A UK-based Christian organization and a global rights group have raised concerns over the Ahmadis in Pakistan being prevented from celebrating the Eid al-Adha festival, amid reports of threats and harassment faced by the minority community across the nation.
“Police have confiscated goats from Ahmadi homes in Karachi,” Amir Mehmood, a spokesman for the community, said on the eve of the festival of sacrifice, which is being celebrated in Pakistan on May 27.
Ahmadis, a group that emerged in British India in the 19th century and identify as Muslim, are regarded as heretical by orthodox Muslim groups. They are legally barred in Pakistan from calling themselves Muslims or using Islamic symbols in their religious practice.
Mehmood said his community — there are 162,684 Ahmadis in Pakistan, according to the 2023 census — has been facing continuous harassment for the past few days.
“Ahmadis are being summoned to police stations and forced to give undertakings that they will not sacrifice animals or organize Eid gatherings,” he said.
Cecil Shane Chaudhry, South Asia deputy team leader at the UK-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), strongly condemned the restrictions.
“It is very unfortunate and sad that every year the Ahmadi community faces such restrictions, not only from non-state actors but also from state institutions. That is our main concern — this abuse is becoming institutionalized,” he said.
Chaudhry said it was hoped that with the banning of extremist groups last year, the situation would improve.
In October 2025, Pakistan banned the far-right Islamist party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan under anti-terrorism laws, citing its role in inciting violence and targeting religious minorities.
“We did see a reduction in incidents, but around Eid-ul-Fitr and now Eid-ul-Adha, we are again seeing state involvement in restricting Ahmadis from celebrating Eid,” Chaudhry said.
He called on the Pakistan government to uphold freedom of religion or belief for every person and respect their rights.
Earlier, Amnesty International urged Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to take decisive measures to protect the rights of Ahmadis ahead of Eid al-Adha.
In a May 21 letter, the rights group warned of a repeat of restrictions and harassment documented in previous years — in 2024, it recorded 36 cases of arrests and detentions, along with dozens of harassment incidents.
It further said that in 2025, local authorities in Punjab allegedly continued similar practices, including forcing some Ahmadis to sign undertakings not to offer prayers or perform Eid rituals.
This, despite the Supreme Court’s past rulings affirming the Ahmadis’ right to practice their faith within their premises.
Muhammad Tasleem Akhtar Rao, the deputy commissioner of Nankana Sahib in Punjab province, said that Ahmadis would not be allowed to perform animal sacrifice during Eid.
The officer, in a Facebook post following a district peace committee meeting on May 25, warned of strict action in the event of any violation.
“This is unfortunate. The government must ensure security and equal rights for all citizens, regardless of faith,” community spokesperson Mehmood said.
The objections to Ahmadis celebrating Eid were raised by the Khatam-e-Nabuwwat (Movement for the finality of prophethood) in Karachi and the Hyderabad District Bar Association.
They wrote to the local police on May 25, warning against what the bar association termed as “unlawful religious activity [Kafir Qadiyani] and misuse of Islamic symbols.”
Several bar associations and religious groups in Punjab and Kashmir also wrote to authorities seeking to stop Ahmadis celebrating the festival.
In a report released in March, the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) suggested that the government strengthen police capacity, protection mechanisms, and operational independence during sensitive periods such as Eid.
Manzoor Masih, a former member of the NCHR, accused authorities of failing to protect Ahmadis in the absence of an active commission.
“The government should ensure protection for Ahmadis when local pressures intensify. It must also engage clerics to prevent this recurring pattern every year,” he told UCA News.
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