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QUETTA, July 18: The government’s inappropriate steps were termed the root cause of the emergence of terrorism, sectarian strife, ethnic polarization, and disharmony amongst the provinces’ economic disparity at a “consultative dialogue” held under the aegis of the Quetta Press Club and Aurat Foundation here on Thursday.
Speakers including politicians, religious figures, and human rights activists blamed the wrong foreign and internal policies, formulated by the rulers during last five decades, for all evils in the society.
Rashid Beg president QPC was the chief guest and Younus Khalid Chairman of Aurat Foundation presided over the function.
Those spoke at the occasion include, Maulana Noor MNA (JUI-F), Senator Sana Baloch and Habib Jalib Baloch (BNP-M), Abdur Rahim Ziaratwal MPA (PMAP), Mohammad Shafique MPA (PPP), Jan Mohammad Buledi MPA (BNM), Mrs Raqiya Hashimi MPA (PML-Q), Dr Inyatullah Khan (ANP), Tahir Mohammad Khan and Zahoor Shahwani (HRCP), Khuda-i-Noor (JWP), Maulana Abdul Haq (JI), Rezia Rab Women organization, Isar Ishaque (HDP), Mohsin Javed (BBA), Allama Mehdi Najfi (ITP).
Representatives of the different organizations condemned the killing of innocent people one after the other on June 8 and July 4 respectively and maintained that assailants escaping proved that the law enforcement agencies were totally failed in curbing terrorism.
Speakers with one voice asserted that there was no Sunni/Shia dispute in the country as people following the faiths of both sects always observed tolerance and brotherhood except small groups of militants whether it was Sipah-i-Sahaba, or Sipah-i-Muhammad or Lashkar-i-Jhangvi were creating dissension.
They alleged that the government has dual standard to curb terrorism as in recent past MQM and Maulana Azam Tariq’s organizations were dubbed for indulging in the terrorist acts but just to form a so-called govt led by Mir Zafarullah Jamali both MQM and Azam Tariq were sitting on left and right sides of prime minister.
Speakers vowed to hold seminars, conferences besides arranging peaceful rallies to restore the past spirit of tolerance and brotherhood amongst the people in Quetta adding that unity and consultation between the political and religious parties would foil the designs of the terrorists and miscreants.
PEACE MARCH: A peace march led by ex-federal health minister Dr Abdul Malik Kasi and PPP MPA Muhammad Shafique Ahmed was arranged here Friday to condemn the terrorist attack on a city imambargah on July 4.
The marchers were wearing white cloths and did not raise any slogan.
Starting from the Jinnah Road, the protesters paraded through the city’s main roads before ending their march peacefully near the imambargah where the tragic incident had occurred.
The marchers were holding white flags besides placards and banners inscribed with such slogans as “we don’t want bombs and Quetta is our home”, “arrest the assailants and punish them”, “we condemn terrorism.”
The participants of the rally went inside the imambargah and expressed solidarity with the victim families and offered Fateha for the departed souls. Flowers were presented on this occasion.
Earlier the Hazara tribe youths took out a procession from the imambargah Prince Road after the Juma prayers and marched on various roads before dispersing near the imambargah Nachari Road.
The protesters, who were escorted by heavy contingents of the army, the Frontier Constabulary, and police, raised slogans and demanded arrest of the killers.
Meanwhile, a statement issued here Friday by five political parties — Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP), Balochistan National Party (BNP-Mengal), Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP), Balochistan National Movement (BNM), PPP, and Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) — announced holding a rally on Saturday to condemn the macabre killings.
