OKARA, Aug 5: The Christian community demonstrated in various parts of the Punjab on Tuesday to protest against police’s failure to arrest the killers of Fr George Ibrahim.
Fr Ibrahim was shot dead at Renala Khurd by some unidentified people on July 5 this year, and the Punjab police have yet to arrest the culprits.
In the Okara district, hundreds of Christians took out a procession in front of the press club under the leadership of minority MPA of the Christian Liberation Front, and the All-Party Minorities’ Alliance.
MPA Mrs Najmi Saleem Sindhu, Fr James Sirajdin, district council member Javed Masih Sindhu and Christian Liberation Front’s President Dr Boez Amir, who led the procession and gave vent to their feelings, alleged that the police had been treating this murder as a case of property dispute. “This is a wrong attitude,” they added.
The police had, they claimed, arrested “our two men Sharif and Niamat, but the real culprits are still at large.”
The Christians said they would continue their protest till the arrest of the nominated accused.
Placards the protesters had held were emblazoned with slogans against the police.
FAISALABAD: Christians took out a rally and demonstrated against what they called the Okara police’s apathy.
Carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the Okara administration and their demands, the protesters marched through various roads.
They chanted slogans all the way through against the police, saying “the actual murderers of Fr Ibrahim are yet to be arrested.”
Some of the Christian youths were beating their chests, holding the police responsible for worsening the law and order situation in Okara by arresting the “innocent” people.
Those who participated in the rally belonged to the All Pakistan Minorities’ Alliance, Christian Diocese of Faisalabad, Joint Action Committee, Human Rights Focus and the Christian Liberation Front.
TOBA TEK SINGH: The protesters in this part of the Punjab were as vocal as those at other places, urging the police to apprehend the assassins of Fr Ibrahim, who was shot dead in his sleep.
Christians from Gojra and Shorkot joined the march, which started from Christian Colony and terminated at the tehsil municipal office.