Category: Human Rights

  • Protest at Karachi Press Club Against Civilians Killings by Army

    On Saturday April 10, 2010 Pakistan Army launched an air strike in tribal area of Khyber and as a result at least 73 innocent civilians have lost their lives. Pakistan Army’s first reaction was denial and only confirmed the civil casualties after 5 days. This is not the first time that the Army has been…

  • Lahore Dentist Kidnapped and Missing in UAE

    It has come as a serious shock to hear that Dr. Ayyaz Khan, the Head of Department at Sheikh Zaid Hospital’s Dental Department and a highly respected leader in Community Dentistry with a number of professional research papers to his name, has gone missing for the past few days. He was working as a consultant…

  • Reflections on the current crisis in Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa

    I’m currently working with an international organization in Mardan, Swabi, Swat, Buner and D.I. Khan– all conflict affected areas of Khyber-Pukhtoonkhwa (KP). I’ve literally been living in these areas since January this year and have tons of stories to share but time constraints have not allowed me to write about my experiences as yet. I…

  • US are Collateral Murderers in Iraq … and they wouldn’t do that in Pakistan, will they?

    Yesterday [April 5th 2010] WikiLeaks has released a classified US military video depicting the indiscriminate slaying of over a dozen people in the Iraqi suburb of New Baghdad — including two Reuters news staff. The video, shot from an Apache helicopter, clearly shows the unprovoked slaying of a wounded Reuters employee and his rescuers. Two…

  • Samar Minallah Responds to Fake Flogging Video

    Daily Times published today a detailed response by Samar Minallah on the fake flogging video she wraps up the article with some very touching words,” I will continue to challenge those who misuse Islam for power and politics. I will continue to raise my voice against individuals and political parties who use my religion to…

  • Faking a Flogging Video for Military Advancements?

    Almost a year back the political circus in Pakistan was up in arms at having watched a video of woman being flogged publicly. The video was released after verification by some human rights activists. Only recently The News carried a report claiming that this video was a fabrication and alleging that it was funded by…

  • DAWN Publishes a Picture of an Underage Rape Victim and Apologizes

    I do not know if any of you noticed yesterdays Dawn newspaper [27th March] page 4 – which showed a picture of a 17-year old [underage] Tharparker rape victim. Its possible many may be aware of her, a local political leader from Tharparker had gang raped her on 24th January and since then she has…

  • Aman Ittehad passes People’s Resolution on 23rd March in Lahore

    In a final concluding ceremony on the night of 22nd March and the early hours of 23rd March, Aman Ittehad hold a massive People’s Assembly in the Al-Hamra Auditorium Lahore to pass the final Peoples Resolution. This resolution comes from a consensus taken after conducting over 60 Peoples Assemblies across Pakistan to gather their ideas…

  • Am I Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution?

    We fail to participate in democratic processes while we recognize democracy as a utopian ideal form. We fail to contribute to the national kitty while demanding increasing state services. We can apply the same line of argument to other segments of society. We must recognize our own failures for allowing society to reach the state…

  • Pervaiz Hoodbhoy against Burqas in Universities?

    In a seminar on the “Education System in Pakistan: Lessons Learned and the Ways Forward” at the Islamic University in Islamabad Dr. Pervaiz Hoodbhoy made a very shocking and controversial statement to state that The News: “The culture of effective communication was diminishing in universities as the number of female students hiding their faces with…

  • Peoples Assembly – A Dialogue for Peace

    Date: 22nd March 2010 Location: The Second Floor, Karachi Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm RSVP: Peoples Assembly – A Dialogue for Peace (Facebook Event) Aman Ittehad is observing a Peace Week from 16-23 March 2010. During the week we propose to hold a series of public dialogues in each city across Pakistan called Peoples Assemblies where…

  • PC Workers Protest Rally – The Underlying Issues

    A large group activist gathered together in front of the Pearl Continental Hotel to show solidarity with the protesting workers who have been holed up in the PC basement for the past 23 days. Having supported this cause on mere humanitarian issue I feel there are two sides to every argument, but interestingly this protest…

  • PC Hotel Workers Strike – Day 21

    The protest by PC Workers continues in the basement of the Pearl Continental Hotel where over 150 union employees are holding fort asking three basic demands. Reinstatement of Four sacked employees (PC Four), The PC Management to recognize the union and third is to come to the negotiation table. It has been 21 days and…

  • Sahil Saeed’s Recovery – Spotlight should now Focus on Local Kidnapping Victims

    Along with most people, I was glad to hear that young Sahil Saaed had been safely recovered. What a relief! Finally some good news to lift our spirits! However, in the aftermath of Sahil’s rescue more questions are being raised. For one his kidnapping has shed light to the awful spectre of child kidnappings that…

  • PC Hotel Workers Strike update – 20 Days and counting

    There are only about 140 people left in the basement in their 20th day of protest at the PC. On Sunday evening about 30 to 40 went home due to sickness or some other emergent reason and were not allowed to return to the basement and in their astute attitude the PC management is not…