Pakistani Elections 2008- What now holds for the future?

Also available on the Asian Image Website

By Majed Iqbal- February 18th 2008 saw Pakistan embarking on its Election Day amidst the chaos, Political unstability, violence, Foreign Interference and heavy handed tactics of the darling of London and Washington, the self styled "President" of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf.



Dubbed as the most crucial and most important Elections in Pakistan and the sixth in the country's fifty one year history, international Media and Western states alongside a "Special" Foreign Election Investigators team sent to observe the whole process, were watching events with close attention as events unfolded minute by minute in this country described as a "volatile" and a "politically unstable" area.

If Elections in Pakistan ever changed anything, They'd be Abolished!

Published on the Heritage Section of Asian News

By Majed Iqbal- Today is February 18th 2008. A much awaited day and for some a day which supposed to have begun last month for many. Today, Pakistan is embarking on its Election Day amidst the chaos, Political unstability, violence, Foreign Interferance and heavy handed tactics of the darling of London and Washington, the self tyled "President" of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf.



Discussions on Elections and restoring the country onto a democratic route have been heavily discussed by Pakistani politicians, TV Channels, Newspapers and by the existing government officials.

Promises flavoured with enticing language of development, progress, education for all, rooting out corruption, free media, helping the poor, quashing extremism and placing the country of Pakistan back onto the international stage with pride amongst the world community; all such lollypop advert styled slogans have come thick and fast in efforts to engage the nation into voting for the "right choice".

A life without meaning is no life at all

By Moh Bloggs- Bridgend is a sleepy little place in South Wales, I've passed through it once many many moons ago, it struck me like the rest of the small towns in Wales a place without any real purpose.



This small town is now the centre of what is one of the UK's largest suicide patterns with 16 apparent suicides amongst young people in the last year alone.

The latest victims are two cousins who were found dead within hours of each other, Nathaniel Pritchard, 15, died in hospital after "harming himself" and Kelly Stephenson, 20, was found hanged while on holiday in Kent. The Police are not linking the current deaths to the pattern in Bridgend at the moment, but I think there is something more sinister at work here.

New aged liberal intolerance

By Moh Bloggs - Just like Kryptonite to Superman, there are some things British society just can't stand. In the last week one of these seems to be Islam I say this having considered the gravity of the statement very carefully.



Ever since the comments from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowen Williams, regarding the possible use of some aspects of Sharia law for Muslims in the areas of marriage and the like, there has been a frenzy of anti-muslim sentiments. These have been expressed by the media (both written and visual) and by the average person on the street.

The very idea of Muslims using Islam to solve their own problems has been lost in the noise about how supposedly backward Sharia is, conjuring up scenes of hand chopping and public floggings in the streets of Britain.

Community Leaders question Rochdale MP's Propaganda

By Majed Iqbal- It is often populalry quoted in political circles that "A week in politics is a long time" and indeed this has been exactly the case this week after the Question Time Event on "Extremism, Islam and the Muslim Community" staged on Saturday 9th february in Rochdale.



Amidst the lies and misinformation spread by Paul Rowen and his office was the arguement that Community leaders had expressed concern at Saturdays event, based upon which it was decided that Paul should not attend the event. On contacting as many community leaders as possible in Rochdale nobody knew of any comments made of such a nature to Paul or any of his office members.

Rochdale Ovbserver ran a story on the day of the event that Mr Ghulam Rasool Shazad had expressed concern at the event. On meeting Mr Shazad on the day and being questioned if this was the case he replied

Rochdale Observer Coverage of Extremism Event

Rochdale Observer covered the story of the Event tackling the discussions of Extremism and the muslim community.



Watch the video for the event by clicking on the "Question Time Video" tab on the top of the page.

Letters of Correspondance with Paul Rowen MP

Despite denial and active efforts to malign the debate, discussion, the panelists and the organisers, the following documents should leave any impartial observer with little room for doubt on how Paul Rowen and his office have attempted to steer the debate off  the course with cheap propaganda tactics.

Click the Thumbnails for a full view which details that discussions with Paul Rowen began on 30th November.

 

The letters above clearly highlight how Paul Rowen agreed to sit wth Panelists Simon Danczuk (Labour Parliamentary candidate for Rochdale) and Ali Khan (Hizb ut-Tahrir) for the Question Time which Paul Rowen and his office are in denial of.  Click the Thumbnails for a full view which details that discussions with Paul Rowen began on 30th November.

Asian Image- Debate goes ahead despite MP backing out

Published on the Asian Image Website

A Question Time Event looking at "Extremism, Islam and the Muslim Community" was attended by over two hundred people.



The heavily publicized event drew extra attention after Paul Rowen MP backed out of the debate stating he did not want to give the members of the group Hizb-ut-Tahrir, who were also invited, a platform to air their views.

Organizer Majed Iqbal, who runs the Rochdale based Blog on community affairs "Majeds Blog" chaired the event.

He said, "Many participants were angry with the actions of their local MP in his refusal to debate issues that matter to many British Muslims."

Asian News- Hundreds take part in Debate

Published in the Asian News- 13/02/2008

A public forum organised to discuss issues affecting Rochdale Muslims was hailed a success despite one of its key panellists pulling out of the event just days before.



The event, which was held in a 'Question Time' format, had been organised with local MP Paul Rowen to discuss extremism, Islam and the Muslim community. But Mr Rowen later declined the invitation because a member of Hitz-ut-Tahrir was also participating.

A spokesperson for Mr Rowen said: "Paul regrettably pulled out of the event after warnings from the police and other community organisations about giving publicity to Hizb-ut-Tahrir."

But organisers say despite Mr Rowen's absence, the event attracted over 200 people.

Organiser Majed Iqbal, who runs the popular blog on community affairs - Majeds Blog - said the event, held at Castlemere Community centre, gave the audience a platform to discuss issues at a grass root level.

Rochdale Online refuses to cover Question Time Event Story

In the last week not only have we had a Politician and his team of spin doctors to fabricate lies about why they do not wish to attend a Question Time Event, we now have Press wishing to "censor" stories as if they did not even occur!!



Rochdale online has refused to cover the story for the Question Time event. Since Monday, calls have been made twice a day asking for a chat with the News Editor, only to be fobbed off with the same answer "they'r not in". I left them with a message and my number each time on calling such that i could speak to someone- but to no avail.

On speaking to someone i was informed that Paul Rowens Office was instrumental in asking another newspaper not to run the story. This immeadiatley explained the sequence of events with Rochdale Online. I decided to write an email and sent the following:

Rochdale's Question Time Event on Extremism draws hundreds

Rochdale's Question Time Event was greeted by over 200 eager members of the community on Saturday night including men and women, young and old, professionals and students, community leaders and Media who all attended for a real insight into the debate on "Extremism, Islam and the Muslim Community".

[slideshow id=432345564254713029&w=426&h=320]

The Event, which was heavily publicized and drew extra attention after Paul Rowen MP refused to come on the panel and debate the issues was warmly welcomed and fulfilled the purpose of engaging the Rochdale community in discussions on a grass-roots level with issues that were close to their hearts.

The oragniser, Majed Iqbal, who runs the Rochdale based Blog on community affairs "Majeds Blog" opened the event by explaining why Paul Rowen refused to engage in this debate and cited all the lies, false propaganda and baseless excuses that were used to justify his position.

The truth Behind Paul Rowen MP's refusal to attend Rochdale's Question Time

PRESS RELEASE from Majed's Blog- Saturday 09/02/2008

Amid much planning, organising and Public discussion, the event titled "Dialogue, Debate and Discussion on Extremism, Islam and the Muslim Community" organised by Majeds Blog, a popular Rochdale based Blogger, has gone ahead, despite Paul Rowen MP, deciding not to attend the event.



