A large police contingent raided the office late on Thursday and confiscated all the material in the absence of the magazine staff. PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE: Giving in to pressure of a United Khatam-i-Nabuwat led two-month long vigilante siege of an Ahmadi magazine office, police on Thursday registered an FIR against the magazine’s administration and confiscated all its records since 1952, The Express Tribune has learnt.
A large police contingent raided the office late on Thursday. They broke the locks and confiscated all the material in the absence of the magazine staff. More than 50 anti-Ahmadi clerics were present at the office at the time.
The police did not let the protesting clerics enter the office. However, several Ahmadis said the clerics had tried to plant blasphemous material in the office.
The complainant, Muhammad Yaqoob, had sought the registration of an FIR under Sections 298-C, 295 (B), 295 (C) and Section 11-W of the Anti Terrorism Act, the police however have registered an FIR under Section 298-C of the Pakistan Penal Code only.
The complainant and other members of the Khatam-i-Nabuwat Lawyers Forum said they were not happy with the FIR. They called it ‘soft’ and demanded prosecution of the magazine’s administration under sections dealing with blasphemy and terrorism.
Yaqoob told The Express Tribune that they would use all legal options to ensure prosecution on blasphemy and anti-terrorism charges. “If the police don’t add the relevant sections to the FIR, we will move a court,” he said.
The FIR has been registered against the publisher of the weekly, The Lahore, Mian Muhammad Shah Jee; Editor, Yasir Zervi; Yasir Mansoor Ahmed and two others.
Yaqoob said that he had seen Zervi and two others circulating copies of the magazine on April 23. He said he too was given a copy of the
magazine and had found blasphemous content in it.
Munawar Ali Shahid, an Ahmadi and a rights activist, told The Express Tribune that Poet Saqib Zervi had started the weekly in 1951. It was published every Friday, he said.
Zervi died in 2001 and his sons Yasir Zervi and Mansoor Zervi took over.
He said the magazine had been publishing social, cultural, political, economic and literary material, but had now fallen prey to
anti-Ahmadi elements.
Prosecuted under: 298-C of the PPC
Person of Quadiani group, etc, calling himself a Muslim or preaching or propagating his faith: Any person of the Quadiani group or the Lahori group (who call themselves ‘Ahmadis’ or by any other name), who directly or indirectly, poses himself as a Muslim, or calls, or refers to, his faith as Islam, or preaches or propagates his faith, or invites others to accept his faith, by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representations, or in any manner whatsoever outrages the religious feelings of Muslims shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term
which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 15th, 2013.
COMMENTS (60)
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The real problem with Pakistani Muslims is that, firstly, they refuse to listen to what the real views of these Ahmedis are, and, secondly, they cannot counter a reasonable argument. Makes you wonder who really is a Muslim. Remember, to doubt another Muslim is a cardinal sin.
@enlightened:
It is also a sign of the coming of the messiah that people would be talking nonsense about him, so these signs are also coming true. He will come as of the wrath of Allah on the people of Lut, Noah and Hud, at the time when they were busy talking about them like you. So wait for a little while he will have you and you will be really enlightened.
@ashar: Vow...you have so much time to waste in comments..I have only seen one name repeated in comments and that is yours......my suggestions...go and pray to Allah that he may enlighten you whether you are right or wrong...rather than wasting time on PC .....use it in prayers,.... Remember it is 15th century and still as per your apparent thoughts the promised Massiah has not come....signs have been there for over a century and still no one.....??? I am really worried as to why no one has come and I keep on praying rather than using abusive language .. if you are not ready to pray then so be it...bye from me...
Honestly, such acts of bigotry and persecution remind me of the early years of Islam. Wonder if these Muslim police are really Muslims? But associate oneself with any religion is one's self right and I am not one of those cops..
I am sure ET you are still reading my comments before uploading. Difficult?
