Srinagar, India – An attack on a worship place belonging to the Ahmadiyya Community in Kotli district of Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) left at least five women and three men injured. The violent incident occurred during daylight hours when a group of over 50 unidentified assailants armed with hammers, shovels, sticks, and other weapons stormed the Baitul Zikr worship place in the Bhabra area of Kotli, according to local media reports. The attackers demolished four minarets and the arch (mehrab) of the worship place, and some fired shots into the air to intimidate the Ahmadiyya community members.
All eight injured individuals, including five women and three men, were rushed to Kotli District Hospital for treatment. The Ahmadiyya community following the incident filed a written complaint with the Kotli police, urging them to take action against the perpetrators. The attack followed demands from opponents of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya to demolish the minarets atop the worship place. These demands were issued with an ultimatum to the local administration, threatening to take matters into their own hands if the minarets were not demolished by December 16, last year.
Prior reports stated that similar attacks had occurred previously, with miscreants demolishing minarets at another Ahmadi worship place in Kotli on November 24, 2023. This recent escalation of violence against the Ahmadiyya community has raised concerns about their safety and security in the region. With tensions running high, it is imperative for local authorities to take swift and decisive action to protect the rights and well-being of all religious and minority communities in the area. The Ahmadiyya community’s pleas for safety and justice must not go unheard.