Protest in Toronto

(Courtesy protestattoronto.blogspot.com)

About 50 people showed up at Nathan Phillips square in Toronto in a cold lurid afternoon. People were extremely charged and chanting anti-Musharraf, anti-martial-law and pro-Imran, pro-Judiciary, pro-Geo slogans. Protesters demanded the freedom of Pakistan’s national heroes i.e. Imran Khan, Aitzaz Ahsan, Asman Jahangir; demanded the reinstatement of Judiciary and Chief Justice Iftikhar; demanded the restoration GeoTv and AryTv; demanded the freedom of press; and demanded the resignation of Musharraf to pave way for democracy. The chanting of Faiz Ahmed’s ‘hum daikhain gai’ was a poignant moment during the protest. In the end a petition to local MPs was distributed to all the participants. The petition demanded: 1) Canadian Parliament to pass a resolution condemning the suspension of constitution, imposition of martial law, curbs on media and the imprisonment of peaceful protestors 2) Review of aid to Pakistan to ensure that it does not fall in the hands of Gen. Musharraf’s illegitimate regime 3) declaration of ban on the entry of any civil or military members of Musharraf’s regime until martial law is lifted and judges are restored 4) summoning of Pakistan High commissioner by the Foreign Minister of Canada to protest the suspension of fundamental rights of Canadian citizens from Pakistan, and the resulting threat to their safety 5) declaration of Pakistani diplomats as ‘persona non-grata’ at the respective City Halls as they represent illegitimate regime.

New York - Doctors for Democracy and Justice Seminar

A seminar titled "Trampling of Constitution and Justice in Pakistan" is being
held in New York on Sunday November 18th.

Speakers include:
- Justice (Rtd) Wajih-ud-Din Ahmed, through special telephone arrangement

- Ali Ahsan Esq, Attorney at Law, son of Atizaz Ahsan, President
Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Association

- Mazhar Abbas, Secretary-General of the Pakistan Federal Union of
Journalists (in NY to receive the CPJ International Press Freedom
award – see www.cpj.org)

- Dr. Manzur Ejaz, Washington based renowned Journalist

- Hassan Abbas, Boston based political analyst

- Rana Ramzan, Pakistani American Advocates for Civil and Human Rights (PAACHR)

FAST Rising..

The editors at The Emergency Times would like to fraternally salute the efforts of their brethren at FAST, who have been selflessly engaged in the struggle since the imposition of Martial Law.
We pledge our support to them in whatever manner possible and laud their principled stand against injustice as well as their efforts to create awareness about the myriad of problems that surround us in these grim times.

Their blog can be found at http://fastrising.blogspot.com

As always, In Complete Unity.

Candle Light Vigil at LUMS - In Support of the Media

When powers of tyranny approach to grapple us by the throat, when they reach out to make us blind, when they want us mute and deaf, they defy the nation of its most trusted and honest source of information; that is, the independent media. Today, around a 100 LUMS faculty members and students gathered in the evening to register their protest against the actions of the Government to enforce a closure on GEO & ARY in a candle light procession, naming it "Light the way to freedom". Symbolising the new "Social Movement", the speakers at the protest underlined the fact that it was not possible without the intiatives of the independent media especially GEO and ARY, amongst the upper echolon of the news channels in our country. The Students & faculty members remarked that a new social movement is underway, and the independent media had a significant role to play in shaping it. It was stated that the government, fearing that the media would fuel this social reawakening, was taking steps to tame them. But, in the time to come, it will be proven that these very steps to curb the access to information to the Pakistani public would be the catalyst of unprecedented social awareness and progressive change.