Tehrik-e-Jafaria Pakistan

The Tehrik-e-Jafaria Pakistan (TJP) (Urdu: تحریکِ جعفریہ, lit. Shia Movement ) also called Tehrik-e-Islami is a Shia political party in Pakistan. It was formed in 1979 with the name Tehrik-e-Nafaz-e-Fiqah-e-Jafaria (تحریکِ نفاذِ فقہ جعفریہ, lit. Shia-law implimentation movement) as result of enforcement of controversial Islamic laws and politicization and discrimination against shias in Pakistan Army and Civil Service.

Islam was the basic ideology of Pakistan. By deviating this ideology a conspiracy was made to make Pakistan a sectarian state in the period of Zia-ul-haq, a dictator. At this stage the formation of Tehreek-e- Nafaz-e-Fiqh-e-Jafariya was deemed necessary for the failure of this conspiracy, which was linked to that International conspiracy.

Since then TJP has been led by Sajid Ali Naqvi.^[1]

It is one of two groups that split off from Shi'ite leader Allama Mufti Jaffar Hussain's TNFJ with the second group being Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Fiqh-e-Jafaria (TNFJ) headed by Hamid Ali Moosavi, which continues to function under the old name of TNFJ. TJP founder Arif Hussain Hussaini was assassinated in 1988 by unknown attackers.

The main objective of this party, banned two times by President Pervez Musharraf's government, is to protect Shias rights and give them a voice in Parliament, they do not advocate a Shia state and have cordial relations with Sunni which is why they joined coalition of Religious political parties Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal that won 53 out of 272 elected members in legislative elections held on 20 October 2002.

History

Following the death of Zia-ul-Haq, support for Tehrik-e-Jafaria Pakistan fell as Pakistani Shias went back to pre-Zia-ul-haq political loyalties, with many no longer feeling under threat. Furthermore the election of moderate Benazir Bhutto also gave increased confidence to Shias they were no longer under threat and discrimination ended.

Tehrik-e-Jafaria Pakistan (TJP) was banned two times by President Pervez Musharraf's government. In January 2002 President Musharraf arrested leaders of banned terrorist groups, but their subsequent release, and the continued operation of these groups under new names did not place effective curbs on the operation of these groups and connected individuals.

Qazi Hussein Ahmed, a senior member of Parliament and the leader of Jamaat-e Islami, Pakistan's oldest religious party, says the banned groups have no ties to militants. He notes that one organization is part of the Muttahida Majlis-e Amal, the major opposition alliance of religious parties, which also includes Mr. Ahmed's group. "As far as Tehrik-e Islami is concerned," said Mr. Ahmed, "it is a part of MMA, and it is a political organization, it is not a militant organization."

It was part of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal coalition of Islamist political parties that won 11.3 of the popular vote and 53 out of 272 elected members in the legislative elections held on 20 October 2002. The party has always emphasized on the unity between Muslims. In May 2008 it was reported that Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Amir Qazi Hussain Ahmed was considering heading the six-party Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA). Qazi Hussain Ahmed said that he would consider rejoining MMA after consulting with the executive council of his party and some other seniors. Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman had tasked Mir and Allama Sajid Naqvi of Tehreek-e-Jafria Pakistan (TJP) with contacting Qazi Hussain Ahmed and bringing him round to rejoining the alliance.

The Shia political party Tehrik-e-Jafaria Pakistan (TJP), also known as the Tehrik-e-Islami, should not be confused with a short-lived outfit named Tehrik-e-Islami that was one of three groups of Pakistani Taliban operating during 2008 in Darra Adamkhel, a semi-tribal area known officially as the Frontier Region of Kohat. The Tehrik-e-Islami and the Islami Taliban became active in the area in mid-2007. The former was founded by a local Afridi tribesman named Muneer Khan, while the Islami Taliban was founded by Momin Afridi. The groups later merged and became part of the TTP. Both leaders were killed in a military operation in the area in 2008.^[2]

Latest

Tehrik-e-Jafaria Pakistan (TJP) is banned again on 05 November, 2011 whereas it was banned two times before by President Pervez Musharraf's government. Increased attacks on Shias since 2005 from the Pakistan Taliban and Jaish-e-Mohammed,^[3] many Shias have become worried about their future and the lack of progress being made in breaking up anti-Shia terror groups activities and pressurizing shia groups.

References