Home Critical Analysis/Archives Report on Punjab Disturbances of 1953

OTHER SPEECHES BY AHRAR

On 25th August 1951, Mr. Bashir Ahmad, Amir-i-Jama’at-i-Ahmadiya, Lahore, addressed a letter to the Deputy Commissioner, Lahore, complaining of a speech by Sayyad Ata Ullah Shah Bukhari, made in a largely attended public meeting held in Lahore outside Mochi Gate on 19th August 1951, in which the speaker had alleged —

(a) that Chaudhri Zafrullah Khan, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, was disloyal to the State,

(b) that before the Partition the head of the Ahmadiya community had told his followers that Pakistan was not going to come into existence and that if any such State was created, the divided country would again be re-united, and

(c) that the Ahmadis were spies of the Indian Government and that if war broke out with India, advantage should be taken of the opportunity to rout the Ahmadis who were enemies of the State.

This letter, with the Commissioner’s note, was sent to the Home Secretary (S. Ahmad Ali) who on 1st September 1961 made the following comments on it :—

“I have discussed this matter with H.C.M. who has asked me to request the I.G. Police to convey it to the Ahrar leaders that they have been exceeding their limits in their speeches, both in regard to the Foreign Minister and also in regard to the Ahmadiya community in general. There has already been a riot and murder, blackening of the face of an Ahmadi and making him, ride on a donkey and the burning of one of their mosques. If the Ahrar do not now atop their provocative speeches, the result on law and order might be disastrous. In the past several warnings have already been given to them. They should, therefore, now be told once for all that Government wants to stop them from these provocative speeches which are likely to disturb the peace of the Province and if they will not take this warning, Government will Take all steps to have its orders obeyed and the Ahrar themselves will be responsible for the consequences

“l have asked, the Deputy Commissioner to tell Mr. Bashir Ahmad, Advocate, that they should not hold this retaliatory meeting which they intend to hold tomorrow, and I hope he will obey, but if he does not, action will have to be taken under section 144, Cr. P. C. to stop the meeting.”

When the case came to Mr. Qurban Ali Khan, I.G.P., he wrote : —

“I have explained the whole position as explained in the above note, to Sheikh Husam-ud-Din, General Secretary of the Pakistan Majlis-i-Ahrar. He has understood the effect which the provocative speeches are likely to create on the law and order position, particularly at this juncture, and he assures me that it is their policy not to create any controversial situation while the country is facing a crisis to meet which unity amongst all sections of Pakistanis is imperative. Sheikh Husam-ud-Din further tells me that he will take the earliest opportunity to call an emergent meeting of their Working Committee to discuss what I have told him and to impress upon the members the need for being careful in their public utterances.

“This note has been read over to Sheikh Husam-ud-Din and, in fact, is partly dictated by him.”

The case was submitted on 3rd September 1951 to the Chief Minister for information.

On 4th September 1951, the Ministry of the Interior addressed a letter, D. O. No. 720-S(l)/51, to the Chief Secretary to the Government of the Punjab, saying that Sayyad Ata Ullah Shah Bukhari, while speaking at a public meeting in Mochi Gate sometime during August last, had alleged that Chaudhri Zafrullah Khan, Minister for Foreign Affairs, was “selling Kashmir to the Government of India for the sake of Qadian” and inquiring whether the report was correct and suggesting that a clear warning should be conveyed to Bukhari and other Ahrar leaders that they must desist from maligning the Minister for Foreign Affairs as well as the Ahmadis generally. In reply to this, the Chief Secretary wrote the following D.O.No. 11794-BDSB., dated the 19th September 1951: —

“Please refer to your D. O. letter No. 720-S-(I)/51, dated the 4th September, 1951. Sayyad Ata Ullah Shah Bukhari addressed a public meeting outside Mochi Gate, Lahore, on 19th August 1951. He did make disparaging remarks about the Ahmadiya community and said that Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud was opposed to the formation of Pakistan and had publicly made a plea for getting India united. This statement, he alleged, was made in the presence of Honourable Ch. Muhammad Zafrullah Khan who, according to him, did not contradict it. The Provincial Government has already taken note of the mischievous speeches which Ahrar leaders have been making. On the 1st September, 1951, Sheikh Husam-ud-Din, General-Secretary Of the Majlis-i-Ahrar, was sent for by the Inspector General of Police and administered a clear warning. Sheikh Husam-ud-Din assured the Inspector-General that it was not the policy of his party to create dissensions particularly when the country was faced with an emergency. He undertook further to call a meeting of the Working Committee at the earliest opportunity with a view to impressing upon the members to exercise forbearance and restraint in their public utterances. In view of this unequivocal assurance, the Provincial Government does not consider it necessary to administer another warning to Sayyad Ata Ullah Shah Bukhari. The situation is being watched and suitable action will be taken if it is found that the warning has not been heeded”.

On 27th September 1951, the Superintendent of Police, Sargodha, reported to A. I. G. P. that in a meeting held inside Juma Mosque Bhalwal on 22nd and 23rd September 1951, two Ahrar workers, namely. Habib-ur-Rahman and Maulvi Muhammad Hayat, had made virulent speeches against the Ahmadiya sect. These speeches were examined by Mr. Anwar Ali, D.I.G., C.I.D., who on 3rd October 1951 remarked, that the speeches were not only illegal but open to objection and that it appeared that the workers of the Central Committee of Majlis-i-Ahrar bad not issued any directions to their district workers in pursuance of the undertaking given by Sheikh Husam-ud-Din to Mr. Qurban Ali Khan. He directed the Superintendent of Police to send for the leaders of the local Ahrar party and to administer a warning to them. Mr. Qurban Ali Khan endorsed this action and said : —

“And if they do not, legal action should be taken against them at-once. We would be justified in this now as necessary warnings have been issued to their leaders and they have promised not to destroy the country by such speeches”.