Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Karachi (Agenzia Fides) - A day of high tension in Pakistan because of protest marches and a strike called by Islamic radical groups of "Tahafuz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat" ("Alliance to defend the name of the Prophet") to ask for Mumtaz Qadri’s freedom who is Salman Taseer- Governor of Punjab’s murderer. Last night the police, in order to prevent events that still result in acts of public violence in Karachi and Lahore, carried out a raid against members of radical Islamic groups and arrested at least 25 people. The protests, backed by religious parties and mosques leaders, were held after the Friday Muslim prayers. Protesters demanded freedom for Qadri (while the appeal to the High Court is set for 11 October) and shouted slogans against the government,
In an interview with Fides, Haroon Barkat Masih, the leader of the "Masihi Foundation", an organization that defends the rights of minorities, says: "After the wave of arrests and police intervention, the radical groups intend to respond with violence. The risk is that minorities become easy targets and suffer even more".
The government, meanwhile, survived the resignation of all ministers of the League-Q Pakistan, finding, in extremis, the support of "the Muttahida Qaumi Movement" (MQM), which in the past had already been part of the executive coalition.
While the situation remains fluid, serious problems continue to seriously affect society and the public in various areas of the country, in particular the dengue epidemic in Punjab (which could become pandemic), and flood emergency in Sindh, which caused 965 deaths and 7 million refugees. "Qadri’s case acted as a detonator in a very complex and chaotic situation. People are very confused and, above all, see that law and rule of law are increasingly being trampled on in the country" concludes Haroon Masih. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 07/10/2011)
