Pakistanis stage rallies to denounce Sheikh Nimr’s execution

Thousands of angry demonstrators across Pakistan have held a series of protest rallies in condemnation of Saudi Arabia’s execution of top Shia cleric sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr.

On Sunday, thousands of Pakistani Muslims staged massive rallies in the capital, Islamabad, the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi, the eastern city of Lahore, the southwestern city of Quetta and several other major cities in protest at the execution by Saudi Arabia of al-Nimr.

Protesters chanted anti-Al Saud slogans and held placards that read, “Protest, Protest, Protest, we condemn the martyring of Ayatullah Shaikh Baqar al-Nimr and other Muslims, and demand human rights organisations take notice of the inhuman incident and bring fact-finding to the public.”

Protesters were prevented by the large number of paramilitary forces from approaching the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Islamabad and Consulate General in Karachi.

The angry demonstrators demanded an end to the ongoing Saudi crimes against Shia Muslims, and called on the international community to take notice of the ongoing human rights violations across the kingdom.

Activists have called for more mass rallies across the region to vent their anger at the crackdown against Shia Muslims in Saudi Arabia.

Like many other parts of the world, Sheikh Nimr’s execution also triggered a massive outcry in the Indian-controlled Kashmir, where people condemned the Saudi regime for suppressing Shia Muslims and political dissidents.

The massive rally was held in Srinagar, the summer capital of Kashmir, on Sunday. Kashmiri protesters condemned the Al Saud family and chanted slogans against the United States and Israel, which are regarded as the main supporters of the Saudi regime. Many of the protesters held placards that read, “Down with the Al Saud.”

Several other major towns in Kashmir also saw similar protest rallies.

A large number of Indian paramilitary troops patrolled the main city of Srinagar and some other towns across the Muslim-majority region.

Fierce clashes erupted as Indian forces used tear gas to disperse the protesters across the scenic valley.

Shia Muslims around the world have also staged large protest rallies to show their anger at the execution of Sheikh Nimr, with many governments and prominent human rights groups also condemning the execution and voicing concern about the deteriorating human rights situation in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia announced the execution of Sheikh Nimr and 46 others on Saturday, in defiance of international calls for the release of the prominent Shia cleric and other jailed political activists in the kingdom.

An outspoken critic of Riyadh’s policies, Nimr had been shot and arrested by the Saudi police in the Qatif region of the kingdom’s Shia-dominated Eastern Province in 2012.

He was charged with instigating unrest and undermining the kingdom’s security. He had rejected all the charges as baseless.

In 2014, a Saudi court sentenced the clergyman to death, provoking widespread global condemnations. The sentence was upheld last March by the appeals court of Saudi Arabia.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir