LAHORE: The Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency (PHATA) has published a residential and commercial plots auction advertisement in a daily on April 17, 2025, explicitly excluding members of the Ahmadiyya community from participating in an upcoming plot auction even in Chenabnagar, the headquarters of the Jamaat-i-Ahmadiyya, besides the neighbouring towns of Chiniot, Jhang and Shorkot.

The advertisement, issued by Jhang PHATA Sub-Region Deputy Director Tariq Mahmood, states that only ‘Muslims’ are eligible to bid for 17 residential and commercial plots. The auction is being held for commercial and residential plots in Satellite Town Jhang, Era Development Scheme Chiniot, Era Development Scheme Chenabnagar, Era Development Scheme Shorkot.

The advertisement states that anyone belonging to Ahmadi/Mirzai/Lahori/Qaddiyani is not allowed to participate in the auction.

It says that members of the community are not allowed to participate in the auction and their money/plot or other material will not be returned if the authority, at any later stage, finds anyone belonging to the Ahmadiyya community.

The move drew condemnation from human rights activists, legal experts and minority rights groups, who argue that it violates Pakistan’s constitutional guarantee of equality and the move coming from a government body is even more deplorable. Article 25 of the Constitution explicitly ensures equal treatment under the law for all citizens, prohibiting discrimination based on religion, they say.

PHATA ‘discriminates’ against the community in plots auction in Chenabnagar, Chiniot, Jhang, Shorkot

The legal experts argue that PHATA’s exclusionary policy is unconstitutional. A human rights lawyer, Ehsan Ullah Jatt, says, “This is a clear violation of fundamental rights. If a government agency openly discriminates against the citizens based on faith, what hope is there for equality before the law?”

The Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan has been facing decades of persecution, including restrictions on worship and violent attacks. However, this latest move by a Punjab government agency marks an alarming escalation in the discrimination at the official level.

Amir Mahmood, a spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya community, condemned the policy, saying, “This is not just about plots—it’s about the state endorsing apartheid against Ahmadis. If we are barred from basic economic opportunities, how can we claim to be equal citizens?”

Despite the backlash, neither the Punjab government nor PHATA officials have issued any clarification or justification for the exclusionary clause. Social media has erupted with outrage, with many Pakistanis calling the move shameful.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) demanded immediate revocation of the discriminatory condition. “Such policies deepen religious apartheid and must be struck down,” says HRCP Chairperson Asad Iqbal Butt.

He says that all humans should be treated equally and the advertisement in question also violates the Constitution of Pakistan and international treaties which Pakistan signed. He says that the state is not treating all its citizens equally and it is like promoting the interests of a special group.

PHATA Director General Sikandar Zeeshan was not available for comments despite repeated attempts to get his point of view.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2025