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tDecember, 2001 - Here, in Hunza, people do not know The use of medicines. They do not survive on charity. Who is responsible for This state of affairs? He is none other than the man who will celebrate his 65th birthday on the 13th Dec 2001 & who is the spiritual leader of the Khojas, His Highness the Karim Aga Khan. He is the one responsible for the self-esteem & the prosperity of this region..

Subject: English translation of article of Gujarati magazine
"Chitralekha" Dec 2001
AN OASIS IN THE DESERT

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Today, we hear news about violence, jehad, and heroin trading & trading in flesh of helpless Afghan women on the Pakistan - Afghanistan border. But just 30 miles away from Afghanistan, on the Pakistan border, the Aga Khani community lives in peace & prosperity. Can anyone believe that?

Here, instead of the Heroin trading ,the Aga Khanis from Pakistan & Afghanistan, are engaged in Honey trading. Here, in Hunza, people do not know The use of medicines. They do not survive on charity. Who is responsible for This state of affairs? He is none other than the man who will celebrate his 65th birthday on the 13th Dec 2001 & who is the spiritual leader of the Khojas, His Highness the Karim Aga Khan. He is the one responsible for the self-esteem & the prosperity of this region. On 12th December, 1911, the Senior Aga Khan, who was the grandfather of Karim Aga Khan, came to Delhi to attend the five-day grand coronation ceremony of the Queen of England. On the second day of his arrival, he declared in Delhi's Mohammedan Educational Conference, "From now onwards, my life will be dedicated towards increasing education in my community. But I shiver at the thought of bad conditions of Muslim women. Here, Muslim Women live in Pardah, which is a lifelong prison and slavery. Do half the women in this world have to live in Pardah? Surely, you may practice your religion and you my pray. But, of what use is Namaz , if those mothers, who teach prayer to their children, cannot openly mingle with, or do sociological exchange with the rest of modern humanity? If we do not cut off this terrible cancer, then, Islam will be destroyed by this lifelong grief and enmity of muslim women."

These piercing words were uttered by the grandfather of Karim Aga Khan, 90 years ago. His grandson,His Highness Karim Aga Khan, is presently doing this work of this grandfather, not only for the Khojas but also for other non-ismailis at different places in the world by opening various schools, colleges etc. Today Afghan women are very unhappy. Due to the Pardah system in these women, they have become charity seekers of U.N., America and Britain.

But just 30 miles from Afghan border, in the northern mountainous area of Aliabad in Pakistan, nobody lives out of charity. Muslim girls study in Aga Khan Foundation Schools. The part of Afghan Border, which gives negative news all the time, was visited by American journalist 'Frederik Balfore, recently and he has given an idea of the peaceful and happy lives of people. Here, lives a 35-year-old trader, Gari Khan. He is a follower of Islam. But he is not a fanatic jehadi. He reads Koran everyday. With the help Of Aga Khan Foundation, he is trading in pure, honey. Just 100 km from here, there are dishonest Afghan honey traders, who used to give their profits to Osama Bin Ladin for his Jehad. But such evil has not reached Aliabad. Six years back, Gari Khan had started the bee-raising business with his 28-year-old wife Shamim. For this business, he got loan for bee raising from Aga Khan Rural Sports Program. Khan has now started Hunza Honey Company. In the last six years, he has not touched any charity nor has he ever thought of embezzling the loan amount. He has returned his loan and has earned 5000 U.S dollars. His wife, Shamim does not live in Purdah. She helps her husband in bee-raising and honey business. If he had not received the loan, he would have done the heroin business. Today, he deals in the best medicinal honey. If you want to consume medicinal honey, then you should use the honey of Hunza Honey Company from Aliabad.

In this barren land of North Pakistan, it is difficult to do farming. People earn at the most Rs.4500 - Rs.5000 per year. You must have read about the people in Hunza district. They are very healthy. They can run for thirty miles without getting tired. They eat the most nutritional food. It is a difficult terrain, but it is a beautiful land on earth. It takes about sixteen hours if you travel from Islamabad in truck or in jeep. Now,there are good roads in this region. Those villages, which never had electricity, have now received it. There are schools. Before seven or eight years, there were poor people here just like the Afghans living 30 miles from here. But today , they are no more poor.Due to the sociological activities of His Highness Karim Aga Khan, cities like Dhulkin and Karimabad in Hunza region have been able to eradicate poverty.

Living in Paris, thousands of miles away from this area, 65-year-old Prince Karim Aga Khan had observed this area. This leader of 188 crore Ismailis had accepted the thought of his grandfather, expressed 90 years back. Of course, he enjoys his wealth worth crores. But most of the time, he is concerned about the education and financial independence of his community. According to Frederick Balfore, the Aga Khan development Network has spent crores of rupees on education, water and electricity not only for Muslims, but for all communities. That is the reason why the young girls of Hilly farmers are able to go to school. That is also the reason why the fanatic, Islamic education has not been successful. Here, there is no word like radical Islam. The religious thought , which exists in Pakistan and Afghanistan, is not found in Hunza region. Here, nobody practices Islam with AK-47 in his hands.

Probably, if there were no schools here, then Gari Khan would also have become Jehadi. It is possible that his wife Shamim, would have been a widow by now. Pakistani President General Musharraf should listen to the speech that was given by the senior Aga Khan in Delhi. He had said, "Education, education, education.This community needs only education." Remember, these words were uttered 90 years back. He had also said, "Remember, there is a big emergency situation which is eating into the fabric of Islamic fate. If today, Muslims do not rise and if they do not participate in the educational changes, then there is a danger to the very survival of Islam." These words of Aga Khan are printed on page 83 - 84 of N.Edward's book, "Throne of Gold". Note one thing, there is no mention of danger to Islam, from Christianity or America. He had said that uneducativeness or lack of education Would create danger for Islam. In today's times, his words are so very true. Today, what would happen if the amount of money that Pakistan is spending on weapons or Kashmir violence, were spent on education? If this had happened, then the educated Pakistani or Afghani would have earned his money and enjoyed his vacation with Hindus in the beautiful Kashmir.

