an Ahmadiyya community member was arrested in Chak 312-JB, Khattowali village near Gojra, under allegations of sacrilege and misrepresentation of religious identity.

The arrest was made based on a First Information Report (FIR) filed by Mohsin Raza Naqshbandi, the district emir of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), under section 298-C of the Pakistan Penal Code. Naqshbandi claimed that the accused had portrayed himself as a Muslim and performed the ritual sacrifice of a goat, which is regarded as a significant religious act among Muslims during Eidul Azha.

According to the complainant, upon discovering the Ahmadiyya man conducting the sacrifice, he and two witnesses intervened, prompting a confrontation where the accused allegedly insisted on his identity as a Muslim. This assertion, according to Naqshbandi, deeply offended the sentiments of Muslims and constituted a violation of Islamic religious norms.

Promptly responding to the complaint, local police arrested the accused individual and seized the sacrificial goat, along with related equipment including knives, rope, and a chopping block.

Meanwhile, the Jamaat Ahmadiyya spokesperson, Amir Mahmood, strongly condemned the incident, labeling it a blatant disregard for a Supreme Court order that guarantees religious freedoms to all non-Muslim minorities in Pakistan. Mahmood emphasized that the Ahmadiyya community, recognized as non-Muslims under Pakistani law despite self-identification as Muslims, faced recurring persecution and harassment.

Press reports indicated that similar arrests of Ahmadiyya community members occurred across Punjab, totaling 36 individuals detained for attempting to perform sacrificial rituals on Eidul Azha. Mahmood attributed these incidents to mounting pressure from groups like TLP, accused of instigating animosity against Ahmadis and influencing law enforcement to restrict their religious practices.

In another incident reported from Rahim Yar Khan, a member of the Ahmadiyya community narrowly evaded arrest after authorities intervened upon receiving reports of an attempted calf sacrifice at his residence. Khanpur police subsequently filed an FIR in connection with the incident.

The unfolding events underscore ongoing challenges faced by religious minorities in Pakistan, highlighting the fragile balance between religious freedom and societal sensitivities.