Qazi Hussain Ahmed is one of very few Sunni clerics of Pakistan who has always condemned incidents of Shia genocide by Takfiri terrorists of Pakistan. He played a key role with Shia cleric Allama Sajid Naqvi and other Sunni clerics (Shah Ahmed Noorani etc) in condemning hate speech and violence against Shias by terrorists of Sipah-e-Sahaba (ASWJ-LeJ). Despite our political differences with him, we respect this aspect of Qazi sahib’s personality.

On 19 November 2012, an attack by a female Deobandi militant (suicide bomber) targeting Qazi Hussain Ahmed’s convoy was masterminded by Commander Omar Khalid, the Mohmand Agency’s Ameer of the Taliban, which had been gunning for the former Jamaat-e-Islami leader for months. Qazi Hussain Ahmed was sought because of his April 2012 interview wherein he had described the Afghan Taliban’s resistance against the US-led Coalition Forces in Afghanistan as “true jehad” and that of the Pakistani Taliban in Pakistan as “un-Islamic”. The former Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer narrowly escaped a bomb attack on Monday, 19 November, when a female suicide bomber, who was wearing a burqa, exploded herself near Qazi Hussain’s convoy in the Mohmand tribal agency. The pieces of female clothes and hair found from the site make the investigators believe that the suicide bomber was a lady”. Although no one has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, which seems unusual, the fact remains that Qazi Hussain had been on TTP’s hit list for the past seven months – since his April 2012 interview which had prompted Hakimullah to criticise him in an audio message, accusing him of supporting “the US-allied rulers of Pakistan”.

http://youtu.be/bCCnA3qf_qk

It was the first time that Hakimullah, who was in hiding at that time, had publicly criticized Qazi in a special audio message and questioned his stance. Hakimullah’s anti-Qazi stance was somewhat unusual in the sense that he had never publicly criticized any religious leader and that too through a special audio message.In his message which was mostly in Pashto and made and distributed by the Umer Media on April 20, 2012, Hakimullah had quoted from the Holy Quran to substantiate his case against the Qazi. Citing a Geo TV interview with Qazi Hussain which was conducted in April 2012, the TTP chief said the Jamaat leader was totally wrong in his interpretation of the Afghan Taliban’s resistance in Afghanistan as true jehad and that of the TTP in Pakistan as un-Islamic. “Both the Karzai regime in Afghanistan as well as the Pakistan government are allies of the United States. In Afghanistan, the US is occupying Bagram and Jalalabad and other airbases while in Pakistan, the Americans were in control of the Jacobabad airbase. Thus, is there any difference between the fight being waged by the Afghan Taliban and the Pakistani Taliban as both are waging jehad?” Hakimullah Mehsud had asked. While addressing Qazi Hussain, the TTP chief further added in his audio message: “There was a time when educated people, students, ulema and others used to respect you a lot. But I can no longer trust you, Qazi sahib. Why are you calling our battle “fasaad” instead of jehad?” As the media had approached Qazi Hussain to get his reaction, the latter simply refused to comment on Hakimullah’s message, saying. “I know about the existence of this videotape, but I have no comments to make.” (Source: Amir Mir in The News)

In a recent edition of its official magazine “Saada-e-Azeemat”, Deobandi militants of Sipah-e-Sahaba (which also operate as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi or Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat) have criticized Qazi Hussain Ahmed, former chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, and current chief of Milli Yakjehti Council (Council for National Unity).

Qazi Hussain Ahmed has been criticized due to his pro unity approach between Shias and Sunnis.

The Sipah Sahaba magazine praises late Shabbir Ahmed Usmani Deobandi (a confidante of late Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan) and other Takfiri Deobandi clerics for their anti-Shia stance and cites Salafist-Deobandi sources (Shabbir Usmani, Tahir Hashmi, Safdar Mehmood) to “prove” that Quaid-e-Azam was not a Shia Muslim.

The Takfiri Deobandi magazine uses most despicable language against Shias and Qazi Hussain Ahmed (and also criticizes MQM’s Quaid Altaf Hussain because of his pro-unity stance). Here’s a loose translation:

“how can one who does not even know the basic article of Islam, the Kalma Tayyabah, how can he talk about someone else’s kufr (infidelity)….We consider Shias enemy of Islam and Pakistan. If we sincerely carry on with our mission, one day this anti-Islam sect will run away to Iran. Pakistan’s 90 per cent Muslims consider Shias as non-Muslims and will continue to call them Kafir. We reject … Qazi Hussain Ahmed’s Milli Yakjehti Council which is in fact Shia Yakjehti Council.”

