Condemning the attack on Shia community

Muslim Khwateen Markaz; Women’s Concern condemns the continual oppression on the religious rights of Muslims (Shias). Yesterday’s self-immolation attempt by the youth of Kashmir is an indicator of the extent to which the Indian occupational forces have curbed the freedom of the Kashmiri people. Since 1990’s the people have been allowed no respite in their freedom of expression of religious sentiments.

We are witnessing the double standards of Indian state towards the religious rights of people. On one hand Indian state is willing to interfere and meddle with environment for securing the rights of Hindu pilgrims in Amarnath, The State is even willing to invest economically into it and on the other hand our Kashmiri Shia brothers and sisters have to face the brutal oppression at the hands of Indian state. We not only condemn this double standard of Indian state but extend full support to our Shia community in the face of this oppressive methodology.

We urge the people of Kashmir to show sensitivity towards each other’s suffering devoid of the community or sectarian wedges that have been invested into our society through military tactics. We appeal the youth of Kashmir to stay united and be tolerant to difference, show compassion and mercy to each other’s pain. As Muslims and humans we all collectively should condemnation to the discriminatory and oppressive practices of Indian state in Kashmir.

We are also deeply concerned over targeted Shia killings in Pakistan; this shows us the disturbing reality of regressive mentality of ‘some people’ and failure of the state of Pakistan in the deliverance of the rights and justice for common people. We urge the government of Pakistan to take strong action against the targeted Shia killings in Pakistan.