Source/Credit: Daily Dawn | Ahmadiyya Jama'at
By Staff Reporter | February 1, 2012
RAWALPINDI: Pakistan's English news daily, Dawn.com reports that 'Ewan-e-Tauheed', which is the main place for Ahmadis to offer prayers in Rawalpindi, is under the threat of demolition because of the recent propaganda against Ahmadis and their religious practices.
While speaking to Dawn.com, the Ahmadiyya representative of Ewan-e-Tauheed said: “ The conspiracy started in the May of 2011, however the situation deteriorated in September and we were asked to pack up and leave the town as it was a ‘residential area’ where a place like ‘a site to worship’ could not operate.”
According to Ahmadiyya Times reports last week, a large rally was organised on January 29, 2012 which was attended by various religious clerics joined by several political leaders from Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) group, the party that currently controls the Punjab government.
During the rally, a deadline of one month was given to the administration of Ewan-e-Tauheed, to wind up their activities, it was reported.
“One of the people who presided from the session said that we will not let Ahmadis pray on the next Friday. Closing down Ewan-e-Tauheed will be a huge victory for us and will be another step closer to extraditing them from Pakistan,” Dawn quoted the Ahmadiyya representative as saying in their report.
Many Ahmadis have been in contact with the Punjab and Federal government, which, according to Ahmadiyya representative, motivated the Punjab government to instruct the local law enforcing bodies to stay active and protect the site and the worshipers.
So far the Ahmadis have not received any particular targeted threats, according to the Ahmadiyya Representative and Dawn.com report.
"...however, we know through sources that the perpetrators plan to demolish this site like 30 others which have been demolished in the past,” he added.
The Constitution of Pakistan dictates Ahmadis have a right to worship and profess their religion. However, they are not being allowed to construct new mosques and now they are being threatened not to worship as well.
The community is under attack in Pakistan and there are known security threats to community members from extremists.
"Yet innocent and peaceful Ahmadis are not even allowed to defend or protect themselves," Ahmadiyya community said.
“...this open campaign against the community centre is a plan to deprive the community’s peaceful members of their right to pray and gather," said the Ahmadiyya community in a press release.
“We can compromise on the right of self-defence but never compromise on the right of prayer in front of Allah," the press release further stated.
"We request the government and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) to look into the matter and help us," said the Ahmadi representative. "...the situation [may] blow out of proportion as has happened in the past.”
-- Dawn story was reported by Faiza Mirza.
Read original Dawn post here: Ewan-e-Tauheed under threat of demolition: Source
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