Eminent Shia religious scholars and prayer leaders have announced their all out support to the Shia leadership and their decision for calling-off the sit-in that they had appealed to stage against Hazaras killings in Quetta.
More than 40 scholars and prayer leaders spoke at a joint press conference and issued a joint communiqué at the Karachi Press Club on Friday.
Those who attended the press conference included Allama Mirza Yousuf Hussain of All Pakistan Shia Action Committee, Allama Shahenshah Naqvi of Shia Ulema Council, Maulana Sadiq Taqvi of Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, Maulana Ghulam Ali Waziri, Maulana Baqar Abbas Zaidi, Maulana Haider Abbas Abidi, Maulana Naeem-ul-Hassan Hussaini, Maulana Shaikh Ghulam Mohammad Saleem, Maulana Razi Haider, Maulana Ahmed Ali Amini, Maulana Ali Afzaal Rizvi, Maulana Mohammad Hussain Karimi, Maulana Ali Anwar Jafri and many others.
They appreciated the dynamic leadership of Shia religious scholars and endorsed their decision to call-off the sit-in protest saying it was right and justified since the government had accepted all 20 demands with minor amendments in three demands only.
They disclosed that a 3-members committee was formed to coordinate with the government and oversee the implementation of the demands. The committee comprises of Sardar Saadat Ali Hazara, Sardar Qayoom Changezi and Ms Ruqayya Hashmi.
They said the Shia religious leadership, heirs and relatives of the martyrs of Hazara Town Tragedy and Quetta Yakjehti Council jointly put 20 demands that included: Targeted operation against terrorists in and around Quetta, stern action against the leaders of outlawed Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipah-e-Sahaba (now working under new name Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat), release of all the innocent Shiites and Hazara Shia Muslims, immediate payment of compensatory amounts to the heirs of martyrs of previous tragedies, payment of compensation to the heirs of martyrs of Hazara Town tragedy, injured victims and to those who suffered colossal financial losses due to havoc wrought by the huge twin blasts, withdrawal of false cases registered against Shia notables in the wake of al-Quds Day and other events, foolproof security against the biased attitude towards Hazaras and non-Hazara Shia Muslims, students, traders and government employees in Quetta and other areas of Baluchistan, registration of cases against those outlawed terrorist groups which claimed responsibility for massacre of Shia Muslims, arms licenses under easy procedure for self-protection of Shias, removal of anti-Shia graffiti and punishment to those who write such graffiti, up-gradation of Benazir Bhutto Hospital, recruitment of 5,000 Shias in security forces in Quetta, government jobs to each heir of martyrs, at least Rs 2 million compensation for the injured victims, allotment of a free plot of 200 square yards to each martyr’s heirs, free education up to graduation level to the children of martyrs, establishment of girls and boys colleges in Hazara Town.
The Shia leaders said all of these demands were accepted as legitimate. However, the Baluchistan governor said that plots would be allotted in Jhal Magsi, 1,000 Shia youths will be recruited in forces and Rs 1 million will be paid as compensatory amount. They said targeted operation was launched forthwith and many terrorists were killed and arrested.
They said a party that had launched a media war against Shia leadership did not represent the martyrs and they also did not enjoy moral authority to say anything on the behalf of Hazara and non-Hazara Shia community.