Takfiri Deobandi militants want to kill Qazi Hussain Ahmed and other moderate Sunni leader because of their pro-unity stance between Shia and Sunni. It may be recalled that Qazi Hussain Ahmed is a close friend of Allama Sajid Naqvi of Shia Ulama Council and also opposed when General Musharraf banned the Tahrik Jafria Pakistan (TJP) (later renamed as Tehrik-e-Islami, and then Shia Ulama Council). Qazi Hussain Ahmad said the banned groups had no ties to militants. He noted that the Shia organization is part of the Muttahida Majlis-e Amal, the major opposition alliance of religious parties, which also includes Jamaat Islami. “As far as Tehrik-e Islami is concerned,” said Qazi Hussain Ahmed, “it is a part of MMA, and it is a political organization, it is not a militant organization.”

In the past, Takfiri Deobandi terrorists of Taliban and Sipah-e-Sahaba have killed Maulana Hasan Jan (Deobandi), Dr. Farooq (Deobandi), Maulana Sarfraz Naeemi (Sunni Barelvi), Maulana Turbani (Shia), Maulana Nizamuddin Shamzai (Deobandi) and other moderate Deobandi and Sunni Barelvi scholars because of their Sunni-Shia unity stance and condemnation of suicide bombings by Takfiri Deobandis. Previously Takfiri Deobandis also tried to kill Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman and Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani (both are Deobandi clerics of JUI-F) because of their pro Sunni-Shia unity stance. https://lubpak.com/archives/173129

In August 2012, the al Qaeda-linked Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) released a gruesome video on jihadist internet forums that shows the beheading of two Shiite Muslims abducted form Quetta a few weeks ago. In a statement that accompanied the video on one of the forums, a jihadist said the Sipah Sahaba (banned Pakistani terror group) is part of al Qaeda and the Taliban. The video, titled “Revenge,” was released, first on the Jamia Hafsa Urdu forum and then distributed on other jihadist forums, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which obtained the video.

Condensed version

In the video, two Shia men (Syed Haseeb Abbas Zaidi and Noor Ali) are filmed for nearly half an hour before they are brought outside and seated on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs. Standing behind them are four masked Deobandi militants of Sipah Sahaba; two are holding a red banner with crossed swords. Two of the Sipah Sahaba fighters then pull out knives, and proceed to behead the two Shia men. The victims’ heads are then placed on their laps. The jihadists then wipe their knives on the clothes of the slain men.

The video is a slap on the face of ISI-touts in Quetta who claim that only Hazara Shias are being killed due to their ethnicity. Both of the Shias killed in this video are non-Hazara Shias of settler (Muhajir and Sindhi) backgrounds. This shows how radicalized anti-Shia Balochs (a tiny minority in majority of peaceful, secular Balochs) are now a part and parcel of Shia genocide. Instead of denying or understating their presence, Baloch tribal leaders, political parties and activists must boldly condemn them and refuse to provide them safe shelter in their areas.

In the latter part, the video also gives strong warning to moderate Sunni traders and scholars including moderate Deobandi scholars Maulana Sherani (JUI) and Hafiz Hamidullah for their reconciliatory and unity stance towards Shias.

Here is why Hafiz Hamdullah was issued with warning by the ISI-sponsored LeJ terrorists:

Suicide attack on Qazi Hussain Ahmed:

Only a few days ago, Takfiri Deobandi militants of Sipah Sahaba tried to kill Qazi Hussain Ahmed (former Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami).

In a video message, Hakeemullah Mehsud very strongly criticized Qazi Hussain because of Qazi’s pro-Sunni-Shia unity stance. Hakimullah described Shias as Kafir (infidel) and declared that Qazi and all others who treat Shias as friends will be treated as Kafir and Wajib-ul-Qatl (worthy to be killed). [Hamid Mir could too falls into that category because of his recent interview with Iranian President and also in view of the fact that he invites Shia Muslim scholars to his TV program Capital Talk and seeks to promote Sunni Shia unity. He too has been attacked by Deobandi militants. https://lubpak.com/archives/231661]

http://youtu.be/bCCnA3qf_qk

In a 10-minute video recording of Mehsud, in which the Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud Deobandi termed the Pakistani justice system as “un-Islamic” and claimed that Islamabad was supporting the United States and its policies. Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai was also backing the US, he said, adding that jihad inside both countries was therefore justifie “I will never forgive Pakistan and its justice system, as Islamabad has become an ally of the US, like President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan is. The Deobandi Taliban’s jihad against Pakistan will continue,” he said.

