Three members of the Ahmadiyya community sustained injuries when an unidentified assailant shot at them outside their place of worship in Chenab Nagar city, Punjab province, Pakistan. The incident occurred while the volunteers were on security duty at the Al Aqsa worship place, as per the police report filed by Chenab Nagar authorities. Al Aqsa is a significant place of worship for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
A young man on a motorcycle approached the worship place gate and fired at the volunteers before fleeing the scene, according to the police. The injured individuals were promptly taken to a hospital for medical attention, with one reported to be in critical condition. The Ahmadiyya Community spokesperson, Amir Mahmood, denounced the attack, highlighting it as the second such incident targeting Ahmadis in Chenab Nagar recently, raising security concerns among community members.
In a related development, an international human rights organization wrote to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressing serious apprehensions about the discrimination, harassment, and violence faced by the Ahmadiyya community in the province. The organization, Amnesty International, emphasized the need for immediate measures to safeguard the rights of Ahmadis, particularly during religious events like Eid al-Adha, to ensure freedom of religion, peaceful assembly, and equality before the law.
Amnesty International documented instances of restrictions on Ahmadi religious practices during Eid ul-Fitr, including the prohibition of congregations in Gujranwala and police intervention in worship activities in Sialkot and Faisalabad. The organization urged the Punjab government to investigate past incidents of violence and discrimination against Ahmadis during Eid celebrations and establish a robust reporting system for accountability.
