Ousama Hanif, a telecom engineer by profession, son of a respected educationalist and social worker in Islamabad, educated from the prestigious university, NUST, a father of one daughter, working at a reputable telecommunications company in Islamabad, is also a well known member of Hizb Ut Tahrir.

On Thursday morning, 21^st July 2011, as he left for office from his home in Islamabad, he was ambushed by government thugs, who blocked his car and kidnapped him.

On 6th July 2011, Indian foreign minister SM Krishna paid a 3 day state visit to Bangladesh. Immediately after landing in Dhaka Airport, in a joint press conference with his Bangladeshi counterpart he said that, "Dhaka-Delhi relations are passing the best time in the history of our diplomatic relationship and we are living at a time of historical importance." SM Krishna's visit was scheduled for holding a bilateral ministerial level talks just before the much talked about visit of Indian Prime Minister Monmohon Sinh, due to take place during 6-7th September, 2011. SM Krishna discussed with the Bangladeshi foreign minister Dr. Dipu Moni about historical border dispute between Bangladesh and India, trade and commerce issues, transit, the proposed treaty to share the water of Tista and Feni rivers, scrutinizing the implementation process of treaties signed between Manmohan and Hasina in 2010 when Hasina made a visit to India, import of electricity from India etc. Moreover two new treaties have been signed between the two countries regarding border dispute, and investment protection. After the singing of those two treaties SM Krishna again reiterated that, "the relationship between India and Bangladesh can be an example to follow for any countries across the world". Moreover, as part of promoting Hindu culture in Bangladesh, he was present as the chief guest in the opening ceremony of two drama theatres built with the donation of Indian government in the department of Performing Arts at Dhaka University. He also delivered a lecture at a seminar titled "Bangladesh-India Partnership Development" in Dhaka University, the premier university of Bangladesh.

It is worth mentioning that, after assuming power by the government of Sheikh Hasina, India has been granted transit through Bangladesh in all four means of communication i.e. road, air, sea and rail transit. Moreover, Hasina in her so called historical visit to India back in 2010 has graciously accepted Indian demand for construction of Tipaimukh barrage in the upstream in the border district of Sylhet. This is a new version of Farakkah barrage that has systematically transformed 1/5th of Bangladesh into desert. She has also agreed to take $1 billion loan from an Indian commercial bank at the highest interest rate, in the history of foreign loan in Bangladesh to construct the pipeline to purchase electricity form India as well as to develop and construct the roads and highways to ensure the smooth passage for Indian vehicles. Finally, in her visit she has also pursued for setting up "South Asian Anti-Terrorism Taskforce" to deal with the popular rise of the demand of Islamic Khilafah "Caliphate" System in the subcontinent. After that visit the so called frontier of new opportunities (slavery) has opened!! Indeed with that visit of Hasina, India has managed to achieve every single demand with principal plus interest that India has been demanding for last 40 years! Due to Hasina's such level of obedience to master India, Hasina has been awarded the so called "Indira Gandhi Peace Prize", only to make her a successor of previous recipients like Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and a former prime minister of Israel!

Amongst the two treaties signed during the visit of SM Krishna, the first one is "Border dispute and Water Sharing Agreement". In fact this treaty is a continuation of the same old treaty that has been signed 37 years ago when India called on Sheikh Mujib (father of Hasina and a British agent) in New Delhi to sign so called "Mujib-Indira Friendship Agreement" to solve the issue of disputed enclaves in border districts as well as to share the water of river Ganges. After the treaty was signed, Sheikh Mujib returned home to pass the treaty in the parliament within six months and immediately relinquished the demand of Bangladesh over Berubari enclave, while after 40 years India still has neither ratified this treaty in their parliament nor has given away Talpotti enclave to Bangladesh as outlined in that treaty! Now after 37 years of "Mujib-Indira Friendship Treaty", Indian foreign minister is in Dhaka to make a new treaty on that same old issue! Interestingly this new treaty is not because India rightfully, even if after so many years, has agreed to give Talpotti and other enclaves to Bangladesh; rather the treaty is to allow Bangladesh to construct roads of 6 miles length that will allow the citizens of Bangladesh to get out of these prisons like enclaves!! Moreover, in the "Mujib-Indira Friendship Treaty" it was clearly written that India will open the Farakkah barrage for a 40 days period on a test basis, which in itself was against any international norms. However, for polytheist India, those 40 days is yet to get over! Moreover, as a rerun of 1974's circus, India has again called on the daughter of the (in)competent Mujib i.e. Hasina, to give a blank signature to start the Farakkah II i.e. Tipaimukh barrage! Additionally at this time when the dating with Monmohon is fast approaching, Sheikh Hasina is eagerly waiting to sign Tista and Feni rivers water sharing agreement!

While Dipu Moni claims that these two agreements have been signed with India on the basis of "equality" to share water between the countries, the question of 150 million Muslims in Bangladesh is in which dreamland Dipu Moni and her gang of slaves live? Even after 37 years of "Mujib-Indira treaty" don't they understand the Indian definition of "equality"! Did they not read in the Qur'an that Allah swt says "Cut off the obligation from Allah and His Messenger to those of the Mushrikun with whom you made a treaty." [Sura Tawba: 01]

The other treaty that has been signed during SM Krishna's visit is "Investment Protection Agreement". According to this treaty, the respective governments will protect the investment of other country, made into their own country, especially by not nationalizing such investment as well as by providing the logistic support like providing energy supplies, constructing highways as transits to carry the produced goods etc. The question is which company of Bangladesh has made investment in India that our government has entered into such agreement with India? For the last 40 years the county which has not given the natural rightful share of the Ganges water to us, how come they will protect our investment in their country, which in effect does not exist! The people of this country know full well how Indian telecom company "Airtel" has purchased "Warid Telecom" with paltry 10 million dollars, while the value of the infrastructure of Warid's investment was around 100 million dollars! The people of Bangladesh know that it is Indian Exim Bank who has planned to invest $1 billion in Bangladesh for which India needs protection. While India is achieving her objectives, Hasina and Dipu Moni feel immensely gratified by signing such agreement.

The question of 150 million Muslims in Bangladesh is why this government of Hasina is consistently surrendering Bangladesh to the Indian demands? This surrender is not just economical, rather of political, cultural, social, and military in nature. Why this government is so keen to force 150 million Muslims of Bangladesh to fall in love with India? Why this government is calling Polytheist India as our best friend? Do they think that the Muslims of Bangladesh will forget the 40 years of Indian aggression and plots against Bangladesh? Do they think that 150 million Muslims in Bangladesh will forget the hanging dead body of 15 years old Felani [victim of Indian shoot to kill policy], will forget the killing of 57 brave muslim army officials in the Indian orchestrated BDR mutiny to weaken the resolve of Bangladeshi Muslim army, will forget the rice politics by India during the cyclone sidr, will forget the humiliation when the descendent of King Dhahir, General VK Sing was invited to take salute of newly commissioned muslim army officials this year [the first of such kind in the history of Bangladesh]? Does Hasina think that, the Muslims of Bangladesh will forget the continuous oppression of Indian criminal and militant army upon the sons and daughters of this ummah in the form of rape, abduction, imprisonment, burning in Kashmir for more than 70 years? Do they think that the Muslim of subcontinent will forget the Indian crimes against Muslims in Gujarat to the level that 3000 were burnt to death in one single night and more than 40 expecting mothers of the ummah were killed by opening their wombs to uncover the innocent future generation of this ummah and use them as football before putting them into fire! Will this ummah forget the destruction of Babri Mosque and accept it to be the temple of polytheists!!

Surely Hasina can forget all of these and still continue to serve India to cling onto power. Hasina can think of the mother of Farakka i.e. Indira Gandhi as the best friend of India. However the 150 million Muslims in Bangladesh and more than 600 million Muslims in the subcontinent despise India and believes in the statement of Prophet (saw), when he (saw) said, "Two groups of my ummah will be forgiven from hellfire, one group is the one who will liberate Hind and the other group is the one who will join Isa Ibn Mariam".

Jafar Muhammad Abu Abdullah
Dhaka, Bangladesh

On 12^th July 2011, the Deputy to the Spokesman of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Pakistan, Imran Yousafzai, was abducted while he was on his way to a scheduled meeting with a TV reporter.  While he was being chased, he called his younger brother on his cell phone and informed him about his location and the secret agency's activity.  Next day Hayyan Khan, a computer programmer, was abducted from his car on his way to his office.  They broke the side window glass to get him out of the car.  On 21^st July 2001 the government secret agencies abducted their third prey, this time a telecom engineer from Islamabad, Osama Haneef.  He was also abducted on his way to his office.

