Police taking away the bodies of Rashid and Sajjad Emmanuel in Faisalabad (BBC)

At this blog we have previously discussed the case of the Gojra report which, while commissioned and produced by the one-man tribunal of Justice Iqbal Hameed ur Rehman and submitted to the Punjab government in October 2009, has yet to be made public. It may be remembered that the Gojra report recommended an immediate review and amendment of the blasphemy laws in the Pakistan Penal Code. However the exact nature and scope of its recommendations remain hidden to the public.

In the meantime (between the Gojra riots and the present), there have been many incidents in which the members of minority communities have been subjected to religious persecution.

In 2009 alone, according to this report by HRCP, more than 41 complaints of blasphemy were reported. Here is just a small snapshot of the incidents that have occurred after the Gojra riots that have gone largely unnoticed in Pakistan’s mainstream media:

- In August 2009 in Lahore a factory owner and two others were killed by factory workers after an accusation of blasphemy
- In September 2009, a Christian Church in Sialkot district was set on fire after an accusation of blasphemy occurred.
- In September 2009, a young Christian man Fanish Masih was arrested on an accusation of blasphemy and died under mysterious circumstances while in custody

Now a fresh tribunal has been formed by Government of Punjab to investigate the killing of the two Christian brothers Rashid Emmanuel and Sajjad Emmanuel outside a courthouse in Faisalabad this month. The one-member tribunal of Justice Muhammad Yusuf of Labour Court 4 will start investigations on August 2 and will submit a final report to the Punjab government within 15 days.

But the question is, will this report, too, be suppressed from the public by the Punjab Government? If so, what is the good of all these commissions and tribunals? Where is the public pressure from “civil society” to force the government to make these reports public under the freedom of information ordinance and to act on their recommendations? Can we simply dispense with this sham of ordering one tribunal after the other? All this does is provides cover for the Government of Punjab to say “look at least we are doing something”. Once the (brief) period of public attention is diverted, the government simply refuses to make the findings of the tribunal public. After the Gojra riots, the victims’ families, knowing that they would never receive justice otherwise had placed the bodies of their loved ones on the railway tracks until an FIR was filed which named the DCO and DPO as suspects. Predictably, no action has been taken following the filing of that FIR. In fact the Punjab government had to be prevented in May 2010 by the LHC from promoting the then RPO Faisalabad Ahmed Raza Tahir (against whom the Gojra tribunal had recommended taking action in October 2009) to the position of CCPO Lahore.

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Other stories:

Blasphemy Law revisited by IA Rehman

World Council of Churches Slams Pakistan’s blasphemy law

Calls for amendments to blasphemy law

Aalmi Majil-e-Tahfuz-e-Khatm-e-Nabuwat (AMTKN) is demanding sacking of federal minority minister Shahbaz Bhatti after his critical comments against the blasphemy law. He made this comment after killing of two Christian brothers in Faisalabad .

Previously, Shahbaz bhatti received threat for pursuing justice for Gojra victims. He should be appreciated for his stance against misuse of blasphemy laws and security of religious minority in Pakistan.

source: Jasarat

Children of General Zia-ul-Haq, i.e., terrorists of the Sipah-e-Sahaba, under the patronage of Pakistan’s ISI and Shahbaz Sharif’s government in the Punjab province, are back in action once again.

Today (19 July 2010), Muslim extremists belonging to the Sipah-e-Sahaba (an affiliate terrorist organisation of the Taliban and Jamaat-e-Islami) shot dead Rahid Emmanuel and Sajjid Emmanuel in broad daylight in front of hundreds of people in district courts compound in Faisalabad today.

There were rumours on July 18, 2010, that both of Christian brothers are free to go home from Civil Lines Police Station Faisalabad where they were detained on July 4, 2010, under blasphemy charges on complaint of one Muslim businessman (an affiliate of Jamaat-e-Islami) of Railway Bazar because police told friends of Rashid and Sajjid that there is no proof found against them which may extend their detention.

Today, investigation officer Mohammad Hussian produced Rashid Emmanuel and Sajjid Emmanuel before Judge in District Courts where he testified that police have investigated allegations leveled against them but found no proof that they may be charged under blasphemy.

