close
Friday March 29, 2024

‘Spirit and smiles stronger than guns and bombs’

By our correspondents
February 19, 2017

Activists pay homage to people killed in Sehwan blast by reciting Lal Shahbaz Qalandar’s kalaam outside press club

Two days after the bomb blast at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan, rights activists gathered outside the Karachi Press Club on Saturday to not only chant “Dama Dam Mast Qalandar” but also to recite the famous kalaam of the Sufi saint “O Lal Meri Pat” to honour the people who had lost their lives in the attack.

Recording their protest against the attack which has been the fifth one in less than 10 days, the activists shouted slogans to show their disappointment in the performance of the State authorities, which, they believe, had failed to protect citizens.

The group had gathered to celebrate the legacy of the Sufi saint by organising a dhamaal but was unable to do so because of some logistical issues.

Instead of giving up the idea, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan’s Asad Butt stood at the centre and recited
the famous “O Lal Meri” to be followed by the rest of protesters.

“We have gathered to show solidarity with all those who have fallen prey to this wave of terrorism and want to send a message to terrorists that our spirit and smiles are stronger than their guns and bombs,” said Butt.

“Sindh is the land of Sufis and we won’t allow people to take over the Sufi traditions by using violent tactics. It’s the State’s responsibility to provide security to all those who flock to shrines because it is has bred these groups which are now killing citizens like Frankenstein’s monster,” he added.

Butt said the participants wanted the State to take strict action against all those who posed a threat to peaceful citizens.

Dr Jaipal Chhabria of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf said that the State should focus on children enrolled in religious institutions by providing them with vocational training so they could be able to help the country instead of bringing harm to.

“Thousands of lives have been lost in bomb attacks carried out by young men and boys,” he added.

 “I think these series of events which started off from Punjab, rather if we go back a similar incident took place in Shikarpur in 2015, shows the failure of our government both, provincial and Centre. The representatives are unable to come up with a strategy because the much-boasted National Action Plan has failed,” he pointed out.

“As a doctor, I would say that if a patient comes to us then we try to treat them by working on the root cause of the disease. So the State should now move on from statements and visits to the affected areas.”