This series of abductions actually started from the city of Multan located in southern Punjab, when they abducted a telecom engineer and member of Hizb ut-Tahrir , Aftab from his home on 3^rd July.  He was taken to an unknown location, tortured, and then, under judicial and media pressure, handed over to the police who has yet to release him.  In fact, on the contrary, the police registered a case against him under Anti-Terrorism Act for keeping "hate" literature.  There were two arrests and two illegal abductions during the month of June as well.  One of the abducted activists of Hizb was brutally tortured for three consecutive days before even asking him a single question.

This increased heavy handedness of Pakistani authorities actually shows their nervousness and vulnerability.  For the past 10 years the government has followed the policy of ignoring Hizb, containing and blacking us out in the media.  But during the last two years or so the activities of the Hizb and the response of the masses has forced the government to address and counter us.  Their agents in the press are continuously writing anti-Hizb articles.  On satellite TV channels their so-called intellectuals are fanning hatred towards Kilafah and Hizb.  And on the grounds their secret services busy chasing and abducting Hizb shabab.  This is all because the government can sense its ideological and political defeat.

This oppression reminds us of the party of the Messenger of Allah (saaw) who was tested and tortured for just saying that Allah is our Lord.  The struggle of the Messenger was purely non-violent but the Quresh saw that as a threat to their hegemony and oppression.  The stories of Bilal, Somaya, Abdullah bin Masood RA and the rest of the Sahaba shows that any change requires sacrifice and steadfastness. Hence any party who claims to emulate the method of Rasulullah to establish the Deen will also meet similar fate.  Hizb ut-Tahrir, since its inception, was banned and chased by the treacherous rulers of the Muslims world.  The shabab of Hizb have been tortured, incarcerated for decades and even boiled to death.  But Alhamdulillah they have remained steadfast fearing none but Allah and hopeful for the establishment of the Khilafah "Caliphate" and the reward in the Hereafter.

The Pakistani government is unaware that the recent change of policy of torturing and abducting shahbab will not do them any good.  They don't realize that Hizb has a long history of resilience against the tyrant rulers.  Central Asia and the Arab world are two such examples where the tyrranical Karimoves, Mubariks, Gaddafies and Asads couldn't stop Hizb and its da'wa; rather their oppression even strengthened the call.  Shabab of Pakistan are as active and as determined as ever before.  These events have further fuelled their anger towards this kufr system and the rulers.  The Ummah sees us with more and more respect and compassion.  The people of power are pulled towards us.  And Alhamdulillah we see the arrival of Kilafah, speeding towards us.

Naveed Butt

The Spokesman of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Pakistan

Titles:

• Moody's Now Threatening Downgrade on 5 U.S. States
• French FM: Gaddafi can stay, but to leave power
• Iran-Egypt ties serve regional security
• Germany 'trying to convince Saleh to stand down'
• Pak embassy in US biggest spender among missions
• China tells US to respect its territorial claims

News Details:

Moody's Now Threatening Downgrade on 5 U.S. States
Ratings agency Moody's, which in recent weeks has warned that it will downgrade its AAA on the debt of the United States Federal Government, has now issued a new slate of threats to individual states. Today the "investor's service" released a statement announcing that it has placed five states, Maryland, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and the Commonwealth of Virginia, on review for possible downgrade from their current AAA bond ratings. The agency cites the states' high federal employment and medicaid exposure as reasons for the review, which will affect a total $24 billion of rated debt. "While all states are indirectly linked to the U.S. government to some degree, we have identified the five Aaa-rated states that are most vulnerable to changes in the U.S. government rating," said Nicholas Samuels, a Vice President in Moody's State Ratings Team.

French FM: Gaddafi can stay, but to leave power
Over four months now since the war broke on Libya, France says Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi can stay in his country as long as he commits to relinquishing power. Alain Juppe, French Foreign Minister, said, "Gaddafi has to leave power. He has to clearly give up any civil and military responsibility. For us, that is a condition that could lead to a cease-fire and to resume a national dialogue. Whether he stays in Libya or not? That's for Libyans and nobody else to decide. Now, I am aware of the fact that the National Transition Council has its own views about it." Juppe made the remarks after a meeting with his Spanish counterpart, Trinidad Jimenez, in the Spanish capital, Madrid. As the chief instigator of the intervention against Gaddafi, France has been keen to prevent NATO-led military action dragging on interminably. Juppe's latest stance echoes growing calls for a non-military solution to the conflict in Libya.

