Ahmadis are not Muslims, decides AJK

MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly (AJK-LA) and Kashmir Council in a joint sitting here Tuesday approved the 12th Amendment in Interim Constitution of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) declaring Ahmadis as non-Muslim, media reports say.

The amendment, moved in AJK-LA few days ago, was tabled on Tuesday in the joint sitting of both the houses and was adopted unanimously after a debate concluded on the bill.

The meeting was chaired by Speaker of LA Shah Ghulam Qadir and Amendment Act 2018 in the Interim Constitution 1974 was moved by Minister of Law and Parliamentary Affairs Raja Nisar Ahmad Khan in the House.

It may be recalled here that AJK-LA had passed a resolution in 1970 moved by then speaker Sardar Muhammad Ayub Khan demanding the government to declare Ahmadis as non-Muslim but the provision was included in the Constitution enforced in 1974. After a recent wave in the country against Ahmadis, the government on the demand of a religious member Pir Ali Raza Bukhari, had announced to bring the amendment in the Constitution.