Hizb
ut-Tahrir Wilayah Pakistan has issued a Publicized Policy Position (PPP)
regarding ensuring strong agricultural development upon the vast agricultural
lands of the soon to be established Khilafah, Insha’Allah.
Preamble:
Man-made laws have denied Pakistan its true agricultural potential
A1. It is known that
the Muslim Lands under whilst they implemented the laws revealed by Allah (swt)
were the agricultural marvel of the world. At a time when Europe was stricken
by starvation and famine, one of the factors that drew the crusaders to attack
the blessed lands of Ash-Sham was their immense agricultural wealth to the
point that the crusaders conceived they are going to the "land of milk and
honey." Moreover, during Europe's Dark Ages, the Muslim Lands were an
essential nexus for introducing essential crops and also the concept of summer
irrigation to the West. As for the Indian Subcontinent, under Islam, it was an
agricultural powerhouse, producing 25% of the world's GDP, with a formidable
export profile, inciting the greed of the British colonialists over the vast
wealth in agriculture, particularly spices and condiments. However, when these
revealed laws were replaced during the British occupation by man-made laws,
there was a wide-scale famine within the same lands under this British Raj,
leading to the deaths of hundreds and thousands through starvation. Until now
man-made laws are implemented in the field of agriculture, denying Pakistan its
true potential as an agricultural powerhouse.
A2. With large tracts
of arable land mostly fed by one of the world largest Indus river system, four
distinct seasons, diverse landscape and large pool of semi-skilled labor force,
Pakistan is gifted with immense agricultural potential. Agriculture has been a
dominant source of growth and development for Pakistan's economy. It feeds people,
provides raw material for industry and is the basis of Pakistan's foreign
trade. It contributes nearly a quarter of the gross domestic product and over
half of export earnings, employs nearly 45% of the labor force, and provides
income to nearly two-thirds of the rural population. In addition to the main
food commodities, agriculture provides raw material to agro-based industries
and generates revenue through export of raw and finished goods. In the last
twenty years, the average annual growth rate of agricultural output is
estimated at about 4%, with a lower rate of 3% in the last five years. However,
Pakistan's existing land is underutilized. The total area of the farm land of
Pakistan is about 30 million hectors, out of which 22 million hectors is being
cultivated and the rest amounts to the cultivable waste, out of the cultivated
land about 6 million hectors of ploughed area remains un-cropped annually, only
7 million hectors area is sown more than once a year.
All of this is
achieved, despite the lack of government support for the agricultural sector,
with farmers being forced to use primitive farming methods, devoid of
techniques to increase yield such as modern irrigation networks and engendering
resistance to disease, as well as the lack of cultivation upon all arable land
or reclamation of arable land reclamation
A3. Moreover, any
growth in agriculture has had little effect on rural poverty. In fact it has
worsened. Man-made laws have led to the concentration of wealth in the hands of
the few, as is the inevitable outcome of capitalism, despite several rounds of
land reforms. Millions are without a means to earn a decent living to secure
their basic needs and Pakistan's rural population is a true case of starvation
in the midst of plenty. According to Pakistan human development reports about
57.4% poor are working for land owners without wages. That is why non-farm
activities have become a substantial source of income for agricultural
households, especially those with little land of quality or no land. Armies of
rural people are forced to leave their villages to descend upon the cities in
search of livelihood, only to end up sleeping on the streets and standing in
long lines for poorly-paid menial labor jobs. Agricultural credit facilities in
Pakistan add to the problems. The rate of interest on agricultural credit is
high and loans are neither provided in time nor cater to total demand for
loans. Farmers are obliged to borrow from informal sources. About 50.8% poor
borrow at a very high rate of interest. It is a common saying about our farmer
that "he is born in debts, grows in debts and dies in debts."
B. Political
Considerations: Man-made laws cause and deepen agricultural under-productivity
and rural poverty
B1. After the
abolition of the revealed Shari’ah laws, capitalism ensured the concentration
of land ownership in the hands of a few. Though the British left, capitalism
remained and so this concentration continues to be the dominant feature of
Pakistani agriculture. The wealthiest 4% of rural households own over half of
all cultivated land; yet 49% of rural households are completely landless.
Landless farm workers farm the land of land owners and then must pay rent to
them, such that the majority of landowners are absentee owners just living off
the rent. So, those who practically cultivate land benefit little of it, whilst
those who own the land benefit immensely. The so-called "Green
Revolution" of 1960s worsened matters, by allowing a small elite to take
back previously leased lands and eviction of previous tenants. This further
increased rural poverty and led to a flood of rural workers into the cities, in
a frantic search for alternative livelihood. And what is left to fall in
between rural workers migrating to cities and absentee land owners is gross
under-utilization of Pakistan's abundant agricultural lands.
B2. No matter who
comes to rule in democracy, the Kufr colonialist laws it implements worsens the
plight of the Muslims because democracy is not bound to implement the revealed
laws of Islam. Thus, Benazir Bhutto's government first introduced corporate
farming in the late 1990s. It declared corporate farming an industry and
approved 19 multi-national companies for business. A major boost to the policy
framework came in 2001-2, when Musharaf's government passed the Corporate
Agricultural Farming policy and Corporate Farming Ordinance, which provided a
legislative basis, along with a series of tax breaks to potential foreign
investors. The 2009 policy package announced by the Kayani-Zardari government
offers competitive incentives to foreign investors in agriculture with the
unprecedented release of vast tracts of state land to foreign investors.
