LAHORE: The civil society organisations on Wednesday held a protest demonstration and a candle vigil outside Lahore Press Club to express solidarity with the international community on the 100 days of abduction of 219 Nigerian girls from Chibok Town.

The candle vigil participants were carrying banners and placards bearing inscriptions “Bring back our girls and make schools safe”, “Safe schools for all”, “Raise your voice – Bring back our girls”, and “World vigils on 100th day”.

The protest and candle vigil was organised by Idara-i-Taleem-o-Aagahi in collaboration with Beydaari (a youth-led initiative), Godh and Child Right Movement.

Muslim world’s silence

Addressing the protesters, ITA Director (Programmes) Dr Baela Raza Jamil said the candle vigils were being organised around the world to mark the 100 days of the dreadful tragedy of abduction of 219 Nigerian girls from Government Secondary School in Chibok town of Borno State, Nigeria, by Boko Haram, a religious extremist group.

She said terrorism was being committed against girls and they were being deprived of their basic right to education.

She said it was time to get united otherwise the right to education would be denied to girls in one country to another and this vicious cycle would run around the world.

“If Pakistan will stand for the cause of girls in Nigeria now, the world will also rise for the cause of education in Pakistan,” she asserted.

Similarly, Dr Baela said there were over one million displaced persons in Bannu having larger population of women and children, and they were being denied their basic right to education. She said the world would become darker, if girls would be denied their right to education.

The participants also chanted slogans against Boko Haram and Taliban.

Alif Laila Book Bus Society’s Rabia Khan and Aghaz Foundation’s Zafar Malik also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2014