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PEACE
JOURNEY
J.SALIK
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PEACE
JOURNEY
J.SALIK
Compiled by: Hafeez ur Rehman
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CATALOGUE
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PREFACE BY DR. STEPHEN
ABOUT THE COMPILER
INTRODUCTION
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SOCRATES REBORN
PRESS TESTIMONY
CHAMPION OF PEACE
SALIK AS RAILWAY COOLY
DREAMBOAT PARLIAMENTARIAN
PROTEST PRINCE
PEACE IN CAGE
MULTIFACETED MINISTER
MAGIC OF FIGURE SEVEN
RESOLUTE RESISTANCE
ANGEL IN HUMAN SHAPE
FRAUDULENT ELECTIONS
LEADER WITH VISION
MESSAGE OF HOPE
BRIDGE BUILDER
REFERENCES
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PREFACE
By Dr. Stephen Gill
Several stories float around about the
playful gimmicks of Julius Salik. Once he
roamed around the city after blackening his
face; another time, he carried a coffin with
him. He is known for crucifying himself on the
cross, and calling a press conference while
bleeding from his head. He is also known for
walking barefoot to attend sessions of the
parliament. Once, he publicly burnt all his
furniture, another time his costly three-piece
suits to wear the jute clothes for years. He is
known for walking on the streets with ashes on
his forehead; moving to another city with his
household on a caravan of twelve camels for
which he had to seek special permission from
the authorities and resigning often after his
elections that broke the record in the political
history of Pakistan. A couple of times, he wrote
his resignations with his own blood. Once he
threatened to keep fast unto death lying in his
grave.
In the political theater of Pakistan, Julius
Salik appears to be a farcical character to
many citizens for these and other means he
adopts. What is the true story about this
jigsaw puzzle is the focal point of articles and
columns that the journalists of Pakistan have
5
produced and that forms the centre of the
book Peace Journey – J.Salik.
In Pakistan, 95% of the population are
Muslim and 3 percent are Christians. Under the
separate electorate, Christians can elect four
representatives for the Pakistan national
assembly, called MNA. Julius Salik was one of
those four Christian members. To date, he is
the only elected Christian since the formation
of Pakistan in 1947 who rose to the position of
a cabinet minister. Also, he is the longest
surviving Christian political representative in
Pakistan. Journalists called him conscience of
Pakistan. Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and
her cabinet unanimously nominated him for
Nobel Prize for peace on April 10 in 1996.
Christians say, he was not of any help to
them. They even go to the extent of
condemning all their four representatives at
the federal level for same reasons. Actually,
under the present political and constitutional
setup, the representatives of minorities are
tigers without teeth. They have no voting
power in the decision-making policies for the
nation. Because they do not have that power,
the mainstream parliamentarians do not care
for these representatives from minority
groups. The separate electorate system has
robbed these parliamentarians of the minority
groups of their dignity that a parliamentarian
deserves. Under the present system, even the
6
most liberal Muslim parliamentarians will not
help minorities because they do not need them
to get elected. On further analysis it emerges
that most Pakistanis, Christians as well as nonChristians, have lost their faith in their political
leaders.
Zia-ul-Haq, a military dictator, forced
this system of election on Pakistan through his
presidential orders. Under this system, religion
is the base for elections. In other words,
Christians cannot vote for a Muslim candidate
and vice versa. This system of election has
divided
the
country
into
religious
constituencies and has fomented hatred for
minorities who have been reduced to the level
of second class citizens. In the parliament, the
representatives of minorities have no power.
To make the matter even worst, Christian
parliamentarians have only one constituency
and that is all of Pakistan. The Muslim
candidates have smaller constituencies that
make it easier for them to be close to their
electorate. Also, they have more facilities and
power.
Historians say Pakistan was created by
the feudal lords who exploited the religious
sentiments of the Muslims. That feudal
element is still vibrant in the country. To be
successful in any sphere, particularly in
politics, one has to be from that group. Julius
Salik, on the other hand, has a humble origin.
7
Moreover, the minority group that he
represented,
Christians,
is
still
under
discrimination of every conceivable type. To
persuade the government to repeal the
blasphemy laws and to bring the issue to the
notice of the world, Bishop John Joseph killed
himself in 1998. His sacrifice did not bring any
change in the suffocating atmosphere for
minorities.
When Mr. Salik was first elected as a
councillor on municipal level, he found out
shortly that the representatives of the
minorities do not know their duties. In other
words, they were just show cases. He revolted
against it in a theatrical way before resigning
to protest. Even when he was the minister of
population and welfare under Prime Minister
Benazir Bhutto, he resigned. Although his
resignations were not accepted or he was
made to withdraw them, yet he made
headlines that drew the attention of the
citizens. From the newspaper columns of that
times, it is clear that he often boiled within
because even as a federal minister, he was not
respected by his peers. He was ignored when
he tried to express his views in the sessions of
parliaments.
Not
only
the
mainstream
members, even the speaker did not recognize
his presence. When he was a minister, he once
visited New York. The Pakistan Embassy
8
ignored him. He hired a taxi to visit the
Embassy.
What recourse did he have as a member
of the group that is 3 percent of the
population. This 3 percent has given the best
medical service and education to the country
by producing excellent lawyers, doctors,
judges and teachers. The way of militancy will
not solve problems of minorities in a country
with 95 percent Muslims. At the same time,
Mr. Salik did not want to sit quietly, watching
the drama of his helplessness. He wanted to do
something. How? That was a question before
him. To bring his concerns to the court of the
public opinion, he needed the help of the
media. That was the only alternative left to
him. He took this route to be a participant in
the decision-making process of the parliament.
Pakistan belongs to minorities also. They also
gave their lives whenever the sovereignty of
the country was threatened. They also voted
for the creation of a new country that would be
free
from
the
repressive
laws
and
discriminations based on religion. Christians
did not migrate from India to settle in Pakistan
as most Muslims did. Pakistan was formed on
the base of justice and equality for all before
the law. These rights were denied to Muslims
who formed a minority in the Hindu-dominated
India.
9
The same situation of discrimination,
inequality and injustice is in practice in
Pakistan. The denial of the right to participate
in the decision-making process hampers the
growth of unity and prosperity in Pakistan.
When Julius Salik was a federal minister, he
confronted
the
unjust
policies
of
the
establishment towards him as well as towards
his electorate. Whatever he asked was for the
citizens of Pakistan. When he asks today to be
a part of the decision-making policies of the
country, he is asking something that is in the
interest of the nation.
His playful gimmicks may not have
worked all the time. This way at least he was
able to get the attention of the media. He
appeared often in the newspapers. He agrees
that it is his weakness to grab the attention of
the media. There was always a method in his
madness, he says.
This person, J. Salik, a long-surviving
political representative of Christians, a buffoon
on the stage of the politics of Pakistan, phoned
me one morning in May of 2001 when he was
in New York to enlist the sympathy of the
world for the forgiveness of the loans of
Pakistan. I never met the man. Once in a
while, I used to send him copies of my articles
against the electorate system and blasphemy
laws of Pakistan and the materials which
10
concerned the violations of human rights in
India and Pakistan.
During our talks, Mr. Salik often indulged
in philosophical thoughts to illustrate his goals
and means. The eagle is the centre of his
inspiration. He says, the eagle was a source of
inspiration to the Prophet King David about
four thousand years ago. Mohammed Iqbal,
the national poet of Pakistan, has also drawn
his inspiration from the same bird when he
talks about self or selfhood.
J. Salik told me that someone was
writing a book about his political career. He
asked me to write its introduction. That
followed with our long talks for next few days
on the telephone. We both had a lot to say
about the situation of the minorities in Pakistan
and about peace in general. I found out that
his unusual ways of protest were with a
purpose like those of George Bernard Shaw
who was called a non-serious writer.
George Bernard, a Noble Laureate, was
considered a non-serious writer because of his
humour. It took time for him to make people
realize that behind his buffoonery, there was
seriousness. People did not realize it till he
proved it by getting the most coveted prize of
the world.
Mr. Salik is only a nominee for this
coveted prize. It seems, Prime Minister Benazir
Bhutto with whom he worked closely, realized
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earlier that Salik was a serious politician. He
was from a minority group. He was not from a
family of feudal lords who hold the reins of
Pakistan’s politics. He was born in a humble
Christian family. The blasphemy laws as well
as the electorate system are impediments in
the way of the representatives of the
minorities.
In
such
a
soul-destroying
atmosphere, a person has to walk cautiously to
survive. J. Salik did survive.
J. Salik formed the World Minorities
Alliance (WMA) in 1986. He believes that this
organization would make the citizens and
politicians aware that a majority in one country
can be a minority in another. Discrimination
against a minority in ones own country may
excite the citizens of other countries in which
they are in majority to react revengefully.
Actually, it often happens, but majorities may
not realize it in the beginning. Take the case of
the Talibans in Afghanistan. When they
destroyed the historical relics of the Buddha in
Afghanistan, the Hindus of India reacted
violently. In the same way, when the Hindus in
India destroyed the Barbari Masjid, the
Muslims in Pakistan reacted by destroying the
Hindu
temples.
Christians
in
western
democracies do not react in the same violent
ways. They show their reactions by putting
pressures on their respective governments to
consider the human rights issues while dealing
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with these governments of fanatics in politics
and business affairs.
Mr. Salik knows that the world has
shrunk to the size of a village. In this village,
no country can be an island by itself. Every
country is a part of this global village because
they depend on other countries for their
survival. Interdependence is the way of life in
the global village.
Therefore, minorities should be treated
not as they were in the middle ages. It would
be a dream if any country would like to force a
homogenous faith or culture on its citizens. All
the corners of the global village are
multicultural, multilingual and multifaith. It
would be a futile exercise to try to make a part
of the global village uniform in thinking. In
order to survive and progress, it is imperative
to develop the attitude of tolerance. This
should be the base of life of today. Moreover,
every flower has its own peculiarity to make a
garden beautiful. Together they make a
bouquet more more beautiful.
It is in the interest of majority to respect
the rights of minorities. There cannot be peace
in the global village unless minorities are
happy and secure. Under the clouds of
repressed minorities, the peace of majority is
also at stake. History verifies that whenever
minorities
were
persecuted,
the
ruling
authorities also suffered. Minorities belong to
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the same nation in which majority live.
Under
the
prevailing
climate
of
internationalism,
minorities
cannot
be
relegated to the status of third class citizens.
Such discriminatory attitudes damage the
delicate nerves of the unity of the nation and
that destroys the peace and prosperity of all
the citizens. Majority should respect the rights
of minorities also from the point of humanity.
Canada affords an example where laws
have been made to safeguard the rights of
minorities. The government of Canada watches
closely that those laws are implemented and
respected by everyone. This has made the
minorities of Canada to be proud citizens to
work side by side with the majority for the
betterment of the nation. Canada provides a
blueprint to the nations where the rights of the
minorities are violated day in and day out.
Formation of the World Minorities
Alliance would educate the citizens, particularly
of Pakistan, that Muslims are not in majority
everywhere in the world. If they are
compassionate towards minorities in other
countries, they should also be compassionate
towards minorities in their own country.
Another step that Mr. Salik has taken for
the betterment of life in Pakistan and
elsewhere is the study of peace at the
university level. He has worked for the
establishment of a chair for peace at the
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Quaid-e-Azam University at Islamabad. This
concept is closely linked with his World
Minorities Alliance. Both are based on the
principle of respect for fundamental human
rights. To have a chair for peace at the
university which is named after the founder of
Pakistan was an intelligent choice.
Mohamed Ali Jinnah is a most respected
person in Pakistan. He is called the father of
the nation. He was able to divide India without
bloodshed to have a home for the Muslims of
India where they would not be oppressed by
the majority. Mr. Jinnah was against violations
of human rights, particularly of minorities. It is
clear from his historical speech at the first
constituent assembly of Pakistan on August 11,
1947 at Karachi. He said that Pakistan should
learn a lesson from the undivided India where
religious and other forms of discriminations
stood in the way of progress. In Pakistan,
every member of every religion is free to go
anywhere for worship. Caste, creed and
religion will have nothing to do with the
business of the state of Pakistan.
Mr. Jinnah died within months after his
historical speech. The fanatic religious groups
were against the formation of Pakistan. After it
came into existence, they trampled the flowers
of the dream of the father of the nation by
shaping Pakistan into a state of the zealots.
Their victims are religious minorities.
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The violations of human rights lead a
nation to violence– to disunity in the country–
to the destruction of the beauty of peace of
every citizen, including the majority. It is an
admirable move to establish a chair for peace
in an institution that is named after an
individual who believed in the protection of
human rights. This step of Mr. Salik brings him
closer to the ideals of the father of the nation
of Pakistan as well as the ideals of Canada.
In the world of today, there are
institutions in nearly every country to teach
the art of war and to teach how to use the
engines of destruction. On the other hand, only
a handful of nations can boast of establishing
institutions for the study of peace. The
countries in which degrees are awarded on the
study of peace, particularly at the master and
Ph.D. levels, are fewer than one would
imagine. Pakistan would be proud to be among
that handful of nations where peace would be
studied at the university level. Such courses
cover the areas of solving problems without
bloodshed. Students will be surprised to find
that wars do not solve problems. They rather
bring miseries and deaths. Students will also
be surprised to find that most problems of the
world can be solved through nonviolent means,
particularly through dialogue. Wars start in the
minds of the people first. The minds should be
16
the grounds to cultivate for the growth of
peace.
The world has become the global village,
but the thinking of the citizens is not global. It
is because the change has happened suddenly
all over the world. Most of the educational
institutions of the world, including universities,
are national. Universities still cater to the
needs of their respective nations. Students are
still prepared for cutthroat competition. The
concepts of cooperation, tolerance and wisdom
are
missing
from
their
curriculums.
Introduction of the courses on peace and
nonviolent means to solve national and
international problems would prepare Pakistan
further for adjustment in the global village.
The wars in the past have proved they
cannot solve problems. Because they have
failed in the past to solve problems, they will
fail also in future. Preparations for war rob
nations of their hard-earned foreign currencies.
The taxpayers’ money is used to buy engines
of destruction to boost false pride and to
destroy even the enemies who exist in the
imagination only. Instead, this money should
be used to improve the quality of life by
opening more and better schools and hospitals,
and by providing cleaner water and air to the
citizens.
Moreover, modern wars are more costly
and dangerous, particularly when both the
17
sides have nuclear capabilities. Nuclear wars
are not confined to the territories of two
nations only; it contaminates the air and
waters of other nations who have nothing to do
with the waring blocks. It took centuries to
build up human civilization and now it will take
minutes to annihilate it. Any war can lead to
nuclear escalations. There will not be any
winner in modern nuclear warfare, no matter
who presses the button first.
A chair for peace at the university of the
father of the nation would enhance the
prestige of Pakistan in the world. In many
ways, this chair would help Pakistan to solve
its problems created by the blasphemy laws
and separate electorate system which have led
minorities to complain of violations of human
rights. I hope that this chair of peace at the
university level and the World Minorities
Alliance would play a mighty role in and
outside of Pakistan. I also expect the
neighbouring countries to give a chance to
peace by studying it deeply as an academic
subject at least.
Julius Salik is the centre of the book Love
& Peace Journey – J.Salik to be released
shortly. I was pleased to go over it and to
make suggestions. Peace Journey – J.Salik is a
thought-provoking document that illustrates
the frustrations and achievements of Julius
Salik when he was a political representative of
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the Christians of Pakistan. The book tells why
Julius Salik continue resorting to unusual
means. From the work that he is doing, he
begins to emerge as a politician with the
vocation of peace. Julius Salik appears in this
book as a character with serious commitments.
Those who think that his motives behind his
antics are to grab the attention of the media
with no serious purpose must read this book.
They should keep in mind that he struggles to
achieve his purpose without making enemies
from the group that is much stronger than the
group he represents. He aims at achieving his
mission by treading nonviolent paths which
appear to be amusing to his adversaries and
admirers both. So were the ways of Mahatma
Gandhi in our own times. The ladder that Julius
Salik uses to achieve his mission is the
Gandhian ladder. This unique book about a
unique politician deserves to be read by every
citizen of Pakistan and those abroad who are
concerned about the violations of human
rights.
………………………………
Stephen Gill, a recipient of several national and
international awards, has authored more than twentyfive books, including fiction, histories, literary criticism
and collections of poems. His poetry and prose have
appeared in more than three hundred publications.
Global peace and social concerns are the main areas of
his interest.
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ABOUT THE COMPILER
Mr. Hafeez ur Rehman
After doing his M.A in English
literature
Hafeez
ur
Rehman
joined
editorial staff of Associated Press of
Pakistan
(APP),
the
premier
news
agency of Pakistan in 1954. He headed
its various bureaus; obtained Master’s
degree
in
Journalism
from
Punjab
University, taught journalism at the
Punjab University (1964-76 and 198586); lectured at Civil Service Academy
and
Information
(1972-74
and
Service
1986-92);
Academy
worked
as
special correspondent of A.P.P in India
(1979-85), obtained a diploma in Hindi
20
from Delhi University; on transfer back
home he was Director of News APP
(1986-88),
Public
Relations
Director
General/Advisor to Federal Ombudsman
(1988-92);
Media
Advisor
to
Prime
Minister Azad Kashmir (1992-96); wrote
daily column ‘Zeropoint’ for the Pakistan
Observer
(1996-98);
wrote
weekly
column ‘Notebook’ for the Nation since
1998.
…………………………
21
INTRODUCTION
One fine morning I received a telephone
call from Julius Salik who was highly perturbed
over a problem that was faced by women
sanitary workers of Islamabad. The Capital
Development Authority had ordered them to
wear bright yellow jackets uniform. Previously
Nawaz Sharif government had launched a
controversial yellow cab scheme. With the
change of government, the new administration
portrayed it as a scandalous scheme. Peeli taxi
(yellow cab) became a common invective.
Street boys jestingly called a few women
sanitary workers wearing yellow jackets as
‘peeli taxi’. The word taxi refers to prostitute in
Pakistan. This led to a few police cases. This
incidence pained Salik. He motivated me to
write a column on the situation.
This was my first contact with him.
Previously I had only cursory knowledge of his
playful
gimmicks
through
newspaper
headlines. I never before took him seriously
but anxiety over the hardship of downtrodden
sanitary workers who happened to be mostly
Christians (his own community) was based on
compassion.
As a result of his second telephone call, a
meeting between us was arranged. I reached
22
his office cum residence in F-7/1 sector
Islamabad at the appointed time. I was told
that an emergency had pulled him out of the
house.
Islamabad police had raided a slum
locality in small hours. According to reports,
the police had regular raids on slums every
month. The young men were arrested and later
released after taking bribe. This time, the
youth had decided to take on the police. They
came out with sticks and other arm they could
lay their hands on to attack the police posse.
There was a law and order situation. The
residents blocked the roads by burning old
tyres. The traffic was obstructed.
J.Salik reached the spot. The roads were
vacated. The traffic was restored. The
demonstrators were made to assemble on
open ground. When I arrived there J.Salik was
addressing them on the need and efficacy of
peaceful resistance.
A little probe about J.Salik’s past made it
evident that his accomplishment was through
sheer hard and earnest struggle. His above
board political career enamoured me of him. I
decided to compile a chronicle of his life story.
Rising from humble origin he was able to
make his mark as another truthful Socrates, as
peace prophet and as an ideal politician and
parliamentarian. This by any standard is a
remarkable feat. His life story emits a message
23
of hope and courage for everybody anywhere
in the world. Anyone with impeccable character
dedication to lofty ideals and abhorence to
corruption in all forms coupled with steady
struggle, can make it.
As a federal minister he donned “khaki”
dress and so clad he attended cabinet
meetings. He takes pride in being Pakistani. He
describes himself as a soldier of Quaid-e-Azam
Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the father of Pakistani
nation and vows to safeguard the ideological
foundation of his homeland.
J.Salik is a saint among politicians. He is
indeed a dervish vowed to poverty and
austerity. When he became a federal minister
in Benazir Bhutto cabinet he gave up taking
meat. According to him it did not behove a
minister of debt ridden country to eat meat. He
said it did not befit a minister to indulge in
chicken ‘churgha’ (roast) luxury while the
common man could hardly afford ‘dal roti’ (loaf
of bread with pulse). When there was a
shortage of sugar in Pakistan, its prices soared
and one hundred thousand tons of sugar was
imported from India, he along with his family
members vowed not use sugar any longer. Of
late he has launched a campaign persuading
donor countries to write off their loans to
Pakistan and in the process he has hardened
his self-imposed stringency.
24
As a minister he ordered that the daily
work in his ministry to start with recitation
from the Holy Quran. During the recitation all
functionaries from secretary to messenger
stood in a single row. The attendance and
dedication to duty were also monitored. To put
an end to class division it was mandatory for
the seniors including the secretary to ‘mister’
all personnel including peons.
He is a unique public figure particularly in
Pakistan society which has won notriety for
corruption, class division and discrimination. In
this vast world J.Salik or any member of his
family does not own an inch of land, no assets,
no vehicle, no bank balance. During his tenure
as a minister J.Salik’s father was on deathbed
in the United States and the government
sanctioned $ 8000 plus air ticket and other
perks to make his trip to the States as official.
He refused to go to inquire after his father’s
health on official account.
He was elected five times as independent
candidate – thrice to parliament and twice as
municipal councillor. In 1990 on his election to
parliament the then Nawaz Sharif government
offered him Rs. 20 million as price for his
loyalty. He turned down. On the other hand he
offered to join Nawaz Muslim League in case
industrial tycoon Nawaz Sharif distributed half
of his personal wealth among the poor. In
1995 residential plots were being officially
25
allotted to members of parliament under a
parliamentary housing scheme. An allottee
was to pay only Rs. 0.6 million while the plot
could fetch over Rs. 17 million in an open
market. A cabinet colleague of Salik asked
him to sign an application for the plot and he
would outright pay Salik Rs. 2 million. J.Salik
reiterated that he would not apply for an
official plot until each and every poor man in
Pakistan owned a house.
As a minister his doors were open to all
and sundry. He removed police security from
his gate. Even the door of his minister’s
chamber was open. Anybody could walk in. No
prior appointment was necessary. He did not
allow his personal staff to stand between him
and the public. He would listen to visitors
personally. If redressal was possible, prompt
action was taken otherwise he apologized.
At the end of his tenure as minister he
left his bungalow in the minister’s enclave,
which he had declared national orphanage,
with fanfare. National anthem was played on
the occasion. He transported his belongings
on slow moving camel carts. The slow motion
was aimed at presenting his possessions to
public scrutiny. The camel carts carrying his
luggage, largely comprising portraits of Nobel
peace prize winners since 1901 upto date,
took ten days to reach Lahore.
26
Peace is a passion with J.Salik. It was
his earnest desire to collect portraits of those
stalwarts of peace who had won the Nobel
peace award. J.Salik is at one with Alfred
Nobel in the promotion of fraternal feelings
among nations (and individuals) one of five
fields Swede scientist had chosen for
honouring the outstanding individuals and
institutions. J.Salik is in a way taller than
Alfred Nobel. While Alfred Nobel was a great
scientist, inventor and wealthy international
investor, J.Salik’s education is modest and
resources negligible. J.Salik has risen form
dust yet he is vying with Alfred Nobel in
promoting peace and feelings of fraternity
among communities and nations.
J.Salik decided in 1995 to collect
portraits of Nobel peace prize winners. Their
pictures were not available at one place
anywhere. The laureates were scattered all
over the world. Nobel Foundation directory
only carried names of the winners, no
photographs.
After a long search he finally found a
book at the American Centre, Karachi which
carried a small size pictures of 80 champions
of peace. The American Center would not lend
the book. After great persuasion and
depositing substantial security money, the
management agreed to make the book
available for one hour or so. With the help of
27
camera the pictures were duplicated and
slightly enlarged. This however, did not satisfy
Salik’s sentiments.
J.Salik
conducted
a
countrywide
competition of photography and painting on
the basis of pictures of the prophets of peace
that he had procured.
Nearly 1000 artists participated in the
competition. Thus J.Salik was successful to
get 300 portraits. On acquring them he had
spent Rs. 700,000 and held them as a
treasure. He also arranged their formal
exhibition at Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
He is an advocate of peace and dedicated
himself to the cause of peace at large. He
visualizes setting up a peace university where
scholars might be awarded Ph.D degrees for
research theses objectively written with pen
point of peace promoters.
Each year the Nobel committee send
individual invitations to hundred of scientists,
members of academies and university
scholars, lawyers and legislators around the
world asking for nominations for the Nobel
prizes for the coming year.
In response to this invitation Benazir
Bhutto as leader of the house on April 10,
1996 nominated Julius Salik for the Nobel
peace prize. “We can think of no worthier
candidate for this year’s award”, she wrote.
28
“Born in a modest Christian home in
Lahore in 1948, Julius Salik has spent the last
20 years in his tireless crusade for peace and
liberty. In particular, his courageous defence
of the rights of Pakistani Christians highlighted
their plight under Zia’s harsh and benighted
dictatorship. In one incident, he even burnt
his belongings in public to dramatise the
persecution of the Christian minority.
“The flame of liberty shines brightest in
the dark. Thus for Julius Salik, general Zia’s
decade of dictatorship was his finest hour.
While other individuals and parties struggled
against military rule, Mr. Salik’s was the
loneliest path for he fought not only for
democracy, but for the rights of the minorities
as well. Frequently jailed and beaten by the
junta, he soldiered on despite the hardships he
endured.
“Even after the restoration of democracy
in Pakistan Julius Salik has found many causes
to espouse. He has visited Bosnia during the
peak of that murderous civil war to pray for
peace. His Peace Education Foundation of
Pakistan is the hub of activity aimed at the
promotion of peace and goodwill. With his
elevation to federal minister, Mr. Salik is now
well-placed to protect the rights of the
minorities, the weak and the downtrodden.
Indeed, his concerns reflect this government’s
29
commitment to the exploited sections of the
population.
“For many Pakistanis, Julius Salik has
become the nation’s conscience. But his
passion
for
peace
transcends
national
frontiers: during the Iran-Iraq war, he
undertook a long peace march. And he
publicly appealed to Iranian leaders to release
American diplomats during the hostage crisis.
Mr. Salik has consistently raised his voice to
protest human rights violations wherever they
occur”, Benazir wrote.
Benazir Bhutto’s decision to nominate
Christian leader J.Salik was in no way a
political decision. J.Salik was already a
member of Bhutto’s cabinet and if a Christian
was to be nominated there were three other
Christian parliamentarians, anyone of them
could be chosen for the honour. Secondly,
J.Salik was not the lone candidate considered
for the nomination. Maulana Abdus Sattar Edhi
was another eminent social worker whose
candidature came under discussion. Maulana
Abdus Sattar Edhi’s activities were confined to
territorial limits of Pakistan while those of
J.Salik transcended national frontiers. The
latter was preferred on merit for the
international award.
Benazir Bhutto was not lone cognizant of
J.Salik’s qualities as an ambassador of peace.
Renowned nuclear scientist and president of
30
Pakistan academy of sciences Dr. Abdul
Qadeer Khan was another recipient of the
invitation for nomination for Nobel award. He
too failed to find any other more befitting
candidate for the award of Nobel peace prize
than Julius Salik.
For Dr. A.Q.Khan, Julius Salik is a
conscious soul dedicated to the cause of peace,
harmony and tranquility on the globe! “A man
of integrity, Salik’s quest for carving the world
into a better place to live is not only
commendable
but
also
by
all
means
examplary. His long struggle against tyranny,
repression and against frequent violation of
human rights, while on the one hand
strengthened the movement for restoration of
democracy in Pakistan, it also enabled many of
us to have a better understanding of the plight
of our people.
“Salik’s crusade of making Pakistan a
harmonious
place
for
all
communities
irrespective of class, colour, creed or religion
has no wonder brought him many laurels.
Twice elected as councilor of the Lahore
metropolitan corporation, he was also chosen
to represent the minorities in the august
chambers of parliament, a job he has done to
perfection. In this regard his merit earned him
the coveted slot of minister of population
planning and welfare in the previous
government of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Both
31
in his position as a minister and a
parliamentarian Salik has left no stone
unturned to help the crippled humanity.
“But Salik’s struggle goes far beyond the
geographical boundaries. His voice was heard
loud and clear whenever an act of hostility
was committed against humanity, be it
Bosnia, Kashmir, Palestine or even Iraq-Iran
war. In fact he chose to celebrate Christmas
with the war-ravaged Bosnians in 1994
instead of his near and dear ones in Pakistan
just to jolt the world conscience against
atrocities committed against the unarmed
people of the Balkans”, Dr. Qadeer Khan
wrote nominating J.Salik in 1997.
The benevolent nuclear scientist did not
stop at nominating J.Salik for the coveted
award. He also helped J.Salik to establish his
office cum residence at Islamabad. At one
stage Dr. Qadeer Khan had placed his
personal car at Salik’s disposal to enable him
to carry on his humanitarian mission.
J.Salik always raised his voice for the
rights of minorities, liberty and human rights.
He struggled for the rights of the oppressed
through out his life. He supported all
movements the world over for freedom and
justice through innovative protests and
demonstrations. In this struggle he suffered
and made numerous sacrifices. During his
twenty-five year struggle he put ash on his
32
head, torched his domestic belongings,
underwent imprisonment and reached wartorn Bosnia along with his family members.
When his son pointed out the life-hazard,
J.Salik silenced him saying that the dead
bodies of father, mother and son reaching
Pakistan on Christmas would not only help
arouse world conscience but also enhance
Pakistan’s prestige. They were not allowed to
enter turbulent territory of Bosnia until they
gave in writing that they were doing so at
their own risk. They donned bulletproof
jackets, rode a tank – a war machine – to
reach the city to express solidarity with the
oppressed Muslims and Christians. The
Bosnian mission was undertaken in the
backdrop of a misguided propaganda that
Serb Christians were killing Bosnian Muslims.
This had created a volatile situation between
Muslims and Christians in Pakistan, to defuse
which J.Salik risked his own life and those of
his wife Mary and the only son David.
He, accompanied by his family members,
spent the second Christmas as federal
minister in the refugees tents among the
oppressed Kashmiri Muslims. In extreme cold
he trekked 2000 kilometers to raise voice
against Iran-Iraq war. He spent two years in
tents, giving up family life, to agitate against
Iran-Iraq conflict.
33
He took to khaki dress after being
sworn in as federal minister to demonstrate
austerity and simplicity. He declared his
minister bungalow as orphan house where the
destitutes were being reared along with his
son so that the poor children and the
minister’s son slept under the same roof. The
purpose was to symbolically end class
discrimination. Security guard was removed
from his minister’s house. His gunman was
redesignated as a clerk, to demolish the wall
of weapon separating the minister from
common man.
J.Salik’s only son got married when Salik
was a minister. The bridegroom’s wish was to
invite dignitaries to partake in wedding
ceremonies. J.Salik refused on the plea that
the country was debt-ridden and formal
ceremonies to be attended by VIPs would
involve wastage of national wealth while the
poor remained deprived of basic amenities like
health and education. Thus the marriage
festivities were confined to feeding seventy
orphan children and playing of national
anthem.
Before he left his minister’s bungalow on
dismissal of the cabinet he was member of,
J.Salik spilt a syringeful of his blood on the
soil of Islamabad to renew his pledge that he
would remain loyal to his homeland whether
he was in or out of office. The pledge was not
34
to betray the interests of the country which
had come into existence as result of limitless
sacrifices laid down in shape of martyrdom of
millions of people and dishonouring of a large
number of womenfolk. For him loot and
plunder, corruption, obtaining loans and
acquisition of licenses and permits were
tantamount to disloyalty to the country.
After the termination of minister’s oath
he took public oath to uphold national
interests.
J.Salik who is also convenor of
International Human Rights had proposed that
officials and holders of public posts be made
to swear, by putting their hands on heads of
their kith and kin, that they might be cursed
and ruined in case they put self-interests
above public service and indulged even in
minor corruption.
At one stage he asked military ruler of
Pakistan general Pervez Musharraf to give him
a whip and a free hand to beat the corrupt
and the plunderers black and blue so that they
cough up the public money they had
devoured. He even offered that if he did not
succeed, a wall might be built around him to
bury him alive at a public crossing.
He might have been impressed by
Anarkali tomb in Lahore. Anarkali was a young
beautiful maid servant in Mughal king Akbar’s
court. During an official event she dared to
35
respond the loving gestures of Prince
Saleem who later became king Janangir.
Exchange of signals between Anarkali and
Saleem were witnessed by the emperor.
Anarkali was walled up alive. Saleem’s silence
was considered his coward consent.
J.Salik may be described as protest
prince. The number of protests he made in his
public life and the novel and innovative
manners he conceived to register his
protestations, may be a distinctive record yet
to be beaten by any other in Pakistan or even
abroad. For J.Salik protestation is a
philosophy with positive connotation. His
protest is basically embedded in deep
affection for the society or the institutions. It
is like child coaxing his parents. More than
that it emanates from the urge for progress,
improvement and change for the better. Most
of his protests yielded positive results which
lent strength to his philosophy.
In 1983 martial law regime tried to
promulgate an anti-poor budget. In protest
J.Salik addressed a press conference after
putting ash on his head and donning sack
clothes. The budget was reviewed and ghee
price was lowered.
J.Salik held out a
threat to government in 1983 that Christians
would hoist black flags on their houses if
efforts were not accelerated to acquire the
nuclear reprocessing plants for the country.
36
Within a fortnight of the warning an official
statement was issued that the reprocessing
plants would be procured at all costs.
He organized a “grumbling” rally of
Christians who wore ashes on their heads,
were dressed in jute and carried white flags.
They displayed placards reading. “Live and let
live”. Their demand was that a one month
advance notice be served to the family and
official district minority committee in case a
Christian woman sought religious conversion.
The protest ended after Muslim ulema held
out a necessary assurance.
Pakistan authorities declared in 1984 to
keep schools open on December 25 to
institutionally observe the Quaid-e-Azam
birthday.
Since
it
synchronized
with
Christmas, Christian school going children and
teachers were thus deprived of performing
their religious rites. J.Salik in bare knickers
paraded the streets in protest. The decision
was withdrawn.
The religious rituals of Christians were
also being disturbed with Matric examination
papers falling for several consecutive years on
Easter festival. Consistent efforts to invite
government attention to the violation of
Christians religious rights, did not succeed. As
a last resort J.Salik announced hunger strike
to press two demands, which continued for 35
days. A threat was also held to call seven day
37
general strike and protest rallies to blockade
civil secretariat in Lahore. J.Salik and his 300
Christian companions were arrested. But
examination on Easter day was cancelled
alright. The other demand was for setting
apart a time on Pakistan television and radio
for Christians sermons. This is however,
pending.
It was again J.Salik who put ashes on his
head and prayed to God Almighty for release
of political workers. This unique method of
agitation worked and Punjab government
released six lawyers who had been detained.
As a beggar for peace and solicitor of
conciliation he put on jute clothes along with
his 25 other colleagues and trekked from
Faisalabad to Karachi. The purpose was to
express his anguish on loss of human lives
and ruination of assets during Iran-Iraq war.
J.Salik’s World Minorities Alliance in 1983
hailed seven point peace formula of Prince
Fahd bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia as just
and practicable peace project. It held Prince
Fahd’s formula as a good solution for the
Middle East problem. If this program was
examined and followed without bias this could
be the best solution of the Middle East’s
thorny issue. J.Salik deplored that even so
called peace loving nations ignored the
suggestion.
38
15th
On the advent of
century Hijra
(Muslim calendar) the World Minorities
Alliance declared the late Shah Faisal, the
former monarch of Saudi Arabia, to have had
rendered the best service to humanity during
the last century. It arranged a competition
among artists for painting portraits of Shah
Faisal. The World Minorities Human Service
Award was given for the best entry. The select
paintings were put on view for three days in
Lahore.
J.Salik organised a joint national
procession of Hindus, Muslims, Christians,
Sikhs, Parsis and Balmikis to visit the
mausoleum of the Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad
Ali Jinnah as a part of Pakistan independence
day celebrations.
He donned black dress for 40 days in
protest against racial riots in Britain. He
observed mourning for 40 days on massacre
of Muslims in the Philippines. He burned the
effigy of Christian militia on massacre on
Muslims
of
Palestine.
He
called
for
reconstruction of Palestine and declaring
Baitul Maqdas as a free city so that Christians
too could visit this sacred place on pilgrimage.
J.Salik says massacre of minorities in
India and violence and anti-minorities
measures in some other countries were
matter of concern in the current democratic
order. In these circumstances the minorities
39
all over the world should get united to
themselves safeguard their rights. He stands
for setting up an international minority
tribunal to monitor the conditions of
minorities, help them secure their rights and
impose social boycott and sanctions against
defaulting countries. A world minority bank be
established for the welfare of minorities at the
international level. The minorities should be
given representation at the UN general
assembly. He is of the view that international
development funds should be linked to level of
safeguarding rights of the minorities in a
country.
J.Salik’s World Minorities Alliance has
instituted an International Minorities Rights
Award. The inaugural award has been
bestowed on Malaysia. Malaysia have had the
reputation among the comity of nations for
liberally safeguarding the rights of the
minorities.
Announcing the Minorities Rights and
Harmony Award for Malaysia J.Salik paid rich
tributes to king Sultan Sallehuddin Abdul Aziz
Shah and prime minister Dr. Mahathir
Muhammad of Malaysia for promoting the
welfare and prosperity of the state especially
amity and concordance among various
communities of the country. J.Salik had never
been
led
by
religious
affiliation
in
humanitarian cases.
40
J.Salik had commendably secured
voting rights for the minorities. He however, is
deadly opposed to separate electorates
system. He desires Christian community to
become a part of national mainstream of
Pakistan.
National flag hoisting ceremony is held in
open in front of president’s house in
Islamabad on 14th August every year to mark
the independence day celebrations. VIPs and
dignitaries are formally invited on the
occasion. In case of rain the ceremony stands
cancelled. Cancellation of such a ceremony at
the eleventh hour pains J.Salik. He is of the
view that a permanent structure tastefully
designed propitious to the grace and dignity of
the occasion, may be raised at the venue.
Pending such building is raised the national
flag hoisting ceremony must be held in all
circumstances. Since this is a national event,
it should not be cancelled at any cost.
J.Salik’s first love in political domain was
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. He was fascinated by the
stance of Z.A.Bhutto in respect of the
downtrodden people. Bhutto emboldened the
peasants, labour and the repressed classes to
voice their rights. He stood for self-respect of
the poor. He gave them the sense of dignity.
This cause touched chords of J.Salik’s own
heart.
41
J.Salik had his own perception of party
slogans of ‘Roti, Kapra, Makan’ of Z.A.Bhutto.
His disagrees with narrow interpretation of
this pledge to provide bread, clothes and
shelter to all. He says people have not been
hungry, naked and shelterless before Bhutto
was born. J.Salik is of the view that Bhutto
wanted to inculcate the spirit of self-respect
and human dignity among the common man.
Absence of this spirit was the real human
hunger Bhutto aimed at satisfying. According
to him by ‘Makan’ (house) Bhutto meant
‘Maqam’ (status). Thus respectable social
status was being sought for the common man
instead of mundane ‘makan’ of mud and
bricks, ‘kapra’ (cloth) too had wider
connotation for Salik. Besides providing cover
to the destitute, the philosophy intended to
introduce egalitarianism in the society. For
Salik it meant a uniform dress for the high
and low. The mission of Bhutto did bear fruits.
One instance of its success was J.Salik
himself. Rising from dust he became a federal
minister to rub shoulders with federal
overlords like Amin Fahim, Ghulam Mustafa
Khar and others.
What Z.A.Bhutto did for the downtrodden
masses of Pakistan in general by giving them
voice, on a shorter canvas J.Salik did for the
Christian community by giving them heart to
fight injustice.
42
Inspired by J.Salik’s leadership two
Christian trainee nurses of Pakistan institute
of medical sciences (PIMS) Islamabad put up
a resolute resistence to an illegal official order
detaining them from taking examination
conducted by the nursing board. In 1999
seven trainee nurses including two belonging
to Christian community were stopped from
appearing in their board examination. They
were reverted six months back. Their stipends
were also stopped. Nurses from the majority
community might have decided to take things
lying down. Two Christian nurses decided to
fight the stormy waves of injustice with
perseverance. They challenged the order in
court of law and won the legal and political
battle with laurels.
J.Salik’s endeavours to empower the
unempowered Christian minority did not result
in bold action of nurses of PIMS alone. They
also made residents of ‘katchi abadis’
(unplanned slums) in G-6 sector of Islamabad
to take on the capital police for its uncalled for
raid on their locality. The youth armed with
sticks came out to attack the police. The
residents crowded the streets to block traffic.
J.Salik immediately reached the spot. He
made the mob to vacate streets, assemble in
an open ground and give up violence. He
pacified the agitated youth and made them lay
arms. The protest turned peaceful.
43
Housing is a human right, recognized
in international law. Yet a billion of city
dwellers have no homes, and millions more
live in dirty, dangerous conditions, which
threaten
them
and
their
surrounding
environment. More than 130 governments had
made a commitment at Habitat-II (United
Nations conference on human settlements)
that they will make their cities “healthy, safe,
equitable and sustainable”.
Pakistan was among those countries, but
shockingly by turn of the century, millions of
its people live in shanty towns. “Katchi abadis”
(unplanned slums) cropped up across the
country’s landscape at an alarming pace since
the 1950’s with the largest number located in
Karachi, followed by Lahore, Faisalabad,
Rawalpindi, Multan, Peshawar and virtually
every urban area.
According
to
federal
minister
for
environment local government and rural
development 35 percent of Pakistan’s urban
population lived in katchi abadis. Most of such
unplanned settlements lacked sanitation and
drainage, access to clean water, or other
amenities – leaving the residents exposed to
health hazards and a constant threat to their
welfare. The country’s only planned city
Islamabad has its own share of “katchi
abadis”. These “katchi abadis” provide shelter
to thousands of workers but simultaneously
44
add to the ecological degradation of the civic
resources.
J.Salik approached the supreme court of
Pakistan for enforcement of the fundamental
right to shelter. The Capital Development
Authority (CDA) one day planned to eject
slum dwellers in I-9 sector of Islamabad.
J.Salik reached the spot. He organized an
assembly of the residents and spent the entire
night in praying to Almighty. A person asked
him why he did not take any practical step
instead of sheer prayers. J.Salik replied all
possible preventive measures had already
been taken. Obviously he could not make CDA
officials run away with a stick. The next day
J.Salik filed a constitutional petition agitating
that shelter was also one of the fundamental
rights. And those citizens who did not own
house or residential plot might be provided
with a small piece of land for house building.
The petition also prayed for enforcing
fundamental rights of the residents of slums
to water and electricity. There are almost
eleven
slums
in
Islamabad.
With
administrative and political efforts of J.Salik
six of them got power facility. He knocked at
the door of supreme court for energizing the
rest. The slum dwellers may be lucky to have
‘an angel in human form’ - J.Salik to work for
their welfare for two decades.
45
For J.Salik democracy is an article of
faith. This is a way of life. India claims to be a
biggest
democracy
and
is
generally
acknowledged as such, is indeed a sham
democracy. How a country where a large
number of its nationals are untouchable,
where life, honour, property and worship
places of minorities – Muslims, Christians and
others were not safe, could claim to be
democratic. J.Salik says despite enshrining
safeguards for the minorities in the UN
charter, the rights of minorities were not
being genuinely respected. A glaring example
of this is evident in the atrocities committed
on minorities in India. Caste system and
‘Jagirdarana’ (fiefdom) order in India had
made lives of the oppressed miserable in that
country.
J.Salik says the objective of creating
Pakistan and principle of the Quaid-e-Azam’s
political career revolved around safeguarding
the rights of the minorities. Pakistan has been
a gift for the suffering people and the latter
should remain committed to its defence. All
other new countries in the world came into
existence on the basis of affinities of blood,
ethnic and linguistic affiliation or colour
commonality. Pakistan was the only country
that came into being ascending such narrow
notions and on the basis of cosmos Islam
which guarantees life, honour, property and
46
religious rights of minorities and champions
human values.
He however, deplores that political mafia
in Pakistan has hijacked the election
commission – the source of democratic power
and the womb of a republic. Top priority
should be given to accountability of the
election commission to probe how this
institution has been corrupted. The fact is that
nobody was ever punished for election
malpractice for the last 50 years. Even when
Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, sister of the Quaide-Azam became victim of fraudulent elections
in 1965, no official of the election commission
was questioned.
The political objective of J.Salik has
always been to help solve problems of the
people and make them dutiful citizens. His
participation in various elections since 1979,
torching of his personal and domestic effects,
hunger strikes, long marches, hanging himself
on the cross, putting ash on his head and
frequently resigning his seat in the assemblies
have had been tools of his political operation.
He never lost sight of his set objectives. He
indulged in politics without being affiliated with
any dubious political, sectarian or religious
group. He has had enjoyed confidence of his
people. The ruling elite intrigued to stop twice
his entry to the national assembly. Once court
47
verdict
and
secondly
public
pressure
defeated these designs.
Julius Salik is an extremely hard working
person. He believes in setting a personal
example by his consistent efforts and integrity
of character. He has had no respite during his
twenty seven year crusade against the twin
headed monster of religious intolerance and
social prejudice. His devotion to high ideals,
unimpeachable integrity, courage, unbending
firmness against opponents, general warm
affection, courtesy, enthusiasm and optimism
make him stand out as a leader of vision and
foresight and an outstanding beacon light not
only for Pakistan but for public life anywhere
in the world.
The rise of a person like him from the
Christian minority was nothing short of a
miracle. Julius Salik has achieved the status of
a national leader (head and shoulder above
many Muslim majority leaders) not by state
patronage but through years of their hard
work and a combination of dedication,
commitment, struggle and passive (but
impressive and effective) resistance.
J.Salik is not only a politician and a
minority leader, he is a visionary with an eye
on global issues affecting minorities. He
states: “Everywhere in the world minorities
face grave threats on racial and religious
basis. Minorities are underdog everywhere.
48
Consequently I decided to establish an
organization which would endeavour to project
minority rights everywhere”.
J.Salik’s brainchild World Minorities
Alliance (WMA) has the following aims and
objectives.
1.
To
establish
connections
and
communications between minorities all
over the world. To educate them on their
respective problems and to formulate
strategies for the solution of these
problems.
2.
To establish a World Minority Forum
which may promote the feelings of
tolerance for minorities.
3.
To get a seat for WMA in the UNO, EEC,
GCC and other world bodies.
4.
To establish a World Minority Bank in
order to help members of minority
communities to establish their own
businesses.
5.
To launch a Minority Channel (MCP) and
publish
a
minority
journal
called
“International Minority Times” in order to
create
and
promote
understanding
between minorities in different parts of
world.
As a result of Salik’s efforts Pakistan’s
most prestigious academic institution, Quaid-eAzam university of Islamabad had agreed to
49
set up a chair of peace for research and
higher studies.
To compile this book in a short period of
six month would not have been possible but for
collection
of
relevant
press
clippings
meticulously maintained by Mr. Salamat Bhatti
for the last twenty-five years. Despite his
heavy public schedules Mr. J.Salik made
himself available for the requisite elaborations
and clarifications. Tireless assistance of Miss
Iram Taj office secretary too is not small. I am
indebted to all of them.
Hafeez ur Rehman
50
Chapter 1
SOCRATES REBORN
Philosophers have been dreamers. Sir
Dr. Mohammad Iqbal dreamed of Pakistan – a
separate homeland for downtrodden Muslim
minority in South Asian subcontinent. Socrates
dreamed of Truth to prevail at last. In ancient
Greece, Socrates spent his entire life in pursuit
and promotion of Truth. At the end, Socrates
was sentenced to take a cup of poison for
making youth renounce traditional gods and
taking to reason. The followers of Socrates
drew a scheme for him to escape from prison.
When the plan was put to him, Socrates made
the historic statement: “I stand for respecting
the laws of the state. It is better to lay down
life for Truth than running from it”.
J.Salik may not be counted among a
galaxy of those thinkers and philosophers. He
likes Socrates became anamoured of the
beauty of Truth. The Truth for J.Salik is that
there be one class, one glass and one libas
(dress) for all in the country. This is indeed a
revolutionary notion for Pakistan. Class
discrimination is distinctive feature of Pakistan
society. If a wealthy man does not own a sleek
sedan, and does not distance himself from
51
commoners no one will admit him to the rich
class? If Salik has his way, bureaucracy may
lose its identity. Pride and prejudices may go.
High and low may be leveled. One and the
same glass may be used by all to drink from
the same fountainhead.
For Salik a gentleman does not belong to
genteel class. When Adam delved and Eve
span who is then the gentleman. Adam’s and
Eve’s sons and daughters form one race. A
uniform dress may be another leveler. In class
ridden society how a high executive grade
secretary would like his class 1 (one) peon to
don the same dress? In Pakistan nobility goes
with high brow bureaucracy, hereditary
politicians and landed aristocracy who grabb
wealth through bank loans that are never
repaid, kickbacks and other corrupt practices.
For twelve years, J.Salik have been
wearing coarse jute dress since 1981. As a
federal minister he donned khaki dress. So
clad he attended cabinet meetings but failed to
put his well-dressed colleagues and highranking officials to shame. On the other hand
he had been accused of indulging in dramatics.
Khaki fabric is dust coloured that
symbolises humility and modesty. It also
represents hereditary helplessness, wrong and
injustice done to the downtrodden class whose
cause Salik jealously espoused. By wearing
52
khaki dress, he demonstrated denial of the
class division manifest by the elite.
J.Salik is of the view that a federal
minister assumes the status of a father. As a
father it is his duty to look after the needs of
his children. The father perpetually makes
sacrifices to accommodate the food, clothing,
education, and health needs of his family. The
father’s self-denial manifest often on Eid and
Christmas.
He considered a cabinet minister a
labourer to be paid out of the sweat and toil
earnings of the tax payers. A person who lift
and carry load is called a minister in Arabic. If
a minister of a debt-ridden nation takes to an
ostentatious life style, the lending countries
might be tempted to extort higher rate of
interest on their loans.
He often quotes an Urdu verse:
Kamine jab arooj pate hen,
maazi bhool jatey haen;
Kitne kamzarf hote hen, ye gobare do
phoonkon se phool jate hen,
(Those are the mean people who on attaining
rise, forget their past; The low born
disproportionately swell like baloon with merely
two puffs).
J.Salik attended the cabinet meetings in
khaki dress with a view that increasing class
division in Pakistan might retard. Foreign
53
educated prime minister Benazir Bhutto
never objected to his dress, rather she
appreciated it.
During his tenure as minister, Salik wore
western suit only once when he attended an
international conference at Cairo in 1995. The
purpose was not to look any way inferior to
other leaders of the world. Benazir Bhutto
appreciated this gesture and remarked that he
appeared graceful.
J.Salik as the minister for population
welfare had led Pakistan delegation at the
Cairo conference while prime minister Bhutto
was a member of Salik’s delegation.
Salik not only stands for humanizing
humanity but also struggles for it. He is a man
of consummate skill to catch attention and to
hold it as long as he can. He is not an
individual. He is a society by himself, a
dynamic movement that cannot help moving
others. His novel ideas and innovative
measures keep him alive in newspapers
columns. He knows how to remain in NEWS.
The way he has served his community, the
Christian minority and protected and promoted
the interests of squalor dwellers of Islamabad,
the federal capital of Pakistan, has no parallel
in Pakistan politics. Probably he is among a few
politicians of Pakistan who are not rich yet rule
the hearts of those who have come into close
contact with them.
54
Once
the
Capital
Development
Authority (CDA) planned to evacuate a squalor
habitation in I-9 sector in 2000. J.Salik
assembled the inhabitants. They prayed the
entire night for God’s Guidance and His
Blessings.
Someone asked Salik why did not take
any practical step to avert the situation. He
replied that all possible concrete measures
have had already been taken. He could not
take a stick to force the CDA officials run away.
The only thing he could do was to congregate
the oppressed to humbly and earnestly implore
Allah who creates order out of disorder. The
way that was left for them was to seek His
Help.
The next day, Salik was seen proceeding
to the Supreme Court with heavy law books on
his arms. On being asked, he said he was to
file a constitutional petition in the court. To
have drinking water and electricity are the
fundamental rights of the katchi abadi (shanty
town). The CDA had denied the dwellers of
their fundamental rights. The only question he
had raised was whether water and electricity
are the basic necessaries of life or not. If they
were, whether any official organization had the
authority to deprive citizens of them.
J.Salik’s efforts had already borne fruits
in getting energy connections for six squalor
habitations out of eleven in the capital, for the
55
rest of five he is seeking redressal from the
court. In the petition a point has been raised
that the roof on one’s head is also a basic
necessity. The citizen, who does not own a
house or plot has the right to be provided with
the land measuring three and a half marla
(nearly 50 sq meters) and the means to build a
house thereon. It is to be seen what the apex
court has to say on this issue.
He has been elected to the national
assembly many a time. As a perfectionist, he
has a grouse against the election commission.
He complains of foul plays in polls for
minority’s seats in 1997 general elections. He
does not blame his political opponents for
cheating in elections. He holds the election
commission responsible for gross irregularities.
He is of the view that election process is a
farce until the election commission is purged of
all ills and deterrent punishment is not
awarded to the returning officers and polling
staff involved in malpractices.
In his election petition he had pointed
out that not a single vote had been rejected of
432553 votes polled by the minorities
comprising Christians, Hindus and other nonMuslim communities. On the other hand,
448724 votes were rejected out of 19,506,855
votes cast by Muslims. Nearly 3% of votes cast
by the members of national and provincial
56
assemblies for election of the president and
senate seats were declared void.
How was it possible? J.Salik argued, that
not a single minority vote was rejected while
the minority voters were educationally more
backward and their electoral procedure was
comparatively complicated? In his election
petition he tried to prove that there is a
difference of ten thousand in the count of
ballot papers issued over signatures of election
commission officers in various wards and the
tally in the final results announced in the
official notification.
He holds the election commission
responsible for the irregularity. He calls for
cancellation of the elections and demands fresh
polls. He pleads for punishment of the officials
involved in the malpractice. The constitution
and law provide for jail term upto three years
for those involved in election irregularities.
J.Salik is a pure Pakistani and takes pride
in being one. J.Salik believes that wonders are
Heavenly created (more than man-made) and
Pakistan as the eighth wonder of the world,
was no exception.
This part of the globe is the land of
mysteries and miracles. The East has been the
birth place of almost all religions – both
revealed and natural. Islam, Christianity,
Judaism,
Hinduism,
Buddhism,
Jainism,
57
Sikhism and Zoroastrianism originated in the
East.
The East has distingish feature in Biblical
context. According to the Bible, three wise men
from the East were the first to recognize Jesus
(AS) as ‘King of the Jews’. The Bible says:
“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem
of Judea in the days of Her’od the king, behold,
there came wise men from the east to
Jerusalem, saying, where is he that is born
King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in
the east, and are come to worship him”.
(Matthew 1: 1-2)
Pakistan is a miracle, coming into being
as a result of the struggle of the oppressed
minorities (the Muslims were the largest
minority in pre-Independence India) vis a vis
chauvinism and repression of Brahmans in the
caste-ridden Hindu majority. For high class
Hindus the lower castes and non-Hindus were
untouchables.
In the initial stage of his political career
Mohammad Ali Jinnah had joined All India
Congress and zealously worked for India’s
liberty. He was a great champion of HinduMuslim unity on one political platform for joint
fight against British Raj.
The unaccomodative attitude of top
Hindu congress leaders disillusioned the Quaide-Azam and he made a demand for Pakistan, a
58
separate sovereign state apart from Hindu
India.
The demand for Pakistan fascinated all
minorities of the subcontinent including
Christians who conceived the new state to be
haven for the oppressed, deprived and
downtrodden classes. This was the first state
to come into existence on the basis of just
political, social and civil rights of the minority
community. Racial or blood affinities have had
been rationale of new countries emerging on
the world map. Here the matter was different
and implementation of a novel concept. That
was why Dewan Bahadur Singha, a Christian
leader in his testimony, before the boundary
commission which was to decide the
geographical
frontiers
of
the
postIndependence Pakistan, pleaded that the
strength of Christian community too might be
weighed along with Muslims in favour of
Pakistan.
The nomenclature of Islam is perceived
to be safety, security and peace. It stands for
justice, equity, equality and egalitarianism. It
is
opposed
to
inequity,
wickedness,
untouchability and hatred which were hallmark
of prevalent Hindu caste-system.
This is the perspective of J.Salik’s intense
affection for Quaid-e-Azam’s Pakistan and his
own homeland.
59
In no case it is acceptable to J.Salik
that there be separate electorates in his own
homeland merely on the basis of religion. For
him it is tantamount to relegating a section to
a second-class citizen category.
Salik went on hunger strike in hot humid
months of May/June 1983. Nearly 7000 to
8000 members of Christian minority had
assembled at his Ravi Road Camp Lahore. He
was preaching non-violence to his audience.
Suddenly a heavy police posse appeared on
the scene and resorted to tear gas shelling and
baton charge. Apparently there was no
provocation for police action. Salik feared
trouble and probably bloodshed. He asked the
crowd to lie down and offer no resistance. The
assembly embraced dust. Police had to eat a
humble pie yet it bent all its energies in
beating Salik the only man on his feet. His
mouth bled and he was led to prison.
Apart from political reasons Salik’s
support for joint electorate is sentimental. A
novel explanation he offers for frequent
dissolution of assemblies without full term runs
is that they had been elected on the ominous
basis of separate electorates.
According to him, the inaugural session
of the first national assembly of Pakistan in
1947 opened without recitation from the Holy
Book. Thus lack of good luck haunted the
Houses and legislative assemblies broke too
60
often. It is astonishing that the omission was
overlooked by prominent religious leaders
lauding Objectives Resolution and Islamic
Ideology and has been pointed out by a nonMuslim.
J.Salik is a true patriot. Being from a
minority, he champions the cause of the
majority. He describes himself as a soldier of
the Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the
Father of the Nation. He considers it a matter
of honour for him to safeguard the ideological
foundation of his homeland. In this respect
J.Salik is out and out a Pakistani. He is always
busy in forestalling negative trend and bends
all his energies in promoting positive values.
He has dedicated himself to the service
of humanity. He has relegated his self, his
security and even his life to naught. The
welfare, safety and promotion of others’
interest is mission of his life.
He had been elected thrice to Pakistan
parliament and have had been a federal
minister. Despite these distinctions there had
been no change in his heart, mind or
appearance. He is commoner. He is a true
representative of the poor, squalid dwellers,
shanty towns and shares their sufferings. He is
determined to uplift their lot.
He has struggled sincerely, selflessly,
and undauntingly to support the weak and
downtrodden, not in Pakistan alone but
61
throughout the world. His mission is
humanitarian rising above party politics, or
religious outfit and geographical barrier. He
seeks
to
serve
humanity
without
discrimination.
His love for human and his fearless
sympathy for victims of oppression, repression,
cruelty and killing astonished the entire world
when he along with his family members
jumped into the death arena, six thousand
miles away from his own homeland.
In
1995
Bosnia
had
become
a
slaughterhouse. Savagery and ferocity were
order of the day. Champions of peace
shuddered in their shoes and avoided traveling
to that part of world. Upholding the flag of
peace, justice and human survival, in 1995
Salik arrived there putting his life and those of
his family members in danger. He had been
stopped from proceeding to war ravaged
Bosnia. He reached Croatia and took UN
charted plane to reach Bosnia. He traveled by
tank from airport to the church. He led peace
march and prayed for Christian – Muslim unity
and end of bloodshed.
He aroused the world conscience and
brought home to the powers that be and
opinion makers that globe is alive only if
mankind survives. Their own existence lies in
human survival. It is the duty of the entire
world to stop human killings. Whosoever may
62
be oppressor, his hand must be curbed. The
oppressed wherever they may be, must be
protected and supported.
Apropos J.Salik’s visit to Bosnia this was
far from an emotional venture. This was
motivated by a noble purpose. After he took
oath of cabinet member on January 26, 1994
as the first elected Christian federal minister,
Bosnian tragedy touched a peak. Press
propaganda stirred by certain vested interests
in Pakistan had created a volatile situation. The
human calamity was depicted in religious
terminology. An impression was being given
that people of Bosnia were Muslims and those
of Serbia were Christians. And Serbian
Christians were engaged in atrocities and
ethnic cleansing of Bosnian Muslims. Such
picture could cause commotion and Muslims
Christians rioting in Pakistan. The ground
reality was however, different. There were
Christians in Bosnia and there was Muslims in
Serbia. And the two religious entities were not
at war.
J.Salik perceived the danger and decided
to avert any possible conflict between Muslims
and Christians. In this perspective, he planned
his visit to Bosnia on the occasion of first
Christmas after being sworn as federal
minister. He sent a summary in this respect to
prime minister Benazir Bhutto, who in turn
asked a report from Pakistan foreign office.
63
Jamshed Marker Pakistan’s permanent
representative
to
the
United
Nations
disfavoured such a visit in view of hazardous
situation in the region which could not provide
proper protocol for a federal minister from
Pakistan
beside
credible
security
arrangements.
Though prime minister Benazir Bhutto
appreciated the noble cause and the
sentiments
of
J.Salik,
yet
she
was
apprehensive of the risks. Anyway she yielded
to J.Salik’s insistence – that he should reach
the trouble spot to awaken world conscience as
well to assuage the ill feelings of Christians and
Muslims at home and abroad.
As a last minute bid to dissuade J.Salik
from undertaking a dangerous venture, prime
minister Benazir Bhutto sent him a message
that she had invited Christian orphan children
on the Christmas occasion at governor house,
Karachi. She suggested that as the only
Christian federal minister it was appropriate for
J.Salik to be present. She had thought that it
might make J.Salik change his mind.
J.Salik weighed the importance of
celebrating Christmas with Christian orphans at
governor house, Karachi and promotion of the
peace and amity mission, risking his life in this
journey at a critical juncture, to Croatia and
Bosnia. He opted for the latter course even at
the risk of losing his cabinet slot. Prime
64
minister Benazir Bhutto conceded and
allowed him to leave.
The mutual family affection and life peril
in the forthcoming journey made J.Salik, his
wife Mary and the only son David to decide to
undertake a common venture. If they died,
they would be dead together, if they survived
they would live together. Such feelings led
them to travel together.
On December 24, the family landed in
Croatia and was welcomed by Pakistan
ambassador.
The
onward
journey
was
really
hazardous. No plane had left for Bosnia for a
fortnight. Seventeen days earlier a UN food
supplies aircraft was hit by shelling and two UN
soldiers were killed. Consequently all flights
had been cancelled.
The strong will of impulsive J.Salik made
a way out and a special plane was arranged to
lift the family to Sarajevo the next morning.
As
the
three-member
family
accompanied by Pakistan ambassador reached
the airport, they were asked to sign forms
declaring that they would travel at their own
life risk. Death stared in their face. The son
gazed at the father and father fixed his eyes
on the young son and the loving wife. The
decision was difficult.
J.Salik’s intuitions overcame the intellect.
The forms were signed and they boarded the
65
plane. The ambassador who was a general, a
brave soldier but had a tender heart for human
values, accompanied. Indeed he had supported
the minister’s visit from day one for its
potential peace impact.
There were two pilots to steer the light
plane. The boarders were made to put on
helmets and bulletproof jackets. God and
death knell had never been nearer to them. As
the aircraft took off they also closed their eyes
and prayed (assuming it to be their last
prayers) for forgiveness of their sins.
The plane landed at Bosnian airport
which was all in ruins. The determined
passengers disembarked. The airfield was
more of an uneven ground than an apron or
runway. The building had already been
demolished
because
of
continual
bombardment.
A UN tank with a Pakistani soldier driver,
who had been specially arranged for them, was
in waiting for the peace missionaries.
The tank took the family to a building
which once might have been a hotel but was
now only a dilapidated structure. There was no
electricity, no water, no heating arrangement
despite chilling European weather.
J.Salik and his family members went to a
catholic church inside the wrecked city. The
arrival of Pakistan federal minister and his
family members was announced by the bishop
66
before the Christmas service started. All
attending the congregation were touched.
There was none whose eyes were not tearful.
J.Salik had taken a number of gift packs
along with him. He intended to distribute the
gifts outside the church. But he was surprised
that there was not a single beggar in that
calamity stricken city.
They also visited the city hospital where
the wounded were languishing. Most of them
had lost their limbs. They cried and sobbed
and had no hope of recovery. There was none
to comfort them, to solace them. In such
circumstances the presence of a Pakistan
federal minister and his family members,
moved them emotionally.
J.Salik also visited a mosque whose roof
had been blown up because of bombardment.
Many Namazis had been killed in the mosque
during prayers.
Human loss was enormous. But those
who survived were greatly aggrieved over loss
of their cultural heritage. An international
library had been ruined. It was a repository of
6000 manuscripts and rare antique art pieces,
some of them were as old as 2000 years.
J.Salik had been officially provided a
protocol officer by the Bosnian administration.
The
arrangement
was
improvised
and
equipment in shortage.
67
J.Salik on his own contracted a video
film-maker and offered to pay him $ 200 for
the coverage.
On learning the cost of film-making the
protocol officer started weeping. For him $ 200
was a colossal fund. His own monthly
remuneration (allowance) was $ 20 only which
he had not received for the last six months.
Fearing that the contract might be
cancelled the photographer’s tears rolled down
his cheeks. He had met a first customer in
many months.
J.Salik kept the contract intact and he
still possesses the video-cassette as a
cherished treasure.
Pakistan peace missionaries also visited
a mass graveyard.
They spent the night in the impoverished
hotel. Continual bombardment made pitch
darkness and the trembling building all the
more fearsome. Snowing throughout the night
had made the environs dull and gloomy. They
remained on their feet throughout the night
and prayed. There was little hope for an
aircraft to arrive again the next morning for
the return journey.
Incidentally a UN plane landed with food
supplies. It was to go back. The cargo plane
had no seats to sit on, no safety belts. There
was bare benches, there was only one outlet at
68
the tailend of the aircraft to load the luggage
and passengers, if any.
J.Salik suffered all these sacrifices to
comfort the helpless and victims of atrocities in
Bosnia and pacify a potentially dangerous
situation at home.
His Christian political opponents had
criticized his move in the first instance but the
end results proved J.Salik to be rightly
motivated and his opponents wrong.
On his return from Bosnia, J.Salik
suggested that a conference of the living Nobel
peace prize awardees be convened. The peace
prophets should deliberate on the plight of
people of Chachniya and Kashmir. He visited
the Madina Hujjaj in Rawalpindi where
destitute children from Bosnia were being
looked after by Pakistan government.
He proposed a meeting of the Hindus
living in 180 countries of the world as
minorities to be called and briefed on the
atrocities being committed by Indian armed
forces in the Indian held Kashmir.
In 1994 J.Salik said if smokers abstained
for one day in a week and donated the saving
toward relief for Bosnia, the food and medicine
problems of Bosnian people could be easily
solved.
During the first stint of Nawaz Sharif as
prime minister of Pakistan, a development fund
admissible to members of national assembly
69
was denied to MNA J.Salik. In protest J.Salik
took to the tradition of glorious Prophet Jesus
Christ (AS). He tied himself to fifteen feet high
cross at the crowded Charring Cross on the
fashionable Mall, Lahore. He was surrounded
by thousands of Christians who were shouting
slogans against prime minister Nawaz Sharif
and Ghulam Haider Wayne who was the then
chief minister of the province.
The demonstrators pulled out the cross
and bore it on their shoulders with J.Salik
bound to it. They marched toward the chief
minister house. On the way the police suddenly
fired tear gas shells. The protestors dispersed.
Those bearing the cross were baton charged.
The cross crumbled. The bearers were
arrested. The only person remained in the field
was J.Salik knotted together with the cross.
The police started beating Salik.
