LAHORE: A man, who was later identified to be an Ahmadi, was critically injured after being shot three times in Ferozewala of Sheikhupura district on Wednesday just as religious parties observed the ‘Tahafuz Khatam-e-Nabuwat Day’.
Relatives of the victim, Chaudhry Basheer Ahmed, alleged that he was targeted because of his religious
beliefs as a result of the intensification of a hate campaign against Ahmadis in the area.
Tahafuz Khatam-e-Nabuwat Day marks the anniversary of the day in 1974, when Pakistan’s parliament declared Ahmadis to be a non-Muslim minority.
Basheer Ahmed was shot once in his abdomen and twice in his neck with a 30-bore pistol at close range.
Naseer Ahmed, one of Basheer’s relatives who witnessed the attack, said that they were “sure the attacker was one of the local activists of Khatam-e-Nabuwat”, adding that the murder attempt was made near the local chapter of the Khatam-e-Nabuwat office. He said that the assailant was a bearded man between 18 to 20 years of age.
Two armed men had attacked and killed a 70-year-old man in his shop in the presence of his sons in the same area. According to the prosecution, he was killed for his beliefs.
Naseer Ahmed said Ahmadis in Ferozewala and elsewhere are under constant threat because of an ongoing hate campaign.
SHO Ferozewala police station Faisal Abbas Chadhar said that relatives of the victim had “neither given an application, nor did they want to take legal action”.
He said that the attackers and their motive were still unknown.
He said that further legal action would be taken once an application for an FIR was filed.
Spokesperson of the Jamat-e-Ahmadia, Pakistan, Saleemudin criticised the government for supporting such events, and said that
the government should, instead, take steps to stop such hostile campaigns.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2011.
COMMENTS (42)
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@Fawad: Reporting has always been a delicate art. I wonder how you missed to quote the example of "Big hue and cry". And did not notice "When the Governor Punjab cannot and should NOT be spared over Blasphemy than Ahmadi’s issue is much more higher than that" from Mr. Kashif'.
@Waseem:
Reporting has become a delicate art nowadays. Choice of words and style, especially in the first report, has far-reaching consequences.
See an example: You have used the word "complained" for Kashif comments, whereas he has just cited an example or mentioned a fact. Your choice of word has given intensity to his comments, which he himself might not have intended in the first place.
Hence, reporters should be careful in drafting the reports. Their biased views / inclinations should not be reflected in the report.
The murderer should be arrested and given an exemplary punishment of 3 months in jail, like they did in Indonesia recently.
@Hammad Qureishi FINALLY A VOICE OF REASON WHO GAVE FACTS INSTEAD OF THE USUAL TRASH TALK I SEE HERE. This story is one sided and defeats the purpose of journalism ET I am disappointed and wish to see some true journalism that isnt as biased and Islam bashing as the blogs and articles I read here every day. To everyone calling for a secular Pakistan, learn history, you kids are fooling yourselves, it's easy to sit in your living rooms and watch the tv all day long buy their trash and then decide you want a secular Pakistan what and who gave you those rights? This country was created upon thousands of dead Muslims who sacrificed their lives children properties for Islam. Sadly, one thing Pakistan never saw was true Islam, its been a secular state under the guise of an Islamic state since day one.
@Sanity
The American police does not accuse KKK of all the black murders because the law or the constitution is not held hostage by the KKK. In Pakistan, the constitution is against Ahmadis. If the constitution was not against Ahmadis, this could be treated as just another murder or a hate crime. Right now, not just its a hate crime, but also 'partially' sanctioned by the government. Partially because the constitution declares Ahmadis non-muslim.
Israel was founded on the basis of religion and we all know how insecure they feel. Even though they have so many resources and their people are not just loyal but the most educated around the world, there persists an insecurity. Their brutal murders of Palestinians and meddling in other world affairs specially against us Muslims, bears witness that they are insecure about their presence.
Ahmadis supported Quaid-e-Azam's vision of Pakistan, still support and will continue to support. Even if Muslims call them non-muslims, they themselves know that they are muslims and what is expected of them.
