Murder: Victim’s family says hafiz was being threatened to stop religious work

Adnan Qadri was being threatened over the phone a week before he was killed in New Karachi.

KARACHI: A 28-year-old hafiz, Adnan Sheikh Qadri, who subscribed to the Barelvi school of thought, was being threatened over the phone a week before he was killed in New Karachi, The Express Tribune learnt during the course of investigation on the police case. Qadri’s family said a rival sectarian group wanted to stop him from supporting and working for the Barelvis.

“Everyone knows who killed my brother,” said Qadri’s eldest brother. “Why are his murderers still free? Is the police scared of them?” The culprits should be arrested and punished so that these incidents are never repeated, the family appealed.

Earlier, the rival sectarian group blamed by the family had rebuffed all allegations, saying it was a conspiracy against their organisation.

Qadri was shot dead on February 19 on his way back home from a milad [hymn recital] in Sector 5-E, New Karachi within the jurisdiction of the New Karachi Industrial Area police.

“Adnan was a brave man,” Qadri’s brother-in-law Shabbir Qadri told The Express Tribune. “He was not scared or intimidated by the threats.”

Shabbir said Qadri told the family about the threatening phone calls. “We do not want to kill you but we will if you continue working for Milad-e-Mustafa,” the anonymous caller had warned.

According to the family, this was not the first time someone had threatened them. Qadri had been receiving warnings from several numbers in the past. We asked him to inform the police but he never did, the family said. “He believed in Allah and never felt the need to tell the police.”

The family hails from Hyderabad and has been living in New Karachi for the last 12 years. Qadri was the second of six brothers. He was married but had no children. “My brother was innocent,” said the eldest brother, Farhan Sheikh Qadri, who also used to teach in a religious seminary. Hundreds of people took to the streets to protest his brother’s killing, added Farhan.

Qadri had been teaching at the Islamic Mission department of Jama Masjid Farooq-e-Azam for the last three years. He was also teaching at the Idara Taleemat-e-Islamia in Rabbani Masjid for 10 years.  He was affiliated only with the Dawat-e-Islami and had no link with any other party, his brother maintained.

Inspector Shehzad said that right now they have no leads. The first priority is to control the law and order situation in that area (New Karachi).

Recently, an operation was carried out in the area and Rangers arrested dozens of suspects - most of whom were released soon. “Things have calmed down now and there is no need to be scared anymore,” a Rangers official said.

Residents, however, believe it is only a temporary respite. They demanded a permanent solution. “We are not with any party,” said resident Imran Shahid. “We just want peace.”

Another resident summed it up: “Adnan Qadri is today’s victim. Who will be next?”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 2^nd, 2011.