Home Monthly Newsreports Year 2001 Summary

 CONTENTS 

1. Foreword 2. Murdered because of Faith 3. Sentenced under Religious Laws 4. Mischief of the Blasphemy Laws 5. Extensive Prosecution on Basis of Religion 6. Destruction and Desecration of Ahmadiyya Mosques 7. Imprisoned Ahmadis 8. Hostile Authorities 9. The Role of Judiciary 10. Squeeze on Livelihood 11. Harassment in Educational Institutions 12. Unworthy Role of Vernacular Press 13. Threats to Life and Property 14. Miscellaneous 15. Gross Violation of Human Rights - en masse 16. Conclusion 17. Epilogue  Annexes  I. Particulars of Cases Registered on Religious Grounds against Ahmadis during 2001 II. Public Service Commission - Application Form III. Threat Circular from a Group of Fundamentalists IV. Among the believers V. Some statistics and information for the Year 2001

In 1974, Mr Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto, the dictator prime minister of Pakistan, motivated by selfish political gain, imposed 'Not Muslim' status on Ahmadis, and amended the Constitution of Pakistan accordingly. This was a major unwarranted incursion by the state in religious affairs of a significant section of its citizens. It opened the door to further violations of basic human rights of Ahmadis. General Zia, the dictator president of Pakistan, forced this door wide open, when 10 years later, he promulgated the notorious anti-Ahmadiyya Ordinance XX of 1984 whereby freedom of faith of Ahmadis was severely curtailed, and the government adopted an active and open policy to suppress Ahmadi citizens and Ahmadiyya institutions in the country. The general gave green light to mullas, authorities and to everyone else who desired it, to proceed against Ahmadis. As a result since 1984, thousands of Ahmadis have been dragged to criminal courts, hundreds were put behinds bars and scores have been killed only for their faith. Ahmadiyya mosques were demolished, desecrated or sealed. A vast number of Ahmadis were denied jobs and education, while Ahmadi press was put in chains. In fact, Ahmadis have faced relentless persecution in almost all fields of personal and community life. No government since then, civil or military has provided any significant relief to Ahmadis. Ordinance XX has been made a part of the constitution and law, and is continuously applied actively against Ahmadis by mullas and the state.

An incident report on persecution of Ahmadis is issued every month. An annual report is issued at the end of the calendar year. As the persecution is state-sponsored and supported, it is inflicted upon Ahmadis all over the country in numerous ways. The year 2001 was no different; it contained more of the same. The affliction is so extensive and pervasive that not everything gets reported. Words are often inadequate to describe the hurt and damage done by this environment of tyranny and loss of human rights. As such, an Annual Report, can at best only summarize the reported incidents. Every reader will grasp and assimilate its content according to his capacity and sensitivity to the plight of the target of each incident and circumstance. Annual Reports are also a historical record of the suffering of Ahmadiyya Community in Pakistan during these fateful years. The series is also available to the human rights activist to know the facts on the ground and to help him chart his own response to the tragedy that has become almost perpetual.

Ahmadi-bashers know that it is easy to get away with murder of an Ahmadi. They are often told this openly by the mulla - sometimes from loudspeakers of mosques. Mullas also urge their followers to kill Ahmadis, as according to their version of Sharia it is an act of great religious merit. Murderers are rarely apprehended. Hiring of assassins is another easy way of disposing an Ahmadi. Personal vendettas are also settled this way, at minimum risk. Ahmadis, as a matter of community policy, refrain from making reprisal attacks.

Sheikh Nazir Ahmad of Faisalabad

Sheikh Nazir Ahmad, an Ahmadi of Madina Town, Faisalabad was shot dead at his home in early hours of the forenoon on July 28, 2001. The deceased was an official of the local Ahmadiyya community. He was in his seventies.

Madina Town had been a hot bed of anti-Ahmadiyya agitations for some time. The authorities were kept informed by Ahmadis of the gravity of the situation in the neighborhood. However, the authorities responded to political pressures, and always tilted towards the mulla. One and half year ago, they sealed the Ahmadiyya mosque; it has remained sealed since then.

The assailant was Behram Khan, a Pathan who was employed by local people as a watchman. He came to Mr. Nazir Ahmad’s house at about 8:30 in the morning, and knocked at his door. A child opened the door, but the visitor asked for an elder to come out. So Mr. Nazir Ahmad came out. The accused fired at him in the chest and wounded him grievously. Mr. Ahmad was rushed to the hospital by his family members, where he succumbed to the gun shot. Later, Behram Khan was arrested. He stated to the police that the deceased used to preach Ahmadiyyat to him, and had offered him Rs. 100,000 for conversion (a fabricated nonsense).

One Ashfaq Ahmad, the Nazim of the area, was at the back of this murder. He is an anti- Ahmadiyya activist and was interested in grabbing the plot of the sealed Ahmadiyya mosque. He was mentioned in the FIR.

Local mullas banded together to interfere in the police inquiry. They addressed their flock at night through loudspeakers of their mosques in an effort to agitate them. The next day they visited the police office accompanied by a crowd of their sympathizers to put pressure on authorities. Ashfaq Ahmad consequently was never detained.

Sheikh Nazir Ahmad is survived by a son and four daughters. For the last twenty years, he was the Finance Secretary of the local Ahmadiyya Community.

Mr. and Mrs. Abdur Rahim of Sahiwal

Mr. and Mrs. Abdur Rahim, Ahmadis were murdered for no apparent reason except their faith during the night of 8 and 9 May by some deranged assassins who entered their house.

The elderly couple, who were alone in the house, were subjected to torture. Their bones were found broken. They were taken to the bathroom and to its attached store room where they were tied down and tortured. Most of their suitcases had been left open but nothing had been stolen, as testified by their daughter who fortunately was not with them on the fateful night. Nothing was lost except the lives. This is significant.

There are significant indications that point towards religion as the cause of the attack. It is noteworthy that a son of the deceased couple was implicated in a false case along with a few other Ahmadis, and was awarded long imprisonment years ago by a Military Court during the rule of General Zia ul Haq. He was subsequently released by the High Court. Religious organizations have ever since been active against them.

Mr. Noor Ahmad and Mr Tahir Ahmad of Saddowala

Although subsequent to terrorist attacks in the US on September 11, the whole world was condemning terrorism, this did not deter anti-Ahmadiyya extremist elements from carrying out their terrorist attacks on innocent Ahmadis. They struck regardless. Mr. Noor Ahmad and his two sons, Ahmadis, were sleeping at their farm on 13/14 September night. After midnight, five terrorists who had covered their faces arrived and showered bullets on these unsuspecting people who were asleep. As a result, Mr Noor Ahmad and his son Tahir Ahmad died on the spot. Mr. Javed Ahmad was hit near the shoulder. He was taken to the hospital at Narowal. A guest who was also asleep nearby was hit in the stomach and was grievously injured. He was rushed to Lahore for treatment.

It is noteworthy that Saddowala is not far from Ghatialian where a year ago armed men attacked worshippers in an Ahmadiyya mosque and killed five of them.

Mr. Naeem Ahmad of Goleki, District Gujrat

Mr Naeem Ahmad, a 20 years old Ahmadi young man was murdered in his village Goleki, District Gujrat in the first week of October. Goleki has been a hot bed of anti-Ahmadiyya activities for the last few years. In collusion with authorities, the opposition arranged to seal the Ahmadiyya mosque there. Ahmadis are deterred from the use of the common graveyard and their assembly ground for Id prayers. Naeem Ahmad had links with Mr Mushtaq, a well-known local Ahmadi, and was residing along with him away from Goleki. Naeem was on a visit to his home village when the opposition killed him and dumped his dead body in the farm of Mr Mushtaq.

