Press Report – Mullahs versus Tahir Khan

30 PRESS REPORT MULLAHS VERSUS TAfflR KHAN (A case was instituted by the police against an Ahmadi Muslim of Nankana, Pakistan, Mr. Tahir Khan. The charges were brought by the mullahs. The case shows how innocent Ahmadis are being subjected to inhuman behaviour even in the courts of Pakistan. The story is told by Mr. Tahir Khan himself.) In 1986, on the complaint of some mullahs, two cases were brought against me under section 2 9 S7 c and 2 9 S7 c at Nankana police station. Since then I have to go twice a month regularly to Sheikhupura to attend the court of the Assistant Commissioner. In addition, another case was brought by the mullahs recently on the day of Eid-ul-Adha, which the police later changed to two separate cases, one under section 2 9 W c, and another under section 506, Pakistan Penal Code. The details of the incident are as under: On Bid day after Fajr Prayer I went to the Eidgah to make some arrangement for the Bid Congregational Prayer. After finishing my work, at about 6:30 a.m. I was going back to my house. I had to pass through the street in which the office of the Khatme Nabuwwat Organisation is situated. I saw one boy standing in the door of the office. As I drew nearer, the boy came in my way and said, Why did you look at me in a funny way? Then he started using filthy language against me. I ignored him and tried to pass by, but he grabbed me by my shirt and pulled it so that it was torn at places. Suddenly I saw 10 or 15 boys armed with clubs and sticks ready to pounce on me. Some were carrying bricks in their hands. I stood my ground. They came closer, but by the grace of God Almighty no one dared to attack me. In the meantime the boy who had stopped me in the first place, had gone back into the shop and brought an axe. With the back of the axe he hit me on my arm. -By this time the neighbours had also gathered. Some of them intervened and asked me to go away quickly. With my arm black and blue I moved away with hurried steps until I reached home safely. The crowd shouted more abuses at me as I left. Next day I went to Rabwah. While in Rabwah, I learnt that a case had been registered against me on the complaint of mullahs. The charges levied against me were: (1) I recited Takbirat (Verses praising God Almighty) while passing REVIEW OF RELIGIONS 31 through the street. (2) I slapped a boy who reprimanded me saying that being a non—Muslim I should not recite those verses. The report also mentioned that Ahmadis create a law and order problem in the country, and they do this on instructions from their leaders in Rabwah. When I appeared before the judge, my non-Ahmadi lawyer objected to the conduct of the police who had added an extra charge under section 506 to the original charge. The judge remarked: You don’t know these Qadianis. They are deliberately creating a law and order problem in the country. Then he addressed me and said: Why don’t you stop all this? Why don’t you stop hurting the feelings of Muslims? I replied: I have done nothing illegal. The judge thundered: You are a liar. You are a menace to the country. I kept quiet. At this the lawyer representing the mullahs stepped forward and handed over a letter to the judge. This is the letter which he wrote, he said, pointing towards me and it states, I will shoot all Muslims. The judge looked at me again and said, Ehl You said that you have done nothing. What is this? I replied I did not write this letter. The lawyer stepped forward once again and handed over another letter to the judge, which he claimed I had written to a mullah, Aslam Qureshi by name, threatening to kill him. Tdenied writing these letters. My lawyer told the judge that these are false allegations brought by the mischievous mullahs. It is the mullahs who were responsible for setting ablaze all Ahmadi houses in the village in April. At this stage, the President of the Khatm-e-Nabuwwat Organisation, addressed the judge and said that the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community had written such and such things in his books, and he also made some false allegations against the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and asked how can we tolerate all this? The Ahmadis should thank God that they are still alive. The judge listened to this rubbish and then said to me, Tell me, will you do this sort of thing again? I replied Sir I have done nothing. I have not hurt the feelings of anyone. My lawyer interrupted and asked me to keep quiet. At this the President of the Khatm-e-Nabuwwat Organisation said, This is oil Mirza Tahir’s fault. He is sitting in London, but sends regular instructions through cassettes to his followers. The judge then remarked, But you should not worry. ‘Let the dogs bark. The judge then addressed my lawyer and said, Look, I will accept his bail today. Then he looked at me and said, Listen carefully, I am releasing you on bail today, but if you do it again, I will send you behind bars for life. Then he 32 REVIEW OF RELIGIONS summoned me towards him and when I stepped on the platform, he said, Touch your ears (as if to beg pardon, from him) and say loudly, I won’t do it again. I burst with anger, I haven’t done anything wrong. The mullahs are liars My lawyer and some other well-wishers whispered to me, saying there is no harm in saying that I won’t do it again. I did say that. The Promised Messiah’s quotation came to my mind, Be utterly humble like a false person even if you are a truthful. All the mullahs present in the court laughed with joy when they saw me in that position. My heart began to bleed afterwards. My conscience began to prick, I asked myself, Which action have I promised not to do again? Why did I say that? Why did I falter at the test of my faith? Why? My-eyes are still full of tears with remorse. 0 God, forgive me for my shortcomings. Indeed you are the Most Merciful! (from page 29) countries like Romania, Czechoslavakia, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria is changing. What next? A victory for Islam. For too long Communism had its power base in the Eastern Block but that is going through a period of dramatic changes. Even strong men like Gorbachev have had a change of heart. This change is certainly a victory for Democracy and a victory for Islam which will see the spread of Ahmadiyyat more rapidly in all the Communist nations of the world.