Campaign trail: In Jhang, a force to reckon with

Maulana Ahmed Ludhianvi canvasses for votes not at public rallies but mosques .

JHANG: “Do you truly love the Caliphs of Islam? Then know that I’m their true servant! Stand up and sacrifice your money like showers of rain. Show my opponents your love for Islam,” said Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamat (ASWJ)’s head Maulana Muhammad Ahmad Ludhianvi while delivering his Friday sermon-cum-political speech at Jamia Masjid Haq Nawaz Jhangvi. As the 15-minute-long powerful narrative concluded, people stood up and offered not only whatever money they had, but also their cellphones. The impact of this man’s words on the people of Jhang is obvious.

The ASWJ has been described as the political wing of the banned sectarian militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) which has claimed credit for most sectarian attacks on the Shia community in the country. The ASWJ, however, denies any links with violence. Ludhianvi is one of the main candidates from Jhang where he is contesting for two seats, one is the National Assembly seat NA-89, while the other is the Punjab Assembly seat PP-78. He is contesting from the platform of Muttahida Deeni Mahaz (MDM).

As The Express Tribune trailed Ludhianvi’s election campaign on Friday, it turned out to be a busy day. He focused his election campaign on various mosques of the city where he not only delivered sermon-cum-political speeches but also appealed for donations. They appeal for money in urban areas, and in rural areas for wheat as the wheat crop is being harvested. People seem willing to donate readily for Ludhianvi’s party.



Jamia Masjid Haq Nawaz Jhangvi is located in the middle of the city which is known as party’s central secretariat where Ludhianvi, party general secretary Khadim Hussain Dhallon and Sheikh Hakim Ali delivered their election speeches along with Friday sermons and collected thousands of rupees as ‘Party Chanda’.

A confident Ludhianvi claimed that in his constituency, his success is a given. He warned that if he finds out of any foul play as an attempt to defeat him, then he would take action.

Mutual understanding and future liaison

Ludhianvi’s arch-rival is PML-N’s Sheikh Waqas Akram. Ludhianvi said his objective of wanting to win this seat is to introduce a bill for the protection of dignity of the Caliphs, and he would be willing to extend his hand to any party which agrees on his agenda. Asked which party he predicted would be ready to cooperate, he said that he did not have any experience yet with PTI chief Imran Khan, and the one option left is PML-N. He also mentioned the development of Jhang on his agenda.

Bright chances and bitter rivalries

With PML-N’s two candidates, Sheikh Waqas Akram from NA-89 and Sheikh Yaqoob from PP-78 disqualified, Ludhianvi has a fair chance on both seats. The 40,000 Shia votes in this constituency seem divided among many candidates which gives Ludhianvi a further edge.

Sheikh Waqas Akram, who after his disqualification is running his father Sheikh Akram’s campaign, claimed that he would get Ludhianvi defeated by 60,000 votes, talking to The Express Tribune while sitting in his castle-like home in Civil Lines.

LeJ’s precursor, SSP, was founded here in 1985 and the head of ASWJ always lives in Jhang. Ludhianvi was formerly a SSP leader. However, Ludhianvi denies his party’s involvement with any kind of terrorism. According to ASWJ data, out of a total of its 130 contesting candidates for May 11 elections, 70 are for NA seats.

Unique Alliances

Ludhianvi’s new residence, located at Toba Road Station Chowk, in Jhang, is these days a happening  place where deals are being struck between Ludhianvi and other candidates of various constituencies, regardless of their party affiliation.

An independent candidate for NA-156 Raza Hayat Hiraj met Ludhianvi recently to seek his support against PML-N candidate Fakhar Imam and requesting that ASWJ’s candidate Maulana Abdul Khaliq Rehmani be made to withdraw in his favour. The negotiations are still ongoing.

The sectarian factor

Ludhianvi affirmed that ASWJ’s ideology prohibits them to ask the Shia community to vote for them. However, MDM’s candidate Maulana Muhammad Asif Moavia Sial, who is contesting from NA-90 against PML-N’s Saima Akhtar Bherwana, has sought vote of the Shia community. Moavia, while sitting in mosque of village Kot Dewan, 25 kilometers away from Jhang, failed to defend this two-way policy of the ASWJ regarding the Shia community.

NA-89: The hub of ASWJ

NA-89 has long been an ASWJ hub. In 1988, when the organisation was known as SSP, its founder Haq Nawaz Jhangvi won 39,000 votes at NA-89, but lost out to Begum Abida Hussain. However, he vowed that Abida Hussain would quit the constituency. In 1990, Abida Hussain contested the election from elsewhere, though Jhangvi had been killed by then.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6^th, 2013.