:::: MENU ::::
Posts tagged with: Lahore

The Youth Revolution in Pakistan

I share with you an email written by Masood Sharif Khan Khattak who discusses the youth revolution in Pakistan following the ordeal faced by a few young activists of Student Action Committee in Lahore

Assalam Alaikum All,

The younger generation of Pakistan gives me a lot of hope that all may not be lost as yet. I salute Raheem-ul-Haque and Saeeda Diep for their courage and conviction (READ THEIR ORDEAL). I salute every single one of you striving for Pakistan’s freedom.

While I am proud of every single one of you I am quite ashamed of the fact that my generation has more or less failed to provide the younger generation a Pakistan wherein instead of feeling the need of distributing fliers demanding freedom in all respects (which truly is a basic human right that need not be asked for in a civilised society but be ensured by the State on its own) you all should have been striving towards self improvement at this stage of your lives.

There should have been jobs out there for which you all should have been competing knowing that your connections in this haphazard society of ours is not going to improve your lot but your competency will.

My generation should have built a Pakistan for you all which should have been free of guns, drugs, bombs and fighting of all sorts so that all of you could have happily indulged in your career building rather than being beaten by robotic so called security guards and the police itself for trying to salvage Pakistan from going deeper down the pipe.
Continue Reading


With extreme prejudice?

A volunteer from the Student Action Committee writes on the SAC Lahore incident based on narratives by the SAC Lahore activist who were roughed up in Punjab College

On two consecutive days, 1st and 2nd February, the staff (security personnel as well as faculty members) of Punjab College, Muslim Town have tried to deny the rights of free speech and of free association of pro-democracy activists, and members of the Student Action Committee (SAC) Lahore – even going to the extent of brutal, un-restrained physical assault. In the face of this practical demonstration of the fascist attitudes nurtured in the so-called institutes of higher education that constitute the Punjab Group of Colleges, owned and run by the Nazim (Mayor) of Lahore, Mian Amir Mehmood, the activists have shown a remarkable degree of calm and fortitude, refusing to be provoked, and yet refusing to bow down to the dictates of the civilian collaborators of Army rule.

As already reported in some newspapers (e.g. Dawn), on Friday 1st February, Raheem-ul-Haque (adjunct faculty at Punjab University, former Project Manager at Techlogix) and Saeeda Diep (a veteran political, and not merely social, activist) were distributing flyers on the public side-lane in front of the two sections of the segregated Punjab College. The flyers, published by the Students Action Committee, laid out the basic demands of the Committee and also urged students to join hands with other sections of the public in a protest demonstration in Nasser Bagh on Saturday, the 2nd. The two activists were handing out flyers to all the students, boys and girls, consistent with their belief that information and debate are as much the right of women as of men. While Raheem was distributing some flyers outside the girls’ section of the college, he leaned over the chain at the exit and handed a few to some students standing there. He then continued distributing the pamphlets to other students as they left for home or arrived for class. It is important to note two things here: at no point did either Raheem or Diep trespass on the private property of the college, unless, of course, in his extraordinary legislative zeal, the President decides to declare into existence a new law against aerial trespassing, “Thou shalt not lean into, or otherwise violate the airspace of, another’s property”; not a single student had actually complained against the actions of the pro-democracy campaigners.
Continue Reading


SAC Lahore, exposes Punjab College & Caretaker Minister for Special Education

SAC Lahore held a press conference today at 1:00pm against the Punjab College and its administration for attacking their activists yesterday

The Students Action Committee (Lahore) held a short but vehement protest against the brutal assault by Punjab College’s establishment on four SAC representatives and a bystander driver.

Held outside the Press club today at 1 pm, students and sympathetic citizens stood, braving intermittent rain, raising slogans against the District Nazim Amir Mehmood and Principal Sohail Afzal, a minister for special education in the caretaker government.

They irate crowd chanted slogans against the current regime’s support for such barbaric officials, who not only relentlessly brutalized the five victims to the point of one of them losing consciousness but displayed complete disregard of the presence of police investigators at their campus Saturday evening.
Continue Reading


Justice Tariq Advised Physiotherapy & Surgery

It has been reported in Dawn that Justice Tariq has been advised physiotherapy for his ailing backche and swollen knees and with further investigation it reveled that he had a hair line fracture in his left knee

Doctors at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) here on Saturday advised physiotherapy to justice Tariq Mehmood (retired). He was accompanied by a magistrate and police personnel was brought from his residence to the hospital for his medical checkup, where doctors suggested physiotherapy to him for 10-15 days on daily basis, the sources said. They said Mr Mahmood had sever backache and swelling on his knees. After consulting the doctors, he left for his house, which has been declared a sub-jail since December 6.
Continue Reading



Report From Lahore: SAC Members brutally attacked at Punjab College

A detailed report of the incident that occurred today at Punjab College which involved the roughing up of activists of Student Action Committee. Published in the Emergency Times Blog – [llink]

Today, the true nature of the establishment was unleashed in full colours. As a sequel to yesterday’s assault against a PU teacher and an activist, both senior advisors for the Student Action Committee, by the Punjab College guards, today, the administration of the same university detained and brutally beat up four people, representative of the Student Action Committee (Lahore) including one female.

