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| India-Pakistan |
| Chief Minister Vows To Islamise NWFP |
| 2002-12-01 |
| Source: Pak Daily Akram Khan Durrani, who became the NWFP chief minister on Friday, paid his tribute to Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) for making pre-election commitments to Islamise the province by placing the introduction of Islamic system at the top of its political agenda in his speech to the Frontier Assembly. Durrani whipped Haji Qalandar Khan Lodhi, nominee of four parties â PML-QA, PPPP, PPP-S and ANP â by securing 78 votes to Lodhiâs 41 in the 120-member NWFP Assembly. This, of course, is the most important problem facing Pakland today. Ignorance, disease, barbarism â all these are minor problems. The important thing is that... âPubs and gambling dens will be closed soon,â declared the 42-year-old Durrani while ordering the concerned quarters âto implement his directiveâ. Mr Durrani will be administrated oath to his office at the Governorâs House on Saturday. Yup. Once that's done, peace and prosperity will reign in NWFP... Leader of the Awami National Party (ANP), Bashir Ahmed Bilour, reacted outside the assembly on Mr Durraniâs speech by pointing out that there were no âpubsâ in Pakistan âas far as my knowledge goesâ. He's banning hula dancers, too... âI did not understand what he was referring to when he ordered the closure of pubs,â said another opposition Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA). Not to worry. I'm sure it was just a figure of speech for banning fun and relaxation in general... Mr Durrani also told the MPAs that his government would not allow public transports to play music. Instead, they would be âheavily finedâ for doing so: âPublic transports will not be allowed to play video or audio cassettes,â he said, as the conservative members of the assembly applauded his speech. "Stop that unseemly frivolty and mirth! You! Stop that singing! Ahmed, shoot him!" Durrani said the passengers using public transport could ask the drivers to stop and say their prayers. He added it would be a legal offence if any driver turned down such a request. That's probably appropriate, giving the number of buses that manage to plunge off cliffs in that part of the world... He also promised to set up separate mosques for women at bus stands in the province, saying the facility was needed since there was no separate place for women to offer their prayers. âWe will sacrifice everything to bring in an Islamic system to the province and ensure that the NWFP gets all its rights,â Mr Durrani vowed. He's not referring to the citizens of NWFP getting all their rights; he's referring to the local gummint being in charge of every aspect of the citizens' lives. Welcome to the new Taliban... He added he would resign if he could not fulfil the pledges he made on the floor of the House. The leader of the House assured the members that he would follow in the footsteps of Maulana Mufti Mehmood who tendered in his resignation while protesting against the Central Governmentâs refusal to allow his government to implement Islamic system in the province. Sounds good. Hope it happens soon. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #2 Hey, I thought it was the Puritans that suffered from "the secret fear that someone, somewhere, might be enjoying themselves"... |
| Posted by: mojo 2002-12-02 10:30:52 |
| #1 Well, he's got one thing right, they are going to sacrifice everything. Pakland is higher on the charts than they think. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2002-12-01 22:02:47 |