Context
The Strategic Plan of the World Federation of KSIMC presents a unique insight into the views of our Pakistani communities with regards to the World Federation. 

In the past, the World Federation has extended much financial and moral support to many projects in Pakistan. However this support was mainly to projects outside Karachi and Hyderabad. Hence there was a feeling among the Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri community of Karachi and Hyderabad that the World Federation was not interested in them.

The Five Year World Federation Strategic plan endorsed by the conference in Dubai in October 2003, highlighted the following key issues:

• Employment: Relative to other regions Pakistanis have an easier time finding employment.  This was a bright sign.

• Secular education: Pakistan was average relative to other countries indicating that providing secular education is not a tremendous problem.

• Medical care: Pakistan ranked lowest of all our communities regarding access to medical care.  Providing increased access to medical care should be a priority.

• Religious persecution: This is the most noticeably important issue for Pakistan. It is unclear what the role of the World Federation should be, but sectarian violence is clearly something that our community in Pakistan in exposed to and is concerned about.

• Islamic education: Surprisingly, Pakistanis feel that the dhakireen are not effective at communicating with their audience even though there is no language barrier.  However, this problem is not as strong as some regions like the US. In terms of the programs structure at the Islamic centers, most of the Pakistanis feel that it does not meet their needs. This is a very big issue if the Islamic centers do not meet the needs of the community.

• Islamic institutions: There are large number of Madaris and Hawzas that impart religious knowledge all over Pakistan, but all of them run at different standards, timings and academic levels. 

• Youths, Seniors, Women: Pakistan scored lowest on meeting the needs of these segments of our community.  Extra effort must be exerted to meet the needs of these neglected groups.

• Marketing: Pakistan has by far lower recognition of the World Federation and a dramatically lower understanding of what the World Federation actually does.  It would be interesting to find out why the World Federation has such limited recognition in Pakistan.

It was therefore highly necessary for the World Federation to take the first step and send a delegation. Representatives from the Boards visited Pakistan between 8th and 17th April 2004. These included Dr. Munir Datoo, Dr. Husein Jiwa, Mr. Abbas Chagani (all from the Medical Advisory Board) and Mr. Muhsin Jaffer (from the Islamic Education Board), who met several representatives from the Karachi Jamaat, Mehfil e Murtaza of Karachi, and Hyderabad Jamaat. They visited several institutions and organisations.

Following the visit and discussions with the representatives and officials of the Karachi Jamaat, Mehfil e Murtaza and Hyderabad Jamaat, a report has been produced that is now consolidated into a three-year action plan as outlined below:

THE ISLAMIC EDUCATION BOARD
These would be the tasks of this Board:

• IEB will work with Hyderabad Jamaat by providing financial assistance to improve the accommodations for its madrasahs.

• The IRE Coordinator will visit Karachi to assess the needs of madaris particularly concentrating on the Shia schools.

• IEB will receive data and details of these schools from Hassan Hassanali, the Vice President of Mehfil e Murtaza.

• There will be a review on the syllabus and course structure for the madrasahs and hawzas. This review will provide a framework with an aim to increase the efficiency of all the centres. It will include appropriate teaching guidelines, professional teacher training, synchronised exams structure, and standardized level of education and medium of teaching.

• Maulana Shaheedy will submit information on ALL dhakireen from Khoja community to the IEB. He will also provide data of reputable, reliable and good Dhakireen

• IEB will receive a Proposal for establishment of Academy of Dhakireen by Maulana Roohani.

• IEB will provide support and assistance to the Ulama in the several areas of Pakistan.

• An Ulama exchange programme will be implemented. Annually, there will be at least two Ulama who will be invited to a Western Country to spend two to three months to enhance their vision and knowledge. This will be organised by IEB in partnership with Pakistan Jamaats.

• IEB in partnership with Pakistan Jamaats will be involved in the reprinting and distribution of selected Urdu literature to areas all over Pakistan.

• The authors and translators of selective literature will be remunerated appropriately for their good work by the IEB.

• IEB and MAB in partnership with Ida Rieu Schools for Deaf and Blind and the Pakistan Jamaats will work to produce talking Books (in Urdu) and in Braille (English and Urdu).

• Altaf Bhojani will collect and present a complete proposal of the relevant mosques to be built, repaired or renovated, in liaison with the individual Jamaats and organisations.

• IEB and the Karachi Jamaat will also identify Mosques for renovation in Sindh and Karachi.

• IEB will provide support to all individuals and organisations to coordinate a concerted effort for all Tabligh activities by the use of media resources.

MEDICAL ADVISORY BOARD
The Action task for this Board are:

• MAB in partnership with the local Jamats will arrange the following in Hyderabad
- Full medical screening in Hyderabad for 500 people.
- Part treatment for Hepatitis C
- Part treatment for medical conditions amongst the poor of our community

• MAB in partnership with the local Jamaats will arrange and finance the following in Karachi
- One year health screening
- Part treatment for medical condition
- Bone Marrow Transplant for Thalassaemia for one Khoja patient per year

CAREERS EDUCATION AND TRAINING ADVISORY BOARD
These are the action plans for this Board:

• CETAB will continue to provide Career-counselling support.

• CETAB, AFED and the Karachi Jamaats, will arrange an Exchange programme for the teachers in East Africa and Karachi.

• CETAB in partnership with Jamaats in Karachi, will offer opportunities for teacher-exchange for the IWECE Programme with Learning House.

• CETAB and the Karachi Jamaats, will examine the feasibility and develop an opportunity for establishing English as a 2nd language at the As Sadiq Government school. It will also identify and provide English and religious books to the school.

• CETAB in partnership with the Jamaats in Karachi, will facilitate an in-house teacher training programme/motivational programme at the Ghulamane Abbas Government School. It will also examine the feasibility of providing English and religious books to the school. It will also coordinate and identify the need of providing vocational skills and career workshops for older students.

• CETAB will implement the Book drives for schools in Karachi

YOUTH NETWORK DESK
YND will create closer contacts and exchanges between itself and the youths of Karachi and Hyderabad Jamaats

Next steps

• This consolidated action plan has been agreed to in principle with the three Jamaats; the Karachi Jamaat, the Hyderabad Jamaat and Mehfil-e-Murtaza.

• Monitoring of the plan to be undertaken by the WF-Secretariat

• In the delivery of this action plan, there may be a need to employ a worker who has the knowledge of Sindhi, Punjabi and Urdu with experience in clerical work and is fully cognisant of the culture and values of the society. It is also necessary that he should have the ability and willingness to travel.

Secretariat
June 2004