A Punjab University faculty member, a Fast faculty member, two students and a seasoned female activist returned outside Punjab College in the morning to distribute flyers amongst the students. While engaging with students, none were on college property but were maintaining a distance by remaining on the green belt next to the Canal Road.
Continue Reading


SAC Lahore activists thrashed again at Punjab College

SAC Lahore is reporting that a few of its activists in Punjab College, Lahore were rounded up by about 10 college members and given a severe thrashing. The SAC volunteers were the same people who were served up a thrashing a day earlier as well, Defying the oppression he showed up once again at the college to distribute leaflets for today’s rally at Nasir Bagh Lahore.

The SAC volunteers were rounded up in the presence of the Principle of the college (Mr. Sohail) who immediately called in thugs and had them beaten, after 15-20 minutes of thrashing they lead them into a room and resumed the assault to finally let release them after two hours of beatings. Upon their release they immediately went to the local police station who refused to register an FIR but instead the police were far more threatening towards them.

I am told that after some strong pressures the SAC has finally registered an FIR at Model Town Police Station in presence of SSP who is now leading the bunch to Punjab College to arrest the offenders. A show down is likely and updates to follow as the story develops

It must be remembered that Punjab College is controlled by activists of PML-Q (referred to as Qatil League [killer league]) and the college is owned by the Nazim Mian Amir.


SAC Lahore activsts beaten up & manhandled

Reported via the Emergency Times blog

In two separate incidents of brutality, typical of the oppressive nature of the regime and its partisan brute components, a member and an advisers of the Students Action Committee were harassed and beaten up.

Outside the Punjab University New Campus mosque, students Rafi ullah Awan, Yasir Abdul Haleem, M Azhar Imran were peacefully distributing flyers and posters about the 3rd February protest. Members of the Jamiat, and Islami Jamiat Tulba, IJT, recognizable by their badges, descended upon the three students, by force snatched the flyers, posters and ripped them apart. When Rafi ullah Awan produced more flyers, the members of the Jamiat grabbed the three students, took them aside and started pushing them around, while threatening them if they didn’t stop distributing the harmless flyers and posters. Out of the Jamiat, only Mr. Wajid from Sheikh Zaid Islamic Centre, PU could be identified by the SAC (LAHORE) students.

In a separate incident outside Punjab College no 6, SAC’s (Lahore) seasoned advisers; two activists were distributing 3rd February protest flyers and posters when a Punjab College guard stopped them. The male activist objected: he stated they were on a public footpath not the college’s property. The guard adopted a brutal attitude and slapped him around. The female activist who tried intervening was pushed by the guard. Upon the crowd’s intervention, the guard backed off.
Continue Reading


Aitizaz Ahsan Released

Aitzaz Ahsan FreedIt is being reported in Dawn that Aitzaz Ahsan has finally been released, Bushra his wife, is reported to have said that he was released late last night in Lahore “He’s very upbeat about life. He’s very happy. He has gone to Lahore High Court to address the bar.

Aitzaz Ahsan FreedAitzaz Ahsan, president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, was held at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi for nearly three weeks before being transferred to house arrest in Lahore. Iftikhar Chaudhry and other prominent lawyers still remain under house arrest.

I wish him all the best and hope that he can continue to muster support throughout the country to work in sending Musharraf back into the retirement barracks, once in for all


Aitzaz Ahsan Rearrested for One more month

free-aitezaz-ahsan_smaller.jpgPresident of Supreme Court Bar Association Aitzaz Ahsan came out of his home in Lahore on expiry of the date of his detention but was immediately placed under house arrest again after an order issued by Punjab Home Department.

