Rift Widens in Banned Sipah-e-Sahaba

Shiite News: A major internal rift has emerged within the banned organization Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), now operating under the name Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ). The conflict between Ahmed Ludhianvi and Muawiya Azam factions has intensified over leadership control and election disputes, resulting in the organization’s division into two rival groups.
According to sources, the dispute began before the February 8, 2024 general elections when disagreements over candidate nominations in Jhang for national and provincial seats surfaced. Ahmed Ludhianvi, the long-standing chief since 2003, faced open defiance from Muawiya Azam, the son of slain SSP leader Azam Tariq. Reports suggest that Muawiya’s nomination controversies and his group’s insistence on independent candidates triggered a serious power struggle within the outfit.
Ideological and strategic differences further widened the divide. The Ludhianvi faction sought to project a political image and align with mainstream politics, while the Muawiya group remained inclined toward hardline sectarianism, attempting to preserve SSP’s extremist legacy. Sources revealed that certain Muawiya loyalists maintain ties with former Lashkar-e-Jhangvi operatives, aggravating mistrust within the ranks.
Control over financial resources, mosques, and seminaries has become another flashpoint. Until 2012, several seminaries and mosques in Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan were under one faction’s control, which the rival group is now attempting to reclaim. Insiders allege that meetings often end in heated exchanges and accusations of betrayal.
Reports also indicate that some circles close to Muawiya Azam are allegedly conspiring to weaken Ludhianvi’s leadership, though these claims remain unverified. The ongoing conflict has weakened the group’s organizational strength, prompting closer scrutiny and increased restrictions by state institutions. Analysts link recent incidents of intra-sectarian target killings in Karachi to this internal discord, reflecting growing instability within extremist networks.