Pakistan’s blinkered political class avoids the issue of Islamic blasphemy laws

Commentary:  Analysis

Pakistan’s blinkered political class avoids the issue of Islamic blasphemy laws

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

By Roderick Samson

The Pakistani government has bitten the dust and can’t be blamed too much because all opposition politicians too have behaved the same way while Muslim clergy upped the ante on blasphemy law.

The PPP ( Pakistan Peoples Party) lost its governor in Punjab at the hands of a religious fanatic which the police had ignored in its ranks; and its MNA Sherry Rehman has been made to take back her proposed legislation aimed at humanising the said law in Pakistan. The British Raj did much better with Muslims when the latter were a minority before the division of India into the present three contending states. When Muslims in India complained to the British that their religion was increasingly coming under communal attack, Article 295 was added to the Penal Code in 1927 under which ‘deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religious belief’ became a culpable offence. It suggested a maximum of ten months in jail as punishment and the law did very well in the field. There were only 10 blasphemy cases in the 58 years between 1927 and 1985. Since that year, the number of blasphemy cases has soared to more than 1,200.

Journalists are not free of the blot of intolerance: the chief reporter for The News, Ansar Abbasi, wrote in Jang (12 Jan 2011) that he and a number of conservative lawyers in Lahore got together to file a petition in 1984 at the Federal Shariat Court asking for a law against insult to the Prophet Muhammad. In July 1984, a female attorney, Asma Jahangir, insulted Muhammad in Islamabad during a speech. This was followed by unrest in the meeting:

‘On this Appa Nisar Fatima, [mother of PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal who hailed from General Zia’s conservative district of Jalundhar in India] presented the bill about 295-C of the Penal Code. It was approved but Law Minister Iqbal Ahmad Khan changed the text at the last minute to assign “death or life” as punishment for blasphemy. Nisar Fatima took the matter back to Federal Shariat Court saying the punishment for blasphemy was a hadd and could not be less than death. Hearing started on first April 1987. Dr Tahirul Qadri held that evidence of intent was not required (sic!) before quickly killing the blasphemer. The Court gave the government till 1991 to amend the Section 295-C. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had to obey’.

Associate Professor and Head of Department of Law & Policy, at the Lahore University faculty of Management Sciences, Osma Siddique and Oxford-grad Zahra Hayat, have contributed a paper on blasphemy law which notes that determination of ‘intent’ was no longer a requirement before punishing accused blasphemers.: ‘The absence of an intent requirement in Sections 295-B, 295-C, and 298-A has made it possible for blasphemy charges that may otherwise have failed the mens rea test to spawn lengthy trials continuing to the appellate level’.

Was the ‘nass’ (clear edict) of death for blasphemy mentioned in the Koran? Listen to a TV discussion here to find how Jamaat-e-Islami leader Fareed Paracha ‘proves’ this. He quotes Sura Ahzab verse number 56 saying: “Allah and His angels send Darood on the Prophet Muhammad.” Then he quotes verse 57 saying: whoever hurts the Prophet Muhammad will go to Hell. But after that he omits verses 58, 59 and 60 and quotes verse 61 instead, which says: kill them wherever you find them. The verses he omitted actually talk about munafiqeen (hypocrites).

Not even his spiritual mentor Maulana Maududi in his monumental work of exegesis ‘Tafheem al-Quran’ interprets the above verses to mean that blasphemers had to be punished with death. Today, we cope with the humiliation that comes from having this law on our statute books because no one is prepared to think rationally.

The minorities – the poorest stratum of our society who had received assurances of equal treatment from the founder of the state, Quaid-e-am Muhammad Ali Jinnah – have to bear the brunt of this hatred of ourselves. When the world is outraged by what we do to women and the minorities here, we respond with xenophobia.

Pakistan’s politicians, when not hiding their collective head in the sand, wear blinkers so as to avoid facing up to the moral fallout from the current blasphemy law.

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author only, not of Spero News.

© Copyright Spero, All rights reserved.
URL: www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?idCategory=34...blasphemy+laws

Taliban oppresses Ahmadi Muslim sect in Pakistan

World:  Asia

Taliban oppresses Ahmadi Muslim sect in Pakistan

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

By Spero News

In June 2010, at least 95 members of the Ahmadi Muslim sect were killed and nearly 100 injured in attacks on their places of worship in Garhi in Lahore, Pakistan’s Punjab province. This attack is part of a campaign against Ahmadis by Islamist groups such as the Sunni Tehrik, Tehrik-e-Tahafaz-e-Naomoos-e-Risalat, Khatm-e-Nabuwat and many others who are openly sympathetic to terrorist groups, including Taliban. Ironically, most of the politicians were very careful to condemn the attacks on Ahmadis. Even Punjab’s chief minister, Shahbaz Sharif, leader of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Nawaz Group), has not shown his face at either mosque, despite living down the road from them. Mohammed Hanif, a journalist, writes, “When the funerals of the massacred Ahmadis took place there were no officials, no politicians present.”

