Pakistan: 3 Ahmadis arrested for sacrificing animals on Eid

Islamabad: A case was registered against members of the Ahmadi community for allegedly “hurting Muslim sentiments” by carrying out animal sacrifice on Eidul Azha, in Faisalabad city, Dawn reported on Sunday.

The case was registered against three members of the Ahmadi community who have been arrested over the matter, Jamaat-i-Ahmadiyya Pakistan spokesperson Saleemuddin said.

The FIR, states that the complainants were present in a mosque after Eidul Azha prayers when they came to know through “verified sources” that residents of the Ahmadi community were sacrificing animals inside their homes.

The complainants then allegedly reached the area and “climbed on top of the roofs of nearby houses, after which they saw that the Ahmadi community members were sacrificing a goat at one place while other members were cutting the meat of another animal at a different place”, the report said.

“The Islamic sentiments of the complainants and other Muslims were hurt by this action and the complainants made a video of the whole incident as evidence, the report further said.

“By performing a ritual in line with Islamic beliefs and presenting themselves as Muslims despite being Ahmadis, they have committed a cognisable offence, according to Muslim ummah’s belief, and this has grievously hurt Muslim sentiments,” the complainants stated.

The FIR was registered at Faisalabad’s police station Thikriwala against five people under Section 298-C (person of Qadiani group, etc., calling himself a Muslim or preaching or propagating his faith) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

The community’s spokesperson, Saleemuddin, said the slaughter was being performed within the confines of a house and not in a public place. “The community is being unfairly persecuted,” he said.

The religious affairs ministry had asked the interior ministry earlier this month to ensure the implementation of Article 260(3) of the Constitution, which classifies segments of society as ‘non-Muslims’, and Section 298-C of the PPC.

A letter addressed to the interior secretary, dated July 6, stated that the article and Section 198-C “prevented” the Ahmadis from “posing themselves as Muslims and performing the Islamic practices”.

“It is stated that the implementation of the penal provisions contained in the Pakistan Penal Code is the responsibility of interior ministry (law enforcement agencies) up to extent of ICT and provincial governments up to extent of provinces,” the letter added. (UNI)