Non-Ahmadis find it convenient to raise unjustified property disputes with Ahmadis; they give it a religious colour and do not hesitate from killing their Ahmadi rivals. On numerous occasions, such non-Ahmadis have openly admitted in courts that they committed the murder as a meritorious religious act. Such admission works; often, they have been let go, scot free.

Mr Muhammad Akram of Goleki, District Gujrat

This incident was a sequel to the preceding incident. An Ahmadi, Mr Muhammad Akram fell victim to assassins’ bullets at about 8 p.m. in the sitting room of another Ahmadi, Mr Mushtaq Ahmad of Goleki, District Gujrat on November 15.

The shooting incident was primarily a result of personal vendetta between two rival parties, however, the fact that Mr Mushtaq Ahmad is an Ahmadi, his opponents found it convenient and useful to give a strong religious and communal shading to their quarrel. As a result, previously, in addition to incidents of murder, the opposition succeeded in getting the Ahmadiyya mosque sealed by authorities and in creating numerous difficulties for local Ahmadis to use a common graveyard. Use of the Id Gah for assembly for Id prayers by Ahmadis has also been made controversial. During the month of October, an Ahmadi youth in the employ of Mr Mushtaq Ahmad was murdered by the opponents. This month they struck again. At about 8 p.m. seven visitors were seated in Mushtaq’s house for a social sitting. At the time, a party of armed intruders surprised them, and opened up with a spray of bullets. As a result, one Ahmadi and two non-Ahmadi guests died on the spot, while four guests were injured. Having shed blood, the attackers fled from the scene of their crime. The police arrested one of the assassins the next day.

Preliminary police investigation showed that two of the assassins were members of a Jihadi gang. They were also proclaimed offenders, runaways from law, and were hired assassins. The arrested killer disclosed to the police that they were told by their hiring agent that ’Ahmadis were going to hold a conference at Goleki, as such their services would be needed to protect Muslims.’ He also disclosed that the same team was involved in the murder of Naeem Ahmad, Ahmadi, at Goleki in October. The assassin named another of his colleagues, Baba Tahir who according to him was intimately linked with more than one Jihadi organizations. It appears that such types undertake violence and terrorism activities on both sides of the border on ‘payment’ basis. They are ‘on hire’.

Ahmad-specific and other punitive religious laws remained some of the most actively used laws in the land during the year. Courts continue to uphold them and often apply them vigorously as if with a vengeance. Numerous Ahmadis were sentenced to years of imprisonment under these laws, some of them to multiple life imprisonments.

Justice at Hyderabad - Taliban Style

Anti-Terrorism Judge, Mr Abdul Ghafur Memon, Hyderabad sentenced two Ahmadis, Nazir Ahmad and Allah Rakhio to 118 years imprisonment and Rs. 40,000 fine each under the Blasphemy Law, anti-terrorism law and other clauses related to religion on December 10, 2001.

The news was also carried by the press. A report by the Daily DAWN of December 12, 2001 is placed opposite. It summarizes the decision of the ATC Judge and the prosecution story; however there is important and crucial circumstantial background to the facts of this archetypical case. It is given below.

A small mosque comprising one room 8ft x 10 ft, made of mud, constructed almost 30 years ago stood in the farmland of an Ahmadi landlord at Nafisnagar, District Mirpur Khas, Sind. Because of its age and being far from any residential area it was in a dilapidated state, but was occasionally used for saying prayers if and when any stray Ahmadi or non-Ahmadi peasant happened to offer his prayers at the site. Hyder, a Sindhi Muslim tenant took the initiative to propose and undertake demolition and reconstruction of the mosque, to which the Ahmadi owner agreed. Accordingly, the mud structure was jointly demolished on 22 August 1998 and reconstruction taken in hand. An opponent came to know of this and he saw in it enough germs of potential mischief. He reported the activity to Shuja-ur-Rahman, a mulla in the locality who informed other mullas, and all these started crying hoarse that a mosque had been desecrated and destroyed by Qadianis; Holy Quran was desecrated, etc. Ahmadis hurried to take the authorities in confidence, and informed them that nothing of the kind had happened. Officials were invited to the site and were shown the reconstruction in progress. Hyder told the Deputy Superintendent Police and the Sub Divisional Magistrate on 24 August that he was a Muslim and he had undertaken the demolition and the reconstruction, and that the copy of the Holy Quran that was at the mosque, is safely in his custody. The officials were satisfied and made the report accordingly to the Deputy Commissioner. By next day, Hyder and his friends had completed a slightly bigger mosque 10x12 feet made of baked bricks. The police very rightly refused to register an FIR of the alleged case.

The mullah, however, was not prepared to let the Ahmadis off the hook easily. He had already informed his mentors at Karachi, who are always on the lookout to sponsor mischief and are ever ready to cash a cheque of this kind. They organized a violent mob at Naukot and attacked the Ahmadiyya mosque at Naukot on 26 August 1998. However, that is still another shocking and distressing story. In short, mullas were entirely successful in making mountain of a molehill. They approached the Federal authorities, and without much effort enlisted their full support. Those were the days of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of the Sharial Bill notoriety and President Rafiq Tarar. Orders were issued accordingly, and the attitude of the police and administration changed in no time. The police that had not registered the case of the Nafisnagar incident for 10 days, proceeded to issue an FIR No. 87/1998 on September 2, 1998. According to a report published in the daily Nation of September 7, 1998, the police SHO who had resisted to yield to the mulla was suspended from his duties by his superiors. The police also submitted to mullas’ demand to release 10 detained miscreants and withdrawal of criminal cases against them. The mullas of Naukot who claimed to know the details of behind-the-door activities in Islamabad, announced on loudspeakers of their mosques that they were being fully backed-up by Islamabad. They even stated that they had been assured that Ahmadis implicated in Nafisnagar and Naukot incidents will not be spared and the sentences would include death, long imprisonment and confiscation of properties.

Now the judicial proceedings. Five Ahmadis were charged in this case under PPC 295, 295A, 295B, all concerning religion and blasphemy. PPC 295A was applied so that the case could be handled and disposed expeditiously by an Anti-Terrorist Court. Of the accused, one, Nazir Ahmad, a boy less than 16 years old was arrested; others absconded. At the court, the defense took the plea that as no terrorism whatsoever was involved, the ATA Court was not competent to hear the case. The ATA court dismissed the plea. The defense then approached Sind High Court with the same appeal. The High Court also dismissed the appeal. Then the defense approached the Supreme Court to consider leave to appeal. The Supreme Court directed the ATA Court to examine the question of jurisdiction etc and decide by itself; it did, and decided that it was competent to take up the case despite revised rules on the subject. Having heard the case, the judge gave the recent verdict that two of the absconders were not guilty, a third one was let off for some obvious weakness in his indictment, and he punished the other two. He awarded maximum penalties, life terms, under the Blasphemy clause PPC 295B (for defiling the Holy Quran) and section 6(B) anti-terrorism act, seven years under PPC 295A and 2 years under PPC 295. The sentences were doubled because of the section 34 for abetment. Thus each accused was sentenced to life imprisonment four times (25 Years x 4 = 100 years) in addition to 18 years under other clauses.

It is significant and material that no terrorism whatsoever was involved in the incident, yet an Anti-Terrorism Court heard the case. Higher courts provided no relief either. In any civilized society, this was a ‘no case’ that deserved to be thrown out by a police sergeant, yet the mulla and the establishment took it to an Anti-Terrorism Court for priority and expeditious disposal. All the prosecution witnesses are false and liars, as none of them except Hyder was actually present at the site when the dilapidated structure was pulled down. They live 12 km away and fabricated a story of being eye-witnesses. The prosecution witness, Hyder, a Muslim is on record that he himself removed the old structure and built the new one. Thus there are obvious contradictions in the statements of prosecution witnesses. Despite all this, the judge decided that a case of terrorism, defiling the Quran, and injury to the religious feelings of Muslims had been made out, and proceeded to award maximum terms, as if with a vengeance.

