Sindhis
سنڌي

75px 75px
1st row: Ubaidullah Sindhi 2nd row: Benazir Bhutto, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, J. B. Kripalani 3rd row: Jhulelal, Abida Parveen, Shaikh Ayaz
Regions with significant populations
Pakistan 53,410,910 (August 2011) [1]  India 2,810,000 (August 2001) [2]  Hong Kong 7,500 [3]
Languages
Sindhi
Religion
• Islam • Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
• Balochi people • Kashmiri people

Sindhis (Sindhi: سنڌي) are a Sindhi-speaking ethnic group of people native to the Sindh province of Pakistan.

Some of the places in Sindh have been inhabited as early as the 3rd millennium BC. A large number of Indus valley sites have been found in Sindh. Sindh was ruled by Hindu, Buddhist and Zoroastrian kingdoms till 712, when it became a part of the Umayyad Caliphate. While Sindhis were originally Hindus or Buddhists.

Sindhi culture is highly influenced by Sufi doctrines and principles. Some of the popular cultural icons are Raja Dahir, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, Jhulelal and Sachal Sarmast.

Following the partition of India in 1947, most Hindus, Sikhs and Jains migrated to India and other parts of the world, though as of 1998, Hindus still constituted about 6% of the total Sindhi population in Pakistan.^[4] Sindhis in different parts of the world formed their own social gatherings or sammelans and associations.

History[link]

Prehistoric period[link]

Excavated ruins of Mohenjo-daro, Pakistan

The original inhabitants of ancient Sindh were believed to be aboriginal tribes speaking languages of the Indus Valley civilization around 3000 BC.

Location of the Indus Valley civilization

The Indus Valley Civilization went into decline around the year 1700 BC for reasons that are not entirely known, though its downfall was probably precipitated by a massive earthquake that dried up the Ghaggar River. The Indo-Aryans are believed to have founded the Vedic civilization that existed between the Sarasvati River and Ganges river around 1500 BC. This civilization helped shape subsequent cultures in South Asia.

In his book Kitab-ul-Hind, the Persian scholar Abū Rayhān Bīrūnī (Al-Beruni) declared that even before the advent of Islam into Sindh (711 A.D.), the Sindhi language was prevalent in Sindh.^{[citation needed]}

Historical period[link]

Because of its location at the western edge of South Asia, Sindh was one of the earliest regions to be influenced by Islam. It was part of the Islamic empires of the Abbasids and Umayyids. Sufi missionaries played a pivotal role in converting millions of native Sindhis to Islam. At the same time, Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and Sufis flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to the Islamic Sultanate in Sindh. Settled by Turks, Pashtuns, and Mughals. Habbari, Soomra, Samma, Arghun dynasties ruled Sindh. The Baloch tribes migrated and settled in Sindh. These Baloch assimilated with Sindhis and now they constitute a significant population of Sindh. Sindh continued to evolve as a frontier state; by the time of British colonial occupation it was ruled by Baloch kings.

Ethnicity[link]

"The Priest King Wearing Sindhi Ajruk", c.2500 BC, in the National Museum of Pakistan.

Sindh, as a western frontier of the South Asia, has always been exposed to the entry of migrants from Central Asia and the Middle East. The region got its name sindh from the river sindhu (Indus) and the people living here are called as sindhi since the time of indus valley civilization this region is called as sindh and the people as sindhi. The term Hindi and Hindu is derived from word sindh and sindhi as the ancient Persians pronunciate "s" as "h" e.g. sarasvati as harasvati, the same way they called the people of this region as Hindi people their language as Hindi language and the region as hind, the name which is used for this region since ancient times and later for whole northern part of Indian sub-continent even today India is also known as Hindustan the name which has nothing to do with hinduism, but related more to a people and their language named after the main river flowing through this region sindhu (Indus).

As regards the composition of the non-ethnic Sindhi population, the two main groups that inhabited Sindh are related to, and common, one with the Punjab and another with Balochistan. The majority group is that of Rajputs and Jats who are the partial descendants of Sakas, Kushans and Huns. During Kalhora rule a number of Jat tribes such as the Sials, Joyas and Khawars came from the Punjab and settled in Sindh. They are called the Seraiki (i.e., people from the north), and speak Seraiki. This group overlaps and is sometimes considered transitional between the Punjabis and Sindhi people.

The two main Rajput tribes of Sindh are: the Samma, descendants of the Samma Dynasty who ruled Sindh during (1351 - 1521 A.D.). Among other Sindhi Rajputs are the Bhachos, Bhuttos, Bhattis, Mahendros, Buriros, Lakha, Sahetas, Lohanas, Mohano, Dahars, Indhar, Chachar, Dhareja, Rathores, Dakhan, Langah, etc. The Sindhi-Sipahi of Rajasthan and the Sandhai Muslims of Gujarat are communities of Sindhi Rajputs settled in India. Closely related to the Sindhi Rajputs are the Jats of Sindh, who are found mainly in the Indus delta region.

The other Main group is that of Balochi tribes settled in various parts of Sindh mostly during the last five hundred years or so. Since they were martial people and ruled over Sindh for some time before the arrival of the British, they acquired vast lands in the province, with the result that a large number of present-day Sindhi landlords are of Baloch origin. According to the 1941 census, which was the last one held before independence, Balochis formed 60% of the total population of Sindh. Balochi tribes are spread over,Iranian Sistan Balochistan, Afghan Balochistan, Kurdistan of Iraq, Balochistan, Sindh and the south-western districts of the Punjab. This group is almost entirely Muslim.

A third sub-group of the Sindhi population comprises the descendants of Muslim conquerors, administrators and missionaries who were Arabs, Persians, Afghans and Turks (including the Mughals). They are a small minority settled in cities and towns and have largely blended with the other components of the population while maintaining something of a sub-culture; they are often referred to as Ashraf or the "noble". Of this third element, Muslim Arabs have possibly contributed the most to the development of the modern Sindhi language and literature and to the advancement of its intellectual and cultural activities.

Another group of people who are largely overlooked in any discussions about groups and culture of Sindh are the Haris, whose name is derived from the term "Harijan."^[5] These people are generally believed to be the descendants of indigenous Dravidian populations that were enslaved by various invading people. Many are still living in abject poverty and under slave-like conditions in rural Sindh, because of the benign neglect and only nominal efforts by the government to improve the situation. The majority of Haris are nominally Muslims while practicing what is generally known as folk Hindu beliefs all over rural Pakistan like head tonsuring and sacred thread ceremonies. Many Haris have moved on as artisans and wage laborers.