Iran-Egypt ties serve regional security
Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has stressed the importance of better relations with Egypt to serve the interests of the Middle East region. "The expansion of diplomatic ties between Iran and Egypt to ambassadorial level will be beneficial to regional peace and security, as both sides desire stability and tranquility in the region," Salehi said in an interview with IRNA in the capital Tehran on Thursday. The senior Iranian official also pointed to historical bonds and cultural commonalties between the Islamic Republic and Egypt and said, "The two countries have great potential to promote bilateral relations, especially in the fields of industry, science and technology." Salehi had earlier reiterated the resolve of Tehran and Cairo to reestablish their bilateral relations following the ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. "The two countries have expressed their explicit willingness and interest to resume ties," the Iranian minister said in early May. Salehi further explained that Iranian and Egyptian officials are holding talks to open a new page in their bilateral relations. Egyptian authorities have stated that post-Mubarak Egypt is looking to improve relations with most countries in the world, including the Islamic Republic.

Germany 'trying to convince Saleh to stand down'
Germany is serving as an intermediary in a bid to convince Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh to stand down amid a popular revolt against his three-decade rule, a newspaper report said Thursday. Germany's daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported in a front-page article that Berlin had sent an envoy to appeal to Saleh to accept a proposal by the Gulf Cooperation Council and head off further bloodshed in the country. Saleh has been hospitalised in Saudi Arabia since a bomb attack on June 3. The report said a diplomat at the German foreign ministry, Michael Klor-Berchtold, delivered on behalf of Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle the message to Saleh "that the GCC initiative is currently the only way to prevent a possible escalation of tensions to armed conflict". The stalled GCC initiative would see Saleh step aside 30 days after an agreement was signed in exchange for immunity from prosecution, and a presidential election to be held within 60 days. A German foreign ministry spokesman confirmed that a "high-ranking diplomat" had conducted "political talks on behalf of" Westerwelle in Saudi Arabia and Yemen but declined to provide further details. A German diplomatic source said Berlin was monitoring developments in Yemen with "great concern" as "political stasis presents significant risks for the country". The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Westerwelle strongly backed the GCC initiative as "the way to a peaceful and orderly transition" in Yemen. The newspaper cited Yemeni sources as saying that Saleh was open to the initiative but that his family had dissuaded him from signing. Klor-Berchtold was the second high-ranking diplomat to see Saleh in Riyadh after the chief counterterrorism advisor at the White House, John Brennan, visited earlier this month, the report said.

Pak embassy in US biggest spender among missions
The Pakistan embassy in Washington leads in terms of annual expenditures among all 121 foreign missions which the country maintains throughout the world, the National Assembly was informed on Thursday.  In reply to a question by Mr Muhammad Ali Khan, the lower house of the parliament came to know that during 2009-2010, the Pakistan embassy in Washington spent Rs775.172 million. A written answer submitted by Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar further said the embassy had consumed Rs 474 million till March this year. Complete data on expenditures for 2010-2011 have yet to be collected. Besides the embassy in Washington, the foreign ministry has a healthy presence in a number of other American cities as well. In Chicago, the government spent Rs38 million in 2009-2010 and Rs39 million up to March this year. The expenditure at Houston was Rs39 million in 2009-2010 and Rs26 million up to March 2011, for Los Angeles the amounts were Rs74 million and Rs59 million, for New York (consul general`s office) Rs122 million and Rs 90 million New York, Rs270 million in 2009-2010 and Rs229 million till March 2011. These figures show that despite Pakistan`s stop-start relationship with the United States, the Foreign Office has a substantial presence in that country. And their annual expenditures prove that the country`s diplomats in the US have busy lives. An official of the Foreign Office defended the heavy presence in the US, saying the large Pakistani community benefited from it.

China tells US to respect its territorial claims
China told the United States on Friday to respect Chinese "territorial integrity", amid simmering tensions focused on the South China Sea. Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi made the comments to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a bilateral meeting on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, according to a spokesman from China's delegation. "The Chinese side raised its own concerns, which is that it is important to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China," spokesman Liu Weiming said. "And to respect China's major concerns in the issues of Tibet and some other sensitive issues. I sense that the US side understands the sensitivity of these issues and they agreed to further promote dialogue and mutual understanding." Liu said Yang and Clinton specifically discussed the South China Sea, which China claims as its own. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims to parts of the South China Sea, believed to be rich in oil and gas deposits and home to shipping lanes vital to global trade. Tensions in the decades-long dispute flared in recent months amid accusations by the Philippines and Vietnam that China was being increasingly aggressive in staking its claim to the sea. China and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) announced on Wednesday in Bali a "breakthrough" in the dispute, endorsing a set of guidelines designed to reduce tensions in the waters. In brief comments ahead of her meeting with Yang on Friday, Clinton praised China and ASEAN for working to defuse the tensions.