An Ahmadi Muslim man was injured in a knife attack in Lathianwala, Faisalabad, on 21 September, adding to growing concern over violence against the Ahmadi community in Punjab.
Hamid Javed was attacked near his home in Chak No. 194-RB at around 5:30 pm, according to a police report. He was returning home when an unidentified man approached him and attacked him with a knife.
Javed raised an alarm and tried to defend himself. People nearby came after hearing his calls for help. He was injured during the attack.
A case was registered at Khurrianwala Police Station on 22 September as FIR No. 1670/26. Police included attempted murder and hurt charges under Sections 324 and 337-F(i) of the Pakistan Penal Code. Police have not yet identified the attacker, and an investigation is underway.
The police report confirms the knife attack and Javed’s injuries. However, it does not state whether the attack was linked to his faith.
The Ahmadiyya community has said the assault was religiously motivated. According to its account, the attacker asked Javed whether he was a “Qadiani,” a derogatory term used against Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan. Javed was allegedly attacked after confirming that he was Ahmadi.
A neighbour reportedly came forward with a stick during the struggle, after which the attacker escaped on a motorcycle.
The community has said that a local resident had previously warned Javed and another Ahmadi man, Tariq Azeem, that they could be attacked. This claim should be properly investigated. If warnings were known before the attack, questions must be asked about whether protection was provided.
This is the third reported attack on Ahmadi Muslims in Punjab within one month.
On 2 September, Mirza Safdar Mahmood, 65, was shot dead in Mandi Bahauddin. On 19 September, Malik Mahmood Mubarak, 70, and his son Ayaz Mubarak, 40, were shot and injured in Sargodha.
For Ahmadi Muslims, these incidents are not isolated crimes. They are part of a painful reality in which people can be threatened, attacked or killed because of their faith. Their religious identity is repeatedly turned into a source of danger rather than a matter of personal freedom.
Ahmadis are denied the safety and freedom that every citizen should have. They live under constant pressure from hatred, discrimination and fear of faith-based violence. When attacks are not prevented, and those responsible are not held accountable, the message received by the Ahmadi community is devastating: their lives and their right to practise their faith are not being protected equally.
The government’s duty is not only to register cases after attacks happen. Protection must be given before another person is injured or killed because of their faith.
For Ahmadis in Pakistan, justice cannot be delayed. The attackers must be found, and the authorities must ensure that all citizens are protected equally.