Quetta killings: Hundreds stage sit-in at Bilawal House

KARACHI:

Hundreds of protesters continued to stage sit-ins at Bilawal House and several other places in Karachi throughout Sunday till early morning on Monday, demanding the removal of the Balochistan Chief Minister and the deployment of the army in Quetta.

Men, women and children, with floor mats and edibles left their homes in a show of solidarity with the bereaved families of the victims of Thursday’s twin blasts in Quetta.

“There is no need for being related by blood… all Shias are brothers,” said Ali Naqvi, a young protestor.

“We are here to express solidarity with our brothers who lost their lives in the blasts in Quetta,” he added.



“I can’t help but be worried when I think about my brothers, sisters and elders, and the children who have been protesting in Quetta for the last three days, despite the cold weather,” said Fatima Zehra, another protester at the sit-in.

“I can’t sit at home in a situation like this. I will continue to protest.”

Around 500 protesters made their way to Bilawal House late on Sunday evening. Allama Talib Jauhari, in his address to the protesters, said the sit-ins would continue until the government fulfilled their demands.

“If the government fails to fulfill our demands, we will lose patience… We are ready to receive bullets in our chests,” he asserted.

Angry protesters attack Sharjeel Memon, Pir Mazharul Haque

Sindh Senior Minister Pir Mazharul Haque and Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon ended up being targets of violence when they tried to talk with protestors outside Bilawal House late evening on Sunday.

Shouting angry slogans, young protestors pounced on the hapless ministers, who managed to escape only due to timely intervention by their security entourage. As security tried to escort Haque and Memon to their vehicles, angry protestors hurled stones and pounded their vehicle doors and windscreens. They also pulled down Pakistan Peoples Party banners in the vicinity to vent their anger.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th, 2013.