| Lahore riots of 1953 | |||||||
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Badshahi Mosque, Lahore |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Pakistan | Jamaat-e-Islami | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Azam Khan Rahimuddin Khan |
Abul Ala Maududi Maulana Abdul Sattar Khan Niazi |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| about 200 Ahmadis killed 3 Jawans and 1 NCO of Baloch Regiment killed in riots |
about 70 Jamaat-e-Islami activists killed in Army actions, many non-political rioters killed as well. | ||||||
The Lahore riots of 1953 were a series of violent agitations against the Ahmadiyya movement in the city of Lahore, Pakistan, which were quelled by the Pakistan Army. Demonstrations began around February, and soon escalated into citywide incidents of murder, looting and arson against the Ahmadi community. The attacks were held to be incited by the Jamaat-e-Islami political party led by Abul Ala Maududi, a Sunni theologian and strong ideological critic of the movement. Unable to contain the increasingly widespread civil disorder, Governor-General Ghulam Muhammad handed over the administration of the city to the army under Lieutenant General Azam Khan and imposed martial law on March 6.
Marking the military's first foray into civilian politics, the 70-day-long military deployment saw Lahore return to normalcy under Azam Khan's coherent leadership. Purported agitators Maududi and then-Secretary General of the Awami Muslim League, Maulana Abdul Sattar Khan Niazi, were arrested and sentenced to death, but their sentences were subsequently commuted. The riots also brought hitherto unprecedented political consequences; Ghulam Muhammad first dismissed Mian Mumtaz Daultana from the post of Chief Minister of Punjab in March, before dismissing the entire federal cabinet of the country's first Prime Minister, Khwaja Nazimuddin, on April 17 and swearing in Muhammad Ali Bogra.
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April 17. Using his special powers under the India Act 1935, Governor General Ghulam Muhammad has dismissed the PM Khawaja Nazimuddin. "I call upon the people of Pakistan to stand firm and united," Ghulam Mohammad states in his appeal to the people, "in their resolve to see that their needs are adequately served through a government that fully enjoys the confidence of the country."
The Act is still in use instead of a proper constitution in the now not-so-newly created state, and it does not contain any provision to justify petition in the High Court against the Governor General's dismissal of a Prime Minister. Obviously this provision was kept by the colonial masters to keep an upper hand over the native electorate.
The Constituent Assembly, however remains in place. Ghulam Mohammad nominated Pakistan's ambassador to the United States, Mr. Mohammad Ali Bogra, to be the next prime minister. Bogra, who did not know why he was being called back, has taken oath as the new Prime Minister within hours of the dismissal of Nazimuddin. March 24, Lahore. Punjab CM Daultana is forced by PM Nazimuddin to resign. He was suspected of patronizing the religious element in anti-Ahmadi violence for his own political ends.
May 7, Lahore. Martial law authorities pass death sentence on Maulana Abdus Sattar Niazi.
May 11, Lahore. Martial Law authorities pass death sentence on Abul Ala Maududi for writing Qadyani Masla, and certain press statements delivered in February and March. May 13, Lahore. Maududi and Niazi death sentences have been changed to imprisonments for life
May 14, Lahore. Lahore law lifted
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