A human rights organization has strongly criticized the treatment of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Pakistan during this year’s Eid-ul-Adha celebration. The International Human Rights Committee (IHRC) based in the UK expressed serious concerns over the intensified surveillance, arrests, and restrictions imposed on Ahmadis by Pakistani authorities and extremist groups. The IHRC highlighted incidents where Ahmadis were detained or arrested for engaging in religious activities on private premises during Eid-ul-Adha.
The IHRC documented instances where police in various districts of Pakistan seized animals owned by Ahmadis even before the festival began. These actions were part of a broader campaign to obstruct Ahmadi religious practices and prevent peaceful observance, according to the rights body. The IHRC emphasized that the arrests and legal actions against Ahmadis are not isolated events but are part of a systematic pattern of persecution facilitated by Pakistan’s discriminatory legal system.
Calling for an immediate halt to the targeting of Ahmadis for practicing their faith peacefully, the IHRC urged the Pakistani government to cease surveillance and monitoring mechanisms that interfere with religious observance. Additionally, the organization appealed for the release of individuals detained for exercising their right to freedom of religion during Eid-ul-Adha. The IHRC also called on the international community, including various human rights bodies and democratic governments, to address these incidents with Pakistani authorities and advocate for reforms to safeguard the rights of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community.
