URGENT: Bail Denied for Innocent Ahmadi Muslim Worshippers
Pakistan Arrests 22 Ahmadi Muslims For Praying – A Shameful Assault On Human Rights
Sialkot, Pakistan – The International Human Rights Committee (IHRC) sounds the alarm on an outrageous and unconscionable violation of fundamental freedoms in Pakistan. Twenty-two (22) Ahmadi Muslims have been arrested and face criminal charges for the “crime” of offering Friday prayers – a basic act of worship that has ignited a firestorm of persecution and exposed Pakistan’s flagrant disregard for its international obligations.
The bail application of all 22 was dismissed by the Court in Daska Punjab on 05-03-2025, and the copy of the judgement is attached.
The IHRC has obtained and translated an explosive document – the original Urdu complaint filed with Sialkot police by Mr. Hamza Asif Butt under Article 154 of the Criminal Procedure Code. This chilling account reveals the depths of intolerance gripping the nation. Butt recounts passing a building, hearing the sound of prayers, and intruding further to discover 26 “Qadiani’s” – a derogatory slur for Ahmadi Muslims – engaged in Islamic worship. He alleges this act is illegal, claiming it “preaches against Islam,” “deeply hurts Muslim sentiments,” and “causes unrest.” His response? A call to a police hotline that triggered swift arrests and a formal case against these peaceful worshippers.
This is not justice – it is a travesty. The IHRC declares unequivocally: this case is baseless, legally bankrupt, and a grotesque assault on international human rights standards to which Pakistan is bound. It defies universal morality, common decency, and the very principles of humanity.
Pakistan’s Broken Promises to the World
Pakistan cannot hide behind its borders. As a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), ratified in 2010, Pakistan is legally and morally obligated to protect freedom of religion or belief. Article 18 of the UDHR and ICCPR thunders with clarity:
“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom… to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance, either alone or in community with others, in public or private.”
The Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief further cements this sacred right. Yet, in Sialkot, Pakistan has trampled these commitments underfoot, rounding up Ahmadis for daring to pray – an act of faith now branded a crime.
A Call to the World: Act Now!
The IHRC demands immediate action. This shameful case must be dismissed, and the 22 Ahmadis unjustly detained must be freed without delay. We call on Pakistan’s partners in the international community – nations, leaders, and human rights defenders – to raise their voices in outrage and compel Pakistani authorities to end this travesty. Silence is complicity.
The persecution of Ahmadi Muslims is not a domestic quirk; it is a global disgrace. Pakistan’s actions mock the treaties it has signed and the values it claims to uphold. The time for accountability is now.
Pakistan is thus egregiously flouting international religious freedom standards. The IHRC calls upon governments, including that of the European Union, United States and UK, which have affirmed their support for religious freedom, to urgently engage with Pakistani authorities at this critical juncture, when escalating, state-sanctioned religious persecution is rising to unprecedented levels.
ANNEXURES:
- First information report 487/25 dated 28.02.2025
- Petition for post arrest bail
