Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a 65-year-old Ahmadi was shot dead in a police lockup. The victim was arrested on charges of Blasphemy without legal process. He remained in the police lock up for three days without being produced in a court of law. On May 16, the police allowed a teenager to bring a pistol, concealed in his lunch box, into the station with which he shot and killed the victim. The deceased was arrested on the complaint of a shopkeeper that six Ahmadis (persons belonging to the banned Ahmadiyya sect) had torn an Islamic calendar.
The lives of the other three Ahmadis, who are also accused of blasphemy, are in danger and the government has refused to provide them security. The Ahmadis residing in Sharaqpur, Shekhupura distict are under direct threat of a banned religious party which has threatened them to leave their houses otherwise they would be attacked and killed.
In the past two weeks a prominent human rights defender was shot dead, 68 lawyers and six Ahmadis were booked on blasphemy charges in the Punjab province. The human rights defender was shot dead as he refused to stop defending a university lecturer accused of committing blasphemy. It is alleged that whenever the Punjab government of Mian Shahbaz Sharif comes to power he accelerates the campaign of charging people under blasphemy laws.
CASE NARRATIVE:
Mr. Khalil Ahmad (65), belonging to the Ahmadi religious community and a father of four, was shot dead inside the police lockup of Sharaqpur police station, district Shekhupura on May 16, three days after his arrest. The police had not produced him in any court of law after 80 hours of his arrest. According to the law the police have to produce the arrested persons within 24 hours.
According to the details provided, a shopkeeper had posted derogatory remarks on an Islamic calendar about the Ahmadis, a minority community. Khalil Ahmad and three others went to the shop and asked the shop keeper to remove the sticker with the derogatory remarks, which the shop keeper refused to do and after a heated quarrel, the shopkeeper filed a case of blasphemy allegations against Khalil Ahmad.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), registered under the blasphemy law, six Ahmadis including Khalil, Ghulam Ahmad, Israr Ahmad, Mubashir Ahmad and two others, on May 13 had torn an Islamic calendar hanging on the wall of shopkeeper, Riaz Ali, during a heated religious debate with him.
Mr. Khalil Ahmad was arrested on 13 May and had been in police custody at the Sharaqpur police station. On the evening of 16 May, a teenager, Muhammad Salim came to the police station with a pistol concealed in his lunch box. The police officials allowed him to meet Ahmad and he quickly shot him dead. Salim was arrested but Ahmad was killed instantly. When the police arrested the teenager they found his age to be around 15 and that he is a high school student. He belongs to an Islamic seminary (Madressa) of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jammat (ASWJ). The ASWJ is the outfit of a banned sectarian organisation that goes by the name of Sipahe Sahaba.
Police said Muhammad Salim had visited the Sharqpur Police Station at Sharqpur village, which is some 70 kilometres from Lahore, with the premeditated intention to meet and kill Khalil Ahmad.
The Jammat-e-Ahmadiyya Pakistan has alleged that Khalil was killed with the connivance of the police.
The other three Ahmadis accused of blasphemy are on bail and as their lives are under threat they are in hiding. In fact, the entire community residing in Sharaqpur is under threat of attack as the militants of the ASWJ had already threatened them to vacate their houses and not to perform their prayers in the same manner that the Muslims are doing.
After 13 May, Ahmadiyya houses were besieged and families threatened. Eventually, the police arrived but instead of providing protection to the Ahmadis, supported the clergy and their accomplices and at their behest, accused the Ahmadis of committing blasphemy and arrested four of them because of their faith and belief.
Although the police arrested the murderer following the shooting it is likely that he will be released under the pressure of the clergy and the indifference of the judiciary to Ahmadiyya killings.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The religious minorities are living in constant fear, in 1974 the Ahmadiyya sect was declared as Non-Muslim and the followers have been arrested for reading the Quran, holding religious celebrations and having Quranic verses on rings or wedding cards. Almost 400 Ahmadis have been murdered for their faith and belief in Pakistan and thousands arrested for declaring Islam to be their religion or following the Islamic Code of worship and the Islamic Code of Conduct, according to Ahmadiyya Jamat.
Pakistan is now categorised amongst the failed States because of its indifferent attitude towards religious minorities. It is incapable of providing safety and security for its citizens and its irresponsible enforcement of blasphemy laws, which are grossly abused, and the victimisation of peace-loving, law-abiding Ahmadi Muslims on account of their belief and faith and other religious minorities as well.
