Monday, February 17, 2014
Hazara children: Still life
Fazil Mousavi pumps hope and colour into the ethnically fragmented lives of Hazara children. PHOTOS: DANIAL SHAH
By Danial Shah / Photo: Danial Shah / Creative: Munira Abbas
Red may run through the lives of Hazaras in Quetta but their children still manage to paint a positive picture. At the Sketch Club in Mariabad, that boasts the oldest Hazara settlement in the eastern half of the city since the late 18th century, parents enroll their children to nurture their artistic talent.
A student practices drawing clay pots at the Sketch Club . PHOTOS: DANIAL SHAH
It’s not hard to spot the club tucked away in the middle of a row of stores and houses in the neighbourhood. The words ‘Sketch Club’ are painted in an oblique font on the signboard at the entrance, cemented in place over a stand-out white steel gate. A flight of stairs lead up to an open terrace where children sit in broad daylight, with their sketchbooks and shading pencils in tow. Inspired by an astounding view of the Mariabad valley, where houses are built in succession one above the other, they begin to sketch the object placed before them, taking instructions from their maestro on how to add highlights and texture to their drawing.
“I was teaching art at a school when I felt the need to [pass on] my skill to my community, hence the concept of ‘Sketch Club’ came into being,” says the 54-year-old drawing instructor, Fazil Mousavi. After completing his degree in Fine Arts at the University of Balochistan, in 1988, at a time where only one other known Hazara student graduated with him, he started work as a freelance artist, participating and winning prizes at nationwide exhibitions till 2002 and holding a solo exhibit at the Museum Willem van Haren, Holland, in 2007. But Mousavi’s vision was fulfilled with having his very own sketch club in Quetta, where he now offers psychological and emotional catharsis through art to Hazara boys and girls....Continue Reading...
Red may run through the lives of Hazaras in Quetta but their children still manage to paint a positive picture. At the Sketch Club in Mariabad, that boasts the oldest Hazara settlement in the eastern half of the city since the late 18th century, parents enroll their children to nurture their artistic talent.
A student practices drawing clay pots at the Sketch Club . PHOTOS: DANIAL SHAH
It’s not hard to spot the club tucked away in the middle of a row of stores and houses in the neighbourhood. The words ‘Sketch Club’ are painted in an oblique font on the signboard at the entrance, cemented in place over a stand-out white steel gate. A flight of stairs lead up to an open terrace where children sit in broad daylight, with their sketchbooks and shading pencils in tow. Inspired by an astounding view of the Mariabad valley, where houses are built in succession one above the other, they begin to sketch the object placed before them, taking instructions from their maestro on how to add highlights and texture to their drawing.
“I was teaching art at a school when I felt the need to [pass on] my skill to my community, hence the concept of ‘Sketch Club’ came into being,” says the 54-year-old drawing instructor, Fazil Mousavi. After completing his degree in Fine Arts at the University of Balochistan, in 1988, at a time where only one other known Hazara student graduated with him, he started work as a freelance artist, participating and winning prizes at nationwide exhibitions till 2002 and holding a solo exhibit at the Museum Willem van Haren, Holland, in 2007. But Mousavi’s vision was fulfilled with having his very own sketch club in Quetta, where he now offers psychological and emotional catharsis through art to Hazara boys and girls....Continue Reading...
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Thursday, February 6, 2014
US adds Malik Ishaq in most wanted global terrorist list
DAWN.COM
Published 2014-02-07 00:15:20
ISLAMABAD: The United States on Thursday designated Malik Ishaq, the chief of proscribed Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ) militant group of Pakistan, in its list of most wanted international terrorists.
“The Department of State has designated Malik Ishaq as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224,” said a statement issued by the US State Department.
The US government also decided to keep his outfit on the international terrorist organisation list.
“In addition to Ishaq’s designation, the Department of State has also reviewed and maintained the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation of LJ in accordance with Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended,” said the statement.
The statement said that Ishaq has claimed responsibility of his role in various terrorist activities that killed more than 100 Pakistani civilians mainly Shia Muslims.
“More recently, in February 2013, Pakistani police arrested Ishaq in connection with attacks on January 10 and February 16, 2013 in the northwestern city of Quetta that killed nearly 200 Pakistani civilians. LJ claimed responsibility for the Quetta bombings.”
American citizens and companies are now prohibited for engaging in transactions with the LJ chief after Thursday’s announcement. The US authorities can now act in freezing all his financial assets and properties in the United States as well, said the statement.
“The Department took these actions in consultation with the Departments of Justice and Treasury,” the press release added.
Malik Ishaq is facing charges relating to killing of more than 100 people belonging to the minority sect and the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in March 2009 and has spent around 15 years in Pakistani jails.
He was initially a member of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), a banned Sunni extremist group but later disassociated himself from it for his alleged ‘violent policies’ and formed his own outfit. The Lashkar-i-Jhangvi was proscribed by the Pakistan government as a terror group soon after its inception in early 1990s.
After reaching an agreement with Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) chief Ahmed Ludhianvi, Ishaq joined as second in command of the former SSP in 2012.
Published 2014-02-07 00:15:20
ISLAMABAD: The United States on Thursday designated Malik Ishaq, the chief of proscribed Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ) militant group of Pakistan, in its list of most wanted international terrorists.
“The Department of State has designated Malik Ishaq as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224,” said a statement issued by the US State Department.
The US government also decided to keep his outfit on the international terrorist organisation list.
“In addition to Ishaq’s designation, the Department of State has also reviewed and maintained the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation of LJ in accordance with Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended,” said the statement.
The statement said that Ishaq has claimed responsibility of his role in various terrorist activities that killed more than 100 Pakistani civilians mainly Shia Muslims.
“More recently, in February 2013, Pakistani police arrested Ishaq in connection with attacks on January 10 and February 16, 2013 in the northwestern city of Quetta that killed nearly 200 Pakistani civilians. LJ claimed responsibility for the Quetta bombings.”
American citizens and companies are now prohibited for engaging in transactions with the LJ chief after Thursday’s announcement. The US authorities can now act in freezing all his financial assets and properties in the United States as well, said the statement.
“The Department took these actions in consultation with the Departments of Justice and Treasury,” the press release added.
Malik Ishaq is facing charges relating to killing of more than 100 people belonging to the minority sect and the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in March 2009 and has spent around 15 years in Pakistani jails.
He was initially a member of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), a banned Sunni extremist group but later disassociated himself from it for his alleged ‘violent policies’ and formed his own outfit. The Lashkar-i-Jhangvi was proscribed by the Pakistan government as a terror group soon after its inception in early 1990s.
After reaching an agreement with Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) chief Ahmed Ludhianvi, Ishaq joined as second in command of the former SSP in 2012.
ملک اسحاق ’عالمی دہشت گردوں‘ کی فہرست میں شامل
آخری وقت اشاعت: جمعرات 6 فروری 2014 , 16:10 GMT 21:10 PST
ملک اسحاق پر 100 سے افراد کے قتل کے مقدمات قائم ہیں
امریکی حکام نے پاکستان کی کالعدم تنظیم لشکر جھنگوی کے بانی امیر ملک محمد اسحاق کو ’خصوصی عالمی دہشت گرد‘ قرار دے دیا ہے۔
امریکہ کے محکمۂ خارجہ نے ان کی تنظیم لشکرِ جھنگوی کو بھی غیر ملکی دہشت گرد تنظیموں کی فہرست میں شامل رکھنے کا اعلان کیا ہے۔
محکمۂ خارجہ کی جانب سے جمعرات کو جاری ہونے والے بیان میں کہا گیا ہے کہ ملک اسحاق نے ایسی دہشت گردانہ سرگرمیوں میں اپنے کردار کو تسلیم کیا ہے جن کے نتیجے میں 100 سے زیادہ پاکستانیوں کی جانیں گئیں۔
بیان کے مطابق اس درجہ بندی کے بعد کسی بھی امریکی شہری یا تنظیم کو ملک اسحاق سے کسی قسم کے تعلقات کی اجازت نہیں ہوگی۔
اس کے علاوہ امریکی حکام امریکہ میں موجود ان سے منسلک تمام مالیاتی اثاثے منجمد کر سکیں گے۔
سپاہِ صحابہ سے لشکرِ جھنگوی
ملک اسحاق ابتدا میں کالعدم تنظیم سپاہ صحابہ کے ہی رکن تھے لیکن اپنی مبینہ متشدد پالیسی کی بنیاد پر سپاہ صحابہ سے اختلاف کے بعد ایک نئی تنظیم لشکر جھنگوی کی بنیاد رکھی اور اس کے بانی امیر بنے۔
بیان میں یہ بھی کہا گیا ہے کہ ملک اسحاق کو عالمی دہشت گرد قرار دیے جانے کے علاوہ لشکرِ جھنگوی کو غیر ملکی دہشت گرد تنظیم قرار دیے جانے کے فیصلے کا بھی جائزہ لیا گیا ہے جس کے بعد اس کا یہ درجہ برقرار رکھنے کا فیصلہ ہوا ہے۔
ملک اسحاق پر سو سے زیادہ شیعہ اور دیگر مسالک سے تعلق رکھنے والے افراد کے قتل کے مقدمات قائم ہیں اور وہ تقریباً پندرہ سال جیل کاٹ چکے ہیں۔
