:::: MENU ::::
Posts tagged with: Islamabad
Dec 21, 2007    |      1 comment

Aitzaz Ahsan Beaten & Detained – Vigils held in Karachi & Lahore

free-aitezaz-ahsan_smaller.jpgPosted on the Emergency Times mailing list and also on the People’s Resistance

Aitzaz Ahsan was picked up on the motorway enroute to Islamabad, beaten up, glasses broken and brought back to Lahore in a police bus. Is now suffering from bruises and fever.When he asked for a detention order, they shoved a gun in his face and said – This is your Order.

A number of Vigils took place across the country at 6:00pm on Eid Day. Lahore held a vigil outside Aitzaz Ahsan’s house at Zaman Park. Whilst People’s Resistance in Karachi staged a vociferous demonstration outside the Karachi Press Club condemning the ruthless attitude of the administration against Barrister Aitizaz Ahsan.

Dec 21, 2007    |      1 comment

Eid morning Police Action in Islamabad

Posted on the People’s Resistance network

Activists, mainly lawyers, gathered at the entrance to the judges colony at 7:30 this morning. The police had completely blocked the way to the Chief Justice’s residence with concrete blocks and barbed wires. The protesters gathered at the police barrier which happened to be at the entrance to the ministers’ enclave also. After the police refused to let them through into the judges colony, the protesters arranged an Eid congregation right there on the road, and offered prayers with Khutba and all.

Interestingly, some ministers emerged from their enclave to go for prayers, and found their way blocked by the protesters’ congregation. They pleaded hard for a passage, but did not get any. Apparently there is only one access to their enclave. Serves them right. They remained deprived of the opportunity to kiss the hands (?) of their benefactor.
Continue Reading

Dec 21, 2007    |      Comments Off on Chief Justice, Aitezaz & other Judges to offer Eid prayers at Faisal Mosque

Chief Justice, Aitezaz & other Judges to offer Eid prayers at Faisal Mosque

Posted on the Emergency Times website

The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, will offer Eid prayers at the Faisal Mosque, Islamabad, for which he has been granted ‘temporary’ release from his illegal imprisonment. The other Honorable Judges will accompany him as well. Fellow Pakistanis are urged to gather at 7.30am tomorrow at the barricade in front of the Frontier and Baluchistan House to honour our national heroes. Our great leaders Aitizaz Ahsan, Justice Tariq Mehmud and many others will also to accompany the CJP.

Dec 20, 2007    |       5 comments

Musharraf continues his rant ‘Former CJ was corrupt’

An article written by Javed Siddique in The Nation titled ‘Former CJ was corrupt‘ gives an interesting insight into how Musharraf believed that an elaborate conspiracy was being hatched to unseat him from the throne of the President of Pakistan. At first I wanted to leave the full contents of the article intact without any editing, but the more I read it, I get the urge to comment on each specific issue as my own rebuttal to all this hogwash. The rebuttal is being clearly demarcated in [italic parenthesis]

Article orginally written for The Nation by Javed Siddique titled ‘Former CJ was corrupt‘

President Pervez Musharraf has said that besides former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice (R) Khalilur Rehman Ramday, Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan and Nawaz Sharif were involved in the conspiracy to block his way to become a constitutionally elected President. He said this while addressing the 18th Annual Banquet of the Pakistani American Public Affairs Committee (PAK-PAC) and its Board of Directors here [Islamabad] at a local hotel on Wednesday. President Musharraf claimed that Justice (R) Ramday and Aitzaz Ahsan held meeting in Geneva. “Today I want to disclose as to what conspiracy was being hatched to sidetrack democracy. [Hallelujah, pray tell us *looking onwards with a twinkle in the eyes anticipating for some juicy gossip*] He alleged that Justice (R) Ifthikhar was at the centre of this conspiracy. […geez is that all you got for us!!!]
Continue Reading

