July 25: A panel of U.N.-backed independent experts has expressed serious concern over the increasing discrimination and violence against the minority Ahmadi community in Pakistan, urging the authorities to ensure their protection.
The experts, operating under a Human Rights Council mandate but not representing the United Nations, issued a statement on Thursday alarmed by the reports of violence and discrimination targeting Ahmadis. The Ahmadiyya is an Islamic messianic movement that began in the late 19th century.
“We urge Pakistani authorities to take immediate action to address this situation,” the experts stated.
The panel highlighted two incidents from earlier this month in which two Ahmadis were killed, noting that police had arrested the attackers.
Additionally, the experts expressed concern about allegations of arbitrary arrests and detentions of Ahmadi worshippers, aimed at preventing them from participating in religious holidays.
“The right of Ahmadis to peacefully manifest their beliefs must be respected,” they emphasized.
Declared non-Muslims by Pakistan’s Parliament in 1974, Ahmadis have been repeatedly targeted by Islamic extremists, leading to widespread condemnation from both domestic and international human rights groups.
