In a shocking turn of events, members of the Ismaili community in Thatta have been subjected to violence and desecration of their religious space, the Jamaat Khana (Ver City). The incident, which occurred recently, has incited widespread condemnation from leaders of the Ismaili community and civil society.
ILF leaders Jamshed Ali Khawaja Advocate, Barrister Syed Jaffer Abbas Jafri, Taiseen Manzoor Advocate, Salman Farhad, Zeeshan Ali Khawaja Advocate, Umair Ali Khawaja, Farooq Hashwani, and others have joined forces in denouncing the egregious attack. They have condemned the intrusion into the Jamaat Khana, harassment of women, and the disrespectful act of entering the religious space with shoes on.
The focus of their outrage has turned towards Sindh IGP Ghulam Nabi Memon, whom they demand to be discharged for failing to prevent the desecration of the Jamaat Khana.
Additionally, the ILF is calling for the immediate arrest of police officials allegedly involved in the incident, including SP Thatta, Dr. Imran Khan, SP Sajawal Abdul Khaliq Pirzada, and DSP Zulfiqar Qaim Khani. They are demanding that these individuals be charged under section 295-C R/w Terrorism 7ATA .
The aftermath of the violence has left the Ismaili community in a state of panic and agitation, leading to forced migration from Thatta. In response to these troubling developments, the Ismaili community has urged Sindh High Court Chief Justice Mr. Aqil Ahmad Abbasi to initiate a judicial inquiry into the matter.
ILF spokesperson Cecilia James has issued a plea for peace, urging the Ismaili community to remain calm amidst the turmoil.
Furthermore, he has indicated that the ILF intends to reach out to international organizations for support in seeking justice for the affected community members.
As tensions continue to escalate, all eyes are on the authorities to ensure that those responsible for the violence are held to account and that measures are taken to prevent such incidents from recurring.