In the past two weeks filing under the false and fictitious charges of blasphemy was accelerated in Punjab province under the patronage of the provincial government where one prominent human rights defender-cum-lawyer, Mr. Rashid Rehman was shot dead in his chambers, 68 lawyers were charged and booked on Blasphemy for protesting against the police atrocities and six Ahmadis booked on false charges of blasphemy. Among them one was shot dead inside the police lock up in full view of the police. In all these cases the outfit of a banned religious organisation, the ASWJ, was involved. The chief of the ASWJ, Maulana Ludhianwi, has been awarded a ticket from the ruling party, PML-N and he became a member of the National Assembly. He now has a free hand in accelerating his movement for accusing anyone on charges of blasphemy.
Whenever the chief minister of Punjab, Mr. Shahbaz Sharif, comes into power, his government accelerates the campaign against the religious minorities groups. In his previous government from 2008 to 2013 many Ahmadis and Christians were killed on blasphemy charges, houses were burned and many became displaced from their ancestral places. Two politicians, the former governor of Punjab, Mr. Salman Taseer and the former federal minister on religious minorities, Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti were assassinated for following the cases of victims of blasphemy.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write the letters to the authorities calling them to stop the killings and attacks on Ahmadis in the Punjab province. Please also urge them to:
To provide appropriate security to the Ahmadis, particularly those residing in Sharaqpur, district Shekhupura, Punjab;
Arrest the police officials of Sharaqpur for their collusion in the murder of Mr. Khalil Ahmad;
Hold an inquiry into the killing of an Ahmadi inside the police lockup in full view of the police officials of Sharaqpur police station;
The government must provide security to his four children and other family members.
The AHRC writes a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteurs on Freedom of Religion or Belief and on Extra-judicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ………………,
PAKISTAN: An Ahmadi was shot dead in police lockup and the lives of others are under threat
Name of victims:
1. Mr. Khalil Ahmad, (65), resident of Sharaqpur, district Shekhupua, Punjab
2. Ghulam Ahmad, resident of Sharaqpur, district Shekhupua, Punjab
3. Israr Ahmad, resident of Sharaqpur, district Shekhupua, Punjab
4. Mubashir Ahmad, resident of Sharaqpur, district Shekhupua, Punjab
Names of alleged perpetrators:
1. Muhammad Salim (15), Sharaqpur, district Shekhupura, Punjab
2. Riaz Ali (Shopkeeper, Sharaqpur, district Shekhupura, Punjab
2. Police officials of Sharaqpur police station, district Shekhupura, Punjab
3. Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), Shekhupra district
Date of incident: 16 May 2014
Place of incident: Sharaqpur police station, district Shekhupura, Punjab
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the brutal murder of another victim of blasphemy in the police lock with the connivance of Sharaqpur police. The Ahmadiyya community residing in the Sharaqpur, district Shekhupura, is under threat from a sectarian organisation, the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jammat (ASWJ), whose militants have threatened them to leave their houses or face death.
I am shocked to know the 65 year old man was falsely accused and fell prey to the extremist mind set. The man was in the police custody at the time of his assassination. This case shows that the police were equally responsible in the victim’s death as they failed to protect an accused. Killing an innocent in the name of religion is unacceptable. The religious minorities have the right to practice their belief, any act of insult to any religion is against the law and inhuman. The religious minorities need to be provided protection and such incidents should be averted.
According to the information I have received, Mr. Khalil Ahmad (65), belonging to the Ahmadi religious community and a father of four, was shot dead inside the police lockup of Sharaqpur police station, district Shekhupura on May 16, three days after his arrest. The police had not produced him in any court of law after 80 hours of his arrest. According to the law the police have to produce the arrested persons within 24 hours.
I am informed that a shopkeeper had posted derogatory remarks on an Islamic calendar about the Ahmadis, a minority community. Khalil Ahmad and three others went to the shop and asked the shop keeper to remove the sticker with the derogatory remarks, which the shop keeper refused to do and after a heated quarrel, the shopkeeper filed a case of blasphemy allegations against Khalil Ahmad.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), registered under the blasphemy law, six Ahmadis including Khalil, Ghulam Ahmad, Israr Ahmad, Mubashir Ahmad and two others, on May 13 had torn an Islamic calendar hanging on the wall of shopkeeper, Riaz Ali, during a heated religious debate with him.
