Desecration: Protesters demand death for US pastor
Religious groups lead after-prayer rallies.
LAHORE:
The series of protests against the report of burning of a copy of the Holy Quran by a Florida-based American pastor, continued on Friday as hundreds of activists from various religious parties took to the streets.
Nearly 500 activists rallied at Charing Cross after Friday prayers.
Some of them said the burning was an act of insanity. Others said it was a plot to provok Muslims into extreme reaction.
The rally was supported by the Tehreek-i-Hurmat-i-Rasool, the Jamat-ud-Dawa, the Tanzeem-i-Islami, the Jamiat-i-Ahle Hadith, Jamiat-i-Ulema-i-Islam (JUI)-F and JUI- S. A separate protest was held by the Jamaat-i-Islami in front of Mansoora on Multan Road.
The protesters condemned the governments of United States and Pakistan for keeping silent over the offence.
Hafiz Khalid Waleed, the Jamatud Dawa central leader, said, “It is a crusade against the Muslims of the world. The enemies of Islam are conspiring against us. We will never let them succeed,” he said.
Rana Naseerullah of the JUI said that the political leadership of the country needed to pass a resolution against the ‘American hooliganism.’
Qari Sanaullah, the JUI ameer, said that this was not the first time such offensive actions had been taken to provoke the Mulsims. “History stands witness to the troubles Muslims have been through. We are again in state of war.”
He mentioned the French ban on veils, the Dutch ban on construction of minarets, publication of caricatures of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and now the desecration of the Holy Quran.
He said it was the responsibility of the Muslims around the world to compete with the enemies in all fronts including politics and education.
Ijaz Sheikh urged the people to boycott American products. “We should end all forms of cooperation with the US as a protest,” he said.
The protesters said that while Muslims were branded around the world as extremists, this attack on Islam showed who the real extremists were.
They demanded the Foreign Office summon the American ambassador to discuss the issue.
Lawyers boycott courts
Most lawyers on Friday boycotted the courts and took out a rally to condemn the desecration of the Holy Quran.
The rally, which started from the LHC and culminated at the GPO Chowk, was led by Asghar Ali Gill, the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) president.
Lawyers also observed a strike at the lower courts. A small number of lawyers, however, appeared in the courts. The protesting lawyers raised slogans condemning the incident and demanded that the government take strict action against the pastor and his supporters.
Earlier, the lawyers had met at a general meeting at the bar and decided to take out a rally. They also decided to suggest that the government take the matter to the International Court of Justice and demand capital punishment for those involved.Talking to The Express Tribune, Gill regretted that the ruling elite were “only issuing statements”.
He said that the US government, which claimed to be the champion of human rights, should take action against the offence.
Shahzad Hassan Shaikh, the Lahore Bar Association (LBA) president, said the LBA would pass a resolution in this regard and send it to the Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 26th, 2011.
The series of protests against the report of burning of a copy of the Holy Quran by a Florida-based American pastor, continued on Friday as hundreds of activists from various religious parties took to the streets.
Nearly 500 activists rallied at Charing Cross after Friday prayers.
Some of them said the burning was an act of insanity. Others said it was a plot to provok Muslims into extreme reaction.
The rally was supported by the Tehreek-i-Hurmat-i-Rasool, the Jamat-ud-Dawa, the Tanzeem-i-Islami, the Jamiat-i-Ahle Hadith, Jamiat-i-Ulema-i-Islam (JUI)-F and JUI- S. A separate protest was held by the Jamaat-i-Islami in front of Mansoora on Multan Road.
The protesters condemned the governments of United States and Pakistan for keeping silent over the offence.
Hafiz Khalid Waleed, the Jamatud Dawa central leader, said, “It is a crusade against the Muslims of the world. The enemies of Islam are conspiring against us. We will never let them succeed,” he said.
Rana Naseerullah of the JUI said that the political leadership of the country needed to pass a resolution against the ‘American hooliganism.’
Qari Sanaullah, the JUI ameer, said that this was not the first time such offensive actions had been taken to provoke the Mulsims. “History stands witness to the troubles Muslims have been through. We are again in state of war.”
He mentioned the French ban on veils, the Dutch ban on construction of minarets, publication of caricatures of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and now the desecration of the Holy Quran.
He said it was the responsibility of the Muslims around the world to compete with the enemies in all fronts including politics and education.
Ijaz Sheikh urged the people to boycott American products. “We should end all forms of cooperation with the US as a protest,” he said.
The protesters said that while Muslims were branded around the world as extremists, this attack on Islam showed who the real extremists were.
They demanded the Foreign Office summon the American ambassador to discuss the issue.
Lawyers boycott courts
Most lawyers on Friday boycotted the courts and took out a rally to condemn the desecration of the Holy Quran.
The rally, which started from the LHC and culminated at the GPO Chowk, was led by Asghar Ali Gill, the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) president.
Lawyers also observed a strike at the lower courts. A small number of lawyers, however, appeared in the courts. The protesting lawyers raised slogans condemning the incident and demanded that the government take strict action against the pastor and his supporters.
Earlier, the lawyers had met at a general meeting at the bar and decided to take out a rally. They also decided to suggest that the government take the matter to the International Court of Justice and demand capital punishment for those involved.Talking to The Express Tribune, Gill regretted that the ruling elite were “only issuing statements”.
He said that the US government, which claimed to be the champion of human rights, should take action against the offence.
Shahzad Hassan Shaikh, the Lahore Bar Association (LBA) president, said the LBA would pass a resolution in this regard and send it to the Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 26th, 2011.