Ahmadis, specially Pakistani Ahmadis are a proud nation as they have protected (with the others) their beloved countries borders against any attack. They have excelled in every compartment of life and achieved a distinction in the whole Muslims world. They produced the first and to date only Muslim (also Pakistani) Nobel Laureate in Physics, Dr. Abdus Salam. Even though his own country men persecuted him and his community, he wanted to build a university for higher education in Pakistan, a dream which was not made possible because the people in power did not let him do so. He still made the university in Trieste, Italy and is named after him.
If he was born in any other country, people would make out a role model out of him irrespective of caste creed and religion but to his misfortune, he was born in Pakistan.
I love my country and will continue to love it forever. It is my right to atleast speak up for the change I want in my country, and I want to change the laws against us. Many say its impossible.... I believe that I will see a day in which I will live in my country as a free man, free to call my self a Muslim and hear the Azaan from my Masjid!
Mates, this must be as a result of some personal grudge and then these people make it a matter of religion because it is easier to then bail out of the case upon religious grounds. Ahmedis/Quadianis too should not take advantage of this ongoing situation in Pakistan and make false allegations if they really love this country. It is the same situation where say a certain person in karachi murders his old foe who actually had an eye upon his girlfriend and because it is a blind murder, it always has to be due to the gang war going on. I know reporters, specially from areas like these try to add spice to the story by adding controversial content to the actual news.
@American Desi: What about Israel? It's found on religion. What ideology does America have?
A country founded on narrow ideology bound to consume itself. Other person is always not pure enough. This is the real crux of the Two Nation Theory. You reap what you sow - law of Karma.
@Shaesta: All minorities are being crushed in secular India.
@Mahindar: You should be more concerned about the hate in Indian society between different castes and religions.
@Jameel: Then why doesn't American police accuse KKK of every black man's murder?
All minorities can survive in secular Pakistan. .
People do you see the shameless strategy here.
First question why is this news being reported because a lot of Muslims die too?
Then accuse Ahmadi's of spreading hate speech and using Khatme Nabuwat website as the source.
The going on to accuse Ahmadi's of everything under the sun while getting across their own falsified information through.
Never take these people seriously.
I think no religious scholar and imam supports such type of acts but it is too bad to see that after killing of any minority persons,our media and police connected it with religious aim just to avoide investigating.every attack on minorities is not associated to religious aim.There should me inner conflict among these minorities but our media show irresponsibility in such cases.how it is possible that there is no family and assets problems in such type of minorities.?
Jameel
khatm-e-nabuwat never said to kill any qadyani/ahemdi.
A heart that HATES has not GOD in it!
@Tony Khan: Ahmadis beliefs are far far different from what they portray. Just look at these three points to comprehend 3-in-1 package introduced by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and his so called Khalifas.
1)Yes they accept Hazrat Muhammad SAW as the last prophet but on the contrary they take Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as reincarnation of Hazrat Muhammad SAW.
2)Furthermore, they beleive that Jesus (as) was died about 2000 years ago in Jammu Kashmir and reborn as Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
3) And last but not least they beleive that Mirza Ghulam was a same much awaited rescuer Imam Mehdi by the muslims
First you declare us non-muslims (kafir) in our own beloved land against our will and against our beliefs, you drag us out of mosques, put numerous sanctions on us as to what we are allowed to do and what we are not, you hate speech against us, declare us 'wajib-ul-qatil' and then when a humble reporter rises up defying all odds, rises up breaking the barriers of religion, just to report an incident involving the murder/shooting of an Ahmadi, you are furious at the report!!???
I salute the paper and the reporter!
and I would like to mention a food for thought for the readers here.
'Ahmad' was an another name of our beloved prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H). How can a sect that derives its very name from the name of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) ever hold him in, god forbid, less regard? He was the greatest of all prophets and will remain the greatest of all prophets! Thank you for going through the post. May Allah bless us all and bring us closer to each other and eliminate the differences between all humanity.
Ahmadis love Pakistan, but Pakistan does not love them. Sad but true.
Why is it always more important to highlight the killing of a minority person over a majority Muslim person? More majority Muslims have been killed bu criminals than all the minorities victims combined.
@Anwar
These are the publications of National Assembly! Authentic! It is on record that to Ahmaids, all of us non-Ahmadis are Kaffir. It is written in their books. Moreover, the king of language used against Hazrat Issa, Hazrat Ali, Hazrat Fatima, Hazrat Hussain, Allah and Prophet himself is clear indication of their hatred towards us. Read their books, Mirza Sahib said that all those who dont believe in him are 'badkaar mayoon ki ulaad'.
