Showing posts with label Khatme Nabuwwat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Khatme Nabuwwat. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Asma targeted in Ahmedi hate campaign

Express Tribune, Pakistan
Pakistan
Punjab
Asma targeted in Ahmedi hate campaign
Rana Tanveer
October 27, 2010
Pamphlet calls her an anti-Pakistan, pro-American and pro-Indian Ahmedi.
Pamphlet calls her an anti-Pakistan, pro-American and pro-Indian Ahmedi.
LAHORE: One of the leading candidates in the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) elections is being targeted by a hate campaign that calls her an Ahmedi, pro-American and pro-Indian.

The Khatme Nabuwwat Lawyers Forum based in Markaze Sirajia, a seminary in Ghalib Market, Gulberg, Lahore, recently published an eight-page pamphlet titled Targeted Missile Against Supreme Court that claims Asma Jahangir, a contender for the office of SCBA president, is a Qadiani, a derogatory term for Ahmedis. It also accuses her of being anti-Pakistan and pro-US and pro-India.

The pamphlet has been distributed at the Lahore Bar Association and posted to members of the SCBA.

Also, an Urdu language daily recently published a statement from Majlise Ehrar secretary general Abdul Latif Khalid Cheema that “Qadiani elements” were campaigning for Jahangir in the SCBA elections. He said “anti-Muslim forces” wanted her elected president in a nefarious plot to abolish the blasphemy laws.

Jahangir, talking to The Express Tribune, accused her opponents of resorting to dirty tricks to win the election. She was confident that the SCBA members would not be influenced by “such mudslinging”, but regretted that such a campaign had been undertaken.

Hassnain Jameel, her spokesman, said Jahangir is a Muslim and her opponents were criticising her for fighting for the rights of minorities and the destitute.

Advocate Tahir Sultan Khokhar, vice chairman of the Khatme Nabuwwat Lawyers Forum, who is not a member of the SCBA, said that this was not the first time the group had acted against a ‘Qadiani’. “Since its inception two years ago we have taken significant steps in this regard,” he said.

Khokhar said the pamphlet was meant to tell voters the truth about Jahangir. He said he only wrote facts about her in the pamphlet and left it up to voters to decide which candidate was the right choice.

‘Military candidate’

Ahmed Awais, Jahangir’s main rival in the election, denied having anything to do with the hate campaign or the pamphlet. “It is not right to bring religion or other matters into it. The elections are an internal matter for lawyers,” he said. Awais said he had always been respectful towards his opponents during his campaign speeches, though they had abused him in their speeches.

He said he too was being targeted by “hateful propaganda” portraying him as the army candidate in the elections, a major insult since lawyers worked so hard for the ouster of General (retired) Pervez Musharraf as president. He was also being called a PML-N candidate to get the sympathies of PML-Q lawyers and a PML-Q candidate to get the sympathies of PML-N lawyers.

Senior members of the bar condemned the circulation of the pamphlet and the unsubstantiated rumours about the candidates. They said such mudslinging was an insult to the bar and the values it stood for.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27th, 2010.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Monthly Newsreport - Ahmadiyya Persecution in Pakistan - January, 2010


Retired Ahmadi Professor murdered for his faith in Lahore

Lahore; January 5, 2010: Professor Muhammad Yusuf was killed on January 5, 2010 by two masked gunmen in Lahore. He was 70.

At around 7.30 a.m. Professor Yusuf was tending his son’s grocery shop near his home in Rachna Town when two masked persons drove up to the shop on motorbikes and fired two shots at him. Thereafter they fled the scene.

Upon hearing the gunshots, a son of Professor Yusuf came running to the grocery shop and found his father seriously wounded. Professor Yusuf died on route to the local hospital.

The Ahmadiyya Jamaat has faced a great deal of opposition in the Rachna Town area, and this opposition has markedly increased in recent times. Banners are seen around the area stating that Ahmadis are ‘Wajibul Qatl’ that is they ought to be killed. Further, a number of anti-Ahmadi rallies have taken place in the area inciting others to violently oppose and harass all Ahmadis. One such rally took place a few days earlier. A number of Ahmadis in the area have also faced death threats. Police was made aware of all such incidents yet no action has been forthcoming.

Professor Yusuf was a greatly loved and well-known personality of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat. He is survived by his widow, four sons and a daughter.

The Press Secretary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Abid Khan said:

“The martyrdom of Professor Muhammad Yusuf grieves every single Ahmadi the world over. He was a gentle and loving elderly man. It is a grave reality that no Ahmadi – man, woman or child – is safe in Pakistan. A country founded on principles of tolerance and religious freedom has transformed into a country of hatred, extremism and cruelty of the highest order.

“Last year 11 Ahmadis were killed in Pakistan for no other reason than that they belonged to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat. This new year of 2010 is not even a week old and already the blood of another Ahmadi has been shed.”

It is of great concern that the deteriorating sectarian situation in Rachna Town was well-known to the Sheikhupura Police and the government of the Punjab. The laissez-faire attitude of law-enforcement agencies allowed the extremists to undertake the murder of the president of the local Ahmadiyya community (of more than one hundred households). It is our considered opinion that a firm and professional handling of the situation, would have prevented this incident.

Events reflect very poorly on the quality of governance, administration and police work in the province. This murder was preventable as the instigators had previously been reported to the police. However, even after the incident the police and the political heavy-weights handled the crime investigation in a non-professional and highly improper manner. This was taken up by the press.

