Pakistan: Funeral prayers in absentia held for Morsi

KARACHI/ISLAMABAD, Pakistan

Thousands massed to pay homage to Egypt’s first democratically-elected President Mohammad Morsi at funeral prayers in absentia across Pakistan on Tuesday.

Politicians, religious leaders, civil society activists and citizens attended the gatherings organized by Jamat-e-Islami (JI) -- the country’s mainstream religious party -- in capital Islamabad, commercial capital Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan, Faisalabad, Hyderbadad, Bahawalpur, Gujranwala, Mardan, Swat, and other cities.

The JI chief Senator Siraj-ul-Haq himself led the funeral prayer in absentia in northwestern Peshawar city, which was attended by local politicians, civil society activists and common citizens in large numbers.

"[Egyptian President Abdel Fattah] al-Sisi is responsible for Morsi’s martyrdom. We demand that the international community and human rights organizations make him accountable for this murder," Haq told reporters after the funeral prayer.

“Morsi is a martyr and would be remembered in history forever,” he added.

Haq praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s timely reaction over Morsi’s martyrdom and demanded a similar reaction from his country's premier Imran Khan.

"I appreciate the Turkish president who has always stood with justice and openly condemned the brutal act of Sisi," Haq said.

“The people of Pakistan stand with Egypt’s democratic forces, which should remain peaceful and continue their peaceful struggle to get rid of Sisi’s dictatorship,” he maintained.