Peaceful Anti-War Protestors, Harrassed & Arrested

People’s Resistance, a civil society coalition of students, professional and ordinary citizens strongly condemns police violence and arrest of peaceful anti-war protestors in Quaidabad, Karachi today, on grounds that the right to peaceful dissent has been violated.

The march had been organized by The Jang Mukhalif Committee comprising several local groups that have been protesting this operation since August 2008. The committee included the Bajaur Committee of Peoples Resistance, Labor Party Pakistan, International Socialists, Swat Quami Ittehad, Anjumani-i-Buner, and many neighbourhood groups.

At 6:15pm a disproportionately large police force, several hundred in number, baton-charged the protestors and even the cart-pullers and other people present in Quaidabad and later near Gul Ahmed Chowrangi. Fifteen protestors were arrested and shifted to the Shah Latif Police Station and Quaidabad Police Chowki. Panic spread in the area.


Seven of the fifteen people – the exact number is unclear – were arrested from Quaidabad Chowk, in front of Hamid Hospital, and taken to Shah Latif Thana. After the arrests, the police lathi charged and dispersed the crowd. The vicious and prompt action has been videotaped. Rehana of International Socialists climbed into the policewagon as they were taking Ali Hassan, Riaz, Salaam, and others away. Later Adaner and Shaukat were picked up and taken to a Police Chowki, while they were only standing around. They were later brought to Shah Latif. Later, a few more people who were protesting the arrests were picked up from Gul Ahmed Chowrangi, and taken to a police station

The update from Tanvir who is at the Police Station is that they have issued FIRs under Sectioin 188 of the PPC. But they have also said the decision will be made by higher ups. It looks likely that they will be in the Police Station all night long. Shah Latif Thana is beyond Landhi, on the right, on Shahrah e Faisal a couple of kilometers past FAST Institute. There are reports that they may be moved to another police station during the night.

Those arrested include Dr. Riaz, Ali Hassan, Rehana Channar, Ali Leghari, ,Asim Jaan of International Socialists, Adaner, Shujaat Zaheer Khan and Salam of Labour Party of Pakistan, and Shoukat from Jang Mukhalif Committee. Rehana Channar was later released.

The protest was held to demand that the government halt its operation in Swat, Dir, Buner, and Waziristan. As the government tries to divert attention towards just relief efforts, the Committee presses that the war, the root cause of this immense human suffering, must be stopped. According to Sartaj of International Socialists, “the operation has resulted in the large scale expulsion of more than 2 million people from their homes. These people demand a peaceful return to their homes and lands and relief work will only provide them with temporary solutions.” Moreover, he states that there are no official counts of civilian deaths, estimated in the thousands, and there is absolutely no hope that these people will ever be compensated for their loss.

Salaam, a member of the committee, says that the Taliban, the target of this operation, will not be eliminated by military heavy handedness; if anything, the operation will exacerbate the presence of these militias which will regroup and find new recruits.

People Resistance strongly condemns the brutal suppression of Peaceful Dissent and violent harassment on ordinary Citizens on the part of the concerned authorities, and demands the Immediate Release of those arrested.


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Comments

8 responses to “Peaceful Anti-War Protestors, Harrassed & Arrested”

  1. jibran Avatar
    jibran

    ohhh these minorities!!!

    I wonder they still exist in Pakistan?

  2. jibran Avatar
    jibran

    http://www.jang.net/jm/5-31-2009/pic.asp?picname=

    Looks like our Masters have decided new orders for MQM, JSQM and others.

  3. Ali K.Chishti Avatar
    Ali K.Chishti

    Article 6 for the those who are against war! how could someone call for stopping operation at this time ?

  4. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Such are the people who confuse the rhetoric and the discourse of the country. How can anyone argue for the stopping of the operation?! A true example of the rising illiteracy of even the powerful.

  5. Anwar Avatar
    Anwar

    War is terrible – no body likes war but these protests in my view are deliberate provocations.

    It will be nice to have these guys head for the slums of Karachi and start doing some philanthropic work for social uplift instead of making noises….

  6. Great Idea Avatar
    Great Idea

    Anwar,

    great idea, how about Mustaf Kamal cut back some of the money he sends to Altaf Bhi (40,000 pound sterling per month) and spend this money to uplift areas like Lalookhet, Bandhani Colony, Shah Faisal Colony, or Baldia town, ran-chor line, golimar, nazimabad, orangi town. Just to name a few.

  7. Faheem Mumtaz Avatar

    Every one should have fredom of speach.Its in our constitution and is our right.

  8. Arshad khan Avatar
    Arshad khan

    these suckers silence the voice of peace. They will pay. InshAllah.