Wednesday, January 28, 2026

غزہ میں خون کی ہولی اور امن کی بساط

 غزہ میں خون کی ہولی اور امن کی بساط

"میں امن کی وکالت کرنے سے باز نہیں آتا؛ خواہ وہ غیر منصفانہ ہی کیوں نہ ہو، وہ بہترین منصفانہ جنگ سے بھی بہتر ہے۔" — مارکس ٹولیئس سسرو

ڈیووس میں عالمی اقتصادی فورم کے موقع پر امریکی صدر ڈونلڈ ٹرمپ مشرقِ وسطیٰ کے لیے اپنے "امن منصوبے" کو آگے بڑھا رہے ہیں۔ اس تجویز کا مرکزی نکتہ ایک "امن بورڈ" (Board of Peace) کی تشکیل ہے جو متعدد ممالک پر مشتمل ہوگا—ایک ایسی ہستی جس کے مقاصد اقوامِ متحدہ کے حریف، بلکہ شاید اسے براہِ راست چیلنج کرنے والے ہو سکتے ہیں۔

اقوامِ متحدہ کی 80 سالہ حدود اور کمزوریاں مختلف وجوہات کی بنا پر بے نقاب ہو چکی ہیں۔ ان کے حل کے لیے، مجوزہ ادارہ ایک سہل فیصلہ سازی کے عمل اور ایک طاقتور نفاذِ نو کے طریقہ کار کا تصور پیش کرتا ہے۔ ایک بین الاقوامی استحکام فورس (ISF)—جو ایک ہی کمانڈ کے تحت مختلف ممالک کی مسلح افواج پر مشتمل ہوگی—اس کے نفاذ کی ذمہ دار ہوگی۔

تاہم، یہ بھاری مسلح اور بھرپور حمایت یافتہ "امن بورڈ" بظاہر اسرائیل کے تقریباً تمام مقاصد کو پورا کرنے کے لیے ڈیزائن کیا گیا ہے، جبکہ فلسطینیوں کو اس جاری تشدد میں ممکنہ کمی کے سوا کچھ نہیں دیا جا رہا۔ عملی طور پر، فلسطینیوں سے یہ توقع کی جا رہی ہے کہ وہ عسکری طور پر غالب اسرائیل کے سامنے مکمل طور پر ہتھیار ڈال دیں، اور ساتھ ہی انتہا پسند آباد کاروں کو ایک "محفوظ اور خوشگوار" قبضے کی دعا بھی دیں۔

اس سے زیادہ یک طرفہ انتظام کا تصور کرنا مشکل ہے۔

فلسطین کی سرزمین، جہاں ہزاروں سال سے مقامی آبادی آباد تھی، پر نوآبادیاتی یورپی طاقتوں کی سرگرم مدد سے دنیا بھر سے آنے والے یہودی آباد کاروں نے طاقت، جبر اور مالی ترغیبات کے ذریعے قبضہ کر لیا۔ ریاستِ اسرائیل کا قیام ایک نہ ختم ہونے والے تنازع کا آغاز تھا—جو وقتاً فوقتاً شدت اختیار کرتا اور تھمتا رہا، لیکن کبھی ختم نہیں ہوا۔

تشدد کو معمول بنانے یا اسے معمولی دکھانے کے لیے نئی اصطلاحات ایجاد کی گئیں۔ فلسطینیوں کے باقاعدہ قتلِ عام کو لرزہ خیز طور پر "گھاس کاٹنے" (mowing the grass) سے تشبیہ دی گئی، گویا اجتماعی موت کوئی ہولناک مذاق ہو۔

گزشتہ دہائیوں میں، اسرائیل کے خلاف مزاحمت کرنے والی تقریباً تمام پڑوسی ریاستوں کو—طاقت یا سیاسی دباؤ کے ذریعے—بے اثر کر دیا گیا، جیسے مصر اور اردن۔ جنہوں نے سر تسلیم خم کرنے سے انکار کیا، وہ تباہ کر دیے گئے: شام، عراق اور لیبیا اس کی عبرتناک مثالیں ہیں۔

