Bishops condemn Karachi violence, express nearness with victims
Karachi (AsiaNews) – The bishops of Pakistan have “strongly condemned the breakdown of peace and violations of law and order” that have come about thanks to “attacks on press freedom.”
This was the reaction, given to AsiaNews, of the chairman of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops Conference, Mgr Lawrence J. Saldanha, to ongoing clashes in the capital that have claimed the lives of at least 40 people so far.
The violence was sparked by the violent repression by police of supporters of the Chief Justice, Iftikhar Chaudhry, who was suspended from his post on government orders due to false corruption charges.
The Archbishop, who is also chairman of the national Justice and Peace Commission, said: “All this really gives a very bad image of our country. The government should investigate these incidents properly and punish those responsible for the bloodshed”.
The bishops “share the grief of the families of the victims and are close to those who were injured. Violence is never an answer: we demand a peaceful solution to this growing crisis and that the executive acts justly with all parties involved.”
Meanwhile, there is no let-up in violence in the country: Syed Hamid Raza, general chancellor of the Supreme Court, was killed by armed men who broke into his home this morning on the outskirts of Islamabad. A police spokesman said the murder “could have been the outcome of a robbery attempt.”
The All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) chairman, Shahbaz Bhatti, said: “The violence committed against opposition parties’ workers, journalists and lawyers is a barbaric act of terrorism. The government is deliberately stirring up violence against those who may be its political opponents.”
General Musharraf, president, “is riding this wave to depict possible opponents as being violent, but this operation will not end well. Violence will not stop the struggle for independence of the judiciary, and for the return of democracy and freedom of expression.”
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