Such acts keep the ignorants up in arms, benefitting the so called islamic clergy with their despotic rich looters. Wrath of Allah is headed our way
@Aysha M:
"“true” muslims, who gets to decide that"
Your sentence is incomplete.
"Nobody has the right to identify another individual’s faith. Anybody who professes to be a muslim should be considered to be a muslim."
While that is a very humanistic perspective and I agree with you in principle, when it comes to religion, it is true only with respect to eastern religions that emphasize personal contemplation of one's spirituality and enlightenment. Unfortunately, you are wrong with respect to Abrahamic religions, especially Islam. Islam clearly enunciates who is a muslim. That is where the problem comes from.
Ahmadiyas are not muslims and if Ahmadiyyas stopped broadcasting that they are muslims all there willl no problems.
@truthbetold: "true" muslims, who gets to decide that
@ashar:
ashar @Mj: You are right I am scared of ahmedis.
Your comments are normally based on reason, this one a bit disappointing. In May 2010 Ahmedis lost nearly 100 people in attack on their mosques, was there a single demonstration staged, a tyre burnt, or any reaction whatsoever, stoically proceeded to burial.
Thank you for the link and directing my attention to it, I dont think I would be interested
My prime concern is that religion cannot be in public domain and no legislation can identify an individual's faith or that of a group. Period.
What a sad sad day for freedom of speech. Being Sunni, I do not agree with the Ahmadi belief of there being prophets after Mohammad (SAW). However, I strongly believe they have the right to believe in whatever they choose and call themselves Muslims if they want. In the end, who was right and who was wrong will be decided by Allah. My religion is not something so vulnerable that it's threatened by the existence of another sects.
It is really a dark day- I'm ashamed to be affiliated with this country where innocent people are persecuted for "blasphemy" but hate-mongers, child molesters, murderers, rapists and thugs are lauded and respected. Sick. Just sickening
@raj: remember its not the religion i.e. Islam that is bad , but it is some vocal followers who are in minority but are disorientated and very very fanatic that are falsifying peaceful image of Islam......
By doing these type of acts, one can not stop the increasing number of followers of Ahmadiyya Community. I personally think that this is the act of barbarism, and against the ethics of Freedom of Express.
@ashar:
That's a bad analogy. A Pakistani citizen can vote for MQM or PTI, without being legally accused, prosecuted or discriminated by an opposition party for being non-Pakistani if they claim they are Pakistani.
Now you've got me asking if a Sunni can be a Muslim at the same time? Maybe we should further legislate on our inter-sub-sect biases as well. Deoband in, Barelvi out, Ahl-e-Hadith...um...half-half legal ambiguity....etc.
@Mj: You are right I am scared of ahmedis.
For all my Muslim brothers and sisters who are supporting the ahmedi claim of being Muslims please follow the link below:
http://www.khatm-e-nubuwwat.com/pumphlets/eng/1.htm#18
My detailed reply has been blocked so please take this and read yourself. Attention aysha M
@ashar: It is a scary thing for a person to be ignorant and delusional.
I think my replies has been blocked because of too much truth in them.
Shame on us. Grow up Pakistan, learn the teachings of the Holy Book and go back to our origins of a tolerant society.
ET Moderator Where are you so called secular values....No don't post this for showing off....YOu should have posted my other comments
In any other country these "clerics" would have been arrested for trespassing.
@ashar: There should be an end to it.
Like Hindus at the time of partition, Ahmadis will be forced to leave or.......... in Pakistan. Pakistanis are still living in the 7th century. Ahmadis need to be proactive and seek International help.
@Ahmed: "None of this fuss would have been created if the first Ahmadi(who reverted from Islam) was treated the way reverts are suppose to be treated.By beheading him. Millions of people wouldv’e been saved from misguidance."
How peaceful. Remind me why you celebrate conversions to your religion, but threaten those who leave it.
@Kolsat:
Are you saying there not fight already among them?
What do you call all these attacks against Shia and Ahmadis?
@ashar:
I beg your pardon, Shias are Muslims, who says they are not.