امن کے لیے برابری، یا کم از کم برابری کی جھلک ضروری ہے۔ اس کے بجائے یہاں ایک گہرا عدم توازن موجود ہے۔ ایک طرف اسرائیل ہے، جو بلاشبہ دنیا کی طاقتور ترین ریاستوں میں سے ہے اور عالمی سطح پر، خاص طور پر امریکہ پر، گہرا اثر و رسوخ رکھتا ہے—ایک ایسا ملک جس سے باقی دنیا خوفزدہ رہتی ہے۔ دوسری طرف فلسطینی ہیں، جن کے پاس اپنی جانوں، استقامت اور اپنے بنیادی حقوق کے حصول کے لیے غیبی مدد کی امید کے سوا کچھ نہیں۔

مخالفین کے درمیان امن توازن پر منحصر ہوتا ہے۔ ایک فریق کا مکمل غلبہ صرف غلامی—یا کمزور کی مکمل تباہی کا باعث بنتا ہے، جیسا کہ نیتن یاہو کی جانب سے بار بار دھمکیاں دی گئی ہیں۔ امن مذاکرات میں "کچھ لو اور کچھ دو" کا وعدہ ایک سراب ہی رہا ہے، بالکل ویسے ہی جیسے خود امن۔

اس کا قابلِ پیش گوئی نتیجہ کسی نہ کسی بہانے بے بس فلسطینیوں کے بار بار قتلِ عام کی صورت میں نکلا ہے، جبکہ دنیا فلسطینیوں کے خون پر تیزی سے بے حس ہوتی جا رہی ہے۔ اس تنازع کو اسرائیل اور پی ایل او (PLO) یا حماس جیسے "شیطانی" فلسطینی گروہوں کے درمیان "جنگ" بنا کر پیش کیا جاتا ہے—یہ وہ آسان لیبل ہیں جو قبضے کی حقیقت اور غیر متناسب تشدد پر پردہ ڈال دیتے ہیں۔

فلسطینیوں کی اس غیر قانونی سازی اور تشدد کو معمول بنانے کے عمل نے اسرائیلی جنگجوؤں اور بدعنوان سیاست دانوں کو فائدہ پہنچایا، جس سے ان کی مقبولیت اور اقتدار پر گرفت برقرار رہی۔ ستم ظریفی یہ ہے کہ قبضے کے خلاف مزاحمت اسرائیل کے انتہا پسند اور متعصب رہنماؤں کو مضبوط کرتی ہے، جبکہ شریف النفس اسرائیلیوں اور یہاں تک کہ امریکی صدور کو بھی شرمندہ کرتی ہے—جو نیتن یاہو کے معاملے میں بے بس نظر آتے ہیں۔ زیلنسکی کے خلاف ٹرمپ کا تکبر اور نیتن یاہو کے سامنے ان کا جھکاؤ بہت کچھ واضح کرتا ہے۔

حالیہ دنوں میں، 70,000 سے زیادہ—اور ممکنہ طور پر اس سے کہیں زیادہ—بے گناہ اور نہتے فلسطینی مرد، خواتین اور بچے اسرائیل کے ہاتھوں "جنگ" کے نام پر مارے جا چکے ہیں۔ اس نے اسرائیل کو حاصل مکمل استثنیٰ اور بین الاقوامی برادری کی بے بسی یا بے حسی کو بے نقاب کر دیا ہے۔ احتجاج کی آوازیں—جیسے اقوامِ متحدہ کے سیکرٹری جنرل یا فرانسسکا البانیز—کو فوری طور پر تنقید کا نشانہ بنا کر، بدنام کر کے بے اثر کر دیا جاتا ہے۔

یہ بار بار ہونے والے مظالم اس دنیا کو بے حس بنا رہے ہیں جو کبھی قوانین پر مبنی عالمی نظام کی خواہاں تھی۔ اجتماعی تشدد کا یہ تسلسل عالمی نظام کو غیر مستحکم کرنے کا خطرہ پیدا کرتا ہے، جس کے نتائج تباہ کن ہو سکتے ہیں۔ اس تنازع کو، دیگر لایعنی اور طویل جنگوں کی طرح، حل ہونا چاہیے۔

تاریخ ہمیں تکلیف دہ سبق دیتی ہے۔ جنگیں افراتفری کا نام ہیں۔ ہم انہیں شروع تو کر سکتے ہیں، لیکن ان کے رخ یا انجام پر ہمارا قابو نہیں رہتا۔

