Daily Times

KARACHI: Rights activist and independent candidate from Karachi’s NA-247 constituency, Jibran Nasir Wednesday said that he would not cave to threats and intimidation.

“No one can restrict us to run our campaign since it is our democratic we well as constitutional right,” the independent candidate, who is also contesting from PS-111, said during a press conference at the Karachi Press Club.

The statement came a day after a man, identity still unknown, interrupted Jibran Nasir during his corner meeting in Delhi Colony neighbourhood on late Tuesday night and hurled blasphemy allegations against him, stating he had been defending the people who were involved in blasphemy.

“My adversaries are eager to instigate the people against me, as they could not find any corruption charges against me,” he said.

“I’m contesting elections on an issue-based agenda for provision of basic facilities like water, electricity, gas, roads,” he said.

“My politics is based on the issues related to development and it will be my defeat to turn back from my stand or take a U-turn,” said the independent candidate.

“If we are to compete with development countries then we will have to compete with them on the principles of justice, equality, rights and not on the basis of religion.”

“Members of religious parties while putting wrong allegations tried to provoke the residents of Delhi Colony and destroy the future of innocent people,” he alleged.

“I have been questioned for treading on the path followed by the founder of the country Jinnah, who struggled his entire life to get the rights for minorities while refraining himself to differentiate anyone on the basis of religion,” he maintained.

“People repeatedly raise questions on my faith and when I give them assurance them urge to curse them (minorities) openly,” he said, and asked: “Which religion teaches us to curse the minority, which don’t have right to even protest?”

“In another incident, an imam of a mosque in Hijrat Colony during a sermon instigated people to pelt stones and torture me if dare to go in their area to campaign,” he said with regret.

He went on to say that a volunteer in Punjab Colony was asked not to take part in his campaign while he was returning home after campaign.

According to him, the lives of all the innocent volunteers are in danger and the peace of Karachi is at stake and added that the solution to the problem was not by providing the security to them but to arrest those making false accusations against him.

He said that they had informed police, Election Commission of Pakistan and returning officer concerned about all the incidents.

Civil society’s concerns over the incident:

Prominent artist Sheema Kermani said the common man has issues like water, health and not what ones religion or sect preaches. She said that the civil society requests the leadership of religious parties to educate their workers and supporters so they don’t instigate the locals.

Renowned rights activist Anees Haroon was of the view that it shows weakness of their workers, as they lack rationale and resort to violence. According to her, it was a responsibility of all political parties to stick to the code of ethics.

Journalist, Ghazi Salahuddin said, “We need to learn to talk on bigger issues like freedom of expression, social justice, equality and human rights on which Nasir frequently raises his voice.”

“It’s a pre-poll rigging,” said labour rights activist Nasir Mansoor while reacting to the Tuesday incident.

Another rights activist Karamat Ali warned that Nasir and his campaigners won’t tolerate another event of violence.

Published in Daily Times, July 19^th 2018.