Targeted attacks directed towards the minority communities are not new to Pakistan. Across the country from Balochistan to the Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir, the religious minority communities are repeatedly targeted by terror atrocities, forced religious conversions and other forms of discrimination. Lately, one such horrific incident was witnessed in the city of Rabwah in the Pakistan’s Punjab province.
The gunman unleashed fire on the worshippers at the Bait-ul-Mahdi Ahmadiyya Mosque, who were apparently assembled in the religious site for the Friday prayers. The firing on the minority Ahmadiyya community is been recorded on camera and several have been injured. The chilling video shows that the lone gunman opened fire at the innocent civilians who were gathered for the Friday prayers. Bait-ul-Mahdi is the headquarters of the minority Ahmadiyya community.
Police confirmed the attack and reported that six people have been injured in the attack. As per the reports, the gunman walked towards the gates of the mosque fired multiple times at volunteers and the guards stationed at the gate. Panicked worshippers immediately rushed to protect themselves. As tensions escalated one of the guards at the mosque shot at the gunman and the gunman fell down.
Police also confirmed that the assailant(gunman) was killed immediately as the guards stationed at the mosque retaliated and fired in order to prevent him from entering the mosque. “Upon reaching the main gate, the gunman opened fire on the Ahmadi volunteer guards on duty. One of the guards killed the attacker”, the Pakistan’s Punjab police said. No terror groups have claimed responsibility for the attack as of now.
Aamir Mahmood, Spokesperson of the Ahmadiyya community severely condemned the attack and said that unfortunately such hate campaigns and attacks are openly encouraged in Pakistan. “Fatwas exist that encourage people to kill Ahmadis whenever they encounter them. To protect innocent, peaceful Ahmadis, the hate campaign against Ahmadis must be stopped at once, and its perpetrators punished in accordance with the law”, the spokesperson of the community further added.
Ahmadiyya minority community is one among the religious minorities of Pakistan who are persistently targeted by the terror attacks and other atrocities. Even the Hindus, Christians and other minorities repeatedly claim about the persecution, enforced disappearances and forced conversions faced in Pakistan. Even the international human rights organizations such as the Amnesty International have consistently raised concerns about the attacks on the Ahmadiyya community and other minorities.
