Mandi Bahauddin (AsiaNews) – A member of Pakistan’s Ahmadi community, Mirza Safdar Mahmood, 65, was shot dead on Wednesday evening by two unidentified assailants in Mandi Bahauddin, a district in Punjab Province, with police describing the incident as a suspected targeted killing.
The shooting took place at around 6:30 pm on Main Eidgah Road, within the jurisdiction of the City police station. The incident occurred near the central Eidgah and only a few metres from the office of the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Saddar Circle.
Investigations underway: attackers unidentified
The victim sustained critical gunshot wounds and died at the scene. The attackers fled immediately after the shooting and are still unidentified at the time of reporting.
After receiving information about the incident, City police reached the location and cordoned off the area, collecting evidence from the crime scene as investigators began efforts to determine the circumstances surrounding the killing, and whether the assailants had been monitoring him.
Personnel from other law-enforcement agencies were also present at the site as the investigation continued. The dead man’s body was taken into police custody and the necessary legal formalities were initiated. Police officials said a formal case would be registered after the victim’s heirs submitted an application.
District Police Officer Mandi Bahauddin Lieutenant (retd) Kamran Amir Khan said the initial investigation indicated that the killing appeared to have been planned. Speaking to the media, he said the victim appeared to have been deliberately selected, strengthening the suspicion that the incident was a targeted killing rather than a random act of violence.
No group has claimed responsibility for the killing, and police have not yet publicly established a definitive motive. The authorities said the investigation was continuing from all possible angles and that efforts were under way to identify and arrest those responsible.
Fears among religious minorities rekindled
The killing has renewed concerns over the security of members of Pakistan’s Ahmadi community, who have faced discrimination, intimidation and violence over the years.
Ahmadis have been legally declared non-Muslims under Pakistan’s constitution and face specific restrictions under the country’s laws concerning religious expression and practice. Human-rights organisations have repeatedly raised concerns over violence and discrimination against the community and called on authorities to ensure the protection of religious minorities.
Rights advocates have also stressed that attacks against members of religious minorities must be investigated promptly and impartially, with perpetrators brought to justice regardless of their identity or motive.
The location of Wednesday’s shooting has added to concerns surrounding the incident. The attack took place on a major road near the central Eidgah and close to the office of a senior police official, raising questions about how the assailants were able to carry out the attack and escape.
For the Ahmadi community in Mandi Bahauddin, the killing has heightened fears about personal security and the need for effective protection of vulnerable religious groups. The authorities have yet to announce any arrests. The victim’s family and members of the local community are now awaiting the completion of the investigation and hope that those responsible for the killing will be identified and brought before the courts.
Amir Mahmood, Ahmadi community spokesperson
The spokesperson of Ahmadi community Amir Mahmood strongly condemned the situation, stating that those who promote the killing of Ahmadis and spread narratives of hatred and violence must be brought before the law and given exemplary punishment.
He said that, as in other parts of the country, an anti-Ahmadi campaign has also been ongoing in Mandi Bahauddin, where incitement against Ahmadis has been actively propagated.
In Mandi Bahauddin, some so-called clerics have gone so far as to publicly issue horrific threats to cause miscarriages among pregnant Ahmadi women. They have also campaigned against the appointment of an Ahmadi police officer in Mandi Bahauddin and issued threats to kill him.
On 8 June 2024, two Ahmadis were publicly murdered in broad daylight on the same day in the Saadullahpur area of Mandi Bahauddin. Furthermore, the perpetrator responsible for the killing of Ahmadi physician Dr Sheikh Muhammad Mahmood in Sargodha on 16 May 2025, has still not been apprehended.
The spokesperson of the Ahmadiyya community has called for an immediate halt to the prejudiced and hate-driven campaign against Ahmadis in Pakistan.
He further demanded that those involved in the brutal killings, as well as those responsible for inciting hatred, indoctrinating individuals, and facilitating such crimes, be given severe punishment in accordance with the law.
