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SUKKUR: A complete shutdown was observed in Jacobabad while rallies and demonstrations were held in almost all big and small towns of Sindh on Friday in protest against an attempt on the life of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Quetta a day earlier.
The JUI-F chief escaped unhurt when a suicide bomber blew himself up near the bullet-proof car carrying him and some of his party colleagues as soon as the vehicle left the venue of a big gathering organised by the party in Quetta. Maulana Fazl’s car was destroyed in the blast that left one person dead and several others wounded.
JUI-F leaders, activists and supporters held protest rallies and demonstrations at city and district level across Sindh, like all other provinces.
Traders and shopkeepers in Jacobabad kept their businesses closed on Friday.
A huge rally was taken out from Madressa Qasimul Uloom in the city to condemn the attack. Participants in the rally — mostly seminary students, their teachers and party workers — strongly criticised the federal government for failing to check militants and terrorists. They demanded immediate arrest of all those behind the attack.
The protesters held a sit-in at Tikundi Bagh to block the nearby section of the National Highway for several hours. Later, they marched up to the local press club to hold a demonstration.
Speaking to them, JUI-F deputy general secretary Nasrullah Ghunio, Dr A.G. Ansari, Nazeer Ahmed Mengal, Hafiz Mehmood Ali, Qari Mohammad Aslam Banglani, Qari Basit Dool, Siddiq Rawahi, Dur Muhammad Dool and others warned that the protest would be intensified and its scope widened if the terrorists and their mentors were exposed and arrested.
In Sukkur, a rally was taken out from Madressa Mazharul Uloom, Manzil Gah. It was led by Maulana Mohammed Sualeh Indhar, Liaqat Ali, Maulana Ubaidullah Bhutto and Maulana Abdul Haq Mahar.
Similar rallies were organised in Kandhkot, Thull, Mirpur Mathelo, Rohri, Pannu Aqil, Ghotki, Daharki, Ubauro and other towns in the upper Sindh region.
LARKANA: A large number of JUI-F workers led by Maulana Rashid Mehmood Soomro and Muhabbat Khuhro took to the streets of Larkana on Friday to condemn the bid to eliminate their party chief in Quetta.
They emerged from the Jamia Islamia carrying banners and raising slogans against terrorism and converged on the main Royal Chowk, where thy staged a sit-in.
The leaders speaking to the protesters said that US agents and anti-Muslim forces were behind the terrorist attack to silence Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who had always opposed secularism.
HYDERABAD: JUI-F activists and supporters held a demonstration outside the local press club on Friday to register their protest and anger over the attack on their party chief.
Speaking to them, Hyderabad JUI-F leaders Maulana Taj Mohammad and general secretary Khalid Hussain urged the prime minister to take a serious notice of the attack.
The protesters raised slogans against the Balochistan government for its failure to ensure proper safety and security of the JUI leadership and workers in that province.
They also condemned the killing of eight members of the Hazara community in Quetta hours before the suicide attack.
BADIN: Speaking to a rally organised by the Badin leadership of the JUI-F, Maulana Fateh Mohammed Mehri, Abdul Ghani Gopang and Hafiz Abdul Rehman Khatti described the suicide attack to eliminate Maulana Fazlur Rehman as a conspiracy hatched by the West.
The told the participants in the rally outside the local press club that the imperialist and anti-Islam forces would never succeed in their conspiracy to weaken the Ummah. JUI-F activists also took out protest rallies in Tando Bago, Matli, Golarchi, Kadhan, Khoski and other towns of Badin district after Juma prayers to register their protest against the attack.
NAUSHAHRO FEROZE: Furious over the bomb attack on their party chief in Quetta, JUI-F activists and supporters staged a demonstration in Naushahro Feroze town and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.
Maulana Hafeezullah Keerio, Maulana Abdul Rehman Dangraj, Maulana Mohammed Ramzan and Maulvi Abdullah Phull spoke to the protesters and vowed to foil all such plots against the party leadership.
SHIKARPUR: Participants in a demonstration held at Lakhi Gate Clock Tower after Juma prayers strongly condemned the murderous attack on JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
They marched through the streets of Shikarpur raising slogans against the United States for its anti-Muslim moves, and urged the federal and Balochistan governments to ensure arrest of all those behind the attack.
Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2014
