Concern in academic circles over the disappearance of Dr. Tahir Islam Askari, Professor of Islamic Thought, History and Culture at Allama Iqbal Open University

Prof. Dr. Tahir Islam Askari, file photo

Prof. Dr. Tahir Islam Askari left home for the market last Friday evening and has not returned yet. According to his family and lawyer, he was picked up by state agencies without notice. Dr. Tahir-ul-Islam Askari is a well-known scholar of Islamabad and has a keen interest in religious studies as well as Urdu literature and poetry and regularly attends literary conferences held in the city.

Tahir Islam's lawyer, Haider Shah Advocate, has expressed concern that he has been picked up by state institutions. He said that Tayyab Islam, brother of Tahir Islam, was also picked up by the Punjab Anti-Terrorism Agency last month and released after 11 days of detention without charge. Haider Shah said that he had approached the concerned police station but after ten days the police station did not take any action. 

Dr. Tahir-ul-Islam's brother Tayyab Islam said that his elder brother had gone to the nearest market from his house in Sector I-10/4 of Islamabad on Friday, June 5 at around 7.30 pm but did not return till late at night. When his phone was found switched off, his wife started warning her relatives. He said members of the organization had been questioning him for several days but it was not clear what his real motive was.

Tayyab Islam added that during his detention, he was asked about his elder brother Tahir-ul-Islam, which led him to warn his brother after his release. Islamabad writers have expressed grave concern over the detention of Tahir Islam. Well-known poet and critic Akhtar Usman said Tahir-ul-Islam lived close to his home and met him almost daily. He said that Tahir-ul-Islam is a very broad-minded scholar and sectarianism, bigotry and extremism have not touched him. It is a pity that a person like him should be picked up in broad daylight.

Critic and intellectual Salahuddin Darwish said, "Dr. Tahir-ul-Islam Askari is very different from ordinary religious figures and I have never personally seen him associated with any religious organization." He is a respected scholar and philanthropist and is so supportive of interfaith harmony and total peace that he faces the most resistance from his own peers.

Dr. Darwish said, "All the writers of Islamabad are witnesses to Tahir-ul-Islam's devotion and attachment to literature." He demanded that if Tahir-ul-Islam had broken any law, action should be taken against him in accordance with the laws of the land and he should be given full opportunity of legal defense, but if not, he should be released immediately. So that the worries of his family and the academic and literary circles of Islamabad can be removed.

A campaign is also being launched on social media for the release of Dr. Tahir-ul-Islam and a trend titled "#ReleaseTahirIslam" has also been launched.