Labour Party Pakistan activists arrested and beaten up

Post by Farooq Tariq

Police in Karachi arrested today on 12 March three activists of Labour Party. Dozens of lawyers and other political activists were also arrested. They were part of the long march which started today this morning from Karachi after police failed to stop it. The march was stopped outside Karachi at Toll Plaza by police. All the participants were forcefully returned and those who resisted were arrested.

Here the police targeted Nasir Mansoor, national labour secretary Labour Party Pakistan and member of national executive committee of LPP. He was severally beaten up and his car was snatched. He was shifted to a hospital in an ambulance. Here, police arrested Shela Rezwan, LPP Sindh Committee member, Samina from Peoples Resistance and Sadiq and Khalid of LPP Karachi. Shela and Samina were released after hours but Sadiq and Khalid are still in police custody. Police also arrested the main leadership of the lawyer’s movement over here. Most of the television channel broadcasted the arrests and beating of Nasir.

LPP has announced two protest demonstrations on 13 March against this police repression and arrests. The Karachi demonstration will be at 3pm in front of Karachi Press Club and Lahore demonstration will be held in front of Lahore Press Club at 4pm. We request all the political and trade unions and social activists to join the demonstration.

Despite this repression, dozens of LPP activists are making their way now by train and private buses to Lahore and then onwards to Islamabad for the sit in. One comrade from Karachi has already arrived in Islamabad to take part in the sit in on 16 March.

It is worth mentioning that when lawyers came out of the Sindh High Court building to start the long march, LPP and Awami Tehreek, both part of the Awami Jamhoori Tehreek, were the only political parties with their red flags that were accompanying the lawyers.

Over 20 comrades from LPP, mainly women were able to reach the High Court building despite the closure of all the roads and heavy presence of police around the building.

Over 40 comrades of LPP are participating the long march which started from Quetta. The caravan started from Quetta was not stopped by Baluchistan government. It is now proceeding to Sukhar in Sind. It is reported that Sindh police will arrest all of them when they will enter Sindh.

Despite all the police repression, the lawyers long march will go-ahead. In Lahore, thousands of lawyers and political activists took out a rally despite all the police despotism.