Sunni extremists in Pakistan have demolished a historical mosque belonging to the Ahmadiyya community in Punjab province, the latest attack on the minority group in the Muslim-majority country.
A persecuted minority sect, the Ahmadiyya community was declared non-Muslims in Pakistan through a constitutional amendment in 1974 during the tenure of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
The latest mob attack took place in Sialkot on Wednesday night.
Nearby mosque suffers same fate
As the local municipal administration started demolishing a private property of an Ahmadiyya follower, about 600 miscreants demolished the nearby mosque later.
Ahmadiyya spokesman Saleemuddin said in a statement that the mob launched the attack at about 11 PM and it continued till 3 AM (local time).
“The place of worship and the house that has been demolished by the mob in Sialkot have great historical significance for members of the Ahmadiyya community all over the world,” he said.
Police were mute spectators
The police kept on watching the vandalism and did nothing to prevent the attackers, Saleemuddin alleged, adding that it shows the state institutions have surrendered before the elements that are exploiting in the name of religion in order to fulfil their vested interests.
“Ahmadiyya places of worship have been under attack in the past as well, and so far not even a single culprit has been brought to justice,” Mr. Saleemuddin alleged.
Ahmadiyya people are not allowed to call their place of worship as mosques.
Zia’s tough persecution line
Former president General Zia-ul-Haq had made it a punishable offence for Ahmadiyyas to call themselves Muslims or to refer to their faith as Islam.
The community is also banned from preaching as well as from travelling to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage. They are also not allowed to publish any material propagating their faith.
Members of the community in Pakistan have often been targeted, including in terror attacks.
