Rights group condemns killing of Ahmadi man in Pakistan's Punjab

Islamabad [Pakistan], May 19 (ANI): The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Wednesday condemned the brutal murder of an Ahmadi man in Punjab province who was reportedly stabbed to death by a fanatic.
The incident took place in the district Okara on Wednesday.
The victim, identified as Abdus Salam, was stabbed while returning home from the fields. He was attacked by Hafiz Ali Raza, who came out of a madrassa and stabbed him.
Thereafter, the villagers gathered at the crime scene but the killer escaped. Abdus Salam later succumbed to his injuries.
"The brutal murder of an Ahmadi man in Okara, who was reportedly stabbed to death by a seminary student, serves to remind us just how precarious the lives of religious minorities have become," the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said in a statement.
"Until the rising tide of religiosity is stemmed and better protection mechanisms put in place, they will remain lesser citizens. This is unacceptable and the perpetrators must be brought to book," it added.
The Ahmadiyya community continued to suffer human rights violations related to their freedom to profess their beliefs during 2021, according to HRCP.
According to the Centre for Social Justice, the highest number of people accused of blasphemy were Muslims (45) followed by Ahmadis (25). (ANI)