LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) – Gunmen attacked a house of worship of the Ahmadi sect in eastern Pakistan on Friday, wounding six worshippers before being confronted by security personnel. One attacker was killed by guards, while the other two fled the scene, according to police and a community spokesman.The attack underscores the ongoing persecution faced by the Ahmadi minority in Pakistan, a situation rooted in decades of legal and social discrimination. The incident raises concerns about the safety of religious minorities in the country and prompts renewed calls for government protection of vulnerable communities.
Senior police officer Abdullah Ahmad reported the attack occurred in Rabwah, a city in Punjab province, during Friday prayers. The assailants attempted to enter the Bait-ul-Mehdi worship place but were intercepted by security guarding the site.
Ahmadis, who consider themselves Muslim, represent a small minority in Pakistan and have long been targeted by hard-line Sunni groups who deem them heretics. in 1974, Pakistan’s parliament declared Ahmadis non-Muslims, legally prohibiting them from identifying as Muslim or referring to their places of worship as mosques.
Police have cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to locate the fleeing attackers. No group has claimed obligation for the attack, and the examination is ongoing. Images shared with The Associated Press by a community member showed the body of the slain attacker outside the worship place as officers searched for his accomplices.
Amir Mahmood, a spokesman for the Ahmadi community, urged the government to enhance protection for Ahmadis, noting that their places of worship and graveyards are frequently desecrated.the Ahmadi faith originated in the 19th century in the Indian subcontinent with Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, whose followers believe he was a prophet.