Pakistan barred Ahmadiyya Muslims from Eid al-Adha Rituals
With Eid al-Adha 2025 just days away, Pakistan’s Ahmadiyya Muslim community is once again confronting state-backed religious repression, as authorities across Punjab and Sindh provinces pressure community members to abstain from observing qurbani (sacrificial rituals) and other Islamic rites.
Provincial governments are reportedly compelling members of the minority sect to sign affidavits that bar them from participating in Eid practices, threatening violators with fines of up to PKR 5 lakh (approx. ₹1.5 lakh INR) and possible detention. This intensification of discrimination against Ahmadiyyas is part of a broader pattern of institutionalised marginalisation in the Islamic Republic — a nation the community once helped establish.
Forced Affidavits Without Legal Basis
Reports from Dawn and independent journalist Sabookh Syed reveal that local police and bureaucrats in several Punjab districts have distributed forms requiring Ahmadiyyas to pledge not to perform Eid al-Adha rituals, even within the privacy of their own homes. These affidavits include clauses that threaten hefty monetary penalties for violations.
Legal experts argue these measures have no constitutional basis and violate both religious freedom and personal liberty. While Pakistani law criminalizes public Islamic practices by Ahmadiyyas under Ordinance XX of 1984, it does not explicitly prohibit private observance of Eid rituals.
Yet, despite the lack of legal clarity, local authorities are enforcing these affidavits aggressively. In some districts, police have allegedly detained Ahmadiyya members and coerced them into signing the undertakings through intimidation and threats.
Lahore Bar Association’s Controversial Intervention
Tensions escalated further when the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) issued a letter to the Punjab Inspector General of Police, demanding action against Ahmadiyyas for conducting Eid-related gatherings. The letter, signed by LHCBA President Malik Asif Nissoana, claimed such practices “hurt the sentiments” of the Sunni Muslim majority and risked “public disorder.”
The Bar Association’s stance aligns with extremist religious sentiment rather than legal reasoning, amplifying the hostility faced by Ahmadiyyas from both state institutions and hardline groups like Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
A Legacy of Betrayal: From Supporters of Pakistan to Outcasts
The Ahmadiyya community, under Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I, was an early and enthusiastic supporter of Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s Muslim League, playing a pivotal role in advocating for the creation of Pakistan on religious grounds. However, the same state they helped establish has since become one of the most repressive regimes for their religious freedom.
In 1974, Pakistan’s Second Constitutional Amendment officially declared Ahmadiyyas non-Muslims, and in 1984, General Zia-ul-Haq’s Ordinance XX criminalised their use of Islamic symbols, greetings, and even their declaration of faith. Violations are punishable with up to three years in prison.
Ahmadiyyas are barred from voting as Muslims, attending Islamic religious services, and even burial in Muslim cemeteries. Earlier this year, in March, over 100 Ahmadiyya graves were desecrated in Punjab’s Khushab district by members of TLP, with little to no repercussions.
Human Rights Concerns and Global Silence
International human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have repeatedly condemned Pakistan’s discriminatory policies against Ahmadiyyas. However, the global response remains muted, as geopolitical interests often override humanitarian concerns.
Despite the obvious violations of Pakistan’s own constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion under Article 20, the state continues to target Ahmadiyyas systematically and relentlessly.