KARACHI, July 15: Senior Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal leader and Naib Amir Jamaat-i-Islami Liaquat Baloch held government and its law enforcing agencies responsible for the killing of Allama Hasan Turabi in order to divide people on sectarian basis in the economic hub of Pakistan.
“Continuous killings of Ulema, politicians and social personalities in Karachi is a part of the government and local agents of anti-Islam forces' conspiracy to keep people divided and the city destabilized” he told a news conference at Idara Noor-i-Haq on Saturday after attending funeral prayers of Allama Hasan Turabi.
Mr Baloch said that the MMA had decided to observe protest day in Sindh and the Punjab on July 18 in protest against Allama Turabi's assassination, during which protest demonstrations and rallies would be held to denounce the government and press it to arrest Allama’s killers.
He said that the central council of religious parties' alliance was scheduled to meet in Peshawar on Sunday to discuss the law and order situation in the country, especially in the wake of the assassination of the MMA leader, to decide the future course of action.
Mr Baloch, who is deputy secretary-general of the MMA, alleged that under a well-planned conspiracy, the country was being pushed towards anarchy, with the sole aim to prolong the military dictatorship in the country.
“By targeting moderate shia scholars like Allama Hassan Turabi, anti-Islam and anti-people forces want to create sectarian rift but so far they have failed in achieving their desired goals. But religious forces and people are united in Pakistan and will foil all such attempts” he vowed.
To a query, he said after the Mumbai train blasts, possibility of foreign hand in the assassination of Allama Turabi could not be ruled out but most importantly, it was the government's failure to protect the lives and properties of its citizens, especially religious leaders and scholars.
He said that whether it was law and order or economy of the country, the government had failed on all fronts. There are many scandals now on the government's credit including the Karachi Stock Exchange crisis, sugar and cement crisis and power failures all over the country, including Karachi, he added.
Mr Baloch said that the MMA was not against ARD's decision to bring no confidence motion against the government in the National Assembly but the ARD had not took the MMA into confidence in this regard. If the ARD is serious in bringing the no confidence motion against the government, it should make serious efforts in this regard, he added.
Paying rich tribute to Allama Turabi, he said he was a supporter of Muslims unity and played a leading role in campaigns for protecting sanctity of the holy Quran and Tahafuz-i-Namose Risalat.
Replying to another query, he said that he Rabita-i-Awam campaign of the MMA was in progress and in this regard, protest demonstrations will be held on July 17 in Attock, on 28th in Hyderabad, on 29th in Quetta, on August 14 in Lahore, on 26th in Peshawar and on Sept 6 in Rawalpindi.—PPI
