Ch. Shujaat Hussain, Imran Khan agree to cooperate on national issues

Ch. Shujaat Hussan, Imran Khan and Moonis Elahi

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Q and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf have agreed on cooperating with each other over crucial issues and continuing relationship in greater national interest. 

The decision was taken by the top leaders of both parties, who met at the residence of PTI chief Imran Khan on Saturday. PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Senator Kamil Ali Agha, Opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Zaheeruddin and MPA Chaudhry Moonis Elahi were members of the PML-Q delegation, which called on Imran Khan. The PTI leaders — Omar Sarfraz Cheema and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed — also attended the meeting. The meeting discussed in detail current political situation in country, and the challenges facing the federation. It was of consensus view that an alliance among political forces was a need of the hour to overcome challenges confronting the country and foil designs of elements causing chaos in the country. Both the parties also agreed on opposing any move to change the blasphemy law and working for Tahaffuz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat. 

Sources said both parties believed the PML-N was not playing the role of a genuine opposition, and it was supporting the government on almost all crucial issues. The performance of both provincial and federal governments came under discussion during the meeting. 

Later, talking to journalists, Ch Shujaat said the meeting discussed all national issues. He said the PML-Q wanted an alliance with the political forces which could block the way of any conspiracy against the country. 

Praising the PTI chief’s role as a politician, he said Imran’s abilities had been acknowledged even by his opponents, beyond any doubt. Imran said on the occasion the country’s situation was deplorable under the incumbent rulers and said the PML-Q was the only party which was playing the role of a true opposition in parliament. He said the political figures shared views with each other and this process would also continue in future as well. About the alliance with the PML-Q, Imran said at present there was only one alliance in the country which was between Zardari and Nawaz, who were protecting each other. 

Meanwhile, talking to The News, PML-Q Secretary Information Senator Kamil Ali Agha said the meeting discussed all core issues. He said the possibility of an alliance between the PML-Q and the PTI during local bodies’ polls or general elections was not discussed during the meeting. However, the issue might come under discussion in future sittings, he added.

N League has a history of using Punjabis as human shield in its nefarious power game: Moonis Elahi

Lahore (December 15, 2010) Moonis Elahi the senior central leader of the Pakistan Muslim League has said that the people of Punjab are currently the biggest victims of the ongoing target killings wave in the country. Referring to Monday’s statement of the Sind Home Minister and the recent Human Watch Pakistan’s report citing the murder of 12 educators of Punjab origin living in Baluchistan in 2010 alone, Moonis Elahi has expressed his serious concern and dismay at the unfortunate rise in target killing incidents against Punjabis settled in other parts of the country.

Moonis Elahi has accused the incumbent Punjab government of failing to protect Punjabis within Punjab and without on account of its incompetence and lust for power. He expressed these views today in Lahore during a meeting with a delegation of the Pakistan Muslim League workers belonging to his Gujrat provincial assembly constituency.

Moonis Elahi said that the people of Punjab were going through the worst time in their lives under the present Punjab government. He said that the present Punjab government on account of its poor policies and due to its lust for power had left the people totally vulnerable and unprotected against rising terrorism, crimes, poverty, unemployment and now target killings.

Moonis Elahi accused the Punjab government of not only failing in protecting the lives of the people of Punjab but also their rights. He said that this fact was evident from the present government’s role in thrusting various unjust decisions on the people of Punjab including the NFC Awards, heavy power and gas load shedding schedules and the RGST accord.

Moonis Elahi said that the N League had a long history of using the people of Punjab as a human shield in its nefarious power games. Moonis Elahi said that the target killings of Pakistanis including Punjabis were highly condemnable and it was incumbent upon the governments of Sind and Baluchistan to ensure the security and well being of all Pakistanis including the people of Punjab living there.

The biggest victims of the present inflation nightmare are the people of Punjab : Moonis Elahi

Lahore (December 10, 2010) Moonis Elahi the senior central leader of the Pakistan Muslim League has slammed the incumbent Punjab government for the unprecedented 160% increase in prices of essential commodities in the province in the last one year. He has called the over 85 million Pakistanis living in Punjab as the biggest victims of the country’s current inflation nightmare and has accused the Punjab government of miserably failing to save the people from the price juggernaut. Moonis Elahi expressed these views today in Lahore during a meeting with a delegation of senior provincial party members.

Moonis Elahi

Moonis Elahi blamed the N League administration in Punjab of deploying the provincial resources for the consolidation of their political fiefdom at the expense of the poor and the helpless. He said that the incumbent Punjab government’s misdeeds had helped push the rates of crimes and suicides in the province to alarming heights and the poor were made to sell their children to make their ends meet in the last three years.

Moonis Elahi said that Punjab was in the grip of a ruthless food mafia which was being fully patronized by the current rulers of Punjab. He accused the Punjab government of an abject failure in purging itself of corruption, nepotism and extravagance. 

Moonis Elahi said that the prices of essential commodities in Punjab including vegetables, meat, poultry etc had artificially been increased much before the September floods by the reigning food mafia. He accused the Punjab government of skimming huge public funds in the name of its bogus Roti scheme, food stamps programme and Danish schools etc. Punjab which was until 2007 a financially surplus province with a healthy 8% growth rate is today struggling under an unbearable 160% price hike due to the N League government’s sheer incompetence and corruption, accused Moonis Elahi.

Moonis Elahi flayed the Punjab government’s policies aimed at undermining the value and importance of teachers

Lahore (October 05, 2010) The trials and tribulations of Punjab’s teaching community have increased manifold since 2008. Instead of giving them their rightful respect and due dignity teachers in Punjab are being persistently harassed, humiliated and hounded by the provincial government. On World Teachers’ Day the fact that Punjab’s teaching community protested in unison against the provincial government’s highhandedness proves the deplorable handling of education sector in the country’s largest province. These views were expressed by Moonis Elahi, the senior central leader of Pakistan Muslim League in his message released at the occasion of World Teachers’ Day celebrated through out the world on October 5 to acknowledge the role of teachers in the society.

In his message, Moonis Elahi flayed the Punjab government’s policies aimed at undermining the value and importance of teachers. He said that it was on account of the hostile and anti-teacher policies of the N League government that Punjab’s literacy rate had plummeted to 50% in 2010 from a healthy 62% in 2007.

He warned that the gross mishandling of the education sector and the ill treatment being meted out to educators in the province would have highly adverse effects on the society. How are the students expected to respect and honor their teachers if the government itself is hell bent on mauling the teachers’ dignity? He asked. In his communiqué, Moonis Elahi assured his party’s complete support to the protesting teachers and demanded the provincial government to withdraw its regressive and anti-education policies and decisions including handing over government owned educational institutions to boards of governors appointed on political basis and in complete violation of rules.

Shahbaz Government giving bogus cheques to families of martyrs and terror victims: Moonis Elahi

Lahore: Moonis Elahi, the senior central leader of Pakistan Muslim League has voiced serious concern at the news of  the bouncing of Shahbaz Government’s cheque handed over to the family of the two brothers tragically lynched in Sialkot and has called the dishonoring of the cheque as yet another inhuman and callous act of Shahbaz Administration. Moonis Elahi expressed these views in a meeting with party members in Lahore today.

