Pakistan: Ahmadiyya Community Faces Another Attack On Mosque, Highlights Ongoing Persecution

In Karachi city, Pakistan, an Ahmadi place of worship fell victim to vandalism by a mob on Monday (4 September), as reported by the local police.

This unsettling incident unfolded in the Saddar area, leading to the subsequent arrest of three individuals connected to the attack, as confirmed by Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab.

Videos circulating on various social media platforms depict masked men wielding sledgehammers to inflict damage upon the minarets adorning the rooftop of the Ahmadiyya Hall.

Meanwhile, others outside the building can be seen shouting slogans of hostility.

Notably, the targeted place of worship is situated just a short distance, two lanes away from the Preedy police station, in the bustling Saddar vicinity.

Amir Mehmood, a spokesperson for the Jamaat Ahmadiyya in Pakistan, reported that a group of approximately 10 individuals launched an assault on their building shortly after the afternoon prayers. These assailants forcibly entered the place of worship, proceeding to vandalize the property.

In an even more distressing turn of events, some of the attackers ascended to the rooftop and employed hammers to inflict damage upon the minarets.

According to Mehmood's statement to Dawn newspaper, the initial attack transpired during the Zuhr prayer. In an attempt to disperse the attackers, the on-duty security guard fired shots into the air, prompting the assailants to flee.

However, a larger mob subsequently arrived, vociferously chanting slogans against the Ahmadi community. Mehmood further alleged that some worshippers inside the hall fell victim to physical assault by the mob.

Mehmood disclosed that this same place of worship had previously endured an act of vandalism on 3 February.

While initially, five suspects had been apprehended, they were subsequently released by the police.

Expressing deep concern, Mehmood asserted that the lack of legal action against these culprits essentially serves to embolden them to continue targeting their community's halls, not only in Karachi but across the country.

It is essential to note that Ahmadis in Pakistan are frequently referred to as Qadianis, a derogatory term directed at them.

In 1974, the Parliament of Pakistan declared the Ahmadi community as non-Muslims, and a decade later, they were prohibited from self-identifying as Muslims.

Additionally, they are barred from preaching and undertaking the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

Officially, the number of Ahmadis in Pakistan stands at approximately one million, though unofficial estimates suggest a considerably higher population. Out of Pakistan's total populace of 220 million, roughly 10 million belong to non-Muslim minority groups.

These minority communities in this predominantly conservative Muslim-majority country often encounter harassment and discrimination from extremist elements.

Notably, on 25 July, another Ahmadi place of worship in Karachi's Drigh Road area suffered a similar act of vandalism, sparking widespread concern.