An Ahmadi woman in Sialkot was denied burial amid sectarian unrest; mob violence followed, yet police filed cases against Ahmadis instead of attackers
In a troubling escalation of religious intolerance, an Ahmadi woman was prevented from being buried in the local graveyard of Piru Chak village, within the jurisdiction of Motra police station, district Sialkot.
The deceased, 55-year-old Qudsia Tabassum, passed away on 21 September 2025. For four days, her family was unable to carry out her burial after extremist groups opposed her interment in the village cemetery. Eventually, under administrative pressure, her body was taken 14 kilometres away to Bhaddal for burial.
When the family attempted to proceed with the burial on the night of 24 September, a mob incited unrest, chanting slogans and attacking members of the Ahmadi community. Several people were injured in the clashes. The assailants also tried to storm Ahmadi homes, damaging property, looting shops, and setting a motorcycle ablaze.
This is not the first incident of its kind. For the past two and a half years, Ahmadis in Piru Chak have been barred from burying their dead in the cemetery originally allotted to them after the creation of Pakistan. At least six Ahmadi burials have since been forced to take place in far-off locations.
Ironically, the same graveyard was once shared with compassion: when other sects in the village were denied burial in their own cemeteries, Ahmadis allowed them to use theirs on humanitarian grounds. Until 2022, members of various sects were buried there without dispute. Today, the cemetery holds around 220 Ahmadi graves and nearly 100 of other sects.
Despite the violence, the police registered a case not against the instigators but against the victims. An FIR was lodged at Motra police station naming 11 identified Ahmadis and 20 unidentified members of the community.
The incident has further deepened fears among Ahmadis, who already face severe restrictions on worship, identity, and now, even burial rights in Pakistan.
Categories: Ahmadis, Ahmadis And Pakistan, Asia, Pakistan, Pakistan Police