The Daily Times, Lahore reported the incident in the following headlines and excerpts; it would not be difficult to read the truth between the lines:

Ahmadi leader shot dead in Ferozwala
* Victim’s son claims police took no action despite being intimated about threats
Lahore: An Ahmadi leader was gunned down allegedly for seeking police protection on Tuesday. …
The Daily Times; Lahore, January 6, 2010
Alleged murderers claim Ahmadi leader killed by family
* Victim’s son says accused men pressing police to frame charges against family
* PML-N MPA manages to talk protesters out of demonstration against removal of anti-Ahmadiyya sign board

The four men accused of Muhammad Yusuf’s murder in the first information report (FIR) # 14/10 had gone into hiding and are still at large, according to police sources.
Political pressure: Fateh (the victim’s son) stated that the accused were exerting political pressure on the police to implicate his family in the murder. He said his father had no dispute or enmity with anyone, and had been murdered because of his religious beliefs.
The newspaper printed picture of a billboard in the local bazaar, with the following inscription (translation):

… Have no contact whatsoever with the worst of infidels and worst enemies of Islam i.e. Mirzais and Qadianis; and convey the same to your children. People who meet them will find themselves deprived of Mohammadan intercession on the Dooms Day.
The Daily Times; Lahore, January 11, 2010
Editorial:
Protect Ahmadis
THE RECENT INCIDENT OF MURDER OF AN AHMADI LEADER IN Ferozwala, a city of Sheikhupura district situated near Lahore, is a sad reflection of how society chooses to treat a section of the minorities, variously known as Mirzais or Qadianis in Pakistan. What is more disconcerting though is the apathy – rather collusion of the state – which not only allows such incidents to take place under its very nose but also tends to protect the perpetrators.
Instead of arresting the accused and investigating further, it is reported that the police let the four abettors go when they visited the police station with PML N’s member of the Punjab Assembly Pir Ashraf Rasool. Meanwhile, both the police and the nominees in the FIR have been pressurizing the family to withdraw the murder case. Alarmingly, even after the ghastly retribution visited upon Mohammad Yousaf, Khatam-e-Nabuwwat Youth Wing’s signboard on the main roundabout of the town, which urges believers to kill and maim Islam’s enemies and to socially boycott Ahmadis has not been removed. …
The Daily Times; Lahore, January 13, 2010
Ahmadi leader’s murder suspects ‘visit’ police again
*
None of the accused have moved court for bail despite being named in FIR 8 days ago
*
Complainant denies SP’s claim that he had asked police not to arrest accused
*
MPA says four men are innocent and he advised them not to get bail

Influence: However, Fatehul Din, the complainant and son of the murdered Ahmadi leader, told Daily Times the accused had been given undue favour by the police and PML (N) MPA Pir Ashraf Rasool. He said he had never asked the police not to arrest the accused. He said the MPA accompanied the accused to the office of the SP (Superintendent of Police) to influence the police.
The Daily Times; Lahore, January 14, 2010
Ahmadi leader’s family offered to withdraw case: accused
* Claim they want Khatme-Nabuwwat Youth Wing dismantled Family deny allegations, say accused conducting anti-Ahmadi propaganda.
The Daily Times; Lahore, January 22, 2010
Men accused of Ahmadi leader’s murder released
The Daily Times; Lahore, January 30, 2010

It is such attitude of authorities that precipitated the tragedy at Gojra. Some people do not become wise even after an incident.


Another Ahmadi murdered for his faith

Sanghar, Sindh; February 3, 2010: Mr. Sami Ullah was shot dead on the evening of February 3, 2010. He was on his way home after closing his shop in Shehdadpur. When he reached near his house, two unknown motorcyclists stopped him, and fired on his head and fled away. He died at the spot. He was 55.

He was a well-known Ahmadi, and a community worker.

A prominent Ahmadi was murdered in the same district two months earlier. He was murdered the same way as Mr. Sami Ullah. This means that assassins are from the same group that targets selected Ahmadis.
This calls for serious attention from the authorities. Prominent Ahmadis are being targeted in the province of Sindh at regular intervals.


Ahmadiyya mosque handed over to adversaries by executive order

Ahmad Nagar; January 14, 2010: At the orders of the District Co-ordination Officer (DCO) Chiniot, Punjab, an Ahmadiyya mosque in Ahmad Nagar (near Rabwah) was handed over to non-Ahmadis on January 14, 2010 upon the baseless grounds of pre-empting the extreme law and order disturbance.

The mosque had been sealed by the police in 2003 on similar grounds, and Ahmadis have remained deprived of their place of worship ever since. Ahmadis reported the matter to the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court in August last year. While an action by the honorable court was awaited, the mullas approached the provincial and district administrations, and coerced a decision in their favour that seriously violates the legal and human rights of Ahmadis. It is a deliberate and gross infringement of Ahmadis’ freedom of religion and worship.

This mosque was built by an Ahmadi, Mr. Wali Muhammad, at his own expense and on his personal land, between 1982-1983. The management and upkeep of the mosque were undertaken by the community. Ahmadis routinely allow other Muslims to use their mosques; in fact they allow anyone who worships one God. As such, on occasions, non-Ahmadis also used this mosque for worship.

In 2003, Ahmadis undertook repairs to the building. When the repairs were nearing completion, a cleric, by the name of Ghulam Mustafa who lives in Muslim Colony (Chenab Nagar), approached the police and claimed the mosque on the grounds that it had been used by Muslims. As is the wont of extremist clerics, he threatened violence. The police, under pressure, found it convenient to lock the mosque, with the promise to look into the rival claims.

Ahmadis presented the police with irrefutable evidence and documents of Mr. Wali Muhammad’s ownership of the land and property. The police SHO therefore categorically wrote in his report, on December 18, 2003: “In my opinion it is clear and there is no doubt that this mosque was built 18 or 20 years ago by Wali Muhammad Qadiani on his own land in his personal capacity. Muslims had no claim or role in it.”

Still the authorities did not restore the mosque back to Ahmadis. In June 2007, the District Police Officer asked for a report from the DSP along with documentary evidence. This was provided by the official who concluded: “… As for this mosque/Bait uz Zikr, Ahmad Nagar, it is, according to the evidence, the property of Jamaat Ahmadiyya.”

Despite such conclusive findings, the mosque was not unsealed. In 2009, the extremist religious elements initiated a drive threatening to take over the mosque, by force if necessary. Upon this, Ahmadis complained to the Chief Justice LHC. His decision is awaited.

The mullas however decided not to wait for a judicial verdict. They issued threats to the administration, and have succeeded in obtaining a decision in their favour by unlawful means. It is a victory for blind religious extremism over fair and good governance.

