Pakistan Court Amends Ruling on Ahmadis

Pakistan's Supreme Court is set to amend a ruling that recognized limited religious freedoms for the persecuted Ahmadiyya minority following intense protests from far-right Islamist groups. The July ruling had allowed Ahmadis to practice their faith at home, despite being officially declared non-Muslims, but it sparked widespread backlash and calls for review from religious parties and scholars. Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa stated that the court would omit a controversial paragraph from its previous decision, yielding to pressures from religious factions, including threats against his life. This amendment has raised concerns among human rights advocates about the diminishing protections for minorities in Pakistan. The decision to amend the ruling occurred amid significant restrictions in Islamabad and a heavy presence of Islamist protesters. Critics argue that the court's actions reflect the increasing influence of extremist groups over judicial processes.