A.37% of Pakistanis
B. 48% of Indonesians
C. 52% of Egyptians
D. 100% of Sipah-e-Sahaba/ ASWJ Pakistan
What do you propose to do about it?
http://www.pewforum.org/Muslim/the-worlds-muslims-unity-and-diversity-5-religious-identity.aspx#shias
Moderator ET- Burying its head in sand never helped the Ostrich, not will it help you or Ashar too.
@Aysha M: Please Aysha, don't waste your time casting pearls before Ashar. He has the IQ of a typical Mullah. In Iran sunnis are not considered Muslims, do that make the non-Muslims? Many Muslims believe that those who do not believe in Hadiths are not Muslims!!!!!!Those who believe that Jesus is not alive in heaven are not Muslims!!!!!! Those who pray to dead people are not Muslims and soon and so forth. Ashar should read the verdict of Justice Munir in 1953.
The fact is that Pakistani sarkari muslims are too weak of faith to match the understanding of the Ahmadi Muslims, intellectually and thus only have violence as their weapons.
Obsessed with religion and not development.that is where the problem starts in Pakistan.All this obsession,where has it taken Pakistan?
A number of precedents show that now no relief is given to the Ahmadis charged under 298-C by the Judiciary irrespective of frivolous charges included in the FIR.But still a large majority of the followers of this sect have a wishful thinking of getting justice under the Constitutional Provisions granting fundamental rights to the citizens of Pakistan.
hey Quadianis are non muslims , we all respect humans , they have every right as other Pakistanis but propagating their british sponsored false agenda is unethical and must be banned .
@Padishah: Jazakallah! Very well said.
None of this fuss would have been created if the first Ahmadi(who reverted from Islam) was treated the way reverts are suppose to be treated.By beheading him.
Millions of people wouldv'e been saved from misguidance.
@truthbetold: vow.....you seem to be very very bossy, pushy....calm down and remember la ikraha fid deen....
@ashar:
I beg your pardon, Shias are Muslims, who says they are not.
At least 37% of Pakistanis say so.
http://www.pewforum.org/Muslim/the-worlds-muslims-unity-and-diversity-5-religious-identity.aspx
Including the Sipah e Sahaba and the ASWJ and the bombers of Hazras of Quetta and Abbas Town in Karachi.
Would you like to picket them, please?
@ashar: how can u say that Ahmadis are or claim to be different..? they have same quarn, same nimaz, they beleive in khatamiat and same tenets of Iman....mainstream muslims expect messaiah to come even in presence of khatamiat, christians also expect him, hindus expect an avatar and all others faith also waiting.....ahmadis just say that he has come...nothing else.... i am sure this comment will be deleted being pro ahmadiat but remember I am not ahmadi...on the contrary I am worried as to why the avatar/messiah awaited to come has not come yet, though all the signs are there....religious discrimination aside, we should study this and may be ask for help from Allah... anyway this comment is bound to be deleted by this "liberal" newspaper...
@ashar:
As for the books, please read the writings of their leaders or have a copy of any book written by a Muslim about ahmedis.
Time for the rest of the world to learn from the pious people of Pakistan.
A. To begin with, all others must adopt 'Blasphemy Laws' of their own.
B. These laws should declare any one who does not believe that Christ was Son of God or Ram was not God Incarnate should be punished for Blasphemy on the spot.
C. All Books preaching such Blasphemy be banned forthwith.
I hope you will agree with me.
Imagine West doing this to Sunnis or Shias. Whole of Pakistan will be protesting and burning public property. Shameful display of intolerance and hypocrisy
We Should respect all Prophets and being Muslims it is incumbent upon us. In our Land of the Pure all laws, police/judiciary are misused by the Rulers Having said that, I dont know now who is lying and who is telling the truth our society and moral values have gone. I pray to the ALLMIGHTY to guide us in this era of turmoil and help our oppressed nation
The Ahmedis have two very clear choices. One, as per demand from "true" Muslims, they can stop calling themselves themselves Muslims. Second, they can decide they don't want to have anything to do with Islam any more.
