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Despite being part of an Ummah that Allah سبحانه وتعالى has blessed with abundant oil, gas, water and cultivatable lands, the Muslims of Pakistan are struggling to meet their basic needs. The people suffer increasing frustration because of poverty, so much so that it has driven people to kill their children, along with themselves, similar to what happened in the time before Islam (Jahiliyah) when people killed their children through fear of poverty and hunger.
The basic reason for the hunger and poverty in Pakistan, despite its material and agricultural resources, is the capitalist system that is implemented through both democracy and dictatorship.
As for rising costs of fuel that has contributed to the rise in prices of basic needs, because transporting food has become far more expensive, the government continues to allow energy to be in the hands of private companies that make huge profits at the expense of the people’s basic needs, in accordance to the capitalist concept of freedom of ownership. Using the argument that international prices of oil have risen, the government guarantees the private companies’ profits by raising the prices of the oil products (petrol, diesel etc.) that are imported. As for the 64,000 barrels a day that Pakistan itself produces, even this oil is not exempt from the increases. As if this were not enough, the government raises the prices of gas, in accordance to IMF policies, of which Pakistan has large resources and does not import, and could be used as an alternative to oil products and already fulfills 50% of Pakistan’s energy needs.
In addition, the government has implemented a capitalist tax system, which gives tax relief to a select band of capitalists but none to the people for the use of public resources such as gas and oil, rather it uses these resources as a basis for increasing tax revenues. This is why the government has maintained heavy taxation on gas, diesel and oil, which elevates its price far beyond the cost of its extraction, refinery and delivery.
Moreover, the government allows Pakistan’s currency to be heavily tied to the dollar, in line with global capitalist policies, which has meant that Pakistan’s economy is affected by the rise and fall of the dollar. As Bush prepares his Republican party for elections, he has allowed the dollar to become weaker to encourage exports. However, as the dollar weakens, so does the Rupee and this has led to the enormous inflation that Pakistan is now suffering.
All this is aside from the fact that the government does not address the matters of short supply in the markets that have also contributed to the rise in the prices. Instead of supporting the traders and producers it passes on the burden to them by fixing the prices. And it also is lazy in dealing with the smuggling and the hoarding that is taking place right under its nose.
So, it is the capitalist economic system that has led to the situation where so many in Pakistan have difficulty even affording a roti for two meals. Yet, the rulers of Pakistan are determined to continue the economic policies that have led to such a miserable situation. This is why Pakistan’s Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar, during his tour of America, reassured the World Bank that, “We will continue the previous government’s economic policies.”
Do these miserable hardships not remind you of the ayah that Allah سبحانه وتعالى revealed,
وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْ ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكًا
“Whoever rejects My Message (the Qur’an) for him is a life of hardship.” [Surah Ta-Ha 20:124]
And despite being the Ummah of RasulAllah صلى الله عليه وسلم who raised a powerful, prosperous state from the barren deserts of the Arabian Peninsula through the implementing the revealed deen of Truth, Islam, the Muslims of Pakistan find that their hardships are multiplied year after a year through the implementation of the batil, man-made ideology, Capitalism.
O Muslims of Pakistan!
In contrast to the present system, Islam has clear rulings and injunctions that both secure basic needs in normalcy and boost the supply of basic needs at a time of shortage, which raises prices, at a time of emergency. One of the fundamental principles of the Islamic economic system is to ensure food, clothing and shelter for the people and it obliges the KHALIFAH to adopt policies that secure these basic needs for all citizens of the state. RasulAllah صلى الله عليه وسلم said,
مَنْ أَصْبَحَ مِنْكُمْ آمِنًا فِي سِرْبِهِ مُعَافًى فِي جَسَدِهِ عِنْدَهُ قُوتُ يَوْمِهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا حِيزَتْ لَهُ الدُّنْيَا
“Whoever wakes up with security in his home, health in his body and food for his day has enough in the dunyah.” [Tirmidhi]
And Islam has made it an obligation (Fard) upon the Khaleefah to secure the basic needs of the people at a time of shortage, using the policies based upon Islam. Furthermore, RasulAllah صلى الله عليه وسلم said,
مَا مِنْ أَمِيرٍ يَلِي أَمْرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ثُمَّ لَا يَجْهَدُ لَهُمْ وَيَنْصَحُ إِلَّا لَمْ يَدْخُلْ مَعَهُمْ الْجَنَّةَ
“Whoever has been put in authority over the Muslims and does not exert his utmost for them and does not advise them, he will not enter jannah with them.” (Muslim)
So, when there was famine in Madinah, which led to the rising in prices of food, KHALIFAH Umar رضي الله عنه opened the doors of Bait-ul-Mal to the people and brought food from elsewhere in the KHILAFAH to meet the shortage.
