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Pakistani police arrested 28 Ahmediyas after Muslim protestors bulldozed their place of worship in the Punjab province on Monday, the South Asian Dispatch Agency reported.
According to the police, an anti-Ahmediya organisation complained that the Ahmediyas were planning to hold a meeting aimed at hurting the religious sentiments of the majority.
Acting on the complaint, the police convened a meeting of the elders of both the Muslims and the Ahmediyas, who agreed not to indulge in any activity that would disturb peace in the area.
But the Ahmediyas allegedly breached the contract and started pouring in at their place of worship. A mob of around 150 Muslims then attacked the place and burnt furniture and electronic equipment. No one was injured in the attack.
Police rushed to the place and ringed the area.
"We will release all the arrested Ahmediyas as soon as the situation returns to normal," a police officer said.
Pakistan declared the Ahmediyas non-Muslims during the reign of the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto after widespread riots between Muslims and Ahmediyas in 1974.
According to Pakistani law, the Ahmediyas are prohibited from declaring themselves Muslims. Many Ahmediyas, who form a small part of the country's population, have migrated to foreign countries, especially to Europe where they get asylum.
Pakistan saw some of the worst Ahmediya-Muslim riots in the 1980s. Since then, there has not been any major incident between the two groups.
Indo-Asian News Service
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