Jamaat Ud Dawa: A Terrorist Organization?

Oh Really?

The crackdown on Jamaat Ud Dawa continues as over 71 workers having been arrested and 124 placed under house arrest. But while this continues no one seems to care about the consequences of this action or the real questions. Does Jamaat Ud Dawa have anything to do with terrorism and Lashker E Toiba at all or has it just been dreamed up by the Indian media and politicians? How credible are Indias claims considering Hemant Karkares investigations suggested that it was not Lashker E Toiba that was responsible? Why is Pakistan taking action against Jamaat Ud Dawa one of the largest charities in Pakistan serving over 80000 people when there is no proof that it is involved in  terror related activities. Despite this why are we taking action on JuD when on the other hand there are Indian radical organizations that have massacred thousands of Muslims Christians and Sikhs but no action is taken against them?

The government of Pakistan not only continues with the policies of its predecessors but has gone several steps further than them dangerously oblivious to the alienation and sense of deprivation that the people of Pakistan have begun to feel over their actions and the massive level of rage and frustration that is building up due to unparalleled corruption and poor policies in all fields of Pakistani society. Recently what has wounded the Pakistani people the most is that the Pride they used to feel being Pakistanis itself is at stake. It is the view of the common man that the identity and sovereignty of Pakistan has been completely sold. The ban on Jamaat Ud Dawa has given further rise to such feelings and many now people think that there is absolutely no hope.

As a result of the unjust ban on JuD there is a feeling that any Pakistani can be framed anywhere in the world for doing nothing and the Government of Pakistan does not in anyway care about the people of Pakistan or the interests of the Country and will therefore do nothing in order to protect these Pakistani citizens. On paper and in their speeches the officials always seem to stress that the interests of the Pakistani people reign supreme and there will be no compromise on our sovereignty but they do not follow up with actions on their words. This scenario and the governments tall claims have been exposed with the ban and many people ask how stealing the bread of 80000 people just for the benefit of Indian blame and propaganda going to benefit us? How does taking action against a charity serve the interests of Pakistan?

Jamaat Ud Dawa was one of the largest humanitarian organizations in Pakistan. It had over 160 schools, 143 medical healthcare facilities and also fed many people two times a day. As a result a total of 80000 people were being served by the charity in total. 40000 of these were students and many of these could not afford the education and it is uncertain as to what will happen to their future. They were the first to react to both the Kashmir quake and the most recent one in Ziarat, Baluchistan. Jamaat Ud Dawa had major aid operations in Ziarat to help the Earthquake victims by building over 600 houses and providing education food and relief equipment to affected people. As a result of the ban sadly hundreds have been left freezing in the cold.

US and India have failed to answer the question of what terror group indulges itself in this kind of charity work and is helping the common people rather than terrorizing the World? Do the terror groups such as Ansar Ul Islam, Jaish E Mohammed, Al Qaeda, Taliban or Indian Mujahideen all do charity work? It seems that Jamaat Ud Dawa is more of a scapegoat than a “terrorist organization.”

Not only the humanitarian aspect of this organization has cast a shadow of doubt over the allegations but also the fact that all the benefactors of this charity were not Muslims and many were Christians and Hindus as well. It was only a month ago several poor Sindhi Christians and Hindus who had been supported by the organization rose in order to support it claiming that the organization was innocent and had nothing to do with terrorism or with Lashkar E Taoiba. Several protestors questioned how this organization could be a front for a terrorist group when it had helped them despite being Muslim. India’s propaganda campaign it seems has been put in peril when the question of would Non-Muslims really support an Islamic Terrorist Organization was raised.

Almost all the development, relief and humanitarian work in Pakistan is done by charity organizations and specially in this time when the Pakistani economy is in a crisis the common mans reliance upon them is much greater. The government itself over admits that over 40% of the development and relief work in Pakistan is done by humanitarian organizations like Jamaat Ud Dawa, Edhi and Ansar Burney Trust. The government also admits that whenever it tries to interfere or take control of the organizations they are overwhelmed by corrupt practices and criminal elements being given positions who are rather there for their own or their parties benefit rather than humanity. Knowing this it is natural for us to question what the government was really thinking when banning an organization on which so many are dependent. This action is forced upon us and by going along with it the government does not create anger against India or the United States but itself and is putting its own position at risk.

The Pakistani government speaks much about its commitment to Pakistan and how Pakistan’s interest comes first but again it has been shown that under a little pressure we are willing to succumb and sell the interests of our country. Even our Indian adversaries seem to have the authority over us nowadays and have gone as far as telling us what to do. The government continues with the old game. The blame is continuously put on the doorstep of the previous government but the fact is even the Musharraf government would never sell itself to India or bow down to them in such a way.

It seems the government has a lot to do in terms of winning the confidence of the people and needs to follow up on its words.  Otherwise the government is putting itself in peril by selling the Nation and compromising on the nation itself. The people of Pakistan are unwilling to sell their identity which is like their mother. They can sell all but their Pakistani identity.