Police Demolish Minarets And Mihrabs Of Two Ahmadiyya Worship Places In Nankana Sahib Without Legal Orders
Police in Nankana Sahib unlawfully demolished minarets and mihrabs of two Ahmadiyya worship places on April 9, following pressure from Tehreek-e-Labbaik, without presenting written orders
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In an unlawful action, police from the Saddar Sangla Hill police station demolished the minarets and mihrabs of two Ahmadiyya worship places on the night of April 9 in Kot Rehmat Khan and Hamrajpura, located in Nankana Sahib district.
According to details, the operation was carried out under the cover of darkness and without any written orders, sparking concerns over due process and religious freedom. The demolition reportedly followed pressure from Tehreek-e-Labbaik, which had issued an ultimatum to the district administration, demanding that the minarets and mihrabs of Ahmadiyya places of worship be removed by either the 17th of Ramadan or April 15.
In response to the ultimatum, a meeting was held on March 30 between the Assistant Commissioner of Sangla Hill, Zaheer Ahmed, and DSP Ijaz Ahmed Dogar, along with local representatives of the Ahmadiyya community. During the meeting, officials allegedly pressured the community to dismantle the structures themselves. The Ahmadiyya representatives refused, stating that they would neither remove the architectural elements themselves nor allow anyone else to do so, but added that if the state wished to proceed, it must provide written legal orders.
Despite this, at around 11 p.m. on April 9, police proceeded to demolish the minarets and mihrabs at both locations without presenting any official documentation. Local Ahmadiyya leaders once again demanded to see written authorization, but the police ignored the request and carried out the demolition by force.
The incident has raised serious concerns about religious discrimination, the misuse of administrative power, and violations of constitutional protections.
Categories: Ahmadis, Ahmadis And Pakistan, Asia, Pakistan, Pakistan Police