Pakistan

Man from Ahmadi community killed near Lahore: police

Police says four gunmen rode up to the pharmacy owned by victim, Ikram Ullah, and sprayed him with bullets

Afp August 20, 2015

PHOTO: REUTERS

LAHORE: Gunmen on motorcycles shot dead a 37-year-old pharmacy owner from the Ahmadi sect in Taunsa near Lahore, police said Thursday, the latest attack on one of the country's most persecuted minorities.

Police said four gunmen on two motorcycles rode up to the drug store owned by the victim, Ikram Ullah, and sprayed him with bullets before fleeing.

"Ikram Ullah was killed on the spot while assailants fled on their motorcycles," Saleem Niazi, a senior local police officer told AFP.

Read: Nabbed: Ahmadi worship place attackers in detention

Police are searching for the attackers, he said, adding that the murder seemed religiously motivated.

Saleem Ud Din, a community leader, condemned the killing.

"Continuous, seditious propaganda against Ahmadis all over the country is a primary reason of these kinds of incidents," Din said in a statement.

Ahmadis were declared non-Muslims by the government in 1974 because of their belief in a prophet after Muhammad. They are frequent victims of discrimination and violent assaults, but it is rare for suspects to be convicted for attacks against them.

Read: Act of terror: Policeman guarding Ahmadi place of worship shot

Eleven members of the sect were murdered for their faith in 2014 and authorities failed to apprehend any of the killers, a report said April, highlighting growing intolerance toward the sect.

COMMENTS (35)

nazrani | 9 years ago | Reply The founders did not specify who a muslim was. Shiites, Baluchi's, Ahamadi's, Pashtuni's, Wahabi Shunni's, punjabi sunni's, and all other subsects are not real muslims. So welcome all extremist muslims, let's finish off all the others.

AnisAqeel | 9 years ago | Reply @karan: You have taken it to a different direction, countries are made with a sizable majority within a region e.g. Muslims in Kashmir but they are in minority within India. A strong example for sizable minority is a demand for Khalistan and at least seven independent country size minorities in India. Similarly Pakistan is having Baluchistan and a division of Karachi that can be instigated. It is dangerous for the people of both countries but more dangerous for India as destroying something is easy but making is difficult and India has more potential targets than Pakistan so they will lose more if both countries continue practicing to destabilize each other and end result is suffering of general population and not the elite or policy makers.

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karan | 9 years ago | Reply @ Anis Aqeel-- So what if there is no "sizeable" minority..Give them land accordingly..If the size of that minority equates to a land to the size of a village then you should grant freedom to the minority with that much land. If wishes of people are so important then why go on defensive by saying that the number of minority should be atleast x amount.. And who decides what x amount should be...You did not read my comment so I'll repeat it again..India was never in favour of freedom on the basis of religion or ethnicity in 1947 and even now...There are few groups who in India who are separatist but India has always stated that the country cannot be divided on the basis of any religion or ethinicity...Infact it's you guys who say that we demanded a separate land because we were minority in 1947 and insecure of majority..So if your logic was valid then and you believed that if a minority is insecure it has all the rights to carve out a separate state for itself then same logic should be applied now for pakistani minorities...The size does not matter..Its the wishes of people like you guys shout day in and day out for kashmir..Nobody is saying that if 100 people demand a separate land then you give out half of your country.. But you can give them land proportionately, maybe land to a size of village and grant those 100 people freedom.

Sudeep | 9 years ago | Reply If this is the condition of Minority sect of a Muslim community in Pakistan then God Help Hindus living there.. Thank God that being a Hindu i am living a happy life in India..Thank you Jinnah for creating Pakistan..

Rahul | 9 years ago | Reply Ahmedis helped create Pakistan in 1947. By 1953 Pakistan had already started targeting Ahmedis. Persecution continues until today.

SMH | 9 years ago | Reply Congratulations Muslims, looks like you saved the true Islam by killing another innocent person. Well done Pakistan :(

Midas | 9 years ago | Reply @Samrah: Pakistan was not made in the name of Islam, you need to go back to unadulterated version of history and Quaide Azam, and you will realize that Pakistan was created so people of diverse belief system could live, within their own basic human rights, freely, which was not happening in India. But unfortunately we have done exactly the same as what is being alleged to Hindus that they made life difficult for Muslims, In Pakistan we have made life difficult for everyone, even the two sects of constitutional Muslims cant even co-exist with each other peacefully let alone others.

AnisAqeel | 9 years ago | Reply @karan: There is no recognizable and sizable minority in Pakistan that can claim separate state except on ethnicity and division is not possible without invasion like that of East Pakistan. India is on defensive on the basis you are talking about as there can be easily seven separations in India with a sizable minorities currently existed,

Kushal | 9 years ago | Reply Where are the #jinnahwassocorrect guys?

karan | 9 years ago | Reply @AnisAqeel -- Since pakistan was created because of fanatic Hindu mentality that wanted to control entire India without giving Muslim people’s rights.---Now if minorities of pakistan demand a separate state for them out of pakistan, then pakistanis should not have any problem with that and grant their wishes because it’s the same demand that muslims demanded in 1947… PS–Dear pakistanis now don’t shout back to my comment that india should give out the land for its persecuted minorities because India never said that state should be divided on the basis of religion..It never accepted that in 1947 and its stance is same even now..the onus will always be on pakistan because you guys say that a state can be divided on the basis of the religion.