Unfortunately, in true local Politics fashion, Paul Rowen has hid behind arguments to justify his decision for not attending.

His first excuse was aired whilst on a radio show on the Local Community radio station, Crescent Radio, when on being asked why he is attending an event alongside a member of the organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir he replied:

"I only found out on Friday (01/02/08) that Hizb ut-Tahrir were going to be on the panel that i had agreed to go to.............My position is clear. I am not willing to engage in Public discussion with Hizb ut-Tahrir..............I have been given false information for a second time now about who is going to be there at that particular meeting"

Debate goes Ahead despite MP back out

The Question Time Event on "Extremism, Islam and the muslim community has raised debate and discussion even before the event ha started!! While Paul Rowen feels the heat from the debate and temperatures soar high in his own office as to what reason or arguement to put forward to "justify" his absence, the Muslim community is loking forward to a robust, open and frank discussion on the topic at hand.



Those whose minds and hearts are open will come ad entertain their concerns, looking for clear and credible answers in response; and those who hide behind false accusations only end up displaying their true colours.

Sadiq Khan MP- A Usual Suspect?

By Majed Iqbal- "For people to feel confident in the police and security service we need to know what has happened." These were the words of Sadiq Khan, MP for tooting involved in a scenario where he was bugged on visiting a Prisoner.

The Sunday Times reported that Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist squad eavesdropped on conversations and covertly recorded during prison visits made in 2005 and 2006 between Khan and Babar Ahmad, a childhood friend of the MP who has campaigned against his extraditionand curently faces deportation to the United States, at Woodhill prison, Milton Keynes.

The table used for the meeting is reported to have contained hidden microphones. Questions are now looming as to whether the bugging operation was authorised by the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith or Sir Ian Blair, the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

It seems that the distrust the government, Political parties as well as the police has is not limited to the Muslim community at large but now extends even to those Muslim individuals who have dedicated their life in the political process only to be bitten by the same hand that has fed them.

Press Coverage of Rochdale Extremism Dialogue Event Advertisement

Rochdale has whole heartedly embraced the much awaited event titled "Extremism, Islam and the Muslim Community" which is to be staged this Saturday. The Event has been well advertised by various newspapers as well as interest shown by a Digital Television Channel to cover it for its news items. The folowing newspapers have covered the story so far.

Click on the images to go straight to the Articles written about the event organised through Majed's Blog.



The event has had very good publicity in the community. Over 1000 flyers were distributed on Friday after the Friday prayers in various mosques which were greeted with great pleasure from everyone. People felt a sense of enthusiasm that finally on a public level a discussion of such a nature where the community can participate is taking place in Rochdale.

Posters have been placed in shops, Community Centres, Cash and Carries where once again the people working at these places expressed great joy when the idea of the event was presented to them. We all look forward to an evening of vibrant discussion on a topic which is gaining immense attention from Politicians, Media and Government.

EVENT ANALYSIS- Do Muslim Women in Britain Need Empowering?

By Yasmeen Ahmed (Rochdale)- Inline with the governments recent push to "empower" Muslim women headed by Communities Secretary Hazel Blears, an event was organised by the North West Regional Assembly, Friends of Islam (All Party Parliamentary Group), it was held on Monday 21st January 2008 at Bolton Town Hall, and was entitled "Realising our potential: Promoting the talents of Muslim Women"



The government have invested £70m for Muslim womens projects, which has been allocated over the next 3 years; £45m will be given to local authorities for work on "preventing violent extremism". Some of this money will go towards efforts to give Muslim women a bigger role in creating "strong, resilient communities".

In the attentive audience was a mixture of people from the private, public, and voluntary sector; and, as it was a public event, there were members of the community in attendance curious to know what the latest government led initiative meant for the Muslim community.

The event which had been described as "ground-breaking" was well attended by Muslim women, of which I was one. Amongst the invited guest speakers was MP of Salford, Hazel Blears. Unfortunately?! Ms.Blears was unable to grace us with her presence on the day.