Police investigating officer Mohammad Hussian told court that complainant Mohammad Khuram Shehzad lodged FIR alleging Rashid Emmanuel and Sajjid Emmanuel producing a handwritten leaflet which he stressed is defiling Prophet Mohammad but police have report of Handwriting expert that pamphlet handwriting presented by Mohammad Khuram not match with handwriting of accused Christian brothers. Police further submitted that they have nothing to investigate against them and find no proof to remand them in custody.

The court ordered to send Rashid Emmanuel and Sajjid Emmanuel to Judicial custody till next date to issue further orders.

As there were rumors that Rashid Emmanuel and Sajjid Emmanuel are found innocent and will be released, the extremists Muslims, terrorists of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, reached in District Courts Faisalabad and were waiting for them to come out of court house.

As Rashid Emmanuel and Sajjid Emmanuel were walking towards district courts custody cell with police, the unidentified gunmen opened fire and Rashid Emmanuel felt on ground.

Sajjid Emmanuel stepped to safe his brother but gunmen shot him down too. When police tried to fire back on gunmen, they also came under attack and Inspector Mohammad Hussain felt down on ground.

In minutes, masked gunmen fled from scene, till medical aid reach, Rashid Emmanuel died on spot while Sajjid Emmanuel and police officer were rushed to hospital, where they were pronounced dead till our posting this sad incident.

The leaders of Christian Lawyers Foundation CLF, Rao Naveed Zafar Bhatti Advocate reported that adequate security was not in district court which made easy for killers to fled from scene.

Pastor Rashid Emmanuel was 32 years of age and running a Ministry while his brother Sajjid Emmanuel was helping him in Lords word.

.According to PCP reports, a blasphemy case was registered on 1st July, 2010, under section 295- C PPC, against Rashid Emanuel and Sajid Emanuel of 30 years of age who were residents of Street No.5 Daud Nagar, Faisalabad, Pakistan and arrested by police on July 4, 2010.

Muhammad Khuram Shezad merchant of Railway Bazar, Faisalabad, had complained that his servant told him that both Christian accused were distributing pamphlets in open bazar which is desecrating Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and their numbers are under the writing of the Pamphlet. He went to PS and told fabricated story to police to charge 2 Christian young men under blasphemy.

The Muslims took out a procession on July 10, 2010, when they burnt tires and pelted stones on Catholic Church Warispura Faisalabad. The mob threatened that if these brothers are not executed according to Muslim law, the mob will exact revenge not only on them, but the entire Christian community.

Mr. Khalid Gill, Chairman Christian Lawyers Foundation CLF, have strongly condemned target killing of Rashid Emmanuel and Sajjid Emmanuel.

Dr. Nazir S Bhatti, President of Pakistan Christian Congress PCC have condemned brutal daylight murder of Rashid Emmanuel and Sajjid Emmanuel and termed it heinous crime against humanity.

Nazir Bhatti urged Punjab government to adopt necessary security measure of Christians and arrest killers to punish under law.

“We demand government and President of Pakistan to repeal blasphemy law by executive order to end genocide of Christians in Pakistan pretext to blasphemy law and other discriminatory laws” said Nazir Bhatti

Related article:
Religious tolerance in Islam: an excellent lecture by Maulana Muhammad Ishaq

Link to Maulana’s book on unity:
Wahdat-e-Ummat – Maulana Ishaq- part 1

Wahdat-e-Ummat – Maulana Ishaq part 2

In these times when sectarian and faith based hate speech is commonplace in mosques and other places of worship in Pakistan, it is refreshing to see that there are still some voices who present a critical (and reconciliatory) understanding of Islam and its diverse interpretations and practices.

Maulana Ishaq, an eminent Ahle Hadith (Wahhabi) scholar from Faisalabad, Pakistan, is one such scholar who has been for the last many years presenting a non-sectarian and non-myopic view of Islam, Islamic history and interpretations.

Given that Pakistani print and electronic media has, in the main, ignored excellent research and lectures by Maulana Ishaq, probably because he offers a critical, ‘non-firebrand’ view of religion and also because he represents a minority (Ahle Hadith) sect, we intend to post Maulana Ishaq’s lectures on the LUBP on a regular basis.

