2020 BROUGHT AN INCREASE IN ACTS OF TARGET KILLINGS AND ATTEMPTED MURDERS OF THE AHMADIS IN PAKISTAN 24 Nov 2020

In 2020, there is a sudden increase in acts of target killings and attempted murders of the members of the Ahmadiyya Community in Pakistan. Most unfortunately, these ruthless killings have increased from July 2020 onwards.

Following, inter alia, is a list of such incidents:

1. On 27.02.2020, an eleven-year old Ahmadi boy Tanzeel Ahmad Butt son of Aqeel Ahmad Butt was abducted and brutally killed by neighbours in Shahdara, Lahore. The neighbour, Zainab, murdered the poor child by suffocating him and hid the body in the trunk. The victim’s corpse was later found in a steel trunk in the neighbour’s apartment.
2. On 29.07.2020, a US citizen Mr. Tahir Ahmad Nasim was gunned down in a courtroom in Peshawar on the basis of Ahmadiyya faith. This killing led to a chain of murders that continue to take place till date in Peshawar.
3. On 11.08.2020, an Ahmadi Sheikh Nasir Ahmad from Lalamusa was a target of assassination attempt. He was shot & as a result received 4 bullet shots. He miraculously survived but received serious injures including fractures that are severely affecting his movements.
4. On 12.08.2020, a devout member of the Ahmadiyya Community namely, Mr. Mairaj Ahmad s/o Mahmood Ahmad was murdered in cold blood by unknown assailants at 09:00 pm when he left his Medical Store in Dabgari Garden, Habib Medical Centre, Peshawar.
5. On 20.09.2020, Mr. Gulzar Ahmad (brother of murdered Mairaj Ahmad) was shot six times from a close range by an unknown miscreant whilst he was sitting at his shop in Dalgra Bazaar, Peshawar. He was fortunate enough to survive the attack.
6. On 05.10.2020, Mr. Naeemuddin Khattak (PhD), an Ahmadi Professor teaching at the Superior Science College was killed by unknown assailants whilst going back from his work on Dorra Road, Peshawar. He was receiving similar threats from a fellow Professor who is also his non-Ahmadi relative with whom he had an altercation on religious grounds.
7. On 08.11.2020 at around 08:00 am Mr. Mahboob Khan, an Ahmadi, was killed in a village called Sheikh Muhammdi in Peshawar because of his faith. Mr. Mahboob Khan s/o Syed Jalal of District Peshawar was around 80 years old. Till his retirement in 2002 he was serving as a Superintendent in the Public Health Engineering Department. Since 2002 he was living off of his pension. He was on his way back home from visiting his Granddaughter when unknown assailants opened fire at him near a bus station. He was shot multiple times thus resulting at his immediate demise. He has left behind a widow, 2 sons and 2 daughters. As a member of the Ahmadiyya Community, Mr. Mahboob Khan was facing threats because of his faith.
8. On 20.11.2020, An Ahmadi Dr Tahir Ahmad age 31 died as a result of a fatal attack on Ahmadi worshipers which left 3 others severely wounded in Murh Balochan District Nankana Sahib. Members of Ahmadiyya family gathered to offer Friday prayers at their house when the attack happened. His wounded father has been fighting for his life in critical condition, while two other members of the same family are injured as well.

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