Religious scholars condemn persecution of Shia, Hazara minorities in Islamic countries

Religious scholars have raised concerns about the persecution of Shia and Hazara minorities in the Islamic nations, especially Pakistan and Afghanistan.

On Friday, JK People's Justice Front (JKPJF) organized a seminar titled "Why is Muslim world bleeding and Shia Rigths" in Jammu city to observe International Human Rights Day.

The seminar highlighted the world scenario about minorities like Shia, Yazdi and Hazara communities who are victims of atrocities and are prosecuted for frivolous matters all across the world including Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan as well.

The seminar was presided over by Chairman JKPJF Agha Syed Abbas Rizvi.

Rizvi said that there is no need to take a tough stance against the growing traits of extremist ideology amongst the youth of the Muslim world.

"We need to stop the flow of Petro Dollars, which is fueling the extremist ideologies like ISIS, Daesh, and Taliban who are the root cause of all extremist thoughts and activities and Shia community and at large are soft targets of them in Muslim State of Afghanistan and Pakistan," he said.

"The terrorism happening in the Muslim world and especially the targeting of Hazara and other minority communities across the world is increasing at an alarming rate", he added.

Further addressing the seminar, Rizvi said: "Afghan Taliban is not only massacring Hazaras but is also displacing them from their lands, they have been living upon for ages. There is a need for collective efforts to tackle this issue. The cause for the rise of extremist ideology is that we have moved far away from Sunnah and Sufism".

Agha Syed Abbas Rizvi mentioned in a report published in New York Times in early October 2021, the Taliban and associated militias forcibly evicted hundreds of Hazara families from the southern Helmand province and the northern Balkh province.

These followed earlier evictions from Daikundi, Uruzgan and Kandahar provinces.

Since the Taliban came to power in August, the Taliban have told many Hazaras and other residents in these five provinces to leave their homes and farms, in many cases with only a few days' notice and without any opportunity to present their legal claims of the land.

A former United Nations political analyst said that he saw eviction notices telling residents that if they did not comply, they "had no right to complain about the consequences".

The world is observing Human Rights Day but the Shia community is suffering under the umbrella of Islamic countries.

Agha Syed also mentioned how Shia Hazaras are ethnically cleansed in Pakistan's Quetta and Karachi. He also mentioned Gilgit Baltistan where Shias have no freedom to carry out their religious activities and other rituals.

The seminar was attended by scholars of other sects too like it included Sunni Scholars Molana Javed Quadri Sufi, Moulana Zaheer Quadri, Moulana Haji Basher Ahmad and Hindu social activist Munshi Ram and Devi Dutt.

The seminar was also attended by Agha Mubashir Kazmi, Coordinator J&K, JKPJF.

Munshi Ram while speaking at the event said that the Taliban is a terrorist organization prosecuting the minorities in Afghanistan and violating their human rights.

It was pledged at the end of the seminar that if there is human rights violation anywhere in the world in any form we will stand with victims.

Syed Abbas Rizvi also urged upon the UT Administration to accede to the request of Shia community for grant of reservation, like as given to Gujars and Bakarwals in Jammu and Kashmir.

He also paid rich tributes to CGS General Bipin Rawat who got martyred in a helicopter crash.

( With inputs from ANI )

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