If you are one of those persons who have not previously listened to this great scholar, get ready for a pleasant surprise. He speaks in plain Urdu or at times in Punjabi. While you may disagree with some of Maulana’s opinion or interpretation, you will however agree that his sincerity to Islam and inter-sect unity is without any doubt.

In the following lecture, Maulana Ishaq explains why Muslim today are disunited and disgraced in the world.

Here is a video showing anti-Ahmadi operation by the Punjab Police in Lathianwala, Faisalabad. Recorded on 10th August 2009.

Pakistani authorities removed Kalima and Names of Allah and Muhammad from the Ahmadiyya Mosque. Approximately 300 Policemen and Elite Force commandos were part of the raid to commit the shameless act having “NO FEAR” of Allah.

Shame on Shahbaz Sharif, PML-N and their affiliates in Sipah-e-Sahaba and Taliban.

While right wing jihadis and Taliban apologists in Pakistani media and politics are known for makings noises about real or perceived grievances of Muslims all over the world, they never seem to complain on Muslim on Muslim or Muslim on non-Muslim persecution and violence such as those against Ahmadis, Shias, Christians and Sikhs in Pakistan.

We at LUBP support Ahmadis’ freedom to live without facing discrimination and with full civil rights in Pakistan and elsewhere, and to self-describe themselves as they wish and to believe and practice their religion free from any threat or harassment.

We present below two recent reports on violence against Ahmadis in Pakistan.

The following report suggests that since the promulgation of the ‘anti-Ahmadi’ law in 1984 by General Zia-ul-Haq, not a year has passed when there has been less than ten Ahmadis killed due to religious bias.

11 Ahmadis killed during 2009: report

LAHORE: During the year 2009, eleven Ahmadis were killed while numerous others became victims of attempted killings, a recently published report titled ‘Persecution of Ahmadis in Pakistan during year 2009’.

Since the promulgation of the ‘anti-Ahmadi’ law in 1984, not a year has passed when there has been less than ten Ahmadis killed due to religious bias.

The report, which was released by Nazarat Umoor-e-Aama Sadr Anjuman Ahmadia Pakistan (Rabwa), claimed that the actions of these Ahmadi opponents have been encouraged largely by the prejudiced attitude of the authorities. It alleged that the federal government has been in continual denial of the human rights and religious freedom of the Ahmadis, especially the governments of Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir who have openly supported religious fanatics in their anti-Ahmadi campaign.

Apart from the killings, dozens of Ahmadis, including women and children, were booked for blasphemy.

Source: Daily Times, 15 March 2010

Here is the latest incident reported from Faisalabad (5 April 2010) where three Ahmadis have been killed. It is worth noting that the PML-N government in the Punjab province has recently forged an alliance with a terrorist outfit Sipah-e-Sahaba in this area (Jhang / Faisalabad). Faisalabad is also a home town of Rana Sanaullah, the law minister of Punjab, who is notorious for his close links with terrorists of Sipah-e-Sahaba. Also, it may be recalled that only a few weeks ago, supporters of Sipah-e-Sahaba attacked a peaceful Eid Milad-un-Nabi rally of Barelvi Muslims in Faisalabad.

Ahmadis slam target-killings in Faisalabad

LAHORE: The Jamaat-e-Ahmadia Pakistan on Sunday condemned the target killing of three members of its community in Faisalabad on April 1 (Thursday), Daily Times has learnt. The incident occurred around 10pm last Thursday when the three Ahmadis were returning home in their vehicle from their jewellery and cloth shops situated in Rail Bazaar in Faisalabad. As their car approached the Canal Road near Faisal Hospital, four or five unidentified militants – in a white car – ambushed them. The three Ahmadis were seriously injured when the men opened fire at them. The attackers managed to flee from the scene. The three men died before they reached the hospital. The deceased men include 60-year-old Sheikh Ashraf Parvez and 57-year-old Sheikh Masood Jawad – who were brothers –and Jawad’s 24-year-old son Asif Masood. staff report

Source: Daily Times, 5 April 2010

The civil judges wearing black armbands marched from civil courts to the district and sessions courts after performing judicial duties in their chambers instead of courts.

