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| Banned Group’s Leader Given Pakistani Parliament Seat After Vote Dispute | Banned Group’s Leader Given Pakistani Parliament Seat After Vote Dispute |
| (5 months later) | |
| ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan’s electoral commission has granted a parliamentary seat to the leader of a banned sectarian group that has long been accused of inciting violence against minority Shiites. | |
| At the conclusion of a dispute that started with last year’s general election, the commission ruled that Maulana Muhammad Ahmed Ludhianvi, the leader of the banned group Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, should represent the Jhang district in Punjab Province. | At the conclusion of a dispute that started with last year’s general election, the commission ruled that Maulana Muhammad Ahmed Ludhianvi, the leader of the banned group Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, should represent the Jhang district in Punjab Province. |
| Jhang has a long history of sectarian violence, and Mr. Ludhianvi’s group, formerly known as Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, is considered the ideological umbrella organization behind much of the violence against Shiites in recent decades. | Jhang has a long history of sectarian violence, and Mr. Ludhianvi’s group, formerly known as Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, is considered the ideological umbrella organization behind much of the violence against Shiites in recent decades. |
| Mr. Ludhianvi lost the seat during the May 2013 election by a margin of 4,000 votes but appealed on the basis that the incumbent, Sheikh Muhammad Akram, had rigged the vote and defaulted on bank loans. On Wednesday, the national election commission upheld Mr. Ludhianvi’s appeal and granted him the seat. | Mr. Ludhianvi lost the seat during the May 2013 election by a margin of 4,000 votes but appealed on the basis that the incumbent, Sheikh Muhammad Akram, had rigged the vote and defaulted on bank loans. On Wednesday, the national election commission upheld Mr. Ludhianvi’s appeal and granted him the seat. |
| Mr. Ludhianvi says he has renounced violence and embraced electoral politics, but his supporters continue to stir up anti-Shiite sentiment in a country where militant groups — some with links to Sipah-e-Sahaba — have killed hundreds of Shiites in recent years. | Mr. Ludhianvi says he has renounced violence and embraced electoral politics, but his supporters continue to stir up anti-Shiite sentiment in a country where militant groups — some with links to Sipah-e-Sahaba — have killed hundreds of Shiites in recent years. |
| Younas Qasmi, a close aide of Mr. Ludhianvi’s, said that the party’s parliamentary priority would be to pass anti-Shiite legislation and to distance Pakistan from Iran, a majority-Shiite nation. “The whole city of Jhang is jubilant for this victory,” he said. | Younas Qasmi, a close aide of Mr. Ludhianvi’s, said that the party’s parliamentary priority would be to pass anti-Shiite legislation and to distance Pakistan from Iran, a majority-Shiite nation. “The whole city of Jhang is jubilant for this victory,” he said. |
| In 2002, Pervez Musharraf, then Pakistan’s leader, banned Sipah-e-Sahaba. It later resurfaced under its new name, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, and Mr. Ludhianvi fielded 130 candidates in last year’s election. None of them were elected. | In 2002, Pervez Musharraf, then Pakistan’s leader, banned Sipah-e-Sahaba. It later resurfaced under its new name, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, and Mr. Ludhianvi fielded 130 candidates in last year’s election. None of them were elected. |
| But Mr. Ludhianvi has found some favor, analysts say, with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who also comes from Punjab Province and may be using Mr. Ludhianvi in peace negotiations with the Pakistani Taliban. | But Mr. Ludhianvi has found some favor, analysts say, with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who also comes from Punjab Province and may be using Mr. Ludhianvi in peace negotiations with the Pakistani Taliban. |
| “It is unlikely that these two developments are coincidental,” said Arif Rafiq, an adjunct fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, a nonpartisan research group. “The Sharifs appear to have renewed their relationship with Ludhianvi, who has reportedly been playing a role in peace talks with the T.T.P.” | “It is unlikely that these two developments are coincidental,” said Arif Rafiq, an adjunct fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, a nonpartisan research group. “The Sharifs appear to have renewed their relationship with Ludhianvi, who has reportedly been playing a role in peace talks with the T.T.P.” |
| Mr. Rafiq was referring to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, the formal name of the Pakistani Taliban. | Mr. Rafiq was referring to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, the formal name of the Pakistani Taliban. |
| Sectarian politics have long played a central role in Jhang, the impoverished district in which Sipah-e-Sahaba was founded. Mr. Ludhianvi’s rival, Mr. Akram, said that he would appeal the election commission’s decision in the Supreme Court. | Sectarian politics have long played a central role in Jhang, the impoverished district in which Sipah-e-Sahaba was founded. Mr. Ludhianvi’s rival, Mr. Akram, said that he would appeal the election commission’s decision in the Supreme Court. |
| Also on Wednesday, an antiterrorism court in Rawalpindi granted bail to Malik Ishaq, the leader of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, the country’s most notorious sectarian militant outfit. | Also on Wednesday, an antiterrorism court in Rawalpindi granted bail to Malik Ishaq, the leader of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, the country’s most notorious sectarian militant outfit. |
| Mr. Ishaq has been under house arrest in southern Punjab on charges of hate speech and inciting violence. | Mr. Ishaq has been under house arrest in southern Punjab on charges of hate speech and inciting violence. |
| Mr. Ishaq’s group has claimed responsibility for some of the worst atrocities against Shiites in recent years, particular in the western city of Quetta where minority Hazaras, who are mostly Shiites, have been attacked repeatedly. | Mr. Ishaq’s group has claimed responsibility for some of the worst atrocities against Shiites in recent years, particular in the western city of Quetta where minority Hazaras, who are mostly Shiites, have been attacked repeatedly. |