And under the
Kayani-Nawaz government these policies will bring further unemployment,
hardship and under-productivity. Whilst local farmers are crushed by heavy
taxation on essential agricultural inputs such as fertilizer, seed, machinery,
transport and fuel, foreign companies enjoy preferential treatment regarding
ownership of land, import of machinery and equipment as well as remitting their
profits back to their foreign states. Moreover, foreign companies will favor
cash crops that are used in their own economies, rather than being concerned
about food crops essential for Pakistan's food security. Thus as a result of
implementing colonialist policies, democracy will ensure that Pakistan's local
agricultural capacity will be usurped by foreign companies and Pakistan's
ability to feed and clothe itself will be undermined, making it more dependent
on more expensive foreign imports.
C. Legal
Injunctions: Maximizing land cultivation and rural prosperity, whilst securing
food security
C1. The return of the
Khilafah will boost agricultural production and rural employment, thus
increasing Pakistan's food security and prosperity by restoring the Islamic
land laws in the Indian Subcontinent. Uniquely, Islam strongly links the issue
of ownership of the land with its cultivation. So regardless of whether the
land-owner has large tracts of lands, or small tracts of it, he must supervise
its cultivation personally. And the state will assist the owners in
cultivation, whether through grants or through interest-free loans.
In its Introduction
to the Constitution, Khilafah has adopted in Article 136, "Everyone that owns land is
compelled to use it, and those that require financial help are given money from
the Bayt Al-Mal to enable them to utilise their land. If anyone neglects
utilising the land for three years continuously, it is taken from them and
given to someone else."
If the owner of land
is unwilling or unable to cultivate his agricultural land despite assistance
being offered, he is not allowed to hire it to another to cultivate it.
RasulAllah (saw) said: "Cultivate it or give it to
your brother."
In its Introduction
to the Constitution, Khilafah has adopted in Article 135, "It is completely prohibited to
rent land for agriculture, irrespective of whether the land was Kharajiyyah or
'Ushriyyah. Likewise, temporary share-cropping is also prohibited. Musaaqa
(renting trees for a portion of their yields) is permitted without
restriction."
And Islam encourages
the revival of uncultivated agricultural land by granting ownership to the one
who revives dead land to agricultural productivity. RasulAllah (saw)
said: "whoever revives a dead land, it belongs to
him" [Tirmidhi]
Thus, in its
Introduction to the Constitution, Khilafah has adopted Article 134, "Dead land is possessed through
its revival and fencing."
C2. The Khilafah will
abolish the foreign ownership of agricultural lands. Moreover, the Khilafah
will free local farmers from the burdens of heavy taxation on agricultural
inputs by restoring the just Shari’ah system of revenue generation, Kharaaj and
Ushr, which is upon potential and actual agricultural production respectively.
This will be an immense boost to food security as well as domestic prosperity
as the Ummah enjoyed for centuries under Islamic rule. Thus today the Khilafah
will prioritize the crops that allow its citizens to have their basic needs of
food and clothing met completely, with excess production being used for foreign
trade as part of building relations with other nations to carry the call of
Islam to them. This in turn would mandate a state sponsored program to develop
agriculture levels to standards that lead the world, including irrigation,
fertilizer, disease prevention, arable land reclamation and new advances such
as bio-fuels. It will establish strong pastures to support a surge in livestock
availability.
In its Introduction
to the Constitution, Khilafah has adopted Article 165, "Development and investment by
foreign funds within the State are forbidden. It is also prohibited to grant
franchises to foreigners."
In its Introduction
to the Constitution, Khilafah has adopted in Article 133, "Tithed land ('Ushriyyah) constitutes
land within the Arabian Peninsula and land whose owners had embraced Islam,
whilst possessing the land, before the Islamic State conquered them by Jihad.
Kharajiyyah land is all land, other than the Arabian Peninsula, which was
opened by jihad, whether through war or peace treaties. The 'Ushriyyah land,
together with its benefits, is owned by individuals, whereas the Kharajiyyah
land is owned by the State, while individuals own its benefits. Every
individual has the right to exchange, through Shari'ah contracts, the tithed
land and the benefits of Kharaaj land. All people can inherit these, the same
as with all other wealth."
Note: Please refer to
the following articles of Hizb ut Tahrir's Introduction to the Constitution for
the complete evidences from Quran and Sunnah: 134, 135, 136, 165. To see
relevant articles of the constitution for the Khilafah state please go to this
web link: http://htmediapak.page.tl/policy-matters.htm
D. POLICY:
The Khilafah as an agricultural powerhouse
D1. Efficient use of
agricultural land occurs by linking land ownership to its mandatory
cultivation. The Khilafah will provide grants and interest free loans to
enhance cultivation. Islam provides for ownership of dead agricultural lands by
its revival. This will not only enhance food security it will greatly boost the
rural population's share in the wealth.
D2. Ending
colonialist agreements with their destructive taxation conditions and imposed
foreign operation, by replacing them with Shari’ah based revenue generation and
land ownership laws, including Kharaaj and Ushr to allow these lands to return
as they once were, food baskets for the wider region.
D3. The Khilafah will
establish extensive irrigation systems to lands near and far from water
sources. It will open nurseries and laboratories for the development of
stronger seed lines, better fertilizer as well as improved disease prevention
and resistance, so that the Khilafah will be self-sufficient in agriculture
including grains, fruits, vegetables and bio-fuels.
Or,
See
this Link:
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