Oct 30, 2000 - in a village near Sialkot, Chaudhry Iftikhar Ahmed was among 5 dead and seven injured when un-identified men opened fire on members of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community when they were offering Fajr (morning) prayers inside their Mosque.The motive for the attack is not yet known but human rights groups have constantly highlighted the persecution suffered by the Ahmedis in Pakistan.
A 1974 constitutional amendment during Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's government had declared the sect outside Islam after a countrywide movement against them.
A 1984 decree by military ruler General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq banned it from using Islamic forms of worship or describing its places of worship as mosques. Ahmedis are reviled by Muslims as heretics who believe that Holy Prophet Mohammed (Pbuh) is the last prophet.
Sources also speculate involvement of a feared underground outfit, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, in the killing. "LJ has a history of attacking Ahmedis and their involvement is a possibility," a police source said quoting the kidnapping-cum-murder of a Qadiani in Chiniot last year. Three LJ activists including Ijaz alias Jaji were killed in a police shootout after they had kidnapped and killed a Qadiani.
Complete Press report of the incident. click here
Who is responsible for the persecution. The rabid mullah bend upon using religion as "political capital" or the civil society which tolerates the persecution of innocents.
These issues needs to be discussed and laws like Blasphemy, Hudood Ordinance, Qisas and Diyat have no place if we want to see a modern progressive Pakistan.
Brief History of Ahmadiya community click here
List of Ahmedis persecuted in Pakistan click here
Amnesty on Religious Freedom in Pakistan click here
2006: US state Department on Religious Freedom in Pakistan click here
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