It is noteworthy that while Islamabad has joined the international coalition against religious extremism and forces of obscurantism, the lower authorities continue in their frantic efforts to promote and nurture the same evils. Only the day before, an important functionary of the state, the Governor of Punjab reiterated at Rawalpindi that extremism and violence will not be permitted. But it cannot be done if state prosecutors and judges continue to administer the laws, in their worst interpretation, that nourishes these evils against marginalized sections of the society. More than public statements of pious intentions is needed to bring about a real change

Mr Inamulla Gondal of Kotri

Syed Inamur Rehman Shah, the Additional Session Judge, Kotri, Sind awarded two years’ imprisonment to Mr. Inamullah Gondal, an Ahmadi, in a religious case, on March 14, 2001.

A criminal case was registered at the orders of the Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Superintendent of Police against the accused, reported on August 1, 1991 for writing the Kalima (Islamic creed: There is no god except God; Muhammad is His Prophet) at his house. He was booked under the anti-Ahmadiyya law PPC 298C and the dreaded Blasphemy law PPC 295C. The charges were stuck despite the fact that the house already had the Kalima (Islamic creed) written on it when Mr Gondal purchased it from someone else. (It is certain that had he removed the Kalima, he would have been more conveniently charged of Blasphemy). The accused suffered prosecution in courts for almost ten years. He was afraid that he would be put to death if the Blasphemy charge was upheld by the court as desired by the administration.

On March 14, 2001, the judge, removed the section PPC 295C, but upheld PPC 298C, the anti-Ahmadiyya clause, and sentenced the accused to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5000/- for having the inscription at his house: There is none worthy of worship except Allah, Muhammad is His prophet. The judge is reportedly a Muslim. The accused is 70 years old.

Mr. Abdul Quddus of Kotri

In another case, the same Additional Session Judge Kotri, Sind sentenced Mr. Abdul Quddoos to two years’ imprisonment and fined him Rs.5000/- in addition.

The criminal case was registered against four Ahmadis namely Messers Mubashir Ahmad, Ghulam Bari, Nasir Ahmad Baloch and Abdul Quddoos on March 31, 1992 on a false complaint of a cleric, Maulana Rafiuddin. The mulla fabricated the lie that the four Ahmadis defiled the name of the Holy Prophet and stated that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was the last prophet. He arranged some witnesses who, according to the FIR, were hiding in a nearby shrine to listen to the alleged statements. Thus PPC 295C and 298C were applied by the police to accuse the victims of preaching and Blasphemy. In the face of such grave charges, the accused had to run around to avoid arrest, arrange bails and hire defense lawyers. It is a long story of extreme hardship, perpetual harassment and unbearable stress that went on for years. To cut it short, the prosecution lasted nine years. During this period, Mr Baloch died, while Mr Ghulam Bari and Mr Mubashir Ahmad fled the country and took refuge in some foreign land. Mr. Abdul Quddoos stayed on to face the false accusations. The judge found it convenient to drop the Blasphemy charge, but upheld the PPC 298C for preaching (if at all, to the prosecution witnesses hiding in an adjacent building!) and sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 5000/-. In case of default of payment of fine, the accused is required to undergo imprisonment of six more months.

Mr Ejaz Ahmad of Kotri

In still another case, the same Additional Session Judge at Kotri, sentenced Mr Ejaz Ahmad, Ahmadi to two years’ imprisonment and fined him Rs. 5000/-.

The actual circumstances in which this criminal case was instituted in 1992 are interesting and noteworthy. It was on 3 April 1992, the last Friday of the month of Ramadan, that while in a state of fasting and waiting for the Juma prayers in the Ahmadiyya Mosque, Bhitai Colony, Kotri, twenty Ahmadis were arrested at about 12:30 hrs.

Mullas of the Khatm-e-Nabuwwat organization, Kotri were opposed to the construction of an Ahmadiyya mosque in Bhitai Colony, Kotri. In conspiracy with the local police, they arranged a raid on its site alleging that armed Ahmadis were abusing there the Islamic religion.

The police on arrival found unarmed peaceful Ahmadis waiting for the Juma prayer that was to start at 1 p.m. Nevertheless, they took all of them under custody saying that they had to be protected from mullas who were furious about their place of worship. They took them to the police post, humiliated them, and even forced some of them to undress, and beat them up with batons.

The next day they were informed that all of them were being charged under Sections 295-C and 298-C (insulting the Prophet and hurting the feelings of Muslims), an outrageously false charge. In the Police Report, Ijaz Ahmad was alleged to have made a speech, and two other Ahmadis, Abdul Qadeer, and Talpur were falsely charged of possession of revolvers without license. Finally, four Ahmadis were charged on various counts including that of threatening to disturb the peace. They were made to remain in the lock-up even on the day of the Eid festival. That was indeed callous and inhuman. Mullas and the police had cast aside minimal human values and decency.

After more than 2 weeks, they were released on bail by the Addl Sessions Judge Kotri, except for Mr Ejaz Ahmad who was later released on bail by the High Court.

They were prosecuted in court for more than a year and were finally found Not Guilty of the collective charge. Abdul Qadeer and Talpur were acquitted by a Judicial Magistrate on 23 January 1995 of the false charge of possession of unlicensed revolvers. However, the very serious charges under Section 295/C and 298/C lingered on in the court of Addl Sessions Judge Kotri, although five Judges were transferred in the course of time. The punishment under the clause PPC 295/C is nothing but death. Afraid of the wrath of fundamentalists, no judge had the courage to dispense justice and to acquit them of the fabricated charges.

The case dragged on for nine long years and exhausted the victims in many ways. Mr Shahid Talpur fled abroad in 1998. The case was eventually decided in March this year. Two of the accused were set free, while Mr Ejaz Ahmad was absolved of the offence under PPC 295C but sentenced under PPC 298C to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs.5000/-. The court thus gave the verdict that the accused were wrongfully made to face the grave charge of PPC 295C (penalty of death) for nine years. It is relevant to mention that Mr Ejaz Ahmad, sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, after 9 years’ trial, is 73 years old. The judge ordered that in case of default of payment of fine he shall undergo imprisonment for six more months.

Mr Ejaz Hussain of Khushab

Mr. Ejaz Hussain son of Mr. Ghulam Rasul was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 1000 by the area magistrate, Khushab, under PPC 298C, the anti-Ahmadiyya law.

Mr. Hussain was charged on September 28, 1995. He was accused of stating his religion to be Islam at the time of registration of his child’s birth. A few days later, his son died. However, he suffered criminal prosecution for the next six years. The heartless administration and judiciary eventually found him guilty for stating his faith according to his conviction, and sent him to prison.

Four Ahmadis of Takht Hazara, District Sargodha

A violent mob attacked the Ahmadiyya Mosque at Takht Hazara on November 10, 2000. There were only a few Ahmadi defenders who unsuccessfully tried to defend their place of worship. The attackers vastly outnumbered Ahmadis. They damaged the mosque and succeeded in killing five Ahmadis at the site. There was no loss of life on their side.

The police implicated thirty-six local Ahmadis in the case. The judge awarded five years’ prison terms to the under mentioned four Ahmadis:

	Mr Abdul Hamid	Mr Arshad
	Mr Khalid Mehmood	Mr Waseem

Mr Laiq Ahmad of Sargodha

Mr Laiq Ahmad, Ahmadi, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on November 24, 2001 and was ordered to pay a fine of Rs. 20,000 by an Anti-Terrorist Court, under religious laws. A brief account of the ‘terrorism’ committed by the Ahmadi would be of interest.