Nearly 14 million Muslim refugees (Muhajirs) escaped from communal riots and genocide in various parts of India and settled in Sindh after the independence of Pakistan, populating mostly urban centers of the province. They spoke Urdu, Gujarati, Bengali as well as other languages that reflect their different regions of origin.^[6]

Islamic influence[link]

With Sindh’s stable prosperity and its strategic geographical possession, it is not surprising that it was subject to successive conquests by foreign empires. In 712 A.D., Sindh was incorporated into the Caliphate, the Islamic Empire, and became the ‘Arabian gateway’ into India (later to become known as Bab-ul-Islam, the gate of Islam). After the conquest by the Arabs, the people of Sindh were influenced by Islam.^[7]

Sindhi culture is also highly Persianized as Sindh was exposed to cultural, religious and linguistic influence from Islamic Persia. Most significantly, numerous Persian loanwords made their way into the Sindhi language along with the Nastaʿlīq script, in which modern Sindhi is written today.

Muslim Sindhis tend to follow the Sunni Hanafi fiqh with a substantial minority of Shia Ithna 'ashariyah. The Sufism has made a deep impact on Sindhi Muslims and Sufi shrines dot the landscape of Sindh.

Sindhi Hindus[link]

Sindh is also home to Hindus.

Hindus in Sindh were concentrated in the cities before the partition of India in 1947. According to Ahmad Hassan Dani

Culture[link]

Sindhi names[link]

Muslim Sindhis tend to have traditional Muslim first names, sometimes with localized variations. Most Sindhis have tribal and clan names as their surnames. Nearly forty percent of Sindhis have Baloch tribal names.

Hindu and Sikh Sindhis tend to have surnames that end in '-ani' (a variant of 'anshi', derived from the Sanskrit word 'ansh', which means 'descended from'). The first part of a Sindhi Hindu surname is usually derived from the name of an ancestor. In northern Sindh, surnames ending in 'ja' (meaning 'of') are also common. A person's surname would consist of the name of his or her native village, followed by 'ja'.

Sufism[link]

Slslay aaliya naqshband in Sindh was mainly due to Sultan Ul Oliya Khawaja Muhammad Zaman of Luari Sharif. He was the spiritual leader of makhdoom Abdul Rahim Grohri. Once Shah Abdul Latif Bhitaai even came to enter in to his school of thought but Sultan ul oliya did not allow him because music is not allowed in Naqshbandi silsila. Sindhi culture has been strongly influenced by Sufism. Jhulelal, the Sufi pioneer of Sindh, is revered by both Hindus and Muslims. A common greeting among Sindhis is "Jhulelal Bera-Hee-Paar".^[10]

Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (1689–1752) was a Sufi scholar and saint, and is considered one of the greatest poets of the Sindhi language. Bhittai settled in the town of Bhit Shah in Matiari, Pakistan where his shrine is located. Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai's most famous written work is the Shah Jo Risalo, which is a masterpiece of Sindhi literature as well. The major themes of his poetry include Unity of God, love for Prophet, religious tolerance and humanistic values. Islamic philosopher Seyyed Hossein Nasr describes Bhittai's works as "direct emanations of Rūmī's spirituality in the Indian world."^[11]

Notable Sindhis[link]

Famous Sindhis include Pir Hisamudin Rashidi,^[12] G. M. Syed, Shaikh Ayaz, Amar Jaleel, Sabeer Bhatia, Mirza Qalich Baig, Hassan Ali Effendi, Umar Bin Muhammad Daudpota, Ghulam Ali Allana and Imdad Ali Imam Ali Kazi. Included are Dr. Mumtaz Pathan, Research Scholar; and Muhammad Panah Pharero.

Politicians[link]

Pakistan's political scene has been dominated by Sindhi politicians, including

• Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah
• Ubaidullah Sindhi
• G. M. Syed
• Allah Bux Soomro
• Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
• Rasul Bux Palejo
• Mumtaz Ali Bhutto
• Benazir Bhutto
• Zulfiqar Mirza
• Muhammad Khan Junejo
• Elahi Bux Soomro
• Bashir Qureshi
• Ayaz Latif Palijo
• Qadir Magsi
• Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah
• Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi
• Asif Zardari
• Fahmida Mirza
• Muhammad Mian Soomro
• Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto
• Haider Bux Jatoi founder of 'Jeay Sindh' slogan
• Pir Pagaro
• Yusuf Haroon

In India, notable Sindhi politicians include

• Sucheta Kriplani First Sindhi Indian Woman Chief Minister
• Lal Krishna Advani (former deputy prime minister of India)
• Acharya Kriplani (President of Indian National Congress during Independence of India)
• K.R. Malkani (former Governor Of Pudduchery)
• Jairamdas Daulatram (former Governor of Assam and Bihar)
• Ram Jethmalani (former law minister of India)
• N.R. Malkani (former member of Rajya Sabha and Winner of Padma Bhushan)
• Ishwardas Rohani (Speaker Of Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly)
• Bhanu Kumar Shastri (former Member of Lok Sabha from Udaipur)
• Shrichand Kriplani (member of 14th Lok Sabha).

Historical Sindhi leaders include

• Raja Dahir
• Darya Khan Rind
• Soreh Badshah
• Hoshu Sheedi
• Hemu Kalani
• Dodo Soomro.

Sindhi poets in India include Narain Shyam Nagwani, Golden Peacock and Jnanpeeth award winner.

Entertainment[link]

Famous Hindu Sindhis in the Indian movie industry include:

• Aftab Shivdasani
• Ravi Baswani
• Govardhan Asrani
• Jackky Bhagnani
• Tamannaah Bhatia,^[13] Vashu Bhagnani,
• Tarun Mansukhani
• Ritesh Sidhwani
• Rajkumar Hirani
• Dalip Tahil
• Ramesh Taurani
• Nikhil Advani
• Sadhana Shivdasani
• Babita
• Karishma Kapoor
• Kareena Kapoor
• Sangeeta Bijlani
• Hiten Tejwani
• Leena Jumani
• Shilpa Saklani
• Preeti Jhangiani
• Kitu Gidwani
• Hansika Motwani
• Ramesh Sippy
• G. P. Sippy
• Rohan Sippy
• Ramsay Brothers
• Govind Nihalani
• Anjana Sukhani
• Vishal Dadlani
• Ranveer Singh
• Sudhir
• Mac Mohan
• Asrani Ajith Kumar.

