Tea makers, police constables sign for peace, interfaith harmony

Citizens for Democracy holds signature campaign to demand justice for Shahbaz Bhatti.

KARACHI:

A tea stall owner signed because his business was set on fire for ‘no rhyme or reason’ and a police constable added his name to the list because he worries about his children every time they leave for school.

They were adding their names to a signature campaign ‘Silence Means More Blood’ organised by the Citizens for Democracy (CFD) at Jehangir Kothari Parade on Saturday to demand action against calls for violence and the murders of former federal minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti and Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer. CFD claimed at 7pm that they had 10,000 signatures. They stayed open beyond the previously mentioned limit as people kept coming.

Azam Khan, a tired looking man in his late 40s, couldn’t read the campaign letter, which was addressed to the president, prime minister, chief justice and the four chief ministers, but once a CFD representative read out the script, he scrawled his name on to the paper. He said his stall had recently been set on fire in the recurring violence and chaos that grips the city.

Nisar Ahmed, a police constable, came up to the stall because he was “curious to know what everyone was signing”. He supported the cause for his children’s safety. He also worries because of his job and the insecurities that come with it, but his children’s health and happiness is his first priority.

“What we are demanding is similar to what the poor of this nation want: peace and security,” said CFD’s Narjis Momin, who was seated with other representatives behind the table under a bright banner.

“We need to bring up these issues in parliament,” added another CFD spokesperson.

Mohsin Sayeed, a fashion journalist, said that the protests and debates would have started a long time ago had it not been for “our indifference”. His pet peeve for the day was “urban women”. “There is a degree of indifference among urban women when it comes to taking up issues concerning violence of any kind,” he said. “They are more passionate about the best lawn exhibitions in the city than taking up such issues or doing something about it.”

A van, full of madrassa students and their teacher, that was passing by, was flagged down by CFD volunteers who were actively soliciting signatures by stopping cars. The madrassa teacher first read the letter and then signed. His students followed suit. “We made sure they all signed willingly. We asked all of them to read the letter first. If you don’t like it, don’t sign it,” said Sayeed. The students were also asked about their opinion on the issue.

Other than the prominent, oft-publicised civil society members, the letter was also signed by some Muttahida Qaumi Movement activists. “This is the whole point of our campaign,” said the CFD’s Umar Farooq, stacking the letters that were being handed to him. “We want the parliamentarians to take up the issue in parliament.”

Around 800 endorsements were received online. CFD representatives also set up a booth at St Patrick’s High School and collected more signatures. A good number of endorsements were received from organisations who had taken the letters earlier and returned them, inking their support.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13^th, 2011.