Condemning G-B killings: Hundreds of burqa-clad women out in protest
Hundreds of burqa-clad women led a protest march from the G-6 imambargah to the Parliament House on Thursday, demanding that the government provide security to the Shia community in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and across the country.
The women, accompanied by their children, were also joined by their male counterparts of Majlis-e-Wahadatul Muslimeen (MWM) as they held placards and chanted slogans condemning the recent killings in G-B.
Highlighting the miseries that people are facing in Gilgit, Zaidi said that since the curfew was imposed in the area people have been enclosed in their homes and are running out of necessities. “The people need immediate help and a practical action against the terrorists,” she said.
Police barred the protestors from proceeding to the Constitution Avenue due to security reasons and cordoned off the area around Parade Avenue.
Traffic was diverted to alternate routes.
Spearheading the rally, MWM Secretary General Allama Nasir Jafri demanded of the government to provide security to the people who travel on the Karakoram Highway, and to launch a formal operation against terrorist elements instigating sectarian unrest.
After holding the demonstration for two hours, the protesters peacefully dispersed.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 13th, 2012.
COMMENTS (4)
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Er...isn't technically the "burqa" the one that covers the face? Seems to me like the women in the photo were only wearing headscarves
What's wrong with ET ??? Was it necessary to put 'burqa-clad' in your heading ?
Burqa clad? Kinda unnecessary. It gives the impression that they were shia versions of Jamia Hafsa type women when clearly they were regular women, some covering their heads with chadors, some bare headed :)
Thank you for reporting the story though, finally this recent spate of protests is getting some media coverage.
It is responsibility to any kind of government to protect ever citizen. Nos. of incident of killing Innocent passenger/pilgrims, like Kirghistan, Queta and now Chillas, in which number of person killed in collectively; series of big failures of law enforcement agencies and their officials.