ISLAMABAD, March 20: Religious violence and discrimination against the Ahmadis in the country increased in 2005, claiming 11 lives and indictment of 60, according to the Jamaat Ahmadiya’s annual report.

An official of the Jamaat, Saleem-ud-Din, who released the report, said 16 of the 60 were booked for blasphemy, a crime punishable by death.

An amendment made the law to make the procedure of investigation of blasphemy charge more just had proved “an exercise in futility as senior police officers took no interest, or courage, to bar the registration of false and fabricated cases,” said the report.

Similarly, rules for local government elections held during 2005 were so framed that it was “impossible for the Ahmadis to contest the elections, or even cast their votes,” the report alleged.

It noted that 79 Ahmadis had been killed since 1984 when the anti-Ahmadiya law was made more stringent.

Mr Saleem-ud-Din said during 2005 the Ahmadis were not permitted to construct their place of worship and at some places the ongoing construction was stopped by the authorities.