LAHORE: The Difa-e-Pakistan Council has said that Interior Minister Rehman Malik has personally refuted a BBC report that claimed the Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) has been declared a banned outfit in Pakistan.
“Interior Minister Rehman Malik refuted the reports of ban on Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat over the phone with me,” Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council and leading member of the Defense Pakistan Council told The Express Tribune. Ashrafi said that he spoke with the Interior Minister because ASWJ is a member of the DPC.
“I spoke with him in detail two nights ago” Ashrafi said, adding that Malik assured him that an investigation into this matter would be conducted. Quoting the interior minister, Ashrafi said that Malik did not know anything about the reported ban.
“Rehman Malik said that his office had not issued any such notification and that he was away in Gilgit and only found out about ban reports in the media on his return”.
Ashrafi added that “We are grateful to Rehman Malik for issuing a timely explanation, although we have always criticized him but in this case we should give him credit for this clarification.”
Was there a notification?
Sources in the Interior Ministry while talking to The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity confirmed the existence of a notification for the ban on ASWJ for involvement in anti-state, terrorist activities and sectarian violence.
An official of the interior Ministry familiar with the matter said that this notification had been issued in the third week of February, 2012 on the basis of intelligence agency reports revealing the involvement of ASWJ in terrorism activities and sectarian violence.
Ubaidulah Usmani, the Media Coordinator ASWJ also confirmed the existence of such a notification but he said the notification had been prepared for barring the entry and participation of ASWJ Chief Allama Ahmad Ludhianvi in an Islamabad protest under the banner of Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC). He claimed that this notification was to be used if Ludhianvi had participated in the protest.
Lifting ban on Sipah-e-Sahaba
The ASWJ have also been working towards a lift of the ban on Sipah-e-Sahaba, the proscribed outfit that the ASWJ claims as their own.
“We were from the Sipah-e-Sahaba, and we only changed the organization’s name when General Musharraf banned us” said Allama Muhammad Ahmed Ludhianvi, chief of Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat.
Speaking to The Express Tribune via phone from Jhang, Ludhianvi said “We changed the name of the organization out of respect for the law. Our real organization is actually Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan.”
“When Musharraf banned Sipah-e-Sahaba, Azam Tariq the former chief named the organization Millat-e-Islamia, which was banned as well, so when Maulana Azam Tariq died, Allama Ludhianvi the next chief started Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat,” Younas Qasmi secretary of Ludhianvi added.
Ludhianvi explained that, “The interior Minister has said that the government is ready for dialogue with those who are not extremist, so we think that our side of the story should be heard.”
Ludhianvi told the The Express Tribune that his organization challenged the government’s decision to declare SSP proscribed in the high court, and that case is still pending.
These statements come after a report by the BBC, published a notification by the Interior Ministry declaring the ASWJ as a proscribed organization. The ASWJ chief Allama Muhammad Ahmed Ludhianvi rejected the ban and said such measures if taken would be on the directives of the US.
Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, along with Ludhianvi of the ASWJ received co-founder of banned militant outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi responsible for sectarian terrorism across Pakistan, from the Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore in 2011. Ashrafi has spoken publicly in favor of Malik Ishaq as well.
Meanwhile, the ASWJ are preparing to participate in the DPC rallies in Peshawar on April 15 and in Quetta on April 26.
COMMENTS (32)
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@bigsaf: My dear i think u dont see the reality, Ludhyanvi hundreds of times Called Naqvi to Come and Talk... but Where was Naqvi at that time when ludhyanvi called him kaafir...??? whyt he dont wants to solve the problems against Shia And Muslims,,,...??? if he wants to solve the problems, then he must come for a table talk, then every body will see who is right and who is wrong..... Naqvi Dont Want to Talk with Ludhyanvi Because He is Accused and He is Killer of thousands of Muslims in Pakistan..... Iran is involved in Muslims killling in Pakistan.... Dont say shias are Innocent.. All that glitter is not Gold.....
BAN: There will be no ban ... Musharraf did same mistake and the world has seen how target assassination grew uncontrolled ... Do it again, may be dozen of 'commentators' on this page would be alive next year
@Babloo: "Muslims in India are among the greatest supporters of Indian secularism. So why do not Muslims in Pakistan, support secularism, with same fervour and strength ? I am looking for thoughtful answers."
Muslims in India are a minority religion. Secularism empowers them. They also support secularism in Europe and US. In fact even Pakistani Muslims who deny rights to non-Muslims in Pakistan and are Okay with zero religious freedom to non-Muslims in Saudi Arabia are up in arms when face veil is banned in France - where face veil is a cultural symbol not religious one. Even in France the hijaab is not banned.
So! no one knows in Pakistan what is bund, and what is not bund. Banned, I mean.
Babloo: Those who support secularism stayed back in INdia. And those who dont, went over to Pakistan during 1947 partition. May be ?
So BBC lied? Whats new?
@sj bukhaari Shia Sunni unit is nothing more than talks and reallty u can go to iran and see your self and we are with ASWJ its a reallty and we are with them.
@Babloo:
"Muslims in India are among the greatest supporters of Indian secularism. So why do not Muslims in Pakistan, support secularism, with same fervour and strength ?"
Historically, it is fact that when they are in a minority, Muslims strongly advocate secularism. However, it is quite the opposite when they are the majority.
@S.J.Bukhari:
I used to believe that...but over the years, and especially since the Taseer assassination, radical and extremist thinking is more widespread than we would like to admit.
The fact that the central government answered to them on whether or not they were banned, that the security services did nothing when some of these groups and individuals broke laws in congregating because they were members of a formerly banned terrorist group and openly raised anti-state slogans calling for more violence, tells you about the cowardice, sympathy and support these bigoted hate organizations have.
Munawar Hasan, Hamid Gul, Ejaz-ul-Haq, Ijaz Chaudry, are major personalities who served in politics and government representing a large segment of Pak society, and they stood right up there with the likes of Malik Ishaq and Hafiz Saeed, and other bigoted pro-Taliban Wahhabi/Salafi/Deoband/Sunni extremists.
Muslims in India are among the greatest supporters of Indian secularism. So why do not Muslims in Pakistan, support secularism, with same fervour and strength ? I am looking for thoughtful answers.
Well, actually ASWJ (or Sipah Sahaba) is a group of some highly intolerant Mullahs who have successfully gained much support by using Quran and Ahadis in 'their' way. I was very pleased pleased to see some tolerant and factual comments which are mostly rare. The SSP-ASWJ is, with no doubt, involved in the killing of Shias every day in Pakistan. For them, there is no need for any proof, being Shia is enough. And the clear-cut examples are 'Hazara Killing' - Kohistan incident - Mustaug Massacre - and many more. Ahmed Ludhiyanyi is the worst kind of Mullah having a great tunnel thinking. As said by a brother earlier, the govt. should rather ban the ideas of extremism from their minds. My heart cries on the situation of Pakistan. Please Sunnis+Shias, be united. People like these with extremist and radical thinking hardly comprises of 1% of Pakistan, they do NOT represent the Pakistani Nation. and I believe in Sunni Shia Unity- which will remain ever forever. "Shahhed Qaid Ki Aawaaz.. Sunni Shia Ittehad"
Shaheed Qaid here refers to Allama Syed Arif Hussain Al-Hussaini. Regards.
The rising face of tomorrow's Pakistan. Pakistan is on way to become another Saudi Arabia.
All the organizations who are involved in sectarian war, target killings, land grabbing, bhatta khori should be immediately banned.
O why Shiekh Rasheed why?.. I was such a big fan of yours and would have loved it if you allied yourself with IK.. but you chose the path of these close-minded mullahs.. you disappoint me sir.
I am extremely proud of my Muslim brothers and sisters of all sects ie Sunnis, Shias, Ahmediya, Bhoranis, Sufis and others in India, have no differences amongst them and celebrate their festivals with zeal and without fear. The one big difference which seperates both countries is that in India all religions are treated equal with no hatred towards any religion, caste or creed is taught in the text books. Though religion and its teachings are very important in one's life but it equally important to respect other faiths and not impose your religion's teaching on others. But in Pakistan the situation is even worst since one community kills people of other faiths in the name of its religion which according to them would give them a place in heavens.
Interesting religious extremist behavior seen in pakistan .I can guess what europe would have gone through in 12-15th century when any one can be burned in the stakes for heresay or calling them witches .Yes the church supported this even though Jesus advocated peace even when he was arrested . So Europe took centuries to reform and pakistan has to go through a long period to reform which may not happen in our lifetime.
@Babloo: lol..truth you said...keep learning like us ;)
@yasir khan: Could you just name few sunni who were killed by Shia organisations? The fact is the shia re being target and killed and nobody cab deny this...then why to ban shia organisations?
I never knew 2-nation theory meant Shias and Sunnis. I am learning every day.
@abdul moiz
Pakistan was created based on Do qoumi Nazria. And now we are eating the fruits of it. Indian Muslims live more happily than us - ironically.
@yasir khan: Name one party from the other sect that has changed name and is involved in 'politics'?
The sipahe sahaba has the sole agenda of spreading hatred among Muslims. I wonder what the agencies are doing? Do they also want to destabilize Pakistan by allowing banned outfits their blood shedding activities. The series of killings has started in southern Punjab after releasing of Malik Ishaque, Is judiciary also involve in blood shedding of innocent People?
Only people banned in Pakistan are those who dare question the defence budget or whereabouts of abducted peoples. These guys can go around spewing their hate with open arms.
So much death and misery brought to our country due to our public's obsession with religion. There should be a separation of religion and state.There is no justification for allowing religion to interfere in the matters of the state.Why has religion been allowed to dictate our laws?
ban all ultra rightist extremist parties, they are spreading hate, religious intolerance and theocracy.
don't ban the names, ban the extremist thinking and the terrorist mullah leadership. God bless Pakistan and save it from blood-thirsty Mullah.
If there is to be a ban,than there should be a ban on organisations of both sects.parties from both sects have changed their names and are carrying on spreading hate as before.the govt. should be even handed.
Only Gen Musharraf had the guts to deal with these thugs and banned organizations.