Later, former Pakistan Prime Minister and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif said that the members of the minority Ahmedi sect are his brothers and sisters and that militants should be flushed out wherever they are active. His comments drew sharp criticism from religious parties like Khatm-e-Nabuwat Movement (KNM), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Jamaat-e-Islami. Maulana Ilyas Chinioti, the head of KNM, a member of the PML-N and the Punjab provincial assembly, also condemned Sharif’s statement. There was no doubt that Maulana Chinioti seems to be openly preaching that non-Muslims are lesser humans. Daily Times says that those who dare to defend the rights of religious minorities are usually labeled as being ‘anti-Islam’.

According to The News of Pakistan, a surviving attacker of the Lahore carnage, Abdullah alias Muhammad, disclosed that he was misled into believing that Ahmadis were involved in drawing blasphemous cartoons of Mohammed, and believed that killing them was a great service to Islam. The attacker belongs to a militant group affiliated with al-Qaeda. He was trained in Miramshah in North Waziristan, lawless tribal area of Pakistan.

Right after the Lahore carnage, a mysterious SMS campaign has been launched against Ahmaddiya community which makes them more fearful, the Minorities Concern of Pakistan learnt. Moreover, the Islamists issued statements in which they asked Ahmadis to cease from hurting the feelings of the majority population. Jamaat-i-Islami chief Syed Munawwar Hasan, on June 18, warned of a fresh Khatm-i-Nubuwwat movement if the “Ahmadis did not accept their minority status” in Pakistan. At the same time, many blame a “foreign hand.” Some openly said that the Indian intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), was involved in Lahore attacks. However, Interior Minister Rehman Malik declared on June 18 that the RAW was not involved in the killing of Ahmadis.

Ahmadiyya sect was formed in 1880s in Qadian, India. They view themselves as Muslims but hardliners consider them non-Muslims. They are a relatively small minority in Pakistan and they make up somewhere between 0.25 per cent (according to Pakistan’s census 1998). However, the Economist estimates that their population is 2.5 per cent. They have always been a soft target for persecution. The campaign against them is a decade ago. Before the partition, Anti-Ahmadiyya agitation instigated by Majlis-i-Ahrar, a lower middle class party.

In 1934, Ahrar arranged a big gathering against Ahmadis called Tahafuz-e-Khatm-e-Nabuwat Conference, held at Qadian. Ahrar was angry with Ahmadiyya community to support Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah for the demand of Pakistan. In 1953, six Ahmadis lost their lives when an anti-Ahmadiyya wave swept in newly founded Pakistan. The state constituted an inquiry commission; Justice Muhammad Munir as president and Justice Kayani as member. The commission’s report, also called Munir Report, carried an analysis of the Ulema’s concept of the Islamic State and of a Muslim. The report concluded that the concept of a Muslim differed for different sects and if the fatwas of the Ulema were relied upon to determine whether an individual is Muslim or Kafir then no sect could be called Muslim because of the lack of a single, coherent and unanimous definition of a Muslim and an Islamic State.

According to Waqar Gilani, in 1973, the then president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Sardar Abdul Qayyum declared Ahmadis to be non-Muslims. In the same year, Rabta-e-Alam-e-Islami Conference in Saudi Arabia also gave its stamp of approval to oust Ahmadis from the circle of Islam. The unfortunate beating of the students of Nishtar Medical College, Multan, on May 29, 1974, proved to be a major incident that infuriated this anti-Ahmadi movement. The students, going on train, started shouting against Ahmadis while reaching Rabwah, the headquarter city of Ahmadis in Pakistan, resulting in a strong reaction of Ahmadis to this gathering. The incident geared up the Khatm-e-Nabuwat movement that started a violent protest.

On Sept. 6, 1974, a minor incident sparked other anti-Ahmadiyya riots leaving 24 members of Ahmadiyya community dead. In the same year, they were declared non-Muslims by the parliament.

On April 26, 1984, General Zia-ul-Haq promulgated the Martial Law Ordinance XX. Through this ordinance he introduced some blasphemy laws which undercut the activities of religious minorities generally, but struck at Ahmadis in particular. Since then, frequently, they have been arrested for greeting someone with an Assalam-o-Alaikum, reciting the kalima or reading the Holy Quran. “In the period 1984-2009, 105 Ahmadis were target killed. During the same period, 22 Ahmadiyya mosques were demolished, 28 were sealed by authorities, 11 were set on fire, and 14 were occupied while construction of 41 was banned. In at least 47 cases, burials were denied in common grave yards while 28 bodies were exhumed,” Adnan Farooq and Riaz ul Hassan write in View Point.

Since 2000, an estimated 400 Ahmadis have been formally charged in criminal cases, including blasphemy. According to one report, in 2009, at least 37 Ahmadis were charged under the general provisions of the blasphemy laws and over 50 were charged under Ahmadi-specific provisions of the law. Many of these individuals remain imprisoned.

