Entire Pakistani nation stands “shoulder to shoulder” withvictims of London tra gedy, says Raza Basihir Tarar
June 12, Pakistan High Comm issioner to Canada Raza Basbitr Tarar on Saturday attended the funeral prayers for four mem bers of the London Ontario-based Afzaal family killed last Sunday, saying a ll of Pakistan stood with the family “shou lder to shoulder” in its grief and suffering over the tragedy.“Our hearts are bleeding because of the atrocity that bas befallen this wonderful, marvellous family,” be said as be conveyed to the family the “deepest condolences and prayers” from Prime M inister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi all!d the entire Pakistani nation .
The High Comm issioner also used the occasion to thank the Canadian leadership and the people for standing with the fam ily of the victims in these difficult times, and also standing up to Islamopbobia by condemning all forms and expressions of Muslimhate in Canada and elsewhere in the world. Earlier, dead bodies of Salman Afzaa l 46, wife Madiba Salman, their 15-year-old daughter Yumna Afzaal and Salman’s 74-year-old mother Talat Afzaal were brought to the Islamic Centre prayer ground, draped in the Canadian flags, for the funera l prayers which were attended by hundreds of people observing Corona related SOPs. “And the very fact their coffins are draped in the beautiful Canadian flag is an apt testimony of the fact that the entire Canadian nation stands with them,” Raza Bash ir Tarar said. Meanwhile, a series of prayer sessions and v igils were held in different cities of Canada by various Canadian Pakistani associations and groups to express solidarity for the victims of the Sunday killings . Pakistan Canada Association of Edmonton arranged a talk on the cause of bate and racist incidents happening in Alberta, challenge of Islamopbobia and bow community leaders from diverse backgrounds could come together for an open conversation on these subjects. The discussion was also attended and addressed by Consul General of Pakistan Vancouver Janbaz Khan.A num ber of federal and provincia l parliaments mem bers, government functionaries, and politica l parties’ representatives attended a gathering in Montreal to express solidarity with the brutally murdered Muslim family in London-Ontario.
Speaking at the occasion, Isbtiak Ahmed Akil, Acting Consul General of Pakistan M ontreal, h ighlighted the statements and speeches of Prime M inister Imran Khan made at various internationa l forums including the UN Genera l Assem bly and called for the international community’s attention towards taking concrete actions against a rising tendency of Islamopbobia all over the world.
A prayers meeting was arranged in a local mosqme in Toronto and attended by Consul General of Pakistan Toronto A bdul Hameed among others. A similar prayer session and vigil was also held in Ottawa and represented from The Pakistan High Commission by Counsellor Press Hamid Raza Khan.