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Eleven members of Ahmadi minority killed in 2014: report
ISLAMABAD: Eleven Pakistani members of the Ahmadi religious minority were murdered for their faith in 2014 and authorities failed to apprehend any of the killers, a report said Monday, highlighting growing intolerance toward the sect.
The figure represents a rise on seven killings the year before, with the report blaming growing hate speech in conferences and the media.
Ahmadis were declared non-Muslims by the Pakistani government in 1974 because of their belief in a prophet after Muhammad. They are frequent victims of discrimination and violent assaults, but it is rare for militants to be convicted for attacks against them.
In the worst case of violence last year, an angry mob torched an Ahmadi neighbourhood in the eastern city of Gujranwala, killing a woman and two girls after a 17-year-old Ahmadi boy allegedly posted a blasphemous picture on Facebook.
The boy remains in custody over the incident, the report said, though none of the attackers were ever brought to justice.
In May, gunmen shot dead an American heart surgeon, Mehdi Ali, who was visiting Pakistan on a charity mission in Sindh.
The report, drawn up by the main Ahmadi community group, claimed a link between inflammatory media coverage and violence.
It noted an episode of a religious show by broadcaster Aamir Liaquat Hussain on the popular Geo News channel which blamed “Ahmadis, Jews and the US “for a Taliban massacre at a school in Peshawar. Five days after it was aired, another Ahmadi was murdered.
Rabia Mehmood, a researcher on minorities at the Jinnah Institute think tank, said that rising anti-Ahmadi sentiments were linked to the overall rising levels of religious extremism in the country, which has been experiencing a homegrown Islamist insurgency for more than a decade.
“There has been a sharp rise in the number of hate conferences organised against Ahmadis, which have helped normalise hatred and bigotry among the general population,” she said.
In 2010, Taliban gunmen stormed two Ahmadi mosques, killing more than 90 people in the worst ever attack on the community.
Since that time, many Ahmadis have taken to hiding their identity in public or have fled the country, said Mustafa Qadri, a researcher for Amnesty International.
“No group faces more persecution, more discrimination, and is more at risk than Ahmadis, in law and in practice,” he said.
Comments (16) Closed
And they say, the 2nd amendment and the XX ordinance was to protect the ahmadis! If this is protection, then God help those who are not protected.
This is such a tragic shame. Are they not humans and Pakistanis before being Ahmadis?
This is barbaric act and we all condemn it and request the authorities to held the responsible persons under terrorist act of pakistan. whether Ahmadis or any other religion all pakistanis have equal rights.
Govt. should not spare any effort to stop this immedaitely.
Most of us follow the religion of our parents. The birth determines the faith. Nobody can choose his or her parents. So please, live and let live. Ahmadis are as patriotic as any other religious group in Pakistan. Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah selected an Ahmadi Sir Zafrullah Khan as the first Foreign Minister of Pakistan.
What about number of non-Ahmadis? I personally believe this is a very small number considering the hatred people usually have against Ahmadis. Check the figures for Shias and Christians and Ahmadis will feel safe.
According to the constitution of Pakistan we are allowed to discriminate against them. So if the state policies are like that then what to expect from the normal public. Ahmedis are not even allowed to say Asslam Alliqum according to the Ordinance XX. I hope in the future all types of Religious discrimination will end from Our country. But right now i do not see any hope.
Its a tragedy, however when people are being killed right and left what can one say. I feel sorry for everyone Ahmadi's. Non Ahmadi's, Sunni's, Christians, Shia's, Hindu's and Sikhs... Its just terrible....
If only these so-called Muslims (sarcasm) can stop thinking of Ahmadis as a minority... Tsk... Tsk...
Is there any report published about majority community killing. This is terrorism. Terrorists do not sort out communities. They want to terrorize innocent citizen. Please do not blame majority and think before what you post. Your comment help terrorists.
Plz stop this rubbish thing as. In pakistan lot of people killed plz stop pulling on sectarian thing as this will promotes them thoes who do it and they feel proud?
And thousands of Muslims majority were also killed by terrorists so why just highlight the 11....
And the hundreds of non-ahmedis killed were for faith or not? Dawn news, stop painting a false picture. Pakistanis got killed and that's it.
@Asif My friend the difference is that the violence against Ahmadis is perpetuated by the draconian amendments and laws and emboldlement of extremists against this innocent community.
Muslims are also being targeted everywhere in Pak. Thus it is wrong to project such incidences with minorities only. All these acts are the acts of terrorism and we should condemn those.
One should always remember that every citizen has right to live on his own faith. Ahmadis are also part of Pakistan and they are rather more practical Muslims as well.