Escalating Tensions: Tehreek-e-Labbaik Intensifies Actions Against Ahmadis in Pakistan

A radical Islamist party, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, is forcefully preventing Ahmadis in Pakistan from offering Friday prayers, intensifying religious persecution. This has led to the sealing of Ahmadi worship places and harassment, with the community urging authorities to uphold their right to practice faith freely as per Pakistan's Constitution.

The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a radical Islamist group, has intensified its actions against the minority Ahmadi community in Pakistan. On Friday, TLP members forcibly stopped Ahmadis from offering special Friday prayers in multiple cities across Punjab, reportedly torturing them in some areas.

Witnesses report that the TLP surrounded Ahmadi worship sites in Faisalabad, Sargodha, Layyah, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Bahawalpur, and Okara. They threatened Ahmadis and demanded the closure of their worship places, terming their prayers as a ‘Muslim ritual,’ thus forbidden for Ahmadis.

In response, Pakistani authorities must balance law and religious freedom. Despite police managing to diffuse tensions temporarily, the ongoing persecution and calls for legal action against Ahmadis risk further instability. This escalating situation puts pressure on Pakistan, internationally and locally, to protect Ahmedis' constitutional rights.

(With inputs from agencies.)