Pindi incident: TNFJ demands impartial probe

Bukhari alleges that the government allowed the miscreants to flare-up tension.

ISLAMABAD:

The Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Fiqh-e-Jafria (TNFJ), while holding the district administration responsible for the loss of life and property in Rawalpindi on Ashura, has demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident to fix responsibility. 

Speaking at a press conference at the National Press Club on Sunday, TNFJ Deputy Secretary General Shujaat Ali Bukhari insisted that the clashes were the results of a “well-planned conspiracy” and not sectarianism.

He alleged that the government allowed the miscreants to flare-up tensions and, as a result, innocent people from both sects lost their lives.

“Till yesterday, the whole nation was united against terrorism, Indian aggression along borders and drone attacks, but suddenly, we were dragged into a conspiracy to divert our attention from core issues,” he claimed.

He said that the district administration was repeatedly asked to hand over the city to the army on Ashura besides providing enhanced security around mosques and imambargahs, but their demand fell on deaf ears.

He also demanded that exemplary punishment be awarded to the miscreants.

Bukhari also demanded the reconstruction of burnt mosques and imambargahs, besides compensation for the families of the victims and traders whose shops had been burnt or vandalised by miscreants.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2013.