In a new and unprecedented move of threat and oppression, the peaceful vigil holders arrested from Justice Siddiqui’s house have been charged under the Anti terrorism act (section 7). A large number of SAC students accompanied a lawyer for posting of bail at the cantt kacherry court early on the morning of the 10th. The magistrate dismissed the petition for bail explaining that the detainees had been charged under the anti terrorism act. Until the filing of this report the mass of SAC students with the lawyer were enroute to the anti terrorism court. Prayers and support is needed. There is a protest arranged by the HRCP at 11am onward at the High court to mark the Human rights day. We urge all of you to come in display of solidarity with the innocents who have sacrificed much and put themselves in immense danger for our collective cause.
Monday, December 10, 2007
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5 comments:
Surely very shocking act. I wonder if thats how the "war on terror" is fought these days. If these are called terrorist, i wonder how many terrorists we have in our country!
US wont be wrong to term Pakstan a terrorist state if we are ourselves labelling the most important strata of our society as terrorists.
Its really frustrating thing to see the way Imran Khan was first termed terrorist and now these civil society members are called terrorists.
M J K
http://thelandofpure.blogspot.com/
Right now, in Pakistan, atmosphere is buzzing with the elections. This buzz is very confusing as half are proposing boycott, and the other half are dead against it. There are also questions marks hanging over the viability and legitimacy of election under the controversial care taker government and dubious election commission and above all under a former commando president.
We need to analyze the news, views, and reviews related to Upcoming Election 2008 in Pakistan and we need to do it earnestly and dutifully. Without any doubt the future of country hinges on this critical jucture of our history.
A Fantastic place for a serious, thoughtful and impactful place for such discussion is, in my humble but informed opinion is http://www.chowrangi.com/category/pakistan-elections-2008/
regards,
UPDATE on GOR DETAINEES
While Saima Khawaja (LUMS law faculty) and Erum Hassan were thankfully bailed out yesterday, my brother, Amanullah Kariapper (a LUMS alumnus) along with 9 other young men still remain in judicial remand in Camp Jail Lahore (on Ferozepur Road). This is the group of people who were arrested from Justice Siddiqui's house on December 6th:
Ahmed Basheer
Ikhlas Ahmed
Amanullah Kariapper
Mohammed Afaq
Raza Mohammad
Mohammad Pervaiz
Jawaid Amin
Hassan Rehman
The trial was supposed to be heard on Saturday last but was postponed till today.
They were first charged only under the Maintenance of Public Order act although these students and
young professionals were only engaged in a peaceful protest sit-in. The hearing today was supposed to be held at the Lahore Cantt kutchery this morning at 8 a.m PST. When my family and friends got there, the lawyers representing the young men informed them that they were now
also charged under Section 8 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The lawyers said that now the bail application would have to be
presented before the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) which is located on the
Canal near Dharampura. On reaching the ATC, only the lawyers were
allowed in. After a while one of the lawyers came out and said that the bail hearing was to be set for the 12th of December. However Asma Jehangir
turned up and went in to the court. She managed to get the bail application heard by another judge who set the hearing for
8 a.m. tomorrow. So there is yet another cold night in store for these committed citizens of Pakistan.
I'm proud of my brother and all his friends who are braving this ordeal.
I'm very grateful to the team of lawyers who are handling this case competently and without charging any legal fees. I am equally encouraged by the solidarity of the Student Action Committee who voluntarily offered mass arrests (outside the Camp Jail on Friday) and also initiated a
hunger strike outside the Lahore Press Club (on Saturday) in support of their detained friends.
I urge everyone to please continue your solidarity and support for the timely release of these detainees.
Today, there is a candlelight vigil organised by the Campaign Against Martial Law (CAML) outside the BBC offices in London (Bush House, near Holborn tube station) to protest against these absurd arrests.
In solidarity,
Ayesha Salma Kariapper
They r doing what they did to Imran K. Shows again that they are afraid. My prayers are with these heroes. We have to do whatever we can to get them out safe.
The only solution to get them out is more protests and more 'dharnas' and inshallah they will come out heroicly. Guys, get ready for doing the right thing for our country.
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