Daily Times

The first time I noticed this organisation was on October 3, 2010 in Birmingham, UK. The occasion was a follow up address of General (retd) Pervez Musharraf and several hundred yards away from the entrance stood about eight to ten persons with placards demanding khilafat (caliphate) in the world and condemning the US. Their presence was negligible; they were standing on a footpath and left a little after Pervez Musharraf entered the gate of the main area. Later, one person from the crowd shouted “we want khilafat” and this man was whisked away by the security personnel present. This was quite ‘innocent’, but I wondered why and how does this organisation work in the UK while it is banned in many countries. It seems, in some cases, we can be compared in ‘efficiency’ with the UK. After all, we have ‘learnt’ so much from their colonial rule. The British must have thought that they already have their khilafat, so why bother.

However, the recent appearance of Hizb-ut-Tahrir in Pakistan tells a totally different story. It has been found to be working systematically on the sources of ‘power’ to bring about a ‘change’. This organisation works somewhat differently as compared to several aggressive ‘terrorist’ set ups.

Hizb offers a constitution aiming at achieving khilafat. It has detailed comments on religious practices, role of women, the economy, defence, etc. But it does not support the concept of ‘democracy’ as practised in Pakistan and many other countries. It believes in almost absolute powers for the khalifa (caliph) and bait (allegiance) on his hand. Women are not allowed to be a khalifa. In place of working on democratic systems and adult franchise, they work on change through power blocs. Hizb’s operative methodology is stated as under:

“Once public opinion is achieved in a target country through debate and persuasion, the group hopes to obtain support from army generals, leaders, and other influential figures or bodies to facilitate the change of the government.”

This methodology must have been employed by Hizb, resulting in action by the Pakistan Army. On May 6, 2011, Brigadier Ali Khan of the Pakistan Army was detained, just four days after the US-led Abbottabad operation for his alleged links with Hizb-ut-Tahrir, official military sources said.

The Hizb has been active over a decade, and has effectively influenced politicians. It is well known that the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was interested in becoming a khalifa and even moved a resolution in the National Assembly to this effect. The symptoms of their preaching can also be seen in Imran Khan who constantly calls the struggle against terrorism an ‘American war’, ignoring the fact that the greatest damage by the terrorists is done to Pakistan and not the US, both in human lives as well as property.

In Pakistan, Hizb-ut-Tahrir was proscribed by General Musharraf in 2004, although it had the ban on it lifted after a legal challenge against its proscription in the Lahore High Court. According to “a senior Obama Administration official” interviewed by journalist Seymour Hersh in 2009, “Hizb-ut-Tahrir has penetrated the Pakistani military and now have cells in the Army.” Hersh reports that the Pakistan Army denies this. The denial mode had to be changed as the action against Brigadier Ali Khan indicated. Hizb-ut-Tahrir was working in accordance with its plans and declared methods; why did the army not look into it instead of going into a denial mode? Denial seems to be the popular style. We had Osama in our midst and we kept denying it. Osama and his followers have done more harm to Islam than the US. Finally, when Osama was found next door to military establishments, we showed shock and instead of setting our house in order we started blaming the US for violating our sovereignty. Funny. Was our ‘sovereignty’ protected by Osama’s presence? Also who would believe that the powers that be in Pakistan did not know about the operation? It was kept a tight secret because the authorities knew of the infiltration within the ranks and feared leakage.

On its website the Hizb-ut-Tahrir claims to be a political party. But it has not registered in Pakistan as a political party. Why? Because it does not believe in the constitution of Pakistan. It does not believe in change through the vote and, on the other hand, it endeavours to create indoctrinated power blocs in high positions, particularly in the army. Would it not be called a conspiracy to overthrow the government and abrogate the constitution? In simple words, this is what it is.

In short, it is another way of creating hegemony by subversion in the name of Islam. It is in line with the aspirations of the terrorists claiming to be doing jihad in the name of Islam. These are all pursuits of power by methods other than democratic ones. One would want to wish that they did not involve the fair name of Islam. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) gave a message of peace for all from the Almighty. The Prophet’s (PBUH) last sermon summarises all the priorities and is a guideline for all Muslims. We do not need new claimants to a superior understanding of Islam.

Please leave religion alone; it is not endangered. Nor is the country endangered externally. The danger is from these claimants to monopoly of jannat (paradise). By claiming championship and superiority and expansionist designs, such organisations are left with little difference from Hindutva or Zionist expansionists.

The writer is a culture and media management specialist, a researcher, author, director and actor