IHC seeks travel details of 6,001 persons who became Qadianis

ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad High Court (IHC) bench Tuesday directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to provide travel details of 6,001 persons who changed their religious status from Muslim to Qadiani.

Previously, Nadra on the orders of the IHC had told the court that 10,205 persons changed their religious status from Muslim to Qadiani. The bench then directed Nadra to provide details that how many of them applied and got passports after change of their religion. Nadra told the court that 6,001 such persons applied and got passports. The IHC bench then directed the FIA to provide travel history of those persons.

The court observed that there are several youths who changed their religious status to get foreign citizenship.

Professor Dr Sahibzada Sajidur Rehman, Member Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), as amicus curiae, submitted before the court that an Islamic state could introduce legislation to differentiate between Muslim and non-Muslim on the basis of collective wisdom. He said if there was no difference, it would affect the society in terms of social order and customs regarding Nikah, eating habits etc.

The bench was hearing a petition of Maulana Allah Wasaya, who has challenged amendments in the oath of Khatm-e-Nabuwwat in the Election Act, 2017. Sajidur Rehman said that if a Qadinai pretend himself to be a Muslim for getting a job, it amounts to cheating and fraud with the state and also tantamount to treason. Referring to the incidents from Islamic history, Sajidur Rehman said that for concealing the real faith, major penalty could be imposed on such persons. Sajidur Rehman said the state should include religion into its list when scrutinising particular posts.

To a question by the court that there were instances when fingers were pointed at some persons that they changed their religion for some benefits, Sajidur Rehman said that there should be a board of Ulema who should decide about the faith of a person. He further said that the state should be having statistics of its citizens in terms of their religious faiths so that it could differentiate between them in terms of their duties. He said religion is an identity and a Kafir cannot be described as a Muslim and vice versa. But nobody should be allowed to intrude into the Muslim identity and present himself as Muslim despite being non-Muslim.

Both the bench and the amicus curiae expressed that the September 7, 1974 legislation through which Qadianis were declared non-Muslim has several lacunas in it. The bench said that this exercise is aimed at providing the legislature with recommendations to cover those lacunas. Sajidur Rehman said the non-Muslims could not be allowed to participate in the matters that are related to the interests of Muslims. The collective wisdom should decide that what official posts and authorities should be reserved for Muslims, and non-Muslims should not appointed over these.

It is to mention here that Nadra on February 22 had told the court that there are over 167,000 Qadianis registered in Pakistan, while 10,205 changed their religious status from Muslim to Qadiani.

The IHC bench had issued these directions after a counsel had told the court there are several Qadianis who joined Pakistan civil services introducing them as Muslims and after superannuation they changed their faith to Qadiani once again.