After a crackdown on terrorists was launched in Karachi in September 2013, it has been difficult to spot graffiti or posters instigating hatred against religious minorities or sects. While most organisations are clever about it, some still openly run a hate campaign against a minority group.

Although an uncommon sight in the mainstream areas of the city, a poster and stickers inciting hatred against the Ahmadiyya community were recently seen pasted next to the ATM door of a bank near Disco Bakery in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

The authorities concerned including the owners of the building are supposed to remove the hate-promoting material but fear invoking the wrath of religious extremists.

“We haven’t removed the poster and stickers yet because we aren’t sure about who pasted them,” said a representative of the bank. “Besides if we do so, it will put the lives of our staffers at a risk.”

The poster carries the name of the organisation that pasted it and the address of its website.

On Sunday night, a member of the Ahmadiyya community was murdered outside his house in Block-1 of Gulshan-e-Kaneez Fatima in Sachal.

Five months ago, a doctor belonging to the community was shot dead at his clinic in the Abul Hassan Ispahani area, not far from the bank.

Speaking on these cases, SSP East Faisal Abdullah said that the law was very much in place for such occurrences.

“Given that it’s a minority issue, we have a law depending on the level of the hate speech or material. For instance, the poster and stickers next to the ATM falls in the category ogf hate material and we will take action against it,” he added.

“It is also important to see how frequently it’s being done and then through the Fourth Schedule under Anti-Terrorism Act, the individuals involved in this activity will be kept under watch.”

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan chairperson Zohra Yusuf said given that it was illegal to… read more at source.