Persuade PPP & PML to boycott Elections

Dear All,

Our campaign to contact the leaders of PPP and PML-N has been a great success. We would like to continue with your enthusiasm and continue to contact the leaders of PPP and PML-N telling them to boycott these elections without the restoration of the judiciary to pre-Nov 3 position. APDM is meeting in a few hours and we would like you to continue calling, smsing and emailing them. SMS are VERY effective in particular. Please contact these people ASAP so they know that you are not going to support elections unless the judiciary is restored.

This call is being made on Honorable Chief Justice Chaudhry Iftikhar who has urged the whole nation to boycott these elections (for details read:
http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2007/11/ousted-pakistan-cj-calls-for-election.php )

PML-N

Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq
051-2823475

Makhdoom Javed Hashmi
0300-9630740
92-61511553

Muhammad Ali Khan Hoti
0937-862049 (off)
0937-863159 (R)

Mr. Saranjam Zamindar
0300-9591094
091-824444-824222
051-2280033
0303-6902811
0931-66666-63333
0931-64444

Begum Tehmina
042-5725894-5721780
03008465139
0693-648000

Syed Zafar Ali Shah
0333-5202949
051-2872299
0320-4502949

Ahsan Iqbal
051-2213017
0300-5012345
051-4860059
051-4860058 (fax)

Muhammad Pervez Malik
0300-8440280
9221577 (lodges)
9207477 (279)
042-5878201
042-5878202
042-5710332 (o)
042-5710333 (o)

Iqbal Zafar Jhagra
091-262675-263336
0300-9590653
0300-8595225
091-2651234

Ch. Mohammad Jafar Iqbal
051-2856501 R
051-2651000 (O)
0300-8678844

Khawaja Muhammad Asif
051-2262478
042-5720478
0432-261478-262478
0300-8440640

Sardar Rahim
0333-2200696
021-5896589
021-5380212

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
051-2823035
0300-9501569

Raja Ashfaq Sarwar
051-2296982
0300-8501313

Khurram Dastgir Khan
055-257935
055-3845465
0300-8643864
0300-6402926

Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan
051-2872046
0992-382323
0300-8505510
0300-5006061
0593-558222

Ch. Nisar Ali Khan
051-4413535
051-5794229

Ghulam Dastgir Khan
051-2250020-1
0300/8641479
0431-710721

Ch. Abdul Ghafoor
042-5883179-5855740
051-111888333

Begum Najma Hameed
051-4411995
0300-5117531

Safdar Rehman
051-9208555
041-545888
03008662444

Sartaj Aziz
051-2281593

Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa
042-5730988
0641-462000-465000
0300-8451217

Khawaja Saad Rafique
042-6653286-6653386
0300/9455669

Syed Ghous Ali Shah
021-5841606-5855591

Pir Sabir Shah
091-814446
0995-661250
0300-8594557

Iqbal Zafar Jhagra
091-262675-263336
0300-9590653
0300-8595225

Sardar Yaqoob Khan Nasir
051-2275891
081-834118
0300-2122300

Syed Zafar Ali Shah
051-2872299
03204502949

Begum Ishrat Ashraf
051-2279944

Raja Nadir Pervez Khan
051-5571484-5
0300-6608644

Khawaja Saad Rafique
03009455669
042-5894666
042-7658457
--------------------------

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PPP


Ms Sherry Rehman
Information Secretary
49-Old Clifton, Karachi051-9224129, 021-5834663-4, 0300-8222881,
Personal Mobile: 0300-5001420 E-mail:
centralinformationsecretary@gmail.com

Mr. Babar Awan
Treasurer
27-E, Ali Plaza, Blue Area, Islamabad. 051-2823778,
2276540,0320-4265000, Personal Mobile: 0300-5000161 E-mail:
drbabarawan@hotmail.com

Mr. Farhatullah Babar
Assistant to Mohtarma
Personal Mobile 0300-8552543

Senator Mohammad Enver Baig
House No. 5, Street 55, F-7/4, Islamabad Tel: 2206778, Mobile:
0300-8542308; Fax: 2201107
E-mail: manpower@isb.apollo.net.pkmebaig@hotmail.com

