Lahore attack condemned

HRCP, Awami Workers’ Party, SCBA condemn suicide attack

LAHORE:

Human rights, civil society and religious organisations and political parties on Monday strongly condemned Sunday’s deadly attack inside Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) released a statement on Monday. “Our heart goes out to the families who lost loved ones in the massacre at Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park on Sunday. Many of the victims were children, who fell prey to the suicide bomber who chose to detonate his explosives near the park’s play area. A Taliban faction has reportedly claimed responsibility for this reprehensible deed, which it said targeted Christians celebrating Easter,” it stated.

It said that the attack should be an eye-opener for the government and security forces.

“Amid the prevailing security situation, it is difficult to understand why there was practically no security at the park,” the statement said.

AWP

The Awami Workers Party (AWP) on Monday condemned the Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park attack.

“Yesterday, more than 72 women, children and men were killed, and more than 200 injured, in the suicide bombing in the attack. There are no words for the loss of those who no longer have a mother or a father, a sister or a brother, a daughter or a son. Our hearts bleed for the dead and the wounded,” a statement issued by the AWP said.

“The AWP calls for the unity of all those who stand in shock and condemnation in the face of this attack,” it said.

SCBA

Supreme Court Bar Association president Syed Ali Zafar has condemned Sunday’s attack in Lahore. “It is a cowardly and vicious terrorist attack that targeted children and their mothers.

Terrorists must know that as always the legal community of the country along with all Pakistanis will stand strong and united against such evil people,” he said. He called upon all members of the SCBA and their families to donate blood to save the victims.

Pakistan Catholic Bishops

The National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), a rights-based organisation of Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference, strongly condemned Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park attack.

According to a statement, NCJP Chairperson Bishop Dr Joseph Arshad and NCJP National Director Rev Fr Emmanuel Yousaf (Mani) said that killing innocent people, in particular women and children was unacceptable.

“The city of Lahore once again had to face a brutal attack on innocent families visiting the park to celebrate the spring season and the festival of Easter. The motive was to target the Christians, yet so many of our Muslim brothers, sisters, children and families also fell victim to this brutal attack. We pray for all the victims of this attack, as they were all Pakistanis,” it said. The commission called upon the government to bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice.

PUC

The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) also condemned Sunday’s attack.

PUC chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, Church of Pakistan president Bishop Azariah, Bishop Emanuel Khokhar, Sardar Bishon Singh of Sikh Community of Pakistan, Dr Rumesh Kumar of Hindu Council of Pakistan, Allama Ghulam Akbar Saqi, Allama Arif Wahidi, Maulana Sardar Muhammad Khan Leghari, Pir Mehfooz Mashahdi, Qazi Abdul Qadeer Khamosh, Maulana Yusuf Anwer, Maulana Ayub Safdar and Sahibzada Zahid Mehmood Qasmi condemned the attack in a joint statement issued on the Monday.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2016.