A journalist Hamid Mir has recorded his
eyewitness account in a newspaper column. He
says he ran to the scene and started unroping
Salik. Hamid Mir threatened the baton charging
police that he would institute a murder case
against them in case J.Salik died. According to
Hamid Mir the police operation was under
direct orders of the chief minister.
In the meantime, J.Salik’s hands and
feet were free. He stood up and opened his
collar and shouted to the police “shoot at me”.
70
Instead of firing at him, the police took the
wounded Salik in custody.
J.Salik was a member of parliament. He
was a public representative but he represented
the poor constituents. Had he been a wedera
or feudal lord the police could not dare touch
him. Yet the retributive justice has its own
natural course.
Ghulam Ishaq Khan is one of rare public
servants who have had risen to the office of
the president of Pakistan by dint of sheer hard
work and administrative acumen after having
joined the civil service at the lowest rung in
N.W.F.P, he however, had the dubious
distinction of having dissolved the elected
national assembly twice under special powers
incorporated in the constitution by General Ziaul-Haq by way of compromise to restore
democracy in 1985. Ghulam Ishaq Khan might
have performed the hat trick by dissolving the
national assembly for the third time, had he
not been forced to resign along with prime
minister Nawaz Sharif under an agreed
formula.
Ghulam Ishaq Khan dismissed Nawaz
Sharif government in 1993. The government
was restored by the supreme court. The
national assembly passed a vote of confidence
in Nawaz Sharif government. The leader of
opposition Benazir Bhutto threatened to start a
long march against the government. President
71
Ghulam Ishaq Khan and chief of army
general Abdul Wahid Kakar forced Nawaz
Sharif to tender registration to pave the way
for fresh general elections. Nawaz Sharif
agreed to resign provided Ghulam Ishaq Khan
simultaneously resigned the office of president
of Pakistan.
Ghulam Ishaq Khan’s tendency to send
national assembly packing made J.Salik
distinguished still in another fashion. J.Salik
had been elected to the national assembly
three times and all the Houses were
prematurely dissolved.
A unique electoral distinction coming to
Salik’s lot was that once he was a member of
parliament only for half an hour. He was
elected in 1988 but his election result was
withheld by the election commission. He
challenged the election commission action in
the election tribunal. The justice was delayed,
though not denied. After the court’s decision,
Salik took oath as a member of national
assembly on June 27, 1990. After half an hour
proceeding the House was adjourned, and
before the next session the national assembly
was dissolved by Ghulam Ishaq Khan. Had
justice been further denied by another day
J.Salik would have been deprived of the
distinction of being an elected public
representative for the shortest period (may be)
in the world history.
72
J.Salik is a saint among politicians. He
is a Dervish – a member of any of several
Muslim fraternities vowed to poverty and
austerity. J.Salik is fond of folklore particularly
qawwali (a variety of singing and playing).
Ghulam Farid Sabri qawwal (singer) is his
favourite. Ghulam Farid Sabri was a peer of
Nusrat Fateh Ali, known and recognized as
professor of music in the west.
The particular song played by Ghulam
Farid Sabri liked by Salik pertains to sarcasm
on sway the money held over the mind of the
modern materialist people.
According to verses of the song, money
speaks and takes numerous shapes to corrupt
persons and groups and even challenge the
kingdom of God.
Kehen hadia, kehen rishwat
kehen gunda tax ki surat
(At times money takes the shape of a gift,
bribery or extortion)
hen mere pakkay yar,
maulvi, pundit aur thanedar
(Muslim and Hindu clergies and police officials
are my (money’s) fast friends).
When he became a minister in Benazir
Bhutto cabinet in 26 February, 1994 he gave
up taking meat. According to him it does not
behove a minister of debt-ridden country to
eat meat.
73
For J.Salik meat did not merely mean a
simple and thin mutton curry. Meat stood for a
feast – source of pleasure spelt out in shape of
an elaborate barbecue – grilled chicken, quail,
partridge, in short any delicious game bird or
sizzling and tantalizing frying pan with a bulk
of meat. It created a wedge in the society on
the basis of food dividing line between the rich
and the poor.
Salik has his own set of beliefs vis a vis
meat dishes ostentatiously adorning the dinner
tables of the affluent and corrupt persons, as
pretentious and vulgar display of wealth. The
purpose might be either to impress those
whom they did not like or to bait those who
were in position to shower favours.
Salik considers a federal minister to be,
in spirit, a father of citizens. As head of tribe of
a country which was over burdened with public
debts, a minister should abstain from luxury.
Once he takes to food delicacies, he may fall
into the pit. His limited remuneration may not
sustain such food. He may get accustomed to
feasts hosted by others. There may be many
persons available to host feasts for ministers.
J.Salik is opposed to attending feasts.
Feasts cause wastage of time and money.
Secondly they open doors for numerous social
ills. Any body inviting a minister would also
gather an assembly of 100 to 200 guests. A
five star hotel may be a venue to give it an air
74
of respectability. He may invite friends and
foes to such a feast to over-awe them with his
high connection.
The minister may also feel obliged to the
host. The latter may encash the debt
demanding licenses/permits or other official
favours from the minister. A vicious circle of
corruption
ensues,
giving
birth
to
professional/commercial mafia. The minister
may be trapped in a cobweb. It may be difficult
for him to come out of the web.
To spare himself from the snare, J.Salik
declared meat eating to be a forbidden fruit.
For two years and ten months he remained a
minister, the menu of his meals was ‘Dal roti’
(pulse and loaf of bread). He often visited
popular public eating places like Lakhshmi
Chowk in Lahore. They are likes pubs in
Britain. There too he ate pulse and rice only.
His political opponents derided J.Salik’s
decision to abstain from meat-eating. They
asked what benefits his electorate could have
derived from this move?
J.Salik did spend the time he saved, from
absenting himself from wasteful feasts which
were prone to promotion of corruption, on
public welfare. He believed in the maxim what
is not wasted, is saved. He served the
electorate’s interests by fighting extravagance;
ritual wastage and promotion of purity and
austerity.
75
In 1995 during an official tour to Egypt
J.Salik happened to be a guest at a state
banquet thrown by president Hosni Mubarak.
The venue of the feast was a famous palace
which had won prominence as a place of war
promotion activities during the world war II.
J.Salik was surprised to see the same
bread, which he had seen being sold on Cairo
footpaths, being served at the state banquet.
Without going into the political and social
system of vogue in Egypt, J.Salik was of the
view that sharing the identical type of bread by
the high and low, would promote amity and
end mutual hatred that the food differentiation
stirred.
Recently in 2000 when there was a
shortage of sugar in Pakistan, its price started
soaring. One hundred thousand tons of sugar
was being imported from India. He alongwith
his family members vowed not to use sugar at
all.
By abandoning use of sugar, Salik
demonstrated not only his extreme sense of
patriotism but also projected mismanagement
of national economy. A permit to install a mill
entitled the applicant to a bank loan of Rs. 80
million. The corrupt license holders indulged in
more than one malpractice to make money.
They indulged in over-invoicing of the
machinery they imported. By installing a sugar
mill one could pocket at least Rs. 200 million
76
illegally. They were interested in installing
showpiece sugar mills to pocket floating funds.
The result was that despite numerous mills,
the sugar produce was not enough to meet the
national
needs.
Hence
import
of
the
commodity.
J.Salik strictly believes in practicing what
is preached. On becoming a federal minister he
gave up smoking. Immediately on being sworn
in, he presented the pack of cigarettes that
was in his pocket to the secretary health.
He told the secretary health that the
pack carried instructions from your ministry:
smoking is injurious for health. If I don’t follow
your instructions, who will?
When he became a minister he issued an
order - the order which even the Muslim
ministers could not issue - that exactly at five
minutes after office opening time, the work in
his ministry would start with recitation from
the Holy Quran. The recitation was relayed to
all rooms in the ministry where speakers were
installed. Punctuality in attendance was
enforced. Right from peon to secretary, every
functionary was made to sign his presence in
an attendance register. The high executive
secretary was to mister his peon every time he
addressed him, not to speak of other officers in
the ministry.
By introducing recitation from the Holy
Quran to open daily official functions in his
77
ministry, J.Salik intended to focus on
congregational sermon. At school level, a poem
of national philosopher poet Iqbal was recited
in the morning assembly to supplicate divine
guidance. Beyond school level, there was no
such noble practice in colleges and universities.
The result was that youth were misled.
J.Salik was of the view that morning
gathering of the officials from high top to
bedrock bottom in a way leveled all ranks.
Ek hi saf me kharay ho ga Mahmud o
Ayaz
Na koi banda raha; no banda nawaz
(The master Mahmud and his slave Ayaz stood
up in a single row;
None was any more a master, none was any
longer a servant)
J.Salik thought that sermon may hold
sway over the officials to help keep them
upright and God fearing for sometime at least
(say two early hours in office). They thus
might take right decisions and not harass the
public.
He thought such a congregational
sermon might also help monitor attendance of
the employees. This might further familiarity
among the employees cutting across the ranks
and grades.
Benazir Bhutto was a fastidious prime
minister. To say a word of praise for a minister
was an uphill task for her. When Salik
78
managed to secure property rights for shanty
habitation dwellers, Benazir Bhutto described
him as the ‘best minister’ atleast four times.
The Oxford University educated Benazir
sat on floor when she visited the residence of
her “best minister”. Lofty airs of Benazir
succumbed to Salik’s austerity.
Wealth has varieties - superiority of
intellect, knowledge, morality, ethics and
cultural values. Not bothering about possession
of cash, car and bungalow is another state of
being mentally rich. For a noble-hearted
person sky is sheltering roof, donkey, mule or
a camel, whatever available, is as important a
transport as a Mercedes limousine.
A nomad traveling from one oasis to
another oasis in deserts by camel takes pride
in his transport and sings odes to its gait.
An anthem in Persian by national poet
Iqbal enshrined the praise of the conveyance
of a camel driver.
Ay naqa-e-sayar man
Ay aahooe tatar man
Ay darham o dinar man
Ay daulat-e-didar man
Tez tarkgamzan
Manzil ma door naist
(Oh! My fast camel
Oh my hard to control deer
Oh my living wealth
Move ahead fast
79
The destination is not far off).
In Pakistan camel is a mean of transport
in Balochistan and Cholistan. Otherwise life in
most of Pakistan moves around Mercedes,
Pajeros and revolves around big bungalows
built and acquired through loans solicited from
IMF.
In this mutually contradictory scenario a
truly faithful person emerges. A few years back
a federal cabinet was dismissed on 5
December, 1996. Ministers left Islamabad for
their homes. Some took to air passage. Others
ignited engines of their motorcades.
Julius Salik a Christian minister too was
to return to his hometown Lahore. He was to
move his households. He did not spend funds
to manoeuvre the ministry. He made no money
while in cabinet. Camel carts came to his mind.
A few were hired. A cavalcade was ready.
According to astrologers nomenclature
has a close nexus with person’s characteristics.
Julius Salik’s mother was blessed. She did not
combine Julius with Caesar, a historic
character. Caesar was the title of Roman
emperor symbolizing autocrats. It was Julius
Caesar who turned democracy in Italy to
monarchy. He crowned himself no doubt, yet
he was killed in parliament at the altar of lust
for power and wealth.
80
Julius Salik is a blessed name Salik
means a devotee. A renowned Persian poet
Hafiz Shirazi says:
If your guide says, you may soak your
prayer carpet in alcohol as Salik (devotees)
knows the stages to reach the goal.
The camel caravan of J.Salik was not as
quick as idyllic verses of Iqbal. But Salik’s
destination was not that far either.
The novel demonstration on slow wheels
was witnessed by a number of travelers
including foreigners on the Grand Trunk Road.
Salik had adorned the carts carrying his
baggage with portraits of Nobel peace prize
laureates. He was successful in leaving an
indelible message, of peace and harmony and
that of protest against undemocratic dismissal
of government onlookers.
J.Salik is a true Pakistani. He is
committed to the country, to the noble
principles, to the cause of peace and harmony,
to the poor, downtrodden, unprivileged without
discrimination of caste, creed, domicile, sex,
and religion. His commitment is total.
He belongs to the class who has been
exploited, looted or plundered. His class is vast
and in majority. The exploiters, looters and
plunderers are a few, yet they dominate and
have their way. Salik is on crusade against
exploitation and plunder. He strikes against
evil with full force and will continue to strike.
81
He does not mind whether he rides a bicycle,
donkey or camel. When asked why he chose
camel for a ride he said it was enduring
animal, remained hungry and thirsty yet
marched on.
He is probably the only former cabinet
minister who does not own a bungalow, a plot
of land or a vehicle. Nor he ever needed a
security guard or kalashinkov for his
protection. When he became a minister he
declined official protocol. He said it did not
behove a minister of a country whose citizens
used second hands clothes, to have pomp and
show.
When J.Salik entered politics in 1977, the
Christian leadership of that time disappointed
him.
The
legacy
of
inspiring
political
forerunners starting from D.B. Singha and
Gibbon and ended with Joshua Fazaldin. The
current leadership had confined itself to special
sugar quota for the Christian community on
festive occasions like Christmas and Easter
which might have saved them a nickel through
cheaper sugar. But it was bereft of any
national thinking, a philosophy to follow, a
theory to work on to win a respectable social
status for Christian community. To make it a
force to reckon with.
The situation agonized him. To uplift the
community he thought of giving proper
82
guidance to it. To be an acceptable guide,
the leader must be honest, a man of integrity.
To win over loyalties, government gave
baits of bank loans, allotment of plots, permits
and other perks. The renunciation of pomp and
show manifest in bungalows, pajeros, plots and
other perks and protocol of security guards and
kalashinkovs, could throw up the required
leadership.
Hence he deliberately adopted this policy
which made him a beloved leader of not only
the Christian minority but also a role model
which the Muslims desired their political
leaders to follow.
Once a plan was conceived to allot plots
of lands in Islamabad to public representatives
in 1996. The plan for cabinet ministers almost
materialized. All the incumbents applied.
J.Salik refused. One of then cabinet ministers
asked Salik to sign the application for him and
he would pay him five million rupees in cash.
J.Salik declined the offer. He said he would not
like to be called a minister who aspired for an
official plot.
Politicians become pharaohs, almighty
when returned to power. Salik becomes
humble, a dervish, a friar or mendicant. But he
does not beg. He believes in giving rather than
taking. His corrupt colleagues in the cabinet
did not like his ways. He does not know
swimming downstream. He takes pleasure in
83
storming hurricanes. Probably he has no
parallel. Many of his kith and kin have
migrated to the United States. He loves his
country and enjoys rubbing shoulders with
have-not.
While he was a minister, national flag
hoisting ceremony was cancelled because of
downpour in the capital. He vehemently
protested.
Jamaat-e-Islami chief Qazi Hussain
Ahmad was sitting squat in a political protest.
To counter it, police took action and in process
the Jinnah cap of Qazi Hussain Ahmad was
thrown away. J.Salik held demonstration
against the police operation. He was of the
view that showing disrespect to the Jinnah cap
was tantamount to dishonouring the Quaid-eAzam Mohammad Ali Jinnah who donned such
cap.
J.Salik also issued a press statement
(appearing in national newspapers on 29 June
1996) expressing his sense of grief over illtreatment meted out to Qazi Hussain Ahmed
by the police. The police had shown disrespect
to grey hair of Qazi Hussain Ahmed and
contempt for the Jinnah cap donned by the
Jamaat-e-Islam
leader,
which
was
condemnable.
J.Salik said the CSP officers who were
responsible for brutal treatment meted out to
Jamaat-e-Islam leader were devoid of Islamic
84
teaching. He said he would send a summary
to prime minister to get such CSP officers
trained in the Islamic University in Islamic
traditions.
The taletellers conveyed the report of
J.Salik’s statement to prime minister Benazir
Bhutto.
The same evening, at a dinner Benazir
Bhutto asked J.Salik if he had issued any
statement to the press.
J.Salik boldly owned and said “Yes, I
have released a statement”
“Is it a good statement?” she asked
“Very good, madam,” J.Salik confidently
stated.
“Then it is alright,” she finally observed.
During the Muslim League rule Pakistan
flag on governor House was lowered in order to
hoist Union Jack of British Raj to shoot a scene
for a film on the Quaid-e-Azam. This agitated
J.Salik and he was all protest.
His argument was that no pleading would
make the British authorities to lower their flag
to hoist Pakistan flag for a minute. Why should
we do for any reason?
Once J.Salik was asked why did not he
join the Muslim League. Unhesitatingly J.Salik
said he would not lose a minute to join the
Muslim League
in case Nawaz
Sharif
distributed all his wealth, including mills and
85
factories among the poor. This offer of
J.Salik stands even today.
J.Salik is today residing in a hired house
in Islamabad. Yet he is contented and happy.
J.Salik’s honesty is paying him. He has nothing
to hide. His treasure is his love for the
downtrodden people which he will never lose.
…………………………
86
87
Chapter 2
PRESS TESTIMONY
Official awards apart, J.Salik’s chest is
decorated with numerous awards – words of
praise, laudatory remarks made in sincerity by
newspapermen,
columnists
and
neutral
observers of the national scene. Once a report
appeared in media that J.Salik may be given a
Nobel peace prize award. Benazir Bhutto and
nuclear scientist Dr. Qadeer A Khan did
nominate J.Salik for Nobel prize.
Former senator and noted literary figure
Jameel-ud-Din Aali has written an “Apology” on
J.Salik (1st July, 2000). He says “What a
special thing this humble man can say about
him (J.Salik) after a great servant of humanity
(Honourable Mother Teresa), a reputed
scientist (Dr. A. Q. Khan Nishan-e-Pakistan), a
woman prime minister (Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto) and about sixty senators and scores of
well known bold, fearless and candid
commentators and penmen have paid glorious
tributes to J.Salik both in Urdu and English
languages?
“A place in a respectable row wherein
one can squeeze in, to say a few words for a
88
good man, which the celebrity may not need,
is positively a matter of an honour for me.
“J.Salik has been described to be on
‘long march on the highway to peace and
liberty’. I have had heard a lot about Chinese
long march.
“In the years 1966-67 and 1983 I had
the opportunity to have glimpse of some of
long march heroes in China. I exchanged a
word or two with them (largely in 1966). That
march was definitely as unique, great and
unforgettable in world history. The question is
whether J.Salik has the right to use the word
‘long march’. The answer is “certainly yes”.
The spiritual phases J.Salik has been passing
through can be rightly described as ‘long
march’. I pray for his success”.
Jameeel-ud-Din Aali is right that some
persons do reach the peak where any award
whether national or international is so small to
honour such heroes. On the contrary the award
bestowed on such a person itself adds to the
award’s own credibility. J.Salik has touched
that pinnacle.
Even as a minister he traveled by a taxi.
On being asked he said tomorrow (on being
relieved of the cabinet office) too he would be
using such a vehicle.
J.Salik is seldom angry. Whenever he is
agitated, he is never angry with the poor, not
even with poverty but he is opposed to the
89
forces responsible for poverty. When he was
a minister he was angry with those cabinet
colleagues who shrugged off the common man.
J.Salik was a population welfare minister
in Benazir Bhutto’s Peoples Party government.
The interesting thing is that previous
population growth records were beaten when
J.Salik was minister in charge. Probably he
never planned population control. What he
always planned were protests against such
actions which created difficulties for the
common man.
A journalist Asghar Ali Mubarik (of PPA,
20 May, 2000) recalls that during Benazir
Bhutto rule when government started certain
actions against journalists, J.Salik announced
to side with the journalist community. So much
so that the then information minister Khalid
Ahmed Kharal had to lay down arms.
He says “it would not be unfair to call
him (J.Salik) a true friend of the people and
country. His love for Christianity is beyond
question but he never injured feelings of
people of other religions. He is equally popular
among people of all faiths. The way of his
thought and the style of his life suggest that he
is a movement aimed at serving the people
round the clock, round the year and in all
circumstances. May every individual harbour
such sentiments”.
90
J.Salik has always been seen in coarse
clothes. When he is in government, he does
not look like a minister. When he is out of
office, he is sought after person like any
minister. He is always present wherever he is
needed. His charming personality pales the
chief guest into insignificance. The way J.Salik
has represented the interests of common man
has added a new chapter in Pakistan politics.
It is an event of June 1994. A federal
minister was standing at Peshawar Mor (in
Islamabad). He was signaling motorcyclists not
to go toward I-8 sector. A little earlier an oil
tanker had leaked a lubricant that made the
entire road slippery. Many motorcyclists had
skidded and sustained injuries. J.Salik parked
his flag adorned vehicle aside and himself got
busy in helping the motorcyclists.
Prof. Saqib Riaz of Allama Iqbal Open
University writes: (24 May, 2000) “On arriving
at the scene I introduced myself to J.Salik. He
asked me to help him. We borrowed one wheel
mini-carriage from a labourer and filled it with
earth and spread it on the road. After a few
rounds the road was dry. This was the first
time in Pakistan history that a minister carried
clay to save people falling”.
Ilyas Chaudhry of the daily Jang
newspaper (May 16, 2000) records his meeting
in sweltering heat of one noon in June outside
parliament. He had come of the air-conditioned
91
house after professional coverage of the
proceedings. Excessive heat and hunger were
uppermost in his mind when he met J.Salik.
The minister was all smiles. His eyes were
bright and he looked happy as ever.
“J.Salik said he had received his salary
from the bank and invited me to meals
anywhere. I smiled at his innocence and
benevolent spirit. An Indian movie came to my
mind. Hero Dalip Kumar says to heroine Nargis
that he has half a rupee in his pocket. Let us
go to a fair. I thought what wonderful persons
are those who are true and honest.
“I sat in the chauffeur driven car flying
the national flag. On the way, the minister said
he preferred to take dal (pulse) and offered to
me to have my own choice. We agreed to go to
a ‘chapper hotel’ (restaurant with a thatched
roof) to take ‘dal’ since I too was in hurry to
file my news stories. We went to a thatched
roofed food outlet near China Chowk. The
attendants were overjoyed to receive guests
emerging from a flagged car.
“During the meals J.Salik briefed me
about the problems of the Christians. He told
me that Benazir Bhutto accorded approval to
every summary he sent and asked me to
suggest an outstanding scheme aimed at real
uplift of Christians.”
The other day attorney general Aziz
Munshi was referring to the assets of former
92
prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the supreme
court which included bank accounts, Raiwind
Empire, London flats and unpaid debts running
into Rs. 100 billion. The full supreme court
consisting of 12 judges and lawyers present in
the court were wondering on the extent of
wealth of Nawaz Sharif.
On the other extreme is J.Salik who
owns nothing. As against Rs. 100 billion loans
contracted by Nawaz Sharif from 13 national
financial institutions, J.Salik was not indebted
to any bank for a single penny. If the chief
executive general Pervaiz Musharraf believes in
award and reward, punishment and prize
philosophy and had imprisoned Nawaz Sharif,
he should honour J.Salik with a national award.
Conventional politicians sarcastically call
J.Salik as “Janooni” (wildly impulsive). The fact
is that without impetus no great job can be
done. Impulsiveness is needed to jump without
realizing the perils. Poet Iqbal had not casually
said
Mere Maula mujhe sahibe Janoon kar
(God make me a man of impulse)
Truly dedicated to one’s objective one
remains on his determined path without caring
for anybody’s reprehension.
Columnist Fazal-e-Haq (May 30, 2000)
describes J.Salik as “moving assets”. He writes
“Salik may be a Christian. In first meeting with
me he looked a true Muslim. Following
93
Abraham’s tradition a true Christian is in fact
a true Muslim in this corruption rampant
village, as Pakistan is.
“J.Salik always contests elections as an
independent candidate. These days he has
been preparing maps, schedules, charts and
getting official records of past elections and
says he is working on an ‘electoral fraud
gallery’ May his gallery meets success. May
Allah ‘Is naggar khane men tuti ki awaz kuchh
log to sunan’ (some people may listen to a
poor man against his rich opponents.
Awareness is scarce in goblin market of selfpursuit)”.
Noted literary figure Kishwar Naheed
says (May 10 2000) “Right from Bhutto sahib
to Benazir days when total sincerity, protest,
service and impulses take human shape, it
becomes J.Salik.
“Whether it be his parliamentarian period
or cabinet tenure, J.Salik has made it his style
of life to don khaki clothes and roam from city
to city, village to village talk to people in local
parlance and rub shoulders with common man.
“Whether it be through hunger strike or
‘crucification’ to uphold principles, this man of
the field will never lag behind. He will be happy
to spend money from his own pocket. He will
go to the downtrodden to celebrate his
Christmas”.
94
Corruption is number one problem of
Pakistan. Pakistan has reached the brink of
economic ruination and total disaster because
of corruption. The entire nation is suffering
pangs as result of politicians’ malpractices.
J.Salik is one of a few unblemished and
spotless political personages in corruption
rampant public arena. He will go down in
history as a beacon light for other politicians to
seek guidance. (4)
J.Salik is not a representative of
minorities alone. He stands for the poor man.
The success, position and fame he has earned,
has made it evident that even a poor man with
hard work and sincerity of purpose can play a
noticeable role in politics. Though he is not a
Muslim, yet he is an example to be emulated
by many Muslim politicians. His honesty and
dedication to his homeland is beyond question.
Service to the people is his all time mission,
whether he is in the ruling party or opposition.
The testimony of a large number of
newspaper commentators and columnists is a
valuable treasure for J.Salik. The number of
supporters of Salik in the media far exceed
those who may vouchsafe for Nawaz Sharif or
Benazir Bhutto, leaders of two mainstream
political parties and contenders for prime
ministership in the current electoral system in
Westminster pattern of democracy.
95
With one voice, columnists have
expressed the wish that spotless jute fibre
dress of J.Salik may always remain stain free.
His jute clothes are important since this wear
symbolises 95 percent of the people. J.Salik is
custodian of the rights and honour of 95% of
the populace. He is the cherished protector of
not only of Christians but also of all oppressed.
The position J.Salik has attained in the
annals of history is because of his sacrifices in
the past. This spells admonish for those who
perpetrated harshness to him under cover of
religion or authority. The severity was such
that tears swelled in perpetrator’s eyes tears
too.
Late Perveen Shakir, a heart throbbing
lyricist who died young a tragic death, in a
prose passage paid high tributes to J.Salik. She
says, (JANG): his tragedy is that those for
whom he raised the utmost uproar, were most
angry with him. Sometime they are even after
his life. I have seen certain Christian elite carry
placards at Aabpara crossing. In English
language these placards inflicted curses on
J.Salik. Government had been requested to
send away this minister from his mortal world.
In one or two banners even the mode was
suggested which was not different from the
one an opposition leader Air Marshal Asghar
Khan had conceived for late Z. A. Bhutto
96
(hanging) at Kohala bridge in the fag end of
the latter’s rule.
“J.Salik is a fiery speaker. He has to be
since we have not seen anyone becoming a
political leader without firebrand art of speech
with probable exception of Mushahid Hussain
(former information minister) who has kingly
command over writing.
“In public address excitement J.Salik
does not apply brakes even after reaching the
danger point.
“At a death anniversary of a popular poet
Habib Jalib organizer Ghazanfar Mehdi roped in
Salik for the occasion. A proposal was floated
for building Jalib Hall to the memory of the late
poet. To support the scheme the same old
hackneyed
statements
were
made
as
politicians did on all such occasions that is they
would do everything to push the campaign.
Too much usage of the same phraseology have
lost effect. No one is agitated, nor provoked.
The events peacefully passed off. It would
have been well had J.Salik remained confined
to the normal limits. He went further to say
that he would carry a begging bowl to collect
Rs. two hundred thousand to present to “my
mother” (wife of late Habib Jalib).
“This offer of J.Salik was made in all
sincerity. But the proposed collection of
contributions and presenting it to “my mother”
enraged Mrs. Habib Jalib. She refused to
97
accept Salik as his son though her real son
thought there was no harm in such a figurative
reference. She pulled up the minister to a
memorable extent. Although it is not unusual
to promote welfare of poets in this country.
And Habib Jalib was dear to every one –
equally popular with mutually repellent
politically opponents BB (Benazir Bhutto) and
Ghulam Haider Wayne of Nawaz Muslim
League. While Habib Jalib was on deathbed
Wayne presented him with yellow cab and BB
honoured him with posthumous award of Hilale-Imtiaz. This award was received by Habib
Jalib’s wife. If anyone asked me (Perven
Shakir) I will say that to spend the entire life
with a poet in itself was a feat for which
Begum Jalib deserved Tamgha-e-Shujjat (civil)
– a gallantry award.
“J.Salik’s suggestions though apparently
innocuous yet produced diametrically opposite
effect. He was a population welfare minister in
popular parlance minister in charge of family
planning. Speaking on his departmental
subject Salik suggested that one way to reduce
population growth was that the poor might
have less and the rich more children. Since the
minister did not give specific time the process
should continue till the rich become poor and
the poor rich.
98
“Had Lenin struck this scheme against
the haves, the Soviet Union might not have
faced the fate it did”.
In his every speech, Salik demands that
Christians should be understood since they are
brothers of Muslims. According to Perveen
Shakir this demand is unjustified. She says a
great difficulty in Islamic Republic of Pakistan
is that everyone expects the others to lead
their lives according to ‘one’s own stand.’ Here
one’s liberty starts where other’s nose begins.
In such circumstances what one can do with
people like J.Salik. His constituency extends to
the entire Pakistan. When he is out of power
the voice of his fraternity is not heard. If he is
returned to parliament the noise of his
brotherhood far exceeds his own voice.
Moreover maulvis the Muslim cleric don’t allow
him speak either. “There is a Persian verse:
Garz dogana azab ast jane majnoon zara
Blae furqat laila, wa suhbat-e-Laila”
(Both are equally tormenting, the lover may
know the union with the sweetheart as well as
her separation).
The late Dildar Bhatti, popular TV
compere and commentator in his column
‘Aamna Samna’ - face to face - (January 1996)
wrote that he did not want to refer to the case
of J.Salik - how he was beaten and what
severity was demonstrated in the thrashing. If
he was to be whipped, it should have been
99
done on the very first day. In severe cold he
was kept confined for two days and two nights.
The festive event of Christmas was spoilt for
him on the one hand, he was disfigured on the
other, alright.
“His broom-bearer brothers are such
devotees of J.Salik that lifting of his little figure
would have resulted in total strike. But he and
his
brotherhood
exercised
an
extreme
restraint. We have to watch whether such
incidents are manoeuvred so that we may fall
in estimation of our friendly Christian nations.
“Christians and Muslims live in amity and
harmony in Pakistan. Seeing this state of
affairs the Muslim minority in our neighbouring
country grieve over their plight. Their rulers
however, off and on make mischief so that,
like them, we too earn a bad name abroad.
In 1965 war certain elements hatched a
conspiracy against Pakistani Christians. A word
was spread in Sialkot that Pakistani Christians
were India’s spies. They signaled with torch to
Indian bombers.
“The cold question is whether the torch
signaler would not himself along with his family
members be killed if on his guidance the
enemy bombers dropped bomb. Despite this
rumour, Christians remained calm and
continued to pray in their churches, like their
Muslim brothers, for the safety of this country.
After all, this is their country too. Christians
100
are a large minority. They are enlightened
and liberal people and fully understand
nefarious designs of the enemy.”
Ata-ul-Haq
Qasmi,
a
well-known
columnist, educationist and diplomat in his
column ‘Rozan-e-Diwar Se’ (December 29,
1991) wrote a piece captioned “Police,
administration and J.Salik,” referred to a press
report that the police threw down Christian
leader J.Salik who had tied himself, in protest,
to the cross and beat him. According to the
report a police officer had called Christians
including J.Salik as sweepers and scavengers.
“If this report is correct, this is a stain, a
stigma for the entire Pakistani nation. After all,
J.Salik is a member of the national assembly.
The treatment meted out to him was because a
certain section of the educated class harboured
the sentiments of scorn and contempt for this
honourable
minority.
These
victims
of
inferiority complex feel no shame in kissing the
feet of white complexioned foreign Christians
and Americans but do not desist from
betraying their poor mind in using low
language for their own Christian brothers.
“Could the police beat a Muslim MNA in
public, the way it did Salik? One thing we
should not forget that Hindus considered the
Muslims so scornful in the united India. A
Hindu was defiled in case a Muslim passed
nearby him. We could not touch Hindus’
101
utensils. Hindus used to give a drink of
water to Muslims only if they contracted their
hands to hold it. Narrow mindedness and
shortsightedness of Hindus was certainly one
of the causes of partition of the subcontinent.
We must keep this in mind while treating
Christian Pakistanis with scorn. This may lead
to far reaching consequences.
“Christian minority of Pakistan is a
peaceful and patriotic community. They have
proved their credentials in 1965 and 1971
wars. Several Muslims were apprehended on
the spying charge but not a single Christian
was arrested on that count. Whether police
and a mistaken section of people punish them
for their non-committed crimes?
“The police alone is not to be blamed for
the scene created at the cost of J.Salik on the
fashionable Mall. If Salik was sought to be
removed from there, this could be done
without any fuss or photo opportunity for news
cameramen. Probably there had not been any
anti-government scandal for the last few days.
The void was to be filled. Hence the
administration came into action. The opposition
should be given a “Pride of Performance”
award to the executive of the ruling party.
“The one party which benefited most by
this drama was J.Salik himself. Had he been a
man of means, it could be speculated that he
might have had greased the palm of police.
102
J.Salik always endeavours to ‘remain in
news’. The police operation helped him to do
so.
“May be his ‘political drama’ was aimed
at remaining in news. If the purpose of the
demonstration was to get dates for local bodies
elections changed, an effective protest could
have been held a month earlier when the
schedule could be possibly modified. Christmas
falls on December 25 whereas the polls were
scheduled for December 28. Moreover most of
the purely religious Christian organizations had
lodged no protest all. It is paradoxical that
J.Salik does not call him religious, yet it was he
who was protesting in the religious festival
context. Is it not a negative politics to exploit
public sentiments in the name of religion? This
negative politics positively benefited J.Salik
personally, yet it gave only anguish and
anxiety to the country particularly to Christian
community”.
J.Salik wept bitterly in the national
assembly and asked after all what was his
fault. He had been threatened with murder. He
said his only fault was that he did not belong
to show off group of Pajero owners, nor he was
a part of corrupt clique of plot grabbers.
The national assembly had been in
commotion when law minister Chaudhry Abdul
Ghafoor described an earnest speech of the
minority member as ‘dramatics’. Cutting across
103
party line Khurshid Shah of Pakistan
Peoples Party and Liaquat Baloch of Jamaat-eIslami supported J.Salik.
The speaker ruled that J.Salik’s problem
was genuine. The use of ‘dramatics’ for the
honourable
member’s
utterances
was
inappropriate, the speaker observed and
ordered the remarks of the law minister to be
expunged from the proceedings records. A
national daily in its comment deplored the
national assembly episode. The paper said it
did not behove the status and position of the
law minister to have used the improper
language
he
used
for
the
minorities
representative.
J.Salik
had
achieved
a
thumping victory securing highest votes among
his opponents. He had been elected twice
councillor of Lahore metropolitan corporation.
He was returned twice to the national
assembly. He was denied the fund sixty one
hundred thousand rupees admissible to widows
of his constituency. An injustice was meted out
to him in respect of ordinary development fund
as well. Other members were granted Rs. 14
million while this representative of the
minorities was allowed only Rs. 5 million.
The paper asked whether in these
circumstances one can stop foreign media
propaganda of discrimination, bias and inequity
against minorities. Will not Christian voters
turn mistrustful of government. After all, why
104
government intended to promote an
impression within and without the country that
Christian electorate was being punished for its
political differences with the minorities
representative, the paper asked. (7)
A well known columnist Munnu Bhai in
his column Jang (October 4, 1992) said law
minister Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor is not to be
blamed for describing the practical protest of
J.Salik as ‘dramatics’. To a jaundiced eye
everything is yellow. Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor
Khan knew that his colleagues in government
and political field were only dramatis personae
playing dramaturgy, to him whatever J.Salik
did was no more than dramatics.
If the government plan announced for
flood afflicted people was “topi drama” J.Salik
putting dust on his head too was of the same
ilk. If the order to capture culprits of Islampura
killings within forty-eight was a ploy, J.Salik’s
donning Jute fibre was also a drama. If general
Zia-ul-Haq’s guarantee of life and honour
security was a drama, J.Salik’s putting his
household on fire at the crossroad looked to
him drama. Since the promise to turn Pakistan
into “Paris and Korea” was an eyewash,
J.Salik’s climb to the cross was pretentious. If
IJI’s manifesto which brought Abdul Ghafoor
and his colleagues to power was humbug,
J.Salik’s sitting in the assembly’s well too was
a drama.
105
Munnu Bhai says that as Chaudhry
Abdul Ghafoor described demonstration of
J.Salik as dramatics, so for many of our friends
a poem of Haji Mohammad Yousaf is prolix
poetry. Mohammad Yousaf has versified the
sentiments
of
victims
who
had
been
fraudulently deprived of their savings by fake
financial institutions. Each copy of this poem
has been sold for Rs. ten in Pakistan and for
fifteen sterling pounds in Britain.
Haji Yousaf’s poem may be wearisome
versification, yet it symbolises the sentiments
of the victims and afflicts the tyrants. The
same is true of J.Salik’s methods of protest.
Dr. Ajmal Niazi in his column captioned “Jal
Thal” DIN enumerated the demands of J.Salik
which included casting a brief program on PTV
and Radio Pakistan on Sunday mornings
comprising Christian sermon and prayers.
Dr. Niazi wrote there was nothing wrong
with this demand. In Pakistan as Islamic
Republic religious sentiments of the minorities
must be respected.
The Holy Prophet Mohammad (SAW) had
once spared Masjid-e-Nabvi (The mosque of
the Prophet in Madina, in Saudi Arabia) for a
Christian group to say their prayers. The
Christians sang Psalms in the mosque.
PTV does cast a religious program for
Christian annually on Christmas. A fifteenminute weekly program for Christians on every
106
Sunday morning will be most appropriate.
Day in and day out songs of all sorts are sung
on TV. Why not Psalms for a change?
J.Salik contends that alcohol is equally
prohibited for Christians. This was an insult to
Christians that their permits were used by
Muslims to consume liquor. Salik is of the view
that
Pakistan
government
has
allowed
Christians permission to purchase liquor to
appease America.
Dr. Niazi thinks Salik’s demand in respect
of prohibition must have annoyed certain
bureaucrats and politicians who might consider
it closing loopholes. The exception might have
been taken by way of precaution otherwise
rules evasion has never been and would never
be a problem for politicians and bureaucrats.
“To our mind J.Salik should withdraw this
demand. Giving up this demand may facilitate
favourable consideration by authorities of other
demands of J.Salik.
“This demand of J.Salik may annoy
Christian overlords. There is no prohibition in
Western countries. Salik too may not object to
ending
prohibition.
He
is
against
compartmentalisation of Christians. He is
opposed to Christians having identity cards of
different colour. The uniformity symbolises his
Pakistani patriotic feelings. But why then he
talks of reserving a quota for Christians? When
107
uniformity prevails, merit will emerge and
then preferences of any kind will be improper.
“J.Salik complains that he had not been
allowed any development fund for his
constituency while other MNAs have been paid.
If this was true, this is unfair. May be MNAs
spend this fund on their welfare. In fact our
public representatives do intermingle their
rights and responsibilities. But the question is
why J.Salik be singled out. Like others he may
purchase his household effects that he had set
on fire earlier in protest.
“Like many other desperate politicians
J.Salik does believe in the maxim: either
throne or a bier. In order to embrace bier he
did hang himself on a cross. He remained
hanging for hours yet he was alive, rather he
was more alive than before. The next day
newspapers were all for him.
“Muslims also believe in Hazrat Messiah
(AS) the Holy Prophet of J.Salik. The Christian
followers of Messiah have made crucification
controversial. Salik is anyway adherent to
Christianity. Another Christian MNA Tariq C.
Qaisar and Christian councilors Munir Khokar
and Tariq Gill often issue press statements
against J.Salik. They had demanded that
instead of Jail, J.Salik should be sent to a mad
house. This is rather too much though there is
not much difference between madhouse and
prison in Pakistan.
108
“A young poet Javed Siddique has
appealed to Christians to get united. Christians
too are, after all, Pakistanis and as such they
will not respond to the unity call.
“J.Salik has polled the highest number of
votes as MNA among Christian candidates. As
such he is number one Christian member of
parliament. This may be tormenting for him
that Peter John Sahotra had been named as
minister for minority affairs. J.Salik must
understand that capability/competence is no
criterion for any political office. This is only
office where merit does not matter. Peter John
Sahotra was an elected member of parliament
alright, Pakistan Peoples Party had named
general Tikka Khan who had lost election, as
governor of the Punjab”.
Intezar Hussain another noted Urdu
writer in his column (11 July 1993)
“Lahorenama” has posed a question whither
would go the shoes J.Salik left in the house, in
case (God forbid) national assembly in
dissolved again.
Urdu poet laureate Ghalib in a verse had
said
Niqlna khuld se Adam ka sunte aae thay lekin
Bohat beabroo ho kar
tere koochay say ham niqlay
(We have been hearing Adam’s getting out of
Heaven
109
We came out of your lane after losing all
grace)
Intezar has recalled the above verse on
reading a news that Christian leader J.Salik left
the national assembly barefoot after tendering
his resignation.
Submitting resignation is not new for
J.Salik. This has been his old habit. This has
been his way of protestation. He has been
fighting for the rights of his minority
community, when no success was in sight he
used to resign. Previously the national
assembly was an affable house, friendly people
propitiated him. J.Salik gave up as quickly as
he was displeased.
Now the national assembly has lost all
noble values. Affability and elegance are no
longer there. Probably J.Salik did not realize it.
Following his old habit, he threatened to
resign. Strangely this time no one, even in a
feigned manner, asked him to renounce wrath
and continue sitting as others did. On the other
hand, no less than speaker asked why he was
there when he had already resigned.
With
the
speaker
discarding
the
traditional noble style, it did not behove Salik
to continue sitting in the national assembly.
Without loss of time J.Salik finally signed his
resignation and handed it over to the speaker
and walked out barefoot.
110
Intezar Hussain recalled a verse of
Anees, an Urdu poet of repute for his dirgeful
poetry: Running from house as during earth
tremors.
J.Salik’s departure from the house was
as running for life during a severe earthquake.
He simultaneously freed himself of two
entanglements- memberships of parliament as
well as footwear.
Those who sympathise with Salik
however, have another view. They say Salik
did well to abandon membership as it had
become valueless now. But he should not have
left shoes. Probably he did not know how
costly shoes were in market.
Anyway, J.Salik is out of parliament
while his shoes are within. Intezar again
quotes an Urdu poet, who addressing his
sweetheart, says: “I go but I leave back my
heart with you. This will help you remembering
me”.
Salik, in any case brought his heart and
soul along with him. His sandals are souvenir
in the parliament that would keep his memory
alive in the house.
According to a Hindu epic a blue-eyed
boy of the people in a kingdom was sent to
exile for fourteen long years. His brother
Bharata raised hue and cry: how they would
wait for Rama without a memento?
111
Rama left his sandals as his reminder.
Bharat put the sandals on the throne and
himself ruled the country in his name. But
those days were a period of stability. For
fourteen years, Rama along with his wife Sita
remained in jungles while his sandals enjoyed
sovereignty.
In the current period of instability
parliament, where J.Salik’s sandals are
enshrined, holds no credence. The assemblies
may be living and kicking one moment, the
other moment they may be dead and gone, as
if they never breathed at all.
Intezar says Salik with his sandals in
parliament has left an avenue open to return
one day. Rama too had left a way for his
return to Ayodhia, the seat of government,
with his footwear.
Shoes when worn are mere footwear but
when left alone represent a symbolic presence
– whether be it of mythological Rama or real
soul-inspiring J.Salik.
A columnist Badar Sarhdi in his column:
“Protest of J.Salik and administration’s misrule”
(MASAWAAT October 13, 1992) says J.Salik’s
crime is three fold. Firstly he criticizes
government’s untenable politics. Secondly he
woefully demands his legitimate rights. Thirdly
he refuses to be a sycophant.
Salik’s contention is genuine that while
Muslim members of national assembly were
112
paid
Rs.
fourteen
million
each
as
development fund, he was paid only Rs. five
million. On the other hand, his constituency
extended to whole of Pakistan against limited
constituencies of Muslim members.
J.Salik’s further contention is that he had
been also discriminated against vis a vis other
minorities representatives.
Badar Sarhadi sees substance in the
contentions of J.Salik. He calls it a conspiracy
hatched by government against Christian
minority in which certain political workers like
Hafiz Zubair Ahmed Zaheer, Amir of Tehrike
Tahafaz-e-Harman-e-Pakistan (movement for
security of sacred land of Pakistan) and
‘Jamaat Ahle Hadit’ (party dedicated to
adherence to sayings of the Holy Prophet
(SAW) have also joined hands.
J.Salik had reiterated his three demands
in written communications to president and
prime minister of Pakistan and minister for
minorities without any positive response. This
was
constitutional
responsibility
of
the
government (reference to articles 36 and 25 in
respect of protection to minorities and
nondiscrimination and equality of citizens) to
meet their demands.
The universal principles of Islam made it
obligatory for all Muslims Hafiz Zubair Ahmed
Zaheer and others like him included to raise
their voice in harmony with J.Salik in support
113
of genuine grievances. The government
should leave no ground for J.Salik to protest
which may bring bad name to Pakistan in the
comity of nations. This is the responsibility of
the government to pursue unbiased and
nondiscriminatory policies in respect of
minorities otherwise constitutional protections
would be no more than eyewash. (11)
A columnist Khushnood Ali Khan in his
column “Na qabl-e-Ashaat” (Not fit for
publication PAKISTAN July 23, 1991) says
J.Salik’s problem is to ram down peoples’
throat his contentions to fully satisfy his
constituents.
During
the
budget’s
session,
the
minorities
representative
J.Salik,
whose
constituency extends to four provinces and
federal capital, was at pains to make his
budget speech to the satisfaction of his
electorate. In the course of this speech Salik
became sentimental and hurled an invective in
respect of the budget.
J.Salik then requested newspapermen
not to miss mentioning his abusive rhetoric in
their reports.
The newsmen apologized since the
strong words had already been expunged from
the assembly’s proceedings.
The next request of J.Salik was that they
should not fail in reporting the Salik’s abusive
remarks were expunged. J.Salik stands for
114
promoting values of affection, honesty and
unity among people of Pakistan.
Mehtab Khan chief editor Urdu daily
“Ausaf ”( 5 May, 2000) says some people call
J.Salik a mad man. This country would become
a great power in case we have a few thousand
more persons like Salik. Columnists of different
schools of thought have paid tributes to
J.Salik. This honour is not enjoyed by another
politician. For an onlooker it may be difficult to
perceive whether J.Salik is a genuine, and
truthful person or he is only a disguised
character.
Another known journalist Ghulam Akbar
says (12 May, 2000) J.Salik is a symbol of
peculiar school of thought and way of life. With
his becoming a cabinet minister one feels that
either ministry has been de-classed or a
common man has been elevated.
It may be a long story how an ordinary
Christian became a popular leader rather he
has become a symbol of national unity.
Ghulam Akbar says before Salik another
common man Meraj Mohammad Khan had
thrown protocol to winds on becoming a
minister. An exception was taken to his going
to “panwala” in his street to chew betel leaf.
Meraj Mohammad Khan said he might give up
ministry but he would not give up his
neighourhood.
115
Ghulam Akbar quotes J.Salik having
aspiration to acquire three traits of falcon, a
bird of admiration in the East. These
characteristics are (1) falcon does not eat
carrion; (2) falcon does not make its nest; his
resting place is at high altitude. Thirdly when
falcon loses the capability to fly high, it is lost
in caves out of shame.
Journalists are not the lone community
to sing Salik’s praise. Among his admirers are
educationists, poets, advocates, academicians,
businessmen, traders and several others from
different walks of life.
Dr. Anwar
Hussain Siddiqui, vice
chancellor of Allama Iqbal Open University,
records (19 May, 2000) that J.Salik is a
distinguished politician and social worker of
Pakistan.
He is neither a jagirdar, big landlord, mill
owner nor a businessman. He is the true
representative of the poor and the have not
people. He in fact belongs to the downtrodden.
Instead of gleaning any political or financial
advantage during his cabinet or MNA tenure,
he was whole time busy in solving people’s
problems and truly discharging the functions of
a public representative. He is a brilliant beacon
light.
A renowned poet and managing director
National
Book
Foundation
(ministry
of
education, government of Pakistan) Ahmad
116
Faraz in a reference
June 2000)
likened J.Salik (in appearance and practice) to
Allama Mashriqi, a founder of a popular
political movement Khaksar (humble like dust)
in pre-Independence sub-continent. J.Salik’s
love for humanity and dedication to public
service was similar to Allama Mashriqi. The
admirers and opponents of Allama Mashriqi in
their own respective way used to call him a
mad leader. The same is true of J.Salik.
No job, unless done with dedication
bordering madness, could be self-satisfying,
nor could gratify those sought to be served.
J.Salik is true to a Shakespeare’s saying: There
is always an element of madness in every
genius.
After Allama Mashriqi, J.Salik is the first
political leader in Pakistan whose dress and
style of life is similar to the common man. In
every day life J.Salik is in search of innovative
ideas and methods. Whatever may be his
hereditary religion or sect, he is always
engaged in promoting human values without
caring for rise or fall in social status.
J.Salik is not one of those who are never
tired of giving sermon on simplicity and
austerity on television while donning foreign
purchased precious suits.
J.Salik’s approach to life to the hilt is the
same as it apparently looks like. The politicians
should make J.Salik their role model.
(17th
117
Chairman
National
Language
Authority, Iftikhar Arif (Sitar-e-Imtiaz) in a
testimonial (May 23, 2000) says those who
believe in high values of peace, harmony and
tolerance, speak well of J.Salik, who is full of
love for Pakistan.
“I have met him at various literary and
cultural functions. I have felt that he speaks
what he feels. His conversation is candid. He
meets every one with open arms. He expresses
his stands sincerely without deceit. This trait is
rare among politicians, if not non-existent. His
mission is to support the oppressed classes. To
convey their grievance to the public he has
chosen certain ways, which others may not
have courage to adopt.
Many years back, Mir Jameel-urRahman, a renowned columnist had seen a
lone person standing in the lawns on Shahrahe-Quaid-e-Azam, Lahore opposite provincial
assembly chambers. By appearance he looked
a religious man. From distance it was evident
to be a statue drabbed in jute cloak.
“Curiosity took over. On nearing the
statue seemed moving. Godly persons are
absorbed in divine meditation clad in tattered,
apparently
oblivious
of
the
worldly
surroundings.
They
may
have
spiritual
knowledge or revelation and may have saintly
assignment to lead the astray public. They may
be heavenly appointees”.
118
Tariq Warsi (23 May 2000) writes he
was absorbed in such thoughts that suddenly
the statue raised a cry, may be like that of an
intoxicated person. This was J.Salik – A
Christian among Christians, a Muslim among
Muslims.
From
appearance
he
looked
‘Qalandar’, a ‘Dervish’ – a Muslim sect of
faqeers who abandon worldly possessions but
adhere to their stand, to the extent of
madness. They care less for praise or
condemnation.
Their opponents are diehard. They are
always ready to throw stone. The stone may
break glass or heart of any one. They are least
bothered.
J.Salik sustains even a broken heart. His
care freeness turns the tide of hostile storms.
He remains contented with his own state of
affairs. This extent of madness is the proof of
truth of his contention.
He remained a minister. His office was
always full of activity. There was no guard at
the gate. No one stopped or asked questions.
The visitors had free access to the minister and
full liberty to state their stand. In case
redressal was possible, a positive action was
promptly forthcoming otherwise a humble
apology was there.
Besides free access to the minister, the
visitors were generally treated to cups of tea
and to food at the meals times. The expenses
119
for such entertainment were borne by
J.Salik’s friends.. Not a single penny was
debited to public account.
He had opened the doors of the
committee room which was reserved for high
official meetings to the common visitors.
He had adorned the corroders of his
ministry with sayings of the Quaid-e-Azam
particularly the lament of the Quaid-e-Azam
that in his pocket there were counterfeit coins.
The Quadi-e-Azam’s motto: “Work, work and
more work’ also found a prominent place in the
poster displayed there. Another placard said
“Giving or taking bribe is prohibited. The
incidence of anyone asking for illegal
gratification may be brought directly to notice
of the minister”.
A billboard in the corridor carried a cry
for unity, faith and discipline, truth, bravery
and justice.
Professional corruption brokers did visit
his office occasionally with bagfuls of money
worth hundreds of thousands of rupees. Their
clients waited outside.
J.Salik not only turned down their offers
but also arranged their safe returns to their
homes in his official car and with his own
security guards lest they should be looted on
the way bringing in an indirect reference
involving J.Salik’s noble name in media reports
about the possible dacoity.
120
Tariq Warsi records that J.Salik had
not much say, as a minister in the Peoples
Party government. Sometimes it appeared that
he had been made untouchable. He was a
minister from the minority, yet he was firm in
his own way. He was always active and
working. He never failed to raise his voice
against exploitation and oppression.
Tariq Warsi recollects that J.Salik came
to his office one day and said he used to be
elected from whole of Pakistan. His electoral
constituency was entire Pakistan. No one else
shared this status. He had vastly blue-penciled
the electoral rolls. He had substantive reasons
and argument in his favour to support his
objections to his electoral defeat.
J.Salik was bitter that once a person was
declared elected despite gross irregularities, he
is supposed to have had accrued certain
privileges and prerogatives. Another complaint
J.Salik have had was against separate
electorate system. He was of the view that
with introduction of separate electorates the
Quaid-e-Azam’s pledge had been belied. His
wish is to be elected with the combined votes
of Christians and Muslims.
Mir Jameel-ur-Rehman writes (4 May,
2000) J.Salik enjoys a distinguished status in
Pakistan politics. He belongs to a poor class.
His heart throbs with love for the poor. He
stands for eradication of poverty. He wants to
121
put to end of ‘katchi abadis’- shanties. For
him they are stigma on the civilized body
politic of Pakistan as their inhabitants were
deprived of basic civic necessities like
electricity, potable drinking water and schools.
At places J.Salik’s endevours have borne fruit
with government cooperation. Ultimately his
campaign shall succeed in entirety since this
aimed at ending poverty and promoting
humanity. J.Salik is a politician but his politics
revolves around service to man.
A columnist Javed Chaudhry writes (16
May, 2000) that Lahore city is incomplete
without Anarkali Bazar (popular shopping
center adjacent to the fashionable Mall).
Similarly Pakistan politics is not and will not be
complete with mentioning J.Salik.
J.Salik may not get credit for anything
else, but his contribution toward giving an
identity to Christian fraternity and a voice to a
deprived class and power to ponder of a
backward community, is no less than a feat.
“You may not consider him to be a
politician, yet he may not go into oblivion even
after successively losing elections. In Pakistan
politics there may be numerous Benazirs and
Nawaz Sharifs, yet J.Salik was one and remain
singularly one for ever,” Javed Chaudhry says.
Another writer Khurshid Nadeem writes:
(May 17, 2000) “One facet of J.Salik’s
personality particularly attracts me most. He is
122
a
torch-bearer
of
Pakistan
nation.
Undoubtedly Pakistan came into existence in
the name of Islam. Hence Pakistan needs to be
an Islamic state. But the question is whether
Islamic state gives birth to a nation on the
basis of religion. Madina treaty belies this.
Those who bring the state into existence and
those who become its citizens through an
agreement, combine to become one nation.
Unfortunately this notion of the nation has
been ignored. To my mind J.Salik resuscitates
this concept and this is Pakistani nation for us”.
J.Salik talks of the minorities not in the
sense that it is a group separate from the
majority but in the context of a deprived class.
This may be any group whether Sindhi,
Punjabi, Muslim or non-Muslim. This is a
commendable effort at integrating a nation.
“This may be difficult for me to say whether
this endeavour is conscious or unconscious,”
Khurshid Nadeem concludes.
For chairman journalism department
Peshawar University, Prof. Dr. Shah Jahan
Syed, (20 May, 2000) J.Salik is not a famous
politician nor a federal minister but a
sympathetic man, a social worker, humble
person, an ordinary commoner like “you and
I.”
“I have not met him, nor have talked to
him, yet I feel that I know him closely. This
feeling of one man for another is result of their
123
common approach, common objective”,
Prof. Syed says.
He writes: J.Salik is a beacon light for
others for his way of approach to the poor
class and his method to keep their feelings and
sentiments alive and kicking. May J.Slik
abandon “dirty politics” and limit him to
serving the common man is his own fashion.
In this period of turmoil when every one
is for himself, J.Salik is a blessing. “May his
struggle bring peace and tranquility to this
country”, writes Prof. Iqbal Shah, general
secretary, academic staff association, Allama
Iqbal open university (17 May, 2000).
Prof. Amjad Nawaz Toor, director
institute of advanced studies says (18 May,
2000) J.Salik’s social services are on record.
The future historian will remember J.Salik as a
sincere and truthful politician. Only a poor man
can perceive the problems of the poor. J.Salik
is not a representative of Christian minority
alone but the poor community as a whole.
Former
education
secretary
Sindh
province and ex-advisor university grants
commission Bashir Ahmad Moryani says (17
May, 2000) that J.Salik is such a character in
Pakistan’s chronicles that without his reference
Pakistan’s political history will not be complete.
J.Salik is such a distinguished person in the
political crowd that he is a separate entity.
Every patriotic Pakistani salutes the social and
124
political services of J.Salik. His sincerity is
beyond question. He is equally popular among
Christian minority and Muslim majority. J.Salik
has made it evident that even a poor man can
serve the public cause by taking part in
politics.
Ms. Sarfraz Iqbal, a columnist quotes (13
May, 2000) a politician who says that he won
elections for two seats – one in the provincial
assembly and the other in the national
assembly and spent Rs. 13.5 million in this
behalf. The elected representative says that he
would make money more than its twofold
otherwise there is no fun in this enterprise.
On the other hand, Sarfraz Iqbal writes,
J.Salik has been roaming in the corridors of
power for twenty years yet he grabbed nothing
– he owns no house, no plot, no car. J.Salik is
the follower of Jesus (AS) who believed in
presenting the other cheek after having been
slapped on the first.
The Holy Prophet Hazrat Mohammad
(SAW) ordained that one may travel even to
China to seek knowledge. China is a distant
place. Salik is around to learn.
J.Salik possesses a heart full of emotions
for others. Greed can find no place in such a
heart. This is the secret of Salik’s success.
Raja Anwar, in a column (Ausaf 27 May,
2000) described J.Salik as a “humanitarian
missile in the scientist Qadir Khan’s stockpile.
125
Raja Anwar says J.Salik is a unique,
original and perpetual character playing the
role of “angry young man” for the last twenty
years without being tired, weary and decayed.
J.Salik would have won numerous film
awards had he gone to a studio on Multan
Road, Lahore in his youth instead of opting for
police kicks, batons and invectives. Wealth,
name and fame would have been in
abundance.
Reputation he has won in the political
domain alright. In these days of political slump
when politics has lost respectability and
politicians are groaning under Ehtesab’s
grinding wheel, J.Salik somehow or other
makes a news. No columnist has been able to
resist the temptation of writing on him.
As for wealth, he possesses no house, no
plot, and no bank balance. In the sea of
corruption, J.Salik has been successful to keep
his clothes dry. He may be called “Qalander-eAzam” – a great saint keeping himself aloof
from worldly possessions. The religious
minority in which he was born and bred too
was victim of social high and low strata
prejudice and hypocrisy. But he is strictly
following the traditions of his Holy Prophet
Hazrat Isa (Jesus Christ AS) donning a crown
of thorns on his head and bearing cross on his
shoulders.
126
J.Salik has not only entered the
‘wrong’ arena. He was born in ‘wrong’
millennium. In the modern world there is no
custom to feel aggrieved at other’s sufferings,
nor the practice is alive to be crucified for
others. In the present day society it is
legitimate to sacrifice others at one’s own
wishes altar. J.Salik should have been born
one or two thousand years earlier.
J.Salik does not accept Pakistan to be
the country of Muslims alone. According to him
Pakistan came into existence as a result of a
struggle of Muslim minority of South Asian
subcontinent. During Pakistan movement a
Christian leader Bahadur Singha too had asked
the British to consider the weight of seven
hundred thousand Christian pulling along with
Muslims. Christians could not live in Brahman
society bedeviled with defilement concepts.
They would prefer to live with Muslims who are
flag bearers of peace and security and do not
believe in high and low strata in society.
J.Salik considers himself part and parcel
of Pakistan movement. Thus instead of seeking
mercy for the Christians he demands justice
and rights for Christian minority. For him
Pakistan was to be a citadel of Muslim minority
in the subcontinent. And it will be tragic that if
Christians may not feel safe in this fort.
J.Salik feels proud that he was
nominated by Pakistan Muslim state for Nobel
127
peace prize. For him this nomination is no
less important than winning the prize itself.
Nomination of the Christian crusader for
peace for the international peace award
nullified negative propaganda stirred by India
and its allies. It belied that Pakistan was an
extremist
or
terrorist
country
where
kalashinkov culture was in vogue. His
nomination not only dispelled the false
propaganda but also gave a positive message
that here was a man who belonged to the
minority community yet he had the liberty to
work freely for the rights of everyone without
discrimination. The nomination on the occasion
of golden jubilee of an Islamic state was all the
more significant.
Under the Nobel award charter only
academicians,
journalists,
lawyers
or
parliamentarians could make a nomination for
such a prize. Although the cabinet decided to
nominate J.Salik but all the cabinet members
were members of parliament and the prime
minister was leader of the house and their
decision was in that capacity. The letter
addressed to the chairman, Nobel peace prize
committee, had been signed by Benazir Bhutto
on 10th April 1996 specifically says: “We can
think of no worthier candidate for this year’s
Nobel peace prize and as the leader of the
house, I have the honour to nominate Mr.
Julius Salik for this year’s award”.
128
The cabinet’s nomination decision was
not a political decision. There were ten
minority members in the national assembly.
There were four Christian members. J.Salik
was one of them. In addition there were four
Hindus one Qadiani (Ahmadiya community)
and one Parsi member. J.Salik had already
been elevated to federal cabinet. He needed
not be further honoured for political purposes.
If the nomination was for any political
appeasement and a minority member was to
be selected, any other minority leader could
have been a better choice. But the decision
was genuine and based on merit.
The merit was evident form the fact that
Salik was not the only one candidate for
consideration by the nomination committee.
Maulana Abdul Sattar Edhi, a very respectable
person in the social welfare sector was also
considered. His services were numerous and
meritorious. But the ambit of his activities was
confined to territorial limits of Pakistan state. It
had no international dimension. If any body
imparted education in Pakistan to children,
cared the patients, fed the poor; he educated
the children of his own country, he provided
health facility to his own people, he served his
own community.
In the deliberation the role of Mother
Teresa in human service to the people of India
was referred but it was noted that Mother
129
Teresa was a foreign national while she
served Indians.
Benazir Bhutto in her letter said: “For
many Pakistanis, Julius Salik has become the
nation’s conscience. But his passion for peace
transcends national frontiers; during the IranIraq war, he undertook a long peace march.
And he publicly appealed to Iranian leaders to
release America diplomats during the hostage
crisis. Mr. Salik has consistently raised his
voice to protest human rights violations
wherever they occur”.
Besides
Benazir
Bhutto,
renowned
nuclear scientist Dr. A. Q. Khan too nominated
J.Salik for the Nobel peace award. In his letter
Dr. A. Q. Khan inter alia said “(But) Salik’s
struggle goes far beyond the geographical
boundaries. His voice was heard loud and clear
whenever an act of hostility was committed
against
humanity
be
Bosnia,
Kashmir,
Palestine or even the Iran-Iraq war”.
J.Salik took pride in his nomination more
than having won an award. He considers the
nomination a certificate from 140 million
people of Pakistan recognizing his humble
services. He took his nomination pride-worthy
since it was in traditions of Prince of Peace
(Jesus Christ AS) and message of peace and
amity of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (SAW).
This is true that masses of this country
do not want to end a minority by force, nor
130
they harbour hatred against any religious
minority. Hypocrisy, shortsightedness and
prejudices may be there but these feelings are
limited to a minor group.
Renowned Urdu poet and columnist
Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi lent his full support to
joint electorate which is on top of J.Salik’s
political agenda (13 October, 1993).
Qasmi recalls that addressing the
constituent assembly on August 11, 1947 (on
the eve of Pakistan’s coming into existence)
the Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam had
announced that there would be only one nation
to be known as Pakistani nation. This was the
declaration of merging minorities living in the
new country into Pakistani nation. This was the
historic step to promote unity among Pakistani
nation, to pave the way for collective progress
of Pakistan.
But practically annulling the Quaid’s 11
August
declaration,
general
Zia-ul-Haq
introduced separate electorates through eight
amendment in the constitution.
Thenceforth for a Christian minority
candidate in elections there would be 36,000
polling stations spread all over Pakistan. To
cover all the polling stations was humanly
impossible for an election candidate. If one
could appoint a polling agent for each polling
station and the polling agent cast his own lone
131
vote for his candidate, the candidate would
win the elections with his hands down.
There were four seats for the Christians
in the national assembly. The last candidate
declared elected in the past elections had
polled twenty to twenty two thousand votes.
He was named the minister for minorities. On
the other hand J.Salik who had polled highest
votes in each province had cumulatively
secured fifty five thousand votes.
Former minister in a care-taker cabinet
and a columnist of repute Irshad Ahmad
Haqqani in his column (Jang 6 October, 1992)
captioned “J.Salik whether a mad man” quotes
Keats, a British romantic poet to aver that
Mad man has his own dreams
in which he weaves
The web of paradise for his community.
Quaid-e-Azam had once said mad men
may not be reprimanded. Pakistan would not
have come into existence had he not been a
mad man.
By a mad man the Quaid-e-Azam meant
a person who single-mindedly and wholeheartedly dedicated himself to a cause. No
justice can be done to a noble cause until the
standard bearer is absorbed in his mission fully
unmindful of his surroundings.
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan undertook a
mission to spread modern education among
the Muslims. He was so devoted to the cause
132
that certain persons used to call him a
madman. If some one invited Sir Syed to
meals, he would reply that whatever he
planned to spend on the feast, might be
donated to the Aligarh project. He never
bothered about people making jest of him. Sir
Syed did not hesitate to accept donations from
prostitutes. He silenced the critics by saying
that he would spend prostitutes’ contribution
on construction of latrines in the educational
institutions. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan used to say
that if some one asked him to stage a dance as
a precondition for donation, he would not mind
doing so.
Irshad Haqqani says Salik belonged to
such ilk of mad men. Such persons should be
valued instead of cursing them. Such mad men
were becoming scarce. This “race” should not
cease to exist, the columnist cautioned.
Director general of academy of letters,
Pakistan, Khalid Iqbal Yasar in a piece writes
(29 May, 2000); J.Salik is a man of strong
determination. He wants to shape the world
according to his well considered mould. He has
a keen vision like that of an eagle. He knows
that a filled belly hampers thinking capabilities.
He wants the poor to be more dynamic than
the rich.
According to J.Salik no power on earth
can halt the struggle against poverty,
ignorance and illiteracy. He is standard-bearer
133
of the rights of the downtrodden without
race, colour or religion discrimination. He does
not compromise on principles. His reputation is
that no temptation, no greed can stagger his
stride. He is respect worthy for all of us for his
love of mankind, says Khalid Iqbal Yasar.
J.Salik, as of today has not been built in
a day. Salik is spread over decades. Salik may
be maturer today but his steadfastness,
selflessness and non-violent struggle for the
cause of the downtrodden Christian minority
have always the distinctive traits featuring his
life in national newspapers. As far back as
1983 Ahmad Bashir had featured J.Salik’s
hunger strike along with five others on Katcha
(mud covered) Ravi Road in Lahore to win a
few minute prayers program for Christian
minority over state run Pakistan television. His
hunger strike had entered its sixth week. And
he called a press conference which Ahmad
Bashir attended and wrote a report captioned
“A prisoner of our conscience” THE STAR 5
May, 1983).
