ANAA. Muktharan Mai. Khalid Hassan and his Post-Card.
On the contrary
Sir: In a Daily Times article dated July 6, (http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_6-7-2005_pg7_45), I was surprised to read about the accusation against the Asian American Network Against Abuse of Women (ANAA). Even more surprising was the fact that the article was written by Khalid Hasan, a renowned Pakistani journalist, who merely took his information from another article and presented it without bothering to check his facts. Mr Hasan quotes the editor-in-chief of Muslim Weekly, claiming that ANAA has been criticised by some in the Pakistani-American community for playing into the hands of lobbies who do not wish Pakistan well and are always ready to blacken its name. The names of the two persons comprising this lobby are Amit Shah and Gautam Desai. Perhaps Mr Hasan should do a background check on Mr Desai and Mr Shah before he hurls such baseless accusations.
I know both gentlemen personally and Mr Hasans and Mr Anwars comments cannot be further from the truth. Both Mr Desai and Mr Shah have put in a great deal of effort to help foster dialogue and friendly relations between Indians and Pakistanis in the United States. Mr Desai, who is also a Gujarati, has committed his personal funds to helping the Indian Muslim victims of the Gujarat carnage. Develop in Peace is a non-profit organisation which is run entirely on the voluntary efforts of those striving to maintain peace between the people of the Indo-Pak subcontinent. Mr Hasan claims that Dr Amit Shah and Gautam Desai . are accused of being the moving spirits behind the current anti-Pakistan media campaign. I would like to see even one piece of evidence that supports this allegation.
As for blackening Pakistans name, I doubt there is much that ANAA can do further than what the Musharraf government has already done to tarnish Pakistans image abroad. The issue is not that violent practices and gross human rights violations continue to take place in the name of culture in Pakistan. All countries are guilty of human rights abuses to some extent.
The issue is how these violations are handled and whether or not legal justice is served. What is perhaps the height of naïveté is the assumption that by keeping Mukhtar Mai under house arrest, we can somehow protect Pakistans image abroad. In my opinion, President Musharrafs decision to keep Mukhtar Mai from travelling was akin to shooting himself in the foot. A hero like Mai should be a matter of pride for Pakistan. The courage and resilience with which she has dealt with her situation serves as an inspiration to all women and men over the world.
AYESHAH IFTIKHAR
USA
Sir: In a Daily Times article dated July 6, (http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_6-7-2005_pg7_45), I was surprised to read about the accusation against the Asian American Network Against Abuse of Women (ANAA). Even more surprising was the fact that the article was written by Khalid Hasan, a renowned Pakistani journalist, who merely took his information from another article and presented it without bothering to check his facts. Mr Hasan quotes the editor-in-chief of Muslim Weekly, claiming that ANAA has been criticised by some in the Pakistani-American community for playing into the hands of lobbies who do not wish Pakistan well and are always ready to blacken its name. The names of the two persons comprising this lobby are Amit Shah and Gautam Desai. Perhaps Mr Hasan should do a background check on Mr Desai and Mr Shah before he hurls such baseless accusations.
I know both gentlemen personally and Mr Hasans and Mr Anwars comments cannot be further from the truth. Both Mr Desai and Mr Shah have put in a great deal of effort to help foster dialogue and friendly relations between Indians and Pakistanis in the United States. Mr Desai, who is also a Gujarati, has committed his personal funds to helping the Indian Muslim victims of the Gujarat carnage. Develop in Peace is a non-profit organisation which is run entirely on the voluntary efforts of those striving to maintain peace between the people of the Indo-Pak subcontinent. Mr Hasan claims that Dr Amit Shah and Gautam Desai . are accused of being the moving spirits behind the current anti-Pakistan media campaign. I would like to see even one piece of evidence that supports this allegation.
As for blackening Pakistans name, I doubt there is much that ANAA can do further than what the Musharraf government has already done to tarnish Pakistans image abroad. The issue is not that violent practices and gross human rights violations continue to take place in the name of culture in Pakistan. All countries are guilty of human rights abuses to some extent.
The issue is how these violations are handled and whether or not legal justice is served. What is perhaps the height of naïveté is the assumption that by keeping Mukhtar Mai under house arrest, we can somehow protect Pakistans image abroad. In my opinion, President Musharrafs decision to keep Mukhtar Mai from travelling was akin to shooting himself in the foot. A hero like Mai should be a matter of pride for Pakistan. The courage and resilience with which she has dealt with her situation serves as an inspiration to all women and men over the world.
AYESHAH IFTIKHAR
USA
posted by Zulfiqar Ali Butt @ 8:15 PM
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