The Punjab police demolished the minaret of a 70-year-old Ahmadi worship place in Kot Karam Baksh, Sialkot. Ahmadis who were protecting the worship place from the attack have had FIRs registered against them.
According to a statement released by a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Ahmadi community, the worship place and Ahmadi houses were attacked in the presence of the police on Friday. The police have reportedly also filed baseless cases against Ahmadis who were protecting the worship place.
A few days ago, extremist elements had requested the police to demolish the minaret of the worship place. When the police were called in for a complaint, Ahmadis stated that the worship place was constructed in 1950. A Lahore High Court order issued in April of this year stated that Ahmadi worship places built before 1984 could not be demolished or altered. However, extremist groups continue to attack Ahmadi worship place despite the order.
Extremist elements had called for a protest on Friday and in the presence of the police, around 150 of them attacked the worship place and Ahmadi houses, per the spokesperson. They tried to break the minaret with hammers and entering the worship place and nearby Ahmadi homes. During this attack, the doors of the worship place and homes, and three motorcycles were damaged. The extremists reportedly also threw a large number of stones at the Ahmadi worship place and homes.
Instead of acting against the attackers, the police took action against Ahmadis, registering a case against 11 named and 20 unidentified Ahmadis who were protecting the worship place.
The spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya Community in Pakistan, Amir Mahmood, condemned the attacks by extremist elements on the Ahmadi worship place and homes. He stated that the police illegally demolished the minaret of the Ahmadi worship place despite clear orders from the Lahore High Court, which the police had no authority to do. Instead, they filed a baseless case against innocent Ahmadis. He called for action against the police officials for the illegal demolition of the minaret of the Ahmadi worship place and demanded that the extremists who attack Ahmadi homes and worship places be brought to justice.
