EXCLUSIVE: Dawoodi Bohras Chief Syedna Mufaddal thanks Pakistanis for their love

His Holiness Dr Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin has thanked Pakistani people and government for their love and respect accorded to the Bohra community during their stay in Karachi for Ashra Mubaraka.

Talking to this scribe exclusively on his way to Islamabad to meet the prime minister, the 53rd spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community, wished to come again and again to Pakistan.

We are very pleased with all the arrangements made by the Sindh government for the Ashra and also the people who have shown great love to the community members, he said.

His Holiness arrived in Karachi on 15 September to lead the Muharram majalis in the city. This year Karachi was selected by the Bohras to observe Ashra Mubarka and more than 30000 community members from all over the world gathered here for 10 days.

How Karachi was nominated after more than 20 years as by His Holiness, Sheikh Mohammad Hassan Poonawala secretary to Syedna Mufaddal, explained that they receive applications from many cities by the followers and it is a very difficult decision to select one city from tens of nominations.

“Syedna did ‘istikhara’ (a special prayer to seek Allah’s help before a decision) and after that Karachi was selected. Although we have had many concerns about security situation here in the provincial capital, then there was tension between Pakistan and India, which made this a quite difficult decision to make.”

Most of the followers would have to come from India and the strained ties between the two countries could have delayed visas for the Indian visitors, but thanks to the Pakistani government they made all the necessary arrangements to facilitate us on airports and on railway stations, Poonawala added.

Bohras have been targeted in Karachi several times. Briefing about the efforts Sindh government put in to make this happen, he said the government assured us of the security, and you see everything was done efficiently, I think they have done a remarkable job.

Pakistan and its people have a special place in Syedna’s heart; Poonawala said adding that Bohra leaders played key role in independence movement. ‘Mufaddal’s grandfather, Syedna Tahir Saifuddin, was an ardent supporter of a separate homeland for Muslims and he was a good friend of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.’

According to the book Mullahs on the Mainframe: Islam And Modernity Among the DawoodiBohras by Jonah Blank: “In the elections where Jinnah demanded Pakistan, Saifuddin‘issued a fatwa to Bohras residing in the Mumbai city constituency from which Jinnah was running for a seat in the Central

Assembly to cast their votes for the Muslim League leader. ’Bohras made up a major electoral bloc in the constituency, so Syedna’s fatwa was crucial”.

Syedna is a state guest here wher he has been received by the top government officials and politicians, including President Mamnoon Hussain, Governor Mohammad Zubair, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Mayor Karachi Wasem Akhtar.

PPP Chairman Asif Zardar, PTI Chief Imran Khan and other politicians had also met the spiritual leader of Dawoodi bohra comunity.