Easter Sunday spared violence as Muslims, Christians join hands
Dispute reportedly started because of a brawl between boys of both communities.
ILLUSTRATION: FAIZAAN DAWOOD
KARACHI:
The Easter services in Jinnah Staff Colony could have turned violent on March 31 had the Muslim and Christian elders not joined hands to make sure the situation does not go out of hand. Instead of getting tangled up in a feud, they realised that the tension was being created by a “third party which was conspiring to provoke tensions by exploiting the sensitive issue of religion.”
The residents of the Pir Shah Bukhari Colony, where nearly 200 Christian families reside, told The Express Tribune that some enraged Muslim youngsters had chanted slogans and beat Christian boys for allegedly playing music loudly during the Azan (call for evening prayer) coming from a nearby mosque.
“Since everyone is still shaken up from Lahore’s Badami Bagh incident, they were immediately frightened,” said a Christian shopkeeper who preferred to remain anonymous. “We shifted our females and children to our relatives’ homes as soon as possible in case the situation got worse.”
As the news spread through the adjoining Muslim neighbourhood, Jinnah Staff Colony, the members of the religious minority community braced for the ugly events to unravel although followers of both religions have been living peacefully for decades.
According to a Christian resident, the dispute started when a few intoxicated boys from both sides started quarrelling over some issue. He added that some of the Muslims even threatened to repeat the attack in Lahore last month on the Christian community.
But the Easter Sunday was saved from violence as elders of both communities settled the matter within a short time and realised that things were being blown out of proportion.
“Before dusk, both sides resolved the issue and everyone hugged each other as there were rumours that a third party might attack either the Christians or Muslims and damage their property to add fire to the flame,” a Muslim boy, who requested anonymity, told The Express Tribune.
“We’ve foiled this conspiracy and we’re still living like good neighbours as we had been for decades,” he claimed proudly, which was seconded by members of his community.
Even the police remained unaware for four days after the sensitive issue emerged. When contacted by The Express Tribune, Saddar DSP Malik Mohammad Ehsan said that no one had informed police about the incident. He quickly added that however, a police mobile van is being dispatched to the area to make sure that things remain peaceful.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 5th, 2013.
The Easter services in Jinnah Staff Colony could have turned violent on March 31 had the Muslim and Christian elders not joined hands to make sure the situation does not go out of hand. Instead of getting tangled up in a feud, they realised that the tension was being created by a “third party which was conspiring to provoke tensions by exploiting the sensitive issue of religion.”
The residents of the Pir Shah Bukhari Colony, where nearly 200 Christian families reside, told The Express Tribune that some enraged Muslim youngsters had chanted slogans and beat Christian boys for allegedly playing music loudly during the Azan (call for evening prayer) coming from a nearby mosque.
“Since everyone is still shaken up from Lahore’s Badami Bagh incident, they were immediately frightened,” said a Christian shopkeeper who preferred to remain anonymous. “We shifted our females and children to our relatives’ homes as soon as possible in case the situation got worse.”
As the news spread through the adjoining Muslim neighbourhood, Jinnah Staff Colony, the members of the religious minority community braced for the ugly events to unravel although followers of both religions have been living peacefully for decades.
According to a Christian resident, the dispute started when a few intoxicated boys from both sides started quarrelling over some issue. He added that some of the Muslims even threatened to repeat the attack in Lahore last month on the Christian community.
But the Easter Sunday was saved from violence as elders of both communities settled the matter within a short time and realised that things were being blown out of proportion.
“Before dusk, both sides resolved the issue and everyone hugged each other as there were rumours that a third party might attack either the Christians or Muslims and damage their property to add fire to the flame,” a Muslim boy, who requested anonymity, told The Express Tribune.
“We’ve foiled this conspiracy and we’re still living like good neighbours as we had been for decades,” he claimed proudly, which was seconded by members of his community.
Even the police remained unaware for four days after the sensitive issue emerged. When contacted by The Express Tribune, Saddar DSP Malik Mohammad Ehsan said that no one had informed police about the incident. He quickly added that however, a police mobile van is being dispatched to the area to make sure that things remain peaceful.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 5th, 2013.