Pakistan: Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ); whether there is a relationship between the ASWJ and the Sipah-e-Sahaba (SSP); ASWJ leaders and officials in Pakistan, specifically in Jhelum district
According to several sources, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) [also Ahle-Sunnat-wal-Jama'at (Nation 17 Aug. 2009); Ahlay Sunnat Al-Jammat (MEMRI 21 Aug. 2009)] is the renamed Sipah-e-Sahaba (SSP) (BBC 17 Aug. 2009; Daily Times 14 May 2008; SATP 11 Aug. 2009). The SSP, a Sunni extremist organization in Pakistan (BBC 17 Aug. 2009; MEMRI 21 Aug. 2009), was outlawed in February 2002 (BBC 17 Aug. 2009; SATP 11 Aug. 2009) and changed its name to Millat-e-Islamia (BBC 17 Aug. 2009). Millat-e-Islamia was subsequently banned, resulting in the group renaming itself as the ASWJ (ibid.; see also Daily Times 27 Apr. 2009). In a 17 August 2009 article, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) states that while the ASWJ is the organization's official name, SSP "is the name everybody, including the party's own cadres, uses to refer to the organization." According to The Daily Times, intelligence officials stated that the ASWJ has the same flag and slogans as the SSP as well as similar leaders (14 May 2008). The Nation states in a 17 August 2009 article that the founder of the SSP, the late Ali Sher Hyderi, also founded the ASWJ. Hyderi was killed by armed militants in Khairpur district in August 2009 (BBC 17 Aug. 2009; see also The Nation 17 Aug. 2009).
Both the BBC and The Daily Times indicate that the banned SSP is gaining strength (BBC 17 Aug. 2009; Daily Times 27 Apr. 2009). In a 14 May 2008 article, The Daily Times states that ASWJ leaders had "issued orders to their activists to hold public meetings and conferences across the country."
According to a Syracuse University professor of international relations and law specializing in Pakistani issues, while the SSP and the AWSJ may share a variety of ideas, it does not mean that they share entirely the same beliefs (20 Aug. 2009). The Professor stated in a telephone interview with the Research Directorate that the AWSJ adopts a "slightly more temperate" attitude publicly; either because the organization is trying to avoid a government ban, or because their leaders may be more moderate (20 Aug. 2009).
A representative of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), an independent and nonpartisan Washington, DC-based organization which provides regional media-based analysis (MEMRI n.d.), provided the following information on Sunni groups in Pakistan and the SSP:
Broadly speaking, there are two groups of religious organizations in Pakistan - Sunni and Shi’ite. Among the Sunni groups, there are … two groups of religious organizations: the first belongs to the Barelvi School of thought; the second belongs to Deobandi School of Islamic thought. The former, i.e. Barelvi groups, are soft-natured and religiously orthodox, but the Deobandi religious groups in Pakistan are jihadist in nature, more into violence and militancy.
…
About the Barelvi and Sunni distinction among the Sunni religious groups, it should be borne in mind that the SSP is backed by the Sunni Deobandi groups. … [T]here are two sets of similar sounding Sunni organizations: one, Tanzeem Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat; two, Tehreek Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat. The names of their spellings continue to vary in English language when reported by the media, but the key distinction is of Tehreek versus Tanzeem. Sometimes, these two words are not used, thereby confusing even the innocent religious man.
However, if the word Tanzeem figures in their name, it belongs to Deobandi school and is the mother of Sunni militant organizations like the SSP. So, in this case, Tanzeem Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, a coalition of Deobandi organizations, is the mother of the SSP. Its alternative spelling is also Ahlay Sunnat Al-Jammat Pakistan. On the other hand, the Tehreek Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat is a coalition of Barelvi groups of Sunni organizations. These are soft-natured, but nevertheless extremely orthodox. (Sometimes, even softer versions of these groups undergo political transformation; for example, Sunni Tehreek, a Barelvi organization, has been transformed into a political group and is now involved in violence in Pakistani city of Karachi.)
Importantly, sometimes these organizations may not be identified by either word: Tanzeem or Tehreek. This is because there is no need to have their formal names always in the media because their followers are predominantly drawn to their leaders, not to organizations. (MEMRI 21 Aug. 2009, emphasis in original)
According to Amnesty International (AI), Jamaat-e-Ahle Sunnat is a "moderate Sunni Muslim group" of the Barelvi school of thought (13 Apr. 2006). The BBC states that Jamaat-e-Ahle Sunnat "is part of the wide Sunni Tehrik movement" (14 Apr. 2006). On its website, Jamat-e-Ahlesunnat Pakistan identifies itself as "a religious organization representing the overwhelming majority of Pakistan" (n.d.a). The Professor indicated that although there is nothing concrete to confirm that the AWSJ and Jamaat-e-Ahlesunnat are the same organization, it is "likely" (20 Aug. 2009). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
The following persons were noted by sources as members of the ASWJ:
-deceased SSP chief Ali Sher Hyderi (BBC 17 Aug. 2009; Nation 17 Aug. 2009; see also MEMRI 21 Aug. 2008);
-SSP/ASWJ central vice president Masoodur Rehman Usmani (Daily Times 28 June 2008; ibid. 14 May 2008);
-deceased central legal advisor Hafiz Ahmed Buksh (Dawn 17 July 2009);
-provincial leader Ismail Darvesh (Pakistan Observer 3 July 2009);
-SSP/ASWJ leader Ilyas Zubair (Daily Times 28 June 2008);
-central information secretary of the SSP and ASWJ Abdul Ghafoor Nadeem (SATP 11 Aug. 2009);
-Faisal Azizi (Daily Times 17 Mar. 2008); and
-Sahibzada Hamid Raza (ibid. 15 Apr. 2006).
