Ludhiana: A little more than three weeks after Punjab Shahi Imam Maulvi Habibur Rahman Ludhianvi chastised the recent Gurdaspur terror attack and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give a befitting reply to Pakistan, he has allegedly received a threat from the Lashkar-e-Toiba, warning him of dire consequences for his statements.
The one page letter, written in Urdu, was found lying outside his house. He said he found the letter lying at the old gate of his residence and opened it after the morning prayers. He said the letter had cited his statement on July 29 after the attack on Dinanagar police station. Written in Persian script, the letter reads, “We read your statement against Pakistan on July 29. Our enemies often do such rubbish things, but such statements by a Muslim damage the image of Pakistan. You are a traitor of Islam. Be ready. The news of your death will be published in newspapers very soon.”
The Shahi Imam is undeterred by the threat and said, “I do not fear these threats. We were opposed to the creation of Pakistan in 1947 and will always be against Pakistan. We are Indian nationalists and no such threat can change our mind. We can sacrifice our lives for the nation.” He said his ancestors have given sacrifices for freedom of the country and he will not be scared with such threat letters. The Shahi Mosque authorities later handed over the letter to police.
His private secretary Muhammad Mustukeem said, “Imaam Sahib's ancestors had always opposed the creation of Pakistan from undivided India at the time of partition and even now the family doesn't relate Indian Muslims to Pakistan.”
Meanwhile, the police have registered a case under section 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) against unidentified accused into the matter. Rajesh Sharma, SHO of the police station, said the security for the Imaam would be beefed up.
