Gunmen raid Ahmadiyya central office

Oyewale Oluwaseun

SECURITY operatives suspected to be police contingent from the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) carried out a raid on Ahmadiyya central office in Rabwah (Publications Department of the Tehrik Jadid) and Zia-ul-Islam Press at mid-day on Monday.
It was gathered that the stern looking armed men acted brutally, beating up some staffers, made arrests and took away office equipment and personal belongings.
This is coming for the first time in the last 42 years, since the state adopted the agenda of acting hostile towards its Ahmadi citizens. Reports say that they came in three vehicles, wearing masks. They made forced entry in the office compound without any Warrant. The raiders beat up some of the office staff, checked their CNIC cards and arrested three officials, apparently only for their Rabwah addresses, and took away five office computers, a lap-top, a printer and a bag full of various books, 8 coloured plates, 4 black plates and printed sheets of the publication.
Harmless personnel, Waqif Zindigi , a cadre dedicated to service of humanity and religion and others were also taken away in hand-cuffed.
The men were said to have also forced their way to the roof where the security office is located, beating up Rana Irfan Ahmad, the security guard on duty, took the key of the locked security office from him, and made away with three guns and a box of shots which were licensed and authorised.
Reacting to the development, the Ahmadiyya Foreign Mission office in a statement sent to
Vanguard said the armed men acted like marauders rather than officials, as they did not issue any receipt for the spoils.
“The raid lasted lasted 30 minutes. After that they proceeded directly to the Zia ul Islam Press. It was about 1p.m. They did not ring the bell but preferred to jump over the wall to enter the premises. They told the press operators to stop the press; beat them upand asked them to hand them over the monthly Tehrik Jadid and its plates. The pressmen told them that they had none at the moment, as they were busy printing the Ahmadiyya daily.”
According to the Foriegn Mission office, “We learnt that a police case has been registered against nine Ahmadis; four of those arrested, and some others whose names were found in the monthly publication. It is learnt that anti-Ahmadi sections PPC 298-B and 298-C have been applied and some sections of the Anti-terrorism Act. We have not yet been provided a copy of the FIR; the details will be available on its receipt.

SOURCE.. VANGUARD