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| February 28, 2006 | Tuesday | Muharram 29, 1427 |
KARACHI: Use of force at Lahore demo condemned
KARACHI, Feb 27: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) staged a demonstration at the Empress Market here on Monday in protest against the arrest of several prominent political and religious leaders and activists, and use of force against participants of the anti-blasphemy rally in Lahore on Sunday.
A large number of MMA, PML-N and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf workers, besides those of other religious and political groups, attended the demonstration and raised slogans against the federal and Punjab governments.
They were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans against publication of blasphemous caricatures in the European press, autocratic attitude of federal and Punjab governments. They demanded complete freedom of expression to all viz-a-viz the blasphemous act.
The participants also chanted slogans against US President Bush and Denmark government, and called for a boycott of goods from Denmark and certain other European countries.
The rally was addressed by central MMA leader Senator Prof Ghafoor Ahmad, JUI’s Abdul Karim Abid, JUI-M’s Hafiz Mohammad Taqi, PPP’s Rashid Rabbani, PML-N’s Mamnoon Hussain and other prominent leaders.
Prof Ghafoor condemned arrests and detention of opposition leaders, including MMA President Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Liaquat Baloch and Imran Khan, as well as political and religious activists. He lashed out at the federal and Punjab governments for using force against the protesters during Lahore rally, and termed the action ‘barbaric’.
He criticized President Bush for advising Muslims not to take out rallies on the issue, and also accused Gen Pervez Musharraf and Shaukat Aziz of pursuing the West’s agenda.
“The violence at the Lahore rally was the handiwork of the Punjab government which wanted to give a negative impression to the world about those participating in these protests,” he claimed.
Mr Mamnoon Hussain slammed the rulers in Islamabad for getting support from the US and West to extend their tenure and for making them believe that if they were not backed, then extremists would take control of the country.
Earlier, US, Israeli and Danish flags were torched at the rally.
WORKERS PROTEST: A big demonstration was organized by the National Labour Federation (NLF) here on Monday to protest the publication of blasphemous caricatures by certain European newspapers.
The protesters expressing their anguish over the act of blasphemy, announced a boycott of all goods from European countries, especially Denmark. They urged Muslim governments to come out with stronger reaction in this regard.
The rally was addressed by President of the NLF, Karachi Chapter, Rafiq Ahmed, President of the All-Pakistan Organization of Small Traders and Cottage Industries Dr Mahmood Hamid, General Secretary of the KWSB Labour Union Khalid Khan, President of the Lucky Star Union Ikramullah, General Secretary of the PTCL Union Shahid Ayub, General Secretary of the Karachi Shipyard Labour Union M. Iqbal and other labour leaders, besides Jamaat-i-Islami leader Dr Mairajul Huda Siddiqui and MPA Younus Barai.
Mr Rafiq Ahmed condemned the West’s bias towards Muslims and Islamic states. He said workers fully supported the March 3 strike in the country and March 5 march for which a call had been given by the MMA and other parties.
Dr Mahmood Hamid said that small traders and their employees were fully taking part in the anti-blasphemy protests to condemn the West for indulging in such an act.—PPI
KARACHI, Feb 27: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad has underlined the need for devising an integrated and result-oriented line of action to foil the designs of blasphemers.
He was talking to ulema from different schools of thought at the Governor’s House here on Monday. He said that the world had taken a positive impression of the peaceful and organized protests recorded by the cross section of the society under the joint efforts put in by ulema, people and the government.
He said that the peaceful protests should be converted to collective efforts to ensure the desired result.
He also hinted at organizing a meeting of representatives from all walks of life at the Governor’s House for devising a line of action in this regard.
Dr Ibad noted that the purpose of publishing these sacrilege cartoons was to portray Muslims as terrorists. “We have to foil the designs,” he added. He said that it was an issue of the entire Ummah, as well as the minorities living in Pakistan who included Christian community.
He hoped that the rallies in Karachi and other parts of Sindh would be emulated in other provinces.
The governor said that the love and esteem respect for our holy Prophet (PBUH) and religious sanctity were sacred obligations of all faithful, including the people in the government.
He hoped that all Pakistanis would demonstrate this spirit and would not fall prey to any conspiracy.
Minister of State for Religious Affairs Dr Amir Liaquat Husain, and ulema, Shah Turabul Haq, Allama Abbas Kumaili, Mufti Mohammad Naeem, Mufti Hafiz Mohammad Salfi and Mufti Zubair Ashraf Usmani were present on the occasion.—APP
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