Source: Asian Human Rights Commission via Nasim Malik.
The Ahmadis, a sect that believes in Islam and claims to be an ardent follower of it, has been declared as non-Muslim under the Pakistani legislation. Evidently, the Government of Pakistan has not only confiscated their freedom to faith, belief and practice, but also proactively victimises them socially, economically and educationally.
The declaration goes against the very fundamental tenets of democracy which accords all the citizens of the country their fundamental rights and freedom, of which freedom to faith is an integral part. It is to this effect that the United Nations has provided a declaration on human rights and there are international civil rights which provide the basic traits of a Democracy. Pakistan had proclaimed to be a democracy four years ago and it was in this context that everyone hoped that its government will soon fulfill all criteria essential for being recognized as a democratic State.
However, even today, there is a substantive portion of the citizenry of Pakistan who have been deprived of their voting rights and there are many others who can only vote as members of minority groups and use their vote strictly within their own minority.
Ahmadis are one such group which is denied their right to vote; they cannot register as a voter in Pakistan. It is a most shameful and horrifying fact that all Muslims in Pakistan in order to get their I.D cards which are essential for registering as a voter, have to make a mandatory declaration pronouncing the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Community as an imposter and a liar. No civil society in the modern times can tolerate such arrogance of a country towards its own nationals.
Pakistan has been a member of the UN Human Rights Council despite the fact that it has totally failed in fulfilling its responsibilities and obligations entrusted to it. It may once again be aspiring to become a member of the Human Rights Council but the world must know that a country which has shown little respect for the Human Rights Charter and which is openly discriminating against, abusing and victimising a peace-loving, law abiding Community should never even be considered for such an honor.
The UN Human Rights Council members during the upcoming UPR must pressurise and question Pakistan on its gross failures as a Democracy and censure Pakistan for the way it is treating and depriving the Ahmadis in every sphere of life. It is only then that Pakistan can face the world and claim itself to be a member of the World Democracies.
“PAKISTAN: No legitimacy to be at the UN with Ahmadis disfranchised”
by Zubair Khan is in my honest opinion a very damaging and provocating article, which will neither serve the cause of Ahmadis in Pakistan now nor to better their situation in the long term.
I have taken an issue with Muslim Times once before on its war on Pakistan and not its politicians and governments. Attacking the State of Pakistan is very counter productive and even out of proportion.
If we use this argument against other countries, then I do not know any state in the world, which can be a member of UN.
So MR. Khan, please do not be emotional on such complex issues. Use your ability on your cause, in a way, which will strengthen your hands and not cut your fingers.
Regards
Bashy
@ Bashy Quraishy
Thanks for your comments. However here would like to draw your attention that I just posted the statement which appeared on the pages of Asian Human Right Commission. As I understood the policy of MT, it is accommodating all news which affects deprived communities including the Ahmadiyya. Your argument that exposing discriminatory polices of Government of Pakistan go against Pakistan as country is not agreed. Country itself has nothing to do with it. These are successive governments which are bringing shameful reputation to this great country. Pakistani nation is a great nation and I also feel proud to be member of it. But as for leadership is concerned it is totally infested and silent majority of the Nation has to understand it and replace it with those leaders who can truly interpret what founder of Pakistan wanted in this country.
Human Rights omission has its own way of assessing the human rights violations. Many countries get the curse of UNO due to human rights violations. It might be a pressure tactics of Human Rights Commission to bring the Government of Pakistan to consider this serious issue.
Being member of Ahmadiyya Community how much one has to undergo the agony and mental torture you may not be aware of it. I am myself is the living example of it who being in Khaki was so much tortured that forced me to say goodbye to professions of arms. In Pakistan, as an Ahmadi, at every step and at every moment, you are tortured and humiliated. I am a witness to it since last 5 decades. From 1974 and then 1984 onwards it got so worst that one can not mention it in words. After all how long this cruel and brutal discrimination will go on. If Pakistan is a member of UNO and signatory to all the agreements it should follow it in letter and spirit if has to be taken as respected country on the map of the world.
Any way once again thanks to you. Your valuable advise is being referred to those who originally initiated it. We have honourable members on MT like Dr Alim and Rafiq Sahib who can also opine on it.
Yes, the policy of The Muslim Times (up to now – it can be changed in the future) is that we post News as we find it for the information of our readers. It does not mean that we fully agree with it. Or even if we ‘generally’ agree with it we might have used different words and expressions if we had written the article ourselves. Anyway, we are grateful for the very active ‘comments section’ in The Muslim Times, which gives every one the possibility to add his/her views. Thanks to all for their active participation in the discussions!