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
Chairperson
H. No. 8, St. 19, F-8/2, Islamabad. 051-2282781, 2255264, Fax
2282741Personal Mobile (old number) 0300-5000001 (might not be
available onthis but her secretary Awan will probably be.)E-mail:
ppp@comsats.net.pk

Makhdoom Amin Fahim
Vice Chairman
11-A, 2nd Sun Set Street, DHA, Karachi, 021-5842140, 0228-31199,
051-2840588,0300-9221234 E-mail: csppp@comsats.net.pk

Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani
Vice Chairman
Gilani House, Ghaus-al-Azam Road, Multan, 155-B, Phase-I, Defence,
Lahore061-542424, 0300-8448141, 8730662; 042-5723234.E-mail :
makhdoomyrgillani@hotmail.com

Mr. Jehangir Bader
Secretary General
140/107 Karim Block, Allama Iqbal Town, Lahore.
042-5414990-1,0300-8470402; 051-2276014, Fax 051-2276016. E-mail:
bader@brain.net.pk

Mian Raza Rabbani
Deputy Secretary General
H. No. 14/II, St. 31, Phase-V, Ext. DHA, Karachi:021-5865841-2,
0300-9291624, 051-9223854. E-mail: rrabbani@cyber.net.pk

Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi
Deputy Secretary General and President PPP Punjab
H. No.445, Bab-ul-Quresh, Muhallah Daulat Gate, Multan061-4514666,
042-5712289, 0300-8634453, E-mail: smhq148@hotmail.com

Mr. Sajjad Bokhari
Deputy Information Secretary
8 - Davis Road, LahoreTele: 042-63714559, 0300-8446754, E-mail:
pppintl@lhr.paknet.com.pk

Mr. Babar Awan
Treasurer
27-E, Ali Plaza, Blue Area, Islamabad. 051-2823778,
2276540,0320-4265000 Personal Mobile: 0300-5000141E-mail:
drbabarawan@hotmail.com

Central Secretariat Pakistan Peoples Party
House No. 1, Street 85, Sector G-6/4, IslamabadE-mail:
csppp@comsats.net.pk Tel: (92-51) 2276014-5

Prominent lawyer tortured & poisoned in detention

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To support this appeal, and send automated letters click here:
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/support.php?ua=UA-331-2007
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that the physical condition and health of a prominent lawyer, Mr. Munir A. Malik, former president of the Supreme Court of Pakistan Bar Association, whom we reported to have traces of blood in his urine due to severe torture while in custody, continues to deteriorate. Mr. Malik told his physicians after regaining consciousness that his health worsened after he was forced to drink the juices and food rations given to him whom he believed could have contained poison. No action has been taken against those involved in arresting, detaining and torturing him. Though the government claimed they had already released him, the security forces deployed at the hospital admitted that this is not the case.

CASE DETAILS:
In our previous appeal UP-150-2007, the AHRC has mentioned that Mr. Munir A. Malik was taken to a government hospital after he fainted. Traces of blood were found in his urine after the severe beatings he suffered while in detention at the Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi and subsequently in Attock Jail, a remote jail in a mountainous area in the north western frontier province.

Mr. Malik had been kept incommunicado detention for a week while being held at the Attock Jail. His cell measures just four feet wide and five feet high which makes it extremely difficult if not impossible for him to move comfortably. He was taken out shortly only once in a day to breathe some fresh air. At day time, his detention cell was completely dark but at night a powerful bulb was put on, therefore making it extremely difficult for him to sleep. He was not allowed any visitors to ascertain his condition inside the jail following his arrest, particularly his family.

In one instance, the superintendent of the Attock jail, told Mr. Malik soon after he was taken in detention that he was the first victim of Chief Justice Choudhry. This superintendent told him that he would take revenge against all those persons who had worked to restore the ousted Chief Justice.

Only after Mr. Malik's urine started to emit traces of blood was he taken to a government hospital for treatment. But despite having not recovered fully, after few days of being at the hospital he was again taken back to the Attock Jail.

On November 22, Mr. Malik was taken to the Islamabad, PIMS hospital (Pakistan Institute of Science Management) but his condition has since worsened. This time, he was admitted to the hospital's Intensive Care Institute (ICU) after the physicians examining him discovered the severity of his condition. However, despite these findings by his physicians, the policemen who took him to the hospital at first refused to admit him for immediate treatment.

But after the alarming news of his condition spread out, the authorities withdrew the policemen deployed outside the ICU where Mr. Malik was finally admitted. When Mr. Malik regained consciousness he told his physicians that while he was in jail the jail authorities gave him liquid to drink, or juice, as he was told, forcing him to take them. It happened after he was taken back to jail from the hospital. Mr. Malik told the doctors that the drink and food ration that the jail officers have given him might have contain poison. While in detention, the jail guard also deprived him of any regular medication. Since then his condition continues to deteriorate.

The medical examination performed on Mr. Malik disclosed that both his kidneys and liver are no longer functioning properly and that his urine continues to emit traces of blood. He has now received dialysis twice in order for him to gain immediate relief from his condition. On November 25, the physicians examining Mr. Malik informed him that the next two days would be critical.

The government has already claimed it already released Mr. Malik from detention following pressure by the legal community. However, security forces attached to the government's anti-terrorist squad have not been pulled out from the hospital where he is admitted. In Pakistan, this squad is reported to have more power than the police.

Mr. Malik is reported to be one of the lawyers known to have suffered brutal and inhumane treatment following their arrest on November 3 after the emergency rule was imposed.

Another prominent lawyer, Mr. Ali Hamed Kurd and a retired justice, Mr. Tariq Mehmood, who were at the forefront of lawyer's movement, have also not been released. Mr. Kurd is the former President of the Pakistan Bar Council while Mr. Mehmood was also a former president of Supreme Court Bar Association. They are reported to have been kept incommunicado detention in different jails but their present condition could not be ascertained. Mr. Ali Ahmed Kurd was reported to have been tortured by the security forces who took him into custody, the Inter Service Intelligence Agency, known as the I.S.I.

Furthermore, as mentioned in our previous appeal UP-153-2007, several days after Mr. Syed Hassan Tariq, a prominent human rights lawyer was arrested on November 8 and also tortured by the security forces. He was also taken to a hospital due to serious injuries. Mr. Tariq has suffered internal bleeding to his lungs and two ribs were fractured. He also had marks of beatings on his back. His physician said that his condition was severe.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Mr. Munir A. Malik is the key person who started the movement for the restoration of Mr. Ifekhar Choudhry, Chief Justice of Pakistan, who was suspended on March 9 by General Pervez Musharraf. The government of President Musharraf has since been dismissive of him. In October 2006, when Mr. Malik was elected as president of the Supreme Court of Bar Association (SCBA), the government refused to acknowledge his leadership.

Mr. Malik's election to the bar association was also challenged by Mr. Malik Qayyum, the present Attorney General. In refusing to acknowledge his leadership, the government appointed Mr. Qayyum as the SCBA's parallel president which led to the division in the bar association. However, Mr. Malik challenged Mr. Qayyum's legitimacy. He was later acknowledged by the bench of Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Chowdhry, as the duly elected president of the SCBA.

In the past few days, the government has announced that it has released thousand of detainees, including lawyers, judges, journalist, political activist, human rights workers and others. However, it is reported that over 1,000 lawyers have remained in jail. The names, place of detention and reasons as to why they are continuously detained have not been made public by the government.

In the press release the issued by the AHRC AHRC-PL-051-2007, serious concerns were raised with regard to the great risk that persons remaining in jail face of being tortured, maltreated, killed or disappeared, unless they are fully accounted for and their families are allowed access to visit them to ascertain their condition. The government has continuously failed to provide basic information regarding the condition of these detainees, particularly their names and their places of detention. It is extremely difficult to ascertain the exact number of person in jail and those who could have disappeared because of this condition.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the concerned authorities below requesting their immediate intervention to ensure that remedies are afforded to Mr. Munir Malik. Action must be taken against those responsible in arresting, detaining and torturing him in custody. Please also urge that immediate action must be taken to ensure that those who remained in detention are properly treated and that they are released without further delay. The AHRC is also writing a separate letter to United Nations Special Rapporteurs on Torture and Independence of Judges and Lawyers for their intervention in this case.

