Debate on Shia role in Ahmadi persecution – by Ali Abbas Taj

Related post: What role did Pakistan’s Shias play against Ahmadis?

Polemics of apostatizing in Pakistan

In his recent article in ET, Pervez Hoodbhoy talks about Shia and Ahmadi persecution in Pakistan.

I don’t agree entirely with the article and differ with many of Hoodbhoy’s hypotheses:

1. That Shias are now a ‘minority’ implies this is now a Shia-Sunni conflict. It is not. It is extremist Deobandis attacking Shias.

2. His statement that “Shias had joined Sunnis … to declare Ahmadis non-Muslim” is incorrect and unsupported by any facts, e.g. names of Shia groups or ulama who thus “joined.”

3. He says that the situation in Kurram and Hangu is two-way Shia-Sunni killing. Again it is a case of false neutrality