Rallies for Qadri stifle city

Like other parts of the country, on the strike call of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) and the Tahafuz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat to protest against the death sentence awarded to former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer’s killer Mumtaz Qadri, all major city markets and business centers remained shut on Friday due to the fear factor.
Clerics, in their Friday prayers’ sermons, condemned the verdict for being in conflict the Holy Quran and Sunnah and demanded suspension of the sentence and immediate release of Qadri. They also demanded dismissal of the trial judge and vowed to continue their movement until Qadri’s release. Addressing a rally, SIC leaders warned the rulers of a long march to Islamabad if Qadri was not released and offered President Asif Ali Zardari a guarantee of a full five-year term if he pardoned Qadri.
Various religious parties and groups staged rallies at different places demanding early release of Qadri according to Shariah while clerics highlighted the issue of blasphemy and Western-backed conspiracies to amend blasphemy laws in Pakistan, vowing to resist all such moves with might. SIC leaders marched from the Data Darbar led by Fazal Karim. He questioned why US national Raymond Davis was released while a “lover of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)” was being given death. He said none of the terrorists were awarded death in many years but the “Prophet’s (PBUH) lover” was being sentenced to death to please enemies of Islam.
Razaul Mustafa Naqshbandi announced that he will observe protests every Friday until the release of Qadri. Raghib Naeemi said that father of the nation Quaid-e-Azam pleaded the case of Ilmuddin while Allama Iqbal led the movement for his release but it was sad that present rulers were doing exactly opposite to what the country’s founder had done. Zawwar Bahadur said Qadri’s trial never fell in the anti-terrorism court’s jurisdiction since he killed Taseer on provocation and not in cold blood. He demanded dismissal of the ATC judge and immediate release of Qadri. Leading a demonstration at Multan Road, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Liaqat Baloch said Qadri had opted for the path of Ilmuddin and his conviction was against Islam.
He warned rulers to correct themselves and cautioned the “tiny secular lobby” in the country against playing with the religious sentiments of the masses. Baloch said the US, Pope and foreign-funded NGOs were pressurising Zardari to amend the blasphemy law but Pakistanis had foiled the conspiracy. JI Deputy Secretary General Farid Paracha said terrorists such as Ajmal Pahari, who had committed one hundred murders, had not been given the death sentence, but only a “Prophet’s (PBUH) lover” was being awarded death to please “western masters”. Abdul Malik said that the Prophet (PBUH) had pardoned many people in his lifetime but nobody involved in blasphemy was forgiven and Taseer deserved death and Qadri got this honour.
Separately, the city remained silent as traders observed complete a shutter-down strike. All major markets and commercial areas remained close to avoid any major loss as various religious parties had announced agitation after Friday prayers. Various city markets, including Urdu Bazaar, Anarkali, Akbari Mandi, Hall Road, Azam Cloth Market, Ferozepur Road, Ichhra Market, Paper Market and other important business centers remained closed throughout the day.
Speaking to Pakistan Today, various trader leaders pointed out that they decided to close their markets voluntarily to avoid any major loss to business community’s property. They said that the fear factor forced traders to team up with religious parties in their strike call. All Pakistan Anjuman Tajiran (APIT) President Khalid Pervaiz and General Secretary Abdul Razzaq Babbar said that considering the law and orders situation traders joined the religious parties strike call on Friday. They underlined that by complete shutter-down strike traders also tried to register their protest against load-shedding and inflation.
Another trader leader, on condition of anonymity, pointed out that his association did not issue any circular for Friday’s strike and every market made the strike decision on its own. He also indicated that no major trader body attended the protest held by religious parties. If any trader participated in the demonstration it was its individual action not the decision of any trader group.