Washington DC [US], October 16 : The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, a bipartisan body of the US House of Representatives, has opposed a gruesome assault on the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Pakistan and called on the US State Department to act decisively to ensure the protection of religious minorities.
The Commission's statement came after six Ahmadiyyas were shot and injured when gunmen attacked the Bait-ul-Mehdi mosque in Rabwah during Friday prayers, as reported by Rabwah Times.
According to Rabwah Times, in a post on X, the Commission termed the incident an "appalling attack" and urged the US government to use the diplomatic leverage granted under Pakistan's designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
"@StateDept must use the tools available through Pakistan's CPC designation to urge @GovtofPakistan to curb violence against religious minorities," the Commission wrote.
The Ahmadiyya community has long faced systematic persecution in Pakistan. The 1974 constitutional amendment that declared Ahmadis non-Muslims paved the way for decades of discrimination and targeted violence. Rights organisations have repeatedly highlighted the government's failure to protect the community from hate crimes, noting the increasing normalisation of violence against Ahmadis.
Established in 2008 with unanimous approval from the US House of Representatives, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission promotes and defends human rights worldwide, in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It works across party lines, engaging lawmakers, government agencies, and civil society groups to advocate for global human rights protections, as highlighted by Rabwah Times.
The Commission is co-chaired by Representative James P McGovern (D-MA) and Representative Christopher H Smith (R-NJ). Both emphasised the need for US intervention to remind Pakistan of its constitutional commitment to religious freedom.
The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice, an affiliated organisation, echoed similar concerns, warning of an escalating pattern of violence against Ahmadis and criticising Pakistani authorities for their inaction, as per Rabwah Times.
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