Laiq Ahmad is a shopkeeper in Liaquat Colony, Sargodha. He had the Kalima (Islamic creed) written in his shop. Ahmad Ali Zafar, a local magistrate was asked by a mulla to take notice, so he had the Kalima removed. Extremists were still not satisfied, and maintained their agitation. Obligingly, the police registered a case in the Cantonment police station against the Ahmadi on January 28, 2000 under sections 295-A, 298C and 16 MPO. The severe clause of 295A was applied against the victim on the grounds that the words O Allah, O Muhammad and Bismillah (in the name of God) were found written in his shop. According to the police FIR, it was under the direction of the Deputy Commissioner that the inquiry was held. The DC’s instructions were given on an Intelligence Report titled: Activities of Qadianis.

It appears that that the monstrous system designed to persecute Ahmadis continues to function smoothly. For instance in this particular case, the mulla, the administrators, the police and the judiciary got their act together with no difficulty, and put an innocent Ahmadi in prison for two years. The law obviously is not anti-terrorism; it promotes state terrorism against innocent and harmless citizens.

Blasphemy laws remain in force, and the government has not mustered the courage to bring about any change even in the procedure to register a case under them. Individuals therefore continue to suffer the great mischief of these laws. An article at Annex IV copied from the daily Dawn describes the agony of a non-Ahmadi who was targeted under this law on the false pretext that he was an Ahmadi. It throws a flood of light on this issue. It also makes it clear that if a non-Ahmadi can face so much persecution on an accusation of being an Ahmadi, what level of threat Ahmadis are exposed to.

Ahmadi Pressmen

So long as the Blasphemy sections remain in the statute book, the mulla will use them and urge the government to invoke the law against his targets. A demonstration of this was given at Tando Adam. Four Ahmadis were unjustly charged under this notorious law at the wish of a cleric. The mulla asked for a pound of flesh; the authorities offered him a kilo, as the implicated victims were Ahmadis. The case was registered at P.S. Tando Adam, District Sanghar on March 11, 2001 under sections PPCs 295C, 295B and 298C against Mr Nasrulla Khan Nasir the editor of Monthly Ansarullah, Mr Muhammad Ibrahim its publisher, Qazi Munir Ahmad the printer and Mr Mubashir Ahmad Saqib, the essay writer. The accuser was none other than Mulla Hamadi, an employee of government’s Auqaf Department and leader of the Majlis Tahaffuz Khatame Nabuwwat.

According to the FIR, the accuser stated that he found a copy of the Monthly lying over the Holy Quran in the bookshelf of his (own) mosque. The Monthly contained some verses from the Holy Quran. Not only that, it contained some sayings and traditions of the Holy Prophet. Even words like Hadrat, Maulana and Maulvi had been used for Qadianis. The learning of the Quran had also been shown therein as a part of syllabus for Qadiani children. A reference was also made to the Holy Prophet (peace be on him), etc. etc.

For this the mulla demanded that four Ahmadi pressmen be charged under PPC 295C and be hanged. The authorities agreed, and registered the case.

Mr Tariq of Badin

More than a year ago, somebody sent a pack of Ahmadiyya books and literature to an addressee, TARIQ, through New Goods Agency, Badin. The police came to know about it and registered a criminal case under the draconian Blasphemy Law PPC 295C, the Anti-Ahmadiyya Law 298C, and PPC 298A. There was no justification to apply any of these clauses. There was no case; but there was sufficient potential for mischief and greed. The police arrested an Ahmadi named Tariq, but let him go after extorting the usual sop. The police knew that they could milk this cow further, as there was another Tariq, an Ahmadi, in the town. Eighteen months after the registration of the case, the CIA police arrested Mr Tariq Mahmud on October 22, 2001 in this case. They have told him that he can get death sentence under the clause applied on the charge sheet.

Ch Akhtar Ali and Mr Muhammad Khan of Chakwal

The accuser, Mohammad Khan went to the court directly and lodged a fabricated complaint against the two Ahmadis under the severe Blasphemy Law. He invoked PPC 295A and 296 in addition to the PPC 295C. Under the PPC 295A the trial could be held in an anti-terrorist court and given an expeditious disposal.

Messers Abdul Majeed, Shaukat Ali, Anwar Ahmad and an unnamed Accused

On behest of mullas, the administration registered a criminal case on April 24, 2001 against four Ahmadis for having a minaret and niche in the Ahmadiyya mosque at Chak 93, District Leyya and also for keeping copies of the Holy Quran in the mosque. The case was registered under PPC 295A, cognizable under the Anti-terrorism Act. The Blasphemy clause PPC 295B (defiling the Quran) was also applied, as also PPC 298B clause from the Anti-Ahmadiyya law. Messers Abdul Majeed, Shaukat Ali, Anwar Ahmad and the local Ahmadi religious teacher were named in the FIR. Under the clauses applied, the accused can get life imprisonment in a quick trial. Mr Abdul Majeed and Mr. Shaukat Ali were arrested.

This case is yet another one in the unending series of such senseless cases, in which Ahmadis are implicated to be tried under the Anti-terrorism Act and the Blasphemy Law, although they committed no act of terrorism nor defiled anything by a long shot. The case is false, and has been fabricated in collaboration with government officials.

Ahmadi-specific laws continue to take their toll. They remain in the statute book, and the government has issued no instructions to various departments even to exercise care in implementing their draconian provisions. In fact, government directives issued in the dark days of General Zia remain in force and are the de-facto guidelines to authorities. If on a rare occasion, some fair-minded official relents, he is shown by the mulla the law, the instructions and the comments of higher courts, and is told to move against Ahmadis or face consequences.

No Freedom of Speech

Mr. Abdul Aziz, an Ahmadi from Silanwali, district Sargodha was arrested by the police on charge of preaching his views.

Anti-Ahmadiyya opposition is very strong in Silanwali. It operates in liaison with authorities. Ahmadis built two rooms adjacent to their own mosque to accommodate their Imam. The opposition reported this to the administration who obligingly sealed the two rooms at the orders of the Assistant Commissioner.

Court moved for Capital Punishment

One Mohammad Khan son of Nawab Khan, a non-Ahmadi applied to the Session Judge to send for two Ahmadis, Mr. Akhtar Ali and Mr. Muhammad Khan, and to punish them severely. The applicant has stated that the respondent Qadianis are active against the Islamic dogma; they defiled the name of the Holy prophet and made fun of the Doomsday etc. The applicant has requested that the respondents be charged under PPC 296, 295A and 295C, the blasphemy law. The proposed sections of the law carry long-term imprisonment and death sentences.

Severe Harassment of Ahmadiyya Community at Chak 93/TDA, District Leyya

It was in April 2001 that religious fanatics, supported by the administration, proceeded against Ahmadi community of Chak 93/TDA, District Leyya and got registered criminal cases of religious nature against them under PPC 295A, 295B and 298B. Ahmadis were accused of having a minaret and a niche in their mosque; they were also accused of having a copy of the Holy Quran in their mosque. The incident seriously disturbed the peace of the village, and Ahmadis felt having been driven to the wall.

Subsequent to the above criminal case registered under religious laws against four Ahmadis of Chak 93 TDA, the opponents proceeded to implicate still more Ahmadis in other cases. On May 26, 2001, the police registered a false case of ‘attempt to murder’ against four Ahmadis, namely Muhammad Rafiq, Tanwir Ahmad, Abdul Ghafoor and Zahur Ahmad of the same village, under sections PPC 324/34 in FIR 117 at police station Karor, district Leyya.

The authorities, rather than promoting peace and providing a semblance of support to the beleaguered Ahmadis, built up further on their shameful record, and the police arrested 11 Ahmadis under PPC 107/151. It is learnt that 11 non-Ahmadis were also detained, but this is a strange type of justice where the aggressor and the victim is given equal treatment. No wonder, the mulla pays no heed to government’s warnings and treats them with contempt.