“I have not made any breach of the detention orders, but according to the order my detention is now unlawful and unconstitutional, he said. “I have not been shown new written orders. The police officials said that the government has issued detention orders of the prominent lawyer, according to which his detention has been extended by one month


Chat with Cisco Country General Manager, Dr. Aamir Matin

Chat with Dr Amir MatinA few days back I had the opportunity to sit down for an hour long talk with Dr. Aamir Matin, the Cisco Country General Manager who had flown in from Islamabad to be in Karachi for a few days. The casual meeting was arranged through the efforts of Rabia Garib of Rasala Publications and editor of NetXpress Online who just wanted us to sit and talk about anything over a cup of coffee.

There were no questions, per se, but a casual conversation where we touched a number of issues related to the IT industry, the overall economy in Pakistan and at the same time we did also touch the political nerve somewhere in between. It goes without doubt that Dr. Matin catches you a little off guard, where I expected an aloof CEO sitting across the table, but this guy was simply fun to talk to his casual style was definitely worth noting and I must admit he does carry refreshing aura of energy around him

Cisco is without doubt a core player in Pakistan’s IT arena and seems to have done well in Pakistan promoting its products in the open market while at the same time being mindful of its due role of corporate social responsibility here in Pakistan. Dr. Matin heads this unit fully aware of the difficulties facing this country and he remains adamant at exploring every opportunity available to Cisco and Pakistan, he was upbeat to point out that there has been a marked growth in infrastructure in the past few years and expects this growth to continue on into the years to come. To explain this phenomenon he had one simple sentence which aptly summarized the issue ‘if our routers are selling like hotcakes there must be something going on right in the country to show this growth’.
Continue Reading


Vigil in Lahore for Judiciary

From activists in Lahore: Can we let apathy and general fatigue have the best of us while the government continues its draconian orders?

How long will Aitzaz Ahsan, Muneer Malik and Ali Kurd remain in arbitrary house arrest? Just Yesterday the Honorable CHIEF JUSTICE Iftikhar Chaudry was given illegal orders to VACATE his residence in a week or HE WILL BE EVICTED BY FORCE!
Continue Reading


Bomb Blast in Lahore 25 killed

A suicide bomber, apparently targeting police officers, detonated an explosive outside a court in Lahore Thursday, killing at least 25 people and injuring 39 others, police said.

Among the dead were 22 police officers and three civilians the blast occurred in the city’s commercial district, moments before lawyers were set to begin a rally outside the high court in the eastern Pakistani city to protest the rule of President Pervez Musharraf.

Police said about 100 uniformed and plainclothes officers were at the scene ahead of the rally when the bomb went off about 11:45 a.m. Pakistan time


Postal workers in Lahore buying Votes for Rs 1,500 ($25) only ?

Vote BribeExposing election rigging is a tough job. as the onus of proof generally lies on the accuser, hence usually very tough to prove, at times opposing parties may even try to set each other up simply to humiliate them and pull a few extra votes in the process, everything seems to be fair in our elections. I on the other hand believe if we hear of any such report, it must be shared with everyone opening the argument to a larger audience, allow the case at hand be scrutinized in the hope that it can be verified or refuted when exposed to a larger reader base, little good will it do lying in my email box, since I cannot physically head out to confirm.

Since yesterday a number of reports have slowly trickled in saying that postal workers specifically in the Gulberg, Lahore going from door to door asking people for their National ID cards in exchange for Rs.1,500 ($25). This story might not be too far fetched, as every person is feeling the economic pressure and any spare change offered by filthy rich candidates does help the poor survive in this crushing economy. I quote an email verbatim, which I has already been forwarded to a number or monitoring agencies in the hope of getting some form of verifications,
Continue Reading


The NAB Diaries – Part Four

Guest Post by Amer Nazir


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


“Do you wish to know whether that day is coming? Watch money.

Money is the barometer of a societys virtue. When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion when you see that in order to produce, you need to take permission from men who produce nothing when you see money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors when you see that men go richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws dont protect you against them, but protect them against you when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self sacrifice you may know that your society is doomed. Money is so noble a medium that it does not compete with guns and it does not make terms with brutality. It will not permit a country to survive as half-property, half-loot.
Ayn Rand (Atlas shrugged)

Perhaps we are missing out on a simple point. It is not an issue of the Army against Democracy. We want democracy but what is holding us back are the illiterate, incompetent, and corrupt politicians. And we do want our army Pakistan needs an army but what is holding us back from having a professional army are the 150 or so generals that are in command…

Corrupt institutions can only bring forth corrupt people and a lawless society. Proper institutions bring forth proper people and transparency. Apart from institutions we need wealth and prosperity a larger pie. With the pie shrinking it is but natural that the men with guns would want to snatch other peoples share as well… there being no other solution for their personal economic survival. Any moral slogan is adopted patriotism, morality, religion, terrorism whatever.
Continue Reading