Ahmad Bashir writes: I saw a spectacular
which shook me. Members of his community
8000 strong including women and children,
listened to him with attention and in peace and
good order, when suddenly a police posse,
armed with lathis (big sticks) tear gas and
guns advanced on them. There was no
134
provocation except a weak voice with a
strong conviction in the cause. But the police
was on duty and they positioned themselves at
a strategic point. Sensing danger the
community leader, who did not want
bloodshed, suddenly ordered his audience to
prostrate themselves on the ground and not to
resist. Lo and behold the whole community, all
8000 of it, men, women and children, lay
down.
I have seen a lot but nothing so
disciplined a crowd like it before.
J.Salik more of a Christian social worker
than a political leader fell unconscious. He was
taken into custody because the jail doctor
could now inject nutrition into their prisoner of
conscience, while he was unconscious so that
he might live longer.
Ahmed Bashir writes: He may regain his
physical strength but his spiritual strength will
be taken away because of compulsive eating.
Will the problem be solved? He will return
insulted and angry, and the poison will spread
to the whole community, already behind him in
the name of religion.
J.Salik is convenor of the World
Minorities Alliance and Muslim Massihi Ittehad
(Unity of Muslims and Christians). He however,
takes pride in his Pakistani identity which does
not allow him to accept that Christian minority,
who are numerically the largest, are second
class citizens. The Quaid-e-Azam who led the
135
Muslims of India to a national homeland,
was also a spirited champion of minorities, an
issue on which he disagreed with the Congress
high command, and Pakistan is, therefore,
unequivocally committed in this respect. But
what does J.Salik want? Pakistan is an Islamic
state which respects all religions and religious
communities. Christians enjoy special status
being Ahl-e-Kitab (belonging to revealed
religious cadre recognized and held in special
esteem by Islam). If the Holy Prophet
Mohammad (SAW) in his august wisdom
thought it proper to sign a treaty of friendship
with the Jews of Madina and as long as they
did not violate, accepted them as a part of
Muslim millat in all social and political matters,
why cannot government of Islamic republic of
Pakistan accept that position?
Agencies were active and statements had
started appearing in the press in the name of
some self styled Christian spokesmen to say
that J.Salik and his hunger strike should be
ignored.
Ahmad Bashir thought that it could be
ignored but that would be at great peril.
Problems, especially when they are in the area
of religion could not be swept under the rug.
The Indian Congress party tried to cause a split
in Muslims’ ranks and it did succeed for a
while, but in the end the splinters were
consigned to the dustbin of history. Christians
136
who issued statements were already dead.
Their word carried no conviction. Ask the 8000
who lay down at their leader’s command.
He says: the protesting hunger strikers
were a sight to see. Covered by sheets of jute
as taught by Lord Jesus Christ (AS), the
faithful Christians lay by the road. They had
been waiting to be heard but the hope had
turned into frustration, and bitterness into
anger. Individuals do not matter perhaps, and
they can be allowed to wither away and die but
here we are dealing with a religious minority,
which believes that its legitimate demands are
being ignored. This does not auger well. There
is a danger because in this situation the dead
can become alive and the situation can get out
of hand. When J.Salik spoke, blood oozed from
his mouth and dropped down. It was agony to
see. I am a Muslim. The impact of such a sight
on Christians’ mind can be imagined.
The problem is not insoluble. Through
negotiations solution can be sought. May be,
Christians accept less than what they are
demanding. It is a community of unorganized
workers with no security of service, no fixed
wage structure, no old age benefits, no
pension, and no trade union for collective
bargaining. They are the most dedicated
servants of the nation serving as scavengers
and garbage collectors, farm labourers,
diggers, petty clerks, nursing attendants,
137
teachers and general-purpose builders.
Whenever they could make their way in the
army they fought with distinction and lived and
died for Pakistan with their boots on. This is
the community whose performance no other
section can match. (21)
…………………………
138
Chapter 3
CHAMPION OF PEACE
J.Salik has been working for better
understanding
between
Muslims
and
Christians. He wants nothing for himself. He
only seeks time for prayers on PTV. Are
Christians not religious people? And not Hazrat
Umar (the second of glorious caliphs whose
piety is acknowledged) returned chapels and
cathedrals of Jerusalem to Christians after
conquest. There is a lesson in it. Pakistan
Christians are not a conquered people like
those of Jerusalem. They are part of Pakistan’s
body politic and have a claim on it.
Laying prostrate of 8000 strong crowd
with rise of a finger may be a grand sight. No
less spectacular was the public show of a
camel caravan carrying domestic articles of
thitherto-cabinet minister J.Salik from federal
capital Islamabad to provincial metropolis
Lahore. Since animal carts are prohibited to ply
on the federal capital roads J.Salik had sought
a special permission from Meraj Khalid who
had been appointed care taker prime minister
on dismissal of Benazir Bhutto cabinet in 1996.
J.Salik is a true devotee of peace. It had
been his earnest passion to collect portraits of
139
those stalwarts of peace who had won the
Nobel peace awards since the prize was
instituted in 1901. Alfred Nobel was a Swede,
born in Stockholm in 1833, but by his life very
much an international man. Frail from
childhood, Alfred Nobel never seemed to have
had gained true happiness.
On November 27, 1895, a year before
his death, Alfred Nobel signed the famous ‘will’
which would realize the goals to which he had
devoted so much of his life. A most generous
philanthropist while alive (“I’d rather take care
of the stomachs of the living than glory of the
departed in the form of monuments”), Nobel
stipulated in his will that the major part of his
estate more than 31 million Swedish kronor
(today apparently 840 million kronor, 1
Swedish kronor = $ 0.15) should be converted
into a fund and invested.
The income from the investments was to
be “distributed annually in the form of prizes to
those who during the preceding year have
conferred the greatest benefit on mankind”.
The five fields in which he wished to
stimulate progress, as outlined in his will, were
physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine,
literature and fraternity among nations
(peace).
Nobel’s choice of scientific subjects was
obviously based on his own scientific interests
and activities. But what was the reason behind
140
prize for peace? All his life, Alfred Nobel was
in search of spiritual values for the good of
mankind for his own peace of mind. He had
never married but did develop friendship and
affair with two ladies. Instead of leading to the
happy marriage that he envisioned, the affairs
only added to his innate melancholy.
J.Salik is at one with Alfred Nobel in the
progress of last of the five fields the latter had
enumerated
namely
fraternity
among
individuals and nations.
J.Salik is in a way taller than Alfred
Nobel. Alfred Nobel was a great scientist,
inventor and a wealthy international investor.
He lived in a comparatively peaceful period.
J.Salik’s period and circumstances are
different. The twentieth century had seen two
world wars. It had seen rise and fall of Russian
Communist revolution. Materialistic pursuits
had generally suppressed spiritual values.
J.Salik was born in Pakistan which had
emerged on the world map only one year
earlier than his birth. The new country had
started from a scratch. Being a part of the
third world Pakistan did not match in material
resources a European country like Sweden.
J.Salik has modest education. His
resources were limited, rather negligible. He
has risen from dust. Yet he is vying with Alfred
Nobel in promoting peace and feelings of
fraternity among communities and nations.
141
The institution of Nobel peace prize
however, conformed to J.Salik’s highest
conception of human excellence. He decided in
1995 to collect portraits of Nobel laureates.
They were not available at one place
anywhere. The laureates were scattered all
over the world. Nobel Foundation directory
only carried names of the winners, no
photographs. After a long search finally he
found a book at the American centre, Karachi
which carried small size pictures (4cm x 4cm)
of 80 champions of peace. (For the first time
the Nobel peace prize was awarded in 1901.
On several occasions organizations, rather
than individuals, had won the peace award).
The American centre would not lend the
book. After great persuasion and provision of
security, the management agreed to make the
book available for one hour or so. With help of
camera the pictures were duplicated and
slightly enlarged. This however, did not satisfy
Salik’s sentiments.
J.Salik conducted a competition of
photography and paintings on the basis of the
pictures of the prophets of peace that he
procured. He gave ad in national newspapers
to invite artists to produce their art pieces in
oil paint, water paint, pencil work or any other
medium Prizes for outstanding entries ranged
for artists participated in the competition.
142
Thus J.Salik was able to get 300
portraits. On acquiring them he had spent Rs.
700,000. He also arranged exhibition of his
collections at Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
The exhibition was organized under the
auspices
of
J.Salik’s
Peace
Education
Foundation. Under the portraits were inscribed
famous sayings of the prize winners.
Barbed wire had been placed around the
portraits. “We have arrested all these Nobel
peace prize winners who were asking for
restoration of peace in all the parts of the
world so that they could be set free”, J.Salik
said on the occasion.
In Lahore the display of portraits was
held on Kashmir Martyrs Day (July 14, 1994).
The portraits were also exhibited on
mobile vans in order to give them wider
viewing. He cherished them as a treasure.
These portraits remained displayed in his
house before and after he became a federal
minister. For their safe transport to his
hometown steel roofs needed to be erected on
camel carts which carried his belongings on his
departure from ministers’ colony with fanfare.
The
portraits
had
been
encaged
to
demonstrate that democracy was not free and
elected national assemblies were frequently
dissolved.
J.Salik had got steel roofs especially
installed on the carts to protect from weather
143
vagaries portraits of world winners of Nobel
peace prize which he carried along with his
household effects.
On the departure of camel cavalcade
from the ministers’ colony a special band
played national anthem and patriotic songs.
Camels bore ornamental and musical anklets
which provided festive air to the occasion.
A crowd from katchi abadis (hutments)
had assembled to hold protest demonstration
on the occasion.
Clothes which had earlier been collected
in J.Salik’s pecuniary aid program were
distributed among the needy. Representatives
of national and international media were
present to record views of J.Salik and others
and report the event.
J.Salik had declared the ministers colony
as orphans house which he now vacated for
the coming orphans.
J.Salik who was clad in Sherwani,
Pakistani national dress, burnt his personal
three piece western suits.
J.Salik led the procession which he
described as “The Camel Cart March”. The
leading cart carried a chair and a couch for
J.Salik to rest on, was fitted with public
address system which relayed national songs.
Of and on J.Salik raised slogans which
were enthusiastically responded. All this turned
the occasion into a lively event.
144
Camel is known as a ship of desert.
The camel has a capacity to travel for days
without fodder particularly water which is
scarce in deserts. Hence camel has become a
symbol of calm endurance of hardship and
tolerant perseverance. It is described as a poor
man’s ride.
In cities too there is a poor man’s
conveyance that is bicycle. J.Salik had
described bicycle as a poor man’s pajero. Once
he conducted his election campaign riding a
cycle.
There was a time when possession of a
bicycle was considered to be a sign of
prosperity. Even after plenty of cars were
plying on city roads, bicycle was still accepted
as a gentleman’s transport. But in those days
poverty was not that sign of social stigma or
disgrace as today.
Dr. Mohammad Ajmal Niazi in his column
captioned “Poor man’s Pajero” (Pakistan 26
October, 1995) after J.Salik’s description of
bicycle, recalls a person parked his car on road
kerb to greet a cyclist who happened to be a
teacher. A celebrated principal of the
prestigious educational institution government
college, Lahore Dr. Nazir Ahmad used to go
around the city streets on his bicycle. That
may be a matter of past days.
In a bid to reinforce the impression that
social status of a poor man had not lowered,
145
J.Salik invited intelligentsia of Lahore
including writers, poets, journalists and social
lights to participate in a cycle rally. Among
those who participated in the rally were
Mujeeb-ur -Rahman Shami, Abdul Qadir
Hassan, Munir Niazi, Qateel Shafai, Sarfraz
Syed, Dr. Hassan Rizvi, Amjad Islam Amjad,
Kanwal Feroz, Javed Iqbal, Ismail Qureshi Butt
and Tariq Waheed Butt.
Such
celebrities
cycling
on
the
fashionable Mall, where limousines line up
bumper to bumper gave the bicycle a new
prestige, new status, new power. Bicycle did
become a poor man’s pajero.
J.Salik allowed the distinguished riders to
take their bicycles home. The purpose probably
was that they might use them off and on so
that the poor man’s transport remained
respected.
Columnist Dr. Niazi says Quaid-e-Azam
had successfully led the Pakistan movement
based on two nation theory i.e. caste ridden
Hindus and egalitarian Muslims are two
separate nations. The successors of the Quaide-Azam perpetuated the two nation but
absolutely with different perceptions. They
divided their compatriots into poor and rich
communities.
The
poor
community
is
numerically progressing. Wealth is heritage of
a few. Corrupt bureaucrats and politicians are
joining the latter’s rank yet their number does
146
not exceed a few percent of the population.
Ninety percent of populace is poor. That is the
common man. They are deprived and
oppressed. They are in majority yet they are
being ruled by the elite minority. This is feat of
western type of democracy. Parliamentary
democracy in Pakistan might have been
interrupted
off
and
on
by
military
governments. But in military governments too
those found their way as ministers and
advisors who had been in power in democratic
set ups.
It had been said that the situation might
not change in Pakistan until the poor men
joined the government. J.Salik joined the
government as a poor man and stubbornly
remained poor even after becoming a minister.
That is probably why J.Salik is still with the
poor and for the poor.
On conclusion of the cycle rally J.Salik
addressed the audience. He said “I am not a
wazir (minister) but a faqir (poor beggar). With
God’s grace one day all ministers would
become ‘faqir’ like me”.
The contents of J.Salik speech spelt out a
message of hope and in tone he was fully
confident.
There is an idiom in Urdu: Diwanah
Bakar-e-Khwesh Hushiar’ – a mad man may be
sane in respect of his own or his relative’s
interests.
147
Renowned
columnist
Ata-ul-Haq
Qasmi captioned one of his columns as J.Salik,
sane in respect of his own affairs (1996……)
While J.Salik was a minister and his
father was ill in the United States, an amount
of $ 8000 were officially sanctioned in his
favour to undertake a journey to America.
J.Salik refused to go abroad to inquire after
health of his father at official expense. He did
not want his incorruptibility to be corrupted.
Despite acceptance of holy life with
resignation and contentment as nomenclature
of ‘faqir’ affixed to J.Salik indicated, he
successfully conducted the affairs of his
population planning ministry when he was in
the cabinet. According to UN and UNICEF
official report the growth rate in population had
fallen from 3.1 to 2.8 during his tenure of
office.
J.Salik stopped a federal secretary when
the latter tried to open the door of the
minister’s car. The secretary said “Sir, you
should not spoil my habits lest I should forget
the habit of opening car doors and a future
minister may take him to task for that lapse”.
Even in such atmosphere of familiarity
J.Salik did not allow any official to be negligent
of his duties.
J.Salik always kept his conscience awake
and alive. He never crossed floor to get any
personal or political advantage. Nor otherwise
148
he drew any personal benefit from his
official position.
A columnist Mir Balach Khan wrote
(Intahab October 10, 1992): But for J.Salik
many “malang (dervish) of us may have died
in despair” in the current corruption culture
which was eating into vitals of the country.
Another columnist Javed Siddiqui quotes
(Ausaf 12 November, 2000) J.Salik as saying
that as it is necessary to take the corrupt lot to
task, equally essential it is to reward those
who honestly served the nation in order to pull
this country out of the current quagmire.
J.Salik is of view that integrity and honesty will
get respectability if those who work sincerely in
their own field, resisting the temptation in this
avarice and greed ridden society, are duly
acknowledged. If such persons are not
honoured, those accumulating ill-gotten wealth
by looting others will sustain the current
culture and the noble and honest people will
hang back.
While J.Salik was a minister he ejected
blood from his arm with help of a syringe and
mixed the blood drops into the soil, to
intensely identify himself with his homeland.
This may be euphemistic to say that he is a
Muslim among Muslims and a Christian among
Christians. Above everything he is a patriotic
Pakistani.
149
J.Salik was impressed with a scheme
launched during Zia-ul-Haq days that a
number of Muslim government employees
were sent for Haj at official expense. He as a
minister in Benazir Bhutto’s government
conceived a similar project for indigent
Christians to be annually sent to Rome. For
catholic Christians, Rome enjoyed the same
sacred status as Mecca for the Muslims.
Benazir government accorded approval to the
Salik’s suggestion and fifty Christians were
sent to Rome every year. This practice was
dispensed with change of government which
saddened Salik.
Similarly J.Salik got a quota reserved for
Christian male and female students to be
admitted in the prestigious Quaid-e-Azam
University to pursue their studies. This worked
for two years. With the change of political
administration this concession was cancelled
by president Rafiq Tarar who is chancellor of
the Quaid-e-Azam University. Optimist as
J.Salik is, he hopes that one day these
concessions would be restored.
J.Salik was born an year after Pakistan
had come into existence. Hence he considers
himself to be a born Pakistani. It had been his
misfortune that he had been brought up in a
society that was bedevilled with social ills,
sectarianism, terrorism and violation of human
rights. He have had bad days in the social set
150
up with Muslim majority but plagued with
capitalistic social divide.
In his studentship days he was proud of
his thoughts being influenced by the Quaid-eAzam. The Father of the Nation had always
been of the view that the secret of success of a
country lay in the well being of its minority.
The Quaid-e-Azam used to say that minorities
would be free to perform their religious rites. It
will be the responsibilities of the sitting
government to safeguard the lives and
property of the minority. And the members of
minority would be nationals of Pakistan without
religious or creed discrimination.
Julius Salik said that the nation had
forgotten the message of the Quaid-e-Azam.
But he always kept his conviction and morale
high.
J.Salik subscribes to the view of Martin
Luther and always tries to act upon his
sayings. He is largely influenced by the stand
of Martin Luther that life of a Christian is led by
his strong faith and aiding others. Hence Julius
Salik is deadly opposed to tyranny, injustice
and discrimination on basis of caste, colour
and creed.
His ideology is not confined to territorial
limits of Pakistan. He always raised his voice in
favour of those who were oppressed in any
corner of the world. He belongs to Christian
fraternity of Pakistan. Despite that he has been
151
speaking in favour of Muslims of India,
Bosnia and Palestine.
His dream is that Pakistan may become
haven for the minorities and an ideal welfare
state sustaining the poor, helpless and the
downtrodden people.
Nearly one hundred years back Karl Marx
had said that man makes his own history since
it compelled him and gave him courage to
counter the circumstances. J.Salik too has
made his historic role in Pakistan. He has
become that chapter of Pakistan culture and
history the canons of which forced him to
stand up against those forces which cause
instability. He faced the ups and downs of life
with courage and cheerfully. He is a staunch
Pakistani with full faith in his religion. He is a
compassionate person and he remains cheerful
in most difficult circumstances.
For J.Salik politics is tantamount to
Divine worshiping and means to social
reformation. He terms the struggle to snatch
the downtrodden and oppressed from the cruel
clutches of the tyrants, as politics. He suffered
physical and mental atrocities, yet his
determination never falters. He never bowed to
autocrats. He talked to his opponents with
head high. He never fails to condemn
corruption and other malpractices and vices.
Syed Jaffar Shah, a columnist has described
him as a man of steal, a man of field.
152
J.Salik has set such a living example
symbolizing simplicity, austerity and the spirit
of service to the people that has added a new
chapter to the political history of Pakistan
which is marked with worst social ills based on
selfishness.
Chief editor of British Journal Awam
International Syed Arif Ali Hamdani says
J.Salik’s practical struggle for the rights of the
oppressed, taking stand against tyrants and
remedying wrongs done to the helpless is his
perpetual grace. Although J.Salik is the
representative of the minorities yet he never
compromised on the multifarious interests of
the Muslim country.
Numerous Pakistani writers of repute to
name one, Kishwar Naheed, scribble that most
of persons become god after becoming
minister. On the other hand J.Salik becomes a
‘faqir’ (dervish) after being appointed a
minister. Though Salik long ceased to be a
minister his dervishi continues. He is adhering
to the commitments he had made to the
country and the people. When Salik becomes
helpless at the hands of forceful corruption and
malpractices, he starts counseling the rulers (8
May, 2000).
Qazi Javed of an Urdu daily “Din” writes (
that J.Salik had drafted a few pieces of advice
for the chief executive general Pervez
153
Musharraf and sent them to the scribe in
the belief that they could reach him without
fail.
Qazi
Javed
published
J.Salik’s
communication addressed to the general
Pervez Musharraf in the newspaper. J.Salik’s
epistle opens with reference to his camel
carvan whose stopover was at the mausoleum
of philosopher poet Iqbal. The purpose was to
thank the visionary Iqbal, who conceived
separate homeland for the Muslims of South
Asia, for giving the noble notion of selfesteem.
Salik wrote that general Musharraf’s
public statement indicated that he was keen to
‘do something substantial’. Salik suggested
that general Musharraf should add ‘faqir’ –
dervish, as a form of address to his name. This
affixture would enhance his credentials. The
humble and selfless dervishs had always
commanded respect and would continue to do
so. Selfless dervishi, if followed in letter and
spirit, would make him famous in history for all
times to come.
Secondly,
Salik
advised
general
Musharraf to donate half of his assets to the
Baitul Mal, national exchequer to prove his
bona fides.
According to J.Salik ‘class’, ‘glass and
‘libas’ (dress), are three basic ingredients
leading to corruption spree. Almost every one
154
is out to improve his social class. The
people sharing meals with others in the same
pots, say drinking vessel – glass form the
same category. Dress is symbol of social
distinction. Uniformity in these three respects
may promote unity.
J.Salik asked the chief executive to
convene a conference to address to these
hurdles that hindered social progress in
Pakistan. He is of the view that like other
disciplined forces senior bureaucrats should
wear the same uniform which is worn by the
lowest grade government employees.
J.Salik suggested that all government
employees upto high brow bureaucrats should
be given an oath of office, swearing by their
sons and sacrifices of the martyrs and heroes,
pledging that they would not indulge in
corruption, nor they would betray the interests
of the country. This was paradoxical, he
thought, that the deputy commissioner who
himself had been administered no oath,
administered oath to the elected union council
members.
J.Salik
also
counseled
that
all
government employees should be subjected to
clinical blood tests to determine if there was
any alcohol contents therein. How could a
government servant safeguard the sanctity of
law when he himself was above it?
155
J.Salik is of the view that the
proposals be debated alive on PTV. He says
that his last wish is to see the spirit of
awakening and self esteem surging among the
young generation.
On the eve of defence of Pakistan day
(September 6) this year (2000) J.Salik
announced that he had boycotted the use of
sugar. Neither he would himself consume any
sugared article, nor would serve sugared tea or
anything else to his guests in order to meet
sugar shortage. J.Salik was moved by a news
report that Pakistan would import sugar from
India to augment the supply. If people
undertake to forgo sugar for a month the
shortage could be met. Cannot the people
make such a small sacrifice? he asks.
According to him the administration was
so terrified with the short supply that it was
forced to import sugar from a country that was
busy in Muslim massacre in Kashmir, whose
army continually killed innocent unarmed
villagers in Azad Kashmir through intermittent
firing across the line of control, which planned
and conducted a multimillion dollar campaign
to dupe world public opinion on Kashmir and
bring a bad name to Pakistan and where
Muslims, Christians and other minorities are
being subjected to inhuman atrocities. Was it
not better that people of this country had gone
without sugar for a few weeks?
156
J.Salik was sullen on the lack of high
spirited observance of defence of Pakistan day
to commemorate September 6, 1965 when
India had attacked Pakistan. India’s military
might was manifold as compared to Pakistan.
Indian generals had dreamt of celebrating their
victory the same evening at the Lahore
Gymkhana.
The valour and determination of the
Pakistan armed forces combined with the unity
of million of citizens of east and west Pakistan
defeated the designs of much larger enemy.
God know where that high spirit had gone?
J.Salik says Pakistan’s resources were
not that vast 35 years back as they are today.
Pakistan was then not a nuclear power.
Pakistanis were not then so educated and
technologically skilled. Their capabilities have
immensely grown. But that high level of love
for the country and the nation is missing.
Probably Pakistan was not that largely looted
then, as it is being plundered today. The
institutions did not malfunction then as they
did today. The discipline was not that rare then
as today. Persons then were not out to become
multimillionaire overnight even at the expense
of national interests. The people had faith in
future of Pakistan. Self-seeking and selfishness
was not that widespread.
Columnist Javed Siddique in his column
“Pass-e-Parda” (behind the scene) published in
157
(7th
the daily Ausaf
September 2000) writes
he asked J.Salik how that spirit could be
revived. J.Salik replied “It is very easy. It does
not take long to make or mar. If the people of
Pakistan pledge on the day of defence that
they will not use sugar imported from India.
Instead they will go without sugar for a few
weeks, this alone will revive the spirit of
September 6, 1965.”
Another columnist Zafar Bakhtawari in
his column “Future prime minister” published
in the Urdu daily Nawa-i-Waqt (May 24, 2000)
speclulates that J.Salik may be a future prime
minister of Pakistan.
Zafar Bakhtawari writes “J.Salik, another
journalist Asr Chohan and I have been dining
together frequently at night. I have had the
opportunity to see Salik closely. I always
thought that J.Salik is not the same internally
as he looks outwardly. He is wearing an
artificial cloak. No politician (in Pakistan) can
be so friendly to people as he is. My intense
probe however, could not detect anything
which separated inner Salik from outfit.
“ J.Salik is a man of excellence. He is not
merely a man of vision. He strenuously
endeavours to realize what he dreams. One
day J.Salik dreamt of winning Nobel peace
award. Apparently this dream does not seem
to be coming true. But the man, as J.Salik I
158
know of, will undoubtedly win that award. I
have no doubt about that.
“J.Salik has not yet visualized to be
prime minister or president of Pakistan. May be
he knows that it may not be constitutionally
possible. Yet I am certain that once he
conceived this, he will attain it. To realize such
a dream there would be two options.
“One the change in the constitution, the
other his embracing Islam. Apparently both
look impossible. But J.Salik’s determination is
so indomitable that he is capable of making the
impossible a reality. Once he dreams he
realizes it,” Zafar Bakhtawari wrote.
Islamic republic of Pakistan have had
many a Muslim minister but J.Salik being a
Christian was a unique minister. Only other
minister who could match him was Robert
Cornelius. He too was a Christian. Before
becoming a minister, Cornelius was chief
justice of Pakistan. Even after being a minister,
Cornelius was administering justice. During his
ministership J.Salik remained a ‘faqir’. Both
J.Salik and Justice Cornelius combined were
more heavy weights than all hitherto Muslim
ministers put together.
This opinion has been expressed by
columnist Dr. Ajmal Niazi (daily Din,
newspaper June 4, 2000).
159
Cornelius always resided in a hired
room in a middle class hotel. He did not own a
house anywhere. J.Salik too lives in a hired
house.
Dr. Ajmal Niazi referred to a Pakistan
television program planned to project the
plight of famished areas of Pakistan, mobilise
public opinion and raise funds for their
amelioration. Celebrities from various walks of
life had been invited. Among them was squash
king Jan Sher Khan. He put his squash racket
to auction to raise money for famine victims.
During the show compere Humaira saw a
gold chain around the neck of the celebrated
sportsman. She suggested to Jan Sher that
besides his racket, his gold chain which had
become invaluable for being on his body, too
should be put to auction.
J.Salik who happened to be among the
guests made the highest bidding of Rs.
100000/- for the chain. J.Salik who himself is a
precious gem of man never wore even a gold
ring. Gold chain could be of no use to him, nor
could he have so much money as one hundred
thousand rupees. Yet he had made the highest
bidding, probably he planned to collect
donations from the poor people of shanties –
his constituency, to pay to Pakistan television.
According to Dr. Ajmal Niazi, J.Salik may
present Jan Sher’s chain to Dr. Qadeer A.
Khan. Dr. A. Qadeer Khan is no less than
160
‘paras’ – a legendary stone instantly turning
into gold any metal touching it. The value of
the chain will soar sky high on being, for a
while, around the neck of the science hero.
This chain may ultimately help break chains of
poverty of a large populace.
A lady Urdu columnist Mariam Gillani
wrote ( more than one writeups on J.Salik’s
politics vis a vis Pakistan as a whole and
Christian minority in particular. She was
impressed by Salik’s stand that at first he is
Pakistani and Christian thereafter. For him
service to the people and loyalty to the
country, are of foremost importance. In this
context Mariam Gilani reviewed the Christian
agitation against Blasphemy Act and unduly
excessive reaction of the administration and
Muslim religious parties. In her column she
pleaded that Christians viewpoint should have
been patiently heard and an opportunity for
ventilative catharsis should have been provided
and the judicial probe should have been
ordered to help the minority boost up its
patriotism.
On J.Salik’s allegation of electoral
irregularities in the 1997 general elections
resulting in his defeat the columnist found
substance in the convincing arguments of the
Christian leader who was a political opponent
of those claiming victory with socalled “heavy
mandate”.
161
J.Salik’s contention was that the
counting results of 46 wards in Sindh and five
wards in the Punjab had not been received by
the returning officer before the notification of
the successful candidates was issued.
The
district
and
sessions
judge,
Islamabad had refused to notify the results as
the counting had not been completed by then.
He was replaced with another person to get
the desired fabricated results notified. There
was a discrepancy in the rejected votes as
shown in the final results and as per detailed
records. For Muslim candidates colour of the
ballot papers was green in case of national
assembly and white for provincial assemblies.
For Christian the colour of ballot papers both
for national assembly and provincial assembly
was uniformly white. J.Salik had been allotted
hand pump as election symbol and despite his
repeated requests to the contrary the same
symbol was allotted to another candidate for
the provincial assembly. The latter later left
the electoral arena with the result that 5000
prospective votes of J.Salik had gone waste.
Mariam Gilani wrote that there was a
considerable substance in J.Salik’s stand and
calls for an impartial inquiry. This is a tribute
to J.Salik’s firmness in championing a right
cause and his refusal to be daunted by
apparently insurmountable odds.
162
J.Salik worked as a cooly. J.Salik had
started his election campaign for 1997 national
polls by working as a cooly at the Lahore
railway station on the 1st of January. According
to Christian faith January one was circumcision
day of Jesus Christ (AS). A saying of Jesus
Christ (AS) is that “ those who are tired of
bearing burden, may come to me. I shall
comfort you! On another occasion Jesus Christ
(AS) said “I have come for service and not to
be served.”
J.Salik is a true follower of Jesus Christ
(AS). He is a poor man and is politicking for
the poor. Despite being a Christian, he is very
popular among Muslims. But his Muslim fans
cannot vote for him since separate electorates
had been introduced by general Zia-ul-Haq
with an amendment in 1973 constitution.
…………………………
163
164
Chapter 4
SALIK AS RAILWAY COOLY
For a non-Muslims candidate the entire
Pakistan is one electoral constituency. And the
election commission had to set up 33,000
polling stations throughout Pakistan.
J.Salik said since he could not assemble
his voters on one platform, hence he had
decided to start his election campaign from a
platform at Lahore railway station.
Usually the rulers or even opposition
leaders conduct their election or protest
campaigns by traveling by train along with
their colleagues. At various stopovers scheduled or forced - political leaders are
accorded warm welcome. Slogans are raised in
their favour. Thus politicians promote their
election or protest campaigns.
J.Salik’s election campaign was different.
He provided comfort to passengers by bearing
their luggage on his head. He carried baggage
of train travelers without discrimination –
whether they be Christians or Muslims whether
his prospective voters or not.
At the railway stations, coolies don red
clothes which was worn by J.Salik too during
his campaign. Previously J.Salik had been
165
wearing jute fibre clothes for twelve years.
He had adopted jute outfit as a protest against
massacre of Muslims in India on the occasion
of eid day – a Muslim festival. It might not be
far from Salik that he continues donning cooly
uniform even after being elected as a member
of national assembly, or appointed as a federal
minister, speculated an Urdu columnist Asr
Chohan (Al-Akhbar 28 December, 1996).
Red uniform of a cooly was more akin to
the revolutionary temperament and voluntary
service mindedness of J.Salik than jute shade
or khaki colour. The uniform of volunteers of
salvation army founded by Christian reformer
William Youth is red. Even now branches of
salvation army are operational in many
countries. In communist and some other
countries, revolutionaries have been wearing
red clothes. The communist forces have even
been called The Red Army. At one stage the
slogans of “Asia is red” were being popularly
raised even in Pakistan. Previously Red Shirt
movement of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was of
great import.
The colour was also red of handkerchiefs
used as a symbol and means of secret
communication among a chain of likely
followers of Reshmi Romal Tehrik (silk
handkerchief movement) – an insurgency
campaign
against
British
Raj
before
independence.
166
May be, with J.Salik’s taking to red
uniform, the cooly movement gets a flip and
becomes a harbinger of a pro-poor people
revolution, writes Asr Chohan.
The word “cooly” in Persian and the one
“wazir” (minister) in Arabic are synonymous in
the sense that both mean one who bears
burden. J.Salik has been successful as a
minister in so far as he conscientiously
discharged his responsibility.
Cooly is a noble vocation in the sense
that coolies are content with their legitimate
earnings. The income accruing to coolies is
result of sweat and hard labour. That is why
probably a leader of millions of people J.Salik
chose to become a cooly. Previously he had
been a patron of All Pakistan Hair Dressers
Association.
J.Salik’s prestige enhanced with his entry
into cooly fraternity and collies too would walk
with their heads high after a former minister
had taken to their vocation.
Once J.Salik adorned his shoulders with
foot wear manufactured in Saraiki belt in
southern Punjab. In local parlance such shoes
are called “khussay”.
The “khussay” worn by J.Salik as
“medals” were made of shinning brass.
According to him, president Farooq Leghari
who belonged to Saraiki area had sent home
all members of parliament – both honest and
167
corrupt – by beating them with shoes – a
figurative illustration for humiliation. President
Farooq Leghari off and on donned “khussay”.
Columnist Asr Chohan says that J.Salik may
not be blamed if such footwears come to be
known “Farooq Leghari Joota” (Farooqucratic
shoes).
J.Salik said that with the premature
dissolution of national assembly thrice, he had
been sent home “ after being beaten with
shoes”. Now he would don the “khussay”
medals as long as he was not officially awarded
a certificate of not being personally corrupt.
While J.Salik was a federal minister he
got an ad published in the press over his
signature. The ad read; “I need some orphan
and destitute children in the age group of
seven to ten years from all over Pakistan –
that is from my entire electoral constituency
limits. At the start of my social and political
career I had pledged that my children and
those of the nation would live together. Now
that as result of numerous sacrifices of the
lovers of democracy led by Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto, I have been entitled to all official
protocol. So I have decided to declare my
residence (minister house in the minister
colony, Islamabad) as orphanage. Education
and proper upbringing will be imparted to
those entering this orphanage so that their
sense of deprivation and inferiority complex
168
can be corrected and they become best
builders of the nation. The legal masters of the
children coming to this protectorate, can take
back their wards any time”.
The ad carried the photograph of the
Quaid-e-Azam and then prime minister Benazir
Bhutto but did not bear any picture of J.Salik,
a self-effacing person as he is.
Asr Chohan in column (published in AlAkhbar issue of 27th September 1996)
captioned “ Mad minister – J.Salik” commented
on the ad.
He wrote “ While other ministers had
become millionaires rather billionaires, J.Salik,
because of his “stupid politics”, persists to be
poor. He lives among poor, thinks like the poor
and visualizes a pro-people revolution. He does
not want to revolutionise his own life. He has
no consideration for his future, his old age, his
own family, his own children. He is bent upon
making his own official residence as an
orphanage. He wants to end inferiority
complex of orphans and turn them to best
future architects of the nation. But in the
process he may turn his own children afflicted
with inferiority and deprivation complexes”.
Asr Chohan also referred to J.Salik’s
setting on fire his entire domestic assets in
front of the Punjab assembly, Lahore when
Ghulam Haider Wayne chief minister – known
as dervish wazir-e-ala – demolished a katch
169
abadi rendering hundreds of poor people
homeless.
While J.Salik was still a federal minister
the price of wheat flour, staple food in
Pakistan, further rose. In a press interview
J.Salik said common man is now awake. This
awakening will cost dearly to corpulents. The
power will no longer rotate among the wealthy
alone. Now the outgoing will be replaced by
another J.Salik (common man).
He said to his mind all highups were
thieves and looters. Their children roamed in
Mercedes limousines. Their cry for the poor
was a hoax. This was tantamount to “chor
machay shor’ – thief shouting to catch the
thief. If their concern for the poor was genuine
they would distribute half of their wealth
among the needy.
Columnist Asr Chohan says it seems
J.Salik is no longer interested in his cabinet
slot. Otherwise he would not have condemned
the high up and the politicians as a class.
Another noted columnist Abdul Qadir
Hasan picked up another ad J.Salik got
published in 1995. The ad begins with as
follows:
The society, in which the rights of the
wronged,
widows,
orphans
and
the
handicapped are denied, is bereft of peace and
tranquility. On the other hand in such a society
crimes, killings, plunder, terrorism and drug
170
abuse is rampant. Law and order is in
jeopardy. Life and honour is insecure. The
means of legitimate livelihood become hard.
The descendants are defiant.
In fact the ad had pinpointed all the ills
bedeviling the present society.
The patron of the program aimed at
eradicating the vices, J.Salik claims that the
widows would no longer remain helpless, nor
the orphans go without education.
The columnist wonders at the innocence
of J.Salik who visualizes plundering and
hounouring the rights of the poor to go on
simultaneously. He may mean that the
oppressed and oppressor may co-exist. This is
what precisely the present practice is. J.Salik
may be saying anything. His words cannot
break bones. The elite has picked up J.Salik as
a decoration piece. The domestic servant dusts
it daily and then adorns the cornice with it
again. Yet J.Salik’s utterances are God-sent.
Abdul Qadir Hasan owns Salik as his own
minister. Salik may not be a Muslim, yet his
deeds conform to the pristine traditions of
Islam. He is a minister in a government of
feudal lords. He belongs to a minority that
hardly commands respect in the society. But
Salik being oblivious of all this, is busy in his
program designed to uplift the poor. The poor
live only to vote and they will be casting votes
171
as long as they live on but they will receive
nothing in return.
According to J.Salik it is the poor who
sustain the rich. If there were no poor, whom
the rich will give the charity to qualify for a
berth in paradise? They live in hell alright, yet
through them the rich ennoble their lives
hereafter. The poor jealously safeguard the
sinful secrets of the people. As the thorns are
to roses, so are poor to the rich.
J.Salik’s ad was captioned “Gharibon ka
ye naara ha, Pakistan hamara ha” (Pakistan
belongs to us. This is the cry of the poor
people).
Abdul Qadir Hasan says this may appear
to be a slogan. Pakistan indeed belongs to the
rich in whose factual possession this country is.
Pakistan might have been allotted in favour of
the poor but this is in adverse possession of
the rich. And the possession is so strong that
the poor, the real master, may find it hard to
retrieve.
Another well known columnist Mujibur
Rehman Shami in his write up “A piece of sky”
(daily Pakistan issue 2nd February 1995) said
J.Salik underwent no change on being
appointed as a minister. He was a commoner
before being a minister, he remained a
commoner there after. He traveled by
rickshaw. He walked on foot. He reached
friends. He dialed phone without staff
172
assistance. He came to public meetings
uninvited.
Mujibur Rahman Shami recalled “peace
rally” in Karachi organized by the Jang group
of publications. No politician had been invited.
J.Salik came on his own and participated in the
march bearing white flag symbolizing truce and
peace.
J.Salik took part as a penman in a
protest march in front of national assembly,
Islamabad
at
the
call
of
newspaper
establishments to demand arrest of assassins
of Salahudin, a veteran journalist of Karachi.
J.Salik marched keeping steps with newsmen.
While editors and proprietors shunned on one
pretext or another, Salik stood up boldy
without any protocols.
J.Salik decided to celebrate his Christmas
with misery afflicted people of Bosnia. He
reached Bosnia in company of his wife Mary
and young son David with packets of gifts on
their heads. He opened his day with service at
the church. He expressed sympathies with
miserable Muslims. There was no water, no
electricity. In extreme chill citizens were forced
to burn their precious furniture to keep
themselves warm. They were gratified on
survival after lapse of each and every night.
J.Salik marked that despite extreme
hardships there was not a single beggar asking
for alms. The courage of Bosnian people gave
173
a new heart to J.Salik. He brought back a
message for his countrymen that they should
thank God for peace and order prevailing in
their homeland. This piece of land should be
safeguarded at all costs. They should imbibe
the spirit of tolerance and accommodation.
They should listen to others; understand
others’ point of view.
“Keep in mind that if (God forbid) this
land slipped under their feet, no sky zone will
provide roof over their heads”, is the crux of
J.Salik’s message, Mujibur Rahman Shami
observed.
“Is
there
any
substitute
of
independence?” is a caption of column written
by Col. Mukhtar Ahmad Butt. Col. Butt wrote
about Pakistan Independence Day rally held at
Bradford (Britain) under the auspices of
“Pakistan forum Bradford”. Instead of inviting
any professional politician, the organizers had
given the chair to former minister and MNA
J.Salik.
Col. Butt writes that there were several
fiery speakers who shed light on the current
affairs prevailing in Pakistan. The most
impressive speech was that of J.Salik who
refused to cash on any privilege as a minister
or member of parliament.
J.Salik stuck to his principles resisting all
temptations. Pakistan have had showered
honour and blessings on its citizens. Now was
174
the time they made sacrifices for its
integrity and security. Instead of indulging in
corruption, they should promote the passion
for sacrifices and selflessness, he said.
J.Salik stands for enforcing “moral
emergency” in Pakistan. According to him the
country has almost become morally bankrupt.
J.Salik’s colleagues in the cabinet had been
making mockery of him as he could not
fluently speak English. On the other hand,
J.Salik says that poor and the illiterate had not
harmed Pakistani interests as the wealthy and
well-educated persons had done.
Despite being without formal education
J.Salik is fond of FALCON, an imagery Allama
Iqbal, poet of the East, uses in his verses.
J.Salik says FALCON flies very high. It is not
carrion eater like vultures. The people of
Pakistan can fly high only if they desist from
being carrion crow and resist corruption.
J.Salik says it does not behove a minister
of bebt-ridden Pakistan to don three piece
suits. He had given up meat eating since the
majority of his voters cannot afford meat.
As a matter of practice Salik does not
attend any social function where there is
illumination. He says in a country where there
is power shortage and energy load shedding is
resorted to, it is a crime to waste electricity on
illumination.
175
A columnist Hamid Mir says (9 May,
2000) J.Salik may or may not be able to do
anything for his voters but his electorate
remains satisfied with his conduct. He is never
seen clad in costly clothes, nor he roams in
expensive cars, nor there is a sentry at his
official residence as a minister. The door of his
office remained open to anyone and everyone.
No one needs seek prior appointment
(formality through his secretary) to see him.
He was probably the lone minister who refused
allotment of a plot of land in Islamabad. Not
that he needed not one. He does not own a
plot, nor any other property. He needs
resources to remain in contact with his voters
as his electoral constituency spreads over
entire Pakistan though. But he never allowed
lack of resources to hamper his political
activity. The secret lay in his life style
remaining all the same whether he is a
member of parliament or not. J.Salik’s urge to
do something for others is not limited to his
voters.
Hamid Mir referred to elections of official
drivers union. J.Salik’s official driver contested
for the office of the union’s president. J.Salik
personally
participated
in
the
election
campaign of his driver and got him elected.
Because of J.Salik, five other ministers took
part in the oath-taking ceremony of the
drivers’ union.
176
J.Salik has the habit of studying
things closely, he analyses things minutely and
with cold logic brings home his point
convincingly.
J.Salik lost general elections in 1997.
According to him his defeat was designed in
order to keep Pakistan Peoples Party out of
power.
A columnist Munno Bhai in his column
captioned “A new world record” (published in
the Jang issue of April 17, 1998) played up
research results of J.Salik in respect of voting
pattern of the majority and minorities
communities
as
manifest
in
election
commission compilation.
J.Salik had found that the Muslim voters
numbering twenty million cast their votes. Four
hundred fifty thousands of votes were declared
invalid. On the other hand none of the four
hundred twenty six thousand voters polled by
the non-Muslims was invalid. This was a new
world record of its own kind, worth Pakistan
taking pride in.
According to J.Salik the tampering with
electoral results of the minorities was evident
and they had been declared after consolidated
counting rather than individual counting at
each polling station.
J.Salik had been apprehensive about the
polls results from day one. The election
schedule had been announced on December 16
177
which was the day of Pakistan’s breakup as
on that day East Pakistan had became
Bangladesh. Insensitivity from which we suffer,
is a worse curse than helplessness. J.Salik said
if elections were held in accordance with that
schedule and he won polls, he would feel
shamefaced on taking oath as member of
parliament.
Dr. Ajmal Niazi said (5 September, 1995)
J.Salik was in habit of raising alarm. Often his
fears proved true. On August 14, 1996 the day
of independence, national flag could not be
hoisted, nor national anthem was played as the
special ceremony for the occasion had been
cancelled because of rains.
J.Salik of the view that the national flag
could be unfurled despite downpour. The
national anthem could be played in Pakistan
television studio which could be viewed
throughout the country. He considered the
cancellation as not good omen.
Dr. Ajmal Niazi said a Christian could not
constitutionally be a prime minister in
Pakistan. People of Pakistan still remembered a
former Christian chief justice of Pakistan. The
rulers of the country, who looted Pakistan by
all possible means, may decide for themselves
as who were sincere to the homeland.
Justice Cornelius used to say that he was
a constitutional Muslim while many Muslim
rulers were unconstitutional in their conduct.
178
J.Salik established a glorious instance
of plain and truthful speaking. He turned
“wazir into faqir” – he continued to be dervish
while being a minister.
“Oh Muslims! you may at least be
constitutional Muslim”, Dr. Niazi urged.
Dr. Ajmal Niazi in another column
captioned “Nobel peace award for Pakistan”
with reference to J.Salik’s nomination for the
honour, sarcastically talked of another world
record set by Pakistani politicians in respect of
overnight changing their political loyalties.
In Pakistan’s peculiar political scenario,
Salik enjoys a unique position. He never
compromised on his political views. He never
mortgaged his mind.
Dr. Mohammad Ajmal Niazi, in his
column recalled J.Salik’s interview to chief
editor Mussarat Iftikhar of an Urdu magazine
“Culture” published from Oslo (Norway). He
said Pakistan expatriates had come to settle in
Norway in a bid for better living conditions,
improved civic amenities. A modern peaceful
prosperous life style had brought them to
Norway. J.Salik said he wished Pakistan to
become such a welfare, just, liberal and
flourishing society that they were tempted to
return to it.
J.Salik registered a protest on the killing
of a Norwegian tourist in the Indian occupied
Kashmir. He said the tyrants particularly
179
wanted to assassinate a Norwegian, since
the former were enemies of peace, while the
latter worshipped peace. For J.Salik the
difference between protestation and entreaty
disappears. He makes earnest supplications.
He never asks others to make sacrifices, he
never urges others to come to streets in
protest. He won attention of others against
oppression whether be in Pakistan or
elsewhere and for peace. And he never minds
making fun of himself and to become a symbol
to administer admonition to others.
ROAMING WITH BLACKENED FACE
One day J.Salik blackened his face and
roamed about in the streets. A person with
sparkling soul as Salik is, could not have a
dark countenance. He indeed wanted to put
violators of peace to shame. He is an advocate
of peace and dedicated himself to the cause of
peace at large. He visualizes setting up a Peace
University where scholars might be awarded
Ph.D degree for research theses objectively
written with the pen point of peace promoters.
J.Salik undertook a peace march against
Iran-Iraq war in 80’s. He traveled on foot from
Lahore to Karachi – a distance of nearly 1500
kilometers – in forty days.
He put dust in his head when his
targeted goal eluded.
Once J.Salik started a “social dynamic
program”, which he widely projected through
180
ads in the press. How it was perceived by
the press may be evident from a column
written by Khushnood Ali Khan. According to
him an equivalent to the sum J.Salik proposed
to spend on his community on the festive
occasion of Christmas was spent on its
publicity. After seeking applications for aid,
J.Salik sent a message through press to the
applicants that they each might borrow an
amount of Rs. 1000 from their neighbours. The
fund would be subsequently reimbursed. Such
a scheme might have further indebted his
community.
For the “Social dynamic program” J.Salik
appealed for contributions from philanthropists
instead of releasing any funds on behalf of
government. The objective of the program as
publicized was that “no daughter would any
longer remain deprived of basic necessaries” in
the awami daur – Peoples Party rule period.
Khushnood Ali Khan wrote J.Salik might
not be aware of number of young girls who
slept without meals at night, not to speak of
their parents having the means to pay for their
wedding arrangements. The objective of the
projected scheme of J.Salik was to mobilize the
society and make it dynamic under its own
steam.
Munno
Bhai
another
columnist
commended the project of J.Salik according to
which girls of poor families would be married at
181
the expense of those who incurred heavy
spendings on the wedding receptions of their
sons and daughters at five star hotels.
Munno Bhai also lent support to J.Salik’s
proposal to hold an international conference of
minorities in Pakistan. J.Salik planned to invite
Nelson Mendela, Yassar Arafat besides other
Nobel peace prize laureates from all over the
world.
The columnist also praised another
proposal of J.Salik that there should no power
load shedding at dawn. He was of the view that
a Pakistani opening his eyes each morning in
darkness may not conceive a brilliant hard
working day ahead.
Dr. Ajmal Niazi in a column “Glorious
non-Muslims in Pakistan” says J.Salik seems
simpleton at first sight but he is a sage, a wise
man at the core. Whether it be his simplicity,
or sagacity, yet the trait of his truthfulness a
Socratic characteristic is never non-existent.
J.Salik leveled a charge of misconduct
against a former chief election commissioner
justice (retired) Fakhre Alam and demanded a
judicial inquiry.
J.Salik’s
contention
was
that
the
commission headed by Fakhar-e-Alam had
done irreparable damage to electoral process
in Pakistan.
Dr. Niazi also refers to J.Salik’s
suggestion to administering oath of office to
182
bureaucrats as it was done in case of
politicians. According to Dr. Niazi this also
reflects J.Salik’s simplicity. J.Salik must have
known the politicians had set new records of
corruption in Pakistan after having taken oath
in the name of Allah Almighty.
Dr. Niazi recalled a court proceeding in
which a Haji (a person who had performed
pilgrimage to Mecca) made a false testimony.
When he was put to shame by pointing out his
pilgrimage, he presumptuously declared that
he would go on another pilgrimage next year.
The columnist quoted an oriental author
Khalil Jabran who had said he admitted truth
once the statement was made. When the other
person insisted, he got suspicious. When he
swore, he was convinced that he was telling a
lie.
16th December 1971 is a black day in
Pakistan history. On that day following Indians’
armed
intervention
East
Pakistan
was
separated from the Pakistan federation and
became an independent country Bangladesh.
Hamood ur Rahman commission had
been appointed by Pakistan government to
probe into Dhaka debacle. Hamood ur Rahman
commission
report
was
never
officially
published.
Excerpts from the report were published
recently in India. With that publication, the
demand for officially releasing the report
183
gained momentum in Pakistan. Chief
executive general Pervez Musharraf advised
Pakistani people to let the gone, be by gone
and forget the past.
On the other hand J.Salik had always
been advocating that causes of Dhaka
surrender should be spelt out on Pakistan
television so that in future such sad events do
not recur.
In 1996 the schedule for fresh elections
was announced on December 16. J.Salik
declared it to be a bad omen. J.Salik’s point
may not be of any importance for those who
do not attach any omnious significance to any
event. But J.Salik insisted that the then
president Farooq Ahmad Leghari should have
addressed the nation on that day on Pakistan
television. The president should have analysed
the causes of Dhaka tragedy so that there
might not debacle of democracy or another
Dhaka in future.
J.Salik has the skill to outdo others. He is
a statesman in being distinguished and capable
politician.
A columnist Dildar wrote (in daily
Pakistan issue 6th August 1996) that politicians
think through their tongues as their tongues
work swifter than their minds. The column had
been prompted by a claim of J.Salik that he
had set a new record by making a continuous
speech for 16 hours at Qaddafi stadium,
184
Lahore. Probably this could find place in
famous Gennese book of records.
The columnist said instead of J.Salik
winning a place of distinction on this account,
the audience deserved commendation. One
may not be able to listen to even a celebrated
singer for that long.
Dildar thought there could possibly be
three ways of doing a thing. The first may be
right, the second wrong and the third that was
of J.Salik viz setting new records.
J.Salik is a Christian but he stands for
social reforms for all strata of Pakistan society
irrespective of creed doctrines. Muslim
marriage ceremonies are becoming more and
more expensive day by day. This is causing
new social anxieties for families with limited
means. A function of “Mehndi” (Henna – a
ceremony to colour pink hands of the bride-tobe on eve of wedding) which was previously
merely a limited family ceremony involving
modest expenses, have lately attained new
fanfare dimensions. The number of guests has
enormously enlarged. The girls of the family
along with their friends stage dances in front of
guests who include even unfamiliar strangers.
J.Salik has been vehemently criticizing
such financially prodigal and morally depraved
customs. The institution of dowry in itself was
no less curse which darkened the future of
orphan and poor young girls to be happily
185
married. Now for a few last years the
elaborate Mehndi ceremony had worsened the
situation in Pakistan which had come into
existence in 1947 after the sacrifices of
300,000 human lives and dishonouring of a
large number of women folk.
A columnist Tauseef Ahmad Khan quoted
J.Salik as ruthlessly condemning upstarts for
making their sisters and daughters to dance to
the tune of such filthy songs: Je nachay
munday di man, te mehndi tan sajdi (Mehndi
looks festive only if mother of the bridegroom
staged a dance). Dancing by females in front
of men does not conform to moral values in
the East. J.Salik stands for high oriental moral
values.
Another columnist Munno Bhai says with
elevation of J.Salik, who is not merely a
commoner but belongs to the downtrodden
class, to the cabinet has stirred a wave of
uproar and fury among the hereditary class of
feudal lords and aristocrats. The aristocrats
and bureaucrats who are traditional ruling
class in Pakistan cannot brook a commoner,
(coming from the downtrodden stratem of
society, and for them a fake, a “rolled gold
piece”) to rub shoulders with them. This may
wide open the way for others of the same ilk to
aspire for high positions hitherto denied to
them.
186
The columnist calls him ‘Majnun’ –
name of the celebrated lover of Laila’ in
Pakistan folklore but with a difference. He is
desperately in love but not a weak man
wedded to meeting his aspirations at all costs.
He is prone to make sacrifices, shed his blood
in the process. As one fish pollutes the entire
pond, so J.Salik’s peers perceive that one self
sacrificing ‘Majnun’ may expose the hollowness
of others, who are interested in honey-licking
alone.
According to the columnist another
drawback J.Salik suffered was that he practices
what he preaches. His deeds conform to his
words. His conduct brings others’ self
contradictory stance in sharp contrasting relief.
This posed a threat to professional politicians
and hence his presence in the corridor of
power was unacceptable to them.
Once a national newspaper published a
handprint of J.Salik and with the help of
palmistry traced traits of his personal
character. At the time of interview the palmist
Basharat told Salik that it would be for the first
time that handprint of any non-Muslim was
being published in his newspaper.
Basharat writes that J.Salik was reluctant
to give his handprint. In the first instance he
pleaded that he was not worthy enough for
such a study. Secondly J.Salik said on being
imprisoned the jail authorities as a first step
187
procured prints of hands and feet of the
inmate. And he was not a prisoner in that
respect.
J.Salik had asked the palmist whether he
could carry kalashinkov in a bid to set up
peace. Basharat replied that his creative mind
and generous temperament did not indicate his
involvement in violence.
Basharat asked J.Salik what would be
geographical contours of Pakistan in case there
was a bloody revolution in next ten years as
predicted by certain quarters.
J.Salik gazed at Basharat and replied as
it was a cardinal sin to conceive ill thought for
one’s own mother, so according to him it was a
crime to perceive ill for Pakistan.
Basharat recalls that he had asked
J.Salik as to what was his contribution toward
peace. Salik said one national of Scandinavian
countries too had asked him in 1993 as how
being in Pakistan he had done anything to
promote peace. Since then, Salik said, he was
of the thought there should be a ministry of
peace in Pakistan which should work to
disprove the charge of terrorism against
Pakistan and convince the world that Pakistan
believes in peace.
According to Basharat J.Salik’s features
indicate that while on one hand he is an open
hearted and of forgiving nature, on the other
he is adherent to principles, rules and
188
regulations.
By
birth
he
harbours
authoritative temperament, leadership qualities
and propensity for publicity.
J.Salik is capable of creating wonders.
Well known Urdu journalist Asr Chohan in his
column ‘Siyasatnama’ (published in the mass
circulated daily Jang issue 21st October 1993)
writes that many stalwarts like Asif Ali Zardari,
Sardar Farooq Leghari and Mir Balakh Sher
Mazari had failed to prevail upon elderly
politician Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan to vote
for Benazir Bhutto for prime minister election.
J.Salik suddenly whispered something into the
ear of Nawabzada Nasrullah. The latter stood
up and went straight to Benazir’s lobby to cast
his vote.
In another column Asr Chohan says once
J.Salik
scribbled
his
resignation
from
membership of the national assembly in own
blood. Before J.Salik could present his
resignation to the speaker, his peers carried
that away lest they too should have to follow in
his foot prints.
Asr Chohan wrote one of his columns
about a three pronged maiden circular issued
by J.Salik on his assumption of office as a
federal minister. The minister had ordered that
a figure of dove, which is a symbol of peace,
be affixed at the main gate of his ministry. A
ditch might also be dug in which the minister’s
blood ejected in presence of an ambulance and
189
a doctor, be poured. Thirdly the chamber of
the minister be washed with rose water, before
he started functioning.
The blood ditching part of the circular
was however, later withdrawn on the
insistence of J.Salik’s cabinet colleagues. They
probably might have been afraid that the
public would insist on their bleeding too.
Another columnist Hunain Javed in his
column: Why cold shouldering minorities’
(published in the Nawa-i-waqt issue 6th
October 1992) criticised Pakistan’s successive
governments for ignoring the genuine interests
of the minorities.
The columnist said since day one the
minorities remained loyal to Pakistan. They
proved themselves to be good citizens both in
fair and foul weather. In these circumstances it
should have been the primary responsibility of
Pakistan administration to safeguard the rights
of minorities
J.Salik as a member of national assembly
is the custodian of the rights of the minorities.
Before being returned to parliament too J.Salik
had been championing the cause of minorities
most vehemently that too in his distinctly
individual style.
J.Salik’s demonstration in support of his
demands which were not of political nature,
attracted public attention alright, but in his
190
arrest the government manifested its weak
stance to the entire world.
Third degree methods might have been
used against J.Salik during detention. But in
his first public statement after his release
J.Salik said the policemen were not at fault.
They were merely discharging their duty.
J.Salik said he would award prizes to the
policemen for being diligently dutiful.
A columnist Zafar Iqbal in his column
“Jangnama”
said
J.Salik’s
stance
was
tantamount to presenting the other cheek after
having been slapped on one cheek. Thus
J.Salik was true to his Christian faith.
Javed Chaudhry in a column captioned
“Kafir” – (infidel, an unbeliever, published in
Urdu daily Pakistan) describes J.Salik as rustic
whose biodata carries no reference to
Beaconhouse, Aitchison college and Oxford
university. He can neither speak English
fluently nor write English with facility. He
sometimes find it difficult to read ordinary
signboards or brochures. He never smokes
“Romeo Juliet” cigars. His wardrobe is without
St. Michael suit pieces. His footwear are not
“made in Italy”.
As for his speech, the language is
emotion
packed
Urdu
punctuated
with
colloquial Punjabi. His accent is simple, bold
and unhesitant which conceals all faults.
191
J.Salik is so theatrical that during
speech he becomes hoarse, his eyes swell with
tears and his body trembles. When he is
“angry” he sets all his household goods to fire.
When he takes to dramatics, he wears jute
clothes, rides a tricycle on the Mall, goes on
hunger strike, stages a sit in and resigns his
membership of the national assembly. He
stops his staff car on the road and makes
pedestrians to have seat beside him. At
reception he turns down any help to pick his
plate. He wears dirty clothes. They are
disfigured with stains and drenched in stink of
sweats of those whom he embraces throughout
the day. Those whom he holds in his arms are
his brothers, his voters and are always ready
to sacrifice their lives for him.
His chamber is full of odour of sweat of
his visitors. When the room becomes too
overcrowded he opens the adjacent conference
hall. Previously gentry used to grace such
dignified places where workers, labourers and
miserable people had no access.
J.Salik intently listens to the tales of their
woes. He consoles them, comforts them and
silently slips the return bus fare into their
pockets. Ninety percent of his visitors return
with wishful prayers, and a few fresh dreams.
J.Salik has procured a few hundred
cycles and sewing machines. Whenever he
192
comes across a needy person he humbly
presents a piece to him or her.
J.Salik is a leader of third class citizens
who cleanse our houses, toilets, bathrooms,
and drains. They sweep our offices. They get
aside to give us the way whenever they come
across us. They salute us, shower their
greetings and best wishes on us for nothing.
We respond to their services, their labour and
affection with contempt and haughtiness, as if
we are “Brahmans” and they “untouchables”.
J.salik is the leader of the latter. He
embraces them, kisses their foreheads, pats
their back. He is the only ruler, the only
minister, the only “big man” whom they are
not afraid of, in whose presence they suffer no
inferiority complex. He is one of them and they
are just like him.
Javed Chaudhry writes: oh! You Christian
brothers! How lucky you are to have J.Salik as
your leader.
In 1996 J.Salik had been nominated for
Nobel peace award on behalf of Pakistan.
Though his nomination was not accepted by
the selection committee, yet J.Salik’s struggle
for peace was in no way less than those who
won the award, wrote a columnist Qazi Javed.
The columnist said whether J.Salik’s
name was considered or not at Stockholm, one
thing is certain that J.Salik holds a unique
position. He had not attained that status by
193
means of family’s influence or wealth, the
normal course for achieving distinction in this
society. Having born in a backward locality of
northern Lahore J.Salik had nothing except his
restless soul to stride in this world. He crossed
hurdles at each and every step. Whatever
J.Salik is today that is because of his personal
political and social struggle. Benazir Bhutto
was right when she remarked while nominating
J.Salik for Nobel award that “the flame of
liberty shines brightest in the dark”.
Through his conduct J.Salik has emerged
as embodiment of “Conscience” of Pakistan
society. He has waged a long struggle for the
rights of minorities, democratic order, human
rights and peace. He stands for well being of
the entire humanity cutting across creed,
colour and racial divide.
J.Salik had started with raising voice for
the rights of Christian minority. This pertained
to the period when Z. A. Bhutto government
had
nationalized
Christian
educational
institutions.
Subsequently
‘fundamentalist’
educational institutions were returned to the
original sponsors but Christian institutions are
still under government control. They have been
ruined.
Previously Christian leadership was weak
and any effective protest could not be staged.
In the meantime J.Salik stepped forward,
194
awakened Christian community and aroused
their feelings for their rights.
Soon Salik outstepped spokesmanship of
Christian minority alone. In 1979 he
vehemently protested against anti-Muslim riots
in India. He declared that he would don sack
fibre clothes until the rights of Muslims of India
were not safeguarded in consultation with the
United Nations. He had been wearing sack
clothes for twelve years. In 1991 he gave up
sack dress at the request of the then speaker
of the national assembly, Gohar Ayub Khan.
J.Salik surpasses other Pakistanis in
protest against excesses being done to Muslim
minorities in various countries. He had been
raising voice for the rights of Muslim minority
in the Philippines. In this behalf he wrote a
letter in his blood to the UN secretary general.
J.Salik have been leading an exceptional
conduct on various occasions. He did not hold
walima reception at the wedding of his son
David. Nor he invited ministers, political or
religious leaders for the marriage procession.
Only a band played the national anthem to
mark the ceremonial occasion. And he led the
prayers for promoting frugality.
J.Salik launched the World Minorities
Alliance in 1978 and dedicated his capabilities
to the cause of forging harmony among
minority
communities
in
the
world.
Commending J.Salik’s endeavour in this behalf,
195
Qazi Javed wrote that over 150 conferences
and seminars had been held under the
auspices of the World Minorities Alliance which
might go a long way in advancing tolerance
and co-existence among various communities.
A veteran journalist Saadat Khiyali in his
column “Andheray Sewaray” published in daily
‘Din’ (November 12,1999) supported J.Salik’s
suggestion that instead of conventional form of
oath of office which had proved of no effect, a
new form of oath be introduced.
J.Salik who is also convenor of
International
Human
Rights
Party
had
proposed that officials and holders of public
posts be made to swear by putting their hands
on heads of their family members that their
kith and kith might be ruined in case they
deviated from public service and indulged even
in minor corruption.
Saadat Khayali says with every political
change the newcomer is considered to be a
Messiah (miraculous deliverer). The public
desires the most stringent accountability. If
that expectation is not met, the Nature might
not afford another opportunity. Allah does not
spare a liar nation.
J.Salik’s stance has been principled,
uncompromising and comprehensive. He had
been a staunch opponent of Nawaz Sharif’s
policies. But when Nawaz Sharif’s rule ended
and his family and inner house was exposed to
196
cameras of not only of Pakistan television
but also to foreign media, J.Salik was critical of
grotesque handling in the context of Zia-ulHaq’s promised social safeguards in respect of
‘chaddar’ and ‘chardivari’ (woman’s honour and
household safety).
J.Salik’s entire life had been full of
events,
interesting,
instructive
and
admonishing events with no match - living or
dead – in human memory. J.Salik had been a
minister in Benazir Bhutto cabinet. When
Benazir Bhutto government was dismissed by
president Farooq Leghari, all her ministers
disappeared as they had never existed at all.
Only J.Salik was there, living and kicking. His
popularity enhanced, his size enlarged.
Newspaper columns were written on him, one
after another. Writers vied with one another to
project one or another aspect of J.Salik’s
abnormal activities.
While J.Salik’s peers were hiding their
heads in view of massive corruption charges,
J.Salik had nothing to hide.
J.Salik was the only member of Benazir
Bhutto’s former cabinet that caretaker prime
minister Miraj Khalid went to call on him at his
residence. According to hearsay Miraj Khalid
had gone to win over loyalty of J.Salik. Not
only that Miraj Khalid returned empty handed,
he also conceded an unusual request of J.Salik.
The caretaker prime minister permitted a
197
camel carts cavalcade to enter the federal
capital to carry J.Salik’s bag and baggage from
Islamabad to Lahore.
The objective of J.Salik was put on
display his entire possessions after having
been a federal minister for several years. The
precious pieces to be transported were scores
of portraits of world notables who have had
won Nobel peace awards.
Qazi Javed in his column on the occasion
recalled several episodes of Salik’s life that
might be heart rending or heart pleasing but
all time touching one’s right chord.
During the last days of popular Urdu poet
Habib Jalib J.Salik went to him to enquire after
his health. Instead of taking a bouquet of
fragrant flowers as a present for the poet,
J.Salik bore a bunch of thorns which signified
that the lives of both of them had been
adorned with uneasy obtrusions.
The bunch of thorns carried an
inscription:“kanto ka parbat par yeh dekho
Mehka hai phool baharoon ka
(Look at the mound of thorns, a flower has
blossomed that heralds spring).
Qazi Javed records that when J.Salik was
jailed for having failed to break his hunger
strike, the jail superintendent as a last resort
made Salik stand against a wall. At a distance
of 10 feet a constable was posted with a rifle
198
ready to open fire. J.Salik shut his eyes and
concentrated his attention on Christ.
Jail superintendent counted down but no
shot was fired. After a few moments Salik
opened his eyes. The superintendent said this
was the last arrow left in his quiver which
failed to deter J.Salik. Now it was upto him to
continue as his guest or rejoin his people.
According to Qazi Javed this was another
feather in J.Salik’s cap.
