A case has been registered by the Police for the desecration of 29 graves belonging to Ahmadiyya community members. The incident happened on Saturday night in the Dunyapur, District Lodhran Punjab.

Ahmadiyya community’s spokesperson Saleemuddin said that plaques of a large number of graves were broken while 29 other graves were dug up.

The local representatives of the Ahmadiyya community approached the Police and submitted an application for legal action to be taken against the perpetrators but no action has been taken by the Police so far.

The graveyard has been in use by the Ahmadiyya community since 1976.

Religious tension is high in Dunyapur where around 15 families belonging to the Ahmadiyya community reside.

DPO Lodhran Agha Muhammad Yusuf confirmed that the graveyard had been desecrated and added that the area’s DSP is looking into the matter. The DPO said he would look into the case after investigations are completed.

Saleemuddin said that around six months ago, a private school run by a member of the Ahmadiyya community was forcefully closed down by residents. People took to the streets and to shut the school where many Muslim children were being educated free of cost, he said.

The next face of persecution may be the take over business and properties of the community, he feared.

Unfortunately, this is not the first such incident. Around two months ago, another Ahmadi graveyard located in Haveli Majokan district Sargodha was dug up, humiliating and angering community members.

He said the incidents of desecrating graves of the Ahmadiyya community have increased over the last few months. He said that till now, a total of 30 such cases have been recorded in the country.