Three Trapped in the Anti-Ahmadiyya Net

Three and half years ago, a case under PPC 298C, the Anti-Ahmadiyya clause, was registered against Ms Mubarka Begum at Mansehra. She had presented a certificate to her bank, the Habib Bank of Mansehra, that she was an Ahmadi Muslim and was thus exempt from compulsory deduction of Zakat. She was charged for ‘posing as a Muslim’. Afraid of a prison sentence, she fled and went abroad.

Almost two and half years later, the authorities proceeded to take action against Mr Fazl-ur-Rahman, her father, Mr Matee-ur-Rahman and Mr Zahid Aziz on the grounds that they had endorsed Ms Mubarka’s certificate. A charge of abetment under PPC 109 was levied against them. Mr Fazl-ur-Rahman was arrested. Subsequently, a bail was arranged for the three accused. They now face the trial in a court. They face imprisonment sentence of up to three years for endorsing that Ms Mubarka was an Ahmadi Muslim.

Harassment - en masse

A violent mob attacked the Ahmadiyya Mosque at Takht Hazara, district Sargodha on November 10, 2000. There were only a few Ahmadi defenders at the site to defend their mosque. They tried to defend it, but were not successful. The attackers vastly outnumbered Ahmadis. They damaged the mosque and killed five Ahmadis within the premises. There was no loss of life on their side.

The police, strangely enough, implicated thirty six local Ahmadis in the case, and charged them under various sections of the law including the Ahmadi-specific clause 298C.

A Fabricated Case

District Sialkot has been a hot-bed of anti-Ahmadiyya activities. Numerous Ahmadis were implicated there by religious activists, under Ahmadi-specific and other laws, on religious grounds. At Khiva Bajwa, Afzal wrote an application to the police against 5 Ahmadis, namely Mr Ataulla, Mr Sanaulla, Mr Allah Ditta, Mr Mansur Ahmad and Mr Salahuddin accusing them falsely of threatening them. The police dropped Mansur Ahmad and Sabahuddin from the proceedings, but booked the other three under sections of PPC 506, 337/L2, 337/F1, 148 and 149.

Ahmadi booked on Allegation of Heresy and Disbelief!

Mr Basharat Ahmad Ijaz of Karachi was accused of heresy and disbelief by some people he knew. He offered them to hold a discussion on the subject; instead, they got registered a criminal case (No. 117/2001) against him with the police at Manzoor Colony, Karachi. This happened in April 2001.

Desecration of Ahmadiyya mosques is a favourite transgression of fundamentalists. Drafters of the anti-Ahmadiyya Ordinance targeted Ahmadiyya mosques specifically. However, miscreants, encouraged by the State support, go much further, and demand and undertake excesses that are not permitted by law. In this, they are often helped by authorities. Jointly they undertake sacrileges that would put any civilized society to shame. Ahmadis’ sentiments get deeply hurt by these excesses, but that is exactly what religious extremists want.

Mosque Destroyed in the Presence of Police at Syedwala, District Sheikhupura

In a very serious incident, Ahmadiyya community at Syedwala village suffered great loss and tremendous harassment at the hands of extremist elements and the authorities. Their mosque was destroyed by the attacking mob on August 26, 2001, and the police detained the victims. A brief narrative of the incident is given below.

On the evening of Sunday, August 26, Ahmadi men and women of the village assembled in their local mosque to watch the address of their Khalifatul Masih IV, the Supreme Head of the Community, that was to be aired live on MTA television from Germany through satellite transmission. At that time, the police arrived and told them of the impeding danger from a group of fundamentalists, and directed them to vacate the mosque. Accordingly, women were asked to leave and assemble at Mr. Basharat’s house, while men shifted to Mr. Munawar’s house. Soon afterwards, violent and incendiary announcements were heard from loud speakers of non-Ahmadiyya mosques. As a result, a violent mob assembled and attacked the Ahmadiyya mosque. They looted useful items like electric fans etc; and destroyed the mosque building.

Thereafter, the mob encircled the two houses where Ahmadi women and men had taken refuge. A sympathetic non-Ahmadi neighbor persuaded the mob not to enter the house when some tried to jump in via the roof. All this happened in the presence of a few policemen.

A few hours later, the Superintendent Police arrived from the district headquarters along with a contingent. He took all the Ahmadi men, 28 in number, in his custody and led them to the police station. Announcements were made from loud speakers of local mosques by mullahs that the police had detained some of their men. Mullahs gave an ultimatum to the police that if their men were not released by mid-day, they would take the next action. The next day, army authorities intervened and directed the police to arrange a peace agreement. The police sent for the mullahs twice but they refused to come to the table. Mullahs insisted that criminal cases be first registered against Ahmadis. For what, one might ask. In the meantime, 28 Ahmadis remained in the custody of police. The situation remained volatile for a few days before it settled down at the cost of Ahmadis.

The Police Demolished the Niche At Chobara, District Leyya

Ahmadiyya Community at Chobara constructed its mosque and community center in 1998. Six moths ago the community undertook improvements and some additions to the building. Ahmadis took care to build four walls around the property to avoid undue public interest. Mullas of Sipah Sahaba, however, came to know about it and decided to make it an issue and started an agitation. They contacted the construction workers, and they stopped working at the site. Subsequently, Ahmadis persuaded some masons from another town, assured them protection, and continued the construction work. Mullas stepped up their opposition and invited extremist elements of Jamaat Islami and Dawat Islami to join the agitation. They arranged a public conference on 19 January 2001 and passed three resolutions to the following effect:

The next day, the police SHO sent for Ahmadi elders, treated them harshly and informed them of mullas’ demands. Ahmadis therefore became still more cautious, but the agitation continued. On February 4, a mulla accompanied by a few hooligans came to the site and was observed to examine the Ahmadiyya property inquiringly. When questioned as to his business, he told a lie that he was interested in buying a plot of land in the vicinity. Fearing criminal intervention, Mian Mohammad, an Ahmadi elder, informed the police.

The next day the police sent for two leading Ahmadis. At the police station, they were made to confront the mullas. The police, without legal justification, told Ahmadis to demolish the niche. Ahmadis conveyed that they would never undertake the sacrilege and will not permit the mulla to do the same; however if the authorities do that, Ahmadis had no intention to confront the government. At this, the police detained the two Ahmadis present, Mian Mohammad Joya and Mr. Nasrullah Khan Mallhi, and the two mullas, in a ridiculous show of misplaced even-handedness. The detainees were sent to Leyya prison from where they were released thirty hours later.

The next day, on February 6, the police visited the site again, inspected the mosque and advised Ahmadis to raise the boundary wall still higher to conceal the niche.

During the next few days, the administration watched the situation. The mullas organized an open conference on February 13. This was sufficient to scare the authorities who took the usual decision of depriving Ahmadis of their fundamental rights and pleasing the mulla. The assistant commissioner, Maqbul Ahmad Langah, in consultation with Laal Mohammad Chohan, the DC and Mohammad Tahir the SSP, decided upon a line of action and sent for Ahmadi elders. In the office, the AC compelled Mr. Mian Mohammad to sign a statement that he would demolish the niche by the evening or face arrest. When, despite severe pressure from the unworthy administration, the Ahmadi took no action till midnight, the police accompanied by some mullas themselves undertook the shameful sacrilege and demolished the niche of the Ahmadiyya mosque. At the time of the shocking action, a son of Mian Mohammad appeared at the site. He was arrested and was detained at the police station for the whole day. All this was done in open violation of law and basic human rights of peaceful Ahmadiyya Community. It was a serious infringement of freedom of religion and shows callous disregard towards religious sentiments of a marginalized community.

Sacrilege ordered by an Assistant Commissioner At Chawinda, District Sialkot

At the orders of the Assistant Commissioner, a police contingent raided an Ahmadiyya Mosque here and demolished its niche on May 12, 2001. Apart from being shameful, it was also an illegal act, as the law does not forbid building of a niche in Ahmadiyya mosques. Essential details are given below.