The secret of J.Salik’s success lay in his
firm determination. In no circumstances he
loses hope. He has made people around him
believe that the rights do not accrue on their
own. The rights have to be procured through
sincere struggle, sometimes prolonged.
Munno Bhai in his column says the
current period of human affairs is of “short
cuts”. J.Salik’s modus operandi is “long march”
or “long route” and deserves commendation on
that. J.Salik’s wife Mary is his real companion
through thick and thin of his life. Not only that,
she is a source of strength and additional
courage for him.
Munno Bhai says that the number of
tyrants and exploiters is not large. They are
small in number, coward in behaviour but they
dominate. Their victims are in millions. Yet
they are violated and have no one voice.
There may be several Saliks. But
individuals can make no miracles. United
199
against the common evil enemy, swallows
may make elephants run, rivers may change
courses, and mountains leave their places,
Munno Bhai concludes.
J.Salik who has been subject matter of
countless columns in newspapers, wrote an
open letter to general Pervez Musharraf on
appointing himself as the chief executive of
Pakistan. J.Salik said it appeared from the
general’s press statements that he really
intended to do something for the nation. If that
was really so, then he might take concrete
steps instead of publicizing his good intentions.
As a first step, Salik suggested the general
Pervez Musharraf might donate half of his
property to Bait-ul-Mal (official common fund)
to prove his credentials.
No other political worker in Pakistan
could have as many penmen writing on him, as
J.Salik and all of them were full of praise for
Salik’s integrity, honesty of purpose, sincerity,
simplicity and sooth-saying. Yet, M.Tufail, a
senior editorial executive of mass circulated
Urdu daily Jang, says that J.Salik is not a
publicity seeker.
M. Tufail, in his article entitled “May it so
happen that J.Salik’s passion becomes part of
our philosophy of life”, writes that whenever
J.Salik brought to him a piece for publication,
he always said “Tufail Bhai. You may publish
this in case it conforms to the Jang’s standard,
200
otherwise it may be thrown in waste-paper
basket. I will have no objection”. J.Salik never
insisted on publication of anything.
He says J.Salik’s name is a symbol of
honour and respectability not only among the
Christian community but also among Pakistan
masses especially the labour class. His sterling
quality is that he is of firm determination.
Whatever he wills to do, he does it. No
obstacle, no hurdle, no pretensions can block
his path. “This fine trait is scarce among our
political workers”.
J.Salik’s conversation is simple and
spontaneous. Some of his political opponents
call it artificial and hypocritical but his talk
reflects truth, sincerity and devoid of artifice.
For J.Salik politics is not a means to glean
wealth or lead luxurious life. This is Divine
worshipping for J.Salik. May it so happen that
J.Salik becomes a symbol of national
philosophy – the way of thinking, of living.
Recognition
of
J.Salik’s
impeccable
characteristics have traveled beyond journalist
community. Chief executive of Gulf Pak
Refinery and advisor to Saudi government,
says J.Salik has enhanced Pakistani prestige at
international level. There is hard to find a
match to J.Salik’s affection, his fraternal
feeling and level of tolerance. “I have seen
almost all big countries of the world. Wherever
I went I was pleased to note people knowing
201
and praising J.Salik. His distinct style of
politics and protestation has made J.Salik
unique among Pakistani politicians. He is a true
representative of the poor people of Pakistan.
Whether he be in government or out of it,
J.Salik is always steady in safeguarding the
rights of the people. Pakistan does need many
more sincere persons like J.Salik, Syed Akhtar
remarks.
Shabnam Irshad compere of “Roshan
Pakistan” program of PTV, Islamabad says
J.Salik is ‘God-send’. She says J.Salik is a
politician with good, neat and clean reputation.
The presence of persons of integrity like
J.Salik is indeed a blessing in the current
period with abundant corruption and plunder.
The reputation J.Salik has earned with his
individual and peculiar style of politics is
beyond anybody else. One may admire the
innovative method he devises to register his
protest. At the same time his social service
cannot be ignored either. Pakistan indeed is in
need of such sincere type people.
Dr. Rukhsana Naheed, an ex- medical
officer in Tehsel headquarters hospital, Pindi
Gheb in Attock district says J.Salik had visited
her house as a federal minister. I felt that
J.Salik shows respect to everyone. He just
cannot bear anybody being in difficulty or
hardship. His struggle for people’s rights will
go down in history in golden words”.
202
Dr. Inam-ul-Haq Javed chairman,
department of Pakistan languages, Allama
Iqbal open university says, J.Salik enjoys such
a popular figure status in Pakistan political
history that his matcher is rare. What can be
more astonishing that he have had been a
federal minister, yet he did not muster any
assets. J.Salik likes ‘khaki’ colour since it is soil
like. There is no doubt in its being “down to
earth” type. “I have always found him in
search of better future for his community. He
is human friendly. I feel no hesitation in saying
that with a score more of sincere, hard working
and outspoken persons like J.Salik, Pakistan
may achieve its desired goal”.
Qazi Mohammad Tariq, advocate high
court, says the success J.Salik met and the
fame he earned has made it evident that even
in the current critical phase of Pakistan politics,
a poor man with hard work and honesty can
capture a position of distinction. Though J.Salik
is not a Muslim, yet he is an example that may
be emulated by many Muslim politicians. His
patriotism and honesty is beyond any doubt. In
the real sense of the word he is a true
representative of the poor people.
Alhaj Shaikh Babu Mohammad Afzal,
chairman All Pakistan Flour Mills Association,
Punjab has paid a high tribute to J.Salik’s
spotless character.
203
He says J.Salik is a big name in
Pakistan chronicle. The renown he enjoys has
fallen to lot of few politicians. He has served
Pakistan nation rising above race, caste or
creed divide and this service is continuing.
Babu Afzal wished that J.Salik should
voice the problems confronted by business
community and industry as strong economy is
sine qua non for country’s progress. And the
economy cannot pick up until the government
evinces sincerity of purpose.
What distinguishes J.Salik is his ability to
make politics interesting. Although without a
formal education, J.Salik is capable of speaking
extempore for hours pausing only to take the
occasional breath and by and large making
more sense than many “educated” politicians,
remarks Naeem Bokhari, a noted advocate and
TV compere.
He writes: Salik retains a strange
embodiment of innocence despite being in
politics for so long. It is almost impossible not
to lose innocence in this field but somehow he
has managed it. This by itself is no mean
achievement. He also maintains a sense of his
roots. He is a formidable political entity with an
uncanny ability to raise the right issue at the
right time, Bokhari observes.
As regards J.Salik’s entering politics he
told an interviewer (published in Diplomatic
Times issue September 10, 1994) “I have
204
entered politics with a missionary passion to
serve the tormented humanity. This mission
takes me to serve in every nook and corner of
the country. You may name it social work or
politics. I am striving for the consolation of the
oppressed people as ordained by God. For me
this is Divine worship, social service and
indeed politics. With those objectives I am in
the arena for almost 20 years.
The profile published in periodical
Diplomatic Times described J.Salik as “An
unpredictable, emotional yet modest and
thoroughly humane. Salik has seldom cared for
worldly gains. There is always a method in the
madness of Mr. Salik whose family trait is
salvation for humanity through peaceful
agitations and protests”.
In another profile – “of a cosmopolite
benefactor”, written by Lawrence Pinto,
J.Salik’s rising high on the national, political
and social scene was attributed to his hard
work, sincerity, dedication and prolonged
peaceful struggle.
In the 70’s during the dark days of the
then martial law junta, J.Salik invented a
unique method of protest. He appeared as a
clown, he wore a P-cap (symbolizing military
regime) putting on black glasses (portraying
blindness of the rulers) and he wrapped
himself with a barbed wire to personify the
enslaved Pakistani nation.
205
J.Salik had entered practical politics in
1983, when he contested local bodies elections
in Lahore. Julius Salik was not a wealthy man
and had not enough money to run his
campaign. So he polished shoes in front of
Lahore metropolitan corporation, to generate
funds for his elections.
J.Salik came into political limelight when
he resigned from the metropolitan corporation
of Lahore to protest the alleged indifference of
Muslim representatives toward Christians living
in Punjab of which Lahore is provincial capital
“He smeared himself with ashes, put on black
robes and announced his resignation outside
the LMC’s conference Hall. Re-elected in 1983
community polls, he again quit the corporation
after a prolonged hunger strike at his open-air
office on the city’s main avenue.
The 1986 Hindu-Muslim riots in India,
and reports of forcible marriages of Indian
Muslim girls into Hindu families, caused him to
set out on foot for Karachi, the southern port
city from Lahore.
J.Salik launched a Salik Peace Education
Foundation. He has an ambitious plan to
incorporate “Peace Studies” as a full-fledged
subject in curricula. The peace chair was
offered to the country’s most prestigious
center of excellence, Quaid-e-Azam University.
“The idea is to use this chair as a platform to
encourage activities among internationally
206
acclaimed scholars to achieve global peace”,
the then vice chancellor of the University Dr.
Arsalan stated.
J.Salik visited the victims of Indian
aggression in Kashmir. He visited the refugee
camps in Azad Kashmir (Pakistan’s part) and
the world media highlighted this unique
gesture of Salik being the first person among
the country’s minorities who actively supported
the cause of Kashmiri people.
In 1995 he celebrated his Christmas with
Kashmiri people. He along with his family
members went to Kashmiri refugee camps and
spent two nights with them. This was a gesture
of solidarity against the massive violation of
human rights, victimization and virtual
genocide of peace loving people.
A renowned international journalist
Imtiaz Gul, in a write up “Maverick minister
battling against social excesses” published in
the Arab News (issue February 27, 1995), said
Salik’s march to prominence through strange
forms of protest climaxed during the reign of
former premier Nawaz Sharif when he
complained of government discrimination for
his association with Pakistan People’s Party
(PPP) of Benazir Bhutto – “Salik, at times a
confused orator, next appeared in parliament
wearing a black jute robe to mark his despair
over ministers and MPs of the then ruling party
who would mock him as a buffoon, a jester
207
looking for cheap popularity. Jester or not,
the popularity won him the next parliamentary
election and a seat in Benazir Bhutto’s cabinet.
Salik takes pride in his unusual
behaviour. “I made it to the ministry through
sheer hard work, much in contrast to most of
Christian politicians, who would not go beyond
demands for extra sugar or alcohol” Imtiaz Gul
quotes J.Salik.
Peace seems to be Salik’s obsession.
Austerity is his other obsession after peace and
human rights. In contrast to pompous lifestyle
of most of other ministers, Salik appears as
the most ascetic.
Imtiaz Gul wrote: Every other minister
has a new car since Ms. Bhutto regained the
premiership, including the chairpersons of 32
parliamentary committees. But Salik stuck to
the car used by his two predecessors, saying
he would retain it as long as he held the post.
He even annoyed many of his cabinet
colleagues when he proposed to the prime
minister that all official cars be painted green
to curb their frequent misuse by the kith and
kin of ministers and senior officials.
His mid-day meals too, come from a
snack restaurant catering to workers and lowranking employees of the ministry and not the
posh restaurants close to his ministry.
“Well, even it is a show-off, Salik as a
minister denies himself the best of life and is
208
able to identify himself with the poor”,
Imtiaz Gul quoted a diplomat having said.
J.Salik has been working not only for the
Christian community but also for the
fundamental rights of people all over the
world.
During the hostage crisis between USA
and Iran, he made a fervent appeal to Imam
Khomeni, the Iranian religious leader and
requested for the release of diplomatic
hostages on the occasion of Christmas so that
they could celebrate the occasion with their
families. Similarly during the long Iran-Iraq
war he went on a long march for peace (on
foot) through various cities and covered a
distance of 2000 kilometers to register his
protest against killing of innocent people. He
also distributed his households and lived in a
tent for two years to condemn the atrocities
committed during the event.
To demonstrate his commitment to the
cause of peace Salik founded the Peace
Education Foundation of Pakistan (P.E.F.P) in
1986 as its convenor to promote the noble
cause of peace the world over. He
painstakingly gathered the portraits of Nobel
peace laureates in his home.
These portraits were jacketed in barbed
wire. This was to depict and convey to the
people, the feeling of these noble personalities,
as perceived by Salik, that this world was not
209
yet a place they had stood and striven for
throughout their lives.
On 1st January 1995 J.Salik symbolically
freed the noble souls on bail for one year i.e.
till 1st January 1996 so that their living
compatriots could be made to realize the need
for restoration of peace in such centers as
Kashmir and Bosnia.
Samia Ejaz in her writeup (published in
the News International, Sunday issue April 7,
1996) said Salik wanted the living human
beings to intensify their efforts for peace so
that souls of those who worked for it and died
leaving their indelible prints on the sands of
history, may rest in peace.
She says Salik has an inborn impulse to
live and serve others, work for sectarian
harmony, peace and push forward undauntedly
as a lone crusader against despotism and
tyranny. He had to pay a very heavy price for
it in the form of extensive imprisonment
repeatedly for long terms, during military
regime particularly when he revolted against
general
Zia’s
dictatorial
regime
which
culminated in the shape of shoot to kill orders
etc. As a part of public protest against
despotism,
dictatorial
and
undemocratic
regime detrimental to peace, harmony and
human fraternity he, his wife Mary and the
only son David burnt their personal belongings.
210
Samia Ejaz particularly mentioned
Salik’s six projects namely social dynamic
program, glorify knowledge program, widows
rehabilitation program, housing privilege and
labour privilege program. The social dynamic
program is a sponsorship fund for marrying
girls of needy families while other programs
concentrated
on
education,
widow
rehabilitation and housing.
In his efforts to help the downtrodden in
Pakistan J.Salik provided shelter to 8000
Christians and 2000 Muslims in different areas
and land ownership rights were given to
30,000 Christian dwellers in 5 slums, drinking
water, electricity, education and other such
basic amenities were also provided to the
people of these areas.
Over 6000 Christian families all over
Pakistan were provided basic health facilities
including medicine with the efforts of J.Salik.
His 1995 ‘meet the people’ marathon
tour of 27 districts of Punjab was unique
example of going to the doorsteps of the public
for solution of their problems. He met tens of
thousand people. He listened to thousands of
needy people. He took first hand information
direct from the people and tried to solve their
difficulties. And more than that he consoled
and comforted them.
As federal minister of population welfare,
J.Salik led official delegations to Cairo
211
conference on population and development
in
September
1994
and
represented
government of Pakistan in 5th International
Congress on Maternal and NEO Natal Health at
Dhaka, Bangladesh in November 1995.
…………………………
212
Chapter 5
DREAMBOAT
PARLIAMENTARIAN
J.Salik is a man of practical politics. His
words in parliament vied with his deeds
outside. Press gallery commentators also found
J.Salik aloof from the general rut.
He banged his fists on his desk creating
an explosion-like noise that made everyone
attentive. Speaker Gohar Ayub Khan told him
to talk like a parliamentarian, not as a mob
rhetorician. Like a true pacifist Salik smiled and
said “I have tried to adopt the style just
displayed by another member Hamza”.
Despite yelling in the national assembly,
J.Salik did not appear to have technically made
it. He wanted to resign because the prime
minister could not “apologize for his apathy on
the floor of the house”. The speaker and the
deputy speaker pretended not having noticed
him when J.Salik was jumping up and down to
steal an opportunity to deliver the parting
sermon. The house was abruptly adjourned.
Salik did not take a minute to recover
from the shock of sudden termination. He
hauled at the press gallery to stay put in order
213
to see him cut his finger to sign the
prepared resignation with ‘my blood’.
A fairly good number of members of
national assembly (MNAs) rushed to him for
last minute persuasion.
Nusrat Javed famous for his ‘View from
the Gallery’ wrote, Salik was almost possessed
by masochist rage. He pricked the index finger
of his right hand with a pin. Finally Peter
Sahotra, who was a state minister rushed to
his bench and took the resignation away. Since
the paper on which resignation had been
written was no longer with Salik, he could not
sign it with his blood and thus he remained
what he was, a sitting member of national
assembly for the minority community.
In his ‘press gallery’ column M.A Niazi
said: J.Salik stayed awhile in the house (after
it was adjourned) trying to sign his resignation,
which he said was written in his own blood, but
he was prevented from this symbolic suicide by
an impressive array of multi-partisan unity, in
which Maulana Azim Tariq, Kashmir affairs
minister Mehtab Abbasi, the Jamaat’s Nazir
Virk and minister of state Peter John Sahotra,
joined hands to steal the resignation unsigned.
However, the Christian member remained
adamant to do it the next time. He had
squeezed out enough blood for signing a
resignation.
214
The writer of “View from the Gallery”,
Tariq Butt said, “Minority member J.Salik is an
institution by himself. When he speaks, he
speaks nonstop in a sonorous pitch. And when
he protests, he becomes emotional. But the
point he wants to bring home, he does it
successfully.
“J.Salik spoke with much force and
vigour in a high pitched voice on the budget.
He wanted a sum of Rs. 120 million collected
as duty on liquor to be spent on the welfare of
minorities. This amount should not be
incorporated in the ‘halal’ (legitimate) budget.
He was of the view that after the Shariat
Bill having been passed by parliament, the
income generated through taxation on liquor
should be declared illegitimate. He said the
grant of Rs. 50 million for the minorities was
not sufficient to meet their requirements.
J.Salik made a statement that the
national assembly should be named as
“religious assembly” because it did not
represent a nation but different religions and
sects.
To promote the cause of peace which is
an article of faith with J.Salik, he organized an
exhibition of photographs of Nobel peace prize
winners. At the exhibition a photograph of
Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah adorned
the presiding chair. J.Salik is a devout follower
of the Father of the Nation who stood for equal
215
rights of all citizens without discrimination
on the basis of caste, creed or colour.
J.Salik was critical of the working of the
national assembly. He said national anthem
was played in the cinema houses at the end of
each movie but not at the conclusion of the
sittings of parliament. He deplores that no
respect had been accorded to the freedom
fighters. “The citizens have made Sultan Rahi a
cine character and Noor Jehan a popular singer
more of their ideals than our national leaders
of the freedom movement”.
Noted newsman Sikander Hayat in his
‘Press Gallery’ column (22) said, J.Salik an
opposition member has made his mark in his
own way. For some months he had been
coming to the house wearing sack suit. Now he
is dressed in black.
When his turn came to make a speech on
the budget he really proved that he was
protest personified. He took the debate to new
heights by sheer force of his voice. Like a
torrential rain, he burst with full ferocity.
Speaking for Grade I to IV (the lowest cadre)
government employees in which most of the
minority class works, he said it takes the whole
life for moving from one grade to the next.
Then, his complaint was that the poor of his
community have been looted of their livesavings by the cooperatives but government
has done nothing. “Let the government do ‘gor’
216
(thinking) every minute otherwise the result
may be ‘goristan’ (graveyard) (J.Salik had
made pun making use of similar sounding
words from Urdu language).
J.Salik threatened to attend national
assembly barefoot in case the sanitary workers
(mostly belonging to Christian community)
employed by civic bodies were not paid their
dues within a fortnight (though this subject
was outside the pale of parliamentary list of
portfolios).
J.Salik
complained
that
irregular
payment of salaries on the pretext of lack of
funds had become a regular practice for last
four years in Hyderabad (southern district of
Sindh province of Pakistan).
“Is it not a matter of shame for the
government that it has the money to pay the
big bureaucracy but has no funds for the poor
sanitary workers?” asked J.Salik.
If 2,200 sanitary workers in Hyderabad
were not paid in a fortnight, he along with
others, would come on the streets to beg for
the ‘poor government’.
He deplored that the sanitary workers
had not been paid their dues before the Holy
Easter, depriving his community members of
properly observing the day, as the poor
workers could not buy the clothes and other
things for their kids.
217
He complained that the sanitary
workers were not paid their pension and other
dues even after 10 years of their retirement.
J.Salik did not confine himself to
parliamentary affairs alone when he was a
member of the national assembly.
J.Salik’s Quami Masiha Party (National
Christian Party) does not play solo on
important issues. It joined hands with Pakistan
Democratic Alliance (a conglomerate of several
mainstream political parties) and Peoples
Labour Union to protest in Lahore against the
demolition of ancient Babri mosque in India
(December 9, 1992).
Addressing the rally, J.Salik censured the
fanatic Hindus for pulling down Babri mosque.
He said this action had exposed India’s stance
of so-called secularism. The tragic incident had
started a new wave of bloodshed between the
Hindus and Muslims.
J.Salik counseled the Muslims of Pakistan
to exercise restraint. They should not take to
demolishing Hindu temples, as that would
enhance sufferings of Muslim minority in India.
He condemned the role of state minister (Nadir
Pervez) in Nawaz Sharif government in
demolishing a temple in Faisalabad as reaction
to Babri mosque tragedy.
J.Salik said Pakistan prime minister
should have addressed the nation on Pakistan
Television soon after demolition of Babri
218
mosque. This was a grave incident and the
prime minister should have given the people a
proper direction. In its absence the people
adopted their own way out swayed in passion
and damaged a number of temples.
He said governments of India and
Pakistan should have solved this burning issue.
Its consequences might be dangerous for both
the countries. J.Salik had offered his services
to help solve the mosque issue in his speech in
Parliament at least an year before the mosque
was actually destroyed. J.Salik also announced
to quit politics and settle in Karachi if he failed
to gather at least 100,000 people at Minar-ePakistan Lahore on December 21, (1992) to
protest desecration of Babri mosque by Hindu
fanatics in India.
The rally chanted slogans against ‘Hindu
Imperialism’. It burnt Indian flag and effigy of
the Indian prime minister.
Speaking at a sitting of national
assembly specially summoned to discuss
demolition of Babri mosque in India in 1992,
J.Salik said that pulling down of the historic
mosque was not only a matter of Muslims. This
is a problem not only of Muslim minority of
India but also a matter of concern for the
minority communities of the entire world. He
recalled that a year ago he had offered on the
floor of the house that a minority delegation
headed by him might be sent to India to
219
negotiate on the question of Babri mosque.
He had also promised that he would not return
to Pakistan empty landed. He would have
preferred to lay down his life by jumping from
the Red Fort. But he was not listened to.
J.Salik said this was a day of mourning
while most of the members were carrying
applications seeking official favours. He said
that the matter was being projected as a
religious issue. But most of the religious
leaders sitting in the house were not getting up
to speak on the Babri mosque subject. This
was probably because this being an evening
time and peak hour lessening chances for the
press coverage. So the consideration was more
of getting space in newspapers, rather than
expressing their sentiments on this sad
occasion.
He deplored that 250 Hindu temples had
been demolished in Pakistan as a reaction to
destruction of Babri mosque in India. The
pullers of temples did not realize that they
were ruining Pakistan’s property. Were not the
demonstrators aware that by burning tyres
they were polluting Pakistan environment?
Instead they should have burnt their hearts,
they should have burnt their ministries by
resignations.
J.Salik said he was sad to hear a
minister’s statement that burning of temples in
Pakistan should not be a matter of worry. They
220
would be rebuilt, the minister had promised.
If rebuilding of Hindu temples could assuage
the hurt sentiments of Pakistani Hindus, then
rebuilding of Babri mosque in India should end
the tragic episode.
He suggested that a world minority
convention should be organized to which
representatives of Hindu minority communities
from 165 countries should be invited to discuss
the Babri mosque. The minority convention
might bring home to extremist Hindus of India
that their maltreatment of minorities might
expose their own brethren to similar treatment
in the countries where they were in minority.
J.Salik forewarned that a serious
situation would be in the offing when the
problem of Aqsa mosque in Baitul Maqdas
might emerge. He said Aqsa mosque and Baitul
Maqdas were not problems of Palestine alone.
These were equally sacred places for Muslims,
Christians and Jews. They should be
internationalized under the control of the
United Nations, so that people of all religions
have free access to them.
Referring to Pakistan government’s
decision to include entry of religions in national
identity cards, J.Salik said the Christian
community would not accept this measure
which he described as discriminatory. He was
afraid that the next step might be to declare
the particular sect the card holder belonged.
221
Salik suggested the government to hold a
referendum on this issue.
A ‘Press Gallery’ column written by Faraz
Hashmi (The Frontier Post issue 1st March,
1991) highlighted a point of order raised by
J.Salik
which
initiated
‘interesting’
interventions by his peers.
J.Salik had pointed out the session of the
first constituent assembly of Pakistan did not
open with the recitation of the Holy Quran
which was a bad omen.
J.Salik had been wearing jute clothes to
which some elite members, including the
speaker – the presiding officer, took an
exception.
Federal minister for housing and works
Tariq Mehmood jokingly said, “ J.Salik dress
would keep us reminding the mistake of our
forefathers”. Mitigating the significance of
J.Salik’s taking to ‘khaddar’ another Christian
member Peter John Sahotra said, “J.Salik wore
“khaddar” to maintain his individuality”.
J.Salik suggested that a special recitation
of the Holy Quran be held in lieu of the lapse in
the opening of a preceding house. He offered
to stop wearing “khaddar” after that recitation.
Federal minister for local bodies and
rural development Maulana Abdul Sattar
recited a few verses from the Holy Quran. This
led to J.Salik’s ending wearing “khaddar”.
222
On
another
occasion,
J.Salik
suggested to the speaker of the national
assembly that the national anthem be played
at the end of each sitting of the house. He said
frequent playing of national anthem would
strengthen the spirit of nationalism among
Pakistan legislators.
J.Salik criticized the government allowing
parliamentarians to spend five percent of the
funds allocated to them for development on
their signboards for the project completed by
them.
He despised using public funds for
projecting one’s own name. This is wastage of
national resources. He asked the government
to make it mandatory for legislators to use
every single penny of the funds at their
disposal on development projects in their
constituency.
At one stage J.Salik was disgusted with
the working of the national assembly and
vowed to resign. “I will not go back on my
words even if my dead mother comes out of
the grave to dissuade me,” he declared.
He sounded a warning that he would
take poison in case the government attempted
to arrest him to prevent his leaving the
assembly.
J.Salik took exception to president
Ghulam Ishaq Khan’s silence on “atrocities on
masses and elected representatives”.
223
He started “conscience pricking” long
march (nearly 1000 kilometers) to the grave of
the father of sitting president Ghulam Ishaq
Khan in Charsadda in NWFP. He began his long
march from the press club, Lahore with a
fanfare. A large number of local leaders of
Christian community met him on his way and
garlanded him. The long march was however,
Salik’s solitary exercise.
In front of Shahdara (a suburb of
Lahore) police station on grand trunk road
(historic road initially built by Sher Shah Suri in
Mughal rule period), the police officers greeted
Salik. The vans of police and intelligence
accompanied Salik on GT road. He had hardly
covered 100 kilometers on foot when Ghulam
Ishaq Khan resigned as president of Pakistan
under a political arrangement.
In 1992 Indian security forces had killed
two Pakistan civilians. J.Salik lashed at
Pakistan government for not doing enough to
get the bodies back. J.Salik suspected that
Indians might have tortured the two men and
they did not want this fact to be exposed.
Hence the delay in return of dead bodies.
J.Salik went on hunger strike for the
return of the bodies of the two Pakistanis killed
in India. “Am I not human? I am a Pakistani
and this is my duty to speak out against
injustice to Pakistan. As a human being I am
224
opposed to injustice anywhere, against
anyone”, Salik declared.
J.Salik also took up the cause of the
alleged rape of Veena Hayat in Karachi,
daughter of a veteran Muslim Leaguer Sardar
Shaukat Hayat and demanded of the
government to arrest the influential culprits
without any discrimination.
J.Salik called on the leader of visiting
Sikh pilgrims Sardar Parkash Singh Majeethia
at Gurdawara Ranjeet Singh at Lahore. He
expressed the sentiments of goodwill for the
Sikh delegation.
J.Salik called for greater unity among
members of various communities in the world.
In the first instance Sikhs and Muslims
minorities in India, who are struggling for their
rights, might get united.
J.Salik did not lose time in taking
cognizance of racial riots in Britain (1983). He
raised his voice alone as well as in consonance
with leaders of other communities to condemn
the incidents.
J.Salik vehemently protested against
racial discrimination in the U.K. He made a
fervent appeal to all the Christian intelligentsia
throughout the world to protest against
inhuman acts and express their concern over
the sad racial incidents.
J.Salik joined hands with Maulana Abdul
Qadir Azad, khatib Badshahi mosque, Lahore,
225
Mian Fazal-ul-Haq, chief organizer Jamiat
Ahl-e-Hadith, Maulana Ali Asghar khatib, Dr.
Pran Nath Seth, Hindu representative, Mr. H.
N. Wankadia, vice president Parsi Anjuman
Lahore, Labha Ramji, Balmiki representative,
and Giani Hari Singh, Sikh representative to
appeal to all the peace loving governments of
the world to intervene to stop bloodshed of
Asian community in the UK. They all wore
black badges to mark their grief over the tragic
incident.
In another joint statement, J.Salik with
Ali Ghazanfar Kararvi, chief organizer Markaz
Al-Muslimeen condemned the communal riots
in
Nigeria,
Lebanon,
Uganda,
Burma,
Philippines and other parts of the world. They
called upon the UN to appoint an International
Minority Tribunal to investigate into genocide
of the minorities.
The press continued to display J.Salik‘s
activities with his photographs in action. In a
writeup Anita Mir says: Recently Christian MNA
J.Salik has been receiving as much press
coverage as prime minister Nawaz Sharif which
is saying a lot. While the PM annexed
television’s prime time slots, footage showing
him tirelessly shaking the hands of and patting
the backs of flood victims, J.Salik has been
nudging his way up the newspaper columns.
“What kind of person is he? Are his
detectors rights when they say that the only
226
thing J.Salik is concerned about is
projecting J.Salik? Or is the other point of
view, which sees him as the most vocal
speaker for Christian rights in Pakistan today,
closer to truth?
Were it not for the wall hanging of ‘The
Last Supper’ and a framed picture of Jesus
Christ, Salik’s lounge would look like an airport
transit lobby? As one settles down on the floor
(which is carpeted) and after having counted
the twelve apostles several times, for want of
anything better to do, one remembers why
there is no furniture in this, or any other room.
Salik publicly burnt it as a sign of protest
against the government’s refusal to allocate
him the Christian community share of the
Widow Fund. This is the kind of things one
associates with Salik’s name, like the recent
incident in the assembly when he broke down
in tears.
“There is a sense of the showman about
Salik. He does not deny that he puts on drama.
He however, defines the term differently as
‘someone who acts on his words’. In today’s
political arena he sees this brand of drama as
necessary.
“Salik has announced that he would
resign from the national assembly. This, as he
pointed out, be the first time that a minority
member, and moreover, one who is not
affiliated to any political party, has resigned.
227
He predicts that following his resignation,
the assembly will have to be dissolved. It may
be that J.Salik is proved right or it may be that
once again, he is amazed. Salik does not make
it for our appointment. When we later meet he
shows us his excuse: a bunch of thorns, in the
midst of which a single rose, appropriately red,
which he has made up for the poet Habib Jalib.
“In the Christian community itself there
are mixed feelings about J.Salik. There are
some people who think that J.Salik may be
emotionally strung but at least he protests;
while others regard him as a charlatan ”, Anita
Mir writes.
J.Salik started a ‘peace mission Long
March’ from Faisalabad on October 31, 1985
for Pak-Iran border to pray for end of Iran-Iraq
war.
The ‘peace mission’ trekked all its way
from Faisalabad to reach Lahore on November
26 and later Karachi on December 25 –
Christmas day and the Quaid-e-Azam’s
birthday. Karachi is economic capital of
Pakistan and resting place of the father of the
nation.
The peace mission consisted of 19
persons including Muslims and Christians.
Originally 25 persons participated in the
mission headed by J.Salik. Two persons were
injured in a mishap during journey in Sindh
while four others fell ill.
228
The peace mission was scheduled to
leave Karachi for Pak-Iran border on January
7, where they were to pray for end of Iran-Iraq
war which had already claimed hundreds of
thousand human lives on both sides.
J.Salik had told a press conference at the
Karachi press club that the peace mission
would try to trek its way into Iran and if
Iranian government allowed they would visit
various mosques and churches where after
showering petals of Pakistan flowers they
would pray for peace between the two Muslim
countries.
The truthful spirit of peace mission
ascended and with the grace of Allah the war
ended before the mission could leave Karachi.
J.Salik had also thrown his weight with
Muslim leaders of Pakistan to push ahead an
appeal to Iranian spiritual leader Ayatollah
Khomeni to release American hostage to
enable them to celebrate Christmas with their
families. Addressing a joint press conference
arranged by J.Salik, convenor of World
Minorities Alliance, Maulana Ali Ghazanfar
Kararvi of Markaz-ul-Musalameen and Nazim
Majlis-e-Amal Shia Ulema, Pakistan said the
gesture in releasing American hostages at that
moment would strengthen the cause of Islam.
In February 1992 J.Salik led a procession
organized by his Pakistan National Masiha
Party in Lahore to express indignation over the
229
“growing trend of hatred, prejudices and
religion conversion in the country”.
The processionists, with white flags in
their hands, on reaching the high court
building,
voiced
their
demands.
These
demands included promulgation of stringent
laws against discrimination and hatred and for
ensuring equal justice for all sections of the
people and one month notice to be served to
the family, parents and husbands of Christian
women before they changed their religion with
a copy of the notice to the district minorities
committee and keeping such women during
this period, in Dar-ul-Aman. Pakistan Muslim
ulema saw reason in J.Salik’s stand and held
out the desired assurance. The result was that
subsequently scheduled protest rally with
Christians parading the streets with their blood
bottle in their hands was called off.
J.Salik as convenor of the World
Minorities Alliance had joined hands in 1986
with consulate of the Gulf state of Oman to
hold a meeting in Karachi to celebrate
centenary of the opening of a church in Oman
and the construction of first mosque in Rome,
in Italy.
J.Salik never lost an opportunity to
protest whenever the Christian community was
humiliated. Pakistan television telecast a
drama in which a dog had been named as
“Fracise” and the entire Christain community
230
had been humiliated. J.Salik joined with a
Karachi councilor Anwar Gill to demand
representation of the Christians on television
censor board.
J.Salik made at least three attempts to
resign his membership of parliament in protest
against what he called “discriminatory attitude”
of government toward minorities. All the
attempts were foiled by his peers. But every
time Salik was successful in getting his
grievances publicized in the media.
J.Salik has always been keen to explore
new avenues for expanding his services to the
minority community. At the Karachi Press Club
he addressed a joint press conference (Nov 17,
1983) with Anwar Gill, councilor Karachi
metropolitan corporation, to demand that the
status, privileges and functions of the
minorities councilors be precisely defined to
enable them play a positive role in making the
local bodies a real success. They complained
that the councilors belonging to the minority
community were not treated at par with those
of the majority community. To remove
misunderstanding,
the
position
of
the
minority’s councilors should be clarified in a
gazette notification. In the absence of their
defined role, they were unable to satisfy their
electorates. Separate allocations should be
provided for minorities in the local bodies
budgets. In the last four years a number of
231
conventions of councilors were held, but not
a single convention of the minority councilors
was organized. While the seats of majority
community had been increased in the local
bodies, the number of seats for the minorities
remained unchanged, they complained.
Equally keen Julius Salik was about
Christians grasping the national mainstream of
politics. He was opposed to the separate
electorate system introduced by Zia-ul-Haq
through amendment in 1973 constitution. He
called it a conspiracy which would fan
prejudices and mutual hatred among the
majority and the minority. Since the
constituency for the representatives of
minorities extended to the whole country, the
traveling allowances admissible to them should
be ten times more than those of the majority
community. He called for periodic presentation
of public representatives in the people’s court
to control corruption. He himself announced to
appear before people for appraisal after every
three months.
J.Salik led Christians to participate in a
motorcade procession starting from Minar-ePakistan, where Pakistan Resolution was
adopted in 1940, to celebrate the advent of
15th century of Hijri (Muslim calendar). As
convenor of the World Minorities Alliance
J.Salik said that it was here in Iqbal Park in
1940 where the Quaid-e-Azam had declared
232
that the minorities would be safe in
Pakistan. True to his declaration, the minorities
had always found themselves safe in Pakistan.
The Muslims as well as non-Muslim minorities
had to march hand in hand for progress.
After the speeches, a joint prayer was
held at the Minar-e-Pakistan by the Muslim as
well as non-Muslims. The procession started
from the Minar towards Badshahi mosque led
by a wagon which flew Pakistan flag followed
by wagons of Christians, Hindus, Sikhs,
Balmikis and Parsis with religious symbol of
each community.
JOURNEY OF PASSIONS
The procession visited places of worship of
various communities including cathedral church
on the Mall and terminated at the Y.M.C.A.
hall.
“Journey of passion; From a social
worker to the Ambassador of Peace, J.Salik,
founder of passive protestism in Pakistan” This
is how The News International (January 19,
1993 issue) highlighted J.Salik’s elevation from
the saddle of Christian representative to the
status of minorities saviour.
His advent on the political horizon was as
a social worker; with poor knowledge who had
not known even alphabets of prevailing
politics. It was the late 70’s and early period of
general Zia’s martial law (Bhutto regime had
been recently toppled and martial law
233
imposed) Julius Salik protested against the
arrest of Z. A. Bhutto and was sent to jail by
martial law authorities.
While sitting in the dark cell of the
central jail he concentrated on the prevailing
conditions of his community (which had
accepted Zia rule, yet had certain reservations)
and also thought about his line of action in
future. He decided to start his tireless political
journey. “Non-violent politics” would be an
excellent way to work for the benefit of his
community. That arrest led him to the cradle of
protest politics and beginning of his political
career.
During 1977 when PNA movement
(Pakistan National Alliance) started against
massive rigging in general elections, J.Salik
had founded the Christian janbaz volunteer
group.
The Christians in Pakistan are the largest
minority group, and Salik is not their only
spokesman but the most popular among them.
Several times he was taken into custody by the
law enforcing authorities. It was not due to his
lawless acts, but his firm belief in his people
power which led him to jail.
Once, perhaps during the year of 1983
Salik staged a hunger strike. Members of his
community about 8000 strong, including
women and children had gathered to listen to
him. Suddenly a contingent of police armed
234
with lathis (large sticks) tear gas and guns
advanced toward the peaceful gathering.
J.Salik sensed a possibility of bloodshed.
He ordered them to prostrate on the ground
and not to resist. All of a sudden, all of them,
young and old, children and women followed
his command and the gathering turned into
ground with thousands of human beings lying
as dead. It was charisma of Salik’s personality
that had forced the audience to obey his
command. Charismatic traits and passive style
of protestism raised his status from a local
bodies Christian representative to a national
minority leader.
J.Salik founded the World Minorities
Alliance and Muslim Massihi Ittehad (Muslim
Christian Unity). He is proud of Pakistan but
does not believe in the interference of state in
the religious matters of citizens. “I personally
feel that religion is a matter between the
individual and his Creator, but according to the
state, religion is fundamental to its polity. Even
then there is no reason for the exclusion of the
Christians from this holy concept. The problem
is not insoluble. It is negotiable”, Salik says.
The writer of “Journey of Passions”
Mustafa Kamal Pasha says “His socio-political
career is full of dramatic incidents starting
from his entry into the public scene as social
worker demanding Bhutto’s release till his
appeal as minority leader to the Papa-e-Rome
235
(The Christian religious leader) to raise
voice in favour of the Bosnian Muslims”.
J.Salik was elected for the first time in
1979 as Christian representative in the local
bodies
elections.
As
Lahore
municipal
corporation
councilor,
he
studied
the
mechanism of representative system and its
working to draw some conclusions. He rejected
the existing state of local bodies affairs and
raised voice against separate electorate
system. When he felt that no heed was paid to
his demands regarding different matters of
Christian minority, he resigned in protest in
1981.
His popularity brought him again in the
LMC. He was re-elected as the minority
councilor in 1983. He again raised his voice in
favour of minorities. He asked for rights and
due respect for the Christians. He said: “It was
inhuman to call a worker as ‘khakrobe’ – dust
sweeper. He must be called as sanitary
workers”.
In 1983 Julius Salik used his own blood,
instead of ink, and drafted an appeal to Kurt
Waldhem, UN secretary general, to take steps
against those Hindus in India, who were
forcing Muslim girls to marry them. During the
same year, he founded an international
minorities front to create brotherhood among
the followers of different religions.
236
Salik promotes peace not only in
Pakistan but the world over. He worked not
only for Pakistani causes but also for the
oppressed people even in places like
Philippines, Burma, Uganda, Palestine and the
Lebanon.
He realized that the senseless war in the
Lebanon could engulf other countries. It could
have an impact on Pakistan and India. Julius
Salik went on a hunger strike to register his
protest against the happenings in the Lebanon.
In a unique manner he called a press
conference in a graveyard. The world media
witnessed a Pakistani Christian protesting
against
the
bombings
of
Palestinian
settlements by the Christian militia. He chose a
graveyard for his press conference because he
wanted to drive home the fact that the civil
war in the Lebanon was depopulating human
settlements and creating graveyards.
As a staunch humanist and peace
advocate, Salik has always championed the
cause of the underdog. He has stood by the
exploited and the oppressed. He has used all
his talents, contacts and powers to help,
support and promote any cause which is in
conformity with his political agenda.
His campaign for peace in the Lebanon
went through many stages. Julius Salik could
not remain indifferent to the sufferings of the
Muslim minority in a Christian country. He
237
used his World Minorities Alliance to
highlight the plight of minorities irrespective of
their nationality, caste, colour or creed.
He wrote a strongly worded appeal to the
UN secretary general, suggesting the formation
of a special UN mission for the protection of
the rights of minorities.
Burma (Myanmar) is another Asian
country, which attracted Salik’s attention. He is
a great admirer of the Burmese opposition
leader and winner of the Nobel peace prize San
Kyi. Salik promoted the cause of peace and
democracy in Burma by his support and
encouragement of the brave lady fighting
against the despotic rule of the army generals.
As a member of Pakistan cabinet, Salik used all
his resources and contacts to generate
sympathy, support and goodwill for the
oppressed and suffering people of Burma.
In 1980 under the auspices of World
Minorities Alliance, Salik organized a seminar
to forge the Christian Muslim Unity. The then
chief justice, Punjab presided over it. Imam of
the Badshahi mosque Lahore Maulana Abdul
Qadir Azad was among the speakers at the
seminar.
In the retaliation to desecration of
historic Babri mosque in Ayodha, India in 1992
at five places in Pakistan there were incidents
of desecration of worship places of minority
communities. At Hyderabad, a Hindu temple
238
was damaged. It was followed by similar
episodes in Dera Murad Khan Jameli, in
Baluchistan and in Charsadda and Peshawar in
the NWFP and Lahore in the Punjab.
J.Salik raised his forceful voice on behalf
of minorities of Pakistan. “We be told what is
our fault? Are we supporting the Hindu action
against Babri mosque? Are we providing the
Hindu extremists of India any political, moral
or material support? And could we, in any way,
be identified with the actions in India? Salik
asked at a press conference.
He deplored that minorities in Pakistan
were subjected to intimidation without any
fault on their part. The most regrettable aspect
of the affair was that Pakistan government
(Islamic Democratic Front led by Nawaz Sharif)
was completely indifferent towards these
“shameful” acts. This was tantamount to “most
flagrant violation of the constitution which
guarantees ‘us’ rights as equal citizens. “The
minorities should not be taken for granted.
Though oppressed, we are prepared for every
sacrifice to protect our lives, property and
honour”, Salik sounded a note of warning.
For J.Salik peace is a way of life. During
the Iran-Iraq war in the 80’s he organized a
number of public rallies against the senseless
war because the war had become a threat to
peace and stability of the entire region, and
innocent people were being killed. He sent a
239
number of messages to the leaders of Iran
and Iraq as well as other important
personalities of the world. According to the
Nation midweek (Feb 10, 1993 issue) J.Salik’s
recent peace offensive in the international
perspective was launched when Babri mosque
was demolished in India. “In the Pakistan
perspective J.Salik’s recent quest for peace
operates on two levels. First he launched a solo
long march for national conciliation. The
government-opposition conflict has posed a
great threat to the political system of
Pakistan”.
J.Salik belongs to a minority of Pakistani
politicians who have always opposed even the
very idea of martial law in the country because
“democracy gives you hope, dictatorship
chaos”.
Second, he has been urging the
government not to take those measures that
deny basic rights to the minorities. He had
been
most
articulate
speaker
against
government’s decision to introduce religion
entry on national identity card. “It amounts to
Apartheid”, he claimed.
The News International (April 19, 1992
issue) proclaimed “Jesus Christ, the living
example for us” while displaying J.Salik’s
message on the occasion of Easter.
The message read as “Easter is rejoicing
time for all Christians because our Lord Jesus
240
Christ has risen from the grave. ‘Hallelujah’
‘Halleluyah’. As we read in the Holy Bible, Job
19: 25-27. ‘My Redeemer is alive’!. The
prophecies made and written in the old
Testament regarding His resurrection were
fulfilled on this Blessed Day. We know through
these prophecies and witnesses that Our Lord
Jesus Christ defeated the death and had an
everlasting life. He is the same PEACE maker
and PEACE lover as He was before. His life was
totally dedicated for humanity, the humanity
flashed through divinity.
“Jesus Christ is the living example for all
of us and He tried throughout His life on earth
to help poor, needy and afflicted one. Similarly
my life is totally dedicated for establishing
PEACE, love, joy and good works which reflects
His glory. Our lives must change and through
this change we will be new persons. We ought
to love neighbours as ourselves. So let us
pledge that we all must love one another, to
establish peace and be the cause of blessings
for each other and thus make our loving
country PAKISTAN a sample of Paradise,
Amen”.
On J.Salik’s performance in the national
assembly a noted journalist Nusrat Javed
captioned his “View from the Gallery” as ‘Salik
takes the center stage’ The excerpts are:
J.Salik was the riveting attention at the
national assembly when it met. ………
241
Salik is known for resorting to
agitprop tactics to send his message. And since
a Brahmin in all of us, most of the
commentators were of the firm opinion that
Salik would never be able to make it.
It was due to this cynical dismissal that
no serious efforts were made by front treasury
benches to pursue him otherwise Salik sent the
right vibes, however.
Imran Munir makes a vivid description of
police running amuck to attack X-mas protest
(The News December 27, 1991).
“A throbbing Christians mela of merry
making Christians ended in fiasco at Catholic
Cathedral church, Faisal chowk, when vendors
left behind their saleable, mothers their
children and children their toys; as the Punjab
police baton charged and tear gassed their
community, sanctity of the festive occasion
notwithstanding.
Hundreds of Christians, including women
and children visited Faisal chowk till 3.00 pm
where J.Salik, a minority MNA had crucified
himself to protest for postponement of local
bodies polls.
“Religious services were held every hour.
At about 2.30 p.m Salik announced that if
demands were not accepted by 3.30 pm, he
would to be buried alive along with the cross in
front of the governor house. At 3.30 pm the
processionists lifted the cross, blocked the
242
traffic and started a march toward the
governor house.
“A smartly turned out contingent led by
SP cantt and SHO civil lines stopped the
processionists before WAPDA House and
“requested” them to disperse. They refused.
“Crucified and unable to support himself,
the minority MNA fell on the ground in front of
Punjab assembly chambers. Many of his
friends,
sympathizers
and
co-religionists
rushed to save him and the cross. They
shielded him with their own bodies as police
charged with batons. Police officials had a field
day kicking at the humans heaped before
them. Injured Salik was thrown into a police
vehicle with his cross which was later driven
away by the police who did not want an anti
law and order scene in the city on the holy
day”.
Colonial administration tactics did not
change even after lapse of nearly half a
century of national independence in use of
force on one hand and cooking up police
reports on the other in Pakistan. This was
evident from the FIR (first information report)
lodged at civil line police station by area
magistrate, Ahsan Waheed, at about 3.30 pm.
It says “Nearly 600 people, including women
and minors, were chanting filthy slogans
against president, prime minister and chief
minister. They illegally used loud speakers,
243
started marching towards governor house
and were armed with stones, clubs and spikes.
They were raising slogans like ‘Marain gay, ya
mar jain gay’ (we will kill or die) and smashed
cars and traffic signals. They also attacked the
police force with stones and clubs. Five
policemen received injuries. Police were forced,
in self defence, to resort to mild baton charge.
They also arrested eight miscreants and sent
them to Kot Lakhpat jail”.
“I don’t want to live in the society where
I am still an untouchable ‘choora’ (sweeper)”
said a young man nursing his bruises.
Another “Gallery” commentator Tariq
Butt (The News issue March 1, 1991) wrote:
On the floor, Salik has so far played cool and
followed the rules of the game.
According to Tariq Butt the young
bearded Salik has a juicy record of protesting
in odd manners. As he told this correspondent,
he once blackened his face and marched on
streets some years ago to express his anger
over the desecration of mosques. At another
time, he had made himself a jacket ringed with
barbed wire to protest over some event.
And once, he moved his family out of his
house to footpath and started living there,
under protest. And yet on another occasion,
he, bleeding from top to toe, addressed a
press conference at Karachi press club after he
244
was thrashed by the police again while
protesting against some untoward happening.
Though he played cool on the floor yet
he caused loud laughter among his peers when
the speaker (laughing) asked a minister “do
you want him to strip right in the middle of the
house. (Salik had taken to sack in protest. His
demand was met. Minister Hazar Khan Bijrani
had pointed out in a light vein that although
Salik’s demand had been met. He had not
taken off the sack.)
A lady ‘gallery’ commentator Anis Mirza
in a write-up captioned “Salik’s impassioned
address” (Dawn January 12, 1993). “Julius
Salik swung his hands in the air and shouted
‘we serve Pakistan better if we are not corrupt.
Let us accept the truth that we are all thieves
and participants in free loot’. Speaker Gohar
Ayub stared at Salik through his spectacles,
but did not expunge the charge probably
leveled against the members of parliament.
Salik said ‘ The railway minister has said
that a false charge of murder has been
instituted against him. If a federal minister
complains of such a charge, what could be the
fate of 12 crore (120 million) Pakistanis. Now
when the kalashinkov has become a part of
inheritance, we Pakistanis are going to be
declared terrorists in 180 days:”
Anis Mirza says: most politicians take,
J.Salik, representative of Pakistani Christian
245
community, as mere flotsam and jetsam.
Some others take his peace marches and
peace conferences as political gymnastics. But
this ardent voice of the minorities in
parliament sometimes touches on some of the
most sensitive themes and gets away with it.
He turned to Muslim members and asked
“The prime minister of Bosnia had appealed for
four million dollars from the Muslim countries
and no Muslim country helped Bosnia but when
British government wanted to save the birds
and animals in a London Zoo, the Middle
Eastern Muslim countries, readily donated 1.8
million dollars. Do not pay lip service to Islam.
Send the Rs. 150 million reserved for new
identity cards to the Muslims of Bosnia.
Turning to the Maulanas of the house
Salik said, “Don’t bring in Islam, because Islam
does not differentiate between caste, creed or
colour. It is for all mankind. Don’t talk about
‘Mazhab’ (religion) talk about ‘Deen’ (code of
life) and ‘Taqwah’ (piety). Several ulema
looked at Salik sternly.
According to press gallery comment
published in the English daily Muslim (issue
October 23, 1991) “Another speech that drew
the attention of the House was that of minority
MNA Julius Salik who pleaded the cause of
have-nots. When the speaker asked him not to
speak as if it were a public meeting, he
retorted that only two days ago federal
246
minister Sheikh Rashid had addressed the
house in a fiery manner. He said that the
masses had lost faith in the MNAs. Such was
the reputation of the legislators that nobody
would rent house to an MNA, he said.
Pakistan government had filed a sedition
case against the daily News in a speedy trial
court.
J.Salik MNA was among human rights
activists including journalists, lawyers and
political workers taking out a procession to
condemn the government action. Speaking on
the occasion J.Salik said that curtailing
freedom of press could not be justified on any
grounds. To express his condemnation he tore
his shirt apart.
Julius Salik cries himself hoarse, both
inside and outside the assembly because he
feels that minorities in Pakistan are not getting
a fair deal promised by the majority from the
housetop every day.
The whole atmosphere in the country, as
regards their attitude towards non-Muslims, as
also the attitude of adherents of one sect
towards those of the other sects, had been
vitiated by intolerance.
Columnist Ardeshir Cowasjee writing for
the daily Dawn recalls that the Quaid-e-Azam
and Miss Jinnah had attended a special service
(August 17, 1947) in Karachi’s St. Patrick’s
church.
247
After the religious service which was
dedicated to the strength and welfare of the
new state, the Quaid-e-Azam reiterated his
resolve before the Christians of the city that
there would be absolutely no discrimination
between Muslims and non-Muslims in Pakistan.
Julius Salik mourns that the Quaid’s
promise is not being kept.
The high handedness of a majority
wherever it might be in the world had been an
eye-sore for J.Salik. His grievances aggravated
with demolition of Babri mosque in India and
denial of access to Al-Aqsa mosque to the
Muslims by Israel.
He had launched the World Minorities
Alliance (WMA) and it had been his burning
desire to establish a general council for
minorities, set up minorities Peace Force and
seek
an
appointment
of
a
minority
representative at the United Nations.
For this purpose he has had plans to
convene a world conference to discuss minority
rights. As a minority MNA J.Salik announced
holding such a conference. J.Salik hopes that
such a conference would be attended among
others by Mother Teresa, holder of Nobel prize
for peace (With whom he had been in
correspondence) Prince Karim Agha Khan and
Mohammad Ali, former world heavy weight
boxing champion.
248
He planned that minorities delegations
comprising five members each from all the
countries to be invited for the conference.
J.Salik holds a letter as a treasure that
he received in October, 1996 from Mother
Teresa which among other things reads as
“May God love you for all you do for His
people. Their welfare is your earnest desire. I
understand that you have a big responsibility,
only prayer and trust in the Lord will give you
strength and joy in serving others.
“Always remember that whatever you do
to the least of your brothers and sisters, you
do it for God. The works of love are works of
peace.
“I will pray for you and your families and
your country and for the whole world that
peace may reign in the hearts of all men”.
The world moot did not materialize as
J.Salik as an individual lacked resources and
organizational wherewithal. But he did not give
up his plans. On being appointed as a minister
in Benazir Bhutto cabinet J.Salik suggested
holding of the gathering. He sent a summary
to the prime minister. This was probably
among the first few measures he had taken as
a minister.
J.Salik said “The minorities at the global
level are disturbed because of the diversional
problems being faced by them in their
respective societies. The image distorted by
249
the media of some of the western or
European countries that Pakistan has also
some minorities problems in the country is
absolutely baseless. Pakistan’s government
under the dynamic leadership of Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto has so liberal a policy in the
affairs of minorities in Pakistan, therefore,
question does not arise that their rights have
not been looked after properly. When we look
at the ugliest situation which the Indian
government has started with the Muslims and
other minorities because of its atrocities and
unprovoked act of desecration of holy shrines
such as Sheikh Noorudin Wali and madrassa
Chirar Sharif, Hazrat Bal, Babri mosque and
Golden Temple which compels the world
conscience to help resolve minorities problems
at the global level.
“This would only be possible if at this
stage world leadership is made realize to play
their effective role in this direction. As a
convenor of the World Minorities Alliance I
think that it is most appropriate time to
convene a 3 day minorities conference in
Pakistan from 27-29 August, 1995 at the
federal capital which of course will be
addressed by the president and prime minister
along with the internationally recognized
dignitaries of minorities and religion. The
invitation is going to be extended through our
diplomatic channels to all those minorities
250
representatives who are leading their
communities in their respective countries.
“Since the government of Pakistan has
played a pivotal role at the international level
through its constant efforts to make realize the
world conscience about the brutalities in the
held valley of Kashmir against innocent
Kashmiris, therefore, this conference will also
supplement
the
Government
efforts
particularly in the Kashmir cause”.
The summary was approved by Benazir
Bhutto and the approval was sent to Pakistan
foreign office. The foreign office agreed with
the proposal but schedule could not be
adhered for various reasons. J.Salik’s dream is
yet to come true.
…………………………….
251
Chapter 6
PROTEST PRINCE
J.Salik may be described as Protest
Prince. The number of protests he made in his
public life and the innovative manners he
conceived to register his protestations may be
a record yet to be beaten by any other in
Pakistan or abroad. His rivals and dissidents
may have called him ‘pakhandi’ (pretender) or
practitioner of antics or dramatics. Yet for
J.Salik protestation is a philosophy with
positive connotations. His protest is basically
embedded in deep affection for the society or
the institutions. It is like child coaxing his
parents. More than that it emanates from the
urge for progress, improvement and change
for the better. Most of his protests yielded
positive results which lent strength to his
philosophy.
J.Salik says at one time theatre or even
electronic media was dubbed as ‘pakhand’
(heresy). But once they established their
credentials, they were accepted as institutions.
So is protestation. Whatever name it may be
given, it is phenomenon, a way of
presentation, giving effect to one’s thoughts in
persuasive manner. J.Salik’s protests largely
252
persuaded the power that be, to accept his
point of view.
During Zia-ul-Haq’s martial law when
political workers were whipped, a draconian
decree was issued to make elected councilors
as part of municipal administration. They were
debarred from taking any anti-official stand on
any subject be it federal, provincial or
municipal at any forum, be it floor of the house
or through public speech, statement or press
conference. J.Salik was the sole minority
councilor who countered the ordinance. He
resigned
his
membership
of
Lahore
metropolitan council. In his support, twelve
other councilors of the majority community
followed suit. The martial law administration
was compelled to withdraw the throttling
legislation.
A.K. Brohi, a minister in Zia-ul-Haq’s
martial law set up, stated at an Asian Islamic
Conference that Christians were not afraid of
the Day of Judgment. They believed that Jesus
Christ had expiated for their sins. And
whatever wrongs or excesses or injustices they
might commit, they would not be answerable.
This statement was published in newspapers.
J.Salik retorted: “This is totally incorrect
that Christians are unmindful of the Dooms
Day. This is a matter of agony for us that on
the one hand A.K.Brohi is holding the
minorities portfolio binding him to protect and
253
safeguard the minorities, on the other hand
he criticizes the faith of Christian minority. In
our view his statement reflects his bias, hatred
and injustice. The Christians of Pakistan
strongly feel that A.K. Brohi does not deserve
to supervise minorities’ affairs any longer.
They vehemently appeal to chief martial law
administrator to call Brohi’s explanation and
ensure that no responsible official harms the
religious sentiments of any sect in future”.
J.Salik’s protest processions continued in
Lahore for twelve days after which A. K. Brohi
apologized and got his portfolio changed.
In 1981, martial law regime tried to
promulgate an anti-poor budget. In protest,
J.Salik addressed a press conference after
putting ash on his head and donning hessian
clothes. The budget was reviewed and butter
oil price was lowered.
According to a Biblical story, three wise
men (Majoosis) with the help of study of
celestial bodies foresaw an extraordinary event
happening on the earth. Following the celestial
track, they reached Bethlehem where Holy
Jesus Christ (AS) had born.
J.Salik planned to take out a procession
of Majoosis on camels for the first time in
Pakistan to stage the Blessed Birth on the
occasion of Christmas in 1981. The authorities
took J.Salik under preventive custody on the
night before on the charge of intended
254
violation of a martial law order. He was
intimidated throughout the night to dissuade
him while the officials remained in mutual
consultation. In view of J.Salik’s firm
determination he was not only set at liberty in
the morning but also permitted to take out the
procession.
It was the same J.Salik who managed
the Muslims-Christians combined celebration of
the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ (AS) at
spacious WAPDA Auditorium in Lahore on
December 25. 1981. Many Muslim scholars
including Maulana Abdul Qadir Azad, imam of
historic Badshahi mosque Lahore were in the
forefront. The Muslim religious leader openly
argued that they were already celebrating birth
anniversaries of various saints and sages in
form of urs (anniversary celebration), why not
celebrate the Eid Milad ul Messiah who
according to Islamic faith was born to Virgin
Mary and was subsequently ascended to
Heavens.
For arguments sake, J.Salik told the
opponents of joint celebrations that if Muslims
thought that December 25 was not the
accurate date of birth of Jesus Christ (AS) and
had been arbitrarily set by Christians, then the
Muslims may undertake a research to
determine the correct date of birth. There was
no harm in joint celebrations on December 25
255
pending
determination
of
universally
accepted date of birth of Jesus Christ (AS).
Hence a combined celebration program
was held at WAPDA auditorium, Lahore on
December 25, 1981. The event was editorially
commented upon by national newspapers. The
mass circulation paper the ‘Jang’ brought out a
special edition on the occasion.
J.Salik
subsequently
initiated
joint
celebrations of Eid Milad ul Nabi (Hazrat
Mohammad SAW). He felicitated the Muslim
fraternity
and
festive
caravan
carrying
Christians went round the city of Lahore.
To the hesitant Muslim ulema and
Christian bishops J.Salik said, they would not
be reluctant to partake if they were invited in
rejoicing in connection with birth anniversary
of son of president say Ali Mohammad. The son
in such case would have family name of
Mohammad.
The felicitations by Christians on the
birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet
Mohammad (SAW) would be all the more
pertinent since the two communities share the
homeland. Their survival lay in unity and
mutual respect for one and the others’ faith,
Salik maintains.
It is the same Salik, who wore jute
clothes for twelve long years in protest against
massacre of 300 minority Muslims in India
while they were saying their Eid prayers. He
256
gave up that dress in response to a
unanimous call by the national assembly of
Pakistan. Personal dress apart, he organized a
protest rally carrying placards inviting world
attention to Indian atrocities against the
Muslim minority.
It is the same Salik, who decorated
Charring Cross in front of assembly hall in
Lahore with a big Christmas Tree. Christmas
Tree symbolically stands for departure of
desolate autumn and advent of spring
synchronizing with birth of Jesus Christ (AS).
The installation of Christmas Tree at the
Charring Cross was to demonstrate the liberty
Christians enjoy in Pakistan.
It is the same Salik, who paraded the
streets with blackened face to protest against
desecration of the Quran and a mosque in
Britain. He was of the view that the incident
had blackened the face of the entire humanity.
Britain is considered to be motherland of
democracy. God may save others when the
minorities were not secure in Britain. By
blackening his face Salik sought to spread a
message that he could not countenance the
advocates of humane values.
It is the same Salik, who arranged to
observe the World Minorities Solidarity Day on
December 7, 1982 to pledge safeguarding the
rights of minorities all over the world.
257
An appeal was made to all peace
loving nations of the world to help constitute a
Minorities Tribunal to guarantee the minorities
rights in Nigeria, Uganda, Philippines and
Kashmir and institute an annual award for the
countries best ensuring rights of the minorities.
The inaugural International Minorities
and Harmony Award will go to Malaysia in
recognition of its track record in protecting the
rights of minorities and maintaining peace and
harmony.
Convenor of World Minorities Alliance
Julius Salik announced the award for Malaysia
during his visit to that country in March 2001.
“Malaysia, a Muslim country, practices no
discrimination on its minorities. In this 21st
century, Malaysia enjoys the pride of having a
high level of communal and religious harmony.
There is no division of class and colour,” J.Salik
said in an interview with Bernama, Malaysian
national news agency.
As a nation that jealously protects the
minorities rights in accordance with UN charter
deserved that award, he said.
J.Salik was of the view that International
Development Funds should be linked to the
level of safeguarding rights of the minorities in
a country. He appealed to the United Nations
and international aid giving agencies to make
hundred
percent
increase
in
special
development funds for Malaysia to promote the
258
cause of peace and inter-religion harmony
in the world.
He was highly impressed with the role of
King Sultan Sallehuddin Abdul Aziz Shah and
Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohammad in
promoting the welfare and prosperity of the
state
especially
amity
among
various
communities in Malaysia. He was happy to
know that even on occasions of the festivals of
the minorities there were public holidays.
According to him all the countries of the world
should look at Malaysia as a good example.
During his stay at Kuala Lumpur, J.Salik
called on Dato Seri Samy Vellu, Malaysian
federal minister for works. The two leaders
discussed the matters of mutual interest
particularly the working of World Minorities
Alliance.
This was J.Salik’s first ever visit to any
South East Asian country in connection with
promoting minorities interest as convenor of
the World Minorities Alliance.
J.Salik
struggled
for
ending
untouchability. He thought bias and prejudices
were principal hurdles in leading respectable
life.
It is the same Salik, who paid public
tributes to Saudi King Shah Khalid and Saudi
Ambassador in Pakistan Sheikh Riazul Khatib
for their relentless efforts to arrange
rapprochement
between
Peoples
Party
259
government headed by Z. A. Bhutto and the
opposition Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) in
1977.
On the advent of 15th century Hijri
(Islamic calendar) convenor of the World
Minorities
Alliance
J.Salik
arranged
a
competition of portrait paintings of late Shah
Faisal former king of Saudi Arabia whom the
Minorities Alliance had selected for honouring
on having rendered the best service to
humanity during the last century.
An exhibition of the select paintings was
later held in Hilton hotel Lahore in December
1980 for three days. The exhibition opened
with recitation of the Holy Quran by a Saudi
Qari Abdul Wahab Almakki.
Muslim scholars and Christian leaders
including J.Salik and Bishop of Lahore
Alexander John paid rich tributes to Shah
Faisal for his services to the suffering humanity
without colour and creed discrimination.
Thousands of people from all walks of life
visited the exhibition.
The best painter was awarded World
Minority Human Service Award and a gold
medal. Those adjudged second and third were
also given prizes.
J.Salik
organized
the
first
azad
panchayat
(village
conciliatory
council)
conference in Y.M.C.A in Lahore which was
attended by delegates from all over Pakistan to
260
address the problems confronted by the
minorities. One of the purpose was that the
problems might be solved through small
panchayat councils until the assemblies were
restored, so the minorities were spared of
expensive litigations in courts.
J.Salik held out a threat to government
in 1983 that Christians would hoist black flags
on their houses if efforts were not accelerated
to acquire the nuclear reprocessing plant for
the country.
Within a fortnight of the warning, an
official statement was issued that the
reprocessing plant would be procured at all
costs.
J.Salik organized a “grumbling” rally of
Christians who wore ashes on their heads,
were dressed in jute and carried white flags.
They displayed placards reading “live and let
live”. Their demand was that a one month
advance notice be served to the family and
official district minority committee in case a
Christian woman sought religious conversion.
The protest ended after Muslim ulema held out
a necessary assurance.
Salik convened a special conference on
May 1, 1985 to consider measures at national
level to ameliorate the problems of widows and
orphans.
The Pakistan authorities declared in 1984
to keep schools open on December 25 to
261
observe
the
Quaid-e-Azam
birthday
institutionally. Since it synchronized with
Christmas and Christian school going children
and teachers were thus deprived of performing
their religious rites, J.Salik in bare knickers
paraded the streets in protest. The decision
was withdrawn.
The religious rituals of Christians were
also being disturbed with Matric examination
papers falling for several consecutive years on
Easter festival. Consistent efforts to invite
government attention to this violation of
Christians religious rights, did not meet
success. As a last resort, J.Salik announced
hunger strike to press two demands, which
continued for 35 days. A threat was also held
to call seven day general strike and protest
rallies to blockade civil secretariat. J.Salik and
his 300 Christian companions were arrested.
But examination on Easter Day was cancelled
alright. The other demand was for setting
apart a time on Pakistan television and radio
for Christians to say prayers. This is however,
pending.
It was again J.Salik who put ashes on his
head and prayed to God Almighty for release of
political workers. This unique method of
agitation worked and Punjab government
released six lawyers who had been detained.
J.Salik
organized
an
All
Pakistan
Councilors convention in which 400 councilors
262
from all over Pakistan participated. The
convention protested over councilors being in
name only without proper functions. Minority
councilors from four provinces of the country
attended.
He arranged a second convention of
exclusively minority councilors from the Punjab
in which 280 councilors were present. The
convention demanded proprietary rights for
slum dwellers and condemned discriminatory
attitude toward minorities.
J.Salik opened his office on footpath in
front of Lahore municipal corporation (Town
Hall) to demonstrate the helplessness of
minorities councilors being without any official
precincts to work and any defined functions. A
retired judge of high court, Justice Shaukat Ali,
inaugurated the footpath office of J.Salik.
