KARACHI: Ibad takes serious note of attack on churches: Vested interests involved: Altaf
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Feb 19: The Governor, Dr Ishratul Ibad, has taken serious notice of the Sukkur incident and has directed the authorities to ensure the protection of life and property of people.
He also asked them to carry out a survey of the losses of churches to compensate them by getting them restored in their original condition.
He said the government was committed to providing protection to people without any discrimination on the basis of religion or race and would also ensure due reverence of religious places.
Ibad said no measure would be spared from making the law and order situation more effective.
The governor recalled that Islam is a religion of peace, love, fraternity, tolerance and higher values of humanity and we could bring good name to Pakistan and the Islam by practicing these principles.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Chief, Altaf Hussain, has condemned the torching of two churches and attacks on worship places of Christians by miscreants in Sukkur and said that elements with vested interest in the cover of religion were after creating hatred and riots to attain their ulterior motives.
Mr Hussain, in a fax from London, said the mischief mongers taking the cover of a family dispute between father-in-law and son-in-law in Sukkur had first spread rumours in the city that Christians had burnt the Holy Quran after which people were provoked resulting in disturbances in which two Churches were then set on fire.
He said even if an individual had desecrated the Holy Qur’an, legal action should have been initiated against the person instead of torching churches and targeting Christian Pakistanis without any justification.
He pointed out that Islam and the teachings of Prophet (SAW) were against attacking the worship places of the followers of other religions.
The MQM chief said that mischief mongers for the sake of political mileage in the name of Islam were bringing a bad name to Islam and were creating hatred among the people.
He appealed to people not to fall prey to the conspiracies of these elements and foil them with their unity.
Mr Hussain also appealed to ulema to play their role in foiling the conspiracies of creating hatred between people.
Demanding the highest level inquiry into the incident, Mr Hussain asked the government to take concrete steps for the protection of religious minorities.
PEACE IN RALLIES: Meanwhile, Dr Ishratul Ibad has lauded the positive attitude of ulema and protesters at the rallies in Sindh against blasphemy, and said this would help further improve the image of the province, adds APP.
He was presiding over a high-level meeting held at the Governor’s House on Saturday to review the law and order in the province and arrangements for the fifth one-day cricket match between Pakistan and India, scheduled for Sunday.
The governor appreciated the joint efforts by the administration, the Rangers, police and various segments of the society in maintaining law and order.
Home Minister Rauf Siddiqui, Chief Secretary Fazlur Rehman, DG Rangers Maj- Gen Javed Zia, IGP and senior police officials attended the meeting.
