A Pakistani online retailer refused delivery of food in the locality settled by Ahmadiyas and cancelled the order saying it “can’t deliver to Qadiani areas”.
The online retailer cancelled the order saying it “can’t deliver to Qadiani areas”. (Photo: Reuters/ for Representation)
APakistani online retailer has refused to deliver food ordered online saying delivering food in a locality settled by Ahmadiyas is blasphemous in Pakistan.
Ahmadiyas (also spelt as Ahmadiyyas) have long complained of discrimination in Pakistan by fellow Muslims, who consider them as heretic.
According to local news reports, the retailer refused delivery of food in the Chenab Nagar area of Pakistan’s Punjab province. The retailer cancelled the order saying it “can’t deliver to Qadiani areas”.
The word Qadiani is used as religious slur in Pakistan to refer to Ahmadiya Muslims.
“We had received your order. We regret to inform you that we had cancelled your order and we are not delivering to Chenab Nagar as it’s blasphemous area for us. We can’t deliver to Qadiani areas,” the retailer told the customer.
It is not a one-off incident in Pakistan. Earlier this month itself, an incident became a talking point when a mob attempted to prevent burial of an Ahmadiya woman in Punjab’s Sheikhpura district.ADVERTISEMENT
Tension prevailed in the area for days before an agreement could be reached after involvement of district administration. The Ahmadiya community was allowed to bury the dead in the designated cemetery.
In October 2020, a wall chalking on a primary school building just outside Lahore surfaced on social media in which the area was declared out of bounds for Ahmadiyas.
It said, “Qadianis are not allowed in this area until they accept Islam.”
Similarly, signboards outside a shop declaring “Qadianis aren’t allowed in this shop” or “Qadianis should not enter this shop to avoid further humiliation” are not uncommon in Pakistan.
Who are Ahmadiyas?
Ahmadiya is a sub-sect of Islam. The followers consider themselves as Sunnis of the Hanafi school of Islam.
It was founded in India by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in 1889 at Kadian (Qadian) in the Punjab region. His followers believe that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was an incarnation of the Prophet.
Their claim of being a Muslim is not recognised in Pakistan, where they are denounced as heretic.
Status In Pakistan
Through a constitutional amendment in 1974, the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto government declared Ahmadiyas as non-Muslims. Later, General Zia-ul Haq regime made it a punishable offence for Ahmadiyas to call themselves Muslim or mention their faith as Islam.
ALSO READ: ‘Mentally ill’ MP man returns home from Pakistan jail. Here is his story
source
Categories: Ahmadis And Pakistan, Asia, Pakistan, Pakistan Inter-Faith
and we need to rely on Indian Media to give us this news update.