Times of Ahmad: Pakistan: Violation of human rights of Ahmadis continued to escalate in 2016 as before

During the year 2016, even in Rabwah, where 95% population belongs to Ahmadiyya community, Ahamadis were not permitted to hold any religious gathering or convention.

Click on the picture to view Persecution of Ahmadis Report 2016 (English)

Click on picture to read the Persecution of Ahmadis report 2016 (English)
Times of Ahmad | News Watch | UK desk
Source/Credit: Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Pakistan
By Press Release | March 31, 2016

Organized murder attempts, 6 Ahmadis were murdered merely over beliefs.

The state institutions have not only failed in safeguarding the rights of Ahmadis but are a helping hand for the non-state actors in persecution as well.

A mob attacked the Ahmadiyya worship place in Dolmial, Chakwal and occupied it. The worship place is still under control of the local administration. Ahmadis are deprived of their right to worship.

Despite the injunction by the Lahore High Court in respect of Ahmadiyya journals, CTD Punjab raided the Ahmadiyya Headquarters in Rabwah, apprehended 4 innocent Ahmadis and lodged a criminal case on baseless allegation.

Urdu press continued to publish baseless and inciting material against Ahmadis in 2016 as well. During the year, more than 1754 news items and 331 articles were published under hate campaign.

Fundamental human rights of Ahmadis need to be restored and all the discriminatory law be abolished.

Chenab Nagar (Rabwah) (PR), Saleemuddin, the spokesperson of Jamat e Ahmadiyya Pakistan released the annual report of the persecution and atrocities faced by Jamat e Ahmadiyya during the year 2016. According to the report, persecution and hate campaign against Ahmadis in Pakistan increased significantly in the last year. Series of aggression and violence against Ahmadis is high and state institutions have failed to protect Ahmadis, rather they are assisting non-state actors against innocent and law abiding Ahmadis.

According to the spokesperson, on 12th December 2016, extremists attacked the Ahmadiyya place of worship in Dolmial, District Chakwal, in an organized way and on the blessed occasion of Eid Miladun Nabi (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The mob occupied the place after the attack and the police, once again, failed to provide security to Ahmadis despite the fact that members of Jamat-e-Ahmadiyya had informed the local administration, through a formal letter beforehand regarding the risk of such an attack. As such, Ahmadis were forced to leave the area for the sake of their lives. Although, the Pakistan Army and Rangers restored peace afterwards but the place of worship is still under the control of the local administration and Ahmadis are deprived of their right to worship.

In 2015, the government of Punjab, while acting on the recommendations of the Mutahidda Ulema Board, banned a substantial portion of the Ahmadiyya literature and journals without identifying any specific hate material therein. While the reality is that there is not an iota of truth in such an allegation against a community whose motto is “Love for all, Hatred for none”. As a result of this step, even Ahmadis are restricted to access their religious literature which is a clear violation of Article 20 of the Constitution of Pakistan. The Daily Alfazl and the monthly journal Tehrik e Jadid were also banned under this action, against which their editors approached the Lahore High Court and were granted injunctions, on 2nd June 2015, against the ban and stopping the authorities from using any coercive measures against the petitioners. But on 5th December 2016, when the Order of the Honorable Court was still in effect, CTD Punjab raided the headquarters of Jamat e Ahmadiya in Rabwah on the pretext of the aforementioned ban and apprehended 4 innocent Ahmadis, which was a clear violation of the orders of the Honorable High Court. This violation of the fundamental human rights of Ahmadis by this illegal and unjustified police raid, especially under a democratic and constitutional government run by a political party, has outmatched even the dark days of dictatorial regimes.

The spokesperson discussed the helplessness of the state institutions at the hands of extremist elements by exemplifying the decision made by PEMRA on a complaint of Jamat e Ahmadiyya which was filed against 2 malicious TV programs that telecasted false and malevolent propaganda inciting hate against Ahmadis.On 29 September 2016, when the hearing was scheduled before the Council of Complaints, a mob stormed into the room and harassed the council members. Consequently, under undue influence of the mob, PEMRA dismissed the complaint declaring it non-maintainable.