وہ ابتدا میں کالعدم تنظیم سپاہ صحابہ کے ہی رکن تھے لیکن اپنی مبینہ متشدد پالیسی کی بنیاد پر سپاہ صحابہ سے اختلاف کے بعد ایک نئی تنظیم لشکر جھنگوی کی بنیاد رکھی اور اس کے بانی امیر بنے۔ یہ تنظیم بھی اسی زمانے میں کالعدم قرار دے دی گئی تھی۔
سنہ 2012 میں سپاہ صحابہ میں قیادت کے معاملے پر اختلافات ختم ہوگئے تھے اور تنظیم کے موجودہ سربراہ احمد لدھیانوی اور ملک اسحاق میں صلح کے بعد انھیں تنظیم کا نائب صدر بنا دیا گیا تھا۔
US Department of State: Terrorist Designations of Lashkar I Jhangvi and Malik Ishaq
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
February 6, 2014
The Department of State has designated Malik Ishaq, one of the co-founders of Lashkar I Jhangvi (LJ), as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. The consequences of this designation include a prohibition against U.S. persons engaging in transactions with Malik Ishaq, and the freezing of all property and interests of Malik Ishaq that are in the United States, or come within the United States or the possession or control of U.S. persons.
Malik Ishaq is a founding member and is the current leader of LJ. In 1997, Malik Ishaq admitted his involvement in terrorist activity that resulted in the deaths of over 100 Pakistanis. More recently, in February 2013, Pakistani police arrested Ishaq in connection with attacks on January 10 and February 16, 2013 in the northwestern city of Quetta, Pakistan that killed nearly 200 Pakistani civilians. LJ claimed responsibility for the Quetta bombings.
In addition to Ishaq’s designation under E.O. 13224, the Department of State has also reviewed and maintained the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation of LJ in accordance with Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended. LJ specializes in armed attacks and bombings and has admitted responsibility for numerous killings of Shia religious and civil society leaders in Pakistan. LJ claimed responsibility for a 2013 attack in a crowded billiards hall in Quetta that resulted in the deaths of 80 Pakistanis.
As a result of maintaining the FTO designation, the legal consequences of the designation remain in place, including the prohibition against knowingly providing, or attempting or conspiring to provide, material support or resources to LJ, and the freezing of all LJ assets under the control or possession of U.S. financial institutions.
The Department took these actions in consultation with the Departments of Justice and Treasury.
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
February 6, 2014
The Department of State has designated Malik Ishaq, one of the co-founders of Lashkar I Jhangvi (LJ), as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. The consequences of this designation include a prohibition against U.S. persons engaging in transactions with Malik Ishaq, and the freezing of all property and interests of Malik Ishaq that are in the United States, or come within the United States or the possession or control of U.S. persons.
Malik Ishaq is a founding member and is the current leader of LJ. In 1997, Malik Ishaq admitted his involvement in terrorist activity that resulted in the deaths of over 100 Pakistanis. More recently, in February 2013, Pakistani police arrested Ishaq in connection with attacks on January 10 and February 16, 2013 in the northwestern city of Quetta, Pakistan that killed nearly 200 Pakistani civilians. LJ claimed responsibility for the Quetta bombings.
In addition to Ishaq’s designation under E.O. 13224, the Department of State has also reviewed and maintained the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation of LJ in accordance with Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended. LJ specializes in armed attacks and bombings and has admitted responsibility for numerous killings of Shia religious and civil society leaders in Pakistan. LJ claimed responsibility for a 2013 attack in a crowded billiards hall in Quetta that resulted in the deaths of 80 Pakistanis.
As a result of maintaining the FTO designation, the legal consequences of the designation remain in place, including the prohibition against knowingly providing, or attempting or conspiring to provide, material support or resources to LJ, and the freezing of all LJ assets under the control or possession of U.S. financial institutions.
The Department took these actions in consultation with the Departments of Justice and Treasury.
Source: US Department of State
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