Ahmadis fear another attack after intimidation

Locals foresee outbreak of violence after banners against the community.


Mudassir Raja November 10, 2011

RAWALPINDI:


The residents of F block, Satellite Town fear for their safety after a number of banners cropped up, demanding that Ahmadis leave the area and terming the community’s activities “unconstitutional”.


The banners are anonymous, though their demands are clear: for Ahmadis to cease all acts of worship in F block.

The Ahmadi community now fears a recurrence of recent attacks on their community, such as in May 2010 in Lahore when 93 people were killed.

Sherjeel Mir, who leads the campaign against the minority, calls Ahmadis ‘Qadianis’ – a term with pejorative connotations. “The Qadianis, a few years ago, purchased a building in Satellite Town from their own people and set up a worship place, in addition to carrying out preaching in the residential areas, creating problems for neighbours”, he says.

Mir says that he has no objections to any community living in the area; his problem is with the congregation of religious groups. He adds that Ahmadis have put up barriers and posted private guards on the main road adjacent to the hospital. Mir, a businessman, even claims the Ahmadi community has snipers on the rooftop of the building, which he terms a “fortress”.

Alarmingly, he adds that if there are delays in dealing with the problem, there could be serious repercussions.

A number of Ahmadis, when interviewed, say they have done no wrong.

“The building was built after Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya purchased the land. Being a registered organisation, and under the relevant rules, they can carry out worship in the building”, said a senior member of Ahmadi community, who asked not to be identified.

The man added that moveable barriers and a few young security guards were arranged every Friday after last year’s attack in Lahore. The district administration granted permission for this.

“We have removed the barriers and young guards from the main road in front of our building after some people objected to our security measures”, he said.

The community member also justified shifting premises, as the community had previously gathered at a building near Committee Chowk on Benazir Bhutto Road.

He emphasised that his community had committed no unconstitutional or unlawful activities and pleaded for the hate campaign to stop so Ahmadis could feel safe living in the area.

Superintendent of Police for Rawal Town area Malik Matloob Ahmed ruled out any chance the law and order situation might turn sour.

Ahmed said he had referred both sides to contact either the town municipal administrator or the DCO to establish whether the building purchased by the Ahmadis was a residential building or a place of worship. The police will be in a better position to tackle the issue after the determination of the actual status of the building, he added. The SP also said the banners and hoardings against Ahmadis would be removed.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11th, 2011. 

COMMENTS (165)

true muslim | 12 years ago | Reply if we live in modern scientific age which have brought life to modernity of curing majority of diseases, and increasing comfort 0f life,what preached in 1500 years ago is suitable in modern life, everyone has right to think analyse and peach and practices if it is for peaceful brotherhood and for noble cause of development of human society i have been to ahamdi preaching i find nothing any islam and humanity, they have right to propogate in their own way , i found true presentation of islam in human way wheras islam whatever is preaching elsewhere is just politial agenda of some political parties, pakistan which is nation of different faith should have respect for whole minority and human life in any form should be respected ,dealth, killing is any islamic and against islam teaching always islam stood for peace, amity and peace of humanity respecting whole public,but pakistan being made a theocratic state by someilliterate dictator just to befool masses, whole human being have right to live with dignity ,explore their darkness and convert into enlightenment, islam is true socialism,it followed truely,,,i request whole pakistan ,study kuran,,humanhistory,body science and enlight and follow true religion
Nasir | 12 years ago | Reply I am an Ahmadi muslim of Bangladesh. It is really heinous act to oppress and to kill innocent child, woman, man. Most of them are motivated by the Mullahs who propagates false belief about us. There is a Question and Answer session, program named Raha Hudah, happening on Muslim Television Ahmadiyya (MTA) on each month about our belief. Please do not misguide by the Mullahs propagation. you can watch MTA online- "www.mta.tv"
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