A sigh, a cry and a prayer!
May 28, 2010 – Another dawn on Lahore brought one of the bloodiest massacres of innocent human life in the city’s recent history. As came time for Friday prayers, terrorists stormed two worship places of the minority Ahmadi community at Garhi Shahu and Model Town areas while opening fire indiscriminately at the gathered people. The result was all too sad – 82 innocent lives, including children, lost to terrorism!
Around seven militants showed highly coordinated planning as they opened indiscriminate and heavy gunfire using grenades, AK-47s while culminating the siege with suicide bombings.
Outside one of the places under attack - Source: BBC News
As we cannot afford to lose hope, we can only pray for those who lost their lives this Friday and our condolences go to the relatives of innocent victims of May 28.
So far, responsibility of the horrendous attacks has been put on the Punjab-based factions of TTP while the Federal Government has claimed that they had intelligence reports on a possible attack on the Ahmadi community well in advance. The planning, coordination and the ever expanding civilian targets of these attacks raise alarming concerns for every Lahori and Pakistani in general. While there seems hardly any place safe from the terrorists, it is also a sad truth that some targets are too vulnerable to be ignored. Ironically, many of them fall out of the category for security installations, government institutions and senior officials.
Security forces trying to counter the siege - Image Source: Dawn News
Although, the security forces, specifically the Lahore Police, should be appreciated for ending the siege within four hours, however, the need for effective intelligence is desperately there in order to preempt the terrorists’ attempts. We need efforts like this instance where police caught 1,500 KG of explosives which were going to be used for all too obvious reasons.
Let’s hope for a tomorrow where every Pakistani will have a right to peacefully co-exist with people belonging to any caste, creed or religious affiliations. And be clear that Friday’s attacks were undertaken by the same who have killed innocent men, women and children all across the country, regardless of their sect. They are terrorists; deserve no leniency in front of the law and will soon face their pitiful end.
There should be no leniency for terrorists who killed innocent members of Ahmadia community; we need to stop our violent ways against minority groups, because Islam also prohibits such acts.
Excellent work by the journalist who took these pics I must say. Attacks such as this make me cry tears of sorrow. Men performing such actions are plagued in the mind. We need to rehab them. Killing them would just make em another hero in eyes of their organizations attracting more people to their cause.
tragic to see our own cities buring in flames. I second the above comments. Lets all unite and speak against terrorism. Otherwise sooner or later we will be victims of these terrorist as well.
This is correct that whenever anyone is attacked it is an attack on a Pakistani and even more than that .. attack on humanity. But every attack has some background. Each and every place that these militants had been targeting had some background. They had been attacking armed forces and their locations i.e. GHQ as army was launching operations against them. They attacked mosque in “Cantt” areas because of the sentimental associations of those mosques and worshipers to the army again. They stormed Police Academy as it was producing more policemen to counter their activities. They attacked FIA locations because they had been interrogating their mates. They attacked a mosque in Lahore, because a day ago the head of the mosque had passed a “Fatwa” against these militants. So every attack has some link. But in this case when they attacked the Mosque of Ahmadiyya Community, which is truly a peace-loving community, then the link is missing. The only link that one can work out, roots back to the same old hate-preaching-philosophy of this unfortunate society. This is what was stated in the press conference by the representative of Ahmadiyya Community. For decades hate-preaching has been practiced against Ahmadies, which has resulted in killing of Ahmadies every other day. Even at the time of these attacks, the same two areas of Lahore i.e. Model Town, and Garhi Shahu had anti-ahmadiyya posters and banners installed, which suggested to destroy Ahmadies. This is all what has been taught to the generations of this society. So when it comes to attacking Ahmadies there is no such political or strategic or personal-hate-related stuff (as some examples were quoted above); the only background is “winning the heavens”. No doubt every suicide bomber is targeting to land in heavens but as I said when it comes to Ahmadiyya Community, the easy-heaven syndrome is pretty old. And mind it, this was one slogan that these attackers (in Model Town mosque) raised. According an eye-witness (who told me directly), when they had killed many of the people in one of the halls, they shouted “We have accomplished our Hajj”… So what do we say …
Today every Ahmadi so proudly can stand and say that we have proved what we say. We are the most peace-loving community of Islam and most law-abiding citizens of Pakistan. This is what we say and this is what we have proved from our actions. We see many unfortunate incidents in our Society every other day. And then we see the reactions which are at time out of proportions also.
At times only on the arrest of single person of some Political or religious party, highways are blocked, stone-throwing takes place, scores of cars, buses banks are burnt, people stage strikes and give calls and then ensure “Wheel-Jam Strikes” …. and all this, at times, for the release of one or few persons. Then at times tragedies do take place in which a person or few people loose their lives and then extent of these reactions goes higher and higher.
But look at the incident of Lahore, in which almost 100 people lost their lives while bowing in front of the same God, who is God to everyone. They had no crime listed on their credit. The only crime was they had some differences in their faith. But was there any “reaction”. Were there any highways blocked? tyres burnt? demonstrations took place on streets, or acts of damaging public or private property ever occurred? or anything of that sort. NOTHING. and this is a slap on the faces of all those who spend all their energies proving that Ahmadies are non-Muslims. Isn’t this the sunnah of our religion and Dearest Prophet. The same was mentioned in the press conference of Ahmadiyya Community Representative. When he was asked about the reaction of the Jama’at, he quoted the verse of Holy Qura’an which says that whenever there is a loss, or painful time, or tragedy, simply say “Inna Lillah-e-wa Inna Ilehay Rajeoon”. So this is how a community termed as “Non-Muslim” reacts and behaves in contract to those who claim and are considered “The Muslims” . Just see who only “claims” and who actually “Practices” ISLAM.
Lahore City – Beautiful Lahore city – Old Lahore city
Lahore city is tenderly called as “The Heart of Pakistan.” Here is a well-liked saying, “He who has not seen Lahore, has not yet been born.” Lahore city is a delightful and exclusive city with a wealthy civilization and a great quantity of artists, poets and films. There are a lot of gorgeous gardens to outing, Lahore city is located on the bank of Ravi and the soil is very rich. People in Lahore city are recognized for their kindness and offer a kind greeting. Lahore city is an energetic city with an attractive history. It has been lined by the Mughals Sikhs and British earlier than gaining independence. A range of educational institutes, universities and colleges together with the esteemed Government College, are situated in Lahore city.
http://www.ourlahore.com/Lahore_City.html#Lahore City
The act of terror, a work of crazy lots and mad man is no doubt deplorable and all those who still have a bit of humanity left in them are appalled and disgusted by it. But what disgusts me more is the dkown playing by a section of the media, the reluctance of our politiciancs and leaders to openly come out and stand with the victims.
On top of it this declaration by a coglomerate of religio-politio parties really sickens me:
Attack on Ahmedis conspiracy to repeal laws against them
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/04-ahmedis-laws-religious-groups-qs-08
Have we lost all sense of humanity, cant we be just simple humans and feel the pain of those who have suffered great loss and injustice.
Shame on us!
And thanks to Hasan for raising this in such a passionate tone.