Ahmadiyya Mosque, Pakistan
In 1974 riots anti-Ahmadiyya riots led by extremist groups broke out across Pakistan. Dozeons of Ahmadi Muslims were killed. Ahmadi homes, businesses and property were destroyed. Across the country a propaganda campaign led to a boycott of Ahmadi Muslims even in schools. 

Anti-Ahmadiyya organisations that because the riots started in Rabwah, Ahmadi Muslims were to blame. To investigate this issue, the admins of this site have read the anti-Ahmadiyya version of events, the Ahmadi Muslim historian's version of events, interviewed people who were present in the country at the time, read neutral accounts in academic sources and analysed the historical data. The indisputable truth of the matter is as follows:

The riots began on May 22 1974 where a trainload carrying 200 students from Nishtar Medical College and belonging to the Jamaat-e-Islami organisation arrived in Rabwah. Jamaat-e-Islami was an organisation which had led riots against Ahmadi Muslims in 1953. The 1953 riots had led to the arrest of Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and when the Pakistan government investigated what had happened, they published their conclusions in the Munir Commission Report which effectively exonerated Ahmadi Muslims for the events of 1953. 

Jamaat-e-Islami had not softened their stance on Ahmadiyya in the intervening years. The group continued to publish literature stating apostates (non-Muslims) deserved to be murdered and that Ahmadi Muslims were apostates. Jamaat-e-Islami were also committed to violence; their organisation has been convicted of committing ethnic cleansing in Bangladesh - a non-Ahmadi Muslim country - which has banned Jamaat-e-Islami for being terrorists. 

Bearing all of this in mind, it hardly seems an innocent accident that 200 members of this terrorist, Ahmadi-hating organisation arrived in the predominantly Ahmadi town of Rabwah on that May day in 1974. In fact, it was definitely pre-planned. The students arrived carrying anti-Ahmadi placards, chanting anti-Ahmadi slogans and began to riot across the station. They went to such an extreme that they even sexually harassed innocent Ahmadi Muslim ladies who happened to be present in the area. Finally, they got onto a train to depart but warned they would return in a weeks time to riot again. All of these facts are undisputed, they have been published in neutral academic reports. 

In the intervening week, the then khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad, delivered his weekly Friday Sermon in Rabwah. He warned all Ahmadi Muslims present not to react to such provocations and to respond to hatred with love and forgiveness. 

A week passed and Jamaat-e-Islami returned again. Regrettably, this time some Ahmadi Muslim youths present at the station became involved in Jamaat-e-Islami's rioting and the two sides fought one another for some hours. When reports of these fights emerged in the media the following day, anti-Ahmadiyya riots (led by Jamaat-e-Islami leaders) broke out across Pakistan and approximately thirty Ahmadi Muslims lost their lives. Not a single Ahmadi was guilty of attacking non-Ahmadis or becoming involved in the subsequent riots. 

There are certain points worth noting about this second riot. Firstly, the Ahmadi Muslims did not cause a single serious injury to the Jamaat-e-Islami students who attacked Rabwah. The medical reports confirmed not a single bone was broken and only a few students suffered minor injuries. Secondly, Pakistan appointed Justice Samdani to investigate the Rabwah riots. He has since gone on record in both interviews and his biography effectively confirming Ahmadi Muslims caused no real damage and were not to blame. 

At the time of the second Rabwah riot, Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad had been outside of Rabwah on a trip. However when he returned he condemned the actions of the Ahmadi Muslims who had disobeyed his orders and become involved in the riot. He said they should offer 10,000 prayers for repentance. 

For the rest of 1974, Ahmadi Muslims faced numerous attacks in Jamaat-e-Islami led riots. They responded only peacefully, not getting involved in the riots and remaining completely law-abiding. Since 1974, Ahmadis in Pakistan have continually responded to constant attacks against them in the same manner. 

In summary, Jamaat-e-Islami were an anti-Ahmadiyya organisation who orchestrated two attacks against the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in 1974 by deliberately travelling to the Ahmadiyya town of Rabwah with the specific intention of attacking Ahmadis. When some Ahmadis tried to defend themselves, Jamaat-e-Islami blamed the victims for the riots (ie Ahmadis) and used this as an excuse to murder 30 more Ahmadis around Pakistan all the while destroying the property and businesses of a peaceful and law-abiding community.