Protestors demonstrate in Bahawalpur. PHOTO: ONLINE
Protests rallies were held across the Punjab on Monday to condemn the Peshawar church blasts that killed 83 people and left more than 140 injured.
According to Punjab Police, 126 rallies were organised across south Punjab with major demonstrations in Multan, Khanewal, Vehari, Bhakkar, Layyah, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Sahiwal, Okara, Pakpattan, Lodhran and Muzzafargarh.
Most of these protests were led by members of the Christian community. Some of the protests were also joined by Shias leaders.
The protesters demanded that the chief justice of Pakistan take a suo motu notice of the attack. They raised slogans against the failure of the law enforcement agencies and the intelligence agencies in failing to alert the government and the police to the threats of terrorism in the city. The protesters carried placards and candles. Banners carried messages like: Kill 50,000 people and become a stakeholder for negotiating peace. Another read: Educate 50,000 people and get banned and maligned on TV.
Police had been deployed along the procession routes to avoid an untoward incident.
At a protest in Multan, Sarfraz Kaleem of the Pakistan Minorities Alliance said if negotioation were held with Taliban, Pakistan will soon have the distinction of becoming a “nation without minorities”.
In another protest, Hasan Mashadi, president of the Azadari Imam Hussain Council Pakistan, said that the Shia community empathised with the Christian community. He said the government should launch a massive military action against terrorists.
In Dera Ghazi Khan, Christian community representatives said that the government must ensure that investigations were transparent and that negligent officials were punished. They said of the terrorists thought that Christians would flee Pakistan, they were mistaken.
They vowed to fight terrorism “till the last drop of blood in their bodies”.
In Rahim Yar Khan, protesters blocked the main road in the Farid Gate area by burning tyres. Shops remained closed throughout the day.
Addressing a public meeting in this regard, Pastor Arslanul Haq said that such incidents, whether on churches of mosques, had weakened Pakistan.
Bishop Naeem Essa said that terrorists had no religion since all religions of the world taught peace and humanity.
Several rallies were taken out by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf workers.
Violence in Faisalabad
Scores of Christians staged a demonstration and blocked major roads in the city.
After passing through Ghulam Muhammadabad, Christian Town, Warispura, Satiana Road area, Sargodha Road area, Barkatpura and Madina Town, protesters gathered in front of the District Government Secretariat. They blocked the Zila Council Chowk for more than four hours.
Some of the protestors threw stones at shops and damaged some vehicle that came in their way.
Bishop Iftikhar Andréa, Bishop Joseph Arshad, Father Khalid Rasheed Aasi, Father Aftab James Paul, Father Nisar Barkat, Father Yousuf, Father Shabbir Bashir, Pakistan Interfaith Peace Council and Human Rights Organisation district Vice Chairman Ziaur Rehman, and Holy Human Development Pakistan president Kanwal Shehzad addressed the rallies.
Violent protesters equipped with clubs and iron rods were seen vandalising public property. They were stopped by a police contingent. No one was arrested.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 24th, 2013.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