Within twelve days of this innovative
demonstration the authorities issued a
notification to provide offices to minority
councilors which still exist in Lahore Town Hall.
J.Salik again put ashes on his head,
abstained from food, held The Bible in hand to
address a press conference to press for holding
of general elections and ending of martial law
in the country. He was arrested under
maintenance of public order ordinance and
magistrate Sardar Sher Afghan sent him to
judicial lock up.
263
JAIL REFORMS
After his release from prison, J.Salik
briefed the press on the wretched conditions in
Pakistan jails. He suggested reformatory
measures. His utterances were featured in the
national press (November 7, 1983). He said
that jails be renamed as offenders home or
reformatory institutes. Under-trials camps
should be departmentally separated from
prisons and put under judicial supervision. The
under-trials should be kept in separate cells to
be categorized on the bases of the nature of
the offences. Jails should be given under the
supervision of humanitarian Red Crescent. The
“Nambardari System” be put to end in
temporary camp jails. The jail inmates being
held up for more than an year, might be
provided an opportunity to meet their wives in
separate rooms in complete privacy, which was
in accordance with religious tenets. Any undertrial or prisoner being honourably set free after
a few month term might be issued a certificate
of non-having been involved in any offence.
In temporary camp jails facilities for
schooling,
sports,
libraries,
study
and
recreation might be provided for under-trials.
Those serving short sentence terms might be
allowed to briefly visit their homes on parole
every month. Cooperative stores might be
opened in prisons. If a convict did not have
any bread earner in his family, the family
264
might be financially supported out of a
charity fund. The government had abolished
capital punishment and had enhanced the life
term from fourteen years to twenty-five years.
The enhanced life term has been put into
practice while capital punishment still prevails.
J.Salik suggested that a convict serving life
term should be covered by parole rules after
having served half the term.
Within ten days of J.Salik’s press talk a
special inspection team including a session
judge, a police official, municipal advisor and
two members of Majlis-e-Shoora (parliament)
visited the Lahore camp jail. The inspection
lasted more than two hours during which the
team talked to the inmates. Some of the
inmates complained that judicial proceedings
were pending against them for long and
demanded speedy disposal of their cases. The
governor appointed a permanent panel of
seven legislators for regular inspection.
Twenty-five persons involved in ordinary
offences were released and some others were
shifted to hospitals for medical treatment.
It was the same J.Salik, who donned
prisoner’s clothes and a cap and chained
himself and lit a lamp during daytime to
demonstrate moral bankruptcy and protest
against bribery, black marketing and soaring
prices. By holding the cross, putting on
blinkers and with binding himself in chains
265
J.Salik sought to give a message that
persons undertook to reform others while their
own conduct was problematically thorny.
The Bible says: And why beholdest thou
the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but
considerest not the beam that is in thine own
eye? (Mathew 7: 3)
J.Salik held a conference of pastors from
all over Pakistan in which representatives from
catholic, protestant, salvation army UPA and
other
Christian
religious
institutions
participated. Bishop of Sialkot, Bishop of Gojra,
Bishop Michael Nazir Ali, Bishop S. Qadir
Baksh, Bishop Zahiruddin and other heads of
department and Christian religious scholars
were also present. Nearly 175 religious leaders
were there. They had sought time with
government leaders to discuss problems facing
Christians.
J.Salik contended that the government
had lengthy meetings sometimes spanned over
seven hours with film stars but had no time to
spare for religious people.
This enhanced his popularity graph
among Christian community and he was again
elected to Lahore municipal corporation, polling
the highest number of votes. He resigned
second time saying that he would not like to be
a part of administration which had little care
for religious leaders.
266
J.Salik held a painting competition for
the first time in Pakistan on March 29-30 1978
on the Holy life of Jesus Christ (AS) in which
artists from all over Pakistan participated.
Later, he put the paintings on display and
Bishop Inayat Messih, Bishop of Lahore, was
invited to give away prizes to the best exhibits.
During election to the Lahore municipal
corporation, J.Salik was allotted (through
lottery) the election symbol of house. It so
happened that after having been allotted the
symbol of house, J.Salik was rendered
homeless. His stand was that his election
pledge to the people was not to provide them
with ‘Makan’ (residential accommodation) but
to secure a ‘Maqam’ (social status) for them.
Since they enjoyed no social status, hence he
left his house and shifted to a tent pitched
residence.
J.Salik announced a Condemnation Day
on February 26, 1986 to protest against
desecration of a church in Rahimyar Khan
(Punjab) and held a demonstration rally at
Nishtar Park in Karachi. The authorities had
withheld prior permission for the meeting and
tried to intimidate J.Salik from holding an
unlawful gathering. J.Salik stood firm. The
administration later did issue a formal
permission otherwise they would have had to
make large scale arrests of Christians and
267
institute criminal cases against them. This
was the first meeting of Christians at famous
Nishtar Park, Karachi.
In Karachi on March 14, 1986, J.Salik
organized an Utterances of the Quaid-e-Azam
Day at the mausoleum of Mohammad Ali
Jinnah. He posed questions to the tomb;
Father of the Nation: you had stated that the
minorities will be the sacred trust; they will be
equal citizens; are we equal citizens today?
“You may decide on your own; if we are equal
citizens, then why not a few minutes are set
apart for some Psalms to pray and praise Jesus
Christ (AS) on Pakistan TV, while film song and
European videos can be telecast for hours; you
may Father of the Nation, tell whether we are
really equal citizens? ”.
It was the same Salik who had held
nearly 70 big conventions to forge unity among
Muslims and Christians.
Maulana Abdul Qadir Azad, khatib of
historic
Badshahi
mosque,
Lahore
had
acknowledged the services of J.Salik. He said
“on receiving a sudden telephone call from
J.Salik, my feeling was similar to that of a
father who, with God’s grace, had found his
lost son. J.Salik sold his households twice to
spend the proceeds on public. This would be
ingratitude on part of Christians not to
acknowledge greatness of the man who always
fought for safeguarding their rights. This would
268
be ingratitude on part of Pakistanis too if
they fail to commend the services of the man
who had been sacrificing all he had for the
country i.e. Pakistan whom he loveth most. His
mission has been to foster unity among
minority communities of the world. The
Minorities Alliance may send a representative
to the United Nations, convene a world
minorities
conference,
launch
a
world
minorities fund, and bring out a world
minorities magazine. His objective is to send a
message
through
the
world
minorities
delegates
to
the
exploiting
majority
communities: that: ‘if my sister is living alone
in your village, your sister is alone too in our
village! This man (J.Salik) has already held 235
regional minorities moots”.
For him his martyrdom alone can turn his
back to his struggle. As regards lack of respect
or rather ill feelings for him in hearts of people,
J.Salik considers this as his success, quoting a
Punjabi verse meaning as follows:
‘The one who seeks false prestige is not
a lover, but a lunatic; the sign of true love is
opprobrium all over”.
J.Salik’s World Minorities Alliance paid
tributes to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin
Saeed of Oman and the president of Italy
respectively on the completion of 100 years of
church in Oman and foundation laying of the
first mosque in Rome for the Muslim minority.
269
The Alliance awarded gold crown to His
Majesty Sultan of Oman and the president of
Italy as symbol of love at a special ceremony
on August 27, 1986 at Karachi in Pakistan.
Ambassador for Oman His Excellency
Khalid Bin Qais Al-Said was the chief guest on
the occasion. In his speech the ambassador
said, “Never before has there been a greater
need than now for all religions to come
together in a bid to promote peace and
tolerance in the world. Let me tell you
something about my country, Oman. Oman,
some of you know, was one of the first
countries to embrace Islam, and her people
were responsible for carrying the Islamic faith
to many areas outside the Arabian Peninsula.
Although we have a rich and traditional
heritage of Islam, I am proud to say that our
constitution guarantees complete freedom to
every citizen to practice his or her faith. There
is absolutely no discrimination in Oman on the
basis of religion. Under the guidance of His
Majesty Qaboos Bin Said, our beloved leader,
our country extends to all minority religions
complete freedom to practice their faiths.
Therefore, it is no cause for surprise that
Christians are celebrating a 100 years of
church worship. Let us hope that 900 years
from now (though may be some of us will not
be there) Christians in Oman will be able to
celebrate 1000 years of church worship. The
270
message I convey to you today is have
tolerance, patience and understanding, to
those who do not share our faith.
“Our religion teaches us brotherhood of
man, and fatherhood of God. Let us treat
everybody as a brother irrespective of his caste
and creed. I will conclude by earnestly
requesting each and every one of you, around
here, to follow our religion with patience and
understanding towards others, and that will
make us not only better citizens, but will make
the world a better place to live in”.
Mr. Maqbool Ahmed Siddiqui chairman of
Pakistan Education Society of Techno-Science
and J.Salik were among the speakers on the
occasion.
J.Salik’s Minorities Alliance in 1983 hailed
seven point peace formula of Prince Fahd Bin
Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia as just and
practicable peace project. It held ‘Prince Fahd’s
seven point Peace Mission’ was a good solution
for the Middle East and the world peace and
that it was praiseworthy and a source of
enlightenment.
If this program was seen, above all
prejudices, it transpires to be the best human
solution for peace for the Middle East. Peace
loving nations, it was regretted, had not
considered this peace-maker mission so far.
Nations should feel their responsibility to
271
maintain peace in the world to make it a
success.
It is the same J.Salik who donned black
dress for forty days in protest against racial
riots in Britain.
J.Salik protested against massacre of
Muslims in the Philippines and observed
mourning for 40 days.
J.Salik buried the effigy of Christian
militia on massacre of Muslims of Palestine. He
called for rehabilitation of Palestine and
declaring Bait ul Maqdas as a free city so that
Christians too could visit this sacred city on
pilgrimage. He protested on Israeli threats
against Pakistan.
J.Salik organized a joint press conference
of Muslim and Christian religious leaders to
demand release of American hostages in Iran.
J.Salik arranged hoisting of black flags
on houses of Christian community in Pakistan
to protest against violence committed on
Muslims in Burma.
J.Salik tried to foster unity among
adherents of revealed religions against atheist
elements.
He called for raising world minorities
peace force to safeguard the minorities.
J.Salik is the first personality among the
minorities who despite being young, is more
popular, equally among Muslims and minority
communities, than old leaders.
272
J.Salik is of the view that president
and governor of this country were not symbols
of unity for Muslims alone. Christians of
Pakistan too do have claims on them. As
president houses and governor houses are
kept open for Muslim public on Eid days,
similarly they should be kept open for Christian
community on Christmas. He called for
declaring Christmas and Easter as public
holidays.
J.Salik is of the opinion that there should
be a differentiation between Qadianis declared
minority by Pakistan parliament and those
patriotic minorities whom the Quaid-e-Azam
had admitted as the national trust at the time
of independence.
He says massacre of minorities in India
and violence and anti-minorities measures in
some other countries were matter of concern
in the current democratic order. In these
circumstances the minorities all over the world
should get united to safeguard their rights. A
world convention of minorities representatives
be held. The world press and mass media
should help the minorities get their due rights.
An appeal be made to put the minorities
portfolio in hands of minorities representatives.
He stands for setting up an international
minority tribunal to monitor the conditions of
minorities, to help them secure their rights and
impose social boycott and sanctions against
273
defaulting countries. A world minority bank
be established for the welfare of minorities at
the international level. The minorities should
be given representation at the UN general
assembly.
As the minority member of national
assembly, Julius Salik, finally resigned from
the membership of the national assembly when
he ran out of the house barefooted.
Salik said: “This time I have resigned to
protest
against
federal
government's
controversial resolution bulldozed in parliament
and its proclamation without getting the
signature of the president in a bid to regain
control of the country’s largest province,
Punjab.
As federal minister Julius Salik proposed
to the prime minister that the two month
vacation in the supreme court, high courts and
other subordinate courts be done away with.
The proposal according to him will help
increase disposal of cases and speed up
dispensation of justice.
Talking to Dawn he said his proposal was
with the prime minister's secretariat and he
hoped it would be considered favourably.
Mr. Salik had already sent a proposal to
the prime minister that the courts might
function round the clock. The rationale of the
proposal was that the delayed justice added
miseries of the common man.
274
As federal minister Julius Salik
celebrated Eid with the Kashmiri refugees in
Muzaffarabad. He visited the refugee camps
and distributed meat of the sacrificial animals
among them.
As the minister for population welfare,
Julius Salik, donated his eyes (after death) to
the Al-Shifa Eye Trust Hospital at the advent of
Ramzan-ul-Mubarik.
As a federal minister, J.Salik rode a
bicycle to travel from Lahore airport to the
press club to participate in the first death
anniversary observance of renowned journalist
Nisar Usmani (September 5, 1995).
He had specially flown to Lahore to pay
tributes to Nisar Usmani.
J.Salik said, journalism was a mission for
Nisar Usmani “Nisar Usmani equally belonged
to all of us. Throughout his life Nisar Usmani
fought against class discrimination. To pay
homage to him I have come by bicycle from
airport”.
J.Salik is an embodiment of humility yet
he is a disciplinarian and did not brook any
hanky-panky to disregard him merely because
he did not belong to the elite class.
As a federal minister he went to New
York on an official tour in August 1995 and
stayed in a hotel. For two days the counsel
general neither called on him nor arranged
engagements for him.
275
J.Salik did not hesitate to register his
protest
with
Jang
(Pakistan
daily)
representative, caring little that it might bring
bad name to his own government.
He even hired a taxi to travel to brief
Pakistani media at New York. He said that
separate electorate was a curse with the result
that thereafter no assembly could complete its
tenure, nor his own government would do so.
In Lahore as a federal minister he
protested over provision of a defective car by
the protocol. He told newsmen that whenever
he came to Lahore the protocol provided such
a car which stopped immediately after coming
out of the airport building. In future, he would
use taxi and fly national flag over it. In case
his pocket did not permit to hire a cab, he
would travel by bicycle and fly flag over it.
While he was a federal minister, the
president of the country was Sardar Farooq
Ahmad Leghari who was a feudal lord from
Dera Ghazi Khan looking down upon backward
classes. The bureaucratic set up in Dera Ghazi
Khan was Leghari’s lackey. The commissioner
of Dera Ghazi Khan cold shouldered Salik on
his tour of the area. The absence of deputy
commissioner who was ex-officio district coordinator of population welfare program from
the headquarters, when federal minister of that
portfolio was scheduled to visit, was all the
more significant.
276
Ignoring that Farooq Leghari enjoyed
power to dissolve the national assembly, not to
speak of an ordinary minister, J.Salik lodged
his protest through press.
When J.Salik expressed his displeasure,
the Dera Ghazi Khan bureaucy, which had the
blessings of feudal lord president Sardar
Farooq Ahmed Leghari, used their hackneyed
tactics. They gathered together their ‘touts’ to
stir a mischievous propaganda in the press
that Christian minister should not have gone to
a girls school where Muslim students observed
‘purdah’ (wearing veil).
J.Salik cared a hoot for such tactics. He
carried on his mission in service to the people
undeterred. He was of the view that a politician
that left his house by pajero in the morning,
took his dinner at a five star hotel was not a
leader but a looter, a plunder, a dacoit.
J.Salik took a cup of tea in an
impoverished school attached to a mosque in
D.G. Khan and paid Rs. 3000/- from his own
pocket to a blind man manning the madrasa
(school).
As far as he was concerned he was
prepared to walk bare foot, ready to be
crucified for the sake of people. For him meals
were no problem. He took his breakfast and
evening meals together at 4.00 pm. It did not
matter if he did not get food for two to three
days at a stretch.
277
He told the ‘Family’ magazine that his
residential telephone was disconnected for
non-payment while he was a federal minister.
From where could he pay his water and
electricity charges? He did not deal in
narcotics.
He did not like a feigned life style
maintained through second-hand western
clothes. If we are to wear the used clothes of
western countries, what was the fun in
launching freedom struggle against the British
Raj? he asks.
Asked about his reading habits, J.Salik
said “Pakistan is an enough book for me to
study. What else books he should read? he
asks.
J.Salik as a federal minister reached the
venue of world population day observance by
taxi (a hired cab) and on conclusion left by
rickshaw.
Though he was the minister for
population welfare in his speech J.Salik said
population control was no problem. The real
problem was to break power cartels – feudal
overlords, unbridled bureaucracy and corrupt
politicians combined.
He said: “we all are dummy ministers.
Had we become ‘faqir’ (beggar) it would have
been better. There is not a single leader in
Pakistan who can address a public meeting
278
without bringing buses loaded with people
to be the audience”.
J.Salik was of the view that population
could be controlled, if the bureaucracy was
reined. The problem was not the increase in
population growth, the problem was wrong
distribution of wealth. The elite were
responsible for increasing unemployment.
Before the people decided to make forced
entry into the houses of the affluent, the
wealthy class should distribute their surplus
among the poor, he sounded a note of
warning.
On population, J.Salik believed in
maintaining a balance between the size of the
family and the extent of its resources. He was
of the view that the poor must be made to
realize that poverty could be overcome by
giving birth to only as many children as the
family and the country could afford to feed,
clothe and educate. He was a strong believer in
community participation as the key to the
success of any population planning program.
He published a profile on his activities
(from February 1995 to January 1996) as a
federal minister which was so commended by
prime minister Benazir Bhutto that she asked
all other cabinet ministers to similarly present
accounts of their accomplishments.
J.Salik’s promise as a politician was
bright. Within a few years of his entering into
279
politics, he won the attention of noted
columnist Munno Bhai. Munno Bhai wrote as
many as three columns in a span of six months
in 1984 on J.Salik.
J.Salik as convenor of the World
Minorities Alliance had decided to confer World
Minority and Human Rights award of the
century to Rome on laying the foundation
stone of the first mosque in Italy.
In a joint press conference addressed by
J.Salik and Mazhar Shafi of the World Islamic
Youth organization, it was announced that a
delegation of prominent ulema, journalists and
men of letters from Pakistan might visit Italy
later that year on the occasion of Christmas
and present an old manuscript of the Holy
Quran for the mosque being built.
Munno Bhai quoted imam of Badshahi
mosque in Lahore Maulana Abdul Qadir Azad
that in his family collection there was Holy
Quran which was scribbled in the hands of
Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and he would
present that copy for the mosque in Italy.
In
another
column
Munno
Bhai
mentioned another novel way of J.Salik’s
protest. J.Salik had taken exception to a pond
of water eroding a Muslim graveyard ‘Budho ka
awa’ in Lahore. He announced that if the
desecration of the graveyard was not arrested
within a month, he would wrap a coffin cloth
around him and lay in a grave and stay there
280
for a week. “As I know J.Salik he will do
what he says,” Munno Bhai said.
Within six months of assuming the office
of federal minister, J.Salik tendered his
resignation. At a meeting organized to express
solidarity with the peoples of Kashmir and
Bosnia,
an
NGO’s
lady
representative
inadvertently provoked J.Salik. J.Salik reacted
sharply. The lady was wearing gold rings on all
her fingers and apparently belonged to affluent
class. J.Salik said those living luxuriously could
not perceive the sufferings of the people of
Kashmir and Bosnia. He announced his
resignation on the spot. Leaving behind his
official car and protocol, J.Salik walked out and
hired a rickshaw to return home.
Late in the evening, Benazir Bhutto
realized the seriousness of the situation and
sent her entire cabinet to propitiate J.Salik.
‘Ammaji’ an elderly lady looking after the
family fondly recalls the evening when federal
ministers entreated her to help them come into
contact with J.Salik who was not available. His
search was all around. ‘Ammaji’ disclosed that
J.Salik was asleep upstairs but she could not
wake him up.
Finally ‘Ammaji’ brought down J.Salik to
the drawing room. The house where this
historic drama was staged is the same (House
No. 11, F-7/1 Islamabad) where J.Salik is
residing at present on rent. At that time this
281
house had been officially acquired for the
cabinet minister’s residence.
According to ‘Ammaji’ five PPP stalwarts
including Malik Ghulam Mustafa Khar, Begum
Shahnaz Wazir Ali and Yusaf Talpur had
encamped in the drawing room. She persuaded
Salik to see the guests. The visitors did not
press Salik for withdrawal of his resignation
but succeeded in making him call on prime
minister Benazir Bhutto.
Benazir Bhutto commended the services
of J.Salik toward the causes of Kashmir and
Bosnia not only during their meeting but also
relayed them in news bulletin of Pakistan
television.
Later J.Salik told newsmen that had
Benazir Bhutto accepted his resignation, the
tenure of her government would have
extended by six months. But she had returned
his resignation “with thanks” and had again
burdened his shoulders with ministerial
responsibility. This was in way a testimonial of
his good performance. (daily Khabren issue
31st August 1994).
Once on the occasion of Eid (Muslim
festival) the Christian leader visited the mental
hospital, Lahore to distribute gifts among the
inmates.
The
woman
mental
patients
surrounded him and said that they had seen
his photo on television and that he was a ‘good
282
actor’. When Salik denied that he was an
actor, he was asked to affirm his statement on
oath.
After his visit to the mental hospital
J.Salik counseled his peer parliamentarians to
acquaint themselves with the plight of mental
patients, they too should visit lunatic asylum.
In a bid to attain power the opposition
members had become mental cases, he
remarked.
J.Salik stands for ending corruption and
irregularities which he considers to be number
one national problem.
He visited Abbotabad union of journalists
office (daily Pakistan issue 12 December 1995)
and expressed the view that excepting him all
members of parliament had obtained permits
to purchase otherwise banned liquor. He said
dishonest and corrupt persons in assemblies
were openly involved in misdeeds.
He said he was the only an indebted
minister of the indebted nation. He neither
acquired liquor permit nor another license. His
hands were clean, and God willing would
always remain so. He did not consider politics
as a trade but as a divine mission.
J.Salik paid a two-day visit to Azad
Jammu Kashmir to express solidarity with
Kashmir cause on the occasion of Christmas.
In a “meet the press” program of the central
press club at Muzaffarabad (AJK) he said he
283
wanted to celebrate his Christmas at
Srinagar (Indian occupied Kashmir) but he
could not get permission.
J.Salik, always abides by law of the land
and did not hesitate to lodge protest on law
violation even as a federal minister. He had
agreed to participate in the marriage ceremony
of a journalist (Wajid Rasul) in Gharibabad a
suburb of Rawalpindi. As his car arrived at
airport road on his way to Gharibabad, a police
vehicle without lights, without number plate
and without a wireless equipment (necessary
for protocol duty), took over to pilot the
minister’s car. He stopped his car and the
police vehicle and asked the persons on duty
to call their seniors to explain why a
completely broken car had been detailed for
protocol duty.
J.Salik threatened to resign, and return
to his hometown in case a satisfactory
explanation was not forthcoming. His protest
continued for two hours. All senior police
officers reached the spot. Finally interior
minister Nasrullah Babar arrived to appease
J.Salik.
284
WOMEN POLICE STATION
The credit for setting up women police
force and women police stations for exclusively
handling cases of women and imposition of ban
on interrogation of women suspects after
sunset in Pakistan goes to J.Salik.
In his speeches in national assembly,
J.Salik protested over dishonouring suspects
by police officers. He said women were
detained in police stations for interrogation
after sunset which resulted in malpractices.
In Sargodha, a volatile situation had
arisen following complaints that a young
Christian woman and her children were locked
up in a police station without any justification.
MNA J.Salik arrived in the city. He
climbed up an in-accessible under construction
60 feet high and 3 feet wide superstructure
and having perched there removed the ladder.
He called for a complete strike in the city. The
whole town turned up and J.Salik was
uncrowned king of the crowd. Salik spent 20
hours at the precipice where a little careless
movement could knock one off. The entire local
administration remained in attendance. The
concerned officials explained their conduct to
the satisfaction of J.Salik and audience. After
having obtained an assurance that there would
be no victimization of the complainants by the
administration, J.Salik ended the protest which
was kept peaceful despite provocations.
285
For J.Salik, it is very painful that there
are different dispensation for the poor classes
including the labour and the elite. The
collective bargaining agent trade union has to
secure two third majority vote of the workers
to win the right to negotiate a labour deal with
the mill owner. On the other hand a member of
national assembly defeating his rival candidate
by sheer one vote in the general elections as a
parliamentarian
acquires
the
power
to
participate in the decision on the fate of the
entire country.
The Herald, a monthly sister organization
of the daily Dawn published a profile of J.Salik
splashed on three pages. It was captioned as
“Protest resignations are a family trait.”
“Elected
four
times
to
various
representative houses Salik has always ended
up by resigning in protest halfway through his
term. Even today he is threatening to resign
from the national assembly, if his various
demands are not met. His rival politicians
describe him as a ‘semi mad opportunist.” But
it takes only a few hours with him, in his
furnitureless house, to realize that his semimadness may make perfect sense in the
terrible little world of Pakistan’s Christian
community.
The writer Aamir Ahmad Khan says “The
man surprised me when we met him at his
house for this interview. His mop of filthy hair,
286
hanging over an equally filthy beard, and
his crumpled clothes were a bit unexpected. So
was the tape recording of his national
assembly speech, which was blaring in a small
room, crowded with visitors. One of the walls
in the room was covered with advertisements
of the recording of his various speeches.
“Roney wali (breaking down in tears) tape Rs.
20, said one notice. Salib wali – (on the
crucifix) videotape Rs. 130, said another. Salik
himself was listening intently to the tape
(which I learnt later the “weeping” tape and it
was obvious from his expression that he was
reliving every moment of the event. He told
me to wait for the tape to finish.
“Only when the tape ended did we move
to his drawing room which had nothing but the
carpet left in it, and Julius Salik began to talk
about himself. Not very articulate, he had a
problem concentrating and would forget what
he was saying at he slightest interruption. As
we began to talk he picked up a file of old
press clippings and started to leaf fondly
through them. These are cuttings of all the
press coverage given to me to date, he said,
pulling out a yellow page from an old magazine
which carried a photograph of himself and his
wife Mary living in a tent. Another clipping
showed him in shorts with a beggars bowl in
his hand, which he explained was his protest
against poverty.
287
Salik’s
father,
Emmanuel
Salik,
serving British Army, was court martialed for
disobedience, after which he used his
knowledge of chemicals to set up a soda ash
factory. “We do not have any politician in the
family but my father was a bit of social worker.
He set up an all-Christian chemical factory
called Broadway which had a board of 60
directors. But he resigned in protest from its
chairmanship when a group began to conspire
against him”, said Salik puffing away at a
Morvan Gold cigarette. “So you can say that
protest resignations are a family trait”, he
grinned.
“Although he claims to have carried
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on his shoulders when the
latter visited Lahore for his first campaign
meeting, Salik did not take up full time politics
till 1977. “I admired Bhutto. He was intelligent
and decent man. When the PNA (Pakistan
National Alliance) movement started, I formed
the Christian Janbaz volunteers group to
protest against his arrest and martial law. At
that time, a majority of Christian leadership
was
against
Bhutto
because
of
his
nationalization policy regarding schools. So
they supported martial law.” But he admits
that he did not have a clue about politics at
that time. I had no idea what a party hierarchy
meant. I remember one of the priests asked
me to help him secure a PPP ticket for the
288
elections but I did not know what a ticket
meant. I thought he wanted to go somewhere
and was asking the PPP to pay his fare”.
Julius
Salik
blames
the
Christian
leadership of the 70’s for his ignorance about
politics. “Our leaders at the time were content
with demanding extra sugar quota for Easter.
They were so busy with all sorts of ‘ghatia’
(cheap) things to please local SHO (Station
House Officer of Police) or the AC (Assistant
Commissioner - the lowest rung in district
administration) that they had no time to
educate their workers. Even the ones in the
Awami National Party (a left party) were so
busy sucking up their leaders. So Salik had no
option but to learn politics the hard way. In
1978, he was arrested while agitating for
Bhutto’s release.
“About 50 people were hauled up at
midnight and at about 2.00 AM the beatings
started. They would strip the prisoners, hang
them upside and lash them with wide leather
strip till they cried ‘tauba’ (penitenance).
“When my turn came, the SHO asked my
name. I said I was Julius Salik from the
Christian volunteers. He was a backward man
and probably thought I was a priest. He
offered me a chair. I tell you, I got quick a kick
sitting in that chair watching some of those
people being beaten up, people who had
289
shown me disrespect all my life because of
my religion”, he giggled.
Protest resignations alone are not a
family trait of J.Salik. He inherited a number of
noble values. The family name Salik is in fact a
title of respect and affection bestowed upon
J.Salik’s grandfather for his honesty, dedication
and community service. The word “Salik”
means “truthful”, one who always speaks the
truth or an advocate of truth. Salik’s
grandfather M. K. Salik had migrated from
border town of Burki to Lahore after spending
many years in Sialkot in early twentieth
century.
Salik’s grandfather found employment in
an industrial unit and settled down to look
after the need of his family. He had a passion
for education and his first priority was to
ensure schooling for his offsprings. All the
children, including Julius’ father Emmanuel
were admitted to the local school run by
Christian missionaries. Emmanuel Salik topped
the list in 1937 of successful matric candidates
of CTI mission school Bara Pathar, Sialkot, the
city of Dr. Sir Muhammad Iqbal, poet of the
East. Allama Iqbal’s philosophy of ‘Khudi’ (selfrespect) always enthused the Salik family.
Emmanuel Salik’s name still stands displayed
on the Bara Pathar school’s roll of honour.
Emmanuel Salik did his intermediate in
science from Gorden College, Rawalpindi. He
290
took to spiritualism, left urban life, went to
forests to remain busy in meditation for nearly
six months. Later he joined British army and
saw second world war operations in Iraq.
Regimentation was against the grain of
Emmanuel’s analytical mind of a scientist and
justice loving temperament of a devout
Christian..
J.Salik’s grandfather was a simple,
honest, pious and deeply religious person who
entered priesthood at the young age. He
inculcated the qualities of honesty and hard
work in all his children, who were brought up
to be good Christians --- God-fearing
individuals. Religious study and the Bible
reading under the guidance of elders were a
family routine. After many years of hard labour
and honest work, the Salik family became
relatively prosperous in Sialkot.
With family’s reserve fund built up after
years of toil, Salik’s grandfather laid the
foundation of a church in 1935 in the small
town of Shahkot. The family was still living in
rented accommodation. Instead of building a
house for themselves, they decided to spend
all their savings in constructing a house of
worship
for
their
community.
J.Salik’s
grandfather was a priest and a dedicated
missionary who spent his life in the service of
the church and in spreading the gospel. His
291
church services and missionary activities
kept him on the move throughout his life.
J.Salik is the second of the Salik boys
born in 1948. He opened his eyes in a
comfortable home surrounded by a loving
family who laid great emphasis on moral
values, integrity of character and study of the
Bible. Julius Salik was admitted to the local
missionary school at a very early age and his
religious training continued at home. By the
age of ten years he had read the Bible
repeatedly and his young mind had grasped
the meaning of his faith. His childhood was not
spent in luxury but he did have the benefit of a
secure, comfortable and loving family life.
The first traumatic experience in J.Salik’s
life was the sudden and untimely death of his
mother in 1956 when he was hardly eight year
old. His mother’s death created a sense of
pain, sorrow and deprivation on his young
mind. A sudden vacuum was created and the
young boy was at a loss to understand this
unexpected tragic blow delivered by Nature.
His father was too busy trying to save his
business and his brothers and sisters too could
provide no balm to his injured soul. Slowly and
gradually J.Salik recovered from the trauma of
losing his mother. His father remarried and
there was a further addition of three more girls
to the Salik family. J.Salik was now the brother
of four sisters and two brothers.
292
The rigid caste system of Punjabi
society perceived the Christians as “unclean”
and social outcasts. In his formative years,
J.Salik was constantly reminded of his minority
status. Many a time in his school years he was
insulted, degraded and vilified being a nonMuslim. As he grew older he realized that he
was a second-class citizen.
J.Salik started his practical life as a
worker in his father’s chemical works. He
devoted all his energies and mental faculties to
the chemical factory but the business
continued to decline. In sheer frustration and
disgust E. Salik resigned from chairmanship of
the factory, now located in Faislabad and
J.Salik too walked out of the factory to try his
luck somewhere else.
He was attracted by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto,
his style of politics, his concern for the poor
and the downtrodden, his philosophy of
socialism and his secular approach towards the
problems of society. J.Salik had been an active
social worker all his life. He had done social
work for the poor Christian community but the
example set by Bhutto motivated him to enter
politics and make a meaningful cause of social
service for his community.
When General Zia-ul-Haq announced
separate electorate for minorities in 1979 local
bodies elections, the Christian leadership
immediately accepted the system believing it
293
would benefit them. By that time Salik had
acquired quite a reputation in his community.
He had protested against the then religious
minister A.K. Brohi, who had remarked that
‘drinking alcohol was an article of Christian
faith’.
Salik contested the elections from Lahore
and won. “But nobody ever listened to me in
the municipal corporation. I was shown no
respect. Besides, Mayor Shujaur Rehman was
too busy, pampering his favourite councilors to
spare some time for the issues confronting me.
I was left with no choice but to resign in
protest”, Salik says.
This was no ordinary resignation. Salik
put on a black robe, smeared himself with
ashes and announced his intention at a press
conference, after which he walked into the
mayor’s office and handed in his resignation.
The gimmickry went down well with his
electorate which brought him back to the
municipal corporation in 1983. But as before,
peace was not to last for long and the issue
this time was the matric science paper. The
paper was held on Easter. “I sent many
applications, held many press conferences but
no one listened to me. So I went on a hunger
strike which lasted for 35 days.” Did he win?
No “The hunger strike ended with my arrest,”
Salik recalls.
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However, his efforts were rewarded
following a meeting with general Zia at
governor’s house, Lahore.
After the hunger strike, Julius called an
all-pastors’ conference, where 280 clerics from
all over Pakistan demanded that general Zia
might spare sometime for them.
A few days later, Salik met general Zia
as part of councilors delegation invited to the
governor’s house for the dinner with the
general.
“When I was introduced to him, he asked
how things were. I said we are very happy sir,
very very happy. Although the matric science
paper is held on Easter every year, we are
happy. We don’t get any leave on Easter, but
we are very happy, Sir, very happy. Even
though you have no time to meet the Christian
clerics, we are very very happy. I remember
he looked upset. But it worked. That year the
science paper was cancelled,” Salik recollects.
The small success encouraged Salik to
demand that general Zia give the Christian
clergy an appointment. He announced that he
would resign if general Zia could not spare
sometime for the Christians. General Zia
agreed but did not accept the composition of
the delegation as formulated at the pastors’
conference. He invited his own people led by
captain Sana, who was also a member of
majlis-e-shoora. Salik was left with no option
295
but to resign. Every time Salik resigned, he
made his wife Mary contest the by-elections.
This gave him opportunity to address public
meetings without risking anything. Mary also
contested the 1985 general elections which
Salik himself boycotted as a mark of solidarity
with MRD (Movement for Restoration of
Democracy which protested against elections
without political parties affiliation). “General
Zia wanted harmless and sweet assemblies
and I thought Mary would make a perfect
member”, Salik said. But she lost and Julius
Salik found himself in political wilderness.
By that time Salik had enough of Lahore
and
decided
to
move
to
Karachi.
Characteristically it was not to be a smooth
shifting. He threw away all his belongings and
he and his wife Mary set out for Karachi on
foot. It took him 40 days to reach Karachi, and
the walk fetched enough publicity to enable
him to contest the 1987 local bodies polls from
Karachi. Though he lost, he celebrated his
defeat with decorative lights and fireworks. “I
knew that I was now known all over Pakistan
and didn’t mind the defeat at all” Salik said.
But against J.Salik’s expectations, the
1988 elections brought fresh controversies.
Captain Sana and Peter John Sahotra were
declared winners against Colonel Herbert and
J.Salik
respectively.
The
results
were
challenged and the appellants won. But the
296
process had taken too long. Julius Salik took
oath on the last day of the national assembly’s
last session before it was dissolved by
president Ishaq. “I only spent one day in the
house, but outside the parliament I was an
MNA for 43 days”, he says.
But J.Salik’s struggle was not to be in
vain. The 1990 elections brought him another
victory followed by the national limelight. Soon
after winning the elections, Salik found himself
protesting yet again. In November 1991 the
Punjab government postponed the local bodies
election to December 28, to coincide with
Christmas and New Year celebrations. He
immediately took up the issue and after
several
applications
for
a
further
postponement, he tied himself to ‘Tiktiki’ (a
tripod on which criminals are flogged) to be
paraded on the Mall . His posture was that he
was neither on ground nor on heaven to
demonstrate his helplessness. The show did
not last long as the police swooped down on
the procession and arrested him. Salik hardly
had time to mull over his defeat when he was
faced with another issue – the toughest one to
date. Aamir Ahmad write in the Herald: Salik’s
protestations were evidently not taken
seriously by the IJI (a combine of right wing
parties) government, which froze his share
(6.1 million rupees) of the 50 million minority
welfare fund. The freeze followed thousands of
297
applications for financial assistance (from
between 1000 to 3000 rupees) received from
his voters. “I know many of my votes began
thinking that I had somehow swiped all the
money. It was impossible to convince them
that I was being victimized”, Salik said.
Salik had to think fast. He organized a
hunger strike of the widowed voters who had
applied for assistance placing some 20 women
in front of the Punjab assembly building. “I was
amazed at the ruthlessness of the government.
Some of the women were so old that after the
second day their condition started to scare me.
But they simply refused to call off the strike
until they got their money”, Salik said.
Indeed, it looked as if Salik had pushed
himself into a corner. He risked a “loss of
image”, if he called off the strike and was
scared of having a corpse or two on his hands,
the Herald reported.
“It seemed as if everyone in the
government had suddenly gone deaf, dumb
and blind. No one was paying me any
attention. I was going crazy with frustration.
The last straw was a remark of superintendent
police who told me in front of everyone that I
had better pack up my show because I was not
going to get any money. I came home fuming
and it suddenly occurred to me that if I publicly
burnt all my belongings, it would surely shake
the rulers out of their slumber”, Salik recalls.
298
Salik did not wait to think it over. He
called a pick-up truck, packed in all the
furniture in his house, drove to Charring Cross
and set it on fire.
“Just imagine! An MNA was burning all
his belongings in public! Can there be greater
form of protest? I was convinced that it would
rattle the government. But government didn’t
bat an eyelid. God! It was a weird feeling. Now
I have no hope left”, Salik hysterically told the
details to the Herald.
Aamir Ahmad Khan records “Going over
his eventful life, I had completely forgotten to
question Salik on his position over various
public issues. I need not have bothered,
because Julius apparently does not concern
himself with such issues at all. My query about
the ID card (Identity Card) issue was brushed
aside. The real issue is separate electorates,
not the identity card; Salik said. He said he
was against separate electorate, but didn’t
sound too convincing. He knows that without a
system of separate electorate he would not be
where he is today. What then is the politics of
his community? “We have no problems other
than the ones which most Pakistanis have. All
we want is a little bit of respect, to be treated
like ordinary people and not as B class citizens,
he said passionately. As I left his house, I
knew what he was hinting it. Had Julius not
been Christian, he would never have had to
299
put his furniture to fire to grab the
government’s attention. They just don’t want
to give us any importance’ he said just when I
was leaving. He stopped himself from adding
‘because of our religion’, Aamir Ahmad Khan
wrote in the Herald.
During his tenure as a municipal
councilor of Lahore Salik worked tirelessly to
provide civic amenities to his neglected
constituency. For the first time the Christians
had a leader who was always available and
who was prepared to listen to their grievances
and genuine complaints. His efforts produced
beneficial
results
and
many
noticeable
improvements could be seen in the Christian
localities of Lahore. Salik’s sincere struggle
forced the mayor and the Muslim councilors to
take notice of the plight of his community. The
Christians gained respect and Salik rose in
stature and popularity. His increased fame and
popularity gave him a lot of confidence. He
refused to compromise on principles or to be a
part of any shabby political deal. Even in anger
and frustration J.Salik followed the rules of
democracy and this is evident from the
incident of his first resignation as councilor.
Salik’s resignation endeared him to his voters.
His first resignation was the beginning of his
long struggle of a passive resistance.
In his political career as a municipal
councillor and as a federal minister, Salik
300
resigned four times. He resigned twice as
councillor and twice as member of the national
assembly. His resignation always resulted in
dissolution of the assemblies and holding of
fresh general elections. Salik’s record of
resignations is unmatched in the political
history of Pakistan. Resigning from public office
is not a part of the country’s political culture
and Salik always sacrificed his representative
position for the sake of his democratic
principles and upholding the sanctity of
democratic
institutions.
His
repeated
resignations have helped him promote his
ideals, educate his followers and create public
awareness about democracy, peace, love and
harmony.
…………………………
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Chapter 7
PEACE IN CAGE
The World Minorities Alliance which
stands for global peace besides protecting the
social, political and religious rights of the
minorities throughout the world completed 25
years of its existence. Salik Peace Foundation,
a body formed simultaneously to advance the
objectives of the world minorities, organized an
international walk to mark the silver jubilee
celebrations. A host of school children carried
portraits of heads of various states, their
respective national flags and placards pleading
unity among the downtrodden especially
minorities of the world and collective action to
press their demand for redressal of their
problems. The United Nations was urged to
convene an international minorities conference
in which bona fide representatives if religious
minorities be invited to spotlight problems
being faced by their communities. A plan to
bring out “International Minorities Times” a
magazine to be published in six languages
including Urdu to highlight minorities’ problems
was spelt out. Other projects including
International Minorities Uplift Bank, to provide
financial assistance to minority communities
302
and Minority Education Peace Force to be
deployed in disturbed areas of the world to
promote
peace
awareness,
were
also
elaborated.
J.Salik’s peace awareness drive received
a serious jolt when the World Trade Centre,
New
York
and
sections
of
Pentagon,
Washington were bombed by unknown
assailants and the US President George W.
Bush pointed incriminating finger at Saudi
billionaire
Osama
bin
Laden
living
in
Afghanistan and his organization Al-Qaida.
This led to attacks on places of worship
of Muslim community in the United States and
some other countries. The lifelong dream of
J.Salik to help promote peaceful co-existence
apparently looked shattered. He immediately
called upon the United Nations to play an
effective role in safeguarding minorities all
over the world. In a letter to the UN secretary
general Mr. Kofi Annan, J.Salik said “if the
minority became vulnerable in one country,
they would be safe nowhere. The event of
September 11, 2001 pertaining to attacks on
the World Trade Center in New York and the
Pentagon in Washington are most tragic. The
World Minorities Alliance is vastly aggrieved
over the colossal human life and condoled with
the bereaved families. God has blessed the
United States with rich human and material
resources. It status as such warrants
303
rationality and it should keep restraint in
this hour of crisis. The entire episode must be
intensively investigated in proper perspective
before incriminating any agency or person.
“The reported attacks in anger on places
of worship of a minority community in the
United States and the United Kingdom and
certain other countries are irrational and cause
concern. There may be subsequent chain
reaction.
“Safeguarding the rights of minorities all
over the world is the collective human
responsibility reposed in the United Nations.
The world body should discharge its obligations
rising above the passing passion of one
country
or
a
group
of
countries
or
communities.
“If the minorities become vulnerable in
one country, they will be safe no where. And
without safeguarding the lives, honour,
property or faith of minorities all over the
world, international peace may not be ensured.
“We in the World Minorities Alliance call
upon all concerned to play cool and discharge
their
wholesome
responsibilities
in
an
integrated fashion.”
J.Salik also appealed to US President
George Bush to help defuse the current world
crisis in a statesman like manner otherwise it
may lead to a catastrophic conflict between
two great civilizations.
304
In a letter J.Salik said “the World
Minorities Alliance takes this opportunity to
felicitate you on your wise and timely step in
visiting Washington central mosque to quell a
surge of anti-minority incidents in the United
States.
“You were right to state there were
millions of U.S. Muslims who make an
incredibly valuable contribution to our country.
The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam.
This sagacious statement of yours is true of all
faiths around the globe.
“You did well in removing your shoes
before entering the mosque to respect the
Muslim tradition. Your support to cultural
tradition of minorities is commendable and will
contribute to upholding minorities’ customs all
over the world.
“Your lead will go a long way in
assuaging anti-minority feelings among your
compatriots.
“The world today faces a very deep
crisis, which if not defused in a statesman like
manner as your endeavours reflect, this may
lead to catastrophic conflict between two great
civilizations.
“As you may be aware the World
Minorities Alliance did not lag behind anyone in
condemning and expressing grief over acts of
terrorism at New York and Washington the
305
other day and condoling with the bereaved
families.
“The World Minorities Alliance stands for
safeguarding the rights of minorities all over
the globe irrespective of caste or creed. This
alone can guarantee world peace. This is our
belief.”
The reports of further attacks on places
of worship of Muslim minority in various
western countries continued pouring. The
United Nations General Assembly was in
session. J.Salik addressed a letter to the
General Assembly President Dr. Han Seung
Soo and suggested convening of world
minorities conference. He also urged the
General Assembly President to play a role in
adopting
a
comprehensive
resolution
safeguarding minorities’ rights at the current
session of the Assembly to avert a possible
conflict between different schools of thought.
In a letter to the President of General
Assembly, J.Salik said “the reports of attacks
at places of worship of a minority in various
western countries which form part of the best
civilized world of today, warrant immediate
attention of the UN General Assembly
session now in progress under your able
chairmanship.
“Besides adopting a comprehensive
resolution on credible safety of all minorities
over the globe, the UN may sponsor a world
306
conference
of
representatives
of
minorities
to
earnestly
pursue
the
cherished goal of world peace.
“The
General
Assembly
may
recommend
to
member
states
to
introduce a subject on genuine and
peaceful relationship between majority
and
minority
communities
in
their
educational institutions.
“The latest of a series of reports that
emanates from Edinburgh (Scotland) and
relates to a petrol bomb attack at a mosque
“Alnoor-ul-Madina” of Pakistan Community
center which reduced the place of worship to
ashes.
“Britain
and
Scotland
are
the
acknowledged mother of modern democracy
which best guarantees safeguarding human
rights particularly those of minorities.
“If the world leaders assembled in the
UN General Assembly session now choose to
ignore such incidents as minor, sporadic and
insignificant, these may loom large in the days
to come. The simmering sentiments of hatred
and religious intolerance may flare up into
conflagration one day. Then it may be too late
to accomplish the desired goal of peaceful coexistence.
“The current session of the General
Assembly, which is seized of the jinee issue of
terrorism, may address itself to the allied
307
question of safeguarding the life, property
and honour rights of all minorities throughout
the world.
“My personal experience as a minority
social wizard (having risen from dust as a
Christian to become elected federal minister
and Nobel Peace Prize nominee in Islamic
republic of Pakistan) spread over twenty-five
years manifest that cordial interaction between
majority and minority communities alone may
ensure peace.
“Such a conference of world minorities
will provide a forum to genuine representatives
to hammer out a workable formula to avert the
threat of clash between major civilizations or
different schools of thoughts.”
J.Salik had consistently worked hard to
consolidate his position as a guardian of
minorities’ rights in Pakistan besides taking up
the cause of world minorities. Increasing
foreign loans of Pakistan worried J.Salik
extremely. His own Christian community in
Pakistan was the worst sufferer in the national
economic crisis largely deepened by foreign
debts.
He was of the view that humanity and
magnanity should go together. The rich
individuals and nations should do their bit to
ensure human standards of living for the poor
and backward. IMF, World Bank and lending
clubs had already written off debts of 45
308
countries of the world in which Pakistan was
not included. J.Salik being a representative of
the minority (6 million in number) felt a special
responsibility since foreign debts producted
worst economic impact for his community. Why
the citizens of Pakistan be forced to live a
subhuman life for no fault of their own?
From jaws of hunger as poverty pushed
the have-not to atheism. He planned to
approach
intelligentsia,
parliamentarians,
human rights activists to bring home that
poverty made man selfish and criminal. The
economic ills emanating from unpayable loans
ruined democratic institutions. The squeezing
effects of loans like contagious diseases,
contaminated human behaviour in all branches
of life.
Personally he took to austerity and
pledged to abstain all sorts of festivities
religious or social – nor would he take part in
any elections. And he along with his family
members would spend Pakistan National Day
(March 23) in an orphan house till he achieved
his mission).
With regard to his humble capacity for
such an important task as retirement of foreign
debt he quoted the Holy Bible: “But God hath
chosen the foolish things of the world to
confound the wise; and God hath chosen the
weak things of the world to confound base
things of the world, and the things which are
309
He appealed to the political parties of
Pakistan to lend their co-operation to his
campaign in view of its national importance.
He asked them to strictly follow the policies
aimed at self sufficiency and not to incur any
further debt while in power. He advised them
to pursue clean politics once the current
foreign debts were written off. He said
politicians should undertake that their family
members and near and dear ones would not
take advances or loans from any bank. The
political parties may resolve that on the eve of
general elections only genuine party workers
and ideologues would be nominated as party
candidates. No former army general, judge or
a bureaucrat would be nominated as a party
candidate for elections. The bureaucrats should
be debarred from accepting any office after his
retirement with any international organization.
A Pakistani diplomat deciding to stay away in a
foreign country after leaving his assigned may
be black listed, his property in Pakistan be
confiscated till he returns to defend himself in
a court of law.
World Bank Lottery
J.Salik decided to start his day work with
bells tolling with view to awakening public
conscience on the plight of Pakistanis burdened
with foreign debt. For this purpose he installed
a big bell on his office table.
310
J.Salik formally asked the World Bank
to launch a special benevolent fund to retire
foreign debts of the poorest countries of the
world including Pakistan.
Inspired during his tours of Japan,
Singapore, Malaysia and the United States in
June 2001 J.Salik observed that almost every
country including the USA, UK, Japan and
some South Asian countries have had their
own lottery schemes. Even benevolent
organization like Red Cross had their own
similar schemes to raise funds.
He suggested that the World Bank should
also launch a scheme in the larger interest of
the poor and debt ridden countries of the
world. For the benevolent fund the bank may
put on sale vouchers of small denomination
say $ one. The people throughout the world
may invest a dollar a day in the Bank
Benevolent Fund. Billions of people may evince
interest in the lottery scheme which combines
charity and dividends. Every week half of the
proceeds may be divided among winner of the
lottery and other half may be set apart for debt
retirement of poor countries. Pakistan may be
among the top beneficiaries.
The World Bank officially evinced interest
in
J.Salik’s
suggestion
of
launching
international lottery scheme. The World Bank
said “Your suggestion about raising money to
launch a fund to retire external debts of
311
poorest countries (including Pakistan) is
interesting and we are grateful for your
concern with this important subject.
In response to the J.Salik’s proposal the
manager of Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
(HIPC) Initiative Unit, Washington, Mr. Alex
Van Trotsenburg in the letter said “We are
making great progress in our efforts to
eliminate unsustainable debts in HIPC Initiative
Unit including to date in identifying the
necessary
resources
from
the
official
creditors.” Mr. Trotsenburg also explained in
detail the working of his unit at the World
Bank.
The
World
Bank
President,
Mr.
Wolfensohn had forwarded J.Salik’s suggestion
to the HIPC initiative unit manager.
After September 11, 2001 events the
United States cobbled a coalition to ultimately
attack Afghanistan. As a frontline state
Pakistan had to play in the international war on
‘terrorism’. International sanctions which have
previously been imposed following nuclear
explosion by Pakistan in 1998 in retaliation to
Indian explosion, were waived to persuade
Pakistan to join the world coalition.
J.Salik hailed lifting of the sanctions but
called for straight away writing off all foreign
debts for economic emancipation of poor
Pakistan. “More than anything else this would
serve the cause of peace and humanity at this
312
critical juncture of human history” he said.
Pakistan’s
foreign
loans
were
largely
rescheduled but none was written off.
In a letter individually addressed to
heads of various countries and international
institutions, J.Salik said “the waiving of
international sanctions against Pakistan is
welcome. This however, may be tantamount to
correcting a wrong action belatedly. The
nuclear related sanctions were imposed in
1998. The lifting of sanctions means
endorsement of Pakistan’s claims that its
nuclear program aimed at promoting peace
and peaceful uses of nuclear technology.
“In the three years the nuclear sanctions
remained in place Pakistan suffered enormous
economic loss. Many innocent lives were lost;
thousands of young men deprived of education
and millions more went without amenities
because of economic constraints forced by the
sanctions. The poor people of Pakistan
particularly the minorities including the
Christian minority whom I represent, were
pushed further backward for no fault of their
own.
“No amount of compensation would
suffice to offset the set back they have
suffered. Yet mere waiving of unnecessary
sanctions after three years would be against
any norm of justice. Now several lending
countries have rescheduled Pakistan’s loans
313
with repayment span extending to twenty
years at this critical juncture of human history.
The rescheduling in fact may
further
demoralize the common man in Pakistan as in
it they may see his next generation snared in
prolonged economic impairment.
“As you may be aware that feeling the
public pulse I had vowed earlier this year to
start an international campaign for writing off
foreign loans of Pakistan failing which I would
take a bowl of poison like Socrates in front of
World Bank Headquarters in Washington on
Feb 26th next. IMF, World Bank and lending
clubs have already written off debts of 45
countries of the world in which Pakistan was
not included.
“My move was acclaimed by people in
Pakistan and expatriates settled abroad. Even
the World Bank headquarters had evinced
interest in one of my schemes in this behalf.
“May be the donor countries realize at
some later stage that people of Pakistan had
already paid through their nose what was due
from them. Then it may be too late. This may
be in the fitness of the things that donor
countries see their way to economically
liberate Pakistan by straight away writing off
foreign loans. This may promote the cause of
peace and humanity more than anything else.”
314
The fast moving world events left in
limbo J.Salik’s campaign for retirement of
foreign debts.
J.Salik
however,
reiterated
his
suggestion for setting up a Benevolent Fund
for the benefit of Afghanistan which turned
rubble after US led air and ground attacks.
For humanitarian relief in Afghanistan
J.Salik advocated that United Nations may
launch a lottery scheme. The UN may put on
sale vouchers of small denomination, say one
dollar. The people throughout the world may
invest in it according to their capability and
convenience. Every week 30% of the proceeds
may be divided among draw winners and the
rest be left for reconstruction of Afghanistan on
long term basis.
Billions of people throughout the world
might evince interest in the lottery scheme,
which combines charity with dividends, J.Salik
thought.
J.Salik said this scheme might continue
even after the war and funds might be utilized
for rehabilitations and reconstructions of the
war-devastated country. Those Afghans who
have had lost their business because of the
prolonged turmoil might be compensated out
the fund.
J.Salik was extremely disturbed as the
US led coalition was moving toward an all out
attack on Afghanistan in pursuit of extremists.
315
Hs worries widened with a remark of US
President George W. Bush addressed to the
world leaders particularly President of Pakistan
General Pervez Musharraf that “Either you are
with us or with the terrorist,”. He thought that
it might polarize the world.
As a convenor of the World Minorities
Alliance J.Salik sent an urgent identical
message to Pope of Rome, Bishop of
Canterbury and Imam of Kaaba (Makkah,
Saudi Arabia) to jointly sponsor an emergency
conference of living Nobel laureates of the
world to listen to the mute elite on the current
world crisis. “May be the galaxy of neutral and
humane notables, who have distinguished
themselves in various fields like literature,
natural
sciences,
medicine
and
peace
promotion by winning the Nobel award, throw
up a solution.
“Let us give them a chance of cool
appraisal of divergent stand points to retrieve
the situation”, he said.
In the meantime, the US led coalition
might halt for 72 hours whatever action it
might be planning for action, he suggested.
Two days later J.Salik urged the Nobel
Peace laureates like Nelson Mandela and others
to break their silence. Their quietness, he said,
was baffling the billions of people of the world
who were keen to know their views on the
316
current crisis which might turn the peace
prospects into a distant dream.
He asked the chairman of Nobel
Foundation to provide a forum for the moot of
the living laureates.
“In the meantime, the Nobel laureates
who
have
won
their
laurels
through
distinguished and strenuous efforts towards
peace should express their thoughts. One may
not ask them to take one side or another. But
their silence is surprising and a section may
misconstrue it as hypocrisy on the part of the
elite popularly perceived to be champions of
peace,” J.Salik stated.
In the second week of October foreign
minister of OIC (Organization of Islamic
Conference) assembled at Doha. J.Salik sent
them a message to hold out an assurance that
they would protect minorities in their
respective countries. He thought that it would
go a long way to safeguard interests of
Muslims in the countries where they are in
minority.
In a letter to current Chairman of OIC
Amir of Doha and Secretary General OIC,
J.Salik said “the current session of an
emergency meeting of OIC Foreign Ministers in
Doha at this critical cross road of history is of
great importance, not only for the Muslim
world but also for all minorities over the entire
globe.
317
The letter said, “Millions of Muslims
live in minority in various countries of Europe
and other continents. Recently there were
reports of attack on mosques in several
countries where Muslims are in minority.
“The report emanating from Edinburgh
(Scotland) relating to a petrol bomb attack at a
mosque
“Alnoor-ul-Madina”
of
Pakistan
Community Center which reduced the place of
worship to ashes, is most relevant.
“If the Muslim leaders assembled at
Doha now choose to ignore such incidents as
minor, sporadic and insignificant, the safety of
Muslim minority in various countries may be in
jeopardy. A voice raised at your forum will go a
long way to protect the Muslim minority living
in various countries of the world.
“The session of the OIC Foreign
Ministers, which is seized of the jinee issue of
terrorism, may address itself to the allied
question of safeguarding the life, property and
honour rights of all minorities throughout the
world.
“My personal experience as a minority
social worker (having risen from dust as a
Christian to become elected federal minister
and Nobel Peace Prize nominee in Islamic
Republic of Pakistan) spread over twenty-five
years manifests that mutual interaction
between majority and minority communities
alone may ensure peace.
318
“The current session of OIC may
sponsor
a
conference
of
minorities’
representatives from all over the world to
hammer out a workable formula to avert the
threat of clashes between majorities and
minorities and pave the way for peaceful coexistence. The conference may hold out an
assurance that minorities in their respective
countries would continue to enjoy full civil and
political rights as envisaged in Islam. Such an
undertaking may go a long way in protecting
Muslim minorities in other countries.”
J.Salik also appealed to King Fahd to play
a leading role to help halt further loss of
innocent civilian lives in Afghanistan.
Julius Salik addressed a letter to Saudi
monarch in his capacity as Khadim Harman
Sharifan (The servant of the two holiest places
of the Muslims at Makkah and Madina) to
sagaciously convince the two sides to give up
their “obdurate way” and sit on conference
table to hammer out a workable formula to end
the hostilities. King Fahd might associate Pope
of Rome and Bishop of Canterbury in his peace
efforts, Salik suggested.
The letter said “the World Minorities
Alliance looks upon you as Khadim Harman
Sharifan, the Holiest places of the entire
Muslim world for an initiative to snatch the
signal given by the US President George W.
Bush in the shape of offering a second chance
319
to Afghanistan, as an opportunity to help
end the week long attack by the US-led
coalition.
“Civilian casualties are taking place
despite the US professed care not to target
civilian habitations.
“Your Majesty, must have witnessed
indifference, if not insensitivity, largely on part
of world community as the innocent civilians
including women and children are being killed
in the carpet bombardment going on now for a
week in Afghanistan. The US President George
W. Bush’s gesture giving a second chance to
Afghanistan (though rejected by the Taliban)
may be picked up by humane persons like Your
Majesty to probe if a workable formula can be
hammered out at a conference table to end the
hostilities.
“Both sides can be convinced sagaciously
to see reason and strike a via media.
“Wars howso long they may continue,
have had never solved problems. Peace has
always been the result of dispassionate
negotiations. Sooner such parleys are arranged
the better it would be for the humanity.
“In an effort/search for peace Your
Majesty may associate the services of Pope of
Rome, Bishop of Canterbury and Imam of
Kaaba. If the two warring parties are allowed
to go their obdurate way the hostilities may
expand to engulf more peoples and countries.
320
With the passage of time passions may rise
and spread and to restore peace may become
more and more difficult task.
“I hope and trust that Your Majesty may
see your way to play a leading role at this
crucial crossroad of human history.”
Within less than a week J.Salik made
second S.O.S to Khadim Harman Sharifan to
initiate a peace process in collaboration with
top Christian clerics before it is too late to
retrieve world peace in the wake of continuing
US
bombardment
on
Afghanistan
and
increasing human casualties.
J.Salik recalled a plausible 7 point peace
formula presented by King Fahd while he was
still a Prince. With his elevation, J.Salik said
King Fahd’s vision had broadened as well as his
sphere of influence. Similarly canvas today was
larger. Only Middle East peace was then
involved. Now the world peace was at stake.
The letter said “my second appeal to
Your Majesty in a row in one week manifest
the deep concern the World Minorities Alliance
feels for global peace and its conviction that
Your Majesty alone in collaboration with Pope
of Rome, Bishop of Canterbury and Imam of
Kaaba may deliver goods in these dark hours,
getting grimmer as the clock moves.
“The World Minorities Alliance was deeply
moved by Your Majesty’s urge for peace and
your sagacity when you had presented a 7
321
point formula for solution of tormenting
issue of the Middle East. Your Majesty was still
a Prince at that time. Your elevation has
enhanced both your sphere of influence and
the vision of world scenario. The canvas is
larger too at this moment. At that time the
peace of Middle East was in question. Now the
world peace is at stake.
“The World Minorities Alliance is also
emboldened with a reported statement of
Saudi Interior Minister Prince Naif expressing
unhappiness over continuing US raids on
Afghanistan resulting in larger casualties of
innocent civilians. This statement must have
been issued under Your Majesty’s benign
guidance.
“Your Majesty, the World Minorities
Alliance notes that the entire world stands
polarized and most of the countries though
worried over continuing human casualties are
keeping silence in this situation. The UN itself
has become a party. We see no forum neutral
enough to steer peace process except the
exalted position of Khadim Harman Sharifan
coupled with a few top Christian clerics who
may come forward to help halt the US attacks
on Afghanistan and make the parties to sit on
table to sort out things.
“We hope and trust that Your Majesty
may not lose opportunity to help restore world
322
peace. The delay may obviate the chances
of retrieval.”
J.Salik asked the UN to divert funds for
introducing peace as a full-fledged academic
subject from primary to doctorate level of
education to attain a new threshold of
terrorism-free world.
In a press statement J.Salik said the
current war against terrorism might not yield
the desired results in the absence of defined
parameters of terrorism. The terrorism is
multi-dimensional. There may be state
terrorism,
regional
terrorism,
factional
terrorism and individual incidence of terrorism.
The
terrorism
howsoever
grotesque
or
gruesome manifestations it may have, there
may be reasons motivating it. The reasons
behind terrorism need to be addressed
objectively
and
most
dispassionately.
Otherwise the terrorism might not be
controlled by whatever might be used to crush
it. The use of power on other hand, may
accelerate the activities of the so-called
terrorists.
On the positive side the youth need to be
educated on peace at schools, colleges and
universities. The peace is a way of multifaceted human life. It needs to be studied
comprehensively for which the UNESCO may
devise curricula and courses of studies for
every level of education from primary to
323
doctorate degrees. Thus turned out peace
scholars may whip up a campaign which in
turn will successfully curb terrorism and
promote peaceful co-existence.
J.Salik also demanded of all countries to
introduce a subject on genuine and peaceful
relationship between majority communities in
their educational institutions.
There were reports that the US bombers
attacked a hospital in Afghanistan. J.Salik was
also worried over civilian causalities during the
US bombardment. The attack on hospital was
breaking point. He had always stood for interreligious
harmony
especially
ChristiansMuslims amity. He was afraid that war
excesses might irreparably harm his mission.
J.Salik was quick in condemning attack
on hospital and described it as a moral crime
as well as against tenets of all religions. The
hospital inmates were the most miserable
human specie for which the US administration
should at least apologize.
In a press statement J.Salik deplored the
apathy and silence on the part of world at
large while the civilians were being targeted in
Afghanistan during the US air strikes
committed on the pretext of combating
terrorism. Terrorism could not end by
perpetrating another form of terrorism. The
humanity should hang its head in shame.
Though a voice was raised on these brutalities
324
by certain quarters yet the protest is too
feeble to be effective.
In case the United States denied the
assertion
of
the
Taliban
regarding
bombardment of hospital, an impartial enquiry
be held by an independent jury to find out the
facts.
J.Salik said another manifestation of
insensitivity on the part of world at large is the
miserable plight of the Afghan refugees
including women and children stranded at the
borders. According to a responsible UN official
only 6% of the total relief requirements had so
far been met by donations received from all
over the world for the needy Afghan nationals,
he added.
J.Salik also decried reports that attack on
Afghan was being launched under the banner
of cross the symbol of Christianity.
In a press statement he said the United
States which is leading the current attack on
Afghanistan is a democratic country in which at
least 10 million persons lived who belong to
different religions other than Christianity
including Islam.
The United States could not be described
as Christian country nor its President George
W. Bush could be stated to be carrying the
banner of cross.
J.Salik said it did not behove anybody
whosoever to call the current war as a crusade.
325
He recalled that Vatican Pope John Paul II
had already publicly apologised for the wrongs
or acts of violence committed by the Christians
during the last two millenniums which he
thought were result of little knowledge or
ignorance of the religion.
As J.Salik, all the time in the
circumstances, had fear, report came about an
attack on a church in Bahawalpur (Pakistan).
He condemned the attack and described it as a
dastardly attempt to create a wedge between
the Muslims and Christians of the world.
In a press statement J.Salik said the
need of the hour was to hold out a credible
guarantee that life, property and honour and
the rights to creed of the minority communities
would be fully safeguarded in their respective
countries. The blanket of security should
extend not only to places of worship but also
respect needs to be shown to the sacred
events and holy festivals.
J.Salik appealed to Pope John Paul II of
Rome and Bishop of Canterbury to raise their
voice for upholding the sanctity of the
forthcoming holy month of Ramzan vis a vis
US-led coalition air strikes on Afghanistan. This
step would promote the sense of security
among Muslim minorities in the western
Christian and other countries.
The World Minorities Alliance have had
vehemently protested over desecration of holy
326
places of minorities, whether be it Babri
Mosque and Sikh Golden Temple in India or
any other holy places of minority community
anywhere in the world.
J.Salik claimed that Christian community
of Pakistan was totally loyal to this country and
recalled that there was no single incident in the
entire history of Pakistan which might reflect
upon patriotism of Christians.
J.Salik kept the
current situation
continuously revolving in his mind.
He thought the world peace would
remain perilled so long as the voice of the
minorities living in various countries was
unheard at the United Nations.
Terrorism too might not be effectively
controlled until the religious minorities were
given
international
recognition
and
mouthpiece, he added.
In a press statement he called for
reservation of a seat at the United Nations for
the world minorities. He said the world body
was currently administered by nominees of
member governments which in turn might be
commanding
majority
support
in
their
respective countries.
Elaborating his point J.Salik recalled that
former US President Bill Clinton during his
tenure as President had raised the issue of
desecration of churches in India. The Indian
authorities side-lined the question as it
327
pertained to an Indian “internal matter” and
could not be discussed internationally.
Were the minorities represented at the
United Nations their nominee would have
legitimately voiced the issue agitating the mind
of Christian minority in India and international
community might have had lawful say on the
subject, he said.
Absence of representation of the
minorities at the UN kept the traumatic
episodes of demolition of Babri Mosque,
desecration of Sikh’s Golden temple and
churches in India out of scope of international
intervention.
J.Salik demanded that the UN might
convene a world conference of bona fide
representatives of the minorities from various
countries to hammer out the mechanics of
their representation at the world forum.
The emergency warranted that the issue
might be discussed at the current session of
the UN General Assembly (year 2001) and the
decision in this respect might be taken on the
priority bases. The US attack on Afghanistan
had further jeopardized the safety of minorities
in various countries which called for quick
action in this behalf. In case minorities were
not given immediate representation at the UN,
the minorities might be forced to forge a forum
of their own on the UN pattern which may be
328
called MUN (Minorities United Nations), he
said.