It is apparent that both the Pakistani state and society are both are very hostile against Ahmadis. Moreover, both printed and electronic Pakistani media have also played a role in spreading hatred against this community. Recently, the Muslim Canadian Congress (MCC) blamed the major media outlets in Pakistan for inflaming the rhetoric against Ahmadiyya, Ismaili and Shia Muslims. In particular, the MCC pointed out that GEO Television has become the voice of al-Qaeda and the Taliban, and spreads hate against these communities as well as against non-Muslims.

According to one report, “After the attacks some newspapers ran op-ed article creating an impression as if these attacks were a violent consequence of ongoing polemic between certain Muslim sects and the Ahmadiyyas.”

The Minorities Concern of Pakistan learnt that when Jamaat-i-Ahmadiyya’s arranged a press conference after Lahore incident most of the reporters refused to take tea there.

Adnan Farooq writes on June 18: It remained a routine with the Urdu papers to print anti-Ahmadiyya statements and hate-mongering stories with bold headlines. However, no paper published the occasional Ahmadiyya explanation. In year 2007, 974 such news items appeared in the press, but in 2008 the number went up to 1033 items. Almost all of these were prejudiced, hate-promoting and false propaganda. The daily Nawa-i-Waqt (with editor Majeed Nizami) led this bandwagon by printing 465 items. The daily Jang stood second, and the Daily Express was a close third. Provocative statements issued by various clerics’ are carried without any verification. A few of these headlines are translated below: Qadianis are not loyal to the country, nation and Islam: ‘Sajid Mir’ (The daily Jang, Lahore; May 27, 2008) - Qadianis are enemies of Islam and Pakistan: Shadabi Raza, Mufti M. Sadeeq (The Daily Express, Lahore; June 2, 2008).

Source: Minorities Concern of Pakistan

© Copyright Spero, All rights reserved.

URL: www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?idCategory=33&...m+sect+in+Pakistan

Statement about Ahmadis misinterpreted, says Nawaz

	Monday, June 14, 2010, Rajab 1 ,1431 A.H.
Statement about Ahmadis misinterpreted, says Nawaz

Monday, June 14, 2010

By our correspondent

PML-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif has said that the constitution guarantees the rights of minorities and it is their obligation to show respect to the sentiments of the majority.

Talking to a delegation of Ulema, Mashaikh, and party members on Sunday, the former prime minister said that his statement regarding Ahmadis had been misinterpreted and rather than wasting time while issuing statements over it, efforts should be made to create unity among people. He said Namoos-e-Risalat and Khatam-e-Nabuwat were the basis of our faith and no compromise could ever be made on these matters. The delegation called on the former PM under the leadership of MPA Dr Saeed Elahi.

URL: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=244866

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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Monthly Newsreport - Ahmadiyya Persecution in Pakistan - December, 2009

An aggressive incursion in Rabwah and its follow up

Rabwah: An incident occurred in Rabwah in the month of August this year which was not mentioned in the monthly News Report. It has left a trail that is loaded with mischief. The incident is mentioned below.

Two non-Ahmadi youth of the Muslim Colony (a colony established by authorities for non-Ahmadis on Rabwah land forcibly occupied by the government) were roaming around on a motor cycle near the Fazle Umar Hospital, Rabwah on August 7, 2009. An Ahmadi youth on duty at the location noted down the registration number of their vehicle. They took exception to this and were rough with him. They also called their friends on their mobile phone to come to where they were. One of them slapped an Ahmadi on his face; this resulted in a brawl. By this time some senior Ahmadis arrived and disengaged the two parties. The intruders misbehaved with them too.

The police came to know of this and sent for the two parties in the evening. Ahmadis presented themselves while the others did not turn up. At about 1:30 a.m. the police registered a case against 7 named and 3 unknown Ahmadis with FIR 364/09 under various sections of the PPC. The next day Ahmadi community officials complained to higher police officials who promised to look into the case. The FIR has since remained open, however.

The trouble-makers belong to the Niazi family of the Muslim Colony. On November 22 two of them came to the bazaar in Rabwah and insulted Mr. Abdus Samad, one of the Ahmadis accused in the FIR. Again they initiated a fight in which Mr. Muhammad Azam, an Ahmadi was hurt. A report was made to the police along with his medical certificate. The intruders fabricated a story and made their own report to the police.

There is a growing concern about such people coming over to Rabwah and fomenting trouble and disturbing the peace. They could be used as tools for some major incident by the crafty mullas of the Muslim Colony and other resident mullas whose main occupation is to create problems for the Ahmadi residents of this town.

Tense situation in Multan

Multan has been a centre of anti-Ahmadiyya activities for quite some time. Three Ahmadis were murdered in 2009 in this city alone. The affected families shifted to the Gulgasht Colony of the city, however the mulla persists in his drive against them. Ahmadi residents there are now living in fear and feel exposed to great harm all the time.

We mention here some incidents.

Some miscreants forced entry into the house of an Ahmadi office-bearer after the dawn prayer and waved a pistol at him.

A mulla came to the Ahmadiyya prayer centre in Gulgasht and tried to get some information about the centre and the community. When contacted, the ISI confirmed that he was wanted by the police. Bounty on his head is fixed at half a million rupees. He had been a member of the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba and also of the Tahrik-e-Khatme Nabuwwat.

