KARACHI/LAHORE: A complete shutter down strike is being observed all over the country today in connection with Tahafuz-e-Namose-e-Risalat. Routine life was suspended as shops and markets throughout the metropolis and in major cities remained closed and traffic remained thin, with public transport largely absent.
As per details, in wake of possible amendments in blasphemy law, the religious parties would stage protest rallies all over the country while PML-N has announced to favor the strike call given by campaign for Tahafuz-e-Namose-e-Risalat.
It is noticeable to mention here that the government has ensured the parliament that amendments would not be made in blasphemy law.
In Karachi Leaders of the Tehreek-i-Namoos-i-Risalat (TNR) undertook a mass contact campaign on Thursday so as to make today’s strike against the proposed amendments to the blasphemy law successful.
They called for a peaceful strike across the country against the introduction of a bill in the National Assembly by PPP MNA Sherry Rehman seeking changes in the country’s contentious blasphemy law.
The TNR leaders appealed to all segments of society, including the business community, to make the strike a success by keeping their businesses shut. They also asked for calm and avoidance of any confrontation and violent activity.
Shabbir Abu Talib, Allama Qazi Ahmed Noorani, JUI’s Qari Usman, Aslam Ghori, Mohammad Hussain Mehenti of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Maulana Zafar Abbas Taqvi distributed pamphlets and banners among people on roads as well as among shopkeepers across the city.
They also met industrialists and transporters, who had already announced support for the strike.
They announced they would not stop protesting until the government came clean on the issue, removed Salman Taseer as governor Punjab and Sherry Rehman as MNA.
After Friday’s shutter-down strike, a public meeting would be held on January 9 as those who had great love and respect for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) would never allow anybody to indulge in any act of blasphemy, they added.
In Lahore all trader bodies are united on the religious parties’ strike call for “preservation of the blasphemy law” and they have decided to observe a complete shutdown across the country today.
Earlier, All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran (APAT) had supported the strike call given by the religious parties, however, the parties also attached price hike and imposition of the RGST with their strike call at which the Qaumi Tajir Ittehad (QTI) and other traders bodies announced separation with the strike call. Later, the traders’ bodies got united and announced a complete strike across the country.
The All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran (APAT), Qaumi Tajir Ittehad (QTI), Gulberg Traders Board Association (GTBA), Mall Road Traders Association (MRTA), Lahore Sugar Dealers Association and Lahore Karyana Merchants Association confirmed their participation in Friday’s strike.
All the markets and commercial areas in the country were closed, and traders would hold a rally on The Mall after Friday prayers.
Abdul Razzaq Babbar said that from Balochistan, APAT President Abdul Rahim Kakar and Secretary Qayyum Syed Agha, from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa President Haji Haleem Jan, from Islamabad Ajmal Baloch, from Karachi Sarafa Association President Haroon Chand and from Hyderabad Haji Fazalur Rehmanhad had assured their full support for the strike.
In a joint statement issue on Thursday, religious leaders, including Syed Munawwar Hassan, Maulana Sami ul Haq, Ameer Hamza, Syed Ata ul Muheman and Professor Sajid Mir, said the strike would be a tremendous success. They said that all the efforts to repeal Article 295-C was unacceptable and the government must avoid bowing before the foreign pressure. The entire nation was united to protect Namoos e Risalat, said the religious leaders.
It is noticeable to mention here that the government has ensured the parliament that amendments would not be made in blasphemy law.
In Karachi Leaders of the Tehreek-i-Namoos-i-Risalat (TNR) undertook a mass contact campaign on Thursday so as to make today’s strike against the proposed amendments to the blasphemy law successful.
They called for a peaceful strike across the country against the introduction of a bill in the National Assembly by PPP MNA Sherry Rehman seeking changes in the country’s contentious blasphemy law.
The TNR leaders appealed to all segments of society, including the business community, to make the strike a success by keeping their businesses shut. They also asked for calm and avoidance of any confrontation and violent activity.
Shabbir Abu Talib, Allama Qazi Ahmed Noorani, JUI’s Qari Usman, Aslam Ghori, Mohammad Hussain Mehenti of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Maulana Zafar Abbas Taqvi distributed pamphlets and banners among people on roads as well as among shopkeepers across the city.
They also met industrialists and transporters, who had already announced support for the strike.
They announced they would not stop protesting until the government came clean on the issue, removed Salman Taseer as governor Punjab and Sherry Rehman as MNA.
After Friday’s shutter-down strike, a public meeting would be held on January 9 as those who had great love and respect for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) would never allow anybody to indulge in any act of blasphemy, they added.
In Lahore all trader bodies are united on the religious parties’ strike call for “preservation of the blasphemy law” and they have decided to observe a complete shutdown across the country today.
Earlier, All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran (APAT) had supported the strike call given by the religious parties, however, the parties also attached price hike and imposition of the RGST with their strike call at which the Qaumi Tajir Ittehad (QTI) and other traders bodies announced separation with the strike call. Later, the traders’ bodies got united and announced a complete strike across the country.
The All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran (APAT), Qaumi Tajir Ittehad (QTI), Gulberg Traders Board Association (GTBA), Mall Road Traders Association (MRTA), Lahore Sugar Dealers Association and Lahore Karyana Merchants Association confirmed their participation in Friday’s strike.
All the markets and commercial areas in the country were closed, and traders would hold a rally on The Mall after Friday prayers.
Abdul Razzaq Babbar said that from Balochistan, APAT President Abdul Rahim Kakar and Secretary Qayyum Syed Agha, from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa President Haji Haleem Jan, from Islamabad Ajmal Baloch, from Karachi Sarafa Association President Haroon Chand and from Hyderabad Haji Fazalur Rehmanhad had assured their full support for the strike.
In a joint statement issue on Thursday, religious leaders, including Syed Munawwar Hassan, Maulana Sami ul Haq, Ameer Hamza, Syed Ata ul Muheman and Professor Sajid Mir, said the strike would be a tremendous success. They said that all the efforts to repeal Article 295-C was unacceptable and the government must avoid bowing before the foreign pressure. The entire nation was united to protect Namoos e Risalat, said the religious leaders.
Source: TheNews.com.pk
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