The minaret of the over 70-year-old Ahmadi place of worship in Kot Karam Bakhsh, Sialkot, was demolished by miscreants in the presence of the police.
According to a press release issued by the Ahmadiyya press office, a few days ago, extremist elements submitted a request to the police to demolish the minaret. In response, the Ahmadis clarified that the place of worship had been built in 1950. On April 10, 2024, Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh of the Lahore High Court issued a ruling in the case of Imran Hamid vs. the State (FIR No. 5151/B/2023), stating that places of worship built before 1984 cannot be demolished or altered.
Extremist elements called for a protest on Friday. In the presence of the police, approximately 150 rioters attacked the place of worship and the homes of Ahmadis. They attempted to break the minaret with hammers and entered the place of worship and nearby Ahmadi homes. During this attack, the doors of the place of worship and homes, as well as three motorcycles, were damaged. Additionally, the extremists threw stones at both the Ahmadi place of worship and the homes.
In an unjustified action, the police registered a case against innocent Ahmadis who were protecting the place of worship. The case includes 11 named and 20 unidentified Ahmadis under sections 324, 148, and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Motra Police Station in District Sialkot, under FIR No. 2083, dated November 22, 2024.
Amir Mahmood, the spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya Community in Pakistan, condemned the attack on the Ahmadi place of worship and homes by extremist elements. He stated that despite the clear order of the Lahore High Court, the police unlawfully demolished the minaret of the Ahmadi place of worship—an action they had no authority to take. Furthermore, the police filed a baseless case against innocent Ahmadis. He called for legal action against the responsible police officials for the illegal demolition of the minaret and demanded that the extremist elements who attacked the Ahmadi place of worship and homes be brought to justice.
As per a report by annual monitor on Freedom of Religion or Belief published by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, there is an alarming uptick in the persecution of members of the Ahmadiyya community, specifically the desecration of their graves, the destruction of minarets at Ahmadi sites of worship, and first information reports (FIRs) filed against community members for carrying out ritual animal sacrifices on Eid.