| May 23, 2002 | Thursday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 10,1423 |
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Sectarian violence
Zakat fund misuse
ANOTHER top Kashmiri leader has been shot to death. Whoever murdered Abdul Ghani Lone in Srinagar on Tuesday chose a significant day in the Kashmiri people’s struggle for freedom. The elderly Kashmiri leader was attending a function marking the 12th anniversary of the killing of Mirwaiz Muhammad Farooq. On that day, in May 1990, the Indian occupation forces opened fire on the mourners, killing 50 people. Admired by friends and enemies alike for his moderate approach to the Kashmir question, Lone was also hated by those who did not approve of his aversion to politics of violence and extremism. On April 1, while he was giving an interview to Star News television, he was abused and assaulted by a member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, which is the military wing of Indian prime minister Vajpayee’s Bharatiya Janata Party. The attacker shouted, “You are anti-Indian. Your people are responsible for the killing of Hindus in Jammu,” while the police stood by. Who the attackers this time are nobody knows. But Abdul Ghani Lone, too, has now joined the rank of those 61,000 — the official Indian figure — who have given their lives for the cause of Kashmir’s freedom.
Pakistan has joined the rest of the world in condemning the dastardly act in no uncertain terms. The assassination coincided with the Indian prime minister’s arrival in the disputed territory. Clearly, there is a pattern to assassinations and mass murders whenever a VIP visits occupied Kashmir or the region. In March 2000, President Clinton’s arrival in South Asia saw the massacre of 35 Sikhs near Srinagar, while the recent terrorist attack in Jammu coincided with the arrival of the American assistant secretary of state, Christina Rocca, in the subcontinent. Whoever murdered the respected Kashmiri leader was no friend of the cause for which Kashmiris have been fighting now for nearly 13 years.
The killing of the chief of the People’s Conference Party, a component of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, comes at a time when things in the subcontinent seem to be moving toward disaster. As usual, India has blamed Pakistan for Lone’s murder, and there is no doubt we would see more sabre-rattling by Indian armed forces along Pakistan’s border. Since the attack on the Indian parliament building in December last, India has blamed every violent act in occupied territory on Pakistan. This is in keeping with its blind obsession with Pakistan. As against this, since President Musharraf’s Jan 12 speech, the whole world has recognized the vigorous steps taken by Islamabad to curb militancy. A number of parties have been banned, thousands of their activists are in prison, and their financial assets blocked. Pakistan has declared repeatedly that it would not allow anyone to use its territory for acts of terrorism anywhere in the world.
The ball is now in India’s court. Bullying will not work. Pakistan is quite capable of defending itself. A war between the two nuclear rivals would be a disaster for both. Let the two countries resolve all their disputes through dialogue. This plea is based on common sense. The Kashmiris are up in arms, and they shall continue to struggle for freedom, which is their inalienable right. Let India recognize this truth, and agree to the only sensible course open to it — talk to Pakistan and to the representatives of the people of Kashmir with a view to finding a peaceful solution.
THE outbreak of violence in Karachi yesterday was only the latest example of the growing religious intolerance in Pakistani society. The incident was sparked off when a group of young men from a rival sect began to pelt stones at the Chup Taziya procession that traditionally takes place on the 8th of Rabi-ul-Awwal. The enraged processionists retaliated and went on a rampage, setting at least 40 vehicles, several shops and two petrol pumps on fire. During the showdown between the two groups, one man snatched a rifle from a policeman and resorted to firing, which left one person dead and several people injured. At the peak of the trouble, the area resembled a battle zone with fire brigades unable to enter to salvage the burning vehicles and shops. Witnesses claim that the police and the rangers stood by as the violence escalated — unwilling or unable to defuse the situation. While calm ultimately returned to the area, many people were left counting the cost. Buses, rickshaws and taxis were among the vehicles burnt, depriving a large number of poor people of their livelihood.
The outbreak of violence of this nature just days before the 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal — when devotees take out large processions across the country — is not a good omen. The authorities must ensure the strictest security on that day and prevent a repeat of any similar incident. Members of the local bodies, the law enforcement agencies, ulema and community leaders must all work to ensure sectarian harmony. At the same time, extremist religious groups too must desist from making provocative and divisive statements that can only further inflame passions.
THE 50 per cent increase in the stipend for students of educational institutions is a step towards meeting the financial needs of indigent students. An amount of Rs 3,404.52 million was allocated by the Central Zakat Council recently. It was also decided that stipends for students of vocational training institutions should also be enhanced. A one-time grant for the purchase of tools has been raised from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000 together with continued financial support for health care, social welfare and marriage of deserving girls. With economic pressures rising on account of poverty, unemployment and inflation reaching out to the needy and deserving with meaningful help and should remain a key goal of Zakat funds. A Rs 1.139 billion package was announced for the economic rehabilitation of Zakat recipients last year. If adequate Zakat assistance is provided to the deserving in starting small businesses, it would mark a significant step towards realizing this objective and alleviating poverty generally. Unfortunately, despite the availability of ample financial resources in the Zakat fund, no significant improvement in people’s welfare is discernible. Rather, the number of people living below the poverty line has increased from 16 to 38 per cent in recent years.
Although transparency in disbursement is routinely emphasized, there are recurrent reports of undeserving people getting financial assistance from the Zakat and Ushr funds through favouritism. Diversion of funds for favourites of Zakat committee members shows gross misuse of resources and points to irregularities and corruption in the disbursement process. Earlier, the Ad-hoc Public Accounts Committee, taking note of irregular payments of Rs 1.954 million as TA/DA and another Rs 27.325 million without justification by the Northern Areas Zakat Council during 1992-95, expressed concern over the problems of pilferage and embezzlement through misuse of authority. Reviewing the audit reports of the Central Zakat Fund for 1999-00, it noted cases of pilferage and non-utilization of the fund to the extent of Rs 23 billion. In the circumstances, the importance of an elaborate monitoring mechanism can hardly be overemphasized to obviate misuse and corruption. Adherence to transparent procedures to determine entitlement and ensure correct distribution of funds is of the essence.