Exactly two years after the attacks on Ahmaddiya places of worship that killed 94 worshippers in Lahore and injured over 100 others, New York-based group Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a fresh reminder to Pakistan’s government to bring the perpetrators of the crime to justice.
A report published by the human rights group quotes HRW’s Asia Director Brad Adams saying: “It’s obscene that two years after the worst massacre in Lahore since the partition of India, the government has still not brought the suspects apprehended at the scene to trial. By pandering to extremists who foment violence against Ahmadis, the government emboldens militants ... and reinforces fear and insecurity for all religious minorities.”
The report goes on to outline that the hate campaign against the minority community has intensified since then. In June 2011, a pamphlet named some 50 prominent Ahmadis in Faisalabad and declared them “liable to be killed”, along with all members of the community. In September 2011, one of those named in the pamphlet was killed. At least five other Ahmadis were killed in 2011. In December, criminals vandalised 29 graves in a cemetery belonging to the Ahmadi community in Lodhran, Punjab.
HRW points out that this hate campaign continued into 2012, when religious groups in Lahore used section 295 and 298 of the Pakistan Penal Code to force the demolition of sections of an Ahmadiyya place of worship on the grounds that its dome made it look like a mosque. In Rawalpindi, the authorities barred Ahmadis from using their place of worship at the insistence of local religious groups, according to HRW.
“The Punjab provincial government should be providing extra security to Ahmadiyya places of worship instead of siding with those terrorising worshippers,” Adams said. “Pakistan’s anti-Ahmadi laws need to be repealed, not enforced.”
“The government’s continued use of discriminatory criminal laws against Ahmadis and other religious minorities is indefensible,” Adams said. “As long as such laws remain on the books, the Pakistani state will be seen as a persecutor of minorities and an enabler of abuses.”
During the attack on May 28 2010, worshippers overpowered two attackers and turned them over to police. Proceedings in the case, however, have been repeatedly adjourned. Tehreek-e-Taliban’s affiliate, the Punjabi Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 28th, 2012.
COMMENTS (25)
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@Sindh, Pakistan: Do not try to be over smart and do not drag in India un-necessarily. Stop atricities against Ahmadis and stop ethnic cleansing of Shias from Quetta areas. Pakistani sunnis can not tolerate the peripherial muslim communities among them, what to speak of non-muslim minorities. You, take care of Pakistan only.
@BiBi Pakdaman,: Let's not be ignorant, dishonest or spiteful. They say a lot about Iraq and Afghanistan, everything from detentions to drones. Do you even know what Human Rights Watch is? http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/07/07/uk-landmark-ruling-iraq-case http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/12/19/us-end-cia-drone-attacks
And now HRW has said something about murders of Pakistanis, specifically Ahmadis, and the authorities' failure. Does BiBi Pakdaman have any thing to say about this?
@Sindh, Pakistan:
Hmmm...so, you are not outraged and unmoved by HRW criticism pointing out the country`s failure in bringing justice for minorities who were massacred, because you tie such actions and response to xenophobic and petty emotional feelings based on jealousy that Israel and India are not singled out by the US based group. Seems absolutely normal and mature...not.
The HRW website has a wealth of info on abuses all over the world including Israel and India...but that`s not what this report was about. It was about the failure of Pak on their own minorities...or does Pak have to be mentioned in all matters of Israel and India and vice versa?
Go ahead and make excuses of bigotry and violence and stew in dishonest, pseudo-intellectual conspiracy fail deflection of how a New York based group is supposedly favoring India and Israel over imaginary utopian abuse-free Pakistan, as it continues to bleed.
Forget dreaming justice for innocent Ahmadi shuhadaas that is the product of corrupted Islam and justice based on lamb and tigers enforced by politics and fanaticism. True justice can be frying these enemies of Islam and terrorist murderers and give as feed to the terrorist wolves hiding under sheep clothing. We are talking about ninety shuhadaas plus Salman Taseer, Bhatti and alike and no justice.
@Junoon:
Your junoon will never end even after killing them all. Moreover, these buildings are mosques so it's not surprising that it looks like a mosque. They were offering Friday prayers when they were killed by so-called custodians of Islam. Islam is not about calling anyone muslim, it is about acting as Muslims. In my opinion, Ahmadi people are better muslims than these s-called champions of Islam i.e., Taliban.
CJP please take sou moto action on every shahadat and bring the culprits to justice.
HRW dont say any thing on murders of iraqis and afghans and Drone attacks.
@Junoon: Haha your house looks like the one of hindus and jews and christians and sikh, it must be demolished because you may be one of them. You are usuing internet and computer or phone, well they were created by christians and jews, throw them away from whole Pakistan. Tv was created by non belivers, break it. Stop complaining when electricity is not available as it was created by non belivers. The hospital you were born at used equipment that was created by non belivers, ....... I think most people got my point but you probably still didnt
Why so motto syndrome does not work here.Law stands by and smiles on the helplessness of a beleaguered community whose mere mention in the annals of powers sends shivers of fear. Every failure or shame is thrown to their door and the vocal quarters have no qualms to blame them for all ills faced by the society.Someone has to do something to stem this rot.
Thats why I say, renounce religion and become secular, thoroughly secular like France or Turkey. Read “Dechristianization of France” on wikipedia. Once upon a time, France was called the little sister of Catholic church because it was thoroughly catholic until it decided to become secular, and the rest is history.
Punjab Government is hopeless to take any action (so is the Federal)
this is an alarming situation in Pakistan for all minorities communities.Govt is spreading violence and hate by farming discriminatory laws. pamphlet Ahmadies are liable to kill is publishing under the government's notice.but no one is to take action.judiciary seems to be much impressed by terrorists even it could not be able to give punishment those were involved in Lahore massacre.what more we could expect from judiciary.
The current situation in Pakistan which is no less than AZAAB is the result of the govt not doing anything to stop atrocities againt the weak and helpless. WAKEUP BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.when will New York-based group Human Rights Watch (HRW) issue a fresh reminder to India and Israeli over their GOVT LED atrocities? HMMM..
and ............"Pity the nation whose statesman is a fox, whose philosopher is a juggler, and whose art is the art of patching and mimicking".... (Khalil Gibran)
well, it not only about our rulers, as they belong to us. we have to think again and again about the destiny.
It is ridiculous that 2 of the attackers were turned over to the police but nobody has been convicted. Its for reason like this that pakistan is the laughing stock of the world
No one can expect Justice from Corrupt Judiciary in Pakistan
Pakistan must bring the individuals who done this to justice. However the unfortunate fact is that our leaders are terrified of the mullahs so i doubt this will happen. It is such a shame that among those murdered was a ret Maj Gen yet nobody has still been convicted
Won't happen!
The people who are so concerned about the rights of Kashmiris, where are they? Why do they not speak up for the rights of their own fellow countrymen?