Sunni Ulema Council
Sunni Islamist organization in Pakistan
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Sunni Ulema Council (S.U.C) (Urdu: سنی علماء کونسل; English: Council of Sunni Scholars) is a Sunni Deobandi Islamist religio-political organization in Pakistan, which is affiliated with the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jama'at (ASWJ).[1][2][3][4]
| سنی علماء کونسل پاکستان | |
Variant flag of ASWJ, often used by SUC | |
| Formation | 2001 |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Sunni Islamism Anti-Shi'ism Deobandism Political Islam |
| Headquarters | Islamabad, Pakistan |
| Location | |
Secretary General | Masood ur Rehman Usmani (till 2024) |
| Ahmed Ludhianvi | |
Leader of Punjab Division | Muhammad Ashraf Tahir |
| Affiliations |  Sipah-e-Sahaba Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat |
The group was led by Masood ur Rehman Usmani until his assassination by unknown gunmen in Islamabad in January 2024.[5][6][7]
It is rival group to the Shia Ulema Council.[8] The group's political alignment was further demonstrated when it under the leadership of Muhammad Ashraf Tahir joined the Difa-e-Pakistan Council, an Islamist alliance, in late 2011. This move came amidst heightened tensions with the United States following a 2011 NATO attack on Pakistan near the Afghan border.[9][10][11]
The organization has been the target of violent attacks, resulting in the deaths of several members and leaders. These include Salim Khatiri, its Karachi leader,[12] who was assassinated in an attack widely attributed to Shia militants, and Masood ur Rehman Usmani, who was killed in Islamabad in January 2024.[6][13]