Official says appeal for worship place reconstruction rejected

MARDAN: The district administration has clarified that it has rejected an appeal filed through the Citizen’s Portal for reconstruction of an Ahmadiyya place of worship while Alami Majlis Tahaffuz Khatm-e-Nabuwat, Mardan chapter, has expressed the desire to purchase the land.

In August 1988, local people demolished the worship place of Ahmadiyya community in BicketGanj bazaar during a movement against the sect. Later, the government took possession of the land, where no structure has been built since then.

However, a resident of Sheikh Maltoon Town, Mardan, identified as Naseem Ahmed, recently submitted a complaint to the Citizen’s Portal, stating that the government should rebuild the place of worship of Ahmadiyya community because Prime Minister Imran Khan claims that he is protecting the rights of minorities. This complaint was received by Mardan’s Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Abid Wazir. The district administration reportedly dropped the complaint on the ground that it is a sensitive religious issue and doesn’t come under the jurisdiction of the portal. However, the office-bearers of Alami Majlis Tahaffuz Khatm-e-Nabuwat, Mardan chapter, claimed the district administration had started processing the complaint. It also criticised the district administration Mardan on the social media.

Addressing a news conference at his office on Sunday, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Abid Wazir said that the belief of Khatm-e-Nabuwat (finality of prophethood) is part of our faith. “Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is the last prophet of Allah and this belief is part of our faith,” he said.

District Police Officer Mohammad Sajjad Khan, religious scholars and religious parties’ leaders were also present on the occasion.

The deputy commissioner said the administration had already dropped and rejected the complaint made through the Citizen’s Portal. He said that people should exercise tolerance and avoid spreading rumours on religious matters. On the occasion, office-bearers of Khatm-e-Nabuwat expressed the desire to buy the land where the Ahmadiyya place of worship existed before being demolished.