“The legal system in Pakistan is secular and decisions made under it are totally un-Islamic; the decision-makers are also infidels. It was Pakistani law that allowed the operations in Lal Masjid and Jamea Hafsa (of Deobandis). In Swat, Muslims who backed the Islamic shariah were either hanged or burnt alive. Even women from Swat are still in the custody of the security forces. The Taliban [ Images ] will never forgive the government,” Mehsud warned. Mehsud also criticised the religious and political parties of Pakistan for their “dubious role”. He especially targeted Qazi Hussain Ahmed, former chief of Jamaat Islami Pakistan, for his close relations with members of the Shia sect — whom Taliban militants consider as non-Muslims and infidels. “Qazi Hussain Ahmed is very close to the Shias; he also participated with them in their prayers. Qazi has called for jihad inside Pakistan as fasad (terrorism) and terms the suicide attacks here un-Islamic,” said Mehsud. In the video, Hakimullah Mehsud asked Qazi Hussain Ahmed, “When the US forces are present in Jacobabad, Jalalabad, Bagram and Baluchistan, how do you not see the difference between jihad and fasad?” The Taliban chief reiterated that waging jihad in Pakistan and Afghanistan was completely justified due to the presence of American forces in both countries. “I know that Qazi Hussain Ahmed is the guardian of Islam and Pakistan but he could not guard masjid and madrasa,” added Mehsud sarcastically.

Taking on Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the head of Jamiat Ulema Islam, Mehsud Deobandi said, “This pious man was staying in London [ Images ] when the Lal Masjid and Jamea Hafsa operations were going on in Islamabad.” Mehsud also called on all Muslims to join the jihad against American forces. “Those who pray to Allah to destroy the Americans should come forward to join the jihad, as only prayers can’t make any difference. Infidel forces have captured the land of Muslims. We need to defeat them or sacrifice our lives on this path,” he said. Source

In spite of TTP’s claim of responsibility, JI’s former chief Qazi Husain Ahmed has blamed the US for the suicide bombing attempt by a female bomber in Mohmand Agency in  FATA, the Federally Administered Tribal Area of Pakistan. Pakistan’s newspaper The News reported  that Qazi was targeted by the TTP “because of his April 2012 interview wherein he had described the Afghan Taliban’s resistance against the US-led Coalition Forces in Afghanistan as ‘true jehad’ and that of the Pakistani Taliban in Pakistan as ‘un-Islamic’ “. In a video released earlier by the TTP, its chief Hakimullah Mehsud criticized Qazi Husain Ahmed for making alliances with Shia leaders. And then he said to Qazi Husain Ahmed: “There was a time when educated people, students, ulema and others used to respect you a lot. But I can no longer trust you, Qazi sahib. Why are you calling our battle “fasaad” instead of jehad?” These latest assassination attempts are a clear indication of the fact that the Taliban have now turned into Frankenstein monsters bent upon destroying the very people who have created or fostered them for decades. While Qazi Husain publicly insists on blaming the Americans, he and other Islamists must be very worried in private because these latest episodes point to a deep divide within their ranks. Both moderates and radicals among Islamists share a fairly common base of support. But a growing chasm among them has manifested itself across the Islamic world for sometime with the radical Salafists and Deobandis challenging the more moderate and pragmatic Islamists in Egypt,  Gaza, Libya, Tunisia, Pakistan and elsewhere.  As the Islamists in Pakistan face this deepening crisis in their ranks and feel threatened by the extremists, there is a window of opportunity for mainstream politicians to forge a new national consensus with the moderate Islamists to deal with the militant Taliban (Takfiri Deobandi) threat. What is needed is a two-pronged strategy combining peaceful persuasion and judicious use of force as follows: 1. A broad-based national campaign to educate the people about the serious threat posed by the Taliban militants and various sectarian outfits which are ripping the nation apart. Such a campaign requires broad support by the national media as well as all the political parties which believe in Pakistan’s constitution, democratic institutions and political process.  2. Use national consensus to back selective use of military force in FATA and elsewhere to quell militants who refuse to lay down their weapons.  Here’s a video discussion of the subject, however, the discussants do not take into account Pakistan army’s ongoing links with and support Deobandi Jihadist militants: (Source)

http://youtu.be/CKAUD7goQsk

Appendix: Jamaat Islami’s leader Liaquat Baloch highlights that enemies of Pakistan want to ignite Shia-Sunni sectarianism in order damage both Islam and Pakitan.

