Wave of violence: Religious scholars targeted
Political groups condemn govt, law enforcers for failing to protect him.
People gather to offer funeral prayers for Professor Taqi Hadi Naqvi who was shot dead on Thursday. PHOTO: PPI
KARACHI:
A total of three religious scholars were killed in separate incidents of target killings on Thursday.
Religious scholar Professor Taqi Hadi Naqvi was killed in North Nazimabad, near the Health Care Hospital. According to the police, Prof Naqvi took a rickshaw from the Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK) office for his home in Buffer Zone. The attackers followed the rickshaw and then opened fire. He was immediately taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was then shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. The professor had been associated with the BSEK inspection committee since 2001. “His services for the education sector will always be remembered,” said BSEK secretary Hoor Mazhar.
In reaction to his assassination as well as the recent surge in sectarian violence, the Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) has announced three days of mourning during which protests and condolence gatherings will be held.
“Prof Naqvi was a great educationist and scholar and was respected equally among all sects,” said MWM’s Maulana Baqar Zaidi. “The government and the law enforcers have completely failed to protect the lives of the citizens. Their incompetence and inaction has emboldened terrorists.”
MWM’s Maulana Ali Anwar added that six Shia Muslims, including two religious scholars and professors, have been murdered in Karachi during the last 72 hours. “People should come forward on Friday to express solidarity with the victims of terrorism.”
In a separate incident, an administrator of a religious seminary and his son were shot dead in Gulistan-e-Johar. According to Sachal police SHO Shaukat, four unidentified gunmen riding motorcycles opened fire at 55-year-old Maulana Ali Hasan, who was the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam - Fazalur Rehman Group Sachal union council chief, and his son, 28-year-old Maulana Manzoor, outside the Madressa Matiul Uloom Rahmania. Ali Gul, a cook at the madressa, who was injured in the attack, was rushed to the hospital but the father and son died on the spot. Hasan was the seminary administrator and was busy in the construction of a shop outside it when the attackers opened fire. Shaukat said that some people had an objection on the construction of a shop outside a religious seminary and this may be a reaction to that. The bodies were taken to Khuzadar - the native town of the deceased - for burial. Tension gripped the area following the incident.
Similarly, a seminary teacher, Maulana Mohammad Jabir, was shot dead in Samanabad. Maulana Mohammad Bilal was also injured in the attack. According to DSP Azam Khan,
Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat Karachi chief Maulana Aurangzeb Farooqui and other leaders condemned the killings of the religious leaders and have blamed the government for failing to provide protection to them.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 28th, 2014.
A total of three religious scholars were killed in separate incidents of target killings on Thursday.
Religious scholar Professor Taqi Hadi Naqvi was killed in North Nazimabad, near the Health Care Hospital. According to the police, Prof Naqvi took a rickshaw from the Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK) office for his home in Buffer Zone. The attackers followed the rickshaw and then opened fire. He was immediately taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was then shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. The professor had been associated with the BSEK inspection committee since 2001. “His services for the education sector will always be remembered,” said BSEK secretary Hoor Mazhar.
In reaction to his assassination as well as the recent surge in sectarian violence, the Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) has announced three days of mourning during which protests and condolence gatherings will be held.
“Prof Naqvi was a great educationist and scholar and was respected equally among all sects,” said MWM’s Maulana Baqar Zaidi. “The government and the law enforcers have completely failed to protect the lives of the citizens. Their incompetence and inaction has emboldened terrorists.”
MWM’s Maulana Ali Anwar added that six Shia Muslims, including two religious scholars and professors, have been murdered in Karachi during the last 72 hours. “People should come forward on Friday to express solidarity with the victims of terrorism.”
In a separate incident, an administrator of a religious seminary and his son were shot dead in Gulistan-e-Johar. According to Sachal police SHO Shaukat, four unidentified gunmen riding motorcycles opened fire at 55-year-old Maulana Ali Hasan, who was the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam - Fazalur Rehman Group Sachal union council chief, and his son, 28-year-old Maulana Manzoor, outside the Madressa Matiul Uloom Rahmania. Ali Gul, a cook at the madressa, who was injured in the attack, was rushed to the hospital but the father and son died on the spot. Hasan was the seminary administrator and was busy in the construction of a shop outside it when the attackers opened fire. Shaukat said that some people had an objection on the construction of a shop outside a religious seminary and this may be a reaction to that. The bodies were taken to Khuzadar - the native town of the deceased - for burial. Tension gripped the area following the incident.
Similarly, a seminary teacher, Maulana Mohammad Jabir, was shot dead in Samanabad. Maulana Mohammad Bilal was also injured in the attack. According to DSP Azam Khan,
Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat Karachi chief Maulana Aurangzeb Farooqui and other leaders condemned the killings of the religious leaders and have blamed the government for failing to provide protection to them.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 28th, 2014.