In Arifwala tehsil of Pakpattan district, four civil judges resigned to protest against the incident.

In Faisalabad, where the ugly incident took place on Monday, 45 sessions and civil judges from all over the district are on a strike.

On Friday, they went on leave saying they would not resume work until the accused advocate, Liaquat Javed, was appropriately penalised for insulting Civil Judge Tariq Mahmood Kahut.

The Lahore High Court on Thursday issued arrest warrants for Mr Javed and directed police to produce him handcuffed on March 30.

The LHC move annoyed the Faisalabad bar, which put its weight behind the accused and went on an indefinite strike, saying only the Punjab Bar Council was authorised to penalise a lawyer. As if this were not enough, the entire judiciary in Kasur district, comprising 30 sessions and civil judges, went on a two-day strike on Friday to protest against “the blackmail and pressure tactics being employed by the bar”. They also submitted to the LHC applications for month-long leave with a request to transfer them from Kasur.

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/civil-judges-in-punjab-rally-against-lawyer-730

The pattern of by-elections in Jhang and PML-N’s alliance with Sipah-e-Sahaba is a worrisome development. However, this is not the first time that PML-N has established alliances with terrorist organisations. Only a few days ago (in February 2010), PML-N forged an alliance with a terrorist Mullah Abdul Aziz of Lal Masjid (the spiritual father of all suicide bombers in Pakistan) in order to grab a few dozen more votes in Rawalpindi. The alliance with Mullah Abdul Aziz was facilitated through the notorious pro-Taliban journalist Hamid Mir (of Geo TV):

Some civil society observers monitoring the polling went aghast when they saw strong Lal Masjid brigades in the afternoon of that fateful day taking positions inside most of the polling booths, driving out the PML-N candidate Malik Shakil Awan’s opponents’ polling agents and later stuffed the ballot boxes to their will, ensuring PML-N’s veiled agenda of patronizing terrorism within Punjab for their political hegemony at all costs.

Lal Masjid Maulana Abdul Aziz taking credit for Shakil Awan’s victory later said that Sheikh Rashid never came to him for apologizing being part of the Musharraf government that had launched military operation.

It may be recalled that about a week ago Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah having ties with the leader of Jamaat Ahl-e-Sunna (formerly Sipah-e-Sahaba) was spotted touring Jhang with the chief of this terrorist organization in an attempt to gain votes, which later also led to a heated debate in the national assembly, where the members angrily shouted shame, shame for blatant patronization of terrorism by an overtly democratic party.

While the members of the civil society kept wondering what lies in store for the nation and the country, especially when a mainstream party like PML-N fully unveiling itself has come out openly harboring and patronizing terrorist organizations under a game plan aiming at try capturing power by all means.

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/5313688-pmln-shakil-turns-out-lal-masjid-militants-in-na55-bypoll

Apparently, what we are currently witnessing may be termed as the (re-)emergence of the PML-N’s Sipah-e-Sahaba group.

It may be noted that PML-N’s Sipah-e-Sahaba group has in the past attacked Christians, Shias and Barelvis in various parts of Punjab, particularly in areas surrounding Faisalabad, Jhang and Sargodha. For example:

Daily Telegraph reports: “Pakistan faces Christian protest after eight people ‘burned alive’”

– “Missionary schools across Pakistan closed on Monday in a three day protest against the deaths of up to seven Christians who were burned alive in clashes with Muslims”
– “Two children – a brother and sister aged six and 13 – their parents and 75-year-old grandfather were among those killed in violence that broke out in Gojra in Punjab province on Saturday”
– “One report said that six Christians died in flames, while two were killed by gunshots”
– “Muslims torched Christians’ homes following unsubstantiated allegations some of them had desecrated the Koran. Some 40 homes were burned down.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/5964923/Pakistan-faces-Christian-protest-after-eight-people-burned-alive.html

— “They protested against attacks on their houses and burning alive of seven members of their community by a mob”
— “Violence had broken out in a Gojra village on Thursday after an alleged incident of desecration of the Holy Quran during a wedding ceremony”
— “The arrested men include Qari Abdul Khaliq Kashmiri, a leader of the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan”

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/13+negligence+of+officials+blamed+for+gojra+riots-za-14

In the following article, Shafiq Awan offers an excellent analysis of the cost of Jhang elections to Pakistani nation:

The cost of Jhang by-poll

By Shafiq Awan

Ronald Reagan once said politics is supposed to be “the second-oldest profession … I have come to realise that it bears a very close resemblance to the first”.