See also[link]

• Sindhudesh
• Sindhi literature
• Sindhi music
• Sindhi poetry
• Sindhi language media in Pakistan
• Sindhi diaspora

References[link]

1. ^ Population Census Organization, Government of Pakistan - Population by Mother Tongue
2. ^ Ethnologue report for India Archived 18 January 2010 at WebCite
3. ^ Rising India and indian communities in East Asia - By K. Kesavapany, A. Mani, Palanisamy Ramasamy, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
4. ^ "Religions". http://www.census.gov.pk/Religion.htm. 
5. ^ "Refugee Review Tribunal". United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/4b6fe2120.pdf. Retrieved 2007–08–01. 
6. ^ The People and the land of Sindh Archived 14 February 2011 at WebCite
7. ^ Historical perspective of Sindhis Archived 14 February 2011 at WebCite
8. ^ The foreign policy of Pakistan: ethnic impacts on diplomacy, 1971-1994 By Mehtab Ali Shah Published in 1997 by I B Tauris and Co Ltd,London PAGE 46
9. ^ Proceedings of the First Congress of Pakistan History & Culture held at the University of Islamabad, April 1973 ,Volume 1 University of Islamabad Press, 1975
10. ^ About Jhule Lal Sai Archived 14 February 2011 at WebCite
11. ^ Rūmī and the Sufi Tradition Archived 14 February 2011 at WebCite
12. ^ Book review – DIL JE DAFTAR MAAN [Saroonyoon] « Indus Asia Online Journal (iaoj) Archived 14 February 2011 at WebCite
13. ^ Moviebuzz (21 December 2009). "Happy B'day to the Queen of K’wood!". ****Sify. http://sify.com/movies/tamil/fullstory.php?id=14924273&cid=2363. Retrieved 2011-04-19. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sindhi people

• Sindhi Sangat: promoting & preserving the Sindhi heritage, culture and language.
• Sindhi Jagat: All India Sindhi Consolidating Centre.
• Sindhi Surnames Origin - Trace your roots
• www.thesindhi.com

v t e Sindh topics History Indus Valley Civilisation (Mohenjo-daro) Sindhu Kingdom Ror Dynasty Rai Dynasty Brahman Dynasty Muslim caliphate Soomra Dynasty Samma Dynasty Kalhora Dynasty Talpur British period Government and politics Provincial Assembly Chief Minister Governor Sindh Archives Commissioners of Sind Bhutto family Sindh Police Sindh High Court Sindh Information Department Sindh Coastal Development Authority Economy Culture Ajrak Sindhi cap Sindh Culture Day Sindhi people (List) Sindhi music Sindhi cuisine Sindhi diaspora Sindhi language Sindhi literature Sindhi poetry (Sindhi poets) Sindhi folklore Sindhi folktales Sindhi nationalism Sindhi Adabi Board Sindhi cinema List of Sindhi-language films Sindhi media Sindhi tribes Sindhology List of Sindhi festivals Cheti Chand Sindhi bhagat Sassi Punnun Muhajir people Geography List of cities Districts List of talukas Climate (Karachi Hyderabad Nawabshah) Fauna Historical places Indus River Makran Education Education in Karachi Institute of Sindhology Sindh Madrasatul Islam Sindh Museum University of Sindh Sports Sindh cricket team Malakhra

v t e Sindhi nationalism Historic figures Raja Dahir Jam Nizamuddin II Mian Adam Shah Kalhoro Gernal Hosh Mohammad Sheedi Sibghatullah Shah Rashidi Molana Ubaidullah Sindhi Abdullah Shah Ghazi Mir Sher Muhammad Talpur Dodo Bin Khafef Soomro III Modern figures G. M. Syed Shafi Muhammad Burfat Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Baba-e-Sindh Comrade Hyder Bux Jatoi Bashir Qureshi Qadir Magsi Rasul Bux Palejo Mumtaz Bhutto Safdar Sarki Zarina Baloch Muhammad Ibrahim Joyo Benazir Bhutto Asif Ali Zardari Culture Ajrak Sindhi cap Sindh Culture Day Sindhi tribes Malakhra Sassui Punhun Pakistan khappay Poets Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai Sachal Sarmast Tajal Bewas Shaikh Ayaz Sami Contemporary controversies Sindhudesh Kalabagh Dam Human rights abuses in Sindh Battles and conflicts Debal Battle of Fatehpur (1519) Battle of Dubbo Battle of Hyderabad Battle of Miani Battle of Halani Battle of Kachhi Political parties Jeay Sindh Mutahda Mahaz Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party Awami Tehreek Sindh National Front Sindh United Party Sindh National Party Sindh Hari Committee World Sindhi Congress World Sindhi Institute

L.K. Advani
Deputy Prime Minister of India
In office 5 February 2000 – 22 May 2004
Preceded by	Chaudhary Devi Lal
Succeeded by	Vacant
Minister of Home Affairs
In office 19 March 1998 – 22 May 2004
Prime Minister	Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Preceded by	Indrajit Gupta
Succeeded by	Shivraj Patil
Leader of Opposition (Lok Sabha)
In office May 2004 – December 2009
Preceded by	Sonia Gandhi
Succeeded by	Sushma Swaraj
In office 1989–1993
Minister of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
In office 29 January 2003 – 21 May 2004
Prime Minister	Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Minister of Coal and Mines
In office 1 July 2002 – 25 August 2002
Prime Minister	Atal Bihari Vajpayee
President of Bharatiya Janata Party
In office 1986–1991
In office 1993–1998
In office 2004–2006
Leader of Opposition (Rajya Sabha)
In office January 1980 – April 1980
Personal details
Born	(1927-11-08) 8 November 1927 (age 84) Karachi, (Sindh) British India (now Pakistan)
Political party	Bharatiya Janata Party (1980–present)
Other political affiliations	Bharatiya Jana Sangh (Before 1977) Janata Party (1977–1980)
Spouse(s)	Kamla Advani
Children	Pratibha (Daughter) Jayant (Son)
Alma mater	Saint Patrick's High School, Karachi Sindh D. G. National College, Hyderabad, Sindh Government Law College, Bombay University.
Profession	Lawyer
Religion	Hindu
Signature	L. K. Advani's signature
Website	Official website