@Jameel
Study the incident of Rabwah in 74'.
@Moderate: Whatever published so far is not authentic as it is based on mostly 'he told me' and he said that'. Let the National Assembly publish its record before spreading more hatred.
@Ashfaq:
I would not consider re-meaning the word hate-speech until Ahmadis start going around killing or attacking people which they don’t. Obviously Ahmadis have not taken it to mean go and kill someone like khatm-e-nabuwat gang does so you can’t compare the two. One is peaceful and other is not, there is a huge difference there. Additionally, have you ever read Quran which calls Christians and Jews as pigs and monkeys and ahadith which appear to call for or justify murder or oppression of Jews? Yet we do not allow Christians or Jews to either ban Quran or ahadith, or in any way persecute or oppress Muslims in their countries. The religious stuff is for the books and for academic discussions. In society there should be fairness regardless of anyone’s beliefs.
When you deliver hate speech you are inciting people to kill. The khatm-e-nabwuat hate speakers know full well the outcome of their hate speech in our volatile society specially when the higher ups are on the side of the khatm-e-nabuwat guys and won’t punish the killers. You are obviously giving too much undue credit to khatm-e-nabuwat goons.
Ahmadi got killed, said no doubt and whoever did this should be punished. As far as hate speech is concerned, has anyone read the literature spread of Ahmadis? I ask you to go and find the proceedings of assembly when they were declared 'kaffir'. Read what thei 'Khalifah' said regarding non-Ahmadis. That will be an eye opener for you all.
Here is the link: www.khatm-e-nubuwwat.org/Books/Data/english/qad-defeated-in-the-Parliament/qad-defeated-in-the-Parliament.pdf
@Syed Kashif Hussain: Dear Syed Kashif Hussain, why is there so much fuss about a newspaper reporting about a murder of a muslim that was killed/shot just because of a religion. You are complaining about the pardah/burga ban in Germany, althought its not in Germany, its in France and soon to be in Belgium (only this tells me awarness level that you have) but still is it justified? are you trying to justify a killing over a ban? are you really serious, if that is that case Ahmadis are banned to call a mosque a mosque, they are banned to call prayers, they are banned to say Salam, how come when France did part of samething to you that you did to muslim it hurts you. Don't you think Ahmadis are humans as well. Thank you Tribune for reporting on this topic. Public awarness is very important in this issue and the tolerance leel that we have in Pakistan, it will take years before people will realize that they are extermist.
Thank you ET for exposing the hate crimes committed in the name of God. It is unbelievable that Pakistan is filled with so much hate. Why do these custodians of religions do not speak out against the hatred? What kind of Islam is being taught and practiced?
people adopted an alien religion as their own religion, for the purpose of universal brotherhood, but still find difference among them. what a sad state of religion.
How many more people have to die before the society realize realizes that their nation has been hijacked by a few hate mongering, self proclaimed holy men who keep poisoning this nation with their twisted ideology???
@Ashfaq: Have you read the books of the founder of Ahmadiyya movement? Please read them at www.alislam.org and not as quoted out of context by mullas.
Dear Readers / Commenters and the Reporter of Tribune, Why is there such a Big hue and cry over One Ahmadi Killing (yes should be condemned as any innocent blood shed is NOT allowed in Islam and by Law).
BUT if you see the situation ALL OVER the Country and in the region, Hundreds of Muslims (Sunni and Shia) are killed daily, Muslim Ladies are not allowed to wear Hijab in Europe and in Germany a lady was killed just because of wearing Hijab. So please spare the Tehrek-e-Khatme Nabuwat for this, When the Governor Punjab cannot and should NOT be spared over Blasphemy than Ahmadi's issue is much more higher than that.
Tribune SHOULD act with responsibility while reporting such sensative issues.
@ Ali: Secular Pakistan is the only solution. Are you saying that during the past 64 years Pakistan has not been secular? Wake up kiddo - you're living in a fool's "hell" like the rest of the liberal maniacs who think that during the past 64 years, it was Islam that ruled Pakistan. Name one religious party that has ruled Pakistan in the past 64 years. Names and faces of secular fascists have changed, but never has there been Islamic rule in Pakistan - and you guys still want secular. Are you saying PPP is not secular and have implemented Islam in Pakistan? Sometimes it surprises me how irrelevant arguments some people can present unwantedly.
