92 News reported that PM Imran chaired a federal cabinet meeting on Wednesday, in which the concerned summary was tabled for approval. During the meeting, a number of federal cabinet members endorsed the inclusion of Ahmadis in the commission.
Ministry of Religious Affairs has been directed to ensure the presence of Ahmadis in the National Commission for Minorities. After the development, the commission will consist of nine official non-Muslim and eight non-official Muslim members.
While expressing his concerns over the federal government’s decision, PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain told the private news channel: “The opening of Ahmadis’ pandora box is beyond understanding. The Ahmadis neither accept themselves as non-Muslim minority nor do they accept the constitution of Pakistan. Under these circumstances, favouring Ahmadis is a joke with Pakistan that is unacceptable.”
The Ahmadiyya community of Pakistan is included in the commission for the first time since 1974, when they were declared non-Muslim by the then Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government.