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November 15, 2007

Pakistan: The Battle Against Oppression

I received this a few minutes ago from a journalist correspondent and friend in Pakistan, Qaiser Felix. As a Christian who regularly reports on the abuse of Pakistan's minority Christian (and Hindu and Ahmadi) population for AsiaNews.it, Qaiser runs the risk of imprisonment under the Army Act of 1953, which was revived by Musharraf a week after he suspended the constitution. I make no changes to what he has written, and can only applaud his bravery and forthright honesty by continuing to report from a country that has suspended certain articles from the constitution - even including Article 9 - the right to life.

Anyone who has a blog - please copy this and post it.

Adrian Morgan

The crucial final round towards democracy

Qaiser Felix

Islamabad, November 15, 2007: As the national assembly will be dissolved at midnight tonight (Thursday) after completing its five-year constitutional term and the provincial assemblies would also be dissolved on 20 Nov. and elections to be held before 9 January 2008, apparently, it is the start of final round towards democracy in the every day changing political situation of Pakistan.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will issue the schedule for the upcoming elections shortly after the dissolution of the national and provincial assemblies.

The government of general Musharraf is feeling proud that the assemblies are completing their complete five years time because it is not a common practice in the six decades old history of the country.

"This is a historic moment for all of us." This will be the first time for 22 years that an assembly completes its mandate, State Information Minister Tariq Azeem said on Wednesday.

He said a caretaker government will be sworn in on Friday to oversee the upcoming general elections. It is also likely that the name of the caretaker prime minister will be announced today, he added.

President General Pervez Musharraf has said he would step down as army chief after a Supreme Court ruling on the validity of his re-election, which he said was expected by the end of November.

Speaking with The Associated Press, he said he would then begin a new presidential term as a civilian.

But on the other hand, Former premier Benazir Bhutto said on Wednesday that election promised by President General Pervez Musharraf before January 9 could "hardly be fair".

"Musharraf will continue to be the head of the ruling party in an open field, while all other actors are behind bars," she said, referring to herself and other political leaders who were rounded up.

Finishing her 8 years self imposed exile, Ms Bhutto returned to Pakistan on October 18 after long talks and a power sharing deal with Musharraf government. Bhutto was welcomed warmly by tens of thousands of her supporters and on the night of 18 October two suicide bombers also welcomed Bhutto's massive welcome rally killing about 150 people.

Other opposition parties criticized the deal between Musharraf and Bhutto in strongest terms which finished all corruption cases against former premier in and outside the country.

But the whole picture was changed when General Pervez Musharraf imposed a state of emergency in the whole country and promulgated a Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) holding the Constitution in abeyance on Nov. 3. All private local and foreign TV news channels were taken off air and merely state run TV is on air to propagate in favour of the general and his allies.

Musharraf also fired Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, the Chief Justice of Pakistan with whom he had a long judicial war which concluded with Musharraf's defeat.

When general Musharraf announced the state of emergency on Nov. 3, he said on state run TV that emergency was in the interest of the state and it was to curb the rising Islamic militants and extremism in some parts of the country.

Whereas, practically Musharraf government immediately started crackdown on lawyers, judges, opposition politicians, rights activists and journalists. So far, government has been arrested thousands of these people.

The government's move, greeted with immediate condemnation at home by opposition parties, lawyers and human rights groups as well as by UN, US, UK and many other countries and organizations of the world.

According to many analysts actually Musharraf was worried about the Supreme Court's ruling about validity of his re-election as a president of Pakistan. And he was feared that most of the judges of the highest court of Pakistan would decree against him. That is why he took this extreme step.

Pakistani Christians also active against emergency rule

Pakistani Christians are dynamically contributing the struggle for the restoration of democracy, fundamental rights and freedom of expression after General Pervez Musharraf announced a country wide state of emergency suspending constitution of Pakistan on Nov. 3.

Pakistan Catholic Bishops Conference's human rights body, National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), has demanded that emergency must be lifted and constitution should be revived unconditionally and immediately, terming the imposition of emergency as a most unfortunate and misdirected step.

In a joint statement issued by Archbishop Lawrence John Saldanha and Mr. Peter Jacob, the Chairperson and the Executive Secretary of NCJP said that the challenges faced by the country cannot be dealt by imposition of emergency and the respect for rule of law, independence of judiciary and the restoration of the fundamental rights can bring Pakistan to the path of democracy.

The NCJP statement demanded for the:

Restoration of the constitution and fundamental rights

The immediate return to the civilian rule

Immediate and unconditional release of the detainees throughout the country

Restoration of judges and independent judiciary

Restore the freedom of Press and Electronic Media and repeal the new ordinance.

Immediately after the emergency rule Christians were active to confront it. Four Christians Nadeem Anthony, council member of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and an active member of National Journalists' Fourm, Irfan Barkat, staff member of (NCJP), Miss Ayra Indreas from Women Desk of the Chruch of Pakistan's diocese of Lahore and her sister Miss Mona Indreas were arrested along with 54 rights activists when they were planning protests against emergency.

Many Christian members of All Pakistan Minorities alliance (APMA) were also arrested for taking part in protests. Many of APMA workers are still behind bars, APMA chief said.

Yesterday, about 100 APMA workers were baton charged and arrested in Lahore when they were trying to join Long March called by Ms. Bhutto, Shahbaz Bhatti said.

APMA head further said that Naveed Amir, member of Punjab Assembly (MPA) and active member of APMA was severely tortured and arrested by police yesterday.

National Journalists' Forum (NJF) Pakistan, a forum of Christian professional journalists has started an awareness campaign about the fundamental rights which have been curbed as a result of emergency. NJF is in process of publishing awareness and educational material for common people to enhance their understanding regarding this disturbed situation of the country, a statement by NJF stated.

Minorities Concern, a Christian advocacy group said in its statement that "although President Musharraf has announced the date of the forthcoming general elections, it is visible that under emergency no elections will have any moral or legal legitimacy and definitely will be rejected by the people of Pakistan. Moreover, no elections can be free without a free media and an independent judiciary."

Qaiser Felix

Secretary General

National Journalists' Forum (NJF) Pakistan

South Asian Catholic Press Association (SACPA) South Asia

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at November 15, 2007 11:44 AM

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