Say, "I will not follow your desires, for I would then have gone astray, and I would not be of the [rightly] guided."" [Al-Anaam: 56]

There are numerous case studies in which Muslims have - without participating or engaging in the secular political process - established activities to secure their Islamic interests, based on the principle of self-reliance.

These include establishing alternative media to counter ‘Islamophobia', undermining intellectual and moral underpinnings of colonial western policies and undermining the local implementation of pernicious government policies and laws that target Muslims. Likewise, Muslims established mosques, schools and the halal food industry without entering the secular political process. Muslims must not be drawn into petty arguments that force them to compromise core Islamic belief for a supposed benefit.

Our community must, as a fundamental priority, ensure that we uphold Islam with confidence in the face of all the negativity about Islam in the media. We can only counter the lies and misconceptions if we keep Islam at the top of our agenda and pursue a political path consistent with its values, rather than trying to curry favour with the corrupt Westminster politicians, who simply court Muslims for their own selfish desire for power.

We call upon the Muslim community to hold fast to Islamic values and follow a political path based upon Islam and the unity of the Muslim community - enjoining the good and forbidding the munkar - and resist the false promises of influence in this secular system at the cost of losing our Deen. Only Islam gives this community dignity and ‘izzah and if we lose that, no amount of political activity could ever deliver meaningful results.

Allah (swt) says:

((وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنْصَرُونَ))

"And do not incline to those who do wrong, or the Fire will seize you; and you have no protectors other than Allah, nor shall you be helped." [Hud: 113]

News

This week officials from Iran and six other countries, the US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany, agreed on a framework for ways to contain Iran's nuclear programme. It provides guidelines for a more lasting agreement, one that must conclude by June 30, 2015. However, the framework sees Iran surrender key pillars of its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions. Many Iranians may wonder why their leadership capitulated so suddenly after a decade of stubbornness in the face of stiff opposition from America and Europe.

Comment

As details emerged about the framework agreed between the six powers and Iran, it became evident that Iran had not only made huge concessions over its nuclear programme, but also surrendered its nuclear sovereignty to intrusive inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The key points around the framework are:

1. Centrifuges

Iran would have to reduce its 19,000 centrifuges down to 6,104 under the deal, with only 5,060 allowed to enrich uranium over the next 10 years. Centrifuges are tube-shaped machines used to enrich uranium, the material necessary for nuclear power and nuclear bombs.

2. Uranium enrichment

Iran's centrifuges will only enrich uranium to 3.67% -- enough for civil use to power parts of the country, but not enough to build a nuclear bomb. That agreement lasts 15 years. Tehran has agreed not to build any new uranium enrichment facilities over that period as well. In addition, Iran will reduce its current stockpile of 10,000 kilograms of low-enriched uranium to 300 kilograms for 15 years.

3. Fordow facility

Iran's Fordow nuclear reactor would stop enriching uranium for at least 15 years. It will not have fissile material at the facility, but it will be able to keep 1,000 centrifuges there.

4. Research and development

Iran can continue its research and development on enrichment, but Iran will be required to make changes at a number of its facilities-including reducing centrifuges and rebuilding a heavy water reactor in Arak-the country will get to maintain its current facilities.

5. Inspections

Iran will be required to provide inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN's nuclear watchdog, access to all of its declared facilities so that the agency can ensure there is no potential for military-related developments. That includes access to Parchin, an Iranian military facility related to its nuclear program. Western countries have been seeking unfettered access throughout Iran, not just declared facilities, as Iran has previously conducted nuclear work in secret.
In return, the West will lift sanctions, but only after the UN has verified that Tehran has implemented the above steps. In the event of violations, sanctions will be re-imposed.

After spending 12 years building up its nuclear capability, Tehran has finally surrendered its nuclear programme to the ‘Great Satan' America-a deal that the US may have difficulty in honouring, as the US Congress is dead opposed to it. Meanwhile, Iran's president Rouhani praised the deal and described Iran's surrender as cooperation with the West. He said, "Today is a day that will remain in the historic memory of the Iranian nation. Some think that we must either fight the world or surrender to world powers. We say it is neither of those, there is a third way. We can have co-operation with the world."

Islam forbids Muslims to cede control of their military arsenal to foreign powers, especially those countries that are waging a world-wide war against Islam and Muslims. Allah (swt) says,

((...وَلَنْ يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلًا))

"Allah will never allow the non-believers to have a way (sabilan) over the believers" [TMQ Surat al-Nisaa':141]

The Iranian leadership, just like all other leaders of the Muslim world are not sincere in their pursuit of nuclear technology, and are unable to harness its use to defend the honour of the Muslim ummah-like Pakistan that has over a hundred nuclear war heads but grovels before the West. Only under the true Khilafah "Caliphate" State will Muslims be able to pursue, build, and use nuclear technology to not only enhance the lives of its citizens but also to defend their honour.

Written for The Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Abdul Majeed Bhatti- Pakistan