Ansar ul-Islam (Pakistan)

Ansar ul Islam
Founding leaderSaif-ur-Rehman
LeadersQazi Mehboob-ul-Haq
Foundation2004
Country Pakistan
IdeologyBarelvi'ism
Islamism
StatusInactive
Opponents
Battles and warsInsurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Designated as a terrorist group by

Ansar ul-Islam was a Barelvi Sunni Islamist militant group which operated in North-west Pakistan. It was founded in 2004 by Pir Saif-ur Rehman, an Afghan Sufi preacher, influenced by the Barelvi movement of Sunni Islam.[1] The group was a rival to Lashkar-e-Islam.[2][3]

By 2013n the group was being led by Qazi Mehboob-ul-Haq.[1]

The group was banned by the Pakistani government in June 2008,[4] and the ban was renewed in Pakistan's 2014 National Internal Security Policy.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b Siddique, Abubakar (29 January 2013). "Pakistan's Islamist Militia Ansar Ul-Islam and Its Fight for Influence". RFE | Radio Liberty. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  2. ^ Khan, Javed Aziz (26 March 2013). "Militant infighting compels thousands to flee Tirah Valley". Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  3. ^ "Suicide blast kills five in NW Pakistan". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 January 2010. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  4. ^ "Pakistan Says Army to Be Used Against Militants as Last Option". Bloomberg. 1 July 2008. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  5. ^ "60 banned organisations identified by new NISP". The News Pakistan. Archived from the original on 21 July 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.