Lal Krishna Advani (Sindhi: लाल किशनचंद आडवाणी (Devanagari) [laˑl kiɕəntɕən̪d̪ aˑᶑʋaˑɳiˑ]; born on 8 November 1927, at Karachi) known as L.K Advani is a Veteran Indian politician. A former president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is currently the major opposition party in the Indian Parliament. He also served as a Deputy Prime Minister of India from 2002 to 2004. He was the Leader of the Opposition in the 10th Lok Sabha and 14th Lok Sabha (Lower House of the Indian Parliament).^[1] Advani began his political career as a volunteer of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Early life and education[link]

L.K Advani was born at Karachi, in Sindh of British India to Kishanchand D Advani and Gyani Devi. He completed his early schooling from Saint Patrick's High School, Karachi, then he joined the D G National College in Hyderabad, Sindh for his college education. He then graduated in Law from Government Law College, Bombay University.^[2]

Political career[link]

Early career[link]

L.K Advani's life as a politician started in 1947 when he was elected as the Secretary, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Karachi. In 1947, Advani was sent to Mewar in Rajasthan, which had witnessed communal violence following partition, to oversee the affairs of the RSS there.

Jana Sangh to Janata Party[link]

Advani became a member of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, which was founded in 1951 by Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. After serving various positions in the Jana Sangh, he became its President in 1975. When Jai Prakash Narayan, who led the public movement against the Emergency refused to campaign for the opposition parties unless all of them joined together, the Jana Sangh and many other opposition parties merged into the Janata Party. With the dissolution of Jana Sangh, Advani and his colleague Atal Bihari Vajpayee joined the Janata Party to fight the Lok Sabha Elections of 1977.

Janata Party to Bharatiya Janata Party[link]

The Janata Party was formed by political leaders and activists of various political parties who had been united in opposing the state of Emergency imposed in 1975 by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. After elections were called in 1977, the Janata Party was formed from the union of the Congress (O), Swatantra Party, Socialist Party of India, Bharatiya Jana Sangh and the Lok Dal. Indian National Congress defector Jagjivan Ram formed the Congress for Democracy and joined the Janata alliance. The widespread unpopularity of Emergency rule gave Janata Party and its allied a landslide victory in the election. Morarji Desai became the Prime Minister of India, Advani became the Minister of Information and Broadcasting and his close friend and Jana Sangh senior colleague Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the External Affairs Minister.

The nature of the birth of the Janata Party sowed the seeds of its destruction as well. Bitter animosity amongst its ranks ensured that the government remained on the brink. Finally, the issue of dual membership became the bone of contention as some members of the Janata Party insisted that the erstwhile members of the Jana Sangh dissociate themselves from the right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

The erstwhile members of the Jana Sangh, came out of the Janata Party and they formed the new Bharatiya Janata Party. Advani became a prominent leader of the newly founded BJP and represented the party in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of the Indian Parliament).^[2]

The rise of the BJP[link]

Advani became the president of the BJP in 1986. His rise coincided with a growing unease and disquiet with the ruling Congress Party, among the Hindus due the increasing fundamentalism among the minority Muslims. Sensing an opportunity Advani embarked on a new aggressive phase of his politics and by 1991, he had taken a party to new heights.

He gradually brought in a shift in the party's policies by advocating Hindutva. Meanwhile, the finance minister V. P. Singh also defected. In the elections of 1989, the combined might of the VP Singh led Janata Dal and the BJP managed to eat into the Congress's seats. Despite emerging as the single largest party, the Congress opted to sit in Opposition, and a coalition headed by V P Singh as Prime Minister formed the government. The BJP supported this government from the outside.

Lal Krishna Advani with Condoleezza Rice

In 1989, the BJP launched a movement led by Advani on the issue of the Ram Janmabhoomi (the birth place of Rama). The BJP demanded that a temple dedicated to deity Rama be created at the site of the Babri Masjid where, according to Archaeological Survey of India (ASI),^[3][4] a temple stood till Babur's invasion of India in 1528. Sunni Central Wakf Board rejected this claim. However, rather than a settling on a political solution to the dispute, the disputed structure was destroyed by a Hindu mob, sparking massive Hindu-Muslim riots.

Advani embarked on a "Rath Yatra" to mobilize "karsevaks" to converge upon the Babri Masjid to offer prayers. This "Rath Yatra", undertaken in an air-conditioned van decorated to look like a chariot, started from Somnath in Gujarat and had covered a large part of Northern India until it was brought to a halt by the Chief Minister of Bihar, Laloo Prasad Yadav.

This movement helped the BJP cross fresh boundaries, especially in North India. Advani succeeded in drawing away a large chunk of Hindu voters who were already mortified at the rise of Mandal politics, away from the Congress^{[citation needed]}. In the 1991 general elections, the BJP came second after the Congress party in terms of seats.

In 1992, two years after Advani ended his yatra, despite assurances given by the Kalyan Singh led BJP Government to the Supreme Court, the Babri Masjid was demolished by the "karsevaks" with alleged complicity of the Kalyan Singh government.^[5][6] Advani is one of the main accused in the Babri Masjid case.^[7]

BJP, under Advani, sat in the opposition from 1991-1996 during the reign of P V Narasimha Rao. The Rao regime was repeatedly accused by the BJP of corruption and various scandals.

NDA Government formation[link]

After the 1996 general elections, the BJP became the single largest party and was consequently invited by the President to form the Government. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was sworn in as Prime Minister in May 1996. However, the Government did not last long and Vajpayee resigned after thirteen days.

After two years in the political wilderness, the BJP under the umbrella of the National Democratic Alliance (a BJP-led coalition), again came to power with Vajpayee as PM in March 1998, when elections were called after India saw two unstable Governments headed by H D Deve Gowda and I K Gujral respectively. Advani assumed the office of Home Minister and was later elevated to the position of Deputy Prime Minister. As Union Minister, Advani had a tough time with India facing a string of internal disturbances in the form of terror attacks from neighbouring Pakistan . The BJP-led NDA Government lasted for its full term of five years till 2004, with Vajpayee as the Prime Minister. The NDA was the only non-Congress Government to last for five years.

L.K. Advani with Dmitry Medvedev of Russia.

