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Islamic Human Rights Commission
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PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release 24.11.00

VIOLENCE THREATENS MUSLIM UNITY
IHRC CONDMENS MURDER OF MUSLIM LEADER

On Thursday 23 November 2000, a senior leader of the Shi’ite community was shot dead in sectarian violence. Soon after he left his home, Anwer Ali Akhunzada was attacked by two unidentified men armed with Kalashnikovs. The gunmen opened fire and fled. Akhunzada, who was Secretary-General of Tehrik-e-Jafria Pakistan (TJP), was rushed to hospital where he died of multiple injuries.

This latest bout of sectarian violence has occurred at an extremely critical time for the Muslim Ummah, when unity is particularly paramount. The violence has also occurred just a few days before the Holy Month of Ramadan. At this crucial time, such actions can only result in the disunity of the Ummah while inflaming sectarian tensions, and possibly igniting a whole new wave of conflict between Muslims – yet this is exactly what the enemies of Islam desire.

At this important juncture in history, when the global Ummah is united over the cause of Palestine, it is preposterous to believe that sincere Muslims carried out this act of sectarian terrorism thereby endangering the sorely needed unity which now exists. It is therefore reasonable to believe that those who killed Anwar Ali Akhunzada consciously or unconsciously supporting Zionism and its supporters; and that this act of murder was undertaken to provoke in-fighting among the Muslims and thereby distract them from the
real issues.

IHRC condemns the killing and calls upon all parties in Pakistan to refrain from carrying out further violence in retaliation. IHRC will be contacting the Government of Pakistan to request them to take all measures necessary to safeguard the rights and lives of those who are likely to be targeted by such terror. If the Government fails to carry out this responsibility, it will be playing into the hands of the Zionist regime and the enemies of Islam.

For more information please contact the Press Office on (+44) 20 8902 0888 / (+44) 958 522 196, e-mail: info@ihrc.org.

Islamic Human Rights Commission
PO Box 598
Wembley
HA9 7XH
United Kingdom