Religous terrorists threaten music stores...

system · April 3, 2007, 3:34am

I sense a battle coming on.. I hope they murder these bearded mullah goats…

CD sellers asked to wind up their business

By Syed Irfan Raza

ISLAMABAD, April 2: The Khadim-i-Islam Taliban have given an ultimatum to CD and cassette sellers of the Federal capital to close down their business within a month otherwise they would be left with no alternative but to do it by force.

In a letter distributed to CD and cassette sellers in Aabpara Market, Super Market and Jinnah Super Market, they suggested to the shopkeepers to quit this un-Islamic business and switch over to another.

The letter said: “You must remember the doomsday when everybody will be worried about himself and all relatives will desert you.” They said Pakistan had been created in the name of Islam, and added that it was an irony that after the creation of Pakistan the people who came into power beat Europe in promoting obscenity and vulgarity.

They said with the increasing level of poverty, women were encouraged to go out for jobs.

They said some people indulged in the business of selling and renting pornographic films, arousing sentiments of youth which led to increase in the incidents of rape.

Baton-wielding groups of the “Taliban” kept on visiting various markets, creating panic among the shopkeepers.

A shop-keeper in Aabpara Market told Dawn that large groups comprising 40-50 baton-wielding people, some of them with masked faces, continue to visit the market at least twice a day asking sellers of CDs, audio and video cassettes and books to switch over to some other business.

He said the shopkeepers were worried about their security as these groups were not being stopped even by the police deployed at the market.

He said that he had been selling cassettes for the last 30 years and it was no child’s play to switch over to a new business.

He said: “They can only preach if they think something un-Islamic was being done and they cannot impose their ideals by force.”

Another CD seller said a group of baton-wielding men said they were ready to discuss the provision of funds with their seniors for starting another business.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/04/03/nat1.htm

system · April 3, 2007, 3:38am

Re: Religous terrorists threaten music stores…

Harassment of traders condemned

ISLAMABAD, April 2: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FPCCI) and leading businessmen have condemned the harassment of the business community particularly audio and video shop owners by religious extremists.

The office bearers of Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) have also demanded of the government to take strict action against these extremists and provide security to the small businessmen.

“This is unjust and cannot be tolerated at any cost,” Zubair Ahmed Malik, former Vice President of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industries, said talking to mediamen.

“We condemn it and demand of the government to take action against these extremists,” said Mr Malik, who is also a member of Managing Committee of Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Replying to a question, FPCCI vice-president Raja Ahsan Farid also termed this act as “highly deplorable” demanding quick action to protect the interests of the traders.

It was noted that some days back the religious extremists stormed some markets of the federal capital and harassed the small businessmen particularly those running the audio and video cassette shops.

These extremists threatened strict action against these businessmen if they continue running their business.

“We demand of the law enforcing authorities to stop this trend and take action against the responsible,” he said.

“They are nobody to dictate us to which business we need to run and to which business we should not run,” they added.

Former president of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Munawar Mughal also condemned harassment of businesmen by religious extremists as well as strikes and agitations.—APP

Our reporter adds: People’s Rights Movement (PRM) has slammed the unbridled hypocrisy of the government in the matter of Jamia Hafsa Madressah students and said the episode unequivocally proves that the ‘Mullah-Military Alliance’ is alive and well.

Asha Amirali of the PRM said the present situation had arisen because of years of collaboration between the military and extremist forces and that, in spite of all propaganda and claims to the contrary, significant segments within the state continue to sponsor these extremist forces.

She said it was absolutely crucial to recognise the dialectical relationship between the ‘secular’ state elite and the ‘traditionalist’ religious forces lest the phenomenon be allowed to further spiral out of control.

She said a large majority of the liberal intelligentsia supported Gen Musharraf when he came to power under the pretext that he was opposed to extremist forces.

Ms Amirali said the recent episode involving Jamia Hafsa students was yet another reflection of the close alliance of the forces of extremism with fragments of the state, and was a desperate attempt of both the extremist forces and the state to divert attention from major contradictions that have developed within ruling circles.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/04/03/nat12.htm

Khehkeshan · April 3, 2007, 3:41am