Eyewitness reports drafted by Farooq Tariq at 2:30pm Spokesperson Labor Party Pakistan, as shared by hom on the Peoples Resistance network
I am writing this at 2.30pm, around 7 hours later than the first fire was shot at Manawan police training center Lahore.
I heard most of the blasts and firing that took place during the seven hours from both sides. It is still not clear how many the terrorist are and the police and rangers have not claimed the end of the operation. Around 1.30pm, I heard a massive blast and then a continues rounds of firing, probably with very modern weapons. It seems that police and rangers are taking a final round to arrest or kill the terrorists.
A curfew is been imposed in the area. My two children have just arrived home after the driver took a very long route to bring them home. The driver told me that all roads leading to the areas is been closed by police.
Sikandar Janjoa, a Labour Party activist just told me on phone that Lahorities are terrified. “There is very much disappointments and despair among the ordinary people this morning” he said. He narrated an incident where in a public van, the driver asked a man with beard to get off the van. He refused to take him in the public van. All the passengers clapped and agreed with the driver and the beard person had to go. It seems that Lahorites are awakening up to the threat of religious fundamentalists.
Asma Jehanghir, chairperson Human Rights Commission of Pakistan just called me and invited for a meeting tomorrow at 4 pm at HRCP. We spoke about civil society initiative to fight back the growing threat of religious fundamentalists. I have already asked Women Workers Help Line, Labour Education Foundation, Progressive Youth Front and National Trade Union Federation to come to this meeting of all the civil society groups in Lahore to discuss the future course of action.
Police and Rangers claimed to arrest one person an hour ago who is believed to be one of the terrorists. He has been shown pn some television screen, a young person in his twenties, it seems with a beard. Police claim that he wanted to attack the parked helicopters nearby the building and locals helped the authorities to arrest him.
I just see another helicopter over my house flying towards Wahgha border.
All the reports suggests that there are less than one hundred of police recruits inside the building which train over 1000 recruits for police. Most of the others have escaped. I saw police men running out of building for several hours. Rangers and police has cleared the whole area. They have asked the press to move away. They have been shown digging holes in the outer wall of the training compound. From these holes, they are firing. The bodies of police men laying at the courtyard has been cleared and many injured has also been helped to come out or they have been put in an armored van of police which was able to enter the compound despite heavy firing of the terrorists.
Another interesting incident is that rangers and police forces are raising slogans of Allah Hp Akbar,(God is great), so is the case of the other side who also claim to raise the Islamic banner high by killing police recruits. People around the area is also raising such Islamic slogans. Anyhow, this time, the media is not blaming India or Hindus, for this firing as was the case of Sri Lanka Cricket Team incident. It seems that the things are more clear now. All the media is linking this incident with Mumbai and Sri Lanka Cricket team attack by showing similarities and so on.
There is going to be an awakening of Lahories against religious fundamentalists and they are not gooing to take it as they had accepted in the past. There will be rallies and demonstrations against religious fanatics all over Lahore. People are now sure what is happening. They were hoping against hope earlier.
We had been warning for long time about the threats of the fanatics and it seems this incident will not be tolerated quietly.
Farooq Tariq
Spokesperson Labour Party Pakistan
Comments
2 responses to “Eyewitness Report 2:30PM – Lahore Police Academy Siege”
"Sikandar Janjoa, a Labour Party activist just told me on phone that Lahorities are terrified. “There is very much disappointments and despair among the ordinary people this morning” he said. He narrated an incident where in a public van, the driver asked a man with beard to get off the van. He refused to take him in the public van. All the passengers clapped and agreed with the driver and the beard person had to go. It seems that Lahorites are awakening up to the threat of religious fundamentalists."
I don't think anyone should ever be appreciating such an instance, every bearded person is not a religious fundamentalist. Does that imply that every muslim which believes and practices the basic fundamentals of Islam is a terrorist?
"Sikandar Janjoa, a Labour Party activist just told me on phone that Lahorities are terrified. “There is very much disappointments and despair among the ordinary people this morning” he said. He narrated an incident where in a public van, the driver asked a man with beard to get off the van. He refused to take him in the public van. All the passengers clapped and agreed with the driver and the beard person had to go. It seems that Lahorites are awakening up to the threat of religious fundamentalists."
I don't think anyone should ever be appreciating such an instance, every bearded person is not a religious fundamentalist. Does that imply that every muslim which believes and practices the basic fundamentals of Islam is a terrorist?
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