Women stage sit-in outside Bilawal House in Karachi to protest against the targeted killings of Shias in Pakistan. PHOTO: RASHID AJMERI/ EXPRESS
KARACHI: A small sit-in was held outside Bilawal House in Karachi on Sunday to protest the targeted killings of Shias in the country, particularly the blasts in Quetta on Thursday which left over a 100 dead, reported Express News.
The protesters demanded the president and prime minister take concrete steps to stop ongoing sectarian violence in Balochistan.
They maintained that the Balochistan provincial government should be sacked for being incapable of controlling the law and order situation.
A large number of children were also seen holding placards and shouting slogans during the protest.
The police brought in water cannons and asked the protesters to disperse within 10 minutes, however, the protesters refused saying they will leave only after their demands are met.
Express News reported that the government has ordered a three-hour long suspension of mobile services in Clifton - area where Bilawal House is located.
Women, children stage sit-in outside Bilawal House in Karachi. PHOTO: RASHID AJMERI/ EXPRESS
A trend #DharnaAtBilawalHouse was also generated by Twitter users in Pakistan to spread awareness regarding the protest and to express solidarity with the bereaved families in Quetta.
Here are a few top tweets:
Adil Arif Bawany @Adbawany
Dharna will continue till Quetta Dharna continues #dharnaAtBilawalHouse #Karachi doctors, engineers, women, children all here #ShiaGenocide
Awab Alvi @DrAwab
#DharnaAtBilawalHouse Metropole towards Marriott police barricade infront of Sindh club #shiagenocide #WeAreAllHazara
Hassan Khan @hassan_k82
#Justice4Hazara #DharnaAtBilawalHouse i request civil society to gather around Bilawal House and show there is humanity and sanity left
Zia @XIApk
#DharnaAtBilawalHouse Karachi needs to come out and stand shoulder to shoulder with people of Hazara
COMMENTS (21)
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@Ghani:
Yes Ghani Sb...yes let us do that.....we are Muslims & human beings....
the pictures in this article are not from Bilawal House dharna.... It means the media is too afraid or not interested to go there and see from their own eyes. Just writing an article with Numaish picture is not going to work.....
@Karachi: @Sidrah:
Shame on you both!! Should you protest against the killing of your dear ones (God forbid) how will you respond to the words you wrote??
This is the time when Shia, Sunni, Hindus and everyone in Pakistan should join hands for a change. Together we should fight extremism
the government will never do anything. the people MUST do something to bring change on their own. but the people are in a state of DEEP, NEVERENDING sleep. the most atrocious crimes against humanity are committed in front of them, and yet they do NOTHING, they say NOTHING.
Time for zardari and co to pack their bags for greener pastures.
@ET: "A small sit-in"? What does it look like from the picture in your own article?
Situation is going to be serious indeed because government hasn't taken any action against the terrorist. I recommend government to resolve the issue now otherwise it will not possible them to control the sit-in....
Labayik Ya Hussain (a.s.)
Sunnis, plz wakeup and come out to support Shias. This is the start of a revolution against extremism, the biggest menace of Pakistan. Plz come out with banners, placards clearly showing NO TO EXTREMISM and NO TO MARTIAL LAW and YES TO ARMY ACTION
I love the country, I hate the people!
Sunnis, plz wakeup and come out to support Shias. This is the start of a revolution against extremism, the biggest menace of Pakistan. Plz come out with banners, placards clearly showing NO TO EXTREMISM and NO TO MARTIAL LAW and YES TO ARMY ACTION
Completely agree with @Karachi. Army chief's tenure is ending and all of a sudden so much anarchy. Dal mein kuch to kala zaroor hai.
It is a good step against Terror, This is a start to eliminate terror and to stop Shia genocide ,
Time has come to do or die. Kick out the feudals, jagirdars, wadehras, tax evaders etc.
notice one thing all those tweets are of pti supporters...
This entire government consisting of Zardari & Co ought to be sacked. They have left this country in ruins.
Shia or Sunni...they are human beings....let us show our solidarity with our brothers.....we will be there in their sorrows and laughter....
Media must feel ashamed & not proudIn Quetta people are sitting along with 85 dead bodies for last 4 days in protest which is very much absolutely unprecedented and heartbroken and the aggrieved do not want to bury their loved ones unless and until their demands to remove chief minister and handing over Quetta to army is met, they will continue the protest which is quite but natural but at the same time I am really pinched to pen that our all television channels did not share their untold grief whatsoever otherwise they had stopped showing musical and laughter programs and advertisements but who cares. Will all television program directors do alike if one of their own bloods is one of those whose bodies can be seen in Quetta? Answer to my question will itself decide if our media should feel ashamed or proud. Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait"The police brought in water cannons and asked the protesters to disperse within 10 minutes, however, the protesters refused saying they will leave only after their demands are met." Their demands should be met immediately. Sunnis must stand with their shia brothers and sisters.
Keep it up, you are the the change initiators.
This is getting serious now. National protests, Qadri's long march, Taliban insurgency, Shia-Hazarra killings, karachi violence, LOC ceasefire agreement breached.. I see a martial law being imposed soon.
Heard CM Balochistan Aslam Raisani has decided to resign due to Pressure and the notification will be issued in next 24 hours.. Any update about that?