Youm e Aza observed: sits-in to be staged outside Governors/ Chief Ministers’ House to protest against genocide of Shia Muslims

Friday was observed as a mourning day (Youm-e-Aza) on a call from Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen to protest against the genocide of Shia Muslims that included target killings in Chilas Tragedy and incidents in Quetta and Karachi in particular.
Protest gatherings, mourning congregations and pray congregations were held to observe youm-e-Aza.
Main congregation was held outside Parliament House where protest sit-in entered 8th day on Friday. Allama Shifa Najafi led the Friday prayer there. After prayer, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri spoke.
He lambasted the government and its agencies for their failure in thwarting terrorism and terrorists who were responsible for genocide of innocent Shia Muslims and Sunni Bralevis also in some cases.
“Shia Muslims will stage protest around Chief Minister House Sindh and Governor House Punjab because of their incompetence to stop Shia killings,” announced Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri.
He said that it seems now that government and its agencies were themselves involved or they encouraged the terrorists and they lacked interest to stop terrorists.
Allama said that the U.S. and the Zionists were also involved in the bad law and order situation in Pakistan including the genocide of Shia Muslims.
He said that four persons were martyred in Quetta since last night. He said that people were fed up with the performance of the present government. He said that government made empty promises and assurances.
He announced that the protest would continue because no demand was met so far in practice. He said that next Friday, the main protest would be staged in Rawalpindi. He said that next week would be observed as a week of steadfastness and resistance.
Maulana Aijaz Behishti of MWM Youth Affairs demanded that the Northern Light Infantry (NLI) should be deployed in Gilgit Baltistan to maintain law and order.
In Multan, a sit-in was staged outside Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s house. Religious scholars and Shia notables spoke and condemned the genocide.
In Karachi, Youm-e-Aza was observed at more than 70 places. Friday prayer leaders also condemned the usurpation of legitimate rights of Shia Muslims.
Allama Mirza Yousuf Hussain, Maulana Sadiq Raza Taqvi, Ali Anwar Jafri and many other religious scholars and office bearers of Shia organisations particularly MWM’s officials spoke to the protestors.
They said that government was playing the role of silent spectator. They demanded that the federal interior minister and incompetent and delinquent high officials of the present government set-up should be sacked for their failure.
They expressed concerned over the silence of human rights organizations and demanded of them to voice their protest at the genocide of Shia Muslims.
They made it clear that Shia Muslims were killed under a genocide campaign and it is in no way a clash or riot. They said that the state elements should remain honest and impartial and they should prove it by their actions that they are not tilted to the sectarian terrorists.
Like Karachi, similar gatherings were held in Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar and also in the far flung areas of all the five provinces and also in Azad Kashmir.
They expressed their unwavering support to the MWM’s call for protest. They vowed they would continue their protest till the demands are met. It is relevant to add that Shia organisations and notables have presented the charters of demands many a times to the government. However, government seems to be doing lip-service instead of taking substantial steps to sort out the actual problems. a