PAKISTAN Pakistan, the Ahmadis targeted by extremists and police. They attack and demolish their places of worship

The last episode took place on January 18 in Karachi, when they attacked the headquarters and caused damage to the minaret. In December, the police had attacked another community in Gujranwala. Radical groups are calling for blasphemy laws to be applied against the minority. Christian and Ahmadi activists claim the right to religious freedom and respect for treaties.

Toba Tek Singh () – The Ahmadi minority is once again in the crosshairs of extremist groups in Pakistan, who attack and demolish their places of worship. The latest episode occurred on January 18 in Karachi, where the local community headquarters were attacked at 3:45 p.m. Some men armed with sticks gathered in front of the entrance chanting slogans and threats, then jumped over the fence and looted inside, smashing the minaret. An Ahmadi, Zaheer Ahmed, who was present at the time of the attack, filed a complaint with the police, but so far no action has been taken and the attackers remain unpunished.

On December 7, the authorities had already ordered the demolition of the minaret of an Ahmadi place of worship in Baghbanpura (Gujranwala, Punjab). Police forces surrounded the building and turned off the lighting in the area before proceeding with the demolition. On September 12, the Islamist movement Tehreek-e-Labbaik denounced the prayer centers of this minority because it considers them “illegal” and the faithful guilty of “blasphemy” according to article 295-C of the Penal Code. Another of the Ahmadi places of worship targeted by extremists and at risk of attack is in the village of Aadha in Gojra (the scene of a bloody crackdown on Christians in 2009, in which they burned alive to some inhabitants). It was built in 1964 and has capacity for 100 people; Also in this case the police ordered the demolition of the minaret.

The Ahmadis (about 2% of Pakistan’s population) are an Islamic-inspired religious movement that emerged in the late 19th century. Its founder, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, claimed to be a post-Muhammad prophet, which is why Sunnis consider them heretics. They are the most persecuted community in the country. According to a 2018 report, between 1984 and 2017, 260 worshipers were killed, 27 religious sites demolished, another 33 closed, 22 burned or damaged, and 17 forcibly occupied.

In dialogue with , Aamir Mehmood, an Ahmadi activist, denounced the “suffering” suffered by the minority and strongly demanded the right to “religious freedom”. However, he added, “the police are afraid of the fundamentalists and that is why they attack the Ahmadis, who are a weak target. The country is experiencing the worst economic crisis in its history, but the police and fundamentalists prefer to target defenseless minorities”.

Many voices condemn the attacks, including Christian activist Naveed Walter, president of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP), who works to end “violations against minorities, such as Ahmadis, Christians and Hindus.” Walter adds that “the state must act swiftly against atrocities and focus attention on development, economic stability and the promotion and implementation of the fundamental rights of all citizens, in accordance with the vision of the founder of Pakistan [Mohammad Ali Jinnah] and the treaties and commitments signed with the international community”.