Police picked up Khurram Zaki while he was protesting outside Lal Masjid last year. PHOTO: EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD:
Civil society, human rights activists, diplomats and religious groups condemned killing of Khurram Zaki, a vocal opponent of sectarian violence and politics of hatred, on Saturday night in Karachi.
In the attack by unidentified assailants, two others were also injured.
The protest demonstration by capital’s civil society could only attract four people.
The poor showing was a sad reflection of a diminishing civil society against continuous incidents of extremist violence.
Rights activist Dr Farzana Bari and three students of Quaid-i-Azam University, who accompanied her – gathered outside the National Press Club to denounce the killing.
“With every passing day, the civil society in the country is getting weaker. The NGO sector has eaten it up,” the professor lamented.
The situation forced her to join the activists of Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM), who had staged a separate protest at the press club.
“The civil society might be afraid of the situation where extremists had been silencing prominent rights activists one after another and state was playing a role of just a silent spectator,” she said.
Zaki had vigorously campaigned for the arrest of Abdul Aziz of Lal Masjid in the last days of his life.
“He [Zaki] boldly spoke against elements who have been creating divisions among Pakistanis on the basis of religion,” she said, adding that there was a dire need to unite the society.
Bari said that the country had become a place where extremist mindset was ruling, while political parties, government and opposition, were busy in politics of power.
“A few news tickers, condemning speeches, a candlelight vigil and that’s all. It is the price of lost life in Pakistan,” she said.
“The situation had frightened activists and the day was not far when no one would raise voice against extremism,” Bari said.
MWM former secretary general Zaheer Abbas said that the government should take immediate steps against terrorists and their sympathisers to restore peace.
“Government through its response to such incidents endorses the fact that it does not support the idea of free speech,” he said.
“There is no need to identify enemies of the state, government and its departments know them very well,” Abbas said.
Abbas strongly criticised the city administration saying that it ensured closure of roads surrounding Lal Masjid every Friday and suspended mobile services, whenever, Aziz gave sermons.
“However, it takes no step to arrest him for delivering hate speeches and directly threatening the government and its machinery,” he said.
Later, the activists of MWM held a candlelight vigil and blocked one side of Garden Road for 15 minutes.
EU statement
Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) delegation in its local press statement said that the heinous crime was a stark reminder of grave dangers facing journalists and human rights defenders in the country.
It extended sympathy to family and friends of Zaki and other victims.
It called on the government to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 9th, 2016.
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