The accounts of the torture meted out to Abdul Qudoos Ahmad, an Ahmadi school teacher, are gory and mind numbing. The fact that police were complicit in this heinous act exacerbates the woes of his bereaved family. Their plight is unimaginable; the guardians of justice – who are expected to provide recourse, are the culprits here. This is not the first time that humanity has been shamed in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Ahmadis have been rendered outcasts in their very own homeland; not just by their fellow citizens, but by their very own state which repeatedly usurps their fundamental human rights.
Persecution, discrimination and prejudice are not new for the Ahmadis of Pakistan. The government’s constant acquiescence to the shenanigans of the radical clergy leaves Ahmadis in a quagmire. The brutality in this case shows the extent to which persecution of Ahmadis has seeped into the society. A few whimpers in the media and soon this case will be forgotten, like a routine happening. The majority in Pakistan remains nonchalant about the recurring brutalities against Ahmadis. Lest it forgets, the Frankenstein is no longer satiated with the blood of Ahmadis alone. Draconian laws were enacted to marginalize Ahmadis; the repercussions of that grave injustice are becoming increasingly evident in the last decade, as intolerance and bigotry are on a rise.
Is it wishful to demand justice from higher authorities in this case? It might be ‘too little, too late’ for the family of Abdul Qudoos Ahmad, but any step to thwart the recurrence of such horrendous crimes, would be a stride in the right direction for Pakistan.
