KARACHI - Like other parts of the country, mourning day was also observed in the metropolis on Wednesday over the horrific attack on Army Public School in Peshawar that took scores of innocent and defencless lives of students and teachers, and injuring several others.
All the political parties have announced three-day mourning in the wake of Peshawar’s horrendous attack and held absentia funeral prayers, Quran Khwani and Fateha Khwani for the departed souls.
Moreover citizens held protest demonstrations outside the Karachi Press Club and at various key points of the city against the killing of schoolchildren. The entire city population was seen saddened over the incident.
Pakistan Muslim League, Pakistan People’s Party , Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Mohajir Qaumi Movement, Awami National Party and other major parties and social organisations suspended their activities to mourn the horrific incident. Furthermore, the legal fraternity observes a one-day strike across the province to mourn the Peshawar attack.
A funeral prayer in absentia of Peshawar school martyrs was offered in Sindh Assembly premises. It was attended by Sindh Minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro, Sindh Assembly secretary and other staff besides employees of the Sindh Secretariat.
Talking to media men, Dr Mandhro said the school attack in Peshawar was very tragic that took lives of over 100 children besides staff. “We are equally grieved at this horrendous incident and share grief with the victim families who lost their beloved children,” he added.
Expressing views on the decision of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for lifting moratorium on executions and allowing capital punishment for those sentenced to death in the cases of terrorism, the provincial minister said such decisions should be taken so that accused involved in heinous terrorism cases could be sentenced to death. He said military, police and people had sacrificed their lives in the war against terrorism for long time. The government and other political parties were on the same page against the terrorism. Before the funeral prayer, Quran Khwani and Fateha Khwani were also organised in Sindh Assembly hall in which a large number of people participated and prayed for the departed souls.
The PPP Karachi Division president Abdul Qadir Patel, General Secretary Najmi Alam, PPP Media Cell Sindh members Manzoor Abbas organised a large congregation at the People’s Secretariat in which Quran Khawani and funeral prayers in absentia were held for the departed souls of the martyred students. The PPP Karachi Division also held a candlelight vigil in memory of the martyred students. Patel said Taliban terrorists were the enemies of Islam and humanity and every effort should be made to eliminate them. Government should never engage them for any sort of dialogue. Najmi Alam said the PPP had been very clear in its stance against the militancy.
Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Chapter organised the funeral prayers in absentia at New MA Jinnah Road. Former City nazim and senior JI leader, Niamatullah Khan performed the funeral prayer. A large number of people including the party workers attended it. Talking to media men, JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman demanded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to unveil the real culprits involved in it. He said the united efforts of government, army and people of were the need of the hour to uproot terrorism from the country.
He held India and United States responsible of terrorism activities in the country. “The local agents of these countries are creating anarchy in the country.” He reiterated the suggestion of JI chief Sirajul Haq in All Parties Conference in which Siraj recommended the government to mark the year 2015 as ‘peace year’. He backed the decision of the authorities concerned in order to execute the death penalty to the hardened terrorists. “We are fighting the war of United States for the last several years. The rulers have completely failed to ensure safety of the life and property of the masses,” he reiterated.
MQM organised Quran Khwani and funeral prayers in absentia at Lalqila Ground, Azizabad. A larger number of workers and supporters participated and prayed for the departed souls. On MQM coordination committee expressed profound grief to the families of the martyred children. Pakistan Sunni Tehreek’s Shahid Ghouri has called to boost up Zarb-e-Azb operation.
Awami National Party Sindh chapter has suspended its all political and party organisational activities. Party flags at Bacha Khan Markaz and Mardan House along with other party offices have been replaced with black flags. The party activists, leaders and members of ANP subsidiary organisations arranged a candlelight vigil at Shahrah-e-Faisal. Party’s provincial general secretary Younus Bunairee said, “I have no words to express my grief and feelings at the slaughtering of my children. “In Pakhtuns, people stop firing in the middle of a brawl if a child steps in.” He called for unification of all political forces and state institutions against the menace of Talibanisation and giving clear support to the on-going army offensive against them.
Former Sindh labour minister and ANP senior leader, Amir Nawab said the state should stop making difference between the good and the bad Taliban and take action across the board otherwise things will be more brutal than the past. NYO president Noor Islam Safi said, “The time for condemnation has passed now. It is the time to take action and wipe-out the militancy which is eating out our foundations. The attack is on our future. These children had to become our leaders and the militants had snatched our leaders from us.”
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Karachi Chapter also offered funeral prayers in absentia at Insaf House Sharah-e-Faisal while Qurani Khwani was also organised for the departed souls of the Peshawar attack. PTI also held a candlelight vigil at Teen Talwar Karachi where a large number of women and children lit the candles and paid homage to the children who lost their lives in Peshawar terrorists’ attack.
Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) also arranged a candlelight vigil for the schoolchildren at Numaish Chowrangi and raised slogans against the militants. They demanded strict action against those involved and those who supported the attackers.
Endorsing Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) appeal, Sindh High Court Bar Association and district bar associations observed the strike across the province and held condolence references for the people who lost their lives in brutal assault on the school. The lawyers boycotted the legal proceedings.
At Karachi Press Club, the children, wearing black armbands, staged protest demonstration. The protest was organised by the Sindh chapter of Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) to pay homage to the victims of the school attack. The children were shouting along with the PkMAP activists. They demanded the government to take action against those behind the attack. “Neither in Islam nor in Sharia, this brutal attack is justifiable,” said Sikandar Khan, senior vice president of PkMAP Sindh. Taliban and government should keep our children away from their fight.
Similarly, Aafia Movement leader Dr Fauzia Siddiqui along with the students of school also staged demonstration outside the Karachi Press Club to express solidarity with the victims of Peshawar attack. Expressing heartfelt condolence to the bereaved mothers of the innocent defenceless students, she said civil society worldwide had been condemning this massacre and whole Pakistan is mourning the deaths of our innocent children.
Dr Fauzia demanded the government to take serious steps to eradicate violence and terrorism from the country. She said the government should ensure to uphold the law and constitution and safeguard the fundamental rights and liberties of the people.
Meanwhile, the citizens of Karachi staged demonstration in various areas of the city. A larger number of people from various walks of life gathered outside the Quaid’s mausoleum and chanted Pakistan Zindabad slogans.
Talking to The Nation, a citizen Khurram Asghar said, “We do not belong to any political group but we are gathered here to condemn the horrendous attack that took the lives of our school children.” He said that government should end the philosophy of good and bad Taliban and consider all militants as terrorists. Similar demos were also staged at key points of Karachi including Liaquatabad, Nazimabad, PECHS society, Federal B Area, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and others. Citizens and civil society also observed candlelight vigils and protests.