He said that in the two and a half year rule of N League in Punjab there were countless such incidents where terror victims and their families were given bogus cheques by the rulers. He called it a blatant fraud with innocent public and said that it revealed the true face of the people currently in power.  Moonis Elahi held Shahbaz Government as fully responsible for the currently deplorable economic condition of Punjab and alleged that other than the cheques to terror victims the cheques amounting in billions of rupees given to Punjab Government contractors were also repeatedly being dishonored.

Moonis blamed the incumbent Punjab Government for destroying the provincial economy and for selling government assets at throw away prices instead of taking steps for the province’s economic revival. He expressed his serious concern over the fate of cheques being issued by Punjab government in the flood affected areas and warned Shahbaz Administration of severe consequences of issuance of bogus cheques to the unfortunate victims of the floods.

Steep decline in Punjab’s literacy rate due to rulers’ incompetence and insincerity: Moonis Elahi

Lahore (September 09, 2010) Moonis Elahi the senior central leader of Pakistan Muslim League has strongly criticized Punjab Education Department’s poor performance of last two and a half years. Quoting the 2010 Global Monitoring Report of an international service organisation in which Punjab’s literacy rate has been shown taking a steep plunge, Moonis Elahi has held the Shahbaz Government as fully responsible for this disappointing performance. According to Moonis Elahi the World Bank and the UN reports of 2007 had acknowledged that Punjab’s literacy rate had jumped to 62% under Chaudhry Parvez Elahi’s pro education policies.

Moonis Elahi alleges Shahbaz Government’s incompetence and vested interests behind the sharp decline in Punjab’s literacy and enrollment rates since 2008. He has also dubbed the Punjab Government’s controversial decision of appointing boards of directors with sweeping powers in government owned colleges as nothing short of villainy with future generations. Moonis Elahi made these comments during a meeting with members of Pakistan Muslim League Education Wing in Lahore today.

He alleged that the majority of appointments in these boards of directors were politically motivated and therefore counterproductive. He said that these boards were as controversial and useless as the dozens of task forces existing in Punjab since 2008 and which had been unable in proving to date their efficacy and utility. Moonis Elahi reiterated his firm commitment to the concerns and interests of students, teachers and parents of the province in the backdrop of the continuous anti-education policies of the Shahbaz administration. He said that the present Punjab rulers’ interest in the growth of education and the bright future of the students could be assessed from the fact that Punjab Education Department had been running without a minister since 2008.

Whether natural disasters or terrorist attacks Punjab Government miserably fails to act on advance warnings: Moonis Elahi

Lahore (September 02, 2010) Moonis Elahi, senior central leader of Pakistan Muslim League has alleged that Punjab under the burden of Shahbaz Government’s disastrous financial and administrative policies had submerged in deep and murky waters much before the floods began their devastation. Moonis Elahi has blamed the self proclaimed “Khadim-e-Ala’s” poor crisis management skills and his self serving “flood politics” as main reasons for the colossal loss of life and property in Punjab during and in the post floods phase. Moonis Elahi has called for Shahbaz Sharif’s resignation in the wake of his failure to protect people’s lives and well being during floods and against terrorist attacks. He has said that Pakistanis are a brave people and our true heroes are the floods stricken Pakistanis and the Pakistani individuals and institutions helping their brethren in this hour of dire need. Moonis Elahi made these comments during a meeting with party workers from Lahore at his residence today.

Moonis Elahi in his speech was highly critical of the poor law and order situation under N League in Punjab. Citing the tragic suicide bombing incidents at Data Darbar and Karballa Gamay Shah in Lahore, he said that if Shahbaz Sharif could not ensure security to religious places in his own family constituency then how he could ensure the security of the rest of the province. Criticizing Shahbaz administration’s poor response to advance warnings against floods as well as acts of terrorism in the province resulting in huge losses of life and property in both the cases Moonis Elahi demanded immediate resignation of Shahbaz Government and said that Shahbaz Government had lost all moral and political grounds to continue and with every passing day its legitimacy was becoming more questionable. Quoting a Punjab Government official’s statement where he had put the number of flood victims to whom Punjab Government had so far provided food at around only 250,000 people, Moonis Elahi remarked that it was an open admission of failure on their part as the number of flood affected and displaced in Punjab was in several millions. Moonis Elahi praised the flood affected Pakistanis for their exemplary fortitude in crisis and dubbed individuals and institutions working relentlessly for the relief and rehabilitation of their compatriots in trouble as the Nation’s true heroes.

Shahbaz Sharif is busy playing “flood politics” at government expense: Moonis Elahi

Lahore (August 30, 2010) Moonis Elahi, senior central leader of Pakistan Muslim League has said that Shahbaz Government should immediately be restricted from squandering huge public funds and resources desperately required for flood victims on personal publicity. While Shahbaz Sharif is busy playing “flood politics” at government expense the teeming millions struck by the country’s worst floods have been left to the vagaries of floods and the whims of N League’s MNAS and MPAS who are sitting on flood aid like serpents. Most of the aid for Punjab flood victims is not reaching the true beneficiaries. The announcement of Rs. 20,000 per flood victim family is nothing more than a practical joke. The minimum compensation per family should be Rs. 500,000. Moonis Elahi expressed these views today in Lahore during a meeting with party leaders.

In his address, Moonis Elahi strongly condemned the current publicity campaign of the Punjab Chief Minister and dubbed it as a criminal use of several million public rupees on personal promotion. He remarked that at a time when there were countless Pakistani men, women and children waiting for help the wastage of huge public funds on self or family promotion was a highly condemnable act of Shahbaz Government. He said that despite all its “flood politics” coming out of the tax payer’s pocket Shahbaz Government had failed to make any worthwhile impression on the mass mind.

Moonis Elahi alleged that because of his abuse of power and government resources there was now an even greater resentment against the incumbent Punjab Chief Minister than before. He said that presently his ability to handle crises was being seriously questioned by not just the general public but also by the Punjab CM’s own cabinet colleagues. Moonis Elahi said that at a time when the country and the province were going through an unprecedented trial Shahbaz Government was deliberately shunning the call for an emergent Punjab Assembly session on flood as it feared a massive criticism of the house.

After Punjab cabinet ministers’ show of no confidence the Chief Minister has no moral grounds to continue: Moonis Elahi

Lahore (August 26, 2010) Moonis Elahi, the senior central leader of Pakistan Muslim League has said that the self proclaimed “Khadim e Ala” of Punjab has no moral grounds to continue as the provincial chief executive in the wake of an open expression of no confidence in him by his own cabinet ministers.

Moonis Elahi has also demanded a high level judicial enquiry into the Punjab Senior Minister’s allegation of digging an illegal canal for the Chief Minister’s lands which has consequently rendered thousands of families homeless. He has also demanded a probe in the Punjab Senior Minister’s charge that the Chief Minister did not consult him once while ordering breaches of embankments during floods in the province.Moonis Elahi expressed these views in a meeting with party members in Lahore today.

