ISLAMABAD: The people of Pakistan reacted with shock and outrage to the demolition of the Babni Masjid even as their government gave a call for a nationwide protest day Dec.8 and appealed to the people to close down their businesses and offices and hold peaceful rallies The govt. moved swiftly by issuing instructions for the safety of the life and property of the minorities Sunday itself special security arrangements were made for the temples in various parts of the country.
Amidst widespread condemnation and censure of the Indian govt. a special meeting of the federal cabinet held Dec7 described the happenings in Ayodhya as a grave violation of human nights and expressed “deep anguish and grave concern over the demolition and desecration of the Babri masjid.” It called upon its people to offer special prayers for the protection and wellbeing of Muslims of India.
The Cabinet meeting also decided to approach the international community in general and the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Countries in particular regarding this incident which it said “had pained not only Muslims the world over but has also caused concern amongst all rational people.”
These two organizations will be approached to exert pressure on India to protect the “rights of Indian Muslims and their places of worship.” Describing the act as one of “unprecedented fanaticism” the meeting observed that it had made a mockery of the Indian claim of secularism.
The Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif while addressing the meeting appealed to his countrymen to exercise utmost restraint and help the govt. in ensuring protection for the minority community and their holy places He said the govt. was determined to protect the lives and properties of the minorities in Pakistan “Which is not only the demand of our Constitution but also the diktat of our faith.”
While things were by and large peaceful there was a report of an attack on the Indian Airlines office in Lahore Dec.7 through details of the incident were not available. There were also stray cases of stone throwing on the houses of Indians working in the Indian consulate in Karachi. It may be mentioned that the Sindh govt. was the first to take steps to protect the minorities and their religious places in that province; Security men in riot gear were also deplored around the Indian mission in Islamabad to prevent any untoward incident. Several people including the leader of the right wing Jamaat-i-Islami in the national assembly Liaquat Baloch came to the Indian high commission and: submitted memoranda expressing their shock and horror at the happenings in India.
The demolition story was at the top of the bulletins in both the Pakistan TV and Radio and received banner headlines in almost all the major newspapers Dec.7. “The News” published from Islamabad headlined the story “Babri Mosque reduced to rubble by fanatic Hindus.” “The Frontier Post” said Indian secularism exposed with a sub-head saying “Hindus fanaticism justifies two nation theory.”
The North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Sindh assemblies took up the matter and passed resolutions condemning Dec.6 happenings in India. In Peshawar the chief minister of NWFP Mir Afzal Khan led a protest rally after the assembly session.
Various political leaders cutting across party lines including Sharif and the two former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Mohammed Khan Junejo PDA leader Asghar Khan and many others joined in condemning the destruction of the ancient mosque in Ayodhya. Several leaders pointed out that the demolition was a violation of the Liaquat Nehru pact for safeguarding the religious places of the minority communities Sharif in his reaction Dec.6had said “this abhorrent act of extreme fanaticism deserves to be strongly condemned by all civilized countries.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 18, 1992