To support this appeal, and send automated letters click here:
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/support.php?ua=UA-331-2007




PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. General Pervez Musharraf
President
President's Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 1422, 4768/ 920 1893 or 1835
Email: (please see-> http://www.presidentofpakistan.gov.pk/WTPresidentMessage.aspx)

2. Mr. Afzal Haider
Minister of Law, Justice and Human Rights
S Block Pakistan Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 920 2628
Email: minister@molaw.gov.pk

3. Federal Minister of Interior
Room#404, 4th Floor, R Block,
Pak Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: + 92 51 9212026
Fax: + 92 51 9202624
Email: minister@interior.gov.pk

4. Secretary
(Criminal Prosecution) SGA &CD Department
Government of Sindh
Sindh Secretariat,
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 21 9213327-6
Fax: +92 21 9213873
Email: secy.cpsd@sindh.gov.pk

5. Dr. Faqir Hussain
Registrar
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Supreme Court Building
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 51 9213770
Fax: +92 51 9213452
E-mail: registrar@supremecourt.gov.pk

Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission ( ua@ahrchk.org)

To support this appeal, and send automated letters click here:
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/support.php?ua=UA-331-2007

Poetry: Ae Watan ke Nasheelay Jawano

Political debate banned in colleges

The federal government on Tuesday imposed a ban on open debate on media curbs, suspension of judges and emergency in all colleges and universities in the country.

Well-placed sources said students of various universities and colleges in Islamabad, had been strongly protesting against emergency rule, curbs on the media and suspension of judges, for the last few days to express solidarity with the electronic media.

Taking notice of the situation, the federal government has banned debate in all colleges and universities and warned of strict action against violators.

Students, civil society activists and others have been continuously protesting against the imposition of emergency for the last 12 days.�Online

Countrywide media protests against curbs, torture

Journalists throughout Pakistan on Wednesday protested against the recent media curbs, the closure of television news channels and arrests and torture of journalists in Karachi, Hyderabad and other areas of the country and called for a free media.

http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=82220

Imran Khan Released from Prison

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Hunger-striking cricket legend and PTI Chief Imran Khan has been released from prison on Wednesday Nov 21, 2007

Khan was detained last week while trying to lead a protest in at Punjab University, Lahore against a state of emergency imposed by President Pervez Musharraf. He began a hunger strike on Monday.

Meanwhile, his student supporters staged a massive rally in his support. The video of the rally can be seen below.

Bloggers Fight Pakistan Emergency

Here are some news items recently published discussing the shift in technology usage by protesters against Gen Musharraf and his "emergency".

• Facebookers, bloggers fight Pakistan emergency
  


• With news banned from TV, Pakistanis find it on the Web


• Pakistan students fight emergency

Beginning of Something Different

It was a typical march afternoon in Islamabad. A few of us friends had gathered at a local popular restaurant for our lunch. We were a mixed lot. With education degrees from abroad and working for the development, private and government sectors, we were pondering on the future of the country. Just recently, the chief justice, Chaudhary Iftikhar had been deposed from his position by Gen Musharraf and there seemed an instant uprising by the lawyers.

As it is, I had the most pessimistic view among them. I believed, at that time, that Musharraf is powerful enough and will prevail over the agitators who will be locked up before the end of the month. However, my friends, especially those hailing from the government sectors, had a completely different point of view. They believed, and rightly so, that if lawyers prevailed and if the courts turned the ruling in favor of the Chief Justice, it will be the beginning of something different.

A few weeks later, with Chief Justice rallying the whole nation behind him, the first of the many TV censorships were imposed in the country by the military regime. The rallies that Chaudhary Iftikhar led in various cities of Pakistan were composed of thousands of supporters who came to greet and meet the person who had decided to stand up to Musharraf. These rallies, were sadly, banned altogether from live TV coverage. The noose on the media was beginning to tighten signalling once again the weakness of the government. In the midst of all this, the Chief Justice's rally in Karachi was met by Musharraf's supporters, aka MQM. And before the end of the day, 28 innocent people lay dead on the streets of Karachi. Once again, the message was clear. Support Musharraf or die. A few weeks later, bomb blast in Islamabad was to further flay the movement. But it had no effect on millions of people from standing up. Nor did the arrest of hundreds of lawyers nationwide who were supporting justice over dictatorship. It seemed that the masses had been mobilized and no ban, bomb or murders could stop this movement from spreading now.

