Editors Note: Raja Zafarul Haq, well known for his anti ahmadiyya stance has been elevated to the rank of a federal minister and as the next possible Chair of senate after being nominated as the leader of the house in Senate. This means that he is essantially President in Waiting, one breath away from presidency. He has an outstanding record of supporting different anti ahmadiyya legislations.
here is an excerpt from thepersection.org website
Federal Minister of Religious Affairs and Minorities
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.
Watch on youtube his views about Ahmadiyya Muslims: Published on Aug 24, 2012
This is an interview of Raja Muhammad Zafar ul Haq , famous Parlimentarian, Senoir Advocate Supreme Court Of Pakistan, and General Secretary motamar al-alam al-islami, regarding Ahmadiyat (Qadianiyat) and its relationship with Islam.
Khatme Nabuwwat Movement- Support by Zafarul Haq
By 1984, a decade after the Constitutional Amendment, the Qadiani issue once again became the centre of public attention mainly due to efforts of Khatme Nabuwwat movement. The ulema insisted on General Zia-ul-Haq, now President of Pakistan, to take necessary steps to check the anti-Islamic activities of Mirza Tahir Ahmad and his minions without further loss of time. The Constitutional Amendment had failed to check the ever increasing overt and covert activities of Qadiani activists as they took advantage of all legal lacuna existing in its proper application. After a series of public meetings and demonstrations is early 1984 Majlis Amal (Action Committee) of the Tehrike Khatme Nabuwwat Conference decided to meet in Rawalpindi on 27 April 1984 to press for the following demands:
- Removal of Qadianis from key posts.
- Effective enforcement of Second Amendment.
- Imposition of ban on Ahmadiyya tabligh.
- Implementation of recommendation of the Council of Islamic Ideology regarding Qadianis (The Council proposed death penalty for an apostate)
- Arrest of Mirza Tahir Ahmad and some of his colleagues in connection with the disappearace of Maulana Aslam Qureshi (a Khatme Nabuwwat activist) and immediate recovery of Maulana Qureshi.
- Maintenance of a close check on political and espionage activities of Ahmadis and their collaboration with the Zionists.
- Ban on paramilitary forces of Rabwah like Khuddamul Ahmadiyya etc.
- Identification of Ahmadis as non-Muslim on Identity cards and passports.
A large number of eminent ulema and office bearer of the Khatme Nabuwwat movement were arrested under 16 MP Order and 153 Pakistan Penal Code for delivering objectional speeches, in order to stop their participation in the Conference. Despite severe restrictions imposed by the administration, including the arrest of ulema, ban on the use of loud speakers, imposition of Section 144 in and around Rawalpindi city, people poured in form all the four Provinces of Pakistan and Azad Kashimr to make the Conference a success. The Tehrik threatenced to take direct action if their demands were not conceded.
Raja Zafarul Haque, the then Minister for Information and Broadcasting, played an active and appreciable role in bringing the representatives of the Tehrik and the Government at a round table conference. The Government had to yield to popular movement which could otherwise have culminated in political agitation against the martial Law regime. (Jang, Rawalpindi 13, 16, 22, 25 April 1984): See: http://alhafeez.org/rashid/constipak1.html
Politics of Persecution – 1999
1999
State support to the on going persecution
The installation of Mr Rafiq Tarar, an ex-Ahrari, as President was a clear signal to Ahmadis’ opponents that they had the backing and support of the highest authority in the land. The appointment of Raja Zafarul Haq as Minister of Minorities Affairs was an open declaration that Ahmadis would stay suppressed. Mian Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, while staying in the background, provided full support to anti-Ahmadiyya policy and action, as was highlighted in the case of change of name of Rabwah. These heavy weights at the federal and provincial levels made quite certain that no respite was given to the persecuted community. All institutions of the state were conscious of the will and wishes of the higher authorities. Accordingly, Ahmadis faced deprivation and discrimination in all fields. Some aspects of this treatment are briefly mentioned below.
President and the defunct minister of religious affairs: Tarar and Raja Zafarul Haq’s role in persecution of Ahmadiyya Muslims
These two high officials of the State were generally discreet in the public about their personal prejudice and animosity towards Ahmadiyyat, however, occasionally they could not help it, or their confidents would leak their thinking, plans and actions, which gave lie to their public pronouncements of tolerance and consideration for minority groups.
According to a report published by the Daily Nawa-I-Waqt Karachi on April 23, a delegation of Muslim clerics from Azad Kashmir called on the President who stated that the Anti-Qadiani Ordinance be implemented in Azad Kashmir as well. The President’s assertion was reported in a bold headline, reproduced below:
According to another report published in the Daily Ausaf, Islamabad of 23 April 1999, a number of festivities were organized in the Holy Hedjaz (Saudi Arabia) to celebrate the change of name of Rabwah town. One of these was arranged in the honour of Maulana Manzoor A Chinioti, the mover of the Resolution in the Punjab Assembly. It was presided over by Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, the Pakistani Federal Minister of Religious Affairs. At this occasion the Raja observed, “Maulana Manzoor Chinioti will have a long life; we have some more assignments for him.”
