KARACHI: Protesting against 'extrajudicial killings', raids and arrests of party workers, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leaders on Monday started a token hunger strike outside Karachi Press Club (KPC). In order to counter the MQM campaign, a protest camp of the heirs of slain policemen and others who fell victim to terrorism in the city has been set up just opposite the Muttahida camp.
This is the second phase of the MQM campaign as earlier they launched a protest campaign abroad to catch the attention of the international media and Western powers.
A heavy police posse, including women constables, was posted around the KPC to avert any unfortunate incident as there was another camp of protesters, mostly comprising families of slain policemen, set up just opposite the MQM camp. Banners have been displayed at the camp, condemning the MQM and its chief for "unleashing terror" in the city. Deputy Convener of the MQM Coordination Committee Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh; MNA Hasan Musanna Alvi; Dr Farooq Sattar, Muttahida parliamentary leader in the Sindh Assembly; and MPA Waseem Akhtar, besides two MQM lady workers Zeshan Begum and Nuzhat Kamal and two elders Fazal Imam and Muhammad Sualeheen have started the hunger strike as the first batch of protesters for 24 hours.
The campaign would continue for 15 days followed by protest demonstrations despite imposition of Section 144, said Senator Aftab Shaikh while talking to journalists. "We will go for protest demonstrations even if Section 144 is in the city," Senator Shaikh pledged. So far, these two phases had been decided upon, but there would be more protest measures, he added.
Hasan Musanna Alvi was lying at the camp with a dextrose drip, as he was already sick. The camp has been equipped with BP apparatus and first aid boxes. Besides the hunger-striking leaders and workers, a sizeable number of men and women party workers were also present at the camp.
"Nawaz Sharif's subservient judiciary is not acceptable -- Altaf Hussain," says a banner displayed at the camp alongside a large portrait of MQM chief Altaf Hussain.
Banners condemning the ATC judgments of awarding death sentences to MQM workers have also been displayed. Talking to journalists, Dr Farooq Sattar and Senator Aftab Sheikh said this was the first phase of the protest against the government.
Aftab said: "In the next phase, we will launch protest on roads and we reserve the right of further steps of protest." Referring to the camp set up just opposite, Aftab said it was the agenda of Pakistan Police Party (PPP) and through the police force, the government wanted to bring in a mayor of their own choice. The police, Aftab said, was dictating to the adviser of the prime minister on Sindh affairs and it was now a one-man and one-party rule in Karachi.
Farooq Sattar said that since the imposition of governor's rule in Sindh, 24 extrajudicial killings had taken place. Aftab Ahmed Sheikh said the camp opposite had been set up through a conspiracy by the IG Police Sindh only to sabotage the peaceful protest of the Muttahida against the government. He feared that a law and order situation could take place on account of its presence.
Aftab claimed that Yunus Durrani, PRO to the DIG Karachi, was himself supervising the camp and it was being officially sponsored by the IG Police Sindh. He said that the sister of Rahila Tiwana, Lubna Tiwana, was also present to supervise the police camp.
The MQM workers and supporters kept on thronging the camp well into the night besides political figures like Asfandyar Wali and Muhammad Baksh Lashari. The MQM leaders said that people from different walks of life visited the camp to express solidarity. They thanked the people for expressing solidarity with the MQM peaceful protest. Muttahida leaders and workers welcomed the ANP Central President Asfandyar Wali as he came out of the Karachi Press Club after holding a press conference.
Asfandyar expressed solidarity with the Muttahida in their struggle and said that both the MQM and the ANP were struggling for the rights of the people and provincial autonomy. MQM chief Altaf Hussain also rang up from London and inquired about the progress of the hunger strike.
Meanwhile, in order to counter the MQM protest campaign, a protest camp of the heirs of slain policemen and others who fell victim to terrorism in the city has been set just opposite the MQM camp.
Organised by the Voice of Karachi (VOK) -- a least known Human Rights organisation -- the camp has been established just opposite the MQM hunger-strike camp outside the Karachi Press Club.
For the establishment of the camp, officials from the district administration ordered removal of motorcycles and cars parked at the place and when the owners of vehicles, mostly employees at Lakson Square, protested the officials paid no heed to their hue and cry. Subsequently, the camp was erected at the place where anti-MQM banners were displayed by the 'Voice of Karachi'.
One of the banners read, "Arrest the terrorists of Muttahida, otherwise we will fast unto death." Sitting at the camp were widows, mothers, sisters of the policemen killed by terrorists in different incidents. Besides, the brother and nephew of slain PPP leader Naeem Hasni were also at camp.
