Shia Muslims in Lucknow hold protest against sectarian violence in Pakistan
Jul 31, 2024
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 31 : A group of Shia Muslims in Lucknow city held anti-Pakistan protests in response to the targeted killings of Shias in Parachinar town, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan.
The demonstrators chanted slogans of "Pakistan Murdabad" as dozens of Shias were brutally killed in a week-long sectarian violence.
Syed Hasan Mehndi (Jhabbu), General Secretary of the All India Shia Hussaini Fund Lucknow, has written a letter to India's Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging the Indian government to raise the issue of the security of Shias in Pakistan.
In his letter, he highlighted the atrocities faced by the Shia minority community in Pakistan, stressing the need for international pressure on the Pakistani government.
"The terrorists from Parachinar, Pakistan, have cruelly murdered members of the Shia minority community two days ago, including men, women, and children. Thousands of Shias have been killed in Pakistan over the past 35 years, but no Pakistani government has been successful in providing security to the Shias. Instead, all Pakistani governments have supported the terrorists," Syed Hasan Mehndi stated in his letter to Amit Shah.
He urged the Home Minister to emphasise the concern of Indian Shias regarding the killings of their counterparts in Pakistan.
"Our country is called a Hindu nation, but here, Shias live with full respect, security, and freedom to perform their religious activities. However, in Pakistan, which claims to be an Islamic country, Shia Muslims are being killed by being labelled as infidels," he added.
The protests in Lucknow reflect the growing concern among Indian Shias about the safety and well-being of their community members in Pakistan, calling for immediate action and international intervention to stop the ongoing violence.
