Ahmadiyya community condemns Punjab attacks amid rising violence in Pakistan
Synopsis
Within weeks, Ahmadis in Pakistan's Punjab have faced a stabbing in Faisalabad, a shooting in Sargodha, and the assassination of a 65-year-old community leader in Mandi Bahauddin — all reportedly faith-motivated. The IHRC warns the killings are not isolated but part of a documented pattern of incitement and targeted violence, with authorities yet to act decisively.
Key Takeaways
Hamid Javed , an Ahmadi man, was stabbed near his home in Lathianwala, Faisalabad on 21 September at around 5:30 pm by an unidentified attacker.
On 19 September , an Ahmadi man and his son were shot and injured by gunmen in Sargodha , Punjab.
Mirza Safdar Mahmood , 65 , a local Ahmadiyya leader, was shot dead while travelling to a place of worship in Mandi Bahauddin earlier in September.
The International Human Rights Committee (IHRC) called the killing part of a 'deeply disturbing' backdrop of anti-Ahmadi hatred and incitement across Pakistan.
On 8 June 2024 , two Ahmadis were killed in separate armed ambushes in Sadullahpur on the same day, highlighting a pattern of targeted violence.
The Ahmadiyya community has urged Pakistani authorities to prosecute perpetrators and guarantee protection for community members.
The Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan has strongly condemned a series of faith-motivated attacks against its members in Punjab province, calling the assaults a 'cowardly' pattern of religiously driven violence and urging authorities to act against the perpetrators. The condemnation follows at least three separate incidents of targeted violence against Ahmadis within weeks, according to reports.
Key Incidents in Punjab
On 21 September, an Ahmadi man identified as Hamid Javed was stabbed near his residence in Lathianwala, Faisalabad at around 5:30 pm. According to his statement to police, an unidentified man aged between 40 and 42 years approached him as he was returning home and attacked him with a knife, leaving him seriously injured.
Just two days earlier, on 19 September, an Ahmadi man and his son were injured after gunmen opened fire at them in Sargodha, also in Punjab, according to reports from Voicepk.net.
Assassination of a Community Leader
The violence extends beyond these incidents. Earlier in September, the Karachi-based International Human Rights Committee (IHRC) — an organisation focused specifically on the rights of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community — called for immediate justice following the assassination of Mirza Safdar Mahmood, a 65-year-old local Ahmadiyya leader. Mahmood was shot dead while travelling to an Ahmadi place of worship in Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, according to Spanish media outlet Atalayar.
The IHRC stated on X that the targeted killing 'cannot be viewed in isolation,' describing it as part of a 'deeply disturbing backdrop of persistent anti-Ahmadi hatred, incitement and threats across Pakistan.' Mahmood is survived by his wife and two children; his funeral and burial were reportedly conducted in Rabwah.
Escalating Incitement and Prior Violence
According to the IHRC report, the assassination took place amid a documented escalation of hate speech and incitement in the district of Mandi Bahauddin. Regional religious figures had reportedly issued public death threats against a local police officer on account of his Ahmadi faith, as well as explicit threats directed at pregnant Ahmadi women.
The report also noted a direct operational precedent: on 8 June 2024, two members of the Ahmadiyya community were shot and killed in separate armed ambushes carried out on the same day in the locality of Sadullahpur.
Representatives of the Ahmadiyya community stressed that Mirza Safdar Mahmood had no personal disputes or prior animosities, pointing to religious intolerance as the motive behind his killing.
Community's Demands and Broader Concerns
The Ahmadiyya community has urged Pakistani authorities to prosecute those responsible and ensure the protection of Ahmadis going forward. According to Voice PK, the persistence of hate-driven violence has raised serious safety concerns within the community, and the continued failure of authorities to act against perpetrators risks emboldening those responsible for such attacks.
With multiple incidents recorded within a single month, rights observers warn that the situation in Punjab reflects a deepening crisis of religious minority protection in Pakistan — one that shows no sign of abating without decisive state intervention.
Point of View
A shooting, and an assassination — within weeks in a single province is not a coincidence; it reflects a permissive environment where anti-Ahmadi incitement goes unpunished. What is notable is the IHRC's documentation of public death threats by named religious figures, which Pakistani authorities have reportedly not acted on. The failure to prosecute incitement reliably precedes lethal violence, and Punjab's trajectory in 2024 fits that pattern precisely. International pressure has historically produced little accountability in Pakistan on minority rights; without domestic legal consequence, the cycle is unlikely to break.
NationPress
29 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What attacks has the Ahmadiyya community faced in Pakistan's Punjab recently?
Within weeks, Ahmadis in Punjab faced at least three violent incidents: a stabbing of Hamid Javed in Lathianwala, Faisalabad on 21 September; a shooting targeting an Ahmadi man and his son in Sargodha on 19 September; and the assassination of 65-year-old community leader Mirza Safdar Mahmood in Mandi Bahauddin earlier in September.
Who was Mirza Safdar Mahmood and how was he killed?
Mirza Safdar Mahmood was a 65-year-old local leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Pakistan's Punjab province. He was shot dead while travelling to an Ahmadi place of worship in Mandi Bahauddin; his funeral and burial were subsequently conducted in Rabwah. He is survived by his wife and two children.
What has the IHRC said about the violence against Ahmadis in Pakistan?
The Karachi-based International Human Rights Committee (IHRC) stated that the targeted killing of Mirza Safdar Mahmood cannot be viewed in isolation, describing it as part of a 'deeply disturbing backdrop of persistent anti-Ahmadi hatred, incitement and threats' across Pakistan. The IHRC has called for immediate justice and accountability.
Is there a broader pattern of anti-Ahmadi violence in Punjab?
Yes, according to IHRC reports, the recent killings have direct precedents: on 8 June 2024, two Ahmadiyya community members were shot and killed in separate armed ambushes in Sadullahpur on the same day. Regional religious figures have also reportedly issued public death threats against Ahmadis, including a local police officer and pregnant Ahmadi women.
What has the Ahmadiyya community demanded from Pakistani authorities?
The Ahmadiyya community has urged Pakistani authorities to prosecute those behind the attacks and ensure the protection of Ahmadis going forward. According to reports, the community has warned that the continued failure of authorities to act against perpetrators risks emboldening those responsible for such violence.
