Condemning violence: Shias protest against Pakistani govt in New York
“This demonstration is to condemn the violence of the Taliban, al Qaeda and all these extremists,” said one 21-year-old US protester of Pakistani descent, who introduced himself as Komal. “They are not considered Muslims, because they are doing what the Holy Quran is against,” he said.
The march -- in which many women and children participated -- started outside the UN headquarters and ended at the Pakistani consulate.
Demonstrators carried signs bearing slogans such as "Stop the violence. We are people of peace".
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Embassy in Washington DC issued a statement to express solidarity with the Shia community. The embassy reiterated that protecting and promoting the fundamental rights of all citizens of Pakistan regardless of their religion or ethnicity is a sacred mission of the government.
The government is determined to prevent such incidents and would not allow the perpetrators of these crimes or other acts of violence against Shias, including target killings, to go unpunished. Law enforcement agencies are working hard to identify, apprehend, and bring all such villains to justice, the statement added.
“Human rights are a central pillar of any democratic society. Pakistan is no exception. We have been given clear guidance on this not only from Islam but also by our founding father, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah,” the statement said.
Furthermore, the embassy will faithfully transmit the petition of the "10,000 Souls March" to the concerned authorities in Pakistan for appropriate and expeditious action.
COMMENTS (13)
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If you want to protest go outside the Saudi Embassy and protest about Shia killing in Bahrain and Pakistan.
Dear Sackbar it is sad to hear that the people there had relatives who had lost 6 or 7 family members. I condemn the loss of all innocent life. I am clearly aware of the realties back home. Pakistan is a fairly young country and since its inception has had its fair share of problems. Currently in Pakistan they are Christian, Hindu, Ahmadi, Sunni and Shia all of them are facing some kind of threat or being massacred by either the TTP , anti-state players or by the proxies of the state. I would think it would be more admirable if this protest was not about Shia massacre but of all the massacres taking place in Pakistan. The problem is this divide that “I am a shia you are a sunni you’re a mohajir I am a phathan” We should try unite as one for the future of Pakistan. Now let me address the point you made about “raising the issue at the international forums/level” Please tell me by standing outside protesting, what forum or leader took notice of your demands. What international leader gave their support? Did you achieve an iota of progress to curtail the killings of Shias? I can name you 10 countries that r oppressing and massacring there minorities’ (E.g India the genocide in Gujarat, Bahrain, Sudan) yet these countries deal with the problems internally and project a cleaner image for variety of economic reasons. What justice are you looking for in the west? It is this same west that imposed this democratic system and supported this judiciary to oust a more stable pragmatic Musharraf regime. The same west which supports the Wahabi Saudi Gov with its petro dollars funds the killing of your Shia brethren and cause instability in a fairly young country where democracy has not matured. It is naïve to think the west cares about Shia’s in Pakistan. While it openly supports the Bahraini crackdown and Saudi genocide. In my eye this was protest was unproductive.
@ammar b. there are political exiles who have lost their relatives and ran to seek shelter here. I was at the protest and there were people who had lost six to seven members of their families. the idea is not to throw victims into the pit again. The idea is to raise the issue at the international forums/levels so that the government of pakistan (which like you) only cares about its image abroad, and not the realities back home, spins into some action. or at least gets some egg on its face for its barbaric practices or, at least, demonic silence in the face of what minorities in pakistan are facing. Lets not be ignorant- the killings are carried out by the proxies of the state, its so called strategic assets that not only take pride in killing but are also allowed to go scott free by the courts and allowed to register as a political party and participate in elections.
as for your thoroughly insensitive and ignorant remark (yes you being a shia doesnt give you a license to insensitivity) about the protest being a joke you really need to look at contemporary and twentieth century history better. The apartheid in South Africa was not cracked by giving money to the South African government. Political entities that derive legitimacy from moral consciousness can still be egged into action today, your cynicism falls flat in the light of such cases. And if you really think a dearth of resources is stopping Rehman Malik from going after the terrorists, you have to be kidding yourself.
Lastly your comment about "making a protest in fornt of the white house or in NYC is a Joke which ever gora passes the protest must be thinking dam this country with nukes is really on the brink." you are bang on target because that really is the case. The definition of a government is that it monopolizes violence in its jurisdiction, by which the state of pakistan does not have a government and is 'on the brink' if not a failed state.
"The embassy reiterated that protecting and promoting the fundamental rights of all citizens of Pakistan regardless of their religion or ethnicity is a sacred mission of the government." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ And is being implemented as all other sacred missions.....
The Pakistan Embassy statement is as hypocritical as the government. If they are doing every thing they can, can they explain why except for a very few small fries, no one has been brought to justice. And how come a known instigator has been released by the courts and is currently a member of the parliament in Punjab?
@jibran i am a sunni and am afraid the way wahhabi virus is eating into the tolerant fabric of this country,
These guys are playing their dirty game in Pakistan and Afghanistan and making sure we always fight with each other and remain poor.
Protest is their Right..But against whom ? Govt of Pakistan took all security measures in every city of Pakistan to stop any Terrorism during Holly Moharram Reilly and public also appreciated govt.. so protest should be against Taliban and their supporters in Pakistan.Okay then go and stop it in Pakistan. You think the White house or the US gives a crap about some protest while they are bombing Pakistan. Most of the current issue in someway or the other r linked to the war of terror. You want to tackle them start funding US congress men make a lobby. Give Zardari and Rehman Malik all your earning see how they crack down on the Wahabi terror groups in Pakistan. Making a protest in fornt of the white house or in NYC is a Joke which ever gora passes the protest must be thinking dam this country with nukes is really on the brink.
This is not Sunni Shia divide... It is the Wahabi-Muslim divide which is the root cause of the problem. Wherever the Wahabi menace has gone, it has brought darkness and bloodshed with it. Unfortunately, in Pakistan currently, they are targeting the Shias and Non-Muslims the most. Very soon, after subduing them, they will turn it to Sunnis. Unless we tackle them, they will not stop short of a Wahabi Caliphate in Pakistan.
This is so wrong. What purpose does this protest serve. If you wanted to protest go out side the pakistani parliament. Why do we need to display r dirty laundry around the world. I am Shia from Pakistan who is currently living abroad and i am appalled. If we want it to stop we need to protest to the concerned authorities in Pakistan.
Every time a person is killed for his religion in Pakistan or arrested for blasphemy, Pakistani minorities should protest in the front of WHITE HOUSE and Pakistani Embassy in Washington DC.
I was there too. Several thousand people showed up for the protest. It was a working day and it was cold and rainy too. People came even from canada for this. We want Pakistan, no more Taliban.
I saw a sign Its easy to be Taliban, Hard to be Human.
Now people will come and say all 'Pakistanis' are being targeted not only the shias in Pakistan so for all those 'innocent' brothers,Shias,Bohris and Ahmedis are being targeted in Pakistan because they are Shias,Bohris and Ahmedis not because they are Muslims or Pakistani.No one targets Barelvis/Salafis/Deobandis because of their sect(except in some rare cases).