Ahmadi Muslims Prevented from Offering Eid Prayers Across Punjab, Pakistan
On the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, Ahmadi Muslim worshippers across multiple districts in Punjab were prevented from offering Eid prayers following coordinated actions by local authorities.
Police entered Ahmadi Muslim mosques, forcibly removed congregants, and shut down mosques, in some cases locking the premises to prevent further use. These measures effectively denied the community the ability to observe one of the most significant religious occasions and constitute a serious restriction on religious practice.
Acting on instructions attributed to the provincial administration, Punjab Police intervened at several locations on the morning of Eid, dispersing worshippers and vacating mosques. Community members reported harassment and coercive measures aimed at preventing congregational prayers.
Documented incidents include:
- the prohibition of Eid prayers in Gujranwala,
- the prevention of Eid prayers at six locations in Sialkot,
- the forced evacuation of an Ahmadi mosque in Faisalabad prior to Eid prayers, and
- the clearing and sealing of multiple Ahmadi mosques in Sargodha.
The enforcement measures form part of a broader pattern of administrative restrictions on Ahmadi Muslims, including the use of police to restrict worship within private premises and targeted action during significant religious events. The incidents also reflect a failure to implement established legal protections, including the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s ruling of 12 January 2022 affirming the right of Ahmadi Muslims to practise their religion within their mosques.
Preventing Ahmadi Muslims from offering Eid prayers engages core protections under domestic and international law, including Article 20 of the Constitution of Pakistan and Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, both of which guarantee the right to practise and manifest religion. The actions of the police and local administration represent a direct restriction on religious observance within private premises and are inconsistent with these legal standards.
For over 50 years, Ahmadi Muslims have been targeted by constitutional and social discrimination in Pakistan, yet the developments of this Eid reveal a worsening crisis.
The coordinated sealing of mosques, denial of fundamental worship rights, and imposition of baseless arrests represent a serious escalation of anti-Ahmadi sentiment.
These actions violate both Pakistan’s constitutional commitments to religious freedom and internationally recognised human rights standards.
Source: Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK.