Karachi, August 26, 2023 (PPI-OT): State should to change its five-decade old anti- people narrative and start a grand dialogue to end the growing religious extremism, hatred and tendencies from our society, said speakers of a candlelight vigil program here Saturday.
The candlelight vigil against extremism, religious fanatics and violence themed “Together, we Call for peace, harmony and a future free from extremism” was organised at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) jointly by National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) and Home Based Women Workers Federation (HBWWF) to show solidarity with the affectedness of Jaranwala tragedy.
Those spoke included Nasir Mansoor of NTUF, Gul Rehman of Workers Rights Movement, Zehra Khan and Saira Froze of HBWWF, Nuzhat Shireen of Sindh commission on status of women, Saeed Baloch of Pakistan Fisher Folk Forum, Aqib Hussain, Shahzad Mughal, Faiza Siddiqui of Alternate, Himat Phulpoto and Iqbal Abro of Textile Garments General Workers Union and youth leaders Aeni Yousuf, Ruqiya Hanif and Kashif Abbasi and comrade Tara.
The speakers said the reason behind the sad incidents like Jaranwala tragedy is the backing to religious extremism and armed militias by powerful circles. They said such incidents could not be stopped till the state and state institutions stop fanning religious extremism. The demanded that state should shun its five decades old anti-society narrative and start a grand dialogue to promote pluralism and tolerance.
They said that during last five decades’ hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in the name of the Afghan Jihad besides sustating loss of trillions of dollars. A large number of people were compelled to migrate and went displaced. They said if the verdict of the future chief justice against the administrators and backers of the Islamabad sit-in of a religious outfit implemented in letter and spirit, the Jaranwala incident could have been averted.
They said that not only the Pakistani state but also its partners like the USA, UK and Gulf States Played a big role in promoting extremism in the name of Afghan Jihad. They said different religious minorities including Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Ahmedi besides people of Shia sect faced terrorism. Several hundred thousand people fell prey to violence in the name of Afghan Jihad, majority of them Pakistanis. The USA and its partners spent more than three trillion dollars in the Afghan war because they wanted to topple a progressive and revolutionary government in Afghanistan.
They organised, armed and trained religious outfits and whole world is still living under their fear. They formed different terrorist organisation and made billions of dollars from smuggling of arms and narcotics. They said that in Pakistan every voice was suppressed that opposed this anti-society state narrative. They said this policy should stop now and instead a dialogue process should be started to promote tolerant and pluralistic society.
They demanded to give strict punishment to factors behind Jaranwala tragedy and rehabilitate the affected people. They asked to purge textbooks from hate material and ban religious extremism outfit. All discriminatory laws should be abolished. Forced conversion of Hindu girls should be stopped and those involved in this crime should be punished.
For more information, contact:
Home Based Women Workers Federation (HBWWF)
726, Mashrique Centre, Block 14, Gulshan-e-Iqbal,
Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-37075324
Website: https://hbwwf.org/