Thousands of Ahmadis from Pakistan are making their way to India to take part in the 120^th annual convention of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Qadian (Punjab, India). The three day convention which will take place from 26^th to 28^th December 2011 will be attended by tens of thousands of Ahmadi delegates from India as well as from neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

To make the journey easy for the delegates a major transport operation is underway. Over the course of next few days the delegates will be taken to Wagah Border via coaches and buses from where they will cross into India by foot, on the Indian side a similar operation is underway where the delegates will be met by their Indian counterparts who will in turn escort them to the convention site.

The annual convention which takes place each year in Qadian, India has always attracted a large number of attendees from Pakistan after Ahmadis in Pakistan were banned from holding their annual convention in 1984.

The fifth supreme head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad will make a televised address on the last day of the convention.

Rabwah’s central most road Aqsa Road that connects the Sargodha Road bus stop and Fazle Omar hospital to Aqsa Roundabout has seen a huge increase in the number of illegal card vendors occupying public space in the past year or so.

Rabwah’s main bazar has been practically over run by street vendors who come in from adjoining townships to sell their goods, from push carts to donkey carts every single inch of public space has been snatched up, with barely a few feet to for cars to go through the illegal street vendors also pose a huge safety risk.

According to the Vendors themselves its easy to buy up a spot on the road with a bit of political support and a small bribe to the local TMA (Tehsil Municipal Authority).

According to Local Traders Association President Mr Zahid Mahmud Mirza He along with several local lawyers and residents namely Mr Ghulam Sarwar Saif Advocate, Mr Aamar Munir Advocate, Mr. Aamar Munir Advocate, Mr Mujeeb Khan Advocate, Mr. Waqas Khan advocate, Prof. Waqar Hussain and Prof Rayan Ahmad Syed have repeatedly complained to Mr Tahir Hussain the Divisional Commissioner, Dr Irshad Ahmad, the DCO Chiniot and TMA (Tehsil Municipal Authority) officials but so far no action has been taken.

By: AT

Sheikh Tahir Ahmad who served as S.H.O (Senior Head Officer) at Rabwah Police Station was fired upon from a car by unknown gunmen and killed while he was on Patrol.

Police has sealed off the surrounding areas and over 33 people have been arrested on suspicion of murder and have been moved to an unknown place.

Tahir was currently appointed at the Chiniot City Police Station.

Police in Rabwah is known to have links with land mafia and drug dealers. For decades the local Police Check Post on College Road has illegally occupied land owned by a local educational organization. Even requests to move the check post to an alternate location have landed on deaf ears.

With the sort of things we see, hear and observe in this day and age, you might be tempted to think nothing can surprise you anymore.

But last month I met Sitara Brooj Akbar, and my sceptical bubble was entirely burst.

Scoring a Band 7 on your IELTS exam is pretty impressive when you’re in your 20s, it is nothing short of amazing when you are Sitara, who is all of 11 years old.

When I saw her at the IELTS exam venue, I first thought she was the daughter of a candidate, but was understandably shocked (and remained so for a while) when I found out she was, in fact, a candidate.

In my three year experience within the IELTS department at the British Council, she was the youngest candidate I have ever dealt with and upon speaking to her I realised that she was an extraordinary young girl with above average intelligence.

Hailing from Rabwah (Chenab Nagar), a small town in Pakistan’s Punjab province, it’s hard to believe you’re conversing with an 11 year old when you’re speaking to Sitara. She has already passed five O level subjects including English, physics, chemistry and biology (subjects that, despite my age, still continue to terrify me), making her the youngest O level candidate in the world.

Having passed chemistry at the age of nine, she gives credit to her parents for inspiring her to achieve all that she has. Sitara believes anyone can achieve the extraordinary if they put their minds to it but lamented that not many do.

“The most important thing I did was setting a life goal,” she told me. “Unfortunately, I do not see the majority of my peers doing this and that is the reason we do not achieve anything; because we do not set any goals for ourselves.”

Big words for a small girl; but one can’t help but admire her conviction.

Currently studying to take her A levels privately, Sitara sees herself becoming a scientist, which is why she chose mostly science subjects for her O levels.

So why did she choose to take the IELTS exam?

Apparently she wanted to test her proficiency in English as well as her shortcomings. Scoring an overall 7 with a 7.5 in the speaking module, her English is – needless to say – quite strong.

I felt quite a bit of pride when Sitara went ahead to compliment the British Council.

“It is the first organisation that opened opportunities for me despite my age,” she said. “It will always be close to my heart.”

The future looks bright for Pakistan with girls like Sitara following their dream, and the British Council will be there to help them along the way.

I would wish best of luck to her, but with her sharp mind and laser focus, she hardly needs it.

Robbers murdered a 80-year-old woman and took away gold ornaments, cash and other valuables in three strike here the other day.

As per detail, the incident occurred in Mohallah Nasirabad of Rabwah where unidentified intruders killed a 80-year-old woman Amatul Majeed. She was alone in the house when the culprits stormed the house.

The culprits made off with gold ornaments and cash assumed to be hundreds of thousands of rupees.

In other incident, seven burglars entered the house of one Rashid Ahmad, situated in Mohalla Darul Aloom Rabwah in broad daylight. They took away gold ornaments, cash and other valuables.

It was in the August of 1947 that Pakistan got its independence, and the 2^nd head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community at the time His Holiness Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad worked side by side with Muhammad Ali Jinnah the founder of Pakistan. And at times when Jinnah had given up on the idea of Pakistan he forced him to rejoin politics and work for the cause of Muslims in the Indian subcontinent.

After the creation of Pakistan in 1947 most of the Ahmadiyya community migrated from Qadian, India to Pakistan and settled in several major cities of Pakistan including Lahore, Karachi and many others.

