Calming down supporters, MQM and PTI lead a ‘peaceful’ protest

MQM holds protest outside Karachi Press Club. PTI held its protest at Empress Market.

KARACHI:

With parts of the city burning and cinemas going up in flames on Friday, perhaps the most peaceful protests in Karachi were outside and inside the Karachi Press Club.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement organised a demonstration against the anti-Islam film, "Innocence of Muslims," on the Ishq-e-Rasool Day at the club where party workers ensured that the protest remained peaceful. People attending it were searched while ambulances and police mobiles cordoned off the area around the club.

MQM chief Altaf Hussain addressed the public over the telephone, saying that if appropriate action was not taken, there could be World War III.

Altaf, however, appealed to the people to not stoop to violence. “Attacking the police, consulates and opening fire on our own people is not the way to express anger.”

The party chief urged President Asif Ali Zardari to bring up the issue of the blasphemous film at the next UN meeting.  Supporters of the Muttahida Bainul Muslimeen Forum, including women and children, assembled without sticks or stones and attentively listened to the speeches made by religious scholars. The scholars lashed out at the filmmaker and the US government and praised Muslims, Hindus and Christians for uniting against the movie.

Allama Abbas Kumaili said that the entire Muslim Ummah was united in its love for the Prophet (PBUH). “No one is a Deobandi or a Barelvi today.”

During Kumaili’s address, party volunteers suddenly rushed towards the approaching Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf rally and asked them to wait till MQM’s protest was over.

Christian leaders also came forward to express solidarity with their Muslim counterparts. Bishop Sadiq Daniel said that all the Christian communities in Pakistan condemned the film. “We are in favour of a strict punishment for the filmmaker. May God also punish this man.”

Sindh religious affairs minister, Abdul Haseeb, appreciated the Christians and Hindus for coming out to condemn the movie. He said that Islam preaches discipline and violence was not a part of it.

Muslims respect every prophet, including Moses (RA) and Jesus (RA), said religious scholar, Asad Thanvi. “We demand that others show the same respect as us.” Thanvi called for the UN to adopt a resolution against desecration of religions.

PTI gets its turn

Empress Market was buzzing with energy as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supporters lined up to protest against the controversial anti-Islam film after Friday prayers. Their demonstration was also a relatively peaceful one compared to the others that were carried out in the city. The supporters were led by the party’s secretary general Dr Arif Alvi, Sindh president Sardar Nadir Akmal Leghari, and the advisor to the party chairperson, Imran Ismail.

The protesters were told how to remonstrate against the film and the US - but in a civilised manner. With their party’s flag tied on their heads as bandanas, protesters marched on. A few protesters had brought tyres and effigies draped with the American flag to burn but party leaders told them to remain calm. Some of them managed to burn the flag later. After leading the protest to Karachi Press Club, the leaders said that there should be a law to protect the religious sentiment of the Muslims. They added that the government should ask the Organisation of Islamic Council to take action.

Other parties, including the Sunni Tehreek and Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen, also gathered at Empress Market to protest.

Three killed

Three supporters of PTI were killed and 35 were injured when the police opened fire on them at the Native Jetty bridge, said the party’s spokesperson Faisal Vawda. The workers were on their way to join the party’s rally at Empress Market. Around 50 others were arrested at the Kemari Police Station. Talking to The Express Tribune, Vawda said that the party members were unarmed and were not part of the violent activities. “The government has proven once again that it is being run by criminals,” he said, adding that the PTI is an educated party and its workers are responsible, respectable citizens. “The government did not react when people looted banks and burnt public and private properties but it ordered to kill innocent protesters.”  The leaders visited the families of the victims late Friday night. The namaz-e-janaza of the deceased, Qari Khalid, Ghaffar and Shafiq, will be held at 10 am on Saturday at the KPT Ground.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd, 2012.