The Ahmadi population remains under what is a constant state of attack. Reports of assaults and murders are received frequently. Now, about two years after the attack in Lahore that killed some 100 Ahmadis while at prayer, a court in the city has ordered the police to act ‘under the law’ against one of the Baitul Zikrs that was fired upon and bombed. Ahmadi-specific laws enforced in the country, since the 1970s, prevent the community from “posing” as Muslims or calling their places of worship “mosques”. The plaintiff in the case had already demanded that the minaret and dome of the building be demolished and the Kalima, which is inscribed on the building, be removed. The police had in fact already boarded up the latter to hide it from sight. The Ahmadis have a different version where they state that the verse was not removed, as required under law, and has existed before such requirements were introduced.
The treatment meted out to the Ahmadi community is a very biased one, where they have faced year after year of persecution and abuse. Further disturbing is the reality that there is no sign that such practices will end soon. In fact, this will not happen until drastic change in policy and efforts to alter how things stand right now begin swiftly. There is another rather ironic aspect to all this. A state-of-the-art hospital in Chiniot district, in the city of Rabwah — renamed Chenab Nagar by the last PML-N government to rule Punjab in the 1990s — runs a service for patients of all beliefs and creed at an extremely nominal cost. People from across Punjab and other areas of the country flock to it in huge numbers. Yet, this humanitarianism is rarely spoken of or mentioned in what remains essentially a highly-biased media. Ahmadi leaders say that even those who use such services continue to vilify the community.
The latest ruling in Lahore shows the extent to which our forces can stoop to make the Ahmadis feel as though they are outcasts of society, conveniently ignoring the lack of similar prejudice from them, despite the Pakistani society’s many injustices towards them.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 4th, 2012.
COMMENTS (16)
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Islam advice us to treat equal all the religion. The only solution of all problems faced by world specially Pakistan is just to avoid torching and teasing the Jmat-e-Ahmadiyya.
what could one say so pathetic. what is happening in our nations day to day life. but no one is bothering about it. Alas.........
jamaat e ahmadiyya is following teachings of islam in true manner islam does not teach us to destroy worship places or hate people on the basis of believe ,ou holy prophet Hazrat muhammad mustufa sala'laho aleh wa ale wasalam faced so much hatred but still his attitude wih every one was extremely best ,no doubt no body can match the level of his kindness but being a follower it is our responsibility to follow the teachings of our holy prophet..
That's what I like about our Govt and rulers, instead of catching the culprits behind the massacre, it is ordering to de-mosque it. Well, thnx to it, I have a new word in my vocabuary now. There is a saying in punjabi "Aata gundhi hilni kiyun ain?", a husband is asking his wife that why she moves while kneading the flour, so that he can torture her. Our Govt is acting same. I humbly request the Govt to grant or atleast sell Ahmadis the places of worship with ample security to say our prayers peacefully with any design it wants.
Muslims must encourage the beautifying of Mosques so that maybe one become fascinated towards them and start practicing five times a day,rather than showing disgusting behavior to Holy places of worship
well is there any place for showing disrespect to Mosques in Islam???? My knowledge assures me that every Holy place of any religion must be shown great respect whether it is a Church, Temple or what so ever (please separate yourselves from the name of Islam or respect these places accordingly )
"Love for all hatred for none" is the only salvation for Pakistan
These Mullahs and Punjab Government of PML N can only remove the Kalima Tayyaba from the walls of our Mosques but they can't remove it from the heart of every Ahmadi. The love of ALLAH and His Prophet Muahammad (S.A.W) is in every Ahamdi's heart and will never be erased until we all are killed by these fanatics who think they are the custodian of Islam.
when state will show biased against its citizens than what we could expect from society?if any one decides in USA that this turban is their identity as Jewish rabbis wore it before Islam,will every Pakistani accept it as their copy right?our personal version of Islam should not be implemented on every one.state have to concentrate on its duties rather someone's belief.
Remember to question Putin on the domes in the Kremlin when he is visiting.
Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Muslims can remove or deface Kalima. However, if somebody else does that in Europe or N. America, what kind of reaction would be in Pakistan? Nobody has a right to deface a place of worship. It is between them and their God and nobody else's business.
Our free and fair judiciary and efficient police were so swift to "De-Mosque" the Ahmadi place of worship and erase the Kalima, but they have conveniently forgotten that it is the same place where dozens of innocent people were killed two years ago, while offering friday prayers; and the responsibility to bring the perpetrators to justice also lies on their shoulders.
What a shame!
The Tahir Heart Institute in Rabwah (Chenab Negar) is an Ahmadi-run cardiology hospital which does not discriminate between patients on the basis of their beliefs. Some of those patients happen to believe in imposing restrictions on Ahmadis though.