Fate of Minorities under Islamic rule...Nizam-e-Mustafa or Nizam-e-Adal...

On those dark winter nights of January 1990, when the chill of the chilay-kalaan was frozen by these blood-freezing slogans of the Islamic fundamentalist masses flooding the streets of Srinagar...

“Yahan kya chalega – Nizam E Mustafa” (What will rule Kashmir – Rule of Allah)

“La ilah Illalah – Pakistan banega Insalaah” (Praise to God! Kashmir will be Pakistan)

"Kashmir mein agar rehna hai, Allah-o-Akbar kehna hai" (Only those who believe in Allah - (only Muslims) can live in Kashmir)

“Aes gacche’ Pakistan, Batav ros’ te’ batnev saan” (we want Kashmir – without Pandit men, but with their womenfolk)

“Battav ya raliv, chaliv nate’ galiv” (O Pandits – either join us, flee or die)

… the miniscule minority of Kashmir (Kashmiri Pandits) had a life-changing dilemma facing them. The nightmarish decision of choosing to stay put in the valley to live through the nightmare under Islamic Jihadi frenzy risking our identity, lives and honour OR opting for survival and upholding our identity...

And we chose the latter… For years thereon, there has been ridicule heaved on Kashmiri Pandits for this choice, by various communities who have a misplaced sense of machismo… But the fact remains – something only a community which have lived it can know – an unarmed miniscule 2% minority is helpless and defenseless before a huge majority baying for your blood – armed with sophisticated weapons and brainwashed by zealots to wage Jihad in the name of religion…

Today, history repeats itself… not in very distinct measure. The minorities in Pakistan are facing the same survival threat – yet again at the hands of the same zealots that ravaged the peace of Kashmir…

Some have made the choice of exodus to save their honour… (Read here)

And now more are being forced to buy their survival…

“Sikhs Pay Rs 20 Million as 'Tax' to Taliban in Pak
Sikhs pay Rs 20 million in 'tax' to Taliban in Pak's Aurakzai

Sikhs pay Rs 20m 'tax' to Taliban in Pak's Aurakzai

16 Apr, 2009 1217hrs IST PTI

ISLAMABAD: Members of Pakistan's minority Sikh community living in the restive Aurakzai tribal region have paid Rs 20 million as "tax" to the Taliban after militants forcibly occupied some of their homes and kidnapped a Sikh leader.

The Taliban had demanded Rs 50 million as 'jizia' - a tax levied on non-Muslims living under Islamic rule - but the militants finally settled for Rs 20 million.

After the amount was paid on Wednesday, the militants vacated the homes they had taken over and released Sikh leader Saiwang Singh, officials in the tribal region near the northwestern city of Peshawar were quoted as saying by the Daily Times newspaper.

The officials said the Taliban had announced that the Sikhs were now free to live anywhere in Aurzakzai Agency. The militants also announced they would protect the community, saying that no one would harm them after they had paid jizia.

Sikhs who had left the area would now return to their homes and resume their business, the officials said.

The militants had occupied at least 10 homes of Sikhs in Qasimkhel village on Tuesday. About 35 Sikh families have been living in Qasimkhel for many years.

The Taliban demand for jizia was resolved at a jirga or council held yesterday through the efforts of local tribal elders. The militants had said the Sikhs should pay jizia in accordance with Shariah or Islamic law”

A tribute to the Defence Forces of INDIA

Your alarm goes off; you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes
He stays up for days on end

You take a warm shower to help you wake up
He goes days or weeks without running water

You complain of a "headache", and call in sick
He gets shot at as others are hit, and keeps moving forward

You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt

You talk trash about your "buddies" that aren't with you
He knows he may not see some of his buddies ever again

You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls
He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists

You complain about how hot it is
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow

You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong
He doesn't get to eat today

Your wife/mother/maid makes your bed and washes your clothes
He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean

You go to the mall and get your hair redone
He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today

You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over
He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months

You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home

You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday
He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume

You roll your eyes as a baby cries
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet

You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything...
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting

You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him
He hears the gunfire, bombs and screams of the wounded - and of the innocents who have no one to stand up for them

You see only what the media wants you to see
He sees the broken bodies lying around him

You stay at home and watch TV
He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep and eat

You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable
He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be awakened by gunfire

You sit there and judge him, saying the world is probably a worse place because of men like him
If only there were more men like him !

WHO is HE?

Kashmir: Through a Pak militant's lens

'Azadi' was at one time my junoon and it took me across the border to ISI camps in Pakistan, where I was trained to kill, plunder, loot - all in the name of Islam, I returned with power flowing from the barrel of the gun. I was trained by my "masters" in Pakistan to record the violence in such a manner that the blame shifted from the militants to the security forces.

To read full article by an ex-terrorist Javaid Hussain Shah - click here or here.