Collective action: Scores demand arrest of Lal Masjid cleric
Chant slogans against Taliban, Lashkar-i-Jhangvi and Sipah-i-Sahaba.
LAHORE:
Nearly 100 people gathered at Liberty Chowk on Friday to demand arrest of Maulana Abdul Aziz, the Lal Masjid prayer leader.
Hiba Akbar, one of the organisers of the protest, told The Express Tribune that invitations for the protest had been sent out on Facebook.
Nearly 1,000 people had signed up for the event called Lahore in Solidarity with Lal Masjid Protest, on Facebook.
The protesters carried placards bearing messages like “No more air time for Taliban”, “Reclaim our mosques” and “Arrest Mullah Aziz.” One of the protesters dressed as Santa Claus led the sloganeering.
The protesters chanted slogans against Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Sipah-i-Sahaba and TV presenter Amir Liaqat.
Akbar said students and civil society activists were protesting social attitudes towards militancy. She said a number of slogans had been raised at the protest because people had a lot say.
Akbar said issuing arrest warrants was not enough – she said people would continue to protest until he was arrested for not condemning the killings in Peshawar on December 16.
She said leaders of all banned outfits should be arrested.
Waqas Aziz, a LUMS graduate, said education at seminaries should be monitored.
“Violence begets violence and we need to root out this menace from education system,” he said.
He said a transformation was needed at the grass roots.
He said more such protests were needed to push inactive members of the society to stand up and speak up against terrorism.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 27th, 2014.
Nearly 100 people gathered at Liberty Chowk on Friday to demand arrest of Maulana Abdul Aziz, the Lal Masjid prayer leader.
Hiba Akbar, one of the organisers of the protest, told The Express Tribune that invitations for the protest had been sent out on Facebook.
Nearly 1,000 people had signed up for the event called Lahore in Solidarity with Lal Masjid Protest, on Facebook.
The protesters carried placards bearing messages like “No more air time for Taliban”, “Reclaim our mosques” and “Arrest Mullah Aziz.” One of the protesters dressed as Santa Claus led the sloganeering.
The protesters chanted slogans against Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Sipah-i-Sahaba and TV presenter Amir Liaqat.
Akbar said students and civil society activists were protesting social attitudes towards militancy. She said a number of slogans had been raised at the protest because people had a lot say.
Akbar said issuing arrest warrants was not enough – she said people would continue to protest until he was arrested for not condemning the killings in Peshawar on December 16.
She said leaders of all banned outfits should be arrested.
Waqas Aziz, a LUMS graduate, said education at seminaries should be monitored.
“Violence begets violence and we need to root out this menace from education system,” he said.
He said a transformation was needed at the grass roots.
He said more such protests were needed to push inactive members of the society to stand up and speak up against terrorism.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 27th, 2014.