PIA NEWS VOL.

Issue 09

PIA News
Vol.5

13th April 2015

A

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

PASSION, INTEGRITY & APNAPAN

UPDATE ON OUR $2 APPEAL

Since we launched this appeal, we have been able to raise 2700$ so if you have not contributed so
far please do so urgently. The equipment which comprises 5 Computer towers, the table and
monitors, X-Ray tube and camera etc. is now moved for packing. Updates about every donation
directly in our bank or online are available at https://fundly.com/2-appeal
You can donate in to our account (details in the cover photograph) or you can pay directly into the
Rotary Club account which has got DGR status. The details of the account are as follows. Pls. do
include Cath Lab in the description.
Rotary Club of Rockingham Charitable Trust Account
BSB 633-000
Account No 142631100

ANNUAL REPORT
Our annual report is now available online and can be accessed through our website at
http://pakistanisinaustrali.wix.com/piainc

PIA NEWS VOL.5 | Issue 09

TOGETHER STANDING IN GRIEF

We offered our deepest condolences to the members of African community last week who are
mourning the deaths of more than 150 lives in the terrorist attack at Garissa University in Kenya.

YOUME SHUHADA: 30th April 4 -6 pm at the University of Western Australia

Pakistanis in Australia in collaboration with UWA International Relations Society will be hosting Brig.
Muhammad Asghar, Defence Advisor- High Commission for Pakistan for a lecture the role of
Pakistan Army in the war on terror followed by discussion. Mr. Tamjid Aijazi will facilitate the
discussion while other speaker is Miss Zainab Syed who has been working as a volunteer in Peshawer
following 16th December event.
Fateha will be offered at the end followed by light refreshment.

PIA ESTABLISHES MULTICULTURAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF WA

The expressions of interest will open next week seeking participation from;
a. Members with research expertise
b. Members representing community
c. Members for the ethics committee
d. Research assistants

PIA NEWS VOL.5 | Issue 09

MORE SOLAR LIGHTS AND MESSAGE FROM THE CHILD HEALTH AND EDUCATION
FOUNDATION
We are in receipt of a donation of 130 dollars from the Theosophical Order of Service to provide
more solar lights.
Children Health & Education Foundation with the help of its benefactors is moving ahead by
providing 20 solar lights in Siddiq Marai and Misri Panhor Goth of Vur City near Thatta (Sindh)
and trying to remove the darkness and to brighten their houses with the help of solar lights.

Solar lights were kindly donated by Pakistanis in Australia for the needy people and also to
make them of aware the usage and importance of solar power to improve their lives.
Inadequate lighting resource in the Goths encouraged us to provide them a clean source of light.
Solar lights were distributed to help them easily perform their daily washing, eating, cooking and
other activities.
These lights were also distributed to help them in their educational progress. which will
eventually improve the future of the whole nation.

PIA NEWS VOL.5 | Issue 09

MEDIA PORTRAYAL OF MUSLIM COMMUNITY

Following are two snapshots. The first one from the West Australian dated 11th April, 2015 where Dr.
Rateb Jneids photograph was used and it took the newspaper almost one year to apologise for the
damage that has been done to a respected leader of the Muslim community.
The second snapshot is from perthnow dated 13th April, where there is absolutely no need of using
the religion unless it is a common practice to inform readers of the religion of every person who
faces trial in the court of law, these two incidents however clearly highlight the need for clear
guidelines for media who seems to portray Muslim community negatively.
Pakistanis in Australia as an ethnic community predominantly of Muslim religion will request the
Hon. Premier Colin Barnett and Hon. Opposition Leader Marc McGowan to publicly denounce these
actions to divide the communities.

PIA NEWS VOL.5 | Issue 09

This is not what Easter was meant for!

Little we knew when we went for Easter break that it will be a tearful and emotionally charged four
day break as we witnessed another massacre killing 145 students in Kenya, just less than 4 months
since Pakistani community faced a similar incident. The only difference was that in Pakistan, both
murderers and victims were Muslims but the pain and grief was same. At both ends, tears were the
same as the loved ones say goodbye.
As if this grief was not enough, rallies across Australia to reclaim Australia were salt on the wounds,
reclaiming from whom? Muslims, who have been always part of the Australia and still have to
convince others that they are law abiding citizens who own this home as much as others? This led to
counter rallies which were arranged to confront the reclaimers and ugly incidents like burning of
flags were witnessed and projected globally through media. While the ordinary Australians were
trying to get a sense of whats happening at home, the media presenters and politicians by chance
were not letting this opportunity go.
We saw Ms. Hansen once again making her ignorance public through wise remarks about Islam
while on the other hand Andrew Bolt on channel ten tried to convince people along with another
expert that what happened in Kenya was actually according to Muslim ideology. He even tried to
support his assertions using the glimpses from ABC Q&A showing Muslim community leaders who
are all great Australians irrespective of what their religions are and they rightfully deserve to be on
National television.
These incidents are very difficult for Muslim ethnic communities as they are the ones directly
affected by negative portrayal in the hands of experts. All they do is create doubts among others to
create disharmony. One wonders if Andrew Bolt has studied Islam would he tell the audience that
our Prophet PBUH used to set prisoners of war free in return for educating others. The holy book
Quran that we believe in starts with Rabbul- Aalameen i.e. an Allah for All. It also describes that
saving a life means saving the whole humanity.
Similarly respected Ms. Hansen and Ms. Lambie along with other political leaders with similar
thinking may perhaps benefit from an intern who could search for them what word halal means?
How Muslim women feel about Hijab etc.?
At the state and federal level, one does understand that most of the community development grants
are not meant for religious purposes but there is clear evidence that media personnel and politicians
may require an educational trip to different religious groups to understand that religions play an
important role in the multiculturalism which makes Australia a beautiful place to live. People who
attended open days at mosques have always commented that they learnt a great deal about Islam.
They can also visit Pakistan to see for themselves that despite a large number of sacrifices in the
hands of terrorists all again in the name of Islam, there is complete absence of any Islamophobia.
And if it is not feasible in the current economy there are definitely lessons to learn from Kenya where
everyone is standing together defying that a terrorists attack will let Muslims and Christians grow
apart. It has unified them. Together in Grief, United Kenya stands.

PIA NEWS VOL.5 | Issue 09

VOLUNTEERING WA SESSIONS

AUSTRALIA DAY 2015 IN SPRING IN PAKISTAN

Approximately 1000 guests rocked Australia Day in Spring 2015 in Islamabad on 11th April. The annual
celebration focused on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.