Stronger Sunni-Shia unity in Pakistan after Parachinar terrorist attack

Both sects in Pakistan believe that these sectarian attempts could not divide Shia-Sunni brothers in the country and all conspiracies to divide Pakistan on sectarian basis will fail.

The scholars representing National Solidarity Council offered condolences over the deaths of Shia Muslims due to twin blasts and also inquired after health of the injured victims.
They condemned the terrorist attacks and expressed solidarity with the families of the martyrs of Parachinar.

Allama Mohammad Iqbal Behishti, a member of 'Majlis-e-Wahdat Muslimin' belonging to Shia people of Pakistan, who was part of the delegation to Parachinar, talking to IRNA said the objective of the visit was to show strong unity among Shia and Sunni brothers of Pakistan.

He added that they went there to tell the people of Parachinar that whole Pakistani society including all Shias and Sunnis are with them and will not leave them alone in this difficult time.

He added that people of Parachinar are Pakistanis and have always been loyal to the country like other Pakistanis.

The scholar was of the view that such visit would help in bringing more harmony between the Shias and Sunnis of Pakistan. He added that the visit would also play an important role for restoring peace in area.

The representative delegation of National Solidarity Council who visited Parachinar, comprised of Mushtaq Ahmed Khan (Jamaat-e-Islami), Syed Noorul Hassan Gilani (Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan), Ata ur Rehman (Jamiat Ittehad ul Ulema), Akhunzada Muzaffar Ali (Islami Tehreek Pakistan), Maqsood Ahmed Salafi (Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadees) and many others.

On June 23, terrorists of the Daesh-linked group “Lashkar-i-Jhangvi al-Alami” targeted an Al-Quds rally in Parachinar and killed more than 100 people.

Parachinar, capital of Kurram Agency tribal area in NW of Pakistan with 50,000 population, is a mainly Shia town which had already suffered two deadly bomb blasts in its markets earlier this year.

After the deadly attacks hundreds of protesters staged a peaceful sit-in against the cowardly act and demanded the government to provide security to the people of Parachinar.

They ended their sit-in after Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited the town and assured the people of better security. The visit by the army chief was warmly appreciated by people of Parachinar.

In January this year a bomb blast killed 24 people in a Parachinar market. The attack was claimed by the Daesh-linked terrorist group “Lashkar-i-Jhangvi al-Alami”.

In March, a second attack in another market killed 22 people. The attack was claimed by the Jamaatul Ahrar.

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