MQM warns govt against blocking passive resistance
By Our Reporter
30 July 1999 Friday 16 Rabi-us-Saani
1420
KARACHI, July 29: Amid mounting tension the Muttahida Qaumi
Movement on Thursday warned the administration that if it tried
to obstruct or to sabotage their peaceful hunger strike, then the
party would be compelled to launch a public protest campaign, and
the onus for its consequences would be on the government.
Senator Aftab Shaikh, deputy convener of the MQM coordination
committee, was talking to newsmen after the fourth batch of the
hunger strikers, two elders and two ladies, led by MNA Tariq
Javed and MPA Asim Kabir, replaced the previous batch for another
24 hours at midday outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC).
They were carrying placards deploring extrajudicial killings and
police excesses and injustice to the people of Sindh. They also
deplored the violations of human rights and of constitutional
provisions.
The anti-MQM group, which called itself "Voice of Karachi,"
also resumed its protest on the pavements of Lakson Square,
opposite the KPC. They had hung banners inscribed with slogans
demanding punishment for the killers of their relatives.
Senator Shaikh alleged that the local administration and the
police had tried to prevent the people from coming to the site of
protest and had put up barricades.
He said even he and his parliamentarian colleagues were stopped
at the barricade. He had to personally remove the barricades to
make way for the vehicles, said the MQM senator.
Senator Shaikh said he had told the officials on duty that "if
we are not allowed to exercise our right of peaceful protest,
then we will cut short the hunger strike programme and go into
agitation."
He said the MQM did not recognize Section 144 because it was a
colonial law and against the fundamental rights guaranteed in the
Constitution.
He refuted allegations that the MQM was trying to break up the
country. "This is absurd because we are the people who
fought for Pakistan and gave sacrifices for its creation. It is
malicious propaganda of those vested interests who engineered the
dismemberment of the country and are adamant on denying the
people their rights," he said.
"We want our rights, and we reject the dictatorial and
fascist tendencies of the government," said Senator Shaikh.
He said the people were already enraged over the administration's
attitude due to which there was a strike in Hyderabad on
Wednesday. He indicated that if the regime's attitude did not
change, "other forces, which are marking times, would also
jump into the fray and launch an anti-government movement."
This was a reference to the anti-Nawaz protest rallies planned by
the PPP in the Sindh province on Aug 4.
He said that the claim of heavy mandate did not mean that the
mandate of others had diluted. Nawaz Sharif must learn to respect
the mandate of others.
He said the local administration was clearly divided. The civil
administration was moving in one direction, while the Inspector-General
Police, Sindh was acting in another direction.
MQM Restarts the hunger strike in
Karachi, Pakistan
Photographs of the MQM Hunger Strikers
protesting against the genocide of the Mohajir Nation in Karachi,
Sindh province, Southern Pakistan
Senator Nasreen Jalil, Mr. Nawab Mirza
Advocate, Former Speaker SIndh Assembly and Dr. Nishat Mallick,
Member National Assembly observing hunger strike at the Karachi
Press Club
MQM Hunger Strike in Karachi, Pakistan
--- Second Day
Hunger strike camp of MQM uprooted in
Karachi
Pakistani police ransack ethnic party's
protest camp
HUNGER STRIKE CAMP OF MQM UPROOTED AND
HUNGER STRIKERS TORTURED AND UNLAWFULLY DETAINED
Photographs of the MQM Hunger Strikers
protesting against the genocide of the Mohajir Nation in Karachi,
Sindh province, Southern Pakistan.
MQM Global Hunger Strike in London
The MQM Hunger Strikers
protesting against the genocide of the Mohajir Nation in Karachi,
Sindh province, Southern Pakistan, opposite White House, Washington DC, Toranto, Montrial. The genocide is being committed by the Nawaz Sharif
Government.
MQM STARTS INDEFINITE HUNGER STRIKE IN
KARACHI, PAKISTAN
Karachi protest at 'police brutality'
FOURTH DAY OF MQM's GLOBAL PROTEST
AGAINST ATROCITIES UPON MOHAJIR NATION IN PAKISTAN
MQM to launch hunger strike from today
THIRD DAY OF MQM's GLOBAL PROTEST
AGAINST ATROCITIES UPON MOHAJIR NATION IN PAKISTAN
Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi MNA and
Deputy Convenor of MQM Co-ordination Commitee and other MQM
workers observe the hunger strike in front of White House in
Washington DC, USA
SECOND DAY OF MQM'S GLOBAL PROTEST
AGAINST ATROCITIES UPON MOHAJIRS IN PAKSITAN
MQM LAUNCHES A GLOBAL PROTEST AGAINST
GENOCIDE OF MOHAJIRS
HANDBILLS DISTRIBUTED AT 10 DOWNING
STREET
MQM workers observe hunger strike in
London
MQM TO HOLD WORLD WIDE PROTESTS
INCLUDING HUNGER STRIKES