Shaikh-us-Islam Mawlana Abdol-Hameed Ismaeelzahi, the most outstanding Sunni leader of the Iranian Sunni community, talked about the issue of Pakistan’s Balochistan in his latest Friday sermon urging that kidnapping people and throwing their mutilated corpses can not be the solution for the ongoing crises of Balochistan.
Underlining that he did not want to interfere in internal affairs of Pakistan, Shaikh stated, ‘Pakistan is a big Muslim state with different sects and races. Countries like Pakistan –which are multi-cultural and muliti-races– must take care of the due rights of all communities. None of nations, races and schools of thought has preference on the other one; as the Holy Prophet Muhammad and his companions used to do.’
Khateeb of Ahl-us-Sunnah in Zahedan further said, ‘The rulers of Pakistan also should consider due rights of the deprived Baloch ethnic living in Pakistan. Pakistani Balochis live in a strategic and wide region. Though Balochistan is part of Pakistan but it suffers from lots of deprivations in various fields. Balochistan is the most arreared and deprived region of Pakistan despite having best natural resources. The rate of literacy is so low and federal governments pay less attention to the province.’
He further said that voilance has prevailed the province very severely. Lots of people lose their lives and many of them go to remain missing for months and years. Quetta, provincial capital of Balochistan, has become a security zone and residents of the city face problems to live.
Talking to tens of thousands worshipers in the Grand Makki masjid, the largest grand masjid of Sunnis in Iran, the eminent Islamic scholar added more, ‘We believe that the remedy of such unrest issues is not abduction and shooting opponents. Killing by any of sides creates more hostility and hate. We refuse fratricide urging on dialogue. Rights of all, particularly Balochis, must be realized. Their demands should be fulfilled as much as possible. Oppression and massacring can not extinguish this fire. We respect the sovereignty and peace of Pakistan. Insecurity of our neighbors is the reason for our worries.’
He pointed, ‘We advise all rulers across the world including Pakistan’s power-holders to provide every citizen his due right; they should be discreet over minorities. They must not be proud of their power and suppression. The rulers should not destroy their Resurrection, next life, for the worldly life of someone else. Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, announced that Arabs and non-Arabs have no priority on other ones. We hope all nations would enjoy a peaceful life and freedom.’