Violent mobs set afire six cinema houses in Karachi, Peshawar
Protesters torch a cinema in Peshawar, Pakistan on Friday, Sept 21, 2012. — AP Photo
PESHAWAR: Angry demonstrators set fire to at least six cinemas in Peshawar and Karachi on Friday amidst violent protests as the country marked a day of protests against an anti-Islam film.
Protestors attacked Capri, Nishat and Prince cinemas in Karachi, as they marched on the main M.A. Jinnah road in the city’s downtown area.
According to DawnNews, Capri and Nishat cinemas were partially damaged while Prince cinema was set afire by violent mobs.
Pakistani police inspect a burnt-out cinema complex following violent protests against an anti-Islam film in Karachi on September 22, 2012. — AFP Photo
Meanwhile, one protester was wounded when a cinema guard opened fire as angry crowds armed with clubs and bamboo poles converged on the Firdaus picture house, smashing it up and setting furniture ablaze, police officer Gohar Ali told AFP.
Witnesses said a rampaging crowd stormed the Shama cinema, smashing windows and setting it on fire.
When the protestors reached Arbab Road in the provincial capital, they attacked Capital cinema. The mobs broke down the cinema’s main gate and set fire to its screen.
Pakistani Muslim demonstrators prise a hoarding from a wall as they attack a cinema complex during a protest in Peshawar on September 21, 2012. — AFP Photo
Tens of thousands are expected to take to the streets across the country after the government called an impromptu public holiday to let people protest.
Security in the country was tight, with shops and businesses closed and usually busy streets deserted, after calls from all the major political and religious parties for a day of protest.
The authorities shut down the mobile phone network in major cities across the country in an effort to avoid violence. - Files from AFP and DawnNews
Protesters torch a cinema in Peshawar, Pakistan on Friday, Sept 21, 2012. — AP Photo
Those who partake in this violence and those who encourage this behaviour from their bully pulpit, unfortunately either don’t or are unable to read the comments posted in an English language daily newspaper.
Nobody can say they are surprised.
There should be a rule to punish people destroying public property .A simple camera / video shot should be enough to put them in jail and recover cost by attaching their properties, bank accounts and future income… You will see NO ONE will destory cinemas and govt property… I think, all political parties can atleast agree on this… We are starving …
Totally agree…
Pakistan government gave a day off for people to go do anything they want. Islam is a religion of peace.
Please stop supporting our corrupt and brutal politicians. Pakistan is the country that can hit America directly by suspending the NATO supply line. Instead of devastating our own country’s infrastructure we should take the solid steps to paralyze the Americans. And this is only possible that we stress our corrupt leaders to do so.
it’s to see people burning their own country and destroying property of people who build it in years and that too in the name of religion and interesting the one who own’s it has nothing to do with shameful act infact he is the one who is condemning it too …
I agree with Jean, we have been watching the protests in Pakistan, and mostly we see youth laughing and enjoying themselves, they dont care about the Prophet, they did not seem sad or even angry, they were having a rollicking good time burning and destroying property, it was shameful to see this. I hope someone has the guts to give a speech to the entire nation and how badly they misbehaved on a day when they should have showed their love for a man of peace, instead they proved to the world that Muslims are barbarians and uncivilized, and ready to destroy own nation for some sick thrill.
I must add if people really loved the prophet they would not even hurt a single blade of grass, because that was what was taught by the prophet in time of war or anger, not to touch anyones property. I am sure of the prophet was here today, he would be ashamed of our reaction.
Because of these misguided Mullahs and troublemakers, we are not dicsussing the vile movie, instead licking our self inflicted wounds and discussing mob violence, which is a distraction. The entire world has watched us react with disgust, our enemies are happy, if they make a few more movies, maybe we will all kill ourselves.
Why did Govt announce public holiday when knowing full well public will be enraged come the protest time. It seems this is all deliberate. Zardari is playing same game as Musharraf by fanning extremism through Pakistan Public and telling West he is the only liberal voice among them.
It is now a big shame for me to be called a Pakistani. I don’t want myself or my children to be associated with these mobsters, terrorists and radicals.
Shame on GOP for not taking to task these thugs having no love for Prophet or his teachings
they are organized thugs who are given specific targets to destroy. All the banks, cinemas, shops on the MA Jinnah Road are their special targets. Looks like the modus operandi is to loot and then set fire.
I agree with all of the above
No one is raising a voice against corruption, intolerance, injustice, extortion and innocent killings here…
“Nine killed as protests turn violent on ‘Yaum-i-Ishq-i-Rasool’” Dawn.
