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Thousands turn up for Sipah-e-Sahaba gathering

By Fareed Farooqui

KARACHI: An estimated 8,000 men, mostly young ones, gathered at Qayumabad Thursday night for a ‘Jansaran-e-Muhammad Conference’ organized by the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) at B-Area Korangi Road in Qayumabad on Thursday night.

The conference was organized by the SSP, which has been named the Ahle Sunnat wa Aljamaat Pakistan (ASWJP), and Seerat-e-Mustafa Committee. It started after Isha prayers and ended before Fajr. A rally started from Qayumabad and ended at the main Korangi road before the participants sat down. The arrangements for the conference were made on the main road and all the link roads and main streets were blocked off with tents. There was frisking at the three main entrances and SSP activists were seen on the rooftops. SSP workers with weapons were also seen at different spots. The stage was built with three trucks at the centre of the road and two police mobiles were seen to the side.

The conference was started with the recitation of the Holy Quran by Qari Kahlil Ahmed, followed by poetry praising the Companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) by Masub Farooque of Rawalpindi.

The SSP/ ASWJP central vice president Maulana Masoodur Rehman Usmani condemned the government for not announcing Youm-e-Siddique-e-Akbar (RA) a national holiday.

“It is obligatory to announce ‘Quaid-e-Azam day’ as the national day because he strived for the independence of Pakistan but ‘Youm-e-Siddique-e-Akbar’ is not being observed even though Muslims received Islam and Islamic preaching from Hazrat Abu Bakar Siddique (RA),” urged Usmani. Pakistani Muslims ask the government if it accepts the greatness of Hazrat Abu Bakar Siddique (RA)? And if so, then why is the day’s importance being ignored, he questioned.

Usmani also demanded holidays for Hazrat Umar (RA), Hazrat Usman (RA), Hazrat Ali (RA) and Hazrat Maviya (R.A). “The Sahaba (RA) (the Companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)) were the ‘Janisaran-e-Holy Prophet (PBUH) and we are the Janisaran-e-Sahaba (RA). The world saw that nobody could stop the Companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) from right path and we will not be stopped from the right path too,” said the SSP Sindh VP Maulana Aurangzaib Farooqui.

SSP central leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Nadeem, SSP patron for Sindh Maulana Allah Wasaya, secretary information for Sindh Qari Shafiqur Rehman, Mian Ilyas Rasheed, Aleemur Rehman, Maulan Tariq Masood also spoke.

SSP chief Maulana Ahmed Ludhyanvi did not attend. Maulana Nadeem told Daily Times that he had to come from Faisalabad to Karachi but could not reach the airport and missed his flight.

Protests held: The SSP-ASWJP also held a protest demonstration while observing Youm-e-Shahadat (the day of martyrdom) of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (RA) after Jumma prayers at Jaama Masjid Siddique-e-Akbar at Nagan Chowrangi in North Karachi Friday.

Addressing the big congregation, the central information secretary of the SSP and ASWJP, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Nadeem, said that Hazrat Abu Bakar Siddique (RA) was a great personality.

“If the Sunni people showed such unity and observed Youm-e-Siddique-e-Akbar (RA) like this, the government would accept our demand one day,” said Maulana Aurangzaib Farooqui.

The leader of the SSP and ASWJP, Engineer Ilyas Zubair, said that a majority of the Ahle Sunnat people wanted the day a national holiday. “Therefore, it is the obligation of the government to accept the demand and announce the 22nd of Jamadi-us-Saani a national holiday. This is the right demand of the SSP and ASWJP because all Muslims, including the people belonging to the Deobandi, Barehlvi and Ahle Hadith demand this collectively.” The protest was also addressed by Maulana Ahsanullah Farooqui, Qari Shafiq ur Rehman, Mufti Zeeshan, Maulana Ikhlaque Maviya.

The SSP/ASWJP asked the local administration and the Sindh government for permission to hold a ‘Siddique-e-Akbar rally’ from Lasbela Chowk to Numaish Chowrangi. Sources said, however, that the NOC was not given for a rally due to security reasons. The SSP/ASWJP then decided to hold it at Nagan Chowrangi.

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