Weird news makes the headlines from Senate nowadays. Their recent decisions put Taliban extremism and ignorance to shame. On Tuesday, October 02, while discussing the approval of special partnership agreement with France, some senators demanded to cut the word "friendship" from the pact as according to Islamic Sharia, Muslims cannot be friend with infidels.
Technically the Senate cannot decide on amendments. The agreement has been approved, with a recommendation to change the description. The treaty was signed in January by then French President Sarkozy and President Karzai and was ratified by the French parliament on July 25. It was also approved by National Assembly before going to the senate.
Extremely ridiculously as it is, they thought that term "friendship" cannot be applied in relations with 'infidels' is also medieval. It would not have been surprising if such a remark had come under the rule of Taliban, but the views expressed by some senators put the ignorance of medieval-minded Taliban to shame. There is no such thing in Islamic Sharia as claimed by the senators.
The international community, most countries from the Western world, has invested billions of dollars in construction and rebuilding of Afghanistan. They have contributed to our progress more than the politically closest Muslim country to us, or the rich gulf countries.
Though it will have no immediate practical impact regarding the pact, but such views coming from senate should worry the political and religious leadership of Afghanistan. They must put their mask of hypocrisy aside and come open to condemn such ignorant radicalism in public.
Meanwhile, during the same session of approval of the pact, Senate made another unbelievable decision opposing the proposal of Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) about a care center for elderly in Kabul, saying it was against Islamic Sharia and Afghan traditions. Now senate has truly become a Sharia-interpreting body and decision maker on what is Afghan tradition and what not.
Weirdly, the strongest opposition came from a minority member Anarkali Honaryar that establishment of a home for elders in Kabul is a Western idea in contradiction with Afghan traditions. The Red Cross proposal has stirred the honor-pulse of our senators who are outraged at the fact that thousands of elderly man and women live without a proper shelter and family support in capital Kabul alone. They think it is unimaginable that Afghan elders would be in such a condition.
The truth is that there are thousands of them. Senators need to take a walk around Bagh-e-Umomi, Shahr Naw or other crowded commercial areas to see how elderly women and men are lying on roads begging. Many of them have no shelter and ARCS has proposed to build one. It has trigged the honor of our senators.