New Chairman Of Rehmatulil Alameen Authority Opposes Democracy, Thinks Ethnic Rights Movements Are 'Foreign-Funded'

The newly appointed chairman of the National Rehmatunlil Alameen Authority, Ejaz Akram, holds controversial views about democracy and ethnic groups in Pakistan, it has emerged. Social media is abuzz with posts about a speech that he delivered last year at the National Library in Islamabad, wherein he had termed ethnic rights groups like Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) 'foreign-funded', as well as an article in which he had criticised democracy.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Imran Khan appointed Dr. Ejaz Akram to the position for a period of three years. According to the PM’s Focal Person on Social Media Dr. Arslan Khaid, Akram holds a Ph.D. in World politics, majors in Religion and Politics from the Catholic University of America, Washington.

Akram has in the past expressed his views on global politics and what Pakistan should do considering the changing dynamics of world affairs. In a speech earlier this year, he had stated that parts of present-day India including Junagadh, Kashmir, and West Bengal should have been given to Pakistan. He added that conspiracies were being hatched against Pakistan by India and ‘forces of global Zionism’.

In an article published earlier this year, he wrote that “global politics of coronavirus is fraudulent. Since its kill rate is less than the ordinary flu, closing down the world economy cannot be justified”.

While criticising democracy in the same article, he wrote, “But can we trust the judgment of people who are duped and brainwashed with lies from morning to evening? Do people even know? If they did, would they’ve voted the well-known looters, embezzlers, and murderers into office over and over again?”.

Suggesting a new system of governance, he had said, “we must prop up an ‘elite of the elite’ that have an upright character and espouse a much deeper understanding of ideologies, religions, civilizations, and principles of statecraft”. He added, “Belief in deep secularism, the idea of a republic, nationalism, capitalism, feminism, absolute freedom of speech, are all false consciousness that must be abandoned for things that work for us”.

Activists reacted to the appointment on social media and wondered if he was selected to the post for his controversial views.

 

https://twitter.com/NidaKirmani/status/1468459401275224069

 

https://twitter.com/abbasnasir59/status/1468527104488787975

https://twitter.com/desmukh/status/1468319088858607621

https://twitter.com/desmukh/status/1468319088858607621

https://twitter.com/Jawad_Yusufzai/status/1468512470532870146