Labour Party Pakistan leaders hunted by police
By Farooq Sulehria
LAHORE — Police and soldiers raided the houses and offices of Labour Party Pakistan leaders on the night of March 22. The raids occurred just hours after an LPP-organised demonstration against the visit of US President Bill Clinton (see accompanying article). No arrests were made during the demonstration, probably due to the large media presence there.
A few hours later, however, police raided several premises searching for Farooq Tariq, Shoaib Bhatti and Zafar Awan, three central leaders of LPP. The three managed to avoid arrest and have gone underground.
During the raid on Tariq's house, hundreds of soldiers and police encircled the area. They forced their way into the house, despite protests from Shahnaz Iqbal, Tariq's partner, who was alone with her six-year-old daughter.
The soldiers forced a neighbour, Hamayun Rashid, to point out the houses of all LPP members in the area. Several of these houses were then raided, without success. Rashid was detained until inquiries from several national newspapers forced his release.
The LPP headquarters and the office of the party's weekly newspaper, Mazdoor Jeddojuhd (Workers' Struggle) have been raided several times and are now under police surveillance.
The Daily Dawn, the largest circulation English-language daily in Pakistan, reported in a front-page article on March 23 that the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), at its council meeting that day, unanimously condemned the raids. An HRCP statement said: "If various sections of society are being freely allowed to issue statements and express their satisfaction over the visit of the US president ... those who opposed this visit are equally entitled to express their opposition to it, particularly if the protest is made peacefully, as the LPP demonstration was."
The HRCP also strongly condemned the illegal detention of Rashid and noted, "The raids and searches of the houses of LPP members were conducted without warrants ... The council demands that no one should be arrested or harassed for expressing their opinion through peaceful means.
"The recent ban on political rallies and demonstrations, which violates fundamental human rights, should be lifted immediately ... The HRCP Council will personally take public action if the ban is used as a basis to harass LPP leader Farooq Tariq and members of his party, or their associates."
The Daily Dawn's London correspondent reported on March 23 that 15 Pakistani pro-democracy activists picketed the Pakistan High Commission that day, Pakistan Day, demanding an immediate return to democracy and that the army return to barracks. The demonstration was organised by the Pakistani organisation Aaj Kay Naam (In Today's Name).
Jeremy Corbyn, British Labour MP for Islington North, told the demonstrators that there could be no compromise with military dictatorship. The Daily Dawn reported that Corbyn said: "I very much hope that the British and other western governments will learn from their errors of the past, and realise that propping up militarism in the name of 'strategic' or economic interests cannot be justified."
"Army out, civilians in", chanted the demonstrators, who included some left-wing British activists. A placard at the picket declared: "This Pakistan belongs to he who is captain in the army".
Dr Arif Azad, spokesperson for Aaj Kay Naam, told the Daily Dawn that exactly one year earlier, the organisation had held a protest at the same place to condemn deposed president Nawaz Sharif's induction of military personnel into every government department and that it would continue to struggle for democracy in Pakistan.
Dr Amjad Ayub, an LPP leader in London who participated in the picket, criticised the government for banning political activities in Pakistan.
Aaj Kay Naam has issued an open letter which has been signed by three British MPs, journalist John Pilger, Labour national executive member Liz Davies, as well as writers, human rights activists and trades unionists. The letter, which has been sent to the British foreign office and representatives of European Union governments, is "sending a clear signal to the military regime that their lawless coup has not been forgotten", said Azad. "All over the world, people committed to democracy and human rights are watching them. This is only the beginning of a ... campaign that will not end until democracy is restored to Pakistan."
The open letter notes that, since the 1999 coup, Pakistan's constitution has remained suspended, the judiciary has been barred from challenging the military rulers' actions, and no timetable for a return to civilian and democratic rule has been announced. "We also note that since the coup, abuses of human rights, including women's rights, have increased, and that the military regime has fanned the flames of religious fundamentalism", the letter says.
It adds, "The entrenched power of the military, and its vast influence over civil and political society, must be put to an end, once and for all. In particular, military expenditure (currently consuming some 50% of the government budget) must be substantially reduced and resources switched to education, health, and economic and social development." The letter calls on Western governments to impose a strict embargo on all arms sales to the military.
The Daily Nation Lahore reported on March 23 that statements from the Pakistan Workers Confederation, All Pakistan Trade Unions Federation, Oil Tankers Transport Workers Union and the Mutehida Labour Federation Pakistan have condemned the attacks on the LPP, urged the government not to harass people and described as unwise the ban on political activities. The unions have demanded an early restoration of democracy and trade union rights.
Most Urdu-language papers have reported the trade unions' statements, as well as the proceedings of an emergency meeting of the LPP Punjab to condemn the attacks.
Readers are urged to send letters of protest against the attacks on the LPP and democratic rights in Pakistan to General Pervaiz Musharraf, e-mail <ce@pak.gov.pk>, and Federal Interior Minister Lt. Gen. (R) Moin -ud-Din Haider, fax 92 51 9202642, and the Governor of Punjab Lt. Gen. (R) Muhammed Safdar, fax 92 42 9200077. Please also phone, fax or e-mail your local Pakistani embassy or consulate. Copies of protest letters should be sent to the LPP at <lpp@lpp.lhr.sdnpk.org>, with backup copies to the Democratic Socialist Party at <intl@dsp.org.au>.