It truly seemed the beginning of something different.

In the middle of all this, another tragic incident stirred the nerves of many in the country. The Lal Masjid debacle. That fateful day, when the incident began, I was in the neighborhood of the ill fated mosque. Rather, when I went to a nearby building for a meeting, everything seemed normal. But when I came out, a few hours later, the whole area was deserted. The shops that were buzzing with customers now had shutters down. The only activity on the street were Police vehicles. I had to walk quite a distance before I could find transport to take me away. All the while, that I walked through the area, I was worried if a stray bullet would pierce me from somewhere or some agitated mob might begin ransacking the area. Fortunately, I escaped to safety in good time.

The siege of the mosque lasted a while and it was telecast live on almost all televisions, including CNN and BBC. We even got a chance to hear the story of those inside the mosque through Geo, ARY and other local TV stations. At the same time, we listened to the daily press briefings by the government (initially) and later by the military which were never really telling us the real story. The heart of Islamabad shook with the bombs and rocket fires for weeks as the two sides fought it out to the grim end. The siege finally ended with the military might triumphaning over the hapless teenagers and defenseless females being massacared by army's automatic weapons and gun ship helicopters. A few who did have weapons within the mosque fared even worse, as they were hunted down and killed off one by one. Almost instantly, there was a change. While the government of Musharraf and military declared complete success in "Operation Silence", their compounds came under severe attacks from the forces that were loyal to Taliban. For the first time, it seemed, that Taliban had declared an all out war against the men in uniform. Never had the army been under siege from its own people.

It truly seemed the beginning of something different.

But the worst was yet to come. Chaudhary Iftikhar was not only reinstated by the subsequent court ruling in his favor, but he began questioning every single decision that the military dictator and his regime was making within the country. This brought us to where we are today. The emergency was declared, and all semblance of democracy and people power was taken away. Media was not only censored, but GEO and ARY were initially banned and later shut down for good. Thousands of protesters, including politicians, lawyers, students, intellectuals and human rights activists were rounded up and locked up into prisons. Musharraf once again made it very clear to his subjects. Stand up against me and you will perish. The masses got the message. They are beginning to stand up and had one goal in mind; "Perish Musharraf"

The movement today is a million strong. It encompasses students from high school and leading colleges and universities of the country. It includes, lawyers, businessmen and even women from all walks of life. It includes religious right and even Benazir Bhutto's pro Musharraf party. In short, it is no longer a movement led by any political party, but a movement led by the educated and elite class of people against the military regime of General Pervaiz Musharraf.

And in the end, it is truly the beginning of something different. It is definitely the birth of a revolution. One for which the country has waited 60 long years.

We Must Stand Up

“We are a nation by every definition of the word nation” Mohmmad Ali Jinnah. It is time that we make this assertion made by the founder of Pakistan true. Quaid-e-Azam promised us Pakistan and we promised him undying loyalty and sincerity to the state of Pakistan. We must ask ourselves have we honored our promise. Have we fulfilled our part of the bargain? First they attacked democracy, then they attacked the judiciary and now they have stripped us of our basic rights. They have silenced the cries of the oppressed, the people of Pakistan. Are we still going to let the autocrats dictate their will?

Success of every nation stems from a free and healthy judicial system, which is independent of the executive. The Chief Justice of Pakistan along with other seven judges of the Supreme Court have been placed under house arrest for an indefinite period of time. The Chief Justice who never ignored the voice of the oppressed no matter what class of society they belonged to. The man who gave people the hope to strive and live, whom the poor man thinks of as his savior is being held like a captive. Does any one of us have any hope of justice anymore? The bigger question is, will we finally standup for our future, for the tomorrow of Pakistan.

The issue is not of one institution or one man anymore, the issue is of a country. The issue is, are we ready to be a nation. The issue is will we pay our allegiance to the flag of Pakistan. We have waited 60 long years for a leader to show us the path to a stable Pakistan. We yet have not come across one. Is it not time that we join hands as a nation and take this country forward. Till when we will deprive the future generations their right to live under the rule of law.