دونوں عالمی جنگیں درحقیقت ایک ہی تنازع تھا جس کے درمیان دوبارہ مسلح ہونے کے لیے 20 سال کا وقفہ آیا۔ برطانیہ، جو اس وقت دنیا کی سب سے بڑی طاقت تھی، توقع کر رہا تھا کہ پہلی جنگِ عظیم چند ہفتوں میں—زیادہ سے زیادہ 1914 کے کرسمس تک—ختم ہو جائے گی۔ اس کے بجائے، یہ برسوں تک جاری رہی، جس میں کروڑوں لوگ مارے گئے اور ناقابلِ بیان مصائب کا سامنا کرنا پڑا۔

صرف احمق وہ جنگیں لڑتے ہیں جو وہ جیت نہیں سکتے۔ کوئی بھی معقول مبصر موجودہ حالات میں یا مزاحمت کے موجودہ طریقوں کے ذریعے فلسطینیوں کی عسکری فتح کا کوئی امکان نہیں دیکھتا۔ مقبوضہ فلسطینیوں کا انسانی قتلِ عام جاری رہنے کا خدشہ ہے، جس میں کسی بامعنی مداخلت کی امید کم ہی نظر آتی ہے۔

پرعزم اور باہمت لوگ کسی بھی قوم کا سب سے بڑا اثاثہ ہوتے ہیں۔ ایسے ناگزیر انسانی سرمائے کو کبھی بھی ناقابلِ تسخیر مقابلوں میں ضائع نہیں کیا جانا چاہیے اور نہ ہی بغیر تیاری کے یقینی تباہی کے دہانے پر دھکیلنا چاہیے، جیسا کہ غزہ میں ہو رہا ہے۔

مزاحمت کا وجود صرف مسلح جدوجہد کی صورت میں نہیں ہوتا۔ معاشی طاقت، تعلقاتِ عامہ، ٹیکنالوجی اور سفارت کاری اکثر بندوقوں اور بموں کے مقابلے میں نتائج طے کرنے میں بڑا کردار ادا کرتے ہیں۔

خونریزی کو روکنے کے لیے جنگ بندی اور تشدد کا فوری خاتمہ ضروری ہو سکتا ہے، جبکہ ساتھ ہی مجرموں کو بے نقاب کرنے اور ان کے جرائم کی دستاویز سازی کا عمل منظم طریقے سے جاری رہنا چاہیے۔

چین اس کی ایک طاقتور مثال پیش کرتا ہے۔ ایک وقت تھا جب اسے ذلیل کیا گیا، لوٹا گیا اور جبری منشیات کی لت کے ذریعے اپاہج بنا دیا گیا، لیکن اس نے ایک صدی کے دوران خود کو دوبارہ منظم کیا، دوبارہ تعمیر کیا اور وقار و طاقت کے ساتھ عالمی منظر نامے پر واپس آیا۔ ہانگ کانگ—جو افیون کی ذلت آمیز جنگوں کے بعد حوالے کیا گیا تھا—بغیر کسی تشدد کے واپس حاصل کر لیا گیا، جس سے یہ ثابت ہوا کہ عظیم ترین فتوحات وہی ہیں جو بغیر لڑے حاصل کی جائیں۔

اس انسانی قتلِ عام کو ختم ہونا چاہیے۔ کمزور کو اپنی جدوجہد کے وقت اور نوعیت کا انتخاب خود کرنا چاہیے—اور یہ لمحہ وہ نہیں ہے۔ امن، خواہ اس کی بھاری قیمت ہی کیوں نہ ہو، قابلِ غور ہو سکتا ہے اگر یہ نوجوانوں کی جانیں بچائے اور مستقبل کو محفوظ رکھے۔ اس جدوجہد کو اس وقت تک کے لیے ملتوی کیا جا سکتا ہے جب تک برابری حاصل نہ ہو جائے اور وقت و مقام کا فیصلہ مظلوم کریں، نہ کہ ظالم۔

"ایک بے چین امن، بالکل امن نہ ہونے سے بہتر ہے۔" — جیمز میکس ویل

"کبھی کوئی جنگ اچھی نہیں تھی اور نہ ہی کوئی امن برا تھا۔" — بنجمن فرینکلن

The Gaza Bloodbath and the Board of Peace

 

Dr. Umar Khan

khanmomar@hotmail.com

Dr. Khan belongs to a Lahore based Think Tank.

28-1-26

 

 

 

The Gaza Bloodbath and the Board of Peace

I cease not to advocate peace; even though unjust, it is better than the most just war.”
— Marcus Tullius Cicero

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, U.S. President Donald Trump has been pursuing his Middle East “peace” plan. Central to this proposal is the creation of a Board of Peace composed of multiple countries—an entity whose objectives may rival, if not directly challenge, the United Nations.

The limitations of the 80-year-old UN have indeed been exposed for various reasons. To address these, the proposed body envisions a streamlined decision-making process and a powerful enforcement mechanism. An International Stabilization Force (ISF)—comprising armed forces from different countries under a single command—would be tasked with implementation.

This heavily armed and well-supported Board of Peace, however, appears designed to pursue nearly all of Israel’s objectives while offering Palestinians little more than a possible reduction in the violence they are currently enduring. In effect, Palestinians are expected to absolutely capitulate before a militarily dominant Israel, while also wishing extremist settlers a “safe and pleasant” occupation.

It is difficult to imagine a more one-sided arrangement.

The land of Palestine, inhabited by its local population for millennia, was occupied through force, coercion, and financial inducements by Jewish settlers from around the world, with the active assistance of colonial European powers. The establishment of the state of Israel marked the beginning of an unending conflict—one that has periodically intensified and subsided but never ceased.

Euphemisms were invented to normalize/trivialize violence. The routine killing of Palestinians was chillingly likened to “mowing the grass,” as if mass death were a grim joke.

Over the decades, nearly all neighboring states that resisted Israel were neutralized—through force or political pressure—such as Egypt and Jordan. Those that refused to submit were devastated: Syria, Iraq, and Libya stand as examples.

Peace requires parity, or at least the semblance of it. What exists instead is a profound mismatch. On one side stands Israel, arguably among the world’s most powerful states, wielding immense influence globally—especially over the United States, a country feared by most others. On the other side are Palestinians, armed with little beyond their lives, resilience, and hope for unseen help in securing their basic rights.

Peace between adversaries depends on balance. Absolute dominance by one side results only in subjugation—or outright annihilation of the weak, as repeatedly threatened by Netanyahu. The promised quid pro quo of peace negotiations remains a mirage, much like peace itself.

The predictable outcome has been the repeated slaughter of helpless Palestinians under one pretext or another, while the world grows increasingly numb to Palestinian bloodshed. The conflict is framed as a “war” between Israel and demonized Palestinian groups such as the PLO or Hamas—convenient labels that obscure the reality of occupation and asymmetrical violence.

This delegitimization of Palestinians and normalization of violence serve Israeli warmongers and corrupt politicians, sustaining their popularity and grip on power. Ironically, resistance to occupation strengthens extremist and bigoted Israeli leaders, while embarrassing decent Israelis and even U.S. presidents—who appear helpless in dealing with Netanyahu. Trump’s arrogance toward Zelensky and his deference toward Netanyahu explain much.

Recently, over 70,000—likely many more— innocent and unarmed Palestinian men, women, and innocent children have been killed by Israel under the banner of “war.” This has laid bare the near-total impunity Israel enjoys and the helplessness or indifference of the international community. Voices of protest—such as the UN Secretary-General or Francesca Albanese—are swiftly criticized, discredited, and neutralized.

These repeated atrocities desensitize a world that once aspired to a rules-based international order. Such normalization of mass violence risks destabilizing the global system, with potentially catastrophic consequences. This conflict, like other seemingly endless and senseless wars, must be resolved.

History offers painful lessons. Wars are chaotic. We may start them, but we cannot control their course or their endings.

The two World Wars were effectively a single conflict separated by a 20-year pause for rearmament. Britain, then the world’s strongest power, expected the First World War to end within weeks—by Christmas 1914 at the latest. Instead, it dragged on for years, killing tens of millions and inflicting unimaginable suffering.

Only fools fight battles they cannot win. No rational observer would give Palestinians any chance of military victory under present circumstances or through their current methods of resistance. The human slaughter of occupied Palestinians appears destined to continue, with little hope of meaningful intervention.