Taaliyaan!!!!! Kya jhande gaade hain Pakistan ne aaj protest karke….Wao what a way to protest…Kudos to Pakistanis…Today they have confirmed the doubts that the world had regarding Pakistanis being idiot of worst species…
This is our way of showing LOVE towards our Prophet. Great!
Pakistan is heading to the stone ages. Absolutely senseless.
same could have been said about india after every other riot in which minorities have been burnt alive….which happens every year or two..we in paksitan have our problems…but i doubt any indian has got the face to project india as a civilized sense-full country..
‘same could have been said about india after every other riot in which minorities have been burnt alive….which happens every year or two..’where did you learn all these from?oh yes… Pakistani school books(lol)keep ranting your ignorance,faithful of religion of peace….
I agree.
i thought we are living in stone ages..
You have second largest Muslim population right across the border but see the difference in protests.Oh Pakistan what did you do to yourself, you have become Afghanistan.
I wish…even stone age was better than this Islamic Republic
i agree. Please stop all aid to Pakistan and leave the region. Stop supporting our corrupt Politicians..stop propping up these puppets and let us burn our way to hell or reform. The white mans burden syndrome needs to end.
The US is prepared to leave the region in peace if Pakistan is. The problem is that the jihadi mullahs and Taliban will not confine their hell to Pakistan.
Why was a holiday declared in Pakistan? This was the lamest thing to do! An opportunity afforded by the government for brownie points to pander to the religious extremists. It’s all about cheap politics. This holiday encouraged the mobs to destroy public property and indulge in arson and loot. What was Pakistan’s law and order machinery doing when this was going on? Twiddling their thumbs I guess!
Completely agreed. The government is run by incompetent and shortsighted leaders who do not miss single opportuntiy to strengthen their own political ambitions. However, average person pays the price for the actions of these incompetent leader..
Were the cinemas showing the “Innocence of Muslims”? Or were they burnt because they were owned by non-Muslims? Pakistan must be boycotted from the community of nations. Their UN membership should be cancelled and all countries must stop all diplomatic and economic interaction with Pakistan. Then, may be after 10 years or so, if Pakistan learns to behave it self, we may review our stand.
Smoldering Land of Our Birth, bringing down power lines, torching means of transportation, ……not the best way to show our love for the Prophet (May Peace Be Upon Him)……
Jahalat at it’s best! It makes me sad that it doesn’t take much to play with the emotions of Muslims all over the World and they end up hurting, damaging each other as the result and killing innocent who had nothing to do with this to begin with. All to show their love for the beloved Prophet (PBUH).
A splendid opportunity provided by the government for the uneducated masses to whip up a frenzy and go and plunder. Were there any arrests made for destroying property? Ofcourse not!
You definetly don’t live in Pakistan..
Is there a functional body to start with at the first place ?? Pakistan has become a failed state. unable to provide education and basic needs to the nation.
This is the face of Islam that the world sees. Allah will not be happy!
this is the way pakistan is going to be.
Yes, till we don;t control Masajids and arrest the Imams who instigate such hate.
I think a much better answer would be; yes, until we start enforcing law in our country, and provide justice regardless of it been a mosque or army area! Education, equal treatment and equal rights for all (including Hindu brothers & other minorities)
Justice = PTI
Support Imran Khan!!!
By announcing a public holiday, the government most likely tried to appease the religious nut-cases. However, by doing that, the inepts administration overlooked the fact that because there would be no work, these people would have all day to go out and destroy whatever little left in this country. I have not heard or seen in any other country in this world where people like so much burning their own house.
What is the fault of the poor cinema owner? Is this rampage justified in islam? Who will pay for the loss of that poor unfortunate person who lost his living due to someone making a filthy movie thousand miles away?
That was a government sponsored agitation. No one is going to be punished.
Religion is just an excuse for a bundle, I have been watching here in Uk. there are young boys no older than 8 looting and most of the rioters are young men. Their Country called “Pakistan” is in dire straits economically, yet they are given a day off just to cause mayhem, I say let us remove our Embassies and staff from Pakistan and stop all AID. Let them stew in their own juice.
we would love to see you implementing the suggestion
With all means please do , but you have no embassies here , you have frontier battle bunkers here rather then embassies which have their own runways , Please exit our land , we do not seek your aid at the first place.
Problem with this idea is, More you isolate countries like Pakistan, the more redicles take control of the country. There are sane people live in Pakistan, but are out numbered by the hate mongering Zombies.. Unless west does not help those very few, who are trying to change the mindset, Pakistam will go further go down in abyss.
Jean! Make sure you take all your troops back, vacate all air bases, take back your drones, compensate the innocents killed, take your NGO (intelligence agents) workers, with you, take all the feudal lords and army generals that YOU support, with you, and take all the taliban that you funded against Russia with you. I am sure Pakistan will be a much better place if you and your agents leave us alone!