“The constitution of a country, is not merely a lawyer’s document, but is in fact the vehicle of a nation’s life” Woodrow Wilson. I appeal to the general public to realize that the limb which General Pervaiz Mushraff is amputating is the very soul of Pakistan. We must put an end to the rule of one man and instead strive for a Pakistan which Allama Iqbal envisioned, the Pakistan of Quaid-e-Azam, which is based on the principles of social justice and democracy. We must save the country for which our ancestors gave their lives; the country which was an ideology must now be turned in to a reality.

Barrister Z.F.Sivia

Black & White Revolution

Here are two videos supporting democracy in Pakistan. This is another effort by ordinary Pakistanis who are concerned about the "emergency" in Pakistan. Another reason for the nation to stand by their brethren in beating back the army into barracks.

Black & White Revolution - video 1


Black & White Revolution - video 2

Video: Bol Ke Lab Azad Hain Tere

A wonderful piece of video put together by BoltaPakistan.com folks.

It is time for Civilian Rule

Until recently I was also apolitical along with most Pakistanis who want to be left alone to chase whatever they want be it money or birds (unsuccessful on both counts in my case).

While in Pakistan itself for a number of years there have been two important interest groups

• Those that want to see a civilian government
• A similar sized minority that love military rule believing that authoritarian figures are needed to keep Pak intact
  

In the last year, however, all Pakistanis are being forced to decide which camp they belong to.

This has been due to General Musharraf's political oafishness and lack of common touch which has given the former renewed vigor to agitate for his removal.

The three main catalysts have been

1. The inevitable blow back from doing Bush's dirty work in Waziristan which has tarnished the image of the army generally
2. Failure to blow some life into Pakistani politics by measures such as secret leadership ballots to get new party leaders
3. His taking on of the judiciary has united the different political opposition to military rule where Bush and the Taliban failed to

In so many ways good old Musharraf was so much better than the previous generals - particularly his crisis management job between 1999 and 2003 in very trying circumstances when Pakistan's name was mud internationally.

But he has sown the seeds for his his own downfall by his lack of respect for the judiciary - this was what allowed Aitzaz Ahsan to turn a stuffy figure like Iftikhar Chaudry into a national hero.

Worse still he has appeared to the public as a pathetic rascal who would do anything to keep his presidency - even to do a deal with the crook Benazir (as proven in Swiss courts, however, much she may bleat and appeal) - to again weaken the opposition at the next elections.

His persona from this decision changed to a power drunk autocrat - one that wants to be in power for power's sake - however much he may say that the easiest thing would be for him to leave to be with his beloved Bilal in America.

The momentum that the Chief Justice generated was such that he became more powerful than the President himself - to keep his job the general had to even dismay his Western partners by sacking the Supreme Court.

Personally I think Aitzaz Ahsan and the judiciary went too far in that they were going to declare Musharraf's presidency invalid on the basis that he still had his uniform on at the time of the vote. I think that the opposition should have tried to win the election and given the general a dignified retirement in a few years in the interests of national reconciliation.

But I guess they are all gambling that Mush is losing support by the day even within the army and also want to get their own back on him for the way he has treated them.

While BiBi is having to join in on the bandwagon now that she is finally cottoning onto the fact that the general is sinking.

In the midst of these upheavals I have come to the decision that civilian rule must be Paksitan's political direction. It is the only way that personalities and egos are to be kept in check and that priority will be given to the wants and needs of the Paksitani public.

-- Hamza Anwar (Manchester, UK)

Frost Over The World - Jemima Khan

Sir David Frost talks to Jemima Khan about the arrest and detention of her former husband, politician and former cricketer Imran Khan. Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera's senior political analyst, also joins the show to discuss the first year of Al Jazeera English.

Musharraf: November 3 Step was Illegal

On Friday, BBC aired an interview that President Musharraf gave on the BBC. It was quite an astonishing interview and truly thought provoking. At one point he said quite openly,

"Have I done anything constitutionally illegal? Yes, I did it on 3 November," he said, referring to his imposition of emergency rule.

