By Dr I Malik
On Friday 20th November, after an alleged blasphemy, an inflamed angry mob attacked and set fire to a long established chipboard factory in Jhelum. The complex which included residences was owned by Ahmadis and the assault put their lives at risk.
The allegation of blasphemy, which the Ahmadi community strenuously deny, was used to incite hate by the local religious leaders. The frenzied mob was then instructed by mosque loud speakers to seek revenge and attack the complex. Fortunately no lives were lost on this occasion.
The following day the violence spread to nearby Kala Gujran, where an angry crowd ransacked and burnt furniture from an Ahmadi place of worship, before taking over the property.
This pattern of targeting minorities has become the modus operandi of religious extremists in Pakistan.
In Jhelum the authorities had to call in the Army to control the tensions.
The Ahmadiyya community has suffered decades of religious discrimination and persecution in Pakistan. Last year in Guranjwala, an Ahmadi lady and two children were murdered after their homes were set alight by an enraged mob. In May 2010, 94 Ahmadi worshippers were murdered by terrorists in two Lahore places of worship.
In the past these atrocious acts of violence went unnoticed. However with Twitter, Facebook and Youtube these deplorable acts are shown worldwide within minutes.
I appeal to the Punjab and Pakistan Government to investigate these acts of terrorism and stamp out the hate filled speeches by religious clerics which incite people to violence and take the law into their own hands.
Islam is a religion of peace, it does not allow the killing of innocent people. The religious extremists do not portray the true image of Islam, whether they be ISIS in Syria or a mob from Jhelum.
This comes at a time when Muslims are facing challenging circumstances throughout the world eg. in India, Burma and Israel. Together with rising Islamophobia in North America and Europe. If in Islamic countries like Pakistan we don’t protect the rights of minorities, how can we as Muslims expect to be treated any better in other countries abroad?
If we don’t stand up and speak out against the persecution and murder of the minorities in Pakistan, who knows who these angry mobs will target next?
Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah said ‘You are free; you are free to go to your temples. You are free to go to your mosques or to any other places of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion, caste or creed- that has nothing to do with the business of the State’.
All we can do is pray to Allah Almighty for peace and freedom in Pakistan for all citizens. Ameen.
Love for all, hatred for none.
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