Islam’s laws make it possible to greatly enhance agricultural production. It encourages the Muslim to cultivate the lands and makes cultivation the basis of ownership. RasulAllah صلى الله عليه وسلم said,
مَنْ أَعْمَرَ أَرْضًا لَيْسَتْ لِأَحَدٍ فَهُوَ أَحَقُّ
“Whosoever cultivated a land that is not owned by anybody, then he deserved it more.” (Bukhari)
This encourages the one who is capable to cultivate but does not own land, to cultivate barren land to contribute to an increase in agricultural production. And the KHILAFAH state will provide grants and interest free loans to help the people cultivate the barren lands. Moreover, rather than calling foreign multinationals to indulge in corporate farming, the state can provide tax free imported machinery to local farmers and develop the best agricultural techniques locally, to boost production cheaply and efficiently.
Also, Islam uniquely addresses the issue of energy resources that results in both affordable fuel and an increase in economic activity. RasulAllah صلى الله عليه وسلم said,
الْمُسْلِمُونَ شُرَكَاءُ فِي ثَلَاثٍ الْمَاءِ وَالْكَلَإِ وَالنَّار
“The Muslims are partners in three things, waters, feeding pastures and fire.” (Ahmad)
In Islam, oil, gas and other ample energy resources all come under public property. The state can charge for the low cost of providing these commodities but will not use them as a means for extracting taxes from the necks of the people.
And in Islam, precious commodities, such as gold and silver, must back the currency, preventing the fall and rise of the state currency with the dollar, strengthening the currency and preventing the ill effects of rampant inflation.
O Muslims of Pakistan!
The current system has failed you in every matter regarding your deen. When RasulAllah صلى الله عليه وسلم is insulted or the Qur’an is defamed, it does not protect your belief. When the Muslims are being oppressed or their lands are occupied, it does not defend them. In fact, it allows your agent rulers to fight the Muslims of behalf of the kuffar! And the current system is not even able to provide you your most basic needs that Islam has guaranteed for you all.
O Muslims of Pakistan!
How long are you going to accept the implementation of a kufr system over your necks? A system that secures the interests of the kuffar with ease, but thrusts you into worsening despair. How do you ever expect any khair from kufr? And how long will you remain silent about the many munkaraat that surround you? Do you not heed the warning of RasulAllah صلى الله عليه وسلم ?
“By the One in Whose hands my soul lies, you must enjoin the good and you must forbid the munkar, or Allah will send punishment upon you and you will make du’a and He will not answer them.” (Ahmad)
It is high time that you moved for the implementation of Islam through the KHILAFAH state. The youth of HIZB UT-TAHRIR are amongst you, striving to re-establish the KHILAFAH, defying the tyrant rulers and their kufr system, so when will you respond to their call? Only through the establishment of the KHILAFAH will we know peace and security in this life and the good pleasure of Allah سبحانه وتعالى in the next. Allah سبحانه وتعالى revealed,
“Allah has promised those who believe from amongst you and do righteous deeds that He will certainly grant them succession to the current rulers as He granted those before them and He will grant them authority to practice their deen, that which He chose for them. And He will change their state from one of fear to safe security provided that the believers worship Me alone and do not associate any partner with Me. And those who disbelieved after that are of the Evil-Doers.” [Surah An-Nur 24:55]
O People of Power!
Do you not yearn to liberate the very people whom you have sworn to protect from the oppression, hardship and worries that the colonialist system thrusts upon them? Do you not yearn to be like the Ansar who gave RasulAllah صلى الله عليه وسلم the Nussrah (material support) to transform their society into Dar ul-Islam? Without doubt you have the ability to uproot this corrupt system and the corrupt ruler and re-establish the KHILAFAH. It only remains for you to give HIZB UT-TAHRIR the Nussrah so that Pakistan can become the place from which Islam is implemented again and this action of yours for the sake of Allah سبحانه وتعالى can be recorded in lines of light. So when will you respond?
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