(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Earlier the MWM had announced that the prayers would be offered as par schedule. Thousands of Shia Muslims men and women participated in the impressive religious gathering.
Hujjat al-Islam Shifa Najafi Imam-e-Jumma Masjid Imam Sadiq led the prayers. While delivering sermon he asked the Muslims to shun their differences and unit to counter anti-Islam conspiracies of the western governments.
He paid homage to Pakistani Shia martyrs adding that foreign elements are backing terrorists in Pakistan. He said that foreign elements are trying to destabilize Pakistan by lighting the fire of sectarianism.
Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri, chief of the MWM talking to us expressed gratitude to the Shia Muslims for participating in protest in such a large number.
He said that the Shia Muslims have gathered for their demands.
He said that sectarian violence in Gilgit-Baltistan must be finished and the elements behind the violence should be arrested. He demanded of the government to guarantee security of Shia Muslims of Pakistan.
Chief of the MWM said that objective of the protest is to show that Shia of Gilgit-Baltistan are not alone.
Allama Ijaz Hussain Behishti, central secretary youth of MWM talking to us said that for the first time in the history of Pakistan Friday prayers were offered in front of the parliament. He said that the payers were held for the defense of Pakistan and to express solidarity with the Shia community of Pakistan.
He said that terrorists would not be allowed to divide the Muslims of Pakistan.
Allama Amin Shaheedi Deputy Secretary General MWM addressing the gathering said if their demands were not met the Shia community from all over Pakistan would be called to join the protest of the MWM.
Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri, chief of the MWM on the occasion demanded the government to arrest the terrorists behind killings of Shia Muslims in Gilgit, Chilas, Karachi and Quetta.
He regretted that the government has failed to provide security to the Shia community. “Today terrorists are openly targeting Shia,” he said.
The religious leader held US and Zionist regime responsible for sectarian violence in Pakistan.
“There is no doubt about that US and Israel are behind terrorist incidents in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Syria,” said Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri.
It was also decided in the protest that the MWM sit-in will continue for the next week. It is also announced that on next Friday a conference would BE held in front of the parliament to express solidarity with the martyrs of Shiite community.
The protesters chanted anti-US and anti-Israel slogans. On the occasion security of the area have been put on a high alert and large number of security personal and paramilitary rangers were deployed to avoid any untoward situation.
Earlier President Asif Ali Zardari taking notice of the situation had asked interior minister Rehman Malik to control the situation in Gilgit–Baltistan.
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