PHC takes up petition against sectarian killings

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday took up a writ petition against sectarian killings.
The court put on notice federal secretaries for interior, defence and religious affairs and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Home and Tribal Affairs secretary in the writ petition, which also called for legislation to promote religious harmony.
A two-member PHC bench comprising Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Irshad Qaiser issued notices to the secretaries of federal and provincial governments. The bench asked them to explain through written replies the questions raised in the writ petition seeking legislation to promote religious harmony through a bill and compensation equal to Shaheed package for those killed in the sectarian violence.
Akhunzada Muzaffar Ali filed the writ petition. He is a member of the Shia community and brother of late Anwar Ali Akhunzada, who was secretary general of Tehrik-i-Jafria Pakistan. Anwar Ali was assassinated on November 23, 2000.
He requested the court in the petition to direct the prime minister to take action and bring interfaith harmony among the members of all the sects.The petitioner also asked the premier to enact a law through the parliament to regulate the affairs, issues and conduct of religious sects, religious practice, proceedings.
The petitioner requested the court to direct the federation to ban the political parties working in the name of religion or faith within the meanings of Article 17 of the Constitution if these were found involved in activities against the integrity and solidarity of Pakistan.
Muhammad Mauzzam Butt, counsel for the petitioner, submitted that the federation had failed to protect the life of citizens and was thus under legal obligation to compensate the families of the victims of the sectarian violence by paying them compensation equivalent to Shaheed package.
He argued that the federal government had committed negligence by not making an expressed fair policy. He said the federation was required to adopt an expressed policy and to promulgate the law in accordance therewith, which has not been done so far, and such an act has cost the lives of great number of citizens in Pakistan.
The counsel said the Shia community was entitled to social justice and fair play in society. He submitted that the petitioner was aggrieved by the violence committed against the Shia community and had the same feelings for the innocent Muslims from other religious sects.
Mauzzam Butt argued that since 1979 when jihad against the now defunct USSR started after its attack on Afghanistan and the government patronised it. He said that religious extremism had spread throughout the country and the Shias had become the victims of target killings.
The petitioner also provided data of the Shias killed in the target killings in the country from 1997 to 2013.The petitioner said: “We cannot blame the intelligence agencies for the lapses in the incidents such as sectarian violence or civil war on sectarian grounds, because the parliamentarians and politicians also need to play their role.”