Heinous attack: Civil society condemns park carnage

Meeting organised at HRCP office

LAHORE: Strong condemnations of Sunday’s Gulshan-i-Iqbal carnage came from the civil society on Tuesday following a meeting at the office of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

Those present strongly condemned the attack. A statement released in connection with the meeting highlighted that Pakistan was in a state of war but there was no clear-cut government policy on it. Those present expressed deep concern over the Lahore incident, the Karachi Press Club attack and the sit-in at Islamabad’s Red Zone by select religious parties. The statement added that the recent “brutal actions” debunked government claims regarding the absence of terrorists and militant groups at religious seminaries nowhere across Pakistan. “These negate all claims made by the government,” it read.

“We strongly believe that the half-hearted implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) by the government, extremely vague policies and untimely action taken against terrorism have facilitated such attacks and are the root cause of increasing militancy and militants. We, along with all peaceful citizens, strongly demand that the government and all law enforcement and security agencies have clear policies to eliminate terrorism and implement these indiscriminately,” the statement read. Those present demanded that an operation be launched against all militant outfits and their facilitators without any distinction. The statement voiced concern over the society at large being at a critical time. This, it said, was stoking religious fanaticism that had left citizens in general and religious minorities feeling intimidated in particular.  The meeting was organised by the Pakistan Civil Society Forum, the Action Committee for People’s Rights and the Women Action Forum.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th,  2016.