Rabwah Times

83-year-old Ahmadi completes sentence for the crime of “selling books”

Pakistan on Monday released an Ahmadi bookseller amid increasing pressure from American lawmakers and religious freedom advocates. 83-year-old Abdul Shakoor was detained by Pakistani security forces from his small book store in December 2015. He was then put on trial at the Anti-Terrorism Court in Faisalabad for the offense of selling books and was charged under the country’s infamous blasphemy laws. On January 2, 2016, Shakoor was given an eight-year sentence, five-year for violating article 11-W of the 1997 Anti-Terrorism Act …

Athlete from Rabwah wins silver for Pakistan at Special Olympics

On Tuesday, student of Special School Rabwah, Wahaj Mirza won silver at the Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi. Mirza scored second position in the 3000m run event held at the Dubai Police Officers Club Stadium. He completed the track in 12 minutes and 37 seconds. He dedicated his win to his parents and thanked the school and his teachers for helping him train. Allahmdolliah Allahmdolliah. Historic. Wahaj Mirza from Rabwah (yes from RABWAH) won the silver medal 3000m …

Abducted Ahmadi doctors found dead in Pakistan

Two Ahmadi doctors who were abducted in northern Pakistan have been found dead. According to the police, Dr Tahir Aziz and Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad went missing from ​​Gali Jagir area of Fateh Jang three days ago. Their Bodies were found Monday morning from the northern part of Paksitan’s Punjab province . Police officials said that Dr Iftikhar Ahmad had returned to Pakistan from the United States a few days back while Dr. Tahir Aziz resided in the capital Islamabad. The …

Athlete from Hunza wins Special Olympics Gold

A young girl from Hunza took home gold in the Special Olympics being held in Abu Dhabi. 15-year-old Farzana Rehmat won Gold in Shot Put competitions. She scored 4.96 and 4.81 points in two separate competitions held at the Dubai Police Officer’s Club Stadium. Farzana was born in Chipursan Valley, a remote area located near the Pak-Afghan border in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region. First Reported by Pamir Times

U.S. Human Rights report criticizes Pakistan for its treatment of Ahmadis

The United States on Wednesday criticized Pakistan for its treatment of Ahmadis and other religious minorities. A country report by the U.S. State Department noted Pakistan’s use of discriminatory laws against Ahmadis, Shias and Christians. The reported stated: Courts routinely failed to protect the rights of religious minorities. Courts discriminatorily used laws prohibiting blasphemy against Shia, Christians, Ahmadis, and members of other religious minority groups. Lower courts often did not require adequate evidence in blasphemy cases, and some convicted persons …

UN Rights expert condemns Pakistan over “systematic persecution” of Ahmadis

The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief has criticized Pakistan for its treatment of Ahmadiyya Muslims. In a report submitted before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on March 5th, Special Rapporteur, Ahmed Shaheed said: Ahmadis have been subject to systematic persecution by means of State-sanctioned discrimination and other repressive measures, including the closing of their businesses, schools and places of worship and the imprisonment of those who violate the restrictive laws imposed on the community. …

Muslim leader says Bangladesh should take in ISIS bride Shamima Begum

A top Muslim leader says the IS bride is “not practicing Islam” but should be shown sympathy and adopted by a Muslim country. His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, who represents tens of millions of Ahmadi Muslims worldwide, said that: “If the British Government has stripped her of her nationality then another country should adopt her, any Muslim country,” He added that: “Since her parents were from Bangladesh, the first duty is of Bangladesh to take her as a national.” …

Trump appointed commissioner calls on Pakistan to release Ahmadi bookseller

Religious Freedom Commissioner appointed by U.S. President Trump has called on Pakistan to release Ahmadi bookseller that has been behind bars for the past four years. Johnnie Moore, Commissioner of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), has called on Pakistan to immediately release Abdul Shakoor, an Ahmadiyya Muslim book seller. Pakistani authorities arrested Shakoor in December 2015 for selling an Ahmadiyya commentary on the Qur’an. In a statement issued on February 26, 2019, Commissioner Moore said: “I …

Pakistani Foreign Minister meets UK Minister of State Lord Tariq Ahmad

On Monday Pakistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi met with UK Minister of State Lord Tariq Ahmad to reaffirm the need for increased cooperation between Pakistan and United Kingdom in trade, investment and education spheres. During the meeting at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Islamabad, the Pakistani foreign minister acknowledged assistance of UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) for advancement of education and health sectors in Pakistan. The foreign minister acknowledge the contribution made by the Pakistani …

The Iranian who became Pakistan’s First Lady

Begum Nahid Iskandar Mirza died in London on January 23rd, 2019, just two weeks before her 100th birthday. Born Nahid Amir Teymour, she was the first First Lady in the history of Pakistan. When the country became the Islamic Republic and established its own constitution in 1956 — having been a British dominion until then — its National Assembly unanimously elected Iskander Mirza as Pakistan’s first President. It is then that his wife Nahid Amir Teymour became the First Lady. …

Ahmadiyya community condemns attack on Indian forces in Kashmir

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community India has condemned the terrorist attack on Indian forces in Kashmir that took place on Thursday. The suicide car bombing targeted a bus carrying Indian paramilitary personnel in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama District, the resulting blast killed at least 40 people and injured another five. In a press statement India’s Ahmadiyya Muslim Community said: Ahmadiyya Muslim Community strongly condemns the Pulawama terrorist attack on CRPF personnel, We offer our deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of …

Fifty injured as Islamist Groups attack Ahmadis in Bangladesh

Over 50 were injured as Islamist organizations coordinated protests against minority Ahmadiyya Muslims of Bangladesh. Protests led by three Islamist organizations — Sammilito Khatme Nabuwat Shangrakkhan Parishad, Iman Akida Rokkha Committee and Touhidi Janata turned ugly Tuesday afternoon as thousands of students from Islamic seminaries also joined in. There mob vandalized several houses and burned down shops belonging to members of the Ahmadiyya community in Ahmednagar village of Panchagarh. Local media reported that at least 50 people, including police, were …