Crackdown Intensifies⁤ on Ahmadiyya Community in⁢ Pakistan Before Eid

‌ ⁣ Updated June 05, 2025
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Pakistani authorities must ⁢immediately cease the systemic repression of the‍ Ahmadiyya community and safeguard their right too freedom of belief and religion, Amnesty International declared. The religious minority faces increasing intimidation, harassment, and attacks leading up to‍ Eid-ul-Adha⁤ on June 7.

Across Pakistan, local and regional authorities⁣ are preventing⁤ Ahmadis ‌from celebrating Eid. Measures include forcing ⁤individuals to sign​ affidavits‍ promising to abstain from Eid prayers and rituals, and issuing orders to the police. Since mid-April, majoritarian religious groups have perpetrated multiple violent acts against ⁤the Ahmadiyya community, resulting in at ⁤least three deaths. Amnesty International documented similar incidents of violence and harassment before, during, and after ‍Eid last year.

Isabelle Lassée, deputy regional ⁤director for​ South Asia at Amnesty International, said the violence⁣ and harassment against Ahmadis before Eid-ul-Adha occurs amid​ ongoing⁣ repression by Pakistani authorities.​ She added ⁢that local authorities and law enforcement agencies are failing to protect Ahmadis and are actively restricting their religious freedom.

Violence against Ahmadis has become routine, frequently enough reaching ‌fever pitch around religious occasions​ such as ⁣Eid.

Isabelle Lassée,⁢ deputy ‌Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International

Amnesty International examined over 15 affidavits signed by Ahmadis, pledging to refrain from purchasing ‍animals​ or performing the customary animal sacrifice ⁤for⁤ Eid-ul-Adha. some affidavits even included commitments⁣ to​ avoid offering Eid prayers. Violating these terms could result in fines up to⁢ PKR 500,000 (USD 1,765) or legal sanctions under‍ the Pakistan Penal Code. These documents were analyzed in Chakwal, Narowal, Toba‌ Tek Singh, Khanewal, and Faisalabad districts.

District Commissioners in Lahore,⁣ Karachi, Mirpur, Sargodha, and Rawalpindi issued notices directing police to​ act against Ahmadis celebrating Eid, responding to applications from religious groups like Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan‍ (TLP) and legal associations. Preventive detention orders were also⁢ issued in Sialkot against Ahmadiyya community members to prevent‍ them‍ from celebrating Eid, citing concerns about public safety and order.A recent report detailed the arbitrary detention of an Ahmadi man in Chiniot for attempting to buy a sacrificial⁤ animal.

Mahmood‌ Iftikhar, a spokesman for the Ahmadiyya ‌community, stated that Eid has become a time of anxiety for Ahmadis. He said that every year,Ahmadis brace themselves‌ for potential police action,threats,or violence. ⁢He added that the state’s arbitrary demands reinforce the message​ that ‌Ahmadis are not protected under the law.

Ordinance⁢ XX of 1984, which ​inserted⁣ sections ‍298-B and 298-C ​into the Pakistan Penal Code, prohibits Ahmadis from calling themselves ‌Muslim or preaching their faith,‍ including using any titles ‍related to Muslims. While a 2022 Supreme Court judgment upheld Ahmadis’ right to practice ‍their faith within⁣ their homes, ⁢the law and its interpretation assert that Ahmadis cannot declare themselves Muslim or perform practices ⁢that could be ‍interpreted as posing as Muslims.

In 2024, ⁤the UN Committee on ⁤the Elimination of Racial Discrimination voiced concerns about‍ the harassment and intimidation of Ahmadi​ Muslims before and during eid al-Adha, as well as the impunity afforded to perpetrators.

Ahmadis deserve to practice their religion and celebrate Eid without fear for their⁣ safety and liberty.

Isabelle lassée

Harassment of ‌Ahmadis has been unrelenting. During Eid-ul-Fitr in March, religious groups disrupted Eid prayers at Ahmadi places of worship in ⁢Lahore‌ and Karachi.Harassment incidents have occurred nearly ​weekly after Friday prayers⁢ in Sindh and Punjab provinces, ⁢particularly during Ramadan, when at least ‌63 Ahmadis were detained for offering prayers. In Karachi on April 18, a violent mob killed a⁣ man outside an Ahmadiyya place of worship after Friday⁤ prayers. In⁢ late‌ May, religious ⁣groups destroyed a ‍cold storage cabin‍ after‍ discovering the‌ body of ‌an Ahmadi woman⁤ was ‍stored ther.

Lassée said that violence against Ahmadis has become ‍routine, often escalating around religious ‌occasions like Eid. She‍ added that Pakistani authorities have repeatedly ‌failed to protect the community and have actively discriminated against ⁤and harassed Ahmadi individuals‌ through detention orders, criminal cases, and restrictions on their religious freedom. Amnesty International is calling on provincial and federal governments to withdraw directions preventing the community from observing Eid-ul-Adha, take protective measures to safeguard ahmadis from violence, and⁣ impartially investigate ‍attacks​ against community members. Authorities must also⁣ repeal discriminatory ⁣laws impacting the community, so the Ahmadiyya community can‍ practice their religion and‌ celebrate Eid without fear.

What’s ​next

Amnesty International ⁣urges Pakistani authorities to take ⁢immediate⁤ action ⁣to protect the Ahmadiyya community, ensuring their safety and religious freedom during Eid-ul-Adha and beyond. The association also calls for long-term reforms to repeal discriminatory laws and foster a more inclusive society.