KARACHI: Nationwide drive for Shia youths’ release planned
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, June 25: The Jafria Alliance Pakistan has announced launching of a countrywide movement against the ‘undeclared crackdown’ on members of Shia community.
Announcing the decision, Senator Abbas Kumaili said here on Sunday condemned that scores of innocent Shia youths had been picked up by different agencies over the past two months but none of these were prepared to admit having custody of the youths or accept any responsibility in this regard.
Speaking at a representative convention of ulema and zakireen at Hameed Bhojani Hall, he said that the movement was aimed at pressing the government to take steps towards the youths’ release.
He said the convention had approved launching of the protest movement and in this connection, coordination committees were being formed for liaison among the ulema and zakreen in all four provinces.
The convention was followed by a protest march from Mehfil Shah-i-Khurasan to Numaish Chowrangi. Maulana Aun Naqvi and Allama Abbas Kumaili addressed the participants.
The convention demanded that the undeclared crackdown on Shia youths be stopped and those already picked up be released immediately. It also demanded release of the Shia community members arrested in Gilgit and Baltistan and withdrawal of the cases registered against them. It called for directives to the administration of Para Chinar and Hingu to pursue a fair policy towards the sectarian issues and produce all people detained in this regard before courts.
Through a resolution, the convention condemned foreign intervention in Afghanistan and invasion of Iraq, warning that Sunni and Shia sects in Pakistan would not remain neutral towards any US aggression against Iran. Both the sects would fully support their Iranian brothers, it added.
Refusing to give up the Millat-i-Jafria’s right to ‘Aza Dari’, the convention called upon the government to check the elements behind the bloodshed of Shias, saying that the government must play its constitutional role in safeguarding the life and property of Shia community members.
The convention stressed that no person or group had the authority to declare any other person an infidel for being a follower of the sect of his choice. It asked the government to root out the terrorists who had been trained at the so-called ‘jihadi camps’.