Malik Muhammad Yousaf, an Ahmadi from Chawinda, owns a small rice mill a few miles away at Hadiana Road. A few weeks ago, he built a mosque at that location. Mullas came to know about it, and one of them, Qari Ansar wrote an application to the A.C. Pasrur that its niche should be demolished and action should be taken against the Ahmadis. Qari Shafiq Dogar, a mulla of the notorious Sipah Sahaba, also wrote a similar application. The compliant A.C. ordered an inquiry, and the Resident Magistrate ordered Ahmadis to demolish the niche. As the order was illegal and baseless, Ahmadis refused to carry it out. At this, the A.C. ordered the police inspector to undertake the sacrilege. The inspector arrived at the site with a contingent and urged the president of the local Ahmadiyya community to demolish the niche, but he also refused. At this time he received a wireless call from the A.C. who inquired about the progress. The inspector told him that the job had been done. He was given a “well done” by the A.C.; although the recalcitrant police inspector had not yet mustered enough courage and shamelessness to undertake the sacrilege. Mullas, however, kept their vigil and maintained pressure on the A.C. who reprimanded the police S.H.O. and told him to expedite the given task. In order to save his job, the S.H.O. revisited the site at about 11 P.M. and had the niche demolished. It is ironic that even this compliance could not save him, as according to a press report published in the daily Pakistan of May 15, 2001, he was removed from his assignment and made to report to the barracks.

When the police party was busy in the sacrilege, Ahmadis prepared a video movie of the proceedings. The policemen continued to curse mullas who made them undertake such shameful acts.

Ahmadis felt grievously hurt, but maintained their calm at this highly provocative action by the authorities.

Authorities Seal Ahmadiyya Mosque At Bhakhu Bhatti, District Sialkot

The mosque at Bhakku Bhatti was built almost 75 years ago and was used jointly by Ahmadis and non-Ahmadi till 1940. In 1940, non-Ahmadis built their mosque in the adjacent, plot, and the two denominations offered their prayers in their own mosques till recently. On September 2, 2000 a miscreant mulla occupied the Ahmadiyya mosque, it gave rise to an ugly situation. A few days later, the police and the Resident Magistrate held an inquiry, and consequently handed over the mosque to Ahmadis. In January 2001, however, the Assistant Commissioner Pasrur ordered the Ahmadiyya mosque sealed. He did so on behalf of the fanatic mulla.

Police wipes Kalima (Islamic creed) off the Ahmadiyya Mosque At Chur Mughlian, District Sheikhupura

Ahmadis of village Chur Mughlian had their mosque white washed and had the Islamic creed written on the front. Their opponents informed the police and demanded that the same be removed. It is relevant to mention that the letter of the law does not forbid Ahmadis to write their creed on their places of worship. Still, the police sent for Ahmadi elders of the village and ordered them to remove the Kalima (Islamic creed), or face police action. Ahmadis refused to comply. Subsequently the police raided the mosque on Friday, March 9, 2001 in the early hours of the night and wiped off the Kalima. Such is the much-trumpeted freedom of religion to Ahmadis in Pakistan.

Administration complies with Extremists’ Demands At Sillanwali, District Sargodha

Ahmadis of Sillanwali built two rooms within the premises of their mosque, as lodging for the Imam. Their opponents approached the Assistant Commissioner to deny Ahmadis the facility. He obliged the extremists by issuing the order that the rooms be sealed. The police complied. This wrong was committed in August 2001.

Anti-Ahmadiyya law and other religious laws continue to take their toll of Ahmadi victims. These laws are among those that continue to be invoked and applied with no let-up. Although they violate basic human rights, and the government has to be, at times, apologetic about them, the society and the state continue to use them as tools to suppress Ahmadis and to impose extreme hardships on them. Some Ahmadis are in prison for years. Many face extensive grilling through the judicial mill. Others face untold misery. One wonders, how, in twenty-first century C.E., a society can perpetuate such tyranny against a peaceful and innocent community, and show such lack of concern to human suffering and international condemnation. Updated situation of Ahmadis who are in prison is mentioned below as a reminder to those who care for the plight of those who have been deprived of their inalienable rights, who suffer detention and have been wrongfully denied the right to be in open air - a right enjoyed even by birds and animals.

If the government is sincere and serious about its claim of being sensitive to the violation of human rights, it should withdraw its sponsorship and support of above cases and provide relief to these prisoners of conscience.

So long as Ahmadi-specific and other draconian religious laws are in the statute book, the administration, the police, the judiciary and other authorities will continue to misuse them to make life difficult and problematic for Ahmadis. Repeated assertions by high potentates of their commitment to Human Rights are meaningless if lower and lesser authorities are free to implement the mischief of bad laws. Self-serving, corrupt and malicious attitude of officials causes numerous incidents that perpetuate and intensify the prevailing environment of Ahmadis’ persecution. The narrative below shows how it happens.

A Baseless Case - Ahmadis Arrested

Chak 93/TDA, District Leyya; April 24, 2001: On behest of mullas, the administration registered a criminal case on April 24 against four Ahmadis for having a minaret and niche in the Ahmadiyya mosque at Chak 93, and also for keeping copies of the Holy Quran in the mosque. The case was registered under the PPC 295A, cognizable under the bad Anti-terrorism Act. The Blasphemy clause PPC 295B (defiling the Quran) was also applied, as also PPC 298B from the Anti-Ahmadiyya laws. Messers Abdul Majeed, Shaukat Ali, Anwar Ahmad and the local Ahmadi religious teacher were named in the FIR. Under the clauses applied, the accused can get life imprisonment in a quick trial. Mr Abdul Majeed and Mr. Shaukat Ali were arrested.

This case is another one in the unending series of such senseless cases, in which Ahmadis are implicated to be tried under the Anti-terrorism Act and the Blasphemy Law, although they committed no act of terrorism nor defiled anything by a long shot. The case is false, and was fabricated in collaboration with government officials. There is a known background to this serious development.

Mullas of various religious organizations started, at the beginning of the year, an agitation against Ahmadis in District Leyya. In this, they got co-operation and support from the local administration. In February, at the orders of Laal Mohammad, the Deputy Commissioner and Maqbool Langah the Assistant Commissioner, the police demolished the niche of the Ahmadiyya mosque at Chobara and arrested local Ahmadiyya leaders. These short-sighted officials thought that by acceding to mullas’ demands at Chobara, they would have peace. They did not realize that this way they would only encourage the extremists to ask for more of the same. Subsequent to the police action in Chobara, mullas held a conference at Chak 368/TDA and demanded that Ahmadiyya mosque there should be also demolished and Ahmadis arrested. Thereafter, they went to Chak 375/T.D.A. and made the same demands. Sipah Sahaba then established a branch at Chak 93/TDA and held a Khatame Nabuwwat Conference there and incited people to violence. They sent another application to Laal Muhammad, the Deputy Commissioner and made a number of anti-Ahmadiyya demands including one that Ahmadis be forbidden to call Azan (call to prayers), although Ahmadis, under compulsion of law, did not call Azan; the demand was based on a lie.

Eventually, the extremists and the authorities got their act together again, and struck against innocent Ahmadis of Chak 93/TDA. Although eight months have passed, yet Mr Abdul Majeed, the President of the Ahmadiyya Community remains in a lock-up, and has not been granted release on bail.

