Mirza sent a fawning petition to the British Lt-Governor of the province, he referred to his loyal services to the government of Britain and reminded him that he was their 'their own plant' (khud sakhtah pauda) and, then went on to request that his followers be given special consideration by officials.

“Pakistan should give its nuclear assets (program) under the United Nations control”,reportedly said Ahmed Abdul Rafique a lawyer and Secretary Foreign Affairs  of Qadiyani minority in Frankfurt Germany chapter at a Swat charity dinner few weeks ago in the presence of an active member of Social Democratic Party and German Member of Parliament Otay Zaph who earlier also mentioned the weakness of Pakistani government and security of Pakistan’s nuclear program. Dr Jasper Abrahmoski a high level government official from the Department of Development and Cooperation also attended the event.

Senior Pakistani diplomats Mr Zahid Ahmed and Dr Feroze Alam Junejo walked out of the program in protest. They recorded their protest with reporetdly former Major Zubair Khalil an organiser for the alleged remarks. Any sane person would consider these remarks by a leading media spokesman and member of Qadiyani minority as an attack on the sovereignty of Pakistan?

There is no doubt that Zulifkar Ali Bhutto was the visionary statesman of Pakistan. He recognised Qadiaynis as political and security problem than religious. He banned Qadiyani Dr Abdul Salam from visiting Pakistan’s nuclear sites. Dr Salam was reportedly spying for some foreign agency or agencies. He was opposed to the idea Pakistan becoming a nuclear power Anthony Tucker's obituary about Professor Abdus Salam in The Guardian (22 November 1996) noted that `in spite of his powerful influence in world physics, his eminence in the West and lifelong commitment to science in developing countries, in his own country Abdus Salam is blamed for the starvation of important areas of science through encouraging theoretical and nuclear physics and by inference, weapons research'.

Anthony Tucker also said that Abdus Salam `was a vigorous supporter of Pugwash' and he `sought nuclear disarmament'. His unwillingness to contribute to the development science in Pakistan can also be attributed to his being a committed and proselytising member of the heretic Qadiyani community (founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiyani who claimed to be a prophet). At Trieste Dr Salam would lead, as imam, unknowing Muslim students from across the world in Friday prayers, and distributed Qadiyani tracts about the `persecution of Ahmadiya Muslims in Pakistan'.

Abdus Salams's position as scientific adviser, however, came to an abrupt end in 1974 when the ministry of interior told the PAEC not to allow him anymore into its laboratories. Later Dr Salam visited China where he was received as an eminent Pakistani scientist' and, it is probable, the Chinese, spoke to him freely about their cooperation with Pakistan's nuclear program. It may have been a hire coincidence but the Pakistan `Islamic bomb' became news soon after. The BBC1 TV current affairs program, Panorama, aired in June 1980, mentioned Abdus Salam as one of those who were present at a 1972 ' meeting where Zulfikar AIi Bhutto had ' allegedly taken a decision to make a nuclear bomb.

According to Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, French President de Gaulle had personally told Ayub Khan in 1967 that France was ready to provide `full' nuclear assistance to Pakistan. In return he simply asked that France be allowed to mine for uranium in the northwest and share it equally with Pakistan. ‘Our "friends" may not like it,' Qadiyani M M Ahmad told Ayub Khan, and in any case, what do we need this expensive technology for.' That is how Pakistan missed the opportunity of becoming a nuclear power at least two decades earlier than it did – and minus all the blackmail and intimidation that knows no ending even now? Sharifuddin Pirzada also, told a journalist in London that as far back as October 1967, French President Charles de Gaulle (d.1970) had offered Pakistan ‘full’ nuclear assistance and know-how; the only thing he wanted in turn was to he allowed to mine for uranium in Northwest Pakistan for a 50% share.

He was a grandson of the Qadiyani `prophet', Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiyani, (d.1908) and son-in-law of the second Qadiyani `khalifa', Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (d. 1965). M M Ahmad’s imprint on Pakistan's fiscal and development policies was to last for ever. As Yahya Khan's 'finance minister', he devalued the rupee by 131% per cent. As one economist pointed out (Dawn, Karachi, 1st February 2002), 'that was the start of the deficit finance, inflation and trade imbalance' from which the country has not been able to free itself.In a 1995 article, `Pearls of Memory' (Al-Nahal„ Spring 1995), M M Ahmad wrote that close to independence, he was `designated by Pakistan' as additional deputy commissioner of Amritsar to take over the charge of the district if it was awarded to Pakistan. One day the British deputy commissioner of Amritsar told him `casually that Gurdaspur district is likely to go to India'. The award of Gurdaspur gave India a land corridor to Jammu and Kashmir and so enabled it to occupy the territory after three months.

