Amnesty Urges Pakistan to Drop Charges Against Ahmadis, Protect Worship Sites

Amnesty International has called on the Pakistani government to immediately release and drop all charges against members of the Ahmadiyya community who have been detained in recent weeks. The global rights organization also urged authorities to ensure the protection of Ahmadi places of worship, condemning what it described as a disturbing pattern of arbitrary arrests, harassment, and desecration.

The latest wave of arrests began on March 1 when police in Daska (Sialkot) detained 22 Ahmadis for offering prayers at their religious site. Days later, on March 7, a mob gathered outside an Ahmadi place of worship in Surjani Town, Karachi, prompting law enforcement to take over two dozen members, including children, into protective custody. Later that same day, a case was registered against these Ahmadis following a complaint by a Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) activist, leading to the arrest of six individuals. Meanwhile, in Bahawalnagar, police booked nine people, including two Ahmadis and seven members of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, over the alleged torture and death of a TLP activist during a scuffle.

Amnesty International expressed serious concern over these incidents, pointing out that more than 60 Ahmadis, including children, have been unlawfully detained in the past two weeks alone. It also highlighted recent attacks on Ahmadi places of worship in Bahawalnagar and Gujranwala, warning that such actions violate the community’s right to freedom of religion and belief. Authorities have filed cases against many detained individuals under Section 298-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, a law that criminalizes Ahmadis for calling themselves Muslims or practicing their faith publicly.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has also raised alarms over the growing trend of mob-led violence against religious minorities. In its latest report, “Under Siege: Freedom of Religion or Belief in 2023-24,” the HRCP documented an increasing misuse of blasphemy laws against Ahmadis. The report noted that as of October 2023, over 750 people were in prison on blasphemy charges, and at least four faith-based killings had been recorded, three of which targeted Ahmadis. It further pointed out that in several cases, law enforcement officers themselves filed blasphemy complaints against Ahmadis, reflecting an institutional bias against the community. The HRCP also raised concerns about forced conversions of Hindu and Christian women and the desecration of Ahmadi graves.

Amnesty International has called on the Pakistani government to take urgent action by releasing all detained Ahmadis and dropping charges related to their religious practices. It also urged authorities to ensure the security of Ahmadi places of worship and hold officials accountable for harassment and destruction of their properties. The organization emphasized that Pakistan is obligated under Article 20 of its Constitution and international human rights laws to protect the religious freedoms of all its citizens.