Majlis e Ahrar procession in front of Qadiani Headquarters Chenab Nagar (Rabwah), Pakistan.

Secretary General of Majlis-e-Ahrar Abdul Latif Khalid Cheema is delivering a speech

The government must end the US coalition of war on terror since it had not only damaged the country on economic and foreign fronts but also caused severe damage to social fabric, national unity and harmony. They stated this while addressing the conference in connection with Eid Milad-un-Nabi celebrations jointly organised by Tehrik Tahaffuz Khatm-e-Nabuwwat (TTKN) and Majlis Ahrar Islam (MAI).

The conference was presided over by World Majlis Khatm-e-Nabuwwat naib ameer Khwaja Aziz Ahmad while noted speakers included TTKN naib ameer Hafiz Nasiruddin Khakwani, MAI naib ameer Prof Khalid Shabbir Ahmad, MAI naib ameer Syed Kafeel Bukhari, MAI secretary general Abdul Latif Khalid Cheema, Maulana Ismail Shujabadi, Maulana Ilyas Chinioti MPA, Qari Shabbir Usmani and others. The ailing and aged MAI central ameer Ata ul Muhaimin Bukhari participated in the conference and procession on an ambulance.

Workers of Majlis-e-Ahrar in Khatm-e-Nubuwwat Procession Rabwah.

Syed Muhammad Kafeel Bukhari Vice President of Majlis-e-Ahrar-e-Islam Pakistan

LAHORE: Majlis-e-Ahrar-e-Islam Pakistan (MAIP), the Islamist party which was second most popular political party during historic Pakistan Movement and the only opposition to Muslim League after creation of Pakistan, has decided to end six decade long self-imposed political isolation and participate in the forthcoming local bodies polls and the next general elections.

All the Islamist parties are our natural allies: Kafeel Bukhari

“All the Islamist parties are our natural allies and we would join hands with all those parties working for strengthening Pakistan ideology and eradication of corruption,’ said Central vice president of Majlis Ahrar Islam Pakistan (MAIP), Syed Kafeel Shah Bukhari, while talking to The News.

Ahrar would play an active role in politics in near future: Kafeel Bukhari

MAIP was the only party which resisted the pro-British role of Qadiyanis and their conspiracies against the creation of Muslim state in subcontinent during Pakistan Movement and also waged series of protests against the appointment of known Qadiyanis at top government slots in the newly created Pakistan.

Ahrar would focus itself for public welfare and social reforms, and the party would also become a strong voice against the growing extremism and terrorism in the country: Kafeel Bukhari

Kafeel Bukhari is the grandson of Syed Ataullah Shah Bukhari, the founder of MAIP and noted Islamist leader of Pakistan movement who is known for his majestic oratory skills that could leave the crowd of thousands spell bound. Kafeel Bukhari said it had always been a difficult decision of MAIP to shun politics during the early 1950’s and there always had been strong pressure on the leadership to re-enter the political arena. He said the main reason MAIP decided to confine itself only to preaching Islam and counter anti-Islam and anti-Pakistan conspiracies by Qadiyanis was that the party was left as the only opposition party to the Muslim League in the political arena during the first few years after creation of Pakistan. “Finding alone in the field to check the ruling Muslim League from pursuing policies that were against the stated objectives of Pakistan movement was an uneasy position,” said Kafeel Bukhari, adding that, “we also wanted to allow time to the Muslim League to mend its ways and return on the right track which was chosen by its founding fathers.”
But the six decades of political isolation caused many dents in the party, foremost of them was that bulk of its leaders and workers left it to join other popular parties like JUI, JUP and PPP. “Finally, the leadership has realized that the many groups working on the political arena under the different suffixes to the name, Pakistan Muslim League, are not ready to pay any heed to the objectives of Pakistan Movement. These groups are not even aware as to why and for what objectives nearly two million lives of innocent men, women and children were sacrificed to realize the ‘dream of Pakistan where Islam would be enforced and Muslims would be free to practice Quran and Sunnah’.”

