In a move drawing sharp criticism from human rights circles, the Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency (PHATA) has issued a discriminatory directive barring members of the Ahmadiyya community from participating in the public auction of residential and commercial plots. The instruction appears in a public notice, referencing a 1976 order (3/76-H.M-III/1 dated 07.07.1976), explicitly excluding Ahmadis from purchasing land in new housing schemes.
This directive not only perpetuates state-sanctioned religious discrimination but also stands in direct violation of Article 25 of Pakistan’s Constitution, which guarantees equal protection of the law to all citizens without discrimination.
Furthermore, the practice contradicts Article 20, which ensures every citizen's right to profess, practice, and propagate their religion, and raises questions about Pakistan’s obligations under international human rights conventions to which it is a signatory.