NEWLY APPOINTED CEO HEALTH CHAKWAL REMOVED FOR BEING AHMADI IN PAKISTAN – Sep 1, 2021

IHRC/PR/010921/1

01 September 2021

 

PRESS RELEASE

Newly Appointed CEO Health Chakwal Removed For Being Ahmadi IN PAKISTAN

Newly appointed CEO Health Chakwal Dr. Waseem Ahmed has been removed from his post, for being an Ahmadi. Dr. Waseem Ahmad was appointed as CEO Health, Chakwal on 20th of August 2021 who assumed charge of this post on 24th of August, 2021.

Right after his assumption of charge a well-planned hate compaign was started against him in which, not only the religious organisations but also the local media outlets and lawyers’ associations played their active part and a unanimous demand of removal of Dr. Waseem Ahmad was made to the Health Care Department of Government of the Punjab just because of his belief.

Intolerance and hatred towards Ahmadis in Pakistan are nothing new rather it has a history spread over decades which is gaining momentum day by day under the State supervision. Systematic marginalisation of Ahmadis in all walks of life, because of their religious beliefs is not considered condemnable and Ahmadis are being treated as such a class which has no basic human rights and a recent incident in District Chakwal has proven these facts.

It has also been reported that local Member Provincial Assembly and Minister in Government of the Punjab, Hafiz Ammar Yasir raised this issue before the Speaker Punjab Assembly Ch. Pervaiz Elihi who approached the Provincial Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid and asked her to remove Dr. Waseem Ahmad from the position of CEO Health, Chakwal whereafter the Ahmadi public official was transferred from this post just after few days of his appointment.

This incident is another evidence of the hatred prevalent in the society against Ahmadis who are being denied of their rights just because of the fact that the majority is not happy with their religious beliefs.

On July 13, 2021, UN human rights experts expressed their deep concern over the lack of attention to the serious human rights violations perpetrated against the Ahmadiyya community around the world and called on the international community to step up efforts in bringing an end to the ongoing persecution of Ahmadis.

We request your support, along with your friends and contacts, for a powerful action to call for Freedom of Religion and safeguard of Fundamental Human Rights from the Government of Pakistan.

Most importantly, the Government of Pakistan should ensure that all citizens enjoy Freedom of Religion and equal citizen rights as stipulated in the Constitution of Pakistan Article 20 and United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 2, 18 and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Article 25, 26.

 

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