Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat asks workers to go into hiding, take down Twitter, Facebook accounts
ASWJ says no arrest of a leader or a worker has been made so far
Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), the new incarnation of the defunct Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) has directed its workers to close down their social media accounts and go into hiding immediately to avoid their arrest at the hands of the law enforcers, Pakistan Today has learnt.
As per reports, ASWJ made an announcement in its stronghold Jhang and directed the followers to adopt precautionary measures to avoid arrest in the recently-launched operation in the province. The ASWJ announcement has been made in every nook and corner of the district. ASWJ has its headquarter in Jhang and its central leadership also operate the party from this central Punjab city.
The workers have been asked to suspend their activities until the newly launched operation is either over or has slowed down.
Hundreds of terrorists and terrorist facilitators, financiers, and abettors have been arrested in the ongoing operation which was started on the directives of Army Chief General Raheel Sharif following Easter bombing in Allama Iqbal Town Park which left 75 people including 29 children.
A resident told this scribe that the ASWJ workers visited various parts of the city and warned their colleagues about the upcoming operation. They were directed to adopt preventive measures in this uncertain situation. A resident in the area told Pakistan Today that the ASWJ militants had been directed by their leadership to stop their activities for now.
“They told them to close down their Facebook and Twitter accounts immediately,” the resident said, adding that “They also advised them to go into hiding for a few days.”
Talking to Pakistan Today, ASWJ spokesman Umar Muavia claimed that the workers were asked to adopt precautionary measures as some people were trying to fan sectarianism by using social media accounts of the party workers.
“Our opponents are trying to defame us by initiating a hate-based movement on social media,” Muavia said, adding that “ASWJ has no linkage with the Facebook or Twitter accounts through which our opponents are trying to promote sectarianism.”
When he was asked about any arrests of ASWJ workers or leaders, he said he had not been informed of any arrest so far.