Moonis Elahi alleged that various Punjab Cabinet members had been complaining for long against the Chief Minister’s one-man rule and his brain less policies but the recent statement by his own Law Minister against his boss’s fondness for extra-judicial killings and parading of bodies of suspects on roads and the increasing criticism of other cabinet ministers including the Punjab Senior Minister’s latest allegations were clear evidences of the Chief Minister’s dwindling popularity among his own cabinet colleagues.

Moonis Elahi said that the Punjab Chief Minister’s waning acceptance could further be gauged on account of his failure to solicit any worthwhile public donations during floods despite extravagant government funded media campaigns and highly expensive chopper visits. He said that the recent floods had fully exposed the incompetence of the incumbent Punjab Chief Minister and made the cracks in his government highly visible.

Moonis Elahi said that Punjab had not witnessed the likes of the recent floods and the current incompetent government in the last 100 years. Moonis Elahi directed Pakistan Muslim League and Tehrik e Quaid workers present in the meeting to stand by the flood victims in this time of dire need and continue efforts for the alleviation of their miseries and hardships.

Happy Independence Day

A Message to Youth on Independence Day: Moonis Elahi

PML will stand with the flood affected of Rajanpur, D G Khan, Layyah, Rojhan and other districts: Moonis Elahi

Lahore (July 23, 2010): Moonis Elahi, central leader of Pakistan Muslim League has directed the leaders and workers of Pakistan Muslim League and Tehrik e Quaid to undertake all out efforts for the relief of the victims of recent floods and torrential rains in Punjab. He has urged his party members to whole heartedly participate in the flood relief activities irrespective of political affiliations and go beyond the call of duty to help the unfortunate victims. Moonis Elahi gave these instructions to Tehrik e Quaid coordinator Nasir Mehmood Gill on telephone today.

Moonis Elahi

Moonis Elahi who is currently visiting the US in his message slammed the Punjab Government’s apathy to the problems of the flood affected and expressed his bitter anguish at the fact that the Punjab Government had not made any preparations for the natural disaster despite prior information provided by the MET department with the help of satellite images. He said that whether it was acts of terrorism or natural calamities the incumbent Punjab rulers had failed to avert these disasters or control their impact despite early warnings.

Moonis Elahi expressed his remorse and grief at the unfortunate loss of precious human lives and property due to floods in Rajanpur, D G Khan, Layyah, Rojhan and other affected districts and reiterated his party’s commitment with the flood victims in their time of need.

People have the right to know about the massive corruption of Punjab ministers : Moonis Elahi

Lahore (June 29, 2010) The reshuffle in portfolios is not a remedy to the rampant corruption and inefficiency of the N League ministers in the Punjab provincial cabinet but actually an eye wash. The self-proclaimed Khadim e Aala instead of taking action against his party’s ministers in the light of secret reports has rewarded them. The corruption reports of his ministers for jails and local governments reveal gross financial and administrative irregularities. These were the comments of Moonis Elahi, central leader of Pakistan Muslim League on yesterday’s reshuffle of portfolios in the Punjab cabine while talking to a delegation of party workers from Lahore today at his residence.

Moonis Elahi said that the cabinet’s role in Punjab was only cosmetic as all the powers and resources were usurped by the Chief Minister and his band of merry men. In the last two and a half years the number of Punjab cabinet meetings can be counted on finger tips which go to further prove the presence of a one man rule in the province. Moonis Elahi cited the recent comments of Raja Riaz, Punjab’s Senior Minister on the prevalence of corruption in the government echelons as a sure proof of the schematic skimming of Punjab’s resources by the ruling clique.

 He said that the province was running without full-time Health, Education and C &W ministers since 2008 and despite repeated public demands these slots had not been filled. Now instead of appointing capable individuals against these positions, Punjab’s autocratic Chief Minister has reshuffled cabinet positions to reward his most corrupt colleagues, alleged Moonis Elahi. He said that N League’s Punjab government had economically and socially ruined the province and forced the people to sell their children and commit suicides.

Suicides on the rise in Punjab due to rulers’ incompetence : Moonis Elahi

(Lahore, June 19, 2010) A pall of gloom and morbidity has enshrouded Punjab since the return of the Sharifs in 2008.The alarming rise of suicide incidents in Punjab is the direct result of the province’s economic ruin brought about by Sharif “mal-administration” in the last two and a half years. How can the poor and the jobless survive when the budgeted personal daily expenses of the self-proclaimed “Khadim –e- Aala” are well over Rs.7 lacs? Sasti-roti drama has created further hunger and deprivation in the society. These views were expressed by Moonis Elahi, central leader of Pakistan Muslim League, during a meeting with members of PML Human Rights Wing in Lahore today.

The meeting was summoned to discuss the implications of the rising number of suicides in Punjab and to explore ways for the eradication of the causes leading to this unfortunate development. Commenting on the issue, Moonis Elahi strongly criticized the rulers and held them solely responsible for the unfortunate trend. He said that Punjab was the hardest hit and the highest number of suicide incidents had been reported in Punjab in the last six months. Moonis Elahi blamed Shahbaz government for the rising pessimism in the masses forcing some of them to take their own lives.

He said that N League had made false promises with the people at election time and in the last two and half years they had given them nothing except poverty, unemployment, inflation, crimes and now suicides. The present system of governance in Punjab is based on the whims and caprices of one man which had also seriously weakened the relationship between the citizen and the state, Moonis observed.

He said that in Punjab under the coercive Sharif regime citizens’ rights were being usurped, nepotism and jobbery were the order of the day and provincial resources were being squandered on poorly planned and counter-productive schemes. Criticising the roti scheme, Moonis said that N League’s government instead of launching the much needed poverty reduction initiatives had so far only come up with poverty production schemes like the roti scheme. They have not paid a paisa of Zakat fund to the needy and it is evident that they want the proud people of Punjab to hold a begging bowl instead of hammer, chisel or pen, he alleged. He stated that these factors compounded with the self-proclaimed Khadim-e-Ala’s incapacity to understand the gravity of the situation had resulted in wide spread depression and dismay in the fast growing numbers of poor and jobless of the province.

He said that the present situation had made the poor and the weak highly vulnerable and prone to take extreme steps including self-annihilation. He warned of a further worsening of the situation if the rulers did not wake up from their slumber and started undoing the extremely adverse effects of their own follies.

Moonis Elahi challenges N League to deny the facts in the PML White Paper during PA budget session

Lahore: Moonis Elahi, central leader of Pakistan Muslim League has challenged N League’s Punjab government to deny in the forth coming Punjab Assembly budget session the irrefutable charges brought up in the PML White Paper issued last week. He was talking to a delegation of Pakistan Muslim League comprising MPAs and party office bearers here in Lahore today after his two week visit abroad. Moonis Elahi said that Pakistan Muslim League by exposing the dismal administrative and financial performance of the incumbent Punjab government had fulfilled a national responsibility.

