Ahmadiyas in Pak facing persecution

MAJORITARIAN FASCISM is on the rise in Pakistan. You have no place to complain against India on minority rights

NEIL AHMAD, who declares himself as an Ahmadi Muslim

Amid frequent incidents of persecution of minorities in Pakistan, a fresh case of alleged harassment of the Ahmadiya community has surfaced triggering sharp responses from its civil society that wants Prime Minister Imran Khan to first improve things in his own country before talking about rights of minorities in India.

The Sunni-dominated Islamabad Bar Association (IBA) had decided to prohibit Ahmadiyas from practicing the legal profession unless they file an affidavit swearing allegiance to Prophet Mohammad.

The mandatory affidavit declaration also needs lawyers to say that they do not belong to Ahmadi community as they express their Aqidah (faith)" regarding Prophet Muhammad and say “Mirza Ghulam Ahmed Qadiani was an apostate, liar and hypocrite.”

“Majoritarian fascism is on the rise in Pakistan. You have no place to complain against India on minority rights,” wrote Neil Ahmad, who declares himself as an Ahmadi Muslim.

Unlike Sunnis of Pakistan who consider Prophet Mohammad as the last messenger of God, though Ahmadis claim to be Muslims in all ways, they consider Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, founder of the sect in 1889, as their messiah and believe he lived after Prophet Mohammad as the "subordinate prophet."

The Ahmadiyas have limited rights in Sunni dominated Pakistan, and to register themselves as voters they need to renounce their faith or accept their status as "non-Muslim." In its order on January 15, IBA has asked all members to file an affidavit of "Khatm-e-Nabuwat" which reads: "I, solemnly swear I believe in absolute and complete finality of the Prophethood of Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), the last of the Prophets...”