Like the many other blasphemy-related incidents that have preceded this one, the details are somewhat unclear. It seems that the incident was triggered by a picture allegedly placed on the social media website, Facebook, by an Ahmadi. This triggered an angry reaction from those living in the area, with local clerics playing a role in inciting passions, and what was witnessed was the kind of frenzy we have seen before in such incidents: a hunt began for the alleged blasphemer and the house of a local doctor where Ahmadis had gathered was set ablaze. There are claims of firing from within the house, but without a proper investigation, the truth is hard to ascertain. What we can say is that three people, including two small children, are dead and the ruthless persecution of a minority community continues.
The Ahmadis, on the basis of their beliefs, have faced ruthless brutality for years. Specific laws have been in place for decades that target them in various ways. Extremist groups, specifically targeting Ahmadis, have crept up, and as a result of their activities, intolerance for the community has spread, and this has happened because the state has totally failed in protecting them. This very intolerance caused the deaths in Gujranwala. For the family of the deceased and for those of the others injured, this is a huge tragedy. But the even bigger tragedy is the fading of the light for Ahmadis living in Pakistan. It is hard to know if we can restore some sense of equilibrium where so much hatred flows and from time to time ignites even over what appear to be the most minor of incidents, with the lack of police action adding to the problem.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 29th, 2014.
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COMMENTS (12)
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can anyone please share with me what that blasphemous post was all about? its subject? has anyone seen that? was it made the part of any FIR based on which innocents were killed?
@Imran Ahsan Mirza: wish your hopes are fulfilled!!AAmeen!! But bigots have the loudest voice in Pakistan ,and civil society is cowardly,and remains quiet in the face of glaring atrocities.Hopefully Allah will change their hearts.!!
Everyday, millions of Indians wake-up thanking Jinnah for the partition! A true father of the nation.
@Zubair Khan: As an Ahmadi I assure you it is just the opposite, there is indeed light at the end of the tunnel for Ahmadis but none for its persecutors. Ahmadis are generally very educated bunch, highly disciplined, organised and more over extremely peaceful. They have established themselves in 204 countries and territories around the world. They will ultimately come out of the situation. But there is no light at the end of the tunnel for the shameless adversaries of Ahmadis who kill them ruthlessly to satiate their thirst for blood in God's name, burn their houses, businesses and do not spare Ahmadi women and children. Such manifestations of irrational anger will ultimately lead to such society's own detriment and perhaps demise as a civilised culture. Afghanistan is a failed society before us and we are fast moving to the same direction by committing similar mistakes they committed through religious extremism and intolerance. The collective conscience of our society is fast dying and very few have noticed this phenomenon with the prominent absence of government leaders.
But the even bigger tragedy is the fading of the light for Ahmadis living in Pakistan. Crux of whole matter. To me it has crossed all the limits and no light even at the end of the tunnel is visible.
Intolerance always leads to anarchy.
It is mind boggling as to why the so called moderate leadership of PML N and local administrations failed to protect Ahmadis in time from the genocide of 28th May 2010 in Model Town and Ghari Shaho in Lahore and now the violence in Gugranwala. No such mayhem was allowed by the previous government of the religious parties, the MMA in Achini village near Peshawar in KP in 2007 and neither will the incumbent PTI Government. When the place of worship of Ahmadis was attacked by a suicide bomber in August 2010 Senator Ayam Khan Hoti, the father of the sitting Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti rushed to the spot within minutes. The attitude and cooperation of local administration and police was exemplary.It amply explains the difference between the norms of society in Punjab and KP which is really a bitter fact
Really sad. No amount of condemnation is enough. Just when I thought we as a nation can't stoop any lower.
What was done to find the culprits after the two blasts at mosques in Lahore? How many condolence meetings were held in Lahore? Did any 'authentic' Muslim group do anything to help the survivors? It may be useful for the newspaper to find out and report.
I am a Sunni from Lahore, Pakistan and I strongly condemn persecution of Ahmedis.
Where is the freaking law in this country???? Its not Islam. Its jihalat. Go to palestine if this mob has any guts.