Pakistan Papers


On the 9th day of Ramadan, two Ahmadi Muslims (Ahmadis) – a cardiologist and a local office holder – were murdered in cold blood. A hospital security guard, clinical staff member, and a patient were also critically injured. While the situation is disturbing, what is shocking is the GEO program Aalim Online fueled the events. On September 7th, Aalim Online aired a program commemorating the thirty-fourth anniversary of the passage of the Pakistani Constitutional amendment declaring Ahmadis to be non-Muslim. During the program, Maulvi Liaquat Hussain described Ahmadis as "waajib ul qatl", or "worthy of death." This follows the murder of eight Ahmadis offering Fajr prayers during the Ramadan of 2005 in Mong. The Maulvi's actions, as well as GEO's, are unequivocally reckless and dangerous.
 
As an admirer of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, I cannot help but feel that these heinous acts not only endanger societal peace, but also abuse the memory of Jinnah. I ask, as someone who lost his grandfather and uncle because of similar extremist rhetoric, when will Pakistan realize enough is enough?



US Papers



Dear Editor:
On September 9th, 2008 two Ahmadi Muslims (Ahmadis) – a local office holder and a cardiologist who was also an American Citizen – were murdered in Sindh Pakistan, the province of the newly elected Pakistani President Asif Zardari. The events follow the airing of a program on September 7th on GEO – a Pakistani based satellite TV station that also transmits to America. As they believe Jihad and violence to be incompatible, an influential Muslim cleric described Ahmadis as "waajib ul qatl", or "worthy of death." This follows the murder of eight Ahmadis during the Ramadan of 2005 in Pakistan.
Moderate by anyone's definition, the crimes committed against Ahmadis offer a moment of reflection – if reckless and dangerous rhetoric can incite violence in Pakistan, why is GEO airing it in America?


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Sardar Anees Ahmad