Mona Hill | 9 years ago | Reply The level of religiously intolerant acts never comes down in Pakistan. The nation of Pakistan needs to come to its senses and break out of their culture and social system of injustice and cruelty.

Youthia | 9 years ago | Reply This isn't the first time that the governments unfair laws have costed someone their life. The reward of the deceased is with his Lord, but with every attack on a minority the 'leaders' should be ashamed of what they have made Pakistan into. Killing minorities is NOT a 'Pak' act.

R adnan | 9 years ago | Reply And so the bloodshed continues as if it has become a normal act of routine. Where has humanity lost its essence? where have we gone wrong? At this rate, what will become of us? Indeed we are nearing an era where it will become impossible to differentiate humans from beasts. Even most animals feel compassion and paid for their species and co-inhabitants, but humans have surpassed the limit of no return. Is this how we write our end? Sad and disappointing to say the least.

Pakistani | 9 years ago | Reply @Ali: Nope. It was created as a tolerant and equitable society for Muslims and non-Muslims. Then the mullahs came along! Sigh....

Mohamed S. Boodhun | 9 years ago | Reply Congratulations to the Government of Pakistan! Congratulations to Imran Khan! Congratulations to all the Religious Tanzeems and the Mullah community!

Liberal | 9 years ago | Reply This is definitely Affhan attack... Pakistan has nothing against Ahmadis

Samrah | 9 years ago | Reply Our country Pakistan was created on the name of Islam.But these people are spreading hatred and violence.They thought themselves to be the representatives of Islam but they can't be because they are completely violating the teachings of Islam. Only Allah can guide these extremists to the right path.

genesis | 9 years ago | Reply @Gen Akthar retd.: You are right.Being Pakistani invites derision

LOL | 9 years ago | Reply I can't help but wonder if Indian RAW- which is actively involved in riots in Lahore is responsible for this

genesis | 9 years ago | Reply Kashmir's are dying to join this fraternity without knowing what their future will be.They can look forward to a glorious future.They are meeting Pak leaders for tea on Monday..good luck

Yahudi Sazish | 9 years ago | Reply This is a Jewish conspirisy. A Muslim and a Pakistani can never do this. It's all due to outside powers. We are all innocent and angels...

Ali | 9 years ago | Reply @Pakistani "Who cares what religion people are" Our country was founded on the basis if you practice a particular religion, you cannot live peacefully live with your neighbor who practices a different religion even if he speaks the same language and eats the same food. We need some perspective here before screaming in an emotional fashion.

z | 9 years ago | Reply It's realy a sad news. No one have the right/license to kill anyone. No matter Muslims or non Muslims. we all are Pakistani.

AnisAqeel | 9 years ago | Reply @Indian: Pakistan was never created because of Mullah mentality rather almost all mullahs opposed bitterly and were deadly against creating Pakistan with the exception of Ismaili's, Ahmadiyas and quite a few individual mullahs. In fact Pakistan was created because of fanatic Hindu mentality that wanted to control entire India without giving Muslim people's rights.

Jibran | 9 years ago | Reply @ashar It is not how many, but what percentage. If 100 out of 200 million are killed, and 5 out of 50 thousand are murdered, what is more significant. Besides, who is the killer in both cases?

Gen Akthar retd. | 9 years ago | Reply @ashar: its because of idiots like you that Pakistan has become the laughing stock of the civilized world

Acorn Guts | 9 years ago | Reply @Chikkar: Easy my friend, just look for the guy who behaves like a perfect Muslim and yet is shunned socially & economically by the society and people around him.

Brar | 9 years ago | Reply Pakistan needs no enemies from outside they have plenty of them sufficient to ruin the country Allah khair kare.

ashar | 9 years ago | Reply These news in the media inform us how seldom an ahmedi is killed in Pakistan and how often we Muslims are targeted.

Chikkar | 9 years ago | Reply How did they know he is ahmadi unless they knew him personally.

Azmat Ali | 9 years ago | Reply The recent spate of violence is the terrorists throwing down the gauntlet to our army and their resolve to eradicate them all. It is now the people's job to identify these criminals. After all, these killers and terrorists are someone's son, brother, husband, father, someone's friend. It is inconceivable for me to be unaware of the actions of my family members and friends, unless I am an active participant. Come out and save your country, your religion and your own soul. Do not be a silent spectator while those you know bring death unto others.

Indian | 9 years ago | Reply @Pakistani: you can't get rid of your mullah mentality because pakistan was born out of mullah mentality of two nation theory.

Usman | 9 years ago | Reply Army Op in Punjab is the need of the hour. Madrassas must answer. The whole nation is against these extremists.

Pakistani | 9 years ago | Reply Unaccetable. Who cares what religion people are, as long as they are law abiding tax paying Pakistanis thats all that matters. We need to get rid of this venomous mullahism in our society.

Jibran | 9 years ago | Reply And we were told NAP had been a success.

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