Paying tribute: Remembering Maulana Bijli Ghar

Amir Muhammad was outspoken in his criticism of politicians, education and women.

PESHAWAR: Friends and colleagues of the late Maulana Amir Bijli Ghar paid tribute to the controversial cleric at Nishtar Hall on Thursday.

Maulana Amir Muhammad, popularly known as Bijli Ghar, died on December 30, 2012 at 86.The condolence reference was arranged by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Peshawar chapter.

Addressing the gathering, JUI-F deputy general secretary Maulana Amanat Shah said that Bijli Ghar was one of the closest associates of late Mufti Mehmood, former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) chief minister and also chief of JUI-F.  He was among the few politicians who stood with the new JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman following his father’s death, Shah said.

Bijli Ghar was known for his outspoken views in the Pukhtun belt, including K-P, tribal areas, Afghanistan and Balochistan. No other religious figure can match his popularity, Shah said.

In his Friday sermons at the grid station mosque on Kohat Road, Bijli Ghar would be fiery in his criticism of politicians, political systems, education and women. His speeches were packed with sexual and misogynistic innuendoes and gestures against women frequenting public places.

JUI-F’s provincial chief Sheikh Amanullah termed Bijli Ghar’s death as a big loss and said that he always stood for truth and combated social vices.

Maulana Abdul Majeed Nadeem Shah, who had been a close friend of Bijli Ghar, said the country’s situation was out of control.  Indirectly referring to Dr Tahirul Qadri without taking his name, he said, “It is a doomsday scenario to impose such people on this nation who are being supported by a particular lobby.”

He said that Pakistan can only come out of its present predicament once it reverts to an ideology, which forms the basis of its creation.

Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai and other JUI-F leaders were also present at the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2013.