Karachi police have identified six suspects, including a Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP)-affiliated Union Council (UC) chairman, in the lynching of Laeeq Ahmad Cheema, a 46-year-old Ahmadi businessman, in Saddar on April 17, 2025.
The brutal attack, captured on CCTV, occurred when TLP supporters stormed an Ahmadiyya community hall, as reported on April 19, 2025, sparking outrage over religious violence in Pakistan.
A mob of 15–20 Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) supporters fatally beat Laeeq Ahmad Cheema near Saddar’s auto parts market after he allegedly recorded their assault on an Ahmadi worship place. The violent crowd, which numbered in the hundreds, attempted to disrupt religious rituals and surrounded 45–50 Ahmadis inside the prayer hall.
Cheema managed to reach the Civil Hospital but succumbed to his injuries. South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Asad Raza confirmed that CCTV footage identified six attackers, including the Kharadar Union Council chairman, elected on a TLP ticket.
Laeeq Cheema, 47 yr old Ahmadi & father of 7, was lynched in Karachi today. Beaten to death outside a mosque with bricks & sticks while a hate-fueled mob screamed vile slogans.
A murder for offering a prayer—by the mob, backed by the state. No justice. No shame. No end in sight. pic.twitter.com/0B9JdMPdIA
— Mona Farooq Ahmad (@MonaChaudhryy) April 18, 2025Authorities also connected three other suspects to a 2023 vandalism case involving the TLP, in which Cheema had served as the sole eyewitness, raising the likelihood of a targeted attack. DIG Raza stated that police have launched city-wide raids across Karachi to capture the suspects and expect to identify more individuals through ongoing video analysis.
Preedy Police Station SHO Shabbir Husain met Cheema’s family to encourage filing a First Information Report (FIR), which they have not yet done, possibly due to fear or grief. During the attack, police used a prison van to evacuate the Ahmadis, underscoring the mob’s threat to their safety. The investigation, leveraging CCTV evidence, aims to deliver justice, with the UC chairman’s involvement raising questions about accountability among elected officials.
Laeeq Ahmad Cheema (46), an Ahmadi Muslim was lynched by a mob outside Ahmadiyya Hall in Karachi on Friday.
A horrific act of violence.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the Ahmadiyya community. https://t.co/dgeI0O17US pic.twitter.com/gf15Y1R9Eb
— International Human Rights Committee (IHRC) (@IHumanRightsC) April 18, 2025The lynching reflects the ongoing persecution of Pakistan’s Ahmadiyya community, often targeted for their religious beliefs. TLP, known for its extremist rhetoric, has a history of inciting violence, as seen in the 2023 vandalism incident. X posts, such as those from @PakistanAhmadi, demand protection for Ahmadis, though public sentiment remains inconclusive without wider verification.
A violent mob in Karachi, Pakistan martyred an Ahmadi Muslim today, His Holiness announced in his Friday Sermon.
Mr. Laeeq Cheema, 46, was brutally attacked with bricks and sticks and died at the scene. He was the father of 7 children. Details are still emerging.
It happened… pic.twitter.com/KiV4cgWvVR
— Press Ahmadiyya (@pressahmadiyya) April 18, 2025The case highlights systemic challenges in safeguarding minorities and curbing mob violence in Karachi.