Peace in cage
Peace and Christians-Muslims amity have
been a passion with J.Salik. September 11,
2001 and subsequent events shattered his
lifelong dream of peaceful co-existence. He
was of the view that peace, liberty, human
rights and social equilibrium could not be
guaranteed when individuals, groups or
countries waylaid the accepted norms of justice
and equity. He dreaded that Christians and
Muslims might be at loggerheads in the long
run. He thought merely encaging symbol of
peace – the dove and fencing the portraits of
Nobel Peace laureates as he had done before,
would not match gravity of the situation. He
decided to demonstrate his helplessness by
own captivity in a steel cage since November
16, 2001. His message is : self-restraint on
part of individuals, groups, communities and
nations to save this beautiful planet from being
ruined.
He had no political dividends in mind.
The security of rights of religious minorities
wherever they existed in the world enjoyed
central position for the World Minorities
Alliance of which J.Salik is the convenor. As a
convenor of World Minorities Alliance it had
been his main concern not to let any injustice
done by majority community to minority
329
community, go unnoticed or unagitated. He
could not resist raising his voice irrespective of
any sacrifice that he might have had to suffer
on that account.
To express solidarity with Muslim
brethren suffering atrocities in Afghanistan,
Palestine and Kashmir and other minorities
being victimized anywhere in the world he
curtailed his personal liberty. The confinement
commenced with the advent of holy Islamic
calendar month of Ramdhan. He considered his
solidarity campaign as part payment of the
debt Pakistani Christians owed to their Muslim
countrymen in the shape of their consistent
support.
J.Salik ceremonially shut himself in a
steel cage measuring 6’x6’x8’. He would take
his meals, sleep and ease himself within the
cage. His confinement in cage also had a
religious connotation. It was indeed recluse
living devoid of luxuries.
The ceremony started with hoisting of
Pakistan national flag by Julius Salik in
accompaniment of national anthem and
patriotic songs played by a school band. The
burden was that they all shared joys and
sorrows and were all one and united under the
national flag irrespective of their personal faith.
The prayer was that the flag might keep flying.
With the help of a lady doctor of Edhi
Welfare Trust J.Salik ejected a syringefull of his
330
blood and scattered in the soit to renew his
pledge of loyalty to his motherland whose
independence had been attained and retained
through supreme sacrifices laid down by
numerous martyrs.
The ceremony over, J.Salik dressed in
Pakistani national dress – black sherwani and
white shalwar (oriental trousers) walked into
the cage specially built for the purpose. The
cage was locked by Muslim and Christian
clerics present on the occasion and sealed.
The cage was to be placed outside
Islamabad office of the United Nations but the
administration did not allow. Hence it lay on
the lawns of J.Salik’s residence.
Several leading figures from different
walks of life visited J.Salik and registered their
commendation of J.Salik’s deep dedicated his
efforts to promote unity, harmony and peaceful
relations
among
different
religious
communities
particularly
Muslims
and
Christians.
A group of lawyers called on him. They
recorded their views on the visitors’ book as
follows:
“J. Salik has encaged himself for
conveying to the world at large the need for
making efforts for unity, harmony and
promoting friendly relations amongst followers
of different religions particularly Muslims and
Christians. The attempt by aliens to create
331
disharmony need to be watched and
spurned by all people of Pakistan irrespective
of their religion. They should get united to
overcome the odds at present being confronted
by the country. The efforts of J.Salik in this
behalf are highly commendable.”
The lawyers were Mr. Nayyer Bokhari
(former president of Islamabad Bar and
president of Pakistan Peoples Party), Ch.
Haseeb Muhammad, Ch. Muhammad Aslam
(member of federal council protocol officer),
Sardar Najam Abbas and Raja Amir Hussain
Dhynial.
The representatives of Pakistan Gakhar
Federation stated:
“J.Salik is a highly motivated and nice
person who is a source of inspiration for the
people of Pakistan. His dedication and love for
Pakistan is unquestionable. Mr. Salik’s life is
like a glittering example for the poor people of
Pakistan to follow. We appreciate his efforts for
forging friendship between Muslims and
Christians.”
Those recorded the statement were Mr.
Faiez Akhtar Kiani (Chief Organizer), Raja
Jahangir Akhtar, Raja Ijaz Haider and Mr. Ayaz
Kiani.
Mr. Sarwar Nadeem Ghouri of the
Saviour Welfare Organization wrote: “J.Salik is
a prince of peace trying to bring harmony
among different sections of the people. May
332
God bless him and give us power for
humanity welfare.”
A delegation of Ulema (Muslim clerics)
also visited J.Salik. It included Pir Rooh-alAmeen Manki Sharif (senior vice president of
Pak Afghan Solidarity Council, president,
Mashaikh Supreme Council), Allama Ayaz
Zaheer Hashmi (Chief Coordinator, Pak Afghan
Solidarity Council), Syed Mustafa Hussain Shah
Naqvi, Shahzada Mohammad Allyas Khilji
(Chief Organizer, Social Democratic Party,
Pakistan) and Raja Riaz Ahmad (Finance
Secretary, Social Democratic party, Pakistan).
They called for strengthening the efforts
for consolidation of friendly relations between
Muslims and Christians. They commended the
efforts of J.Salik toward knocking at the door
of world community to halt bombing on
Afghanistan.
Allama Inayat Ali Shakir (Chairman,
Tehrik Akhuwat-e-Islami) separately met and
expressed similar sentiments.
While J.Salik was in cage President of
Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf invited
various national leaders for consultation on an
important issue.
In response to the official invitation
J.Salik sent a telegraphic reply which said.
“Since I am in cage I cannot be present
personally, yet by way of my counsel I
333
reproduce here a relevant chapter of the
Holy Bible for guidance……
“The purport of the scripture is that we
as a nation of sinners with our leaders corrupt
to the hilt, may take to jute dress, put ash on
our heads and supplicate to Allah for His
forgiveness and May He spare us from
annihilation which we do deserve be cause of
our misdeeds. I shall tender the same advice
to Indians.
“I on my own will symbolically put on
jute dress, ash on my head observe fast and
indulge in supplication to God Almighty at the
time appointed for consultation.”
J.Salik sent a bouquet to President of
Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf as a sign of
solidarity with consultation process, the chief
executive opened with politicians of the
country on the current tension on the borders
with India.
Right at 12.00 noon when the top level
conference kicked off, J.Salik put ash on his
head and prayed to God Almighty to spare the
nation from the horrors of war. He also
observed fast on Sunday.
On amassing of Indian troops on
Pakistan borders, J.Salik sent a letter to Indian
Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernendas.
Following was the text.
334
Mr. George Fernendas,
Minister of Defence,
Government of India,
New Delhi.
Dear Sir,
I as a fellow Christian do want to remind you
the message of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, the
Prince of Peace.
In South Asia the masses are mostly
committed to their respective religions. At the
same time majority of them are living below
the poverty line. Any armed conflict between
the two nuclear armed neighbours will result in
holocaust beyond imagination. In these
circumstances, it does not behove you to take
to jingoistic tone. Kindly take pity on millions
of innocent children living in the sub-continent.
If you can’t be merciful to the children of
others, kindly keep in mind the future of the
next generation of your own.
Christian community is largely downtrodden on
both sides of the border. The rigours of war
would further bring worst affliction on your/my
community. Kindly see reason and bend your
energies to bring peace to your land and that
of your neighbour. That is the message of
Jesus Christ.
335
With deep regards,
J.Salik
A few days later in a press statement
J.Salik called for creating an Asia Peace
Assembly
which
might
prohibit
even
pronunciation of word war.
On the second day of his putting ash on
his head and wearing jute clothes in protest
against India’s jingoism, while still in cage,
J.Salik said, the word war should be declared a
taboo. Any ruler in Asia talking of war should
be socially and politically excommunicated.
He especially called upon Christian Defence
Minister of India Mr. George Fernandos to take
to jute clothes and put ash on his head in
terms of biblical account of Babylon tradition.
On the eve of Christmas, J.Salik in his
message from the cage appealed to the people
to serve the suffering humanity in pursuit of
true teachings of Jesus Christ.
J.Salik said that Jesus Christ had been
asked by the then Sardars, Waderas and
exploiters of the masses to keep his truth
saying companions silent, the apostle replied
that rocks would speak up if his companions
became quiet.” J.Salik said similarly though his
own mouth might be shut, yet the voice of
truth could be heard.
He asked India to give up its jingoistic
policy. He said in case India attacked on
336
peaceful Pakistan there would be total
destruction, as the two nations possessed
nuclear weapons. Since in such a situation the
minorities across the border would be the
worst sufferers he would take to closet living
and jute dress and put ash on his head for ten
days from January 7.
He called upon the people to follow the
teachings of Jesus Christ in practical terms
which included righteousness, humility and
selfless service to suffering humanity.
PEACE HORN
Sometime
after
having
voluntarily
curtailed his personal liberty for the cause of
Christian-Muslim solidarity, J.Salik thought that
lack of mobility was hampering dissemination
of his message of peace. With help of crane he
uplifted his cage to be mounted on a truck he
named as Peace Horn.
The PEACE HORN as the carriage bearing
the cage in which J.Salik was shut, was
christened on the 70th day of Christian leader’s
voluntary confinement. The Peace Horn was
painted white. It carried peace awareness cries
in almost all languages of the world and
symbols
of
various
religions
including
Christianity,
Islam,
Hinduism,
Sikhism,
Buddhism and Parsi faith with their teachings
pertaining to peace, amity and tranquility.
Seven continents – Europe, Asia,
Australia, Africa, North America, South
337
America and Antarctic were represented on
the vehicle with raised fingers pointing to the
United Nations for its responsibility toward
world peace. The 8th position was given to the
World Minorities Alliance representing the
silently suffering downtrodden communities.
National flags of all countries were also painted
on the body of huge truck. It was also adorned
with the rare pictures of Nobel Peace laureates
since the prize was instituted in 1901. J.Salik
had spent a considerable fund and energy
spread over several years to get the pictures
drawn and coloured by renowned artists. It
carried a globe against the background of
burning flames. Pakistan enjoyed the central
place on the globe which raises a peace flag
with quotations from the Bible and holy Quran
on peace and against mischief mongers.
Mounted on Peace Horn and confined in
steel cage, J.Salik undertook tour of the
Punjab, the major province of Pakistan. The
journey took him to Sialkot, the birthplace of
Allama Iqbal, the poet of the East who
conceived Pakistan as the separate homeland
of the Muslim minority in the subcontinent.
Allama Iqbal also propounded the philosophy
of ‘Khudi’(self-respect) which J.Salik admired
most for having awakened the people from
slumber to shed off the shackles the slavery.
J.Salik also visited Sargodha, which
being an important station of Pakistan air
338
force, is known as city of Shaheen (falcon).
Shaheen as a symbol for emulation is an
imagery Allama Iqbal liberally used in his
poetry with motivational purpose.
Shaheen flies very high, it never eats
carcass and never builds a nest.
J.Salik draws inspiration from Iqbal’s
Shaheen and his own political philosophy is
based on this very concept.
J.Salik visited Lahore and stayed there
for five days with one day each dedicated to
five units of Pakistan namely the Punjab,
Sindh, NWFP, Baluchistan and federal capital.
On having parked his Peace Horn in front
of Allama Iqbal’s tomb J.Salik was pained to
find that the adjacent Hazoori Bagh was a den
of narcotic addicts.
On his return to Islamabad J.Salik
observed a long silence to press his demand
for cleansing the vicinity of Allama Iqbal’s
mausoleum of narcotic addicts and declare the
area as anti-narcotics street.
J.Salik was highly encouraged with
welcome response the people of Pakistan
extended to his cause on the roads while
traveling. At the same time he thought of
educating formally about the need and ways
and means of peace promotion.
J.Salik said the education which enabled
students merely to earn their livelihood did not
answer the demands of humanity. Education
339
should promote noble values of brotherhood
and fraternity. An educated man should
necessarily bear high moral conduct.
He said school syllabi and curricula
should be so recast as to educate children on
the blessings of peace and inculcate hatred
among them for war-morgerers.
J.Salik called upon the UNESCO to devise
comprehensive curricula on the subject of
peace to be studied from primary level to
doctorate degrees.
J.Salik said the courses of studies should
include lives and works of those who struggled
for promotion of peace. And those who were
responsible for holocausts through war and
hostilities should be portrayed as villains rather
than heroes taught at seats of learning.
Allama
Iqbal
normality
Open
University to couch peace message in
curricula
Dr. Syed Altaf Hussain of Allama Iqbal
Open University announced in a press release:
Former minister Mr. J. Salik visited Allama
Iqbal Open University on his peace mission.
Caged on a truck symbolically reflecting
protest against intolerance in society, J. Salik
in his meeting with the vice Chancellor
requested getting peace massage of the Quaid
and Iqbal couched in the university curricula.
The vice Chancellor agreed and armed Salik to
work out putting that component in the syllabi.
340
J. Salik suggested that a peace chair apart
from existing Quaid and Iqbal Chairs in the
university be established. The Vice Chancellor
promised to explore the possibility of
establishing peace chair during the Iqbal year
celebrations underway by the AIOU.
J. Salik said that independent Pakistan
was a gift for the oppressed people of the
subcontinent. They fought against oppression
and would continue doing so in future. He said
that Sarojini Naidu’s observation regarding the
Quaid was true when she declared him
MESSENGER OF PEACE. We must try to
further supplement the ideas of the Quaid and
Iqbal on peace, tolerance, coherence and love.
The Vice Chancellor thanked the former
minister for his visit to the university.
On completion of 77 days in the cage he
had shut himself to demonstrate solidarity with
the Muslims who suffered atrocities in
Afghanistan, Kashmir, Palestine and other
minorities elsewhere, J.Salik said he had
stepped into the cage on the 1st of Ramzan
which was Friday and his 77th day in
confinement was also Friday.
In a press statement on the occasion
J.Salik affirmed that the figure of seven related
to spiritualism and was a symbol of life. So say
the knowledgeable people also J.Salik said
Pakistan had come into being after the active
struggle spread over seven years (1940-47).
341
The Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s
14 points were part of history. Urdu alphabets
of word Pakistan numbered seven. The
numerical value of these alphabets came to 21
a multiple of seven. Pakistan’s independence
day falls on August 14, a multiple of seven.
Pakistan being on grid of magic figure seven
had to stay and prosper and flourish eternally,
he added.
In a book entitled “Inqlab” compiled by
J.Salik in 1977, he had analysed that figure
seven is not only a remarkable phenomenon in
mundane matters but it had role in working of
universe.
All
religions
including
Islam,
Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism agree that
figure of seven pertains to heavenly forces.
The Holy Quran opens with surah Fatiha, which
have seven verses and the commentators,
says that this surah summarizes the entire
Quran.
On being satisfied that his message of
peace was well received in the country J.Salik
thought of spreading of his message, while in
cage, abroad.
2002 declared as international peace year
The convenor of World Minorities Alliance
and former federal minister J.Salik in his cage
mounted on the ‘Peace Horn’ visited Pakistan
342
Foreign Office in Islamabad on the day
J.Salik had completed 90 days in the cage.
J.Salik’s carriage drove into the office
and was received by Mr. Saeed A Rafi, Director
General, Policy Planning.
J.Salik presented to the DG a copy of
memorandum outlining his world peace
campaign. Receiving the memorandum Mr.
Saeed A Rafi said both Foreign Minister and
Foreign Secretary were out of the country and
on their return he would put contents of the
memorandum before them.
The memorandum says “The convenor of
World Minorities Alliance and former federal
minister J.Salik has declared the year 2002 as
International Peace Year and inaugurated the
same by lighting peace torch.
“J.Salik had voluntarily confined himself
in a steel cage on 16th November 2001 to
demonstrate solidarity with all those who were
oppressed anywhere in the world and to
promote peace by encouraging judicious
solution of international problems.
“His cage is mounted on a truck named
as “Peace Horn” to be mobile to disseminate
his message of peace and justice. The Peace
Horn has been painted white, it carries peace
awareness cries in almost all languages of the
world and symbols of various religions
including
Christianity,
Islam,
Hinduism,
Sikhism, Buddhism and Parsi faith with their
343
teachings pertaining to peace, amity and
tranquility.
“Seven continents – Europe, Asia,
Australia, Africa, North America, South
America and Antarctic have also been
represented on the vehicle with raised fingers
pointing to the United Nations for its
responsibility toward world peace. The 8th
position has been given to the World Minorities
Alliance representing the silently suffering
downtrodden communities. National flags of all
countries have been also painted on the body
of huge truck. It is also adorned with the rare
pictures of Nobel Peace laureates since the
prize was instituted in 1901. J.Salik had spent
a considerable fund and energy spread over
several years to get the pictures drawn and
coloured by renowned artists. It carries a globe
against the background of burning flames.
Pakistan enjoys the central place on the globe
which raises a peace flag with quotations from
the Bible and holy Quran on peace and against
mischief mongers.
“J.Salik says he is prepared to end his
confinement forthwith in case any country of
the world decides to rename its defence
ministry as defence of peace ministry.
“A novel idea has been propounded to
demonstrate the absence of justice in the
world. The two tilting scales with an eye in
each one have been painted on both sides of
344
the truck to bring home that absence of
even handed justice caused turmoil. Seven
pigeonholes carry doves symbols of peace.
“Indian congress leader Sarojini Naidu
had described Mohammad Ali Jinnah, founder
of Pakistan as “Ambassador of Peace”. Her
statement has been displayed on truck’s
terrace.
“The Peace Horn carries a statement of
founding father of India Pundit Jawahar Lal
Nehru on Kashmir. Pundit Jawahar Lal Nehru
had said: “We have left the question for final
solution to the people of Kashmir and we are
determined to abide by it. As a great nation we
cannot go back on it.”
“During his entire career as a social
worker since 1977 J.Salik remained committed
to the cause of peace and amity. He was
elected five times as an independent candidate
to represent Christian minority of Pakistan in
parliament and local bodies. He was also
federal minister and despite being Christian he
was nominated for the coveted Nobel peace
award on behalf of Islamic Republic of
Pakistan. Throughout his life he remained
honest, above-board and incorruptible. He lives
in a rented house in Islamabad and owns no
inch of land anywhere in the world and nor
possesses any bank balance.
“To express solidarity with Muslim
brethren J.Salik took to jute dress in 1981 for
345
12 years to register protest over the
massacre of 300 Muslim minority members on
the occasion of Eid in India.
“To protest against desecration of a
mosque and the Holy Quran in Britain on
behalf of World Minorities Alliance, J.Salik
blackened his face. The objective was two fold.
Firstly to demonstrate that the tragic incident
had blackened the face of the entire humanity
and secondly to express solidarity with the
Muslim brethren of London.
“To express solidarity with the Muslim
world J.Salik undertook a 2000 KM peace
march in extremely cold weather to lodge
protest and express grief over loss of several
hundred thousand innocent lives and colossal
material damage during the Iran-Iraq war. As
a mark of protest J.Salik along with 25 others
donned the coarse jute clothes.
“J.Salik expressed jubilation over the
construction of first mosque in Rome. At a
ceremony at Taj Hotel, President of Italy and
Ruler of Oman, Sultan Qabus were presented
golden crowns. The Sultan had been honoured
on the completion of 100 years of church in
Oman.
“J.Salik organized 70 big conventions on
Muslim-Christian unity.
“J.Salik protested over massacre of
Muslims in the Philippines and as a mark of
protest he wore black robes for 40 days.
346
“J.Salik lent support to 8 point peace
program in 1982 of Prince Fahd of Saudi Arabia
for the Middle East.
“J.Salik organized a joint ChristianMuslim Ulema conference to press the release
of 72 American hostages held by Iran.
“J.Salik along with his family members
reached Bosnia to express solidarity with the
oppressed Muslims while the war was at its
peak in that land. J.Salik’s only son perceived
the visit as a life risk. J.Salik replied, “if the
bodies of mother, father and son arrived back
in Pakistan on the occasion of Christmas, this
may help awake the world conscience.”
J.Salik visited various foreign diplomatic
missions at Islamabad and presented his
memorandum to them which among other
things called upon world powers to transform
their defence ministries into peace ministries.
He thought heavy defence machines developed
and maintained by various countries had failed
to be deterrent. War clouds continued to hover
over the global horizon and the world peace
remained a distant dream. As the United
Nations deployed peacekeeping force, similarly
the nations should internally provide portfolio
of peace instead of defence ministry.
While the US led coalition was busy in air
and grounds attacks on Afghanistan to punish
the Taliban and Al-Qaida whom the United
States suspected to be behind September 11,
347
2001
incidents
in
New
York
and
Washington. India’s ruling party BJP which is a
Hindu fanatic political outfit tried to take undue
advantage of the situation.
BJP chief minister Narandra Modi of
Indian state of Gujrat fomented the worst antiMuslim riots in the state which spread to other
parts of the country resulting in massacre and
destruction of property of the minority. India
amassed armed forces on Pakistan borders on
the pretext of preventing cross border
terrorism. It intensified military operations in
the Indian-occupied Kashmir to curb with force
the just struggle of the people of Jammu and
Kashmir for their right to self-determination.
This right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir
had been recognized in the resolutions adopted
on the subject by the UN Security Council.
J.Salik in his press statements asked
India to redeploy its armed forces from
international borders to the interiors of the
country to quell communal riots which had
assumed horrifying terrorism proportions. He
stated that India had already forfeited the
claim of being a democracy and secular state.
He recommended the Indian leaders including
prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and
interior minister L.K. Advani who was directly
responsible for maintaining law and order in
the country should be tried before an
international anti-terrorist tribunal. He was of
348
the view that international Christian
community should hang its head in shame at
the apathy of Indian Christian defence minister
George Fernandes towards atrocities on
minorities in India.
J.Salik was however, highly impressed
with the role of Vatican Pope John Paul II
whose lone voice was louder than any other,
for world peace. With his role Pope John Paul II
had proven himself to be the rightful
representative of Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.
In fact he has emerged as a symbol of peace in
the current century. As such, in the eye of
J.Salik Pope John Paul II had struck a similarity
with father of Pakistan nation Quaid-e-Azam
Mohammad Ali Jinnah who had been
legitimately acknowledged as messenger of
peace even by some leaders of All India
Congress his political adversary.
J.Salik has planned to be liberated from
the steel cage on 14th August 2002 (Pakistan
Independence Day) in the Holy See. His
purpose is to pay homage to Pope John Paul on
behalf of 140 million people of Pakistan, the
devotees of peace.
For the journey to Rome J.Salik has got a
special container fitted with all possible
facilities. This has been named as Peace Drive
of Pakistan’s J.Salik. All the inscription on
Peace Horn have been artistically transferred
to the Peace Drive.
349
After being freed from the cage,
J.Salik will more vigorously pursue his agenda
to end mutual hatred, promote amity
especially among Christian and Muslim
community and raise voice against injustice
done to downtrodden and oppressed peoples
all over the world irrespective of their caste,
colour or creed.
…………………………
350
Chapter 8
MULTIFACETED MINISTER
The approach of J.Salik as federal
minister was very comprehensive. The
summaries he sent to the chief executive for
approval not only covered macro matters like
reforms in judicial and police systems but also
micro affairs of a tiny community whether his
own Christian minority or otherwise.
He supported the case of another
minority member in the national assembly
Yezdiar H. Kaikobad who represented more
than five diversified communities such as
Kalishi, Bhais, Sikhs, Parsis and Buddhists. His
request was for providing 450 bicycles and 450
sewing machines for distribution to the poor
and the needy of these communities. J.Salik
recommended the case as special assistance to
the minorities. The similar scheme for Christian
minority had already been initiated.
In another summary J.Salik pleaded for
federal government funds to bear the
development expenditure for a housing scheme
for the employees of Pakistan Ordnance
Factory (POF) Wah. The chairman of POF board
had agreed to allot a piece of land for this
purpose in case development expenses could
be arranged.
351
He took up the case for regularization
of services of the sanitary workers who largely
belonged to the Christian minority.
The sanitary workers once employed by
local authority like municipal corporations,
town committees and union councils served
the organization for whole of their career but
remained on the non-regularized footing. This
deprived them of fringe benefits such as
benevolent fund, pension and gratuity etc.
As a minister he ventured to organize a
world peace conference of the Nobel peace
laureates in March 1995. He broached this
subject with diplomatic corps stationed in
Islamabad. About 30 living laureates including
Nelson Mandela and Yasar Arafat were
expected to attend. In a summary to the prime
minister J.Salik recommended establishment of
the secretariat and appointment of secretary to
undertake preparatory work.
J.Salik suggested holding of a conference
of religious scholars and preachers in
Islamabad from all schools of thought including
Christianity to combat secretarian violence.
Sectarianism is repugnant to Islam which is
religion of peace and progressive. According
to Salik, Islam is a revolution against
fundamental and parochial church. The
conference may help the participants to shun
differences and promote harmony.
352
Salik advocated enhancing frequency
of English news bulletins on Pakistan television
especially for the benefit of non-Muslims in and
outside Pakistan.
He did not hesitate to send summaries to
prime minister on matters like supplying Sui
Gas to a small colony in Faisalabad involving a
paltry sum of Rs. six hundred thousand for the
construction of a railway level crossing on a far
flung road in Sahiwal district and for building a
three kilometer strip of pucca (metalled)
double road in Sheikhupura district.
J.Salik was conscious of his electoral
constituency extending to the whole country as
against a Muslim member of national assembly
whose constituency was geographically limited.
He pleaded with the prime minister that he had
to satisfy demands of his community spread
over the whole country while allocation of
development fund at his disposal as a member
of parliament was limited. In one case, he
called for an additional allocation of special
development
fund
(year
1994-95)
for
construction of boundary walls around the
Christian graveyards.
In a summary, Salik persuaded prime
minister to meet a group of 300 Christian
orphan children selected from throughout
Pakistan at the prime minister house on the
eve of Christmas in 1995.
353
He tried for the reservation of a seat
for Christian students (generally a backward
community unable to compete purely on open
merit) in every medical college in the country.
In 1995, J.Salik decided to spend his
Christmas in the camps of refugees from the
Indian occupied Kashmir. They had taken
refuge in Azad Kashmir following Indian
atrocities and brutal torture at interrogation
centers, gang rapes, indiscriminate killings of
innocent
people,
arsoning
houses
and
households, looting of property and utter
devastation of villages and towns. The purpose
was not only to console the refugee families
but also to distribute blankets and warm
clothes among them. In this behalf he
forwarded a summary to the prime minister.
J.Salik says Kashmir issue is not the
question of Kashmiri people alone. It should be
a matter of concern for the entire humanity.
Speaking on Kashmir in the national
assembly J.Salik said Pakistan’s stand on
Kashmir was just and right while India had
absolutely no case. Yet India sometime
succeeded in misleading the world with
beautiful
presentation
and
good
public
relationing.
Salik said, Pakistan should send the four
Hindu members of its national assembly to
India to bring home extremist Hindus that they
should see reason. Indian Hindus should keep
354
in mind their Hindu brothers and sisters
who live in Pakistan. Any maltreatment of
Muslim
minority
in
India
could
have
repercussions in Pakistan. They should impress
upon Indian Hindus on the need of settlement
of Kashmir issue on the basis of justice and
equity.
An year earlier, he had spent his first
Christmas, as a Pakistani minister, with
innocent people of Bosnia who were victim of
unprecedented atrocities committed by Serbs.
In a summary to the prime minister, Salik said
“I along with my family members, will go to
Bosnia in the guise of Santa Claus delivering
Christmas gifts to the besieged Bosnian
children and injured citizens”.
He was of the view that this peace
mission will motivate the world leaders to help
force Serbs to stop aggressive attitude towards
Bosnia.
Despite being Christian he did not forget
the aggrieved Muslims of Palestine and decided
to visit the liberated areas of Gaza and Jericho
in Palestine in 1996 to express Pakistani
people’s solidarity with the Arab cause. Since
the area was yet surrounded by Israel whom
Pakistan did not recognize Salik’s planned visit
could not materialize. J.Salik who was
successful in sending a band of federal
government employees (Christians) to Rome
on Easter festival and fought for extending the
355
facilities to employees of autonomous and
semi-autonomous bodies, was not forgetful of
Muslim pilgrims to Makkah for Haj. He
addressed over one
hundred thousand
felicitation letters to Hajis returning home.
However, about 60,000 letters of greetings
were held back for want of postage charges.
He was of the view that the message of
greetings would help promote moral and
spiritual well-being of the common man. He
moved the prime minister for an additional
fund or directing the postal authorities to
dispatch these letters free of postage charges
as public welfare communication.
When J.Salik was authorized to nominate
two suitable persons for performing Haj at
government expense in 1996, he selected two
ex-servicemen who had fought war either in
1965 or 1971 for the defense of their
homeland and lost their limbs therein and
became disabled to participate in the normal
activities of life.
In 1994, three sanitary workers of
municipal committee, Chichawatni (Sahiwal
district) died of poisonous gas, while on duty at
the sewerage water disposal site. Their
colleagues
made
a
request
to
the
administration for payment of compensation to
the families of the deceased persons. Having
failed to receive a favorable response, 140
356
sanitary workers went on strike. Later their
services were terminated.
Although the case fell under local bodies
portfolio, J.Salik interceded for reinstatement
of the terminated employees. He met with
senior minister of the Punjab and persuaded
him to make the necessary announcement but
final orders were being delayed because of
recalcitrant attitude of certain officials who
were at the helm of affairs and “do not
reconcile to the prevailing will of the people in
the process of democracy”.
J.Salik sent a summary to the prime
minister for intervention. The summary among
other things said “The cadre of sanitary
workers, I may submit is a rare commodity
and it will be difficult to find their replacement
particularly when this is becoming a dying
profession. As such all efforts need be made to
make them contented and satisfied”.
As a minister, J.Salik took personal
interest in the welfare of his personal staff
even as low as the driver. He encouraged his
personal driver and his peers to coalesce
together to formally form an association to
safeguard their collective interests. He not only
personally attended the oath taking ceremony
of the drivers association but also persuaded
two of his cabinet colleagues to be present on
the occasion.
357
In a summary sent to the prime
minister, J.Salik recommended review of
service structure of staff car drivers and
dispatch riders at the central secretariat. He
supported the suggestion that drivers of
ministers/secretaries/VIPs and VVIPs having
long standing with trusted skills and reliability
should be designated as chauffeurs. They may
wear distinctive uniform and should be in
higher scales commensurate with status of the
dignitaries.
Quaid-e-Azam’s birthday and Christmas
celebrations synchronize on December 25. In a
summary sent to the prime minister, Salik
suggested that the government might declare
December 26 as holiday for the Christian
community since the celebrations last for the
whole night and it was difficult for the
Christians to work on the next day. He also
recommended release of December salaries of
Christian staff on the eve of Christmas to
enable them to celebrate the Christmas in a
befitting manner.
During his field visits as a minister, he
maintained liaison with the people at grass
root level and helped redressal of public
grievances at the doorsteps. Above all, he
studied problems minutely and suggested
remedies. In one of summaries sent to the
prime minister, J.Salik said “I was surprised to
learn that even for the exercise of his statutory
358
power in the public interest the district
magistrate was obliged to look to and had to
depend, on the cooperation of superintendent
of police. On further inquiry, I was told that
these powers of district magistrate have
remained dysfunctional for decades together,
for want of cooperation – often on account of
defiance – on part of the senior police officer.
They are believed to be so sensitive on this
issue that they would go all out to defeat the
system
by
demonstrating
that
the
government’s representative at the district
level
lacked
tact
and,
therefore,
an
unsuccessful team leader”.
In this context in another summary,
Salik had suggested that there should be five
deputy commissioners instead of one in district
to look after different fields.
Vis a vis power load shedding problem,
in a summary Salik suggested to stop load
shedding on two occasions namely half an hour
before the fajr (pre-dawn) Muslim prayers and
during the main PTV news bulletin (starting at
9 o’ clock at night).
J.Salik was the only minority minister
and his constituency was spread all over the
country. The majority of the people belonging
to his community was poor and oppressed. He
used to receive thousands of applications from
the chronic patients requesting for financial
assistance.
The
inadequate
official
359
appropriation of the special funds at his
disposal tied his hands to help the needy. The
finance ministry did not oblige him. He did not
hesitate to approach the prime minister for
special relaxation to further extend financial
assistance to the needy.
In another summary, he asked for
enhancement of his discretionary grant from
Rs. 300,000 to Rs. 1,000.000 to help solve the
financial problems of the minorities who are by
and large backward and poor.
J.Salik was keen to help solve social and
family problems of the poor people. Marriage
of daughters of poor families was one of the
principal problems. He assessed the minimum
requirement based on simplicity, austerity and
self-respect to cover expenses on dresses,
bedding, furniture, sewing and washing
machines and food on such occasion would
cost Rs. 25 to 30 thousand.
In a summary sent to the prime minister
J.Salik sought to persuade her to consider
government participation to the extent of
financing 30 such marriages. He was of the
view that government lead might set a trend
and
might
motivate
philanthropists,
industrialists and men of means to take
interest in such social program.
J.Salik was successful in getting a special
5% quota in service for minorities. He
subsequently followed it up. A summary sent
360
by him to prime minister (on official record)
shows his persistently cajoling her for
implementation of the orders.
Although establishment was not J.Salik’s
official concern he still suggested in a summary
certain facilities for families of the deserving
deceased government servants to beef up their
security and enhance their commitment and
devotion to duty.
He suggested the following points for
consideration of the prime minister:(i)
The
government
may
take
responsibility
for
his
burial
arrangements in case of death in
service.
(ii)
The government accommodation
may not be immediately cancelled
unless this is transferred to his
wife, elder son or daughter by
providing them job opportunity if
not already in service. The family
should not be displaced till they are
accommodated either in their
personal property or alternative
government accommodation.
(iii) On priority basis their wives or
grown up children may be provided
job even if the ban on recruitment
is there during that period.
As a social thinker J.Salik has been of the
view that child has hitherto been neglected in
361
Pakistan. He thought planning for child
wellbeing needed to be initiated in several
spheres such as the right of survival, adequate
living, educational and hygienic standards. The
children have to be inducted into healthy
pursuits to enable them to fight narcotics,
kalashinkov culture and bigotry.
In a summary for the prime minister he
proposed that special emphasis should be
placed on primary caring and protective
responsibility of the family. Protection of
children before and after birth and respect for
the cultural values of the child’s community
can generate international cooporation and
funding for various projects for the welfare of
the child.
In
this
regard
he
suggested
establishment of children secretariat under the
ministry of population welfare so that
programs could be initiated to help child
develop in an atmosphere of tolerance and
ideals proclaimed in the UN charter and true
cultural spirit of Pakistan.
Julius Salik envisions a balanced,
harmonious and stable society. He is of the
view that people should not only know their
rights but should also be aware of their own
obligations and duties of state functionaries.
This sort of knowledge may check official
highhandedness that is evident every day in
various offices in almost all third world
362
countries due to lack of knowledge of their
rights and corresponding obligations.
He noticed there was no upto date
statute book in Pakistan. The last volume of
Pakistan code was published in 1987. Since
then, a number of statutes have undergone
amendments/repeal and a mushroom of
ordinances, acts, rules have come into being.
As a federal minister, to stress the need
for a consolidated book/code covering, the
existing rules and regulations J.Salik said if
some foreign scholar or a foreign university
were to ask him to get them complete up-todate Statute Book of Pakistan, he would cut a
sorry figure.
Though he was not a law minister, yet he
sent a summary to prime minister for enacting
Pakistan
Statute
Commission
law.
The
proposed commission, a permanent body, was
to update and periodically publish a Statute
Book
comprising
all
laws,
rules
and
regulations.
Even after becoming a federal minister,
J.Salik kept his close liaison with downtrodden
segment of Christian society. He vehemently
advocated the case of regularization of the
services of the “depressed” low paid Christian
employees working in different government
organizations/institutions on temporary/daily
wages/adhoc/work charge basis.
363
In a summary sent to prime minister,
J.Salik proposed regularizing of services of
1247 Christian sanitary staff working in
different organizations/bodies who have had
completed three years of continuous service in
the respective organization. The prime minister
accorded her approval in principle. The
provincial governments were approached for
submitting reports on the subject in their
respective jurisdiction. The details were being
worked out when Peoples Party government
was dismissed. J.Salik maintains that on propoor men matters partisan approach should be
shunned.
J.Salik also strongly took up the case for
reinstatement into service of population
welfare program (his own ministry) employees.
In pursuance of an ordinance promulgated by
General Zia Haq’s martial law government
services of 1046 officers and 3237 staff
members were terminated.
In a summary sent to prime minister,
J.Salik
observed
that
their
cases
for
reinstatement had been considered at various
levels with different options but because of
procedural constraints, reinstatement could not
materialize. J.Salik said that the only option for
settling the issue was to consider the case on
humanitarian ground.
The low stratum of Pakistan society, in
addition to other factors of distress, is bogged
364
down in lot of litigations. Besides other
factors, heavy litigations increased workload of
lower judiciary and ultimately of superior
judiciary as well.
In a summary to prime minister, J.Salik
recommended enactment of a legislation to
make it incombent on trial magistrate to ask
the parties to seek a compromise in all
compoundable cases. The parties might be
granted one month period for the purpose. In
case the loss or damage done by the accused
could be calculated in terms of money, the
court might encourage the parties to settle the
matter out of court and after the needful had
been, the court might record the agreement
and drop the criminal case. Standing
committees
of
lawyers/officials
of
the
concerned bar association/press clubs might be
set up to effect a compromise after hearing the
parties. The report of the committee might
subsequently become the rule of court. In a
case in which such a committee might come to
the conclusion that a particular complaint was
false, motivated or malicious, the committee
might recommend compensation or damages
to be paid by the false accuser. The trial court
after consideration of the facts might
incorporate
the
suggested
fine
or
compensation and the mode, manner and
period of its payment in the final order.
365
PROMOTING BUDDHISHT CULTURE
J.Salik persuaded prime minister to make
a special donation of Rs. 300,000 for the
expansion of Buddhist festival of lights. The
annual Asian festival of light was a regular
feature of activities of International Buddhist
Cultural Center at Islamabad under the
auspices of high commissioner of democratic
socialist republic of Sri Lanka. J.Salik as a
federal minister representing minorities was
invited for inauguration of the festival. This
gave him an opportunity to meet Buddhists
and members of other minority communities
who celebrated the festival with full religious
fervour and solemnity.
He was impressed with the center
undertaking useful activities in bringing
together various sections of the society and
thus creating an environment of goodwill,
harmony, fraternity and religious tolerance. He
was of the view that such congregations could
go a long way in the solidarity and prosperity
of the country and hence needed special
donation.
The prime minister had sanctioned
$ 8,000 plus air ticket and certain other perks
for J.Salik to visit the United States and
Canada in April-May 1996 to dispel the
impression (there) that the minorities were not
being properly looked after in Pakistan.
366
Incidently in those day his father was ill in
the United States. Prudently Salik refused to
visit the States at that point of time on any
“pretext” lest it should be misconstrued and his
fair name be tainted.
J.Salik recommended James Shera a
Britisher of Pakistan origin settled in the U.K to
be appointed as Pakistan ambassador at large
and overseas advisor. In a summary sent to
prime minister J.Salik said James Shera was
well known among Christians and Muslims alike
in Pakistan and Britain. He commanded great
respect among half a million Pakistanis
permanently settled in the U.K. for his welfare
and charitable activities undertaken over the
last 20 years. He chaired the committee which
raised two million pounds for Walgrave
Hospital Cancer Ward and had also raised
funds for various appeals for Pakistan. He had
also been chairman of Racial Equality Council
for over ten years. He had been awarded
Sitara-e-Pakistan for his long and meritorious
services to the Pakistani community abroad.
Once James Shera had led a delegation of the
British Labour Party to Brussels where he
spoke on Kashmir and human rights as a
British politician.
The prime minister approved J.Salik’s
summary but James Shera could not take up
the assignment for technical drawbacks.
367
J.Salik proposed to visit India for twothree days in 1996 to inquire after the health
of then ailing Nobel laureate Mother Teresa, a
missionary of therapy, managing a “Home of
Love for Destitutes” in Calcutta. This would
have provided an opportunity to J.Salik a
Christian minister of a Muslim state, to meet
his community and others from the cross
section of the society to convey that the
Christian community is actively and gainfully
engaged in all departments of nation building
activities of Pakistan.
A similar “Home of Love for Destitute”
(Dar-ul-Sakoon) run by sister Genevira was
providing significant service to the community
at large in Lahore. The Lahore branch had once
run into financial straits because of a
fraudulent
finance
company.
J.Salik
approached the prime minister for providing
relief to the institution and her directive to the
relevant authorities for settling the claim of the
missionary ladies.
The prime minister did not approve his
visit to India for political reasons.
J.Salik had never been led by religious
affiliations in humanitarian cases. While he
recommended financial assistance of Rs.
100000 to a low paid Christian teacher for
cancer treatment of his wife. J.Salik solicited
free medical aid abroad for three year Muslim
girl suffering from Thalassanemia. The
368
treatment was to cost Rs six million half of
which had been raised by the girl’s parents. He
had recommended free medical treatment of
three and a half year old son of a Muslim clerk
who was suffering from a skin disease for long
and which was adversely affecting the faculty
of speech of the boy.
Being a devoutly religious man, J.Salik
was impressed by the government decision to
select names of a few “lucky” low paid Muslim
government employees through a draw to send
them for performance of Haj at official
expense. In a summary, he sought extension
of this type of facility for low paid Christian
government employees to visit their holy
places abroad. Since Christian community was
in majority among Pakistan minorities he
suggested that at least 10 percent of the quota
of Muslim pilgrims i.e.. Christian low paid
employes might be sent to participate in Easter
services in Rome (Vatican city). Since the
provincial government could not complete
formalities by Easter, J.Salik suggested that
instead of sending only 10 Christian employees
of the federal government on the eve of
Easter, all 50 Christian representatives might
be sent to Rome on the Christmas.
This gesture was widely commended by
the Christian community.
Although J.Salik had sent separate
comprehensive summaries for reforms in
369
judicial and police systems, yet he thought
it fit to draw another summary exclusively in
respect of FIR (first information report). He
emphasized that in view of the importance of
FIR, as the basic document on which the whole
process of investigation, trial and justice
depended, it shoud be handled by qualified and
trained officials only.
He said the registration of FIR requires
professional competence, intellectual honesty
and integrity of registration officials.
He proposed that strict selection criteria
and vigorus training in the law institution or
school for
the
official responsible
for
registering FIR might be introduced. Practical
training should also be provided. Special
refresher courses might be built into the
system on regular basis as part of the job
training. In addition supply of copies of FIR to
the complainants and accused persons
immediately after registration might also made
mandatory.
Besides, a column might be added in the
existing
FIR
form
indicating
the
last
educational institution attended by the
complainants and accused persons. This
information in turn should be released to the
press or the respective institutions for
publicity. This would help the teachers to
impart lessons about good moral values and
raise the image and prestige of the institutions
370
by abstaining from wrong doings, the
summary said.
Chinese nationals normally visit, Pakistan
in connection with trade and business. They
bring in cloth and antiques for sale in Pakistan.
On conclusion of the visit they get the sale
proceeds converted into foreign currency to
take back home.
In J.Salik’s notice came a case of a
Chinese national who had come to Pakistan
with his saleable commodities and paid over Rs
one hundred thousand as custom duty. On his
way back to China he was intercepted by the
customs authorities and recovered from him an
amount of about Rs two hundred thousand in
local currency. They sought to confiscate this
money.
J.Salik
came
to
his
rescue
by
sympathetically stating his case in a summary
for prime minister. The Chinese national was
an illiterate person, not conversant with local
language and failed to tell the customs
authorities full facts.
In the interest of justice and equity,
J.Salik brought to the notice of prime minister
an anomaly prevailing in recovery of house
rent from the government servants for
accommodation
officially
provided
by
government. According to rules and regulations
some percentage of pay was deducted from
government servants toward house rent. In
371
case the spouse was in the government
service, she was also required to pay house
rent which was deducted from her salary. This
would virtually mean payment of double house
rent for a single unit of accommodation in
occupation of government employees. He
pleaded that justice and equity demanded that
house rent might be deducted from the salary
either of husband or wife who was allotted the
house while the spouse might be allowed to
claim house rent.
J.Salik had commendably secured dual
voting rights for the minorities. In the
meantime torrential rains in September 1996
caused devastating effect in different areas
especially Lahore, Sheikhupura, Sialkot and
Narowal of the Punjab province. The residents
of the affected areas belonged to poor classes
and a very large number of them were
Christians. Their shelter and property had all
been washed away.
In a summary J.Salik referred to stronger
claim of the Christian community on him as
minorities representative in the federal
government and rise in their expectations
subsequent to getting dual voting rights, over
and above equal footing treatment with the
majority population.
He requisitioned a fund of Rs. 20 million
for reconstruction of their damaged buildings
and shelters in addition to Rs 8.45 million for
372
distribution of wheat flour, mattresses,
quilts and clothes as relief material.
In 1990’s several scams surfaced in
which various corporative and financial
institutions had defrauded the poor people of
Pakistan of their life long savings. Taj
Company which was well known for printing
the Holy Quran and other Islamic literature had
been very popular among middle and lower
middle classes for their investments. Suddenly,
it came to light that all their money had gone
down the drain.
J.Salik known for his compassion was
approached
by
the
affectees
through
delegations and petitions. He did not lag
behind in relaying the grievances of the poor
people to prime minister. In a summary, Salik
reminded the prime minister that a delegation
calling on him had stated that they have had
been approaching the prime minister time and
again but neither they were informed of the
fate of their representations nor orders for the
refund of their money were passed. He said
“They have further stated that the matter is
hanging fire for the last 33 months with the
result that the affectees were passing life in a
state of uncertainty and suffering mental
agony and torture on account of financial
hardships”.
The minister boldy stated “I feel it is high
time to resolve their grievances by refunding
373
the entire amount otherwise I am afraid, if
the present state of affairs continues, there is
every possibility of their coming on the road to
stage a protest against the government which
we hardly afford”.
J.Salik also strongly took up the case of
the Angoori Bagh Housing Scheme, Lahore.
Under the scheme two-three room flats had
been constructed for the low income group.
The allottees were to make down payment and
the rest sum ranging from Rs. 5,000 to Rs.
10,000 were to be advanced to them through
loans from house building finance corporation
(HBFC). The HBFC claimed compound interests
on the loans which was estimated to be well
over the cost price of the flat.
The minister in a summary took
cognizance of the fact that it would not be
possible for them to pay the cost of the flats as
well as compound interest. He recommended
remission of the pending payment of cost of
flats along with compound interest.
As backward classes of society were of
special concern of J.Salik, so were the
backward areas of the country. The needs of
science education of a school in far flung place
like Bahawalnagar touched the sensitive heart
of J.Salik as a part of his policy for
improvement of quality of education.
In a summary, Salik requested prime
minister to allocate Rs. 530,000 from her
374
discretionary grant for science laboratory of
government city high school, Bahawalnagar.
Provision of equal progress chances to all
nationals has been an ambition of J.Salik. In
this context he took cognizance of procedure of
admission of children in the prestigious
institutions. The admission to the prestigious
educational institutions and model schools etc.
was provided to the children on the basis of
tests and interviews of parents. The system of
admission dates back to British Raj when
criterion for admission hinged on degrees of
loyalties of the families to the Raj. The loyal
families were given preference not only in the
matter of admission in the educational
institutions but also benefit of state apparatus
and patronage were specially extended to
them. The system was still in vogue inspite of
the fact that Pakistan was a free nation and
every citizen was a patriot who could ask for a
privilege irrespective of caste, colour and
creed. This system had however, deprived
talented children to get admission in the select
educational institutions. As a result they were
subject to first shock of the life in the event of
their failure to get admission. The system,
therefore, needed to be changed.
J.Salik in a summary suggested that
admission to the prestigious schools having
specified number of seats in the classes, be
undertaken through balloting.
375
This would enhance the possibility of
equal chances to all candidates.
Salik refuses to be slave to old rites
without rationale. According to him cutting of
cakes
bearing
national
colours/insignia,
carvings of images of the national heroes,
revered leaders and respectable personalities
has become a tradition. This, he thought, was
tantamount to be not only disrespectful and
ridiculing the personalities, institutions but it
also injured the popular patriotic feelings for
them, as “we cut them into pieces and eat
publicly.”
In a summary, he suggested that this
tradition might instead be replaced by cutting
the cakes carrying signs/symbol against
ignorance, poverty, inequality, hatred and
ethnic prejudices.
He also disliked cancellation of national
flag hoisting ceremonies because of downpour.
In the same summary, he said national
days and other important events such as
Pakistan independence day (14th August) were
being celebrated each year by hoisting national
flag and playing national anthem.
The summary said “Meteorological record
and experience over the years reveal August is
invariably a wet month in this region,
particularly the first half of the month is
punctuated with the peak of rains. More often
than not, therefore, arrangements and
376
14th
ceremonies of
August are washed away
either by torrential downpour or inclement
weather. Apart from that, the eleventh hour
breakdown and consequent cancellation of
invitation
without
due
notice
cause
disappointment to the invitees and wound the
patriotic feelings the public. To avert this
unpredictable breakdown, I am of the view
that a permanent covered space, be provided
with a well designed structure propitious to the
grace and dignity of the occasion. As the
existing venue has one wider recognition,
respect and acceptability, therefore, the same
venue may appropriately be covered for
organizing and commemorating such national
events. Funds could be raised and I for one
offer my services voluntarily in this regard to
build this venue as a national monument”.
J.Salik was a federal minister for population
welfare which means controlling growth birth
rate. But he was mostly concerned with well
being of the populace for which he proposed
general administrative changes, reforms in
police and judicial systems. Though these
subjects did not strictly fall under his portfolio,
yet prime minister Benazir Bhutto not only
accepted all summaries he sent but also
described him as her best minister.
The changes suggested by J.Salik were of
far reaching consequences. In respect of
administrative reforms at district level J.Salik
377
had proposed that the vast responsibilities
of the present deputy commissioner should be
distributed among five deputy commissioners
with each separately looking after interior,
culture, land and natural resources, education
and health affairs in the district. He was of the
view that the present deputy commissioners
were overloaded with work and hardly had
anytime to pay attention to the genuine
problems being faced by the people.
Consequently the people approach their
representatives in the legislative assemblies for
redressal of their grievances. The legislators
thus get bogged down in the business that
could be looked after at the lower level without
any problem.
With regard to police reforms J.Salik said
the registration of FIR (first information report)
should be entrusted to a legal expert at the
police station. Non-registration of cases be
made a serious offence with prohibitive
punishment and outright dismissal of such
police officials. A provision be made that in
case of refusal to register a case at the police
station, session judge/additional session judge
may register the FIR, a photocopy of which
may be instantly handed over to the
complainant and another sent to the senior
superintendent of police. Deterrent punishment
be provided for false reporting. The loopholes
in investigations particularly their transference
378
to various police branches currently
manipulated by the influentials to harass the
victims, be plugged. A supervisory authority
preferably from judiciary should be set up to
hear the aggrieved party, conduct inquiries and
empowered
to
punish
the
dishonest
investigating officer.
J.Salik took cognizance of colonial legacy in
observance of long summer vacation by
superior judiciary. He was of the view that in a
Muslim country administration of justice must
necessarily be made speedy. In Pakistan
thousands of cases remain pending in courts
just because of judges enjoying their holidays
while the poor and innocent people have to
wait for justice for no fault of their own.
According to Islamic tenets justice should be
prompt and speedy. On this contact J.Salik
suggested that courts should remain open
round the clock.
He was also of the view that an orderly
carrying the ‘Rod of Justice’ and escorting
judges from their chambers to court rooms
was contrary to Muslim culture. Even the ‘Rod’
be replaced by a suitable semblance of justice.
The prime minister referred these proposals
to the concerned law and justice Division for
processing but no tangible outcome surfaced.
…………………………
379
Chapter 9
MAGIC OF FIGURE SEVEN
J.Salik’s first love in political domain was
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The love was not for sake
of love. It was love with a purpose and had an
objective. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the first
politician after Father of the Nation Mohammad
Ali Jinnah, who stood for equal rights of the
minorities.
J.Salik was also fascinated by stance of
Z.A.Bhutto in respect of the downtrodden
people. Bhutto emboldened the peasants,
labour and the repressed classes to voice their
rights. He stood for safeguarding the selfrespect of the poor. He gave them the sense of
dignity. This cause touched chords of J.Salik’s
own heart.
Although
Z.A.Bhutto
nationalized
Christian missionary schools and hospitals yet
J.Salik thought the courage and audacity gifted
by Bhutto to have-nots outweighed material
seizure. With bold spirit created by Bhutto
among the masses particularly the minorities,
one could always snatch back the seized
property but the history of human emotions
could not be put in reverse gear, J.Salik
argued.
380
J.Salik recalls that C. Ayub a Christian
contested general election against Z.A. Bhutto
in 1970 and defeated the Peoples Party leader.
And yet Bhutto was not victim of any vengeful
spirit. Bhutto got C. Ayub subsequently elected
to the national assembly against one of the
seats reserved for minorities. J.Salik perceived
this gesture of Bhutto as his magnanimity. This
made Salik further enamoured of Bhutto.
J.Salik was born an year after Pakistan
had come into being. As a student of history
however, he found Pakistan movement to have
had been founded in the urge of the Muslim
minority of South Asia to get rid of exploiting
extremist Hindu majority. Thus for him
Pakistan should be genetically safe haven for
the minorities. Christian community had an
edge since at the time of partition its leader
S.P. Bahadur Singha had urged the boundary
commission to weigh Christians in favour of
Pakistan while taking decision on the territorial
borders of the new state.
J.Salik had his own perceptions of the
party slogans of ‘Roti, Kapara, Makan’ of Z. A.
Bhutto.
He
disagrees
with
narrow
interpretation of this pledge to provide bread,
clothes and shelter to all. He says all people
have had not been hungry, naked and
shelterless before Bhutto was born. He is of
the view that Bhutto wanted to inculcate the
spirit of self-respect and human dignity among
381
the common man. Absence of this spirit was
the real human hunger Bhutto aimed at
satisfying. According to J.Salik by ‘Makan’
(house) Bhutto meant ‘Maqam’ (status). Thus
respectable social status was being sought for
the common man instead of mundan ‘makan’
of mud and bricks. ‘Kapra’ (cloth) too had
wider connotation for Salik. Besides providing
cover to the destitute the philosophy intended
to introduce egalitarianism in the society. For
Salik it meant a uniform dress for the high and
low.
The mission of Bhutto did bear fruits.
One instance of such fruition was J.Salik
himself. Rising for dust he became a federal
cabinet minister to rub shoulders with
feudalists and big landlords like Amin Fahim,
Ghulam Mustafa Khar and others.
To J.Salik’s disappointment Bhutto’s
Peoples Party was captured by capitalists and
Jagirdards and Bhutto’s philosophy was
depraved by bureaucrats. Instead of upholding
human dignity by promoting egalitarianism
they sought to install ‘Roti’ plants to provide
‘Paki, Pakai’ (already baked bread) to the
people. The result was that neither ‘Roti’ plants
remained, nor the poor man was uplifted.
Bhutto’s concept of ‘bread for all’ have
successfully materialized in certain foreign
lands. J.Salik recalls a visit to Egypt as a
member of Pakistan ministerial mission. They
382
had dinner with Egyptian president Hosni
Mubarak. On the president’s dinning table
there was the same sort of bread which was
consumed by peasants on the footpath. He
recollects that in Egypt no one could fetch
flour, all high and low were supplied with the
identically baked bread.
J.Salik was jolted when Z. A. Bhutto was
overthrown by general Zia ul Haq in a military
coup and subsequently jailed. He was all praise
for the courage of Z.A.Bhutto who preferred to
lay down his life to leaving his land and go in
exile (unlike Nawaz Sharif).
For J.Salik there was a sharp contrast
between Z.A. Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. Bhutto
was an inborn political animal, politics was in
Bhutto’s genes. On the other hand politics was
against Nawaz Sahrif’s grain. On the eve of
1985 elections Nawaz Sharif had affirmed in
writing that he had no truck with politics, nor
he had any political affiliation or political
agenda or program.
J.Salik was impressed by political
acumen and foresight of Z.A. Bhutto. On the
eve
of
1977
elections
Bhutto
had
“prophetically” declared that his political
opponents would mortgage the country once
they had an upper hand.
J.Salik says the prophecy of Z.A. Bhutto
had come true in terms of IMF conditionalities
accepted by subsequent governments. Z.A.
383
Bhutto’s statement that no assembly could
work keeping him out, too proved true. Z.A.
Bhutto’s national assembly ending in 1977 was
the only parliament that completed its tenure.
All later houses were dissolved prematurely.
The tragic end of brilliant Bhutto deeply
shook J.Salik. He meditatively analysed the
saga of events of Bhutto’s life and other
occurrences in the context of occult influences
of numerics. According to him as every thing
has its apparent and hidden significance, so
numbers too have latent contexts.
According to his analysis for the
knowledgeable people the figure of seven
relates to spiritualism while that of nine to
materialism. All religions including Islam,
Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism agree that
figure of seven pertains to heavenly forces.
The Holy Quran opens with surah Fatiha which
have seven verses and the commentators says
that this surah summarises the entire Quran.
In surah Yusaf and in some other surahs
Allah says there are seven heavens. Similarly
there are seven ways for spiritual progress.
Human creation too have seven stages.
According to the Holy Prophet of Islam (SAW)
the number of his devout followers rising from
Janat ul Baqih graveyard in Madina on the
Dooms Day would be seventy thousand. Before
the advent of Islam the number of prophets
was seven who were blessed with the message
384
in Arafat ground (name of a place about
twelve miles from Mecca where the pilgrims
halt and perform Haj).
In the Holy Bible seven Verses or Periods
have been mentioned. The chapter Genesis
refers to seven heavens, seven thrones, seven
seals and seven thunders. The Muslim pilgrims
go seven times (tawaf) around ‘Khana Kaba’
the centre piece in the holy mosque in Mecca.
The Jews used to circumambulate Jerichid, the
walls of which crumbled on the seventh day.
Thus figure of seven symbolically stands for
heavenly forces.
From Hazrat Daood (David) to Jesus
Christ (AS) there were seven generations. In
the chapter Revelation there is mention of
Lord’s seven angles. Prophet Ezekiel talked of
seven spirits going around the globe.
According to ancient Egyptian faith there
were seven souls. Hindus believe in seven
gods. Jews tribes had seven envoys.
According to supernaturalists the figure
of seven would stay till eternity.
The end of life is represented by the
figure nine. This figure is the basis of all
material calculations and foundation of human
thought.
The first numeral is one. This represents
Almighty or God. Zero is symbol of the nullity.
Combined together the figure comes into
being. Whatever times the figure zero may be
385
marshalled on the right side of one and the
resultant divided by seven would yield the
number 142857.
For Hindus this number is sacred. The
tally of one, four, two, eight, five and seven
would come to twenty seven. If the figures of
two and seven are added the total would be
nine which symbolizes the end. On the other
hand the figure seven has spiritual or latent
connotations.
The statue of Buddha is normally carved
to be sitting on lotus. Lotus is stated to be the
only flower that does not mate with another,
keeps its individuality and yet flourishes. On
the other hand the other flowers having seven
petals do mate. Lotus is stated to be the
favourite of Buddha since it is symbol of
sanctity.
There are seven stars and seven days in
a week. The week days have been named after
planets that were worshipped in ancient time.
Monday was in fact was Moon day the day on
which moon was worshipped. In German
language this day is Montag, in French this is
Xune, in Spanish it is Lune.
Similarly Saturday is related to Saturn.
This is also called Sabbath on which day the
Jews had been commanded to take rest.
Zodiac is a band of 12 constellations
through which the Sun passes each year.
These do not coincide with the constellations
386
named after the signs of the zodiac used by
astrologers. The two were identical about 2000
year ago when the constellations were
established by Greek astronomers but have
moved apart since because of wobbling of the
Earth on its exis – called PRECESSION – which
slowly changes the apparent path of the Sun in
front of stars.
These constellations were Aries, Taurus,
Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpion,
Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces.
Astrology is based on a belief, held from
the earliest times, that the position of
constellations at a person’s birth influences his
fate. Until as recently as 300 years ago
astronomy and astrology were closely linked,
because the nature of stars and planets were
not understood, and astronomers were
expected to cast horoscopes. Today the names
of constellations such as Aries (the ram) the
Taurus (the bull) are the only element of
astrology retained by astronomers.
Z.A. Bhutto was born on January 5,
1928. His star was Saturn. Saturn is also star
of the masses.
According to Chiro the well-known
palmist Neptune: No. seven constellation is
star of religious people and linked with latent
and mysterious knowledge.
During 1974 to 1977 Neptune and
Saturn were face to face. They were in
387
competition but kept balance. Neptune
however wielded favourbale position vis a vis
Jupiter which was considered to control power.
Thus Neptune prevailed. In other words ulema
made popular government of Bhutto to run.
In another constellation Mars which is
star of armed personnel – police and army
came in agreeable position vis a vis Jupiter.
Bhutto’s star Saturn which was already on the
wane was eclipsed by Mars and with Jupiter
being in favourable position, the army rule was
established.
The magical figure seven controlled the
fate of Bhutto. According to Abjad an Arab
system in which alphabets had been assigned
numerical value ZULFIKAR ALI BHUTTO
totalled fourteen which is multiple of seven. He
came into power at the age of forty-two. He
remained in power for seven years. In
company of seven he resided at 70 Clifton.
Number plate of the car he traveled by was
7777.
General elections were held on March 7,
1977. In the seven month of the same year
Bhutto who had been taking 21 (a multiple of
seven) gun salute was removed from power at
the age of forty-nine (a multiple of seven).
There were seven accused (one of them being
Bhutto) whose trial attracted world media and
they were accorded capital punishment by the
high court. The appeal in the supreme court
388
was heard for seven months. Seven lawyers
pleaded for Bhutto and the judgment in Bhutto
case comprised 1400 page (a multiple of
seven).
Seven days after the elections held on
March 7, 1977 Pakistan National Alliance (PNA)
started an agitation against Bhutto. It began
on March 14 (a multiple of seven) from March
14 to July 4 when Bhutto was over thrown
there were in all 112 days (a multiple of
seven).
Figure seven is a lasting number. There
are seven days in a week. The Moon completes
its movement around the Earth in 28 days (a
multiple of seven). There are seven colours in
light spectrum. There are seven shades in
rainbow. There are seven notes in music.
There are seven wonders of the world. The
number of Ashabe kahf (companions of cave)
who slept therein for over three centuries and
yet they thought they had been there only for
a day or less, was seven.
In historic perspective Lenin overthrew
Czar regime and established socialistic order in
1917. The first world war started in 1914.
Khalafat movement was in full swing in this
subcontinent in 1921. Nehru Report was
rejected in 1928. British government enforced
government of India Act in 1935. The Quaid-eAzam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s 14 points are
part of history. Pakistan came into being after
389
an active struggle spread over seven years
(1940-1947) Urdu alphabets of word Pakistan
number seven. After seven year struggle for
Pakistan 1935 Act was adapted to run the new
state. Pakistan’s first constitution came into
force in 1956. On 7th October 1958 first martial
law was imposed. Thereafter general elections
on the adult franchise basis were held on
December 7, 1970. The next elections were
held on March 7, 1977.
The United Nations came into existence
in 1946 (a multiple of seven).
Pakistan came into being in 1947. The
numerical value of these alphabets comes to
21, a multiple of seven. Pakistan independence
falls on August 14 a multiple of seven.
The figure seven is not only a remarkable
phenomenon in mundane matters but it has
role in the working of the universe.
Hen hatches a brood in twenty-one days.
Duck takes 28 days. There are seven seas. The
orbits and diameter circumference of various
planets are divisible by seven.
In the Holy Bible the name of Prophet
Moses occurs in 847 times and that of Prophet
David in 1134. Both figures are divisible by
seven. Apostleship year of Prophet Abraham,
(2107 BC), coming on throne of Egypt by
Prophet Yusuf (2289 BC), the birth year of
Prophet Moses (2450 BC) and his death (2576)
– all these figures are multiple of seven.
390
The construction of Haikal (the place
of worship in Jerusalem) started in 3017 BC
and completed in 3024 BC. Both figure divisible
by seven. It took seven years.
In the Holy Bible seven vials, seven
candlesticks, seven churches, seven plagues
and seven seals have been mentioned.
Seven is symbol of life. Pakistan National
Alliance that agitated against Z.A. Bhutto
government was a conglomeration of nine
heterogeneous political parties. Their leaders
were sarcastically called as ‘Nau Sitare’ nine
stars. Figure nine is nullity while that of seven
is lasting. Z.A. Bhutto is still alive in the minds
of millions of Pakistanis (minority community
included). Dead Bhutto is much more kicking
than live Bhutto. Because of dead Z.A. Bhutto
his daughter has been prime minister of
Pakistan twice and may stand more chances.
…………………………
391
Chapter 10
RESOLUTE RESISTANCE
What
Z.A.
Bhutto
did
for
the
downtrodden masses of Pakistan in general by
giving them voice, on a shorter canvas, J.Salik
did for the Christian community by giving them
heart to fight injustice. Inspired by his lead two
Christian trainee nurses of Pakistan Institute of
Medical Sciences (PIMS) put up a resolute
resistance to an illegal official order detaining
them from taking examination conducted by
the nursing board. In 1999 seven trainee
nurses including two belonging to Christian
community were stopped from appearing in
their board examination. They were reverted
six months back. Their stipends were also
stopped.
Nurses from the majority community
might have decided to take things lying down.
Two Christian nurses Nazia Anwar and
Mehmooda Noreen decided to fight the stormy
waves of injustice with perseverance.
They were the students of the Final 3rd
year class of School of Nursing, PIMS. In the
pre-final exams, half of class failed. In a
special chance these seven girls were declared
failure inspite of getting filled their admission
forms for the board examination and receipt of
392
fees. They however, were not informed of
details of their results. The authorities simply
pasted a notice on the display board bearing
their names whose admission to the board
exams had been withheld. They approached
the Principal Mrs. Shamshad Kousar and told
her that last year seven girls whose admission
forms were sent with late fees succeeded in
the exams bringing laurels to the institution.
They contended that their detention was
against the rules of Pakistan nursing council.
Under the Rules they were required to
pass internal examination by securing more
than 50% aggregate marks. It was the normal
practice that after the internal examination,
mark sheets were sent to the students
apprising them of their progress in different
subjects, and total percentage of marks
obtained. The admission for board examination
were sent even when a student failed in one
subject in the internal examination.
These detained nurses were verbally told
that they had failed in two subjects but neither
their detail mark sheets nor aggregate marks
obtained were notified. Over and above that
they were demoted and put back by six
months. They were also told that they would
not get their stipends during this period.
The stipend stoppage was also contrary
to the Rules which say that stipend could only
be withheld if a student failed to pass the
393
board examination in allotted chances. Even
in that case, the first chance could be availed
with stipend.
In the past, admission for the final year
examination
were
sent
to
the
board
irrespective of the marks obtained in the
subjects as long as the aggregate marks were
50% or above.
In the current case the condition of
aggregate marks could neither be properly
fulfilled nor applied since one subject namely
Pakistan studies have had never been taught.
In fact there was no teacher for the subject.
There was no examination and no marks in
Pakistan studies. When PIMS authorities did
not positively respond to the nurses’ pleadings,
the two christian nurses challenged the
administration’s decision of refusing to send
their admission for the third year examination
to the concerned board, before Rawalpindi
bench of the Lahore high court.
The
nurses
action
infuriated
the
administration and Principal of the Nursing
School threatened the two girls with throwing
them out of the school which might have
meant loss of five years for them for no fault of
theirs.
The principal’s threat brought the issue
and the nurses problems in general to public.
J.Salik stated that notice should be taken
that all over the country, girls in the first year
394
of nursing, were not put on night duty as
they were not qualified to do so. Not only they
did not have any experience, they were alone
in the wards at night, which was not fair to
those young students.
