Pakistan under fire for systematic persecution of Ahmadis, Hindus, and Christians

Chenab Nagar [Pakistan] October 4 (ANI): Pakistan continues to face global condemnation for its deep-rooted religious intolerance, as highlighted in a recent country update, citing the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).

The report denounces Pakistan's systematic persecution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community and the alarming increase in forced conversions and blasphemy-related violence across the country, as reported by Rabwah Times.

According to Rabwah Times, Pakistan's Penal Code openly discriminates against Ahmadis, barring them from identifying as Muslims or practising their faith publicly.

The USCIRF report documented a disturbing surge in violence against Ahmadis in 2025, including the demolition of three Ahmadi mosques in Punjab within a span of ten days in February.

In April, a mob of over 400 attacked another Ahmadi mosque and brutally lynched Laeeq Cheema, an Ahmadi activist who had been documenting previous assaults. Police later arrested 13 individuals linked to the killing.

In Karachi, two Ahmadi men were attacked inside a courtroom in March, leading to the death of one, Tahir Mahmood. In another tragic case, an Ahmadi named Sheikh Mahmood was gunned down in Sargodha after receiving repeated death threats.

The report further revealed how authorities in Punjab excluded Ahmadis from property auctions and even registered cases against 42 members for praying in a private home. During Eid, courts ordered police to stop Ahmadis from congregating, resulting in the arrest of 22 worshippers in Sialkot.

Forced conversions of Hindu and Christian girls persist in Sindh and Punjab, often involving abduction, coercion, and forced marriage. Legal reforms remain limited to Islamabad, with conservative religious bodies dismissing new laws as "un-Islamic," as cited by Rabwah Times.

The USCIRF findings also condemned Pakistan's draconian blasphemy laws, under which hundreds remain imprisoned. It called for the repeal of these laws, an end to forced conversions, and stronger protections for religious minorities, as reported by Rabwah Times. (ANI)

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