Pakistan: Attempt on Ahmadi Muslim youth’s life for being ‘Qadiani’

Ahmadiyya Times

A young Ahmadi man was attacked in broad daylight when he arrived at his place of work around 11 o’clock on January 23rd. The murder attempt took place at a marketplace in the city of Rahim Yar Khan, in the Punjab province of Pakistan. According to local reports, the young men (name withheld for safety) said he normally goes to work about the same time every day and this time when he arrived, a bearded mullah who was already sitting outside also hurried into the store. The mullah was also seen previously observing the store activities for several days, it was also reported. The mullah told a non-Ahmadi coworker present at the store to not work with Ahmadis and ordered him to leave the shop. As the co-worker ran out, the mullah took out a dagger and proceeded to attack the Ahmadi youngster on his neck saying “You are a Qadiani, I am going to kill you.” The youngster fought the attacker trying to stop the knife with his bare hands and received several wounds. The boy succeeded in running out of the shop and took safety in a nearby store. The mullah immediately escaped with another person on a motorcycle. The young man’s hand was badly injured with several other minor cuts and bruises. He received 5 stitches on his hand afterward. The police have thus far resisted registering an attempted murder and/or an assault case. Many rights groups say the attacks on Ahmadis are the direct result of a reckless disregard by Pakistani authorities of the hate-materials routinely published against Ahmadis which openly provoke and incite public to kill Ahmadis. 'Government should understand its duty and should stop the publishing of hate material against Ahmadis,' the Ahmadiyya representatives have demanded repeatedly in previous community statement.