HYDERABAD: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) organised rallies after Friday prayers in many cities and towns of Sindh against the government’s failure to arrest the culprits of what was stated to be a suicide bomb attack targeted against its chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Quetta on Oct 23.

Two people were killed and scores of others wounded in the blast that occurred as soon as the Maulana and his companions drove past his supporters after addressing a big party rally in the city. The JUI-F chief escaped unhurt in the blast, the third attempt on his life, though the bullet-proof car he was travelling in was destroyed.

The police declared it a suicide attack but the party demands arrest of all those behind the assassination attempt.

On Friday, JUI-F activists and supporters held rallies and demonstrations in Hyderabad, Larkana, Sukkur, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Khairpur and other cities and towns to condemn the federal government’s failure to ensure safety and security of Maulana Fazlur Rehman and other politicians as well as citizens.

In Hyderabad, participants in a demonstration raised slogans against the federal government and demanded removal of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

Carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the federal and Balochistan governments, they condemned the act of terrorism and marched through various streets.

They also criticised the Balochistan government for failing to make proper security arrangements at the JUI-F rally.

Led by Sindh JUI-F information secretary Maulana Taj Mohammad, Mufti Habibullah and Azam Jehangiri, the participants also demanded compensation to the wounded victims.

They leaders said that the government’s indifference was evident from the fact that the interior minister did not even condemn the incident.

It seemed that the federal and Balochistan government were involved in the assassination plot, they said.

LARKANA: JUI-F general secretary Dr Khalid Mehmood Soomro, leading a protest rally here on Friday, urged the federal and Balochistan governments, as well as law enforcement agencies, to help the party unmask those behind the assassination attempt.

He said the interior minister did not bother to express sympathy with the JUI-F chief which obviously created doubts that the federal government might be involved in the conspiracy to eliminate him.

Dr Soomro demanded removal of the minister and setting up of a commission to investigate all aspects of the Oct 23 incident.

He warned that if any harm came to the party chief, JUI-F workers and supporters across the country would take to the streets and take the culprits to task. “Our patience should not be construed as weakness,” he added.

SUKKUR: JUI-F workers and supporters held rallies in Sukkur, Rohri, Jacobabad and other parts of upper Sindh for the arrest of the culprits of the Quetta assassination attempt on Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

A similar rally was taken out from Katpar Mohalla in Rohri. The participants marched up to the local press club, where JUI-F taluka chief Maulana Abdul Karim Abbasi, Maulana Abdul Haq Mahar and others spoke to them.

Mufti Saud Afzal Halejvi led the rally taken out from Madressah Mazharul Uloom at Manzil Gah in Sukkur city. The rally ended near the local press club, where several JUI-F leaders spoke to the participants.

They condemned the repeated attempts on the life of their party leader and urged the government to take notice of the conspiracies against him.

In Jacobabad, a JUI-F procession was taken out from Madressah Qasimul Uloom and ended in front of the local press club, where the participants held a sit-in.

The protest disrupted flow of vehicular traffic on DC Office Road and the thoroughfares leading to it for some time.

JUI-F district chief Syed Shah Mohammad Shah, Hafiz Mir Mohammad Banglani, Nazir Ahmed Mengal, Dr. A.G. Ansari, Maulana Fida Ahmed Dool and others condemned police and the government for failing to arrest those involved in three assassination attempts targeted against their party leader.

They alleged that the conspirators were backed by the United States and Israel. However, they added, the anti-Islam forces would not succeed in their designs to weaken the Ummah through attacks and conspiracies.

They vowed to get Islamic system of governance implemented in the country despite such attempts.

SHIKARPUR: Activists and supporters of JUI-F took out a rally from Rustam Chowk and ,arched up to the Lakhi Gate Clock Tower, where they held a demonstration.

They condemned the suicide attack on their party chief in Quetta and demanded resignation of the interior minister for not taking a serious notice of the incident.

Maulana Abdullah Pahnwar, Maulana Mujeebur Rahman Madani, Mushtaque Mahar, Ali Sher Brohi, Maulana Abdul Fatah Mahar, Syed Waliullah Shah Amroti, Luqman Mangi and other local party leaders spoke to the protesters.

They vowed to wage a nationwide campaign against the government if those behind attacks on their party chief were not exposed and taken to task.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2014