We are devastated to share with you the shocking report of a frivolous police case which was registered against a 65-year-old Ahmadi Muslim Woman Kaneez Bibi.
Kaneez is a resident of Sodhreki, District Sialkot, Pakistan. She was convicted under Section 295-A of the Pakistan Penal Code. She was arrested immediately and still remains in detention.
A violent opposition organization whose primary object is to flare up hatred against Ahmadis known as Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) registered a blasphemy case against this elderly innocent woman. She was accused of tearing up a poster which was explicitly abusive about the Ahmadiyya Community and its founder. It was said that the Poster had verses from the Holy Scripture printed and by shredding it Kaneez committed an act of contempt against the Holy Quran. In fact there was no such thing in the Poster and TPL made up this story to raise the public anger against Ahmadis.
Unfortunately, such baseless fake reports against Ahmadis keep on coming from Pakistan with the Government remaining mute and taking no action against the culprits and save Ahmadis from such brutality.
Once again, we humbly request the world community to rise against such abhorrent violations of human rights and freedoms of faith and belief.
It is to be noted that there is an increase in faith-based attacks on Ahmadis residing in Pakistan. Despite such incidents the Government and the law enforcement agencies has failed to protect members of the Ahmadiyya Community or in curbing the hate speech. This continuous persecution testifies to the utter disregard of the Community’s rights in Pakistan and creates a sense of deep insecurity within the Community.
The matter of the fact is that there is alarming increase in hate campaign activities against the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan. The killing and murder of Ahmadis has become a norm in Pakistan of which the government hardly takes any notice. Threats and attempts to prosecute, jail and kill Ahmadis have been on the increase almost in every part of Pakistan.
These murders, attacks, threats, frivolous cases and arrests have created a sense of deep insecurity amongst members of the community while the Ahmadis everywhere in Pakistan are living in a deep atmosphere of fear.
We keep the world community informed in the hope that it will take a stern view of these horrific acts of barbarism in Pakistan and assure the safety and security of law abiding and peace-loving members of the Ahmadiyya Community in Pakistan.
On July 13, 2021, UN human rights experts expressed their deep concern over the lack of attention to the serious human rights violations perpetrated against the Ahmadiyya community around the world and called on the international community to step up efforts in bringing an end to the ongoing persecution of Ahmadis.
We strongly urge the international community to impress upon the Government of Pakistan to honour its responsibility to provide effective protection and freedom of religious practice to Ahmadis and that perpetrators of such vicious attacks should be brought to justice, to bring its laws and practices in conformity with international standards as ordained by Article 20 and United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 2, 18 and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Article 25, 26.
More information
UK Home Office Country Policy and Information Note Pakistan Ahmadis
UN three SRs joint statement issued on Ahmadiyya Persecution worldwide issued on 13 July 2021
USCIRF 2021 Ahmadiyya Persecution Factsheet
ICJ Violations of the Right to Freedom of Religion or Belief in Pakistan
