2005 attack on Ahmadi mosque in Mandi Bahauddin

The 2005 attack on Ahmadi mosque in Mandi Bahauddin occurred on 7 October 2005 in Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, Pakistan. Eight members of the minority Ahmadiyya Muslim Community were killed inside a mosque as worshipers were performing Salah.

Background
The Ahmadiyya movement was started in 1889 and follows the teachings of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad who they believe was sent by God as a prophet and the Promised Messiah and Imam Mehdi prophesied in Islam "to end religious wars, condemn bloodshed and re-institute morality, justice and peace." It is estimated there are between 3 - 4 million Ahmadis in Pakistan.

The Ahmadiyya Muslims have previously been targeted by Sunni groups, while they have also suffered discrimination in Pakistan in the past, most significantly during the Lahore riots of 1953. They were declared non-Muslim in Pakistan in 1973 by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and were legally banned from identifying themselves as such in 1984 during General Zia-ul-Haq's Islamization as per Ordinance XX, despite Ahmadis calling themselves Muslim and following the rituals of Islam.

In August 2005, authorities closed down the offices of 16 publications run by followers of the sect in a Punjab city for "propagation of offensive material".

Attack
Three men riding on a motorcycle holding guns, came into the village of Mong in Mandi Bauddin on Friday morning. Two of the perpetrators went inside the mosque and started firing immediately, killing eight people. The attackers managed to escape after the attack.

Response
Amnesty International stated that: "''Police investigations of previous targeted killings of Ahmadis in Pakistan have been slow or have not taken place at all. In many cases the perpetrators have not been brought to justice. Amnesty International believes that the government’s consistent failure to investigate attacks and killings of members of religious minorities fails to discourage further human rights abuses against such groups.""

Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao stated: "We condemn this attack. Any act of violence in which innocent people are killed should be condemned."

Human Rights group stated that Ahmadis have constantly suffered persecution in Pakistan whereas Shahbaz Bhatti, head of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, said that the government had failed to protect minorities.