Times of Ahmad: Pakistan: Human rights abuses of Ahmadis increased in 2015

Times of Ahmad | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya
By Press Release | April 24, 2016

Rabwah; The spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya community, Saleem ud Din, said of a recently published report which highlights the persecution of Ahmadis that there was a significant increase in hate propaganda against the community.

The government agencies responsible for implementing the laws are being manipulated by opponents of the community. Instead of upholding the law, they continue to cave into the demands of extremists.

He further said that a factory belonging to an Ahmadi was set ablaze last year on November 20, after a false accusation of blasphemy. The homes of factory workers were also burned to the ground with the residents only just surviving the attack. The day after this incident a nearby place of worship was attacked in the presence of law enforcement authorities.

On the recommendation of the Mutahiddah Ulema Board, the Punjab government has banned various Ahmadi publications for so-called hate speech, without being able to provide evidence of where this inflammatory material appears. There is absolutely no truth to this claim The very motto of our community is Love for All, Hatred for None. As of right now, even Ahmadis themselves are prevented from accessing their own books which goes against the article 20 of the constitution
Ahmadis were further discriminated against in local body elections on account of their faith after being included in a separate voters list. The community made attempts to make clear their stance on the issue, but All newspapers refused to publish a statement on their behalf.

The discriminatory ordinance of 1984, violates the human rights of Ahmadis and goes against the vision of Pakistan propounded by its founder, Quaid e Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The Government should immediately abolish all such laws and safegaurd all the basic rights rights of Ahmadis that they are entitled to as citizens of Pakistan. Since the infamous ordinance of 1984 Ahmadis have faced political and socio-economic discrimination that is in clear violation of their rights.

Ahmadis victims of concerted and deliberate efforts to incite murder against them.
Ahmadis deprived of the right to vote in local body elections; forced to sign a petition on a separate list which goes against their faith
A factory and several houses torched over blasphemy allegations in Jehlum.
A plethora of hateful literature is being produced which incites the socio-economic boycott of Ahmadis and even goes as far as encouraging people to kill them. Silence on the part of the administration is akin to lending support to those who publish this hate material.
On the recommendation of the Mutahiddah Ulema Board, the interior ministry of the Punjab government, placed a ban on all Ahmadi publications.
The Urdu print media continued attacking the community and published over 1570 hateful articles and 334 pieces which promoted religious discord.
The Government ought ensure the basic rights of Ahmadis in Pakistan and abolish discriminatory laws.

As of December 31, 2015, 248 Ahmadis have been killed because of their faith; 323 have been the victims of attempted murder; 27 worship places have been demolished; 32 have been sealed by the authorities and 16 illegally appropriated; 39 graves have been desecrated and the bodies of 65 have been refused burial in joint cemeteries. As a result Ahmadis face insecurity in both life and death. Over the course of the year 2015 , two Ahmadis were killed for their faith.

He said that the hate literature against Ahmadis is being distributed throughout the country specifically in Punjab and Sindh where a socio-economic boycott is encouraged at a grass-roots level and go as far as to incite their murder. Silence from the administration lends credence to the view that those spread discord have official sanction to do so from the authorities.

The community was denied the right to hold religious assemblies in Rabwah, a town where 95 percent of the population is Ahmadi. Moreover they are not allowed to hold sports events. On the contrary, opponents of the community face no such hindrances and are even able to call participants from abroad and plan mass rallies while issuing derogatory remarks against venerable Ahmadi figures and calling for the murder of members of the community. No action has been taken against them with regards to this.

The Government nationalized several educational institutes in the 1970’s. Several of those belonged to the community. A large number of these institutions were returned to their original proprietors after a process of denationalization but the community still awaits their return of their institutions despite paying a large sum of money to the Government as a deposit. How long will this religious bigotry continue for?

The Urdu print media continued attacking the community and published over 1570 hateful articles and 334 pieces which promoted religious discord.

Sectarianism, murder and social or political discontent are at their peak in the country. For this unrest to recede it is incumbent to revisit the moment when the Government proposed impartial laws and interfered with with the religious freedom of people. The current situation of civil unrest and extremism is the result of government interference. Laws which promote prejudice should be abolished as they have tarnished Pakistan’s image. There can be no stability in the country for as long as these laws remain in place.

The spokesperson asked peaceful citizens of Pakistan to encourage the Government to end religious bigotry so that Pakistan can once tread on the path to success and peace.

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-- Pakistan: Increase in human rights abuses of Ahmadis increased in 2015

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