Home Critical Analysis/Archives Report on the Situation of Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan

VIOLENT INCIDENTS - RESOLUTIONS OF BAR ASSOCIATIONS

“The Session expresses the deep surprise and sorrow on the utter and total incapability of those officers present on duty. Their half hearted and negligible action encouraged the culprits and in some places the Police themselves incited and encouraged the assailants.” Nankana Sahib Bar Association

After the incident at Nankana Sahib the Sheikhupura District Bar Association and the Nankana Sahib Bar Association made the following comments:

STATEMENT OF THE SHEIKHUPURA DISTRICT BAR ASSOCIATION

We the members of the Bar of the District Court, Sheikhupura, strongly condemn the incident of 12 April, 1989 involving the burning in the name of religion, the homes of members of Ahmadiyya Community in Nankana Sahib, the plundering of these homes and indulging from 9 o'clock in the morning to 2 o'clock in the afternoon, in the very presence of local administration and the police, in the destruction of property worth about 10 million rupees. In this assault and turmoil, a large number of copies of the Holy Quran were burnt.

We demand the immediate transfer of the local administration. Islam teaches tolerance and love for mankind, not that one should plunder the possessions of others and burn them because of differences in doctrine. We demand that the government should promptly provide assistance to the victims, punish those responsible for the crime and hold a judicial enquiry of the incident.

(The statement was signed by sixty-six members of the District Bar Association.)

STATEMENT OF NANKANA SAHIB BAR ASSOCIATION

The following statement of the Bar Association in Nankana Sahib was signed signed by:

Mr. Mohammad Yamin Bhatti, Advocate, President Bar Association Chaudhry Haq Nawaz Khan, Advocate, General Secretary Bar Association

1. This Session of Bar Association Nankana Sahib strongly condemns the incident of 12 April in Nankana Sahib involving the plundering of homes of Qadianis and completely burning the assets therein and affirms the opinion that due to this shameful act of atrocities and lawlessness every law abiding citizen bows his head in shame.
2. The Session expresses the deep surprise and sorrow on the utter and total incapability of those officers present on duty. Their half hearted and negligible action encouraged the culprits and in some places the Police themselves incited and encouraged the assailants.
3. This Session demands the Government to call full explanation from those officers present on duty and hold judicial enquiry of the incident.
4. This Session also demands that the Government should compensate those Qadianis whose homes had been destroyed and assets burnt or looted. It further urges that in future the life, property, respect and honour of Qadianis should be protected in line with the example from the life of the Holy Prophet (peace be on him) and according to the constitution of Pakistan.
5. This Session passionately appeals to the Ulemah to carefully reflect whether such steps propagate Islam and belief in Khatme Nabuwat or disgrace Islam and Muslims in addition to causing great harm to the very cause of Khatme Nabuwat.
6. This Session strongly condemns the incidence of heinous crimes of burning the Holy Quran in Chak. No. 563 GB, Tehsil Jaranwala and in Nankana Sahib and demands severe punishment for those who had committed this crime irrespective of their faith or creed.

Last modified: 4 November 1994 Sultan Sial