Police have forced Ahmadis, most vulnerable religious minority in Pakistan, to demolish minarets on their place of worship in Adda Tehsil Gojra District Toba Tek Singh, The Friday Times reported on Thursday.
A wave of bigotry against Ahmadis has intensified since the start of this year, with the police illegally demolishing minarets from Ahmadis’ places of worships in Wazirabad earlier.
Destroying minarets from Ahmadis’ places of worship is a clear violation of Article 20 of the Constitution and the Supreme Court's verdict of then Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani issued in 2014.
Article 20 of the Constitution of Pakistan grants all citizens the right to profess their religion. In 1974, through the Second Amendment to the Constitution, Ahmadis were declared non-Muslims in the country.
A wave of bigotry against Ahmadis has intensified since the start of this year, with the police illegally demolishing minarets from Ahmadis’ places of worships in Wazirabad earlier.
Destroying minarets from Ahmadis’ places of worship is a clear violation of Article 20 of the Constitution and the Supreme Court's verdict of then Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani issued in 2014.
Article 20 of the Constitution of Pakistan grants all citizens the right to profess their religion. In 1974, through the Second Amendment to the Constitution, Ahmadis were declared non-Muslims in the country.
In 1984, under the military dictatorship of Zia-ul-Haq, Ordinance XX was passed, which introduced two sections in the Pakistan Penal Code, further limiting the Ahmadis’ religious freedom.