اسلام ٹائمز: آپ کی جماعت قاضی حسین احمد صاحب کی صورت میں ملی یکجہتی کونسل کی سربراہی کر رہی ہے، یہ اتحاد ملی یکجہتی کیلئے اب تک کیا کردار ادا کرسکا ہے اور قوم مستقبل میں کس حد تک توقعات وابستہ کر سکتی ہے۔؟

لیاقت بلوچ: ابھی تو ابتداء ہے ناں جی۔ جو شدید اختلافات اور نفرتیں، جن کو بڑی قوت سے تیار کیا گیا ہے، ان کو ختم کرنے میں کچھ وقت تو لگے گا اور انشاءاللہ ملی یکجہتی کونسل کا قیام نیک شگون ثابت ہوگا، اور یہ اپنے مقاصد میں کامیاب ہو گی۔

اسلام ٹائمز: پاکستان میں تمام مکاتب فکر کے پیروکار ہمیشہ سے باہمی بھائی چارے سے رہتے آئے ہیں، موجودہ دور میں فرقہ واریت پیدا کرنے کی کوشش کون کر رہا ہے۔؟

لیاقت بلوچ: اس حوالے سے زیادہ شدت ایران کے انقلاب کے بعد پیدا ہوئی کہ جب امریکہ وہاں ناکام ہوگیا تو اس نے مسلم ممالک میں خوف پیدا کیا کہ شیعہ انقلاب آرہا ہے اور سنیوں کو بھڑکایا، اب وہ آگ بھڑکی ہوئی ہے اور اس میں ہم سب بھسم ہو رہے ہیں، ہمیں یہ سمجھنا چاہئے کہ اہل تشیع کے عقائد اور ان کی بنیادیں کوئی نئی نہیں، وہ تو پہلے سے موجود ہیں، اسی طرح اہل سنت کی بھی عقائد کی مضبوط بنیادیں پہلے سے ہی موجود ہیں، ہمارے اکابرین، علماء اور اساتذہ نے اس اختلاف کو ایک دائرے میں رکھا، جس دن یہ شعور پیدا ہوگیا تو دشمن اپنے مقاصد میں ناکام ہو جائے گا۔

اسلام ٹائمز: کیا آپ سمجھتے ہیں کہ اس خطے کے اہم ممالک ایک بلاک بنا کر خطہ سے امریکی مداخلت کا خاتمہ کرسکتے ہیں۔؟
لیاقت بلوچ: دیکھیں۔ یہ تو ناگزیر ہے، امریکہ جو اس خطہ میں روس، افغانستان، ایران، سینٹرل ایشیاء اور چین کیلئے خطرہ ہے، وہ تمام ممالک جنہیں امریکہ کی اس حکمت عملی سے خطرات ہیں انہیں اکٹھا ہونا پڑے گا۔

http://islamtimes.org/vdcfvcdyxw6d10a.k-iw.html

A relevant passage from Brown Pundits

If you watch Hakeemullah Mehsud’s latest video specifically addressing Qazi Hussain Ahmed, you’ve a blueprint ready for what is unfolding in Pakistan. The bad Taliban’s leader has narrowed his focus now to his easily achievable and unimportant targets: Shia. This is after all a target which the army can afford to remain unconcerned about.

The Taliban are a problem when they target indiscriminately or discriminately when security installations are targeted. The media will bemoan and condemn the Taliban’s anti-military and anti-Pakistani targets, but it will act ignorant or unaffected when Shias are targeted. See how it started operations in Bajaur, Orakzai, South Waziristan and Swat when military and common masses were the Taliban target. General Kiyani would make no qualms to issue statement in personal capacity. But in a fight that the Taliban have waged against Shias, neither media nor army will bother to rise up. They have no reason to since they probably are all for it.

That is what the Taliban have lately done. The pre-Moharram preparations, and the activities in Moharram’s first 10-days, were focused on Shias. While ‘terrorists’ were condemned, and ‘innocents’ killing was bemoaned, the media, out of sheer fear or caution did not name the Taliban, trying to continue the same narrative that is conspiratorial: America, India, Israel nexus; and “Muslims” cannot do such things.

Coming to Hakeemullah’s video: while security forces were occasionally lambasted in the video, Qazi’s being with Shias was an unpardonable crime. Thus Qazi or any Pakistani if they want their safety and Muslimhood intact, should never be seen with Shias again. This is the first step of apostatizing the Shias, paving the way for societal and ultimately constitutional apostazation of Shias. Steps in this regard have already been taken. Malik Ishaq released and now ASWJ’s vice president. Refer to the news item in ET which said Muslim League Nawaz has already reached an understanding for alliance, allowing the ASWJ in at least 12 constituencies to field its winnable candidates and no political resistance will be put. Ludhyawni’s recent appearance on TV where he made some ridiculous remarks were then endorsed by the Taliban, saying they had a fight of belief with the Shias. Thus on both military and political front, a plan for mass alienation coupled with annihilation is being executed.

by Ammar on Brown Pundits

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