Syed Mussarat Khalil Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — To show solidarity with stranded Pakistanis in the wake of arson in Mirpur two weeks back on stranded Pakistanis, the Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) held a meeting last night in Kababish restaurant Wednesday. The meeting was presided by poet and editor Hisar Naseeme Sehar. Former diplomat and writer Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi was the chief guest. Leading Pakistani community members guests and speakers at the meet were Mounir Gondal, Kashmir Committee; Ghazanfar Hassan, Engineers Welfare Forum ( EWF ); Mohammad Ashfaque Badaoyuni, Halqae Danishwaran; Abu Farhan Siddiqui, organizer of Muslim Welfare and Development Organisation; Tayyab Mosani, general secretary of Pak Memon Association; Ilyas Meher and Agha Mohammad Akram, Pakistan Peoples Community; Najmi Bahjat, president of Moulana Hefzur Rahman Seoharvi; Faheem Ahmed Maitla, coordinator of Pakistan Peoples Youth Organization condemned the brutal act on the stranded families. Naseem Sehar urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to take immediate notice of the tragedy and assign the Pakistan high commissioner at Dhaka to formally protest for the event, and ensure safety of the families in Bangladesh. He also extended solidarity to stranded Pakistanis on behalf of all Pakistanis in this difficult time of sorrow. Sehar also appealed to Sharif to take immediate measures to bring them back home and settle in Punjab as was originally planned by the Rabita Trust. He stressed that PRC's mission will continue until patriotic Pakistanis regain their rights. Al-Ghamdi said that the act of arson against camp dwellers is a heinous crime against humanity. Citing a Hadith (saying of the Prophet Muhammad), "Allah bless the society in which elite of the society take care of down trodden of the society," he said that it is the obligation of Pakistanis to take care of their oppressed brethren in Bangladeshi camps who are facing frequent persecution from local people. He said that statement of Senator Raja Zafrul Haque is very positive, and he prays to Allah that the government of Sharif will take practical steps to repatriate and rehabilitate those quarter million Pakistanis. Mohammad Ashfaque Badaoyuni said: "We don't have words to condiment the inhuman act of killing to unarmed families in Mirpur camp." Abu Farhan Siddiqui criticised Bangladeshi authorities for their failure to protect the lives of stranded Pakistanis in camps. He also presented a report for supporting 400 destitute families by organizing schools, clinics, extend support for marriages, food and clothing during Ramadan and sacrificial meat during Eid Al Adha. Agha Mohammad Akram said: " Our government should take serious note against Bangladesh government to avoid repetition of such incident." Tayyab Mosani and Faheem Ahmed Maitla also echoed his sentiments. Maitla said: "Our electronic Media did not give due coverage to it so people do not know the extent of brutality that happened to Pakistanis in the camps." Community leader Shamsuddin Altaf said that it is unbelievable that muslims can kill muslims. Convener Ehsanul Haque thanked all the guests, speakers, poets and journalists for extending solidarity to stranded Pakistanis at this crucial time. He said that no words can be cure to those who met death or suffered injury but at least it will alleviate some suffering that their brethren are standing with them. He also told the gathering of Sharif instructing his close adviser Sartaj Aziz to work closely with MWL in solving the issue of stranded Pakistanis. "We hope that soon concrete steps will be taken." The meeting started with the recitation of a few verses from the Quran by Abdul Majeed followed by a Naat by Sher Afzal. It was conducted by Hamid Islam Khan. Poets Zamarrud Khan Saifi paid tribute to those were martyred in the camps and to those who are still hoist the Pakistani flag and hope to come back to Pakistan.