The DCO’s Order and the justification given therein are typical of bureaucratic circumvention. It is reasonable to assume that he had orders from Lahore to act in the mulla’s favour. He did not fail to send a copy of his Order direct to the (PS to) Chief Secretary in the provincial capital. In view of what happened in Gojra last year and to the Ahmadi school children of Layyah, the policy of the Punjab Government’s policy is there for all to see. The chief minister’s statement, after the Gojra tragedy, is, however, worth quoting here: “We do not have the right to rule if we cannot protect and provide justice to minorities”. (The Daily Times, Lahore; August 8, 2009) In view of the DCO’s Order and the chief minister’s statement one is reminded of a statement by Dr Israr Ahmad, a well-known Pakistani cleric: “Pakistanis as a people are the greatest hypocrites in the world.” (The daily Pakistan, Lahore; January 5, 2009)

The DCO quoted the anti-Ahmadiyya constitutional amendment and Ordinance XX to justify his unsupportable action. He has used improperly unjust and unfair laws to allow a gross violation of the fundamental human rights of a marginalized community.

In case the government differs with our above assessment of the DCO’s Order, it should commission an independent inquiry on the issue by an impartial NGO or judicial panel.

According to the daily Khabrain of January 15, 2010, “At this Maulanas Allah Yar Arshad, Muhammad Hussain Chinioti, Ghulam Mustafa, Deputy Amir JI Syed Nurul Hassan Shah, Qari Muhammad Ayub Chinioti and Ilyas Chinioti paid tribute to the DCO Chiniot for his bold action.” According to another press report, a delegation of Ulama later called on the DCO to convey to him their greetings and appreciation ‘for fulfilling his earlier promise’.

This wrong must be put right, otherwise the mulla will push for further victories, as he did in Swat last year.


Three Ahmadis given imprisonment sentence on faith based charge

Chak 21/WB, Vehari; January 28, 2010: Mr. Ijaz Ahmad, Mr. Yasin and Mr. Latif were sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and fined five thousand rupees each, on January 28, 2010 by a magistrate Hidayat Ullah Shah at Vehari, Punjab.

A case was registered against five Ahmadis on February 5, 2005 under anti-Ahmadiyya law PPC 298-C. This happened when Mr. Muhammad Arshad, an Ahmadi religious teacher in Chak 23/WB was being transferred to Chak 549. He loaded all his personal belongings in a trolley on February 20, 2005, and was on his way to his new post. On the way, armed anti-Ahmadi zealots intercepted him, took possession of his belongings, took out his religious books, notes and professional records etc, and later handed all this material to the police. The police, in pursuance of the interceptors’ report, registered a criminal case under the Ahmadi-specific law PPC 298-C against not only the Ahmadi teacher but also four other Ahmadis. The FIR accused Ahmadis of preaching their faith to “poor innocent Muslims (gharib aur sadah loh Mussulman غریب اور سادہ لوح مسلمان) on Hospital Road…, and they fled throwing away their pamphlets and literature, which were presented in evidence by the accusers”. They demanded in the FIR that further anti-Islam and anti-Mussulman literature should be recovered from the accused. This reminds one of the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001 when they arrested some Australians on the charge of preaching Christianity and of being in possession of Bibles. The police, in any civilized country would have detained such zealots on the charge of armed robbery.

Thereafter a judge refused to release the accused on bail. Eventually bail was granted by a higher court three months later. The prosecution however continued for five years. The state fielded false witnesses and rigged a fabricated and improved story. In the meantime one of the accused Mirza Muhammad Iqbal died. Mr. Arshad was mentioned no more in the challan or trial. The other three Ahmadis were arrested in the court and led to the prison to serve their sentence of imprisonment.


Blatant discrimination

Rabwah; December 2009: Secretary of District Housing Committee Chiniot, a government body, recently advertised in the press and in public that empty plots in Rabwah on the riverside would be sold by auction, but only to those who believe in ‘complete and unconditional end of prophethood’ and who is not a follower of anybody who claimed to be a prophet in any sense of the word or is an Ahmadi/ Qadiani/Mirzai/Lahori. This happened first in year 2005 and now again in 2009/2010.

There is a background to this vulgar exercise of auction. Many years ago, the government, in league with religious thugs, forcibly occupied Ahmadiyya owned residential land on the eastern part of Rabwah, and established a ‘Muslim Colony’ on the usurped land. Ahmadis petitioned the Lahore High Court and the honorable court ordered on 4 March 1976:

Status quo shall be maintained meanwhile, that is to say, the petitioners who claim to be in possession, shall not be dispossessed.

The matter is still pending before the Court and the stay order is still in the field. Therefore any auction of the plots is a clear violation of the order of the Court and amounts to contempt of the Court. So, the Ahmadiyya Office served a legal notice to the Secretary of the Housing Committee to stop the auction in 2005. No one paid heed to it.

It is relevant to mention that despite the Court orders, numerous mullas and their acolytes are in illegal occupation of Ahmadiyya land for years and have established there a mosque, a big seminary, and a so-called Muslim Colony - with government support.

This time again, the Secretary notified that After the final auction of plots in this scheme, no one will be allowed to transfer his plot ever to an Ahmadi/Qadiani/Mirzai/Lahori; violators will lose their plots, the construction material and their deposits to the government. This unworthy announcement was issued by Deputy Director/Secretary District Housing Committee, Chiniot, and he has quoted Order No. 3(1)76-H-M-11 of the Housing Urban Development of the Government of Punjab as authority.

It is interesting and relevant to read the following in the press:

Pakistan facing threat of terrorism and extremism (The Chief Minister Punjab told the outgoing Australian High Commission)
The Frontier Post; May 27, 2009
Pakistan is a society of endless contradictions, says Jemima
The daily Dawn; June 8, 2009

The forbidding action took place in the Punjab. The auction notice, publicized in the press, is placed at Annex.


