11 November 2008

In September 2008 ten members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat were falsely arrested under sections 298B and 298C of the Pakistani Penal Code. Although temporary bail had been assured, at a confirmation hearing the presiding Judge cancelled the right to bail of all but one of the accused. Thus on 6th October 2008 the accused were sent to Jhang Prison, at a great distance from their homes in Rabwah (Chenab Nagar).

Police dealing with this case in Rabwah originally registered First Information Report (FIR) No. 443/08 on the grounds that the ten men who are traders published Ramadan Calendars in which the terms ‘Khilafat’ and ‘Imam’ were allegedly used. However the anti-Ahmadiyya specific laws used to charge the ten men do not include either of these two words on its list of ‘Islamic terms’.

The incompetence of the Police is illustrated by the fact that one of the accused, Mian Latif Ahmad, is actually deceased. The ruthless nature of the Police is illustrated by the fact that one of the accused, Shah Zeb Asim, is a young boy who is not yet a teenager.

The International Community is urged to take action against the continued persecution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Pakistan.

Further info: Abid Khan, Press Secretary