Video: Gunman shoots relentlessly at Ahmadi worship place in Pakistan's Rabwah

A shocking video has emerged from Pakistan’s Punjab province showing a lone gunman launching a brazen attack on the Bait-ul-Mahdi, an Ahmadi place of worship in Chenab Nagar (Rabwah), the headquarters of the Ahmadiyya community. Police later confirmed that at least six members of the minority Ahmadi community were injured in the exchange of fire.

The chilling footage, verified by local authorities, captures the assailant walking toward the gate of the compound with a pistol drawn, firing multiple rounds at volunteer guards stationed outside. Panic ensues as worshippers inside rush for cover during Friday prayers. Moments later, one of the guards retaliates (not visible in the video clip) and shoots the attacker. He drops his guns, tries to pick them up, fails, and falls to the ground.

According to Pakistan’s Punjab Police, the assailant was killed at the scene after volunteers returned fire, preventing him from entering the mosque. “Upon reaching the main gate, the gunman opened fire on the Ahmadi volunteer guards on duty. Six Ahmadis were wounded on the spot. One of the guards killed the attacker,” a police officer said.

Police cordoned off the area and have launched an investigation to determine whether the shooter was affiliated with any extremist group. No organisation has claimed responsibility yet, though groups such as Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) have previously targeted Ahmadi places of worship across the country.

‘A CONSEQUENCE OF UNCHECKED HATE’

Aamir Mahmood, spokesperson for Jamaat Ahmadiyya Pakistan, condemned the attack, saying hate campaigns and incendiary sermons have created a climate where such attacks are openly encouraged.

“Today’s attack is a consequence of that same hate campaign,” he said. “Fatwas exist that encourage people to kill Ahmadis whenever they encounter them. To protect innocent, peaceful Ahmadis, the hate campaign against Ahmadis must be stopped at once, and its perpetrators punished in accordance with the law.”

A LONG HISTORY OF PERSECUTION

Ahmadis, who consider themselves Muslims, were declared non-Muslims by Pakistan’s Parliament in 1974. Later laws banned them from practising or identifying as Muslims, including constructing minarets or displaying Quranic verses in their mosques.

The Rabwah attack, captured on camera and now under investigation, has reignited debate over Pakistan’s treatment of religious minorities and renewed calls for global attention to the community’s worsening plight.

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