Just as the first profession welcomes everybody – whether a gentleman or a cad, a lawmaker or a law breaker, a rich man or a poor beggar, a labourer or an industrialist, an intellectual or an illiterate – politics is also following a similar rule. In fact, it is a step ahead. The Punjab government’s recent handshake with the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) for the Jhang by-polls may have been aimed at mustering a few thousands votes, but it has also achieved something else: the administration’s move has pumped life into the banned outfit in Punjab, especially Jhang. Members of the organisation are moving freely and being welcomed and accommodated by provincial law-enforcement agencies, police stations and other government offices. All were previously no-go areas for the outfit.

When Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah led a rally, along with the banned outfit, in Jhang, what message did he want to send to the administration? Obviously, the PML-N government in the province has a new ally and the support would not be limited to by-polls. The administration was clearly directed to accommodate the SSP.

Why does the law minister always find himself in the middle of such controversies? While the Sharifs have bigwigs in their fold, Sanaullah is an easy prey. The perception is he often crosses the limits to please the bosses who order him. His treatment of the Interior Ministry’s warning over a possible terrorist attack in Lahore to the Punjab Home Department is an example.

Commenting on the information, Sanaullah said he could not trust the Interior Ministry. Had he taken the information seriously, the loss in the Model Town blast could have been limited, if not averted altogether. There have been reports that suspected terrorists Talib alias Qiamat and Siddiq alias Jappo – who were released a few weeks ago – were also kept at the Model Town office of the Special Intelligence Agency that was targeted.

A PML-N grey head disclosed that the SSP leaders met the party leadership in Raiwind, as they wanted some guarantees for long-lasting relations. Defending the meeting, he said it was a political strategy to have a new political ally: the argument was while an organisation could be banned, the thousands of followers and voters could not. He said the party leadership was only convincing the followers of the organisation to vote for its candidate. But he conceded the process was being routed through the banned outfit’s leadership. He said even during the local government elections, the SSP would be a PML-N ally – “whenever and wherever required”.

In the next general elections, the PML-N would adjust seats with the organisation in Jhang. He dispelled the impression that the PML-N government decided not to confront the SSP after an assassination attempt on Nawaz Sharif in 1997. Then prime minister, narrowly escaped an attempt on his life when a powerful bomb exploded on a bridge he was due to use.

The SSP was accused of planting the bomb, but no proper action was taken against the outfit. The PML-N official admitted that the Sharifs were careful, as during their last regime, Gujranwala SSP Ashraf Marth was assassinated by SSP assassin Riaz Basra. Marth was married to then Punjab Assembly speaker Chaudhry Pervez Elahi’s sister and was the brother-in-law of then interior minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. Then SSP chief Azam Tariq was charged and arrested for involvement in Marth’s murder.

Ironically, the case was not pursued, and Azam Tariq was released. A senior government official, defending ties with the SSP, said orders had been given to “deal with the outfit with a soft hand … they are to be introduced in mainstream politics”. But is it the job of government officials?

The organisation is even being consulted for demarcation of constituencies and other arrangements for the next local government elections. While the officer refused comment, he did not deny it. The Punjab government’s blatant support to the SSP could further widen the sectarian gulf in the province. The other sects feel insecure and deprived.

They say they have been shocked by the Punjab government’s support for the group. The recent violence at an Eid Miladun Nabi procession in Faisalabad by a subsidiary of the SSP and Punjab government’s view of the case speaks a lot about the relationship between the outfit and the PML-N. The party may win the Jhang by-poll, but at what cost?

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\03\10\story_10-3-2010_pg7_15

Finally, it seems that the federal government has taken note of PML-N’s links with sectarian and jihadi terrorists. However, not much will happen we know as the PML-N and Sipah-e-Sahaba are two important organs (two sides of the same coin) of the most powerful right wing establishment in Pakistan.

