At least four Ahmadi minority community persons were arrested on Friday for performing Eid-ul-Adha rituals, including sacrificing animals, in the Punjab province of Pakistan.
According to a Pakistani Constitutional amendment in 1974, Ahmadis were declared to be non-Muslims and Section 298 C of the Pakistan Penal Code prevents the community from observing any Islamic rituals.
On Friday, the Punjab police booked a total of 10 Ahmadis in Sialkot, Nankana Sahib and Faisalabad and arrested four of them on complaints that they sacrificed animals on Eid days which they could not, being non-Muslims.
"Three Ahmadis have been arrested in Sialkot and one in Faisalabad while police are raiding to arrest three in Nankana Sahib," police said.
Jamaat Ahmadiya Pakistan Punjab official Amir Mahmood told PTI that an organised campaign has been launched against Ahmadis to stop them from performing their rituals.
He said extremist elements pushed the police to take action against Ahmadis to perform their rituals on Eid-ul-Adha.
He said during the raids at Ahmadis houses the police also took away the sacrificial meat.
On the other hand, the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) has asked the government to strictly implement the law against the Ahmadi community if they are found performing Islamic rites on Eid-ul Adha -- prayer and Qurbani (sacrificing animals).
LHCBA President Ishtiaq A Khan said that offering "Eid prayers and qurbani" are Shaair-i-Islam (Islamic rites) exclusively to be observed by the Muslims.
"The Article 260 (3) of the Pakistan Constitution declares the Ahmadis non-Muslims since 1974, thereby, they cannot offer a prayer or hold qurbani on Eidul Azha," the letter said and urged the Punjab Home Department to take strict action against Ahmadis to perform Islamic rituals.
-With PTI Input
