LAHORE: Newly appointed al-Qaeda chief Ayman Al-Zawahiri has presented a very clear-cut stance against the state of Pakistan in his new book “Sapeeda-e-Sahar Aur Timtamata Chiragh” (Dawn And A Flickering Lamp). His book on the Constitution of Pakistan mounts a serious challenge to the constitutional institutions, parliament, armed forces and the judiciary. Because of strong influence of al-Qaeda in Pakistan, major institutions of the country are under a serious threat.
Dr Ayman Al-Zawahiri writes in his book: “The state called the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is, in no way, an Islamic state; neither in terms of the ideological base (its constitution) nor its practices.” He states in his book that having a look at the states of affairs of the region, one feels that “time is not far away when Islam will gain dominance in South Asia in general and Pakistan in particular.” He also writes that it should be very clearly understood that “no reforms could be made in Pakistan through elections or bringing about a change in the political leadership through political means. First of all, its ideological base, on which the state has been established, needs changes, as this base, the Constitution, is in conflict with Islam.”
Al-Zahawiri rejects the democratic process for making laws, and terms it un-Islamic. He writes in his book: “It is very clear that approving or rejecting any proposed bill is the prerogative of the two-thirds majority of the parliamentarians under the Constitution of Pakistan. But this article of the Constitution is totally in violation of the Shariah.
“Islam tells us that every command of Shariah should be accepted without even an iota of hesitation; and every law, order, or binding should be rejected that tend to go against the Shariah. Nobody could be given the authority to make a decision in violation of the Shariah, no matter the decision is made by the two-thirds majority, or the whole parliament.”
Jamaat-e-Islami’s Prof Khurshid, commenting on the views of Dr Ayman Al-Zawahiri, said that the state of Pakistan is an Islamic Republic. The Constitution of Pakistan contains all the elements that are required to establish a collective political system in a country.
The Objectives Resolution Pakistan clearly demonstrates the Islamic character in a legal way. Prof Khurshid said that elections are the best way of bringing about a change in political leadership of any Islamic country among all other ways and means.
He said the Jamaat-e-Islamic also believed in the same method for the change of political leadership.
The laws proven through Quran and Sunnah could not be changed by anyone. The Article 227 of the Constitution of Pakistan announces without any ambiguity that no law could be enacted in Pakistan in violation of the Quran and Sunnah.
The commands of Quran and Sunnah are being interpreted anew according to the changing times for the past fourteen and a half centuries, and this process would continue in the light of the Quran and Sunnah till the Day of Judgement.
The current law-making process by the parliament in Pakistan is in accordance with the teachings of Islam, though the Qazis also made laws in the past. Besides, the judges of superior courts are also authorised to make laws according to Article 203 of the Constitution.
Reacting to the views of Ayman Al-Zawahiri, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F Secretary General Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri said Pakistan is an Islamic state, and if their party is elected to the parliament in majority to form a government, they would implement a complete Islamic system in the country under the present constitution of Pakistan.
Haidri said the JUI-F believes in a peaceful political struggle and implementation of the Islamic system through the election process. He said all religious parties of Pakistan were unanimous on the point that all religious goals could be achieved in Pakistan through a peaceful political struggle and the parliamentary elections.




Zawahiri’s viewpoint — a challenge to Pak institutions