Dec 20, 2007    |       21 comments

Jadoogar of Jeddah [aka Sharifuddin Pirzada], Dirty Business all Over Again

The New York Times just recently published an article titled ‘On Retainer in Pakistan, to Ease Military Rulers Path’ which looks into depth at the involvement of Mr. Sharifuddin Pirzada in helping General (retired) Prevaiz Musharraf in blatantly uprooting the constitution and enforcing a state of Emergency on November 3rd. This aged lawyer at 84 has been at the heart of quite a large number of political upheavals in Pakistan that one tends to get numbed with the thought as to how devilish this guy could actually get masterminding the the raping of the same constitution which he at one time upheld. It is no surprise that this counsel is oft referred to as the Jadoogar of Jeddah (The Magician if Jeddah) too many hidden skeletons that one cant even begin to start. Until this read his latest concoction served to the people of Pakistan

On Retainer in Pakistan, to Ease Military Rulers Path
By Jane Perlez Published at The New York Times

At 84, Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, mysterious, influential and scorned by Pakistans protesters, fixes things when military rulers take over here, scripting temporary charters and new oaths of office as constitutions are shredded and judges dismissed. Mr. Pirzada is the lawyer for President Pervez Musharraf, who turned to him when he decided he would get rid of a Supreme Court that was threatening to derail his re-election for a second term. By Mr. Pirzadas account, delivered as he sat on a brocade-covered couch in his living room, he met with Mr. Musharraf and his cabinet on Nov. 2, the day before martial law was imposed.
Continue Reading

Dec 19, 2007    |       16 comments

The New Face of (Controlled) Media – An Open Letter

An open letter written by Amna Piracha on the new face of controlled media under the PEMRA axe

Mr. Mujahid Barelvi

CNBC
Islamabad

Dear Mujahid,

CNBC PakistanMy encounter with you the other day left me disturbed. At first I thought I would let this pass but we are living through historic times and no matter who wins this battle in the short term, it is important that a record of sorts is kept.

I have known you as a friend but also as an independent journalist who stood up against a cruel dictator and a sordid hangman and therefore when you grilled me the other day and tried to push the direction of the discussion to wards the propagation of the view point of the current dictator and his immoral regime I was grieved both at the loss of respect that I have always shown you but more so at your transformation from a man of integrity and honor to a henchman of a distasteful, unpopular and illegitimate ruling clique. This kind of behavior one expects from a Nazeer Naji but at least I for one had not expected it of you.
Continue Reading

Dec 18, 2007    |       2 comments

Report on the Karachi Press Club protest

Report submitted by UZi on the People’s Resistance network on todays protest outside the Karachi Press Club

Around 60 people gathered outside the Karachi Press Club at 03:00 p.m. today to register their protests against the treatment meted out to the Students Action Committee (SAC) rally in Islamabad.

The demonstration was jointly organised by the Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party (CMKP) and the Labour Party of Pakistan (LPP). The call was endorsed by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), International Socialists Pakistan (ISPak), and Peoples Resistance (PR).
Continue Reading

Dec 18, 2007    |      Comments Off on Demonstration against Police and States Brutalities

Demonstration against Police and States Brutalities

Several activists of civil society (the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Peoples Resistance, Women Action Forum, Interntaional Socialists Karachi, Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party, Labour Party of Pakistan, Roots Foundation and others) gathered outside Karachi Press Club today with placards and banners and staged a demonstration against the large scale arrest, severe lathi charge, tear gas attack and unprecedented police brutality on a protest rally of students, civil society activists, lawyers and representatives of the media in Islamabad on Monday, the 17th of December 2007.

The demonstrators chanted slogans against:

  • Police and states brutalities against peaceful demonstrators in Islamabad yesterday
  • Parveez Musharraf and present military regime
  • Curb on print and electronic media
Dec 18, 2007    |      1 comment

Questions for Musharraf and Bush – By Aitzaz Ahsan

Article published in The Washington Post
By John F. Tierney and Aitzaz Ahsan

One of us chairs a House of Representatives subcommittee tasked with oversight of U.S. foreign policy, and one of us languishes under house arrest after transfer from a Pakistani jail for the “heinous” and “seditious” crime of representing, in legal proceedings, the sacked chief justice of Pakistan’s Supreme Court.

