March 5, 2024
By Xari Jalil
LAHORE
A leader of the Ahmadi community and local president from Chak-84 Hasilpur, Bahawalpur was shot dead by unidentified assailants on Monday morning while he was out for a walk.
Meanwhile, police say they are still investigating whether 53-year-old Tahir Iqbal Cheema was killed because of religious hatred or because of any other reasons.
According to details from the First Information Report (FIR), Iqbal was out for his routine morning walk at around 6.30am. Security camera (CCTV) footage from the location captured two unidentified men on a motorcycle passing by the victim once before circling back. They, then, approached him and fired before swiftly escaping the scene.
DPO Bahawalpur Syed Abbas Shah told Voicepk that there was one eyewitness present at a distance, who observed the men on the motorcycle firing at the victim and witnessing him fall to the ground.
Meanwhile, speaking to Voicepk, a community member of the village said that Tahir Iqbal was a well-respected man, who used to take part in people’s celebrations and grievances.
“He was a man who would help the needy and was always available for people,” said B*, who did not want his name disclosed because of security issues. “He was honest and approachable. As far as the claim that he had relations with another woman, there is no evidence of that. He had a wife and grandchildren.”
According to a report in Dawn, DPO Bahalwapur said that the initial investigation had revealed that the victim was shot dead over an “honour-related matter.” He had said that the deceased was a landlord, having an ‘affair’ with a woman of his locality.
However, DPO Abbas denied having made this statement and said that he had not spoken to the media outlet.
At the same time B* said that it was not wrong to say that the police did not file criminal cases against the Ahmadis correctly.
“The police discourage us from filing cases which give any ‘religious colour’,” he says. “They try and look the other way instead of recognizing a hate crime. This is why they are calling this an honour killing. But there is evidence of rising intolerance and hate crimes against the Ahmadis.”
He adds that a rise in anti-Ahmadi sentiments has been because of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) whcih calls itself a defender of the Holy Prophet’s honour and demands severe punishment (mostly death penalty) for anyone who does not fit the bill.
“Whether it is TLP or not, there is intolerance against Ahmadis in any case in society,” he says. “There has also been a similar type of attack on a local leader in Toba Tek Singh in the last two years as well as various attacks on worship places with a couple of them being in Hasilpur itself, on a structure more than 50 years old.”
B* says many times the police have been silent spectators when such an attack happens. In this case there is no one to turn to so they have to take safety and security in their own hands. “We have to be careful not to leave our homes at odd times, or alone. But the fact is we have to also leave home sometimes – for work, to drop our kids and we are actually never safe.”
The burial for Iqbal will be held on Wednesday in Rabwah. He has left behind a wife and three children.
Police Version
Speaking to Voicepk, DPO Abbas Shah clarified that he had made no such statement about the murder being an honour-based killing. The Dawn report had said that the DPO had surmised that the woman’s relatives may have killed Iqbal “in the name of honour”.
The DPO said that they could not make any clear statement unless there was evidence and that the police were doing everything they could to ensure the matter was well investigated.
Meanwhile, the SHO of police station Saddar (Hasilpur) also spoke to Voicepk and while he said there were few chances of religious violence, he also added that the investigation was ongoing.
“We are using all methods to investigate the case, including teams constituted at DPO level and investigation by agencies such as Special Branch, because now the matter has become huge so everyone is seriously working towards getting an answer as to what happened,” he said. “Hopefully we will find out in a couple of days. We are focusing on older manual methods as well as CCTV footage, mobile data collection, geo-fencing, etc.”
He stated that there was no conclusive evidence available yet. While the victim being an Ahmadi might seem coincidental, the incident appeared to be motivated by religious factors. However, the exact motive was still under investigation and yet to be determined.
He added, “There is a village nearby where there is a fairly large Ahmadi community but they have a lot of inter-marriages and therefore a lot of infighting. There has even been a murder in the past, but none of it was religiously motivated. The fact that he was an Ahmadi is a coincidence… but we do not want to make any statement before investigation is done.”
Both police officers denied any untoward happening in the past in the Bahalwapur district related to violence against Ahmadis.
“While there have been speeches by radical elements, it’s important to note that the TLP’s influence in the area is limited, and historically, there have been no recorded attacks on the Ahmadi community within the district,” he said.
Recent Social Context
In 2023, Ahmadi minority communities in Pakistan suffered attacks on approximately 40 of their places of worship. The perpetrators were primarily activists from the radical Islamist group, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
On February 28, an Ahmadiyya place of worship was attacked in Karachi by 15 to 20 people who took two armed policemen on duty hostage and forcibly entered the worship place, demolishing the minaret.
Before that, a similar incident took place in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
On February 12, a group of 50 to 60 people vandalised the Ahmadiyya place of worship in Bhabra district, Kotli, AJK. The attack resulted in damage to the building’s minaret and other parts.
Reports indicate that the attackers used hammers, shovels, sticks, and other objects to damage the place of worship. First they disabled the CCTV cameras before damaging the exterior structure and entering the building to cause further harm.
In an official press release the ‘recent wave of hatred against the Ahmadiyya community’ was fiercely condemned.
“There are demands made that Ahmadis are liable to death,” said the press release. “The Ahmadiyya community continues to request the concerned authorities to take appropriate action otherwise this hatred could result in damage beyond repair.”
The community has advised ‘swift action’ to be taken in this regard, demanding that those involved in this most recent incident be punished according to law, adding that a solution must be sought whereby these atrocities stop.