UPPER DIR/PESHAWAR: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq has said that the government has not played its due role to stop the killings of innocent Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. He asked the government to actively pursue the matter at all forums.

He was addressing a public meeting in Wari in Upper Dir. Party’s provincial chief Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, parliamentary leader in National Assembly Sahibzada Tariqullah, senior minister Inayatullah Khan and local councillors were also present on the occasion.

Mr Haq said that burnt out bodies of Rohingya Muslims were unbearable to watch. He said that the innocent Muslims were brutally killed while international media was completely silent on the issue.

Traders hold rally to condemn genocide in Myanmar

He said that he had asked Nawaz Sharif in Masjid-i-Nabvi to end the interest-based business from Pakistan. However, he said, that Mr Sharif had not fulfilled his promise. He said that apart from Mr Sharif the names of 436 other people were included in the Panama leaks and they all should be brought to justice.

The JI chief said that corrupt politicians wanted to end Articles 62 and63 because they could not fulfill its conditions.

In Peshawar, traders held a protest demonstration at Shobba Chowk in Khyber Bazaar on Saturday to condemn the ongoing genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and urged the United Nations to play its role in stopping atrocities against them.

The protesting traders were led by Malik Mehar Elahi, president of Markazi Tanzeem-i-Tajaran Peshawar, Shakil Ahmad Khan Saraf, president of Small Traders’ Union Peshawar city, Meraj Mohammad Khan and Salahuddin.

The protesters carrying placards and banners also chanted slogans against the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi for her silence over the genocide of Muslims in her country. They were also chanted slogans against the leadership of Islamic countries, the international community and human rights organisations for their silence over the issue.

To show solidarity with the Rohingya Muslims they also set an effigy of Suu Kyi on fire. They criticised the silence of the western powers and UN over the persecution of Rohingyas. The marchers demanded cessation of violence against the Muslim population.

Speaking on the occasion, the traders’ union president said that the Rohingya Muslims, who were fleeing their homes, were being targeted. He criticised the Islamic states for not raising the issue seriously at the UN and other forums.

The traders called upon the Islamic counties to create unity in their ranks. They condemned the persecution of Rohingya Muslims by the Myanmar army and its Buddhists population. They demanded of the UN, Amnesty International and OIC to play their role in stopping atrocities against Rohingyas. They also criticised the silence of US, Russia, UK, France and Germany over the grave situation.

They urged the government of Pakistan to strongly protest the ongoing genocide of Rohingya Muslims on the international level, sever diplomatic ties with Myanmar and expel their diplomats. They also asked the government to take up the issue at various international forums and play its role for stopping the massacre of innocent Muslims.

Meanwhile, a protest demonstration was also organised by Pasban outside Peshawar Press Club to condemn the killing of Muslims in Myanmar.

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2017