Demo for release of Shia leaders held

Published March 21, 2004

HYDERABAD, March 20: Activists of the Shia Ulema Council Pakistan staged a protest demonstration and observed a hunger strike outside the press club on Saturday for the release of Allama Sajid Ali Naqvi and Allama Jan Ali Shah Kazmi.

Muttehida Majlis-i-Amal district president Waheed Qureshi and other leaders visited the hunger strike camp to express solidarity with the Shia community.

The demonstration was led by Allama Altaf Hussain Al- Hussaini, Allama Wali Mehdi, Allama Ghulam Raza Baloch, Kazim Shah Naqvi, Moazzam Shah Jehanian, Nizamul Haideri and others.

They raised slogans of Shia-Sunni Bhai Bhai and demanded that Allama Naqvi and Allama Kazmi should be released.

They also demanded that the accused involved in the Quetta carnage and Mandi Bahauddin killings should be arrested and payment of compensation be given to the bereaved families..

The protesters carried black flags and portraits of Allama Naqvi in their hands.

They warned that if the Shia leaders were not released the entire community would march towards Islamabad on May 6.

They demanded that the FIR registered against Syed Sher Ali Kazmi at the Pinyari police station by some miscreants should be cancelled.