People across the country took to the streets in thousands against the attack and desecration of the shrine of Hazrat Bibi Zainab (AS) in Syria on July 19.
Protests were held in Islamabad, Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar, Tando Allahyar, Multan, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin and several other cities to condemn the act.
In Peshawar, Imamia Rabita Committee demanded action against the attackers.
A protest was held outside the press club in Tando Allahyar, while residents of Multan also protested against the attack on the sacred Muslim site.
Protesters in Karachi demanded the United Nations and Muslim countries take notice of the attack and termed it an act of terrorism.
The MWM and ISO led the huge rally and strongly condemned the attack on Bibi Zainab’s (AS) shrine in Syrian capital Damascus.
Similarly, hundreds assembled outside Imam Bargah Asna Ashri in G-6/2 Islamabad and carried out a peaceful protest rally to record their protest.
The rally was taken out following a call by Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen and other Pakistani Shia organizations, as well as Pakistan Sunni Tehreek.
Led by Allama Asghar Askari, Malik Iqrar Hussain, Syed Zaheer Abbas, Saeeedul Hassan Rizvi and other MWM leaders, the participants of the rally were holding banners and placards, condemning the tragic incident in which the terrorists hit the sacred site.
They were also chanting slogans against the terrorists and extremists, expressing solidarity with the Syrian government that is becoming prey to thousands of US, Saudi Arab, Qatar, Turkey and al Qaeda-linked foreign infiltrators.
After reaching the Constitution Avenue, the protesters staged a protest sit-in where the speakers urged the government to issue an official statement to condemn the inhuman and brutal act, as Hazrat Zainab (AS) was respected equally by all Muslims.
The speakers denounced the attack on holy sites in Syria and said a joint plan of action was necessary to protect the sites that were holy to Muslims.
They also urged other Muslim organisations to stage rallies to condemn the incident and to distant their selves from the foreign-backed militants who were engaged in rapes, killings, destruction and now damaging sacred sites and shrines.
They mentioned that the present incident was not the first of its kind but rebels had already destroyed the Shrines of Hazrat Ammar Bin Yasir (RA) and Hazrat Hajar Ibn e Addi (RA), companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
Speakers also flayed the killings of Kashmiri youth at the hands of Indian soldiers in Indian-held Kashmir.
The demonstrators also presented a memorandum to the Foreign Office Middle East Affairs director general.
MQM chief Altaf Hussain called for condemnation and protests against the incident, while Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mirajul Hadi Siddiqi called the attack a conspiracy against Muslims.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the top administrator of Hazrat Bibi Zainab’s shrine was killed during shelling on the holy site on July 19.
The shelling hit the compound of the shrine, which is home to Hazrat Bibi Zainab’s (AS) mausoleum.