This year has been nothing short of a nightmare for the members of the Ahmadiyya in Pakistan, as they have faced violence and religious persecution. Six Ahmadi men were killed because of their faith as per assessments of human rights monitors, adding to the growing list of victims of religious intolerance in Pakistan. In addition to these deaths, numerous incidents of attacks on Ahmadiyya graves and worship places took place across the country, with most attacks concentrated in Punjab, parts of Sindh and Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
On June 8, 2024, unknown assailants separately shot and killed two members of the Ahmadi community, 62-year-old Ghulam Sarwar and 30-year-old Rahat Ahmad Bajwa, in the Mandi Bahauddin district of Punjab, the country's most populous province.
On July 27, 2024, an unidentified gunman gunned down Dr. Zaka-ur-Rehman, an Ahmadi doctor, in his dental clinic located in the Lala Musa district of Gujrat. Dr. Zaka, 53, who was also an office-bearer of the Ahmadiyya community, was present in his clinic when two unidentified men arrived on a motorbike. One of the attackers entered the clinic and opened fire, striking Dr. Zaka in the heart, stomach, and arm, killing him on the spot. The attackers managed to flee from the scene.
On March 4, 2024, two unidentified assailants shot and killed 54-year-old Tahir Iqbal in the Hasilpur area of Bahawalpur. The District Police Officer initially described the event as an "honor killing," but the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan's (HRCP) fact-finding report revealed that Iqbal was killed because of his faith, not for honor. According to the report, the accused persons detained in this case admitted to killing Iqbal due to their religious convictions.
On December 5, 2024, Tayyab Ahmad, a member of the Ahmadi community, was killed in broad daylight in Rawalpindi by an assailant who allegedly used an axe to carry out the attack. The 40-year-old was visiting his brother in Rawalpindi when the assailant fatally struck him at his brother’s business. During the assault, the assailant reportedly shouted, “I have warned you Qadianis to leave this place.”
On December 13, 2024, 40-year-old Ameer Hassan, another member of the Ahmadiyya community, was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen in Mirpurkhas, Sindh. Hassan was on his way home after prayers when two men on a motorcycle followed him, confirmed his identity, and opened fire, killing him instantly. The attackers then fled the scene. Hassan, an active member of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, had previously faced religious hatred in the area.
Earlier this year, National Commission of Human Rights (NCHR) urged the government and law enforcement to immediately protect life and property of the Ahmadiyya, as they are at extreme risk in Pakistan.