Pak. students act as human shield for Hindus
celebrating Holi - The Hindu: Mobile Edition
Pak. students act as human shield for Hindus celebrating Holi
Mar 6, 2015 04:06 PM , By PTI
Women from the Pakistani Hindu community celebrate Holi, the spring
festival of colors in Lahore, Pakistan, on Thursday.
The National Student’s Federation formed the shield at the Swami Narayan
Temple to promote interfaith coexistence and cooperation among different
religious and ethnic groups.
Pakistani students formed a human shield for Hindus celebrating Holi at
a temple in Karachi on Friday to protect and show solidarity with the minority
community.
The National Students Federation (NSF) formed the shield at Swami
Narayan Temple as part of an attempt to promote interfaith coexistence and
cooperation among different religious and ethnic groups.
A member of the NSF describes the union as a “progressive leftist
organisation” dating back to the NSF of the Ayub Khan era.
“When we showed solidarity with Shias at the Imambargah...
it’s only fair that as a group, we extend the same courtesy to all
Hindus in Pakistan who face a lot of persecution of different kinds,” General
Secretary NSF Fawwad Hasan was quoted as saying by the Dawn.
Hasan cited the desecration of Hindu temples, forcible religious
conversion of girls and suppression of culture and religious practices as
reasons for showing solidarity with and protecting Hindus.
“We are not religious fundamentalists who take religion into our own
hands, that is not what we do,” Hasan said.
“Society as a whole has to show change and be a part of that change. If
you don’t stand up for someone else’s rights today, tomorrow you will also be
targeted and there will be no one to stand up for your rights,” he added.
Sectarian violence in Pakistan has been on rise with banned outfits like
Lashkar—i—Jhangvi and Sipah—i—Sahaba Pakistan killing scores of minority Shia
muslims.
