Human rights groups condemn Ahmadi deaths

Human rights activists have condemned the killing of ten members of the minority Ahmadi sect in Pakistan.

Five died last Friday when a crowd attacked their place of worship and five were killed at the end of last month when gunmen opened fire at an Ahmadi prayer meeting.

Amnesty International called on the Pakistani government to stop the wave of violence and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan warned that unless the killers were caught, more lives would be lost.

In 1974 the Ahmadis were declared to be non-Muslims under Pakistani law, contrary to their own beliefs.

Human rights groups say police investigations into previous killings of Ahmadis have either been very slow or non-existent.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service