Desecration of an Ahmadi’s Grave

Bakhu Bhatti, District Sialkot: In this village, there is a community graveyard that has remained in common use of Ahmadis and non-Ahmadis since long. A few non-Ahmadi activists sent an application to the Assistant Commissioner, Pasrur that a mother of four Qadianis is buried in that graveyard since 1988, and the grave bears a tombstone on which the Islamic creed is written; it hurts the feelings of Muslims, as such action be taken against the four Qadiani sons of the deceased. The AC referred the matter to the police and the district attorney. The police urged Ahmadis to remove the tombstone. They declined to comply. The police, on its own, thereafter, dug up the tombstone and handed it over to the concerned Ahmadis. The Assistant Commissioner was also advised by the Deputy District Attorney that respondents be directed to remove the tombstone, otherwise they be charged under section PPC 298C (the anti-Ahmadi law).

Death of an Ahmadi in Prison

Multan; May 15, 2001: Mr Muhammad Rafiq, an Ahmadi prisoner, died while in captivity in Multan prison. He was 56 years old and apparently in good health. Mr Rafiq had been detained subsequent to the murder of an anti-Ahmadi miscreant who was a vigorous full time activist committed to the persecution of Ahmadis in the area.

The dead body of the deceased was brought over to Khanewal from where it was to be carried to his residential village, but in view of the religious tension prevalent there, it was decided to bury him in the graveyard at Khanewal.

Denial of Freedom of Religion

Ranipur (Sind): According to the daily Shaam of Hyderabad of January 14, 2001, the police refused to let Ahmadis hold a religious gathering near Ranipur. Translation of the newspaper report is reproduced below.

It should be mentioned that except for Jamaat Ahmadiyya, all religious organizations have complete freedom to hold religious assemblies - even those that are more political than religious.

The Mindless Administration

Syedwala, District Sheikhupura; August 29, 2001: Mullas and their disciples destroyed the Ahmadiyya mosque at Syedwala while the police was present but remained inactive. The next day, when Ahmadis tried to clear up the debris, the police became active against the victims and forbade Ahmadis to attend to their place of worship. A self-explanatory letter is reproduced below that was written from the Community Headquarters to the Governor of the Punjab and high Federal officials at Islamabad:

Vigorous Action against Fake Terrorism

Hyderabad: It would be recalled that Dr Waheed, Ahmadi, was awarded 10 years’ imprisonment by an Anti-Terrorist Special Court for allegedly filling Census Data Form incorrectly. He is in prison for the last three years. For sometime, he is suffering from cardiac problem. During May his situation worsened. The way, authorities handled the very sick man is noteworthy.

One of his heart valves was discovered damaged. His condition became grave; he could go to the toilette only if supported by two persons. In view of his rapidly deteriorating health, his attorney requested in March for the needed medical attention. For one month, they could not form a Medical Board to make a report, although by the last week of April, Dr Waheed’s condition further deteriorated visibly. He lost his breath, suffered increased heart-beating, had pain in his knees and could digest nothing. His attorney then asked the Court’s permission to seek private medical treatment. The court agreed but ordered that a guard of 10 armed men will keep watch over the accused. He was admitted in a CCU. Doctors advised his admission in NICVD Karachi for change of the heart valve. The attorney requested the court to permit the patient’s shifting to Karachi. As the court’s time was over, the request was not presented to the judge. The staff refused to take the application to the judge’s residence that is located within the courts’ premises, on the grounds that the judge does not like to see petitions at residence.

The attorney again had to go to Hyderabad to make the request. Subject to the approval of the court, the prison administration, the police clearance, Home Secretary’s approval, provision of the ambulance, the Ahmadi ‘terrorist’ who filled in the Census Form incorrectly was taken to Karachi under the watchful eye of 10 armed escorts for treatment.

Police act as the Front for Mulla

Daajal, District Rajanpur; April 6, 2001: President of the Ahmadiyya Community Daajal, on his return from Rajanpur, was detained by the local police at the bus stand. He was taken to the police station. The inspector told him that mullas had taken out a procession in Daajal that day and they had also come to the police accusing Ahmadis of forbidden religious activities. The inspector was very rude to the president and warned him of dire consequences. He threatened him with arrest for which, he was told, there would be no bail for two years till the Supreme Court level.

The inspector sent for the president the next day as well and repeated his warning. He also warned him of a threat to his life.

Accomplice to Murder Still Free

Faisalabad: Shaikh Nazir Ahmad, Ahmadi was murdered in Madina Town in broad daylight on July 29, 2001. The assailant, a local watchman was arrested but the man who instigated the blockhead to commit the heinous act was Shaikh Ashfaq Ahmad, the area Nazim, who was interested in grabbing the plot of the sealed local Ahmadiyya mosque. Ashfaq is mentioned in the FIR and should ordinarily have been taken in custody for police investigation. However, mullahs banded together and provided him full support to avoid arrest. Ahmadiyya Community informed higher authorities of the situation. The culprit nevertheless has remained free.

Ordeal of an Ahmadi Newspaper Hawker

Sargodha; September 1, 2001: Mr Sultan Ahmad Bhatti is a hawker for the Ahmadiyya daily Alfazal, in Sargodha. On September 1, at about 0530 when he approached an Ahmadi’s house to deliver the daily paper, he was nabbed by a neighbour, Sheikh Athar, and detained in a room that the kidnapper bolted from outside. Athar’s elder brother, Amjad joined him and the two subjected Sultan to violence. They also told him that he will be slaughtered if he did not recant. At about mid-day, Mulla Toofani, a leading fundamentalist figure of the city came along with three other clerics. They had brought along a policeman. They accused Sultan of distributing Ahmadiyya literature. Sultan told them that he was only a hawker of the Daily Alfazl that was published with the permission of the government.

They took their Ahmadi victim to the police station. They offered to release him if he recanted, but he refused. At the police station, they locked him up. The police wanted him to sign a given statement, that he refused to do.

In the meantime, Sultan’s family got to know of his predicament. They rushed to some influentials to rescue the poor fellow. They contacted the police and told them that the detainee was innocent. Eventually the SHO let him go after sunset. It was a heavy day for the unsuspecting hawker who had gone out to earn his daily bread.

It may be mentioned that Mulla Toofani has often violated the law and absconded, but, on the Ahmadiyya issue he has sufficient clout to avail official support. In this case, the authorities should have taken him to task for severely harassing an innocent citizen; instead he managed to get help from the police to assist him in his evil undertaking.

Police Apathy towards Families of Murdered Ahmadis

District Faisalabad: Mohammad Yasin of Chak 107, and a youthful son of Dr. Mohammad Siddique of Kharianwala, both Ahmadis of District Faisalabad were murdered during the month of May. Although, the first indications are that the primary reason for the murders was property disputes, the fact remains that aggressor parties always find it easy to win police sympathy against their victims if they happen to be Ahmadis. For instance, Mr. Yasin was shot to death, and 14 bullets wounds were located on his body. His enemies put his and his relatives’ homes on fire that resulted in not only damage to properties but also in burns and wounds to the womenfolk therein. Despite all this, the police attitude towards the victims was maliciously severe and highly improper. The police flayed the Ahmadi complainant, who approached them to register the case, with abuse and insults. They did this while the dead body was still awaiting burial.

Provocative Processions Pass through Rabwah

Rabwah; June 5, 2001: Rabwah is an Ahmadiyya town, in that 95% of its population is Ahmadi; however, for the last seventeen years, Ahmadis have been denied the freedom to hold here their peaceful religious open-air conferences, even sports events. On the other hand, anti-Ahmadi activists are routinely permitted by the administration to take out highly provocative processions through Rabwah and to hold hate-promoting conferences in this town. Participants of these conferences and processions are often transported here from other towns and districts. All this is done with the express permission and active support of the government. Despite this blatant discrimination, the government claims that Ahmadis face no discrimination and enjoy religious freedom in Pakistan.

On 12 Rabiul Awwal (the birthday of the Holy Prophet), Non-Ahmadis were allowed to take out processions in Rabwah, but such permission is always denied to Ahmadis. The authorities knew about the risk of mischief from the mulla, so they posted police all over the town. Ahmadiyya community also took suitable defense measures to deter any assault by the fundamentalists. At the Seerat Conference, the Chief Executive spoke some courageous words against the mulla, but it appears that courageous action is still long way away in the uncertain future.

