The News on Sunday: On September 7, 1974, exactly 40 years ago, the Second Amendment to the Constitution that declared Ahmadis as non-Muslims was passed. It was a kind of culmination of their social ostracisation that began after the intense and violent anti-Ahmadiyya movement of the early 1950s. Thereafter, they became non-Muslims legally speaking. But then the ulema began their next set of demands which led to the promulgation of Ordinance XX in 1984 during Ziaul Haq’s rule. This effectively curtailed their social and political exclusion in every manner possible.
An academic work drawing sustenance from research and open discussion has the potential to influence public discourse which seems to have reached a dead end in this case. This is how one should read Ali Usman Qasmi’s recent book Ahmadis and the Politics of Religious Exclusion in Pakistan. Pathbreaking and insightful, the book relies on the recently declassified parliamentary debates from 1974 as well as the proceedings of the Munir Inquiry Committee.
A PhD in South Asian History, Ali Usman Qasmi who teaches at LUMS shared his thoughts on the book which is going to be available in Pakistan in December this year. Excerpts of interview follow.
The News on Sunday (TNS): How did you become interested in a work of this kind and what did you hope to achieve with this?
Ali Usman Qasmi (AUQ): I have been working on themes relating to South Asian Islam, the idea of reform since the 19th century and the kind of changes which have taken place in the discourse of Islam. That’s what my first work on the Ahl al-Qur’an movement was about as well.
I would say that I stumbled upon this particular project as I was working on another project in the Punjab Archives. I found a stack of volumes just lying in a corner. I picked up one particular volume which was about the proceedings of the Munir Inquiry Committee.
Before this, people had just seen the report. No one knew that this kind of record existed. In fact when Justice Munir, the author of the report, wrote a book From Jinnah to Zia he mentioned that the record which was collected for this particular inquiry was lost. But there it was; in fact multiple copies were there. I got those and that’s how I got interested in the topic.
excellent insights. worth reading
Religion in politics leads to disaster. The plight of Ahmadis in Pakistan is firmly rooted in political leaders, using religious bigotry for their own advantage.
It should be remembered that no Maulvi has led the country as Prime Minister or President. Bhutto was a secular leader and Zia was an army general. Both can be credited to inflame the religious extremism in the country.
People of Pakistan cannot be considered innocent either. The common man on the street is driven by hate not humanity. The plight of other religious minorities such as Shia and Christians fully demonstrate the monsters walking the streets of Pakistan.
The seeds of hate that were sown by Bhutto and Zia are now fully grown trees. The cancer has spread so much that there is no hope of cure.
May God help all those who are oppressed in that country and living in fear of their lives.