In remembrance: St Patrick’s Cathedral holds special prayers for victims of bus shooting

Scholars of various faiths, politicians, civil society activists attend memorial on Friday evening

KARACHI: One man's killing is the killing of the entire humanity, said Father Arthur Charles as he held his hands high. "Guide the misguided to the straight path."

He was addressing a gathering of scholars from various faiths, politicians and civil society activists who had gathered at St Patrick's Cathedral to offer prayers for the 45 Ismaili men and women who were brutally targeted on Wednesday. The special service was organised by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi and the National Commission for Justice and Peace.

Archbishop Joseph Coutts said that the terrible incident had united them. "The danger and threats are not against one religion but against the entire country," he said. The terrorists want to divide people but they should remain together and break the walls that are being created, he added. Activist Ansar Burney said that they should leave the community factor behind and work to bring Jinnah's Pakistan back.

Women's rights activist Mahnaz Rahman, who is the resident director of Aurat Foundation, said the attack was a failure of the security agencies. "What good are these 20 to 30 agencies if they can't stop such incidents?" she wanted to know. It was shocking for the country as the Ismaili community are among the most peaceful in the country and worked hard for its development.

No matter which religion we belong to, everyone is against terrorism, she added, demanding the government arrest the criminals involved.

Politician Haleem Adil Sheikh said that he was one of the unfortunate ones to pull out bodies from the bus on Wednesday and see them piled up outside the hospital. "I had never seen such a situation and hope never to witness one again." He pointed out that the community remained peaceful despite the terrible incident and did not even utter a single word about holding protests or shutting down the city.

Cleric Mohammad Ahsan Siddiqui said that Karachi has become a victim of terrorism during the last couple of years. Meanwhile, the Hindu community's Guru Shri Babu Lal offered prayers and said that they were very sad over the attack. A candlelight vigil was held at the end of the event.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2015.