TOBA TEK SINGH/SARGODHA/HAFIZABAD/  NOORPUR THAL/ CHINIOT/BAHAWALPUR/MULTAN/SHEIKHUPURA - The Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM), Imamia students Organisation (ISO) and a number of other organisations took out protests rallies and staged sit-ins in different cities of Punjab province to express solidarity with the families of Alamdar Road bombings and protest failure of the Balochistan government here on Sunday.
As per detail, the Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) and Imamia students Organisation (ISO) staged a protest and staged a sit-in in Kamalia at Thana chowk to express solidarity with the families of 87 persons who were killed in terrorist bomb attacks in Quetta three day ago. The protesters blocked traffic on the road for more than six hours on Toba, Mamoon Kanjun and Chichawatni roads. The sit-in continued till filing of this report. While addressing the gathering, Shia Azzadari Council Faisalabad Division Chairman Mumtaz Hussain Gondal linked end of the sit-in with the end to a sit-in on Alamdar Road in Quetta.
In TOBA, the MWM and ISO activists staged a sit-in on Jhang Road and set fire to tyres, bring all kind of traffic to a halt for two hours. Pakistan Tehrik Insaf leader Chaudhry Muhammad Ashfaq also participated in the sit-in to express solidarity with the community. While addressing the protesters Allama Muhammad Hussain Jafri, Safdar Hussain Khan, Rai Shahid Ali and Rana Naeem Abbas demanded the army chief to order the Quetta corps commander to take over Quetta as soon as possible to protect people from the terrorists.
In SARGODHA, the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, ISO and other organisations observed protest and staged a sit-in against Quetta bombings tragedy here on Sunday. The protesters gathered outside central Imambargah in Block No-7 and blocked Sargodha-Khushab Road for all kind of traffic. They burnt tyres and shouted slogans, demanding the government to take stern action against the perpetrators of target killing incidents. On the occasion, the leaders said that their protest and sit-in would continue till the acceptance of their demands. Meanwhile citizens faced difficulties due to blockage of road and over head bridge which also caused traffic jams on various roads in the city.
In HAFIZABAD, partial shutdown was observed in Hafizabad and Pindi Bhattian to protest against large scale killing of innocent Muslims in Quetta and Swat on the call of Hussaini Alliance, Shia Ulema Council, ISO, MWM and TNFJ.
The protesters including hundreds of women blocked different roads leading to Fawara Chowk by burning tyres. They staged a sit-in at Fawara Chowk for five hours, raising slogans against the government. They expressed resentment and indignation over the apathetic attitude of the government and its complete failure to stop target killings of Muslims of particular sect in Balochistan and other places. They expressed their heartfelt sympathies with the families of martyred who were sitting along with the coffins of the martyred in the cold weather under the open sky on Alamdar Road Quetta for the past three days. As the Balochistan Government and Civil Administration there had completely failed to stop target killings, Balochistan Government should be dissolved and Army should be handed over the task to stop the mayhem, they maintained.
In NOORPUR THAL, protest was observed on Sunday to condemn the Alamdar Road tragedy in Quetta. The protest was arranged by MWM Tehsil Noopur Thal. Protest rallies and demonstrations were held in Jamali Balochan, Noopur, Rangpur and Khatwan. The supporters of the MWM thronged Mehfil-e-Shab-e-Khorasan and marched to Imambargah Mohallah Hussain Abad via Hussain Road. They were carrying banners and placards. The protesters were raising slogans against the US, Zionist regime of Israel and their local agents for promoting terrorism all over the country. In Noopur Thal demonstrations were staged at Kashmir Chowk and Hashmi Chowk. MWM local leaders Syed Zakir Hussain Shah, Sajjad Hussain Khan Baloch, Sardar Zain Abbas, Dr Akhtar Hussain Thaheem, Nigha Hussain Bhatti and other speakers addressed the participants.
In CHINIOT, thousands of workers of MWM besieged Tehsil Chowk by staging a sit-in since the last 24 hours. Earlier last night, they staged a sit-in at Chowk Mohallah Garha and inside city area forcing the closure of all adjoining markets and business centres to protest the killings in Quetta blasts.
Later in the afternoon, they moved to Tehsil Chowk and blocked it for all kind of traffic. In the meantime, the traffic police attempted to divert traffic towards ring roads but the protesters reached there and blocked the ring roads as well, leaving hundreds of vehicles and thousands of passengers virtually stranded along all highways or moving back as protestors have blocked all roads by burning tyres in it.
In BAHAWALPUR, the MWM, ISO and Shiaan Haider Karaar urged the government to impose Governor’s rule in Balochistan and give Quetta in Pak Army’s control as the incompetent government of Balochistan had lost the right the people anymore.
They staged a sit-in at Farid Gate to protest the Quetta bombing incidents.
The leaders of MWM and Shiaan Haidar Karaar reiterated the pledge to continue protest against the sorrowful incident. A large number of children, women and elderly also participated in the rallies and sit-in.
I SHEIKHUPURA, hundreds of protesters belonging to Anjuman Sada-e-Imam-e-Zamana and Imamia Students Organization blocked Main Bhatti Chowh for the last 18 hours against the brutal killing of dozens people of Hazara tribe in Quetta. They criticised that the government machinery had failed to provide protection to people and vowed to continue protest until Quette was given into Pak Army control. The protesters including a large numbers of women have been staging a sit-in at Bhatti Chowk from Saturday night under supervision of Anjuman-e-Imamia Chairperson Syeda Gulnaz Bukhari.
In MULTAN, a sit-in at Nawan Shehr Chowk to express solidarity with families of the Quetta blast victims continued and the participants demanded the government accept demands of the families. Leaders from different political parties including Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Hafiz Allah Dittah Kashif and others also visited the sit-in. Noted leaders Shafqat Hussain, Allama Talib Parwaz, Mukhdoom Qaswar Shamsi, Allama Iqtidar Hussain and others while addressing the participants stressed the government to accept the demands.