New Delhi: Pakistan Punjab’s CM Maryam Nawaz is in a soup again. This time over her husband’s 2017 hate speech against Ahmadis that has resurfaced.
In a viral clip, Muhammad Safdar Awan is seen inciting a rally in Punjab’s Lahore to give birth to more Mumtaz Qadris in their families to contain the rise of Ahmadis. Qadri assassinated the governor of Punjab Salmaan Taseer in 2011 over his support of a blasphemy-accused woman.
The video from 2017 resurfaced after PTI leader Jibran Nasir shared it in the wake of PMLN’s ban on Tehreek e Labbaik Pakistan–a religio-political party known for its extremist views against Ahmadis and blasphemy laws in Pakistan.
Pakistanis are calling it ‘Halal extremism’. Others want Maryam Nawaz to divorce him.
Known for his far-Right views, Awan, a former military personnel, is a repeat offender. Seen as a vocal critic of secularism, he has repeatedly targeted the Ahmadi community, calling for bans on their employment in key institutions, including the armed forces. He has also always publicly supported Mumtaz Qadri.
Qadri was hanged to death in 2016. His death gave rise to the recently banned TLP, under the leadership of Khadim Rizvi.
Also read: Did Pakistan really ban TLP? Experts say it’s a staged drama
‘Hypocrisy of PMLN’
Pakistanis activists and civil society members were quick to criticise Awan or Captain Safdar, as he is known.
“Would the CM Punjab @MaryamNSharif also arrest him and proscribe him under the Anti Terrorism Laws? Also to all those cheering the crackdown on TLP in Muridke would also demand penal action against Capt Safdar and question the already known hypocrisy of PMLN,” PTI leader Jibran Nasir wrote on X.
Others called on Nawaz to arrest her husband.
“CM @MaryamNSharif, you can’t claim to fight extremism while your husband prays for more Mumtaz Qadris & incites hate against Ahmadis. If you truly mean what you say, prove it. Arrest Captain Safdar—that would be the defining act of your leadership,” Ahmadi activist Mona Farooq added to that in a post on X.
Some Pakistanis saw it as a deliberate strategy of the PML(N).
“Safdar is a bit of a loose cannon but from what I’ve seen he’s often deployed intentionally to pander to the extremist section of the Barelvi vote bank. Do people really think he can speak at public rallies like this without Maryam knowing and allowing it?” X user Ghufran asked.
Pakistan banned TLP early last month under the Anti Terrorsim Act, days after the party clashed with the Punjab Police over a solidarity march for Palestine.
“This is why I never bought into the “Maryam the Iron Lady taking on tlp doing what no one else had the courage to do” BS. She’s just as bigoted. You are defined by the company you keep and this is who Maryam has chosen to be with,” X user Hina Khan wrote.
Also read: Pakistanis can’t tolerate a Syed, non-Syed marriage on TV. They see blasphemy
Ahmadis in Pakistan
The persecution of Ahmadis in Pakistan is now an everyday reality. Most often, even the state forces relent to calls by radical religious groups.
Pakistan has the largest population of Ahmadis, about 40 lakh. However, the Constitution of Pakistan categorises them as non-Muslims. They must declare themselves as non-Muslims in order to avail legal, voting, and administrative rights, according to a March 2023 human rights report.
TLP has been reportedly involved in targeting Ahmadi worship places across the country. The party claims that these are similar to Muslim mosques as they have minarets.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)