ASWJ leaders Abbas Qadri, Haji Hanif Billo and Hafiz Muhammad Taqi reportedly died in a 2006 incident of sectarian violence in Karachi (IANS 13 Apr. 2006; see also BBC 14 Apr. 2006; Professor 20 Aug. 2009).
The following persons were noted as officials of Jamat-e-Ahlesunnat on its website:
-Head Sahibzada Syed Mazher Saeed Kazmi (Jamat-e-Ahlesunnat n.d.a);
-Secretary-General and Punjab official Syed Riaz Husain Shah (ibid.);
-Punjab official Khizer Hussain Saha Sialwi (ibid. n.d.b);
-Punjab official Muhammad Iqbal Chishti (ibid.);
-Sindh official Syed Ashique Ali Shah Jeelani (ibid.);
-Sindh official Muhammad Hussain Lakhani (ibid.);
-Sindh official Abrar Ahmed Rehmani (ibid.);
-Balochistan official Sahbizada Khalid Sultan Qadri (ibid.);
-Balochistan official Habibullah Chishti (ibid.);
Information on ASWJ leaders and officials in Jhelum district could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Amnesty International (AI). 13 April 2006. "Pakistan: Concern About Escalating Violence." <http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA330102006?open&of=ENG-2S4> [Accessed 24 Aug. 2009]
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). 17 August 2009. Syed Shoaib Hasan. "Pakistan 'Extremist' Shot Dead." <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8205158.stm> [Accessed 18 Aug. 2009]
_____. 14 April 2006. "Strike Over Karachi Bomb Attack." <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4909030.stm> [Accessed 24 Aug. 2009]
Daily Times [Lahore]. 7 May 2009. "Ahl-e-Sunnat Parties to Launch Movement Against Talibanisation." <http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009
%5C05%5C07%5Cstory_7-5-2009_pg7_1> [Accessed 19 Aug. 2009]
_____. 27 April 2009. Faraz Khan. "Threat of Sectarian Violence Looms Over City." <http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\04\27\story_27-4
-2009_pg12_7> [Accessed 19 Aug. 2009]
_____. 28 June 2008. Fareed Farooqui. "Thousands Turn Up for Sipah-e-Sahaba Gathering." <http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\06\28\story_28-6-2008_pg12_9> [Accessed 19 Aug. 2009]
_____. 14 May 2008. Shahnawaz Khan. "SSP Using New Platform to Fan Sectarian Hatred." <http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\05\14\story_14-5
-2008_pg7_34> [Accessed 24 Aug. 2009]
_____. 17 March 2008. "Non-Muslims Show Solidarity Over Cartoons." <http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp
?page=2008\03\17\story_17-3-2008_pg7_23> [Accessed 20 Aug. 2009]
_____. 15 April 2006. "Shutter-down and Rallies Mourn Karachi Carnage." <http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\04\15\story_15-4
-2006_pg7_37> [Accessed 20 Aug. 2009]
Dawn [Karachi]. 17 July 2009. Tahir Siddiqui. "Karachi: Two 'SSP Workers' Shot Dead." <http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/local/karachi-two-ssp-workers-shot-dead-779> [Accessed 24 Aug. 2009]
Indo-Asian News Service (IANS). 13 April 2006. "Pak Hardliner Sees India Hand in Karachi Blast." (The Times of India) <http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1488822.cms> [Accessed 20 Aug. 2009]
Jamat-e-Ahlesunnat. N.d.a. "About Jamat-e-Ahlesunnat Pakistan." <http://www.jamateahlesunnat.net/about.htm> [Accessed 20 Aug. 2009]
_____. N.d.b. "About Jamat-e-Ahlesunnat Pakistan." <http://www.jamateahlesunnat.net/about.htm> [Accessed 20 Aug. 2009]
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), Washington, DC. 21 August 2009. Correspondence with a representative.
_____. 21 August 2008. Tufail Ahmad. "The Role of Pakistan's Madrassas." <<http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=ia&ID=IA46208> [Accessed 18 Aug. 2009]
_____. N.d. "About Us." <http://www.memri.org/aboutus.html> [Accessed 25 Aug. 2009]
The Nation [Lahore]. 17 August 2009. "Pakistan Ulema Council Announced Three-Day Mourning on Hyderi's Killing." <http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper
-daily-english-online/Regional/Islamabad/17-Aug-2009/Pakistan-Ulema-Council-announced-threeday-mourning-on-Hyderis-killing> [Accessed 19 Aug. 2009]
Pakistan Observer [Islamabad]. 3 July 2009. "ANP for More Girls' Colleges in Malakand." <http://pakobserver.net/200907/30/news/National03.asp> [Accessed 19 Aug. 2009]
Professor, Syracuse University. 20 August 2009. Telephone interview with the Research Directorate.
South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP). 11 August 2009. "Incidents Involving Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan." <http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/pakistan/terroristoutfits/
SSP_tl.htm> [Accessed 20 Aug. 2009]
Additional Sources Consulted
Internet sites, including: Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), Business Recorder [Karachi], The Europa World Year Book, European Country of Origin Information Network (ecoi.net), Freedom House, GlobalSecurity.org, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Independent News Pakistan (INP) [Islamabad], International Crisis Group, JhelumNews.com, PakTribune [Rawalpindi], Pakistan Times [Islamabad], Political Handbook of the World, Refworld, United States (US) Department of State.