Six decades of political isolation caused many dents in the party, foremost of them was that bulk of its leaders and workers left it to join other popular parties like JUI, JUP and PPP: Kafeel Bukhari

Kafeel Bukhari said MAIP would play an active role in politics in near future, adding that “country still have the people who know about their ancestors who either worked for MAIP or supported it for the big ideals it had been adhering to during the Pakistan movement and after achieving Pakistan.” Like before, the MAIP will take up the problems of the poor and middle classes, he added. To a question, Bukhari said MAIP would not find itself short of political allies, saying all the parties working for supremacy of Islam and the constitution of Pakistan will be its natural allies. He said the country was in a dire need of such parties that could work for protecting and strengthening 1973 constitution since it guaranteed the security of country’s political system. He said the Islamic articles of the constitution must be protected at all costs and the western conspiracies against those must be countered to keep the country united and stable.

The country was in a dire need of such parties that could work for protecting and strengthening 1973 constitution since it guaranteed the security of country’s political system: Kafeel Bukhari

He said MAIP wanted strong national institutions to end the needless confrontation between different national institutions that not only undermines national security but also cause dangerous political instability. MAIP would be giving due respect to its political rivals and this fact was evident from the past record of the party before and after the creation of Pakistan. Kafeel Shah Bukhari said MAIP would focus itself for public welfare and social reforms, and added that the party would also become a strong voice against the growing extremism and terrorism in the country.

Zafar Farid Hashmi granted bail to Abid Hasan Hashmi against Rs50,000 surety bonds. The magistrate observed that the matter needed to be further investigated. He stated that the posters were also not recovered from Hashmi. Gulberg police had arrested Hashmi and one Nauman on Sunday for allegedly putting up stickers carrying remarks against the Ahmadiyya community at entrances to their shops at Hafeez Centre.

Police had later released Nauman without recording his arrest. Hashmi was presented before a magistrate on Sunday who had sent him on judicial remand. Hashmi’s lawyer submitted that he did not own the shop where the posters had been displayed. “The shop’s owner, too, is not responsible because any visitor can put up a poster there.”

Hashmi was brought to the Model Town courts complex amid stringent security arrangements.

A large number of people, including some traders from Hafeez Centre and members of a Khatm-i-Nabuwat organisation, had gathered in front of the court to protest the arrest.

They raised slogans in favour of the suspects.

The FIR registered under Section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religious beliefs) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Section 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance stated that a police team had removed notices carrying derogatory remarks against the Ahmadiyya community from the entrance of the suspects’ shops at Hafeez Centre.

Traders protest against arrests

Traders from several city markets staged a protest demonstration on Monday against the arrest of two men on charges of displaying anti-Ahmadiyya slogans at the entrance to their shops.

A large number of traders and shopkeepers from Hafeez Centre, Hassan Tower, Pace and other markets and commercial areas in the area gathered outside Hafeez Centre at Gulberg’s Main Boulevard. They carried banners, posters and placards inscribed with slogans against the government and the Police Department.

Hafeez Centre Traders’ Association president Muhammad Fayyaz Butt and general secretary Sheikh Muhammad Fayyaz said it was very unfortunate that police had registered a case against one of the traders who was arrested.

“A day before the arrests, police had removed the objectionable stickers from the market. We thought the issue had been resolved. However, the next day, police arrested two traders,” he said. Gulberg police had raided Hafeez Centre on Saturday and removed objectionable stickers from two shops. Later, police had arrested the shop owners.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15th, 2015.

LAHORE(Pakistan): Gulberg police arrested two traders on Sunday for putting up notices containing degrading remarks for Ahmadiyya community at the entrance of their shops at Hafeez Centre, said a handout issued by Operations DIG Haider Ashraf. The traders identified as Abid Hashmi and Nauman were presented before a judicial magistrate who sent them on a two-week judicial remand. Police remove anti-Ahmadi posters from Lahore’s largest IT market The police sought custody of the suspects to interrogate them. The counsel for the suspect, however, submitted that there was no need for it and requested the court to send his clients on judicial remand. He told the court that his clients had been implicated in a false case. Tight security arrangements were made at the Model Town courts to avoid an untoward incident as the suspects were brought to the court. A large crowd, including some traders from Hafeez Centre, had gathered in front of the court to protest the arrests. They chanted slogans in favour of the suspects and demanded their release. Pakistan’s Ahmadis battle mob and state for identity The FIR registered under Sections 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religious beliefs) of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) stated that a police team had removed notices carrying derogatory remarks against the Ahmediyya community from the entrance of the suspects’ shops at Hafeez Centre. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Hafeez Centre Traders’ Association president Farooq Butt had said traders from across the city would gather in front of Hafeez Centre and stage a protest against the arrests on Monday (today). “The police should refrain from intervening in matters related to our beliefs,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14th, 2015