Pir Sialvi calls off protest after meeting with Shehbaz

SARGODHA: After a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and assurance that a committee would be formed to address reservations of the spiritual leader, Pir Khawaja Hameeduddin Sialvi, custodian of Sial Sharif Shrine of Sargodha took back his call of protest on Thursday.

The chief minister had gone to Aastana Aliya Sial Sharif in Sargodha to hold a meeting with the spiritual leader.

Speaking to media after the meeting, the chief minister said that a committee has been formed to resolve differences between the government and Pir Sialvi, adding that the agitation movement has been scrapped by Sialvi Sahib upon his request. However, he said, peaceful Seerat-ul-Nabi (Peace Be Upon Him) and Khatam-e-Nabuwaat (Peace Be Upon Him) conferences will be held and every Muslim should take part in them. He said that the finality of the Prophethood (Peace Be Upon Him) is the fundamental part of our faith and our religious belief is incomplete without it. We all have the fullest and unwavering trust and faith in the finality of the Prophethood (Peace Be Upon Him). Qadyanis are outside the ambit of Islam and there is no other opinion about it. The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is also very clear about it, said the chief minister.

Replying to a question, the chief minister said that he shares an affectionate relationship with Pir Hamiduddin Sialvi, however, some political opponents and religious segments tried to create differences between the both. The spiritual leader has also decided to put on hold his demand for Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah’s resignation until the committee presents its report, added CM Shehbaz.

“I wonder why Rana Sanaullah is still so close to our rulers, despite the fact that he has given statements that are against the spirit of Khatm-e-Nabuwat (finality of prophethood),” Sialvi said, while adding that he along with his disciples and devotees was ready to face the ‘goons’ of Rana Sana – the most powerful minister of Punjab. He further urged his devotees to carry on his mission of Khatm-e-Nabuwat and consider it as his advice and will.

Punjab Auqaf Minister Zaeem Qadri, Pir Riazud Din from Rawalpindi, Pir Mudassir Taunsvi of Taunsa Sharif, Speaker of Data Darbar shrine Ramzan Sialvi, Ghulam Bibi Barwana, Maulana Rehmat Ullah and Nizamud Din Sialvi among others were also present during the meeting.

Sialvi, a former senator of Muslim League, has thousands of devotees in Punjab, while over a dozen parliamentarians are also associated with his shrine because of Sialvi’s influence over their voters.

Earlier, Pir Sialvi had given a deadline of seven days to the provincial government to implement the Sharia law in the country and threatened to lockdown every nook and corner of Punjab if it failed to fulfill the demand.

Speaking to thousands of devotees at the Khatm-e-Nabuwat conference outside the shrine of Data Sahib, Sialvi had urged his devotees not to cast their votes in favour of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the upcoming general elections, saying that the rulers have forgotten the teachings of Islam.

Five PML-N lawmakers including two MNAs and three MPAs on Sialvi’s call had also submitted their resignations last month, as a protest against the non-removal of Rana Sanaullah from as the provincial law minister.