Committed and courageous people are a nation’s greatest asset. Such irreplaceable human capital must never be squandered in unwinnable confrontations or exposed to certain annihilation without preparation as is being done in Gaza.

Resistance does not exist solely in the form of armed struggle. Economic strength, public relations, technology, and diplomacy often play a greater role in determining outcomes than guns and bombs.

A ceasefire and an immediate end to violence may be necessary to stop the bloodshed, while systematically documenting and exposing the perpetrators.

China offers a powerful example. Once humiliated, looted, and crippled by forced drug addiction, it regrouped over a century, rebuilt itself, and returned to the world stage with dignity and strength. Hong Kong—ceded after the humiliating Opium Wars—was reclaimed without violence, proving that the greatest victories are those achieved without fighting.

This human massacre must end. The weak must choose the timing and nature of their struggle—and this moment is not it. Peace, even at great cost, may be worth considering if it saves lives of the young and preserves a future. This struggle might be postponed till parity is achieved and time and venue is decided by the oppressed and not the oppressors.  

“An uneasy peace is better than no peace at all.”
— James Maxwell

“There never was a good war or a bad peace.”
— Benjamin Franklin

 

 

khanmomar@hotmail.com

 

 

Monday, January 19, 2026

How the world identifies Muslims and the Islamic World

 

Dr. Umar Khan

khanmomar@hotmail.com

Dr. Khan belongs to a Lahore based Think Tank.

16-1-26

 

How the world identifies Muslims and the Islamic World

“Perception of reality is more important than reality itself.” – Maxime Lagacé

Living in the West in mid-eighties I found the image of Muslims and Pakistanis quit positive. There were many highly educated professionals who had emigrated earning a good name for themselves and their country. Mostly they were perceived as highly educated and well settled dignified people.

Gradually it started changing ultimately culminating to the current undesirable form. In the prevailing image crafted by the media and unwise Muslims playing in other’s hands, multiple negatives have gotten attached to the persona of Muslims allowing some to stereotype one fourth of the world’s population. Kind of a classic villain, something bigots look for.

The superficial identification factors associated with Muslims appear as follows,

1.      How they appear and look,

Beard has become an identity factor for devout Muslim men while hijab or Abaya is associated with women. This is probably benign but the strongest visual element associated with Muslim.

 

2.      Ibadat/rituals.

Saying of prayers is also closely associated with Muslims. The propensity for many to recite namaz in public including airports helped create this image. The westerner decency never let them criticize but although it aroused curiosity, it wasn’t appreciated.

In addition haj is also well known and connected with Muslims. Fasting and giving of zakat are not very obvious so aren’t as narrowly affiliated with Muslims.

  1. Polygamy.

Polygamy has also become a hallmark of Muslims among the less well aware. I met many who thought everyone in Muslim countries would be having large harems despite simple biological impossibility. Being an interesting and colorful topic it became popular myth ably supported by media, rich oil barons and Hollywood. Along with polygamy it’s associated vice, misogyny and abuse are essential parts of that image.

During a family visit to India on the occasion of marriage of an Indian friend’s daughter,  I found people pleasantly surprised upon knowing that Mrs. Khan and my daughter drive themselves and have attended top educational institutions. Just a reminder, Hindus and Muslims lived together in India for over millennia and have hundreds of millions of Indian Muslims still living among them. If Indians can harbor such inaccurate and detrimental images of Muslims we can well imagine how bad it can get far away.

4.      Autocracy/lack of democracy/human rights.

Unfortunately the vast majority of Islamic world having monarchy or different shades of autocracies played a foremost role in determining the current undesirable image of Muslims.

We are known as inherently autocratic and undemocratic.

  1. Violence,

After the West’s designed and heavily supported First Afghan War of 1979-89 it took a dangerous turn when the West just walked away leaving it burning. The place was full of arms and people trained only in fighting and nothing else. Violence of all sorts started and Islam got associated with extremism, intolerance and violence. Images of people given harsh punishments of flogging or decapitation made it even worse.

This kept on deteriorating after the second Afghan war and the convenient and crafty media management converted the Palestinian fight of self-determination into pathologic violence.

The weaponization of perception did not occur in a vacuum. During the Cold War, following U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles’s open declaration of using religion as a weapon against communism, figures such as William Casey, former CIA Director, played a central role in cultivating militant movements as geopolitical tools.

