Karachi mob kills member of Ahmadi minority

KARACHI: A mob attacked a place of worship of Ahmadi minority community in Karachi on Friday, killing at least one man, police and a community spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for the Ahmadi community, Amir Mahmood, said the mob of 100-200 people beat a 47-year-old owner of a car workshop to death with bricks and sticks and was still surrounding the building, with around 30 people trapped inside.

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The superintendent of police for Karachi’s Saddar neighbourhood, Mohammad Safdar, confirmed the death and told Reuters that police were mobilising efforts to subdue the crowd.

Dawn reported from Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Syed Asad Raza that about 400 Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan workers assembled at the hall next to the mobile market.

According to him, police had already been sent there after similar incidents in the city’s Shah Latif, Surjani, and Khokhrapar neighborhoods.

Dig Raza said the district administration, police, and Rangers acted quickly to safeguard the Ahmadi community members within the place of worship.

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According to the DIG, the deceased was identified by the Ahmadi community as a member who was connected to the place of worship.  “While CCTV footage is also being obtained, the police are determining the veracity of the claims,” he stated.

Pakistani law forbids them from calling themselves Muslims or using Islamic symbols, and they face violence, discrimination and impediments blocking them from voting in general elections.

Spokesperson for Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Pakistan, Amir Mahmood said that 46-year-old Laiq Ahmed Cheema was brutally attacked and killed by a mob outside the Ahmadiyya Hall in Karachi, located within the jurisdiction of Preedy Police Station.

He said that members of the Ahmadi community had gathered for Friday prayers at their place of worship. During this time, a violent mob affiliated with TLP surrounded the premises and began chanting provocative slogans. Laiq Ahmed Cheema, who was approximately 150 meters away from the hall, was recognized by the mob and attacked with bricks and sticks. He died on the spot due to the violent assault, he said.

He was 46 years old and is survived by two wives, three sons, and four daughters.

Spokesperson Amir Mahmood expressed deep sorrow and strongly condemned the brutal killing of Laiq Ahmed Cheema at the hands of the violent mob. He said that Ahmadis in Pakistan are increasingly being targeted with hatred, and open calls for their killing are being made.

H said that in recent months, extremist elements from TLP have repeatedly surrounded Ahmadiyya places of worship, and in response to their baseless demands, the authorities have filed cases and arbitrarily arrested Ahmadis, even those worshipping peacefully within the confines of their own religious sites.

It is worth noting that the same Ahmadiyya Hall in Karachi was previously attacked on February 2 and September 4, 2023, during which its minarets were demolished by miscreants.

The spokesperson highlighted that Article 20 of Pakistan’s Constitution guarantees religious freedom to all citizens. However, continued desecration of Ahmadi graves and worship places, false cases, and violent attacks are tarnishing Pakistan’s image before the international community.

He added that under the guise of religion, extremist elements are intensifying their malicious activities against Ahmadis, while the authorities appear to be failing in their responsibility to ensure their protection.

The spokesperson urged the authorities to immediately arrest Laiq Ahmed Cheema’s killers and ensure they are brought to justice in accordance with the law.