RAWALPINDI: “People laugh at truth, persecute truth and try to destroy truth, but God’s plan is never to be frustrated,” writes Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, from Kodai Kanal (Madras) in a letter dated Jan 5 to Mir Abdul Aziz editor of weekly “Insaf” in Rawalpindi, who had wished him on his birthday last month.

Sheikh Abdullah, who is in detention at Kodai Kanal writes: “I am grateful to you for wishing me on my birthday which incidentally is my 14th in jail.”

The letter adds: “People laugh at truth, persecute truth and try to destroy truth, but God’s plan is never to be frustrated. It will be carried out and only the enemies of the truth will accomplish the wrongdoing. So it happened in the past, so will it happen always and everywhere. Therefore, hold fast to God. He is your protector— the best to protect and the best to help.”

In the end of his letter he has quoted an Urdu verse which means “The path of patience and will is no doubt difficult but we are determined to tread on this very path.” (“Kathin Hai Manzili Saber-o-Raza Sahee Lekin Yeh Thaan Li Hai Kih Is Rah Se Guzarna Hai.”)

[Meanwhile, as reported by agencies in Peking,] China will launch a spacecraft this year, the organ of the Red Guard of the Peking Aeronautical Institute reported today [Jan 21].

Quoting “reliable sources”, the newspaper, “Red Flag”, said China would also carry out “a new test involving a missile with a nuclear warhead.

The Chinese term used for “spacecraft” is not the one used usually for satellite. Literally, it means “space vessel”.

The news item appeared in a column modestly headlined “News briefs”, but up to now the organ of the Aeronautical Institute has been one of the most reliable of the Red Guard Press.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2017