Gulshan Ravi police had detained seven Ahmadi men after raiding a building on Sunday. PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE:
Eight Ahmadi men, including a prayer leader, detained by police for two days, were on Tuesday booked on charges of blasphemy and terrorism.
Gulshan Ravi police had detained seven Ahmadi men after raiding a building on Sunday. The police had tried to placate a group of protesters led by some clerics by registering an FIR under Section-452 of the Pakistan Penal Code (trespass) against an unidentified person.
On Tuesday they registered an FIR against the detained men on the complaint of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Ulema and Mushaikh Wing Joint Secretary Abdul Aziz under section 295-B of the PPC (defiling the Quran) and Section-11W of the Anti Terrorism Act (printing, publishing, or disseminating material to incite hatred).
This is the second such incident this month in Lahore. Earlier an FIR was registered under Sections 295-B, 295-C of the PPC and Section-11W of the Anti Terrorism Act on April 12 at Islampura police station.
Aziz, the complainant, said he was not a witness to the trespass.
The seven Ahmadis who had been detained by police on Sunday were nominated in the FIR. Aziz alleged that some men had entered Usman’s house during the day. As Usman’s family shouted upon seeing them, they turned away and entered a neighbouring building, later found out to be an Ahmadi place of worship. Aziz said a book one of the men had been carrying fell on the ground. It was found to have contained blasphemous content.
Aziz told The Express Tribune that he was a PML-N office bearer. While the FIR nominated eight men who had been detained earlier, Aziz said, he would pressure the police into arresting 15 other Ahmadis who had been present at the place of worship.
Muhammad Hassan Muavia, spokesperson of the Khatam-i-Nabuwat Lawyers Forum, told The Express Tribune that the Forum had succeeded in getting an FIR registered against the Ahmadis. He said the police did not seem keen on prosecuting the Ahmadis but had been successfully pressured into registering the FIR.
He said police had requested the protesters not to nominate five of the seven Ahmadis in police custody, but they had not agreed. “We carried weapons in ... Police took away two of our pistols even though we had licences for them,” said Muavia.
Jamaat-i-Ahmadiya Pakistan Spokesperson Saleemudin said the anti-Ahmadiya movement in Lahore was active and strong since attacks on two of their places of worship on May 28, 2010. He said the anti-Ahmadiya elements. He said they enjoyed tacit government support and were guilty of violating human rights.
He said the elements, who have been propagating hatred against the Ahmadiya community, had also attacked a place of worship in Gulshan Ravi. The police, instead of helping them, had branded innocent Ahmadis as terrorists.
“When the mob tried to attack the place, the people inside did not open the door. They called police who then arrested Ahmadis,” Saleemudin said.
The caretaker government, too had turned a blind eye to the anti-Ahmadiya activities in the city, he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 1st, 2013.
COMMENTS (16)
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Ahmedis were declared "Constitutional Non Muslims" based on their faith; therefore it would be expected that their religious text would be different from "Constitutional Muslims'" text, nothing blasphemous about that! If one were to buy prosecution and plaintiff's arguement then every Christian is committing blasphemy every Sunday by simply reading New Testament and affirming their faith in Holy Trinity! Iqbql got it absolutely right when he said "Din e Mulla; fe sabillah fasad!
It is only due to the Ahmadi Muslims that Pakistan was existed. At one point the founder of Pakistan Qaid -e-Azam Muhamad ALi Jannah refused to make Pakistan. Then it was the Hadrat mirza Bashirudin Mahmud the Second successor of Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam convinced him to pursue for his mission of a separate Muslim state, and now look what they are doing with Ahmadiz..it is soo sad but we have firm faith in God, Our God speaks to us, guide us, because he is an alive God. Who would come for our help and when he will come no one can stop Him. "Is n't God sufficient for" May God be with those poor Ahmadiz, Amee
@antony: you changed your mind to write a word of support because Mirza Ahsan talked about never betraying Pakistan, supporting the freedom movement and right of kashmiris? Because he stated the facts of Ahmadis being a literate, peaceful, and organized community and Mullahs being against Pakistan when it was being formed? You are operating on the sickening mentality of "blame the victim for speaking the truth". Shame on you!
