Two Ahmadis killed for their faith in the last ten days.
Chenab Nagar (PR) Yesterday, 4 June 2016, Dr Hameed Ahmad, a 63-year old homeopathic practitioner was killed outside his home in Darul Salam Colony, Attock, by unknown assailants. According to reports, the deceased was returning home from his clinic after the midday prayer. When he arrived at the gate of his house unknown assailants approached him on a motorcycle and opened fire. One of the shots struck him in the head causing him to die on the spot. After the assault the attackers managed to make a swift getaway.
Dr Hameed Ahmad had been facing threats and intimidation for some time now on account of being an Ahmadi. Almost a year and half ago his clinic survived an attempted arson attack. Despite all this he remained committed to his work until the very end and was recognized by all who knew him as a decent and upright man. He is survived by two sons and three daughters.
Expressing his grief at this tragic murder, the spokesperson of Jama’at Ahmadiyya, Salim ud Din said:
“I am shocked and saddened at the news of Dr Hameed Ahmad’s murder. This is a pain that Jama’at Ahmadiyya has long had to get used to. Only recently on May 25, another Ahmadi, Mr Daud Ahmad, was killed in a similar targeted attack in Karachi. It is a cause of great concern to us that in the space of ten days, two innocent Ahmadis have been gunned down outside their homes. It seems that members of the community are again in the crosshairs of extremist groups. On the one hand the authorities speak of good governance, and on the other nothing is done to safeguard the rights of Ahmadis in Pakistan. Hate-speech against Ahmadis has become a matter of routine in the country and enables tragic events like this to take place. The National Action Plan (NAP) was meant to crackdown on hate-crimes but it seems that this isn’t the case when it comes to Ahmadis. I call on the authorities to apprehend Dr Hamid Ahmad’s killers as quickly as possible and send out a clear message that attacks such as this will not be tolerated and dealt with in the harshest terms.