Police Seal Mosques as Bar Associations and Clerics Press Officials to Block Worship

(Lahore, Pakistan) – Pakistani authorities restricted Eid-ul-Fitr prayers for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community across multiple provinces on 21 March 2025, sealing places of worship, preventing congregational prayers, and acting on demands from bar associations, clerics, and anti-Ahmadi groups.

Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha have repeatedly become flashpoints for restrictions on Ahmadi worship in Pakistan, where administrative authorities each year move to prevent the community from freely observing major religious festivals under pressure from clerical and extremist groups.

Ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, legal bodies in several cities formally urged officials to stop Ahmadis from holding Eid prayers. The Lahore High Court Bar Association wrote to administrative authorities across multiple provinces calling for action, prompting the Deputy Commissioner of Sheikhupura to instruct the District Police Officer to respond. The Bar Association in Renala Khurd submitted a similar application to the City Police Officer in Okara.

In Sindh, the High Court Bar Association of Larkana passed a formal resolution calling on law enforcement agencies to take immediate action against Ahmadi Eid congregations and urging the judiciary to take suo motu notice. It also asked federal and provincial authorities to issue explicit instructions to prevent such gatherings.

Religious groups made similar demands. In Pachnand and Talagang, both in District Chakwal, clerics petitioned local officials to prohibit Ahmadi Eid prayers. In Karachi, the Ahl-e-Sunnat Help Desk wrote to the Inspector General of Police specifically calling for a ban on Ahmadi congregations.

District administrations enforced the restrictions. In Gujranwala, the Senior Superintendent of Police ordered Ahmadi places of worship to be sealed after the Fajr prayer and informed community members that any Eid prayer would have to be completed by 5.30 am, after which the premises would be locked. In nearby Bhari Shah Rehman, the deadline was moved to 5.15 am.

In Sargodha, police deployed to Ahmadi places of worship at the time of Fajr prayers, forced worshippers to leave, and locked the buildings. In Karachi, police summoned Ahmadi community elders at several locations and prohibited congregational worship, preventing Eid prayers across the city.

In Sialkot, authorities blocked Eid prayers in multiple localities, including Changrian, Kaleke Nagra, Ban Bajwa, Klaswala, Dadowali, and Malyanwala. In Chak 89-RB, District Faisalabad, police ordered Ahmadis gathered for Eid prayers to vacate their place of worship by 6 am and later cleared the building by force despite negotiations for additional time.

Rabwah was the only major exception. In Chenab Nagar, the Chiniot district administration allowed Eid prayers to proceed at the announced time of 7.30 am, and Ahmadis were able to worship across all neighbourhoods without interference.

The restrictions formed part of a wider pattern in which police action, administrative orders, and legal pressure are used to prevent Ahmadis from observing major Islamic festivals, despite constitutional protections for freedom of religion and assembly.