Azam Tariq

Maulana Azam Tariq (Urdu: اعظم طارق) (March 1962 - October 4 2003) was a co-founder of the politico-religious organization Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, and the head of the militant organization Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. The Sipah-e-Sahaba is a Deobandi extremist organisation, which was officially banned by the government of Pakistan in August 2001 due to its involvement in multiple incidents of terrorism during 1990s.

According to Tariq's ideology "Everything is religion; there is no importance of Humanity." In keeping with this philosophy, he participated in violence resulting in the deaths of hundreds, primarily Shia Muslims, but occasionally Sunnis of other schools.

ectarian Ideology

A graduate and teacher at the Karachi madrassa Jamia Islamia, Azam Tariq began to associate with Maulana Haq Nawaz Jhangvi, a hardline cleric from Jhang, a south-central town of Punjab. Jhangvi had become known for his sectarian sermons. Jhangvi invited Tariq to run his madrassa in order to promote sectarian ideology. Following Jhangvi's assassination in 1990, Azam Tariq inherited the top position in the group, when he survived the explosion in Lahore that killed another prominent front runner for the slot, Maulana Ziaur Rehman Farooqi. During this time Sipah-e-Sahaba operative Riaz Basra developed differences with Azam Tariq and made his own militant splinter group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

Arrest on the Charges of Terrorism

In August 2001, Pervez Musharraf banned seven alleged terrorist organizations, including Sipah-e-Sahaba, and Azam Tariq was arrested and jailed on charges of terrorism. A spate of killings of several prominent Shia leaders immediately followed, targeting those who were allegedly complicit in Tariq's arrest and the crack-down on his organization.

Mainstream Politics

Azam Tariq was elected three times to the National Assembly of Pakistan in Jhang Sadr, even though his constituency was a heavily Shia areas. He contested again in 2002 elections while in custody and was again elected. He was released in November 2002 and provided the crucial one seat majority to the prime minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali under the dictatorial regime of Musharraf.

Assassination

Azam Tariq was shot and killed October 4 2003 near Islamabad as he left M2 Motorway to enter the city. Another leader, Qari Zia-ur-Rehman was also killed. Qari Zia, from Balakot, had been with Tariq for three days. Qari Zia served as the secretary of Commander Baba, a reputed jihadi, but later formed his own group called Tehrik Jihad-e-Islami. The body of Qari Zia was sent to his native village of Shangeer.

References

External links

* [http://www.shianews.com/hi/articles/politics/0000116.php Shia News] : a partisan account of Azam Tariq's release in 2001, with a background of the history of Sunni-Shia violence in Pakistan
* [http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_21-3-2004_pg7_28 Pakistan "Daily Times" October 7 2004]
* [http://www.shianews.com/hi/talking_corner/topic_id/0000015.php Shia News report of Azam Tariq's assassination] greeted with delight by Shi'a
* [http://www.newsline.com.pk/newsOct2003/stopoct1.htm An Eye for an Eye?] Azam Tariq's assassination news by Newsline (Pakistan).