Murderers of three Ahmadis have been arrested by the police. They disclosed that they planned to blow up the Ahmadiyya prayer centre in Gulgasht Colony with dynamite. They would have undertaken it had they not been arrested. They declared their intention not to spare even Ahmadi children after their release.

A heavy police contingent arrived in the prayer centre under the command of a DSP. They remained there till dusk. They were in contact with their SP. They told Ahmadis that according to intelligence reports there was likelihood of an attack on the prayer centre by a vehicle loaded with explosives. They told Ahmadis to put up a barrier of sand and cement blocks around the prayer centre. An iron fence was placed around the mosque that night.

Several suspects have been arrested from the students’ hostel located near the Ahmadiyya prayer centre.

Miscreants come to the court where killers of Ahmadis are undergoing a trial. They attempt to harass witnesses.

An unknown person visited an Ahmadi office-bearer’s home and asked for information from the family’s maid regarding his timings and movements.

These incidents and others have precipitated a great deal of fear in the Ahmadi residents of the area. The stress and strain of the prevailing circumstances are most severe.

A conspiracy and malicious drive against the Ahmadiyya community

Lahore: Express TV aired an interview of one Abdur Rahman in its program Point Blank (Anchor: Lucman Mubashir) on December 21, 2009. In the video Abdur Rahman appeared to be grievously injured. He stated that he was a great-grand son of Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas (the founder of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat) and a son of Mirza Nasir Ahmad (Khalifatul Masih III). He said that he had converted to Islam in 1999, and since then the community had viciously turned against him. He also made the accusation that while he was on his way to Ganga Ram Hospital, he was picked up by Ahmadis, beaten up severely and thrown by the roadside in a critical state, wherefrom he was recovered by some men of a nearby madrassah that belongs to Allama Zaheer. To this statement the anchorperson added that Muslims would powerfully support and protect all those who converted to Islam, etc.

Abdur Rahman’s statement was a lie and fabrication. He is neither the son of Hadrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad Khalifatul Masih III, nor the great-grand son of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. The anchorperson and the TV channel became willing and knowingly partners to the conspiracy, and were guilty of agitating sectarianism loaded with mischief and dire consequences.

Mr. Saleem ud Din, the spokesperson of the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan issued a press release on this incident. It was published in the daily Alfazl of December 24, 2009. Its translation is given below:

The accusation of torture over conversion is baseless and is a conspiracy to spread agitation (Fitna) in the country against the Ahmadiyya Jamaat. The statement of one Abdur Rahman, aired by a TV channel is ridiculous. Khalifatul Masih III had no son of this name. Press Release by Mr. Saleem-ud-Din, Nazir Umur Aama, spokesman of the Jamaat Ahmadiyya. Rabwah (PR): The interview of one Abdur Rahman, aired by a Pakistani TV channel Express News in its program Point Blank is ridiculous and riddled with lies. Why was such baseless and ridiculous news broadcast without due enquiry; as well as published in the daily Express without due inquiry. According to Mr. Saleem ud Din Nazir Umur Aama, the spokesman of Jamaat Ahmadiyya, this news and interview is fabricated and false, and is a conspiracy to spread unrest in the country against the Jamaat. According to the spokesman it is surprising that Abdur Rahman claimed to be a great-grand son of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani, the founder of the Ahmadiyya Community, and a son of Hadrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad, the Khalifatul Masih III. Anyone with even a rudimentary knowledge of the Jamaat, knows that Hadrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad the Khalifatul Masih III had three sons, Mirza Anas Ahmad, Mirza Farid Ahmad and Mirza Luqman Ahmad; all three of whom are alive by the grace of God. Thus the claim of Abdur Rahman, and its transmission by the TV channel without prior confirmation from the concerned people is an open violation of journalistic ethics and sets a dreadful precedent. Abdur Rahman’s interview is self-contradictory; how come a responsible TV channel failed to notice this? Mr. Saleem ud Din, the spokesman of Jamaat Ahmadiyya stated that Jamaat Ahmadiyya does not believe in any penalty for apostasy and strongly condemns those who propose punishment for this. Everyone is free to proclaim any belief that he or she considers to be true. History is a witness to the fact that converts to Ahmadiyyat have often suffered violence; while some have been put to death. The spokesman further stated that Abdur Rahman’s statement appears to be a part of deeper conspiracy. The media should refrain from propagating something without due inquiry, as that may lead to unrest. In the present national situation, great care and a commitment to truth is needed.

Incident at Karachi

Karachi; November 12, 2009: An unknown man wearing dark brown clothes came to the Ahmadiyya Hall at about 4 p.m. and started abusing the founder of the Ahmadiyya community. The Hall is used by Ahmadis as a place of worship. Some neighbours took the initiative to calm him down, and took him away. Ten minutes later he returned and went away on his motorcycle, while still shouting abuse. Ahmadis felt concerned over this incident. They posted additional personnel on guard duty to ensure security.