Can someone elaborate on this? Was that a slip of a tongue? Or did he actually mean it? If this step on Nov 3 was illegal (in his own words) then he broke the law and should be tried accordingly.

Here is the text of the interview.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7099567.stm

Video of the Interview on BBC website

Crisis in Pakistan

This is a wonderful video produced by Geo on the current "emergency" imposed by the Gen. Pervaiz Musharraf in Pakistan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ByClR16oZY

Curbs on Media

A great place to find out the latest on what is going on with Curbs on media.

http://www.jang.com.pk/important_events/curbonmedia/

http://thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=32385

In one of the recent news item, Geo News has been banned worldwide by Pakistan government in collusion with UAE Emirates. Geo News had achieved the status of CNN news in Pakistan for its to the point and open coverage without bias. Unfortunately, that was too much for the military regime of General Pervaiz Musharraf.

Perils of Protesting against Musharraf

One can protest against the current emergency, but at their own peril. The Pakistani police under direct orders from the military regime will not spare any soul. Be it old men, females or even kids. Here in this short Geo video, we can see how some peaceful protesters, that included females, were mal-treated by the police in Barkat Market, Lahore, Pakistan.

High School Students Protest in Islamabad

While we all debate the merits and de-merits of Martial law regime, abeyance of constitution, and violation of human rights in the name of "emergency", students in the posh sectors of Islamabad (F-10/F-8) were baton charged by the police.

http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=80413

The students (most of them between 9-12 grade) were peacefully protesting against the "emergency" in the country. They were not only baton charged by the roit police but 48 of them were put in jail including a 12 year old kid.



The video was compiled using the many footages taken from cellphone cameras. The approximate different segments of the video (seperated by still pictures) are:

1. Students outside McDonald's
2. Students walking on the grassy path, NOT on the road. They were NOT disrupting traffic.
3. They only started removing the tapes from their mouths when the media or policemen came.
4. The students stopped to talk to the police.
5. First police officer, one in light blue clothes said, "Just stop here for a while, let the magistrate come.
6. The magistrate comes in, in white clothes, asking the students to return.
7. They all agree and start walking back singing the national anthem of Pakistan.
8. People traveling by also showed their support to us.
9. Reinforcements starting arriving. Riot police surrounded the students. Many others were on the way.
10. Students agreed to everything, even to being arrested.
11. The boys formed a circle around the girls so that they would be free from the indecencies our police is known to inflict.
12. The policemen stormed them, charged them with batons, hurled abuses and shoved 48 students into police van (Unfortunately we don't have footage of all of that as people were more concerned with saving themselves than filming it. Some media channels were there and they might have it).

e-Protest - Sign the Petition- 1,000,000 Target

While the media is banned and public gatherings are not allowed in Pakistan, we are planning a massive global "e-Protest" to raise our voice.

The petition will be sent to Embassies, United Nations, Human Rights Organizations, Politicians, Governments, Press and Media.

http://www.gopetition.com/online/15064.html

The number of signatures is increasing at double the speed of the minute clock! Sign this petition and send this link to every person you know through Facebook, Emails, Orkut, Friendster, Bebo and every social networking platform available. Our voice will be heard globally.

Alternative approaches to protests

This note is in reference to the current political crisis in Pakistan.

Blockaded route to the Presidency in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Protests internationally will only bring bad publicity to the cause. It will reinforce the idea that Pakistan is really “the most dangerous place in the world”. There needs to be a mechanism that we can get the word out without affecting the country's reputation. That is a tough ask, but still doable.

As professionals living in Pakistan and abroad, we should protest in mechanisms that can create the maximum impact with minimum effort and all being within the legal framework. Otherwise, there is no difference between us and the lawbreakers. We should also encourage non-Pakistanis to learn more about the country and recruit them to support our cause.

Therefore, we should be involved in activities that may assist in educating the common person that the actual issues that plague Pakistan, and emphasize that it suffers from inept and corrupt leadership. Here is what I would recommend one should do.

For those, who are too busy to take time out, can still participate by doing some of the following tasks.