He said that this white paper was the first in the series and the coming episodes would further expose the incompetence, nepotism and corruption of the N League government. He said that although Pakistan Muslim League had released the White Paper last Thursday but so far no member of Punjab’s ruling family had come forward to refute the charges. Commenting on the Friday Press Conference of the PML spokesman in Lahore, Moonis Elahi said that the people of the province could no longer be deceived by the illogical and nonsensical spin of Jaati Umra’s jesters and the self-claimed Khadim e Aala should give up his habit of hiding behind salaried spin doctors who can’t even defend their own misdeeds let alone the misdeeds of their bosses.

He said that the PML White Paper was widely lauded by the people as it represented their genuine concerns and grievances against what he called N League’s two and a half years of “misrule”. What have the current Punjab rulers given to the province except financial bankruptcy, soaring crimes, rising inflation, phenomenal increase in suicides and sky-rocketing poverty? Asked Moonis Elahi.

Sharif family had laundered huge amounts in foreign currency through their off-shore companies: Moonis Elahi

Lahore (May 27, 2010) The sale of Phalia Sugar Mills was a transparent business transaction and no financial irregularity was committed as implied. After miserably failing to implicate the Chaudhry Family in Haris Steel scandal, our opponents are now desperately trying to drum up another set of false and baseless accusations. Such campaigns are meant to hide our opponents’ own follies and to divert public attention from their stupendous financial crimes. These views were expressed by Moonis Elahi, central leader of Pakistan Muslim League while responding to the accusations made in a section of the press concerning the sale of his family owned Phalia Sugar Mills to M/S Colony Group.

Moonis Elahi said that Colony Group was one of Pakistan’s leading business groups and its credit lines with various banks far exceeded the alleged amount mentioned in the news item and it was highly unfair to politicize a normal business deal to serve vested political interests. He said that Colony Group had not defaulted with the Bank of Punjab at any stage but on the contrary it was a known fact that the Sharif family was on the Bank of Punjab’s defaulters list and owed over 171 million rupees to the bank since long. Moonis Elahi further added that it was also common knowledge that the Sharifs were the country’s biggest bank defaulters and owed billions of rupees to various Pakistani banks, financial institutions and also to the FBR.

He said that it was also widely known that the Sharif family had laundered huge amounts in foreign currency through their off-shore companies and there was a signed confession of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif to this effect present in the records of London High Court. These and similar other facts regarding the financial crimes of the Sharifs had been time and again pointed out by Pakistan Muslim League in the last two and a half years to the utter chagrin of the Sharifs, said Moonis Elahi. He further said that the Sharifs’ financial corruption was clearly evident from Hamesh Khan’s written statement submitted to the US, State Department and also in his petition filed with the Supreme Court of Pakistan where he had stated that the incumbent Punjab Chief Minister, on his failure to illegally wrest $ 8 million from Hamesh Khan, the BOP Chief at the time, for the purchase of a sugar mill and in being unable to coerce Hamesh Khan into becoming an approver against the Chaudhry family ordered his persecution.

Moonis Elahi alleged the N League government of deliberately destroying the Bank of Punjab’s market credibility soon after coming into power and of engineering its financial collapse for vested political gains. How was it possible that the share value of BOP which stood at Rs 130 per share till the end of our government in 2007 came crashing down to less than Rs 10 with in the first two months of Shahbaz Sharif’s government in 2008? Moonis asked. He challenged his opponents to prove that his family had ever maintained an account with the Bank of Punjab or borrowed even a penny from it at any point while in power.

Purchase of 28 VIP cars for Chief Minister exposes N League’s bogus austerity claims: Moonis Elahi

Lahore ( May 12, 2010) Moonis Elahi, central leader of Pakistan Muslim League has said that at a time when the poor cannot even afford two square meals a day, Punjab’s N League government in stark contradiction to its bogus claims of austerity has decided to add 28 more VIP cars worth 31 crores to the Chief Minister’s fleet. The bullet proof cars bought by the previous regime were never auctioned contrary to announcements and are still in active personal service of Punjab’s ruling family. 28 new VIP cars are being acquired by further over-burdening the already depleted financial resources of Punjab.

Moonis Elahi expressed these views at a meeting with party workers in Lahore today. Lashing out at the decision of adding 28 more VIP cars to Punjab CM’s fleet, Moonis Elahi said that in the current extremely trying financial times where Punjab’s hospitals and schools had become incapable of performing their basic functions due to lack of funds and thousands of people were daily sliding down the poverty line due to inflation, unemployment and load shedding the decision of acquiring 28 new luxury vehicles has come as a shock.

Moonis Elahi flaying the decision said that the current rulers of Punjab were following in the footsteps of Muhammad Shah Rangeela a debauched Mughal King and their claims of adopting simplicity were nothing more than a farce. He said that the hidden face of N League now stood fully exposed to the people of Punjab and their announcements of bringing prices of essential commodities down to the level of 1999, auctioning of previous government’s bullet proof cars and converting 8 Club Road, Lahore into an IT university had proven to be a pack of lies.

Moonis Elahi alleged the N League government as solely responsible for Punjab’s existing sorry state of affairs and reiterated his party’s firm resolve to protect the interests of the poor.

Punjab is not a province of charity seekers: Moonis Elahi

Lahore (May 8, 2010) After the failure of the tandoor scam if CM Punjab thinks that his upcoming Langar hoax will save N League’s sinking boat he is sadly mistaken. Punjab is not a province of charity seekers and the proud people of Punjab demand their constitutional right to better life instead of being humiliated through N League’s sham roti, atta and langar schemes. If CM Punjab had an iota of genuine concern for the poor of the province he would have long ago dumped his huge army of useless advisors who are merely getting fatter day by day on public money. These were the views of Moonis Elahi, central leader of Pakistan Muslim League expressed during a meeting in Lahore today with office bearers of Pakistan Muslim League Labor Wing.
In the meeting Moonis Elahi blamed N League’s Punjab government for squandering massive public funds for cheap political gimmicks and huge personal gains at the expense of the innocent and proud Punjabis. He blamed N League for reducing Punjab once the bread basket of the country to a food deficient region and for insulting the pride of its people by forcing them to stand in long lines for flour, sugar and other necessary food items.

Moonis Elahi called CM Punjab’s latest announcement regarding the launch of Langar (public kitchen) scheme in Punjab as yet another hoax meant to deceive people and to extort public funds. If poor people can successfully run langars (public kitchens) at Data Sahib’s shrine in Lahore and at similar other holy places in Punjab with their scant resources and on their own then why can’t the N League leadership with its huge financial assets follow suit? Moonis Elahi asked while adding that the truth was that N League’s leadership had a history of taking money from the poor and not giving it back to them.

The langar scheme was going to be another fraud with the people and like in the earlier tandoor scam where 30 billion rupees of public money had disappeared the upcoming langar hoax was also bound to gobble further billions, he alleged. This time the people of Punjab will not be deceived and if any attempt is made to misappropriate public funds for political gimmickry they will confront the rulers, declared Moonis Elahi.

