Man ‘lynched’ as religiopolitical party members storm Ahmadi worship place in Karachi

A man has allegedly been lynched after multiple workers of a religiopolitical party stormed a place of worship belonging to the Ahmadi community in Karachi’s Saddar area to stop them from performing religious rituals, reports quoted police as saying.

According to Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Syed Asad Raza, around 400 Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) workers gathered at the Saddar Mobile Market near the British-era Ahmadiyya Hall.

In wake of similar incidents in the Shah Latif, Surjani and Khokhrapar areas of the port city, the DIG said, police were already deployed at the site, adding that police, rangers and district administration acted swiftly and provided protection to the Ahmadi community members present inside the worship place. 

However, a man was allegedly beaten up by the TLP workers and succumbed to his injuries at the hospital, the DIG said. He added that the Ahmadi community claimed the deceased was their member and was associated with the place of worship.

“The police are ascertaining the veracity of the claims while CCTV footage is also being obtained.”

Meanwhile, Preedy Station House Officer (SHO) Shabbir Husain told the newspaper that a man, identified as Laeeq Cheema, 46, was filming the TLP workers near Hashu Centre when the mob assaulted and killed him, confirming that the deceased belonged to the Ahmadi community.

Husain claimed that around 45-50 members of the community were inside the worship place and the police had summoned a prison van to move them to a safer place.

Speaking to the newspaper, community spokesperson Amir Mehmood said that the deceased was passing through the area around 100-150 meters away from the place of worship, noting that the deceased was a known figure of their community. “Therefore, the TLP members recognised and began beating him, leading to his death.”