In separate letters, Lahore and Islamabad Bar Associations have called on the authorities to prevent members of the Ahmadi community from performing the ritual sacrifice on Eid al Azha.
The letters issued by Lahore High Court Bar Association and Islamabad Bar Association were addressed to the secretary Home Department and Inspector General Police respectively, wherein lawyers have urged “preemptive and preventive” action to stop the persecuted minority community from performing the ritual on Eid al Azha. The letters separately issued by both associations and doing the rounds on social media were dated 22nd and 24th June.
Following the letters, Hafizabad’s district police officer wrote to DSP and SHOs on Saturday, saying that deputy commissioner and the home department have issued instructions that Ahmadis be prevented from slaughtering animals on Eid al Azha because Muslims “object” to it. The letter goes on to order the police officials to hold meetings with members of the community and tell them that they cannot perform the ritual according to the Constitution of Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Ordinance XX, which human rights groups term draconian in nature, stops Ahmadis from “indirectly or directly posing as a Muslim.” Police in Pakistan often arrest members of the community for slaughtering animals on Eid al Azha, and this crackdown will likely be more stringent this year.
