PAKISTAN via Labour Education Foundation (LEF) “Trade unions, student unions, women rights NGOs, people’s movements have to come together to save our society.”
’In Pakistan we need to have a very clear policy by the state to fight the ideology of extremism and militancy. There should be pubic discourse against extremis and state should encourage such progressive forces who are able to mobilise people against terrorism ideology. Trade unions, student unions, women rights NGOs, people’s movements have to come together to save our society. All the progressive, secular and democratic forces must stand together, under the banner of radical peace, justice and equality for all.’
’On Sunday 28th March more than 74 women, children and men were killed, and more than 200 injured, in a suicide bombing in Lahore’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal park. This parks mainly used by working class families to go out with children for enjoyment on off days. The attack by a Taliban group on such a soft target shows cruelty of their mindset and ideology. Majority of killed in this attack were children and women. This was not the first attack in Lahore at civilian place, we have seen many such in the past as well but the way a park was targeted shows the desperation of the terrorists as well. People of Pakistan in general have never supported extremism and terrorism and they have always been on the side of progressive ideas but our society has become a hostage by handful of extremists. These extremists have been supported in the past by Pakistani and global establishments to be used for their geo-political aims but the result is devastating for civilians in Pakistan. There are no words for the dark loss of those who no longer have a mother or a father, a sister or a brother, a daughter or a son. Our hearts bleed for the dead and the wounded.
In Pakistan we need to have a very clear policy by the state to fight the ideology of extremism and militancy. There should be pubic discourse against extremis and state should encourage such progressive forces who are able to mobilise people against terrorism ideology. Trade unions, student unions, women rights NGOs, people’s movements have to come together to save our society. All the progressive, secular and democratic forces must stand together, under the banner of radical peace, justice and equality for all.’
In solidarity,
Khalid, 29.3.2016
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Khalid Mahmood
Director
Labour Education Foundation
Ground Floor, House# 2 Nazir Garden, Canal Road, Harbanspura, Lahore, Pakistan.
www.lef.org.pk
khalid lef.org.pk
Skype: khalidmalik13
FB: khalid.malik.13