Persecution of Muslim Ahmadi minority continues in Pakistan
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community continues to denounce the persecution of the Ahmadi minority in Pakistan. In a press release, they have pointed out that religious intolerance continues on Pakistani soil. In the latest case, through an attack on the Ahmadiyya mosque of Mirpur Khas in Sindh, Pakistan.
The following is the official statement of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community:
PERSECUTION OF THE MUSLIM AHMADI MINORITY IN PAKISTAN CONTINUES
RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE STRIKES AGAIN: AHMADIYYA MOSQUE IN MIRPUR KHAS IN SINDH, PAKISTAN, TARGETED IN A SEVERE ATTACK.
On 4 May 2023, a group of assailants attacked the Ahmadiyya Mosque in Mirpur Khas district, causing severe damage to its structure. This desecration is the ninth such incident in the five months of this year, and the sixth in Sindh province. This is an alarming figure, as an average of almost two mosques are desecrated every month.
According to reports received, a mob of about 150 people arrived at the mosque at around 9 a.m. and forced their way into the compound using a ladder to scale the wall. The assailants knocked down the four minarets of the mosque and attempted to destroy the Mihrab. The mosque is located in the city centre of Mirpur Khas and has shops on the ground floor.
Despite their efforts, the assailants failed to break down the main gate of the mosque. However, they set fire to the possessions of the Ahmadis present there: clothes and other belongings.
This Ahmadi mosque was built in the 1980s and is located near the Fazl e Umar hospital, which was founded by Dr. Abdul Mannan Siddiqui, a well-known Ahmadi doctor who was murdered in 2008 after a TV programme was broadcast in which hate speeches were made against the Ahmadis. After his death, many Ahmadi families residing around the mosque were forced to migrate to other areas of the city.
Although there were not many resident Ahmadis in the area, prayers had recently resumed after being suspended for more than a year. After the mob destroyed the mosque's minarets, the police arrived and dispersed them. Although attempts are being made to file a complaint, the police appear unwilling to register it.
The spokesman for the Ahmadiyya Community of Pakistan tweeted: "Continued attacks on Ahmadi places of worship are a gross violation of human rights. Today's attack on the prayer place in Mirpur Khas by a mob of over 150 extremists is unacceptable. It is a heinous act of religious intolerance. The illegal entry, destruction of property and burning of belongings is unacceptable".
The spokesman also expressed disappointment at the lack of action by the police, stating: "The police are not registering any complaints about this incident. It is unfortunate that state institutions are engaged in harassing an oppressed minority and delaying action instead of taking immediate action against extremist elements".
The spokesman for the Ahmadiyya Community of Pakistan shared videos of the event on his Twitter account to show evidence of the attack on the mosque.
This heinous act of violence against the Ahmadiyya community is a blatant violation of their basic human rights and religious freedom. We strongly condemn this attack and call on the authorities to act swiftly to bring the perpetrators to justice.
We urge the international community to speak out against the restrictions imposed on religious freedom and to press the Pakistani government to take the necessary steps without delay to safeguard the safety and security of the Ahmadis. The restoration of basic rights to all citizens, including the Ahmadis, will undoubtedly contribute to creating an inclusive society that will be beneficial to Pakistan in the long term.
As we have recalled on previous occasions, on 13 July 2021, the UN human rights experts expressed their deep concern over the lack of attention to the grave human rights violations perpetrated against the Muslim Ahmadi Community around the world. They called on the international community to redouble its efforts to put an end to this persecution.