The South Asian: Pakistan Emergency: Community Activists Arrested

November 04, 2007

Pakistan Emergency: Community Activists Arrested

Following imposition of emergency of Pakistan, members of various civic society groups and political opponents have been arrested. In many cases, no charges have been filed. Groups around the world have expressed solidarity with community groups opposing the emergency.

Over 100 civil society activists have been arrested from a meeting of Joint Action Committee, at Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Lahore on Sunday 14.00 hrs. The meeting was called to discuss the situation after the imposition of Emergency in the country by General Pervez Mushraf. Police broke the windows of the hall to enter into the meeting venue. Disrupt the peaceful indoor meeting and asked the participants to come out. All the participants were bundled into the police vans and driven to the Model Town Police Station. Among the arrested men and women include I.A Rehman, Iqbal Hyder, Robina Saigol, Azra Shad, Khalid Mehmood, Mehboob Khan, Saeeda Dieap and Salman Raja advocate. In the evening, the police asked them to submit written apologies but they refused. The other names could not be identified yet.

Bushra Khaliq, Secretary WWHL and Farooq Tariq, General Secretary of Labour Party Pakistan were late for the meeting. When they reached the HRCP office to attend the meeting at 12:30, police had cordoned off the whole building and blocked the road towards HRCP office. The police refused to let them enter in the meeting hall. They stayed outside the hall for half an hour to assess the situation and then contacted friends present in the meeting on mobile phones and apprised them about the situation outside. More contingents of police were pouring in - gun totting police men in red lighted vehicles and bikes can be seen all around the HRCP hall. It was all a threatening scenario. The police ordered all the people waiting outside the hall to leave the place.

Meanwhile Farooq Tariq andBushra Khaliq remained in contact with some participants on phone. They told us that police have entered in the hall, stopped the meeting and offered the women participants to leave the venue while all the men were told that they are arrested. The women participants refused to go so they were also arrested along with men. Later they were all taken to police station. Police has refused to tell them the nature and period of their detention. The names of all those arrested have not been released.

In view of the latest crackdown on political activists, Farooq Tariq, general secretary LPP is underground to avoid arrest and police is looking for him. Last night a police raid was also conducted at his Lahore residence. It is pertinent to mention that LPP has denounced the emergency and vowed to resist it.

Across the world, groups have expressed opposition to the emergency and solidarity for Pakistani community groups opposing the emergency. Pakistan-India Peoples' Forum for Peace & Democracy (PIPFPD), Peace Mumbai, Awami Bharat, Muslim Intellectual Forum, MPJ, NAPM, Nirbhay Bano Andolan, Lok Rajniti manch, Yuva Sarkar, Phule Ambedkar Vichar Manch, Sadhbhavna Sangh, Yusuf Meherally Yuvak Biradari, will demonstrate on Monday November 5, 2007 at 5.00pm outside Churchgate Station, against the imposition of emergency in Pakistan.

Posted by collective at November 04, 2007 06:07 PM

Comments

Some observations, might be of some interest

1. Mr Bhutto the most popular leader in the history of Pakistan after Quaid-e-Azam was hanged till death after a revolt by General Zia ul Haq, he had started working on Islamic idealogy, use of oil as a weapon, uniting Muslim world, development of Nuclear Program of Pakistan, logical conclusions?

(i) No matter how important a leader is, in Pakistan he can be hanged.
(ii) No matter how important internationally any leader is, he can be sentenced to death without taking care of any international pressure from brother muslim countries.
(iii) No matter how important a leader might be for Pakistan in long term, he can be sacked anytime.

(Nothing happened to so called civil society of Pakistan)

2. Musharaf openly staged a coup against elected Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr Nawaz Shareef, exiled him, he was even man handled. What were logical conclusions?

(i) There is no worth of opinion of people.
(ii) Even an elected Prime Minister is inferior to a General
(iii) Might is right, that is the only criterion to be followed in Pakistan.

(Nothing happened to so called civil society of Pakistan)

3. Pakistan took the most critical U-Turn of its history by deciding to support USA against Afgahnistan. What were outcomes?

(i) Concept of Islamic Brotherhood, Nishat e Sania.
(ii) Left radical Ismaic Militants whom our own forces and government along with US government have been supporting.
(iii) Gave United States the chance to sit in our neighbour and interference in our matters which can de-stabilize Pakistan anytime.

(Nothing happened to so called Civil Society of Pakistan)

4. Next most crucial step was U-Turn on Kashmir Policy, what were outcomes?

(i) Literally betrayed Kashmiri freedom fighters.
(ii) Stopped all sort of moral and diplomatic support even to those people who were fighting for us.
(iii) Bowed in front of India the most emotional stand point for people of Pakistan

(Nothing happened to so called civil society of Pakistan)

5. I believe imposing emergency, enforcing PCO, sacking judges is not worse than complete abolishment of constitution of Pakistam, hanging a leader to death, forcing a popular leader to exile, leaving concept of Islamic brotherhood, leaving stance on Kashmiri struggle, helping US in killing afghanis

Where from has civil society of Pakistan emerged suddenly?

What a revolution!
Within rule of a military ruler we matured so much as a nation that we were able to produce a civil society of our own, which can influence decisions of power players?

Hats off to all those who think some civil society indeed exists in Pakistan, if it does credit has to be given to Musharaf and his government, the mile-stone which no democratic or dictator leader we able to give to people of Pakistan, that was achieved in rule of General Musharaf.

Please open your eyes, dont be part of a mob being funded and motivated by people with some vested interests. Where from all these banners, slogans, media coverage, reports coming?? I didnt see anyone gathering funds for such activities.

Even now if conditions change and US starts needing Musharaf again, there will absolutely no civil society in Pakistan again.

Please read these lines again

4. I believe imposing emergency, enforcing PCO, sacking judges is not worse than complete abolishment of constitution of Pakistam, hanging a leader to death, forcing a popular leader to exile, leaving concept of Islamic brotherhood, leaving stance on Kashmiri struggle, helping United States in killing afghanis.

Where from has civil society of Pakistan emerged suddenly?

Regards

Posted by: Waqar Ahmed on November 29, 2007 01:24 PM

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