Advani was charged in a Hawala scandal where he allegedly received payments through hawalabrokers. He and others were later discharged by the Supreme Court of India, because there was no additional evidence which could be used to charge them.^[8] According to the judicial inquiry by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) they could not find any substantive evidences; the Supreme Court ruling stated that no statement even mentioned Advani's name and that evidence against him was limited to the mention of his name on a few loose sheets of paper.^[8]

However, the failure of this prosecution by the CBI was widely criticized.^[9] While some believe the CBI probe catapulted his rise through the BJP on his newfound "moral authority",^[10] others have claimed the inquiry was a political stunt.^[11][12]

As elections approached in 2004, Advani was supremely confident and conducted an aggressive campaign where he claimed the Congress Party would not get even 100 seats. The BJP suffered a defeat in the general elections held in 2004, and was forced to sit in the opposition. Another coalition, the United Progressive Alliance led by the resurgent Congress came to power, with Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister. The NDA disintegrated with the Telugu Desam Party, which had supported the NDA government from the outside, deserting the alliance.

Vajpayee retired from active politics after the 2004 defeat, putting Advani to the forefront of the BJP. Advani became Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2009. During this period, Advani had to deal with rebellion from within the party. His two close associates, Uma Bharati, and Madan Lal Khurana, and longtime rival Murali Manohar Joshi publicly spoke out against him. In June 2005, he drew much criticism when he, while on a visit to the Jinnah Mausoleum at Karachi - his town of birth, endorsed Mohammad Ali Jinnah and described him a "secular" leader. This did not sit well with the RSS either and Advani was forced to relinquish his post as BJP president. However, he withdrew the resignation a few days later.

The relationship between Advani and the RSS reached a low point when K S Sudarshan, opined that both Advani and Vajpayee give way to new leaders.^[13] At the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the BJP in Mumbai in December 2005, Advani stepped down as party president and Rajnath Singh, a relatively junior politician from the state of Uttar Pradesh was elected in his place. In March 2006, following a bomb blast at one of the holiest Hindu shrines at Varanasi, Advani undertook a "Bharat Suraksha Yatra" (Sojourn for National Security), to highlight the alleged failure of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (a Congress led coalition) in combating terrorism.

Prime Minister candidacy[link]

Advani discussing "black money" at one of many rallies during the 2009 campaign.

In an interview with a news channel in December 2006, L.K. Advani stated that as the Leader of the Opposition in a parliamentary democracy, he considered himself as the Prime Ministerial candidate for the general elections, ending on 16 May 2009.^[14] Some of his colleagues were not supportive of his candidacy.^[15]

A major factor going in favor of Advani was that he had always been the most powerful leader in the BJP with the exception of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who endorsed Advani's candidacy shortly after the interview was done. On 2 May 2007, BJP President Rajnath Singh, in an interview, stated that: "After Atal there is only Advani. Advani is the natural choice. It is he who should be PM".^[16] On 10 December 2007, the Parliamentary Board of BJP formally announced that L. K. Advani would be its prime ministerial candidate for the General Elections due in 2009.

However, Indian National Congress party and its allies won the 2009 General Elections, allowing incumbent Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to continue in office. Following the defeat in the elections, L. K. Advani paved way for Sushma Swaraj to become the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.^[17]

Vajpayee-Advani Duo[link]

Through the 90s and the first few years of the 21st century, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-LK Advani combination steered the BJP to heights it had never before witnessed. Their political relationship provided stability, continuity, experience and authority to a party that was beginning even then, to severely lack a solid second-rung. As Advani himself acknowledged, rarely do two political leaders share such a bond, a working relationship that allows them both to thrive and grow without disturbing the fine balance of that bond.

Vajpayee, the poet-Prime Minister and Advani as his able and trusted lieutenant, brought depth and gravity to the BJP leadership. It still is, and will be in many ways, the gold standard to which the BJP will hold itself for many years to come.

Rath Yatras[link]

Popularly known in India as the Eternal yatri or Eternal Charioteer,^[18] L.K. Advani has taken 6 yatras throughout India.

1. Ram Rath Yatra- L.K. Advani started his first Rath Yatra from Somnath, Gujarat^[19] on 25 September 1990 to finally reach Ayodhya on October 30, 1990. The yatra has been linked to the Mandir-Masjid dispute centred around Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site at Ayodhya. The BJP and Advani, however, focused the yatra on the secularism–communalism debate.^[20]

2. Janadesh Yatra- Four Yatras named Janadesh Yatra^[21] started on 11 september 1993 from four corners of country. L.K. Advani led this yatra from Mysore. Travelling through 14 States and two Union Territories, the yatris congregated at Bhopal on September 25 in a massive rally. The purpose of Janadesh Yatrawas to seek the people's mandate against the two Bills, the Constitution 80th Amendment Bill and the Representation of People (Amendment) Bill.^[22]

3.Swarna Jayanti Rath Yatra- The Swarna Jayanti Rath Yatra by Mr. Advani travelled across India between May and July 1997. According to Mr.Advani, the yatra was conducted in celebration of 50 years of Indian Independence and also to project the BJP as a party committed to good governance.^[23]

4. Bharat Uday Yatra- The Bharat Uday Yatra took place in the run-up to the 2004 Lok Sabha Elections.^[24]

5. Bharat Suraksha Yatra- The BJP launched a nationwide mass political campaign in the form of the Bharat Suraksha Yatra from April 6 to May 10, 2006. It consisted of two yatras – one led by L.K. Advani, Leader of the Opposition (Lok Sabha), from Dwaraka in Gujarat to Delhi; and the other led by Rajnath Singh, then the President of the BJP, from Jagannath Puri in Orissa to Delhi.^[25] The yatra was focused on left wing terrorism, minority politics, corruption, protection of democracy and price rise.^[26]

6. Jan Chetna Yatra- The Jan Chetna Yatra was launched on 11 October 2011 from Sitab Diara, Bihar. The BJP states the purpose of Jan Chetna Yatra is to mobilise public opinion against corruption of the UPA government and put BJP agenda of good governance and clean politics before the people of India.^[27]

See also[link]

