Pakistan

Pakistan arrests 4 Ahmadis during Rabwah Raid

Four Ahmadis were arrested Monday afternoon in Pakistan, during a raid on the offices of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. The arrests were carried out in the Ahmadiyya majority town of Rabwah by the CTD (Counter-Terrorism Department) of Punjab Police. CTD is responsible for investigating terrorism and sectarian-related incidents. Three police vans with 28 heavily armed officers forced their way into the ‘Tehrik-e-Jadid’ building and ‘slammed’ the workers onto the ground according to witnesses. At the same time, another group of officers …

Algeria’s Minister of Religious Affairs says ‘Ahmadiyya plan has failed’

Algeria’s Minister of Religious Affairs, Mohamed Aissa, has said the Ahmadiyya plan has failed and the Islamic sect does not exist in Algeria anymore. He made the comments on Saturday while speaking at the University of Islamic Sciences in the city of Constantine in eastern Algeria. Speaking at the University, Minister Aissa said: “The Ahmadiyya plan in Algeria has failed. The security services , the justice system, local imams and the Algerian media together exposed their plan and the sect …

Pakistan to ban Ahmadi teachers from teaching Islamic studies

Pakistan’s Christian Secretary of School Education has assured Ministers that no Ahmadi teacher would be allowed to teach Islamic Studies or Arabic Language in schools. Secretary Joyce Rufin Julius made the comments on Wednesday while discussing Educational matters in Pakistani province Punjab’s provincial assembly. Secretary Julius who herself is a member of Pakistan’s Christian minority said no teachers from the minority Ahmadiyya Muslim Community will be hired to teach Islamic studies and Arabic and the education department will soon issue …

ISIS claims responsibility for Sectarian murders in Karachi

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the murder of a senior Pakistani police officer and a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community. Both men were killed in a near-identical drive-by shooting on Sunday night in the port city of Karachi. The attacks happened within a three hour time period; Traffic airport DSP Faiz Ali Shigri, a member of the Shia community, was killed near Laal Flats in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, while his driver was injured in the attack. The DSP was sitting …

Pakistan’s appointment of new Military Chief sparks religious controversy

Appointment of a new military chief in the largely Muslim country of Pakistan has sparked a religious controversy. The new chief, Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa who is replacing General Raheel Sharif, has been labeled an ‘Ahmadi’ by the country’s right-wing religious nationalists. The controversy began on November 22nd, when Pakistani Senator, Sajid Meer, published a video on facebook in which he suggested that one of the four Generals being considered for the position of Army Chief had Ahmadi family …

Openly gay Ambassador welcomed to Scandinavia’s largest Mosque

In what seems to be a first-of-its-kind visit, an openly Gay Ambassador joined Muslims at Scandinavia’s largest Mosque for an open dialogue. Artur Wilczynski, who is the Canadian Ambassador to Norway was welcomed to Bait-un-Nasr Mosque in Oslo, Norway by members of the local Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Built in 2011, it is the largest mosque among Scandinavian nations. Wilczynski, who was born in Poland is one of the first openly Gay Canadian diplomats. He was appointed as Canadian Ambassador to …

A Pakistani’s American Thanksgiving

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, I am reminded of the many reasons why I am thankful. The concept of gratitude in the US began for us five and a half years back when we left Pakistan and came to America. The very first time I stepped on US soil, it felt like my mother took me in her arms. America became our new adopted homeland because life in Pakistan for us became too dangerous. The horrific day came upon us on …

The Ahmadiyya Diaspora: An Interview with author Michael Nijhawan

On October 18th, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the Caliph of Ahmadiyya Muslims, the worldwide head of millions of Ahmadis. Over 30,000 of these Ahmadis, call Canada their home, majority of these Ahmadis migrated from Pakistani Punjab due to religious persecution, similar to the Sikh migration from Indian Punjab. This pattern of immigration intrigued Michael Nijhawan, a professor at York University in Canada. Professor Nijhawan ended up writing a book titled “The Precarious Diasporas of Sikh and Ahmadiyya …

Pakistan to deport Turkish teachers ahead of Erdogan visit

Pakistan will deport dozens of Turkish teachers employed at 23 schools linked to the controversial Gülen movement. The order by the Pakistani Interior Ministry came as Turkish President Recep Teyyep Erdogan arrives on a two-day visit to Pakistan. According to reports, the government has ordered all Turkish residents affiliated with ‘Pak-Turk Schools’ to leave Pakistan by November 20th and has also notified Immigration officials in this regard. The foundation which has been active in Pakistan since 1995 currently operates 28 Park-Turk …

Former Pakistani President congratulates US President-Elect Donald Trump

Former President of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf has issued a statement congratulating Donald Trump on being elected the 45th President of the United States. Musharraf, who also served as the Chief of Pakistan’s Armed Forces issued the statement through his Facebook page. Pervez Musharraf said, “I congratulate President-Elect Donald Trump on his historic election as the President of the United States. I wish him much success in leading the way to renew the ties of United States with her time-tested allies …

Ahmadis who could not vote in Pakistan, vote for the first time in the U.S.

For some Americans heading to the polls is an annual ritual for others a new experience. Hundreds of newly naturalized Americans who have sought refuge in the U.S voted for the first time on Tuesday. Followers of the Ahmadiyya sect of Islam have been unable to participate in the electoral process of Pakistan for over three decades. The intensely persecuted community has been declared “non-Muslim” by the Pakistani constitution, Millions of Ahmadis have been unable to register as Muslim voters, …

How Ahmadis are braving educational apartheid of Pakistan

It was a relatively cool evening in Rabwah, a few days ago. I was there on an invitation to attend an enthralling seminar on “The shroud of Turin”, held in a state of the art Auditorium of Nusrat Jehan College for girls. My host was the exuberant Faateh Bajwa, deputy director of Ahmadiyya community’s central education Department, referred to as Nazarat Taleem. After the seminar, I was shown around, and I must confess I was dumbstruck by the sprawling campus, …