Harassment of Ahmadis in Multan

Gulgasht Colony, Multan; January 19, 2010: Multan has been a hotbed of anti-Ahmadiyya activities for some time now. Three Ahmadis were murdered there in 2009, two doctors and a successful businessman. Several Ahmadi families relocated to the Gulgasht Colony of the city, but the mulla still pursues them. Ahmadi families are living there in fear and are exposed to harm all the time. Incidents in Multan were mentioned in the monthly report of December 2009.

This month provocative and hateful stickers were pasted on the door of an Ahmadi resident of the colony. These stickers expose the malice of the mullas, and promote hatred. The Ahmadi reported the incident to the police with the request that the culprits be stopped. The print on one of these stickers reads: One who does not strive to safeguard the finality of the prophethood and the honour of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is at risk on the Dooms Day. This sticker also bears drawing of a dead man’s skull and leg-bones. The other sticker reads: One who has any dealings with Mirzais will be devoid of the intercession of Muhammad (PBUH) on the Dooms Day and will face grievous punishment of disgrace. These stickers bear the address of the publishers as: Khatame Nabuwwat Youth Wing, Ferozwala, Pakistan. Their phone numbers and website address are also given in the bold: 0321-8852745, 0322-4669648 and www.khatm-e-nubuwwat.org. The authorities remain unmoved.


Ahmadis behind bars

1.
Mr. Muhammad Iqbal was imprisoned for life in a fabricated case of blasphemy. He was arrested in March 2004, and is currently incarcerated in the Central Jail, Faisalabad. An appeal has been filed with the Lahore High Court against the decision of the Sessions Court. It is registered as Criminal Appeal No. 89/2005. He is now in the sixth year of his imprisonment.
2.
Three Ahmadis; Mr. Basharat, Mr. Nasir Ahmad and Mr. Muhammad Idrees along with 7 others of Chak Sikandar were arrested in September 2003 on a false charge of murdering a cleric. The police, after due investigation found no evidence against the accused. Yet they faced a ‘complaint trial’ for a crime they did not commit. Based on the unreliable testimony of the two alleged ‘eye-witnesses’ (who were discredited in court), seven of the accused were acquitted, but on the same evidence these three innocent Ahmadis were sentenced to death. They are being held on death row at a prison in Jehlum, while their appeal lies with the Lahore High Court. They are now in the seventh year of their incarceration. Their appeal to the Lahore High Court is registered as Criminal Appeal No. 616/2005 dated 26 April 2005.
3.
Mr. Ijaz Ahmad and Mr. Yasin were sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and fined five thousand rupees each, on January 28, 2010 by a magistrate Hidayat Ullah Shah at Vehari, Punjab on baseless charge of preaching.


From the Press
*
Ahmadi leader shot dead in Ferozewala
The Daily Times; Lahore, January 6, 2010
*
Ahmadi leader’s murder suspects ‘visit’ police again
*
None of the accused have moved court for bail despite being named in FIR 8 days ago.
*
Complainant denied SP’s claim that he had asked police not to arrest accused.
*
MPA says four men are innocent and he advised them not to get bail.
The Daily Times; Lahore, January 14, 2010
*
Police yet to ‘book’ suspects in custody.
Men not produced in court, no paperwork against them yet.
The Daily Times; Lahore, January 19, 2010
*
Govt bringing minorities into main stream: Gilani
The daily News; Lahore, January 16, 2010
*
Congregational Friday prayer was offered in Chenab Nagar to get the mosque released.
The daily Express; Lahore, January 9, 2010
Note: In fact this mosque is in Ahmad Nagar (near Chenab Nagar); it belongs to Ahmadis and has remained sealed by the authorities for years.
*
Chenab Nagar: A mosque sealed for six years, has been released upon the strong demand of religious communities.
DDOR Tehsil Lalian and his subordinate broke the seal. The scene was worth seeing in the presence of Maulana Ghulam Mustafa, Qari Shabir Ahmad Usmani and other ulama.
The daily Ausaf; January 15, 2010
*
Majlis Ahrar announce program of rallies against Qadiani machinations
Meeting decides to hold conferences to stop rulers from following pro-American policies.
Drone attacks are the worst terrorism. We shall play our role to safeguard the end of Prophethood. — Syed Ataul Muhaiman Bukhari
The daily Nawa-i-Waqt; Lahore, January 22, 2010
*
Bangladesh bans religion in politics.
The Daily Times; Lahore, January 5, 2010
*
Fourth church attacked in Malaysia.
The Daily Times; Lahore, January 10, 2010
*
Over 12,800 militants caught in 2009
…the overall casualties amount to 12,632 people dead and 12,815 injured. Pakistan Security Report 2009
The daily Dawn; Lahore, January 11, 2010
*
2009 left a permanent imprint on Pak history.
2300 dead in various incidents including terrorist attacks (sic). 1000 security personnel killed.
40 killed in Lahore including Maulana Naeemi; 495 injured
328 died in Quetta in targeted killings; 332 killed in Karachi
57 women and scores of children among those killed in Peshawar.
The daily Jang; Lahore, January 1, 2010
*
2600 and 650 terrorist killed in operations Rahe Rast and Rahe Najat respectively
We had to launch a fresh operation against a terrorist organization that fought in the name of Shariah. — Athar Abbas (DG ISPR)
The daily Aman; Lahore, January 1, 2010
*
New edition Red Book published
Combined bounty of Rs. 65.85 million announced on 119 suspected terrorists.
The Daily Times; Lahore, January 12, 2010
*
88 die in attack on volley ball crowd (in Lakki Marwat)
The daily Dawn; Lahore, January 2, 2010
*
31 activists of a banned organization acquitted
The daily Dawn; Lahore, January 27, 2010
*
5 students injured in ‘IJT attack’ at Hailey College
The Daily Times; Lahore, January 27, 2010

 Op-eds
*
Then (after 2005) we became the victims of political expediency for the perpetuation of General Pervez Musharaf’s rule, i.e. the concessions he made to the religious alliance, the MMA. The MMA had sympathies for the terrorists and consequently the terrorists became very strong in Swat and Fata and set up parallel governments.
The Jamaat-e-Islami, the JUI and some other religious parties have been facilitating these (terrorist) groups. These parties have been sympathetic to terrorist groups and have not come out openly against them. The linkage of drone strikes with suicide bombings and then justifying the brutalities of terrorist groups is inexcusable.
Brig Mahmood Shah (R) former Secretary FATA Secretariat, in The Friday Times, December 18-24, 2009
*
Yes to church towers, no to minarets
According to Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi “Switzerland has done the so-called Al Qaeda or the terrorists the biggest favour.”
Sergey Balmaso in Provda, quoted in the Nation; January 13, 2010
*
IJT’s shenanigans
The Islami Jamiat-i-Talaba (IJT) has once against harassed and beaten up innocent students at the Punjab University (PU). The IJT activists (read goons) continued with their traditional terror spree when they assaulted five students and injured them critically. The reason cited for this incident was ideological differences between the IJT and the Insaaf Students Federation (ISF).

The Punjab government must take note of the harassment by ITJ students on campus and take its goons to task. The PU must not lose its glory because of a bunch of fanatics who continue ad nauseam to spread terror in the name of Islam.
The Daily Times; Lahore, January 29, 2010
*
Eventual ruling on a ruler!
… Third, most critically, the court has relied on vague “Islamic injunctions” and notions of ‘morality’ in the constitution, in particular to Articles 62 and 63 of the constitution inserted by that great Islamist fraudster-gangster General Zia ul Haq. (Emphasis added)
Editorial of The Friday Times; January 22-28, 2010

 Annex

Public Auction of Rabwah land: ad in The News of December 19, 2009; and its translation in English



Housing and Town Planning Jhang
Public Auction
Everyone is hereby informed vide this advertisement that a grand auction of one-Kanal, 10-Marla and 7-Marla residential plots, and 5-Marla commercial residential plots and one-Marla commercial shops in Low Income Housing Scheme Chiniot, and also one-Kanal and 10-Marla residential plots and 7-Marla commercial/residential plots and one-Marla commercial shops will be held at 11 A.M. according to the following schedule:
S.No.
Name of Scheme
Date of Auction
Place of Auction
Type of Plot
No. of Plots
Official call per Marla
Surety Deposit
1
Low Income Housing Scheme, Chiniot
07-01-10
Water Works Chiniot
1-Kanal residential plots
5
Rs.60000
Rs.120000
2
//
//
//
10-Marla residential plots
1
Rs.60000
Rs.60000
3
//
//
//
7-Marla residential plots
1
Rs.60000
Rs.42000
4
//
//
//
5-Marla residential and commercial plots
8
Rs.100000
Rs.50000
5
//
//
//
1-Marla commercial shops
13
Rs.130000
Rs.13000
1
Low income Housing Scheme Chenab Nagar
14-01-10
Water Works Scheme Chenab Nagar
1-Kanal residential plots
41
Rs.40000
Rs.80000
2
//
//
//
10-Marla residential plots
35
Rs.40000
Rs.40000
3
//
//
//
7-Marla residential and commercial
16
Rs.80000
Rs.56000
//
//
//
1-Marla commercial shops
33
Rs.100000
Rs.10000
Terms and Conditions of auction:The participant will have to submit the advance of surety deposit through a scheduled bank, payable to the Deputy Director/Secretary District Housing Committee Jhang along with an attested copy of his national identity card.
2. The participant with have to be present personally or represented by specially nominated persons.
3. Presiding Officer will have the authority to cancel a bid or bar it.
4. The highest bidder is required to deposit 1/3 amount of the total bid as deposit within 7 days in my office. This 1/3 amount will include the advance paid as surety deposit; otherwise the bid will be considered as cancelled and the advanced deposit will stand forfeited.
5. The bidding will be subject to the approval of the District Housing Committee, Chiniot. Approval/non-approval of the District Housing Committee Chiniot will be posted on the office notice board under my signature. No further intimation will be undertaken to the bidders regarding approval/non-approval. Every bidder is personally responsible to come to my office to find out if his bid has been accepted or not. Subsequent to this approval, the bidder is required to deposit the balance 2/3 of the bid in one installment in the Treasury within 30 days of the date of auction, and also will have to pay any tax imposed by the government, otherwise the sale/allotment of the plot will be deemed cancelled and the deposited 1/3 auction money including the surety deposit will stand forfeited by the government, and no excuse/objection will be entertained.

“The number of plots in above schemes may be cut or increased as per the demands of the situation.”

Special Note

As per Order No. 3(1) 76-II.M.II dated 7.7.1976 of the department of Housing Urban Development and Public Health Engineering, Government of the Punjab, individuals belonging to the Qadiani/Ahmadi/Lahori denomination are not eligible to participate in the auction (of plots) in Area Development Scheme, Muslim Colony, Chenab Nagar. Everyone desirous of participation in the auction in the said scheme will have to present an attested declaration on oath along with his application form that (1) He has complete and unconditional faith in the End of Prophethood of the Khatam un Nabiyyeen Hazrat Muhammad (p.b.u.h.), (2) He is not a follower of any person who claims to be a prophet in any sense or of any description after the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), nor does he consider such claimant to be a Messenger or a religious reformer, (3) He should not be related in any way to any person from Qadiani/Ahmadi/Lahori Community or sect, nor call himself or get called Qadiani/Ahmadi/Mirzai/Lahori (4) Successful bidders for the plots in the said scheme will not be eligible to transfer the acquired plot subsequently to any member of the Ahmadi/Qadiani/Mirzai/Lahori sect; otherwise the plot/the material and the deposited amount will stand forfeited to the government. Other conditions, terms and information concerning this auction can be had from the undersigned during working hours.

Advertiser: Deputy Director/Secretary District Housing Committee (IPL-1795)

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Sunday, January 31, 2010

Ahmadis murdered for their faith in Pakistan during 2009 - A Report

---Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat International, UK

Ahmadis murdered for their faith in Pakistan during 2009
- A Report


The persecution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Pakistan continued to escalate during 2009. During the year 11 Ahmadis were murdered simply because they were members of the Jamaat. This report highlights the brutal, barbaric and evil attacks that led to the death of those 11 people.

These 11 persons followed the example of countless Ahmadis before them in sacrificing their lives for the sake of their faith. Their deaths grieved not only their loved ones but all members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat worldwide. However Ahmadis will always show patience in the face of even the most difficult trials and remain consoled by the words of God Almighty :

“And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah that they are dead; nay, they are living, only you perceive not.” (Holy Qur’an, Chapter 2, Verse 155)

AHMADIS MARTYRED IN 2009
NAMEDATE OF MURDERLOCATION
Saeed Ahmad19 JanuaryKotri, Sindh
Mubashar Ahmad26 FebruaryKarachi
Dr Shiraz Ahmad Bajwa14 MarchMultan
Dr Noreen Bajwa14 MarchMultan
Mian Laiq Ahmad29 MayFaisalabad
Khalid Rasheed24 JuneQuetta
Zafar Iqbal24 JuneQuetta
Rana Ata-ul-Karim6 AugustMultan
Muhammad Azam Farooqi26 SeptemberUch Sharif
Zulfiqar Mansur11 October (body found)Quetta
Rana Saleem Ahmad26 NovemberSanghar, Sindh

BY LOCATION AHMADIS KILLED IN 2009
LOCATIONNUMBER KILLED IN 09
Multan3
Quetta3
Sindh2
Karachi1
Faisalabad1
Uch Sharif1

MARTYRDOM OF MR SAEED AHMAD
(95th Ahmadi murdered for his faith since Ordinance XX passed in 1984)

DATE:MONDAY, 19 JANUARY 2009
LOCATION: KOTRI, SINDH PROVINCE
BACKGROUND:

In the year prior to this killing Kotri had become a hotbed for anti-Ahmadiyya sectarianism. The police and local judiciary were always informed of any incidents but remained hostile in their attitudes towards the Jamaat and failed to provide any form of adequate protection.

FACTS:

On the evening of 19th January 2009, Mr Saeed Ahmad, 55, had just returned from work and was about to enter his home when a person waiting for him fired a shotgun directly at his head. Mr Ahmad died on the spot. The attacker fled the scene. An First Information Report (FIR) was recorded against unknown persons. No arrest was made.

Survived by his wife and four children, Mr Ahmad was a very pious man and had no personal issues or disputes with anyone.

The family had migrated from Sakrand to Kotri in 1990. Mr Ahmad was duly buried at the Ahmadiyya Graveyard in Kot Gondal, District Hyderabad.

MARTYRDOM OF MR MUBASHAR AHMAD
(96th Ahmadi murdered for his faith since Ordinance XX passed in 1984)

DATE:MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2009
LOCATION: NEAR MANGHO PIR ROAD, KARACHI
BACKGROUND:

As in other parts of Pakistan the Jamaat had faced significant persecution in various parts of Karachi. Only months prior to this murder in 2008 both Mr Basharat Ahmad Mughal and Mr Sheikh Saeed Ahmad were killed in the city as violence against members of the Jamaat continued to increase

FACTS:

On 20th February 2009, Mr Mubashar Ahmad, 42, was returning home from work on his bicycle following completion of that day’s work at the Steel Rolling Mill, when two men appeared. They fired shots at him and then fled the scene.

Mr Ahmad was grievously injured by the attack and was subsequently taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. His injuries were too severe for him to be saved. He was pronounced dead before his relatives could reach the hospital.

Mr Ahmad was an ordinary Ahmadi Muslim. He had not grievance with anyone and none had any personal grievance with him, except perhaps from those unknown to him due to his faith. This had caused him to be subjected to various forms of persecution over a long period of time due to his chosen faith, which ultimately resulted in his murder. For example, at his work place he had received threats to his life and been subjected to a social boycott.

Mr Ahmad is survived by his wife and three children.

MARTYRDOMS OF DR SHIRAZ AHMAD BAJWA & DR NOREEN BAJWA
(97th & 98th Ahmadis murdered for their faith since
Ordinance XX passed in 1984)

DATE:SATURDAY, 14 MARCH 2009
LOCATION: WAPDA COLONY, MULTAN
BACKGROUND:

Prior to these killings it had been well known that sectarian and militant Muslim organisations had prepared a lengthy ‘hit-list’ of Ahmadiyya locations and leading personalities. This list was known to include, amongst others, well educated professionals who be2longed to the Jamaat. We have reason to believe that the names of Dr Shiraz Bajwa and Dr Noreen Bajwa were on such a list, probably due to the excellent services they were providing within their local community and consequently the respect that they were afforded by locals.

Multan also acts as the headquarters of an anti-Ahmadiyya organisation. The particular organisation makes no secret of its hatred of the Jamaat based purely on doctrinal differences. Due to the acts of the organisation the Jamaat has faced many incidents of persecution in the recent including a major effort of the local extremists to have the Jamaat’s prayer centre closed down.

FACTS:

The murders of the married couple Dr Shiraz Ahmad Bajwa (37) and Dr Noreen Bajwa (29) on 14 March 2009 were particularly brutal and barbaric.

Both husband and wife had returned to their home at Wapda Colony at around 2.45pm. Their home was in a seemingly very well protected residential area. Approximately one hour after they returned home, their maid found their tortured corpses . She immediately informed security staff.

The body of Dr Shiraz Bajwa was found lying in the bedroom, hands tied behind his back, mouth gagged, blindfolded and with visible marks of strangulation.

The body of Dr Noreen Bajwa was found in the living room, hands tied behind her back, mouth gagged, blind folded and bleeding from the nose.

Nothing was stolen from their home. All cash, jewellery and other valuables remained untouched.

Dr Shiraz Bajwa was an eye-specialist who had worked at many hospitals including the Fazl-e-Umar Hospital in Rabwah. Dr Noreen Bajwa worked at a local children’s hospital. Both of them had excellent academic and professional backgrounds and were popular amongst their colleagues. Though they had received threats due their religion they had never reacted to the severe provocation.

MARTYRDOM OF MR MIAN LAIQ AHMAD
(99th Ahmadi murdered for his faith since Ordinance XX passed in 1984)
DATE:FRIDAY, 29 May 2009 (Martyr attacked on 28 May 2009)
LOCATION: PEOPLE’S COLONY, FAISALABAD

BACKGROUND:

In the weeks prior to this barbaric killing, throughout Pakistan and particularly within Punjab, anti-Ahmadiyya conferences were taking place on a regular basis. Although such conferences had taken place for many years, prior to this killing they had increased greatly both in number and also in terms of the hateful content of the rallies.

It is of serious significance that one day prior to the attack such a conference hosted by Khatme Nabuwwat took place and was addressed by a number of well known extreme clerics. A report of this conference was given in The Daily Amman newspaper on 28 May 2009.

Faisalabad is a hub for Wahabi activism and politically speaking the PML(N) has a strong base in the area. Authorities maintain a permissive attitude towards agitation and harassment of the Jamaat. In addition to a number of killings that have taken place in recent years, a more recent phenomenon that runs in parallel to the strategy of outright murder, has been the abduction of Ahmadis present in the city. ††

FACTS:

On 29 May 2009, Mr Mian Laiq Ahmad (54) died after being attacked the previous evening.

On 28 May 2009 Mr Ahmad was returning to his home in People’s Colony when he saw a parked Toyota Corolla blocking the road outside his home. As Mr Ahmad neared his home he slowed down and at that point unknown persons jumped out of the Toyota and ran towards his car. Mr Ahmad tried to reverse his car but as he did so he was shot in the head. At that point the attackers got closer to Mr Ahmad and fired at his stomach and arms. The assailants fled the scene.

Mr Ahmad was immediately taken to the local hospital and thereafter transferred to the Allied Hospital. His injuries were too severe and at 11.30am on 29 May 2009 he was pronounced dead.

Mr Ahmad was survived by his wife, two sons and three daughters.

MARTYRDOMS OF MR KHALID RASHEED AND MR ZAFAR IQBAL
(100th & 101st Ahmadis murdered for their faith since
Ordinance XX passed in 1984)

DATE:WEDNESDAY, 24 JUNE 2009
LOCATION: QUETTA
BACKGROUND:

Persecution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Quetta has a long and sad history. The first martyrdom of an Ahmadi in Pakistan occurred in the city when Major Mahmud Ahmad, an army doctor, was murdered for his faith in 1948. Since then, Ahmadis have long since been a targeted for persecution. The Jamaat as an organisation has not been immune; in 1986 violent riots erupted in opposition to the Jamaat resulting in the Ahmadiyya Mosque being sealed upon the demands of local clerics, preventing the practise by Ahmadis of their faith.

In this case, threats had been made via telephone to one of the deceased (Mr Zafar Iqbal) in the days prior to the killings. Mr Iqbal’s family has been no stranger to such persecution. Mr. Iqbal’s brother-in-law had also been killed because of his faith in Quetta four years previously.

FACTS:

On the evening of 24 June 2009 two Ahmadis, Mr Khalid Rasheed and Mr Zafar Iqbal were shot dead by unknown persons.

As per their routine, Mr Rasheed drove his colleague, Mr Iqbal, to his home. He stayed with him for about half an hour. As he was leaving suddenly unknown persons appeared and shot at both Ahmadis a number of times. They died instantaneously.

At the time of the attack, Mr Iqbal’s brother, Mubarak Ahmad, was also by his side. Two shots were also fired towards him but thankfully they missed.

Mr Khalid Rasheed was survived by his widow, who is a doctor, two infant daughters and one son.

Mr Zafar Iqbal was survived by his widow and three sons.

MARTYRDOM OF RANA ATA-UL-KARIM
(102nd Ahmadi murdered for his faith since
Ordinance XX passed in 1984)

DATE:THURSDAY, 6 AUGUST 2009
LOCATION: MULTAN
BACKGROUND:

Multan is the headquarters of an anti-Ahmadiyya extremist organisation. As reported previously in March 2009 a married Ahmadi couple were murdered for their faith.

In the days prior to this murder certain unknown persons were seen reconnoitring the residence of Mr Karim. Although Mr. Karim took a number of precautions, these ultimately proved to be futile against the determination of the assailants to murder him.

FACTS:

Mr Rana Ata-ul-Karim (36) was killed at his home on 6th August 2009 at around 10am.

On the morning of the incident Mr Karim left his property and whilst he was away three armed men entered his house. They locked his wife and children in one of the rooms and waited for the return of Mr Karim. His wife pleaded with the intruders to take whatever possessions they wanted and leave. That was not however their intention which was far more sinister.

As soon as Mr Karim returned to the house he was shot at three times. One bullet hit his neck damaging his windpipe, one hit his ear and the third hit his lower body damaging his kidneys. Mr Karim died instantaneously.

Mr Karim was a well known Ahmadi and very successful. He had a Master’s degree in agriculture and was in the business of production and distribution of poultry feeds and medicines.

Mr Karim was survived by his wife, one son (9) and two daughters (4 & 3).

MARTYRDOM OF MUHAMMAD AZAM FAROOQI
(103rd Ahmadi murdered for his faith since
Ordinance XX passed in 1984)

DATE:SATURDAY, 26 SEPTEMBER 2009
LOCATION: UCH SHARIF
BACKGROUND:

This murder was yet another provoked by the constant barrage of anti-Ahmadiyya hateful propaganda that permeates across all parts of Pakistan. Anti-Ahmadiyya conferences, anti-Ahmadiyya sermons and anti-Ahmadiyya literature regularly call for Ahmadis to be killed and Fatwas are granted stating that Ahmadis are ‘Wajibul Qatl’ that is that it is a religious duty to kill them. This is entirely untrue and a misrepresentation of Islam.

FACTS:

Mr Muhammad Azam Farooqi was murdered because of his faith on 26 September 2009 in the presence of his wife and daughter.

