Banners and posters containing hate content and threats against Ahmadi Muslims are being displayed at many significant places in Satellite Town area of Rawalpindi city adjacent to the Pakistani capital Islamabad.

Aiwan-e-Tauheed Mosque, Rawalpindi

“The Qadianis (a derogatory term for Ahmadi Muslims) must be forced to stop their ‘unconstitutional’ activities” was the message on one of the banners that was put up on a crossroad near the Holy Family Hospital, a furlong away from “Aiwan-e-Tauheed” , the local Ahmadi Mosque.

The current wave of hatred against Ahmadi Muslims is being fueled by activists and mullahs of Jamat ud Dawa (JuD) a terrorist outfit that carried out the Mumbai attacks in November, 2008 in India and is also responsible for several deadly attacks against Shias and other minorities within Pakistan.

Poster of the Anti Ahmadi Rally

According to sources armed personnel of JuD have urged traders and local elders to take part in a protest rally against the peaceful Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Rawalpindi on Sunday the 29th of January. Many banners and posters carry the name of Mr.Sheikh Muhammad Saleem who is the Senior Vice President of the Central Committee of Traders, Rawalpindi. On other banners names of some prominent traders and members of the local bar are also displayed who have supported and ‘organized’ the protest.

Al Ufaq contacted Mr. R.Q a local Ahmadi resident of Satellite town and inquired about the situation there. He said: “The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community purchased a piece of land and constructed a building that is now being used for worship. We have used the building to offer five daily prayers and no more.”

“What unconstitutional activities? To worship is our fundamental right which is also protected in the constitution.” said Mr.A.A a lawyer belonging to the Ahmadi community.

“Our lives, property and future of our children is under threat and we have none but our Lord to save us from every brutality. We have braved persecution for very long and He has always stood by us.”  told Mr.J.S an Ahmadi trader while talking to Al Ufaq.

Al Ufaq also tried to contact leaders of JuD via telephone to know their perspective but no one was available to comment.

It must be noted that the Pakistani state has legislated the persecution of Ahmadis in the second amendment of the constitution by declaring them as a ‘non-muslim’ minority against their stated position and will. This persecution was made more rigorous by the dictator Gen.Zia-ul-Haq in 1984 when Ahmadis were forcibly stopped to call themselves Muslims or even pose or act so.

Anti Ahmadi banner, Satellite Town

A point worth mentioning is that the JuD and other sister organizations like the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipaah-e-Sabah and Lashkar-e-Taiba are known to have very close links with the Pakistani military establishment and its spy agencies the Inter Service Intelligence and the Intelligence Bureau. Only last Sunday they held a rally, the latest in a row of pro-army rallies called ‘Difa-e-Pakistan’  in Rawalpindi, which also is the Headquarter of the Pakistan’s armed forces. The miseries of Ahmadis are to get more challenging because Imran Khan who could be the next leader of Pakistan, has openly supported these Difa-e-Pakistan rallies and have sent his written messages that were read out to packed audiences.

On May 28^th 2010 two Ahmadi mosques were attacked in Lahore, Pakistan where around 100 people were killed and many more sustained serious injuries. The situation in Rawalpindi is very volatile and the lives of the two hundred Ahmadi families of Satellite Town,  Rawalpindi are in grave danger. The police apparatus has done nothing so far to ensure the security and peace of the area. Unarmed Ahmadi young men were seen guarding their only mosque against a possible attack which if carried out will be very devastating and deadly. The Government has failed miserably to secure the area and even the judiciary hasn’t punished the attacker of the 28^th May attacks.

The Pakistani Penal Code (Section 298) delegitimizes the right of Ahmadis to worship openly and call themselves Muslims. Moreover the same black law could be used to punish them if they defend themselves when their homes and mosques are attacked. Furthermore a genuine feeling of insecurity is found in the members of the community. Mr.R.Q also told Al Ufaq that he fears persecution and hatred for voicing his concerns.

With the State, its institutions and proxies on the wrong side, the Ahmadi Muslims have no ray of hope left but the one that they see inside their mosques in prostrations, which also sadly is being made to fade away by force.

View other posts by Naeem Shamim