Moonis Elahi addressing to the workers of Pakistan Muslim League

Pakistan Muslim League Launched "Tehreek-e-Quaid"

Together with people we will free Punjab from N League’s “Qabza government": Moonis Elahi

Lahore ( April 28, 2010) The unholy alliance between N League and PPP has brought nothing but misery for the people. Punjab, once the most prosperous province of the country under our PML government is now financially the most backward under N League. N League’s “Qabza” government has failed on all fronts and the day is not far when Pakistan Muslim League together with people will free Punjab from its clutches. Pakistan Muslim League’s workers who have braved the vindictive tactics of the rulers and stood firm in the face of all persecution are the party’s greatest asset.

These views were expressed by Moonis Elahi, central leader of Pakistan Muslim League to a jam-packed Pakistan Muslim League, Kasur Workers’ convention held at the PML House auditorium in Lahore today. The PML workers’ convention was also addressed by eminent party leaders and leading PML representatives from Kasur.

The speakers included Opposition Leader Chaudhry Zaheer-ur-Din, Rana Imtiaz, Maqsood Sabir Ansari, Raza Ali Shamas, Maqbool Sabir Ansari, Malik Ahmed Ali, Sardar Shoukat Dogar, Malik Ahmed Saeed Khan, Sardar Atif Nakai, Nasir Mehmood Gill, Haji Sarfraz Khan, Awais Nakai and Rana Muhammad Aqeel. The speakers lauded the unprecedented development work carried out in Kasur like in other parts of Punjab during Chaudhry Pervez Elahi’s period and lamented at the present government’s failure in providing even an iota of PML government’s past services to the public.

The speakers from Kasur severely lashed out at the current deplorable economic, social and law and order conditions prevailing in Kasur on account of the misrule of N League’s Punjab government. They blamed N League for depriving Kasur of its development share in order to take revenge from the district for standing in support of Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. They strongly condemned N League for not releasing funds for the construction of Lahore-Kasur road and Kasur-Depalpur road as these projects were initiated by the previous government. In his presidential address, central leader of Pakistan Muslim League, Moonis Elahi thanked the PML leaders and workers from Kasur for their unflinching support to the party and praised them for attending the convention in such a huge number particularly during wheat harvest time.

Moonis Elahi assured the Kasur party workers of his resolve to give top preference in all matters to the party workers and lauded them for their loyalty to Pakistan, Quaid e Azam and Pakistan Muslim League. He particularly appreciated their support to the party despite N League’s vindictive tactics.

Moonis Elahi warned the Kasur district police and civil administration officials to refrain from political persecution of PML workers and declared that persecutors will be brought to book when the party returns in the government. Moonis Elahi blamed N League for being insensitive to the miseries of the people and declared that dooms day was fast approaching for the rulers who were indifferent to the problems of the people.

He said that Punjab was currently ruled by those who immediately rush to the wash rooms to clean their hands after touching the poor. Pakistan Muslim League’s central leader blamed the N League and PPP alliance for bringing unheard of miseries on the poor in the shape of back-breaking inflation, sky-rocketing unemployment and incessant load shedding. He declared that the people of Punjab will never forgive N League for destroying the peace and prosperity of the province.

Promulgation of Section 144 on business community a highly condemnable step: Moonis Elahi

Lahore (April 27, 2010) The promulgation of section 144 in Punjab to forcibly prevent shops and businesses from operating after 8 in the evening is another extremely unpopular and regressive step taken by N League’s Punjab government. Punjab’s peace loving shopkeepers and traders are being treated as terrorists in N League’s rule. The Chief Minister has flown off to London to avoid public flaying over his government’s anti-people policies and decisions. These views were expressed by Moonis Elahi today during a meeting with representatives of Punjab’s business community at his residence in Lahore.

In the meeting Moonis Elahi strongly criticized the enforcement of section 144 on Punjab’s business community and warned the N League government of the consequences of its anti-trade decisions. He assured Pakistan Muslim League’s unflinching support to the suffering shopkeepers and traders of the province and resolved to leave no stone unturned for the protection of their rights and interests.

Moonis Elahi blamed N League as the sole architect of the ongoing power crisis in Punjab. He also blamed N League for the current financial debacle of Punjab and alleged that after emptying the provincial coffers through mismanagement and misappropriation N League was now working to destroy the province’s private enterprises by enforcing on them a section of the law which was otherwise only meant to control terrorists and rioters.

Moonis Elahi declared that N League’s antagonistic policies and anti-trade decisions had opened the business community’s eyes and the business community now fully understood the selfish motives of N League’s leadership. He strongly criticized the harassment being spread in the business community by unknown individuals going around in market places threatening the traders of dire consequences on loud speakers in case of non compliance with the order of closing shops by 8 pm.

“Nura” League surpasses allies in anti-people policies: Moonis Elahi

Lahore (April 24, 2010) As if the earlier titles in the N series were not enough that N League by endorsing the anti-business decisions of two weekly holidays and daily closure of shops by 8 pm now also clearly qualifies to be categorized as “Nura” League. Acting as a benign opposition at the centre and playing bed mates in Punjab with PPP, N League has surpassed its allies in backstabbing the very people who entrusted confidence in them in the 2008 election. After the commercial plazas target killing spree the two-holidays per week “Chuttee Bomb” if applied will destroy of what is left of business in Punjab. These views were expressed today in Lahore by Moonis Elahi, central leader of Pakistan Muslim League while talking to a delegation of Pakistan Muslim League Traders Wing.

Moonis Elahi reiterated his party’s unflinching commitment to the cause of the business community and strongly condemned the decisions of two-holidays per week and closure of businesses by 8 in the evening. He said that 18 hours daily load shedding in Punjab could have been reduced to 4 hours daily like in other provinces had the N League government sincerely advocated Punjab’s case. Not just during the power crisis but in all other crises, N League without a moment’s hesitation has been compromising Punjab’s interests for self gains, alleged Moonis Elahi. He blamed N League and its allies for jointly playing havoc with the country’s economy and bringing it to the verge of collapse.

He said that Punjab’s default now stood at a staggering amount of Rupees 73 billion and if the recent anti-trade decisions were not withdrawn immediately the rates of poverty, unemployment, suicides and crimes which had already touched alarming heights were bound to shoot further up in the province. Moonis Elahi warned the rulers of a public lash back worse than Kyrgystan if anti- business decisions and IMF dictates emphasizing further taxes on the already impoverished people of Punjab were allowed to be carried out.

Moonis Elahi strongly condemned the Punjab government’s threat of cutting power supply to traders who did not comply with the 8 pm draconian decree and said that N League now stood fully exposed to the people of Punjab including the business community.

N League solely responsible for bitterness and depravation prevailing in South Punjab: Moonis Elahi

Lahore (April 21, 2010) Punjab government’s step-motherly treatment and diversion of South Punjab’s already meager funds and resources for the development of Jati Umra have created a bitter resentment and an acute sense of depravation in the people of South Punjab. To address these negative developments and to alleviate the miseries of the people, creation of a South Punjab province is the dire need of the hour. These views were expressed today in Lahore by Moonis Elahi, central leader of Pakistan Muslim League during a meeting with his party office bearers and workers hailing from Multan Division. During our five year rule we left no stone unturned to bring South Punjab at par in development and prosperity with the rest of the province, said Moonis Elahi.