Fighting communism was gradually framed as an integral part of religious duty, leading volunteers from across the Islamic world to join these conflicts. These fighters were welcomed, trained, armed, indoctrinated, and glamorized by Western powers with the help of autocratic regimes supported by them. Some Western leaders went as far as equating them with the founding fathers of the United States.

What began as strategic alliances, however, later evolved into uncontrollable forces, a monster Dr. Frankenstein couldn’t control, creating long-term instability.

After nearly half a century, the Cold War ended, and the utility of these fighter and their skills became not only obsolete but highly undesirable. For many of these former “noble jihadists,” warfare was the only means of survival they possessed. Consequently, conflicts and violence continued, though now with different targets which often including the very powers that had once supported them.

 

Most of these traits associated with Muslims are either superficial markers of Islamic identity or relate primarily to Haqooq Allah, the rights of God. While these religious obligations are important, they do not, by themselves, define the ethical, social, or civilizational vision of Islam. Reducing an entire faith and its followers to outward practices or selectively emphasized laws produces a distorted and incomplete picture.

How Islam and Muslims should be identified with

 

A deeper study of Islam reveals that although Haqooq Allah are important emphasis is placed on Haqooq ul Ibaad, the rights of human beings which are even more important. These principles form the moral backbone of Islamic civilization and naturally this should form the basis of their identity.

Key Desirable Traits Emphasized in Islam:

  1. Human rights. Islam being the only major religion that categorically emphasizes the importance and centrality of Haqooq ul Ibad; that can be translated in modern parlance as Human Rights must become the major distinguishing feature of Muslims.

 

  1. Character. Character building is recurrently stressed in Islam which includes kindness, compassion, honesty, integrity, generosity and dignity.

Many tourists visiting Islamic world are pleasantly surprised to see the welcoming and accommodating people they weren’t expecting.

  1. Stress on education and Cleanliness (physical and moral).

There is enormous stress on seeking of knowledge and maintaining cleanliness as integral parts of religion. This should be stressed, observed and propagated.

  1. Moderation.

Islam preaches moderation in every aspect of life and sometimes I wonder how such a society can get associated with extremism.

  1. Concept of Welfare State.

The first state created by the Muslims showed the world how political power can

·         Protect human rights

·         Establish Justice (ʿadl)

·         End racism.

·         Establish social justice and egalitarianism

Without highlighting these principles, it is impossible to present a true, balanced, and honest understanding of Islam or Muslims.

 

The current distorted negative image of Muslims that constitute a quarter of the world’s population can have detrimental effects enabling bigots to demonize them. This has caused Islamophobia and allowed apparently decent looking countries to attack Muslim countries (Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Sudan; to name a few) without hesitation or remorse leaving havoc and misery behind. With the passage of time and increase of lethality of weapons, there are indications that it might get even more violent and bloody.

It is about time we appreciate the gravity of situation and start focusing on improving the situation avoiding the disaster it can cause. 

The 1993 book, “The Clash of Civilizations” was probably a timely warning that we didn’t heed to. Can’t afford to let it go unaddressed any more.

When perception becomes policy, injustice becomes normalized.

How Should This Be Countered?

Responsibility is shared.

To begin with the Muslim world must stop blaming others for its problems and take responsibility to improve its situation. Playing victim card unnecessarily doesn’t help.

Muslim societies must actively embody Islamic ethics we just enumerated while reducing stress on the aspects that are visible but not as important. Moral credibility is established through actions, not rhetoric.

Western governments and media must move beyond simplistic and sensationalist narratives and adopt greater nuance, historical awareness, and intellectual honesty. Must confess its responsibility in cultivating extremism and violence for its political needs and publicize it as Hillary Clinton and some others have done. Then work as hard to clear the injurious mind set they created.

Educational institutions worldwide should teach civilizations comparatively, emphasizing shared values and historical interconnectedness.

Individuals—both Muslim and non-Muslim—must resist stereotypes and seek understanding through dialogue, learning, and empathy.

Conclusion

The crisis confronting the Islamic world today is not merely political or military; it is fundamentally a crisis of perception. Islam is not defined by beards, hijabs, or selective headlines, but by a comprehensive moral framework rooted in justice, dignity, and human welfare. Reclaiming this narrative is not only vital for Muslims, it is essential for global peace, mutual respect, and coexistence.