Saleemuddin also questioned the legitimacy of a surety given by the Punjab Government in order to bar the Ahmadi teachers from teaching Arabic language. Under what law or regulation can an Ahmadi teacher be prohibited to teach the Arabic language?

Giving another example of the discrimination by the Punjab Government towards Ahmadis, the spokesperson referred to an announcement published in the daily Express on 1st March 2016 that restricted Ahmadis from participating in the Low Income Housing Scheme by the Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency, sub region Jhang. He questioned the validity of this restriction and asked whether such a discriminatory treatment towards citizens on the basis of their faith, by the state, is just and in accordance with the law and constitution?

He said that due to the discriminatory legislation against Ahmadis, the government has surrendered before the extremists. The draconian laws that were promulgated through the Ordinance of 1984 are not only in grave violation of the fundamental human rights but are also against the vision of Quaid e Azam and the Constitution of Pakistan. Hence, these laws must be abrogated at once and the human rights of millions of Pakistani Ahmadis be restored which is their fundamental right as citizens of Pakistan.

According to the spokesperson, since the promulgation of this notorious Anti Ahmadiyya Ordinance of 1984, Ahmadis have been facing political, social and legalized discrimination which is the negation of their fundamental rights as equal citizens. He further stated that since the enforcement of these discriminatory laws till 31st December 2016:

• 260 Ahmadis have been martyred for their belief;

• 377 Ahmadis have become the victims of attempted murder;

• 27 places of worship have been demolished while 33 places have been sealed by the administration. 17 places of worship have been grabbed and illegally occupied by opponents;

• 39 dead bodies have been exhumed and 65 Ahmadis were not allowed to be buried in a common graveyard.

He said the lives of Ahmadis are already at stake but now even the dead ones are becoming the target of hostile opponents as well as the administration.

He also told that last year, 6 Ahmadis were martyred for their faith.

Saleemuddin said that literature containing hate preaching against Ahmadis is being distributed openly throughout the country, especially in Punjab and Sindh. This literature not only provokes social and economic boycott of Ahmadis but even killing them and has resulted in many untoward incidents. What else does the silence of the civil administration over this mean other than tacit approval by the government?

According to the spokesperson, during the year 2016, even in Rabwah, where 95% population belongs to Ahmadiyya community, Ahamadis were not permitted to hold any religious gathering or convention. Even they were not allowed to organize sports events. On the other hand, the adversaries of Ahmadis were openly allowed to assemble people from outside the town and whenever and wherever arrange a convention or procession in Rabwah. Therefore, Anti Ahmadiyya organizations did convene conferences in Rabwah, with a sole agenda of spewing hate against Ahmadis but no action was taken against them.

Another issue that was highlighted by Saleemuddin was the unjust treatment of Ahmadis in the educational sector. The government nationalized the educational institution in the 70s which included the educational institutions of Jamat e Ahmadiyya. After the enforcement of the denationalization policy by the government, Jamat e Ahmadiyya submitted a hefty sum of money in the government exchequer as demanded by the government according to its rules and regulations but these institutions have still not been returned to us so far, whilst many other institutions have been given back to their previous owners under the same policy. How far will this religious discrimination and exclusion of Ahmadis go?

The spokesperson said that sectarianism, terrorism and disorder are at the peak. Need of the hour is to assess the starting point; which is the interference of the state in religion and the legislation of discriminatory laws. The current situation of law and order in Pakistan by the religious extremists is in fact an outcome of the state’s interference in religion. It is necessary to abrogate all the discriminatory and unjust laws whose enforcement has destroyed the fabric of the society and image of Pakistan.

The spokesperson of Jamat e Ahmadiyya has urged the fair-minded class of Pakistan to stress the government to take effective measures in order to eradicate religious intolerance and bigotry so that our dear homeland could do away with sectarianism and prejudice and strive towards a path of true progress, peace and stability.

-- Read Urdu Report on anti-Ahmadiyya news in Pakistani media - 2016
-- Read English Persecution of Ahmadis report 2016

-- Pakistan: Violation of human rights of Ahmadis continued to escalate in 2016 as before | Report

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