By Afshain Afzal

Hafiz Abdul Rauf is Almighty Allah fearing person, who considers that helping affected people in natural disasters and in an hour of need is legal duty of every Muslim. India considers his welfare organization, Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation Pakistan (FIFP) as welfare wing of Jamaat-ud-Dawah for funding terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. Indian propaganda has compelled the United States of America and the United Nations Organization to designate Hafiz Abdul Rauf as terrorist and FIFP as a front organization, which funded terrorists engaged in 2008 Mumbai attacks. No doubt, some of our members of this organization were part of Lashkar-e-Tayyiaba / Jamaat-ud-Dawah and involved in freedom struggle in Indian held Jammu and Kashmir in the light of United Nations’ resolutions regarding plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir but now since the world is changed, so the organization only concentrate on welfare of humanity. FIFP left the Kashmir issue on the shoulders of international community and United Nations for its resolution and is engaged in serving the masses.

FIFP has a long history that during numerous disasters including recent earthquake, the organization dispatched thousands of workers to carry out relief effort, shoulder to shoulder with the Pakistani government and the Army. It distributed food to thousands of affectees on daily basis for months and its doctors medically treated thousands of survivors. FIFP proudly claims that its seven medical teams and engineers are engaged round the clock in serving humanity. FIFP is generally first to respond and reach when all the others including international, national and government machinery and mechanism is totally paralyzed. FIFP helps people irrespective of their religions, nationality, social belonging and status in the society. In Pakistan it has representation in almost all the major cities and certain remote areas. It has its offices in many countries especially in South Asian region.

In last month’s earthquake in Pakistan, an estimated 500 children in Kalash Valley were among over 5,000 villagers left homeless when their houses were destroyed. FIFP send our 2000 volunteers and team of doctors to icy slopes and rugged terrain to help the humanity in Shangla, Kohistan and other areas. There was no one who dared reach these areas due to weather conditions and collapse of communication network. However, they were prevented from operating in these areas. One wonders why the international community and world organizations want to keep FIFP and other such organizations away from welfare projects and keep them isolated. Last year FIFP gave an open message to the world community, especially Pakistanis, not to forget Internally Displaced People and international refugees in Afghanistan, Syria, Ghaza, Burma, Sudan, Somalia, Indian-held Jammu & Kashmir state and elsewhere during Eid-ul Azha. It arranged sacrificial animals and helped helpless and needy people in these countries. FIFP was the major contributor in floods in 2010 and spread its services in all the affected areas. As an attempt to counter FIFP’s moves, ban was strictly enforced this year and it was not allowed to operate internally but FIFP continued what it could do at individual level.

Hafiz Abdul Rauf believes that Muslim can counter the conspiracies of US, India, and other hostile states by helping our own brothers. With regard, to Balochistan, FIFP planned 3 Year Strategic plan in which 100 schools will be established, 1000 wells will be dig in drought hit areas, 50 equipped Medical Centers will be established, 90 Ambulances will be purchased, monthly cash of Rs 2000 to 10000 families and small businesses for 10000 families. In Pakistani drought stricken part of Tharparkar and other remote areas FIFP worked on humanitarian grounds and so far it constructed over 600 wells in the area and 1000 wells are in the pipeline. FIFP also works in far flung areas of Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan.  FIFA is active in all the cities of Pakistan and helping the neglected masses. It is helping Pakistani government and the Army in their effort to rebuild terrorist stricken areas and displaced persons in Khyber KP and Tribal Areas.

If we recall, the USA, on 28 September 2010, made amendment in the Federal Register, to re-designate Lashkar-e-Tayyiba as a foreign terrorist organization and included new aliases as Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation, FiF, Falah-e-Insaniyat, Falah-i-Insaniyat, Falah Insania, Welfare of Humanity, Humaniatarian Welfare Foundation and Human Welfare Foundation. It also declared Hafiz Abdur Rauf, Mian Abdullah and Mohmmad Naushad Alam Khan as specially designated global terrorists. Pakistan’s Interior Minister had warned sometime back that no Non-Government Organization (NGO) working against the country’s national interest will be allowed to continue its work in Pakistan as government cannot compromise on national interest. Ironically, under the Indian and international pressure, Pakistani authorities have banned their most active organization in Pakistan, which was serving national interests internally as well as externally.

There is no doubt that Kashmiri members of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba were actively engaged in freedom struggle in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir as they were not free in their own land despite UNSC Resolutions in their favour. The new organizations like Jamaat-ud-Dawah and FIFA changed their aims and objective and are only engaged in welfare activities with no role in any armed struggle across the world. The foreign and Pakistani Intelligence agencies as well as media representatives have no evidence of their involvement in any undesired activities, what to talk about terrorism. Interestingly, Supreme Court decided in 2010 that all the accusations against Hafiz Saeed of Jamaat-ud-Dawah and other linked organizations were baseless. But Washington and New Delhi are trying their level best to involve the Lashkar-e-Tayyiaba and the Jamaat-ud-Dawah in terrorist activities so that they may blame anyone of their choice by linking them with these organizations. Ironically, few days back, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority put a ban on coverage of these organizations in violation of Pakistan’s highest Court’s judgement to ensure implementation of UNSC Resolution 1267 but neither the United Nations Organization nor anyone else bothers about Resolutions of same world body for the right of self-determination of Kashmiris in Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir state. afshainafzal@yahoo.com