Widow of ASI Nazir told journalists that she just wanted justice. "My husband was killed by terrorists ... I have to bring up four children ... I am seeking justice ... The killers of Nazir should be arrested and means be provided for my kids," she said in a voice choked with emotion.
Asif Abbasi and Shazia Batool, Chairman and Vice-Chairperson of the Voice of Karachi, faced the volley of queries of journalists. They said the organisation was working for the last four years and managed several demonstrations, including one against the police brutalities.
Abbasi said a VOK delegation also attended the last conference on Human Rights in Geneva. He denied that the camp was being organised on the advice of the administration or the police. When asked why the VOK was voicing only against the MQM while other parties had also been accused for violent incidents and terrorism, the VOK chief said almost all the heirs of the slain people accused the MQM. He said the killers of slain policemen and other innocent people must be arrested and awarded exemplary punishment.
Heavy police contingents were present at the venue to avert any ugly incident. When the area SHO was asked whether the camp was being managed on the instruction of the police chief, he said the police had nothing to do with such things. Later, in the evening, the women left for their homes and the camp was being occupied by a group of men.
One shot deadKARACHI: Armed men killed a shop owner in Buffer Zone on Monday night. Armed men entered shop of Moeen Khan, 35, and at gunpoint started collecting cash. When Moeen offered resistance they shot at him. He later died at the hospital. Shakeela, 25, wife of Nazeer Ali died of burn injuries at Civil Hospital. She was burnt when her clothes caught fire in her house in Saudabad on Thursday.
12 vehicles snatchedKARACHI: Gunmen snatched 12 vehicles from the city on Monday. Besides, robbers looted Rs 25,000, prize bonds worth Rs 75,000 and jewellery from the residence of Ghulamuddin in Gulberg; Rs 25,000, Saving Certificates worth Rs 100,000 and gold ornaments from the residence of Joseph; cash and jewellery from Imran Elahi in Ferozabad; Rs 15,000 from Nasir in Korangi, The residence of Sohail Mehmoob was robbed of cash and gold ornaments in Defence, and that of Khalid Kabeer in Ferozabad. Imran was relieved of Rs 25,000 in Pak Colony. Meanwhile, the city police claimed to have recovered two cars and three motorcycles from different parts of the city.
Girl bags first position in SSC-II science examKARACHI: The top slot in the SSC Part-II examination 1999 has been bagged by a girl, while the second position is a tie between a boy and a girl. A boy and two girls have shared the third position.
Maria Maqbool from St Joseph's Convent High School secured first position by obtaining 93.18%, while Syed Adeel Ahmed from White House Grammar School and Beena Mahmood from St. Patrick Girls Sec School shared second position by obtaining 92.35% marks each.
Three candidates - Muhammad Shakir Hussain from Defence Model High School, Hina Sajid from Beacon House Public School and Javeria Habib from Karachi Public High School - shared third position by securing 92.12% marks.
The top slot holder Maria Maqbool was expecting a position but not the top slot. Talking to The News, Maria opined that there was a need for a lot of improvement in the present system of education especially in the subjects of English whose course was not up to the mark.
She preffered the inclusion of MCA's type of question as students depend on memorization and reproduction of text in the examinations. She favoured the holding of entrance test, as it would further reduce the chances of corruption.
In all, candidates from 601 government schools and 1140 from private schools appeared in the SSC examinations of 1999. The pass percentage remained at 47.99%, showing a decline of around 18.4% as compared to the last year's results.
HYDERABAD: Govt, landlords 'creating' water shortage in SindhNEW DELHI: India's navy threatened a sea blockade of Pakistan during the recent conflict over Kashmir, possibly influencing vital decisions that helped New Delhi gain the upper hand, naval officials said on Monday.
They told reporters that Karachi stood within the range of an Indian attack that would take only minutes to execute. They said Pakistan's vulnerable oil tankers had military escorts during the May-June conflict and its oil refineries were also within range. "Karachi is their jugular vein," said a top navy official, who asked not to be identified.
The navy said in a statement: "The Indian navy's strategic deployment ... presented Pakistan with the ominous prospect of a naval blockade that would have crippled her war-fighting machinery and her economy. With the balance of power at sea in favour of India, the maritime front, therefore, had a strategic influence on the conflict that erupted on the land frontier." India shifted its annual naval exercise from Bay of Bengal to the Arabian Sea, reinforced its western command with forces from its eastern naval fleet and deployed its airborne Harriers and Dorniers for surveillance and as a show of strength.