An FC official shows the material seized during a raid. PHOTO: NNI
An intelligence agency has asked the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration to take action against shops selling hate material.
According to an official of capital administration requesting not to be named, the agency has written a letter to Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Mujahid Sherdil drawing his attention to bookshops in the capital which sell books containing sectarian hate material.
While naming the books, their writers and publishers, the agency has asked the district administration to confiscate the books to help overcome extremist and sectarian hatred being spread though such literature, said the official on the condition of anonymity.
According to the list, available with The Express Tribune, the agency has pointed out 13 books which are available at, among others shops, Maktaba Rasheedia Lal Masjid, Mr Books Islamabad and Old Book City. Of the 13 books, seven books are on sale at Maktaba Rasheedia Lal Masjid, three at outdoor stalls in Golra Sharif, two at Mr Books and one at Old Book City.
The books filled with hate material include ‘Bermuda Tikon aur Dajjal’, written by Asim Umer, published by Al Hamra Urdu Bazaar Lahore, ‘Wahabi Mazhab Ki Haqeeqat’, written by Ziaullah Qadri, published by Maktaba Qadria Sialkot, ‘Shamsheer-e-Beniyaam’ by Inayatullah, published by Ilm-o-Irfan Publishers, Urdu Bazaar, Lahore, ‘Ghunyatul Talibeen’ by Allama Abdul Hakeem, published by Muhammad Tayyeb & Sons, Urdu Bazaar Lahore, ‘Sultan-e-Karbala’ by Qari Faizul Mustafa Atique, published by Maktaba Nooria Rizvia Faisalabad, ‘Tasfia Mabain Sunni-Shia’, written by Pir Syed Mehr Ali Shah of Golra, published by Printing Professionals, ‘Mah-e-Muharram ke Fazail’, written by Mufti Rizwan, published by Idara Ghufram Rawalpindi, ‘Kya Pakistan Toot Jayega’, written by Haq Nawaz Jan Ali, published by Tahir & Sons Urdu Bazaar Lahore, ‘Bilakhir Kia Hoga’, written by Abdul Rehman, published by M Habib Qarni, ‘Islamic Inquilab Ki Koshish Kyun Farz’, written by Syed Muhammad Iqbal, published by Maktaba Jamia Rasheedia. ‘Jamhooriat Aik Purfraib Taghooti Nizam’, written by Syed Muhammad Iqbal, published by Maktaba Jamia Rasheedia, and ‘Dehshatgardi Ke Addey Ya Khair Ke Marakiz’, written by Anwar Ghazi, published by Al-Hijaz Printers.
Interestingly, all these books are also available on the internet but the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has not blocked access to such material.
According to the source, after receiving the letter, the deputy commissioner has asked the Senior Superintendent of Special Branch Waqar Chauhan and assistant commissioners to confirm the details in the document and submit a report today (January 23).
The source claimed that, if proven, strict action will be taken against the booksellers, publishers and the authors.
A senior ICT Administration official said that under the National Action Plan, reports were being gathered from all police stations and other sources to determine if any groups or individuals were actively involved in spreading hatred and animosity.
Security analyst Muhammad Amir Rana said that hate material in print form was more powerful than the content available, as, according to him, the audience for such material on the internet was far less than the audience for printed material.
He also called for forming committees at the local level to help the administration address the issue.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 23rd, 2015.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