Simple tasks that anyone can do, with no time available

• Join online groups on social networking websites


• Sign online petitions


• Spread the message among friends (Pakistanis and others)


• Talk positively about the crisis and ask for assistance from friends


• Write a blog about your experiences. Or if you do not have a blog, try writing a note in your facebook or something similar.


• Share your opinion (even one paragraph) on any popular website. So that others know that the cause has many supporters.

A bit more time for activities

• Call your local state representative in the congress Congress/Senate and ask what is their stance on the recent crisis in Pakistan?


• Ask them to raise and discuss this issue in congress.


• Ask them not to impose sanctions on the country as it will hurt the poor, rather impose sanctions on individuals who violate human rights.

Dedicated time for activities

• Initiate a physical gathering of like minded individuals who might have joined the electronic groups based on the cause.


• Speak about the issue in detail


• Educate the people concerned about the cause


• Come up with unique strategies to resolve the crisis


• Join organizations that work for the cause. Maybe, restoration of democracy.


• Get internationally recognized speakers to speak at your forum (Hoover institute at stanford, or JFK School of Govt at Harvard or something similar maybe)


In addition, one can always participate in protest marches and demonstrations taking place in your neighborhood.

Proclamation of Emergency

ISLAMABAD, Nov 3: Following is the text of the Proclamation of Emergency declared by Chief of the Army Staff Gen Pervez Musharraf on Saturday:

“WHEREAS there is visible ascendancy in the activities of extremists and incidents of terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings, IED explosions, rocket firing and bomb explosions and the banding together of some militant groups have taken such activities to an unprecedented level of violent intensity posing a grave threat to the life and property of the citizens of Pakistan;

WHEREAS there has also been a spate of attacks on state infrastructure and on law-enforcement agencies;

WHEREAS some members of the judiciary are working at cross purposes with the executive and legislature in the fight against terrorism and extremism, thereby weakening the government and the nation’s resolve and diluting the efficacy of its actions to control this menace;

WHEREAS there has been increasing interference by some members of the judiciary in government policy, adversely affecting economic growth, in particular;

WHEREAS constant interference in executive functions, including but not limited to the control of terrorist activity, economic policy, price controls, downsizing of corporations and urban planning, has weakened the writ of the government; the police force has been completely demoralized and is fast losing its efficacy to fight terrorism and intelligence agencies have been thwarted in their activities and prevented from pursuing terrorists;

WHEREAS some hard-core militants, extremists, terrorists and suicide bombers, who were arrested and being investigated, were ordered to be released. The persons so released have subsequently been involved in heinous terrorist activities, resulting in loss of human life and property. Militants across the country have, thus, been encouraged while law-enforcement agencies subdued;

WHEREAS some judges by overstepping the limits of judicial authority have taken over the executive and legislative functions;

WHEREAS the government is committed to the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law and holds the superior judiciary in high esteem, it is nonetheless of paramount importance that the honourable judges confine the scope of their activity to the judicial function and not assume charge of administration;

WHEREAS an important constitutional institution, the Supreme Judicial Council, has been made entirely irrelevant and non est by a recent order and judges have, thus, made themselves immune from inquiry into their conduct and put themselves beyond accountability;

WHEREAS the humiliating treatment meted to government officials by some members of the judiciary on a routine basis during court proceedings has demoralised the civil bureaucracy and senior government functionaries, to avoid being harassed, prefer inaction;

WHEREAS the law and order situation in the country as well as the economy have been adversely affected and trichotomy of powers eroded;

WHEREAS a situation has thus arisen where the government of the country cannot be carried on in accordance with the Constitution and as the Constitution provides no solution for this situation, there is no way out except through emergent and extraordinary measures;

AND WHEREAS the situation has been reviewed in meetings with the prime minister, governors of all four provinces, and with Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Chiefs of the Armed Forces, Vice-Chief of Army Staff and Corps Commanders of the Pakistan Army; NOW, THEREFORE, in pursuance of the deliberations and decisions of the said meetings, I, General Pervez Musharraf, Chief of the Army Staff, proclaim Emergency throughout Pakistan.

2. I, hereby, order and proclaim that the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan shall remain in abeyance.

This Proclamation shall come into force at once.”

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