Pakistan: Hundreds gather in Rawalpindi against Ahmadis

... [A]nonymous banners had appeared in Rawalpindi, demanding that Ahmadi community members leave the area. The banners also termed the community’s activities against Pakistan’s constitution, which declares Ahmadis non-Muslims.

Photo: Shiraz Hassan via yFrog

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Express Tribune
By  Mudassir Raja | January 29, 2012

RAWALPINDI: Hundreds of people organised a protest against the Ahmadiyya community in Rawalpindi on Sunday, claiming that community members had illegally established a worship place in the city.

The protest, led by a representative of the local traders union Sherjeel Mir, was organised in F Block of Satellite Town near the Holy Family Hospital.

According to the protesters, the worship place called Ewane Tauheed is located in a residential area and has been built without proper official permission.

Ahmadi Community members, however, claim that the building was built through due process after the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, a registered organisation, purchased the land.

Earlier, anonymous banners had appeared in Rawalpindi, demanding that Ahmadi community members leave the area. The banners also termed the community’s activities against Pakistan’s constitution, which declares Ahmadis non-Muslims.

The persecuted minority, members of which are regularly killed in Pakistan, fears recurrence of recent attacks on their community, such as that in May 2010 in Lahore when 93 people were killed in two worship places.

Read original post here:  Hundreds gather in Rawalpindi against Ahmadis

Pakistan: Live Updates - JuD Anti-Ahmadiyya Rally in Satellite Town, Rawalpindi

The starting on-location LIVE updates are produced by Shiraz Hassan, a Journalist, Blogger, and a Photographer. His blog can be read at http://shirazhassan.blogspot.com. Additional updates by Tahir Imran Mian, http://tahirimran.com/

Photo: Shiraz Hassan - 12:25p

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Various sources / Tweeples
By Ahmadiyya Times | January 29, 2012

A hate campaign against the Ahmadiyya community in Rawalpindi has been brewing for the last many months. 

A massive protest rally against the community has been planned by extremist elements for Sunday, January 29th, 2012 in Satellite Town area of Rawalpindi city.

Ahmadis have urged the Federal Government and the Government of Punjab to immediately take notice of, intervene and put an end to this ongoing hate campaign against its fellow citizens.




4:30 - Live updates end. Signing off... Thank you for following.

4:12 - (News) "Hundreds gather in Rawalpindi against land ‘encroachment’ by Ahmadis" [Read here] - Express Tribune

Nigeria: Boko Haram vows to fight until Nigeria establishes sharia law

Western diplomats say Boko Haram has splintered and the hardliners leading the factions responsible for the wave of violence that has killed some 250 people this year appear to have rejected any suggestion of dialogue.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |
Source/Credit: The Guardian | UK
By Monica Mark in Abuja | January 27, 2012

The Guardian Exclusive: Spokesman for Islamist group says it will not stop deadly attacks until country is ruled according to dictates of Allah

The Islamist group Boko Haram, which has killed almost 1,000 people in Nigeria, will continue its campaign of violence until the country is ruled by sharia law, a senior member has told the Guardian.

"We will consider negotiation only when we have brought the government to their knees," the spokesman, Abu Qaqa, said in the group's first major interview with a western newspaper. "Once we see that things are being done according to the dictates of Allah, and our members are released [from prison], we will only put aside our arms – but we will not lay them down. You don't put down your arms in Islam, you only put them aside."

Qaqa, whose name is a pseudonym, said the group's members were spiritual followers of al-Qaida, and claimed they had met senior figures in the network founded by Osama bin Laden during visits to Saudia Arabia.

Pakistan: Harassed, Christian activist says he fears death at police’s hand

Behram Francis, the National Coordinator for the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) of Pakistan demanded that Waseem Shakir be protected. 

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Express Tribune
By Asad Kharal | January 28, 2012

The reason: he initiated legal proceedings against the police for making derogatory remarks about his religion.

LAHORE: A Christian human rights activist fears he may be killed for standing up to the police.

Waseem Shakir – a district coordinator for minority affairs for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Kot Addu, Muzaffargarh – says that he might be targeted in an ‘encounter’. The reason: he has initiated legal proceedings against the police for making derogatory remarks about his religion.

Two of his associates have also filed independent petitions alleging harassment against the police.

Holy bans only | Daily Dawn Pakistan | by Murtaza Razvi

The magistrate in Rabwah, Punjab, now rechristened as Chenab Nagar just to spite the majority Ahmadi community residents there, keeps renewing the ban on Ahmadis’ religious congregations month after month and year after year.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Daily Dawn | Pakistan
By Murtaza Razvi | January 27, 2012

While in a Karachi park a frenzied, self-righteous TV show host chased couples out on a date filming them without their consent last week, in Lahore the Punjab assembly passed a resolution seeking a blanket ban on the holding of music concerts in educational institutions. Both are despicable acts of moral policing in a country which offers youngsters very few opportunities to mingle. What’s next, you may well ask.

This ban thing is a nasty, rather selective business. Banning music concerts comes in the wake of a terrible accident, in which three college girls were crushed to death after a stampede ensued at a concert held recently at Lahore’s Al Hamra complex. The failure to curb rowdiness now brings on this preposterous suggestion to ban all concerts by educational institutions, whilst the rest, with a similar young audience in attendance can still go on. Bizarre but true.

Then, look at Basant. The age-old spring kite-flying festival was banned in Punjab in 2008 under court orders after the authorities failed to curb the use of killer twine. For years on end the festival was termed as an aberration in this Islamic republic, having its roots in Hindu culture, as preached by the bearded brigade. So it had to go, and not just the stray killer twine that cut the bikers’ throats.

Canada: Muslim appointed to human rights post

"Mr. Malik will make an important contribution to our discussions and deliberations, particularly given his community roots, cultural background and his experience as a newcomer to Canada." 

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: The StarPhoenix
By The StarPhoenix | January 26, 201

The Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission has a new commissioner.

Nasser Malik, who immigrated to Canada 25 years ago from Pakistan with his family, has been appointed to a five-year term. He has lived in Saskatoon since 2007 and works as a supervisor at PotashCorp's Cory mine.

He also volunteers at Saskatoon's Ahmadiyya Muslim community, a movement that spans 190 countries and promotes tolerance and peace.

"Mr. Malik will make an important contribution to our discussions and deliberations, particularly given his community roots, cultural background and his experience as a newcomer to Canada," David Arnot, chief commissioner of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission, says in a news release.