LWMC workers save city from ‘blasphemy’ violence

Local people were taken into confidence over the matter

LAHORE: Exercising extreme caution, wisdom and prudence, two workers of the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) saved the city from a likely “blasphemy incident” which could have led to protests and violence in Township locality of the metropolis.

On March 16, as the garbage truck of LWMC moved from road to road in Union Council 235 to clean the area, a heap of garbage collected at the corner of Model Bazaar at C Block in Township brought the waste collection operation to a grinding halt. Zafar Masih and Salamat Masih, the two workers with the LWMC vehicle, spotted some streamers in the garbage. With no school education, whatever little they could make out of it, they realised that those streamers contained the names Allah and the holy prophet (PBUH) on them. They immediately realised that if someone spotted them standing this close to those streamers, it would trigger protests against them and could be catastrophic for the whole community. Zafar and Salamat wasted no time and informed the locals of the area about those streamers. Rai Mudassir, a resident of the area who was passing by, was the first persons informed by the cleaning staff. LWMC’s driver Mubarak and one of the helper informed him to look at the streamers and advise them what to do with them.

“Within no time, people started gathering around the garbage, enraged on what had happened. We were surprised and amazed at their quick reflexes and sagacity of Salamat and Zafar,” he remarked. Mehmood Ahmad, another resident of the area, said he saw those streamers on his way to the school of his children. “Furious, as I was, I first proceeded to drop my children to their school. As soon as I returned, I saw that a large number of people had already gathered around the site,” he said.

He said he was surprised to hear that LWMC workers were one who had brought the matter into the notice of the residents of the area. Niamat Masih, the LWMC supervisor of UC 235, said dealing with sacred material was a sensitive matter and “we cannot afford to get ourselves entangled in any such controversy”. “If our people had tried to sort them out from the garbage even that could have attracted a lot of trouble. We have directed our workers to stay away from any such material where they read Allah or Muhammad on it.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan Christian Party Chairman Joseph Francis said slightest mishandling of matters relating to religion could have created serious issues for minorities. He said any misunderstanding could have led to riots as the matter was too sensitive. “Our community is now aware of the consequences. It is all because of the media,” he said. He said LWMC workers projected prudence and took the local people into confidence over the matter. “They have saved their community from a lot of trouble. The respect shown by the two LWMC workers towards Islam showed the true colours of Pakistan.” He said respect for all the religions and faith was pivotal for peaceful coexistence and harmony in the society. He said he also appreciated Muslim brothers of the area for commending these two workers on their wise decision.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2018.