The absence of teaching arrangements
for Pakistan studies in the nursing school was
taken cognizance of by the All Pakistan Joint
Minorities
Committee.
President
of
the
committee Prof. Salamat Akhtar demanded an
inquiry why Pakistan studies was omitted from
the curriculum.
Prof. Salamat Akhtar said there had been
flagrant violation of the ideology of Pakistan in
general and violation of Article 6 (High
Treason) of the constitution by the school
principal who did not make arrangements for
teaching of Pakistan studies when the board
examination was a few days ahead. Not a
single test in the subject which comprised 40
marks was given in the internal examination.
On the petition of nursing students Nazia
Anwar and Mehmooda Noreen the high court
allowed them to appear in the final
examination as an interim relief. But if the
petition was finally struck down by the court
the petitioners would not to able to claim their
results, even if they passed.
The
court’s
order
brought
the
administration’s malice to the fore. It was
defied. The principal of the nursing school of
395
PIMS and its deputy dean and executive
director did not allow the two students to take
their final examination.
Armed with court’s injunction the two
trainee nurses went to the principal to get their
forms and pay late fee. They were directed to
see the deputy dean and the executive
director. They were told they should have
compromised instead of going to the court.
And that they would not able to sit for their
exams since their attendance was not
satisfactory.
This was a new matter. It had never
been mentioned in the letter earlier issued to
them nor it was raised before the court. Indeed
the attendance register was originally blank
since nobody had ever roll called. But in order
to substantiate their claim, though made late,
the PIMS administration hastily filled up blank
attendance register of the nurses. This was no
less than forgery.
While the aggrieved nurses filed a
contempt of court petition, a cross section of
people condemned violation of court order. Dr.
Khalid Randhawa, general secretary of
Pakistan medical association, Rawalpindi –
Islamabad, and Dr. Salamat Akhtar, leader of
Pakistan college teachers association, Punjab
threatened to take up the issue at national
level if those who violated the court order,
were not brought to book.
396
Kamran Rizvi who leads Pakistan
association for the promotion of non-violence
and tolerant culture and is also associated with
the Rights International, condemned the
attitude of PIMS authorities toward the
students “This is no way for PIMS to treat
young students like that, especially when they
belong to a minority section which itself is
having problems in Pakistan. Violation of court
order is condemnable”, he said.
Chairman of planning commission Ahsan
Iqbal said “The PIMS administration should
allow the two student nurses to appear in their
examination to avoid contempt of court. I have
talked to the PIMS administration lately, and I
appeal to them again to do something to save
the future of two students of nursing”.
Noted human rights activist I.A. Rehman
said the victimisation of two young students
belonging to a minority community by an
institution like PIMS was indeed condemnable.
“We all feel that the two girls should be
allowed by the PIMS administration to appear
in their examination, especially when the court
has ordered it to do so. The PIMS officials
should stop the unhealthy practice of
destroying the career of students who are
being trained for a noble profession,” he said.
The Chairman of the Punjab bar council
law reforms committee, Muhammad Ikram
Chowdury condemned the PIMS administration
397
for taking the contempt of court case
lightly. “This act by PIMS is condemnable. The
PIMS officials should obey the court order and
allow the two students to appear in their
examination,” he said.
Khalid Ranjha, president of the Punjab
high court bar association and Abid Hasan
Minto, president of the supreme court bar
association, condemned the attitude of PIMS
authorities, and asked it to respect the court
order. Special examination should be arranged
for the student nurses to implement the order
of LHC,” said Khaild Ranjha.
The Amnesty national executive council
(ANEC) sent a list of queries to the PIMS
administration in connection with the ongoing
controversy regarding the two trainee nurses.
The ANEC asked whether it has ever before
issued a charge-sheet to any unsuccessful
student of the first, second or third year. It
asked whether the Pakistan nursing council has
ever demanded that candidates of PIMS school
of nursing must have 50% aggregate marks to
qualify for the board examination.
It appeared that PIMS school of nursing
has never implemented the Pakistan nursing
council’s rules in the past.
Were two-unit tests taken every month
according to the Pakistan nursing council rules?
A positive outcome of the month-old
controversy was the decision of Association for
398
Nursing Rules Awareness (ANRA) to
organize an awareness campaign in schools,
colleges, hospitals and private clinics.
ANRA convenor Mary Salik, wife of
J.Salik, said the treatment being meted out to
the trainee nurses has exposed a lot of lacunae
in the working of PIMS nursing school. Instead
of just condemning the whole incident, it had
given her an opportunity to play a role which in
the long run would help the nurses all over the
country. The campaign would start with an
“awareness week” in which senior nurses
would hold seminars and workshops to
highlight the importance of nursing rules.
Mary Salik says ANRA would emphasize
that the rules drawn by Pakistan nursing
council should be fully implemented. And that
nursing community and trainee nurses should
be aware of their rights under the rules.
ANRA planned to hold discussion with the
Pakistan nursing council legal experts and
academics in the health sector to review the
rules in order to make them more functional
and user friendly, says Mary Salik.
While adamant attitude of principal of
nursing college, deputy dean and executive
director of PIMS towards the two trainee
nurses continued, on the scene appeared a
compassionate lady in person of Mrs. Ashraf
Saeed uz Zaman Siddiqui. She was wife of the
chief justice and herself advisor to PIMS. Since
399
she was out of the country when the
controversy arose, she was totally unaware of
the situation. She vowed to hold an enquiry
into the entire affair.
A delegation of karvan-e-safiran-e-amn
(caraven of ambassadors of peace) comprising
Muslim ulema and two Christian priests Father
Jacop Joseph and Mr. Gulab called on Begum
Ashraf Saeed uz Zaman Siddiqui. She held out
an assurance that if needed, she would
arrange for the two nurses to take special
board examination in all subjects. She said if
required, she would give financial assistance to
the two minority nurses.
Another delegation led by J.Salik met the
advisor PIMS Begum Ashraf Saeed uz Zaman
Siddiqui. The daily News (issue 1st October
1999) reported that the meeting turned into a
citizens court with Begum Ashraf Saeed uz
Zaman Siddiqui as female adjudicator and
J.Salik as prosecutor.
J.Salik said the issue of PIMS trainee
nurses is not a political or religious issue, it is a
question of the survival of the nursing
profession. “I have been watching the situation
and I feel that if harassment takes place and
nurses are stopped from fulfilling their duty,
they will be left with no option but to fight for
their rights,” J.Salik observed.
Mrs. Ashraf Saeed uz Zaman Siddiqui
said “Let me tell the nursing society of Pakistan
400
that this is not a case of two nurses of
PIMS. This is an issue of respect for the entire
community. Whatever happens to these two
sisters will have adverse effect on the future of
the nursing community. This is the issue of
integrity and respect of our female workers.
The precedence of sacrifice and courage set by
the two trainee nurses should wake up the
conscience of the health administration. It will
open a pandora box of irregularities not only in
PIMS but the whole health department.”
The issue of the two trainee nurses
divided the health bureaucracy. The daily News
(issue 28 October 1999) reported that the
executive director said “Who is the advisor? I
am all in all at the PIMS.”
Indeed it was the executive director who
himself had notified the advisor’s appointment.
The notification inter alia said “It is felt that a
very compassionate person has been entrusted
the job of advisor to the executive director
regarding planning, coordination and execution
of patients welfare activities”.
The things changed when the advisor
refused to be a party to the wrongdoings at the
PIMS especially in the trainee nurses case
when the PIMS management went to the
extent of filling up empty attendance register.
Support
for
the
minority
nurses
continued at the press platform and parliament
fora besides a general wave of sympathy for
401
them. Special assistant to prime minister
Rana Nazir Ahmad Khan condemned the PIMS
administration for not allowing two trainee
nurses to appear in their final examination. “I
had written to health director general Prof.
Ghayyur H. Ayub and asked him that the
trainee nurses should not be penalized for a
period of one year despite the fact that they
did not obtain pass marks in one subject. Since
the trainee nurses belong to a minority
community, their case should be accelerated.
These people (PIMS administration) do not
serve the humanity and have a very negative
frame of mind”.
Secretary of the Quaid-e-Azam university
academic staff association Prof. Wasim Siddiqui
said they strongly condemned the PIMS
administration for not complying with the high
court orders. “We demand that the decision of
the high court should be implemented in letter
and spirit,” he said.
Prof. M. Arif Butt and Dr. Haris Rasheed
of the federation of Pakistan academic staff
association strongly criticized the attitude of
the school of nursing authorities.
Prof. Iqbal Shah, then president of the
academic staff association at Allama Iqbal
university lent full support to the two student
nurses and urged the PIMS authorities to give
them their basic rights. “We demand that their
402
career should not be destroyed and they be
allowed to appear in the exams,” he said.
Religious scholars belonging to different
schools of thought came out to condemn PIMS
authorities. Prof. Shah Farid ul Haq of Jamiat ul
ulema Pakistan (JUP) said “Justice is the right
of every citizen. The PIMS administration
should change its attitude towards the two
trainee nurses”.
Allama Ayaz Zaheer Hashmi, secretary
general of Pakistan Muslim league mashaikh
committee, Pir S.A Jaffery, chief organizer of
the Jamat-e-mashaikh Pakistan, Mohammad
Rafiq Naeem, president of the Markazi Jamiate
seerat, Syed Zahid Hussain Shah, president of
the ulema council Maulana Syed Waqar ul
Hussain Naqvi had all condemned the action
taken by PIMS officials and urged the
government to solve the problems being faced
by the two trainee nurses.
Executive director of a civil liberties
organization Dissent, Masror Husain said “The
series of events led one to believe that
Shamshad Kausar (principal) may have a
personal grudge against Mehmooda Noreen
(victim) who raised the issue of unfair activity
in the examination and nepotism against her in
1996”.
With the passage of time the base of
support for the Christian nurses broadened.
Parliamentarians too jumped in the fray. On
403
the other hand neither the health minister,
health secretary nor director general health
had gone public on the issue which exposed
bureaucracy.
J.Salik however, had prepared a 87 page
“Guidance: PIMS trainee nurses case 1999” – a
resume of the entire episode and sent it to the
secretary health.
Senator Khuda-e-Noor, member of
standing committee on health said “The
incident is a big cruelty to the students. I will
take up the trainee nurses case in the next
meeting of the committee. We have to ensure
that no bureaucrat takes advantage of this
sort.”
Senator Taj Haider, member of education
committee said, “The government should stop
the violation of rules. In our examination
system, corruption is rampant, which creates
problems for us.”
PPP MNA Naveed Qamar said those
responsible for destroying institutions like PIMS
should be punished. “The issue is not of PIMS
alone. All institutions in the country should be
safeguarded”.
As it is said the flame of liberty shines
brightest in the dark. The bright side of the
tragic episode of the two Christian trainee
nurse was that a welfare body namely nursing
rules awareness organization came into
existence. It was inspired by the Bible saying
404
“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to
the Lord and not unto men”. J.Salik is the chief
patron while his wife Mary J.Salik is the patron.
The organization works for the welfare of
nurses (trained, aid nurses, untrained nurses
and under training nurses). The need for such
an organization was widely felt during the
PIMS two Christian trainee nurses controversy.
The maiden job done by the association for
nursing rules awareness was to publish
numerous copies of rules & regulation for
nursing institutions formulated by Pakistan
nursing council.
Dr. Ashraf Siddiqui, advisor to PIMS, who
evinced motherly affection for the aggrieved
nurses and championed the cause of justice
and protection of their rights, with “pleasure”
acknowledged the receipt of 200 copies of the
nursing council rules for the PIMS.
J.Salik on the occasion observed that the
possession of these rules by student nurses
should be made mandatory. He said this would
help restore the rule of law at the PIMS and
other health institutions in the country.
Finally at the press conference the PIMS
advisor Dr. Mrs. Ashraf Saeed uz Zaman
Siddiqui announced the decision to allow the
seven student nurses to appear in their final
year examination. They would also be paid
stipends and allowed to stay in the hostel.
405
The advisor and the two trainee
nurses belonging to the minority community
were garlanded on out of court settlement.
Several human rights activists including
J.Salik, Kamran Rizvi of Pakistan association
for promotion of non-violence and tolerant
culture, Habib Wahab ul Khairi of al-Jehad
Trust and Prof. Salamat Akhtar, leader of
Pakistan college teachers association who had
supported the cause of trainee nurses all the
way, were present on the occasion and
thanked the PIMS adviser for providing justice
to the helpless student nurses.
The PIMS advisor said the rules relating
to the attendance were not being followed
during the last four years. She praised
principal Shamshad for pointing out the
mistake. She also praised the two students for
taking up the case against an action which was
against the rules.
J.Salik praised the PIMS advisor for
implementing the court decision and arranging
for the compromise. He criticized those trying
to make it a Christian-Muslim feud. Most of the
affected students were Muslims though only
Christian girls went to the court. He lambasted
the PIMS administration for taking a wrong
stand. He however, announced to forgive those
who unleashed cruel treatment on the student
nurses.
406
Nazia Anwar and Mehmooda Noreen
welcomed the decision and lauded the role of
Dr. Ashraf Siddiqui and J.Salik as “historic
achievement because you both have enkindled
the flames of liberty and justice in the
darkness of injustice, cruelty and fascism
prevailing over the sky of PIMS”.
…………………………
407
Chapter 11
ANGEL IN HUMAN SHAPE
J.Salik’s endeavours to empower the
unempowered Christian minority did not result
in bold action of nurses of PIMS alone. They
also made residents of slums in G-6 sector of
Islamabad to take on the local police for its
uncalled for raid on their locality. A police
posse stormed Katchi Abadi (slum area) of
Islamabad exclusively inhabited by Christian
community in small hours one day. Their
search apparently was in connection with
investigation into a theft case. They nabbed
thirty-five to forty persons, maltreated women
and allegedly took away valuable articles. A
press report about death of a person in
custody of police of the area as result of use of
third degree methods appearing in those very
days had a psychological impact. The youth
armed with sticks came out to attack the
police. The residents crowded the streets to
block traffic.
J.Salik immediately reached the spot. He
made the mob to vacate streets, assemble in
an open ground and give up violence. He
pacified the agitated youth and made them lay
arms. The protest turned peaceful. The press
408
corps reached the spot to give coverage to
the grievances of the community.
Salik told newsmen that it had become
routine with the police to raid the slums, on
early dates of every month, arrest a number of
persons and later release them after taking
bribe.
The peaceful protest paid dividends. High
administration officials paid visit to the spot
and held out an assurance that no injustice
would be meted out to them in future.
Farhat ullah Babar, a former senior
federal information service group officer who
was press assistant to prime minister Benazir
Bhutto, and later media adviser to her as
leader of opposition and free-lance columnist,
in a press piece wrote that no other public
representative vies with J.Salik in the sincere
and earnest way he served the Christian
community particularly thousands of them
living in the slums of Islamabad.
J.Salik is the only politician who despite
being penniless is not only surviving in
Pakistan money – oriented politics but is also
dazzlingly radiant. “We can think of no other
candidate for this year’s Nobel peace prize, and
as the leader of the House, I have the honour
to nominate Mr. Julius Salik for this year’s
award” Benazir Bhutto wrote to chairman
Nobel peace prize committee.
409
Capital Development Authority one
day planned to eject slum dwellers in I/9
sector of Islamabad. J.Salik reached the spot.
He arranged an assembly of the residents and
spent the entire night in praying to Almighty.
Farhat ullah writes that he asked why did not
he take any practical step instead of sheer
prayers. J.Salik replied that all possible
preventive measures had already been taken.
Obviously he could not make CDA officials run
away with a stick.
The next day J.Salik solicited the
supreme court with a constitutional petition
praying for enforcing fundamental rights of the
residents of slums to water and electricity.
Farhat ullah Babar writes that six out of
in all eleven slums of Islamabad got power
facility because of the efforts of J.Salik. Now he
was knocking at the door of supreme court for
energizing the rest. J.Salik’s petition also
agitated that shelter was also one of the
fundamental rights. And those citizens who did
not own a house or residential plot might be
provided with a small piece of land for house
building.
J.Salik was convinced that electoral
process would remain a farce until the election
commission was purged of malpractice. He did
not blame his opponents for irregularities. He
held the election commission and returning
officers responsible for fraud in elections. As an
410
evidence he cited the discrepancy of ten
thousand vote count in the election documents
signed on the spot by the polling officials and
notification issued by the election commission.
Farhat ullah Babar writes that as a
minister, Salik had been sending summaries to
the prime minister based on fresh ideas. Within
three years he submitted over 100 summaries.
Seldom there was a week J.Salik would not
give a ring to follow up his summary cases.
In a bid to hold the Christian minority in
the mainstream of Pakistan society, J.Salik
crusaded to secure holiday also for the sanitary
staff of Islamabad that solely comprised
Christians on the national independence day.
He agitated that it was a matter of injustice
not to allow Christian minority to take part in
national celebrations since they were as good
Pakistanis as any other.
J.Salik publicly hailed the decision when
the demand was met in allowing the sanitary
staff of Islamabad a day off for the first time
on the independence day in year 2000. In a
press statement J.Salik said the step bore
special significance as this year was being
celebrated as the Human Rights Year. This
would help in doing away with the sense of
deprivation among the minority community
which would continue to serve the country with
greater dedication.
411
J.Salik’s
another
crusade
was
electrification of slums of Islamabad. In two
katchi abadis (France colony and G-8/1) 600
families (minimum 3600 persons) had been
benefitted from two power transformers. In
third kachi abadi (G-7/2), (300 families with
minimum 1800 persons) the work at
electrification had started. The project was to
be financed partly by WAPDA and partly by the
community on the self-help basis.
The water and power development
authority had proposed to spend Rs. 2.5
million (Rs. 2,500,000) on its own behalf and
an amount of 1.35 million (Rs. 1,350,000) was
to be arranged by the community on the selfhelp basis. Dwellers of three katchi abadis
namely France Colony, G-8/1 slum and G-7/2
slum had arranged the requisite funds. The
poor residents of slum F-6/2 were successful to
collect Rs. 400,000 (Rs. four hundred
thousand) but an equal amount was still in
shortage.
The population of kachi abadi in F-6/2
sector of Islamabad is about 3000 including
1000 teenaged students. The residents
including children, women and old men were
crying for electricity and especially water in
summer seasons.
Very near to this kachi abadi is a
supermarket, for fashionable shopping by
diplomats, bureaucrats and other VIPS. In
412
contrast the residents of kachi abadi were
poor,
helpless
and
the
majority
was
uneducated.
Due
to
non-availability
of
electricity, the supply of water had become a
hell problem for the poor residents, whose
majority was Christians. Their children and
women usually went to nearby posh bungalows
and after getting permission they filled their
pots with water and brought them back to their
houses. The residents hardly got chance to
take bath once in a month due to water
shortage. Many of them were calling death for
themselves before time.
Yet the slum dwellers were lucky to have
the unconditional support of an ‘angel in the
shape of human being’ working for human
welfare for over two decades. He was J.Salik.
J.Salik
started
a
campaign
for
electrification of Islamabad slums. He arranged
a press party to visit F-6/2 kachi abadi to see
the miserable plight of the residents and relay
the eye witness account in the media. Hot
News
International
representatives
were
among the party who later produced a special
report with screaming headlines: HELL OPENS;
children cry, women weep and old men pray
for mercy.
A newsman asked one resident “From
where did you get electricity in the past? He
promptly replied “Illegally from the pole but
with the army taking over control of WAPDA
413
we decided not to indulge in illegal
connection and we stand by it”.
J.Salik accompanying the pressman said
“We are grateful to Lt. general Zulfiqar Ali
Khan chairman WAPDA and Brig. Waseem
Zafar Iqbal, chief executive of Islamabad
Electicity Supply Company and his team for
their efforts toward electrification of the slum
area of Islamabad.
J.Salik said the residents were very poor.
They were doing the job of sanitary workers.
Their salaries were low. They had collected Rs.
400,000 on self-help basis. They were unable
to collect more money. There was only one
way out that was the foreign development
missions and human rights activists coming
forward in the name of humanity and provide
donation of $ 8000 to the residents of F-6/2 to
help them get electricity.
The newspaper splashed J.Salik’s appeal
for donation and illustrated the special report
with pathetic pictures of parched patients and
of a church closed down because of persistent
severe heat.
Chief executive of Islamabad electricity
supply company, Brig. Waseem Zafar Iqbal,
was so soft-spoken, so kind hearted, so
compassionate and so affable that he hardly
looked like an army officer. Yet he was
successful in cleansing the augean stable of
Islamabad offices of white elephant WAPDA.
414
Noted Urdu columnist Dr. Ajmal Niazi
writes that he cursorily met once Brig. Waseem
Zafar and he had no personal job to have had
been done by him. He was so impressed with
the functionalism of Brig. Waseem Zafar and
that he wished the CDA and Lahore WAPDA
offices too had the same urge to get things
going in the right direction. Dr. Ajmal Niazi
noted that J.salik, who had no parallel in any
former minister (not to speak of pharaonic
sitting ones) for toiling for the well being of his
community, was very fond of Brig. Waseem
Zafar.
Slums existed in Islamabad previously
too. But on Salik’s signal, Brig. Waseem Zafar
did not lag behind in providing light to the
slum dwellers. Dr. Ajmal Niazi saw eyes of
women, men, young and old and children of
these areas glowing with gratitude for this kind
hearted army officer.
“I had seen darkness prevailing in these
areas. Now lamps have been lit. The light
enlightened the minds and warmed the hearts
of the inhabitants. This inculcated the feeling
of affection in me for Brig. Waseem Zafar.
“An Urdu verse which might have been
originally written for a sweetheart, may be true
of Brig. Waseem Zafar.
“Rukay to Chand, chalay to hawaon jaisa
hay
415
“wo shakhs dhoop main dekho to
chhaon jaisa hay”
(If stationery, it is like moon, when
moving it is like breeze; If you look at that
person in the sun, it is as comforting as
shade).
“The person bringing life and comfort to
the poor may not be a mortal,” the columnist
wrote.
The doors of Brig. Waseem Zafar were
open for everyone. There was no guard at the
gate. While J.Salik was a federal minister he
shared this trait with Brig. Waseem. J.Salik
who has always sided with the truth keeps
Brig. Waseem Zafar in high esteem for his
contribution to end darkness in slum areas of
Islamabad.
…………………………
416
Chapter 12
FRAUDULENT ELECTIONS
For J.Salik democracy is an article of
faith. This is a way of life. India claims to be a
biggest
democracy
and
is
generally
acknowledged as such, is indeed a sham. How
a country, where a large number of its
nationals are untouchables, where life, honour,
property and worship places of minorities Muslim, Christians and others included - were
not safe, could claim to be democratic.
J.Salik
says,
despite
enshrining
safeguards for the minorities in the UN charter,
the rights of minorities were not being
genuinely respected. A glaring example of this
is evident in the atrocities committed on
minorities in India. Caste system and
‘jagirdarana’ (fiefdom) order in India had made
lives of the oppressed miserable in that
country.
In August 2000 J.Salik visited Azad
Kashmir and addressed gatherings at various
places including industrial town Mirpur and
border town Chaksawari. He pledged full
support to Kashmiris’ for self-determination,
and expressed solidarity with the suffering
Kashmiris
on
behalf
of
the
Christian
community. The focal point of his entire politics
417
during the last quarter century had been
safeguarding the interests of the minorities
especially oppressed and repressed. In this
context his endeavour had always been to
unite the world minorities at one platform.
He said the objective of creating Pakistan
and the principle of the Quaid-e-Azam’s
political career revolved around safeguarding
the rights of the minorities. Pakistan has been
a gift for the suffering people and the latter
should remain committed to its defence. All
other new countries in the world came into
existence on the basis of affinities of blood,
ethnic and linguistic affiliation or colour
commonality. Pakistan was the only country
that came into being transcending such narrow
notions and on the basis of cosmos Islam
which guarantees life, honour, property and
religious rituals of minorities and champions
human values.
He traveled by motor rickshaw in Azad
Kashmir to demonstrate his solidarity with the
poor people. He called for reservation of a seat
for the minority fraternity in the Azad Kashmir
assembly and representation of the minorities
in the United Nations.
In July 2000 J.Salik staged several rallies
in Islamabad to protest against inhuman
behavior meted out to minorities and
desecration of Christian churches in India and
418
to deplore international inaction in this
behalf in a bid to awaken world conscience.
J.Salik held a solo symbolic ‘coffin march’
on the streets of Islamabad. The mock coffin
was drabbed in black cloth with an inscription
condemning Indian Hindu extremists violence
against minorities. J.Salik walked on crutches
since his feet had blisters raised during a
previous bare-foot protest march.
J.Salik pushed the coffin with his foot. He
went around UN office in Islamabad seven
times and handed over a protest document to
the UN official. The protest note drew attention
of the world community towards the ongoing
brutalities in India.
Explaining the motive behind the
innovative idea of coffin march J.Salik said: “It
is the coffin of humanity and should be enough
to jolt the conscience of the civilized world”. He
would personally hand over the coffin to UN
secretary general Kofi Anan in Geneva shortly.
He said India should be forced to protect the
rights of minorities besides giving right of selfdetermination to the people of Jammu and
Kashmir.
Bare-footed
J.Salik
led
another
demonstration in front of UN office in
Islamabad in which his Human Rights Party
workers and children participated in large
number to protest against Hindu extremists for
their atrocities on minorities in India. All
419
demonstrators were bare-footed. A young
Christian school girl carried doves, the symbol
of peace, in a cage over her head. At the UN
office J.Salik presented a memorandum and
freed the caged birds.
The memorandum said Indian atrocities
on the minorities were a matter of shame for
the entire world. India should be tried for the
massacre and massive violation of human
rights before the world court so that India’s
claim at secularism was fully exposed.
It said Hindu extremists demolished
Babri mosque of the Muslim minority,
desecrated Gurdwaras – place of worship of
Sikhs. And now the so called secular India
could not dissuade its Hindu majority from
assaulting peaceful Christians, defiling the Holy
Bible and violating the sanctity of Christian
cemeteries and churches.
It called for special representation of the
religious minorities of the world at the United
Nations,
convening
of
an
international
minorities
convention
and
raising
an
international institution for safeguarding the
life, property and honour of the minorities.
The demonstrators expressed solidarity
with Indian Christians and condemned India’s
negative
propaganda
against
peaceful
Pakistan.
To register another protest at the
persecution of their co-religionists in India,
420
Christian women and children gathered at
the UN office in Islamabad. The participants
were clad in black clothes and wore caps with
slogans in favour of peace.
Salik clad in black was seated on a
wheeled chair barefooted with a bandaged foot
to symbolize the wounded condition of Indian
minorities. He had a round badge on his pocket
manifesting raw cotton, a red dove and a
slogan saying “blood of peace”. A big bell hung
over a platform under which the chair was
placed, the wooden platform had a writing on
its: “The chime for peace: bells ring to protest
Indian extremists’ atrocities.
The participants carried scores of brass
bells. The bells tolled for seven times in a bid
to awaken world conscience, when a UN official
came to receive the memorandum. A
photograph of South African hero Nelson
Mandela was ‘released’ from a black cage. A
poster carried by a participant had picture of
South African leader with caption read as:
“Nelson Mandela: save the minorities in India.
Why are you silent? A dried tree with black
straps tied around its branches read as: “India
is a jaundiced tree”.
A career crusader against man’s unjust
behaviour against fellow human beings, J.Salik
has never missed an opportunity to lodge
protest against it by taking to most innovative
device.
421
Peace lovers in India have been
eternally orphaned with demise of their only
peace goddess Mother Teresa. Pakistan is
fortunate to have on its sacred soil a
committed peace lover J.Salik who ever
remains combat-ready to challenge acts of
injustice and merchants of hate against
humanity, writes a daily The Pakistan
Observer.
On Pakistan front J.Salik congratulated
general Pervez Musharraf on assuming power
after overthrow of Nawaz Sharif government
whose “massive mandate” he believed to be
the product of massively rigged elections. He
called for the accountability to begin with the
election commission of Pakistan so that the
results of future elections should reflect the
true will of the people.
“As the first Christian who was
independently elected in five elections and a
public leader and a former federal minister
with an impeccable past, I take this
opportunity to extend my felicitations, wrote
Salik to general Musharraf.
“In my opinion, immense damage has
been done to the election commission – the
source of democratic power and the womb of a
republic. Imagine if an institution that
determines who does and who does not have
the
people’s
mandate
to
be
their
representatives is hijacked by political mafia,
422
how can we get a democratically viable
government.
“Your first priority, therefore, should be
accountability of he election commission to find
out why has this institution been corrupted by
various governments”.
He proposed trial of former president
Farooq Leghari, caretaker prime minister Malik
Meraj Khalid, former chief election commission
Justice Fakhre Alam and secretary election
commission Khan Ahmad Goraya in the first
batch of corrupt government officials who held
the sham elections of 1997.
“Isn’t it ironic that while the entire
political elite shouts at the enterim government
for not able to conduct fair elections, nobody
says a word about the very machinery that
rigged - the election commission” he asked.
The Pakistan election law specially lays
down: “Any person guilty of corrupt practice
shall be punishable with imprisonment for a
term which may extend to three years.” The
general law also takes cognizance of mischief
of rigging and fraud.
The fact is that nobody was ever
punished for election malpractice for the last
50 years. Even when Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah
became victim of fraudulent elections, no
official of the election commission was
questioned. That makes it evident that
democracy could not take roots in Pakistan.
423
The text of resignation tendered by
J.Salik to relinquish his elected seat in the
national assembly on July 2, 1993 may shed
light on the political state of affairs in Pakistan.
The political objective of J.Salik has always
been to help solve problems of the people and
make them dutiful citizens. His participation in
elections since 1979, torching of his personal
and domestic effects, hunger strikes until
death, long peace marches, hanging himself on
the cross, putting ash on his head and
frequently resigning his seat in the assemblies
have had been his tools of operation toward his
political goal. He never lost sight of his set
objectives. He indulged in politics without
being affiliated with any dubious political,
sectarian or religious group. He has had
enjoyed the confidence of his people. The
ruling elite intrigued to stop his entry twice to
the national assembly.
Once court verdict and secondly public
pressure defeated these designs. He was the
only minority member who was returned to the
house polling every time the highest number of
votes. But he never used his political position
for personal gain, or getting a piece of land
allotted in his favour. Pharaonic tyrants always
tried to silence his popular voice, by
intimidating or buying him. He always refused
to be purchased or cowed down. Even today
his tongue conforms to his conscience.
424
In
his
resignation
he
recalled
resounding of his voice in the house when he
took oath as a member on November 4, 1990.
His voice was all the same even today. He had
then pronounced that the house was the
product of rigging. It had been allowed to
function after compromising on various
principles. He reiterated that Nawaz Sharif was
a risk for political, social, economic and
peaceful order of Pakistan.
He drew the attention of the speaker to
the address of Nawaz Sharif to the nation on
17th April 1993. The language he used for the
head of the state could not behove any elected
and constitutional prime minister. He recalled
that when Nawaz Sharif had nominated
Ghulam Ishaq Khan as Muslim League
candidate for presidentship, Ghulam Ishaq
Khan was embodiment of all virtues. And
Nawaz Sharif saw all vices in him when Ishaq
Khan refused to be a dummy. Nawaz Sharif
declared war on Ghulam Ishaq Khan when he
removed him using his discretionary powers.
After the supreme court reinstated
Nawaz Sharif government on 26th May, 1993 a
tug of war between Nawaz Sharif and the
Punjab government took a very ugly turn. The
members of the Punjab assembly were kept as
hostages in Islamabad.
Nawaz Sharif got a resolution passed by
parliament imposing emergency in the Punjab
425
and even tried to enforce it without getting
the resolution authenticated by the president.
The centre had appointed Mian Azhar as
administrator for the Punjab while governor
Altaf had named Manzoor Wattoo as care-taker
chief minister. The country seemed to the on
the verge of civil war. The bureaucracy was at
a loss, not knowing whom to obey and whom
not. The judiciary was becoming controversial.
The national coffer was empty. The Punjab
government could not present its budget in the
assembly. The law and order situation was
most perturbing.
J.Salik have had always been for peace
to prevail not only in Pakistan but also
throughout the world. Two thousand kilometer
long peace march for the end of Iran-Iraq war
and other such steps were part of J.salik’s
political struggle for world peace.
In Nawaz Sharif’s tenure horse trading
flourished. He
generously favoured his
supporters and tried to make life miserable for
opposition members. He distanced himself
from the political parties whose united front
brought him to power. He had been politically
isolated. The provincial governments had
refused his writ.
In the sixteen sittings of parliament
J.Salik had made fifteen speeches to articulate
the rights of the minorities and register protest
over bias and unfairness meted out to him. His
426
widow fund, development fund and other
financial resources which should have been
ordinarily available to him to discharge his
functions as a public representative, were
denied to him merely because he did not
belong to the ruling clique. His protests and
lamentations in the house were described as
“dramatics”.
J.Salik reached resignation stage as
situation went beyond personal lamentations
and assumed national crisis. It appeared that
‘lota siyast’ – abundant floor crossing and
horse trading might jeapordise the state. The
impartiality of the speaker had not remained
unquestionable.
The resolution passed at the joint session
of parliament to encroach upon provincial
autonomy of the Punjab was unconstitutional.
He did not want to remain a member of the
house that acted unconstitutionally and where
the majority bulldozed measures in conflict
with constitution.
J.Salik considered it prudent to reveal
before the public the dark deeds of the rulers
who brought the country to an impasse.
As regards the electoral fraud, his own
election was a case in point. The extent of
fraud by the election commission was evident
from the fact that not a single vote was
declared invalid out of 4.3 million minority
votes cast for ten reserved seats for Christians,
427
Hindus and Parsis. Government notification
issued on March 13, 1997 bore testimony to it.
The election laws specified proformas for
recording counting of votes. Instead of using
the prescribed forms the presiding officers (not
less than rank of district and session judges)
used plain paper and issued counting figures
over their seal and signature without adhering
to the rules. Some such sheets were so
patently defective that on the top the resume
of results were such as vote polled ……….(it
contained no figure; valid votes ……. (it
contained no figure; invalid votes……… (it too
contained no figure) yet at the end there were
consolidated figures.
In
the
presence
of
newsmen,
accompanying J.Salik on his visit to the
election commission and office of the returning
officer, an official conceded that records of
over 50 constituencies had not been received
in detail when names of winning candidates
were notified.
The district and session judge, Islamabad
Saba Mohy ud Din had declined to notify
successful candidates on the basis of
incomplete counting. He was dramatically
removed from the office. Throwing to winds
seniority considerations, a subordinate civil
judge was appointed as a new returning officer
who obliged the authorities. This was indeed
428
an exercise in fraud, cheating and massive
rigging.
The election commission is supposed to
dispose of all election petitions within three
months but the delaying tactics and doctored
figures cast doubt on the whole electoral
process of 1997, and they certainly made the
elections to the minority seats seem very
suspect indeed.
In 1998 Salik filed an appeal to prove the
injustice and conspiracy behind his election
defeat. It took the election commission 19
months to accept it own mistakes and Salik
was declared elected. The case was a clear
manifestation of the maxim: justice delayed, is
justice denied.
Eminent lawyer Habib Wahab ul Kahairi
said if he was given authority over J.Salik’s
election fraud case, he would decide within 24
hours, hinting that the case of J.Salik was
crystal clear and without complexities.
J.Salik
stands
a
crusade
against
illiteracy, ignorance and all social evils which
have crept into and taken deep roots in
Pakistan society. He feels that unity, faith and
discipline – the motto given by the Quaid-eAzam should be inscribed on boards to be
prominently displayed in all government offices
and ministries. He is deeply impressed by the
concept of ‘Khudi’ (self-esteem) of Allama
Iqbal, the poet of the east. ‘Shaheen’ (a royal
429
falcon) of Iqbal never sustains on carcass
nor builds up its nest which implies that it
abstains from unfair means. Likewise the
public leaders should earn their livelihood by
hard work and not through plunder of national
wealth. “We have to adopt the philosophy of
Shaheen in letter and spirit to keep our flight
lofty to conquer horizons of development and
prosperity without extending begging bowl to
others,” he avers.
…………………………
430
Chapter 13
LEADER WITH VISION
Julius Salik is an extremely hard working
person. He believes in setting a personal
example by his consistent efforts and integrity
of character. He has had no respite during his
twenty-five year crusade against the twin
headed monster of religious intolerance and
social prejudice. His devotion to high ideals,
integrity, courage, unbending firmness against
opponents, general warm affection, courtesy,
enthusiasm and optimism make him stand out
as a leader of vision and foresight and an
outstanding statesman in Pakistani politics.
As a politician one of Salik’s greatest
contribution is towards Christian-Muslim unity.
This is an obsession with him. He firmly
believes that peace and social harmony at a
national level is simply not possible without
this unity. As a leader Salik’s greatness lies in
the fact that unlike his Muslim contemporaries
he has always asked his followers to be calm,
deliberate and judicious in their decisions and
actions. He does not believe in exciting public
opinion
and
creating
lawlessness,
civil
disobedience or conflict and disorder in society.
In the eyes of his followers Salik is
diligent, hard working and a man with nerves
431
of steel. He has not wavered in the face of
adversity. During his 28 years crusade he has
never compromised on principles and remained
steadfast in his mission of community service.
Unlike other minority leaders he has never
abandoned the cause of the Christian minority.
He has remained honest and incorruptible.
Many attempts have been made by vested
interests to purchase loyalty and support of
Salik but he has always rejected and spurned
such offers with the contempt.
The life story of Julius Salik who has
been struggling and fighting for the cause of
his community has been chronicled by the
national press. It is a fascinating tale of
interest, relevance and practical lessons. The
story of J.Salik is fascinating not only for the
Christian community but for all Muslim
politicians as well. His struggle stands out as a
beacon of light for all public leaders struggling
against the despotic rule of dynastic and
authoritarian regimes. His speeches and
statements are messages of hope, faith and
courage and convey his ideals of passive
resistance, and defiance of the force of tyranny
and intolerance.
432
PRESS STATEMENTS REFLECTING
J.SALIK PERSONALITY
The Pakistan Times, November 22, 1979:
Muslims and members of non-Muslim
communities on Wednesday took out a
motorcycle procession to celebrate the advent
of the 15th century hijra from the Minar-iPakistan and visited important places of
worship of all the religious communities. Mr. J.
Salik, Christian leader of the World Minorities
Alliance, said it was here in Iqbal park in 1940
when the Quaid-i-Azam had declared that the
minorities would be safe in Pakistan. He said
that Muslims as well as non-Muslim minorities
have to march hand in hand for peace and
progress.
The Muslim, March 25, 1983:
Mr. J. Salik, former LMC councilor and
convenor Minority Alliance, went on 70 hour
token hunger strike to press his demands. The
demands of the
minority leader
are:
postponement of secondary school exam’s
paper on Easter day, allocation of time for
minorities over radio and television for their
religious programs. Mr. Salik is of the view that
holding of matric exams on Easter which falls
on April 3 amounts to depriving Christians of
their annual religious prayers and other
ceremonies.
433
The Muslim, April 12, 1983:
Mr. J. Salik, councillor and leader of the
Christian minority in Pakistan, has called for
greater unity among members of various
communities in the world to initiate support for
Sikh and Muslim communities in India
struggling for their just rights. Mr. Salik, who
called on the leader of the visiting Sikh
pilgrims Sardar Parkash Singh Majeetha at
Gurduwara Ranjeet, expressed feelings of
goodwill towards the Sikh delegation. Sardar
Parkash Singh expressed similar feelings for
the Christian minority.
The Muslim, April 25, 1983:
A big rally of Christians was held at the
striking camp of Mr. J. Salik on kacha Ravi
road today and was attended by more than
5,000 persons including women and children.
Addressing the rally J. Salik, whose unto death
hunger strike has entered the 33rd day today,
gave an “ultimatum” to the government to
immediately accept his demand, which he said
was the demand of the entire Christian
community, failing which the Christians will be
forced to react. He said it was more than a
month now that he along with some other
members of the community was on hunger
strike till death but the authorities had not paid
any heed to their demand. Describing his
demand as “just” J. Salik said it was a pity that
Christians were not allowed to present their
434
religious programs on radio and television,
which he said was their basic right. He asked
the authorities not to test the patience of the
Christians and added “we waited for 35 years
and did not make any demands but now we
cannot wait any more”.
Frontier Post, June 11, 1983:
Mr. J. Salik, former councillor of
minorities, on Monday condemned the sales
tax on liquor imposed by the provincial
government in the latest budget. While
addressing a press conference in the city he
said that the government should withdraw the
sales tax from liquor, as it would hit the
minorities who were permitted to use liquor.
The Muslim, Islamabad, June 29, 1983:
A demonstration was staged in front of
the jamiat-ul-ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP) office to
appeal to the general secretary of the party to
protest against the detention of J. Salik,
convenor World Minorities Alliance, who has
been in camp jail for the last two months.
According to his wife, Mr. Salik has been kept
in solitary confinement and although she and
his sister are allowed to meet him once a
week, they are frequently harassed and
prevented from meeting him. Yesterday his
family was not allowed to meet him. A protest
demonstration also took place in Basti Saidan
Shah. The World Minorities Alliance states that
they had only requested time on T.V. for their
435
religious songs and only for that demand, J.
Salik was arrested.
The Muslim, November 13, 1983:
Christian leader J. Salik was arrested by
civil lines police when he left the press club
after addressing a press conference. Mr. Salik
while addressing the press conference was in
jute dress with the Holy Bible in his hand and
dust in his hair. He prayed to the Almighty to
show the right path to the rulers, so that they
should fulfil their promises made in the past.
He was taken to some unknown place.
Dawn, November 18, 1983:
Two minority councillors, one from
Karachi and the other from Lahore, have
appealed
to
the
government
to
give
representation to Christians on the television
censor board. Mr. Anwar Gill from Karachi and
Mr. J. Salik from Lahore addressing a joint
news conference said in a recently televised
drama a dog was named “Francis” and the
entire
community
was
humiliated.
The
councillors asked whether budget allocations
for the minorities were fixed or they have to
live at some body's mercy. They demanded
reservation of seats for minorities among the
further reserved seats for labour and ladies.
Morning News, December 29,1985:
The peace mission trekking all the way
from Faisalabad arrived in the city Karachi, on
December 28 and is to leave for the Pak-Iran
436
border on January 7. The peace mission
which is headed by Mr. J. Salik will go to the
Pak-Iran border where they will pray for the
end of the Iran-Iraq war. This was disclosed by
Mr. Salik while addressing a press conference
at the Karachi press club.
The Nation, November 17, 1990:
J. Salik, minorities MNA, has expressed
concern over the desecration of Babri Mosque
in India and has offered his services to solve
the mosque issue.
Addressing a press conference Mr. Salik
emphasized the need for respecting religious
sentiments of minorities in a civilized society
and added it was most unfortunate that
religious rights of Muslims, the biggest
minority in India, were being violated there.
The News, July 30, 1991:
J. Salik, the minority MNA, Rufin Wilson,
the
councillor
Hyderabad
municipal
corporation, in their joint press threatened to
start a begging campaign if the sanitary
workers mostly belonging to the Christian
community were not paid their salaries in
different cities of the country particularly in
Hyderabad and Faisalabad. They said that
irregular payment of salaries on the pretext of
lack of funds had been a regular practice for
the last four years in Hyderabad.
“Is it not a matter of shame for the
government that it has the money to pay the
437
big bureaucracy but has no funds for the
poor sanitary workers? asked the angry
minority leaders. They said if 2200 sanitary
workers in Hyderabad were not paid before
August 15 they would come on the streets in
order to beg for the poor government. The
minority MNA announced that he would attend
the national assembly on August 27, if the
assembly remained intact, barefooted in
protest. The leaders said that the non-payment
of salaries to the sanitary workers was also the
practice in the municipal bodies of Nawabshah
and Badin.
They deplored the fact that the sanitary
workers were not even paid before the Holy
Easter depriving the community members of
properly observing the day, as the poor
workers could not buy clothes and other things
for their kids. They complained that the retired
sanitary workers were not paid their dues and
pensions even after a passage of 10 years.
They said house rents were illegally
deducted from the salaries of sanitary workers
living in the municipal quarters. J. Salik
strongly opposed the separate electorate and
termed it the basis of discrimination against
the minorities. He said it was a matter against
the wishes of the Quaid-i-Azam who had
struggled for a secular Pakistan. He described
it hypocritical on part of government to call
itself an Islamic government while collecting
438
200 million rupees from the liquor sale and
taxing the prostitution business.
The News, December 14, 1991:
J. Salik, minority MNA, has threatened to
boycott joint session of parliament, which is to
be addressed by president Ghulam Ishaq Khan
on December 19, and to court his arrest along
with other Christian members on December 24
if his demand regarding the postponement of
the local bodies elections was not accepted.
The minority MNA stated that despite several
requests made by him, the Punjab government
announced local bodies election schedule on
the dates which fell on the sacred days of
Christians who celebrate New Year ceremonies
in these days. He said that December 25 is a
sacred day not only for the Christians of
Pakistan but for the Christians of the world. He
said with the adamant attitude of the Punjab
government Christians will be deprived of their
fundamental right of expressing their will in the
elections. He said on December 15 Christians
from all over the province will take out a
protest rally from the secretariat building to
the
assembly
chamber.
Afterwards
on
December 24 he along with other minority
members and workers would court arrest in
front of the secretariat
Dawn, December 14, 1991:
MNA Julius Salik has reiterated his
demand for postponement of local bodies polls
439
in the Punjab until after December as it is a
sacred month for the Christian community.
Speaking at a news conference he also
announced a phased action plan to stop local
elections in the province beginning with a rally
in Lahore on December 15. He said if the
demand was not accepted he would boycott
the joint session of parliament which the
president is scheduled to address on December
19. The last phase of the protest he said was
“a mass march” for 96 hours from December
24 that would end on the day of polling on
December 28.
He asserted that the president had not
paid any heed to the religious sentiments of
the Christian community. “It appears as if he is
the president of Muslims and not of all
Pakistanis. Had he been president of the
nation, he would have stopped the Punjab
government from holding local elections in the
month wherein the most sacred festivities of
Christmas fall”.
The News, December 20, 1991:
Julius Salik, minority MNA, decided to
mark his protest against the schedule of local
bodies elections in a different way. He will
hang himself on a huge model of a wooden
cross on December 24 in front of the provincial
assembly and will remain on the cross for four
days.
440
Talking to ‘The News’ Sunday he said
that he always adopted unusual ways to mark
his protest against the government policies. He
said that prior to the announcement of the
local bodies schedule he had urged the
government not to hold elections in the last
days of December as Christians celebrate the
birth of Christ and New Year during these days.
The MNA said he would hang on the cross for
four days from December 24 to 28 and would
also observe hunger strike during this period.
Dawn, February 3, 1992:
A procession organized by the Pakistan
National Masihi Party was taken out here on
Sunday to express indignation over the
growing trend of hatred, prejudices and
religious conversions in the country. The
procession, which started from the Minar-iPakistan and terminated near the high court
building, was led by Christian MNA Julius Salik.
The protesters with white flags in their hands,
on reaching the high court building voiced their
demands urging the government to accept
them without delay. These demands included
the promulgation of stringent laws against
discrimination and hatred and for ensuring
equal justice for all sections of people. One
month’s notice to be served to the family,
parents and husbands of Christian women
before they changed their religion and keeping
them in Dar-ul-Aman with a copy of the notice
441
sent to the district minorities committee.
MNA Julius Salik said the government's
attitude towards their demand will be observed
till February 14 and added if it failed to
respond positively the Christians would take
out a procession on February 16, carrying
bottles filled with blood in their hands.
Dawn, September 15, 1992:
Christian MNA and chief of the Pakistan
Masiha Party Mr. J. Salik on Monday publicly
set his household items on fire as a mark of
protest against the government's “callousness
and indifferent attitude” towards a mass
hunger strike observed by members of the
Christian community including women folk
during the past few days at the Faisal Chowk,
in front of the Punjab assembly building.
The hunger strike had been organized by
him to press for his demand for the release of
funds for his constituency amounting to Rs. 6.1
millions. The development funds are alleged to
have been with held by the present
government. Mr. Salik frustrated as he was
due to the government's indifference towards
the hunger strike since the camp was set up in
the busy Faisal Chowk on Shahrah-i-Quaid-iAzam, brought his household items which
included all sorts of furniture, beds, tables,
chairs, sofa sets, dressing tables and also a
television set at the strikers camp on Monday
evening.
442
Before setting them ablaze in the
middle of the road in front of the summit Minar
the minority MNA speaking on the public
address
system
complained
that
no
government functionary or member of the
ruling coalition had cared to take notice of the
hunger strike. He said the attitude of the
government as demonstrated during the past
few days negated the much-trumpeted claim of
giving equal rights to the country’s minorities.
He said the government will have to pay
heavily for its callousness and anti-poor
attitude and added that hundreds of people
present on the occasion would stand witness to
his setting household items ablaze for a cause.
The Pakistan Times, October 15, 1992:
Christian member of the national
assembly Mr.
J. Salik has protested against the inclusion of
the column specifying religion in the national
identity cards. Addressing a press conference
at the press club here today Mr. Salik said that
the inclusion of the religious entry in the ID
cards was a sheer injustice to the minorities
and a clear violation of human rights in
Pakistan. Lashing out at the government he
said that it had been acting against the saying
of the Father of the Nation Quaid-i-Azam
Mohammad Ali Jinnah that there would be no
discrimination of caste, colour, creed or
religion in Pakistan. He demanded return of all
443
the nationalized institutions of the Christian
community.
The Nation, October 18, 1992:
Minorities MNA J. Salik announced on
Saturday that he would resign from the
national assembly in its sitting on October 25
and warned that he would commit suicide by
taking poison in case the government attempts
to arrest him to prevent him from leaving the
assembly. “I have decided to resign from the
assembly and will take poison if the
government tries to stop me,” he said at a
press conference. The MNA who has been
demanding the release of funds reserved for
minorities has taken several extreme measures
which include setting fire to his entire
household goods to protest against the
government's position.
“I will not go back on my word even if
my dead mother comes out of the grave to
stop me.” He challenged the government to
hold fresh elections after his resignation and
vowed he would come to the assembly with
ashes in his hair.
The Muslim, November 3, 1992:
The hunger strike by Julius Salik, MNA,
entered its second day on Monday. Salik is on
hunger strike for the return of the bodies of
two Pakistanis killed in India. Talking to “The
Muslim” Julius Salik said “I am a Pakistani and
it is my duty to speak out against injustices to
444
Pakistanis. As a human being I am against
injustice anywhere against anyone,” he
declared. Julius Salik said his hunger strike
was also against the massacre of Muslims in
Bosnia and against the violations of human
rights in Kashmir. He said the Pakistan
government was not doing enough for Bosnia
nor was it doing anything for the Kashmiris.
The News, November 24, 1992:
MNA
J.
Salik
started
“conscience
pricking” long march from Lahore to the grave
of president Ishaq’s father in Charsadda on
foot on Monday to protest against the
“callousness of the president towards the
atrocities being committed by the government
on the masses and elected representatives”.
While starting his long march from the Lahore
press club, Salik stated that the government
was committing oppression and violence
against the people but the president was silent
on the “worst oppression of its kind in the
history of Pakistan.”
The elected representatives are being
sent behind bars. Walls have been erected
between the provinces by banning the inter
province entry of politicians due to which the
country has earned a bad name in the comity
of nations.
Salik stated that the president should
fulfil his constitutional responsibility and
445
dissolve the assemblies, which are a
product of rigging.
The Frontier Post, December 19, 1992:
Minority MNA J. Salik has announced that
he will retire from politics and settle in Karachi
if he fails to gather at least a hundred
thousand people at Minar-i-Pakistan on
December 21 to protest against the demolition
of Babri mosque by Hindu fanatics in India.
Addressing a press conference Mr. Salik
said renowned human rights activist Abdul
Sattar Edhi would lead the Dec. 21 prayer
meeting that would include people of all
religions and denominations. He said if the
rally succeeds he would gather one crore
bottles of blood from Pakistan for the suffering
people of Bosnia, India, Kashmir, Palestine and
other countries. He called upon the masses to
participate in the rally and make it success, as
it would represent the reaction of the
Pakistanis on the issue of Babri mosque.
Dawn, March 23, 1993:
Minority MNA J. Salik announced that he
would court arrest on Eid day in protest
against the arrest and implication into various
cases of paramedical staff in various hospitals.
He said Eid was an occasion when even
the incarcerated were granted remissions but it
was strange that the government had arrested
innocent people on this occasion.
446
Dawn, April 6, 1993:
Minority MNA J. Salik has urged the
Sindh government to declare April 11 an
official holiday on the occasion of the Easter
festival of the Christian community.
In a statement issued the minority leader
said that mid-term examinations in various
colleges were scheduled for the coming Sunday
causing problems to Christian students in
celebrating their annual rite in a befitting
manner. The minority MNA also voiced his
concern over the disconnection of power
supply to minority members living in the
slaughterhouse.
According to him the Sindh chief minister
had held out an assurance during conversation
on phone that he would seek the solution of
the visiting MNA's problems at the earliest.
Dawn, April 12, 1993:
Minority MNA J. Salik and his 21 year old
son David Salik were arrested outside the
Karachi press club shortly after they tried to
visit the chief minister house on a motorcycle
to protest against the ban on pillion riding.
However, after a two hours detention
both father and son were released. A case
under section 144 has been registered against
them.
The Frontier Post, April 18, 1993:
Talking to the Frontier Post MNA J. Salik
said by accusing the president of being
447
involved in a conspiracy the prime minister
has insulted the constitutional head of the
country.
He said by his aggressive attitude the
prime minister has left the president with no
choice but to dissolve the assemblies.
He said the honesty of the president was
beyond doubt and every Pakistani knew that
the prime minister had fabricated lies in order
to save his skin from accountability.
Dawn, April 24, 1993:
Former minority MNA Julius Salik pleaded
with the president to ask of his own accord the
next
national
assembly
to
scrap
the
controversial eighth constitutional amendment.
“This will not only help restore genuine
parliamentary democracy but also vindicate
the presidents stance that he favoured the
flourishing of democracy and democratic
institutions in the country as was stated by him
in the speech at the time of dissolution of the
national assembly,” Salik said in a statement.
He maintained that no one doubted the
adverse impact of the eighth amendment on
the growth of parliamentary democracy in the
country. The amendment incorporated by late
general Zia-ul-Haque had caused the nation to
face one crisis after another.
The president, J. Salik said had made it
clear in his speech on April 18 that democratic
institutions were not working properly. “It will
448
now be a good gesture on the part of the
president if he voluntarily announced that the
foremost task of the next national assembly
would be to scrap those provisions of the
controversial amendment that rendered federal
parliamentary democracy redundant and
caused the dissolution of the national
legislature off and on,” he added.
For registering new voters mobile teams
and sub offices down to tehsil level be set up
to ensure that no eligible person was denied
the right to vote.
Pakistan Times, April 24, 1993:
Mr. Julius Salik, former minority MNA
and chairman Pakistan Masiha Party, has
announced that he will contest the forthcoming
general elections as an independent candidate
from one of the minority seats. Talking to PPI
he said he defeated candidates of the biggest
parties such as PPP and IJI in the last two
general elections for the national assembly and
won the seat with a clear margin. He said as in
the past this time too he will not accept ticket
from any party and will contest the election as
an independent candidate. “I will again defeat
all my opponents with a clear margin,” he said.
The Frontier Post, April 27, 1993:
Former minority MNA J. Salik has
demanded that a peace ministry be introduced
in the federal cabinet and he be appointed its
minister.
449
In a press statement issued Mr. Salik
said that in view of the US threat to brand
Pakistan as a terrorist state a peace ministry
was imperative to avoid such a situation. He
said the ministry which will be the first ever in
the whole world would promote peace at
international level. Offering his own services as
peace minister he said he had talked to the
ambassadors of some other countries and they
appreciated the idea.
He said another purpose of the peace
ministry would be to put pressure on the donor
countries to write off 50 percent of the loans
they had extended to Pakistan. “If I succeed in
getting 50% of the loans written off the
government will have to substantailly increase
the basic pay of a worker," he added.
The Muslim, May 4, 1993:
Former MNA Julius Salik, who always
provided colour to the proceedings of the
national assembly through his innovative style
of protest was not allowed to enter the
parliament house by security men though he
disclosed his identity to them.
For full one hour he argued with them
but they told him they had orders not to let the
former MNAs enter. His long wait ended when
one of the newly appointed ministers
persuaded the security personnel to let him
enter.
450
The Nation, May 18, 1993:
The supreme court denied opportunity of
making a statement to a member of the
dissolved national assembly J. Salik.
Salik was brought to the court room by
attorney general Aziz A. Munshi to explain the
reason which forced him to tender his
resignation before the full bench of the
supreme court, hearing the petition challenging
the dissolution of the assembly and the
dismissal of the government by the president.
The court observed it would have to
allow all former members of the national
assembly who tendered their resignations to
describe their reasons for it, if such an
opportunity was provided to J. Salik.
Dawn, May 24, 1993:
Former minority MNA J. Salik has
demanded of government to end the system of
separate electorates, “as the divisive politics
has badly mauled our national identity of being
one Pakistani nation".
Speaking at a press conference at the
press club he said the promotion of religious
identity rather than one nation was harmful for
the very existence of the country. Criticizing
sectarianism, he said that religious division had
turned the country into “a fear bound land
where the minorities are feeling a sense of
insecurity".
451
Lashing out at the deposed prime
minister Nawaz Shrif, Mr. J. Salik accused him
of introducing a non-political culture in the
country.
The News, May 24, 1993:
The minority member of the axed
national assembly, J. Salik, vowed to contest
the forthcoming elections and pledged he
would spend funds only within the limits
prescribed under the law of the land.
Addressing a press conference at the
Karachi press club he said he won the last
election despite the fact that he could not even
afford polling agents and yet secured the
highest number of votes polled by a single
candidate in all the provinces and the federal
capital as well.
He had not spent a penny more than the
prescribed on his election campaign.
Giving an account of his performance as
an MNA, he said that during his tenure he
made 13 speeches at the assembly forum,
addressed 1350 press conferences and issued
750 press statements on issues his community
is confronted with. The number of development
schemes that he got implemented on the basis
of development funds he received was no less
than 36, Salik claimed.
J. Salik flayed the ousted prime minister
and said that during his tenure as the leader of
the house in the national assembly Mian Nawaz
452
Sharif never cared to enquire from him
about the problems of the minority community.
He disclosed that the Nawaz government froze
the development funds allocated to him as an
MNA. These funds were released subsequently
by the caretaker government, he added.
Dawn, July 5, 1993:
Julius Salik, representative of the
minority Christian community, on Sunday
handed in his resignation from the house
membership to speaker of the national
assembly, Gohar Ayub. At the outset of the
house proceedings Salik stood up and said he
had tendered resignation. The minority leader
on a number of occasions earlier has been
threatening to resign in protest over
indiscriminate stoppage of his development
funds. In the resignation tendered on Sunday
Salik said he was quitting because of political
instability in the country. He held the
government responsible for the centerprovince row.
The Nation, July 5, 1993:
The minority MNA, Julius Salik, finally
resigned from the membership of the national
assembly when he ran out of the house
barefooted.
J. Salik popularly known for staging
protests in and outside parliament later told
newsmen that he ran out barefooted from the
national assembly as he was in haste to quit
453
the “unholy house”. Salik tendered his
resignation on different occasions earlier,
which was not accepted.
Salik said: “This time I have resigned to
protest
against
federal
government's
controversial resolution bulldozed in parliament
and its proclamation without getting the
signature of the president in a bid to regain
control of the country’s largest province,
Punjab.
The Nation, July 14, 1993:
Members
of
the
J.
Salik
Peace
Foundation headed by former MNA J. Salik
demonstrated at the Charing Cross to seek
establishment of peace in Kashmir and Bosnia
in particular and all over the world in general.
The demonstration, which began at 12
noon, continued until 6 p.m. Workers of the
foundation had brought with them portraits of
all the Nobel peace prize winners from 1901 to
1991. Barbed wire was placed around the
portraits which were put on display at the site.
Ex-MNA J. Salik talking to “The Nation”
condemned the genocide of Muslims in
occupied Kashmir by the Indian forces and in
Bosnia by the Serbs. When asked about the
significance of the portraits display he said:
“We have arrested all these Nobel peace prize
winners who are asking for restoration of
peace in all parts of the world so that they
could be set free.”
454
The Nation, July 24, 1993:
Former minority MNA and president
Pakistan Masiha Party Julius Salik has called
for extending the tenure of assemblies upto 10
years.
Talking to newsmen he said Pakistan is a
poor country and cannot afford election after
every five years. Extension in tenure of the
assemblies will help boost the economy of the
country besides providing a chance to
strengthen the institutions. He added the new
government should legislate in this regard.
Referring to the demand of some
quarters to initiate accountability, he said the
new elected government should initiate
accountability process from 1977.
He
demanded
that
the
separate
electorate system for minorities should be
abolished and they should be allowed to
contest for the national and provincial
assembly seats from any constituency. He
further demanded that the restriction of
showing the national identity card at the time
of vote casting should be withdrawn, as
according to him there are a large number of
fake identity cards.
Dawn, January 3, 1995:
Federal minister Julius Salik proposed to
the prime minister that the two month vacation
in the supreme court, high courts and other
subordinate courts be done away with.
455
The proposal according to him will
help increase disposal of cases and speed up
dispensation of justice.
Talking to “Dawn” he said his proposal
was with the prime minister's secretariat and
he hoped it would be considered favourably.
Mr. Salik has already sent a proposal to
the prime minister that the courts might
function round the clock. The rationale of the
proposal was that the delayed justice added
miseries of the common man.
Pakistan Times, January 16, 1995:
The federal minister for population
welfare, Mr. Julius Salik, has stressed the need
for proper training of the staff to check
population growth rate, which has nullified the
efforts for socio-economic development in the
country.
Inaugurating six-day national workshop
for master trainers of population welfare
department at the national institute of public
administration (NIPA) the federal minister said
that small family norm has to be a way of life
otherwise poverty, economic depression, low
quality of life and frustration will be the fate of
the people. He said that increasing population
growth rate could be effectively checked with
dedicated efforts of the trained workers of the
department.
456
The Muslim January 19,1995:
Federal minister for popular welfare Mr.
J. Salik has assured the Taj Company affectees
that the government would do whatever it
could to compensate their losses.
A group of the affectees of Taj Company
had gathered outside the parliament house to
protest against the indifferent attitude of the
government towards them. They said their
prayers there.
J. Salik came over to them and
addressed them. He sympathized with them
and said the government had already
announced a relief package for the cooperatives and Taj Company affectees. He said
all efforts would be made to implement this
package in its true spirit.
Pakistan
Observer
editorial
January
22,1995:
Simple people always have simple
remedies for acute problems. We are not
acquainted with Mr. Salik, federal minister for
population welfare, but from all accounts he is
a simple man. He is forever inveighing against
the corrupt and their ways and in this
connection he has made a novel suggestion to
the prime minister. His proposal is that all
official cars in the country should be painted in
a dark green colour so that in the event of
their misuse they can be easily detected.
457
Dawn January 22, 1995:
The federal minister for population
welfare, Mr. J. Salik, has sent a proposal to
prime minister Benazir Bhutto to prepare a
comprehensive policy to solve the residential
problems of the families of government
employees who died during service.
Talking to APP the minister said in his
summary to the prime minister he had
proposed that in case of untimely death of any
government servant, his family should not be
made to vacate the official residence.
Pakistan Observer, February 3, 1995:
The minister for population welfare,
Julius Salik, donated his eyes to the Al-Shifa
Eye Trust Hospital at the advent of Ramzan-ulMubarik.
The minister was received by general
(Retd) Jehandad Khan when he arrived at the
hospital.
Speaking on the occasion Julius Salik
said Ramzan-ul-Mubarik is the sacred month in
which we should help the suffering humanity.
He urged the people to donate their eyes in
order to enable those people to see who were
deprived of sight.
General Jehandad lauded the donation of
eyes by J. Salik and other members of katchi
abadis and called on the people to follow their
example.
458
Chairman of Al-Shifa Trust also
awarded a shield of the hospital to the minister
for population welfare.
The News, February 9, 1995:
All the eight (kachi abadis) slum area of
Islamabad would be regularized and provided
with all modern amenities of urban life under a
program, population welfare minister J. Salik
said.
The project was being implemented by
the Capital Development Authority on no profit
no loss basis under his supervision. Mr. Salik
allocated
his
own
discretionary
funds
amounting to Rs. 20 million, which will serve
as seed money.
Pakistan Times, April 24, 1995:
Prime minister Ms. Benazir Bhutto has
sanctioned Rs. two hundred thousand as
compensation for the family of Iqbal Masih who
was shot dead by unknown persons near
Muridke on Sunday last.
Federal minister for population welfare
Mr. J. Salik announced the compensation on
behalf of the PM at the deceased's residence
he visited. The minister condemned the
murder of a 12-year old child who was
children's rights champion. He said the
government would not spare those involved in
the brutal killing of Iqbal Masih.
459
The News, May 13, 1995:
Federal minister Julius Salik celebrated
Eid
with
the
Kashmiri
refugees
in
Muzaffarabad. He visited the refugee camps
and distributed meat of the sacrificial animals
among them.
Earlier he visited various localities of
Muzaffarabad to collect meat. He also
distributed eatables among the children
staying in the camps.
While talking to PPI he said he had no
interest in his ministry, as he only wanted to
serve the suffering humanity. He said he was
the first person who visited the Kashmiri
refugee camps on Eid day to share Eid
greetings with them. He advised all ministers
to devote some time to the welfare of ailing
humanity instead of promoting their political
careers. He expressed his concern over the
desecration of Dargah Charar Sharif on Eid day
and urged the UN to play its role in the
promotion of peace and tranquility in the
world.
Pakistan Times, May 23, 1995:
Federal minister for population welfare J.
Salik has said that the blasphemy law needs to
be elaborated further so that it is not misused.
Addressing a press conference at Multan
press club he said the entire Christian
community living in Pakistan pays high respect
460
from the core of its heart to all the religions
and spiritual personalities.
J. Salik sought the help of the media to
improve atmosphere of brotherhood and
cohesion by reducing tension found among
various components of society. He said his
ministry planned to propose various projects in
social uplift sector which were meant to
provide relief to poor masses, specially
orphans and widows. He said a scheme is
being introduced according to which around
12,000 orphan girls will be provided dowry for
their marriage during the current year.
Giving details in this regard he said 400
girls will be wedded through the expenses met
from the president and prime minister fund
while the rest would be wedded out of the
special funds given to the senators, MNAs and
MPAs. Earlier the minister led a rally to protest
against the recent happenings in Charar Sharif
(Indian occupied Kashmir). Speaking on the
occasion he said this was a part of high
handedness of the Indian security forces.
The News, October 25, 1995:
Federal minister for population welfare J.
Salik criticized the wrong steps taken during
the martial law regime of general Zia-ul-Haque
which he said were aimed at dividing the
nation.
Salik was critical of holding non-party
polls in 1985. Similarly he opposed the
461
separate electorate system replacing the
joint electorate as promised by the Quaid-iAzam in 1947, the year of independence. But
the dictatorial regime in a bid to weaken
political parties introduced the separate
electorate system and held partyless polls,
which was a clear negation of the Quaid-iAzam's principles, he maintained.
Salik said Quaid-i-Azam made a Hindu
Mr. Mandal the first law minister of Pakistan
which shows that he did not believe in any sort
of discrimination or sectarianism. He said the
Quaid-i-Azam assured full rights to the
minorities and the government led by Benazir
Bhutto was following in the footsteps of the
Quaid-i-Azam.
The News, February 10, 1996:
Federal population welfare minister J.
Salik said on Friday that it was imperative that
a concept of small family be introduced in the
syllabi of higher secondary level. He said shortterm measures could only yield fruits if they
were duly backed up by the long-term policies.