I have some further suggestions for you! Why don’t you stop buying oil and gold from Muslim countries, leave the missile defence systems, stop trading there and tell your government to stop immigration.
In the Thatcher era, demonstrators did burn factories. Did your culture, fathers and fore fathers teach you this? NO, they didn’t! So STOP being racist. You can’t judge a whole nation by a few people’s actions. That’s what extremists like you, and the people burning cinemas, need to understand!
We would love to stop immigration for we are a small Island but the poor people of Pakistan will do almost anything to live here, you are being comdemnd here by your own kind, the BBC Asian radio Station was awash yesterday with Muslims ashamed of what they were watching. I would love to pull our troops out, in my opinion they should never have gone in the first place. One thing I am not, is a racist, how dare you even suggest it. I was alive in the Thatcher era and you have your facts completely wrong. Look again and educate yourself. Extremist never, you little know that I have the sweetest neighbours ever, they are Iraqi and Muslim and I am proud to call them my friends.
cutting off AID to Pakistan will be the biggest favor that you will do..that aid that you are highlighting here just shows your own ignorance..UK/US aid only fuels corruption in Pakistan, with zero benefit to its people..it is nothing more than a means for foreign forces to exercise undue influence in politics and support pro-western elements….and sure remove the embassies…and then find some other route before 2014 to get out of Afghanistan…
Very good suggestion. Thanks a lot. Kindly stop all aid to Pakistan and remove your staff. Have some mercy on us.
junaid..how would u apply visas and to western countries:-) how would u buy even a wiper blade for ur car and a diaper for a baby. just look around..what you have is plain chaos in a jungle
Thank you for your kind suggestion. Look around and see every tom dick and hary spy agency is operating in the region. The whole mess is your creation. What did you finally gain out of East India Company? No worries, the ghost will only come back to haunt and boy haunt it will the world.
You are 100% right. Unfortunately, these actions are beyond comprehension and make no sense whatsoever. There is an urgent need of a civilized discourse, which seems like only a dream at this point.
There is no doubt that the film needs to be condemed, but than burning public and private property ,pelting stones on cars no way shows our love to the Prophet(S.W) . There is not even a single incident in the Prophet’s(S.W) life where he in any way punished all those people who insulted him, even the people who threw stones on him and injured him during his visit to Taif valley, to the extent that his shoes were filled with Blood, were pardorned by him. We need to be more rationale in our approach.Lets make our self strong morally . I fail to understand , the social injustices going on in Pakistan, like Bribery, food adulteration, Gang rapes , forcibly taking over poor peoples property, denying the best ones to get jobs purely because they have bo powerfull political connections , are they not an insult to the teachings of prophet . Pakistan is not the only Islamic country, let all Muslim countries get together and also invite Countries like India , which has more Muslims than Pakistan, move a resoloution in UN, such incidents be taken as a breach of law , regardless of the fact thay happen in USA or any Eurpeon Country.
I agree. These people have nothing to do with the protest or any religion. If tey call themselves muslims, I am ready to convert to ANY religion other than the one they are following as I just dont want to be identified as them. They are thugs and should be arrested, and punished with the maximum possibe punishment. Enough is enough. These thugs should be put behind bars NOW.
they’re all pathetic…theyre only destroying their own property…if they think the west cares about what they do to themselves, they’re wrong…i mean why would the west care about what these illetrates do…they’re only adding it more to the ani-Islam elements…this is an absolute disgrace !!!
Mr Indian , there was a massacre of muslims in Gujrat who paid for that 2002 ??
What does that event have to do with what is going on in Pakistan. Instead of taking the owership of our actions, we always deflect the blame and try to put it on someone else. No wonder the country is in such a dire state.
wake up dear..It is 2012!! 10 years have been passed!! Culprits have been punished..Now what else do you want??
What relevance is there to this story? And it did not rain in Ethiopia yesterday.
Whose loss is that? Pakistan. What to other countries if you start destroying your own property. This is is, in my opinion, the crudest way of protesting.
Ahsen, Is there any relation in this article and your comment.
Its 2012.. Just visit our state or phone to any of ur known person.. U knw d day (19.04.2012) whn u ppl busy in fighting against ur govt bcoz half of Karachi didnt hv electricity supply, few hundred km away chief minister of Gujarat inaugurate Asia’s biggest solar plant in Gujarat.
Mr. Indian…when people in our country start to question like you do then peace will prevail. At the moment, religious parties and mullahs along with the government are working on political agenda for the coming election to show that they share a cause wiht general public as they apparently can not solve inflation, energy crises and unemployement so they have this topic of “importance”.