Several activists of civil society (HRCP, Aurat Foundation, WAF) and journalists gathered outside Karachi Press Club today with placards and banners and staged a demonstration against Emergency / Martial Law / Military Rule today on November 26, 2007 at about 04:00 pm.
The demonstrators chanted slogans against General Musharraf and strongly demanded that: Continue reading
Karachi, November 26: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) strongly condemns police brutality on a peaceful demonstration of Awami Tehreek protesting against the Emergency at the civil courts building premises in Hyderabad on Friday, the 23rd of November.
It was shocking to note that, violating all norms of decency, male policemen lifted women and threw them into the prison vans. Police also baton-charged children and male activists and arrested more than 60 activists of Awami Tehreek, including 10 children and 25 women.
HRCP holds the provincial authorities fully responsible for the brutal police action, particularly against women and children, who were peacefully protesting against the imposition of emergency in Pakistan.
Under the present regime, harassment, victimization, disappearances (abduction by the authorities), murder, attempted murder or attacks on the life and properties of the political leaders and workers, journalists, lawyers, human right activists are continuing with impunity, in shocking numbers. Continue reading
Update: Over the weekend, Muneer Malik was shifted to PIMS hospital, Islamabad, following severe deterioration of his health and negligence on the part of Jail authorities, resulting in renal failure. He is now stable but still needs critical medical attention and treatment.
Interview of Malik by DAWN News on Nov 25, 2007
Lahore, November 23: Expressing serious concern at Mr. Muneer Malik’s illness in jail and the hardships being caused to superior court judges and their families under unlawful and unacknowledged detention, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called for immediate lifting of bar to judges’ and lawyers’ liberty. Continue reading
Lahore, November 23: Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is shocked and grieved at the killing of Ballach Marri. Whatever anybody may have had against the slain Baloch leader and whatever the circumstances of his liquidation the incident is likely to increase the Balochistan people’s alienation from the state. What is needed now is not merely a thorough probe to determine the truth about the most regrettable happening, it is time reliance on force as the sole means of securing peace and tranquillity in Balochistan was given up.
Hina Jilani
Vice-Chairperson
Wajihuddin Ahmed, a former justice, and allies raised victory signs after a brief confrontation Wednesday in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Max Becherer/Polaris, for The New York Times
An excerpt from NYtimes article “Did Pakistan Ease Rule? A Little Test Says No”
ISLAMABAD – One of Pakistan’s most distinguished jurists and a dissident lawyer approached a police cordon on Wednesday in a residential quarter here, and demonstrated in no time that even though the government claims it is taking steps to ease emergency rule, it remains firmly in place.
The government had broadcast news that the dismissed chief justice of the Supreme Court, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, under house arrest since de facto martial law was declared more than two weeks ago, was now free to move around.
So Wajihuddin Ahmed, a former Supreme Court justice, and a younger lawyer, Athar Minallah, accompanied by a large group of the legal fraternity, turned up at noon where Mr. Chaudhry lives. Continue reading
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