36 Ahmadis Arrested In Pakistan For Eid ul Adha Sacrifices, Who Are These 'Muslims' Prohibited From Performing Religious Rites

At least 36 members of the Ahmadi community were arrested in Pakistan for sacrificing animals during Eid ul Adha, a community leader said on Tuesday. The arrests, primarily occurring in Punjab province, were made on the basis that Ahmadis have been declared non-Muslims in Pakistan due to some of their religious differences from other sects of Islam.

The Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Pakistan, representing the Ahmadi community, expressed strong protest against the authorities' actions, condemning the prevention of Ahmadis from practising their religious rites within their homes during Eid ul Adha, when Muslims sacrifice animals symbolising the willingness and obedience to Allah that Prophet Ibrahim demonstrated by his readiness to sacrifice his son Ismael.  

Amir Mahmood, an official from Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Pakistan, alleged that the radical Islamist party Tehreek-e-Labbiak Pakistan (TLP) has been inciting hatred against Ahmadis and pressuring police to stop them from performing their religious rituals. He emphasised that preventing Ahmadis from practising their faith is a severe violation of their human rights and contradicts the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s rulings.

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Mahmood claimed that Ahmadis are being harassed nationwide, particularly in Punjab, by both extremists and law enforcement agencies. He said that police not only detained Ahmadis but also seized their sacrificial animals, adding that some Ahmadis were pressured not to offer Eid prayers on Monday.

"Instead of protecting Ahmadis from harassment and violence, police officials are summoning Ahmadiyya leaders to police stations and threatening them with imminent danger from the TLP if they perform the 'Qurbani' or offer Eid prayers," Mahmood said as quoted by news agency PTI.

The Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Pakistan has demanded the immediate release of the detained Ahmadis and urged authorities to ensure their religious freedom across the country. 

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Who Are Ahmadis?

The Ahmadiyya movement, officially known as the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at (AMJ), originated in British India in the late 19th century. Founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who claimed to be divinely appointed as the Promised Mahdi and Messiah (the promised saviour). The movement aims to restore Islam to its original form as practised by Prophet Muhammad and the early Muslim community. Despite their self-identification as Muslims, Ahmadis face severe legal and social restrictions in Pakistan

Although Ahmadis consider themselves Muslims, Pakistan’s Parliament declared them non-Muslims in 1974. Subsequently, they were banned from calling themselves Muslims and practising aspects of Islam, such as constructing mosques with minarets and domes or publicly writing verses from the Quran.