Pakistan celebrates ‘Minorities’ Day’

Prime minister of Pakistan announced 11 August as a day for minorities. Read below to find out how Pakistan marked the celebrations.

Faisalabad, Pakistan; Augu 10, 2009: Around 300 strong contingent of Police stormed a Mosque and 28 houses belonging to Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in village Lathianwala and removed Holy inscriptions, comprising Names of Allah and Kalima etc., for allegedly hurting feelings of Muslims.

faisalabad police removing kalima from home in lathianwala 10 august 2009

Read full news from http://www.thepersecution.org

Police sacrilege Ahmadiyya Mosque and houses in Lathianwala Faisalabad, Pakistan; Aug 10, 2009: Couple of days ago a case under anti-Ahmadiyya clauses (PPC 298) was registered by some activists of Sunni Tehreek against 32 Ahmadis accusing them of inscribing Holy scriptures at their houses and place of worship which allegedly hurt the feelings of complainants in village Lathianwala located some 25KM away from Faisalabad at Sheikhupura Road. Police at the behest of some bigots also added Blasphemy clause PPC 295-C (Use of derogatory remarks, etc; in respect of the Holy Prophet) to the FIR (First Information Report) which carries death penalty. At this outrageous act of Police a three member delegation of Ahmadis approached high ranking police officials to get the Blasphemy charges dropped and settle the matter peacefully without unjustifiably hurting innocent Ahmadis implicated in the case. In the morning of August 10, 2009 around 300 strong contingent of Police, gathered from whole district, stormed the Mosque and 28 houses belonging to Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and removed Holy inscriptions, comprising Names of Allah and Kalima (Muslim creed) etc. According to reliable sources the terror and frightful operation continued for 8 hours. Police sacrilege was led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Rai Muhammad Hussain and Station House Officer Mian Muuneer Ahmed of Police Station Khururianwala while the matter was still pending decision with high ranking police official Senior Superintendent of Police Kamran Yousuf. At the time of operation Ahmadiyya delegation was waiting for a meeting with Deputy Inspector General of Police. Police used chisels, cement, paint etc to do this dreadful act of shameful sacrilege and removed every Arabic word they could find on Ahmadiyya Mosque and houses. It is worth noting that media was kept at distance thereby not allowing to cover this act. After what happened at Gojra and Mureedke last week; Police is still busy to appease the religious extremists and bigots. Religious minorities feel insecure and helpless in this hostile environment. 32 innocent Ahmadis still face the charges of anti-Ahmadiyya laws and Blasphemy, arrests and prosecution which may lead to from three years imprisonment to death.

Expulsion of Ahmadi Students from PMC

Editor note: I am posting your letter here as I am sure no one is gonna publish it in Paksitan.
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Hats off to the Principle of PMC for this timely decision of expelling all Ahmadi students from the college. This act requires a shrewd foresightedness, a truly unique sense of responsibility and an unprecedented sense of justice. I am positive that the Principle has made this decision on the basis of his clear understanding of the teachings of Ahmadiyya Community, its tradition of non-violent activities and its undeniable conformity with the law of the country. He is aware of the fact that this community is inured to accept all the undesirable acts against it. Any act of antagonism is least expected from this community.

The very right of even practicing their religion openly has been snatched away from them. They have been killed, imprisoned, tortured, denied to promotions and castigated as a community. And yet they haven’t invaded the Parliament house, they have never broken the gates of Pakistan supreme court, they haven’t attempted upon the lives of their most brutal enemies and they have never created any sort of chaos in the society. If the community on the whole has kept away from getting involved in such activities then the Principle is on the right to expect the same from the Ahmadi students of the PMC. They weren’t the ones who gathered a mob of 300 protesters to threaten the Principle to take actions against Jamiat.

The Pak Way
In fact everyone knows that it was Jamiat who could pull together a mob of 3000 protestors instead of only 300 that worked well as a trailer of a horror film. The Lal Masjid episode could well be repeated by taking control of the PMC library and the Principle could be abducted by none other than some female supporters of the Jamiat. Imagine what would have been more disgraceful for the country? Expelling of 23 harmless Ahmadi students or the abduction of the Principle of a renowned Medical school?

Moreover the Principle has well-learnt from the history of sectarianism in Pakistan that if not every year, every other year Ahmadi Doctors are killed in Pakistan. Ahmadis should just be grateful for being able to live in Pakistan, medical education is way too much they are asking for.

Ayesha Noor
Chicago, USA