RAWALPINDI: Following recommendations by the senior superintendent of police operation, additional inspector general (AIG) of police operation Islamabad and discreet inquiry conducted by the Special Branch, the district magistrate Islamabad has imposed a two-month entry ban on 17 religious scholars and preachers in Islamabad during Muharram and Safar.

The move came about after the Special Branch Islamabad conducted an inquiry to assess potential threats to peace and public order during the month of Muharram. It had been indicated that several religious scholars and preachers both from outside districts and within Islamabad have a history of delivering sectarian, inflammatory and provocative speeches.

It added that their presence or public addressing during Muharram could potentially incite communal tensions and disrupt public peace, therefore it is strongly recommended that they be prohibited from entering Islamabad during Muharram and Safar.

In addition, local religious figures within Islamabad known for similar conduct should be restricted from delivering public speeches or participating in religious gatherings during this sensitive period.

According to the notification, four religious scholars belonged to Deoband sect - Allama Tahir Ashraf (Lahore), Maulana Mohammad Ilyas Ghumman (Sargodha), Maulana Abdul Khaliq Rehmani (Kabirwala) and Allama Aurangzeb Farooqi (Karachi).

And the same number of religious scholars who belong to Barelvi sect were Maulana Mohammad Yousaf Rizvi alias Toky Wala Sarkar (Sargodha), Pir Irfan-Al- Mashadi (Lahore), Dr Mohammad Asif Ashraf Jalali (Lahore) and Maulana Mohammad Hanif Qureshi (Amna Masjid, Kuri Road Rawalpindi).

Nine religious scholars whose entry has been banned in the federal capital territory for two months belong to the Shia sect. The notification said: “As per the report from the SSP Operation and AIG Special Branch Islamabad it is inferred that you are in the habit of making inflammatory/objectionable and fiery speeches on sectarian issues. That you may deliver sectarian/fiery speeches in the district thereby creating ill will and hatred between various sects.”

It further said: “Your utterances are likely to ignite tension already existing between various religious sects of the district which may result in loss to public life and property. It may also create a law and order situation in the district.” The notification said these individuals are at liberty to make a representation to the government of Pakistan against the order issued by the district magistrate Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2025