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Two terrible moments for two communities in Glasgow, both united in support

A march for Paige Doherty took place in Clydebank. Friends and children marched from Kilbowie Roundabout to the spot on the A82 where the schoolgirl's body was discovered (Mike Gibbons/Spindrift)
A march for Paige Doherty took place in Clydebank. Friends and children marched from Kilbowie Roundabout to the spot on the A82 where the schoolgirl's body was discovered (Mike Gibbons/Spindrift)

In two separate shows of dignified solemnity, held just miles apart, mourners gathered yesterday to pay their respects to newsagent Asad Shah and teenager Paige Doherty.

The meaningless deaths – which occurred within days of each other – have united a city in grief.

Many of the 200-plus people at Mr Shah’s funeral were quick to comment on the motto on the mosque wall under which his coffin lay – Love For All, Hatred For None.

It was a mantra for how the shopkeeper lived his life.

But the words could just have easily applied to young Paige, 15. She was a free spirit, loved by her family and with her whole life ahead of her.

Her pals have spoken of a girl who didn’t have a bad bone in her body.

Yesterday, framed by gently swaying daffodils, her family and friends – accompanied by Paige’s frail mum Pamela Munro – marched to the bleak roadside spot where her body was found on March 21.

Paige Doherty (Universal News And Sport)
Paige Doherty (Universal News And Sport)

March organiser, Mary Tyrell, from Clydebank, said: “We want to do everything to support Paige’s family and keep her memory alive. Our hearts go out to Pamela and the entire family. We are a community that cares.

“Paige was a wonderful young woman who touched the lives of so many. She was popular and liked by everyone who met her.

“We can’t believe she has gone and everyone is struggling to take it in.

“But we have to remain strong for Paige and her family and friends.

“Many are deeply affected by her death.”

Mum-of-two Karen Taylor, 35, travelled 10 miles from Paisley, along with her daughter and niece, to attend the march and lay a floral tribute of pink flowers.

“There is not a mother in the country who has not been touched by what’s happened,” said hotel assistant house manager, Karen.

“We all want to offer our sympathy and support to Paige’s family. It will be so hard to take in what’s happened. It’s vital to keep this young woman’s memory alive.”

Paige’s mum Pamela was helped by family and a first aider as she walked with the dead teen’s friends. Gently weeping, the 32-year-old was clearly overcome with emotion.

An impeccably observed minute’s silence was held before a solitary pink balloon was released into the clear blue sky.

At roughly the same time, nine miles away on the other side of the Clyde, Asad Shah’s family and friends were paused in a similarly respectful moment of reflection.

Asad Shah
Asad Shah

At 1pm, his simple wooden coffin was carried into the sandstone Bait-Ur-Rahman Mosque by relatives and by friends from the Ahmadiyya community of which Mr Shah was a linchpin.

Civic leaders including city MPs Alison Thewliss and Carol Monaghan and MSP Sandra White were among the mourners.

The three female SNP politicians donned veils in respect for Muslim tradition.

Also paying his respects was high-profile Glasgow lawyer Aamer Anwar.

Mr Shah’s coffin was carried up a flight of stairs to the first-floor main meeting room of the Mosque for a service of Muslim prayer known as Namaz e Janaza.

His heartbroken family greeted mourners and well-wishers in accordance with Muslim custom.

Abdul Abid, president of the Ahmadiyya community in Scotland, said after the service: “We are sad that a very popular man of our community is not with us any more. I don’t know how we will survive without him.

“He was a polite, gentle person.

“Today’s service is in his memory and we are proud to have had such a wonderful person among our community.”

After the prayers, the coffin was carried into a waiting black hearse to be driven to Glasgow’s Cardonald Cemetery, where Mr Shah was buried.

The funeral came three days after Mr Shah’s family paid tribute to him as a “brilliant man”, adding he had been taken away by an “incomprehensible act”.

The family’s statement said: “On Thursday evening a beloved husband, son, brother and everyone’s friend, Asad Shah, was taken away from us. We are devastated by this loss.

“A person’s religion, ethnicity, race, gender or socioeconomic background never mattered to Asad.

“He met everyone with the utmost kindness and respect because those are just some of the many common threads that exist across every faith in our world.

“He was a brilliant man, recognising that the differences between people are vastly outweighed by our similarities.”

Mr Shah was born in Rabwah, Pakistan, and moved to Glasgow in 1998 to join his father in business.

He was involved in an incident at his shop the night before Good Friday.

He was found injured outside his convenience store in Shawlands following an alleged attack which police described as religiously prejudiced.

After his death two vigils were attended by people from all over Glasgow who wished to pay their respects, including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

One local – who stood outside yesterday’s funeral – said the death had pulled the community together.

Mum-of-two Alyson Maclaren, 33, a medical worker of nearby Strathbungo, said: “He came from Pakistan but was proud to call himself a Glaswegian.

“He loved the local community as we loved him.

“I can honestly say my life has been left a darker and colder place for his passing.”


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Video: Community pays respects to Paige Doherty in Clydebank

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