Shia revival: massive participation makes Quran wa Ahl-e-Bait Conference successful

More than 250,000 people have participated in Quran wa Ahl-e-Bait (A.S.) Conference on Sunday, according to Geo TV reports.
It was one of the largely participated public meetings of Shia Muslims in Pakistan. Political observers have called it revival of Shia Muslims.
One such public meeting was held in 1992, recalls a middle aged Mr. Abidi talking to this scribe on Sunday night.
Nishtar Park was full of people: women, men, children, youth, and elderly persons. The public meeting continued for more than 10 hours and it was stamina of people that they were not tired of sitting or standing.
They were raising slogans and hoisting flags regularly throughout the conference. Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri, secretary general of the Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), the host party, spoke valiantly.
He indicated something about the future course of action. He loudly declared that secular parties who always secured Shia votes but did nothing against inalienable rights of Shia Muslims would no more be able to secure these votes.
“What you have done for Shia legitimate rights so far,” he put the question before all the mainstream parties who enjoy power in any part of Pakistan.
The organizers were expecting 200,000 people’s participation but people were more than their expectation.
Shia Muslims are facing worst sort of conditions. They are exposed to genocide that is totally unfair. Right to live free in accordance with law is inalienable right of Shia Muslims but enemies of these basic and fundamental rights are more powerful than government in Pakistan.
Allama Jafri was of the view that show of strength and incessant struggle for the legitimate rights would bear fruit.
He was not alone. Many speakers or officials of his party and allies who spoke earlier also considered the conference a milestone in the history of Pakistan.
They expressed hope and optimism that God willing, they will succeed in their just cause.
Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri gave a roadmap and made it clear that MWM wants a Pakistan where all Pakistanis live their lives in peace, love and fraternity and without any fear. He said all Pakistanis have rights and Shia Muslims want their rights should also be guaranteed in practice, in letter and spirit.
He invited all Muslims to get united and also invited all Pakistanis to get united for a great cause that is stability of Pakistan.
The Sunday conference has representation from all over Pakistan. The speakers from Punjab, Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and from Sindh province and a mass participation from all over Sindh province including Karachi made it a very successful show of strength as well.
More such conferences or public meetings will continue to be held in other parts of Pakistan. However, situation has become quite clear and message of the conference is also very clear that people are united and they want a positive change. Change of mind and mindset that has destroyed Pakistan and Pakistanis.