J. Salik said the government had taken
the hakeems, religious leaders, community
leaders, prominent people in the rural set-up
and social workers into confidence to seek their
co-operation for popularizing the concept of
small family in the society.
He called upon the hakeems to take
active part in the population welfare programs
462
of the government to control high
population growth rate. He maintained that
hakeems occupied a very significant position in
the rural set-up where they were serving the
masses as imams as well as spiritual and
herbal physicians. He said the family planning
program was abandoned during the Zia’s
dictatorial regime which led to multiplication of
our national population. Now we must make
the population growth rate a focal point to
reduce it to its minimum, for securing
prosperity for our people,” he said.
The Nation, July 13, 1996:
Federal minister for population welfare J.
Salik said that those who believed that religion
disallowed population control in fact had no
knowledge of religion.
Addressing a seminar organized by the
national institute of population studies (NIPS)
on the eve of world population day, Salik
stressed the need for missionary fervors
among the masses to get rid of opposition to
family planning and population control.
Dawn November 23, 1996:
Former minister for population welfare
Julius Salik has sent a letter to president
Farooq Leghari requesting him to provide him
with 14 camel carts to enable him to take his
household effects including portraits of 300
Nobel prize winners to Lahore. “If you do not
permit me this then I will be constrained to go
463
to Lahore on foot along with the portraits,”
Salik who is the only former minister still living
in his official residence said in his letter.
Giving his reasons why he wanted to
take his household effects on camel carts Salik,
who was nominated by the ousted cabinet for
the Nobel prize, said in his letter that the
camel besides being a sacred symbol for
Christians was a patient and docile animal. The
former minister told the daily Dawn that he
had suffered a great deal due to the president
action in dissolving national assembly. “This is
the fifth time that I have been kicked out of
the assembly,” he said and added it was
injustice to a minority member who had to
contest elections from the whole of Pakistan
because of the separate electorates system
introduced by dictator Zia-ul-Haque. Salik's
constituency comprised 44,000 villages and
33,000 polling stations. “Not even the biggest
landlord of this country can contest elections
from such a big constituency,” he said. “But it
is my bad luck that I have been kicked out
every time without any fault of mine.”
The News, December 3, 1996:
A caravan of camels will enter the capital
city to transport the belongings of former
population minister J. Salik to Lahore, which
consist of portraits of Nobel peace prize
winners. The entry of camels is banned in
Islamabad and J. Salik has sought the
464
intervention of caretaker prime minister
Malik Mairaj Khalid to allow the entry of camels
for transportation of his most valuable assets
to Lahore.
J. Salik has requested all peace loving
and democratic Pakistanis to pray for the
integrity and prosperity of Pakistan when he
will sing the national anthem in front of house
No. 2 after loading the portraits on the camel
carts.
The former minister announced that he
would distribute among needy people 350
dresses that were gifted to him by many
people including one by president Farooq
Leghari.
The Nation, December 4, 1996:
Former federal minister J. Salik who will
vacate his ministerial residence and leave for
Lahore expressed his support to the caretaker
prime minister’s effort toward elimination of
the VIP culture.
Talking to APP here he said: “I will burn
all my new three piece suits to show solidarity
with the present government's move against
VIP culture. Prior to his departure the national
anthem will be played at 09:05 sharp. He has
appealed to his friends and well wishers across
the country to join him in the national anthem
and the prayer for stability, solidarity and
restoration of democracy in the country.
465
Salik said each of the seventeen
camel carts will carry white flag and the
pictures of Nobel laureates.
Asked why he wanted to travel by camel
carts instead of other means of transport he
said: “Camel is a symbol of patience.”
J. Salik contested elections to the
national assembly thrice in 1988, 1990 and
1993. He never lost but won each election with
a thumping majority. He said his name was
considered for the 1997 Nobel peace prize. He
was carrying the portraits of those who had
won the Nobel peace prize from 1901 to 1994
to Lahore.
In a letter dated 29 September 1987
addressed to Mr. Salamat Bhatti of Lahore, a
loyal lieutenant and his constant companion in
innovative protests, J.Salik wrote from Karachi.
My dear Mr. Bhatti
May the Lord shower His blessings on
you. I hope you are well and happy. I am in
receipt of your letter and I am obliged and
grateful for your message of love, support and
encouragement. I am aware that you face a lot
of questions and criticism from your friends
and supporters about my present activities in
Karachi. I am sure they are curious as to why
J.Salik is held up in Karachi, a leader who kept
hope alive during the ten years of martial law,
when all other Christian leaders were only
466
silent spectators; he kept the people
informed and aware. He filled the void of
leadership by his protest movement, but after
all this why is he hiding in Karachi? What is his
mission in Karachi? Why doesn’t he come to
Lahore? All his followers and workers who
suffered for him, went to jails, were beaten,
insulted and even tortured and abused are
eagerly awaiting his return. Salik has
disappointed his admirers. They did not expect
this from him. They may rub salt in your
wounds when they remind you of friends like
Rashid, Pervez, Barkat and K.M.Chamma and
the sacrifices they made for J.Salik and yet
Salik abandoned them and left them at the
mercy of strangers. If you are harassed by the
police who will help you? Which MNA is going
to come to your rescue?
Some of my oppressed and downtrodden
friends might have compromised with the
present conditions but I am sure there are a
lot of my followers who take pride in my
Karachi mission. They believe that my stay in
Karachi is for the common good and future
benefit of the community.
I have developed a huge following in
Karachi, which should be a source of hope and
pride for all friends, and sympathizers in
Sargodha, Faisalabad, Lahore, Kasur and
Jaranwala. It should be a matter of joy and
satisfaction for all friends in villages and towns.
467
The cruelties and injustice suffered by the
Christian communities in the past have to be
eradicated for which a lot of time is required. It
is now necessary that in future all Christians
residing in Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan and
Frontier should be kept informed about our
political agenda.
My dear friend, our misfortune has
always been that a person known in Lahore is
unknown in Multan and if somebody is known
in Multan he is not recognized in Sukkur and if
he is known in Sukkur, nobody has heard of
him in Karachi and popularity in Karachi means
nothing in Faisalabad. Our misfortune is that
we operate only at a local level and we are not
recognized
at
the
national
level.
We
desperately need workers who have national
fame and recognition and unless we achieve
this objective we will not be able to tackle the
problems of our community at a national level.
We have many brilliant minds in the
community but they are unknown outside the
confines of their local domain.
In my view a leader should be known
and recognized all over the country. Only then
he can fight for the cause of the Christian
community. If I am unknown what can I do for
my community? I say this with all the
emphasis at my command that the present
Christian MNA has to introduce himself by
name when he goes on a tour of his
468
constituency but the leaders of the majority
community are well known and recognized in
their own constituencies. My absence from
Lahore should not discourage or demoralize my
followers and supporters. This should be an
opportunity for them to stand on their own feet
and attain political maturity.
Was Salik a feudal lord? Was he a retired
judge? A former general? A press proprietor or
newspaper owner? Did he belong to a
chowdary family? No my friend! Salik like you
was only a common citizen. When politics was
banned, people were flogged, persecuted and
jailed, Salik lit a flame of hope in pitch
darkness and soon flames of hope lit up the
horizon. I started my struggle single handed
but I am not alone anymore. I have sincere
and faithful friends in every nook and corner of
the country who are always praying for the
success of my mission and struggle.
My respected friend, I am sure that quite
a few intellectuals tell you that Salik is a
madman. He should not do this or he should
not do that but my friend only the gladiator in
the arena knows how to fight his battles. The
spectators in the galleries can only make idle
comments. Let me tell you it is easy to criticize
but difficult to perform, to survive in harsh and
difficult conditions for ten years is not a joke.
How I have kept my body and soul together is
known only to me and to my Lord. I am sure
469
that a lot of people ask you what can a
vagabond achieve? Let me tell you, my
vagrancy is a symbol, it is a sign and a
promise, a commitment and a message, a
lesson in courage and fortitude and my
resignation from councilorship is also a
message of defiance and courage. It is a
gesture of rebellion against power hungry
forces of tyranny. Like Tariq Bin Ziad (a well
known Muslim warrior)I have burnt my boats
before jumping into the fray and very soon
victory will be yours.
My friend, since the last two years in
Karachi I have lived in a tent and God willing
we will meet pretty soon. On my return, I want
to convey feelings of love and fraternity from
the people of Karachi. Please remember, we
are one and united from Khyber to Bolan and
the day is not far when you will witness this
reality with your own eyes.
I am aware, my friend, that some people
even taunt you with questions like what has
Salik done? He was elected councilor twice,
what has he done for the community? What
problems did he solve? What improvements did
he make? Please ask these people; did J.Salik’s
personal conditions improve or have they
deteriorated. Does his factory exist? Ask them
about his homelessness and deprivation. Ask
them about J.Salik’s just demand for Christian
prayers on television which was supported by
470
thousands of people from Lahore. If you do
not get a response, then ask the clerics,
lawyers and judges of Lahore, ask the
intellectuals and journalists and if they do not
reply, then confront the civil administration,
the C.I.D, the police and above all ask my
sisters and mothers in faith if Salik awakened
the slumbering community or not and then
enquire from the citizens of Lahore if J.Salik
was wrongly accused or not.
Was J.Salik not persecuted? Did he not
go to jail? Did he not suffer tortures and
beatings? Did he not observe hunger strike for
35 days? Did he not arrange innumerable
conferences? Was all this just political stunt?
Think and decide for your self. What does Salik
want? Is he power hungry? Does he aspire for
a seat in the national assembly or any high
political office? Ponder and with dispassionate
consideration I am sure, you will arrive at the
right conclusions.
Yours very own
Sincerely Yours,
J.Salik
…………………………
471
Chapter 14
MESSAGE OF HOPE
As a result of Salik’s efforts Pakistan’s
most prestigious academic institution, Quaid-eAzam University of Islamabad has agreed to
set up a chair of peace for research and higher
studies. This initiative is the first of its type in
a region blighted by war and conflict.
J.Salik believes: “this is the first step in a
long, ardous journey. One day we will be able
to open a full-fledged peace university in
Pakistan for South Asian youth” Salik dreams
that his sincere efforts will be crowned with
success and his ideas will go a long way in the
cause of promotion of peace and harmony for a
better and healthier world.
He was the first political leader to fight
for the cause of the poor and downtrodden
Christian workers. He said “It is insulting,
degrading and inhuman to call a worker
‘khakrobe’ (sweeper). He must be called
sanitary worker.”
According to J.Salik “The Church Zia
Alliance destroyed everything. It made the
Christians believe that they should stay away
from politics and indulge only in social work.
They have not been able to shed this
missionary mentality.”
472
Julius Salik’s struggle and fight
against religious apartheid has received
support from all minorities in Pakistan
including Christians, Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs and
Buddhists. Salik blames the Christian leaders
for the plight of his community. They never
have time to educate their workers. They are
too busy sucking up to the rulers of Pakistan,”
he said.
Salik decided to resist anti Christian
politics of government. A large crowd including
women and children gathered around him. The
police used tear gas and resorted to baton
charge. In complete disregard to the sanctity
of the church, the police force raided the Saint
Anthony Church on Lawrence Road, Lahore and
lobbed tear gas shells inside the church. Many
people fainted, some were arrested. Salik was
severely beaten inside the police station. The
police action was condemned by the Christian
and Muslim leaders who described it as
inhuman and against the teachings of Islam.
J.Salik is a teacher of human values. He
teaches love, compassion, tolerance and
equality. His teachings are based on the
concept of peace, justice and brotherhood.
Salik tells his followers to stand up for their
rights and take pride in their religion and follow
the path of non-violent resistance for the
recognition of their social, political and cultural
rights. He demonstrated by personal example,
473
by sacrifice and suffering, and by solidarity
and association. He demonstrates by fighting
for just causes, by facing the wrath and
retribution of brutal dictators and by
undergoing torture, beating and imprisonment.
He demonstrates by resigning from public
offices, by hunger strikes and by risking his life
for the cause of his followers.
Salik is an inspiration. He inspires by his
honesty and integrity of character. He inspires
by his disregard for materialism and by his
fearless confrontation with the authorities. He
is an inspiration because of his meteoric rise in
spite of his humble origin and social
background and despite countless obstacles,
bottlenecks and impediments. He will continue
to be an inspiration for the minorities, not in
Pakistan alone but all around the world
because of his successful crusade.
For the first time in the history of
Pakistan recitation from the Holy Bible was
heard in the national assembly. J.Salik dressed
in the national dress, before taking oath as
MNA in 1990, quoted teachings about prayers
from the Bible, which said “When you pray do
not use a lot of meaningless words as pagans”.
In a loud voice charged with emotions,
head bowed and hands clasped J.Salik prayed:
“Our Father which art in Heaven,
Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
474
Give us this day our daily bread. And
forgive us our debts, as we forgive our
debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen”.
By the simple but impressive act of
reciting the Lord’s prayer, J.Salik affirmed his
pride in Christian faith and renewed his pledge
to fight for the cause of the minorities.
Salik is fond of reminding his Muslim
brethren about the Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad
Ali Jinnah and his sister Fatima Jinnah
attending a special service in Karachi’s St.
Patrick church on August 17,1947.
With a naïve twinkle in his eyes J.Salik
has been asking his friends: “Can you imagine
president Rafiq Tarar or prime minister Nawaz
Sharif attending a Christians’ service in a
church? First of all they will not dare and if
they did the maulvis of Pakistan will tear them
into bits’. Salik has many questions for leaders
and Muslim scholars of Pakistan. “Why are you
making life difficult for the minorities by raising
the slogan of Islam all the time? Was the Gulf
war a religious war as it was made out to be?
Muslims were fighting Muslims, where did the
Christian come in? Was Mr. Jhangvi of Sipah-iSahaba (a Sunni Muslim millitant outfit)
murdered by Christians? And who was
responsible for the murder of Arif Hussani of
Tahrik-e-Nifaz-e-Jaffaria (a Shiite Muslim
475
organization)? You blame Christians and
arouse the sentiments of ordinary Muslims
against us. Pakistan is not yours alone, it is
ours too. We want Pakistan to be free of such
things. We want a Pakistan whose citizens
have open mind, unsoiled by primitive ideas.
Who respect faith of others but do not want
their religion to be forced down the throats of
the minorities.”
J.Salik differentiates between the country
and its ruling class. He believes that this
second class status as a Christian citizen is not
the fault of Pakistan. The ruling class largely
comprising feudals and mullahs are responsible
for converting the country into a society in
which citizens are discriminated against
because of their religion.
J.Salik stood up in national assembly to
shake the collective conscience of the
champions of Islam: “What about Christian
widows and orphans? Who will provide them
succour? Why are they not entitled to doles
from the Zakat fund and the Bait ul Mal? Are
they not citizens of Pakistan? Don’t they pay
taxes? Are the minorities first class citizens or
serfs of the ruling class?”
As leader of the minorities J.Salik has
always associated his voters with all human
rights issues. He has always struggled to end
the isolation of his community and to make it
part of the mainstream national politics.
476
J.Salik stands for freedom of the
press. He joined a protest rally of journalists to
register his community’s support for the cause
of freedom of the press. He addressed the
gathering in his typical fiery style. In the heat
of emotions he tore apart his shirt and
thundered: “curtailing of freedom of the press
cannot be justified on any grounds. The rulers
should know that such tyranny could not last
long. I assure you full support and solidarity on
behalf of 10 million minorities to the cause of
freedom of the press in the country.”
Had Julius Salik not been a Christian, he
might not have had the need of attention
catching gimmicks like torching his belongings
to solicit governments consideration. He
laments: “They just do not give us any
importance because of our religion.” He has
always something different to say and does not
allow any opportunity to go without advancing
the cause of minorities.
In another impressive address to the
national assembly he accused the government
of trampling under foot the rights of minorities.
He told the house that to show his protest he
has decided not to sit on the chair but to sit on
the floor. Ironically he wanted to bring into
bold relief the fallacy of belief of the feudals
who dominated the assembly that a Christian
is a sanitary worker and had no right to sit on
a chair in their presence.
477
Under such circumstances the rise of
a person from the Christian minority was
nothing short of a miracle. Julius Salik has
achieved the status of a national leader (head
and shoulder above many Muslim majority
leaders) not by state patronage but through
years of hard work and a combination of
dedication, commitment, struggle and passive
(but effective and impressive) resistance.
As a passionate supporter of human
rights and dignity, Salik has advocated
pluralism in society. He has campaigned for
respect and care for religious places of
different faiths. In order to promote religious
harmony in Pakistan he has arranged interfaith events. He approached the imam of the
country’s biggest mosque in Lahore and invited
him to visit various churches in the country. He
also arranged public celebration of Christmas
festivities which helped in bringing the Muslim
majority nearer to Christian minority of
Pakistan. He protested vehemently over the
apathy of the UN towards minorities. He
condemned racial discrimination and pleaded
for a special tribunal to probe the atrocities
against minorities.
GLOBAL APPROACH
J.Salik is not only a politician and a
minority leader, he is a visionary with an eye
on global issues affecting minorities. He
believes “Everywhere in the world, minorities
478
face great threats on racial and religious
bases. Minorities are underdog everywhere.
Consequently I decided to establish an
organization which would endeavour to protect
minority rights every where”.
J.Salik’s brainchild World Minorities
Alliance (WMA) has the following aims and
objectives:
1.
To
establish
connections
and
communication between minorities all
over the world. To educate them on
their respective problems and to
formulate strategies for the solution of
these problems.
2.
To establish a world Minority Forum
which may promote the feelings of
tolerance for minorities.
3.
To get a WMA seat in the UNO, EEC,
GCC and other world bodies.
4.
To establish a World Minorities Bank
in order to help members of the
minority communities to establish
their own businesses.
5.
To publish a minority journal called
“International Minority Times” in order
to create and promote understanding
between minorities in different parts
of world.
J.Salik’s financial means are negligible.
His own community is divided, exploited and
devoid of political foresight and yet by sheer
479
grit and determination J.Salik managed to
reach the corridors of power. Salik stands out
head and shoulder above his political
contemporaries because he is an ideal and icon
not only for his Christian community but also
for downtrodden Muslim youth. Salik has
always trusted in the Christian philosophy of
passive resistance. He believes in turning the
other cheek and combating violence and
hatred with reasoning and love.
Julius Salik introduces himself as: “To
begin with, I was a minority leader, because I
felt that the Christian community was being
deprived
of
its
rights
by
Pakistan
establishment. But later I came to realize that
the establishment has no religion, no sect. In
this respect general Zia’s ruthless repressive
treatment of the Pakistan people at large
served as a most-relevant example for me. He
divided the Pakistan society along sectarian
lines only to keep himself in office. From then
onwards I am an exponent of peace for
everyone, everywhere”.
The mission of J.Salik is to open the
doors of politics to the common man, to break
the monopoly of the elite class and to
encourage the educated youth to enter the
political arena. The grip of the powerful ruling
classes has to be broken for the benefit and
well being of the common people. Salik’s own
life and struggle is the best example and
480
beacon for the youth to follow. He believes
in political leadership by the common man,
free from corruption and opportunism. Instead
of telling white lies in cultured English, he
speaks in native dialect. He refused to play by
the rules based on lies and hypocrisy.
After his election victory in 1990 and his
decision to sit on the opposition benches and
government’s denial to his rightful and
legitimate share in the development funds, he
launched a plan to help his poor voters with
limited resources placed at his disposal by the
government.
He announced his development plans
and asked for applications from all over the
country. As many as 184 development
schemes were finalized for the benefit of
Salik’s voters and constituents. J.Salik believes
in the concept of sustainable development with
community participation. He has waged a
ceaseless war against the loot of state
institutions.
Salik’s love for the common man
motivated him to start a campaign for jail
reforms. He believes that even criminals and
prisoners are human beings and deserve
respect and compassion. He is the first
Pakistani leader who has advocated and
worked for massive reforms in the country’s
jails. Salik himself has been to jail many times.
He is aware of the corruption, abuse of power
481
and violation of human rights that go on in
the jails of Pakistan every day. He has first
hand experience of the misery and cruelty
faced by the inmates.
J.Salik won another election in 1993 and
this time he was made a member of the
federal cabinet on January 26, 1994. He made
valuable contributions as federal minister for
population planning.
As a minister, J.Salik adopted a new
approach to family planning drive. Instead of
telling the people to produce only two children,
he told them to produce as many children as
they were able to educate and feed properly.
J.Salik brought home to the people that
poverty graph, instead of decreasing was on
the rise. Not only rate of literacy but the
standard of education was also falling. Social
needs were increasing while social services
were on the decline. The rush of patients in
hospitals had upward trend. Not only drinking
water facilities were shrinking, sewerage and
drainage were now falling short.
All the analyses lead to one fact that
standard of living remaining low in Pakistan
was because of galloping population growth.
Thus high population growth was Pakistan’s
problem number one.
A restless soul and dedicated humanist
as J.Salik is, he personally took part in the
population control campaign by going to
482
streets and ‘mohallas’ both in villages and
cities. He also set up a team of such dedicated
and selfless volunteers that could expand the
program and disseminate the message to a
maximum number of people.
J.Salik revised the government policy of
bypassing religious guides. On the other hand
they were taken into confidence. The
population ministry arranged visits of leading
Pakistani religious scholars to Indonesia to
enable them to study the family planning
program being followed there.
In 1951 on average Pakistani population
was 42 per kilometer. By 1994 this figure has
risen to 150. In 1961 the annual population
growth rate was 2.45 percent. In 1994 it had
risen to 3.25 percent. In 1972 Pakistan’s total
population 65.321 million. In 1994 it had
increased to about 125 million.
J.Salik was conscious that until this trend
was reversed Somalia or Rwanda like famished
conditions could arise is Pakistan. He prepared
a comprehensive population welfare program.
The funds allocated for the population welfare
were
enormously
increased.
Besides
government hospitals, basic health units,
public sector corporations, clinics and noncommercial cooperative and private sector
NGOs were vastly associated with distribution
of birth control material.
483
J.Salik instituted excellence awards
for writers on population planning and
associated media leaders and personally
graced the prize distribution ceremonies to
push up campaigns for awareness among the
people.
J.Salik performed divine messenger like
role in various fields he chose to play. By being
a minister he made it evident that the minority
community could snatch its rights, they could
put up a bold front and Christians established
their credentials by actively standing for peace,
justice and fair play.
Participating in the discussion on the
status of minorities organized by a forum of an
Urdu popular paper daily Jang, J.Salik said
Pakistan is a haven for the oppressed people
from all over the world. Unfortunately this
aspect had not been properly played up. This
country had come into existence to harbour
the hapless. The untouchables of India looked
toward Pakistan when excesses against them
turn beyond limits. Pakistan was a fortress of
the minorities against Hindu extremists’
highhandedness. Pakistan was indeed eighth
wonder of the world. The rationale of the
struggle for Pakistan was rooted in protection
of liberty rights of the minorities rather than
the independence of the majority. This raison
d’etre of Pakistan should be fully taken
advantage of and this country be made an
484
example of citadel of minorities throughout
the world. This country should rise for the
rights of the minorities of not India alone but
those of the entire world. International
Minorities Alliance should be promoted on the
United Nations pattern. The minorities for
safeguarding their rights should have a seat in
the Security Council.
On ouster of Peoples Party government
Julius Salik left the federal capital Islamabad in
a dramatically symbolic manner. While other
ministers left the ministers’ colony in
surreptitious manner, J.Salik made it a public
event and to make it prominent he used his
usually innovative style.
He met the caretaker prime minister
Malik Meraj Khalid. This meeting was shown on
PTV. The purpose of the meeting was to seek
special permission for entry of camel carts into
capital which was banned otherwise and
Capital Development Authority had turned
down J.Salik’s request for lifting the ban as a
special case. The camel carts were used to
transport J.Salik’s possessions, among them
the most prominent were the portraits of Nobel
peace award winners.
J.Salik clad in ceremonial black shirwani
– national dress of Pakistan came out of his
house to the cheers of a large crowd
comprising Christian men, young and old and
women and children. They were carrying
485
banner and placards lauding J.Salik’s
services. They had already assembled in front
of his house. As he came out, the assembly
gave him a big hand.
J.Salik set on fire six of his valuable
western three piece suits. He was of the view
that no member of the nation, burdened with
heavy international debts, had the right to
wear expensive dresses.
J.Salik says no nation burdened with
debt can take any independent and wise
decision.
As a federal minister for population
welfare J.Salik said if people voluntarily
decided to properly plan the size of their
families, his ministry could be disbanded and
the fund thus saved could be spent on other
development projects.
By way of strategy he planned an
assembly of one hundred thousand Christians
at Minar-e-Pakistan where All India Muslim
League had adopted a resolution for a separate
sovereign state in 1940. The Christian
community being the downtrodden suffered
worst the economic impact of foreign loans and
thus could project a plausible case for the
international community for writing off
Pakistan’s foreign loans on humanitarian
ground.
As early as May 1992 Julius Salik in his
speech in the national assembly had asked the
486
speaker to commission him for foreign debt
retirement. He offered that he could get at
least fifty percent of foreign debt written off if
he was authorized by parliament.
He had made 50% relief in foreign debt
as his target in 1992. By then no relief had
been provided to any country by donors. Now
that debts of 45 poor countries had been
condoned and Pakistan is not included in that
list, J.Salik has launched a year long campaign
for writing off entire debts of Pakistan.
J.Salik
considers
the
backbreaking
foreign debts are the biggest hurdle in the
economic progress of Pakistan.
While he was the minister he had
addressed letters to all pilgrims who had gone
for Haj to Saudi Arabia to send him a pair of
clothes as their share toward welfare of the
needy. In response a large number of dresses
had collected with him. He distributed all those
clothes among the needy before his departure.
PARADISE ON THE EARTH
He got a syringeful of his blood ejected
from his body with the help of a lady doctor
and dropped it on the dust as a pledge not to
spare his blood and body whenever this sacred
land demanded it.
Salik is a born Christian Pakistani and
takes great pride in his religion and social
background. He solves the dilemma of his birth
by borrowing with adaptation the words of
487
Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar, a great preindependence Muslim leader and a zealot
freedom fighter, in his customary and unique
style:
“Where God commands …… I am a
Christian first, a Christian second and a
Christian last and nothing but a Christian ……
but where Pakistan is concerned, where
freedom of Pakistan is concerned, where
welfare of Pakistan is concerned, I am a
Pakistani first, a Pakistani second, a Pakistani
last and nothing but a Pakistani. I belong to
two circles of equal size but which are not
concentric. One is Pakistan and the other is
Christianity. We belong to these two circles
and we can leave neither.”
In his endeavours to educate and inform
his community, Salik has always tried to
promote feelings of patriotism and loyalty to
the motherland: “Jesus Christ (AS) is the living
example for all of us and he tried throughout
his life on the earth to help the poor, needy
and afflicted ones. Similarly my life is totally
dedicated for establishing peace and love, joy
and good deeds which reflect his glory. Our
lives must change and through this change we
will be new persons. We ought to love our
neighbours as ourselves. So let us pledge that
we all must love one another to establish
peace, and be the cause of blessings for each
other and thus make our beloved country
488
Pakistan as a reflection of paradise on the
earth.”
J.Salik appreciates the need for close
cooperation between the Christians and
Muslims of Pakistan on a national level. He has
contributed to the cause of Christian-Muslim
harmony more than any other Christian or
Muslim political leader.
J.Salik’s biggest achievement is that he
has managed to earn respect and acceptance
for the Christians of Pakistan.
It were the sincere efforts of J.Salik
which resulted in providing shelter to 8,000
Christians and land ownership rights to 30,000
Christian dwellers in five village of the Punjab.
Over 6,000 Christian families all over Pakistan
were provided medicines and basic health
facilities due to Salik’s endeavour. He is a
strong believer in community participation. He
believes that his style of leadership can guide
his community to attain social justice and
freedom from prejudice and oppression
His strong Christian beliefs have not kept
him away from the study of other religions,
specially Islam. He is a great admirer of
Islamic faith and often quotes the sayings of
prophet Mohammad (SAW) extensively during
his speeches and conversation. Christianity and
Islam both for him are universal religions and
his knowledge about Islam has surprised many
Muslim scholars. J.Salik has a strong conviction
489
that Pakistani Christians are no way less
devout than Christians of any other region. He
is at times apprehensive about the role and
interference of foreign – based Christian
organizations.
Salik believes that there could be no
pastoral, evangelistic and social development
without the unity of various churches. For
greater good of Pakistani Christians church
leaders have to work honestly and diligently
for promoting unity among various church
groups in Pakistan.
According to Salik there are three
different categories of the poor. The indigent
poor, the oppressed poor and the sluggard
poor. He explains that in the Bible it has been
clearly stated that God does not bless the
disobedient, the rebellious and the sinners.
God punishes by stopping rains and bringing
scarcity.
J.Salik specially laments for the sluggard
poor. According to him they are the most
problematic persons because they are in habit
of expecting others to do things for them. Salik
believes that the power of Gospel can change
their habits and these reformed men can
change the society.
Salik is not a typical Pakistani politician.
He wants nothing for himself. What does
J.Salik wants? Nothing but equality and respect
for his community. He says Christians are
490
Ahle-Kitab (people with Book) which enjoy
special status in Islamic faith.
Salik is struggling and fighting for
establishment of the rules which will allow his
community to live in society with respect and
honour. He believes and rightly so that one of
the most passionate trait is the urge to belong,
to be needed and to contribute to society with
a sense of patriotism and pride.
Salik is working for the improvement of
socio-economic structure of his community. He
believes that it can be achieved if the ruling
class lays greater emphasis on the Islamic and
human values to govern the country and
create institutions that are the source of
nourishment for all including the minority
communities.
J.Salik directed his followers to burn
lamps during sunlight to show that sunlight
alone was not enough for the rulers to see
realities. His innovative idea became a national
tradition and lamp days were observed
throughout the country.
J.Salik dreams of launching an ambitious
social welfare program to make it possible for
all his community members to be gainfully
employed, to provide quality education, to
arrange practical and vocational training to
enable them to find and hold jobs.
Being mindful of the sense of neglect and
deprivation of his own community and as a
491
token of love and sense of belonging, he
has adopted the simplest possible life style. He
wears only ‘khaki’ coloured clothing which
symoblises his humility and spirit of selfsacrifice. His doors are always open to all; he
is ever ready to raise his voice for the cause of
love and peace for all irrespective of caste,
colour or creed. He does not drink and has
voluntarily given up meat eating till all
Pakistanis can afford to eat meat.
Salik’s devotion to love and peace, his
austere living and love for humanity is
appreciated not only in Pakistan but has also
won
him
international
acclaim.
Love,
compassion and devotion to human cause have
enabled him to steal his way into the hearts of
millions of people. In spite of being penniless
and homeless, today he stands, tall and with
his head high, loved by the people he works
for. In his own words: “I live for those who
love me”. Prejudice, bigotry and religious
discrimination have not deterred him from his
mission that is spreading love and advocating
the blessings of brotherhood.
J.Salik was not born great, nor greatness
was thrust upon him, but he has achieved
greatness by the power of love, sacrifice and
devotion to the cause of the poor and the
oppressed.
J.Salik has built his whole political
philosophy on his love for his community and
492
his belief in the ideals of peace and social
justice. He gets all his moral and political
strength from his people and all his actions are
guided by his conviction to accomplish the task
he has worked for so diligently and lovingly.
His commitment to social causes has
transformed him into a crusader armed with
the weapons of love and compassion. His
whole life appears to be a commitment to
sqeeze out the very last reserves of physical
and mental energy for the realization of his
dreams.
J.Salik is the proverbial “angry young
man”- one who has rebelled against the
established order and rejected the rules
imposed by society. In many ways Salik is an
angry young man in search of his lost
belongings, but his lost belongings are his
ideals. He is fighting the system to regain the
lost human pride of his people. He is fighting
the society which has deprived his people of
love, respect and dignity. He is struggling to
bring a positive change in the socio-cultural
and political fabric of Pakistani society. He has
challenged the might of the religious fanatics
and stood up to the forces of hate and
prejudice with his weapons of love, compassion
and tolerance for all religions.
Julius Salik looks like a character from
some biblical story. He quotes frequently from
the Bible and his style of addressing his people
493
appears to have been copied from the
Scriptures. His Biblical methods have made
him something of a messiah of his time. His
action, postures and movements all have an
uncanny resemblance to some ascetic who has
stepped out from the ancient past.
His political philosophy is based on
helping the downtrodden. He believes in
restoring the dignity and self-respect of the
poor more than simply providing material
assistance. His gesture of love and affection for
his people have resulted in his phenomenal
success and his mass appeal.
Eid like Christmas is a time of family
gatherings, and enjoyment but Salik preferred
to spend his time with the people hungry for
love. His first Christmas holidays as federal
minister were spent in the war-torn BosniaHerzegovina. His first Eid as federal minister
found him in the snow bound valley of Kashmir
spreading cheer and love among the victimized
Kashmiri refugees.
J.Salik’s mind is overflowing with
conventional wisdom. His fertile mind is always
in search of novel methods of implementing
and spreading concepts of justice, equality and
fraternity. He attracts the attention of the
authorities by his forceful style, sincerity of
purpose and genuine love for the people he
represents. Even despots and military dictators
had been forced to give time and attention to
494
Salik’s demands and to help his people
according to his wishes and desires.
J.Salik prepared a new rod decorated
with befitting symbols and named it “Sign of
Justice”. He presented it to the president and
chief justice of Pakistan. He was of the opinion
that “the rod” represents force and brutality
and the “Sign” is symbol of love and peace. He
believes that instead of “force”, love and
respect should be associated with justice. He
believes that it is not enough to report facts
truthfully, it is necessary to report the truth
about facts and his ardent followers believe
that J.Salik is a truth narrated by the language
of facts. Instead of earning something worldly
he draws spiritual pleasure out of his love for
humanity. His motto has always been love for
all and hatred for none.
Julius Salik is probably the only politician
in Pakistan who has never resorted to bribes.
During a large public meeting he held the Bible
in his right hand, raised his left hand and
swore that during his two decades in politics he
has never offered a bribe to any policeman.
According to him: “It is not the fault of police.
It is the politicians who corrupt the police by
greasing their palms and using them for
oppressing the poor or sorting out political or
business opponents.” On October 1, 1992
before addressing a press conference he
washed his hand with soap and water and
495
declared that his hands were clean and
would always remain so.
His belief and faith in honesty and
transparency is unshakable. His voters expect
him to solve their problems and to look after
their need. Salik’s first love is his community
and he reciprocates the feelings of love and
trust expressed by his voters but he cannot
compromise his principles of honesty and
justice. It was really difficult to accommodate
the demands of his voters without violating the
principles of truth and justice.
He introduced a system of “ballotting” to
solve this dilemma. Who would receive a
Christmas gift? Who were entitled to telephone
connection from his ministerial quota? Who will
be given a certain job? For every favour,
applications were invited from all over the
country and the burden of “choice and
decision” was left to lottery.
Besides being nominated for the Nobel
peace award on behalf of Pakistan, he was
awarded the ‘Sitara-e-Imtiaz’, a prestigious
civil award in Pakistan granted in recognition of
national service of the highest order by the
government of Pakistan.
In February 2001, J.Salik visited Holland.
Pakistan Islamic Centre Rotterdam, conferred
Holland integrity/dedication award on J.Salik
on the occasion. The citation was as follow:
496
J.Salik needs no introduction. He
always raised voice for the rights of minorities,
liberty and human rights. He struggled for the
rights of the oppressed throughout his life. He
supported all movements the world over for
freedom and justice through innovative
protests and demonstration. In this struggle he
suffered and made numerous sacrifices.
He wore coarse jute clothes for twelve
years to protest massacre of Muslim minority
in India. The national assembly of Pakistan in a
unanimous resolution recognized his services
and he was requested to give up that
extraordinary dress. In extreme cold he
trekked 2000 kilometers to raise voice against
Iran-Iraq war. He spent two years in tents,
giving up family life, to agitate against IranIraq conflict.
During his twenty-five year struggle he
put ash on his head, torched his domestic
belongings, underwent imprisonment and
reached war-torn Bosnia along with his family
members. When his only son pointed the life
hazard, J.Salik silenced him saying that the
dead bodies of father, mother and son
reaching Pakistan on Christmas would not only
help arouse world conscience but also enhance
Pakistan’s prestige.
J.Salik owned the life risk in writing and
donning bulletproof jacket and riding army
497
tank left the airport to express solidarity
with the oppressed Muslims in the city.
He accompanied by his family members
spent the second Christmas as federal minister
in the refugee tents among the oppressed
Kashmiri Muslims.
He took to khaki dress after being sworn
as federal minister to demonstrate austerity
and simplicity. He declared his minister
bungalow in the ministers’ enclave in
Islamabad as orphan house where the
destitutes were being reared along with his son
so that the poor children and the minister’s son
slept under the same roof. Symbolically this
may end discrimination. Security guard was
removed from his minister’s house. His
gunman was redesignated as a clerk, so that
the wall of weapon separating the minister
from common man may demolish.
Immediately after taking oath as
minister he announced abstinence from meat
eating. According to him it did not behove a
minister to indulge in chicken “charga” luxury
while the common man could hardly afford “dal
roti”.
J.Salik’s only son got married when Salik
was a minister. The bridegroom’s natural wish
was to invite dignitaries to partake in wedding
ceremonies. J.Salik refused on the plea that
the country was already debt ridden, the
protocol in connection with participation of
498
prime minister and others may involve
wastage of vast national wealth while the poor
remained deprived of basic facilities like
education and health. Thus marriage festivities
were confined to feeding seventy orphan
children and playing national anthem.
As a minister he ordered that the daily
work might start with recitation from the Holy
Quran. During the recitation all functionaries
from secretary to messenger stood in a single
row. The attendance and dedication to duty
were also monitored. To put an end to class
division it was mandatory for the seniors
including the secretary to mister all personnel
including peons.
During his tenure as a minister J.Salik’s
father was on deathbed in the United States
and the government sanctioned $ 8000 plus air
ticket and other expenses to make his official
trip to the States. He refused to go to inquire
after his father’s health on official account.
In 1990 he was elected to the national
assembly as an independent candidate. The
then government tried to purchase his loyalties
for Rs. 20 million. He contemptuously turned
down the offer.
He polled the highest number of votes,
the record yet to be beaten in Pakistan,
individually in each province namely Punjab,
Sindh, N.W.F.P, Balochistan and federal
capital. His election was without any
499
investment which too is a record in Pakistan
history.
In 1995 residential plots were being
allotted to members of Parliament under a
parliamentary housing scheme. The allottee
was to pay only Rs. 0.6 million while the plot
could earn a profit of Rs. 17.75 million on open
market. At the outset J.Salik announced at a
press conference that he would not accept an
official plot until each and every poor man in
Pakistan owned a house. J.Salik takes pride
that neither he nor any member of his family
owns even an inch of land anywhere in the
world. He lives in a hired house in Islamabad.
It has been an article of faith for him to attain
distinction while remaining materially poor and
to bring glory to his country.
Not only in Pakistan but million of people
living in Europe are aware of the epic struggle
of J.Salik spread over twenty-five years and
acknowledge that he never attained any
personal gain.
In this vast world J.Salik does not own
an inch of land. He never obtained any
permit/license of any sort. His entire life is like
an open book. His office cum residence in
Islamabad has been provided by renowned and
benevolent nuclear scientist Dr. A.Q. Khan. At
one stage Dr. Qadeer Khan had placed his
personal car at Salik’s disposal to enable him
to carry on his humanitarian mission.
500
As a minister, his doors were open to
all and sundry. He removed police security
from his gate. Even the door of his minister’s
room was ordered to be kept open.
At the end of his tenure as a minister he
left his bungalow in the ministers’ enclave,
which he had declared as a national
orphanage, with fanfare. National anthem was
played on the occasion. He transported his
belongings on slow moving camel carts. The
slow
motion aimed at presenting his
possessions for open scrutiny and project that
he discharged his cabinet functions dutifully
and to promote mutual brotherhood. The
camel carts carrying his luggage took ten days
to reach Lahore.
On his departure he spilt a syringeful of
his blood on the soil of Islamabad to renew his
pledge that he would remain loyal to his
homeland whether he remained cabinet
minister or not. The pledge was not to betray
the country which had come into existence as
result of limitless sacrifices laid down in shape
of martyrdom of millions of people and
dishonouring of a large number of womenfolk.
For him loot and plunder, corruption, obtaining
loans and acquisition of licenses and permits
were tantamount to betrayal of national
interests.
501
After the termination of minister’s
oath he took public oath to uphold the national
interests.
Afrad ke hathon men ha aqwam ki taqdeer
Har fard ha millat ke muqadar ka sitara
(The nations’ destiny lay in hands of
individuals;each individual is the star
commanding the fate of the nation).
His crusade against the prevailing socioeconomic system took a new turn in 1987. His
fertile mind came up with a brilliant idea. He
discussed the idea with a select group of
people and announced the establishment of a
peace university in Pakistan. J.Salik went all
over the country to generate support and help
for the idea. He believes that “If we have to
eradicate war and establish global peace, then
the future generations must be brought up in a
different atmosphere. The new atmosphere
should inculcate the importance of peace in
their young minds. They should know and
appreciate the benefits of global peace. This
can be done only by the establishment of a
full-fledged institution. To realize the objective
of international peace, a peace university must
be established”.
Under the banner of Muslim-Christian coordination commission J.Salik organized a
502
conference in May 1998. Fifty leading
scholars of both religions attended it. Maulana
Abdul Qadir Azad lauded the efforts of Julius
Salik and declared that the Muslims have a
religious obligation to provide protection and
safety to the minorities. As a result of this
conference the government of Pakistan agreed
in principle to form a twenty members national
commission for inter-faith dialogue which will
promote tolerance among followers of different
religions. This commission will be headed by
the federal minister for religious affairs. Salik’s
mission of love and peace once again bore fruit
in the shape of national commission for interfaith dialogue.
At the same time J.Salik challenged the
might of two powerful adversaries, the military
junta and the extremists in order to free his
people from their cruel grip. He gave up all
personal ambitions to come to the help of his
community in their hour of need. All his
inherent qualities of character and intellect
were brought into full play. His most ardent
admirers and even his bitter critics were
astonished by the ability, confidence and
strength with which he assumed the leadership
of a timid, docile and divided people, who were
notorious for absence of any political leader in
their rank and file. His ability to handle delicate
and grave situations has repeatedly been put
to severest test, and his phenomenonal
503
success has surprised both friends and foes
alike. His parliamentary speeches have shown
masterly grasp of the subject under debate
and incisive reasoning with an irresistable
appeal.
J.Salik is not a spendthrift. He has a
definite weakness for publicity but the publicity
he wants is not for personal benefit, but only
for his cherished causes. He is totally
consumed by the passion for work and service
and he detests methods employed by many
politicians to carve out a career for themselves
by capitalizing on the ignorance of the people
and exciting public passions by the use of
religion and sectarianism.
J.Salik has never allowed success to go
to his head or defeat to throw him into fits of
despair or depression. His only mission in life is
service to his community to the delight of his
admirers and to the despair of his opponents.
His following and popularity among his
constituents is increasing rapidly.
A
distinctive
feature
of
J.Salik’s
leadership is that he achieves maximum
results with his simple method of protest. He
does not believe in wasting time and energy,
like economy of words, in his speeches. He
practices economy of efforts in practical
politics. He believes in conserving energy and
strength for biggest causes. He advises his
followers not to fritter away their energies in
504
fruitless wrangles over narrow, parochial
and temporary issues. He has put his whole
heart and soul into one vital fundamental issue
of emancipating Pakistani minorities from the
yoke of economic deprivation and religious
prejudice and to channelise their efforts for
social equality into a forceful movement. He
has not allowed himself to be deflected by a
bewildering multiplicity of religious, cultural,
social, economic and ethnic issues. Step by
step, slowly and steadily he is leading his
followers forward to their cherished goal.
Julius Salik has never posed as a saint or
a divine preacher, sermonizing ordinary
mortals from a high pedestal. It is not his style
to weave a hocus pocus of religious gibberish.
He does not force his own ideas or philosophy
on his followers with dogmatic authority. He
feels the pulse of the people and throbs of
their hearts. He delves into the innermost
depths of their conscience and then speaks out
what is in their minds boldly and fearlessly. He
does not allow his followers to become blind
worshippers; he makes them think for
themselves.
Always mindful of the interests of his
community he boldly asserts that the Christian
community is a distinct minority and the
constitution of the country has to give them
same rights and the privileges as the majority
community.
505
By his bold and militant stand J.Salik
earned the wrath of the fundamentalist cum
obscurantist elements. He was painted as the
villain of the piece, as the stumbling block in
the way of Pakistan’s Islamisation. He was the
target of abuse, character assassination,
threats, violence and vicious attacks but he
has stood firm as a rock. The fiercer the
opposition, the firmer is his determination to
win respect and social justice for his people.
Neither flattery nor bribery deflected him from
his course, nor threats or violence un-nerved
him.
As a public leader J.Salik has a keen and
uncanny perception of psychology of his people
as well as a shrewd insight into political moves
and diplomatic manoeuvres. Somehow, he
always knows, as if by intuition, the grave and
important moments in the political life of the
country. His patience is virtually inexhaustible
and he waits for the correct and precise
moment. When the time come he strike and
strikes hard with unerring precision.
He refuses to become a puppet. He has
not allowed himself to be the plaything of
circumstances or political expediency. Like the
mastermind that he is, he overrides events and
creates his own circumstances. He normally
holds the key to the situation and uses it at the
right moment to win concessions and privileges
for his people.
506
His greatest asset is his own
impeccable
character
that
reflects
no
contradictions between his public and private
life. By personal example he has proved that
even in present day materialistic world if one
adheres to truth and justice, one ultimately
emerges successful from any crisis irrespective
of the dangers and obstacles.
No wonder the Christians love J.Salik.
They love him what he is, their representative,
a practical politician, a sound statesman, a
gifted debater, a bold leader of men and a
militant fighter. He stands for justice, for
freedom, for equal rights, for the rule of the
common people, for an open society and for a
prosperous Pakistan.
J.Salik is proud of the fact that his
Christian community is in the vanguard of the
movement for the restoration of the political
and social rights of non-Muslims. Protests and
defiance of unjust laws, he says, is the sign of
brave and vibrant community. He quotes the
example of his personal friend bishop John
Joseph to strength his arguments. The bishop
had committed suicide to protest the
conviction and award of death penalty to a
Christian youth under the blasphemy laws.
J.Salik explains: “Bishop John Joseph
committed suicide in a state of extreme
desperation. He had lost hope of ever getting
justice in the present set-up. I will give you
507
only one example. He had filed a writ
petition in the high court against the system of
separate electorates in 1993. Even after five
years his petition has not been considered by
the court. The bishop’s suicide is an example of
supreme sacrifice and the entire Christian
community stands united on the question of
separate electorates. We firmly believe that we
can regain our lost rights only and only
through a system of joint electorate in a free
functioning democracy.”
He asks the politicians and law makers:
“Tell me if the Muslim candidates are elected
by the Muslim votes why will they safeguard
the interests of the non-Muslims? We are only
four MNAs in an assembly of 200 members.
Why should any other member support us? I
think under such conditions we should have
the power to veto any bill which, in our opinion
is detrimental to the cause of non-Muslim
minorities”.
J.Salik believes that the rights of the
minorities can only be protected if they have
the right to vote in general elections like any
other citizen otherwise they will continue to be
treated as a second class citizens. He laments:
“Pakistan is our country, we have every right
over this fair land. We are not foreigners. My
identity and my community’s identity is clear
and distinct as Pakistanis; our identity in the
world is not as Christians but as Pakistanis”.
508
According to him if the system of joint
electorate is implemented, it will solve ninety
percent problems of non-Muslim minorities. By
this method all members of the national
assembly will become our representatives and
all the councillors of local bodies will be obliged
to defend the rights and privilege of the
minorities.
Just a year after taking office as federal
minister J.Salik was complimented by Benazir
Bhutto with the title of “Dynamic Minister” and
she instructed other cabinet members to follow
in his steps. As a federal minister Salik
initiated a number of innovative programs for
public education and awareness. To motivate
common citizens for voluntary social work,
over 8,000 social welfare agencies were
contacted and invited to take part in national
seminars concerned with social welfare.
Seminars, walks, public meetings and a
massive media campaigns were all parts of his
strategy. His drive and efforts were relentless.
He never lost sight of his objective and did not
ignore the role and importance of the
community. “The key remains with the people,
who have to take decision to improve their
socio-economic conditions by using all the
available opportunities,” he says.
As chairman of the World Minorities
Alliance (WMA) he called upon all minorities in
Pakistan to fully participate in the “black day”
509
to be observed throughout the country to
protest against the desecration of the Chrar
Sharif shrine in the Indian-occupied Kashmir
on May 19,1995. He urged the imam of Kaaba
(imam of the Holy mosque at Mecca in Saudi
Arabia), pope John Paul and bishop of
Canterbury to raise their voice for the
protection and welfare of minorities all over the
world.
In Biblical parlance minority leader
J.Salik is the David fighting the Goliath. For
over twenty five years he has waged a
ceaseless war against the twin menace of
prejudice and discrimination. Salik is the David
in combat with Goliath of poverty. Salik is no
stranger to poverty. He has seen the ugly face
of poverty from close quarters. He is familiar
with the degrading consequences of prolonged
poverty. He himself belongs to the poor and
backward groups of citizens. He has made a
deep study of the causes and consequences of
poverty and prejudice.
J.Salik was born and bred in the heart of
Punjab and understands the very rigid caste
system of his home province. The mighty
juggernaut of forces arrayed against Salik is
composed of poverty prejudice, caste and
fanaticism. Salik is always hopeful. He never
accepts defeat and like the biblical character
David, he is not scared or overawed by the
might of the giant Goliath.
510
His life story is a legend embellished
with radiating message of hope and courage
and remarkable qualities of impeccable
character with dedication to lofty ideals and
rabid abhorence to all forms of individual and
collective corruption.
…………………………
511
Chapter 15
BRIDGE BUILDER
J.Salik had always been a strong
advocate of solidarity between Christians and
Muslims – the faithfuls of two great revealed
religions.
He
remained
in
self-imposed
detention in a steel cage for seven months and
twelve days to protest against oppression of
the weak particularly the minorities around the
globe. He ended his cage confinement at the
request of Muslim clerics of Pakistan coalesced
in a political alliance Muttehida Majlis-e-Amal
(MMA).
Nearly a 100 member delegation of
Muslim religious leaders called on Julius Salik
and appealed to him to leave the “small jail”
for “biggest prison”. The world indeed had
become a large prison on being bedeviled by
religious and racial prejudices. This urged Salik
to intensify his fight for peace after being
freed.
A formal ceremony was held to release
J.Salik amidst showering fresh flower petals on
him and full throated cries of “Long Live
Christian-Muslim unity”.
Among the speakers on the occasion was
Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman of Jamiat-ul-Ulemae-Islam who later became leader of opposition
512
in Pakistan National Assembly following
October 2002 general elections. Maulana Fazalur-Rehman recalled one day fasting of Vatican
Pope John Paul II for world peace. He said
moderate Christians like the Pope and Julius
Salik should give a lead to the world to end
religious extremism.
Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman’s father Mufti
Mahmood had been chief minister of a Pakistan
province bordering Afghanistan. J.Salik recalled
that Mufti Mahmood had partially opposed Z.A.
Bhutto’s policy of nationalizing education.
J.Salik recalled that Mufti had refused to take
control of Christian missionary schools without
compensation.
Pakistan press played up pictorial and
narrative account of J.Salik’s termination of
voluntary confinement.
J.Salik said he could not refuse the
request of a grand assembly of religious
leaders of Pakistan. He vowed to work for
world peace. “I will continue my mission with
‘Pakistan Peace Drive’ (Peace on Wheels) and
seek blessings and prayers of Pope John Paul
II for equitable solution of Kashmir and
Palestine problems”.
J.Salik earnestly believes that peace will
prevail on the planet when injustices are done
away with indiscriminately.
The confinement in cage did good to
J.Salik since solitude stirred his thinking
513
process. He struck new ideas on socioeconomic problems particularly pertaining to
poor sections of the society.
‘Eitekaf’ during the holy month of
Ramazan is a purely Islamic institution. Devout
Muslims leave their home and take temporary
residence in corner of mosques for the last ten
days of the fasting month. They do not leave
the site they have selected in the mosque for
‘Eitekaf’. They fulfill their bare needs in the
precincts of the mosque.
Despite being Christian, J.Salik had an
exceptional distinction of being invited to
address such secluded Muslims in a mosque in
Lahore, heartland of Pakistan. His message
was about close Christian-Muslim unity.
During his stay in Lahore J.Salik was able
to re-stress renowned British philosopher
Bertrand Russell’s perception of ‘Harm the
good man can do, Certain vices go unnoticed
as they are committed under the cloak of holy
men – living and sometimes dead.
J.Salik is fond of Urdu poet, philosopher
Allama Iqbal. Iqbal’s concept of ‘Khudi’ (self
esteem) specially inspired J.Salik. He was
flabbergasted to find that the vicinity of Allama
Iqbal’s mausoleum in Lahore was hiding place
of drug addicts. He exposed the dark avenues
and as an evidence brought a teenager addict
boy to Islamabad. The boy confessed before
the media in the federal capital that he had run
514
away from his home in Karachi and found
asylum in Allama Iqbal’s colony of young and
old drug abusers.
In posh federal city of Islamabad there
are several slums whose dwellers enjoyed
patronage of J.Salik for protection of their
basic human rights. While playing on the bank
of a nullah in such a slum a school boy of ten
years age slipped into the water in May 2003.
He remained drowned for eighteen hours.
Rescue efforts remained suspened for lack of
emergency electric light at night.
The child was alive when recovered but
breathed his last shortly after he arrived at
hospital. The doctors thought had he been
brought to hospital only a few hours earlier, he
might have had survived.
The incident threw open a number of
socio-economic issues which J.Salik spotlighted
through his known innovative style with media
help.
One was economic divide. Had the child
been not of poor origin he might not met the
fate he fell to. The part of the nullah had no
protective wall as it passed the slum absence
of which caused the tragedy. Had the colony
electricity facility or even emergency light
could have been made available, the rescue
operation would not have been delayed and
fruitless.
515
J.Salik demanded payment of Rs.
100,000/- by way of compensation by the local
authority to the father of the drowned child. He
set a deadline for the payment. After expiry of
the deadline as a protest J.Salik torched his
own belongings. These included beds, chairs,
tables, sofa sets. The articles turned into ashes
within minutes. The spectre was witnessed by
passes by and dwellers of the slums of the
metropolis, most of them belonging to the
Christian community.
The media highlighted the contrast.
When a sum of Rs. 100,000/- was paid to a
victim of road accident in routine, why the civic
body of the capital could not manage a paltry
compensation for the family of a child for
whose
death
the
Capital
Development
Authority itself was partly responsible.
In May 2003 the Peace Education
Foundation of J.Salik organized a cycle rally to
demand ending sense of deprivation among
the downtrodden and poor and rich divide. The
rally started from Salik’s residence to
terminate in front of Parliament House.
Opposition leaders, Human Rights activists,
NGO operatives and intelligentsia participated.
The political party backing general
Pervez Mushraff also did not lag behind to lend
support to Salik’s campaign for winning basic
facilities for slum dwellers. Information
secretary of Pakistan Muslim League (Q
516
faction), Azeem Chaudhry addressed a
conference on “Basic Needs of Slum Dwellers”
organized by the Peace Education Foundation.
He pledged that the government was
committed to end miseries of slum dwellers.
He said a sum of Rs. four billion government
grant received by the Capital Development
Authority would be utilized for the benefit of
citizens.
The locality known as Tent Colony before
the child was drowned was renamed as Faisal
Colony after the name of the deceased. The
protective wall also came to constructed along
the nullah.
Since inception of his public life J.Salik
has been promoting the cause of the
downtrodden who were mostly Christians in
Pakistan. He secured proprietary rights for
slum dwellers who were residing on state land.
Electrification of the localities was another
problem. Since they all were poor and not
morally very sound, the dwellers with the
corrupt connivance of officials of electricity
department used to steal power for decades.
Islamabad Electricity Supply Corporation
Chief Brigadier Waseem Iqbal Zafar helped
provide legal connection with a ‘bulk meter’ in
the name of an individual.
Although the residents claimed they had
been paying their dues to the individual in
whose name the bulk meter had been
517
installed, the fact was electricity was
disconnected for nonpayment of the dues.
J.Salik had to make fresh efforts for
restoration of power supply to the slums. He
opened his campaign to raise funds for
installation of separate a meter for each
individual house. In pursuance of the campaign
J.Salik visited the office of a chain of national
newspapers - The Nation (English daily) and
the Nawa-i-Waqt (Urdu daily). He was
accompanied by a large number of school
children and met with chief Editor Majeed
Nizami to express thanks for the support his
newspapers extended to the cause of the slum
dwellers’ rights.
J.Salik visualized a music concert in
August 2003 to raise a fund amounting to Rs.
2.5 million required for paying electricity
arrears and installation of separate meters in
every household.
To
create
awareness
about
slum
dwellers’ plight and make The Charity Show a
success, J.Salik organised a walk. A local
parliamentarian Mian Mohammad Aslam joined
the walk in which more than 1000 persons
participated.
The processionists carried national flag
and banners reading “We don’t want to be
under dark after September 5 and Make the
charity show a success by contributing your
share’.
518
In their reports about the walk the
national
newspapers
complimented
the
humanist, disciplinarian and organizational
qualities of J.Salik. An English daily - The News
International - wrote “Unlike other such walks’
for a cause, this was unique it did not disrupt
the normal flow of traffic in any sense, as they
walked on the grass on the northern flank of
the Jinnah Avenue. At the termination point
also, they sat on stairs of the parade ground
and did not impede the traffic”.
Young, yet a celebrity in the music world
of Pakistan cuthralled the residents of
Islamabad to help raise funds for the
downtrodden. Abrar ul Haq had arrived the
same day a few hours earlier from the United
States visit. He threw overboard Jet lag caused
by a 21 hour flight to make it to the concert.
He said that he was inspired by people
like J.Salik who worked for a cause. He said
music brought people close and also helped in
promoting a cause. He appealed to the people
to put an end to instincts of hatred and
jealousy. Abrar ul Haq had previously helped
set up a hospital in a neglected city of
Narrowal, whose people had to travel a long
distance for medical treatment.
J.Salik stands for religious harmony,
tolerance and peace. As long as the
inequalities in the world are fuelling injustices,
519
the men like Salik may be needed to remind
humanity the lost lessons of love and peace.
J.Salik is a great fan of Mahatir
Mohammad of Malaysia for promoting mutual
amity among the majority and minorities
community in his country when he was prime
minister of Malaysia. He has announced
International Minorities and Harmony Award
for Dr. Mahatir.
J.Salik illuminated his residence on the
occasion on Muslims’ festival Eid Milad ul Nabi
(the birthday of Islamic prophet Mohammad).
Beside Malaysia, Dubai also fascinated
J.Salik Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman,
Umm-Al-Qaiwain, Ras-Al-khaimah and Fujairah
– seven emirates joined to form the United
Arab Emirates. Number Seven has always been
the weakness of J.Salik. He believes the figure
7
controls
the
world.
Number
7
is
internationally recognized as lucky, and
religiously very important figure. It has
influence on our lives. All religions including
Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism
concede that the figure 7 pertains to heavenly
forces. 7 heavens, 7 continents, 7 days of a
week, 7 colours of rainbow, 7 wonders of the
world, 7 notes of music, 7 seas, diameter of
the earth is 7917, seven ‘tawaf’ around
‘KAABA’ (Muslims sacred place at Makkah,
Saudi Arabia), 7 walks between Safa and
Marva in Makkah (a ritual of annual Islamic Haj
520
congregation at Kaaba) seven verses of the
opening chapter of the Holy Quran, 7 thrones,
7 candles sticks, 7 seals and 7 thunders, have
been mentioned in the Holy Bible, seven
‘phera’ of Hindu marriage ceremony during
which the couple walks around the fire
exchanging vows of duty, love, fidelity for
fruitful union. Thus the impact of number 7 on
our lives, history of the world is a fact of life.
For J.Salik the wisdom lay in the
following five precepts:
The fruit of SILENCE is Prayer
The fruit of PRAYER is Faith
The fruit of FAITH is Love
The fruit of LOVE is Service
The fruit of SERVICE is Peace
Another reasoning of J.Salik’s shifting of
his base to Dubai is the feasibility of launching
PEACE CHANNEL – his life long aspiration
because of satellite communication facilities
available in Dubai.
The Time Out, a weekly tabloid from The
Gulf Today on January 1, 2004 published a full
page appeal from Messenger of World Love
and Peace to all advocates of world peace to
join hands with J.Salik to disseminate
fragrance of love and peace.
Asma Ali Zain in a write up ‘GET A WHIFF
OF THIS’ published on December 11, 2003 in
The Khaleej Times, The UAE, quoted J.Salik
saying “I have selected the UAE for this
521
purpose because ideally, I respect the figure
7 as it is internationally recognized as a lucky
figure and it is religiously important as well.
The seven united emirates of the UAE depict a
symbol of peace”.
Aslam khokar in his column published in
an Urdu daily Ausaf (Jan 25, 2004) says he left
Pakistan following a warning from an
institution to stop dramatics otherwise ……”
This threat indeed turned out be blessing. The
UAE has given J.Salik a permanent residence
permit. Alsma Khokar describes J.Salik as a
fellow traveler of Mother Teresa, the world
renowned social worker.
While in Dubai J.Salik invited a number
of Pakistan intelligentsia for a voyage treat in
UAE sea. Among them was Ata ul Haq Qasmi
contributor of Urdu column “Rozan-e-diwar
se”.
On occasion of the voyage treat one
hundred one ‘peace doves’ were released.
Referring to the occasion Ata ul Haq Qasmi
said the peace doves are rationally freak and
frail that they cannot fly even after being let
loose from the cage.
Another Urdu columnist Dr Mohammad
Ajaml Khan Niazi in his column ‘Dubai main
Aman o Mohabat ke lia jahazrani’ (J.Salik’s
voyage for love and peace in Dubai) said a
Pakistan trader residing in Dubai had gifted a
second hand Rolls Royce to J.Salik. The
522
columnist posed certain questions about
import of Rolls Royce into Pakistan and its
utility to J.Salik. Dr Ajmal said Rolls Royce was
a costly car and payment of government dues
on its import might be beyond the paying
capacity of J.Salik. The columnist said Pakistan
government did allow duty free import of cars
to its ministers, near and dear ones and
favourites but J.Salik does not qualify to be
included in that category. The car could be
calemedstingly smuggled into Pakistan after
bribing the corrupt, customs officials. But
J.Salik has never been corrupt nor he would
like to have any underhand deal with anyone
“J.Salik has never bribed himself. How can he
bribe anyone else?” Dr Ajmal Niazi asks.
J.Salik has never been an exhibitionist.
He would never sit in such an expensive car.
He wanted to put the vehicle in use of
Pakistani expatriates who indeed are roving
ambassadors of their homeland.
In case the government agreed to waive
custom duty dues, J.Salik may place Rolls
Royce at Islamabad airport ever ready for
overseas Pakistanis visiting their birthplace,
the columnist suggested.
In February 2004 J.Salik visited Pakistan
and staged “Crush Hatred” event in Islamabad.
School children and intelligentsia gathered
under his leadership to push his campaign for
love and peace.
523
A carpet having “HATRED” inscribed
on it, had been spread at the entrance.
Participants symbolically trampled hatred
under their feet to reach the venue. The
meeting hall was bedecked with slogans like
“Hatred leads to destruction of humanity” and
“Hatred agonizing life”.
Addressing the gathering J.Salik said he
had chosen Dubai to set up a TV channel and
university because the seven states there live
in love and peace and have no boundaries
among them in the fold.
Although J.Salik had several times visited
the United States in the past, his latest visit
was to garner funds for pushing his projects
aimed at common peace objective. He was well
received in American society. American media
and the elite of expatriates pushed him up.
The Urdu Times Chicago - “The city of
fast winds” in its issue of October 7, 2004
published a column by Chaudhry Nematullah.
The columnist started with a parable to
illustrate multi-faceted personality of J.Salik,
that is beyond comprehension of common
man. Five blind men met with a large elephant.
Each of them could reach one limb or another.
They later addressed a press conference on
what an elephant looked like. The sightless
person who touched strong legs, said the
elephant was like a column. The one who
grappled the elephant’s tail contradicted his
524
friend and likened elephant to a string. The
one who could touch the tusk belied both and
said it was like a dragger. The elephant was
like a dragon for the one who touched its
trunk. It was like a big drum for one who
embraced his belly.
Chaudhry Nematullah said numerous
writers had written upon J.Salik and none of
them could encompass versatile Salik. Some of
them had called J.Salik as a madman. Those
who saw Moses along with companions rushing
into the gushing Nile might have thought them
to be madmen. But when Moses safely reached
the other bank and Pharoah and his army were
drowned, it dawned who was mad and who
was not.
Dr. Shafiq in his column ‘Aaj ki Baat’
(Talk of the Day) published in The New York
Awam (issue of 15th October 2004) recorded
an account of a reception in Ambassador
Restaurant in New York in honour of a great
champion of the minorities’ rights. He said
J.Salik’s personality has numerous aspects but
each facet is strongly linked to the humanity
moorings. Since J.Salik attained adulthood, he
became the voice of the rights of the minorities
and it is resounding. For J.Salik the minority is
not the community of a few based on colour or
creed. It is the oppressed community without
discrimination. J.Salik considers those Muslims
525
in Pakistan also to be a minority who stand
deprived of basic necessaries of life.
Dr. Shafiq describes such persons as a
gift of Nature. Those communities which have
such persons among them are blessed one.
And those are poorest who are deprived of
such souls. He calls J.Salik as a crusader.
Naghmana Sheikh in her column entitled
“Woh mera black house hay, yeh tumhara
white house hay” (That is my black house, this
is your white house) published in The Pakistan
News (New York) (issue of 15th October 2004)
gave an account of a reception hosted in
honour of J.Salik by Halqa-e-Arbab-e-Zauq and
Pak US Freedom Forum in which various
renowned political, social and literary figures
participated. The number of participants who
had come to express their affection for J.Salik
and listen to him was beyond expectations of
the organizer. The audience overflowed the
meeting hall.
J.Salik said the armed forces of the world
should doff off ‘khaki’ uniform and instead take
to white dress, - the symbol of peace. The
humanity sobs and cries as innocent citizens of
poor countries are being daily killed in the wars
fought in the name of defence.
The columnist says J.Salik singles out
among our assembly members whose one
group comprised the corrupt, trading in
permits and licenses, and thieves and dacoits
526
while the other consists of bank loan
defaulters. J.Salik carries a “Pandara Box” – a
collection of columns and write-ups of
journalists
and
intelligentsia
vouchsafing
honesty of J.Salik a trait rare among Pakistan
politicians. Such a man could not be an
ordinary person.
J.Salik who was elected five times to
represent the people as an independent
candidate did not take part in 2002 polls. He
had many reservations. For the first time a
university degree was set as one of the
qualifications for electoral candidates. J.Salik
was of the view that voters too should be
graduates
to
elect
their
graduate
representatives.
Though
General
Musharraf’s
constitutional
reforms
introduced
joint
electorate for minorities which is a welcome
measure to bring them in mainstream fold, yet
in a proportional representation system, the
minorities and women representation had been
made hostage to political parties.
J.Salik favoured direct elections for
women and minorities seats so that the elected
remain accountable and answerable to the
electorate. He had challenged the dispensation
in Federal Shariat court of Pakistan, which is
pending decision. J.Salik expressed his
bitterness before the American audience after
527
proving his credentials as a true patriotic
Pakistani.
So long as such bridge-builders exist, the
cause of peace and harmony is not lost. Their
presence promises not only world peace but
will also make the planet to be place worth
living.
…………………………
528
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529
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531
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