Pakistan: Information on the Anjuman Sipah-i-Sahaba (ASSP), including its relationship with the police and the major political parties

Publisher	Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Author	Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada
Publication Date	1 July 1994
Citation / Document Symbol	PAK17984.E
Cite as	Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Pakistan: Information on the Anjuman Sipah-i-Sahaba (ASSP), including its relationship with the police and the major political parties, 1 July 1994, PAK17984.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab3e2c.html [accessed 17 September 2023]
Disclaimer	This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The ASSP is a radical Sunni political party that has been described as "anti-Shiite" and "fundamentalist" (AFP 8 Sept. 1993; ibid. 8 Dec. 1992; Reuters 1 June 1992). The group is supported by Saudi Arabia and its members are Wahhabis, a branch of Sunni Islam led by the Saudi royal family (IPS 11 June 1994; Reuters 9 Mar. 1994; AFP 8 Sept. 1992). Recent reports indicate that the ASSP leader is Azim Tariq, who was the party's sole member of parliament before the October 1993 national elections (MEIR 11 July 1994; BBC Summary 10 June 1993). He held a seat in Punjabi town of Jhang, the ASSP's stronghold (Reuters 1 June 1992; AFP 8 Sept. 1992; Reuters 5 Mar. 1992). The ASSP won no National Assembly seats in the October 1993 elections (Professor of political science 21 July 1994).

The ASSP advocates that Shias be declared "infidels" and that they should be issued identity documents indicating that they are non-Muslims (IPS 29 Sept. 1992; BAS June 1993). There have been a number of violent incidents between armed Sunni and Shia militants in recent years (Reuters 31 May 1992; ibid. 1 June 1992). ASSP members have been linked to some of those incidents, including rioting in Gilgit in May 1992 and Peshawar in July 1992, the killing of two Shias in Sargodha in June 1992 and attacks on Shias in June 1994 (ibid.; Xinhua 19 June 1994; BAS June 1993; The Guardian 14 July 1992). During the recent national election campaign, members of the party were the targets of two attacks in Lahore in September 1993 (AFP 8 Sept. 1993). An armed ASSP militant was also jailed for the assassination of an Iranian diplomat in Islamabad in 1992 and Iranian sources held members of the party responsible for rioting that occurred in the southwestern Iranian city of Zahedan in March 1994 (MEED 25 Mar. 1994; Reuters 9 Mar. 1994; IPS 11 June 1994).

Relations between the ASSP and the Pakistani authorities have been mixed. Soldiers and police were deployed in large numbers during a "tense" March 1992 by-election in Jhang in which Azim Tariq defeated the candidate of the ruling Islamic Democratic Alliance (Reuters 5 Mar. 1992). In September 1992 Tariq claimed he was detained by police to prevent him from causing a disturbance during the Iranian president's speech to the Pakistani parliament (AFP 8 Sept. 1992). Later that month the Shariat Court ruled that the country's blasphemy laws included "contemptuous references" to sahibi (the Prophet's companions) (IPS 29 Sept. 1992). The English translation of the ASSP's name is "Defenders of the Prophet Mohammad's Companions" (ibid.; ibid. 11 June 1994). In September 1993 Tariq and other religious leaders held talks with a "reconciliatory committee," including two ministers of the interim government, during which they "exchanged views on the political situation and agreed to promote democracy and democratic institutions" (BBC Summary 10 June 1993).

The Bhutto government has indicated its intention to reform the country's religious laws (IPS 11 June 1994). By June 1994, it had suspended the zakat councils responsible for collecting a religious tax from banks, businesses and institutions, a move likely opposed by the ASSP (ibid.). Zakat funds have been used to run religious schools (madrashahs) throughout Pakistan (ibid.).

For additional information on some of the issues discussed above, please refer to the April 1994 DIRB report entitled Pakistan: Country Review.

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Agence France Presse (AFP). 8 September 1993. "Bomb Attack Injures Six in Lahore." (NEXIS)

. 8 September 1992. "Pakistani MP Allegedly Barred from Iranian President's Speech." (NEXIS)

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 10 June 1993. "Premier Sharif 'Sincere' About Involving Opposition." (NEXIS)

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS). June 1993. Pervez Hoodbhoy. "Myth-building: The 'Islamic' Bomb." (NEXIS)

The Guardian [London]. 14 July 1992. Gerald Bourke. "Troops Intervene in Pakistan Clashes." (NEXIS)

Inter Press Service (IPS). 11 June 1994. Beena Sarwar. "Regional Powers Settling 1,400-Year-Old Scores." (NEXIS)

. 29 September 1992. Beena Sarwar. "Islamic Laws Are Manipulated to Settle Political Scores." (NEXIS)

Middle East Economic Digest (MEED). 25 March 1994. "Budget Goes Through with Cuts." (NEXIS)

Middle East Intelligence Report (MEIR). 11 July 1994. "Religious, Government Leaders Discuss Blasphemy Law." (NEXIS)

Professor of political science specializing on Pakistan, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC. 21 July 1994. Telephone interview.

Reuters. 9 March 1994. BC Cycle. "Paper Blames Pakistan-Based Group for Iran Blasts." (NEXIS)

. 1 June 1992. PM Cycle. "Curfew in Pakistani Town after Sectarian Riots." (NEXIS)

. 31 May 1992. BC Cycle. "Eleven Killed in Pakistani Sectarian Attacks." (NEXIS)

. 5 March 1992. BC Cycle. "Islamic Militants Win Tense Pakistani By-Election." (NEXIS)

The Xinhua General Overseas News Service. 19 June 1994. "Two Killed in Karachi Sectarian Violence." (NEXIS)

Attachments

Agence France Presse (AFP). 8 September 1992. "Pakistani MP Allegedly Barred from Iranian President's Speech." (NEXIS)