Pakistan: National Assembly to unseal 36 years old anti-Ahmadiyya hearings transcripts, says local news report

Pakistan: National Assembly to unseal 36 years old anti-Ahmadiyya hearings transcripts, says local news report

Many have long held views that the artificial exploitation of the Ahmadiyya community, the closed-door hearings and the passage of anti-Ahmadiyya constitutional amendment  in the National Assembly were all a political stunt by Mr. Bhutto to appease the extremist element in the Pakistani legislature where he was suffering from popularity deficiency.



Ahmadi Muslims hope the released record will be free of edits and manipulations.

Islamabad: The Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Fahmida Mirza has authorized unsealing of the 36-years old National Assembly records related to anti-Ahmadiyya legislation, it was reported in the local media today.

The National Assembly Speaker’s action comes on the heels of sealing of another record, the ‘Death of Osama Bin Laden’ in-camera proceedings.


The records to be made public, according to news, are the in-camera sessions that had resulted in the constitutional amendment declaring the entire community of Ahmadis as non-Muslims in Pakistan.

In 1974, with closely orchestrated maneuvers by the late Prime Minister Zulifqar Ali Bhutto, the closed-door proceedings had resulted in the second amendment of the then freshly minted constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

The records of the month-long session in the National Assembly were ordered sealed for 30 years pursuant to an executive order issued by Prime Minister Bhutto citing extra-ordinary religious sensitivities.

The National Assembly Secretariat has announced that the unsealed  transcripts are in the process of being printed for inclusion in the Secretariat library.

Many have long held views that the artificial exploitation of the Ahmadiyya community, the closed-door hearings and the passage of anti-Ahmadiyya constitutional amendment  in the National Assembly were all a political stunt by Mr. Bhutto to appease the extremist element in the Pakistani legislature where he was suffering from popularity deficiency.

The extremist Islamist parties were indeed happy with the outcome and, according to some political scientists, the charade afforded Mr Bhutto an additional 6-10 months of political life.

Eventually, however, it may have cost him his life.

Mr. Bhutto was overthrown in a military coup and later hanged by his successor General Ziaul Haq who was strongly supported by the religio-political parties and the religious extremists in Pakistani.

Ahmadis hope that the transcripts have not been altered and the unedited audio and video recordings will be  made public also.

All five members of the Ahmadiyya community who had appeared before the National Assembly in summer of 1974 to defend the Ahmadiyya views are now deceased.


ummat.com.pk
Sunday, May 29, 2011