Pakistan continues persecution of minorities, bars Ahmadiyyas from buying land in Punjab auction

LAHORE, Apr 21: In another case of minority harassment, Pakistan’s Punjab province has exclusively forbidden its minority Ahmadiyya community from participating in and buying land in an upcoming plot auction in the region, including in Chenab Nagar, which is the headquarters of the Jamaat-i-Ahmadiyya.
In a gazette published by PHATA on (Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency) on April 17, 2025, by Jhang PHATA Sub-Region Deputy Director Tariq Mahmood, the participation of Ahmadiyyas was strictly banned, stating that only “Muslims” are eligible to bid for 17 residential and commercial plots, Dawn reported.
This comes two days after a 46-year-old Ahmadiyya businessman was lynched by a few hundred supporters of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) when they stormed a place of worship belonging to the Ahmadi community in Karachi’s Saddar area to prevent it from observing religious rituals.
The auction is being held for commercial and residential plots in Satellite Town Jhang, Era Development Scheme Chiniot, Era Development Scheme Chenab Nagar, Era Development Scheme Shorkot, Dawn said.
The advertisement further stated that anyone belonging to Ahmadi/Mirzai/Lahori/Qaddiyani community is not allowed to participate in the auction, and their money/plot or any other material will be confiscated and not returned if the authority, at any later stage, finds anyone belonging to the Ahmadiyya community.
The move received a lot of backlash from netizens, human rights activists, legal experts and minority rights groups who called it a violation of the country’s constitutional provision for equal non-discriminatory treatment of all citizens.
The legal experts argue that PHATA’s exclusionary policy is unconstitutional. A human rights lawyer, Ehsan Ullah Jatt, says, “This is a clear violation of fundamental rights. If a government agency openly discriminates against the citizens based on faith, what hope is there for equality before the law ”
The Ahmadiyya community has been persecuted by Pakistani authorities since its formation in 1947, and in successive years they have faced increased attacks by both the government and religious radicals. The community’s mosques have been termed ‘illegal’ as they are identified as ‘non-Muslims’ according to the Pakistani Constitution.
Amir Mahmood, a spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya community, condemned the policy, saying, “This is not just about plots-it’s about the state endorsing apartheid against Ahmadis. If we are barred from basic economic opportunities, how can we claim to be equal citizens ”
Despite the backlash, neither the Punjab government nor PHATA officials have issued any clarification or justification for the exclusionary clause.
(UNI)

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