This article was originally published on islamsperspective.blogspot.com
I am writing this post in response to the scores of columns, editorials and op-eds which appeared in dailies across Pakistan regarding the recent attacks in Mumbai. While there were very few which tried to analyze the events and go beyond the Indian account of things, most of our writers were quick to pass judgments on supposed Pakistani involvement.
All what we know about Pakistan's involvement in the Mumbai attacks stems from either Indian media or Indian officials. No objective evidence has been brought to daylight and neither will this happen, least in the name of National Security. Pakistan and India are arch-enemies and have already fought 3 wars against each other. India has a history of inciting anti-Muslim feelings — Babri Mosque, the Gujarat carnage and the Samjhota bombing are just a few to mention. India also has a history of prematurely blaming Pakistan when attacked internally, only to be proven wrong afterwards. The recent bombings of the Malegaon and Samjhota express are proof of this. Hindu extremists, responsible for the Babri mosque demolition and the Gujarat carnage, form India's main stream political party — and with elections coming, their involvement cannot be ruled out.
Having all this in mind, let me come to the questions which I asked myself and I think every responsible Pakistani journalist should ask before writing on this issue.
Allah (swt) says in the Quran: "O you who believe! If a fasiq (liar — evil person) brings you news, verify it, lest you harm some people in ignorance and afterward repent of what you did." [TMQ 49:6] Shouldn't we have dealt more skeptically with information coming from the mouths of the mushrikeen, not just the fasiqeen?
As both countries are arch-enemies, how can the evidence provided by one be accepted by the other without objective verification? I recall reading that in the time of Ali (ra) as the Khalifah, he had seen a Jew steal his saddle. Ali (ra) upon catching that person took him to the court and narrated the account to the Judge (Qadhi), who rejected this as credible evidence because it was coming from the plaintiff — Ali (ra) himself.
It is also widely known and accepted from numerous declassified reports that intelligence agencies launch 'false flag' operations in order to achieve strategic objectives, even killing their own people. Why is it that mainstream Pakistani media didn't even bother to consider this as one explanation of the attacks, given that some Western analysts like Wayne Madsen — a Washington DC-based investigative journalist — have pointed this out?
The whole event is surrounded by many mysteries. Three of the very first casualties of the Mumbai attacks were three police officers — Hemant Karkare, DIG Ashok Kamte, and Vijay Salaskar — who were investigating a serving Colonel's involvement in the Malegaon bombing case, with known ties to Hindu extremist groups.
It seems that the age-old principle of 'innocent unless proven guilty' has been reversed since 9/11 when it comes to Muslims. At least Muslim writers should not follow this inhumane, immoral and unethical practice of demonizing fellow brethren and Islam.
