Rising Tensions: Ahmadi Community Faces Violent Backlash in Pakistan

A group of radical Islamists set fire to a cold storage cabin holding the body of an Ahmadi woman in Pakistan. The incident highlights ongoing violence against the Ahmadi community by extremist elements like Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan in the region, amid widespread condemnation and calls for action.

In a troubling escalation of violence, radical Islamists set a cold storage cabin ablaze in Shakarghar, Narowal, where the body of an elderly Ahmadi woman had been temporarily kept. This act, executed upon discovering the woman's religious affiliation, has sparked outrage and demands for action from the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Pakistan.

The 85-year-old Nusrat Bibi had passed away on May 21, and her body was stored at a private hospital, awaiting the arrival of relatives from abroad. Following her burial, extremists linked to the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan orchestrated the attack, amplifying worries about the safety of Ahmadis in the country.

The incident is part of a disturbing pattern, including the killing of a senior Ahmadi doctor and the desecration of graves. Despite the community considering themselves Muslims, their legal status remains hindered by Pakistan's laws, which date back to 1974 and have subjected them to severe restrictions.

(With inputs from agencies.)