Mr. Khalil Ahmad was arrested on 13 May and had been in police custody at the Sharaqpur police station. On the evening of 16 May, a teenager, Muhammad Salim came to the police station with a pistol concealed in his lunch box. The police officials allowed him to meet Ahmad and he quickly shot him dead. Salim was arrested but Ahmad was killed instantly. When the police arrested the teenager they found his age to be around 15 and that he is a high school student. He belongs to an Islamic seminary (Madressa) of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jammat (ASWJ). The ASWJ is the outfit of a banned sectarian organisation that goes by the name of Sipahe Sahaba.
It is reported that Muhammad Salim had visited the Sharqpur Police Station at Sharqpur village, which is some 70 kilometres from Lahore, with the premeditated intention to meet and kill Khalil Ahmad.
I believe the accusation of the Jammat-e-Ahmadiyya Pakistan that Khalil was killed with the connivance of the police.
The other three Ahmadis accused of blasphemy are on bail and as their lives are under threat they are in hiding. In fact, the entire community residing in Sharaqpur is under threat of attack as the militants of the ASWJ had already threatened them to vacate their houses and not to perform their prayers in the same manner that the Muslims are doing.
After 13 May, Ahmadiyya houses were besieged and families threatened. Eventually, the police arrived but instead of providing protection to the Ahmadis, supported the clergy and their accomplices and at their behest, accused the Ahmadis of committing blasphemy and arrested four of them because of their faith and belief.
I am deeply concerned that although the police arrested the murderer following the shooting it is likely that he will be released under the pressure of the clergy and the indifference of the judiciary towards Ahmadiyya killings.
In the past two weeks filing under the false and fictitious charges of blasphemy was accelerated in Punjab province under the patronage of the provincial government where one prominent human rights defender-cum-lawyer, Mr. Rashid Rehman was shot dead in his chambers, 68 lawyers were charged and booked on Blasphemy for protesting against the police atrocities and six Ahmadis booked on false charges of blasphemy. Among them one was shot dead inside the police lock up in full view of the police. In all these cases the outfit of a banned religious organisation, the ASWJ, was involved. The chief of the ASWJ, Maulana Ludhianwi, has been awarded a ticket from the ruling party, PML-N and he became a member of the National Assembly. He now has a free hand in accelerating his movement for accusing anyone on charges of blasphemy.
I have observed that whenever the chief minister of Punjab, Mr. Shahbaz Sharif, comes into power, his government accelerates the campaign against the religious minorities groups. In his previous government from 2008 to 2013 many Ahmadis and Christians were killed on blasphemy charges, houses were burned and many became displaced from their ancestral places. Two politicians, the former governor of Punjab, Mr. Salman Taseer and the former federal minister on religious minorities, Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti were assassinated for following the cases of victims of blasphemy.
I therefore urge you:
To provide appropriate security to the Ahmadis, particularly those residing in Sharaqpur, district Shekhupura, Punjab;
Arrest the police officials of Sharaqpur for their collusion in the murder of Mr. Khalil Ahmad;
Hold an inquiry into the killing of an Ahmadi inside the police lockup in full view of the police officials of Sharaqpur police station;
The government must provide security to his four children and other family members.
I look forward to your urgent attention to this matter.
Yours sincerely,
—————-
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Mamnoon Hussain
President of Pakistan
President’s Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 9207458
Email: publicmail@president.gov.pk
2. Mr. Mian Nawaz Sharif
Prime Minister
Prime Minister House
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 1596
E-mail: secretary@cabinet.gov.pk or pspm@pmsectt.gov.pk
3. Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan
Federal Minister for Interior
R Block, Pak Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 9202624
Email: interior.complaintcell@gmail.com or ministry.interior@gmail.com
4. Mr. Shahbaz Sharif
Chief Minister
Government of Punjab Province
Chief Minister’s Secretariat
5-Club Road, GOR-I, Lahore, Punjab
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 42 99205065
Email: cmcomplaintcell@cmpunjab.gov.pk
5. Mr. Pervez Rashid
Federal Minister
Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights
Old US Aid building
Ata Turk Avenue, G-5, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 9204108
Email: sarfraz_yousuf@yahoo.com
6. Dr. Faqir Hussain
Registrar of the Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 9213452
Email: mail@supremecourt.gov.pk
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
