Pakistan Asks Ahmadiyya Muslims To Abandon Eid Celebrations Or Face 5 Lakh PKR Penalty

7 months ago 16

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Last Updated:June 05, 2025, 00:17 IST

In the Punjab province of Pakistan, police reportedly forced Ahmadis to sign affidavits pledging not to observe Eid rituals.

Pakistan’s 2 million-strong Ahmadiyya community has long faced systematic persecution. (Representational Image)

Ahead of Eid al-Adha, Pakistan’s Ahmadiyya community faced pressure from authorities to refrain from performing qurbani (ritual animal sacrifice) and other Islamic rites even within their homes. In the Punjab province of Pakistan, police reportedly forced Ahmadis to sign affidavits pledging not to observe Eid rituals, warning of fines up to Rs 500,000 (PKR) for non-compliance.

Ahmadis Forced To Sign Affidavits

According to Dawn, authorities in several districts of Punjab and Sindh detained members of the Ahmadiyya community and coerced them into signing declarations promising not to celebrate Eid. Some of the affidavit forms include clauses threatening fines for violations while in some cases, indemnity bonds have also been demanded.

Systemic Persecution Of Ahmadis In Pakistan

Pakistan’s 2 million-strong Ahmadiyya community has long faced systematic persecution. A constitutional amendment in 1974 declared Ahmadis non-Muslim and the 1984 Ordinance XX criminalised their religious practices, including saying Islamic greetings, calling places of worship mosques, or reciting the Quran.

According to Amnesty International, at least 36 cases of arbitrary arrests targeting Ahmadis for performing Eid sacrifices were reported in Punjab in June 2024 alone.

In March 2024, nearly 100 Ahmadi graves were desecrated in Khushab by activists from the hardline Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).

In a recent move, the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) intensified pressure on the community by writing to Punjab’s Inspector General of Police urging action against Ahmadis for organising gatherings resembling Islamic rituals, claiming such acts “hurt the sentiments" of the Muslim majority.