IHC seeks Nadra’s detailed report on Qadianis

ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad High Court (IHC) bench Monday directed the National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) to furnish with it a comprehensive report on 10,205 Qadianis who had changed their religious status from Muslim to Qadiani in their identity cards.

The bench was hearing a petition of Maulana Allah Wasaya who has challenged amendment to the oath of Khatm-e-Nabuwwat in Election Act, 2017. The Nadra on February 22 provided details about the total number of Qadianis in Pakistan and also how many had changed their religious status.

The bench, comprising Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, directed the Nadra to provide name, father's name, age and details of foreign trips of those persons in a sealed envelope to the court.

Amicus curiae Professor Dr Hafiz Hassan Madni of the Institute of Islamic Studies, University of Punjab, Lahore told the court that a person who converted from Islam to another faith was an 'apostate' and deserved a penalty prescribed for this.

“Qadianis are more dangerous than the non-believers. They are neither Muslims nor Christians and in fact they have covered themselves under Islam,” he said.

The bench was hearing the petition of Maulana Allah Wasaya who had challenged an amendment to the oath of Khatm-e-Nabuwwat (SAW) in the Election Act, 2017 and consequential repeal of other election laws.

Justice Siddiqui asked Professor Madni what was Islamic injunction about a person who changed his religion for a seat of the Punjab Assembly.