• Ayodhya debate
• Hawala scandal

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Lal Krishna Advani. My Country My Life. (2008). ISBN 978-81-291-1363-4.
• Lal Krishna Advani. New Approaches to Security and Development (Paperback). (2003). ISBN 978-981-230-219-9.
• Lal Krishna Advani. A Prisoner's Scrap-Book (Hardcover). (2002). ISBN 978-81-88322-10-7.
• Atmaram Kulkarni. The Advent of Advani: An Authentic Critical Biography (Hardcover). (1995). ISBN 978-81-85345-22-2.
• Sudheendra Kulkarni. Swarna Jayanti Rath Yatra: The story of Lal Krishna Advani's patriotic pilgrimage. (1997). ASIN: B0000CPBO7.
• Pentagon Press. Lal Krishna Advani: Today's Patel (Paperback). (2002). ISBN 978-81-86830-57-4.
• G. Katyal. K. Bhushan. Lal Krishna Advani: Deputy Prime Minister (Hardcover). ASIN: B001G6MAZA
• Pentagon Press. Lala Krishna Advani (Paperback). (2007). ISBN 978-81-86830-59-8.
• Demolition by design VENKITESH RAMAKRISHNAN -Frontline Volume 26 - Issue 25 :: Dec. 05-18, 2009

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Lal Krishna Advani

• Official site
• Profile on website of BJP
• BJP Leader, India
• Profile at BBC News
• Pakistan expresses shock at Mr Advani's resignation
• Allahabad High court order on the Babri Masjid demolition case
• Khurana asks Advani to step down
• Madan Lal Khurana suspended from BJP
• Advani praises functioning of Modi Govt
• Advani to call it quits in December
• Advani Discusses His Prime Ministerial Candidacy
• BJP to fight next poll under second-rung leader: Naqvi
• Official Blog of Lal Krishna Advani
• My Country, My Life Official site

v t e State of Emergency in India (1975–1977) Personalities Indira Gandhi - Jayaprakash Narayan - Siddhartha Shankar Ray - Jivatram Kripalani - Morarji Desai - Atal Bihari Vajpayee - K. Kamaraj - M. G. Ramachandran - M. Karunanidhi - Harcharan Singh Longowal - Lal Krishna Advani - Charan Singh - Jagjivan Ram - Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed - Sanjay Gandhi - Jagmohan - Bansi Lal - Zail Singh - Dev Kant Baruah - Jagmohanlal Sinha - Hans Raj Khanna - H. N. Bahuguna - Raj Narain - George Fernandes - Neelam Sanjiva Reddy Organisations Indian National Congress (R) - Janata Morcha - Janata Party - Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - Dravidar Kazhagam - Indian National Congress (Organisation) - Shiromani Akali Dal - Bharatiya Jana Sangh - Swatantra Party - Bharatiya Lok Dal - Socialist Party of India - Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh - Communist Party of India (Marxist) - People's Union for Civil Liberties Events State of Emergency in India - State of Uttar Pradesh v. Raj Narain - 39th Amendment - 42nd Amendment - Turkman gate demolition and rioting - Baroda dynamite case - Shah Commission - Maintenance of Internal Security Act - Rajan case - Indian general election, 1977 Portal:India - History of India

(Tapuu 17:34, 11 October 2011 (UTC))

Altaf Hussain الطاف حسین
Personal details
Born	(1953-09-17) 17 September 1953 (age 58) Karachi, Pakistan
Nationality	United Kingdom
Political party	Mutahidda Qaumi Movement
Spouse(s)	Faiza Altaf (divorced)
Children	Afzaa Altaf
Residence	London, United Kingdom
Alma mater	University of Karachi Islamia Science College (Karachi)
Occupation	Politician
Religion	Islam
Website	www.mqm.org

Altaf Hussain (Urdu: الطاف حسین) (born 17 September 1953 in Karachi) is the founder and leader of the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM).^[1] The MQM emerged as the third largest political party in the national assembly of Pakistan during 1988^[2] and 1990^[3] elections. The MQM secured representation in the parliamentary elections held in the northern areas of Pakistan comprising Kashmir^[4] & Gilgit-Baltistan.^[5] Since 1992 he has lived in the United Kingdom in self exile after surviving an assassination attempt in Pakistan.^[6]

Background[link]

Altaf Hussain was born to Nazir Hussain and Khursheed Begum on 17 September 1953 in Karachi.His parents belonged to religious families from Agra, India. After the formation of Pakistan in 1947, his parents migrated to Pakistan and settled in Karachi.^[7] Hussain’s grand-father, Mufti Mohammad Ramazan, was Grand Mufti of the town of Agra, UP, India and his maternal grand-father Haji Hafiz Raheem Bhux was a reputed religious scholar in India.^[8]

Education[link]

Altaf Hussain got his early education from Govt Comprehensive School, Azizabad No. 8 Karachi. He then completed his matriculation in 1969 from Government Boys Secondary School. He attended National College Karachi during First Year of his Intermediate Education (Pre-Medical/Science) but switched to City College Karachi during Second Year of Intermediate from where he completed Intermediate.After that he went on to complete his Bachelors of Science from Islamia Science College (Karachi) in 1974^[9] apart from completing his Bachelor of Pharmacy by 1979 from the University of Karachi. After completion of his Bachelor of Pharmacy he later enrolled for his Master’s degree.^[9]

Early career[link]

Hussain began his career as a trainee at Karachi’s Seventh Day Advent Hospital. At the same time, he also worked for a multi-national pharmaceutical company.^[10] Between 1970 and 1971, Hussain joined the National Service Cadet Scheme. Soon afterwards, he also joined the Baloch Regiment of Pakistan Army.^[10]

Political Involvement[link]

Altaf Hussain was politically active from a very young age. While attending Karachi University, on 11 June 978, Hussain founded the “All Pakistan Mohajir Student Organization” APMSO. This day is celebrated as APMSO foundation day. The APMSO was formed as a student rights group campaigning for the rights of Muhajir students at Karachi University. It later gave birth to the Muhajir Qaumi Movement (MQM) on 18 March 1984, which afterward transformed into Muttahida Qaumi Movement on 26 June 1997.^[11] Before creating the APMSO, Hussain served as General Secretary and later as President of the National Student’s Action Committee at Karachi University.^[11]

The Pakistani government launched Operation Clean-up in 1992 and sent the military into Karachi to crack down on the MQM. Hussain escaped Karachi one month before the operation began because of an attack on his life on 21 December 1991.^[12] Hussain fled to London and applied for political asylum.^[13]

Assassination Attempt[link]

Altaf Hussain returned to Pakistan on 21 December 1991 after a short visit to London. He left Karachi International Airport for his hometown, Azizabad. He was intercepted by armed terrorists near Ayesha Manzil,F.B Area Karachi. The terrorists attacked his car with a hand grenade but the grenade exploded in the terrorist's hand and he died on the spot. The other terrorist was killed by counter attack from the police.^[7]

Arrests and Imprisonments[link]

First Arrest[link]

