Srinagar, PoJK: A violent attack on a Ahmadiyya mosque in Kotli district of Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) has left five women and three men injured. The assailants, armed with hammers, shovels, sticks, and other weapons, stormed the Baitul Zikr worship place in the Bhabra area of Kotli during daylight hours. The attackers demolished four minarets and the arch of the worship place, and some fired shots into the air to intimidate the Ahmadiyya community members.
Among the injured was Zahida Parveen, an Ahmadi woman. All eight injured individuals, including five women and three men, were taken to Kotli District Hospital for treatment. Following the incident, the Ahmadiyya community filed a written complaint with the Kotli police, urging them to take action against the perpetrators.
The attack was preceded by demands from opponents of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya to demolish the minarets atop the worship place, threatening to take matters into their own hands if the minarets were not demolished by a specified date. This incident is not the first of its kind, as similar attacks have occurred previously, with miscreants demolishing minarets at another Ahmadi worship place in Kotli in the recent past.
The violence and intimidation against the Ahmadiyya community is deeply concerning and highlights the ongoing persecution and discrimination faced by this religious minority. The international community must call for an end to the violence and ensure the protection of all individuals, regardless of their religious beliefs. The authorities in PoJK must also take proactive measures to hold the perpetrators accountable and prevent further attacks on the Ahmadiyya community.