He reminded the party members from Multan that Chaudhry Parvez Elahi had declared South Punjab as his second home and throughout his government he personally undertook countless measures to pull the people of South Punjab out of abysmal poverty and backwardness.

Moonis Elahi strongly condemned the deliberate step motherly treatment meted out to South Punjab since 2008 by N League government. He said that during the rule of PML government maximum resources were allocated for the progress and uplift of South Punjab and from 2002 to 2007 over 117 billion rupees were expended in the previously neglected region. On the contrary, this year’s measly allocation of rupees five billion for South Punjab by N League is nothing more than a joke and a stark reminder of N League’s deliberate indifference to the miseries of teeming millions living in the neglected region, remarked Moonis Elahi.

He further added that for South Punjab’s population of over 40 million only 5 billion rupees were considered sufficient in this year’s budget but on the other hand for a road leading to Jati Umra, the residence of the current Punjab rulers, an atrocious amount of rupees 21 billion was very conveniently dished out. While our government up to 2007 launched and completed several mega public service projects in South Punjab including hospitals, schools, colleges, roads, bridges, industrial estates, water supply and sanitation schemes etc, it is saddening to note that in the last two years not even a single new water tap has been installed by the current rulers here, stated Moonis Elahi.

Commenting on his party’s policy on creation of new provinces, Moonis Elahi declared that Pakistan Muslim League had always stood by the will of the people and creating a South Punjab province was an apt remedy to plug administrative gaps that had become even more manifest due to the incompetence of the current rulers.

N League playing the role of “Nifaaq League”: Moonis Elahi

Lahore (April 13, 2010) After the earlier titles of “Neelam” (Auction) and “Na Ehal” (Incompetent) League”, N League, now a days because of its divisive and selfish role is also being widely called as “Nifaaq” (Division) League. The divide and rule N League leadership can’t even spell the word revolution right let alone understand its dynamics. N League’s incompetence is the cause of recent public outrage in Punjab. These were the views of Moonis Elahi, central leader of Pakistan Muslim League, while talking to party workers in Lahore today. N League’s incompetence is leading Punjab towards an even worse situation than Kirghizstan, alleged Moonis Elahi while commenting on Punjab’s current dire financial straits. He said that excruciating inflation, towering unemployment and nerve breaking load shedding had virtually crippled the country’s largest province and forced people to come out in protest. He called the current protests in Punjab an expression of a deep public outrage against N League’s failure in delivering on each of the promises its leaders made with the people in 2008 election.


Moonis Elahi said that besides its poor performance in Punjab, N League’s macabre role in the NWFP name controversy had virtually rocked the country’s very foundations and created unheard of divides among people. Characteristic of N League, its hypocritical role in the NWFP name issue and on the question of a separate Hazara province reflects the self-centered, power hungry and stab-in-the-back attitude of its leadership, he said. Moonis Elahi expressed his deep shock and grief at the unfortunate loss of precious human lives and property in Abbotabad and blamed N League as solely responsible for the tragic and highly dangerous developments in Pakistan’s Northern Province.

18th Amendment overshadowed by 18 hours daily load shedding: Moonis Elahi

Lahore (April 8, 2010) How can people welcome 18th Amendment when confronted by the travails of 18 hours daily load shedding, sky rocketing inflation and record high unemployment? The prices of basic necessities have been increased as many as 18 times in the last two years. In the wake of nerve wrecking increase in prices of fuel and other commodities, the Punjab government’s decision to up the water tariff by 75% is another extremely cruel decision. These views were expressed by Moonis Elahi, central leader of Pakistan Muslim League, while talking to party members here in Lahore today.


Moonis Elahi said that the present rulers were not bothered about the sufferings of the masses and their only concern was the protection of their ill-gotten wealth and power. He said that Pakistan Muslim League had warned of the consequences of acquiring gas run rental power units a year back but no attention was paid to these warnings at the time. Today all our warnings unfortunately are coming true and people are facing not only the worst electricity and gas shortage in country’s history but on top also being forced to pay huge power and gas bills, said Moonis Elahi. He said that summaries for further increase by next month in power and natural gas rates were being prepared. The proposed increase would put a further unbearable burden on the already suffering people, he feared. He said that electricity obtained from gas run rental power units would cost six times more than hydro electricity. What good will be the electricity produced by rental power units if beyond people’s reach? Moonis Elahi asked.

He expressed his anger at WASA’s decision of 75% increase in bills of commercial water connections and called it as another Draconian levy imposed on the masses by Punjab rulers. Moonis Elahi alleged Punjab government of deliberately compromising Punjab’s rights and interests for personal gains. Moonis Elahi warned the rulers to desist from their pro-IMF and anti-people policies and decisions. He said that people were justified in thinking that all their problems could only come to an end if the current rulers were sent home.

Punjab Chief Minister had not only sprinkled salt on the bleeding wounds of the nation but had also sent extremely negative vibes about Punjab to smaller provinces to the detriment of national unity: Moonis Elahi

Lahore ( March 18, 2010 )The comments made by Punjab Chief Minister suggesting that the extremists should launch their terrorist attacks outside Punjab demand the most vigorous condemnation possible. N League’s history is writ large with instances where national unity and interests have been compromised for ulterior motives. The people of Punjab consider Pakistanis living in other provinces as their brothers and sisters and value their happiness and well being as much as their own. These were the views of Moonis Elahi, central leader of Pakistan Muslim League while talking to party workers here in Lahore today.

Moonis Elahi said that by establishing common grounds with perpetrators of death and destruction and by identifying with their agenda of doom the Punjab Chief Minister had not only sprinkled salt on the bleeding wounds of the nation but had also sent extremely negative vibes about Punjab to smaller provinces to the detriment of national unity.

Moonis Elahi said that it was shameful that in the month of March when the nation celebrates the Pakistan Resolution day such an irresponsible statement was made by the Chief Executive of the province where the epoch making resolution was adopted in 1940. He said that this statement had rocked the foundations on which the nation stood and had made the people of Punjab regret their decision of voting N League into power in 2008.

Moonis Elahi claimed that during his party’s rule from 2002 to 2007 because of its pro-people development initiatives acts of terrorism in Punjab were few and far between. He claimed that in the last two years due to N League’s anti-people policies and extreme misuse of provincial resources there was wide unrest in Punjab and the people were hard hit by inflation, unemployment and repeated power outages with no where to go. He feared that the present poor socio-economic environment in Punjab was likely to make certain areas of the province a breeding ground for terrorism. Moonis Elahi alleged that apart from undermining the spirit of national unity the statement also smacked of N League’s incompetence and failure in curbing terrorism in Punjab as in the last two years terrorism had increased by 800% in the province. Moonis Elahi held N League government as solely responsible for the unfortunate development.

Moonis Elahi remarked that Pakistan Muslim League had vociferously condemned drone attacks on Pakistani soil but N League contradictory to its claim of not taking outside dictation was through out mysteriously silent on this account. He said that this mysterious silence was a sure proof of N League’s tacit and hypocritical approval of drone attacks on Pakistanis and an endorsement of the fact that they were taking outside dictates.

