The Ahmadi community, a religious minority already marginalized by the state, is now living in fear as their places of worship and graves are being subjected to a relentless onslaught. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has revealed that at least 34 attacks on Ahmadi religious sites have occurred in the country this year, with the eastern province of Punjab bearing the brunt of this wave of violence. The attacks, believed to be part of a coordinated hate campaign, have left the Ahmadi community feeling vulnerable and apprehensive.
Systemic Hate Campaign Targets Pakistan’s Ahmadi Minority
The Ahmadi community, numbering around 500,000 members in Pakistan, is officially considered “non-Muslim” since a constitutional amendment in 1974. A subsequent ruling under former military ruler Zia ul-Haq further restricted their religious freedoms, preventing them from openly identifying as Muslims and practicing their faith openly. This discrimination has persisted over the years, with the Ahmadi minority facing prejudice and persecution.
Amir Mahmood, a spokesperson for the Ahmadi community, asserted that this year has seen a significant rise in attacks, particularly in Punjab, the country’s most populous province. Last week, in Daska city alone, at least 74 graves were vandalized, and the minarets of two Ahmadi places of worship near Lahore were demolished. Mahmood accused the police and administrative officials of capitulating to pressure from the right-wing religious party, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). He claimed that the TLP had threatened the local administration with serious consequences if the minarets of their places of worship were not destroyed, giving them an ultimatum to comply by Friday, coinciding with Prophet Muhammad’s birthday celebrations.
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Records Alarming Number of Attacks
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the country’s foremost rights organization, has been closely monitoring the situation. It reported that at least 34 attacks on Ahmadi religious sites have occurred since the beginning of the year. The Ahmadi community’s own records for 2022 are equally alarming, with three Ahmadis killed over their faith and 108 people facing various religious cases. Additionally, 14 mosques and 197 graves belonging to the community were desecrated last year. These distressing statistics underline the gravity of the situation.
Ahmadi Community Appeals for Protection Amid Rising Intolerance
Zaheer Aslam, an Ahmadi businessman, expressed the deep-rooted prejudice his community faces. He pointed out that his ancestors had lived in Daska, a town that predates the formation of Pakistan. Less than 200 households in the town are now Ahmadi, and Aslam highlighted the intensification of hatred this year, with TLP banners in Daska rallying against Ahmadis for alleged insults to Islamic religious symbols. He lamented the passive stance of the local administration, which seemingly allows these hate-filled rallies to unfold without intervention.
Saadat Ali, a police official in Daska, denied allegations that the police were pressured by the TLP or involved in desecrating graves. He explained that the police received a complaint from the TLP regarding Ahmadi minarets, but he advised the group to seek guidance from the courts, as the construction dated back to before 1984 and did not fall under the police’s jurisdiction. However, community spokesman Mahmood vehemently rejected these claims, questioning the police’s role in the nighttime attack on their graveyard.
While the police claim to be prepared for any eventuality ahead of Friday’s celebrations, the Ahmadi community in Daska remains gripped by fear. Aslam noted that the majority of those campaigning against Ahmadis are outsiders from nearby towns and villages, indicating that the local populace is not actively participating in these hate-filled rallies. Yet, the pervasive fear and intimidation have silenced potential supporters, leaving the Ahmadi community in Pakistan struggling to preserve their identity and religious freedom.
Amid the mounting challenges, Ahmadis continue to endure discrimination, their basic rights compromised, and their places of worship and graves targeted. The international community is now watching closely as Pakistan grapples with the urgent need to protect its Ahmadi minority from further persecution.
