Persecution of Ahmadiyya

Persecution of Ahmadiyya has occurred periodically. The information given below is but a summary of major periods of Persecution of Ahmadis.

1953

In 1953 at the instigation of religious parties, Anti-Ahmadiyya riots erupted, killing scores of Ahmadi Muslims and destroying their properties. There were severe agitations against the Ahmadis in which street protests were held, political rallies were carried out inflammatory articles were published. These agitations led to 2,000 Ahmadiyya deaths. Consequently, martial law was established and the federal cabinet was dismissed by the Governor General. [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+pk0121)]

1974 riots

In 1974 a violent campaign, mainly led by the Jamaat-e-Islami, was started against the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Pakistan on the pretext of a clash which took place between Ahmadis and non-Ahmadis at the railway station of Rabwah. This campaign resulted in several Ahmadi casualties and destruction of Ahmadiyya property including the descretation of mosques and graves. As a result of pressure from this agitation, legislation and constitutional changes were enacted to effectively criminalise the religious practises of Ahmadis by preventing them from claiming to be Muslim or from "behaving" as Muslims. [ [http://www.pakistani.org/pakistan/constitution/amendments/2amendment.html Pakistan Gazette 21st September, 1974] ]

Ordinance XX

Gen. Zia-ul-Haq on Apr 26 1984 promulgated anti-Ahmadiyya Ordinance XX in which the Ahmadis were oultlawed.(http://www.thepersecution.org/archive/ordxx.html)

This ordinance restricted Ahmadis to preach and profess their belief. Many Ahmadis were arrested within days of promulgation of this ordinance, and it gave way for widespread sanctioned as well as non sanctioned persecution.

hab Qadar Incident

The Shab Qadar incident was a public stoning of two members of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the town of Shab Qadar, in North West Frontier Province, Pakistan in 1995. [Amnesty International April 8, 1995, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, [http://www.thepersecution.org/archive/pl_crimes.html page 82 of its Annual Report (1995)] ]

Background

A local person by the name of Daulat Khan, who converted to the Ahmadiyya faith, was arrested on 5 April 1995 under sections 107 (abetment) and 151 (disturbing the peace by joining in unlawful assembly) of the Penal Code. Two separate cases were registered against Daulat Khan under sections 295 A and 298 C of the Penal Code. He was imprisoned in Central Jail, Peshawar.

Events of April 9

On April 9 1995, Rashid Ahmad and his son-in-law, Riaz Khan, were attacked by a mob incited by the local clerics as they were about to attend a court hearing in Shab Qadar in order to file a bail application on Daulat Khan's behalf. Riaz Khan was stoned to death and Rashid Ahmad was taken to hospital in Peshawar with serious injuries. A third Ahmadi advocate, Bashir Ahmad, escaped unhurt. ["Implementation of the declaration on the elimination of all forms of intolerance and of discrimination based on religion of belief", Report submitted by Mr. Abdelfattah Amor, Special Rapporteur, in accordance with UN Commission on Human Rights resolution 1995/23]

Cultural reference

Famous Urdu novelist Mustansar Hussain Tarar made a reference to this event in his novel entitled "raakh" ('ash').

References

External links

* [http://www.thepersecution.org/ Website about persecution of Ahmadis]
* [http://www.thepersecution.org/dl/MunirReport.pdf Justice Munir Enquiry Report on Anti-Ahmadiyya riots of 1953 (Urdu)]
* [http://www.thepersecution.org/dl/report_1953.pdf Justice Munir Enquiry Report on Anti-Ahmadiyya riots of 1953 (English)]
*History of Persecution 1971-1980 [http://www.thepersecution.org/facts/h71-80.html]
*Pictures of those Martyred in 1974 [http://www.thepersecution.org/photo/shaheed/index.html]