London, Aug 11 (IANS) A leading international human rights organisation strongly condemned the removal of an Ahmadi Muslim from a government position in Pakistan’s Punjab province following an organised campaign by extremist groups targeting the official over his religious identity.
Expressing grave concern, the UK-based International Human Rights Committee (IHRC) said that following the posting of Naghman Ahmad as Assistant Director Land Records (ADLR) to Lalian in Chiniot district by the Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA), individuals associated with extremist group Khatm-e-Nabuwwat organisations began publicly campaigning against his appointment. They repeatedly referred to him as a “Qadiani”, ” ( a religious slur) used against Ahmadis, while demanding that the authorities remove him from Lalian.
According to the rights body, days later, on August 8 , the authorities issued an official order directing Naghman Ahmad to report to PLRA Headquarters with immediate effect.
The same order assigned another official the additional charge of the Assistant Director Land Records position in Lalian.
Referring to the official order, the IHRC said that it did not specify why Ahmad was directed to report to headquarters. However, it said, the decision came after the highly publicised campaign demanding his removal, with those behind that campaign subsequently claiming and celebrating the development as the result of their efforts.
Describing the sequence of events as deeply alarming, the IHRC said, “An Ahmadi Muslim was appointed to a government position. Extremist groups publicly objected to his appointment because of his religious identity, demanded his removal and threatened further protest. He was subsequently removed from that posting, and those same groups are now celebrating the outcome as their victory.”
“The circumstances demand an immediate and transparent explanation from the Punjab authorities. If government officials can be targeted and displaced from their positions because extremist groups object to their faith, the implications extend far beyond this individual case. It reinforces an environment in which religious intolerance can exert influence over state institutions and the equal rights of Pakistani citizens,” it added.
The rights body noted that the Ahmadiyya community already faced severe legal and institutional discrimination across Pakistan.
“This latest incident demonstrates the additional danger posed when organised anti-Ahmadi campaigns are able to target individuals in their professional lives and then publicly claim success when administrative action follows,” it noted.
The IHRC urged the United Nations, UN Special Rapporteurs, international human rights organisations and democratic governments to closely monitor the deteriorating situation facing Ahmadis in Pakistan and press the Government of Pakistan to fulfil its obligations under international human rights law, including the protection of freedom of religion or belief without discrimination.
“The continued indoctrination of children with sectarian ideology, together with interference in the funeral and mourning arrangements of religious minorities, reflects a broader culture of intolerance that requires urgent international attention,” it stressed.
–IANS
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