Sindhi press tows the line of Urdu press

A Sindhi paper Dalat-Awaz published from Mithi, district Tharparkar, Sindh apparently has decided to follow the lead provided by the Urdu press in matters of religion. In its issue of July 25, 2009 it took up in a big way the case of Ahmadiyya and Christian activism in that region. While it is true that Christian and Ahmadi NGOs are providing much-needed commendable social and medical services in the area, the paper gave it entirely a religious colour and indulged in accusations that the two groups are involved in conversion efforts by hook or crook. It would be much better for Dalat-Awaz to urge other NGOs to excel the competitors in providing help and services to the area’s poor, rather than agitate the illiterate and excitable masses over the faith of the helpers.

Amendment proposed to blasphemy laws and anti-Ahmadiyya laws

Lahore: It is perhaps the first time since 1984 that an important official tribunal has proposed revision of blasphemy laws, anti-Ahmadiyya laws and a few other sections of the penal code related to religion. The tribunal headed by Mr. Iqbal Hameedur Rahman, a high court judge, inquiring into the tragedy at Gojra, in which 7 Christians died, included these recommendations in its report and urged the government to do the needful on ‘war footing’. Excerpts from a report published in the Daily Times of December 7, 2009 are produced below:

Gojra report proposes amending blasphemy laws Tribunal calls for immediate action against those responsible — Calls for capacity building of law-enforcement agencies — Identifies factors that led to riots Faisalabad: An inquiry report on riots in Gojra in August proposes amendments to the blasphemy laws. An inquiry tribunal — headed by Lahore High Court Judge Iqbal Hameedur Rehman and tasked with looking into the tragedy that killed seven people — also warned the government on Sunday that “the Gojra tragedy must be taken seriously and the needful (should) be done on war-footing without further loss of time.” The inquiry tribunal notes in the report that the country is already facing grave challenges in the form of terrorism and militancy — which, in addition to destroying the economy, have “disfigured our national image all over the world… we cannot afford any other menace, (such as) sectarian disputes.” It says efforts to control such unrest must begin immediately. The 258-page report recommends action “without any discrimination against those responsible for commission and omission.” The report also proposes amendments to Pakistan Penal Code sections 295, 295-A, 295-B, 295-C, 296, 297, 298, 298-A, 298-B, 298-C, anti-blasphemy laws, relevant provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code and the Police Order 2002…. The tribunal reached the conclusion that the riots were a result of the “inability of law-enforcement agencies to assess the gravity of the situation, inadequate precautionary and preventive measures taken by law-enforcement agencies, a luke-warm stance by the Toba Tek Singh DPO, the failure of intelligence agencies in providing prompt and correct information, a defective security plan, the irresponsible behaviour of the administration, the complete failure of police while discharging their duties, the non-enforcement of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, omissions to take steps under sections 107 and 151 of the CrPC, the lack of a decision to invoke the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) 1960 – which amounts to letting the miscreants loose to wreak havoc during the course of the riots – and several other factors.” APP

The reality of some ‘Ulama Karam’

Taba Tek Singh: The government of Punjab has forbidden 30 Ulama and Zakirs from entering the district of Toba Tek Singh in view of the threat to peace during the month of Muharam. The list includes among others, Maulana Fazlur Rahman. Most of these clerics are regular participants in anti-Ahmadiyya conferences held every year in Rabwah. It is fair to ask that if these clerics are a threat to peace in Toba Tek Singh, why are they allowed to gather in district Chiniot (at Rabwah) to endanger the peace there. Also, at higher political stage, how come that a person like Maulvi Fazlur Rahman, who is a threat to social and religious peace in the Punjab, was nominated to the second highest post in the parliament of the country i.e. Leader of the Opposition. Obviously, the national policy at the top is confused or self-serving. These mullas deserve not only to be kept away from the people of Toba Tek Singh, but also from the people of Pakistan. Below we produce a translation of the press report published in the daily Waqt, Lahore of December 9, 2009:

30 Ulama and Zakirs’ entry banned in Toba Tek Singh. Maulana Fazlur Rahman included. Toba Tek Singh (On line): The provincial government of the Punjab has forbidden the entry of 30 Ulama and Zakirs in district Toba Tek Singh in order to ensure peace and security during the month of Muharram-ul-Haram. These include Maulana Fazlur Rahman chief of the JUI, Alama Sajid Naqvi a leader of Tehrik Jafria, Maulana Muhamamd Ahmad Ludhianwi of the banned Tanzim Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat and others of various sects. Others who face this ban include Hafiz Abdul Alim Yazdani, Maulanas Bahadur Ali Saif, Shabir Hussain, Abdul Khaliq Rehmani, Dr Khadim Hussain Dhilon, Maulana Muhammad Alam Tariq, Sahibzadah Zahid Mahmud Qasimi, Maulana Aurangzeb, Qari Abdul Hay Abid, Maulana Abdus Sattar Taunsvi, Maulana Muhammad Tayyab Tahir Farooqui, Allama Zahid ur Rashidi, Syed Ataul Moheman Bokhari, Syed Abdul Majeed Nadeem, Maulanas Abdul Tawwab Achhravi, Muhammad Rafiq Jami, Allah Wasaya, Khalifa Abdul Qayyum, Maulana Abdul Ghafur Jhangvi, Prof. Saeed Ahmad Asad, Zakirs Fazal Abbas, Anwar Ali, Safdar Hussain Sial, Ghulam Hussain Najfi, Gulfam Hussain Hashmi, Munawwar Abbas Alavi and Khaliq Asadi.