He was returning from a family wedding on his motorbike at 8.30pm when two unknown persons brandishing a firearm forced him to stop his vehicle. Because of the attack, Mr Farooqi, his wife and daughter, fell from the motorbike. As Mr Farooqi went to help his family the assailants stopped him and pointed a gun towards him. Mr Farooqi pleaded with them to take whatever they wanted and to leave him and his family alone. Ignoring the plea, one of the assailants shot him in the temple and he died on the spot in front of his wife and daughter. The assailants fled the scene without taking any possessions or money.

Mr Muhammad Azam Farooqi was survived by his wife, two sons and daughter.

Following this murder the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad commented upon this incident and spoke about the ongoing threat to Ahmadis in Pakistan. He said:

“The opponents of our Jamaat can murder a few of our members; they can loot Ahmadis of their wealth; they can destroy our buildings; they can stop us constructing mosques. But they can never weaken our faith…

“The members of the Jamaat worldwide need to focus on prayer. Because the way the situation is developing it seems that Ahmadis, particularly in Pakistan, are going to face increased cruelty and hardship. The ignorant opponents do not realise that their deeds are not harming our community but in fact are harming the country and society at large.”
(Friday Sermon 2 October 2009)

MARTYRDOM OF ZULFIQAR MANSOOR
(104th Ahmadi murdered for his faith since
Ordinance XX passed in 1984)


DATE:SUNDAY, 11 OCTOBER 2009
LOCATION: QUETTA
BACKGROUND:

This murder was preceded by the killings of two other relatives of Mr Mansur because of their faith. In April 2008 Mr Abbas Ahmad, the uncle of Mr Mansur, was killed in Quetta and then in June 2009 Mr Khalid Rasheed, another relative, was also killed in the city.

FACTS:

The body of Mr Zulfiqar Mansur (35) was found lying in the suburbs of the city on 11 October 2009. He had been shot three times, including in the eye.

Mr Mansur had been abducted one month previously when on 11 September 2009 he was abducted by armed persons as he left home in his car. The abductors then contacted Mr Mansur’s family and demanded 150million Pakistan Rupees. The abductors repeatedly referred to the ‘Qadianism’ of the family as a means of justifying their acts.

The original demand was totally beyond the capacity of the family, however negotiations continued during the following weeks and agreement was reached. The demands were met, however the abductors chose not to abide by the agreement and brutally killed Mr Mansur anyway.

Mr Mansur was survived by his elderly mother, his wife and two young sons.

MARTYRDOM OF RANA SALEEM AHMAD
(105th Ahmadi murdered for his faith since
Ordinance XX passed in 1984)

DATE:THURSDAY, 26 NOVEMBER 2009
LOCATION: SANGHAR, SINDH
BACKGROUND:

Many Ahmadis have long been targeted in the Sindh Province of Pakistan. In September 2008 two prominent Ahmadis, Dr Abdul Mannan Siddiqi and Seth Muhammad Yusuf, were killed following the airing of the GEO Television programme ‘Aalim Online’ in which it was said that it was a religious duty to kill Ahmadis. Another Ahmadi, Saeed Ahmad was killed in Kotri in January 2009. This latest killing continues a trend of the murder of well known Ahmadis in the Sindh Province.

FACTS:

Rana Saleem Ahmad (51) was the Deputy Amir of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Sanghar and on 26 November 2009 he was shot dead by unknown assailants in the evening just outside the local Ahmadiyya Mosque.

Mr Ahmad was locking the mosque after the sunset prayer when he was shot at from close range. The bullet hit him in the nose and came out of the back of his head. He was rushed to the Civil Hospital where he was soon pronounced dead.

Rana Saleem Ahmad was the proprietor and manager of the New Light Academy reputed for offering an extremely high standard of education for young children. Approximately one thousands students are enrolled. The education of children was a great passion of the deceased who wanted to raise the literacy standard of children in Pakistan regardless of colour, class or religion.

Mr Ahmad had also served the Jamaat with distinction in numerous roles.

CONCLUSION

In 1947 the Founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, declared that the Pakistan he envisioned was one of tolerance; where peoples of different faiths and beliefs sat side by side in peace and harmony. A Pakistan where there would be no discrimination on the basis of religion.

Twenty seven years later, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who professed himself to be a secular liberal, regrettably violated the vision of Qaid-e-Azam when he allowed for the Constitution of Pakistan to be amended so that Ahmadi Muslims were declared non-Muslim for the purposes of the law and constitution.

A further ten years later General Zia, who had assumed power after overthrowing and hanging Bhutto some years earlier, promulgated the anti-Ahmadiyya Ordinance XX in order to win favour with the mullahs and their followers. This was a further and even deeper wound to the memory of Qaid-e-Azam as it basically curtailed all rights of Ahmadis to practise freely their religion.

The Government of Pakistan therefore bears a great deal of responsibility for the persecution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat because these two acts effectively legitimised discrimination and prejudice against a minority sect. The legitimacy afforded has been pounced upon by the many extremist clerics that permeate all parts of the country. Rallies continually take place throughout Pakistan where the masses, much of whom are uneducated, are told that Ahmadis are legitimate targets and ‘Wajibul Qatl’ which means that Muslims are under a religious duty to kill and eliminate them.

This report has highlighted the cases of eleven innocent persons who were killed not because they had done anything wrong but because they belonged to a religious organisation whose motto is ‘Love for All, Hatred for None’. They belonged to an organisation that has always taught that Islam is a religion of peace and that Islam is the ultimate defender of all faiths.

The International Community and Media is urged to take action to safeguard members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Pakistan. The year 2010 was not a week old when another member, Retired Professor Muhammad Yusuf (70) was killed in Lahore whilst tending the shop owned by his son. Such horrific incidents are increasing in number and occurring in parts of Pakistan that were previously relatively safe. It is of absolute urgency that the International Community and Media condemns the treatment of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Pakistan and demands its Government to repeal all anti-Ahmadiyya legislation.
 
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