@ashar: So are Ahmedis, no legislative proceedings can actually decide an individual's faith but he himself can do that, to be later judged by the Almighty. If he says he is a muslim, so he is, what kind, that is between him and his Creator
@Aysha M: I beg your pardon, Shias are Muslims, who says they are not.
This country no longer deserves the name 'Pakistan'. This name symbolised freedom, equality and civil rights. This country is now the complete opposite of that, therefore it does not deserve that name either.
@ashar: It is passionately establishing divisions, so you cannot be a shia and be a muslim, Dont we have sects within Islam
Innalillahe wa innellaihe rajeoon. I am feeling the wrath of Allah coming soon upon this country.
@Aysha M:
Politically speaking, can a person be a member of PTI and MQM at the same time. Of course not, then how it is possible that an ahmedi is ahmedi and Muslim at the same time. They are poles apart. Please think realistically, this is not the matter of treating them badly, they are living with us for a long long time but the basic problem with them should be resolved and in fact they have raised it again otherwise every thing was fine.
As for the books, please read the writings of their leaders or have a copy of any book written by a Muslim about ahmedis.
@Huzaifa: how is it a service to Islam
@ashar: Nobody has the right to identify another individual's faith. Anybody who professes to be a muslim should be considered to be a muslim. Nobody has to measure the muslimness of a person and declare him non-muslim, or not-so-good muslim. Would you care to mention the books you are referring to
A great service rendered to Islam. This way, the true believers will be able to eliminate all other sects one by one and one day a purified Islamic state will transpire, may be with population of some thousands.. but who will decide that who are the true believers?
I dont understand why these people are not ceasing to assert themselves as Muslims, while in their own books it is very clearly stated that they are different by virtue of their faith. There should be an end to it. Now after this news there will be loads of comments arguing that why they cannot be called Muslims and our illiterate Muslims will also join them. Beating about the bush.
Religion is an enemy of itself.
Leave Ahmedis alone!!! You are picking on a minority which would win any TV\public debate on Islam if one were to be held. They are better educated than all the rabid Maulana's who have misled Pakistanis for the last 60 years making a mess of everything. I hate our gutless politicians who cannot stand and say the right things fearing the public. What a bunch of cowards we lot are. Most Pakistanis do not understand the teachings of the Koran. All they know is kill, maim and steal others property in the name of Islam.
Bigotry and propaganda prevail and freedom of expression loses. Is this Islam?
Great way to propel incumbents I to pro mulla sphere..once again. MashAllah.
Lets teach our people to ignore the concept of tolerance because we are so weak in our faith that we are paranoid if minorities taking over planet earth.
Nawaz...quit wasting our valuable resources on stupid things and go fight the real war.
An appeal to all Ahmadi citizens of Pakistan: Leave this country if you can ! Your persecution and that of all minorities appears to be on the rise and the fanatics and their cohorts wouldn't rest until all the minorities have been purged of this Pak country to make it even Pak-er !
I am speechless and dumbfounded at the creeping intolerance within the country that is spreading to the 'professional 'class ! How could a lawyer be so heartless and apathetic towards the sentiments of a community that just goes about practicing their own faith.
Its high time that western countries banned the entities that didn't conform to their own fabric of judeo-christian values.
This is absurdistan !
Nothing unexpected
This stupidity of deciding who can or cannot be a Muslim should be stoped forthwith. In Muslim extremists of Belgium are saying that those who oppose sharia are not Muslim. Islam has to modernise otherwise there will be fights among them. This not to say that they should abandon their religion but accept that there can be several valid interpretations of Islam. I want to challenge those who call Islam as a religion of peace to show that it is so. Otherwise it will become an untruth.
Welcome to Pakistan - A Glimpse into the Dark Ages.
now internet will come here and cry in comments ಥ_ಥ