ISO, Ahle Hadith groups enter sectarian dispute over separate mosques at KU

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The threat of sectarian clashes is increasing at the University of Karachi (KU) due to greater than ever intolerance among the students of various sects studying at the varsity, an investigation into KU’s affairs revealed on Sunday.
Sectarian unrest has peaked among KU students as the university management has yet to allow construction of a separate place of worship for students of the Shia sect.
The KU administration has been trying to deal with serious troubles after the followers of the Ahle Hadith sect have also started demanding a separate mosque for them in the varsity.
University officials told Pakistan Today that Imamia Students Organisation (ISO) activists have arranged separate azaan and prayers at the Jamia Masjid Ibrahim.
They said that an ISO delegation had met with KU Registrar Kaleem Raza Khan and demanded a separate mosque for them.
The students are of the view that the ISO stand has become an insecure place after the recent blast during prayer.
They demanded the registrar to allow construction of an imambargah in the centre of the campus to facilitate students of the Shia sect.
The registrar patiently listened to them and responded that there are already four mosques, a church and an imambargah in the varsity premises, and that there is no need of another imambargah at the university.
“A mosque is for everyone and nobody can stop anyone from praying there,” the registrar told the ISO activists.
However, the delegation left the registrar’s office after an exchange of heated words, and then decided arranging separate Zuhr prayers at the Jamia Masjid Ibrahim.
The Jamia Masjid Ibrahim naib khatib said that recently, some 80 students affiliated with the ISO held a separate azaan and Zuhr prayer at the mosque and left before the prayer of the Sunni sect began.
The purpose of this move was to press the varsity management to accept their demand. However, the university management has taken no action in this regard thus far and the ISO activists are going to continue this practice until their demand is met.
ISO-affiliated students enter the mosque and offer azaan at 1:00 pm every day and hold separate prayers, but leave the mosque before the Sunni sect’s prayer starts at 1:30 pm.
More recently, the ISO activists started praying with the members of the Sunni sect, which has been causing a lot of problems. Following this, the attendance of worshippers has also started dwindling.
KU Masjid Committee Convener Tahir Masood told Pakistan Today that the management is looking into the matter. “The vice chancellor (VC) has directed me to resolve this issue at the earliest,” he added.
He said that the varsity is considering all feasible options and the committee would meet with the people concerned in a few days for a detailed deliberation over the issue.
The university is facing new challenges as an Ahle Hadith delegation has also moved an application for constructing a separate mosque for them, Masood said, adding that it is impractical for allowing construction of more places of worship for different sects.
KU VC Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui told Pakistan Today that a committee has been formed to look into the options for resolving this issue.
The committee would discuss the issue with the representatives of the ISO and other stakeholders and come up with a solution soon, he added.
He said that the issue of construction of the imambargah has been presented before the syndicate of the varsity twice, but the resolution was dismissed by the syndicate after a detailed discussion between the members.
The varsity has written a letter to KU Chancellor/Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan regarding this issue and waiting for a response from the Chancellor’s Secretariat, he added.

3 COMMENTS

  1. Shias shud b kept humiliatd cz of their abusive beliefs regarding Prophetic wives & belovd Sahaabah
    Shia desrv strict attitude 4m our syd
    This is nt injustic as shias do same wid sunnis in all ovr the world
    they torture sunnis & have a discriminatory attitude wid dm + giv verdicts of killin those who speak against dm
    Many scholars of past & presnt martyrd r a result of shia’s utmost hatrd
    Iso may curse b on u 4 cursing the beloved wives & sahaabah
    Allaah is contended wid dm so ur discontnmnt doesn’t counts the least
    There’s nt evn a single masjid in qoum;capital if iran dn hw cn v allow dm 2 build there imam bargahs
    Muslims wake up!
    Its tym 2 crush shia powr!
    Shias r our enemies & v r worst dn jews & christians in their sites!
    Ahle Hadeeth gt up & do JIHAAD AGAINST MUSHRIK LYK SHIAS,BARELWIS & HINDUS & AGAINST KUFFAAR LYK JEWS & CHRISTIANS!

  2. I thought that there is no Imam bargah in KU. but the report says there is. then it is ok to have an imam bargah for shias. they should know their population, 1 is enough for them. but i know the shias always make trouble with sunnis.
    the university should not make any imam bargah. but I suggest that one of the Hanafi sunni masjis convert to Ahle hadees masjid. because i know most of the barelvis and deobandis are converting to Ahle hadees.
    thanks
    Syed Faizan Ibrahim

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