The Coordination des Associations et des Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience (CAP LC) and the International Human Rights Committee (IHRC) have been alerting the international community for years about the persistent persecution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Pakistan. The latest press release from the IHRC highlights the alarming situation where the Pakistani government, in collaboration with local officials, has implemented a discriminatory practice of creating separate voter lists for Ahmadi citizens. This tactic aims to expose and target the Ahmadiyya community, leading to further discrimination and violence against them.
The press release provides evidence of a hate campaign that has been launched, specifically targeting an Ahmadi school owner, Mr. Imtiaz Ahmed Butt, and his son, Mr. Mashud Ahmad Butt. The campaign falsely accuses them of being “staunch Ahmadis” and urges Muslim parents to immediately withdraw their children from the school to “protect their faith.” This blatant violation of international human rights standards is a clear example of the ongoing persecution faced by the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan.
The IHRC has called on the United Nations and other international authorities to intervene and demand that the Pakistani government adhere to its own laws and international obligations, particularly by ceasing the publication and distribution of separate voter lists, which serve as instruments of religious discrimination
IHRC/PR/110424/1
11 April 2024
Ahmadis targeted through deliberate separate voter lists in Pakistan
Persecution against an Ahmadi school owner in Lahore, Pakistan, has recently intensified due to the illegal distribution of separate voter lists by the government. The Pakistani Election Commission, in collaboration with local officials, has printed distinct voter lists for citizens belonging to the Ahmadiyya Muslim faith. This discriminatory tactic aims to expose and target Ahmadis, leading to further discrimination and violence against them.
Evidence of this discriminatory practice can be observed in widely circulated social media posts urging the boycott of a school led by an Ahmadi citizen. These posts falsely claim that the school, owned by Mr. Imtiaz Ahmed Butt and verified through the Ahmadi voter lists, will “rob students of their faith.” Such incitement to violence is a clear violation of international human rights standards.
Under the guise of an “Important Announcement,” a hate campaign has been launched, specifically targeting Mr. Imtiaz Ahmed Butt and his son, Mr. Mashud Ahmad Butt, whose names were obtained from the 2023 Ahmadi voter list. This announcement falsely accuses Mr. Butt of being a staunch Ahmadi and asserts that his school, Imtiaz Public School, located on Pico Road Kot Lakhpat, belongs to Ahmadis. The inflammatory message urges Muslim parents to immediately withdraw their children from the school to protect their faith.
The International Human Rights Committee urges the United Nations and other international authorities to intervene and demand that the government of Pakistan adhere to its own laws and international obligations. Specifically, the Election Commission must be compelled to cease the publication and distribution of separate voter lists, which serve as instruments of religious discrimination and persecution against the Ahmadiyya Muslim community.
We once again strongly urge the international community to impress upon the Government of Pakistan to honour its responsibility to provide effective protection and freedom of religious practice to Ahmadis, and to bring its laws and practices in conformity with international standards as ordained by Article 20.
Human rights groups have repeatedly expressed their deep concern over the lack of attention to the serious human rights violations perpetrated against the Ahmadiyya community around the world and called on the international community to step up efforts in bringing an end to the ongoing persecution of Ahmadis.
The Government of Pakistan must also bring its laws and practices in conformity with international standards as ordained by Article 2, 18 and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Article 25,26.
On July 13, 2021, UN human rights experts expressed their deep concern over the lack of attention to the serious human rights violations perpetrated against the Ahmadiyya community around the world and called on the international community to step up efforts in bringing an end to the ongoing persecution of Ahmadis.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE SOCIAL
MEDIA POST: Imtiaz Public School which is located in Pico Road Kot Lakhpat, this school belongs to Qadianis and its owner is Imtiaz Butt who is a staunch Qadiani and it has also been confirmed from the voter lists of Qadianis. This robber of seal of prophethood has been running this school since 1960. How many Muslim children he would have robbed of their faith. For God’s sake … Those whose children study in this school should immediately remove their children from this school and protect the faith of their children. Hurry up and share this message as much as possible to protect the faith of all your Muslim brothers and sisters.