@ all of the rest: Stop whining about the "injury" or death of one Qadiyani/Ahmedi. A slight issue occurs and you people start your anti islamic rants and you say you're Muslims? Ahmedis and Qadiyanis are "Kaafir" by law, because they have switched their respective Prophets. Come to terms with that. However, Ahmedis and Qadiyanis being termed Kaafir is not the job of an Islamic party of Pakistan that ruled over Pakistan. They were termed Kaafir during the much cherished reign of late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto of the PPP.
Apart from that, several thousand Muslims all across Pakistan have died. Ahmedis or Qadiyanis never showed solidarity with them. They're only bothered when one of their community takes a hit.
All of Pakistan has been a victim of terrorism. This is not religious terrorism. This is "Cold-War" terrorism, instigated, financed and organized by the CIA in the name of Al Qaeda. Exceptional incidents do take place, but that does not mean it has anything to do with religious fundos in Pakistan. Its about time you guys got your facts straight and started facing the truth, uniting with the rest of Pakistan and standing up for the cause of saving Pakistan, and not just your community.
@Abid Ayub:
Here is how it works;
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Islamabad-discriminates-against-non-Muslim-war-heroes-22573.html
@Jameel:
Have you ever read the Founder of Ahmediya Movements' Literature regardign those who do no believe him? Anyone who have; would consider re-meaning the word "Hate Speech".
Despite all those hate speeches those Activist never ever ordered any sort of killing, terrorizing or sort against Qadiyanis. They just talk about them to spread the awareness among the local folks.
Secular Pakistan is only one Solution!!!!!
Where is the investigation for that? Police does not take any action and covers up the religious cases as the government high ups are in cahoots with these religious terrorists. Why are khatm-e-nabuwat guys always spilling hatred if they don’t want bloodshed? Their intentions are obvious. In most countries this sort of hate speech is strictly illegal and a punishable crime and exactly for the same reason that it eventually results in murders. Khatm-e-nabuwat people know exactly what they are doing and what would be the outcome of their spreading hate. They are not innocent.
Next you are going to tell us Gojra never happened just because the culprits were let loose for reasons we all know; something to do with a certain government minister and the chief of a banned organisation being buddies and close political allies.
Khatm-e-Nabuwat is a terrorist organisation, period. Show us the last time they said or did anything nice?
Ahmadis believe that the Holy Prophet (saw) is the last law bearing prophet and his shariat is for all times and cannot be changed. They further believe that that Jesus (as) died nearly two thousand years ago and Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) is the promised messiah foretold by the Holy Prophet (saw). Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is a slave of the Holy Prophet (saw) and has not added or subtracted from the everlasting shariat of the Holy Prophet (saw). The natural death of Jesus (as) two thousand years ago is also endorsed by Ibne Arabi among others and contemporary scholars like Javed Ghamadi and Khalid Zaheer.
@Hamza Baloch:
Their hate speeches every day and especially on this day are on record. What more do you want?
here I would like to tell you that last time they also alleged the local activists of Khatam-e-Nabuwat” for the murder of a shopkeeper which was later proved a dacait case and Qadiyani just want to defame the local "Khatam-e-Nabuwat” movement. the fact is that now a days there was no active movement about it which was active few year ago.
the tribune reporter should also go to the local activists of Khatam-e-Nabuwat or their representative to get their version about it. is it real journalism that you put only one sided news, isn't it?
we sould protect humanity as a human being................becoz a murder is equal to whole the human being.....
Our Rahmat lil Alameen (saw) decreed that murder of a single innocent human is like the murder of the entire mankind. Ahmadi beliefs may be heretical to the majority, but murder is not the solution. The Holy Prophet (saw) or his rightly guided followers; did not at any stage adopt such cowardly methods. Whose footsteps are these murderers following?
Punjab government is least concerned about day by day increasing events of Racial profiling and targeting of innocent people based on their ethnicity or religious backgrounds. And we as a nation are consistently paying the huge costs in return of such events. I hope the ones doing such acts are booking there seats for Jannat.. Shame!!
Why Tribue not approcehes to Khatam-e-Nabuwat officials too? If the contact with ahemdis Spokesperson ??