KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan Ameer Sirajul Haq on Sunday demanded of the federal and the provincial government to arrest those responsible for murder of 13 women and children belonging to the family of a JI leader Meraj Khan Sawati.

All the innocent lives were taken on August 14 - the Independence Day - at Moach Goath turnabout in Baldia Town when the family was returning to Malir from an event in the area.

On Sunday, the JI's supreme leader visited the grieved family and assured them of full cooperation by the party.

A large number of area residents and members of the affected family also met with the JI leadership.

Talking to the media after visiting the house of the local JI leader, Sirajul Haq said that the president and prime minister should have visited the grieved family.

He further said that the tragedy was underrated and deliberate attempts were made to subdue the issue.

However, he said that the JI would take up and highlight the matter on each and every available platform, including the floor of both the lower and the upper houses. He added that a motion had already been submitted in the Sindh assembly.

The JI supreme leader said that the government has neglected the tragedy - forcing the affected family and area residents to resort to protest and agitation.

The government should have taken action over the tragedy to assure the masses that the authorities are in place and vigilant but indeed the government is sleeping, Sirajul Haq said.

Some 25 agencies are said to be working under the ambit of the federal government, he said and asked where all the 25 agencies are? He further said that the government should have taken the tragedy as a test case to bring the culprits to full justice and making them example for others to take lesson.

The JI chief said that contrary to what should have happened, it seemed that this was not going to happen.

Referring to several other cases across the country, he highlighted that some young people were killed in Bannu and their heirs resorted to protest against the massacre while carrying their bodies but nothing happened. Similarly, he said, labourers were killed in Balochistan and their bodies were placed on a road in protest against the lawlessness but the premier refused to visit the heirs saying that the mourners were blackmailing him.

JI Karachi chief Engr Hafiz Naeemur Rehman also addressed the media on the occasion. He said that the government will have to fulfil its responsibility in this regard and arrest the culprits.

Later, the JI supreme leader visited Chaudhry Zulfiqar, a JI leader in Shah Faisal Green Town, to pay condolence over the assassination of his son Raza Zulfiqar. He also visited JI leader and social activist in Manghopir area Haji Ishaq Khan and condoled him over the murder of son Muhammad Ali.-PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021