After migrating from Qadian, the biggest phase for the Ahmadiyya Muslim community came when they had to find a suitable location as the new community centre in Pakistan. The job of finding an appropriate location as the centre was given to Choudhry Aziz Ahmad Bajwa, who was a session Judge in Sargodha at the time.

On 18^th October 1947, the 2^nd head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad himself came to Sargodha from Lahore in order to view the site. On his orders a request to acquire the land of Rabwah was made to Deputy Commissioner Jhang by Nazir-e-Ala Sadar Anjuman Ahmadiyya Pakistan. It was put forward to the Deputy Commissioner Jhang in Bangla Lalian on 18^th October 1947.

The land was then unknown and was spread over an area of 1506 acres and was known as Chak Dhiggyan. Out of the 1506 acres, 472 were inhabitable as it included a main road, railway line and hills. Nonetheless, the rest 1034 acres were barren it could be used for building accommodation.

The Government registration was completed after the cost of the land was paid into the Jhang Government Fund on 27^th June 1948. By 15^th October 1948 1,000 canals had been leased out to over 500 community members.

The Naming of Rabwah

A meeting headed by Mirza Bashiruddin Ahmad on 16^th September 1948, concluded that the opening ceremony of the new centre will take place on 20^th September. The question of what to name the centre also came under review and and Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad accepted the name “Rabwah” (meaning a high place or a hill,) which was suggested by Molana Jalal Uddin Shams.

After the opening date was settled Sadar Anjuman and Tehrike Jadded started planning for the big day. For this two groups were sent to Rabwah to setup camp, the first camp was setup by Ch. Abdus Salam Akhtar & Molana Ch. Muhammad Siddique. Before the opening day along with the grand marquee six residential camps were also built on 19^th September.

The Inauguration of Rabwah

20^th September was the big day when the city was officially inaugurated by the respected Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad. He made his way from Lahore to Rabwah for the inaugural ceremony. Several other community members also travelled along with him. The inaugural ceremony was attended by over 600 members of the community who made their way from adjoining cities like Chiniot, Ahmad Nagar, Lalian, Faisalabad (Lyalpur), Sargodha, Kasur, Sialkot and several others.

Zuhar prayers were also lead by His Holiness and a Mosque was built at the same place in 1953 where those prayers were offered. Today this mosque is part of the Fazle Umar Hospital. The residents and visitors to the hospital also offer prayers at the mosque.

After the inaugural speech given by his holiness Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud, 4 goats were sacrificed at four ends of the city. His holiness permanently moved to Rabwah on 19^th September 1949. On 3^rd October he laid the founding stone of Mubarak Mosque, the first Mosque of Rabwah.

The Growth of Rabwah

In March 1949, The Railway Station for Rabwah was approved. In April, Nusrat Girls High School was shifted from Lahore to Rabwah—this was the first educational institution in Rabwah. The first Jalsa Salana in Rabwah was held from 15^th - 17^th April 1949 which was attended by 16,000 people at that time. Fazl-e-Umar Hospital started its operation on 21^st April from a small camp which was under the supervision of Dr. Mirza Munawar which was later supervised by Dr. Hashmatullah. Later that year on 14^th September, work on the first and only Post Office was started.

Temporary community offices were set up at the time of inauguration, and permanent offices were set up in 1950. On 31^st May 1950 His Holiness Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad laid the founding stones of following buildings: Talim-ul-Islam Highschool, Qasr-e-Khilafat, Tehrik-e-Jadid Offies, Sadar Anjuman Ahmadiyya, and Lajna Imaullah. In September 1950, Rabwah was divided into several different neighborhoods which were named as the following: Dar-ul-Yaman, Bab-ul Abwab, Dar-ul-Nasar, Dar-ul-Barkat, Dar-ul-Rehmat, Dar-ul-Sadar, and Dar-ul-Fazal.

Jamia Nusrat for Women was inaugurated on 14^th June 1951 which was later shifted into Lajna offices and in 1953 moved to its current place. On 21^st may 1951 the first phone connection was given out while the first Telephone exchange was setup in 1957. In 1954 Electricity came into the town and on 9^th June 1954 the first electric connection was put up.

Khuddamul Ahmadiyya Office’s founding stone was laid down on 6^th February 1952, and Ansarullah Office’s foundations were laid down on 20^th February 1956. Rabwah used to be in the vicinity of Lalian Police Station but on 22^nd June 1958 the first Police Post was set up.

The founding stone of building of Fazle Umar hospital was laid down on 20^th February 1956 by His holinesss Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad.

Taliam ul Islam College’s founding stone was laid down on 26^th June 1953. On 7^th November 1954 the college moved from Lahore to its new premesis in Rabwah. TI College was officially inaugurated on 6^th December 1954 by His Holiness Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad.

Written by: Mahmood Tahir

Edited by: Saira Nizami

Over 2,500 Students of Nusrat Girls High school Rabwah risk their lives every day for the sake of education. Nusrat Girls High school the oldest educational institution established in 1949 was declared not only unsafe but dangerous by the authorities in 1997.

A decade has passed since the building was declared dangerous but so far no action has been taken by Punjab’s Education Department to renovate the now decaying building. Teachers have also expressed their grave concerns over the fragile condition of the building. The floor has been torn apart, the toilets are missing doors and water is nowhere to be found.

Last year a chunk of roof fell down along with the ceiling fan but luckily no one was seriously injured and the teacher narrowly escaped with a few minor bruises. The incident resulted in all the fans being taken down as they posed a safety risk in case the ceiling gave away once again and with temperature going up to 45 degrees during the summer months it becomes a challenge for both the teachers and the students.

The principal of the school Ms Samina Rafi said:

I have repeatedly written to the Government regarding the unsafe conditions in the school but so far haven’t got a reply.