Protest Against MQM's actions

DEAR ALL

JOIN US FOR A PROTEST OUTSIDE THE MQM OFFICES TO CONDEMN THE ATROCITIES COMMITTED IN KARACHI AGAINST CIVIL SOCIETY AND LAWYERS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE KEY GOALS THAT WE AS A PARTY HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING FOR - JUSTICE !!!

CIVIL SOCIETY, POLITICAL PARTIES, STUDENTS & OTHERS WILL BE GATHERING OUTSIDE THE MQM OFFICES IN LONDON ON APRIL 13TH. AT 1PM AT ELIZABETH HOUSE, 54-58 HIGH STREET, EDGWARE, MIDDLESEX, HA8 7EJ.

WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL THOSE WHO ARE AGAINST VIOLENT KILLINGS, ANTI- DEMOCRATIC FORCES IN PAKISTAN AND WHO ARE STRIVING FOR THE RESTORATION OF AN INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY TO JOIN US IN SOLIDARITY FOR THIS DEMONSTRATION.

PLEASE DO MAKE THE EFFORT - EVERY SINGLE NUMBER COUNTS !!

MAP: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=ha8+7ej+high+street+edgware&f=p&rl=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=il

For additional information contact Mr. Ahmed Nawaz Wattoo 07799214021 or Rabia Zia 07515549541

Let's not lose the Judiciary to the PPP now

Dear All,

The B-Team of the establishment, aka the lotas in PPP, are about to undertake a very serious and detrimental action for the restoration of the judges. According to the Constitution of Pakistan, any ordinance, unless ratified falls after 4 months. There is no need to send a bill to the parliament: a mere notification to PEMRA is enough.

By sending this to the parliament, the elected government will be accepting Musharraf's amendments as legitimate (please see detailed analysis by Advocate Faisal Siddiqi) and would damage the judges cause irreparably. WE CAN NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!

Campaign actions:

- Contact the ones responsible:

Please contact Senator Naek and MNA Sherry Rehman at their contact information below and ask them for an IMMEDIATE RETRACTION of their resolution. Instead urge them to have PEMRA retracted through a simple notification of its expiration.

Senator Farooq H. Naek Advocate
Suite-5, 3rd Floor, Shafiq Plaza, Block-A
Sarwar Shaheed Road, Karachi
021-5687931-3, 0300-8232527, Fax: 5687979 E-mail: naek_law786@hotmail.com

Address: H.No.8 St. 19 F-8/2 Islamabad.

Ms Sherry Rehman
Information Secretary
49-Old Clifton, Karachi
021-5834663, 0300-8222881, 0300-5001420, 051-9224129
E-mail : sherryrehman@gmail.com; srehman@sat.net.pk
PPP E-mail: centralinformationsecretary@gmail.com

- Contact PPP CEC representatives and urge them to STOP this conspiracy:

Central Executive Committee (CEC)

Office Bearers of CEC

Asif Ali Zardari
Co-Chairman
H. No. 8, St. 19, F-8/2, Islamabad
051-2282781, 2255264, Fax 2282741. E-mail: ppp@comsats.net.pk

Makhdoom Amin Fahim
Vice Chairman
11-A, 2nd Sun Set Street, DHA, Karachi, 021-5842140, 0228-31199, 051-2840588, 0300-9221234
E-mail: csppp@comsats.net.pk

Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani
Vice Chairman
Gilani House, Ghaus-al-Azam Road, Multan, 155-B, Phase-I, Defence, Lahore
061-542424, 0300-8448141, 8730662; 042-5723234. E-mail : makhdoomyrgillani@hotmail.com

Mr. Jehangir Bader
Secretary General
140/107 Karim Block, Allama Iqbal Town, Lahore. 042-5414990-1, 0300-8470402; 051-2276014, Fax 051-2276016
E-mail: bader@brain.net.pk

Mian Raza Rabbani
Deputy Secretary General
H. No. 14/II, St. 31, Phase-V, Ext. DHA, Karachi:
021-5865841-2, 0300-9291624, 051-9223854. E-mail: rrabbani@cyber.net.pk

Ms Sherry Rehman
Information Secretary
49-Old Clifton, Karachi
021-5834663, 0300-8222881, 0300-5001420, 051-9224129
E-mail : sherryrehman@gmail.com; srehman@sat.net.pk

Mr. Sajjad Bokhari
Deputy Information Secretary
8 - Davis Road, Lahore - Tel: 042-63714559, 0300-8446754, E-mail: pppintl@lhr.paknet.com.pk

Mr. Babar Awan
Treasurer
27-E, Ali Plaza, Blue Area, Islamabad. 051-2823778, 2276540, 0320-4265000
E-mail: drbabarawan@hotmail.com

Punjab

Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi
President (Ex Officio Member)
H. No.445, Bab-ul-Quresh, Muhallah Daulat Gate, Multan
061-4514666, 042-5712289, 0300-8634453 E-mail: smhq148@hotmail.com

Ch. Ahmad Mukhtar
4-A Main Gulberg-II, Main Blvd. Lahore Tel: 042-5870106, 0300-8467744, E-mail : amservis@hotmail.com

Ch. Aitzaz Ahsan
5- Kanal Bank, Zaman Park, Lahore.
042-6369725; 6361800, 6305327,

Haji Aziz-ur-Rehman Chan
President Lahore (Ex-Officio Member)
110 - Suriyya Jabeen Park, Main GT Road, Baghbanpura, Lahore.
Tel: 042-6819739, 6815300, 0303-7351276 E-mail: chanppplahore@hotmail.com

Makhdoom Shahabuddin
1 - Mianwali Qureshian, R. Y. Khan.
0731-65555, 042-6651613, 0300-8459101

Mr. Mohammed Afzal Sandhu
Room No. 1, 2^nd Floor, Naqi Arcade, The Mall, Lahore.
042-7589878, 6371508, 0631-51300, 72639, 72339, 0300-42440384

Ch. M. Zaka Ashraf
128 Tufail Road, Lahore Cantt.
042-6655002-3, 0300-8459215; 051-2825777. E-mail: asmllhr@hotmail.com

Nawabzada Ghazanfar Gul
Kothi Nawab Sahib, Gujrat City.
0300-451222; 04331 523131; 523231, E-mail: ghazanfarali@hotmail.com

Senator (R) Dr. Akbar Khawaja (Special Invitee)
38A, Johar Town, Lahore
0300-4234089; (001) 703-725-6786. E-mail: ak2mbb@aol.com

Mr. Qasim Zia
16-Sarwar Road Lahore Cantt.
042-6664110-11, 9200315, 0300-8442317, E-mail: qasim@brain.net.pk

Rana Aftab Ahmad
D-613, Peoples Colony, Faisalabad - 041-712555, 612444, 0303-7362852
E-mail: aftabirshad@hotmail.com

Dr A. Rehman Malik
H. No. 419, St. 38, Sector G-10/4, Islamabad - Cell: 0321-2033383
E-mail: president@dmdigitalt.co.uk

Mr Sultan Mahmood Qazi
H. No. 50 / 8, Taimor House, Lane 3 Gulistan Colony, Rawalpindi - Tel: 051-5511579, 0333-5145179

Dr. Israr Shah
Address : Attabak Pharmaceuticals, Block C, Industrial Area, I-10/3, Islamabad
Tele: 051-4434124, 44342901, 0300-8562032 - E-mail : attabak@brain.net.pk

Sindh

Syed Qaim Ali Shah
President PPP Sindh (Ex-Officio Member)
H. No. 50, St. No. 14, Khayaban-e-Mujahid, Phase-I, DHS, Karachi
021-5850308; 0792-52481; 52219, 552900, 051-9207477 - E-mail: pppsindh@yahoo.com

Mr Nisar Ahmed Khuhro
7^th - Gizri Street DHA Karachi
021-9212031, 0333-2113388 - E-mail: nisarpppsindh@hotmail.com

Syed Naveed Qamar
Unit No. 2, Latifabad, Hyderabad;
0221-860892, 021-5874751, 5868850, 0300-5000222, E-mail: naveedqamar@yahoo.com

Nawab Mohammed Yousaf Talpur
6-A, North Circular Avenue, Phase-I, DHS, Karachi
021-5882841-2, 0300-8236468. E-mail : talpur_nawab@hotmail.com

Syed Khurshid Ahmad Shah
Manzil Gah Road, Sukkur. 071-30870, 30875
40/1, St. A, Khayaban Shujaat, Phase-V, DHA, Karachi Tel: 021-5845941, 5846941, 051-9208370, 9221147

Senator Dr. Safdar Ali Abbasi
D-42, Block-4, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi
021-4983169, 5838102, 510832, 513981, 051-9209307 - E-mail: benazir@zab.net.pk

Sardar Nabeel Ahmad Gabol
32/2 Khayaban Hilal, Phase-VI, DHA, Karachi
021-5850371, 0300-8241441, 8563296, 051-9221880 - E-mail: nabilgabol@hotmail.com

Mr. Rashid Hussain Rabbani
President Karachi (Ex-officio member)
C-57, Block D, North Nazimabad, Karachi. 021-6632469, 6674949, 0321-223869
E-mail: rabbani_52@hotmail.com

Mr. Murad Ali Shah
A-15-A/2 Central Ave. DHA, Karachi. 021-58997931, 0300-8210080 - E-mail: murad@wahur.com

Dr. Fehmida Mirza
Information Secretary - Sindh
38/I, 23^rd Street, Khayaban Mujahid, Phase-V, DHA, Karachi. 021-5846509

E-mails: fehmida_m2000@yahoo.com; fehmidam_2000@yahoo.com

Senator Farooq H. Naek Advocate
Suite-5, 3rd Floor, Shafiq Plaza, Block-A
Sarwar Shaheed Road, Karachi
021-5687931-3, 0300-8232527, Fax: 5687979 E-mail: naek_law786@hotmail.com

Pir Mazharul Haq
Pir Colony, Dadu
22-B Lalazar, Off Boat Club Road, MT Khan Road, Karachi
Tele: 0254-710002, 021-5612298, 0300-3279135 E-mail : pmhaqdadu@gmail.com

NWFP

Mr. Rahimdad Khan
President (Ex Officio Member)
Village Hathian, Mardan. 0931-820155, 0303-7820435. E-mail: hathianhouse@hotmail.com

Mr. Abdul Akbar Khan
Spinkati, Bakhshali, Mardan.
0931-61001, 091-819131, 0300-9177021. E-mail : bhutto79@hotmail.com

Balochistan

Nawabzada Mir Lashkari Raisani
President (Ex Officio Member)
Sarawan House, Raisani Road, Quetta
081-449582, 440661, 0300-9384197, 3830334 E-mail: mirlashkari@yahoo.com

Mr. Javaid Ahmed
20-B/2 Railway Housing Society, Quetta
081-441404, 442643, 0300-9384199. E-mail: kamran@paknet3.ptc.pk

Mir Baz Mohammed Khan Khetran
H. No. 281-B, St. 40, F-10/4, Islamabad
051-2292225, 0333-5123923, 0641-688011 - E-mail: khetran786@yahoo.com

Mr. Sadiq Umrani
124-Block 5, Satellite Town, Quetta
0300-2126233, 0740-710553

AJ&K

Ch. Abdul Majeed
President (Ex Officio Member)
Village Tangduon, Tehsil & District Mirpur, AJK
Tele: 058610-44808, 0300-5191384

Northern Areas

Syed Jaffar Shah
President (Ex Officio Member)
Khazana Road, Gilgit. 058811-52995, 52634

Mr. Mohammed Musa
Tehsil Gilgit - 058811-2936, 55540, 55142, 051-9224871-2

- Use your activism group/political party to issue a statement and/or put pressure:
- Please get a statement from your group ASAP so the pressure can be sustained to have this resolution withdrawn before it reaches the parliament.

- Spread the word ASAP:
- Forward this to your contacts
- Urge your family and friends to put take up the campaign
- Publish this on blogs and email to Newspapers so this can be exposed.

Our SPECIAL thanks to Advocate Faisal Siddiqi and to CCP for bringing this to the nation's attention.

- Ryzwan

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Analysis by Faisal Siddiqi

It has been stated by the information minister today that a bill has
been moved in the parliament which seeks to repeal the November 3rd,
2007, amendments in the Pemra Ordinance, 2007. For the reasons stated
herein below, this move will damage the stance of the lawyers that no
constitutional amendment is required to restore the deposed judges.

1. Through PEMRA (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2007, 10 darconian
amendments were brought about in the PEMRA Ordinance, 2002.

2. Under Article 89(2)(a)(i) of the Constitution, an Ordinance will
automatically expire/repealed after 4 months. Therefore, under the
Constitution, the PEMRA (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2007, expired on
or about March 3rd, 2007 [this is in addition to the argument that
none of these amendments could even otherwise be made by a Chief of
Army Staff/President in pursuant to a unconsitutional
emergency/martial law].

3. If the PEMRA (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2007, has
expired/repealed on or about March 3rd, 2007, then there is no need
for a bill in parliament to repeal it.

4. Musharraf's Argument: Article 270-AAA was a (illegal) purported
amendment made in the Constitution by Musharraf on 21-11-2007. It is
the same 270-AAA which alllegedly protects all the unconstitutional
acts [including the removal of judges] of the November 3rd, 2007,
Martial law. All Ordinances including the PEMRA (Third Amendment)
Ordinance, 2007 Dated: 3-11-2007, are allegedly protected by Article
270-AAA(3) which ensures that the Ordinances [like the PEMRA (Third
Amendment) Ordinance, 2007] will not expire after 4 months and these
Ordinances can only be revoked by parliament.

5. In view of the above, if a bill is moved in parliament seeking the
repeal of the November 3rd, 2007, amendments in the PEMRA Ordinance,
2002, then the Parliament WOULD BE ACCEPTING THAT ARTICLE 270-AAA IS A
PART OF THE CONSTITUTION.

6. This bill needs to be opposed as this might irreparably damage the
restoration of the judges movement.

7. As to the question of the legal status of the PEMRA (Third
Amendment) Ordinance, 2007, it is simple. These amendments (even if
valid) have expired/repealed. Mere Instructions have to be given to
the PEMRA Authorities not to enfore these amendments.

Best Wishes,
Faisal Siddiqi,
Advocate

Update: Altaf Hussain's resignation

Update: Altaf Hussain has retracted his resignation.

However we still need to continue with the pressure campaign to try to make him resign.

-SK

What the 'thella-wala' saw that day in Karachi - Eyewitness account

By Amar GuriroKARACHI: For 30-year-old fruit vender Babu Bhai, it was a new experience to witness armed men attack an office building and set it on fire in no time with several people still trapped inside. “It was like a scene from an English movie. Armed men, the majority of whom were in their youth, with a blatant disregard for law and order, firing and setting the building on fire at will,” he said. Babu sells fruit on a pushcart near Tahir Plaza, the six-storey building that was set on fire during the Wednesday riots, and, in which at least six people were burnt alive. A shopkeeper selling detergent also saw what happened. “We knew since morning that the lawyers were protesting over something, but we took it lightly, thinking it was like any other protest where they shout slogans and give speeches before taking it back to the courts, but all of the sudden riots broke out. It was like someone had pressed the play button setting off a chain of unfortunate events,” he said. He saw at least 10 people with guns running into the building. “Some of the rioters came from the court while others came on motorcycles, and it seemed that they all knew what to do,” he said.

PM blames 'conspiracy' for Karachi violence

ISLAMABAD, April 10 (AFP): Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani Thursday blamed a conspiracy for political violence that left eight people dead in Karachi, saying that “dictatorship” threatened the new democratic government. Gilani said the government would not let the sacrifice by former premier Benazir Bhutto, for the cause of democracy, “to be compromised at the behest of dictatorship, conspiracy and violence.” ”We must take notice of these unjustified, mischievous and definitely conspiratorial acts,” Gilani told parliament. “These acts I am convinced are being fuelled by those who do not want democracy to flourish."

Pakistani lawyers protest against violence

LAHORE, Pakistan, April 10 (AFP): Thousands of lawyers rallied in Lahore Thursday to protest against the killings in Karachi in which eight people, including five attorneys died, witnesses said. Around 2,500 lawyers marched along the main city streets waving flags and chanting slogans against the pro-Musharraf Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). Earlier the lawyers passed a resolution demanding that the government should publicly hang the perpetrators of Wednesday's clashes. Lawyers in some other cities, including the central Punjab city of Multan, held similar protest meetings, private television channels reported.

"Not You! You!": Tibet and Palestine

(Though unrelated to the Pakistani political paradigm, this article is a compelling articulation of the hypocrisies underlying the foundational principles of many contemporary social movements and causes. Gives one considerable food - albeit distasteful and gut-wrenching - for thought)

By URI AVNERY

(www.counterpunch.org)

"Hey! Take your hands off me! Not you! You!!!"--the voice of a young woman in the darkened cinema, an old joke.
"Hey! Take your hands off Tibet!" the international chorus is crying out, "But not from Chechnya! Not from the Basque homeland! And certainly not from Palestine!" And that is not a joke.
* * *
LIKE EVERYBODY else, I support the right of the Tibetan people to independence, or at least autonomy. Like everybody else, I condemn the actions of the Chinese government there. But unlike everybody else, I am not ready to join in the demonstrations.
Why? Because I have an uneasy feeling that somebody is washing my brain, that what is going on is an exercise in hypocrisy.
I don't mind a bit of manipulation. After all, it is not by accident that the riots started in Tibet on the eve of the Olympic Games in Beijing. That's alright. A people fighting for their freedom have the right to use any opportunity that presents itself to further their struggle.
I support the Tibetans in spite of it being obvious that the Americans are exploiting the struggle for their own purposes. Clearly, the CIA has planned and organized the riots, and the American media are leading the world-wide campaign. It is a part of the hidden struggle between the US, the reigning super-power, and China, the rising super-power - a new version of the "Great Game" that was played in central Asia in the 19th century by the British Empire and Russia. Tibet is a token in this game.

I am even ready to ignore the fact that the gentle Tibetans have carried out a murderous pogrom against innocent Chinese, killing women and men and burning homes and shops. Such detestable excesses do happen during a liberation struggle.
No, what is really bugging me is the hypocrisy of the world media. They storm and thunder about Tibet. In thousands of editorials and talk-shows they heap curses and invective on the evil China. It seems as if the Tibetans are the only people on earth whose right to independence is being denied by brutal force, that if only Beijing would take its dirty hands off the saffron-robed monks, everything would be alright in this, the best of all possible worlds.
* * *
THERE IS no doubt that the Tibetan people are entitled to rule their own country, to nurture their unique culture, to promote their religious institutions and to prevent foreign settlers from submerging them.
But are not the Kurds in Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria entitled to the same? The inhabitants of Western Sahara, whose territory is occupied by Morocco? The Basques in Spain? The Corsicans off the coast of France? And the list is long.
Why do the world's media adopt one independence struggle, but often cynically ignore another independence struggle? What makes the blood of one Tibetan redder than the blood of a thousand Africans in East Congo?
Again and again I try to find a satisfactory answer to this enigma. In vain.
Immanuel Kant demanded of us: "Act as if the principle by which you act were about to be turned into a universal law of nature." (Being a German philosopher, he expressed it in much more convoluted language.) Does the attitude towards the Tibetan problem conform to this rule? Does it reflect our attitude towards the struggle for independence of all other oppressed peoples?

Not at all.
* * *
WHAT, THEN, causes the international media to discriminate between the various liberation struggles that are going on throughout the world?
Here are some of the relevant considerations:
- Do the people seeking independence have an especially exotic culture?
- Are they an attractive people, i.e. "sexy" in the view of the media?
- Is the struggle headed by a charismatic personality who is liked by the media?
- It the oppressing government disliked by the media?
- Does the oppressing government belong to the pro-American camp? This is an important factor, since the United States dominates a large part of the international media, and its news agencies and TV networks largely define the agenda and the terminology of the news coverage.
- Are economic interests involved in the conflict?
- Does the oppressed people have gifted spokespersons, who are able to attract attention and manipulate the media?
* * *
FROM THESE points of view, there is nobody like the Tibetans. They enjoy ideal conditions.
Fringed by the Himalayas, they are located in one of the most beautiful landscapes on earth. For centuries, just to get there was an adventure. Their unique religion arouses curiosity and sympathy. Its non-violence is very attractive and elastic enough to cover even the ugliest atrocities, like the recent pogrom. The exiled leader, the Dalai Lama, is a romantic figure, a media rock-star. The Chinese regime is hated by many - by capitalists because it is a Communist dictatorship, by Communists because it has become capitalist. It promotes a crass and ugly materialism, the very opposite of the spiritual Buddhist monks, who spend their time in prayer and meditation.

When China builds a railway to the Tibetan capital over a thousand inhospitable kilometers, the West does not admire the engineering feat, but sees (quite rightly) an iron monster that brings hundreds of thousands of Han-Chinese settlers to the occupied territory.
And of course, China is a rising power, whose economic success threatens America's hegemony in the world. A large part of the ailing American economy already belongs directly or indirectly to China. The huge American Empire is sinking hopelessly into debt, and China may soon be the biggest lender. American manufacturing industry is moving to China, taking millions of jobs with it.
Compared to these factors, what have the Basques, for example, to offer? Like the Tibetans, they inhabit a contiguous territory, most of it in Spain, some of it in France. They, too, are an ancient people with their own language and culture. But these are not exotic and do not attract special notice. No prayer wheels. No robed monks.
The Basques do not have a romantic leader, like Nelson Mandela or the Dalai Lama. The Spanish state, which arose from the ruins of Franco's detested dictatorship, enjoys great popularity around the world. Spain belongs to the European Union, which is more or less in the American camp, sometimes more, sometimes less.
The armed struggle of the Basque underground is abhorred by many and is considered "terrorism", especially after Spain has accorded the Basques a far-reaching autonomy. In these circumstances, the Basques have no chance at all of gaining world support for independence.
The Chechnyans should have been in a better position. They, too, are a separate people, who have for a long time been oppressed by the Czars of the Russian Empire, including Stalin and Putin. But alas, they are Muslims - and in the Western world, Islamophobia now occupies the place that had for centuries been reserved for anti-Semitism. Islam has turned into a synonym for terrorism, it is seen as a religion of blood and murder. Soon it will be revealed that Muslims slaughter Christian children and use their blood for baking Pitta. (In reality it is, of course, the religion of dozens of vastly different peoples, from Indonesia to Morocco and from Kosova to Zanzibar.
The US does not fear Moscow as it fears Beijing. Unlike China, Russia does not look like a country that could dominate the 21st century. The West has no interest in renewing the Cold War, as it has in renewing the Crusades against Islam. The poor Chechnyans, who have no charismatic leader or outstanding spokespersons, have been banished from the headlines. For all the world cares, Putin can hit them as much as he wants, kill thousands and obliterate whole towns.
That does not prevent Putin from supporting the demands of Abkhazia and South Ossetia for separation from Georgia, a country which infuriates Russia.
* * *
IF IMMANUEL KANT knew what's going on in Kosova, he would be scratching his head.
The province demanded its independence from Serbia, and I, for one, supported that with all my heart. This is a separate people, with a different culture (Albanian) and its own religion (Islam). After the popular Serbian leader, Slobodan Milosevic, tried to drive them out of their country, the world rose and provided moral and material support for their struggle for independence.

The Albanian Kosovars make up 90% of the citizens of the new state, which has a population of two million. The other 10% are Serbs, who want no part of the new Kosova. They want the areas they live in to be annexed to Serbia. According to Kant's maxim, are they entitled to this?
I would propose a pragmatic moral principle: Every population that inhabits a defined territory and has a clear national character is entitled to independence. A state that wants to keep such a population must see to it that they feel comfortable, that they receive their full rights, enjoy equality and have an autonomy that satisfies their aspirations. In short: that they have no reason to desire separation.
That applies to the French in Canada, the Scots in Britain, the Kurds in Turkey and elsewhere, the various ethnic groups in Africa, the indigenous peoples in Latin America, the Tamils in Sri Lanka and many others. Each has a right to choose between full equality, autonomy and independence.
* * *
THIS LEADS us, of course, to the Palestinian issue.
In the competition for the sympathy of the world media, the Palestinians are unlucky. According to all the objective standards, they have a right to full independence, exactly like the Tibetans. They inhabit a defined territory, they are a specific nation, a clear border exists between them and Israel. One must really have a crooked mind to deny these facts.
But the Palestinians are suffering from several cruel strokes of fate: The people that oppress them claim for themselves the crown of ultimate victimhood. The whole world sympathizes with the Israelis because the Jews were the victims of the most horrific crime of the Western world. That creates a strange situation: the oppressor is more popular than the victim. Anyone who supports the Palestinians is automatically suspected of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial.

Also, the great majority of the Palestinians are Muslims (nobody pays attention to the Palestinian Christians). Since Islam arouses fear and abhorrence in the West, the Palestinian struggle has automatically become a part of that shapeless, sinister threat, "international terrorism". And since the murders of Yasser Arafat and Sheik Ahmed Yassin, the Palestinians have no particularly impressive leader - neither in Fatah nor in Hamas.
The world media are shedding tears for the Tibetan people, whose land is taken from them by Chinese settlers. Who cares about the Palestinians, whose land is taken from them by our settlers?
In the world-wide tumult about Tibet, the Israeli spokespersons compare themselves - strange as it sounds - to the poor Tibetans, not to the evil Chinese. Many think this quite logical.
If Kant were dug up tomorrow and asked about the Palestinians, he would probably answer: "Give them what you think should be given to everybody, and don't wake me up again to ask silly questions."
Uri Avnery is an Israeli writer and peace activist with Gush Shalom. He is o a contributor to CounterPunch's book The Politics of Anti-Semitism.

People's Resistance statement on violence in Lahore and Karachi

People's Resistance (Karachi) has taken serious note of recent events of uncivilized and violent behaviour in the country's politics. All stakeholders must take concrete steps to identify and punish perpetrators of these crimes, regardless of their affiliation with a party or association. If this is not done, their own profiles will be tarnished and anti-democratic forces in the country will gain strength.

People's Resistance condemns the recent spate of violence in Karachi and Lahore at a critical time when new assemblies are being formed.
People's Resistance condemns the use of force against Arbab Ghulam Rahim in the Sindh Assembly, Karachi and against Sher Afgan Niazi in Lahore. Mr Afgan and Mr Rahim have consistently stood with a dictator and supported the suppression of rights of the citizens of Pakistan. They must be held accountable to the people politically and legally, and not through violent mobs.
People's Resistance condemns the uncivilized manner in which the PML House in Karachi
was taken over.
People's Resistance demands an independent inquiry through a parliamentary commission with representation from all parties and associations.
People's Resistance stands by the lawyers movement which has been a non-violent movement.
People's Resistance requests Aitzaz Ahsan to reconsider his decision to resign at this point in time.
In this emotionally charged atmosphere, People's Resistance reiterates its support for supremacy of Constitution and rule of Law, which is applicable to every citizen of the land without discrimination at all times.

People's Resistance also believes that in these critical times the office of the president has to play its constitutional as a symbol of the unity of the federation. People's Resistance believes that this may not possible until the representatives of people elected in the 18 February elections bring a legitimately elected president to the President House.

Breaking the Cycle

By Rukhe Zehra Zaidi

Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party

It seems that recycling storylines and repeatperformances are not solely the prerogative of cinemaand theatre. In Pakistan, the plot of politics is often repeated and rehashed until the performance has become a fine tuned and much rehearsed drama on theo ngoing tussle between democracy and the military.Dictators replace democrats, democrats negotiate and bargain with each other and the army, and the masses stand by much like the citizens of fair Verona caught in the crossfire of the fighting between the Montagues and the Capulets. And although the actors change on a seasonal basis, the transition is now almost seamless and perfect. Costume changes require minimal refitting as the Ayubs make way for the Zias and Musharrafs, and the MMA of today steps into the shoes of the Islamic Democratic Alliance of yesterday. And repeated though it might be, the performance is by no means dull as bloody assassinations, behind the scenes plotting and scheming, horse-trading, and even exploding helicopters all add to the political experience in Pakistan.
One feature of this repertoire of action is the role played by the much maligned MQM. Only treading onto the stage in 1984, the MQM under its Quaid-e-Tehreek Altaf Hussain has undergone qualitative transformations since its debut. Initially enjoying significant support from the Muhajirs that it represented, the party focused on targeting the local Pushtun and Sindhi population it saw as its opposition. Later, it came under direct attack from the army for its militancy and terrorism in the province, resulting in the formation of the equally notorious Haqiqi splinter group. Today, the fortunes of the MQM have changed and the party now plays the part of the establishment's mini mafia in Sindh, promising electoral and political support to Musharraf and his cronies.
But despite these functional transformations, the defining characteristic of the MQM has remained constant over the years: widespread political violence and terrorism. Forced public strikes, extortion, political intimidation, drug trafficking for raising party funds, vigilantism and public repression to promote party influence have all emerged as tactics of the MQM's political arsenal. In 1986, over 124 people were killed in just one night of street violence in response to the news of Altaf Hussain's arrest by the authorities, ironically, for instigating violence.
In a crackdown on militants in 1992, the Sindhi government found several torture sites that had allegedly been used by the MQM to torture and even kill dissident members and rival activists. Inter-factional and ethnically charged gun battles involving the MQM became commonplace on the streets of Karachi and in1995 alone, an estimated 1,800 people died as a result of the growing violence in the city.
Amnesty International, the Human Rights Watch, and even the UNHCR have internationally condemned the rights abuses perpetrated by the MQM. The party also openly attacked critical elements in the press, frequently targeting journalists and even vendors of newspapers carrying criticisms the party.
Most famously, in 1990 Altaf Hussain issued public threats to the editor of Newsline magazine for printing an article accusing the MQM of torture and political killings. There is blood on the hands of the MQM, and its there for all to see.The ongoing violence and mob like behaviour of the MQM has paralysed the life of Pakistan's largest city on innumerable occasions and their new role as the gangsters of the establishment in Sindh continues to overshadow and suppress free thought and action in Karachi. Whether it is May 12th 2007 or 9th April 2008, the goons of MQM are called in to stamp out any efforts to oppose the state; like loyal attack dogs providing a violent distraction and warning to the people of the city.
Today's events point to yet another occasion where the MQM has, with carte blanche impunity, attacked, burnt,looted and killed on the streets of Karachi. People have been shot and murdered, and lawyers burnt alive till their remains have been rendered unrecognizable. But the cycle cannot continue endlessly and the violence must end. The lawyer's movement, with all its imperfections, appears to have disturbed the oppressive power structures of the country and promises better things to come in our political future. Benazir's assassination and the subsequent strengthening of the PPP and democratic institutions in the country have also challenged the authority ofthe MQM on a local level.
The recent elections in Sindh have been a rude reminder to the MQM of its waning electoral support. It has had to rely on widespread rigging, political harassment, and armed coercion to maintain its hold on the province. Despite all its ammunition and weaponry, it is not immune to the popular discontent and condemnation of its constituents. We must not allow the manipulations of the establishment and the violence of the MQM to distract us from our demand for true democracy, or weaken our support for the lawyers struggle. We must condemn all efforts to discredit and break the lawyer's movement, and use every opportunity to expose the ugly face of the MQM and the dictator who hides behind it. We must demonstrate, lobby, protest and appeal to our democratic leaders to not let the MQM get away with its actions of today as it did on the 12th of May.
But most of all, we must continue our demand for a free press, a free judiciary, and the end of a dictator who has been responsible for the worst human rights record in all of Pakistan's history.The show must go on, but isn't it time we stopped being spectators and took charge of directing it?

Hidden hand involved, lawyers not behind thrashing of Sher Afgan: President LHCBA

RAWALPINDI, April 9 (APP): Rawalpindi-Islamabad Lawyers Association have jointly condemned the brutal and shameful act of thrashing the former federal minister for parliamentary affairs Dr. Sher Afgan Khan.
This was stated by the President Lahore High Court Bar Association (HCBA) Rawalpindi bench, Sardar Asmatullah Khan while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday.
Besides others, President District Bar Association Sardar Tariq Masood, Joint Secretary Sadiq Awan,Vice President Babar Ali, Additional Secretary Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Abdul Rashid were also present on occasion.
Sardar Asmatullah said that lawyers’ community strongly denounce and condemn this brutal act of assaulting a former Federal Minister and senior politician like Dr. Sher Afgan Niazi saying that the element involved in this crime and conspiracy would defiantly face consequences.
He opined a hidden hand could be involved in hatching conspiracies to destabilize the elected democratic government.
He informed that President Supreme Court bar Association (SCBA) Chaudhry Aitizaz Ahsan submitted his resignation from his office in the protest for humiliation of Dr. Sher Afgan Niazi.
He said the deposed chief justice Ifthikar Muhammad Chaudhry has asked Aeitaz Ahsan to take back his resignation.
Sardar AsmatUllah also informed the media about the holding of all Pakistan lawyers convention in Karachi on May 12.

Eleven killed in riots in Karachi

KARACHI: The number of deceased in the Karachi violence has risen to eleven on Wednesday night, following the armed clashes erupted outside Malir Bar, where two groups entered into gun battle.
At least seven injured including a child have been brought to Civil Hospital, according to media on Wednesday afternoon.
Over 50 vehicles have been torched in several areas of Karachi. There are reports of aerial firing from parts of Karachi and people are seen panicked.
Earlier, the armed clashes erupted outside Malir Bar, where two groups entered into gun battle in reaction to the manhandling of an MQM leader.
At least seven injured including a child have been brought to Civil Hospital, according to media on Wednesday afternoon.
According to the latest reports at least 60 vehicles have been torched around the city so far. A building Tahir Plaza at MA Jinnah Road with lawyers offices there was torched in the recent clashes. No fatalities were reported from the plaza.
At least five charred bodies including one of a woman were found from Tahir Plaza, M.A. Jinnah Road which was set ablaze following the incident at Malir Bar earlier today, Chhipa sources said. The building of Malir Bar Association also has been gutted with intense firing there. Heavy contingents of police arrived on the spot. The angry people have blocked MA Jinnah Road, after which the massive traffic jams are being observed around the area.
There are reports of heavy firing from various areas of Karachi including Shah Faisal Colony, Malir, Burns Road, Jamia Cloth Market.

(Courtesy GEO)

Dr. Afgan manhandled, rescued by Aitzaz

LAHORE: Former federal minister, Dr. Sher Afgan Niazi has been rescued safely by President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Aitzaz Ahsan. Enraged lawyers tore up Dr. Afgan’s clothes and attacked him by throwing stones and shoes. They also shaterred the windows of the ambulance in which Dr. Afgan was being taken away from the site of the incident.
Earlier, a large number of lawyers laid a siege around the office of Dr. Afgan’s lawyer when he came to visit him. The police present at the scene failed to create a safe passage for Dr. Afgan and he remained confined in the office for about three hours.
Later, President SCBA Aitzaz Ahsan arrived here to control the situation and disperse the lawyers. Although he asked the enraged lawyers and others to leave the place, they continued to wait for Dr. Afgan to come out.
Eventually, Dr. Afgan came out of the building and escorted by Aitzaz Ahsan. Struggling through the crowd they made their way to an Edhi ambulance with the help of police.As soon as Dr. Afgan got inside the ambulance, Aitzaz Ahsan mounted the rooftop of the vehicle which was then driven slowly away from the crowd.
Later, Aitzaz Ahsan resigned from the post of SCBA President.

(Courtesy GEO)

SAC and workers stage demo against price hike

In the first step of hopefully a long lasting and fair alliance, students and workers stood as one outside Data Darbar on Sunday.
The Student Action Committee alongside trade unions, the CMKP, and the Labor party organized a demonstration on the price hike. Starting at 4 pm sharp, adjacent to the main Data Sahib entrance, the entrancing sound of the dhols, accompanying loud impassioned slogans could be heard. Ranging from “bhukaay reh gayay mein teh tou, lutt keh laigaya GHQ” to “Roti mehengi hai hai...kafan bhi mehenga hai hai” the slogans highlighted the problems that the country was facing with the constantly rising food inflation, energy crisis, expensive education and low wage rates.
While the police tried to separate the passerby’s from the demonstration, students actively tried to cross the physical barricades present and tried engaging the watching populace with rousing slogans and highlighting that this demonstration was for everyone. That it was a platform for every citizen to use to make his or her voice heard.
Communist Mazdoor Kisaan Party member and Student Action Committee representative Ali Jan delivered a rousing speech where he delineated reasons behind the fiscal problems that nation as a people were facing. “…state needs to enter the economy and control the free hand of the multinational companies, the World Bank and the IMF” said the leftist student.
Abdullah Malik, a seasoned lawyer who has been at the forefront of the lawyers movement and has supported the f students and other segments of society who have been fighting against the regime also spoke at this demonstration. He said “The polices of the previous government regarding the IMF and the World Bank reduced the people to the point of suicide because of poverty”. According to Abdullah Malik, the new government should make policies keeping the debilitating poverty in mind, and the promises made to reinstate student unions, trade unions, free media and restoration of the judiciary should be fulfilled. While lawyers, media, students and concerned people from all walks of life will work together as a watch dog and will laud positive polices; these very factions of society will wage a war against policies that harm any segment of society.
Representing the Student Action Committee, Sundas Hurrain reached out to the people in a speech that emphasized that there was no such thing as an aam admi as everyone was equal and in order to get rid of socio economic disparity, students and workers will need to collaborate and join forces against injustices and poverty.
The demonstration lasted an hour and engaged people who were initially just bystanders and eventually crossed the barriers and participated full throatedly in the price hike demonstration.

Report on Work done for restoration of judiciary in Hazara by Omar Asghar Foundation

Omar Asghar Foundation has done a lot of good work for the restoration of the judiciary. The document[PDF] can be see here

Ansar Burney (Singh): The Human Rights Minister for Indians

Workers and SAC demo tomorrow at Data Darbar at 4 pm

The Student Action Committee in collaboration with trade unions, working women’s unions, political parties and various groups of society is holding a demonstration regarding the recent price hike.

An alliance forged after years of alienation, students and laborers will stand together for the same cause: the pressure on the average Pakistani to acquire and maintain basic necessities like food and energy.

Sunday 6^th April at 4 pm outside the Data Sahib Mazaar, the SAC alongside workers and other concerned individuals will present their demands to the newly formed government to find a sustainable solution to persistent food inflation and energy shortages.

Recognizing that the interim government as well as the eight year regime contributed mostly to the rising costs of living, this alliance between students and workers aims to highlight the power that the new government possesses via the mandate of the people.

Representatives from various workers unions and such have been invited to come and give short talks on the present price hike in the country. An issue like inflation and energy crisis spans across the countries ethnic and socioeconomic boundaries and allows people to stand up for their rights from a grass roots level.

Those participating in this demonstration will aim to engage as many people from the surrounding areas as a part of the effort to work together to resolve national problems rather than outlining them in isolated meetings.

The Student Action Committee is planning to work towards expanding nationwide with chapters in all universities and eventually participate in upcoming union elections. Student unions world wide provide a platform for young leaders to explore their political identities without having to work under a mainstream political party or follow a party agenda: the SAC will work towards the purification of student politics in Pakistan and will follow a non partisan and non violent approach towards the newly re-established student unions.

Musharraf's survival strategy: remain low-key

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has no plans to quit despite the formation of hostile government and will play a low-key role as part of a strategy framed a long time ago, a presidential aide has said. The "perceived isolation" of Musharraf and his sidelining after the swearing-in of the new government had not happened in a "haphazard way but is the result of a well thought out strategy", the aide claimed.

"It was decided a long time ago that Musharraf would take a backseat after the 2008 general election and he has done so as per the plan," the unnamed aide told The News daily. "Everything was executed as per the script," the aide claimed, adding that Musharraf's moves were part of the plan for the "phased restoration of democracy".

"There is no shock for the president in the new milieu except for the defeat of the (PML-Q)," he said. The Pakistan People's Party and PML-N have formed a coalition government with the backing of two smaller parties and independent lawmakers following the defeat of pro-Musharraf PML (Q)in the February 18 polls.

He categorically said Musharraf had no plans to step down. Everything went as per the strategy, though considerable disruption was caused by the "judicial crisis" following the sacking of 60 members of the superior judiciary during last year's emergency, the aide said.

Zardari offers gubernatorial post to Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry

From ANI

Lahore, Apr 4: PPP co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has reportedly offered a gubernatorial post to the country's deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Choudhary, after forcing him "retire" on superannuation in June.

He is learnt to have been offered the position of Balochistan Governor.

Zardari made the offer through Iftikhar's counsels Aitzaz Ahsan, Athar Minallah, and Munir A Malik at a dinner last night, reported the Daily Times.

Reliable sources say that the new PPP-led government was planning to bring a new law restricting the Chief Justice's term to three years, as a result of which Justice Choudhary's services would superannuate in June, as he completes his three years in the post in the same month.

Had Choudhary not picked a fight with President Pervez Musharraf last year, he would have continued as Chief Justice till 2013. Musharraf wants to see Justice Choudhary's service to be terminated because the latter has repeatedly said that he would reinstate the pre-November 7 Constitution if reinstalled in the post.

A section to Pakistani press today reported that the new Pakistan government was planning to bring a new legislation to ease out the Chief Justice, though it would reinstate other Supreme Court judges.

Copyright Asian News International

Zardari issues 'charge-sheet'

By Ansar Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has issued a long charge-sheet against the deposed superior court judges, saying they never came to his rescue and were responsible for his eight years in jail.

In the clearest indication that the PPP may not stand by the Murree Declaration to restore the judges, the PPP leader told his central executive committee in Naudero that he was not interested in the restoration of personalities but wanted a judicial reforms package.

Analysts said things were getting complicated for Zardari, both within the PPP and outside, as he was moving closer to allies of President Musharraf and drifting away from his coalition partner Nawaz Sharif.

As Zardari issued his charge-sheet against the judges, Makhdoom Amin Fahim demanded the disbandment of the Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians which he heads. Others in the PPP blasted the party leadership's decision to join hands with the MQM.

On the other hand, the PML-N is determined not to compromise on the issue of restoration of the deposed judges through a resolution in the National Assembly. The party says it seeks strict adherence to the Murree Declaration and would not accept any formula or constitutional amendment that restores all the deposed judges minus chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

"After gaining so much because of the political initiative that Zardari has taken in the recent weeks, the PPP co-chairperson is on the verge of losing all," a senior PPP leader told this correspondent from Naudero, revealing the situation in the interior Sindh was extremely tense after Zardari's visit to the MQM headquarters popularly known as Nine Zero.

In a post-dinner gathering of the PPP's central executive committee, the source said, many PPP leaders minced no words in criticising Zardari's decision to woo the MQM. PPP MNA Shugufta Jamani and Sethi Ishaq were among those who expressed strong resentment and wondered how the PPP could join hands with the MQM, which was responsible for the killing of PPP workers.

"The Sindhi people have not given a mandate to Zardari to thrust upon them his personal agenda of humiliation in the name of reconciliation," a PPP leader told The News, adding, "We strongly oppose and condemn the PPP-MQM coalition in Sindh."

The leader asked: "Who caused the May 12th incident? Who was behind the Oct 18 blast? Who killed Murad Baloch and Munawar Suhrawardy? But you still went to the Nine Zero to express solidarity with the MQM against the wishes of the nation. Now it's time for us to rethink our support for you, Mr Zardari," said the source, who sounded quite disturbed.

"There is a wave of anger," a PPP leader said. The likes of Raja Pervez Ashraf, Shah Mehmud Qureshi, Jahangir Badr, however, showered Zardari with praises and called him a great leader. Badr even crossed all limits by saying that the PPP had become more popular under Zardari.

Zardari, however, defended his party's rapprochement with the MQM and termed it a sensible political move having far-reaching impact. He said he wanted to open all political avenues for his son, Bilawal, and never liked to see the doors of Nine Zero closed for him. He said the MQM would be forming a government with the PPP.

Aitzaz Ahsan, who sought the restoration of the deposed judges, told the meeting that it would be in the interest of the party to get the judges restored.

Zardari, according to sources, came hard on the issue of the judges� restoration. According to one source, Zardari snubbed the widely-respected lawyer leader and said he knew the worth of the judges whose restoration was being sought by the lawyers' community.

Zardari said these were the same judges who had earlier taken oath under the PCO and validated the military rule. Referring to his jail life, a source quoted him as saying that he was let down by these judges, who had even refused to release him on parole to attend the funeral of his nephew. He said he was allowed only a two-hour parole despite Farooq H Naek's pleading before the same judges.

He said the then Justice Wajihuddin Ahmed had also refused him a parole. He termed the same judiciary biased, which he said was responsible for his eight years in jail. Party sources reported that Asif Ali Zardari was quite emotional while speaking on the judges' issue. One source said he talked of the restoration of the judges but linked it to a constitutional package. He said the party was interested in the independence of the judiciary and not in personalities.

A party leader said he was disappointed to hear what he termed the charge-sheet issued by the PPP co-chairperson against the deposed judges. According to him, almost 60 per cent of the co-chairman's speech was on Aitzaz Ahsan and the judges.

While the PPP is clearly seen connecting the judges restoration issue with a constitutional package, the PML-N is determined not to budge from what had been agreed between the two parties in Murree on March 9, 2008.

"We don't accept the 'Minus-One Formula' or any such solution that excludes Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry," PML-N minister Ahsan Iqbal told this correspondent, adding the "Minus-One Formula" would mean accepting March 9, 2007 Gen Musharraf's action of suspending chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry as legitimate.

Ahsan said as per the Murree Declaration, the deposed judges would be restored through a resolution. Ahsan categorically said that the question of any constitutional amendment for the judges' restoration did not arise.

Ahsan said the coalition was committed to the Murree Declaration and clarified that the PML-N was not averse to a mutually-agreed constitutional package having no link with the restoration of the judges.

(Courtesy The News)