9 September 2008

It is with great regret and sadness that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community hereby confirms that Dr Abdul Mannan Siddiqi the Regional President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Mirpurkhas, Sindh, Pakistan was killed yesterday at around 2.30pm Pakistani time.

Dr Siddiqi was both a most eminent member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and also a renowned physician. He spent his life serving mankind through the Fazl-e-Umar Hospital in Mirpurkhas, which he himself set up. He was a great servant of Pakistan and cared deeply for the society in which he lived. In this respect he regularly dispensed free treatment to all those who could not afford private treatment.

The deceased was killed whilst working at the Hospital. He had just completed a hospital round and was returning to his office when three assailants who had been hiding inside the hospital emerged and repeatedly shot at him. An Ahmadi security guard was also shot and remains in critical condition at a hospital in Karachi.

The murder of Dr Siddiqi continues a long pattern of targeting Ahmadi doctors in Pakistan. Since 1982, 15 Ahmadi doctors have been killed in the country by fanatical extremists who preach and practice hatred against the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

The Press Spokesperson of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Abid Khan said:

It is of note that news of the murder of Dr Siddiqi has been published in a number of national newspapers in Pakistan and has been condemned by pro-Human Rights organisations within the country.

Dr Siddiqi was 48 years old and is survived by his wife, son and daughter. May God grant them strength and patience at this time.

Further Information:

Abid Khan
Press Secretary Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
press@ahmadiyya.org.uk