PESHAWAR, Nov 28: A social boycott of members of a minority community in the village of Achini Payan near here are almost in a state of siege following a social boycott enforced by the Majlis-i-Tahfuz-i-Khatme Nabuwwat about three weeks ago. Villagers started the boycott on Nov 9 after leaders of the Majlis announced at a public meeting that it was like a religious duty.
It is learnt that villagers have stopped talking to members of the community, cultivators have abandoned their fields and even children have been asked not to play with their children.
There are six families, with about 50 members, of the community who have been living in the village, west of the provincial capital, since their forefathers settled there more than a 100 years ago.
“Our children have to endure taunts in the school. I have complained to the principal said advocate Bashir Khan, a prominent member of the community which was declared a minority in the seventies.
The Majlis ordered the boycott after a controversy erupted following claims by some villagers that a boy, Khalid Mahmood, who belongs to the community had embraced Islam, but he was forced by his family to ‘re-convert’. They alleged that the boy had been tortured by the family.
Feeling insecure, the community handed over the boy to local police for keeping him in protective custody. While he was with police, some people arranged a meeting between Khalid and local clerics. In that meeting, Khalid reportedly said that he had never changed his faith and that there was some misunderstanding.
About a week ago, police released the boy and he is reported to have left the village.
A meeting of the Majlis held on Sunday under the chairmanship of Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai, expressed satisfaction over the successful boycott of the community.
However, when the meeting was informed that some villagers had been in contact with the community, it warned the ‘violators’ that if they did not abide by the boycott decision they too would be ostracised.
It was decided that the information secretary of the Majlis, Maulana Ikramullah Jan Qasmi, would deliver on Friday a sermon on the issue at the Makki Mosque in the village.