“The way we see the problem is the problem.” Stephen Covey

 

khanmomar@hotmail.com

 

Thursday, January 1, 2026

The new Zongsen Carrera, impressions after driving 500 kms.

 



The new Zongsen Carrera, impressions after driving 500 kms.

 

1.                 Looks.

It looks pretty nice like a modern adventure bike

2.                 Quality Control

Has a decent quality fit and finish, much better than my Chinese made 2016 XY400 or 2017 Sinski 250. Paint quality, speedometer, RV mirrors, footrests, plastic fairings etc. aren’t outstanding but of a semi-decent quality. Chinese are learning and improving fast.

3.                 Engine.

It has an air cooled Zongsen 250cc, OHC with 2V, carbureted engine and a balancer shaft. The specs are as follows,

·         Type: Single-cylinder, 4-stroke, freely revving.

·         Air-cooled.

·         Displacement: 249.9cc. 72x61.4mm

·         Power: 18.7 HP.

·         Torque: 18-19 Nm

·         Starting: Electric only

·         Ignition: CDI.

·         Transmission: 6-speed.

·         Reliability: Widely praised for being durable and easy to maintain. 

 

4.                 Vibrations. OHC and the balancer shaft control the vibrations very well. Probably the balanced frame must also be contributing as this is probably the least vibrating single cylinder bike I have ever tried. The water cooled 250 Zongsen engines in my other bikes aren’t as smooth, though much more torquey.

5.                 Fuel Economy. With ordinary fuel in the first 500kms it gave fuel average of around 27-28kpl in city drive.

6.                 Transmission. It has a 6 speed transmission enabling it to climb well in the first gear and make the bike smooth and easy at high speeds in the sixth.

7.                 Brakes. Front and rear disk brakes give reasonable stopping power, nothing outstanding but better than the local 150s.

8.                 Suspension. Long travel front suspension isn’t upside down but works OK. I am sure the covering rubber boot would help it’s longevity. Rear monoshock works well making it reasonably comfortable.

a.                  Seat height. At 860mm it can be a bit challenging for those standing 5.7 or less. The rear monoshock is adjustable so it should be possible to lower it.  

9.                 Seat. Is OK although a bit hard.

10.            Chain sprockets. Surprisingly it comes with a 428 Chain and 14x46 sprockets. This would make availability easy but needing adjustment and replacement more often.

11.            Lights. LED lights all around are excellent making auxiliary lights unnecessary.

12.            Boxes. A 45liter top box and 2 side boxes are of good quality plastic and size.

13.            Crash bars and other accessories. High quality crash bars all around should be protecting the fairing. Hand guards, USB charger, skid plate come in handy.

14.            Reliability. Carreras are popular across the world including Europe, Africa and Latin America where it is known for its reliability and robustness. Reviews are available on Youtube.

15.            Availability of spares. The ZS PR250 engine is being used in Lahore for many years and is known for its toughness and longevity. It was imported by Mian Waqar of Sleeper engines and we had a difference of opinion as I preferred water cooled versions due to their better low end torque. But I understand that simplicity, lower price and ease of maintenance makes this air cooled PR250 a good choice. The engine spare parts are easily available in Lahore so should not cause problems.

Chain sprockets are also available without much hassle due to being 428.

Finding body parts would be a problem and forming owner groups would help. Once a certain number of bikes get on the roads I am sure importers would fill the gap. 

16.            Price. Zongsen Carrera 250 was launched for around 600k by New Asia. Interestingly all the new Chinese cars and motorcycle brands are being catered by 3 wheeler manufacturers.

Prevalent prices of other comparable bikes are as such,

a.                  Zongsen RX1 200cc. Marketed by Super Power, 800k.

b.                 Honda CB150F without accessories. Around 500k

c.                  Suzuki GR 150 without accessories. Over 500k

d.                 Benelli 250. Over 1500k.

e.                  Morbidelli 250. Around 1500k.

This makes the Carrera an attractive offering.

 

 

17.            Negatives.

a.                  Engine power is low, lower than my bigger bikes or even the water cooled ZS250s.

b.                 Imparts feeling of a cheap bike.

c.                  Air cooled.

d.                 Carburetor.

e.                  Small chain.

f.                   Smaller tires.

g.                 Spoke wheels.

h.                 Monoshock which is hard to repair/work on.

i.                   Wish it had a kick starter.

