CHINIOT: The perpetrator(s) of the targeted assassination attempt on a prominent member of the Ahmadiyya Community in Khushab remain at large, raising serious concerns at the law and order situation and unchecked rise of religious extremism in the area.

On Dec 29, the 55-year-old Ahmadi man was returning home from his farmhouse on a motorcycle when an unidentified assailant fired at him from behind. A bullet pierced his abdomen, causing life-threatening internal injuries.

He was rushed to the DHQ Hospital where he underwent an emergency surgery and was later shifted to a private medical facility. He is on a ventilator, fighting for his life. He had no personal enmities or disputes.

The spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya community, Amir Mahmood, condemned the attack, stating that this incident was not an isolated act of violence but rather the culmination of a long-standing hate campaign against the Ahmadis in district Khushab, openly incited by extremist elements.

The Ahmadiyya community expressed grave concerns at the lack of police action despite the seriousness of the crime.

The spokesman referred to a mob that gathered outside the ancestral home of the victim’s family, following the attack.

Videos of the incident were circulated widely on social media, further aggravating fear and insecurity among the community, it said.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2026