Ahmadi Dentist Brutally Shot Dead In A Cold-Blooded Murder In Lala Musa, Gujrat As The Spate Of Attacks Continue On Ahmadis In Pakistan
Another unfortunate news from the land of atrocities has come this morning. It is with agonizing, heart-rending grief that we come to you with the tragic news that another Ahmadi Muslim has been brutally shot dead in cold-blooded murder, as the spate of attacks continue on Ahmadis in Pakistan.
Picture: Dr. Zaka Ur Rehman aged 53 years, who has been gunned down on July 27, 2024 in front of his Dental Clinic on GT Road in Lala Musa, Gujrat.
On July 27, 2024, Dr. Zaka Ur Rehman aged 53 years has been gunned down in the morning in front of his Dental Clinic on GT Road when he was opening his clinic to perform his medical duties in aiding people.
This comes just two days after a group of top UN Human Rights experts including UN Special Rapporteurs urged an “immediate end to discrimination and violence against Ahmadis in Pakistan, citing documented evidence of “extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and detentions, attacks on places of worship and curtailment of free expression, peaceful assembly and association.” Apparently, their pleas fell on deaf ears.
The state of Pakistan seems to have surrendered before the assailants in the name of their own protection behind the shadow of their own safety, so that these violent fanatics don’t charge them to be an Ahmadi too.
Ahmadis in Pakistan endure a life of severe oppression and live in a fear of death, and they struggle to even have the basic right to live and move freely. The discrimination against individuals based on their beliefs is unacceptable. Ahmadis do not even have the assurance of returning home safely to their loved ones.
The fact of the matter is that there is alarming increase in hate campaign activities against the Ahmadiyya Community in Pakistan. The killing of Ahmadis has become the norm in Pakistan of which the government hardly takes any notice. Threats and attempts to kill Ahmadis have increased in virtually in every part of the country.
We request your support, along with your friends and contacts, for strong action to call for Freedom of Religion and safeguard of Fundamental Human Rights from the government of Pakistan. The world should pressure the Government of Pakistan to harness each and every culprit, who has been nurturing hatred and inciting violence resulting in the brutal targeted killings of Ahmadis, in broad daylight even in front of their minor children and to bring swift and fair justice to the family of the murdered. It is of utmost importance to save the image of Islam in Pakistan, who professes to be an Islamic democratic state.
This dire situation requiers urgent international intervention. Political and faith leaders from across the world met in 2023 in London to secure Freedom of Religion and Belief for everyone worldwide. But here in Pakistan these values are not being upheld. For the respect of all that was resolved in the international conference, the world must take immediate and urgent action to ensure that Ahmadis in Pakistan enjoy their full rights to follow their religion and be able to freely practice their faith as required.
We strongly urge the international community to impress upon the Government of Pakistan to honour its responsibility, to provide effective protection and freedom of religious practice to Ahmadis, that perpetrators of such vicious attacks should be brought to justice, and to bring its laws and practices in conformity with international standards as ordained by Article 20, United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 2, 18 and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Article 25, 26.
The International Human Rights Committee (IHRC) deeply regrets to note the death on November 8 of Shahriar Rakeen, a 16-year-old Bangladeshi, who was brutally assaulted during the extremist attacks on August 5th.
During the attacks in Ahmednagar and Panchagarth, Rakeen was beaten on the head with lethal weapons. In efforts to save his life, he was treated in several hospitals, but died at Dhaka Neuroscience Hospital, where he had been a patient since August 7.
Twenty-two (22) others were also injured during the violence against the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. The IHRC condemns this assault and appeals to public authorities and civil society in Bangladesh to respect religious freedom and tolerance.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is under constant threats and also fear that more false cases can be filed against them in that area. Therefore, we want such conspiracies and harassment to be stopped, and for the government to take actions against ill-motivated conspirators.
IHRC has continuously raised its voice since many years over attacks on Ahmadiyya Muslims houses, shops places of worship and graves.
Attacks on their members have intensified. Most have come to light through social media and International NGOs.
We once again strongly urge the international community to impress upon the Government of Bangladesh its responsibility to provide effective protection and freedom of religious practice to Ahmadis, and ensure that perpetrators of such vicious actions should be brought to justice, and to bring its laws and practices in conformity with international standards as ordained by Article 20 and United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 2, 18, and 20, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Article 25, 26.