A preliminary version of the award was ready on 8th August 1947. The definitive version was with the Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten on 12th August. However, Mountbatten informed India and Pakistan on 16 August after the ‘process of the Transfer of Power had been completed'. M M Ahmad gives no date when this `top secret' information was given to him. However, instead of rushing to report the matter to Quaid-e-Azam and the Government of Pakistan, he traveled to Qadiyan to inform his `khalifa'.  This contrasted with the conduct of Indian officers who immediately reported any sensitive leak or information to Nehru (d.1964) and Nehru took it up with Mountbatten. Qadiaynis have their own particular agenda on Jammu and Kashmir is an open secret. Like the Qadiyani Nobel Laureate, Dr Abdus Salam, M M Ahmad too was opposed to Pakistan becoming a nuclear power.

Surely actions of individuals cannot implicate the whole tribe or group of people? Unfortunately that happens all the times but wise thing to do under these circumstances is that minorities and communities should look into their own backyards because removing files from the archives and books from the libraries will not help? Freedom of speech and rule of law is the corner stone of the British and European societies. No one can take away this right from the people under any kind of guise or argument and to have historical or intellectual debate?  No intimidations.

Some leading members of the Qadiyani community in London fully participated in the running of a dinner to collect money for the victims of Swat Operation on 26th June 2009. Mr Asif Durani Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan and Ms Sultana Rizvi, Mrs Shenaz Mazhrulhaq, and Mr Nafees Zakria also participated in the program with other dignitaries. The program might have been organised in a good faith but an attempt to auction the national of Pakistan and then a Sword of Mohammed Ali Jinnah (Quaid-e-Azam). A leading PPP leader in London Mr Sadat Shah bought that sword for over a thousand pound in love of the Quaid-e-Azam like Indian billionaire Vijay Maliya owner of Kingfisher beers bought Sword of Tipu Sultan for over £130,000 as matter of love.

The whole incident turned into big debate after publication of news in a local newspaper. The editor started getting threats for legal action from the very people who apparently broke the law themselves? The fundamental question is how these people had the ‘Sword of the Quaid-e-Azam in London, when it is supposed to be in the safe custody of Government of Pakistan?  

If they had got or bought it illegally then they have committed crime of handling stolen goods?If true it is an antique smuggled from Pakistan therefore, HM Customs and Excise should be informed for smuggling of antiques.A case of theft and illegally smuggling and stealing of national treasure of Pakistan must register against the criminals in Pakistan.Government of Pakistan should ask British Government for the recovery of its national treasure?British Government and local London police should be informed to recover the national treasure of Pakistan and handed over to the Pakistani authorities.

If this Sword is a fake then they should charged with fraud by deception, forgery, misrepresentation, theft?Pakistani flag was produced for auctioning? Which is an insult to the whole nation?The whole Qadiyani minority can not be blamed surely for the actions of Presenters/supporters Mr A Haq and Mr Rana Mahmud who are known Qadiaynis unless otherwise?

Instead of writing a letter to the editor with the corrections and response some members of the Qadiyani community started intimidating the editor with threatening emails for legal action. Surely law is to protect us all irrelevant of the group affiliations? All the parties have to choose their path and course of actions. Fundamental question is to differentiate who broke the law and who hurt the feelings?

No one can deny the special links of the community with the British Government as Mirza Ghulam Ahmed Qadiyani (1838-1908) the shadowy prophet declared himself that Islam consisted of two parts: one, obedience to God and two, obedience to the British government. He admitted he could 'pursue his mission neither in Makkah, nor Madinah; neither in Syria, nor Iran or Kabul save under this Government for whose good fortune we pray'. On 24 February 1898, Mirza sent a fawning petition to the British Lt-Governor of the province, he referred to his loyal services to the government of Britain and reminded him that he was their 'their own plant' (khud sakhtah pauda) and, then went on to request that his followers be given special consideration by officials.

Mirza's 'khalifah' and son, Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, wrote proudly in the cult's paper Al-Fazal dated 1 November 1934 that: 'The whole world considers us to be the agents of the British. That is why a German minister who attended the opening of an Ahmadia building in Germany was asked to explain as to why he went to the function of a community, which was the agent of the British.All minority rights should be protected according to the constitution and UN Declaration of Human Rights. A country should not be hijacked or its security compromised by a minority black mail?Z A Bhutto's approach to the Qadiyani problem had probably little to do with theology. He had come to see the Qadiyanis purely as a political and security problem, which explains the sequence of policy decisions along side the strategic decision about acquiring nuclear deterrence. 

(Dr Shahid Qureshi is award wining journalist and writer on foreign policy & security based in London)