During his political struggle, Altaf Hussain was arrested and imprisoned thrice. He was first arrested on 14 August 1979 when he was attending a peaceful demonstration at Mazar-e-Quaid, Karachi for the return of Pakistanis stranded in Bangladesh. On 2 October 1979, he was sentenced to 9 months imprisonment and flogging five times. According to MQM sources, he was offered several deals by the then government officials but he refused any deal and became free only after fully completing his sentence on 28 April 1980.^[14]

Second Arrest[link]

Altaf Hussain was arrested the second time when he was returning after his historic address at Pakka Qila, Hyderabad on 31 October 1986 and was implicated in several criminal cases. His arrest enraged the people of Sindh, especially Karachi and they launched public movements for his freedom. Once again, the government offered him conditional freedom several times but he plainly refused his freedom without the freedom of his companions. Finally, due to great public pressure, Altaf Hussain and his companions were released from Central Prison Karachi on 24 February 1987 and all the charges placed on him were unconditionally lifted.^[14]

Third Arrest[link]

During 1987, the government began widespread arrests of Mutahidda Qaumi Movement workers all over Sindh. As a result, Altaf Hussain submitted himself to the law enforcement agencies on 30 August 1987 on the condition that the further arrests of his party's workers will be stopped immediately. During his imprisonment, MQM achieved great results in the Local Bodies election of 1987. Once again, government faced widepsread movements by the people for the freedom of Altaf Hussain. On 7 January 1988, Altaf Hussain was released from jail.^[14]

Killing of Brother and Nephew[link]

During October 1993 to November 1996, a large number of MQM's workers and sympathizers were killed without judicial intervention. Among them, Altaf Hussain's 66 years old elder brother Nasir Hussain and 28 years old nephew Arif Hussain were also killed. According to MQM sources, both of them were arrested by the law enforcement agents on 5 December 1995 and were kept in torture cell where they were brutually tortured for 4 days. They were then killed on 9 of December 1995 and their corpses were discovered from Gadap Town, Karachi.^[14]

Ideology/Philosophy[link]

Altaf Hussain believes history has proved the two-nation theory wrong.^[15] He contended that:

Altaf Hussain and his party, MQM, follow the philosophy of Realism and Practicalism.^[17]

Talking about his party MQM, Hussain stated that “We stand for equal rights and opportunities for all irrespective of colour, creed, cast, sect, gender, ethnicity or religion. We strive tirelessly for tolerance, religious or otherwise and oppose fanaticism, terrorism and violence in all their manifestations.”^[18]

In the last few years, Hussain has warned against the growing influence of the Taliban in Karachi. Hussain stated that the “advocates of Jihad, a medieval concept to tame the infidel, are wantonly killing followers of the faith as they level places of worship.”^[18] In 2008, he stated that a “well planned conspiracy to intensify sectarian violence in the city, was being hatched.”^[19][20][21]

Views on Pak-Indo Relations[link]

Hussain has stated on numerous occasions that the

He believes that the partition divided the Muslims of the subcontinent and made them weaker as a result.^[22] Hussain favors peace between India and Pakistan and stated in his 2004 address in India that “India and Pakistan being the two largest in the region, need to demonstrate magnanimity and the necessary political wisdom and desire to truly seek peace. The Confidence Building Measures contemplated to bring the people of both countries closer must be implemented vigorously.”^[18] On the issue of Kashmir, Hussain stated that Indo-Pak dialogue should be allowed to “proceed on the basis of mutual adjustment and agreement…[and] It should be clear to all concerned that there can be no military solution to any of the contentious issues, let alone the issue of Kashmir.”^[18]

National Reconciliation Ordinance[link]

In November 2009, Hussain was a beneficiary when the Government of Pakistan enabled a legal act (in December 2009 it was repealed) called National Reconciliation Ordinance which granted amnesty to politicians, political workers and bureaucrats who were accused of crimes between 1986 and October 1999, the time between two occurrences of Martial law.^[23]

See also[link]

• Farooq Sattar
• Muttahida Qaumi Movement
• Imran Farooq
• Mustafa Kamal
• Babar Khan Ghauri
• Fatima Qazilbash

References[link]

Deeba Sahar (Urdu: دیبا سحر )
Deeba is a popular Sindhi singer from Pakistan. Deeba Sahar gained fame, after Sindhi-language television channels, touched the region.^[1]

Deeba Sahar's concerts take place inside Pakistan and around the world. She lately performed in Dubai on various occasions.

Personal Life[link]

She is married to Sikandar Khoso, a local Sindhi businessman, both have a daughter from the marriage.

See also[link]

• List of Sindhi singers

References[link]

This article about a Pakistani singer is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Hamid Gul
Hamid Gul, PA
Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence
In office March 29 1987 – October 4, 1989
Preceded by	Akhtar Abdur Rahman
Succeeded by	Shamsur Rahman Kallu
Personal details
Born	(1936-11-20) 20 November 1936 (age 75) Sargodha, British Punjab, British Indian Empire
Citizenship	Pakistan
Alma mater	Pakistan Military Academy Government College University, Lahore
Occupation	Retired Army Officer
Religion	Islam
Military service
Allegiance	Pakistan
Service/branch	Pakistan Army
Years of service	1958–1992
Rank	Lieutenant-General
Unit	19th Lancers, Army Armoured Corps
Commands	1st Armoured Division, Multan DG Military Intelligence (DGMI) DG Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) II Strike Corps, Multan
Battles/wars	Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Soviet war in Afghanistan Battle of Jalalabad Afghanistan War of 1989 Operation Rakhshak
Awards	Sitara-e-Basalat Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military)

Lieutenant-General Hamid Gul (Urdū:حمید گل; born 20 November 1936) HI(M), SBt, is a retired high-ranking general officer in the Pakistan Army, famous for serving as the Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan's premier intelligence agency, between 1987 and 1989 during the late stages of and post-stages of the Soviet war in Afghanistan.^[1]

Gul is widely known and credited for pressing the hard-line policies on India after starting the insurgency in Kashmir against India in 1989^[2] by diverting the Mujahideen who participated in the Soviet war to Indian-held Kashmir. Gul was also instrumental in the establishment of the Taliban and was once known as the "father of the Taliban".^[3] Apart from the Kashmir militancy in India and the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, Gul is also accused by the United States of having ties to Islamic terrorist organizations such as the Al Qaeda.^[4]

Gul's tenure as the director of the ISI coincided with Benazir Bhutto's term as the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Later, Gul established the Islamic Democratic Alliance (IDA), a far-right conservative wing against the secular MQM and the democratic socialists, the Pakistan Peoples Party.^{[citation needed]}

Early life[link]

This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (May 2011)

Hamid Gul was born on 20 November 1936 to Muhammad Khan, in the Sargodha District of Punjab in what was then British India but now Pakistan. He got his early education from a school in his village. He briefly got admission in Government College Lahore, before reporting to Pakistan Military Academy Kakul.

