Rallying in support: Civil society, politicians unite against militants

The protesters demanded the JI to condemn the TTP and support the war against terror.

KARACHI: Members of civil society organised a rally on Tuesday to express solidarity with the martyrs of the massacre in Peshawar. Before the rally, the participants staged a protest in front of the office of Jamaat-e-Islami, Idara-e-Noor-e-Haq, and demanded the party to condemn the terrorists and announce support for the war against terrorism.

The protesters, led by Karamat Ali and Anis Haroon, tried to present a memorandum to the JI workers at their office but the latter refused to receive it, saying they could not take it in the absence of any party leader.



According to the memorandum, the party should clarify its stand against terrorists and the statements of Munawwar Hasan should be explained. It further said that the party should also clarify its policy towards the Taliban.

After the protest, the participants started marching from Islamia College Chowrangi and until Peoples Secretariat Chowrangi.

The protesters staged a symbolic sit-in near the Peoples Secretariat. Members of the Women Action Committee as well as other organisations, including female members of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) attended the rally which was led by the PPP vice-president, Sherry Rehman. The participants held placards and banners, denouncing the militants.



Addressing the rally, Rehman said that the nation was united against terrorism. She stressed that the government should not only do paper work for dealing with the Taliban but also take practical steps to avoid such incidents in the future.

The organisations that are supporting the Taliban should also be dealt with an iron hand, she said. The participants of the rally also held a vigil for the martyrs of Peshawar.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2014.