Author: Press Trust of India
Publication: www.expressindia.com
Date: February 1, 2002
URL: http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=7079
The murder of a prominent Hindu
minority leader and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) activist, Sadham Chand
Chawla, who had successfully fought a legal battle to ensure voting rights
for minorities, paralysed life for three days in Pakistan's southern town
of Jacobabad.
Jacobabad, home to Pakistan's minority
Hindu community, observed a complete bandh for three days to protest the
killing of Chawla by three unidentified gunmen on January 28, The Mirrior
said on Friday.
Thousands of people from both majority
and minority communities also attended his funeral on January 29. Several
local leaders including the Jacobabad District Nazi, Aijaz Hussain Jakrani
blamed Chawla's political rivals for the murder.
Local community leaders said they
do not rule out the hand of militant groups in Chawla's murder as he was
a popular leader both among local Hindus and Muslims.