The Raja–Chinioti team could not have been up to something good. Their track record was consistently vicious.
The Daily Jang of Rawalpindi, in its issue of June 15, printed a statement of Raja Zafarul Haque giving the headline, “There shall be no change in the Blasphemy Law. It reflects the religious sentiments of Muslim masses. Zafarul Haque”. The press release referred to a letter written by the minister to a query raised by Maulana Jalandhri, the Nazim Ala of the Majlis Tahaffuz Khatame Nabuwwat (the foremost anti-Ahmadiyya organization in Pakistan). The minister further wrote: ‘ This law not only reflects the religious sentiments of Muslims, it is also essential as a barrier against a most harmful Evil.’ He was hinting at the prolific use of this law against Ahmadis.
Maulvi Manzoor Ahmad Chinioti, the mulla MPA from Punjab, delivered the Friday sermon at Darul Ulum, Raja Bazaar, Rawalpindi on July 16. In the sermon, Maulvi Chinioti spoke at length on the change of name of Rabwah. He said that he had been working for this objective for the last 30 years. He disclosed that eventually he met President Tarar and cried his heart out and told him that if the change were not brought about during his tenure in office, it would never happen. Accordingly, at the President’s wish, the Punjab Assembly passed the Resolution on November 17, 1998 to change the name to Chenab Nagar. He also added that Zia and Nawaz Sharif also share the credit of this change.
He also referred to the adverse international reaction to this change of name. He called it pointless.
While referring to the arrest of Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the head of the Ahmadiyya Community in Pakistan in April this year, he boasted that he had succeeded in getting a member of the Mirza family handcuffed and sent to prison. According to him, Qadianis are liable to death penalty. He further disclosed that in a meeting with Raja Zafrul Haque, the Federal Minister of Religious Affairs, he put up four demands, out of which one was readily accepted by the Raja. “ I will tell you the details later; I shall not rest till all demands are met”, he concluded.
Raja Zafrul Haque, the Federal Minister of Religious Affairs sent a special message to be read out to the annual conference of Khatame Nabuwwat at London this year. This is the same conference in which Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman intended to participate, but could not, due to the non-availability of visa from the British High Commission. However, many others of his type participated therein, and the Raja shared their company through his message. According to the report published in the Daily Pakistan, Lahore of 9 August, he stated that it is the joint responsibility of the Islamic World to protect the Finality of Prophethood, and that he will yield to no pressure on this issue.
In another report published in the Daily Ausaf, Islamabad on July 18, 1999, Mulla Chinioti stated that the Raja had assured him that soon a Presidential Ordinance would be promulgated whereby communal and religious properties of Qadianis will be taken over and controlled by the State. It was a criminal and shocking intention and assurance. It is loaded with grave possibilities of mischief, and could be a most serious attack on the freedom of faith of Ahmadis in Pakistan.
Mulla Chinioti may be dismissed as a maniac and monstrous, but what about his mentor in Islamabad on whom he makes frequent calls. see: http://www.persecutionofahmadis.org/politics-of-persecution-1999/
Dawn: Zafarul Haq appointed leader of house in Senate; notification issued
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (R) and PML-N leader Raja Zafarul Haq can be seen in this picture.—File Photo
ISLAMABAD: A notification was issued on Monday for the appointment of senior Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Raja Zafarul Haq as Leader of House in Senate, DawnNews reported.
After seeking advice from senior leaders of PML-N, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif elected Zafarul Haq to the post of leader in the Senate.
Raja Zafarul Haq will assume his responsibilities in a meeting of the Senate scheduled to take place next week. His post will be equal to that of federal ministers in the cabinet.
The position fell vacant when former Law Minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Farooq H Naek, who was appointed Leader of the Upper House by caretaker prime minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso in his government, submitted his resignation last week when his party lost majority in the parliament.
I could only read part of the material above. It is all true.
I had heard that Raja Zafar Sahib and the x-President Rafique Tarrar sahib ( who are well known as anti Ahmadi persons), they belong to the Ahrar who were anti Pakistan people.
IF THAT IS TRUE,,,,
Can Nawaz Sharif not see that the persons originally are anti -Pakistan persons. How Nawaz Sharif can be ignorant about that? It means Nawaz Sahib and his brother and his Father (Mian Sharif sahib) were all anti-Pakistan group. They belonged to or they were active against the creation of Pakistan.
If the above is true, it would be very sorry state for Pakistan. We can leave their anti-Ahmaiyah stance alone. The anti-Pakistan history cannot be ignored. Pakistanis should take note of that. That will also explain their Anti-Ahmadiyah activity too.