Sunni human shield and demo send message of unity against Deobandi takfiris

Sunni Citizens belonging to Civil Society formed a human chain around Imambargah Shah-e-Najaf in Karachi to send a message of unity in response to the recent deadly Deobandi takfiri terrorist attacks on Imam Bargahs in different cities of Pakistan.

One of the participants, the human rights activist, Nasir Jibran said that it was a desperate situation which had been “facilitated by the government of Pakistan and other state agencies who continue to provide patronage to banned sectarian outfits”.

Nasir pointed out that the Imambargah located near Central Jail on Karachi’s Martin Road was not situated in a typically posh area and despite poor security, many people, including Sunnis, came forward. He said the custodian of the Imambargah permitted citizens to make the human chain.

“The worst you can do is come and kill us and still we are standing here unarmed, belonging to various religions and sects, to show unity and solidarity with our Shia brothers and sisters, and if it requires sacrificing our lives we are ready for the same,” said Jibran Nasir.

The human chain was formed on the call of the Pakistan Youth Alliance (PYA). This organisation was formed in 2007 and comprises a network of youth activists who claim that they believe in a politically progressive, religiously harmonious and economically just Pakistan.

Shia observers appreciated the move but, it is also relevant to add here that most-affected of terrorism in Pakistan are Shia Muslims but majority within civil society or self-claimed progressives and liberals never expressed solidarity with the worst-hit victims of takfiri terrorism.

Their favourite mantra remained “proxy war” and “sectarian attacks” that they emulated from United States who defamed all Communists/ Marxists/ Leninists/ Stalinists as villain. In fact that could be said proxy war but fact remains that lack of support to Pakistani Shia Muslims against terrorism emboldened and encouraged takfiris to expand their what Pakistani comrades, liberals and progressive writers and activists claim proxy war against Hindus, Christians and somehow secular Pakistanis.

In the wake of the attack on Peshawar’s All Saint Church, Pakistan For All, a citizens resistance forum of which Nasir is the co-founder, had formed human chains in Pakistan’s largest cities — Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi — bringing on board Sunni and Shia clerics who attended a Sunday mass, condemned the attack and expressed condolences with the victims.