Late-Night Operation Carried Out Without Notice or Written Orders

Police demolished the minarets and mihrabs of two Ahmadiyya mosques in Chahur Mughliyan and Chahur Kotli, District Nankana, on the night of 2 September 2025, carrying out the operation without prior notice, written authorisation, or formal demolition orders.

The late-night demolitions followed weeks of pressure from local clerics, anti-Ahmadi groups, and administrative officials demanding that the local Ahmadi community remove the religious features themselves.

Local opponents had claimed that the minarets and mihrabs resembled those of Muslim mosques and should therefore be removed. Police and local administration repeatedly pressed community members to carry out the demolition on their own.

The Ahmadi community formally informed the authorities that they would not remove the structures themselves and would not permit private individuals to do so. They stated, however, that they would not physically obstruct any action taken directly by state authorities.

On 2 September 2025, the Assistant Commissioner and Deputy Superintendent of Police summoned local Ahmadi community representatives, including local presidents, the District President, and the Secretary of General Affairs, for a meeting.

During the meeting, officials informed them that the demolitions would take place that same day.

Community representatives objected, stating that such action would violate the law and existing court protections, and requested written authorisation if the authorities intended to proceed. According to those present, the Deputy Superintendent of Police dismissed these concerns and stated that police had the authority to act without written orders.

Later that night, police personnel entered both worship places and demolished the minarets and prayer niches without issuing any written notice or producing legal documentation.

The operation forms part of a broader pattern of state-led or state-enabled targeting of Ahmadi religious sites across Pakistan. In many cases, local clerics initiate complaints under Sections 298-B and 298-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, which are then used to justify police or administrative intervention against Ahmadi places of worship despite the absence of court orders.

Demolitions of this kind are frequently carried out at night, with authorities acting under sectarian pressure and outside formal legal process.