BRITISH PAKISTANIS APPEAL TO UNITED NATIONS
London - 6 December 1998
Hundreds of British-Pakistanis, while expressing their deepest concern over the worst human rights violations committed against the Mohajir Nation in Pakistan by the Nawaz Sharif Government, have appealed to the Secretary General of the United Nations to take up this matter on priority. The Petition, signed by hundreds of British-Pakistanis, was distributed during the MQM UK's demonstration at the residence of Nawaz Sharif in London on Sunday evening.
Complete text of the said petition:
Mr. Kofi Annan
Secretary General
United Nations
UN Plaza
New York, NY 10017
USA
We, the undersigned Pakistanis residing in the United Kingdom, would like to invite your urgent attention towards the gross human rights violations in Pakistan perpetrated by the Government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. We are holding protests to condemn the undemocratic and unconstitutional steps of the Prime Minister and the State operated persecution against over 22 million Mohajirs, the largest ethno-linguistic minority of the country in urban Sindh. The most concerning issues are as follows:
1-- Gross Human Rights Violations.
2-- Undemocratic Steps:
The gross human rights violations include arbitrary arrests, torture and death in custody, "disappearances" and extra-judicial executions of the MQM (Muttahida Quami Movement) members and supporters. In absolute violation of the country’s constitution, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has established "Summary Military Courts" and has effectively paralysed the judicial system of the country. According to Amnesty International Report ASA 33/17/98, " people will have nowhere to seek redress for human rights abuses committed against them while the High Court’s powers are curtailed,". It further says, "Hundreds of people arrested in the clamp downs in Karachi during the last three weeks could now be facing summary and unfair trials before military courts". The Report adds, "also contravenes Principle 5 of the United Nations Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary, endorsed by the General Assembly in 1985."
The undemocratic steps include suspension of the Sindh Provincial Assembly and imposition of Governor Rule in Sindh. Besides, the Prime Minister has invoked, with mala fide intentions, Article 245 of the Constitution and has given sweeping powers to the Armed Forces in Sindh Province. This step is undoubtedly aimed at intensifying the sustained crackdown and persecution against the MQM and Mohajirs. In this regard, the most relevant examples are the arrests and egregious torture under State custody of Shoaib Bukhari Advocate and Wakil Jamali, both of them are the members of Sindh Provincial Assembly and belong to MQM. Mention of the deaths of Fasih Ahmed, a worker of the MQM, and Mubashir Ali, a businessman, in police custody are also relevant in this context. In conclusion, these can be the worst examples of political victimisation and State terrorism. It is widely believed that opposition of the MQM to Nawaz Sharif’s so-called Shariat Bill is one of the important causes of this recent onslaught against the MQM
As a result, Mohajirs feel the most deprived and isolated community in Pakistan. They have nowhere to go in Pakistan to seek redress against the State inflicted persecution and atrocities upon them. Not only their fundamental rights are blatantly violated and they are deprived of any recourse to justice, even their voice against such injustices is being suppressed by use of brute force.
Consequently, we feel it extremely imperative to approach your good offices and seek your urgent indulgence into this matter of grave concern.
You may recall that already thousands of Mohajirs have been arbitrarily arrested, tortured, maimed, "disappeared" and extra-judicially executed in the course of persistent reign of political victimisation and process of systematic annihilation.
We, therefore, appeal to you to take up this matter as a priority. We firmly hope that such tyrannical regimes are absolutely unacceptable to the democratic world.