Religious Freedom Undermined: Ahmadis Barred from Eid Rites in Punjab

In Punjab, Pakistan, police barred the Ahmadi minority from celebrating Eid, citing alleged government orders. This move, condemned by Jamaat Ahmadiyya Pakistan, violates constitutional and Supreme Court mandates ensuring religious freedom, highlighting discrepancies between official anti-extremism stances and local administrative actions that threaten Pakistan's global image.

In a controversial move, police across several districts in Punjab, Pakistan, have reportedly prevented the Ahmadi minority community from performing their religious rites during Eid. Jamaat Ahmadiyya Pakistan (JAP) decried the action, citing government directives as grounds for forcibly vacating Ahmadi worship spaces, which were subsequently locked.

The actions were denounced as direct violations of Pakistan's Constitution and Supreme Court rulings, which uphold the right to religious freedom. 'Barring Ahmadis from religious practices on Eid represents a severe breach of the Supreme Court's order,' said JAP spokesman Amir Mahmood.

Mahmood emphasized the clash between state officials' proclamations against extremism and the reality of ground-level enforcement that supports such ideologies. 'These actions have not only damaged Pakistan's global image but also contradict the state's official stance on pluralism,' he stressed, urging for a reflection of constitutional guarantees in administrative actions.