The recent surge in attacks on Ahmadis and their places of worship, particularly in Punjab, has left the community in a state of deep concern and fear. The Ahmadi community reports that these violent incidents tend to escalate around significant religious periods such as Eid, Ramzan, and Muharram. This month, the pattern repeated with a distressing increase in attacks just days before Eid. In response, the Federal Minister of Interior had issued a notification to all provincial IGs and Chief Secretaries, including in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), urging them to tighten security due to potential threats from the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
Tragically, these warnings were not enough. In the early hours of July 17, Eid Day, at around 2:15 am, a mob of TLP members violently assaulted an Ahmadi place of worship in Kotli. They unleashed gunfire, stormed the building, and caused extensive damage.
“It is heartbreaking that this attack occurred,” says Amir Mehmood, spokesperson for the Ahmadi community. “Had there been proper and serious security measures in place, perhaps this tragedy could have been prevented.” Mehmood shared with Voicepk that approximately 150 people participated in the assault, targeting the place of worship’s minarets and arches. “While most people were preparing for Eid, this mob chose to focus on violently attacking a community’s sacred spaces,” he added.
Mehmood also criticized the local police’s role, alleging that they were more preoccupied with monitoring Ahmadi families’ sacrificial practices than protecting them from harm. “Is this truly where their priorities lie?” he questioned.
The Ahmadi community continues to file numerous complaints in different police stations across Punjab, highlighting the ongoing and systemic neglect and mistreatment they face. The situation calls for urgent attention and action to safeguard their rights and ensure their safety.