GUJRAT: The authorities ordered the removal of the minaret of an Ahmadi place of worship in Gujranwala’s Baghbanpura area last week.

According to the representatives of the Ahmadi community, police cordoned off the street and switched off the lights before going ahead with the removal of the minaret on Dec 7.

Some religious outfits had been pressing the administration for the last one year to get the minaret removed from the front side of the building since the law bars the Ahmadis from making their places of worship resemble a mosque.

The building’s management had placed steel sheets around the minaret to hide it from public view after the administration advised them to do so in order to avoid a law and order situation.

Official sources said the administration sprang into action after some religious groups asked it to get the minaret removed. The administration called a meeting of the district intelligence committee as soon as an organisation lodged a complaint with the police.

The administration also held a meeting with the representatives of the Ahmadi community to sort out the matter. The authorities told them that there was no alternative but to remove the minaret as passions were running high in the city and things might get out of control.

The administration deci­ded to carry out the operation after obtaining the Ahmadis’ consent, according to sources.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2022