On 5 December, Mr. Tayyab Ahmad, a 40-year-old member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, was tragically murdered in a religiously motivated attack in Rawalpindi. The assailant, armed with an axe, approached Mr. Ahmad and his brother, Mr. Tahir Ahmad Qamar, at their shop. Before launching the assault, the attacker invoked prior warnings for “Qadianis” to leave the area. Mr. Ahmad succumbed to his injuries on the spot.
The term “Qadiani(s)” is a derogatory term used against members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
Mr. Ahmad had recently travelled from Rajanpur to visit his brother, Mr. Qamar, who had been managing the shop despite enduring death threats and hostility.
Days before the attack, a nearby religious gathering incited participants to pelt stones at the shop, escalating tensions. Extremists had targeted the shop by throwing stones and issuing constant threats. Due to these escalating threats, Mr. Qamar had recently relocated his family out of Rawalpindi for their safety.
The perpetrator, believed to be in his early 30s, fled the scene while continuing to threaten the Ahmadiyya Muslim community.
Mr. Ahmad is survived by his widow. His brother, who was present during the attack, survived.
This murder marks the fifth religiously motivated killing of an Ahmadi Muslim in Pakistan this year. The incident highlights the severe risks faced by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community due to rampant intolerance, hate speech, and violence. The community continues to face persecution from extremist groups, intensifying fears and underscoring the lack of accountability for such acts of violence.
Source: Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK.