Baghbanpura, District Gujranwala; December 8, 2022: Anti-Ahmadiyya activists demanded the police about six months ago that minarets built at the outer gate of Ahmadiyya mosque of Baghbanpura should be demolished. The police told Ahmadis to hide the minarets by putting iron sheets on them. Ahmadis complied. However, the opponents continued to put pressure on the police and the administration for the removal of the minarets.
The opponents applied to DC Gujranwala against the minarets. At this, the police sent for the Ahmadiyya delegation to the CPO office where the delegation met with the district security officer and SSP operations on December 3, 2022 and informed them of the Ahmadiyya position. The police said that it is being asked by non-Ahmadis to change the time of Friday prayers of Ahmadis in Gajju Chak, and it is being said that Ahmadi children read the Holy Quran in a loud voice while they are not allowed to read the Holy Quran. Also, the Holy Quran should be taken out of the Ahmadis’ houses, confiscated and an FIR should be registered for possession of the Quran, they add. On this, the Ahmadiyya delegation said that if the authorities entertain such illegal requests, the opponents would harass Ahmadis further by making more demands. The police replied that the District Intelligence Committee had decided that minarets of the Ahmadiyya mosque be removed.
On December 7, 2022, the delegation met with ADCG Gujranwala. He advised Ahmadis to be patient and bear up the treatment, as that was the state policy.
Later, on the night of 7th and 8th December at around 2 am, a police force came with heavy machinery and vehicles, blocked the road in front of the mosque and switched off the nearby lights. The police destroyed the minarets and took away the debris with them. During this demolition, the security cameras and the wall of the mosque were also damaged.
