July 29, 2025
By Xari Jalil
LAHORE
Reports have surfaced that the police from the Aymanabad police station in Gujranwala have demolished the mihrab (arch) of a 70-year-old Ahmadiyya place of worship. According to locals, they also broke the gravestones of two Ahmadis and took their debris with them.
According to the details, the incident occurred in a camp called Jammu Walay which was located some distance away from the village of Botala Sharm Singh. The Ahmadiyya place of worship and graveyard were located here.
according to the Ahmadi community spokesperson, Amir Mehmood, Between Monday night and Tuesday morning, (July 28 and 29), at around 1:30 am, two officials dressed in police uniform accompanied by about 10 officials in civilian clothes came from Aymanabad PS in two private vehicles and a motorcycle, along with a tractor trolley. Without warning they began breaking the mihrab of the 70-year-old Ahmadiyya mosque and did not allow anyone to come near it.
By 4:00 am, the police had dismantled the mihrab of the Ahmadiyya ibadatgah. They built a wall and left the debris there. Then they proceeded to break two gravestones in the adjacent Ahmadiyya graveyard, which had sacred inscriptions on them, and took the debris with them.
Spokesperson of the Ahmadi community, Amir Mahmood, say they strongly condemn the illegal action of the Aymandabad police personnel and said that this action of demolishing a 70 year old place of worship was illegal and unjustified under a previous order of the Lahore High Court (LHC).
“The duty of the police is to protect the lives and property of all citizens living in Pakistan, without discrimination,” he said. “This includes the places of worship of people of every faith. We demand that senior police officials take notice of the incident and take legal action against those who illegally damaged the Ahmadiyya place of worship and desecrated the graves of Ahmadis.”
Despite several attempts, the Gujranwala District Commissioner, Naveed Ahmed, could not be contacted.
Aymanabad history
Aymanabad, is a historical town located in Gujranwala. It is a place of historical significance, particularly for Sikhs due to the presence of Gurdwaras and other historical sites. The town is believed to have been established in the 1st century BCE.