Some rare Ismailis may be knowing that when the Senior Aga Khan Passed away, he had property worth two crore sterling pounds (Rs 150 crores at that time). In those days, many Khoja women became "Satis" like Hindu women. But when Senior Aga Khan passed away ,his wife did not become "Sati". She Took over her husband's business. So, the great grandmother of Prince Karim Aga Khan did the beginning of freeing muslim woman from old traditions and purdah. Later, the young Senior Aga Khan took over the community work. He tried to clear up the dirty area of Mazagaon where he resided. Then he constructed a beautiful bungalow in Malabar Hil, in Bombay, where other Europeans lived. Queen Victoria's personal attendant was Abdul Karim. We do not know whether Abdul Karim was Aga Khani or not. But the Queen had taught him Urdu. and, he used to teach the Queen how to welcome Aga Khan, if and when he became the Queen's guest. Today another Muslim, Mazood Dhulkin says to an American journalist, that if Karim Aga Khan had not arrived here 15 years back, then even I would have become "Mujahidin." Due to the Rural Development initiated by Aga Khan, the whole Aga Khani Muslim community, in this hilly region, is engaged In economic development rather than violence.

There are three lakh Ismailis in this area of North Pakistan. But the advantage from Aga Khan Foundation also goes to other non-Ismailis. In the Aga Khan's Network itself 370 Muslims have got jobs. This Network has started 100 schools only for girls. It has developed about a dozen businesses. People in this area have constructed bridges with the help from Foundation. Irrigation facilities have increased in farming sector. There are small electricity plants. There are good shepherds here. The animals are very strong here. Farmers cultivate almonds and apricots. The consumption of almond and apricots keeps people over here, strong and healthy. The type of schools started by Aga Khan in this area of North Pakistan, are rarely to be found in other areas of Pakistan. There is Aga Khan Girls Academy in Karimabad. This area is the capital of Hunza District. In this Academy, there is a chemistry laboratory. There is a library and the girls can read newspapers from Bombay or London. Girls also increase their knowledge by studying computers through Microsoft Windows. The word "Jehad" is not bad. But the Pakistani military regime and Saudi Wahabi Sects have twisted the word and misguided the Muslims. Here there is no dislike for the word "Jehad". The girls in these schools know That Jehad means struggle against the evil forces. And the girls here also know that "the best jehad is the fight with our inner selves- inner struggle".

Such a wonderful thought given by prophet Mohammad! Ultimately, every man Has to do the inner struggle to improve himself. This fact which is understood by Hunza women, if it is understood even by a few Muslim women in India and Pakistan, then they can beat the American Capitalism. Jehad, as a struggle against evil and a struggle with oneself was told to the American journalist Frederik Balfore by the 15-year-old Aga Khani student, Husein Nawaz.

The poison that is put into the minds of students,in other Madrasas, is not found in these schools. In these schools, the Koran is read in Arabic as well as English. Hussein Nawaz speaks fluent English.Sixteen year old Fatima Raza tells American journalist, "Islam preaches to fight against evil, not human life. Moreover, it is nowhere written in Koran that we should wear Burkha from head to toe." Young students take higher education in Karimabad and Aliabad. Karim Aga Khan is working together with the world renowned technology college of Massachusetts.With their help, he has spread the knowledge of Architecture & Technology. The youth of Hunza are busy getting higher education. On the other hand, their parents learn farming and cattle breeding, the art of making beautiful carpets and selling them. They are also taught to do savings. They do not know banking.

But between 1986 & 2000, their village co-operative credit societies have lent 22 lakh dollars, out of which not a single loan is unpaid. Previously, the farmers used loans to buy seeds, fertilizers & equipment. Now they get loans even for new businesses. Hunza Threadnet Company was started with such a loan. In this company women make embroidered caps, fashionable purses and carpets. About 2400 Muslim women earn their living from this occupation. Hunza thread net company has sold goods worth 50 lakhs this year. Fifty years back, life was a struggle in Dhulkin village. People had no drinking water, leave alone bathing water. Water was rationed to them.

Today, 1000 villages have water and electricity. People get English medium education. In Pakistan 80% women are illiterate. But here ,70% people are educated. A woman, named Aeenul, weaves carpets, knows the art of marketing them and speaks fluent English. Karimabad village is in the Karakoram range of mountains, at 8000 feet. In 1986, there were 600 families living here. Initially, houses were constructed without planning. Then ,with the help of Aga Khan cultural services, Karimabad village was planned. Hunza region is also referred to as Baltic region. The Prince of Hunza ruled in this area. When Pakistan came into existence, some Islamic people wanted to set up Baltictistan here. Though that did not happen, people are happy here without Baltictistan.

Very few people may be knowing that Karim Aga Khan was once an owner of a newspaper. He had purchased a dying newspaper, "The Nation" in Kenya. Everyday, he would read The New York Times & the International Herald Tribune and then he would find the defects with his own paper "The Nation" and guide his editors accordingly. Karim Aga Khan has himselfstudied at the Harward University. Today he has donated 1 crore 8 Lakh dollars to the Massachusetts University in order to run the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture. He has also given 5 crore dollars for poor countries to develop the businesses of middle class Ismailis. Of course, the Jehadi Muslims should take a lesson from the work that he has done in Hunza