Sunni Ittehad to march to ‘save’ Pakistan

Sunni Ittehad calls for march against increased religious fanaticism, lawlessness and inflation.

ISLAMABAD: Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) will march on Lahore on Wednesday, October 27, to register their protest against terrorist attacks on shrines of sufi saints, lawlessness and inflation.

The decision to participate in a “Save Pakistan March” from Islamabad to Data Darbar Lahore was taken at a conference of the alliance held at Jinnah Convention Centre on Sunday. SIC warned the federal and Punjab government of serious consequences if they tried to stop their march.

The conference was arranged to map out a plan of action against the increased religious fanaticism and extremism. The council demanded of the government to take serious action against the attackers on the shrines and bring them to justice.

Strict monitoring of the elements who had been trained for the Afghan Jihad back in 1980s, change in the name and the syllabus of Jamaat-ud Dawa and removal of Punjab Law Minister Rana Sannaullah was also among the demands of the participants at the conference.

These demands were made through a resolution passed at the convention.

The resolution also demanded an immediate stop to drone attacks and an end to the government’s confrontation with the judiciary. The participants asked for immediate steps to control inflation, unemployment and poverty.

A large number of religious leaders, including Sahibzada Fazal Karim, Sarwat Ejaz Qadri, Haji Hanif Taib, Pir Afzal Qadri, Allama Haider Alvi, Riaz Hussain Shah, Pir Naqibur Rehman and Sahib Zada Sultan Ahmed Ali from all over the country attended the convention.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2010.