As members of the political opposition in our respective countries and as lawyers firmly committed to the rule of law, we have a few questions for our heads of state:

How will you address the increasing anti-Americanism in Pakistan in light of the growing, and not unjustified, perception among Pakistan’s democratic moderates that the United States is not willing to stand with the people of Pakistan against an increasingly authoritarian and anti-democratic government in Islamabad?
Continue Reading

Dec 18, 2007    |      Comments Off on Karachi Press Club protest today at 3:00PM

Karachi Press Club protest today at 3:00PM

Posted on the people’s Resistance mailing list

A joint demonstration has been organised for 03:00 p.m. tomorrow (December 18) outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC), to protest the State’s brutalities against the Students Action Committee (SAC) rally in Islamabad today.

While the protest has been called by the CMKP and the Labour Party of Pakistan (LPP), we appeal to Peoples Resistance, lawyers, students, journalists, labour unions — every citizen — to please join us there. A strong message has to be sent across to the State tomorrow: these atrocities will NOT stop us!
Continue Reading

Dec 18, 2007    |      1 comment

Islamabad Protestors Thrashed by Police – Report

Report on yesterdays Islamabad protest posted on the Emergency mailing list

I apologize for not being able to write more details or in better language. Have 2 fractured fingers and back got real bad thrashing. I am still amongst the luckier ones. We still don’t have details on the number but many got beaten up with cracked skulls, bleeding noses, and in broken bones. Many are still in jail and the whereabouts of a few are still unknown.

Our peaceful rally was once again stormed by the police. After being beaten up thrice by these policemen students had brought sticks for their own self defense. We were first charged at when we were trying to go to the CJ’s house to show solidarity. Due to the traffic on the street and our numbers (about 1000 protesters with 200 odd with flags) we retaliated and got the police running back.
Continue Reading

Dec 17, 2007    |       4 comments

Karachi Welcomes the non-PCO Judges – Report

A report sent into the People’s Resistance network by UZi giving a detailed and funny narration of the welcome by members of the civil society, judges, lawyers, PR activists, students, laborers and journalists on the arrival of Justice Rana Bhagwandas and Justice Ghulam Rabbani to Karachi from Islamabad

Karachi gave a rousing welcome today to Justice Rana Bhagwandas and Justice Ghulam Rabbani. The two judges were returning to Karachi for the first time since Martial Law (yes, Martial Law) was imposed in Pakistan on November 3, 2007. Justice Bhagwandas and Justice Rabbani are among those heroes who refused to take oath under the Provincial Constitutional Order (aka PCO, or in common parlance, bullshit, aka BS). They were placed under house arrest in Islamabad, and later deposed as a result of their principled stand.

Today’s reception was organized by Peoples Resistance (PR), a loose coalition of NGOs and concerned citizens in Karachi (I hate using the term “civil society”). Although this welcome was in no way comparable to that of BB’s on October 18 [sic], it did however send a very strong statement across to everyone concerned. “We will stand by our heroes, come what may,” today’s event said.
Continue Reading

Dec 14, 2007    |       32 comments

The NAB Diaries – Part One

Guest Post by Amer Nazir

Part Two of the ‘The NAB Diaries’ can be read here
Part Three of the ‘The NAB Diaries’ can be read here

My name is Amer Nazir. I live in exile in London. It is a forced exile. I left Pakistan as soon as NAB took my name off the Exit Control List after a period of three years. If I had not left, probably I would have also disappeared forever like my best friend Ahmed Shujaudin a leading architect.

God willing and the Teeth Maestro permitting, I intend to write about my journey from a modest middle-class background to one of the top IT entrepreneurs of Pakistan before I fell to the extent that I became homeless. Once a familiar face in the so-called corporate social circles in Karachi it came to a point where no one was willing to take my phone call after all, I was a NAB accused. I was never to be convicted but it did not matter. The logic was straight forward. If Shuja had been kidnapped then surely Shuja must have done something terrible to cause it or else at least deserve it…

The scope of these four narrations hopefully to be published during the next four weeks is to narrate a very brief account of my business journey, my labour of love, after a briefest possible introduction of myself, the major space will be given to my NAB experience, the actual inside account, and the behaviour and the attitude of our kings of the castle.
Continue Reading

Pages:‹1234567891011121314›