State Complicity in Religious Persecution: Ahmadiyya Muslim Mosque Desecrated in Farooqabad, Punjab, Pakistan Under Pressure from Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP)
A deeply malicious, senseless and shocking act of religious discrimination unfolded in Farooqabad, Sheikhupura on April 13, when local authorities, under pressure from extremist factions, desecrated an Ahmadiyya mosque. This incident, carried out by Special Branch Police and local labourers, starkly illustrates the growing alignment between state institutions and hardline groups like Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), raising serious concerns about the erosion of religious freedom and legal protections for minorities in Pakistan.
Special Branch Police officer Islam Gujjar, accompanied by two local labourers, forcibly removed the name “Ahmadiyya Mosque Farooqabad” from the mosque’s front wall and painted over the Kalima Tayyaba and Quranic verses displayed in the courtyard and hall. This action followed direct demands from TLP-affiliated extremists. Adding to the violation, the local police SHO confiscated the mosque keys from the Ahmadiyya administration, and authorities have since banned the performance of Juma prayers for four consecutive weeks. These acts have caused profound distress within the local Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and across Pakistan. This can be seen in the video linked and pictures attached below.
Link to video: https://x.com/faith_defence/status/1912592664798851340
This event exemplifies the alarming power wielded by far-right groups such as TLP, known for their history of incitement of violence and destruction. Instead of safeguarding religious minorities, law enforcement appears to be complicit—actively participating in the erasure and suppression of Ahmadiyya Muslim identity. The Farooqabad incident is not an isolated case but part of a larger, systemic campaign of persecution. Such state-enabled actions violate basic human rights, undermine the rule of law, and signal a dangerous trajectory for religious freedom in Pakistan.
The International Human Rights Committee (IHRC) reminds Pakistani authorities:
- Article 20 of the Constitution of Pakistan guarantees every citizen the right to profess, practice, and propagate their religion.
- Article 25 ensures equality of all citizens before the law.
The criminalization of peaceful worship and the use of the police and judiciary to enforce religious discrimination is a direct contradiction of these principles.
The coordinated actions of local authorities and extremist groups such as TLP represent an alarming trend of state-backed religious persecution. Immediate attention from national and international human rights organizations is urgently required to protect the Ahmad
We have repeatedly reminded the Government of Pakistan and once again remind them and the Punjab Bar Council that:
- The Constitution of Pakistan (Article 20) guarantees freedom of religion.
- The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)—to which Pakistan is a party—explicitly prohibits religious discrimination under Articles 2, 18, 25, and 26.
- Segregation of utensils and spaces on the basis of religion is a textbook case of apartheid and religious persecution.
We call upon:
- The Pakistan Bar Council and Supreme Court Bar Association to immediately denounce this action and take disciplinary action against all those involved in this vile act of bigotry.
- The Government of Pakistan to end its silence and bring national laws in line with international human rights standards.
- The international legal community and bar associations worldwide to speak out and sever ties with any professional bodies that endorse or remain complicit in this persecution.
- The United Nations and global human rights organizations to launch independent investigations into systemic religious apartheid in Pakistan.
The IHRC stands firm in solidarity with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. This relentless persecution must end.