18.            Positives.

a.                  Monoshock.

b.                 Controlled vibrations (probably its strongest point).

c.                  Fully loaded. Only needs cigarette lighter and a tank pad.

d.                 Over 200mm of road clearance.

e.                  Competitive price.

 

 

Final impressions.

After using it for 3 weeks my observations are as follows,

It does not compare with the bigger Japanese bikes that feel and ride much more solid, are comfortable and more powerful.

At the same time it drives much better, is more comfortable and powerful than the locally made bikes.

 

2 interesting observations,

·                    Does everything well but nothing extraordinary.

·                    Its weaknesses are alsso its strengths and vice versa.

 

a.                  EFI vs. Carburetor; EFI makes combustion engines fuel efficient giving improved performance on climbs as compared to carbureted engines but are much more difficult to work on. I have seen EFI problems in the best of cars and motorcycle brands needing high tech expertise and parts that can take time and need transporting the vehicle. The carburetors on the other had are easy to work on and Pakistani mechanics everywhere can comfortably repair/adjust them. This makes the Carrera less fuel efficient but more reliable for far off places in Pakistan.

b.                 Air-cooled vs. water cooled. Water cooled engines are much more powerful and keep the temperature in check. Air cooled on the other hand tends to heat up on climbs when the air flow reduces further losing power and heating even more.

On the other side water cooled engines have coolant, hosepipes, clamps radiators and cooling fans that must be running perfectly all the time. A single breakdown can overheat the engine and cause major damage.

This makes Carrera not as good on hills as water cooled bikes but more robust and reliable as it has fewer complications and parts that can break down.

c.                  428 chain vs. 520. With a 250cc engine a 520 chain is expected but Carrera has a 428. 428s being smaller and weaker need more frequent adjustments and replacements but then 428s and its sprockets of all sizes and shapes are easily available in Pakistan.

d.                 Spokes vs. alloys. Alloy wheels with tubeless tires get flat less often and are easy to plug whereas spoke wheels are not. However alloy wheels can crack and can’t be repaired as the spoked wheels. This makes Carrera less suitable for the city and highway travel but more suitable for off-roading and travel to remote places. Personally I would take an alloy wheel driving to Islamabad but a spoked going to Karambar.

Take your pick.

e.                  Weight. At around 130kgs it doesn’t give the feel of a big bike but rides much better than the local bikes of similar price range. On the highways weight helps stabilize at speeds but can be a nuisance on off-road making raising from falls difficult. No wonder I can’t take my Honda NC on off roads as even the best riders fall and I am hardly a biker. Had the Carrera been heavier I wouldn’t have bought it.

 

I feel Zongsen Carrera would climb nearly all the mountains I can go, cross the off roads I might encounter, cruise at 100kph easily and would be easily maintained unlike the bigger bikes. I remember importing a simple rubber carburetor/engine insulator for my XR650 that cost me 40k with a lot of hassle. The same part used in Carrera costs 200 and is easily available.

 

To sum it up, it comes with nearly all the attachments I need, does everything I ask, is reliable, easy to maintain and inexpensive, it fills nearly all the boxes of my considerations.

Although it is no match to my Honda NC750, XR650L or XRE300, it is most suitable for traveling in Pakistan and I would prefer to travel on Carrera over all others. It appears to be the most suitable (not the best) bike for Pakistani travellers and best value for money.

 

In the end I would like to request the sponsors of New Asia, Mr. Ramzan and Ali Ramzan, not to increase the prices. Enjoy smaller profits and overtime this policy would profit more, establish your brand/goodwill and create a flourishing spare parts business. Within no time New Asia would be competing or beating the big international brands. Sudden increase of prices would hurt this positive hype which might die down as fast as it rose.

 

Having said that I don’t think boycotting Carrera would help achieve biker’s objectives. It might appear as bikers are punishing New Asia for marketing Carrera 250 for 600k while others were offering lesser bikes for 800k. We can’t and shouldn’t penalize someone for bringing better products at reduced prices.

 

I hope you found it useful.

 

Fi Aman Allah

 

Dr. Omar Khan

1-1-26