Kalabagh Dam demand surrendered by electricity thieves: Moonis Elahi

Gujrat (March 13, 2010): Moonis Elahi, central leader of Pakistan Muslim League has alleged that the blatant theft of electricity on one hand and the shameful withdrawal from the demand for Kalabagh dam on the other are glaring proofs of N League’s treacherous role against the people of Punjab and Pakistan. The present rulers of Punjab have a long history of trading off Punjab’s rights to further their vested interests. NFC Awards meetings offered an ideal opportunity for consensus building on Kalabagh dam but personal interests were given preference over national interests. These views were expressed by Moonis Elahi, central leader of Pakistan Muslim League today at a party workers meeting in Gujrat.

Moonis Elahi claimed that till the last day of its government, Pakistan Muslim League continued efforts for consensus building on the vital power project but N League after forming government in Punjab in 2008 immediately expunged Kalabagh dam from its manifesto to further personal interests.. Moonis Elahi declared that N League government not only backed out on the demand for Kalabagh dam in 2008 but had also in times of severe load shedding not once advocated its need in larger national interest. Moonis Elahi questioned the use of running expensive anti-electricity theft campaigns in the media when everyone knew that the biggest electricity thieves were the current rulers of Punjab.

He sympathized with the employees of LESCO who were wrongfully made scapegoats to cover up for the electricity theft committed by the N League government. He said that in the last two years due to poor performance and insincere policies of N League in Punjab the people of the province had been pushed to unprecedented depths of poverty, unemployment and lawlessness.

Punjab rulers not concerned with people’s problems: Moonis Elahi

Gujrat (March 9, 2010) Moonis Elahi, Central Leader of Pakistan Muslim League has said that March 24 will be remembered as a day of glorious victory for Gujrat and Pakistan Muslim League in the annals of history. On that day the real fight will be between the people of Gujrat and the usurpers sitting in Raiwind and in the final reckoning the decision of the people will stand supreme. Moonis Elahi said that Pakistan Muslim League was the true well wisher of the people and by voting Imran Masood to Punjab Assembly from Gujrat PP 111 with a heavy majority on March 24, the people of Gujrat will be rejecting the current ruling clique comprising fake degree holders and electricity thieves. How the current rulers of Punjab can after being caught red handed in the act of stealing electricity guide people to the right path? Moonis Elahi made these remarks while addressing public meetings at Kalra Khasa, kalra Kallan, Palace Colony and Lokri in connection with Gujrat PP 111 election taking place on 24th of this month.

Other speakers in the meetings included Ch. Irshad Waraich, Ch. Ahmad Nadeem Gujjar, Ch. Zahid Hussain Bhatti, Inam ul Haq, Ch. Naseer Sindhu, Asif Dhol, Haji Safdar Numberdar, Haji Safdar Multani, Ch. Riffat Mahmud, Ch. Mahbub Elahi, Ch. Majeed Waraich, Nasir Dar, Bashir Rahmani, Fazal Hussain, Wajid Shah, Dr. M Ansar, Ch. Rashid Ali, Waheed Aslam Chattha. Also present in large numbers were leaders and workers of Pakistan Muslim League Youth Wing, Gujrat.

Moonis Elahi said that he and his family belonged to Gujrat and no one knew the problems of Gujrat like they knew. He took pride in the fact that the sons of Gujrat had always reflected on their city’s name and had also achieved highest offices in the government. On the other hand, Moonis Elahi said that the current rulers of Punjab were hell bent on flouting the law, squandering public resources and openly stealing electricity. The current Punjab rulers have terribly failed in providing public with any relief and their only concern is the protection of power for which they can go to any extent, Moonis Elahi alleged. Moonis Elahi strongly criticized the failure of Punjab government in preventing the unfortunate Model Town suicide bombing incident despite receiving warnings well in advance. The rulers are directly responsible for the tragic loss of life and property in this case, he said.

Moonis Elahi reiterated his firm commitment to do away with contract and Qabza mafias and give preference to unemployed youths in provision of jobs when Pakistan Muslim League returned to power.

Earlier, Moonis Elahi called on Ch. Mohammad Ilyas Waraich of Kalra at his residence and exchanged views on the current political scene of Gujrat. Ch. Ilyas Waraich assured his complete and unflinching support to Pakistan Muslim League’s candidate Imran Masood.

Moonis Elahi with PML Members in Washington DC, USA

Chauhdry Wajahat Hussain Address to Pakistani Community in USA

Chauhdry Parvez Elahi's Address to Pakistani Community in Washington DC, USA

A Few Questions: Moonis Elahi

A few questions have been giving sleepless nights to countless Muslims across the globe in recent times.

Firstly, while they strongly believe that Islam is a message of peace, progress and harmony, the Muslims of the world desperately want to know that why they are currently steeped in the worst kinds of ignorance, intrigue and ignominy?

Secondly, they also want to know that while Islam emphasizes on the maximization of the best in human nature, why today some of them are capitalizing on the worst in human nature to the detriment of mankind?

Thirdly, they are now seeking to find out the answer to this vital question that why despite abundant human and natural resources, oil for instance, the majority of today’s 1.5 billion Muslims living in 55 Muslim countries of the world are pitted in abject poverty and forced to live in extremely trying social, economic and political conditions?

Pakistan is no exception to the rule. As a matter of fact, the worst conditions that can prevail in any present day Muslim land are all at their full foul play in the Land of the Pure. Another sordid truth is that while Pakistan’s present reputation as the hot-bed of terrorism precedes all its earlier claims to fame, the thinking Pakistanis have always been haunted by Pakistan’s reputation as being a country surviving essentially on foreign pittances since birth. The fact remains that if terrorism has recently become synonymous with Pakistan the flip side of the Pakistani coin has always featured the “green begging bowl”. We have been known as a nation of charity seekers through out our 62 years history. Today, the Pakistanis have the right to know that while the Holy Prophet (PBUH) enjoined upon all Muslims to seek knowledge as an obligation even if that meant going to China, why instead of knowledge we only look up to China for financial support? And not just to China, why have we been trotting the globe from Saudi Arabia to Libya and from Europe to the United States of America busy begging for riyals, yens, pounds and dollars? Here by “we” the obvious allusion is to the respective Pakistani governments since 1947 which have always taken pride in their success of wining charity and alms in the form of aid and loans from richer countries. In fact, foreign borrowings are the barometer of a government’s success even today. The false rule of higher the borrowing, stronger the government is what the Pakistanis have been made to appreciate all along. The people of Pakistan are now questioning the true merit of this fallacy more than ever before. Destined for greatness, they want to know that why have they been reduced to a nation of borrowers?

The quality of religious education currently being imparted in the Muslim world is also a matter of grave concern for the present day thinking Muslims. There are many of them incessantly searching an answer to questions like why religious education in Muslim societies instead of nurturing has blocked intellectual and material growth? They are desirous to find out that why today’s religious education is not helping them in the attainment of material success. Muslims are keen to know that why instead of making them self reliant and bringing them at par with the knowledge and technological standards of the developed societies today’s religious teaching is making them further dependant on the west for almost every thing? From modern textile machines to F.16s there is nothing any of the Muslim countries can proudly claim to have become self-sufficient in. Today, every thinking Muslim wants to know that why has the true Islamic knowledge base been over-shadowed by the debate between belief and disbelief and why are we so behind the West?

