Religious Hate Continues: Ahmadiya Places of Worship Attacked, Authorities Launch Investigation

The Jamshed Quarters police in Karachi have registered a case against attackers who vandalized worship places belonging to the Ahmadiya community, as reported by The News International. While no arrests have been made yet, authorities have initiated an investigation into this disturbing incident. According to Amir Mahmood, spokesperson for the Ahmadiya community, a group of eight to ten people forcefully entered the premises of a worship place on Martin Road, causing extensive damage to windows, doors, cameras, tables, and chairs.

This attack is not an isolated incident; it is part of a series of attacks on Ahmadi worship places in different localities across Pakistan's Punjab province. The first attack took place on September 13 in Bahawalpur, where members of the extremist group Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) scaled a building and demolished its minarets. On September 14, an Ahmadi worship place in Narang Mandi, Sheikhupura, was targeted, followed by another attack on September 15 at a worship place in Chak 168 Murad, Bahawalnagar. These repeated attacks not only harm the physical structures but also create a hostile environment for Ahmadis in Pakistan. They are being denied their basic rights of freedom, property, and religion as equal citizens.

What's even more alarming is the alleged involvement of the police in these acts or their failure to provide adequate protection to the community. Community members expressed their disappointment that the state, despite assurances from Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar after a previous incident in Jaranwala, has failed to fulfill its promise of protecting the worship places of all citizens. The community emphasizes that the minarets of these worship places have stood for years before Ordinance XX of 1984, and they expect the court's orders to be followed.

In response to these incidents, the police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) under relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. The authorities must now swiftly apprehend the attackers and ensure justice is served. It is crucial that the government takes immediate steps to protect the religious rights and security of all its citizens, irrespective of their religious beliefs.