In a statement on Tuesday, the Ahmadiyya community reported that three members were detained from Chakwal under Section 3(1) of the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1961, and are currently held in Jhelum jail in the neighboring district. The detained individuals include Malik Naveed Ahmad, the community’s Chakwal district president, Malik Riaz Ahmad, and Malik Tahir Ahmad, the secretary general for affairs, according to community spokesperson Aamir Mahmood.
Chakwal Deputy Commissioner Quratul Ain Malik issued the detention orders on Monday, citing concerns that the individuals might disrupt law and order in the area. The government described them as “miscreants” and instructed the district police officer to prevent them from engaging in activities deemed unlawful or prejudicial to public safety.
The community stated that the detainees were summoned on Monday for a meeting with the DSP, SHO, and the assistant commissioner of Choa Saidan Shah regarding Eidul Azha. Reports suggested that the community members intended to slaughter animals during the festival, and the meeting was called in response to these reports.
According to the community’s statement, there were indeed plans to perform the ritual slaughter, and they refused to abandon the practice. The statement by Aamir Mahmood noted that the Ahmadiyya delegation faced significant pressure to desist from the Qurbani ritual and were harassed to submit a surety bond promising that no Ahmadi in the district would perform the slaughter.
The community delegation argued that the law does not prohibit them from performing the Eid rite, referencing a recent Supreme Court judgment in the case of Tahir Naqash et al. vs. The State, authored by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, which affirmed their right to practice their faith within their private premises.
While the complainants were allowed to leave, the delegation members were allegedly held in custody until the evening and subsequently detained under Section 3(1) of the MPO, 1960, for 30 days in Jhelum jail. The Chakwal DC’s order also referred to Monday’s meeting, where the District Intelligence Committee recommended the detention of the three individuals to protect society from their purported harmful activities.