Pakistan: Hate campaign against the Ahmadiyya Community in Rawalpindi

Residents of the area are also concerned about this hate campaign but nobody is bothered or willing enough to talk about this issue openly or even discreetly. Silence of the mass may eventually lead to some kind of mishap.

Photo: Shiraz Hassan | Blog

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Shiraz Hassan | Blog | Cross Post
By Shiraz Hassan | November 28, 2011

Just a few days before Eid-ul-Azha, I visited The Holy Family hospital in Rawalpindi to see my friend who was admitted there. During this visit, I witnessed something very odd and alarming. It was a hate campaign against the Ahmadiyya Community. Initially, like most others, I saw and ignored. However, as the days passed, I felt that this hate campaign was turning into a full-fledged movement against the Ahmadiyya community that resides in this part of the city.

This hate campaign was carried out quite visibly, in the form of banners placed in different areas of the E-block, threatening the Ahmaddiya community to stop their “un-constitutional” activities in the area. Incidentally, right after Eid, a set of new banners with a stronger message replaced the old ones. The word “protest” changed to “movement” in these banners which were again placed in various parts of E-Block, Satellite Town, including Holy Family Road, College Chowk, Hyderi Chowk and even in Commercial Market. It also announced boldly that, an “action committee” has been formed. On being enquired about the real faces and brains behind this campaign, the residents of the area, were unwilling to talk.


Apparently, the city administration is almost intentionally waiting for an untoward incident to occur and yet, not willing to take action against this religious hatemongering.

It has been almost a month now, but the banners are still hanging all across the area.

The reason behind placing these banners in this area is that an Ahmaddiya place of worship, is located right on the Holy Family road. There has been an ongoing controversy around this place since the time when Ahmadiyya community started blocking this road every Friday during the prayers.

According to sources, every Friday, not more than 200 Ahmadiyya community members gather for prayers and they block the road for the purpose of ensuring security for themselves. Reportedly, this blockade by the Ahmadiyya community in the residential area is being considered “unconstitutional” by some residents of the area and they want to stop this activity.

A member of the Ahmadiyya Community (who wishes to remain anonymous) says, "We have security concerns". "Every person has the right to follow his religious activities and we are not doing anything unconstitutional” he added. He also condemned the ongoing hate campaign against the Ahmaddiyas and added, that they are feeling more insecure now. Especially after the attacks on the two places of worship belonging to the Ahmaddiya community in Lahore, they really feel unprotected.

Some other residents of these areas express concern that these banners are creating a very negative impact in the area. It is a communal problem and should be resolved by and within the residents of area. Spreading hate filled messages will create more discord in the society.

On the other hand, some hardliners believe that Ahmadiyya community members and their place of worship in this residential area is creating a very unwanted problem in the area. According to them, people living here, apparently find it very difficult on Fridays while they come to pray in nearby Mosques. The security measures taken by the police as well as the administration of these places of worship are totally inadequate, for the residents of the area.

It is now quite obvious that sectarian and religious hatred is increasing at an alarming rate in the city of Rawalpindi.

Another very important point to note here is that the M.C Girls School, which was targeted by a group of madrassa students during a rally in support of Mumtaz Qadri, is also located in Satellite Town, B Block, which is just opposite the E-block.

Residents of the area are also concerned about this hate campaign but nobody is bothered or willing enough to talk about this issue openly or even discreetly. Silence of the mass may eventually lead to some kind of mishap.

Adding to this already worsening situation, are an assortment of banners belonging to various banned outfits and religious organizations zealously encouraging people to join the ‘Jihaad’.

Things are just not going in the right direction in this area of the city and it seems like the city administration is sleeping comfortably, as we wait for something to go horribly wrong, any day, soon.


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