Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Karachi (Agenzia Fides) - A long trail of murders of activists and intellectuals are worrying civil society in Pakistan, creating unrest and protests.
In past days Waheed-ur-Rehman, 42, an assistant professor at the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Karachi, was attacked by four gunmen on two motorbikes. After the attack, large numbers of students blocked the main road to the university. "Some people want to silence the voice of the intelligentsia in this city and the country", said the protesters, noting that a year ago, Professor Shakil Auj, was shot dead.
The murder follows that of Sabeen Mahmud, a social activist, who was gunned down shortly after hosting a panel discussion on rights abuses in insurgency-stricken Balochistan province. In September last year, the liberal scholar Shakil Auj, who was head of the Islamic Studies Faculty, was killed after being accused of blasphemy.
Organizations for the protection of human rights, such as the "Human Rights Commission of Pakistan", report the situation of growing insecurity determined by political instability and by the return to action of Taliban groups that aim to bring back Islamic fundamentalism in the Country.
The precarious situation of women's rights, victims of physical and psychological violence are among the critical issues reported by several international NGOs such as Amnesty International.
Meanwhile, a special anti-terrorism court in Swat, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, sentenced ten defendants to life imprisonment for the attack against Malala Yousafzai. In the attack on October 9, 2012, Malala was seriously injured. The action was claimed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Taliban group. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 02/05/2015)
