RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION AND MERCILESS TORTURE OF AHMADIYYA MUSLIMS IN PAKSITAN
On 2nd May 2020, an Ahmadiyya Missionary, Rohan Ahmad, stationed in Rabwah was visiting his parents in Lahore, to celebrate the Eid festival with them. His hopes of a happy reunion with the family turned into a horrible incident. Their home was raided, and he was arrested on the accusation that he possessed Ahmadiyya literature. He was charged under 298-C and 295-B, PPC & 11 of Electronic Crimes Act. Along with him, several other senior officials working at the Ahmadiyya Headquarters in Rabwah were named in the FIR. The Missionary, Rohan Ahmad, remains in jail in Lahore. The Ahmadiyya Community has been trying for his bail without success.
On 29th September 2020, two co-accused of Rohan Ahmad along with two guarantors and one other Ahmadi visited the Federal Investigation Authority, Cybercrime Office in Lahore to try to join the investigation. Unfortunately, instead of listening to their pleas, they were all arrested, all five of them. The FIA acquired physical remand for two of accused, that is, Malik Usman and Hafiz Tariq Shehzad until 05 October 2020. They are accordingly locked up in Cybercrime jail in Gulberg, Lahore.
On 1st October 2020, two officials from Rabwah went to Lahore to visit them in the prison. During the meeting the visitors were told of the physical torture the Ahmadi prisoners were subjected to. The violence and torture on them were witnessed by a staunch opponent of Ahmadis, Mullah Hassan Muavia and several other Mullahs. It was apparent that the whole scheme of arresting Ahmadis and subjecting them to this agonising torment was conjured by the mullahs and their accomplices.
The worst happened, that the two guarantors who went with them were also arrested under the accusation of offering bribe to the Cybercrime officers. However, after a strenuous struggle, they were both released on bail but the case against them still stands.
Mr Zaheer Ahmad, another Ahmadi who was also present there was framed and arrested as well. The clerics took his mobile phone, unlocked it and themselves loaded onto it some books of the Founder of the Ahmadiyya community and the translation of the Holy Quran and produced that as evidence for the arrest of Zaheer Ahmad.
The three of them are still in prison in Lahore and they are denied the basic and fundamental facilities. The Ahmadiyya Community in Lahore is providing them food and beds to sleep.
The persecution, assault and torture of Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan continues unabated. The Government authorities take no notice of it and on the contrary support the clerics in their atrocities against Ahmadis. This has gone on for too long and is still going on. The world Community must take stern action to stop this shocking, irresponsible behaviour of a Government who are signatories to the Human Rights Charter including freedom of religion against a peace loving and peace promoting Community who always remains loyal and faithful to the laws, rules and regulations of the Government in office.
