Succumbing to the pressures from Muslim radicals, officials from Kala Gujran PS (Jhelum District, Punjab Province) demolished the minarets of an Ahmadiya place of worship on the intervening night of July 14-15.

Reportedly, a few days earlier Asim Ashfaq Rizvi, one of the leaders from Tehreek-e-Labbaik, had issued a direct threat to Ali Rizvi, DPO Jhelum District Police Officer (DPO) of Jhelum, warning that if the administration fails to bring down the minarets by the 10th of Muharram (28.07.2023) he will mobilize people to attack the place and demolish not only the minarets but the whole structure.

Rizvi (14 Jul) summoned the Ahmadiyas and reportedly demanded they destroy the minarets themselves. When the Ahmadiyas refused to cooperate, the police raided the place.

The raiding police party cut off CCTV connection, confiscated the mobile phones of all those present and transported them to Kala Gujran PS after which the minarets were demolished by police team.

The detained Ahmadiyas were subsequently released after the demolition of minarets.  

Ahmadiyas have been easy prey for Pakistan’s Muslim radicals.

In the last month, when the whole of Pakistan was celebrating Eid-ul-Adha, several Ahmadiyas were subjected to police actions for sacrificing animals on occasion.

During the previous few years cases of police actions, under pressure from radical leaders and preachers, on Ahmadiyas’ places of worship in Punjab province of Pakistan, despite the guidelines outlined by a three-member bench of Pak SC, led by Chief Justice Tasadduq Hussain Jilani, for the protection of places of worship, which had emphasized on establishment of a specialized police force dedicated to the security of all minority communities in Pakistan.

The HRCP in a statement (dt 17 Jul) condemned the police action and said that the state cannot afford to wilt in front of extremist elements when it is responsible for the protection of the most vulnerable sections of Pakistan’s society.

HRCP said that those who threaten the Ahmadiya community must be made accountable and a special police force be instituted to protect all religious minorities’ sites of worship as envisaged under the 2014 SC judgement.