Five suspects were reportedly detained by Karachi police on Friday for allegedly damaging an Ahmadiyya place of worship in the city’s Saddar neighbourhood the previous day.
Five suspects had been detained, according to South SSP Syed Asad Raza, who also noted that Preedy police had filed a first information report (FIR) in response to a complaint made by Ahmadiyya community member Sabahat Ahmed.
The FIR was filed in accordance with the Pakistan Penal Code’s Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with a deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 427 (mischief causing damage of Rs. 50), 295 (harming or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult a religion), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), and 34 (common intention) (PPC).
The FIR said that at around 3:35pm on Thursday, 10-15 people attacked the Ahmadiyya place of worship located at Magazine Line, Saddar.
“The suspects climbed the front of the building, and destroyed and defiled minarets that were around 78-years-old as well as the facade,” it said.
“The suspects instigated people present by shouting slogans about killing members of Ahmadiyya community,” it added.
The FIR said that a police van/picket was next to the place of worship and the police took steps to stop the attack during which one official was injured. “A large number of people gathered which turned into a mob attack,” the FIR said.
