Sunni Tehreek is a Pakistani Barlevi organization. The organization was founded by Muhammad Saleem Qadri in 1990 in order to prevent Barelevi mosques from being seized by Deobandi and

Wahabi Wahhabism ( ar, ٱلْوَهَّابِيَةُ, translit=al-Wahhābiyyah) is a Sunni Islamic revivalist and fundamentalist movement associated with the reformist doctrines of the 18th-century Arabian Islamic scholar, theologian, preacher, and ...

organizations. It also sees itself as a defender of Barelvis from attacks from Deobandis and Wahabi Muslims. The Islamist group is known for its strong support of Pakistan's controversial blasphemy laws, and for its hardline support of the death penalty for those accused of committing blasphemy. Sunni Tehreek is vocal in its support of

Mumtaz Qadri Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri (1985 – 29 February 2016), better known as Mumtaz Qadri (, ur, ), was the assassin of Salmaan Taseer, Governor of Punjab. Qadri was a commando of the Elite Police and, at the time of the assassination, a member ...

, the bodyguard who murdered Punjab's governor

Salman Taseer Salman Taseer ( Punjabi and ur, ); ( 4 January 2011) was a Pakistani businessman and politician, who served as the 26th Governor of Punjab from 2008 until his assassination in 2011. A member of the Pakistan Peoples Party since the 1980s, ...

after Taseer called for reform of blasphemy laws. Supporters of the organization assaulted the popular former pop-star

Junaid Jamshed Junaid Jamshed Khan ( ur, ; 3 September 1964 – 7 December 2016) was a Pakistani singer-songwriter, television personality, fashion designer, actor, and preacher. After graduating with a degree in engineering from the University of Engineer ...

, and called for his prosecution under the blasphemy laws.

History

After the fragmenting and decline of the

Muttahida Qaumi Movement Muttahida Qaumi Movement (abbreviated MQM) is a name currently claimed by two competing Pakistani political factions: * Muttahida Qaumi Movement – London, a political faction managed from the UK * Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan Muttah ...

, Pakistan Sunni Tehreek arose as the primary opposition to the Deobandi-Wahabi Banuri Mosque, headed by

Nizamuddin Shamzai Nizamuddin Shamzai (12 July 1952 – 30 May 2004) was a pro-Taliban Pakistani Sunni Islamic scholar and the senior professor of hadith at the Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia. He was considered "one of the most important Deobandi figures in Pakistan" ...

. The Pakistan Sunni Tehreek strongly opposed the giving of important religious posts to Deobandis. Its branch in Lahore publicly declared its opposition to the appointment of a Deobandi cleric as ''

khateeb In Islam, a khatib, khateeb or hatib ( ar, خطيب ''khaṭīb'') is a person who delivers the sermon (''khuṭbah'') (literally "narration"), during the Friday prayer and Eid prayers. The ''khateeb'' is usually the prayer leader ('' imam'') ...

'' of

Badshahi Mosque The Badshahi Mosque ( Urdu, Punjabi: ; literally ''The Royal Mosque'') is a Mughal-era congregational mosque in Lahore, capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab. The mosque is located west of Lahore Fort along the outskirts of the Walled ...

, and other similar appointments.[sacw] SACW Dispatch , 9 Sept. 00
/ref>

Split into PST and ST

Due to internal disputes, Sunni Tehreek later splits up into two main factions. Sarwat Ejaz Qadri, one of its main leader formed a much larger faction which was later named as Pakistan Sunni Tehreek (PST) while Ahmed Bilal Qadri (son of ST's founder Saleem Qadri) formed his own faction and his faction adapted its same old name.

Controversies

In May 2001, sectarian riots broke out after Sunni Tehreek leader Saleem Qadri was assassinated by Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, an anti-Shia Islam, Shiite Deobandi militant and terrorist group. His successor, Abbas Qadri, charged President [ sif Ali Zardari with "patronising terrorists" and "standing between us and the murderers." In April 2007, alleged Sunni Tehreek members opened gunfire on an Ahl-i Hadith mosque in

Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former c ...

. One worshiper was killed in the attack. After the attack, Western analysts described the movement as a radicalization of traditional beliefs in the Indian subcontinent.

References

External links

Official Website of Sunni Tehreek
{{Pakistani political parties Islamic political parties in Pakistan Barelvi organizations Sunni organizations Militant Sufi organisations Islamic organisations based in Pakistan Barelvi political parties