(The News International, 20 November 2013)
by Sabir Shah
The monster of terrorism has reigned supreme here since October 1951, when the then Pakistani Premier Liaquat Ali Khan was shot dead at the famous Company Bagh (renamed Liaquat Bagh later), which also became the assassination venue of a former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in December 2007.
Terrorism however struck Rawalpindi with full force from February 2002 onwards, just a few months after the 9/11 incident. History shows that 87 years ago in June 1926 as antagonism between the Hindus/Sikhs and Muslims had begun to surface, some 14 people were killed and 50 wounded here when Muslims clashed with the local Sikhs who had taken out a procession in which loud music was being played.
Stone-pelting soon followed and the sky was half lit up with flames within minutes. Many business hubs, including the grain market were set on fire. A 14-page report on the Rawalpindi Riots, published by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee in 1926 and a document prepared by officials of the British Empire in India tell that initially there were reports that Sikhs wanted to erect a cinema near a mosque, but that was not the only reason for the communal fight.
The British King Royal’s Rifle Regiment was later called in to stem the rising tide of violence.
During February-March 1947, Rawalpindi had also witnessed the Partition riots. As has been the claim of Muslims in India, the Sikhs and Hindus had also registered complaints regarding mass destruction, arson, rape and forcible conversion etc.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-215264-Conspiracies-communal-riots-and-terror-in-Rawalpindi
|