What Zubair Khan has described is not just a personal story, it is projection of a community of millions and these millions deserve attention. This is where we are stuck how to balance positive and negative news. I have experienced that while reporting on Indonesia and Israel.
It certainly hurts when there is negative news about Pakistan. The other day the PEW result; why does Muslim world and Chinese hate Pakistan and Pakistanis; was very painful. Having lived life and profession among people of Pakistan I am a witness to it that the major majority of Pakistan does not deserve this humiliation. They are as good, as hardworking as honest and as desirous to earn a bright and nice future for their children as any good citizen in any county possibly could be. It is very unjust to project them as a hate-able nation. They are NOT.
Normality don’t make news. What is outside the range of normality is picked by media and that is how people know about Pakistanis; terrorists, Taliban………
Mr. Quraishy, Assalam-o-alaikum wa rahematullahe wa barkatahu!
State of Pakistan is in a way facing similar situations worldwide, the conditions in which its minorities are living. Perfect and symmetric resemblance.
Although it can be agreed that no one projects the state of Pakistan in a bad light, other than its own media. Pakistanis, just like the whole muslim ummah is facing problem is that of media handling. If not we, then some other pakistani media must have published it. For sure, that too in a bad light.
Secondly, my experience being a Muslim in India which i will not elaborate though. But will tell you that Mr. Khan is not obliged to prove his loyalty to Pakistan in any manner what so ever. If yes, then first all Muslims who live in west namely Europe and United States should
1) Stop crying about racism there
2) Stop projecting ‘white man’ as a vilian.
3) As a means of proving their true loyalty to west and Americas, should create aggressive counter-propaganda against Muslims who run this online hate campaign against west.
P.S. don’t know how my email got added to a mailer list run by Pakistanis which i am trying to get rid of by spam filters. But just within few days, i have recieved mails in support of Taliban twice!
Let us spread compassion towards each other sir! Show us compassion so that we may respond you accordingly.
Mr. Quraishy, while i believe you are of my fathers age. and with admiration of your contribution towards minority rights towards European minorities, namely Muslims. Would you be able to issue a similar statement against atrocities against Ahmadis, Hindus, Shias, Christians and others in Pakistan. No we don’t want you to do Pakistan bashing or for that matter Mullah bashing. But just a request, would you be able to take it forward in a constructive manner? Let us mend the fence(if any exists).
Ma’salama,
Azim
This report by the AHRC: “PAKISTAN: No legitimacy to be at the UN with Ahmadis disfranchised” is NOT presenting the case in favour of Ahmadis in Pakistan but is a subtle attack on them and has made their situation precarious.
Asian Human Rights Commission cannot indulge in this irresponsible behavior on such sensitive issues. AHCR needs to understand that by presenting the case of persecuted minorities in this typical manner:
Quote:
The UN Human Rights Council members during the upcoming UPR must pressurize and question Pakistan on its gross failures as a Democracy and censure Pakistan for the way it is treating and depriving the Ahmadis in every sphere of life. It is only then that Pakistan can face the world and claim itself to be a member of the World Democracies.
Unquote:
It is trying to create a wedge between the State of Pakistan and the Ahmadis in Pakistan. This report is supporting the the very forces which are responsible for persecuting the Ahmadis in the first place.
I want to ask AHCR and all those responsible for writing this report and publishing this in the media:
• Why only the Ahmadis issue has been made the focus of this recommendation of “censure ”, and the only reason?
• Why has AHRC picked up this timing to bring up the Ahmadiyya issue when Pakistan is so close to Elections?
• Are there no other atrocities happening in Pakistan?
• Does not AHCR know that Pakistan is in a state of war ever since 2001? And during all these years there have been many other laws which have been flouted, and thousands have suffered including Ahmadis, all in the name of “War on Terror” and which conditions have been supported by the “World Democracies” for their strategic interests in this region of AfPak region.
• Does not AHRC know that it is not the state of Pakistan which is responsible for the atrocities but a section of religious political parties which are the root cause of this state of affairs in Pakistan?
The contents of this AHRC report, which has also been given to the media including The Muslim Times, does NOT represent the Ahmadiyya teachings which are very clear on the subject.
It is their fundamental duty to be peaceful and remain loyal citizens of the state during peace and during war.
Ahmadis in Pakistan and elsewhere, will not be a party to such “censures” of their homeland. Their methods are different. Pakistani Ahmadis have always put their case before Allah, The All Mighty and patiently prayed for Pakistan and their countrymen.
MAV
Sweden