The Shia and Sunni clerics in Gilgit Baltistan who had challenged each other to a ‘Mubahila’, a religious debate, on the condition that the loser of the argument must jump into the fire, have apologized to each other. Maulana Qazi Nisar Ahmad from Ahl-e-Sunnat issued an apology to Agha Rahat Hussain Al-Husseini from the Shia sect, which he accepted.
What Happened: The Ahl-e-Sunnat and the Imamia Council of Gilgit Baltistan had issued separate statements on the matter. The Sunni side demanded the ‘loser’ to be charged with blasphemy whereas the Shia side wanted the ‘loser’ to, quite literally, ‘jump into the fire’. The district administration of Gilgit is expected to arrange firewood on Friday, May 21, 2021, at 3 pm at the Royal Polo Ground. The Response: People of Gilgit Baltistan, who have long been frustrated with the longstanding sectarian conflict heaved a sigh of relief.
The Other Side: Others expressed their vehement condemnation of such acts for threatening the peace of the area.