All humans are selfish. When someone obtains power he seems to forget all his good slogans and noble principles.
I don't understand the anger against Najam Sethi.
Najam's job is to conduct free and fair elections. the rest are not really his mandate.
Also, as a chief-minister, he cannot randomly interfere in these affairs. A proper procedure should be followed. If there's provision for such procedure (constitutional) then he should initiate it and try to speed up things. That's the best he could do.
@Wait: purely sickening....YUCK!
And to think we are in the year 2013. As an outsider and a person that lives on the otherwise of the Earth it's great that we get a chance to see and know of what is happening to innocent minority groups such as Ahmadi's. The Pakistan government is sickening as are their Mullah's. How distasteful. Whatever anyone has to say from my own experienced of criticizing the Ahmadi's, I learnt alot about them, which changed my views entirely! That is that they are the most peaceful community I have ever known, from their leadership to their followers. Therefore people like Mr Wait need to go get an education clearly before stating such things. Let's grow up people!! Wake up and see the clear injustices don't here....ITS DISGUSTING!
Once again, a shameful act committed by the PML (N) against a peaceful, non-violent minority.
Its nothing new.
Be it Shia, Ahmadi or Christian citizens of Pakistan, the PML (N) has a lot to answer for.
Even when out of power, they cannot resist persecuting minorities.
While they can deceive the people of Pakistan, let all civilized countries know what these people are doing, greet them with protests whenever they take trips to Europe, especially the U.K.
P.S. Mr Sethi, only a few days left of your mandate, write yourself into the history books by using the anti-terrorist laws against the 'real' terrorists and not peaceful minority groups.
Thank you Mr. Najam Sethi. You are also doing great work for Islam. I wish someone can replay "Appis Ki Baat" now to remind Mr. Sethi what he had said in favor or Human Rights and especially Rights for minorities.
The AlMighty is the ultimate Hakam.
@Mirza ahsan, As an outsider ,I thought of writing sympathetically over the plight of Ahmadis but reading your comments ,I feel this is what you wanted for your community and so be it.
As per ETs coverage, the story narrated by the mullah brigade was different on day one but as they gathered the strength by receiving the reinforcements from PML(N), the narrative changed drastically involving the Qadiani leadership. Is this a Pre election stunt for PML(N) or what? mind you , they are playing with the lives of human beings if it is a Pre election stunt.
Dear Wait, please read the writing on the wall. It is beyond doubt a cooked up case similar to those in past against Ahmadies, Christians and Hindus.
I am all for the rights of all minorities but such a report does not shed light on the entire story. It seems that the law was followed, what will make it clearer for everyone is whether the book actually had blasphemous content. If not this might be another excuse to occupy land by the office bearer. People like myself do not know which side to believe because there are black sheep on ever side. Neither are the Ahmadis always wrong or right, neither the protesters. Here without knowing whether there was blasphemous content we are jumping the gun in labeling.
I am just wondering what is Najam Sethi’s response on this clear travesty of justice against the Ahmadiyya community in his city of Lahore. Ahmadis are not even allowed to pray in their own houses and places of worship. Instead of removing the anarchist crowd and protect Ahmadis, they were themselves being arrested. As an Ahmadi just let me tell these Mullahs that we are not afraid of your kind. We are resourceful, disciplined and highly organised community with nearly 100% literacy amongst our members in Pakistan. We stick to our motto “Love for all hatred for none” and will never work against Pakistan and will never react with force or violence, although we practice obedience and discipline of the highest order one can imagine. Our Imams have always promoted peace in the name of Islam taught to us. We know no other Islam. We are the creators of Pakistan alongside Jinnah and supported him by all means possible during the struggle of Pakistan movement. We are the ones who took note of Kashmiri plight and offered help in 1920s and 1930s duly recognised by Allama Iqbal. Your kith and kin Mullahs were always against Pakistan in 1930s and 1940s favouring unified India, and unfortunately till this day they are working against Pakistan’s creation by all such cruel actions harming this great Muslim potential of the world wasted so far.
Police is the guardian of law and order but our police is guardian of the mob and the innocent people who sought help and protection from the police is facing music, what a contrast!!!