Hounds in Hot Chase

Nankana: Mr Daud Ahmad Shakir, the president of Ahmadiyya Community of Nankana was sent for by the Assistant Commissioner. At his office, the AC invited a magistrate, the DSP and a Tehsildar to assist him with the proceedings. The Assistant Commissioner told Mr Shakir that there were complaints against him that he coerced people to watch MTA TV programs at his house, and injured their feelings. Mr Shakir was also told that he was on the hit list of the Khatme Nabuwwat organization. Mr Shakir told the officials that no one was ever forced to watch a TV program at his residence nor were any assemblies held there.

The AC told Mr Shakir that the administration was not in a position to provide him any protection; he should remain alert and take suitable measures to ensure his own safety. The DSP advised Mr Shakir to dismantle the Dish antenna to placate mullas.

The officials obtained a written statement from the Ahmadi and let him go.

Continued Harassment of Ahmadi Victims

Takhat Hazara, District Sargodha; June 12, 2001: Takht Hazara was the village where Ahmadis were massacred some months ago by a rioting mob led by a mulla. In the follow-up action, the authorities, perhaps to look non-partisan, demanded of 35 Ahmadis to submit affidavits and guarantees of good behavior under sections 107/150. This was done by all Ahmadis who were present in the court, although this procedure can expose them to further harassment and victimization.

Assistant Commissioner’s help against an Ahmadiyya Mosque

Kali Bher, Nankana Sahib: Ahmadis intended to construct a mosque in this village. They proceeded to build it after completion of all the formalities. However, mullas could not tolerate the construction of an Ahmadiyya mosque, so they decided to obstruct the construction in different ways through agitational techniques. In April, they approached the Assistant Commissioner (AC) to do the needful for them. He obliged them by going half the way. The AC ordered the police to deface the Kalima (Islamic creed) from an Ahmadi house, although it had been written there for the last seventeen years. He also told Ahmadis not to build the mosque in the Islamic style (whatever that meant, as the law does not say so). But then he told the delegation of visiting mullas; ‘The Ordinance is there, that does not mean that we dump Ahmadis in the sea’. Mullas do not accept even that kind of rejoinder. The next day, they had a news item published in the Daily Nawa-i-Waqt, with a headline - “Authorities should take note of the provocative activities of Ahmadis.”

Threat of Criminal Cases on Religious Grounds

One of the most frequent and effective modes of persecution of Ahmadis is to have criminal cases registered against them on religious grounds under Ahmadi-specific laws and the religious laws. These laws carry severe penalties including death. Once a case is registered, false or factual, it results in arrest, a complicated procedure for bail, a very lengthy prosecution in courts and possibly a severe verdict. A single case can adversely affect its victim’s life in a major way- at times ruin it beyond recovery. The accusers and Ahmadis know it, and while the former try hard to invoke the bad laws, the targets have to make greater efforts to avoid getting entrapped in the net. Three such recent attempts alone are mentioned below briefly as sample.

Note: Ahmadis do not always succeed in avoiding the mischief of the law. During the last year, Sialkot district was in the front row in that numerous Ahmadis were implicated in religious cases and arrested. They are still facing consuming prosecution in various courts.

Harassment of Ahmadi Doctors

Kotli, Azad Kashmir; October 2001: Anti-Ahmadiyya posture of the government is sufficient encouragement for any takers to take a bash against Ahmadi civil servants. All that is needed is a piece of paper to make a complaint, and obscurantism of the society and the establishment would often do the rest.

Recently, three Ahmadi doctors in the service of Azad Kashmir government faced charges of preaching their religious views. An inquiry was ordered and the doctors were subjected to disciplinary action. The Under Secretary, Public Health issued Chief Secretary’s orders against Dr Shah Muhammad Javed, Surgeon, Dr Munawwar Ahmad and Dr Jamil-ud-Din Aali, Ahmadis, as per following notifications:

1. No: SS8160-69/Ist/2001 dated October 27, 2001
2. No: SS8188-8207/Ist/2001 dated October 27, 2001

The action is undeserved harassments of these competent professionals.

Harassment in Chiniot

Chiniot, District Jhang: Chiniot is the hometown of mulla Manzur Chinioti, an ex-MPA; it is a hot-bed of anti-Ahmadiyya activities.

Mr Munir Ahmad, Ahmadi, lives in Chiniot with his family. He was noted by the opposition activists there, and they made life difficult for him. They accused him of services to the community and reported the matter to Mulla Ilyas who is reportedly a son of Mulla Manzoor Chinioti. Mulla Ilyas got in touch with the local administration, and an inquiry started. The local police and the men of the Special Branch Police visited the Ahmadi twice and subjected him to investigation.

A harassed Munir got worried and seriously considered packing up and leaving the town.

Mr. Alvi’s Ordeal gets Worse

Drote, District Chakwal: Mr. Ghulam Rasul Alvi, a teacher, joined Ahmadiyya Community in 1994. In April 1999, opponents started an agitation against his conversion and launched a hate campaign against him. They even manhandled him and made him sign a note of reversion under threats of murder. A surveillance effort was mounted at his residence to report if he violated the dictates of his tormentors.

As the months passed, the extremists have not allowed him any relief; instead, he is facing more hardships and is in greater danger. He is working in another town; he had to stop visiting his home town.

According to the subsequent reports, mullas held another big conference in his village during August this year. They urged the local transporters to refuse transport facility to Alvi’s family. They told tractor-owners not to till his land. They announced over the mosque’s loudspeakers that violators of these orders will face the same sanctions. They held another such conference again in the month of September, and instigated the villagers not to allow Alvi to return to the village. A leader of Al Badr Mujahideen declared, “It is learnt that Alvi intends to build a place of worship here; he can do that only after our blood is shed and our head decapitated.” That day, a procession passed by Mr. Alvi’s house and threw stones at it. The procession visited again at 1.30 a.m. after the conference and resumed stoning the house. Fortunately no damage was done to valuable household items. But it was a very difficult situation for the lone family who could have faced lynching.

The noose of the social boycott is getting tight against the beleaguered family. The authorities provide no support, no relief. Mr. Alvi has requested his community brethren to pray for him and his family.

Campaign of Slander in Faisalabad and Authorities’ Insensitivity

Faisalabad: ‘The Islamic Research Committee’ of Faisalabad, an auxiliary to the Majlis Khatme-Nabuwwat has issued a pamphlet specifically aimed at deterring students from seeking admission in a school whose proprietor is an Ahmadi. The pamphlet urges the “Moths of the Candle of the Finality of Prophethood” to completely boycott all social intercourse with Ahmadis, not to attend their weddings, not to develop friendship with them and not to admit their children in Ahmadiyya schools. The pamphlet warns that Muslims who violate this edict will not receive expiation of their sins on the Doom’s Day and will suffer shame in the presence of the Holy Prophet.

Another leaflet carried a deliberately disfigured caricature of Hadrat Ahmad, the Holy Founder of Ahmadiyyat, and is aimed at creating hatred in the public against him. The pamphlet makes highly provocative and false accusations against Hazrat Ahmad and makes extensive use of abusive epithets. It urges the public to produce photocopies of the blasphemous leaflet and undertake its further distribution. The leaflet also requests the “Lovers of Islam” to beat up Ahmad’s photo ten times with their shoe. The publisher of the leaflet has boldly given his address at the bottom of the page, as:

Alami Majlis Tahaffuz Khatme Nabuwwat - Nasim Manzil - Railway Road -
Nankana Sahib - District Sheikhupura Phone No: 729

The law PPC 295 A prescribes 10 year’ imprisonment for the o