ELEVEN DETAINED SO FAR, EIGHT STILL IN CUSTODY
DENIAL OF RELIGIOUS RITES TO PATRIOTIC AHMADIS: A GRAVE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION
Press Release along with Annexes mentioned in the story below
June 17, 2024: Another 07 Ahmadis were taken into custody by the police along with their sacrificial animals such as goats etc. This brings the total to 11 Ahmadis detained for Eid-related activities, with 08 still behind bars. These actions contravenes Article 20 of the Constitution of Pakistan and decisions laid down by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, which guarantees Ahmadis the freedom to practice their faith within confinement of four walls (Cr1.P.916-L/2021, January 12, 2022[1]). Despite these legal protections, authorities continue to deny Ahmadis their religious rights.
ARRESTS AND HARASSMENT:
Ahmadis across Punjab are facing severe harassment at the hands of the law enforcement officials. In various districts of the province of Punjab the police officials have forcibly entered into the homes of various Ahmadis, thereafter, acting extra-judicially, has detained individuals along with their livestock.
- On June 16, the police officials have detained further 07 Ahmadis along with their sacrificial animals:
- An Ahmadi in Nadeem Abad, Daska, District Sialkot.
- o An Ahmadi in Khokarki, District Gujranwala.
- Five Ahmadis in Thana Motrah, District Sialkot.
- Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner in Chakwal issued orders for the detention of 03 Ahmadis for one month without any just cause. (Release issued earlier[2])
- An Ahmadi has been detained for 07 days in Sialkot on June 15. (Annex 1)
- in Railway Colony, Lahore the police officials forcibly entered the house of an Ahmadi and also harassed the entire family.
- In Lodhi Nangal, Faisalabad, the police officials forcibly entered into an Ahmadi’s house, taking him and his sacrificial animal (a goat) into custody, forcing him to sell his sacrificial animal (a goat) at a loss in order to appease the extremists.
- In Gujranwala, the police officials took an Ahmadi and his two-month-old sacrificial animal (a goat) into custody.
Due to the pressure from the extremists element, the Punjab Police officials are relentlessly harassing Ahmadis during the festivities of Eid al-Adha thus pressurizing them not only to perform the Eid prayers but also not to offer their religious rite of sacrifice within the confinement of their own homes. Ahmadis are being summoned to police stations and are threatened with harm from members of the Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan (the “TLP”) in the event if an Ahmadi is found performing their religious rites. It has also been learned that a “threat alert” based on the possibility of violence against Ahmadis on the occasion of Eid al-Adha has been issued by government agencies.
GOVERNMENT ORDERS AND VIOLATION OF RIGHTS:
Despite clear directives by the Superior Courts affirming Ahmadis’ rights, the government and the police officials continue to violate these directives.
- The Assistant Commissioner, Qaidabad, District Khushab has banned Ahmadis from sacrificing animals this year, based on a letter from the Home Department, Punjab. (Both letters are given as Annex 2)
- Government orders from Mirpur and Kotli in Azad Kashmir explicitly banned Ahmadis from performing any kind of slaughter or sacrifice during Eid al-Adha. (Mirpur Annex 2 & Kotli Annex 3)
This governmental complacency emboldens extremist elements, placing Ahmadis in grave danger, especially on a significant religious occasion like Eid al-Adha.
Amir Mahmood, spokesperson of the Ahmadiyya Community in Pakistan, has condemned these actions. He has stated, “The systematic human rights violations against Ahmadis by extremists and their police patrons, using the holy name of religion, are turning Pakistan into a global laughingstock. There is a need to reject this bigoted thinking. We demand the immediate release of the detained Ahmadis and that immediate steps are taken to ensure the religious freedom of Ahmadis as guaranteed by the Constitution and the Supreme Court.”
URGENT APPEAL:
We urgently appeal to the international community, human rights organizations, national institutions, law & enforcement agencies, and other influential entities to immediately take notice of these grave violations. The ongoing persecution of Ahmadi Muslims, especially around the sacred occasion of Eid al-Adha, is unacceptable. Immediate intervention is needed to ensure their safety and religious freedom. By the time you receive this release, it will be Eid in Pakistan. The situation is critical, and there is a serious concern about what may unfold on Eid day. Please act now to prevent further injustice and protect the fundamental rights of Ahmadis in Pakistan.
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[1] www.supremecourt.gov.pk/downloads_judgements/crl.p._916_l_2021.pdf
[2] www.persecutionofahmadis.org/persecution/imprisonment-in-the-name-of-religion/2024/06/11/arrest-of-three-ahmadis-in-chakwal/
