Memorandum Presented to Interior Minister of Pakistan by TNFJ Central Muharram Committee (Azadari Cell) about demands viz. Quetta incident & Ayyam-e-Aza.

March 12, 2004

Respecting Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat
Federal Interior Minister
Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Salam Masnoon!

We are thankful to you, for giving us time.

Tehreek Nafaz-e-Fiqh-e-Jafariya is the only representative organisation of Maktab-e-Tashayyo that is operating for the last two and a half decades. All agreements were signed with the government by this organisation. The last Junejo-Moosavi agreement was signed in 1985. As the Tehreek leads the Millat-i-Jafariya, the nation also looks towards it for solution of problems and other matters, and the Tehreek always tries to resolve these problems and difficulties in a positive manner so as to promote peace and brotherhood in the country and to thwart every conspiracy against the religion and the motherland.

Azadari is our jugular vein, therefore, Tehreek Nafaz-e-Fiqh-e-Jafariya makes special arrangements for performing religious rites in an amicable manner during all processions taken out from 1st Muharramul Haram to 8th Rabiul Awwal and Majalis, and Control Rooms of the Muharram Committee (Azadari Cell) of the Tehreek are set up at Central and Provincial level so as to avoid any problem or any untoward incident.

The government’s attention was invited before Muharram and during the Ashra-e-Muharram by the Tehreek towards maintaining peace and for making best possible arrangements but none of the letters sent was replied. The Quaid-i-Millat-i-Jafariya, Pakistan, Agha Syed Hamid Ali Shah Moosavi issued Code of Azadari, set up Azadari Control Rooms at Central and Provincial level throughout the country despite the fact that it was the responsibility of the government to do so because the government has the obligation to protect the life, wealth, property and rights of the people besides restoring law and order.

Pakistan had to confront worst type of incidents on the day of Ashoora in its history. In this regard, we have a question that when the government was aware that the country is confronted with terrorism then what steps it had taken in this regard? Had any government representative held any Press conference or told about Muharram arrangements to the nation at any forum?

As far as sectarianism is concerned, I would like to reiterate the challenge of Quaid-i-Millat-i-Jafariya, Pakistan, Agha Syed Hamid Ali Shah Moosavi that sectarianism does not exist in Pakistan, issuance of Anti-Terrorism Ordinance instead of Anti-Sectarian Ordinance by the government itself, indicates that the real issue is terrorism and not sectarianism because we are living together for the last 1400 years, therefore, act of any single person could not be termed the act of the whole school of thought. Anyhow, he said, effort was made to convert Pakistan into a sectarian State but this conspiracy was thwarted by Ahl-e-Sunnat and Ahl-e-Tashayyo unitedly.

Pakistan is confronted with terrorism for the last two decades but the credit goes to Gen. Pervez Musharraf for imposing restriction on organisations involved in terrorism in the garb of religion.

It is said that Quetta incident was planted to harm Pakistan-Iran relations, it is not so as we enjoy brotherly relations with Iran and other Islamic States and China and no power on earth could cause any harm to these relations. We would like to make it clear that this impression is totally baseless. Had Iran settled us here? Or is it leading us? Not at all, it is our own motherland that was created through the joint struggle of Shias and Sunnis and they are also defending it jointly. Why this terrorism is going on and which are the powers behind it, you know all about it. We only desire to know that what steps have been taken by you to check it, and if any steps were taken then why those steps met failure. We are representatives of the Maktab-e-Jafariya and we lead it, therefore, we should be told that what are future steps of the government in this connection?

During your government, three gory incidents of terrorism took place only in one city. You are the first minister who did not reply our letters and not even implemented our proposals. Last year, the Sarhad government had set up Azadari Cells for resolving the problems of Azadaran and also coordinated with us, this was also done in the past by Federal and Provincial governments. You would be surprised to know that Late Mr. Junejo had offered us that if you say, the Federal Minister Iqbal Ahmed Khan is ready to go to every district along with Tehreek elite and the arrangements for Muharram would be as desired by the Tehreek. The governments coming afterwards also cooperated, the People’s Party governments particularly cooperated more, and they gave us even the home contact numbers of their ministers and responsible officers. Similarly, the government continued its cooperation with us till the Chief Executiveship of Gen. Musharraf.

Janab Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat!

The basic reason behind this terrorism and failure of your arrangements is your lack of contact with the people. We are not talking about politics; we are talking about a contact with the religious representative organisations. Here I would also like to make it clear that we do not consider politics separate from the religion but subservient to the religion and consider politics, particularly the politics of electioneering, on the basis of sectarianism fatal for the country.

Aun Muhammad Rizvi kissed martyrdom here, Shah-e-Najaf incident took place, some elements tried to fuel the situation but we did not allow anyone to dominate. Similar situation could have developed after the Quetta incident also, who could have stopped the processions taken out from 100 districts of Pakistan from changing their direction to some other destination, but we always advised the people to exercise patience and would continue to do so as it is our motherland.

Hue and cry is raised before Muharram, why it is not done before Ramazan and Eid Milad-un-Nabi. Like Ramazan and Eid Milad-un-Nabi, they all commemorate Nawasa-e-Rasool (A.S.) in Muharram. The strictness observed this year was not witnessed during any other government before but occurrence of incidents of terrorism despite that provides food for thought. Handover the Administration to us for these few days and we would stand responsible for even if a little straw moves. We consider that objective of these incidents is to prove government and you as failures!

The government forms Peace Committees. I would like to ask what is the objective of these Committees, what performance was shown by these Committees in Quetta, where the offices of these Committees are situated and how much contact they keep with the people?

Therefore, now the trend of fill in the blank should be given up, one party is leading the Maktab, the government should contact us, we would extend help to them and that help would not be for you but for the people and Pakistan.

Although the President had issued Anti-Terrorism Ordinance but would you tell us to what extent it is being implemented? How many people were arrested while as a matter of fact they all are operating by changing their names.

We would like to make it clear that we keep no personal friendship or enmity; the standard of our friendship and enmity is religion and motherland only. We are doing this job only under “Ta’awanu alal Birre Wattaqwa” the spirit of cooperation and service to the people considering all this worship. Objective to present these recommendations is that the best friend is the one who informs his friend about his weaknesses. As Ayyam-e-Aza would continue till 8th Rabiul Awwal, therefore, in the same spirit we would like to request you that:

The government machinery, particularly the lower level Administration should be directed to implement the Code of Azadari issued by Quaid-i-Millat-i-Jafariya, Pakistan, Agha Syed Hamid Ali Shah Moosavi.
Azadari Control Rooms should be set up at the Interior Ministry and in all the four provinces including Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas. These should be publicised and directed to keep a contact with the Central and Provincial Control Rooms of the Tehreek. Moreover, such arrangements should be made that we should not need to repeat these demands every year in future because the world is temporary and eternity only belongs to Allah, and the Kaffarah of this chair is to service to religion, motherland and its people.
Regarding incident that took place in Quetta, we demand from you to let the Tribunal give a free and open chance for enquiry, and inclusion of more than one judge in it would make it effective, and those who are giving witness in this case should be provided protection guarantee, Administration officials posted at the time of Quetta incident should be stopped from infiltrating and dominating the enquiry, enquiry reports of earlier Quetta incidents of Saryab Road and Imambargah Kalan Meganki Road should also be made public and the culprits given exemplary punishment.
People of Quetta are hurt on continuous incidents, therefore arrests and harassment of innocent people would increase their unrest because those homes that have received dead bodies and injured could not involve themselves in jalao-gherao. They were busy in taking care of their dead bodies and injured instead. It was also the conspiracy of the enemy and you are well aware that who these people are who always prefer politics of dead bodies and those restricted organisations look for an opportunity to the situation takes a wrong direction and could reap their benefit out of it. You are therefore requested to avoid arresting innocent people, unveil those elements giving them exemplary punishment that desire to achieve their nefarious designs by playing with peace.
We could have done much if we wanted to earn cheap famousness but Tehreek Nafaz-e-Fiqh-e-Jafariya always kept the solidarity of the motherland and national interest supreme and the Quaid-i-Millat-i-Jafariya, Pakistan, Agha Syed Hamid Ali Shah Moosavi has made a clear-cut announcement that any protest during Ayyam-e-Aza would be considered a hurdle in way of Azadari and mourning of all martyrs will be observed after Ayyam-e-Aza i.e. after 8th Rabiul Awwal. The government should also cooperate in this regard.
Tehreek Nafaz-e-Fiqh-e-Jafariya had presented Moosavi Peace Formula for rooting out terrorism, before Justice Sajjad Ali Shah in the Supreme Court, and then to former Interior Minister Moeenuddin Haider, and it is a good omen that the President issued historic Anti-Terrorism Ordinance keeping that Formula in view. We like to reiterate that implementation on this Anti-Terrorism Act is extremely necessary to root out terrorism completely and to restore peace, in the present circumstances. This tragic fact would certainly be in your knowledge that restricted organisations were still operating by changing names, are a part of alliances and they are also invited on government fora.
At present, “Ashra Beemar-e-Karbala” is being observed throughout the country, Taboot processions will be taken out on 25th Muharram from all over the country, then Azadari processions will be taken out on 20th Safar on the occasion of Arbaeen-e-Hussaini like Ashoora, Martyrdom Anniversaries of the Holy Prophet (SAW) and Imam Hassan (A.S.) are observed on 28th Safar, Taboot processions are taken out on this occasion also, while Chup Tazias (silent processions) are taken out on 8th Rabiul Awwal marking an end to Ayyam-e-Aza. Therefore, special protective measure should be taken during Ayyam-e-Aza in general, and during the above-mentioned days in particular.
The lower level Administration has taken such steps by infiltrating in Majalis at some places that may have caused any untoward incident but when Azadaran contacted us, they were advised by the Markaz to maintain peace. Therefore, Administration should be directed to avoid taking such steps that may affect government’s credibility. Moreover, such steps may also be avoided that may cause fear and harassment.

It is strongly hoped that you would implement our recommendations so as to thwart conspiracies of the enemies of Islam and Pakistan, all schools of thought could commemorate the days of Nawasa-e-Rasool (A.S.) and his sincere companions unitedly, and play their role in the nation building and development process of the country. May Allah protect the religious, motherland and its people and enable us to do the job that may increase the dignity and honour of Islam and Pakistan.

Wassalam Ma’al Ikraam

Markazi Muharram Committee
(Azadari Cell)
Tehreek Nafaz-e-Fiqh-e-Jafariya Pakistan
And members of the Delegation
12th March, 2004