On Friday, 18 April 2025, following the conclusion of congregational prayers, a violent mob gathered outside the Ahmadiyya Muslim Hall in the Preedy area of Karachi. The crowd, reportedly affiliated with the far-right religious extremist group Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), began chanting anti-Ahmadi slogans and inciting unrest.
As local Ahmadi Muslims departed the prayer venue, the situation escalated rapidly into targeted violence. Mr Laeeq Ahmad Cheema, a 46-year-old member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, was present approximately 150 metres away from the prayer centre when he was identified by members of the mob. He was then brutally attacked with sticks and bricks.
Mr Cheema succumbed to his injuries on the spot.
Mr Laeeq Cheema is survived by his wife, three sons, and four daughters.
This tragic killing, driven by religious hatred, highlights the worsening climate of extremism and state inaction that continues to endanger Ahmadi Muslims across Pakistan. He is survived by his wife, three sons, four daughters, and a grieving community.
This murder is the latest in a disturbing pattern of mob violence directed at the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community—a group already marginalised by discriminatory legislation and widespread incitement.
This attack follows a deeply concerning pattern of targeted violence and state inaction towards Ahmadi Muslims. There were six faith-based murders of Ahmadi Muslims in 2024. There has also been a rise in explicit incitement to violence by extremist clerics and organisations such as Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), who publicly advocate for the killing of Ahmadi Muslims with impunity.
Source: Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK.