Bhulair, District Kasur; August 2023:
The opposition against Ahmadis has recently spiked here as there has been a huge increase in activities like armed assaults and registration of police cases. Recently, a baseless case was registered here against 13 Ahmadis, five of them were then arrested.
On August 4, 2023, an Ahmadi Mr. Shafiq Ahmad (who was living with his relatives due to the immensely hostile situation) was stopped by the opponents when he tried to return to his own home. The opponents are trying their best to make Ahmadis flee from the village.
The local president, upon receiving the news, arrived at the scene with two or three other Ahmadis. According to their plot, the opponents called the police helpline 15 and told them that Ahmadis had attacked their house and opened fire at them. Ahmadis had no arms, no ammunition and they surely did not indulge in any violent activity. The police took Shafiq Ahmad and his brother Parvez Ahmad along with the complainant to the police station and registered a case against them under PPC 107/151. They were bailed out the next day. The police proceeded further and upon not finding any evidence of firing, sent the complainant Abdul Rauf to Kasur Jail and registered a case against him for disrupting the peace.
On August 5, 2023, the opponents intercepted an Ahmadi Mr. Irfan Ahmad, and badmouthed him. The police, upon receiving the information, arrested him and the complainant, proceeded under PPC 107/151, and sent them to prison. Why both, one may ask? Ahmad was released on bail on August 7, 2023.
On August 7, 2023, it was announced from the loudspeakers of the mosques of village Chilhar—a neighboring village of Bhulair—that Ahmadis had committed blasphemy against the Prophethood. They urged the public to gather and tell the authorities to take action against them. An Ahmadiyya delegation contacted the higher authorities and informed them about the situation that the opponents were airing fabricated allegations to disrupt peace. The police arrested 5 persons including the mulla who was making these announcements. Three of them were later released while two are still behind bars.
Authorities have taken the same action against both sides ‘to maintain law and order’, but justice is not served if the victim is treated as the aggressor. Authorities should handle the sponsors and leaders of the mischief firmly, in order to forestall a situation like that in Jaranwala.
