Hawzah News Agency-Pakistani Shia Muslims staged nationwide protests against the suspension of citizenship of renowned Shia scholars and other victimizing policies of the government and the state authorities on a call from Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Jafari.

In Karachi, the main demonstration was staged outside Jamey Masjid Khoja Isna Ashari Kharadar alongside other rallies outside other mosques after Friday prayers. In all districts of Sindh, Punjab, Gilgit Baltistan and many parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan mainly in Quetta, protest rallies were held where MWM officials and Shia scholars spoke.

Allama Ahmed Iqbal spoke at the Karachi protest where he denounced the relevant officials of the state institutions for their undeclared operation to victimize peaceful and law-abiding Pakistani Shia Muslims citizens and their notables and senior scholars.

He said that Allama Mohsin Najafi and Allama Ami Shaheedi are the most respectable senior scholars and Allama Maqsood Domki of Sindh and those others from Gilgit-Baltistan, Quetta, Parachinar and some parts of Punjab were also among those moderate clerics who never preached hate or intolerance, let alone violence. He said that these scholars served Pakistan by preaching love, tolerance, peace and welfare of people of Pakistan. He said that these scholars played an active role in eliminating illiteracy and poverty and some of them always remained the bridge between Shia and the government officials to help solve problems and facilitated negotiations on behalf of the heirs of the victims of terrorism as well.

“Shia Muslims of Pakistan uprightly turn down empty charges against them that were based on nothing but conjectures. Shia Muslims demand restoration of citizenships, passports, CNICs and bank accounts of these notable Shia scholars forthwith and to express their solidarity with these scholars, they observed nationwide protests on Friday,” he said.

Allama Ahmed Iqbal further said that people largely participated in the protests to vent anger against unjust policies of the government and the state authorities. He demanded the release of all innocent Shia notables detained without any charge by the security officials.