Home Critical Analysis/Archives Plight of Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan

Raja Zafarul Haq was born in District Rawalpindi of the Punjab in 1935. He grew up to be a lawyer by profession but was not a great success in this field. He developed anti-Ahmadiyya prejudices early in his career and was a gratis defense counsel for Aslam Qureshi, a lift operator, who carried out a criminal assault with dagger in 1970 on Mr. M. M. Ahmad, a prominent Ahmadi and an Advisor to the President of Pakistan. Later, the Raja switched over to politics and flourished in this field during the dictatorial regime of General Zia. He was appointed a Federal Minister from 1981-85. When in the Federal Cabinet, he played an active role in preparation of the notorious Anti-Ahmadiyya Ordinance XX, and helped General Zia in opening floodgates of persecution and tyranny against Ahmadiyya Community. He also announced in 1984 a 7-point plan whereby all the Muslim countries were to form a united front to strive for the eradication of Ahmadiyyat (Pakistan Times, 12 May 1984). He also had an anti-Ahmadiyya compendium issued by the Government. All this resulted in a spate of serious violations of Human Rights not only in Pakistan but also in some other Muslim countries. During 1985 elections, he failed to win a seat in the National Assembly, so he was appointed an ambassador in Egypt. Thereafter he was appointed advisor to the dictator.

After Zia's death in a plane crash, Raja Zafarul Haq has been in the political limelight only when the Muslim League was in power in Islamabad. Sometime ago he was appointed a Senator, the position he still holds in 1999. Mr. Nawaz Sharif, the Prime Minister, has appointed him Federal Minister of Religious Affairs and Minorities. According to a press report, Raja Zafarul Haq told a visiting delegation of mullas: ‘Qadianis (Ahmadis) are enemies of both Pakistan and Islam; they are worse than Jews’. He also informed them that a master plan is being prepared to negate Ahmadi propaganda abroad concerning their persecution (The Daily Jang, 5 September 1997). This statement subsequently was not disowned by him, thereby admitting it as his and the Ministry's position.