Statment of Support for Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa
Jun 3, 2007
By Administrator
Filed in Don't Block the Blog!
The Government of Pakistan (read Pakistan Army) has been trying its best to suppress the release of the book titled Military Inc.: Inside Pakistan’s Military Economy which was written by Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa. Since Friday, the proposed release date the military has pulled all stops to prevent the release of this all-exposing book going to the extent of pulling the book off the shelves and then harassing the author considerably.
This recent attempt to bully Free Speech has resulted in a world wide outcry and many people overwhelmingly have objected to the attempt by the Pakistan Army to silence this author and offer her my full physical and moral support in this regard.
STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR DR AYESHA SIDDIQA
Interference with the book launch in Islamabad on Friday of the distinguished Pakistani
scholar Dr Ayesha Siddiqa’s ‘Military Inc.: Inside Pakistan’s Military Economy’ gives us grave concern.Although Dr Siddiqa was able to use the office of a non-government organization after hotels refused to provide a venue, her phone service has subsequently been repeatedly disrupted as she gave interviews and she has told the Committee to Protect Journalists and others that she feels increasingly isolated and physically threatened. On Saturday, plainclothes “Special Branch” agents visited her home town Khanqah Sharif near Bahalwapur and questioned her employees about Dr. Siddiqa, her husband and property.
We urge the Pakistan government not to curb academic freedom. At a time when Pakistan faces an internal political crisis and a dangerous regional security situation the need for information and free expression of ideas only increases. Dr. Siddiqa has produced thorough research on important topics that can inform open debate by all Pakistanis, and indeed others around the world. She and her work should be defended, not threatened or suppressed.
The following academics and professionals around the world endorse this statement:
1.Hassan Abbas, Research Fellow, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, U.S.A.
2.Tahira Abdullah, researcher, development worker Islamabad, Pakistan
3.Syed Adeeb, journalist & President of the Human Rights Foundation (HRF), U.S.A.
4.Nasir Ahmad MD., FRCS.,FACs, Chief of Otolaryngology /Head & Neck Surgery, Hurley Medical Center, Flint, Michigan, U.S.A.
5.Salman Ahmad, UN Special Representative, New York, U.S.A.
6.Ishtiaq Ahmed, Professor, Department of Political Science, Stockholm University, Sweden
7.Imtiaz Ali, International Knight Fellow, Stanford University, U.S.A.
8.Kamran Asdar Ali, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Middle East Studies
and Asian Studies. University of Texas, Austin
9.Omar Ali MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Endocrinology, Medical College of Wisconsin, U.S.A.
10.Amin Ansari, CEO IT company, Lahore, Pakistan
11.Shaheryar Azhar, moderator, The Forum, 1175 New York, U.S.A.
12.Cassandra Balchin, Director, L.A.W.S. (Legal Awareness, Women & Society), U.K.
13.Akshay Bakaya, Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales, Paris, France
14.Julia Bard, writer and editor, Member of the National Union of Journalists
London, U.K.
15.Amna Buttar, MD, President, Asian American Network Against Abuse of Human Rights, Middleton, WI, U.S.A.
16.Walter Crump, Commonwealth School, Boston, MA, U.S.A.
17.S.M.A. Ehtisham MD, Bath NY, U.S.A.
18.Drs Khalid Hameed Farooqi, journalist and researcher, Holland
19.Asim Ghani, journalist, Karachi, Pakistan
20.Frederic Grare, Visiting Scholar, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, U.S.A.
21.Shahla Haeri, Director, Women’s Studies Program & Associate Professor of Anthropology, Boston University, MA, U.S.A.
22.Zahra Shahid Hussain, educatioinst, political analyst, Karachi, U.S.A.
23.Zaffar Iqbal, MD & ANAA Board Member, Kingman AZ, U.S.A.
24.Ayesha Jalal, Professor of History, Tufts University, MA, U.S.A.
25.Ruchir Joshi, film maker and writer, New Delhi, India
26.Kalim Irfani, M.D., Pediatrics, Scarsdale, NY, U.S.A.
27.Dr Mahjabeen Islam, Medical Director, Comprehensive Addiction Services & Odyssey Hospice, Toledo, Ohio, U.S.A.
28.Mohmmad Arshad Khan, Society for Social Justice and Developement Pakistan, Sialkot
29.Waqas Khwaja, Associate Professor and Chair, English Department
Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA, U.S.A.
30.Zaheer A. Kidvai, Education Technology Consultant, Karachi, Pakistan
31.Syeda Masood, Kennedy School of Government ’08, Harvard University, U.S.A.
32.Andy McCord, freelance writer, past fellow of the Fulbright program in Pakistan and India, & of the U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities, New York, U.S.A.