Note: The majority of the Ulama mentioned above are regular speakers in conferences held in Rabwah.

Concerns about a provocative pamphlet

Rabwah: A highly provocative pamphlet, naming “Qadianion ka ta‘aruf” (Introduction of Qadianis) has been distributed widely in the district of Khanewal and its suburbs. The central office of Ahmadiyya community took notice and brought it to the notice of authorities. Translation of this letter is given below:

Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Rabwah (Pakistan) h: 047-6212459 Fax 047-6215459 E-mail: nuasaa@hotmail.com Sir, Salutation We hope that you are well. A highly provocative pamphlet “Qadianion ka ta‘aruf” (Introduction of Qadianis) is attached (not included here). It has been widely distributed in district Khanewal and its suburbs. It bears provocative writings against Ahmadis. It carries writings out-of-context which are presented in a harmful way to motivate general public to target Ahmadis. It is worth noting that the allegations against Ahmadis are false. All Ahmadis, by the grace of God, revere all the prophets of God and have the highest respect and veneration for the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and could never think of committing such blasphemy. All decent citizens condemn such offensive actions, but there are still fanatic groups who are using the sacred name of religion to promote sectarian hatred. They refer to such anti-Ahmadi actions as their ‘holy duty’. There is a high risk of an unpleasant occurrence as a result of this incitement. 109 Ahmadis have been killed since the promulgation of the Anti-Ahmadiyya ordinance in 1984. This year alone 14 Ahmadis have been killed for their faith, while several others escaped from murder attempts. The present sensitive situation in the country requires that these elements be handled firmly. Unfortunately repeated reminders to the government have not triggered any effective action by authorities. This is dispatched for appropriate action by the authorities without further delay. Sincerely, Saleem uddin Director of Public Affairs Rabwah (Chenab Nagar) District Jhang

Questionable conduct of the Punjab government

Lahore: During the year 2009, numerous incidents occurred in the Punjab that had a direct or indirect bearing on the Ahmadiyya issue. Here we mention only three of those where the provincial government was directly involved, and offer a comment in the interest of all concerned. These incidents are, 1) Holding of a Khatme Nabuwwat Conference in the Badshahi Mosque, Lahore by the Auqaf Department, 2) Banning the Ulama’s entry in various districts of the Punjab, and 3) An announcement of the Mutahiddah Ulama Board through the Auqaf Department of the Government of the Punjab.

In the recent month of Muharram, the government took note of the serious threat to communal harmony and thereby to law and order in the province, and issued orders to ban a large number of ‘Ulama Karam’ to enter the province or to move from one district to another. Most of these ulama who were directed to stay put in their own residential districts were forbidden to address public gatherings (zuban bandi). All this was done to maintain peace and order, and was accepted by all concerned as an essential administrative measure. A few headlines from the press regarding this order are recorded below.

Punjab bans entry of 190 clerics from other provinces. The Daily Times, Lahore; December 26, 2009

Yom Ashur: 20 ulama recommended for detention. 105 ulama made to sign bond of good conduct in sectarian issues. The daily Waqt, Lahore; December 24, 2009

151 Ulama’s entry banned in Faisalabad The daily News; Lahore, December 12, 2009

46 Ulama banned to enter (District) Chiniot The daily Jang; Lahore, December 16, 2009

30 Ulama Karam and Zakir’s entry forbidden in District Toba. Maulana Fazlur Rahman, Sajid Naqvi and Maulana Muhammad Ahmad Ludhianvi also banned. Restrictions imposed for 3 months. The daily Pakistan; Lahore, December 9, 2009

In the last week of December, the Department of Auqaf arranged a Joint Announcement (Mushtarka Elamia) by the Mutahiddah Ulama Board and had it published in the press as a paid public ad. It was entitled, Do not give up your own beliefs (and) Do not infringe upon the beliefs of others (Apne maslak ko na choro Kisi aur ke maslak ko na chero). This announcement was drafted in a meeting chaired by ‘Khadim Pubjab’ Mian Shahbaz Sharif on December 13, 2009. The announcement expressed heartfelt pain and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in suicide bombings in Moon Market Lahore, Multan Cantt, Parade Line Rawalpindi and Khosa Market DG Khan etc. The announcement formulated a Code of Conduct (Zabita Akhlaq) and had it published. One of the items of the code read (translation): Islam also teaches regard for the People of the Book (Ahle kitab) and Non-Muslims. Therefore the Ulama should lay special stress on tolerance (rawadari) and unity, and should abstain fully from mutual incriminating edicts (fatwa bazi) etc.

