In 1948, UN General Assembly adopted a “Universal Declaration” dealing with Human Rights and Freedom of Religion, Opinion, and Expression. (Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religions; this right includes freedom to change one’s religion or belief, and a multitude of other freedoms). One of the participants of drafting that Universal Declaration was Sir Mohammad Zafarullah Khan who later became the Justice of the International Court of Justice, serving as its President. Sir Zafarullah Khan also served as the first Foreign Secretary of Pakistan. He was an Ahmadi.

This article is an introduction to the plight of Ahmadis (a sect considered heretic by mainstream Muslims). The purpose of this write-up is not to discuss theological interpretations of Islam within various different schools, but to scrutinize injustice afforded to Ahmadis in Pakistan (and in the Islamic world). Furthermore, the article is written with an intention to generate a healthy debate. The jargon and legalistic terminology is used only when absolutely necessary.

Who are Ahmadis?

Around about 1830, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (Mirza Sahib) was born in Qadiyan, a village in Indian Punjab. He was a very renowned preacher of Islam and well regarded by many Muslims in the region for his devotion to Islam, until he claimed that he was the Second coming of the Christ (it is a belief of Muslims that the Promised Messiah “the Awaited One” will return). He wrote numerous books on Islam and started a movement and his followers are known as Ahmadis (now divided in two groups – Ahmadis and Lahoris – “Qadiyani” and “Mirzai” are derogatory terms Ahmadis are referred to by some Muslims, it will be like referring to all Sunnis as Saudis). He remains a very controversial figure. The major objection, for obvious reasons, is for his followers considering him as a Prophet of Islam, however, Ahmadis qualify this by saying that he was not a Prophet that brought anything new to Islam, but only to reinforce and rejuvenate the teachings of the Prophet Mohammad. Among the other many objections to the movement is their rejection of Jihad as a political weapon. After the partition of India, Ahmadis settled in a city that they call Rabwah (high place) in Pakistani Punjab as their center. Although Ahmadis are now found the world over, the majority of early Ahmadis continue to live in Pakistan. The Center of Ahmadiyah movement was moved from Rabwah to Surrey, England during the regime of Zia ul Haq, after the Head of the Ahmadis fled in the early 1980s to escape from a fabricated malicious charge against him. Ahmadis have missionary presence in all countries of the world that allow it. According to Ahmadi books and other estimates, the total number of Ahmadis range somewhere between 40 million to 200 million worldwide. But that is beside the point.

Political Islam in Pakistan

In 1974, the then Prime Minister of Pakistan Z.A. Bhutto under pressure from religious leaders amended the constitution of Pakistan to declare Ahmadiyah a non-Islamic sect. Later in 1984, the Constitution was amended further (known as the Ordinance XX –“XX” from now on) to add two new sections to the Pakistan Penal Code to provide Prison Terms and Unlimited Fines for any member of Ahmadiyah movement who uses certain words of address to refer to his practices or place of worship (e.g., Azan, Masjid, Salam O Lakum, etc.) or posses himself to be a Muslim. According to many sources, the XX is not only in contrast with the Universal Declaration, but also with the Constitution of Pakistan that guarantees freedom of religion among other freedoms. According to many opinions, XX violates international standards because it penalizes Ahmadis for believing they are Muslim and for worshipping and assembling as they wish. It denies them saying Azan (a call to Islamic prayers). It denies them the terminology of their religion. It provides criminal penalties and fines for protected right and it clearly subjects Ahmadis to persecution because of their belief. Furthermore, the UN adopted a resolution in 1985 rejecting justifications presented by the Government of Pakistan for the limitations imposed on Ahmadis by the XX claiming that Ahmadi beliefs lead to violence. Zia-ul-Haq, the then military ruler of Pakistan, told the author of the Ordinance that “Ahmadis offend me because they consider themselves Muslims, the Ordinance my violate human rights but I don’t care”. Another contribution of Zia ul Haq to the promotion and preservation of Islam was to introduce a Religion Column on official documents, including Passport (somewhat 17th century European practice), so Muslims can easily be identified in a land where Muslims make up only 98 % of the population.

Ahmadi Persecution

The intolerance in Pakistan is institutionalized and is based on legislation that has led to prejudice and bigotry, which in turn has given rise to outright hatred and persecution and repression of Ahmadis, and to a lesser extent to other religious minorities. Some figures are available for the year 2005, according to which 13 Ahmadis were murdered due to their faith. 16 were falsely booked for blasphemy, 24 were booked under Ahmadi-specific laws, 19 in religious based discrimination, and a lucky one is facing Death penalty (now in the appeals process). Since the introduction of the Blasphemy Laws and Ahmadi-Specific Laws, there are countless cases registered against Ahmadis, some are granted bails but more often, the bails are denied. It is very easy to file a charge based upon the Blasphemy Laws, or Ahmadi-Specific Laws; for example, one can be accused without a proof for saying Kalma (the declaration of a Muslim to believe in One God and Mohammad as his Prophet). There are over 700 cases registered against Ahmadis for wearing a Kalma badge on their coats.

The lower courts often treat these cases with spite. Some judges, when deliberating, go as far as saying that Muslims cannot be blamed if they lose control on hearing, reading or seeing such blasphemous material as has been produced by Mirza Sahib. (If anyone is interested to read some legal Opinions, please let the writer of this article know).

In Government sector services, and in the Armed Forces of Pakistan, Ahmadis continue to suffer discrimination and entry into higher-level jobs is practically non-existence to them. In August of last year, an Air Force Airman was asked in an official communication by the Group Captain to explain in writing that why did he sign an affidavit when he joined the Air Force in 1997 and took an oath that he was a Muslim, whereas it is believed that he is an Ahmadi (the letter is addressed to Cpl Tech Ali Akthar, Pak/861870 – signed by Gp Cpt Taher Mahmood) the correspondence is written on PAF BASE MASROOR stationary – (Copy is available if someone wishes to see).

The reason, I mention the above is because at one time, PAF was supposed to be a professional Air Force with a mission to defend the nation’s airspace. It has now turned into an organization wanting to know who is a “Muslim”.

It is important to note that there were many Ahmadis at the highest levels of all branches of the Armed forces until Zia ul Haq came to power. He systematically closed all doors to Ahmadis and created an environment that discouraged them from seeking employment in public sectors.

What can be done?

Ahmadis continue to suffer at the hands of the authorities in Pakistan. The institutionalized discrimination against Ahmadis has now spread to other Muslim countries, most notably Bangladesh and Indonesia, both with very small Ahmadi populations. In addition to state sanctioned persecution, there is a very determined (often violent) movement led by Mullahs in the name of preserving Islam and the Finality of the Prophet Mohammad that seeks to single out and intimidate Ahmadis and accuse them of being collaborators of Jews and Christians and enemies of Islam. These Mullahs have free access to the highest echelons of the state apparatus and they go unchecked and unchallenged by the authorities. Not a single person has been brought to justice for openly violating the rights of Ahmadis, desecrating their places of worship, murdering them in cold blood, and destroying their religious books, including the holy Quran.

What needs to be done is to expose the state-sanctioned and foreign-sponsored (Saudi Arabia) movement to persecute Ahmadis and other religious minorities in Pakistan and elsewhere.