33.Anita Mehta, Fellow, The Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Study, Harvard University, U.S.A.
34.Zubeida Mustafa, journalist, Karachi, Pakistan
35.Maniza Naqvi, author/development specialist, Washington DC, U.S.A.
36.Akbar Noman, Senior Fellow, Initiative for Policy Dialogue, Columbia University
New York, NY, U.S.A.
37.Philip Oldenburg, Independent Scholar, New York, U.S.A.
38.Emran Qureshi, Wertheim Fellow, Labor & Worklife Program at Harvard Law School, U.S.A.
39.Omar Qureshi, History Department, The Brearley School, New York, U.S.A.
40.Jamil Rashid, Professor: Social Sciences, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
41.Jeff Redding, Oscar M. Ruebhausen Fellow in Law, Yale Law School, New Haven, U.S.A.
42.David Rosenberg, teacher and writer, Member of the National Union of teachers
London, U.K.
43.Shahnaz Rouse, Professor of Sociology, Sarah Lawrence College, New York
44.Gita Sahgal, film maker and writer, U.K.
45.Beena Sarwar, journalist & Fellow, Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, Harvard University, U.S.A.
46.Malik Sarwar, Senior Vice President, Permal Group, NY, U.S.A.
47.Najmi Sarwar, Vice President Citibank, Executive Director Developments In Literacy, New York, U.S.A.
48.Sehba Sarwar, Founding Director, Voices Breaking Boundaries, Houston, U.S.A.
49.Mohsin Sayeed, journalist, Karachi, Pakistan
50.Shaheen Sehbai, media professional, Washington, DC, U.S.A.
51.Dr. Awab Alvi, Blogger & Dentist, Karachi, Pakistan
If you would also like to join this action group then simply pen your name below, it would serve the cause best if you were to include your name, qualification and location – so that the statement of support is taken more seriously, but if you still choose to remain anonymous then again sign it anyway
18 Comment(s)
By Shahid Shah on Jun 4, 2007 | Reply
journalist, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
By Dr Israr Abbasi MD on Jun 4, 2007 | Reply
Israr Abbasi MD
Chairman Department of Psychiatry
Jamestown , NY
By Hyder Yusafzai on Jun 4, 2007 | Reply
I support the endeavours of Dr. Agha to expose the Pakistan Army and its corporate empire. Well done.
By Manzoor Hussain Parwana on Jun 22, 2007 | Reply
I APPRECIAT DR AISHA TO EXPOSE THE MILITARY CORRUPTIONS.MILITARY REGIME HAS BANED MY MAGAZINE “KARGIL INTERNATIONAL” AND MY BOOK ” TRUTH WRITING IS CRIME” BEFORE 3 YEARS. I ALSO REQUEST ALL FRIENDS AND
SCHOLORS TO RAIS VOICE FOR STATE VICTIMISED PERSONS LIKE ME.
MANZOOR HUSSAIN PARWANA
CHIEF EDITOR
MONTHLY MAGAZINE KARGIL INTERNATIONAL(BANNED)
SKARDU
BALTISTAN
By Abdul Aziz Khattak on Jul 28, 2007 | Reply
I really congratulate Ms Ayesha and all those like her who expose the dirty work going on in “sacred” institutions – institutions that people are believed to be patriotic, when in fact they are the biggest enemies of the people and the state. May Allah be with you in your endeavours.
Abdul Aziz Khattak,
Journalist,
Gulf Daily News,
Kingdom of Bahrain
By basit on Aug 20, 2007 | Reply
I support the endeavours of Dr. Agha to expose the Pakistan Army and its corporate empire. Well done.
By talha khan on Oct 10, 2007 | Reply
This is the critical time for Pakistan,specially there is lot of insurgency and tension in Waziristan and Baloochistan we are on verge on loosing may be one of our province so i think in this grave situation to publish a book against the army is a irresponsible act…..
I m not against the book but the timing of publication is not appropriate
By carelesscomet on Oct 21, 2007 | Reply
Latest on Dr. Ayesha Agha!
Guess what Ayesha Agha is doing! Latest is she is abroad and her cars not one car is parked at one of the Indian nationals in ISLAMABAD. One media lady from India got her out of the country after her book was published, and arranged her stay abroad with someone called Rajesh Roshi. They say she is funded, along with her trips & living by Indians and the Wilson Center Washington DC! Indians screw their own general for writing a book against RAW but hell with Pakistani authorities who have done nothing yet. By the way any one has news heard she divorced her second husband also and is with a third one now?
By Bilal on Nov 4, 2007 | Reply
I fully condemn Dr. Ayesha. It is the easiest way to earn money and respect these days. She has no right to say anything about the Pakistan and it’s army. We support our army, people think that they are eligible to say anything to our army after graduating from abroad. She is working on an indian propaganda.
And as a Paksitani citizen I love my army they protect our boundries we should respect them. Black sheeps are everywhere in every institution in every nation but you cannot criticize the whole of your army. They are our pride and every true pakistani loves the army more than Dr. Ayesha and other rascals who write controversial things about Pakistan.
By shehzad khattak on Nov 21, 2007 | Reply
i support all those efforts which leads to FREE Pakistan in its real meanings.
Thank you Dr.Aisha, I support your work.
By Dr. najam Hasan on Jun 1, 2008 | Reply
A person with this much courage in a society that is dictated by military decapitators who have robbed the country at gun point, should be given a standing ovation. I salute her and pray that more people have the moral courage to voice against injustice and crimes.
By S.Anis Bukhari on Aug 8, 2008 | Reply
I being a Pakistani appreciate and encourage Dr.Ayesha to expose the corruption of military with the money of Pakistani people. If this book is not based on true background of military then why pakistani army is hesitating to face this book. If this book is really based on facts then I shall request to Pakistani military to kindly stop playing with the money as well as with the emotions of Pakistani people.
Anis Bukhari
By Amjad on Sep 3, 2008 | Reply
I condemn this effort of Dr aisha siddiqa coz she has accepted herself that she was funded by foriegn agebcies to undermine the gr8 pak army which can do wonders for the nation from disaster management to internal security duty and canal cleaning, survey of ghost schools , and whenever wherever asked for the army men are there to serve the nation under odd circumstances without fear of death. there is no organisation in the country which can do such tremendous work. anyone who wants to degrade this sacret institution can not be a true pakistani. this lady is not a eastern lady by style and is in habbit of marriages one after the other. she runs a fast food but spends a lavish and westeren style with the help of Indians. she has been visiting india for getting instructions and what else ?????
By Mirza Royal on Oct 25, 2008 | Reply
READ the article that EXPOSES Ayesha Siddiqa’s lies & distortions:
“Ayesha Siddiqa’s MILITARY INC: A Deflective and Derogatory Book”
http://presidentmusharraf.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/ayesha-siddiqas-military-inc-a-deflective-and-derogatory-book/
Dr Ayesha Siddiqa’s ‘The Military Inc.’ is a book deflective of reality, highly derogatory and against the very notion of sovereignty. Dr Ayesha Siddiqa launches the book by giving the impression that her intention is to cover the entrepreneurial activities of military worldwide. However, in depth reading reaffirms suspicions that her book massively targets the Pakistan Military and the top echelons of the Armed Forces, most of which are based upon self serving assumptions and intentional hoodwinking.
The publication of Dr Ayesha Siddiqa’s own book ‘Military Inc’ in 2007, in President Musharraf’s era, repudiates her claims to term the military rule as manipulative and suppressive. Dr Ayesha Siddiqa wrote a whole book, to malign a system (MILBUS) whose worth does not exceed 0.8% of Pakistan’s free market economy.
PASS THE TRUTH: http://presidentmusharraf.wordpress.com/
By Ghufran Tahir on Jan 8, 2009 | Reply
Dear Mr. Amjad,
Academic work should be criticised by giving evidence against it not by criticising the writer’s personal life. Indian visit is not an evidence of someone being anti-Pakistan.
You need to know the benifits criticism, I hope this book will provoke arguementations and research and will lead to an improvement in the way, Pakistan Army works, if taken positively but I doubt this. SO please just Be Positive. Cheers
By Muhammad Rashid Malik on Feb 16, 2009 | Reply
I fully support her for her truthfulness.
Muhammad Rashid Malik
Economist Calgary Canada
By Abdullah on Feb 17, 2009 | Reply
Assalamoalikum!
She has a beautifull name and she is in the shoes of Mother Aisha safeguarding a great legacy. Shame on the RANGRUITS who are trying hochaiy hathkandaiy like harrassement, etc. Well Batil can try as hard as it can but HAQQ will win in the end. All my well wishes and prayers are with Sister AIsha siddiqa. And Musharraf and all those generals who are involved directly or indirectly in ruining this great piece of Land shall be hanged, no mercy for those who have looted this country with both hands and who have silenced hundreds of thousands of people with the bullet. Faujis only know one thing, how to fight, nothing else.Mind your business you dumbheads and dont even think of touching sister Aisha Siddiqa or I together with Abu bakar, Umar, Aisha (may peace and blessings be all upon them ) shall be standing on the opposite side and Questioning your faith and committment.
Peace
By Ayub on Jul 16, 2009 | Reply
Dr Ayesha,
You are really great and brave. truth is truth