However, earlier this year the same Auqaf Department sponsored, held and funded a Khatme Nabuwwat Conference at Lahore on April 11, 2009. It invited a large number of ulama including many of those who are now banned to enter other districts or are forbidden to speak at public meetings. The venue was decorated with banners that supported the Swat Deal (with Mulla Fazlullah), the imposition of Shariah etc. The speakers upheld the so-called Nizam-e-Adal. One of them said: “We are ready for total destruction of Qadianis in the country.” Another said: “Every last drop of blood should be shed for the sake of End of Prophethood”. One of the resolutions passed at the conference was: All the ulama should devote at least one Friday sermon every month to the issue of Khatme Nabuwwat. An effigy of the holy founder of the Ahmadiyya community was burnt at the opening of the conference.

With these kinds of gatherings taking place with official support, the government of the Punjab should not be surprised with incidents like the bombings in Moon Market, Multan Cantt, Parade Line and Khosa Market. The pious announcement of the Mutahiddah Ulama Board could not dissuade the bomber and his backers from the attack on a Muharram procession in Karachi that resulted in 45 deaths, burning of 2500 shops, attacks on vehicle, police stations and banks etc, loss of Rs. 30 billion and 10,000 jobs.

The Quran, in its great wisdom, sets forth parables regarding important policies:

Dost thou not see how God sets forth a parable of a good word? It is like a good tree, whose root is firm and whose branches reach into heavens. It brings forth its fruit at all times by the command of its Lord. And God sets forth parables for men that they may be reminded. And the case of an evil word is like that of an evil tree, which is uprooted from above the earth and has no stability. Al-Qur’an, Surah Ibrahim

Prolonged prosecution comes to end

A fifteen years old case under PPC 295-A has come to an end — at last.

Nine Ahmadis of Pattoki were charged for putting up a banner in their street regarding the fulfillment of a prophecy of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) regarding solar and lunar eclipses on the given dates in support of the Mahdi^as. The case was registered by the police, on February 23, 1994. Two of the accused died during the course of the prosecution, while six fled and sought shelter in foreign countries. Only one accused, Mr. Abdul Mujeeb continued to face a trial. At last, on 15 December, 2009 the Judicial Magistrate acquitted him.

It is worth noting that the administration and the police in the country charged nine persons for putting up a banner that a prophecy of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was fulfilled a hundred years ago. The state prosecuted all the nine accused, pursued the case for 15 years only to find that the judge was neither convinced nor impressed by the charges. What a criminal waste of public resources!

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. Dr. Muhammad Asghar was arrested on a fabricated charge of blasphemy in June 2008. The judge rejected his plea for bail. The police investigation found him innocent. Subsequently his plea for bail has been rejected by the High Court – and the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has directed his expeditious trial which is now in progress. At the close of the year, it is learnt that the Supreme Court has accepted his bail, but he was yet to be released.

From the Press

Blasphemy accused gets life imprisonment (under PPC 295B) The daily News; Lahore, December 3, 2009

Gojra report proposes amending blasphemy laws. The report also proposes amendments to Pakistan Penal Code sections 295, 295A, 295B, 295C, 296, 297, 298, 298A, 298B, 298C, anti-blasphemy laws, relevant provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code and Police Order 2002. The Daily Times; Lahore, December 7, 2009

Suicide attacks are Haram (forbidden category). Such attackers are outside the pale of Islam. — Islamic Ideology Council The daily Jinnah; Lahore, December 10, 2009

The US is waging war against Islam and Islamic culture, in the name of terrorism. — Munawar Hasan (JI) The daily Ausaf; Lahore, December 1, 2009

Residents, FPI (Islamic Defenders Front) raid Ahmadiyya members South Jakarta police secured six Ahmadiyya followers inside Tebet police station on Friday…. Salim Alatas, a deputy head of the FPI Jakarta chapter, admitted the hardline group had initiated the raid. He said FPI would demand the police detain the Ahmadis for violating the joint ministerial decree on religious blasphemy. The daily Jakarta Post 12.11.2009 (Comment: Extremism taking roots in Indonesia. Pakistan is enough for world comity http://alamsyahdjafar.wordpress. com)

World, Vatican criticize Swiss minaret ban The daily News; Lahore, December 1, 2009

Qadianis visiting India should not be allowed to return. — (Mulla) Allah Yar Arshad The daily Waqt; Lahore, December 21, 2009

Model Town: Qadianis have taken up Muslims’ mode of worship. Citizen in protest. Action must be taken. — Alami Majlis Tahaffuz Khatme Nabuwwat The daily Ausaf; Lahore, December 3, 2009

Terror incidents claimed 3,300 lives this year The daily Dawn; Lahore, December 31, 2009

Terror hits 3 provincial capitals. Twin blasts kill 10 in Lahore. The daily Nation; Lahore, December 8, 2009

12 killed as Taliban target ISI in Multan. Lahore bombing toll rises to 54 The Daily Times; Lahore, December9, 2009

Suicide attack outside Khosa’s house kills 33 (in D.G. Khan) The Daily Times; Lahore, December 16, 2009

12 killed in Lower Dir suicide bombing. At least 35 injured, some said to be in critical condition. The Daily Times; Lahore, December 19, 2009

Suicide bomber kills ANP lawmaker (in Swat) The daily Dawn; Lahore, December 2, 2009

Operation Rahe Nejat: 589 terrorists killed, 79 troops martyred. The daily Jinnah; Lahore, December 10, 2009

Boys college blown up in Bara The Daily Times; Lahore, December 19, 2009

276 Ulama and Zakirs face external and local restrictions in NWFP and Sindh The daily Din; Lahore, December 16, 2009

Punjab bans entry of 190 clerics from other provinces. The Daily Times, Lahore; December 26, 2009

Yom Ashur: 20 ulama recommended for detention. 105 ulama made to sign bond of good conduct in sectarian issues. The daily Waqt, Lahore; December 24, 2009

151 Ulama’s entry banned in Faisalabad The daily News; Lahore, December 12, 2009

46 Ulama banned to enter (District) Chiniot The daily Jang; Lahore, December 16, 2009

30 Ulama Karam and Zakir’s entry forbidden in District Toba. Maulana Fazlur Rahman, Sajid Naqvi and Maulana Muhammad Ahmad Ludhianwi also banned. Restriction imposed for 3 months. The daily Pakistan; Lahore, December 9, 2009

Karachi blast: Death toll rises to 45 2500 shops, vehicles, police stations, banks set on fire. Rs. 30 billion loss. The daily Jang; Lahore, December 30, 2009

Taliban attack Masjid. 36 namazis killed as high-profile army officers targeted in Rawalpindi The Daily Times; Lahore, December 5, 2009

Babar Awan has put us to shame by taking bribe. He should be punished for his criminal act. Lawyers. Babar Awan should resign in consequence of the discovery that his PhD is fake. — N. League The daily Jinnah; Lahore, December 7, 2009

The federal government has doubled the annual allocation for the upkeep and maintenance of the worship places for religious minorities – from Rs. 75 million to Rs. 150 million The daily Frontier Post; Lahore, December 5, 2009

List of 992 missing people issued (by Balochistan home department) The daily Dawn; Lahore, December 3, 2009

Liquor death toll rises to 26 in Multan The daily Dawn; Lahore, December 23, 2009

The Quaid desired Pakistan to be a secular republic, not an Islamic republic. Mullas compelled Bhutto to include the words Islamic Republic in the 1973 constitution. The condition that one must be a Muslim to be president or prime minister is also undemocratic. — Senator Haji Adeel (of ANP) The daily Pakistan; Lahore, December 26, 2009

Op-eds

Gojra accused …But Gojra is a tragedy that calls for a zero-tolerance approach: the full extent of the law has to be applied to anyone who commited a crime of commission or omission. Let some of the suspects go punished and the message will be clear to violent bigots elsewhere; their crimes may also go unpunished. (sic) Logically, then another Gojra could only by a matter of time. Editorial in the Dawn; December 16, 2009

Islam not ‘violent by nature’ Culp should know that anyone who believes that it is OK to lie cannot be believed at all, as how can we tell whether such a person is not telling a lie about lying? Culp needs to look at the Islam of the predominant majority of Muslims who do not believe that lying is OK, and only that can be a believable representation of Islam. For a person looking for an unbiased, non-hate opinion on Islam, Karen Arustrong’s various publications are a good source. Hate pages abound on the internet; hate talk often surfaces on airwaves; the written world is polluted by it sometimes. But that is not what free America desires. Published December 06, 2009 in Forum, Fargo ND USA

Swiss fall to racist panic The current worldwide uproar against Switzerland for banning minarets on Muslim mosques is the latest malediction to hit the Helvetic Republic…. As I’ve been writing for years, hate and fear of Muslims is the modern version of 1930s anti-Semitism. Just as Nazis denounced Jews as malevolent, dangerous sub-humans, today’s Western rightwingers, Christian fundamentalists, neo-conservatives have simply changed the labels to Muslims for Jews…. Most Swiss women who only got to vote in 1971, had no idea the Balkan Muslim women in Switzerland are as liberated as they are. I still have deep love for Switzerland, the country of my youth. But those who want a ‘Muslim frei’ Switzerland have dishonoured their nation. Eric Margolis in Toronto Sun reproduced in the Daily Times of December 14, 2009

Minaret referenda The strange thing is that the countries which give themselves the right to issue lists naming countries practicing religious discrimination against followers of other religions have not taken the trouble to add Switzerland to the list of countries which discriminate on religious grounds against Muslims in Switzerland. Neither did they criticize the debate going on against Muslims in France and Europe in general, which in itself is a form of racial discrimination against Muslims who are citizens of these countries and should enjoy citizenship rights, including the freedom of worship and freedom of religious affiliation. Ms Bouthaina Shaaban in the Daily Times, December 9, 2009