by A. Abdul Aziz

According to reports available from U.K. based International Human Rights Committee (IHRC) fanatic mullahs are planning to demolish minarets of Ahmadi Muslim Mosques in Jhelum, Pakistan, in a planned march this weekend. 

This comes after police destroyed the minarets of an Ahmadi Mosque in Kala Gujran, Jhelum District on the order of the extremist clerics. The radical clerics forced the police to destroy minarets, threatening repercussions if they did not. 

The demands of the group are: 

1. All the Minarets and the Mehrabs (prayer niche at the front of a Mosque) should be removed from the Ahmadiyya Places of Worship in district Jhelum. 

2. A Strict and complete ban should be imposed on the activities of the Qadianis and on the usage of Rituals of Islam by them. 

This is a continuance of decades-long persecution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Pakistan. 

This year, 10 Mosques have already been attacked by both vigilante mobs and authorities, including arson and desecration of minarets. Since 1984, their Mosques have been demolished, set on fire, forcibly occupied and sealed by authorities. 

This is the latest in a long line of violation of basic religious freedom enshrined in international human rights laws. 

Human rights groups have repeatedly expressed their deep concern over the lack of attention to the serious human rights violations perpetrated against the Ahmadiyya community.

Moreover, Graves of Ahmadi Muslims have once again been desecrated and vandalised in a malicious and senseless attack by vigilantes’ elements in Pakistan. 

The grievous attack took place on 16th July 2023 in Mehmoodabad, a town near Jhelum city. 

 Unknown assailants attacked the tombstones of two graves in a combine graveyard. The tombstones were smashed into pieces and splashed with black paint obscuring the writing on the tombstone. 

The graves belong to two senior elders of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. There was a protective boundary constructed around these graves, but even that was damaged. 

We once again urge the international community to pressure the Government of Pakistan to honor its responsibility to provide protection to all its citizens, ensure freedom of religious practice to Ahmadis, and bring perpetrators of such vicious attacks to justice.

Persecution against Ahmadis as of reports, almost daily incidents against the minority group. Graveyard vandalism has been a favoured tactic of the anti-Ahmadi element in Pakistan for years. This shameful tactic means Ahmadis are not free from persecution even after their death.

Moreover, we once again strongly urge the international community to impress upon the Government of Pakistan the need to discharge any absurd cases against Ahmadis and release all held in custody and thus honor its responsibility to provide effective protection and freedom of religious practice to Ahmadis, and ensure that perpetrators of such vicious actions should be brought to justice.