Bandipora: Inhabitants of Inderkote and Nowgam villages in the Sumbal area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district staged protest rallies against the killing of Shia worshippers in a mosque blast in Pakistan.
In Nowgam, the rally was taken out from Ahanger Mohalla and culminated at the Bus Stand Nowgam in Sumbal, where protesters raised slogans condemning the attack and held the Pakistan government responsible for what they described as a failure to protect religious minorities.
Similarly a protest rally was taken out from Imambara Bun Mohalla Inderkote and culminated at GDC Sumbal.
The protest followed a deadly blast at a Shia mosque in Pakistan, which claimed the lives of dozens of devotees during prayers. The protesters expressed solidarity with the victims and their families, terming the incident a grave act of terrorism.
Participants demanded stringent punishment for those involved in the attack and urged the Pakistan authorities to expose the perpetrators and bring them to justice. They said repeated attacks on places of worship reflect growing intolerance and insecurity for minority communities.
Raising slogans against the Pakistan government, the protesters said such acts of violence must be condemned unequivocally and called upon the international community to take serious note of attacks targeting religious groups.
