PRESS RELEASE. A. Abdul Aziz  Press Secretary. AHMADIYYA  MUSLIM  JAMA’AT – SRI LANKA

In the name of Allah, most Gracious and ever Merciful

It is with devastating shock that we wish to bring to your attention the report that we have received regarding the police raid on Ahamadiyya Head Quarters campus Rabwah, Pakistan and their horrifying brutal atrocities. 

Four Ahmadis were arrested Monday afternoon (5/12/2016) in Pakistan, during a raid on the offices of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

The arrests were carried out in the Ahmadiyya majority town of Rabwah by the CTD (Counter-Terrorism Department) of Punjab Police. CTD is responsible for investigating terrorism and sectarian-related incidents.

Three police vans with 28 heavily armed officers forced their way into the ‘Tehrik-e-Jadid’ building and ‘slammed’ the workers onto the ground according to witnesses. At the same time, another group of officers made their way up to the publishing office on the second floor of the building, where they arrested four office workers affiliated with the Ahmadiyya community’s magazine. Officers also sealed the community’s printing press which was used to publish the Community’s daily Newspaper AL FAZL  and the ‘Tehrik-e-Jadid’ magazine, both of which are ‘banned’ according to the Police.

Another CTD unit entered the building’s security room and brutally assaulted the security manager on duty, due to the severity of his injuries, the manager had to be treated at a local hospital. Before leaving, the CTD officers also disabled the CCTV system and took away office equipment including computers, cell phones, and several books. Witnesses say Police officers refused to show any search or arrest warrants.

Media Reports indicate that five workers were also booked under Sections 298-B, 298-B (a) and 298-C of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and 9-II (w) of Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

The reports reaching us indicate that the magazines were banned in December 2014, but the Pakistan court subsequently granted a stay in June 2015. Since then the magazine is being published,” it is learnt, according to the Spokesperson of Ahmadiyya Community Pakistan.

It is a heart -rending painful incident and demonstrates the blatant audacity of the authorities of the government of Pakistan to mercilessly stampede the honour, dignity and basic civilian rights of Ahmadis in Pakistan.

Moreover, the reports reaching us confirms that on Monday 12 December 2016, the place of worship located in the limits of the Chowas Saidan Shah police station area in Chakwal’s Dhalmial district was ‘attacked’ by nearly 1,000 people,

A mob armed with batons and weapons was throwing stones and firing on the premises. The mob was “attempting to seize Ahmadiyya property,” the report indicates.

The mob hurled stones and bricks at the place of worship before storming the building, and gunmen opened fire on Ahmadis in the area. The police later dispersed the crowd and secured the building. The mob also set fire to part of the building, according to local police.

The Ahmadiyya Pakistan spokesperson, confirmed that there had been one killed in the incident,

We urge the International Community to condemn this horrible humiliating act of cruelty. This is unfortunately another horrible page in the ongoing persecution and malicious treatment of Pakistan Authorities. This will continue until the government to restrain the hate mongering Mullahs of Pakistan and control the spread of hate and violence amongst the people.

We urge the Government of Pakistan to take adequate security measures to protect the life and properties and worship places of Ahmadiyya Community in Pakistan.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Islam was founded in 1889 in a small town Qadian, in Punjab, India.  Its founder, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) claimed to be the Promised Reformer of the age.  Ahmadiyya Muslim Community stands for the brotherhood of mankind and tries to establish peace on earth through love, persuasion and tolerance.  It is a spiritual Community and has no political agenda.