Hazara Town blast: MWM warns of nationwide protests

Group’s office-bearer demands implementation of 23-point charter.

QUETTA:

Majlis-e-Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen (MWM) appealed to the government to implement its charter of demands, which comprises 23 points and take notice of Hazara town blast on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference, MWM’s Secretary Allama Ahmed Iqbal Rizvi said that for so many years “we have been protesting against the menace of terrorism” but unfortunately the law enforcement agencies have failed to protect lives and properties.

“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assured us that soon he will start cleanup operation against the banned organizations, which would be a task for the security agencies,” he said.

He regretted that the provincial government had not taken any action since taking office.



Allama Rizvi said the prime minister should focus his attention on other provinces apart from Punjab if he is really sincere with the country. “We don’t consider such attacks as sectarianism for it is terrorism by all means,” he declared.

“We have presented our charter of demands to the government. If the latter does not implement it, we would start our protests across the country,” he said.

Allama Rizvi said the Shia community is being targeted in the country, but till date the security forces have not arrested a single person of the banned outfits. This, he said, clearly indicates the negligence of the security apparatus.

He said if the government had implemented our 23 points, then the Hazara Town blast would not have happened and we wouldn’t have lost our beloved ones.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4^th, 2013.