Govt won’t let banned outfits work: Malik

Friday, March 12, 2010
By By our correspondent

LAHORE: Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik has admitted that banned militant organizations are still working in Pakistan, warning the outfits to wind up their network, otherwise, strict action would be taken against them.

He expressed these views while talking to the media at the Horse and Tattoo Show organized at the Lahore Race Club on Thursday. The Interior Minister stated that he had convened the meeting of all Home Secretaries in next week to make a policy to deal with the banned militants. He expressed his anguish over the hoisting of flags of Sipah Sahaba and other militant activity in Jhang during the campaigns of by-polls, adding the activity would also not be allowed in future.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=228600

When will you wake up, Punjab?

Here are some video clips providing a crisp introduction to what Nawaz Sharif and his PML-N stand for, particularly in view of their much trumpeted rhetoric for the rule of law and fight against corruption.

Our focus in these videos is on the current Law Minister of Punjab, Rana Sanaullah, a central leader of Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N, and a glaring specimen of Shahbaz Sharif’s good governance:

Rana Sanaullah, a property grabber, land mafia lord, torturer and abuser in Faisalabad:

Here is a story of Mian Muhammad Idrees whose land was illegally grabbed by Rana Sanullah; the poor man was brutally tortured by the agents of Rana Sanullah. This clip has been taken from an episode of Hasb-e-Hal (hosted by Aftab Iqbal and Sohail Ahmed – Azizi):

The following is a press conference by Mian Muhammad Idress shown on Samaa TV:

Our second story in this post is about Rana Sanaullah’s illegal plaza in Lahore.

The following video package has been compiled by Imran Younas on City42TV:

The above story was also reported on Dunya TV:

Related post: Who are these people attacking Eid Milad-un-Nabi processions in Pakistan?

I know that Pakistani media as well as most of Pakistani bloggers have either ignored or censored these two news items. But the LUBP will not.

The 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal is celebrated by Muslims in Pakistan as the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (peace by upon him and his progeny). In particular, Sunni Barelvi Muslims organize large public meetings and rallies on that day in the memory of the Prophet.

It is however a known fact that certain Muslim sects (e.g. Wahhabi and Deobandi) term such ceremonies of the Eid Mila-un-Nabi as shirk (polytheism) and biddat (innovation in religion).

Everyone is entitled to their own interpretation and practice of religion as long as it does not lead to violence or hate speech. However, the situation gets ugly when some extremist element within one sect try to superimpose their interpretation of Islam and Quran on other sects through the use of violence.

This is exactly what happened in D.I. Khan and Faisalabad on the most sacred day of the birthday of the Prophet, when extremist Deobandis and Wahhabis belonging to Taliban and Sipah-e-Sahaba attacked peaceful public rallies of Barelvi Muslims. Scores of Barelvi Muslims were killed or injured in these two separate (but ideologically interconnected) incidents.

The question is, why are these news items being censored or misrepresented in Pakistani media?

Here is a plain answer. The pro-Taliban (extremist Deobandi-Wahhabi) lobby, funded and supported by Saudi Arabia (through the ISI and mullahs) is extremely influential in Pakistani media. The pro-Taliban jihadi and sectarian youth serve to act as a proxy army for the ISI’s operations in Afghanistan and Kashmir.

Hence, they would not allow an exposure of the real face of their evil ideology and its proponents to the Pakistani nation, the majority of whom follow a peaceful Barelvi, Sufi tradition of Islam. Therefore, they are misrepresenting the horrible incidents of D.I.Khan and Faisalabad as sectarian violence.

It is not sectarian violence. It is not a fight between Deobandis and Barelvis. It is a fight between extremism and multiculturalism. It is a fight between tolerance and intolerance. It is a fight between the followers of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Mullah Omar.

It is not sectarianism. It is terrorism. The state must use its full force to protect peaceful Barelvis (and other vulnerable groups) from violence by well trained and well equipped terrorists of Taliban and Sipah-e-Sahaba.

Here are a couple of news reports:

Sydney Morning Herald

Sectarian clashes kill seven in Pakistan
February 28, 2010

Pakistani authorities slapped a curfew on a restive northwestern district on Sunday after clashes and gun fights left at least seven people dead at a religious procession, officials said.

