Ahmadi Worship Place Demolished in Jhelum Following TLP Threats

In the Jhelum district of Punjab, the police have carried out the demolition of minarets at an Ahmadi worship place, declaring it to be an illegal structure. This action was prompted by threats made by the local leadership of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). According to a spokesperson from the Ahmadi community, the minarets were razed during the nights of July 14 and 15 in Kala Gujaran, Jhelum district.

The TLP’s Asim Ashfaq Rizvi had previously issued a threat to the District Police Officer (DPO) of Jhelum, stating that if the administration did not demolish the minarets by the 10th of Muharram, they would take matters into their own hands and gather people to do it themselves.

On July 14, the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) summoned representatives of the local Ahmadi community and instructed them to demolish the minarets themselves. However, the Ahmadi community argued that the construction of the minarets was not illegal.

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According to the spokesperson, around midnight on July 14, the police arrived at the Ahmadi worship place, confiscated the mobile phones of the worshippers, damaged the CCTV cameras, and proceeded to demolish the minarets. After the operation, the individuals present were released.

The spokesperson strongly condemned the incident as a flagrant violation of the rights of the Ahmadiyya community. The spokesperson also pointed out that a ruling issued on June 19, 2014, had emphasized the need for the protection of worship places, including the establishment of a special police force for this purpose.

In response to the matter, Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Interfaith Harmony, emphasized that no individual has the authority to cause harm to any religious worship place. He called for individuals or groups with complaints to pursue legal avenues rather than taking matters into their own hands.

It should be noted that the Ahmadi community has worship places in various cities of Pakistan, including Lahore, where ancient structures with minarets exist.

Meanwhile, the TLP has stated that they had informed the police about their sentiments within the framework of the Constitution and the law. They claim that the police took action independently, emphasizing that no individual acted unlawfully.