Blasphemy Charges Against Ahmadi Community Members Ignite Religious Tensions in Pakistan

Four individuals from Pakistan's Ahmadi community were arrested on blasphemy charges. The incident occurred in Punjab's Narowal district following allegations of Quran desecration. Local religious leaders and extremist groups have heightened tensions, often resulting in the targeting and persecution of Ahmadis due to their faith.

Four members of Pakistan's Ahmadi minority community have been detained on blasphemy charges in the Punjab province, police reported on Thursday.

Authorities have apprehended Awais, Waqas, Sultan, and Zaki, accused of burning Quran pages in Narowal district, about 130 kilometers from Lahore, following a complaint by a local religious leader.

According to the FIR, Muhammad Imran, a Jamaat Ahle Sunnat leader, informed police that he witnessed the men burning Quranic pages on a street garbage heap from a mosque rooftop.

"When I shouted at them, they fled," Imran stated, adding that he then reported the incident to the police, who recorded eyewitness statements at the scene.

The accused are facing charges under Sections 295B and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

An official from Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Pakistan noted a rise in hostility against Ahmadis, who extremist factions deem worthy of death, often framing them in false cases. Pakistan's legislature declared Ahmadis non-Muslims in 1974, subsequently restricting their religious freedoms.

Recent months have seen several Ahmadi fatalities in Punjab due to their beliefs.

Per 2021 data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the predominantly Muslim nation includes minority populations of Hindus, Christians, Ahmadi Muslims, and others.

Religious minorities, particularly Ahmadis, face severe vulnerabilities and frequent attacks by extremists in Pakistan.

(With inputs from agencies.)