Army career[link]

Hamid Gul was commissioned in the Pakistan Army in October 1958 with the 18th PMA Long Course in the 19th Lancers regiment of the Armoured Corps. He was a Tank commander during the 1965 war with India. During 1972-1976, Gul directly served under General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq as a battalion commander, when General Zia was GOC, 1st Armoured Division and Commander, II Corps at Multan. Thus, Gul had already cemented his ties with General Zia by serving under him when both were officers in the Armoured regiments of the II Corps. Gul was promoted to Brigadier in 1978 and steadily rose to be the Martial Law Administrator of Bahawalpur and the Commander of the 1st Armoured Division, Multan in 1982, his appointments expressly wished by Zia himself.^{[citation needed]}

Saudi influence[link]

Gul was then sent to GHQ as the Director-General or DG Military Intelligence (DGMI)^[5] under General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq who then nominated him to be the ISI chief succeeding General Akhtar Abdur Rahman in March 1987. He was later replaced as the ISI commander by PM Benazir Bhutto in May 1989 and Gul was transferred as the commander, II Corps in Multan. In this capacity, Gul conducted the Zarb-e-Momin military exercise in November–December 1989, the biggest Pakistani Armed Forces show of muscle since 1971 Indo-Pakistani War.

General Asif Nawaz upon taking the reins of Pakistan Army in August 1991, had Gul transferred as the DG Heavy Industries Taxila. A menial job compared to Gul's stature, Gul refused to take the assignment, an act for which he was retired from the army.^[6]

Career as ISI Chief[link]

Execution of failed Jalalabad operation[link]

During his time as head of the ISI and the Soviet war in Afghanistan, Gul was blamed for planning and executing the operation to capture Jalalabad from the Afghan army in the spring of 1989. This switch to conventional warfare was seen as a mistake by some mujahideen leaders who considered that the mujahideen did not have the capacity to capture a major city. But the Pakistani army was intent on installing a fundamentalist-dominated government in Afghanistan, with Jalalabad as their provisional capital, Abdul Rasul Sayyaf as Prime Minister, and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar as Foreign Minister.

Contrary to Pakistani expectations, this battle proved that the Afghan army could fight without Soviet help, and greatly increased the confidence of government supporters. Conversely, the morale of the mujahideen involved in the attack slumped and many local commanders of Hekmatyar and Sayyaf concluded truces with the government.^[7] In the words of Brigadier Mohammad Yousef, an officer of the ISI, "the jihad [meaning the plans for Hekmatyar to be installed as prime minister] never recovered from Jalalabad". As a result of this failure, Hamid Gul was sacked by Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and replaced by Shamsur Rahman Kallu, who pursued a more classical policy of support to the militants fighting Afghanistan.

Organization of IJI against PPP[link]

During his tenure as ISI chief in 1988, General Gul successfully gathered right-wing politicians and helped them create Islami Jamhoori Ittehad, a religio-political conservative coalition against the left-leaning liberal Pakistan Peoples Party. He has recently acknowledged this fact in various interviews^[8] and for this he was harshly rebuked in one of editorials of a major Pakistani newspaper, which asked the general to apologize first to the PPP for having done the sordid deed and after that, apologizing for lack of wits because the IJI could not maintain its two-thirds majority for long.^[9]

Kashmir Insurgency[link]

Indian front[link]

According to B Raman, an Indian strategic analyst, Gul actively backed Khalistani terrorism. "When Bhutto became prime minister in 1988", Raman says, "Gul justified backing these insurgents as the only way of preempting a fresh Indian threat to Pakistan's territorial integrity. When she asked him to stop playing that card, he reportedly told her: Madam, keeping Punjab destabilized is equivalent to the Pakistan army having an extra division at no cost to the taxpayers." "Gul strongly advocated supporting indigenous Kashmiri groups", adds Raman, "but was against infiltrating Pakistani and Afghan mercenaries into Jammu and Kashmir. He believed Pakistan would play into India's hands by doing so."^[10]

Iranian front[link]

In Islamabad, Gul asked that Iran should explain its bona fides regarding the pact signed with India to jointly counter terrorism. According to him, "Iran should come clear on the nature of agreement with India. Otherwise this will create doubts and apprehensions in Muslim Ummah that Iran helps RAW in putting down Kashmir jihad". He also added that in case doubts about the agreement came true and Iran was seen as working with India against "Kashmir freedom struggle", then it will be concluded that the country also supports Mossad, Israeli external intelligence agency.^[11]

Turning against the United States[link]

General Gul worked closely with the CIA during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan when he was the ISI chief. But, he became passionately anti-American after the United States turned its back on Afghanistan following the 1989 Soviet withdrawal, as the United States had promised to help build a prosperous Afghanistan.^[10] He was further disconcerted when the USA began punishing Pakistan with economic and military sanctions for its secret nuclear program. General Gul then went on to declare that "the Muslim world must stand united to confront the U.S. in its so-called War on Terrorism, which is in reality a war against Muslims. Let's destroy America wherever its troops are trapped."^[12]

General Gul personally met Osama Bin Laden in 1993 and refused to label him a terrorist unless and until irrefutable evidence was provided linking him to alleged acts of terrorism.^[13]

Accusation of US and Israel behind 9/11[link]

Only days after the September 11 attacks he stated that they were clearly an inside job. ^[14] That interview was not published by newspapers.^[15]

Post-Army career[link]

Solidarity with Osama bin Laden[link]

According to Zahid Hussain, in his book Frontline Pakistan, Lt. Gen. Hamid Gul and former Army chief General Mirza Aslam Beg were part of the 9 January 2001 Darul Uloom Haqqania Islamic conference held near Peshawar, which was also attended by 300 leaders representing various Islamic groups. The meeting declared it a religious duty of Muslims all over the world to protect the Taliban government, and the Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden it was hosting, whom they considered as a 'great Muslim warrior.'^[16]

Support for Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry[link]