On November 22, a heart-wrenching incident unfolded in Kot Karam Bakhsh, Sialkot, as members of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a far-right religious extremist group, stormed an Ahmadi mosque. The mob, fueled by hatred, justified their actions by claiming that the mosque’s Islamic inscriptions offended their beliefs.
This sacred mosque, a place of worship and peace built in 1950, long before the discriminatory anti-Ahmadi laws of 1984, became the target of destruction and despair. Despite a Lahore High Court judgment by Justice Tariq Saleem Shaikh clearly stating that the 1984 laws do not allow for the demolition of pre-existing religious structures, 150 extremists launched a brutal attack. The assault didn’t stop at the mosque; nearby Ahmadi homes were also targeted, their doors smashed, motorcycles destroyed, and stones hurled with relentless aggression.
Adding insult to injury, the police, instead of protecting the victims, registered a case against 11 named and 20 unidentified Ahmadi Muslims who bravely stood to safeguard their mosque. These baseless charges, filed under FIR No. 2083 at Motra Police Station, only deepen the wounds of an already vulnerable community.
The blatant inaction of the authorities and their failure to protect Ahmadi Muslims have left the community in anguish and fear. Despite warnings of imminent violence, no measures were taken to prevent this horrifying attack.
This act of targeted aggression is not an isolated incident but part of a disturbing pattern. Since 2023, more than 50 Ahmadi mosques in Punjab alone have faced attacks, often with state complicity. The lack of accountability and justice in these cases only emboldens extremists, perpetuating a cycle of violence.
The Ahmadiyya Community continues to endure unimaginable suffering, as their mosques, homes, and very existence are threatened. This tragedy is a grim reminder of the urgent need for justice, protection, and action against the persistent persecution faced by this peaceful community.