Pir Mazhar, Sharjeel roughed up outside president’s camp office

After two ministers namely Sindh’s Minister for Education and Literacy Pir Mazharul Haq and Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon were roughed up by protesting shias outside Bilawal House on Sunday, the Sindh Information Department issued a statement in which Pir Mazhar said the government equally shared the grief of the victims as well as their family members, who lost their lives in Quetta and Mastung incidents.
“We don’t have hard feelings and compunction over the emotional reaction shown by some young protesters,” he said, adding that “We are also the followers of Panjtan Pak and we share the grief of the mourners.”
Angry protesters, who staged a sit-in outside the President’s camp office against the Quetta tradegy, manhandled Sindh’s Minister for Education and literacy Pir Mazharul Haq and Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, compelling them to flee from the scene.
A large number of people including male, females and children staged a sit-in at Bilawal House, a camp office of President Asif Zardari, against the massacre of Shia Muslims in Quetta blasts belonging to Hazara community. The protesters had announced they would continue their sit-in until the demands of those protesting the killings of their beloveds in Quetta were not met.
In a bid to persuade the protesters to end their sit-in, the education minister along with the provincial information minister, reached Bilawal House. Soon after they came out of their vehicles, angry protesters attacked them with clubs, thus compelling both the ministers belonging to the ruling Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) to flee from the scene to avoid further public wrath.
However, few angry protesters kept roughing up the information minister, while a young boy also tried to enter Sharjeel’s vehicle. The protesters also pelted the vehicles of both the ministers with stones and smashed the car’s windowpanes. However, the security personnel intervened and both the ministers safely entered Bilawal House.
When contacted, Sharjeel told Pakistan Today that he was safe and did not receive any injuries. “Such mishaps usually take place and I don’t know the people who attacked me earlier,” the information minister added.
It should be recalled here that President Asif Zardari and many other important political personalities were at Bilawal House when this incident took place.
Earlier on Sunday, Sharjeel had rubbished the idea of Dr Qadri’s long march saying that Qadri should only involve himself in such businesses in which he had enough experience. The provincial minister had advised Dr Qadri to shun the idea of long march and instead feel the sensitivity of the situation. No one would be allowed to take the nation hostage in the disguise of demands, he had added. Sharjeel had concluded by saying that, “Tahirul Qadri should not undertake the long march just to satiate his ego.”