Sectarian violence erupted on Saturday in the town of Paharpur in Dera Ismail Khan district, as hundreds of Muslims rallied to celebrate Eid Milad-un-Nabi, which marks Prophet Mohammed’s birthday.

Gunmen opened fire on a parade by the Barelvi sect of Sunni Muslims, killing one person on the spot and prompting the angry crowd to retaliate by attacking a seminary of the local Deobandi Sunni sect.

“Seven people were killed and 38 others have been injured in these incidents. All the dead are Sunni, there are some Shi’ites among the injured,” district police chief Gul Afzal Afridi told AFP.

Dera Ismail Khan district has in the past been troubled by unrest between followers of the Sunni [Deobandi] and Shi’ite branches of Islam, but clashes between Sunni factions are relatively rare.

An official in the hospital Dera Ismail Khan hospital confirmed the death toll and said that the 38 people wounded were still being treated.

Authorities early on Sunday ordered people to remain in their houses night and day in the main city, also called Dera Ismail Khan, and other parts of the district including Paharpur town. Security forces patrolled the streets.

“We have arrested more than 20 suspects and are carrying out more raids. There is a curfew in the main city and some of the outskirts,” Afridi said.

Afridi had refused to comment on Saturday on who might be responsible for the initial shooting, saying the area was troubled by both sectarian unrest and attacks by Islamist militant groups.

Shi’ites account for about 20 per cent of Pakistan’s Sunni-dominated population. The two communities usually coexist peacefully, but more than 4000 people have died in outbreaks of sectarian violence since the late 1980s.

Attacks by Islamist extremists, meanwhile, have killed more than 3000 people since July 2007. Most attacks are blamed on the Pakistani Taliban. Source: SMH

AFP

Also Saturday, at least one person died and several others were wounded when gunmen opened fire on a procession in the northwestern town of Dera Ismail Khan, said Dr. Qutbuddin Khan, who works at a local hospital.

The participants, later, attacked a mosque, said police official Bashar Khan, adding that it triggered a clash between Barelvi and Deobandi Sunni sects, killing three more people. Some 26 more suffered wounds, he said.

Khan said troops imposed a curfew in the area. He added it was not clear who had attacked the procession.

The procession was marking Mulid an-Nabi, the anniversary of the birth of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. Source: AFP

Dawn’s report on the Faislabad attack

More than 25 people arrested after Faisalabad clashes
28 Feb, 2010

Pakistani protesters riot after gunmen opened fire on a religious procession marking Mulid an-Nabi in Faisalabad, Pakistan on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010. – AP

FAISALABAD: Six people were injured on Sunday and more than two dozen have been taken into custody in the past 24 hours following clashes in Faisalabad.

Three people were injured in incidents of firing in Ghulam Muhammadabad area of Faisalabad and three motorcycles were set ablaze this morning.

Given the situation, the DCO of Faisalabad said that Section 144 has been imposed in the city. Later, RPO Faisalabad Muhammad Tahir, Commissioner Tahir Hussain, DCO Saeed Iqbal and SSP Operations Sarfaraz Falki held a meeting with the representatives of various religious organisations to restore normalcy in the area.

Despite being in Faisalabad, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and Home Secretary Nadeem Hassan Asif did not attend the meeting.

On Saturday, protestors set ablaze a police station and dozens of vehicles in the area following a clash between two groups, during an Eid Milad-un-Nabi procession.

The clash erupted after one of the groups opened fire on an Eid Milad-un-Nabi procession, leaving three people injured. Police had arrested around 15 people including the Khateeb of Goal Masjid, Zahid Mehmood Qasmi, on the charges of instigating people for rioting. Source: Dawn

The News

Clash enters 2nd day; section-144 imposed in Faisalabad
Updated at: 1305 PST, Sunday, February 28, 2010
FAISALABAD: Two warring factions once again Sunday entered clashes in Faisalabad, Geo News reported Sunday.

According to the initial reports, the exchange of fire between the two groups is in progress in Usmanabad area on Millat Road here.

Also, the infuriated people are going on rampage in the area.

Heavy contingents of police have been called in the area in view of tense situation in the area.

Also, the Section-144 has been imposed in the city. Source: The News