Another strange contradiction scarring Islamic values today is the presence of a mindset that on one hand persuades the followers to lay down their lives in the name of Islam and on the other hand itself falls miserably short of the great Islamic moral and social codes and ethics. I see examples of this dichotomy spread all around us. While driving in Lahore city, I often come across posters, banners and bill-boards of religious groups declaring their unflinching love and loyalty to the Holy Prophet (PBUH). As a Muslim I also share the same feelings but then I ask myself that are we following in deed what we are claiming in word? I ask myself that if we were truly following the teachings of our Holy Prophet (PBUH) then would the vices of food adulteration and an unbridled squandering of time and resources be as rampant in our society as they are today. I ask myself that why are our cities and towns infested with filth and rubbish while our Holy Prophet (PBUH) has taught us that “cleanliness is half faith”. I ask you that had we been the true followers of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) as we claim to be then would we be as divided and resource less as we are today and could our lives be as undisciplined as they are today?

Who are those who have restricted the pursuit of knowledge and free inquiry in Muslim societies? Who are those who have eclipsed the light of true Islam from reaching and enlightening our lives? Are we to continue groping in this enforced darkness thrusted upon us? Why the Holy Quran, God’s final message to mankind and the world’s most recited book, is only presented to us as a book of atonement and not of enlightenment? Why are the so-called custodians of God’s final message not allowing us to rationalize our lives and find our answers in the light of true Quranic teachings? Such and similar other questions are looming large in the minds of thinking Muslims of the 21st century.

The startling truth is that Muslim thinking was rendered a strong blow a few centuries back when reason was made subservient to blind faith. It is also true that since then Muslim thinking has not been able to retrace its way back to its glorious past and the retrogressive forces have not let free enquiry play its role in the re-ascendancy of reason in the Muslim world.

The first word with which God began His communication with the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was “Iqra”…Read, yet is it not true that for centuries the Muslim world has been deliberately kept away from following this divine injunction? Can we deny the fact that amongst the top 500 universities of the world there is not a single university belonging to the Muslim world considered worthy of a place in the coveted list? Can we question the veracity of the charge that let alone American and European universities there is not a single university in the Muslim world which can parallel even some of the more known Indian universities of today. Similarly, as opposed to an innumerable number of American, European and even Indian Nobel laureates what is the number of Muslim recipients of the world’s most prestigious award conferred on men and women of outstanding knowledge?

An undeniable truth of our times is that the world we today live in has been crafted by Western thought and we are only recycling the knowledge transferred to us by the West. Here, allow me to categorically state that I am not among those who believe in the supremacy of modern science and technology over human spirit. On the contrary, I am of the firm belief that there is no conflict between the two and that the minds which refute religion for science and otherwise are both “Baatil”…. False and Untrue.

To sum it up, I believe the time has come for the Muslim world to make a fresh journey with in and find answers to some basic questions, a few of which I have dared to put forth.

India Encroaching Pakistan’s Water Rights While Rulers Busy Playing Power Games: Moonis Elahi

The country is going through the worst dry spell in ages with a severe agricultural drought predicted six months down but the rulers unbothered by the imminent catastrophe are busy whetting their appetite for power. Had there been an iota of concern for the 170 million water starved Pakistanis and millions of acres of water deficient agricultural land the rulers would have long stopped their power games and in fight and chalked out an emergent water management strategy instead. But by looking the other way they have shown where their true interests lie. These views were expressed by the senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League, Moonis Elahi while talking in Lahore yesterday with a group of agriculturists belonging to Central Punjab. In the meeting, Moonis Elahi strongly condemned the present rulers’ unforgivable failure to prevent India from encroaching on Pakistan’s water rights.

He blamed the PPP Government at the centre and the N League Government of Punjab for deliberately letting India get away with its blatant violations of the Indus Basin Treaty. The main leaders of both the current ruling parties were frequently going abroad on highly expensive official trips but not once did they draw the global attention towards India’s criminal violations of Pakistan’s water rights, said Moonis Elahi. He said that after taking Punjab to the verge of financial bankruptcy the incompetent N League Government was now pushing the once food rich province towards an acute agricultural disaster. The people will never forgive the current rulers for their criminal negligence and total incompetence in handling the water issue, he said.

Moonis Elahi strongly emphasized the need for quick thinking and action which he thought the current rulers were incapable of undertaking. To avert the devastations of an imminent agricultural disaster a sensible and far-sighted government would have by now announced several pro-farmer steps including announcement of a Water Emergency, exemption from load shedding and introduction of highly subsidized electricity and diesel rates for the wheat, sugarcane, maize and cotton farmers of the country, Moonis Elahi pointed out.

Un-lawlessness in Punjab is due to N_League Government. Moonis Elahi

Indian Jingoism at Play in the IPL Auction: Moonis Elahi

Lahore : January 20, 2010

The fact that there were no takers for Pakistani cricketers in the Indian Premier League betrays the unethical, discriminatory and prejudicial outlook of Indian corporate leaders, Bollywood stars, IPL organizers, Indian Cricket Board and above all the Indian Government against the players and People of Pakistan. No matter how much the Indians blow their trumpet of being a liberal, educated and cultured people this act has once again revealed their true anti-Pakistan intentions. We should boycott IPL matches on television, ban the use of Indian products and stop watching Indian flicks featuring Bollywood stars who are also IPL franchisees till an official apology from the Indian Government and IPL organizers is received. This was stated by Moonis Elahi, senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League while giving an interview to a foreign correspondent.

Commenting on the recent IPL held cricketers’ auction where eleven Pakistani cricketers remained unsold Moonis Elahi said that the Pakistan Government, Pakistan Cricket Board and the Pakistani cricketers should now open their eyes and stop compromising Pakistan’s prestige for personal thrills and selfish gains. We won independence under the Quaid-e-Azam’s leadership to rid ourselves of the Indian malice and to attain excellence in all fields including sports without being discriminated against by the dominant Hindu mindset said Moonis Elahi.

He said that Pakistan’s cricket team which achieved its first historic win against England in 1954 comprised men charged with the Quaid’s vision for excellence and these men had also participated in the Pakistan Movement under his leadership. He reminded today’s Pakistani cricket stars of their role as the custodians of a great legacy and urged them to put the Nation’s honor above all other priorities and not sell themselves out to the highest bidder at the Nation’s cost. We are a great sporting nation and have been the World Champions of cricket, hockey, squash and snooker, we are currently the World Champions of the 20/20 form of cricket to the dismay of our ever-hostile Indian neighbors remarked Moonis Elahi. Our sporting prowess has always given India major heart burns and it leaves no opportunity to undermine the Pakistani Nation in sports like in other fields he said. If the IPL organizers want to act like the Shiv-Sena of Indian cricket then the world cricketing bodies should take notice of this and not let the jingoistic IPL organizers easily off the hook this time.