NEW DELHI: New Pakistan PM Imran Khan's government caught it out for a few days there, announcing "we will not bow to extremists", however that place didn't closing very lengthy and underneath drive from fundamentalists it caved in and advised an economist to step down from a key PM-led economic council, reported Pakistan media.
Why? Because he is an 'Ahmadi'
The 'Ahmadi' sect, or the 'Ahmadiyyas', are a extremely persecuted Islamic sect in Pakistan. And no matter that Mian is a highly-regarded Princeton University economist who could assist pull Pakistan out of the financial mess it's in, the fact that he is an Ahmadi way he needed to pass.
Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government's appointment of Mian was hostile by a number of people and groups, together with the extraordinary Islamist group, the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). Yes, the same TLP that introduced Islamabad to a standstill closing November to protest what it believed was a watering down of the country's stringent blasphemy law.
Ahmadiyyas are reviled, mainly by the orthodox Sunni Muslims of Pakistan, because they don't imagine that Mohammad is the closing prophet sent to steer mankind.
It appeared that for Khan and the PTI, economist Mian's religion was a non-public and that the state should don't have anything to do with it and that it in point of fact didn't subject.
The PTI government firmly defended its selection and made sturdy statements about Pakistan being equally for minorities as it's for the majority groups.
"Should minorities in Pakistan be thrown out? What kind of people say things like this?" wondered Khan's minister of knowledge Fawad Chaudhary at a public match, whilst a vicious on-line campaign concentrated on Mian for being Ahmadiyya, reported newspaper Dawn earlier this week.
Chaudhry didn't forestall there and expressed his scorn much more firmly.
"This is a man who the entire world is saying will receive a Nobel Peace Prize in the next five years. He has been appointed to the Economic Advisory Council, not the Council of Islamic Ideology or something else," said Chaudhry.
"I don't think anyone should have objections (to Mian's appointment), and those who do, they are basically extremists and we will not bow to extremists...Pakistan belongs as much to minorities as it does to the majority," asserted the minister.
Chaudhry even posted a message on Twitter announcing Pakistan's founding father had also appointed an Ahmadi, Muhammad Zafarullah Khan, as the country's foreign minister.
"We'll follow the principles of Mr Jinnah not of extremists," he tweeted.
The government's minister of human rights Shireen Mazari also got here out in give a boost to and recommended Chaudhry. "Exactly. Well put indeed. Time to reclaim space for the Quaid's Pakistan!"
The Princeton academic did get some give a boost to from other folks on social media. But the fundamentalists simply would not back off.
Just days later, on Friday, Khan's government capitulated to the extremists.
A PTI senator, Faisal Javed Khan, on Friday morning, tweeted announcing Mian has agreed to surrender his place at the council.
Even minister Chaudhry, who mere days earlier, vociferously supported a pluralistic Pakistan, looked as if it would have had an enormous exchange of heart going by his tweets Friday.
In reality, Chaudhry tweeted (in Urdu) - as translated by Dawn - even referring in particular to Mian's religion.
He said that Prime Minister Khan and his cupboard imagine that the perfect state is Madina and hold the Prophet Muhammad in high esteem.
"Khatm-i-Nabuwwat [belief in the finality of the prophethood] is a part of our faith and the recent success achieved by the government in the matter of blasphemous sketches is reflective of the same connection," he wrote.
The capitulation was whole.
Why? Because he is an 'Ahmadi'
The 'Ahmadi' sect, or the 'Ahmadiyyas', are a extremely persecuted Islamic sect in Pakistan. And no matter that Mian is a highly-regarded Princeton University economist who could assist pull Pakistan out of the financial mess it's in, the fact that he is an Ahmadi way he needed to pass.
Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government's appointment of Mian was hostile by a number of people and groups, together with the extraordinary Islamist group, the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). Yes, the same TLP that introduced Islamabad to a standstill closing November to protest what it believed was a watering down of the country's stringent blasphemy law.
Ahmadiyyas are reviled, mainly by the orthodox Sunni Muslims of Pakistan, because they don't imagine that Mohammad is the closing prophet sent to steer mankind.
It appeared that for Khan and the PTI, economist Mian's religion was a non-public and that the state should don't have anything to do with it and that it in point of fact didn't subject.
The PTI government firmly defended its selection and made sturdy statements about Pakistan being equally for minorities as it's for the majority groups.
"Should minorities in Pakistan be thrown out? What kind of people say things like this?" wondered Khan's minister of knowledge Fawad Chaudhary at a public match, whilst a vicious on-line campaign concentrated on Mian for being Ahmadiyya, reported newspaper Dawn earlier this week.
Chaudhry didn't forestall there and expressed his scorn much more firmly.
"This is a man who the entire world is saying will receive a Nobel Peace Prize in the next five years. He has been appointed to the Economic Advisory Council, not the Council of Islamic Ideology or something else," said Chaudhry.
"I don't think anyone should have objections (to Mian's appointment), and those who do, they are basically extremists and we will not bow to extremists...Pakistan belongs as much to minorities as it does to the majority," asserted the minister.
Chaudhry even posted a message on Twitter announcing Pakistan's founding father had also appointed an Ahmadi, Muhammad Zafarullah Khan, as the country's foreign minister.
"We'll follow the principles of Mr Jinnah not of extremists," he tweeted.
Quaid e Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah Appointed Sir ZafarUllah as Foreign minister of Pak, we ll apply Principles of Mr… https://t.co/HVILy94lDC
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) 1536062569000The government's minister of human rights Shireen Mazari also got here out in give a boost to and recommended Chaudhry. "Exactly. Well put indeed. Time to reclaim space for the Quaid's Pakistan!"
The Princeton academic did get some give a boost to from other folks on social media. But the fundamentalists simply would not back off.
Just days later, on Friday, Khan's government capitulated to the extremists.
A PTI senator, Faisal Javed Khan, on Friday morning, tweeted announcing Mian has agreed to surrender his place at the council.
Atif Mian was asked to step down from the Advisory Council and he has agreed. A replacement would be introduced later.
— Faisal Javed Khan (@FaisalJavedKhan) 1536292153000Even minister Chaudhry, who mere days earlier, vociferously supported a pluralistic Pakistan, looked as if it would have had an enormous exchange of heart going by his tweets Friday.
In reality, Chaudhry tweeted (in Urdu) - as translated by Dawn - even referring in particular to Mian's religion.
He said that Prime Minister Khan and his cupboard imagine that the perfect state is Madina and hold the Prophet Muhammad in high esteem.
"Khatm-i-Nabuwwat [belief in the finality of the prophethood] is a part of our faith and the recent success achieved by the government in the matter of blasphemous sketches is reflective of the same connection," he wrote.
The capitulation was whole.
Pakistan's Imran Khan government caves in to first brush with Islamic fundamentalists - and how
![Pakistan's Imran Khan government caves in to first brush with Islamic fundamentalists - and how]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
September 07, 2018
Rating:
