<p>The Dawat-e-Islami, an ostensibly apolitical Barelvi proselytising organisation, had never been under the strict watch of security agencies until now, primarily because of its non-violent religious views.<br /><br />This changed after Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer was assassinated in January by a police guard believed to be a follower of Dawat-e-Islami.<br /><br />Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, the self-confessed assassin, gunned down Taseer for his opposition to the controversial blasphemy law.<br /><br />Qadri is believed to be the first person affiliated with Dawat-e-Islami to publicly use violence in the name of religion.<br /><br />"That incident changed our opinion about the organisation," a source in an intelligence agency that compiled a report about the growing activities and influence of Dawat-e-Islami in the armed forces told The Express Tribune newspaper.<br /><br />"We do understand it was an isolated event but we cannot be complacent now," the source said, justifying the decision to put Dawat-e-Islami under the scanner.<br /><br />According to the intelligence report, the contents of which were shared with 'The Express Tribune', the influence of Dawat-e-Islami is increasing in the armed forces and its followers in the military have become the group’s key source of funding.<br /><br />"Over Rs 20 million were collected from the Pakistan Air Force for the organization during the month of Ramazan," said an unnamed security official.<br /><br />Founded by Ilyas Qadri in 1980 in Karachi, Dawat-e-Islami has hundreds of thousands of followers in Pakistan and abroad.<br /><br />The group has a website and a TV channel called 'Madani TV'.Another unnamed military official tried to downplay the move by authorities to stop the growing influence of Dawat-e-Islami in the armed forces.<br /><br />"It is nothing new. We have zero tolerance for all such organisations within the military," the official said.<br /><br />He acknowledged that Dawat-e-Islami has a following in the armed forces but said this was not unusual.<br /><br />"You can't stop individuals practicing their own religious beliefs if they are not violating the military discipline," he said.<br /><br />Pakistan's armed forces personnel are often accused by the West of having links with religious extremists.<br /><br />In June, the army confirmed it had detained a brigadier and four majors for links with the banned Hizb-ut-Tahrir.</p>
<p>The Dawat-e-Islami, an ostensibly apolitical Barelvi proselytising organisation, had never been under the strict watch of security agencies until now, primarily because of its non-violent religious views.<br /><br />This changed after Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer was assassinated in January by a police guard believed to be a follower of Dawat-e-Islami.<br /><br />Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, the self-confessed assassin, gunned down Taseer for his opposition to the controversial blasphemy law.<br /><br />Qadri is believed to be the first person affiliated with Dawat-e-Islami to publicly use violence in the name of religion.<br /><br />"That incident changed our opinion about the organisation," a source in an intelligence agency that compiled a report about the growing activities and influence of Dawat-e-Islami in the armed forces told The Express Tribune newspaper.<br /><br />"We do understand it was an isolated event but we cannot be complacent now," the source said, justifying the decision to put Dawat-e-Islami under the scanner.<br /><br />According to the intelligence report, the contents of which were shared with 'The Express Tribune', the influence of Dawat-e-Islami is increasing in the armed forces and its followers in the military have become the group’s key source of funding.<br /><br />"Over Rs 20 million were collected from the Pakistan Air Force for the organization during the month of Ramazan," said an unnamed security official.<br /><br />Founded by Ilyas Qadri in 1980 in Karachi, Dawat-e-Islami has hundreds of thousands of followers in Pakistan and abroad.<br /><br />The group has a website and a TV channel called 'Madani TV'.Another unnamed military official tried to downplay the move by authorities to stop the growing influence of Dawat-e-Islami in the armed forces.<br /><br />"It is nothing new. We have zero tolerance for all such organisations within the military," the official said.<br /><br />He acknowledged that Dawat-e-Islami has a following in the armed forces but said this was not unusual.<br /><br />"You can't stop individuals practicing their own religious beliefs if they are not violating the military discipline," he said.<br /><br />Pakistan's armed forces personnel are often accused by the West of having links with religious extremists.<br /><br />In June, the army confirmed it had detained a brigadier and four majors for links with the banned Hizb-ut-Tahrir.</p>