Killing marks second faith-based murder of Ahmadi Muslims in one week
On Thursday, 24 April 2025, Muhammad Asif, a 19-year-old Ahmadi Muslim youth, was tragically shot and killed in Bhulair, District Kasur, by unidentified extremists on religious grounds. He was riding home on a motorcycle with his friend, Asnan Ahmad—also an Ahmadi Muslim — when the two were ambushed by armed assailants approximately 100 metres from their home.
Muhammad Asif was shot in the back, with the bullet exiting through his shoulder. Asnan Ahmad sustained a gunshot wound to his leg. The attackers fired into the air as they fled the scene, further terrorising the local community. Both victims were rushed to hospital, but Muhammad Asif succumbed to his injuries due to severe blood loss. He is survived by his parents and two sisters.
Muhammad Asif is survived by his parents, and two sisters.
This brutal killing marks the second faith-based murder of an Ahmadi Muslim within a single week, following the lynching of Laeeq Ahmad Cheema by a mob in Karachi on 18 April 2025. The attack in Bhulair reflects a deeply troubling escalation in anti-Ahmadi violence across Pakistan in 2025, highlighting the lethal impact of unchecked religious hatred.
For over two years, Ahmadi Muslims in Bhulair have endured a sustained campaign of harassment, threats, and violence. Local extremist groups have repeatedly incited hatred against the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, targeting both individuals and places of worship. Ahmadi Muslims in the area have had their homes fired upon, faced intimidation in public, and been subjected to efforts aimed at their social isolation. In recent months, at least two shooting incidents had already damaged Ahmadi homes in Bhulair. In a separate recent attack, another Ahmadi Muslm individual was brutally assaulted.
Despite prior warnings, the situation continues to deteriorate with no effective protection or justice from authorities. While police have reportedly registered a case in connection with Muhammad Asif’s murder, no arrests have yet been confirmed.
This killing is a painful reminder that Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan continue to be denied even the most fundamental of rights—the right to life—purely on account of their faith. Without urgent and meaningful action, the cycle of violence and impunity will only persist.
Source: Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK.