AHRC calls for withdrawal of emergency, restoration of Constitution
KARACHI (PPI) – The Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission AHRC Monday appealed to the international community to take a firm stand and show that they stand for democracy and human rights, in Pakistan.
“The imposition of Emergency by the military government on November 3, 2007, is nothing less than the thinly disguised imposition of martial law; it would have been the fifth time that martial law has been imposed in Pakistan in its 60 year history, it said in a statement.
Following the declaration of emergency by General Musharraf’s government, there
was an immediate round up of opposition members and activists. About 60 Judges of the superior courts are under house arrest, their telephone lines cut off and heavily armed detachments of the police force encircle their houses. Among them are 14 judges of the Supreme Court and 46 judges of high courts of four provinces.
The Chief justice of Pakistan, Mr. Iftekhar Choudhry was forcibly taken out from Supreme Court building by elements of the military High Court in a helicopter and also remains under house arrest.
Through the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) which has replaced the Constitution of Pakistan, several fundamental rights were suspended, among them are article 9, which relates to security of persons.
Following the suspension of article 10, the government can arrest any persons without charges and hold them in custody for an indefinite period; articles 15,16,17,19 and 25 have also been suspended and these pertain to freedom of movement, freedom of assembly, freedom of speech and equality of citizens.
The press has also been put under severe censorship and received instructions about the publication of photographs, cartoons and news about the workings of judges who have taken new oaths under the PCO. It is interesting that the Islamic clauses in the constitution have been kept intact as one of the major reasons for declaring the emergency was violence perpetrated by Islamic extremists.
The broadcasting equipment of two FM radios, one in Karachi and the other from Islamabad has been confiscated and permission to broadcast suspended until further notice.
Three television channels were attacked by the police and one television channel in Multan city, Punjab province, was also prevented from putting out its telecast. All the private channels, including radio and television, went off the air on the implementation of the emergency but their transmissions outside the country could not be stopped by the government.
The president of the Supreme Court Bar Association along with 40 other activist lawyers who led the movement for the restoration of the suspended Chief justice were arrested. FurtherÂmore, the chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan adds about 15 political leaders of different political parties are under arrest.
A crack down against lawyers, human rights organizations and political parties continues. Some 70 human rights activists including 30 women were arrested the office of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan in Lahore, where they were holding a meeting to decide how to react to the emergency. In Islam, some 30 activists were beaten and baton charged at a peaceful demonstration.
“The Asian Human Rights Commission believes that implementation of the emergency is nothing less than indication of the total failure of General Musharraf’s government to run the country after having had absolute power more than eight years.
Source: The Nation
Date:11/6/2007
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