Parties condemn Pearl’s killing | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Parties condemn Pearl’s killing

KARACHI- Altaf Husain, founder and leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, has termed the killing of American journalist Daniel Pearl a barbaric act falling within the definition of crimes against humanity.

In a press statement issued from London on Friday, he said the killing of the journalist and its perpetrators deserved condemnation from the entire civilized world. He demanded of the President of Pakistan to immediately arrest the killers and bring them to justice.

He expressed his grief over the killing of Daniel Pearl and condoled with his wife and family. He prayed to God to rest the soul of Mr Pearl in peace.

JI: The Jamaat-i-Islami described Daniel Pearl’s slaying as “a very tragic and brutal act, which every Pakistani must condemn.” “Mr Pearl was innocent, doing his professional work and those responsible for his killing must be punished,” Deputy Chief of the Jamaat-i-Islami, Ghafoor Ahmed, said. He said the killing was also a “failure of the government,” which had repeatedly said it expected a breakthrough in the case.

JUP: The chief of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan called Mr Pearl’s killing un-Islamic. “Those who are using the name of Islam in this act have not done any service to the cause of Islam,” he said. But he also alleged: “It could be a conspiracy against the country as whoever are involved in this heinous crime are not the friends of Pakistan.”

JUI: A spokesman for the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam condemned “this brutal killing of an innocent man.” He said the slaying of Daniel Pearl “is against the very teachings of Islam.” “We demand the government apprehend the killers and give them exemplary punishment,” party spokesman Riaz Durrani said from Lahore. But he added: “Such incidents are a result of the contradictory policies of the US government.”

“The Jewish state is killing innocent Muslims in Palestine with total impunity and at the behest of the American government,” he charged. “The Americans are responsible for killing thousands of innocent people in Afghanistan. As long as the American government continues with its double standards such things will continue to occur,” Mr Durrani said.

GOVERNOR: The Acting Sindh Governor, Justice Syed Sayied Ashhad, has expressed his heart-felt condolence on the death of US journalist Daniel Pearl at the hands of his abductors.

In a condolence message here on Friday, the acting governor sympathized with the members of the bereaved family. He said that it was a great tragedy, which deserved to be condemned in the strongest possible words. He also issued directives for the early arrest of those involved in the kidnapping and killing of the US journalist.

KUJ: The Karachi Union of Journalists has condemned the killing of US journalist Daniel Pearl and demanded of the government to give his kidnappers and killers exemplary punishment.

KUJ President Sarfraz Ahmed and General Secretary Tahir Najmi sympathized with Mrs Pearl and his family on behalf of the journalist community.

They regretted they repeatedly appealed to the kidnappers to release him on humanitarian grounds and called upon the government to speed up its efforts for his safe recovery, but all the appeals and efforts went in vain.

The KUJ has also announced that it would hold a protest meeting soon after Eid against the killing of Daniel Pearl.

HAQQANI: Columnist Irshad Ahmed Haqqani of Daily Jang on Friday said the confirmation of the death of American journalist Daniel Pearl is very shocking and a great tragedy.

All right thinking Pakistanis will certainly condemn it and we join President Pervez Musharraf in expressing sorrow over the senseless murder, he said.

Haqqani said the president represented the sentiments of the Pakistani nation by condemning the heinous crime.

Source: Dawn
Date:2/23/2002